Foster makes final group at Swiss Open; Six Irish survive Killeen Castle cut

Elm Park's Anna Foster heads into the final round of the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open with a chance to notch her maiden Ladies European Tour win.

The 24-year-old is making her debut in the event and will tee up in the final group in the final round for the first time in her career after following a 67 with a bogey-free, five-under-par 66. 

It’s the second week running that an Irishwoman will play in the final group in the final round of an LET event after Aine Donegan tied for tenth in the PIF London Championship.

"It felt very stress-free again today," said Foster, who shares second place with Australia's Whitney Hillier on nine under, just three strokes behind Sweden's Kajsa Arwefjall, who also shot 66. 

"I kept the momentum going today and conserved my energy well because it's so hot out here. I would much rather be in a position of chasing rather than having all these great players chasing me. 

"I'll just go out there with an attitude that I have nothing to lose. I'll keep doing what I'm doing and take one shot at a time.

"I'll definitely be nervous; I feel like it would be weird if you weren't in that situation. 

"But my game has been trending in the right way for a while now, so to be in a position to contend in the final group, I'll try to enjoy it as best I can."

Sara Byrne missed the level-par cut at Migros Golfpark Holzhausern by a shot after a 69, while Donegan also shot a four-under round but missed the cut by three strokes.

The cut-watch was a nervous one for the home brigade in the HotelPlanner Tour's Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle.

Mark Power shot 72 and Gary Hurley a two-under 70 to share 28th on four-under, leaving them eight strokes behind South Africa's Louis Albertse, whose brilliant 63 gave him a two-shot lead over compatriot Bryce Easton on 12-under.

The cut fell at one-under par, but just six of the 18-strong home contingent survived with Ronan Mullarney (74), Dermot McElroy (71), Max Kennedy (68) and Liam Nolan (69) squeaking in on the mark.