Hero Indian Open: Gwladys Nocera stays two clear

Gwladys Nocera maintained her two-stroke lead with 18 holes remaining in the Hero Women’s Indian Open in New Delhi.

The Frenchwoman struggled on the greens in Friday's second round, failing to make the most of her birdie chances in a one-under round of 72 after opening with a fantastic 64.

She only managed birdies at the fifth and ninth, after dropping a shot at the fourth, nothing like the nine-birdie effort that started the tournament off on Thursday.

Nocera, 12 times a winner on the European Tour, still managed to hold off the challenge of Indian rookie Vaishvani Sinha and there are three more strokes back to third-placed Thidapa Suwannapura, the defending champion from Thailand.

"I played well but the putts didn’t drop. Today 15 greens and 33 putts. Yesterday I had 26 putts," Nocera said.

"I think the pins were tough today - beside major slopes - and it was tricky."

Sinha was unhappy with her round which included five birdies and three dropped shots.

"Yesterday I hit 12 greens and today I hit 10 greens," said Sinha. "My hitting was a lot worse today and it was quite frustrating because I didn’t miss greens just on the edge, I was missing way left and they were wild shots, so my short game was really good today."

English players Hannah Burke and Holly Clyburn are just about in touch for a final-day flourish, although Clyburn struggled badly on Friday as she followed up an opening 67 with an error-strewn 75 that included five bogeys.

They are tied on four-under, six shots off the pace, along with India's Sharmila Nicollet and Chloe Leurquin of Belgium.