Swiss rookie Chiara Tamburlini will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France after carding a 67 (-4) on Friday to move to seven-under par.
Tamburlini sits just ahead of England’s Annabel Dimmock – the fellow Ladies European Tour (LET) winner she played alongside on day two in France – after the pair matched one another’s score in Deauville.
Starting on the back nine at Golf Barriere, the Joburg Ladies Open winner got off to a mixed start birdying the 10th and 12th only to drop shots at the 11th and 13th.
Following a string of pars Tamburlini soon produced some more magic birdying the par-5 16th and eagling the par-5 2nd after the turn.
Six holes later she would move to the top of the leaderboard thanks to an excellent birdie at the par-3 8th.
“It’s been a bit of a different week,” Tamburlini said, currently leading the LET Order of Merit. “I feel like I’ve been fighting a lot and just having a really good attitude. Even yesterday on my front nine I didn’t hit any greens and I was just grinding. Good attitude is paying off because it’s difficult conditions as well, especially with the wind. It’s swirling so much.
“It was very fun [with Annabel Dimmock]. We’ve been chatting quite a bit during the round. Talking about everything and anything really! It’s been good fun with her.”
Playing alongside the Swiss star Dimmock also opened with a birdie at the par-5 10th. She would drop shots at the 14th and 16th which sandwiched two fine birdies on the 15th and 16th.
The Englishwoman, winner of this year’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open, would make three birdies in a row after the turn on the 3rd, 4th and 5th to briefly hold the lead before Tamburlini’s excellent birdie on the 8th.
Dimmock said: “I actually hadn’t been hitting it that well coming into this week. I’ve been quite unwell too. But I’ve putted quite well the last two days and I’ve plotted myself around the golf course well. I liked this golf course. I seem to play around it which is nice. The greens are undulating and I’m quite an imaginative player.”
Both stars sit at the top of the leaderboard with added, albeit different motives this week. Tamburlini leads the Order of Merit and is looking to extend her lead in the standings while Dimmock, injured for over nine months, returns to the site where she was forced to withdraw in 2023 with a broken thumb despite leading the tournament on day one.
Discussing the Order of Merit, Tamburlini said: “I definitely want to win it. I try to not think about it specifically too much. Because there’s still six events left. There’s still a lot of golf left. I’m just trying to take it tournament by tournament and not get complacent where I’m at.“
While Dimmock coined this week “unfinished business”, saying: “it was strange coming here on Tuesday. Looking around and having such good memories, before one of the lowest points of my life when I was trying to get home from Paris with a broken thumb [after withdrawing]. So it’s quite strange and surreal being here. I really hope for a good day tomorrow so I can put this one in the books and we’ve gout our avenge.”
A gap of three shots emerges after Dimmock on the leaderboard with Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley, Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta and English duo Thalia Martin and Bel Wardle tied for third on three-under par. Rookie Wardle makes her first cut of the season after a second round 73 (+2).
Norweigan Dorthea Forbrigd sits in solo seventh on two-under par with seven players sharing eighth on one-under par. Camille Chevalier, Emma Grechi and Celine Herbin are the highest placed French players after two days of action and all hold this score. Compatriot Lois Lau is the best placed amateur on one-over par.
After 36-holes the cut fell as five-over par with 63 players making it through to Saturday. The third and final round gets underway tomorrow morning at 9:45am local time.
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