Scots suffer wipeout at women’s amateur

Scotland’s lingering hopes of providing their first winner of the British Women’s Open Amateur Championship since 1997 died yesterday.

The best chance ended with the second-round defeat of Sally Watson at Carnoustie.

Watson had squeezed through in the morning by two holes against Emilee Taylor (Holme Hall) after being four up within six holes. But the game which had reached the heights in her best-of-the-championship 69 in the second qualifying round was steadily falling away as she lost by two holes to 19-year-old Canadian Augusta James.

That left youngster Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), much farther back in the course, as the Saltire standard-bearer after she had the best win of her golfing life when she beat an even younger Bronte Law, the 17-year-old Curtis Cup star from Bramhall, by 5 and 3 in the morning. But she also bowed out in the afternoon, losing the last three holes to experienced French player Laure Castelain.

Earlier, Carnoustie youngster Jessica Meek lost by 5 and 4 to Olivia Winning (Rotherham) while Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) went down by one hole to Nathalie Mansson (Sweden).

It was not a good day for the winning GB& I Curtis Cup team at Nairn. In addition to Law, Holly Clyburn and Leona Maguire also went out in the first round.