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Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth will take a one shot lead over fellow Ladies European Tour rookie Holly Clyburn of England into the final round of the Deloitte Ladies Open.
The 24-year-old from Stockholm fired a career-best seven-under 66 in the first round at The International on Friday and backed it up with a solid second round of level par 73 in windy conditions on Saturday.
She made a hot start with three birdies in her first four holes and, despite a pair of bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes followed by another dropped shot on the 17th, kept the edge at the end of a chilly second day in Amsterdam.
“It feels good and it’s a new experience for me. It’s where I want to be, but I will be nervous tomorrow,” said Lennarth. “I will definitely be nervous because I haven’t played in the final group in such a big event like this. I’m very happy and obviously it’s where I want to be.”
Clyburn, another rookie eying her maiden victory on the LET, is only a stroke back on six under after rounds of 71 and 69.
The 22-year-old from Cleethorpes had four birdies in a bogey-free round and said that she was used to playing in the cold and windy conditions.
“It was pretty solid from tee to green and once I got on the putting green it was nice to roll some putts in. I was very happy because it was solid from start to finish,” said Clyburn, who won on the LET Access Series shortly after turning professional last October.
The Curtis Cup winner said that she would focus on “One thing and one thing only,” as she sets out in the final round on Sunday.
However, the inexperienced duo are being hunted down by three established tour champions who are only two shots further behind on four-under-par.
Solheim Cup winners Christel Boeljon and Melissa Reid, along with last year’s European No.1 Carlota Ciganda, have nine titles between them and will also have their eye on the €37,500 prize and 40 Solheim Cup points awarded for a win.
Ciganda, a US college contemporary of Lennarth’s, is looking to defend the title she won last year at Broekpolder and commented: “I played pretty good today despite a double on my second hole.
“On my back nine, I birdied one and had a few birdie chances so I’m happy with my score because I don’t think it’s an easy course. I’m happy that I have a chance to win again so I’m going to try my best.”
Boeljon will have the support of the home gallery as she goes in pursuit of a fifth Ladies European Tour title and said: “I think on this golf course anything can happen so I’m looking forward to the final round.”
Tania Elosegui of Spain, the event winner in 2009 at Eindhoven, sits alone in sixth place at three-under, while Pamela Pretswell, Carin Koch and Miriam Nagl share seventh place on two-under-par.
