Leaders switch places but stay clear of field

The top two golfers from the first day of qualifying at the centenary R&A Girls Amateur Championship swapped places at Panmure yesterday.

The competition now moves into the match play phase, with the field of more than 140 in Angus cut back to 64.

France’s Lucie Malchirand was at the top of the leaderboard on day one but she was leapfrogged by Italy’s Alessia Nobilio.

That means the highest-ranked competitor now carries the number one seeding this morning.

The pair were out on their own on 11 under and 10 under respectively.

Following her bogey free round, the Italian said: “I’m very confident with my game right now as I have

ALESSIA NOBILIO

made two very low scores but we all know match play is completely different.

“You have to be focused on the course but also on the person you are playing against so it will be tough. We are all very good players and it will be a very good contest between us.”

Top Scot Hannah Darling can be content with her first two days’ work. The Broomieknowe player – the current Scottish Girls Open and Scottish Girls Amateur champion – followed up her opening round of two under with one of two over to post an even-par total that saw her through in ninth.

Unfortunately, she will carry home hopes alone as the other four Scots missed out.

The qualifiers will be looking to follow in the footsteps of the four past champions in this event who were named in the European Solheim Cup team this week – Georgia Hall, Suzann Pettersen, Anna Nordqvist and Azahara Munoz.

Each match will consist of one round of 18 holes, including Saturday’s final.

You have to be focused on the course.