STIRLING AND CLACKMANNAN WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
AT BATHGATE GC
HEATHER WINS TITLE NUMBER FIVE
WITH BRILLIANT SUB-PAR GOLF
There seems to be no stopping Heather Stirling at the moment. The Bridge
of Allan player beat the best in Britain in winning the Helen Holm Scottish
women's open amateur stroke-play championship by two strokes at Troon
at the end of April.
Then she set a course record of 65 at Bathgate in leading the qualifiers
for the match-play stages of the Stirling and Clackmannan women's county
championship at Bathgate.
Heather held her form to beat the defending champion and fellow Scotland
international Lynn Kenny (Dunblane) by one hole in a gripping semi-final
in which the better-ball score was estimated at eight under par!
Then Miss Stirling reproduced her qualifying round form in a birdie blitz
in the final against the No 2 qualifier, Alison Davidson (Stirling), former
Scottish champion and Curtis Cup star. Heather was five under par in winning
by 4 and 3 after a brilliant start of four consecutive birdies to be four
up after four holes.
Miss Stirling had seven birdies in all.
Mrs Davidson, who is expecting her first baby in the autumn, did not play
too badly either ... she was one under par for the holes played in the
final.
It was the fifth time Heather had won her county title. The previous occasions
were in 1993, 1994, 1999 and 2000.
Mrs Davidson last won it as Alison Rose with a hat-trick of succeses from
1990 to 1992. She did not play in the county championship for a number
of years after that.
Wednesday's report
TITLE-holder Lynn Kenny from Dunblane was beaten by one hole in the semi-finals
of the Stirling & Clackmannan women's county golf championship at
Bathgate on Wednesday night by the in-form Heather Stirling (Bridge of
Allan).
Miss Stirling, recent winner of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open
amateur stroke-play champion and leading qualifier with a course record
65 at Bathgate, came out on top in a titanic struggle in which the better
ball was approximately eight under par.
Lynn, who beat Heather in the Scottish women's championship final at
Machrihanish two years ago, led at one stage but could not hold her opponent
at bay and lost on the 18th green.
Heather Stirling now plays former Scottish champion and past Curtis Cup
star Alison Davidson (Stirling), who is expecting her first child in the
autumn, in the 18-hole final at Bathgate tomorrow (FRIDAY), teeing off
at 5.30pm.
Mrs Davidson was a 4 and 3 winner over Sonia Grant (Tillicoultry) in
the second sem-final.
QUALIFIERS
66 H Stirling (Bridge of Allan).
69 A Davidson (Stirling).
75 K Brotherton (Tulliallan).
78 L Kenny (Dunblane).
79 T Chillas (Stirling).
80 L Robertson (Falkirk Tryst), C Sikora (Braehead), W MacCallum (Falkirk),
K Mathieson (Glenbvervie).
81 S Quinn (Stirling).
82 S Grant (Tillicoultry), S Mitchell (Falkirk Tryst), E Allison (Stirling).
83 R Logan (Bathgate).
85 H Hunter (Linlithgow), F Liddle (Dunblane).
Match-play
First round _ H Stirling (Bridge of Allan) beat F Liddle (Dunblane) 7
and 6, W MacCallum (Falkirk) beat K Mathieson (Glenbervie) 1 hole, S Mitchell
(Falkirk Tryst) beat T Chillas (Stirling) 2 and 1, L Kenny (Dunblane)
beat E Allison (Stirling) 4 and 3, K Brotherton (Tulliallan) beat V Logan
(Bathgate) 9 and 7, S Grant (Tillicoultry) beat L Robertson (Falkirk Tryst)
3 and 2, S Quinn (Stirling) beat C Sikora (Braehead) 1 hole, A Davidson(Stirling)
beat H Hunter (Linlithgow) 9 and 7.
Quarter-finals _ Stirlng beat MacCallum 3 and 2, Kenny beat Mitchell
7 and 6, Grant beat Brotherton 2 and 1, Davidson beat Quinn 5 and 4.
Semi-finals _ Stirling beat Kenny 1 hole, Davidson beat Grant 4 and 3.
Final Stirling beat Davidson 4 and 3
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