LAUREN WHYTE FACES TOUGH GIRLS' TITLE DEFENCE

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Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) defends the Scottish Girls’ Amateur Championship at Ranfurly Castle from July 16-20 – but the young Fifer will face a tough challenge.

Clara Young (North Berwick) showed her quality by reaching the final of the Scottish Ladies’ Amateur Championship at Longniddry in May, while Nicola Callander (Mill Green) won the Scottish Junior (under-21) Open Strokeplay Championship at Blairgowrie last year.

German-based Fiona Liddell is just 15, but she reached the last 16 at the Scottish Ladies’ Championship (she lost to Young) and is fresh from playing for GB and Ireland in the Junior Vagliano Trophy in France.

Another big threat will be Lesley Atkins (Gullane). She won the title at Eyemouth in 2010 – and this will be her final year in the Championship.

Whyte won the title at Crail last year and went on to represent GB at the Australian Youth Olympics in January.  She is the back marker in the field of 62 with a plus one handicap.

After 36 holes of strokeplay qualifying, the top 32 go through to the matchplay knock-out. The next 16 qualify for the Ansley Reid Salver.