Áine Donegan has made an impressive start to the PIF London Championship with a three-under-par 70 in her opening round.
The tournament, at Centurion Club, was won by Leona Maguire two years ago and has one of the biggest prize funds on the Ladies European Tour outside the majors at $2 million (€1.74 million).
Donegan’s round was compiled despite a double bogey on the 15th hole, her six birdies and one other drop shot left her three shots behind leader Anna Huang from Canada on six under. Australia’s Kelsey Bennett and Austria’s Emma Spitz are on five under, while England’s Charley Hull shot a one-over-par 74.
Donegan was the best of the Irish, with Anna Foster on level par and Sara Byrne at two over.
Meanwhile on the LET Access Series, Beth Coulter has a chance to make it back-to-back wins after turning professional as she is tied third heading into the final round of the CSK Steel Women’s Open.
Coulter, who won the Women’s Irish Challenge at Malahide last week, is three shots behind leader Zapletal Kozeluhova.