Sunday 30th April 2006

Midlothian Trophy winners
LtoR; Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 2006 Champion, Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall) 2006 Championship Runner-up, Gail Macdonald (Turnhouse) B Championship Runner-up, Cara Easton (Dalmahoy) 2006 B Champion.

Midlothian Championship
CLAIRE HARGAN WINS MIDLOTHIAN TITLE FOR FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW
Former Scotland international player Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) won the Midlothian women’s county golf championship for the fourth time in a row at Duddingston Golf Club today (Sunday).
Claire, the No 3 seed, had to go to the 19th before she beat clubmate Belinda Murphy in the final.
Miss Hargan birdied the ninth to be out in one-over-par 38 and three up. Belinda fought back to square the match with a birdie 2 at the short 14th.
After three successive halves, Claire had the chance to win the title at the 18th but she missed a 3ft birdie putt.
At the first extra hole, Claire got home with two cracking shots into a slight breeze at this par-5, 471yd hole but she did not have to putt. Belinda was in the rough and eventually conceded the hole, the match and the title.
Belinda played 38 holes in all during the day, having gone to the 19th to beat Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) at the 19th in the morning semi-finals.
Claire won by one hole against the second seed, Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) in the other tie.
The B championship was won by young Cara Easton (Dalmahoy). She beat Gail MacDonald (Turnhouse) by 5 and 4 in the final.
Scoreboard
MIDLOTHIAN WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Duddingston Golf Club.
Semi-finals
Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall) bt Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) at 19th; Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) bt Noreen Fenton(Merchants of Edinburgh) 1 hole.
Final
Hargan bt Murphy at 19th.
B Championship
Semi-finals – Gail MacDonald (Turnhouse) bt Gillian Carter (Broomieknowe) 4 and 3, Cara Easton (Dalmahoy) bt Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 4 and 3.
Final – Easton bt MacDonald 5 and 4.

US College Golf
GEMMA WEBSTER FINISHES ON A HIGH FOR A TOP-20 PLACING IN INDIANA
Gemma Webster (Ohio State) left her best until last with a fourth-round 75 for 19th place on 306 in the Big Ten women’s golf championship over the Indiana University course at Bloomington, Indiana today (Sunday).
The Hilton Park Golf Club member and Scotland international will be rueing a double-bogey 6 at the fifth and a string of late bogeys which cost her a top-12 finish.
Gemma, who was a dentistry student at Dundee University until she transferred to Ohio State last summer, did birdie the third, seventh and 12 and she had nine birdies in all over the 72 holes.
Sophie Stubbs (Minnesota) from Telford did not have a good tournament. She finished in a share of 59th place on 329 after rounds of 84, 79, 82 and 84.
Individual honours went to all-the-way leader Alice Kim (Northwestern) with a total of three-overe par 291 over the par-72, 6,142yd course. She shot rounds of 68, 72, 74 and 77 to win by one shot from Sara Brown (Michigan State), Carling Coffing (Ohio State and Spain’s Maria Hernandez (Purdue).
Gemma Webster’s efforts helped Ohio State to achieve one of their best finishes of the season – second to Purdue who totalled 1179 to Ohio State’s 1185. Michigan State finished third of 11 on 1191. Minnesota (1263) came last.

US College Golf
NO LUCK OF THE IRISH FOR SUZIE IN BIG EAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Dubliner Suzie Hayes, in the last term of her four-year golf scholarship at Notre Dame University, tied for 29th place in a field of 35 for the Big East Conference women’s college championship at Lake Jovita Country Club, Dade City in Florida.
Suzie had rounds of 82, 80 and 81 for a total of 243. The event was won by four strokes by Adrienne White (Louisville) with 74, 69 and 73 for a level par total of 216.
Louiseville (889) also won the team event from Georgetown (910) with Notre Dame sharing third place with USF on 914 in a field of seven.

Fife Championship
MOFFAT RALLIES FROM FOUR DOWN TO WIN FIFE TITLE FOR THIRD TIME
Former Scottish champion Elaine Moffat (St Regulus), pictured right, four down after four holes, staged a great rally to win the Fife women’s county golf championship for a third time at Scotscraig Golf Club today (Sunday).
Miss Moffat, the top seed, beat Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), the No 3 qualifier, by 3 and 2 in the final, which was the fifth Elaine had played in over a 19-year span. She lost in 1987 and 2005 but won previously in 1996 and also 2000, when the championship was also played at Scotscraig.
Miss Kenney toppled the defending champion, Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus), who will be defending her Scottish title at Dunbar later this month, by 3 and 2 in the semi-finals while Miss Moffat was beaten the No 5 seed, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) by 4 and 2.
Louise began with three pars and a birdie to win all four opening holes but Elaine hit back with three birdies over the next five holes to be all square at the turn.
Louise regained the lead with a par at the 10th but Elaine birdied the 11th to get back on terms and then won the 12th, 14th and 16th to regain the title.
FIFE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Scotscraig Golf Club
Semi-finals
Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) bt Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 4 and 2.
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) bt Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) 3 and 2.
Final
Moffat bt Kenney 3 and 2.

HAVE-A-GOLF HERO
Exhibitor Wayne Mitchell came up with a novel way of demonstrating his product when he was involved in a low-speed chase in the heart of London - on MOTORISED GOLF TROLLEYS.
Wayne gave chase on one of his unique two-wheeled trolleys after a thief had tried to steal the electric scooter-style machine outside ExCeL London as he left the 2006 London Golf Show.
The thief ended up going down a dual carriageway the wrong way on the 15 mph electric trolley in an attempt to lose Wayne as he gave hot pursuit.
But the fearless exhibitor was not to be put off and commandeered a passer-by’s car to chase the thief up some railway steps where he finally ditched the £4,000 trolley and ran off.
Wayne, from Matlock, Derbyshire, said: “When I saw him heading off down the road, I thought he was going to come back but he just kept going.
“When I saw him disappear around the corner I had no doubt about what to do. I was never going to catch him on foot so I just hopped on another trolley.
“I chased him for about a mile and he could see I was gaining ground so he went the wrong way up a dual carriageway.
“But I was determined not to lose him. I kept sight of him with the help of someone else’s car after I had quickly explained the situation to him and then saw the guy trying to drag it up some steps over a railway.
“I thought ‘I’m going to get him now’ as the trolleys are quite heavy, but he was able to escape after throwing the trolley down the steps.”
The stunned driver who helped him was local man Matt Edwards, 27, who visited Wayne on the Segway stand the following day to relive the encounter.
Matt said: “Without doubt it’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me. I was just parking my car when I saw this guy come past on a two-wheeled scooter and then another guy came flying past like a bat out of hell shortly afterwards.
“This chap got in my car, pointed to a bloke across the road and said ‘follow that Segway’. When I got back and spoke to my wife I just sat there in disbelief.”
Wayne was demonstrating his Segway Golf Transporters to people leaving the London Golf Show at 6pm on Saturday night when the drama took place.
Passers-by watched in amazement as the man, in his twenties, sped off down the road with Wayne close behind.
Wayne added: “I thought I’d catch him up as I’ve obviously got far more experience of riding on the transporters and he was a bit clumsy, but he was determined to do anything he could to get away.
“The amazing thing is that his friends were all watching and they were in the pub later that night when I got back. I told them that their friend better not show his face.
“I didn’t bother calling the police in the end because at least I got my trolley back and there wasn’t much damage. I can laugh about it now but I was livid at the time. You just don’t believe what some people will do.”
[Picture above right shows Wayne Mitchell, on Segway, with helpful driver Matt Edwards]

JAMIESON AND WATSON TIE FOR EDWARD TROPHY VICTORY
Craigmillar Park Open winner Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) followed up his 72-hole success in Edinburgh by tying for victory with Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) in Glasgow Golf Club’s 36-hole open tournament for the Edward Trophy at Glasgow Gailes on Saturday.
Jamieson had rounds of 72 and 69 for 141. Watson matched that one-under-par total with rounds of 70 and 71.
Jonathan King of the host club finished third on 142 with a 70 and 72.
Scoreboard
EDWARD TROPHY OPEN TOURNAMENT – Glasgow Gailes GC – Leading final totals
141 S Jamieson (Cathkins Braes) 72 69, C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 70 71.
142 J King (Glasgow) 70 72.
143 D Miller (Fereneze) 71 72.
144 R A Clark (Erskine) 70 74, G Hay (Panmure) 72 72.
145 D McMcMillan (Lanark) 72 73, M Clark (Kilmacolm) 75 70, G Robertson (Irvine Ravenspark) 71 74, D Martin (Alyth) 75 70.

US College Golf
KEVIN FAILS TO PEAK IN MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
Blairgowrie’s Kevin McAlpine, coming to the end of his four-year golf scholarship at Colorado State University, will not have fond memories of this year’s Mountain West Conference men’s college championship at Crosswater Club, Sunriver Resort in Oregon.
Kevin, in the top 10 after 36 holes, finished in a share of 27 place after taking 44 shots for the inward half in a final-round 81 for a total of 225 over the par-72 course which measures a monster 7,630yd.
Kevin had a double bogey 7 at the second and dropped another shot at the eighth but birdies at the fourth and ninth got him out in one-over-par 37.
After bogeying the 10th, the wheels came off for McAlpine with a triple-bogey 8 at the 12th . Probably disheartened, Kevin then bogeyed the 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th.
Jay Choi (New Mexico) won the individual title with 72, 70 and 73 for one-under-par 215.
Colorado State (883) finish sixth in a field of nine for the team event in which New Mexico (865) won from San Diego State (870) with UNLV third on 874.

US College Golf
GEMMA KNOCKED BACK BY TRIPLE BOGEY
Hilton Park Golf Club member Gemma Webster (Ohio State) ran up a triple-bogey 7 at the 10th , having earlier bogeyed the first, fourth and ninth, in the third round of the Big Ten women’s college championship over the Indiana University course at Bloomington, Indiana.
Birdies at the eighth, 15th and 18th enabled the Scotland international team player to salvage a five-over-par 77 (38-39) after earlier rounds of 76 and 78.
Gemma, who has had six birdies over the first 54 holes, is in joint 32nd position with a total of 231.
Sophie Stubbs (Minnesota) from Telford also had a triple bogey in her third-round 82 for a tally of 249 and a share of 59th place. She had a 7 at the 11th – her second of the tournament- in halves of 38 and 44. Her earlier scores were 84 and 79.
Alice Kim (Northwestern) leads the field with 68, 72 and 74 for two-under-par 214 – two shots ahead of Sara Brown (Michigan State) (72-73-71).
Purdue (881) lead the team event from Michigan State (883) with Ohio State (886) third and Minnesota (936) 10th in a field of 11.

Friday 28th April 2006

Ladies Eurpean Tour
KATHRYN CRASHES AS LYNN, CLARE AND LIZ MISS CUT
It was not a good second day for the Scots in the Tenerife Ladies Open, the first event of the year in the Ladies' European Tour.
Overnight joint leader Kathryn Imrie from Monifieth plunged from a 71 to an 80 to be in joint 23rd place on 151.
But at least Kathryn is still in the competition and chasing as big a cheque as she can.
For Lynn Kenny and Clare Queen (pictured above) and Inverness-based New Zealander, Liz McKinnon, the tournament is over - they missed the cut which fell at 156.
Liz McKinnon missed out by three shots with an 84 and 75 for 159.
Lynn Kenny (Brucefields Family Golf Centre) had a 77 and 85 for 162 while rookie debutante Clare Queen (Drumpellier) was nowhere near her best form with 84 and 82 for 166.
England's Kristy Taylor leads on three-under-par 141 after rounds of 71 and 72. She is two shots clear of Tania Elosegui (Spain (71-72) and Riikka Hakkarainen (Finland) (73-70).
More details of the Tenerife Ladies Open are available by logging on to www.ladieseuropeantour.info.

English Seniors
CHRISTINE CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY BY WINNING TITLE
Buckinghamshire's Christine Watson gave herself the perfect birthday present when she won a "monumental battle" to become English senior women’s (closed) champion today.
The No 5 qualifier, Christine defeated the title-holder and No. 2 seed , Chris Quinn (Hockley), at the 20th hole of an epic final over the New Course at Sunningdale.
"It's absolutely brilliant - and to beat Chris, who is someone I respect, makes it very special. I couldn't ask for better," said Christine, who was also celebrating her 54th birthday.
The two women have known each other for about 40 years, since their junior days in Middlesex, but this was only the third time they had met head-to-head.
"And this is the first time I have got the better of her!" said Christine from Beaconsfield.
She was never behind in a low-scoring match and was three up after 12 holes.
But Chris Quinn fought back, winning the 13th, 15th and 17th to take the match into extra holes.They halved the 19th with birdie 4s before Christine settled matters with a textbook par on the short 20th.
Chris Quinn had missed the green and just failed to sink her par putt.
During Christine's career she has been a junior international, played for England in the home internationals of 1982 and, more recently, has been a member of England's winning seniors' home international team, alongside Chris Quinn.
Christine has also won the Buckinghamshire county championship 12 times - but has now retired from county golf to concentrate on seniors' events.
In the morning semi-finals at Sunningdale, Christine Watson knocked out the top seed, Carole Caldwell, playing over her home course, by 3 and 2 while Chris Quinn ousted Sue Pickles by two holes.
ENGLISH SENIOR WOMEN’S (CLOSED) CHAMPIONSHIP
New Course, Sunningdale Golf Club.
Semi-finals – Christine Watson (Beaconsfield) bt Carole Caldwell (Sunningdale) 3 and 2; Chris Quinn (Hockley) bt Sue Pickles (Lee on Solent) 2 holes.
Final – Watson bt Quinn at 20th.
Division B - Final - Pat Hale (Edgbaston) bt Lotti Edmunds (Aldeburgh) 3 and 1.

East Lothian Ladies County Championship
GOOD FORTUNE FOR LINDA IN EAST LOTHIAN QUALIFYING ROUND
Kilspindie’s Linda Fortune and Scottish senior women’s title-holder Moira Thomson (North Berwick) are seeded to meet in the final of the East Lothian women’s county golf championship at Musselburgh Golf Club.
In the qualifying round, Linda, six-handicap player, earned the top seeding with a round of 75 – one better than Moira.
Loretto School pupil Emma Fairnie, making her debut in the championship for which she is eligibile to play since becoming a Dunbar Golf Club member, had the third-best scratch score of 77.
The championship continues with the match-play stages at the same venue on Monday and Tuesday.
EAST LOTHIAN WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Musselburgh Golf Club
QUALIFIERS
Scratch
75 L Fortune (Kilspindie). 76 M Thomson (North Berwick). 77 E Fairnie (Dunbar). 83 F Prior (Gullane), B McIntosh (Gullane). 84 M Woodward (Gullane). 85 M Renton (Gifford), J Herd (Musselburgh). 87 E Borthwick (Musselburgh). 87 C Guthrie (Longniddry), D Huish (Glen). 88 L McNicoll (Longniddry). 89 R Thoresen (North Berwick), S McMaster (Gullane). 90 M Barbour (North Berwick). 91 J Henderson (North Berwick).
Match-play draw:
Fortune v Henderson, Renton v Guthrie, McIntosh v McNicoll, Prior v McMaster, Fairnie v Thoresen, Woodward v Huish, Herd v Borthwick, Thomson v Barbour.
Handicap Qualifiers
72 C Reid (Kilspindie) 27). 73 K C Austin (North Berwick) (22). 75 N Cook (Gullane) (24), N Davidson (Glen) (17). 78 S Low (Gullane) (18), V Skinner (Dunbar) (14). 79 B Mackay (Gullane) (12). 80 D Lawson (Craigielaw) (15).

US College Golf
KEVIN SHOOTS UNDER PAR OVER MONSTER COURSE IN OREGON
Kevin McAlpine from Blairgowrie, coming to the end of his four-year golf scholarship at Colorado State University, was in joint sixth place going into the second round of the Mountain West Conference men’s college championship at Crosswater Club, Sunriver Resort in Oregon.
Kevin returned a one-under-par 71 over possibly the longest course he has ever played. It measures 7,630yd.
Kevin birdied the first, second, ninth, 13th and 18th in halves of 34 (two under par) and 37 (one over). He bogeyed the fifth, had a double bogey 6 at the 10th and dropped anothere shot at the 16th.
Clay Ogden (Brigham Young) was the overnight leader on 69.

Midlothian Ladies Championship
NICHOLSON-MURPHY, HARGAN-FENTON SEMI-FINALS
Top seed Claire MacDonald (Gullane) was knocked out by the 16th qualifier, Christine Stewart (Lothianburn), in the first round of the Midlothian women’s county golf championship match-play stages at Duddingston Golf Club today.
Christine won by one hole but was herself beaten 5 and 4 in the quarter-finals by Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) who will play Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall ) in the first semi-final at 9am on Sunday.
The other semi-final will be contested by title-holder and former Scotland international player Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) and Scotland senior cap Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), the No 2 seed.
SCOREBOARD
MIDLOTHIAN WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Duddingston Golf Club
Match-play
First round – Catherine Stewart (Lothianburn) bt Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 1 hole, Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) bt Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 1 hole, Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall) bt Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 4 and 3, Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall) bt Karen Marshall (Baberton) 3 and 2.
Claire Hargan(Mortonhall) bt Kate Rorke (Kingsknowe) 2 holes, Hilary Laughland (Mortonhall) bt Amanda Edwards (Liberton) 2 and 1, Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) bt Anne Hanson (Glencorse) 6 and 4, Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) bt Linda Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 4 and 3.
Quarter-finals – Nicholson bt Stewart 5 and 4, Murphy bt Tracy Laughland 3 and 1, Hargan bt Hilary Laughland 3 and 2, Fenton bt Blackwood 2 and 1.

Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy
RAMSAY WINS AS EUROPE COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT ASIA-PACIFIC
Europe, thanks to a stirring last-day surge, have won the fifth Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy international golf contest over Asia Pacific in Auckland.
They came from behind to secure eight singles and a half to claim the overall honours against Asia Pacific for the third time, 18-14.
Asia Pacific began the final day with a 10 ½ to 9 ½ advantage and needed six wins from the 12 singles matches at Auckland Golf Club today.
However the Europeans were always on the front foot today, starting strongly and never allowing the Asia Pacific team into the match.
“It’s a great thrill. The team really rallied today. We were disappointed to let the Asia Pacific team back into things yesterday but today the team were just fantastic,” said Gary Wolstenholme.
Scotland’s only representative in the Europe team, Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) beatAustralia Andrew Dodt by 4 and 3. Ramsay won four holes in a row from the 10th, including a birdie at the 11th.
Rory McIlroy (Ireland) was Europe’s most successful competitor over the three days with 4pt out of a possible 5.
Ramsay scored 3 from a possible 4.
SCOREBOARD
ASIA-PACIFIC 14, EUROPE 18
Third day score: Asia-Pacific 3 ½ - Europe 8 ½
SINGLES
Asia-Pacific players first
Anujit Hirunrantanakorn (Thailand) lost to Zac Gould (Walesl) 3 and 1.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (India) lost to Luiten (Netherlands) 3 and 1.
Mu Hu (China) lost to Rory McIlroy (Ireland) 3 and 2.
Yuta Ikeda (Japan)) lost to Marius Thorp (Norway) 1 hole.
Yuku Ito (Japan) bt Nigel Edwards (Wales) 5 and 3.
Ben Leong (Malaysia) lost to Pedro Oriol (Spain) 3 and 2.
Andrew Dodt (Australia) lost to Richie Ramsay (Scotland) 4 and 3.
Josh Geary (NZ) bt Damian Ulrich (Switzerland) 1 hole3.
Mark Purser (NZ) lost to Julien Guerrier (France) 1 hole.
Kyung Tae Kim (Korea) lost to Gary Wolstenholmed (England) 3 and 2.
Sung Hoon Kang (Korea) lost o Antti Ahokas (Finland) 1 hole.
Won Joon Lee (Australia) halved with Oliver Fisher (England).
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
EUROPE
McIlroy 4pt out of 5.
Wolsteholme 3 ½ out of 5.
Ramsay 3 out of 4.
Antti Ahokas 3 out of 4.
Oriol 3 out of 5.
Fisher 3 out of 5.
Thorp 2 ½ out of 5.
Joos Luiten 2 out of 4.
Guerrier 1 ½ out of 4.
Edwards 1 out of 5.
Gould 1 out of 5.
Ulrich 0 out of 1.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Josh Geary 3 ½pt out of 5.
Hirunratankaom 3 out of 4.
Yuko Ho 3 out of 5.
Kyung Tae Kim 3 out of 5.
Sung Hoon Kang 3 out of 5.
Purser 2 ½ out of 5.
Uuta Ikeda 2 out of 5.
Ben Leong 2 out of 4.
Won Joon Lee 1 ½ out of 5.
Dodt 1 out of 5.
Sandhu 0 out of 2.
Mu Hu 0 out of 2.

Thursday 27th April 2006

TOP SEED CAROLE REACHES SEMI-FINALS OVER HOME COURSE IN ENGLISH SENIORS
Leading qualifier Carole Caldwell, playing over her home course, reached the semi-finals of the Senior English women’s (closed) amateur golf championship at Sunningdale Golf Club today.
Carole, a former Curtis Cup player, beat the last of the 16 qualifiers for the match-play stages, Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) by 2 and 1 and then chalked up a 5 and 4 win over ninth qualifier Carolyn Kirk (Ganton) by 5 and 4.
Carole now plays the No 5 seed Christine Watson (Beaconside) who beat the No 4 qualifier, Geraldine Bray (Littlestone) by 3 and 2 in the quarter-finals.
The second semi-final will feature the second and third seeds, Chris Quinn (Hockley) and Susan Pickles (Lee on Solent).
SENIOR ENGLISH WOMEN’S (CLOSED) AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunningdale Golf Club
Match-play
FIRST ROUND
Carole Caldwell (Sunningdale) bt Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) 2 and 1.
Carolyn Kirk (Ganton) bt Deborah Backhouse (Aldeburgh) 4 and 3.
Christine Watson (Beaconsfield) bt Julie Ballard (Littlestone) 2 and 1.
Geraldine Bray (Littlestone) bt Pat West (Spalding) at 19th.
Susan Pickles (Lee on Solent) bt Chris Stirling (Meon Valley Hotel) 5 and 3.
Paula Parker (Abbotsley) bt Laraine Hague (Rotherham) 5 and 4.
Sue Westall (Copt Heath) bt Jeannie O’Keeffe (Guildford Ladies) 2 holes.
Chris Quinn (Hockley) bt Susan Ellis (Ferendon) 2 and 1.
QUARTER-FINALS
Caldwell bt Kirk 5 and 4.
Watson bt Bray 3 and 2.
Pickles bt Parker 3 and 2.
Quinn v Westall 3 and 2.

ASIA-PACIFIC HIT BACK TO LEAD EUROPE
Asia-Pacific have come from behind to lead Europe 10 ½-9 ½ going into the third and final day of the biennial Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy match at Auckland Golf Club, New Zealand.
Asia-Pacific halved the second-morning four-balls 2½-2½ and then wiped out their overnight deficit by winning the afternoon foursomes 4½-½.
The Europeans could not hold their opponents at bay in the play of the final hole in the afternoon. The Asian-Pacific team gained three of their wins and also their halved-match with birdies at the 18th.
Royal Aberdeen player Richie Ramsay, pictured right, and young Irishman Rory McIlroy won their morning four-ball tied against the Australian pair of Won Joon Lee and Andrew Dodt but they lost to a birdie at the 18th by the same opponents.
Ramsay and McIlroy had been two up at the turn in the afternoon but lost the 12th and 14th. Then the Australians birdied the 18th for a last-green victory.
The final day’s play is an all-singles programme after two days of four-balls and foursomes.
HOW THEY STAND
ASIA-PACIFIC 10½-EUROPE 9½
SECOND-DAY SCOREBOARD
Morning four-balls: Asia-Pacific 2½, Europe 2½
(Asia-Pacific names first)
Y Ideda & Y Ito (Jap) bt N Edwards & Z Gould (Wal) 1 hole.
B Leong (Mal) & A Hirunratanakom (Thai) lost to P Oriol (Spa) & A Ahokas (Fin) 1 hole.
W J Lee & A Dodt (Aus) lost to R McIlroy (Ire) & R Ramsay (Sco) 1 hole.
M Purser & J Geary (NZ) bt G Wolsteholme & O Fisher (Eng) 2 holes.
K T Kim & S H Kang (Kor) halved with M Thorp (Nor) & J Luiten (Net).
Afternoon foursomes: Asia-Pacific 4½ - Europe ½
Ikeda & Ito bt Edwards & Gould 1 hole.
Leong & Hirunratanakom bt Ahokas & J Guerrier (Fra) 4 and 3.
Lee & Dodt bt McIlroy & Ramsay 1 hole.
Purser & Geary halved with Wolstenholme & Fisher,
Kim & Kang bt Thorp & Oriol 2 holes.

US College Golf
PABLO AND AMANDA ARE TOP-RANKED ON UNITED STATES COLLEGE CIRCUITS
Spaniard Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State University), a former British boys’ open champion, and Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University) from Arizona are the top-ranked male and female players on the American college circuits, according to the latest Golfweek/Sagarin individual ratings.
The leading British male on the male college circuit is Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) in sixth place. The top Scot is Russell Knox (Jacksonville) from Inverness in 76th place.
Although he does not appear on the official list of rankings because he has not played in sufficient events to qualify, Glasgow’s Stephen Clark (Missouri-Kansas City) has an unofficial ranking of 67th.
In the women’s ratings, Irish international Tara Delaney (Kent State University) is the top ranked player from Great Britain & Ireland. A winner this year, Tara is ranked 45th.
Although she is now home in Scotland, Heather MacRae (San Diego State) still appears at 144 in the women’s rankings.
MEN
1 Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State)
2 Chris Kirk (Georgia).
3 Ryan Baca (Baylor).
Other ratings included:
6 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State).
36 Stephen Lewton (North Carolina State).
61 Matt Mills (Texas).
63 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State).
76 Russell Knox (Jacksonville).
109 Steve Tiley (Georgia State).
126 Lloyd Campbell (Tennessee)
158 Duncan Stewart (Jacksonville).
233 Farren Keenan (Texas).
248 Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville).
300 Chris Paisley (Tennessee).
321 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State).
415 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State).
507 Kevin McAlpine (Colorado State).
535 Adam Hodkinson (East Tennessee State).
WOMEN
1 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke).
2 Irene Cho (Southern California).
3 Maria Martinez (Auburn).
Other ratings include:
45 Tara Delaney (Kent State).
84 Becky Wood (Kent State).
109 Anna Scott (Georgia State).
144 Heather MacRae (San Diego State).
152 Sian Reddick (Baylor).
212 Gemma Webster (Ohio State).
322 Emily Ogilvy (Arkansas-Little Rock).
335 Maria Dunne (Bethune-Cookman College).
428 Danielle Roseberry (Tulsa).
456 Dawn Marie Conaty (Memphis).
465 Karen Delaney (Kent State).
547 Lucy Gould (East Tenessee State)
610 Vicki Power (Northern Arizona).
635 Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame)
678 Fern Grimshaw (Bethune-Cookman College).
688 Sophie Stubbs (Minnesota).
763 Kate O'Sullivan (High Point)
847 Becky Dowell (Bethune-Cookman College).
865 Jenna Kinnear (High Point).
1084 Stephanie Crolla (Nicholls State).

8th Green at Dundonald

DUNDONALD TO HOST 2006 DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS TROPHY
Loch Lomond Golf Club’s Dundonald course, which is situated near Troon in Ayrshire, is to host the 2006 Duke of York Young Champions Trophy.
The 54 hole stroke play tournament, now in its sixth year, is recognised as Europe’s premier mixed golf tournament for U18 National Boy and Girl Champions and will take place at Dundonald from 12-14 September. A field of over 40 competitors from at least 20 different countries are expected to participate in the event at the Kyle Phillips-designed links course.
The Duke of York, who will be in attendance for the duration of the tournament, said:
“My Young Champions Trophy is held around the UK each year and we try to find venues where the young players are given the opportunity to play some of the very best courses, predominantly traditional Links golf, that are going to challenge their game and at the same time giving them a taste of what lies in store for them in any future career in golf. Dundonald Golf Course, a part of the Loch Lomond group of courses, is amongst the best new Links to be built in the UK in recent times. We are delighted that Loch Lomond and Dundonald are hosting this year’s Duke of York Young Champions Trophy. I hope our hosts and competitors will feel suitably challenged and I look forward to the event with keen anticipation
Keith Williams, Chief Executive of Loch Lomond Golf Club, said:
“Loch Lomond Golf Club has been a strong supporter of junior golf in Scotland for several years, so it is wonderful to have the opportunity of extending that support by hosting this event at our links course, Dundonald.
We are very much looking forward to hosting our first international tournament at Dundonald and are delighted to be working with the Duke of York, who serves as our Club’s International Captain.”
Loch Lomond Golf Club’s Dundonald course opened in July 2003. The 7,300-yard par 72 course, which is located about an hour’s drive south west of Loch Lomond Golf Club and half an hour from Glasgow, sits alongside Western Gailes Golf Club, overlooking the Firth of Clyde towards the island of Arran. Since opening the course has received several accolades including being named ‘Best of the Best New Courses’ by Robb Report magazine.

British Student Golf
BUSA Order of Merit event
Olivia Briggs from the University of Stirling won the third BUSA Order of Merit event at the De Vere hotel group's Morrtram Hall in Cheshire with two rounds of 77, two shots ahead of Janet Phipps from the Exeter.
In the men's event, Edward Parker (Birmingham) with a pair of 71s, won by four shots from Simon Lee (Northumbria).
Scoreboard
Third BUSA Order of Merit event
De Vere Mottram Hall, Wilmslow Road, Mottram St. Andrew, Prestbury, Cheshire
Women
154 OLIVIA BRIGGS (STIRLING) 77 77
156 JANET PHIPPS (EXETER) 82 74
159 EMMA GETTY (ULSTER) 82 77
161 LUCINDA DAVIES (BIRMINGHAM) 82 79
168 MORAG MCPHERSON (ST ANDREWS) 86 82
172 MELANIE TEMPLE (EXETER) 89 83, CATHERINE PATERSON (ST ANDREWS) 84 88
173 GILLIAN KINNEAR (BATH) 88 85, LYNSEY HUMPHRIES (ULSTER) 86 87
175 NIKKI HUNTER (NORTHUMBRIA) 88 87, CLAIRE MCLOUGHLIN (ST ANDREWS) 85 90, COLLEEN WINSTANLEY (ST ANDREWS) 86 89
178 NICOLA FORD (STIRLING) 86 92
Men
142 EDWARD PARKER (BIRMINGHAM) 71 71
146 SIMON LEE (NORTHUMBRIA) 73 73
147 CRAIG WILKINSON (NORTHUMBRIA) 70 77, TOM CURTIS (NORTHUMBRIA) 70 77
148 COLIN COLRAINE (STRATHCLYDE) 74 74, BRADLEY BROOKE (STIRLING) 72 76
149 GORDON YATES (STIRLING) 78 71, ADAM MEADS (BATH) 73 76, LUKE CORNFORD (BIRMINGHAM) 76 73
150 BLAIR PATERSON (STIRLING) 76 74, GRAHAM TURNER (STIRLING) 75 75
151 PAUL BETTY (STIRLING) 73 78, CHRIS O'HAGAN (BOURNEMOUTH) 76 75
152 MARK DAVIES (EXETER) 76 76,SCOTT BORROWMAN (STIRLING) 77 75, KARL SHEPARD (STIRLING) 74 78, MATT EVERSON (LOUGHBOROUGH) 75 77, TIM COCKILL (NORTHUMBRIA) 71 81
153 ROSS JONES (BATH) 73 80, ANDY SHAKESPEAR (BATH) 77 76
154 CRAIG MCCORMICK (ULSTER) 75 79, NIALL FINLAY (GLASGOW) 78 76, BARRY CROSSWOOD (EXETER) 74 80
155 EUAN POLSON (STIRLING) 79 76, TIM BAKER (BATH) 76 79, LIAM ROBERTSON (NORTHUMBRIA) 78 77
156 JONATHAN WATT (STIRLING) 76 80, STUART TURNBULL (STIRLING) 78 78
157 MYLES PEARSON (LOUGHBOROUGH) 83 74
158 SAM FOSTER (EXETER) 78 80, ANDY COOPER (LOUGHBOROUGH) 77 81
159 BOBBY RUSTAFORD (STIRLING) 79 80, ROBERT NARDUZZO (UW NEWPORT) 80 79
160 NICK SCHOLEY (NORTHUMBRIA) 79 81, JOHNNY HEASLIP (NORTHUMBRIA) 78 82, ADAM STOCKWELL-PRICE (UW NEWPORT) 82 78, PATRICK MULCAHY (GLASGOW) 80 80
162 RICHARD WILSON (NORTHUMBRIA) 81 81, CHARLIE SWANN (BOURNEMOUTH) 82 80 SCOTT PLUTHERO (BOURNEMOUTH) 76 86
163 FRASER INGLIS (GLASGOW) 86 77
168 JON HOWSE (EXETER) 88 80
NR ROSS OLIVER (ULSTER) NR 78, MARCUS REID (BOURNEMOUTH) 77 NR, KEVIN WILSON (STIRLING) 81 NR, DANIEL FARMER (LOUGHBOROUGH) 84 NR

Local children involved in this year’s clubgolf programme at Alford GC

Alford Golf Club attracts 75 young clubgolfers
Alford Golf Club, one of the first golf clubs in Grampian to pioneer the national junior golf strategy clubgolf last year, is set for another bumper junior year after 75 local children signed up for its clubgolf coaching course.
Fifty children, 28 boys and 22 girls, attend Alford’s clubgolf 20-week Stage 1 course in 2005. The increase in numbers starting the course this year is a direct result of the decision by local schools - Midmar, Tullynestle and Alford – to introduce the strategy’s introductory game, firstclubgolf onto the curriculum
Launched last year by Paul Lawrie, firstclubgolf uses multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets to give children an enjoyable introduction to the game. Paul Lawrie Junior Golf recently made a three year commitment to give £5000 worth of firstclubgolf equipment each year to primary schools across Aberdeenshire.
Over 12,000 children across Scotland experienced firstclubgolf last year and as many as forty percent of them chose to progress to the second stage of the programme at local clubs. The 23 week Stage 1 course uses real equipment and covers the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette at local golf clubs.
“When we entered into a partnership with clubgolf last year we were not sure how well it would develop,” said Alford GC volunteer coach, Neil Cobban, who also helped organise a successful girls only coaching session at the club.
“After a lot of hard work at the golf club, with staff, coaches and clubgolf’s Audra Booth I think we can now say it was the correct decision. The structure is now in place to develop the programme and the children as they progress.”
Alford started 2005 with 11 coaches who all qualified on clubgolf’s PGA Level 1 for volunteers coaching course. Eight of them qualified as Level 1 Stage II coaches.
This year a further six new candidates have achieved the Level 1 qualification.
“Having 16 qualified coaches puts us in a very healthy position,” said Mr Cobban. “It means we now have four coaches on a weekly rota delivering three one hour sessions. This is a huge commitment from the coaches over the whole 20 weeks and we are already on the lookout for coaches for 2007.”
Alford has also secured a £5000 Awards for All grant to help develop the practice area, which will incorporate a putting green and also target greens. The club has committed extra funds our green keepers building the practice putting green in the coming weeks.
The Club has also secured sponsorship to stage its own Junior Flag Competition on Sunday 11th June.

Wednesday 26th April 2006

Lanarkshire group after presentation of trophies (left to right) Lanarkshire women's county captain Elizabeth Nelson, title winner Jenna Wilson, county president Jean Cameron, beaten finalist Elaine Cuthill (Lanark).

Lanarkshire Championship
JENNA WILSON RETAINS LANARKSHIRE TITLE.
Curtis Cup team contender Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) retained the Lanarkshire women’s county golf championship at Hamilton Golf Club today (WEDNESDAY).
Jenna, who had qualified for the match-play stages in the No 3 position, beat leading qualifier Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) by two holes in a very good final.
Elaine Cuthill, a former Scottish schoolgirls champion, chipped in a birdie 2 at the ninth to square the match and went one up at the 11th.
Jenna got back on level terms at the 12th and then went one up by winning the 16th. After the 17th was halved, Jenna holed a long putt for a birdie 3 to win by two holes.
In the semi-finals, Miss Cuthill beat Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) by 2 and 1 after winning three of the first five holes, and Miss Wilson beat Alyson Hendry (Hamilton) by 3 and 2. Alyson was five down after six holes.
LANARKSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Hamilton Golf Club.
Semi-finals – Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) bt Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) 1 hole, Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) bt Alyson Hendry (Hamilton) 3 and 2.
Final – Wilson bt Cuthill 2 holes.

D&A Championship
KYLIE WINS D&A TITLE FOR FIRST TIME
Stirling University student Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) won the Dunbartonshire & Argyll women’s county golf championship for the first time at Windyhill Golf Club today (WED).
Kylie, a 19-year-old Scotland international team player, beat the defending champion, Sara Bishop (Windyhill) by 2 and 1 in a nip-and-tuck final that ended on the 17th where Sara went out of bounds with her approach shot to lose the hole, the match and the county title.
Kylie had been the top seed and Sara the third qualifier for the match-play stages.
[Photo courtesy Jean Campbell]
Scoreboard
DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Windyhill Golf Club.
Semi-finals – Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt Fiona McLean (Hilton Park) 4 and 3; Sara Bishop (Windyhill) bt Jill Foggo (Milngavie 1 hole.
Final – Walker bt Bishop 2 and 1.

ELGA Press Release
Carole Caldwell leads qualifiers in English Seniors' Championship
Carole Caldwell leads the qualifiers for the matchplay stages of the Senior Ladies' English Close Championship at her home club, Sunningdale.
The former Curtis Cup player returned a second round 76 on the New Course for a 36-hole total of 151. It put her four shots clear of the field after the strokeplay qualifying.
Carole reached the turn at two over and quickly returned to level par with birdies on the 10th and 11th. But the combination of long par fours and tricky pin placings took their toll towards the end of the round and she dropped four shots over the last four holes.
Despite that disappointment she was satisfied with her two days' work. "Overall I am happy with those scores, wherever they finish. Hopefully they will qualify and that's the job I've come to do," she said after leaving the course.
Defending champion Chris Quinn of Hockley qualified in second place on 156 after scoring 76. "I had a much better round today and I am very much looking forward to the matchplay," she remarked.
Also on 156 is Susan Pickles of Lee on the Solent who is seeded third after scoring a second round 77.
Other leading qualifiers include Geraldine Bray (Littlestone) and Christine Watson (Beaconsfield), both on 158. Laraine Hague (Rotherham), who shared the first round lead, qualified comfortably on 161.
Sue Westall (Copt Heath) also came through comfortably with a pair of 81s, helped by a hole-in-one on the 145-yard second.
The Division B qualifiers are led on 169 by Elizabeth Clark of Effingham who scored 87, 82 and Jose Kellenberge of Camberley Heath who returned 83, 86.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
151 Carole Caldwell) 75 76.
156 Chrstine Quinn (Hockley) 80 76, Susan Pickles (Lee on Solent) 79 77.
158 Geraldine Bray (Littlestone) 79 79, Chrsitine Watson (Beaconsfield) 78 80.
161 Laraine Hague (Rotherham) 75 86.
162 Sue Westall (Copt Heath) 81 81, Deborah Backhouse (Aldeburgh)76 86.
163 Carolyn Kirk (Ganton) 81 82, Jeannie O'Keeffe (Guildford Ladies) 81 82, Paula Parker (Abbotsley) 79 84.
164 Julie Ballard (Littlestone) 86 78, Pat West (Spalding) 80 84, Chris Stirling (Meon Valley Hotel) 79 85.
165 Susan Ellis (Ferndown) 85 80, Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) 81 84.
166 Sally Peters(Guildford Ladies) 84 82.
167 Irene Brien (Wentworth) 85 82.
168 Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court) 87 81, Vivien Saunders (Cambrdige Meridian) 85 83, Barbara Woodham (Bearsted) 85 83, Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough) 82 86, Alanna Vine (Stockport) 80 88.

ILGU Press Release
THERESE O’REILLY WINS IRISH SENIORS TITLE
Therese O'Reilly (Grange) won the Irish senior women’s (close) championship at Thurles Golf Club today (WED).
Starting the day one shot behind overnight leader Sheena O’Brien Kenney, Therese overtook her Grange clubmate with a 77 for a total of 156.
Sheena had an 80 to finish runner-up on 158.
Valerie Hassett (Ennis) came third with an 80 for 162.
SCOREBOARD
IRISH SENIOR WOMEN’S (close) championship
Thurles Golf Club. Par 72 (CSS 73 73)
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
156 T O’Reilly (Grange) 79 77.
158 S O’Brien-Kenney (Grange) 78 80.
162 V Hassett (Ennis) 82 80.
163 M Madden (Ballinasloe) 85 78, M McGoey (Greenore) 84 79, A Moloney (Edendern) 80 83, E Duigenan (Edenderry) 82 81.
164 K McCartan (Greenore) 82 82.
165 N Granard (King Edward Bay) 83 82, C Cahill (Hermitage) 81 84.
166 M Breathnach (Monkstown) 86 80, O Conroy (Co Longford) 84 82, E MacMullan (Donegal) 82 84.
167 T Sexton (Dun Laoghaire) 86 81, M Henderson (Castlerock) 83 84.
168 R English (Larne) 86 82.
169 A Conway (New Ross) 83 86, M Gorry (Baltinglass) 81 88.
170 G Rouiller (Mannan Castle) 86 84.
171 M Geaney (Killarney) 88 83, M McCabe (Headfort) 87 84.
172 H O’Donoghue (Clonmel) 86 86.

RICHIE AND RORY A WINNING PAIR FOR EUROPE
Aberdonian Richie Ramsay and Irish teenager Rory McIlroy cruised to a 5 and 3 win for Europe in the afternoon foursomes of the opening day of the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy amateur international golf match against the Asia-Pacific Select at Auckland Golf Club, New Zealand.
Ramsay, the only Scot in the European team and not played in the morning four-balls, and McIlroy steadily built up a commanding lead over the Japanese pairing of Yuta Ikeda and Yuku Ito and were five up after 10 holes.
Europe finished the first day of the three-day match with a 6 ½-3 ½ lead after taking the four-balls 4 ½- ½ . Asia-Pacific came back into the picture after lunch by taking the foursomes ties 3-2.
Veteran Gary Wolstenholme and youngster Oliver Fisher were the European scoring stars. They birdied five of the last eight holes to beat the all-Australian pairing of Won Joon Lee and Andrew Dodt 3 and 2 in the four-balls.
Then Gary and Oliver birdied four holes of the inward half and won the 18th with a par for a one-hole win in the foursomes over the same opponents.
Scoreboard
SIR MICHAEL BONALLACK TROPHY MATCH
Auckland Golf Club, New Zealand.
First-day: Asia-Pacific 3 ½, Europe 6 ½.
Four-balls (Asia-Pacific names first)
M Hu (China) & A Sandu (India) lost to N Edwards & Z Gould (Wales) 6 and 5.
Y Ikeda & Y Ito (Japan) lost to R McIlroy (Ireland) & M Thorp (Norway) 1 hole.
M Purser & J Geary (New Zealand) lost to A Ahokus (Finland) & P Oriol (Spain) 2 and 1.
K T Kim & S T Kang (Korea) halved with J Luiten (Netherlands) & J Guerrier (France).
W J Lee & A Dodt (Australia) lost to G Wolstenholme & O Fisher (England) 3 and 2 ( ½ - 4 ½ )
Foursomes
B Leong (Malaysia) & H Anujit (Thailand) bt Edwards & Gould 1 hole.
Ikeda & Ito lost to McIlroy & R Ramsay (Scotland) 5 and 3.
Purser & Geary bt Luiten & Thorp 4 and 3.
Lee & Dodt lost to Wolstenholme & Fisher 1 hole.
Kim & Kang bt Oriol, Guerrier 3 and 2 (3-2).

KARL'S LONG DRIVE PAYS OFF AT CARNOUSTIE
Yorkshire lad Karl Shepherd made the long drive up from Sheffield to Carnoustie to return the lowest score of 75 (one under the CSS) in the second of three Nick Faldo Series qualifying rounds in Scotland.
Renishaw Park Golf Club member Karl was competing in the Under-21 boys’ section. In windy conditions over the tough Carnoustie championship links, Karl finished two shots ahead of Euan Malcolm with Graham Turner (West Linton) third on 78.
Jamie Mackay (Barassie) headed the Under-18 returns with a 77 while Michael Main (Thornton), beaten finalist in the recent Scottish boys’ championship, headed the Under-17 scores with a 76.
Alistair Lauder (Paisley), James Hendrick (Pollock), Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and Sam Binning (Old Ranfurly) finished in a quadruple tie for first place on the 76 mark in the Under-16 boys’ section.Conor O’Neil (Pollock) won the Under-15 group with a 78.
Carly Booth (Comrie) won the all-ages girls’ category with an 84. She finished eight shots ahead of Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth).
Scores:
BOYS (SSS 73, CSS 76)
Under-21 years – Karl Shepherd (Renishaw) Park 75; Euan Malcolm (Dunfermline) 77; Graham Turner (West Linton) 78; Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 80; Neil Cameron (King James VI) 81; Allan McKie (Glencruitten) 83; Daniel Sommerville (St Andrews) 85.
Under-18 years – Jamie Mackay (Barassie) 77; David Murray (Newbattle), Stephen Keane (Cathkin Braes), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Ross Bell (Downfield) 78; Graeme Mitchell (Northern), Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 80; Alex Moir (Thornton) 81; Robby Anderson (Duddingston) 82; Robert Carson (Dalmahoy), Andrew Weir (Montrose Mercantile) 83; Ben Irving (Dumfries & Co), Chris Baron (Oldmeldrum) 84; Tom Higaon (Eyemouth) 85; Craig Young (Eastwood ) 88.
Under-17 years – Michael Main (Thornton) 76; Michael Daily (Erskine) 78; Alan Murdoch (Stranraer), Simon Barras (Helensburgh) 79; Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie), Euan Brown (Barassie), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) 80; James Byrne (Banchory) 81; Sean McGarvey (Glencorse) 82; Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 85; James Foley (Forres) 91.
Under-16 years – Alistair Lauder (Paisley), James Hendrick (Pollock), Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), Sam Binning (Old Ranfurly) 76; Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 79; Jack Bradley (Paisley), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo) 80; Fraser McKenna (Balmore), Ryan Penny (Portlethen) 83; Scott Fraser (Northern) 84; James Ross (Royal Burgess) 85; Christopher McManus (Douglas Park) 86; Jack Thow (Crieff) 87.
Under-15 years – Conor O’Neil (Pollock) 79; Reeve Whitson (Mourne) 80; Paul Shields (Kirkhill), Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle) 81; Ben Herriot (Kelso) 84; Gordon Nelson (Thornhill) 85; Ian Redford (King James VI) 87; Andrew McLachlan (Eastwood), Jamie Binning (Old Ranfurly) 89.
GIRLS (SSS 77, CSS 80)
Carly Booth (Comrie) 84; Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) 92; Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie) 98; Jordana Graham (Southerness) 101.

Claire Aitken wins Hampshire Rose
Claire Aitken (Mid Kent), with a tournament record equalling 36-hole total of nine-under-par 135 won the 2006 Hampshire Rose at North Hants Golf Club by the runaway margin of 12 strokes.
Claire’s morning round of seven-under-par 65 included four birdies on each nine and would have been a course record if winter rules had not been in place.
Charlie Douglass from Brocket Hall had an excellent score of 70 in the afternoon to take the runner’s-up spot on the better second round. Danielle Montgomery (Lambourne) and Hannah Barwood (Knowle) also totalled 147.
The youngest competitor, 11-year- old Hannah Turland from Tidworth, with scores of 77 and 76 for 16th place on 153, reduced her handicap from 8 to 6 over the 36 holes.
Fifty competitors played, the largest field since 1996.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 72, SSS 72. CSS: 72 (am & pm)
Claire Aitken (Mid Kent) 65 + 70 135
Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) 77 + 70 147
Danielle Montgomery (Lambourne) 75 + 72 147
Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 72 + 75 147
Laura Collin (John O’Gaunt) 77 + 72 149
Jenny Pease (Braintree) 76 + 73 149
Victoria Harris (Beaconsfield) 74 + 76 150
Katie Mundy(Dunwood Manor) 77 + 74 151
Laura Cutler (Warley Manor) 80 + 72 152
Tracey Boyes (Meon Valley) 78 + 74 152
Nicole Whitmore (Woburn) 75 + 77 152
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 79 + 74 152
Hannah Turland (Tidworth) 77 + 76 153

US College Golf
STEPHEN CLARK WINS US COLLEGE GOLF TITLE
Glasgow-born Stephen Clark, a golf scholarship student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, has won the Mid Continent Conference college golf championship – and been named the conference player of the year and awarded a place in the all-conference team.
Stephen is the first UMKC player to win the title and he almost did not make it to the first tee.
“This was a remarkable performance by Stephen,” said UMKC head golf coach J W Van Den Born.
“Heading into the practice round on Saturday, he tweaked his back and could hardly swing the club. We had to fly another player up to Indianapolis becaue we didn’t know if Stephen was going to be able to play until five minutes before he teed off.
“For him to go out and shoot a three-under-par 69 and follow it up with a 72 was more than we could have asked for. He continued to play well in very tough, wet conditions for the final round to clinch victory.”
Haggs Castle Golf Club member Stephen had scores of 69, 72 and 73 for a total of two-under-par 214, very good scores in wet and soggy conditions at The Fort Club in Indianapolis.
Clark, whose target is to attract the attention of the Scottish Golf Union international team selectors over the summer months when he is home in Scotland, won the championship by one shot from Erik Nilsson (Southern Utah University) and Ryan McClintoch (Western Illinois University).
Scottish youths champion Peter McLachlan, also a student at Missouri-Kansas City and a member at Eastwood Golf Club, finished joint 29th with 79, 78 and 77 for 234.
Missouri-Kansas City (897) finished fifth of eight behind Western Illinois (869) in the team event.

US College Golf
KEIR McNICOLL NAMED IN CONFERENCE TEAM
Carnoustie’s Keir McNicoll (Lynn University) has been named in the all-Sunshine State Conference golf team. McNicoll, a senior student at the college in Boca Raton, Florida, had six top-10 finishes during the 2005-2006 American college golf season.
He was last selected for the conference team in 2003-2004. The teams are a way of honouring the best players from all the colleges who compete in that conference. They never play a match.

Card of the Course for Royal Liverpool
Changes to Royal Liverpool since the Amateur Championship of 2000 have resulted in a modest increase in length of 122 yards, to 7258 yards for The Open Championship to be played from 20-23 July 2006.
Of more significance is the renumbering of holes so that the present 17th hole will be played as the first and consequently the par-five 16th as the new 18th.
“We have slightly rearranged the way the holes are played to set competitors a more challenging final hole,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.
“The 18th measuring 560 yards will present a birdie opportunity, but as a left to right dog-leg with out of bounds ever present on the right, will also be a hole for potential disaster.
“Before knowing that The Open would be returning there, Royal Liverpool had foresight in exercising a strategic review of the entire course aimed at improving the flow from green to tee while also tightening up tee-shots, bunkering and green surrounds. The changes to Hoylake have worked very well.”
Royal Liverpool measured 6995 yards when Roberto de Vicenzo won The Open there in 1967.
Major Changes (New Hole Numbering)
1. 454 (+33) New Green moved away from road to relocate further back.
2. 436 (+19) New back tee constructed after previous green relocated.
4. 372 (-22) Green moved back and Championship tee slightly shortened.
6. 202 (+8) Tee adjusted for more challenging angle to green.
12. 448 (+35) New Championship tee.

Tuesday 25th April 2006

D&A Championship
KYLIE AND SARA ON COURSE FOR D AND A FINAL
Top seed Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) and title-holder Sara Bishop (Windyhill) are on course to clash in the final of the Dunbartonshire & Argyll women’s county golf championship at Windyhill Golf Club – although their semi-final opponents, Fiona McLean (Hilton Park) and Jill Foggo (Milngavie) might have other ideas.
In today’s (TUESDAY) match-play ties, Kylie had two comfortable wins while Sara had to play even fewer holes to make the semi-finals in which she will play Jill Foggo, the No 2 seed.
Jill ended the hopes of former Curtis Cup player Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) by beating her on the last green in the quarter-finals. Suzanne had earlier ousted Kylie Walker’s mum Elizabeth.
Miss Walker’s semi-final opponent is Fiona McLean, the fourth seed, who had to go to the 19th to beat clubmate Lana MacDonald who herself had got through at the first extra hole in her morning tie against Isabel Harvey (St Rule).
DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Windyhill Golf Club.
Match-play
FIRST ROUND
K Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt M Dalglish (Balmore) 5 and 4.
M Kinvig (Helensburgh) bt B Robertson (Helensburgh) 2 and 1.
L MacDonald (Hilton Park) bt I Harvey (St Rule) at 19th.
F McLean (Hilton Park) bt L McGeachy (Carradale) 3 and 2.
S Bishop (Windyhill) bt E Walker (Buchanan Castle) 8 and 6.
A Kerr (Windyhill) bt A MacDonald (Windyhill) 1 hole.
S Cadden (Cardross) bt K MacAulay (Milngavie) 4 and 3.
J Foggo (Milngavie) bt J Bankier (Hilton Park) 8 and 7.
QUARTER-FINALS
K Walker bt Kinvig 7 and 5.
McLean bt L MacDonald at 19th.
Bishop bt Kerr 8 and 6.
Foggo bt Cadden 1 hole.
Semi-finals at 8.55 & 9.05. Final at 1.30pm.

Midlothian Championship
CLAIRE MACDONALD TOP SEED IN MIDLOTHIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Gullane’s Claire MacDonald earned the No 1 seed position in the match-play stages of the Midlothian women’s county golf championship with rounds of 80 and 76 in the qualifying round, played in a freshening wind at Duddingston Golf Club today (Tuesday).
Claire’s total of 156 was one better than title-holder Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) and Scotland senior international Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh). Claire scored 76 and 81 while Noreen’s cards were 77 and 80.
Teenager Jane Turner, beaten by Miss Hargan in last year’s final, qualified in ninth place with 79 and 85 for 164.
The match-play stages start at Duddingston on Friday.
MIDLOTHIAN WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Duddingston Golf Club.
QUALIFIERS (SS 72, CSS 75 both rounds)
156 Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 80 76.
157 Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 77 80), Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 76 81.
159 Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall) 81 78.
160 Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall) 79 81.
161 Hilary Laughland (Mortonhall) 81 80.
162 Anne Hanson (Glencorse) 81 81, Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 80 82.
164 Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 79 85.
165 Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) 79 86.
167 Amanda Edwards (Liberton) 86 81, Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) (79, 88)
170 Karen Marshall (Baberton) 87 83, Kate Rorke (Kingsknowe) 85 85.
171 Linda Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 85 86, Catherine Stewart (Lothianburn) 84 87.
Match-play draw (Friday, April 28)
9.0 MacDonald v Stewart, Turner v Nicholson, Murphy v Brown, Marshall v T Laughland.
9.30 Hargan v Rorke, Edwards v H Laughland, Hanson v Blackwood, Caine v Fenton.

Lanarkshire Championship
CUTHILL THROUGH TO LANARKSHIRE LAST FOUR
Elaine Cuthill (Lanark), leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the Lanarkshire women’s county golf championship, continued her good form on the second day at Hamilton..
Elaine swept through to the last four with wins over Doroth McTaggart (Cambuslang) and Angela Devine (Hamilton).
Miss Cuthill now plays Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) for a place in the final.
Lesley, the fifth qualifier, fought back from being three down at the 11th to win by 2 and 1 against Liz Lees (Hamilton), the No 4 seed.
The other semi-final will be between defending champion Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), the No 3 qualifier, and Alyson Hendry (Hamilton), the seventh seed.
Jenna was four under par in her 6 and 5 win over May Hughes (Lanark) who had two birdies and could only halve the holes!
Alyson Hendry holed a number of long putts and chipped in from very wide of the green at the short 12th for a birdie 2 on her way to a 2 and 1 win over the No 2 seed, Fiona Norris (Hamilton), the GB&I team manager.
LANARKSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Hamilton Golf Club
Match-play First round
E Cuthill (Lanark) bt D McTaggart (Cambuslang) 6 and 5.
A Devine (Hamilton) bt M Anderson (Drumpellier) 4 and 2.
L Lloyd Hayston) bt J Wiles (Drumpellier) 3 and 2.
L Lees (Hamilton) bt G Saanlan (Hamilton) 2 and 1.
J Wilson (Strathaven) bt I Robertson (East Kilbride) 7 and 6.
M Hughes (Lanark) bt J Scott (Cathkin Braes) 2 holes.
A Hendry (Hamilton) bt P Milligan (Hamilton) 2 and 1.
F Norris (Hamilton) bt D Gray (Lanark) 9 and 7.
QUARTER-FINALS
Cuthill bt Devine 5 and 4.
Lloyd bt Lees 2 and 1.
Wilson bt Hughes 6 and 5.
Hendry bt Norris 2 and 1.
Semi-finals at 9.30 & 9.37; final at 2pm

ELGA Press Release
Sunningdale's Carole Caldwell shares lead in English Seniors' Championship
Former Curtis Cup player Carole Caldwell shares the lead after the first round of the Senior Ladies' English Close Championship at her home club, Sunningdale.
Carole shot a three-over-par 75 on the New Course, matching the score posted by Yorkshire's Laraine Hague (Rotherham).
"There's a certain amount of pressure playing at home because everyone assumes you are going to do well. I was pleased to get round in a reasonable score," said Carole.
"I putted very well and didn't get into any trouble, but just frittered a few shots on the back nine."
Carole had one birdie in her round, on the long 6th where her approach finished 3ft from the hole, and she reached the turn at one-under par. Her dropped shots came on pars fours on the way home: "I didn't hit my driver as well as I should have done and, because the course was playing long, I had some awkward second shots."
One shot off the lead is Suffolk's Deborah Backhouse whose round included five birdies. "I had a fantastic time," said the Aldeburgh player. "The ball was running for me and I slotted a few putts on the back nine." Among them was a monster putt across the green on the 13th for a birdie four.
has given herself two years to see how far she can take her golf - and she started the right way. She birdied the first two holes of her round and reached the turn at level par.
"Then I got a tad nervous and tightened up a little but I came back pretty steadily. I was delighted. I felt I was swinging well, although a little nervously," added Bev, who has just finished three years as Warwickshire's second team captain.
Meanwhile defending champion Chris Quinn (Hockley) is well in touch after scoring 80, which included two triple bogeys in the middle of her round when she tangled with the heather.
"I just lost a little concentration but once I got through that I finished quite strongly with a string of pars," said Chris, who is aiming for a hat trick of successive titles. "Overall I was very happy with the rest of my round."
After two strokeplay qualifying rounds the leading 16 competitors in each of two divisions will go forward to the matchplay stages of the championship.
Leading scores
75 Laraine Hague (Rotherham),Carole Caldwell (Sunningdale)
76 Deborah Backhouse (Aldeburgh),
78 Christine Watson (Beaconsfield), Bev Belcher (Olton)
79 Chris Stirling (Meon Valley Hotel), Paula Parker (Abbotsley), Geraldine Bray (Littlestone), Susan Pickles (Lee On The Solent)

ILGU Press Release
IRISH SENIOR LADIES CLOSE CHAMPIONSHIP
THURLES GOLF CLUB
25TH – 26TH APRIL 2006
RESULTS ROUND 1 (GROSS)
POSITION NAME SCORE
1 S O'BRIEN-KENNEY (GRANGE) 78
2 T O'REILLY (GRANGE) 79
3 A MOLONEY (CLONMEL) 80
4 M GORRY (BALTINGLASS) 81
5 C CAHILLL (HERMITAGE) 81
6 E DUIGENAN (EDENDERRY) 82
7 V HASSETT (ENNIS) 82
8 K MCCARTAN (GREENORE) 82
9 E MACMULLEN (DONEGAL) 82
10 C CARTY (TULLAMORE) 83
11 M HENDERSON (CASTLEROCK) 83
12 R MOLONEY (THURLES) 83
13 A CONWAY (NEW ROSS) 83
14 N GRANARD (KIND EDWARD BAY) 83
15 M LALOR (ROSCOMMON) 84
16 M MCGOEY (GREENORE) 84
17 O CONROY (CO. LONGFORD) 84
18 M MADDEN (BALLINASLOE) 85
19 K STEWART-MOORE (ROYAL PORTRUSH) 85
20 G ROUILLER (MANNAN CASTLE) 86
21 R ENGLISH (LARNE) 86
22 H O'DONOGHUE (CLONMEL) 86
23 M BREATHNACH (MONKSTOWN) 86
24 A KENNY (BIRR) 86
25 T SEXTON (DUN LAOGHAIRE) 86
26 M MCCABE (HEADFORT) 87
27 M CONLON (THE HEATH) 87
28 M GEANEY (KILLARNEY) 88
29 K O'MEARA (BEARNA) 89
30 R O'NEILL (COOLLATTIN) 89
31 S HENIGAN (BALLYBUNION) 89
32 A FREEMAN (CO. LONGFORD) 89
33 H MASON (THURLES) 89
34 C KINSELLA (WATERFORD) 90
35 A BRADY (ROYAL TARA) 90
36 A HAYES (CO LONGFORD) 91
37 R MACNAMARA (THE HEATH) 91
38 A BRENNAN (GALWAY) 91
39 S DALY (MONKSTOWN) 93
40 J BUCKLEY (ROSCREA) 93
41 P O'CARROLL (CAHIR PARK) 93
42 D O'LEARY (BALLINROBE) 93
43 A TRACEY (NEW ROSS) 94
44 O WRIXON (CLONMEL) 94
45 F LAUHOFF (MONKSTOWN) 94
46 M CORCORAN (BRAY) 94
47 C TAYLER (KINSALE) 96
48 J KILMARTIN (TIPPERARY) 96
49 H HERBERT (DOUGLAS) 96
50 B MCCORMACK (THURLES) 96
51 M BYRNE (COOLLATTIN) 97
52 T RYAN (NEW ROSS) 97
53 A MCFADDEN (TULLAMORE) 97
54 M MCMAHON (DROMOLAND) 97
55 D MCINERNEY (TULLAMORE) 97
56 L WALSH (BANDON) 98
57 T TAYLOR (SHANNON) 98
58 A SMITH (MONKSTOWN) 98
59 M DUIGNAN (THURLES) 98
60 J O'CONNOR (THURLES) 98
61 M DUGGAN (THURLES) 100
62 R DALY (TIPPERARY) 100
63 V NOONAN (CO LONGFORD) 100
64 M MCGRATTAN (ARDMINNAN) 101
65 S POPE (MONKSTOWN) 101
66 P CONNELLAN (Co Longford) 102
67 A O'BRIEN (Cahir Park) 102
68 M O'Byrne (Clonmel) 102
69 C Murphy (Ballykisteen) 103
70 C McCARTHY (Ballinasloe) 103
71 A McCULLAGH (Ballinasloe) 105
72 S MANNING (Rathbane) 109
73 K JORDAN (Rathbane) 112

PRESS RELEASE
East of Scotland Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship Announces a New Major Sponsor
Lundin Golf Club has announced the signing of a new sponsorship deal with Swallow Hotels, who will become the new major sponsor of the East of Scotland Open Amateur Championship held at Lundin each year.
The agreement, launched as the new Scottish domestic golf season is upon us, is worth in total a five figure sum over three years. This will provide a boost to “The East” finances and enable the organisers to maintain the high standard expected of this event.
Swallow Hotels has an unrivalled number of hotels across the UK, from beautifully restored castles and manor houses, to modern city centre venues. Each venue has its own distinctive character, providing high standards of accommodation and facilities.
Swallow Hotels are dedicated to providing a friendly and professional service at all times, always ensuring the warmest of welcomes. They are the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain and are proud of the unique atmosphere each venue provides.
Swallow Hotels’ Chairman, Alan Bowes, said:
“We are delighted to be working with Lundin Golf Club and are proud to sponsor an event as prestigious as the East of Scotland Amateur Stroke Play Championship. We are keen to build brand awareness at a national level and sponsoring golf will help deliver that, plus our ownership of Carnoustie. We look forward to “golfing” with Scotland into the future.
The East has proved to be a thoroughly professionally run championship and we are looking forward to working towards a long term partnership.”
David Moir, Convenor of the Championship Committee and Vice-President of the Scottish Golf Union, added:
“Securing a new sponsor of the calibre of Swallow Hotels for our event is a massive boost. It is vital that we continue to grow our revenues from sponsorship to keep The East at the level that the most important people, the players, have grown accustomed to over the last 34 years.”

NORTHERN COUNTIES LGA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), the youngest winner of the Northern Counties women’s county championship at the age of 14 last year, will be defending the title at Forres Golf Club on May 6 and 7.
Kelsey, who plays off one, heads the 19 single-figure handicappers who have entered.
There would have been 20 but Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), who has a scratch rating, is missing the championship to play in the Welsh women’s open amateur stroke-play championship the same weekend.
Competitors will tee off in pairs at 6min intervals in the qualifying round on Saturday, May 6. The eight players with the lowest scratch scores will play the first round of the championship match-play on the Saturday afternoon.
There will be four qualifiers for the handicap championship. Semi-finals and finals in both the scratch and handicap events will be played on the Sunday.
Order of play in the qualifying round
Abbreviations: DHR, Duff House Royal; E, Elgin; F, Forres; FA, Fort Augustus; FR, Fortrose & Rosemarkie; FW, Fort William; G, Gairloch; GS, Grantown-on-Spey; I, Inverness; MO, Muir of Ord; ND, Nairn Dunbar; RD, Royal Dornoch; S, Strathpeffer; T, Tain.
8.0 K MacDonald (ND), K Harper (I); J Milne (E), L Walker (ND); C McAndrew (ND), A Ingram (FW); M Smith (T), M Howieson (I); W Ross (E), A Ryan (Tain).
8.30 D Sinclair (T), A Gowie (I); M Vass (T), G Dowling (I); M Barr (G), P Gordon (I); L Lloyd-Baker (GS), E Mackay (ND); S Vass (T), L Fraser (FR).
9.0 K McBeath (F), H Stuart (MO); S MacKenzie (E), S MacVicar (G); L Coghill (RD),A Strauss (RD); M Bagott (RD), J Maison (DHR); D Marshall (F), P Morrison (MO).
9.30 D McBride (RD), S acDonell (I); P Moscati (RD), M Rennie (RD); I Wilson (F), J Glen (S); M Hayden (T), E Morrison (FR); W Spender (MO), M Brennan (RD).
10.0 A Burnett (RD), R Cruickshanks (I); F Allan (I), H Cumming (FR); C MacLeod (ND), M Maclean (MO); A Drummond (FR), S Dunn (FR); J {Paterson (FA), M James (F).
10.30 D Rae (FW), S McDonald (RD); A Taylor (F), C Proctor (F); W Henry (MO), J Cameron (S); J Vass (T), partner.

West Vets Spring Meeting (Thanks to Carol Fell for this report)
62 Players played in the West Vets Spring Meeting and Championship Qualifier over Sandyhills Golf Club yesterday in dry and blustery conditions.The scratch award went to Robina Gilbertson(Ayr Bellisle) with a 79.
SSS 73 Par 74 CSS 75
Handicap Results
Silver:
1 Rosemary Donaldson (The Ladies' Golf Club Troon) 82-8 net 74 bih
2 Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle Golf Club) 87-13 net 74
3 Robina Gilbertson (Ayr Bellisle) 79-4 net 75 bih (lowest gross)
4 Sheena McDonald (Buchanan Castle Golf Club) 80-5 net 75
Bronze
1 Jane Thomson (Whitecraigs Golf Club) 95-23 net 72 (lowest gross)
2 Alison Boag - Thomson (Haggs Castle Golf Club) 103-23 net 80
The results will all go onto the http://westvets.blogspot.com/ asap. However as with all things there are hiccups when you first try them. However the problem should be resolved in the next 24 hours --- hopefully !!. In the meatime the full list of results and qualifiers can be seen at http://www.rlcga.com/westvets/west_vets_spring_meeting.htm

PRESS RELEASE
Faldo Mini Series is launched with Golf Foundation
The Golf Foundation and the Faldo Series are joining forces to present an exciting new option for organisers of short course events and to give 36 youngsters the chance of a lifetime.
The Faldo Mini Series, in association with the Golf Foundation, aims to generate a comprehensive list of short course events across the British Isles for children aged under 12, while at the same time offering a great incentive to youngsters taking part; winners’ names go into the hat with a chance to meet six-time Major winner Nick Faldo.
All events for under 12s, which meet the Faldo Mini Series criteria, can be part of this initiative. Organisers holding events before 11th September 2006 are invited to register free of charge with the Golf Foundation and their event winners will be eligible to go into the prize draw. From this draw, 18 boys and 18 girls will be selected to meet Nick Faldo at The Celtic Manor Resort on 5th October, during the Faldo Series final.
Nick Faldo commented: "The Faldo Series exists to generate and nurture the next generation of European champions, but I'm also keen to support opportunities for younger children. I'm very excited about being able to do this through the Faldo Mini Series with the Golf Foundation."
Mike Round of the Golf Foundation said: "Nick is an inspirational figure and his support will give existing short course events a tremendous boost. We hope all organisers will register their events so that their winners can go into the draw and get the chance to meet one of the greatest golfers the game has ever seen.
“Organisers taking part in this initiative will benefit from greater public awareness of their event. Parents and children in their local area will be more likely to hear about it, which is good for everyone.”
A registration form has been sent to every golf club and the information can also be downloaded from the Golf Foundation's website – www.golf-foundation.org – or via the Faldo Series website at www.nickfaldo.com/series.

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006 – ROYAL LIVERPOOL
DISCOUNTED SEASON TICKETS
Only a few days are left to take advantage of discounted season tickets for The Open Championship to be played at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, from Sunday 16 to Sunday 23 July.
Until the end of April, a season ticket that gives admission to all eight days of practice and Championship play costs £170. From 1 May, the cost is £190.
“A season ticket giving entry to the world’s oldest major represents outstanding value,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships.
“I would recommend that spectators take up this offer before the discounted period finishes at the end of this month.”
During the four days of the Championship, a daily ticket will cost £50, with concession tickets available. Juveniles, under the age of 16, will again be admitted free of charge by applying to The R&A in advance or if accompanied by a responsible adult on the day.
Ticket applications should be directed in writing to: Ticket Office, The R&A, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, KY16 9JD; by telephone on: (44) 1334 460010 or through on-line purchasing at www.opengolf.com.

The Scotland team at the recent international match v Spain at Crail Golfing Society.
Left to right: George Crawford (Captain), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park), Jonathan King (Glasgow), Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Steven McEwan (Kilmarnock Barassie).
[Photo courtesy SGU, Copyright © Peter Kelly]

SGU Press Release
TaylorMade-adidas Extends Sponsorship of Scottish Amateur Golf Squads
Tuesday April 25th 2006 - The Scottish Golf Union is delighted to announce a major new sponsorship deal which will see TaylorMade-adidas Golf continue its support of Scotland’s amateur golf squads until the end of the 2008 season.
The agreement involves supplying equipment, clothing and footwear for the national teams at men’s, youths, juniors and seniors’ level.
TaylorMade-adidas golf has led the golf industry’s technological evolution since being founded in 1979. With TaylorMade’s equipment, adidas apparel and footwear, Maxfli golf balls, and Rossa putters, TaylorMade-adidas golf is dedicated to being the best performance golf brand in the world.
Ian Watts, Sports Marketing Director – Europe, for TaylorMade-adidas Golf, said: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with the Scottish Golf Union for a further three years on the back of what has been a hugely successful partnership.”
“Amateur golf in Scotland has been particularly successful in recent years, with some outstanding individual performances as well as at team level, notably last year’s Home Internationals victory. We recognise the work the Scottish Golf Union has done in developing talent and growing the game and are proud to play a part in their continued success.”
Ross Duncan, Marketing & Sponsorship Manager for the SGU, added: “Our partnership with TaylorMade-adidas Golf reflects the profile of the Scottish Golf Union and the success of amateur golf in Scotland in recent years.
Performances on the course have played a big part in attracting a brand with TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s stature, whilst our marketing and business strategy is very much in line with TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s own positioning.”
The partnership will see Scotland’s national squad players wearing adidas climacool apparel whilst on international duty, including polo shirts, sweatshirts and water proofs. Players will also wear adidas Tour Metal golf shoes, whilst carrying TaylorMade Tour bags and other accessories.
[Photograph above right features young Scotland stars Paul O’Hara (younger brother of European Tour professional Steven) and Steven McEwan, the reigning Scottish Boys Stroke Play Champion, modeling the latest Scotland kit by Adidas. Photo courtesy SGU, Copyright © Peter Kelly]

Monday 24th April 2006

VIKKI TO PLAY ON US FUTURES TOUR
Former Curtis Cup player Vikki Laing from Musselburgh missed the cut by five shots with two rounds of 76 for 152 in the Futures Golf Classic 54-hole tournament at Frisco, Texas at the weekend.
Vikki, 25, plans to play on America’s No 2 women’s pro tour for the rest of the season.
Her career as a tour pro has hardly got off the ground due to very limited tournament opportunities as a non-exempt member of the LPGA Tour.
“Vikki was a very good college player here in the States so I expect her eventually make a successful transition to the pros. At least she will be able to get into tournament fields with us,” said Lisa Mickey, director of communications with the Duramed Futures Tour.

D&A CHAMPIONSHIP
TOP SEED KYLIE AND HER MUM QUALIFY FOR D AND A MATCH-PLAY STAGES
Scotland international player Kylie Walker, pictured right, and her mother Elizabeth Walker, both Buchanan Castle Golf Club members, figured among the 16 qualifiers at Windyhill Golf Club today (MONDAY) for the match-play stages of the Dunbartonshire & Argyll women’s county championship.
Kylie earned the top seed spot with a round of 75 – three over par but matching the CSS on a cold and windy day.
Jill Foggo (Milngavie) was the second leading qualifier with a 76, two shots ahead of the defending champion Sara Bishop, playing over her home course. Sara plays Elizabeth Walker in Tuesday morning’s first-round ties.
Former Curtis Cup player Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) qualified in seventh place with an 84.
DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Windyhill Golf Club.
QUALIFIERS (Par 72, CSS 75)
75 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Catle).
76 Jill Foggo (Milngavie).
78 Sara Bishop (Windyhill).
82 Fiona McLean (Hilton Park).
83 Ashley Kerr (Windyhill), Lana MacDonald (Hilton Park).
84 Suzanne Cadden (Cardross).
86 Margaret Kinvig (Helensburgh).
89 Babs Robertson (Helensburgh).
91 Katie MacAulay (Milngavie), Ann MacDonald (Windyhill).
92 Isabel Harvey (St Rule).
95 Laura McGeachy (Carradale).
97 Elizabeth Walker (Buchanan Castle).
98 Joan Bankier (Hilton Park).
99 Miriam Dalglish (Balmore).
Match-play draw:
8.55 K Walker v Dalglish, Robertson v Kinvig, L MacDonald v Harvey, McGeachy v McLean, Bishop v E Walker, A MacDonald v Kerr, Cadden v MacAulay, Bankier v Foggo.
Quarter-finals start at 1pm.

SVLGA (Midland Division) Spring Meeting (Thanks to Jean Bald for this report)
– Strathmore – CSS 73 (59 Players)
The Allan Cup/Captain’s Prize – E. Perry (Tillicoultry) 88-17=71.
1st Scratch: Katherine Keir (Elie) 79
Div. 0-12: 1st H’cap: J. Flannigan (St. Regulus) 80-8=72 bih
2nd H’cap: E. Wilson (Elie) 79-5=74
3rd H’cap: B. Brown (St. Rule) 87-11=76
Div. 13-20: 2nd H’cap: C. Malcolm (Dollar) 88-16=72
3rd H’cap: N. MacFarlane (Bonnybridge) 90-17=73
Div. 21-28: 1st M. Vass (Dunblane New) 102-28=74

LANARKSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIP
ELAINE CUTHILL TOP LANARKSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIP SEED AT HAMILTON
Former Scottish schoolgirls champion Elaine Cuthill (Lanark), pictured right, was the leading qualifier with a round of 72 – equalling Standard Scratch and two under the CSS -- when the Lanarkshire women’s county golf championship began at Hamilton Golf Club today (MONDAY).
Elaine reached the semi-finals of the championship last year when she lost to the eventual title-winner, Jenna Wilson (Strathaven). Jenna qualified in third place with a 75 – one behind Fiona Norris (Hamilton), twice county champion and manager of the Great Britain & Ireland team for the Curtis Cup match in Oregon at the end of July.
LANARKSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Hamilton Golf Club
Qualifiers (SSS 72, CSS 74)
72 Elaine Cuthill (Lanark).
74 Fiona Norris (Hamilton).
75 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven).
78 Liz Lees Hamilton), Lesley Lloyd (Hayston).
79 May Hughes (Lanark).
81 Alyson Hendry (Hamilton).
83 Angela Devine (Hamilton).
85 Melanie Anderson (Drumpellier).
87 Pat Milligan (Hamilton).
89 Joanna Scott (Cathkin Braes), Jennifer Wiles).
91 Gillian Scanlan (Hamilton).
92 Isa Robertson(East Kilbride).
93 Diane Gray (Lanark).
94 Doroth McTaggart (Cambuslang).
Match-play draw:
9.30 Cuthill v McTaggart, Anderson v Devine, Lloyd v Wiles, Scanlan v Leeds.
9.56 Wilson v Robertson, Scott v Hughes, Hendry v Milligan, Gray v Norris.
Quarter-finals start at 1.30.

US College Golf
TARA SHARES 13TH PLACE IN LADY BUCKEYE INVITE
Irish women’s open amateur stroke-play champion Tara Delaney (Kent State University) was the leading British & Irish player in the Lady Buckeye Spring Invite at Golf Club of Dublin, Ohio at the weekend.
Tara finished tied 13th with a 54-hole total of 221, scoring 72, 76 and 73.
Scotland international Gemma Webster (Ohio State University) and Karen Delaney (Kent State University) finished joint 35th on the 227 mark. Gemma saddled herself with a disappointing 10-over-par 82 over the 6,177yd course in her opening round.
Gemma did much better in the second and third rounds with scores of 73 and 72.
Karen had an excellent two-under-par opening round of 70 but slipped away a bit with 80 and 77 in the remaining rounds.
English girl Becky Wood (Kent State University) tied for 50th place on 230 with scores of 76, 76 and 78.
Sophie Stubbs (Minnesota University) came 70th with a total of 240, made up of scores of 78, 79 and 83.
Auburn University had the top two finishers in Maria Martinez on nine-under-par 207 with scores of 69, 67 and 71 and Nicole Hage on 208 with 71, 69 and 68.
Sandra Gal (Florida) was third with 71, 70 and 72 for 213.
Not surprisingly, Auburn won the team event with a bit to spare.
They had a total of 849 to finish 27 shots ahead of runners-up Florida (876) with Purdue (877) third. Kent State (887) were fourth and Ohio State (885) fifth of the 10 competing teams.

Jacksonville University's winning conference team:
L to R: Russell Knox (from Inverness), Duncan Stewart (from Grantown-on-Spey), head coach Jim Taketa, Matt Kleinrock, Jamie Kennedy (from Edinburgh) and Christian Martin

British Student Golf
BUSA Order of Merit event
Olivia Briggs from the University of Stirling is currently leading the third BUSA Order of Merit event at the De Vere hotel group's Morrtram Hall in Cheshire with a 77, five shots ahead of Janet Phipps from the Exeter, Lucinda Davies from Birmingham and Emma Getty from the University of Ulster.
In the men's event, Craig Wilkinson and Tom Curtis (both University of Nothumbria) share the lead on 70.
The event concludes with a second round today.
Scoreboard
Third BUSA Order of Merit event
De Vere Mottram Hall, Wilmslow Road, Mottram St. Andrew, Prestbury, Cheshire
Women
77 OLIVIA BRIGGS (STIRLING)
82 JANET PHIPPS (EXETER), LUCINDA DAVIES (BIRMINGHAM), EMMA GETTY (ULSTER)
84 CATHERINE PATERSON (ST ANDREWS)
85 CLAIRE MCLOUGHLIN (ST ANDREWS)
86 COLLEEN WINSTANLEY (ST ANDREWS), NICOLA FORD (STIRLING), MORAG MCPHERSON (ST ANDREWS), LYNSEY HUMPHRIES (ULSTER)
88 NIKKI HUNTER (NORTHUMBRIA), GILLIAN KINNEAR (BATH)
89 MELANIE TEMPLE (EXETER)
Men
70 CRAIG WILKINSON (NORTHUMBRIA), TOM CURTIS (NORTHUMBRIA)
71 EDWARD PARKER (BIRMINGHAM)
72 BRADLEY BROOKE (STIRLING)
73 PAUL BETTY (STIRLING), ROSS JONES (BATH), SIMON LEE (NORTHUMBRIA), ADAM MEADS (BATH), MATT EVERSON (LOUGHBOROUGH)
74 COLIN COLRAINE (STRATHCLYDE), KARL SHEPARD (STIRLING), BARRY CROSSWOOD (EXETER)
75 GRAHAM TURNER (STIRLING), CRAIG MCCORMICK (ULSTER), TIM COCKILL (NORTHUMBRIA)
76 MARK DAVIES (EXETER), BLAIR PATERSON (STIRLING), JONATHAN WATT (STIRLING), LUKE CORNFORD (BIRMINGHAM), SCOTT PLUTHERO (BOURNEMOUTH), TIM BAKER (BATH), CHRIS O'HAGAN (BOURNEMOUTH)
77 SCOTT BORROWMAN (STIRLING), MARCUS REID (BOURNEMOUTH), ANDY COOPER (LOUGHBOROUGH),ANDY SHAKESPEAR (BATH)
78 GORDON YATES (STIRLING), SAM FOSTER (EXETER), STUART TURNBULL (STIRLING), JOHNNY HEASLIP (NORTHUMBRIA), NIALL FINLAY (GLASGOW), LIAM ROBERTSON (NORTHUMBRIA)
79 NICK SCHOLEY (NORTHUMBRIA),BOBBY RUSTAFORD (STIRLING), EUAN POLSON (STIRLING)
80 ROBERT NARDUZZO (UW NEWPORT), PATRICK MULCATTY (GLASGOW)
81 RICHARD WILSON (NORTHUMBRIA), KEVIN WILSON (STIRLING)
82 CHARLIE SWANN (BOURNEMOUTH), ADAM STOCKWELL-PRICE (UW NEWPORT)
83 MYLES PEARSON (LOUGHBOROUGH)
84 DANIEL FARMER (LOUGHBOROUGH)
86 FRASER INGLIS (GLASGOW)
88 JON HOWSE (EXETER)

EGU Press Release
MORRISON & ENGLAND FINISH RUNNERS UP IN PERU
James Morrison, a member of the England A Squad, finished runner-up in the Peruvian Amateur Championship in Lima.
A closing round of 73 for an aggregate of 285, three under par, left him four strokes behind the winner, Sebastian Saavedra, the Argentinean international, who finished with a 72.
Surrey-based Morrison, who led by three after a first round 65, never managed to break par in his remaining three rounds while the more experienced Saavedra was always going to be the major threat.
However, Morrison’s performance enhances his reputation as an emerging talent and extends England’s fine displays in the event following Neil Chaudhuri’s share of the title a year ago.
Yorkshire’s John Parry, who will make his full England debut in next month’s international with France in Bordeaux, finished equal 16th on 296 after signing for a closing 76.
England also had to settle for second spot in the team event, Morrison and Parry finishing on 581, five over par, but ten strokes behind the winners Argentina.
Leading final scores:
Individual:
281 S Saavedra (Arg) 68 69 72 72
285 J Morrison (Eng) 65 73 74 73
286 D Antunez de Mayolo (Peru) 69 75 69 73
289 P Reiser (Peru) 68 73 75 73
290 V Argonz (Arg) 77 72 71 70, A Baertl (Peru) 72 73 73 72
Other
296 J Parry (Eng) 74 77 69 76
Team:
571 Argentina
581 England
584 Peru 1

Erskine Golf Club Junior Open
Erskine Golf Club are holding a Junior Open for Boys and Girls on Friday 7th July.
Further information Entry Form

Reay Golf Club Evan Sutherland, centre, receiving his award with John Gibb, MD of Debenhams, Inverness, left
and Charlie Christie, Manager of Caley Thistle, right. Picture by Heather Nelson

Press Release
Reay Golf Club volunteer coach wins Contribution to Sport award
Sport contains the lion’s share of unsung heroes. Behind every successful athlete, club or event slaves an army of selfless backroom enthusiasts, devotees and afficionados. But last week a member of that largely unseen genre was justly recognised.
Evan Sutherland, Reay Golf Club‘s Junior Convenor and clubgolf volunteer coach, a driving force behind the newly formed Caithness & North Sutherland Junior Golf Partnership, was honoured for his efforts to help make golf accessible to every child in Caithness by winning the MFR Contribution to Sport Award.
Three years ago Mr Sutherland was one of the first of Highland’s 100 plus recruits to step forward for the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf’s PGA Level 1 Volunteers Course. Now, not only is he imparting skills to local youngsters - he has helped to dramatically increase the club’s junior membership since he began coaching - but as one of only two golfers in the UK to earn clubgolf‘s Level 2 coaching qualification, he is responsible for helping to train the next generation of would-be volunteer coaches.
“It was a very nice surprise and I had a marvellous day,” said Mr Sutherland, after winning the crystal Contribution to Sport Award.
Mr Sutherland has spent the past three summers building his club’s junior membership and imparting the game‘s fundamentals to children who have experienced the introductory firstclubgolf game at school. His duties are not limited to the golf course. As a firstclubgolf tutor he helps train teachers to deliver this introductory game to children, and also teaches the children in school himself.
“I teach all aspects of clubgolf, from Level 1 to Level 2, for two and a half hours on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday’s,“ said Mr Sutherland who discovered his coaching talents by accident when the Club‘s committee asked if he would be prepared to attend a clubgolf coaching course. “The coaching is one part but the the preparation work takes time. It‘s important to be ready to start before the children arrive. Going around the schools doing firstclubolf is a different part altogether but I‘m thoroughly enjoying it. ”
When the in-school firstclubgolf course finishes the children will be given the opportunity to enrol for clubgolf's Stage 1 programme, hosted by the four golf clubs (Reay, Lybster, Thurso and Wick) which make up the Caithness & North Sutherland Junior Golf Partnership .
“Having come through the junior ranks myself, you appreciate the enormous effort that people like Evan put in,“ said Reay Golf Club‘s Captain and the Partnership's Chair, Graeme Dunnett.
“People who help on committees or work behind the scenes, don‘t do it for the glory, they just want to contribute in some way. For every hour Evan spends on the course he probably spends another two to three making sure everything is ready and prepared.
“The club has been fully behind Evan and his team since the start and it means alot to us that he has won this award. We are a small club in the far north of Scotland, which emphasises that through the novel approach we have taken to the coaching and by forming the Partnership, a small fish can actually compete. ”
Reay is planning a junior Open night in the near future for sponsors, helpers, parents and children to attract more children. Expanding its coaching infrastructure is keeping pace with absorbing new junior members. Mr Sutherland and Lynne Whitelaw are both qualified Level 1 coaches. A further two members are part way through their PGA clubgolf Level 1 training. Two more members will begin the course this summer. And by recently forming the Partnership, the benefits of Evan’s enthusiasm, commitments and experience, clubs throughout the region will benefit for many years to come.
“Evan fits exactly the role model we are looking for in our volunteer coaches,” said Willie MacKay, Junior Golf Development Officer for Highland.
“The way he assists with delivering the training and firstclubgolf to the children shows them how to behave, conduct themselves, learn good manners and patience in keeping with the traditions of golf.
“ He is thoroughly organised, plans meticulously approaches everybody with consideration and is a perfect role model for children and other staff he’s helping to train.
“ By being one of only two Level 2 trained coaches in the UK demonstrates the depth of study and commitment he is willing to put in to continue his coaching development. He thoroughly deserves this award.
The self-effacing Mr Sutherland enjoyed his brief spell in the limelight but realises it’s an experience he is unlikely to become familiar with. For him, and Scotland’s other thousand clubgolf volunteer coaches, the return has a different form: “It’s a lot of work but to see the little sparkle in their eyes when they hit a good shot is an enormous reward. ”

Sandy Lyle with children from schools in Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling and West Lothian today

Press Release
Sandy Lyle launches strategy to make golf accessible to every child in Central Scotland
Five times European Ryder Cup Team member, Sandy Lyle today (Monday 24 April) launched the clubgolf Central Scotland Junior Golf Strategy, which aims to make golf accessible to every child in Central Scotland whilst developing the area’s talented juniors.
After treating boys and girls from Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling and West Lothian to a golf clinic, the former Open and Masters Champion unveiled the strategy at Stirling Golf Club. He was joined by Hamish Grey, Chief Executive of the Scottish Golf Union and clubgolf board member; Jacqueline Lynn, Service Manager for Sport and Leisure (Development), representing Active Stirling and SportCentral; and West Lothian Council’s Sport and Leisure Manager, Charlie Raeburn.
Created by the partnership of SportCentral, West Lothian Council and clubgolf, the clubgolf Central Scotland Junior Golf Strategy mirrors Scotland’s National Junior Golf Strategy, clubgolf. Borne out of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009, clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland.
The clubgolf Central Scotland Junior Golf Strategy aims to support clubgolf’s 2009 targets by:
· Giving 5340 nine year olds in primary education the opportunity to access clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf
· Retaining 1602 nine to fourteen year olds in the programme in any one year, each transferring from the schools programme into skills programmes operated by clubs
· Giving 400 nine to fourteen year olds access to a programme made available to community groups
· Raising the number of girl golfers in Central from 10% to 20%
· Establishing the strategy at 23 clubgolf centres (clubs or golf facilities delivering the core skills programme)
· Establishing six new junior specific facilities
“Creating this strategy gives youngsters in Central Scotland a wonderful opportunity to experience the game through a recognised and well-structured programme,” said Sandy Lyle.
“Learning the basic skills at a young age will benefit these youngsters throughout their golfing lives, whether they choose to play the game for fun or aspire to the highest levels. I’m certain there are many more potential champions out there and through this strategy it will be easier to discover and nurture them.”
Twenty-six of the region’s 39 golf clubs and golf facilities are already delivering clubgolf coaching programmes. Almost 200 golf club members and volunteers have become fully-trained PGA Level 1 coaches. Four PGA Professionals have joined a nationwide coaching network to train the PGA Level 1 coaches.
Twenty-four regional firstclubgolf tutors have qualified to deliver teacher training in school. Seventy-seven primary schools are delivering firstclubgolf on the PE curriculum, introducing 1782 nine year olds to golf so far. Over 40 percent of these children chose to progress to clubgolf’s Stage 1 coaching courses at nearby golf clubs. Seventy children have already completed Stage 2 Development training. A further 30 have enrolled on a clubgolf Stage 3 Pilot programme at Callander Golf Club. PGA professionals are delivering Stage 4 Academy coaching at Stirling’s Brucefields Family Golf Centre.
Meanwhile, four new clubgolf junior facilities have been developed at Callander, Killin and St Fillans Golf Clubs and on Falkirk Council’s Callendar Park Par 3 Golf Course.
Said Hamish Grey, Chief Executive of the Scottish Golf Union and clubgolf board member, "Many individuals and organisations have been involved in developing the clubgolf Central Scotland Junior Golf Strategy and we are delighted that it is already receiving such tremendous support and commitment.
“As clubgolf rolls out across Central Scotland this year our challenge is to increase the army of top quality, dedicated volunteer coaches in golf clubs so that the children we are introducing to clubgolf at school can follow a structured pathway and progress to the level they aspire to.”In Stirling, primary school children in four out of seven Stirling high school clusters are experiencing firstclubgolf on the curriculum. Eight out of 10 golf clubs – Aberfoyle, Balfron, Brucefields, Buchanan Castle, Callander, Dunblane, Killin and Stirling - are working with clubgolf and their feeder primaries to deliver clubgolf coaching programmes to kids who have progressed from their in-school introduction.
Children in all Clackmannanshire’s 19 primary schools have received an introduction to golf on the curriculum or in after schools clubs. Two out of six clubs - Tillicoultry and Muckhart - are working with clubgolf and their feeder primaries to deliver clubgolf coaching programmes to kids who have progressed from their in-school introduction.
Two hundred primary school children in four out of eight Falkirk high school clusters have experienced firstclubgolf on the curriculum or in after schools clubs. Four out of six clubs – Bonnybridge, Falkirk Carmuirs, Falkirk Tryst and Polmont - are working with clubgolf and their feeder primaries to deliver clubgolf coaching programmes to kids who have progressed from their in-school introduction.
Said Jacqueline Lynn, Service Manager for Sport and Leisure (Development), representing Active Stirling and SportCentral (a Regional Sports Partnership comprising Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils, Central Scotland Institute of Sport and sportscotland), “clubgolf has made a huge difference to golfing opportunities for children in Stirling schools and local clubs. We look forward to rolling out the clubgolf programme across the whole of Stirling Council.”
In West Lothian, Primary school children in six out of nine West Lothian high school clusters have experienced firstclubgolf on the curriculum or in after schools clubs. Nine of the area’s 15 golf clubs and facilities – Balbardie Park, Binny, Bridgend, Deer Park, Greenburn, Harburn, Linlithgow, Pumpherston and Uphall - are working with clubgolf to deliver clubgolf’s Stage 1 course. West Lothian Council’s education department is working on projects to develop golf coaching programmes in secondary schools, specifically targeting children who have additional support needs.
Said West Lothian Council’s Sport and Physical Activity Manager, Charlie Raeburn, "West Lothian Council is very pleased to be part of this initiative, which introduces young people to golf. We are already seeing the benefits of the clubgolf project with many of our primary five pupils now enjoying the game.
"The volunteer efforts of West Lothian golf clubs have been excellent and we are currently looking at ways to extend the programme so that more young people can get involved in this positive scheme."

Sunday 23rd April 2006

Prizewinners at the Helen Holn Strokeplay at Troon
L to R: Rachel Bell (3rd), Emma Duggleby (2nd), Melissa Reid (winner), Heather Macrae and Jenna Wilson (winners of the team trophy)

SCOTLAND WIN TEAM TITLE BUT ENGLAND 1-2-3 IN HELEN HOLM STROKE-PLAY AT TROON
BY COLIN FARQUHARSON
Jenna Wilson and Heather MacRae won the international team event for Scotland but otherwise England, with four players in the top five, dominated the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Troon today (Sunday).
In a dramatic finish over the Royal Troon links in brilliant sunshine, Melissa Reid, pictured right, from Derby, the 18-year-old English girls champion for the past two years, staged a smash-and-grab victory over long-time leader Emma Duggleby from Yorkshire.
One shot behind Emma on the 18th tee, Melissa birdied the last for a three-under-par 72 and a total of 13under-par 212. Miss Duggleby three-putted from 30ft for a bogey 5, a closing 74 and a total of 213.
"This is a great start to the season for me," said Melissa. "Emma is still a class competitor and I learned so much just partnering her today. My target is to make the Great Britain & Ireland team for the Curtis Cup match against the United States in Oregon in July."
Emma started the final round at 11-under-par 139 after two rounds on Saturday over the Troon Portland course in latterly dreadful weather of wind and rain.
Melissa was one shot behind on 140 but surged to the front after birdieing the second and fourth only to lose the lead when she ran up a double bogey 5 at the infamous Post Stamp short eighth hole where she was bunkered on the left.
Heather MacRae (Dunblane New), who flew home early from San Diego State University in California, to play in the "Helen Holm" as the start of an all-out bid to win a Curtis Cup team place, and Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), herself a former golf scholarship student at the same US college, won the Ladies Golf Club Troon team salver with a total of 445 - four shots ahead of Sweden in the arguably the strongest field ever to contest the event.
It was the first time since 1994, when Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay were the SLGA choice, that Scotland had won the team honours.
Jenna was the leading Scot individually with a sixth-place finish on three-under-par 222 with rounds of 79 and 71 over Troon Portland and a 72 at Royal Troon.
Teenager Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), with scores of 72, 77 and 74, finished a creditable seventh equal on 223, the same mark as Heather MacRae
with scores of 72, 76 and 75.
HELEN HOLM SCOTTISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Troon Portland first two rounds; Royal Troon third round. Par 75-75-75. CSS 75-75-76
FINAL TOTALS
212 M Reid (Chevin) 71 69 72.
213 E Duggleby (Malton & Norton) 71 69 72.
217 R Bell (Ganton) 74 72 71.
218 J Berton (Fra) 72 70 76.
221 J Ross (Whitley Bay) 70 76 75.
222 J Wilson (Strathaven) 79 71 72.
223 C Hedwall (Swe) 74 76 73, M Bourdy (Fra) 76 74 73, K Caithness (St Regulus) 72 77 74, H MacRae (Dunblane New) 72 76 75.
224 A Vilatte (Fra) 79 72 73, D Smith (Co Louth) 72 76 76, A Laing (Vale of Leven) 74 74 76, D Montgomery (The Lambourne) 71 74 79, C Coughlan (Cork) 75 70 79.
225 S Evans (Vale of Llangollen) 77 77 71, K Smith (Waterlooville) 73 77 75, K Ruutilla (Fin) 78 72 75.
226 J Ewart (Catterick) 76 75 75, K Ulander (Swe) 73 76 77, S Walker (Kenwick Park) 76 73 77, N Edwards (Ganton) 76 73 77.
227 L Kenney (Pitreavie) 75 75 77, M Morrin (The Curragh) 72 76 79, C Lee (West Lancs) 76 72 79.
228 V Derrey (Fra) 74 77 77.
229 E Sheffield (Newark) 82 77 70.
230 C Booth (Comrie) 74 79 77, F Sanderson (Heworth) 80 73 77, R Vilatte (Fra) 78 74 78, L Ball (Matfen Hall) 78 73 79, K Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 74 76 80.
231 S Harkonen (Fin) 78 78 75, T Mangan (Ennis) 77 75 79, M Gillen (Beaverstown) 75 75 81..
232 B Loucks (Wrexham) 80 76 76, A-L Caudal (Fra) 78 76 78, R Niven (Crieff) 77 76 79, F Lockhart (St Regulus) 76 75 81.
233 M Pow (Selkirk) 77 80 76, E Giraud (Fra) 77 77 79, C Hargan (Mortonhall) 77 75 81.
234 L Hall (Royal Porthcawl) 79 74 81, L Eastwood (Yelverton) 75 77 82..
235 K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 76 80 79, H Salonen (Fin) 82 74 79, S Keane (The Curragh) 78 75 82.
236 R Lomas (Hallowes) 80 76 80.
237 M Sapin (Fra) 76 82 79, A Decharne (Fra) 82 76 79, J Hodge (Knowle) 78 79 80, J Schaeffer (Fra) 78 77 82.
238 L Gendronneau (Fra) 80 78 80.
239 S Birks (Wolstanton) 86 76 77, M Bazin de Jessey (Fra) 73 80 76.
240 A Salmen (Fin) 80 79 81, M Hoghwimmer (Aut) 79 78 83.
241 M Kotnik (Aut) 78 84 79, A Marshall (Royal Cinque Ports) 80 80 81, V Stefansen (Den) 83 77 81.
242 J Kuivainen (Fin) 81 79 82.
243 S Westerlund (Fin) 75 87 81, C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 76 83 84.
244 S Garbutt (Ganton) 85 77 82.
245 E Tipping (Sandiway) 81 77 87.
247 C Fallay (Fra) 86 76 85
251 M Ricordeau (Fra) 82 82 87.
256 J Carthew (Ladybank) 87 82 87.
257 K Mertl (Aut) 82 84 91
261 N Isaksson (Fin) 89 91 81.
262 L Edmunds (Sunningdale (Can) 89 90 83.
285 C Montgomery (US) 97 92 96.
TEAM EVENT
445 Scotland (J Wilson 222, H MacRae 223).
449 Sweden (C Hedwall 223, K Ulander 226).
455 France (M Bourdy 223, A-L Caudal 232).
456 England (S Walker 226, K Matharu 230).
457 Wales (S Evans 225, B Loucks 232).
460 Finland (K Ruutilla 223 H-L Salonen 235).
462 Ireland (M Gillen 231, T Mangan 231).
481 Austria (M Hoghwimmer 240, M Kotnik 241).

Scotland's Heather Macrae (Dunblane New) and Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), winners of the Team trophy

Apologies.. technical problems at the Troon end prevented Hot News from being updated.

Friday 21st April 2006

SLGA CONSIDERING CHANGES TO “HELEN HOLM” FORMAT
There are only 12 Scots in the field of 72 for the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open stroke-play championship at Troon on Saturday and Sunday.
That’s not the fault of the organising Scottish Ladies Golfing Association or due to any lack of ambition on the part of Scottish female golfers in general.
The handicap limit for this weekend’s 54-hole tournament is 1.1. It does not seem all that long ago that players with six of a handicap had their entries accepted.
But the “Helen Holm” has steadily risen in status since then. Add to that the fact that the tournament has been designated a counting event for the European Golf Association women’s rankings for the first time, and this year in particular it has become a “must play” event for the top Continental players.
If you think the situation is “bad” from the point of view of Scottish players, particularly the up-and-coming young ones, being denied the opportunity to play in a national championship, then let me tell you it could have been a lot worse.
Spain, arguably the strongest nation for female amateur golf, always has its own national inter-club women’s event on the same weekend as the “Helen Holm.” That explains why there are never any Spaniards in the field at Troon.
But for that domestic commitment, Spain would flood the field with scratch and better players, undoubtedly bringing the handicap limit down even further with a result that even more Scots would have been squeezed out.
Former Scotland team skipper Elaine Farquharson-Black saw the present situation coming when she advocated, two or three years ago, that a Scottish CLOSED amateur stroke-play championship should be introduced to the SLGA calendar.
SLGA president Nancy Chisholm was, in fact, having discussions with a course-owning five-star hotel with a view to obtaining sponsorship and a semi-permanent home for just such a Scottish closed amateur stroke-play championship. Unfortunately, Nancy feels the “deal” – which is probably too strong a word – has gone cold. She has not heard from her contact for some time.
On the subject of the present and possible future state of the “Helen Holm,” Nancy had this to say:
“The Executive Committee of the SLAG is aware of how much this event has grown in stature since its inauguration and wishes this to continue both for home and overseas players.
“With this in view, possible changes are already being considered for the future of this most prestigious event without altering the status of what is recognised as our "shop window" in the calendar of Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association by the finest amateur lady golfers in Great Britain & Ireland, Europe and, even as last year, some US players.”

ILGU Press Release
Irish Girls Inter-provincial matches
Ulster retain title with victory over Connacht of the final day.
Points Table after Day 3
Ulster 3 1st
Connacht 1 2nd
Leinster 1 3rd
Munster 1 4th
Day 3 – Results for Friday 21st April
Ulster - 4½ Connacht - 3½ (Ulster names first)
Foursomes Results
Victoria Bradshaw & Stephanie Meadow beat Sarah Faller & Ann McCormack 3 & 1
Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson beat Hannah McInerney & Kate Gallagher 4 & 2
Singles Results
Victoria Bradshaw lost to Sarah Faller 4 & 3
Stephanie Meadow lost to Ann McCormack by 1 hole
Louise Coffey beat Hannah McInerney 2 & 1
Lucy Simpson lost to Kate Gallagher 4 & 3
Lorraine Boal beat Carmel O’Connor 2 & 1
Sarah Louise Winter halved with Tara Fahey
Munster – 5 Leinster - 3 (Munster names first)
Foursomes Results
Linda Toomey & Sarah Cunningham lost to Ciara Walsh & Alice Davis by 1 hole
Naoimh McMahon & Holli Snelling beat Leanne Brennan & Ciara Sharkey 4 & 2
Singles Results
Naoimh McMahon beat Ciara Walsh 3 & 2
Linda Toomey beat Niamh O’Connor 5 & 3
Sarah Cunningham halved with Louise Mernagh
Holli Snelling halved with Alice Davis
Karen O’Neill beat Leanne Brennan 4 & 3
Aoife Lowry lost to Ciara Sharkey 5 & 3

SPAIN HIT BACK TO BEAT SCOTLAND
Spain beat Scotland 13 1/2-10 1/2 in the two-day men's amateur international match over the Craighead Links at Crail.
The Scots had led 7-5 overnight but lost the second-day foursomes 4-0 and could win only three of the singles with one halved.
SECOND-DAY RESULTS
FOURSOMES (0-4)
L Saltman & S Jamieson lost to I Urquizu & M Perez 4 and 3.
G Campbell & B Fotheringham lost to L Garcia & J Sarasti 5 and 4.
J King & G Murray lost to J Garcia & E Garcia 1 hole.
S McEwan & P O'Hara lost to J L Adarraga & I Sanchez 4 and 2.
SINGLES (3 1/2- 4 1/2)
Saltman lost to Urquizu 4 and 3.
Jamieson halved with E Garcia.
Campbell lost to Perez 2 and 1.
Fotheringham bt L Garcia 1 hole.
McEwan bt Sarasti 5 and 3.
O'Hara lost to Sanchez 2 and 1.
King lost to J Garcia 4 and 3.
Murray bt Adarraga 6 and 5.

ELGA Press Release
Chris Quinn to defend English seniors' title
ELGA's new series of seniors' championships begins next week when the year's flagship tournament takes place at Sunningdale Golf Club.
The Senior Ladies' English Close Amateur Championship starts on the New Course on Tuesday when Chris Quinn of Hockley will defend her title - and aim for a hat trick of three straight wins.
This is the first championship to be staged since the merger of ELGA and the English Senior Ladies' Golf Association at the end of last year.
As a result, ELGA now runs an extended tournament schedule for senior ladies. These events are open to all its members aged over 50 and next week's championship has attracted an encouraging entry from women who are playing seniors' golf for the first time.
Overall, the event underlines the strength of English seniors' golf with an entry of 179 players for 120 places. The handicap cut-off fell at 9.5.
The strong field is led by the champion, Chris Quinn, and also includes last year's runner-up, Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court). They are both one-handicappers, as is the former Curtis Cup player Carole Caldwell, who will be playing on home ground at Sunningdale and is one of 15 Surrey golfers in the championship.
There is a new format for the event, adopting features previously used by the ESLGA. It will be played in two divisions: A is scratch to six handicap; and B is seven handicap and above.
All competitors will play two rounds of strokeplay qualifying, 18 holes on each of Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be prizes for the best score in each division on both qualifying days. The top 16 players in each division will go forward to the matchplay stages, which will be played on Thursday and Friday.
ELGA will mark the start of the new seniors' series with a reception on Monday evening and a competitors' dinner will be held on Tuesday.
Other key seniors' dates for the season are:
June 5-7, Senior Ladies' English Close Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Hillside.
July 12-14, Midlands regional strokeplay at Worcestershire.
August 1-3, Southern regional strokeplay at Corhampton.
September 4-6, Northern regional strokeplay at Penrith.
October 2-4 Brenda King Foursomes at Minchinhampton

EGU Press Release
MORRISON LIES SECOND IN PERU
James Morrison lost his pole position on day two of the Peruvian Amateur Championship in Lima, being overtaken by Sebastian Saavedra from Argentina.
Morrison carded a second round 73 for 138, six under par, and lies a stroke behind Saavedra, who returned 69 in their quest for the Carlos Raffo Cup.
John Parry, England’s other representative, also had a disappointing day, a 77 for 151 leaving him in equal 29th position.
In the Manuel Prado Cup team competition, England slipped to joint second place on 289, three strokes behind the leaders Argentina. Alongside England are the Canadians from British Columbia and the Peru 1 team.
Leading scores:
Individual:
137 S Saavedra (Arg) 68 69
138 J Morrison (Eng) 65 73
141 P Reiser (Peru) 68 73
142 S Hval (USA) 71 71, J A Marquine (Uru) 71 71, J C Fortlage (Par) 70 72
Team:
286 Argentina
289 British Columbia, England, Peru 1
292 Peru 2, Peru 3

Elizabeth Stuart starts on the Futures Tour
There was no way to know that all the fights and feuds and clashes of will with her domineering father would someday show her a clear path. And there was no way to believe that the tall, skinny kid from the rough-and-tumble side of Tampa would emerge from the city's First Tee program to become a member of the Duramed FUTURES Tour.
But that's exactly what Elizabeth Stuart did. And the rookie from Florida still shakes her head at her amazing journey that started on a driving range, sent her to college and pointed her to a career as a touring professional. Read more

Thursday 20th April 2006

Megan Briggs with the Renfrewshire County Championship Trophy.

MEGAN (16) DAZZLES IN RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Sixteen-year-old Megan Briggs from Kilmacolm scored a marvellous win by 6 and 5 over defending champion Donna Jackson (Cochrane) in the final to win the Renfrewshire women's county golf championship at Eastwood Golf Club.
It was Megan's first title win and she thwarted the experienced Donna's bid to extend her record number of championship wins to 11.
Megan, who had been the leading qualifier, played brilliant golf with five birdies in the 13 holes played. She birdied the second, fifth, sixth, 10th and 12th.
Out in two-under-par 34, Megan was four holes up at that stage.
In her morning semi-final win over former champion Sara Harman (Williamwood), Megan achieved a hole in one with a four-iron at the 152yd seventh hole. Megan went on to win that tie by 3 and 2.
Donna squeezed through into the final with a 20th hole victory over Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire).
[Photo Courtesy and Copyright © Carol Fell, Renfrewshire webmaster]
SCOREBOARD
RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Eastwood Golf Club
Semi-finals - M Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt S Harman (Williamwood) 3 and 2, D Jackson (Cochrane Castle) bt G Kyle (East Renfrewshire) at 20th.
Final - Briggs bt Jackson 6 and 5.

SCOTLAND LEAD SPAIN 7-5 AT CRAIL
Scotland drew the foursomes 2-2 but took the singles 5-3 to establish a 7-5 lead over Spain in their two-day amateur international match at Crail Golf Club's Craighead Links today.
Best scoring of the day came from Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) who bounced back from failing to make the halfway cut in the weekend Craigmillar Park Open to beat Jose Luis Adarraga 6 and 5 in the top singles tie with an eight-under-par run over the first 10 holes.
First-day results:
FOURSOMES (2-2)
Lloyd Saltman & Scott Jamieson lost to Jose Luis Adarraga & Ignacio Sanchez 2 and 1.
Bryan Fotheringham & Glenn Campbell bt Jordi Garcia & Ion Garcia 5 and 4.
Paul O'Hara & Steven McEwan bt Inigo Urquizu & Marc Perez 3 and 2.
Jonathan King & George Murray lost to Juan Sarasti & Luis Garcia 5 and 3.
SINGLES (5-3)
Saltman bt Adarraga 6 and 5.
Jamieson bt Sanchez 4 and 2.
Campbell bt Urquizu 3 and 2.
Fotheringham lost to Jordi Garcia 4 and 3.
McEwan bt Ion Garcia 4 and 2.
King lost to Perez 1 hole.
O'Hara lost to Luis Garcia 3 and 2.
Murray bt Sarasti 3 and 2.

Callum Nicoll with the BAE Systems Young Professionals' Scottish championship trophy

CALLUM NICOLL IS YOUNG PROS CHAMP
Prestwick's Callum Nicoll shot an eagle and 11 birdies over today's final 36 holes to win the BAE Systems Young Professionals' Scottish championship by three shots from overnight leader Mark Loftus (Cowglen), pictured right, with a 14-under-par total of 266 at Forres Golf Club.
Nicoll, who comes from Irvine in Ayrshire, improved by one stroke with every round to win the £1,000 first prize.
Callum follows in the footsteps of men like Paul Lawrie, Alastair Forsyth, Fraser Mann, David Huish and Norman Wood except that the tournament was called the Scottish assistants' championship in their day.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS.
Par 70.
266 C Nicoll (Prestwick) 68 67 66 65.
269 M Loftus (Cowglen) 70 64 70 65.
276 G Lornie (Aspire Golf Centre) 70 70 64 72.
277 G Duncan (Westin Turnberry) 73 68 68 68.
278 N Murray (Cruden Bay) 70 70 70 68.
279 S Hicks (Whitecraigs) 74 70 69 66.
280 M Finlayson (Edzell) 70 71 72 67, G Rankin (Stirling) 70 70 70 70, C Russell (Dunbar) 69 66 74 71.

ABERDEENSHIRE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Julie Henderson (Inverurie) will be defending the title when the Aberdeenshire women's county golf championship starts at Ballater Golf Club with a qualifying round on Friday, May 5.
Sjavon Wilson (Murcar) is home from college in America and will be attempting to regain the title.
Other leading contenders are the experienced Sheena Wood (Hazlehead), Scottish schoolgirls title-holder Laura Murray (Alford) and Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), the North of Scotland champion.
The leading 16 players will progress to the match-play which begins on the Satureday morning at 10am. The quartere-finals will take place at 2.30pm.
On the Sunday, the semi-finals will tee off from 10am with the final at 2.30pm.
Competitors will tee off in pairs in the qualifying round in which the order of play (8min intervals) is:
Abbreviations: A, Aboyne; AL, Aberdeen Ladies; Al, Alford; Bal, Ballater; Ban, Banchory; CB, Cruden Bay; D, Deeside; F, Fraserburgh; H, Hazlehead; I, Inverurie; K, Kintore; Ke, Kemnay; LS, Loretto School; ME, McDonald Ellon; ML, Murcar Links; W, Westhill.
3.0 K Moggach (H), S Shepherd (D); M Millership (D), G Melvin (H); J Harrison(CB), L McLardy (ML); S Wood (AL), L Terry (CB).
3.32 F Hay (D), K Stalker (F); D Pocock (ML), S Fil (H); A Smart (Ban), F Neish (ML); M Clapperton (Ban), C Wilson (ML).
4.04 A Bowman (ME), H Backhouse (Bal); P Wilson (ML), L MacCallum (LS); M Burgess (A), D MacKinnon (ME); L Murray (Al), K Thomson (K).
4.36 L Wilson (W), E Brown (A); J Lees (W), M Thomson (ME); V Neish (K), S Wilson (ML).
5.0 J Henderson (I), L McPherson (D); J Whitehead (Ke), I Thomson(K).
+Any competitor who has to withdraw should contact county secretary Karen Stalker 01346 513308 as soon as possible as there is a waiting list in operation).

Irish Girls Inter-Provincial Matches
Points Table after Day 2
Ulster 2
Leinster 1
Connacht 1
Munster 0
Day 2 – Results for Thursday 20th April
Leinster – 1 Ulster - 7 (Leinster names first)
Foursomes Results
Ciara Walsh & Ciara Sharkey lost to Victoria Bradshaw & Stephanie Meadow 2 & 1
Alice Davis & Leanne Brennan lost to Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson by 1 hole
Singles Results
Ciara Walsh lost to Victoria Bradshaw 3 & 2
Niamh O’Connor lost to Stephanie Meadow 7 & 5
Louise Mernagh lost to Louise Coffey 4 & 3
Alice Davis beat Lucy Simpson 3 & 1
Leanne Brennan lost to Lorraine Boal 6 & 5
Ciara Sharkey lost to Sarah Louise Winter 6 & 4
Connacht - 5 Munster - 3 (Connacht names first)
Foursomes Results
Sarah Faller & Ann McCormack beat Linda Toomey & Sarah Cunningham 3 & 1
Hannah McInerney & Kate Gallagher beat Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson 3 & 1
Singles Results
Sarah Faller beat Linda Toomey 3 & 2
Ann McCormack beat Naoimh McMahon by 1 hole
Hannah McInerney lost to Sarah Cunningham 2 & 1
Kate Gallagher lost to Holli Snelling 2 & 1
Carmel O’Connor lost to Karen O’Neill 4 & 3
Tara Fahey beat Aoife Lowry 3 & 1
Day 3 – Friday 21st April
Ulster –v- Connacht (Ulster names first)
Foursomes Draw
Victoria Bradshaw & Stephanie Meadow –v- Sarah Faller & Ann McCormack
Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson –v- Hannah McInerney & Kate Gallagher
Munster –v- Leinster (Munster names first)
Foursomes Draw
Linda Toomey & Sarah Cunningham –v- Ciara Walsh & Alice Davis
Naoimh McMahon & Holli Snelling –v- Leanne Brennan & Ciara Sharkey

NEWS RELEASE
Play it against Sam
VisitScotland are offering club golfers a once in a lifetime opportunity to play golf with Sam Torrance in the 2006 VisitScotland Sam Torrance Cup.
Twelve lucky winners from throughout the UK and Ireland, plus their playing partner, will be given the chance to experience Turnberry - the venue for the 2009 Open - with the current European Senior Tour Order of Merit winner.
Entry to the competition couldn’t be easier, log on to European Tour’s official website, www.europeantour.com, click on the picture of Sam and complete the entry form.
The competition opens on the 24th April 2006 with the closing date for entries just five weeks later on 29th May.
The winners will be invited to the Westin Turnberry Resort in July, with two nights accommodation included in this fantastic prize. The fortunate 24 will also receive an invitation to the exclusive 2006 VisitScotland Sam Torrance Cup dinner.
Speaking ahead of this announcement Sam said “The VisitScotland Sam Torrance Cup may only be in its 2nd year but it’s an event I really to look forward to.
“Having the opportunity to spend time with club golfers from all over the UK and Ireland is fantastic and gives me an ideal opportunity to rub shoulders with golfers, who like me, love Scotland.”
For more information on booking your break in Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com/golf or call the national information and booking line on 0845 2255121.

US College Golf
SCOTS 1-2-3 IN USA COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP
Hard to believe it was the Atlantic Sun Conference college golf championship at Eagle Creek Golf Club, near Orlando, Florida.
It could so easily have been a North of Scotland tournament as Duncan Stewart, pictured right, from Grantown on Spey retained the title by beating Russell Knox from Inverness in a play-off.
Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh finished third and Edinburgh’s Jamie Kennedy tied for fifth place in the field of 50.
Stewart, Knox and Kennedy are golf scholarship students at Jacksonville University, Florida. Their stout efforts helped Jacksonville win the conference title for the first time.
Duncan Stewart, a former Scotland boy international player, became only the third player to win the Atlantic Sun Conference individual title two years in a row.
The first man to do it was Hal Sutton in 1979-80. Hal, of course, went on to become a successful US PGA Tour player and US Ryder Cup captain.
Stewart and Knox had matching rounds of 70, 68 and 68 for 13-under-par totals of 206 over the 7,17yd, par-73 course.
Both Scots beat the previous tournament record low total of 208, set by none other than Colin Montgomerie in 1985.
It was Duncan Stewart’s second win of the college season and his second in a row. He won his previous event, the El Diablo Intercollegiate in March.
Knox has now five top-five finishes to his credit over the 2005-2006 US college season.
Stewart highlighted his final round with a hole in one with a five-iron at the par-3 fifth. He bogeyed the seventh but went on to birdied the 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th for a closing 68.
Knox birdied the third, seventh, 13th, 16th and 17th for his five-under-par round. Russell’s putt from 22ft putt for a birdie at the 18th, which would have won him the individual title, shaved the hole.
In the play-off Stewart retained the title by holing a 12ft birdie putt at the second extra hole. Knox’s putt from 9ft to stay alive just missed.
Jamie Kennedy holed a sand wedge approach from 100ys for an eagle at the third. He also birdied the sixth and seventh to be out in four-under-par. Jamie had a birdie at the 15th in closing with a 68 for a seven-under-par total of 212.His earlier rounds were 71 and 73.
Former British boys champion Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) came back to form with rounds of 69, 70 and 69 for an 11-under-par total of 208.
East Tennessee State, for whom Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies tied for fifth on 212, finished third in the team event behind Jacksonville and North Florida.
“We’re very disappointed because we all played pretty well and still didn’t win,” said Jordan.
But if the East Tennessee State team – who went into the tournament as favourites – were disappointed, then the “Jacksonville Jocks” were the proverbial over the moon.
“This is a great win for Jacksonville University,” said head coach Jim Taketa. “Winning this title will do so much for our programme.”
Duncan Stewart said: “We’ve worked so hard over the last few weeks to get to this point. We were practising every day, getting back from the golf course at 9pm – and then having to study. It really was sweet for all of this hard work to pay off like this.”
Russell Knox said: “We felt that we deserved this. We have come together so much as a team and that makes it so great. The key for us was that we didn’t make any stupid mistakes. Duncan has been through this before last year. The rest of us were able to chip in this time round.”
Jacksonville University now go forward for the first time to the NCAA Regional championships from May 18 to 20.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
206 Duncan Stewart (Jacksonville) 70 68 68, Russell Knox (Jacksonville) 70 68 68 (Stewart won play-off at second extra hole).
208 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 69 70 69.
211 Michael O’Neal (North Florida) 71 71 69.
212 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 69 72 71, Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) 71 71 73 68.
214 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 70 73 71.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
845 Jacksonville.
850 North Florida.
854 East Tennessee State.

US College golf
BANCHORY BOY RUNNER-UP IN IOWA
Banchory Golf Club champion Adam Lindsay finished runner-up in the Walford Spring Invitational tournament at Bear Creek Golf Club, Forest City in Iowa.
Lindsay, a student at Iowa Wesleyan College, had a round of 81 over the par-71, 6,367yd course in bad weather conditions. Team-mate Jordan Crampton won the event with an 80.
Another Iowa Wesleyan Scot, Stuart Geddes, shared 17th place with a 92.
Iowa Wesleyan (334) won the team event by eight shots from Grand View College.

US College golf
EMILY NOT AT HER BEST IN FLORIDA
Emily Ogilvy (Arkansas-Little Rock) did not play anywhere near her best with rounds of 78, 81 and 78 for a share of 28th place with a total of 237 in the Sun Belt Conference women’s college championship at PGA Vilalge, Port St Lucie, Florida.
Katie Kempter (Denver) and Taryn Durham (Middle Tennessee) tied for victory with five-over-par totals of 221 over the 6,005yd, par-72 course.
Denver (909) won the team title by three shots from North Texas.
Arkansas-Little Rock (918) came fifth of 10.

US College golf
VICKI JUST MAKES TOP 10 IN ARIZONA
Irish junior international Vicki Power from Cambridge finished joint 10th in the Big Sky women’s college championship at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona.
Vicki, a student at Northern Arizona University, had rounds of 75, 77 and 78 for a total of 230 over the 6,160yd, par-72 course.
She finished 11 shots behind the winner, Jasi Acharya (Montana), 73-75-71 for three-over-par 219.
Montana (904) won the team title from Northern Arizona (912) with Sacramento State (913) third of eight.

Big Feet?
Do you have larger than average feet and find it difficult to buy golf shoes to fit? Walktall’s new e-commerce website and catalogue sell golf shoes by HI-TEC in sizes 12-19.
“It’s a real problem for tall guys to find good golf footwear to fit on the high Street,” says Director James Lockyer. “Walktall is plugging a gaping hole in the market for men’s sizes 12 to 19.”
Walktall orders are dispatched by the next working day using either 48 hour or 24 hour carrier service and the company offers a 14-day money back guarantee on all unworn items.
For exclusive web only products, offers and prize draws see www.walktall.co.uk Alternatively call for a catalogue on 0870 840 8447. For tall men’s clothing see the Tallstore on the Walktall website

R&A Press Release
OPEN RETURNS TO ST ANDREWS IN 2010
The Open Championship will return to St Andrews in 2010, from 15 to 18 July. It will mark the 150th anniversary of the playing of the first Open in 1860 at Prestwick.
On 17 October 1860, a mere eight players competed over three rounds of 12 holes against a bogey of 144. From that humble beginning The Open has grown to be recognised throughout the world as the most venerable of the four Majors.
Now, a field of 156 players competes for the custody of the Claret Jug and prize money exceeding £4 million, a somewhat greater reward than the Championship Belt that Willie Park Snr received for his two-shot win in the inaugural championship.
Prestwick hosted The Open a further 23 times, the last being in 1925. It is a total only exceeded by St Andrews which is now the most regularly used venue. In 2010 the Home of Golf will be hosting its 28th Open. The Old Course, St Andrews was first used for The Open in 1873 and most recently hosted the 2005 championship that was memorable for Tiger Woods’ second Open title and Jack Nicklaus’ final championship round.
International Qualifying now takes place on five continents and Local Final Qualifying represents the last chance for non-exempt players to gain a place in the field. In 2010, the LFQ courses will be Kingsbarns, Ladybank, Scotscraig and St Andrews Bay, Torrance course. This will be the first time that Kingsbarns and St Andrews Bay have hosted LFQ.
Also, in 2010, the Junior Open will take place at Leven Links and Lundin Golf Club, courses that in the past have hosted a number of R&A championships including LFQ.

Larry Nelson, Henry Picard to Enter World Golf Hall of Fame
Savannah, Ga. (April 19, 2006) – Larry Nelson and Henry Picard will become members of the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2006. Nelson was elected on the PGA TOUR ballot, securing 65 percent of the vote, and Picard was selected in the Veteran’s category by the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors Selection Committee. The 2006 Induction Ceremony is set for October 30.
Hall of Fame members Tony Jacklin, Tom Kite, Carol Mann and Charlie Sifford joined Nelson today for the announcement at Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah, Ga.
“When I was informed that I had received enough votes to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, I was flooded with emotions,” said Nelson. “Being honoured in this way brings feelings of gratitude and humbleness of a depth impossible to express. I look forward to sharing this blessing with family and friends.”
“Larry Nelson and Henry Picard are most deserving of this high honour,” said Timothy W. Finchem, PGA TOUR Commissioner and Chairman of the World Golf Foundation. “Larry’s success was impressive both on the PGA TOUR where, despite taking up the game at a relatively late age, he picked up a career-defining three major victories, and on the Champions Tour, where he continues to add to his already considerable resume.
“Henry Picard was one of the country’s brightest stars in the decade leading up to World War II, where his victory total compares favourably to the likes of Sam Snead during that span,” Finchem continued. “His name is inexorably linked—both personally and professionally—to some of the game’s greatest players, including Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, the latter of whom he out-duelled in a playoff to win the 1939 PGA Championship.”
Longtime Georgia resident Nelson, 58, has three major championships to his credit: the 1981 and 1987 PGA Championships and the 1983 U.S. Open. His record includes seven additional PGA TOUR victories and 19 Champions Tour victories to date. Nelson has participated on three U.S. Ryder Cup teams with a 9-3-1 record. Nelson began playing golf at age 21, following his time in the military in Vietnam.
Picard captured 26 PGA TOUR victories, including the 1938 Masters Tournament and the 1939 PGA Championship. He also participated on two U.S. Ryder Cup teams. Twenty of his 26 victories came between 1935 and 1939, including six wins in 1939, when he led the TOUR in earnings. Among Picard’s contemporaries was Hogan, at the time an aspiring young pro, whom Picard encouraged and supported unconditionally. Hogan later dedicated his first instructional book, “Ben Hogan’s Power Golf,” to Picard. He was also instrumental in encouraging Snead to join the professional tour. Born Nov. 28, 1906 in Plymouth, Mass., Picard lived much of his life in Charleston, SC, before passing away on April 30, 1997.
“Each year brings with it opportunity to share new stories from this grand game of golf,” said Jack Peter, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Hall of Fame. “We look forward to having Larry and Henry take their places this October alongside the 109 current members of the Hall.”
Nelson will join Vijay Singh on October 30 for the Induction Ceremony, which will also recognize Picard posthumously. Singh was elected on the PGA TOUR ballot in 2005 but deferred his induction due to a scheduling conflict. An announcement for the Lifetime Achievement category will take place later this spring. At this time, no LPGA players have qualified for induction in 2006. And while 75 percent of the International ballots were returned, no candidates reached the minimum percentage required for induction.
Approximately 80 percent of the PGA TOUR ballots and 75 percent of the International ballots sent out were returned.
For more information about the 2006 Class of Inductees or the World Golf Hall of Fame, visit www.wgv.com.

Wednesday 19th April 2006

ILGU Press Release
ILGU Girls Interprovincial Championship
Ulster and Leinster tie for the lead after Day 1
Points Table after Day 1
Ulster 1
Leinster 1
Connacht 0
Munster 0
Results for Wednesday 19th April
Munster – 2 Ulster - 6 (Munster names first)
Foursomes Results
Linda Toomey & Sarah Cunningham lost to Victoria Bradshaw & Stephanie Meadow by 1 hole
Naoimh McMahon & Holli Snelling lost to Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson by 1 hole
Singles Results
Naoimh McMahon lost to Victoria Bradshaw 2 & 1
Linda Toomey beat Stephanie Meadow 4 & 2
Sarah Cunningham beat Louise Coffey by 2 holes
Holli Snelling lost to Lucy Simpson by 2 holes
Karen O’Neill lost to Lorraine Boal 3 & 1
Aoife Lowry lost to Sarah Louise Winter 4 &3
Connacht – 3.5 Leinster 4.5 (Connacht names first)
Foursomes Results
Sarah Faller & Ann McCormack halved with Ciara Walsh & Louise Mernagh
Hannah McInerney & Kate Gallagher lost to Alice Davis & Leanne Brennan 2 & 1
Singles Results
Sarah Faller beat Ciara Walsh 2up
Ann McCormack beat Niamh O’Connor 6 & 5
Hannah McInerney beat Louise Mernagh 3 & 2
Kate Gallagher lost to Alice Davis 2 & 1
Carmel O’Connor lost to Leanne Brennan 5 & 3
Tara Fahey lost to Ciara Sharkey 2 & 1
Draw for Thursday 20th April
Leinster –v- Ulster (Leinster names first)
Foursomes Draw
09:00 Ciara Walsh & Ciara Sharkey -v- Victoria Bradshaw & Stephanie Meadow
09:10 Alice Davis & Leanne Brennan -v- Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson
Connacht –v- Munster (Connacht names first)
Foursomes Draw
09:20 Sarah Faller & Ann McCormack –v- Linda Toomey & Sarah Cunningham
09:30 Hannah McInerney & Kate Gallagher –v- Louise Coffey & Lucy Simpson

MEGAN (16) THROUGH TO SEMI-FINALS OF RENFREWSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIP
Megan Briggs, 16-year-old leading qualifier from Kilmacolm, is through to this morning’s (THU) semi-finals of the Renfrewshire women’s county golf championship at Eastwood Golf Club.
But her 12-year-old sister Eilidh lost to 10 times county champion Donna Jackson.
In the last four, it will be Megan Briggs against Sarah Harman (Williamwood), title-winner in 2002, and Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) will play Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire).
SCOREBOARD
RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Eastwood Golf Club
Match-play – First round - M Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt F Roger (Ranfurly Castle) 7 and 5, G McGinlay (Cochrane Castle) bt E Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 3 and 1, S Harman (Williamwood) bt L McDougall (Greenock) at 19th, D Cowan (Cochrane Castle) bt P Orr (Cochrane Castle) 4 and 2, D Jackson(Cochrane Castle) bt E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 4 and 3, B Paterson (Eastwood) bt S Smyth (Ranfurly Castle) 2 and 1, G Kyle (East Renfreewshire) bt C Whyte (Windyhill) 2 and 1, L Robertson (Ranfurly Castle) bt J McCartney (Erskine) 2 and 1.
Quarter-finals – M Briggs bt McGinlay 3 and 1, Harman bt Cowan 7 and 6, Jackson bt Paterson 6 and 5, Kyle bt Robertson 1 hole.

Scottish University Championships
Apologies for the error in yesterday's report on the Scottish University Championships at Lossiemouth. We reported the net scores instead of the gross scores for the Womens' championship. Claire-Marie Carlton (Stirling) won with a total of 235 (78, 79, 78) by five shots from Olivia Briggs on 240 (83, 80, 77). The full scores are now in yesterday's report.

MELISSA RUNS AWAY WITH WHITTINGTON LADIES' TROPHY
Melissa Reid from Chevin Golf Club, Derby, winner of the English girls' title for the past two years, won the Whittington Heath Ladies 36-hole open tournament this week.
She did it in style - by a six stroke margin.
Miss Reid had very good scores of 69 and 70 against a CSS of 72 for both rounds.
Her two-round aggregate of 139 gave her a comfortable win from Lisa Barton (Coventry) with 74 and 71 for 145.
LEADING TOTALS (CSS 72 72)
139 Melissa Reid (Chevin) 69 70.
145 Lisa Barton (Coventry) 74 71.
148 Fiona Thompson(Elesborough) 72 76, Liz Bennett (Brockenhurst Manor) 76 72.
149 Claire Aitken (Mid Kent) 74 75.
Other prizewinners:
Best gross first round - Caroline Marron (Bromborough) 73.
Best gross second round- Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall) 73.
Best net aggregate - Lucinda Davies (Peterborough Milton) 143.

HOLE IN ONE HARRY’S A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Eleven year old, Kirriemuir golfer, Harry Clark is believed to be the youngest golfer to have a hole in one at Kirriemuir Golf Club.
On the 17th April, Easter Monday, Harry holed his tee shot at the Par 3 eighth. Harry hit a five iron and those who saw it say it was a pure shot and never moved from the pin.
Once the general excitement died down the first question was is Harry the first junior to have a hole in one a Kirriemuir? When we looked into it we found it had been done, by no other than Harry’s father Alan, at the same hole when he was 14.
The next question was is Harry the youngest to do this at Kirriemuir? We believe he is but maybe some reader may know different! We would also like to know if Harry is the youngest child in Scotland to have a hole in one in an official competition?
Harry is one of a growing band of young talented golfers emerging from Kirriemuir Golf Club where Professional Karyn Dallas has a junior golf programme with over 200 children participating.

US College Golf
HIGHLAND PAIR LEAD FROM BROCH BOY WITH ONE ROUND TO GO AT EAGLE CREEK
HIGHLANDERS Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) and Russell Knox from Inverness – both students at Jacksonville University, Florida – are locked in the lead with one round to go in the Atlantic Sun Conference college golf championship at Eagle Creek Golf Club, near Orlando.
And Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) from Fraserubrgh is breathing down their necks, one shot off the pace.
Stewart, the defending champion, and Knox have both scored 70 and 68 over the par-73 course to share the lead on eight-under-par 138.
Findlay has shot 69 and 70 for 139.
Jordan’s team-mate, Edinburgh-born Walker Cup player Rhys Davies from South Wales is lying fourth on 141 after scores of 69 and 72.
Stewart, returning his fifth straight sub-par round in competitive play, had three birdies and an eagle on the second day while Knox had five birdies in his bogey-free round.
It really was a good day for the “Jacksonville Jocks” as Jamie Kennedy from Edinburgh, also a student at Jacksonville University, repeated his opening round of par 73 to be sharing 12th place on 146.
Jacksonville (568) lead the team event by two shots from East Tennessee State with North Florida (571) in third place of the field of 10 teams.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
138 Russell Knox (Jacksonville) 70 68, Duncan Stewart (Jacksonville) 70 68.
139 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 69 70.
141 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 69 72.
Also:
143 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 70 73 (9th).
146 Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) 73 73 (jt 12th).
147 Adam Hodkinson (East Tennessee State) 75 72 (19th).
152 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 77 75 (35th).

US College Golf
EMILY DISAPPOINTS IN SECOND ROUND
Emily Ogilvy (Arkansas Little Rock) from Dunning, Perthshire had a disappointing second round of 81 in the Sun Belt Conference women’s college championship at Port St Lucie, Florida.
Emily has dropped back to a share of 27th place on 159 – 11 shots behind the triple joint leaders, Sara Wilkstrong (Arkansas Little Rock) (74-74), Andra Lancaster (North Texas) (74-74) and Susan Nam (Florida International (73-75).

US College golf
VICKI SHARING SEVENTH PLACE IN ARIZONA
Irish junior international Vicki Power (Northern Arizona) was in joint seventh place after two rounds of the Big Sky Conference women’s college championship over the Palm Valley Golf Club course at Goodyear, Arizona.
Vicki has had rounds of 75 and 77 over the 6,160yd, par-72 lay-out.
Kelly Gillum (Montana State) leads at two-over-par 146 after rounds of 70 and76.

Tuesday 18th April 2006

JOCELYN PIPS LORNA FOR LGU SCRATCH PRIZE AT BALBIRNIE PARK
Ladybank’s Jocelyn Carthew pipped Lorna Bennett, playing out of Leven, for the top scratch prize in the LGU Medal East Division final at Balbirnie Park Golf Club today (TUESDAY). They both shot 73s against a par and CSS of 71. Jocelyn won the prize with a better inward half.
The six handicap qualifiers for the Grand Final at Crieff on Sunday, June 4 were:
Silver Division – June Denholm (Dunbar) (16) 69; Elspeth Hodgetts (Glenrothes) (10) 70; Alyson Scrimgeour (Dundas Parks) (8) 71.
Bronze Division – Ann Brown (Deer Park) (26) 60; Fiona Corps (Anstruther) (20) 66; Diana Fraser (Lundin Ladies) (24) 68.

MEGAN AND EILIDH BRIGGS QUALIFY IN RENFREWSHIRE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
TEENAGER Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) pipped Lesley Robertson (Ranfurly Castle) for the No 1 qualifier spot in the Renfrewshire women’s county golf championship at Eastwood Golf Club today (TUESDAY).
Megan, only 16 years of age, and Lesley both shot 77s in a mixed bag of weather – sunshine, hail, rain and cloud.
On a card countback, Miss Briggs won the qualifying round’s top scratch prize and the top seed rating by virtue of having the better last six holes.
Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle), who set the county record of 10 title triumphs last year, and clubmate Denise Cowan both scored 79s. Donna had the better inward half to earn the No 3 qualifier’s berth.
Megan Briggs’ younger sister Eilidh, who will be 13 later this month, also figured among the 32 qualifiers with a round of 88. She meets defending champion Donna Jackson in the first round of the match-play.
Denise Cowan won the Peggy Clark Rosebowl for the best net sccore of 70 off a handicap of nine.
Megan Briggs, who plays off three, won the second handicap prize with a net 74 (better last six holes) ahead of Lesley Robertson who had a net 74 off three.
SCOREBOARD
RENFREWSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Eastwood Golf Club
Match-play qualifiers (Par 72, CSS 72).
77 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Lesley Robertson (Ranfurly Castle).
79 Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle), Denise Cowan (Cochrane Castle).
80 Sara Harman (Williamwood).
81 Beth Paterson (Eastwood).
82 Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire).
83 Gillian McGinlay (Cochrane Castle).
84 Eva Thomson (East Renfrewshire).
85 Carol Whyte (Windyhill).
86 Sally Smyth (Ranfurly Castle).
87 Linda McDougall (Greenock).
88 Pearl Orr )Cochrane Castle), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Janette McCartney (Erskine).
89 Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle).
Wednesday’s first-round ties.
9.20 M Briggs v Roger, Thomson v McGinlay, Harman v McDougall, Orr v Cowan.
9.48 Jackson v E Briggs, Smyth v Paterson, Kyle v Whyte, McCartney v Robertson.
Quarter-finals at 1.30, 1.38, 1.46, 1.54.

SPANISH GIRLS WIN FRENCH JUNIOR TITLES
Both girls' titles in the French junior women's open championships at St Cloud Golf Club, near Paris were won by Spanish players.
Carlota Ciganda, the No. 3 seed, beat France's Caroline Afonso, the No. 12 qualifier, by one hole in the Trophee Esmond tournament.
Belen Mozo, the No 1 seed in the Trophee Claude Roger Cartier tournament, beat Marita Engzelius (Norway), the No 2 seed, by 4 and 3 in the final.

University of Stirling Golf Team

RESULTS FROM SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES CHAMPIONSHIPS AT LOSSIEMOUTH
Stirling retained the team title …. Robert Taylor (Abertay) and Brian Souter (Heriot Watt) (pictured below right) shared the men’s individual championship … and Claire-Marie Carlton (Stirling) won the women’s title at the Scottish universities championships at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.
Stirling beat Strathclyde 7-3 in the men’s team final after scoring a 10-0 win over Abertay in the semi-finals. Strathclyde edged out Edinburgh 5 ½-4 ½ in their semi-final.
Results:
SECTION A
                                    P W D L    F        A     Pts
St Andrews                 4   3  0 1    27.5  12.5      6
Edinburgh                   4   3  0 1    23     17         6
Aberdeen                    4   2  0 2    19.5  20.5      4
Highlands & Islands   4   1  0 3    15.5  24.5       2
Heriot Watt `               4   1  0 3   14.5   25.5      2
SECTION B
Stirling                        4   4  0 0    31       9         8
Strathclyde                  4   3  0 1    24     16         6
Glasgow                      4   2  0 2   18      22         4
Abertay                       4   1  0 3    18     22         2
Robert Gordon’s         4   0  0 4      9     31         0
QUARTER-FINALS
Edinburgh 6, Glasgow 4.
Strathclyde 6, Aberdeen 4.
Stirling 8 ½, Highlands & Islands 1 ½
St Andrews 4 ½ , Abertay 5 ½
SEMI-FINALS
Abertay 0, Stirling 10
Strathclyde 5 ½, Edinburgh 4 ½
FINAL
Stirling 7, Strathclyde 3
Evan Bryceland lost to Graeme McInroy 2 and 1.
Bradley Brooke bt Andrew Brown 6 and 5.
Karl Shepherd bt Richard Aspin 7 and 6.
Jonny Watt bt James Murchie 9 and 7.
Bobby Rushford bt Dave McIntoy 2 and 1.
Euan Polson halved with Grant Minnes.
Stuart Turnbull lost to Alasdair Leggate 3 and 1.
Blair Paterson halved with Ross Macleod.
Paul Betty bt Andrew Gordon 6 and 4.
Gordon Yates bt Colin Colraine 3 and 2.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Leading totals
148 Robert Taylor (Abertay) 73 75, Brian Soutar (Heriot Watt) 72 76.
149 Creaig Robertson (Glasgow Caledonian) 74 75, Gary Davidson (St Andrews) 73 76.
152 Bobby Rushford (Stirling) 79 73, Grant Minnes (Strathclyde) 77 75,
Paul Betty (Stirling) 76 76, Andrew Gordon (Strathclyde) 74 78.
153 John Duff (Aberdeen) 77 76, Greg McBain (Highlands & Islands) 76 77, Gordon Yates (Stirling) 76 77.
154 Maurice Lindsay (Abertay) 79 75, Ally Love (Heriot Watt) 78 76.
1255 Chris Harkins (Glasgow) 80 75, Jamie Gardiner (Robert Gordon’s) 77 78.
156 Fraser Symon (Dundee) 77 79, Colin Rolraine (Strathclyde) 75 81.
157 Ross Duncan (Heriot Watt) 78 79, Blair Paterson (Stirling) 81 77, Rory McCormick (Aberdeen) 79 79, Jack Musgrove (Edinburgh) 78 80, Ross MacLeod (Strathclyde) 78 80, Niall Finlay (Glasgow) 78 80.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Gross Scores
235 Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling) 78 79 78
240 Olivia Briggs (Stirling) 83 80 77
242 Kerri Harper (Abertay/Dundee) 87 76 79
244 Alex Marshall (Stirling) 83 83 78
245 Emma Tipping (Stirling) 83 82 80
247 Claire McLoughlin (St Andrews) 84 79 84
251 Morag Macpherson (St Andrews) 84 81 80
254 Dawn Dewar (Stirling) 86 88 80
262 Faye Haffey (Edinburgh) 91 84 87
265 Fiona Williamson (Strathclyde) 88 88 89
280 Lynsey Johnston (Edinburgh) 102 91 87
286 Alex Donadelli (St Andrews) 86 99 101
291 Laura Gilmour (Glasgow) 110 90 91
293 Jennifer Elliot (Strathclyde) 111 90 92
297 Katy Robinson (Edinburgh) 96 99 102
318 Kerry Anderson 101 109 108
323 Harriet Kinkead 122 102 99
326 Jessica Glover 121 104 101
Delli Skinner ( Aberdeen) - - 100
Colleen Winstanley (St Andrews) 95 84 NR
Net scores
226 Sarah Patterson (Edinburgh) 72 74 80.
227 Morag MacPherson (St Andrews) 76 73 78.
229 Lynsey Johnson (Edinburgh) 85 74 70, Claire McLoughlin (St Andrews) 78 73 78, Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling) 76 77 76.
235 Fiona Williamson (Strathclyde) 78 78 79.
236 Kerri Harper (Aberetay) 85 74 77.
237 Olivia Briggs (Stirling) 82 79 76.
240 Laura Gilmour (Glasgow) 893 73 74.
241 Alex Marshall (Srtirling) 82 82 77.
242 Emma Tipping (Stirling) 82 81 79.
245 Harriet Kinkead (Strathclyde) 96 76 73, Dawn Dewar (Stirling) 83 85 77.
246 Katy Robinson (Edinburgh) 79 82 85.
247 Faye Haffey (Edinburgh) 86 79 82.
251 Jennifer Elliot (Strathclyde) 97 76 78.
258 Kerry Anderson (Glasgow) 81 89 88.
265 Alex Donadelli (St Andrews) 79 92 84.
272 Jessica Glover (Strathlyde) 103 86 83.

Perth & Kinross County Association Senior squad and officials got together with junior County members at Strathmore Golf Club on Saturday to play a greensomes competition. The winners were:
Best scratch Jillian Milne (Craigie Hill) and junior Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry) -75 .
Best nett - Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) and junior Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) 72 - bih from Jane Yellowlees (Murrayshall) and Annabel Niven (Crieff) / Sal Shepherd (Pitlochry) and Lucy Gilmore (Strathmore).
Nearest the pin on the 5th - Annabel Niven. .

Press Release
COLIN MONTGOMERIE AND SIR STEVE REDGRAVE SWING INTO ACTION FOR SPORT RELIEF
Lloyds TSB Corporate sponsors a nationwide Nearest the Pin competition
Two of Britain's top sports stars, golfing ace Colin Montgomerie and five times Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave, have clubbed together to launch a nationwide competition to raise cash for Sport Relief.
Throughout June, hundreds of golfers will have the chance to swing into action and support the charity via a giant 'Nearest the Pin' competition, sponsored by Lloyds TSB Corporate.
Golf clubs across the country are invited to take part in the fundraiser with members playing to help make a real difference to the lives of those that need it the most.
Competitors will also have the chance to win a round with the golfing legend himself, Colin Montgomerie, plus loads of other prizes including tickets for The Ryder Cup courtesy of The European Tour!
But it's not only individual players that can win the opportunity to meet a sports star - the club with the highest fundraising total will receive a visit from Sir Steve Redgrave.
Players will donate £1 for every "Sport Relief par 3" where they attempt to get "nearest the pin".
At the end of June a winner from each club will have the chance to qualify for the Sport Relief Nearest the Pin Final, and scoop up one of the top prizes.
How golf clubs can enter
- To take part in the competition clubs need to register online at www.sportrelief.com/nearestthepin
- Once registered, the club will receive an exclusive promotional pack containing scorecards, posters, leader boards, measuring devices for par 3's and details of the competition itself
Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief in association with BBC Sport and you can find out more about the campaign by going online at www.sportrelief.com http://www.sportrelief.com.

US College Golf
EMILY SHARING 13TH PLACE IN FLORIDA
Perthshire county player Emily Ogilvy (Arkansas Little Rock University) from Dunning was sharing 13th place on 78 (38-40) at the end of the first round of the Sun Belt Conference women’s college championship at Port St Lucie, Florida.
Emily was six shots behind leader Rebecca Samuelsson (Florida International).
Arkansas Little Rock (310) were in third place in the team event in which North Texas and Florida International were joint leaders on 303.

US College Golf
SCOTS TO FORE IN FLORIDA
Three North and North-east of Scotland golfers were up with the leaders at the end of the first round of the Atlantic Sun Conference college golf championship at Eagle Creek Golf Club, near Orlando, Florida.
Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) from Fraserburgh was one off the pace with a four-under-par 69, the same score as Edinburgh-born team-mate Rhys Davies.
Jacksonville University, Florida team-mates Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) and Russell Knox (Inverness) were sharing fifth place on 70.
East Tennessee State (283) were leading the team event with Jacksonville (286) in third place in a field of 10.

Former Walker Cup player, Hugh Stuart hitting the first ball on the new practice facility.
On the right behind the banner, Forres juniors who played in a clubggolf team during the Pro-Am.
On left behind the banner Forres GC Captain, James Duncan; Forres GC Pro, Sandy Aird; sportscotland’s Colin Pearson and clubgolf’s Martin Bowie

Former Walker Cup player, Hugh Stuart opens New Forres Golf Club practice facilities
Former Scottish Amateur Champion, Hugh Stuart returned to his native Forres today to unveil new practice facilities which will give young Moray golfers better opportunities than ever to develop their skills.
Mr Stuart was a Forres Golf Club junior member in the 1950s. He turned professional aged 18 before returning to the amateur ranks two years later. In 1971 he helped the Great Britain and Ireland team release the USA’s Walker Cup stranglehold. The home team beat America 13-11 at St Andrews. A year later he captured the Scottish Amateur title.
Half a century on from Mr Stuart’s own junior days, a new generation of young golfers in Forres has never had it better.
“We have put a lot of work over the winter into developing the new facilities,” said Forres Pro, Sandy Aird. “We now have an eight bay driving range, we are preparing five short par 3 holes for the junior development, and we have an Arena Green where you can practice your bunker play and pitching.
“Except for the five short holes everything is ready to be used. They will probably need another year so the turf can knit in, or we may be able to use them later this summer.”
Forres GC has an impressive record for attracting and retaining junior members. The club boasts 120 juniors and offer free membership to the under 12 year olds.
The completion of the new facilities comes at the point when Forres is preparing to open its doors to the community’s children. The Club was the first in Scotland to pilot the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf’s Level 3 Development course, and 16 local children are involved. Next year, the Club will cast its net wider and take in children who are experiencing clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf, at school.
Launched last year by former Open Champion, Paul Lawrie, firstclubgolf is played with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets, and taught by teachers. The age of nine has been identified as the best stage for children to learn and become involved with the sport.
Children who enjoy the experience can learn the basics of the game – including the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette - over a 20-week period on clubgolf’s Stage 1 course. It is hosted by golf clubs, led by clubgolf Level 1 volunteer coaches and uses real equipment.
The new practice facilities at Forres Golf Club will provide the perfect setting for the new clubgolf trainees to make their first swings.
“The new facilities are there for all the club members but promoting the game to juniors is our priority,” said Forres GC Captain, James Duncan. “The young children which clubgolf is introducing from primary schools, who are just starting and aren’t ready to go onto the course straight away, will benefit the most.
“Hugh was a junior member at Forres about fifty years ago and as a great favourite at Forres, we felt he would be the perfect person to open the new practice area. He is very keen on helping juniors and we are very grateful that he came over to help us today.”
Today’s opening of the new Forres practice facilities coincided with clubgolf’s inclusion in the Forres Pro-Am. Six teams of three talented junior players from Grampian and Highland were invited to compete in the event. A club Assistant Professional, who provided guidance and mentoring, accompanied each team.
The juniors were from Alford, Brora, Castle Heather, Duff House Royal, Forres, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Fort William, Garmouth & Kingston, Huntly, Invergordon, Kemnay, Nairn Dunbar, Nairn, Newburgh, Royal Dornoch, Tain and Golf Clubs.
The club Assistant Professionals came from Blairgowrie, Inchmarlo, MacDonald Cardrona, Meldrum House, Royal Burgess and West Lothian.
The winning team was Michael Brand, Tain GC (3.2); David MacKay, Royal Dornoch GC (9.1); Lyle McAlpine, Invergordon GC (13). Ross Neill (pro), West Lothian GC; and Pro Ross Neill, West Lothian GC.
clubgolf teams in Forres Pro-Am (handicaps in brackets)
Team 1 Pro: Iain Donaldson, Meldrum House GC. Team members: Jeff Wright, Forres GC (10), Tom Maddocks, Forres GC (10), Tom Dingwall, Forres GC (7).
Team 2 Pro: Nick Holligan, Royal Burgess GC. Team members: Ewan Noble, Kemnay GC (4); Steven Joss, Alford GC (10); Grant Carnie, Newburgh GC (3).
Team 3 Pro: Steve Johnston, MacDonald Cardrona GC. Team members: Lewis Reid, Fortrose & Rosemarkie (5.5); Callum Stewart, Brora GC (8.4); Garry Dunlop, Fort William GC (10).
Team 4 Pro: Ross Neill, West Lothian GC. Team members: Michael Brand, Tain GC (3.2); David MacKay, Royal Dornoch GC (9.1); Lyle McAlpine, Invergordon GC (13).
Team 5 Pro: Hamish Patullo, Blairgowrie GC. Team members: Stewart Stalker, Duff House GC (9); Dennis Grant, Huntly GC (5); Michael Taylor, Garmouth & Kingston GC (7).
Team 6 Pro: Craig Stewart, Inchmarlo GC. Team members: Neill Howitt, Nairn Dunbar GC (Scratch); Fraser Fotheringham, The Nairn GC (0.8); Jamie Treasurer, Castle Heather GC (6.8)
clubgolf Adult Team Audra Booth, clubgolf Grampian Regional Manager. Martin Ritchie, clubgolf Tayside & Fife Regional Manager. Louise Clark, SLGA.

Press Release
The Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club has finally arrived!
Recipient of 2 prestigious awards
It’s been a long and sometimes arduous journey, but the Ring of Kerry Golf Club has finally fulfilled its undoubted potential with the award of a highly prestigious Golf Monthly/HSBC Regional Course Rankings GOLD MEDAL. These awards are based on many criteria, including the course design, condition, clubhouse, facilities and staff. Amongst other recipients of the Gold Award were Royal St Georges, St Andrews and Tralee. Illustrious company indeed and ‘The Ring’ is very proud to be mentioned in the same breath as such greats.
In addition to this, the recent edition of Today’s Golfer – the publication which last year voted ‘The Ring’ 2nd in ‘Ten of the best views in British Isles golf’ – features its readers’ awards for the 100 best 2-FORE!-1 courses in the British Isles. Ring of Kerry was placed 26th, which again confirms the new perception surrounding the course.
Blessed with an unparalleled setting, the beauty of the Ring of Kerry course has never been in question. The course itself, however, gained a reputation for being ‘difficult’. Universal Golf Consulting Ltd, who took over the operation and management of the club 3 years’ ago, set out to alter this perception. Many changes have been made to soften the golf course – including removing rough, re-shaping greens and re-designing holes – to render it much more user-friendly whilst maintaining its championship status. The clubhouse facilities have also been up-graded and a driving range added to the practice facilities. Visitor feedback, plaudits from Pros and awards such as the Gold Medal and the “2-FORE!-1 ranking indicate that the aim has been achieved.
The Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club offers a truly enjoyable experience for golfers of all ability and, at €70 a round on weekdays, offers tremendous value too.

Monday 17th April 2006

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East of Scotland Girls Teams
The following teams were selected at the Cuthbertson Cup to represent East of Scotland Girls:-
Team to represent the East in the Scottish InterDivisional Matches to be played at Ballumbie Castle, Dundee on June 10th and 11th 2006 (Girls with handicaps of 8 upwards are eligible to play)
Team: Rachael Archibald, Rachael Myles, Beth Mackay, Cara Easton, Rachael Watton, Arlene Mc Garity.
Reserves: Gillian Simpson, Hannah Dalrymple, Emma Bissett
Team to represent the East in the match against West of Scotland Girls on June 4th at Deer Park Golf Club, Livingstone
Team: Rachael Archibald, Beth Mackay, Hannah Harvey, Susan Jackson, Rachael Livingstone, Louise MacGregor, Rachael Myles, Rebecca Watson
Reserves: Cara Easton, Rachael Watton, Arlene McGarity, Gillian Simpson
Team to represent the East in the match against the South of Scotland Girls on August 27th at The Woll, Ashkirk
Team: Emma Bissett, Hannah Dalrymple, Helen Goodwin, Samantha Lamb, Gabrielle MacDonald, Gillian Simpson, Keren Ward, Cathy Wood
Reserves: Fiona Milne, Patricia Watt, Jordynn Laird, Kate McIntosh

US College Golf
ENGLISH STUDENTS HELP GEORGIA STATE WIN
Steve Tilley from Canterbury and Hexham's Ben Taylor - both students at Georgia State Uni versity finished third and fourth as their college dominated the Colonial Athletic Association championship at Pinehurst No 6 course in North Carolina.
Over a par-71, 6,943yd course, Georgia State won the team event by 22 shots with a total of 871.
Georgia State also provided four of the first five individuals. Mark Haastrup (Georgia State) scored his third win of the college season with scores of 70, 75 and 69 for 214.
Tilley shot 71, 73 and 72 for 216 while Taylor scored 74, 71 and 76 for 221.

US College Golf
NIGHTMARE FINISH FOR WALLACE BOOTH IN US COLLEGE TOURNAMENT
Former Scottish youths champion Wallace Booth from Comrie had his worst ever round on the American college golf circuit in the Aggie Invitational tournament over the Traditions golf Club course in Bryan, Texas.
Wallace, a junior year student at Augusta State University, ran up quadruple bogey 8s at the last two holes and finished with a 17-over-par round of 89 (42-47).
Booth’s earlier scores had been 79 and 75. He finished 65th in the final of 66 with a total of 243.
It was a nightmare of a tournament for Booth who is not renowned for his straight hitting and the 7,235yd course with a testing par of 72 was too tough for him to handle.
Apart from his pair of 8s to finish the tournament, Wallace had five double bogeys over the 54 holes.
Chris Clarke from Rotherham, a senior student at Oklahoma State Univerestiy, finished joint 15th on 225 with scores of 77, 74 and 74.
Oscar Floren (Texas Tech) showed that the course could be tamed. He won by three strokes with a six-under-par total of 209, made up of scores of 75, 68 and 66.
Augusta State tied for last place in the field of 11 teams with a total fo 928 – 60 shots behind the winners, Texas Tech.

US College Golf
GEDDES THIRD IN ILLINOIS
Scots Stuart Geddes and Adam Lindsay, playing in their first competitions of the year, finished third and 25th respectively in the Monmouth Invitational at Gibson Woods Golf Club, Monmouth in Illinois.
Both are students at Iowan Wesleyan College.
Geddes had a 73 – three shots behind the winner, Tommie Ackerman (Illinois Central) – over the 6,362yd, par-71 course.
Lindsay, from Banchory, had a 78.
Iowa Wesleyan (301) tied for third place behind team winners Illinois Central with a total of 293.

Pictures just in from Disassociated Press photographer, Dusty Sandison.
This morning Beijing awoke to find there had been adust storm during the night which had left the city covered in a layer of light brown dust.
Several rooftops are now being investigated by the Chinese Junior Golf Association as potential bunker practice for Ho Lin Wun and the rest of the junior team.

CLAIRE IS ABERDEENSHIRE GIRLS' FIRST WINNER
Claire Prouse (Hazlehead) won the first Aberdeenshire girls' competition of the year - a stableford medal over the Peterculter course.
Claire, playing off 21 of a handicap, scored 44pt. Caitlin Geddes (Northern) was runner-up with 39pt off 30.
Leading points totals (CSS 70):
C Prouse (Hazlehead) (21) 44pt; C Geddes (Northern) (30) 39; F Fullerton (Huntly) (23) 37; L Duncan (Aboyne) (28), L Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) (12) 36; K Thomson (Kintore) (6), H Thomson (Newmachar) (18) 35; S Leslie (Westhill) (14) 34; N Thomson (Murcar Links) (20), L MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) (9) 32; M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) (3) 31; G Stewart (Newmachar) (16) 30.

SGU Press Release
Scots Out To Stop Spanish Treble
Eight of Scotland’s most experienced amateur golfers will be looking to wrest the honours away from Spain when the two countries meet in their biennial match at Crail on 20th-21st April.
Five top ten finishers in last year’s Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit, including Scottish Amateur Champion Glenn Campbell from Blairgowrie, are in the eight-man team, looking to avenge defeat in the last two meetings.
Two years ago in Spain, Scotland lost 13-11 and were on the wrong end of a similar score (13½-10½) in 2002 at Glasgow Gailes.
The full team is: Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), Jonathan King (Glasgow), Steven McEwan (Kilmarnock Barassie), George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) and Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw).
Scotland team captain, George Crawford said, “The Spanish have already shown their quality this year by retaining the Sherry Cup, but most of our lads have also made a solid start to the season at home and abroad.
“Scott Jamieson reached the semi-finals of the South African Championship and the two youngest members of the team, Paul O’Hara and Steven McEwan, got through to the match play stages at the Portuguese and Spanish championships.
“This is an important year for the National Team with the defence of the Home Internationals and the Eisenhower Trophy. We are in the habit of winning both as a team and as individuals, and I know that we will continue to do our country proud throughout the season, starting with the match against a strong Spanish team.”
The format of this international challenge involves four foursomes in the morning followed by eight singles in the afternoon on both days of the event.

ST ANDREWS TO AWARD HONORARY DEGREE TO CHARLIE SIFFORD
The University of St Andrews is to give an Honorary Degree to Charlie Sifford, the father of African American golf and the man whose career began the dismantling of racial barriers in the sport.
Mr Sifford (84) will travel to the home of golf in June this year where Scotland's oldest University will confer upon him a Degree of Doctor of Laws in a ceremony at the town's Younger Hall.
Dr Brian Lang, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, said:
"Charlie Sifford is a pioneer of the Civil Rights era whose career exemplifies courage, determination and the will to succeed in the face of substantial prejudice and adversity.
"He changed the landscape of sport and his story is one which should challenge and inspire us all.
"It is absolutely fitting that this man, his unique character, his dignity and his gift to golf should be honoured by St Andrews in St Andrews. We are delighted that he has accepted our offer of an Honorary Degree and will be with us in June at graduation."
Charlie Sifford, who Tiger Woods describes as his "honorary grandfather", is an iron willed golf pro who spent his career fighting for inclusion.
He challenged the PGA's Caucasian-only clause to become its first black member in 1960 at a time when the only blacks on tour were caddies. During his career he endured death threats, heard racial slurs shouted from the galleries, was refused entry to clubhouses and in the 1952 Phoenix Open found human faeces in the cup when he and partner Joe Louis got to the first green.
He won the Hartford Open in 1967 and two years later took the Los Angeles Open. He played 422 events on the PGA tour and made 399 cuts.
Despite being the top black player on tour in the 60s, he was never invited to play in the Masters.
In his autobiography "Just Let Me Play" he recalls meeting Jackie Robinson at the time Robinson was trying to break the colour barrier in major league baseball and Sifford was taking his first steps as a pro.
"He asked me if I was a quitter," Sifford said. "I told him no. He said, 'If you're not a quitter, there's going to be a lot of obstacles you're going to have to go through to be successful in what you're trying to do.'
"I made up my mind I was going to do it. I just did it. Everything worked out perfect I think."
Golf went some way to repaying its debt to Charlie Sifford when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004, the first black player to be honoured.
He chose the white South African Gary Player to induct him.
"I have such admiration for this man," said Player, who also holds an Honorary Degree from St Andrews.
"I take my hat off to him...The hypocrisy that Charlie had to put up with! Yet I don't find Charlie bitter, I find him compassionate. I have a great love and empathy for Charlie. I've seen an improvement in golf's stance toward blacks, and Charlie has played a significant role in that improvement.
"Persistence is an ingredient that is essential to success, and Charlie had that persistence.
"To receive an honorary doctorate at the University of St. Andrews, one of the oldest in the world and in the town of the Home of Golf, is a very special honor - an honor Charlie is most deserved of."
Charlie Sifford will be made a Doctor of Laws by the University of St Andrews at a Graduation Ceremony on Thursday June 22nd 2006 at Younger Hall.
He will travel to Scotland with a group of young American golfers, courtesy of the Young Golfers of America Association which promotes education and reaches out to disadvantaged children, mostly minorities, through golf.
The University of St Andrews has a history of honouring sports personalities, particularly golfers, whose lives have been inspirational to others. It has previously conferred Honorary Degrees on Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, Peter Thomson, Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus and Peter Alliss.

ELAINE AND FIONA ON COURSE FOR REPEAT FINAL IN FIFE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
A repeat of last year's Fife women's county championship golf final is on the cards after title-holder Fiona Lockhart, who is also the current Scottish champion, and her St Regulus team-mate, Elaine Moffat, also a past Scottish title-winner, reached the semi-finals at Scotscraig on Saturday.
Teenager Becky Copland, playing over her home course, took Fiona to the 18th green in their quarter-final tie before admitting defeat in. Miss Lockhart was never able to shake off her 18-year-old opponent and was only one up on the 18th tee. Miss Lockhart, the second leading qualifier, won the last hole to finish two up and earn a semi-final tie on April 30 against Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
The other semi-final will be between Elaine Moffat, the top seed in this tournament, and Scotland senior international player Lorna Bennett (Ladybank).
Elaine had two big wins but Lorna ousted Lorna Fury (Thornton) by only one-hole to reach the last four.
FIFE WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Scotscraig Golf Club
Match-play
First round
E Moffat (St Regulus) bt L Rolland (Dunfermline) 5 and 4.
D Ford (Scotscraig) bt K Milne (Dunfermline) at 19th.
L Bennett (Ladybank) bt G Davidson (Saline) 5 and 4.
L Fury (Thornton) bt E Hodgetts (Balbirnie Park) 5 and 4.
L Kenney (Pitreavie) bt H Harvey (St Regulus) 4 and 3.
J Carthew (Ladybank) bt M Curran (Thornton) 6 and 5.
B Copland (Scotscraig) bt E Wilson (Elie & Earlsferry) 4 and 2.
F Lockhart (St Regulus) bt E Muller-Allen (Elie & Earlsferry) 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals
Moffat bt Ford 7 and 6.
Bennett bt Fury 1 hole.
Kenney bt Carthew 5 and 4.
Lockhart bt Copland 2 holes.

Sunday 16th April 2006

The winning Midlothian Cuthbertson Cup team and officials
Back row: L to R: Maggie Macpherson (MCLGA Captain) Rachael Livingstone, Rachel Archibald, Jane Turner, Ellice Cackett (MCLGA Vice-Captain)
Front Row: L to R: Rachel Watton (reserve), Amanda Easton (MCLGA Junior Convenor), Cara Easton

Midlothian Win Cuthbertson Cup
First victory since 2000
Midlothian County Juniors came up trumps today on home soil when the won the East of Scotland Junior Divisional County Championships at Broomieknowe. They beat the holders, Fife, by 2.5 matches to 1.5 in the final.
Jane Turner (Mortonhall) and Susan Jackson (Elmwood) halved the top game, while Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old Course) won 7&6 against Hannah Harvey (St Leonards). Rachael Archibald (Merchants of Edinburgh) lost by 4&3 to Rachael Myles (St Leonards). In the last match Cara Easton (Dalmahoy) beat Camilla Tait (St Regulus) by 5&4.
In the runners-up foursomes between East Lothian and Stirling and Clackmannan honours were shared 1-1 with Emma Fairnie (Dunbar) and Beth Mackay (Gullane) losing by 1 hole to Louise Macgregor (Falkirk Carmuirs) and Judy Shields (Dunblane). In the other foursome Megan Barbour (North Berwick) and Keren Ward beat Arlene McGarty (Bathgate ) and Hannah Dalrymple Glenbervie) by 2&1.
In the morning Midlothian had beat East Lothian by 3.5 match to .5, and Fife had beaten Stirling and Clackmannan 3-1.
Morning results
East Lothian .5 Midlothian 3.5 (East Lothian names first)
Emma Fairnie lost to Jane Turner 2&1
Megan Barbour lost to Rachael Livingstone 9&7
Beth Mackay halved with Rachel Archibald
Keren Ward lost to Cara Easton 7&6
Fife 3 Stirling and Clackmannan 1 (Fife names first)
Susan Jackson beat Louise Macgregor 5&4
Hannah Harvey beat Arlene McGarty 1up
Rachel Myles beat Hannah Dalrymple 3&2
Camilla Tait lost to Judy Shields 1 hole
Afternoon results
Midlothian 2.5 Fife 1.5 (Midlothian names first)
Jane Turner halved with Susan Jackson
Rachael Livingstone beat Hannah Harvey 7&6
Rachael Archibald lost to Rachael Myles 4&3
Cara Easton beat Camilla Tait (St Regulus) by 5&4
East Lothian 1 Stirling and Clackmannan 1 (East Lothian names first)
Emma Fairnie and Beth Mackay lost to Louise Macgregor and Judy Shields 1 hole.
Megan Barbour and Keren Ward beat Arlene McGarty and Hannah Dalrymple 2&1.

French Junior Open Championship
No 2 seed Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) was beaten in the first round of the matchplay stages of the French Junior Ladies Open Championship ar St Cloud, near Paris, yesterday by Laura Gonzalez of Belgium. The result was 4&3.
Tomorrow's 36 hole final for the Trophee Esmonde will be between Caroline Afonso (France) and Carlota Ciganda ((Spain).
Roseanne Niven, who qualified for the Trophee Claude Roger Cartier, was beaten 4&2 by Lucie Andre (France) in the first round. The 18 hole final tomorrow is between Belen Mozo (Spain) and Marita Engzelius (Norway).

Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), 2006 winner of Craigmillar Park Open and runner-up Scott Henry (Cardross)

JAMIESON WINS CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN WITH BIRDIE AT THE LAST
All-the-way leader Scott Jamieson survived a late wobble to win the Craigmillar Park Open on Sunday with a birdie at the last.
Jamieson, 22-year-old Cathkin Braes player from East Kilbride, looked to be cruising to victory after earlier rounds of 66, 66 and 68.
Twice Scottish boys' champion Scott Henry (Cardross) had surged through to be the main challenger with a third-round 65 but Jamieson had a couple of shots in hand of the teenager throughout most of the last circuit.
Then Jamieson, who had been so steady in every facet of his game, suddenly three-putted at the short 15th for a bogey 4 and then drove into trees at the next to run up a double bogey 6.
"I knew on the last tee that I was now level with Scott Henry and that I needed a birdie a win or a par to force a play-off," said Jamieson who spent four years on the American college circuit as a golf scholarship student at Augusta State University.
Jamieson rose to the occasion with a huge drive downhill at the 361yd closing hole. He still needed to get down in two from about 40yd but he showed no sign of nerves in pitching very close for a birdie 3 and a closing round of 70 for a 10-under-par total of 270.
That pipped Henry who had finished with a 69 by one shot.
It was Jamieson's first 72-hole win since he claimed the Scottish boys' open stroke-play title at Lanark in 2001. It was his first win in an SGU Order of Merit event.
"I feel great to have won even though I could have done without the late pressure," said Jamieson. "I think the second round when I did not have a single bogey was a key factor when a lot of players were dropping shots.
There's a long season ahead but I am aiming to qualify for the European Tour Qualifying School at the end of it."
Henry could feel proud to have run Jamieson so close in the end. It was by far his best performance in an SGU Order of Merit event after dominating Scottish under-18 boys golf in 2004 and 2005.
"I've worked hard with coach Ian Rae over the winter to get a more consistent swing and it all came together for that 65 in the third round. Let's hope I made the step up from junior golf at last. It's been a long time coming," said 19-year-old Henry.
[Photos Courtesy and © Copyright Cal Carson Golf Agency]
SCOREBOARD
CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Craigmillar Park GC, Edinburgh
FINAL TOTALS
Par 70 (CSS 71, 70, 70, 70)
270 S Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) 66 66 68 70.
271 S Henry (Cardross) 68 69 65 69.
274 G Murray (Earlsferry Thistle) 72 65 67 70, P O'Hara (Colville Park) 66 69 69 70.
275 S Wilson (Forfar) 70 69 70 66.
276 C Waugh (Dunston Hall) 70 67 72 67, S Lee (Newcasle United) 69 66 71 70.
277 P Waugh (Hexham) 68 69 71 69.
278 M Clark (Kilmacolm) 74 68 69 67.
279 J King (Glasgow) 73 69 67 70, T Mathieson (Murcar Links) 70 68 71 70, G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 71 67 73 68, Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 71 64 72 72.
281 J Wilkinson (Brampton) 69 71 67 74, C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 70 70 71 70, K Mail (Craigmillar Park) 71 67 70 73.
282 J Gallagher (Swanston) 69 70 68 75, B Edmond (Bon Accord) 69 68 76 69.
283 B Fotheringham (Forres) 68 73 72 70, B Innes (Murcar Links) 67 70 73 73.
284 K Reilly (Silverknowes) 72 66 71 75.
285 E Saltman (Craigielaw) 73 69 71 72.
288 T Caldwell (Silverknowes) 73 65 75 75.
289 R Aisbitt (Brancepeth Castle) 76 66 73 74.
291 S Barrowman (Dollar) 70 72 73 76, A Love (Dunbar) 73 68 74 76, K Nicholson (Haddington) 71 69 75 76.
292 G Tough (Letham Grange) 70 72 73 77.
Withdrew: Robert Taylor (Downfield) 72 67 73 -
Disqualified: N Bell (Silverknnowes) 72, 66, -.
NON-QUALIFIERS
143 S Armstrong (Turnhouse) 68 75, W F Bryson (Drumpellier) 73 70, G Rodger (Cambuslang) 73 70, G Paterson (St Andrews New) 70 73, S Mann (Carnoustie) 70 73.
144 G Gorrie (Glasgow) 73 71, J McGhee (Gullane) 72 72, E McIntosh (Newmachar) 72 72.
145 L Saltman (Craigielaw) 69 76, P McLean (Peterhead) 74 71, C Wilkinson (Blyth) 71 74.
146 S Graham (Blairgowrie) 74 72, D Yeats (Newmachar) 73 73.
147 S Michie (Thornton) 76 71, G Cowan (Bellingham) 75 72, D Henderson (Hamilton) 77 70, J Donaldson (Falkirk Tryst) 72 75.
148 A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links) 75 73, M Kerr (Dalmahoy) 72 76, K Young (Glencorse) 73 75, M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 73 75, C Davis (Costessey Park) 78 70, D Anderson (Gullane) 73 75.
149 B Scott (Dumfries & Galloway) 73 76, K Hamilton (Whitecraigs) 75 74, R McKnight (Barassie) 72 77, S McEwan (Barassie) 74 75.
150 I Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle) 77 73, S Knowles (Kingsknowe) 74 76, A Reith (Royal Aberdeen) 74 76.
152 I Christie (Craigmillar Park) 74 78, K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 79 73, R Benvie (Braehead) 78 74.
153 S Elder (Kirkcaldy) 78 75, W Bowe (Workington) 76 77.
155 R McKenzie (Easter Moffat) 82 73, L Vitesse (Nigg Bay) 77 78.
156 D Martin (Alyth) 79 77, D Hulston (Braehead) 79 77.
157 A Ait Lafkih (Ivory Coast) 75 82.
NRs D T Miller (Duddingston) -, R McGuire (Colville Park) 77 - , K Ralston (Shotts) 78 -,C McDonnell (Stocksfield) 74 -, S Mackenzie (West Linton) 76 -, A Dick (Shotts) 72 -, C Bell (Colville Park) 77 -.

Saturday 15th April 2006

French Junior International Championship, St Cloud
Still waiting for results from the French Federation website

JAMES WHITE WINS SCOTTISH BOYS' TITLE
James White (Lundin) today succeeded where his father failed many years ago. He won the Scottish boys' match-play championship final at West Kilbride.
James, five up after 11 holes but only three holes ahead at lunchtime, eventually won the title by a 4 and 3 margin over another Fife, Michael Main (Thornton).
Full report on www.scottishgolfunion.org

Craigmillar Park Open - First Round
CHARLIE STEERS YOUNGER O'HARA TO SHARE OF CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN LEAD
Five years ago the O'Hara partnership of caddie Charlie and his son Steven won the Craigmillar Park Open golf tournament.
Steven is now a tour pro but proud dad Charlie is still in "harness" with
Steven's younger brother Paul - and another Craigmillar Park triumph for the O'Hara family from Motherwell is not beyond the bounds of possibility this weekend in Edinburgh.
Colville Park member Paul shot a fine score of four-under-par 66 over a fast-running course with lightning-quick greens to share the first-round lead with Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) in the 72-hole Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit event.
"Paul is not quite so long a hitter as Steven but he's got his own assets," said Charlie. "I do my best to keep him on the straight and narrow as I did with Steven. Paul listens to me - sometimes - but he's a much better player than I ever was."
Paul O'Hara had a bulging bag of birdies - eight in all- at the third, sixth, eighth, ninth, 10th, 12th, 14th and 16th in halves of 34 (one under par) and 32 (three under). He bogeyed the foufth, fifth, seventh and 13th.
Jamieson, a former Scottish youths champion who did well for Augusta State University on the American college circuit for four years, was a member of the winning Scotland team in last autumn's men's home internationals at Royal St George's. Paul O'Hara did not make that team.
Scott had an eagle 2 at the second but cancelled that out with a double-bogey 6 at the eighth in an outward half of level par 35. Jamieson came surging through to share the pole position with an inward half of four-under-par 31 with birdies at the 10th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 18th.
He had bogeys at the first and 16th.
Aberdonian Bryan Innes (Murcar Links) was in third place on 67(33-34).
SCOREBOARD
CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Craigmillar Park GC, Edinburgh
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 70
66 P O'Hara (Colville Park), S Jamieson (Cathkin Braes).
67 B Innes (Murcar Links).
68 S Armstrong (Turnhouse), B Fotheringham (Forres), P Waugh (Hexham), S Henry (Cardross)..
69 J Gallagher (Swanston), B Edmond (Bon Accord), L Saltman (Craigielaw), S Lee (Newcastle United), J Wilkinson (Brampton).
70 C Watson (East Renfrewshire), S Wilson (Forfar) G Paterson (St Andrews New), C Waugh (Dunston Hall), T Mathieson (Murcar Links), S Mann (Carnoustie), S Borrowman (Dollar).
71 K Nicholson (Haddington), R McAuslin (Duff House Royal), K Mail (Craigmillar Park), Z Saltman (Craigielaw), G Campbell (Blairgowrie), C Wilkinson (Blyth).
72 K Reilly (Silverknowes), M Kerr (Dalmahoy), N Bell (Carlisle), R McKnight (Barassie), J McGhee (Gullane), G Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), R Taylor (Downfield), A Dick (Shotts), E McIntosh (Newmachar), J Donaldson (Falkirk Tryst).
73 B Scott (Dumfries & Galloway), K Young (Glencorse), M Buchan (Cruden Bay), W F Bryson (Drumpellier), E Saltman (Craigielaw), G Rodger (Cambuslang), D Sanderson (Gullane), J King (Glasgow), D Yeats (Newmachar), A Love (Dunbar), T
Caldwell (Silverknowes)..
74 S Knowles (Kingsknowe), C McDonnell (Stocksfield), M Clark (Kilmacolm), A Reith (Royal Aberdeen), P McLean (Peterhead), I Christie (Craigmillar Park), S McEwan (Barassie).
75 A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links), K Hamilton (Whitecraigs), G Cowan (Bellingham), A Ait Lafkih (Ivory Coast).
76 S Michie (Thornton) W Bowe (Workington), S MacKenzie (West Linton), R Aisbitt (Brancepeth Castle).
77 I Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle), R McGuire (Colville Park), D Martin (Alyth), L Vetesse (Nigg Bay), D Henderson (Hamilton), C Bell (Colville Park).
78 S Elder (Kirkcaldy), K Ralston (Shotts), C Davis (Costessey Park), R Benvie (Braehead).
79 D Hulston (Braehead), K Nicol (Fraserburgh).
82 R McKenzie (Easter Moffat).

ELGA Press Release
England win Vilmorin Cup
England have scored a major European triumph by winning the Vilmorin Cup at the French Lady Juniors' Championship at St Cloud for the first time since 1990.
The team of Felicity Johnson, Kiran Matharu and Melissa Reid won the Tournament of Nations with a total of 284, beating Sweden by three shots.
The team competition was played over the two rounds of strokeplay qualifying for the matchplay tournament for the Esmond Trophy. The best two scores, from three, count each day and the England total was four-under par.
Meanwhile, five England players have qualified for the Esmond Trophy, led by 17-year-old international Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) who took fourth place (72, 70), and English girls' champion Melissa Reid (Chevin) who was sixth (70, 72).
Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) qualified 14th (75, 71), English champion Felicity Johnson was 24th (75, 72) and girl international Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) was 25th (74, 73).
The top qualifier was Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 71, 68; followed by Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 71, 70 and Carlota Ciganda (Spain) 70, 71.
Leading team scores: 284 England 1. 287 Sweden 1. 288 France 1, Germany 1. 289 Spain 1, France 2.
[Scotland were well down the leaderboard - GGK]

Friday 14th April 2006

KRYSTLE STILL SPARKLING AS SHE CLAIMS NO 2 SEED PLACE IN PARIS
Krystle Caithness, with excellent rounds of 71 and 70, earned herself the No 2 seed position in the match-play stages of the French junior women’s open golf championship at St Cloud Golf Club, near Paris today (Friday).
The 17-year-old pupil at Waid Academy, Anstruther, a member of the St Regulus Club, St Andrews, had a total of three-under-par 141, bettered only by Anna Nordqvist, the Swedish girl who won the British girls’ open championship last year.
Anna shot 71 and 68 for 139 to lead the 32 qualifiers for the Trophee Esmond championship category by two shots.
Spanish ace Carloto Ciganda had the same 36-hole total as Krystle Caithness but with rounds of 70 and 71, she was placed third by virtue of having the poorer second round.
Krystle was the only one of the four Scottish entries to qualify for the top-flight match-play.
Loretto Golf Academy pupil Roseanne Niven from Crieff – subject to confirmation – appeared to have squeezed into the 16 qualifiers for the second flight match-play competition for the Trophee Claude Roger Cartier.
Roseanne slashed 10 shots off her first-day effort with a fine round of 71 which, amazingly, including a double bogey 5 at the short sixth. She had an eagle 3 at the long 15th and birdies at the second, seventh, 11th and 13th in halves of 37 and 34. Her bogeys came at the first and eighth.
Miss Niven’s aggregate of 152 was matched by five other players in a tie for 32nd place but it seemed as if she would qualify on the basis of having a better second round than her rivals.
Stirling University student Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) had rounds of 78 and 75 for 153 to finish in 57th place in the field of 120. Clare started her second day with a double bogey 6 and had another double bogey at the short 11th. But she did birdie the ninth, 10th and 16th in hlves of 37 and 38.
Fellow Stirling student Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) played well below her considerable potential to finish in 114th place with rounds of 83 and 82 for 165.
FRENCH JUNIOR WOMEN’S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Paris St Cloud
LEADING QUALIFIERS (Trophee Esmond)
139 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 71 68.
141 Krystle Caithness (Sco) 71 70, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 70 71.
142 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 72 70, Caroline Masson (Ger) 72 70, Melissa Reid (Eng) 70 72.
Other qualifiers included:
146 Rachel Jennings (Eng) 75 71.
147 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 74 72, Florentyna Parker (Eng) 74 73.
TROPHEE CLAUDE ROGER CARTIER
Qualifiers included (subject to confirmation)
148 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 71 77.
151 Jodi Ewart (Eng) 73 78.
152 Roseanne Niven (Sco) 81 71.
Non-qualifiers included:
153 Clare-marie Carlton (Sco) 78 75.
155 Joanne Hodge (Eng) 79 77.
157 Natasha Podmore (Eng) 83 74.
165 Kylie Walker (Sco) 83 82.

THREE SCOTS ACES IN PORTUGAL PACK
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort's Scottish-born director of golf Billy Sim is pictured with compatriots and European Tour players Clare Queen (Drumpellier), left, and Lynn Kenny (Stirling), right, after they had partnered each other in the second round of the European Golf Writers Golf Championship at Santo Estevao, near Lisbon.
Clare and Lynn eventually tied for first place (after 54 holes) in the female guest category with 101 Stableford points apiece.
Lynn won the top prize by virtue of having scored more points in the third and final round.
Click here for report and further photos

MAIN v WHITE FOR SCOTTISH BOYS' TITLE
Saturday's 36-hole final (8.30am & 1pm) of the Scottish boys' match-play championship will be an all-Fife contest for the first since since 1960.
Michael Main (Thornton) will play James White (Lundin).
In the semi-finals, Main, who had ousted Daniel Torrance (Wentworth) in the quarter-finals, beat James Byrne from Banchory by 2 and 1, and White beat Jamie Neilson (Dunbar) at the 20th.
For all the championship results and a full report of Friday's play, log on to www.scottishgolfunion.org

CATHY RUNNER-UP TO FRENCH SENIOR ACE
Cathy Panton-Lewis won the top professional prize and finished runner-up overall to French amateur Cecilia Mourgue-d'Algue in the French senior women's open international championship at Golf de Chantaco Golf Club.
Cathy had rounds of 75 and 70 for a total of 145 - five shots behind Cecilia who scored 71 and 69 for 140.
It was yet another title for Cecilia, pictured right, who has been French senior women's champion 10 times and European senior women's title-winner on five occasions. Since 1967, Cecilia is reputed to have won more than 60 international titles across Europe.
LEADING TOTALS
140 Cecilia Mourgue-d'Algue (St Nom la Breteche, France) 71 69.
145 Cathy Panton-Lewis (Scotland) (pro) 75 70.
147 Claudine Chatrier (France) (pro) 74 73.
Other scores included:
160 Susan Pickles (England) 75 85.
161 Denise Parker (England) 77 84.

US College Golf
KISS ME, KATE! SHE FINISHES FOURTH IN ALABAMA
Kate O’Sullivan (High Point University) from Paisley had one of her best results of the 2005-2006 American women’s college golf season at McCalla, Alabama this week.
She finished fourth in the Big South Women’s Championship over a 6,184yd, par-72 course at Bent Brook Golf Club.
Kate had rounds of 72, 76 and 74 for a six-over-par total of 222.
Winner was Ann Maness (Coastal Carolina Uni veresity) with 76, 73 and 78 for 217.
High Point team-mates Jenna Kinnear from Belfast and Ann-Marie Dalton from Carlow finished joint 19th and 22nd respectively.
Jenna had three rounds of 79 for 237 while Ann-Marie scored 81, 77 and 80 for 238.
High Point (930) finished fourth of eight in the team event won by Birmingham Southern (889).
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
217 Ann Maness (Coastal Carolina) 76 73 68.
218 Erin White (Winthrop) 70 73 75.
221 Jill Stupiansky (Birmingham Southern) 78 73 70.
222 Kate O’Sullivan (High Point) 72 76 74.
Also:
237 Jenna Kinnear (High Point) 79 79 79 (tied 19th).
238 Ann-Marie Dalton (High Point) 81 77 80 (tied 22nd).
LEADING TEAMS
889 Birmingham Southern.
905 Coastal Carolina.
907 Winthrop.
930 High Point.

Thursday 13th April 2006

KRYSTLE IS A SPARKLER IN PARIS
Fife teenager Krystle Caithness bounced back from a double-bogey 6 at the first hole to be up with the leaders at the end of the first qualifying round in the French junior women’s open golf championship at Golf de Saint Cloud, Paris.
Waid Academy pupil Krystle, 17, shot a one-under-par 71 to give herself an excellent chance of figuring among the 32 qualifiers who will go forward to the match-play stages after another 18 holes on Friday.
Krystle, twice winner of the SLGA St Leonards Under-16 girls’ open title and the Scottish women’s champion of champions’ tournament winner last year, soon got back to level par with a birdie 3 at the ninth and continued to reel off par figures until she birdied the long 10th.
Then the St Regulus Club, St Andrews member wobbled with bogeys at the short 13th and the 14th before getting back on track with a hat-trick of birdies at the long 15th, par-4 16th and long 17th. Krystle’s halves were one-over-par 36 for the first nine and two-under 35 for the inward half.
Roseanne Niven from Crieff, a pupil at Loretto Golf Academy, finished on nine-over-par 81 after a disastrous 9 at the par3-13th. She had also had a double-bogey at the seventh in an outward 37. Roseanne did have four birdies – at the third, fifth, ninth and 16th.
Stirling University student Kylie Walker never got into her stride at all in returning an 83. The big-hitting Buchanan Castle player did not have a single birdie and bogeys at the second, fifth, sixth, seventh, 11th and 13th were followed by double bogeys at the 16th and 17th in halves of 39 and 44.
No information was available on the French Federation website about Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling University & Fereneze), the fourth Scot in the field.
LEADING SCORES
UNDER-18s
69 Isabelle Boineau (Fra).
70 Carolota Ciganda (Spa).
71 Krystle Caithness (Sco).
72 Caroline Masson (Ger), Anna Rossi (Ita), Kiran Matharu (Eng).
73 Jodi Ewart (Eng), Diana Terol (Spa), Alessandra Averna (Ita).
Also:
74 Florentyna Parker (Eng).
75 Rachel Jennings (Eng).
81 Rosanne Niven (Sco).
UNDER-21s
70 Elena Giraud (Fra), Melissa Reid (Eng), Morgane Bazin (Fra).
71 Claire Grignolo (Ita), Anna Nor5dqvist (Swe), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Johanna Rodert (Swe).
72 Caroline Afonso (Fra).
73 Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Carolina Andrade (Spa), Sonia Cologan (Spa).
Also:
79 Joanne Hodge (Eng).
83 Kylie Walker (Sco).

LAST EIGHT IN SCOTTISH BOYS' CHAMPIONSHIP
They are down to the last eight in the Scottish boys' match-play championship at wild and windy West Kilbride.
The quarter-finalists are:
MICHAEL MAIN (Thornton).
DANIEL TORRANCE (Wentworth).
CAMERON GRAY (West Kilbride).
JAMES BYRNE (Banchory).
JAMIE NEILSON (Dunbar).
JOHN SHANKS (Ardeer).
JACK MEECHAN (Dullatur).
JAMES WHITE (Lundin).
To find out all Thursday's results and a full report, log on to www.scottishgolfunion.org

ALISON DAVIDSON TO CAPTAIN SCOTS IN WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Alison Davidson from Stirling has accepted an invitation from the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to captain the Scotland squad of three in the world women’s amateur team championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy at Stellenbosch Golf Club, South Africa in October.
It will be Alison’s first experience of team captaincy. She was invited by the Ladies Golf Union to skipper the Great Britain & Ireland team in the Espirito Santo Trophy tournament of 2002 but had to withdraw because she was starting a family at the time.
Alison, who will be 38 on June 17, first represented Scotland in 1988 at the European junior team championship in Belgium and has had an outstanding career as a player in amateur golf.
In 1996 at Killarney Golf Club, Ireland, Alison Rose as she was then, became one of the handful of players to win all four matches for Great Britain & Ireland in a Curtis Cup match against the United States. She also played in the Curtis Cup match of 1998 at Minikahda, Minneapolis in 1998.
She also played for Great Britain & Ireland against the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy matches of 1995 and 1997.
Her last of many appearances for Scotland was in the European women’s team championship of 1999 but she has continued to be a leading player in the Stirling & Clackmannan women’s county championship and the very successful county team.
Alison is the current holder of the Stirling & Clackmannan title which she also won in 1990, 1991 and 1992. She was beaten in the finals of 2002 and 2003 by Heather Stirling and Lynn Kenny respectively.
Alison, who had the ability to play brilliant golf at a very fast pace, could be said to have peaked as a player in 1997 when she followed in the footsteps of the late Jessie Valentine by winning the Scottish women’s amateur championship and the British women’s open amateur championship in the same year.
Alison beat Mhairi McKay in the final of the “British” at Cruden Bay in 1997, having beaten Hilary Monaghan in the final of the “Scottish” at West Kilbride the previous month.
The previous year, Alison lost to Anne Laing in the final of the Scottish championship at Royal Dornoch.
“I’m thrilled to bits at the prospect of captaining Scotland,” said Alison who still works two days a week in a Stirling bank.
“I’ve never skippered a team before but I’ve got lots of experience from playing in international teams over the years so hopefully I can pass on the things I have learned from the way the different captains I’ve served under.
“I still like to play golf but with two young children – Euan will be four in September and Cara two in July – it’s not easy to find the time,” she said.
For the first time since the early years of the Espirito Santo Trophy world championship, Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales are being permitted to enter teams in the biennial event instead of having players compete as a Great Britain & Ireland team.

US College Golf
SCOTS OUT OF CONTENTION IN WINDY ILLINOIS
Scottish youths champion Peter McLachlan and team-mate Stephen Clark were well out of contention for the leading places in the Billiken Invitational college tournament at the Gateway National Golf Links, Hollister in Illinois this week.
The Glasgow pair, students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, finished tied 35th and 47th respectively in very windy conditions.
Stephen shot 76, 75 and 78 for 229 to be UMKC’s leading player for the fourth tournament in a row.
Freshman Peter, playing as an individual rather than have his scores counting for the UMKC team, had 83, 74 and 74 for 231. McLachlan’s effort was one of the best for the final round, played in the worst of the weather.
Barry O’Neill (St Louis University)) won with a total of 217 over the 6,950yd, par 71 course. He shot 71, 69 and 77 to win by two shots from Chris Bouchard (Evansville University) who had scores of 74, 69 and 76.
Western Illinois (887) won the team event by one stroke from St Louis. Missouri-Kansas City came 10th with a total of 915.

Volunteer coaches from Aberdour Golf Club, centre left and right, Gary Lister and Charlie Nielson, with PGA coaches on clubgolf’s PGA Level 1 Training for Volunteers Course

Press Release
Aberdour volunteer coaches trained to put local children on the fairways
Fife’s Aberdour Golf Club is leading the nationwide initiative to attract local primary school children to golf courses after four members took part in the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf’s PGA clubgolf Level 1 Training for Volunteers Course.
clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The strategy has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009.
“Everybody who did the training was very impressed, both the literature that was sent through, the way it was structured, and by being able to tie in with other people with other clubs and get ideas of what others are doing,” said Aberdour Golf Club Junior Convener, Peter Vamplew, who is keen to build on the club’s already strong junior membership.
“Two of our male members did the training in South Ayrshire last month and two lady members went on the training course in St Andrews.”
Whilst the volunteer coaches took part in a training course which will help them introduce local children to the fundamentals of golf at the club, via clubgolf’s Stage 1 course, P5 children at nearby Aberdour Primary School will experience the fun and excitement of firstclubgolf.
Launched last year by former Open Champion, Paul Lawrie, firstclubgolf is the clubgolf’s introductory game. Played with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets, and taught by teachers, firstclubgolf is designed as a safe and exciting introduction to the game. The age of nine has been identified as the best stage for children to learn and become involved with the sport.
Twenty of Aberdour Primary’s children enjoyed the experience so much that they have already signed up for clubgolf’s Stage 1 course at the golf club. At the end of this month they will embark on a 20-week course, using real equipment and covering the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette.
The course will be staged in two 10-week blocks and the club is planning to run a girls only session to attract more female members. Aberdour is planning to send a further four members on the volunteer coach training course this summer, so they can cast the net further to incorporate other local primary schools in 2007. Elsewhere in Fife members of Canmore and Dunnikier Park Golf Clubs have taken part in clubgolf volunteer training courses this spring.
“clubgolf seems a very well organized, structured programme and it has support from all the major bodies,” said Mr Vamplew. “Tying in with the schools is a big plus.”

Ladies European tour
LET ANNOUNCES “THE 18 FINEST" BY BANQUE BARING BROTHERS STURDZA SA
The Ladies European Tour is delighted to announce “The 18 Finest" by Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA.
This is a unique new competition where two holes will be selected from nine courses on the 2006 LET schedule to create a fantasy round of 18 holes.
The prize fund is 100,000 Euros and will be shared among the top five finishers of The 18 Finest, with a first prize of 35,000 Euros.
Qualifying events for The 18 Finest are:
The Tenerife Ladies Open at Abama Golf (April 27-30); The Open de Espana Femenino at Panoràmica Golf and Country Club (May 11-14); The KLM Ladies Open at Eindhovensche Golf (June 2-4); the BMW Ladies Italian Open at Sheraton Golf (June 14-17); the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Machynys Peninsula Golf Club (August 17-20); the Ladies Norwegian Masters at Oslo Golfklubb (August 25-27); Nykredit Masters at Odense Eventyr Golf Klub (September 7-10); the Siemens Austrian Ladies Open at Golfclub Föhrenwald (September 14-17); and the Ladies English Open at Chart Hills Golf Club (October 6-8).
In order to qualify for The 18 Finest, members of the LET must make the cut at each event where there are participating golf holes. The scores carded on these holes in each round of the tournament will be added together to make a cumulative total for each golf hole. At the end of The 18 Finest, the player with the lowest cumulative score over the designated 18 holes will win the series.
The original idea was developed by founding sponsor Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA in connection with the Ladies European Tour and is the first-ever golf programme designed for professional women’s golf which incorporates player performances over 18 holes on different golf courses.
“We are proud to have helped develop this unique idea, which will bring further excitement to the LET calendar,” said Eric Sturdza, President of Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA. “Our wish is to promote sport, competition and reward success. In this frame of mind, we have decided to create and support The 18 Finest Trophy in order to contribute to the Ladies European Tour and enhance its already fine programme.”
Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour, added: “We are thrilled that such a prestigious company as Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA recognises the tremendous potential of The Ladies European Tour and we appreciate that they have chosen to support the LET through The 18 Finest."
“To be associated with such a successful name as Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA, which has such a high international profile, is a fantastic achievement and with such closely aligned values, we look forward to the start of a long and successful partnership.”
Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA is a privately owned Swiss bank with a long and established track record of both original and successful global investment ideas that have enhanced performance and protected capital. Stability of the management and personnel, reliable service and prompt execution result in a bespoke package for the clients of the bank.

NEW OWNERS AT STRATHMORE GOLF CENTRE
Strathmore Golf Centre, near Alyth in Perthshire has been bought by the Howell family who are already one of the biggest employers in the area with their ownership of the Lands of Loyal Hotel, the Alyth Hotel and the Strathmore Arms at Glamis.
The golf centre was originally the brainchild of farmer Pat Barron who had the 18-hole Rannaleroch course and nine-hole Leitfie Links built on his land alongwith a clubhouse, floodlit driving range and practice pitching and putting facilities in the mid-1990s.
LPGA Tour player Kathryn Marshall from Monifieth drove the first ball at the pay-and-play complex in 1996.
Mr Barron put Strathmore Golf Centre on the market earlier this year and there was no shortage of potential buyers for a golf facility which is not all that far away from Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh, making it an ideal location for a society or club day outing.
Peter Howell’s brother-in-law David Norman, one of the owners, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the centre. Most of his team have been involved in the centre since it opened 10 years ago.
The new management plan to develop the centre’s dining facilities, increasing the capacity for visiting parties. And you don’t have to be a member or a pay-and-play golfer to sample the catering in the clubhouse. Any visitors in the area which has some wonderful views over Strathmore to the Sidlaw Hills is welcome to stop by for a meal or simply tea and scores.
A round over the Rannaleroch course costs £26 in midweek and £32 at weekends.
Strathmore Golf Centre can be contacted by telephoning 01828 633322 or by logging on to www.strathmoregolf.com.

Follow our Easter trail at the British Golf Museum
Bounce down to the British Golf Museum this Easter weekend and let your little bunnies follow our Easter trail around the galleries. We have a special Easter trail for the children to follow while you enjoy our exciting new exhibits and displays. At the end of the trail why not try dressing up in period costume or try your putting skills using replica clubs and balls from the last 175 years?
Located opposite the famous Royal and Ancient Golf Clubhouse and beside the beautiful West Sands beach this is the ideal place to start your Easter visit to St Andrews and makes the perfect break from playing golf.
The Easter trail can be taken at the museum from Friday 14th- Monday 17th April.

US College golf
HARD GOING FOR STEPHANIE IN TEXAS
Stephanie Crolla, a student at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux in Louisiana, finished 33rd in a field of 35 for the Southland Conference women's college tournament at Kingwood Forest Golf Club, Kingwood in Texas.
Stephanie had rounds of 89, 85 and 90 for a 48-over-par total of 264.
The winner, Therese Nilsson (Lamar University) was 11 over par for the three rounds with scores of 78, 75 and 74 for 227.
Lamar (936) won the team event by 21 shots from Texas State University.
Nicholls State came last of the seven competing teams with a total of 1017.

Carly Booth, 13-year-old winner (the youngest) of the 2006 SLGA St Leonards Under-16 girls' open stroke-play championship at Strathtyrum course, St Andrews last week.
[Photo Courtesy and Copyright © SLGA]

Wednesday 12th April 2006

DOWN TO LAST 32 IN SCOTTISH BOYS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Sam Torrance's son Daniel won the big tie of the third day of the Scottish boys' match-play championship at West Kilbride today. He beat Zack Saltman by 2 and 1.
Lewis Kirton (Newmachar), another of the favourites, is through to the last 32 but international team colleague, Ross Kellett (Colville Park), is now on the sidelines.
All the results and a fuller report available on www.scottishgolfunion.org

Ayrshire County Championship
LESLEY KEEPS AYRSHIRE TITLE IN 50MPH WINDS AT WESTERN GAILES
Lesley Hendry, 20-year-old Routenburn player, won the Ayrshire women’s county golf championship for the second year in a row as Western Gailes lived up to its name with winds gusting over 50mph on the final day.
Top qualifier Lesley retained the title – the first player to do so since Sharon Lambie in 1998-99 - after a classic final against Roslyn Kennedy (Troon Ladies), the No 6 qualifier.
A nip-and-tuck match, in which the standard of scoring was very good considering the adverse conditions, went all the way to the 19th before Miss Hendry triumphed with a par 4.
Roslyn, Ayrshire champion in 1995 and 2000, lost the 10th and 11th to fall two down but she was all square again by winning the 14th and 15th.
Lesley edged ahead again by winning the 16th but Roslyn won the 17th and the 18th was halved.
In the morning semi-finals, Miss Hendry beat three times champion Sharon Lambie (Troon Ladies) by 4 and 3 while Miss Kennedy ended the great run by teenager Morag Macpherson (Turnberry), beating her by 2 and 1.
Results:
Semi-finals – L Hendry (Routenburn) beat S Lambie (Troon Ladies) 4 and 3, R Kennedy (Troon Ladies) bt M Macpherson (Turnberry) 2 and 1.
Final – Hendry bt Kennedy at 19th.
[Photo courtesy Catherine Malcolm]

US College Golf
KEIR AND KATY McNICOLL DO WELL IN SUNSHINE STATE COLLEGE GOLF
Carnoustie brother and sister Keir and Katy McNicoll both did well for their American college, Lynn University, in the Sunshine State Conference college golf championships at Lake Jovita Country Club, Saint Leo in Florida this week.
In the men’s event Keir finished second, beaten by a single shot, with scores of 72, 78 and 69 for a three-over-par total of 219 over a very long course of some 7,202yd.
Dan Walters (Rollins College) was the winner with 218 (73-76-69).
But with Keir’s team-mate Gavin Dear from Edinburgh sharing 13th place on 229 with scores of 74, 83 and 72, Lynn University won the men’s team title with a total of 890 – 17 shots ahead of runners-up Rollins in the nine-team event.
In the women’s event at the same venue, Katy, a freshman student, finished joint 16th and Lynn University to come second in the women’s team event.
Katy had rounds of 84, 81 and 79 for a total of 244 over the 5,858yd course over which not one player in the female field of 34 equalled the par of 72.
Mariana De Biase (Rollins College) won with a nine-over-par total of 225 (73-76-76), one shot ahead of team-mate Charlotte Campbell (75-73-78).
Rollins College (922) won the team title from Lynn University (961) with Barry University (965) third of the seven competing colleges.

US College Golf
JORDAN FINDLAY’S LATE DOUBLE BOGEY CAPS ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING DAY
A double bogey 5 at the short 17th in his final round took the edge off Jordan Findlay’s last-day recovery in the inaugural United States collegiate golf championship over the Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside course at Alpharetta, Georgia.
The Fraserburgh teenager, pictured right, after disappointing rounds of 78 and 77, was heading for a two-over-par 74 – not bad scoring over a 7,020yd course – after shaking off bogeys at the third, fourth and sixth with a birdie at the eighth to turn in 38.
Jordan then parred his way in until stumbling at the short 17th which cost him a 5 and a third-round 76 for a final total of 15-over-par 231.
That gave him a placing of 51st in a field of 69.
All in all it was not a tournament to remember for the Scot and his East Tennessee State team-mates.
Rhys Davies had some reasons to be cheerful with a joint seventh finish on level par 216. The Edinburgh-born Welshman had rounds of 68, 75 and 73.
Irishman Cian McNamara tied for 34th place on 225 with scores of 75, 79 and 71. Cian’s final round included six birdies and a double bogey at the short sixth.
The other East Tennessee State players in the tournament, Ulsterman Gareth Shaw and Englishman Adam Hodkinson, finished tied 40th and tied 63rd respectively.
Shaw shot 74, 77 and 76 for 227. A roller-coaster last round saw Gareth have double bogeys at the short sixth and short 17th but he signed off with an eagle 3 at the 18th.
Hodkinson finished on 237, slumpingto an 84 after steady rounds of 77 and 76. Adam had three 7s on his final card – a triple bogey at the seventh and double bogeys at the ninth and 18th.
Stephen Poole (Clemson) stepped into claim the individual honours with scores of 70, 70 and 71 for five-under-par 211.
All-the-way leader Webb Simpson (Wake Forest) collapsed with a final-round 77 after making the running on the back of a 68 and a 67. Simpson was five over par for the last seven holes, including a double bogey 5 at the short 13th. Even so he finished only one shot behind the winner in a tie for second place with Brendan Todd (Georgia).
Clemson also won the team event with a total of 864 – three ahead of Florida. East Tennessee State came eighth od `2 with 895.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
811 Stephen Poole (Clemson) 70 70 71.
212 Webb Simpson (Wake Forest) 68 67 77, Brendan Todd (Georgia) 70 72 70.
Other scores:
216 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 68 75 73 (tied 7th).
222 Steve Tiley (Georgia State) 78 66 78 (tied 21st).
225 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 75 79 71 (tied 34th).
227 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 74 777 76 (tied 40th).
231 Jordon Findlay (East Tennessee State) 78 77 76 (51st).
232 Matt Mills (Texas) 75 79 78 (tied 52nd).
237 Adam Hodkinson (East Tennessee Steate) 77 76 84.
LEADING TEAMS
864 Clemson.
867 Florida.
875 Wake Forest.
876 Georgia, Georgia Tech.
885 Georgia State.
Also:
895 East Tennessee State (8th).
899 Texas (10th).

Tuesday 11th April 2006

Scottish Boys Championship
WEDNESDAY SPOTLIGHT ON TORRANCE v SALTMAN
The third-round meeting of Daniel Torrance (Sunningdale) and Zack Saltman, the youngest of the three talented golfing brothers at Craigielaw Golf Club, will be the crowd-puller on Wednesday's programme at the Scottish boys' match-play championship at West Kilbride.
Andrew Weir (Montrose Mercantile) was one of the late winners today, beating Graeme Reid (Newbattle) at the 21st.
Michael Main (Thornton) and Roddy Forgie (Muckhart) both won through at the 19th in late finishing ties.
All the results and a fuller report are available on www.scottishgolfunion.org

AYRSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
DEFENDING CHAMPION LESLEY SWEEPS INTO AYRSHIRE COUNTY SEMI-FINALS
Title-holder Lesley Hendry, pictured right last year with the trophy, swept into Wednesday morning’s semi-finals of the Ayrshire women’s county golf championship with two big-margin wins when the match-play stages commenced at Western Gailes Golf Club.
Routenburn member Lesley, the top seed, beat Christine Milroy (Loudoun) by 8 and 7 in the morning and then scored a 6 and 5 win in the afternoon against Lesley Williamson (Kilmarnock Barassie).
Miss Hendry now plays three times champion Sharon Lambie (Troon Ladies) for a place in the afternoon final.
Sharon had to go to the 19th in her first-round tie before getting the better of clubmate Rosemary Donaldson. Then Miss Lambie had to play another extra hole in the afternoon before beating Rosalind Purdom (Prestwick St Nicholas).
The second semi-final will feature Roslyn Kennedy (Troon Ladies), the 2000 county champion, and teenager Morag Macpherson (Turnberry) who ousted Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Nicholas), title-winner in 1992 and six times a finalist, on the 18th green in the second round.
In the morning Morag won the longest tie of the day, beating the 2004 champion, Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) at the 21st.
Semi-finals start at 9 and 9.15 with the final at 2pm.
AYRSHIRE WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Western Gailes Golf Club.
Match-play – First round – L Hendry (Routenburn) bt C Milroy (Loudoun) 8 and 7, L Williamson (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt J Finnie (Troon Ladies) 5 and 4, S Lambie (Troon Ladies) bt R Donaldson (Troon Ladies) at 19th, R Purdom (Prestwick St Nicholas) bt L Keohone (Loudoun) 6 and 5, D Watt (Belleisle) bt N McCrossin (Troon Ladies) 6 and 5, R Kennedy (Troon ladies) bt E Wilson (Kilmarnock Barassie) 4 and 3, M Macpherson (Turnberry) bt A Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) at 21st, C Malcolm (Prestwick St Nicholas) bt A Thompson (Loudoun) 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals – Hendry bt Williamson 6 and 5, Lambie bt Purdom at 19th, Kennedy bt Watt 3 and 1, Macpherson bt Malcolm 1 hole.

HEATHER HOME FROM STATES TO MOUNT BID FOR CURTIS CUP TEAM PLACE
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
British women’s open amateur stroke-play golf champion Heather MacRae has cleared the boards for an all-out bid to win a Curtis Cup team place this summer.
The 22-year-old from Dunblane, winner of the British title over four rounds and a play-off at Nairn’s classic links last August, is back home in Scotland ahead of schedule after nearly five years at American colleges.
“I had finished my work at San Diego State University and I wanted to come home and play the full tournament season in Britain since the San Diego State team are not going to advance to the post-season NCAA championships in May,” said Heather who originally went to McLennan College at Waco, Texas shortly after winning the Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play title at Glenbervie in 2001.
“I’m really glad to be back in Scotland for good although I enjoyed America and playing on the women’s college circuit over there.”
Miss MacRae was a member of the nine-strong Great Britain & Ireland team who retained the Vagliano Trophy at Chantilly, France last summer by beating the Continent of Europe.
The GB&I team for the Curtis Cup match against the United States at Bandon Dunes, Oregon on July 29 and 30 has only eight players in its line-up so Heather is taking nothing for granted.
She knows that it will be this season’s form, particularly in the big events, rather than last year’s achievements that will influence the GB&I team selectors.
Dunblane New Golf Club member Heather has already been named alongwith Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), a former San Diego State University team-mate, by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to be Scotland’s team of two in the international stroke-play event which is staged in conjunction with the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur championship at Troon on April 22 and 23.
Heather, Jenna and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) will form the Scotland No 1 team for the Welsh women’s open amateur stroke-play championship at Whitchurch, Cardiff on May 6 and 7.
The No 2 Scotland trio for the Welsh 54-hole tournament are 13-year-old Carly Booth (Comrie), recent winner of the SLGA St Leonards Under-16 girls’ open stroke-play championship, Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) and Martine Pow (Selkirk).
(Photo Courtesy and Copyright © Tom Ward)

Angus Girls' Champion, Rebecca Wilson and runner-up Laura Falconer with Jean Thomson who presented the Angus Girls trophy in 1990

Rebecca Wilson wins Angus Girls title
The Angus Junior Championship took place on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th April 2006, at Arbroath Golf Club.
Despite the windy weather the girls performed well with the following girls qualifying for the knockout stages.
Rebecca Wilson v Ashley Smith
Laura Falconer v Jillian Pryde
Rebecca and Laura both won their respective ties to qualify for the final.
Rebecca won the final managing to retain the Jean Thomson trophy which she had won in 2005.

ELGA Press Release
Sophie and Kiran to represent England at Helen Holm
Internationals Sophie Walker and Kiran Matharu will represent England in the team event at the Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship.
Sophie, 21, (Kenwick Park) is ELGA’s Order of Merit titleholder and has just finished runner-up in the Sherry Cup in Spain. Kiran, 17, (Cookridge Hall) is the Faldo Series girls’ champion. The reserve is former England champion Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).
The championship will be played on the Portland and Old Course at Royal Troon Golf Club on April 22 and 23.

ELGA Press Release
England plans strong defence of Welsh team title.
England has named two strong sides to defend the team title at the Welsh Open 54-hole strokeplay championship at Whitchurch Golf Club, Cardiff, on May 6 and 7.
Team A is: English strokeplay champion Laura Eastwood (Yelverton), English champion Felicity Johnson (Harborne) and ELGA Order of Merit titleholder Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park).
Team B is: English mid-amateur champion Naomi Edwards (Ganton), English girls’ champion Melissa Reid (Chevin) and former English champion Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).

ELGA Press Release
Liz and Alex retain Mothers and Daughters title
Liz Boatman, former victorious Curtis Cup captain, and her daughter Alex overcame a very strong field to retain the Mothers and Daughters 27-hole scratch foursomes title at Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club.
This was their fourth victory in the event in the last 10 years and they won by three shots from 12-year-old Alexandra Peters, a seven-handicapper from Notts Ladies, and her mother, Ann.
The Peters, both Nottinghamshire county players, started and finished their 27 holes with a birdie – and stole second place by a shot from the 2004 winners Elsie Provan and Sarah Saggers from East Herts.
Another 12-year-old to share the limelight was Claudia Beasley from Woburn, grand-daughter of Sir Michael Bonallack, past captain of the R&A. She and her mother, Glenna, won the 27-hole handicap prize – helped by Claudia’s 25ft birdie putt on the 7th.
FINAL SCORES
113 - E Boatman & A Howe (Royal Worlington/Royal County Down) 74, 39; 116 -A & A Peters (Notts Ladies) 78, 38; 117 - E Provan & S Saggers (East Herts) 74, 43; 121 - J Thornhill & C Weeks (Walton Heath) 80, 41, S & J Hicks-Beach (Stover) 81, 40, K & J Cooper (Kirby Muxloe/Glen Gorse) 82, 39, A Laughland & R Jenner (Rye) 82,39; 122 - S & H Lovelock (Hindhead) 82, 40; 123 – W & K Laud (Droitwich/Worplesdon) 79, 44; 126 - A & K Taylor (Walton Heath) 83,43, H & F Lilley (Sickleholme/Rothley Park) 87, 39; 127 – L & L Hitchcock (Chigwell) 81, 46, B & C Cummins (Parkstone) 84, 43, G & C Beasley (Woburn) 85, 42, S & B Bennett (Brockenhurst Manor) 86,41, J Jackson & A Kelly (Huntercombe/Cirencester) 89,38

Volunteer coaches from South Ayrshire and tutors on clubgolf’s PGA clubgolf Level 1 Training for Volunteers Course)

Press Release
Thirteen new volunteer coaches trained to put South Ayrshire children on the fairways
Four South Ayrshire golf clubs have taken the big step towards attracting local primary school children to their courses after 13 members became the first in the area to take part in the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf’s PGA clubgolf Level 1 Training for Volunteers Course.
clubgolf is partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The strategy has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009.
The South Ayrshire Junior Golf Action Plan, launched last year in Ayr by professional golfers, Ross Drummond and Mhairi McKay, mirrors the national strategy by aiming to make golf accessible to every child in South Ayrshire.
“The training was excellent and standard of coaching was very good,” said one of the 14 trainee coaches, Ramsay Eccles, Maybole Golf Club’s Captain. The other volunteer coaches were from Ayr Belleisle, Bentinck Ladies and Ayr Dalmilling GCs.
“We used to have one of the most successful junior sections in Ayrshire and we used to get to the league finals.
“The junior section is starting back up again, having fallen away, but we have got everything we need in place now and hopefully through clubgolf we will get a lot of children interested in golf and back into the club.
“There were a lot of people interested in the coaching and we’ve also got other volunteers as well who want to help the coaches and we’re hoping to start in May.”
Whilst the volunteer coaches face an anxious wait to see if they have passed the course, over 200 children in South Ayrshire are experiencing the fun and excitement of firstclubgolf at school this term.
Launched last year by former Open Champion, Paul Lawrie, firstclubgolf is the clubgolf’s introductory game. Played with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets, and taught by teachers, firstclubgolf is designed as a safe and exciting introduction to the game. The age of nine has been identified as the best stage for children to learn and become involved with the sport.
Children who enjoy firstclubgolf will be invited to Maybole and Dalmilling Golf Clubs to receive coaching from the Level 1 volunteers. Organisers are confident that at least 30 percent of these children will progress to their local clubs for clubgolf’s 23-week Stage 1 course, using real equipment and covering the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette at nearby clubs which have joined forces with clubgolf.
“There is a vast area around the club with three primary schools in the town and half a dozen schools at least outwith the town, so we could have a lot of kids coming to the club,” added Mr Eccles, Club Captain.
Said newly-trained clubgolf coach, Fiona MacPherson, from Bentinck Ladies, “We will be doing clubgolf next year when it comes to schools in Troon schools, but I will be able to use the training to help our own juniors on and off the course this summer.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the course, it has given me more confidence to teach and it was good to meet others in the same situation. clubgolf is worthwhile because this is where the future of golf is. I hope more people will see it and take part.”

US College Golf
DISAPPOINTING DAY IN GEORGIA FOR JORDAN
Fraserburgh teenager Jordan Findlay had a disappointing opening day in the United States collegiate golf championship over the Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside course at Alpharetta, Georgia.
The former British boys’ open champion, a junior golf scholarship student at the University of East Tennessee State, had rounds of 78 and 77 for an 11-over-par tally of 155.
Findlay, who is sharing 55th place in a field of 69 with one round to go, had double bogeys at the sixth, seventh and 17th in his first round but managed to birdie the second, eighth, ninth and 18th.
Second time out, Jordan kept the double bogeys off his card but had to settle for only two birdies, at the 13th and 18th
Heading a quality field is Webb Simpson (Wake Forest) at nine-under 135 after rounds of 68 and 67. American Walker Cup player Matt Every (Florida) is five shots behind in second place with a 68 and 72 for 140.
Findlay’s East Tennessee State team-mate Edinburgh-born Rhys Davies from Bridgend, South Wales, another past British boys’ title-winner, is sharing 10th place on 143 after a 68 and 75.
Steve Tilley (Georgia State), pictured right, from Canterbury had the lowest round of the day – a six-under-par 66, including seven birdies, over the 7,020yd course, which was 12 shots better than his first round. Steve is in joint 11th place on level par 144.
Compatriot Adam Hodkinson (East Tennessee State) is in joint 47th place on 153 (77-76) while Ireland’s Cian McNamara, also East Tennessee Sate) is sharing 52nd place on 154 (75-79) with Londoner Matt Mills (Texas) who had a 75 and a 79.
It’s tight at the top of the team race with Clemson (574) a shot ahead of Florida and Wake Forest. Georgia State (582) are in fourth place. East Tennessee State (579) are in 10th spot.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
135 Webb Simpson (Wake Forest) 68 67.
140 Matt Every (Florida) 68 72.
Also:
143 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 68 75 (jt 10th).
144 Steve Tilley (Georgia State) 78 66 (jt 11th).
153 Adam Hodkinson (East Tennessee State) 77 76 (jt 47th).
154 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 75 79, Matt Mills (Texas) 75 79.
155 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 78 77 (jt 55th).
LEADING TEAMS
574 Clemson.
575 Florida, Wake Forest.
582 Georgia State.
588 Georgia Tech.
591 Georgia, Texas.
Also:
579 East Tennessee State (10th).

Ayrshire (yellow) and South of Scotland (blue) Girls

Ayrshire Girls v South of Scotland Girls (Thanks to June Kerr for photos and report)
Honours were even at the annual match of Ayrshire Girls against South of Scotland Girls which was played this year at Brunston Castle on Sunday. On a bright sunny day but with a cold wind to start with, the day changed as did the temperature bringing overcast conditions and a touch of snow towards the end of the afternoon. This didn't deter the girls who all played very well in the extreme conditions. Results are as follows:-
Ayrshire names first. Vicki Smith lost to Gillian Monteith 3 & 2
Linzi Allan beat Jordana Graham 5 & 4
Hannah Gaunt lost to Amy Ford 6 & 5
Gillian Arnott beat Rachel Harvey 5 & 4
Jenny Linklater beat Ashley McDonald 6 & 5
Lynsey Weadon lost to Ashley Hair 3 & 1

Ayrshire Girls

South of Scotland Girls

US College Golf
EMILY’S TOP-20 FINISH IN OKLAHOMA
Perthshire-born Emily Ogilvy, pictured left, was the leading Arkansas-Little Rock University player in the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic tournament at Norman, Oklahoma.
Senior student Emily had rounds of 76, 73 and 78 to share 19th place on 227.
Oklahoma University’s pair of Swedish students, Pernilla Lindberg and Karin Kinnerud, filled the top two placings.
Pernilla scored 72, 68 and 75 for a total of 215 over the par-72, 6,013yd course.
Karin was runner-up, a shot behind on 216 with scores of 7, 70 and 75.
Laura Cross (Southern Methodist) came third on 218 (74, 73 and 71).
Oklahoma State ran away with the team title. Their total of 867 was 25 shots ahead of runners-up Southern Methodist with Texas way back in third place on 905.
Arkansas-Little Rock (926) finished 12th of the 17 teams.

US College golf
KNOX IS NO 15 IN AMERICAN COLLEGE RANKINGS
Inverness-born Russell Knox, pictured right, a golf scholarship student at Jacksonville University, Florida, has moved into 15th place in the American men’s college golf rankings, as issued by “GolfStat.”
Nairn Dunbar Golf Club member Russell jumped into the nationwide top 25 two weeks ago at No 22 and then improved to 17th place. Now he has cracked the top 15 with his consistently good performances for Jacksonville University.
Team-mate and compatriot Duncan Stewart from Grantown-on-Spey, winner of the El Diablo Intercollegiate tournament, is ranked 89th.

US College Golf
SCOT IS NAMED UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
Scotland’s Stephen Clark, pictured left, who was the team's highest finisher in both of the competitions last month, is the University of Missouri Kansas City Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Month for March, as presented by AMC Theatres.
Clark, a native of Glasgow and a member of Haggs Castle Golf Club, opened his Kangaroo career with a second place showing at the Anteater Invitational in Mesa Verde, Calif., to kick off the spring season. Clark fired a two-round total of 143 (73-70), while his round of 70 was the second best score in the entire event. As a result, Clark was tabbed as the Mid-Continent Conference Golfer of the Week on Mar. 1.
The sophomore then picked up his second top-15 showing at the SFA Crown Classic in Lufkin, Texas, on March 20-21, as he tied for 12th place. Clark concluded the tournament with a score of 149 (70-79) to pace the team for the second straight meet.
Clark, who is currently leading the team with a 74.1 scoring average on the year, transferred to UMKC prior to the spring semester from Pfeiffer University in North Carolina. In the classroom, he is studying toward a degree in Liberal Arts.

Midothian Ladies Spring Meeting
Mortonhall Golf Course, April 10th 2006
LGU SS 73, CSS 76
Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) won the Cormack Salver for the best Scratch score at the Spring Meeting at Mortonhall with a score of 72. The best net overall score was also by Wendy Nicholson who had a net 67.
Silver Scratch - Winner of Cormack Salver: Winner of Cormack Salver: Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 72
2nd Scratch - Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 75
Best overall net - Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 72 (5) 67
2nd overall net - Gillian Carter (Broomieknowe) 83 (13) 70
Silver Handicap 1. Pat Wood (Turnhouse) 88 (16) 72; 2. Mandy Easton (Dalmahoy) 78 (5) 73
Bronze Scratch - winner of the C M Park Rosebowl: Sue Sutherland (Dalmahoy) 98
Bronze Handicap: Jean Robertson (Broomieknowe) 102 (24) 78 (conceded by Sue Sutherland)
[Well done to all the Broomieknowe girls!]

Monday 10th April 2006

[Colin's back.. you can probably tell!]

Scottish Boys Championship
KIRTON, TORRANCE WIN OPENING TIES AT WEST KILBRIDE
Lewis Kirton (Newmachar) and Daniel Torrance (Sunningdale), two of the favourites for the Scottish boys' championship at West Kilbride Golf Club this week, won their opening matches today.
Kirton, who is a full-time golfer bound for a United States college after summer, beat Sean McGarvey (Glencorse) by 3 and 1.
Torrance, who is already a student at an American college, came back from one down after six holes to win the next seven holes for a 6 and 5 win over Jamie Forbes (Carnwath).
Torrance now plays Zack Saltman (Craigielaw), younger brother of Walker Cup player Lloyd. Zack beat Gary Malcolm (Craigie Hill) by 6 and 5.
All Monday's results and a full report available on www.scottishgolfunion.org

VICKI POWER DOWN THE FIELD IN UTAH
Cambridge-born Irish junior international Vicki Power finished joint 30th in the BYU Dixie Classic tournament at Entrada at Snow Canyon Golf Club, St George in Utah.
Either the course was too tough – par-72 of 6,151yd – or the weather was bad because the scoring, even by the winner, was nothing to write home about.
Vicki had rounds of 80, 82 and 78 for a 24-over-par total of 240.
Two University of Nevada Las Vegas students, Seema Sadekar and Da Sol Chung, finished first and joint second respectively.
Seema shot 70, 77 and 76 for seven-over-par 223.
Dal Sol Chung scored 75, 76 and 74 for 225, the same score as Haley Brown (Portland State).
UNLV (922) won the team event by five shots.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
223 Seema Sadekar (UNLV) 70 77 76.
225 Da Sol Chung (UNLV) 75 76 74, Haley Brown (Portland State) 74 76 75.
Also:
240 Vicki Power (Northern Arizona 80 82 78 (tied 30th).
LEADING TEAMS
922 UNLV
927 Brigham Young.
Also:
957 Northern Arizona (7th of 19 teams).

ANN MARIE AND JENNA IN TOP 20
Ann Marie Dalton from Carlow and Belfast-born Jenna Kinnear, both students at High Point University, North Carolina, finished in the top 10 of the High Point University women’s spring invitational golf tournament at Meadowlands Golf Club, Wallburg.
Ann Marie shot 81 and 76 for 157 and a share of eighth place. It was her second top-10 finish of the spring college golf season in the States.
Jenna had scores of 80 and 81 for 161 and a joint 18th finish.
Paisley’s Kate O’Sullivan, another High Point golf scholarship student, had a pair of 84s for 168 and joint 41st place in the field of 63.
Methodist College (622) won the team title by four shots from Western Carolina with High Point (647) in sixth place.
The course measure 5,937yd and had a par of 72.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
152 Kandy Gardland (Western Carolina) 77 75, Katie Dick (Methodist College) 74 78.
Other scores:
157 Ann Marie Dalton (High Point) 81 76 (tied 8th).
161 Jenna Kinnear (High Point) 80 81 (tied 18th).
168 Kate O’Sullivan (High Point) 84 84 (tied 41st).
LEADING TEAMS
622 Methodist College.
626 Western Carolina University.
627 Gardner-Webb University.
Also:
647 High Point University (6th).
12 Teams took part.

US College Golf
TARA DELANEY SCORES FIRST WIN ON UNITED STATES COLLEGE CIRCUIT
Irish international Tara Delaney from Carlow scored the first win of her United States college golf career in the Northwestern Invitational tournament over the par-72, 6,237yd Gary Player Signature Course at Westin Mission Hills Golf Club, Rancho Mirage in California.
Tara, a sophomore student at Kent State University, Ohio, had rounds of 68, 70 and 71 for a seven-under-par total of 209.
That was matched by team-mate Kira Meixner who had scores of 67, 69 and 73.
Tara was declared the individual winner by virtue of the better last round.
A third Kent State University player, Becky Wood from Glossop, achieved her third top-10 finish of the 2005-2006 US college golf season with scores of 69, 67 and 75 for 211. Becky finished fourth after sharing the lead with Kira Meixner after 36 holes.
Not surprisingly, Kent State won the team title with a total of 847 – 11 shots ahead of Southern Methodist University with Michigan State (864) in third place on the 14 competing teams.
Baylor, for whom English student Sian Reddick finished joint 14th with a four-over-par total of 220 (73-73-74), came fourth with 884.
Tara’s sister Karen, a Kent State University junior student, tied for 50th place with 79, 79 and 73 for 231.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
209 Tara Delaney (Kent State) 68 70 71, Kira Meizner (Kent State) 67 69 73.
210 Rachel Meikle (Michigan State) 70 70 70.
211 Becky Wood (Kent State) 69 67 75.
Also:
220 Sian Reddick (Baylor) 73 73 74 (tied 14th).
231 Karen Delaney (Kent State) 79 79 73 (tied 50th).
LEADING TEAMS
847 Kent State.
858 Southern Methodist.
864 Michigan State.
884 Baylor.

Ayrshire County News
LESLEY PIPS CATHERINE FOR AYRSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIP TOP SEEDING
Lesley Hendry (Routenburn) opened her defence of the Ayrshire women’s county golf championship by claiming the top seeding at the end of the qualifying round at Western Gailes Golf Club today (Monday).
But it was a close run thing between Lesley and Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Nicholas). Catherine matched Lesley’s round of 78 but lost out on a card countback which went to the last six holes.
Frost delayed the start of play.
QUALIFIERS (CSS: Non-counting)
78 Lesley Hendry (Routenburn), Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Nicholas).
80 Debbie Watt (Belleisle), Liz Keohone (Loudoun).
83 Sharon Lambie (Troon Ladies).
84 Ros Kennedy (Troon Ladies).
85 Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie).
86 Jane Finnie (Troon Ladies), Lesley Williamson (Kilmarnock Barassie).
87 Morag Macpherson (Turnberry), Elizabeth Wilson (Kilmarnock Barassie), Rosemary Donaldson (Troon Ladies), Rosalind Purdom (Prestwick St Nicholas).
91 Nora McCrossin (Troon Ladies), Audrey Thompson (Loudoun).
94 Christine Milroy (Loudoun).
Match-play draw
9.0 Hendry v Milroy, Williamson v Finnie, Lambie v Donaldson, Purdom v Keohone, Watt v McCrossin, Wilson v Kennedy, Glennie v Macpherson, Thompson v Malcolm.
Quarter-finals will begin at 2pm.

Fife County News
MOFFAT AND LOCKHART LEAD FIFE QUALIFIERS
Scottish women’s amateur champion Fiona Lockhart made a good start to her defence of the Fife women’s title at Scotscraig by sharing the lowest score of the day with another past national champion, Elaine Moffat, in the qualifying round.
Both St Regulus members, Fiona and Elaine returned very good scores of 75 – one under the CSS in bright but cold and windy conditions. Elaine gained the No 1 seed spot on a card countback and also won the Coronation Medal for the best net score – a 73 off two of a handicap.
The championship’s match-play stages begin with two rounds on Saturday, also at Scotscraig, with the semi-finals and final being delayed until Saturday, April 30.
QUALIIFIERS (CSS 76, reduction only)
75 E Moffat (St Regulus), F Lockhart (St Regulus).
76 L Kenney (Pitreavie).
85 L Fury (Thornton), L Bennett (Ladybank).
87 J Carthew (Ladybank), B Copland (Scotscraig).
88 K Milne (Dunfermline), D Ford (Scotscraig), E Wilson (Elie).
89 M Curran (Thornton), G Davidson (Saline), E Hodgetts (Balbirnie Park).
90 H Harvey (St Regulus).
91 E Muller-Allen (Elie).
92 L Rolland (Dunfermline).
Match-play draw:
Moffat v Rolland, Ford v Milne, Bennett v Davidson, Hodgetts v Fury, Kenney v Harvey, Curran v Carthrew, Copland v Wilson, Muller-Allen v Lockhart.
Leading handicap returns:
Silver Division – E Moffat (2) 73; F Lockhart (1) 74; L Kenney (+1) 77; E Hodgetts (11), M Curran (11) 78.
Bronze Division – J Connelly (Ladybank) (24) 75; F Alford (Kirkcaldy) (24) 77; G Brown (Thornton) (24) 81.

EGU Press Release
REGIONAL SQUAD SELECTED TO FACE SWEDISH BOYS
Five regional squad members from the South will form an England boys team to face Sweden boys in a one-day friendly international at Meon Valley, Southampton, on the 12th of April.
The past two English Under 14 champions’ Jonathan Bell and Eddie Pepperell have been named along with Eamonn Hodgson, Tom Berry and Darren Renwick.
Bell, pictured right, (Photo Courtesy and Copyright © Tom Ward) was only 12 when he won the Reid Trophy at King’s Norton in 2004 and has made great progress since. He finished runner-up in the Douglas Johns Trophy last year and played for the England Under 16 side against England Girls Under 18s.
Pepperell, was impressive when he won the Reid by five strokes from Berry at Bristol & Clifton last August. He also won the BB&O Under 14 title before being named in the Under 16 Squad.
Berry, the Surrey Under 14 champion, finished runner-up to Pepperell at Bristol & Clifton and was also second in the Surrey Junior Masters.
Hodgson, known as ‘Stiggy’, has been winning titles since the age of six when he won the Under 8 group in the World Junior Championship in Florida and at eight he won the Under 10 group in San Diego, beating Tiger Woods’ record in the process. In 1998 aged eight, he won the English Under 10 Championship, in 2002 and 2003 he took the Welsh Under 13 Championship and also the Weetabix Under 14 Championship in 2004. Last year he took the South of England Under 15 title.
Renwick has been an Under 16 international for the past two years, playing against Scotland, Spain and the England Girls Under 18 teams twice. In 2005, he won the Scottish Under 16 Championship at Sandyhills, the Douglas Johns Trophy at Harewood Downs and finished tied third in the South East Junior Championship at Sundridge Park. He also represented the EGU in the European Young Masters in Austria.
The one-day match will comprise two foursomes and one single in the morning and five afternoon singles.
The Swedes will be sending those players that will represent them in the World Boys Team Championships in Japan in June. While here, they will also contest the Duncan Putter.
The Swedish side includes Felix Fihn, the reigning Swedish Under 16 Champion, and Robin Wingårdh, winner of the Harder German Junior Masters in 2005, while Bjorn Akesson finished runner-up in the Swedish Under 21 Championship.
England Regional side: Jonathan Bell (Royal Blackheath), Tom Berry (Wentworth), Eamonn Hodgson (Sunningdale), Eddie Pepperell (Frilford Heath) and Darren Renwick (Worthing)
Sweden: Bjorn Akesson, Jesper Kennegård, Alexander Jacobsson, Felix Fihn and Robin Wingårdh.

WEE JESSIE VALENTINE DIES AT 91
Wee Jessie Valentine, arguably the best and most competitive female Scottish golfer of the 20th Century, has died at a Bridge of Earn nursing home. She had her 91st birthday on March 18.
A native of Perth and daughter of a club professional, Joe Anderson, Jessie won the British women’s open amateur championship three times, the first as a 22-year-old in 1937 at Turnberry and then, after the World War II years when she might have been at her peak as a golfer, she won the title a second time in 1955 at Royal Porthcawl and for a third and last time at the age of 43 in 1958 at Hunstanton.
In all, Jessie – who had become Mrs George Valentine after the war – appeared in four “British” finals in the 1950s. She was beaten finalist in 1950 at Royal County Down and in 1957 at Gleneagles.
She first “arrived” on the golfing scene in 1933, when she was 18. She reached the semi-final of the Scottish women’s open amateur championship and won the British girls’ open championship that year.
Jessie won the Scottish women’s close amateur championship six times over an 18-year span – 1938, 1939, 1951, 1953, 1955 and 1956.
In 1955, Mrs Valentine became the first Scottish player to win her native title and the British championship in the same year.
The 1950s were unquestionably the high point of Jessie’s brilliant golfing career. In 1957 she won the Spalding women’s tournament, then in 1959 and 1961 she won the Kayser-Bonder event, first with Mrs Anderson and then with her good friend, Janette Wright.
In a run of three years from 1963, Jessie partnered John Behrend to victory in the Worplesdon mixed foursomes, which, at the time, was a big event on the British golf calendar.
Not all of her wins were scored in the British Isles. Jessie was New Zealand open match-play women’s amateur champion in 1935 – when she was 19 and a member of the Ladies Golf Union team touring Australia and New Zealand.
The following year Miss Anderson, as she was then, won the French women’s open amateur championship.
She played for Great Britain & Ireland against the United States in the Curtis Cup matches of 1936, 1938, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958.
At her peak, Jessie was considered one of the finest female iron players in the world, particularly on links courses.
She was the first woman golfer to be decorated for her services to the game of golf. She was awarded the MBE in 1959.
A member of Craigie Hill Golf Club, Perth all her life, Jessie gave up her amateur status when took over her father’s sports business and also designed golf equipment for women.
Jessie last played golf in 2001 when she was 86. In her latter years, she was confined to a wheelchair but she never complained.
“My eyesight is good, my hearing is good, so I’ve got nothing to complain about. I’ve had a very good life,” she would say.
“We had good fun on the golf course although we were trying just as hard to win as they do nowadays. But we did not take it so seriously. They seem to go around with very long faces on the golf course.
“My father taught me to play golf in the 1920s at Braemar where he was the pro in the summer months. Was I born too soon to make the money they can as lady pros nowadays? No, I don’t think so. I would have hated to play golf for money.”
Jessie’s son Iain has lived in Hong Kong for many years. To enable him to travel home for the funeral service, it will not be held until Tuesday, April 18 at 2pm in St John’s Church, Perth.

IMPACT OF STRESS ON PUTTING PERFORMANCE
As the US Masters golf tournament draws to a close, the University of Stirling has some advice for the world's golfing greats and not-so-greats: the answer to the perfect putt lies in mind over matter.
Sports psychologist, John Mathers, who assessed the performance of elite golfers in a series of experiments, discovered that missing a putt under stress conditions was more likely to result from an error in green reading or commitment to the putt, than a breakdown in stroke technique.
Mr Mathers said: "Most golfers find that they tend to putt more poorly under the stress conditions associated with a tournament. However many players don't seem know where they are going wrong. We found that it was the decision-making abilities, rather than the stroke technique, that deteriorated under pressure. Stressful situations seemed to cloud their judgement about the best line to choose and force to apply to the ball for a given distance of putt."
The answer to improving your putting skill under pressure, could therefore lie in practicing stress reduction and focusing techniques rather than practising the technical elements of your putting stroke.
Mr Mathers added: "Mental skills training, where players are taught to control their thoughts, could be the answer. We have thought this for a long time, but this is the first time we have had significant scientific evidence to support the case."

Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship
Here is the draw (Excel file). There were 125 entries for the 72 places that are available. The ballot fell at 1.1

Sir Michael Bonallack and Club Car support 2006 Golf Foundation Appeal
The Golf Foundation is making a clarion call to golf clubs asking them to make a real difference for junior golf in 2006. “Now is the time to get behind the Golf Foundation,” says its Chief Executive Mike Round, “in order to maintain the strong momentum created by the Foundation in making golf a more accessible sport for children.
“If club members can each spare £1 extra in a year – the cost of just one post-round coffee – they can help make a significant difference to our funding across the country and our vital grass roots golf development.”
The Golf Foundation has enlisted the support of one of the world’s greatest ever amateur players, the charity’s own President, Sir Michael Bonallack. He will be writing to every golf club to launch the appeal, asking club secretaries and managers to donate £1 per member to the cause in 2006.
Mike Round said: “Now is the time for golf clubs to back the Golf Foundation’s work in schools, local sports partnerships and golf clubs, work that sees 500,000 children each year either first experience the sport through the Foundation or develop their early golf through our learning programmes and associated PGA coaching.”
If just 10 per cent of the golf clubs in England, Scotland and Wales adopted the ‘£1 per member’, an estimated £100,000 could be raised to help the progress of the Golf Foundation, which is working closely with the national golf partnerships to grow the game.
Talking of the Foundation’s efforts in 2005, Sir Michael Bonallack said: “Our enthusiastic development team provided considerable support to over 180 major school sport partnership projects. This work resulted in golf being taken into 2,500 schools with just under 300 golf clubs providing follow-on opportunities. In addition, we supported over 250 junior programmes through our Starter Centre initiative and provided opportunities to around 10,000 inner city children through our Daily Telegraph Marriott Golf Roots project.”
Sir Michael added: “The impact of our work is becoming increasingly apparent. Schools and local authorities who used to view golf as sexist, elitist and expensive, now view it as a wholesome activity that promotes positive life messages. Encouragingly, more and more clubs are reporting an increase in the number of junior members.”
Those golf clubs supporting the appeal will find they are in with a chance of winning a valuable prize. Club Car has generously agreed to donate a Club Car Precedent, arguably the best production golf car in the world, as a prize for one golf club at the end of the appeal (all clubs which raise £250 or more, using any method, will be entered for a prize draw to win the Precedent). This is the second successive year that Club Car has supported the Golf Foundation in this way.
Mike Round said: “Once again we are hugely indebted to the team at Club Car who are making this fabulous donation to the cause. It’s a great prize for any club. Hopefully, this will act as a valuable incentive for clubs to donate £250 or more.” While the ‘£1 per member method’ of fundraising is gaining in popularity, clubs can raise money in other ways, including: * Take part in the Golf Foundation ‘Charity Challenge’ against Lee Westwood * Take part in the annual Golf Foundation ‘Adult/Junior Foursomes’ * Hold a Golf Foundation brooch or medal competition * Make a club committee donation or organise a unique fundraising project
* For further information about how you can help the Golf Foundation and for more details about running a Golf Foundation medal or brooch competition/ involvement in the Golf Foundation Charity Challenge or Adult/Junior Foursomes, visit www.golf-foundation.org.
* To qualify for the Club Car prize draw, all donations must be received by 3pm on 1st December 2006. The draw will be made in the week commencing 4th December.

NOTIFICATION OF SALE DATE CHANGE: BOBBY JONES GOLF COLLECTION
BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS SWING BY BOSTON TO SELL BOBBY JONES' GOLF COLLECTION
When Bonhams & Butterfields auctioneers swing by Boston in early May to hold their annual Brookline Sale of motorcars, antiques and marine collectibles, as a first time event, they will bring down the hammer on a number of significant golf collections, including that of the legendary all-American sporting hero Bobby Jones.
Around 25 items from his collection will be sold with important memorabilia on Friday, 5 May at The Larz Anderson Auto Museum, next to Brookline's Country Club, host of the 2004 Ryder Cup.
The name "Bobby Jones" is synonymous with great golf. He was the amateur golfer who never took a lesson yet the Oxford Companion to World Sports and Games describes him as "probably the greatest player the game has known".
The accomplishments of Bobby Jones (1902-1971) cannot be matched in the world of golf, nor can his contribution to the sport be underestimated. From 1923 to1930 he won thirteen major championships and remains the only player to win all four majors in the same year. He won the British and US Amateur and Open tournaments in 1930, before retiring from competitive golf -- when he was just 28 years old. The only player who has come close to achieving this is Tiger Woods, but even Woods has not succeeded in winning all four titles in the same year. In 1934, Jones went on to found the US Masters tournament, held annually in Augusta, Georgia.
Bonhams & Butterfields' first sale of Golfing Memorabilia to be held in the USA, the Bobby Jones Collection, is sure to attract attention amongst enthusiasts. Highlights include a silver metal 1930 USGA National Amateur Championship 'Contestant's' badge, which is expected to fetch $2,000-3,000. It was winning this final leg of the slam that also secured him a place in history. A brass 'Contestant's' badge from the 1928 USGA National Amateur Championship, held at the Brae Burn County Club, West Newton, Massachusetts, will also be featured at $800-1,000. In this tournament, there were 158 entries and 143 starters, with Bobby Jones beating the British Walker Cup player, Phil Perkins in the final 10 and 9.
In addition to the 25 lots on offer from the Bobby Jones Collection, golfing fans will be able to bid on a further 400 lots - 300 of those culled from the US West Coast collector Larry Boone, featuring beautiful golfing ceramics, such as three Lenox mugs dating from 1900, estimated at $3,000 each. From yet another collection, a selection of valuable long nose clubs and irons from the mid 1800s, ranging in price from $1,000 to $20,000, will also be available to bid on.

DATES ANNOUNCED FOR FALDO SERIES FINAL
5th April 2006: The Faldo Series today announced the dates for the final of one of the most prestigious events for young golfers in Europe. The Celtic Manor Resort, South Wales, will once again host the Faldo Series final, taking place from 4th – 6th October 2006 on its Roman Road course, host venue for The Celtic Manor Wales Open.
This year the Faldo Series has received a record number of entries with more of Europe’s best Under 21 golfers than ever recognising the event as a highlight of their playing schedules.
“It is evident from the level of entries and the quality of the field across the entire competition that the Faldo Series is seen as one of the most important tournaments in the amateur schedule,” said Faldo.
“This year we have attracted a record level of entries with a higher standard of handicaps than ever before. There has also been a 40% increase in the number of girls entering which is fantastic for the game. I am feeling very positive and excited about the future of golf in Europe”.
The Faldo Series season teed off last week at Royal West Norfolk in the first of the regional qualifiers for 2006. This year the Series also visits three new venues: Marriott Worsley Park, Moortown Golf Club in Leeds and Royal Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.
A highlight of the 2006 schedule is Royal Liverpool in August, host of the forthcoming 135th Open Championship. It is here that Faldo Series members will follow in the footsteps of the world’s best golfers on a course that has been set up and nurtured to become the biggest challenge in golf for just one week in July.
Then in October, at the end of what promises to be an outstanding season of high quality competition, the finalists will line up at The Celtic Manor Resort to battle it out to become the next Faldo Series champion.
Venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup and home of the Faldo Series, The Celtic Manor Resort is also the base for Team Faldo, the elite team of ten young golfing champions handpicked by Nick Faldo. It is here that they are able to hone their skills across the Resort’s two championship courses, state of the art Golf Academy and 18-hole Academy course.
Jon Phelps, Vice President of Marketing & Strategy at The Celtic Manor Resort, commented, “As the home of the Faldo Series we are looking forward to once again hosting the final in October. Here at the Resort, we are committed to using our world class golfing facilities to nurture the golfing stars of the future. We hope that many of the players taking part in the Faldo Series final will return to the Resort in future years to compete in The Celtic Manor Wales Open and of course the Ryder Cup in 2010”

Captains and Junior Convenors from the Caithness & North Sutherland Junior Golf Partnership on Reay Golf Course with children from Reay Primary School. Back row left to right: Evan Sutherland, Reay GC's Junior Convenor; David Lyall Thurso captain and partnership secretary; Graeme Dunnett, Reay Captain and Partnership Chairman; Willie MacKay, Junior Golf Development Officer for Highland.

Juniors to benefit as local clubs create a Junior Golf Partnership for Caithness & North Sutherland
Four golf clubs in Caithness have formed a unique partnership to ensure that the maximum number of children experiencing the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf at school this term have the opportunity to develop their skills at a nearby club.
Reay and Thurso Golf Clubs were amongst the earliest clubs to sign up to clubgolf. Last year they jointly encouraged over a hundred children - who had been introduced to clubgolf at school - to progress to the second stage at the club.
By forming the Caithness & North Sutherland Junior Golf Partnership, clubgolf's newly recruited Lybster and Wick Golf Clubs will benefit from the two years' experience built up at Reay and Thurso.
Reay GC's Junior Convenor and clubgolf PGA Level 2 coach, Evan Sutherland, together with Willie MacKay, Junior Golf Development Officer for Highland, are the driving forces behind the Partnership.
"Our aim is simply to get more kids interested in golf in Caithness and the North of Sutherland," said Mr Sutherland.
The Partnership has received overwhelming support from each club, their Captains and Junior Convenors.
"We already have a Level 2 coach, in Evan, one Level 1 coach, with two more sitting their training in April, plus we have 25 junior helpers," said Graeme Dunnett, Reay's Captain and the Partnership's Chair.
"Reay has 75 juniors involved in clubgolf and Thurso has around 50. Lybster is a nine-hole course with a small membership but a reasonable population of children. Lybster had only one coach last year but soon they will have three and Wick will soon have four coaches trained.
"If coaches go off on holiday in July then we might be able to organise others to cover their sessions. If we end up with four coaches and 25 helpers at Reay then we can cover whatever issues arise. We will have 16 trained coaches in Caithness and we have a PGA Professional that visits and supports our work.
"Evan saw some of the opportunities that getting four clubs together would generate and we signed the constitution last week. The four captains of each club, together with the four junior convenors, are all on the committee and we are doing it for the good of the county rather than any individual club."
clubgolf's introductory game, firstclubgolf, which teaches children the basics of golf through the use of the modified equipment, is being introduced to primary schools across Caithness this spring. Active Schools Co-ordinators have been working with school teachers to deliver firstclubgolf during February and March.
"The Partnership is already proving to be a successful initiative in Caithness and North Sutherland," said Kenny Russell, Active Schools Co-ordinator for the Thurso cluster. "The Head teachers we work with are very supportive and keen to see a visitor from the local golf club work with us to publicize the clubgolf programme. I am sure that without support from the likes of PGA Level 2 coach, Evan Sutherland few would know just what coming to a golf club for Stage 1 coaching involves.“
Mr Russell’s colleague, Paul Robinson, whose area is the Wick cluster group of primaries, added: "Though I am new to the area, what has struck me is the co-operation between the different Golf Clubs. I am even more impressed by how affordable the clubs make their starter junior membership fee. The four golf clubs have totally embraced the clubgolf initiative and are providing a magnificent opportunity for children to learn the basics of the game of golf."
When the in-school firstclubgolf course finishes the children will be given the opportunity to enrol for clubgolf's Stage 1 programme, hosted by the four golf clubs. Evan Sutherland is happy visit schools after the Easter holidays to explain the transition to golf at the clubs and outline coaching opportunities available. In late April and early May the beginner Stage 1 lessons get underway at the four clubs.
"We want to show children and their parents that there is a player development pathway from the schools to the clubs, through the junior section then right into the club," said Graeme Dunnett. "When Evan visits the schools, he will circulate fliers which explain the role of the four clubs, what nights the juniors meet, who the coaches are, who to contact and explain how they can progress to Stage 1 in normal golf. At the end of the school course the children will get one day out on the course in the real environment and hopefully that experience will encourage them to take it up."
David Lyall, Captain at Thurso GC and secretary for the partnership said: “We have increased our coaching base this year as we expect more juniors from the school firstclubgolf programme. We have been very fortunate during the winter this year as we have had the use of the 3-bay driving range placed in our car park. The Partnership will add stability to the clubgolf junior programme in the area.”
Said Willie MacKay, Junior Golf Development Officer for Highland: "The co-operation between golf clubs to promote junior golf in the furthest north mainland area of Scotland is outstanding, and it can serve as a model for other areas.
"With the four clubs at Lybster, Wick, Thurso and Reay forming a Partnership and ready to take new juniors into their Stage 1 beginners' programme from the primary firstclubgolf game, the player development pathway circle is complete.
"The vision the Captains and coaches have is completely junior focused. The experience gained from previous year's coaching shows that there are times when each golf club could use help from a pool of coaches that are willing to provide coaching during holiday periods, and also assist a club that had a large number of juniors attending beginners coaching lessons."
If any Primary School Head Teachers would like a visit to their school to explain how children can progress from firstclubgolf in schools to the clubgolf Stage 1 in golf clubs please contact Evan Sutherland on 01847 811439 or 07751452091.

Sunday 9th April 2006

Spring Season Brings out the Websites
I'm delighted to announce four new websites today. Two counties, a junior county and a vets division. Some have been waiting patiently for me to add them to the links down the left of the page... thank you for your patience...
First of all P&K juniors, who must have asked me last year to add the link... sorry for the delay. As Carly Booth is a member of P&K, they have more information on the SLGA St Leonards Under 16's. Read all about it here.
Then Fife County... we've been waiting a while for a website from Fife and it's finally happened... Well done!
Next Angus County... who have chosen Blogger to host their site. Dorothy Gordon has been hard at work here.
And finally the Scottish Veteran Ladies' Golf Association (West Division). Carol Fell, the Renfrewshire webmaster, has set this one up for the West Vets, also using Blogger.
Incidentally Carol is getting very "cutting edge" on the Renfrewshire site... check out her video links...
If you are thinking about setting up a website for your club or association and don't want to go to the trouble of buying software, learning to use html (what's that?) or the hassle of designing and housekeeping your site then consider using Blogger. It is very easy to set up a site on their blogspot and if you send me a link to it I can add it to the list on the left so that everyone can find it.

SLGA St Leonards Under 16 Strokeplay Championship
Full results from the SLGA St Leonards Under 16 Championship held over the Strathtyrum course, St Andrews on Thursday and Friday 6th-7th April 2006
149 Carly Booth (Comrie) 76, 73;
150 Rachel Connor (Manchester) 72, 78;
151 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 77, 74;
153 Holli Snelling (Killarney) 77, 76; Katie Thompson (Corhampton) 73, 80;
154 Kelly Miller (Penrhos) 78, 76;
157 Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) 78, 79;
158 Sarah Tyson (Redlibbets) 78, 80; Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton Heath) 80, 78;
159 Kelly Tidy (Manchester) 81, 78;
160 Rebecca McGinley (Garesfield) 75, 85; Helen Searle (West End Halifax) 79, 81; Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 82, 78; Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) 84, 76;
161 Elizabeth Over (Forest Pines) 79, 82;
162 Georgina Kilby (The Warren) 80, 82; Holly Clyburn (Kenwick Park) 81, 81;
164 Natasha Gobey (Rhondda) 81, 83; Heidi Baek (Ufford Park) 82, 82; Lauren MacCallum (McDonald) 87, 77;
165 Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 78, 87;
166 Emily Priest (Stourbridge) 81, 85; Sammy Vass (Tain) 81, 85;
167 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 83, 84;
168 Samantha Colecliffe (Rhuddlan) 80, 88;
169 Zoe Differ (Dullatur) 81, 88;
170 Kerrie Differ (Dullatur) 89, 81;
171 Ditte Hansen (Sydsjaellands) 82, 89; Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 82, 89; Katie Burman (John O'Gaunt) 86, 85;
172 Heather Peebles (Monifieth) 86, 86;
173 Samantha Leslie (Westhill) 86, 87; Hannah Davies (Bramhall) 87, 86; Lauren Meldrum (Dullatur) 90, 83;
174 Elizabeth Sweetnam (Leighton Buzzard) 88, 86;
175 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 85, 90; Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea) 85, 90; Jill Meldrum (Dullatur) 92, 83;
176 Charlotte Austwick (Pike Hills) 85, 91; Amy Rainford (Bramhall) 93, 83; Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy) 93, 83;
177 Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 83, 94; Ashley Smith (Kirriemuir) 87, 90; Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) 91, 86;
Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) 92, 85;
178 Cara Easton (Dalmahoy) 87, 91; Donna Mackinnon (Durness) 88, 90;
179 Gail Stewart-Richens (Newmachar) 88, 91; Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie Place) 90, 89;
180 Lauren Taylor (Rugby) 91, 89; Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry) 92, 88;
181 Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place) 90, 91; Freya Barksby (Gainsborough) 92, 89;
182 Annabel Niven (Crieff) 92, 90; Emma Bisset (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) 92, 90;
183 Camilla Tait (St Regulus) 93, 90; Kirstin Scott (Windyhill) 94, 89; Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) 95, 88;
184 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 88, 96; Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies) 90, 94;
185 Louise Smith (Kirriemuir) 92, 93;
186 Bronte Law (Bramhall) 85, 101;
188 Nicky Wilson (Whitecraigs) 93, 95; Nichola Ferguson (Clober) 94, 94; Steff Hall (Lindrick) 97, 91;
191 Chloe Macleod (Nairn Dunbar) 97, 94;
196 Catherine Conejo-Watt (Williamwood) 102, 94;
197 Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle) 101, 96;
198 Laura Falconer (Monifieth) 99, 99; Samantha Lamb (Glencorse) 108, 90;
205 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly) 103, 102;
209 Jemma Lee Chalmers (Monifieth) 103, 106;
211 Gabrielle MacDonald (Prestonfield) 102, 109; Helen Goodwin (Glenbervie) 103, 108;
219 Claire Penrose (Monifieth) 105, 114;
221 Caitlin Geddes (Northern) 107, 114; Nicola Taylor (Thornton) 109, 112; Rachel Howie (West Kilbride) 112, 109;
227 Alexandra Armstrong (Kilspindie) 109, 118;
233 Saorcha Warren (Eastwood) 127, 106;
234 Rebecca Cunningham (Ranfurly Castle) 120, 114;
NR Alina Rogers (Brodauer Muhle) NR, 101;
Withdrawn Kirsty Moss (Monifieth) ;Laura Campbell (Pitlochry) Gillian Simpson (Baberton) (83 in first round)
Leading Handicap Scores
132 Heather Peebles (Monifieth, 20) 66, 66;
133 Holli Snelling (Killarney, 10) 67, 66;
138 Donna Mackinnon (Durness, 20) 68, 70; Nicky Wilson (Whitecraigs, 25) 68, 70;
139 Freya Barksby (Gainsborough, 21) 71, 68;
141 Samantha Leslie (Westhill, 16) 70, 71;
142 Kelly Miller (Penrhos, 6) 72, 70; Lauren MacCallum (McDonald, 11) 76, 66;
143 Amy Boulden (Maesdu, 12) 71, 72;
145 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm, 13) 69, 76; Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie Place, 17) 73, 72; Kirstin Scott (Windyhill, 19) 75, 70; Louise Smith (Kirriemuir, 20) 72, 73; Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle, 26) 75, 70;
146 Rachel Connor (Manchester, 2) 70, 76; Georgina Kilby (The Warren, 8) 72, 74; Emma Bisset (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies, 18) 74, 72;
147 Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush, 5) 73, 74; Lauren Meldrum (Dullatur, 13) 77, 70;
148 Sammy Vass (Tain, 9) 72, 76; Elizabeth Sweetnam (Leighton Buzzard, 13) 75, 73;
149 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar, 1) 76, 73; Katie Thompson (Corhampton, 2) 71, 78; Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies, 8) 70, 79; Zoe Differ (Dullatur, 10) 71, 78; Gail Stewart-Richens (Newmachar, 15) 73, 76; Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place, 16) 74, 75;
150 Sarah Tyson (Redlibbets, 4) 74, 76; Rebecca McGinley (Garesfield, 5) 70, 80; Helen Searle (West End Halifax, 5) 74, 76; Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth, 5) 79, 71; Holly Clyburn (Kenwick Park, 6) 75, 75; Natasha Gobey (Rhondda, 7) 74, 76; Lauren Taylor (Rugby, 15) 76, 74;

Saturday 8th April 2006

Press Release
SLATER SMASHES OWN WORLD RECORD
Englishman Paul Slater extended his own world record for golf’s longest drive by a staggering 164 yards at NMSI Wroughton today (Saturday).
The old airfield, near Swindon, provided a perfect venue for the London Golf Show and Long Drivers of Europe promotion which gathered eight of Europe’s biggest hitters together in an attempt to extend Slater’s existing 720-yard world record.
And with the wind behind the participants, the crowd and gathered media were not to be disappointed.
First, Londoner Adam Stacey grabbed a new world record when his fourth effort travelled a fantastic 744 yards. But Slater, from Warrington, was not prepared to give up his record without a fight.
His first effort added three yards to his previous best, at 723 yards. But his third stunned the crowd by rolling on to a staggering 884 yards.
“I wanted my record back,” said a delighted Slater, with a nod of modest acknowledgement to Stacey.
“You’ve got five of the biggest hitters in Europe here and two of the biggest in the world. But I wanted it. Nobody had cleared 700 yards before I did it last year; and nobody had beaten 800 yards until I did it.
“And I did it with a borrowed club,” he added with a huge grin, holding aloft the driver borrowed from, of all people, Adam Stacey.
His new record was achieved with a Cobra XX Speed, with a loft of just 4½º.
But Slater extended some sympathy to popular Welshman Chris Roberts, 20, who arrived on the tee after the world-record holder and fired the ball 735 and 760 yards.
Good enough for two world records on a previous day – but not today when the old record was beaten a staggering five times.
(Photo Courtesy and Copyright © Tom Ward)

Friday 7th April 2006

SLGA St Leonards Under 16 Strokeplay Championship
Carly Booth takes the title
Carly Booth (Comrie), pictured right, has staged a major turn-around in the SLGA St Leonards Under 16 Championship over the Strathtyrum Course, St Andrews today.
Carly, who started the day four shots behind overnight leader Rachel Connor (Manchester) added a second round 73 to her first round 76 for a total of 149 and won by one shot from Rachel who scored 78 today. Rachel took second place,
Scotland's Kelsey Macdonald is in third place on 151, and the combination of Carly and Kelsey's scores gave Scotland 1 the team trophy with a total of 300 from England who scored 301.
Leading scores at 4:30pm
149 Carly Booth
150 Rachel Connor
151 Kelsey MacDonald
153 Holli Snelling, Katie Thomson
Team Results
1 Scotland 1 300
2 England 1 301
3 Wales 1 312
4 Ireland 321
5 Wales 2 331
6 Scotland 2 336

ELGA Press Release
Rachel Connor is runner-up in Scottish U16 championship
England's girls battled their way through strong winds to claim two second places in the Scottish St Leonards U16 Strokeplay Championship, played over the Strathtyrum course at St Andrews.
They were runners-up in both the individual and team events - and in both cases were pipped by just one shot.
Rachel Connor (Manchester) had to settle for second place after Scotland's Carly Booth overtook her in the final round of the 36-hole event.
Rachel led the tournament after the first round, returning a one-over par 72, but nerves came in to play at the start of the second round. She was slow to settle and reached the turn at seven-over before coming home in level par for 78. However Carly Booth added 73 to her opening 76 for victory.
Meanwhile, the England trio of Rachel, Katie Thompson (Corhampton) and Hannah Barwood (Knowle), were also runners-up in the team competition. They were again beaten by one shot by Scotland who rallied after the first round when they were eight strokes adrift of England.
ELGA sent a squad of eight girls of varying experience to the championship. Team manager Claire Lilley said: "We took four girls who were new to this event and it was a good learning environment for them in terms of course management and preparation.
"It was also a good opportunity for the more experienced players to take part in an early-season event in preparation for the season."
Rachel Connor, Hannah Barwood, Katie Thompson and Kelly Tidy (Manchester) have played in the tournament before - and Rachel took third place last year. All eight girls are members of ELGA squads.
Leading finals scores: 149 Carly Booth (Scotland) 76, 73. 150 Rachel Connor (Manchester) 72, 78. 151 Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland) 77, 74. 153 Katie Thompson (Corhampton) 73, 80.
Other squad scores: 158 Sarah Tyson (Redlibbets) 78, 80. 159 Kelly Tidy (Manchester) 81, 78. 160 Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 82, 78; Rebecca McGinley (Garesfield) 75, 85. 164 Heidi Baek (Ufford Park) 82, 82. 166 Emily Priest (Stourbridge) 81, 85.

Tough conditions for Bursars Competition
from the R&A website
An exceptionally high-class field of student golfers ran into brutal conditions for the annual R&A Foundation Bursars’ Day over the Old Course at St Andrews.
A solid round of 74 in winds gusting to more than 35 miles an hour gave Mark Kerr, of the University of Edinburgh, a two-shot victory over Graham Turner, University of Stirling.
His fellow student from Stirling, Claire Marie Carlton, who played in the opening threesome, set a target of 84 that remained unmatched throughout the day. Her closest rival was playing partner Janet Phipps from the University of Exeter on 85.
Scores were non-counting for handicap, the men’s CSS 76 and the women’s 79.
Scores
Men
74 Mark Kerr ( University of Edinburgh )
76 Graham Turner ( University of Stirling )
77 Robert Taylor ( University of Abertay ), Tom Curtis ( University of Northumbria ),Simon Ward ( University of Ulster ), Paul Betty ( University of Stirling ), Scott Van Der Vord ( University of Exeter ),Edward Parker ( University of Birmingham )
78 Colin Colraine ( University of Strathclyde ),Jason Palmer ( University of Birmingham )
79 Brendan Walton ( University College Dublin ),Roberto Laino ( University of Durham ), Alex McCloy ( University of Ulster )
80 Bobby Rushford ( University of Stirling ), Craig Wilkinson ( University of Northumbria )
81 William Shucksmith ( University of Durham ),Richard Ramsay ( University of Stirling )
82 Phillipo Okan ( University of St Andrews ), Scott Finlay ( Heriot-Watt University )
83 Shane Lowry ( Athlone Inst. of Technology ), Simon Lee ( University of Northumbria ), Euan Polson ( University of Stirling )
84 Nicholas Scholey ( University of Northumbria ),Chris Harkins ( University of Glasgow )
85 Dara Lernihan ( University College Dublin )
86 Ross Dixon ( University of St Andrews ),Ciaran O’Connor ( University College Dublin )
88 Gary Reid ( Heriot-Watt University ), Scott Borrowman ( University of Stirling )
89 James Horn ( Loughborough University ), Robert Hutton ( University of Glasgow ), Graeme McInroy ( University of Strathclyde )
90 Jarred McKnight ( Loughborough University )
NR Blair Paterson ( University of Stirling )
Women
84 Claire Carlton (University of Stirling )
85 Janet Phipps (University of Exeter )
89 Kerri Harper (University of Abertay ), Helena Arnadottir (University of Iceland )
91 Samantha Birks (University of Manchester )
95 Emma Tipping (University of Stirling )
97 Maura Diamond (Napier University )

SLGA St Leonards Under 16 Championships
English girls have taken the first three places after the first round of the SLGA St Leonards Under 16 Strokeplay Championship held over the Strathtyrum course, St Andrews yesterday.
Rachel Connor from Manchester is in the lead with a scratch 72, closely followed by her England team-mate Katie Thompson (Corhampton) on 73. England are leading in the Team championship with a total of 145, eight shots ahead of Scotland 1.
Carly Booth (Comrie) on 76 and Kelsey Macdonald (Nairn Dunbar) on 77 are the best of the Scots on a blustery day when the scoring was high.
Scots girls are currently in the top three placings in the handicap section with Heather Peebles from Monifieth in the lead with 86 less 20 net 66. 16 handicap Gillian Simpson (Baberton) and 34 handicap Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle) both have net 67s.
Results from yesterday's first round
72 Rachel Connor (Manchester)
73 Katie Thompson (Corhampton)
75 Rebecca McGinley (Garesfield)
76 Carly Booth (Comrie)
77 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Holli Snelling (Killarney)
78 Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies), Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), Kelly Miller (Penrhos), Sarah Tyson (Redlibbets)
79 Elizabeth Over (Forest Pines), Helen Searle (West End Halifax)
80 Georgina Kilby (The Warren), Samantha Colecliffe (Rhuddlan), Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton Heath)
81 Natasha Gobey (Rhondda), Holly Clyburn (Kenwick Park), Kelly Tidy (Manchester), Emily Priest (Stourbridge), Sammy Vass (Tain), Zoe Differ (Dullatur)
82 Ditte Hansen (Sydsjaellands), Heidi Baek (Ufford Park), Hannah Barwood (Knowle), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm)
83 Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Amy Boulden (Maesdu), Gillian Simpson (Baberton)
84 Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth)
85 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea), Charlotte Austwick (Pike Hills), Bronte Law (Bramhall)
86 Katie Burman (John O'Gaunt), Samantha Leslie (Westhill), Heather Peebles (Monifieth)
87 Hannah Davies (Bramhall), Ashley Smith (Kirriemuir), Lauren MacCallum (McDonald), Cara Easton (Dalmahoy)
88 Elizabeth Sweetnam (Leighton Buzzard), Gail Stewart-Richens (Newmachar), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), Donna Mackinnon (Durness)
89 Kerrie Differ (Dullatur)
90 Lauren Meldrum (Dullatur), Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies), Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place), Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie Place)
91 Lauren Taylor (Rugby), Carla Reynolds (Seapoint)
92 Mhairi Johnstone (Northern), Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry), Jill Meldrum (Dullatur), Annabel Niven (Crieff), Emma Bisset (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies), Freya Barksby (Gainsborough), Louise Smith (Kirriemuir)
93 Amy Rainford (Bramhall), Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy), Camilla Tait (St Regulus), Nicky Wilson (Whitecraigs)
94 Nichola Ferguson (Clober), Kirstin Scott (Windyhill)
95 Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies)
97 Steff Hall (Lindrick), Chloe Macleod (Nairn Dunbar)
99 Laura Falconer (Monifieth)
101 Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle)
102 Catherine Conejo-Watt (Williamwood), Gabrielle MacDonald (Prestonfield)
103 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly), Helen Goodwin (Glenbervie), Jemma Lee Chalmers (Monifieth)
105 Claire Penrose (Monifieth)
107 Caitlin Geddes (Northern)
108 Samantha Lamb (Glencorse)
109 Nicola Taylor (Thornton), Alexandra Armstrong (Kilspindie)
112 Rachel Howie (West Kilbride)
120 Rebecca Cunningham (Ranfurly Castle)
127 Saorcha Warren (Eastwood)
NR Alina Rogers (Brodauer Muhle)
Withdrawn Kirsty Moss (Monifieth), Laura Campbell (Pitlochry)
Team Championship
Team Results at the end of Day 1
145 England
153 Scotland 1
158 Wales 1
162 Ireland
164 Wales 2
166 Scotland 2

Children from Aberlady, Cockenzie, Gullane, Law, Longniddry, Prestonpans and St Gabriels Schools
at East Lothian's first clubgolf Team Championship

Inaugural East Lothian clubgolf Team Championship success
Forty five children from seven local primary schools who were introduced to golf by the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf on the curriculum last year, were given the chance to warm up for the new season when Craigielaw Golf Club opened its doors to East Lothian's first clubgolf Team Championship.
The children – from Aberlady, Cockenzie, Gullane, Law, Longniddry, Prestonpans and St Gabriels Schools – had all completed clubgolf’s Stage 1 course last season at Craigielaw, Gullane, North Berwick, Royal Musselburgh and The Glen Golf Clubs.
At the start of the golf season – one which will see them step up to Stage 2 of the programme – the children were given the opportunity to combine their skills in the Championship which comprised a team "scramble", putting and chipping competitions and a golf quiz. Team ‘Montgomerie’, four young players from Royal Musselburgh, North Berwick and The Glen, scooped the overall prize. Additional prizes were awarded to teams that won the individual competitions.
“Today we managed to offer the children a fantastic opportunity - absolutely free,” said East Lothian Junior Golf Co-ordinator, Kate Green.
“This was achievable because of the local golf clubs who kindly gave us use of their facilities and donated prizes. It was also due to the unfaltering support of the adult volunteers who consisted of club members, parents and grandparents. All gave their time to ensure that the children are welcomed into the sport of golf."
Said Tantallon Golf Club’s Rick Foulner, one of 16 volunteers, Active Schools Co-ordinators and parents who helped make the competition a success, “We wanted to give the local children the opportunity to combine all the skills they have learnt on a real course.
“When we sent out the invites we hoped we would get around 36 children, so we are delighted that 45 turned up and all enjoyed it. We are very grateful to Craigielaw Golf Club for letting us use their course and to BUPA for donating a goody bag of balls, tees and markers to each child. We certainly hope to run the competition again next year.”
clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The strategy has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009.In 2005 clubgolf made a strong and lasting impression on East Lothian: 370 Primary 5 children in the Prestonpans and North Berwick school clusters experienced "firstclubgolf" as part of their PE Curriculum. The strategy’s introductory game, firstclubgolf is played with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets. Taught by teachers, it is designed as a safe and exciting introduction to the game for nine year olds.Children who enjoy the experience, and over 12,000 did across Scotland in 2005, can choose to progress to clubgolf’s Level 1 course; 23 hours of coaching in the fundamentals of the game, using real equipment at a local club. Last year in East Lothian, 96 children progressed to Stage 1 of the clubgolf programme, delivered locally by a team of 18 PGA-trained Volunteer Coaches.
These statistics are a direct result of the East Lothian clubgolf Junior Golf Strategy, created by the partnership of East Lothian Council and clubgolf, and launched by Catriona Matthew last summer. The Strategy aspires to deliver the national vision by giving every nine year old in East Lothian the opportunity to experience firstclubgolf every year from 2007.
This year over 700 East Lothian Primary 5 children will take part in firstclubgolf at 14 schools. Dunbar and Haddington school clusters will deliver firstclubgolf as part of their Primary 5 PE Curriculum for the first time.
In 2006 all five clubs that have delivered clubgolf - Royal Musselburgh, Craigielaw, Gullane, North Berwick and The Glen Golf Club - will continue to offer clubgolf coaching in 2006 to children in their local areas at both Stage 1 and 2 levels. A further two clubs, Haddington and Winterfield Golf Clubs, have signed up to deliver the strategy this year..
An extra 23 PGA Volunteer Coaches have been trained to deliver coaching sessions this season, bringing the total number of fully trained coaches in East Lothian to 41.
"The support the East Lothian community gives to clubgolf astounds me,” added Kate Green. “By having more trained volunteer coaches, more children than ever will have the opportunity to play golf.”

Midlothian Girls
The Midlothian Girls Spring Meeting was held at Liberton Golf Club on Tuesday. Thanks go to Liberton Golf Club for giving the girls courtesy of the course and for providing them with a sandwich and a drink afterwards.
Jane Turner (Mortonhall), left in photo, won the Fraser Trophy (Scratch) with a score of 75. The runner-up was Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old), right in photo, with a score of 76.
The Macpherson Trophy (Handicap) was won by Gabrielle Macdonald (Prestonfield) with a net 60. Eilidh McKellar (Dundas Parks) was second with a net 69.
Further information can be found at www.mclga.co.uk (click on Junior Girls)
Prizewinners
Scratch Winner (Fraser Trophy) Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 75
Scratch Runner Up Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 76
Handicap Winner (Macpherson Trophy) Gabrielle Macdonald (Prestonfield) 90 (30) 60
Handicap Runner Up Eilidh McKellar (Dundas Parks) 99 (30) 69
8-Hole Winner (girls without handicaps) Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) 39
8-Hole Runner Up (girls without handicaps) Emily Kidd 52
Putting Competition Winner (girls without handicaps) Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) 16 putts
Putting Competition Runner up (girls without handicaps) Emily Kidd 17 putts

Wednesday 5th April 2006

Results from the 2006 Elie Boys & Girls Tournament 2nd Day
Girls under 12 Strokeplay Round 1 on the Sports Club Course
Alexandra Tait 78
Gail Wilson 82
Linsey Stevenson 88
Lauren Whyte 91
Kirsty Simpson 101
Heather Munro 109
Rosy Hunter 110
Sarah Crummey 111
Girls under 14 Strokeplay Results
Jennifer Sinclair 77 & 79 = 156 1st place
Louise Smith 89 & 81 = 170
Jemma Chalmers 90 & 102 = 192
Alison Pryde 99 & 112 = 211
Katie Sturrock 115 & 110 = 225
Girls under 18 Strokeplay Results
Ashley Smith 85 & 88 = 173 1st Place
Emma Bisset 97 & 87 = 184
Heather Peebles 99 & 97 = 196
Patricia Smith 118 & Withdrew
Boys Under 12 Strokeplay Round 1 on the Sports Club Course
Connar Cook 76
Scott Simpson 79
John Miller 89
Oliver Mennie 91
Fraser Christie 96
Robbie Spriddle 100
Rory Turnbull 107
Boys Under 14 Matchplay Round 2
Iain Watson bt Andrew Duck 3&2, Angus Forgie bt David Crummie 7&5, Eamon Bradley bt Alexander Harris 3&2, Reece Mitchell bt David Ford 6&5, Alan Tuleth bt Ross Christie 9&7, Grant Bowman bt Ryan White 2and1, Jamie Arnott bt Andrew Whyte 7&6, Ross Storrier bt James Fisher 4&3
Boys Under 14 Matchplay Quarter Finals
Iain Watson bt Angus Forgie 21st Hole, Eamon Bradley bt Reece Mitchell 7&6, Alan Tuleth bt Grant Bowman 5&3, Ross Storrier bt Jamie Arnott 4&2.
Boys Under 16 Matchplay Quarter Final
Frazer Ogston bt Sean Thompson 2&1, James Ross bt Jamie Spriddle 3&2, Jack Thow bt Michael Donald 3&2, Sam Mclaren bt William Russell 1 up.
BoysUnder 18 Matchplay Quarter Finals
Ross Bell bt Adam Killen 3&1, Craig Storrier bt Michael Main 2up, James White bt James Tait 7&6, Zak Saltman bt Daniel Harrison 2 up

The Leveret Trophy, Formby Ladies
Saturday April 1st 2006
By Fiona Anderson [Apologies for the delay in publishing this report. GGK]
Formby Ladies were no fools to host the opening 36 Hole Scratch Ladies Tournament on April 1st. Despite many courses in the North of England being closed by flooding, the competitors enjoyed a sunny, fresh day marred only by one heavy downpour.
They attracted a high quality field with players travelling from as far apart as Wiltshire and Northumberland plus one lone Scot Carly Booth making the long journey south. Karen Stupples & Becky Morgan, both currently competing for the first Major on the LPGA Tour, are past players in this event. The young front runners this year could well become the stars of the future.
The course, as ever, was well presented with true, testing greens and the ever-menacing heather ready to punish all wayward shots.
In the morning round, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) took the lead with a superb 67 – 6 under the CSS – closely followed on 68 by Hannah Barwood ( Knowle ). The Lancashire County Champion, Cori Lee was lurking ominously close on 70.
Still finding their early season form, some of the morning leaders struggled after lunch. Of the major prize winners only young Rachel Connor ( Manchester ) and Holly Aitchison ( Bedfordshire ) improved both posting 72’s for totals of 145 which placed them in joint third. Meanwhile Hannah Barwood ( 74) and Cori Lee (72) were both regretting dropping 3 shots on Formby’s demanding final four holes to record aggregates of 142.
The Leveret Trophy was presented to a tearful Cori Lee ( West Lancashire) on a count back who immediately dedicated this important win to the memory of her mother.
This event is a great opener and whilst some may consider Formby Ladies a short course, Emma Duggleby, winner of so many amateur championships, declared her intention to return as the course that had presented such an enjoyable challenge.
Scores (Par 72, CSS 73)
142 Miss Cori Lee 70 + 72, Miss Hannah Barwood 68 + 74
145 Ms Holly Aitchison 73 + 72,Ms Rachel Connor 73 + 72
146 Ms Rachel Jennings 72 + 74, Ms Charlotte Ellis 67 + 79
148 Ms Charlie Douglass 75 + 73
149 Ms Georgina Dunn 71 + 78
150 Ms Lisa Ball 75 + 75, Ms Emma Sheffield 78 + 73, Ms Carly Booth 75 + 76
151 Ms Natasha Podmore 74 + 77
152 Ms Nicole Whitmore 79 + 73, Ms Sarah Attwood 79 + 73, Ms Emma Duggleby 76 + 76
153 Ms Samantha Birks 75 + 78
154 Ms Holly Calvert 78 + 76
156 Ms Sarah-Jane Eaves 78 + 78, Miss Louisa Stirling 78 + 78, Ms Natalee Evans 78 + 78
157 Ms Ann Lowe 82 + 75,Ms Charlotte Wild 81 + 76, Ms Laura Harvey 79 + 78
158 Ms Kelly Tidy 83 + 75,Miss Sara Garbutt 80 + 78, Ms Laura Collin 77 + 81
159 Ms Nikki Dunn 85 + 74, Ms Jeanne Bell 82 + 77, Ms Nicola Craven 81 + 78, Ms Clare Brown 79 + 80
160 Ms Ellie Givens 81 + 79, Ms Chris Appleby 78 + 82, Ms Kym Larratt 76 + 84
161 Ms Laura Thomas 85 + 76, Ms Rachel Goodall 85 + 76, Ms Jo Nicolson 83 + 78
162 Ms Sarah Walton 80 + 82, Ms Irene Brien 79 + 83
165 Ms Hester Wallace 89 + 76, Ms Gemma Parkes 83 + 82
166 Miss Kate Whitmore 83 + 83
167 Ms Sara Mountford 80 + 87
168 Ms Kamilla Lawton 85 + 83, Ms Harriet Owers-Bradley 83 + 85,Ms Carly Boulton 81 + 87
170 Ms Kirsty O'Connor 89 + 81
171 Ms Beth Davies 89 + 82
173 Ms Emma Stodart 84 + 89
174 Mrs Debbie Porter 85 + 89
177 Ms Pip Settle 93 + 84
179 Ms Natalie Harrison 91 + 88
181 Ms Natalie Lowe 87 + 94

US College Golf
Keir McNicoll and Gavin Dear continue to impress.
Two Scots, Keir McNicoll from Carnoustie and Gavin Dear from Perth, helped Lynn University to a second place finish at the Southeastern Intercollegiate at Valdosta, Georgia yesterday. This was the Fighting Knights fifth top-two finish this season. Keir McNicoll finished a season best fifth while Gavin Dear tied for sixth and team-mate Hoyt McGarity placed ninth. This is the second consecutive tournament and fourth overall that all three golfers finished in the top-10 together.
McNicoll closed out play in the three day tournament strong, shooting a two-under par 70. His 219 three round total is the second lowest of the season for the senior from Carnoustie, Scotland. Dear shot a 75 on the day while McGarity shot one better for his seventh top-10 finish in eight tournaments.
The Fighting Knights (866) could not catch up to West Florida, finishing 22-strokes behind the Argonauts.
Individual Results
Keir McNicoll (73-76-70=219/5th)
Gavin Dear (74-71-75=220/T-6th)
Hoyt McGarity (72-75-74=221/9th)

PRESS RELEASE
Get into Golf National Skills Challenge – an exciting and interactive scheme for junior golfers
England Golf is delighted to announce the launch of an exciting new development initiative called the Get into Golf National Skills Challenge. This project demonstrates how England Golf is now implementing initiatives which help to develop the game of golf in both schools and clubs.
Following a national pilot in 2005, the Get into Golf National Skills Challenge has been designed for junior players under 18 years of age and aims to help both boys and girls embrace vital elements of the game, such as putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play and full swing. The Rookie and Tour Challenges consist of a series of activities for golf clubs to run throughout the year. Following three Seasonal Challenges, the EGU/ELGA will hold a National Final for those top participants at Woodhall Spa.
Roger Moreland from England Golf commented, “We are delighted that the Get into Golf National Skills Challenge fits into England Golf’s player pathway and it is crucial that golf clubs are supported to recruit and retain youngsters within the game.”
To allow interaction between golf clubs, junior players and the EGU/ELGA, the National Skills Challenge is an online initiative and all information can be found at www.getintogolf.org/skills. The EGU/ELGA hope that the appropriate golf club representatives will take the opportunity to view the details of this programme and consider signing up to become a ‘National Skills Centre’.
The 2006 challenge dates are as follows:
Seasonal Challenge 1 – Saturday 8th April to Sunday 14th May
Seasonal Challenge 2 – Saturday 20th May to Sunday 25th June
Seasonal Challenge 3 – Saturday 1st July to Sunday 6th August
National Final – Saturday 16th September at Woodhall Spa Golf Club
Richard Flint EGU Development Manager added, “The Get into Golf National Skills Challenge is an exciting and interactive initiative, using the practical resources provided by the golf club and the online features on the website that allow youngsters to maintain their interest between Challenges”.
For information on how golf clubs and players can register to take part in the National Skills Challenge - go to www.getintogolf.org/skills or alternatively contact the EGU/ELGA Development Team. Upon registration golf clubs will receive a number of resources for junior participants, including rookie and tour manuals and other guidance materials.
The Get into Golf National Skills Challenge is an initiative jointly provided by the EGU and ELGA via the England Golf Partnership’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf.

Tuesday 4th April 2006

2006 Elie Boys & Girls Tournament
First Day Results
Girls under 14 Strokeplay Round 1 on Sports Club Course
Jennifer Sinclair 77, Louise Smith 89, Jemma Chalmers 90, Alison Pryde 99, Katie Sturrock 115
Girls under 18 Strokeplay Round 1 on the Golf House Club Course
Ashley Smith 85, Emma Bisset 97, Heather Peebles 99, Patricia Smith 118.
Boys
Round 1 under 14 Matchplay
Andrew Duck bt Lewis Marlborough w/o, Alexander Harris bt Eric Wishart 1 up, David Ford bt Tom Francis 2&1, Ross Christie bt Tom Flannigan 2&1, James Fisher bt Andrew Cunningham 3&1.
Round 1 under 16 Matchplay
Euan Sandison bt Andrew Ford 4&3, Ross Crummey bt James White 2&1, Robbie White bt Jordan West 7&6, Gordon Brown bt Glenn Barclay 1 up, Michael Mcnally bt Stuart Mclean 4&2, Angus Ritchie bt Sam Francis 2&1.
Round 1 Under 18 Matchplay
Duncan Ross bt Ross Bowman 6&5, Peter Mackie bt Ben Francis 4&2, Christopher Gilchrist bt Daniel Ritchie 8&7.
Round 2 Under 16 Matchplay
Frazer Ogston bt Euan Sandison 4&3, Sean Thompson bt Mathew Reid 20th Hole, Jamie Spriddle bt Ross Crummey 21st Hole, James Ross bt Robbie White 4&2, Gordon Brown bt Jack Thow 4&3, Michael Donald bt Michael McNally 2&1, William Russell bt Shaun Clark 4&3, Sam Mclaren bt Angus Ritchie 1 up.
Round 2 Under 18 Matchplay
Ross Bell bt Duncan Ross 5&4, Adam Killen bt Brian McNair 6&5, Craig Storrier bt Craig Ewing 20th Hole, Michael Main bt Jack Chillas 7&6, James White bt Peter Mackie w/o, James Tait bt Stuart Cramb 1 up, Daniel Harrison bt Gavin Wilson 5&4, Zak Saltman bt Christopher Gilchrist 8&7.

LGU Press Release
ANDY SALMON, CEO OF THE LADIES’ GOLF UNION, RESIGNS
Andy Salmon, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the ladies’ Golf Union since 2002, has resigned to take up a new position with De Vere Hotels. He will leave office on 30 April 2006.
Pam Chugg, Chairman of the LGU wished Salmon every success in his future career and said; “We are naturally disappointed to be losing Andy who has contributed so much over the last 4 years but we wish him every success in his new career. He leaves behind him a strong team supported by a very committed volunteer base and we look forward to continuing with the various activities currently under way and initiatives planned for the future. We shall seek to build on the progress and achievements of the past four years and to continue our role of advancing and safeguarding ladies’ golf during these exciting times.”
Andy Salmon said; “I have spent 4 hugely enjoyable years at the LGU and have been privileged to have worked with so many wonderful people and benefited from some great experiences. However, the opportunity to join De Vere Hotels represents the next stage in my career and I am very much looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead and to building on the well established reputation that De Vere has for providing a first class golf and leisure experience."
Salmon joined the LGU in January 2002 from Whitbread Hotels where he had worked for three years following a five year spell with the PGA, ending his employment there as North Region Secretary. As Secretary and CEO of the Ladies’ Golf Union, he was accountable to the Executive Council for all Union activities including the Women’s British Open, British Championships, Curtis Cup, international representation, liaison with other golfing bodies and the many activities included in the administration of a governing body. (Photo Courtesy and Copyright © Tom Ward)

East Vets Spring Meeting at Gullane
Scottish Senior Internationalist Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) was the only player to break 80 at the East Vets Spring Meeting over Gullane No 2 yesterday. Her six over par 79 gave her the Scratch award by two strokes from Scottish Seniors Champion Pamela Williamson (Baberton).
Past SVLGA President Ethel Jack (Gullane) was the only person to play to her handicap with an 82 less 9 net 73 and won the Silver Division handicap prize. Avril Robertson won the best scratch in the Bronze division with 102 and Anne McIntosh of the host club, Gullane, won First bronze handicap with 106 less 22 net 84. The day was very windy and scoring was high. The CSS was 76 non-counting.

TOP ENTRIES COME IN FOR THE ST ANDREWS LINKS TROPHY
The St Andrews Links Trophy is continuing to justify its position as the world’s top stroke play tournament with almost sixty entries already received from players with plus (+) handicaps.
With five weeks still to go until entries close, a record entry is anticipated for the four round tournament played over the Old Course and the New Course, St Andrews from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 June.
Niall Flanagan, Secretary to the Organising Committee was optimistic that this year’s Links Trophy would surpass all previous events, “I am delighted not only with the number of entries so far, but with the calibre of player who wants to compete at St Andrews.
“The St Andrews Links Trophy has grown in stature over the years and this surely reflects on the quality of our courses, on the tournament organisation and on the perception of the tournament in the minds of golfers from around the world.”
“This is underlined by the breadth of entries so far received from players resident in countries outside Great Britain and Ireland – Australia, Canada, Netherlands, USA, Denmark, New Zealand, South Africa and Venezuela.”
It was with the intention of expanding the overseas entry, particularly from the U.S., that the tournament was moved to a later date in June, thus avoiding a clash with the NCAA Finals, this year being played in Oregon.
As always, the home entry will include all players aiming to be a member of this year’s GB&I team for the St Andrews Trophy and perhaps for next year’s Walker Cup.
Teenager Oliver Fisher, seasoned campaigner Nigel Edwards, Robert Dinwiddie and Richie Ramsay are certainly contenders for these teams but a win in the Links Trophy may be stymied by players such as David Hewan of South Africa, Tristin Lambert and Andrew Martin of Australia, Canada’s James Wellings and Jan Willem van Hoof of the Netherlands.
The 144 competitors play 18 holes on each of the Old Course and the New Course and the 40 lowest scores and ties qualify for the final 36 holes over the Old Course on Sunday 11th June.

Monday 3rd April 2006

East of Scotland Prizewinners at Stirling today.
L to R: Alison Goodwin, Helen Goodwin, Samantha Lamb, Rachel Watton and Emma Fairnie

East of Scotland Girls' Spring Meeting
Emma Fairnie, a regular member of the Borders County team over the last couple of years, has joined East Lothian this season and today won her first competition in the East of Scotland Girls' programme when she took the Scratch Award at the Spring Meeting at Stirling. Emma qualifies for East Lothian membership as she is a member of Dunbar and attends Loretto School.
Emma's seven over par score of 81 just pipped Jane Turner and Rachel Watton (both Mortonhall) on 82.
Rachel won the overall handicap prize with 82 less 16, net 66. Helen Goodwin (Glenbervie) took the First Under18 prize with 98 less 24 net 74. First Under 14 prize went to Samantha Lamb (Glencorse) with 97 less 23 net 74, and second Under 14 prize was won by Alison Goodwin (Glenbervie) with 112 less 36 net 76. The CSS remained at 74.
Scores (SSS 74, CSS 74)
81 Emma Fairnie ( Dunbar )
82 Rachel Watton ( Mortonhall ), Jane Turner ( Mortonhall )
86 Louise Macgregor ( Falkirk )
88 Rachael Livingstone ( Musselburgh Old )
89 Cara Easton ( Dalmahoy )
93 Gillian Simpson ( Baberton )
95 Arlene McGarty ( Bathgate )
97 Samantha Lamb ( Glencorse ), Rachel Archibald ( Merchants )
98 Helen Goodwin ( Glenbervie )
101 Judy Shields ( Dunblane ), Megan Barbour ( North Berwick )
111 Nicola Taylor ( Thornton )
112 Alison Goodwin ( Glenbervie )
124 Eilidh McKellar ( Dundas Park )
NR Patricia Watt ( Lundin Ladies )

Cork Scratch Cup
Deirdre Smith from Co Louth successfully defended the Cork Scratch Cup, played at the weekend. Her scores were 74 and 79. She won by one shot from Claire Coughlan from the host club, with Scot Anne Laing another two shots back on 156.
153 Deirdre Smith Scr Co Louth 74,79 (Defended)
154 Claire Coughlan +2 Cork 75,79
156 Anne Laing +2 Vale of Leven/Cork 81,75
157 Sinead Keane Scr The Curragh 77,75
158 Sinead O'Sullivan 1 Galway 78.80
160 Maura Morrin 1 The Curragh 80,80
160 Sarah Faller 4 Galway 76,84

US College Golf
Katy MacNicoll from Carnoustie, a student at Lynn University tied for 43rd place with scores of 76-83-84 for a total of 243 in the Ryder Florida Women’s Collegiate Championship, hosted by the University of Miami. The Lynn University women’s golf team finished eighth out of 12 teams.

Sunday 2nd April 2006

Krystle best of the Scots.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) can take pride in a good performance at the Sherry Cup which finished at Sotogrande yesterday. Her final round 75 gave her a total of 302 and a share of eighth place in a quality field of top European golfers. In the battle to see who was second in the Scottish contingent, Jenna Wilson just pipped Kylie Walker with an 80 to an 81. They finished 33rd and 34th respectively.
Scotland scraped themselves off the bottom of the pile and took 10th place in the team tournament.

ELGA Press Release
Sophie beaten in Sherry Cup play-off
England international Sophie Walker was beaten on the second hole of a sudden death play-off for the Sherry Cup by Katharina Schallenberg of Germany.
At the end of 72 holes regulation play in Sotogrande, Spain, the players were tied on 289 after Schallenberg made up a four shot deficit in the final round.
England were also runners-up to Germany in the European Nations Challenge, with a team score of 594; five behind the winners and three ahead of third-placed Italy.
Leading final scores: 289 Katharina Schallenberg (Germany) 72, 74, 71, 72; Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) 69, 71, 73, 76. Schallenberg won at second play-off hole. 294 Breanne Loucks (Wales) 73, 72, 75, 74. Other England scores: 14th equal, 305 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 78, 75, 75, 77; 22nd equal, 314 Naomi Edwards (Ganton) 82, 75, 78, 79.

Saturday 1st April 2006

Krystle, the only Scot sparkling in Sherry Cup
Krystle Caithness from Fife added a second 74 to bring her third round total to 227, and has climbed to 10th place in the Sherry Cup in Sotogrande, Spain yesterday. Her teammates Jenna Wilson and Kylie Walker continue to match each other's scores, this time with a pair of 79s, and they are in joint 33rd place, just one away from the bottom of the table.
The Scottish team total of 472 does nothing to raise them from the bottom of the Team Championship (11th out of 11). They are 33 shots behind leaders Germany and three shots behind 10th-placed Iceland.

ELGA Press Release
Sophie Walker leads by four in Sherry Cup
England number one Sophie Walker takes a four shot lead into the final round of the Sherry Cup in Sotogrande, Spain.
The 21-year-old international from Kenwick Park scored 73 in the third round for a 54-hole total of 213 (69, 71, 73). She's four clear of Germany's Katharina Schallenberg while Marjet Van Der Graaff of Holland is a further shot behind.
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) moved up the leaderboard into a share of 12th place on 228 (78, 75, 75). Naomi Edwards (Ganton) shares 23rd place on 235 (82, 75, 78).
Meanwhile England are lying second in the European Nations Challenge on 441, two shots behind Germany and two ahead of Holland.

1.8 inch golf ball likely to be compulsory by 2008
The R&A and USGA are considering making the minimum diameter of a golf ball 1.80 inches in the next revision of the Rules of Golf, due to take effect in January 2008.
A spokesman said "The enormous driving distances of the top players are making a mockery of some of our traditional golf courses. Hazards which were in play just a few years ago are now being carried by these long-hitters. By increasing the diameter and therefore the surface mass of the golf ball, the resistance through the air will also be increased, and therefore the flight distance will be curtailed. It was felt that altering the golf ball was an easier option than making changes to clubs".
A spokesperson for the Confederation of UK Golf Ball manufacturers said "We have been expecting this announcement for some time, and are already making plans to alter our manufacturing process to produce larger balls. The cost of production is likely to increase as the larger surface area will need more paint. We will try to keep these costs to a minimum." Further information