MacLaren climbs to 49th in World Rankings, boosts hopes

of GB and I debut in Vagliano Trophy match at Malone

Meghan MacLaren's eight-stroke victory in a recent US college circuit event, which promoted her to 49th in the WWAGR. has boosted her chances of gaining automatic selection to the GB and I team of nine for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Malone Golf Club, Belfast at the end of June, writes Colin Farquharson
The top four in the Women's World Amateur Golf Rankings, together with the top two eligible players in the Ladies Golf Union Order of Merit at a cut-off point not known yet are assured of places in the GB and I team. The remaining three players will be chosen by the LGU Selection Panel.
Last year's British open amateur stroke-play champion, MacLaren, a student at Florida International University and a member of Wellingborough Golf Club, is now the No. 4 GB and I player in the World Rankings behind Bronte Law, Hayley Davis and Alice Hewson.
If the GB and I team for the Vagliano Trophy were named tomorrow then Law, Davis, Hewson and MacLaren from the World Rankings plus Scots Connie Jaffrey and Eilidh Briggs from the LGU Order of Merit would be in the line-up.
But, of course, there are many twists and turns to go before we know the actual players who will line-up against a Continent of Europe team that is certain to include the World No 1 female amateur Celine Boutier (France), the No 3 Noemi Jimenez (Spain) and the No 4 Linnea Strom (Sweden).

Here is how the GB and I automatic selection tables stand

WOMEN'S WORLD RANKINGS
(as at March 4)
12 Bronte Law
24 Hayley Davis
43 Alice Hewson
49 Meghan MacLaren
70 Connie Jaffrey
77 Charlotte Thomas
105 Inci Mehmet
113 India Clyburn
125 Chloe Williams

LGU ORDER OF MERIT
(as at February 26)
1 Connie Jaffrey
2 Hayley Davis
3 Meghan MacLaren
4 Eilidh Briggs
5 Paula Grant
6 Bronte Law
7 Inci Mehmet
8 Becky Harries
9 Chloe Ryan
10 Lauren Whyte
11 Olivia Mehaffrey