Renfrewshire's Eilidh Briggs and Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh earned the Nos 1 and 2 seedings which could see them meet in Saturday morning’s 18-hole final of the Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play championship at Glenisla Golf Club, Alyth.
Eilidh, beaten finalist in the Scottish women’s amateur championship at Machrihanish in May, repeated her par opening round of 71 for a top total of 142. She birdied the short fifth and 13th and bogeyed the long second and 15th in halves of 36 and 35.
The much-travelled Dryburgh, who enrols at Tulane University, Louisiana next month after several years at the IMG Leadbetter Academy in Florida, produced the lowest round of the 36-hole qualifying test – a one-under-par 70 with birdies at the long eighth and ninth for 34 out and a bogey at the 17th for 36 back.
Third best qualifier was Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) with rounds of 74 and 71 for 145. Gabrielle had only two deviations from par in her second round – a birdie at the long eighth and a bogey at the 11th.
All the “usual suspects” were among the 32 qualifiers for the match play. The most dangerous to the hopes of Briggs and Dryburgh could be fifth seed Renfrewshire's Alyson McKechin (Eldershie) (76-72 for 148), Hannah McCook (Grantown-on-Spey), sixth best on 148 (75-73), title-holder and seventh Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) (74-74 for 148) and Junior Vagliano Trophy player 14-year-old Clara Young (North Berwick) (74-76 for 150), the ninth best qualifier.
Hannah Robb won a play-off for the last of the 32 match-play places after she had tied with Alexandra Tait and Eilidh Watson (Murcar) on the 162 mark.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 142 (2x71). Yardag 5803.
142 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 71 71.
143 Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield) 73 70.
145 Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) 74 73.
146 Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 72 74.
148 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 76 72, Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 75 73, Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) 74 74.
MATCH-PLAY DRAW
Seven-minute intervals
UPPER HALF
8.30 E Briggs v H Robb, E Aird v J Chalmers, C Young v A Goodwin, K Beveridge v H Munro, A McKechin v N Robertson, J Ferrie v R Walker, J Meek v E Greenlees, T Seivwright v C Jaffrey.
LOWER HALF
9.26 G Macdonald v C Goadby, L Whyte v K McIntosh, A Summers v E Tunn, S McGuire v H McCook, L Atkins v O Borwick, K Ward v R Polson, H Scott v T MacTaggart, M Clyne v G Dryburgh.
ANSLEY REID SALVER DRAW
10.46 A Tait v H MacGarvie.
10.54 Emma Caddow v Mhairi McKay.
11.02 Emily Dalgetty v Molly Stewart.
11.10 Rosie Everett v Danielle Ker.
11.18 Nicola Taylro v Claire Gadsby.
11.26 Sophie Maguire v Katie McGarva.
11.34 Emma Hale v Linsey Stevenson.
11.42 Catherine Small v Eilidh Watson.
