Beth Coulter is in the hunt for victory in her first professional start after carding the low-score of the day and surging up the leaderboard in the Women’s Irish Challenge at Malahide Golf Club.
The two-time Curtis Cup star found birdies hard to come by in round one, making just one with five bogeys but an eagle helped her cause and she began round two at two-over-par and hovering just above the provisional cutline.
Scoring conditions weren’t any easier on day two, but Coulter had no problem putting red numbers on the card as she birdied the two of the opening nine, then five more on the back, making just two pars on the way home as she dropped shots on two more, and the five-under round of 67 lifted her into sole possession of second place, just one behind leader Michaela Vavrova of Slovakia.
“It was really fun out there,” Coulter said. “I holed some nice putts. Yesterday I played solid, but just my putting was terrible. Today seeing the putts go in kind of gave me a bit of momentum.
“Two of my best friends travelled down yesterday, my mom’s here and my boyfriend was caddying for me. I’m sure a few more will come down tomorrow, it’s really nice to be at home and play here.
“Someone asked me yesterday about my first tournament as a pro, and it was just the exact same as the day before. It’s obviously a little bit more special but it should be really fun tomorrow.”
Coulter’s boyfriend, who is also a golfer, flew in from the United States to support her this week.
About how she intends to prepare for tomorrow, she added: “I think I might go to the beach. I’m a little bit sore after all this golf. Bit of a swim, and then tomorrow just treat it the same as today.
“Obviously there will be a little bit more pressure, but if I can treat it like today and have fun with it, I’m sure it’ll go okay.”
Olivia Mehaffey joins her on the tee sheet for the final day, but the Tandragee woman could only manage a two-over 74 to follow her opening 70 and she lies tied for 15th at level-par.
Elsewhere, it was disappointment all around as Annabel Wilson missed the cut by the minimum after a brave 71 to follow her opening 78. Canice Screene and Olivia Hunt were three shots further adrift, while Amy Mangan and amateur Aoife Kelly were further down the leaderboard.
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