Three Scottish players in Curtis Cup squad

Hannah Darling shone for Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup. Picture: Jamie Squire/WME IMG/WME IMG via Getty Images

It follows her selection in the initial Great Britain & Ireland squad for next year’s Curtis Cup in Wales along with two other Scots, Shannon McWilliam and Hazel MacGarvie. They’ve been included among ten players earmarked for an eight-strong side to take on the United States at Conwy next June.

Darling, a two-time Scottish Girls’ champion, performed brilliantly in the biggest test of her young career after securing a pick for the Junior Solheim Cup on the King’s Course.

She joined forces with England’s Annabell Fuller to put Europe’s first point on the board before securing a half with the highly-rated Lucy Li in the singles.

Now she is in the reckoning to lock horns with the Americans once again at women’s level as GB&I bid to win back the trophy after a heavy defeat at Quaker Ridge in New York last year.

Having played in that match, Aboyne 20-year-old McWilliam will be determined to secure a second chance, with MacGarvie, 19, from Royal Troon, earning her selection on the back of a strong season that included a St Rule Trophy triumph.

World No 19 Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey, who is aiming to make her third Curtis Cup appearance, is the highest-ranked player in the squad, which also includes Fuller and Lily May Humphreys, a prolific winner this season.

“We have a strong pool of players to choose from throughout GB&I and I’m delighted with the ten players we have selected for the initial squad,” said GB&I captain Elaine Ratcliffe. “Each player’s performance and results will be monitored closely and we will be looking for each of them to maintain a high standard as they try to secure their places in the team.

“There are many other  talented players who can be added to this squad over the next few months.”