Prashanth in Pole as Belgian Drama Builds
Indian teen stays patient to seize Hulencourt lead ahead of gripping final round
Avani Prashanth made her mark on moving day with a composed three-under 68, positioning herself atop the Hulencourt Women’s Open leaderboard with 18 holes to play in Belgium.
The 18-year-old LET rookie from India adapted superbly to shifting winds and cooler conditions, navigating the challenging Belgian layout with maturity well beyond her years. Her round, decorated with four birdies and just one late blemish on the 18th, gives her a slender one-shot lead over France’s Nastasia Nadaud and Wales’ Darcey Harry.
“It felt like a completely different course today,” Prashanth said. “I had to play more conservatively, which I don’t usually enjoy, but I stayed patient.”
She delivered a spark on the par-3 14th with a birdie putt holed from off the green — a moment that underlined both her touch and tenacity.
The teenager is no stranger to pressure and looks forward to embracing Sunday’s challenge. “I love playing under pressure and I love chasing,” she smiled, “but thankfully I don’t have to do that now.”
Nadaud surged into contention with a gritty round, having started the day four shots back. The 20-year-old Frenchwoman, who triumphed in a playoff against Georgia Hall at last year’s Aramco Team Series – London, showed her steel once again.
“There’s still 18 holes left,” Nadaud said. “But those small wins – like that playoff – definitely help.”
Harry, celebrating her 22nd birthday, gave herself reason to smile with an eagle at 10 and three birdies en route to a blemish-free front nine. The rookie LET player joked that her consistent dinners at the same Italian restaurant might just be her secret weapon this week.
Germany’s Helen Briem, the overnight leader, dropped back to solo fourth after a level-par round. “Far from good,” she admitted, “but I’ll take it.”
Close behind are Singapore’s Shannon Tan and Australia’s Kelsey Bennett at seven-under, with England’s Cara Gainer leading a quartet of players tied at six-under. Gainer carded a superb bogey-free 65 despite battling a wrist injury.
With just four strokes separating the top 10, the final round promises fireworks.
Sunday’s leaders tee off at 11:05am local time. Fans can catch all the action via @LETgolf and Ladies European Tour channels across social platforms.