Heather and Connie gain high pass marks in "British," but heartache for three Scots

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
reporting from Portstewart
Heather Munro from Monifieth and Kilwinning's Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) are Scotland's only two representatives among the 64 players who have come through the two-round stroke-play qualifying test  and now go into the match-play stages tomorrow morning (Thursday).
So deserved joy for Heather, who tied for fifth place with scores of 71 and 72 for 143 - eight shots behind top seed Leona Maguire, and Connie who tied for 12th place with scores of 75 and 70 for 145.
In the automatic draw, Heather Munro will play Fatima Fernandez (Spain), the 57th qualifier, in a first round match while Connie Jaffrey will play Ireland's Maria Dunne (Skerries). The Scots are in opposite halves of the draw.

Twins Leona and Lisa Maguire are in the same half of the draw.

But there was heartache for three Scots who came agonisingly close to qualifying for the match-play.
 Germany-based Fiona Liddell, Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) and St Andrews University student Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) were involved in a card countback for the last of the 64 places.
Seven players in all were on the limit mark of 151 and there was room for only one to go forward to the match-play.
Hannah (73-78), Fiona (76-75) and Gabrielle (77-74) lost out to Martina Edberg (Sweden) whose second-round 73 was the best effort by anyone in the seven.
Other Scots for whom the championship is now over were Chloe Goadby (St Regulus), who had a pair of 77s for 154, Scottish champion Clara Young (North Berwick, who totalled 155 with scores of 78 and 77, Jess Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (74-83 for 157), Germany-based US college student Rachael Taylor (80-79 for 159) and Iona Stephen (Wentworth) (78-83 for 161)
Lauren Whyte (St Regulus), like Jess Meek a student at a US college, withdrew from the tournament after a first-round 82.

BRITISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Portstewart GC, Northern Ireland.

LEADING MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS

Par 146 (2x73) CSS 77 76

135 Leon Maguire (Slieve Russell) 67 69

 141 J Bradley (Tiverton) 71 70, C Boutier (Fra) 69 72

142 M Sagstrom (Swe) 70 72

143 K Vlasinova (Cze) 75 68, L Sobron (Spa) 72 71, K Gillman (USA) 72 71, H Munro (Monifieth) 71 72, L Strom (Swe) 70 73, S Keech (Parkstone) 69 74, O Cowan (Ger) 69 74

144 L Cloots (Bel) 72 72, I Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 69 75

145 C Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 75 70, K Mitchell (USA) 72 73, J Charlton (Australia) 70 75.

MISSED THE CUT

(There was a card play-off involving the seven players on the limit mark of 151. Martina Edberg (Sweden) advanced with the best second-round of 73. Scots in the card play-off were Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 73-78, Fiona Liddell (Germany) 76-75 and Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) 77 74.

Other Scots who failed to qualify:

154 C Goadby (St Regulus) 77 77

155 C Young (North Berwick) 78 77

157 J Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 74 83

159 R Taylor (Germany) 80 79

161 I Stephen (Wentworth) 78 83

Withdrew - L Whyte (St Regulus) 82 wd

IRELAND WIN INTERNATIONAL TEAM TITLE

Ireland won the international team event staged in conjunction with the qualifying rounds.

Scotland finished 11th.

FINAL TOTALS

281 IRELAND (Leona Maguire, Olivia Mehaffey, Chloe Ryan)

285 SWEDEN (Linnea Johansson, Madelene Sagstrom, Linnea Strom)

289 UNITED STATES (Kristen Gillman, Doris Chen), SPAIN (Luna Sobron, Natalia Escuriola, Nuria Iturrios), ENGLAND (Gemma Clews, India Clyburn, Meghan MacLaren).

290 FRANCE

292 CANADA, GERMANY

293 BELGIUM

298 ITALY, SCOTLAND (11th)

301 SWITZERLAND

TOP TEE TIMES AT PORTSTEWART
THURSDAY
7.30am Leona Maguire (Ireland) v Martina Edberg (Sweden)
7.54 Lisa Maguire (Ireland) v Joanna Charlton (Australia)
8.26 Heather Munro (Monifieth) v Fatima Fernandez (Spain)
9.06 India Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) v Elizabeth Prior (Burhill)
9.14 Lianna Bailey (Kirby Muxloe) v Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies)
9.30 Dulcie Sverdloff (Garons Park) v Madelene Sagstrom (Sweden) 
10.02 Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) v Maria Dunne (Skerries)
11.06 Sophie Keech (Parkstone) v Nastja Banovec (Slovenia)

The afternoon programme of 16 second-round matches will go out at 15min intervals
starting at 12 noon. Last match will tee off at 3.45pm
SECOND ROUND MATCHES START at 15min INTERVALS FROM NOON.
11.38 Jessica Bradley (Tiverton)  v Linn Andersson (Sweden)