Olivia Mehaffey included in Great Britain and Ireland's Curtis Cup team

Mehaffey is joined by World Number One Leona Maguire and Maria Dunne, with England represented by Bronte Law, Alice Hewson, Meghan MacLaren, Rochelle Morris and Charlotte Thomas.

Maguire, Law, Mehaffey and Hewson were selected automatically as the top players in the world amateur golf ranking, with MacLaren and Morris earning their places as the top players not otherwise exempt from the LGU order of merit.

Thomas and Dunne were chosen by selectors for the 39th staging of the event between the top female amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States, which will be staged at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club from June 10-12.

The team will be captained by Aberdeen solicitor Elaine Farquharson-Black, who played in the contest in 1990 and 1992.

“We have an extremely talented team which has considerable experience of playing amateur golf at the highest level,” Farquharson-Black said. “I am looking forward to meeting up with the team at The Castle Golf Club to prepare for the match.

“With some of the best players in the world on both sides, it is going to be a really exciting Curtis Cup.”

The United States has won eight of the last nine contests, although Great Britain and Ireland did taste victory in the last home tie at Nairn in 2012.

ILGU High Performance Manager David Kearney recognised and acknowledged the achievement by all players.

“Team selection for these players is a reward for the hard work they are putting in everyday behind the scenes,” he said.

Focusing on Dunne as one of the two captains picks, he added: “She’s a great team player and will bring invaluable experience to the team. She went out to the Scottish Open Stroke Play last week knowing she needed to come close to a win and nearly did. Her determination and preparation is second to none.”

Meanwhile, Michael Hoey sits well off the pace after shooting an opening round of 74 at the Volvo China Open.

The two-over-par score leaves Hoey 11 shots off leader Hennie Otto.

South African Otto rediscovered his form in brilliant fashion to claim the lead after the opening day.

Otto has not recorded a top-10 finish since winning the Italian Open in 2014 and has made two halfway cuts in nine events this season, breaking 70 just once in 22 rounds.

But the 39-year-old made a mockery of those statistics at Topwin Golf and Country Club in Beijing, carding seven birdies and an eagle to complete a flawless 63, his lowest score since a 62 en route to his third European Tour title in Italy.