ISPS Handa World Invitational: Amanda Doherty retains lead as Georgia Hall, Maja Stark and Linn Grant in hunt

The cream has risen to the top of the ISPS Handa World Invitational, with Amanda Doherty being chased by the likes of Georgia Hall, Maja Stark, Emily Pedersen and Linn Grant.

The event in Northern Ireland is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET, with it played over two courses – Galgorm Castle Golf Club and Massereene Golf Club.

The action switched to Galgorm for the weekend, and Doherty stood firm in the face of serious pressure.

Doherty was not at her best, but she rolled in a birdie putt on 18 to get to 12-under and keep her hopes of going wire to wire alive.

“I feel like overall it was a good day,” Doherty said. “I got off to a rough start and hit a few crazy shots.

“I managed to come back form those and stay patient and had a decent round.”

The highlight for Doherty was a chip-in on the sixth for a momentum-saving par.

“I am excited and a bit nervous,” Doherty said. “I am a little bit nervous, but for me the nerves show I care.”

“I was a little bit disappointed to be honest,” Hall said. “I had a strong front nine, but the back nine was slow for me. I missed a couple of putts, but a great birdie on the last gives me a chance for tomorrow.

“I will stay fairly aggressive. Par fives are key as I can reach all of them. If I can get birdies early on and then see where that leaves me.”

Stark is one of the rising stars on the LET and she carded a round of 69 to get to 10-under, which is one shot in front of her fellow Swedish player Grant.

Pedersen struggled in the group alongside Doherty, but she is only two shots back of the leader at 10-under after a round of 73.

The major name missing from the top section of the leaderboard was home favourite Leona Maguire who dropped to five-under after a round of 76.

The Irish player said on Thursday that the Galgorm Castle track did not suit her eye and she never looked comfortable on Saturday.

As well as being co-sanctioned by the two women’s tours, a men’s event on the DP World Tour is also taking place and Ewen Ferguson holds a three-stroke lead over John Catlin at 11-under.

Like Doherty in the women’s event, Ferguson has a chance to go wire to wire.

Jack Senior made five birdies coming home on Saturday to race up the leaderboard to seven-under alongside Connor Syme, Borja Virto and Marcus Helligkilde.