England’s Emily Price fired a great second round of 67, five-under-par, to power into the lead after day two in Italy.
Price, who started on 10, made a strong start with a birdie on second hole before a double bogey on the third, set the Birmingham born rookie back again.
Yet, Price brought it back with two consecutive birdies on holes 15 and 16 before a phenomenal faultless back nine of four birdies.
Price, speaking after her round said: “It’s always nice to have the first round steady and then in the second round go even lower. My game was in a good spot today.
“I think the key around the course is keep it in the fairways and I did that all day. My iron play was pretty good, and things flowed.
Price has had an excellent first season on LETAS after seven top-10 finishes with three second places and a win at the weather affected Big Green Egg Swedish Open.
However, the 23-year-old has struggled at the last two tournaments. Missing out on the cut at the Rose Ladies Series was a big disappointment for Price but one she’s determined to bounce back from.
“At the Rose Ladies Series, I hit a wall and then in France the following tournament my game was better, but I felt uncomfortable.
“I’ve done some work in the last ten days off and found something. That’s golf I guess you are never going to have it all the time but it’s nice to feel like I’ve got some of it back.
“Going into tomorrow, I want to bring the same game I had the last couple of days. I always want to go lower, push harder. If I can do that, it would be great.”
Price is currently ranked fourth on the LETAS Order of Merit and is keen for a win this week to segment her card for the 2024 LET season.
“The Order of Merit is in everyone’s minds. If I can just keep playing and try not to think about it, then it will take care of itself for me.”
It’s a familiar battleground at the top of the leaderboard as Order of Merit leader and fellow rookie Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen sits in second two shots behind Price.
The Dane had a steady start but dropped a bogey on her fifth hole before making another on her fourteenth.
Patience was key today for the Rookie of the Year leader as it took until the 16th hole to roll in a birdie before finishing with a bogey and birdie to sit on five-under-par going into the final round.
“Yesterday everything worked for me, today was different. I missed some fairways and I missed some putts. It was just tougher.
“Yet I’m in a good spot for tomorrow, I like being behind and then going in for the chase.”
Kibsgaard Nielsen and Price have found themselves in the final group a few times this season, memorably playing together in a hard-fought final round at the Montauban Ladies Open where Nielsen stormed to the win during the final few holes.
“Emily and I have had a lot of good tournaments, we’ve been very close to the top so it’s going to be fun and I think we will have a good game tomorrow.
“To win in Italy would be amazing, I’ve been working so hard to get the results this year and I think to get another win would just mean a lot.
“I’ve had a good middle of the season and start of the season so to finish it strong would just be amazing.”
The cut stood at with +6 with 50 players making it to the final round which starts at 8:40am local time with the leaders teeing off at 10am.
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