Six Scots hoping to qualify for the British Ladies Open at Carnoustie

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
colin@scottishgolfview.com
The weekend withdrawal of South Korean Shy Hyun Ahn due to illness from the exempt field for the Ricoh Women's British Open, starting over the Carnoustie championship links on Thursday, means that there are now 18 places plus four reserve spots up for grabs in tomorrow's (Monday) 18-hole Final Qualifying competition at neighbouring Panmure Golf Club.
There are only three Scots at the moment in the Carnoustie field - Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie, because of their LPGA Tour status, and Bothwell Castle amateur Pamela Pretswell who earned a place in Thursday's field by winning the British women's open amateur stroke-play title at Tenby last August

Pretswell, however, is doubtful due to an injury. She withdrew from the final round of the European women's amateur championship in Holland on Saturday.

There are six Scots hoping to do a " Paul Lawrie" and come through the qualifying process and emerge as the winner of a Major at Carnoustie as the Aberdonian did in the 1999 Open.

At the moment, these six Scots would settle for being among the 18 to advance from the Panmure eliminator which has a field of 87 - Irish Curtis Cup and Vagliano Trophy star Leona Maguire having pulled out after finishing fourth to her 16-year-old twin Lisa in the European women's amateur championship on Saturday.
Leona's G B and I team status gave her a place in the Panmure field but twin Lisa did not get one because she was only a reserve for the Vagliano Trophy. Now neither twin will be playing in the Ricoh Women's British Open championship, which seems a shame for two of the best young female golfers not in Britain and Ireland but also Europe.
The Scots in action at Panmure tomorrow are Ladies European Tour pros Clare Queen, Vikki Laing, Carly Booth and Kylie Walker and amateurs Kelsey MacDonald and Gemma Dryburgh.
Queen, Booth and Aberdonian Dryburgh, beaten finalist in the recent Scottish Under-18 girls championship final at Glenisla, have already come through the first pre-qualifier at The Berkshire a couple of weeks ago.