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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

TONIGHT'S COLLEGE NEWS FROM USA

MICHELE THOMSON JUST MAKES TOP
TWENTY IN LADY JAGUAR EVENT
ABERDEENSHIRE teenager Michele Thomson from Ellon, a first-year student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama repeated her opening round of eight-over-par 80 for a disappointing final total of 160 in the Lady Jaguar Invitational women’s college golf tournament at Forest Hills Golf Club, Augusta in Georgia today.
Michelle, 18, who holds the North of Scotland women's championship and the Scottish schoolgirls title, ran up double-bogey 6s at the first and third in her second round. Although she sandwiched a birdie 2 between them, she was out in five-over-par 41, an improvement of only one shot on her first-round score.
Over the 36 holes, Miss Thomson had only three birdies – which is not her game at all. The best thing about the tournament for her was a final placing of joint 20th despite a 16-over-par total, which underlined just how tough the par of 72 for the 6,094yd course was for everyone.
Amanda Smith (Augusta State), who had more local knowledge of it than most of her rivals, was able to win the title with a two-over-par total of 146 (74-72).
Dublin girl Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) had possibly her highest ever finish in an American college event with scores of 74 and 76 for third place on 150.
She had birdies at the fourth and ninth – boosting her tally to five over the two rounds, and that was one of the highest totals by anyone!
Not many people know this but 21-year-old Dawn-Marie is a talented musician. She can play the piano, accordion, tin whistle and fiddle, all to a high standard. After this performance, perhaps she should start blowing her own trumpet.
Claire Starkie from Skipton, Yorkshire tied for sixth place on 152 with scores of 77 and 75, despite starting with a triple bogey 7 and dropping another shot at the ninth in her second round. She helped Georgia State University (606) win the team event by nine shots from the local favourites, Augusta State.
Portia Abbott from Wiltshire, one of Michele Thomson’s team-mates, was the leading Jacksonville State player with 76 and 80 for joint ninth place on 156. She had a triple bogey 7 at the 12th.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
146 Amanda Smith (Augusta State) 74 72.
147 Joanna Klatten (Georgia State) 73 74.
150 Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) 74 76.
Other totals:
152 Claire Starkie (Georgia State) 77 75 (jt 6th).
156 Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State) 76 80 (jt 9th).
160 Michele Thomson (Jacksonville State) 80 80 (jt 20th).
LEADING TEAMS
606 Georgia State. 615 Augusta State. 619 East Carolina. 627 Memphis. 637 Florida International. 644 Arkansas State. 647 Jacksonville State