There is just one round of the Pre-Qualifier Marrakech remaining as the second round of the tournament is complete.
At Samanah Golf, Iceland’s Ragga Kristinsdottir and USA’s Aneka Seumanutafa are tied at the top, over at Noria there is a three-way tie for the lead.
China’s Tian Xiaolin, Scotland’s Alison Muirhead, and Singapore’s Shannon Tan are all atop the leaderboard, while English amateur Annabell Fuller is still in front at Palmerie Rotana.
Here is a more in-depth look at the second day of the Pre-Qualifier Marrakech…
KRISTINSDOTTIR AND SEUMANUTAFA TIED AT THE TOP AT SAMANAH
Iceland’s Ragga Kristinsdottir and the USA’s Aneka Seumanutafa are tied for the lead after the second round of the Pre-Qualifier with both sitting on seven-under-par.
Kristinsdottir followed up her first round of 66 with a score of 71, one-under-par, to retain the lead going into the final day at Samanah Golf Club.
The 26-year-old got off to a shaky start with a double bogey on her third hole but brought it back with three consecutive birdies on holes four, five and six followed by a further bogey and birdie to finish the front nine.
Two more bogeys set the Icelandic player a further two shots back, but Kristinsdottir finished with a flourish with birdies on two of her last three holes.
“I’m happy with today, I lost it midway through the round with three silly bogeys so to finish it off strong with two birdies was great, I’m proud of that,” she said.
“I wasn’t nervous coming into today, I surprised myself with how I brought myself back out there though and how I calmed down.”
Kristinsdottir has been playing on the LET Access Series (LETAS) in 2023 after attending Q-School last year and finished the season outside the top-70 after only making half the cuts in twelve events.
She explained: “My shaky season on LETAS has prepared me well and I’ve learnt a lot this year. Especially from the last event in Zaragoza where I had a good first round and then bottled it. I learnt a lot from that tournament experience.
“I’m enjoying my group, it’s always nice to play with Elina and I can speak a bit of Swedish so that’s good. Morocco is great, so much warmer than home so that’s nice.
“Tomorrow will be about sticking to one shot at a time, trying to hit some good shots out there and hopefully make the putts.”
Alongside the Icelandic player on seven-under-par is US player Seumanutafa after she has had consistent rounds of 69 (-3) and 68 (-4).
The 23-year-old carded a flawless second round with back-to-back birdies on holes five and six followed by another two on the back nine.
“I was not keeping track of the score today! I was just playing normal golf like how I would play at home in Maryland with my boyfriend,” Seumanutafa admitted.
“I played pretty chill, that’s just how I’ve been ever since junior golf and college and now playing professionally.”
Seumanutafa made the decision to try for LET Q-School after wanting to experience Europe and give herself more opportunities.
The American added: “I just wanted to give Q-School a try, I never travelled to Europe, never to Morocco and the only place I’ve been to is Australia.
“So, I just thought why not? I get the experience and then eventually I will go back to the US. I love Morocco so far; I love it here. I have found a place called Mohito Palm right across our hotel and it’s the best place I’ve ever eaten. It’s beautiful here.”
There is a two-way tie for third position with Germany’s Sarina Schmidt and Sweden’s Ellinor Sudow sitting on four-under-par whilst six players are tied for fifth on two-under-par.
Sudow recorded the best second round of the day with a 67 (-5) making two bogeys and seven birdies.
The 25-year-old played this season on the LPGA but has ventured to Q-School to increase her playing opportunities in Europe and is eyeing up playing some LET tournaments.
Sudow said: “I came to Q-School as I wanted an opportunity to play in Europe and be around friends and family a little bit more. I possibly want to play the Scandinavian Mixed in my hometown and home course. That would be cool.”
The full leaderboard can be found here.
THREE PLAYERS SHARE THE LEAD AT THE END OF DAY TWO AT NORIA
China’s Tian Xiaolin, Scotland’s Alison Muirhead and Singapore’s Shannon Tan sit at the top of the leaderboard on seven-under-par with one round remaining at Noria Golf Club.
Xiaolin, who lives in Milan, opened with a round of 70 (-3) and followed that up with a round of 69 (-4) on day two in Morocco.
The Chinese player had one eagle, five birdies and three bogeys on her scorecard to climb up to a share of first place.
“The eagle on the 14th was insane,” she said. “That was around the time I was feeling a little tired and my shots weren’t going particularly straight. You need a good one on that par-five to get on the green with your second shot.
“The drive started a little bit right, but we teed off from the front, so my ball flew over the bunkers and I had a 5-iron in my hand. It was reachable. My second shot went more towards the right, but it landed a little bit past the pin and then I had a good lie for my chip. I hit my best chip of the day and I chipped it in.
“It was an interesting day because my long game was much better yesterday than today, but when the putter works, you make a lower score than when your long game works. Today I got a little bit luckier and more made more putts. I hit way more greens yesterday, but today, on the greens I hit, I made one putts.”
Muirhead, who held the lead overnight, had a steadier day carding a round of 71 (-1) to stay at the top of the leaderboard.
“Today was more of a grind out day,” said the Scot. “I wouldn’t say I hit it my best, but I got around the golf course, so I’m pretty happy. I’m really enjoying playing my golf at the moment, so I can’t complain too much.
“I had two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, two birdies and a bogey on the back nine. It was a silly mistake coming down 18 but in general, I hit it close and gave myself a lot of chances, more on the back nine. I hit a lot of good putts and some of them dropped. I’m excited for tomorrow and just enjoying being out here.”
Singaporean amateur Tan produced a round of 69 (-4) on day two to move herself to the top as she had six birdies and two bogeys on her scorecard to also be on seven-under-par.
Three players sit in a tie for fourth place with Ireland’s Lauren Walsh, American Sadena Parks and French amateur Ariane Klotz all on six-under-par.
Walsh, who backed up her opening 69 (-4) with a 71 (-2), said: “I’ve been driving it well all week, so that created a lot of chances for me. I probably didn’t hit it quite as close as yesterday, but I holed one or two putts and I had no bogeys, which is always good. Just two birdies and 16 pars but overall, it was really solid.”
USA’s Parks carded a five-under 68 to move herself firmly up the leaderboard with French amateur Klotz firing the round of the day with a 67 (-6).
“I’m very happy,” said Klotz. “I started nicely with a birdie, which is always good. I had another one on the par-5 fifth and then only pars on the front nine.
“We had a couple of average shots which were further away from the pin and I short sided myself on 10 and had a bogey. I bounced back made a birdie on 13, eagle on 14, birdies on 15 and 17.
“A friend of mine asked me to shoot seven-under so she could not stress about me making it, but I was just one short.”
Panama’s Laura Sluman sits in seventh place on five-under-par with Spain’s Teresa Diez Moliner one shot further back in eighth place, while the top 10 is rounded out by the Isle of Man’s Ana Dawson and American Samantha Troyanovich on three-under.
The full leaderboard can be found here.
FULLER EXTENDS ADVANTAGE IN PRE-QUALIFIER AT ROTANA
Annabell Fuller backed up her first round of 65 with a round of 68 (-4) on day two of the Pre-Qualifier being held at Palmerie Rotana.
The English amateur held the overnight lead on seven-under-par and produced another solid round on the second day of competition.
Fuller, who is from Roehampton, started her round with a birdie on the 10th before adding two more on holes 14 and 16.
The 21-year-old made her first bogey of the week on the par-five second but immediately bounced back with a birdie on the third and rolled in another on the seventh to lead on 11-under-par.
“I played pretty well again today; I didn’t make any mistakes,” said the English player. “I had one mis-drive which cos me the bogey on the par-five but other than that, it was a clean scorecard again. I didn’t hole as many putts as yesterday, but two putts here and there is what makes the difference.
“Going into tomorrow, it’s a bit nicer having a lower score. There’s less stress on the last day to put a lower number in. I have been playing pretty well recently so it’s nice to see it in results and to have it pay off.
“I will just come out tomorrow with the same plan. I’m slightly superstitious so I’m not going to change anything and take it as if it’s the first day again and do the same routine.”
Canada’s Brigitte Thibault is still in second place after shooting rounds of 66-71 on the first two days at Rotana.
It was a trickier day for the Canadian with three bogeys on her scorecard, but she fought back to have four birdies in her final 10 holes to be on seven-under-par.
“Today was tougher, I fought like hell,” said Thibault. “I started not great and then I didn’t feel like the momentum was on my side.
“But I stayed super positive and stuck to the basics and stay patient and I came back pretty good. I’m happy with an under-par round considering how I was hitting it today.
“I’m so used to travelling, I love Europe and being here feels like being in Europe. I’m just excited to be here and be in different conditions and learning to grow and accommodate.”
Six players sit in a share of third place with Morocco’s Maha Haddioui, Norway’s Julie Boysen Hillestad, New Zealand’s Munchin Keh, Slovakia’s Anika Bolcikova, Thailand’s Onnarin Sattayabanphot and USA’s Riley Rennell all on five-under-par.
Hillestad, Keh and Bolcikova, who carded rounds of 69 (-3), 70 (-2) and 67 (-5), respectively, have been playing in the same group for the first two days and will do the same for the final day.
“I was hitting it pretty good off the tee and into the green,” said Hillestad. “I struggled a little bit on the greens, I didn’t make any putts. I didn’t do that yesterday either but I’m still under-par so I’m happy with that.”
Bolcikova explained: “It was really nice to play with this group. We didn’t have to look for any balls at all so that was good, and it was nice to be able to watch good golf. Today, surprisingly my worst part was my approaches and iron shots and today they were the best. I unlocked the secret today.”
Keh added: “I think it was my putting that really saved a lot. If the putter is good, you can make up for any shot. You have to have a good putting day and so far so good, so I’ve just got to keep going.”
Six players ended the day in a tie for ninth place with Spain’s Marta Perez, Finnish amateur Anna Backman, Thailand’s Aunchisa Utama, Netherlands’ Romy Meekers and English duo Cloe Frankish and Megan Dennis all on four-under-par.
The full leaderboard can be found here.
