Start spreading the news. New York beckons for Aboyne teenager Shannon McWilliam after she was included in the GB&I Curtis Cup team for June’s transatlantic tussle with the US at Quaker Ridge.

Having staked a sturdy claim for inclusion over the past few months, McWilliam has endured something of an anxious wait over the last few days since narrowly missing out on the Helen Holm Open Strokeplay title under the gaze of the selectors at Troon on Sunday.

The anxious thumb-twiddling was finally brought to an end yesterday morning, though. If you just happened to be having a hit about at Aboyne Golf Club at that time of day you may actually have heard McWilliam’s confirmation of a call up.

“I was on the fourth tee and my mum was walking round with me and after I’d hit my shot, she made a kind of yelping noise,” said the 18-year-old. Funnily enough, that’s the same kind of sound you’d hear after every stroke at The Herald sports desk’s spring outing.

“She had the phone and was sent the email with the confirmation that I was in the team. She dropped the phone, started shaking and crying. She could hardly speak so I took the phone from her and realised what was on the email.

“I gave out some happy cheers and we had a hug. It was a huge surprise but a nice one. I wasn’t sure if I had done enough so it’s been a long few days. It’s been worth it though.”

With GB&I once again captained by McWilliam’s fellow Aberdonian, Elaine Farquharson Black, there will be a sturdy Granite City connection running through the team.

The five English players and two Irish girls also named in a young, eight-strong side may have to get themselves au fait with the term ‘fit like’.

There is a nice historical touch to McWilliam’s call up too as she follows in the footsteps of her well-kent and decorated Aboyne clubmate, Janette Wright, who played in four Curtis Cups between 1954 and 1960.

“Janette phoned me to pass on her congratulations,” added McWilliam. “She was delighted. We have a really young team and Janette was saying what a good thing that was and how she hoped it will inspire young girls to come and play golf.

“It’s good for the future. I will have to miss big domestic events like the St Rule Trophy and the Scottish Ladies Amateur now that I’m in the team but that’s a small price to pay for this opportunity.

“I have known Elaine for a while and used to play in the Aberdeenshire County Girls’ Championships that her mum and dad used to run. It’s nice to have that Aberdeen connection.”

While disappointed that the likes of Connie Jaffrey of Troon and Chloe Goadby from St Andrews missed out on selection, McWilliam is happy to fly the Scottish flag. Two years ago, when GB&I won the Curtis Cup in Ireland, there wasn’t a single Scot in the team. “It would’ve been nice to have more but at least we have one,” she said. “This was my No 1 goal for this season.”

McWilliam will be joined in the side by Lily May Humphreys, who rubber stamped her place in the team by winning the Helen Holm Open title at Troon last week, as well as the talented 15-year-old Annabell Fuller.

On the European Tour meanwhile, Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson was sitting in a share of sixth after the first round of the Volvo China Open.

Jamieson posted a five-under 67 to sit two shots behind the surprise leader, Daxing Jin of China, who is ranked 1,426th in the world.

Jin compiled a tidy 64 which included six birdies and a chip-in eagle on the par-five eighth, his penultimate hole of the day. “I would give myself 100 marks for today’s round,” he said.

Bradley Neil opened with a 71 while Marc Warren, the third Scot in the field, struggled to a 76.

On the European Challenge Tour, the Scottish duo of Ewen Ferguson and Robert MacIntyre formed part of a seven-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the Turkish Airlines Challenge.

Ferguson and MacIntyre both posted six-under 66s to join the log-jam at the top.