At the renowned venue in the north-west, the English trio of Emily Price, Rosie Belsham and Isabelle Simpson were joined by Carolina Melgrati from Italy and Denmark’s Amalie Leth-Nissen in signing for one-under-par rounds of 71.

From a starting field of almost 100 competitors aged from 13 to 57, the quintet led the top 64 players into the match play stage.

Three players finished next best on level par – Ireland’s Paula Grant, Victoria Levy from Switzerland and Germany’s Paula Schulz-Hanssen.

With stroke play qualifying reduced to one round after Tuesday’s inclement weather, play was delayed a further hour on Wednesday morning due to strong winds. West Lancashire, hosting the championship for the first time, was then blessed with far more favourable conditions.

In-form Price, who won the English Women’s Amateur Championship earlier this month, was three under par for her last 14 holes, with recent North East Faldo Series winner Belsham playing the tougher back nine in one-under.

Leth-Nissen claimed three birdies in her last five holes and now faces sibling rivalry as she meets sister, Cecilie, in the opening last-64 tie tomorrow morning. Meanwhile Melgrati made timely back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th. Simpson dropped just two shots in her own one-under effort.

The cut for the leading 64 players (ties for the last place were decided by card countback) fell at six-over-par.

Defending champion Emily Toy sealed her place on the cut mark, with home club member Hollie Muse and Italian Alessia Nobilio, the World No.5, also progressing on one-over and two-over respectively. Laura Webb, a two-time Senior Women’s Amateur champion, also progressed on three-over.

The match play stage gets underway tomorrow with each tie consisting of one round of 18 holes including the Final on Saturday. 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.