Nicole Garcia celebrated her 24th birthday by taking an 11 shot lead into the final round of the Lalla Aicha Tour School in Rabat, Morocco.
The South African shot 70, two under par, to sit on six under par after three rounds on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Morocco.
She started the third round dropping a shot at the par four 2nd hole before back-to-back birdies on the 4th and 5th. Garcia’s steady golf continued into the back nine with a birdie three at the 10th and another birdie on the long 14th stretching her lead to a healthy 11 shots.
Netherland’s amateur Anne Van Dam is Garcia’s nearest competitor at a total of five over par after a third round of 77. Van Dam finished her round with a disappointing double bogey on the long par three, 18th hole.
Sweden’s Louise Friberg sits alone one shot further back in 3rd place after shooting a 74, two over par. Iceland’s Valdis Jónsdóttir is a further stroke back after a third round 77. Sweden’s Anjelika Hammar (75) is lying fifth, closely followed by Finnish player Marika Voss (73) and South African Monique Smit (75) who are tied in 6th.
Round one leader, France’s Astrid Vayson de Pradene (83) endured a difficult back nine in her third round, dropping down the leaderboard to 10 over par.
After Thursday’s final round, the top 42 players and ties will progress to the Final Stage of Lalla Aicha Tour School, which takes place at the Samanah and Al Maaden courses in Marrakech, from the 17 – 21 December.
