Thursday 30th December 2004

JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL TITLES HEADING FOR FOREIGN SHORES
American golf could be about to receive another blow to its pride with both the boys' and girls' titles in the 41st Junior Orange Bowl international tournament seemingly on the verge of being one by foreign competitors.
Jorge Campillo from Caceres, Spain has opened up a resounding five-shot lead in the boys' championship with one round to go over the Biltmore course at Coral Gables, Florida while Julieta Granada from Asuncion, Paraguay is two strokes clear of the field in the girls' event.
Campillo would be following in the footsteps of some big-name winners of the boys' crown such as Mark Calcavecchia (1977) and Tiger Woods (1991).
Jorge's Spanish compatriot, former British boys' open champion Pablo Martin, now at college in the United States, won the Junior Orange Bowl title last year, thanks to a magnificent last round.
Campillo is heading for the championship in front-running style. He has shot 75, 65 and 66 for a seven-under-par 206. His nearest competitors are Christopher Ward from McKinney, Texas and Germany's Stephan Gross from Heidelberg, both on 211.
Junior Ryder Cup victors Oliver Fisher from Essex and Rory McIlroy from Holywood, Belfast failed to make the third-round move they needed to boost their chances of being a first British winner.
Fisher has been nothing if not consistent around the par mark - 71, 72 and 71 for one-over 214 which puts him in joint ninth place going into the final round.
McIlroy is tied for ninth place with rounds of 71, 70 and 74 for 215.
Ben Parker from Southport is back in joint 24th place on 220. After saddling himself with an opening round of 80, Ben has climbed up the standings with scores of 72 and 68.
GB&I boys' cap John Parry from Yorkshire  is on 223 after scores of 78, 72 and 73.
United States girls' open title-holder Julieta Granada from Paraguay looks set to another big trophy to her collection. After a slow start -  by her standards - with a 75, Julieta has looked a class act with scores of 68 and 70 for three-under-par 213.
America's best hope of a home win may be held by Morgan Pressel from Boca Raton, Florida. She is sharing second place with another United States player, the less well-known Jacqui Concolino from Orlando, on 215 after shooting 71, 73 and 71.
Fabienne In-Albon from Switzerland is the leading European in the girls' event. She is tied for third place on 216 after scoring 71, 74 and 71.
Kiran Matharu from Leeds, beaten finalist in this year's English girls' match-play championship, is tied for eighth place on 221 with Azahara Munoz from Malaga, the Spanish girl who won the British girls' open championship at Lanark in August.
Kiran has score 74, 75 and 72.
Professional's daughter Florentyna Parker, sister of Ben, is tied for 10th place on 223 with rounds of 75, 73 and 75.
JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Biltmore golf course, Coral Gables, Florida.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
(Players from US unless stated)
BOYS (Par 71)
206 Jorge Campillo (Spain) 75 65 66.
211 Christopher Ward 71 70 70, Stephan Gross (Germany) 72 66 71.
212 Jon McLean 74 71 67, Sandro Piaget (Monaco) 69 73 70, Miguel Cabrera (Spain) 72 69 71.
213 In-Hoi Hur (Korea) 79 69 65, Roberto Galletti 71 73 69.
214 Oliver Fisher (England) 71 72 71, Jon Curran 74 67 73.
215 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 71 70 74, David Chung 66 78 69, Randy Lowry 74 71 70, Kyle Stanley 68 76 71, Rory Hie 72 70 73.
216 Kristian Mejnert (Denmark) 78 70 68, Chanin Puntawong 75 70 71, Santiago Russi (Chile) 73 71 72.
218 Juan Candela (Colombia) 72 74 72.
219 Carlos Velez 76 72 71, Philippe Fossaert (Colombia) 74 74 71, Michael Buttacavoli 73 72 74.
220 Ben Parker (England) 80 72 68, Rafael Lee (Canada) 82 71 67, Greg Forest 76 74 70, Efren Serna (Mexico) 76 73 71, Sihwan Kim (Korea) 73 76 71, Lluis Garcia del Moral (Spain) 70 79 71, Conrad Von Borsig 77 70 73.
221 Cedric Scotto (France) 75 75 71, Brent Blaum 74 75 72, Peter Uihlein 73 74 74.
222 Jonathon Widmer (Cayman Islands) 76 74 72, Drew Weaver 77 71 74, Ji Moon 75 73 74, Nick Geygen (Chile) 72 75 75.
223 John Parry (England) 78 72 73, Noah Goldman 76 73 74, Alban Lammens (Belgium) 77 74 72.
225 Brian Locke 77 76 72.
226 Nestor Delgado 77 80 69, Alexander Kleszcz (Austria) 78 72 76, Peter Meldgaard (Denmark) 78 72 76.
2267 Chris Rockwell 80 76 71, Sebastian MacLean (Bolivia) 77 77 73, Jesper Drongstrup (Denmark) 79 71 77, Markus Rytkola (Finland) 78 72 77, Pedro Figueiredo (Portugal) 76 74 77, Jason Walker 79 70 78.
228 Lorento Scotto (Italy) 80 74 74.
229 Pedro Lima (Brazil) 76 77 76.
230 Brendan Mahoney 81 76 73, Marc Dobias (Switzerland) 78 76 76, Scott MacDougall (Bahamas) 77 77 76, Roberto Diaz (Mexico) 74 79 77.
231 Grega Perne (Slovenia) 81 77 73, Nyasha Mauchaza (Zimbabwe) 77 79 75, Simon Merry (Trinidad) 80 74 77.
232 Wen-Ting Wu (Chinese Taipei) 79 82 71.
233 Mu Hu (China) 86 72 75, Pablo Carrere (Uruguay) 80 76 77.
234 Carlos Navarro (Paraguay) 80 75 79.
235 Heberto Diaz (Puerto Rico) 79 76 80.
236 Kyloe Takesue 82 76 76, Juan Perello (Dominican Republic) 80 76 80.
237 Victor Fookes (Venezuela) 81 79 77.
238 Philip Reiser (Peru) 87 74 77.
240 Siphiwe Siphayi (South Africa) 86 78 76.
241 Max Satuda (Poland) 88 79 74.
246 Gavin Symmans (Hong Kong) 79 84 83.
247 Corey Devaux (St Lucia) 87 78 82.
GIRLS (Par 72)
213 Julieta Granada (Paraguay) 75 68 70.
215 Jacqui Concolino 74 71 70, Morgan Pressel 71 73 71.
216 Grace Wood 75 70 71, Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland) 781 74 71.
217 Belen Mozo (Spain) 69 76 72.
218 Alina Lee 75 70 73.
220 Hsiao-Ching Lu (Chinese Taipei) 78 71 71.
221 Kiran Matharu (England) 74 75 72, Azahara Munoz (Spain) 75 71 75.
223 Adriana Zwanck (Spain) 77 75 71.
223 Florentyna Parker (England) 75 73 75.
224 Sooji Cho 72 74 78.
227 Angela Park 74 77 76.
228 Maria Hernandex (Spain) 80 75 73.
229 Hye-Youn Kim (Korea) 80 74 75.
230 Emilie Geury (Belgium) 76 79 75, Marika Lendl 76 78 76.
231 Anna Rossi (Italy) 80 79 72, Jenny Park (New Zealand) 79 74 78.
232 Carolin Loehr (Germany) 77 78 77, Juliana Murcia (Colombia) 77 78 77.
234 Kristin Wetzel 82 77 75, Maria Garcia Austt (Uruguay) 82 75 77.
236 Susan Nam (Canada) 80 78 78.
238 Maria Jose Vial (Chile) 82 78 78, Katharina Werdinig (Austria) 80 80 78, Stephanie Connelly 77 81 80.
240 Simone de Souza (Peru) 77 84 79.
241 Victoria Alimonda (Brazil) 81 85 75, Ramijin Camping 82 82 77, Maria Troche (Paraguay) 80 82 79.
244 Therese Koelbaek (Denmark) 85 81 78, Gloriana Soto (Costa Rica) 78 84 82.
248 Lydia Benitez (Puerto Rico) 79 89 80.
253 Yayoi Garcia (Mexico) 79 84 80.

Wednesday 29th December 2004

EUROPEANS TO THE FORE IN JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL IN FLORIDA
European competitors continued to prosper on the second day of the 41st Junior Orange Bowl international golf championship over the Biltmore course at Coral Gables, Florida (on Tuesday, USA time).
At the halfway stage of the 72-hole event, six of the leading nine in the boys' tournament - won in 1991 by Tiger Woods - are from Britain or the Continent.
In the girls' event, there are six Europeans in the top 12.
Jorge Campillo from Spain and Germany's Stephan Gross took up the running in the boys' tournament on two-under-par 140. Campillo from Caceres slashed 10 shots off his opening round with a six-birdie, bogey free score of 65 while Gross from Heidelberg returned a 68 on a day which was unseasonably cool and windy by Florida standards.
Junior Ryder Cup players Rory McIlroy from Belfast and Oliver Fisher from Essex are still very much in contention with two rounds to go.
McIlroy has shot a steady 70-71 for joint third place on 141 while Fisher has scored 71-72 for tied ninth spot on 143.
GB&I boys' cap John Parry from Yorkshire is back on 150 after a 78 and 72. Professional's son Ben Parker from Southport is on 152 after and 80 and 72.
In the girls' section, Julietta Granada, the United States girls' open champion from Asuncion, Paraguay, improved from a first-day 75 to a second-round, four-under-par 68 for a halfway total of 143.
Julietta leads by one shot from Morgan Pressel, from Boca Raton and playing in her home state of Florida. Morgan has had socres of 71 and 73.
Fabienne In-Albon from Switzerland is the leading European in joint third place on 145 aftere rounds of 71 and 74.
Ben Parker's sister Florentyna is lying 10th after a 75 and 73 for 148 - one shot ahead of Kiran Matharu from Leeds. Kiran, beaten finalist in this year's English Under-18 girls' championship although she is only 15, has had rounds of 74 and 75.
JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Biltmore golf course, Coral Gables, Florida
SECOND ROUND TOTALS (Par 71)
(Players from US unless stated)
140 Jorge Campillo (Spain) 75 65, Stephan Gross (Germany) 72 68.
141 Jon Curran 74 67, Miguel Cabrera (Spain) 72 69, Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 71 70, Christopher Ward 71 70.
142 Rory Hie 72 70, Sandro Piaget (Monaco) 69 72.
143 Oliver Fisher (England) 71 72.
144 Santiago Russi (Chile) 73 71, Roberto Galletti 71 73, Kyle Stanley 69 76.
145 Chanin Puntawong 75 70, Randy Lowry 74 71, Jon McLean 74 71, Michael Buttacavoli 73 72.
146 Juan Candela (Colombia) 72 74, David Chung 68 78.
147 Conrad Von Borsig 77 70, Peter Uihlein 73 74, Nick Geygen (Chile) 72 75.
148 In-Hoi Hur (Korea) 79 79. Drew Weaver 77 71, Carlos Velez 76 72, Ji Moon 75 73, Philippe Fossaert (Colombia) 74 74.
149 Jason Walker 79 70, Noah Goldman 76 73, Elren Serna (Mexico) 78 73, Brent Blaum 74 75, Sihwan Kim (Korea) 73 76, Lluis Garcia Del Moral (Spain) 70 79.
150 Jesper Drongstrup (Denmark) 79 71, Alexander Kleszcz (Austria) 78 72, Peter Meldgaard (Denmark) 78 72, John Parry (England) 78 72, Markus Rytkola (Finland) 78 72, Greg Forest 76 74, Jonathon Widmer (Cayman Islands) 76 74, Pedro Figueiredo (Portugal) 76 74, Ceolric Scotto (France) 75 75, Alban Lammens (Belgium) 77 74.
152 Ben Parker (England) 80 72.
153 Rafael Lee (Canada) 82 71, Brian Locke 77 76, Pedro Lima (Brazil) 76 77, Roberto Diaz (Mexico) 74 79.
154 Simon Merry (Trinidad) 80 74, Lorento Scotto (Italy) 80 74, Marc Dobias (Switzerland) 78 76, Sebastian MacLean (Bolivia) 77 77, Scott MacDougall (Bahamas) 77 77.
155 Carlos Navarro (Paraguay) 80 75, Heberto Diaz (Puerto Rico).
156 Chris Rockwell 80 76, Pablo Juan Carrere (Uruguay) 80 76, Juan Perello (Dominican Republic) 80 76, Nyasha Mauchaza (Zimbabwe) 77 79.
157 Brendan Mahoney 81 76, Nestor Delgado 77 80.
158 Mu Hu (China) 86 72.
159 Grega Perne (Slovenia) 81 77.
160 Kyle Takesue 82 78, Victor Fookes (Venezuela) 81 79.
161 Philip Reiser (Peru) 87 74, Wen-Ting Wu (Chinese Taipei) 79 82.
163 Gavin Symmans (Hong Kong) 79 84.
164 Siphiwe Siphayi (South Africa) 86 78.
165 Corey Devaux (St Lucia) 87 78.
167 Max Satuda (Poland) 86 79.
GIRLS (Par 72)
143 Julieta Granada (Paraguay) 75 68.
144 Morgan Pressel 71 73.
145 Alina Lee 75 70.
145 Grace Wood 75 70, Jacqueline Concolino 74 71, Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland) 71 74, Belen Mozo (Spain) 69 76.
146 Azahara Munoz (Spain) 75 71.
146 Sooji Cho 72 74.
148 Florentyna Parker (England) 75 73.
149 Hsiao-Chaing Lu (Chinese Taipei) 78 71, Kiran Matharu (England) 74 75.
152 Jenny Park (New Zealand) 79 72, Angela Park 74 77.
152 Adriana Zwanck (Spain) 77 75.
154 Hye-Youn Kim (Korea) 80 74, Marika Lendl 76 78.
155 Maria Hernandez (Spain) 80 75, Carolin Loehr (Germany) 77 78, Juliana Murcia (Colombia) 77 78, Emilie Geury (Belgium) 76 79.
157 Maria Garcia Austt (Uruguay) 82 75.
158 Susan Nam (Canada) 80 78, Stephanie Connelly 77 81.
159 Kristin Wetzel 82 77, Anna Rossi (Italy) 80 78.
160 Maria Jose Vial (Chile) 82 72, Katharina Werdinig (Austria) 80 80.
161 Simone De Souza (Peru) 77 84.
162 Maria Trioche (Paraguay) 80 82, Gloriana Soto (Costa Rica) 78 84.
163 Yayoi Garcia (Mexico) 79 84.
164 Ramijin Camping 82 82.
166 Therese Koelbaek (Denmark) 85 81, Victoria Alimonda (Brazil) 81 85.
168 Lydia Benitez (Puerto Rico) 79 89.

Tuesday 28th December 2004

RORY AND OLIVER START WELL IN JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL TOURNAMENT
Belfast's Rory McIlroy, pictured right, and Oliver Fisher, left, from Leeds were the leading British competitors at the end of the 41st Junior Orange Bowl international golf championship at Coral Gables, Florida (on Monday, USA time).
Both shot one-under-par 71s to be sharing fifth place, three strokes behind joint leaders David Chung and Kylie Stanley, both from the United States.
North of England youths champion John Parry from Yorkshire and professionals's son Ben Parker from Southport left themselves a lot of ground to make up in the 72-hole event.
GB&I boys' international cap Parry had a 78 and Parker an 80.
Tiger Woods (1991) is a former winner of what is recognised as one of the world's leading junior golf championships.
Spain has one of the largest overseas entries - Pablo Martin, now at college in the United States won the boys' title 12 months ago - and apart from Lluis Garcia del Moral (Madrid) in fourth place on 70, Spain's Belen Mozo is leading the girls' event with a fine round of 69 which gave her a two-shot lead from America's Morgan Pressel and Faabienne In-Albon from Switzerland.
Kiran Matharu from Leeds is in joint fifth place on 74, one shot ahead of Ben Parker's sister, Florentyna who is tied for eighth spot.
JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Biltmore golf course, Coral Gables, Florida.
First round scores (competitors from US unless stated)
BOYS
68 David Chung, Kylie Stanley.
69 Sandro Piaget (Monaco).
70 Lluis Garcia del Moral (Spain).
71 Oliver Fisher (England), Roberto Gelletti, Rory McIlroy (Ireland), Christopher Ward.
72 Miguel Cabrera (Spain), Juan Candela (Colombia), Nick Geyger (Chile), Stephen Gross (Germany), Rory Hie,
73 Mike Buttacavoli, Sihwan Kim (Korea), Santiago Russi (Chile), Peter Uihlein.
74 Ryan Blaum, John Curran, Roberto Diaz (Mexico), Philippe Fossaert (Colombia), Randy Lowry, Jon McLean.
75 Jorge Campillo (Spain), Ji Moon, Chanin Puntawong, Cedric Scotto (France).
76 Pedro Figueiredo (Portugal), Greg Forest, Noah Goldman, Pedro Lima (Brazil), Efren Serna (Mexico), Carlos Velez, Jonathon Widmer (Cayman Islands).
77 Nestor Delgado, Alban Lammens (Belgium), Brian Locke, Scott MacDougall (Bahamas), Sebastian Maclean (Bolivia), Nyasha Mauchaza (Zimbabwe), Conrad Von Borsig, Drew Weaver.
78 Marc Dobias (Switzerland), Alexander Kleszcz (Austria), Peter Meldgaard (Denmark), John Parry (England), Markus Rytkola (Finland).
79 Herberto Diaz (Puerto Rico), Jesper Drongstrup (Denmark), In-Hoi Hur (Korea), Gavin Symmans (Hong Kong), Jason Walker, Wen-Ting Wu (Chinese Taipei).
80 Pablo Carrere (Uruguay), Simon Merry (Trinidad), Carlos Navarro (Paraguay), Ben Parker (England), Juan Perello (Dominican Republic), Chris Rockwell, Lorenzo Scotto (Italy).
81 Victor Fookes (Venezuela), Brendon Mahoney, Grega Perne (Slovenia).
82 Rafael Lee (Canada), Kyle Takesue.
86 Mu Hu (China), Siphiwe Siphayi (South Africa).
87 Corey Devaux (West Indies), Philip Reiser (Peru).
88 Max Satuda (Poland).
GIRLS
69 Belen Mozo (Spain).
71 Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland), Morgan Pressel.
72 Sooji Cho.
74 Jacqui Concolino, Kiran Matharu (England), Angela Park.
75 Julieta Granada (Paraguay), Alina Lee, Azahara Munoz (Spain), Florentyna Parker (England), Grace Wood..
76 Emilie Geury (Belgium), Marika Lendl.
77 Simone De Souza (Peru), Carolin Loehr (Germany), Juliana Murcia (Colombia), Adriana Zwanck (Spain).
78 Hsiao-Ching Lu (Chinese Taipei), Gloriana Soto (Costa Rica).
79 Lydia Benitez (Puerto Rico), Yayoi Garcia (Mexico), Jenny Park (New Zealand).
80 Maria Hernandez (Spain), Hye-Youn Kim (Korea), Susan Nam (Canada), Anna Rossi (Italy), Maria Troche (Paraguay), Katharina Werdinig (Austria).
81 Victoria Alimonda.
82 Ramijin Camping, Maria Garcia Austt (Uruguay), Maria Jose Vial (Chile), Kristin Wetzel.
85 Therese Koelback (Denmark).

Monday 27th December 2004

Happy Birthday to my husband David.

He is now closer to 70 than 50!

Sunday 26th December 2004

KIRAN IS RUNNER-UP IN AGE GROUP AT MIAMI JUNIOR TOURNAMENT
Kiran Matharu (Sand Moor), picttured right, beaten finalist in this year’s English Under-18 girls’ match-play championship, finished runner-up in the girls’ 14-15 years’ category of the Doral-Publix Junior Classic at Doral Golf Resort, Miami.
Kiran had rounds of 70, 70, and 76 for a 54-hole total of 216.
Marta Silva, the latest Spanish “wonder girl,” won this age group with scores of 68, 70 and 67 for an 11-shot win with a total of 205.
Spain’s Belen Mozo won the girls’ 16-18 years’ section with scores of 68, 69 and 73 for 210 – three ahead of Alejandra Lllaneza (Mexico) with
Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland) third on 217 and Spain’s Maria Hernandez fourth on 218.
England’s Florentyna Parker was runner-up in the girls’ 16-18 years’ “Consolation Flight.” She had ever improving rounds of 80, 77 and 70 for a total of 227 – five shots behind winner Emilie Geury (US) with scores of 78, 77 and 67 for 222.
Spain provided the third and fourth – Jorge Campillo and Miguel Cabrera – in the boys’ 16-18 years’ group won by Conrad Von Borsig (United States) from compatriot John Curran.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
GIRLS
14-15 Years
205 Marta Silva (Spain) 68 70 67.
216 Kiran Matharu (England) 70 70 76.
218 Chjristina Hiro (US) 75 72 71.
16-18 Years
210 Belen Mozo (Spain) 68 69 73.
213 Alejandra Llaneza (Mexico) 71 71 71.
217 Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland) 70 74 73.
218 Maria Hernandez (Spain) 75 73 70.
Consolation Flight
222 Emilie Geury (US) 78 77 67.
227 Florentyna Parker (England) 80 77 70.
BOYS
14-15 Years
215 Diego Tamayo (Mexico) 72 698 74; Alan Wagner (US) 72 72 71 (Tamayo won play-off).
219 Spender Anderson(US) 69 73 77.
16-18 Years
213 Conrad Von Borsig (US) 71 73 69.
214 John Curran (US) 69 74 71.
217 Jorge Campillo (Spain) 70 77 70.
218 Miguel Cabrera (Spain) 71 74 73.

Friday 24th December 2004

Merry Christmas

to all our readers!

LOUISE FLEMING MOVES FROM MINNESOTA TO ALABAMA, THANKS TO COLETTE MURRAY
Colette Murray from Dumfries, now officially an assistant on golf coach  James Hobbs's back-up team at Jacksonville State University since her graduation a week past Saturday, has gained her first recruit for the Gamecocks' women's roster.
She is fellow-Scot Louise Fleming, pictured right, from Kelso. Louise went to the States on a golf scholarship from the University of Minnesota but things had not been working out for Louise as a member of the Gophers' team.
Louise jumped at the chance to move to the all-round-year warmth of Jacksonville in Alabama and will make her debut for the Gamecocks in the spring.
"When Louise came down for a visit, the fact that you could go outside in just trousers and a T-shirt meant that I didn't really have to do much talking! The weather had been terrible in Minnesota when she left," said Colette who came home to Scotland for the Festive period.
Louise Fleming adds another nationality to the cosmopolitan Jacksonville State University women's roster.
She joins three Argentinians - Florenda Moran, Marilen Fernandez-Ruiz and Mercedes Huarte,  one South African (Shanelle Howell) and one from Ireland, Sara Gallagher.

Wednesday 22nd December 2004

KELLY BROTHERTON TO JOIN THE GIRL GOLF TALENT DRAIN TO AMERICA
Kelly Brotherton, winner of an array of Scottish teenage golf titles over the past three seasons, has accepted the offer of a golf scholarship from Colorado State University and will enrol next autumn.
Angie Hopkins, head coach of the Colorado State Rams women’s golf team, has announced that Miss Brotherton, meantime a golf scholarship student at Loretto School, Musselburgh, is one of four players – the three others are Americans – who have signed “National Letters of Intent” to play golf for the university for four years, starting with the 2005-2006 term.
Kelly will be 19 years old on January 29. This will be her second spell in the United States. As a 16-year-old, she was the first Scot to be offered a place at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Orlando in Florida. She spent four months in America, practising five or six hours a day and going out on a golf course at least twice a week.
The Dollar-based Tulliallan Golf Club member returned to Scotland a better player. At the age of 16, Kelly became the youngest player to win the Scottish Under-21 and Under-18 stroke-play titles in the same tournament at Baberton in July 2002.
In 2003, at Newmachar, Kelly beat Krystle Caithness by 3 and 2 in the final of the BP Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play championship.
A few weeks later, Miss Brotherton retained the Scottish Under-18 stroke-play title, breaking the Kilmacolm course record in the third round. In the same tournament, she failed to retain the Under-21 title, finishing only one shot behind Jenna Wilson and Heather MacRae who figured in a play-off which Jenna won.
This year, at Pumpherston, Kelly Brotherton, after beating the No 1 seed, Carly Booth, had the tables turned on her by Krystle Caithness in the final of the Scottish Under-18 match-play championship. Krystle won by 2 holes.
Denver is the nearest international airport to Colorado State University which is based at Fort Collins, a town with a population of 126,000 of whom 24,700 are resident students. Fort Collins is 60 miles north of Denver in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Former Scottish youths champion Martin Laird (Hilton Park) completed a four-year golf scholarship at Colorado State last year after winning several college tournaments during his stay. Alyth Golf Club member Kevin McAlpine from Blairgowrie, son of the former Dundee United goalkeeper, is still a golf scholarship student at Colorado State and a leading member of the Rams’ team.
Colorado State University’s women’s team is strong locally – their tournament record in the first half of the 2004-2005 season has seen them win once, been second twice, fifth once and been 11th in the other event. But the female Rams are ranked only 50th nationally.
Coach Hopkins hopes that Kelly Brotherton and her other 2005 recruits will give her a team capable of challenging the big guns such as Duke and Arizona State.
“Kelly has lots of tournament experience and is really looking forward to coming to the States to play golf,” said the coach. “She is a very talented golf with an ability to shoot very low numbers at times.”
Miss Brotherton has been quoted as saying “Eventually, I definitely want to turn professional but that won’t be for another four or five years when I’ve finished university.”
Since the late 1980s, there has been a steady drain of Scottish female amateur golfing talent to the States, dating as far back as Pamela Wright, Kathryn Marshall and Janice Moodie when they were youngsters. More recently Vikki Laing gained Curtis Cup honours after four years at the University of California and is now a rookie pro on the LPGA Tour.
Jenna Wilson returned home before the summer after a successful year at San Diego State but there are still 12 Scottish girls on golf scholarships at American colleges:
Heather MacRae (San Diego State), Louise Kenney (Iowa State), Laura Walker and Fiona Gilbert (Arkansas Little Rock), Sjavon Wilson (Tyler, Texas), Pamela Feggans (Florida Southern), Louise Fleming (Minnesota), Fiona Hindshaw (Pfeiffer), Emily Ogilvy (Sam Houston State), Ilona Stubley (Central Arkansas), Kate O’Sullivan (High Point), Stephanie Crolla (McLennan).
Two other Scots, Anne Walker (California) and Collette Murray (Jacksonville), have stayed on after graduation to join the back-up staff of their college golf teams.
The only other home country with a comparable problem of losing young girl golfing talent to the United States is Ireland who also have a double-figure representation in college golf teams dotted across America. English and Welsh girls, in the main, tend to stay at home.
Earlier this month, Stirling University unveiled a new golf centre as part of its programme to offer the best golfing facilities to students.
Professor Grant Jarvie, head of the Department of Sports Studies, said at the opening:.
“We have supported the development of golf since we first introduced golf scholarships in 1981 and are the only university in Britain to have on-campus golf practice facilities.
“This new centre will enable us to maintain our standing as the leading higher education institution in Europe for supporting talented youth golfers.
“We hope that what we are achieving at Stirling will help to reverse the trend of home-grown talent heading to America to combined golf with academic study.”
Wally Booth, who has son Wallace – a Scotland international-class player in the second year of a scholarship at Augusta State University, says that he has already been sounded out by that same college about the prospects of his wonder-girl daughter, Carly (who won’t be 13 until next June), joining their golf team five or six years down the road.
The impending departure from these shores of top prospect Kelly Brotherton would seem to indicate that Professor Jarvie has still to get Stirling’s “Stay-at-home” message across to the youngsters at whom it is addressed.

Warm weather training for England players
Eight of England’s leading players will visit Tenerife in early January for warm weather training.
The group includes two England internationals, Alex Marshall (Burghley Park) and Faye Sanderson (Heworth), the English girls’ champion Melissa Reid (Chevin), and the winner of the England girls’ order of merit, Felicity Johnson (Harborne).
They will be joined by Claire Aitken (Mid-Kent), Laura Eastwood (Yelverton), Joanne Hodge (Knowle) and Emma Sheffield (Newark).
The players, all members of ELGA squads, will be based at Golf del Sur and will be accompanied by national coach Pat Smillie and physiotherapist Julie Sparrow.

Girls learn from Laura Davies and Karen Stupples
England’s golfing superstars, Laura Davies and Karen Stupples, have been back to their roots to spur on the players of tomorrow.
Davies, the European No 1 and winner of 66 titles around the globe, and Stupples, the 2004 Weetabix British Women’s Open winner, have both taken clinics for girls in their home counties.
Stupples spent a day with 10 Kent girls at Chart Hills Golf Club, where she tied third in the Ladies’ English Open this summer.
The girls are all promising players, with handicaps between five and 16, who have the potential to play for the Kent first team. They were: Amber Blundell, Sian Evans, Danielle Gibbs, Kimberley Head, Charlotte Hope, Coral Jones, Jerry Lawrence, Rebecca Pike, Daisy Taylor and Sarah Tyson.
Stupples gave them an insight on her practice techniques, her preparations for play and her pre-shot routine. She also worked with them on the range and then played nine holes with the girls.
Kent county captain Chris Lohan said: “This has all come from Karen and it’s absolutely typical of her. She has always been a great supporter of Kent and she wants to put something back into the game. It is a fantastic opportunity for these girls.”
Stupples is also supporting the Kent girls with a donation for coaching, paid for with some of her winnings from her British Open triumph at Sunningdale.
Meanwhile, Laura Davies encouraged some of Surrey’s newest golfers, nine youngsters who had won places at the clinic in nine-hole competitions for girls without handicaps. They were Emma Jane Chapman, Nicky Coase, Shannon Flynn, Rebecca Freeman, Daisy Pelham, Katy Rhodes, Rosie Smith, Holly Stacey and Fiona Wright.
She spent about 90 minutes coaching them at Sutton Green Golf Club and then played three holes with Surrey junior champion Kirsty Rands, county player Emma Lyons and Surrey champion Lisa McGowan. This is the third year that Davies has been involved with this competition series.
Surrey’s Libby Hagdrup said: “We are extremely grateful to Laura for being so generous with her time and wanting to help the juniors in the county which helped her when she was starting her own golf.”

Monday 20th December 2004

New President For Scottish Golf Union in 2005
Former Scottish Boy's and Youths' Internationalist Graham Ewart has been named as the new President of the Scottish Golf Union.
Mr. Ewart, from Edinburgh will take over the position on 23 January 2005, and will serve as President for the next year. In his position as President, he will also become an ex-officio member of the Scottish Golf Union Limited Board.
An honourary member of Kingsknowe Golf Club where he has been a member for the last 59 years, he represented Scotland at Boys and Youths level, and was named Scottish Club Golfer of the Year in 1970.
A faithful servant to the game of golf over many years, Mr. Ewart has been an active member of the Scottish Golf Union since taking up the post as Lothians representative on the SGU Executive in 1983, and was appointed Vice President in 2003.
With the SGU committed to growing the game, developing talent and supporting member clubs, Mr. Ewart is looking forward to his term as President.
"I feel very humble at the prospect of taking over as President of the SGU," admitted Mr. Ewart.
"It is a great honour to represent everyone associated with men's amateur golf, and act as an ambassador for the game in Scotland.
"We have enjoyed a successful last 12 months, and I am confident we can maintain the progress that has already been achieved.
"I look forward to being part of the success of the coming year."
As well as serving the SGU on a volunteer basis, Mr. Ewart was also employed as Championship Secretary, Club Services Manager and Treasurer at the Union for 15 years until his retirement in 2000.
He takes over from outgoing President Hugh Hunter, and will be supported by Gordon McInnes, who has been named as the new Vice President.
SGU Executive representative for Glasgow, Mr. McInnes is a member of Glasgow Golf Club, Cathcart Castle and Old Ranfurly.
The former 3 handicapper, he competed in the Scottish Boys, British Boys and Scottish Amateur Championships. More recently, Mr. McInnes has supported Scottish golf through his company's five-year sponsorship of the Scottish Boys & Girls Under 14 Stroke Play Championship.

Saturday 18th December 2004

TWENTY TEAMS CONFIRMED FOR WOMEN'S WORLD CUP OF GOLF
(Cheshire, England and Daytona Beach, USA - December 17 2004)
The Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour (LET) and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced today the competitors making up all 20 teams for the inaugural Women's World Cup of Golf to be held at The Links, Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate in George, South Africa, from Feb. 11-13, 2005.
The $1million event, which will become the first-ever truly worldwide team competition co-sanctioned by both Tours, will include seven major champions including 2004 Weetabix Women's British Open winner Karen Stupples from England and former World number ones Karrie Webb from Australia and Laura Davies from England, winner of 66 titles around the globe.
Also in the side are a host of Solheim Cup stars such as Swedes Sophie Gustafson and Carin Koch, Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel from the USA, Elisabeth Esterl from Germany, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc from France, Scots Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie and Spaniards Paula Marti and Ana B. Sanchez.
With so many young players making their mark in women's golf, the event will also welcome some of the rising stars in the sport such as Finland's 19-year-old phenomenon Minea Blomqvist and 14-year-old amateur Ashleigh Simon who will partner Laurette Maritz for the home nation, South Africa.
Blomqvist, the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year on the LET, has already made an indelible mark on the game by becoming the third youngest player to have won on the LET and also has carded 62 on two occasions including a record setting mark of ten under par in a major championship, the lowest
ever score in any major championship, male or female.
Simon, still a student in South Africa, burst onto the scene when she won the Acer Women's SA Open on the Nedbank Women's Golf Tour earlier this year.
"Women's golf around the globe is currently undergoing a changing of the guard as many young players are adding tournament titles to their fledgling résumés, even as teenagers," said Karen Lunn, Chairman of the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour.
"The more established names in women's golf are still winning titles with aplomb and what we will witness in this inaugural event is a tremendous marriage of youth and experience and will highlight the diversity of talent currently on show in our sport."
"We are delighted to extend our relationship with the LPGA to develop the first co-sanctioned Women's World Cup of Golf and this highlights that the growth and appetite for women's professional golf is bigger than ever.
"I would like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work input by the organisers Tania Fourie and Lesley Copeman in South Africa for making this groundbreaking event possible and this can only further the development of women's golf in the region.
"This Women's World Cup of Golf is sure to attract worldwide interest and offers the perfect opportunity to showcase the talents of the international memberships which both the LET and the LPGA enjoy.
"Fancourt Hotel and Golf Resort is a world class location for an event of this stature having hosted The President's Cup last season and as you would expect, offers the world's best players a fantastic setting and an exceptional challenge."
LPGA Commissioner Ty M. Votaw added:
"We very much look forward to the Women's World Cup of Golf in South Africa in February.
"Not only will this mark the first time for the LPGA to compete in South Africa and for the LPGA and LET to co-sanction a global team competition, but it also is a wonderful extension of the initiatives started at the World Congress of Women's Golf earlier this year.
"With the qualifying criteria, 20 countries and leading golf associations from around the world will now have the opportunity to participate in an international team event featuring the best in women's professional golf.
This demonstrates the ongoing success and growth of women's golf on the world stage."
The Women's World Cup of Golf will consist of a three-day, 54-hole competition with a different format on each day: 18 holes of foursomes; 18 holes of four-ball; and 18 holes of stroke-play. The winners will be determined by combining each team's scores from all three days.
The teams are as follows:
Country Player name Partner selected
1. Australia Karrie Webb Rachel Hetherington
2. Austria Natascha Fink Tina Schneeberger
3. Canada Lorie Kane Dawn Coe-Jones
4. England Laura Davies Karen Stupples
5. Finland Minea Blomqvist Riikka Hakkarainen
6. France Stephanie Arricau Patricia Meunier-Lebouc
7. Germany Martina Eberl Elisabeth Esterl
8. Italy Diana Luna Giulia Sergas
9. Japan Ai Miyazato Rui Kitada
10. Korea Jeong Jang Bo Bae Song
11. Mexico Lorena Ochoa Alejandra Martin Del Campo (a)
12. New Zealand Gina Scott Lynnette Brooky
13. Philippines Jennifer Rosales Dorothy Delasin
14. Scotland Catriona Matthew Janice Moodie
15. South Africa Laurette Maritz Ashleigh Simon (a)
16. Spain Ana Belen Sanchez Paula Marti
17. Sweden Carin Koch Sophie Gustafson
18. Taiwan Candie Kung Ya-Ni (Ruby) Tseng (a)
19. USA Meg Mallon Beth Daniel
20. Wales Becky Brewerton Becky Morgan
(a) denotes Amateur

Friday 17th December 2004

DEESIDE BAN SMOKING IN NEW CLUBHOUSE
Deeside Golf Club's management has imposed a total ban on smoking within its new £1.7million clubhouse.
Bill Jamieson, captain of the exclusive golf club at Bieldside, on the western suburbs of Aberdeen, believes they are one of the first in the country to introduce a zero tolerance to smoking in a clubhouse.
"We had a long, hard look at the subject of smoking and came to the conclusion that there is only of minority of members who smoke," he said.
"As a club we have a responsibility to the health of our employees. In terms of legislation we as a country are moving towards a ban on smoking.
"So far there has been no adverse reaction from our membership. Smoking does not bother me personally but we have smokers on the committee and they have gone along with the decision."
Deeside, formed in 1903, is one of the few golf clubs in the North-east of Scotland that still has a waiting list for membership.

Thursday 16th December 2004

MADEIRA IS SUNSHINE VENUE FOR NEXT YEAR’S EURO WOMEN’S INDIVIDUAL AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
If you have a low enough handicap and you fancy combining a summer holiday in the sun with playing in a European championship, then the following news is for you.
The Portuguese Golf Federation, hosts to the 2005 European women’s individual amateur golf championship, has selected Santo da Serra Golf Club on the Island of Madeira to be the venue.
The 72-hole stroke-play tournament will be staged from August 24 to 27.
Santo da Serra is a village/town to the east of Funchal, the main city on Madeira.
The 27-hole complex at Santo da Serra was designed by the noted American golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones.
Individuals can enter the event although most of the entries are submitted by golf federations who select players to represent them.
The entry form can be downloaded from the European Golf Association but not until February when more details about the maximum handicap permitted and other competition information will be available.
When the time comes, the relevant EGA website address will be www.ega-golf.ch/040000/0040302.asp
The closing date for entries is not until July 20.
There were no British or Irish players in last year’s European women’s individual amateur championship field when the event was played at Ulzama Golf Club in northern Spain during the same week as the British women’s open amateur stroke-play championship (won by Clare Queen) at Alwoodley.
The European title was won by an astonishing eight shots by a 14-year-old Spanish girl Carlota Cigana who had won the European Young Masters’ Under-16 girls’ title in Austria at the end of July.
Carlota finished on six-under-par 282, having set a course record with a second-round 65 and leading by 10 strokes at one one in the event.
Spain filled the first three places with Elisa Serramia, a former British women’s open amateur champion, and Maria Hernandez tieing for second place on 290.

Wednesday 15th December 2004

NICK FALDO GIVES CARLY (12) BIG CHANCE
Golfing girl prodigy Carly Booth has accepted an invitation from Nick Faldo to join the 2005 line-up of Team Faldo.
Carly, who won't be 13 years old until June 21 next year, became the youngest player since Jane Connachan to play for the Scotland girls' international team last August at Strathaven Golf Club. She also played for Scotland against England in the annual schools international matches.
Daughter of Aberdonian Wally Booth, a former champion wrestler who built a private golf course on his farm in the Perthshire hills so that Carly and her older brother Wallace - now a golf scholarship student at Augusta State University - could practice immediately they came home from school, Carly has been hitting the sporting headlines since she had a handicap of 20 at the age of only seven.
Miss Booth, a pupil at the fee-paying Morrison's Academy, Crieff, will travel to England for the first Team Faldo training session next month.
She will line-up next to some of the best young golfers in Britain and take her place under the watchful eye of Europe's most successful golfer.
Carly impressed Nick and his panel of handpicked experts throughout the 2004 Faldo Series, where she won two of the three Scottish events and finished second in the Grand final.
Her obvious potential has now been rewarded with this chance to benefit from the opportunities that Team Faldo can offer - the same opportunities that have guided previous members like Zane Scotland, Sam Osborne and James Heath, all of whom have graduated to the professional circuit.
"I have been watching Carly closely since her appearance at the Faldo Series final a couple of years back and she has been hugely impressive," said Nick after the announcement.
"Carly is an exceptional talent and I'm looking forward to working closely with her throughout the year."
Through Team Faldo, Nick hopes to develop and nurture the skills which have brought young golfers like Carly to the attention of the Team Faldo panel. Her first step down that road will be to attend a training session in January at the Faldo Golf Institute at Brocket Hall Golf Club, Hertfordshire, with Nick's team of experts. During this session, Carly and her team mates will receive a minimum one-year development programme tailored to suit each individual member. They will then join Nick at one of the Faldo Golf Institutes by Marriott in America early next year to continue their training. There will be regular training sessions throughout 2005 and a number of unique opportunities - not least of all the chance to develop a close relationship with Nick and to benefit from his 27 years as a professional golfer.
"It was just fantastic meeting Nick at the Faldo Series final and I'm really looking forward to working with him and Team Faldo," said Carly.
"It's definitely a step up and I am very excited about it, although I will have to watch my schoolwork doesn't suffer - at least that's what my mum says!"

Tuesday 14th December 2004

PETER ALLISS RECEIVES AWARD FROM SIR MICHAEL BONALLACK
Peter Alliss, arguably the world's most famous TV golf commentator, was awarded the  Christer Lindberg Bowl by Sir Michael Bonallack, the retiring PGAs of Europe president, at the gala dinner which rang the curtain down on the PGAs of Europe Annual Congress and the PGAs of Europe interrnational team championship, supported by Glenmuir for the first time.
The congress and the gala dinner were held in the Hotel Atalaya Park near Marbella on the Costa del Sol.
The Christer Lindberg Bowl, named after the PGAs of Europe's first president, is awarded each year to an outstanding individual for his or her lengthy and distinguished service to golf.
Peter Alliss has been a top-class player at Ryder Cup level, an author and a golf-course designer as well as becoming best known of all as a member of the BBC TV golf team from the days of Henry Longhurst in the early 1960s.
The 2004 winners of the PGAs of Europe's Five-Star Professional Awards were:
Pia Nilsson, Swedish-born former captain of Europe's Solheim Cup team, and an outstanding tour player, coach, author and administrator.
Derek Nash, English-born former chairman of PGA of Great Britain & Ireland and also former PGA Cup captain.
Martin Hasenbein, PGA of Germany's education co-ordinator who has been a leading figure in the country's progress in several areas of the sport. He has been deeply involved in the organisation of two PGAs of Europe Teaching and Coaching Conferences.
Pia Nilsson and Martin Hasenbein were unable to receive their awards in person due to other commitments.
Hugh Hunter, president of the Scottish Golf Union, and the chief executives of the SGU and the Ladies Golf Union, Hamish Grey and Andy Salmon, were among the delegates at the PGAs of Europe annual congress.

EGU News
PARRY OFF TO THE PRESTIGIOUS ORANGE BOWL
John Parry, the talented young Yorkshire man, has been selected to represent England in the 41st Junior Orange Bowl International Championship at Biltmore Golf Club at Coral Gables, Florida on 27th-30th December.
The 18 year old's selection comes in the wake of a highly successful 2004 season in which he has tasted victory on a personal and team basis, underlining his undoubted potential.
A former North of England Youth champion, Parry kicked off his season with an outstanding victory in the McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath. Four rounds of 68 left him three strokes ahead of another great prospect, Oliver Fisher from Essex.
He was runner-up in the Carris Trophy at Northumberland, took third place in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters at Nizels and progressed to the fifth round of the British Boys Championship at Conwy.
The youngster from Harrogate helped England win the European Boys Team Championships in Finland and the Boys Home Internationals at Portmarnock.
He also played a part in GB&I’s victory over Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy at Nairn and helped Yorkshire share the Boys County Championship with Essex at Broadstone.
Parry completed a hectic but rewarding season by finishing second in the Daily Telegraph Junior Championship at Sun City.
The Orange Bowl is a premier under-18 event in the United States and has separate boys and girl’s tournaments. Nick Dougherty and Daniel Wardrop played in 2000, Steven Lewton competed in 2001, Matthew Richardson and Michael Skelton represented England in 2002 and Daniel Denison last year.

Monday 13th December 2004

The Open champion comes home
Ladies' Weetabix Open Champion Karen Stupples is coming home to her native Kent in a bid to find a successor.
Not to challenge for the title she will vigorously defend in 2005, but more likely to be a player for 2015 or 2020.
Stupples, whose first tour victory was the biggest prize of all, is spending time at Chart Hills Golf Club to help groom the young female golfing stars of the future from her home county.
With a dozen girls as young as 11-years-old attending the specially arranged day at the Nick Faldo-designed course, Stupples is delighted that so much young golfing talent is being produced.
She said: "This will be the first time I've really had a chance to come home to Kent since I won the Weetabix Women's Open and I'm really looking forward to it.
"Chart Hills is a great course and to be able to share the day with such a talented group of young golfers is a treat. I'm looking forward to doing what I can to help them with their game and hopefully they will enjoy it as much as I will.
"Let's hope there's a future Open champion waiting there for me and that she can represent Kent around the world as proudly as I do."
The 31-year-old star will be at the course all day on Sunday, December 19, and will spend the morning on the range with the girls, whose handicaps range from five to 16, before heading out on to the course for the afternoon following a VIP lunch in the Faldo Suite.
David Walls, general manager at Chart Hills, said it was a great honour to have Karen present for a day which should be one to remember for the talented junior ladies.
He said: "Karen is without doubt one of the biggest stars in the women's game and we are thrilled she is able to spend so much time with Kent's finest juniors.
"We are going to make it a VIP day in every way for the girls, including a silver service lunch, providing commemorative golf sweaters and a host of other treats.
"But the biggest treat of all for these talented young golfers will be spending such quality teaching time with a great champion like Karen."
The girls attending the special day are: Rebecca Pike (Handicap: 6) and Sarah Tyson (7) who both gained Kent second team colours this season - and these will be presented on the day.
Charlotte Hope (9) won the Abraham Trophy Final in Harrogate and is also in Kent's second team.
Jerry Lawrence (10), Sian Evans (11), Kimberley Head (12), Amber Blundell (11) and Coral Jones (16), who is a member of the Dartford Ladies' Mail on Sunday team who have just narrowly lost the final in
Spain, will also be present.
Joining them will be Dan (CORR) Gibb (5) and Daisy Taylor (8).

ANDY REDINGTON WINS THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTO COMPETITION
Andy Redington of Getty Images has won ‘The Open Championship Photograph of the Year 2004’ with a stunning picture of Todd Hamilton embracing his caddy on the 18th green at Royal Troon.
Nick Faldo, Jane Carter (Editor, Golf Monthly), David Emery (former Sports Editor of the Daily Express), Chris Smith (former Chief Photographer of the Sunday Times) and Angus Farquhar (Commercial Director of The R&A) the judges, were unanimous in their winning choice and agreed: "The look of astonishment on the face of Todd Hamilton and the overall composition of the image contribute to a winning picture that precisely captures the excitement of the moment. We have no doubt that for many years it will be an enduring reminder of The Open Championship 2004 at Troon."
This is the second year that the competition has taken place to select the top four photographs taken within the boundaries of The Open Championship. There was no limit on the subject matter provided ‘golf’ was reflected within the image.
There were seventy-two entries with images ranging from Ian Poulter’s trousers to Ernie Els’ waist-high shot from a gorse bush at the 11th.
The prizewinners are: -
1. Andrew Redington (Getty Images) Todd Hamilton celebrating victory
2. Warren Little (Getty Images) Seagull over fairway
3. Colin Mearns (The Herald) Todd Hamilton stretching to shake spectators’ hands
4. Stuart Robinson (Daily Express) Colin Montgomerie bunker shot
The four winning pictures can be viewed on www.opengolf.com

Saturday 11th December 2004

Stephanie Crolla in Junior All-American line-up.
Last year's East of Scotland Girls' Champion, Stephanie Crolla, now a student at McLennan Community College in Texas, has been named in the 2004-2005 NJCAA Women's Golf Pre-Season All-Americans First Team. see NJCAA website
McLennan College has been voted third by the NJCAA Coaches in their Fall poll.

Thursday 9th December 2004

Emma Duggleby is the Daily Telegraph Woman Golfer of the Year
England’s Emma Duggleby has been named as the Daily Telegraph Woman Golfer of the Year for 2004.
“I am really delighted to win this, it’s a lovely way to round off the year,” said Duggleby, from Malton & Norton in Yorkshire, as her award was announced at the ELGA annual meeting.
It’s the first time the 33-year-old has taken this title – although she has captured practically every other one in British amateur golf.
Among her many honours are the British, European, English and South African championships and membership of three Curtis Cup teams.
This year her successes included victory, with a record score, in the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay championship (pictured right). But the highlight for Duggleby was the Curtis Cup at Formby where she won three points out of four for GB&I.
It was at Formby, notes the Daily Telegraph, that she epitomised the spirit of amateur golf, notably reaching for her camera to photograph the gallery.
Melissa Reid, (Chevin) has won The Daily Telegraph's Joyce Wethered trophy. Reid, 17, holds the English Girls' championship title and won The Daily Telegraph's Girls' championship in Sun City this year.

ELGA subs to rise for first time in six years
ELGA subscriptions will rise for the first time in six years when a £1 increase comes into force in January.
The increase, to £6 per member, was approved at the association’s annual meeting in Leeds on Tuesday.
But further proposals for future increases failed to gain the necessary two-thirds majority. These would have increased the subscription to £7.50 in January 2006, and annually by the rate of the inflation from January 2007.
Afterwards, chief executive officer Pauline Perla said: “This is hugely disappointing because it means we haven’t been able to get our message across to the members. This is what we will have to concentrate on next year.”
The meeting was told by accountant Russell Beddoe: “The increases we are asking for are small in individual terms but vital to support the future of ladies’ golf.”
The £1 rise approved for January was necessary for ELGA to continue with its planned programme after recording a deficit of £92,000 in the last financial year.
Reasons for this included a drop in subscription income; a loss on sale of shares when investments were switched to unit trusts; the costs of staging the European Lady Juniors Team Championship; and administration costs, including a bigger salary bill caused mainly by an increase in staff from 10 to 13.
Meanwhile, ELGA has formed the English Golf Partnership with the English Golf Union and the Professional Golfers’ Association and this also has financial implications.
The partnership is creating a whole sport plan designed to make England the leading golfing nation in the world by providing more opportunities for players to start, stay and succeed in the game.
It will receive lottery funding but the amount will not be known until late January. In the meantime ELGA has received half of last year’s allocation from Sport England - a sum which does not reflect the fact that more money is spent during the winter months. As a result the association is underpinning the training programmes by £40,000.
ELGA will have to make significant contributions to the development of the sport and this led to the proposal to increase the subscriptions to £7.50 in January 2006. The third resolution was designed to maintain the real value of the subscription.

Faye Sanderson wins Silver Tee award
England international and university student Faye Sanderson, pictured right, has won ELGA’s Silver Tee award for the way she combines golf and education.
Faye, from Heworth in County Durham, is a third-year law student at Newcastle University.
Her studies prevented her attending ELGA’s annual meeting to receive her award in person. But, in a message to members, she said: “It has always been important to me to combine both my golf and education and it really means a great deal to me to be acknowledged for doing so. I really appreciate the existence of this award, let alone the honour of winning it.”
Faye, 20, was a member of England’s home international team and is part of both ELGA’s elite performance squad and the LGU’s Great Britain & Ireland training squad.

Honours for Kerry Smith and Felicity Johnson
Hampshire’s Kerry Smith, pictured right, has been honoured as England’s top golfer, with the presentation of ELGA’s order of merit award for 2004.
The 32-year-old from Waterlooville won the English championship – at her ninth attempt – during a superb year. She was also runner-up in the English mid-amateur, third in the English strokeplay, third in the Sherry Cup in Spain and became the first player to win the south-east championship four times.
Kerry, an England international and former Curtis Cup player received her trophy at the association’s annual meeting. “I am really delighted and honoured to win this award. Without the help of ELGA I would not have been able to achieve my goals,” she said.
“To win a national title was a dream come true. To win the order of merit is the icing on the cake.”
Halesowen teenager Felicity Johnson, pictured left, received the girls’ order of merit award, completing a successful first year as a full-time golfer.
Flic, 17, from Harborne Golf Club, made her breakthrough into top-level ladies’ golf, winning two prestigious scratch events, the Astor Salver and the Bridget Jackson Bowl, among a host of other honours. She also finished eighth on the ladies’ order of merit table.
She paid tribute to everyone who has supported and encouraged her golf.

Wednesday 8th December 2004

Jenny Clink is ELGA’s new chairman
Gloucestershire’s Jenny Clink is the new chairman of the English Ladies’ Golf Association.
Jenny, a member at Lilley Brook, on the edge of Cheltenham, is one of the south-west’s representatives on the ELGA executive.
For three years she was manager of England’s successful team at the girls’ Home Internationals and this year took the English girls to the European Young Masters in Austria. She also captained Gloucestershire for two years, leading them to the county finals.
Jenny has succeeded Durham’s Cathy Bowerbank who retired at the association’s annual meeting at The Queen’s Hotel in Leeds on Tuesday.

European Number One Laura Davies is backing a new scheme to attract patrons for the ELGA Trust, the charity for girls’ golf.
England’s golfing superstar features on the invitations to new patrons, which were launched at ELGA’s annual meeting on Tuesday.
Davies comments: “The ELGA Trust supported me in my early golfing days. I am therefore very pleased to be an ambassador for the Trust so that others may also benefit.”
The Trust encourages girls to play golf, making grants for coaching and to help with the cost of equipment and tournament expenses. Last year, it awarded over £51,000.
Supporters of girls’ golf are invited to become patrons by making a one-off donation of £100 or a standing order for an annual payment.
The patrons scheme was backed at the meeting by Bridget Jackson and Vivien Saunders, who both began playing golf as girls and went on to enjoy illustrious careers.
Saunders, who won the Ladies British Open during her professional days and returned to amateur ranks last year, said: “We can never do enough for juniors.”
She went on: “If we encourage 1000 girl golfers to start the game each year possibly only two or three will play for England, possibly 50 will play for their county, but those juniors will become the backbone of our golfing communities.”
If you would like more information about the ELGA Trust Patrons scheme please contact the ELGA office.
· The winners of the ELGA Trust Rosebud prize draw were announced at the meeting. They are: Lorna Rulfe of Okehampton GC, Devon; Angie Bell of Bowood GC, Wiltshire, Jan Sheargold of Shifnal GC, Shropshire; and Glenda Latham of Weston-Super-Mare GC, Somerset. They each win a £250 voucher from golfbreaks.com

Tuesday 7th December 2004

Evening News!
NEWMACHAR LOSE TO IRISH BOYS IN FINAL AT LA MANGA
Royal Dublin Golf Club boys' squad, representing Ireland, beat Newmachar, Scotland's standard-bearers, 4-2 in a title play-off climax to the junior home internationals' team golf matches over La Manga South course in Spain today (TUESDAY).
Both teams had beaten England (Gainsborough) and Wales (Gower) with ease and they produced a final match of good quality play in the medal/match-play format.
Four of the Irish boys scored only one over par or better when the chips were down.
Dean Yeats, beaten in the final of the Scottish boys' match-play championship at the start of the season, was Newmachar's best scorer against Royal Dublin with a 73, which earned him a halved match with Neil O'Brien.
The Spence twins - Michael and Keith - both scored 75s but whereas Keith's round was good enough to earn him a one-stroke win over David O'Halloran, Michael's 75 saw him lose by two shots to Richard Knightley.
"The Newmachar boys did well to win the Scottish final at Westerwood in October and they played very well over the first two days at La Manga," said George McIntosh, the North-east District secretary.
"The Royal Dublin lads were just that bit better on the final day."
England beat Wales 5-1 in the other last-day match to finish third in the table.
Results:
Day 1: Scotland (Newmachar) 5, Wales (Gower) 1; Ireland (Royal Dublin) 6, England (Gainsborough) 0.
Day 2: Scotland 5 ½, England ½; Ireland 5 ½, Wales ½.
Day 3:
IRELAND 4, SCOTLAND 2
Royal Dublin boys first
Neil Kearney 72 beat Kevin Truscott 81.
Neil O'Brien 73 halved with Dean Yeats 73.
Barry Fennelly 77 halved with Lewis Kirton 77.
Gary McGrane 73 beat Mark Rae 83.
Richard Knightley 73 beat Michael Spence 75.
David O'Halloran 76 lost to Keith Spence 75.
Other result:
ENGLAND 5, WALES 1
Final placings
1 Ireland, 2 Scotland, 3 England, 4 Wales.

NEWMACHAR IN JUNIOR TITLE DECIDER IN SPAIN
Newmachar Golf Club's junior squad, representing Scotland, will meet Royal Dublin Golf Club's Under-18s, Ireland's standard-bearers, in the title-deciding match of the junior home team golf internationals over the La Manga South course in Spain today (Tuesday).
Both teams have won their first two matches.
Newmachar followed up their first-day win over Wales (Gower Golf Club) by beating England's Gainsborough Golf Club juniors 5 1/2-1/2.
Royal Dublin, having beaten Gainsborough on Sunday, beat Gower 5 1/2-1/2. Newmachar and Royal Dublin are obviously a cut above the rest and their shoot-out under the medal/match-play format should be an exciting affair.
Yesterday's (Monday) results:
SCOTLAND (Newmachar) 5 1/2, ENGLAND (Gainsborough) 1/2
Newmachar juniors named first
Dean Yeats 72 beat James Monk 83.
Kevin Truscott 78 beat John Ewers 84.
Mark Rae 71 beat Emily Taylor 78.
Michael Spence 75 beat Ben Crossfield 82.
Keith Spence 74 beat Ben Sherriff 76.
Neil Thompson 81 halved with Adam Wainwright 81.
Other result:
IRELAND (Royal Dublin) 5 1/2, WALES (Gower) 1/2.

VIKKI LAING PRESS RELEASE
Following a tumultuous year that has seen Musselburgh’s Vikki Laing struggle to attain only three starts on The LPGA Tour as well as being 1st alternate without starting on no fewer than four occasions, she produced an extremely brave and gutsy performance at Qualifying School, over five days of high – pressure golf, to earn the second non – exempt card on The LPGA Tour 2005. By doing so she has virtually guaranteed her full time inclusion on next year’s tour.
Following two disappointing opening rounds of 76 and 77 Vikki found herself in a tie for 121st on +9 with only the top 30 assured of their playing privileges. However an extremely courageous third day 66, a score that was only equalled never beaten all week, put her right back bang in contention. A 75 followed on Day 4 before she dug deep again to score a highly impressive 69 on the final day, including three birdies in the last four holes, as the pressure began to tell on the rest of the field.
Laing said ‘ I have had a bit of a roller-coaster year and, as such, I was not going to allow the opportunity to slip away without knowing I had given it my very best shot!’
Iain Stoddart, her Manager at Bounce Sports Management said ‘ We spoke every day and even as she sat on +9 I was extremely impressed at her belief that she was happy with her game and that with a bit of fortune the low scores would come.’
This was most certainly proven correct and she now joins Catriona Matthew, Janice Moodie and Mhairi Mackay on the holy-grail tour of The Ladies game.
Stoddart added ‘ We have been confident all along that, in Vikki, we have one of the outstanding prospects in Scottish golf however I have been disappointed as to the level of support granted to her by the corporate world but hope now, as she realises her potential, that there will be commercial backers willing to become synonymous with her progress.’
Laing herself said ‘ In the end I guess I’m a little disappointed at missing a full exemption by one shot although I’m also aware of the chances I will now receive and after the second day I would have to say that I am happy. It has been tough however I know my chance has come and I fully intend to make the most of the opportunity.’

Monday 6th December 2004

VIKKI JUST FAILS TO MAKE PLAY-OFF IN LPGA QUALIFYING SCHOOL FINALE
Vikki Laing,pictured right, made a gallant but vain bid to win one of the 30 exempt status players' cards for the 2005 season at the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida (on Sunday).
The 23-year-old from Musselburgh, now based in California, completed the five-round tournament with her second-best score of the 90 holes - a three-under-par 69 over the Legends Course for a final total of three-over-par 363.
Had Vikki taken only one shot fewer, she would have made it a seven-way play-off for the last six spots.
Vikki's scores were 76, 77, 66, 75 and 69. She goes into the LPGA's 2005 campaign with No 2 ranking in the 35 players with non-exempt status. That is an improvement on last year's Final Q School when she also made it through to the final day of what was then a 72-hole tournament.
In 2004, Miss Laing's non-exempt status enabled her to play in only three LPGA events and she won less than $2,000 in all.
The Final Qualifying School was won by an 18-year-old amateur Paula Creamer from Pleasanton, California. A member of the winning United States team in this year's Curtis Cup match at Formby, Miss Creamer cost herself a fistful of dollars by entering as an amateur.
She had earlier announced that she was going to turn down the chance of a golf scholarship, offered by both Stanford and Oklahoma State universities, and would be turning professional … although she said she would continue her studies on the Internet.
Paula finished with an 11-under-par total of 349, scoring 70, 68, 70, 71 and 70 to finish five shots ahead of fellow American Lee Ann Walker-Cooper and Young Jo (Korea), each of whom earned $5,500.
The highest finishing European was Sweden's Eva Dahllof in joint seventh place on 357. Her financial reward was $3,866.
Kathryn Marshall from Monifieth failed to survive the 72-hole cut by three strokes with scores of 74 75 72 76 for nine-over-par 297.
Curtis Cup player Fame More from Chesterfield also missed out on 303 with rounds of 81, 74, 75 and 73.
Collated scoreboard
LPGA FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Daytona Beach, Florida
Leading Final totals (Par 72)
Players from US unless stated
349 Paula Creamer 70 68 70 71 70.
354 Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 73 69 70 74 69, Young Jo (Korea) 71 66 70 75 72.
356 Cathy Johnston-Forbes 73 71 67 75 70, Emily Bastel 67 72 76 69 72, Celeste Troche (Paraguay) 74 67 73 70 72.
357 Eva Dahllof (Sweden) 75 68 72 73 69, Sae-Hea Son (Korea) 75 72 68 72 70.
Others gaining exempt status included:
359 Maria Hjorth (Sweden) 73 68 70 75 73.
360 Stephanie Arricau (France) 75 71 68 73 73.
Those gaining non-exempt status included:
363 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 76 77 66 75 69, Miriam Nagl (Germany) 78 69 71 73 72.
365 Marlene Hedblom (Sweden) 72 77 70 73 73.
365 Naree Song (Korea) 67 76 74 74 74.
367 Karine Icher (France) 75 74 71 72 75, Charlotta Sorenstam (Sweden) 74 74 71 73 75.
368 Mikaela Parmlid (Sweden) 75 75 74 69 75

STIRLING UNIVERSITY ENHANCES GOLF FACILITY TO STOP TALENT DRAIN TO US
Stirling University is making a determined bid to stop the drain of young golfing talent to colleges in the United States.
A new golf centre at the university has been officially opened by Richard Cole-Hamilton, captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club.
He was joined for the ceremony by two Stirling graduates, Catriona Matthew and Gordon Sherry who both won British amateur titles while holding golf scholarships at Stirling in the 1990s.
Both are now professional golfers and Mrs Matthew has gone on to become one of the leading players on the LPGA Tour (she won $800,000 during the 2004 season).
The opening included the unveiling of a plaque as well as a demonstration by two of Stirling University’s current golf scholarship students, Jamie McLeary (Leven Golfing Society) and Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), both members of the Scotland international team and also named in the Great Britain & Ireland training squad for the 2005 Walker Cup defence against United States at Chicago Golf Club.
Richie won the Scottish men’s open amateur stroke-play championship in 2004.
The new Stirling University golf facility, which boasts a short-game practice area with three target greens, complements the existing driving range and indoor teaching room which has a modern video analysis machine.
“The investment of £180,000 on the new golf centre brings the total spent on sport by the university and its partners over the past five years to more than £10 million,” said Professor Grant Jarvie, head of the Department of Sports Studies.
“We are grateful to the Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the Macleod Foundation for being loyal to our vision for golf at Stirling.
“We have supported the development of golf since we first introduced golf scholarships in 1981 and are the only university in Britain to have on-campus golf practice facilities.
“This new centre will enable us to maintain our standing as the leading higher education institution in Europe for supporting Talented youth golfers.
“We hope that what we are achieving at Stirling will help to reverse the trend of home-grown talent heading to America to combined golf with academic study.”

Newmachar's Good Start For Scotland
Scotland's representatives, Newmachar Golf Club, made an impressive start to the junior team home golf international matches over the La Manga South course in Spain yesterday (Sunday).
Newmachar, for whom Lewis Kirton and Mark Rae had par-matching individual rounds of 72, beat Wales, represented by Gower Golf Club juniors, 5-1 under a medal/match-play format.
In the other match on a chilly afternoon, Royal Dublin's juniors, representing Ireland, beat England (Gainsborough Golf Club) 6-0.
All four junior club teams won national contests in the autumn to represent their countries in Spain.
Today's (Monday's) matches are:
Scotland v England, Ireland v Wales.
Collated scoreboard
JUNIOR TEAM HOME INTERNATIONALS
La Manga South course, Spain
First day results
SCOTLAND (Newmachar) 5, WALES (Gower) 1
Newmachar names first
Dean Yeats 79 beat Stuart Thomson 81.
Lewis Kirton 72 beat Stuart Kent 74.
Kevin Truscott 85 lost to Dean Cunnah 80.
Mark Rae 72 beat Martin James 84.
Michael Spence 74 beat David John 86.
Keith Spence 74 beat John Williams 85.
IRELAND (Royal Dublin) 6, ENGLAND (Gainsborough) 0.

Sunday 5th December 2004

VIKKI SURVIVES FOURTH-ROUND CUT BUT KATHRYN AND FAME BOW OUT
Vikki Laing, pictured right, is through to Sunday’s decisive final round of the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida. But Kathryn Marshall and Fame More missed the fourth-round cut, ruling them out of contention for the 30 exempt status cards available to the leaders after the completion of 90 holes.
Vikki could not recapture the form of the third-round 66, which revived her fading hopes, and a 75 for six-over-par 294 was right on the limit. Now the 23-year-old from Musselburgh, based in California, needs to dig deep to finish off the Q School with a sub-par round to lift her into the top 30 and ties at the end of Sunday’s play.
Going into the final round, Miss Laing is joint 65th.
Kathryn Marshall, a winner on the LPGA Tour during her years as a regular campaigner on the world’s leading female professional circuit, shot a fourth-round, four-over-par 76 for a 72-hole total of nine-over-par 297.
Kathryn never really got an inspired run going in any of the four rounds. Her third-round, par-matching 72 was as good as it got for the Monifieth exile. There are indications that Kathryn is still guaranteed conditional status for the 2005 LPGA Tour because of her 114th place finish on this year’s money table but if Vikki Laing’s experiences this year are any guide, that will not add up to very many entries to tournament.
Vikki qualified for the final day of the Q School last year – when it was still a 72-hole event – but finished outwith the leading 30 who gained exempt status. Miss Laing got into only three tournaments in 2004 with her conditional status.
Curtis Cup player Fame More from Chesterfield had too much ground to make up after starting with an 81. Her subsequent rounds of 74, 75 and 73 saw her finish on 15-over-par 303.
Having failed to gain a player’s card for the Ladies European Tour, rookie pro Fame is now in limbo.
Another player who figured in the 2004 Curtis Cup match at Formby – Paula Creamer of the United States team – is now leading the field at Daytona Beach.
One of only two amateurs in the starting field, the 18-year-old from California went three shots clear of the field with a 72 for nine-under-par 279.
Beth Bader and South Korean Young Jo are her nearest rivals on 282.
LPGA FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Fourth round leaders (Par 72)
Players from US unless stated
279 Paula Creamer 70 68 70 71.
282 Beth Bader 70 71 71 70, Young Jo (South Korea) 71 66 70 75.
284 Emily Bastel 67 72 76 69, Celeste Troche (Asunscion) 74 67 73 70.
285 Hana Kim 72 68 76 79, Il Mi Chung (Korea) 77 69 69 70, Dina Ammaccapane 783 70 72 70, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 73 68 70 74.
286 Nicole Jeray 783 69 72 72, Katie Allison 71 71 72 72, Amy Hung (Korea) 70 71 73 72, Jordan Cherebetiu 69 69 76 72, Cathy Johnstone-Forbes 73 71 67 75, Maria Hjorth (Sweden) 73 69 70 75, Beth Bauer 71 67 71 77.
Other qualifiers for final round included:
287 Stephanie Arricau (Italy) 75 71 68 73.
288 Eva Dahllof (Sweden) 75 68 72 73.
290 Erica Blasberg 72 67 76 75.
291 Miriam Nagl (Germany) 78 69 71 73, Naree Song (South Korea) 67 76 74 74.
292 Karine Icher (France) 75 74 71 72, Marlene Hedblom (Sweden) 72 77 70 73, Charlotta Sorenstam (Sweden) 74 74 71 73.
293 Mikaela Parmlid (Sweden) 75 75 74 69.
294 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 76 77 66 75.
Non-qualifiers included:
295 Asa Gottmo (Sweden) 71 74 74 76.
297 Virada Nirapathpongporn (Thailand) 76 74 72 75, Kathryn Marshall (Scotland) 74 75 72 76.
298 Tullia Calzavara (Italy) 77 71 72 78.
300 Sara Huarte 75 71 78 76.
300 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 72 73 77 78.
303 Fame More (England) 81 74 75 73.

Saturday 4th December 2004

VIKKI CLICKETY-CLICKS IN THIRD ROUND AT LPGA FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Rookie pro Vikki Laing, pictured right, produced her best round since she left the amateur ranks in returning a six-under-par 66 in the third round of the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida.
The San Francisco-based 23-year-old from Musselburgh needed something special to rekindle her hopes of ending the five-round tournament as one of the leading 30 who will gain exempt status for next year’s LPGA Tour.
Not only that, Vikki’s first hurdle is to be among the leading 70 and ties at the end of 72 holes. Only they will contest the decisive fifth round.
And Miss Laing responded to the tremendous pressure with her whole future on the line.
Vikki’s scores have been 76, 77 and 66 for a three-over par tally of 219 and she has shot up the leaderboard into a tie for 52nd place.
Her score of 66 was the lowest third-round effort by anyone in the field of 137.
Tournament leader Young Jo (South Korea) had a 66 in her second round. She had a third-round 70 for a nine-under-par total of 207 to lead by one shot from US Curtis Cup player, 18-year-old Paula Creamer from California, one of only two amateurs in the field.
Paula also had a third-round 70 to be on 208.
Kathryn Marshall from Monifieth, the only other Scot apart from Vikki Laing in the field, is on the borderline at five-over-par 221 after scores of 74, 75 and 72. Kathryn is tied for 73rd place.
Curtis Cup player Fame More from Chesterfield looks destined to miss out at yet another Qualifying School. She has scored 81, 74 and 75 for 14-over-par 130 and is lying 129th.
Collated scoreboard
LPGA TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Daytona Beach, Florida.
Players from US unless stated
207 Young Jo (South Korea) 71 66 70.
208 Paula Creamer 70 68 70.
209 Beth Bauer 71 67 71.
211 Cathy Johnston-Foprbes 73 71 67, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 73 68 70, Maria Hjorth (Sweden) 73 68 70.
212 Angela Jerman 72 73 67, Beth Bader 70 71 71.
213 Kris Tamulis 71 72 70, Natalie Tucker 73 69 71, Stephanie Arricau (France) 75 71 68, Nicole Jeray 73 69 72, Katie Allison 71 71 72 Celeste Troche (Asuncion) 74 67 73, Amy Hung (Korea) 70 71 73, Jordan Cherebetiu 69 69 76.
Other scores:
215 Eva Dahllof (Sweden) 75 68 72, Erica Blasberg 72 67 76, Dina Ammaccapane 73 70 72.
217 Naree Song (South Korea) 67 76 74.
218 Miriam Nagl (Germany) 78 69 71.
219 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 76 77 66, Charlotta Sorenstam (Sweden) 74 74 71.
219 Asa Gottmo (Sweden)) 71 74 74.
220 Tullia Calzavara (Italy) 77 71 72, Karine Icher (France) 75 74 71.
221 Kathryn Marshall (Scotland) 74 75 72.
222 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 72 73 77.
224 Mikaela Parmlid (Sweden) 75 75 74, Sarah Huarte 75 71 78.
230 Fame More (England) 81 74 75.

Friday 3rd December 2004

LET SACK CHIEF EXEC
The Ladies European Tour today (Friday) confirmed that its chief executive, Mr Ian Randell, pictured right, was dismissed 11 days ago.
A report by Claire Middleton in the “Daily Telegraph” today was the first intimation that the general public had of what can only be described as a major upheaval behind the scenes at the LET.
The following statement went up on the LET website after Miss Middleton’s report had been published:
LET Board of Directors statement on Ian Randell
LET Head Office, Cheshire, December 3 2004
The Board of Directors of the Ladies European Tour announced today that Ian Randell’s employment as Chief Executive of the Ladies European Tour has ended, following a Board meeting on Tuesday 23rd November.
After recent speculation in the media and understandable concern expressed by some of the membership of the Tour, sponsors and promoters, Karen Lunn, the Chairman of the LET Board of Directors assured all interested parties that the LET will move forward under new leadership to be announced in the near future.
“I confirm that last week Ian Randell's employment with the Tour was ended,” said Lunn.
“The details regarding Ian's departure are subject to legal protocol and therefore it is not appropriate for me to provide further detail until the process is concluded. At that stage I will provide additional information if necessary.”
Lunn explained that the LET Board and Players Council are meeting today, Friday 3rd December, to discuss the process for the appointment of a replacement for Ian Randell and also confirmed that the 2005 schedule is in the process of being finalised and will be released to the LET membership and media next week.
Lunn added that despite the current situation, none of the prospective tournaments next year will be affected.
“Our principle promoters, sponsors and television partners are being contacted and it is believed there will not be any detrimental effect to these playing opportunities as a result of recent events,” she continued.
“Indeed, we hope further opportunities and enhanced prize funds remain a possibility.”
Lunn also added that there have been changes in the formation of the LET Board of Directors after the resignation of Huub van de Coolwijk and John Scurlock Davies, two Non-Executive Directors.
“Huub and John are no longer serving on the Board of Directors. They have been valued advisors and I thank them for all their time and assistance,” added Lunn.
“During the summer we welcomed Keith Lyons to the Board. Keith enjoyed a distinguished career with the industrial companies Dupont and Uponor, and brings with him a wealth of business acumen and planning expertise.
“I am also pleased to announce that with immediate effect Roland Specker has accepted a position on the Board. This brings the representation of non-player directors back to the traditional number of two. Roland was born and lives in Germany. He is recently retired, having built and sold a successful investment counselling and property company.
“Like Keith, Roland is a keen golfer with a good working knowledge of the golfing community. I am confident that our new team of Non-Player Directors will provide strong and valuable support to the board.
“The Board of Directors remains fully committed to delivering the most playing opportunities and highest prize funds for the whole of the membership and together will formulate a plan for the future development of the Ladies European Tour.”

SCOTS FAIL TO MAKE PROGRESS ON DAY 2 OF LPGA Q SCHOOL
Kathryn Marshall and Vikki Laing failed to make any signficant progress up the leaderboard on the second day of the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Kathryn from Monifieth followed up an opening 74 with a 75 for a 36-hole tally of five-over-par 149. That gives her joint 84th position with two rounds to go before the field is cut to the leading 70 and ties for the final round.
Vikki Laing from Musselburgh has shot 76-77 for nine-over-par 153. California-based Vikki is lying joint 121st with very bleak prospects of making the final top 30 who will gain exempt status for next year’s LPGA Tour.
Curtis Cup player Fame More is in 130th place in the field of 137 after scores of 81 and 75 for 11-over 155.
Young Jo from Korea is the new leader at seven-under 137 after returning a second-round 66.
Eighteen-year-old American Curtis Cup player Paula Creamer, one of only two amateurs in the field, is sharing second place on 138.
Collated scoreboard
LPGA FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Daytona Beach, Florida
Leading Second Round scores (Par 72)
Players from US unless stated
137 Young Jo (Korea) 71 66.
138 Paula Creamer 70 68, Beth Bauer 70 68, Jordan Cherebetiu 69 69.
139 Emily Bastel 67 72.
140 Hana Kim (Korea) 72 68.
141 Celeste Trocha (Asuncion)74 67, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 73 68, Maria Hjorth (Sweden) 73 68, Amy Hung (Korea) 70 71, Beth Bader 70 71.
142 Diane Irvin 74 68, Nicole Jeray 73 69, Natalie Tucker 73 69, Leslie Spalding 72 70, Kelly Cap 72 70, Katie Allison 71 71, Tracy Hanson 71 71.
Other scores:
143 Eva Dahllof (Sweden), Dina Ammaccapane 73 70, Lisa DePaulo 72 71, Caryn Wilson 72 71, Kris Lindstrom 72 71, Angie Rizzo 71 72, Kris Tamullis 71 72, Jen Hanna 71 72, Jenny Gleason 70 73, Kristen Samp 70 73, Naree Song (Korea) 67 76.
Other scores:
145 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 72 73, Asa Gottmo (Sweden) 71 74.
146 Sarah Huarte 75 71, Stephanie Arricau (France) 75 71.
147 Miriam Nagl (Ger) 78 69.
148 Tullia Calzavarra (Italy) 77 71.
149 Kathryn Marshall (Scotland) 74 75, Karine Icher (France) 75 74.
150 Mikaela Parmlid (Sweden) 75 75.
153 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 76 77.
155 Fame More (England) 81 74.

Thursday 2nd December 2004

SCOTS MAKE SLOW START TO LPGA FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Former Curtis Cup players Kathryn Marshall, pictured left, from Dundee and Vikki Laing, below right, of Musselburgh did not make good starts to the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida on Wednesday.
Kathryn, outwith the leading 100 money-winners this year after the best part of a decade on the world’s No 1 female pro circuit, was tied for 55th place in a field of 137 with a two-over-par round of 74 (37-37).
Rookie pro Vikki, who gained only three starts on the LPGA Tour this year after gaining non-exempt status at last year’s Q School, was back in joint 102nd place after a 76 (38-38).
A third Curtis Cup player, Fame More from Chesterfield, was in 131st place after a nightmare round of 81 (41-40).
For the first time the Final Qualifying School is being held over 90 holes instead of four rounds. The leading 70 and ties after 72 holes will go forward to final round at the end of which the leading 30 will gain exempt status for next season’s LPGA Tour.
Collated scoreboard
LPGA FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Daytona Beach, Florida.
Leading first round scores (Par 72)
Players from US unless stated.
67 Naree Song (Kor), Emily Bastel.
69 Jordan Cherebetiu.
70 Paula Creamer, Kristen Samp, Michelle Simpson, Jenny Gleason, Janell Howland, Amy Hung, Beth Bader.
71 Beth Bauer, Carri Wood, Young Jo, Clarissa Childs, Angie Rizzo, Annette DeLuca, Jen Hanna, Kris Tamullis, Katie Allison, Asa Gottmo (Swe).
72 Angela Jerman, Hana Kim, Caryn Wilson, Kelly Lagedrost, Brittany Lincicome, Lesley Spalding, Becky Iverson, Marlene Hedblom, Kris Lindstrom, Diana D’Alessio, Erica Blaseberg, Lisa DePaulo, Veronica Zorzi (Ita), Mollie Fankhauser, Meredith Duncan, Kelly Cap, Tonya Gill, Allison Hanna.
Other scores:
73 Maria Hjorth (Swe).
74 Kathryn Marshall (Sco).
75 Mikaela Parmlid (Swe)
76 Vikki Laing (Sco).
77 Tullia Calzavara (Ita).
78 Miriam Nagl (Ger)
81 Fame More (Eng).

Glen Golf Club team , North Berwick after their success in the final of the 2004 R&A Rules of Golf Quiz,
sponsored by Rolex, in the R&A clubhouse, St Andrews on Sunday (November 28).
left to right: Jonathan Flower (Rolex), Jim Davidson, Rod Todd, Tom Torrie (team captain),
Michael Brown (chairman of R&A Rules Committee), Charlie Shearer, Jack Foley, David Cutler (Rolex).

GLEN CHALK UP WIN FOR SCOTLAND IN R&A RULES OF GOLF QUIZ FINAL
The Glen Golf Club, North Berwick has won the R&A Rules of Golf Quiz. Its team of Jim Davidson, Charles Shearer, Ron Todd and John Foley came through all the regional rounds of the contest which annually draws entries from clubs throughout Great Britain and Ireland.
In final stages of the 2004 competition, staged at the R&A clubhouse, St Andrews, Glen (38pt) beat Gog Magog (36pt) and Mid-Herts (34pt) in the second semi-final.
In the other sem-final, Warrington (38pt) triumphed over Lahinch (36pt) and Weston super Mare (31pt).
Jim, Charles, Ron and John saved their best form for the final against Warrington, winning quite comfortably with 32pt to their opponents’ 22pt.