Clara Young and Rachael Taylor off to solid starts in LET card bids

Clara Young and Rachael Taylor fared best among the Scottish hopefuls as they both made solid starts in the LET Q-School pre-qualifier at La Manga in Spain.

North Berwick's Clara Young made a solid start in the LET Q-School pre-qualifier at La Manga in Spain. Picture: Ross Duncan

North Berwick woman Young and Taylor, who was born in Glasgow but raised in Germany, signed for matching one-under-par 70s on the North Course at the Murcia venue.

The efforts left them in a tie for sixth spot in a four-round battle to be among the top 75 and ties

advancing to the final stage at the same venue.

Young, a former Scottish Women’s champion, made four birdies and three bogeys while Taylor had five birdies and four bogeys on her card.

Also opening her card bid on the North Course, Jane Turner mixed four birdies with four bogeys in her 71 to also sit in the top 20.

Alongside her in joint-16th is Hazel MacGarvie, who had four birdies, a double bogey and two bogeys as she started with a par-73 on the South Course.

Three dropped shots at the 17th and 18th left Tara Mactaggart having to settle for a 73 on the South Course, while Hannah McCook opened with a 74 on the North Course.

But, for Grace Mitchell and Kimberley Beveridge, their hopes of securing a card for next season already look slim after six and seven-over efforts respectively.

Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson set the pace with a four-under 67 on the North Course. “The wind is really tough,” she said afterwards.

“I’m really happy that I just stayed calm, and I didn’t go for anything that wasn’t reachable and I didn’t make any stupid decisions.”

French amateur Yvie Chaucheprat sits one shot back while a group on two-under includes Northern Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey, the 2015 Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open winner at Royal Troon.

“It was quite solid; I hit a lot of greens and had a lot of chances. I didn’t putt overall amazing, but I just put the ball in the right places, and it was simple golf,” said Mehaffey, who turned professional earlier this year.

“They are both great courses and it is great fun to get to mix it up this week and play both.”

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