Women's Golf Association of India

Avani misses out as Diksha, Pranavi are away

Monza, Italy: With Diksha Dagar and Pranavi missing this week Avani Prashanth’s challenge at the Buccellati Ladies Italian Open was muted as she missed the cut.

The Indian youngster, who has high hopes for the Hero Women’s Indian Open, shot 76-74 and missed out on the weekend. She had three birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey in the first round and then in the second round she had three birdies and five bogeys.

Moa Folke, Alexandra Forsterling and Casandra Alexander will take a share of the lead into the third round of the Buccellati Ladies Italian Open after an enthralling second day at Golf Club Milano.

The trio sit at nine-under-par, three shots clear of a tightly packed chasing group featuring Anna Morgan, Cara Gainer, Alice Hewson, Dorothea Forbrigd and Pia Babnik. Lois Lau is a further shot back in ninth place.

Home favourites Anna Zanusso and Alessandra Fanali are the leading Italian players and are part of a six-way tie for 10th, five strokes off the pace.

Folke and Forsterling laid down the marker during the morning wave, posting rounds of seven-under-par 65 and four-under-par 68 respectively, before Alexander joined them at the summit with a dramatic afternoon 68.

The South African, who shared the overnight lead, looked set to move clear after carding five birdies and a lone bogey through her opening 10 holes. After a dropped shot at the 13th, she responded in style with an eagle at the par-five 14th to reclaim the outright lead.

Another birdie followed at the 15th, but consecutive bogeys at 16 and 17 brought her back to the pack before a closing par secured her place in the three-way tie.

For Folke, the day was considerably calmer. The Swede produced a flawless seven-under-par round featuring four birdies on the front nine before finishing strongly with three consecutive birdies from the 16th.

The 31-year-old is chasing her maiden Ladies European Tour title and believes patience is beginning to pay off.

Forsterling's third-round 68 featured five birdies and just one bogey as the German continued her impressive return to form following injury setbacks last season.