Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) on the 1st green during round 2 of the Irish Women's & Girls Amateur Open Championship, Co. Louth Golf Club, Baltray, Co.Louth, Ireland. 16/10/2021 Picture: Golffile | Thos Caffrey

Three players sit tied for the lead after 36 holes of the Irish Women’s and Girls Amateur Open Championship at Co. Louth Golf Club.

Moa Svedenskiöld (Sweden) and Charlotte Back (Germany), alongside overnight leader Aada Rissanen (Finland) are on eight-under par with Ireland’s Beth Coulter (Kirkistown Castle) one shot further adrift after rounds of 70 and 71.

Back, who has had 3 runner-up finishes in her last 4 events, fired a second-round 71 (3-under) despite a double bogey on the par 4 14th. Like many players, she has been feeling the effects of a condensed season coming to a close.

“I took a bit of a break for a couple of weeks recently as towards the end of the season I was pretty done!” explained Back. “I played last week to get back into competition before this week. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming here, I said I was just going to play and hit fairways, hit greens, play solid and the best I can.

“The first 9 holes were very good today, and then I had my first bogey on the 10th after being bogey-free yesterday as well, but it was OK, I played good.”

Svedenskiöld also added a 71 to her opening round of 69 which included 4 birdies and just 1 error, also on the 14th.

“Today was good,” she reflected. “Up until the 14th I think I had hit most greens and made some putts but it’s very difficult around the greens, if you miss around the greens you’re screwed or you need to hit a fantastic shot. It’s a challenging course but a lot of fun.”

Coulter is the top-ranked player in the field, currently 139th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, and has dropped shots on just 3 holes so far this week, crediting the course condition for the low scoring.

“We’ve had two really good days to shoot two good scores,” said Coulter. “The fairways are unbelievable, there isn’t a bad spot on them. The same with the greens, they’re rolling really, really well and it gives you the opportunity to make some birdies which is really nice.”

Charlotte Back (St. Leon-Rot) on the 2nd tee during round 1 of the Irish Women's & Girls Amateur Open Championship, Co. Louth Golf Club, Baltray, Co.Louth, Ireland. 15/10/2021 Picture: Golffile | Thos Caffrey © Golffile | Thos Caffrey)

All four leading players were drawn with early tee times on day 2, meaning a long afternoon to fill with thoughts of a race to the finish line tomorrow. Being close to home could be an advantage for Coulter, however.

“I’ll do some practice here and get something to eat but there is a Camogie match on at home this afternoon which I might coax Dad to go back to home to watch,” laughed Coulter. “That would take me away from the golf to relax a bit but even if not I’ll do some practice here. All the putts didn’t drop for me today so I’ll work on that but hopefully, I’m just saving them for tomorrow!”

The cut for the top 50 players and ties fell at +11, with 55 players competing in the final round tomorrow.

Irish Women’s and Girls' Amateur Open, County Louth (Par 74)

Detailed scores

140 M Svedenskiöld (Ringenäs Golfklubb), 69, 71; C Back (St. Leon- Rot), 69, 71; A Rissanen (Aura Golf), 68, 72

141 B Coulter (Kirkistown Castle Golf Club), 70, 71

144 E Nordstedt (Söderåsens Golfklubb), 72, 72

145 T Kremser (Frankfurter Golf Club), 70, 75

146 R Gardner (Clandeboye Golf Club), 75, 71

147 G Mayo (Newport (Gwent) Golf Club), 74, 73; M Kraus (GC St. Leon-Rot), 72, 75; E von Finckenstein (Hamburger Golfclub), 72, 75

148 K O'Connor (West Byfleet Golf Club), 75, 73; J Haines (Burnham & Berrow Golf Club), 75, 73; Y Beeli (Semparchersee), 74, 74; M Fischer (Munich Golf Club), 72, 76; S O'Dwyer (The Wynyard Golf Club), 71, 77

150 H Holden (Huddersfield Golf Club), 77, 73; N Maertz (MGA), 74, 76; K Poots (Knock Golf Club), 73, 77; V Levy (Lausanne), 73, 77

151 N Borg (Ringenäs Golfklubb), 77, 74; E Larsson (St Arilds GC), 77, 74; M Samervong (Landeryds GC), 77, 74

152 C Shippam (Ballykisteen Golf Club), 78, 74; A Hios (MGA), 77, 75; C Hastings (Royal Birkdale Golf Club), 77, 75; D Smith (Co. Louth Golf Club), 77, 75

153 I Lindqvist (Timra GC), 79, 74; L Coffey (Malone Golf Club), 78, 75; A Roth (Golf Uppsala), 76, 77; C Brook (Parkstone Golf Club), 76, 77; M Joyce-Moreno (Lllavaneras), 74, 79

154 K Dillon (Oughterard Golf Club), 80, 74; S Harz (Golfclub Freiburg), 79, 75; L Jones (Wrexham Golf Club), 79, 75; E Levy (Lausanne), 79, 75; K Anglett (Stuttgarter GC Solitude), 78, 76; A Walsh (Lahinch Golf Club), 77, 77

155 E Krause (Golfclub Berlin Wannsee ), 79, 76; F Birch (Pennard Golf Club), 79, 76; E Lundgren (Villa Condulmer), 78, 77; S O'Brien (Elm Park Golf & Sports Club Golf Club), 78, 77; A Hekkonen (Tuusulan Golfklubi), 74, 81

156 M O'Hara (Clandeboye Golf Club), 76, 80

157 F Lindblom (Delsjo GC), 77, 80

158 S Schifferegger (golf club Pustertal), 81, 77; C Griffin (Killarney Golf Club), 80, 78; A Molloy (Sandy Lodge Golf Club), 80, 78; N Wiktorson (Oijared GC), 78, 80

159 L Kelly (Ballykisteen Golf Club), 86, 73; P Grant (Lisburn Golf Club), 82, 77; M Björkman (Kumla GC), 82, 77; E Henningsson (Gränna Golfklubb), 79, 80; O Lucas (Lahinch Golf Club), 79, 80; K Dwyer (Rossmore Golf Club), 78, 81; C Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club), 77, 82

160 O Purfield-Goulding (Co. Louth Golf Club), 82, 78; O Costello (Roscommon Golf Club), 80, 80; H Guerin (Royal Tara Golf Club), 78, 82

161 B Pyke (Overstone Park Golf Club), 83, 78; O Currie (Royal Portrush Golf Club), 80, 81

162 E Murray (Co. Louth Golf Club), 84, 78; J O'Driscoll (Muskerry Golf Club), 83, 79; R Taylor (Laytown & Bettystown GC), 80, 82; E O'Shaughnessy (Co. Louth Golf Club), 79, 83; T Laverty (Royal Portrush Golf Club), 79, 83

163 M McLoughlin (Co. Sligo Golf Club), 82, 81

164 S McElroy (Grange Golf Club), 84, 80; A Pitts (Cainhoe Wood Golf Club), 81, 83

165 A Abom (Edmondstown Golf Club), 85, 80

167 S Benedetti (Roscommon Golf Club), 85, 82

168 E Park (Edmondstown Golf Club), 85, 83

169 L Dancis (Carton House Golf Club), 86, 83; A Greham (Ballina Golf Club), 80, 89

170 E Earl (Thorndon Park Golf Club), 90, 80; L Lemström (Pickala Golf Club), 84, 86

171 M Byrne (Baltinglass Golf Club), 93, 78

172 E Fenlon (Grange Golf Club), 85, 87; M Abernethy (Cork Golf Club), 83, 89

173 S Bullock (Castletroy Golf Club), 87, 86

181 S Sharp (Royal Tara Golf Club), 93, 88

182 E Proctor (Royal Portrush Golf Club), 92, 90

184 R Wall (Forrest Little Golf Club), 94, 90

201 J Currie (Royal Portrush Golf Club), 102, 99

WD E Lonergan (Westport Golf Club)