British Girls: Donegan heads Irish octet into matchplay

Aine Donegan (Woodstock). Picture by Pat Cashman

Woodstock's Aine Donegan headed the home challenge as eight Irish players qualified for the matchplay stages of the Girls British Open Amateur Championship at Ardglass.

She qualified in eighth place on four-over, six shots behind Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad.

The 18-year-old carded two closing birdies for an impressive two-under-par 68 and a three-under total, finishing three shots clear of France’s Mathilde Claisse.

Donegan, 16, qualified in a tie for seventh after rounds of 71 and 73 with Lauren Walsh, Sara Byrne, Annabel Wilson, Valerie Clancy, Anna Foster, Beth Coulter and Leah Temple Lang also qualifying.

Walsh and Coulter will face each other in the first round.

“I made double bogeys on both the 15th and 16th which was disappointing, but I made a really good par with a ten footer on the 17th and thankfully birdied the 18th," Donegan said.

“It’s good to have a few more people around supporting me, and I’m used to the wind and the links, even though I hadn’t played Ardglass before.”

The cut fell at 13-over-par with Nicole Joye Moreno one shot outside the mark.

Girls British Open Amateur Championship at Ardglass (Par 70)

Detailed scores / Match Play draw
8  DONEGAN, Aine Woodstock +4   71 73 144
11  WALSH, Lauren Castlewarden +5  70 75 145
14 BYRNE, Sara Douglas +6  71 75 146
16 WILSON, Annabel Lurgan +7  75 72 147
27 CLANCY, Valerie Killarney +9 73 76 149
50 FOSTER, Anna Elm Park +12 73 79 152
54 COULTER, Beth Kirkistown Castle +13 79 74 153
62 TEMPLE LANG, Leah Elm Park +13 75 78 153

Did not qualify

77  JOYCE-MORENO, Nicole Spain +15 F +8 77 78 155