WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! Scotland's title-winning seniors team. Back row (left to right): Noreen Fenton (Dunbar), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Fiona Hunter (Baberton), Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies), Fiona de Vries (St Rule), team manager Janet Wake.
Front row: Mary Smith (Tain), team captain Pamela Williamson (Baberton) with the Sue Johnson Trophy, and Heather Anderson (Alyth).
Image by courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union who retain the copyright to the image which can be enlarged by clicking on it.

SCOTLAND CLINCH FIRST SENIORS

TITLE BY BEATING WALES

There may be many a slip twixt cup and lip - but Scotland made none on the final day of the Senior Women's Home International Matches at Newport Golf Club, Wales today.

Having beaten first Ireland and then England, the Scots won the title and the Sue Johnson Trophy for the first time, completing a 100 per cent winning record through the three days by beating last year's winners, Wales, 5 ½-2 ½ today.

England, trailing 2-1 after the foursomes, rallied to draw 4-4 with Ireland and finished with 1 1/2pt, to be runners-up ahead of Wales (1pt) and Ireland (1/2pt).

Skipper Pamela Williamson's Scotland team – unlike their younger "sisters" in the Women's Home Internationals at Irvine three weeks ago - showed no sign of last-day nerves as they captured the morning foursomes by 2 ½ to ½ against Wales to make their task in the five afternoon singles that much easier.

They began the afternoon play needing only 1 ½ pt for a draw which would have been enough to clinch the over-50s team championship but the rampant Scots had their sights set higher than that and had three singles winners.

Heather Anderson (Alyth) beat the Senior British champion Vicki Thomas by one hole.

Fiona De Vries (St Rule), who beat Pamela Valentine by 5 and 3, ending the series with a perfect 6pt from six matches was the MVP of the tournament.

Tain's Mary Smith, who helped Northern Counties win the Scottish women's county championship last week at Baberton, beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3 for her fifth point in six outings. What an end of season it's been for Mary!

Mention should be made of Dunbar's Noreen Fenton who played only in the foursomes each day – and won each time in partnership with Fiona de Vries.

And also that Scotland went to Wales without their potential star player – Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) who withdrew last week due to domestic reasons. But Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), who took Lorna's place, played, as they say "a blinder." Skipper Williamson used Kathleen only in the singles and she won two out of three ties.

DETAILS OF THE SCOTLAND v WALES SINGLES

Heather Anderson v Vicki Thomas was a game of two halves – the Scot had the better of the first nine, the Welsh player not losing a hole after the turn. Anderson birdied the second and the fifth on her way to a three-hole lead after eight holes.

That was as good as it got for the Scot. Thomas won the 11^th and 15^th to be only one down on the 16^th tee. But Smith managed to halve the last three holes for a win she will remember while Vicki will want to forget the three days! As the new Senior British champion, she was expected to lead by example for Wales but she won only one game out of six.

Kathleen Sutherland, who came into the Scotland team only last week when star player Lorna Bennett had to withdraw for domestic reasons, lost her 100 per cent winning record when she lost by 4 and 2 to Ann Lewis.

Lewis birdied the seventh to go one up and also won the eighth before Sutherland birdied the ninth to get back to one down. The Welsh player promptly birdied the 10^th to regain a two-hole lead which Sutherland cut back to one hole by winning the 11^th. The exchange of holes continued at the 12^th which Lewis won to regain a two-hole lead. Lewis wrapped up a 4 and 2 victory by winning the 15^th and 16^th.

De Vries won the second, third and fourth against Valentine and stretched her lead to six holes after 11, having birdied the 10^th. Valentine did birdie the 14^th but that only cut her deficit to four holes and De Vries clinched her sixth victory in three days by winning the 15^th for a 5 and 3 success.

That raised Scotland's points on the day to 4 ½, which meant they had won the match, whatever the outcome of the ties still to finish.

Smith made it 5 1/2pt in the bag when she beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3. After the third and fourth holes were exchanged, Smith won the sixth to take a lead she did not relinquish.

The Scot won the eighth to go two up, lost the ninth but then won the 11^th, 13^th and 14^th to surge four holes to the good. A half at the next ended the contest.

Wales got their second singles win, thanks to Jean O'Connor, who beat Moira Thomson by 5 and 4. O'Connor took a stranglehold on the outcome by winning the first, third, seventh, eighth and 10^th for a five-hole lead. She even birdied the 12^th to regain that advantage after the Scot had scored her only success at the 11^th. Halves at the 13^th and 14^th ended the match.

INDIVIDUAL SCOTS' RECORDS AT NEWPORT

Fiona De Vries (St Rule) 6pt out of 6 (six wins).

Mary Smith (Tain) 5pt out of 6 (five wins).

Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 3pt out of 3 (three foursomes wins).

Heather Anderson (Alyth) 2pt out of 6 (one win, two halves).

Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 2pt out of 3 (played singles only: two wins).

Fiona Hunter (Baberton) 1/2pt out of 3 (one halved match).

WHO DID BEST FOR THE OTHER COUNTRIES?

ENGLAND

Christine Quinn 5pt out of 5 (five wins).

Lucy Newton 4pt out of 5 (four wins).

Sue Dye 4pt out of 5 (four wins).

Janet Melville 3pt out of 6 (three wins).

WALES

Ann Lewis 3 1/2 pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Jean O'Connor 3 1/2 pt out of 5 (three wins and a halved match).

Denise Richards 2pt out of 4 (two wins).

Vicki Thomas 2pt out of 6 (two wins).

IRELAND

Sheena McElroy 4 1/2pt out of 6 (four wins and a halved match).

Helen Jones 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Phil O'Gorman 2pt out of 5 (two wins).

Pat Doran 2pt out of 5 (two wins).

+Scotland will defend the Senior Women's Home Internationals title at Sheringham Golf Club, Norfolk in 2010. Book your accommodation now!