Closing eagle puts dominant Olivia on course for Welsh win and title hat-trick

Olivia Mehaffey in action at Southdown on Saturday. Picture via Twitter/@golfunionwales

Olivia Mehaffey's magical run of form continued at Southerndown when she eagled the 18th to take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Welsh Ladies Open Strokeplay and set up the possibility of a third championship victory in as many weeks.

The 17-year old Royal County Down international parred her first 10 holes before bogeys at the 11th, 13th and 15th left her three over for the day. But she finished on a high with a three at the 18th for a second successive 73 and a three shot advantage on two over par from Rotherham's Olivia Winning.

Mehaffey is going for a hat-trick of spring victories having claimed her third Irish Girls Open Strokeplay on the trot at Roganstown a fortnight ago before winning the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies Open Strokeplay at Royal Troon last weekend.

Castletroy's Chloe Ryan shot a second successive 77 to share fifth on 10 over with Skerries' Maria Dunne tied ninth on 12 over following a second round 78.

Hole-by-hole scores

Welsh Ladies Open Strokeplay, Southerndown GC (Par 72)

1 MEHAFFEY, Olivia Royal County Down +2 F +1 73 73 146     
2 WINNING, Olivia Rotherham +5 F +3    74 75 149     
3 BROWN, Penelope Worthing +6 F +3 75 75 150 
4 POPEL, Bethan Long Ashton +9 F +4 77 76 153 
T5 CLEWS, Gemma Delamere Forest +10 F +5 77 77 154 
T5 LEWIS, Georgia Llanishen +10 F +5 77 77 154
T5 RYAN, Chloe Castletroy +10 F +5 77 77 154
8 GILLUM, Katrina Lilleshall Hall +11 F +5 78 77 155 
T9 DUNNE, Maria Skerries +12 F +6 78 78 156