Ladies' amateur golf has changed

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for the better, says coach Craggs

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE

By MARTIN DEMPSTER

The latest staging of the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies' Open Stroke Play Championship at Troon provided conclusive proof the face of ladies' golf has been changed for good.
And, without wanting to cause any offence to the players who did their bit for the Scottish game over the years – Belle Robertson in particular springs to mind – it's certainly a change for the better.

My first real experience of women's amateur Golf came more than 20 years ago. I was a junior reporter on my local newspaper in Berwickshire and one of our readers, Gay Buchanan from Eyemouth – the sister of former Kenyan Open winner Craig Maltman – qualified to represent Scotland in the (now defunct] Ford Women's Home Internationals at Royal Lytham.

I went down to Lancashire to caddie for her and recall the journey well, due to the fact it took us a lot longer than it should have because we initially ended up in Stockport instead of Southport. George Will, who played in three Ryder Cups in the 1960s, captained the Scottish team that week and, to this day, it remains one of the many marvellous experiences golf has provided me over the years due mainly to the friendly nature of everyone involved.

All the players who took part in that event were – and I sincerely hope I don't upset anyone with this recollection – a fair bit older than me and, at the time, I didn't give it a thought.

Catriona Lambert, as she was at the time, was probably the first younger woman I really came across on a golf course yet even the current Ricoh Women's British Open champion would surely be surprised to see so many players under the age of 18 in the field for the Helen Holm event played over Troon Portland and, for the final day, Royal Troon.

Kevin Craggs, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, the national coach of the Scottish Ladies Golf Association, believes the women's game is making great progress.

"It is becoming attractive to watch," he said, "and, while the cynics out there may have said in the past that it was a case of 'all gear and no idea', now it's 'all gear and a bloody good idea'."

That is definitely the case with the 15-year-old Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa, from Ireland. They played in a professional event at the age of 12 and Shane O'Grady, their coach, remarked at the time: "I've never coached anyone that good at that age. They are exceptionally good. They have the maturity of 17-year-old boys."

A year after finishing first and third, the Maguires tied for sixth on this occasion in the Helen Holm and look to have exciting futures ahead of them.

Scotland also has some promising young talent coming through, the likes of Kelsey MacDonald, Louise Kenney and Pamela Pretswell having good reason to be looking over their shoulders at the progress being made younger players such as Rachael Watton, Alyson McKechin, Gabrielle MacDonald, Ailsa Summers and Lesley Atkins.

Watch out for some of them being in the frame when the Curtis Cup comes to Nairn in 2012.

"For so long Scotland has prided itself on tradition but the wheel is finally turning," added Craggs, who has worked with the SLGA for the past four years and was delighted to see both Carly Booth and Kylie Walker show they had games that were good enough to earn Ladies European Tour cards this season.

"People still understand the values of tradition but they are also seeing the importance of progression and that's a big thing for me."

Strength and conditioning work as well as nutrition is also playing a far bigger role.

"The days of women's golf being a game where they tickled it up the middle and relied on being good pitch and putters to make their score are gone," said Craggs. "They are ball strikers who can shift the ball a fair distance off the tee."

Over the years we have often heard women golfers being criticised for lacking creativity with their shots but, on Sunday, we saw players showing wonderful imagination as they produced a variety of shots on an Open Championship course.

"I'm really excited about the direction women's golf is heading," continued Craggs, "and, when we were lucky enough to have Catriona Matthew with us on a training trip to Spain, she said a wonderful thing that was a compliment to the players. She told them that when she first went on the Tour she had to learn her apprenticeship but nowadays she believes the top amateurs have the tools to do well straight away in the professional game, something that's been proved by the likes of Anna Nordqvist."

Damp start for last round of 'Helen Holm'

over Royal Troon links

The third and final round of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke play championship looked like being played in miserable conditions.
The first players, Westhill's Samantha Leslie and Bronwyn Davies (Trentham), set out at 7.30am in a steady drizzle with no sign of the sun being able to break through on a grey, overcast day.
The leading trio - Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 138 (-12), Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 138 (-12) and Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 141 (-9), were due to set off together at 11.10am.
The second last threesomes at 11am were the defending champion, 15-year-old Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 144 (-6), Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 144 (-6) and Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) (145 (-5).
The Ladies Golf Union selection committee meet this evening to select the Great Britain & Ireland team of eight for the Curtis Cup match against the United States at Essex County Club, Massachusetts in mid-June.
It will be announced on Monday afternoon.

Phil, she will be 99 in August, at the Troon Ladies clubhouse

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Phil Wylie, the oldest surviving Curtis Cup player on either side of the Atlantic, pictured above at the Ladies Golf Club Troon clubhouse on Saturday (by Cal Carson Golf Agency).
She was not able to get out on to the course on the second day of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship but enjoyed sitting in the clubhouse with her carer, Marion McLarty, whose husband is a Royal Troon GC member.
"I'm feeling fine but the arthritis in my legs and ankles means I can't get around," said Phil who will be 99 years old in August.
"I enjoyed the past Curtis Cup players' evening at the last Curtis Cup at St Andrews in 2008 ... but I don't know if I'll make it to the next Curtis Cup in this country (Nairn in 2012)."
Of course you will, Phil.
She lives only a few doors down from the ladies' clubhouse at Troon, just across the road from the short 17th on the Royal Troon links.

HELEN HOLM SCOTTISH OPEN STROKE-PLAY

Nikki Foster (Pleasington) and Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) right, in action at Troon Portland today (images by Cal Carson Golf Agency; click on them to enlarge).

Louise Kenney and Nikki Foster still locked together

in the lead after a Round 2 fluctuation of fortunes

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
updating as it happens at Troon Portland
Dunfermline schoolteacher Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) and Lancashire teenager Nikki Foster (Pleasington) started the second round of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship locked together in the lead at eight-under-par 67.
They were still inseparable after the second round at Troon Portland today, both players returning four-under-par 71s for 138.
But these bare figures don't tell the story of the fluctation in fortunes that went on between the joint leaders over today's 18 holes.
Foster,went four shots clear of the field on her own after nine holes of the second round.
But she let her big advantage slip away with bogeys at two short holes, the 14th and the 16th, and she required a birdie at the long 18th to come home in one-over-par 38 for a 71.
That gave the Lancashire girls champion a two-round total of 12 under par 138.
Nikki had surged to the turn in five under par 33 to be 13 under par for 27 holes of the 54 hole tournament, of which the third and last round will be played over the testing Royal Troon links on Sunday.
Louise Kenney picked up a shot on par by covering the first nine holes today in 37 but, at minus nine overall, she was four shots adrift of the English pacemaker.
However, the Fifer slashed the deficit to two shots with birdies at the short 10th and long 12th.
and continued to make up the leeway over the closing holes to finish the day on 71 for 138 and a share of the pole position overnight once again. Louise birdied the 13th, bogeyed the 14th but birdied the long 15th on her way to three-under-par 34 for the homeward journey.
Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), who returned a first-day 70 despite suffering what she thought was a bout of food poisoning on Thursday night, felt a lot better today - but did not score so well ... but a four-under-par 71 for a 36-hole tally of 141 was only three shots behind the two pacemakers.
Danielle, winner of the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Aberdeen last season, took 39 shots to the turn - one over par - with bogeys at the third and short fourth wiping out a birdie at the long second. But the Ulster six-footer, a student at Maynooth University near Dublin, came rattling home in five-under-par 32 despite starting back with a bogey at the short 10th.
Danielle birdied the long 11th, had an eagle 3 at the long 12th, birdied the par-4 13th and 17th and then finished off her round in style with a birdie 4 at the long 18th. She covered her last eight holes in six under par.
Scottish teenager Alyson McKechin had an excellent round of five-under 70, eight shots better than her first-round effort. The Elderslie player birdied the long first and the par-4 fifth and had an eagle 3 at the long sixth and a 2 at the short eighth to reach the turn in five-under-par 33. She dropped her first shot at the 11th but got another 2 at the short 16th to come home in level par 37 for a 70 and a 36-hole tally of 148, the same mark.
Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) was another to hit the 70 mark, which represented an improvement of 11 shots on her first round to put her on 151 alongside Curtis Cup team contenders Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) (75-76), Amy Boulden (Maesdu) (77-74), Welsh champion Tara Davies (Holyhead) (77-74), former Scottish Under-21 champion Kelly Brotherton (Troon Welbeck) (75-76) and Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) (79-72).
Defending champion Leona Maguire, the 15-year-old twin from the Slieve Russell club in Ireland, was sharing fourth place with another member of the Curtis Cup preliminary squad, England's Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton). Maguire couldn't match her first-day 69, slipping back to a level par 75 for 144 while Jennings has so far reeled off a pair of 72s.
Leona's talented twin Lisa, officially placed third in this tournament last year, goes into the final round in joint sixth place on 145 after a 71. Also on this mark are former English champion Hannah Barwood (Knowle) (74-71), Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) (76-69) and Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale), twice beaten in the final of the British girls championship. Kelly has scored 72-73 so far.
Charlotte Ellis is the only player to break 70 today after three players did so on Friday.
Jane Turner (Craigielaw) is the second Scot on the leaderboard after international team-mate Louise Kenney. The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen student improved by two shots with a72 for 146, the same tally as young Lauren Taylor (Woburn) (75-71) and Emma Brown (71-75), winner of this title as Emma Duggleby in 2004 before she decided prematurely to stand down from international team golf.
Curtis Cup team contender and twice Scottish Under-21 champion Kelsey MacDonald was undone by the short 16th for the second day in a row. It cost her a double bogey 5 with four putts in a first-round 80 and it cost her a double bogey 5 again in what was a nightmare inward half of four-over-par 41 for the Nairn Dunbar member and Stirling University student.
Kelsey, out in one-over 39, bogeyed the long 15th, double-bogey the short 16th and bogeyed the 17th - four shots shed over three of the finishing holes. MacDonald finished the day with an 80 for 153. Last year Kelsey was runner-up to Leona Maguire and her winter form has been outstanding, including winning the R&A Foundation Scholars' Tournament at St Andrews.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Both rounds at Troon Portland
Par 150 (2x75)
CSS 76 76
138 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 67 71, Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 67 71.
141 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 70 71.
144 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 69 75, Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 72 72.
145 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 74 71, Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 74 71, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 76 69, Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 72 73.
146 Lauren Taylor (Woburn) 75 71, Emma Brown (Malton & North) 71 75, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 74 72.
147 Lucy Williams (Mid Herts) 70 77, Anjelika Hammar (Sweden) 76 71, Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 72 75.
148 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 78 70, Sian James (Bristol & Clifton) 75 73, Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 76 72.
149 Naomi Edwards (Ganton) 73 76, Laura Murray (Alford) 75 74, Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 75 74
150 Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park) 74 76, Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 77 73, Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt) 76 74, Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall) 75 75.
151 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 75 76, Kelly Brotherton (Troon Welbeck) 75 76, Tara Davies (Holyhead) 77 74, Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) 81 70, Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 79 72, Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 77 74, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) 77 74.
152 Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) 76 76, Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 75 77.
153 Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 79 74, Charlotte Wild (Mere) 74 79, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 73 80.
154 Karen O'Neill (Douglas) 81 73, Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) 78 76, Becky Harries (Haverfordwest) 78 76.
155 Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) 76 79, Stephanie McEvoy (Old Fold Manor) 76 79, Rachael Taylor (Hartl Golf Resort, Germany) 79 76, Rebecca Wilson (Grange) 77 78, Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 81 74, Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) 79 76, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 78 77, Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) 77 78.
156 Emma Sheffield (Newark) 77 79, Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham) 79 77, Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 76 80, Rebecca Gee (Wellingborough) 81 75, Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 78 78, Susan Jackson (Ladybank) 77 79, Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) 80 76.
157 Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) 81 76.
158 Josephine Janson (Sweden) 79 79, Sarah Garbutt (Ganton) 77 81.
159 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 82 77.
160 Rachel Hanlon (St Regulus) 79 81, Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 80 80.
161 Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 80 81.
162 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) 82 80, Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 83 79.
164 Lesley Atkins (Minto) 82 82, Ciara Butler (Newlands) 84 80.
166 Bronwyn Davies (Trentham) 81 85.
167 Samantha Leslie (Westhill) 86 81.

TEAM EVENT
285 IRELAND (D McVeigh 70 71, Leona Maguire 69 75).

289 SCOTLAND (L Kenney 67 71, P Pretswell 75 76).
298 ENGLAND (H Barwood 74 71, H Clyburn 79 74).
302 WALES (T Davie 77 74, A Boulden 77 74).

WHEN TO SEE THE ACTION AT ROYAL TROON ON SUNDAY

07.30 Samantha Leslie (Westhill), Bronwyn Davies (Trentham).

07.40 Lesley atkins (Gullane), Ciara Butler (Newlands), Anne Laing (Vale of Leven).

07.50 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), Lucy Simpson (Masserene), Rachel Hanlon (St Regulus).

08.00 Ann F Ramsay (Kirriemuir), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone), Sara Garbutt (Ganton),

08.10 Josephine Janson (Sweden), Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush), Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor).

08.20 Emma Sheffield (Newark), Susan Jackson (Ladybank), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey).

08.30 Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham), Hannah Grant (Enmore Park), Rebecca Gee (Wellingborough).

08.40 Gabriella MacDonald (Craigielaw), Stephanie McEvoy (Old Ford Manor), Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush).

08.50 Rebecca Wilson, Megan Briggs, Rachael Taylor.

09.00 Louise Mernagh, Sarah Cunningham, Becky Harries.

09.10 Charlie Douglass, Karen O'Neill, Kelsey MacDonald.

09.20 Charlotte Wild, Holly Clyburn, Eilidh Briggs.

09.30 Rachael McQueen, Kelly Brotherton, Pamela Pretswell.

09.40 Amy Boulden, Tara Davies, Jess Wilcox.

09.50 Samantha Birks, Clare-0Marie Carlton, Charlotte Dalton.

10.00 Lisa Ball, Laura Collin, Aedin Murphy.

10.10 Naomi Edards, Laura Murray, Rachael Watton.

10.20 Sian James, Gemma Bradbury, Alyson McKechin.

10.30 Lucy Williams, Gillian O'Leary, Anjelika Hammar.

10.40 Emma Brown, Jane Turner, Lauren Taylor.

10.50 Kelly Tidy, Hannah Barwood, Lisa Maguire.

11.00 Charlotte Ellis, Leona Maguire, Rachel Jennings.

11.10 Danielle McVeigh, Nikki Foster, Louise Kenney.

NO HELEN HOLM 36-HOLE CUT AS ENTRY DROPS TO 68

Louise Kenney (left) and Nikki Foster (right). Images taken by Cal Carson Golf Agency at Troon today.

Nikki Foster and Louise Kenney share first-round

lead on eight-under-par 67

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Dunfermline teacher Louise Kenney and Lancashire lass Nikki Foster surged two shots clear of the field to share the overnight lead on eight-under-par 67 after the first round of the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Troon Portland links, Ayrshire today (Friday).
On an overcast day with a chilly wind blowing off and on, 27-year-old Louise and 18-year-old Nikki generated the most heat with their eagle-birdie blitz of the course which has a generous par of 75 off the LGU tees.
“That was just the start I was praying for,” said Kenney who is a member of the short leet for the GB&I Curtis Cup team to play the United States at Essex County Club, Massachusetts in June.
“I don’t know where that round came from! I wasn’t that brilliant in my practice rounds but it all fell into place today, just when I needed it. I was so steady. Eight under par is my best ever score, anywhere, anytime.
“I felt so relaxed after I pitched and putted for a birdie 4 after going through the back at the first hole. I was just hitting my approach shots so close. I only had one bogey – three putts at the fifth – but that was the exception.”
Kenney birdied the long first, the third, the short fourth, the long sixth and the long ninth to turn in four-under-par 34. The Fifer from the Pitreavie club, who spent four years on the American college golf circuit as a student at Iowa State University, carried on shooting the lights out after the turn. She got a 2 at the short 10th and a 4 at the long 11th, and birdies at two more long holes, the 15th and 18th.”
Nikki Foster, on the other hand, is not in the preliminary Curtis Cup squad named by the LGU selection committee as a guide several months ago …. “but winning this tournament might change things,” said the 18-year-old full-time amateur with a smile.
The last time she was in Scotland was as a member of the England team in the women’s home internationals at Irvine last September.
“I’ve never played in the Helen Holm before so obviously my only experience of Troon Portland was in practice but I love the links courses in Lancashire and now I have to say in Ayrshire.”
Nikki, whose father-caddie Trevor played 108 times for Lancashire, is that county’s girls champion.
“I struck the ball well and I putted really well and that was it. I hit 14 greens in regulation and I think I have benefited tremendously from playing golf through the winter in Florida at a holiday home.”
Foster’s birdies came at the long second, the thired, the long sixth, the seventh, the short eighth and the long ninth in reaching the turn in six-under-par 32. She got to nine under the card with a birdie at the long 11th and an eagle 3 at the long 12th before she dropped her only shot of the round by being over the back of the green with her tee shot to the short 14th. But she retrieved that stroke by birdeing the long 18th.
Kenney and Foster will start the second round, also over Troon Portland, with a two-shot lead over the 15-year-old defending champion, Leona Maguire from the Slieve Russell club in Ireland.
Slightly bigger and stronger than she was 12 months ago, Leona had an eagle 3 at the ninth where she chipped in from 20 yards and birdies at the first, fifth, sixth, 11th and 18th. S~he took had one bogey, a three-putt at the 16th.
“No, I don’t feel under pressure as defending champion. I leave that to the older girls and I am not thinking about the Curtis Cup. I am focused on winning this title two years in a row and that’s enough for me to think about,” said the slightly shy Leona, one half of the wonder twins who are certainties to be chosen on Sunday night for the Curtis Cup team.
Sister Lisa, who finished third last year, is lying joint 12th on 74th.
After Louise Kenney, the next best Scot is another Curtis Cup candidate, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) whose 73 included a four-putt double bogey 5 at the 16th.
“You can’t win it on the opening day so I’m happy enough,” said the Stirling University student who was runner-up to Leona Maguire last year.
eneds
The field has come tumbling down from 99 entries to only 68 - due mainly to Continental players being unable to get flights in time to reach Ayrshire for Wednesdsay/Thursday's practice rounds - by the time play started this morning.
Because of that, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association organisers have decided to scrap the normal cut after 36 holes to the leading 66 and ties.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Troon Portland
Par 75
67 Nikki Foster (Pleasington), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
69 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell).
70 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), Lucy Williams (Mid Herts).
71 Emma Brown (Malton & Norton).
72 Gillian O'Leary (Cork), Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton), Hannah Barwood (Knowle), Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
73 Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
74 Charlotte Wild (Mere), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park), Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
75 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall), Kelly Brotherton (Troon Welbeck), Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Lauren Taylor (Woburn), Sian James (Bristol & Clifton), Laura Murray (Alford).
76 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt), Anjelika Hammar (Sweden), Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw), Stephanie McEvoy (Old Fold Manor), Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies), Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton).
77 Tara Davies (Holyhead), Amy Boulden (Maesdu), Aedin Murphy (Carlow), Sara Garbutt (Ganton), Jess Wilcox (Blankney), Susan Jackson (Ladybank), Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush), Emma Sheffield (Newark), Rebecca Wilson (Grange).
78 Becky Harries (Haverfordwest), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall).
79 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge), Samantha Birks (Wolstanton), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Rachel Hanlon (St Regulus), Rachael Taylor (Hartl Golf Resort, Germany), Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham), Josephine Jansson (Sweden).
80 Ann B Ramsay (Kirriemuir), Hannah Grant (Enmore Park), Lucy Simpson (Masserene).
81 Bronwyn Davies (Trentham), Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze), Rebecca Gee (Wellingborough), Sarah Cunningham (Ennis), Karen O'Neill (Douglas), Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush).
82 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone), Lesley Atkins (Minto).
83 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies).
84 Ciara Butler (Newlands).
86 Samantha Leslie (Westhill).

TEAM EVENT STANDINGS

139 IRELAND (Leona Maguire 69, D McVeigh 70).

142 SCOTLAND (L Kenney 67, P Pretswell 75).

153 ENGLAND (H Barwood 74, H Clyburn 79).

154 WALES (A Boulden 77, T Davies 77).

Big weekend for Curtis Cup team selection candidates

Louise believes her 2009 form

-

will stand her in good stead

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE

By MARTIN DEMPSTER

While aware that a strong showing in the Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship over the next three days at Troon will do her no harm whatsoever, Louise Kenney is hoping the Great Britain & Ireland selectors will be paying just as much attention to last year's results when it comes to deciding on a Curtis Cup team.
That is due to be announced on Monday and Kenney, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a 27-year-old who lives in Dunfermline and is a nursery school teacher in North Queensferry, is one of the Scots in the frame for the biennial match against the Americans, to be played in early June
at Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts.

"Along with everyone else, I am sure the Curtis Cup is going to be in the back of my mind this weekend but, at the same time, I think it is important not to put too much emphasis on that during the event," said Kenney, a member of Pitreavie.

"It would be nice to think the selectors are looking at results over the past year because, in topping the Scottish Order of Merit in 2009, I was never outside the top ten and, in most of the counting tournaments, finished in the top five."

Coached by Spencer Henderson, Kenney caught the Curtis Cup bug when she watched four of her then Scottish team-mates – Carly Booth, Krystle Caithness, Michele Thomson and Sally Watson – don the GB&I colours at St Andrews in 2008.

Watson, the only member of that quartet still in the amateur ranks, is not playing at Troon due to college studies in America but she is in the current GB&I training squad along with Kenney, Nairn Dunbar's Kelsey MacDonald and Pamela Pretswell of Bothwell Castle.

"It might be difficult to get four Scots in the team again but I certainly think a few of us deserve it," added Kenney. "To be honest, I don't think any of us know where we stand going into the Helen Holm but, in my case anyway, I am hoping results will speak for themselves."

Pretswell played for GB&I in last year's Vagliano Trophy, while MacDonald is the Scottish Under-21 Open Strokeplay champion. She also finished second at Troon 12 months ago, sandwiched in between the talented 15-year-old Irish twins, Leona and Lisa Maguire. MacDonald has taken a semester out from her sports studies degree at Stirling University in a bid to try and make the Curtis Cup and the 19-year-old is hoping she can reproduce the sort of form this weekend that saw her sign for a seven-under-par 29 back nine in winning an event in Spain earlier in the year.

"It's probably going to be the case that most of the selections are going to be based on this one event and that shouldn't be the case," she said. "However, I'm playing really well at the moment and I've come here this week to win."

Heather Stirling, in 2002, was the last Scot to achieve that feat in the Helen Holm, which sees competitors play 18 holes over Troon Portland today and tomorrow with the third and last round over Royal Troon on Sunday.

*The full article above appears in The Scotsman newspaper today.

French withdraw en bloc from 'Helen Holm'

... Friday's field is reduced to 80 players

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The field for the first big event of the domestic women’s amateur golf calendar – the Helen Holm Scottish women’s stroke-play championship at Troon – has been decimated by withdrawals due to the travel situation.
Only 80 players will tee it up in Friday's first round at Troon Portland compared with an entry of 99 before the volcanic ash hit the fan.
The biggest loss to the prestige of the 54-hole event is the total drop-out of the 16 French players who had been entered. They included top notchers Lucie Andre, No 1 in the European Golf Association rankings at the end of 2009, Emilie Alonso and Rosanna Crepiat.
The good news is that the 14-strong Irish entry is intact, headed by the wonder twins, 15-year-old Leona and Lisa Maguire from the Slieve Russell club. Leona won the ‘Helen Holm’ last year and Lisa was finished officially third.
Leona has already retained the French Under-21 title this year.
Both are certainties to be named on Monday in the GB&I squad of eight for the Curtis Cup match against the United States at Essex County Club, Massachusetts in June.
Other members of the preliminary squad named several months ago who will be seeking to
grab this last chance to impress the selectors will be:
Hannah Barwood (Knowle), Amy Boulden (Maesdu), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall), Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
Others from the short leet, Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies), Lucy Gould (Bargoed) and Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), are not playing in the 'Helen Holm,' because they are students at American colleges.
Welsh champion Tara Davies (Holyhead) was not in the original list but finished fourth in the Portuguese open amateur championship in January and is likely to be considered by the selectors.
The revised first and second-round draws at Troon Portland - and it should be well worth going along to have a look at the best female amateurs in the country if you live in Ayrshire - is:
(The number listed before each player is their competitor's number, which should be displayed prominently on their golf bags to help you (and the referees) identify them:

9.00am Friday & 11.30am Saturday
28 Bronwyn Davies (Trentham) England
11 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) Ireland
9.10 Friday & 11.40 Saturday.
54 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) Scotland
29 Tara Davies (Holyhead) Wales
9.20 Friday & 11.50 Saturday
95 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) Scotland
16 Ciara Butler (Newlands) Ireland
10 Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) Wales
9.30 Friday & 12.00 Saturday
17 Clare-Marie Carlton (Ferenze) Scotland
40 Rebecca Gee (Wellingborough) England
25 Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) Ireland
9.40 Friday & 12.10 Saturday
12 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) Scotland
72 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) Ireland
7 Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) Wales
9.50 Friday & 12.20 Saturday
82 Ann B Ramsay (Kirriemuir) Scotland
9 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) Wales
74 Aedin Murphy (Carlow) Ireland
---------------------------
Starter's time on Saturday
---------------------------
10.0 Friday & 12.40 Saturday.
23 Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt) England
43 Anjelika Hammar (Torekov) Sweden
45 Becky Harries (Haverfordwest) Wales
10.10 Friday & 12.50 Saturday
73 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) Scotland
38 Sara Garbutt (Ganton) England
78 Gillian O'Leary (Cork) Ireland
10.20 Friday & 1.00 Saturday
4 Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall) England
13 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) Scotland
96 Jess Wilcox (Blankney) England
10.30 Friday & 1.10 Saturday
48 Susan Jackson (Ladybank) Scotland
36 Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) Ireland
41 Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) England
-----------------------------
Starter's Time on Friday
-----------------------------
10.50 Friday & 9.00am Saturday
14 Kelly Brotherton (Troon Welbeck) Scotland
66 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) Ireland
34 Naomi Edwards (Ganton) England
11.00 Friday & 9.10 Saturday.
86 Emma Sheffield (Newark) England
22 Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) England
84 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) Ireland
11.10 Friday & 9.20 Saturday
71 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) Ireland
51 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) England
97 Charlotte Wild (Mere Golf & Country Club) England
11.10 Friday & 9.30 Saturday
81 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) Scotland
90 Lauren Taylor (Woburn) England
80 Mireia Prat (Caballeria Montanya) Spain
11.20 Friday & 9.40 Saturday
67 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) Ireland
5 Hannah Barwood (Knowle) England -
15 Emma Brown (Malton & Norton) England
11.30 Friday & 9.50 Saturday
44 Rachel Hanlon (St Regulus) Scotland
87 Lucy Simpson (Massereene) Ireland
62 Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) Scotland
11.50 Friday & 10.00 Saturday
68 Stephanie McEvoy (Old Fold Manor) England
57 Samantha Leslie (Westhill) Scotland
76 Elizaveta Nikulina (Moscow City) Russia
12.00 Friday & 10.10 Saturday
79 Karen O'Neill (Douglas) Ireland
91 Rachael Taylor (Hartl Golf Resort, Germany) Scotland
3 Lesley Atkins (Minto) Scotland
12.10 Friday & 10.20 Saturday
39 Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham & St Annes) England
69 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) Scotland
70 Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) Scotland
12.20 Friday & 10.30 Saturday
83 Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) Ireland
99 Rebecca Wilson (Grange) Scotland
88 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) Scotland
-------------------------------------------
Starter's Time on Friday & Saturday
-------------------------------------------
12.40 Friday & 10.50 Saturday
37 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) England
49 Sian James (Bristol & Clifton) England
75 Laura Murray (Alford) Scotland
12.50 Friday & 11.00 Saturday.
98 Lucy Williams (Mid Herts) England
27 Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park) England
63 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) Scotland
1.00 Friday & 11.10 Saturday
50 Josephine Janson (Ringenas) Sweden
31 Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) England
52 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) Scotland
1.10 Friday & 11.20 Saturday
35 Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) England
94 Jane Turner (Craigielaw) Scotland
92 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) England

+The leading 66 players and ties after two rounds will go forward to Sunday's third and final round at Royal Troon where the players will go out in reverse order of their scores, i.e. leaders last.

Jane looking for short-game improvement
-
to pay off in 'Helen Holm' this weekend
-
FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Lothians star Jane Turner feared the early part of her season might have been a wash-out due to the fact her practice base was flooded for so long over the winter.
But the 20-year-old, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is confident she's back on track after winning the British Universities Championship for the second year running. Turner, a member of Craigielaw, retained her title last week at Dundonald Links, where rounds of 76, 74, 75 and 74 gave her a one-shot victory.
It has given her timely boost ahead of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship, starting at Troon tomorrow and Turner is delighted to have a win under her belt already after a difficult winter.
A second year graphic design student at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, she works on her game with Stephen Murray at the Aspire Golf Centre but that was hit particularly bad by the weather at the end of last year.
"It was under four foot of water in November and was closed for a long time, which meant that I didn't have access to the facilities I needed," said Turner.
"I have been pretty much been playing catch-up since this side of Christmas but, thankfully, I am now at the point where I'm happy about the things Stephen and I are working on.
"I feel there's a big difference in my pitching and putting in particular as a result of the stuff we've been doing from 100 yards and in."
While the SLGA are expecting some withdrawals due to the disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud, the 'Helen Holm' is still likely to boast the strongest ladies' field of the season so far. For some, it will be the last chance to stake their claim for involvement in the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team that is due to be announced on Monday and Turner is certainly relishing her latest trip to Ayrshire.
"Last year, I finished just inside the top twenty and I'm hoping for better than that this time," she added. "I feel I'm a better player than I was a year ago and hopefully I can cut out the one bad round that I tend to have on Troon Portland (it stages the first two rounds before the action switches to Royal Troon for the third and final round on Sunday).
"The fact the Curtis Cup team is being announced after the event is exciting but I'm not in the preliminary squad for that so I think that would be a long shot for me this year. I'll still be playing amateur golf when the next one comes around at Nairn (in 2012] so hopefully I can be in with a shout for that match."
One definite target for Turner this year is to retain her place in the Scottish women's side after being in the team that was pipped for the Home International title by Wales at Irvine last September.
"Out of the eight who played there, six are still amateurs (Carly Booth and Kylie Walker are the odd ones out after they turned professional) and I certainly want to try and hold on to my place," said Turner.
"I also aim to push for a Scotland team place in the European Team Championship, having been a reserve for that last year. So hopefully I can produce some strong performances over the coming weeks."
While events like the 'Helen Holm' – she'll be joined at Troon by Craigielaw clubmate Gabrielle MacDonald as well as Mortonhall's Rachael Watton and Gullane's Lesley Atkins – are the main focus for Turner these days, she will never lose sight of her golfing roots.
"I came through the Midlothian County Ladies and they are really good with juniors," she reflected."It's a really good county and I was delighted to see Midlothian had won the Cuthbertson Cup for the fifth year in a row. I played in three of those winning teams."
+The full article above appears in the Edinburgh Evening News newspaper today.

Louise Coffey wins Zara Bolton Scratch Trophy

by three strokes at Royal Portrush

Louise Coffey (Malone) won the Zara Bolton Scratch Trophy by three strokes from Bangor’s Victoria Bradshaw at Royal Portrush on Sunday.
Louise led by one stroke at lunchtime after an opening 77 and a course record, two under par 73 saw her blitz the field in the afternoon. Victoria and Gemma McClenaghan (Greencastle) recorded fine level par 75s in the afternoon.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 150 (2x75). CSS 76-76
150 Louise Coffey (Malone) 77 73.
153 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 78 75.
157 Jessica Carty (Holywood) 80 77.
159 Gemma McClenaghan (Greencastle) 84 75.
164 Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) 81 83, Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 85 79, Sonya Verschuur (Royal Portrush) 82 82.
165 Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) 80 85.
167 Maura Diamond (Portstewart) 83 84.
168 Paula Grant (Lisburn) 79 89.
174 Collette McNicholl (Royal Portrush) 89 85 S O'Neill (Larne) 87 87.
175 Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down) 83 92.
176 Jessica Boal (Larne) 87 89 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 88 88 Laura Grant (Lisburn) 91 85 Holly Robinson (Rosses Point) 88 88 Nicky Smyth (Royal Portrush) 88 88.
177 Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush) 90 87 Pamela Telford (Castlerock) 89 88 180 Ann Monteith (Castle Hume) 87 93.
181 Rebecca Tulley (Holywood) 90 91.
186 Yvonne Mitchell (Castlerock) 92 94.
190 Zoe Allen (Lurgan) 97 93.
193 Maura Newman (Castle Hume) 94 99 Aisling Parker (Greenore) 92 101, Katherine Stevenson (Spa) 104 89.
194 Mandy Murphy (Spa) 93 101.
196 Julie Blair (Castle Hume) 97 99.
203 Claire McGonagle (Portsalon) 101 102.
208 Gillian Earls (Spa) 102 106.
209 Lilly O'Connell (Castle Hume) 103 106.
239 Doreen Frazer (Castle Hume) 120 119
NR Jenny Thompson (Castle Hume) 108 NR
NR Toni McDonagh (Fortwilliam) NR 97.
NR R O'Neill (Larne) 102 NR.
NR Agatha Mullan (Portstewart) 121 NR.
NR Kelsey Coey (Clandeboye) 80 NR.
NR Mary Glover (Portstewart) 99 NR.
NR Nicolle Morelli (Portstewart) 101 NR.
NR Lisa McMeekin (Massereene) 82 NR

Cork Scratch Cup - All the final totals
Par 148 (2x74) CSS 73-74
144 Mary Dowling (New Ross) 71 73.
145 Karen O Neill (Douglas) 71 74.
149 Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 76 73.
150 Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 78 72.
151 Orla Barry (Galway) 80 71.
152 Maria Dunne (Skerries) 74 78.
153 Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) 76 77.
155 Eadaoin Cronin (Bantry) 80 75, Linda Twomey (Limerick) 75 80, Ann McCormack (Roscommon) 73 82, Lillian Harrington (East Cork) 72 83.
158 Kate Gallagher (Claremorris) 75 83, Emma O Driscoll (Ballybunion) 75 83.
161 Olivia Conroy (Longford) 79 82.
162 Ann Geoghegan (Athlone) 83 79, Gertie Mc Mullan (The Island) 81 81, Margaret McAuliffe (Newcastle West) 77 85.
163 Barbara Cooney (Laytown/Bettystown) 81 82, Mary Geaney (Killarney ) 80 83, Shauna O Brien (Clonmel) 79 84.
164 Mary Sheehy (Tralee) 79 85, Emma Murphy (Wexford) 79 85.
165 Mary Leahy Browne (Kilkenny) 86 79, Laura Dempsey (Enniscorthy) 83 82, Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) 80 85, Aoife Lowrey (Tipperary) 78 87.
166 Val Shannon (Douglas) 81 85, Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown) 81 85, Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) 80 86, Charlott Jeffrey (Glengarrif) 79 87.
167 Mary Lowney (Dunmore) 88 79, Olivia Hayes (Lahinch) 87 80, Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) 82 85.
168 Nicola King (Enniscorthy) 85 83, Trish Doyle (Kanturk) 82 86, Jean O Driscoll (Muskerry) 82 86.
170 Nora O Connor (Mallow) 86 84.
171 Clare Keating (Killarney) 87 84, Carmel Kearney (Mallow) 84 87.
172 Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) 88 84, Miriam Abernethy (Cork) 82 90.
173 Amanda Welch (Cork) 87 86.
174 Deirdre Calahan (Nenagh) 89 85, Fidelma O Connor (Kanturk) 85 89, Sarah Crowe ( Tipperary ) 84 90, Maureen Clarke (Cork) 84 90.
175 Connie Doyle ( nniscorthy) 82 93.
176 Ailish Thompson (Douglas) 87 89, Julie Coyne (Youghal) 86 90.
177 Siobhan O Herlihy (Muskerry ) 94 83.
178 Marian Finn (Thurles) 92 86, Emer Foley (Castlecomer) 90 88.
180 Katherine Morrissey (Cahir Park) 88 92.
181 Deirdre Deasy (Cork) 90 91182 Edel Coyne (Youghal) 88 94.
184 Bernie Swords Cox (Carlow) 85 99.
185 Geraldine Galvin (Macroom) 91 94.
186 Lynda Maher (Charleville) 96 90

'Helen Holm' latest news

Claire Hargan, SLGA Tournament Director:
"I have heard from the Swedish Federation that a couple of their players are going to try and take the boat over and are hoping to be able to participate."

SCOTS OUT TO IMPRESS
-
AT 'HELEN HOLM'

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH LADIES GOLFING ASSOCIATION
Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) and Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) are three Scots out to impress the Curtis Cup selectors at the Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship at Troon on April 23-25.
The Curtis Cup takes place in Massachusetts in June, and the GB and Ireland selectors will name the eight-strong team to take on America on Monday, April 26.
Four Scots were in the 2006 Curtis Cup team that lost to the USA at St Andrews. Watson, who was just 16 at the time, is the only one who has a chance to retain her place. Carly Booth, Krystle Caithness and Michele Thomson have since turned professional.
Pretswell, MacDonald and Kenney are all members of the 16-strong GB and Ireland training squad – the fourth Scot included is 18-year-old Sally Watson, who misses the Helen Holm as she is studying at Stanford University in America.
Pretswell played for GB and Ireland in last year’s Vagliano Trophy, while MacDonald is the Scottish Under-21 Open Stroke-play Champion and Kenney won last year’s Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association Order of Merit.
MacDonald showed her form at the Helen Holm last year when she finished second, sandwiched in between the talented Irish twins, Leona and Lisa Maguire.
The twins, now 15, are both expected to be in the Helen Holm field and will also be aiming to gain Curtis Cup selection. The last Scot to win the title was Heather Stirling in 2002.
The Helen Holm is a 54-hole event, with 18 holes on Troon Portland on Friday and Saturday being followed by 18 holes over Troon’s famous Open Championship links on the Sunday.
The volcanic ash is likely to have an effect on the numbers starting. The tournament attracted players from all over Europe – 11 nations are represented among the 98 players in the draw – but call-offs are inevitable in the next couple of days. However with a significant number of players from GB & I committed to making the journey the tournament will go ahead as planned.

Manchester pair win Northern foursomes

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Manchester’s Elaine Clark (a Scot!) teamed up with a new partner to win the Northern ladies’ foursomes for the second year in succession. This year, at Pontefract and District, Elaine paired with club colleague Jennifer Fallows, having previously partnered Karen Clayton.
The champions had a 2 and 1 win in the final over two of Yorkshire’s rising stars, Megan Lockett and Holly Morgan.The losing semi-finalists were the Pontefract ladies’ captain Lynn Peace and vice-captain Helen Roe; and another Yorkshire pair, Helen Searle and Charlotte Austwick. Results
Challenge Cups
Winners: Elaine Clark & Jennifer Fallows (Manchester)
Runners up: Megan Lockett and Holly Morgan (Huddersfield/ Lees Hall)
Semi-finalists: Helen Roe & Lynn Peace (Pontefract & District), Charlotte Austwick & Helen Searle (Pike Hills/West End).
Stableford event
34 pts Kath Hetherington & Sheila Stubbs (Pontefract); Trixie Stott-Johnson & Di Hunt (Royal Liverpool); Marilyn Chapman & Jill Ware (Low Laithes)
Four team event
74 pts Kath Hetherington & Shelia Stubbs (Pontefract), Christine Davison & Julie Ludwell (Pontefract).
66pts Christine Hamiliton & Christine Cole (Cleckheaton), Jean Waring & Olivia Hamilton (Ripon/Cleckheaton)
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Helen Holm Scottish women's 'major' starts on Friday

Leona Maguire from the Slieve Russell Club, only 14 years of age at the time of last year's "Helen Holm" triumph at Troon. Twin sister Lisa was officially placed third (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

Continentals' conundrum: How to get to

Troon in time for Thursday practice

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

This weekend's Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship - the first major event of the domestic women's amateur golf season - could be severly affected if the volcanic ash grounding of flights all over Europe is not relaxed within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Thursday is the last day for practice. The tournament starts with one round over Troon Portland links on Friday.

The high-quality field includes 14 entries from France, 16 from Ireland, 2 from Norway, 6 from Sweden, 2 from Spain (including Majorca-based Scot Lauren Mackin) and one from Russia.

The Irish contingent should have no problems if they set off early enough to catch a ferry but remember the Ireland v Scotland senior women's international (due to be played on Sunday and today at Portmarnock) had to be postponed when the Scots team, their flight plans scrapped, could not get on any of the fully-booked ferries to Ireland.

The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association website is displaying the following message:
"The Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship 2010 will go ahead as planned despite the flight restrictions currently in place across much of Europe.
"There are likely to be significant changes to the published draw for both Friday 23 and Saturday 24 April. A revised draw will be published on this web-site at 3pm on Thursday 22 April.
"Alternatively, players who are unable to access the web-site should call the SLGA mobile after 3pm on Thursday 22 April for their revised times."

Claire Hargan, the SLG Tournament Director, commented this afternoon:

"As you would expect we have had some cancellations from quite a few of the European players due to their flights being cancelled and I expect there will be some more.
"I did speak to Rachel Taylor’s father (Rachel is a Germany-based Scotland girl international) this morning and he said that they were currently looking into options to try and make it from the South of Germany (i.e. they are considering driving to Belgium and then getting the ferry from there!).
The Ladies Golf Union's selection committee will meet at Troon on Sunday night to select the Great Britain & Ireland team of eight for the Curtis Cup match against the United States at Essex County Club, Massachusetts from June 11 to 13.
They will be out in force running an eye over candidates in the "Helen Holm" - although three members of the preliminary squad selected last autumn, Lucy Gould (Bargoed), Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) and Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies), are students at American colleges.
Three other members of the squad have since turned professional - Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), Carly Booth (Comrie) and Rhian Wyn Thomas (Vale of Glamorgan).
Last year's top 10 in'Helen Holm'

Par 225: First two rounds over Troon Portland (par 75), final round at Royal Troon (par 75)

219 Leona Maguire (Ireland) 69 77 73.

221 Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland) 75 72 74.

222 Lisa Maguire (Ireland) 74 74 74, Emma Brown (England) 74 73 75.

223 Danielle McVeigh (Ireland) 74 76 73, Tara Davies (Wales) 77 71 75.

224 Louise Kenney (Scotland) 76 73 75, Lucie Andre (France) 74 74 76.

225 Naomi Edwards (England) 76 74 75.

226 Charlotte Wild (England) 74 78 74, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) 73 77 76, Laura Murray (Scotland) 75 74 77.

Ann and Alex Peters, winners of the Mothers & Daughters foursomes for a third year in a row (images by courtesy of Sally Phipps Hornby, a member of Royal Mid Surrey GC).

A MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS’
-
HAT-TRICK FOR PETERS

By JO THESIGER
Sixteen-year-old, Alexander Peters and her mother Ann from Notts Ladies were in unbeatable form as they claimed their third successive victory in the Mothers and Daughters 27-hole scratch foursomes at Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club on SaturdaY.
Alex, the Daily Telegraph Junior Champion, who plays off plus-two, played immaculately with her five-handicap mother, to score a virtually flawless level par 71 in their morning round. The only blot on their card, a double bogey 6 on the long par 4, 14th hole was completely hidden by their three birdies on the back nine on the 11th, 13th and 16th.
The Peters, who have played in the event for the last six years, were delighted with their lowest 18-hole score, which gave them a six-shot lead ahead of their playing partners Sue and Hayley Todd from Royal Ashdown Forest, who carded a creditable round of 77, and Elizabeth and Flora McPhail from Frilford Heath who also scored six-over-par in the morning.
Alex’s mother, Ann Peters, admitted that nerves got the better of her in the afternoon, and blamed herself for the pair squandering a few shots to finish with a disappointing six-over-par, 41, over the remaining nine holes .
Nevertheless, their magnificent morning round had given the holders an unassailable lead which the other contenders were unable to catch.
Jennifer Fallows and Kathryn McGawley from Manchester played the best golf of the afternoon with a two-over-par 37, to finish in second place, a position they have had to settle for on several occasions before!
With many young golfers competing this year, it was the very youngest, Martha Lewis, aged only ten, who outplayed the large field of 64 couples with her mother Evelyn to score a brilliant 123 gross, net 99, to win the 27-hole handicap prize. It was an outstanding, nerveless, performance by the minute Martha, a 23-handicapper, who said the highlight of their round was a 2 on the par-3 sixth, followed by another birdie on the par-5 seventh hole!
Alex Peters was also ten when she first played in the Mothers and Daughters and to have won a hat-trick of titles by the age of 16 is a remarkable feat that has never been achieved before. Ann Peters praised her daughter’s golf, admitting in her winner’s speech, that she was very lucky to have such a brilliant partner.
“Any mother playing with Alex would win!” said Mrs Peters modestly.
FINAL TOTALS
27 holes foursomes
Par 71 (18 holes) and 35 (nine holes): 106
112 Ann Peters (Notts Ladies) & Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 71 & 41.
116 Jennifer Fallows (Manchester) & Kathryn McGawley (Manchester) 79 & 37.
117 Elizabeth McPhail (Frilford Heath) & Flora McPhail (Frilford Heath) 77 & 40; Christine Griffith (Walton Heath) & Charlotte Griffith (Walton Heath) 79 & 38.
118 Sue Todd (Royal Ashdown Forest) & Hayley Todd (Royal Ashdown Forest) 77 & 41.
121 Bea Cummins (Parkstone) & Carly Cummins (Parkstone) 79 & 42; Gillian Atwood (Gog Magog) & Sarah Atwood (Gog Magog) 78 & 43.
122 Sue Stradling (Worplesdon) & Annie Stradling (Worplesdon) 82 & 40; Wendy Laud (Thurlestone) & Katie Fewster (Worplesdon) 83 & 39.
123 Evelyn Lewis (St George's Hill) & Martha Lewis (St George's Hill) 83 & 40; Pat Huntley (Frilford Heath) & Sarah Webb (Frilford Heath) 82 & 41.
124 Judy Kendall (Wentworth) & Vicky MacDonald (Worplesdon) 83 & 41; Linda Sneath (Puttenham) & Hannah Sneath (Puttenham) 83 & 41; Vi Dolton (Basingstoke) & Diana Holt (Basingstoke) 84 & 40; Jill Thornhill (Walton Heath) & Caroline Weeks (Walton Heath) 83 & 41;
Elaine Barrow (Brockenhurst Manor) & Laura Barrow (Brockenhurst Manor) 85 & 39.
125 Barbara Round (Tadmarton Heath) & Sam Round (Cotswold Hills) 81 & 44; Elsie Provan (East Herts) & Sarah Saggers (East Herts) 86 & 39.
126 Jenny Hamilton (Dartford) & Nicole Hamilton (Dartford) 84 & 42; Alison Taylor (Walton Heath) & Katie Taylor (Walton Heath) 81 & 45; Sue Heeles (Royal Norwich) & Rebecca Heeles (Royal Norwich) 85 & 41.

Mary Dowling wins Cork Scratch Cup

Mary Dowling of New Ross claimed the first scratch cup title of her career with a 36 hole total of four under par at the Women's Cork Scratch Cup, sponsored by Ford on Saturday.
Dowling produced a superb opening round of three under par, which was matched by Douglas Golf Club's Karen O'Neill, before adding a second round of one under par to finish with a total of 144 and win by a single stroke ahead of O'Neill.

Gruber and Milne, last year's finalists, meet

in Northern Counties semi-finals at Lossie

Defending champion Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) and No 1 seed will, tomorrow morning, meet the 2007 title-winner and No 5 qualifier, Jenny Milne (Elgin) in the semi-finals of the Northern Counties women’s county golf championship over the Moray Golf Club links at Lossiemouth.
It will be a replay of last year’s final when Gruber won the title for a third time, adding to successes in 2001 and 2008.
The other semi-final will feature the No 2 seed, Mary Smith (Tain) against the No 3 qualifier, Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch).
Mary, champion in 2003, should have been playing for Scotland against Ireland in a senior women’s two-day international at Portmarnock but when it was cancelled because the Scots team could not get a flight due to the volcanic dust crisis or on a fully-booked ferry, Smith quickly got a late entry into the Northern Counties championship and dashed back up north to Lossiemouth to play in Saturday’s qualifying round.
In the handicap section for the Chetham Trophy, title holder Sally Rowan from the Inverness club, in Monday morning's semi-finals plays the No 1 qualifier, Eilidh MacTavish (Elgin), the only player to have her handicap cut in Saturday's qualifying stages. Her handicap came down from 26 to 24.8.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS
81 Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch).
82 Mary Smith (Tain).
83 Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch).
88 Kay Vincent (Moray).
89 Jenny Milne (Elgin).
90 Marion Howieson (Inverness).
92 Susan Mackenzie (Elgin), Anne Ryan (Tain).
93 Julie Vass (Tain).
96 Dorothy Phillips (Garmouth).
97 Eilidh MacKay (Nairn Dunbar), Susan MacVicar (Gairloch).
100 Gillian Dowling (Inverness).
101 Denise McBride (Royal Dornoch), Fiona Bell (Inverness), Margot Barr (Gairloch).

MATCH-PLAY
First round – Gruber bt Barr 6 and 4, Ryan bt Vass 3 and 2, Milne bt MacVicar 5 and 4, Vincent bt Dowling 1 hole, MacKay bt Howieson 3 and 2, Mackenzie bt Phillips 1 hole, Smith bt Bell 7 and 5.
Quarter-finals – Gruber bt Ryan 4 and 3, Milne bt Vincent 4 and 2, Bartlett bt MacKay 4 and 2, Smith bt Mackenzie 5 and 4.
HANDICAP
Qualifiers
78 Eilidh McTavish (Elgin) (26).
85 Ann Harding (Royal Dornoch (26).
86 Wilma Murray (Royal Dornoch) (16), Sally Rowan (Inverness) (22), Monica Grant (Moray) (24).
90 Sheila Duncan (Royal Dornoch) (19).
91 Alison Burnett (Royal Dornoch) (21).
92 C Dingwell (Muir of Ord) (11).
MATCH-PLAY
QUARTER-FINALS - McTavish bt Dingwell 6 and 5, Rowan bt Grant 3 and 2, Murray bt Duncan 3 and 2, Burnett bt Harding 1 hole.

Kelsey can clinch Curtis Cup place

-

with good display at 'Helen Holm'

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING

By DAVID CHRISTIE

Two stunning scores have given Curtis Cup hopeful Kelsey MacDonald the winning mentality at the perfect time.

MacDonald, a University of Stirling scholarship student, is in peak form ahead of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship, beginning next Friday at Troon.

A remarkable final round 68 on St Andrews' Castle Course - the best round of the day - ensured she was crowned the 2010 R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament women's champion, finishing second overall behind fellow Stirling student Patrick Spraggs.

This followed success in Spain where MacDonald clawed back an eight-shot deficit in the final round to be crowned the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Open champion. The sun was well and truly shining on MacDonald, who finished runner-up on a countback after tying for first with Welsh international Amy Boulden in the Murcia Ladies Open. The pair finished in front of three other Curtis Cup squad members.

"It has been my best season so far," commented MacDonald, who also reached the semi-finals of the Jones/Doherty match-play on the Orange Blossom Tour in Florida in January before further impressive performances in France and Spain.

"I've played a lot more tournaments than in previous years and I've managed to have consistently good rounds. It sounds silly, but I've learned how to win. I used to try and make the cut, then it was the target of the top ten - now I aim to win. And because I've won some events in the last two years, I have the hunger to win even more."

Having been named in the provisional GB&I Curtis Cup squad, MacDonald has been playing as much golf as possible in a bid to impress the Ladies Golf Union selectors before they announce the final eight directly after the Helen Holm event at Troon.

A second year Sports Studies student at Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence, MacDonald has been selected two years running for Scotland's national student sports scholarship scheme "Winning Students."

And if she can continue her strong form into the Helen Holm event next week, where she finished runner-up last year, then MacDonald - arguably the best performing Scottish amateur women's player in 2010 - will be difficult to overlook.

She added: "The Helen Holm is traditionally seen as the start of the season, but with the Curtis Cup in June, it's important to be peaking around now. I wasn't expecting to finish so high last year although I had been playing well.

"But this year my results going into it are much better so I am definitely looking forward to playing and I know I can win. Royal Troon is always in great condition but it's a tough course, always windy, so it is never going to be easy.

"It is quite hard knowing this is the last tournament before the team is selected. There is that pressure on you knowing the selectors are watching, but you have to use that in a good way and show why you should be picked."

+Kelsey comes from Nairn and lives just across the road from the first tee at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club where she is a member. She retained the Scottish Under-21 championship on her home course last season.

Bookkeeper for SLGA

The Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association is the governing body for 

ladies’ and girls’ amateur golf in Scotland. 

Applications are invited for the following position which will be based in Perth.

BOOKKEEPER

(Part Time / Temporary)
Duties will include processing subscriptions / income received, banking, purchase ledger,
general reconciliations and report production, stock control and general financial administration.

The successful candidate will be IT literate, proficient in Excel, Word and Sage Line 50
(or equivalent alternative) with proven bookkeeping skills
and a track record of working on his/her own initiative.
They should be self motivated but able to work as part of a team
and have strong communication and organisational skills.
Attention to detail and the ability to work to tight deadlines are imperative.
A knowledge of ladies’ golf would be advantageous.

The position is available from 1 July 2010 until 31 January 2011 to cover for maternity leave.
Salary will be commensurate with experience.
The SLGA is an equal opportunities employer committed to equity.

Applications, in writing, accompanied by a curriculum vitae should be sent to:
Dr S E Hartley, COO, Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association Limited,
The Den, 2 Dundee Road, Perth PH2 7DW
marking the envelope Ref: BK Private & Confidential.
Email: sheila@slga.co.uk
Closing date for applications: Friday 14 May 2010.

Scottish women's amateur championship entry deadline noon on Monday

FROM THE SLGA WEBSITE
There is only one week left to enter for the 2010 Scottish Ladies (Close) Amateur Championship. Entries will close at 12 noon on Monday, April 19.
Entry forms can be downloaded here.
This year's Championship is being held at Craigielaw Golf Club in East Lothian from May 18 to 22.

Ryanair put a damper on Scots wanting to fly to

Morocco Family Golf Festival (October 9 to 16)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Tournament Director for the 2010 Morocco Family Golf Festival
Ryanair's extortionate charge for carrying golf clubs could scare off potential Scottish entrants to the inaugural Morocco Family Golf Festival, to be held at Marrakech from October 9 to 16.
Mohamed Fakir, boss of London-based Menara Travel Ltd, who are putting together all the arrangements, told me today:
"I have started to receive a number of enquiries - a few from Scotland - from golfers who are quite attracted by the prospect of playing golf on four different courses at Marrakech.
"The problem with the flights from Edinburgh to Marrakech is the quite high rates being charged by Ryanair. The Ryanair website is currently showing a price of £250 per person return + £80 for golf clubs' carriage (£330 in all) which is quite high compared to the flight we have secured with Royal Air Maroc from London Gatwick, which is £189 including FREE carriage of golf clubs.
"The price quoted by Easyjet for the Manchester to Marrakech flight on Saturday, October 9 is £180 per person return + £38 per golf bag both ways.
"I have contacted Ryanair and Easyjet to try to do a deal with them quite a while ago but they said they don’t work with travel agents/tour operators. They prefer to deal directly with clients, which means we have to book the flights for our clients on their website the same way anyone else does it."
So it might be cheaper for Scottish golfers who want to share in the fun of the Morocco Family Golf Festival to cross the Border to Manchester or even Gatwick for a flight to Marrakech on Saturday, October 9.
Remember there will be individual prize categories for senior men (over 55yr), senior women (over 50y), men, women, Under-16 & Under-18 boys, Under-16 & Under-18 girls.You can name your own partner if you wish for the Festival's curtain-raising better-ball Stableford foursomes on the Sunday (October 10).
Details of the Festival programme are available by clicking on the appropriate wording at the top of the left-hand column on this website's Home Page.

==================ENTRY FORM==============================

MOROCCO FAMILY GOLF FESTIVAL

October 9 to 16, 2010, based at Marrakech

Competing as (Please tick the category listed below)
Senior Man (over 55 yrs on Jan 1)
Senior Lady (over 50 yrs on Jan 1)
Man
Lady
Boy (Under-16 on Jan 1)
Girl (Under-16 on Jan 1)
Boy (Under- 18 on Jan 1)
Girl (Under-18) on Jan 1)

FIRST NAME (Mr/Mrs/Miss)

SURNAME

HOME GOLF CLUB:

HANDICAP:
Maximum 28 for males; 36 for females.
(Competitors should take up an up to date handicap from their home club)FULL

POSTAL ADDRESS

POST CODE

Tel (Home)

Tel (Mobile)

E-MAIL ADDRESS

Name of partner for Better-Ball Pairs:
If you wish the Tournament Director to allocate you with a partner at random (Please indicate (Yes / No)

Accompanying Person / Non Golfer

Preferred Airport to fly from & to

Comments / Remarks

I confirm that I agree to abide by all the tournament rules & regulations and I enclose a deposit of £100 (please make cheques payable to MENARA TRAVEL LTD) – payment by cards accepted

Signature:

Please send your completed Entry Form and cheque to:
Mohamed Fakir, Menara Travel Ltd, 200c Blythe Road, London W14 0HH

Eve Muirhead has a page in a Japanese golf magazine devoted to her skills as a curler and a golfer.

Golfing curler Eve Muirhead is a big hit in Japan!

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Eve Muirhead is probably not aware of it but she was big news in Japan during the world curling championships in Vancouver.
I got an E-mail during the tournament from the editor of a Japanese golfing magazine. He asked me if if were true that the Scots girl could also play golf as well as being a star curler for Great Britain. Almost as if the two sports could not be mixed.
He told me that Japanese coverage of the world curling championships made a point of featuring Eve Muirhead on television and their newspapers. The Scot had somehow taken a trick with their viewers and readers
Eve has also made the golf magazines in Japan. The aforementioned editor sent me a copy of a magazine - I would not attempt to put a name to it - with a whole page devoted to the Scot. See above.
Eve, who will celebrate her 20th birthday on April 22, comes from Blair Atholl and a curling family. Her father Gordon was an international-class curler. She is a member of Pitlochry Golf Club where she has a handicap of scratch despite not devoting nearly as much time to her golf as she does to curling. She has won the Highland Women's Open more than once.
What I did not mention to the Japanese magazine editor was that Eve Muirhead is also an accomplished bagpiper. Now that would really have got him going!

Bedfordshire pair win EWGA East Region foursomes

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Bedfordshire’s Bridie Quinn and Sally Shayler scored a four-shot victory in the EWGA East Region foursomes at Hintlesham Hall, Suffolk.
Sally, the Bedfordshire champion, and Bridie, a past winner of the county title, put together two rounds of three-over par 75 in perfect spring-like weather. They were heading for an even lower score before dropping five shots over the last three holes of their first round.
They recovered well from the setback and, said Sally: “We set out to win this and we are delighted to do it. It was the first 36-hole competition of the year and now we’re looking forward to our county championship at John O’Gaunt in May.”
The pair are a tried and tested foursomes partnership with an excellent record in county week matches. They were also third in this competition last year.
Results
Scratch
150 Sally Shayler & Bridie Quinn (The Bedfordshire/South Beds) 75 75.
154 Sarah Smith & Miranda Brain (Newmarket/Gog Magog) 77 77.
Handicap
141 Cindy Tufts & Sarah Watts (The Norfolk).
144 Trisha Wilson & Brenda Scudder (Chelmsford).
147 Dulcie Sverdloff & Ashleigh Greenham (Thorpe Hall/West Essex).
Best morning net:
74 Marion Griffiths & Pamela Randle (Stoke by Nayland).
Best afternoon net:
69 Teresa Wardlaw & Joan Hunter (Stowmarket)
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Chris Quinn to defend English senior title at Littlestone

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Hampshire’s Chris Quinn aims to continue a fabulous winning run when she defends her title in the English seniors’ championship at Littlestone, Kent, next week (April 20-23).
The Hockley player dominated senior golf last season when she won both this event and the stroke-play championship, taking her honours total to one British and four English titles.
The championship, which launches the English Women’s Golf Association season, has attracted a bumper entry of 114 players from 29 counties – including one who is based in France. The lowest handicaps are scratch and belong to Chris Quinn and fellow international and past stroke-play champion, Janet Melville of Nottinghamshire.
Kent has provided an excellent entry of 16 players and nine of them are members of the host club. They include Geraldine Bray, who won the senior stroke-play championship in 2006 and represented England later that year.
Every member of last year’s senior international team is playing. In addition to Chris Quinn and Janet Melville they are:
Rozalyn Adams of Surrey, Jo Ashmore of Norfolk, Sue Dye of Cheshire, Lucy Newton of Northumberland and Paula Parker of Cambs & Hunts.
Seven members of the field are eligible for this event for the first time, having recently celebrated their 50th birthdays. Lulu Housman of Highgate in Middlesex, in particular, is making a quick start to senior golf.
She turns 50 just four days before the start! Lulu is a two-handicapper and was Middlesex county champion in 2007. In all, 37 of the players, around a third of the field, are aged 55 or under.
The course will be set at 5,782 yards, with a par and USGA SSS of 73. Littlestone was the host venue of the 2007 English Close Championship and is a venue regularly used for major amateur and professional events. It will host final qualifying for the 2011 Open Championship.
All competitors will play two rounds of stroke-play qualifying, 18 holes on each of Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20 and 21. The leading 16 players will contest the championship matchplay flight while the next 16 players will play in Flight Two. The matchplay stages will take place on Thursday and Friday, April 22 and 23. Spectators are welcome.
Full details, live scoring and daily championship reports: www.englishwomensgolf.org
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
English Women's Golf Association

ANNA IS TOP SEED FOR D&A

WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

The decision of Buchanan Castle's Kylie Walker to turn professional makes it a far more wide open Dunbartonshire & Argyll women's county golf championship which teed off today with the stroke-play round to decide the 16 qualifiers for the match-play stages at Hilton Park over the next two days.
Kylie had won the title four times in the past five years. The No 1 seed this year is Anna Telfer (Milngavie), pictured, whose better inward half gave her the top ranking after home-course player Aileen Baker also had an 81 - six over the CSS.
Kirstin Scott (Milngavie), beaten by Walker in last year's final at Hayston, qualfied in 13th position with a 92.
MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS
Par 72. CSS 75
81 Anna Telfer (Milngavie) better inward half, Aileen Baker (Hilton Park).
82 Lorraine Campbell (Cardross).
83 Lynne McColl (Bearsden).
84 Helen Faulds (Douglas Park).
85 Fiona McLean (Hilton Park).
87 Jorden Ferrie (Kirkintilloch), Nichola Ferguson (Clober), Sheila Steele (Hilton Park), Laura McGeachy (Windyhill).
91 Gayle Smith (Clober), Margarety Kinvig (The Carrick).
92 Kirstin Scott (Milngavie).
93 Christina MacPherson (Hilton Park).
95 Kay McColl (HIlton Park).
97 Babs Robertson (Helensburgh).
MATCH-PLAY TIES
Automatic draw (8min intervals)
Championship - First round - 9.0 Telfer v Robertson, Steele v Ferguson, Faulds v Kinvig, Scott v L McColl, Campbell v MacPherson, Smith v McLean, Ferrie v McGeachy, K McColl v Baker.
Quarter-finals in the afternoon.
Bronze championship - Semi-finals - Lyndsay McCubbin (Hilton Park) 96 bih v Denise Harrow (Hilton Park) 101; Josephine Monaghan (Dumbarton) 96 v Hellen Low (Hilton Park) 98.

Ulster win Irish inter-provincial title

in 'photo-finish' at The Island

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH WOMEN'S GOLF UNION
Ulster won the Interprovincial matches by a 1 match winning margin after Ulster, Munster and Leinster tied on 2 points at The Island Golf Club.
FINAL POINTS
1st Ulster 2 (15 matches won).
2nd Leinster 2 pt (14 matches won).by two holes up.
3rd Munster 2 (14 matches won).
4th Connacht 0 (six matches won).

Results for Day 3
Ulster 6½ Connacht 2½
Foursomes
Victoria Bradshaw & Louise Coffey lost to Niamh Kitching & Sarah Helly 2&1
Charlene Reid & Gemma McClenaghan lost to Anne McCormack & Ailbhe Farrell 2&1
Nikki Currie & Tara Gribbon bt Kate Gallagher & Holly Robinson 1up
Singles
Victoria Bardshaw bt Anne McCormack 2&1
Louise Coffey bt Niamh Kitching 2&1
Charlene Reid bt Sarah Helly 3&1
Tara Gribben halved with Holly Robinson
Gemma McClenaghan bt Doireann Carney 3&2
Bronagh Lunney bt Kate Gallagher 4&2

Connacht's fine striking of the ball paid off on Day 3 as they unsettled Ulster by winning the morning foursomes series of matches. Top two pairings of Niamh Kitching/Sarah Helly and Anne McCormack/Ailbhe Farrell both secured 2 and 1 wins for Connacht before Ulster's Nikki Currie and Tara Gribbon came back in their match against Kate Gallagher and Holly Robinson to win by 1 hole.
Victoria Bradshaw gave Ulster the lead in the top singles match, beating Anne McCormack 2 and 1 - Ulster in need of a good winning margin did not disappoint and Louise Coffey followed in with another 2 and 1 result, Charlene Reid won 3 and 1, Gemma and Bronagh both also won and Tara Gribben halved with Holly Robinson - as a result Ulster won the trophy.

Leinster 5½ Munster 3½
Foursomes
Rachel Cassidy & Deirdre Smith halved with Gillian O'Leary & Sarah Cunningham
Maria Dunne & Aedin Murphy halved with Laura McCarthy & Sarah Crowe
Karen Delaney & Ciara Butler lost to Linda Toomey & Karen O'Neill by 1 hole
Singles
Maria Dunne lost to Gillian O'Leary 4&2
Rachel Cassidy bt Laura McCarthy 1up
Aedin Murphy bt Aoife Lowry 4&3
Ciara Butler halved with Karen O'Neill
Louise Mernagh bt Linda Toomey
Karen Delaney bt Sarah Cunningham 5&4

Munster and Leinster had a tense foursomes affair, the top two matches were both halved with Leinster coming back in the second match from 1 down playing the last to secure a birdie with Munster taking two from the greenside bunker.
Linda Toomey and Karen O'Neil gave Munster the edge with a win on the eighteenth green.GGillian O'Leary gave Munster the lead in the singles beating Maria Dunne but Leinster were on fire with Rachel Cassidy holding off a stern challenge from Munster's Laura McCarthy to win by 1 hole.
Aedin Murphy, Louise Mernagh, and Karen Delaney sealed the match for Leinster with wins while Ciara Butler halved with Karen O'Neill.

Irish women's inter-provincial matches

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Munster in driving seat at The Island with two wins while Leinster take point against Connacht which leaves Munster, Leinster and Ulster all in contention going into the final day....
Points table after day 2
Munster 2 (12 matches won)
Leinster 1 (10½ matches won)
Ulster 1 (9 matches won)
Connacht 0 (4½ matches won)
Draw for Day 3
Friday 9th April

Ulster -v- Connacht
08:30 Victoria Bradshaw & Louise Coffey -v- Niamh Kitching & Sarah Helly
08:40 Charlene Reid & Gemma McClenaghan -v- Anne McCormack & Ailbhe Farrell
08:50 Nikki Currie & Tara Gribbon -v- Kate Gallagher & Holly Robinson

Leinster -v- Munster
08:35 Rachel Cassidy & Deirdre Smith -v- Gillian O'Leary & Sarah Cunningham
08:45 Mary Dowling & Aedin Murphy -v- Laura McCarthy & Sarah Crowe
08:55 Karen Delaney & Ciara Butler -v- Linda Toomey & Ciara Butler
Results for Day 2 -
Thursday 8th April
Munster 5 Ulster 4
Foursomes
Gillian O'Leary & Sarah Cunningham lost to Victoria Bradshaw & Louise Coffey 4&3
Laura McCarthy & Sarah Crowe beat Charlene Reid & Gemma McGlenaghan by 1 up
Linda Toomey & Karen O'Neill beat Nikki Currie & Tara Gribben 2&1
Singles
Gillian O'Leary lost to Victoria Bradshaw by 1 hole
Laura McCarthy bt Louise Coffey 5&4
Aoife Lowry lost to Charlene Reid by 1 hole
Sarah Crowe lost to Gemma McClenaghan 4&3
Linda Toomey bt Tara Gribben 3&2
Sarah Cunningham bt Lucy Simpson 5&4

Foursomes
Ulster's top pairing of Victoria Bradshaw and Louise Coffey impressed with a series of birdies that left Munster on the back foot with a 4 and 3 loss. However, the young Munster pair of Laura McCarthy and Sarah Crowe were dormie 3 up and despite Ulster's Charlene Reid and Gemma McClenaghan having 4 birides in the last 5 holes the Munster pair managed to hold for the win by halving the 18th in birdies.
Singles
Munster claimed three singles matches against Ulster to ensure the overall point in tense afternoon singles at The Island. Munster looked dominant from the off with Gillian O'Leary in the top match three up through 11, however young Ulster star Victoria Bradshaw birdied 17 and 18 to win by 1 hole.
Laura McCarthy who has made an excellent transititon to the senior ranks won her match for Munster and teammates Linda Toomey and Sarah Cunningham followed suit. Meanwhile current International Charlene Reid and Gemma McClenaghan won good matches for Ulster which could prove vital if a count back of matches won is needed to decide the title.

Leinster 7½ Connacht 1½
Foursomes
Louise Mernagh & Ciara Butler bt Niamh Kitching & Sarah Helly 2&1
Rachel Cassidy & Deirdre Smith bt Anne McCormack & Ailbhe Farrell 5&4
Karen Delaney & Maria Dunne bt Doireann Carney & Holly Robinson 5&4
Singles
Rachel Cassidy bt Anne McCormack 4&3
Karen Delaney bt Holly Robinson 6&5
Ciara Butler lost to Niamh Kitching 4&3
Deirdre Smith halved with Sarah Helly Aedin Murphy bt Shauna Brady 7&6
Maria Dunne lost to Kate Gallagher by 1 hole

Foursomes
Leinster do not want to relinquish their trophy too easily and came out all guns blazing to whitewash Connacht in the foursomes. The relatively inexperienced pair of Louise Mernagh and Ciara Butler dove tailed well in their win which included an eagle on the par 5 third hole.
Singles
Rachel Cassidy's home advantage paid dividend for Leinster. Cheered on by The Island supporters she led her team with a fine 4 and 3 win and was followed in by teammates Karen Delaney and Aedin Murphy who both recorded wins by impressive margins. Niamh Kitching gave Connacht their first win of the day which spurred on teammates Sarah Helly who halved against Deirdre Smith and Kate Gallagher who was level against Maria Dunne playing 18 and won the match.