Maguires on top at Irish Women's Close

Twins Lisa and Leona Maguire continued their total domination of Irish women's golf when they shot level par 74s to take a two stroke lead after the first round of qualifying for the Lancome Irish Women’s Close Championship at Fota Island Golf Resort. 

The 14-year-old Cavan pair took advantage of fine weather before high winds and heavy showers made scoring difficult for the later starters.

Defending champion Leona got off to a superb start, chipping in for an eagle three at the short par-five fourth hole before finishing with bogeys at the 16th and 18th after errant tee shots.

Sister Lisa, last year’s leading qualifier, was three under through the turn but also finished on level par. 

Their closest challenger is Mary Dowling (New Ross), who carded a 76 which included the birdies in the opening four holes, but bogeys on the final two holes cost her a share of the lead. 

The top 32 players after Sunday's second qualifying round will progress to the matchplay stages on Monday.

The final takes place on Wednesday

Round 1 Qualifying Results, Par 74 CSS 77

74 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell)    

76 Mary Dowling (New Ross)             

77 Sarah Crowe (Tipperary), Niamh Kitching (Claremorris), Gillian O'Leary (Cork)           

79 Patrice Delaney (Birr)                   

80 Mary Sheehy (Tralee)

81 Pat Doran (Donabate)                   

82 Laura McCarthy (Muskerry), Karen O'Neill (Douglas), Catherine Tucker (Limerick), Orla Barry (Galway)

83 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth), Sue Phillips (Woodbrook)      

84 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Claire Keating (Charleville), Lillian Harrington (East Cork)          

85 Mary Crowley (Castletroy), Maria Dunne (Skerries), Marie Carr (Athenry), Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire), Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint)

86 Helen Jones (Strabane), Lynda Maher (Charleville), Suzanne Corcoran (Portumna), Linda Toomey (Limerick)

87 Deirdre Cahalan (Nenagh), Karen Delaney (Carlow), Sinead Keane (The Curragh), Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion), Mary Scully (Tralee)   

88 Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook), Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown), Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon)

89 Michele Quinn (Dundalk), Eileen MacMullen (Donegal), Vicki Power (Corrstown), Carla Reynolds (Seapoint), Aoife Lowry (Tipperary)

90 Mary Geaney (Killarney), Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew), Anne McCormack (Roscommon), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone), Muiriosa Connolly (Lahinch), Anne O’Rahilly (Monkstown)

91 Theresa Delahunty (Rathdowney), Amanda Welch (Cork), Carmel Kearney (Mallow), Yvonne Day Ryan (Tipperary), Shauna O’Brien (Clonmel)

92 Julie Coyne (Youghal), Mary Kavanagh (New Ross), Rhona Brennan (Bandon), Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford)  

94 Marian Finn (Thurles), Noreen Granard (Portarlington), Ruth Maguire (Corrstown), Siobhan O'Herlihy (Muskerry)

95 Val Shannon (Douglas), Mary Mackey (Mallow), Violet McBride (Belvoir Park)

96 Ailish Thompson (Douglas), Doireann Carney (Galway), Edel Coyne (Youghal), Maura Breathnach (Monkstown)                                                            

97 Rose Nagle (Fota Island)                

98 Olivia O'Meara (Mitchelstown)    

99 Susan Curtin (Mallow), Maria Cahill (Abbeyleix) 

101 Marie O'Sullivan (Mallow)          

103 Kathleen O'Keeffe (Muskerry)    

105 Patricia McAllister (Laytown/Bettystown)         

106 Mary Lowney (Dunmore)            

NR Grainne O'Connor (Skerries)