
Brendan Lawlor hits fine 68 to take lead at Irish Open
They make up the top three in the Gross Stroke Play scoring, while Fiona Gray (St Patrick's) and Cathy Fitzgerald (Killeen Castle) are tied at the top of the Women's Division. They both shot 31 points on Tuesday.
Brendan Swan (Co Meath) is the leader in the Net Stroke Play, with Timmy Moloney (Co Tipperary) on top in the Net Stableford.
Caolan Munnelly (Tullamore) leads the Sport Class IN, Ian St John (Tramore) and Fernando Vega de Seoane (Real Club Puerta de Hierro) top the Combined Sport Class, Tom Doherty (Killarney) leads ST1, Arthurs is in charge in ST2, and Lawlor in ST3.
'Three-under was probably the worst score I could have shot today,' said Lawlor.
'I hit the ball unbelievable. Hit 17 greens, had a lot of putts. Highlight of the round, I holed an 80-yard shot for eagle on four. I bogeyed one, birdied ten and birdied two so it was a very steady round and it could have been low, low but it's a good start to the week.
'It was a bad bogey (on the first). I missed a two-foot putt and then I hit seven iron to about 16 feet on the second, holed that and then just kept going about my round and it was good.
'Woburn was an unbelievable week for me. I'm taking a lot of stress off my golf this year, I'm still putting in the work, but I'm not putting pressure on myself to perform. I'm just going out, trying to hit it as best I can.
'It's unbelievable to play at home again in Ireland, such a great event too, sponsored by ISPS Handa and ran by Golf Ireland.
'It's an incredibly ran event and it's just going to get bigger as the years go on.'
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Irish Examiner
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