Carlota Ciganda holds narrow halfway lead at Andalucia Open de Espana

Carlota Ciganda holds a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de Espana after a second-round 66.

The seven-time Ladies European Tour winner began the day two shots off the pace but had a bogey-free second day around Real Club Guadalhorce Golf.

Ciganda began with a birdie on the second before adding another on the fourth and back-to-back birdies on holes six and seven to make the turn in four-under.

The Solheim Cup star continued her form on the back nine with two more birdies to seal a round of 66 and move to the top of the leaderboard on 11-under-par.

"I'm very happy," said Ciganda, who won this title in 2021. "A bogey-free round is always very positive. I like the course, I played very good.

"The front nine again being four-under and hitting it pretty close. The back nine, I had a couple of good up-and-downs on 11 and 14 and I managed to make two birdies on 12 and 16, so I’m very happy with six-under today."

LEADERBOARD

Ireland's Lauren Walsh is eight shots off Ciganda's lead and lies in a tie for 23rd on three under after a one-under 71.

Slovenia’s Pia Babnik carded a bogey-free round of 67 for the second day in a row to be in outright second place after 36 holes in Spain.

The 20-year-old, who has her brother on her bag this week, rolled in birdies on the third, fourth, seventh, ninth and 11th holes to be 10-under-par.

India’s Pranavi Urs and Germany’s Helen Briem are in a share of third place on nine-under-par after they both signed for rounds of 69.