After another solid round on Friday, Tvesa Malik is in contention at the Ladies Open de France. The Indian continued her good run of form with five birdies for a 3-under 68 to follow through on an opening 70. Malik is lying T3 with local golfer Celine Herbin, just one behind Charlotte Thompson in second. Swede Julia Engstrom surged to the front with a stellar 64 in the second round.
Charlotte Thompson and Celine Herbin still had three holes left to play at the time of this report.
Tvesa made a fine start, firing a birdie on the opening hole. After four straight pars, she added another birdie at the par-4 sixth hole. On Thursday, Tvesa made a birdie on the 7th to begin a streak of three straight birdies. But the par-4 7th hole extracted a stroke from the Indian in the second round.
The Indian made amends with a birdie on the 478-yard, par-5 ninth hole to make the turn in 34 strokes, exactly the number of shots she needed a day earlier.
Tvesa made another birdie on the par-4 eleventh hole. But she conceded a bogey on the par-4 16th to slide back to two-under for the round. As on the outward stretch, Tvesa made amends again, securing a birdie on the last hole to secure a 68.
At 4-under through 36 holes, Tvesa sits four back from the leader Engstrom, who jumped into the distance with six birdies and an ace at the par-3 eighth hole.
Diksha Dagar continued to battle against herself. She made 89 and 85 this week to make an early exit. The embattled golfer also endured a couple of tough rounds in the Swiss Ladies Open.
Tvesa was T20 in the Czech Ladies Open in August where she finished the week with a 69. The Indian would expect to go low on Saturday in an effort to secure her maiden victory on the Ladies European Tour.
