Valentine Derrey
France’s Valentine Derrey takes a slim one shot lead into the final day of the Terre Blanche Ladies Open at the Terre Blanche Resort, in France.
Derrey followed an opening 68 with a three under par, 69, in the second round, to lead Norway’s Tonje Daffinrud and Elia Folch from Spain.
The Frenchwoman is the most experienced of the leading players, having won the LET Turkish Ladies Open in 2014. The 29-year-old from Paris has not enjoyed the best of form over the last two seasons but with a recent change in golf coach, Derrey is looking forward to a strong season.
“I played like yesterday, pretty steady golf. I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens and made some putts. I had two three putts, that’s my bogeys but that’s okay. I mean I feel confident for tomorrow, I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and we’ll see what happens at the end.”
Derrey will be chased by Daffinrud and Folch over the final 18 holes. The Norwegian is a past winner on the LET Access Series, with two wins during the 2014 season whilst on her way to earning an LET card. Folch is in just her second year as a professional, enjoying an indifferent first season on the LET Access Series in 2016. The 26-year-old will be buoyed by her performance at the Lalla Aicha Tour School last December, where she gained her full playing rights for the 2017 LET season.
France’s Agathe Sauzon is lying a further shot back in sole 4th place after a second round of 69 and a 5 under par total. Belgium’s Chloe Leurquin (67) of Klara Spilkova (70) of the Czech Republic, both finished their second day at 3 under par, 141, to sit in a tie for 5th.
Last year’s Order of Merit winner, Sarah Schober (71) from Austria, is tied with fellow Austrian Nina Muehl (69) and Jessica Karlsson (69) of Sweden, a further shot back at 2 under.
Forty-six professionals made the cut, which fell at +5, 149.
