Maguire twins make more history: VAGLIANO TROPHY: The brilliant Maguire sisters will make history on two counts when they line up for Britain and Ireland in the match against the Continent of Europe in Hamburg today.
Not only will they be the youngest players, at 14, in this biennial fixture, but they will also be the first set of twins to compete in the match.
They have an amazing record with Lisa being first and Leona second in the 2008 European Young Masters, and both on the strength of those performances were in the Junior Ryder Cup.
Leona is the French under-21 champion but Lisa is the Irish Close champion.
Also in the team from Ireland is Royal County Down’s Danielle McVeigh, and the non-playing captain is Irish legend Mary McKenna.
English strokeplay champion Jodi Ewart should be inspirational as she has been in good form, and all the players will be eager to impress the selectors ahead of next year’s Curtis Cup battle.
“This is a well-balanced team with youth and experience playing a part,” said McKenna.
Two years ago at Fairmont St Andrews, Europe trounced Britain and Ireland 15-9, having lost the previous two fixtures.
Europe are without Spaniards Carlota Ciganda and British Open champion Azahara Munoz, both committed elsewhere.
The teams arrived in Hamburg on Monday and practised in the sunshine on Tuesday before rain fell heavily the following day. They wound up their preparations yesterday before last night’s opening ceremony.
Foursomes and singles are played on each of the two days.
ENGLAND AMATEUR: A disappointing last round at Walton Heath yesterday cost Dubliner Niall Kearney the chance of winning the South of England Open Amateur Championship.
The 24-year-old Irish international was well in contention throughout the event, being only a stroke off the pace at halfway and two behind with a round remaining.
But yesterday afternoon Kearney, from The Royal Dublin club, could not get his putter working and mishit a few shots to slump to a three-over par 75, his worst round of the three days.
He finished with a 72-hole aggregate of 284, four under par, in a share of sixth place.
That was some five strokes behind new champion Jason Palmer, the 2008 Midlands Amateur title-holder and a former Italian Open champion.
WOMEN'S TOUR: Wales' Becky Brewerton took a share of the lead after the first round of the weather-interrupted Evian Masters in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Last week’s Spanish Open champion, Brewerton shot a five-under 67 to finish level with South Korean pair In-Kyung Kim and Na Yeon Choi after 18 holes.
Brewerton birdied seven holes – including five, six and seven – but bogeyed at 13 and 14.
US TOUR: Only six holes of play were completed yesterday before the first round of the Canadian Open at Glenn Abbey was suspended due to weather.
It was hoped to restart late in the afternoon.
