Emile Kristine Pedersen got a reality check on day two of the Hero Women’s Indian Open golf, dropping a shot to finish one-over par 73 but managing to hang on to her overnight lead by the tiniest of margins here on Saturday.
With the unpredictable course at the DLF Golf and Country Club playing true to form and players struggling to keep the ball in play, only two golfers managed to score a two-day total of even-par 144 or under.
Second-placed Becky Morgan of Wales was the other, one stroke behind and 63 players made the cut, applied to the top-60 professionals and ties at 12-over.
Becky, who already has two top-10 finishes in the tournament since 2010, including a third place finish in 2011, is looking for her maiden title on the LET. “The course played a little easier today. The greens were softer, the pin placements a bit easier and the scores better.
“My driving was good and I just want to play the same game as I have been doing,” Becky said.
Four Indians make the cutOnly four Indians managed to make the cut with amateur Aditi Ashok being the best-placed at tied-11th. Aditi, who had struggled with her putting on the first day, managed to keep her errors to a minimum, parring most holes for a one-over 73. “I am concentrating on my iron play and putting for tomorrow,” she said.
Home favourite Vani Kapoor, veteran Smriti Mehra and Saaniya Sharma managed to survive for the third round while the others in fray, including Sharmila Nicollett and Vaishavi Sinha, failed to make the grade.
The top scores: 143: Emile Kristine Pedersen (Den) (70, 73); 144: Becky Morgan (Wal) (73, 71); 145: Malene Jorgensen (Den) (73, 72); 146: Minea Blomqvist (Fin) (72, 74), Liz Young (Eng) (73, 73), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) (73, 73), Cheyenne Woods (USA) (77, 69), Nontaya Srisawang (Tha) (73, 73); 147: Saraporn Chamchoi (Tha) (71, 76), Gwladys Nocera (Fra) (71, 76).
