Down under, Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire retain slight hopes of a title push and remain right in the hunt for top-ten finishes, heading into the final round of the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia.
The pair are making history together, as for the first time, two Irish women hold full LPGA Tour cards.
Both Meadow and Maguire shot two-over par rounds of 74, on a day where only one player South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu, managed to shoot under par. The players had to navigate difficult, windswept conditions at the Beach Course, with swirling winds making it hard for players to make a move up the leader board.
Jordanstown’s Stephanie Meadow goes into tonight’s final round in a tie for eighth, sitting on six-under par. Meadow managed a round of three birdies mixed with five bogeys as she looks to deliver a statement performance early into the season.
#wombat pic.twitter.com/JgzEUsWlC5
— Stephanie Meadow (@StephMeadow20) February 8, 2020
LPGA Tour rookie, Leona Maguire, is one shot further back, tied for 11th place on five-under par. Maguire had Irish middle distance running legend Sonia O’Sullivan for company for much of her third round as she carded traded two birdies and four bogeys in a round of 74.
This is Maguire’s rookie season on the LPGA Tour having earned her card from the Symetra Tour last season. The Cavan golfer carries serious pedigree at amateur level and turned professional in June 2018. After her third round, she tweeted,
“Battle really well in some brutal winds this afternoon, looking forward to tomorrow. So cool to have the legend @soniagrith out supporting today.”
Battled really well in some brutal winds this afternoon, looking forward to tomorrow @VicOpenGolf ⛳So cool to have the legend @soniaagrith out supporting today ????#cantseecantbe pic.twitter.com/nwhB7DOGYw
— Leona Maguire (@leona_maguire) February 8, 2020
Ayean Cho take the leading reins at 12-under par with Swede Madelene Sagstrom a shot back in second and Canadian Alena Sharp one shot further adrift in third.
In the opening round of the event, Meadow shot an impressive five-under-par 67, which left her just three shots off the lead, tied for 15th place. The Irish Olympian bagged eight birdies on her way to a superb start.
Leona Maguire posted an opening round of 69, as she shot three under-par to leave her tied for 30th. The former record holding Amateur number one, posted six birdies in her opening round.
On Day two, Meadow shot a three-under 70 to move to -8 overall while Maguire is one shot behind after a second successive 69. The fields was reduced to 35 players plus ties, with Meadow and Maguire both comfortably making the cut.
Tonight, Maguire is in Group 10 for her final round, with Hye-Jun Choi and Robyn Choi, as she tees off at 21:54pm Irish time. Meadow is in Group 12 with Minjee Lee and Pornanong Phatlum – her tee time is 22:42pm Irish time.
