Sharmila falters on final day, finished tied 14th in Beijing

Beijing: Sharmila Nicollet faltered on the final day as she carded a poor 4-over 76 to slip from tied 2nd to tied 14th at the Le Coq Sportif Beijing Ladies Classic.

Nicollet, the first and only Indian to play on the China LPGA, had a share of the lead after the first day and was tied-2nd after the second, but revealed that she was still under weather as she recovering from a bout of fever. 

On the third and final day of the event, she had four bogeys on front nine, both back-to-back on second and third and then fifth and sixth, which meant she had dropped four shots in a span of five holes.

Her only two birdies came on 10th and 13th, but she also dropped shots on 11th and 17th as she finished at 76. She ended the event at 2-under 214.

Nicollet said, I have been somewhat under weather and today it showed. Nevertheless, there were lots of positives. One of my goals was to be under par for the event. I managed that in Hong Kong, where I was tied-16th, and now another top-20 at tied-14th in Beijing shows I am trending well. That’s some progress, but lots to learn from and work on. 

Shi Yuting, 19, winner of the Chinese National title a week earlier, carried on her fine form with a final round of six-under 66. 

But she was taken to the play-off by Kiwi Munchin Keh (65). Shi won the title in the play-off. Sui Xiang (68) was Tied-3rd with overnight leader, 16-year-old amateur, Liu Wenbao (70).