Shannon McWilliam leads only five Scots into British match-play at Pyle and Kenfig


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Aboyne's Shannon Williams heads the five Scots among the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the British women's open amateur championship at the South Wales links venue of Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club.

The 17-year-old , pictured, shot rounds of 73 and 69 for a level par total of 142 - the same as World No. 1 female amateur Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) (70-72). They qualified in joint seventh place.
New Scottish champion Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies), seemingly in danger of missing out after an open 75, raised her game to return a second-round 71, despite a double bogey 6 at the 13th, to qualify joint 22nd on 146.
Chloe Goadby (St Regulus), top seed but a first-round casualty in last week's "Scottish" at Royal Aberdeen had a second-round "wobble" with a 79, 10 shots more than her first day effort, but made it through with a shot to spare on 148.
Another St Regulus member qualifier for the match-play is Lauren Whyte with 76 and 73 for 149.
Clara Young (North Berwick), 2015 Scottish women's amateur champion and beaten finalist at Royal Aberdeen last week, ran up a a 10 at the ninth hole in taking 45 shots for the front nine in the second qualifying round. She came home in 35 but scores of 73 and 80 for 153 put her well over the qualifying limit.
Two GB and I Vagliano Trophy team selections, Ireland's Maria Dunne (83-152) and Sophie Lamb (81-154), were both eliminated.




BRITISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Pyle and Kenfig GC, South Wales.
LEADING QUALIFIERS FOR MATCH-PLAY
par 142 (2x71)
138 P Grant (Lisburn) 70 68
140 L Grant (Swe) 65 75, M Claisse (Fra) 67 73, L Funfstuck (Ger) 73 67
141 M Stark (Swe) 72 69, M Leander (Swe) 72 69.
142 S McWilliam (Aboyne) 73 69, Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 70 72


SELECTED SCORES
143  I Wardle (Prestbury) 70 73 (T9)
144  O Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Lades) 71 73 (T11)
146 C Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 75 71 (T22)
147 G Batty (Moffat) 74 73 (T32)
149 L Whyte (St Regulus) 76 73, O Winning (Rotherham) 72 77 (T50)
148 C  Goadby (St Regulus) 69 79 (T47)


FAILED TO QUALIFY
150 H McCook (Grantown on Spey) 76 74
152 M Dunne (Skerries) 69 83

153 C Young (North Berwick) 73 80
154 S Lamb (Clitheroe) 73 81
155 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 73 82
160 G MacDonald (Craigielaw) 77 83

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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IRELAND'S PAULA GRANT LEADS MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS AT LADIES’ BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 

R AND A NEWS RELEASE

 Paula Grant produced a fine three-under-par round of 68 in sunny conditions on the South Wales coast to lead the qualifiers for the match play stage of the 114^th Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at Pyle & Kenfig.

The Irish international, who won the Irish Women’s Close Championship at Ballybunion in 2013, recovered from two dropped shots early on to card two birdies and a superb eagle 3 on the 5^th hole before reaching the turn. Three further birdies on the back nine ensured that Grant signed off for a round of 68, topping the leaderboard on a four-under-par total of 138.

Overnight leader Linn Grant endured a more difficult day in the second round of stroke play qualifying, posting a 75 to finish tied for second place on a two-under-par total of 140.

The Swede, who recently won the Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship and the German Girls’ Open, delivered a mixed round which included four birdies, five bogeys and two double-bogeys.

Laura Funfstuck carded the low round of the day, a four-under-par 67 which propelled the German into joint second place.  

Mathilde Claisse, who won the Coupe Didier Illouz and Grand Prix de ligue PACA Dames in her native France this year, followed up yesterday’s round of 67 with a steadier second round of 73 which included three birdies to finish alongside Linn Grant and Funfstuck.

Swedish duo Maja Stark and My Leander finished tied for fourth place one shot further back on a one-under-par total of 141.

Leona Maguire, the leading women's player according to the WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING™, finished on level-par. 

The cut for the top 64 players fell at eight-over-par. The match play stage gets underway tomorrow at Pyle & Kenfig. Admission and parking is free. For the match play draw and scoring please visit championships.randa.org  

Key Quotes:

Paula Grant (-4)

“I wasn’t really going out there expecting to be leading after finishing the round so it was nice to come off there and be at the top.  I putted quite well today and holed a few nice putts to keep the momentum going when I was under pressure. The eagle on the fifth really kickstarted the round.

“I want to see how far I can go in the match play. I feel confident and anything can happen when it’s match play. It’s good to shoot a couple of good scores going into the match play. I’ve started being a bit more aggressive in stroke play so I wouldn’t hope to change a whole lot going into the match play. I’m trying to stick to the game plan and go for it.”

Mathilde Claisse (-2)

“Today was tough after making two bogeys at the start and missing some short putts but overall I think my round was ok. I finished two-under-par so I am very happy with that. I am confident about the match play and looking forward to it. It’s been a great tournament so far.”

Linn Grant (-2)

“It was a bit tougher out there today than yesterday. I’m looking forward to the match play stage and trying to win some matches.”

Visit the R and A Championships site for news and live scoring from the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship.