Linn Grant extends lead over Maja Stark in Race to Costa Del Sol title battle, Cayetana Fernandez leads Open De Espana

Linn Grant extended her lead over friend and rival Maja Stark to two strokes in the battle for the Race to Costa Del Sol title, while teenage amateur Cayetana Fernandez tops the leaderboard at the Andalusia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana.

The Swedes entered the final event of the year, the Andalusia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana, knowing the overall season title on the Ladies European Tour was a duel between the two after a stellar 2022 that saw them claim seven wins between them.

As on Thursday, it was Stark who started the quicker but Grant cruised round and picked up birdies at regular intervals to card a 68 to get to 10-under, one shot adrift of tournament leader Fernandez.

Grant went blemish-free on Friday and will be in the final group in Saturday’s third round, while Stark will be doing the chasing.

“It was a better start today than yesterday,” Grant, who bogeyed two of her first three holes on Thursday, said. “Still, there are a lot of birdie chances out there and I feel I missed out on a couple. Still, it is a good round and I am excited for the weekend.”

Second Round Leaderboard

• 1. Cayetana Fernandez, 11-under
• 2. Linn Grant, 10-under
• 3. Leona Maguire, nine-under
• T4. Morgane Metraux, eight-under
• T4. Caroline Hedwall, eight-under
• T4. Maja Stark, eight-under
• T4. Cara Gainer, eight-under

The stats suggest Stark is a good putter, the naked eye would indicate different. Time and again on Thursday she left herself tough return putts when blasting the opening effort beyond the hole.

There were cases of it again on Friday. The 11th was a carbon copy of 24 hours previous as she had a look at a birdie only to smash it beyond the hole and missed the return effort.

That came after an excellent run of three birdies on the front nine which briefly took her above Grant.

Stark got back on the birdie train on 15, 16 and 17, but her round ended on a disappointing note with another three putt as she signed for a 69 to get to eight-under.

“I am a little bit disappointed,” Stark said. “It was pretty much exactly like yesterday. I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens but did not make any putts.

“It is a good thing I come off frustrated with minus-four as if I was happy with minus-four I would settle, but I am ready for the chase.”

Reflecting on her putting, Stark said: “I am still walking around trying to figure out what’s wrong. I thought I might have figured it out on hole 15, but then had very long putts so could not use it. It still feels good.”

Spain is a hot-bed of golf and a new kid on the block is threatening to emerge this week.

Fernandez is a kid, as the 16-year-old amateur took the lead after 36 holes following a superb round of 65 to get to 11-under.

“I played an amazing round today,” Fernandez said. “I made a lot of good putts. I hope to continue playing like this.

“I was nervous, but if you can control them it is good to have them. I was more nervous yesterday. Today I was more relaxed, my sister is my caddie and she was speaking to me all the time, and I was relaxed until 15 when all the cameras came out and I was really nervous.”

Fernandez is due to head to America to begin her college career, and is not intending to deviate from the plan.

“It has been in my head (turning professional) as I don’t like to study,” Fernandez joked. “But I want to be at least one year in the States and will then see as I want to learn more English.

“I will live with my sister, so I want to learn more about life and will be at least one year there.”

Defending champion Carlota Ciganda had a wild ride on Friday, as she made seven birdies. Sadly for the Spaniard, there were two double bogeys and three bogeys in a round of 73 to leave her at six-under.

Leona Maguire does not have the pressure of the Race to Costa Del Sol title, and can focus solely on the Open de Espana.

The world No. 11 played herself nicely into contention with a bogey-free round of 69 to get to nine-under.