Lindblad finishes as leading Qualifier at the Girls Amateur Championship

Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad carded two-under-par 68 to finish three shots clear of the crowd at the 90th Girls British Open Amateur Championship.

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Ingrid Lindblad leads 90th Girls British Open Amateur Championship

Aug 16, 2018: Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad finished in style to top stroke play qualifying at the 90th Girls British Open Amateur Championship.

On a blustery day over the renowned links at Ardglass in County Down, Lindblad emerged from the third last group to be the only player under par and lead 64 qualifiers to the match play stage.

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.

Claisse, also 18, who played in last year’s Junior Solheim Cup, posted two birdies and three bogeys in her 71 for a level-par aggregate.

Earlier, South African Caitlyn Macnab produced the round of the day on her championship debut. The 16-year-old from Johannesburg, who has Scottish heritage through her great grandfather, shrugged off a double bogey at the 11th to reel off seven birdies in her superb 67.

Macnab’s one-over tally was matched by another Swede, Ester Fagersten, who posted a 69 as she seeks to build on four domestic wins this season. The 16-year-old finished eagle-birdie, holing her 80-yard approach to the 17th from the rough.

Aine Donegan, 16, from Woodstock GC, leads the Irish challenge after progressing on four-over-par in a tie for seventh.

The cut mark went out to 13-over-par, with the exact top 64 qualifiers progressing without the need for a card countback.

The highest-ranked player in the field, Italy’s Alessia Nobilio kept her title hopes alive on five-over after four birdies on the back nine, while Scotland’s Hannah Darling – winner of the inaugural Girls Under-16 Open Championship – qualified on seven-over.

Each match play tie consists of 18 holes, including Saturday’s final, with the qualifiers looking to follow in the footsteps of notable past champions Anna Nordqvist, Suzann Pettersen and new Ricoh Women’s British Open Champion Georgia Hall.

View second round scores from the Girls British Open Amateur Championship here.

 

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