Women's Indian Open golf: Michele Thomson sets new course record

On the second day of the Hero Women's Indian Open, a new course record pushed Michele Thomson all the way up to the top of the leaderboard.

The Scotswoman - who turned pro in 2009 – brought down the course record from 5-under to 8-under with an incredible round of 64.

For the second day in a row, the Hero Women's Indian Open saw a new course record. And this time, it was big enough to push Michele Thomson all the way up to the top of the leaderboard from a tied-10th position at the beginning of the day.

The Scotswoman - who turned pro in 2009 but quit after less than a year, only to return to full-time golf in 2013 – brought down the course record on the challenging Black Knight Course at the DLF Golf and Country Club here, from 5-under to 8-under with an incredible round of 64.

The previous record was shared by Thailand's Patcharajutar Kongkraphan (in 2015) and

Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord (on Friday) .

It also saw her move to a 10-under total of 134 after 36 holes, three shots clear of a four-way tie at the second spot, one of whom was local favourite Vani Kapoor. Vani finished at four-under 68 on the second day.

Day One leader Marianne Skarpnord, meanwhile, dropped four shots – she hadn't done any on Friday – and made two birdies, one on each nine, to finish two over for the day and way down the chart at tied-15th.

Thomson, who had requested an invite from the sponsors to participate here, was returning to India after a gap of 10 years – she came for the only edition of the Emaar-MGF Masters in Bengaluru in 2007 – and the first time as a pro. This is her first full year on the Ladies European Tour since the comeback.

Vani, meanwhile, was hopeful of continuing her good form and get a full LET card. “I found a lot of greens but was faced with a lot of downhill putts. I am not putting any pressure on myself and going one shot at a time.

"I have not been hitting too well, but I have been putting better. If I play well I get a good finish and my LET card, or else I will keep working on it,” the Indian pro said.

Defending champion Aditi Ashok fired another two-under round to drop down to tied-13th and a two-day total of 140. Aditi did not have the best of starts, beginning with a bogey on the tenth, but recovered with birdies on 13th and 15th - a performance she repeated on the front nines.

Among other Indians, Gaurika Bishnoi carded a one-over 73 to struggle at tied-26th. The only other Indian to make the cut – which was applied at 4-over 148, leaving 63 players to battle it out on the final day - was amateur Pranavi Urs, after carding a two-under 70 for a 3-over 147 score over two days to be tied-51.

Leading scores (Indians unless stated): 134: Michele Thomson (Sco, 70, 64); 137: Camille Chevalier (Fra, 68, 69), Celine Boutier (Fra, 71, 66), Sarah Kemp (71, 66), Vani Kapoor (69, 68); 138: Carlota Ciganda (Esp, 70, 68); 139: Titiya Plucksatapron (Tha, 71, 68), Meghan Maclaren (Eng, 69, 70), Belen Mozo (Esp, 74, 65), Olivia Cowan (Ger, 69, 70), Klara Spilkova (Cze, 69, 70), Lydia Hall (Wal, 72, 67); 140: Rebecca Artis (Aus, 75, 65), Aditi Ashok (70, 70).