FUBINE MONFERRATO (Italy): India's Tvesa Malik went nine shots better than her first round but still missed the cut while her compatriots Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall ensured weekend action at the Ladies Italian Open.
Missing the cut alongside Tvesa (80-71) were Ridhima Dilawari (77-73) and Neha Tripathi (80-74). Vani (73-72) and Amandeep (74-71) were the only Indians of the five to make the cut.
Vani had two each of birdies and bogeys and carded 72 to make the cut, while Amandeep had an eventful round with five birdies against four bogeys for 1-under 71.
They were both T-29.
South Africa's Lee-Anne Pace seized the lead after two rounds and moved into position for her second win of the season. The former LET number one used her laser-like accuracy off the tee to plot her way around the course in rainy conditions at Golf Club Margara on Friday and returned a five-under-par 67, which included a double bogey.
On a total of eight-under-par, she is one stroke ahead of Switzerland's Morgane Metraux (70) and Italian duo Roberta Liti and Carolina Melgrati, who shot 67 and 68 respectively.
Another South African, Casandra Alexander, lies in fifth position on six-under-par.
Pace, ranked sixth on the Race to Costa del Sol after winning the Investec South African Women's Open in April, hit it well and put herself in a good position.
She made seven birdies and double bogeyed the par-4 eighth hole.
