CANICE SCREENE SPEARHEADS the home charge at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open after Friday’s second round at The K Club.
But Cassandra Alexander has extended her commanding lead, 15-under for the tournament after adding a round of 66 to her opening course-record 63.
While the South African is five shots clear of the field, Screene is 10 shots adrift in a share of eighth after surging up the leaderboard with a 67.
Having opened with 72 in rainy conditions on Thursday, the London-born, Mayo-linked golfer improved on day two – like the weather – shooting six birdies.
Playing in the morning wave, Screene opened with a birdie on the par-four first before picking up two more shots on the seventh and eighth and sitting three-under at the turn.
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She added two more birdies on the five-par 10th and four-par 14th, before her only bogey of the day on the penultimate hole. And Screene finished with a flourish, birdieing the five-par 18th to lead the Irish charge into the weekend at the Kildare venue’s South Palmer Course.
“It’s always my favourite event of the year and my family are here, so staying around for the weekend and putting on a good show for them is my priority,” Screene said afterwards.
“Obviously it’s a good opportunity for me to move up the LET Order of Merit and also gain confidence for going back on the LET Access Series next week.”
Leona Maguire and Aine Donegan – the best of the home contingent on Thursday – are three shots further back, two-under for the tournament.
Maguire signed for another round of 71 on Thursday, but had a more colourful card with three birdies and three bogeys. Two dropped shots in her last three holes will disappoint the Cavan star.
Poster girl: Leona Maguire. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
Maguire started brightly with birdies on the third and fourth, before a bogey on the four-par sixth left her one-under. She hit the ground running on the back nine with two more birdies on the five-par 10th and three-par 12th, but cancelled them out with bogeys on the four-par 16th and 18th.
Donegan – playing in an all-Irish group with Beth Coulter and Anna Abom – started on the back nine and parred the lot, but then went birdie-bogey on the first and second, and third and fourth. Another bogey on the par-four ninth saw her finish with a one-over 73.
Anna Foster, Annabel Wilson and Lauren Walsh are the other Irish players who make the cut, the former pair on one-under and the latter on even par respectively.
Sara Byrne (+2), Kate Dillon (+3), Olivia Mehaffey, Olivia Costello, Abom (+4), Anna Dawson (+6), Beth Coulter (+8), Emma Fleming (+10) and Ella Cantwell (+19) miss out.
Dillon finished highest of the seven amateurs in a share of 77th.
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Screene best of the Irish as South Africa's Alexander extends lead at The K Club
CANICE SCREENE SPEARHEADS the home charge at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open after Friday’s second round at The K Club.
But Cassandra Alexander has extended her commanding lead, 15-under for the tournament after adding a round of 66 to her opening course-record 63.
While the South African is five shots clear of the field, Screene is 10 shots adrift in a share of eighth after surging up the leaderboard with a 67.
Having opened with 72 in rainy conditions on Thursday, the London-born, Mayo-linked golfer improved on day two – like the weather – shooting six birdies.
Playing in the morning wave, Screene opened with a birdie on the par-four first before picking up two more shots on the seventh and eighth and sitting three-under at the turn.
She added two more birdies on the five-par 10th and four-par 14th, before her only bogey of the day on the penultimate hole. And Screene finished with a flourish, birdieing the five-par 18th to lead the Irish charge into the weekend at the Kildare venue’s South Palmer Course.
“It’s always my favourite event of the year and my family are here, so staying around for the weekend and putting on a good show for them is my priority,” Screene said afterwards.
“Obviously it’s a good opportunity for me to move up the LET Order of Merit and also gain confidence for going back on the LET Access Series next week.”
Leona Maguire and Aine Donegan – the best of the home contingent on Thursday – are three shots further back, two-under for the tournament.
Maguire signed for another round of 71 on Thursday, but had a more colourful card with three birdies and three bogeys. Two dropped shots in her last three holes will disappoint the Cavan star.
Maguire started brightly with birdies on the third and fourth, before a bogey on the four-par sixth left her one-under. She hit the ground running on the back nine with two more birdies on the five-par 10th and three-par 12th, but cancelled them out with bogeys on the four-par 16th and 18th.
Donegan – playing in an all-Irish group with Beth Coulter and Anna Abom – started on the back nine and parred the lot, but then went birdie-bogey on the first and second, and third and fourth. Another bogey on the par-four ninth saw her finish with a one-over 73.
Anna Foster, Annabel Wilson and Lauren Walsh are the other Irish players who make the cut, the former pair on one-under and the latter on even par respectively.
Sara Byrne (+2), Kate Dillon (+3), Olivia Mehaffey, Olivia Costello, Abom (+4), Anna Dawson (+6), Beth Coulter (+8), Emma Fleming (+10) and Ella Cantwell (+19) miss out.
Dillon finished highest of the seven amateurs in a share of 77th.
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Golf women's irish open