Scandinavian composure against Welsh heat

You might expect it. Suzann Pettersen was not going to continue letting the little Europeans lead the dance any longer at the top of the Lalla Meryem Cup. Under the watchful eye of Christian Ringvold, her brand new husband married on January 7, 2017 at the Holmenkollen chapel, in Oslo, the great Norwegian took control of the Moroccan tournament thanks to the third round on Saturday. It is the consistency of the permanent player of the LPGA Tour and 17th in the world that ended up making the difference with the girls of the Ladies European Tour. Signing three successive cards of 69, 71 and 70 for a provisional total of -6, the “major” winner of The Evian Championship in 2013, took the lead in experience. A Scandinavian coolness that got the better of Lydia Hall's hot Welsh temperament. The latter, leader at -7 after two laps, was however three strokes ahead of Pettersen before the start of mass on Saturday.

Lydia Hall climbs to -9 before going down to -5

Hall was even preparing not to be intimidated before a third round where she was going to fight in the last part with the big favorite of the tournament, in a duel arbitrated by the young Englishwoman Annabel Dimmock: “I already played with Suzann at the end of last year in Dubai, said Lydia. So it will not be a discovery. And then if I have a lot of respect for her, we must say that she is just one player among all the others. With two birdies on the first five holes, Lydia Hall therefore seemed serene, even untouchable with her total -9 quickly acquired. Then his game rocked: three bogeys in a row and a double bogey at 10, to finish this third day 2nd provisional at -5. Or a blow behind Suzann Pettersen and a blow in front of Annabel Dimmock, good 3rd at -4 and which shows for its part a real pugnacity at this level.

Towards his 22nd career victory and his 9th Solheim Cup

We therefore resumed the same three this Sunday in Rabat for a final game a priori very disputed. Because if Ms. Pettersen-Ringvold was above all in Rabat to achieve the quota of six LET tournaments played during the last two seasons (condition to be retained in the European team of Solheim Cup, next August in Iowa), not its kind of rushing the job! Especially when there can be a 22nd career victory at the end of it. After 17 years of professional golf, $ 14 million already earned, 15 LPGA Tour victories including two major titles, 6 other victories in the LET and 8 Solheim Cup selections, Super Suzann continues to want to stay at the top. Focused on the goal: “I've done a decent job so far and I'm in a good position. But in the last group, anything can happen and I will try to stay aggressive… ”

Agathe Sauzon very good 11th before the final round

The French Agathe Sauzon, without being up to the Pettersen, Hall and Dimmock, also had ambition for the last round of the Lalla Meryem Cup. Even having moved back a little in the classification (cards of 72, 70, then 74 this Saturday through the fault of a double bogey at 16 ...), the young Drômoise had stayed in 11th place with the par total. Already very positive a year after having made his professional debut, right here in Rabat. "In one year," explains Agathe, "my little game has progressed and above all, I am more solid, more confident. I am less destabilized if something goes wrong. For the third round, I can just regret having been a little too much in the score, and less in my game… "Behind Agathe Sauzon, five French women could attempt a rise in the ranking this Sunday in Morocco: Ariane Provot (26th, + 4), Sophie Giquel-Bettan and Gwladys Nocera (36emes, + 5), Anaëlle Carnet (46th, + 7) and Isabelle Boineau (52nd, + 9).

By Nathalie Vion, in Rabat