England international Gabriella Cowley played her way into the Ricoh Women’s British Open, which starts on Thursday over the Old Course, St Andrews, after shooting four-under 68 at yesterday’s final qualifying.

The 17-year-old from Brocket Hall (Image © Leaderboard Photography) was one of only two amateurs to make it through the final stage at Kingsbarns Golf Links, alongside Curtis Cup player Amy Boulden of Wales.
Meanwhile England’s Emily Taylor – a rookie professional on the Ladies European Tour – also qualified with a sparkling 66, which put her in second place. A total of 16 players qualified for the championship from a field of 90.

Another England international, Lauren Taylor (Woburn), is keeping her fingers crossed for a place in the Open. She is the first reserve after taking part in a play-off, involving 12 competitors, for the final four places in the championship.

All 12 players – also including England’s Bronte Law (Bramhall) and Hayley Davis (Ferndown) – had shot three-under 69 in regulation play.

Gabriella will join two other England amateurs when she tees off in the championship.  British champion Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) and British stroke play champion Sarah-Jane Boyd (Truro) were both exempt from qualifying.

QUALIFIERS
Par 72
65 Xiyu Lin (China).
66 E Taylor (Eng), M Jorgensen (Den).
67 S Michaels (US), M Silva (Spa).
68 A Boulden (Wal) (am), D Holmqvist (Swe), L Diaz (US), S Hassan (Wal), M Rigon (Ita), G Cowley (Eng) (am), D Carter (US).
69 (after play-off) C Booth (Sco), L Larsson (Swe), T Elosegui (Spa), C Lennarth (Swe).
FAILED TO QUALIFY
69 (eliminated in 12-player play-off for last four places) 1st reserve L Taylor (Eng) (am), 2nd L Beck (Isr) (am), 3rd E Givens (Eng)  4th Mallory Fraiche (US), B Law (Eng) (am), H Davis (Eng) (am), M Hernandez (Spa),  C Koch (Swe)
70 P Pretswell (Sco), M Sagstrom (Swe) (am), K MacDonald (Sco), H Burke (Eng), C Chen (SAf), L Kane (Can), V Felibert (Vene), M H Lee (SKo), J Hedwall (Swe), R Goodall (Eng) (am), A Sharp (Can), M Hjorth (Swe), C Afonso (Fra)
71 C Herbin (Fra), K Lunn (Aus), L Johansson (Swe) (am), S L Bregman (SAf), M Prat (Spa), N Roessler (Ger) (am), N Hori (Jap), K Ekeu (US)
72 M Thomson (Sco), H Bowie-Young (US), A L Caudal (Fra), K Smith (Aus), V Laing (Sco).
73 J Klatten (Fra), D Luna (Ita), T Johns (Aus), S Croce (Ita), M Nagl (Ger), R Artis (Aus), H Aitchison (Eng), L Henriksson (Fin), V Derrey (Fra).
74 M Reid (Eng), K Pogacar (Slo), A Hewson (Eng) (am) V Valvassori (Ita), C Woods (US), A Peters (Eng) (am), K Matharu (Eng), M Grehan (US), V Schlasberg (Swe), L Shervill (Eng)
75 S Fuller (Eng) (am), L Hall (Wal), W Walker (Eng), J Song (US), C Wild (Eng),  A D Soderstrom (Swe)
76 B Brewerton (Wal), M MacLaren (Eng) (am)
77 R Lee Bentham (Can), H Fitzgerald (Swi), A Ratcliffe (Eng) (am), M Cappeliez
(Fra) (am), S Madden (Eng) (am), R Wyn Thomas (Wal).
78 A Dimmock (Eng) (am), K Rule (Eng), F Liddell (Sco) (am)
79 M Ramos (Mex), M Matzler (Swi)
81 S Rodger (Eng)
82 N Tamminen (Fin)

Lyndsey Hewison
Press Officer