Lacoste Ladies French Open 2015 - 26/09/2015 - - Celine Herbin (FRA) - photo credit ASO / P.Ballet

It's a bit like the fable of the hare and the tortoise that Emily Kristine Pedersen and Céline Herbin replayed this Saturday in Chantaco. Starting from a leading position with three strokes ahead of her runner-up, the Dane increased her advantage at the start of the course thanks to two birdies at 2 and 3. Unperturbed, she still had four strokes ahead at four holes of the end. But Céline Herbin, the incarnation of patience rewarded late, came back to height by registering three birdies at 15, 17 and 18. At the time of reckoning, the card of 65 (-5) signed by the French allows her to join at - 11 total the Dane, author of a 68 (-2). “I was -1 on the first leg, quietly, as she put in a lot of putts, but I felt good. I quite like the end of the course - you can see it on my score cards this week! - and I knew there were still birdie opportunities until the 18th ”, explains the native of Avranches with a smile.

Céline Herbin, who divides her season between the Symetra Tour in the United States and the LadiesEuropean Tour will therefore approach the last round of her national open in the position of co-leader. Not enough to panic the 32-year-old, already fighting for the win in Scotland and the Czech Republic in recent months: “We are in France and I am French, so that helps me! I'm glad there are a lot of people there, and I think that motivates me. I can't wait to see you tomorrow to have so much fun on this course that I like. " But with 18 holes to go, nothing is decided yet, as Pedersen reminds us: “The tournament was not won today, but tomorrow. If Celine plays -8 or something, there won't be much to do, but I'm going to do my best, and I know my game can help me win. " For both of them, a victory would be the first on the European circuit.

The duel that is announced between the French and the Danish, with four strokes ahead of their closest pursuers, could nevertheless be refereed by some of the big names of this 25th Lacoste Ladies Open de France. The Spaniard Azahara Muñoz, 26th player in the world, indeed shares third place at -7 with the Scottish PamelaPretswell. Author of a card of 66 (-4), the double defending champion can always dream of an unprecedented hat-trick: “Of course I'm a little further than I would have hoped, but I'm taking. Halfway through I was six or seven strokes behind, so here with four strokes behind everything is possible. " A point of view shared by Gwladys Nocera, who played 68 (-2) this Saturday despite putting at half mast. Fifth tied at -6, the player with 14 victories over the LET remains in the race to finally win in her national open. “I'm playing great, but the putts don't fall. It's disappointing, but I hope it will fall tomorrow! In any case, I will give everything ”, she says. Finally the Englishwoman Charley Hull, seventh at -5, and the American Cristie Kerr, tenth at -4, also have a slim chance of lifting the cup.