Bronte Law sets new LET record with nine birdies in a row

Scottish amateur Alison Muirhead tees off at Amelkis Golf Ciub on her way to a two-under-par 70 in the third round in Morocco. Picture: Tristan Jones

It was the hottest streak ever in an event on the circuit and helped the Englishwoman equal the course record at Amelkis Golf Club in Marrakech with a 10-under-par 62.

Law lowered by two the previous LET record for the number of consecutive birdies in a round and tied the total number of birdies with 12.

The 22-year-old from Stockport revealed afterwards that her new caddie, Scot Jeff Brighton, had provided significant motivation during the third round in the 90-hole event.

“Me and my caddie were bouncing off each other, saying, ‘What do I get if I make three more birdies?’” she said. “For every three in a row I get 40 dollars. He was giving me some banter about it and I had three more. Then he said, ‘Well if we get to seven, we’ll start talking real money.’

“Then he said, ‘If you get to nine, then we’ll start talking even more money.’ I said, ‘How much money are we talking here?’ He joked around with me, which always makes it easier out there. On the last three holes, he said: ‘For every birdie you make, I’ll give you £20.’ So I birdied two of the last three and made myself a little bit of money out there today. I would have made quite a lot of money in a skins game.”

Law, who became just the second player to win five points out of five in the Curtis Cup in 2016, added of Brighton: “It’s the first time we’ve worked together. But he’s going to be working for me next year, so part of the reason I brought him out here was to use this as a good set up for the year and to get to know each other.”

Germany-based Rachael Taylor is the best-placed among five Scottish players on course to make the 72-hole cut. Taylor broke par for the third day running in the marathon event with a two-under 70 at Amelkis. On five-under, she is sitting joint 11th, eight shots off the lead but in the mix for a top-five card on the 2019 circuit.

Musselburgh’s Vikki Laing is a shot behind Taylor after she continued to repair the damage caused by an opening 75. Backing up her four-under 68 at Palm Golf Ourika on Monday, Laing posted a 69 at Amelkis, where she finished birdie-birdie.

Amateur Alison Muirhead (70) sits joint 30th on level par, a shot better than Laura Murray after she also signed for a two-under-par score.

Sitting joint 55th on three-over after a 71, Jane Turner is also on course to be in the all-important top 60 and ties when the axe falls before the final circuit.

Hannah McCook, who has also entered the event as an amateur, is still in with a chance of progressing on six over but, on 12- over, Heather Stirling’s race looks to have been run.

Ström, who also shot a 62 on the same course in a pre-qualifier last week, carded a 68 at Palm Golf Ourika, the other layout being used for the final. “I’m looking forward to the next two days,” she said. “I’m excited to play at Amelkis again, especially after that score last week.”

Manon Gidali from France is third on nine-under-par, a shot ahead of a group that includes Ireland’s Leona Maguire, a former amateur world No 1.