IRISH TEENAGER Elaine Dowdall made a marvellous recovery in difficult windy conditions over the rugged Cruden Bay links in Scotland yesterday to power her way into the knockout stages of the British women's open amateur championship.

Dowdall shot an 81 in the opening round on Tuesday but fought back yesterday with a 74.

Five Irish women qualified - Dowdall, Eileen Rose Power, Barbara Hackett, Yvonne Cassidy and Michelle McGreevy. Power had a solid round apart from three-putting both the fifth and sixth holes.

But there was disappointment for Hazel Kavanagh who missed out by a stroke while Lillian O'Brien and Irene Murphy also crashed out.

The 64 survivors were led by Scotland's Curtis Cup player Janice Moodie who had a 36-hole total of 137.