Wind-tamer Michele Thomson


leads Florida field with a 76

Rookie professional Michele Thomson from Ellon used all her experience of playing in windy conditions to establish a three-stroke lead after the first round of this week's SunCoast Ladies Series developmental pro tour at Country Club of Mount Dora in Florida.
The 21-year-old Curtis Cup player and Scottish women's amateur champion at Lossiemouth last May was one of only four players in a field of 29 to break 80.
Michele, pictured recently by Cal Carson Golf Agency, waiting to make her Ladies European Tour debut in the Swiss Ladies Open in mid-May, shot a four-over-par 76, thanks to an inward half of 35 - three shots better than anyone else could manage in the high winds sweeping across this par-72, 6250yd course which has water in play at 16 of the holes and elevated greens in the style of the late Dr Alastair Mackenzie who designed Augusta National, Aberdeen's municipal Hazlehead and Banff's Duff House Royal courses, to name but three.
Over the tough outward half, Michele had bogeys at the foufrth, fifht, sixth, eighth and ninth, to reach the turn in five-over-par 41 - but that was one of the better first-nine totals as the winds howled over this course, built on one of the highest points in the Florida peninsula.
On the way home, Miss Thomson perhaps benefited from her experience gained in playing in North-east Alliance's men's winter events on exposed links courses. She was able to come home in one-under par with eight pars and a birdie at the par-5 13th.
Tournaments are over three rounds on the Florida-based SunCoast Ladies Series tour. First plce usually earns a player in the region of $4,000. The events are not cheap to play in. Registering to play on the tour costs $175 and the entry fee per tournament is $450.
+Michele Thomson was recently named Aberdeenshire Sports Person for 2008 for winning the Scottish women's amateur title and also gaining selection for the Curtis Cup match against the Americans over the Old Course, St Andrews.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
Players from US unless stated
76 Michele Thomson (Sco) 41-35.
79 Margaret Shirley 38-41, Briana Vega 41-38, Laura Bavaird 39-40, Erin Thorne (Can) 41-38.
80 Noriko Nakazaki 41-39, Susan Choi 41-39, Miriam Nagl (Ger) 39-41, Rebecca Samuelsson (Swe) 40-40, Ulrika Ljungman-Smith (Swe) 40-40.
81 Kristina Wong (amateur) 42-39.
82 Justa Degerman (Fin) 42-40, Jessica Schneider 42-40.
83 Jill Hardy (Can) (amateur) 42-41, Brittainy Klein 41-42.
84 Caroline Park (SKor) 42-42, Kathryn O'Rourke (amateur) 42-42-, Tatiana Gammiechia (Russ) 39-45, Shasta Averyhardt 40-44.
85 Maggie Steciuk (Can) 43-42.
87 Corina Cetateanu (amateur) 44-43.
90 Elin Andersson (Swe) 50-40, Rebecca Green (Aus) 46-44.
91 Raquel Riley 47-44.
94 Carlie Yadloczky (amateur) 47-47, Daria Cummings (amateur) 43-51.
95 Anna Green 52-43.
101 Jackie Gonzalez (Venez) 54-47, Mayura Skowronski (Thai) (amateur) 52-49.