SHANNON'S CONQUEROR GOES ON TO REACH LAST FOUR OF BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP

 

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Ainhoa Olarra from San Sebastian, Spain, conqueror of Aboyne 17-year-old Shannon McWilliam in the second round, is through to Saturday morning's semi-finals of the British women's open amateur golf championship at Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club, South Wales.

Ainhoa, pictured right, beat Italy's Alessandra Fanali 4 and 2 and will now play a fellow American university student, Stina Resen (Norway and University of Arkansas Little Rock) for a place in the 18-hole final.

Olarra is a student at South Carolina University.

Resen won her quarter-final at the 19th against Marta Perez Sanmartin (Spain)

The first semi-final is between Ireland's Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell Golf Club), the world No 1 female amateur who is a student at Duke University, North Carolina, and Anna Backman (Finland), pictured left, 18-year-old leading amateur in the LET's Finnish Ladies Open earlier this year. Anna finished 11th among the pros in the championship..

Maguire was a 4 and 2 winner against the only other GB and Ireland player left in the quarter-finals, top qualifier Paula Grant from Lisburn Golf Club, near Belfast.

Grant had earlier beaten another Northern Ireland player, Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) in the third round.

Maguire, who will be 23 in November, has never won the British women's open amateur title but she did win the British women's stroke-play championship in 2011 at Royal Ashdown Forest.

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QUARTER-FINALS

Maguire bt Grant 4 and 2
Maguire 2 up after 10
Maguire 1 up after 13


 Backman bt Mickan at 22nd
All square after 9
Mickan 1 up after 11
All square after 14
All square after 17
All square after 18
All square after 19
All square after 20


Olarra bt Fanali 4 and 2
All square after 8
Olarra 2 up after 10
Olarra 3 up after 13
Olarra 3 up after 15


Resen bt Sanmartin at 19th
All square after 4
Resen 1 up after 7
Resen 1 up after 10
Resen 1 up after 13
Resen 2 up after 15
Resen 1 up after 16


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