HEATHER NOT BLOOMING IN AZORES

Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) from Dunblane slipped down from an overnight joint third position to sharing 14th place with one round to go in the Azores Ladies Open, the final event of the year in the Ladies European Tour's developmental Access Series. Heather followed up an opening 74 with an eight-over-par 80 at Campo de Golf de Batalha on the Atlantic islands, mainly due to double boys at the long ninth and the short 11th which gave her halves of four-over 40. Her only birdie, at the long 13th, was too little too late for the former British women's open amateur stroke-play champion. The only other Scot in the field, Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll, leapfrogged her compatriot into joint 12th place, improving by three shots for a 75 for 153. After going out in three-over 39, Katy birdied the 13th and 18th but cancelled them out with bogeys at the 14th and 17th. Leading the field by five shots is former British women's open amateur champion Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) who is still an amateur but is going to the LET Qualifying School at La Manga next month and will turn pro if she wins playing rights for the women's tour. Tidy is outclassing the field of mainly professionals in the Azores Ladies Open. She has scored 70 and 71 for a three-under-par tally of 141 and a five-shot lead. Ireland's Tara Delaney is in joint fifth place after a 74 for 149.   LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS Par 144 (2x71) 141 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) (am) 70 71. 146 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spain) 72 74. 147 Alexandra Villate (France) (am) 75 72, Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) 75 72. 149 Tara Delaney (Ireland) 75 74, MNarjet van der Graaff (Netherlands) 74 75. Scots' scores: 153 Katy McNicoll (Carnousite) 78 75 (T12). 154 Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) 74 80 (T14).

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