Sizzling Gustafson right in mix
Sunday June 28 2009
A fresh, sea breeze created a golfing test to match the holiday weather for the AIB Ladies Irish Open at Portmarnock Links yesterday. And Sophie Gustafson, a familiar visitor to these shores, relished it more than most, when stepping up her challenge with a sparkling 67 for six-under overall.
The 35-year-old Swede, who missed last year's event, has reaped a rich harvest with Irish Open victories in 1998, 2000 and 2003. Which left her looking towards a fourth title here perhaps? "My sixth," she corrected gently, before going on to remind us of a World Cup victory in partnership with Carin Hoch at Adare Manor and a Northern Ireland Ladies Open win at Warrenpoint.
"I've loved all the Irish courses I've played, especially Ballyliffin, and this being another links lifts it right up there," she said afterwards.
Currently the world's 47th-ranked player, Gustafson is tied second with England's Melissa Reid, a stroke behind Diana Luna of Italy.
Though there are five Irish survivors, they don't include the 14-year-old Maguire twins. While Leona, with a 78 for 152, had the bleak satisfaction of outscoring Laura Davies for a second successive day, Lisa matched her sister's double-bogey at the last to be two strokes further back.
Danielle McVeigh, the 21-year-old from Royal Co Down, is the leading Irish challenger, after a 70 which contained the considerable boost of a six-iron hole-in-one at the 158-yard third. In a rare occurrence, Jody Ewart, a prospective team-mate of McVeigh's in the Vagliano Trophy, aced the same hole in the preceding three-ball. And the Ulster girl watched her do it.
Gustafson is easily one of the strongest hitters in this elite field and extracted the maximum return from fast-running terrain. Frequently 30 yards outside one of her playing partners, Paula Marti, she displayed similar power with her irons.
"Into the wind at the third, she hit an eight iron to my five," admitted the bemused, Spanish Solheim Cup player. Five-under after eight holes, the Swede's only costly error was at the short ninth, which she three-putted for a double-bogey.
Measuring 6,299 yards for a par of 72, the only change in configuration from the men's course is at the difficult 12th, which becomes a 444-yard par-five.
- Dermot Gilleece
