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Sharmila misses cut in Morocco

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Press Trust of India Agadir (Morocco)
Sharmila Nicollet fell apart in the last three holes, dropping no less than four shots in the three-hole closing stretch to miss the cut by just one at the Lalla Meryem Cup.

Sharmila was close to top-25 at even par for the second round with three holes to go. But she went into a tailspin and had a bogey-double bogey-bogey finish to crash out of the tournament.

From being even par with three holes to go, she ended at four-over 146 for 36 holes and missed the cut, which fell at three-over.

"It was just a bad day and I still can't believe what happened in the few holes," said Sharmila. "I just need to be patient and work hard."
 

Also missing the cut was India's other representative, Neha Tripathi, who improved to even par 71 on second day, but the first round 77 had done enough damage to her chances.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn fired a bogey-free five-under-par 66 in the second round of the Lalla Meryem Cup on Friday to grab a two stroke lead heading into the weekend at Golf de l'Ocean here.

After a rollercoaster opening round of 68, which included 10 birdies, two bogeys, a double and a triple, the 18-year-old from Bangkok rediscovered her form with the driver and reeled off five birdies at holes four, six, seven, 14 and 16.

Jutanugarn sits two clear of 15-year-old French amateur Mathilda Cappeliez, who had a tournament low seven-under 64 and Germany's Nina Holleder, who fired a second successive round of three-under-par 68.

Laura Davies, Gwladys Nocera, Sophie Giquel-Bettan and overnight co-leader Sophie Walker were all on five-under-par and each rued a few missed putts, although their long games were excellent.

Lee-Anne Pace, Rebecca Hudson and Nobuhle Dlamini are a stroke further behind on four-under-par. Pace's round included an eagle on the par-five second hole, where she pitched in from 45 metres using a 60 degree wedge.

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First Published: Mar 15 2014 | 6:26 PM IST

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