Vikki only Scots qualifier for

Women's British Open

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Musselburgh’s Vikki Laing, pictured right, was the only one of 10 Scots in the Ricoh Women’s British Open final qualifying field at Fairhaven Golf Club today to claim a place in the star-studded line-up who will tee off in the women’s pro major at Royal Lytham on Thursday.
A field of 92, a mixture of amateurs and professionals, were chasing 20 places and Vikki booked her place early with a one-under-par 73 which was highlighted by an eagle 3 at the third. She had a bad run after that, bogeying the fifth, sixth and eighth, before settling down again with a birdie at the ninth to turn in level par 36.
Another birdie at the 13th was followed by a bogey at the 14th but she got what would prove to be a crucial birdie at the 18th.
That kept her a couple of shots away from having to put her golf shoes on again after hours in the clubhouse to figure in a play-off for the 14 players who finished on 75. They all trooped out again for a sudden-death eliminator to produce only one qualifier. It lasted five holes before Swedish amateur Caroline Hedwall, beaten in the British women's open amateur championship final at North Berwick last year, won the last of the 20 places available in the championship.
Scots in the play-off were professionals Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayrshire and Monifieth’s Kathryn Imrie. Pamela had halves of 38-37 and Kathryn 37-38.
Kathryn Imrie gained the first alternate (reserve) spot.
Fourteen-year-old English amateur Lauren Taylor won the second alternate place
France’s Sophie Giquel is the third alternate
Welsh amateur Rhian Wyn Thomas is the fourth alternate.
Other Scots who failed to make the grade were Craigielaw amateur Jane Turner on 76 (37-39), McDonald Ellon pro Michele Thomson on 77 (40-37), Archerfield Links pro Lynn Kenny on 78 (41-37), Vagliano Trophy amateur Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) on 80 (37-43), North of Scotland amateur champion Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie) on 81 (39-42), Carrick at Loch Lomond pro Clare Queen who continued her miserable run of form with an 83 (39-44) and another GB&I team amateur, Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) who had an 88 (41-47).
American Beth Bader holed her tee shot at the 173yd fifth hole but her score of 76 was one shot away from getting her into the play-off.

COLIN CALLANDER, Press Officer for the Ricoh Women's British Open, reports
America’s Jill McGill carded a fine three under par 71 in blustery conditions to claim top spot at the Final Qualifier for the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Fairhaven Golf Club in Lancashire today.
McGill, Rookie of the Year on the LPGA Tour in 1996, carded five birdies and two bogeys to finish one shot ahead of South Africa’s Stacy Bregman and compatriot Reilly Rankin and in the process claim the first of 20 places available for the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open which starts at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Thursday.
However, the Qualifier turned out to be a desperate disappointment for 14 year-old English amateur, Lauren Taylor from Rugby, who was bidding to become the youngest player ever to qualify for the Championship itself.
The 2008 English Under-15s champion, who plays out of Woburn GC, carded a highly creditable one over par 75 but then lost out on the fifth extra hole of a play-off when Swedish amateur, Caroline Hedwall birdied the fifth to claim the one place available in a sudden-death play-off.
Taylor’s consolation was that she received the second of four alternate spots for the Championship and so may still tee up in a 114-woman field featuring 29 of the top 30 female golfers in the world.
The other alternates will be Monifieth’s Kathryn Imrie (first), French woman Sophie Giquel (third) and Welsh amateur, Rhian Wyn Thomas (fourth).
A totaL of seven British golfers made it into the draw for what will be the fourth Major Championship of the 2009 season.
Musselburgh's Vikki Laing, set the early pace with a one under par 73.
The Scots tour pro was joined on that total by English amateur Rachel Jennings and Breanne Loucks from Wales. England’s Henrietta Zuel, Sam Head and her twin sister Johanna Mundy and Lydia Hall from Wales all posted level par rounds of 74.
The best-known player to fail to qualify was eight-time Solheim Cup player, Trish Johnson, who carded a two over par 76 to miss out on a place in the sudden-death play-off by a single shot.
The veteran Englishwoman, a 15-time winner on the Ladies European Tour,went out in one over par 37 but carded a seven on the 483-yard par-5 11th and a bogey on the 334-yard par-4 13th before missing from 10-feet for a birdie four on the last.
A full list of scores can be found on http://www.lgu.org/.

BLOW BY BLOW ACCOUNT OF THE TWO-HOUR PLAY-OFF

By GILLIAN KIRKWOOD
There were 14 people on 75 for one place in the tournament and 4 alternate (reserve places)
They went off at 6:15 in two groups of 5 and one group of 4 to play 1,2,8,9 and round again until all were eliminated or placed. The first and second groups wait for the third group before proceeding to play the next hole.
Hole 1 par 5, Lisa Hall had trouble with a bad lie in a fairway bunker and took two to get out, had an estimated six and was eliminated. Young Lauren Taylor (14?, who did well in the British at Harlech) had a 4, as did Sophie Giquel, Caroline Hedwall and Kathryn Imrie. All the rest had 5's
Hole 2 par 3 The four people with 4's at the first were playing for the place and the first three alternate spots. The other 9 were playing for the fourth alternate.
Sophie Giguel had a 4, all the rest had 3's, Sophie got 3rd alternate. The three with 3's carried on down the 8th to play for the place in the field and 1st and 2nd alternate.
Meanwhile two of the players with 5's at the first had 2's at the second. They were Diana D'Alessio and Rhian Wyn Thomas, and they continued to the 8th to play for the 4th alternate place.
Hole 8 par 4: All three of the first group and both the second group had 4's so no change.
Hole 9 par 4: All three of the first group had 4's and continued back onto the 1st. Rhian had a 3 to Diana D:alessio's 4 and got 4th alternate.
Hole 1 par 5: Caroline Hedwall had a birdie 4 and took the place in the Championship, Kathryn Imrie had a 5 and Lauren Taylor had a 6 to take 1st and 2nd alternate spots.
Play finished about 8:15.