Marion tops Ladies Open

Marion Riordan stepped up a gear to become the top Irish golfer at the halfway stage of the British Ladies Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Alwoodley yesterday.

The Munster inter-pro player returned a second round 74, an improvement of three strokes on her opening day performance for a 151 total.

It would still be a tall order to expect her to win as she is seven strokes adrift of leader Clare Queen of Scotland. Gillian O'Leary from Cork also improved considerably, taking 73 for a 152 aggregate but there was further heartbreak for Claire Coughlan as she is on the 157 mark after a 77 yesterday.

Queen goes into the third round this morning one stroke clear of Yorkshire's Emma Duggleby.