Shannon McWilliam posts an opening 69 in "Helen Holm" at Troon

 HELEN HOLM TROPHY
  First round report at Troon Portland
                                                 

Link to tee times for Saturday round


CLICK HERE

Shannon tees off with a three-under-par 69 to be in second place at end of first day




By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Aboyne's Shannon McWilliam, third in the event at the age of 15 in 2015, was the early leader with a three-under-par 69 round Troon Portland in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke play championship at the Ayrshire venue.

She birdied the par-5 first and the fifth, then suffered a double bogey 6 at the seventh before a 2 at the short eighth enabled her to turn in one-under-par 35. Shannon, pictured, had a bogey-free inward half of 34 with another 2 at the short 10th and a 4 at the par-5 11th.

Later Germany's Alexandra Forsterling took the lead with a 68 after bogeying the 13th, 14th and 18th in halves of 32-36.
Alexandra started with an eagle 3 at the par-5 first and then birdied the fifth, seventh, 11th and 12th, at which point she was six under par with six to play. She did get one more birdie, at the long 15th, but the three late bogeys kept her within striking distance of McWilliam.
Twice winner of the "Helen Holm," Olivia Winning (Rotherham) is well in the mix with a 71 (37-34).
Hazel MacGarvie, playing over her home course, had a sound 73, one ahead of Chloe Goadby (St Regulus)
Beatrice Wallin (Sweden), beaten finalist in the recent French U-21 girls championship and with a handicap of +4.3 the most highly rated player in the "Helen Holm" field, had a 75, as had compatriot Julia Engstrom who last year, at the age of 15, became the youngest ever winner of the British women's open amateur championship.
Other scores included a 75 by Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Scottish champion Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 76, former Scottish title-holder Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) 78, Gemma Batty (Moffat) 79 and Isobel Wardle (Prestbury) 83.


SCOREBOARD


par 72
68 A Forsterling (Ger)
69 S McWilliam (Aboyne).
70 K Lund (Nor)
71 M Hoogeboom (Ned), O Winning (Rotherham), L Grant (Swe), M Lewis (St George's Hill).
72 S Lamb (Clitheroe), H McCook (Grantown on Spey), E Henseleit (Ger), A Krauter (Ger), M Stark (Swe), G Price (Bude and N Cornwall), L Bailey (Kirby Muxloe), C Ryan (Ire), A Linner (Swe).
73 A Fuller (Roehampton), B Moresco (Ita), L-M Humphreys (Stoke by Nayland), A Wilson (Ire), M Martin (Ire), P Grant (Ire), C Casey (Ire), H McGarvey (Troon Ladies).
74 A Laker (Frilford Heath), A Nobilio (Ita), T Mactaggart (Minto), B Garton (Royal Lytham), E Price (Cleobury Mortimer), C Louis (Bel), A J Williamson (Royal Cromer), C Goadby (St Regulus), E Codet (Fra), P Roussin-Bouchard (Fra), J Sepers (Ned), H Screen (Berkhamsted).
75 E Briggs (Kilmacolm), J Ross (Ire), K O'Connor (West Byfleet), C Don (Ita), C Liautier (Fra), J Mackintosh (Hazlehead), H Muse (West Lancs), I Holpfer (Aut), E Hale (Troon Ladies), J Engstrom (Swe), B Wallin (Swe).
76 A Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), A L Otten (Ger), G Paton (Royal Montrose), R Morris (Woodsome Hall).
77 E Slater (Gog Magog), K McIntosh (Broomieknowe), L Brunt (Royal Birkdale), M Garland (Selby), S Sexton (Ire), M Lawrence (Rochester and Cobham), A Fanali (Ita), K Gillum (Lilleshall), M Claisse (Fra), L Bagnoli (Ita).


SELECTED SCORES
78 A Bailey (Kirby Muxloe), E Goodall (Selby), S Fuller (Roehampton), G Macdonald (Craigielaw), K Wright (Stranraer).
79 G Batty (Moffat)
80 S Wood (Drumpellier).
81 L Duncan (West Kilbride).
82 C Taylor (Nairn).
83 I Wardle (Prestbury)




TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES


CLICK HERE