SCOTS VETERANS RALLY TO SALVAGE A DRAW

Defending champions Scotland showed a lot of grit and determination to salvage a 4 ½-4 ½ draw with England North on the opening day of the Veteran Ladies Golf Association inter-area golf team championship at Royal Cromer Golf Club, Norfolk today.

Skipper Pat Hutton's team trailed by 2pt at lunchtime after taking only half-a-point from the three games but they came storming back into the picture in the six singles.

Victories by Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) enabled the rallying Scots to take the singles 4-2 and cancel out their morning deficit.

"It was a good performance to get a draw from the position we were in," said Pat Hutton.

Incidentally, the England North line-up included former Scottish women's amateur champion and international team captain Fiona Anderson who has been based on Merseyside for a number of years.

Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), partnering Lorna Bennett, had a hole in one at the 17^th in their foursome against Hilary Smythe and Elaine Elliot.

It was the third ace of Noreen's golfing career. It squared the match but Noreen and Lorna lost the 18^th to go down by one hole.

In the other match in the four-cornered contest, England Midlands beat England South 5 ½-3 ½.

Scotland play the Midlands tomorrow.

Details:

ENGLAND NORTH 4 ½, SCOTLAND 4 ½

England North names first

Foursomes: S Dye, P Wrightson halved with K Sutherland, F De Vries; F Anderson, B Laird bt M Thomson, H Anderson 2 and 1; H Smyth, E Elliott bt L Bennett, N Fenton 1 hole (2 1/2-1 ½).

Singles: Dye lost to Sutherland 4 and 3, Wrightosn lost to H Faulds 1 hole, Smythe lost to P Williamson 2 and 1; Laird bt De Vries 4 and 3, J ~Rogers lost to Bennett 4 and 3; R Linley bt Thomson 1 hole (2-4).

Other result:

ENGLAND MIDLANDS 5 ½, ENGLAND SOUTH 3 ½.