Lily May Humphreys goes four clear at Baltray
Lily May Humphreys (ENG) during the first round at the Irish Woman's Open Stroke Play Championship, Co. Louth Golf Club. 10/05/2019. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie
England's Lily May Humphreys is on track for back to back wins after she opened with a seven-under 67 to take the first round lead on the Irish Women's Open Stroke Play Championship at County Louth.
The 17-year old can follow in the footsteps of Scotland's Hannah McCook last year by winning the Welsh and Irish Open Stroke Play titles in consecutive weeks.
A Curtis Cup player last season, the former British Girls champion went out in six-under 32 thanks to birdies at the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth.
She got to seven-under with a birdie four at the 11th but the putts dried up and after a bogey at the short, par-four 14th, she birdied the par-three 17th before finishing with a three-putt par five at the last to lead by four strokes from Scottish trio Eilidh Briggs, Hazel MacGarvie and Chloe Goadby.
Paul Grant (Lisburn) in action at County Louth. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie
"On the front nine I only two-putted twice and the rest were one putts," Humphreys said. "Although I wanted to try and get lower once I got to 6-under through nine.
"I horse-shoed on ten from eleven feet or so but birdied the next. On the back nine, I had two three-putts and three-putted the last for par which was disappointing.
"But I struck it well and didn't really make many mistakes massively – I just kept it in play, hit the greens, it was just pretty simple. I was just trying to play steady and give myself the opportunities still."
The Championship honours Clarrie Reddan and Philomena Garvey, who boasted 16 Irish Close Championships and eight Curtis Cup team appearances between them.
Lisburn's Paula Grant is the leading Irish player in the quest for the Reddan-Garvey Trophy, six strokes off the pace in solo seventh after a one-under 73 with Elm Park's Leah Temple-Lang a shot further back, tied for eighth on level par.
Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship, Co. Louth GC (Par 74)
Round one
67 L Humphreys (Eng);
71 E Briggs (Sco), H MacGarvie (Sco), C Goadby (Sco);
72 R Meekers (Ned), E Gower (Eng);
73 P Grant (Lisburn);
74 L Temple Lang (Elm Park), C Coughlan (Douglas), N Armbruester (Sui), J Goh (Singapore), A Muirhead (Sco), S McWilliam (Sco), E Brennan (Eng);
75 S Byrne (Douglas), S Burke (Ballinrobe), D Smith (Co. Louth), E Danielsson (Fin);
76 L Mernagh (Elm Park), E Lewis (Eng), C McGinty (Eng);
77 C Gainer (Eng), L McClymont (Sco), K O'Connor (Wal), O Purfield-Goulding (Co. Louth), E Murray (Co. Louth), J O'Driscoll (Muskerry), C Casey (Hermitage), H Barker (Eng), L Bramwell (Wal), J Ryan (Wal);
78 H Hall (Enniscrone), A Foster (Elm Park), N Slater (Eng), B Rook (Eng), A Greham (Ballina), P Brown (Eng);
79 C Noja (Germany), A Donegan (Lahinch), E Corcoran (Grange);
80 R Thompson (Cork), J Allen (Royal Portrush), M Fraser (Sco), I Simpson (Eng);
81 G Shears (Aus), A Dawson (Tramore), M Vater (Eng), C Shippam (Ballykisteen), L Simpson (Massereene);
82 J Browne (Kilkenny), L Murray (Delgany);
83 G Carr (Ireland), M Doyle (The Heath), N Joyce Moreno (Royal Portrush);
84 L Jones (Wal), E Fleming (Elm Park);
85 E Fenlon (Grange);
86 E Thorne (Elm Park);
87 C McGonagle (Portsalon), K Poots (Knock), C Hopkins (Woodbrook), L Kelly (Ballykisteen), A Thompson (Cork);
88 B O'Keeffe (Eng);
89 X Rama (Carton House), A Sawyer (Eng);
101 T Gordon (Laytown & Bettystown).
