Round-up: Grehan and Sharvin start well; Mehaffey four over
Stuart Grehan in his amateur days. Picture: Pat Cashman
Tullamore's Stuart Grehan carded one of just five bogey-free rounds but like Cormac Sharvin he finds himself six shots off the pace in the Swiss Challenge.
The former international posted a two-under 69 at Golf Sempachersee to share 25th with Sharvin as Germany’s Marcel Schneider shot an eight-under 63 to lead by two shots.
Gary Hurley's 70 leaves him just inside the cut line, but 71s for Jack Hume and Ruaidhri McGee and a 72 for Michael Hoey leaves them with work to do.
Mehaffey nine back in US Women's Open
Amateur Olivia Mehaffey posted a four-over 76 as Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, Australia's Sarah Jane Smith and South Korea's Jeongeun Lee shot a five-under 67s to lead the US Women's Open at tropical storm hit Shoal Creek in Alabama.
The Royal County Down Ladies' and Arizona State University star opened with two bogeys at a rain-softened course that's been badly hit by the tail end of sub-tropical storm Alberto.
However, while preferred lies were not allowed, 55 roving USGA officials marked many places as ground under repair with many players granted relief in unmarked areas.
Danielle Kang, Michelle Wie and Swedish amateur Linn Grant are two shots behind after 69s with 12 players, including two-time Women’s Open champion Inbee Park and amateurs Kristen Gillman and Patty Tavatanakit, carding 70s.
Two-time major champion Lydia Ko and 2017 Women’s Open runner-up Hye-Jin Choi were among a group of six players at one-under 71.
Mehaffey turned in three-over 39, sandwiching a bogey at the seventh and a double bogey at the eighth between birdies at the sixth and ninth.
She got back to two-over with a birdie at the 11th but bogeyed the 13th and 17th to finish the day tied for 96th.
Yates fires 65 on ECCO Tour
ECCO Tour — Naas amateur Jonathan Yates followed his opening 74 with a seven-under 65 to tie tied for 13th at halfway in the Jyske Bank PGA Championship at Silkeborg Ry Golfklub in Denmark
The former West of Ireland winner is six shots behind Denmark's Frederik Dreier on five-under par.
O'Rourke in the red in Guadeloupe
Alps Tour — Another Naas man, Conor O'Rourke, opened with a one-under 70 to lie tied for sixth after the opening round of the Open St Francois Guadeloupe.
He's three strokes behind Frenchman Louis Cohen Boyer, who shot 67 to lead by one stroke from Raphael Marguery and Guillaume Cambis.
David Carey is 56th after a 76 with amateur Eamonn O'Driscoll carding a 77 to share 69th on six-over.
Galbraith and Phelan going well in Matchroom Sport Championship
PGA Europro Tour — John Ross Galbraith is just four shots off the lead entering the final round of the Matchroom Sport Championship at Harleyford Golf Club in Buckinghamshire.
The former international followed a 69 with a 68 to share sixth place on seven-under-par with Walker Cup player Kevin Phelan a shot further back after finishing with five straight birdies for a 68.
Billy Spooner shaved a shot off Tyrrell Hatton's course record, posting an eight-under 64 to lead by one shot from Miles Collins on 11-under as the cut fell at two-under par in the race for the £10,000 top prize.
Phelan is tied for 12th, six off the pace on five-under after coming home in 31 for a 68 with Brian Casey tied 24th on four-under after a 69 and Brendan McCarroll, now representing West Cliffs Golf Links, tied 36th on three-under after a 70.
Ballymena's Dermot McElroy also missed the cut, shooting rounds of 70 and 72 to make it on the mark.
Mount Juliet's Luke Donnelly (71-73), Peter Williamson (73-72), Niall Kearney (72-74), Chris Selfridge (79-70), Brian McElhinney (76-77) and Stephen McCarthy (82-76) missed the cut.
McNamara nine back in Austria
Pro Golf TOur — Rory McNamara is nine shots off the lead after rounds of 71 and 69 left him on two-under heading into the final round of the St. Pölten 2018 presented by Elation Travel at St Polten in Austria.
The Czech Republic's Michal Popisil and amateurs Allen John and Gregory Wiggins lead on 11-under.
Young contending at Brabazon Trophy
In amateur golf, Ireland's Michael Young shot a three-under 69 to lie just two strokes off the lead in the rain-delayed Brabazon Trophy at Frilford Heath.
Born in France to Irish parents — his father Conor is a professional from Cork — he's tied for ninth on three-under as South Africa's Wilco Nienaber, England's Jack Cope and Germany's Ferdinand Mueller shot 67s to lead in the clubhouse.
