ST ANDREWS, Scotland — Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela is making a strong case for a Solheim Cup captain’s pick this week at the AIG Women’s Open.
After opening with a pair of 74s at the Old Course, the 26-year-old played lights-out on Moving Day, carding a bogey-free, 6-under 66 to vault from T60 to T10 with 18 holes to play at the Home of Golf.
The three-time Olympian raced out of the gate on Saturday morning, quickly grabbing birdies on the first and third holes to get back to 2-over for the tournament. She struck again on the par-5 5th hole and then grabbed another birdie on the par-4 7th hole to ultimately turn in 32, having clawed her way back to level par.
Valenzuela cooled a bit on the back nine but still picked up a pair of birdies on 10 and 14 to move into the red for the tournament, posting a 66 to climb to 2-under overall and trail 54-hole leader Jiyai Shin by just five shots.
“Very happy. Definitely having less wind was an advantage in the morning, so I just tried to capitalize on that and play some good golf,” said Valenzuela. “The last two days, I actually hit the ball really well and just wasn't able to putt well. But I think with the wind, it was so hard to gauge distances. I felt like the game is in a good spot, and I just tried to give my best today.”
While the 66 is her lowest round on the LPGA Tour since she also shot 66 on day two of The Amundi Evian Championship, her impressive Saturday play has slightly bigger implications than just putting her in position to make a run at a top five during Sunday’s final round.
Valenzuela is vying for a spot on her first European Solheim Cup team and is currently on the outside looking in when it comes to qualifying via both the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and the European Solheim Cup point standings.
A win would be necessary for the Swiss to have even just a sniff at automatic qualification, but a strong showing with European Solheim Cup Captain Suzann Pettersen in attendance at the Home of Golf just might give her an edge as the Norwegian narrows down her four captain’s picks that will be made on Monday. That fact is something that has been on Valenzuela’s mind this week as she’s made her way around the Old Course, and she’s hoping that her play will do the talking for her as she tries to track down the leaders in the final round.
“Solheim is a big goal of mine, but I'm just outside on the bubble,” Valenzuela said. “I’m just trying to play good golf, and I told myself at the beginning of the year good golf will take care of itself. That's all I can do. There are so many great European players. It's super competitive to be on that team. All I can do is just do my best.”
If her best is another bogey-free 66, it could be Valenzuela who finally enters the LPGA Tour winner’s circle at the Home of Golf. And while that’s probably a bit out of reach with a five-shot deficit to overcome, anything can happen in the final round of a major championship.
But at the very least, Valenzuela will have one last chance to show Pettersen just what she has got on Sunday at St Andrews. It’s an opportunity she needs to make the most of.
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