Abigail May shines at Southerness as Carly McDonald also qualifies in Scottish Women's

May, a St Regulus Ladies member, followed a two-under-par 69 that included five birdies in the morning by lighting up an afternoon 71 with a birdie-birdie-eagle burst from the 12th at the Dumfriesshire venue.

Posting a two–under total, she claimed top spot among 16 qualifiers by one shot from Stirling’s Erin Huskie (73-68) and Edzell’s Robyn Fowlie (73-68).

Hannah Ounap (Loudoun Gowf) and Jen Saxton (Dunfermline) tied for fourth on level par, with defending champion Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride) also progressing comfortably.

She finished on one over alongside Jade Potter (Craigielaw) and Ellie Docherty (Moray) while it was job done as well for Royal Birkdale’s Sofia McGhie and Summer Elliott (Inverness) on two over.

Royal Troon’s Freya Russell, beaten finalist for the last two years, is through to the match-play phase again after posting rounds of 73-72 for a three-over total.

Three players - Rosie Maguire (Pollok), Ailsa Brannock (Southerness) and Abercrombie Nisbet (Gullane) - made it through on four over.

McDonald, who won the Scottish Girls’ Open last month before adding The R&A Girls’ U16 Championship, squeezed into the knock-out stage by the skin of her teeth.

The 14-year-old, who is a clubmate of May’s, posted rounds of 73-72 for a five-over total and had to wait until Tulliallan’s Ava Paterson had finished close to 8pm before knowing her fate.

In the end, McDonald secured the penultimate spot, with the final one going to Nairn’s Corrine Taylor on six over.

Among those to miss out on the top flight were 2022 champion Cameron Neilson and North Berwick’s Grace Crawford.

Meanwhile, Calum Hill and Euan Walker are the leading Scots, sitting seven shots off the lead, at the halfway stage in the DP World Tour’s Soudal Open in Antwerp.

With Frenchman Tom Valiant and South African Zander Lombard setting a hot pace on 13 under, Scott Jamieson and Cameron Adam both sit on five under, one better than Connor Syme.