Mehaffey saves the best for last, fourth in Portugal

Olivia Mehaffey, pictured during the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship. 

Olivia Mehaffey saved the best for last and closed with a joint best of the day 68 to claim fourth place in the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship.

The world amateur No 11 stormed to the turn in four under 32 and then sandwiched back to back birdies at the 13th and 14th between dropped shots at the 11th and 15th for a level par homeward nine.

The Royal County Down Ladies player finished on one-under par 287 and 16 strokes behind runaway winner Maria Parra.

The Spanish world No 3, the reigning European champion, matched Mehaffey’s 68 to win by nine strokes from Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela on 17-under par 271.

Denmark’s Puk Lyng Thomsen was third on four under 284 after a 69 while Skerries’ Maria Dunne, the only other Irish player to make the 54-hole cut, finished 35th on 11 over 299 after a 75.

Battler Dunne opened up with two birdies but while she dropped a shot at the fifth to turn in 35, she couldn't quite keep it going on the tough back nine and dropped four shots to slip out of the top 25.

Spain's Maria Parra

86th Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship, Montado (Par 72)

Detailed scores

• 1 Maria Parra ESP -17 271 66 68 69 68 
• 2 Albane Valenzuela SUI -8 280 70 70 68 72 
• 3 Puk Lyng Thomsen DEN -4 284 72 70 73 69 
• 4 Olivia Mehaffey IRL -1 287 75 71 73 68 
• 5 Esther Henseleit GER -1 287 72 68 76 71 
• 6 Emilie Alba Paltrinieri ITA PAR 288 71 76 72 69 
• 7 Emma Grechi FRA +1 289 73 70 71 75 
• 8 Carlotta Ricolfi ITA +2 290 73 72 75 70 
• 9 Julia Engstrom SWE +2 290 72 74 74 70 
• 10 Angelica Moresco ITA +3 291 74 74 72 71 
• 11 Zhen Bontan NED +3 291 73 73 76 69 
• 12 Frida Kinhult SWE +3 291 72 75 68 76 
• 35 Maria Dunne IRL +11 299 74 75 75 75 

Missed cit

• 225 Jessica Ross 75, 75, 75
• 226 Julie McCarthy 77, 75, 74
• 230 Mairead Martin 77, 80, 73
• 231 Sinead Sexton 77, 72, 82
• 232 Paula Grant 80, 77, 75
• 232 Chloe Ryan 75, 79, 78
• Mary Doyle 81, 90 (Retired)