Catriona Matthew secures alternate spot for US Women’s Open

Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew has given herself a chance of playing in the US Women’s Open later this month.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The 49-year-old missed out on the two spots up for grabs in yesterday’s European sectional qualifier at Buckinghamshire Golf Club.

But she won a four-way play-off for a second alternate spot to give herself a glimmer of a chance of teeing up in the second women’s major of the season.

Matthew, who has only missed the event once since 1996 and tied for 10th as recently as 2014, finished fourth in the 36-hole qualifer after rounds of 72 and 71 left her on one-under-par.

Her compatriot, Carly Booth, ended up on the same mark, having opened with a 69 to sit joint-second before having to settle for a 74 in the afternoon.

Three other Scots - Vikki Laing (76-69), Kylie Henry (75-70) and Michele Thomson (72-73) - finished in a tie for joint-eighth.

The two spots were claimed by Italy’s Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso and England’s Hayley Davis, with the latter winning a play-off against Germany’s Esther Henseleit.

In other qualifiers, Irish duo Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow both secured berths in the major, which is being played at at the Country Club of Charleston at the end of the month.

Maguire carded rounds of 67 and 71 to win the 36-hole qualifier at Pinnacle Creek Country Club in Arizona by three shots while shot rounds of 66 and 68 to finish second Druid Hills Golf Club in Atlanta.