In-form Pranavi, Tvesa in the field for French Open Ladies golf

Deauville (France), Sep 26 (IANS) Pranavi Urs will head the Indian challenge with Tvesa Malik also in the fray at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France. A total of 96 players from 29 nations will tee up at the Diane Barriere course at Golf Barriere.

The 54-hole tournament with a purse of 375,000 euros will see the Top-60 make the cut after 36 holes and play the weekend.

Last week Pranavi had a stunning 6-under 66, her career-best round on the Ladies European Tour, while finishing seventh. Tvesa finished T-57 after four rounds. Pranavi is 24th on the Order of Merit, while Tvesa, making a comeback is 47th. The top Indian is Diksha Dagar at 18 and she is taking a two-week break.

Multiple winner on the women's Pro Golf Tour, Pranavi is playing with Emma Spitz of Austria and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard of France, who is having a good season. Tvesa, also on a winner on WPGT, will go out with Sara Byrne of Ireland and Lily Humphrey Mays of England. They are both in the afternoon session.

Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson returns to defend her Lacoste Ladies Open de France crown. After several close calls the popular Swede secured her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) title in 2023 winning by three shots in Deauville to the delight of her peers.

Back at Golf Barriere 12 months on, Gustavsson – without a caddie last time out – is once again going solo as she strives to go back to basics and ignite her joyful spark. She is currently 30th in the Order of Merit.

Gustavsson led by one shot heading into the final round in 2023 after back-to-back rounds of 66 (-5). A wonderful 65 (-6) on Saturday then saw the Swede secure a three-shot victory over compatriot Moa Folke to hoist the famous trophy. She is making her 150th LET appearance this week.

Gustavsson is playing alongside Sweden’s Sofie Bringner and Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab.

A player to watch will be Helen Briem days after making headlines in Spain. She was her usual calm and collective self ahead of the Ladies Open de France as she looks towards a sixth win of the season.

The year has been nothing short of remarkable for the 19-year-old German, who made history earlier this month when she landed a fourth LET Access Series (LETAS) title of the year at the Rose Ladies Open. That’s the most ever in one calendar year on the feeder circuit.

Briem made even bigger headlines last week when she secured her Ladies European Tour (LET) card in style by winning the La Sella Open in Alicante. Brilliant Briem fired a bogey-free final round of 66 (-6) to La Sella Open.

She pipped French star Pauline Roussin-Bouchard to the title. With the victory, Briem moves into the LET winner's category giving her access into all events for the remainder of the season.

--IANS

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