Walsh eight back as strong start fizzles out in Spain

Lauren Walsh is eight shots off the pace heading into the weekend at the Ladies European Tour season-ending Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana.

Walsh followed up an opening 70 with a second round of 71 but it could have been so much more.

After finishing with a flourish on Thursday, the Castlewarden woman continued her momentum with four birdies in her first eight holes and just one bogey coming at the par-3 2nd.

But a bogey on the 9th seemed to suck the wind out of her sails and she ended a run of seven straight pars with a dropped shot on the 17th.

At three-under-par she is in a share of 23rd place as Carlota Ciganda leads the way by the minimum on home soil.

“I’m very happy,” said Ciganda, who won this title in 2021. “A bogey-free round is always very positive. I like the course, I played very good.

“The front nine again being four-under and hitting it pretty close. The back nine, I had a couple of good up-and-downs on 11 and 14 and I managed to make two birdies on 12 and 16, so I’m very happy with six-under today.

“The front nine is a little shorter, so I have shorter clubs, and my wedges are very good this week, so I’ve been hitting it pretty close. Also, the par-fives I think I have birdied them yesterday and today. It’s a little shorter and I’m pretty good with those clubs.

“It is a long season for sure but it’s always a big week playing here in Spain. I love playing for my country and playing in front of my home crowd. It’s always pretty high in my schedule and I feel pretty good so far, hopefully I can maintain and keep playing this good the next two days.”