NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH GOLF UNION
Teenage twins Leona and Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), now playing off plus 3, started Ireland’s gold medal defence in convincing fashion to tie second place after the first qualifying round of the 2010 European U18 Team Championships tee off at Aalborg, Denmark.
Leona birdied the ninth hole to turn one under par and a level par back nine saw her sign for a 70, just one shot behind best-of-the-day Celeine Boutier (France). With three scores to count from 4, sister Lisa was one shot further back on level par after blitzing her back nine in one under the card. Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) was three over par for both nines in her round of 77 while Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) struggled on the inward journey to return 81.
Ireland are sharing second place, four shots behind France, after a good day’s work. The qualifying concludes tomorrow with a second 18 holes stroke-play after which the eight teams with the best 36-hole totals contest the medals Thursday through Saturday.
As Ireland lies six shots inside the cut for eight place, Team Captain Sinead Keane (Curragh) is pleased with her team’s start that sees them well positioned to defend their Gold medal won in Finland last year.
END OF NEWS RELEASE BY THE IRISH LGU
Scotland are not nearly so well placed as the Irish girls.
Rachael Watton with a six-over-par 77 (41-36) was the best of the four, following by Germany-based Rachael Taylor 80 (40-40) and Eilidh Briggs 82 (44-38) and Alyson McKechin 82 (39-43).
The Scots are lying in 16th place on 239. The teams currently sharing seventh place - Belgium and England - are on 224, which shows how much the Scottish girls would have to improve to make into the top eight who go forward to the championship match-play flight.
The Scots look destined for one of the lower flights.
GIRLS' FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Par 71
Three from four scores to count for daily team total
214 France
218 Spain, Ireland (Leona Maguire 70 Lisa Maguire 71 Stephanie Meadow 77 Laura McCarthy 81)
222 Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany
224 Belgium, England (Heidi Baek 73, Lauren Taylor 75, Kelly Tidy 76, Alexandra Peters 82), Finland
228 Netherlands
229 Italy
232 Denmark
235 Norway
236 Austria
237 Wales (Katie Bradbury 77, Myriam Hassan 80, Chloe Williams 80, Kelly Miller 81).
239 Scotland (Rachael Watton 77, Rachael Taylor 80, Eilidh Briggs 82, Alyson McKechin 82).
242 Switzerland
244 Estonia
260 Russia
Ladies Golf News in Scotland, the West of Scotland and Renfrewshire
