Madrid, May 8: Tvesa Malik suffered a lapse in the early part of the second nine with three bogeys in four holes as she carded 1-over 73 in the third round of the Comunidad de Madrid Ladies Open.
Tvesa, India’s top player in the previous season, had two birdies against three bogeys as she shot 73 and was placed tied 50th after making the cut on the line a day ealier.
Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall had earlier missed the halfway cut.
Ana Pelaez shot a course-record nine-under-par 63 on moving day to take a three shot lead into the final round at Jarama-RACE Golf Club in the Spanish capital.
The 24-year-old from Malaga, playing in her first LET tournament as a Rookie professional on the Tour, fired nine birdies for a 54-hole total of 17-under-par.
She relied on an invitation to get into the tournament, due to having finished outside the top 80 at Q-School. A win would set up her career, but she didn’t show any sign of nerves: “I love pressure. I live for this. I cannot wait for tomorrow,” she added.
Agathe Sauzon from France shot a seven-under-par 65 to stay in touch, three strokes adrift.
Spanish amateur Cayetana Fernandez, 17, carded a five-under-par 68 and occupies solo third place on 13-under-par.
One stroke further back, Sweden’s Linn Grant shot 69 and lies in fourth place, a stroke ahead of Gabriella Then, from the United States.
With a level par round of 72, the halfway leader Tiia Koivisto slipped back into a share of sixth place with Pia Babnik and Manon de Roey.
