114th Ladies British Open Amateur Championship

Approach to P&K's 5th hole

Anyone who thinks the ladies game of golf is taking a back seat to the men's should think again. Eleven amateurs are competing in the 114^th Ladies British Open Amateur Championship, which starts today at Pyle & Kenfig.

The Championship, being hosted by the R&A for the first time after the merger of the Ladies Golf Union (LGU) and the R&A at the beginning of this year, will be contested by 144 competitors from 24 countries, including 33 players ranked in the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).

Of the 58 players representing the Home Nations 11 are from Ireland. World Number One and

two time Annika Award winner Leona Maguire, is bidding to win the women’s McCormack Medal, awarded to the leading stroke play qualifier each year, for a record equalling third consecutive year. Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL), who recently helped her Arizona State University (ASU) team to a win at the NCAA Championships in Illinois, will no doubt be looking forward to her first tournament since returning home from her freshman year when the 36 hole stroke play qualifier gets underway. That ASU team also included 2015 British Open Amateur Championship Runner-Up Linnea Strom (Sweden) who will be one to watch over the coming days.

The par three 12th at Pyle & Kenfig

Joining Maguire and Mehaffey is their Vagliano Trophy teammate Maria Dunne (Skerries) as well as Chloe Ryan (Castletroy), Ciara Casey (Hermitage), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Mairead Martin (Kanurk), Paula Grant (Lisburn), Rachel Thompson (Cork), Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) and Valerie Clancy (Killarney).

Affectionately known as “P&K”, the course at Pyle & Kenfig is no stranger to hosting big events. It has co-hosted The Amateur Championship three times and was the venue for the Men’s Home Internationals played in 2006. In 2009, it hosted the Senior Ladies British Open Amateur Championship and a year later, staged the Welsh Boys Championship. Situated on a wonderful stretch of golfing country on the South Wales coast, the undulating course with its natural hazard of hillocks, valleys and towering dunes is considered one of Great Britain’s finest links courses.

Pyle & Kenfig's 14th

For Scoring and Tournament Updates CLICK HERE

Irish Entrants

Chloe Ryan (Castletroy)

Ciara Casey (Hermitage)

Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell)

Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell)

Mairead Martin (Kanurk)

Maria Dunne (Skerries)

Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL)

Paula Grant (Lisburn)

Rachel Thompson (Cork)

Sinead Sexton (Lahinch)

Valerie Clancy (Killarney)

For photos of the course, click HERE.