Irish trio make Girls' British Open matchplay

Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) during the final of 2016 Irish Girls Close Championship at Kilkenny Golf Club. Picture by Pat Cashman

Killarney’s Valerie Clancy, Forrest Little’s Julie McCarthy and Lurgan’s Niamh McSherry qualified for the matchplay stages of the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship at Royal St. David’s.

But there was no luck for Lurgan’s Annabel Wilson or Killarney’s Mairead Martin as they missed out on a place in the top 64.

As Sweden’s Amanda Linner shot rounds of 73 and 67 to lead the qualifiers on six under par on a countback from Norway’s Madelene Stavnar, Sweden’s Julia Engstrom and Spain’s Paula Neira,  Valerie shot rounds of 73 and 74 to make it in 26th place on one over par.

Julie was a shot further back in 31st after a second round 72 with Niamh 57th on five over after an 80.

Annabel missed out by a shot on seven over, despite playing her last six holes in two under par.

Five dropped shots in her first 11 holes left her with too much to do though she finished like a champion with a birdie two at the 18th.

Mairead had work to do after an opening 78 but while she was just a shot outside the cut mark with four holes to play, she couldn’t make up any ground.

Niamh now faces England’s Isobel Wardle with Valerie taking on the Italian Emilie Alba Paltrinieri  and Julie set to meet Lilly Marie Koester of Germany.

Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship - Qualifying, Royal St. David’s Golf Club

1. 140 -6 Amanda Linner (SWE) Sweden 73 67
2. 140 -6 Madelene Stavnar (NOR) Norway 72 68
3. 140 -6 Julia Engstrom (SWE) Sweden 69 71
4. 140 -6 Paula Neira (SPA) Spain 68 72
5. 141 -5 Beatrice Wallin (SWE) Sweden 72 69
6. 142 -4 Ivanna Samu (RSA) South Africa 70 72
7. 144 -2 Puk Thomsen (DEN) Denmark 73 71
8. 144 -2 Isobel Wardle (ENG) Prestbury 71 73
9. 144 -2 Raquel Olmos Ros (SPA) Spain 71 73
10. 144 -2 Celine Borge (NOR) Norway 71 73

Irish qualifiers 

• 26 147 +1 Valerie Clancy (IRE) Killarney 73 74
• 31 148 +2 Julie McCarthy (IRE) Forrest Little 76 72
• 57 151 +5 Niamh McSherry (IRE) Lurgan 71 80

Non-qualifiers

• 67 153 +7 Annabel Wilson (IRE) Lurgan 77 76
• 97 157 +11 Mairead Martin (IRE) Killarney 78 79