26 April 2019: As if the newly renovated Blue Course wasn’t enough of a challenge, the wind added a layer of tricks to the par-73 trek inside the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. Nuria Iturrios shot a brilliant 71 under the situation to gain a one-stroke advantage over first-round leader Lina Boqvist.
Diksha Dagar endured a pitched battle with the weather and the course to extract a two-over 75, despite dealing with five bogeys. At 2-under through 36 holes, the determined Indian is sharing the third spot with Eleanor Givens, Camilla Lennarth and Noemi Jimenez Martin.
Boqvist, starting on the tenth had to content herself with a 74 in the second round. The Swede is at 6-under, courtesy the first round 66 that put her in the lead on Thursday. After starting the day with a double-bogey six at the par-4 10th hole, Boqvist course corrected almost immediately. She made three birdies in four holes from the 11th to ensure she made the turn at even par for the round.
But after going thirteen holes without a stain on her card, Boqvist conceded a bogey at the ninth hole to account for a 74. The roaring wind made life difficult for golfers, especially in the afternoon. The Swede could only make nine fairways in the second round.
“It was a tougher wind today and I didn’t hit as many fairways as I did yesterday. My putting was quite good but I missed too many fairways. You need to be on the fairways to have chances to make birdies. It was a rollercoaster day and I’m looking forward to a new day tomorrow,” said a bruised but hopeful Boqvist.
Norwegian Mariell Bruun collected a rare memory, with a brilliant 7-iron for hole-in-one on the sixth hole.
Under the circumstances, Nuria played some brilliant golf. The Spaniard produced three birdies with the lone bogey coming on the 190yard 13th hole.
The top 60 and ties make the weekend and Tvesa Malik (77) and Astha Madan (75) are living right on the edge of the cut line. Vani Kapoor may not be as lucky. The plucky Delhi golfer surrendered an 80 on Friday to slip to 8-over 154 and is placed just beneath the cut line.
At 9-over, Amandeep Drall is one shot behind Vani, also beneath the cut line. Amandeep made 79 in the second round.
