Britain's Alison Nicholas missed out on a share of the lead after receiving a one-shot penalty in the second round of the Italian Open near Florence.

While playing partners Iben Tinning and Silvia Cavalleri topped the second-round leaderboard on eight-under-par 138, Nicholas was left one shot behind after being punished for slow play.

Nicholas was judged to have taken too long over a 20-foot putt on the 12th green and so her 67 was amended to a 68 - still the best round of the day - leaving her in a tie with Lora Fairclough.

It is the first time that Nicholas had committed a slow play crime in her long and distinguished career.

Seething

The former US and British Open champion was not happy about it.

"I'm absolutely gobsmacked. I've never even come close to a penalty before," she said.

"We were warned by an official on the sixth to hurry up, but we never saw anyone again for the next six holes.

"This was my best round of the year, and I'm absolutely seething. If I lose by a shot I don't know what I'll do."

Leeway

But Phil Gibson, the Tour rules official who handed out the penalty, said it was unfortunate but he had no choice.

"The group was 13 minutes behind and I'd given her a lot of leeway. They were painfully slow down the 12th hole."

Fairclough shot a one-under-par 72 to retain her hopes of a first win since the 1998 German Open.

Starting at the 10th, the 32-year-old rolled home four birdies, but lost her chance to claim a share of the lead when she bogeyed the eighth.

Tinning, winner of the Irish Open last week, repeated her opening 69, missing a three-foot putt at the last that would have given her the outright lead.

Cavalleri, seeking a first professional victory and on a break from the US Tour, carded a 70.

Selected second round scores:(Gbr & Irl unless stated)

138 Iben Tinning (Den), Silvia Cavalleri (Ita)
139 Alison Nicholas, Lora Fairclough
141 Amai Arruti (Spa), Nicola Moult, Asa Gottmo (Swe), Maria Boden (Swe), Gina Scott (Nzl)
142 Karine Icher (Fra), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Julie Forbes, Rikka Hakkarainen (Fin), Marine Monnet (Fra), Diane Barnard, Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe)
143 Suzann Pettersen (Nor), Raquel Carriedo (Spa)
144 Stephanie Arricau (Fra), Kirsty Taylor, Nicole Stillig (Ger), Isabella Maconi (Ita), Erica Steen (Swe)
145 Suzanne Dickens, Monica Cosenza (Ita), Vibeke Stensrud (Nor), Marie-Laure de Lorenzi (Fra), Marina Arruti (Spa), Regeine Lautens (Swi), Linda Ericsson (Swe), Isabelle Rosberg (Swe), Sara Beautell (Spa), Lynnette Brooky (Nzl), Trish Johnson.

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