Lisa Leaves Leona Trailing

Lisa Maguire kept alive her hopes of a medal in the European Amateur Championship in Finland with another steady round.

The 18-year-old Irish international from Slieve Russell returned a level-par 71 over the Aura course in Turku for a 54-hole aggregate of 212 to keep her in a tie for sixth place.

While her chances of the title and the gold medal appear dead – she is eight strokes behind leader Emily Pedersen of Denmark, who stretched the field with a stunning 64 – Maguire is only one stroke adrift of those tying for second spot.

She was solid yesterday, with birdies on nine and 14, bogeys on eight and 18 and pars on the rest. Maguire's form is the only Irish bright spot as all our other representatives missed the 54-hole cut.

Her twin sister Leona, who had moved up the field on Thursday with a brilliant 69, fell back again, taking 76 for 227. Jessica Carty missed out by just one on 225. Paula Grant totalled 228 after three rounds, Chloe Ryan 229 and Maria Dunne 230.

Meanwhile, Ireland are struggling in the European Young Masters, slipping down the field yesterday to lie in 12th place on nine-over-par. They are 16 strokes behind joint leaders Spain and England.

Rory Williamson improved to level par, but Olivia Mehaffey and Kevin Le Blanc were four and five-over respectively.

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Lisa Maguire in Finnish Medaa Mix

Lisa Maguire held her nerve in Finland to stay on course for a medal in the European Amateur Individual Championship.

The 18-year-old international from Slieve Russell fired a second-round 72 to add to her 69 on Wednesday for a half-way total of one-under-par 141 to lie just four strokes off the pace set by Tonje Daffinrud but, more crucially, only one behind a group of players who share second spot.

Maguire was steady, with 15 pars, bogeys at five and six and a birdie at 13.

Her twin sister Leona improved dramatically, knocking 13 strokes off her Wednesday round by returning a 69. She had three birdies in the last four holes.

Maria Dunne went the other way, slumping to an 82, which was four strokes worse than her opening-day efforts.

Irish champion Paula Grant had a double-bogey five on the seventh on her way to a 74 and a 36-hole total of 152, while Jessica Carty produced some excellent golf to shoot 73 after an opening 78, her round being slightly spoiled by a double-bogey six on the 17th.

Chloe Ryan's round was rescued by two birdies in the last three holes, which helped her to a 76 and a 151 aggregate.

Meanwhile, at the European Young Masters in Hamburger, Ireland improved late in the day to secure seventh place in the opening round, albeit a long way adrift of leaders England.

With three of the four cards counting, Ireland finished the day on seven-over-par, with England on four-under.

Ireland stroke play champion Olivia Mehaffey was level par, with Niamh McSherry three-over and Kevin Le Blanc four-over.

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Mixed Fortunes for Maguire Twins

Teenager Lisa Maguire is only just off the pace after a splendid opening round at the European Ladies Individual Championship in Finland yesterday. The 18-year-old Slieve Russell star fired a two-under-par 69 over the Aura course in Turku to be two strokes behind Emile Pedersen from Denmark.

But twin sister Leona struggled to an 82.

Starting at the 10th, Lisa covered her first nine holes in 35 – one under par – and got to four under with another couple of birdies – but the two bogeys in the last three holes wrecked her chances of leading overnight. 

Leona had a round she will want to forget in a hurry as she did not card one birdie and had two double bogeys and seven bogeys – she was at sixes and sevens in every department. Chloe Ryan had a mixed round – she had an eagle on the third and slumped to back-to-back double bogeys on the seventh and eighth but birdies on 16 and 17 helped her finish on 75.

Irish champion Paula Grant had an horrendous homeward half, taking 42, including a double bogey and five bogeys. Jessica Carty and Maria Dunne each hit 78 as well.

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