Áine Donegan produced an excellent opening round of three-under-par 70 to move into contention in the $2 million PIF London Championship at the Centurion Club.
The 24-year-old Co Clare player – in her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour – claimed a share of fifth position, three shots behind pacesetter Anna Huang.
Donegan, who has a best finish of tied-16th in the Ford New South Wales Open so far in her maiden season on the LET, where she is currently 86th on the order of merit, had only 24 putts in a strong first round at the London tournament. She recovered from a double-bogey seven on the 15th, her seventh hole, to card a hat-trick of birdies on the 17th, 18th and first holes.
Canadian teenager Huang, already a three-time winner on the LET, posted a 67 for a one-stroke lead over Australian Kelsey Bennett and Austrian Emma Spitz.
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“It started out pretty good and then I chipped in on my third hole for a good par save and I think that just really brought the momentum going out. My putting was really good and then I was hitting all the fairways,” said Huang.
Donegan – in a seven-way tie for fifth alongside Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist, Singapore’s Shannon Tan, German pair Olivia Cowan and Aline Krauter, Italian duo Alessia Nobilio and Anna Zanusso – led the Irish challenge with Anna Foster signing for an opening level-par 73 in tied-32nd and Sara Byrne opening with a 75 in tied-54th.
In the Scottish Challenge on the HotelPlanner Tour, Galwayman Liam Nolan shot a fine opening round of 64 at the Roxburghe club to claim a share of second place behind Portugal’s Tomas Gouveia who posted a 61 to assume the lead.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s women remained on course to retain their Hugh C Kelly Trophy in the R&A Home Internationals at Woodbrook, after following up their opening day win over Scotland with a 5 ½ to 3 ½ success over Wales on day two to set up a winner takes all final day showdown with England.
England, however, are favourites to win the R&A Trophy for the combined men’s and women’s championship after Ireland’s men lost to Scotland while England are also in control of the men’s event for the Raymond Trophy after making it two wins from two with victory over Wales.
Ireland’s women took the morning foursomes by a 2 ½ to ½ margin over the Scots – with Katie Poots/Kate Dillon and Emma Fleming/Anna Abom winning and Rebekah Garnder/Olivia Costello halving – and then Poots, Gardner and Fleming winning their singles to secure victory.
Ireland’s men lost to Scotland by a margin of 7-5 which meant the combined match was halved, leaving the door slightly ajar for Ireland headed into the final day, but needing to secure wins over England with the three pieces of silverware on the line.
