There was plenty of good stuff but too many mistakes in Leona Maguire’s second round as she lost ground on the leaders at the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic Bonville.
The Cavan professional teed off her Ladies European Tour season with a four-under par 68 in favourable scoring conditions around Bonville Golf Resort on day one and Friday’s opportunities were much the same.
Maguire made plenty of birdies with four on her card but also threw in five uncharacteristic bogeys before eventually signing for a one-over 73.
At three-under, she’s just outside the top-20 and comfortably through to the weekend but Maguire’s now all of 11 shots back from the halfway lead after Lauren Stephenson (-14) and Ayean Cho (-13) threatened to turn the competition into a two horse race after just 36-holes.
The leading duo each carded eight-under par rounds of 64 on Friday to streak clear of a quartet in third at seven-under par.
“I focused more on my green play today, and that made me play better,” said 19-year old Cho, who finished tied for 16th in the ISPS Handa Vic Open and tied for sixth in the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open on the LPGA Tour over the last fortnight.
She held the 54-hole lead in the ISPS Handa Vic Open, but shot a final round of 81 to slip down into tied 16th.
The world number 35, who won twice on the KLPGA Tour in 2019, is the highest ranked player in the field at Bonville and she added:
“Throughout the three weeks that I’ve played here, I’ve been liking Australia more and more. I’m confident of getting good results if I focus on my green play again.”
LET 16-year old rookie Pia Babnik, Julia Engstrom, Luna Sobron and Breanna Gill are in the clubhouse on four-under.
Full scoring HERE
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