SCOTS HAVE REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL IN BRITISH GIRLS CH/SHIP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

Four Scots in the leading 20 of an international field of 144 was a respectable tally for the host country at the end of a long day of mixed weather for the first qualifying round of the British girls’ open amateur golf championship over the Gullane No 1 links today.

The early starters – from 6.30am - faced overcast conditions and a swirling wind which reduced in strength as the day wore on and the sun shone on the later finishers.

But whether early or late, the rough, soaked by a weekend of rain, was just as punishing. Those who found the most fairways off the tee are at the top of the leaderboard.

Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency today, is lying joint 10th with a one-under-par 72, three shots behind joint leaders Bronte Law (Bramhall), continuing the form that made her the most successful performer with five wins out of six at last week’s girls home internationals, and Ileen Nieuwenuist, a Dutch girl who wasn’t good enough to figure among the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages of this championship 12 months ago at Royal Belfast GC.

McKechin, 18, could have been up there alongside the leaders but for dropping three shots over the last two holes.

“I had five birdies and only one bogey until I came to the 17^th,” said Alyson who, despite her bogey-double bogey finish was quite happy to post a sub-par 72.

Next best Scot was Jessica Meek from Carnoustie with a par 73 for joint 14^th overnight.

It was a gritty performance by Jessica who survived a potentially demoralising start – double bogey 6 at the second, bogey 5 at the third – to birdie the long fifth before an eagle 3 at the 11^th was followed by a birdie 3 at the 12^th. Great stuff! A bogey at the last was a pity but not the end of the world for the Angus prospect.

Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh and East Lothian women’s county champion Clara Young (North Berwick), only 14 years of age , are both on the one-over 74 mark, sharing  20^th position.

Gemma birdied two par-5 holes, the fifth and the 15th

The diminutive Clara, making her debut in the event after playing for Scotland in the girls internationals over Gullane 2 last week, birdied the fourth, seventh and 16^th where she holed a 25ft putt from off the green.

Clara is also a junior member at Gullane Golf Club. North Berwick is her home club. She will be 15 next month and is hoping to play a round with North Berwick’s star golfer, Catriona Matthew, within a week or two. That should be a treat for both.

Scottish girls champion Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) had a bad start, bogeying the first, third and fourth but she perked up with birdies at the fifth and seventh before having an unplayable lie in a bunker at the eighth, which cost her a double bogey. All things considered, a three-over-par 76 was not a bad effort.

Lauren Whyte  (St Regulus) had a 78 while Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) and Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) both had 79s.

With 67 players on 77 or better overnight, predictions are that the cut will be at 154 or 155. Those tieing on the limit mark for the leading 64 players  will be eliminated by a card countback, not a play-off as in bygone days.

Scots who failed to break 80 were Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) with an 80, Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 82 and Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 84.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND LEADING SCORES

Par 73.Yardage 6267

69 Ileen Nieuwenhuis (Net), Bronte Law (Bramhall).

70 Caroline Nistrup (Den), Linnea Strom (Swe), Olivia Hullert (Nor).

71 Noemi Jimenez (Spa), Emelie Alonso (Fra), Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies), Natalia Escuriola (Spa)

72 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Frida Gustafsson  (Swe), Amy Boulden (Maesdu), Celine Boutier (Fra).

73 Emma Nilsson (Swe), Shannon Aubert (Fra), Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies), Anna-Lena Kraemer (Ger), Jade Down (Boothberry), Isabel Gadea (Ger).

74 Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield), Roberta Roeller (Ger), Josephine Farrando (Fra), Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield), Laura Christiaens (Bel), Annette Lyche (Nor), Clara Young (North Berwick), Nicole Larsen (Den).

75 Hayley Davis (Ferndown), Daisy Nielsen (Den), Chloe Williams (Wrexham), Camille Richelle (Bel), Brogan Townend (Pleasington), Virginia Carta (Ita), Stefania Avanzo (Ita), Shelby Smart (Knowle), Merle Kasperek (Ger), Ho Rang Lee (Spa), Luna Sobron (Spa), Perrine Delacour (Fra), Julia Neumann (Ger), Laure Castelain (Fra), Marlies Krenn (Aut)..

76 Julie Christine Lied (Nor), Sophie Keech (Lyme Regis), Margaux Vanmol (Bel), Marta Martin (Spa), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Laura Lornardi (Ita), Ellie Goodall (Selby),Miranda Brain (Gog Magog).

77 Emily Pedersen (Den), Jana Niedballa (Ger), Camille Chevalier (Fra), Katerina Jaeger (Nor), Sarah Bradshaw (Stoneham), Louise  Chovelon (Fra), Emma Harris (Peel), Grace Anderson (Morpeth), Nuria Iturrios (Spa), Andrea Jonama (Spa), Lara Weinstein (SAf). Clara Baena (Spa), Roberta Liti (Ita), Emma Broze (Fra), Yasemin Sari (Ger), Claudia Galindo (Spa), Matilda Castren (Fin).

78 Laurea Lorenzen (Ger), Anne Hakula (Fin), Charlotte Thomas (Sing), Elsa Westin (Swe), Charlotte de Corte (Bel), Kyra Horlock (Broadstone), Maria Cantarina (Ita), Isabelle Deilert (Swe), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy), Isabel Jimenez (Spa), Lauren Whyte (St Regulus), Karolin Lampert (Ger), Finja Schmale (Ger), Natalie Karcher (Swi), Covadonga Sanjuan (Spa), Lesley Cloots (Bel), Lianna Bailey (Notts Ladies), Elise Boehmer (Net), Emily Penttila (Fin), Michaela Chivers (Farrington).

79 Ainhoa Olarfra (Spa), Quirine Eijkenb oom (Ger), Katie Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Georgia Hall (Ferndown), Antonia Scherer (Ger), Michaela Fletcher (SAf), Sonia Sanchez (Spa), Maria Tonnessen (Nor), Oliving Winning (Rotherham), Bethan Popel (Long Ashton), Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladie), Francesca Avanzin (Ita), Charlotte Puts (Net), Sonia Sanchez (Spa), Marie Couffignal (Fra), Sophie Godfrey (Lindrick), Anna Fuld (Austria), Laura Fuenfstueck (Ger), Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw).

OTHER SCOTS’ SCORES

80 Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe).

82 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies).

84 Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey).