England's Emily Slater and Gemma Clews both shot 69, to lie joint second at the Portuguese women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Montado Golf Resort.
England's Emily Slater and Gemma Clews both shot 69, to lie joint second at the Portuguese women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Montado Golf Resort.
They trail world number three amateur Maria Parra (Spain) by three strokes in the 72 hole event.
Former Scottish women's amateur champion Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw), a graduate of St Andrews University, shot a one-under-par 71 to be tied seventh in a star-studded field.
Gabrielle had birdies at the short eighth, 10th, and 17th, offset by boggeys at the fourth and 13th in halves of 36-35.
Vagliano Trophy player Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) would have been disappointed to finish the first day in tied 43rd place with a 75. She had three birdies but a double bogey at the 16th and four bogeys to boot.
Inci Mehmet (Royal Mid Surrey), another contender for a Curtis Cup place at Dun Laoghaire in June, could do no better than a 789 for joint 78th position alongside Scotland's Hannah McCook and Gemma Batty.
The field will be cut to the leading 40 and ties after three rounds.