Hermitage’s Kate Lanigan was the best of the Irish in the opening round of the 94th Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship at Penina.

The Dubliner made three birdies and a bogey in a two-under 71 to share 10th place, just four strokes behind Germany’s Helen Briem, whose six-under 67 gave her a one-shot lead over Iceland’s Perla Sol Sigurbrandsdottir and defending champion Rocio Tejedo of Spain.

Scores

Elm Park’s Emma Fleming recovered from two opening bogeys to shoot a one-under 72 and share 17th place while Roscommon’s Olivia Costello fought back from four-over after seven holes to card a 73 as she covered the back nine in four-under.

Costello was tied for 25th on level par while Kanturk’s Mairead Martin and Lurgan’s Annabel Wilson were joint 32nd after 74s.

In the Octagonal Matches at Costa Ballena in Cadiz, Ireland faces Germany on Thursday after producing a dominant singles performance to beat Portugal 7-2 on the opening day.

Fionn Dobbin and Donnacha Cleary won their foursomes while Jack Hearn and David Shiel halved in fourballs before the boys in green won five and a half points from the six singles with wins for Dobbin, Shiel, Hearn, Jack Murphy and Sean Keeling and a half for Cleary.

England beat Switzerland 6.5-2.5, the Netherlands hammered Germany 8-1 and hosts Spain drew 4.5-4.5 with Italy.