Mehaffey leads way in positive start for Ireland trio in World Amateur bid
OLIVIA MEHAFFEY led from the front as Ireland overcame first-day nerves to make a positive start in their medal bid in the World Amateur Team Championships at Carton House.
Determined to back up a breakthrough, bronze medalwinning performance in Mexico two years ago, the Irish trio ended the opening day tied for sixth with Australia on three-under par, just five shots behind leaders Japan.
Lurgan teenager Annabel Wilson (17) – a medal winner with Mehaffey and Leona Maguire at just 15 in Mexico two years ago – played like a veteran as she overcame driving gremlins and shot an impressive 71 on the tough Montgomerie Course alongside American world No 1 Jennifer Kupcho in her second Espirito Santo appearance.
GRINDING
And while a grinding 74 by Lisburn’s Paula Grant (24) was Ireland’s discarded score in a 72-hole team event where only the best two scores count each day, Mehaffey (20) showed her class when she fired a battling 70 to lie eighth in the individual standings on two-under.
She’s five shots behind Yuka Yasuda (17) whose seven-under 65 on the Montgomerie Course, coupled with 71s by both teammates Yuri Yoshida and Yuna Nishimura gave Japan a two-stroke lead over China, who played the easier O’Meara Course, on eight-under.
With the powerful USA trio tied for eighth on two-under, it was
little wonder Irish captain Danielle McVeigh was proud of her charges.
“The girls stayed very patient out there,” said McVeigh. “The course threw a lot of challenges at them, so I think that really paid dividends, especially coming up the back nine.
“They really ground it out well. So I’m incredibly proud of them and how they handled themselves.”
World No 23 Mehaffey had the honour of hitting the opening shot as early-morning fog was quickly burned off in bright sunshine. But while she opened with a nervy bogey, her nerves faded when she pitched into the hole from 23 yards for an unlikely birdie at the third.
“I was a bit more nervous than I thought,” said Mehaffey, who birdied the fifth and lipped out with an eagle chip at the eighth to turn in two-under. “I didn’t expect so many people to be out there at a 7.45am tee time on a Wednesday.
“When I pitched straight into the hole at the third that gave me a wee
bit more momentum, and I felt a wee bit more relaxed.”
Three-under after hitting a wedge to a foot at the 322-yard 13th, she had to hole a six-footer for par after a brilliant pitch at the tough 16th and a nine-footer for her par-five at the 18th after finding sand from the tee.
Defending champions Korea are tied for third with Germany and Austria on four-under, but Ireland can be pleased with their opening effort with Wilson showing huge maturity despite her youth.
Unaware that Kupcho, who shot 70, was the world No 1 in a USA outfit she knew boasted the world’s top three, the Lurgan schoolgirl admitted she struggled off the tee but was pleased to battle her way home in level for her 71.
Grant was made four birdies but was left to rue four bogeys and a double-bogey at the 12th as well as a lip-out for birdie from four feet at the 17th.