Kelsey MacDonald predicts big things for teenager Clara Young

While MacDonald is on course to become the first player in nearly a decade to record back-to-back wins in the SLGA's flagship event, the Nairn Dunbar 20-year-old didn't get a second-round tie against a 14-year-old opponent all her own way.

Indeed, Young, who recently became the youngest-ever East Lothian women's champion, did a splendid job in "trying to give Kelsey a game", hauling her more experienced opponent back to all square with six to play and making her work for an eventual 2 and 1 success.

"I remember when the roles were reversed," admitted MacDonald. "There's no fear at that age and Clara is a great talent. She has a lot of potential and it is brilliant that there is a batch of young players like her coming through again."

Young's mother, Dawn, was also in the field this week and her grandparents, Melville and Isobel Hendry, have both been on caddying duties on the Kintyre Peninsula.

"My goal was to qualify for the match-play so I'm certainly not disappointed to lose to a player like Kelsey," said the youngest member of the clan.

One of Young's top targets this year is to try to make the Scotland side for the Girls' Home Internationals, which are being held at Gullane in August. She's surely done her chances no harm after beating Karen Marshall, the captain of that team, in the opening round.

MacDonald now faces Kilmacolm's Eilidh Briggs, who has the added incentive of a potential meeting with her older sister, Megan, in the last four if she can claim a notable scalp this morning.

Eighteen-year-old Eilidh was an impressive four-under-par in accounting for Hannah McCook in her second-round match, while 21-year-old Megan beat former champion Elaine Moffat to move a step closer to repeating her win at Southerness two years ago.

"I think I'm playing better than I was then and my attitude is certainly better," commented Megan, who is up against Elderslie's Alyson McKechin in an all-Renfrewshire quarter-final. After the summer, both McKechin, a 17-year-old who has seen her game come on leaps and bounds through working with coach Kevin Craggs.

Fifer Louise Kenney, beaten finalist for the last two years, is still standing again heading into the penultimate day, with the last-eight line-up being completed by Susan Wood (Drumpellier), Jane Turner (Craigielaw) and Rachael Watton (Mortonhall).