Olivia Costello’s bid to become the first golfer to win the Flogas Irish Girls and Women’s titles in the same year got off to a great start after she ended the opening day in a share of second place with Jessica Ross at Newlands Golf Club.
Both players are two-under after rounds of 71, one shot behind early leader Maria Sole Albini of Italy. Behind Costello and Ross are Rebekah Gardner of Clandeboye and England’s Ella Butteriss while Douglas’ Clodagh Coughlan is level-par after a 73.
Costello’s date with destiny is still on track after she mixed two bogeys with four birdies including a four on the par-5 18th. The Roscommon star is eager to take more silverware back to the county after she enjoyed the Rossie’s Connacht victory over Galway last weekend.
“It was a good weekend for the Rossies! If I keep going the way I am going I know my game is good enough to be there or thereabouts.
“I put in a lot of hard work with Shane O’Grady and spent a few hours with him and after that Corstown reassured me that my game is in a good place and I have sharpened the game up a lot more.”
The traditional tree-lined parkland style of Newlands provided a golfing test akin to yesteryear and players had to plot their way from A to B in order to find birdies on the slick greens.
Costello started well with a birdie on the 5th and responded from a bogey on 7 with a birdie on the 8th. She eased to two-under with a birdie on 11 and after dropping a shot on the 15th she took advantage of the birdie opportunities coming home with a birdie at the last.
“It’s a tough golf course, it’s very tight off the tee and asks a lot of questions around the greens as well so I am happy the way it went. You have to be accurate off the tee and take lines that are going to keep you away from trouble.”
European Mid-Amateur champion Ross carded thirteen pars in her opening round and made her first move backwards with a bogey on 14, but she responded brilliantly with three birdies in her last four holes.
Expectations were low for the Clandeboye woman who was ill earlier in the week but the Scottish Women’s Open runner-up should be a factor over the weekend.
“I’m just glad to be here and it was nice and steady the whole way around so I am happy enough. I had zero expectations and just enjoyed myself to I am happy.
“I hit it into a fairway bunker on 14 and dropped a shot and then was very solid from there.”