English amateur Chiara Noja shot a round of 66 to lead by one stroke heading into the final day of the Golf Flanders LETAS Trophy.
The 15-year-old carded a bogey-free round at Rinkven International Golf Club to add to her opening round of 70, which gave her the outright lead on six-under-par.
Noja made back-to-back birdies on holes two and three, she rolled in another on hole ten before finishing with two more on her final two holes.
The English golfer, who finished T21 at the Montauban Ladies Open in France, remarked that she is not using her driver this week and is especially happy with her putting.
Noja said: “In the practice round, I showed up with my driver and thinking I’d take it out, but I lost so many shots out there. Even when I did have good shots, it didn’t reward me. I made the decision to take the driver away – today I didn’t even have it in my bag!
“That was the best decision. I’m hitting the woods well and leaving myself good irons in. I’m making use of what I do have and using that to hole some putts. I made quite a few one-putts especially from long range. France was really good for putts, but this week I’ve been able to convert a lot more and no bogeys today, so I’m happy.”
The teenager, who made her LET debut last year at the 2020 Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic, has her dad on the bag this week and is grateful for his help.
“It’s probably the best dynamic out there having your dad on the bag to support and to have someone who has your best interests at heart,” said Noja. “It has been great; he has done an incredible job. He has put me close and given me opportunities and also stopped me from making some stupid decisions out there.
“I’m not going to do anything new tomorrow. I will just play it down the same way I have been playing today, yesterday, even the practice round. I have got no pressure; I have got nothing to lose, and I just want to have fun.”
In second place and one shot behind Noja is fellow English golfer Lily May Humphreys, who carded a round of 67 with four birdies and one bogey.
England’s Thalia Martin is in third place on three-under-par after shooting a 68 to add to her 71 from the first round.
Four players are tied for fourth place and one shot further back including 2021 LETAS Order of Merit leader Nina Pegova, German amateur Patricia Isabel Schmidt, Norway’s Tina Mazarino and Italian amateur Clara Manzalini.
France’s Emilie Alonso and Belgium’s Lien Willems, who was a joint-leader after the first day, are T8 on one-under-par.
Keep up to date with all the scores and the draw for round three – HERE.
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