VIKKI LAING SCORES A 63

(NINE UNDER PAR) IN

FUTURES CHAMPIONSHIP

Vikki Laing from Musselburgh shot a career-low nine-under-par round of 63 to improve from joint 120th to tied 10th with one round to go in the United States Futures Tour’s Duramed Championship at Stonelick Hills Golf Club near Cincinnati, Ohio.
Vikki had opened the 54-hole tournament disappointingly with a 77 over the 6,349yd, par-72 course which left her worrying about making the 36-hole cut. Now, at four-under-par 140, she has given herself the chance of a decent pay check.
The 26-year-old former Curtis Cup player and four times Scottish girls match-play champion (1996-97-98-99) is eight shots behind joint leaders Violet Retamoza (Mexico) and Seo-Jae Lee from Seoul, South Korea but only five behind third-place Eunjung Yi from California.
“I would have been happy with a 68, but I’ll take this,” said Laing, who stayed on in the United States to turn professional after four years at the University of California Berkeley.
“I was just trying to be around here on Sunday to play.”
Vikki’s bogey-free round included eight birdies and an eagle-2 on the par-four eighth hole, where she holed an eight-iron from 148 yards. The blonde Scot hit 17 greens, every fairway and rolled in 28 putts for her career-low round.
“I guess the difference between scoring 73 and 63 is you just hole the putts,” she said. “I felt really good on the greens and today I could see the lines. I haven’t felt that comfortable in a long time.”
This season on the Futures Tour, America’s No 2 women’s circuit, Vikki has been far more consistent than at any time in her pro career which saw her gain LPGA Tour status at one time but not a high enough category to get her regular outings and so build up some kind of momentum.
A total of 71 players made the36-hole cut at two-over-par 146 or better.
They did not include South Wales amateur Natasha Morgan, spending her summer holidays playing the Futures Tour, nor Brenda McLarnon from Belfast. Natasha had a 74 for 150 and Brenda a 75 for 154.
And if you are wondering how warm it is in Ohio compared with Scotland at this time of the year, the official tournament temperature was 78 degrees with a 9mph breeze.

LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
132 Violeta Retamoza (Mex) 66 66, Seo-Jae Lee (Seoul) 66 66.
135 Eunjung Yi (US) 65 70.,
138 Janell Howland (US) 71 67, Cortney Reno (US) 70 68, Emily Bastel (US) 68 70.
Other score:
140 Vikki Laing (Sco) 77 63 (jt 10th).
Non-qualifiers:
150 Natasha Morgan (Wal) (am) 76 74.
154 Brenda McLarnon (NIr) 79 75.