Kelsey Bennett continued to demonstrate her remarkable golf prowess on Friday at the Lalla Meryem Cup, delivering an impressive performance with a flawless eight-under par 65. This exceptional round propelled her to an aggregate score of 13 under par, positioning her firmly in the lead heading into the final round of the tournament. Bennett's closest competitor, Slovenian golfer Pia Babnik, matched her impressive score with a brilliant display of her own on the Blue Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, but remains three shots behind the Australian.
Among the Irish contingent, Aine Donegan emerged as the standout player. After carding a 71, Donegan moved to one under par for the tournament, placing her just ahead of fellow competitor Anna Foster, who recorded a 73 on Friday. Sara Byrne sits at two over par, while Annabel Wilson's score of 77 has placed her at seven over par, indicating a challenging day on the course for her.
Just as she had done in the opening round, Bennett got off to a blistering start, birdying three of her first four holes at the 10th, 12th, and 13th. The 26-year-old followed this with another birdie at the 15th, concluding her front nine with a remarkable score of 32, effectively distancing herself from the competition. On the back nine, which was also her front nine in the tournament, Bennett continued her stellar play, securing birdies at the second, third, seventh, and eighth holes to finish with a total score of 65—just one stroke shy of Bronte Law’s course record set in 2024.
Bennett, who celebrated her first Ladies European Tour (LET) victory at Magenta Shores in March, currently ranks fourth on the Order of Merit, making her recent performance even more significant. Meanwhile, Babnik, who teed off one group behind Bennett, also showcased her talent by sinking nine birdies while only dropping one shot at the 14th hole.
Tied for third place at seven under par are Italy’s Anna Zanusso and Canada’s Anna Huang. Zanusso achieved a round of 67 while playing alongside Bennett and Kajsa Arwefjall, with the trio collectively shooting an impressive 19 under par on day two of the tournament.
The defending champion, Cara Gainer from England, remains in contention after posting a 69 on Friday, bringing her total to six under par for the event. Notably, Gainer managed to eagle the second and eighth holes at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam for the second consecutive day, showcasing her formidable skills. She shares fifth place with Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom and Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino as they head into the final round in Morocco.
After two days of intense competition, the cut was set at two over par, allowing 68 players to advance to Saturday’s decisive round. Among those progressing are local player Maha Haddioui, who rebounded with a 69 on Friday, and 18-year-old amateur Rim Imni, both of whom will look to make their mark in the final stretch of the tournament.
As reported by rte.ie.
