Irish amateur Lisa Maguire opened with a three under par 69 in the first round of the ISPS Handa Portugal Ladies Open on Friday.
The 16-year-old from Cavan had two birdies, a bogey and an eagle on the CampoReal Resort and Spa course north of Lisbon, where she is playing in a professional Ladies European Tour event this week.
She sits in a share of 19th place, five shots behind the first round leader Gwladys Nocera of France, who had a course record eight under par.
Lisa’s twin sister Leona had a two-over 74 and lies in a share of 80th place, outside the projected cut mark, which will be made to the leading 50 players and those tied after Saturday’s second round.
Lisa said: ‘I finished birdie, eagle, on 17 and 18 so it was nice. I had a bad drive off 17 so we just played for position and I holed about a 15 foot putt and then the chip in from 40 yards on 18.
‘I played well all day today. I probably left two shots out there but hopefully if I can have two more good rounds I won’t be that far away.’
Leona, the 2011 Portuguese International Amateur Champion, was slightly disappointed, but commented: ‘It was okay I suppose. I played quite well and then just the second and the 17th killed me. I hit one out of bounds and one in the hazard. Other than that I played really well and if I holed a few more putts it could have been a lot lower.’
She admitted that the teenagers are still closely matched in terms of their golfing ability.
‘I do well one week and she does well the next week so we’ve both won already and we are quite a similar standard. Our handicaps are pretty much the same: I’m +4.5 and she’s +4.2 so there’s not much in it. I think she’s played a little better than me today.’
She also revealed that the twins will play in the AIB Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle and will try to qualify for the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Carnoustie in late July.
