Paulsen flying high after two eagles to lead Jabra Ladies Classic

Norway’s Maiken Bing Paulsen produced a second consecutive top-class round of golf, including a pair of chip-ins for eagle, on Thursday as she gave herself a handy two-shot lead going into the final round of the Jabra Ladies Classic at Glendower Golf Club.

Paulsen shot a four-under-par 68 in the second round on Thursday to climb to 10-under-par for the tournament, doing extremely well to back up her 66 on the first day on a day when the scoring was higher and no-one managed to shoot lower than her.

South Africa’s Cara Gorlei also fired a 68 on Thursday and lies second on eight-under-par, while Elena Hualde (Spain) and the Swedish duo of Lisa Pettersson and Moa Folke were also four-under for the second round and shared third place with England’s Gabriella Cowley (71) on six-under-par.

The 27-year-old Paulsen was level-par through the first seven holes, but then chipped in for eagle on the par-five eighth.

She dropped her second shot on the par-four 11th, but Paulsen caught fire in the middle of the back nine as she birdied the 13th, chipped in again for eagle on the 15th and birdied the 16th.

Unfortunately she bogeyed the par-three 17th, but Paulsen was still understandably delighted with her round.

“It was a good day even though my putting didn’t get the ball in the hole as much as the first day. But I had three chip-ins, for both of my eagles and to birdie the fourth, and I was really steady off the tee,” she said.

IRON PLAY 'STILL A BIT FLAKY'

A small struggle with her iron play was the only worry for Paulsen, but she handled it with aplomb thanks to her excellent short game.

“My irons were a bit of a struggle, so hopefully I figure that out for the final round. I only gave myself a few good opportunities on the front nine and I almost lost my ball when I bogeyed the seventh. So it was an interesting front nine, but I just tried to keep going and stay positive.

“There were some interesting pins and because the course is still wet it was playing quite long. But there was a little less wind today, which was nice. I didn’t find a big difference in difficulty today, but then I was hitting the ball so well on to the fairways, I am quite long off the tee, so that advantage meant maybe I didn’t notice.

“I’ve been trying to work on my swing and I’ve changed a lot, so that’s why my irons are still a bit flaky. Mistakes will happen in this transition period, but in the final round I’m just going to keep doing what I do. It’s the boring answer, but I just want to give myself chances, be in the fairways, try and make sure my irons are decent and hopefully the putts go in and it’s a happy day,” Paulsen said.

It was also a happy day for Gorlei, who scorched through the back nine in four-under 32.

Russia’s Nina Pegova, who shared the first-round lead with Paulsen, started her second round on the back nine and reached the turn in one-under, but then had a nightmare start to the front nine as she bogeyed the second and double-bogeyed the fourth hole.

She finished with a 73 to drop back to five-under-par, sharing seventh place with South Africa’s Stacy Bregman, who was also part of the impressive 68-Club.

SCORES:

134 - Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR) 66 68

136 - Cara Gorlei 68 68

138 - Gabriella Cowley (ENG) 67 71, Elena Hualde (ESP) 70 68, Lisa Pettersson (SWE) 70 68, Moa Folke (SWE) 70 68

139 - Nina Pegova (WHT) 66 73, Stacy Bregman 71 68

140 - Nadia van der Westhuizen 68 72

141 - Linette Holmslykke (DEN) 70 71, Lee-Anne Pace 72 69

142 - Kiera Floyd 72 70, Kylie Henry (SCO) 72 70

143 - Pia Babnik (SVN) 71 72, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 74 69, Bronwyn Doeg 69 74, Tandi McCallum 69 74, Helen Kreuzer (GER) 71 72

144 - Kelsey Nicholas 70 74, Alexandra Swayne (ISV) 72 72, Verena Gimmy (GER) 70 74, Sanna Nuutinen (FIN) 71 73, Casandra Alexander 73 71, Mireia Prat (ESP) 71 73

145 - Brittney-Fay Berger 72 73, Nicole Garcia 71 74, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 74 71

146 - Zethu Myeki 74 72, Corinne Viden (SWE) 76 70, Tvesa Malik (IND) 73 73

147 - Isabella van Rooyen 73 74, Danielle du Toit 77 70, Tara Griebenow 72 75, Kyra van Kan (a) 74 73, Gia Raad (a) 74 73, Romy Meekers (NED) 70 77, Katharina Keilich (GER) 75 72

148 - Lindi Coetzee 75 73, Lenanda van der Watt 75 73, Ivanna Samu 77 71, Harang Lee (ESP) 75 73

149 - Chante van Zyl 75 74, Jane Turner (SCO) 76 73, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) 74 75

Missed the cut:

150 - Hanna Tauber (GER) 75 75, Tereza Melecka (CZE) 73 77, Lauren Taylor (ENG) 75 75, Lejan Lewthwaite 75 75, Emie Peronnin (FRA) 75 75

151 - Lora Assad 73 78, Jahaanvie Walia (ZAM) 76 75, Carolin Kauffmann (GER) 72 79

152 - Shawnelle de Lange 76 76

153 - Judith van der Voort (NED) 76 77, Ellen Hutchinson-Kay (SWE) 80 73, Michelle Forsland (NOR) 77 76, Ridhima Dilawari (IND) 77 76, Gabrielle Venter 77 76

154 - Kristin Sim (NOR) 74 80, Larissa Du Preez 73 81

156 - Gina Da Silva (a) 81 75, Kaylan Boshoff 75 81, Michelle Leigh 81 75

157 - Yolanda Duma 76 81

159 - Julie Boysen Hillestad (NOR) 77 82

160 - Crizelda Terblanche 76 84, Christina Gloor (SUI) 81 79

163 - Leontine Petit (FRA) 79 84, Chante de Lange 78 85

166 - Loice Chingono (ZIM) 85 81

167 - Carey Dodds 86 81

170 - Lea Ndjobouela (GAB) 90 80

171 - Lynette Fourie 86 85