England's Emily Toy maintained her bid to successfully defend the Women’s Amateur Championship after reaching the last 16 at West Lancashire.
The 22-year-old, who claimed victory at Royal County Down last year, is aiming to become the first player since Sweden’s Louise Stahle in 2005 to retain the championship.
Having progressed on the cut mark for stroke play qualifying, Toy found her form in the match play stages to continue her quest for a historic success at the north-west venue.
At the 117th staging of the championship, Toy saw off the challenge of fellow Englishwoman Isabelle Simpson with a one-hole win in the morning before following it up with a comfortable 5&4 triumph over Ireland’s Jessica Ross.
In-form Emily Price, who won the English Women’s Amateur Championship earlier this month and was among the leading stroke play qualifiers, maintained her bid for more glory, beating Hulda Clara Gestsdottir from Iceland 2&1 to reach the last 16.
Denmark’s Amalie Leth-Nissen, who was the leading qualifier on card countback, lost out to her older sister, Cecilie, at the final hole in an emotional contest in the opening tie of the day.
It was a notable triumph, given Cecilie is ranked 765th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking compared to Amalie at 47th.
However, Scotland’s Hannah Darling, 17, the Girls’ Under-16 Open Champion in 2018, then ended the hopes of Leth-Nissen in the afternoon with a one-hole victory.
Of the other leading qualifiers from Wednesday, Rosie Belsham lost to Annabel Bailey by one hole and Carolina Melgrati from Italy also exited at the 19th to Wales’ Ffion Tynan.
Tynan continued her form as she defeated Irishwoman Laura Webb, the oldest player in the field at 57, with a 2&1 victory.
Italian Alessia Nobilio, the world number five, quietly went about her work to reach the last 16, while two German players, Paula Schulz-Hanssen and Aline Krauter, also progressed.
The match play continues tomorrow, with the last-16 and quarter-final ties played, ahead of Saturday’s semi-finals and the 18-hole final.
There are significant rewards for the champion with exemptions into the AIG Women’s Open and traditionally, the US Women’s Open, The Evian Championship and Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship.
