Maguire in pack chasing Yamashita; Dawson wins Women’s Close
Leona Maguire will need her game firing on all cylinders if she’s to challenge for the AIG Women’s Open after a battling 73 left her 12 shots behind Japan’s Miyu Yamashita at Royal Porthcawl.
The Japanese rookie (23) took advantage of windless conditions for 14 holes of her morning round to fire a bogey-free seven under 65 and lead by three strokes from her compatriot Rio Takeda 11-under.
With Lindy Duncan, Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn, Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini and Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck eight shots behind in a tie for third, the field needs the Japanese pair to come back to them in blustery third round conditions.
But that will be a challenge for the chasing pack, including Maguire, who overcame strong winds for the second day running to share 35th place on one over, just three shots outside the top 10.
The Co Cavan star (30) had to make a 12 footer for par at the first and while she pitched to a foot to birdie the sixth, she could not take advantage of the remaining par-fives and dropped shots at the 11th and 16th before saving par from six feet at the last.
Finding fairways will be key as title favourite Lottie Woad discovered when she race to five-under for her round with three holes to play only to find deep rough and run up a triple bogey seven at the 16th en route to a 70 that left her joint 10th on two under
Lauren Walsh was under pressure after opening with two bogeys and shot 75 to miss the two-over-par cut by a shot while Elm Park rookie Anna Foster had 33 putts in a 79 to finish on 11 over.
Séamus Power on the cut line
At the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship, Mac Meissner fired a seven-under 63 and Sungjae Im a 64 to claim the early halfway lead on 12-under at Sedgefield Country Club.
Cam Young got to 14 under through 15 holes of his second round to lead by a shot from Aaron Rai (13 holes) when play was suspended due to a dangerous weather situation.
Seamus Power was sitting on the projected cut line, tied for 65th on three under - two under for the day through 11 holes - when the hooter sounded.
Play is scheduled to resume on Saturday at 7:30 a.m local time.
Mark Power the sole survivor
On the Hotel-Planner Tour, Mark Power was the only Irishman to survive the cut at Schloss Roxburghe in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A.
A two-under 69 saw him make it on the two-under limit, 11 strokes behind Spain’s Quim Vidal who added a 65 to his opening 64 to lead by two strokes from Scotland’s Daniel Young and Euan Walker.
Anna Dawson wins AIG Women’s Close at Ardee
Meanwhile, Tramore’s Anna Dawson held off a back-nine comeback from Belvoir Park’s Holly Hamilton to win the AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship on the 18th at Ardee.
The rangy red-head (22) parred the last to win one up and cap a superb domestic season after graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, teeing it up in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and securing senior international honours.
She beat Romford’s Zoe McLean-Tattan 3&2 in the semi-finals and raced into a four-up lead through 10 holes against Hamilton, who defeated Co Louth’s Ellen O’Shaughnessy 6&4 to make the decider.
Hamilton was in no mood to go down without a fight and after winning the 11th with a par, she birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th to square the match before Dawson took the title at the last.
“It got very close there at one stage,” said Dawson, who will play next week’s Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa. “I was just trying to continue playing the golf I was playing all week. Fairway, green, two-putt, and if it drops, it’s a bonus. I was delighted to get it over the line.
“It feels great, especially with dad on the bag, to share it together. Poor mum couldn’t make it up today, my brothers as well, I’m sure they were watching it live on the stream.
“My heart was pounding (on 18), but it was fine, I got it over the line, so I can’t complain. This is definitely the icing on the cake. It’s nice to top off the summer with the home schedule in Ireland”
Malone’s Eva Branks beat Stackstown’s Alexandra Kearney at the 20th to claim the Girls’ Plate while in the Over 18 Plate, Kanturk’s Mairead Martin beat Royal Portrush’s Laura Webb 5&3.
Brendan Lawlor, meanwhile, used his local knowledge to add a 73 to his opening 70 to win the ISPS Handa G4D at Ardee from Roganstown’s Cian Arthurs and Portmarnock’s Paul O’Kelly.
Lambeg’s Mark Clougherty (Div 2) and Co Tipperary’s Timmy Moloney (Div 3) won the nett events.
Mooney in the mix at PGA Seniors
Meanwhile, Damian Mooney goes into the weekend just four shots behind leader Andrew Marshall in the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeen.
A brace of 73s left him tied for fifth on two-over behind Marshall, who shot 69 to lead by a shot from Spain’s Carlos Balmaseda on two-under.
Gary Murphy shot 71 to share 33rd on nine over as Cameron Clark carded a 79 and Paul McGinley an 80 to make the cut on 12 and 13 over respectively.
