Splendid 67 shoots Olivia Mehaffey two clear in Scotland

Northern Ireland teenage star Olivia Mehaffey made a sensational start to the defence of her Scottish women’s open stroke-play championship over Troon’s Portland course yesterday.

The 18-year-old from Royal County Down fired a bogey-free five under par 67 comprising halves of 32 and 35.

She goes into the second round today two strokes clear of Linda Lindqvist with Paula Grant and Jessica Ross being a further stroke adrift on a splendid day for the Irish.

Mehaffey who next weekend defends her Welsh open stroke-play title had five birdies on her way to the turn and then after eight pars on the bounce finished with a birdie three.

Grant from Lisburn suffered her only hiccup on the seventh on which she dropped a stroke while Ross from Donaghadee ended both halves with bogeys but played some excellent golf elsewhere on the course.

Maria Dunne, the well- established international from Skerries, recorded two bogeys and three birdies to stay well in touch at one under par.

Castleroy’s Chloe Ryan is a back on one over par while Aedin Murphy dropped strokes on each of the last three holes to finish on 75 while Sinead Sexton has plenty of work to do after an opening 78.