Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
COMUNITAT VALENCUABA EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP
La Sella Golf Resort, Alicante, Spain
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
199 Anna Nordqvist & Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 67 62 70
201 Karrie Webb & Karen Lunn (Aus) 69 65 67, Iben Tinning & Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 68 66 67
202 Gwladys Nocera & Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 67 69 66, Giulia Sergas & Veronica Zorzi 68 66 68
203 Beth Daniel & Meg Mallon (USA) 67 71 65
204 Tania Elosegui & Emma Cabrera Bello (Spa) 66 65 73, Maria Verchenova & Anastasia Kostina (Rus) 71 68 65
205 Catriona Matthew & Krystle Caithness (Sco) 69 69 67, Becky Brewerton & Breanne Loucks (Wal) 69 70 66
208 Stefanie Michl & Nicole Gergely (Aut) 66 72 70, Christel Boeljon & Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 68 69 71
209 Anja Monke & Bettina Hauert (Ger) 70 71 68, Karen Stupples & Melissa Reid (Eng) 71 69 69,
211 Ursula Wikstrom & Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 73 69 69
212 Caroline Rominger & Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 71 71 70
216 Cecilie Lundgreen & Caroline Martens larsen (Nor) 72 71 73
219 Rebecca Coakley & Hazel Kavanagh (Irl) 72 75 72

SCOTS BEST OF BRITISH AT HALFWAY

Swedes are halfway leaders at Alicante

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Alicante, Spain: Anna Nordqvist and Sophie Gustafson lifted Sweden into a two-shot lead at the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup at the Sella Golf Resort in south-east Spain on Friday. The pair combined for 10 birdies in the Valencian Cup format, which is a variation on Greensomes.
Adding a 62 to their opening 65 in Thursday’s four-balls, Sweden finished the second round at 15-under-par, just three shots behind the previous year’s winning score, after 36 holes. The Spanish duo of Tania Elosegui and Emma Cabrera were placed second at 13-under-par after a round of 65 that included an eagle, a bogey and six birdies.
The Australian team of Karrie Webb and Karen Lunn fired a 65 and shared third at ten-under with Italy, represented by Veronica Zorzi and Giulia Sergas and the Danish duo of Iben Tinning and Lisa Holm Sorensen, playing together for the third year.
“It was all about team work out there. I felt like I had to try to hit the fairway as I knew Sophie was going to stick it close so I could tap it in for birdie. That’s how I felt a lot of the time,” said Nordqvist, who won two tournaments last year in her rookie season as a professional. Gustafson, a winner of 23 international titles, added: “I was focused on getting my shots into the green closer than Anna because I really wanted her to be the one putting for birdies.”
The pair had nine threes on the card in total. They went out in 32 with birdies on the third, fifth, seventh and ninth holes.
With further birdies on holes 10, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 18 they came back in 30 and also made an important par save on the tough par-three 17th hole.
“I think obviously we had some awesome momentum going on the back nine, we played so good coming off birdies on 14, 15 and 16 and then making a par is always important, especially in the end because you want to keep that momentum going all the way to the end and finish well,” Nordqvist said.
“We knew we had to stay short of the pin because it’s pretty fast coming down if you are short of the pin. I thought I hit a good shot but it was the wrong club so I mean, you’ve just got to accept that. Sophie hit a little to the right but thanks to Sophie we managed to save par there so it got us some momentum for 18.”
Tania Elosegui and Emma Cabrera Bello celebrate a birdie putt on the eighth green.
Spain made a fast start on a fine day at La Sella Resort. Cabrera Bello rolled in a 10 foot birdie putt at the first hole, before holing out for eagle from the front greenside bunker on the par-five second hole, which gave her and Elosegui a two stroke lead.
They then birdied the par-four third hole, Cabrera Bello knocking in a three-footer, before moving to 11-under-par when Cabrera Bello again rolled in a tricky putt at the fifth. At the eighth, Cabrera Bello’s putting skills again came to the fore when she nailed a six foot putt and the pair moved to 13-under-par with another birdie at the ninth hole.
They were out in 29 with a three stroke lead over Sweden, however when Spain bogeyed the 11th and Sweden birdied the 14th the two teams were locked at 12-under-par. Spain made another birdie at the tough 17th, lifting them to 13-under in total.
Elosegui said: “I’m very happy. I think it’s a great round and a great score for this format. Sweden shot 62 which is unbelievable but 65 is a very good round.”
Cabrera Bello, whose father was out supporting in the gallery with the Spanish flag, added: “It was very exciting. Actually our first four came at the seventh hole, because I was just doing the score card. It was an amazing start. On the front nine I was putting most of the time and that was working and then on the back nine it was Tania putting and me hitting the second shots.”
Australia were one of the favourite teams coming into the event and they made their move on Friday, Webb holing a bunker shot for eagle at the par-five second hole, with five birdies over the last six holes.
“We just finished well really,” explained Lunn. “We struggled a little bit all day but hung in there and made a few birdies at the end.
“Both of us weren’t gelling at the same time but we were doing enough to make pars and then it really clicked the last six holes,” said Webb, a winner of seven major championships. “I’m having a great time and it’s a really lovely week.”
The Italian team, who tied for second at the 2009 event, shot a second round of 66 and Sergas said: “It was very consistent. We shoot 33, 33, so it was a good round.”
Zorzi said: “Well today was different: sunshine, no rain, good feelings, everything was good today. Everybody put the first shot in the fairway and also we had a chance to choose the ball on the green so we played very good together.”
Scotland's Catriona Matthew and Krystle Caithness are the best place of the British teams in joint eighth position on 138 - nine shots behind the pacemaking Swedes.
Saturday’s third round will be four-ball, better-ball, followed by a final round of “Valencian Cup” on Sunday.

SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
129 SWEDEN: Anna Nordqvist & Sophie Gustafson 67 62.
131 SPAIN: Tania Elosegui & Emma Cabrera-Bello 66 65 »»
134 AUSTRALIA:Karrie Webb & Karen Lunn 69 65, ITALY (Giulia Sergas & Veronica Zori 68 66; DENMARK: Lisa Holm Sorensen & Iben Tinning 68 66.
136 FRANCE: Gwladys Nocera & Jade Schaeffer 67 69.
137 NETHERLANDSl Christel Boeljon & Marjet van der Graaff 68 69.
138 SCOTLAND: Catriona Matthew & Krystle Caithness 69 69; UNITED STATES: Beth Daniel & Meg Mallon 67 71, AUSTRIA: Nicole Gergely & Stefanie Michl 66 72.
139 RUSSIA: Maria Verchenova & Anastasia Kostina 71 68, WALES: Becky Brewerton & Breanne Loucks 69 70.
140 ENGLAND: Karen Stupples & MelissaReid 71 69.
141 GERMANY: Bettina Hauert & Anja Monke 70 71.
142 FINLAND: Ursula Wikstrom & Jenni Kuosa 73 69, SWITZERLAND: Carolina Rominger & Frederique Seeholzer 71 71.
143 NORWAY: Cecilie Lundgreen & Caroline Martens 72 71.
147 IRELAND: Rebecca Coakley & Hazel Kavanagh 72 75.

+Official tour scoring and statistics provided by the Ladies European Tour website

Austrians - one set of clubs between two - share lead

with a 66 in European Nations Cup at Alicante

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
She had no golf clubs, had to borrow clothes and had little sleep, but after an amazing dash from America, Austria’s Stefanie Michl made it to Spain on Wednesday night, to join Nicole Gergely at the Comunitat Valenciana Nations Cup in Dénia.
After arriving at Madrid airport late on Wednesday evening without her golf clubs and luggage, Michl met Gergely at La Sella Resort at around 12.30am and the pair agreed to share clubs, as is allowed in team competition as long as there are no more than 14 in the bag.
Since both players use similar Titleist AP2 clubs and a Scotty Cameron putter, it couldn’t have worked out better.
The pair gelled phenomenally well and fired a superb six-under-par 66 in the four-ball better-ball format to share the lead with the Spanish duo of Tania Elosegui and Emma Cabrera Bello in the 18-nation event.
They finished one shot ahead of three teams at five-under-par. In a share of third were the French duo of Gwladys Nocera and Jade Schaeffer, Beth Daniel and Meg Mallon representing the United States and Sweden, represented by Anna Nordqvist and Sophie Gustafson.
The Icelandic volcano caused travel chaos leading up to the tournament and Michl was the last player to arrive. Originally booked on a flight from Orlando, she eventually flew from Miami to Frankfurt and from Frankfurt to Madrid, arriving jet lagged less than nine hours before her tee time.
With no suitcase, she borrowed a skirt and a polo shirt from Russian Maria Verchenova and rain wear from a marshal in the morning drizzle.
The Austrians obviously felt they had something to prove and Gergely struck with the first of the team’s five birdies at the par-five second hole. They bogeyed the par-four seventh, making the turn in level par 36, but Gergely picked up two more birdies at the 11th and 12th holes, followed by another at the 16th, where she rolled in a 10-metre putt.
Michl finished with a birdie on 17 followed by an eagle at the par-five 18th, when she holed out from 34 metres.
Michl said: “I felt I was hitting her irons really well. With the woods and the driver I struggled a bit but I felt comfortable because I knew she would play well and help me out. I did as much as I could.
“You don’t hole a 34 metre pitch every day. It came off the club nicely and I saw it was nice but it disappeared.
“I felt a bit tired this morning but I knew it was time to wake up and play the tournament and play well. I was a little bit let down when I saw that my clubs had not turned up but we found out that I could use Nicole’s and they are pretty similar. She is a Titleist player as well so that was good and I felt good.”
Gergely, who last year became the first Austrian to win a Ladies' European Tour title with her maiden victory at the Vediorbis/Randstad Open de France Dames, added: “We played okay. We had a few chances on the front nine. When I saw her third shot for eagle, I thought: that’s great!”
They were later caught by Spain, who recorded seven birdies and one bogey. Tania Elosegui birdied the third, fifth, sixth, ninth, 12th and 18th holes. Emma Cabrera Bello birdied the 17th and joked: “We went through a strategy: I make the pars and leave the birdies for Tania.”
Elosegui added: “That’s a very good start. I think we are both happy with today. We fight out there. I think we were struggling a little bit on the back nine but Emma holed a very important putt on 15 to save par because we dropped one shot on 14 so that par was very important.”
Defending champions Christel Boeljon and Marjet Van der Graaff of the Netherlands shot 68 and shared sixth place with Denmark and Italy.
Friday’s second round will be “Valencian Cup”, which is a variation on greensomes where players tee off then switch and play their partner’s ball for the next shot (on par 4s) and for the next 2 shots (on par 5s) before selecting the best ball and completing the hole in alternate shot (foursome) format. On par 3s the best tee shot is selected before completing the hole with alternate shots.
Four-ball, better-ball will be played on Saturday followed by a final round of Valencian Cup on Sunday.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Ladies' European Tour Scoreboard
EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP
La Sella Resort, Alicante, Spain
FIRST ROUND
Par 72
66 AUSTRIA: Nicole Gergely & Stefanie Michl.
66 SPAIN: Tania Elosegui & Emma Cabrera-Bello.
67 FRANCE: Gwladys Nocera & Jade Schaeffer.
67 UNITED STATES: Beth Daniel & Meg Mallon.
67 SWEDEN: Anna Nordqvist & Sophie Gustafson.
68 DENMARK: Iben Tinning & Lisa Holm Sorensen.
68 ITALY: Giulia Sergas & Veronica Zorzi.
68 NETHERLANDS: Christel Boeljon & Marjet van der Graaff.
69 WALES: Becky Brewerton & Breanne Loucks.
69 AUSTRALIA: Karrie Webb & Karen Lunn.
69 SCOTLAND: Catriona Matthew & Krystle Caithness.
70 GERMANY: Bettina Hauert & Anja Monke.
71 SWITZERLAND: Caroline Rominger & Frederique Seeholzer.
71 RUSSIA: Maria Verchenova & Anastasia Kostina.
71 ENGLAND: Karen Stupples & Melissa Reid.
72 NORWAY: Cecilie Lundgreen & Caroline Martens.
72 IRELAND: Rebecca Coakley & Hazel Kavanagh.
73 FINLAND: Ursula Wikstrom & Jenni Kuosa.

*Official tour scoring and statistics provided by the Ladies European Tour

EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP STARTS THURSDAY

Catriona Matthew makes it to Alicante in

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time after all to team up with Krystle

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FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

All 18 teams of two will be present to represent their countries when the third Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup begins at 8.45am on Thursday at La Sella Resort in Dénia, Alicante, Spain.
With the Icelandic volcano having caused chaos with air travel in Europe over the past week, it was feared that some teams wouldn’t be able to make it to the tournament, however many players spent three days travelling across the continent in a desperate attempt to make it to the tee by Thursday.
Austrian Stefanie Michl was scheduled to arrive at 10.25pm tonight (Wednesday), less than 12 hours before her 9.09am tee time. She has flown from the United States to Frankfurt and from there to Madrid.
North Berwick’s Catriona Matthew, pictured above, the Ricoh Women’s Open champion, arrived on site at around 2pm today with her caddie-husband Graeme, in plenty of time to join her playing partner Krystle Caithness on the tee at 10.09am on Thursday.
Speaking from Alicante, Matthew said: “We actually flew from Newcastle to Alicante, which was pretty amazing. Now we’re looking forward to getting some sun.
“Suddenly they opened up the whole of Britain at about five or six last night. We held out because I wasn’t going to do that drive. Our car is only a little runaround when we’re at home in Scotland so we didn’t think it could take that journey. It is 30 driving hours from Scotland to get here. We nearly went with Karrie Webb’s caddie Mikey but it took him 60 hours altogether going on the Eurostar. We looked at that but they were fully booked.”
The Ladies European Tour fixture, which was successfully launched in 2008, has attracted a world class field of 18 teams comprising 16 countries from Europe, whilst Australia and the United States received the two sponsor invitations.
Fortunately for Australian Karrie Webb, travelling from the United States with the American duo of Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel, an early arrival last Saturday saw them avoid the flight chaos. Making the most of the extra days in Spain, they enjoyed a football match between Real Madrid and Valencia at the Bernabeu Stadium.
A picture of the tournament mascot ‘Birdy’, on which the players painted their national flags.
Australian Karen Lunn’s journey, proved to be the longest and most enduring. She commenced her trip with a Coolangatta to Sydney flight last Thursday.

She reported: “I arrived in Abu Dhabi en route to London and was stuck there for two nights. Realising it was unlikely I would get to London and then Spain in time (for the tournament) I decided to buy a new ticket to Alicante via Doha and Madrid.

"Ninety hours door to door, five flights and five days later I finally made it. It was an expensive exercise but I wouldn’t have missed this event for anything. Karrie and I had a good practice day on Tuesday and are both playing well so should be a good week.”
Of the Britons, Melissa Reid and Karen Stupples drove from England, Breanne Loucks drove from Wales and Krystle Caithness drove with her caddie from Scotland.
Reid explained her journey: “I drove from Loughborough, which was 1400 miles away and took 22 hours. It was punishment and got a bit tedious for the last six hours. We drove straight through. We left Loughborough at 2am on Monday and arrived around midnight so it was less than 24 hours. We took the ferry from Dover.

"We were pretty tired yesterday (Tuesday). My neck and back stiffened up. I have problems with my back anyway but a bit of practising and gym and it sorted itself out. A little bit of practise and I’m back to my normal self.
“I’m playing the course for the first time in the pro am and it looks nice. I think when they cut the greens and they run a bit faster they will be running a bit better. It’s in pretty good condition and the fairways are nice.”
Only one team, Germany, has seen a change. Bettina Hauert will be joined by the recent Lalla Meryem Cup winner Anja Monke, who has replaced Sandra Gal.
“I am extremely happy that Anja drove up here from Hannover today,” said Hauert, who had driven for 17 hours from Cologne, starting on Sunday. “I think Sandra made a great decision to give Anja the chance to play. It’s not easy to step back and let someone else take your spot; that’s really fair play and shows great character. Sandra wanted to play really badly but she just couldn’t find another flight from the United States to Europe. Both Sandra and Anja are great players so either way I think Germany has a strong team.”
Monke added: “I will never complain about waiting for a plane again after that drive.”
Finland’s Jenni Kuosa drove the furthest: 3,800 kilometres from Helsinki and arrived on Tuesday evening to partner Ursula Wikstrom, who drove from Switzerland, along with Gwladys Nocera and Jade Schaeffer, from France.
Russian Maria Verchenova took a train from Moscow to Vienna en route to the event to join playing partner, Anastasia Kostina, who took a convoluted route from Miami in Florida, to Valencia in Spain. The Irish team of Hazel Kavanagh and Rebecca Coakley took a three day trip from Dublin via the Holyhead ferry.
The Dutch team of Christel Boeljon and Marjet van der Graaff will defend the title they won in 2009 when they defeated Australia (Nikki Garrett & Joanne Mills), France (Gwladys Nocera & Anne-Lise Caudal) and Italy (Veronica Zorzi & Giulia Sergas) into second place.
The event format will see four rounds played as follows:
Thursday: Four-ball, better-ball – each player plays her own ball and the best score of the two is recorded for each hole.
Friday: “Valencian Cup” format where players tee off then switch and play their partner’s ball for the next shot (on par 4s) and for the next 2 shots (on par 5s) before selecting the best ball and completing the hole in alternate shot (foursome) format. On par 3s the best tee shot is selected before completing the hole with alternate shots.
Saturday : Four-ball, better-ball.
Sunday: Valencian Cup format
The winning team will share €84,000.

Volcanic ash not stopping L E T players from getting

to the Nations Cup at Alicante, Spain this week

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Despite travel challenges due to the volcanic ash cloud across Europe, its full steam ahead for this week’s Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup at La Sella Resort in Dénia, Alicante, Spain.
With planes grounded, England’s Melissa Reid, who is due to compete with Karen Stupples, made the epic trek from the UK by car with Breanne Loucks from Wales. Her playing partner Becky Brewerton was already at her holiday home in Spain practising.
Golfers have been driving in from all around Europe, including Ursula Wikstrom, who drove all the way from Finland, a journey of several thousand miles
Dutch duo Christel Boeljon and Marjet van der Graaff set off from Holland by car over the weekend determined to arrive in time to defend their title. However it looks unlikely that Maria Verchenova will be able to travel from Moscow in Russia in time.
Beth Daniel and Meg Mallon are both flying in from the United States, while Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson and Anna Nordqvist will be coming from Jamaica, where Nordqvist won the Mojo6 tournament on Sunday. Their flights were delayed after Barcelona airport was closed, but it has since re-opened. Germany’s Sandra Gal was also heading the same way.
In a marathon effort, Australian Karen Lunn made it from Abu Dhabi, changing flights several times to ensure she would arrive to compete with Karrie Webb.
The players are all looking forward to representing their respective countries at the tournament, which will receive daily international television coverage.
Nightly highlights will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Sport TV in Portugal, ESS in Asia, Viasat Sport in Scandinavia, Golf+ in Spain and Fox Sports in Australia.
Additional highlights will be shown on The Golf Channel in America, Sport + in France and on a number of other channels in various countries throughout the world.

Ladies' European Tour Access Series
DINARD LADIES OPEN
Brittany, Northwest France
FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
1 208 Jade Schaeffer (France) 67 69 72.
2 209 Lucie Andre (France) (amateur) 67 68 74.
T3 213 Julie Greciet (France) 74 74 65.
T3 213 Virginie Lagoutte Clement (France) 70 77 66.
T3 213 Kiran Matharu (England) 71 74 68.,
T3 213 Caroline Afonso (France) 69 74 70.
T3 213 Julie Tvede (Denmark) 70 71 72.
8 214 Julie Maisongrosse (FRA) France 71 74 69
9 215 Nicole Forshner (CAN) Canada 75 70 70.
T10 216 Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) 69 76 71.
T10 216 Morgane Bazin de Jessey (France) (amateur) 74 70 72.
T12 217 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spain) 76 73 68.
T12 217 Marion Kaddouche (France) (amateur) 73 75 69.
T12 217 Camille Fallay (France) 75 73 69
T12 217 Natalie David-Mila (France) 74 74 69
T16 218 Anne-Lise Caudal (France) 76 73 69
T16 218 Justine Dreher (France) (amateur) 73 74 71
T16 218 Laure Castelain France) (amateur) 77 69 72.
19 219 Rachel Bell (ENG) England 79 71 69.
T20 220 Louise Gateau Chovelon (France) (amateur) 76 74 70
T20 220 Sahra Hassan (Wales) 70 79 71
T22 221 +11 Audrey Riguelle (Am) (France) (amateur) 76 74 71.
T22 221 Liebelei Lawrence (Am) (GRC) Greece/Luxembourg 71 78 72
T22 221 Manon Gidali (France) (amateur) 73 76 72.
T22 221 Holly Aitchison (England) 71 78 72.
T22 221 Laure Sibille (France) 73 75 73.
T22 221 Chrisje de Vries (Netherlands) (amateur) 76 72 73.
T28 222 Ana Larraneta (Spain) 76 73 73
T28 222 Shannon Aubert (France) (amateur) 75 73 74
T28 222 Joanne Clingan (England) 70 76 76.
T31 223 Marian Duvernay (France) (amateur) 72 77 74.
T31 223 Anne Sophie Le Nalio (France) 73 76 74.
T33 224 Henrietta Zuel (England) 72 78 74.
T33 224 Sophie Sandolo (Italy) 76 74 74.
T35 225 Tracey Boyes (England) 75 75 75.
T35 225 Julie Berton (France) 76 73 76.
T35 225 Joanna Klatten (France) (amateur) 73 74 78
38 230 Caroline Martens Larsen (Norway) 78 72 80.

Ladies European Tour - Access Series
Dinard Ladies Open
Brittany, Northwest France
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 140 (2x70)
1 135 -5 Lucie Andre (Am) (FRA) (am) 67 68.
2 136 -4 Jade Schaeffer (FRA) 67 69.
3 141 +1 Julie Tvede (DEN) 70 71.
4 143 +3 Caroline Afonso (FRA) 69 74.
5 144 +4 Morgane Bazin de Jessey (FRA) (am) 74 70.
T6 145 +5 Rhian Wyn Thomas (WAL) 69 76.
T6 145 Julie Maisongrosse (FRA) 71 74.
T6 145 Kiran Matharu (ENG) 71 74.
T6 145 Nicole Forshner (CAN) 75 70.
T10 146 +6 Laure Castelain (FRA) (am) 77 69.
T10 146 Joanne Clingan (ENG) 70 76.
T12 147 +7 Virginie Lagoutte Clement (FRA) 70 77.
T12 147 Joanna Klatten (FRA) (am) 73 74.
T12 147 Justine Dreher (FRA) (am) 73 74.
T15 148 +8 Natalie David-Mila (FRA) 74 74.
T15 148 Chrisje de Vries (NED) (am) 76 72
T15 148 Laure Sibille (FRA) 73 75
T15 148 Julie Greciet (FRA) 74 74
T15 148 Shannon Aubert (FRA) (am) 75 73.
T15 148 Camille Fallay (FRA) 75 73 »»
T15 148 Marion Kaddouche (FRA) (am) 73 75 »»
T22 149 +9 Sahra Hassan (WAL) 70 79 »»
T22 149 Anne Sophie Le Nalio (FRA) 73 76 »»
T22 149 Ana Larraneta (ESP) 76 73 »»
T22 149 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (ESP) 76 73 »»
T22 149 Julie Berton (FRA) 76 73 »»
T22 149 Holly Aitchison (ENG) 71 78 »»
T22 149 Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 76 73 »»
T22 149 Liebelei Lawrence (GRE) (am) 71 78 »»
T22 149 Marian Duvernay (FRA) 72 77 »»
T22 149 Manon Gidali (FRA) (am) 73 76 »»
MISSED THE CUT
150 Caroline Martens Larsen (NOR) 78 72, Tracey Boyes (ENG) 75 75, Sophie Sandolo (ITA) 76 74, Audrey Riguelle (FRA) (am) 76 74, Rachel Bell (ENG) 79 71, Henrietta Zuel (ENG) 72 78, Louise Gateau Chovelon (FRA) (am) 76 74.
151 Margot Ivanoff (Am) (FRA) (am) 72 79, Margherita Rigon (ITA) 78 73, Melodie Bourdy (FRA) 77 74, Elin Emanuelsson (SWE) 76 75, Natalie Lamboult (FRA) (am) 77 74, Johanna Lundberg (SWE) 79 72.
152 Vittoria Valvassori (ITA) Italy 74 78 »»
Zuzana Kamasova (SVK) Gray Bear-GC Tale, Slovakia 78 74 »»
Clemence Abrahamian (Am) (FRA) France 77 75 »»
Rachel Drummond (Am) (ENG) England 79 73 »»
153 Ariane Provot (Am) (FRA) France 76 77 »»
Ines Lescudier (Am) (FRA) France 75 78 »»
Celine Boutier (Am) (FRA) France 78 75 »»
Emilie Alonso (Am) (FRA) France 75 78 »»
Christine Hallstrom (SWE) Sweden 75 78 »»
154 Corisande Lee (ENG) England 78 76 »»
Lorellen Gros (Am) (FRA) France 79 75 »»
Frederique Seeholzer (SWI) Switzerland 80 74 »»
Emilie Gassiot (Am) (FRA) France 73 81 »»
155 Ludivine Kreutz (FRA) France 76 79 »»
Lien Willems (BEL) Belgium 76 79.
Celine Herbin (FRA) France 80 75.
Emilie Piquot (Am) (FRA) France 81 74.
156 Camille Chevalier (FRA) (am) 76 80, Katy McNicoll (SCO) 76 80, Charlotte Dalton (ENG) (am) 75 81, Emma Broze (FRA) (am) 79 77, Diane Buisson (FRA) (am) 79 77.
157 Ocenae Peloille (FRA) (am) 76 81.
Marie Sophie Blond (FRA) (am) 76 81.
Charlene Dubois (Am) (FRA) (am) 77 80.
Barbara Genuini (FRA) 78 79.
Lea Charpier (FRA) (am) 80 77.
159 Melanie Legay (FRA) (am) 83 76.
Kyra van Leeuwen (NED) 80 79.
Audrey Goumard (FRA) (am) 76 83.
Mathilde Cassaigneau (FRA) (am) 79 80.
Charlotte Blanchard (Am) (FRA) France 75 84 »»
Valerie Michaud (FRA) France 78 81 »»
Joelle Van Baarle (Am) (BEL) Belgium 81 78 »»
Bertille Dupont (Am) (FRA) France 81 78 »»
160 Anyssia Herbault (Am) (FRA) France 74 86 »»
Manon Molle (Am) (FRA) France 80 80 »»
161 Louise Latorre (Am) (FRA) France 84 77 »»
Matia Maffiuletti (ITA) Italy 80 81 »»
Agathe Sauzon (Am) (FRA) France 80 81 »»
Sandra Eggermont (NED) Netherlands 84 77 »»
162 Elina Ikavalko (FIN) Finland 80 82 »»
Florence Bonnet (Am) (FRA) France 80 82 »»
Pauline Loulier (Am) (FRA) France 81 81 »»
163 Laetitia Lajoie (Am) (FRA) France 82 81 »»
164 Marie Couffignal (Am) (FRA) France 83 81 »»
165 Laura Chemarin (Am) (FRA) France 82 83 »»
Helene Malvy (Am) (FRA) (am) 82 83
166 Anne Macher-Talibert (FRA) (am) 84 82 »»
167 Sohvi Harkonen (FIN) 83 84
Louise Labaigt (FRA) (am) 87 80
169 Celia Mansour (FRA) (am) 80 89 »»
172 Veronique Debusschere (FRA) (am) 82 90 »»
180 Nadia Mourine (MOR) (am) 88 92 »»
181 Isabelle Omont (FRA) (am) 93 88 »»
186 Sabina Imboden (SWI) 96 90 »»
Retired: Fanny Rocard (FRA) 85 ret.

Katy McNicoll has a roller-coaster 76

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in Dinard Ladies Open at Brittany

Rookie pro Katy McNicoll from Carnoustie had a roller-coaster round of six-over-par 76 on the first day of the Ladies European Tour Access Series event, the Dinard Ladies Open, at Brittany in northwest France today.

Highlights of halves of 40 and 36 were an eagle 3 at the long second and birdies at the 11th and 15th. Lowlights were a triple bogey 7 at the third and a double bogey 5 at the short 17th.

Leading the field on 67 are two French players, amateur Lucie Andre and professional Jade Schaeffer.

FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 70

67 Lucie Andre (Fra) (am), Jade Schaeffer (Fra).

69 Caroline Afonso (Fra), Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wal).

70 Julie Tvede (Den), Joanne Clingan (Eng), Sara Hassan (Wal), Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra).

71 Kiran Matharu (Eng), Holly Aitchison (Eng), Liebelei Lawrence (Gre) (am), Julie Maisongrosse (Fra).
72 Henrietta Zuel (Eng), Marion Duvernay (Fra) (am), Margot Ivanoff (Fra) (am).

73 Manon Gidali (Fra) (am), Joanna Klatten (Fra) (am), Emilie Gassiot (Fra) (am), Justine Dreher (Fra) (am), Marion Kaddouche (Fra) (am), Anne Sophie Le Nalio (Fra), Laure Sibille (Fra).

74 Julie Greciet (Fra), Morgane Bazin de Jessey (Fra) (am), Anyssia Herbault (Fra) (am), Vittoria Valvassori (Ita), Nathalie David-Mila (Fra).

75 Charlotte Blanchard (Fra) (am), Shannon Aubert (Fra) (am), Emilie Alonso (Fra) (am), Camille Fallay (Fra), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Nicole Forshner (Can), Tracey Boyes (Eng), Ines Lescudier (Fra) (am), Charlotte Dalton (Eng) (am).

76 Julie Berton (Fra), Marie Sophie Blond (Fra) (am), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Barbara Genuini (Fra), Louise Gateau-Chovelon (Fra) (am), Camille Chevalier (Fra) (am), Ariane Provot (Fra) (am), Ana Larraneta (Spa), Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spa), Sophie Sandolo (Ita), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Lien Willems (Bel), Elin Emanuelsson (Swe), Audrey Riguelle (Fra) (am), Chrisje De Vries (Net) (am), Katy McNicoll (Sco), Audrey Goumard (Fra) (am), Ocenae Peloille (Fra) (am).

Selected scores:

78 Corisande Lee (Eng).

79 Rachel Bell (Eng), Rachel Drummond (Eng) (am).

Vikki Laing finishes joint sixth - her best so far on LET

Monke catches Koch over last few holes

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Germany’s Anja Monke won her third Ladies European Tour title at the Princess Lalla Meryem Cup tournament in Morocco today, closing with a three-under-par 69 for a one-stroke win from Carin Koch of Sweden.
Koch, a stroke ahead of Monke, Vikki Laing and Melissa Reid entering the final round, remained ahead of the field until she dropped shots at the 15th and 17th holes.
Monke, playing in the penultimate group, tied with the Swede at eight-under after she hit a rescue club to three feet at the par-5 16th and rolled in the eagle putt.
With her 54-hole total of eight-under 208 on the Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia course, she added the title to her wins at the 2008 Open de France and Dubai Ladies Masters.
Koch carded a 71 for her best finish on the LET since the 2004 HP Open in Sweden. France’s Virginie Lagoutte-Clement shot 68 and was a stroke further back in third.
Monke said the win was unexpected because it was her first tournament of the season.
“It is a surprise because I only practised in the winter in snow in Germany. I even practised some bunker shots out of the snow, which is probably unbelievable for you. That’s what I did,” she said.
Monke, who shot 71 and 68 over the first two days of the tournament, struggled over the front nine with bogeys at the third and eighth holes. She was out in 37 after a birdie at the seventh.
However, birdies at the 10th and 12th, followed by an eagle at the 16th, saw her home in 32 and turned her fortunes around.
At the 16th hole, she almost holed her second shot for an albatross.
“It was a good break for me because before I struggled a little bit and I didn’t play that well, especially on the front nine. Of course if you have a three-footer for eagle it helps,” she said.
“I saw the scoreboard behind it, that I equalled Carin’s result at that time. Of course she still had to play number 16 which is a birdie hole, but I thought, “I am close and we’ll see what we get.” I got it!” she said.
The 32-year-old from Hanover had a 43-footer for birdie at the par-4 18th but missed it by a fraction. “It was a gimme so I wouldn’t say I missed it, I almost made it!” said Monke, who earned a first prize of €41,250.
Like Monke, Koch, 39, from Kungalv, had also been practising in snow and was competing in her first tournament of the season. “I played well today. I hit 16 greens and only missed two towards the end and didn’t get it up and down which maybe shows that my short game wasn’t ready for the pressure. I don’t know. I haven’t been practising more than this last week, really. Overall I played really well and hit some really good drives and very steady,” Koch said.
England’s Henrietta Zuel, British girls champion in 2007, finished with a 70 to share fourth with Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands (71), who will defend the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup in a month with compatriot Marjet van der Graaff.
Those in joint sixth place were Germany’s Bettina Hauert (67), Lydia Hall from Wales (66), Italy’s Veronica Zorzi (70), Scotland’s Vikki Laing (73) and the English pair of Florentyna Parker (72) and Melissa Reid (73). Boeljon, Hall and Laing all recorded their career best finish in a Ladies European Tour event. Vikki has, of course, been a winner on the US Futures Tour.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
prize money in Euros
1 208 Anja Monke (Germany) 71 68 69 (41,250).
2 209 Carin Koch (Sweden) 69 69 71 (27,912.50).
3 210 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (France) 73 69 68 (19,250).
T4 211 Henrietta Zuel (England) 71 70 70 (13,255).
T4 211 Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 72 68 71 (13,255)
T6 212 Bettina Hauert (Germany) 73 72 67 (6,911.66).
T6 212 Lydia Hall (Wales) 73 73 66 (6,911.66).
T6 212 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 70 72 70 (6,911.66).
T6 212 Florentyna Parker (England) 71 69 72 (6,911.66).
T6 212 Melissa Reid 68 71 73 (6,911.66).
T6 212 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 68 71 73 (6,911.66).
T12 213 Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa) 74 70 69 (4,578.75).
T12 213 Maria Verchenova (Russia) 67 73 73 (4,578.75).
14 214 Martina Gillen (Ireland) 69 74 71 (4,235).
T15 215 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 75 71 69 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Anne-Lise Caudal (France) 76 70 69 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Frederique Seeholzer (Switzerland) 71 73 71 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Stefanie Michl (Austria) 68 75 72 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Breanne Loucks (Wales) 73 70 72 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Christine Hallstrom (Sweden) 73 69 73 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Ashleigh Simon (South Africa)75 66 74 (3,709.06).
T15 215 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 70 70 75 (3,709.06).
T23 216 Par Mallory Blackwelder (United States) 73 72 71 (3,176.25).
T23 216 Lucie Andre (France) (amateur) 71 72 73.
T23 216 Margherita Rigon (Italy) 70 72 74 (3,176.25).
T23 216 Malene Jorgensen (Denmark) 74 73 69 (3,176.25).
T23 216 Kiran Matharu (England) 74 73 69 (3,176.25).
T28 217 Ursula Wikstrom (Finland) 75 70 72 (2,805).
T28 217 Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) 75 70 72 (2,805).
T28 217 Camille Fallay (France) 74 70 73 (2,805).
T28 217 Sophie Sandolo (Italy) 69 78 70 (2,805).
T27 217 Stephanie Na (Australia) 71 70 76 (2,805).
T33 218 Tara Delaney (Ireland) 73 72 73 (2,351.25).
T33 218 Tandi Cuningham (South Africa) 74 72 72 (2,351.25).
T33 218 Marta Prieto (Spain) 71 73 74 (2,351.25).
T33 218 Jade Schaeffer (France) 71 71 76 (2,351.25).
T33 218 Caroline Masson (Germany) 71 77 70 (2,351.25).
T33 218 Pamela Feggans (Scotland) 71 69 78 (2,351.25)
39 219 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 75 71 73 (2,062.50)
T40 220 Emma Zackrisson (Sweden) 74 71 75 (1,736.42).
T40 220 Anna Rossi (Italy) 70 76 74 (1,736.42).
T40 220 Carmen Alonso (Spain) 72 73 75 (1,736.42).
T40 220 Carly Booth (Scotland) 73 73 74 (1,736.42).
T40 220 Elizabeth Bennett (England) 74 72 74 (1,736.42).
T40 220 Caroline Afonso (France) 72 71 77 (1,736.42).
T40 220 Kym Larratt (England) 74 74 72 (1,736.42).
T47 221 Paula Marti (Spain) 68 77 76 (1,375).
T47 221 Holly Aitchison (England) 73 73 75 (1,375).
T47 221 Kim Welch (United States) 74 74 73 (1,375).
T47 221 Elisabeth Esterl (Germany) 73 75 73 (1,375).
T47 221 Sahra Hassan (Wales) 73 75 73 (1,375).
T52 222 Marjet van der Graaff (Netherlands) 71 76 75 (1,100).
T52 222 Elin Emanuelsson (Sweden) 77 70 75 (1,100).
T52 222 Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 75 73 74 (1,100).
T52 222 Hanna-Leena Salonen (Finland) 75 73 74 (1,100).
T52 222 Maria Boden (Sweden) 71 77 74 (1,100).
T57 223 Ana Larraneta (Spain) 70 76 77 (921.25).
T57 223 Vittoria Valvassori (Italy) 73 74 76 (921.25).
T59 224 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spain) 73 73 78 (866.25).
T59 224 Valerie Van Ryckeghem (Belgium) 74 74 76 (866.25).
61 227 Claire Aitken (England) 75 71 81 (825).
62 229 Melodie Bourdy (France) 72 75 82 (797.50).

Catriona and Krystle confirmed as Scotland
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pair for Nations Cup in Spain next month

NEWS RELEASE
All 18 teams are now confirmed for the third edition of the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup, to be played from April 22 to 25 at La Sella Golf Resort in Denia, Alicante, Spain.
Headlining the field in the exciting team competition will be the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open champion, Catriona Matthew, from Scotland, the 2009 LPGA Major Champion, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and the recent ANZ Ladies Masters champion, Australian Karrie Webb.
Joining Matthew in representing Scotland will be second year Ladies European Tour professional Krystle Caithness from Cupar, Fife, while Nordqvist will pair up with the extremely experienced Sophie Gustafson, a winner of 23 international titles, who last year topped the LET’s Henderson Money List for the fourth time.
Webb, a winner of 46 professional titles, will join 11-time winner Karen Lunn in representing Australia, which is the one of the two invited nations. All other teams qualified as the top Europeans from a combination of the Rolex World Rankings and the Henderson Money List, the official ranking on the Ladies European Tour.
The Netherlands duo of Christel Boeljon and her team mate Marjet van der Graaff will attempt to defend the title, while Italy will have a strong team in Giulia Sergas and Veronica Zorzi, who tied for second at the 2009 tournament.
The 2008 European No.1 Gwladys Nocera, who finished in a tie for second with Anne-Lise Caudal at last year’s competition, will play for France with Jade Schaeffer, who won her maiden title last year in Germany.
Spain’s Tania Elosegui, who claimed her maiden LET title last year in the Netherlands, will represent the home nation alongside Emma Cabrera-Bello.
Representing England will be the 2004 British Open champion Karen Stupples and Melissa Reid, while Wales also has a powerful team in Becky Brewerton and Breanne Loucks.
The victorious 2009 US Solheim Cup Captain Beth Daniel and her assistant Captain Meg Mallon will again represent the United States after finishing seventh on their debut in 2009.
It is the strongest international field gathered for the tournament since its inauguration in 2008 and World No. 16 Matthew from North Berwick said:
“I am really looking forward to playing in the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup. It is always nice to represent your country and play as a team. I love playing in team competition and have always played pretty well.
“Nothing compares to Solheim, which is the ultimate team event, however, I have also loved playing in the World Cup, Lexus Cup and JC Penney Classic over the years and in the Curtis Cup when I was an amateur. I like the fact that you are playing not just for yourself.”
Format of play will remain the same as in previous years: two days of better-ball followed by two days of Valencian Cup.
Matthew continued: “I like the format; it is the same format that they used to play the JC Penney mixed team event in the US. I played with Dan Forsman from the PGA tour for a few years and we always did very well.”
On her playing partner, she commented: “I don't know Krystle very well at all. We met in Dubai at the end of last year. She had a really solid rookie year and won the unofficial pro-am event in Dubai. She is obviously a good player, having played in the Curtis Cup as well. Her results last year were pretty consistent. I think that is what you want in team competition: two players who are fairly consistent and always keeping the ball in play is the key to doing well.”
Webb, who recently won her seventh ANZ Ladies Masters, explained: “I’m really looking forward to it as I’ve heard so many good things about it from other players. I almost played last year but it didn’t quite work with my schedule, however when I saw we had an open week on the LPGA schedule this year, I wanted to play. I haven’t played in Spain since 1995. We rarely get a chance to play in a team. I used to thoroughly enjoy being part of a team during my amateur days.
“I’ve heard the course sets up well for team competition, it’s always in good condition and fun to play. I’ve also heard the area is really beautiful.”
On her playing partner, she added: “Before I turned pro Karen had achieved a lot in her career, including winning the Women’s British Open. I looked up to her when I was growing up.”
Boeljon, who is still only in her second year as a professional, enjoyed a four stroke victory last year with Marjet van der Graaff. She said: “The field this year I think is even stronger than last year’s. There are a lot of talented players out there, but I'm confident that if I play well that we will have a good shot at defending the title.
“I've known Marjet for several years. We have played amateur golf together for many years, both as individuals and team events. While Marjet is a long hitter and capable of making a lot of birdies, I am a little more consistent from hole to hole, and round to round.”
Now in her third year on tour, van der Graaff continued: “It's was a great, unexpected win, which was good for women’s golf in Holland and we received some media attention. We both played well last year and we did very well as a team together. We can win again. We are both better golfers than last year but you have to be lucky that both players are playing well on the week.”
This year’s event, sponsored by Valencian Community Investments (VCI), will feature prize money of €350,000 and a whirlwind social calendar.
Outside the ropes activities include an evening event called “Approaching the Sea” at Denia Marina, where players hit balls to a specially constructed island green.
There will be a longest drive competition over the outdoor swimming pool at La Sella Resort, with the event mascot “Birdie” in attendance to entertain spectators and an art exhibition featuring work by top Spanish realist painters.
There will be a “pink cocktail” event at local bars and restaurants, as well as a 14 round tournament called the “European Amateur Cup,” with a place in the Pro Am for the winning couple.
Fans of women’s golf further afield can partake in a competition on the official tournament website, www.euronationscup.com, where a break for two at the Denia Marriott Hotel at La Sella Resort can be won.
THE TEAMS
Australia - Karrie WEBB & Karen LUNN
Austria - Nicole GERGELY & Stephanie MICHL
Denmark - Iben TINNING & Lisa H SORENSEN
England - Karen STUPPLES & Melissa REID
Finland - Ursula WIKSTROM & Jenni KUOSA
France - Gwladys NOCERA & Jade SCHAEFFER
Germany - Sandra GAL & Bettina HAUERT
Ireland - Rebecca COAKLEY & Hazel KAVANAGH
Italy - Giulia SERGAS & Veronica ZORZI
Netherlands - Christel BOELJON & Marjet VAN DER GRAAFF
Norway - Cecilie LUNDGREN & Caroline MARTENS
Russia - Maria VERCHENOVA & Anastasia KOSTINA
Scotland - Catriona MATTHEW & Krystle CAITHNESS
Spain - Tania ELÓSEGUI & Emma CABRERA-BELLO
Sweden - Anna NORDQVIST & Sophie GUSTAFSON
Switzerland - Caroline ROMINGER & Frederique SEEHOLZER
United States - Beth DANIEL & Meg MALLON
Wales - Becky BREWERTON & Breanne LOUCKS

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR IN MOROCCO

Carin Koch leads by one from

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Laing, Reid and Monke

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Sweden’s Carin Koch grabbed a one stroke lead heading into the final round of the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco on Saturday.
She carded three birdies on a warm and humid afternoon at Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia and didn’t drop a shot for a second successive round of 69.
Six-under on 138 after 36-holes, Koch is in the hunt for her fourth career title and first since the 2005 Corona Morelia Championship.
England’s Melissa Reid shot 71 and finished the day on 139, along with Germany’s Anja Monke, who had an impressive round of 68, and Musselburgh’s Vikki Laing, who shot 71.
Maria Verchenova of Russia, the first round leader, carded a 73 and slipped back into a share of fifth at 140 with Ayrshire’s Pamela Feggans (69), pictured above in Morocco by Fraser Munro, England’s Florentyna Parker (69), Spain’s Emma Cabrera Bello (70) and Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands (68).
South African Ashleigh Simon had a tournament low round of 66 for a share of 10th with Australian Stephanie Na and Henrietta Zuel, finishing three strokes behind the leader.
Koch, who has a cold, is playing in her first tournament of the year and will play full time on the Ladies European Tour in 2010 for the first time since 1994.
She has been practising on the driving range in snow storms in Sweden over the winter and putting on a mat in her living room.
Her dedication paid off today when she birdied the first, second and sixth holes, then reeled 12 successive pars for a one-stroke advantage over the field.
She said: “I played really well on the front nine and beginning of the back nine. I didn’t like the way I played the last few holes but maybe I was getting tired. I made some good putts in the beginning but there were a lot of chances I didn’t make, kind of like yesterday.
“I didn’t think I would be after hitting balls in the snow all winter. It’s not really what I expected when I came here but it’s always great to be in contention and I’ve been working on my swing and mentally. I’ll keep doing that tomorrow and try to play my best golf.”
Reid, the leading rookie on the LET in 2008, started from the 10th and held a one-stroke lead at seven-under-par after 16 holes played. She was clearly frustrated after dropping shots at her last two holes, the eighth and the ninth.
Melissa said: “I am a little annoyed about the last two holes. I hit a bad shot into eight and didn’t have a great lie in the bunker and then on the ninth I misclubbed as I didn’t take into account my adrenaline. It’s a bit annoying but I’ve still shot under par and I’m one off the lead so I just need a low one tomorrow now.”
Reid is targeting a maiden Ladies European Tour victory, as is Laing, although the Scot has been a winner on the Futures Tour in America, while Monke is aiming for her third after wins in France and Dubai in 2008.
The final round of the €275,000 tournament begins at 8.50am local on Saturday and the leading trio of Melissa Reid, Vikki Laing and Carin Koch tee off at 10.30am. There will be a prize giving ceremony for the leading three players on Saturday afternoon, followed by a joint prize giving on Sunday with the male winner of the Hassan II Golf Trophy on the European Tour.
SCOTSWATCH. Vikki Laing is beginning to realise as a professional the great promise she showed as an amateur on the US college circuit and earlier as winner of the Scottish girls' title a record-breaking four years in a row in the late 1990s. Pamela Feggans also played the American college circuit. She had a 69 for 140 today. In all five Scots qualified for the final round, the cut eliminating players with two-round totals of 149 or worse.
Krystle Caithness (71), Lynn Kenny (71) and Carly Booth (73) all made it through with a couple of shots to spare on the same mark, 146.
For 17-year-old Carly from Comrie to make the cut in her first tournament as a pro must be a satisfying achievement which, unfortunately, was not shared by Kylie Walker, who had a pair of 81s for 162. The narrow fairways and punishing rough if you missed them added up to the last kind of course the big-hitting Buchanan Castle player would have chosen for her pro debut. She will find ones more to her liking, where her strength off the tee will tell.
Clare Queen was the second Scot to miss the cut. The Carrick at Loch Lomond player had a pair of 78s for 156.

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
PRINCESS LALLA MERYEM CUP
Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedi, Mohammedia, Morocco
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
138 Carin Koch (Swe) 69 69
139 Anja Monke (Ger) 71 68, Vikki Laing (Scotland) 68 71, Melissa Reid 68 71
140 Pamela Feggans (Scotland) 71 69, Maria Verchenova (Rus) 67 73, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 72 68, Florentyna Parker 71 69, Emma Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 70
141 Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 75 66, Henrietta Zuel 71 70, Stephanie Na (Aus) 71 70
142 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 71 71, Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 73 69, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 70 72, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 73 69, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 70 72
143 Caroline Afonso (Fra) 72 71, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 68 75, Martina Gillen 69 74, Lucie Andre (Fra) 71 72, Breanne Loucks 73 70
144 Marta Prieto (Spa) 71 73, Camille Fallay (Fra) 74 70, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 74 70, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 71 73
145 Mallory Blackwelder (USA) 73 72, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 73 72, Rhian Wyn Thomas 75 70, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 74 71, Paula Marti (Spa) 68 77, Tara Delaney 73 72, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 75 70, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 72 73
146 Anna Rossi (Ita) 70 76, Elizabeth Bennett 74 72, Holly Aitchison 73 73, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 75 71, Tandi Cuningham (Rsa) 74 72, Ana Larraneta (Spa) 70 76, Lydia Hall 73 73, Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 75 71, Mariana Macias-Capuzzi (Spa) 73 73, Anna-Lise Caudal (Fra) 76 70, Claire Aitken 75 71, Carly Booth (Scotland) 73 73
147 Kiran Matharu 74 73, Malene Jorgensen (Den) 74 73, Vittoria Valvassori (Ita) 73 74, Elin Emanuelsson (Swe) 77 70, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 72 75, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 69 78, Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 71 76
148 Kim Welch (USA) 74 74, Kym Larratt 74 74, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 75 73, Maria Boden (Swe) 71 77, Caroline Masson (Ger) 71 77, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 73 75, Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin) 75 73, Valerie Van Ryckeghem (Bel) 74 74, Sahra Hassan 73 75
MISSED THE CUT
149 Georgina Simpson 73 76, Lynnette Teresa Brooky (Nzl) 75 74, Mollie Fankhauser (USA) 72 77, Emelie Lind (Swe) 78 71, Johanna Lundberg (Swe) 80 69
150 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 76 74, Smriti Mehra (Ind) 77 73, Danielle Masters 72 78, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 74 76
151 Julie Tvede (Den) 75 76, Rachel Bell 77 74, Maha Haddioui (Mal) 75 76, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 74 77, Rebecca Hudson 75 76, Elena Giraud (Fra) 79 72
152 Felicity Johnson 78 74, Josefin Leijon (Swe) 75 77, Julie Greciet (Fra) 80 72, Corisande Lee 75 77, Nina Reis (Swe) 78 74, Monica Christiansen (Den) 77 75, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 76 76
153 Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 80 73, Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 76 77, Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger) 75 78, Marina Arruti (Spa) 70 83, Itziar Elguezabal (Spa) 78 75
154 Sophie Giquel (Fra) 78 76
155 Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 78 77, Kyra van Leeuwen (Ned) 76 79, Lien Willems (Bel) 81 74, Julie Maisongrosse (Fra) 79 76, Anastasia Kostina (Rus) 76 79, Kirsty Fisher 76 79, Federica Piovano (Ita) 80 75
156 Clare Queen (Scotland) 78 78
158 Jo Pritchard 83 75, Matia Maffiuletti (Ita) 80 78, Celine Herbin (Fra) 78 80, Joanne Oliver 80 78
159 Hannah Ralph 80 79
160 Zuzana Kamasova (Svk) 78 82
161 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 82 79, Kirsty Taylor 81 80
162 Kylie Walker (Scotland) 81 81
166 Tara Dayer-Smith 85 81
169 Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 80 89
Retired: Mounya Amalou-Sayah (Mor) 82

Pro debuts by Carly (73) and Kylie (81) in Morocco

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Thanks to Ladies Golf Union official Fraser Munro who is acting as a tournament referee in Morocco for sending these images to Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk We have friends everywhere!
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Maria from Moscow leads from Vikki Laing,

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Paula Marti, Melissa Reid and Stefanie Michl
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FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Russia’s Maria Verchenova holds a one-stroke lead on five-under-par 67 after the first round of the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco.
Spain’s Paula Marti is four-under 68 alongside England’s Melissa Reid, Vikki Laing from Musselburgh and Austria’s Stefanie Michl.
Verchenova, 23, from Moscow, carded eight birdies and three bogeys in perfect scoring conditions in temperatures of 24 degrees Centigrade with a gentle breeze at Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia, near Casablanca today.
This is the first time she has led a Ladies European Tour event in her fourth season on tour.
Dressed in a striking bright yellow vest and a blue mini skirt, Verchenova looked as though she meant business as she strode out onto the tenth tee at the start of her first competitive round of the year.
She wasted no time in picking up five birdies over the back nine, with three birdies in a row from the seventh hole. There were just two bogeys at the 14th and 15th holes.
Her putter remained hot as she rolled in an eight-metre putt at the par four third hole, which was countered by third bogey at the fifth hole. However she finished strongly with birdies at the sixth and the eighth.
“I was putting well and I was keeping myself fit through the whole winter and going to the gym and preparing to play so I felt I was going to be pretty close,” said Verchenova, who has been lifting weights and running six days a week over the winter. “I’m hitting it longer and straighter so I supposed it helped,” she said.
The stunning brunette suffered a wrist injury late in 2009, but since recovering, has spent time practising at National Golf Club in Belek, Turkey, which will host the second edition of the Ladies Turkish Open in May.
“The conditions were good in Turkey, so I could practise my pitching and putting. The putting was really good. I’ve worked a lot with my coach, Danny Wilde, and he is over here. We’ve worked on my pitching within 100 metres. This golf course is really short but it’s got narrow fairways and loads of rough, so you’ve got to be pretty straight.” she said.
While Russia was covered in snow, she also found time to design her own clothing range, inspired by women’s tennis.
“My clothing line will come out really soon, in about two months or so, and it’s going to be really young and fashionable with bright colours for really young girls. Hopefully the girls will like it. As always I’m in really bright colours and that’s what I’m looking for. Hopefully the first year I will just wear it and show it and the next year we will try to sell it,” she explained.
One of the Ladies European Tour’s original trend setters, Paula Marti, took the lead early in the morning, along with playing partner Melissa Reid of England.
Also playing in her first tournament of the season, Marti carded seven birdies and three bogeys. She birdies two of the last three holes.
“My driving and my putting were great today, especially on these fairways. They are so tight that you have to hit the fairway otherwise the rough is so high that it’s really impossible to get a decent lie. I’ve made a couple of putts and that’s it. That was overall my round. I made two mistakes in a row but I finished with birdie, par, birdie, so that helps the round,” Marti said.
Reid, who finished 16th at last week’s Handa Women’s Australian Open in Melbourne, carded five birdies and one bogey on a still morning. “I’ve put myself right in the tournament. I didn’t hit it great out there today, which was a bit disappointing, but hopefully if I get my driver going and get the irons good then it will go well over the next couple of days,” Reid said.
Vikki Laing, pictured above, was at four-under after 12 holes, having overcome her opening bogey with five birdies.
“I was hitting my driver really well. I had a lot of wedges into greens and hit a lot in close, like inside ten feet,” said the Scot. “You need to place your drives and hit the fairway because the rough is pretty thick. If you hit fairways and you’re putting well, you’ll score well.”
France’s Nathalie David-Mila had the first hole-in-one of her professional career at the fourth, when she holed out with a four-iron from 157 metres, however, unfortunately there was no prize and she carded 78.
The €275,000 event, which is named after HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, started in 1993 but has joined the Ladies European Tour schedule for the first time in this, its 16th year.
The event is being staged at the same time as the Trophée Hassan II at nearby Royal Golf Dar es-Salam on the men’s European Tour.


SCOTSWATCH. After Vikki Laing, the top Scot was Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire with a 71. Pamela had 2s at the short fourth and short eighth and a 3 at the par-4 13th. She had bogeys at the 14th and 16th.
Scotland amateur internationals Carly Booth from Comrie, Perthshire and Buchanan Castle's Kylie Walker played their first rounds as pros. Carly's 73 included a double bogey at the first hole - she started at the 10th - but birdies at the second, third, seventh and 16th kept her on track for a respectable score.
Kylie, unfortunately, had an 81 with a first-nine half of 42 including a 9 at the par-5 ninth. Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) was level par after nine holes, having started at the 10th, but she took 39 shots for her second nine - the outward half on the card, and finished the day on 75.
Fifer Krystle Caithness marked up a 75 also with halves of 37 and 38 for a share of 59th position. Clare Queen (The Carrick at Loch Lomond) was one over par after her first six holes but finish on 78 with halves of 37 and 41.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LEADING SCORES AND HALVES/

Ladies' European Tour Scoreboard

PRINCESS LALLA MERYEM CUP
Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia

FIRST-ROUND
Par 72
67 Maria Verchenova (Russia) 34-33.
68 Paula Marti (Spain) 33-35, Melissa Reid (England) 34-34, Vikki Laing (Scotland) 33-35, Stephanie Michl (Austria) 33-35.
69 Carin Koch (Sweden) 34-35, Martina Gillen (Ireland) 35-34, Sophie Sandolo (Italy) 35-34.
70 Marina Arruti (Spain) 37-33, Emma Cabrera-Belo (Spain) 34-36, Ana Larraneta (Spain) 35-35, Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 34-36, Margherita Riogon (Italy) 37-33, Anna Rossi (Italy) 33-37.
Selected scores:
71 Pamela Feggans (Scotland) 34-37, Florentyna Parker (England) 35-36, Henrietta Zuel (England) 37-34 (jt 15th).
72 Danielle Masters (England) 38-34 (jt 27th).
73 Holly Aitchison (England) 36-37, Tara Delaney (Ireland) 38-35, Carly Booth (Scotland) 37-36, Lydia Hall (Wales) 37-36, Sahra Hassan (Wales) 37-36, Kiran Matharu (England) 39-34, Breanne Loucks (Wales) 37-36, Georgina Simpson (England) 35-38 (jt 33rd).
74 Elizabeth Bennett (England) 36-38, Kym Larratt (England) 38-36 (jt 48th).
75 Claire Aitken (England) 37-38, Corisande Lee (England) 36-39, Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 39-36, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 37-38, Rebecca Hudson (England) 37-38, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) 37-38 (jt 59th).
76 Kirsty J Fisher (England) 42-34 (jt 74th).
77 Rachel Bell (England) 41-36 (jt 81st).
78 Felicity Johnson (England) 38-40, Clare Queen (Scotland) 37-41 (jt 85th).
80 Joanne Oliver (England) 39-41, Hannah Ralph (England) 42-38 (jt 96th).
81 Kirsty Taylor (England) 42-39, Kylie Walker (Scotland) 42-39 (jt 104th).
83 Jo Pritchard (Wales) 41-42 (109th).

Booth reunited with her clubs
-

and ready for first pro start


FROM THE SCOTSMAN SPORT.COM WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Carly Booth and Kylie Walker, Scotland's latest recruits to women's professional golf, tee off their new careers today when they compete in the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco and will be hoping to get off to flying starts.
Both players joined the paid ranks after graduating at the Ladies European Tour qualifying school in Spain at the end of last year and will bolster a Scottish contingent on the circuit that includes Krystle Caithness, Lynn Kenny, Vikki Laing and Clare Queen.
At just 17, Booth, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, will create history by becoming the youngest Scot ever to play on the LET, while 23-year-old Walker is equally excited about being one of several players starting their professional careers this week in north Africa.
Booth's preparations haven't gone entirely to plan after her golf clubs failed to arrive in Morocco on Monday night, meaning she missed out on a practice round at the Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia on Tuesday.
However, the player who, at the age of eight, became the youngest golfer to hold an adult handicap before winning the Dunblane New women's championship three years later is determined to take things in her stride as much as possible over the next few days.
"I'm excited and I want to go out there and try to play my best. I don't want to put any extra pressure on myself: just try and enjoy it," she said. "I'll probably feel nervous but I've already played two professional events in the past (she tied for 13th in the 2007 Scottish Open], so I've had some experience and I'm sure I'll be fine."
Booth, who has her boyfriend, Steven Brown, caddying for her, certainly needn't worry about feeling lonely as she gets down to work in her new office.
"I know quite a lot of players from amateur golf and I was in Team Faldo with Kiran Matharu, Melissa Reid and Henrietta Brockway," she added. "I also played the Curtis Cup with Florentyna Parker and Krystle Caithness."
Still at Glenalmond School – she will be there until finishing A-level exams in Art, English and PE in June – Booth has received plenty of advice about what to expect on Tour, with Catriona Matthew, the Ricoh Women's British Open champion, among those to offer words of wisdom.
"I went to see Catriona back in January and spoke to her," said the Comrie girl. "I played with her at my first professional event so I kind of knew her and she gave me her E-mail address and said if I needed any advice just to give her a buzz. I asked her about tour life and what to expect. A lot of it I already knew but some of it helped and will be very useful."
Matthew has also spoken to Walker, who emulated her fellow Scot last year when making a successful defence of the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews, one of the top British amateur events. Walker also topped the SLGA Order of Merit in 2008 and, though Booth has grabbed most of the attention over the past few months, Kylie's performance in finishing as the highest-placed British player at the aforementioned qualifying school was equally praiseworthy.
She spent a week in Dubai, where her brother and one of her sisters live, preparing for the event in Morocco and is setting her sights high as she begins her new career.
"I would love to do well right from the start," said the flame-haired Buchanan Castle player. "It might be unrealistic, but I'm going into every tournament to win."
Looking to the future, Walker, who has her older brother, Kris, on the bag this week, is hoping she can follow in the footsteps of Matthew, Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay by earning a card for the LPGA Tour.
"If you are going to be at the top, America's the place to be, the best golfers in the world are there," she added. "In the future, I'll look to get out there to compete."
Caithness, Kenny, Laing and Queen are also in the field in Morocco, where the 54-hole event carries a prize fund of 275,000, with 41,250 going to the winner. After this week, the next individual event on the LET is the Turkish Open at the National Golf Club in Belek from May 7 to 9.
FOOTNOTE FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON
+ Organisers of the ladies section of the new XLtec Pro Tour are hoping that all the LET Scottish members will play on the six 36-hole, two-day events on the circuit, beginning at Whitekirk Golf Club, near North Berwick next Thursday and Friday, March 25-26.

If anyone wants any information on the pro lady events, perhaps how to join and how to enter or a company/individual who might like to donate a one-off £200 to one of the six prizefunds, E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Numbers hold the key to the lady pros' section getting off the ground and developing into a much-needed Scottish/British satellite of the Ladies European Tour. A minium of five entries is required - almost immediately - for the Whitekirk lady pros' event to be staged.
If 10 players enter at £50 each, there is a £200 prize pot bonus donated for the first event by Aberdeen hotelier Stewart Spence. That would provide a Whitekirk ladies' prize fund of £700. If 15 ladies enter, that goes up to £950 and should 20 enter, then they would be playing for £1,200. All the entry fees go into the prize fund.
The level of prize money is not high but the Scottish lady pros tour has to start somewhere.

Handa Australian Women's Open last-round turnaround

Laura Davies runner-up to Taiwan's Yani Tseng

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Taiwan player Yani Tseng has blasted the opposition away to claim her first Handa Australian Open by three shots at Melbourne’s Commonwealth Course today.
The world No 6 played a flawless, bogey-free round of seven-under-par 66 to end her tournament at nine-under-par 283, three shots ahead of England’s defending champion Laura Davies, who finished on 6 under 286.
“I haven’t had this feeling for a while so I am very happy,” she said.
Overnight leader Australian Karrie Webb was bitterly disappointed with her final round. She went into the day with a one shot lead over Italy’s Giulia Sergas and two ahead of Laura Davies, but staggered to a one over 74 to finish on 5 under 287.
Earlier in the final day, Webb threatened to run away with her fifth Australian Open, breaking out to a three shot lead after just five holes. When Tseng checked the leader board she thought as much.
“I told my caddy ‘let’s try to get second place’,” she said.
“We just played our game and tried to be second and after 12 holes I thought: ‘Oh I am only two shots behind,’ maybe I need to play a little bit aggressive and smart.”
And that is exactly what the 21-year-old did, taking on the tight and demanding Commonwealth course with a vengeance. She holed putts from everywhere and in her last six holes, wrested the Patricia Bridges Bowl from all comers with four birdies.
It was a new putting grip that gave Tseng the confidence to use the flat stick without fear.
“I changed my grip on Friday and now I really feel the speed on these greens because this is a tough course and you just need to be patient and if you just lose a little focus it is going to be really bad.”
Since the putting grip change Tseng has mastered the Commonwealth course; in two rounds she shot eight under par.
The Handa Australian Open defending champion, Laura Davies, was keeping pace with her playing partners, Webb and Italian Giulia Sergas, but then an incident with a spectator unsettled the veteran.
On the par 5 sixth, her second shot sprayed right into the crowd. When she walked up to find her ball, the spectator advised Davies that her ball had ricocheted off his ankle.
“If it had missed him it would have gone right through the scrub and I think I would have had a clear shot onto the green but I had to get on my knees and tap it with a driver and came up short,” she said.
“If he hadn’t have said anything it would have been okay but I was so worked up. I mean it wasn’t his fault in a way, but he should have been watching, you know.
“I just wish he hadn’t have told me. I was pretty rocked.”
Not that Davies was using the mid-round drama as an excuse.
“I missed too many putts in the middle of the round and fell away a bit and by the time I had recovered, Yani had 3 or 4 birdies in six holes and I was gone really,” she said.
“Yani just had one of those rounds. On this course to shoot 7 under on the final day she is the worthy champion. You can’t really say much more about it to be honest.”
While Webb eventually finished in outright third, Australian Katherine Hull and Giulia Sergas were next best on 4 under 288, a shot ahead of Australian Lindsey Wright.
England’s Melissa Reid who yesterday said she was still in with a chance, couldn’t get anything going today. Despite being 2 under the card early in her round, she faded to end her third Australian Open Campaign on 3 over 295 and in a tie for 16th.

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S OPEN SCOREBOARD
Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne

FINAL TOTALS
Par 292 (4x73)
prize money in Euros
283 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 74 71 72 66 (63,333.33)
286 Laura Davies (England) 68 76 71 71 (42,222.22)
287 Karrie Webb (Australia) 73 70 70 74 (29,555.56)
288 Katherine Hull (Australia) 72 72 72 72, Giulia Sergas (Italy) 70 69 75 74 (19,211.11 each).
289 Lindsey Wright (Australia) 71 74 74 70 (14,144.44)
290 Stacy Lewis (United States) 75 71 72 72 (12,033.33)
291 Hyun-Soo Kim (South Korea) (amateur) 78 69 72 72.
292 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 75 70 73 74 (9,922.22)
293 Hee-Kyung Seo (South Korea) 72 78 70 73, Azahara Munoz Guijarro (Spain) 76 72 70 75 (8,866.66 each).
294 Felicity Johnson (ENG) Harborne GC 70 75 78 71, Karine Icher (France) 72 75 76 71, Shin-Ae Ahn (South Korea) 78 70 75 71, Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 72 75 75 72 (6,333.33 each).
295 Louise Stahle (Sweden) 75 74 75 71, Bo-Mi Lee (South Korea) 77 73 74 71,
Elizabeth Bennett (England) 73 75 73 74, Melissa Reid (England) 72 76 70 77 (5.140.55 Euros each), Alexis Thompson (United States (amateur) 71 75 75 74.

296 Kristie Smith (Australia) 72 78 75 71, Iben Tinning (Denmark) 77 74 74 71, Mina Harigae (United States) 74 74 76 72, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 72 77 76 (4,623.33 each), Alison Whitaker (Australia) (amateur) 70 74 78 74.
297 Tamie Durdin (Australia) 76 74 76 71, Lorie Kane (Canada) 73 75 75 74, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 76 73 72 76, He-Yong Choi (South Korea) 73 69 78 77 (4,116.66 each).
298 Rebecca Hudson (England) 74 77 76 71, Tania Elosegui (Spain) 77 75 73 73, Rachel Bailey (Australia) 73 77 72 76, Anna Oh (South Korea) 78 72 72 76 , Rebecca Flood (Australia) 70 73 78 77, Stephanie Na (Australia) 76 73 72 77 ,Soo-Jin Yang (South Korea) 70 72 75 81 (3,407.93 each).

299 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 77 70 78 74, Diana D'Alessio (United States) 77 74 74 74, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand) 78 73 73 75, Vicky Hurst (United States) 72 76 74 77 (2,723.33 each), Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur) 76 72 78 73.
300 Tamara Beckett (Australia) 74 76 78 72, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 76 75 74 75, Bree Turnbull (Australia) 74 78 73 75, Sarah-Jane Smith (Australia) 77 71 75 77 (2,227.22 each).
301 Sophie Walker (England) 76 75 77 73, Bree Arthur (Australia) 76 76 75 74, Christina Kim (United States) 78 74 75 74, Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 70 76 80 75, You-Na Park (South Korea) 75 74 77 75 (1,815.55 each).
302 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 74 77 79 72, Bettina Hauert (GER) Germany 77 72 79 74,
Sophie Gustafson (SWE) Sweden 75 73 79 75, Riikka Hakkarainen (Finland) 72 78 76 76 (1,435.55 each), Su Hyun Oh (South Korea) (amateur) 79 72 73 78.
303 Leanne Bowditch (Australia) 78 73 78 74, Sarah Oh (Australia) 72 77 79 75, Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) 75 72 80 76, Marjet van der Graaff (Netherlands) 73 75 79 76, Caroline Afonso (France) 78 73 75 77 (1,131.55 each).
304 Nina Reis (Sweden) 74 76 79 75, Ran Hong (South Korea) 77 74 76 77, Frances Bondad (Australia) 74 73 79 78, Kym Larratt (England) 73 76 76 79 802.22 each).

305 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 79 73 78 75, Sandra Gal (Germany) 77 74 75 79, Michelle Ellis (Australia) 75 73 76 81 (591.11 each).
306 Cathryn Bristow (New Zealand) 75 77 80 74, Wendy Doolan (Australia) 79 72 79 76, Emma Bennett (Australia) 78 72 77 79 (464.44 each).
308 Sarah Nicholson (New Zealand) 76 76 75 81 (422.23).
309 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 74 78 79 78 (422.23).
Ha-Neul Kim (KOR) Korea 73 75 76 85 »»
+Scores and prize money by courtesy of the Ladies European Tour website.

Krystle Caithness and Vikki Laing make top 20 in Australia

Karrie Webb wins ANZ Masters by six shots

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Australian Karrie Webb won her seventh ANZ Ladies Masters title at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in Australia today.
The 35-year-old Queenslander shot a final round 11-under 61 for a six-stroke victory over her compatriot, the 2009 champion, Katherine Hull and South Korean Bo-Mee Lee.
Webb began the final round one stroke ahead of Hull and Lee, but fired off nine birdies and an eagle to extinguish their final round challenge.
She eventually finished at 26-under 262, matching her own tournament record from 1999.
Webb was pressed hard by Hull, who reeled off four birdies in her first six holes. However, Webb holed a nine-iron approach from 125 yards for eagle on the par-four seventh, to be five-under-par through seven holes.
Webb birdied the ninth, with five more birdies over the back nine. She rolled in a 30 foot putt on 18 for her ninth birdie of the day and bettered the course record set in 2009 by Kristie Smith by a shot. She also equalled the all-time lowest round record on the Ladies European Tour.
“As soon as I hit it, and that’s how good the putter’s feeling in my hands, as soon as I made contact with it I knew I had a chance,” said Webb, who revealed that she had thought about shooting a 59.
“I was saying at the presentation when I stood on 16 and I knew I had a four-shot lead and I was trying to work out how many under I was and I couldn’t work it out. But I thought I was at 10 under. I had a good birdie chance on 16… the thought went through my mind that if I birdied the last three I could shoot a 59 and I just went ‘I am too tired to think about that, to even get nervous about that. If it happens, it happens.’ So no, it feels great to play the way I have, this whole week.”
Webb was pushed early on by Hull, whose final round of 66 included eight birdies over her first 12 holes, however she bogeyed the second and 17th.
Lee’s matching number of 66 included four birdies and an eagle at the ninth, sealing a flawless score card with no bogeys all week.
Hull said: “Karrie just played absolutely flawless golf and, yeah, you can never rule out a hall of fame player can you?
“It was just rock solid, she was swinging it well all day and obviously rolling them from everywhere, so, I actually, I felt pretty good out there, I felt like I could give it a good crack and then I just couldn’t make a putt coming in, so that’s just the way golf goes, but, yeah, it was just an absolute clinic on Karrie’s part.”
It certainly was. Webb took a three-stroke lead with four to play when she birdied the 14th and hit two great shots just off the back edge at the par five 15th moving four ahead of Hull at ten under for the day.
When Hull bogeyed the 17th Webb was about to enjoy the thrill of a five shot lead playing the last hole.
Webb said that the win rated highly amongst her 46 career titles. “It’s very high up there. The quality of golf today was unbelievable, I’m sure you were watching but Katherine, she was pushing me all the way. Just when I thought I had created a little bit of breathing room she would come right back at me with a birdie and, I’m actually really, really exhausted,” she said.
Seo-Hee Kyung finished alone in 4th position at 19-under with fifth placed So-Yeon Ryu a further four strokes back in 5th.
Denmark’s Iben Tinning was the best placed European player at 14-under in a share of sixth with Australian Tamie Durdin.
The previous week’s Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open champion Laura Davies finished with a 71 for a share of 25th place.
She will defend her Handa Australian Women’s Open title next week at Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne against a quality field including Webb.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from Australia unless stated
262 Karrie Webb 68 69 64 61
268 Bo-Mee Lee (South Korea) 69 70 63 66, Katherine Hull 67 70 65 66
269 Hee Kyung Seo (South Korea) 69 68 66 66
273 So yeon Ryu (South Korea) 70 67 66 70
274 Iben Tinning (Denmark) 70 68 68 68, Tamie Durdin 69 68 72 65
275 Lindsey Wright 71 71 66 67, Stacy Lewis (US) 69 69 69 68, Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 69 70 70
276 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 71 67 67 71, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 68 70 69 69
277 Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 71 68 68 70
278 Vicky Hurst (US) 68 71 69 70, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 68 70 69, Brittany Lincicome (US) 72 71 69 66, Sarah-Jane Smith 70 68 70 70, Sandra Gal (Germany) 71 70 67 70
279 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 69 71 72 67, Rebecca Flood 70 72 67 70, Florentyna Parker (England) 69 70 71 69, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 72 69 67 71, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 73 68 67 71, Kristie Smith 68 74 68 69
280 Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (France) 72 69 68 71, Laura Davies (England) 70 70 69 71, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 70 68 70 72, Karine Icher (France) 70 69 73 68, Mina Harigae (US) 73 70 71 66
281 Taylor Leon (US) 70 71 71 69, Nikki Garrett 69 72 70 70, Sophie Gustafson (Sweden) 72 68 73 68, Katie Futcher (US) 73 68 71 69, Soo-jin Yang (South Korea) 72 72 69 68
282 Karen Lunn 72 71 69 70, Jeong Eun Lee (South Korea) 72 67 72 71, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 70 73 71 68, Sarah Kemp 72 69 71 70
283 He-yong Choi (South Korea) 72 69 68 74, Azahara Munoz (Spain) 74 68 70 71, Tania Elosegui (Spain) 71 67 73 72, Ji-na Lim (South Korea) 69 66 75 73, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 68 74 72 69, Diana D'Alessio (US) 72 70 74 67, Louise Stahle (Sweden) 73 66 77 67, Ursula Wikstrom (Finland) 70 74 68 71
284 Caroline Afonso (France) 69 72 71 72, Giulia Sergas (Italy) 73 70 70 71, Elizabeth Bennett (England) 71 72 69 72, Bo kyung Kim (South Korea) 71 71 70 72
285 Hye youn Kim (South Korea) 70 71 70 74, Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 72 68 73, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 74 70 73 68
287 Vicky Hermina Thomas 73 68 73 73, Shin-ae Ahn (South Korea) 76 68 73 70, Ran Hong (South Korea) 74 67 71 75, You-na Park (South Korea) 73 71 69 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 73 66 72 76, Christina Kim (US) 71 73 73 70
288 Anna Oh (South Korea) 71 70 74 73, Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 75 69 71 73, Bomi Suh (US) 72 72 74 70
289 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 72 71 76 70
290 Jessica Noh 69 72 76 73
291 Ju young Park (South Korea) 74 69 74 74
294 Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 72 72 72 78

AUSTRALIAN LADIES MASTERS ROUND 3

Karrie Webb birdies last for one-stroke lead

FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE
GOLD COAST, Australia -- Six-time champion Karrie Webb birdied the final hole for an 8-under 64 and a one-stroke lead today in the Australian Ladies Masters. Webb hit a 6-iron from a fairway bunker over a tree and on the green, then holed the 15ft putt to finish three rounds at 15-under 201 at rain-softened Royal Pines.
"I hit a great shot into the green there," Webb said. "It was a great way to finish. If you told me I would shoot 64 today, I would have thought I'd have at least a two-stroke lead, but it will make it exciting for tomorrow."
Because of the soft conditions on the resort course, players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairway.
South Korea's Lee Bo-mee (63) and defending champion Katherine Hull (65) were a stroke back, and South Koreans Seo Hee-kyung (66) and Ryu So-yeon (66) were 13 under.
"A lot of people out there will be waiting for this showdown," said Hull, set play in the final group Sunday with Webb. "It's going to be a good battle tomorrow and a nice showcase for Australian golf."
Organisers say they consider Lee's 63 a course record because they changed two tee boxes this year. Australia's Kristie Smith has a 62 in the tournament last year, the lowest score on the course before it was lengthened slightly.
American Amanda Blumenherst, the leader after the first two rounds, had a 70 to drop into a tie for sixth with Taiwan's Yani Tseng (67) at 11 under.
Webb hopes her experience will help her Sunday.
"I've made some good shots here before and great putts, and when you have those kinds of feelings, it makes you comfortable," she said.
Lee, who has not had a bogey in three rounds, is playing at Royal Pines for the first time and only had two nine-hole practice rounds over two days due to heavy rain.
"My goal was to shoot 10 under for the tournament and with no bogeys," Lee said. "The way I played today, it's now possible I could win."
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
Players from Australia unless stated.
201 Karrie Webb 68 69 64.
202 Katherine Hull 67 70 65, Bo-Mee Lee (South Korea) 69 70 63.
203 Hee-Kyeng Seo (South Korea) 69 68 66, So Yeon Rya (South Korea) 70 67 66.
205 Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 6970, Yani Tseng (South Korea) 71 67 67.
206 Iben Tinning (Denmark) 70 68 68.
207 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 68 70 69, Stacy Lewis (US) 69 69 69, Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 71 68 68.
208 Vicky Hurst (US) 68 71 69, Lindsey Wright 71 71 66, Sarah-Jane Smith 70 68 70, Sandra Gal (Germany) 71 70 67, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 72 69 67, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 70 68 70, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 73 68 67
209 Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 68 70, He-yong Choi (South Korea) 72 69 68, Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (France) 72 69 68, Rebecca Flood 70 72 67, Tamie Durdin 69 68 72, Laura Davies (England) 70 70 69
210 Ji-na Lim (South Korea) 69 66 75, Florentyna Parker (England) 69 70 71, Kristie Smith 68 74 68
211 Tania Elosegui (Spain) 71 67 73, Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 73 66 72, Jeong Eun Lee (South Korea) 72 67 72, Hye youn Kim (South Korea) 70 71 70, Nikki Garrett 69 72 70
212 Taylor Leon (USA) 70 71 71, Karen Lunn 72 71 69, Vikki Laing (Scotland) 69 71 72, Ran Hong (South Korea) 74 67 71, Elizabeth Bennett (England) 71 72 69, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 72 71 69, Katie Futcher (US) 73 68 71, Ursula Wikstrom (Finland) 70 74 68, Karine Icher (France) 70 69 73, Caroline Afonso (France) 69 72 71, Azahara Munoz (Spain) 74 68 70, Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 72 68, Bo kyung Kim (South Korea) 71 71 70, Sarah Kemp 72 69 71
213 Giulia Sergas (Italy) 73 70 70, You-na Park (South Korea) 73 71 69, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 72 68 73, Soo-jin Yang (South Korea) 72 72 69
214 Vicky Hermina Thomas 73 68 73, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 70 73 71, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 68 74 72, Mina Harigae (US) 73 70 71
215 Anna Oh (South Korea) 71 70 74, Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 75 69 71
216 Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 72 72 72, Louise Stahle (Sweden) 73 66 77, Diana D'Alessio (US) 72 70 74
217 Shin-ae Ahn (South Korea) 76 68 73, Christina Kim (US) 71 73 73, Ju young Park (South Korea) 74 69 74, Jessica Noh 69 72 76, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 74 70 73
218 Bomi Suh (US) 72 72 74
219 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 72 71 76