Sharmila Nicollet braves pain but misses cut at Lacoste Open

Braving acute pain, Sharmila Nicollet shot a superb round of 72 but it came a bit late as she crashed out at the midway stage of the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, here.

Sharmila, who hurt herself in the first round, and shot a disappointing 80, came out for the second round after taking pain killers, and carded a 72.

She had three birdies, including one on the last and dropped five bogeys in her 72. She totaled 152.

Diana Luna fired a second-round of six-under-par 64 to take a two stroke lead at the halfway stage. The 29-year-old Italian moved to the top of the leader board at nine-under-par on the second day at the Chantaco Golf Club in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, south-west France.

The first round leader Stacey Keating of Australia followed her opening 62 with a one-over 71 to sit alone in second place. Carlota Ciganda of Spain, Germany's Anja Monke and local player Anne-Lise Caudal from Saint-Jean-de-Luz share third place at five under.

Monke made the biggest jump up the leader board with a superb 63 while Caudal was also impressive with six birdies in a 65.

Frenchwoman Valentine Derrey, who grew up playing at the club every summer, shares sixth place on four under with Hannah Jun of the United States and Danielle Montgomery, representing England.

Retired former world number one Lorena Ochoa and England's all-time great Laura Davies, celebrating her 49th birthday, both comfortably made the cut and ended the day in a share of 25th position, 10 shots off the lead on one-over-par.

Ochoa shot a two-over 72 while Davies  had a one-under 69.

The cut fell at four over par, with  former champion Karen Lunn of Australia and Scotland's Carly Booth, currently lying in fourth place on the LET's ISPS Handa order of merit, missing out on playing the weekend.