CHARLOTTE AND AMY LEAD ENGLISH OPEN STROKE-PLAY

England’s Charlotte Thomas and Welsh Curtis Cup player Amy Boulden share the lead on three-under par at the halfway stage of the English women’s open stroke play championship at Mannings Heath, Sussex. Charlotte scored a bogey-free 70 in today's second round, while Amy – who played in last week’s Women’s British Open – shot the best round of the championship so far, with a three-under par 69. They lead the 40 players who made the cut – the top 36 and ties – and who will play the final 36-holes tomorrow. The qualifiers include defending champion Alex Peters (Notts Ladies’) and English amateur champion Sarah-Jane Boyd (Truro) who both made it in on 11-over, with one shot to spare. Sussex player Chelsea Masters also made the cut on the same mark. At the other end of the leader board Amy Boulden (Image © Leaderboard Photography) and Charlotte Thomas are a stroke ahead of Lauren Taylor (Woburn) on two under, while Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) is  two shots further back. Amy made her score with a sparkling back nine which included four birdies and just one bogey. “I just played very steadily,” she said. “I played pretty similar to yesterday but I holed a lot more putts. You have to put the ball below the hole to give yourself a chance – that’s the key on this course.” She tested herself on the last, where her ball went over the green, leaving a tough chip back, but she played it skilfully to sign-off with a par. Charlotte, who is based in Singapore, had set the target a little earlier with immaculate golf. She had 16 pars in her round and two birdies: on the short 12th,  where her tee shot finished close to the hole; and the 14th, where she holed a 12ft putt. She didn’t miss a green until the 18th – where she nevertheless got up and down – and she commented: “I hit it pretty consistently all day and two-putted my way round.” Just behind is first-round leader Lauren Taylor (Woburn) who endured a frustrating day on her way to a level par score of 72 and a two-under total for the championship. “I genuinely felt I played better than yesterday, but I didn’t score as well,” said Lauren. “But I’m happy with level par – this is a tough golf course and you really have to focus on every hole, you can’t drop your guard. “I played well and hopefully I will take that into tomorrow,” she added. Fellow international Meghan MacLaren shared her frustration, after starting with a pair of birdies, but giving them back with a double “from nowhere” on the short fifth. However, she persevered to return a solid 72, which puts her on level par for the championship and in fourth place – with all to play for. “I’ve just got to stay patient, you know everyone else is also going to make mistakes. It’s anyone’s with two rounds still to go,” she said. Cheshire’s Rachael Goodall (Heswall) had an eyecatching card, with consecutive twos on the back nine, where she birdied the 14th and then chipped in for an eagle on the par four 15th. She also had an eagle three on the par five 8th, where she holed from just off the green. Rachael ended with a level par 72 for the day and is two-over for the championship, in sixth place. Qualifying scores  Par 72 CSS 76 76 141   Amy Boulden (Conwy) 72 69, Charlotte Thomas (Singapore) 71 70 142  Lauren Taylor (Woburn) 70 72 144  Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) 72 72 145  Hayley Davis (Ferndown) 71 74   146  Rachael Goodall (Heswall) 74 72 148  Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 76 72; Sophie Powell (Stockport) 75 73; Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 74 74; Becky Harries (Haverfordwest) 73 75,   149  Emily Royer (Chart Hills) 76 73   150  Emma Newlove (Beeston Fields) 79 71; Abbey Gittings (Walmley) 75 75; Charlotte West (Harewood Downs) 73 77 151  Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies') 78 73; Abigail Laker (Frilford Heath) 77 74   152  Bethan Popel (Long Ashton)79 73; Lucy Goddard (Mid Herts) 78 74; Inci Mehmet (Wentworth) 77 75; Emma Tayler (Saunton) 76 76; Brogan Townend (Pleasington) 72 80 153  Dulcie Sverdloff (Garon Park) 78 75; Poppy Finlay (Vicars Cross) 77 76; Kimberley Bradbury (Cavendish) 77 76; Victoria Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies') 76 77; Shelby Smart (Knowle) 73 80 154  Emma Goddard (Royal Liverpool) 82 72; Gee-Won Park (Hampton Court Palace) 79 75; Jessica Bradley (Tiverton) 77 77; Mollie Lawrence (Rochester & Cobham Park) 77 77 155  Chelsea Masters (Highwoods, Bexhill) 80 75; Alex Peters (Notts Ladies') 79 76; Sarah-Jane Boyd (Truro) 78 77; Emilee Taylor (Holme Hall) 78 77   156  Nicole Garcia (South Africa) 81 75; Sophie Newlove (Beeston Fields) 79 77; Sian Evans (Faversham) 76 80; Jessica Wilcox (Blankney) 76 80; Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham & St Annes) 74 82; Jodie Peacock (Sherwood Forest Golf) 72 84 : Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org