Donegan slips four shots off the lead after third round 74 in Australia
Aine Donegan. Picture: Tristan Jones/LET
Rookie Aine Donegan came back to earth with a bump when she carded a three-over 74 to go into the final round four strokes off the lead in the Ford Women’s NSW Open in Australia.
The Ennis star (23) made a sensational start on her professional Ladies European Tour debut at Wollongong Golf Club, adding a sensational eight-under 63 to her opening 68 on Friday to scorch into a two-shot lead.
The Lahinch golfer topped the leaderboard on 11 under par from Australia’s Sarah Kemp when the second round in the weather-delayed event was eventually completed early today.
Australia’s Hannah Reeves made six birdies in a five-under 66 to lead by a shot on 12-under from her compatriot Kelsey Bennett, who also shot 66 on moving day.
Donegan did not enjoy the same success in round three, but she goes into the final round in a six-way tie for eighth on eight-under. just still just four shots off the lead.
She opened her round with a birdie four but made five bogeys in a nine-hole stretch from the third — four of them at par-threes — before getting a shot back at the par-five 18th.
France’s Agathe Laisne, Korean amateur Soomin Oh and Thailand’s April Angurasaranee were two shots off the pace in a tie for third, while Elm Park’s Anna Foster was 29th on four-under after a 70.
Australians also led the way heading into the final round of the LPGA’s HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.
Hannah Green shot a four under 68 and Minjee Lee a 69 to leave them tied on 11-under par, one stroke clear of American Angel Yin (68) and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu (70). Scores
Leona Maguire had to dig deep to shoot 73 to share 20th place, eight shots off the lead on three-under alongside the likes of world number one Jeeno Thitikul, defending champion Lydia Ko and Canada’s Brooke Henderson.
The Co Cavan star birdied the first, but while back-to-back double bogeys at the short fourth and par five fifth were a blow, she played her remaining holes in two under.
After getting a shot back at the par-three seventh, she bogeyed the 10th but birdied the par-five 13th and the par-three 15th to limit the damage.
There’s still much to play for in the final round, and Green believes it’s about avoiding mistakes.
"Definitely, there are a lot of birdies to be made, but it's very easy to make bogey," Green said. "So I think just limiting as many of those as possible.
"I've been hitting the ball into the greens, so if I can continue to do that, and even though I'm playing with Minjee, we are good friends, I don't want to get too caught up in what her scores are.”
