Leona Maguire survives by a whisker at Dundonald
2015 Ladies European Master. Leona Maguire of Ireland goes to receive her runner up prize. Picture: Ladies European Tour/Tristan Jones

2015 Ladies European Master. Leona Maguire of Ireland goes to receive her runner up prize. Picture: Ladies European Tour/Tristan Jones

Leona Maguire will face leading qualifier Leslie Cloots in the first round after squeaking into the matchplay stages of the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at a windy Dundonald Links.

World No 2 Leona made it on a countback on 12 over par after adding a 79 to her opening 77.

Belgian Cloots shots second successive, one under par 71 to lead the quarriers by three shots from Royal County Down Ladies’ Olivia Mehaffey (74 71) and her Curtis Cup team mate Bronte Law (74 71).

A beaten finalist in 2014, Cloots said: “The tournament starts all over again tomorrow and match-play is a different game from stroke-play.”

World No 8 Mehaffey will face US Curtis Cup player Monica Vaughn (77 79) while Casltroy’s Chloe Ryan meets Germany’s Esther Henseleit

Stroke play scores

Matchplay draw 

Qualifiers

  • 2nd 145 +1 Olivia Mehaffey (IRE) Royal County Down Ladies’ 74 71
  • 52nd 155 +11 Chloe Ryan (IRE) Castletroy 78 77
  • 64th 156 +12 Leona Maguire (IRE) Slieve Russell 77 79

Non qualifiers

  • 70th 157 +13 Jessica Ross (IRE) Clandeboye 80 77
  • 94th 159 +15 Paula Grant (IRE) Lisburn 80 79
  • 103rd 161 +17 Lisa Maguire (IRE) Slieve Russell 81 80