European Amateur: Ireland's Rory McIlroy is joint leader of the European Amateur Championship at Biella Golf Club in Italy after his blistering round of eight-under-par 65 yesterday.

The Holywood teenager shares the lead with Damian Ulrich of Switzerland.

Dunmurry's Darren Crowe is also well placed in a tie for 11th on three-under, while Aaron O'Callaghan of Douglas is just a shot back on two under.

WOMEN'S BRITISH AMATEUR: Irish title-holder Tricia Mangan made a solid start to her challenge for honours in the Women's British Open Amateur Championship at Princes, Sandwich, on the Kent coast yesterday.

The Ennis golfer returned a one-over-par 74 to lie just four strokes off the first-round pace and in the top dozen.

The Curtis Cup player and well-established Irish international started with a bogey five, but picked up birdies at the seventh and ninth to reach the turn in 35.

Coming home, she had three bogeys,a birdie and five pars, but was happy to have kept herself in the hunt.

Her fellow Curtis Cup player Martina Gillen from Beaverstown also handed in a 74, which comprised level halves of 37. Gillen started with a bogey and had two bogeys and two birdies in the closing stages.

Leading the day is American Rachel Newren, who defied the wind to post an excellent 70 for a two-stroke lead over Curtis Cup reserve Krystle Caithness, French star Melanie Bourdy and Scottish teenager Carly Booth.

Tipperary's Marian Riordan and Maura Morrin from the Curragh kept themselves in contention with rounds of 76 on a day of generally high scoring.

Co Louth's Deirdre Smith shot a 77 while the young Island player Rachel Cassidy had a 78.

CHALLENGE TOUR: Michael McGeady returns to the Challenge Tour this week, looking to go one better than his second-place finish at the Ireland Ryder Cup Challenge in Killarney at the beginning of August.

The Derry 28-year-old is in Denmark for the ECCO Tour Championship and looking to build on his 83rd place on the Challenge Tour Rankings.

McGeady is hoping to break into the Challenge Tour's top 45 to gain entry in to the end of season grand final, where every player in the elite field has a chance to break into the all important top 20 and secure a place on the European Tour for next season.

Athlone's Colm Moriarty is the only other Irishman in the field for the €130,000 event, being held at the Odense Golf Club in the town where Stephen Browne won the European Amateur Championship in 2001.