Nanna Koerstz Madsen carded a two-under-par 69 in the third round of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France to take a one stroke lead into the final day at Golf du Medoc.
The 23-year-old Dane leads on 10-under ahead of Marion Ricordeau, who is looking to become the fifth French winner of the national title and the first since 2015.
Sweden’s Lynn Carlsson is in third place, with Scotland’s Carly Booth, China’s Xi Yu Lin and Australian Sarah Kemp tied for fourth, three shots off the pace.
Koerstz Madsen carded three birdies and just a solitary bogey on the par-4 11th, but gave herself a five out of 10 for her performance.
“It was okay but it wasn’t really good,” said the 2016 Tipsport Golf Masters champion, who earned an additional three wins in 2017 on the Symetra Tour.
“I didn’t hit my approach shots very close and I had a three-putt, so I wasn’t too happy with that. I would say a four or five-under would be a good round tomorrow.”
Ricordeau signed for a 67 after picking up four birdies in her last five holes and said she was happy to be one off the lead, as that’s the position she came from when she won the 2012 Terre Blanche Ladies Open on the LET Access Series.
She said: “We made a joke yesterday that I was five from the lead, three from the lead, one shot from the lead, and if the numbers are good that could end well.
“I’m lucky right now and I don’t even think about tomorrow. I’m sure if any French player wins it would be amazing.”
Carlsson (68) is another player looking for a maiden victory on the Ladies European Tour. She said: “I feel that I played more solid today and had a few more birdie chances. My game is there and I’m enjoying it.”
It was a similar mindset for Booth, who mixed five birdies with three bogeys in a two-under 69 to remain in contention.
Booth, who is looking for her first win in six years, said afterwards: “It’s just been a bit of lack of belief. I’m here and I said, I’m just going to enjoy this week. I’ve got my friend Robbie on the bag and it’s been fun. We’re just having a laugh and enjoying the day. I think that’s all I need to do.
“On the first day I shot one over but I feel I’ve played the same all three days. I holed more putts and had a six-under yesterday. Today was a little bit of grinding as the wind was quite tough. I played solid but there were a couple of errors.”
Lin’s round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 14th, where she holed her third shot from the fairway. The 2015 and 2016 Sanya Ladies Open champion said:
“Today my irons were a bit off so I missed lots of greens, but I was chipping really well and was two-under after eight. On the ninth hole I missed not even a four-foot birdie putt and on the 10th hole I made another bogey. There was a bit of a struggle and then I holed out from the fairway and made an eagle on the 14th. The last two holes, I missed two good birdie chances so overall it was a good round but I can definitely do better.”
The winner of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France will earn the final place in next week’s Evian Championship, although Kemp is already exempt for the fifth Major.
Elsewhere, Frenchwoman Jade Schaeffer-Calmels made a hole-in-one with her 7-iron on the 165-yard 17th and she finished the day in a tie for 15th place.
