Mexico’s Maria Fassi continues to dominate the 27th edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup after producing a strong second round of 69 (-4).
The Olympian has held the lead since the start of the tournament carding a round of 65 (-8) on day one.
Despite a shaky start, a double bogey on hole two, the LPGA player dusted off the nerves to roll in three birdies on her front nine on holes five, six and eight.
At the turn, Fassi continued her fine form by rolling in a further four birdies with only a bogey on the 17th to blemish her back nine scorecard.
Speaking about her second round, Fassi said: “The birdie on five really helped to settle things down for me and it gave me breathing room.“
The weather made a turn for the worse in Rabat as Fassi and those in the morning side of the draw faced wet conditions.
“I’m just very proud of what me and my team are doing. It was a lot harder than yesterday, but we were still able to put a very good round together.”
Fassi has one professional win to her name, the 2020 Cooper Communities NWA Classic, a Women’s All Pro Tour so will be looking to secure a maiden LET win tomorrow and hold off the chasing pack.
“I haven’t been in this position in a very long time. I’m very happy to be here.
“I kept walking past the leaderboards and seeing my name at the top. I kept joking with my caddy and saying I could get used to this.
“I think going in as leader adds a little bit of pressure, but I’ve been working so hard and to see two very good rounds makes me extremely happy.
“I am excited for tomorrow, hopefully it’s another solid round and then we’ll see what happens, but I am looking forward to it.”
France’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard fired an incredible 67 (-6) to sit in second on eight-under-par.
The two-time LET winner recovered quickly from her double bogey on the first hole by rolling in three consecutive birdies on holes two, three and four before another on hole seven.
The 23-year-old kept the momentum carding four more birdies on her back nine.
“Today was one shot at a time,” Roussin-Bouchard admitted, “It was very basic.
“I had people telling me yesterday to not expect any scores out of the golf course and to just go out there and play. That’s what I did.”
Roussin-Bouchard who had her last victory at the 2023 Aramco Team Series presented by PIF- Singapore found herself in the first group out and faced the worst of the wet conditions.
“My caddy did a great job at keeping the grips dry. It was wet out there, but we found a rhythm and continued on.
The Frenchwoman started her 2024 season last week at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF where she finished 66th.
“That tournament was about shaking the dust off and seeing where my game is at as I’ve taken quite a lot of time off.
“But now I’m loving it out here and I’m just taking it one tournament at a time. I’m excited for the chase tomorrow.”
The final round of the Lalla Meryem Cup gets under way Saturday at 9:20am local time with the leaders going out at 11:20am.
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