England’s Meghan MacLaren fired a second successive 65 to take a two shot lead into the final round of the Jordan Mixed Open, as men and women compete against each other for the same prize for the first time.
The 23-year-old Ladies European Tour player is two ahead of Dutchman Daan Huizing on a 36-hole total of 14-under-par at Ayla Golf Club in the coastal Red Sea resort town of Aqaba.
The event includes pros from the Ladies European Tour, over 50s Staysure Tour and European Challenge Tour.
Cormac Sharvin is the best of the Irish. He hit three birdes, and one bogey, to move to six under par. That's four clear of compatriot Michael Hoey.
Brendan McGovern and Robin Dawson both missed the cut both finishing on ten over par.
MacLaren was one behind overnight and started her second round four back after Huizing set the clubhouse target at 12-under.
She said: "I’m pretty delighted. I don’t have 65s too often so to have two in a row is pretty special.
"I felt more in control and like I hit more shots close to the pin today. I also probably had a couple more par saves, that I wasn’t having yesterday. It was tricky with the wind out there and it was definitely windier, which made pace control trickier as well. I had a couple of return putts longer than I would have liked but it was nice to do it in a couple of different ways."
MacLaren made a fast start with a birdie on her first hole, the 10th and carded a pair of birdies on the 13th and 14th holes. She picked up a fourth birdie on the long 17th to make the turn at 11-under, one stroke behind Huizing. She then birdied the third hole, her 12th, to tie for the lead and moved two clear with birdies on the fifth and seventh holes.
Although thrilled to back up her opening 65 with another seven-under-par round, she was just as pleased to see that an almost even split of players from the three tours made the cut, with one representative from each tour in the final group, saying: "It’s pretty cool that it’s working out like this.
"They couldn’t have written it any better than that. I think that’s a testament to the research that’s gone into it. People know about golf and this isn’t just some gimmick to see if it works. A lot of thought has gone into it and I’m happy that it’s playing out like this."
Huizing, who shot a second round 68, also has his eyes on the prize. The two-time Challenge Tour winner said: "The goal is to go out and win the thing; that is what we play for and what we practise for.
"I managed my way round quite well and the putts were good. I made some six or seven foot putts for par which keeps the momentum going."
