England’s Billie-Jo Smith shot a three-under 69 to lead the Women’s Irish Challenge after Wednesday’s first round at Malahide Golf Club.
The 27-year-old holds a one-shot advantage over six players — Slovakia’s Michaela Vavrova, French trio Lauren Holmey, Anne-Charlotte Mora and amateur Alice Kong and Northern Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey (all 70) — who all shot two-under.
Smith got off to the best possible start with birdies on holes 2 and 3 before dropping in an eagle on the par-5 6th to go four-under through her opening six holes.
She then bogeyed holes 8 and 10, before moving back to three-under with a birdie on hole 12. Despite another bogey on the very next hole, Smith finished strong by making her fourth birdie of the day on hole 15.
Introduced to golf by her grandparents at the age of four, Smith studied at Tournament Golf College before earning her Master’s degree at the University of Derby and is currently pursuing a PhD.
After turning professional in 2022, Smith earned her status on the LET through Q-School. She spent 2023 sidelined through injury before returning to compete on the LETAS in 2024.
It was a breakout year for Smith who finished third in the 2024 LETAS Order of Merit, behind Kajsa Arwefjäll and Helen Briem, to regain her full status on the LET. She was also voted LETAS Players’ Player of the Year that year.
But Smith struggled with the step up to the LET through 2025 and is now back on the LETAS after starting her 2026 season playing the Australasia WPGA Tour.
After two runners-up finishes in 2024, she is still chasing her first LETAS victory and is best placed to do so this week.
Further down the leaderboard, eight players are tied for ninth at one-under for the tournament. They are US Virgin Island’s Alexandra Swayne, Swedish duo Elsa Svensson and Sofie Bringner, France’s Anais Meysonnier, Scotland’s Lorna Mcclymont, Germany’s Chiara Horder, England’s Rebecca Earl and India’s Saanvi Somu (all 71).
Round 2 of the Women’s Irish Challenge resumes at 8.15am (local time) on Friday. There will be a cut to the top 45 professionals and ties at the end of the day.
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