LACOSTE FRENCH LADIES OPEN RECAP

RECAP ON SATURDAY'S THIRD ROUND IN THE LACOSTE FRENCH LADIES OPEN

After the third round of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, held this Saturday at the Golf de Chantaco, three French players share the lead, instead of two yesterday. Valentine Derrey, who shot 67 (-3), joins Gwladys Nocera and Joanna Klatten in front. All three will play together in the last group on Sunday from 11.45 am.

 

It may not be the best round of the day, but Valentine Derrey's three-under-par 67 is for sure the best move among the leaders. After a bogey at the first hole, the Parisian fought back with four birdies on the next six holes. Eleven pars later, she was co-leader in the club house. “I had some birdie chances on the back nine but I didn't hole the putts. I hope it will be a different story tomorrow,” a perfectionist Derrey said. The 26-year-old, who moved to the Basque country last January, intends to shine on Sunday in front of her adoptive home crowd on a course where she has already triumphed: “I won in Chantaco a few years back, in 2006, for the French junior championships. So it would be great to claim my maiden Ladies European Tour title at home.”

 

On Sunday, Derrey will be paired with fellow countrywomen Gwladys Nocera and Joanna Klatten. Nocera claimed the lead at -11 early today with a birdie at 2, but had a more up-and-down back nine. Three other birdies and four bogeys forced her to settle for a level-par round of 70. “I had 10 feet for birdie on 18 and I three-putted it. From this range, it's a waste... Too bad, but after all I didn't play that good today. I was often between clubs, I hesitated quite a lot. I need to change it tomorrow and really get into the ball,” an annoyed but lucid Nocera analysed. However still in the lead, the eleven-time winner on the Ladies European Tour remains in great position ahead of Sunday's final round. Faced with her young rivals, the experienced Auvergne-born player know exactly what she has to do: “I must attack, it's the only way to prevent others from lifting this trophy.”

 

The third Frenchwoman to share the lead, Joanna Klatten, also shot a level-par 70. Off to a poor start with two bogeys at 1 and 6, the 28-year-old showed some pride with birdies at 7, 9 and 11, before a last blemish at 14. “I didn't play as well as the previous days, it was a little less solid, I lacked energy, and I didn't have the same level of concentration on the greens. However I remain in the lead, which is satisfying,” Klatten said. For the second straight day, she'll share her round with Nocera tomorrow, but also with Derrey who comes from the same club: “It will be nice to have two girls from Saint-Cloud in the last group,” she anticipates. With already a lot of fans cheering for the local players today at Chantaco, it is likely that even more French supporters will gather around the last group, which will tee off at 11.45 am.

 

However, one must not forget a handful of other serious contenders just a few shots adrift. Spaniard Azahara Muñoz shot 68 (-2) to take solo fourth, one back. Countrywoman Carlota Ciganda carded a fine four-under-par 66 to climb in 5^th position, alongside England's Charley Hull (69) and South Africa's Lee-Anne Pace (70). With so many big names up the leaderboard, expect the final round of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France to be quite a show.

 

 

Results round 3: Click here

Draw round 4: Click here