Coughlan shows her mettle

Women's European Amateur Open: Claire Coughlan's ability to recover from initial putting woes on dew-laden greens propelled her up the leaderboard on the second day of the Fáilte Ireland sponsored, European Ladies Strokeplay Championship at Shannon golf club.

The 23-year-old Irish international from Cork shot a one under par, 72 for a two round total of 146, level par, two shots adrift of leaders Louise Stahle and Sophie Walker. Having three putted the second and fourth greens, she hit a poor tee shot on the sixth to record a third bogey but demonstrated her mettle by reeling off a hat-trick of birdies before the turn.

A seven iron to six feet at the seventh, a superb five wood to 12 feet on the next and an up and down from five feet over the back of the ninth green atoned for earlier aberrations. It permitted the Irish Strokeplay champion to match regulation figures of 39 for the outward journey.

On the way home Coughlan conceded to feeling "very comfortable" and despite a bogey on the 15th when she failed to get up and down after missing the green, she finished strongly. On the 16th, a three wood and seven iron left her with six feet and she duly holed for birdie as she managed on the last.

Despite driving into trees, she extricated herself with a five iron, scrambling well to hole from 15 feet following a six iron approach to the undulating home green. She was grateful for a few words from her caddie, Dad Tony, that provided useful guidance on several shots.

A bona fide career amateur with no professional ambitions, the bubbly Cork woman isn't making any rash statements. "I've put myself in a reasonably good position but that's all. If I play well (in the final two rounds) great; if I don't then so be it. I love the amateur game, love meeting people and have nothing to prove."

Fellow Irish international Tricia Mangan shot a two over par 75 to be three shots further back but the field was still chasing Sweden's Louise Stahle who added a 74 to her opening 70 and a two under total of 144, a mark on which she was joined by 19-year-old English woman Sophie Walker. The soon-to-be England senior international produced a level par 73 with just a single birdie and bogey and 16 pars.

For Shannon member Heather Nolan there was the trauma of hitting her opening tee shot out of bounds for the second day in succession, ultimately taking a triple bogey seven on her way to an 80.

Becky Brewerton glided up the leaderboard with a second round, one under par, 72. It left her on 150, four over for the tournament.

The Welsh women won this tournament last year at Kristianstad GC in Sweden and her recent form suggests that a repeat is a distinct possibility. This season she won the Ladies British Amateur Strokeplay title, for a second time having become the youngest winner ever as a 16-year-old in 1999.

She produced a flawless record at the recent Vagliano Trophy at Baltray, when spearheading Britain and Ireland's victory, the only player on either team to claim a maximum four points from her matches.

But her accomplishments transcend the amateur game. Last weekend and for the second time this season she finished runner-up in a professional tournament. On the first occasion it was in Tenerife but last week she came within a whisker of winning the McDonald's WPGA Championship at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.

It merely confirmed her prowess and a decision to turn professional in October and head for the Ladies European Tour qualifying school: Europe may be only a stepping stone to her goal of playing on the US LGPA tour, where the elite of ladies professional golf reside.

Her commitment to the Porthcawl event meant that she did not get home last Sunday until 9 p.m. but was up again at 4.30 a.m. the next morning to head for Manchester airport on her way to Ireland.

Too tired to practice, she walked part of the Shannon course on Tuesday in preparation for the defence of her European title.

Still tired on Wednesday she produced a lacklustre 78 but more than atoned with yesterday's effort. An early starter, she dismissed bogeys on the first and fourth holes with a three birdie salvo on the seventh, eighth and ninth, holing putts of six, 10 and eight feet to turn in one under.

Her back nine was more measured, a single bogey at the 14th offset by a five iron to six feet at the 17th for birdie.

The field will be trimmed to 70 and ties after today's round for the final 18 holes tomorrow.