By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Controversial Charley Hull, only 15 but ranked No 9 female amateur in the world, showed her undoubted class by claiming the No 2 seed spot with a five-under-par tally of 137 in the qualifying rounds of the Spanish women's amateur international golf championship at El Valle Golf Club, Murcia today.
Kettering-based Woburn wonder girl Charley, holder of the English and Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play titles, shot 68 and a five-birdie 69 to finish one shot behind leading match-play qualifier Natalia Escuriola Martinez (66-70).
There have been no developments since the Ladies Golf Union offered to help her make arrangements to leave the Nairn Curtis Cup selection trial early on Sunday, March 25 so that she could fly to California for the Nabisco Kraft LPGA major event.
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Amy Boulden (Conwy) and Pamela Pretswell, who have all committed to playing in the Nairn three-day trial, all did well in the Spanish qualifying.
Clyburn, who played in the 2010 Curtis Cup match in the States, and Boulden finished joint seventh in the stroke-play section of this championship on one-under-par 141, Holly 71-70, Amy 70-71.
Bothwell Castle's Pamela Pretswell, who also played in the 2010 Curtis Cup match in America, qualified in joint 11th place with 72 and 70 for level par 142. Pamela finished off with 12 straight pars after birdied the second and third and bogeying the short sixth.
No other Scots got inside the qualifying mark of 148 (only one of the five on that mark made it) which reduced the field of 95 to 32 for the match-play. Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) (79-76) and Jane Turner (Craigielaw) (80-75) finished on 155. Hannah McCook (Grantown-on-Spey) totalled 158 with scores of 83 and 75 while Rebecca Wilson (Grange, Monifieth) finished on 173 with rounds of 85-88.
LEADING MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS
Par 142 (2x71)
136 Natalia Escuriola Martinez (Spa) 66 70.
137 Charley Hull (Eng) 68 69.
139 Isabel Gabsa (Spa) 72 67, Celine Boutier (Fra) 67 72, Chloe Leurquin (Fra) 67 72.
SELECTED SCORES
141 Holly Clyburn (Eng) 71 70, Amy Boulden (Wal) 70 71 (T7).
142 Pamela Pretswell (Sco) 72 70 (T11).
143 Chloe Williams (Wal) 75 68 (T13).
146 Gabriella Cowley (Eng) 74 72, Emilee Taylor (Eng) 73 73 (T19).
FAILED TO QUALIFY
151 Nicole Whitmore (Eng) 78 73 (T49).
152 Jess Wilcox (Eng) 74 78 (T54).
154 Rachel Drummond (Eng) 80 74, Meghan MacLaren (Eng) 79 75 (T63).
155 Ailsa Summers (Sco) 79 76, Jane Turner (Sco) 80 75, Katherine O'Connor (Wal) 73 82, Becky Harries (Wal) 76 79 (T71).
158 Hannah McCook (Sco) 83 75 (T79).
173 Rebecca Wilson (Sco) 85 88 (93rd).
TO FIND OUT WHO PLAYS WHOM IN THE MATCH-PLAY DRAW ON THE SPANISH FEDERATION WEBSITE
