World No 11 Olivia Mehaffey shook off her jet-lag to move up the leaderboard and head the Irish challenge in the 86th Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship.

The Royal County Down Ladies star, who flew into Lisbon from the South American Amateur via Paris alongside Chloe Ryan, fired two birdies and just one bogey in a 71 at Montado to move up 41 spots to 14th on two over par.

Spain’s world No 3 and current European Amateur champion added a 68 to her opening 66 to lead by an impressive six strokes on 10 under par from Germany’s Esther Henseleit (68) and Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela (70).

Lahinch’s Sinead Sexton soared 42 places to 30t thanks to a level par 72 and joins  Maria Dunne, who added a 75 to her first round 74, on five over par.

86th Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship

Detailed scoreboard

• 1 Maria Parra ESP -10 134 66 68      
• 2 Esther Henseleit GER -4 140 72 68      
• 3 Albane Valenzuela SUI -4 140 70 70      
• 4 Puk Lyng Thomsen DEN -2 142 72 70      
• 5 Emma Grechi FRA -1 143 73 70      
• 6 Roos Haarman NED -1 143 70 73      
• 7 Alessia Nobilio ITA PAR 144 71 73      
• 8 Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso ITA PAR 144 71 73      
• 9 Beatrice Wallin SWE PAR 144 70 74      
• 10 Carlotta Ricolfi ITA +1 145 73 72      
• 11 Margot Bechadergue FRA +1 145 73 72      
• 12 Gemma Clews ENG +1 145 69 76      
• 13 Lianna Bailey ENG +2 146 76 70      

Irish

• 14 (55) Olivia Mehaffey IRL +2 146 75 71      
• 30 (72) Sinead Sexton IRL +5 149 77 72      
• 35 (33) Maria Dunne IRL +5 149 74 75      
• 42 (48) Jessica Ross IRL +6 150 75 75      
• 56 (70) Julie McCarthy IRL +8 152 77 75      
• 69 (53) Chloe Ryan IRL +10 154 75 79      
• 77 (86) Paula Grant IRL +13 157 80 77 
• 79 (77) Mairead Martin IRL +13 157 77 80      
• 88 (87) Mary Doyle IRL +27 171 81 90