Natalia Escuriola
Spanish amateur Natalia Escuriola shot a second round of 69 to take a one shot lead into the final round of the CitizenGuard LETAS Trophy at Rinkven Golf Club in Gravenwezel in Belgium on Friday.
Escuriola, ranked 36th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, played solidly in the warm and windy conditions, finishing strongly with four birdies in her last five holes and was pleased with her performance.
“I made four birdies in a row on 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th. I played good like yesterday. I feel good, I’m playing good and I’m putting well,” said the 20 year old, from Castellon.
Escuriola’s closest challengers are her fellow countrywoman Luna Sobron, the current leader of the LETAS ranking, Isi Gabsa and Olivia Cowan, who has just turned professional this week. All three players are tied for second place at 6 under par, 138.
Gabsa recorded a level par 72, finding the conditions in the second round a little more testing.
“It was tough to play with the wind and the pin positions. They were always in the corners and it’s tough with the wind so I made some good pars, some good saves and had two or three birdies.
Sobron, the 2014 European Amateur Champion, fought back strongly after scoring a double bogey on the fourth hole and has put herself in a strong position to win her first event on the LET Access Series.
“I made five birdies with one mistake, a double bogey on the 4th hole. I had three putts and went in the water. My game was good,” said Sobron. “It was more windy than yesterday so the distance for the clubs was very difficult to measure. I feel good, I need to enjoy only then play well.”
A total of 41 professionals and six amateurs made the cut, which fell at six over par.
At the close of the 2015 LETAS season, the top five players on the 2015 Ranking will earn membership of the Ladies European Tour, while players in sixth to 20th positions will have the opportunity to progress to the final stage of Lalla Aicha Tour School for 2016.
