April 2005 Archive

Saturday 30th April 2005

WELSH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
CLARE QUEEN IN CONTENTION AGAIN WITH ONE ROUND TO GO IN WALES
[Photo of Clare Queen at Pyle & Kenfig courtesy and Copyright © Tom Ward]
Clare Queen from Drumpellier goes into Sunday's final round of the 54-hole Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship in joint third place at Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club.
Clare had roundsof 76 and 73 for a one-under-par first-day total of 149.
Only two young English girls are ahead of the Scot as she bids to go one better than last week's runner-up spot, after a play-off, in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open stroke-play at Troon.
Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) leads on 144 with scores of 71 and 73. She is a shot ahead of Henni Brockway (Yeovil) who has scored73 and 72.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) is a second Scot in the top 10. She is sharing sixth place on 150 after rounds of 74 and 76.
There were two big surprises on the first day. Martina Gillen, the Irish player, who hit peak form in winning the "Helen Holm," lost that magic touch. She has had rounds of  79 and 80 - the women's par is 75 - and she is way back in joint 41st place.
Curtis Cup player and Welsh champion Sarah Jones scored an 84 in the first round, during which she excaberated a long standing wrist injury at the 11th, and consequently withdrew from the remainder of the tournament.
WELSH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club
LEADING TWO-ROUND TOTALS
144 K Matharu (Cookridge Hall).
145 H Brockway (Yeovil) 73 72.
149 C Queen (Drumpellier) 76 73, K Smith (Waterlooville) 75 74, L Eastwood (Yelverton) 73 76.
150 M Smith (The Oaks) 75 75, L Hamilton-Diggle (Celtic Manor) 75 75, J Wilson (Strathaven) 74 76, S O'Sullivan (Galway) 7377.
151 S Walker (Kenwick Park) 77 74, C Coughlan (Cork) 73 78, F Grimshaw (Weymouth) 73 78.
152 R Jennings (Izaak Walton) 78 74, T Mangan (Ennis) 75 77, K Walker (Stirling Univ) 74 78, J Ewart (Catterick) 73 79.
153 K Whitmore (Sandiway) 80 73, S Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) 77 76, S Birks (Wolstanton) 77 76, E Brown (West Wilts) 76 77, N Evans (Pleasington) 72 81, M Reid (Chevin)( 72 81.
154 H Aitchison (Bedfordshire) 80 74, Lisa Barton (Coventry) 79 75, Karen Heywood (Crompton & Royton) 77 77, Felicity Johnson (Harborne) 75 79, Jo Nicolson (Wrexham) 73 81, Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 73 81, Joanna Hodge (Knowle) 73 81, Lydia Hall (Royal Porthcawl) 73 81,.
155 Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen) 77 78.
Other scores included:
157 M Pow (Selkirk) 77 80.
159 M Gillen (Beaverstown) 79 80.
161 A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 82 79.
162 D Dewar (Stirling Univ) 81 81.
Withdrew: S Jones (Pennard) 84 WD

Back to Normal Service
I'm back... many thanks to Colin Farquharson for keeping HotNews going in my absence.
For the sake of completeness I've copied the news items onto this page.

Welsh Womens' Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship
CARA GRUBER LEADING SCOT AT END OF "WELSH" FIRST ROUND
Cara Gruber from Royal Dornoch was the leading Scot at the end of the first round of the 54-hole Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Pyle & Kenfig today.
Cara shot a 73 to be lying joint fourth behind pacemaker Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) who had an excellent score of 71 - two ahead of Melissa Reid (Chevin) and Natalee Evans (Pleasington).
Clare Queen (Drumpellier) was back on 76.
Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), winner of last weekend's "Helen Holm" at Troon, had a disappointing first round of 79 to be well down the field.

Aberdeenshire County Championship
TEENAGE PALS MEET IN ABERDEENSHIRE COUNTY GOLF SEMI-FINAL AT MURCAR
Teenage golfing pals Michele Thomson (Ellon) and Laura Murray (Alford) will meet in Sunday morning’s semi-finals of the Aberdeenshire women’s county golf championship at Murcar Golf Club.
Leading qualfier 17-year-old Michele had two comfortable wins when the match-play stages began today (Sat) while 16-year-old Laura had to come back from one down with three to play to beat Christine Middleton (Cruden Bay), the 1991 title-winner, by two holes in the quarter-finals.
In the other semi-final it will be Laura McLardy (Murcar) against the 2003 champion, Julie Henderson (Inverurie).
Collated scoreboard
ABERDEENSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Murcar Golf Club
First round
M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) bt S Shepherd (Deeside) 5 and 3.
J Harrison (Cruden Bay) bt J Whitehead (Kemnay) 4 and 3.
C Middleton (Cruden Bay) bt L McPherson (Deeside) 2 holes.
L Murray (Alford) bt L Coleman (Peterhead) 3 and 1.
D Pocock (Murcar) bt F Hay (Deeside) 2 a\nd 1.
L McLardy (Murcar) bt L Terry (Cruden Bay) 3 and 1.
C Wilson (Murcar) bt E Brown (Aboyne) 6 and 5.
J Henderson (Inverurie) bt K Thomson (Kintore) 3 and 2.
Quarter-finals
M Thomson bt Harrison 4 and 3.
Murray bt Middleton 2 holes.
McLardy bt Pocock 6 and 5.
Henderson bt K Thomson 3 and 2.

East Lothian County Championship
KELLY BROTHERTON EAST LOTHIAN LEADING QUALIFIER AT N BERWICK
Former Scottish girls’ champion Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan) is the leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the East Lothian women’s county championship at North Berwick.
Kelly, who is bound for Colorado State University in the autumn, earned the No 1 seed rating with a score of 78 – three ahead of Scottish senior international Moira Thomson, playing over her home course.
The match-play stages start at North Berwick on Monday.
EAST LOTHIAN WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
North Berwick Golf Club
Qualifiers
Championship Qualifiers in order
78 Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan).
81 Moira Thomson (North Berwick).
83 Fiona Prior (Gullane), Shonagh McEwan (Gullane).
86 Jayne Smith (Gullane).
89 Irene Stewart (Gifford), Mary Lou Renton (Gifford).
90 Carole Ross (North Berwick), Jane Herd (Musselburgh).
92 Elinor Blair (Linlithgow), Anne Chainey (North Berwick), Pam Hall (Royal Musselburgh), Maurren Woodward (Gullane).
94 Sue Penman (Gullane).
96 Val MacKenzie (Longniddry), Vera Ross (Broomieknowe).
HANDICAP QUAICH
Qualifiers
83 Jane Whitelaw (North Berwick) (19).
84 Nancy Davidson (Glen) (17), Ros Thoresen (North Berwick) (16).
86 Gladys Stevenson (Glen) (21), Ann Butterworth (North Berwick) (20), Janette Buchanan (Musselburgh) (20).
87 Gratian Andrew (Gullane) (13).
89 Hayley Kirkpatrick (Gullane) (17).

Northern Counties Championship
KELSEY (14) IN NORTHERN COUNTIES SEMI-FINALS AT INVERNESS
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), only 14 years of age, is through to the last four of the Northern Counties women’s golf championship at Inverness Golf Club.
Kelsey, fourth of the eight qualifiers for the match-play stages, meets the top seed, Kerri Harper, playing over her home course in Sunday morning’s first semi-final.
The other tie will be between Jenny Milne (Elgin), beaten in last year’s final, and Marian Howieson (Inverness).
NORTHERN COUNTIES WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Inverness Golf Club
Qualifiers (CSS 74)
74 K Harper (Inverness).
75 J Milne (Elgin).
78 M Howieson (Inverness).
79 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
80 E Manson (Thurso), W Ross (Elgin).
81 L Clark (Nairn).
83 C MacAndrew (Nairn Dunbar).
Match-play
Quarter-finals
Harper bt MacAndrew 3 and 2.
MacDonald bt Manson1 hole.
Howieson bt Ross 5 and 3.
Milne bt Clark 4 and 3.

US College News
SCOT PAMELA IS SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE GOLFER OF YEAR
Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire has been named the Sunshine State Conference Women’s Golfer of the Year by the SSC women’s golf coaches and sports information directors.
A senior student at Florida Southern College, Pamela has a 75.68 stroke average in events on the 2004-2005 college season. She had four top-five finishes, including two individual championship victories this spring.
She won the UCF Invitational and also the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational.
Pamela, who will be 23 in August, last played for Scotland in the women’s home international matches at Cruden Bay in the autumn of 2003 when the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association flew their top US College-based players home for the week.
She will miss the Scottish women’s amateur championship at Cruden Bay from May 17 to 21.
Because of Florida Southern College educational commitments, Miss Feggans may not even be back on this side of the Atlantic in time to play for Scotland in the European women’s team championship in Sweden from July 5 to 9 – if she were to be selected as a member of the six-strong squad to be captained by Elaine Farquharson-Black (Deeside).
Pamela is a member of Doon Valley Golf Club at Patna, Ayrshire.

Friday 29th April 2005

Midlothian County Championship
TOP SEED SALLY KO'D IN QUARTER-FINALS
Sally Watson, the 13-year-old Elie & Earlsferry player who headed the qualifiers, was beaten in the quarter-finals of the match-play stages of the Midlothian women’s county championship at Ratho Park today. Sally’s sister Rebecca lost in the first round in the morning.
Top seed Sally was knocked out by Jane Turner (Mortonhall) by 3 and 1.
Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) is now favourite to complete a hat-trick of Midlothian titles. The No. 2 seed, Claire will play Claire MacDonald (Gullane) in Sunday morning’s first semi-final (9.05am).
The first semi-final will feature Jane Turner (Mortonhall) against Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) at 9am.
The final will tee off at 2pm on Sunday.
Results:
FIRST ROUND
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsfery) bt Kate Rorke (Kingsknowe) 5 and 4.
Jane Turner (Mortonhall) bt Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) 1 hole.
Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) bt Jennifer Bryans (Harburn)3 and 1.
Mandy Easton (Dalmahoy) bt Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall) 1 hole.
Belinday Murphy (Prestonfield) bt Karen Marshall (Baberton) 5 and 4.
Claire MacDonald (Gullane) bt Elizabeth Stewart (Greenburn) 2 and 1.
Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) bt Rebecca Watson (Elie & Earlsferrey) at 19th.
Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) bt Hilary Laughland (Mortonhall) 4 and 2.
QUARTER-FINALS
Turner bt Sally Watson 3 and 1.
Fenton bt Easton 5 and 4.
MacDonald bt Murphy 6 and 4.
Hargan bt Nicholson 2 and 1.
B CHAMPIONSHIP
First round
Maureen McLeod (Merchants of Edinburgh) bt Molly Woolgar (Murrayfield) 5 and 4.
Sarah Devenish (Kingsknowe) w o Catriona Shedden (Murrayfield) scr.
Trish Davis (Dalmahoy) bt Maureen Stewart (Glencorse) 6 and 5
Jeannetta Jarvis (Murrayfield) bt Jenny Taylor (Ratho Park) at 20th
Helen Warnock (Harburn) bt Anthea Mackenzie (Ratho Park) 6 and 4
Elspeth Johnston (Broomieknowe) bt Margaret McLaren (Torphin Hill) 3 and 2
Elspeth Morrison (Musselburgh) w o Gina Thomson (Glencorse) scr.
Sandra Ashurst (Murrayfield) bt Elizabeth Steedman (Ravelston) 2 and 1
Quarter-finals
Devenish bt McLeod 2 and 1
Davis bt Jarvis at 19th
Warnock bt Johnston 6 and 5
Ashurst bt Morrison 5 and 3

Aberdeenshire County Championship
ELLON TEENAGER LEADS SHIRE QUALIFIERS
Ellon teenager Michele Thomson headed the 16 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the Aberdeenshire women's county championship with a very good round of three-over-par 75 in windy conditions at Murcar on Friday evening.
Michele, who turned 17 last month, cut her handicap to four with her performance despite a nightmare start of 6-5-6 (double bogey-bogey-double bogey). Birdies at the short fifth and ninth put her out in 40 and then she matched the par of 35 for the inward half with birdies at the 11th and 18th cancelling out bogeys at the 10th and 15th.
Julie Henderson (Inverurie), the 2003 champion, earned the No 2 seed rating with a 77, a shot ahead of Donna Pocock (Murcar).
Sjavon Wilson (Murcar) is unable to defend the Aberdeenshire title as she is currently attending Tyler College, Texas and will not return to Scotland until late May.
Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), beaten by Sjavon in last year's final, broke her left arm in a heavy fall while taking her dog a walk and had to withdraw from this year's field.
ABERDEENSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP Murcar Golf Club
Qualifiers
75 M Thomson (McDonald Ellon).
77 J Henderson (Inverurie)
78 D Pocock (Murcar).
80 L Coleman (Peterhead).
81 L McLardy (Murcar), L McPherson (Deeside).
82 J Whitehead (Kemnay), E Brown (Aboyne).
83 J Harrison (Cruden Bay).
84 C Wilson (Murcar), L Terry (Cruden Bay).
85 C Middleton (Cruden Bay), L Murray (Alford).
86 F Hay (Deeside).
87 K Thomson (Kintore).
88 S Shepherd (Deeside).
Non-qualifiers included: 91 A Smart (Banchory). 96 K Stalker (Fraserburgh), I Thomson (Kintore). 98 J Slater (Aboyne), V Donald (Kintore).
Saturday's match-play (7min intervals).
10.0o M Thomson v Shepherd, Harrison v Whitehead, McPherson v Middleton, Murray v Coleman, Pocock v Hay, Terry v McLardy, Brown v Wilson, K Thomson v Henderson. 2.30 Quarter-finals.

Scottish Ladies Championship
ANNE LAING BIDS FOR HAT-TRICK OF TITLES AT CRUDEN BAY
COMPETITORS will tee off mainly in threes at 9min intervals in the first qualifying round of the Scottish women’s amateur championship at Cruden Bay on Tuesday, May 17.
A second qualifying round will be held on the Wednesday. The 32 players with the lowest scratch 36-hole totals will go forward to the championship match-play stages on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The next best 16 will contest the Clark Rosebowl match-play competition.
Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) will be attempting to win the title for the third time in a row and the fourth in all.
Order of play for the 113 entries in the first qualifying round:
8.0 R Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay), F Hay (Deeside); C Meldrum (Stranraer), W Wells (Peebles), L McPherson (deeside); M Easton (Dalmahoy), G McGinlay (Cochrane Castle), S Shepherd (Deeside); P Hutton (Lanark), M Morrison (Hawick), C-M Carlton (Stirling Univ).
8.36 M Skinner (Gourock), C Taylor (Troon Ladies), A Hunter (Monifieth); L Terry (Cruden Bay), C Wilson (Murcar), C MacDonald (Gullane Ladies); C Middleton (Cruden Bay), H Laughlan (Mortonhall), S Lambie (Troon Ladies).
9.03 E Ogilvy (Muckhart), J Jenkins (Ralston), F De Vries (St Rule); K Marshall (Baberton), D Pocock (Murcar), P Mackay (Royal Dornoch); P Williamson (Baberton), K Blackwood (Glencorse), G Webster (Hilton Park).
9.30 E Moffat (St Regulus), K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), D Jackson (Cochrane Castle); J Milne (Elgin), S Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies), E Cuthill (Lanark); L McLardy (Murcar), F Lockhart (St Regulus), A Laing (Vale of Leven).
10.06 C Queen (Drumpellier), M Pow (Selkirk), C Gruber (Roya;l Dornoch); J Carthrew (Ladybank), J Wilson (Strathaven),A Davidson (Stirling); L Kenney (Pitreavie), S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), S Bishop (Windyhill).
10.33 K Milne (Dunfermline), C Hargan(Mortonhall), K Walker (Buchanan Castle), A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir), K O’Sullivan (Cochrane Castle), L Fraser (Kingsknowe); A Young (Torrance House), D Dewar (Stirling Univ), J Harrison (Cruden Bay).
11.0 R MacLennan (Baberton), G Lockhart (Barassie), K Horne (Dalmahoy); R Brown (Lothianburn), J Mack (Haggs Castle), F Neish (Murcar); L Hendry (Routenburn), W Nicholson (Broomieknowe), G Roy (Abertay).; F Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies), C Whyte (Windyhill), K Thomson (Kintore).
11.36 N Melville (Bridge of Allan), I Harvey (St Regulus), T Milligan (Stranraer); K Wells (Dumfries & Co), L Williamson (Barassie), A Bowman (McDonald Ellon).
12.03 N Smith (Downfield), L McDougall (Greenock), A Brownie (Lothianburn); M Neilson (Greenock), S Keddie (Dalmahoy), P Wilson (Murcar), L Casey (Dalmahoy), F McFadzean (Craigmillar Park), W Miller (Aberrtay).
12.30 P Hardman (Marriott Dalmahoy), S Shepherd (Craigmillar Park), B Waugh (Moorhall); C Stewart (Lothianburn), E Munn (East Renfrewshire), R Donaldson (Troon Ladies); E Taylor (Troon Ladies), L Douglas (Hawick), R Dee (Kingsknowe); S Ireland (Prestonfield), D MacKinnon (McDonald Ellon), J Wake (Merchants of Edinburgh).
1.06 J Anderson (Hawick), B Murphy (Prestonfield), J Henderson (Inverurie); H MacRae (Dunblane New), T Laughlan (Mortonhall), L Walker (Nairn Dunbar); M Miller (Cruden Bay), A Terrey (Greenock), L Lindsay (Marriott Dalmahoy).
1.33 K Burden (Cambuslang), A MacDonald (Windyhill), C Mason (Marriott Dalmahoy); M McCallum (West Kilbride), P Stephenson (Glencorse), E Whyte (Windyhill).
1.51 M Nicol (Marriott Dalmahoy), A B Ramsay (Kirriemuir), R McIntyre (Windyhill).

Nicklaus' Caddy dies
Jimmy Dickinson, who caddied for Jack Nicklaus for all three of his Open Championship victories, has died at the age of 81.
Dickinson started caddieing for Nicklaus in the 1963 Open Championshipand the pair enjoyed success in 1966 at Muirfield, and in 1970 and 1978at St Andrews. When Nicklaus opened Muirfield Village in Ohio, his former caddie took up the post of caddiemaster for a while before returning to England.
Dickinson was purely a Nicklaus man, establishing a partnership in TheOpen to rival those of Arnold Palmer and the late "Tip" Anderson, and Lee Trevino and Willie Aitchison.
In later years, he caddied for Bernard Gallacher but it was carrying the bag for Nicklaus that he will be long remembered for.
He passed away on April 21st and leaves eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren. The funeral will take place on May 9 at EastHampstead Crematorium, Bracknell, at 1pm.

Thursday 28th April 2005

D&A County Championship
SARA BISHOP COMPLETES TITLE HAT-TRICK
Sara Bishop (Windyhill) completed a hat-trick of titles in the Dunbartonshire & Argyll women’s county golf championship on a very wet day at Cardross Golf Club today.
In a replay of the 2003 final Sara beat Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) by one hole after Gemma had come back from three down after 13 holes.
Sara and Gemma were the leading qualifiers for the match-play stages.
The last player to win the title three years in a row was Curtis Cup player Myra McKinlay in 1989-90-91.
[The photo right shows D&A Ladies County Golf Association president (the legendary) Belle Robertson (left) presents the trophy to Sara Bishop (Windyhill)]
The bronze division championship was won by the host club’s lady captain Patricia Johnson who beat clubmate Margaret Mason by one hole in the final.
SCOREBOARD
DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Cardross Golf Club
Semi-finals
Sara Bishop (Windyhill) bt Isabel Harvey (St Rule) 7 and 6.
Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) bt Jill Foggo (Milngavie) 4 and 3.
Final
Bishop bt Webster 1 hole.
Bronze division championship
Final
Patricia Johnson (Cardross) bt Margaret Mason (Cardross) 1 hole.

Normal service will be resumed as soom as possible.....
I'm off to Hoylake for the BGCS President's Day, back on Saturday. If you are expecting anything important to happen, please check HotNews. I will have the laptop with me, but might not find the time or opportunity to update the site as often as you have come to expect!
If you are a burglar, please be aware that Tyson the Rottweiler has been starved for the last few days and is very hungry...

ELGA Press Release
£30,000 legacy to fund golf bursaries
The ELGA Trust, the charity for girls’ golf, is to make two bursary awards to students, thanks to a £30,000 legacy.
The money is from the estate of Mrs Lena Bellamy, whose father, Arnaud Massey, was the first overseas player to win The Open championship.
The Frenchman, described as cheerful, swashbuckling and engaging, won the title at Hoylake in 1907, beating JH Taylor by two shots.
Mrs Bellamy was a keen golfer and, although she did not leave a valid Will, the Court of Protection has agreed that her estate should be divided between various charities reflecting her interests.
Her legacy to the ELGA Trust will fund two Bellamy Bursary awards, each of £1500 per academic year. They will be made to English female golfers, irrespective of age or ethnicity, studying a golf-related subject at a college of higher or further education. Courses could include golf course management, turf management, greenkeeping, horticulture or sports management, among other subjects.
Further details of the Bellamy Bursary awards and application forms are available from the ELGA office at Edgbaston Golf Club, Church Road, Birmingham B15 3TB, telephone 0121 456 2088.

Helen Holm
Even more photographs are now in the album

Wednesday 27th April 2005

DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
HOLDER BISHOP THROUGH TO D AND A SEMI-FINALS
Sarah Bishop (Windyhill), pictured right, holder of the title, is through to Thursday morning's semi-finals of the Dunbartonshire & Argyll women's county golf championship at Cardross Golf Club.
The leading qualifier, Sarah was given a bye through to the quarter-finals, in which she beat Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) by 6 and 5. Miss Bishop now plays Isabel Harvey (St Rule for a place in the final.
The other semi-final features the No 2 seed, Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) against Jill Foggo (Milngavie).
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
Cardross Golf Club
First round
H Faulds (Douglas Park) bt L Campbell (Cardross) 2 and 1.
S Thomson (Cardross) bt E Young (Balmore) 3 and 1.
I Harvey (St Rule) bt H Macgregor (Hilton Park) 7 and 6.
H Holden (Cardross) bt P Cawley (Cardross) 4 and 2.
A Telfer (Milngavie) bt K Maxwell (Milngavie) 4 and 2.
Quarter-finals
S Bishop (Windyhill) bt Faulds 6 and 5.
Harvey bt Thomson 4 and 3.
J Foggo (Milngavie) bt Holden 4 and 3.
G Webster (Hilton Park) bt Telfer 7 and 5.
Bronze Division championship
First round
P Johnson (Cardross) bt A Crawford (Hilton Park) 4 and 3.
J Bankier (Hilton Park) bt D Buchanan (Cardross) 5 and 3.
M Mason (Cardross) bt C McGarrity (Hilton Park) 3 and 2.
M McHGhee (Balmore) bt M McCartney (Milngavie) 2 and 1.

St Andrews Links Trust Press Release
HOME OF GOLF TRIBUTE TO JACK NICKLAUS
To celebrate the return of Jack Nicklaus to the Open Championship in July,
St Andrews Links Golf Shops has introduced a limited edition print showing the Road Hole and the 18th green of the Old Course. Each of the 500 prints incorporates Nicklaus's lithograph signature, the unmistakable Golden Bear emblem and the logo of the 2005 Open Championship.
Nicklaus's relationship with the Old Course goes back to his first victory in 1970 when he said: "If a golfer is going to be remembered he must win the title at St Andrews. At last, it is my greatest dream come true."
He went on to win here again in 1978, the only golfer since 1905 to win the Open twice at St Andrews. A record of the great man's victories at the Home of Golf is included on the print, which is a panoramic lithograph by leading golf course photographer, Patrick Drickey. 
Commenting on the prints, Peter Mason, director of St Andrews Links Golf Shops, said: "Jack has a special relationship with St Andrews and it will be an emotional occasion when he walks up the 18th fairway this year. The prints commemorate his victories at St Andrews and his inspirational play during numerous Open Championships."
The prints, which are unframed and measure 27cm x37cm, are priced £150.  They are available from St Andrews Links Golf Shops, a wholly owned subsidiary of St Andrews Links Trust, at www.standrews.org.uk.

Prize-winners at the Helen Holm on Sunday
L to R: Runner-up Clare Queen, Stroke-play champion Martina Gillen,
Stenna Westerlund (best U-21), Sohvi Harkonen (Finland won the team prize)

Helen Holm Scottish Ladies' Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship
Those of you who are desperate to see Colin Farquharson's photos of the event need wait no longer... they are here

EGU Press Release
ENGLISH GOLF UNION SELECTS NEMISYS TO DEVELOP NEW WEBSITE
Following an extensive selection process the English Golf Union (EGU) have selected Nemisys to develop their new website. The website will be a key tool to increase the awareness of the EGU brand and provide a facility to interact and communicate with its members, clubs, counties, national teams and all other stakeholders.
Lynne Fraser, Marketing & PR Manager of the EGU said, “We initially approached Nemisys because of their existing reputation in the sports sector. Throughout the selection process they demonstrated great commitment and innovation. Now with the European Men’s Team Championship website to deliver in a very tight timescale they are clearly showing their abilities.”
Kevin Fowler, the Nemisys EGU Project Director, confirmed the Nemisys focus and commitment, “As a business, Nemisys are thrilled to be given the responsibility of building the EGU online presence. We are confident that we can bring a lot of benefits to the new site through our technical expertise and knowledge of sports governing bodies. As an avid golfer I am really excited about the possibilities – the opportunities are enormous!”
The new EGU site is due to go live later this summer, beginning with European Men’s Championship site in June.

Scottish junior golf to benefit as clubgolf and Golf Foundation join forces
In a significant development for the future of junior golf in Scotland, the Scottish national junior golf strategy, clubgolf, is pleased to confirm that the Golf Foundation will join forces with its existing partners to deliver the national programme.
Funded by the Scottish Executive, clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, PGA and sportscotland.  These partners will now be joined officially by the Golf Foundation.
The Golf Foundation was established over 50 years ago as a charity focussing on making the game of golf available to youngsters.  The Foundation organises a series of junior golf programmes across the British Isles.
The Golf Foundation’s activities within Scotland will be fully integrated into the clubgolf national programme and will make a key contribution to achieving the aim of introducing every nine year old in Scotland to golf by 2009.
“This is a significant milestone for the future of golf in Scotland and we welcome the Golf Foundation as an official clubgolf partner,” said Hamish Grey, Chief Executive of the Scottish Golf Union.  “The Foundation is at the forefront of junior golf development throughout the British Isles and brings with it a wealth of experience that will be crucial in helping us achieve our target of making golf accessible to every youngster in Scotland”.
“This is an exciting time for Scottish junior golf. During the clubgolf pilot phase in 2004, the number of juniors playing golf within clubs in Scotland grew by over four percent. With the experience and resources of the Foundation, we can build on this success by introducing even more youngsters to the game”.
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation stated: “We are delighted to be a part of the clubgolf initiative, which is helping to provide the opportunity for all young people in Scotland to experience the game of golf through a series of structured programmes.  This matches exactly with our organisation’s charitable purpose”.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE URGES GOLFERS TO TEE-OFF FOR CHARITY
Golfing legend Colin Montgomerie, OBE, is encouraging enthusiasts of the sport nationwide to put their handicaps to the test for charity this summer, by taking on Macmillan Cancer Relief’s Longest Day Challenge (13 June-13July)1.
The top cancer care charity’s sponsored golf marathon provides the perfect excuse for participants to indulge in their favourite game, while also raising money for a great cause. The challenge is to play four rounds of golf in just one day, on or around the longest day of the year, 21 June.
Participants can hit the green either individually or as part of a team with friends or colleagues, and can play at any golf course of their choice. For those entering a team of three or four golfers, there is also a chance to win a trip to the prestigious St Andrews Bay Golf Resort and Spa, to compete for the Longest Day Challenge Trophy2.
Colin Montgomerie said: “The Longest Day Challenge is the perfect excuse to have the ultimate golfing day while raising money for Macmillan Cancer Relief. It’s no easy task, finishing four rounds of golf in just one day, but if you’re into golf, why not take on the challenge!”
To help ensure the day is a success, here are just a few of Colin’s top tips:

• Plan ahead – step up your walking rate in the weeks leading up to the Challenge
• Conserve your energy - see if you can find a volunteer/s to caddy for you!
• Start your challenge at first light, have a good breakfast around 7:30am, have a light lunch before your third round and high tea before your final round
• If possible, arrange a massage before you start your third round
• Time is of the essence. Forget normal etiquette – first player at his/her ball plays and first player on the tee drives

This year for the first time there will also be a Junior Longest Day Challenge, open to golfers aged between 13 to 17 years. Participants are required instead to play two rounds of golf in one day and for those entering in teams of three or four, there is the chance to compete for the Junior Longest Day Challenge Trophy at The De Vere Belfry3.
Macmillan hopes the two nationwide events will raise more than £250,000 to help provide the expert care and emotional support that makes a real difference to people living with cancer.
Those who think they have the determination and stamina to take part, should call 020 7840 4615, email golf@macmillan.org.uk or visit www.macmillan.org.uk/golf for more information

Tuesday 26th April 2005

Juniors at Broomieknowe were delighted to meet Lothians' President. John Wood, and SGU President, Graham Ewart, tonight at a Junior Evening organised by the Club. John Wood presented David Fairbairn, Junior Convenor, with a copy of the SGU/SLGA Junior Charter, which will be displayed with pride in the Clubhouse. Also in the picture are Broomieknowe Ladies' Captain, Gillian Kirkwood, and Captain, David Kirkwood.

Runner-up Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), girls' section winner Carly Booth (Auchterarder) and Colin McLeod (Golf Services Manager of Carnoustie Links Trust.
Michele bogeyed last two holes of Carnoustie's tough finish to lose out by one shot (78-80) to Carly.

Faldo Series
CARLY PIPS MICHELE WITH LATE BIRDIE AT CARNOUSTIE
Carly Booth (Auchterarder) pipped Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) for the girls’ top placing on the day with a five-over-par 79, one ahead of Michele, in the first Scottish qualifying competition of the 2005 Nick Faldo Junior Series played over the Carnoustie Championship links in what was latterly very wet weather which raised the women’s courese CSS from 75 to 77.
Carly had halves of 40 and 39, her only birdie, at the 16th, proving decisive in the final analysis. Michele was out in 39 and home in 41 for her score of 80. She bogeyed the last two holes when two pars would have given her first prize.
It was a two-horse race in the all-in category for girls as third-placed Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) finished third on 86.
Out in 39 to Carly’s 40, Michelle’s one-shot advantage remained when they duplicated each other’s figures for the first six holes after the turn.
Then 12-year-old Miss Booth drew level with her rival when she birdied the 16th with a three-wood off the tee, a pitch to 15ft and a single putt for a 3.. Miss Thomson had a regulation 4.
At the 17th, Michelle had a bogey 5 to Carly’s par 4 which meant Carly was n=ow one shot ahead. Then they both bogeyed Carnoustie’s testing last hole.
Carly came home in two-over 39 to Michelle’s four-over 41.
The next Nick Faldo Junior Series Scottish qualifier is at Blairgowrie on June 24 with the third and final event, which will decide those who go forward to the Grand Final in the autumn at a south of England venue, will be held at Barassie on August 30.
Banchory’s James Byrne and Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) shared the honour of the lowest score of the day - one-over-par 73s against the men’s course CSS of 77.
James, pictured below right, despite three-putting two of the first three greens and running up a double-bogey 6 at the 10th, headed the Under-16 years’  boys’ section with his 73 which also included birdies at the fourth, sixth and 11th in halves of 36 and 37. Byrne won his section by five shots from Kristopher Harper (Carnoustie).
Michael had birdies at the first, sixth and ninth in halves of 34 and 39 for his 73 to win the Under-15 boys’ category by four shots from Kyle Smith (Troon St Meddans).
On a card countback between the pair, James Byrne gained the overall top prize on a better inward half.
Former British boys’ champion Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) and Daniel Torrance (Sunningdale), son of the past Ryder Cup skipper, were the two biggest names in action but struggled to show their true form in the worst of the conditions.
Jordan had an 81 and Daniel an 83 in the Under-17 boys’ section won jointly by Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) and Jamie Neilson (Dunbar) with 78s.
Robbie King (Dumbarton) won the Under-18 boys with an 80, one ahead of Philip McLean (Peterhead) and Euan Malcolm (Dunferfmline)
Fraser Skene (Tantallon) led the Under-21 boys with a 77 - two ahead of Frazer Bone (Cardross).
COLLATED SCORES
GIRLS (Par 74, CSS 77).
79 Carly Booth (Auchterarder).
80 Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon).
86 Pamela Prestswell (Bothwell Castle).
89 Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth))
93 Jacqueline Sneddon (Scotscraig).
96 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey)
BOYS (Par 72, CSS 77).
Under-21 years
77 Fraser Skene (Tantallon).
79 Frazer Bone (Cardross)
80 Johnny Walkden (Royal Montrose).
81 James Donaldson (Brucefields).
82 John Forbes (Inverness).
83 Ross McKen (Newburgh on Ythan), Jamie Gardiner (Montrose Mercantile)
84 Evan Bryceland (Craigielaw).
85 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
86 Kevin Truscott (Newmachar).
89 Allan McKie (Glencruitten), Ross Lando (Colville Park).
Under-17 years
78 Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), Jamie Neilson (Dunbar).
79 Ross Bell (Downfield), Gordon Stevenson (Golf House Club).
80 Thomas Bassett (Warley Park), Graeme Mitchell (Northern), Jamie Mackay (Barassie).
81 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh)
82 Tom Higson (Eyemouth).
83 Zack Saltman (Craigielaw), Daniel Torrance (Sunningdale)
84 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), Ross Kellett (Colville Park).
88 Stuart Henderson (Barassie).
Under-18 years
80 Robbie King (Dumbarton).
81 Euan Malcolm (Dunfermline), Philip McLean (Peterhead).
82 Michael Watson (Elgin), Joe Lockie (Tantallon).
83 Stuart Robin (Prestwick St Nicholas).
84 Scott Borrowman (Dollar), Stephen Neilson (Dunbar)
86 Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth).
87 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New).
Under-16 years
73 James Byrne (Banchory)
78 Kristopher Harper (Carnoustie).
79 Simon Barras (Helensburgh).
82 Michael Daily (Erskine), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie).
83 Jonathan Caldwell (Greenock), Neil Henderson (The Glen).
88 David Parlane (Helensburgh).
89 Nial Kearns (Omagh).
Under-15 years
73 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck).
77 Kyle Smith (Troon St Meddans).
82 Sam Binning (Old Ranfurly), Scott Fraser (Northern).
85 Greg Duncan (Craigielaw).
86 Andrew Abercrombie (Largs), Fraser Lawrie (Largs), Tommy Mitchell (Longside).
87 Nick Avanzo (Milano).
92 James Hendrick (Pollock).

Midlothian County Championship
The Midlothian County Ladies' Golf Association Championship Qualifying Competition over 36 holes was played at Ratho Park Golf Course on a cold and damp day. East of Scotland Girls Champion, 13 year old Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), pictured right, headed the qualifiers with 147 (74 73) Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) was second with 148 (69 79). Belinda Murphy (Prestonfield) took third place with 149 (75 74) and Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall) was fourth on 152 (76 76).
Claire Hargan led the morning qualifiers with a three under par 69, an unconfirmed course record. She made a great start and was three under after four holes, and although she dropped a couple of shots she reached the turn in 35. Birdies at 10 and 11 brought her back to three under and another birdie at 17 got her to four under the card, but a bogey finish took her back to 69.
Sally Watson, a Scottish Girls Internationalist, recently returned from a trip to the USA, had the best round of the afternoon, a 73.
The knock-out match play will also be held at Ratho Park on Friday April 29th, with the semi-finals and final on Sunday 1st May.
Collated Scores (CSS 72, 73)
147 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 74, 73
148 Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 69, 79
149 Belinda Murphy (Prestonfield) 75, 74
152 Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall) 76, 76
153 Jennifer Bryans (Harburn) 77, 76; Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 75, 78; Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 73, 80
154 Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) 75, 79; Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 74, 80
155 Rebecca Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 76, 79
156 Elizabeth Stewart (Greenburn) 80, 76
158 Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 80, 78; Noreen Fenton (Merchants) 80, 78
159 Mandy Easton (Dalmahoy) 80, 79
161 Aileen Kennedy (Harburn) 77, 84
162 Karen Marshall (Baberton) 82, 80
164 Hilary Laughland (Mortonhall) 80, 84
166 Kate Rorke (Kingsknowe) 80, 86
167 Caroline Johnstone (Murrayfield) 86, 81
170 Kate Logan (Merchants) 84, 86; Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 82, 88
171 Linda Caine (Merchants) 85, 86
174 Caroline Steedman (Baberton) 89, 85; Mairi Pollock (Craigmillar Park ) 88, 86; Betty Anderson (Deer Park) 87, 87
175 Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 91, 84; Rita Dee (Kingsknowe) 88, 87; Joan Marshall (Baberton) 87, 88
177 Pam Stephenson (Glencorse) 87, 90
181 Pam Townsend (Murrayfield) 89, 92
194 Gillian Glen (Craigmillar Park) 101, 93
Draw
April 29th - Championship Match Play - First Round -
09:00 Sally Watson vs Kate Rorke
09:07 Jane Turner vs Kirsten Blackwood
09:15 Jennifer Bryans vs Noreen Fenton
09:22 Mandy Easton vs Tracy Laughland
09:30 Belinda Murphy vs Karen Marshall
09:37 Elizabeth Stewart vs Claire MacDonald
09:45 Wendy Nicholson vs Rebecca Watson
09:52 Hilary Laughland vs Claire Hargan

Leader of the Paull & Williamsons Order of Merit, Clare Queen, with SLGA President Nancy Chisholm

Paull & Williamsons Order of Merit
BIRTHDAY GIRL CLARE QUEEN IS TOP OF THE P&W RANKINGS
Clare Queen will celebrate her 22nd birthday on Friday (April 29) as the leader of the Paull & Williamsons' Rankings, the new Scottish Ladies Golfing Association "league table" of tournament performances.
The Drumpellier player, the only full-time amateur in the top half-dozen, lost a play-off to Ireland's Martina Gillen in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Troon on Sunday - the first counting event designated by the SLGA.
"I would have loved to have won the 'Helen Holm' for the first time but it didn't seem possible that I would figure in a play-off when I scrambled out in two-over-par 39 in the final round," said Miss Queen.
"Then my game suddenly clicked and I strung a few birdies together, including one at the last for a 73 which made me the clubhouse leader at 10-under-par 215. Then Martina came in to join me on that mark and hole a big birdie putt at the first extra hole to win the play-off.
"I'm definitely a better player since I left Strathclyde University and did nothing but play golf. Usually, I don't hit my best form until about July. But here I am in April, having played several tournaments in Portugal and Spain - been runner-up in the Sherry Cup and runner-up in the 'Helen Holm' so that shows how far ahead I am of where I used to be.
"Yes, I do want to be a tour pro but I want to have an outstanding last season as an amateur before I go to the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at the end of the year."
Clare Queen averaged minus 3.3 strokes in relation to CSS (Competitive Scratch Score) for the three rounds at Troon Portland and Royal Troon and has a clear lead in the P&W Rankings for which only Scots-born or permanent residents of Scotland and events in Scotland are considered.
In the No 2 spot with an average of minus 0.6 is new Fife county champion Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) who finished 12th in the "Helen Holm." Still waiting for a first cap at full international level, Fiona must be knocking on the selectors' door for belated recognition.
St Regulus clubmate Krystle Caithness, only 16 years old, and the Scottish Under-18 as well as Under-16 girls' champion, is in third place with an average of 0.6.
The next counting event for the P&W rankings is the Scottish women's amateur championship at Cruden Bay from May 17 to 21. Only the two stroke-play qualifying rounds will come into the reckoning.

US College Golf
Louise selected as an Individual for the NCCA Central Regional
From the Iowa State website....
AMES, Iowa - Iowa State senior Louise Kenney was selected by the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Committee to play as an individual in the NCAA Central Regional Championship on Monday. The 21-team tournament will take place May 5-7 at Jerry S. Rawls Course, Lubbock, Texas, hosted by Texas Tech University. Only three individual golfers are selected from each of the three regionals by the NCAA, with golfers from competing teams automatically qualifying.
The Dunfermline, Scotland native has recorded five top five finishes this season, including setting a record for a 54-hole score with a 214 at the Mountain View Collegiate back on March 26-27. Kenney, who was named Big 12 Golfer of the Month for March, carries a 74.49 stroke average into the Big 12 Championship, almost two full strokes ahead of her school-record 76.4 stroke average in the 2002-03 season.
Kenney became the first women's golfer in ISU history to qualify for a regional as an individual in 2003. Kenney recorded a 238 at the NCAA Central Regional at the Firethorn Country Club in Lincoln, Neb., at that tournament
Eight teams and two individuals from each region will advance to the NCAA Championship finals, to be held at the Sunriver Resort on the Meadows Course, Sunriver, Oregon, hosted by Oregon State University and Sunriver Resort.

Ayrshire Girls
14 girls from throughout Ayrshire played in Ayrshire County Ladies Junior Section's opening Medal for the season at Ballochmyle on Sunday. On a lovely sunny afternoon scoring was good and proved there is a lot of young talent emerging.
Results: Category 1 (Handicaps 0-29) Category 2 (Handicaps 30-36)
Nett Scores
Katie MacPherson (Barassie) 73 Kelly MacNee (Loudoun) 73
Hannah Gaunt (Troon Bentinck) 75 Kenzie Sharkey (Troon Bentinck)76
Scratch: Vicki Smith (Barassie) 93
In the Pre-Handicap Section, 8 girls played 10 holes. Connie Jaffrey (Troon Bentinck), aged only 8 won the 8-11 years age group with a fine score of 63.
Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) finished 2nd with a 75. Rachel Smith (Troon Bentinck) was the winner in the 12-13 years group scoring 59 with Rachel Milloy (Prestwick St. Nicholas) second on 73. Mhairi McKay and Rachel Smith won the putting competition.

SLGA President Nancy Chisholm presents a Vice-President's badge to Jessie Valentine
with Margaret Given looking on

Jessie Valentine gets a 90th Birthday surprise!
SLGA president Nancy Chisholm travelled up to present Jessie with her SLGA vice presidency brooch/badge on her 90th birthday (March 28th)
Jessie asked how much she had to pay for it! She said she was delighted to receive such an honour and would wear most days.
Nancy assured her it was a gift from the association.
Nancy said they had a great time (Margaret Given, chairman of the Scottish LGA in 1984-85 and currently a member of SLGA Rules and Regulations Committee, accompanied her). Jessie was full of life, keeping well and interested to know what was going on in the world of ladies' golf.
She has been in a retirement/nursing home at Bridge of Earn for a number of years since her husband George died.

Press Release
Mill Hill School launches 2005 Junior Open Golf Tournament
The first Junior Open Golf Tournament for UK independent schools will take place at Hendon Golf Club, North London, on July 7, 2005.
Organised and hosted by Mill Hill School, in association with Hendon Golf Club, the Junior Open is for boys and girls, aged seven to 18, playing in teams of three or as individuals.
Organiser David Quin said, "The main objective of this tournament is to provide a platform for young golfers from independent schools around the country to show their talents. It is hoped the team format will bring the best from all the golfers.
"So far we have invited around 100 of the UK's Independent Schools to take part. The response has been very positive with 100 students already entered. This event is open to all independent schools throughout the UK with Mill Hill School providing overnight accommodation for golfers travelling from distant corners of the country."
With three age bands - under-13, under-15 and under-18 years, the event will include prizes for both individuals and teams of three.
David added, "The timing of the event has been planned to coincide with the build up to The Open, taking place a week later at St Andrews. Ultimately we would like to develop this event in years to come with the inclusion of every school golfer in the country."
Mill Hill School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school located in North London offering education to boys and girls aged between three and 18 in its three schools.
Hendon Golf Club, just one mile from Mill Hill School, is a par-70, 6,289-yard parkland course. It was founded in 1903, remodelled after the First World War with a new clubhouse in 1965. Course designer, Harry Shapland Colt, also designed Sunningdale, Wentworth, Eden Course at St Andrews.
For more information please visit www.thejunioropen.com or call organiser David Quin on 020 8959 2635.

Dunbartonshire and Argyll County Championship (thanks to Margaret Gibb, Secretary, D&A)
The Qualifying round has been played today at Cardross Golf Club, SSS 75, and the weather was foul during much of the morning! Thirty five ladies withdrew from the competition and at the end of the day only 13 went through to the matchplay stage for the Championship and 8 for the Bronze Salver.
Despite the weather Sara Bishop (Windyhill)  had a gross 75, Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) 80 and Jill Foggo (Milngavie) 81.
The matchplay begins tomorrow and finishes on Thursday 28th April.

Monday 25th April 2005

US College Golf
Louise Kenney finishes in the top 15 and is named in the All Big-12 First team
Scottish Internationalist Louise Kenney from Dunfermline notched the third-best 54-hole in Iowa State conference championship history, tying for 12th with a 230 at the Big 12 Championship at Austin, Texas on Sunday.
Kenney, who was named to the All Big-12 First Team on Friday, opened with back-to-back 70s before finishing with a 76 for the best Big 12 finish of her career. She tied for 14th at last year's conference championship in Columbia, Mo., and qualified as an individual for the NCAA Central Regional Championship.
The Iowa State women's golf team carded a final-round 326 to finish 12th at the Big 12 Championship on Sunday. The Cyclones shot rounds of 317 and 314 in the first two rounds but slipped to finish with a 54-hole total of 957, two strokes behind 11th place Colorado.

West Vets Spring Meeting
25th April  West Kilbride  SSS 73  CSS 76 (counting)
Scratch E. Hanlon 84
Silver
1st   M Cameron, Whitecraigs 74 (13) 
2nd  S Scott, Troon 75 (19) bih
3rd  G Campbell, Bearsden 75 (13)
Bronze
1st   M Orr, Whitecraigs 73 (22)
2nd  M Doonan, Milngavie 74 (25)

PGA Press Release
THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA AT THE PGA
History is to be made today when Beverly Lewis becomes the first woman to captain The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA).
She has been the lady-in-waiting for the last two years as captain elect and succeeds John Yeo to the post following the PGA’s Annual General Meeting being held at The DeVere Belfry near Sutton Coldfield.
Her appointment marks a significant breakthrough for the professional game, which has been male dominated over the last century. 
Commenting, PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said:   “After 104 years with a man at the helm, it’s a refreshing change to have a lady as PGA captain. Bev is more than qualified for the role and was voted for unanimously by the board on the basis of her professional credentials, as the best candidate available.”
As Captain of the PGA, Beverly will be an ambassador for the Association and represent the membership at all the official functions and major golf events including the Open and the US Masters, which she attended this month for the first time.
Her credentials are endless and capture a remarkable career in golf since being first introduced to the game at the age of 18 years, when she played at a local pitch-n-putt course in open toed sandals with a club bought from a junk shop in Southend!
She is a founder member of the Women’s PGA, one of the first lady professionals to gain PGA membership, a qualified R&A referee, a respected lecturer on the sport, an author not to mention a highly regarded teacher and a key member of the BBC TV commentary team.
In spite of having two years to get used to the idea, Beverly says she’s still slightly stunned at being elected to her new role.
“This is an amazing honour, and I couldn’t have been more surprised than if someone had asked me to be Queen!  I am delighted to be in a position to champion women’s golf, as well as having the opportunity to make a difference within the professional circles of the game.
“I have learned a lot about the role over the last two years by working alongside John Yeo and now I can’t wait to take the reigns myself.
“It’s quite daunting when you are described as a role model for women, I hope that I am able to show everyone that golf isn’t just for retired men, but an exciting sport that welcomes all, including teenagers – at every level.  If I can leave a legacy I hope it is that of massively increasing the numbers of female golfers in the UK from school girls to working mums.”
Beverly, who currently teaches at the Brentwood Golf Centre has also become one of the sport's most prolific authors with ten teaching books currently to her credit.  Her other links with golf in Essex are with Thorndon Park Golf Club, where she has been a member for nearly 30 years.
Supporting Beverly in her role will be captain elect Parnell Reilly who is head professional at Bradley Park GC in Yorkshire.  Named after an Irish rebel Charles Stuart Parnell, Huddersfield born and bred, Parnell began his golfing career as a caddy and he soon fell in love with the game.  He will succeed Beverly Lewis in 2007.

Press Release
79TH ROEHAMPTON GOLD CUP (Roehampton, London SW15)
Saturday April 23, 2005
Sarah Heath (23), pictured right, a pro attached to The Belfry and sponsored by Oakley, won the Roehampton Gold Cup on Saturday in south-west London with scores of 74 & 71 (Total 145) over the par 72 course. At her second visit to Roehampton, Sarah, former Shropshire and England player, enjoyed some luck on the tricky greens.
The 15 year old amateur from Yeovil, Dorset, Henrietta Brockway, came in second with rounds of 74 & 72 (Total 146) at her first visit to Roehampton. She appreciated the demands of the parkland course and could have scored better had the putts dropped. Henrietta, who plays off 1, has ambitions to turn professional at 18. In the meantime she is planning to take her GCSE exams next year and will continue to improve her golf under the eye of her coach Jeremy Bennett at Windlesham.
Portugal based Sophie Hunter was in third place on 147 (77,70). This left hander from Lincolnshire has just qualifed as a PGA teaching pro, is currently based at Golfers’ Paradise in Almansil, but has ambitions on the US Tour.
Adding to the international field, Alison Munt from Queensland Australia came in fourth on 149 (73 & 76). Her first visit to Roehampton, she is based at Birmingham this summer and competing on the LET.
Defending her title Alison Coffey, the Irish international and former Curtis Cup player, from Worplesdon in Surrey could only manage a 151 (75&76) coming in ninth.
This event has been open to professionals since 1982 and they faired better on a damp, windless day. After a ballot from the total 98 entries received from amateurs and pros, there were 21 pros in the field of 60 on Saturday.

Henrietta Brockway receives her prize after the Roehampton Gold Cup

Sunday 24th April 2005

Helen Holm Final result
MARTINA GILLEN BEAT CLARE QUEEN IN "HELEN HOLM" TITLE PLAY-OFF
Dubliner Martina Gillen holed a 45ft birdie putt at the first extra hole to pip Clare Queen in a sudden-death play-off and become the first Irish player to win the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Troon today (Sunday).
[Photo right: runner-up Clare Queen and 2005 Scottish Stroke-Play Champion Martina Gillen, courtesy and copyright © Cal Carson Golf Agency]
The pair had finished at the head of the international-class field with 54-hole aggregates of 10-under-par 215.
Clare holed a birdie putt at the last for a closing round of two-under-par 73 over the Royal Troon links to be the leader in the clubhouse. Then 23-year-old Martina, the long-time clear leader out of the course, doubled-bogeyed the short 14th on her way to a 75 to join the 21-year-old from Drumpellier on the 10-under-par mark.
Miss Queen, who will be 22 later this week, won a play-off to take the British women's stroke-play title last summer but her luck ran out in this one, down Royal Troon's par-4 first hole. Clare drove right and then her approach ran through the green to the right, leaving her a tricky 30yd pitch shot. She did well to get within 10ft of the cup in three shots.
But Martina, who intends turning pro at the end of the season, rendered the Scot's fourth shot un-necessary when she rammed home a 40ft putt for title-winning birdie 3, having played a magnificent 100yd shot from a fairway bunker to get on the putting surface.
Rachel Bell (Ganton) and Finland's Stenna Westerlund tied for third place on 216, one shot behind the play-off participants.
Miss Westerlund won the Under-21s' trophy.
Naomi Edwards (Ganton) and Melissa Reid (Chevin) equalled the Troon Portland course record of eight-under-par 67 in the first round. Naomi had a second-round 72 over the same course to be on 11 under par 139 with a one-shot lead from Martina Gillen and Stenna Westerlund at the start of the final 18 holes over Royal Troon.
Collated scoreboard
HELEN HOLM SCOTTISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Troon Portland (Sat, 2) & Royal Troon (Sun, 1)
FINAL TOTALS (Par 75-75-75) CSS 74-75-76
215 C Queen (Drumpellier) 70 72 73, M Gillen (Beaverstown) 70 70 75.
216 R Bell (Ganton) 72 69 75, S Westerlund (Fin) 70 70 76.
217 N Edwards (Ganton) 67 72 78.
219 T Mangan (Enis) 72 75 72.
220 K Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 72 75 73.
221 T Nilsson (Swe) 70 77 74, M Reid (Chevin) 67 78 76..
222 S Harkonen (Fin) 71 77 74, L Ball (Matfen Hall) 76 69 77.
223 F Lockhart (St Regulus) 74 72 77.
224 N Gergely (Aut) 77 74 73.
225 K Werdinig (Aut) 73 78 74, E Sheffield (Newark) 73 76 76, E Duggleby (Malton & Norton) 73 75 77, J Ewart (Catterick) 73 74 78, K Smith (Waterlooville) 75 72 78.
226 F Sanderson (Heworth) 75 75 76, S Evans (Vale of Llangollen) 72 76 78, C Coughlan (Cork) 75 73 78, M Morrin (The Curragh) 75 72 79.
227 K Caithness (St Regulus) 74 75 78, S Keane (The Curragh) 71 76 80, D Smith (Co Louth) 72 75 80.
228 M Smith (The Oaks) 76 77 75, L Eastwood (Yelverton) 73 75 80.
229 A Laing (Vale of Leven) 74 79 76, S Endstrasser (Aut) 76 74 79, K Brotherton (Tulliallan) 73 75 81.
230 K Milne (Dunfermline) 76 79 75, O Briggs (Stirling Univ) 78 72 80.
231 C Booth (Auchterarder) 80 75 76, J Wilson (Strathaven) 77 76 78, V Stefansen (Den) 75 77 79, S Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) 78 71 82, C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 74 74 83, C Smith (The Oaks) 74 72 85.
232 S Michl (Austria) 77 79 76, J Ross (Whiteley Bay) 82 73 77, A Marshall (Stirling Univ) 76 78 78, S Bishop (Windyhill) 76 78 78, M Jorgensen (Den) 76 77 79
233 E Brandt (US) 75 83 75, C Hargan (Mortonhall) 73 81 79, S Mantyniemi (Fin) 75 79 79, G Webster (Hilton Park) 82 72 79, N Isaksson (Fin) 77 75 81.
234 C Hedwall (Swe) 73 81 80.
235 C Lindholm (Swe) 78 78 79, S Garbutt (Ganton) 79 76 80.
236 R Lomas (Hallowes) 73 83 80, D Dewar (Stirling Univ) 75 81 80, L Hall (Royal Porthcawl) 80 75 81.
237 S O'Sullivan (Galway) 81 76 80, C Lee (West Lancs) 79 74 84, K Heywood (Crompton & Royton) 76 73 88.
238 C Melander (Swe) 79 80 79, M Pow (Selkirk) 81 78 79.
239 R Svahn (Fin) 78 76 85.
240 A-K Salmen (Fin) 79 84 77, S Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 76 82 82.
241 C Frick (Swe) 79 76 86.
244 A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 78 80 86.
247 J Carthew (Ladybank) 82 78 87.
248 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 84 80 84, L Persson (Swe) 81 81 86.
249 S Raitt (Forfar) 77 84 88.
251 K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 83 77 91, S Brodie (Delamere Forest) 78 81 92.
254 E Tipping (Sandiway) 79 85 90.
275 C Montgomery (US) 93 82 100.
TEAM EVENT
438 Finland (S Westerlund, S Harkonen).
445 Ireland (T Mangan, C Coughlan).
446 Scotland (C Queen, J Wilson).
450 England (E Duggleby, K Smith).
453 Austria.
462 Wales (S Evans, L Hall).
463 Denmark.
472 Sweden.

"HELEN HOLM" UPDATE FROM COURSE
FINAL ROUND ON ROYAL TROON
LEADERBOARD
AFTER 9 HOLES
- 11 MARTINA GILLEN (Ireland)
-10 STENNA WESTERLUND (Finland)
-9 NAOMI EDWARDS (England)
-8 RACHEL BELL (England) (after 10 holes)
-7 CLARE QUEEN (Scotland) (after 10 holes)

Saturday 23rd April 2005

Helen Holm update after two rounds completed
NAOMI LEADS HELEN HOLM FIELD INTO FINAL ROUND AT ROYAL TROON
Yorkshire girl Naomi Edwards, pictured right, is the one they all have to catch over the final 18 holes of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship on Sunday. After cruising to 11-under-par 139 with rounds  of 67 and 72 at bright but latterly breezy Troon Portland, the 21-year-old Naomi from Ganton carries an one-shot lead from Ireland's Martina Gillan and Stenna Westerlund (Finland) into the closing round over the tough Open championship links of Royal Troon Golf Club.
Clare Queen (Drumpellier), runner-up in the Sherry Cup in Spain recently,  was the top Scot with scores of 70 and 72 to be tucked in behind the leaders in fifth place overnight on 142.
New Fife county champion Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus), with a 74 and 72 for 146, was another Scot in the leading 10.
Naomi Edwards' first-round equalled the tournament course record set by Joanne Hockley (Felixstowe Ferry) in 1996 and also matched the 67 returned 20min earlier on Saturday by another English youngster, Melissa Reid (Chevin).
Naomi had only one bogey on her morning card, at the par-5 fourth. She reached the turn in two-under-par 36 and then came storming home in only 31 shots - six under the card. She had four birdies and an eagle over the last seven holes.
Her eagle came at the par-5 18th; her birdies at the first, sixth, eighth, 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th. Miss Edwards had birdie 2s at three short holes.
A cool East cross wind made low scoring a lot more difficult in the afternoon but Naomi's three-under 72 included a couple of three putts, for a bogey at the 10th and for a par at the 11th where she got home at this 488yd hole with a driver and a three-wood.
She grabbed her second eagle of the day at the 399yd sixth where she hit the green with a driver and a six-iron and downed a 6ft putt for a 3. Miss Edwards had birdies at the fourth, 12th, 13th and 18th. Bunker visits cost her shots at the seventh and 17th in halves of 36 and 36.
"I like playing at Troon. I was ninth on my debut in this event in 2003 and fourth last year so I know what to expect in the last round over Royal Troon," said Naomi who was ninth in the Sherry Cup international tournament in Spain earlier and played for the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad beaten by the Ladies European Tour professionals at Wentworth in the Weetabix Challenge last weekend.
Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Irish girls champion in 2004 and national women's title-winner in 2003, put together two very solid rounds of 70 for 140 to give herself an outstanding chance of becoming the first Irish player to win the "Helen Holm" in the tournament's 32-year history.
Martina, who spent four years at Kent State College, Ohio, had a triple bogey 8 at the 11th in her morning round, which took the gloss of a 34-36 card that contained seven birdies.
In the second round, Miss Gillen did not drop a shot and had birdies at the eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th and 18th in halve of 36 and 34.
Late in the day, when the wind dropped slightly, Rachel Bell (Ganton) came in with the best second-round score of 69. That gave her a two-round tally of 141 and fourth place.
English girls champion Melissa Reid notched up 11 birdies - five of them in a row from the sixth - to share the first-round lead with Naomi Edwards but required 11 more shots at the second attempt, scoring a 78 for a total of 145.
Defending champion Emma Duggleby (Malton & Norton) had a 73 and a 75 for 148, to be nine shots off the pace.
Collated scoreboard
HELEN HOLM SCOTTISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Troon Portland (Par 75)
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
139 N Edwards (Ganton) 67 72.
140 S Westerlund (Finland) 70 70, M Gillen (Beaverstown) 70 70.
141 R Bell (Ganton) 72 69.
142 C Queen (Drumpellier) 70 72.
145 M Reid (Chevin) 67 78, L Ball (Matfen Hall) 76 69.
146 C Smith (The Oaks) 74 72, F Lockhart (St Regulus) 74 72.
147 K Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 72 75, D Smith (Co Louth) 72 75, S Keane (The Curragh) 71 76, J Ewart (Catterick) 73 74, K Smith (Waterlooville) 75 72, T Nilsson (Sweden) 70 77, M Morrin (The Curragh) 75 72, T Mangan (Ennis) 72 75.
148 K Brotherton (Tulliallan) 73 75, S Harkonen (Finland) 71 77, C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 74 74, S Evans (Vale of Llangollen) 72 76, L Eastwood (Yelverton) 73 75, C Coughlan (Cork) 75 73, E Duggleby (Malton & Norton) 73 75.
149 E Sheffield (Newark) 73 76, K Heywood (Crompton & Royton) 76 73, S Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) 78 71, K Caithness (St Regulus) 74 75.
150 O Briggs (Stirling Univ) 78 72, F Sanderson (Heworth) 75 75, S Endstrasser (Austria) 76 74.
151 N Gergely (Austria) 77 74, K Werdinig (Austria) 73 78.
152 N Isaksson (Finland) 77 75, V Stefansen (Denmark) 75 77.
153 M Jorgensen (Denmark) 76 77, M Smith (The Oaks) 76 77, J Wilson (Strathaven) 77 76, C Lee (West Lancs) 79 74, A Laing (Vale of Leven) 74 79.
154 G Webster (Hilton Park) 82 72, C Hedwall (Sweden) 73 81, R Svahn (Finland) 78 76, A Marshall (Stirling Univ) 76 78, S Bishop (Windyhill) 76 78, C Hargan (Mortonhall) 73 81, S Mantyniemi (Finland) 75 79.
155 S Michl (Austria) 77 78, J Ross (Whitley Bay) 82 73, C Frick (Sweden) 79 76, L Hall (Royal Porthcawl) 80 75, S Garbutt (Ganton) 79 76, C Booth (Auchterarder) 80 75, K Milne (Dunfermline) 76 79.
156 D Dewar (Stirling Univ) 75 81, C Lindholm (Sweden) 78 78, R Lomas (Hallowes) 73 83.
157 S O'Sullivan (Galway) 81 76.
158 S Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 76 82, A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 78 80, E Brandt (US) 75 83.
159 M Pow (Selkirk) 81 78, S Brodie (Delamere Forest) 78 81, C Mellander (Sweden) 79 80.
160 K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 83 77, J Carthew (Ladybank) 82 78.
161 S Raitt (Forfar) 77 84.
162 L Persson (Sweden) 81 81
163 A-K Salmen (Finland) 79 84.
164 E Tipping (Sandiway) 79 85, K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 84 80.
175 C Montgomery (US) 93 82.

Helen Holm Round 1
ENGLISH GIRLS SHARE RECORD-EQUALLING LEAD IN FIRST ROUND OF "HELEN HOLM"
TWO young English girls - Melissa Reid and Naomi Edwards - made good scores while the sun shone and before the wind got up at Troon today (Sat) for the start of the 54-hole Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play
championship.
First Melissa, last year's English Under-18 girls' champion from Chevin near Derby, and then Naomi from Ganton, Yorkshire equalled the women's course record of eight-under-par 67 in the first round to open up a three-shot lead.
Melissa actually had the staggering haul of 11 birdies which helped her overcome the handicap of bogeys at the third, fourth and fifth.
Miss Reid birdied the first, second, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 18th in halves of 35 (three under par) and 32 (five under par).
She was able to birdie seven of the par-5 holes.
Naomi had only one bogey on her card, at the par-5 fourth. She reached the turn in two-under-par 36 and then cam storming home in only 31 shots - six under the card. She had four birdies and an eagle over the last seven holes.
Her eagle came at the par-5 18th; her birdies at the first, sixth, eighth, 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th. Miss Edwards had birdie 2s at three short holes.
The tournament record of 67 for Troon Portland was originally set by Joanne Hockley (Felixstone Ferry) in 1996 and later equalled by Fiona Brown (Heswall) in 2001. Both went on to win the tournament.
Leading Scot at the end of the first round was Clare Queen (Drumpellier), joint third with former Irish champion Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) and Finland's Stenna Westerlund and
Therese Nilsson from Sweden, on the five-under 70 mark.
With the wind beginning to freshen, defending champion Emma Duggleby (Malton & North) came in after 3pm with a 73, one better than Scottish title-holder Anne Laing (Vale of Leven).
Carly Booth (Auchterarder), at 12 years of age the youngest competitor in the field, returned a score of 80 which really was a game of two halves for the Perthshire prodigy. Making her debut in the event, she struggled to the turn in 46, but came home in fine style with a three-under-par inward card of 34.
FIRST ROUND
(Troon Portland, Par 75 CSS 74)
67 M Reid (Chevin), N Edwards (Ganton).
70 S Westerlund (Finland), T Nilsson (Sweden), M Gillen (Beaverstown), C Queen (Drumpellier).
71 S Harkonen (Finland), S Keane (The Curragh).
72 K Matharu (Cookridge Hall), D Smith (Co Louth), S Evans (Vale of Llangollen), T Mangan (Ennis), R Bell (Ganton).
73 K Brotherton (Tulliallan), E Sheffield (Newark), L Eastwood (Yelverton), J Ewart (Catterick), C Hargan (Mortonhall), K Werdinig (Austria), E Duggleby (Malton & Norton), R Lomas (Hallowes).
74 C Gruber (Royal Dornoch), C Smith (The Oaks), F Lockhart (St Regulus), A Laing (Vale of Leven), K Caithness (St Regulus).
75 D Dewar (Stirling Univ), C Hedwall (Sweden), C Coughlan (Cork), K Smith (Waterlooville), V Stefansen (Denmark), F Sanderson (Heworth), M Morrin (The Curragh), E Brandt (US), S Mantyniemi (Finland).
76 S Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), M Jorgensen (Denmark), K Heywood (Crompton & Royton), M Smith (The Oaks), A Marshall (Stirling University), K Milne (Dunfermline), S Bishop (Windyhill), S Endstrasser (Austria), L Ball (Matfen
Hall).
77 S Michl (Austria), N Isaksson (Finland), N Gergely (Austria), J Wilson (Strathaven), S Raitt (Forfar).
78 R Svahn (Finland), A Ramsay (Kirriemuir), O Briggs (Stirling Univ), S Brodie (Delamere Forest), S Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), C Lindholm (Sweden).
79 E Tipping (Sandiway), C Frick (Sweden), S Garbutt (Ganton), A-K Salmen (Finland), C Lee (West Lancs), C Melander (Sweden).
80 L Hall (Royal Porthcawl), C Booth (Auchterarder).
81 S O'Sullivan (Galway), M Pow (Selkirk), L Persson (Sweden).
82 G Webster (Hilton Park), J Ross (Whitley Bay), J Carthew (Ladybank).
83 K Walker (Buchanan Castle).
84 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
93 C Montgomery (US).

Press Release from Bounce Sport
VIKKI MAKES CUT IN MEXICO
Vikki Laing finished her second round of the Corona Morelia Championship yesterday by finishing +5 for the championship thus attaing her short term goal of making the cut, comfortably in the end, by 3 shots.
However it was not without its moments as she sat on +9 after 30 holes before she showed the guts and determination, that saw her succeed so admirably at Qualifying School, to birdie 4 of the last 6 holes and leave her safe in the knowledge of participating at the weekend.
Her next goal is now to enjoy the weekend and attempt to break into the top 100 of the LPGA Order of Merit (around $8500) that will avoid her having to play in local qualifying for The Women's US Open. She has two tournaments, including this week, to try and do this before close of entries as her inclusion in next week's Franklin American Mortgage Championship in Nashville has now been confirmed.

US College Golf
SCOT DUNCAN'S BRILLIANT VICTORY ON AMERICAN COLLEGE GOLF CIRCUIT
Duncan Stewart from Grantown-on-Spey, a sophomore golf scholarship student at Jacksonville University, Florida, won the Atlantic Sun Conference men's golf championship with a brilliant nine-under-par total of 204 for the three rounds over the Legends Club course at Nashville, Tennessee.
Stewart scored 67, 65 and 72 over the 6,759yd, par-71 course to win the title by two shots from joint runners-up Ben Leong (UCF) and Ben Taylor (Georgia State).
It was the Highlander's second excellent performance in a matter of weeks. Duncan tied for the Wofford Invitational college title at Spartanburg, North Carolina on one-under-par 143 and lost out in the subsequent play-off.
Duncan's Jacksonville team-mates and fellow-Scots, Jamie Kennedy from Edinburgh and Russell Knox from Inverness, had mixed fortunes in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship.
Jamie tied for 33rd place with rounds of 71, 73 and 75 for 219. Russell tied for 45th place in the field of 60 with scores of 75, 75 and 76 for 226.
Georgia State (846) won the conference team title from North Florida (850). Jacksonville (873) finished ninth.

Friday 22nd April 2005

Helen Holm Scottish Strokeplay Championship
TOUGH DEFENCE AHEAD AT TROON FOR DUGGLEBY
IT'S not only tough to win the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon, it's hard for some players even to get into this weekend's 54-hole event that is the first women's "major" of the British amateur golf season.
Only 19 of the field of 72 are Scots and the international team event that runs in conjunction with the individual competition will be contested by Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
It's not all that long ago that players with six of a handicap could get into the "Helen Holm" field. It is a tribute to the big improvement in  the standards of women's amateur golf that even with three of a handicap a player was not certain to get into this year's championship.
Emma Duggleby from Yorkshire, winner last year with a record low total of 14-under-par 211 over the Troon Portland (36) and Royal Troon (18) courses, faces stiff Continental opposition from the likes of Stefanie Endstrasser (Austria), winner of the Sherry Cup women's international tournament in Spain earlier this month.
Clare Queen (Drumpellier), last year's British women's open amateur stroke-play champion, led at the halfway stage of the Sherry Cup but eventually finished runner-up to the Austrian winner.
Carly Booth (Auchterarder), only 12 years old but already a two-handicapper, makes her debut in the "Helen Holm." Another young prospect in the field is 14-year-old Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar). She plays off 3.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) finished ahead of both Carly and Kelsey in retaining the SLGA St Leonards Under-16 girls' open stroke-play over Strathtyrum a couple of weeks ago. Krystle, who won't be 17 until next January, plays off one.

ELGA Press Release
Melissa Reid shares Whittington Ladies Trophy
English girls’ champion Melissa Reid and Staffordshire county player Sue Mulholland became the first joint winners of the Whittington Ladies Trophy after bad weather disrupted the tournament.
Both players returned morning scores of one-under par 71 before torrential rain made the Whittington Heath course unplayable and washed out the second round of the competition.
The conditions also ruled out a sudden-death play-off and, for the first time in the nine-year history of the event, the trophy was shared.
Melissa, 17, plays at Chevin in Derbyshire, and is also the 2004 Daily Telegraph girls’ champion. Sue Mulholland is a member at Whittington Heath and is a former Staffordshire champion and county captain.
Other prizewinners included 18-year-old Katrina Holford from Staffordshire who, like Melissa, is a member of ELGA’s Elite Potential U21 squad; and England international Lisa Ball, from Northumberland.
Leading scores:
71 Sue Mulholland (Whittington Heath); Melissa Reid (Chevin).
72 Lisa Barton (Coventry); Katrina Holford (Ingestre Park).
74 Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall).

ELGA Press Release
England names teams for Welsh open championship
England has selected teams representing youth and experience for the Welsh 54-hole open amateur strokeplay championship, which takes place at Pyle & Kenfig on April 30 and May 1.
Three England internationals have been named in Team A. They are English champion Kerry Smith (Waterlooville, Hampshire) with Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall, Northumberland) and Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park, Lincolnshire). The reserve is Laura Eastwood (Yelverton, Devon).
Team B is made up of teenagers: English girls’ champion Melissa Reid, 17, (Chevin, Derbyshire); 2004 Faldo Series girls’ champion Kiran Matharu, 16, (Cookridge Hall, Yorkshire); and 2004 ELGA girls’ order of merit winner Felicity Johnson,18, (Harborne, Warwickshire). The reserve is Joanne Hodge,18, (Knowle, Gloucestershire).
Last year’s individual championship was won by Kent’s Danielle Masters, who later turned professional. Five other English players also finished in the top 10 places.

Thursday 21st April 2005

US College Golf
COLETTE AND LOUISE PLAY PART IN HISTORIC JACKSONVILLE STATE WIN
Two Scots – Colette Murray from Dumfries and Louise Fleming from the Borders – have played their part in a notable team victory by Jacksonville State University women’s golf squad in the Ohio Valley Conference college championship at Decatur Country Club, Alabama.
Colette is an assistant to the head coach, James Hobbs, and she recruited Louise from Minnesota University earlier in the 2004-2005 college golf season.
And Louise had three counting scores to help Jacksonville State total 956 for the 54-hole team championship. That was two shots ahead of runners-up Eastern Kentucky and five clear of third-placed Tennessee Tech.
“It only the second women’s sports championship ever won since women’s sports were introduced to the Jacksonville State program,” said Colette. “I think the other one was soft ball! You can image how delighted we are!”
Head coach Hobbs said: “This title means a great deal to our program. We’ve been playing very solidly since our women’s golf program began 10 years ago and we’ve had some individual success. But, today, after capping out with our first conference championship, this puts the Jacksonville State program as one of the top 50 or 60 in the country.”
The Gamecocks began the final day trailing leaders Eastern Kentucky by four shots but returned a third-round team total (best four from five players) of 315 – easily their best of the week – to Eastern Kentucky’s 321.
Louise Fleming scored 76, 83 and 82 for 241 and 10th place. She had the third best aggregate of the five Jacksonville State players. Brittainy Klein (Eastern Kentucky) won the individual event with a total of 231.
Jacksonville State will now make the college’s first appearance in the NCAA Regional championships from May 5 to 7. There will be 27 teams taking part in the three regional events and the top 10 will go forward to the NCAA national championships at Sunriver, Oregon from May 17 to 20.
[Picture, above right, shows Jacksonville State's championship-winning line-up (left to right): Shanelle Howell (South AFrica), Louise Fleming (Scotland), Florencia Moran (Argentina), Marilen Ruiz (Argentina), Mercedes Huarte (Argentina) and coach Colette Murray (Scotland)]
OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Decatur County Club.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
231 Brittainy Klein (Eastern Kentucky) 74 76 81.
232 Kelli Warner (Eastern Kentucky) 82 75 75.
233 Nikki Ortazine (Murray State) 76 80 77.
Other scores:
237 Merceds Huarte (Jacksonville State) 83 75 79.
240 Shanelle Howell (Jacksonville State) 72 91 77.
241 Louise Fleming (Jacksonville State) 76 83 82.
251 Florence Moran (Jacksonville State) 92 82 77.
255 Marilen Ruiz (Jacksonville State) 90 80 85.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
956 Jacksonville State.
958 Eastern Kentucky.
961 Tennessee Tech.
978 Murray State.
979 Eastern Illinois.
1015 Austin Pea State.]
1025 Samford.
1141 Tennessee State.

Ayrshire County Championship
TEENAGER LESLEY WINS AYRSHIRE TITLE
Lesley Hendry won the Ayrshire women's county golf championship for the first time at the age of 19 today (THURSDAY).
The four-handicap Routenburn player, who was the No 3 qualifier for the match-play stages, beat the top seed, Debbie Watt (Ayr Belleisle), by 5 and 3 after squeezing through at the 20th in her morning semi-final against past champion Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert) at Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club. .
English-born Debbie Watt, making her debut in the champion, produced an eagle to square the final at the fifth hole but her younger opponent took a stranglehold on the title by winning the seven, eighth and ninth with a birdie-par-par run to be three up at the turn.
Debbie won back the 10th with a par but bogeyed the 11th to go back to three down. A half in birdies at the 12th was followed by another Lesley Hendry birdie to go four up at the 13th.
Aftere a half at the 14th, Miss Hendry wrapped up the championship with a winning par at the 15th for a 5 and 3 win. The better-ball in the final was five-under-par.
Results:
Semi-finals - D Watt (Ayr Belleisle) bt M Rae (Barassie) 4 and 3, L Hendry (Routenburn) bt C Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert) at 20th.
Final - Hendry bt Watt 5 and 3.

Renfrewshire County Championship
DONNA'S RECORD 10TH RENFREWSHIRE TITLE
Donna Jackson, pictured left, became Renfrewshire women's county championship for a record 10th time at Cowglen today (THURSDAY).
The Cochrane Castle player, who had been the No 1 qualifier after defending champion Karen Fitzgerald (Turnberry) was a late call-off due to business commitments, beat the No. 2 seed and clubmate, Gillian McGinlay, by 5 and 3 in the final.
Miss Jackson's last championship victory was in 2001 when she completed a hat-trick. She was given her closest tie of this week's tournament in the semi-finals when teenager Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) took her to the 19th before admitting defeat.
[ Photo courtesy Carol Fell, Renfrewshire webmaster]
Results:
Semi-finals - D Jackson (Cochrane Castle) bt M Briggs (Kilmacolm) at 19th, G McGinlay (Cochrane Castle) bt L McDougall (Greenock) 1 hole.
Final - Jackson bt McGinlay 5 and 3.

US College Golf
PERTHSHIRE PAIR DO WELL IN USA COLLEGE GOLF EVENT
Perthshire girl Emily Ogilvy, pictured right, from Dunning had one of her highest finishes on the American college circuit when she took third place in the Sun Belt Conference women's college golf tournament at PGA Village, Port St Lucie Florida.
In the men's event at the same venue, Dunkeld's Colin Speirs (University of South Alabama) finished joint fifth and helped his college win the team title.
Both Emily and Colin were later named for the 2005 All-Sun Belt Conference men's and women's teams - an indication that they were among the best college players in the area.
Emily Ogilvy scored 73, 76 and 75 over the 6,005yd, par-72 course for a total of 224 - only one shot behind her University of Arkansas-Little Rock team-mate Sheridan Graham and Denver's Emily Hoeper.
Emily Hoeper won the play-off for the individual title at the fifth extra hole.
Former Scottish girls' champion Laura Walker from Nairn improved from a disastrous opening 86 to finished tied for 21st place on 237. Her later rounds were 78 and 73, which was only one shot away from tieing the best of the final day.
Denver (922) retained the women's team title from New Mexico State (924) with Florida International (928) and Arkansas Little-Rock (932) fourth of the 10 competiting teams.
Colin Speirs, who graduates next month  had scores of 76, 69 and 72 for a total of 217 - five shots behind the individual men's title-winner Patrick Sullivan (Arkansas-Little Rock).
LEADING WOMEN'S TOTALS
222 Emily Hoeper (Denver) 77 73 73, Sheridan Graham (Arkansas Little-Rock) 72 76 75 (*Hoeper won play-off at fifth extra hole)).
224 Emily Ogilvy (Arkansas Little-Rock 73 76 75.
226 Maria Hernandez (Florida International) 74 76 76.
Other score:
237 Laura Walker (Arkansas Little-Rock) 86 78 73.
LEADING WOMEN'S TEAMS
922 Denver.
924 New Mexico State.
932 Arkansas-Little Rock.
942 Middle Tennessee State.
LEADING MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
212 Patrick Sullivan (Arkansas-Little Rock) 72 71 69.
214 Charlie Soul (Denver) 72 74 68.
215 Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) 71 74 70.
216 Justin Lowe (Louisiana-Lafayette) 71 74 71.
217 Colin Spiers (South Alabama) 76 69 72, Peter Badawy (Louisiana-Lafayette) 73 70 74.
LEADING MEN'S TEAMS
877 South Alabama.
878 Louisiana Lafayette.
892 Denver.

Wednesday 20th April 2005

HANNAH BURKE WINS HAMPSHIRE ROSE
England teenager Hannah Burke led a great day for the youngsters when she scored a three-shot win in the Hampshire Rose tournament at North Hants.
Altogether, four teenagers finished in the top five places in this prestigious competition.
Seventeen-year-old Hannah, from Mid Herts, led the way with scores of 69, 72 on a day when the competition scratch score was 72. Her morning round included a double bogey seven on the third, but she replied to the setback with birdies on the next two holes.
Hannah’s success comes hot on the heels of a recent Faldo Series regional event at Walton Heath when she was overall winner with a five-under par 69.
Runner-up in the Hampshire Rose was 14-year-old Hannah Barwood (Knowle). Joint third on 145 were Henni Brockway (Yeovil), 15, and Katherine Shepherd (Guildford Ladies).
Last year’s winner, Emma Sheffield (Newark), 18,  finished fifth after an afternoon 69.
Curtis Cup player Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) had to settle for a share of eighth place.
Hannah Burke, Hannah Barwood and Emma Sheffield are all members of ELGA’s Elite Potential Girls’ Squad.
LEADING TOTALS
141 Hannah Burke (Mid Herts) 69, 72.
144 Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 73, 71.
145 Katherine Shepherd (Guildford Ladies) 74 71; Henni Brockway (Yeovil) 74, 71.
147 Emma Sheffield (Newark) 78, 69.
148 Beverley McCormack (Ealing) 76, 72; Laura Collin (John O’Gaunt) 71, 77.
149 Donna O’Connell (Burnham & Berrow) 75,74; Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 73, 76.
150 Joanne Hodge (Knowle) 77, 73.

US College Golf
SJAVON'S 12-SHOT TEXAS WIN
Aberdeenshire women's county golf champion Sjavon Wilson, meantime a student at Tyler Junior College, Texas, has won the NJCAA Region XIV championship in Texas by the runaway margin of 12 shots.
The 20-year-old from Portlethen, a Murcar member, had scores of 75, 81 and 77 on a par-75 course for a total of 233.
Tyler Junior College won eight of the 10 medals on offer at the championships with the men's and women's squads winning their team events as well.

Ayrshire County Championship
Lesley into last four
Ayrshire Teenager Lesley Hendry (Routenburn) knocked out the title-holder, Alex Glennie (Barassie) in today's (WED) quarter-finals of the Ayrshire women's county golf championship.
Lesley, a 4 and 3 winner, now plays the 1992 champion, Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert) for a place in the final. Catherine KO'd three times title-winner Alison Gemmill (Barassie) on the last green.
Leading qualifier Debbie Watt (Ayr Belleisle) beat Sharon Lambie (Troon Ladies), Ayrshire champion in 1998, 1999 and 2002, at the 20th to set up a semi-final meeting (9.0) with Margaret Rae (Barassie).
AYRSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club
First round
Debbie Watt (Ayr Belleisle) bt Liz Kehone (Louden) 3 and 2.
Sharon Lambie (Troon Ladies) bt Greta Smith (Ardeer) at 19th.
Margaret Rae (Barassie) bt Gail Thomson (Belleisle) 4 and 3.
Liz Wilson (Barassie) bt Jane Finnie (Troon Ladies) 3 and 2.
Lesley Hendry (Routenburn) bt Roslyn Purdom (Prestwick St Nicholas) 4 and 2.
Alex Glennie (Barassie) bt Morag McQueen (Largs) 3 and 2.
Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert) bt Morag Macpherson (Turnberry) 1 hole.
Alison Gemmill (Barassie) bt Jennifer Neilson (West Kilbride) 8 and 6.
Quarter-finals
Watt bt Lambie at 20th.
Rae bt Wilson 3 and 1.
Hendry bt Glennie 4 and 3.
Malcolm bt Gemmill 1 hole.

RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Donna into last four
TOP seed Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) is through to the semi-finals in her bid to win the Renfrewshire women's county golf championship for a 10th time.
Donna beat clubmate Denise Cowan 5 and 4 and then Jennifer Graham (Haggs Castle) by 4 and 3 when the match-play stages began today (Wednesday).
In the semi-finals (9.30), Miss Jackson will play 15-year-old Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) while Linda McDougall (Greenock), conqueror of last year's beaten finalist, Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) will play
Gillian McGinlay (Cochrane Castle), the No. 2 qualifier.
RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Cowglen Golf Club
First round
Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) bt Denise Cowan (Cochrane Castle) 5 and 4.
Jennifer Graham (Haggs Castle) bt Sara Harman (Williamwood) 2 holes.
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt Maureen Neilson (Greenock) 5 and 4.
Barbara Biggart (Kilmacolm) bt Julie Wilson (Williamwood) 4 and 3.
Moira Begbie (Kilmacolm) bt Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) 4 and 3.
Linda McDougall (Greenock) beat Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) 2 and 1.
Beth Paterson (Eastwood) beat Dorothy Yates (Cowglen) 2 and 1.
Gillian McGinlay (Cochrane Castle) beat Morag Turner (Kilmacolm) 2 and 1.
Quarter-finals
Jackson beat Graham 4 and 3.
Briggs beat Biggart 7 and 6.
McDougall bt Begbie 4 and 3.
McGinlay bt Paterson 3 and 1.

Lanarkshire prizewinners at Cawder
L to R: Lesley Lloyd (semi-finalist), May Hughes (runner-up), Jenna Wilson (Champion),
Roxana Brown (Bronze Champion), Elaine Cuthill (semi-finalist)
(Photos courtesy Jean Macintyre)

Lanarkshre County Championship
Jenna is new Lanarkshire Champion
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), pictured right, won the Lanarkshire women's county golf championship for the first time at the age of 21 today (Wednesday). She beat three times champion May Hughes (Lanark) - who was bidding to complete a winning hat-trick - by 6 and 5 in the 18-hole final at Cawder Golf Club.
The final featured the Nos 1 (May) and 2 (Jenna) qualifiers for the match-play stages. Jenna lost the third hole but was one up after six holes and played a great recovering shot to go two up at the seventh.
Three up at the turn Miss Wilson, who had spent a year at San Diego State University following her capture of the Scottish Under-21 girls' title in 2003, doubled her lead over the next four holes.
Roxanna Brown (Hamilton) won the Bronze Division championship. She beat Geraldine McKechnie (Hayston) by 4 and 2 in the final.
COLLATED RESULTS
LANARKSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Cawder Golf Club.
Semi-finals
May Hughes (Lanark) bt Lesley Loyd (Hayston) 5 and 4.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) bt Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) 5 and 3.
Final
Wilson bt Hughes 6 and 5.
BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIP
Final
Roxana Brown (Hamilton) bt Geraldine McKechnie (Hayston) 4 and 2.

WEST COAST LADIES TOUR GOES OUT OF EXISTENCE
An American women's satellite professional tour - on which Susie Laing and, to a lesser extent, Vikki Laing, played last year - has suddenly rung down the curtain on its operations.
The West Coast Ladies Golf Tour had increased its prizefund for the first six events of the 2005 season so that news of its folding has come as a big surprise.
Its last tournament was a 54-hole event at Longbow Golf Club, Phoenix last week. It was won by Becky Lucidi, the United States women's amateur champion of 2002.
Mark Canevari, owner of the West Coast Ladies Tour, announced later that the tour was going out of existence and that there might be a delay before the "Longbow" money-winners received their cheques.
It is understood that Mr Canevari's tour sponsor has withdrawn his support.
The West Coast Ladies Tour paid out more money to its prizewinners than the Futures Tour although the latter had a bigger schedule.

US College News
FIONA WINS IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Fiona Hindshaw, pictured right, from Haddington won the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's college golf tournament at Hartsville Country Club, South Carolina,
Fiona also helped Pfeiffer College win the team event.
Miss Hindshaw, leader by five shots after 36 holes, held off the strong-finishing Holly Tompkins (Limestone) to have two strokes to spare at the end of the three-round tournament.
Fiona had scores of 77, 74 and 80 for 231 while Holly's rounds were 77, 79 and 77 for 233.

US College News
EMILY DROPS BACK TO THIRD IN FLORIDA
Perthshire exile Emily Ogilvie dropped down a notch to third place with one round to go in the Sun Belt Conference women's college golf tournament at Port St Lucie, Florida.
Emily, from Dunning and a student at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, has had rounds of 73 and 76 for 149. She is three behind leader Rebecca Samuelsson (Florida International) and one adrift of second-placed Sheridan Graham, also of Arkansas Little Rock.
A third Arkansas Little Rock team member, Laura Walker from Nairn, has scored 86 and 78 to be tied for 34th place on 164.
Arkansas Little Rock (615) are lying fourth in the team event behind Florida International (609).
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
146 Rebecca Samuelsson (Florida International) 70 76.
148 Sheridan Graham (Arkansas Little Rock) 72 76.
149 Emily Ogilvie (Arkansas Little Rock) 73 76.
Other score:
164 Laura Walker (Arkansas Little Rock) 86 78.
LEADING TEAMS
609 Florida International.
614 Denver.
622 New Mexico State.
615 Arkansas Little Rock.

US College News
PAMELA FIFTH IN SUNSHINE STATE EVENT
Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire fiished fifth in the Sunshine State Conference women's college golf tournament4 at Saint Leo, Florida.
Pamela, a student at Florida Southern University, had rounds of 75, 78 and 77 for a total of 230 - five shots behind the winner, RemiJin Camping (Barry) who scored 76, 72 and 77 for a nine-over-par total of 225.
Florida State (933) finished second to their arch-rivals, Rollins College (922).
LEADING INDIVIDUAL
222 RemiJin Camping (Barry) 76 72 77.
227 Jenni Mostrom (Nova Southeastern) 78 75 74, Lindsey Bergeon (Florida Southern) 79 72 76.
228 Mariana De Biase (Rollins) 80 75 73.
230 Pamela Feggans (Florida Southern) 75 78 77.
LEADING TEAMS
922 Rollins College.
933 Florida Southern.
944 Nova Southeastern.
948 Lynn.

Tuesday 19th April 2005

Ayrshire County Championship
NEWCOMER WATT HEADS AYRSHIRE QUALIFIERS
English-born newcomer Debbie Watt (Ayr Belleisle) marked her debut in the Ayrshire women's county golf championship by leading the 16 qualifiers for the match-play stages.
Debbie, who plays off two, equalled the CSS of 77 - to finish one ahead of former Scottish champion Alison Gemmill (Barassie), who won the Ayrshire title in 1994, 1996 and 1997 but who has not played in the event in recent years.
Title-holder Alex Glennie (Barassie) qualified in 10th place with an 86.
Collated scoreboard
AYRSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Kilmarnock Barassie.
QUALIFIERS (CSS 77).
77 Debbie Watt (Belleisle).
78 Alison Gemmill (Barassie).
80 Lesley Hendry (Routenburn), Jane Finnie (Troon), Margaret Rae (Barassie), Morag McQueen (Largs).
81 Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert).
84 Greta Smith (Ardeer)., Sharon Lambie (Troon).
85 Morag Macpherson (Turnberry).
86 Alex Glennie (Barassie).
87 Gail Thomson (Belleisle).
88 Liz Wilson (Barassie).
89 Roslyn Purdom (Prestwick St Nicholas), Jennifer Neilson (West Kilbride).
90 Liz Keohone (Louden).
Draw: 9.0 Watt v Keohone, Lambie v Smith, Rae v Thmson, Wilson v Finnie, Hendry v Purdom, Glennie v McQueen, Malcolm v Macpherson, Neilson v Gemmill. Quarter-finals at 2.0

Renfrewshire County Championship
DONNA IS TOP SEED AT COWGLEN
TITLE-holder Karen Fitzgerald (Turnberry), a director of a company, had to call off due to business commitments at the last moment from the qualifying round of the Renfrewshire women's county golf championship at Cowglen.
Former Scotland international player Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle), multi-winner of the title, led the 16 qualifiers with a round of 75 - which was only two over the CSS.
She is seeded to meet clubmate Gillian McGinlay in the final. Gillian had the second-best score of 77.
RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Cowglen Golf Club (CSS 73).
QUALIFIERS
75 Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle).
77 Gillian McGinlay (Cochrane Castle).
78 Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire).
79 Julie Wilson (Williamwood), Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm).
81 Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle), Beth Paterson (Eastwood), Sara Harman (Williamwood).
82 Jennifer Graham (Haggs Castle), Dorothy Yates (Cowglen).
83 Linda McDougall (Greenock).
85 Maureen Neilson (Greenock), Barbara Biggart (Kilmacolm), Moira Begbie (Kilmacolm).
86 Morag Turner (Kilmacolm), Denise Cowan (Cochrane Castle).
Draw: Jackson v Cowan, Graham v Harman, Briggs v Neilson, Biggart v Wilson, Kyle v Begbie, McDougall v Mack, Paterson v Yates, Turner v McGinlay.
Scratch Prize _ Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) Peggy Clark Rosebowl G McGinlay (6) 71; G Kyle (East Renfrewshire) (6) 72; Moira Cameron (Whitecraigs) (14) 72.

Lanarkshire County Championship
LANARKSHIRE TITLE HOLDER THROUGH TO SEMI-FINALS
Four of the five leading qualifiers are through to Wednesday morning's semi-finals of the Lanarkshire women's county golf championship at Cawder Golf Club.
Defending champion May Hughes (Lanark), the top seed, will play former title-holder Lesley Loyd (Hayston) in the first semi-final while Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), the No 2 qualifier, meets former Scottish schoolgirls champion Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) for a place in the afternoon final.
COLLATED RESULTS
LANARKSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Cawder.
Match-play results.
FIRST ROUND
May Hughes (Lanark) bt E Nelson (Hamilton) 10 and 8.
Christine Maxton (Hamilton) beat Winnie Patrick (cawder) 8 and 6.
Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) bt Margaret Scott (Bishopbriggs) 5 and 4.
Pat Milligan (Hamilton) bt Patti Chalmers (Hayston) 3 and 2.
Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) bt Ann McPherson (Bishopbriggs) 7 and 5.
Liz Lees (Hamilton) beat Jennifer Wiles (Drumpellier) 7 and 5.
Anne Mungall (Airdrie) beat Jan McMillan (Hayston) 2 holes.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) beat Margaret Reid (Lanark) 8 and 7.
QUARTER-FINALS
Hughes bt Maxton 4 and 2.
Lloyd bt Milligan 5 and 3.
Cuthill bt Lees 8 and 6.
Wilson bt Mungall 9 and 8.
BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMI-FINALS
Roxanna Brown (Hamilton) bt Christine Thomson (Cawder) 4 and 2.
Kathleen Craig (Cawder) bt Geraldine McKechnie (Hayston) 7 and 5.

British University Golf
The 3rd round of the British Universities Order of Merit took place at Dudsbury GC, Bournemouth, on 17th & 18th April 2005. The event was organised in conjunction with the University of Bournemouth and with BUSA golf.
On a long and undulating golf course in very tough weather conditions, Olivia Briggs (Stirling) met the challenge head on with scores of 75, 77 to win by 2 shots from her Stirling counterpart, Clare-Marie Carlton (79, 75). Olivia and Clare-Marie’s 75’s now share the women’s course record at Dudsbury GC.
In the men’s event, the University of Northumbria finished in pole position with a team score of 444. The University of Stirling finished in 2nd place (448) with Ulster University finishing third (461).
In the men’s individual event, Nick Scholley (Northumbria) came up trumps with a +6 total (70, 77). Stirling’s Blair Paterson finished 2nd on +7. Ulster’s Trevor Spence came 3rd with a +8 total.
The next round of the BUSA Order of Merit coincides with the British Universities’ Annual Championships to be held at Murrayshall GC, Perth from 20 – 22 June (inc).

News about Vikki Laing
Iain Stoddart of Vikki Laing's Management company, Bounce sport says
"Musselburgh's Vikki Laing will this week make her maiden start on The LPGA Tour 2005 at The Corona Morelia Championship April 21 - 24 at Tres Marias Residential Golf Club in Michoacan, Mexico.
"As second non-exempt qualifier from Tour School this is the first event of Vikkii's season. Bounce Sports Management expect her to get around 20 starts in 2005.
"Vikki is very excited about the prospect of playing more regularly on The LPGA this year and is treating it like a Rookie year given she was only able to start three times last season.
"It is highly likely that she will also be in the field for The Franklin American Mortgage Championship next week although we will not be 100% sure until tomorrow."

Lanarkshire County Championship
BIG WINS BY TOP SEEDS AT CAWDER
Title-holder and top seed May Hughes had a convincing 10 and 8 win over Elizabeth Nelson (Hamilton) in the first round of the match-play stages of the Lanarkshire women’s county championship at Cawder today.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), the No 2 qualifier, also won out in the country. She beat Margaret Reid (Lanark) by 8 and 7.
Results:
FIRST ROUND
May Hughes (Lanark) bt E Nelson (Hamilton) 10 and 8.
Christine Maxton (Hamilton) beat Winnie Patrick (cawder) 8 and 6.
Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) bt Margaret Scott (Bishopbriggs) 5 and 4.
Pat Milligan (Hamilton) bt Patti Chalmers (Hayston) 3 and 2.
Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) bt Ann McPherson (Bishopbriggs) 7 and 5.
Liz Lees (Hamilton) beat Jennifer Wiles (Drumpellier) 7 and 5.
Anne Mungall (Aidrie) beat Jan McMillan (Hayston) 2 holes.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) beat Margaret Reid (Lanark) 8 and 7.
BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMI-FINALS
Roxana Brown (Hamilton) bt Christine Thomson (Cawder) 2 and 1 (margin to be confirmed).
Kathleen Craig (Cawder) bt Geraldine McKechnie (Hayston) 7 and 5.

NEW DATE FOR BALBIRNIE PARK
The Ladies Golf Union Medal East Area final at Balbirnie Park Golf Club has been rearranged for Thursday, May 5 following the postponement of the competition today (TUESDAY) when the course was closed because of flooding.

US College Golf
Irish Internationalist and LGU Elite Squad member Tara Delaney, pictured right, from Carlow, currently at Kent State University, had her best finish ever in a US College tournament when she tied for third place in the Lady Buckeye on the par 72 Scarlet Course at Columbus, Ohio. Tara added two par rounds of 72 to her opening 77 for a total of 221, and finished seven shots behind the winner, Lindsay Knowlton of Ohio State (73,73, 68)
Tara led Kent State to fourth place in the team competition. Michigan State won.
Becky Wood, from Glossop, England, also a member of the Kent State team, tied for 13th place with scores of 77, 75, 75 and Tara's sister and team-mate, Karen Delaney tied for 46th place on 241. Susie Hayes, also from Ireland and playing for Notre Dame University tied for 57th on 244.
Leading scores
214 Lindsay Knowlton (Ohio State) 73 73 68 
219 Rachel Meikle (Mich. St) 72 74 73 
221 Alice Kim  (N'western) 76 71 74 , Tara Delaney (Kent State) 77 72 72 
Other scores
227 Becky Wood (Kent State) 77 75 75
241 Karen Delaney (Kent State) 78 77 86
244 Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame) 83 78 83

US College Golf
Fiona Hindshaw leads by five
Fiona Hindshaw from Haddington, East Lothian, a student at Div II Pfeiffer College, is in the lead after two rounds of the CVAC Championships at Hartsville C.C., South Carolina. Her seven over par total of 151 puts her five shots ahead of the field. There are another two rounds to go.
Leading scores
151 Fiona Hindshaw Pfeiffer 77 74
156 Holly Tompkins Limestone 77 79
158 Heather Pothier St.Andrews 77 81

US College Golf
Emily Ogilvie from Dunning in Perthshire, a student at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, is tied for second spot after the first day's play in the Sun Belt Conference Golf Championships at PGA Village, Florida. Her one over par 73 puts her one stroke behind team-mate Sheridan Graham. Laura Walker from Nairn is tied in 46th spot on 86. There are 50 players in the field, and another two rounds to go.

Monday 18th April 2005

Lanarkshire County Golf
MAY NO 1 AS RAIN CUTS LANARK QUALIFYING TO ONLY 16 HOLES
Title-holder May Hughes (Lanark) , pictured right with the trophy, earned the No 1 seeding for the match-play stages of the Lanarkshire women's county golf championship after a weather-hit qualifying round at Cawder today (MONDAY).
The competition was decided over only 16 holes as the 14th and 15th on the championship course were flooded following heavy overnight rain which also closed the Keir course on which the Bronze Division championship was due to be played.
It was switched to the championship course and reduced to a nine-hole qualifying round.
May Hughes is seeded to meet former Scotland Under-21 champion Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) in Wednesday's championship final. May scored a 74 for the 16 holes and Jenna a 75.
Former Scottish schoolgirls champion Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) was the third best qualifier with 76.
collated scoreboard
LANARKSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Cawder G C - Qualifying round (over 16 holes)
74 May Hughes (Lanark).
75 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven).
76 Elaine Cuthill (Lanark).
78 Pat Milligan (Hamilton, Lesley Lloyd (Hayston).
80 Liz Lees (Hamilton).
84 Jan McMillan (Hayston).
85 Christine Maxton (Hamilton).
88 Winnine Patrick (Cawder).
91 Anne Mungall (Airdrie), Jennifer Wiles (Drumpellier), Margaret Scott (Bishopbriggs).
94 Patti Chalmers (Hayston).
95 Ann McPherson(Bishopbriggs).
99 Margaret Reid (Lanark).
103 Elizabeth Nelson (Hamilton).
Draw:
9.0: Hughes v Nelson, Patrick v Maxton, Lloyd v Scott, Chalmers v Milligan, Cuthill v McPherson, Wiles v Lees, McMillan v Mungall, Reid v Wilson. Quarter-finals at 1.30.
Bronze Division qualifiers:
47 Roxanna Brown (Hamilton).
51 Geraldine McKechnie (Hayston).
52 Kathleen Craig (Cawder), Christine Thomson (Cawder).
Draw: 10.0 Brown v Thomson, McKechnie v Craig.

SVLGA (MIDLAND DIVISION)
Spring Meeting at Scotscraig postponed due to adverse weather conditions.
Re-scheduled to 11th May.   All entries to Jean Bald 01383-860427,
As well as new draw in 'Courier' the Committee Members also have copy of draw.
 

UNLUCKY BREAK FOR SHEENA WOOD
Scotland girls' international team captain Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), pictured right, will miss the Aberdeenshire women's county championship at Murcar from April 29 to May 1.
Miss Wood has broken her left arm after taking a heavy fall when walking her dog.
The broken bone is just below the elbow but her arm has not been set in plaster. She is wearing a protective sling and has been told that it could be six weeks before the bone heals.
In the meantime, she has been signed off work and cannot drive.
Sheena has won the Aberdeenshire women's county title four times and lost in last year's final to Sjavon Wilson (Murcar).
"It's touch and go whether I will be OK to play in the Scottish championship at Cruden Bay (May 17 to 21). It's bad enough not being able to play in the Aberdeenshire championship but I really wouldn't want to miss the 'Scottish'  when it is at Cruden Bay," said Sheena who has been Aberdeen Ladies club champion nine times.
She played for Scotland in the women's home internationals of 1999-2000-2001.

clubgolf
St Andrews primary school children grasp Fundamentals on new clubgolf pilot at St Leonard’s School
A new programme designed to help children aged five to seven years old learn and develop skills that will give them an early start in golf, is being pioneered by the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf at St Leonard’s School in St Andrews.
The Fundamentals programme has been organised in association with St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association (SALJGA) and is taught free of charge by the PE staff at St Leonard’s School. clubgolf devised the programme to offer the community’s children, who are too young to benefit from a specific golf programme, the opportunity to develop the preliminary skills required to play the game.
“Our aim is to offer the younger children of St Andrews the opportunity to participate in a new fundamental movement programme as part of an organised golf player development pathway,” said Gill Kelly, clubgolf Tayside and Fife Regional Manager.
“From our research we recognise that children aged under seven are too young to benefit from participating in the specific golf programme as they are unlikely to have acquired the fundamental skills required to swing and hit a golf ball. So, to help get them get off to the best start, we are offering them the opportunity to develop the skills which will prepare them to join the SALJGA/clubgolf specific golf programme.”
Forty-five children from the local community signed up for the six week Fundamentals programme which began at St Leonard’s School last week and teaches basic movement including agility, balance, coordination and speed.
Whilst the children began by learning to roll balls across the school’s pristine lawns, the programme will progress to using the modified clubs and balls of the clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf
“The Fundamentals programme is based around the acquisition of fundamental movement skills which provides the basis for continued improvement in sport and, in this programme, golf,’ said Rob Danskin, St Leonard’s School Director of PE.
 “The age of five to seven is the perfect time to improve coachability and teach fundamental movement and motor skills. We aim to teach the children the core skills essentials of agility, balance, coordination and speed in a way they will find great fun.
“Fundamentals will improve these children’s skill levels so that if they do decide to play a game like golf they will have a valuable head start.”
St Leonard’s School has developed an admirable reputation for introducing its own pupils to golf. It teaches the game to all of its children from nursery age upwards, boasts its own golf club which is affiliated to the SGU and SLGA, and stages a junior golf tournament in April, which attracts around 100 children from all corners of Britain.
 “The opportunities to play golf in St Andrews are vast and our school has a full golf programme which is very popular with the children,” said Danskin. “We have children as young as nine years old who have Links season tickets which they can buy for just £25.”
Now the school is opening its doors to the whole community for the Fundamentals, which, if successful, will become not only a regular fixture but could also spread to other schools across Scotland.
“If this pilot programme goes well we will certainly continue Fundamentals in the future,” added Danskin.
 Those St Andrews children who develop a taste for golf through Fundamentals are perfectly placed to begin a sport which they can pursue for life. SALJGA, one of Scotland’s first clubs to commit to clubgolf, has developed a player development pathway with can encourage and guide beginners to the highest level of the sport.
“The Fundamentals programme is the first stage of the SALJGA/clubgolf junior pathway,” said SALJGA’s John Matheson. “It is the first part of teaching movement skills to youngsters which will benefit them as they progress along the SALJGA/clubgolf junior pathway.
“The children who take part in this programme will develop the fundamental skills and coordination required to play not just golf, but ninety percent of sports. In our case when they go to take up golf they are already several steps ahead.”

Wedding photos
Selected highlights from three cameras...

Sunday 17th April 2005

I nearly forgot...... Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk is three years old today!

Fife Ladies
FIONA LOCKHART WINS FIFE TITLE
Fiona Lockhart, pictured right, won the Fife women's county golf championship for the first-time by beating fellow-St Regulus Golf Club member Elaine Moffat by 3 and 2 in the final at Elie today (Sunday).
The pair had met in the 1996 final when Elaine won by one hole and Miss Moffat, a former Scottish women's champion, had also won the Fife title in 2000.
Miss Lockhart, 28-year-old member of the Scottish Golf Union administration staff at Drumoig, qualified in ninth place for the match-play stages while Elaine was the second seed.
Miss Moffat survived an epic morning semi-final, beating Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), winner of the title in the 1980s, 90s and again in 2003, at the 23rd.
That delayed the start of the 18-hole final but did not put Fiona who had toppled the title-holder, Katrina Milne (Dunfermline), by 2 and 1 in the first semi-final.
Miss Lockhart was never behind in the final. She had an early two-hole lead cut back to a one-hole advantage at the turn but then took a stranglehold on the proceedings by winning the 11th, 12th and 14th to be four up with four to play.
Elaine won back the 15th but a half at the 16th made Fiona women's champion of Fife for the first time.
Picture left: Elaine Moffat and Fiona Lockhart
(Photos courtesy Emma Wilson)
COLLATED RETURN
FIFE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP _ Elie -
Match-play stages
First round - L Fury (Thornton) bt E Wilson (Elie & Earlsferry) 7 and 5, F Lockhart (St Regulus) bt P Simpson Lundin Ladies) 7 and 6, K Milne (Dunfermline) bt D Ford (Scotscraig) 1 hole, B Copland (Scotscraig) bt J Duncan (Balbirnie) 2 and 1, J Whiteford (Leven) bt L Rolland (Dunfermline) 3 and 2, L Bennett (Ladybank) bt K Caithness (St Regulus) at 20th, S Miller (Kirkcaldy) bt J Carthew (Ladybank) 2 holes, E Moffat (St Regulus) bt H Harvey (St Leonards) 4 and 2.
Quarter-finals - Lockhart bt Fury 3 and 2, Milne bt Copland 5 and 3, Bennett bt Whiteford 4 and 3, Moffat bt Miller 1 hole.
Semi-finals - Lockhart bt Milne 2 and 1, Moffat bt Bennett at 23rd.
Final - Lockhart bt Moffat 3 and 2.

Angus Girls
Rebecca Wilson is Champion
On Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th April 2005, the Angus Ladies County Golf Association held their junior girls championship on the Buddon Links, Carnoustie.
Despite the weather being blustery and cold the girls competed well with Katie McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) winning the scratch qualification (75) and Kirsty Moss (Monifieth Ladies)handicap (66). The other two qualifiers were Fiona Blair and Rebecca Wilson both Monifieth Ladies.
[Picture right: L to R: Fiona Blair, Rebecca Wilson]
The results of the semi finals were
R Wilson (Monifieth Ladies) bt K McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) 4&3
F Blair (Monifieth Ladies) by Kirsty Moss (Monifieth Ladies) 4&3
In the final Rebecca Wilson bt F Blair 1up to become Angus County Junior Girls Champion.

West of Scotland Girls
April Medal At Troon Portland on 16th April, SSS 75, CSS 74
Best Scratch    Morag MacPherson Turnberry  88
Winner Silver    Zoe Differ    Dullatur   86 less 20 nett 66
Winner Bronze    Eilidh Briggs    Kilmacolm 90 less 21 nett 69

Spanish Junior Championship
BELEN MOZO WINS SPANISH JUNIOR WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL TITLE
Belen Mozo, the No 2 seed, won the Spanish junior women's international championship at La Cala Resort, Malaga. She beat fellow Spaniard Marta Silva, the No 8 qualifier, by one hole in the 18-hole final.
Mozo had beaten Azahara Munoz, holder of the British girls' open amateur championship, by 3 and 2 in the semi-finals.
Benedickte (Belgium) beat Satu Harju (Finland) by 5 and 3 in the consolation final.
Results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
Semi-finals
M Silva (Spa) bt M Hernandez (Spa) 1 hole
B Mozo (Spa) bt A Munoz (Spa) 3 and 2.
Final
Mozo bt Silva 1 hole.
CONSOLATION
Semi-finals
S Harju (Fin) bt B Perera (Spa) 5 and 4.
BV Toumpsin bt C Montava (Spa) 4 and 3.
Final
Toumpsin bt Harju 5 and 3.

Aberdeenshire girls' prizewinners from first open meeting of the season at Silverburn, Balgownie.
Left to right: Gail Stewart, Lauren Whyte, Carol Whicher (Aberdeen Ladies captain who presented the prizes), Michele Thomson, Kirstin Burnett and, in front, eight-year-old Kimberley Beveridge.

Aberdeenshire Girls
MICHELE HITS FORM EARLY IN ABERDEENSHIRE GIRLS’ OPENER
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) made an excellent start to the Aberdeenshire girls’ season with an impressive Stableford points total of 40 – six under the CSS - off a handicap of six over the Aberdeen Ladies’ Silverburn course at Balgownie today.
A former winner of the Bank of Scotland Young Masters’ girls’ title at Gleneagles, Michele finished 3pt ahead of her nearest challenge, Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies).
Kimberley Beveridge from Aboyne, the youngest and smallest competitor in the field, had the best points return in the Bronze Division, scoring 35 off a handicap of 36. Kimberley’s ninth birthday is in June.
GOLF RETURN
ABERDEENSHIRE GIRLS - Balgownie Silverburn - Stableford
Silver Division
M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) (6) 40pt
Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) (17) 37pt
Bronze Division
Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) (36) 35pt.
Kirstin Burnet (Aberdeen Ladies) (34) 33pt.
Hidden Hole (outwith main prize list)
Gail Stewart (Newmachar) (18) 18pt.
Other points totals:
36 Gail Stewart (Newmachar) (18), Laura Murray (Alford) (5).
33 Mairi Templeton (Westhill) (33), Natalie Thomson (Murcar) (23)
31 Samantha Leslie (Westhill) (17).
30 Lauren MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) (14).
27 Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) (12).
26 Hayley Thomson (Newmachar) (21), Lauren Duncan (Aboyne) (36).
24 Jennifer Jones (McDonald Ellon) (24), Fiona Fullerton (Huntly) (36).

Northern Counties Girls
CARA GETS FIRST ACE IN NORTHERN COUNTIES' ADULT-GIRL FOURSOMES
Northern Counties girls' golf organiser Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) had the first hole in one of her golfing career at Strathpeffer Spa yesterday (Sunday). She aced the 142yd par-3 14th hole with a No. 8 iron.
She was partnering Kelsey Macdonald (Nairn Dunbar) in the first Northern Counties girls' competition of the season - an adult-girl foursomes Stableford.
Cara and Kelsey won with 38pt. They were playing with George and Rachel Clubb (Royal Dornoch) and Sheena and Chloe Maclennan (Nairn Dunbar).
GOLF RETURN
NORTHERN COUNTIES GIRLS - Strathpeffer Spa - Adult-girl Stableford foursomes - C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) and K Macdonald (Nairn Dunbar) (3) 38pt; George Clubb (Royal Dornoch) and Rachel Clubb (Royal Dornoch) (36) 32pt; Mairi Orr (Tain) and Ashton Ingram (Fort William) (7) 28pt; Sheena Maclennan (Nairn Dunbar) and Chloe Macleod (Nairn Dunbar) (25) 24pt; Sally Rowan (Inverness) and Alice Rowan (Inverness) (36) 23pt.

Kenneth and Claire McDowell
(Claire is our eldest daughter)
More photos

Many thanks to Colin for posting stuff to Hot News in my absence. It's now pasted below.

Saturday 16th April 2005

Winning LET team with LGU President Cathy Booth and LGU Chairman Di Stock at the Weetabix Challenge
(Photo courtesy and copyright Tom Ward)

Weetabix Challenge
LADY PROS BEAT ADA'S AMATEURS 14-4 AT WENTWORTH
The Ladies' Europen Tour professionals team, captained by Nicola Moult, avenged last year's defeat by the Great Britain & Ireland Elite squad of female amateur golfers, with a comprehensive 14-4 victory over skipper Ada O'Sullivan's line-up at The Wentworth Club today (Saturday).
The writing was on the wall for the amateurs, whose victory over the pros at Formby 12 months ago, was only their second in an annual match that started in 1994, when they were whitewashed 6-0 in the morning foursomes. Only one of the alternate-shot ties went as far as the 18th green.
Curtis Cup captain Ada has a reputation for being an inspirational leader but even she could not repaint the one-sided picture over the 12 concluding singles.
Clare Queen, the British women's open amateur stroke-play champion from Drumpellier, did halve the top afternoon tie against England's Kirsty A Taylor but wins for the professionals by Australians Corinne Dibnah and Karen Lunn as well Julie Forbes from Aboyne gave the LET squad the 9 1/2 pt they needed to clinch overall victory midway through the afternoon.
Emma Duggleby (Malton & Norton), who will be defending the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play title at Troon next weekend, Claire Coughlan (Cork) and Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) chalked up the GB&I amateur's first and only wins of the day.
Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), the only other Scot in the amateurs' line-up, went down by 3 and 2 to Lora Fairclough from Chorley, Lancashire after being all square at the turn.
Former Solheim Cup skipper Dale Reid from Ladybank was one of the few professionals not to win. She lost on the last green to Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park).
The pros finally took the singles by an 8-4 margin.
FINAL COLLATED SCOREBOARD
FOURSOMES (0-6)
Clare Queen (Sco) & Sophie Walker (Eng) lost to Kirsty A Taylor (Eng) & Julie Forbes (Sco) 2 and 1.Kerry Smith (Eng) & Tricia Mangan (Ire) lost to Corinne Dibnah (Aus) & Nicola Moult (Eng) 1 hole.Naomi Edwards (Eng) & Sarah Jones (Wal) lost to Karen Lunn (Aus) & Kerry Knowles (Eng) 5 and 4.Stephanie Evans (Wal) & Breanne Loucks (Wal) lost to Lora Fairclough (Eng) & Dale Reid (Sco) 3 and 2.Clare Coughlan (Ire) & Anne Laing (Sco) lost to Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) & Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 2 and 1.Emma Duggleby (Eng) & Faye Sanderson (Eng) lost to Becky Brewerton (Wal) & Alison Munt (Aus) 4 & 3.
SINGLES (4-8)
Queen halved with Kirsty A Taylor.
Smith lost to Dibnah
Mangan lost to Forbes 2 and 1.
Duggleby bt N Moult 1 hole.
Sanderson lost to Lunn 2 and 1.
Coughlan bt Knowles 3 and 2.
Walker bt Reid 1 hole.
Loucks lost to Kirsty S Taylor 1 hole.
Laing lost to Fairclough 3 and 2.
Edwards halved with Munt.
Evans lost to Esterl 2 holes
Jones lost to Brewerton 3 and 2.

Fife Championship
DEFENDING CHAMPION THROUGH TO FIFE WOMEN'S SEMI-FINALS
Defending champion Katrina Milne (Dunfermline) is through to Sunday morning's semi-finals of the Fife women's county golf championship at Elie.
Miss Milne will play Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) in the first tie while former Scottish champion Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) will play the experienced Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), multi-winner of the Fife county title in the 1980s, 1990s and again in 2003, in the second semi-final.
Surprise results in the first round were the defeats of top seed Emma Wilson, playing over her home course, and 16-year-old Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), the Scottish girls' match-play champion. Mrs Wilson was beaten 7 and 5 by Lorna Fury (Thornton), the 1999 Fife champion,and Krystle lost at the 20th to Lorna Bennett.
EMMA AND KRYSTLE GO OUT FIRST-ROUND SURPRISES
Top seed Emma Wilson, playing over her home course, fell at the first hurdle in the match-play stages of the Fife women's county golf championship at Elie today.
Emma, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association chairman, was beaten 7 and 5 by Lorna Fury (Thornton), the 1999 champion.
Other surprise results included the 20th hole victory of Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), a multi-winner of the Fife title in the 1980s, 90s and again in 2003, over the Scottish girls' champion Krystle Caithness (St Regulus).
Results:
FIRST ROUND
Lorna Fury (Thornton) bt Emma Wilson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) 7 and 5.
Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) bt Pat Simpson (Lundin Ladies) 7 and 6.
Katrina Milne (Dunfermline) bt Dorothy Ford (Scotscraig) 1 hole.
Becky Copland (Scotscraig) bt J Duncan (Balbirnie Park) 2 and 1.
Jane Whiteford (Leven) bt Lesley Rolland (Dunfermline) 3 and 2.
Lornia Bennett (Ladybank) bt Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) at 20th.
Susan Miller (Kirkcaldy) bt Jo Carthew (Ladybank) 2 holes.
Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) bt Hannah Harvey (St Leonards) 4 and 2.
QUARTER-FINALS
Lockhart bt Fury 3 and 2.
Milne bt Copland 5 and 3.
Bennett bt Whiteford 4 and 3.
Moffat bt Miller 1 hole.

Weetabix Challenge (morning results)
Amateurs leave themselves near impossible task
Ada O'Sullivan's Great Britain & Ireland Elite Squad of amateurs received a mauling from the Ladies' European Tour professionals in the six morning foursomes of the 2005 Weetabix Challenge Trophy match at The Wentworth Club today.
The pros won all six ties and it would be a near-miracle if the amateurs could make up the leeway over the 12 afternoon singles.
Foursomes results (GB&I amateurs first):
Clare Queen & Sophie Walker lost to Kirsty A Taylor & Julie Forbes 2 and 1.
Kerry Smith & Tricia Mangan lost to Corinne Dibnah & Nicola Moult 1 hole.
Naomi Edwards & Sarah Jones lost to Karen Lynn & Kerry Knowles 5 and 4.
Stephanie Evans & Breanne Loucks lost to Lora Fairclough & Dale Reid 3 and 2.
Clare Coughlan & Anne Laing lost to Elisabeth Esterl & Kirsty S Taylor 2 and 1.
Emma Duggleby & Faye Sanderson lost to Becky Brewerton & Alison Munt 4 & 3.
LUNCHTIME SCORELINE
Great Britain & Ireland Elite Squad Amateurs 0, Ladies' European Tour Professionals 6.

US College Golf
Kate O'Sullivan from Paisley tied for eighth place in the Big South Women's College Championship at Greenwood Country Club, South Carolina.
Kate, a golf scholarship student at High Point University, had rounds of 75, 71 and 78 for a total of 234. Her 71 was the lowest second-round score in the second round.
High Point team-mate Jenna Kinnear from Belfast scored 78, 78 and 79 to finished 10th equal ofn 235.
Line Cordes (Coastal Carolina University) won the tournament by a runaway margin - 10 strokes - with scores of 72, 73 and 71 for level par 216.
Coastal Carolina (906) won the team event from Birmingham Southern (914) with High Point (931) third, 25 shots ahead of fourth-placed Winthrop.

World Seniors
CATHY PANTON-LEWIS WINS A FEW DOLLARS MORE IN JAPAN
Cathy Panton-Lewis finished joint 17th and earned $8,200 in the Senior World Women’s Open championship at Izu Country Club, Japan.
Cathy had rounds of 77 and 73 for a 36-hole final total of six-over-par 150.
Ai-Yu Tu (Taiwan), a dominant player on the Japanese LPGA Tour during the 1980s, showed she could still play a fine game of golf with rounds of 68 and 66 for a 10-under tally of 134.
She ran away with the $25,000 first prize by eight shots from American Cindy Rarick.
The $300,000 tournament was sponsored by Japanese philantrophist Haruhisa Itanda (a sighted person) to promote awareness of blind golf, not only in Japan but internationally.
The event is part of the World Senior Women’s Golf Tour which is in its third season and is open to female professionals over the age of 45. It has four events on its schedule this year.
If you want to know more about the world senior women’s golf tour, log on to www.wsgtour.com
HOW THEY FINISHED
134 Ai-Yu Tu (Tai) 68 66 ($25,000).
142 Cindy Rarick (US) 74 68 ($18,400).
143 Yuko Moriguchi (Jap) 73 70, Patty Sheehan (US) 71, 73 Alicia Dibos (Per) ($14,000 each).
144 Sally Little (Safr) 74 70 ($11,500).
145 Pat Bradley (US) 72 73, Miki Oda (Jap) 70 75 ($10,750 each).
146 Jan Stephenson (US) 72 74, Angie Tsai (Tai) 70 76 ($9,900 each).
148 Colleen Walker (US) 76 72, Elaine Crosby (US) 74 74, Masumi Inaba (Jap) 784 74, Norimi Terasawa (Jap) 73 75, Alice Ritzman (US) 70 78, Debbie Massey (US) 7078 ($9,100 each).
150 (17th equal) Cathy Panton-Lewis (Sco) 77 73, Nayoko Yoshikawa (Jap) 73 77, Lori West (US) 73 77 ($8,200 each).
151 Vicki Fergon (US) 77 74, Aiko Takasu (Jap) 77 74 ($7,700 each).
153 Jane Blalock (US) 76 77 ($7,500).
154 Ritsu Imahori (US) 76 78 ($7,400).
166 Kathy Whitworth (US) 77 79 ($7,300)

Friday 15th April 2005

Spanish Junior Championship
GEMMA BEATEN IN SPAIN
Scotland girl international Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) was beaten in the second round of the consolation match-play tournament at the Spanish junior women's international championship at La Cala Resort, Malaga today.
Gemma beat Sahra Hassan (Wales) by 3 and 1 in the morning first round but lost by 2 and 1 to Finland's Satu Harju.
In the championship match-play, four Spanish players will contest Friday morning's semi-finals.
Azahara Munoz, winner of the British girls' open title at Lanark last summer, beat Wales' last hope, Kimberley Boulden, by 5 and 4 to reach the last four.
Results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
First round
P Lindberg (Swe) bt S Birks (Wal) 2 and 1.
M Silva (Spa) bt R Svahn (Fin) 2 and 1.
M Hernandez (Spa) bt E Wanet (Bel) 2 and 1.
S Cologan (Spa) bt P Bengtsson (Swe) 4 and 3.
A Munoz (Spa) bt A Sanso-Rubert (Spa) at 19th.
K Boulden (Wal) bt L Hall (Wal) 5 and 4.
A Felgueroso (Spa) bt A Zwanck (Spa) 3 and 2.
B Mozo (Spa) bt I Tusquets (Spa) 2 and 1
Quarter-finals
Silva bt Lindberg 4 and 3.
Hernandez bt Cologan 5 and 4.
Munoz bt Boulden 5 and 4.
Mozo bt Felgueroso 1 hole.
CONSOLATION TOURNAMENT
First round
S Harju (Fin) bt R Gomez (Spa) 4 and 2.
G Webster (Sco) bt S Hassan (Wal) 3 and 1.
B Perera (Spa) bt D Vasquez (Spa) 2 and 1.
M Korpi (Fin) bt C Andrade (Spa) 2 holes.
B Toumpsin (Bel) bt S Westerlund (Fin) 2 and 1.
C Sanchez (Spa) bt L Gould (Wal) 2 and 1.
C Montava (Spa) bt M Peake (Wal) 6 and 5
D Terol (Spa) bt L Gonzalez-Escallon (Bel) 7 and 6.
Quarter-finals
Harju bt Webster 2 and 1.
Perera bt Korpi 4 and 2.
Toumpsin bt Sanchez at 19th.
Montava bt Terol at 19th.

P&K County Ladies
Sally wins at Dunblane New
Blairgowrie's Sally Shepherd beat Sally Kettlewell (Dunblane) on a better inward half countback after they had tied for first place on 81 in the first round of the Perth & Kinross Ladies Golf Association Nell Scott Quaich on a wet and windy day over the Dunblane New course.
Kathy McKay (Crieff) won the top handicap award by a shot from Rena Duncan (Kinross) with a net 71 off 25.
LEADING RETURNS
SCRATCH
1st Sally Shepherd    ( Blairgowrie )   81  (bih)
2nd Sally Kettlewell    ( Dunblane)     81
HANDICAP
1st Kathy McKay      (Crieff)  96 (25) 71
2nd Rena Duncan     (Kinross) 89 (17) 72
3rd Sally Shepherd    (Blairgowrie)   81 (7)  74 (bih)
4th Sally Kettlewell    (Dunblane)    81 (7)  74

Thursday 14th April 2005

Spanish Junior Championship
GEMMA AND LESLEY FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR SPANISH MATCH-PLAY STAGES
Gemma Webster (Hilton Park), joint leader on 73 overnight, had a disastrous second round of 86 and failed to be one of the 16 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the Spanish junior women's international golf championship at La Cala Resort on the Costa del Sol today (THURSDAY).
Gemma's 36-hole total of 159 was two shots to many to retain an active interest in the tournament.
The other Scot in the field of 71, Lesley Hendry (Routenburn) also failed to qualify. She had rounds of 84 and 85 for 169 to finish 56th.
Wales, who sent a big squad to play in the event, were rewarded with three qualifiers for the match-play stages - Kimberley Boulden, Lydia Hall and Samantha Birks.
Scotland (328) finished 12th in a field of 14 for the international team event won by Spain A with 302. Wales B (Hall, Melanie Peake and Boulden) finished fourth with 309.
SCOREBOARD
QUALIFIERS
151 Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 77 74, Belen Mozo (Spa) 74 77, Azahara Munoz (Spa) 73 78.
152 Py Bengtsson (Swe) 73 79.
153 Maria Hernandez (Spa) 73 80.
154 Kimberley Boulden (Wal) 78 76, Adriana Zwanck (Spa) 76 78, Marta Silva (Spa) 75 79.
155 Rosa Svan (Fin) 78 77, Araceli Felgueroso (Spa) 75 80, Lydia Hall (Wal) 75 80, Elodie Wanet (Bel) 75 80, Sonia Cologan (Spa) 74 81.
156 Ana Sanso-Rubert (Spa) 81 75, Ines Tusquets (Spa) 77 79.
157 Samantha Birks (Wal) 77 80.
NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED
159 Gemma Webster (Sco) 73 86.
160 Sahra Hassan (Wal) 82 78, Melanie Peake (Wal) 80 80, Lucky Gould (Wal) 76 84.
163 Donna Jones (Wal) 81 82.
169 Lesley Hendry (Sco) 84 85.
TEAM TOTALS
302 Spain A (Mozo, Munoz, Zwanck).
303 Sweden.
306 Spain B.
309 Wales B (Hall, Peake, Boulden).
310 Spain C.
316 Belgium B, Finland A.
317 Finland B, Wales B.
323 Wales C.
325 Belgium A.
328 Scotland.
330 Portugal.
335 Finland C.

US College Golf
ANNA WALKING EVEN TALLER
Anna Scott, the 6ft 1in recruit from Consett in the North-east of England, and the rest of the Georgia State University women's golf team are walking tall this week after "cleaning up" in the Atlantic Sun women's college golf championship at Victoria Hills Golf Club, Deland in Florida.
Georgia State provided two of the top four finishers - tournament winner Lisbeth Meincke (her third straight tournament win) and fourth-placed Anna Scott. Lisbeth had rounds of 71, 74 and 76 for five-over-par 221. Anna scored 76, 77 and 75 for 228.
Georgia State also won the team event with a 917 total - six ahead of Campbell University.
Anna and the rest of the Georgia State University team are now looking forward eagerly to the post-regular season action and a bid for a national championship.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
221 Lisbeth Meincke (Georgia State) 71 74 76.
225 Alejandra Shaw (Campbell) 74 81 70
227 Ashley Grier (UCF) 73 75 79.
228 Anna Scott (Georgia State) 76 77 75.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
917 Georgia State.
923 Campbell University.
926 UCF

Wednesday 13th April 2005

SCOTS GIRL SHARES LEAD IN SPAIN
Gemma Webster, pictured right, from Hilton Park Golf Club shared the lead on 73 with two Spaniards and a Swede at the end of the first round of the Spanish junior women's international open championship at La Cala Resort on the Costa del Sol today (WED)
The only other Scot in the field, Lesley Hendry from Largs Routenburn, was lying joint 55th after an 84.
The Scots pair were tied for ninth place on 157 in the team event in which Spain A were the leaders with a tally of 147.
SPANISH JUNIOR WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
La Cala Resort, Costa del Sol.
Leading individual first-round scores
73 G Webster (Sco), P Bengtsson (Swe), A Munoz (Spa), M Hernandez (Spa), C Andrade (Spa).
Other score:
84 L Hendry (Sco)
Team scores
147 Spain A, Spain C. 148 Spain B. 150 Sweden. 152 Belgium B 153 Wales A. 154 Finland A. 156 Finland B. 157 Scotland. 159 Belgium A.

ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT MAIN SPONSOR FOR SENIOR BRITISH OPEN AT BALGOWNIE
The Senior British Open golf championship, to be played over Royal Aberdeen Golf Club's Balgownie links from July 21 to 24, is to have a new main sponsor for the next three years.
Aberdeen Asset Management, sponsors of former Open champion Paul Lawrie and backers of the Boat Race until this year, will be the principal contributor to the £1million prize fund as well as the considerable costs run up by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the European Seniors Tour, in promoting and organising one of the world's major over-50s pro championships and the biggest pro golf event ever to be staged north of Carnoustie.
Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management said: "We are thrilled to be investing in this prestigious golf tournament. Played over some of the country's finest courses and contested by some of the golf's biggest and best loved names, the championship is now a major feature on the British sporting calendar and we are delighted that, with our support, we are able to see it staged for the first time at the wonderful, historic Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.
"We look forward to working with our colleagues at the R&A and the European Seniors Tour to ensure that this exciting sponsorship proves an unprecedented success for all parties over the course of the next three years."
Speaking at today's Press Conference in the clubhouse of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, Andy Stubbs, pictured right, managing director of the European Seniors Tour, said: "Aberdeen Asset Management's commitment, alongside that of the Scottish Executive through EventScotland, augurs well for a wonderful week in Scotland - the Home of Golf."
David Hill, pictured left, the R&A's director of championships, said: "The R&A has always aimed to play the championship on the very best of links courses and Royal Aberdeen certainly falls into that category as a fair, yet testing lay-out. Its length of just over 6,800 yards is perfect for the over-50s' major championship.
"Its choice as a venue sprang from a meeting I had with Royal Aberdeen member Chris Symington last year. He invited me to come to the North-east and play a round over the Balgownie links last October.
"It was the first time I had been back at the course since we staged the Jacques Leglise Trophy boys' international match here in 1997. It was just as I remembered it - a fabulous course in magnificent condition and absolutely right as a venue for the Senior British Open.
It really is a stunning setting which will come across brilliantly in the worldwide television coverage. So, from last October, I have been very keen to bring the event to Balgownie."
Mr Hill reeled off a list of top-lines names who would be playing in the championship, including Sam Torrance, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Craig Stadler, Greg Norman, Mark James, Isao Aoki and Mark McNulty.
"We will continue to try very hard to bring over all the top American seniors for the event. And we will continue to promote it during Open championship over the Old Course, St Andrews, the week before we come up to Aberdeen."
The tournament will be termed the Senior British Open Championship presented by Aberdeen Asset Management.
At least 300 entries are anticipated from around the world. With only 144 teeing up in the first round of the 72-hole championship field on the Thursday, qualifying competitions will be held over Newmachar and Murcar on Tuesday, July 19 for those who do not have the qualifications to go straight into the championship.
The admission charge for spectators will be £15 per day but there will be no charge for children.
There will be daily worldwide television coverage in more than 30 countries through the American company, ABC TV, and Sky TV.
Although Aberdeen Asset Management are the main "presentation" sponsors, there is still room for other companies to come on board.
"Patron Sponsor" packages are available for £150,000 and the cost of a company being awarded 'Official Sponsor' status is £25,000. The benefits to the sponsoring companies are team places in the curtain-raising pro-am at Balgownie and facilities for corporate hospitality and, for the 'Patron Sponsors,' branding opportunies out on the course.
David Hill reckons that the staging of the Open championship at St Andrews in July will bring in between £50million and £70million to the Fife economy in particular and Scotland's tourist trade in general.
"I would guess, and it is only a guess, that the Senior British Open championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, will boost the North-east of Scotland economy by more than £10million or £12million," said Mr Hill who is confident that many American tourists will come to Scotland for the fortnight, moving up from St Andrews to Aberdeen at the conclusion of the Open.

Tuesday 12th April 2005

FOUR SCOTS FIGURE IN SATURDAY'S WEETABIX CHALLENGE AT WENTWORTH
There will be four Scots in action in Saturday's Weetabix Challenge match between the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad amateurs and the Evian Ladies European Tour select at Wentworth.
British stroke-play title-holder Clare Queen (Drumpellier) and Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) are in the 12-strong amateur line-up while the pros' team includes former Solheim Cup skipper Dale Reid from Ladybank and Aboyne's Julie Forbes.
Clare Queen, runner-up in the women's section of the Sherry Cup in Spain at the weekend, has been given the honour by skipper Ada O'Sullivan of playing in the lead-off matches in both the morning foursomes and the afternoon singles.
Clare partners England's Sophie Walker against Julie Forbes and Kirsty A Taylor in the top alternate-shot match, teeing off at 8am.
Anne Laing teams up with Ireland's Claire Coughlan against Elisabeth Esterl and Kirsty S Taylor.
In the singles, Clare Queen plays the top tie against Kirsty A Taylor. Anne Laing meets Lancashire-based pro Lora Fairclough.
Julie Forbes, now based in Ireland, plays one of the top amateurs from the Emerald Isle, Trish Mangan, while Dale Reid has Sophie Walker as her singles opponent.
The LGU Elite Squad beat the LET professionals 16 1/2-4 1/2 at Formby last year. It was only the second time since the Weetabix Challenge started in 1994 that the amateurs had won. The previous occasion was in 1998.
Saturday's matches (LGU amateurs first):
Foursomes - C Queen & S Walker v K A Taylor & J Forbes, K Smith & T Mangan v C Dibnan & N Moult, N Edwards & S Jones v K Lunn & K Knowles, S Evans & B Loucks v L Fairclough & D Reid, C Coughlan & A Laing v E Esterl & K S Taylor, E Duggleby & F Sanderson v B Brewerton & A Munt.
Singles - Queen v K A Taylor, Smith v Dibnah, Mangan v Forbes, Duggleby v Moult, Sanderson v Lunn, Coughlan v Knowles, Walker v Reid, Loucks v K S Taylor, Laing v Fairclough, Edwards v Munt, Evans v Esterl, Jones v Brewerton.

Ayrshire Girls v South of Scotland Girls (Thanks to June Kerr)
Ayrshire Girls halved their annual match with South of Scotland Girls on Saturday at Lochmaben. It was another cold, windy day with occasional showers but this didn't affect the quality of the golf on the day. Morag MacPherson leading the Ayrshire team set the pace with a 1 hole victory despite giving away 13 strokes! Full results as follows:
Morag MacPherson (Turnberry) beat Ashley McDonald
Sarah Hutton (Troon Bentinck) beat Kirsty McDonald
Clare Brawley (Barassie) lost to Ailsa Mitchell
Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie) beat Rachel Harvey
Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie) beat Jordana Graham
Hannah Gaunt (Troon Bentinck) lost to Ashley Hair
Jennifer Linklater (Largs Kelburn) lost to Emma McDowell
Emma Duncan (Barassie) lost to Claire Towers
The junior convenors fielded a team of 8 in order to give more girls match-play experience and for some of them this was their first match. Whether winning or losing they all performed extremely well and there's no doubt there will be lots of handicaps tumbling down very soon.

US College News
None of the US College girls did particularly well over the weekend. (i.e. not much news!)
Baylor (Sian Reddick) and Arkansas Little-Rock (Emily Ogilvy, Laura Walker, Fiona Gilbert) were playing in the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic at The Trails G.C., Norman, Oklahoma, which is a par 72, 6017 yards layout.
Lacey Jones, a freshman at Southern Methodist University, won the tournament with a five over par total of 221. The English Stroke-play champion Sian Reddick (Baylor) was the best of the Brits when she finished in 10th spot with an 11 over par total of 227. Scottish girl Emily Ogilvie (Arkansas Little Rock) finished tied for 17th on 229, but with a better second round (she had an 81) she could have been up amongst the leaders.
Leading scores
1 Lacey Jones SMU 72 76 73 221 +5
T 2 Cas Bridge Tulsa 72 72 78 222 +6
T 2 Josefin Svenningsson Baylor 73 74 75 222 +6
T 2 Kelli Strubinger Missouri 76 74 72 222 +6
Other Scores
T 10 Sian Reddick Baylor 77 73 77 227 +11
T17 Emily Ogilvy AR-L. Rock 74 81 74 229 +13
T 62 Laura Walker AR-L. Rock 84 76 87 247 +31
T74 Fiona Gilbert AR-L. Rock 82 82 88 252 +36
Leading Team scores
1 Missouri, U. of 298 290 301 889 +25
2 Tulsa, University of 298 300 301 899 +35
3 Baylor University 296 301 317 914 +50
The Lady Boilermaker tournament hosted by Purdue University was one of the other major College events over the weekend. This was held over the Kampen Golf Club in West Lafayette, Indiana, a par 72, 6025 yard layout. Amanda Costner from Kansas won the tournament with a one-over-par three-round total of 217. Tara Delaney led the Celtic challenge on 228 and tied for 15th, Scottish Internationalist Louise Kenney (Iowa State), recently voted the month's best player in the Big12 conference, did not have such a good showing and finished tied 26th on 231.
Leading Scores
1 Amanda Costner Kansas 73 71 73 217 +1
2 Camille Blackerby TCU 76 73 71 220 +4
Nicole Melton Texas A&M 73 71 76 220 +4
Other scores
15 Tara Delaney Kent State 75 77 76 228 +12
26 Louise Kenney Iowa State 80 74 77 231 +15
34 Louise Fleming J'ville St 76 74 83 233 +17
53 Karen Delaney Kent State 80 80 80 240 +24
Leading teams
1 Michigan, U. of 309 297 292 898 +34
TCU 299 299 300 898 +34
3 Northwestern Univ. 292 305 303 900 +36
Other teams
7 Kent State 300 305 309 914 +50
8 Notre Dame, U. of 303 308 310 921 +57
9 Iowa State Univ. 318 301 310 929 +65
12 Jacksonville St. 314 305 323 942 +78

Monday 11th April 2005

Scottish and Irish Teams on the steps of Gullane Ladies' Golf Club today.
In the front row, Irish Seniors' Captain/President, Mary Anderson is flanked by Scottish Vets' team Captain Joan Marshall and Scottish Vets' President Liz Miskimmin.

Scottish Vets v Irish Seniors
Scotland win, series now tied at 3 matches apiece
Scotland beat Ireland by 8.5 matches to 3.5 in the 6th Annual Scotland Vets v Irish Seniors match for the Mary McKenna Perpetual trophy played over Gullane No 1 today. This brings the overall result in the series to 3 matches each; Ireland won the first three encounters and Scotland has won the most recent three. All to play for next time!
There was some excellent golf played in very windy conditions and Scotland, who only needed 3 points to secure their victory, were struggling in the early stages. Pamela Williamson's match against Irish legend Mary McKenna showed that the nine-times Curtis-cupper had not lost any magic round the greens. On hole after hole in the inward half, Scottish spectators were sure that Pamela would gain the upper hand after being closer to the pin, only to have their hopes dashed when the Irish girl sank yet another long putt, and Pam's ball just lipped out.
Anna Telfer and Margaret Tough had early wins for Scotland, and Moira Thomson's half in four on 17 against Valerie Hassett secured the result in Scotland's favour.
Singles Results
Scotland Vets 5 Ireland Seniors 3 (Scottish names first)
Lorna Bennett lost to Eileen McMullen 3&2
Pamela Williamson lost to Mary McKenna 2&1
Moira Thomson beat Valerie Hassett 2&1
Margaret Tough beat Mary Madden 5&3
Liz Campbell lost to Anna Moloney 2&1
Anna Telfer beat Terry Sexton 5&4
Chris McAndrew beat Helen O'Donoghue 2&1
Noreen Fenton beat Maura Breatnach 4&3
Fourballs (played yesterday) Scotland Vets 3.5 Ireland Seniors 0.5
Overall result Scotland Vets 8.5 Ireland Seniors 3.5

Irish Seniors team
L to R: Back step: Valerie Hassett, Mary McKenna,
Next step: Helen O'Donoghue, Maura Breatnach
Next step: Anna Moloney, Eileen McMullen
Front step: Terry Sexton, Mary Anderson (Captain), Mary Madden

Scottish Vets Team
L to R; Back step: Pamela Williamson, Anna Telfer,
Next step: Moira Thomson, Pat Hutton (Vice-Captain) Chris McAndrew
Next step: Liz Campbell, Noreen Fenton
Front Step: Margaret Tough, Joan Marshall (Captain) Liz Miskimmin (President) Lorna Bennett

Ladies' Golf
Roehampton Gold Cup                                                        
Having received over 90 entries for this prestigious event in the ladies' golfing calendar, the organisers of the 79th Roehampton Gold Cup had to ballot entries  for the first time in many years.   The amateur handicap limit is 5.
Alison Coffey, Irish international and former Curtis Cup player, now based in Surrey, will be defending her title at the south west London venue on Saturday April 23rd.
Since the early 1980s this event has been open to lady professional golfers too and this year there are 20 in the field of 60.   Top professional prize money is £1000.   First amateur will receive £350.
For further information please contact Roehampton Club  Golf Cup organiser Caroline Aitken on 020 8480 4201 Draw

Sherry Cup official correction... [not our fault this time!!!!]
The Sherry Cup seems destined to be wrongly reported on this website. Not only do we tell you it is all over when there is still a round to go... we then give you the wrong results for the ladies. We have received an official apology from the organisers ...

Trouble !!!! What about our credibility!!!
The tournament was not won by Rachel Bell (sorry Rachel!) but by Stephanie Endstrasser from Austria and our own Clare Queen was second (Well done Clare!)
FINAL TOTALS AND PLACINGS
1 AUT ENDSTRASSER, STEFANIE - 287 74 70 70 73
2 SCO QUEEN, CLARE          289 73 69 74 73
3 AUT GERGELY, NICOLE               292 78 73 72 69
SWE LINDBERG, PERNILLA              292 71 74 74 73
5 SPA CABRERA BELLO, EMMA          293 77 73 71 72
6 NET VAN DER GRAAFF, MARJET       296 77 70 75 74
GER SCHALLENBERG, KATHARINA       296 79 72 70 75
8 ENG BELL, RACHEL                     297 77 74 75 71
9 ENG EDWARDS, NAOMI               300 78 73 77 72
10 SPA      DÍAZ-NEGRETE PALACIO, INÉS     301 74 74 83 70
SPA ORUETA PEMARTIN, MARIA       301 76 71 77 77
12 BEL TOUMPSIN, BÉNÉDICTE        302 78 70 79 75
SWI SEEHOLZER, FRÉDERIQUE       302 76 72 79 75
SCO WALKER, KYLIE               302 73 72 77 80
15 SWI IN-ALBON, FABIENNE              303 74 78 75 76
16 SWE    KINNERUD, KARIN               304 77 78 78 71
17 FIN  SALONEN, HANNA-LEENA        305 76 72 81 76
18 BEL BARBIER, JUSTINE               307 77 74 77 79
GER LOEHR, CAROLIN               307 79 73 75 80
20 SCO WILSON, JENNA               308 77 74 81 76
BEL LUCCIOLI, TAMARA              308 80 80 72 76
22 GER KIRCHMAYR, STEFFI              309 83 74 74 78
23 SWE     BENGTSSON, PY               310 74 80 83 73
24 SPA MAR RUIPÉREZ, LUCÍA              311 83 72 80 76
NET VAN DER KRAATS, JOAN        311 79 74 79 79
26 AUT MERTL, KERSTIN               312 78 77 78 79
27 FIN  HÄRKÖNEN, SOHVI              313 80 81 76 76
ENG LOMAS,RACHAEL               313 77 79 81 76
NET WEEDA, MARIE-LOUISE        313 80 74 78 81
30 SWI TANNO, NATALIA               314 81 79 76 78
31 SPA KAARNALAHTI, MINNA              317 79 78 79 81
32 FIN  RUUTTILA, KAISA               320 88 78 78 76

St Andrews Links Trust Press Release
Old course hits top spot
The Old Course has beaten off competition from golf courses in 184 countries, including venues in England, Ireland, Canada and Australia, to secure first place in a prestigious international poll. The US golf magazine Golf Digest bestowed the accolade following the title’s inaugural survey of courses outside the USA.
Basing the results on the opinions of more than 800 experts, which included course-rating panellists and international editors, the poll considered over 1,000 courses in terms of shot values, resistance to scoring, design variety, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning, ambience and walkability. The Old Lady came out on top, further re-enforcing Tiger Woods’ recent assertion that the Old Course was his favourite course in the world.
The survey, which is part of Golf Digest's Planet Golf biennial feature, is published just 13 weeks prior to the Open Championship returning to the Home of Golf for a record-breaking 27th time – an event that will see Woods revisit the setting of one of his most convincing victories. In preparation for the event, Links Trust greenkeepers have completed a significant amount of work on the Old Course, including revetting the faces of more than 80% of the course’s 112 bunkers and introducing five new tees.
Despite these developments, the Old Course retains an unmistakable character that has captivated golfers throughout the ages. As Alan McGregor, general manager of the Links Trust, explains, this most recent accolade goes to the heart of the lasting appeal of the ancient links.
“Every facet of the Old Course is steeped in history - from the remarkable achievements of Old Tom Morris and his son to the success of Tiger Woods. It is the depth of history that encourages people to make a pilgrimage to the Old Course, and the subtlety of its design that fascinates them. Our job is to maintain the best traditions of golf at St Andrews while ensuring it remains a venue that is truly open to all.

Scottish Vets v Irish Seniors
Scottish Vets Champion Lorna Bennett (Midlands) leads off the Scottish team in the singles on the second day of the 6th annual Scottish Vets v Irish Seniors match over Gullane No1 today. Play starts at 10:30am.
[Picture right, the Scottish and Irish Captains, Joan Marshall and Mary Anderson]
Draw (Scottish names first)
Lorna Bennett v Eileen McMullen
Pamela Williamson v Mary McKenna
Moira Thomson v Valerie Hassett
Margaret Touch v Mary Madden
Liz Campbell v Anna Maloney
Anna Telfer v Terry Sexton
Chris McAndrew v Helen O'Donaghue
Noreen Fenton v Maura Breatnach

World Senior Golf Ladies Open Championship
First Round Results from Izu-Ohito Country Club, Japan
Izu Peninsula, Japan (April 9, 2005) -The 2005 WSGT schedule season is underway with the $300,000 World Ladies Golf Open in the Izu Province of Japan April 8-10. The event is sponsored by philanthropist Haruhisa Handa, a sighted person trying to promote awareness of blind golf in Japan and internationally.
WSGT players from all over the world have come to participate in this inaugural event. Below are the results from the first round. Final round results will be distributed following the completion of the event
on Sunday.
First Round Scores
68 Ai-Yu Tu (TPE)
70 Angie Tsai (TPE) Miki Oda (JPN) Debbie Massey (USA) Alice Ritzman (USA)
71 Alicia Dibos (PER) Patty Sheean (USA)
72 Jan Stevenson (Australia) Pat Bradley (USA)
73 Norimi Terasawa (JPN) Lori West (USA) Nayoko Yoshikawa (JPN) Yuko Moriguchi (JPN)
74 Masumi Inaba (JPN) Cindy Rarick (USA) Sally Little (RSA) Elaine Crosby (USA)
76 Colleen Walker (USA) Ritsu Imahori (JPN) Jane Blalock (USA)
77 Aiko Takasu (JPN) Cathy Panton-Lewis (ENG!) Vicki Fergon (USA)
87 Kathy Whitworth (USA)

East Girls team for Inter-Divisional Championship
The East team for the new Junior Inter-divisional championship to be played at Ballumbie Castle, Dundee, on 11/12 June was chosen at the Cuthbertson Cup yesterday.
The rules of the competition do not allow the division to pick any girl who has played for her senior County team. Scottish Girls Champion Krystle Caithness is the only one in that category. The team is still a strong one ranging from 3 to 6 handicap. Thirteen-year old East of Scotland Girls Champion Sally Watson (Elie and Earlsferry) is the back marker off 3.
Team
Becky Copland (Scotscraig)
Amanda Edwards (Liberton)
Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old Course)
Jane Turner (Glencorse)
Rebecca Watson (Elie and Earlsferry)
Sally Watson (Elie and Earlsferry)
Reserves
Ashleigh Wilton (Ladybank)
Hannah Harvey (St Leonards)
Louise Macgregor (Falkirk Carmuirs)
Megan Barbour (North Berwick)

Sunday 10th April 2005

Craigmillar Park Open
CACK-HANDED JOHN SCORES BIGGEST WIN IN CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Greenkeeper-turned-full-time amateur golfer John Gallagher scored the biggest win of his career today (SUNDAY) when he won the BP Craigmillar Park Open 72-hole tournament in Edinburgh.
Gallagher, who will be 24 on Sunday, was greenkeeper at the Merchants of Edinburgh club until 12 months ago.
"I gave up the job to be a full-time golfer for a spell to see just how good a player I might be, given the opportunity to play and practise every day," said John who is one of the few cack-handed (left hand below right on the grip) to have played district level golf.
"Winning this is a terrific boost for me. And I'm certainly not going to adopt a conventional grip now. I've never had a lesson in my life since I took up the game at 14."
Gallagher held his game together splendidly in a westerly wind that increased in force as the day progressed. Playing with the third-round leader and defending champion, Jamie McLeary (Leven Golf Society), John shot a four-under-par 67 for a final total of 11-under-par 272 to win by two shots from McLeary.
Gallagher's earlier rounds were 66 and 68 in Saturday's easier conditions - which earned him a share of the halfway lead with fellow Lothians player Scott Knowles (Kingskowe) and Kenny Mail (Craigmillar Park).
When Gallagher could only match the par of 71 in yesterday morning's third round, allowing playing partner and Walker Cup team possible McLeary to take up a two-shot lead with a splendid 67 for 203 -one ahead of Nicky Bell (Carlisle) and Kenny Mail and two ahead of Gallagher and Knowles.
Surprisingly, McLeary could not hold the confident Gallagher at bay - "I hit the ball very low so the wind didn't bother me at all," said John - and the Stirling University student dropped two shots on the outward half of the final round while Gallagher, out in one-under 34, slipped past him into a one-shot lead.
Down the home straight, McLeary dropped further shots at the 12th and 14th and birdies at the 14th and 18th were too late to challenge Gallagher who had a 3 at five of the first six holes after the turn. Birdies at the 10th, 12th and 14th put daylight between him and the field.
Australian Open amateur champion Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie) was the only player to match Gallagher's 67 in the very testing late afternoon conditions and that great effort lifted him up into a tie for third place on four-under 279 with Nicky Bell and Kenny Mail.
North-east Alliance champion Terry Mathieson (Murcar) three-putted the last for a bogey 5, which cost him a top-10 finish. Terry signed off with 74 for 282 and a share of 11th place.
Collated scoreboard
BP CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Craigmillar Park GC, Edinburgh
FINAL TOTALS (Par 71, CSS 71, 70, 69 72).
272 J Gallagher (Swanston) 66 68 71 67.
274 J McLeary (Leven GS) 66 70 67 71.
279 E Ramsay (Carnoustie) 69 70 73 67, N Bell (Carlisle) 69 68 67 75, K Mail (Craigmillar Park) 69 65 70 75.
280 S Mackenzie (West Linton) 69 73 69 69, L Harper (Musselburgh) 72 67 69 72, C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 67 71 74 68.
281 S Armstrong (Turnhouse) 71 71 69 70, W Bowe (Workington) 69 71 70 71.
282 R Taylor (Downfield) 67 73 71 71, T Mathieson (Murcar) 69 68 71 74
283 W F Bryson (Drumpellier) 74 66 68 75, S Knowles (Kingsknowe) 69 65 71 78.
284 K Nicholson (Haddington) 71 69 72 72.
285 D Martin (Alyth) 72 70 69 74, G Gorrie (Haggs Castle) 69 72 70 74, P O'Hara (Colville Park) 71 68 69 77.
286 M Kerr (Dalmahoy) 74 69 73 70, C Paisley (Stocksfield) 74 69 70 73, G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 69 70 71 76.
288 B Scott (Dumfries & Galloway) 70 70 72 76, G Brown (Royal Montrose) 70 70 72 76.
287 K Hamilton (Whitecraigs) 69 70 72 76.
289 K Young (Glencorse) 70 72 74 73.
290 E Saltman (Craigielaw) 76 66 74 74.
291 D T Miller (Duddingston) 73 70 75 73.
293 S Taylor (Drumpellier) 74 69 74 76.
294 C Colraine (Windyhill) 70 73 77 74.
Disqualified: K Wright (Musselburgh) 71 72 - .
+30 players with 36-hole totals of 143 or better qualified for the final two rounds

Fife Junior team, winners of the Cuthbertson Cup today at Dunfermline Golf Club.
L to R: Susan Jackson, Krystle Caithness, Becky Copland, Hannah Harvey
(photo courtesy Margaret Macpherson, County Captain Midlothian)

Cuthbertson Cup (East of Scotland Girls Inter-County)
Fife beat Midlothian by 2.5 matches to 1.5 in the final this afternoon at Dunfermline Golf Club, Pitfirrane. The result was close with two matches going to the 18th. Stirling and Clackmannan took third place with a 2-0 win over East Lothian
Midlothian 1.5 Fife 2.5 (Midlothian names first)
Amanda Edwards lost to Krystle Caithness 5&4
Jane Turner halved with Becky Copland
Rachael Livingstone beat HannahHarvey 1 hole
Rachel Archibald lost to Susan Jackson 3&2
Stirling and Clackmannan 2 East Lothian 0
Louise Macgregor and Kathleen Wood beat Megan Barbour and Beth Mackay 4&2
Arlene McGarty and Hannah Macgregor beat Stephanie Kubis and Venus Louden 3&1

Scottish Vets v Irish Seniors
Scotland are 3.5 matches to 0.5 matches up after the first day's fourballs in the 6th annual Scottish Vets v Irish Seniors International held over the Gullane No 1 course today. In the top match Lorna Bennett and Noreen Fenton were sitting comfortably on the 11th green in two and two up, thinking that they would at least get a half at the hole against Mary McKenna and Mary Madden when Curtis Cup player Mary McKenna holed a full-blown pitch to win the hole. The two Mary's got back to square and after an exchange of birdies, the Scottish couple ended up one up playing the last and managed to half the hole.
[Picture right: Mary McKenna drives from first tee]
Results (Scottish names first)
Lorna Bennett (Midlands) and Noreen Fenton (East) beat Mary McKenna and Mary Madden 1up
Liz Campbell (Borders) and Moira Thomson (East) beat Maura Breatnach and Eileen McMullen 7&6
Pamela Williamson (East) and Margaret Touch (Midlands) beat Valerie Hassett and Helen O'Donoghue 5&4
Anna Telfer (West) and Christine McAndrew (Highland) halved with Anna Moloney and Terry Sexton.

Cuthbertson Cup (East Division Junior Inter-County matches)
Midlothian beat Stirling and Clackmannan by 3 matches to 1 and Fife beat East Lothian 4-0 this morning in the Cuthbertson Cup at Dunfermline Golf Club, Pitfirrane. The two winners, Midlothian and Fife are playing this afternoon for first and second spot.
Midlothian 3 Stirling and Clackmannan 1
(Midlothian names first)
Amanda Edwards lost to Louise Macgregor 1 hole
Jane Turner beat Arlene McGarty 7&6
Rachael Livingstone beat Hannah McGregor 8&6
Rachael Archibald beat Kathleen Wood 7&6
East Lothian 0 Fife 4
(East Lothian names first)
Megan Barbour lost to Krystle Caithness 1 hole
Beth Mackay lost to Becky Copland 3&2
Stephanie Kubis lost to Hannah Harvey 7&6
Venus Louden lost to Susan Jackson 6&5

Scottish Boys Championship
Scott Henry (Cardross), pictured right, retained the BP Scottish boys' championship at Murcar Golf Club today. He beat Brora's Euan Polson, a Royal Dornoch member, by 6 and 5 in the 36-hole final after being two holes up at lunch-time.

Saturday 9th April 2005

Scottish Vets v Irish Seniors
Lorna Bennett (Midlands) and Noreen Fenton (East) are due to play the two Marys, Mary McKenna and Mary Madden in the first fourball of the annual Scotland Vets v Irish Seniors match over Gullane No 1 tomorrow. Liz Campbell (Borders) and Moira Thomson (East) are playing Maura Breatnach and Eileen McMullen. Pamela Williamson (East) and Margaret Touch (Midlands) are up against Valerie Hassett and Helen O'Donoghue and last couple Anna Telfer (West) and Christine McAndrew (Highlands) have drawn left-hander Anna Moloney and Terry Sexton.
Play starts at 10:30am

THREE SHARE HALFWAY LEAD AT CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Lothians' players took a stranglehold on the lead at the halfway stage of the Craigmillar Park Open, Edinburgh today.
John Gallagher, the Swanston player who has a cack-handed grip (left hand below right), past winner Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) and local hero Kenny Mail of the host club, are sharing the top spot on six-under-par 134 after 36 holes. .
Gallagher shot 66 and 68; while Knowles and Mail both scored 69 and 65.
Defending champion Jamie McLeary (Leven Golfing Society) is two shots behind them going into the final two rounds on Sunday after scoring 66 and 70 for 136.
Sharing fifth place on 137 are two players less well known in the Central Belt - Nicky Bell from Carlistle and Terry Mathieson (Murcar), the North-east Alliance champion who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish amateur championship two or three years ago.
Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), winner of last week's Scottish champion of champions' 72-holer at Leven, is lying seventh on 138 after rounds of 67 and 71.
collated scoreboard
CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Craigmillar Park GC, Edinburgh
QUALIFIERS FOR SUNDAY'S LAST TWO ROUNDS
Par 70. CSS: 71 + 70.
134 J Gallagher (Swanston) 66 68, S Knowles (Kingsknowe) 69 65, K Mail (Craigmillar Park) 69 65.
136 J McLeary (Leven GS) 66 70.
137 N Bell (Carlisle) 69 68, T Mathieson (Murcar) 69 68.
138 C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 67 71.
139 G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 69 70, P O'Hara (Colville Park) 71 68, K Hamilton (Whitecraigs) 69 70, E Ramsay (Carnoustie) 69 70, L Harper (Musselburgh) 72 67.
140 K Nicholson (Haddington) 71 69, W F Bryson (Drumpellier) 74 66, B Scott (Dumfries & Galloway) 70 70, G Brown (Royal Montrose) 70 70, R Taylor (Downfield) 67 73, W Bowe (Workington) 69 71.
141 G Gorrie (Haggs Castle) 69 72.
142 S Armstrong (Turnhouse) 71 71, D Martin (Alyth) 72 70, E Saltman (Craigielaw) 76 66, S Mackenzie (West Linton) 69 73, K Young (Glencorse) 70 72.
143 D T Miller (Duddingston) 73 70, C Colraine (Windyhill) 70 73, M Kerr (Dalmahoy) 74 69, K Wright (Musselburgh) 71 72, C Paisley (Stocksfield) 74 69, S Taylor (Drumpellier) 74 69.
DID NOT QUALIFY
144 P Betty (Hayston) 71 73, G Paterson (Drumoig) 73 71, D Marshall (Dalmahoy) 72 72, T Caldwell (Silverknowes) 71 73, F Henderson (Craigielaw) 75 69.
145 J Ralston (Shotts) 73 72, B Edmond (Bon Accord) 71 74, M Clark (Kilmacolm) 73 72, G Robertson (Silverknowes) 77 68, G MacDonald (Callander) 73 72.
146 M Thomson (Cardrona) 70 76, A Laurence (Baberton) 75 71, G Rodger (Cambuslang) 76 70.
147 S Smith (Arbroath Artisans) 73 74, D Henderson (Hamilton) 77 70.
148 P Cormack (Inchmarlo) 72 76, A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links) 72 76, M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 72 76, R Noon (Musselburgh) 73 75, D Sutton (Lockerbie) 74 74, F Skene (Tantallon) 75 73.
149 S Larkin (Banchory) 75 74, C Elliott (Carrickvale) 73 76, B Moore (Largs) 72 77.
150 J McGhee (Duddingston) 77 73, D Gillespie (Craigmillar Park) 74 76, M Rose (Pitlochry) 71 79, M Hillson (Craigielaw) 77 73.
151 C Kelly (Kirkhill) 78 73, I Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle) 75 76.
152 S Elder (Kirkcaldy) 78 74, G Tait (Craigmillar Park) 78 74, K Reilly (Silverknowes) 73 79, D Miller (Fereneze) 75 77.
153 D Hulston (Braehead) 71 82, R Craig (Merchants of Edinburgh) 79 74.
154 C McDonnell (Stocksfield) 77 77.
155 A Dick (Shotts) 77 78.
156 G Lornie (Nigg Bay) 83 73.
157 K Ralston (Shotts) 77 80, M Webb (Auchterarder) 75 82.
158 F White (Crieff) 80 78.
159 A Lafkih (Ivory Coast) 81 78.
160 G Rodger (Newbattle) 84 76.
NR R Coull (Edzell) 86 NR.
Withdrew: S C Smith (Duddingston).

Sherry Cup
ENGLAND TAKE BOTH INDIVIDUAL TITLES BUT SCOTS CAN BE PROUD OF SHERRY CUP EFFORT
England won both the individual titles in the Sherry Cup amateur international tournament, which ended over the Real Golf Club course, Sotogrande, on the Costa del Sol on Saturday - but Scotland, too, can be proud of their efforts.
Veteran Gary Wolstenholme won the men's title with rounds of 72, 68, 71 and 73 for a four-under-par aggregate of 284.
Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) and Andrew McArthur (Windyhill), always in the picture throughout the four days' action, did well to finish in a four-way tie for second place on 286 and certainly boosted their Walker Cup team selection prospects for the Chicago match against the Americans in August 13 and 14.
Scottish open amateur stroke-play title-holder Ramsay, a Stirling University student, was so steady with rounds of 71, 71, 72 and 72. McArthur did not make many mistakes in compiling 70, 71, 72 and 73.
Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) gave the Scots a fourth man in the top six with scores of 72, 72, 72 and 73 for 289 and a four-way tie for the sixth spot.
Scottish champion George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle) finished joint 16th with 74, 72, 77 and 71 for a total of 294.
Scotland, halfway leaders in the men's team event, were overhauled by Spain in the third round and could not turn the tables over the final round. The Spaniards (854) won, with the Scots runners up on 859 - nine shots ahead of third-placed England with Wales, for whom West Linton member Gareth Wright was the top scorer,  fourth on 877.
England's Rachel Bell and Naomi Edwards came storming through the field with brilliant sub-par last rounds to finish first and second in the women's individual event.
Rachel from Ganton, British girls championship beaten finalist at Blairgowrie in 1999 and with several years of experience on the American college circuit under her belt since then, scored 74, 71, 72 and 68 for 285 - three ahead of Naomi who had rounds of 75, 70, 74 and 69 for 288.
Clare Queen, the current British women's open amateur champion from Drumpellier, and young Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) finished a creditable third and fourth in the field of 32.
Clare scored 73, 69, 74 and 73 for 289. Kylie's scores were 70, 69, 74 and 77 for 290.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), the third member of the Scottish women's squad, finished 22nd with 76, 73, 80 and 75 for 304.
The Scots girls, halfway leaders in the women's team event, eventually finished second to Austria who totalled 579 - eight ahead of the Scots.
Spain (589) were third, Sweden (593) fourth and England (596) fifth.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
SHERRY CUP AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Real Golf Club, Sotogrande, Costa del Sol.
FINAL TOTALS
MEN INDIVIDUAL
284 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 68 71 73
286 R Ramsay (Sco) 71 71 72 72, A McArthur (Sco) 70 71 72 73, J L Adarraga (Spa) 70 73 75 68, J Campillo (Spa) 70 72 70 74.
289 L Saltman (Sco) 72 72 72 73, J Luiten (Net) 78 71 71 69, F Fritsch (Ger) 71 75 74 69, A Velasco 77 67 70 75
Other scores:
292 G Lockerbie (Eng) 77 70 74 71.
293 G Wright (Wal) 72 71 74 76.
294 G Murray (Sco) 74 72 77 71, N Edwards (Wal) 74 72 77 71, L Corfield (Eng) 72 72 74 76 (joint 16th).
296 C Smith (Wal) 77 70 80 69, S McTernan (Ire) 76 72 73 75.
299 M McGeady (Ire) 77 75 74 73.
300 M Richardson (Eng) 75 72 76 77
301 J Williams (Wal) 78 73 76 74.
306 D Crowe (Ire) 76 76 77 77.
308 B McElhinney (Ire) 78 78 78 74.
MEN'S TEAM
854 Spain.
859 Scotland
868 England.
877 Wales.
881 Portugal.
885 Germany.
886 Netherlands, Austria.
891 Finland.
895 Iceland.
898 Ireland.
901 Norway.
903 Belgium.
907 Czech Republic, Denmark.
917 Turkey
WOMEN INDIVIDUAL
(see report on 11th April)
WOMEN TEAM
579 Austria.
587 Scotland.
589 Spain.
593 Sweden.
596 England.
599 Belgium.
600 Germany.
602 Switzerland.
606 Netherlands.
612 Finland.

Craigmillar Park Open
McLeary and Gallagher first round leaders
Defending champion Jamie McLeary (Leven Golfing Society) and Swanston's John Gallagher shared the lead on four-under-par 66 at the end of the first round of the Craigmillar Park Open in Edinburgh today (SATURDAY).
McLeary, birdied the second, third, 10th, 14th, 17th and 18th and drop shots only at the 11th and 12th in halves of 33.
Gallagher, who plays with his left hand below his right on the grip, had an eagle 2 on his card at the third and supported that with birdies at the second, eighth, 10th, 11th and 14th but he shed shots at the first, sixth and ninth in a roller-coaster 34 to the turn.
Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), winner of the Scottish champion of champions' 72-holer over Leven Links last week, was only one shot off the pace, sharing third place with Robert Taylor (Downfield) on 67.
North-east Alliance champion Terry Mathieson (Murcar) was joint fifth on the 69 mark.
Collated scoreboard
CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Craigmillar Park GC, Edinburgh
Leading first round scores (Par 70)
66 J Gallagher (Swanston), J McLeary (Leven GS).
67 C Watson (East Renfrewshire), R Taylor (Downfield)
69 N Bell (Carlisle), S Mackenzie (West Linton), G Campbell (Blairgowrie), S Knowles (Kingsknowe) T Mathieson (Murcar), K Hamilton (Whitecraigs), K Mail (Craigmillar Park), E Ramsay (Carnoustie), W Bowe (Workington), G Gorrie (Haggs Castle).
70 C Colraine (Windyhill), K Young (Glencorse), M Thomson (Cardrona), G Brown (Royal Montrose), B Scott (Dumfries & Galloway).
71 S Armstrong (Turnhouse), K Nicholson (Haddington), P O'Hara (Colville Park), B Edmond (Bon Accord), D Hulston (Braehead), M Rose (Pitlochry), K Wright (Musselburgh), P Betty (Hayston), T Caldwell (Silveerknowes).
72 M Duncan (Alyth), P Cormack (Inchmarlo), A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links), M Buchan (Cruden Bay), L Harper (Musselburgh), D Marshall (Dalmahoy), B Moore
73 D T Miller (Duddingston), S Smith (Arbroath Artisans), J Ralston (Shotts), C Elliott (Carrickvale), K Reilly (Silverknowes), M Clark (Kilmacolm), G Patgerson (Drumoig), R Noon (Musselburgh), G MacDonald (Callander).
Other score:
75 S Larkin (Banchory).
83 G Lornie (Nigg Bay).

Sherry Cup
Apologies for yesterday's report when we said that the tournament had concluded. There is still another round to go! Our Spanish is not so good. As I said yesterday... please don't shoot the messenger!

Friday 8th April 2005

Sherry Cup
Still all to play for!
Scotland have lost their advantage after leading in three of the four categories in the Sherry Cup amateur international golf tournament at the Real Golf Club, Sotogrande on the Costa del Sol. There is still a fourth and final round where they can overhaul the leaders. (Sorry about previous report.... our Spanish is not too good!)
The Scots squad of Andrew McArthur (Windyhill), Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) and George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), overnight leaders in the men's team event, were overhauled by Spain in the third round.
The Scots totalled 643 to be edged into second place by the host nation favourites who had two of the lowest last-day rounds and finished the day on 639.
England veteran Gary Wolstenholme is leading in the men's individual championship with a third round of 71 for five-under-par 211.
He leads by one shot from Spain's Jorge Campillo with former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur in third place on 213 after a third round 72.
Richie Ramsay, the reigning Scottish open amateur stroke-play champion, put together three steady rounds to tie for fourth place on 214. His third round was a par 72.
Lloyd Saltman is lying sixth on level par 216 after matching the par of 72 in each of his three rounds.
There was a fourth Scotland-based player in the top 10 - Welsh international Gareth Wright, who plays out of West Linton where his father is the club pro. Gareth is tied for seventh on 217 after a third-round 74.
Scottish champion George Murray was joint 21st on 223 after a 77, easily his worst of the three rounds.
Clare Queen from Drumpellier, leader in the women's individual event with two rounds to go, slipped to a 74 for level par 216 and was relegated to second place by Austrian Stefanie Endstrasser who had a 70 for 214.
Young Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) is tied for sixth place on 222 after a disappointing third round of 77.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) is joint 20th on 232 after a third round of 81.
The Scots' women, overnight leaders at the half-way mark, were overtaken by Austria who totalled 437 - one shot ahead of Scotland.
England are lying joint eighth on 453.
collated scoreboard
SHERRY CUP AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Real Golf Club, Sotogrande, Spain
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
INDIVIDUAL MEN
211 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 68 71.
212 J Campillo (Spa) 70 72 70.
213 A McArthujr (Sco) 70 71 72.
214 R Ramsay (Sco) 71 71 72, A Velasco (Spa) 77 67 70.
216 L Saltman (Sco) 72 72 72
217 G Wright (Wal) 72 71 74, T Cruz (Por) 76 70 71, M Hastrup (Den) 70 75 72.
Other scores:
221 S McTernan (Ire) 78 72 73, G Lockerbie (Eng) 77 70 74.
223 G Murray (Sco) 74 72 77, M Richardson (Eng) 75 72 76, N Edwards (Wal) 74 72 77.
226 M McGeady (Ire) 77 75 74.
227 J Williams (Wal) 78 73 76, C Smith (Wal) 77 70 80.
229 D Crowe (Ire) 76 76 77.
234 B McElhinney (Ire) 78 78 78
MEN'S TEAM EVENT
639 Spain.
643 Scotland.
648 England.
663 Wales.
666 Portugal.
667 Netherlands.
668 Germany
670 Austria.
671 Iceland.
674 Finland, Denmark.
675 Czech Republic.
676 Ireland.
680 Belgium.
683 Norway.
689 Turkey.
INDIVIDUAL WOMEN
214 S Endstrasser (Aut) 74 70 70.
216 C Queen (Sco) 73 69 74.
219 P Lindberg (Swe) 71 74 74.
221 E Cabrera (Spa) 77 73 71, K Schallenberg (Ger) 79 72 70.
222 K Walker (Sco) 73 72 77, M Van der Graaf (Net) 77 70 75.
223 N Gergely (Aut) 78 73 72.
224 M Orueta (Spa) 76 71 77.
226 R Bell (Eng) 77 74 75
Other scores:
228 N Edwards (Eng) 78 73 77 (15th).
232 J Wilson (Sco) 77 74 81 (tied 20th).
237 R Lomas (Eng) 77 79 81 (tied 29th).
WOMEN'S TEAM EVENT
437 Austria.
438 Scotland.
447 Spain, Germany.
448 Belgium.
449 Sweden.
451 Switzerland.
453 Netherlands, England.
460 Finland.

Scotland 1 Team
Winners of the team event at the SLGA St Leonards U16 Championship
L to R: Carly Booth, Roseanne Niven, Krystle Caithness

SLGA St Leonards U16 Championship
KRYSTLE RETAINS UNDER-16 GIRLS' TITLE
Defending champion Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) pictured right, pipped Carly Booth (Auchterarder) for the second year in a row for the title in the SLGA St Leonards Under-16 girls' open stroke-play championship at Strathtyrum Course, St Andrews today (Friday).
This year the two-round event was reduced to 27 holes because of the bitterly-cold high winds which made both days a trial of endurance and stamina rather than quality golf.
Krystle, who went on to win the Scottish Under-18 girls' match title last summer, completed the first leg of her repeat double bid, with a two-over-par 36 for the curtailed nine-hole second round, giving her a total of 111.
Miss Caithness bogeyed the first and fourth and double-bogeyed the sixth but birdies at the second and eighth kept her on course for victory.
Carly Booth, who won't be 13 years old until June, was two shots behind overnight leader Krystle at the start of the day. She made up one of the strokes with a nine-hole score of 35 for 112.
Carly was bang in contention when she birdied the fifth and had pars at the rest of the first six holes. Then she bogeyed the seventh and eighth and, in the end, that was what cost the Auchterarder player her first national title.
Scotland 1 - represented by Krystle, Carly and Roseanne Niven - retained the team title with a total of 223 - nine shots ahead of England - with Scotland 2 - Kelsey MacDonald, Jane Turner and Megan Briggs - third on 235.
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), pictured right, playing off 22, had the best net aggregate of 105 with net scores of 72 and 33. She won by one shot from Camilla Tait (St Regulus), playing off 20.
collated scoreboard
SLGA ST LEONARDS UNDER-16 GIRLS' OPEN STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Strathtyrum Course, St Andrews
FINAL TOTALS
(Tournament reduced to 27 holes because of high winds)
111 K Caithness (St Regulus) 75 36.
112 C Booth (Auchterarder) 77 35.
113 R Connor (Manchester) 77 36.
115 H Brockway (Yeovil) 78 37.
116 R Niven (Crieff) 80 36
117 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 76 41, G Hardie (Forest Pines) 77 40.
118 K Whitmore (Sandiway) 80 38.
119 L J Roberts (Holyhead) 81 38, E Taylor (Gainsborough) 82 37, S Meadow (Royal Portrush) 83 36.
120 V Bradshaw (Bangor) 81 39.
121 H Barwood (Knowle) 83 38.
122 L Jones (Upton by Chester) 85 37, K Thompson (Corhampton) 82 40.
123 M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 80 43, N Dunn (Harrogate) 84 39, J Turner (Mortonhall) 85 38.
124 P Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 85 39.
125 K Tidy (Manchester) 86 39.
126 K Zaanen (Netherlands) 84 42, S Cunningham (Ennis) 86 40.
127 C Kortekaas (Netherlands) 84 42, E Givens (Blackwell Grange) 87 40.
128 R Wilson (Monifieth) 86 42, G Wilkie (Trentham Park) 87 41, M Barbour (North Berwick) 88 40, G Hunt (Lewes) 88 40, H Boulden (Llandudno) 85 43.
129 K Crooks (Saltburn) 87 42, A Carling (Glamorganshire) 89 40, C Douglass (Brocket Hall) 90 39.
131 E Priest (Enville) 87 44.
132 L The (Netherlands) 91 41.
133 K Differ (Dullatur) 92 41, L MacGregor (Falkirk) 90 43, H Harvey (St Leonards) 87 46.
134 L Stirling (Harwood) 90 44, A Perrott (Kings Norton) 91 43, E Sweetnam (Leighton Buzzard) 92 42, J Sneddon (Alyth) 93 41, S Colecliffe (Rhuddlan) 94 40, S Gough (Ellesborough) 94 40, E Over (Forest Pines) 96 38.
135 H Davies (Bramhall) 90 42.
136 C Tait (St Regulus) 93 43, M Johnstone (Northern) 92 44.
137 Z Differ (Dullatur) 94 43, K Miller (Aberystwyth) 95 42.
138 E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 94 44, N Gobey (Rhondda) 96 42, A Rainford (Bramhall) 95 43.
139 S Vass (Tain) 99 40, E Robinson (Middlesbrough) 97 42.
140 L Smith (Arcot Hall) 101 39.
141 C Easton (Dalmahoy) 96 45, A Smith (Kirriemuir) 99 42, A Niven (Crieff) 99 42.
143 A Boulden (Llandudno) 97 46.
144 G Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 98 46.
148 G Simpson (Baberton) 99 49, G Scanlan (Hamilton) 97 51.
149 K Moss (Monifieth) 105 44, R Myles (St Leonards)108 41.
150 R Walton (Baberton) 103 47, E Mallett (Sutton Coldfield 104 46, G Arnott (Kilbirnie Place) 101 49, L Allan (Kilbirnie Place) 106 44, K Burman (John O'Gaunt) 105 45, L Gilmour (Strathmore) 108 42.
TEAM EVENT
223 Scotland 1 (K Caithness, R Niven, C Booth).
232 England (H Barwood, R Connor, E Taylor).
235 Scotland 2 (K MacDonald, J Turner, M Briggs).
239 Ireland (V Bradshaw, S Meadow, S Cunningham).
248 Wales (L J Roberts, S Colecliffe, A Carling).
251 Netherlands (K Zaanen, C Kortekaas, L The).

Samantha Round and Ben Westgate,
individual winners at the R&A Foundation Bursars competition over the Jubilee Course.

Student Golf
BEN AND SAMANTHA WIN TOP AWARDS AT WINDSWEPT R&A BURSARS' EVENT
Welsh international Ben Westgate, a student at the University of Exeter, made the long trip to windswept St Andrews worthwhile by winning the top men's award by three shots in the annual Royal & Ancient Foundation Bursars' golf competition over the Jubilee Course today (Friday).
Ben, who plays off +2 at Perranporth Golf Club, Cornwall, shot a two-over-par 74 in gale-force wind which was reflected in his halves - five-over-par 41 into the wind on the way and and three-under 33 wind assisted on the inward half.
Highlight of Westgate's card was a string of five 3s in a row from the 13th - a par-birdie-birdie-birdie-par run.
He holed a 40ft putt from the back of the green on the 15th and chipped in over a bunker at the 16th.
It might well have been six 3s in a row because Westgate missed a birdie putt of no more than 8ft at the last.
Ross Duncan (Heriot Watt) was runner-up on 74.
There was a tight finish to the women's event with Samantha Round (University of Gloucester) and Ireland international Sinead O'Sullivan (University College, Dublin) headed the field with 83s. Both came home in 40 so the countback went on to the last six, where Samantha, a +2 handicap player, prevailed with 24 to Sinead's 27.
Miss Round had an eagle 3 downwind at the 415yd par-5 14th, which helped her cause considerably.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
R&A FOUNDATION BURSARS' COMPETITION
Jubilee Course, St Andrews
MEN
74 B Westgate (Exeter).
77 R Duncan (Heriot Watt)
78 A Keir (Dundee), C Riddick (Strathclyde), C Roope (Surrey), W Shucksmith (Durham).
80 J McLeary (Stirling), R Laino (Durham).
81 M Jones (Wales Institute), T Light (Nottingham).
82 T Hewitt (Nottingham Trent), I Thomson (Aberdeen).
83 G Cooper (Central Lancashire), D Fulcher (Birmingham), A Lewthwaite (Teesside), A Christie (Loughborough), A Robertson (Edinburgh), A Macgregor (Exeter), C Murtagh (Loughborough)..
84 C Hanson (Central Lancashire), C Levert (St Andrews), J McIntyre (Ulster).
86 I Leadbetter (Liverpool), M Hillson (St Andrews).
87 A Romano (Bologna), D Taylor (Nottingham), H Virji (Royal Holloway), C Brown (Birmingham).
88 C Orr (UW Cardiff).
89 K Suggett (Newcastle), M Thompson (Newcastle), N Cameron (Stirling).
90 F Inglis (Glasgow).
91 D Graham (Edinburgh), R Mell (Hull), P Edwards (UW Swansea).
92 I Griffiths (UW Swansea), C Shaw (Aberdeen).
94 R Skornia (UW Cardiff).
97 K Little (Surrey), A Izzard (Surrey).
NR G McInroy (Strathclyde), R Harper (Leeds Trinity), M Del Podio (Torino Polytechnic), A Long (Teesside), C Harkins (Glasgow), S Doherty (Leeds Metropolitan), L Summerill (Glamorgan), C Maiden (Leeds Trinity), B Paterson (Stirling).
WOMEN
83 S Round (Gloucestershire), S O'Sullivan (UC Dublin).
89 V Valvassori (Teramo).
90 S Morgan (Glamorgan).
91 G Garbaccio (Torino Polytechnic).
92 A Ramsay (Heriot Watt).
101 L Wetherill (York).
NR K Wells (Dundee).

US College Golf
Good article about Louise Kenney (Pitreavie and Iowa State) in gocyclones.com

LPGA Tour
Vikki Laing ready to go!
Iain Stoddart of Vikki's management company, Bounce Sport, has emailed to say that Vikki is about to start in her first LPGA tournament. He says "Vikki Laing will launch her assault on The LPGA Tour on Monday by attempting to pre-qualify for The LPGA Takefuji Classic in Las Vegas which takes place at The Las Vegas Country Club between 14 - 16 April.
"Following that she is currently in the field to start at The Corona Morelia Championship at Tres Marias Residential Golf Club in Michoacan, Mexico from 21 - 24 April and will appear."
Go Vikki!

LET Tour
Tenerife Open
Great to see that Scottish Internationalist Lynn Kenny had an opening 69 in her first LET tournament as a rookie professional. She followed it up with a 75 today and her even par score of 144 puts her comfortably into the weekend's play. Eleanor Pilgrim of Wales is leading the tournament at 7 under.
Go Lynn!

Press Release
INTERNATIONAL PAIRS GOES GLOBAL
A GLOBAL golfing revolution is taking place.
It has Portsmouth, England, at its heart but has already engulfed the likes of Scotland, Wales, Australia, Canada, USA, Mexico, France, Holland, Guatemala, and Israel … to name but a few.
It’s an amazing story which has its starting point on a ferry from France to England in 1998, moves through Hampshire to Ireland and then on to Scotland before spreading to golf courses as far a field as Moscow and Sydney and is planned to reach every corner of the golfing globe and more than one million golfers by 2008.
This is the story of the International Pairs.
No other competition offers so much to so many. And no other competition offers the same opportunities to play on world-class golf courses representing your club – and with just three rounds of golf your country.
All around the world golfers are paying nominal entry fees to participate in their country’s International Pairs competition and invariably, should they make it to the final – or even the semi-finals in larger countries – they find themselves competing on some of the best golf terrain in their country.
Take Canada as an example. The backdrop to the Canadian final 2005 is one of the most instantly recognisable in the world: Niagara Falls.
In Ireland, the final venues are two of the nation’s most revered courses: Ballyliffin and Faithlegg.
Ballyliffin is held in such high esteem that former US Masters and Open champion Nick Faldo even attempted to buy the course.
The French final will see competitors forced to take on some treacherous holes at Golf De Fontenailles, 60 km outside Paris.
The course is officially rated as one of the top 25 in the country and surrounds the delightful four-star chateau hotel. The back nine is famed for its devious water hazards.
Patrick Hedderman, co-owner of the course and hotel, was managing director of golf at Mount Juliet back in 1999 when the first final was played there.
Six years later, he is only too keen to become re-associated with the event.
Stjørdal Golfclub will host the 2005 Norwegian final – and it is regarded as one of the best courses in the country.
Opened in 2000, the course is on the hillside overlooking the Trondheimsfjord about 30 minutes drive north of Trondheim - from where the Vikings left for their crusades to the British Isles. Now it’s a golfing invasion that will befall the host nation of the 2005 world finals….Wales.
The 2110 Ryder Cup venue at Celtic Manor is home to the International Pairs world final from June 6 -8th.
At Celtic Manor competitors from 31 countries will compete for the Honey Cup…named after tournament founder Ross Honey.
Tens of thousands of UK golfers have enjoyed playing in this event for several years and every golfer, in whichever country, is just three rounds away from the World Finals. And in the UK the entry fee is just £5.
Based on the simple principle that the winning pairs from every competing club travel to their national finals, the International Pairs has gone from strength to strength.
No corner of the globe is being left out as the International Pairs expands, with Wales at the heart of it.
Australians and Canadians came to Wales for the 2004 finals, as did the Dutch, the Belgians, Austrians and Muscovites, Argentinians, Hungarians and Americans.
The winners were English, while the Welsh pair from St Mary’s GC, Bridgend, tied for second with the Hungarians and Belgians.
Win at your home club and play in the national finals. Lift a trophy there and you’re in the world finals rubbing shoulders with golfers from all those exotic locations.
Marriott St Pierre was chosen as host venue for the first world finals: Celtic Manor will host the second.
The International Pairs world final is a great celebration of golf – it is the next stage in the evolution.
And Wales is an ideal location. The pride and passion of Wales is harnessed for golfers without all the clutter of status symbols. This is for golfers like you and me
And it’s in Wales – Golf as it Should Be.
For more details about the tournament log on to: www.internationalpairs.com
Go on – The International Pairs and Wales, Golf as it Should Be.
2004 Overall UK Champions
Men - Damian Simpson and Mick Schofield (Lofthouse Hill GC)
Ladies - Pauline Bramley and Mary Annable (Matlock GC)
Mixed - John Munro and Jackie Brown (Whitemoss GC)
Men's Champions
England - Robbie Turner and Ian Ritchie (Wychwood Park GC)
Scotland - Gary Tough and Iain Thomson (Edzell GC)
Wales - Ian Adams and Mark Bruford (Llanwern GC)
Ladies' Champions
England - Jayne Freeman and Kathy Reid (Redditch GC)
Scotland - Dawn Moore and Jean Lambert (Southerness GC)
Mixed Champions
England - Janice Kerr and Julian Bates (Redditch GC)

Thursday 7th April 2005

SLGA St Leonards U16 Championship
WEATHER CUTS GIRLS' GOLF TO 27 HOLES
The weather-hit SLGA St Leonards Under-16 girls' open stroke-play championship over the Strathtyrum Course, St Andrews has been reduced from two rounds to 27 holes following the suspension of play yesterday (THURSDAY) with 27 girls still to complete their first rounds.
"The gale-force winds were blowing the balls all over the place and one flag was blown right out of its cup," said SLGA tournament officer Fiona Farquharson.
"The weather forecast is for more of the same on Friday so it was decided, after consultation with the team captains, that we would send the girls who have still to finish their first rounds out first. Then we will have a second round consisting of only nine holes."
Title-holder Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) leads by one shot with a battling round of 75 - one ahead of Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) with 12-year-old Carly Booth (Auchterarder) sharing third place overnight with English challengers Rachel Connor (Manchester) and Gemma Hardie (Forest Pines) on 77.
Henrietta Brockway (Yeovil), reckoned to be the top English Under-16 player, is in sixth place on 78 - so she has three shots to make up on Krystle Caithness and only nine holes in which to do it.
Scotland 1, winners of the team event 12 months ago, are leading the way again on 152 with Scotland 2 their nearest challengers on 156, three ahead of England (159) with Ireland (164), Netherlands (168) and Wales (170).
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
SLGA ST LEONARDS UNDER-16 GIRLS' OPEN STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Strathtyrum Course, St Andrews
Leading first round scores
75 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus).
76 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar)
77 Carly Booth (Auchterarder), Rachel Connor (Manchester), Gemma Hardie (Forest Pines).
78 Henrietta Brockway (Yeovil).
80 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Roseanne Niven (Crieff), Kate Whitmore (Sandiway).
Other scores included:
81 V Bradshaw (Bangor), L J Roberts (Holyhead).
82 E Taylor (Gainsborough).
83 H Barwood (Knowle), S Meadow (Royal Portrush).
84 N Dunn (Harrogate), C Kortekaas (Netherlands), K Zaanen (Netherlands).
85 H Boulden (Llandudno), L Jones (Upton by Chester), P Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), J Turner (Mortonhall).
86 S Cunningham (Ennis), K Tidy (Manchester), R Wilson (Monifieth).
87 K Crooks (Saltburn), E Givens (Blackwell Grange), H Harvey (St Leonards), E Priest (Enville), G Wilkie (Trentham Park).
88 M Barbour (North Berwick), G Hunt (Lewes), K Thompson (Corhampton)
89 A Carling (Glamorganshire)
90 C Douglass (Brocket Hall), L MacGregor (Falkirk), L Stirling (Harwood).
91 A Perrott (Kings Norton), L The (Best).
92 K Differ (Dullatur), M Johnstone (Northern), E Sweetnam (Leighton Buzzard).
93 H Davies (Bramhall), J Sneddon (Alyth), C Tait (St Regulus).
94 S Colecliffe (Rhuddlan), Z Differ (Dullatur), S Gough (Ellesborough).
95 K Miller (Aberystwyth), A Rainford (Bramhall).
96 C Easton (Dalmahoy), N Gobey (Rhondda), E Over (Forest Pines).
97 A Boulden (Llandudno), E Robinson (Middlesbrough).
98 G Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey).
99 A Niven (Crieff), A Smith (Kirriemuir), S Vass (Tain).
102 G Stewart (Newmachar).
+27 players still to complete first round when play was suspended because of high winds The tournament has been reduced to 27 holes.
TEAM EVENT
152 Scotland 1.
156 Scotland 2.
159 England.
164 Ireland.
168 Netherlands.
170 Wales.

Sherry Cup
SCOTS LEAD IN THREE OF FOUR SHERRY CUP CATEGORIES IN SPAIN
Scotland's "Magnficent Seven" completed another great day in the Sherry Cup amateur international golf tournament over the Real Golf Club course at Sotogrande on the Costa del Sol yesterday (Thursday)
The Scots - four men and three girls - lead in three of the four categories.
Clare Queen, the British women's open amateur stroke-play champion from Drumpellier, has opened up a two-shot lead in the women's individual section after a brilliant second-round 69 for an aggregate of 142.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) is lying joint third on 145 after a 72.
The Scots - Clare, Kylie and Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) - lead the women's team by the runaway margin of eight strokes from Austria with Spain, the favourites, back in third place, 10 shots off the pace.
Scotland also lead the men's event, thanks to the efforts of Andrew McArthur (Windyhill), Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) and George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle).
Their 36-hole aggregate of 427 sees them lead by two shots from Spain and England (429) with Wales (436) in fourth place. Ireland (452) are back in 13th place.
Andrew McArthur is lying fourth in the men's individual race after a 71 for 141. Robin Swane (Netherlands) leads on 139 by one shot from English veteran Gary Wolstenholme and Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Richie Ramsay is hanging on in there with a pair of 71s to be tied for fifth place on 142.
Lloyd Saltman had a 72 for 144 to be tied for 10th place while George Murray's 72 for 146 sees him in a share of 15th place.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
SHERRY CUP AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Real Golf Club, Sotogrande, Spain.
MEN INDIVIDUAL
Leading scores
139 R Swane (Net) 70 69.
140 M Kaymer (Ger) 73 67, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 68.
141 A McArthur (Sco) 70 71.
142 R Ramsay (Sco) 71 71, J Campillo (Spa) 70 72.
143 J L Adarrago (Spa) 70 73, M Thorp (Nor) 74 69, G Wright (Wal) 72 71.
Other scores:
144 L Saltman (Sco) 72 72, L Corfield (Eng) 72 72.
146 G Murray (Sco) 74 72, N Edwards (Wal) 74 72.
147 G Lockerbie (Eng) 77 70, C Smith (Wal) 77 70, M Richardson (Eng) 75 72.
148 S McTernan (Ire) 76 72.
151 J Williams (Wal) 78 73.
152 M McGeady (Ire) 77 75, D Crowe (Ire) 76 76.
156 B McElhinney (Ire) 78 78.
MEN'S TEAM EVENT
427 Scotland.
429 England, Spain.
436 Wales.
438 Germany.
442 Netherlands.
443 Czech Republic.
447 Portugal
448 Finland, Iceland.
450 Austria.
451 Belgium.
452 Ireland.
454 Denmark.
455 Norway.
460 Turkey.
WOMEN INDIVIDUAL
142 C Queen (Sco) 73 69.
144 S Endstrasse (Aut) 74 70.
145 P Lindberg (Swe) 71 74, K Walker (Sco) 73 72.
148 F Seeholzer (Swi) 76 72.
WOMEN'S TEAM EVENT
287 Scotland
295 Austria.
296 Spain.
299 Belgium.
300 Switzerland, Netherlands.
301 England.
303 Germany.
306 Finland.

ILGU Press Release
The All-Ireland Schools Finals of Girls Golf takes place at Milltown Golf Club in Dublin on Monday, 11th April 2005.
Each school is represented by two students who have qualified from their District final. The format is 18 holes strokeplay, with the lowest aggregate gross score capturing the silverware.
St. Joseph’s Convent of Mercy (Navan) are appearing for their second successive year boasting two U18 Interprovincial stars in Alice Davis (Royal Tara) and Ciara Walsh (Headfort). Strong favourites Orla Dunphy (Kilkenny) and Sinead Slater (Kilkenny) from Loreto College Kilkenny are also fresh from U18 Interprovincial duty in Killorglin last week and will defend the title won by fellow Midlanders Gaelcholaiste Ceatharlach (Carlow) in 2004. Munster Interprovincial Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) leads a strong Munster challenge with team mate Diandra O’Connell (Ennis) representing St. Flannan’s College (Ennis) while Mt. St. Michael’s Claire Geraghty (Claremorris) and Kate Gallagher (Claremorris) will pose the threat from the west. Emma Getty (Carrickfergus) and Sarah O’Neill (Larne) may lack experience, but will undoubtedly dig deep to proudly represent Carrickfergus Grammar School from Ulster.
The Mary Nowlan Cup will be awarded to the student returning the lowest gross score.
Timesheet:
09.00   Emma Getty (Carrickfergus Grammar) & Sarah Cunningham (St. Flannan’s College)
09.10   Alice Davis (St. Joseph’s Convent of Mercy) & Claire Geraghty (Mt. St. Michael)
09.20   Orla Dunphy (Loreto College Kilkenny) & Sarah O’Neill (Carrickfergus Grammar)
09.30   Kate Gallagher (Mt. St. Michael) & Ciara Walsh (St. Joseph’s Convent of Mercy)
09.40   Diandra o’Connell (St. Flannan’s College) & Sinead Slater (Loreto College Kilkenny)

Wednesday 6th April 2005

SCOTS' GOOD START TO SHERRY CUP IN SPAIN
Scotland made a great start to the Sherry Cup amateur international tournament at Real Golf Club, Sotogrande today (WEDNESDAY).
Former Scottish champion Andrew McArthur (Windyhill) shot a two-under-par 70 to be lying joint second, two shots behind surprise leader Lukas Tintera (Czech Republic).
McArthur was strongly backed up by Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), last year's Scottish open amateur stroke-play championship, with a 71 and young Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), a past Scottish boys' open stroke-play title-winner, on the 72 mark alongside England's Gary Wolstenholme and Lee Corfield and Scottish-based Welshman Gareth Wright (West Linton).
Scotland's prominence among the individual leaders produced a best three from four score that saw the Scots lead the team event by four shots with a first-round tally of 213 - four shots ahead of favourites Spain.
Scottish champion George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle) was the Scots' non-counting scorer with a 74 which was good enough to see him end the first day in a share of 16th place in a field of 68.
Scotland also had a very good day in the women's events. Young Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), the Scottish Under-18 girls' stroke-play champion, and Clare Queen (Drumpellier), the reigning British women's open amateur stroke-play champion, both shot 73 to be tied for second place, two behind leader Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden).
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) is sharing 11th place on 77.
In the women's team event, Scotland (146) are lying second, only one shot behind Sweden
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
SHERRY CUP INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR TOURNAMENT
Real Club Sotogrande, Spain.
First Day scores
MEN INDIVIDUAL
68 L Tintera (Czech Rep)
70 A McArthur (Sco), J Campillo (Spa), J L Adarraga (Spa), R Swane (Net), M Haastrup (Den).
71 R Ramsay (Sco), H Gevers (Bel), F Fritsch (Ger).
72 L Saltman (Sco), P Figueiredo (Por), G Wolstenholme (Eng), L Corfield (Eng), G Wright (Wal).
Other scores:
74 G Murray (Sco), N Edwards (Wal).
75 M Richardson (Eng).
76 S McTernanan (Ire), D Crowe (Ire).
77 C Smith (Wal), M McGeady (Ire), G Lockerbie (Eng).
78 J Williams (Wal), B McElhinney (I).
MEN TEAM
213 Scotland.
217 Spain.
218 Germany, Czech Republic.
219 England.
220 Belgium.
223 Wales, Finland.
224 Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal.
226 Austria.
228 Iceland.
229 Ireland.
234 Turkey.
236 Norway.
WOMEN INDIVIDUAL
71 P Lindberg (Swe).
73 K Walker (Sco), C Queen (Sco).
74 P Bengtsson (Swe), F In-Albon (Swi), S Endstrasser (Aut).
76 F Seeholzer (Swi), H-L Salonen (Fin), M Orueta (Spa)
77 J Wilson (Sco), R Bell (Eng), R Lomas (Eng), J Barbier (Bel), K Kinnerud (Swe), E Cabrera (Spa), M Van Der Graaff (Net).
Other score:
78 N Edwards (Eng)
WOMEN TEAM
145 Sweden.
146 Scotland.
150 Switzerland.
151 Spain.
152 Austria.
154 England.
155 Belgium.
156 Finland, Netherlands.
158 Germany.

CONGU WEBSITE Launched 6th April 2005
www.congu.com
The Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU®) is pleased to announce the re- launch of its Website today. CONGU® represents the four Ladies & the four Men's National Unions/Associations for handicapping in Great Britain and Ireland.
The 1st February 2004 was a landmark day for golf handicapping with the introduction of the Unified Handicapping System (UHS) which, for the first time, used the same System for ladies and men's handicaps. The objective of the new Website is to promote greater understanding of the UHS and the principles behind it. This is achieved by publishing the System in full linked to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) and explanations of the more important aspects.
The more common criticisms of the UHS are answered by the analysis of actual competition data in a 'Myths and Misconceptions' section. The site contains items of interest for experienced administrators, golf club secretaries, club golfers and indeed for anyone who has an interest in golf handicapping.
By using the Website golfers should develop a greater understanding of the handicapping process and the reasons behind it, which in turn will enhance their enjoyment of competitive golf. It is intended that the site will become the focal point where administrators and golfers will find the definitive answers to their handicapping queries. The site will be further developed from now on with more FAQ's and other items of interest as the need arises.
Commenting on the changes to the Website Kevin McIntyre CONGU® Secretary said
"The site has been professionally developed to enable easy access and navigation for both the dedicated web surfer and the more inexperienced internet user. The site will continue to be developed with the FAQ's being added as required. I hope that the site will help club handicap committees in the administration of amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland."

Midlothian County Ladies' Spring Meeting
Dalmahoy West Course April 5th 2005
LGU SS 69, CSS 72
Fiona de Vries (St Rule) won the Cormack Salver for the best Scratch score at the Spring Meeting at Dalmahoy (West Course) with a score of 74. The best net overall score came from Anne Hay (Turnhouse) who had a net 64. The weather was fine, cold and breezy, and the course wet from the overnight rain.Conditions improved in the afternoon sunshine.
Silver Scratch - Winner of Cormack Salver: Fiona de Vries ( St Rule) 74
2nd Scratch - Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 77
Best overall net - Ann Hay (Turnhouse) 91 (24) 67
2nd overall net -Ann Halliday (Dalmahoy) 87 (17) 70
Silver Handicap 1. Maureen McLeod (Merchants 86 (15) 71 bih (conceded by Ann Halliday)
2. Sandra Ashurst (Murrayfield) 86 (15) 71
Bronze Scratch - winner of the C M Park Rosebowl: Fiona Hunter (Prestonfield) 91 bih
Bronze Handicap: Anne Howieson (North Berwick) 94 (24) 70 (conceded by Anne Hay)
on www.mclga.co.uk

Tuesday 5th April 2005

US College Golf
Scott Jamieson runner-up in USA
Scotland amateur international Scott Jamieson achieved one of his best performances for Augusta State University by finishing runner-up in the Augusta State University Invitational college tournament at Forest Hills Golf Club, Augusta in Georgia.
Jamieson, a member at Cathkin Braes and a former Scottish boys' open stroke-play champion, finished runner-up to Chris Kirk (Georgia) despite running up two double-bogeys in his opening round of 72 and another at the 16th in his second-round 74. In all he had 12 birdies over the 54 holes in his total of four-over-par 220
Scott finished three shots behind Chris Kirk who scored 72, 75 and 70.
Former British boys' champion Rhys Davies, who has been having an impressive season for East Tennessee State University, had to settle for third place on this occsion. The Edinburgh-born Welshman had scores of 70, 78 and 74.
Thanks to Scott Jamieson's effort, Augusta State were able to win the team title at their own annual tournament - which must have gone down very well with the powers that be at the university.
Augusta State's total of 896 enabled them to pip Georgia by a shot with Georgia Southern third on 911.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
217 Chris Kirk (Georgia) 72 75 70.
220 Scott Jamieson (Augusta State) 72 74 74
222 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 70 78 74.
LEAING TEAMS
896 Augusta State.
897 Georgia.
911 Georgia Southern.

East Vets Spring Meeting
Moira Thomson (North Berwick) took the first scratch award with a 79 in the East Division of the Veteran Ladies' Golf Association Spring Meeting held over Gullane No2 yesterday. Her fellow senior international team-mate Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) was next on 81.
Jane Millar (Gullane) won the first handicap prize in the silver division with 90 less 20 net 70. Agnes Muir (Gullane) was runner-up with 91 less 20 net 71. The bronze players found the conditions much tougher and A Taylor won first handicap with 102 less 24 net 78. Isabel Macdonald (Gullane) won the Bronze scratch prize with 101. The CSS went up from 73 to 76.
Leading scores (CSS 76 counting)
Silver Scratch
79 M. Thomson (North Berwick)
81 N. Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh)
83 M Woodward (Gullane)
84 Pam Williamson (Baberton)
Silver Handicap
70 Jane Millar (Gullane, 20)
71 Agnes Muir (Gullane, 20)
75 Ellice Cackett (Broomieknowe, 11), Mureen Woodward (Gullane, 8), Vickie Sandeman (Gullane, 19)
Bronze Scratch
101 Isobel Macdonald (Gullane)
102 A Taylor
Bronze Handicap
78 A Taylor (24)
79 Isabel Macdonald (Gullane, 22), Hilda Elder (Gullane, 30)

Monday 4th April 2005

East of Scotland Girls' Prize Winners at Longniddry today
L to R Camilla Tait (St Regulus), Cathy Wood (Linlithgow), Arlene McGarty (Bathgate), Patricia Watt (Lundin Ladies), Krystle Caithness (St Regulus)

East of Scotland Girls Spring Meeting
Eighteen competitors played in the East of Scotland Girls Spring Meeting held at Longniddry today. Scottish Girls Champion, Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) , returned a two-over par 75 in cold and blustery conditions to win the scratch award by four shots from Jane Turner (Glencorse). Two under at the turn, Krystle had a double bogey at the 11th and then an upsetting episode at the 14th, where her ball was plugged in a bunker which should have been marked as Ground Under Repair, gave her a double bogey 7 at a hole where she might have picked up a birdie, and rather spoilt her score. Krystle finished bogey, birdie, par, par for a 75.
Jane had nothing but pars and bogeys on her card of 79, no sixes and only one three. It was very easy to add up.
The overall handicap prize went to Patricia Watt (Lundin Ladies, 33) who had a net 64. The U18 age group handicap prize was won by Arlene McGarty (Bathgate, 14) with a net 72. Cathy Wood (Linlithgow, 30) won the Under 16 handicap prize with a net 69 and Camilla Tait (St Regulus, 20) won the Under 14 prize with a net 73. The CSS went down one to 72.
Leading scores
75 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus)
79 Jane Turner (Glencorse)
81 Amanda Edwards (Liberton)
85 Louise McGregor (Falkirk Carmuirs)
86 Arlene McGarty (Bathgate)
90 Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old Course)
92 Hannah Harvey (St Leonards)
93 Camilla Tait (St Regulus)
96 Cara Easton (Dalmahoy)
97 Patricia Watt (Lundin Ladies)
99 Cathy Wood (Linlithgow)

PAMELA FINISHES 21ST IN FLORIDA COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Pamela Feggans had a disappointing final round of 82 for a three-round final total of 235 to finish 21st in the Florida Women's Collegiate golf championship at Don Shula's Golf Resort, Miami Lakes on Sunday.
Pamela still had the best aggregate within the Florida Southern College team but they finished a remote 10th with a total of 970, compared with team winners Miami's score of 912 which pipped South Florida and Florida State by a single shot in the tightest of finishes.
The University of Miami provided the individual tournament winner and also the runner-up. Tina Miller led from start to finish with scores of 70, 75 and 77 for a six-over-par total of 222. She won by one shot from team-mate Jose Shinn who scored 72, 75 and 75.
Pamela Feggans' earlier rounds were 74 and 79.

Stirling University, winners of the Scottish universities men's team championship
over the Moray Golf Club links at Lossiemouth.
Back row (left to right): Kevin Wilson, Stuart Turnbull, Blair Paterson, Neil Cameron, Gordon Yates, Evan Bryceland.
Front row (l to r): Karl Shepard, Richie Ramsay, Bradley Brooke, Jamie McLeary.

SUSF Mens' Team Championship correction
Stirling beat St Andrews by seven matches to three in the final of the Scottish Universities Mens' Team Championship over Moray Golf Club's Old Course, Lossiemouth on Friday.
Results (Stirling names first)
Jamie McLeary beat Matt Webb 3&2
Richie Ramsay beat Mark Hillson 3&2
Stuart Turnbull beat Will Jeffries 5&3
Gordon Yates lost to Dave Murray 5&4
Blair Paterson beat Carl Levert 6&5
Evan Bryceland lost to Gary Davidson 4&3
Kevin Wilson beat Phillipe Okan 4&3
Karl Shepard halved with Ross Lando
Neil Cameron beat Mark Dickson 1up
Bradley Brooke halved Ross Dixon

Sunday 3rd April 2005

Fife County Championship
SLGA CHAIRMAN IS LEADING FIFE CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER
Scottish Ladies Golfing Association chairman Emma Wilson, playing over her home course, pipped former Scottish women's champion Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) for the No 1 seed honour in the Fife women's county golf championship at Elie today (Sunday).
Emma and Elaine both returned 75s - matching the CSS - and Mrs Wilson took the top scratch prize with the better inward half.
The championship match-play stages, to be played over the same course on April 16 and 17, promise to be closely contested if the high standard of scoring in the qualifying round is maintained.
Nine of the 16 qualifiers broke 80 and there were four on the limit mark of 82.
The automatic draw means the first round ties will include a repeat of last year's final in which Katrina Milne (Dunfermline) beat Dorothy Ford (Scotscraig).
QUALIFIERS
75 Emma Wilson (Elie and Earlsferry), Elaine Moffat (St Regulus).
76 Lesley Rolland (Dunfermline), Becky Copland (Scotscraig), Katrina Milne (Dunfermline).
77 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus).
78 Susan Miller (Kirkcaldy)
79 Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus), Pat Simpson (Lundin Ladies).
80 Jo Carthew (Ladybank).
81 Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Dorothy Ford (Scotscraig).
82 Jean Duncan (Balbirnie), Jane Whiteford (Leven), Hannah Harvey (St Leonards), Lorna Fury (Thornton).
Draw:
Wilson v Fury, Simpson v Lockhart, Milne v Ford, Duncan v Copland.
Rolland v Whiteford, Bennett v Caithness, Miller v Carthrew, Harvey v Moffat.
Prizewinners:
SCRATCH - E Wilson (Elie) (better inward half), E Moffat (St Regulus) 76.
HANDICAP - Silver Division - Lesley Rolland (Dunfermline) (9) 67; Becky Copland (Scotscraig) (7) 69; Pat Simpson (Lundin Ladies) (7) 72.
Bronze Division - C Wilson (Ladybank) (25) 72; P Duncan (Dunnikier) (23) 76.

COOL CRAIG WINS THE SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS' TITLE
Craig Watson struck a blow for the over-30s by making most of the running to win the Scottish champion of champions' tournament by two strokes with an aggregate of 10 under par 274 over the Leven Links in Fife at the weekend.
Watson, winner of the British amateur championship and also a Walker Cup player in 1997, is now 38 but his golf looked as good as ever as he shot rounds of 71, 66, 67 and 70 in well nigh perfect scoring conditions.
Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay, recently crowned Australian open amateur champion, finished runner-up on 276 after returning the lowest round of the tournament - a 65 - in his final circuit.
North of Scotland open amateur champion Bryan Fotheringham from Forres played steadily to finish third on 277 with scores of 68, 71, 69 and 69 in what could be his swan song as an amateur player.
"I've qualified for the Europro Tour Final Qualifying School in England this coming week," said Bryan. "If I can get a guarantee that I will be able to play in 10 of their tournaments this season then I will turn pro."
Craig Watson led the select field at the halfway stage on Saturday evening and maintained the pole position without too much trouble through Sunday's final 36 holes.
"That's my first 72-hole win since the Tennant Cup in 2001 and obviously I'm delighted although I did help little Carly Booth to win the Scottish mixed foursomes last year," said Craig who gave up the semi-permanent, non-playing captaincy of the Scotland international squad late last year because he felt he
still was capable of being a winner and regaining a place in the team as a player.
"Usually I put my clubs under the stairs for the winter but this time I kept practising and I even had a session or two with Ian Rae (the Scottish Golf Union national coach). I think that made a difference. My game was in much better shape for the first big domestic event of the season."
Watson's third-round 67 increased his overnight one-shot lead to four strokes and though Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) - whose outward half of four-under-par 30 was the best by anyone all weekend - got within a shot of him with nine holes to play, the so-cool Craig birdied the 13th and 15th to forge well clear again. He could even afford his only three-putt of the weekend at the 18th and still finish two ahead of the fast-finishing Eric Ramsay.
Ramsay was five over par for his first round (a 76) and 13 under par for the next 54 holes with scores of 68, 67 and 65. His closing effort was the lowest score of the tournament as he finished on eight-under 276.
Banchory teenager Scott Larkin had the satisfaction of scoring a one-under-par 70 in his final round after earlier scores of 78, 76 and 76. He finished on 300.
SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS' TOURNAMENT
Leven Links
FINAL TOTALS (Par 71; CSS 72, 71, 71, 70)
274 C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 71 66 67 70.
276 E Ramsay (Carnoustie) 76 68 67 65.
277 B Fotheringham (Forres) 68 71 69 69.
278 J McLeary (Leven GS) 68 72 70 68, G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 70 69 71 68.
281 G Brown (Royal Montrose) 71 74 69 67.
283 S Armstrong (Turnhouse) 73 71 70 69, M Brown (Monifieth) 73 67 70 73, S Mackenzie (West Linton) 69 70 73 71.
284 M Clark (Kilmacolm) 71 73 71 69, J McGhee (Duddingston) 68 71 72 73, M Kerr (Dalmahoy) 70 69 73 72.
285 G Lowson (Auchterarder) 67 73 73 72.
286 J Gallagher (Swanston) 74 70 72 70.
287 R Roper (Wike Ridge) 70 68 73 76.
288 E Saltman (Craigielaw) 73 72 74 69.
289 B Scott (Dumfries & Galloway) 74 76 70 69.
290 B Soutar (Leven GS) 75 73 69 73, K Weir (St Andrews) 72 73 70 75, M Hislop (Glenbervie) 76 66 72 76.
291 James White (Lundin) 71 74 71 75, P O'Hara (Colville Park) 73 72 73 73.
292 B Crawford (West Kilbride) 74 72 77 69, G Gorrie (Haggs Castle) 72 69 73 78.
294 B Heggie (Auchterarder) 76 72 75 71, C Harper (Lenzie) 76 70 73 75.
295 A Dick (Shotts) 73 75 72 75.
296 R McKenzie (Easter Moffat) 68 76 75 77.
297 C Bond (Leven GS) 73 77 71 76, B Paterson (Tillicoultry) 77 71 77 72.
298 I Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle) 76 75 71 76, J Laurie (Cowglen) 69 76 77 76.
299 R Coull (Edzell) 75 72 73 79
300 S Larkin (Banchory) 78 76 76 70.
301 K Fortune (Kelso) 74 77 77 73
303 D McFarlane (Greenock) 80 74 73 76.
307 K Smyth (Windyhill) 76 78 81 72.
309 G Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 80 80 75 74, G Robertson (Drumpellier) 77 76 82 74.
310 C Robertson (Cathcart Castle) 79 81 74 76, S Elder (Kirkcaldy) 79 77 77 77, G Stubbs (Murrayshall) 75 79 74 82.
315 F Ogston (St Andrews) 82 83 76 74, R Moffat (Dundas Parks) 76 78 66 75.
316 G McMillan (Machrihanish) 84 81 77 74

The Leveret Trophy 2005 Formby Ladies (Thanks to Fiona Anderson, organiser)
Formby Ladies Golf Club took the bold step of switching their 36 hole scratch open tournament from August to April 2nd and were over subscribed with entries from all over England and Wales. Following the mild, wet winter the course was presented in a most inviting condition and whilst the main fear had been frost the club was rewarded with excellent weather and superb scoring.
Kiran Matharu, pictured right, the 16 year old exciting England player showed her complete class. Never having played the course before the girl from Cookridge, Yorkshire compiled a 69 and 71 for 140 to be an impressive 4 under par for the day. Runner up on 144 level for the day Cori Lee from the West Lancashire club, another fine young English prospect just couldn’t sink those crucial putts to put Matharu under more pressure.
A measure of the popularity of this event was 16 year old Holly Calvert from Lancaster, an eleventh hour stand in who scored 76+71 off 10 handicap making her 17 under par on the day bringing her down to 6 handicap !
Playing in shirt sleeves the testing links of the Formby Ladies course gave all the field a great opener to their seasons and the club hopes this will continue to be a popular first fixture on the golfing calendar.
Leading scores
140 Kiran Matharu Cookridge 69 71
144 Cori Lee West Lancashire 73 71
146 Charlotte Ellis Minchinhampton 72 74, Sara Garbutt Ganton 71 75
147 Holly Calvert Lancaster 76 71, Emma Sheffield Newark 74 73
150 Holly Emma Aitchison Bedfordshire 77 73, Lucy Gould Bargoed 74 76
152 Hannah Barwood Knowle 77 75, Cheryl Smith The Oaks 76 76
153 Sarah Attwood Gog Magog 75 78, Caroline Atherton Chorley 81 72, Pat Smillie Wilton 79 74
154 Laura Collin John O' Gaunt 80 74, Jeanette Williams Pleasington 78 76, Sarah-Jane Eaves Cosby 77 77
155 Laura Harvey Richmond 75 80, Michelle Smith The Oaks 76 79
156 Sarah Walton Clitheroe 76 80, Irene Brien Wentworth 76 80, Rachel Connor Manchester 79 77
157 Natasha Podmore Delamere Forest 85 72, Gemma Parkes Cosby 81 76, Ann Lowe Royal Birkdale 75 82, Kate Whitmore Sandiway 81 76
158 Rachel Jennings Izaak Walton 78 80, Elaine Clark Manchester 80 78, Karen Heywood Crompton & Royton 82 76
159 Nicola Craven Brough 77 82, Kelly Macphail Ellesmere 79 80
160 Kelly Tidy Manchester 79 81, Emma Tayler Saunton 80 80, Lorrane Taylor Delamere Forest 77 83

WATSON CRUISES INTO FOUR-SHOT LEAD AT SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
Craig Watson extended his one-shot overnight halfway lead to four strokes with an effortless third-round 67 for a 54-hole tally of nine-under-par 204 in theScottish champion of champions' golf tournament on another warm and calm day over the Leven Links in Fife.
British amateur champion in 1997, which earned him a Walker Cup team place that year, Watson, now 38, gave up the non-playing captaincy of the Scotland international team because he felt he could regain his place as a player in the squad if he really set his mind to it.
Craig has certainly looked cap class in the traditional four-round curtain-raiser to the Scottish amateur circuit.
The East Renfrewshire man birdied the sixth, 11th, 12th and 13th in bogey-free halves of 33 and 34 for his third-round 67. Since he bogeyed the first hole of his second-round 66, so-cool Craig played the next 35 holes without dropping a shot while amassing one eagle and eight birdies.
Watson's nearest challenger with one round to go was North of Scotland open amateur champion Bryan Fotheringham from Forres. Bryan has had rounds of 68, 71 and 69 for five-under-par 208.
This could be the North man's last tournament as an amateur. Later this week he takes part in the Europro Tour Final Qualifying School in England, having just failed to make it in the Asian Tour Q School in Indonesia earlier in the year.

Dierdre Smith wins first Irish Scratch Cup of the season
Irish Champion Deirdre Smith won the opening Scratch Cup of the season at Cork Golf Club on Saturday sponsored by Ford Ireland.Two rounds of level par 74, gave Deirdre a 4 shot winning margin over Marion Riordan. Maura Morrin was third a further three shots back. While the weather was kind to the players, the course, as always in perfect condition was very testing . The greens were quite fast, for this time of year and proved difficult. Marion' s four over par total, included three dropped shots at the difficult par three ninth hole. Three of last year's Irish Girls Home International Team were tied fourth on 156
LGU Training Squad members, Claire Coughlan and Tricia Mangan, were at a squad match.
Collated Scores
148  74,74. Deirdre Smith (Co.Louth)
152  75,77  Marian Riordan (Tipperary)
155  77,78  Maura Morrin (The Curragh)
156  81,75  Catherine Tucker (Limerick), 81,75 Fiona Carroll (Athenry), 80,76 Sinead O'Sullivan
157  79,78  Niamh Kitching (Claremorris)
158  80,78  Mary Dowling (Mallow)  79,79  Heather Nolan (Shannon)

LIz McKinnon qualifies for weekend
Nairn-based New Zealander Liz McKinnon, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, has qualified for the weekend's play in the Thailand Open at the Alpine Golf & Sports Club, Bangkok, Thailand. This is her third event and the first were she has made the cut.
Shani Waugh (Australia) won the tournament after a one-hole playoff with Gwladys Nocera (France) when they tied on six under par 282.
Liz had 72 74 78 73 for an eight over par total of 296 to be tied for 44th place and has won 1,490.85 euros.

US College Golf
79 for Pamela Feggans
Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire, in her last year at Florida Southern, is in joint 12th place with a total of 153 after the second round of the Florida Women's Intercollegiate Championships hosted by the University of Miami at Don Shula's Hotel and Golf Club, Miami Lakes.
Irish Internationalist Maria Dunne also had a 79 and is in joint 20th spot.

Saturday 2nd April 2005

Mens Amateur Golf
Champions halfway totals
FORMER British amateur champion Craig Watson starts Sunday's final two rounds of the Scottish champion of champions' golf tournament with a one-shot lead after a blistering second round of five-under-par 66 over the Leven Links, Fife.
The East Renfrewshire man, who stood down from the captaincy of the Scotland international team because he still felt he had ability to win a few tournaments, had opened the 72-hole traditional curtain-raiser to the Scottish amateur season with a steady par 71 but a purple patch down the home stretch of his second round lifted Watson clear of the select field.
Craig birdied the long 12th, eagled the long 13th, birdied the 14th and then birdied the 15th - a spectacular five-under-par run over four holes in a row, in an inward half of five-under 31 for his 66.
Watson, who has never won this event although he's gone mighty close on occasion, leads by one shot from Englishman Roger Roper, winner of the Scottish mid-amateur open title last summer. Roper shot 70 and 68 for 138.
Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay, recent winner of the Australian open amateur championship, recovered from an  opening round of 76 with an eight-shot improvement for an afternoon 68. With a halfway total of 144, he is seven shots behind leader Craig Watson.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS' TOURNAMENT
Leven Links
Second-round totals (Par 71, CSS 72 & 71)
137 Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 71 66.
138 Roger Roper (Wike Ridge) 70 68.
139 Simon Mackenzie (West Linton) 69 70, Mark Kerr (Dalmahoy) 70 69, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 70 69, Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) 68 71, James McGhee (Duddingston) 68 71.
140 Graham Lowson (Auchterarder) 67 73, Jamie McLeary (Leven GS) 68 72, Martin Brown (Monifieth) 73 67.
141 Graham Gorrie (Haggs Castle) 72 69.
142 Mark Hislop (Glenvervie) 76 66.
144 John Gallagher (Swanston) 74 70, Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse) 73 71, Ryan McKenzie (Easter Moffat) 68 76, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 71 73, Eric Ramsay(Carnoustie) 76 68
145 Graham Brown (Royal Montrose) 71 74, John Laurie (Cowglen) 69 76, Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw) 73 72, Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) 73 72, James White (Lundin) 71 74 Kevin Weir (St Andrews) 72 73.
146 Barry Crawford (West Kilbride) 74 72, Craig Harper (Lenzie) 76 70.
147 Ross Coull (Edzell) 75 72.
148 Blair Paterson (Tillicoultry) 77 71, Brian Heggie (Leven GS) 76 72, Alan Dick (Shotts) 73 75, Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 75 73.
150 Barry Scott (Dumfries & Galloway) 74 76, Chris Bond (Leven GS) 73 77
151 Ian Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle) 76 75, Kevin Fortune (Kelso) 74 77.
153 Gordon Robertson (Airdrie) 77 76.
154 Kevin Smyth (Windyhill) 76 78, George Stubbs (Murrayshall) 75 79, David McFarlane (Greenock) 80 74, Scott Larkin (Banchory) 76 78, Ricky Moffat (Dundas Parks) 76 78.
156 Stewart Elder (Kirkcaldy) 79 77.
160 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 80 80, Craig Robertson (Cathcart Castle) 79 81.
165 Fraser Ogston (St Andrews) 83 83, George McMillan (Machrihanish) 84 81

Mens Amateur Golf
EX-CHAMPION LOWSON SETS PACE AT LEVEN
Graham Lowson, winner of the Scottish amateur championship at Downfield in 1991, turned the clock back to his vintage years with a sparkling round of four-under-par 67 to be the first-round leader in the Scottish champion of champions' golf tournament at Leven Links today (SATURDAY).
Lowson, from Auchterarder, had birdies at the third, fourth, sixth and 13th in bogey-free halves of 31 (three under par) and 36 (one under).
But Graham was only one shot clear of the select field of 47 for a 72-hole tournament that traditionally raises the curtain on the top-flight Scottish competitive amateur season.
Snapping at his heels were James McGhee (Duddingston), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), Jamie McLeary (Leven Golfing Society) and Ryan McKenzie (Easter Moffat) all on 68 on a glorious day of sunshine on the Fife coast.
Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay, just back from a brilliant victory in the Australian open amateur championship, struggled round in 76.
Collated scoreboard
SCOTTISH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
Leven Links - First round (Par 71, CSS 72)
67 Graham Lowson (Auchterarder).
68 James McGhee (Duddingston), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), Jamie McLeary (Leven GS), Ryan McKenzie (Easter Moffat).
69 Simon Mackenzie (West Linton), John Laurie (Cowglen).
70 Mark Kerr (Dalmahoy), Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Roger Roper (Wikeridge).
71 James White (Lundin), Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), Graeme Brown (Royal Montrose), Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm).
72 Kevin Weir (St Andrews), Graham Gorrie (Haggs Castle).
73 Martin Brown (Monifieth), Alan Dick (Shotts), Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw), Paul O'Hara (Colville Park), Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse), Chris Bond (Leven GS).
74 Barry Scott (Dumfries & Galloway), John Gallagher (Swanston), Kevin Fortune (Kelso)
756 Brian Soutar (Leven GS), Ross Coull (Edzell), George Stubbs (Murrayshall)
76 Mark Hislop (Glenbervie), Brian Heggie (Leven GS), Craig Harper (Lenzie), Ricky Moffat (Dundas Parks), Iain Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle), Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie), David Wallace (Glenbervie), Kevin Smyth (Windyhill).
77 Gordon Robertson (Drumpellier), Blair Paterson (Tillicoultry).

US College Golf
Pamela Feggans in contention
Scottish Internationalist Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire shot a first-round two-over-par 74 yesterday and is tied for eighth place at the Florida Women's Intercollegiate Championships hosted by the University of Miami at Don Shula's Hotel and Golf Club, Miami Lakes.
Pamela's score featured birdies on the par-five 7th and 11th. She parred or birdied nine of her last 10 holes and trails Miami's Tina Miller by four strokes. Her team, Florida Southern is in 9th position.
Irish Internationalist Maria Dunne, playing for Bethune-Cookman College, is tied for 14th after a first round 76 in the same tournament.
The hosts, University of Miami, on 294 are three shots ahead of the University of Southern Florida.
Leading scores
70 Tina Miller (Miami)
71 Christina Jones (USF)
72 RemiJin Camping (Barry (Fl)), Josie Shinn (Miami), Whitney Brummett (Florida St)
Other scores
74 Pamela Feggans (Florida Southern)
76 Maria Dunne (Bethune Cookman College)

Press Release
Bev Lewis named as Master Professional
PGA professionals master their craft
Two of Europe's leading coaches are among nine high-achieving PGA members to become the Association's first ever Master Professionals.
Renowned duo Denis Pugh and Peter Cowen are part of an illustrious group composed of PGA captain-elect Beverly Lewis, Bill Ferguson, mentor to Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie, Jim Christine, Nicky Lumb, Doug McClelland, Alan Walker and Keith Williams.
Their elevation to Master Professional status follows the PGA's decision to create four new categories of membership recognising the expertise and knowledge of its members.
Also rewarding significant achievement within the sport are categories of Advanced Professional, Fellow of the PGA and Advanced Fellow of the PGA.
"We should extend our congratulations to these members of the PGA who have been recognised as Master Professionals," said PGA chief executive Sandy Jones.
"They have clearly advanced the standards in their own particular area of expertise and set targets and marker posts for those within the membership who wish to aspire to such a high degree of competence.
"We also extend our congratulations to every member who has been awarded a category from Advanced Professional to Advanced Fellow.
"This reflects the great knowledge and high degree of skill that exists throughout the PGA membership."
The new membership categories are part of an on-going process by the PGA to modernise its training programme which now sees qualified members achieving foundation degree status.
The additional membership classification was created to reflect the vast knowledge and experience of some of its longer serving members.
To qualify for Master Professional status members must be qualified for a minimum of 15 years and have made a significant contribution to the game.

R&A Press Release
1,000th REGISTRATION TO COURSE MANAGEMENT WEBSITE
A milestone was reached this week at The R&A Course Management Best Practice website when Kingsbarns Golf Links became the 1000th golf facility to register with the site.
Kingsbarns, situated only 10 miles from St Andrews, is less than 5 years old yet has already gained a reputation as a world-renowned links, particularly in co-hosting the Dunhill Links each October. Now, in registering with the website, its management team will have access to the best available information and guidance on all matters relating to 21st century courses.
Stuart McColm, Course Manager at Kingsbarns, said: "We are delighted to help The R&A reach this milestone as the website is an invaluable resource for all involved in the development and management of golf courses."
Steve Isaac, Assistant Director – Golf Course Management added: "It is a happy coincidence that our 1,000th registration should not only be a prestigious and spectacular links course, but that it should also be so close to St Andrews. Our Golf Course Committee is delighted with the positive response to the website and believe it will continue to go from strength to strength as we develop its content."
For further information, log on to www.bestcourseforgolf.org

LGU Press Release
FINAL QUALIFYING COURSES ANNOUNCED FOR THE WEETABIX WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Hillside and St Annes Old Links will be the Final Qualifying courses for the Weetabix Women’s British Open Championship in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
Over the years, both courses have hosted many tournaments of national importance but this latest announcement marks a unique double with the two courses now venues for Final Qualifying for the Open Championships of both men and women.
In announcing the two venues, Andy Salmon, CEO of the Ladies’ Golf Union said: "We are continuing our policy of finding top class venues for Women’s Open qualifying and are delighted that two of the finest links courses in the North West have agreed to host Final Qualifying this year and in 2006."
"It is becoming increasingly difficult for non-exempt players to qualify and we feel that they should be given the best possible courses on which to compete, not only against the testing layouts but also against the high quality fields now competing at Final Qualifying."

FIRST TIME LADIES ONLY REGIONAL ROUND IN PEUGEOT UK GOLF CHALLENGE
Time is running out for ladies to enter the Peugeot UK Golf Challenge which for the first time will have a 'Ladies Only' Regional Round at Copt Heath Golf Club, Solihull on Monday 4 July (1/2 mile from junction 5 off the M42). Entries close on Friday 8 April.
The Peugeot UK Golf Challenge is an amateur pairs competition for Peugeot customers with official golf handicaps, played over 18 holes of better ball Stableford golf. The competition is run in association with the PGA and is open to both men and women who, partnered with a guest, play as a pair. The regional qualifying rounds are held at some of the finest golfing venues in Britain.
Through Peugeot's partnership with the Ladies’ Golf Union and in recognition of the growing popularity of women’s golf, there will be for the first time a ladies only regional round.
In addition to playing on Copt Heath, one of the countries finest inland courses, players will receive a complimentary Wilson Staff polo shirt, a sleeve of balls and hospitality throughout the day, including a three course meal prior to the Prize giving.
From this Regional Round, the first three pairs qualify for the Peugeot Golf Challenge Final to be played on Friday 29 July 2005 at the prestigious Gleneagles Kings course.
On an international level, the female competitor recording the highest individual score at the Gleneagles final will also qualify to represent the UK in a separate competition, the Peugeot International Pro-Am in Paris.
Players who wish to enter should contact the PGC 2005 hotline on: 01282 704025 for a booking form to be posted to them.

Friday 1st April 2005

SUSF Golf Further Update
Stirling won.. .we think by 7.5 matches to 2.5

SUSF Golf Update
It's Stirling v St Andrews in the Final.
St Andrews drew 5- 5 with Aberdeen this morning and had to go to a playoff to determine which team would go through to the final. Matt Webb, representing St Andrews fought it out with Jimmy Dale (Aberdeen) until the fifth extra hole before the match was decided in St Andrews' favour.
Stirling beat Edinburgh by 7.5 matches to 2.5 in the other semifinal.
The final between Stirling and St Andrews has Jamie McLeary versus Matt Webb in the top match.
More news when I get it. [Thanks to Liz Munro for this]

Irish Girls Interprovincial Championship
Ulster the Champions
Ulster have won the 2005 Girls Interprovincial Matches at Killorglin Golf Club for the first time since 1996.
The Ulster team was lead by Danielle McVeigh with a superb performance winning 5 out of 6 possible points.  The Ulster Team were strong all round with Louise Coffey winning all of her singles matches.
Charlene Reid and Victoria Bradshaw had strong individual performances and Stephanie Meadow and Shirley Harvey won half points at critical moments to keep Ulster in the driving seat.
Connacht put up a brave defence of the title they won for the first time in Westport Golf Club last year.  They drew their opening match with Ulster and beat Munster and Leinster on days 2 and 3 respectively but were beaten by Ulster on a count back on matches.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Ulster	3	2	1	0	16	8	2.5
Connacht	3	2	1	0	14	10	2.5
Munster	3	1	0	1	10.5	13.5	1
Leinster	3	0	0	3	7.5	16.5	0

DAY 3 - FRIDAY 1ST APRIL
Munster 3 – 5 Ulster (Munster names first)
Foursomes Results
Naoimh McMahon & Orla Murray lost to Danielle McVeigh & Charlene Reid 3/2
Linda Toomey & Sarah Cunningham halved with Victoria Bradshaw & Stephanie Meadow
Singles Results
Linda Toomey beat Danielle McVeigh 4/3
Naoimh McMahon halved with Charlene Reid
Orla Murray beat Victoria Bradshaw 2up
Sarah Cunningham beat Shirley Harvey 7/6
Valerie Power lost to Stephanie Meadow 1up
Holli Snelling lost to Louise Coffey 2/1
Leinster 3½ - 4½ Connacht (Leinster names first)
Foursomes Results
Orla Dunphy & Alice Davis lost to Emma Gilmore & Ann McCormack 4/3
Sinead Slater & Ciara Walsh beat Fiona Carroll & Laura Holmes 3/1
Singles Results
Orla Dunphy lost to Fiona Carroll 5/4
Sinead Slater beat Emma Gilmore 5/4
Oula Cunneeen lost to Ann McCormack 2/1
Alice Davis halved with Sarah Faller
Leanne Brennan lost to Laura Holmes 2up
Ciara Walsh beat Grainne O’Connor 3/2

SUSF Mens' Golf Championship
Stirling are currently playing Edinburgh and St Andrews are playing Aberdeen in the semi-finals of the Scottish University Team Championship over Moray Golf Club's New Course this morning. The final is at 1pm over the Old Course. If you are in the Lossiemouth area, go along to watch!

Final positions in the two leagues

R&A to make hickory round compulsory in the Open.
Return to an era where skill rather than equipment reigned supreme.
In a radical plan announced today, the R&A has stated that from next year at Hoylake, golf will return to its roots, as they intend to make play with hickory clubs compulsory in the third round of the Open.
A spokesman said "Today's golfers have lost the shot-making skills of their predecessors. Today's equipment makes it easy to hit a bad shot and still end up on the green.
"We feel that adding a hickory round to the Open will make the event much more interesting to the public, allowing them to see the artistry required to master the game played with hickory clubs.
"We've chosen the third round as we do anticipate that play will be slightly slower as some of the players will get into trouble on the way round."
Royal Liverpool Golf Club is no stranger to hickory golf. Every April the British Golf Collectors' Society hold their Presidents' day meeting over the Hoylake links. The BGCS members have offered to lend the players sets of hickory clubs for the Open.
A BGCS spokesman said "Who knows.... it could start a revival for hickory golf." Further information