ISPS Handa World Invitational: Leona Maguire three off pace in women's event

Leona Maguire stayed in contention at the World Invitational in Northern Ireland as a second-round 69 left her three behind US leader Amanda Doherty.

LPGA rookie Doherty retained her overnight lead as a five-under-par 67 at Massereene moved her to 11 under.

Denmark's Emily Pedersen and another US player Lauren Coughlin are one behind with Maguire and Georgia Hall - helped by a hole-in-one - in a group in fifth.

Scotland's Ewen Ferguson retained the clubhouse lead in the men's event.

Following his course-record nine-under-par 61 at Galgorm Castle on Thursday, Ferguson had to be content with a level-par 70 at Massereene as his four-shot overnight lead was trimmed one, with Spain's Borja Virto moving to eight under by firing a three-under-par 67 at Galgorm Castle.

Italian amateur Filippo Celli - who won the silver medal at last month's Open Championship - is sharing third place with Sweden's Felix Palson, while Scotland's Conor Syme lies fifth after matching Palson's 68 at Massereene.

After starting at the 10th, Ferguson moved to 10 under by birdieing the 17th but three bogeys on his back nine halted his momentum as he needed a birdie at the seventh to stay in the lead.

Kinsale's John Murphy is the leading Irishman in a share of ninth place on four under after a 69 at Massereene with David Carey and Paul Dunne both on level par and Tom McKibbin and Gary Hurley also surviving into Saturday's action on the cut mark of one over.

2020 Irish Open winner at Galgorm John Catlin is also in contention on four under, alongside England's Richard Bland, but defending champion Daniel Gavins exited on three over.

Home hope Maguire's stunning putting performance saw her produce a scrambling opening five-under-par 68 at Galgorm, but the Cavan woman was much more content with her long game on Friday.

"I hit the ball a lot nicer today, gave myself lots of chances, and overall pretty happy," said the 27-year-old Europe Solheim Cup star, who clinched her first LPGA win at the Drive On Championship in February.

"I could have holed a few more putts coming in, but a three-under round at Massereene - I'm pretty happy with that."

Highlight of Maguire's round, which included four birdies, was a nine-wood shot from a bunker over trees at the sixth as she just missed with the eagle attempt.

Conditions were again perfect in Northern Ireland on Friday with temperatures close to 30 degrees at both venues.

2018 Women's Open champion Hall, 26, carded her ace at the third - her 12th hole - as her nine-iron tee shot hit the green, then took the spin, before rolling in.

"It kind of got my round going a little bit because I was a little bit slow at that point," said Hall, who was playing with Maguire and winner of this year's Scandinavian Mixed event Linn Grant.

At that stage, Hall was the leading Briton in the field but she was passed late in the day by English compatriot and world number 447 Cara Gainer - whose best career LET finish was a second place in the Belgian Open in May - as she completed a seven-birdie 67 at Massereene to move to within two of leader Doherty.

Doherty, whose best finish in her rookie season in a share of 14th place at the LA Open in April, produced a brilliant opening nine at Massereene as five birdies saw her reach the turn in 31.

"I was hitting the ball well to get it close enough for them to go in, but they were just falling in," said the 24-year-old from Atlanta.

Doherty's back nine was a little more sedate as a bogey at the short 11th was cancelled by another birdie at the 13th.

Helped by eagles at her opening hole, the 10th and the first, Coughlin briefly moved into the lead after 14 holes at Galgorm before bogeys on six and eight saw her finish on 10 under alongside Maguire's 2021 Solheim Cup team-mate Pedersen.

The Dane birdied the first four holes but her progress was halted by dropped shots at the eighth and 11th, with a couple of further birdie chances missed late on after a impressive display of ball striking.

With the women's cut also falling at one over, the two most recent champions in the event bowed out.

2019 winner Stephanie Meadow was unable to undo the damage of her 76 at Massereene, as a 72 at Galgorm left her on three over, while another Northern Irish player Olivia Mehaffey exited on 10 over.

Last year's women's champion, Thailand's Parajee Anannarukarn, carded four sixes in a 78 - with her fate sealed by a double bogey at the 17th and finding water with her second shot at the last.