India’s premier golfer rallied just behind the leader in the five-round Final Stage of the Ladies European Tour (LET) Qualifying School Monday. Sharmila Nicollet played a steady second round for one-under 70 at the par-71 North Course. This enabled her to be just one shot of the leader at the end of the second day, at the La Manga Club in Spain. Sharmila, 20, from Bangalore, said that she felt confident after shooting her best score in Europe. “This is my first experience here in Spain and at the qualifiers. The whole of India is behind me. I am the only Indian to qualify so a lot of motivation and pressure got me through,” she said.

Sharmila is one shot behind England’s Jodi Ewart, who carded a superb four-under 67 on the par-71 North Course to move to a total of seven-under. Ewart was three-under 70 at South Course on first day. Sharing the second place with Sharmila were two others, the experienced French amateur Alexandra Villate (69-69) and former LPGA player, American Heather Bowie Young (70 on North and 68 on South Course). In sole fourth place Dutch golfer, Marjet Van Der Graaf (71 on South and 68 on North Course) at five-under for two rounds.

The 90-hole Final Qualifying School is being played over the resort’s two world-class courses, the North and the South, for the first four rounds with a cut to the leading 50 players and ties after 72 holes. The fifth round will be played on the South Course on Thursday and the top 30 players will earn LET Membership.