Grumpy old man par!

After 2 rounds cruising towards a full card for the 2007 Ladies European Tour our lefty heroine Sophie Hunter suffered a real knockback today slipping from joint 13th on level par at the start to joint 38th on +5 after a couple of par 5 holes got in the way.

From her card it looks like she started in standard fashion - a bogey on her first hole - but again she stabilised with a solid par at the second before taking the initiative with birdies at three and four. Then, for whatever reason, a blip became a crash when a bogey at 8 was followed by a triple bogey 7 on the par 5 9th, which she had birdied in rounds 1 and 2, to leave her +2 at the turn.

That would not have been disastrous. My post yesterday reflected on the psychological nature of the forthcoming two days with a need to focus on hanging around 'old man par'. Easier said than done though. Sophie's card looks like she evened out with pars at 10 and 11 while a first bogey of the week at 12 received the riposte of a first birdie of the week at 13.

At this stage Sophie was still +2. I've stated that i think +2 would definitely get a card so she was still good to go. The par 5 15th which had not taxed her in rounds 1 and 2 threw up something today that left Sophie with a score i know well, a 9! Even with a plucky birdie at 17 to pull a shot back Sophie finished round 3 on +5.

Yesterday's post on the LET site stated that 28 cards were up for grabs. I guess that would mean 28 and ties. I think +3 will certainly do it and i think it might go to +4 as the final round takes it toll on those hovering around 28th place.

Sophie can still do it. She can go under par here and i think a 71, just like her first day, will get a 2007 card so I am rooting for her. Damn i wish i was there. I was going to take a few days at La Cala this week and play a bit and watch a bit but real life kind of got in the way and with no coverage i only have the ultra slow LET live scoring to go by.

Anyway, Sophie, you have a 71 and even a 70 in you for this course. A 71 will, i think, get you that card so good luck, go get it.

GO SOPHIE, GO SOPHIE! :-)