Ireland tie with France in Octagonal Matches; Walsh best in Portuguese Ladies
Forrest Little’s Jack McDonnell in action at Costa Ballena
Ireland came back from losing the foursomes session to tie 4.5-4.5 with France on the opening day of the Octagonal Matches at Costa Ballena in Cádiz.
Hugh Foley and Jack McDonnell went unbeaten, claiming Ireland’s lone foursomes victory with a 1 up win over Nicolas Muller and Martin Couvra before winning their singles matches in the afternoon.
Galway men David Kitt and Liam Nolan trailed from the opening hole and lost 5&4 to Julien Sale and Tom Valiant and while McDonnell and Foley won a tight encounter, Robert Moran and TJ Ford fell 3&1 to Hugo le Goff and Adam Bresnau.
Moran and Ford were two up through five holes but the French won five of the next 12 to leave Ireland 2-1 down at lunch.
In the singles, Kitt erased an early deficit to beat Sale 2&1, Nolan came from two down with four to play to halve his match with Bresnau.
Foley beat Le Goff 5&4 to put Ireland ahead before McDonnell defeated Cougar 2/1 but the tail failed to wag and Moran fell by one hole to Muller as Valiant beat Ford 2&1.
With The Netherlands withdrawing from the event, Ireland rest on Thursday as France play England in the other match in the Blue Group.
The winners of each group in the round robin tournament will face off for the title on Saturday.
Hosts Spain beat Portugal 8-1 to take command in the Red Group as Germany defeated Italy 7-2.
In the 92nd Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship at Montado Golf Resort Maylis Lamoure of France and Germany’s Helen Briem opened with three-under 69s to set the pace.
They lead by one stroke from a six-strong group with Aideen Walsh the best of the Irish in tied 14th after making five birdies and six bogeys in a one-over 73.
Beth Coulter was tied 26th after making one birdie and four bogeys in a 75 with Kate Lanigan tied 69th after an 80.