<p>Aine Donegan. Picture: Tristan Jones / LET</p>
Lahinch’s Aine Donegan made a dream start to her professional career when she followed a bogey-free 68 with a blistering eight under 63 to grab the clubhouse lead in the weather-delayed Ford Women's NSW Open in Australia.
The Co Clare star (23) earned her card at the Qualifying School in Morocco in December and like pal Sam Murphy, who won on the Alps Tour on his professional debut, she didn’t hang around in her first start in the paid ranks.
The former Louisiana State University standout was unable to hit a shot on Thursday as organisers were forced to suspend play following flooding at Wollongong Golf Club.
When she eventually hit the course, the Ennis native carded a bogey-free 68 that left her tied for fifth, just three strokes behind Australians Kelsey Bennett and Hannah Reeves.
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An eagle three at her opening hole in round two, the ninth, catapulted Donegan into the mix before she produced a devastating run of scoring around the turn, making seven birdies in a blistering 11-hole stretch to race to 12-under.
A bogey at her 17th hole, the seventh, saw her slip back to 11-under, but her 63 was still good enough for a two-stroke clubhouse lead over Australia’s Sarah Kemp, who shot 64.
Half the field had yet to begin their second rounds as the LET played catch-up following Thursday’s weather delay.
But Donegan, who shot to fame in 2023 when she qualified for the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach and briefly held the lead before finishing joint 45th, could not have asked for a better start to her professional career.
She also qualified for the US Women’s Open in 2024 and played a major role in Great Britain and Ireland’s successes in the 2024 Curtis Cup and last year’s Vagliano Trophy.
She shares Glenlo Abbey coach Gary Madden with Alps Tour rookie Murphy, and caddied for him at the Qualifying School last year.
Murphy went on to win the Alps Tour’s Ein Bay Open in his first start in Egypt last week, and while it remains to be seen where Donegan will stand when round two is completed, the former Louisiana State University standout has put herself in the mix.
Elm Park’s Anna Foster also started well, carding rounds of 72 and 67 to share 11th on three-under.
It was also a decent day for Leona Maguire in the LPGA’s HSBC Women's World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course in Singapore.
The Co Cavan star shot a four-under 68 to move up to joint 19th on four-under, five shots behind American Auston Kim, who added a 69 to her opening 66 to lead by a shot from Australia’s Minjee Lee, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and Korea’s Haeran Ryu on nine-under.
Article Link: Rookie Aine Donegan hits the front with a blistering 63 in Australia - News - Irish Golf Desk