February 2006 Archive

Tuesday 28th February 2006

US College Golf
HEATHER SIX SHOTS OFF PACE AT FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
British women’s open amateur stroke-play golf champion Heather MacRae, a student at San Diego State University, was in joint 10th place after the first round of the Fresno State Invitational women’s college golf tournament at Copper River Country Club, Fresno in California.
Dunblane Golf Club member Heather had halves of 37 and 37 in returning a 73 to be six shots behind leader Selanee Henderson (UC-Irvine).
Heather, a member of the LGU Elite Squad, is hoping to be selected to play for the Great Britain & Ireland team in the Curtis Cup match against the United States at Bandon Dunes, Oregon at the end of July.
Kelly Brotherton from Dollar, winner of the 2003 Scottish Under-18 girls' championship at Newmachar and a former pupil of Loretto Golf Academy, was not a member of the Colorado State University team who played at Fresno nor was she among the other girls Colorado State took along in their travelling party to play in the tournament as individuals.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
67 Selanee Henderson (UC-Irvine) 34-33.
70 Lehua Wise (New Mexico State) 34-37.
71 Jennifer Parkes (Sacramento State) 37-34, Angela Won (UC-Irvine) 36-35.
Other score:
73 Heather MacRae (San Diego State) 36-37.
LEADING TEAMS
285 UC-Irvine.
294 New Mexico State.
296 Long Beach State.
Other scopre:
316 San Diego State (15th).

US College Golf
MARIA DUNNE JOINT WINNER OF SPRING INVITATIONAL
Dubliner Maria Dunne, a student at Bethune-Cookman College, tied for victory with Gretchen Jewell (Stetson University) in the 36-hole Bethune-Cookman College Spring Invitational women’s golf tournament at Indigo Lake Golf Club, Daytona Beach in Florida.
Both players shot 77 and 80 over the 5,913yd, par-72 course for a total of 157.
There was no indication that a play-off was subsequently held.
Another Bethune-Cookman College team player, Fern Grimshaw from Dorset, finished joint fifth on 161 with scores of 79 and 82.
And a third BBC squad member, Becky Dowell from Thornecombe, England, shared 23rd place with 87 and91 for 178.
Despite having three players in the top 20 or so, Bethune-Cookman did not win the team prize at their own event. That honour was claimed by Jacksonville University with a three-player total of 637 – 26 shots ahead of Bethune-Cookman.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
157 Maria Dunne (Bethune-Cookman College) 77 80, Gretchen Jewell (Stetson) 77 80.
158 Therese Karlsson (Jacksonville) 78 80.
Other totals:
161 Fern Grimshaw (Bethune-Cookman College) 79 82 (jt 5th).
178 Becky Dowell (Bethune-Cookman College) 87 91 (jt 23rd).
LEADING TEAMS
637 Jacksonville.
663 Bethune-Cookman College.
672 Embry-Riddle.

US College Golf
JORDAN FINDLAY ON TARGET FOR BEST US COLLEGE PERFORMANCE SO FAR
Former British boys’ golf champion Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh is on course for the best performance of his first year as a golf scholarship student at East Tennessee State University.
Until now, Jordan has not really played to his full potential on the American college circuit.
But, in the current Puerto Rico Classic, at Westin Rio Mar Country Club, Jordan is tied for ninth place in a top-quality field with one round to go.
Findlay has had rounds of 72 and 70 for a two-under-par total of 142 over what is considered a tough, testing 6,945yd River course.
Leading the field is another past British boys’ title-winner, Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) from Spain. Pablo is three shots clear of the field with rounds of 68 and 67 for 135.
All of East Tennessee State University’s men’s golf team come from Great Britain & Ireland. Their star player has been Rhys Davies – yet another past British boys’ champion – from Bridgend, Wales. Winner of several college tournaments, Davies is back in a share of 24th place on Puerto Rico with a 74 and 70 for 144.
Team-mate Gareth Shaw from Lisburn, Northern Ireland has scored 70 and 73 for a 17th place tie on 143.
The two other East Tennessee State University players in the field are Adam Hodkinson from Dore, England and Cian McNamara from Limerick, Ireland.
Adam has had rounds of 76 and 74 for 150 place to be sharing 59th place while McNamara has scored 79 and 74 for a share of 71st place on 153.
Pablo Martin has inspired Oklahoma State to lead the team event on 563, one shot ahead of Georgia. East Tennessee State (579) are currently in sixth place in the 18-team line-up.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
135 Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) 68 67.
138 Chris Kirk (Georgia) 70 69.
140 Brendon Todd (Georgia) 68 72.
Other scores:
142 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 72 70 (jt 9th).
143 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 70 73 (jt 17th).
144 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 74 70 (jt 24th).
150 Adam Hodkinson (East Tennessee State) 76 74.
153 Cian McNamara (Limerick) 79 74 (jt 71st).
LEADING TEAMS
563 Oklahoma State.
564 Georgia.
568 Florida.
574 Alabama.
574 Purdue.
579 East Tennessee State.
582 Clemson.

Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation
Foundation unveils culture of winning vision
The “Culture of Winning” vision of the pioneering Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation was welcomed today (19 February) by the First Minister, Jack McConnell and business and sporting leaders.
Founded following discussions between the First Minister and Sir Bill Gammell, chief executive of Cairn Energy PLC and former Scotland rugby internationalist, the business-led Foundation aims to facilitate winning in sport by motivating young Scots to fulfil their sporting potential – especially in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and London 2012 Olympics.
The Foundation has received cash backing from the Scottish Executive, which will contribute up to £500,000 per annum over the next three years, on a matching basis.
Announcing the vision Sir Bill Gammell said: “Scotland needs a winning culture. As a nation we’ve got to have a bigger vision and more self confidence to achieve.
“Winning is in the mind. I want to see Scotland with the best performance, best coaching, best research and best results therefore we will challenge conventional thinking and draw on the similarities between business and sporting skills to develop an ethos of winning and train sportspeople how to think under pressure like a winner.”
The Foundation was inspired by The Scottish Institute of Sport’s successful winning-focused elite athlete strategy. While it is independent of any other body, The Foundation is working closely with the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Institute of Sport and sportscotland in building a single ‘Team Scotland’ culture of winning, from elite to grass roots level.
The First Minister said:
“Scotland may be a small country, but we have big ambitions. Many young Scots have the desire and the drive to be successful, but even more have the talent. And we need to harness their enthusiasm.
“Young Scots need to channel their ambition, and their talents, to develop a winning mentality.
“The Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation has the potential to improve Scotland’s sporting success, whilst underlining our ambition of improving Scotland’s confidence as a nation.
“It will add value and complement the work already being undertaken by the Institute of Sport and sportscotland. More importantly, I hope it encourages people of all ages to get involved in sport. And be more confident in every aspect of their lives.
“I want to see a new generation of young Scots competing for Commonwealth gold medals in years to come. Hopefully that will be in front of a home crowd in Glasgow in 2014.”
Winning Scots
The Culture of Winning programme is focused on working with world class coaches, leaders and thinkers to foster a “Winning Scots” culture, from grass roots through to elite athletes.
Business and sporting leaders have joined The Foundation’s influential advisory board, which comprises Sir Craig Reedie CBE, former chairman of the British Olympic Association and IOC member; Judy Murray, Scotland’s former national tennis coach; Richard Emanuel MBE, founder of DX Communications; Dr Frank Dick OBE, former British Olympic athletics coach and Dr Michael Gray OBE, former chairman of McQueen International and former director of Scottish Enterprise.
Sir Craig Reedie who was a key player in London’s successful Olympic bid commented: “The Olympic movement creates heroes and heroines who inspire young people to greater sporting effort. The Foundation can accomplish the same goals in Scotland.”
And Judy Murray, mother of world ranked number 60 tennis star Andy Murray added: “The Foundation will be of enormous benefit to our potentially world class athletes and will hopefully lead to greater Scottish success in international sport. Every sport needs role models to increase both participation and performance and the more success Scotland has on the world stage the stronger sport will become in our country.”

Mary McKenna with the Spanish Seniors trophy (see 24th February)
Photo courtesy Sherry Club / Spanish Golf Federation

GolfMark steps up a level with Sport England Clubmark alliance
The English Golf Union (EGU) and English Ladies’ Golf Association (ELGA) are delighted to announce an exciting new development to their GolfMark initiative, which identifies junior and beginner friendly golf clubs in England.
From February 2006 the GolfMark award will also integrate Sport England’s generic Clubmark award - a national standard for quality sports clubs recognised across the country. More than twenty other sports, including football, tennis and rugby are also using the alliance to add value to their accreditation schemes and over 5000 sports clubs have been awarded Clubmark or are working towards achieving accreditation.
There are a number of benefits that golf clubs can gain by achieving both Sport England’s Clubmark and GolfMark accreditation including increased membership, raising the club’s profile, further development of coaches and volunteers and greater access to funding.
Sport England’s Interim Chief Executive Stephen Baddeley commented: “We are delighted that golf continues to develop as a sport and is seeking to raise the already high standards of it’s clubs across the country. Clubmark will give added value to the successful GolfMark award.”
The EGU and ELGA have incorporated the new Clubmark criteria into the existing GolfMark programme so avoiding the need for any duplication of effort by golf clubs.
Golf Clubs that have already achieved the Junior GolfMark award will retain their existing accreditation but can also apply to be assessed on the enhanced criteria straight away. Clubs who have not yet gained GolfMark status will be encouraged to apply and will be supported by a Regional Development Officer throughout their application process.
Richard Flint EGU Development Manager added, “Our relationship with Sport England’s Clubmark award is an exciting development to the existing GolfMark accreditation and we look forward to continuing to support affiliated golf clubs to obtain this important recognition which will develop and improve club structures in England.”
Full information on how to apply for GolfMark accreditation is available from the GolfMark website at www.golfmark.org clubs can contact the EGU/ELGA Development Team. A resource pack providing details of Sport England’s Clubmark award can be found on the Sport England website at www.sportengland.org/clubmark.
The GolfMark award is an initiative jointly provided by the EGU and ELGA via the England Golf Partnership’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf.

Monday 27th February 2006

US College golf
WINNER RHYS TAMES FLORIDA WIND
Rhys Lindquist, the Welshman with the Swedish-sounding surname, won the Bethune-Cookman College Spring Invitational men’s tournament at Indigo Lakes Country Club,. Daytona Beach in Florida.
Lindquist, a senior student at the host college, had rounds of 71 and 75 for 146 – a very good effort in atrocious conditions of winds gusting up to 35mph, laced with rain.
Rhys won by three shots from Bethune-Cookman team-mate, Stefan Strandlund from Sweden. Stefan scored 70 and 78 for 148.
Carl Corbin from Reading, finished fourth on 152 with scores of 78 and 74.
Not surprisingly, Bethune-Cookman won their own tournament team title with a total of 599 – 21 shots ahead of runners-up Sienna College.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
146 Rhys Lindquist (Bethune-Cookman) 71 75.
148 Stefan Strandlund (Bethune-Cookman) 70-78.
LEADING TEAMS
599 Bethune-Cookman.
620 Sienna College.
627 Stetson.

US College golf
TARA SLIPS OUT OF TOP 10 IN LADY PUERTO RICO CLASSIC
Tara Delaney, Irish women’s open amateur stroke-play champion for the past two years, slipped down from fourth place overnight to finish joint 11th in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic women’s college golf tournament at Dorado del Mar Golf Club, San Juan.
Ken State University student Tara, from the Carlow Golf Club, had rounds of 74, 72 and 76 for an aggregate of six-over-par 222 at the par-73, 6,000yd CoCo Beach course.
Tara’s college team-mate Becky Wood from Glossop finished in a share of 18th place with 75, 76 and 73 for 224.
Miss Delaney’s sister, Karen, competing as an individual tied for 66th place with Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) from Bargoed, Wales on 243. Karen had rounds of 82, 83 and 78 while Lucy scored 87, 79 and 77.
The individual winner was Amanda McCurdy (Arkansas) with 72, 68 and 74 for 214. She finished two strokes clear of Whitney Meyers (Florida).
Florida (885) won a very closely contested team event from the host university, Purdue (887) with Arkansas (888) third. Kent State (903) were placed fifth of the 16 teams.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
214 Amandy McCurdy (Arkansas) 72 68 74.
216 Whitney Meyers (Florida0 73 69 74.
218 Ann Laney (North Carolina) 68 73 77.
Other totals:
222 Tara Delaney (Kent State) 74 72 76 (jt 11th).
224 Becky Wood (Kent State) 75 76 73.
243 Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) 87 79 77, Karen Delaney (Kent State) 82 83 78.
LEADING TEAMS
885 Florida.
887 Purdue.
888 Arkansas.
892 Oklahoma State.
903 Kent State.
Other total:
946 East Tennessee State (13th).

US College Golf
VICKI'S POWER HELPS NORTHERN ARIZONA TIE FOR WIN
Irish junior international Vicki Power birdied three of her last five holes to help Northern Arizona University tie for victory with Texas El Paso in the Red Rocks Invitational women’s college golf tournament at Oakcreek Country Club, Sedona.
Cambridge-born Vicki, who transferred to Northern Arizona from Troy State last year, struggled on her outward half with six-over-par 42 to the turn and then bogeyed the 11th and 12th. But she turned her fortunes around by driving the green at the par-4, 315yd 14th which set up a two-putt birdie.
After bogeying the 15th, Miss Power, who has played for Ireland at Under-18 and Under-21 levels, staged a grandstand finish with birdies at the 17th and 18th to match the par of 36 for the inward half.
She had two rounds of 78 for a 10th place individual finish on 156 – eight shots behind the winner, Mary Kate Morgan (Gonzaga) who scored76 and 72.
“I realised I had to do something to help the team. I thought of the back nine as a whole different round (from the first nine). It made me feel good that I can contribute to the team score,” said Vicki.
Team events are, if anything, more important than the individual placings in American college tournaments, so no wonder Northern Arizona University head coach Tom McCurdy was singing Vicki’s praises.
“Vicki had a clutch performance when we needed it,” said Tom. “She had a good attitude and kept her emotions in check which enabled her to finish strongly.”
This is only Vicki's third competition in eight months as she has been recovering from a knee operation in August and a hernia operation in November.
Northern Arizona shared first place with Texas El Paso on 623 – six strokes ahead of third-placed Portland State.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
148 Mary Kate Morgan (Gonzaga) 76 72.
150 Sophia Choi (Northern Arizona) 74 73.
152 Krista Swanson (Montana) 76 76.
Other total:
156 Vicki Power (Northern Arizona) 78 78.
LEADING TEAMS
623 Northern Arizona, Texas El Paso.
629 Portland State.

Sunday 26th February 2006

US College Golf
VICKI HELPS NORTHERN ARIZONA LEAD
Vicki Power from Cambridge, an Irish Under-18 and Under-21 girls international team player and a junior student at Northern Arizona State University, held joint 11th place at the end of the first round in the 36-hole Red Rock Invitational women’s college golf tournament, hosted by Northern Arizona, at Oakcreek Country Club, Sedona over a par-72 course measuring 6,089yd.
Vicki had a six-over-par 78 with halves of 37 and 41.
Northern Arizona team-mate Sophia Choi shared the lead on 74 with Haley Brown (Portland State).
Vicki and Sophia’s efforts helped Northern Arizona lead the team event with a first-round total of 309 – one ahead of Texas El Paso. Thirteen teams are taking part in this inaugural event.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
74 Sophia Choi (Northern Arizona) 39-35, Haley Brown (Portland State) 34-40.
Other score:
78 Vicki Power (Northern Arizona) 37-41.
LEADING TEAMS
309 Northern Arizona.
310 Texas El Paso.
312 Portland State.

REBECCA RUNNER-UP IN SOUTH AFRICA
Rebecca Hudson, the amateur star who has never shone as a professional, might be about to change all that. On Saturday, she achieved a career-best second place finish in the Pam Golding Ladies International women’s golf tournament at Dainfern Golf Club, Jonannesburg.
The 26-year-old Doncaster player, a dominant force on the British women’s amateur golf scene but winner of only £5,000 since turning pro in 2002, had rounds of 74, 71 and 67 for a seven-under-par total of 212.
Rebecca earned 25,000 South African Rand for a share of second place behind Switzerland’s Nora Angehrn, a 26-year-old from Zurich who shot 70, 68 and 72 to scoop the first prize of 45,000 SA Rand by two shots with a nine-under-par total of 210 over the par-73 course.
Hudson’s closing six-under-par 67 – the best single round of the 54-hole tournament by any player – shot her up the leaderboard and looked at one stage as if it might carry her to victory. But Angehrn birdied the 10th, 14th and the 16th where she chipped in.
It was Nora’s first win as a professional. Perhaps Rebecca’s overdue breakthrough is going to happen this season.
PAM GOLDING LADIES INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Dainfern Golf Club, Johannesburg.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 73
210 Nora Angehrn (Swi) 70 68 72.
212 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 74 71 67, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 69 74 69, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 69 74 69.
213 Ashleigh Simon (SAf) (am) 71 74 68, Salimah Mussani (Can) 74 71 68.
Other scores:
214 Marie Allen (Eng) 73 70 71.
219 Liza Walters (Eng) 73 74 72.
222 Sophie Hunter (Eng) 71 76 74.
223 Natalie Booth (Eng) 76 72 75.
226 Clare3 Lipscombe (Eng) 79 71 76, Kelly Hutcherson (Eng) 77 73 76.
Missed cut:
153 Vanessa Bell Eng) 76 77.
156 Laura Wright (Eng) 81 74.
161 Michelle Smith (Eng) 78 83, Cheryl Smith (Eng) 78 83.

US College Golf
TARA FOURTH WITH ONE ROUND TO GO
Ireland’s Tara Delaney (Kent State University) was lying fourth with one round to go in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic women’s college golf tournament at Dorado del Mar Golf Club, San Juan.
Carlow Golf Club member Tara, Irish women’s amateur stroke-play champion for the past two years, has had rounds of 74 and 72 over the par-72, 6,000yd CoCo Beach course.
She is six shots behind the overnight leader Amanda McCurdy (Arkansas) who has had rounds of 72 and 68 to establish a one-stroke advantage from Ann Laney (North Carolina) who has had scores of 68 and 73. She had her first ever hole in one in the first round.
Tara Delaney’s Kent State team-mate Becky Wood from Glossop dropped out of the top 20 with a second-round 76 for 151.
Tara’s sister Karen, playing as an individual, has had rounds of 82 and 83 for 165.
Florida (591) have taken up the running in the hotly-contested team race. They lead by a shot from Purdue and Arkansas. Kent Stent (598) are lying fifth.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL SCORES
140 Amanda McCurdy (Arkansas) 72 68.
141 Ann Laney (North Carolina) 68 73.
142 Whitney Meyers (Florida) 73 69.
146 Tara Delaney (Kent State) 74 72.
Other scores:
151 Becky Wood (Kent State) 75 76.
165 Karen Delaney (Kent State) 82 83.
LEADING TEAMS
591 Florida.
592 Purdue, Arkansas.
596 Oklahoma State.
598 Kent State.

McALPINE (41st) FOUR UNDER PAR IN HAWAII
Alyth Golf Club member Kevin McAlpine (Colorado State University) finished in style with a six-under-par 66 but still managed only a final placing of 41st in the field of 106 for the John Burns Intercollegiate golf tournament on Hawaii.
Kevin had earlier rounds of 74 and 72 over the 6,917yd Leilehaua course at Wahiawa, giving him a final total of four-under-par 212.
The standard of scoring must have been one of the best of the American college golf season. More than half the field were under par with their 54-hole totals.
Brandon DeStefano (Southern Methodist), 68-68-66, and Jay Moseley (Auburn), 66-66-70, headed the field, both scoring 14-under-par 202. DeStefano won the sudden-death play-off at the second hole.
Southern Methodist won the team event with a staggering total of 41-under-par 823. Even then they had only a shot to spare over Brigham Young. Colorado State (832) finished fifth.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
202 Brandon DeStefano (Southern Methodist) 68 68 66, Jay Moseley (Auburn) 66 66 70 (DeStefano won play-off at second hole).
203 Andrew Scott (San Diego State) 71 64, 68, Derrick Whiting (Colorado State) 67 68 68.
Other total:
212 Kevin McAlpine (Colorado State) 74 72 66 (41st).
LEADING TEAMS
823 Southern Methodist.
824 Brigham Young.
830 New Mexico.
831 San Diego State.
832 Colorado State.

Saturday 25th February 2006

TARA AND BECKY IN PUERTO RICO TOP 20
Tara Delaney from Carlow, winner of the Irish women's open amateur stroke-play championship for the past two years, was sharing 10th place at the end of the first round in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic women's college golf tournament over the CoCo Beach golf course.
Kent State University sophomore student Tara had a round of two-over-par 74 with halves of 35 and 39.
Ann Laney (North Carolina) led by three strokes with a four-under-par 68 (35-33). She had the first hole in one of her golfing life at the 150yd 11th hole.
Tara's team-mate Becky Wood from Glossop was sharing 17th place with a 75 (37-38).
Tara's sister Karen, a junior student at Kent State, playing as an individual, was back in a tie for 65th place with an 82 (41-41).
Purdue, the host university and the third-ranked women's team in the United States, set the pace with a first-round total of 295 - two shots ahead of Kent State.
The tournament is over 54 holes. The course measures 6,000yd and has a par of 72.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
68 Ann Laney (North Carolina) 35-33.
71 Onnarin Sattayabanphot (Purdue) 36-35.
Other scores:
74 Tara Delaney (Kent State) 35-39 (joint 10th).
75 Becky Wood (Kent State) 37-38 (jt 17th).
82 Karen Delaney (Kent State) 41-41 (jt 65th).
LEADING TEAMS
295 Purdue.
297 Kent State.
298 Arkansas.
299 Florida.
300 Oklahoma State.
301 North Carolina.

Friday 24th February 2006

MARY McKENNA REIGNS IN SPAIN AFTER PAMELA WILLIAMSON SLUMPS OVER LAST SEVEN HOLES
Ireland’s Mary McKenna added yet another title to her illustrious collection amassed over the past five decades when she was crowned Spanish senior women’s amateur international champion at Sherry Golf Club, Jerez in the Cadiz region today (FRIDAY).
On a second day of unusually cold and quite windy weather at the southern Spain venue, Mary from Donabate Golf Club had so-steady rounds of 75 and 77 in the tricky conditions for a total of 152.
She won by two shots from Sweden’s Gunilla Ekman who had a pair of 77s for 154.
Defending champion Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue from France, the current European senior women’s title-holder, was third on 155 with 78 and 77.
Mary McKenna, who will celebrate her 57th birthday on April 29, was eight times Irish women’s amateur champion between 1969 and 1987. She was British women’s stroke-play title-winner in 1979 and British senior women’s champion in 2001.
She played in nine Curtis Cup and nine Vagliano Trophy matches for Great Britain & Ireland.
Mary started the second and final round in second place, one shot behind Scottish senior women’s champion Pamela Williamson (Baberton).
Mary drew level with Pamela with a birdie at the first hole and she also birdied the 10th – most of the 89 competitors could only dream about getting birdies in conditions as tough as they were today.
"It is great to be striking the ball well again and holing crucial putts at key moments in the round" said the Irish legend. "I think a spot of Irish weather tilted the odds in my favour coming down the home stretch" she added wryly.
Mrs Williamson, who reached the turn in 38, was still very much in contention for the title until she suddenly lost her touch over the last seven holes. She dropped nine shots to par in this nightmarish finish and an inward half of 46 saw her round in 84 – 10 shots more than her first round.
Pamela plummeted from the pole position to a final placing of sixth equal on 158 – the same mark as the 1987 Scottish women’s amateur champion Fiona Anderson from Blairgowrie, now a member at Formby Ladies. Fiona had a pair of 79s.
Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) tied for 30th place with 84 and 82 for 166, one shot ahead of Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) who had rounds of 79 and 88.
Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), runner-up in this championship 12 months ago, never got the same momentum going this week and shared 37th place on 172 with an 82 and an 89.
Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle) was joint 41st with 84 and 88 for 172.
Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) shared 52nd place with 85 and 91 for 176.
Elspeth Hanlon (Gourock) was joint 65th with 87 and 93 for 180.
SPANISH SENIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sherry Golf Club, Jerez, Cadiz.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 72
152 Mary McKenna (Ire) 75 77.
154 Gunilla Ekman (Swe) 77 77.
155 Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (Fra) 78 77.
156 Cristina Marsans (Spa) 78 78, Vicky Pertierra (Spa) 78 78.
158 Fiona Anderson (Sco) 79 79, Anki Hermanson (Swe) 79 79, 77 81 Erika Annison (Spa) 77 81, Pamela Williamson (Sco) 74 84.
160 Regina Rodriguez (Spa) 78 82, Christina Birke (Swe) 76 84.
161 Catalina Gonzalez (Spa) 82 79.
162 Maria Goizueta (Spa) 81 81, Sue Westall (Eng) 81 81, Cristina Osborne (Spa) 80 82, Hilary Smyth (Eng) 80 82.
163 Jane Rogers (Eng) 82 81, Marianne Copp (Eng) 82 81, Sue Timberlake (Eng) 82 81.
Other totals:
164 Jeannie O’Keeffe (Eng) 83 81, Valerie Hasset (Ire) 80 84, Maj-Britt (Swe) 80 84.
165 Julie Ballard (Eng) 85 80, Diane Williams (Can) 78 87.
166 Helen Faulds (Sco) 84 82.
167 Janice Paterson (Sco) 79 88.
171 Susan Pickles (Eng) 88 83, Noreen Fenton (Sco) 82 89.
172 Fiona Roger (Sco) 84 88.
173 Pat Bennet (Eng) 83 90.
176 Jennifer Mack (Sco) 85 91.
177 Helen O’Donohue (Ire) 88 89.
180 Teresa Taylor (Eng) 90 80, Elspeth Hanlon (Sco) 87 93, Catherine Carty (Ire) 86 94.

R&A Press Release
THE ST ANDREWS TROPHY
The R&A has decided, as a result of the accelerated rate of skills development of amateur golfers, that it will not be naming a GB&I squad from which to select the team for the St Andrews Trophy. This match, against the Continent of Europe, will be held at Marianske Lazne Golf Club, Czech Republic on 1 and 2 September.
As Peter McEvoy, Chairman of The R&A Selection Committee explained: “We feel that as there are so many players in contention for a place in the team, that the squad would be too big to have any real value. Experience over recent years has shown us that young players develop so quickly nowadays, largely due to the quality of coaching and ancillary advice they receive, that previously unheralded players can readily get to the top of the amateur game in a season.
“For that reason, this year we will not be announcing a squad.
“However with the 2007 Walker Cup being played at Royal County Down, next year we intend to re-instate the squad system, as it will be essential that all players in contention for a place are given the opportunity to practice at that demanding links venue.”
R&A selectors will be present at all major events although Peter McEvoy points out that outside these events, player performances will be taken into consideration when selecting the team for the St Andrews Trophy.
Major Events
West of Ireland Championship, 14-18 April, Co Sligo
Lytham Trophy, 5-7 May
Irish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, 12-14 May
Brabazon Trophy, 19-21 May, Ganton
Welsh Open Stroke Play Championship, 26-28 May, Southerndown
Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship, 2-4 June, Craigielaw
St Andrews Links Trophy, 9-11 June, Old Course and New Course
Irish Amateur Close Championship, 10-14 June, European Club
Amateur Championship, 19-24 June, Royal St George's
European Youths Team Championship, 11-15 July, La Canada, Spain

Thursday 23rd February 2006

PAMELA LEADS FROM MARY IN SPANISH SENIORS
Scottish senior women’s champion Pamela Williamson from Edinburgh leads by one shot from Irish legend Mary McKenna with other over-50s stalwart, Christina Birke from Sweden in third place at the halfway stage of the Spanish senior women’s international amateur golf championship at Sherry Golf Club, Jerez in the Cadiz region of southern Spain.
In cold, wet and windy conditions, Baberton Golf Club member Mrs Williamson kept her concentration well to return a two-over-par 74 in the first round of the 36-hole competition.
Many times Irish champion Mary McKenna (Donabate) is snapping at the Scot’s heels with a 75 while Christina Birke is on the 76 mark.
Defending champion Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (France) had a 78.
Former Scottish champion Fiona Anderson (Formby Ladies) is tied for 12th place with Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) on 79.
Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), runner-up in the individual championship 12 months ago, is back in joint 26th place after an 82.
Fiona Rogers (Ranfurly Castle) and Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) both had 84s, one better than Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle).
Elspeth Hanlon (Gourock) returned an 87.
SPANISH SENIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sherry Golf Club, Jerez, Cadiz.
Leading first round scores
74 Pamela Williamson (Sco).
75 Mary McKenna (Ire).
76 Christina Birke (Swe).
77 Erika Annison (Spa), Gunilla Ekman (Swe), Marta Estany (Spa).
78 Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (Spa), Cristina Marsans (Spa), Diane Williams (Can), Regina Rodriguez (Spa), Vicky Pertierra (Spa).
79 Fiona Anderson (Sco), Janice Patereson (Sco), Anki Hermanson (Swe).
80 Maj-Britt Heden (Swe), Teresa Bagaria (Spa), Valerie Hasset (Ire), Cristina Osborne, Carmet Valls-Taberner.
81 Hilary Smyth (Eng), Maria Goizueta (Spa), Catline Pequignot (Spa), Beatriz Cifuentes, Beatriz Ramirez, Sue Westall (Eng).
Other scores:
82 Noreen Fenton (Sco), Sue Timberlake (Eng), Marianne Copp (Eng).
83 Pat Bennet (Eng), Jeannie O’Keeffe (Eng).
84 Fiona Rogers (Sco), Helen Faulds (Sco).
85 Jennifer Mack (Sco), Julie Ballard (Eng), Jane Rogers (Eng).
86 Catherine Carty (Ire).
87 Elspeth Hanlon (Sco).
88 Susan Pickles (Eng), Helen O’Donohue (Ire).
90 Teresa Taylor (Eng).

US College Golf
ANNA SCOTT’S TOP-20 FINISH IN FLORIDA
Anna Scott from Consett, Co Durham, a student at Georgia State University, was the leading European player in the Miccosukee Challenge women’s college golf tournament at Miccosukee Country Club, Miami in Florida.
Six-footer Anna had rounds of 76, 79 and 74 over the par-73 course for a total of 229 and a joint 18th finish.
Shauna McVeigh (Troy University, Alabama) from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland and Dubliner Maria Dunne (Bethune-Cookman College) tied for 48th place on 237. Shauna had scores of 76, 82 and 79. Maria scored 82, 72 and 83.
Ferne Grimshaw (Bethune-Cookman) from Dorset shared 55th place on 239 with scores of 80, 79 and 80.
A third Bethune-Cookman player, Becky Dowell from Devon, had rounds of 83, 84 and 82 for 249.
Augusta State (897) won the team event by one shot from Brigham Young with Florida International and Georgia State sharing third place on 915.
Bethune-Cookman finished tied for 18th place in a field of 20 with 987

US College Golf
CHARLENE AND NIKKI HELP PFEIFFER FINISH SECOND
Charlene Reid from Antrim and Belfast’s Nikki Taggart helped their American college, Pfeiffer University, to finish second in the team event of the Pfeiffer Old North State Invitational women’s college tournament at Old North State Club, New London in North Carolina.
Charlene had two rounds of 81 over the 5,995yd, par-72 course for an aggregate of 162, which earned her a share of sixth place in the individual event behind Jordan Craig (Wake Forest) and Paige Haverty (Catawba College), who headed the field on five-over-par 149. Jordan had rounds of 75 and 74, Paige 77 and 2.
Nikki finished joint 25th on 174 with scores of 85 and 89.
In the team event Catawba College (651) won from Pfeiffer (657) and Newberry College (675).

Press Release
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB WEB SITE
Now that the year of Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s 11th Open Championship is well and truly underway the Club has re-launched its web site.
www.royal-liverpool-golf.com features a video that explores the past and present of the RLGC and the famous Hoylake links.
There are also video tips from the Club’s Head Professional, John Heggarty, as well as virtual tours of the Clubhouse recently extended and refurbished at a cost of almost two million pounds.
Elsewhere on the site you can look at stunning new photographs of the course, and at examples of golf memorabilia from a collection that is arguably the finest in Britain outside of St. Andrew’s.
The content of the web site was produced by television producer and Hoylake member, Mark Gorton, and the site was built by Nigel Smith, owner of local web design company, Innerview.
Says Mark: “If you are a prospective Open spectator or visitor to Hoylake, or maybe just a golfer anywhere in the world who wants to know more about a great course that’s back on the Open circuit after almost forty years, then we hope the site will be both informative and entertaining.”

Wednesday 22nd February 2006

US College Golf
PERTHSHIRE PLAYER RUNNER-UP IN TEXAS
Emily Ogilvy from Dunning, Perthshire finished second and helped her American college, the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, to win the team title in the Islander Spring Classic women’s golf tournament at Corpus Christi, Texas.
Emily had rounds of 72, 70 and 76 for a two-over-par tally of 218 for the 6,100yd, par-72 course. But for an 8 on her final card, Miss Ogilvy would have gone close to catching individual winner, Camila Sola (Redlands College) who scored 69, 71 and 74 for 214.
Arkansas Little Rock headed the entry of 16 teams with a two-round total of 899 – eight shots ahead of runners-up Redlands with Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the hosts, third on 920.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
214 Camila Sola (Redlands) 69 71 74.
218 Emily Ogilvy (Arkansas-Little Rock) 72 70 76.
220 Sara Wilkstrom (Arkansas-Little Rock) 69 75 76, Christy Carter (Oral Roberts) 71 74 75.
LEADING TEAMS
899 Arkansas-Little Rock.
907 Redlands.
920 Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

PAMELA AND DIANE JOINT THIRD IN SPANISH SENIOR WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL DOUBLES
The Scottish-Canadian partnership of Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Diane Williams finished joint third in the Spanish senior women’s international doubles championship at Sherry Golf Club, Jerez in the Cadiz region of southern Spain.
Pamela, the current Scottish senior women’s match-play and stroke-play champion, and Diane combined for a foursomes round 77 in very cold and windy conditions.
Added to their opening-day, better-ball score of 75, their 36-hole final aggregate of 152 was bettered only the title-winning favourites, Vicky Pertierra (Spain) and France’s Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue who scored 74 and 73 for 147 and runners-up, Spain’s Ana Vilella and Marta Estany with 71 and 77 fo4 148.
The new champions were the lowest handicap players among the 43 couples in the championship. Cecilia has an actual handicap of +0.8 while Vicky plays off 3.4
The Swedish pairing of Ann-Catrin Sveningson and Gunilla Ekman (77-75) shared third place with Pamela Williamson and Diane Williams.
Former Scottish women’s champion Fiona Anderson (Formby Ladies) and her English partner, Jane Rogers, did well to share fifth place on 154 with England’s Hilary Smyth and Sue Pickles.
Jane and Fiona had scores of 75 and 79 for 154 while Hilary and Sue scored 74-80.
Scotland had two more representatives in the top 10 – Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) and Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) who finished ninth with 78 and 78 for 157 – one shot and one place ahead of Ireland’s Mary McKenna and Valerie Hasset (76-82).
Elspeth Hanlon (Gourock) and Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) shared 17th place on 162 with scores of 78 and 84.
Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) and Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle) took 31st place with an 85 and an 89.
All the Scots, with the exception of Pamela Williamson and Fiona Anderson, had to cope with the stress of their luggage and golf clubs not arriving until 7pm on the eve of the tournament. They managed only nine holes of practice with borrowed clubs.
The Spanish senior women’s international individual championship will be decided over 36 holes over the next two days. Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue is the defending champion. Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) was runner-up 12 months ago.
SPANISH SENIOR WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL DOUBLES
Sherry Golf Club, Jerez.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
(first round better-ball; second round foursomes).
147 Vicky Pertierra (Spa) & Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (Fra) 74 73.
148 Ana Vilella (Spa) & Marta Estany (Spa) 71 77.
152 Pamela Williamson (Sco) & Diane Williams) Can) 75 77; Ann-Catrin Sveningson (Swe) & Gunilla Ekman (Swe) 77 75.
154 Fiona Anderson (Sco) & Jane Rogers (Eng) 75 79; Hilary Smyth (Eng) & Sue Pickles (Eng) 74 80.
Other totals:
157 Helen Faulds (Sco) & Noreen Fenton (Sco) 78 79.
158 Mary McKenna (Ire) & Valerie Hasset (Ire) 76 82.
159 Sue Timberlake (Eng) & Sue Westall (Eng) 76 83.
162 Elspeth Hanlon (Sco) & Janice Paterson (Sco) 78 84.
169 Helen O’Donohue (Ire) & Catherine Carty (Ire) 80 89; Jeannie O’Keeffe (Eng) & Teresa Taylor (Eng) 81 88.
174 Jennifer Mack (Sco) & Fiona Roger (Sco) 85 89.

US College Golf
LOUISE WINS TITLE IN ALABAMA
Scottish Under-21 girls’ champion Louise Fleming (Jacksonville State University) from Kelso won the Birmingham Southern University Shoot-out by four strokes at Bent Brook golf course, Alabama.
Louise matched the par of 72 in both totals for a total of 144. Her nearest rival was Allison Mitchell of the host university with a pair of 74s.
Louise also led Jacksonville State University to a third straight win in the team event.
Starting the final round nine shots off the pace, the Gamecocks finished at the top of the pack with a total of 607 – one shot ahead of Birmingham Southern.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
144 Louise Fleming (Jacksonville State) 72 72.
148 Allison Mitchell (Birmingham Southern) 74 74.
149 Emily Klein (Birmingham Southern) 76 73, Michelle Toth (South Alabama) 75 74.
LEADING TEAMS
607 Jacksonville State.
608 Birmingham Southern.
616 South Alabama.

US College Golf
SCOTS TRIO WIN TEAM TITLE FOR JACKSONVILLE
Three Scots won the Charleston Southern University Invitational men’s college golf team title for Jacksonville University, Florida at Coosaw Creek Country Club, Charleston in South Carolina.
Duncan Stewart from Grantown-on-spey, Russell Knox from Inverness and Edinburgh-born Jamie Kennedy totalled 871 in the 54-hole event – eight shots ahead of runners-up Campbell University with Radford University (880) third of the 12 competing teams.
Duncan Stewart led the individual competition after 36 holes but dropped back to a share of fourth place with Knox in the final standings. Kennedy was placed sixth.
Shawn Hill (Charleston Southern) won with a two-under-par total of 211.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
211 Shawn Hill (Charleston Southern) 71 73 67.
212 Aaron Summers (Radford) 71 70 71, Frederic Sundberg (Campbell) 69 72 71.
213 Duncan Stewart (Jacksonville) 74 66 73, Russell Knox (Jacksonville) 72 71 70.
215 Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) 71 75 69.
LEADING TEAMS
871 Jacksonville.
879 Campbell.
880 Radford.

US College Golf
GEMMA TIES FOR 20TH PLACE IN FLORIDA
Scotland’s Gemma Webster (Ohio State) tied for 20th place in a field of 75 for the Central District Invitational women’s college golf tournament at River Wilderness Golf Club, Parrish in Florida.
Gemma, a member at Hilton Park Golf Club and the current British universities stroke-play champion, had rounds of 76, 78 and 75 for an aggregate of 229 over the par-72 course.
In her final round, Miss Webster, who transferred to Ohio State University from a dentistry course at Dundee University last year, bogeyed the second and fifth and then birdied the sixth, eighth and 11th to be challenging for a top-10 finish.
But Gemma double-bogeyed the par-4 16th – her second double-bogey of the tournament – and then also dropped shots at the 17th and 18th holes to drop back into a tie for 20th place. She was the third of three Ohio State players in the leading 20.
Sian Reddick (Baylor) from Folkestone was the leading European player with rounds of 76, 74 and 74 for a total of 224 which earned her eighth place.
Sian, whose performance helped Baylor University (896) from Texas to win the team event by 11 shots from Ohio State (907) in a field of 14 teams, birdied the fourth, ninth and 17th in her final round.
She would have gone close to finishing third overall but for a double bogey at the 14th and bogeys at the third, fifth and 18th on the last day. Miss Reddick also had a double bogey in her first round.
Dubliner Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame) tied for ninth place on 225 with scores of 73, 77 and 75. Suzie birdied the first but then bogeyed the third, eighth, 10th and 15th in her last round.
Lacey Jones (Southern Methodist) was the individual winner with scores of 72, 73 and 70 for one-under-par 215. She won by four shots from Stephanie Ruiz (Nebraska).
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
215 Lacey Jones (Southern Methodist) 72 73 70.
219 Stephanie Ruiz (Nebraska) 73 75 71.
221 Meredith Jones (Baylor) 76 72 73.
Other scores:
224 Sian Reddick (Baylor) 76 74 74 (8th).
225 Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame) 73 77 75 (jt 9th).
229 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 76 78 75.
LEADING TEAMS
896 Baylor.
907 Ohio State.
908 Southern Methodist.
914 Nebraska.
Other total:
932 Notre Dame (11th).

US College Golf
AZAHARA STARS FOR ARIZONA STATE
Azahara Munoz, the Spaniard who won the British girls’ open championship at Lanark two years ago, led Arizona State to a notable team victory over the top-ranked Duke University in the Arizona Wildcat Invitational college tournament over the Arizona National Course at Tucson.
Azahara had rounds of 71, 68 and 70 to be one of four players who tied for third place on four-under-par 209.
Arizona State (840) won by six shots from Duke (846) with California and UCLA sharing third place on 859.
Vanderbilt University don’t provide many individual winners on the American women’s college circuit but Jacqui Concolino strung together three very good rounds – 70, 68 and 66 – to head the field of 96 players with a brilliant nine-under-par total of 204.
Jacqui pipped Sophia Sheridan (California) by one shot.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
204 Jacqui Concolino (Vanderbilt) 70 68 66.
205 Sophia Sheridan (California) 69 67 69.
Other totals:
209 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 71 68 70.
LEADING TEAMS
840 Arizona State.
846 Duke.
859 California, UCLA.

Tuesday 21st February 2006

Spanish Seniors
SCOTS TO THE FORE IN SPANISH SENIOR WOMEN’S DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Former Scottish women’s amateur golf champion Fiona Anderson, pictured right, from Blairgowrie and Pamela Williamson, the current Scottish women’s senior champion from Baberton, Edinburgh, were well in the picture at the end of the first round of the Spanish senior women’s open amateur doubles championship at Sherry Golf Club, Jerez in the Cadiz region of southern Spain.
Fiona, now based in Manchester and skipper of the Scotland women’s home international team, teamed up with England’s Jane Rogers to return a creditable score of three-over-par 75 in the opening day’s better-ball format.
On the same mark were Pamela Williamson and her Canadian partner, Diane Williams.
Leading the field in the 36-hole event, which precedes the individual two-round championship at the same venue, were Spain’s Ana Vilella and Marta Estany with a very good score of 71.
They lead by three shots from England’s Hilary Smyth and Sue Pickles, as well as Spain’s Beatriz Ramires and Cristina Marsans.
The Scots in the field – with the exception of Pamela Williamson and Fiona Anderson who arrived earlier – did not too badly, considering that their golf clubs and luggage did not arrive until 7pm on the eve of the tournament.
Helen Faulds (Bearsden) and Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) returned a 78, the same score as Elspeth Hanlon (Gourock) and Janice Paterson (Drumpellier).
Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) and Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle) had an 85.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
(Players from Spain unless stated)
71 Ana Vilella & Marta Estany.
74 Hilary Smyth (Eng) & Sue Pickles (Eng), Beatriz Ramires & Cristina Marsans.
75 Catalina Gonzalez & Sonja Gottschalch (Den), Jane Rogers (Eng) & Fiona Anderson (Sco), Maj-Brit Heden (Swe) & Marianne Copp (Eng), Christina Birke (Swe) & Anki Hermanson (Swe), Pamela Williamson (Sco) & Diane Williams (Can).
Other scores:
76 Sue Timberlake (Eng) & Sue Westall (Eng), Julie Ballard (Eng) & Pat Bennet (Eng), Mary McKenna (Ire) & Valerie Hasset (Ire).
78 Helen Faulds (Sco) & Noreen Fenton (Sco), Elspeth Hanlon (Sco) & Janice Paterson (Sco).
80 Helen O’Donoghue (Ire) & Catherine Carty (Ire).
85 Jennifer Mack (Sco) & Fiona Roger (Sco).

US College Golf
SCOT LOUISE LEADS IN ALABAMA
Scottish Under-21 girls’ champion Louise Fleming, a golf scholarship student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, led by two strokes at the halfway stage of the 36-hole Birmingham Southern University Shoot-out women’s college tournament.
Louise, from Kelso, shot an even-par 72 (34-38) over the 6,001yd, par-72 Bent Brook course in conditions that must have made her feel at home - unusually very cold and wet conditions at the Alabama venue.
She will start the final round clear of host university favourite Allison Mitchell who had halves of 36 and 38 for a 74.
Louise’s good round pushed defending champions Jacksonville State up into third place on 314 behind Birmingham Southern (305) and South Alabama (312) in the team event contested by 15 universities.

Cambridge v Oxford
The Cambridge University Ladies' Golf team for this year's Varsity match against Oxford has just been announced. The team is as follows: Jenny Heathcote, Elaine Evans, Lisa Heidemann, Angela Donoghue, Sarah Meadows, Jo Reeve and Birte Feix (reserve). This year's match is being held in North Berwick on the 21st March, and supporters are more than welcome to come and watch. The Cambridge team are currently seeking sponsorship - if there are any local businesses or individuals who could possibly help Cambridge out (we don't need much!), please get in touch with Elaine Evans (eme22@cam.ac.uk).

Opening of clubgolf driving range at Nairn Dunbar

Press Release
Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, designated as one of eight Regional Training & Development Centres in Scotland, has received a further boost in the form of a three and a half ton, three-bay, all-weather driving range.
The Pro-Drive Driving Bay, a £13,000 investment by clubgolf partner sportscotland, is intended to support long term player development in Highland, and will cover all abilities from complete beginner to elite player.
The new bay was opened officially today. Those present were Nairn Provost and Highland Councillor, Sandy Park; Highland Institute of Sport Chair Cllr Angus Dick; SGU Chief Executive Officer Hamish Grey; SLGA Senior Home International Team Captain Pam Gordon; Highland Active Schools Manager Allan Clark; clubgolf Junior Facilities & Services Manager Martin Bowie; clubgolf Highland Regional Manager Willie MacKay; Nairn Dunbar GC Manager Scott Falconer; the club’s PGA Professional David Torrance; Captain Sandy Goodall; and children from Nairn Academy and Primary schools.
“By having this mobile driving range in Highland we are giving golfers - young, old and elite - the opportunity to continue practising in poor weather and in the dark,” said Willie MacKay, Junior Golf Development Officer for Highland, who was instrumental in the installation of Highland’s first transportable driving range at Thurso Golf Club fourteen months ago. We also hope to prove to clubs how accessible and affordable a practice facility can be.”
The new arrival at Nairn Dunbar follows the club’s recent news that it has been designated by the Scottish Golf Union as one of only eight Regional Training & Development Centres in Scotland where the SGU Academy Programme will run.
“We are delighted to have been identified as a Regional Centre, which has come about through a combination of factors,” said the club’s PGA Professional David Torrance, who has been selected as an SGU Academy Coach.
“You need the right facility, the right geographical spot and a PGA Professional trained to deliver the Academy programme. Our local juniors who have been selected for Academy coaching and have had to go Royal Dornoch for regular coaching will now not need to travel so far for their coaching.
“Nairn Dunbar is a superb golfing facility and we have an enviable reputation for junior development, both in terms of number and performance. The new bay will benefit everyone from our oldest seniors to our 200-plus junior members who will be able to use it during inclement days and, as soon as we install lighting, throughout the winter months after school.”
clubgolf’s plan to introduce mobile driving ranges to Scottish clubs is a key component to the strategy’s ultimate target of introducing 50,000 nine year olds in Scotland to the game annually by 2009 and retaining 20,000 in Stage 1 of the programme. As part of the drive to generate and improve facilities for juniors, a further three bays are touring Scotland to demonstrate the benefits of a cost effective, all-weather facility and encourage clubs to invest in their own.
“Supporting golf clubs in providing a player development pathway is a high priority and Nairn Dunbar Golf Club is taking the lead having been identified as a Regional Centre,” said Martin Bowie, clubgolf’s Junior Facilities & Services Manager.
“Transportable ranges, situated for a temporary period, generally do not require planning permission and they can be leased rather than bought. They avoid the capital outlay of building costs, models are updated regularly and when you have finished with them you just hand them back. The bay we installed in Thurso has been extremely popular with all the local golf clubs and we have no doubt that this new bay at Nairn Dunbar will be equally successful.”
Nairn Dunbar’s driving bay will not only benefit beginner and regular golfers. It will be key in developing the area’s elite performers from the SGU and SLGA’s national coaching programme. Nairn Dunbar will allow players from its squad - one of seven regional squads in Scotland - the opportunity to work on their programmes throughout the winter, unaffected by the weather.
“It is vital that our young Highland golfers have the same opportunities to train and develop as their counterparts across Scotland do,” said SGU Chief Executive Officer Hamish Grey.
“Ensuring that a national programme is in place in each area of Scotland is essential for the development of our talented junior players. We compliment Nairn Dunbar Golf Club for being an outstanding example of a proactive junior club.”
Three young Highland golfers are benefiting from Highland Institute of Sport’s recent decision to welcome golf as a core sport.
The Highland Institute’s golfers can reap the benefits of sports science back up, medical support, a fully integrated strength and conditioning programme, sports and athlete career and education services. With the new driving bay they will have access to a local sports-specific facility which will help them train harder in bad weather and during the winter months.
“We fully endorse this driving bay which will provide our athletes with a top quality facility for specific training,” said Highland Institute of Sport’s Manager, Chris Hildrey. “We thank sportscotland for giving Highland this opportunity and we also acknowledge their support for our project of building a Strength & Conditioning unit within the Aquadome.
“Nairn Dunbar Golf Club is becoming a hub for excellence and we will continue to play our part by ensuring that coaches such as David Torrance, Nairn Dunbar and Stuart Morrison at Royal Dornoch, can benefit from the best training and development opportunities we have to offer. By giving coaches access to use our full range of service providers our athletes will ultimately reap huge rewards.”
The opening of Nairn Dunbar’s driving bay coincides with a review of the first three years of clubgolf since Willie MacKay started in March 2003. Last week he finalised the next 3-year plan that sets the targets and plans up to 2009. In Highland, clubgolf has trained over 120 volunteer coaches so far.
“We need at least another 150 volunteer coaches spread across Highland’s forty plus golf clubs to cope with the success of our schools programme,” said MacKay. “This year the Active Schools Programme will introduce 1800 Primary 5 children to the firstclubgolf game and I expect 500 to 600 of those will make the transition to Stage 1 coaching at golf clubs. We will need new coaches to work with these beginners and many coaches will continue to work with last year’s juniors as they progress along the player development pathway to Stage 2.
“The clubgolf programme is inclusive, not selective. The opportunity is available to all primary schools and club development does mean all golf clubs. The programme of advanced coaching from experienced PGA Professionals was always in place, but with the SGU North District and the SGU National Performance Programme in place, expanding the opportunities for long-term player development are realistic and achievable.
“The clubgolf programme is creating jobs within golf. I look forward to the next three years with more junior golfers making the grade to be considered for being invited onto the Highland Institute of Sport Programme.”

Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings unveiled, first-ever sanctioned women’s golf rankings
Sorenstam tops list, Creamer 8.82 points behind
Annika Sorenstam is the number-one player in women's golf. Not that anyone was prepared to dispute that fact, but thanks to a joint unveiling today by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), Ladies European Tour (LET), Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association of Japan (JLPGA), Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) and the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) women's golf now has its first official rankings system, the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.
The Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings—which were developed at the May 2004 World Congress of Women’s Golf—is the first-ever world rankings system for women’s golf sanctioned by the five major women’s professional golf Tours: the LPGA; LET; JLPGA; KLPGA; and the ALPG, as well as the LGU, which administers the Weetabix Women’s British Open. The Rolex Rankings are the only women’s world rankings that incorporate player performances from the five major tours and the Duramed Futures Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA.
“Rolex is delighted to become the founding sponsor of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings,” said Jean-Noel Bioul, co-director of sponsorship at Rolex S.A. “The Rolex commitment to golf is substantial and widespread and the addition of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings is confirmation of the company’s support for the women’s game worldwide.
“The Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings create the opportunity to bring all the women’s golf around the world together as one family. Golf and Rolex are perfect partners.”
The five major golf tours and the LGU developed the Rolex Rankings and the protocol that governs the rankings, while R2IT, an independent software development company was retained to develop the software for the Rolex Rankings and will continue to maintain the rankings on a weekly basis. The Rolex Rankings will be updated and released every Tuesday following the completion of the previous week’s tournaments around the world.
Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, who has 21 worldwide wins in the last two years, is ranked first on the inaugural Rolex Rankings with 18.47 points, while Paula Creamer, of the United States, is second with 9.65 points. Michelle Wie (USA) is third, while Yuri Fudoh (Japan) and Cristie Kerr (USA) round out the top five, respectively.
“ Historically, it has always been difficult to determine who the best women golfers in the world were. Now for the first time, this will be possible with the advent of the Rolex Rankings’” said Andy Salmon, LGU Chief Executive. “We are delighted to fully endorse the Rolex Rankings with the cooperation of the ALPG, JLPGA, KLPGA, LET and LPGA and are indebted to Rolex for their sponsorship of this exciting new initiative which will support the raising profile of women’s golf.”
The formation of the Rolex Rankings provides a unified and authoritative reference source to the relative performance of the world’s leading players. Rolex Rankings shares the established men’s world rankings philosophy of awarding points based on field strength and evaluates players performance over a rolling two-year period weighted in favor of the current year with even more importance placed on the most recent 13 weeks. A divisor is used to take into account the number of tournaments played by each ranked player, and players must compete in at least 15 events over the two-year rolling period in order to be ranked.
The official events from all of the world’s five major tours will be taken into account and points will be awarded according to the strength of the field with exception to the four major championships on the LPGA Tour schedule and the Futures Tour events, which will have a fixed point distribution. The number of points distributed to each player is dependant upon her finish and scale of points allocated on the basis of the number and rankings of players in the field.
Women's World Rankings, 21 February:
1 Annika Sorenstam Swe 18.47 average points
2 Paula Creamer US 9.65
3 Michelle Wie US 9.24
4 Yuri Fudoh Jpn 7.37
5 Cristie Kerr US 6.94
6 Ai Miyazato Jpn 6.58
7 Lorena Ochoa Mex 6.10
8 Jang Jeong SKor 4.91
9 Han Hee-won SKor 4.49
10 Juli Inkster US 4.11
Leading British players:
19 Catriona Matthew Sco 3.38
33 Karen Stupples Eng 2.71
47 Laura Davies 2.23.
Link to World Rankings page on LGU website

US College Golf
GEMMA JOINT 24TH IN FLORIDA EVENT
Scotland international player Gemma Webster, a student at Ohio State University, was in joint 24th place with one round to go in the Central District Invitational women’s college golf tournament at the River Wilderness Golf Club, Parrish in Florida (Monday, USA time).
Hilton Park GC member Gemma had rounds of 76 and 78 for a tally of 154 over the par-72, 6,099yd course.
Gemma had birdies at the sixth, eighth and 14th in her second round but had a costly double bogey 5 at the short 12th in her first round.
The leading European players were Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame) from Dublin and Sian Reddick (Baylor) from Folkestone. They were tied for ninth place on 150. Suzie score 73 and 77, Sian 76 and 74.
Suzie birdied the 14th and 15th in her second round. Sian birdied the fourth and 10th in her second round but had a double bogey 6 at the second in her first circuit.
Alice Kim (Northwestern) set the pace after 36 holes with scores of 70 and 74 for level par 144 and a one-shot lead from Lacey Jones (Southern Methodist) (72-73)
Gemma Webster’s effort helped Ohio State to obtain a share of second place in the team event overnight with a total of 609 – nine behind leaders Baylor..
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
144 Alice Kim (Northwestern) 70 74.
145 Lacey Jones (Southern Methodist) 72 73.
Other scores:
150 Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame) 73 77, Sian Reddick (Baylor) 76 74.
154 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 76 78.
LEADING TEAMS
600 Baylor.
609 Ohio State, Missouri, Southern Methodist.
610 Northwestern, Nebraska.
Other score:
623 Notre Dame (11th).

US College Golf
EARLY END TO PLAY AT TUCSON
Darkness forced an early stoppage to the first day’s play in the Arizona Wildcat Invitational at Arizona National golf course, Tucson.
The players will complete their second rounds with early starts on Tuesday before going out again for the third and final round.
Sophie Sheridan (California) led at seven under par for 34 holes after a first-round 69 for the 6,166yd, par-71 course. She led by two shots from Jennifer Osborn (Arizona State) who had also played 34 holes. Jennifer had a 68 in the first round.

CLUBS TURN UP IN TIME FOR SCOTS TO PLAY IN SPANISH SENIORS’ TOURNAMENT
Six Scottish competitors, whose golf clubs and luggage went missing between Gatwick and Jerez in southern Spain, were able to tee up after all in the first round of the Spanish senior women’s open doubles event at Sherry Golf Club today (TUESDAY).
“The luggage arrived at the 11th hour literally,” said Jennifer Mack from Haggs Castle Golf Club.
“We were not able to play a practice round yesterday and we had made all sorts of contingency plans to enable us to play after coming all this way from Scotland. We did not want to be thwarted so were were going to buy golf shoes and borrow golf clubs and clothes.
“The mood wasn’t great among the girls but suddenly it has got better with the arrival of our luggage.”
Apart from Mrs Mack, the other members of the Scottish party are:
Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle), Elspeth Hanlon (Gourock), Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) and Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh).
They flew from Glasgow to Heathrow with British Airways and then by Iberian Airlines to Madrid and an internal flight to Jerez.
Scottish senior women’s champion Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Canadian Diane Williams, a close friend and golfing partner, escaped the lost-in-flight nightmare. They travelled out to Jerez last week.
The four days of over-50s’ championship golf begins with a two-round doubles event in which the first 18 holes is decided on better-ball and the second 18, on Wednesday, by foursomes play.
Then, on Thursday and Friday, there is the 36-hole individual championship.
Noreen Fenton finished runner-up in the individual event last year.

Monday 20th February 2006

NO CLUBS – SCOTS MISS OUT ON PRACTICE ROUND FOR SPANISH SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP
Six Scottish competitors in the Spanish senior women’s open championship go into Tuesday’s opening round at Sherry Golf Club, Jerez in southern Spain without a practice round.
The players arrived in plenty of time – but their golf clubs and their suitcases were still in transit somewhere tonight.
“I just hope the golf clubs arrive in time for the girls to play in the tournament,” said Ron Fenton, whose wife Noreen hopes to be trying to follow up her performance in the championship last year when she finished runner-up to the winner, Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (France).
Mrs Fenton is a member of Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club.
The other Scots are:
Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle), Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle), Elspeth Hanlon (Gourock) and Janice Paterson (Drumpellier).
They flew from Glasgow to Heathrow with British Airways and then Iberian Airlines to Madrid and an internal flight to Jerez.
Scottish senior women’s champion Pam Williamson (Baberton) and Canadian Diane Williams, a close friend and golfing partner, escaped the lost-in-flight nightmare. They travelled out to Jerez last week.

R&A Press Release
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP DATES FOR 2009
Formby Golf Club will celebrate the 125th Anniversary of its inauguration with a welcome return of The Amateur Championship in 2009 after a break of 25 years.
In association with West Lancashire, Formby is one of six venues named by The R&A, to host championships and international matches in 2009, the others being Sunningdale (New Course), Royal St George’s, Prestwick and Prestwick St. Nicholas, Blairgowrie (Rosemont) and Ganton.
In 1984 when The Amateur Championship was played for a third time at Formby, it produced a classic final in which Jose Maria Olazabal defeated Colin Montgomerie 5/4 in the final. With that victory, Olazabal became one of three of the best known names in golf to win there, coming after American Walker Cup player Bob Dickson in 1967, the same year that he won the U.S. Amateur, and Reid Jack, one of Scotland’s finest ever players in 1957.
The Boys Home Internationals will be played at one of Surrey’s finest clubs, Sunningdale New Course, while competitors in the Boys Championship will be set a challenge of an entirely different nature at Royal St George’s. While the Sandwich based club has hosted The Open Championship and Amateur Championship many times, this will be the first time that any R&A boys event has been played over its testing and exposed links.
Prestwick, one of the oldest clubs in the world and the founding club in 1860 of The Open, has also been graced by many R&A Championships and now it will host the Seniors Open Amateur Championship for a third time. 1991 was the last time the over-55’s competed there and then, it was the irrepressible Charlie Green who at 59, won his fourth successive Seniors title in his record breaking tally of six. Prestwick St Nicholas will be jointly hosting the Seniors.
Blairgowrie’s tree-lined Rosemount course will host the 2009 British Mid-Amateur Championship and the Jacques Leglise Trophy, played between boys of GB&I and the Continent of Europe will take place at Ganton, venue in 2003 of the third successive win by GB&I over the U.S. in the Walker Cup.
2009 Venues & Dates
The Amateur Championship, Formby and West Lancashire, 15-20 June
The Boys Home Internationals, Sunningdale (New Course), 4-6 August
The Boys Amateur Championship, Royal St George's, 10-15 August
The Seniors Open Amateur Championship, Prestwick and Prestwick St Nicholas, 6-7 August
The British Mid-Amateur Championship, Blairgowrie (Rosemount), 12-16 August
Jacques Leglise Trophy, Ganton, Date TBC

US College Golf
TILLEY DOWN THE FIELD IN GATOR INVITATIONAL
Steve Tilley (Georgia State) from Kent finished joint 37th in the Gator Invitational tournament at Gainesville, Florida on Sunday. Steve had rounds of 75, 76 and 74 over the 6,701, par-70 University of Florida course for a total of 225.
Tilley finished 15 shots behind Brett Stegmaier (Florida) and Sam Korbe (Tulsa) who headeded the field of 75 with matching totals of level par 210.
Korbe, who birdied five of the last nine holes to set the clubhouse target, won the play-off at the second extra hole against long-time leader Stegmaier with a par figure.
Florida, the hosts, won the team event for the 20th time in the tournament’s 29-year history with an aggregate of 855 – six ahead of Tulsa.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
210 Sam Korbe (Tulsa) 73 70 67, Brett Stegmaier (Florida) 65 69 76 (Korbe won sudden death play-off at second hole).
211 Mark Haastrup (Georgia State) 70 70 71.
Other total:
225 Steve Tilley (Georgia State) 75 76 74.
LEADING TEAMS
855 Florida.
861 Tulsa.
869 Florida State.
875 Georgia State.
881 Louisiana State.

SGU Press Release
Order Of Merit And Golf RankingTo House New Sponsor
On the back of a highly successful playing season both on and off the course last year, the Scottish Golf Union has announced a new sponsor for the 2006 Order of Merit and Golf Ranking, www.polarisworldpropertyresales.com
A marketing partner of the Jack Nicklaus endorsed Polaris World, the company was founded by former Hearts and St Johnstone footballer, Paul Cherry, now based at the Mar Menor Golf Resort in the south of Spain. www.polarisworldpropertyresales.com was set up to assist buyers and sellers in a number of popular Spanish golf resorts.
“We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Golf Union and sponsoring the 2006 Order of Merit and Golf Ranking. The profile of amateur golf in Scotland has increased significantly in the last few years and the SGU run some fantastic events.”, said Cherry, the company’s managing director.
“Our business philosophy is to treat people the way that you would like to be treated yourself therefore we place a great emphasis on providing a first class professional service to all our clients. There is a great deal of interest from Scotland already and we hope to build on that through our sponsorship activity.”
Ross Duncan, the SGU’s marketing & sponsorship manager, added: “Securing www.polarisworldpropertyresales.com as a sponsor for our Order of Merit is a great coup for the Scottish Golf Union as we continue to grow our sponsorship income. There are strong synergies between the two parties, with Spain being a popular destination for many Scottish club golfers.”
“As we raise our profile and improve communication with clubs and members, we are being seen as an attractive proposition for many potential sponsors and we hope to announce more new partners in the near future.”
Polaris World Property Resales operate within five luxury golf resorts in the Murcia region of Spain, each built around an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. For further information, visit www.polarisworldpropertyresales.com.

Sunday 19th February 2006

Attention: East of Scotland Girls....
The Spring Meeting is at Stirling Golf Club on Monday 3rd April.
Entry forms are now available on the website. If you have not yet paid your subscription, please download a form and send it with your subscription to the East of Scotland Girls' Secretary, Irene Collins.

PORTUGUESE TITLES GO TO FRANCE AND SPAIN
Adrien Bernadet, 21-year-old Racing Club de Paris player, won the Portuguese men's amateur international championship over the Porto Santo course, Madeira today.
The Frenchman, the No 2 qualifier, beat Finnish left-hander Antti Ahokas by one hole in the 36-hole final.
Earlier in the tournament, Bernadet beat Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) by 3 and 2 in the second round and Ahokas beat Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) by 2 and 1 at the same stage.
Anne-Lise Caudal failed to complete a title double for France. She lost by 3 and 2 to Marta Silva from Spain in the 36-hole women's championship final.

BEN PARKER WINS TASMANIAN OPEN
ENGLISH teenager Ben Parker, the only British player in the field, won the Toyota Tasmanian Open amateur golf championship today (Sunday).
The 18-year-old son of Tim Parker, club professional at Gut Waldhof near Hamburg, beat Steve Dartnall (Western Australia) with a par at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at Davenport Golf Club.
They had tied on 16-under-par 264 after the regulation 72 holes.
Ben’s rounds were 62, 66, 66 and 70 over the par-70 course. Dartnall scored 67, 63, 66 and 68.
Seven weeks ago Parker, who is a Royal Birkdale Golf Club member, became the first British player to follow in the footsteps of Tiger Woods by winning the Junior Orange Bowl in Florida between Christmas and New Year.
Parker made all the running in the Tasmanian event after starting with a brilliant, eight-under-par 62. He was joined in the halfway lead at 12-under-par 128 by Tristan Lambert but the New South Wales man faded over Sunday’s final 36 holes.
Ben then cam under pressure from Dartnall who started the final round two shots behind the Englishman and caught him with a closing 68 to 70. But Master Parker kept his cool and won the play-off with a par at the first extra hole.
Parker and Dartnall finished two shots ahead of Won Joon Lee (New South Wales) who beat Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme in the final of the recent New South Wales open amateur match-play championship after they had finished first and second in the preceding NSW open stroke-play championship.
Won Joon Lee shot 64, 66, 67 and 69 in the Tasmanian event.
(Photo Courtesy and Copyright © Tom Ward)

Saturday 18th February 2006

TEENAGER PARKER SHARES HALFWAY LEAD IN TASMIAN OPEN AMATEUR
Junior Orange Bowl winner Ben Parker, the 18-year-old son of Tim Parker, the club pro at Gut Waldhof Golf Club near Hamburg, is sharing the lead at the halfway stage of the Tasmanian Open amateur championship at Devonport Golf Club.
Parker, a member of Royal Birkdale and the first British player to win the Junior Orange Bowl tournament in Florida over the Festive holidays, has had rounds of 62 and 66 for 12-under-par 128.
Tristan Lambert (New South Wales) matched that total with similar rounds.
They lead by two shots from two players, Won Joon Lee (New South Wales) and Steve Dartnall (Western Australia).
Lee recently beat Gary Wolstenholme in the final of the New South Wales match-play championship after winning the NSW stroke-play title the week before.
Lee has had rounds of 64 and 66; Dartnall scores of 67 and 63.

SCOTS’ CONQUERORS WILL MEET IN PORTUGUESE MEN’S FINAL
Antti Ahokas (Finland), conqueror of Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) in the second round, will meet Frenchman Adrien Bernadet, who beat Bryan Fotheringham from Forres at the same stage, in Sunday’s 36-hole final of the Portuguese men’s amateur international championship over the Porto Santo course on the islands of Madeira.
Ahokas has recently returned from the United States where he was the star player on the University of Minnesota team. Antti, 21, decided to return to Europe – much to the disappointment of his college head coach - after only one semester so that he could pursue his ambition to become a European Tour professional player.
Ahokas, who comes from Lappeenranta in the south-east of Finland, will not get much golf in his home land for several weeks yet. He beat the US amateur champion Edoardo Molinari from Italy by 4 and 3 in the 18-hole semi-finals today (Saturday).
In the other semi-final, Bernadet, who is also 21 and a member of Racing Club de Paris, beat England’s Adam Wainwright by two holes.
The women’s championship final on Sunday will be contested by Marta Silva (Spain), the eighth seed, and Anne-Lise Caudal from France, the No 2 qualifier.
The five United Kingdom players – three from Scotland and two from England – failed to figure among the 16 qualifiers for the match-play stages.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
SECOND ROUND
A Ahokas (Fin) bt P O’Hara (Sco) 2 and 1.
J P Sousa (Por) bt J Grillon (Fra) 3 and 2.
E Richardson (Eng) bt M Evans (Eng) 1 hole.
E Molinari (Ita) bt P Figueiredo (Por) 2 and 1.
A Wainwright (Eng) bt M Bush (Eng) 2 and 1.
G Blainey (Eng) bt R McKnight (Sco) 2 and 1.
T Raillard (Fra) bt M Lowe (Eng) 2 and 1.
A Bernadet (Fra) bt B Fotheringham (Sco) 3 and 2.
QUARTER-FINALS
Ahokas bt Sousa 4 and 3.
Molinari bt Richardson.
Wainwright bt Blainey.
Bernadet bt Raillard 3 and 2.
SEMI-FINALS
Ahokas bt Molinari 4 and 3.
Bernadet bt Wainwright 2 holes.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINALS
M Silva (Spa) bt E Alonso (Fra) 7 and 6.
L Gendronneau (Fra) bt J Schaeffer (Fra) 2 and 1.
J Berton (Fra) bt M Bernard (Fra) 3 and 2.
A-L Caudal (Fra) bt C Andrade (Spa) 2 and 1.
SEMI-FINALS
Silva bt Gendronneau.
Caudal bt Berton.
+Apologies for some missing winning margins. The Portuguese Federation website does not have them on display.

EGU Press Release
SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE CLUB TO HOST BOYS INTERNATIONAL
South Staffordshire Golf Club has graciously agreed to be the host club for the boys under 16 international between England and Scotland in 2008.
The annual ten-a-side match, which is staged alternately in England and Scotland, will take place on 5th October 2008.
The South Staffordshire club, situated three miles west of Wolverhampton, is one of the best in the county and is a host club for county and regional matches and competitions.
Its current Director of Golf is Peter Baker, twice a former England boy champion and Brabazon Trophy winner. He went on to play in Walker and Ryder Cups and is Vice Captain of this year's European Ryder Cup team.

Friday 17th February 2006

O’HARA TOPPLES NO. 1 SEED IN PORTUGUESE CHAMPIONSHIP
Motherwell’s Paul O’Hara toppled the No 1 seed and home favourite Tiago Cruz in the first round of the match-play stage of the 76th Portuguese international men’s amateur golf championship over the Porto Santo course on the island of Madeira today.
Colville Park member Paul squeezed through the qualifying rounds in the last of the 32nd places. That put him in against the leading qualifier, Tiago Cruz from Portugal – and Paul matched him shot for shot to win by one hole.
There are two other Scots in the last 16 – Bryan Fotheringham from Forres and Robert McKnight (Kilmarnock Barassie).
Fotheringham, the 15th qualifier, won by two holes against Nunzio Lombardi (Italy).
McKnight had a very good one-hole win over the sixth seed, Julien Guerrier (France).
Robert now has a chance to avenge the defeat of clubmate, Steven McEwan, the Scottish boys open stroke-play champion. Steven lost by one hole to England’s Gregg Blainey who plays McKnight for a place in the quarter-finals.
John Gallagher (Swanston), who was the seventh best qualifier, fell at the first hurdle. He lost by one hole to England’s Michael Lowe, the 26th qualifier.
PORTUGUESE INTERNATIONAL MEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Porto Santo, Madeira.
First round
P O’Hara (Sco) bt T Cruz (Por) 1 hole, A Hokan (Fin) bt B McCarroll 2 and 1, J P Sousa (Por) bt B Evans (Eng) 1 hole, J Grillon (Fra) bt G Brito (Por) 5 and 4, M Evans (Eng) bt A Rosado (Por) at 19th, E Richardson (Eng) bt L Gagli (Ita) at 20th, P Figeuiredo (Por) bt R Harris (Eng) 1 hole, E Molinari (Ita) bt M Montgaillard (Fra) 4 and 3.
A Wainwright (Eng) bt R Santos (Por) at 19th, M Bush (Eng) bt M Baroche (Fra) 5 and 4, G Blainey (Eng) bt S McEwan (Sco) 1 hole, R McKnight (Sco) bt J Guerrier (Fra) 1 hole, M Lowe (Eng) bt J Gallagher (Sco) 1 hole, T Raillard (Fra) bt A Kaleka (Fra) 6 and 4, B Fotheringham (Sco) bt N Lombardi (Ita) 2 holes, A Bernadet (Fra) bt G Seegmuller (Bel) 6 and 5.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

KYLIE, CLARE-MARIE AND ROSEANNE FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR PORTUGUESE MATCH-PLAY
Scotland's three entries in the Portuguese women's amateur international golf championship found the par-72 Porto Santo course on the island of Madeira too tough a propositon.
Stirling University students Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) and Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) and Loretto Golf Academy student Roseanne Niven (Crieff) all failed to figure among the leading 16 players who went forward to the match-play stages after two qualifying rounds.
Kylie got closest. She finished 19th with scores of 85 and 82 for 167 - 23 over par.
She had halves of 40 and 42 in the second round, including a triple bogey at the short 13th and double bogeys at the fourth and 15th. On the bright side Miss Walker birdied the 10th and 14th.
Clare-Marie came 20th with 81 and 87 for 168. She bogeyed eight of the first nine holes for an outward 44 in her second round. Then came a purple patch of back-to-back birdies at the 10th and 11th before she crashed to triple bogeys at the 13th and 14th and a double bogey at the 15th on her way to an inward half of 43.
Roseanne finished 23rd in the field of 32 - two of whom did not show up for the second round. Miss Niven had rounds of 81 and 88 for 169. She had a nightmare 11 at the par-5 third and struggled to the turn in nine-over 45, having birdied the short seventh.
It did not get much better for the Crieff lass on the inward half with a triple bogey at the 13th and other shots dropped at the 12th, 14th, 16th and 17th for 43 home.
Neither of the England entries - Danielle Montgomery and Sarah Attwood made it through to the match-play. Danielle finished 18th with 86 and 81 for 167 while Sarah Attwood came 21st with 86 and 83 for 169.
French players filled the first five seeded positions with Isabelle Boineau the top qualifier with 78 and 75 for 153.

GALLAGHER IS BEST OF FIVE SCOTS QUALIFIERS FOR PORTUGUESE MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Five of the seven Scottish entries qualified for the match-play stages of the Portuguese men’s amateur international golf championship over the Porto Santo course on the island of Madeira.
Only the leading 32 after two qualifying rounds went forward and John Gallagher (Swanston) was the top Scot in seventh place with rounds of 71 and 74 for 145 – four behind the top seed Tiago Cruz (Portugal).
Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) qualified in 15th place with 76 and 73 for 149.
The Barassie pair, Steven McEwan and Robert McKnight, survived in 22nd and 27th place respectively with totals of 151 (76-75) and 152 (75-77).
Paul O’Hara (Colville Park) made it though with nothing to spare. He was the last of the 32 match-play qualifiers with scores of 77 and 76 for 153.
The Scots who were sidelined were Philip McLean (Peterhead) with 80 and 79 for 159 and Ross McAuslin with 84 and 79 for 163.

US College Golf
GEMMA HAS CATASTROPHIC LAST ROUND IN CALIFORNIA
Scotland international Gemma Webster from Glasgow had a nightmare third and final round in the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge women’s college golf tournament at Palos Verdes Golf Club, California.
The Ohio State University student slumped from rounds of 76 and 72 over the 5,932yd par 71 course to a catastrophic closing score of 87 for a final total of 235.
Hilton Park Golf Club member Gemma plummeted from ninth place overnight to a final standing of 41st equal among the 76 finishers.
Gemma started her last round at the sixth hole and ran up the first of her four double bogeys at the seventh.
She then bogeyed the 10th, 11th and 13th before having a double bogey 6 at the 14th. Gemma then dropped shots at the 15th, 16th and 17th
Turning for home, she bogeyed the first and second before double-bogeying the third and fourth. Her halves were 43 and 44.
The former Dundee University dentistry student, who transferred to Ohio State University after winning last year’s British universities’ stroke-play championship at Murrayshall, finished 21 shots behind the winner, Irene Cho (Southern California) who had rounds of 75, 68 and 71 for one-over 214.
Azahara Munoz (Arizona State), the Spaniard who won the British girls’ open title at Lanark two years ago, finished joint eighth on 224 with rounds of 73, 74 and 77 but helped her university win the team event with a total of 892 – one shot ahead of Southern California with California (908) third and Wake Forest (909) fourth.
Ohio State (923) came 10th of the 14 teams competing.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
214 Irene Cho (USC) 75 68 71.
215 Jennifer Osborn (Arizona State) 70 73 72.
217 Sofie Andersson (California) 72 73 72.
Other totals:
224 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 73 74 77 (jt 8th)..
235 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 76 72 87 (jt 41st).
LEADING TEAMS
892 Arizona State.
893 USC.
908 California.
909 Wake Forest.
Other total:
923 Ohio State (10th of 14).

Wednesday 15th February 2006

TOUGH DAY FOR SCOTS GIRLS IN PORTUGUESE CHAMPIONSHIP
Scotland’s girls had a tough first day in the Portuguese women’s amateur international championship on the island of Madeira on Wednesday.
Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling University & Fereneze) and Roseanne Niven (Loretto Golf Academy & Crieff) both scored nine-over-par 81s in the first qualifying round before the match-play stages.
Clare-Marie had one birdie, a 2 at the short third in halves of 40 and 41. She had double bogeys at the third and the 16th.
Roseanne birdied the ninth in halves of 40 and 41. She had a triple bogey at the long eighth.
Kylie Walker (Stirling University & Buchanan Castle) had an 85 with halves of 44 and 41. She began with a triple bogey 7, had a double bogey 7 at the long third, a double bogey 6 at the seventh and a triple bogey at the 11th.
Mind you, none of the girl competitors found the course easy. The lead was shared on five-over-par 77 by Lucie Gendronneau (France) and Spain’s Marta Silva.
In the men’s championship over the same course, John Gallagher from Swanston was lying in joint fourth place with a 71 – two shots behind leader Julien Guerrier (France).
Robert McKnight (Barassie) was on 75.
Leading first qualifying round scores:
WOMEN
(Par 72)
77 Lucie Gendronneau (Fra) 38-39, Marta Silva (Spa) 36-41.
78 Julie Berton (Fra) 41-37, Julie Maisongrosse (Fra) 40-38, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 40-38, Isabelle Boineau (Fra) 36-42.
Other scores:
81 Clare-Marie Carlton (Sco) 40-41, Roseanne Niven (Sco) 40-41.
85 Kylie Walker (Sco) 44-41.
86 Danielle Montgomery (Eng) 46-40, Sarah Attwood (Eng) 43-43.
MEN
(Par 72)
69 Julien Guerrier (Fra) 35-34.
70 Matthew Evans (Eng) 34-36, Ricardo Santos (Por) 33-37.
71 Michael Bush (Eng) 37-34, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 35-36, John Gallagher (Sco) 35-36.
Other scores:
74 Ben Evans (Eng) 36-38.
75 Robert McKnight (Sco) 38-37, Richard Gurney (Eng) 38-37.
76 Edward Richardson (Eng) 41-35, Laurence Allen (Eng) 39-37, Steven McEwan (Sco) 38-38, Bryan Fotheringham (Sco) 37-39.
77 Scott Henry (Sco) 40-37, Michael Lowe (Eng) 39-38, Paul O’Hara (Sco) 39-38.
80 Philip McLean (Sco) 41-39.
84 Ross McAuslin (Sco) 44-40.

US College Golf
HEATHER PIPPED FOR TITLE IN CALIFORNIA
British women’s open amateur stroke-play champion Heather MacRae from Dunblane finished runner-up in her first American college golf tournament of the year.
Heather, a student at San Diego State University, California, had rounds of 76 and 78 for a total of 154, one shot behind title-winner Jessica Huss (California Polytechnic) in the Lady Braveheart Challenge at Oak Valley Golf Club, Beaumont in California.
Jessica trailed Heather by six shots after a first-round 82 but came storming up the leaderboard on the second day with a one-under-par 71, the only sub-par score of the tournament over the 6,162yd course.
Miss MacRae, a member of the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad and a live contender for a Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team place against the United States at Bandon Dunes, Oregon in late July, had the satisfaction of leading San Diego State University to an eight-shot victory in the team event.
The “Aztecs” totalled 624 – eight shots ahead of runners-up UC Davis with Santa Clara University third of the 10 teams on 645.

SCOTS GIRLS FOR SPAIN
Three Scots – Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), Kylie Walker (Stirling University & Buchanan Castle) and Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) – are being sent to Spain to play in the Sherry Cup women’s amateur 72-hole tournament at Sotogrande from March 29 to April 1.
Their trip is being funded by the Scottish Institute of Sport.

ENGLAND TRIO FOR SHERRY CUP
The English Ladies Golf Association has named a team of three to represent England in the Sherry Cup at Sotogrande in Spain from March 29 to April 1.
The three internationals are:
English mid-amateur champion Naomi Edwards (Ganton).
Former English champion Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).
Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park), winner of the ELGA 2005 Order of Merit.
The Sherry Cup is a prestigious 72-hole tournament contested by teams from across Europe. An individual competition runs simultaneously.

US College Golf
SCOTS TIE FOR NINTH IN FLORIDA
Gavin Dear from Perth and Carnoustie’s Keir McNicoll, both golf scholarship students at Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida, finished joint ninth in a field of 71 for the Matlock Collegiate Classic at Grasslands Golf & Country Club, Lakeland, Florida.
Gavin had rounds of 75, 73 and 76 for a total of 224 over the 7,065yd, par 72 course.
Keir scored 78, 69 and 77 for 224. He had the lowest score of the second round.
Both finished nine shots behind the winner, Greg Koch (Florida Southern College) who had rounds of 69, 72 and 74 for a one-under-par tally of 215 and a four-stroke victory.
The Scots’ good efforts helped Lynn University (894) finished a close third of 15 behind Florida Southern (891) and West Florida University (893) in the team contest.

US College Golf
GEMMA IN TOP TEN IN CALIFORNIA
Scotland international team player Gemma Webster, a former Dundee University dentistry student who transferred to Ohio State University last year, is lying ninth in a field of 80 for the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge college tournament at Palos Verdes Golf Club, California.
Gemma has had rounds of 76 and 72 for a six-over-par tally of 148. Starting at the 10th in her second round, Miss Webster, winner of the British universities stroke-play championship at Murrayshall last summer, bogeyed the 12th, 14th and 17th but she covered her last 10 holes in two under par with birdies at the sixth and long seventh.
Gemma, a Hilton Park Golf Club member, is six shots behind the leader, Sophia Sheridan (California) with one round to go. Sophia scored 70 and 72 for a level-par total of 142 over the 5,912yd par-71 course. She leads by one stroke lead from Irene Cho (USC), Paola Moreno (USC) and Jennifer Osborn (Arizona State).
Azahara Munoz (Arizona State), the Spaniard who won the British girls’ open title at Lanark in 2004, is sharing seventh place on 147.
USC (591) lead the team event from Arizona Stqte (592) and Oklahoma State (598). Ohio State (616) are in joint eighth place in the field of 14 teams.

Tuesday 14th February 2006

SGU Press Release
SGU TO STAGE REGIONAL SEMINARS IN EARLY MARCH
The Scottish Golf Union is staging a series of regional seminars in early March for golf club secretaries, managers and officials.
They are aimed at addressing key business issues facing clubs today.
The seminars will be split into two half-day sessions. The morning session will be presented by Niche Marketing’s Nick Hunter. He will take clubs through recent research findings on some of the challenges facing the golf market.
Mr Hunter will also offer advice on marketing and membership recruitment, attracting visitors and developing clubhouse services.
The afternoon presentation will introduce clubs to the SGU’s new website business tool – SGU Golf Central.
This will feature training on how to use the new system and outline how clubs can benefit from using this new technology. The presentation will include instruction on promoting memberships, open competitions and visitor golf.
For detailed information on the seminars is available by contacting the SGU Golf Services Team on 01382 549 506 or e-mail f.lockhart@scottishgolfunion.org.
Dates and venues for the six SGU regional seminars are (9am-12.30 & 1.30-4pm):
Wednesday, March 1 – Inverness Golf Club.
Thursday, March 2 – Newmachar Golf Club.
Friday, March 3 – Glenbervie Golf Club.
Wednesday, March 8 - Paisley Golf Club.
Thursday, March 9 – Kingsknowe Golf Club.
Friday, March 10 – Hamilton Golf Club.
Representatives from any affiliated SGU golf club are invited to attend the seminars.

US College Golf
GEMMA SHARES 25TH PLACE IN CALIFORNIA
British universities champion Gemma Webster from Glasgow, pictured right with BUSA trophy, now a student at Ohio State University, was sharing 25th place in a field of 80 at the end of the first round of the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge college golf tournament at Paolos Verdes Golf Club, California.
Gemma, playing in her first competitive event of the year, had a five-over-par round of 76 over the 5,912yd course. Starting at the 10th, she bogeyed the 14th, 16th, second, third and eighth.
Hilton Park Golf Club member Miss Webster, who played for Scotland in last autumn’s women’s home internationals, had the second best score of the eight Ohio State University players in the competition.
Setting the pace on 70 were Susie Matthews (UCLA), Jennifer Osborn (Arizona State) and Sophia Sheridan (California).
Azahara Munoz (Arizona State), the Spaniard who won the British girls’ title at Lanark in 2004, had a 73.
Arizona State (293) lead the team event from USC and California, both on 296. Ohio State (314) are 13th of the 14 competing teams.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 71
70 Susie Matthews (UCLA), Jennifer Osborn (Arizona State), Sophie Sheridan (California).
72 Sophie Andersson (California), Nannette Hill (Wake Forest), Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State).
Other scores:
73 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State).
76 Gemma Webster (Ohio State).
LEADING TEAMS
293 Arizona State.
296 USC, California.
301 UCLA, Wake Forest.
Other score:
314 Ohio State.

Monday 13th February 2006

SCOTS GIRLS FOR PORTUGUESE CHAMPIONSHIP
Stirling University's Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) and Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) and Loretto Golf Academy's Roseanne Niven (Crieff) are in the field of 36 for the Portuguese women's amateur international championship which begins over the Porto Santo course on the island of Madeira on Wednesday.

SGU Press Release
Lucky Seven Roll Up For Portuguese Challenge
Scotland’s top amateur golfers will face top class European opposition as they challenge for the Portuguese International Amateur Championship title this week (15-19 February).
John Gallagher (Swanston), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), Scott Henry (Cardross), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park), Philip McLean (Peterhead), together with Robert McKnight and Steven McEwan (both Kilmarnock Barassie) have travelled with the Scottish Golf Union to the Seve Ballesteros-designed Porto Santo Golf Course, Madeira for the event.
The format of the event is two rounds of qualifying stroke play, followed by three days of match play competition for the top 16 qualifiers, with the winner gaining entry to the Portuguese Open in late March/early April.

ST RULE TROPHY ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE
Entry forms for the St Rule Trophy on Saturday and Sunday June 3 and 4 are now available from The St Rule Club, 12 The Links, St Andrews KY16 9JB (telephone and fax 01334 472988 or E-mail: struleclub@fsmail.net).
The maximum field is 60 - handicap limit 6.4 - and everyone is guaranteed three rounds, consisting of one round over the New Course, St Andrews on the Saturday and two rounds over the Old Course on the Sunday.
Courtesy practice rounds will be allowed only on the official practice day, which is Friday, June 2.
The entry fee is £30 and the closing date is 12 noon on Saturday, May 6.

US College Golf
Iowa Wesleyan golf team win award
Two Scots - Stuart Geddes (second left in white shirt) and Adam Lindsay (fourth left in dark blue jumper) - were among the Iowa Wesleyan College men's golf squad who were presented with an honorary plaque by college president Mr Johnston at half-time of a recent basketball game.
The presentation was to mark a piece of college sports history achieved in the 2005 NAIA Region VII tournament.
The Iowan Wesleyan College team posted a school-best runner-up regional finish, landed three individuals in the top seven and placed two players o n the All-Region team.
Adam Lindsay comes from Banchory where, last year, he followed in the footsteps of his dad Eric by winning the club men's championship. When Stuart Geddes is home, he plays at Renfrew Golf Club.
Well played, lads

SGU Press Release
Young Golfers Ready For Quadrangular Challenge
Lewis Kirton from Newmachar will head the Scottish challenge in the Boys Quadrangular golf tournament at St Cyprien in France at the beginning of March.
The Scottish team, looking to improve on last year’s joint runners-up spot, also features James Byrne (Banchory), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Ross Kellett (Colville Park), Ross Leeds (Muckhart) and James White (Lundin). Team reserve is Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck).
“2005 was a tremendous year for all these lads, individually and in team events,” said Scottish boys team captain, Barrie Douglas. “They know each other well and I’m confident we’ll feature strongly.”
Among their many international team appearances, Lewis Kirton was in the Boys Quadrangular team last year and was joined by James White and Ross Kellett at the Boys Home Internationals in August. Cameron Gray, James Byrne and Michael Stewart all played in the Gordon McInnes Scotland v England Boys Under-16 International at the end of last season.
In individual events, James White was a beaten semi-finalist in last year’s BP Scottish Boys Matchplay Championship at Murcar and Lewis Kirton finished joint second in the Boys Stroke Play Championship at Monifieth. Kirton also secured third place in the Scottish Golf Union Junior Tour, with James White in eighth and James Byrne one place further back.
Byrne took fourth place in the Douglas Gillespie Scottish Boys Under 16 Championship at Longniddry, the same tournament that had seen Kellett finish joint third the year before, with White, Byrne and Leeds all featuring on the final leader board.
The Boys Quadrangular event, which marks the start of the boys’ amateur golf season, also features teams from Sweden, Italy and France.
Scotland shared joint first place in 1997 and last won the event outright in 1995.

ELGA Press Release
England squad selected for French championship
ELGA has selected an England squad of eight players for the French Lady Junior Championship at St Cloud Golf Club from April 13-17.
It includes English champion Felicity Johnson (Harborne), English girls’ champion Melissa Reid (Chevin), Daily Telegraph girls’ champion Jodi Ewart (Catterick) and Faldo Series girls’ champion Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall).
They are joined by girl internationals Joanne Hodge (Knowle) and Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale). The squad is completed by Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) and Natasha Podmore (Vale Royal Abbey)
The teams for the Vilmorin Cup are: A – Felicity Johnson, Kiran Matharu and Melissa Reid. B – Jodi Ewart, Joanne Hodge, and Florentyna Parker.

EGU Press Release
ELITE SQUAD TARGETING SOUTH AFRICAN AMATEUR
The English Golf Union is sending its entire Elite Squad plus James Crampton and Oliver Fisher to compete in the South African Amateur Championship early next month.
The 13-strong party, arguably the most powerful ever sent overseas, will contest the championship at Stellenbosch and De Zalze Golf Clubs on 5th - 11th March.
The full party is: Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale), James Crampton (Spalding), Matthew Cryer (Coventry), Robert Dinwiddie (Barnard Castle), Oliver Fisher (West Essex), Adam Gee (Leatherhead), David Horsey (Styal), Jamie Moul (Stoke by Nayland), John Parry (Harrogate), Edward Richardson (Southern Valley), James Ruth (Tavistock), Paul Waring (Bromborough), Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs)
Baldwin, Gee and Waring made the same trip a year ago, Gee finishing joint runner-up in the stroke play before going out in the quarter finals of the match play.
Five of the party, Fisher, Horsey, Parry, Ruth and Waring, were members of the England squad that retained the Costa Ballena title in Spain last month.
Baldwin (pictured left - photo courtesy of Tom Ward), who will turn 20 at the end of this month, is a former England under 16 champion and Lancashire champion and England boy captain, while 33 year old Crampton won the England County Champions tournament in 2003, the Chiberta Grand Prix the following year, and made his England debut in the 2005 Home Internationals.
Cryer, 30, who has won many titles in the Midlands, finished runner-up in the Portuguese Amateur last year and reached the quarter finals of the English Amateur. He also made his England debut in last September's Home Internationals.
Dinwiddie, 23, the 2004 Northern Counties champion, won the Welsh and Scottish Strokeplay Championships in successive weeks last summer and was a member of the GB&I Walker Cup team that went to Chicago in August. He has been a full England international for the past two years.
Fisher, one of the finest talents to emerge in golf in recent years, was unbeaten in his singles as he became the youngest ever GB&I Walker Cup player in Chicago, prior to his 17th birthday in September. He has a string of successes including the McGregor Trophy, the Duke of York's Champions Trophy and the Daily Telegraph Junior Championship. He reached the semi-finals of the Amateur Championship and the English Amateur last year, was runner-up in the Brabazon Trophy and won the Spirit International with Moul in America.
Gee, 25, won the Lake Macquarie International last week. He reached the semi-finals of the Portuguese Amateur in 2004, made his England debut against France that year and is the current holder of the Berkshire Trophy.
Horsey, 20, is the current Cheshire champion, was runner-up in the English Amateur at Hollinwell in 2004, but won the English Champions Tournament last year by seven strokes after shooting a closing 64, two shots inside the course record at Woodhall Spa.
Moul, 21, regained his international spot as well as a place in the Elite Squad after a disappointing run and celebrated by helping England win the European title at Hillside last July. England's joint leading points scorer in last year's Home Internationals, the former under 16 and boy cap finished runner-up in the St Andrews Links Trophy and fourth in the West of England Strokeplay.
Parry, 19, the Yorkshire champion, won the Danish Amateur Championship last summer to earn an entry to the Vietnam Open on the Asian Tour in which he played all four rounds. The former boy international and winner of the McEvoy Trophy, was also fourth in the inaugural South of England Stroke Play Championship at Walton Heath and helped Yorkshire win the English County Championship.
Richardson, 37, who made his England debut in last September's Home Internationals, earned his elevation after solid performances on the Kent county scene over the previous five years, topping the Order of Merit in 2003 and 2004. Last year he won the West of England Strokeplay Championship.
Ruth, 20, has been capped at all levels over the past five years. Made his full England debut against France at Sandwich in 2004 and also played in the Home Internationals. A former winner of the Berkhamsted Trophy, in 2005 he won the St Mellion International, finished third in the Berkshire Trophy, represented England against Spain and in the Home Internationals and reached the last 16 of the English Amateur.
Waring, 21, endured several months sidelined by injury but celebrated his recovery by becoming English champion over his home course at Bromborough last July. He then made his long overdue full England debut in September's Home Internationals at Royal St George's. He is a former winner of the McGregor Trophy and an ex-England boy captain.
Crampton, 33, the Deputy Championship Secretary with the EGU, was a member of the England Home Internationals team last September and was also runner up in the Brabazon Trophy in the same year. Already a winner overseas, he won the Chiberta Grand Prix in France in 2004, he is four-times Lincolnshire champion and has won the Berkhamsted Trophy and the County Champions title.
The week in South Africa begins with the 72-hole stroke play event after which the leading 32 progress to the match play championship.

Total Golf

GOLF FEVER IN ANGUS IS SPREADING
Kirriemuir, a small rural town in Angus, famous for gingerbread and as being the birthplace of Peter Pan author, JM Barrie, would seem an unlikely setting for a golf research programme that could rock the sport from its very foundations, but that would appear to be the case.
In 1998, Kirriemuir Golf Club, became only the second Golf Club in Scotland to appoint a female head professional. That woman, Karyn Dallas, came to Kirriemuir with the idea of developing her golf research into a coaching programme that would see players from Kirriemuir playing at the highest levels in golf.
Karyn first introduced her Total Golf programme to the children of Kirriemuir in 2000. Within a year of the launch Karyn was teaching over 100 children and by 2003 it had risen to over 200. At this stage probably the most interesting statistic was that around 40% of those participating were girls.
In 2002, The Golf Foundation, flew Karyn to the Belfry to look at using her programme on a national basis but were concerned its success may be due to Karyn’s enthusiasm and undoubted talent as a coach. Although Karyn understood their concerns she was convinced her programme would be successful for any enthusiastic Golf Professional and she wouldn’t have to wait long to prove her point.
In early 2003, Montrose Professional, Jason Boyd, and the Montrose Links Trust, having looked into several junior programmes asked Karyn if they could use Total Golf. Karyn happily agreed and although Jason was initially sceptical of replicating Karyn’s success he had little to fear. Through 2003 Jason numbered around 40 children, in 2005 this rose to around 100 and interest for this year’s sessions suggests that the number will grow to around 200. Not only has Jason matched Karyn’s numbers in three years but also her 40% of young girls wishing to take up the game of golf.
However, Total Golf is not just a Junior Coaching programme. It is unique in the world, as the only programme where you can get on as a beginner and, if you have enough talent, get off as a tour player. This is a big claim but it does appear to have some backing.
In late 2002, Blairgowrie, Eurotour Professional Colin Mitchell arrived at Kirriemuir after a season where he had only made one out of sixteen cuts. Throughout the next year he benefited from the programme and in the 2003 season Colin reversed his fortune, only missing one cut throughout the season.
2004, saw Lynn Kenny become the first Scottish woman in almost a decade to make it on to the Ladies European tour. In her build up to tour school Lynn worked hard using the Total Golf practice programmes and was quick to acknowledge these as a major factor in her success.
Lynn was followed onto the European Tour one year later by Clare Queen, who after winning the 2004 British Amateur Ladies Strokeplay Championship, gave credit to the Psychology section of the Total Golf programme.
The Total Golf programme can take credit for recent successes by current top Scottish women amateurs who follow its doctrines.
So what of the future? A further four Total Golf students will head off to Tour School this year. Karyn continues her research, last year she completely rewrote the junior section of her programme and hopes to role it out in 2007. This year she has been working closely with the Biomechanics Department at Napier University, studying the rhythm and movements of the golf swing. Karyn is excited about the findings and is convinced it will help in teaching students of all levels. The programme has come a long way since it was launched in 2000 but Karyn will not be satisfied until local players replicate the successes of those above, being taught at Kirriemuir.
For further information go to www.tgolf.info

Sunday 12th February 2006

SCOTS HELP CURTIS CUP SQUAD DRAW WITH LANCS MEN’S TEAM
Tom Ward's photos of LGU Training weekend
Scots trio Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) and Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) all won their singles ties as the Ladies Golf Union Great Britain & Ireland training squad gained an honourable 8-8 draw with the strong Lancashire men’s county squad at Hillside Golf Club, Southport today (Sunday).
Jenna and Kylie won both their matches on the last green while three times Scottish national champion Anne responded to a pressure situation by winning the last of the 16 ties by 2 and 1 against Curtis Dean.
The Lancashire men were leading 8-7 with Anne’s tie to finish so no wonder she got a big hug from Curtis Cup skipper Ada O’Sullivan after her victory.
The Hillside encounter was the third of three training matches against male opposition within the space of three days.
On Friday, the GB&I girls beat a Senior Professionals’ team 13 ½-10 ½ at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club.
On Saturday, the girls were beaten 15 ½- 8 ½ by the Cheshire men’s county team at Caldy Golf Club after sharing the morning foursomes 4-4.
Welsh left-hander Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen) was the most successful GB&I squad player over the three ties. She lost her 100 per cent record only against Lancashire after winning her four earlier ties.
The next most successful, with three wins out of five each, were Kylie Walker, Jenna Wilson, Claire Coughlan (Cork), Martina Gillan (Beaverstown), Naomi Edwards (Ganton) and Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park).
It will be a few months before the Curtis Cup team of eight to challenge the United States for the trophy at Bandon Dunes, Oregon on July 29-30 will be chosen but it is interesting to recall that two years ago the form displayed in the training matches against men’s teams was influential in the GB&I team selectors’ decisions.
Ada O’Sullivan commented: “It is essential that we build team spirit and give the squad players match-play experience against top-class opposition. The three teams we played included most of the top amateurs in the North-west of England. I knew it would be difficult to win all three but I fully expected our players to more than hold their own.”
Sunday’s details:
LGU GB&I SQUAD 8, LANCASHIRE MEN 8
Hillside Golf Club, Southport, Lancashire
All singles ties (LGU names first)
Felicity Johnson (Harborne) bt Robert Bardsley 1 hole.
Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) lost to Matthew Baldwin 1 hole.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) bt Danny Belch 1 hole.
Tricia Mangan (Ennis) bt Chris Geraghty 1 hole.
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) lost to Richard Walker 4 and 3.
Florentyna Parker lost to Jon Hurst 3 and 2.
Sahra Hassan halved with Roger Smithies.
Melissa Reid (Chevin) lost to Simon Robinson 3 and 2.
Martia Gillen (Beaverstown) bt Ken Hudson 3 and 2.
Naomi Edwards (Ganton) lost to Matthew Cox 1 hole.
Stephanie Evans lost to Garry Boardman 1 hole.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt Jack Senior 1 hole.
Claire Coughlan (Cork) bt Michael Hunt 1 hole.
Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) lost to John Carroll 3 and 2.
Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) halved with David Corsby.
Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) bt Curtis Dean 2 and 1.

US College golf
RUSTY SCOTS DOWN THE FIELD IN FLORIDA.
Perth’s Gavin Dear and Keir McNicoll from Carnoustie, both senior golf scholarship students at Lynn University, finished tied 30th and 34th respectively in the Titan Winter Invitational at Suntree Country Club, Melbourne in Florida.
It was the first tournament of the second half of the American college season for the two Scots. Lynn University is based at Boca Raton, Florida.
Gavin had rounds of 72, 77 and 76 for an aggregate of nine-over par 225 over a 6,953yd, par-72 course.
Keith score 74, 74 and 79 for 227.
They helped Lynn University finish sixth of 19 in the team event with a total of 891.
Johnson & Wales University, Florida provided the runaway individual winner, Brad Valois, and also took the team title by 17 shots.
Valois scored 67, 72 and 69 to outclass the field with a total of eight-under-par 208. He finished six strokes ahead of the runner-up.

Stirling tees up 500 years of golf celebrations
Stirling celebrates 500 years of golf this year. It was in 1506 when King James IV strode out of his palace in Stirling Castle to play a round of golf with the Earl of Bothwell. They played over King’s Park, then royal hunting grounds, but today the home of Stirling Golf Club.
Now the city of Stirling is set to celebrate its half millennium of golfing associations with a festival of golf starting this spring.
There are golf tournaments, a costumed re-enactment of the second recorded golf game ever played in Scotland, lectures on the history of the sport and a comedy play entitled Golfing Genius.
The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum gets into the swing with an exhibition entitled ‘500 Years of Golf in Stirling’ which opens on March 24.
To flag up the start of celebrations on that date, Provost Colin O’Brien, teed up events at Stirling Golf course. He said: “The accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland prove that in early 1506 King James IV bought a dozen golf balls in Stirling. Then as now, golf was popular with all kinds of people.
“Mary Queen of Scots, who lived in Stirling Castle as a child, was Scotland’s first recorded female golfer. We have a rich history of golf in the Stirling area, many wonderful courses and we want to celebrate our links with the game.”
Holly, from Braehead Primary School, is one of around 185 pupils from six primaries in the Bannockburn area who will get the chance to experience clubgolf, the initiative to introduce every nine-year-old in Scotland to the game.
firstclubgolf is clubgolf’s introductory game which uses multi-coloured, modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets to give children an enjoyable introduction to golf. Stirling Council is enthusiastically supporting the scheme.
clubgolf has already been introduced in the Callander and Balfron areas and all Dunblane primaries will be involved. More than 500 pupils in the Stirling area will have the opportunity to sample clubgolf before their summer holidays and 200 will be invited to attend a clubgolf festival as part of the city’s 500 years of golf celebration.
The clubgolf initiative, backed by professional golfers including Colin Montgomerie and Sandy Lyle, aims to give children the opportunity to try out the game and discover what it has to offer.
clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers’ Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland.
For full details of events and attractions during Golf 500 in Stirling visit www.stirling.gov.uk/golf500

Stirling’s golfing timeline
1457 King James II issues an Act of Parliament banning both football and golf because they are distracting citizens from archery practice
1506 March 29 King James IV buys a dozen golf balls for a game while at Stirling Castle
1566 Mary Queen of Scot’s son James is baptised at Stirling Castle and educated in Stirling where he learns to play golf in King’s Park
1603 Three Stirling men are found guilty of profaning the Sabbath by playing golf
1869 Stirling Golf Club formed
1873 Tom Morris Jnr, four-times Open champion, is appointed club professional
1896 Stirling Ladies’ Golf Club founded
1966 Sir Henry Cotton prepares plans for new course layout with water hazards
1969 Centenary of Stirling Golf Club
1981 University of Stirling awards first golf scholarship
1986 Stirling’s Catriona Mathew awarded Royal and Ancient’s first university golf scholarship. Mathew wins 1993 British Amateur title and represents Britain and Ireland in three Curtis Cups before turning professional
1991 Stirling University awards Gordon Sherry a golf scholarship. He wins British Amateur in 1995 and the same year defeats Tiger Woods twice to help win the Walker Cup for Great Britain and Ireland
1995 Scotland’s first family golf centre opens at Brucefields, Bannockburn, Stirling
2002 University of Stirling’s golf scholarship squad visit USA as British universities champions and return undefeated
2006 500th anniversary of James IV’s found of golf in King’s Park, Stirling, the second recorded game of golf in Scottish history

AUSSIE BEATS WOLSTENHOLME AT 37TH HOLE IN NEW SOUTH WALES MATCH-PLAY FINAL
Australian Won Joon Lee, playing over his home course, beat Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs), pictured right, at the 37th hole of a memorable final in the New South Wales amateur match-play championship at Concord Golf Club, Sydney.
Lee won last week’s New South Wales stroke-play championship and Wolstenholme, 45, was runner-up, which made them first and second seeds for the match-play tournament.
Gary lost the 17th and 18th to be two down at lunchtime but he came back strongly in the afternoon and was one up with two holes to play.
Then Lee holed from off the green to square the match at the 35th.
The 36th hole was uncharacteristically halved in bogeys before Lee gambled on going for the green with his driver at the dog-leg 37th hole. His move paid off and he two-putted for a winning birdie 3.
Over the last 11 holes of an enthralling match, the players had 11 birdies between them.
Won Jon Lee beat Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) 3 and 2 in the 36-hole semi-finals.

Saturday 11th February 2005

LGU ELITE SQUAD OVERPOWERED BY CHESHIRE MEN’S COUNTY TEAM
The Ladies Golf Union Great Britain & Ireland training squad were well beaten, 15 ½- 8 ½ , by the Cheshire men’s county squad at Caldy Golf Club, Merseyside today (Saturday).
The girls shared the morning foursomes 4-4 but were overpowered in the 16 afternoon singles of which the Cheshire men won 11 and halved one.
Welsh left-hander Stephanie Evans from Vale of Llangollen won both her ties following her double success on Friday in the 13 ½-10 ½ victory at Southport & Ainsdale over a Senior Professionals’ team.
Stephanie is the only one of Curtis Cup skipper Ada O’Sullivan’s team with a 100 per cent record through two days’ play.
Stirling University student Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), pictured below right, was also a double winner against Cheshire while Jenna Wilson from Strathaven lost her foursomes tie but won her singles outing. Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) lost in the morning and the afternoon.
The LGU squad of 16 are the short leet from whom the team of eight will be selected to challenge the United States for the Curtis Cup at Bandon Dunes, Oregon on July 29 & 30.
The girls complete their tough weekend match-play schedule by tackling the Lancashire men’s county team at Hillside Golf Club on Sunday (Feb 12).
Saturday results:
LGU GB&I SQUAD 8 ½, CHESHIRE MEN’S COUNTY TEAM 15 ½
Caldy Golf Club
FOURSOMES (4-4)
(LGU players first)
Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) & Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt Paul Waring & Adam Stott; Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) & Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen) bt Steven Capper & Ray Hughes 2 and 1; Felicity Johnson (Harborne) & Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) lost to David Peel & Mark Pilling 2 and 1; Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) & Melissa Reid (Chevin) bt Gareth Bradley & Kevin Kean 1 hole.
lost to WaClare Coughlan (Cork) & Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) lost to I Winstanley & Iain Davie 2 and 1; Anne Laing (Vale of Leven & Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) lost to James Murphy & Neil Andrew 3 and 2; Naomi Edwards (Ganton) & Saghra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) bt James West & Craig Lewis; Tricia Mangan (Ennis) & Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) lost to Adam Wills & John Sims 3 and 1.
SINGLES (4 ½ -11 ½ )
Sophie Walker lost to Waring 5 and 4.
Cougthlan lost to Stott 4 and 3.
Reid bt Capper 3 and 2.
Kylie Walker bt Kean 2 and 1.
Gillen lost to Hughes 6 and 5.
Evans bt Winstanley 1 hole.
Wilson bt Peel 2 and 1.
Mangan lost to Pilling 5 and 3…
Matharu lost to Murphy 2 and 1.
Loucks lost to Bradley 3 and 2.
Smith lost to Lewis 1 hole.
Parker lost to Davie 5 and 4.
Laing lost to Wills 3 and 2.
Hassan lost to West 5 and 4.
Edwards lost to Andrew 2 and 1.
Johnson halved with Sims.

Dick Harmon dies
Dick Harmon, one of the four golf teaching-professional sons of late US Masters champion Claude Harmon, died on Friday of an apparent heart attack in Palm Springs, California. He was 58.
Dick was head professional at River Oaks Country Club, Houston in Texas for many years, during which time, alongwith Bruce Davidson, he played a big part in hosting the biennial trips to Texas by a dozen teenage boys and girls from the North-east of Scotland under the Grampian Houston Junior Trip programme.
Dick used to come over to Aberdeen to play in the Tartan Tour pro-am which raises funds for the trip.
The third-oldest son in one of golf's foremost families, Harmon taught numerous US PGA Tour pros over the years. The Houston-based instructor's clients included Masters champions Fred Couples and Craig Stadler, PGA champion Lanny Wadkins, multiple winners Blaine McCallister and Billy Ray Brown and rising star Lucas Glover.
After Dick Harmon retired from his River Oaks Country Club post, he had recently been teaching at the Dick Harmon School of Golf at Redstone Country Club in nearby Humble.
Harmon had been in the Palm Springs area visiting his youngest brother, Bill, teaching pro at Toscana in Indian Wells. He died just hours after Bill rushed him to a hospital.
"It's hard to believe," Butch Harmon, oldest and most famous of the four sons, said while fighting tears. "It just came out of the blue. He was fine last night and gone this morning."
The four brothers were able to spend a lot of time together recently. In late January, they did a three-day school together in Palm Springs, then flew together on a private jet to Orlando for the PGA Merchandise Show, where their father was inducted into a teaching Hall of Fame.
"It was the greatest four hours we ever spent together, just the four of us on that plane," said Butch Harmon, who gained fame and fortune through teaching the likes of Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. "It was so much fun."
Dick Harmon is also survived by wife Nancy, sons Ricky and Chris and daughters Heidi and Mary.
"I'm blown away," said Lanny Wadkins, who took lessons from Dick Harmon in 1985-95 and made him an assistant U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 1995. "He was a huge help to me and my game and was one of the best people I've ever been around.
"I never heard anyone say anything bad about him. He was just great human being.”

SCOTT JAMIESON LOSES IN AUSSIE SEMI-FINAL
Scotland international Scott Jamieson was beaten by a barrage of birdies in the 36-hole semi-final of the New South Wales amateur golf championship at Concord Golf Club, Sydney today (Saturday).
Jamieson from Cathkin Braes lost by 3 and 2 to the top seed and local player Won Joon Lee.
Scott was one up after the morning round and then doubled his lead at the 20th.
But Lee then reeled off birdie after birdie to make up the deficit and win on the 34th green.
The Australian and 10 birdies in his afterenoon round and was 13 under par for the day.
Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs) won the other semi-final. He beat Australian Richard Gallichan by 2 and 1 in their 36-hole tie.
Wolstenholme had five birdie 2s on the day

Friday 10th February 2006

ADA’S GIRLS BEAT SENIOR PROS’ TEAM AT SOUTHPORT & AINSDALE
The Ladies Golf Union’s Great Britain & Ireland squad – from whom the team of eight to challenge the United States for the Curtis Cup at Bandon Dunes, Oregon on July 29 and 30 – started off a long weekend of tough match-play against men by beating a Senior Professionals’ team 13 ½-10 ½ at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club today (FRIDAY).
Jim Payne and Lawrence Farmer assembled the opposition for Curtis Cup skipper Ada O’Sullivan’s girls and they gave them a good match.
The GB&I squad took the 16 morning singles by a 10-6 margin, which was just as well because the Senior Professionals’ team hit back to win the afternoon foursomes session 4 ½-3 1/2 .
Top of Ada’s hit parade were Clare Coughlan (Cork), Naomi Edwards (Ganton), left-hander Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen) and teenager Breanne Loucks (Wrexham). They finished the day with two wins out of two outings.
The three Scots in LGU Squad had mixed luck. Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), who played in the last Curtis Cup match at Formby in 2004, won her singles by 2 and 1 against Ian Leadbetter but, in partnership with Melissa Reid (Chevin, Derby), she lost by one hole to Leadbetter and Sam Stuart.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) also won her singles tie, beating Geoff Fallows by 2 and 1. In the foursomes, Jenna and Ireland’s Martin Gillen (Beaverstown) lost by one hole to Rob Godley and Rob Sturgeon.
Stirling University student Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) lost her singles by 3 and 2 to Phil Bird and also went down in the foursomes. Partnered by young Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), Kylie was beaten by one hole by Stuart King and Mark Rabone.
The GB&I Squad continue their busy programme by playing the Cheshire men’s county team at Caldy Golf Club on Saturday. Then they play the Lancashire men’s county team on Sunday at Hillside Golf Club.
There is no stroke concessions involved but the ladies play different tees to the men.
DETAILS:
LGU SQUAD 13 ½ , SENIOR PROFESSIONALS’ 10 ½
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
LGU names first
SINGLES (10-6)
F Johnson (Harborne) bt Cori Lee 3 and 2, T Mangan (Ennis) lost to A Harrison 1 hole, N Edwards (Ganton) bt C Rice 1 hole, K Matharu (Cookridge Hall) halved with S King, Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) lost to P Bird 3 and 2; C Coughlan (Cork) bt R Godley 3 and 2, S Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) lost to D Wilding 3 and 2, B Loucks (Wrexham) bt S Stuart 3 and 1.
Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) bt Rachel Connor 2 and 1, S Evans (Vale of Llangollen) bt G Henwood 2 and 1, M Gillen (Beaverstown) bt S Towndrow 3 and 1, F Parker (Royal Birkdale) lost to M Rabone 2 and 1, J Wilson (Strathaven) bt G Fallows 2 and 1, M Reid (Chevin) lost to R Sturgeon 1 hole, K Smith (Waterlooville) halved with M Williams, A Laing (Vale of Leven) bt I Leadbetter 2 and 1.
FOURSOMES (3 ½-4 1/2 )
Johnson & Mangan lost to Lee & Connor, Edwards & Loucks bt Harrison & Henwood 3 and 2, Coughlan & Matharu bt Rice & Towndrow 4 and 3, Hassan & Kylie Walker lost to King & Rabone 1 hole, Evans & Parker bt Bird & Fallows 1 hole,. Gillen & Wilson lost to Godley & Sturgeon 1 hole, Smith & Sophie Walker halved with Wilding & Williams, Reid & Laing lost to Stuart & Leadbetter.

ELGA Press Release
ELGA seeks vital increase in members’ subscriptions
ELGA is to seek an increase in members’ subscriptions at an extraordinary general meeting at Edgbaston Golf Club, Birmingham, on Tuesday March 21.
There will be two proposals: to increase the annual subscription by £1.50 to £7.50, with effect from 1 January 2007; and to increase the subscription annually by the rate of inflation, ensuring that the amount does not devalue over coming years.
In a letter to golf clubs, ELGA chairman Ros Weston urges ladies’ sections to vote in favour of the increase, which is vital to the work of the association.
“We cannot emphasise enough the importance of supporting this increase to enable ELGA to continue to progress ladies’ amateur golf in England,” she said.
A proposal to increase the annual subscription by £1.50 was put to the ELGA annual meeting last December. It just failed to reach the necessary two-thirds majority, winning the support of 65.9 per cent of club members. However, votes received in the ELGA office after the cut-off date would have achieved the required majority.
The EGM agenda and voting paper will be sent to clubs by February 27.

ELGA Press Release
ELGA squad selected for Scottish U16 championship
ELGA is sending a training squad of eight girls to the 2006 SLGA St Leonard’s Under 16 Championship.
The players include England U15 champion Hannah Barwood, England U13 champion Kelly Tidy and English schools’ champion Katie Thompson.
The long-established tournament will be played over the Strathtyrum course at St Andrews on April 6 and 7 and offers the players an opportunity to gain championship experience.
The squad – which represents a range of experience – will receive guidance on planning, preparation and course management.
The players include three members of ELGA’s Team England Futures U18 Squad: Hannah Barwood, 15 (Knowle, Gloucestershire); Rachel Connor, 15 (Manchester, Cheshire); and Katie Thompson, 14 (Corhampton, Hampshire).
The other five players are from Team England Futures Select Squads. They are Rebecca McGinley, 15, (Garesfield, Durham) and Kelly Tidy, 14, (Manchester, Lancashire) who are both members of the Select North Squad; Heidi Baek, 12 (Ufford Park, Suffolk) and Emily Priest, 15, (Stourbridge, Staffordshire), both from Select Midlands; and Sarah Tyson, 15, (Redlibbets, Kent) from Select South East. The non-travelling reserve is Holly Clyburn, 15 (Kenwick Park, Lincolnshire).
In last year’s championship Rachel Connor came third and, together with Hannah Barwood, helped England claim second place in the team event. Katie Thompson and Kelly Tidy also played in the 2005 event.

New South Wales amateur international match-play golf championship
SCOTT JAMIESON AVENGES RICHIE RAMSAY DEFEAT
This weekend’s final of the New South Wales amateur international match-play golf championship at Concord Golf Club, Sydney might well be an Anglo-Scottish contest.
Scotland international Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), pictured right, reached the last four by avenging the defeat of Royal Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay. Jamieson beat Australian Kyu-Ha Sim by 3 and 2 in their 36-hole quarter-final today (FRIDAY).
Jamieson, the No 5 seed, now plays home course player and top qualifier Won Jun Lee.
The other semi-final is between Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs) and Australian Richard Gallichan.
Wolstenholme was five up at lunch-time against the defending champion Mitchell Brown, an Australian, but had to hole a monster putt at the 34th to secure a 3 and 2 win.
NEW SOUTH WALES AMATEUR MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Concord Golf Club, Sydney.
QUARTER-FINALS
Players from Australia unless stated. All ties over 36 holes.
Won Jun Lee bt Rohan Blizard 5 and 4.
Scott Jamieson (Sco) bt Kyu-Ha Sim 3 and 2.
Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) bt Mitchell ~Brown 3 and 2.
Richard Gallichan bt Tristan Lambert 3 and 2.

WALKER CUP TRIO INVITED
Walker Cup players Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) and Robert Dinwiddie (Barnard Castle), winner of the Scottish and Welsh open amateur stroke-play championships last year, have been invited by the Leven Golfing Society to play in the 37th Scottish champion of champions tournament on April 1 and 2 over the Leven Links.

Faldo Series Press Release
TEAM FALDO GOES PRO AND JOINS NICK IN THE US
Ten Young Golfers Selected for New Team Faldo Format
9th February 2006: Nick Faldo announced today the names of the ten young golfers set to undertake an all-new Team Faldo experience for 2006. With a brand new format and an impressive line-up, this elite group will benefit from a number of unique opportunities, not least of all the opportunity to develop a close relationship with the six-time Major winner.
The first of these opportunities took place last week when Team Faldo took off for five days with Nick at the Faldo Golf Institute by Marriott in Orlando, Florida.
With access to first-class training facilities they had the opportunity to perfect their game and spend time with Faldo both on and off the course. For the players who have accompanied Faldo in the past, this was another chance to really get to the heart of their game and, for the new members, it was the first step down the road to developing a close and unique relationship with one of golf’s great mentors.Faldo commented:
"This trip was an opportunity for the Team Faldo members to gain an insight into my own years of experience on the golf course and ask me questions about every aspect of their own game. My time with the players was spent on the course, on the practice ground, in the classroom and even over breakfast, lunch and dinner. I hope that I have passed on as much help, advice and inspiration as I possibly can."
Team Faldo was established in 2002 in an effort to further help, identify and nurture the next generation of championship European golfers and to offer them an insight into the nature of life as a professional. Some of the best young golfers in the UK have benefited from regular sessions with a handpicked team of experts and close contact with Faldo himself, who has been able to impart advice and guidance based on his own unique standing as Europe’s most successful golfer ever.
For 2006, Team Faldo has been altered to include current young professional golfers already under Faldo’s wing, including former English Amateur Champion and previous Team Faldo member, James Heath.
The aim of the new format is to further close the gap between life as a young, amateur golfer and the very different experiences of life on tour. As well as working with the new young members of Team Faldo (listed below) the professional members will in turn benefit from the opportunity to carry on their close relationship with Faldo as they battle to climb up the ranks of the professional tour circuit.
Also new for 2006, as the young amateur members fulfil their potential and graduate to the professional ranks, they will also be asked to attend and assist in future training sessions, continuing their relationship with Faldo and imparting their own experiences to forthcoming generations of talented golfers. They will also be asked to make a charitable donation to The Faldo Trust for Tomorrow’s Champions from their earnings as professional golfers (amount at the player’s discretion) in order that they give something back for future generations to enjoy the same unique opportunities.
Whilst all of the Team Faldo members, professional and amateur, will be able to continue to visit Faldo’s panel of experts (including head professional Jeremy Bennett, a nutritionist, a sports psychologist and media experts) on a one-to-one basis, there will be more sessions throughout the year, hosted by Nick Faldo on his own, both overseas and at The Celtic Manor Resort, home of Team Faldo. These sessions will give all of Team Faldo further opportunities to live and breathe golf under Faldo’s guidance both on and off the course.
Faldo commented: “I have always felt that the transition from amateur to professional is a very tough one and I hope that this new system will help to benefit players at every stage. What I am trying to achieve is a system whereby we can offer young players an opportunity to work with me before, during and after that transition. This move will create a group of individuals that is totally unique throughout the world and I am very excited about the prospect of working closely with all those involved to ensure that the future of European golf is a strong one.”
The ten young golfers who make up the new all new Team Faldo line-up are as follows:
James Heath
Oliver Fisher
Rory McIlroy
Ben Evans
Jack Hiluta
John Parry
Melissa Reid
Kiran Matharu
Henrietta Brockway
Carly Booth

Thursday 9th February 2006

LGU Press Release
LGU GB&I TRAINING SQUAD TAKE ON TOP AMATEURS
Players hoping to be in the team for the Curtis Cup face a tough weekend, 10-12 February, with matches against three men’s selects at Southport & Ainsdale, Caldy and Hillside.
On Friday at Southport & Ainsdale they play a team assembled by Jim Payne and Lawrence Farmer, on Saturday they play the Cheshire men’s County Team at Caldy and finally on Sunday they take on the Lancashire men’s County Team at Hillside.
Ada O’Sullivan, the Curtis Cup Captain views these matches as ideal early season training with only five months to go to the match.
“It is essential that we build team spirit and give the squad players match play experience against top class opposition” she said.
“The three teams we are playing include most of the top amateurs in the North West and while it will be difficult to win all three, I fully expect our players to more than hold their own.”
The Curtis Cup will be played at Bandon Dunes, Oregon on 29 and 30 July.
LGU squad players for the three matches:

On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 February the format will be eight foursomes and 16 singles while on Sunday 12 February there will only be 16 singles.
Sahra Hassan and Florentyna Parker have been added to the squad due to Emma Duggleby’s withdrawal and Krystle Caithness being unable to attend.

SEVEN SCOTS BOUND FOR SPAIN
Seven Scots are in a quality field for next month’s Spanish men’s amateur international championship at Sherry Golf Club, Jerez in the Cadiz region.
They are: Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw), Scott Henry (Cardross), John Gallagher (Swanston), Steven McEwan (Barassie), Robert McKnight (Barassie), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park).
The championship will be played from March 1 to 5 and every player in the field of more than 100 has a handicap of +1.5 or better. The waiting list is headed by players with handicaps of +1!
The Sherry course was opened in 2004 and measures, 6,572 metres with a par of 72.

Tick Alert
Areas at risk are marked in yellow

Press Release
GOLFERS COULD BE AT RISK OF DEADLY EUROPEAN VIRUS
Golfers visiting central and eastern Europe in 2006 are being warned about a potentially life-threatening disease.
The ‘Tick Alert’ campaign is warning about Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE), a viral disease contracted via the bite of an infected tick. It can lead to meningitis and in serious cases result in paralysis and death, with about one in 30 cases proving fatal.
The warning identifies 16 European countries where the TBE infected tick population is officially endemic and therefore poses a high risk to visitors who have not been immunised or taken bite prevention precautions.
These include Austria, voted ‘undiscovered golf destination of the year’ in 2005; Slovakia, which has opened its first 18-hole course and Slovenia, where UK golfers and golf enthusiasts are discovering the beautiful courses in Lake Bled, which host tournaments including The PGA European Ladies Tour and The PGA European Challenge Tour.
At-risk groups include all visitors to rural areas of endemic countries, particularly those participating in outdoor activities such as golfing.
A number of measures can be taken to reduce the risk of infection: these include using an insect repellent, wearing trousers and long-sleeved clothing to cover all areas of exposed skin, regularly inspecting for tick bites and carefully removing any found. The disease can also be transmitted by the ingestion of unpasteurised milk which should be avoided.
However, the Foreign Office advises that visitors to TBE endemic regions seek inoculation advice from their local surgery or clinic – well before travelling.
Immunisation against TBE is available from specialist travel health clinics and at GP surgeries and healthcare centres.
Further information on the endemic regions of Europe and latest advice for travellers is available at www.masta.org/tickalert.

RAMSAY BEATEN BUT JAMIESON IN LAST EIGHT
Walker Cup man Richie Ramsay lost a 36-hole thriller in the second round of the New South Wales amateur match-play golf championship at Concord Golf Club, New South Wales today (THU).
The Royal Aberdeen player and Stirling University student, the No 4 seed, went down by one hole to local player Kyu-Ha Sim, 13th of the 32 qualifiers.
There is one Scot in the qualifiers – Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes). He beat Welsh teenager Zach Gould by 6 and 5 and now plays Ramsay’s conqueror for a place in the semi-finals.
The only other UK player in the last eight is Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs). Wolstenholme, the No 2 seed won by 5 and 4 against Australian Brendan Smith.
NEW SOUTH WALES AMATEUR MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Concord Golf Club.
SECOND ROUND
Players from Australia unless stated
Won Jon Lee bt Damon Welsford 9 and 8.
Rohan Blizard bt Jamie Moul (Eng) 4 and 2.
Kyu-Ha Sim bt Richie Ramsay (Sco) 1 hole.
Scott Jamieson (Sco) bt Zach Gould (Wal) 6 and 5.
Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) bt Brendan Smith 5 and 4.
Mitchell Brown bt Daki Falcon 8 and 7.
Richard Gallichan bt Lincoln Tighe 5 and 4.
Tristan Lambert bt John Lee 5 and 4.

Press Release
Paul Lawrie donates golf equipment to every primary school in Aberdeenshire
Paul Lawrie is supporting the drive to put a golf club in the hands of every child in Aberdeenshire after handing over firstclubgolf equipment valued at £5000 to Provost Cllr Raymond Bisset at Inverurie Town Hall today.
A year ago the 1999 Open Championship winner launched firstclubgolf, the national junior golf strategy clubgolf’s introductory game, with Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson in Edinburgh. In March 2005 Lawrie helped unveil the Aberdeenshire clubgolf Junior Golf Strategy, created by the partnership of Aberdeenshire Council, Paul Lawrie Junior Golf and clubgolf, at Aspire Golf Centre.
Now Paul Lawrie Junior Golf has made a three year commitment to give £5000 worth of firstclubgolf equipment each year to primary schools across Aberdeenshire.
firstclubgolf uses multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets to give children an enjoyable introduction to the game. Last year over 12,000 children across Scotland experienced firstclubgolf 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.
The Aberdeenshire school children who can now experience the introductory game within school time will have the opportunity to move on to Stage 1 at one of the 16 Aberdeenshire clubs committed to the strategy. Around 60 Aberdeenshire golf club members have become trained to deliver Stage 1. A further 60 are due to be trained early this year.
“clubgolf is proving to be very popular with the young people of Aberdeenshire and the sound structure of the Aberdeenshire Junior Golf Strategy is giving more children than ever the opportunity to play the game,” said Paul Lawrie.
“By providing this equipment every primary school in Aberdeenshire will have the opportunity to use golf clubs, targets and balls which will allow every child the chance to experience an introduction to the game of golf. There is little doubt that there are more potential Open Champions and Ryder Cup players out there in Aberdeenshire and through clubgolf we will make it easier for them to be discovered.
“Not only does clubgolf have the potential to introduce children to a game for life, which promotes good health and instils important social values, it offers a structured programme which could guide complete beginners through every level up to the professional game.”
Said Provost Cllr Raymond Bisset: “I am delighted to accept this equipment from firstclubgolf on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council.
“It is very important to encourage pupils to take an interest in exercise and sport, and this equipment will be a very useful tool for our schools.”

Wednesday 8th February 2006

US College Golf
McALPINE TIES FOR 16TH PLACE IN TEXAS
Colorado State University student Kevin McAlpine from Alyth finished joint 16th in the Rice Intercollegiate golf tournament over 54 holes at Willowsip Country Club, Houston in Texas.
The son of the former Dundee United goalkeeper, Hamish McAlpine, had three rounds of 75 for a 15-over-par aggregate of 225.
Four players tied for victory on 219.
Colorado State (894) finished runners-up to Santa Clara (889) in the team event.

Midlothian County Press Release
MIDLOTHIAN COUNTY JUNIOR GIRLS GET EMPOWERED
A Midlothian County Ladies’ Junior Development Squad of five girls have embarked on a course of psychology sessions with Scott Dixon, Golf Professional at the Marriott Dalmahoy Golf & Country Club.
The girls have been introduced to some games, tools and techniques to help build their confidence and empower them on the golf course. Scott believes it is important that the girls start to explore the game and ultimately find their swing and put their own finger print on golf.
Scott Dixon is currently employed at the Marriott Dalmahoy Golf and Country Club as golf professional. His passion for the game of golf is reflected in his commitment to his own personal development and has studied under Instinctive Golf, qualified as a Master NLP Golf Practitioner and trained alongside renowned sports psychologists Dr Karl Morris and Jamie Edwards who themselves have helped, amongst others Darren Clarke ,Andrew (Freddie) Flintoff and Jimmy White. Scott’s skills are used on and off the golf course to deliver golf to the community and promote sport to schools, businesses and families.
Scott is hosting a Golf Presentation called “Get Inside Golf “on Monday 27th February 2006 7.00pm to 9.00pm at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club.
Scott believes there is not a golfer alive who does not want more consistency or control in their game. Unfortunately for most golfers they remain two of the most elusive elements of this great game. Why is that? Well he believes that the reason lies in the “head up “stories and quick fix culture that permeates every level of the sport. This culture never allows us to embark on the path of true learning and therefore consistency and control for most will always be a distant dream. Scott believes this can change. We are all learning and problem solving machines and with the right guidance and support anyone can take their game to a new and exciting level. The evening will introduce everyone to tools and techniques that can help improve their game and make everyone aware of what they can and cannot control on the golf course.
Please contact Scott on 07931 176 154 for more details or reserve a place.

ELGA Press Release
Kiran wins at Sony awards ceremony
England international Kiran Matharu was a winner at the Sony Entertainment Television Sports Personality of the Year Awards, which celebrate Asian achievement in British sport.
She was named the Astra Junior Sports Personality of the Year and was presented with her award by chart toppers Westlife.
“It was special to win an award from Asian people,” said Kiran, 16, who is a member at Cookridge Hall, Leeds.
She became an instant celebrity after the awards ceremony, posing for pictures with Westlife, conducting several interviews, one of them live, and partying alongside a host of stars at the London Hilton Hotel.
Kiran, who is one of a very small number of Asian girl golfers, has established herself at the forefront of English golf.
Last season she was in England’s winning teams in the 2005 European Girls’ Team Championships, the Girls’ International Matches and the Home Internationals.
She’s a double winner of the girls’ championship in the Faldo Series and has just spent five days in Florida, working with Nick Faldo on Team Faldo training. A few weeks ago she was runner-up in the Junior Orange Bowl International Championship in the USA, which is one of the world’s top junior tournaments.

ELGA Press Release
ELGA announces 2006 captains
The six captains who will lead England’s quest for 2006 golfing glory have been named by ELGA.
They are:
Julie Otto (Felixstowe Ferry, Suffolk) - Espirito Santo Trophy
Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall, Northumberland) - European Girls’ Team Championship and Girls’ International Matches
Jenny Clink (Lilley Brook, Gloucestershire) - European Lady Juniors’ Team Championship
Beverley New (Lansdown, Somerset) - Home International matches.
Hilary Green (Royal Lytham & St Annes, Lancashire) – Senior Home Internationals.
Julie Brown (Brocton Hall, Staffordshire) – England U18 girls v England U16 boys
Suffolk’s Julie Otto, who was widely regarded as the world’s best woman amateur during her playing career, will make her debut as a captain when she takes charge for the Espirito Santo Trophy. The women’s world amateur team championship, which will be played in South Africa from October 18-21.
Otto brings a lifetime of experience of top-level golf to this role. After a superb playing career, she spent over four years with the LGU, first as tournament secretary and then as secretary. Five years ago she moved to the R&A and is an assistant director of rules.
Otto, 38, retired from playing by choice in 1996 – when she was reigning British champion. By then, as Julie Wade and later Julie Hall, she had collected individual titles galore, among them other British, English, Spanish and Australian championships. And, with multiple appearances in the Curtis Cup, the Espirito Santo, the Vagliano Trophy, the European team championships and England’s Home International sides, she had also proved herself to be a great team player.
“I decided to stop at a level where I had achieved things. I didn’t want to go downhill, I didn’t want to be dropped.” However, she admits that she has missed winning – and now she has her sights set on an England victory in the Espirito Santo. The standard of competition will be very high but Otto – who has two bronze medals from this event - says success “is very possible.”
Northumberland’s Lisa Ball, who played in the 2004 Home Internationals, will lead the England girls’ defence of two titles. She will be captain for the European Girls’ Team Championship in Demark from July 11-15 and for the Girls’ International Matches at Portstewart, Ireland, from August 9-11.
“Hopefully we will have another great year,” said Lisa. “English golf is an exciting place to be just now.”
She will combine her captain’s duties with her own tournament commitments and her personal aim is to win back her place in the ELGA squads. She also plans to take a PGA qualification allowing amateurs to teach beginners.
Lisa went to college in the USA and helped her university win four national team championships. She was runner-up in the 2004 English ladies’ strokeplay championship, which she lost in a play-off, and is a past winner of the Northern ladies’ championship.
Gloucestershire’s Jenny Clink was chairman of ELGA in 2005 and now takes on a new role as captain of the England side for the European Lady Juniors’ Team Championship in the Netherlands from July 11-15.
“It’s wonderful, I’m absolutely thrilled to bits and enormously privileged to be asked to do it,” she said.
This event was last held in 2004, when ELGA hosted the championship at Royal Cinque Ports and England came fourth. “We mean to improve on that and shall certainly be going for a medal,” said Jenny. Her preparations will include joining the England squad at the French U21 championships in April.
For three years Jenny was manager of England’s successful team at the Girls’ International Matches and she also captained Gloucestershire for two years, leading them to the county finals. Now, as well as her captain’s role, she also plans to referee at tournaments.
Jenny and her husband Mike – a past captain at their club, Lilley Brook – have three sons, all golfers. One of them, Tim, is the Gloucestershire men’s county captain.
Somerset’s Beverley New steered England to victory in the Home Internationals last season and returns to captain the team in this year’s tournament, which will be played on home ground at Frilford Heath from September 13-15.
This is her third year in charge and she’s keen to repeat the winning experience. “Last year was fantastic, everything just went so well all week,” said Bev, who also captained England in the 2005 European ladies’ team championships, winning the silver medal.
Beverley was a top amateur, who won the English championship at 19, played in the European ladies’ team championships twice and the Home Internationals four times, and represented GB&I in the Curtis Cup and the Vagliano Trophy matches.
She then pursued a professional career which brought her wins in four countries before she returned to amateur ranks in 2001. She immediately won the Somerset county title for the sixth time – and added yet another victory in that event last season.
Lancashire’s Hilary Green will also lead a title defence when she captains the unbeaten Seniors’ Home International team for the second time. The matches take place at Hamilton, Scotland, from October 3-5.
Hilary is a prominent figure within senior golfing circles, both as a player and a captain. She represented the English Senior Ladies’ Golf Association three times in the European Senior Ladies’ Team Championships, twice helping to win the trophy. She also captained the team three times and steered them to victory in Sweden.
Hilary has also been manager of England teams at the European Ladies’ and the European Lady Juniors’ Team Championships.
She’s a past winner of the Lancashire and the Northern Vets Championships, she’s represented Lancashire seniors, captained the Lancashire county team and been a single figure golfer since the 1960s.
Hilary, a former England and international selector, is a member of the ELGA executive committee.
Staffordshire’s Julie Brown, who is returning to amateur ranks, will take charge for the annual end-of-season match between the England U18 girls and the England U16 boys.
Julie was an England international before she turned professional. She played on the Ladies’ European Tour for seven years from 1985 – and won the German Open in her rookie year. She also has experience as a teaching professional and is very keen on encouraging juniors.
She will be eligible for reinstatement as an amateur at the end of April and the former Staffordshire champion has already been invited to be county captain next year. She’s looking forward to her return as a player and her schedule will include the Bridget Jackson Bowl, which she has won twice.
Her captaincy will bring her full circle and she said: “When I played for England I enjoyed it so much and I thought at the time that I’d love to be a captain one day. It’s a great honour.”

RAMSAY AND JAMIESON ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND IN NSW CHAMPIONSHIP
Both Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) and Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) (pictured right)advanced to the second round of the New South Wales amateur match-play championship at Concord Golf Club, Sydney today.
Ramsay had the biggest winning margin in the first-round ties, all decided over 36 holes.
The Walker Cup player and Stirling University student, the No 4 seed, won by 11 and 10 against the 29th qualifier, John Incorvil.
Jamieson, the No 5 seed, won by 7 and 5 against Ray Beaufils, the No 28 qualifier.
All the UK players with the exception of England’s Adam Gee made progress into the last 16. Gee, winner of the recent Lake Macquarie amateur international title but only the 27th qualifier for the match-play championship, lost by 6 and 5 to Australian John Lee, the No 6 seed.
Results (Players from Australia unless stated):
Won Joon Lee bt Matthew Smith 5 and 3.
Damon Welsford bt Rudi Bezuidenholt 8 and 7.
Jamie Moul (Eng) bt Justin Roach 7 and 6.
Rohan Blizard bt Michael Raseta 3 and 2.
Richie Ramsay (Sco) bty John Incorvil 11 and 10.
Kyu-Ha Sim bt Rhys McGovern 3 and 2.
Scott Jamieson (Sco) by Ray Beaufils 7 and 5.
Zach Gould (Wal) bt Scott Arnold 3 and 2.
Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) bt Justin Hurst 11 and 9.
Brendan Smith bt Matthew Jones 7 and 6.
Mitchell Brown bt Chris Hartas 10 and 9.
Daki Falcon bt Michael Smyth at 38th.
Richard Gallichan bt Peter Nascimento 7 and 6.
Lincoln Tighe bt John McMiles 3 and 2.
John Lee bt Adam Gee (Eng) 6 and 5.
Tristan Lambert bt Tim Stewart 1 hole.

US College Golf
TILLEY TIES EIGHTH, CAMPBELL 25TH AT SAWGRASS
Steve Tilley (Georgia State) and Lloyd Campbell (Tennessee) – both from Kent – finished tied eighth and tied 25th respectively in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate championship at Sawgrass Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach on Tuesday.
Tilley had rounds of 75, 72 and 77 for eight-over-par 224. In his final round Steve birdied the third, fourth, 11th and 14th but had a triple bogey 7 at the 16th and bogeys at the fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, 10th and 17th in halves of 39 and 38.
Lloyd Campbell scored 73, 78 and 79 for 230. He birdied the short 12th and long 18th in halves of 40 and 39. He bogeyed the second, double-bogeyed the short sixth, bogeyed the ninth and 10th, double-bogeyed the long 11th and bogeyed the 13th and 14th.
The tournament was won by Oscar Floren (Texas Tech), a 6ft 1in Swedish junior student, with 71, 73 and 73 for one-over-par 217.
He won by one shot from Erik Flores (UCLA) with 68, 76 and 74.
UCLA (896) won the team event, contested by 15 universities, by five shots from Texas Tech.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
217 Oscar Floren (Texas Tech) 71 73 73.
218 Erik Flores (UCLA) 68 76 74.
221 Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina) 74 73 74.
Other totals:
224 Steve Tiley (Georgia State) 75 72 77 (tied 8th).
230 Lloyd Campbell (Tennessee) 73 78 79 (tied 25th).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
896 UCLA.
901 Texas Tech.
905 Alabama, South Carolina.
912 Georgia State.
913 Louisiana State.
914 Florida.
916 Tennessee.

L to R : David Gemmell (President of Canmore Golf Club), Ewen Watt (Captain of Burntisland Golf House Club and Chairman of the First in Fife Group), Darryn Cochrane (Professional, Canmore Golf Club), and Andrew McKean (Tourism Executive, Scottish Enterprise Fife).

First in Fife Golfpass aims to see double again for 2006!
The First in Fife Golfpass for 2006 has been launched, with golfers once again being able to experience some excellent courses in Fife at amazingly low prices.
Having doubled their sales in 2005, the eight Golfpass clubs – Aberdour, Balbirnie Park, Burntisland, Canmore, Dunfermline, Forrester Park, Kirkcaldy, and Thornton – are aiming to repeat that feat again in 2006.
First in Fife are also delighted to announce that they have secured even more accommodation partners, as well as funding support from VisitScotland’s Challenge Fund, the Fife Tourism Development Fund Small Grants Scheme, and Scottish Enterprise Fife.
The group’s website – www.firstinfifegolf.com - has gone through major development, with golfers now able to buy their golfpasses online as well as by phoning VisitScotland’s Kirkcaldy Tourist Information Centre on 01592 267775.
The new improved website also highlights the group’s accommodation partners with full details of 17 hotels, B&Bs, and a caravan park who are all keen to promote and sell First in Fife golfpasses as part of short breaks and golfing holidays in Fife.
Ewen Watt, Captain of Burntisland Golf House Club and Chairman of the First in Fife group, said: “ We doubled our sales to 648 golfpasses in 2005, and independent research shows that a high proportion of these golfers would not have come to Fife, and certainly would not have played our courses, but for the Golfpass. Our customers spent about £280,000 in Fife – in hotels, restaurants, shops, and filling stations as well as at our golf courses – so we are doing our bit for the local economy. I am delighted that this has been recognised by the various public agencies, whose support means we are extending our marketing campaign with lots of new ideas for 2006.”
The independent research showed that 98% of First in Fife Golfpass customers in 2005 would recommend the Golfpass to their friends, and these quotes from satisfied customers explain why:
“Excellent courses and value for money. See you in 2006”
“Brilliant idea. Beautiful part of the world. Lovely golf courses and friendly people. Can’t praise enough”.
+ The 2006 First in Fife Golfpass costs from £55 for 3 rounds and from £85 for 5 rounds. The group covers Aberdour, Balbirnie Park, Burntisland, Canmore, Dunfermline, Forrester Park, Kirkcaldy, and Thornton golf clubs.
+ The accommodation partners are: Aberdour Hotel, Cedar Inn (Aberdour), Woodside Hotel (Aberdour), Kingswood Hotel (Burntisland), Davaar House Hotel and Restaurant (Dunfermline), Garvock House Hotel (Dunfermline), Pitbauchlie House Hotel (Dunfermline), Rooms @ 29 Bruce Street (Dunfermline), Best Western Keavil House Hotel (Crossford), Lomond Hills Hotel (Freuchie), Balgeddie House Hotel (Glenrothes), Crusoe Hotel (Lower Largo), Letham Feus Caravan Park (by Lundin Links), Lundin Links Hotel, Swallow Old Manor Hotel (Lundin Links), Cruach B&B (Markinch), and Backmarch House B&B (Rosyth).
+ The First in Fife Golfpass can be obtained by credit card from VisitScotland Kirkcaldy Tourist Information Centre by calling 01592 267775, from any of the golf clubs or accommodation partners, or directly from the website – www.firstinfifegolf.com.

Tuesday 7th February 2006

ELGA Press Release
Emma Duggleby retires from international golf
England’s Emma Duggleby has retired from international team golf after an outstanding career spanning 12 years.
Emma has played at the highest level of amateur golf and been a member of three Curtis Cup teams. She has also had a crucial role in England’s best successes for 15 years.
But now, the 34-year-old from Malton & Norton has decided to call time on her international career. She will continue to play on the top amateur circuit and to represent her county of Yorkshire.
“I have really enjoyed my team golf, I’ve had a fantastic time over the last 12 years and I still hope to play lots of amateur golf over the years to come,” said Emma.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision. I’ve been thinking about it for the last year, but I feel happy it’s the right decision,” she said.
“Now, I’d like to play in some different events, ones you don’t get the chance to when you’re playing team golf.”
Emma plans a full schedule of major amateur events: “I am not giving up,” she said. Her decision will mean less of a juggling act with her full-time job and will give her the opportunity, for example, to attempt to qualify for the Weetabix Women’s British Open.
Emma Duggleby began her international career in 1994 when she was British champion. In the years that followed she won the English championship twice, became European champion, South African matchplay champion and the Scottish open strokeplay champion.
Alongside her individual triumphs she has played in three Curtis Cup teams, three Vagliano Trophy teams and two Espirito Santo teams. She has represented England ten times in the Home International matches and five times in the European ladies’ team championships.
For Emma, the highlights have been helping to win the Vagliano Trophy in 2003, when GB&I beat the Continent of Europe for the first time in 10 years; England’s silver medal in the European team championship of 1999; and her first appearance in the Curtis Cup in 2000 at Ganton in her own county of Yorkshire “playing in front of a home crowd and a very local crowd as well.”
Linda Bayman, ELGA’s performance director, commented: “Emma’s ability to raise her game for the big occasion marks her out as a true champion.
“She leaves the England teams enjoying successes that they have not achieved for fifteen years. Her experience, enthusiasm and leadership have been invaluable in the building process.”
Emma’s decision means she has withdrawn from ELGA’s Team England performance squad and from its training squad for the 2006 Espirito Santo Trophy. She has also retired from the LGU’s training squad, which will form the nucleus of this year’s Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team.

ELGA Press Release
England seniors win Nations Cup in Portugal
A team of England seniors has won the Nations Cup at the Portuguese Senior Ladies’ Championship after a showdown with Sweden.
The teams were tied by their best two scores but Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court), Geraldine Bray (Littlestone) and Sue Westall (Copt Heath) took the honours when all three cards were counted.
“It was so exciting and we were delighted to win,” said Sue. “It’s a very encouraging start to the season.”
The tournament, at Vilamoura, produced a host of good results for England players. Geraldine Bray and her club colleague, Julie Ballard, won the four-ball event which precedes the strokeplay championship. Sue Westall was third in the championship and won the first handicap prize, just ahead of Hilary Smyth (Pannal). The second England team, of Hilary Smyth, Julie Ballard and Sue Timberlake (Edgbaston) had a top five finish in the Nations Cup.

Press Release
Golf courses put their name down for record attempt
GOLF Clubs across Great Britain are signing up to take part in a world record attempt.
Professional golfer Glenn Turner is aiming to play the most 18 hole golf courses in a year whilst raising over £1 million for the Rhys Daniels Trust and the Association of Children’s Hospices.
So far, over 35 golf courses have volunteered to host one of Glenn’s games including the oldest golf club in Britain: the Royal Blackheath and Hendon Golf Club, both in Greater London.
Each round of golf must take place on a course at least 6,000 yards long and will be a four ball game between Glenn, a celebrity, a club representative and a lucky auction winner. Glenn will also be playing at courses in Ireland and Spain.
Celebrities like Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Davro, Stan Boardman and Eastenders’ Ian Beale have already agreed to help Glenn in his record bid.
Speaking about preparations for the record attempt which begins in April, Glenn said:
“I have had a very positive response from golf clubs so far, but I am aiming to play over 500 rounds in the year so need many more to participate.
“Clubs who provide me with a venue will be contributing towards a world record as well as helping raise much needed funds for a very worthy cause.”
For further information about the latest courses to host one of Glenn’s record breaking games, or to speak to Glenn about holding a game at your golf club, log onto his website www.worldrecordgolftour.co.uk

US College Golf
CAMPBELL SLUMPS BUT TILEY MOVES INTO TITLE PICTURE AT SAWGRASS
Lloyd Campbell (Tennessee) dropped seven shots off the pace with a second-round 78 but Steve Tiley (Georgia State), the other Kent player in the field, moved into the title picture with a 72 on the second day of the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate championship at Sawgrass Country Club.
Tiley hit the par mark with halves of 33 and 39 despite a double-bogey 5 at the short 12th and a weak finish of bogeys at the 16th and 17th. Had he been able to maintain his early-round form – birdies at the second, fifth, eighth and 11th – he would have been right up with the leaders.
As it is, Steve is sharing fifth place on 147, three strokes behind joint pacemakers Oscar Floren (Texas Tech) and Erik Flores (UCLA).
Campbell went from 73 in the first round to 78 in the second with only one birdie, at the long 11th.
Lloyd bogeyed the second, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th in disappointing halves of 37 and 41. He has dropped from a share of fifth place to joint 19th on 151 with 18 holes to go.
UCLA (594) lead the team event from Texas Tech (596) and Georgie State and Louisiana State, both on 598.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
144 Oscar Floren (Texas Tech) 71 73, Erik Flores (UCLA) 68 76.
146 Kevin Chappell (UCLA) 73 73, Andrew Dresser (Texas Tech) 71 75.
147 Steve Tiley (Georia State) 75 72, Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina) 74 73, Gator Todd (Alabama) 75 72,. Chris Wells (Louisiana State) 76 71.
Other score: 151 Lloyd Campbell (Tennessee) 73 78 (tied 19th).
LEADING TEAMS
594 UCLA.
596 Texas Tech.
598 Georgia State, Louisiana State.
600 Alabama.
Also:
614 Tennessee (tied 10th).

Monday 6th February 2006

US College Golf
KENT PLAYER IN JOINT FIFTH PLACE AT SAWGRASS
Lloyd Campbell from Kent, a senior student at the University of Tennessee, was in joint fifth place at the end of the first round in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate championship at Sawgrass Country Club.
Campbell had a score of one-over-par 73 for the 6,910yd course.
He birdied the third, eighth, 11th, 13th and 16th but double- bogeyed the fifth and bogeyed the sixth, seventh, 14th and 18th in halves of 38 and 35.
Erik Flores (UCLA) set the pace with a four-under-par 68, leading by three strokes from two Texas Tech players, Andrew Dresser and Oscar Floren.
Steve Tilley (Georgia State) from Canterbury is in joint 11th place on 75.
LEADERBOARD
68 Erik Flores (UCLA).
71 Andrew Dresser (Texas Tech), Oscar Floren (Texas Tech).
72 Mark Harrell (Alabama).
73 Lloyd Campbell (Tennessee), Kevin Chappell (UCLA).
Other score:
75 Steve Tilley (Georgia State).

GORDON HOLDS ON TO WIN SPANISH SENIOR OPEN AMATEUR CROWN
Scottish senior open amateur champion Gordon MacDonald from Callander added another over-55s’ golfing title to his collection by holding on to win the Spanish senior open amateur international championship in a tight finish at Costa Ballena Golf Club, Cadiz.
MacDonald, who turned pro after his 50th birthday to try his luck on the European Seniors Tour and was reinstated as an amateur in late 2004, had a four-stroke lead at the end of the first and second rounds.
But thick fog delayed the start of the final 18 holes’ play by 2 ½ hr. The hold-up seemed to affect the leaders’ nerves.
Gordon slumped from a 71 and 72 to a closing 82 for a final total of 225 – and just held on to win by a single shot from Englishman Anthony Haire (81-72-73) and Spain’s Luis Javier Trenor (79-76-71).
The two Spaniards who had been the Scots’ closest challengers after 36 holes – Juan Ortin and Eustaquio Delgado dropped out of the picture with closing rounds of 80 and 81 to share fourth place on 229 with Alan Ferguson from Drumpellier. Alan had three consistent rounds of 77, 76 and 76.
MacDonald and Ferguson had finished joint seventh in the preceding tournament, the Spanish senior open amateur international doubles at Costa Ballena.
SPANISH SENIOR OPEN AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Costa Ballena GC, Cadiz
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
225 G MacDonald (Sco) 71 72 82.
226 A Haire (Eng) 81 72 73, L J Trenor (Spa) 79 76 71.
229 J Ortin (Spa) 75 74 80, E Delgado (Spa) 75 73 81, A Ferguson (Sco) 77 76 76.
231 B Brown (Eng) 79 72 80.
233 W Maier (Ger) 80 78 75, I Mason (Eng) 77 75 81.
Other totals:
234 D Martin (Eng) 77 81 76, D Lane (Eng) 81 78 75.
237 P Jones (Wal) 79 79 79.
239 C Ginn (Eng) 80 77 82, T Smith (Eng) 84 74 81, R Gill (Sco) 78 83 78, R Clark (Eng) 82 77 80, G Rees (Wal) 85 78 76.
240 G Runnicles (Eng) 81 79 80, G Steele (Sco) 79 79 82.

RAMSAY FOURTH IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Royal Aberdeen’s Richard Ramsay finished fourth behind runaway Australian winner Won Joon Lee in the New South Wales amateur championship at Strathfield Golf Club, Sydney.
Walker Cup player Ramsay, a Stirling University student, had rounds of 69, 67, 72 and 72 for a total of 280 – 12 shots behind Won Joon Lee who finished 16 under par with scores of 63, 71, 66 and 68.
Ramsay finished tied seventh with four sub-par rounds in the Lake Macquarie amateur championship the previous week Down Under.
Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs) finished runner-up, eight shots adrift of Won Joon Lee, with scores of 68, 69, 68 and 71 for 276. By a quirk of the draw Ramsay and Wolstenholme played all four rounds together/
Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) claimed joint fifth place with 71, 70, 74 and 67 for 282.
The leading 32 players now go forward to the New South Wales amateur match-play championship at Concord Golf Club.
NEW SOUTH WALES AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Strathfield GC, Sydney.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Players from Australia unless stated
268 Won Joon Lee 63 71 66 68.
276 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 68 69 68 71.
278 R Gallichan 69 69 71 69.
280 R Ramsay (Sco) 69 67 72 72.
282 S Jamieson (Sco) 71 70 74 67, J Lee 69 75 69 69.
Other totals:
285 Z Gould (Wal) 72 66 75 72.
291 J Moul (Eng) 73 74 74 70.
292 A Gee (Eng) 74 71 81 66.

£10 million RESTORATION PLAN FOR ABERDEEN MUNICIPAL COURSE DESIGNED BY MACKENZIE
A North-east businessman has unveiled a £10million plan to transform an Aberdeen municipal golf course into one of best inland courses in Britain – with the help of Tom Watson, the five times Open champion who won the British Seniors Open title at Royal Aberdeen last summer.
Hazlehead, opened in 1927, was designed by Alister Mackenzie, the man who was also responsible for such world-rated American courses as Augusta National – home of the US Masters - and Cypress Point.
Brian Hendry is the livewire director of sports with AVC Media Enterprises but stresses this venture has nothing to do with his day job.
He is the chairman and chief executive of new company, Mackenzie Club Ltd, who have already secured from Aberdeen City Council a 99-year lease on the golf shop premises and the practice ground area at Hazlehead where there are two 18-hole and one nine-hole course and a pitch-and-putt facility.
Hendry has had talks with Aberdeen City Council about securing a 99-year lease of the Hazlehead golf courses. He is now awaiting their response.
“Hazlehead would remain a pay-and-play facility and we would guarantee 80 per cent of the tee times to Hazlehead Golf Club members and other Aberdeen golfers who regularly play the courses,” said Brian.
“We want to restore the Hazlehead No 1 course to the way it was designed by Mackenzie. We believe it is now a bit tatty and badly in need of an investment to restore it to its former glory.
“Mackenzie Club Ltd has American and British investors – and the backing of the Royal Bank of Scotland – in this enterprise. We have had talks with Sandy Jones, chief executive of the Professional Golfers Association, because we also want to set up a Golf Academy and driving range,” said Hendry, who is a Royal Aberdeen GC member.
“We want to build a new clubhouse with top of the range leisure facilities, including an indoor swimming pool and sauna. We are quite prepared to build a new clubhouse for the Hazlehead Golf Club members if they agree to at a different site. But it is not a great problem if they want to stay where they are, behind the 18th green and first tee of the No 1 course.”
Henry feels that Tom Watson, with his deep love of the traditional aspectsof golf, would be just the man to oversee the restoration of an Alistair Mackenzie course such as the tree-lined Hazlehead.
In a letter to Hendry, Sandy Jones wrote:
“I truly believe that the Hazlehead development is an exciting project . The development of a golfing academy and driving range as well as adapting the existing three courses will, I believe, achieve this…
“Mackenzie courses are known throughout the world amongst the elite and if you can bring his course in Aberdeen back to the high standards required in today’s golfing world, then you will have created a golfing gemstone that will be a credit to the people of Abedeen and Scotland.”
Hendry reckons that a new-look Hazlehead golf complex could be up and running within four years from the day that Aberdeen City Council give the go-ahead.
“I started a love affair with Augusta National and the US Masters back in the early 1990s. Mention the fact that there is an original Mackenzie course in Aberdeen and it’s like telling them you’ve got a Van Gogh or Rembrandt painting in your attic,” said Brian.
“And it’s not only Americans but large numbers of other overseas golfers who will flock to Aberdeen to play Hazlehead once we have restored it to the way he meant it to be.
“Before the end of the decade, I believe we could have the East Coast Swing – Cruden Bay, Royal Aberdeen and Hazlehead – that will draw golfers from far and wide.”

Fairway Forecast Fine Thanks to Weather 2
An innovative new forecasting service is helping green keepers keep courses in championship condition, whatever the weather.
Developed by Glasgow based Weather2, their golf package automatically e-mails or faxes a detailed local weather forecast to individual courses before six am every day. Pioneered for sports facilities in the USA, each forecast is based on the exact geographic position of individual courses. For longer term planning a six day forecast is also provided.
"Our service combines the expertise of a team of highly experienced meteorologists with the very latest computer modelling technology," said Paul Wisely, Weather2's commercial director.
The level of detailed hour by hour tracking of localised weather conditions has proven invaluable to players, green keepers and tournament planners including staff at St Andrews' Old Course.
Gordon Moir, Links Superintendent, at St. Andrews said:
"We get a forecast emailed to us at five am every morning. It is very useful to know if it's going to rain in the afternoon then we know we won't need the sprinklers set up. It's a pretty valuable tool in helping us plan our workload effectively."
Weather2Golf weather forecasts can be emailed to individual courses and even to individual members for less than £1 per day.
"Weather2Golf is the market's most detailed forecast service of its type and can predict pinpointed weather conditions for each course," said Mr Wisely. 'This service is provided in tandem with another aimed at players. Golfers can phone for a forecast of local weather conditions at any course in the country,
Supported by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow the company provides a range of 'Weather2Go' information services for business and leisure activities. www.weather2.co.uk

Sunday 5th February 2006

RAMSAY LYING SECOND IN NSW CHAMPION
Walker Cup man Richie Ramsay is lying in second place at the halfway stage of the New South Wales amateur golf championship at Strathfield Golf Club, Sydney.
The Royal Aberdeen Golf Club member and Stirling University student has had rounds of 69 and 67 for a 36-hole tally of 136 – two shots behind Australian pacemaker Won Jon Lee who has scored 63 and 71.
Walker Cup veteran Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs), with whom Ramsay played the first two rounds, is in third place with a 68 and 69 for 137.
Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) is in joint fifth place with 71 and 70 for 141.
Other United Kingdom players who survived the 36-hole cut on 149 were Adam Gee from Leatherhead, Surrey, winner of last week’s Lake Macquarie amateur championship, on 145 and compatriot Jamie Moul and Welsh teenager Zac Gould on 147
The qualifiers will play two rounds over the tree-lined Strathfield course on Monday. The leading 32 finishers will go forward to the New South Wales amateur match-play championship over the Concord course.
NEW SOUTH WALES AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Strathfield Golf Club, Sydney.
Leading qualifiers
Players from Australia unless stated
134 Won Joon Lee 63 71.
136 Richie Ramsay (Sco) 69 67.
137 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng) 68 69.
138 Richard Gallihan 69 69.
141 Chris Hartas 71 70, Scott Jamieson (Sco) 71 70, Justin Roach 70 71.
Other qualifiers:
145 Adam Gee (Eng) 74 71.
147 Zac Gould (Wal) 76 72, Jamie Moul (Eng) 73 74.
Non-qualifiers included:
150 Edward Richardson (Eng) 78 72, Dan Seaman (Eng) 75 75, Rob Harris (Eng) 74 76.
151 Joe Lyons (Ire) 71 80.
153 Ben Westgate (Wal) 76 77.
162 Llewellyn Matthews (Wal) 79 83.
 

16-YEAR-OLD AMATEUR AMY BEATS THE STARS TO WIN ANZ LADIES MASTERS
Amy Yang, a 16-year-old from Korea, pictured right, became the first amateur since Gillian Stewart in 1984 to win a Ladies European Tour event when she beat American Catherine Cartwright in a play-off for the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort, Queensland, Australia today.
Amy and 22-year-old six-footer Catherine had tied on 13-under-par 275 after Miss Yang, who moved with her father to Queensland 14 months ago, had finished with a bogey for two-under-par 70 and the American a birdie for a 68.
Amy holed a 15ft birdie putt at the first hole for a memorable victory.
Mhairi McKay from Glasgow, never able to recover for a third-round 77, tied for 25th place on 284 with a closing 71.
Monifieth’s Kathryn Imrie birdied the last two holes for a 72 and a share of 46th place on level par 288.
Miss Yang is a student at the Australia High Performance Golf Academy and, as far as amateurs go, this was quite a “high performance” although Amy won the New Zealand women’s open amateur title last year when she was also Queensland State title-winner.
Speaking through an interpreter, Amy said: “I am very happy. I played well today. I was a little nervous at the last hole. I would like to thank my dad for being my caddie.”
Miss Yang will take out Australian citizenship papers before she is much older.
Catherine Cartwright, a little-known American playing in the tournament on an invitation, was awarded the Australian $120,000 first prize because the winner is an amateur.
Astonishingly, there were three amateurs among the top five finishers. Ya-Ni (call me “Ruby”) Tsen, from Taiwan but a resident of Hawaii, and San Diego-based UCLA student Tiffany Jo tied for third place on 276 with twice British women’s open amateur champion Louise Stahle from Sweden.
“I am just as good as Michelle Wie. I beat her last year in the US Public Links championship,” said the self-confident Ruby Tsen. “I hit the ball just as far as she does.”
Mhairi McKay birdied the first, third and ninth and had bogeys at the sixth and 16th in halves of 35 and 36. Her average drive of 236yd in the last round was her worst of the week. But she hit seven of 14 fairways (her best of the week), 13 of 18 greens in regulation and required 30 putts in her final round.
Kathryn Imrie birdied the third but bogeyed the fourth, fifth and 16th before birdieing the last two holes of 38 and 34.
Her average drive in the final round was only 229yd but she hit 12 of the 14 fairways, easily her best of the four rounds. Her approach play was not so hot. Kathryn hit only 11 of the 18 greens in regulation, which was her worst of the week but she took only 29 putts which was her best.
In comparison, Amy Yang drove the ball 250yd in her final round, compared with 276yd on the first day; hit eight of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens. She had 30 putts.
+Gillian Stewart, pictured right, from Inverness won the IBM European Open as an amateur in 1984. Gillian is back living in Inverness and gives golf lessons in the Highlands for a living.
+ Mhairi McKay won Australian $5,065 and Kathryn Imrie A$2,260
ANZ LADIES MASTERS
Royal Pines Resort, Queensland, Australia.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 72
275 Amy Yang (am) (Kor) 69 66 70 70, Catherine Cartwright (US) 70 67 70 68 (Yang won sudden-death play-off at first hole).
276 Ya-Ni Tsen (am) (Tai) 73 69 70 64, Louise Stahle (Swe) 72 68 68 68, Tiffany Jo (am) (US) 72 66 69 69.
277 Nikki Campbell (Aus) 75 67 67 78, Ludvine Kreutz (Fra) 69 70 67 71.
278 Tamie Durdin (Aus) 70 74 66 68, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 71 68 69 70.
279 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 70 69 72 68.
280 Hyun-Hee Moon (Kor) 76 68 70 66, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 70 69 72 69, Nadina Light (Aus) 73 69 69 69, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 71 72 68 69.
Other totals:
284 Mhairi McKay (Sco) 67 69 77 71, Rebecca Coakley (Ire) 70 72 71 71 (tied 25th).
285 Laura Davies (Eng) 73 73 70 69, Karrie Webb (Aus) 71 68 74 72 (tied 33rd).
288 Kathryn Imrie (Sco) 75 69 72 72 (tied 46th).

Saturday 4th February 2006

MHAIRI SLUMPS AS 16-YEAR-OLD AMY YANG CONTINUES TO LEAD ANZ LADIES MASTERS
Sixteen-year-old Korea-born amateur Amy Yang continues to lead the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort, Queensland but Mhairi McKay fell back with a 77 while Kathryn Imrie could not make any headway with a par 72.
Amy, who lives in Queensland with her dad while her mother teaches in Seoul, will take out Australian citizenship papers sooner rather than later. But she will be hailed as a local hero if she can maintain the lead through the fourth and final round.
Miss Yang, already the 2005 New Zealand women’s amateur champion and Queensland state title-winner also last year, had a 70 for a 54-hole total of nine-under-par 205.
She leads by one shot from Ludivine Kreutz (France) (67-206) while another amateur, Tiffany John is sharing third place on 207 with American compatriot Catherine Cartwright.
Mhairi is sharing 21st place with defending champion Karrie Webb (Australia) after a third-round 77 for three-under-par 213. Miss McKay bogeyed the third, ninth and 10th before a double-bogey marred her birdie-less card at the 13th. She also bogeyed the 17th.
It was a bad day for the Scot. She hit onlyl four of 14 fairways compared with five on the first day and six on the second. Mhairi hit only 11 greens in regulation and her putting figures have gone up steadily – 26 on Thursday, 30 and Friday, 32 on Saturday.
Kathryn Imrie birdied the ninth and 11th but couldn’t squeeze any more out of the closing holes. Instead she bogeyed the 13th and 18th in halves of 36. Kathryn’s putting stats so far have been 34, 30 and 31 in the third round. She is sharing 43rd place on level par 216 with Laura Davies.
LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 72
205 Amy Yang (am) (Kor) 69 66 70.
206 Ludivine Kretuz (Fra) 69 70 67.
207 Tiffany John (am) (US) 72 66 69, Catherine Cartwright (US) 70 67 70.
208 Louise Stahle (Swe) 72 68 68, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 71 68 69.
209 Nikki Campbell (US) 75 67 69.
210 Tamie Durdin(Aus) 70 74 66, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 70 71 69, Diana Luna (Ita) 67 73 70, Lynnette Brooky (Aus) 71 67 72.
Other totals:
211 Kristy S Taylor (Eng) 71 72 68 (joint 12th).
213 Rebecca Coakley (Ire) 70 72 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 71 68 74, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 67 69 77 (jt 21st).
216 Laura Davies (Eng) 73 73 70, Kathryn Imrie (Sco) 75 69 72 (jt 43rd).
++LOOK UP ALL THE SCORES AND STATISTICS ON http://www.alpgtour.com

RAMSAY’S SUB-PAR START TO NSW CHAMPIONSHIP
Richie Ramsay, pictured right, recorded his fifth straight sub-par round in Australia when he scored a three-under-par 69 in the first round of the New South Wales amateur championship over the Ryde-Parramatta course, Sydney today.
The Stirling University student and Royal Aberdeen Golf Club member finished joint seventh in the recent Lake Macquarie tournament with four sub-par rounds.
New South Wales player Won Jon Lee opened up a useful five-shot lead in the 72-hole tournament, from which the leading 32 will go on to the NSW match-play championship, with a course record round of 63 – four shots inside the old mark.
Won Jon Lee had 10 birdies and two bogeys.
Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs), pictured left, one of Richie Ramsay’s playing partners, had a 68 to be tied for second place with two Australians, John McMiles and Mitchell Tigue.
Walker Cup veteran Wolstenholme ran up a double bogey 5 at the treacherous par-3 17th He had earlier had six birdies and one bogey.
Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) is in joint 17th place with a par-matching 71.
Adam Gee from Leatherhead, Surrey, winner of the Lake Macquarie tournament, is back on 74 and will need to get nearer the 70 mark to be among the top 60 and ties who will contest the final 36 holes.
SCOREBOARD
LEADING FIRST ROUND
(Players from Australia unless stated)
Par 71
63 Won Jon Lee.
68 Gary Wolstenholme (Eng), John McMiles, Mitchell Tigue.
69 Richard Gallihan, Joshua de Groot, Richie Ramsay, Rohan Blizard, Matthew Jones.
71 Scott Jamieson (Sco), Joe Lyons (Ire).
73 Jamie Moul (Eng).
74 Adam Gee (Eng), Rob Harris (Eng).
75 Dan Seaman (Eng), Zack Gould (Wal).
76 Ben Westgate (Wal).
79 Llewellyn Matthews (Wal).

USGA Press Release
GEORGE “BUDDY” MARUCCI NAMED 2007 USA WALKER CUP CAPTAIN
Far Hills, N.J. – George “Buddy” Marucci, pictured right, a 53-year-old career amateur who was runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 1995 U.S. Amateur, has been chosen to be captain of the 2007 USA Walker Cup squad.
The next Walker Cup Match, a 10-man amateur team competition between the USA and a joint team from Great Britain and Ireland, will be played from Sept. 8-9 at Royal County Down in Newcastle, Ireland.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Marucci. “I have some big shoes to fill in following Bob Lewis (2005 USA captain).  It’s going to be a challenge, and I’m looking forward to it.”
The co-owner of Pennmark Auto Group, a company with four luxury car dealerships in the Philadelphia area, Marucci has qualified for 40 USGA championships, including 23 U.S. Amateurs.
As runner-up in the 1995 Amateur, he earned an invitation to play in the 1996 Masters. He continued to be one of the country’s top amateur players, and reached the quarterfinals of the 1996 Amateur later that year.  As a result, he was selected to consecutive USA Walker Cup teams, in 1995 and 1997. He has a combined record of 3-0 in foursomes (alternate shot) and 1-1-1 in singles.
A 1974 graduate of the University of Maryland, Marucci resides in Wayne, Pa.

Friday 3rd February 2006

GORDON SPRINTS FOUR CLEAR IN SPANISH SENIORS
Callander’s Gordon MacDonald, pictured right, surged four shots clear of the field in the first round of the Spanish senior open amateur golf championship at Costa Ballena Golf Club, Cadiz today.
Former senior tour pro MacDonald – he was reinstated into the amateur ranks a year past October –is the reigning Scottish senior open amateur title-holder.
Gordon shot a one-under-par 71 to establish a very useful lead over his international rivals.
Two Spaniards, Juan Ortin Funes and Eustaquio Delgado de Barrio are sharing second place on 75.
SPANISH SENIOR OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Costa Ballena GC, Cadiz
Leading first round scores
Par 72
71 G K MacDonald (Sco).
75 J Ortin Funes (Spa), E Delgado del Barrio (Spa).
76 A Vega (Spa).
77 P Ansell (Eng), H Neider (Ger), I Mason (Eng), D Martin (En).
78 R Gill (Sco), V Mandelli (Ita).
79 G Steel (Sco).
80 C Ginn (Eng).
81 D Stevenson(Eng), G Runnicles (Eng), A Haire (Eng), J Broadfoot (Sco), D Lane (Eng).
82 D Robinson (Eng0, P Horkan (Ire), R Clarke (Eng).
83 D Bryan (Eng), I Disney (Eng), M Appleyard (Eng).
84 P Flanagan (Ire), T Smith (Eng), J P O’Neill (Eng), C Moir (Eng).
85 I Hunter (Eng), S Lynch (Ire), J Marks (Eng), G Rees (Wal), D Townsend (Eng).

KATHRYN’S SIX-SHOT IMPROVEMENT IN ANZ LADIES MASTERS
Kathryn Imrie, pictured right, hit more fairways and greens and holed more putts to slash six shots off her opening-day effort with a three-under-par score of 69 in the second round of the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort, Queensland yesterday (Friday).
The Monifieth player made the halfway cut (three-under-par 147 or better) comfortably with a 36-hole tally of level par 144 and starts the third round in a share of 35th place behind the new leader, 16-year-old Korean-born amateur Amy Yang who shot a 66 for 135 and has played the first 36 holes without a bogey.
Amy, who attends school in Queensland – she lives with her father while her mother is a teacher in Seoul, already has a formidable golfing CV. Last year, at the age of 15, she won the New Zealand women’s open amateur title and also the Queensland state championship.
Mhairi McKay, joint overnight leader, slipped down to second place on her own with a 69 for 136.
Kathryn Imrie birdied the second, third, fifth and sixth in four-under 33 to the turn. She got to five under for the day with a birdie at the 10th but then dropped shots at the 12th and 16th.
Kathryn had 30 putts – four fewer than in the first round, and hit 15 of the 18 greens in regulation and nine of the 14 fairways from the tee.
Mhairi McKay, requiring 30 putts compared with 26 in her opening 67, started at the 10th and birdied the 11th, 14th, first, sixth and ninth in halves of 35 (par for the inward journey) and 34 (three under for the outward half).
The Glasgow-born player, who, like Miss Imrie, lost her LPGA playing rights at the end of the 2005 season,  bogeyed the 13th, 15th and 18th.
Catherine Cartwright (US) covered holes 10 to 18 in only 29 shots and her 67 put her into a share of third place on 167 with Australian Anne-Marie Knight.
Inverness-based Kiwi Liz McKinnon was not among the players who progressed with totals of three-over 147 or better.
Liz slumped from a 70 to a second-round 78 and did not have a single birdie in halves of 39. She bogeyed the eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 14th and 18th.
SCOREBOARD
LEADING QUALIFIERS
135 Amy Yang (am) (Kor) 69 66. (pictured right)
136 Mhairi McKay (Sco) 67 69.
137 Catherine Cartwright (US) 70 67, Anne-Marie Knight (Aus) 70 67.
138 Tiffany Joh (am) (US) 72 66, Lynette Brooky (NZ) 71 67.
139 Hee-Young Park (Kor) 74 65, Ludwine Kreutz (Fra) 69 70, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 71 68, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 70 69, Karrie Webb (Aus) 71 68, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 70 69.
140 Diana Luna (Ita) 67 73, Louise Stahle (Swe) 72 68, Ana B Sanchez (Spa) 71 69, Lindsey Wright (Aus) 72 68.
141 Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 70 71, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 71 70, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 71 70, Yun Jye Wei (Tai) 71 70.
Other qualifiers:
142 Rebecca Coakley (Ire) 70 72.
143 Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 71 72.
144 Kathryn Imrie (Sco) 75 69.
146 Laura Davies (Eng) 73 73.
NON-QUALIFIERS
148 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 78 70, Liz McKinnon (NZ) 70 78, Sarah Heath (Eng) 71 77.
150 Danielle Masters (Eng) 73 77.
152 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 77 75.
153 Nicola Moult (Eng) 75 78.

SGU SEND FIVE PLAYERS TO SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
The Scottish Golf Union, looking ahead to the Eisenhower Trophy world men’s team amateur championship in October, will send five players to compete in the South African open amateur championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club from March 5 to 11.
The Eisenhower Trophy is being played over the same course in October.
Scotland was one of 17 countries to accept an invitation from the South African Golf Association to send players to compete in its national championship with a view to familiarising themselves with the course and conditions.
In all 71 players from overseas countries will be exempt from the pre-qualifying stages.
The Scottish players who will fly to South Africa on February 27 are:
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), Jonathan King (Glasgow), George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw).
Walker Cup player Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), meantime competing in Australian events, is not available to make the reconnaissance trip to South Africa due to his Stirling University commitments.

JULIE OTTO TO CAPTAIN ENGLAND'S ESPIRITO SANTO TROPHY TEAM
ELGA will send an England team to this year’s Espirito Santo Trophy – the women’s world amateur team championship – for the first time since the inaugural event in 1964.
England won bronze in that first tournament and then, in subsequent years, joined forces with the other home countries in a GB&I team selected by the Ladies’ Golf Union.
But now, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will each again send their own team of three to the championship.
“This is a fantastic opportunity and it is a way of seeing where England stands in the world,” said Linda Bayman, ELGA’s performance director.
England’s preparations for the October tournament begin later this month when Bayman and a training squad of six players fly to South Africa for practice on the two host courses at Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.
Bayman cherishes hopes of a gold medal, based on England’s current high form and, in particular, twin triumphs in last year’s golf Olympics, the Spirit International amateur championship in Texas.
“We won the Spirit and this is a very similar form of tournament against the same kind of opposition. We are totally capable of holding our own and we deserve a crack at it,” she said.
Her optimism is shared by Suffolk’s Julie Otto who will captain the team. As Julie Wade and then Julie Hall she represented GB&I three times in the Espirito Santo and has two bronze medals. Success, says Otto – now assistant director of rules with the R&A – “is very possible.”
The training squad includes the two players who won double gold at The Spirit: Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) who topped ELGA’s 2005 order of merit, and English champion Felicity Johnson (Harborne). They are joined by Emma Duggleby (Malton & Norton) who has twice represented GB&I in the Espirito Santo; English girls’ champion Melissa Reid (Chevin) and internationals Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) and Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).
After four days learning the courses at Stellenbosch and De Zalze golf clubs the players will move on to the Fancourt Country Club at George for a week’s training alongside an English Golf Union squad.

Thursday 2nd February 2006

SCOTS TIE FOR SEVENTH PLACE IN SPAIN
Scottish senior open amateur golf champion Gordon MacDonald (Callander) and Alan Ferguson (Drumpellier) finished joint seventh in the Spanish senior open amateur international doubles championship at Costa Ballena Golf Club, Cadiz on Thursday.
MacDonald and Ferguson, well placed for a last-round challenge after an opening better-ball score of 71, slumped to a 77 as a greensomes pairing.
But the Scots' final total of 148 saw them finish only four shots behind the winners, Spain’s Luis Javier Trenor and Norway’s Bjorn Ronning who had scores of 70 and 74.
They won a play-off for the title after Italy’s Vanni Mandelli and Guida Vigna had also finished on 144 with rounds of 74 and 70.
SPANISH SENIOR OPEN AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Costa Ballena GC, Cadiz.
Leading totals
Par 72
144 L J Trenor (Spa) & B Ronning (Nor) 70 74, V Mandelli (Ita) & G Vigna (Ita) 74 70 (Trenor & Ronning won play-off).
145 G Runnicles (Eng) & A Wright (Eng) 75 70, A Herrero (Spa) & J Ortin (Spa) 72 73, D Lane (Eng) & I Mason (Eng) 71 74.
146 G Rees (Eng) & P Ansell (Eng) 70 76.
148 J Hindshaw (Eng) & S Lynch (Ire) 73 75, G MacDonald (Sco) & Alan Ferguson (Sco) 71 77.
Other totals:
150 R Gill (Sco) & D Stevenson (Eng) 73 77, M Appleyard (Eng) & D Wall (Ire) 75 75, J Marks (Eng) & C Ginn (Eng) 71 79, A Haire (Eng) & T Smith (Eng) 70 80, B Brown (Eng) & M Hays (Eng) 75 75, G Steel (Sco) & R Clarke (Eng) 73 77.
168 G Maguire (Sco) & R Stark (Sco) 82 86.
169 Alastair Ferguson (Sco) & D McAinsh (Sco) 80 89.
177 Dougie Watson (Sco) & P Van Panhuys (Net) 84 93.
178 A Stewart & J Shanks (Sco) 79 99.

TRICIA MANGAN SOON TO BE WED
Irish women's amateur champion Tricia Mangan (Ennis) is getting married shortly to Sean O'Donnell.

Golfsurgery.com Faldo Series Qualifiers Announced
2nd February 2006: The Faldo Series has once again teamed up with golfsurgery.com to bring seven free-to-enter golfsurgery.com Faldo Series Qualifiers, giving up to 700 young golfers nationwide the opportunity to qualify for the Faldo Series 2006 without paying a penny.
golfsurgery.com joined the Faldo Series as a major partner in 2005 and was instrumental in developing this unique opportunity along with the Faldo Series, which itself was awarded charitable status in 2004. The free golfsurgery.com Faldo Series Qualifiers were the first in a number of initiatives designed at making the event more accessible and helping to further assist in promoting the game nationwide. The events give golfers who have not been able to join in the past, for whatever reason, an additional opportunity to realise their golfing dreams.
There is one golfsurgery.com Faldo Series Qualifier in each of the Faldo Series’ regions and it is free to enter the 18 hole scratch strokeplay tournament with successful entrants divided into four age categories: U16 Boys (born 1990 or later), U18 Boys (born 1988 or 1989), U18 Girls (born in 1988 or later), Mixed U21 (born 1985 to 1987).
This means that golfers born in 1985 or later, with a handicap of 18 or less, now have the opportunity to make it straight into the Faldo Series 2006, one of the most prestigious competitions for young golfers in Europe, completely free of charge. Entry is strictly on a first come first served basis and is by email only via the Faldo websiteBy entering the golfsurgery.com Faldo Series Qualifiers you will also receive free membership to the golfsurgery.com website at www.golfsurgery.com where you will be able to access tips to improve your game.
The golfsurgery.com Faldo Series Qualifiers will visit the following golf clubs in 2006
The Oxfordshire - The Oxfordshire staged the Anderson Consulting World Championships of Golf in 1995, the Benson & Hedges International Open from 1996 to 1999, and more recently the The Mobile Cup.  It also played host to the English Men’s Amateur Strokeplay Championship (Brabazon Trophy) in 2005.  
Vale of Glamorgan – Staged a European Challenge Tour tournament in 2005 and will this year play host to an event on the European Seniors tour.  It has also staged numerous Wales and West PGA professional championships.  
Cookridge Hall - Home to a 6,788 yards par 72 golf course that was designed and constructed by key members of the team that built the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. It is arguably one of the most challenging and enjoyable courses in the North of England.
Heaton Park – Recently voted municipal golf course of 2005 by Golf Punk magazine. Designed by five times Open Champion J. H. Taylor it was opened to the public in 1912 and has been the host venue for many prestigious events, both professional and amateur.
Ramsdale Park – Set in the heart of Robin Hood country it has two of the finest golf courses in Nottinghamshire.
Hoebridge – Home to a 6,536 yards par 72 championship golf course providing an interesting and challenging layout.
Westerwood – This championship course designed by Seve Ballesteros and Dave Thomas offers the supreme golfing challenge.  The British Amputee Golf Open was held at The Westerwood in 2003.  It will also host the Scottish Amputee Open Golf Championship in 2006.
For further information and access to application forms, visit the website at www.nickfaldo.com (click on ‘Series’)

SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, IRELAND AND WALES DID CONTEST FIRST ESPIRITO SANTO TROPHY
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
I should have known better! I have been long enough in the game of golf writing to know better than make dogmatic statements – especially on www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk – that this year’s Espirito Santo Trophy (women’s world amateur championship) at Stellenbosch Golf Club, South Africa in October would be the first in which Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales would be represented by their own teams instead of one, chosen by the Ladies Golf Union selection committee, and playing under the banner of “Great Britain & Ireland.”
Paul Gorry from Ireland quickly put me right by pointing out that the very first Espirito Santo Trophy tournament had a field which did include a Scotland team, an England team, an Ireland team and a Welsh team … but not one from Great Britain and Ireland.
Paul went on to relate the Ireland team.
Claire Lilley, the English Ladies Golf Association training manager, then chipped in with the names of the England team in 1964.
Then my website “boss,” Gillian Kirkwood herself, remembered that among her collection of golfing literature from yesteryear she had a four-page spread from “Fairway and Hazard,” dated November 1964 and listing all the teams and final totals for the very first women’s world amateur team championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy at St Germain Golf Club, Paris.
Gillian has also passed on to me some more accounts from her files which reveal that there was considerable controversy behind the scenes at hierarchy level in those days about this and other tournaments that were springing up.
Read on to the end of this message to find out more about that.
FINAL ESPIRITO SANTO TROPHY TOTALS FROM INAUGURAL TOURNAMENT, ST GERMAIN, PARIS, 1964
588 France (B Varangot, C. Lacoste, C. Cros).
589 United States (C Sorenson, B McIntire, B. Fay White)
591 England (Bridget Jackson, Marley Spearman, Ruth Porter).
606 Canada.
613 Australia.
616 New Zealand, Sweden.
621 Germany.
624 Scotland (Joan Lawrence, M Roberts, Belle Robertson), Mexico.
626 Belgium.
627 South Africa.
634 Wales (N Wright, P Roberts, M Oliver).
637 Ireland (Zelie Fallon, Elizabeth Barnett, Ita Burke)
641 Italy, Holland, Phillipines.
645 Chile
649 Japan.
658 Argentina.
663 Spain.
668 Portugal.
682 Denmark.
689 Bermuda.
713 Austria.
Paul Gorry was able to identify the Ireland team members as Elizabeth Barmett, Ita Burke (now Butler) and Zelie Fallon (now Gaynor).
No problem with the identification of two of the Scotland team of 1964 – Joan Lawrence and Belle Robertson. But who was the M Roberts?
Gillian Kirkwood dug a bit deeper to find out that she was Mrs M Roberts and her home club was St George’s Hill, Surrey.
From the R&A Golfer’s Handbook, I learned that Mrs Roberts’ maiden name was Brown and that she must have made her international debut in 1964 women’s world amateur championship because the only other international entry opposite her name is for the women’s home internationals of 1965.
If you can add some depth to the shadowy figure of “Mrs M Roberts,” please E-mail Gillian Kirkwood.
Now comes more information from “Fairway and Hazard,” this time an article by E Douglas Caird from the December 1964 issue:
INTERNATIONAL MATCHES
The Ladies Golf Union and the bodies representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales individually have quite a problem to discuss in the near future in relation to international golf events
At present we have four biennial tournaments and one that takes place every four years. While the authorities show their anxiety to provide all the potential international women golfers with as many opportunities for experience as possible their activities are necessarily limited by finance.
The Curtis Cup presents no real difficulty for it is covered by the International Match Fund and aided by the generosity of the Golf Society of Great Britain. Now the Women's World Team Championship has
been well and truly founded and in 1966 will be played in Mexico. The Royal and Ancient has decreed that a team representing Great Britain and Ireland, as in the Eisenhower Trophy Match for men, will be selected instead of the four home countries sending individual teams.
Disappointing though this may be for the respective countries, it means again that the International Match Fund will be responsible for the finance.
Then there is the European Team Championship in July to be played in Holland. The question is whether the countries of Europe will want to take part in this as well as the World Team Championship.
The Continental countries also have financial problems of their own. Finally there is the Vagliano Trophy match between Great Britain and the Continent of Europe to be played in Germany in September. That is a ten-a-side affair and will be contested by many of the players who will be playing in the other events.
It is a costly tournament. The question arises whether the authorities should not get together and discuss some sort of streamlining. One must remember that after all these tournaments the LGU has to put quite a considerable sum of money into reserve for the Commonwealth Tournament. Here again the players, a certain number of whom will be meeting in Mexico in 1966. While we all want to provide ample opportunities for international contests, there must some day be a limit.
There was also a letter from a concerned reader wondering how the National Organisations would cope with the additional expense.
The February1965 edition has a reply from the chairman of the LGU (Eileen Shutt):
"The World Golf Council has ruled that in future only one team representing Great Britain and Ireland will be acceptable to compete in the Women's World Team Championship, on the other hand, the European Federation of Golf has stated that it will accept entries from the four individual countries on the Union and not a GB&I team."
She went on to appeal for extra effort to raise money for the International Match Fund.

MHAIRI SHARES LEAD IN ANZ LADIES MASTERS
GLASGOW’S Mhairi McKay squeezed five birdies into a seven-hole purple patch on her way to sharing the lead on seven-under-par 67 at the end of the first round in the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort, Queensland today (Thursday).
Marie birdied the third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth to turn in five-under 31. When she added birdies a the short 14th and long 15th, the Scot was clear of the field of 148 – but bogeys at the short 16th and 18th saw her caught by Diana Luna from Italy.
Miss McKay had 26 putts which was just as well as she hit only five out of 14 fairways and 13 out of 18 greens in regulations. She averaged 254.5yards with her drives.
Luna, who had 27 putts and hit 15 out of the 18 greens in regulation, birdied the third, fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth and was also out in 32. Coming home, the Italian bogeyed the 10th, birdied the 15th and 17th but also bogeyed the testing last hole.
Inverness-based New Zealander Liz McKinnon returned to something like her best form with a two-under-par 70. Liz birdied the fifth, sixth and seventh but bogeyed the eighth before birdying the ninth to be out in three-under 34.
Mrs McKinnon, married to a Scot, bogeyed the 14th, birdied the 17th and bogeyed the 18th for 36 home. Liz had 29 putts and hit 13 of the 14 fairways.
Defending champion Karrie Webb (Australia) had a 71.
Kathryn Imrie from Dundee was back in a share of 88th placed after a disappointing round of 75. She was heading for a par score until she bogeyed the 14th, 15th and 16th.
Earlier Kathryn had bogeyed the eighth to be out in one-over 38. Her only birdie came at the 10th. She had 34 putts and hit only six of 14 fairways.
SCOREBOARD
ANZ LADIES MASTERS
Royal Pines Resort, Queensland, Australia.
Leading first round scores
Par 72
67 Mhairi McKay (Sco), Diana Luna (Ita).
68 Jenni Kuosa (Fin).
69 Mianne Bagger (Den), Eun-Hee Ji (Kor), Amy Yang (am) (Kor), Tullia Calzavara (Ita), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra).
70 Heidi McCulkin (Aus), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Tamie Durdin (Aust), Rebecca Coakley (Ire), Loraine Lambert (Aus), Maria Hjorth (Swe), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Anne-Marie Knight (Aust), Catherine Cartwright (US), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Nina Karlsson (Swe)k Liz McKinnon (NZ), Sophie Sandolo (Ita), Dana Lacey (Aus), Helen Beatty (Aus).
Other scores:
71 Sarah Heath (Eng), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), Karrie Webb (Aus).
73 Danielle Masters (Eng), Laura Davies (Eng).
75 Kathryn Imrie (Sco).
77 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal).

R&A Press Release
CHANGES TO ENTRY CONDITIONS FOR THE 2006 AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
The entry form for The Amateur Championship, issued by The R&A, includes a number of significant changes to the exemption categories and also to the dates.
The Championship will be played at Royal St George's and Prince's from 19-24 June, two weeks later than normal. After careful examination of amateur golf calendars throughout the world these dates have been chosen to permit more college players, particularly those playing in the NCAA Division 1 Finals in the U.S, to compete in the Amateur.
In the entry form, exemptions have been extended to the winners of 55 worldwide amateur tournaments that have been listed after an 18 month study to identify the world's top amateur tournaments based on strength of field.
 Two other significant exemptions are for the winners of the Boys Amateur Championship and the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
An entrant satisfying any of the exemption categories will be allocated a place in the starting field, irrespective of handicap whereas all non-exempt players must have an exact handicap that does not exceed 0.0.
"We spent a considerable time considering the amendments to The Amateur entry conditions in order to accommodate players around the world," said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.
"It is important that the Amateur Championship attracts the best possible field and with the change of date we believe it will now be possible for more overseas players to enter. Furthermore, the new exemptions will ensure that many of the world’s top amateurs will be guaranteed a place in the starting field of 288 and can therefore finalise their travel and accommodation arrangements for St George’s in June."
The entry form for The 2006 Amateur Championship can be viewed and downloaded at www.randa.org.

Irish match cancelled
The popular friendly match for the McKenna Trophy between Irish Seniors and Scottish Vets will not take place this year. The Irish Senior Ladies Golf Association has given control of international fixtures and national events to the ILGU and the newly named "Senior Womens Golf Society" replaces the ISLGA. The Society is now not in a position to organise the match. A spokesperson for the Society said "We will miss our get-together, but feel we must follow the correct proceedures in the interests of Senior Golf and its progress in Ireland."
Let's hope that the match can be resurrected next year.

Espirito Santo Tournament
An Irish reader of kirkwoodgolf - Paul Gorry - has spotted a flaw in Colin Farquharson's article earlier this week about the Espirito Santo Trophy, to be played in South Africa in October, being the first in which the four home countries will be able to field their own team instead of having players selected to play under the Great Britain & Ireland banner.
Paul writes:
" 2006 will not be the first time that England, Ireland,  Scotland & Wales will compete separately in the Espirito Santo Trophy.  They did so in the initial year, 1964.  The first GB&I team was in 1966. 
"The Irish team in 1964 consisted of Elizabeth Barnett, Ita Burke (now Butler) and Zelie Fallon (now Gaynor)."
Note from Colin Farquharson.
I stand corrected. The International Golf Federation website's historical records do not list all the teams that took part in the first Espirito Santo Trophy tournament in 1964 so I cannot be certain that England, Scotland and Wales, as well as Ireland took part.
It's very likely but is there anyone out there who can recall any players who were members of the England, Scotland and Wales teams in the Espirito Santo Trophy of 1964.
Please get in touch if you can help.

Missing Person
Dr Sergio Zambrana of Brazil writes:-
" please I'm trying to find a friend, I loose her and her family when they move from Hong Kong, her name is Eleana Collins (Eleana Ayala her family name), she was born in Cuzco - Peru, she used to play tenis and golf,
probably you can find her and give my e-mail. I need to get in contact. thanks"
If anyone knows her, I can supply Dr Zambrana's email address. Email Gill

Harry at nine weeks
Eyes Open	Hello!	Stop tickling me!

Wednesday 1st February 2006

US College Golf
ALEJANDRO CRASHES AT LAST HOLE AND THEN LOSES PING ARIZONA PLAY-OFF
Spaniard Alejandro Canizares won’t forget the par-5 18th hole on the Arizona National Golf club course in a hurry!
Canizares, Arizona State Universities top player, looked all set for victory with one hole to play in the three-round Ping Arizona Intercollegiate championship which signalled the start of the second half of the United States men’s college golf circuit earlier this week.
Needing to finish with a par-5 to score a prestigious individual victory by the comfortable margin of three strokes, Alejandro inexplicably crashed to a triple bogey 8 and finished up playing a three-man play-off against Henry Liaw (Arizona) and Matt Mills (Texas).
Mills was eliminated after two holes of the sudden-death shoot-out. Liaw beat Canizares at the fourth extra hole with an eagle.
Alejandro had birdied the 18th in the first and second rounds.
Liaw birdied the 14th and 16th, bogeyed the 17th and then birdied the 18th to tie with Canizares over the 54-holes.
Mills birdied the last to make it a three-way play-off.
Brigham Young won the team title by nine shots from Arizona State and Arizona who tied for second place.
LEADING SCOREBOARD PLACES
Par 71 (6,783yd).
204 Henry Liaw (Arizona) 67 68 69; Alejandro Canizares (Arizona State) 67 66 71; Matt Mills (Texas) 71 65 68 (Liaw won play-off at fourth extra hole).
205 Jake Ellison (Brigham Young) 71 65 69.
TEAM
834 Brigham Young.
843 Arizona State, Arizona.
848 New Mexico.
850 Pepperdine, Tulsa.

SCOTS PAIR UP WITH LEADERS IN SPAIN
The Scottish pairing of Gordon MacDonald (Callander) and Alan Ferguson (Drumpellier) were in joint fourth position – one shot off the lead – at the halfway stages of the Spanish senior double men’s amateur golf international championship at Costa Ballena Golf Club today (WED).
MacDonald, winner of the Scottish senior open amateur title last year, and Ferguson had a score of one-under-par 71 in the first day’s better-ball format.
Gordon is a reinstated amateur. He turned pro when he was 50 to have a go at getting on the European seniors' professional tour. He was reinstated as an amateur a year past last October. He has been Callander Golf Club champion 17 times over the last three decades.
The field of 69 pairings will play the second and final round as a greensome.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
SPANISH SENIOR DOUBLE MEN’S AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Costa Ballena Golf Club,  Cadiz.
LEADING FIRST ROUND ROUND SCORES
Par 72
70 A Haire & T Smith (Eng), G Rees & P Ansell (Eng), L J Suarez & B Ronning (Spa).
71 G MacDonald & Alan Ferguson (Sco), D Lane & I Mason (Eng), J Marks & C Ginn (Eng).
Other scores:
73 R Gill (Sco) & D Stevenson (Eng), G Steel (Sco) & R Clark (Eng).
79 A Stewart (Sco) & J Shanks (Sco).
80 Alastair Ferguson & D McAinsh (Sco).
82 G Maguire & R Stark.
84 D Watson (Sco) & P Van Panhuys (Net).

ELGA Press Release
ELGA launches online competition entry
ELGA has today launched online entry for all its 2006 English championships on its website www.englishladiesgolf.org
Competitors can now enter events and pay their fees, via a secure Paypal account, at the click of a mouse. They may also opt to pay by cheque.
Clare Tyler, ELGA’s marketing, press and PR officer, said: “This new service will make it easier for players to enter our championships. We are very keen to use technology to move the association forward and this will reduce paperwork and increase efficiency.”
Online entry is available for eight tournaments: Senior Ladies' English Close Amateur Championship, English Ladies' Close Amateur Championship, Senior Ladies' English Close Amateur Stroke Play Championship, English Ladies' Close Amateur Stroke Play Championship, English Girls' Close Amateur Championship, English Girls' Under 15 Championship, English Girls' Under 13 Championship and the English Ladies' Open Mid-Amateur Championship.
Paper entry forms will continue to be available from the ELGA office at Edgbaston Golf Club, Church Road, Birmingham B15 3TB, telephone 0121 456 2088.

Highland Spring Natural Mineral Water refreshes the Golf Foundation
Children taking part in many Golf Foundation activities will enjoy healthy refreshment throughout 2006, thanks to a renewed sponsorship deal with Highland Spring Natural Mineral Water.
The Scottish-based international company will supply Highland Spring Natural Mineral Water for Kids at a range of the charity’s events, including the qualifiers and finals of the Golf Foundation Junior Championships, activities at the R&A Junior Golf Centre at this year’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, the British Golf Industry Association’s Golf Day at Frilford Heath and a total of 22 Tri-Golf fun-days that make up the Golf Foundation’s Festival Fortnight in March.
The new agreement has been made following a similar, successful arrangement in 2005. During Open Championship week at St Andrews last July and the final rounds of the Foundation’s Junior Championships at Forest of Arden in August, the temperature was particularly hot and a great many youngsters benefited from the bottles of Highland Spring Natural Mineral Water the Golf Foundation team was able to distribute.
This joint commitment to keeping golfing children refreshed extends to the Golf Foundation’s year-round activities in taking golf into schools and public festivals and sports events. With an estimated 300,000 children now taking part in the Golf Foundation’s Tri-Golf initiative and 500,000 children in total coming into contact with the Foundation, support from an internationally respected health-drink company like this is hugely appreciated.
Brendon Pyle, Development Manager for the Golf Foundation, said: “Highland Spring Natural Mineral Water for Kids is very much appreciated by the various partners of the Golf Foundation, such as schools and local authorities, because it provides a healthy source of refreshment to pupils and a positive message about the link between health, hydration and physical activity.”
* For more information see www.highland-spring.com and www.golf-foundation.org

ELGA Press Release
Parent power backs England golfers
Parent power has been called into play by ELGA to help push on England’s leading golfers.
Mums and dads have been given an insight into their daughters’ training programmes and the importance of their fitness regimes and diet.
Parents got close to the action when they were invited, for the first time, to attend workshops for players in ELGA’s Team England squads.
Linda Bayman, ELGA’s performance director, said: “It was very successful and I think parents found it very useful.”
The one-day workshops were held at four locations: Bath University, Loughborough University, the National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey and the English Institute of Sport at Sheffield.
Each workshop included fitness work for the players, information on nutrition and hydration and a session on anti-doping. Rules seminars were held for the girls – two of which were taken by Julie Otto, assistant director of rules with the R&A – while parents spent time with Pat Smillie, ELGA’s national junior coach and Lynn Booth, ELGA’s head physiotherapist.
ELGA is part of the England Golf Partnership, together with the English Golf Union and the PGA, with the support of the Golf Foundation and Sport England. The partnership’s Whole Sport Plan aims to make England the leading golf nation in the world by 2020.