Douglas amateur Sara Byrne added a two-under 70 to her opening 69 to move up the leaderboard in pre-qualifying for the LPGA Q-Series in California.
Set to bid goodbye to the amateur ranks after next week’s Curtis Cup at Sunningdale, where she will be joined by Aine Donegan and Beth Coulter, the Cork star turned in one-over on the Arnold Palmer Course at Mission Hills before making three birdies in her last five holes.
She’s tied for 13th on five-under-par as the 325-strong field battles to finish in the top 95 and ties after four rounds who advance to the next stage, the 72-hole Qualifying Tournament in Florida from October 15-18.
If they make the cut there but fail to make it to Final Qualifying in Alabama from December 5-9, where the top 25 and ties after five rounds will win LPGA cards, they will earn status on the second-tier Epsom Tour for 2025.
The top 125 and ties after today’s third round will make the cut at pre-qualifying this week, and Ireland’s other two hopefuls, Donegan and Curtis Cup reserve Anna Foster, have work to do.
Lahinch star Donegan moved just inside the cut line to joint 110th on one-over after she fought back from three-over after ten holes with three birdies in the next four to card a level par 72 at the Dinah Shore Course.
But Foster is tied for 177th on four-over, three shots outside the projected cut mark, after carding a one-over 73 on the Indian Wells Classic Course.
The Elm Park golfer is set to turn professional next week for the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House.