History maker Leona bows out in Wales

Ireland's Leona Maguire and Danielle McVeigh exited the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship at Royal St David’s Golf Club on Friday.

Royal County Down hope McVeigh was beat 3 and 2 by top seed Carlota Ciganda of Spain in the third round before 14-year old Leona's incredible run ended in the quarter-finals, where she lost to England's Laura Collin by 5 and 3.

The youngest player ever to reach the matchplay stages of the championship, Leona beat Sian James 5 and 3 to earn her place in the last eight but failed to get off to a fast start for the first time in the knockout stages.

Collin, who was celebrating her 22nd birthday, won the first with a bogey five and the second with a par four to go two under and was never behind.

Leona did not win her first hole untl the eighth but lost the ninth to a birdie two to go two down again before Collin doubled her lead to four holes with a par at the 10th and a birdie two at the 11th.

The 13th was halved in birdie fours before Collin closed out an emphatic victory at the 15th with her fourth birdie in a seven-hole stretch.

Collin now faces 19-year old favourite Ciganda, who did not defend the title after winning it at Alwoodley in 2007.

Two under par in her win over McVeigh, the plus five handicap Spaniard was four under par as she beat Hannah Barwood in the quarter-finals by 3 and 2.

The second semi-final will feature 20-year-old German-born Caroline Masson, a student at Oklahoma State University and ranked No 26 on the US college circuit, against Spain's Azahara Muñoz, the No 2 seed.

Playing in her last Ladies' British Open Championship before she turns professional after the US Women’s Open next month, Azahara was two down after five holes against Rhian Wyn Thombut fought back over the closing holes to win the 13th, 15th and 16th for a 2 and 1 win with roughly level par figures.

Masson beat Sweden'sNathalie Mansson 3 and 2.