The Irish challenge faltered at the KPMG Irish Open at Dromoland Castle on Saturday as Dutch golfer Anne van Dam opened up a three-stroke lead.
Van Dam carded her second round of 66 to give her the clubhouse lead at the end of the third round. She sits on 15 under par, three strokes ahead of Lisa Pettersson from Sweden.
The Swede signed for her best round of the tournament so far, a 67, and is 12 under par, once shot ahead of England’s Alice Hewson (68 today) and Diksha Dagar from India (71 today).
Cavan’s Leona Maguire is best of the home players, having matched Friday’s round of 69. Maguire claimed birdies at 6, 11, 15 and 16, but crucially dropped a shot on the final hole, a par five. She now lies eight shots behind the leader Anne van Dam.
Banbridge’s Olivia Mehaffy is in 30th position overall heading into the final day. The Arizona State University graduate shot a 72 today, her worst score of the tournament, and is now on four under par, three shots behind Leona Maguire and 11 off the leader.
Beth Colter shot 72 on Saturday and is two under, the same score as Sara Byrne, who signed for a 69 this afternoon.
Kate Lanigan had a round of 74 for a one under par tournament total, while a 76 for Emma Fleming sees her on five over par.
