Maguire looking for a miracle as she falls eight behind at Dromoland

Leader Ann Van Dam will go into Sunday's final round eight clear of Irish favourite as hopes of ending 17-year wait for home winner dim

HARD YARDS: Ireland’s Leona Maguire walks down the 10th with her Caddy Dermot Byrne at the  2023 KPMG Women's Irish Open in Dromoland Castle, Clare on Saturday. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady

Leona Maguire needs to shoot the lights out to end a 17-year wait for a home winner after a closing bogey six left herself eight shots behind leader Ann Van Dam in the KPMG Women's Irish Open at a sun-splashed Dromoland Castle.

The tournament favourite went into the third round six shots off the pace but she didn’t have her A-game and while she mixed some early par saves with birdies at the seventh, 11th, 15th and 16th, she took four to get down from 100 yards at the par-five 18th and dropped a shot.