Sara Byrne and Lauren Walsh are through to weekend action at the LET’s La Sella Open in Alicante, and the youthful Douglas star is on course for a high finish as she is just four off the lead at the halfway mark.
Byrne is making her first LET start as a professional, earning an invitation that was thanks in no small measure to her excellent Curtis Cup performance, and after a two-under opening round, kept her foot down in the early stages on day two, mixing three birdies and a bogey to reach the turn at -4.
Another birdie on 10 got her to within two shots of the lead, but back-to-back dropped shots on 11 and 12 put her on the back foot, but she recovered and parred her way home to cruise into the weekend tied for 15th.
Walsh had opened with a three-over 75, but two birdies in her opening five holes signalled her intent to be around for the weekend. But it became an uphill task after she made a double bogey-five on the par-3 sixth.
To her enormous credit, she battled her way back to -2 at the turn thanks to birdies on seven and nine, and another birdie on 12 got her back to level-par for the tournament and with her head above the provisional cutline for the first time since her fourth hole of the tournament.
A bogey on 15 left her in peril once more, but a birdie on the par-5 closing hole meant she was in with a chance, albeit with a nervy wait to see what transpired in the afternoon wave.
Olivia Mehaffey’s struggles continued, however, with a second-round +4 on top of her opening +3 for a +7 tally that brings an end to her week.
The trio of Kirsten Rudgeley, Sara Kouskova and Virginia Elena Carta all finished the end of the second day on seven-under-par with two rounds to go at La Sella Golf Resort.
Australia’s Rudgeley followed up her first round of 68 (-4) with a 69 (-3) on day two which included six birdies and three bogeys.
The 23-year-old is staying at her uncle’s house this week as he only lives 15 minutes away from the course and is enjoying her time in Spain.
“It’s been good fun actually,” said Rudgeley. “Me and Harry [her caddie] are working really well [together], enjoying the golf course, just plotting my way around but it’s good fun.
“My uncle lives not far from here, but it’s nice to go back to his and feel like home and have your home-cooked meals and just relaxing instead of being in your hotel room and constantly thinking about golf.
“[On making 30+ consecutive cuts] It’s just good golf. If you try and win the tournament, you’re probably going to make the cut but if you’re thinking about making the cut then you’re probably not going to make it. Go for high and finish high.
“Same approach for the weekend as the whole week. Go home chillax and have fun with the cousins and rock up again tomorrow.”