from Colin Farquharson
SCOTTISH UNDER-21 GIRLS GOLF PREVIEW
WITH five of the six players from the Scotland team who failed narrowly
to win a bronze medal in the recent European Under-21 girls' team championship
in Moscow in the field, the BP Scottish junior women's open stroke-play
championship at Baberton over 54 holes on Tuesday and Wednesday promises
to be one of the most competitive in recent years.
Clare
Queen (Drumpellier), (pictured left) winner of two British girls' titles
last year and selected to make her debut for Scotland in the women's home
internationals at The Berkshire next month, is entitled to start favourite
after her success in the Mackie Bowl at Gullane on Sunday underlined her
current form.
But Moscow team-mates Susannah Laing (Troon Ladies) and Pamela Feggans
(Barassie) have also earned their spurs for the women's internationals
and should present a challenge. Susannah Laing (Troon Ladies) was one
of the most improved players on the American women's college circuit -
she is a student at the University of San Francisco - from last September
through to May.
Heather MacRae (Dunblane), last year's BP Scottish girls Under-18 match-play
champion and winner of a tournament earlier this year in the United States
where she attends McLennan College, Waco in Texas, was unlucky not to
be selected for the Moscow trip and she won the Munross Trophy 36-hole
Open at Montrose a few weeks ago. She will be out to prove a point to
the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association selectors.
Four years ago Vikki Laing (Musselburgh), whose selection for the Curtis
Cup match ruled her out of this week's tournament, won both the Scottish
girls' Under-18 and Under-21 titles. Bidding to complete that rare double
is Laura Walker from Nairn Dunbar. She beat Gemma Webster (Hilton Park)
by 2 and 1 in the final of the BP girls' match-play at Powfoot recently
and has matured a lot after one year at the same Texas college as Heather
MacRae.
Others in the Baberton field with experience of the American college
tournaments are Louise Kenney (Pitreavie and Iowa State University), Lyndsey
Devenish (Cruden Bay and University of San Francisco) and Colette Murray
(Dumfries & County and Jacksonville State, Alabama).
It may well be, of course, that the title will go overseas for only the
second time in its history. Kristin Elsa Erlendsdottir from Iceland and
Clare Queen are the only scratch players in the field.
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