Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen shot a -6 65 in the opening round of the Founders Cup Presented by U.S. Virgin Islands to take the morning wave lead at Bradenton Country Club.
After an average start, the round picked up on hole 16, Koerstz Madsen’s seventh on the day. She birdied 16, 17, 18, 1 and 2 to take the early lead.
The last seven holes were a bit more of a mixed bag, with a bogey on three. She then hit an absolute dart into hole four, one of the closest of the day on that green, to get a birdie back. After a bogey on five she finished strong with birdies on seven and eight.
“I was very pleased with the round. I didn’t really know where my game would be at going into the round so I did have a little slow start just with pars, but I think my iron game was the better part today,” said Koerstz Madsen.
Koerstz Madsen wasn’t exactly consistent off the tee, which isn’t anything new for the Dane, but she did hit a lot of greens at 14 and converted with only 25 putts.
The finish is particularly impressive for a player known to run a little hot on the golf course, to finish with two birdies late was a big moment. A reality she herself acknowledged after the round.
“Just stay positive out there. Yeah, I have a temper as a lot of people know, so if I can just stay somehow positive, then I think I’ll have a good shot of that,” said Koerstz Madsen.
Getting a win is her goal for the season. Quietly, Koerstz Madsen had one of the better under-the-radar seasons on Tour and had a pretty legitimate claim to a Solheim Cup slot. Starting the season off right could lead to a lot of momentum.
