LEONA MAGUIRE AND RACHAEL GOODALL SHARE HELEN HOLM LEAD ON SEVEN-UNDER-PAR 68

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Six members of the GB and I Curtis Cup team in the leading 14 at the end of the first day in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Troon was good news for the LGU Selection Panel. Only Charley Hull (who withdrew earlier in the week) and Stephanie Meadow (a student at Alabama University) of the eight chosen to play against the Americans at Nairn Golf Club from June 8-10 are missing from a star-studded field. Ireland's British women's open stroke-play champion from 2011, Leona Maguire, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who seems to win any card-and-pencil event she plays in by a barrowload of strokes as befits a +5 handicap player ranked No 8 in the world, was the best of them but she had to share the pole position for the moment with Rachael Goodall (Heswall). On a dry, windless day, the par-5s at Troon Portland were all reachable in two shots and Maguire and Goodall plundered them in returning seven-under-par 68s. The 17-year-old  (her twin Lisa, the European individual champion, has a wrist injury)  from the Slieve Russell club birdied six of the seven long holes in halves of 36-32. Leona bogeyed the short fourth and then birdied the long sixth, the short eighth, the long ninth, the short 10th, the long 11th, the long 12th, the long 15th and the long 18th. Goodall, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who had no bogeys, started with an eagle 3 and eached the turn in six-under 32, before coming home in 36. Rachael's highlights were that eagle 3 at the first, and birdies at the long second, fifth, long sixth, long ninth and long 11th. Frustrating for her no doubt that she could "only" par her last seven holes. Maguire and Goodall are two shots clear of Curtis Cup choice Amy Boulden (ranked No 15 in the world) from Wales and France's former British girls champion Perrine Delacour (ranked No 42 in the world). Amy birdied the first, second, sixth, ninth, 16th and 17th in halves of 35. Her only bogey was at the short eighth. Third in the list of Curtis Cup players is Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), joint fourth on 71. Starting her round birdie-eagle-birdie, she turned in 34 and was  set to fill the third place overnight on 69 until she ran up a 7 at the par-5 18th. Also bidding to become the first Scot to win the "Helen Holm" since Heather Stirling in 2002 is Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), reserve for the Curtis Cup match in her home town. Stirling student Kelsey had a 73 which looked like being a lot lower when she birdied the long second and had an eagle 3 at the sixth to go three under. But she followed that with bogeys at the seventh, eighth and 10th before picking up the pace again to birdie the long 11th and long 18th in halves of 37-37. Scottish champion Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), who was the leading Scot in the "Helen Holm" last year, started off today with a one-over-par 76. Louise is not able to defend her national title at Tain next month because of her job commitments as a teacher. The leading 66 players and ties at the end of Saturday's second round over Troon Portland will go forward to Sunday's final 18 holes over Royal Troon. After one round, there are exactly 66 players on 79 or better. FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD Troon Portland Par 75 68 Leona Maguire (Ireland), Rachael Goodall (Heswall). 70 Amy Boulden (Conwy), Perrine Delacour (France). 71 Charlotte Thompson (Channels), Celine Boutier (France), Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle). 72 Jessica Carty (Ireland), Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale), Bronte Law (Bramhall), Rachael Taylor (Germany), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Emelie Lundstrom (Sweden), Nastja Banovec (Slovenia) 73 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest), Jess Wilcox (Blankney), Lucy Simpson (Ireland), Becky Harries (Haverfordwest), Carla Reynolds (Ireland), Marthe Wold (Norway). 74 Jane Turner (Craigielaw), Emma Broze (France), Alexandra Moisand (France), Laura Murray (Alford). 75 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie), Katerina Slukova (Czech Republic), Leslie Cloots (Belgium), Kerry Smith (Waterlooville), Johanna Bjork (Sweden), Olivia Winning (Rotherham). 76 Daisy Dyer (Chigwell), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Hannah Grant (Enmore Park), Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham), Chloe Ryan (Ireland), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Rachael Drummond (Beaconsfield), Brogan Townend (Pleasington). 77 Nikki Foster (Pleasington), Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co), Hannah Barwood (Knowle), Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies), Therese Larsson (Sweden), Shelby Smart (Knowle), Nicole Whitmore (Woburn), Sophie Powell (Manchester), Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies). 78 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie), Sara Garbutt (Ganton), Charlotte Wild (Mere), Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Anna Appertlund (Swe), Bronwyn Davies (Trentham), Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough), Aedin Murphy (Ireland). 79 Gill Nutter (Formby Ladies), Charlene Reid (Ireland), Emma O'Driscoll (Ireland), Lucy Gould (Bargoed), Louise Mernagh (Ire), Ellie Robinson (Middlesbrough), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton Heath) (T66). === PROJECTED CUT-OFF POINT AT END OF ROUND TWO ==== 80 Katie Rule (St Enodoc), Jean O'Drriscoll (Ireland), Elodie Bridenne (France), Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey), Gillian O'Leary (Ireland), Arlane Provot (France), Sarah Cunningham (Ireland), Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe), Olivia Hullert (Norway). 81 Sarah-Jane Boyd (Truro), Martine Pow (Selkirk), Rebecca Wilson (Grange), Clara Young (North Berwick), Anja Kirn (Slovenia), Natalie Lowe (Styal), Marta Tonnessen (Norway) 82 Faustine Lopez (France), Kaarie Reid (Monifieth), Linsey Stevenson (Elie and Earlsferry). 83 Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Jade Downes (Oaks), Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) 85 Ann F Ramsey (Kirriemuir), Jerry Lawrence (Rochester Cobham), Rebecca Frost (Holywell). 86 Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne), Tara Mactaggart (Minto). 87 Jordana Graham (Southerness). 88 Daisy Wakelin (Deer Park). 92 Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth). Retired - Victoria Bradshaw (Ireland).