Overnight co-leader Ellen Hume fired a three-under 69 to take the solo lead heading into Saturday’s final round of the LET Access Series’ (LETAS) Pitch 15 Open at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club.
The Englishwoman improved her overall score to eight-under for the tournament and holds a one stroke lead over the quartet of Wales’ Luca Thompson (70), Switzerland’s Natalie Armbruester (70), Czechia’s Tereza Zapletal Kozeluhova (70) and Australia’s Hannah Reeves (67).
Hume mixed five birdies with two bogeys on an up-and-down day, finding herself with the final round lead for the first time in her four-year professional career.
“I’ve not really been in this position before,” she said. “Just happy with how I played. There might be some nerves, but that’s totally normal. Just excited to go back out again and play the sport that I love.
“I’m really happy with how I’ve played these first two days. Yeah, I guess couldn’t ask for much more really. I got off to a really good start, made some good birdies early on in the round.
“Maybe struggled like a little bit in the mid portion of the back nine, but made a good bounce back birdie on 17, and yeah, to finish three-under, I’d take it at the start of the day.”
After birdieing four of her opening 11 holes, Hume dropped two shots with bogeys on holes 13 and 16 although she finished strong with a birdie on the par-5 17th.
She said: “I drove the ball really well. I thought for the most part my approach play was solid, apart from two slightly off-line shots.
“But all in all, it was good, and yeah, just left a few opportunities out there with the putting. But apart from that, yeah, it was good.”
Hume, who lives close to the course, had a small crowd following her throughout her second round.
“My parents were out there,” she added. “I grew up playing golf about 20-25 minutes away. Some of the lady members from my old home course were out supporting.
“It’s just nice to see some familiar faces, maybe a few more cheers or claps than usual. Super nice to be here. I have my coach on the bag from home, so it’s also nice to share this opportunity with him as well.
“Everyone’s chasing the first (win), and yeah, it would mean everything. We’ll see what happens. But if I play some similar golf, I might be in a good position.”
Close behind Hume is Armbruester, who is chasing her first professional victory after three second-place finishes this season.
The Swiss golfer was at 10-under after birdieing five of her first 10 holes, but dropped back to seven-under after bogeys on holes three, six and eight.
“I started off really strong,” she said. “I holed some really good putts, also hit some wedges close and I was just very steady. Unfortunately, the last few holes did not go so well, but I’m hoping that tomorrow I can continue that momentum from the first nine today.
“I’ve been there (in contention) a few times, so I feel like I’m more comfortable in that situation. So I’m just gonna focus on myself and control what I can control, and and try to have fun. I think that’s often something we forget to do.
“Winning would mean a lot, especially because I have been so close a few times this year, so it’d be nice if I could just finally push through and get it. But there’s only so much I can control, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Both Thompson and Reeves finished with eagles on their final holes to be within touching distance of Hume.
Overnight co-leader Thompson shot two-under with an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys, while Reeves mixed an eagle, four birdies and a bogey to shoot five-under.
Women’s English Open champion Zapletal Kozeluhova, who traded five birdies for three bogeys, is also one stroke behind and aiming to become the first woman to win back-to-back LETAS titles this season.
Further down the leaderboard, Netherlands’ Anne-Sterre den Dunnen (67) and Belgium’s Sophie Bert (66) took full advantage of moving day to surge up to six-under overall and two shots behind Hume.
At five-under for the tournament come the quintet of England’s Lianna Bailey (69), Poland’s Nicole Polivchak (65), Norway’s Silje Torvund Ohma (68), Sweden’s Louisa Carlbom (68) and England’s Chantal El Chaib (71).
Polivchak, who shot a career-best seven-under 65, was one birdie away from tying the course record.
“Felt like I was in autopilot throughout my round,” she said. “Gosh, I don’t even know. I’m still shaking a little bit. I was hitting more fairways today. We’ll see what the stats say, but yesterday I only hit three.
“Whenever I hit the green, I almost all the time made the putt. It’s been a struggle this season, so to even be under par, I’m just happy with how I really played today.
“Difference was I was just more free. Not too worried about if I’m gonna make a putt or miss a putt. Or I had a par putt today for 15 feet, but I wasn’t concerned if he was gonna go in or not.
“I was just trying to have fun out there, and yeah, I did have fun, and a good score came with it.”
Fifty-one players made the cut, which was set at two-over-par, for Saturday’s final round.
The final round begins at 8am (local time) with the final flight of Hume, Thompson and Armbruester teeing off at 9.28am.
Keep up with all the action on the LETAS on our socials – @LETAccess on Instagram and X and LET Access Series on Facebook.
