FURNESS Golf Club ace Natasha Slater made up for a poor second day with two strong closing rounds at the English Women's Amateur Open Stroke Play.

The Ulverston teenager shot a first round 71 to set the early pace in windy conditions at St Anne's, tying the lead after the opening day's play.

But it was a different story on day two, as she went round in 86 strokes, making the cut by a single stroke as she finished on 13-over.

Slater made up for that on the third and final day of the competition, shooting rounds of 73 and 75 and finishing with a total of 305, 17-over par.

In round one, Slater bogeyed the first two holes of her opening round, but then went on a run of three birdies in four holes from the fifth to go out in 35 strokes, one-under par.

The back-nine included both a bogey and a birdie for a level-par 35 as she ended the day one-under overall.

“I’m really pleased,” the 15-year-old said after the first day. “I came without much expectation because it’s a big competition. I just wanted to do well.”

The strong winds called for extra concentration, but Slater’s home course is also a links layout and she felt comfortable. She also enjoyed a hot putter, holing from 20ft, 30ft and 50ft for three of her four birdies.

“The greens here are class, they’re amazing,” she said.

By mid-afternoon, she was the only player under-par, with Rochelle Morris second after shooting a 72, but she was joined on one-under by Brogan Townend, of Pleasington Golf Club, who birdied the last.

Morris and Samantha Giles led the field on one-over going into the final two rounds, with Slater among a big pack 12 shots back.

Bogeys at the third and seventh holes in the second round saw her drop back to one-over - but still in among the leading pack.

However, an eight at the par three ninth saw her out of the reckoning and the back nine became a battle to stay involved into the final day.

Bogeys at 12 and 13, followed by a double bogey at 14 and another at 16 had her close to the cut line, but - despite another dropped shot at the penultimate hole - she held on to make the last two rounds, with the top 36 and ties qualifying.

Tweeting ahead of her third round, she said: "Made hard work of it yesterday! Happy to say I'll be playing 36 round."

The final day saw Slater regain her form of the opening round, with five birdies in her third circuit of the Lancashire links, including at 17 and 18.

The final round was not quite up to those standards, but she picked up shots at the sixth and the ninth before playing immaculate par golf on the back nine for a top-25 finish when she reached the clubhouse.