EUROPEAN AMATEUR: Rory McIlroy will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the European Strokeplay Championship after a third round 72 left him two shots clear of the field at Biella GC, Italy, yesterday.
At 13 under par McIlroy leads by two from Norway's Anders Kirstiansen, who shot a best of the day 66, and three from England's Paul Waring and Stephen Lewton, who both added a five-under-par 68s yesterday.
Shane Lowry fired a two-under-par 71 for a total of two-under-par 217 with Gareth Shaw and Darren Crowe a shot back on 218.
Shaw shot 71 while Crowe lost some ground with his three-over-par 76. Aaron O'Callaghan is well off the pace after a disappointing 81 for a three round total of nine-over-par 228.
WOMEN'S AMATEUR: A disappointing 80 in the third round destroyed Tricia Mangan's chances of victory in the Women's British Open strokeplay championship at Prince's, Sandwich, yesterday.
The Ennis player followed that with a 75 for a 72-hole total of 303 - 11 over par - to finish in 17th place, some 13 strokes behind Italian Anna Rossi, who became the first Continental winner for eight years.
Beaverstown's Martina Gillen was the leading Irish player after a good final day during which she took 74 and 71 for a 302 aggregate and a share of 12th place.
SENIORS TOUR: Eamonn Darcy failed to sustain a super start in yesterday's opening round of the PGA Seniors Championship at Stoke by Nayland in Suffolk, but is still well placed after a three-under-par 69.
The former Ryder Cup player had two birdies and an eagle in the opening five holes, but a missed putt of no more than three feet at the 12th was followed by yet another bogey at the next. He partially redeemed himself at the 552-yard 16th with his third birdie of the day, but has left himself some way behind the leader, John Chillas, from Scotland.
He fired a flawless 64, one ahead of Sam Torrance, whose only dropped shot came at the downhill 191-yard 18th where he over-clubbed through the green with a six iron and failed to get down in two.
CHALLENGE TOUR: The second round of the ECCO Tour Championship was postponed for the day due to thunder and lightening activity in and around the Odense Golf Club in Denmark.
The second round will resume at 7.30 this morning, with half the field yet to complete their second rounds.
First round leader Oskar Henningsson of Sweden was among the players able to complete their second rounds and finished on nine under par for the tournament after a second round of 68. Colm Moriarty shot 72 for 141 and Michale McGeady 74 for 143.
LET TOUR: France's Virginie Lagoutte seized the first round lead in the SAS Masters by posting a five-under-par 67 at Oslo Golf Club in Norway.
At the end of a rainy day in the Norwegian capital, the 27-year-old from Montpelier found herself two shots clear of her nearest challengers England's Laura Davies, Kirsty Taylor, Sarah Heath and Australians Nikki Garrett and Cherie Byrnes, all on 69.
