Ross and Grant head Irish challenge in Portugal

West Cliffs

Ireland's Jessica Ross and Paula Grant are just three shots off the lead after the opening round of the 88th Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship.

The Irish internationals carded three-over 75s at West Cliffs north of Lisbon as Romy Meekers of the Netherlands and England's Isobel Wardle posted 72s to lead on level par.

Meekers and Wardle lead by one from the Czech Republic's Jana Melichova, Spain's Dimana Viudes Emilova, Italy's Clara Manzalini and Scotland's Chloe Goadby.

Grant was third in the South American Amateur Championship in Argentina in his last start and did well to shoot three-over as she was five-over with six holes to play before picking up two shots on West Cliffs' front nine.

Ireland lie second in the Nations Cup, three strokes behind Spain A after Annabel Wilson, set to attend UCLA in 2019, shot a 78.

Killarney's Valerie Clancy did not have much luck and posted two quadruple bogeys in an 11-over 83.

88th Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship, West Cliffs (Par 72)

Detailed scores

Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Champ.
1	Romy Meekers	NED	PAR	72
2	Isobel Wardle	ENG	PAR	72
3	Jana Melichova	CZE	+1	73
4	Dimana Viudes Emilova	ESP	+1	73
5	Clara Manzalini	ITA	+1	73
6	Chloe Goadby	SCO	+1	73
7	Puk Lyng Thomsen	DEN	+2	74
8	Paula Kirner	GER	+2	74
9	Franziska Sliper	NOR	+2	74
10	Gemma Batty	SCO	+2	74
11	Elena Arias Quiros	ESP	+2	74
12	Laura Pasalodos Barcelo	ESP	+2	74
13	Emilie Alba Paltrinieri	ITA	+3	75
14	Jessica Ross	IRL	+3	75
18	Paula Grant	IRL	+3	75
43	Annabel Wilson	IRL	+6	78
62	Valerie Clancy	IRL	+11	83

from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2DIcKHv