BRILLIANT EFFORT BY LEONA MAGUIRE LIFTS IRELAND TO FIFTH

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH

             LADIES GOLF UNION
Leona Maguire, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, fired a tournament best 64 to catapult Ireland into fifth place and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the European Ladies Amateur Team Championships at Murhof Golf Club, Austria.
Maguire's sensational eight-under-par effort saw her birdie the first, third, fourth, seventh and ninth to turn four under the card and further birdies at 10, 12, 13 and 16 saw the 16-year-old head the individual leader board after two qualifying rounds of this top European amateur event.
Karen Delaney (Carlow) was next best for Ireland, improving five strokes on yesterday with a 71 while Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) added a solid level par 72.
On a day when Ireland improved by a whopping 18 strokes on the first-round tally, Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) signed for 73, Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) a 74 while Charlene Reid's (Royal Portrush) 75 became non-counting.
Ireland now face Sweden in the quarter-finals tomorrow,  with the winners playing the outcome of France and top qualifiers Germany.
Denmark will play Belgium and England face Spain in the remaining quarter final ties.
Ireland last won the gold medal at this event in 1983, having only ever won the Championship once before in 1979.

SCOTLAND  UNLUCKY 13th, MISS TOP FLIGHT
 - SO NO MEDALS THIS YEAR
Scotland’s women, still handicapped by the loss of champion Louise Kenney, who has been in hospital since the eve of the tournament for surgery to remove food stuck in her throat, finished 13th on 746 in the European women’s team championship at Murhof, Austria.
Again all five individual Scotland scores had to count, instead of the worst being discarded. and they were:

Pamela Pretswell (pictured left in Vagliano Trophy action) 70, Jane Turner 71, Kelsey MacDonald 71, Megan Briggs 77, Rachael Watton 81.
Scotland’s team total of 370 was an improvement of six shots on Tuesday but their total of 746 was well outside the championship flight maximum of 733 by eighth qualifiers France. Germany led the way with 15-under 705, ahead of Denmark and Spain. Ireland and England qualified fifth and sixth on the same mark, 726.
So disappointment for the Scotland women who won the bronze medals in this championship 12 months ago. To be fair, they did not have the best of luck.


CHARLEY IS THE DARLING FOR ENGLAND

                                                              

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY  ENGLISH
 WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Teenager Charley Hull scored her second sub-par round to help England into the championship match-play flight of the European ladies’ team championship at Murhof, Austria.

Charley, a 15-year-old Woburn member, had a second round of four-under par 68 which, coupled with her opening 70, gave her a six-under par total for 36 holes and fifth place in the individual table.
She was only two shots behind the individual winner, Leona Maguire of Ireland, who had a stunning 64 in the second round (Charley Hull is pictured in action in the recent Junior Vagliano Trophy match, by Cal Carson Golf Agency).
Charley’s scoring helped England into sixth place in the championship match-play flight of the top eight teams. Tomorrow they play Spain.
England finished the qualifying stages on six-over par, with the best five scores counting from six. They were tied with Ireland, but lost out on fifth place on countback.

The team’s other counting scores were provided by Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton), who returned one over par 73, and by Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Hayley Davis (Ferndown) and Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) who all shot 74. The 75 of Lucy Williams (Mid-Herts) was discounted.

Leading qualifying scores (in relation to par over 36 holes)
 -15 Germany
-13 Denmark
+2 Spain
+4 Sweden
+6 Ireland, England
+11 Belgium
+13 France.