Leona Maguire bows out at quarter-final stage

Golf digest:LEONA Maguire, the 14-year-old who earlier in the week become the youngest player to qualify for the knock-out stages of the British Ladies Open Amateur Championship at Harlech in North Wales, finally bowed out yesterday – in the quarter-finals.

The hugely-talented girl who has won the Scottish Open strokeplay championship this year and the French under-21 title had done exceptionally well to get so far with three clearcut victories – but in the end found Laura Collin, who celebrated her 22nd birthday yesterday, too hot to handle.

Maguire put paid to the hopes of Bristol’s Sian James in the morning with a decisive 4 and 3 triumph in a game in which she was never behind.

But unlike in her other matches, the Irish lass did not get out of the starting blocks quickly enough against Collin and found herself two down after just two holes.

In fact Maguire never really settled and won only one hole in the match – the 497-yard eighth. Collin, who is coached by her five- handicapped father Alistair, was three under par at the finish thoroughly deserving her victory.

Royal County Down’s Danielle McVeigh fell by the wayside in round three yesterday morning, going down 3 and 2 to the 2007 champion and reigning European title-holder Carlota Ciganda of Spain.

In the semi-finals this morning Collin faces Ciganda while Germany’s Caroline Masson takes on Spaniard Azahara Munoz.

Rookie Caldwell just one off the lead at Moyvalley

HOME hope Jonathan Caldwell and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts are in hot pursuit of Sweden’s Ake Nilsson, who will carry a slender lead into the third day of the Challenge of Ireland at Moyvalley.

A morning round of 68, compiled in damp conditions, saw Nilsson carry on where he left off at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort in Co Kildare. The Swede notched seven birdies to move to nine- under-par 135, one shot clear of Caldwell and Colsaerts, and two clear of England’s Robert Coles.

Welshman Rhys Davies and Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon complete the top six after recording rounds of 67 and 70. The joint lowest round of the day was posted by Ireland’s Michael McGeady, who set a new course record with a 66 which was matched late in the day by Colsaerts.

But the man they all still have to catch is Nilsson, who feels more relaxed on the Challenge Tour after struggling somewhat to cope with the hectic pace of life on the European Tour.

“Having come from the main Tour, I don’t feel as much pressure to perform this week, and I think that’s showed in the way I’ve played,” he said.

After a second successive round of 68, Caldwell is well in contention to capture his maiden title since turning professional late last year.

Clayton rolls back the years

AUSTRALIAN Mike Clayton upstaged Jersey resident Ian Woosnam with a blistering eight-under-par 64 to lead the field by three strokes after the opening round of the Jersey Seniors Classic at La Moye Golf Club.

As Woosnam, an Honorary Member of La Moye, struggled with his concentration and carded a two-under-par 70, Clayton revived memories of links golf in the UK by grabbing nine birdies on his way to creating daylight between himself and England’s Nick Job, who shot 67.

Jimmy Heggarty birdied three of the last four holes for 68 while Des Smyth is on level-par 72 and Denis O’Sullivan on 76.