A total of nine Irish men and women have made the trip to Spain to compete in the Men’s and Women’s Spanish International Amateur Championships and it’s Roscommon teenager Olivia Costello who’s fared the best on day one of the respective championships.
Competing at the storied Real Club de Golf el Prat just outside Barcelona, Costello responded to a two-over opening nine with a one-under inward loop to card a one-over 73 that leaves her tied for ninth, just three shots off the lead. She’s followed by Kate Lanigan, who took just one stroke more and sits tied for 15th, and she’ll be delighted at how she responded to a five-over first nine by shooting a three-under 33 on the way home.
Aideen Walsh, who completes the trio competing for the Copa S.M. La Reine, has her work cut out to make the top 32 and advance to matchplay after carding an eight-over round that leaves her tied for 77th.
At Guadalhorce Golf Club near Malaga, the Irish team of Luke O’Neill, Brian Doran and Paul Coughlan are supplemented by John Doyle, Louis Goodman and Keith Egan, and it’s Fota Island’s Doyle who fared best on the opening day, making two birdies and an eagle en route to a level-par 72 that leaves him tied for 19th.
O’Neill, at +2 finds himself two shots outside the provisional 32-man cut off mark, with Goodman one shot further adrift on +3. Egan (+4) and Doran and Coughlan (both +5) all have work to do, but with the entire six-strong Irish contingent having the benefit of tee times in the morning wave on day two, hopes are high that at least a couple of them will earn places in the coveted top 32 and advance to contest the matchplay bracket.
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