AS Paula Grant and world number one Leona Maguire crashed out of the British Ladies’ Amateur Open Championship at Portstewart yesterday, Olivia Mehaffey kept the Irish flag flying to become the sole home player in this morning’s semi-finals.
After a blazing run to the quarter-finals, title favourite Maguire bowed out in a third round shock 3&1 defeat by Australian Joanna Charlton, while Lisburn’s Grant fought a grim quarter-final afternoon battle against Belgian Charlotte De Corte before losing by 3&2.
Mehaffey (pictured) had a tough day before reaching the last four in the tournament, having to play 36 holes before edging through.
“It was a long, tiring day,’’ said the 17-year-old.
‘‘I had two very tough games but it has been well worthwhile. I’m delighted to reach the semi-finals and I don’t feel any pressure as I have far exceeded my expectations.
‘‘I got to the second round last year at St George’s in England and this time I have progressed further.
The Royal County Down plus-three handicapper played European number three Madelene Sagstrom from Sweden in the morning.
It was a tight struggle all the way with the gap between the pair only a hole most of the way. Mehaffey turned one up and kept her nose in front but could never shake off her opponent until she won the 18th to be two up and clinch victory.
In the afternoon quarter-finals, the Down girl was one down to Canadian Maddie Szergk after four but birdied the par four fifth hole to level the argument.
Holes were swapped regularly but back-to-back Mehaffey birdies at 14 and 15, which she almost aced when punching a seven iron to one foot, was the turning point.
That left the winner two up but she lost the next hole before clinging on for halves at 17 and 18 to book her place in this morning’s semi-finals.
Melbourne girl Joanna Charlton, number 115 in the world, inflicted double defeat on the Maguire twins. Having knocked out Lisa in the first matchplay round, her defeat of Leona yesterday morning was unexpected.
The pair were all square at the turn but Charlton had moved to two holes ahead by 13 and kept her tight grip on the game to win by 3&1.
However, in the afternoon, Charlton was tossed out of the championship by Linnea Strom (Sweden) who won the 16th and 17th holes for a 2&1 victory. Strom plays Mehaffey this morning.
Paula Grant proved to be a comeback winner in some of her games this week, winning on Thursday evening by one hole after being one behind to Kim Matraux (Switzerland) at the turn and yesterday morning it was another grandstand finish by the Lisburn member as she beat Sweden’s Elin Esborn, who led the qualifiers after the first round.
Grant was two down at the turn but had the match all square at 17. The 18th was halved and the Lisburn girl edged into the afternoon quarter-finals at the first tie-hole.
In that she played a see-saw battle with Charlotte De Corte, from Belgium who turned two up. She won the 11th to be three ahead but Grant hit back for a win at the next hole.
However, a half was the best she could muster at 13 and 14 and De Corte ended the Irish girl’s championship with a win at the 15th hole for a 3&2 victory.
