GOLF DIGEST:US TOUR: Pádraig Harrington failed to take advantage of a quick start at the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in North Carolina with a one-under-par opening round of 69.
The Dubliner, who needs a good weekend to climb back into the top-125 of the FedEx Cup rankings, was left six shots off the early clubhouse lead held by American Jeff Quinney, who carded a 63.
Paul Casey, who is also chasing a place in the lucrative play-offs, is in second place after a 65.
Harrington began on the 10th and almost immediately made progress with birdies at 11, 13 and 15. He missed another birdie putt at the 18th and it went downhill thereafter with bogeys at the third and fourth as he come home in 37. The three-time Major winner is 130th in the rankings and needs to make it into the top-125 to qualify for the play-offs.
WOMEN'S EUROPEAN TOUR: Unheralded American Hannah Jun held a three-stroke lead after a blemish-free six-under first-round 66 at the Scottish Open at the Archerfield Links.
The 26-year-old, without a senior win in Europe or America and ranked 237th in the world, established a sizeable lead from England’s Rebecca Hudson and Ashleigh Simon of South Africa. Ireland’s Rebecca Codd opened with a three over par 75.
BRITISH WOMEN'S STROKEPLAY: Leona Maguire moved into contention at Royal Ashdown Forest in East Sussex yesterday with a second successive three over par 75.
That put her in joint third position two strokes adrift of leader Charlotte Thomas and one behind teenage Welsh international Amy Boulden.
But 16-year-old Leona’s twin sister Lisa,the recently-crowned European champion crashed out, missing the halfway cut by two strokes after a second round 81.
Royal Portrush’s Charlene Reid made the cut after a second round 76 and Sarah Cunningham of Ennis just made it despite taking an 82 to add to her opening 75. Bangor’s Victoria Bradshaw crashed out of the championship after an 84 for a h a 36-hole aggregate of 166.
IRISH BOYS' AMATEUR: Castle's Peter McKeever continued his good form in Ardee, holding his nerve to shoot a second round 71 to follow up his opening 68.
McKeever leads by a shot from defending champion Dermot McElroy, who carded a nine in an otherwise impressive round of 73.
He is tied with Cairndhu’s Ryan McKinstry on two under, two shots ahead of Skibbereen’s Kieran Lynch and Rosslare’s Ross Young.
GIRLS' INTERPROVINCIALS: Ulster won the interprovincial trophy at Cahir Park Golf Club yesterday by defeating Munster 6-2 to take their seventh title in a row.
