Leona Maguire backs Portmarnock’s big ambitions

The R&A is exploring the possibility of hosting the AIG Women’s Open and The Open on the North Dublin links, which brilliantly hosted the Women’s Amateur Championship this week.

“Clearly the presence of the Women’s Amateur this week is a big step in the right direction; it’s a world-class venue,” Maguire said at a sponsorship day for the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House from August 29 to September 1.

“Logistically it is difficult to get in and out. But a Women’s Open in Portmarnock would be phenomenal. A Women’s Major in Ireland was something that wasn’t even on the radar when I was younger.”

Portmarnock is working with the government to see if there is support to make a credible proposal to the R&A. Players like Maguire and Stephanie Meadow are already an inspiration to the next generation, and Elm Park’s Anna Foster feels ready to join them despite being knocked out in the quarter-finals in Portmarnock yesterday.

“I think it’s more self-confidence and inner belief than anything,” said the Dubliner, 22, who will compete in the LET and LPGA Q-Schools later this year. “The last few weeks have shown me that I am a good player and that I deserve to be where I am.”

Foster lost 4&2 to Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist, who later lost 4&3 to Scotland’s Lorna McClymont in the semi-finals.

The Glaswegian will face Melanie Green in the 36-hole final today, following the American’s impressive 3&1 victory over Denmark’s Marie Eline Madsen.

Meanwhile, Frank Bensel Jr. wrote history at the US Senior Open by carding consecutive aces in the second round at Newport Country Club.

Bensel made a hole-in-one on the fourth from 184 yards before reaching the fifth from 203 yards. He still added a four-over 74 to his opening 75 to miss the cut at nine-over when Darren Clarke shot 70 and was seven shots behind clubhouse leader Steve Stricker at one-under, while Milltown amateur Jody Fanagan had a second consecutive 77 shot to miss the cut.

At the DP World Tour’s Italian Open, Tom McKibbin shot a one-under 70 to make the one-under cut on target and find himself eight shots behind American Gunner Wiebe, whose 69 put him ahead by one shot at the German Jannik De Bruyn. halfway through.

At the Challenge Tour’s Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge, Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell shot a round of 69 (three under par) to go into the weekend in fourth place, just three strokes behind co-leaders Wil Besseling, Jeff Guan and Wilco Nienaber.

Meanwhile, Galway’s Liam Nolan shot a seven-under 65 and Royal Dublin’s Max Kennedy shot a 71 to keep alive their dream of winning the place in The Open at Royal Troon that was awarded to the winner of the European Amateur Championship in Denmark. They go into the final round tied for seventh place on four under, just two shots behind American Preston Summerhays, whose 72 gave him a one-shot lead over a five-man chasing pack.

Italian Open, 12:30 p.m.; Swiss Ladies Open, 2 p.m.; Rocket Mortgage Classic, 5 p.m.; US Senior Open, 5 p.m. (red button); LPGA Dow Championship, 11 p.m. (All live on Sky Sports)