LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR REPORT AND SCOREBOARD

SALLY SQUEEZES THROUGH BUT 

CARLY, PAMELA MISS CUT IN FRANCE

Sally Watson was the only Scot to survive the halfway cut in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France at Golf de Chantaco in St Jean de Luz.
The Edinburgh-born player made it with nothing to spare, shooting 74-70 for the limit mark of four-over-par 144.
The other Scots in the field were eliminated. Carly Booth had a total of 146 (74-72) and Pamela Pretswell 150 (76-74).
NEWS RELEASE FROM L E T
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

Maria Hernández kept a narrow lead after adding a three-under-par 67 to her opening 65

On another warm and sunny day, the 28-year-old from Pamplona, the Spanish bull-run city, carded three birdies on the front nine at the third, seventh and ninth holes before coming back in level par with two birdies on the 13^th and 14^th against a pair of bogeys on the 11^th and 18^th.

“It was a good day out there today again. I was playing very solid. I hit the ball very consistent through 18 holes and didn’t miss a shot,” said Hernández. 

“I just made a couple of mistakes with my putter and that was it: that’s why the round wasn’t lower.”

The three players a stroke behind going into the weekend are fellow Spaniard Carlota Ciganda, England’s Florentyna Parker and amateur Albane Valenzuela, 16, from Switzerland.

The young Swiss, who is playing in her first professional tournament, birdied the seventh, ninth and tenth holes before holing out with her second shot on the par-4 11^th, where she played a ‘small 8-iron’ to the green from 122 metres. 

“I had no expectations coming here. I just wanted to make the cut and have fun,” she said. Valenzuela’s mother is French and her father is Mexican.

Of the more experienced players, Ciganda is feeling at home this week as her caddie Javier Urquizu is from nearby Hondarribia, just 15 minutes away across the Spanish border.

Ciganda said: “I started with a bogey but made five birdies in the next six holes. My putting was working today and then on the back nine I didn’t play that bad but was not hitting the ball that well and it was a bit tough.

“I think I was a bit tired on the back nine because there are a few hills and it was tough. I was trying to drink water and eat a little bit so it was better.”

Parker birdied holes five, 15 and 18 to remain in contention and she added: “I was bogey free today. I just had three birdies and two of those on the last four holes. That made it a better round. I played very steady with nothing too special but nothing bad.”

The defending champion Azahara Munoz, Charley Hull and Isabelle Boineau were on five under par and three strokes off the lead at the halfway point.

Hull, who is taking medication for tonsillitis this week, was one over par on the front nine but picked up five strokes in her last six holes for a three-under-par-67, which included an eagle on the 15^th. 

“I’m starting to trust myself and my swing and my driver a bit more. I didn’t hole many putts on the front nine but the back nine, my putting went back to usual and I putted really well so to be five under for the last seven holes, is pretty good,” said Hull.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 140 (2x70)

132 Maria Hernandez (ESP)  65 67

133 Florentyna Parker (ENG)  66 67, Carlota Ciganda (ESP)  66 67, Albane Valenzuela (SWI)  69 64

135 Azahara Munoz (ESP)  67 68, Charley Hull (ENG)  68 67, Isabelle Boineau (FRA)  67 68

136 Klara Spilkova (CZE)  68 68, Felicity Johnson (ENG)  68 68

137 Nikki Campbell (AUS)  67 70, Malene Jorgensen (DEN)  70 67

138 Hannah Burke (ENG)  68 70, Minea Blomqvist (FIN)  69 69, Sophie Sandolo (ITA)  67 71, Alexandra Vilatte (FRA)  70 68, Georgina Simpson (ENG)  70 68, Amy Boulden (WAL)  69 69, Ariane Provot (FRA)  71 67, Christine Wolf (AUT)  69 69, Bree Arthur (AUS)  69 69

139 Caroline Afonso (FRA)  72 67, Sophie Gustafson (SWE)  73 66, Liz Young (ENG)  69 70, Anais Maggetti (SUI)  67 72, Diana Luna (ITA)  71 68, Maha Haddioui (MAR)  66 73

140 Noora Tamminen (FIN)  68 72, Jade Schaeffer (FRA)  70 70, Isabell Gabsa (GER)  71 69

141 Sahra Hassan (WAL)  71 70, Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  70 71

142 Chloe Leurquin (BEL)  70 72, Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER)  73 69, Rebecca Hudson (ENG)  73 69, Lydia Hall (WAL)  73 69, Louise Larsson (SWE)  70 72, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA)  74 68, Beth Allen (USA)  73 69, Marta Silva Zamora (ESP)  68 74

143 Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)  73 70, Krista Bakker (FIN)  69 74, Lucy Williams (ENG)  72 71, Tania Elosegui (ESP)  73 70, Nikki Garrett (AUS)  72 71, Eleanor Givens (ENG)  70 73, Marion Veysseyre (FRA)  70 73

144 Sally Watson (SCO)  74 70, Margherita Rigon (ITA)  73 71, Caroline Martens (NOR)  73 71, Astrid Vayson De Pradenne (FRA)  76 68, Cathryn Bristow (NZL)  69 75

Missed the cut:

145 Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN)  74 71, Elina Nummenpaa (FIN)  76 69, Cassandra Kirkland (FRA)  70 75, Maria Salinas (PER)  72 73, Lucie Andre (FRA)  70 75, Sophie Walker (ENG)  73 72, Karolin Lampert (GER)  71 74

146 Whitney Hillier (AUS)  75 71, Carly Booth (SCO)  74 72, Mireia Prat (ESP)  71 75

147 Melodie Bourdy (FRA)  73 74, Fabienne In-albon (SUI)  72 75, Viva Schlasberg (SWE)  70 77, Eva Gilly (FRA)  74 73, Julie Greciet (FRA)  74 73, Becky Brewerton (WAL)  71 76, Stefania Croce (ITA)  73 74, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)  73 74, Mallory Fraiche (USA)  72 75

148 Julia Davidsson (SWE)  75 73, Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ)  78 70

149 Holly Aitchison (ENG)  70 79

150 Pamela Pretswell (SCO)  76 74, Steffi Kirchmayr (GER)  75 75

151 Virginia Espejo (ESP)  82 69

152 Marion Ricordeau (FRA)  76 76

161 Josephine Janson (SWE)  79 82