Scots slip out of top ten in Abu Dhabi as Kylie Henry goes low in Saudi Arabia

Scotland slipped out of the top ten after a costly hour or so in the third round of the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Scotland's Kylie Henry lines up a putt during the opening round of the Aramco Team Series event at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia. Picture: Tristan Jones/LET

Bidding to back up a best-ever seventh in the Espirito Santo Trophy event in France 12 months ago, the Scots had been going well again in the penultimate circuit at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

For the second day running, Aboyne’s Carmen Griffiths was the star performer as she led the way with a three-under-par 69 - her third sub-par score of the week.

With five holes left to play, Milngavie’s Lorna McClymont was on course to sign for the same score and, in doing so, would have put the Scots in with an outside chance of winning the title on Saturday.

Alas, she then suffered a disappointing finish by dropping five shots over the closing stretch and had to settle for a 74, which still provided the second counting score as Hannah Darling had to settle for a 76.

It means the Scots sit 13th on six under, 11 shots behind joint-leaders Spain and Korea, heading into Saturday’s closing circuit in the UAE.

Following her splendid performance so far, Scottish champion Griffiths sits joint-tenth in the individual standings on six under, with Darling (two over) and McClymont (four over) T45 and T58 respectively.

In the pro ranks, meanwhile, Scotland’s Kylie Henry joined record-breaker Alison Lee in going low in the opening round of the LET’S latest Aramco Team Series event presented by PIF in Riyadh.

American Lee shot an 11-under-par 61, equalling the lowest-ever round on LET while she also set a new record for consecutive birdies with a burst of eight in a row at Riyadh Golf Club.

Henry, who made four on the spin and seven in total, sits joint-third after her 65, which was easily the best effort from the five Scots in the field.

On the LPGA, Scottish No 1 Gemma Dryburgh sits in the top ten at the halfway stage in the Maybank Championship after following her opening 67 with a 69 in Kuala Lumpur for an eight-under-par total.