Falkirk-based Beth Allen in top 10 at Ladies European Masters

Falkirk-based American Beth Allen is the only player in the top 10 of the ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters third-round scoreboard at Buckinghamshire Golf Club, Denham.

Beth has had rounds of 71, 70 and 78 for a 54-hole tally of 209 and joint seventh place behind the leader from Germany, Caroline Masson who has scored 70, 67 and 67 for 12-under 204 and a two-stroke lead from two Thai players.

Hamilton's Pamela Pretswell dropped down to the 213 mark alongside Carly Booth.

Pamela has had rounds of 69, 70 and 74; Carly 71, 70 and 72.

Heather MacRae (Gleneagles), off soon to play in the US Women's Open, has shot 70-76-70 for a share of 34th place on 216.

Alford's Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) is joint 57th on 221 with scores of 77, 69 and 75.

Sally Watson (149), Kesley MacDonald (149) and Vikki Laing (154) missed the halfway cut.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3x72)

204 C Masson (Ger) 70 67 68

206 T Plucksataporn (Thai) 69 70 67, N Srisawang (Tai) 67 70 69

SELECTED SCORES

208 L Maguire (Ire) (am) 69 70 69

209 B Allen (USA) 71 70 68

212 C Hull (Eng) 68 67 77

213 C Booth (Sco) 71 70 72, P Pretswell (Sco) 69 70 74

216 H MacRae (Sco) 70 76 70

221 L Murray (Sco) 77 69 75

Germany's Masson has a two-stroke lead

NEWS RELEASE FROM LET
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager
Caroline Masson of Germany will go into the final round of the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters holding a two -stroke lead over Thai pair Titiya Plucksataporn and Nontaya Srisawang.

Masson conjured up five birdies and one bogey on the first nine holes in the third round at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club before making another birdie on the 15^th. 

The 26-year-old from Gladbeck finished on 12 under par and in the hunt for her second Ladies European Tour title after the 2012 South African Women’s Open as many of her closest competitors struggled in the gusty conditions on the back nine.

English pair Alex Peters and Charley Hull, in first and second position overnight, both carded 77s to slip into a tie for ninth and 18^th respectively.

However Australian Rebecca Artis expertly plotted her way to a 66 and shares fourth place with the Xiamen Open champion Ssu-Chia Cheng of Chinese Taipei and Ireland’s world number one amateur Leona Maguire.

Masson, a member of Europe’s winning Solheim Cup team in 2013, is hoping to be playing in the tournament on her home soil in September and needs to put in a solid performance to impress captain Carin Koch.

“Of course I want to make the team and it’s a great chance for me to present myself. Obviously on a course that I really like and I’ve had two really good finishes here in the last two years,” said Masson, who finished third in 2013 and tied for third in 2014.  “I’ve been playing well and I haven’t been scoring well but I’ve managed to turn it around in the last few days and I’m super happy about that.”

Meanwhile the Thai pair had the benefit of practising hard in Oxfordshire with their coach John Cook over the last week. They are both searching for their maiden victories on the Ladies European Tour after several chances.

Plucksataporn said: “I hit a lot of fairways today and my game plan was try to hit fairways, greens and then putt. I could make a lot of putts and up and downs so it was fantastic today.”

Srisawang added: “I feel really good this week. I’m looking forward to tomorrow to playing with my friend.”

Final round play gets under way at 9.40am on Sunday with the leading trio starting at 2.04pm. 

THIRD ROUND TOTALS

204 - Caroline Masson (GER)  70 67 67

206 - Nontaya Srisawang (THA)  67 70 69, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA)  69 70 67

208 - Ssu-Chia Cheng (TPE)  68 70 70, Leona Maguire (IRL)  69 70 69, Rebecca Artis (AUS)  70 72 66

209 - Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN)  69 69 71, Beth Allen (USA)  71 70 68

210 - Alex Peters (ENG)  70 63 77, Becky Morgan (WAL)  69 71 70, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)  72 69 69, Louise Friberg (SWE)  71 69 70

211 - Ashleigh Simon (RSA)  67 72 72, Diana Luna (ITA)  68 73 70, Noora Tamminen (FIN)  73 71 67, Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA)  66 70 75, Holly Clyburn (ENG)  70 71 70

212 - Melissa Reid (ENG)  71 70 71, Charley Hull (ENG)  68 67 77

213 - Emily Kristine Pedersen (DNK)  68 69 76, Sarah Kemp (AUS)  72 70 71, Laura Davies (ENG)  71 70 72, Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DNK)  71 69 73, Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP)  68 72 73, Carly Booth (SCO)  71 70 72, Pamela Pretswell (SCO)  69 70 74

214 - Trish Johnson (ENG)  68 71 75

215 - Felicity Johnson (ENG)  69 75 71, Isabelle Boineau (FRA)  71 71 73, Amy Boulden (WAL)  72 74 69, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)  69 73 73, Georgia Hall (ENG)  74 70 71, Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  69 72 74

216 - Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER)  70 75 71, Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA)  70 71 75, Johanna Bjork (SWE)  73 72 71, Minea Blomqvist (FIN)  70 69 77, Heather Macrae (SCO)  70 76 70

217 - Charlotte Ellis (ENG)  69 75 73, Csilla Lajtai-rozsa (HUN)  72 71 74, Danielle Montgomery (ENG)  72 73 72, Florentyna Parker (ENG)  70 75 72, Liz Young (ENG)  75 70 72, Hannah Burke (ENG)  74 70 73, Rebecca Hudson (ENG)  70 74 73, Isabella Ramsay (SWE)  69 74 74

218 - Sarah Attwood (ENG)  70 76 72, Caroline Afonso (FRA)  72 74 72, Sophia Popov (GER)  73 73 72, Maria Palacios Siegenthaler (ESP)  71 72 75

219 - India Clyburn (ENG)  72 74 73, Christine Wolf (AUT)  76 69 74, Klara Spilkova (CZE)  70 76 73, Margherita Rigon (ITA)  74 72 73

220 - Sophie Walker (ENG)  70 75 75, Lina Boqvist (SWE)  72 71 77

221 - Leigh Whittaker (GER)  71 75 75, Alexandra Vilatte (FRA)  72 72 77, Holly Aitchison (ENG)  75 71 75, Laura Murray (SCO)  77 69 75

222 - Laurette Maritz (RSA)  75 71 76, Stefania Croce (ITA)  74 72 76, Georgina Simpson (ENG)  75 70 77, Louise Stahle (SWE)  73 72 77, Caroline Martens (NOR)  72 71 79, Maria Balikoeva (RUS)  73 73 76

223 - Josephine Janson (SWE)  67 78 78, Marion Ricordeau (FRA)  72 72 79

224 - Maha Haddioui (MAR)  73 72 79

228 - Rachel Goodall (ENG)  73 73 82