Croce keeps control in France

9/27/2008

Italy’s Stefania Croce maintained her overnight lead after the second round of the Vediorbis Open de France Dames on Friday.

Croce shot rounds of 67 and 68 at Le Golf D’Arras for a halfway total of 135, nine-under-par. She was six-under-par for her opening six holes after four birdies and an eagle.

Sweden’s Nina Reis, who was runner-up in last week's Goteborg Masters after equalling the Ladies European Tour's lowest round with an 11-under-par 61, finished the day a shot further back after a 69.

Denmark’s Iben Tinning fired a hole in one in the second round. She holed out with a 54 degree wedge on the 14th to improve to five under par for the tournament after rounds of 70 and 69.

The 34-year-old from Copenhagen won a Peugeot 207 CC car for her fourth career hole in one. She previously won a gold bar for her ace at the 14th in the third round of the 2005 Evian Masters.

Anne-Lise Caudal of France, currently ninth on the LET’s New Star Money List after her maiden win at the Open de Portugal, finished fourth on four-under-par, with Sweden’s Cecilia Ekelundh a shot further back in fifth.

A group of five players shared sixth position on two-under-par: French rookie Julie Greciet, South Korea’s Amy Yang, Belgium’s Lara Tadiotto and the English duo of Samantha Head and Felicity Johnson.

Head’s 66 was the lowest round of the tournament so far and lifted her from a share of 86th place overnight.

Leaderboard – Round 2:

1.  Stefania Croce                      ITA  67 68 135 - 9
2.  Nina Reis                            SWE  67 69 136 - 8
3.  Iben Tinning                        DEN  70 69 139 - 5
4.  Anne-Lise Caudal                 FRA  67 73 140 - 4
5.  Cecilia Ekelundh                  SWE  68 73 141 - 3
6.  Julie Greciet                         FRA  73 69 142 - 2
     Felicity Johnson                    ENG  70 72 142 - 2
     Amy Yang                           KOR  71 71 142 - 2
     Lara Tadiotto                       BEL  73 69 142 - 2
     Samantha Head                   ENG  76 66 142 - 2

40. Zuzana Kamasová               SVK  73 74 147 +3

Source: Ladies European Tour