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Tom McKibbin [file photo]. Alamy Stock Photo
Irish Eye

McKibbin shares lead at European Open as Maguire slips back

Stephanie Meadow is also in action at the LPGA Americas Open.

TOM MCKIBBIN HAS a share of the lead heading into the final round of the Porsche European Open, after carding a one-under 72 which leaves him on six-under overall.

McKibbin is in a group of six at the summit of the leaderboard along with Julien Guerrier, Alexander Bjork, John Axelsen, Jordan Smith and David Law.

McKibbin picked up four birdies and three bogeys throughout his third round and will make his charge for victory later today when he tees off his final round in Hamburg.

He is also chasing some history at the tournament as McKibbin looks to become Irish golf’s youngest tour winner since Rory McIlroy in 2009.

Meanwhile, Leona Maguire is in a tie for 27th place at the LPGA Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey after a third round of 74 to put her at one-under overall heading into the final round.

Maguire was four off the lead after the second round but slipped back after a mixed third round which featured two birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey on the 17th. Stephanie Meadow also carded a 74 in her third round to leave her on three-over. She started with a birdie on the first hole but her round was hampered by three bogeys on the last four holes.

Rose Zhang, making her professional debut after a dominant amateur career, fired a six-under par 66 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the.

The 20-year-old Californian, whose amateur victories included back-to-back NCAA collegiate titles, the US Women’s Amateur and this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur, had six birdies without a bogey to build a 54-hole total of 11-under par at Liberty National in Jersey City, New Jersey

That put her two clear of overnight co-leader Cheyenne Knight of the United States, Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul and India’s Aditi Ashok.

Zhang started the day two shots off the lead and opened with a birdie at the first. She added birdies at the fourth, sixth and eighth and seized a share of the lead with a birdie at 14.

As cooling temperatures and rising winds made scoring difficult for the late finishers on the back nine, she drove the green at the par-four 16th.

While her eagle attempt from inside six feet didn’t drop, she tapped in for a birdie and the solo lead.

 With reporting by – © AFP 2023

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