IRELAND’S LEONA MAGUIRE and Stephanie Meadow both scored in the mid-60s today to turn their Olympic campaigns around.
Maguire scored a three-over-par 74 in the first round yesterday, despite registering a birdie on the first hole, while Meadow was three shots worse off with a 77.
But both women rallied today and produced some fine golf. Maguire shot a 65, which was tied for the third best of the second-round efforts, to move to three-under-par for the tournament alongside world number one, Lydia Ko of New Zealand.
Cavan native Maguire carded seven birdies and one bogey in good scoring conditions to sit seven shots behind leader Inbee Park, the world number five.
Maguire is now just five shots off the medal places heading into the final two rounds, in a tie for 22nd place.
South Korean Park, who has won seven major championships, carded a second successive 66 to move to 10-under-par, one shot clear of world number seven Stacy Lewis, of the US, who shot a 63 today.
Not to be outdone, Meadow also played some excellent golf in the Rio sunshine, making six birdies and one bogey for a five-under-par 66.
Meadow has moved to a one-over-par total which has lifted her to a tie for 38th place.
Elsewhere today, Matt McGovern and Ryan Seaton finished their 49er sailing campaign with a 10th place finish.
The pair finished in ninth position out of the 10 boats in the final race which saw them drop to 10th spot overall.
New Zealand’s Peter Burling and Blair Tuke had already secured the gold ahead of the medal race. Australian pair Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen won the battle for silver while Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel’s German boat clinched bronze.
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