GEMMA 73, KRYSTLE 75 IN SECOND

ROUND OF MASON RUDOLPH CHAMPIONSHIP IN TENNESSEE

Krystle Caithness, representing the University of Georgia, had a second-round 75, three over par for the Vanderbilt Legends Club course at Franklin, Tennessee in the Mason Rudolph women's championship college tournament.

Krystle had 73 on her debut on the American college circuit but had a poor first 10 holes today, at the end of which she was four over par, having bogeyed the first, second, ninth and 10th. But she steadied up after that and covered the last eight holes in one under par with seven pars and a birdie at the 17th for halves of 39 and 36 and a 36-hole tally of four-over-par 148.

Krystle will start Sunday's third and final round in joint 32nd place, with two Georgia team-mates among those ahead of her.

Gemma Webster (Ohio State), pictured right, the other Scot in the field, repeated her first-round 73 for 146. Gemma was "flying" on the outward half with birdies at the third, fourth and seventh to reach the turn in three-under-par 33.

The Glasgow girl lost her way for a spell after that and had bogeys at the 10th and 11th, a double bogey at the 14th and a further bogey at the 17th. But she finished on a high with a birdie at the 18th for an inward 40. Gemma is the leading Ohio State player in the field in a share of 22nd place.
Dutch girl Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Southern California) has so far scored 71 and 76 for 147.

Belen Mozo, the Spanish girl who won both the British women's and girls' titles at Northern Ireland venues last yeat but did not defend the first title at Alwoodley, Leeds this past summer, showed her class with a second-round 69 for 143. Belen is a Southern Cal team-mate of Schreefel.

American Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst (Duke), a banker for a place in the United States side for the Old Course against GB&I at the end of next May, leads the field by two shots with 66 and 68 for a 1o-under-par total of 134. She is two shots ahead of the Swede, Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State), who was beaten finalist in this year's British women's open amateur championship at Alwoodley and is a former British girls' open champion.

There are 90 players in the quality field.

SECOND-ROUND LEADING TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72). 6,305yd

134 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 66 68.

136 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) 68 68.

139 Tiffany Joh (UCLA) 65 74.

140 Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) 70 70, Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 67 73, Maria Jose Uribe (UCLA) 74 66.

Other scores:

143 Belen Mozo (Southern Cal) 74 69 (jt 9th).

145 Sandra Gal (Florida) 69 76 (jt 18th).

146 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 73 73 (jt 22nd).

147 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Southern Cal) 71 76 (jt 27th).

148 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 73 75 (jt 32nd).

LEADING TEAM SCORES

564 UCLA

573 Arizona State.

576 Duke.

583 Arizona.

584 Oklahoma State, Florida.

586 Southern California.

589 Auburn.

590 Georgia, Purdue.

Also

612 Ohio State (last of 17 teams).

WEATHER AWFUL BUT EUROPE AHEAD WHEN
PLAY IS SUSPENDED UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

The weather-plagued second day's play in the Solheim Cup came to an end with the United States leading 6.5-5.5. But the European team painted a good overnight picture on the scoreboard with leads in three of the four unfinished four-balls at Halmstad Golf Club in Sweden.
But it was far too early to celebrate as there was not more than a hole in it in any of the matches.
The four-balls will finish on Sunday morning (scheduled to start at 7.35am local time) and will be immediately followed by the final 12 singles.
The United States need 14 points to retain the Solheim Cup and Europe need 14.5 to regain it and claim a fourth win in ten meetings.
Gale-force winds gusting up to 40mph had forced a 2hr 10min delay at the start of the day and the foursomes were shared two-all. But the overnight scoreboard in the afternoon four-balls makes good reading for the home team.
In the first match out, European team rookie Linda Wessberg, making her Solheim Cup debut, and the undefeated Maria Hjorth were one-up on Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome after 11 holes, while Trish Johnson and Iben Tinning were all-square after 10 holes against Juli Inkster and Stacy Prammanasudh.
Europe held a one-up lead in both of the bottom two matches: Laura Davies and Becky Brewerton against Natalie Gulbis and Nicole Castrale after 10 holes, and Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen through nine holes v. Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel.
In the morning foursomes, Europe had staged a late rally to share the series 2-2. Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson, and Hjorth and Gwladys Nocera both won the final hole to finish their matches all square.

SECOND-DAY FOUR-BALLS
Play suspended until Sunday morning due to darkness.
How they stand (European names first):
Linda Wessberg and Maria Hjorth one up on Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome after 11 holes.
Trish Johnson and Iben Tinning all square with Stacy Prammanasudh and Juli Inkster after 10 holes.
Becky Brewerton and Laura Davies one up on Natalie Gulbis and Nicole Castrale after 10 holes.
Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen one up on Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel after nine holes.

+SCROLL DOWN FOR THE MORNING FOURSOMES RESULTS.

Solheim Cup Day 2

UNITED STATES MAINTAIN ONE-POINT LEAD
AFTER SATURDAY-MORNING FOURSOMES

United States retained their overnight 1pt lead when the Saturday morning Solheim Cup foursomes were shared 2-2.

Details:
US players' names first

Sherri Steinhauer & Laura Diaz halved with Maria Hjorth (Swe) & Gwladys Nocera (Fra).

Juli Inkster & Paula Creamer halved with Sophie Gustafson (Swe) & Suzann Pettersen (Nor).

Pat Hurst & Angela Stanford bt Iben Tinning (Den) & Bettina Hauert (Ger) 4 and 2.

Nicole Castrale & Cristie Kerr lost to Annika Sorenstam (Swe) & Catriona Matthew (Sco) 1 hole.

KRYSTLE'S SOUND START ON US COLLEGE
CIRCUIT: 73 AT FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE

Krystle Caithness from Cellardyke, Fife made a solid debut on the American women's college golf circuit today in the Mason Rudolph Women's Championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin in Tennessee.
Caithness, 18, pictured right, who recently started a four-year golf scholarship at the University of Georgia, had a one-over-par score of 73 over the 6,305yd course. She bogeyed the ninth to be out in one-over 37 and bogeyed the 16th before birdieing the 17th.
Glasgow girl Gemma Webster, a student at Ohio State University, also had a 73 with birdies at the seventh and 17th and bogeys at the first, eighth and 14th.
Tiffany John (UCLA) was the first-round leader of a field of 90 players with a seven-under-par 65.
SCOREBOARD
Par 72. 6,305yd
65 Tiffany Joh (UCLA).

66 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke).
67 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State).
68 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State).

Other scores:
69 Sandra Gal (Florida) (jt 6th).

73 Krystle Caithness (Georgia), Gemma Webster (Ohio State).
TEAM SCORES

280 Arizona State.

281 UCLA.

283 Arizona.

284 Duke.

Other score:

291 Georgia (jt 8th)

United States lead 4 1/2-3 1/2 in Sweden

LAURA'S WONDER SHOT KEEPS
EUROPE IN THE SOLHEIM CUP
HUNT AT END OF FIRST DAY

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Laura Davies has played in all 10 Solheim Cups, and she pulled off one of the most remarkable winning pars in the history of the competition at the short 16th to help Europe stage a four-ball comeback at Halmstad in Sweden today.
The holders had moved ahead after the morning foursomes 2.5-1.5, but the brave rally from the home team earned a share the afternoon four-balls and the first day ended with the United States leading by just a single point, 4.5-3.5.
Catriona Matthew and Iben Tinning started the afternoon fight back with a 4 and 2 win over Pat Hurst and rookie Brittany Lincicome in the top match. But, on an afternoon of horrendous winds and the regular torrential downpours, Europe's hopes of regaining the Cup also looked extremely miserable as the other three matches appeared to be going America's way.
But Davies sparked the remarkable comeback with the most extraordinary winning par at the short 16th. With all four players in the match in trouble from the tee, the 43-year-old veteran blasted a shot from an almost impossible lie deep in the undergrowth - she nearly lost her visor in the process - that went over the green and down a slope between two bunkers.
From there, Laura amazingly holed the 50ft chip shot - and then danced her way round the green with her arms aloft (picture above from the LET website).
It was the shot that can turn any match-play event and, with the match now all square, Davies went on to snatch an unlikely half-point with Trish Johnson from Paula Creamer and 19-year-old Morgan Pressel.
The second match also eventually turned around for Europe. Two-down at the turn, the all-Swedish pair of Annika Sorenstam and Maria Hjorth won the 10th with a birdie and then they squared the match at the 18th when neither Stacy Prammanasudh nor Angela Stanford could find a par-4.
Matthew and Tinning also came from behind. Two-down after six holes, Matthew birdied the short seventh and then the pair won the 10th and three-in-a-row from the 12th before Matthew again did the business with a 2 at the 16th.
America's afternoon point came from rookie Nicole Castrale and US Women's Open champion Cristie Kerr. They combined to win the third match 3 and 2 from Sophie Gustafson and Gwladys Nocera.
"At the 16th, we were all awful. Trish was in the hazard and I was in the bushes and we were feeling really sorry for ourselves," said Laura Davies. "But then it suddenly worked out for us. Things like that happen in golf.
"It was a great moment. I made a fool of myself celebrating, but I enjoyed it."
Catriona Matthew certainly appreciated Davies' miracle shot.
"After squeezing that point out of Laura's game, I'm happy with the day's score," she said. "It was tough in my morning foursomes because they (Laura Diaz and Sherri Steinahuer) made a lot of birdies, but it just made me even more determined to do well in the afternoon."
Scroll down to check out the foursomes results.
Here are the afternoon results (US names first):

FOUR-BALLS
Pat Hurst & Brittany Lincicome lost to Catriona Matthew (Sco) & Iben Tinning (Den) 4 and 2.
Angela Stanford & Stacy Prammanasudh halved with Annika Sorenstam (Swe) & Maria Hjorth (Swe).

Nicole Castrale & Cristie Kerr bt Sophie Gustafson (Swe) & Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 3 and 2.

Paula Creamer & Morgan Pressel halved with Trish Johnson (Eng) & Laura Davies (Eng).

SATURDAY FOURSOMES LINE-UP
Sherri Steinhauer & Laura Diaz v Maria Hjorth (Swe) & Gwladys Nocera (Fra).
Juli Inkster & Paula Creamer v Sophie Gustafson (Swe) & Suzann Pettersen (Nor).
Pat Hurst & Angela Stanford v Iben Tinning (Den) & Bettina Hauert (Ger).
Nicole Castrale & Cristie Kerr v Annika Sorenstam (Swe) & Catriona Matthew (Sco).

SCOTS FINISH STRONGLY TO BEAT WALES
AND CLINCH 2ND PLACE BEHIND ENGLAND

England won the women’s home international golf series at Dunbar Golf Club today for the third year in a row. They finished with a 100 % record at the end of the three-day programme, clinching the championship by coping with some stout resistance from Ireland who were eventually beaten 5 ½-3 1/2.
And England did it without the services of one of their key players, Melissa Reid, who had an injured wrist. The English had the "MVP" of the tournament in young Rachel Jennings who gained 5 1/2pt out of a possible six. Next best for England were Naomi Edwards, Kerry Smith and Elizabeth Bennett, all with 4 1/2pt each.
Scotland, who have not won the title since 1991 at Aberdovey, finished runners-up by beating Wales 6-3. The Scots won the foursomes 2-1 but at one stage in the afternoon trailed in five of the six singles. However, they finished strongly and eventually won four of the singles.
Scottish champion Jenna Wilson lost for the fourth session of play in a row, going down by 2 and 1 to Tara Davies in the top singles tie. Jenna, who had been three down at the turn before getting a bit of a recovery going, finished with 1 1/2pt out of a possible six.
Carly Booth beat Sahra Hassan by one hole to finish the tournament with 5pt out of six, the best performance in the Scotland camp and second overall only to England’s Rachel Jennings. Carly was one down with three to play against Sahra Hassan but finished strongly, winning the 14th, 16th and 17th for a one-hole victory.
Aberdeenshire's Laura Murray (Alford) and Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) finished on a high.
Laura scored a morning foursomes success with Pamela Pretswell and then beat Rebecca Harries 2 and 1 in the singles, winning the 10th, 12th and 13th after being behind at the turn.
Michele was two down with five to play against Stephanie Evans and then won the 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th for a two-hole victory.
Laura finished with 2pt out of a possible five; Michele 3pt out of a possible six.
Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), like Laura Murray, was a winner morning and afternoon on the final day. In the singles she took an early two-hole lead over Lydia Hall and clinched victory by winning the 17th for a 3 and 1 success.
Emily, who travels to Texas next month with Michele Thomson to be Scotland's female representatives in "The Spirit" Tournament near Houston, finished with 3pt out of five.
Pamela Pretswell went down by 4 and 3 to Lucy Gould after winning the fourth and fifth but trailing by two holes at the turn. Pamela finished with 2pt out of a possible four.
Friday details:

SCOTLAND 6, WALES 3
Foursomes: J Wilson, M Thomson lost to S Evans, T Davies 2 and 1; L Murray, P Pretswell bt S Hassan, R W Thomas 6 and 4, E Ogilvy, C Booth bt L Hall, L Gould 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Wilson lost to Davies 2 and 1, Booth bt Hassan 1 hole, Murray bt R Harries 2 and 1, Ogilvy bt Hall 3 and 1, Pretswell lost to Gould 4 and 3, Thomson bt Evans 2 holes (4-2).


IRELAND 3 1/2, ENGLAND 5 1/2
Foursomes: T Delaney, N Kitching lost to N Edwards, K Smith 6 and 5; D McVeigh, M Riordan halved with R Bell, E Bennett; M Morrin, G O’Leary lost to R Jennings, D Montgomery 6 and 4 (1/2-2 ½).
Singles: K Delaney bt Edwards 2 and 1, T Delaney bt Bell 3 and 1, McVeigh lost to Smith 3 and 2, Riordan lost to Bennett 3 and 2, O’Leary bt Montgomery 3 and 2, Morrin lost to Jennings 7 and 6.

HOW THEY FINISHED
1 England 3pt, 2 Scotland 2pt, 3 Ireland 1pt, 4 Wales 0pt.

PLAYERS' RECORDS

SCOTLAND

Carly Booth 5pt out of 6.

Emily Ogilvy 3pt out of 5.

Michele Thomson 3pt out of 6.

Pamela Pretswell 2pt out of 4.

Laura Murray 2pt out of 5.

Jenna Wilson 1 1/2pt out of 6.

Megan Briggs 1/2pt out of 2.

Kelsey MacDonald 0pt out of 2.

ENGLAND

Rachel Jennings 5 1/2pt out of 6.

Naomi Edwards 4 1/2pt out of 6.

Kerry Smith 4 1/2pt out of 6.

Elizabeth Bennett 4 1/2pt out of 6.

Danielle Montgomery 3pt out of 4.

Rachel Bell 2 1/2pt out of 6.

Claire Aitken 1 1/2pt out of 2.

IRELAND

Tara Delaney 4 1/2pt out of 6.

Danielle McVeigh 3 1/2pt out of 6.

Gillian O'Leary 3pt out of 5.

Marian Riordan 3pt out of 5.

Naomi Kitching 2pt out of 4.

Karen Delaney 1 1/2pt out of 3.

Victoria Bradshaw 1pt out of 2.

Maura Morrin 1pt out of 6.

WALES

Stephanie Evans 4pt out of 6.

Tara Davies 3 1/2pt out of 6.

Lucy Gould 1pt out of 5.

Lydia Hall 1pt out of 6.

Rebecca Helen Harries 1/2 pt out of 5.

Sahra Hassan 1/2pt out of 6.

Rhian Wyn Thomas 0pt out of 3.

AMERICANS TAKE ONE-POINT LEAD IN OPENING

FOURSOMES OF SOLHEIM CUP IN SWEDEN

United States jumped into a one-point lead at the end of the first session of play in the 10th Solheim Cup match at Halmstad Golf Club, Sweden.

Results from the opening foursomes (US names first):


Pat Hurst & Cristie Kerr halved with Suzann Pettersen (Nor) & Sophie Gustafson (Swe).

Sherri Steinhauer & Laura Diaz bt Annika Sorenstam (Swe) & Catriona Matthew (Sco) 4 and 2.


Juli Inkster & Paula Creamer bt Laura Davies (Eng) & Becky Brewerton (Wal) 2 and 1.

Natalie Gulbis & Morgan Pressel lost to Gwladys Nocera (Fra) & Maria Hjorth (Swe) 3 and 2.

ENGLAND HEAD FOR TITLE AS SCOTLAND
TAKE 2-1 FOURSOMES LEAD OVER WALES

England took another step nearer their third title in a row when the Women's Home Internationals entered their third and final day at Dunbar Golf Club.
Having beaten Wales and then Scotland, the English - without the services of Curtis Cup and Vagliano Trophy player Melissa Reid, who has a wrist injury - took a 2 1/2-1/2 lead over Ireland in the foursomes.
Meanwhile Scotland went 2-1 up on Wales despite Jenna Wilson and Michele Thomson losing a two-hole lead after nine holes to Stephanie Evans and Tara Davies who won by 2 and 1.
Laura Murray and Pamela Pretswell, a new foursomes pairing by skipper Jayne Smith, were five holes up after eight against Sahra Hassan and Rhian Wyn Thomas and went on to win 6 and 4.
Emily Ogilvy and Carly Booth produced two birdies just when they needed them - at the 13th and 16th - in beating Lydia Hall and Lucy Gould by 2 and 1.

MORNING DETAILS

IRELAND v ENGLAND (1/2-2 1/2)

Tara Delaney & Naimh Kitching lost to Naomi Edards & Kerry Smith 6 and 5.

Danielle McVeigh & Marian Riordan halved with Rachel Bell & Elizabeth Bennett.

Maura Morrin & Gillian O'Leary lost to Rachel Jennings & Danielle Montgomery 5 and 4.

SCOTLAND v WALES (2-1)

Jenna Wilson & Michele Thomson lost to Stephanie Evans & Tara Davies 2 and 1.

Laura Murray & Pamela Pretswell bt Sahra Hassan & Rhian Wyn Thomas 6 and 4.

Emily Ogilvy & Carly Booth bt Lydia Hall & Lucy Gould 2 and 1.

THIS MORNING'S WOMEN'S HOME
INTERNATIONALS PAIRINGS

It's the final day of the Women's Home Internationals at Dunbar Golf Club.
Here are this morning's foursomes pairings:

IRELAND v ENGLAND

8:30 Tara Delaney & Niamh Kitching v Naomi Edwards & Kerry Smith.

8:40 Danielle McVeigh & Marian Riordan v Rachel Bell & Elizabeth Bennett.

8:50 Maura Morrin & Gillian O'Leary v Rachel Jennings & Danielle Montgomery.

SCOTLAND v WALES

9:00 Jenna Wilson & Michele Thomson v Stephanie Evans & Tara Davies.

9:10 Laura Murray & Pamela Pretswell v Sahra Hassan & Rhian Wyn Thomas.

9:20 Emily Ogilvy & Carly Booth v Lydia Hall & Lucy Gould.

SOLHEIM CUP FOURSOMES PAIRINGS

The 10th Solheim Cup match between Europe and the United States tees off at Halmstad Golf Club, Sweden today.

First day foursomes pairings (European names first):

Sophie Gustafson and Suzann Pettersen v Pat Hurst and Cristie Kerr.
Catriona Matthew and Annika Sörenstam v Sherri Steinhauer and Laura Diaz.
Laura Davies and Becky Brewerton v Juli Inkster and Paula Creamer.
Maria Hjorth and Gwladys Nocera v Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis

ENGLAND HAMMER SCOTS' TITLE
HOPES ON DAY 2 AT DUNBAR

Even a draw against Ireland would see England win the women’s home amateur international golf championship for the third year in a row at Dunbar Golf Club tomorrow.
The English snuffed out the challenge of Scotland’s young team with a 7 1/2-1 1/2 victory while Ireland, beaten by the Scots on the opening day, bounced back with a 7-2 win over Wales.
The writing was on the wall in capital letters for the Scots when England made a 3-0 clean sweep of the morning foursomes. That meant Scotland had to take the singles 5-1 to turn the tables and that was never on.
Scottish champion Jenna Wilson did not win a hole in the top match against her English counterpart Naomi Edwards until the 11th but give the Strathaven player her due. She finished like a train with further successes at the 15th, 16th and 17th before losing by one hole on the 18th green.
Carly Booth, the 15-year-old Comrie girl who, like seven of her team-mates, is making her debut at this level, scored a very good 3 and 2 win over the vastly more experienced Rachel Bell. Carly won five holes in a row from the third to the seventh and was three up at the turn.
Laura Murray from Alford was four down after six holes to Kerry Smith before finding her feet. She won the 13th, 14th and 16th but Kerry won the 15th on her way to a 2 and 1 victory.
Megan Briggs, 17, from Kilmacolm lost five holes in a row from the eighth to the 12th in losing by 4 and 2 to Elizabeth Bennett.
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) was two up after 11 on Rachel Jennings but the English girl squared the game with successes at the 12th and 13th. The last five holes were halved for a square game.

Derbyshire’s Melissa Reid has had to pull out of the England team to seek treatment for a wrist injury. Reserve Holly Aitchison from Bedfordshire has joined the team.

+Apologies to Carly Booth for "ageing" her in earlier versions of the above report. Carly is, of course, still 15 years old. Her 16th birthday is not until June 2008.

Thursday details

ENGLAND 7 1/2, SCOTLAND 1 1/2
England names first
Foursomes: N Edwards, K Smith bt J Wilson, M Thomson 2 and 1; R Jennings, D Montgomery bt L Murray, K MacDonald 6 and 5; R Bell, E Bennett bt E Ogilvy, C Booth 2 holes (3-0).
Singles: Edwards bt Wilson 1 hole, Bell lost to Booth 3 and 2, Smith bt Murray 2 and 1, C Aitken bt P Pretswell 3 and 2, Jennings halved with Thomson (4 1/2-1 ½).

WALES 2, IRELAND 7
Wales names first
Foursomes: S Hassan, R H Harries lost to N Kitching, T Delaney 2 and 1; L Hall, L Gould lost to D McVeigh, M Riordan 4 and 2; S Evans, T Davies lost to M Morrin, G O’Leary 3 and 2 (0-3)
Singles: Davies lost to T Delaney 3 and 2, Hassan lost to McVeigh 2 and 1, Harries lost to O’Leary 2 holes, Hall bt V Bradshaw 4 and 2, Gould lost to Kitching 1 hole, Evans bt Morrin 2 holes (2-4).

HOW THEY STAND
1 England 2pt, 2 (equal) Ireland 1pt, Scotland 1pt, 4 Wales 0pt.

FRIDAY’S FINAL MATCHES
Scotland v Wales, England v Ireland.

ITALIANS CLAUDIO, GIULIA WIN TOP

PRIZES AT DUKE

OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS

FROM COLIN CALLANDER
Tourament Press Officer

Claudio Vigano closed with a battling five over par 77 to become the first Italian to win the prestigious The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire today.
The 16 year-old Italian boys’ champion battled back from double bogeys on the 10th and the 11th and a triple bogey on the 17th to card a brave birdie on the 535yd, par-5 18th and finish two shot ahead of French girls’ champion Isabelle Boineau, Danish boys’ champion Joachim Hansen and fellow-Italian Giulia Molinari.
Earlier in the day, Molinaro, the 17 year-old Italian Girls’ champion from Treviso, had stormed through field with a magnificent three-under-par 69 which tied the best round of the tournament and was enough to give her first prize in the girls’ tournament after a card countback with the unfortunate Boineau.
Vigano looked to be cruising to an impressive victory when he went out in level par 36 but four dropped shots in the space of two holes at the 430yd par-4 10th and the 120yd par-3 11th saw his lead drop to just two shots.
He regained his composure with fine birdies at the 370yd par-4 13th and the 530yd par-5 14th but then squandered a further three shots on the 17th before hitting a towering six-iron to within eight feet of the hole of the par-5 final hole to set up the first international victory of his career.
“I cannot begin to tell you how I feel,” said Vigano moments after receiving the trophy from The Duke of York.
“I began to wonder whether it was going to be my day when I dropped shots on the 10th, 11th and the 17th but I’m proud of the fact I managed to control my nerves coming down the last.
“It’s a great honour to win this tournament,” he added, “and it’s even better to know that Giulia has won the girls’ prize.”
Molinaro, a 17-year-old student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, started the final round on nine over par 153 after opening rounds of 73 and 80 but like her compatriot turned in level par 36 and then moved into top gear with a closing nine holes of three under par 33 that included birdies on the 10th, the 14th and 18th.
“That was a great way to end the tournament,” said Molinaro whose parents run a tourism business in Kenya. “I played well in the first round and again this morning but the second round let me down a bit.”
“It has been a fantastic week,” she added, “and I’m delighted the Italians have done so well.”
The Italian girl will go to an American university - either Arizona or Arizona State next autumn.
British boys’ champion Emilio Cuartero from Spain carded a six over par 78, his best round of the tournament, but that still left the hugely promising 16 year-old from the outskirts of Barcelona languishing well down the field on 24 over par 240.
Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Shields (Baberton) also improved on his opening rounds of 77 and 78 with a four over par 76 that saw him finish the event on 15 over par 231 and a single shot ahead of Ireland’s Gary McGrane.
The leading British competitor was England’s Matt Haines who added a 76 to his opening rounds of 77 and 74 to claim a share of ninth place on 11 over par 227.
Welsh Boys’ champion Joe Vickery, closed with an 81 to finish the championship on 236.
+Image by Paul Severn (c) shows HRH Prince Andrew with Claudio Vigano.
ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
220 Claudio Vigano (Ita) 72-71-77.
222 Giulia Molinaro (Ita) 73-80-69, Isabelle Boineau (Fra) 74-74-74, Joachim Hansen (Den) 75-71-76.
224 Kasper Sorensen (Den) 76-77-71, Sean Einhaus (Ger) 74-74-76.
225 Darius van Driel (Hol) 80-70-75.
226 Lionel Weber (Fra) 77-74-75
227 Matt Haines (Eng) 77-74-76, Bernardo Frere (Por) 77-71-79.
228 Alessia Knight (Ita) 75-76-77
229 Rashid Khan (Ind) 81-72-76, Johan de Beer (SAf) 72-78-78, Vaishavi Sinha (Ind) 75-75-78, Rachel Raastad (Nor) 77-73-79.
231 Mathieu Rivard (Can) 80-77-74, Paul Ferrier (Sco) 77-78-76
232 Gary McGrane (Ire) 75-79-78, Dominique Jacobs (SAf) 79-74-79, Fanny Vuignier (Swi) 75-75-82.
233 Klara Spilkova (Cze) 81-76-76, Philip Kaiser (Au) 85-72-76, Roberto Francioni (Swi) 77-76-80.
234 Ossi Mikkola (Fin) 79-79-76, Francois Verheyen (Bel) 78-77-79, Egert Poldma (Est) 83-70-81, Maaike Naafs (Hol) 79-72-83
236 Matteo Manassero (Ita) 81-77-78, Joe Vickery (Wal) 77-78-81
237 Marina Kotnik (Aut) 79-79-79, Mikus Gavars (Lat) 85-69-83
238 Nicole Vandermade (Can) 77-82-79, Martin Prihoda (Cze) 77-80-81
239 Christoffer Arvidsson (Swe) 78-75-86
240 Emilio Cuartero (Spa) 82-80-78
241 Michael Kanev (Bul) 81-84-77, Valentine Gevers (Bel) 78-82-81
243 Marta Vasconelos (Por) 81-82-80
244 Koray Varli (Tur) 79-82-83

PING SPONSORSHOP OF SOLHEIM CUP
WILL GO ON AND ON - JOHN SOLHEIM

Golf club manafucters Ping are to continue sponsoring the Solheim Cup - the women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup - for at least another eight years.
The 10th staging of the match takes place at Halmstad in Sweden this weekend, having been launched in Florida in 1990.
"It has been especially exciting to see the event grow to the major level we enjoy today," said John Solheim, chairman and chief executive officer of Ping. "This was our hope and our dream at the inception."
He added: "Our goal is to be with it for ever. The phenomenal thing is that it's people playing for pride and their country - it's not the dollar."

SCOTLAND LOSE FOURSOMES 3-0 TO
ENGLAND ON DAY 2 AT DUNBAR

Scotland were left with the proverbial mountain to climb on Day 2 of the Women's Home Internationals at Dunbar Golf Club when they lost the morning foursomes 3-0 to England.
Jenna Wilson and Michele Thomson went down by 2 and 1 in the top tie to Naomi Edwards and Kerry Smith.
Laura Murray and Kelsey MacDonald were beaten 6 and 5 by Rachel Jennings and Danielle Montgomery.
Emily Ogilvy and Carly Booth took Rachel Bell and Elizabeth Bennett to the last green before losing by two holes.
In the afternoon singles, the ties are:
Edwards v Wilson.
Bell v Booth.
Smith v Murray.
Bennett v Megan Briggs.
Claire Aitken v Pamela Pretswell.
Jennings v Thomson.
Ireland lead Wales 3-0 from the foursomes in the other match.

CHARLENE, NIKKI PLAY PART IN PFEIFFER
UNIVERSITY WIN IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Charlene Reid from Ballymoney and Nikki Taggart from Belfast, both students at Pfeiffer University, have helped the college to win the Anderson University Invite tournament's team title at Brookstone Meadows Golf Club, Anderson, South Carolina.
Pfeiffer team-mate Brittany Beltran won the individual title by NINE strokes over 36 holes.
Charlene is a junior (third) year student. Nikki is a senior (fourth) year student.
TOURNAMENT DETAILS
FINAL TOTALS
Individual
Par 144 (2 x 72). 6,116yd.
150 Brittany Beltran (Pfeiffer) 78 72.
159 Sophie Dembroski (Anderson SC) 77 82.
Also:
164 Charlene Reid (Pfeiffer) 81 83 (ninth).
187 Nikki Taggart (Belfast) 95 92 (30th).
Teams
654 Pfeiffer University.
666 Armstrong Atlantic University.
672 Tuscullum College.
Eight teams took part.

ROSEANNE'S TOP-TEN FINISH HELPS

CALIFORNIA WIN FIRST TEAM

TITLE IN 30 MONTHS

Roseanne Niven helped the University of California Berkeley scored its first team tournament win in 30 months - March 2005 was the last - in the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic at Fort Collins, Colorado this week.

The 18-year-old Crieff Golf Club member, pictured right, achieved a top-10 individual finish with scores of 71, 77 and 73 for 222. She had seven birdies and no double bogeys over the 54 holes.
Team-mates Shannon Yocum and Pia Halbig from Germany, making her college debut, finished first and second on two-under-par 214 and 216 respectively.
California's total of 868 tied the college's lowest in a 54-hole event.
Baylor's pair of English students, Hannah Burke and Sian Reddick finished on 224 and 226 respectively. Hannah had double bogeys at the eighth and 16th in her final round.
Sian had eight bogeys in her first round and eight birdies over the three rounds.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Individual

214 Shannon Yocum (Caliofnria) 73 71 70.

216 Pia Halbig (California) 71 74 71.

Other totals:

222 Roseanne Niven (California) 71 77 73 (jt ninth).

224 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 74 72 78 (jt 21st).

226 Sian Reddick (Baylor) 79 72 75 (jt 34th).

Team

868 California.

887 Washington State.

891 Brigham Young, Colorado.

Other total:

920 Baylor (10th of 20 teams)

Irish Ladies Golf Union Press Release

CANADIAN ALISON MURDOCH WINS IRISH SENIOR
WOMEN'S OPEN TITLE FOR A THIRD TIME

Favourite Alison Murdoch from Canada captured her third title in four years after adding a final round 76 to win the 2007 Irish Senior Ladies Open Stroke-play at Ennis Golf Club.
Murdoch started brightly with birdies on the second and sixth holes to turn one under par. Another birdie on the 12th saw her surge further ahead of the field which afforded her the luxury of bogeying five of the six remaining holes and still win by two strokes.
Ireland’s Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange) was next after firing a tournament best of 73. Her round included a birdie at the second and an eagle 2 at the fourth where she holed her pitching wedge approach shot from over a hundred yards.
Next best was defending champion Vicki Thomas (Wales) who added a solid 78 while Ireland’s Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine) claimed fourth spot ahead of Jean O’Connor (Wales).
Carmel Cahill’s 16th place finish earned her selection to the Ireland team for the Seniors Home Internationals at Royal Tara Golf Club from October 2 to 4.
Irish Close Champion Mary Madden will lead the team with help from the experienced Curtis Cup veteran Mary McKenna (Donabate) and the in-form O’Brien Kenney. Team is:
Carmel Cahill (Hermitage)
Valerie Hassett (Ennis)
Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine)
Eileen MacMullan (Donegal)
Mary McKenna (Donabate)
Mary Madden (Ballinasloe)
Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange)
Team Captain – Rhona Fanagan (Milltown)
Team Manager – Roma English (Larne)

FINAL TOTALS AT ENNIS GOLF CLUB

233 Alison Murdoch (Can) 77 80 76
235 Sheena O'Brien-Kenney (Grange) 85 77 73
238 Vicki Thomas (Wal) 85 75 78
243 Marilyn Henderson (Ger) 81 82 80
244 Jean O'Connor (Wal) 84 81 79
245 Diane Williams (Can) 84 80 81
247 Chris Utermarck (Ger) 88 80 79
247 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 82 80 85
249 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 86 84 79
249 Andrea Stockdale (Eng) 85 84 80
250 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 89 82 79
250 Mary Gorry (Baltinglass) 83 86 81
254 Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 80 87 87
256 Marianne Copp (Eng) 90 86 80
256 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) 89 85 82
257 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 88 85 84
258 Mary Powell (Nenagh) 87 82 89
260 Rhona Fanagan (Milltown) 91 87 82
260 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 90 84 86
261 Olivia Conroy (Co Longford) 86 85 90
262 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 93 84 85
262 Sue Joy-Sobota (US) 87 91 84
265 Catharina Thott (Swe) 89 87 89
266 Roma English (Larne) 92 88 86
266 Angela Colm (Can) 89 91 86
266 Margot Trembath (Can) 87 88 91
267 Judy Collins (Can) 90 90 87
267 Eily Duigenan (Edenderry) 89 87 91
269 Evelyn Blackmon (US) 87 91 91
272 Irene Stenlundh (Swe) 90 87 95
274 Claire Ruane (Ennis) 85 95 94

English Ladies Golf Association Press Release

ELIZABETH EARNSHAW NOMINATED AS ELGA
PRESIDENT FOR 2008-2009

Elizabeth Earnshaw, who was one of the first women to referee at The Open championship, has been nominated as the 2008-09 president of the English Ladies’ Golf Association.
Her appearance alongside the players at St Andrews in 1995 was one of a number of notable “firsts” in a long and high-profile career at the sharp end of golf administration.
Now Mrs Earnshaw, an OBE for services to golf and an honorary member of both Ladbrook Park Golf Club and the Warwickshire Ladies’ County Golf Association, is looking forward to the next stage of her career as ELGA president.
“This is a very great honour and I am absolutely delighted to be given this opportunity,” she said. “This is a very interesting time for ELGA which has a modernisation programme designed to meet the challenges of the modern world.”
Mrs Earnshaw is no stranger to change. During the 1990s she took on a key role for the Ladies Golf Union in the creation of a new women’s handicapping system which reflected current playing form.
She was also involved in combining the men’s and women’s schemes into the unified handicapping system which is in use today. In addition, she has helped devise the system used by the continental European countries.
Mrs Earnshaw’s own handicap has been as low as four and is currently 13. She is a past captain of the Warwickshire second team and has made occasional outings for the first team.
However, her time and energies were increasingly devoted to administration and particularly to the rules of the game. She’s a computer programmer by profession with a natural inclination to be precise and to seek practical solutions to problems.
Her earliest brush with the rules came on the day she completed her first card for handicap – only to be told that it couldn’t count because she hadn’t signed the book before going out to play.
That sparked an interest which led to her becoming a highly-regarded rules expert. She’s been chairman of both ELGA and the LGU and has chaired the rules and regulations committees of both organisations.
She was in the first wave of representatives of national organisations invited to attend the R&A’s Referees School and she was the first LGU representative on the R&A Rules of Golf committee.
Her expertise brought the invitation to be one of the first two women to referee at The Open in 1995. She was also the first British women to referee at The Masters, in 1997, and has been on duty at two further Open championships, as well as at all the top women’s amateur tournaments.
When Mrs Earnshaw refereed at St Andrews it was a golfing sensation. She remarked: “Nowadays, there are always women among the referees at these events but then the Press went bananas. They didn’t want to know about the rules – they wanted to know if I’d be allowed in the R & A clubhouse at St Andrews!”
The answer, for the record, is: “Yes. The members are very hospitable.” Mrs Earnshaw began her golf as a member at Barrow Golf Club in Cumbria, before moving to London where she joined Royal Mid-Surrey and Hampstead. She moved to Warwickshire in 1974 and has been a member at Ladbrook Park since then.

EUROPEAN GIRLS BEAT AMERICANS
IN JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP

Let's hope it's a good omen for the Solheim Cup later this week. Europe beat United States 14-10 in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup in the two-day match which finished today in Sweden.
Here are all the results:
DAY ONE
FOURSOMES (3-3)
European names first
Carlota Ciganda & Nicola Rossler bt Sydney Burlison & Allie White by 1 hole.
Sara Monberg & Caroline Hedwall lost to Jane Rah & Vicky Hurst 4 and 3.
Henrietta Brockway & Sally Watson lost to Isabelle Lendl & Courtney Ellenbogen 1 hole.
Marta Silva & Florentyna Parker bt Kimberley Kim & Stephanie Kono 5 and 4.
Audrey Goumard & Nathalie Mansson bt Brianna Do & Tiffany Lua 3 and 1.
Charlotte Kring Lorentzen & Jacqueline Hedwall lost to Kristen Park & Mina Harigae 1 hole.

FOUR-BALL (4-2)
Silva & Ciganda bt Rah & Kono 4 and 2.

Parker & Rossler bt Burlison & Ellenbogen 2 holes.
Lorentzen & Monberg lost to White & Lendl 2 and 1.
Caroline & Jacqueline Hedwall bt Kim & Do 3 and 2.
Mansson & Watson bt Harigae & Lua 1 hole.
Goumard & Brockway lost to Hurst & Park 5 and 4.

DAY TWO
SINGLES 7-5.
Watson lost to Burlison 2 and 1.
Ciganda bt White 5 and 3.
Caroline Hedwall bt Do 5 and 3.
Brockway bt Lua 2 and 1.
Silva lost to Kono 1 hole.
Parker bt Kim 1 hole.
Jacqueline Hedwall bt Ellenbogen 1 hole.
Goumard bt Lendl 5 and 4.
Monberg lost to Rah 4 and 3.
Mansson lost to Harigae 4 and 3.
Lorentzen lost to Park 2 and 1.
Rossler bt Hurst 2 and 1.

There were originally only two Swedish players in the European team selection but an eve of the match ankle injury ruled Germany's Caroline Manson unable to play.

The rules and conditions of the Ping Junior Solheim Cup match do not cover the substituion of one player for another but the Americans sportingly agreed to Jacqueline Hedwall, twin sister of Carline who was already in the team, being drafted in to keep the teams level in numbers.

The Hedwall sisters team up for a big win in the four-ball ties.

The European team included one Scot, Sally Watson, who had the honour of playing in the No 1 singles tie today.

The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy

ITALIAN BOY HAS THREE-STROKE LEAD WITH
ONE ROUND TO GO OVER DUNDONALD LINKS

By COLIN CALLANDER
Tournament Press Officer
Italy’s Claudio Vigano cemented his place at the top of the leaderboard when he carded a one under par 71 to open a three shot lead after the second round of The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament over the Dundonald Links in Ayrshire.
The 16 year-old Italian boys’ champion from the outskirts of Milan goes into the final 18 holes on one under par 143 and three shots ahead of Denmark’s Joachim Hansen who recorded a one under par 71 to jump up four places to second on 146.
The leading female competitor in a 48-strong field made up of national junior champions from around the world is France’s Isabelle Boineau. She recorded a second successive 74 to claim a share of third place alongside Portugal’s Bernard Frere and Germany’s Sean Einhaus on four over par 148
Current Carris Trophy champion Matt Haines from Kent heads the GB & I challenge after posting a two over par 74 to give him a 36-hole aggregate of 151 and a three shot advantage over Ireland’s Gary McGrane who slumped to a 79 for a ten over par total of 154.
Vigano started his round with a dropped shot on the treacherous 430-yard par-4 1st but then collected birdies at the third, fifth and ninth to race to the turn in two under par 34. He dropped two shots at the 430yd par-4 10th and another at the 440yd par-4 16th but then consolidated his advantage with a closing birdie on the 535yd par-5 18th.
“I played very well and I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow,” he said. “Three shots is a good lead but I know there are a lot of good players not too far behind.”
Meanwhile further down the field there was a rousing comeback from 17 year-old Latvian champion Mikus Gavars whose fine three under par 69 was no fewer than 16 shots better than the lacklustre 85 he produced the previous day.
Further sub-par rounds were recorded by Estonia’s Egert Poldma and Holland’s Darius van Driel who both posted rounds of 70 and Portugal’s Bernard Frere and Denmark’s Joachim Hansen who returned 71s.
However it was another poor day for Spain’s Emilio Cuartero who earlier this year emulated compatriots Jose-Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia and Pablo Martin by becoming the British boys’ open champion at Royal Porthcawl.

The long-hitting 16 year-old from near Barcelona returned an eight over par 80 which was two shots better than his opening effort but left him stranded well down the elite 48-strong field on 162.
Things were also little better for Scottish boys’ match-play champion, Paul Ferrier from Baberton, who recorded his third triple bogey of the week on the 530yd par-5 third on his way to returning a 78 that leaves him 12 shots off the lead and tied with Welsh champion Joe Vickery on 11 over par 155
“It just hasn’t been my week,” said the Scot. “I been struggling to get the ball into the hole and the 8 on the relatively straightforward par-5 third got me off to the worst possible start.
“I will just have to play for a bit of pride tomorrow,” he added.


SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
143 Claudio Vigano (Ita) 72 71.
146 Joachim Hansen (Den) 75 71.
148 Bernard Frere (Por) 77 71, Isabelle Bioneau (Fra) 74 74, Sean Einhaus (Ger) 74 74.
150 Darius van Driel (Hol) 80 70, Rachel Raastad (Nor) 77 73, Fanny Vuignier (Swi) 75 75, Vaishavi Sinha (Ind) 75 75, Johan de Beer (SA) 72 78.
151 Maaike Naafs (Hol) 79-72, Lionel Weber (Fr) 77-74, Matt Haines (Eng) 77-74, Alessia Knight (It) 75-76
153 Egert Poldma (Est) 83-70, Rashid Khan (Ind) 81-72, Dominique Jacobs (SA) 79-74, Christoffer Arvidsson (Swe) 78-75, Roberto Francioni (Swi) 77-76, Kasper Sorensen (Bel) 76-77, Guilia Molinaro (It) 73-80
154 Mikus Gavars (Lat) 85-69, Gary McGrane (Ire) 75-79
155 Paul Ferrier (Sco) 77-78, Joe Vickery (Wal) 77-78, Francois Verheyen (Bel) 78-77.

Other totals:
157 Philip Kaiser (Aut) 85 72, Klara Spilkova (Cze) 81 76, Mathieu Rivard (Can) 80 77, Martin Prihoda (Cze) 77 80.
158 Matteo Manassero (Ita) 81 77, Ossi Mikkola (Fin) 79 79, Marina Kotnik (Aut) 79 79.
159 Nicole Vandermade (Can) 77 82.
160 Valentine Gevers (Bel) 78 82.
161 Andri Oskarsson (Ice) 82 79, Tim Gornik (Slo) 79 82, Koray Varli (Tur) 79 82.
162 Emilio Cuartero (Spa) 82 80.
163 Marta Vasconcelos (Por) 81 82.
164 Holly Clyburn (Eng) 84 80.
165 Michael Kanev (Bul) 81 84.
167 Tjasa Prelog (Slovenia) 86 81.
168 Petros Venetopoulos (Gre) 91 77.
169 Elcin Ulu (Tur) 84 85.
173 Krista Puisite (Lat) 89 84.
181 Heida Gudnadottir (Ice) 95 86.
Disqualified - Are Friestad (Nor) 76 -, Anna Dahlberg-Soderstrom (Swe).

SCOTS YOUNGSTERS RISE TO OCCASION

AND BEAT IRELAND ON DUNBAR

OPENING DAY

Scotland, fielding one of their youngest-ever teams, made a great start to the women's home amateur golf internationals at Dunbar Golf Club today.
They beat Ireland 6-3 after sharing the foursomes 1 1/2-1 1/2 and taking the singles 4 1/2-1 1/2.
England, bidding to win the title for the third year in a row, beat Wales 6-3.
Scotland's line-up, average age just over 18 years, responded well to the pressure. All bar Scottish champion Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) are playing in the home internationals for the first time.
Jenna led by example by winning the top singles 3 and 2 against Irish champion Karen Delaney. Carly Booth, the 16-year-old Comrie player, followed that with a one-hole over over Danielle McVeigh.
Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) lost by 3 and 2 to Tara Delaney, who, alongwith sister Karen had flown back from Kent State University, Ohio to play for their country this week.
Teenagers Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) showed the match-play skills that won them their county titles earlier this season. Megan got a square match against the experienced Marian Riordan while Pamela Pretswell won by 3 and 1 against Gillian O'Leary, another very experienced player at this level.
It was left to Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), pictured above, to produce Scotland's shot of the day to win the final singles against Maura Morrin. Michelle strayed on to the first fairway with her drive off the 18th tee but she hit a glorious toweing eight iron that came to a stop only a foot for a hole ... a birdie 3 that gave her the Aberdeenshire champion a one-hole victory.
Scotland skipper Jayne Smith said:
"I am so proud of them. We have such a young team and they have been fantastic. The team spirit is great. We are taking each day as it comes but I am hoping for more of the same on Thursday."
Welsh player Tara Davies had a hole in one with a nine-iron at the 135yd 16th hole in her singles tie with Rachel Jennings. The ace squared the match which finished on level pegging.
First-day details:
SCOTLAND 6, IRELAND 3
Foursomes: J Wilson, M Thomson halved with K Delaney, T Delaney; L Murray, K MacDonald lost to D McVeigh, M Riordan 1 hole; E Ogilvy, C Booth bt M Morrin, N Kitching 3 and 1 (1 1/2-1 1/2).
Singles: Wilson bt K Delaney 3 and 2, Booth bt McVeigh 1 hole, Ogilvy lost to T Delaney 3 and 2, M Briggs halved with Riordan, P Pretswell bt G O'Leary 3 and 1, Thomson bt Morrin 1 hole (4 1/2-1 1/2).
ENGLAND 6, WALES 3
Foursomes; N Edwards, K Smith halved with S Hassan, R H Harries; R Jennings, D Montgomery bt L Hall, L Gould 5 and 4; R Bell, E Bennett lost to S Evans, T Davies 3 and 2 (1 1/2-1 1/2).
Singles: Edwards bt Hassan 2 holes, Bell bt R W Thomas 5 and 4, Bennett bt Hall 3 and 2, Smith lost to Evans 3 and 2, C Aitken halved with Davies, Jennings bt Harries 2 and 1 (4 1/2-1 1/2).

Solheim Teams

Photo of USA and Eurpoean Teams at the Solheim Cup.
(Courtesy Susan Simpson of the LGU, who is a Rules Official at the event)

ABERDEENSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUE DOWN TO
PLAY-OFFS FOR GOLFVIEW TROPHY

The Aberdeenshire Scratch League for the Golfview Trophy is down to the play-offs stage between Murcar Links, McDonald Ellon and Deeside.
McDonald Ellon won Section A which also included Peterculter, Ballater, Aboyne and Cruden Bay.
Deeside won Section B which also included Hazlehead, Newmachar and Banchory.
Murcar Links won Section C which also included Westhill, Aberdeen Ladies and Inchmarlo.

The play-off matches for the trophy are:

Murcar Links v McDonald Ellon.
McDonald Ellon v Deeside.
Deeside v Murcar Links.

Ties to be completed by September 16.

MICHELE AND EMILY NAMED BY SLGA
FOR THE SPIRIT TOURNAMENT

The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association have nominated Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) and Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), pictured right, to represent Scotland in The Spirit International mixed amateur tournament at Whispering Pines Golf Club, Houston in Texas, from October 24 to 27.
Both Michele and Emily are playing for Scotland in the women's home internationals which start at Dunbar Golf Club on Wednesday.
The Scottish Golf Union has yet to name the two men who will complete the team of four for the stroke-play tournament.

Irish Ladies Golf Union Press Release

CANADIAN ALISON MURDOCH LEADS WAY
IN IRISH SENIOR WOMEN'S STROKE-PLAY

Canadian Alison Murdoch, champion in 2004 and 2005, fired an impressive 77 to lead the field at the 2007 Irish Senior Ladies Open Stroke-play championship at Ennis Golf Club today.
Over the challenging parkland terrain, Murdoch carded birdies on six and 14 to turn two over par and sign for a four over par round, three shots ahead of the field.
Second placed Irish Seniors International Eileen MacMullen carded wretched double bogeys on three and four to turn six over and having bogeyed the 10th and 11th, completed the final seven holes in one under par to sign for a gutsy 80 on slick greens.
Next placed Seniors International Marilyn Henderson found the blustery but warm conditions a stern test and completed her round just one stroke further back.
Defending champion Vicki Thomas is well placed to make a move tomorrow following her 85 while the experienced Mary Gorry is lurking menacingly on 83. Seniors International Sheena O’Brien Kenney carded a comfortable 85 while home favourite Valerie Hassett is just one shot further back on 86.
The 87-strong field will play a further 18 holes on Tuesday after which the top 30 players will play the final 18 holes on Wednesday morning for the title.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
77 Alison Murdoch (Can).
80 Eileen MacMullen (Donegal).
81 Marilyn Henderson (Germany).
82 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park).
83 Mary Gorry (Baltinglass).
84 Diane Williams (Can), Jean O'Connor (Wal).
85 Andrea Stockdale (Eng), Claire Ruane (Ennis), Sheena O'Brien-Kenney (Grange), Vicki Thomas (Wal).
86 Olivia Conroy (Co Longford), Valerie Hassett (Ennis).
87 Evelyn Blackmon (US), Margot Trembath (Can), Mary Powell (Nenagh), Sue Joy-Sobota (US).
88 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage), Chris Utermarck (Ger), Emi Yokoyama (Eng).
89 Angela Colm (Can), Catharina Thott (Swe), Eily Duigenan (Edenderry), Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), Pamela Morgan (Lahinch).
90 Irene Stenlundh (Swe), Judy Collins (Can), Julie Barkman (Nenagh), Marianne Copp (Eng), Mary Kavanagh (New Ross).
91 Linda Adair (Callan), Linda Ward (Can), Maj-Britt Laempe (Swe), Rhona Fanagan (Milltown).
92 Della Burns (Ennis), Elaine Lange (Ger), Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel), Roma English (Larne).
93 Anna Moloney (Clonmel), Kay McCartan (Greenore), Marie Moran (Monkstown), Mary Geaney (Killarney).
94 Máire McMahon (Dromoland Castle), Marie Conlon (The Heath).
95 Anne Stewart (Belvoir Park), Anne Vaughan (Lahinch), Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) Kitty McNicholas (Ennis) Mary McGoey (Greenore), Sheila Bodmer (Swi).
96 Ann Conway (New Ross), Ann Freeman (Co Longford), Ann Hayes (Co Longford), Anna Somers (Cill Dara), Catherine Carty (Tullamore), Christine Deeds (US), Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush) Mary Colton (Ennis) Maura Ryan (Ennis).
97 Clodagh Tayler (Kinsale), Marcella Ridgers (Eng) Mary Keegan (Co Longford), Mary Mather (Cill Dara).
98 Carmel Verling (Ennis), Iet Hagels de Boer (Ned).
99 Josephine Kilmartin (Tipperary), Margaret Lonergan (Thurles), Maria Sandstrom (Swe).
100 Gita Patel (Eng), Rita McNamara (The Heath).
101 Angela Treacy (New Ross), Dinah Campion (The Heath).
102 Anne Crotty (Tipperary), Ingrid Haak (Ger).
104 Breege Horkan (Eng), Joan Buckley (Ballybunion), Kitty McEvoy (Eng).
106 Ann O'Brien (Cahir Park).
107 Bridget O'Brien (Tipperary), Sally Breen (Eng).
109 Marie McGrattan (Ardminnan), Patricia Farrell (Co Longford), Trudy Brosnan (Kanturk).
112 Phil O'Carroll (Cahir Park).
115 Patricia Moloughney (Skibbereen).
116 Jean Quigley Parsons (Eng).
123 Mary McMahon (Ennis).

TEAM EVENT
161 CANADA (West) Alison Murdoch 77 Margot Trembath [87] Diane Williams 84
163 IRELAND B Mary Gorry 83 Eileen MacMullan 80 Sheena O'Brien Kenney [85]
167 IRELAND A Valerie Hassett 86 Marilyn Henderson 81 Mary Madden [89]
169 WALES Jean O'Connor 84 Jean Quigley Parsons [116] Vicki Thomas 85
174 USA Evelyn Blackmon 87 Christine Deeds [96] Sue Joy-Sabota 87
179 CANADA (East) Judy Collins 90 Angela Colm 89 Linda Ward [91]
179 SWEDEN Maria Sandstrom [99] Irene Stendlundh 90Catharina Thott 89
180 GERMANY Ingrid Haak [102] Elaine Lange 92 Chris Utermarck 88
182 ENGLAND B Gita Patel [100] Marcella Ridgers 97 Andrea Stockdale 85
186 EUROPE Sheila Bodmer 95 Iet Hagels de Boer [98] Maj-Britt Laempe 91
192 ENGLAND A Sally Breen [107] Kitty McEvoy 104 Emi Yokoyama 88

SCOTS SENIOR WOMEN'S TEAM NAMED

Scotland have named the following team for the senior women's home golf internationals at Royal Tara Golf Club, Ireland from October 2 to 4:

Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Fiona de Vries (St Rule), Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), Fiona Hunter (Baberton), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Margaret Tough (Falkirk), Pamela Williamson (Baberton).
Captain - Joan Marshall.

Hugh Hunter's (c) image of the Scotland schoolboys' team with the trophy at Westerwood.

SCOTLAND SCHOOLBOYS BEAT ENGLAND FOR
FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS!

By HUGH HUNTER

Scotland won the annual schoolboys golf international match against England at Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort by a comfortable 3pt margin – 10 ½-7 ½.
It was the first time since 1990 at Hillside that the Scots had beaten the English.
Scotland established a 2pt lunchtime lead by taking the foursomes 4-2 and then they just had the edge in the singles, 6 1/-5 ½.
Earlier in the day, at the same venue, Scotland lost to England in the schoolgirls’ international 6-3 after leading 2-1 in the foursomes.

Schoolboys’ match details
FOURSOMES (4-2)
N Henderson (North Berwick High) & F McKenna (Boclair Acad) lost to M Smith (Millfield) & L Canter (Kingswood) 4 and 3.
D Law (Aberdeen Grammar) & P Shields (Trinity High, Rutherglen) bt E Groves (Peter Symonds Coll) & J Hooper (Brockenhurst Coll) 1 hole.
A McLachlan (Hutchesons Grammar) & M Bookless (Uddingston Grammar) bt S Nicholls (Cardinal Newman) & T Stuart (Southlands) 2 and 1.
A Murdoch (Stranraer Acad) & S McLaren (Perth Acad) bt M Reed (Longslade Coll) & R McGrory (Cardinal Newman) 3 and 2.
D Young (Perth Acad) & C Robb (Banchory Acad) lost to P Howard (Rainford) & A Wrighley (English Martyrs) 2 and 1.
S Binning (St Columba’s, Kilmacolm) & J Bradley (Gleniffer High, Paisley) bt M Anderson (Robert Smyth) & S Dodds (Binswood Hall) 5 and 4.
SINGLES (6 ½-5 ½)
Henderson bt Smith 4 and 3.
McKenna halved with Canter.
Bookless bt Groves 5 and 4.
Shields bt Hooper 6 and 5.
Law lost to Nicholls 6 and 5.
McLachlan lost to Stuart 2 and 1.
Murdoch lost to Reed 1 hole.
McLaren bt McGrory 2 and 1.
Robb lost to Howard 2 holes.
Young bt Wrigley 2 holes.
Bradley bt Anderson 6 and 5.
Binning lost to Dodds 4 and 3

OVERALL: SCOTLAND SCHOOLBOYS 10 ½, ENGLAND SCHOOLBOYS 7 1/2

ENGLAND SCHOOLGIRLS' SINGLES LESSON
FOR SCOTS AT WESTERWOOD

England beat Scotland 6-3 in the schoolgirls’ golf international match at Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort, Cumbernauld today.
The Scots girls led 2-1 after the morning foursomes but were overpowered 5-1 in the singles.
Scotland’s only afternoon winner was Eve Muirhead from Pitlochry High School. She won by 6 and 5 against Becky Gibbs from Millfield, Somerset.
Jane Turner (George Watson’s College) had a hole in one in the morning foursomes.
Details:
Scotland names first
FOURSOMES (2-1)
J Turner (George Watson’s Coll) & Jill Meldrum (Lenzie Acad) lost to Hannah Barwood (Oldfield Girls) & Alex Peters (Nottingham Emanuel) 1 hole.
Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry High) & Louise MacGregor (Larbert High) bt Katherine O’Connor (Banbury) & Helen Searle (Rishworth) 2 and 1.
Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth High) & Sammy Vass (Tain Royal Acad) bt Becky Gibbs (Millfield) & Charlotte Hope (Chislehurst & Sidcup) 2 and 1.

SINGLES (1-5)
Turner lost to Barwood 4 and 3.
Meldrum lost to O’Connor 3 and 2.
MacGregor lost to Hope 3 and 2.
Muirhead bt Gibbs 6 and 5.
Wilson lost to Searle 4 and 3.
Vass lost to Peters 6 and 5.

(Nine-hole singles position):
Turner one up on Barwood.
Meldrum one down to O’Connor.
MacGregor three down to Hope.
Muirhead four up on Gibbs.
Wilson two down to Searle.
Vass four down to Peters.

LATEST NEWS FROM THE SCHOOLBOYS' INTERNATIONAL

Scotland lead 8-3 with one match all square after nine holes, having led 4-2 from the morning foursomes.

KELLY BROTHERTON WINS FIRST

US COLLEGE EVENT

Former Scottish Under-21 girls champion Kelly Brotherton from Tulliallan has scored her first win on the United States women's college golf circuit.
Recruited by the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's Scots-born head women's golf coach Colette Murray from Colorado University, where her golf game had gone to pieces, Kelly, pictured right, repaid the vote of confidence by scoring 74, 72 and 70 for a level par aggregate of 216 in the first event of the new women's college season, the Chris Banister Gamecock Classic, over the Jacksonville State University Silver Lakes course in Alabama.
Brotherton, 21, won the individual event by three shots from another Murray recruit, Australian Emma de Groot who scored 70, 75 and 74 for 219.
Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State) from English finish fifth with scores of 72, 75 and 78 for 225.

Tennessee-Chattanooga, whose golf programme was resurrected for the 2007-2008 season under coach Murray's guidance after a 20-year hiatus, won the team event by the resounding margin of 27 shots with a total of 885, a record low for the tournament. Jacksonville State (912) were second and Eastern Kentucky (932) third of nine teams.

Colette Murray was for four years an outstanding player for Jacksonville State. She stayed on to become assistant coach at JSU before last year being given an offer she could not refuse to build a Tennessee-Chattanooga women's golf team from scratch.

That she could put together a team that would win its first title in its first tournament was beyond her wildest dreams.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Silver Lakes course (5,558yd),

Jacksonville, Alabama

Individuals
Par 216 (3 x 72)

216 Kelly Brotherton (UTC) 74 72 70.

219 Emma de Groot (UTC) 70 75 74.

Other total:

225 Portia Abbott (Jacksonville State) 72 75 78 (5th of 48).

Teams

885 Tennessee-Chattanooga.

912 Jacksonville State.

932 Eastern Kentucky.

Nine teams took part.

STRATHCLYDE 1-2-3 IN SCOTTISH POLICE
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP IN AYRSHIRE

Strathclyde Force scored a 1-2-3 in the Scottish Policewomen's golf championship over the Irvine and West Kilbride courses.
The championship was decided under handicap.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
149 Linda Allan (Strathclyde) (4) 71 78.
151 Alison Gemmill (Strathclyde) (2) 75 76.
159 Gillian Gibson (Strathclyde) (14) 81 78.
162 Donna McLeod (Northern) (5) 84 78.

SCOTLAND MAKE GOOD START TO SCHOOLS
INTERNATIONAL AT WESTERWOOD

HUGH HUNTER REPORTS
Scotland did well in the morning foursomes of the schools international matches against England at Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort.
Scotland led 2-1 at the end of the girls' foursomes in which Jane Turner had a hole in one.
Scotland led 4-2 after the boys' foursomes.
Details:

SCHOOLGIRLS' INTERNATIONAL
SCOTLAND LEAD ENGLAND 2-1
Foursomes
Jane Turner & Jill Meldrum lost to Hannah Barwood & Alex Peters 1 hole.
Eve Muirhead & Louise MacGregor bt Katherine O'Connor & Helen Searle 2 and 1.
Rebecca Wilson & Sammy Vass bt Becky Gibbs & Charlotte Hope 2 and 1.

SCHOOLBOYS' INTERNATIONAL
SCOTLAND LEAD ENGLAND 4-2
Foursomes
Scots names first
Neil Henderson & Fraser McKenna lost to Max Smith & Laurie Canter 4 and 3.
David Law & Paul Shields bt Elliot Groves & Jamie Hooper 1 hole.
Andrew McLachlan & Mark Bookless bt Sean Nicholls & Tom Stuart 2 and 1.
Alan Murdoch & Sam McLaren bt Michael Reed & Robert McGrory 3 and 2.
Daniel Young & Chris Robb lost to Paul Howard & Alex Wrigley 2 and 1.
Sam Binning & Jack Bradley bt Martin Anderson & Sam Dodds 5 and 4.

VIKKI LAING HAS REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
AS US FUTURES TOUR SEASON ENDS

Vikki Laing finished joint ninth in the final event of the US Futures Tour season – and so missed out on one of the top-five automatic entry to next year’s lucrative LPGA Tour. But her high ranking does mean she will avoid the preliminaries and go straight through to the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida from November 29 to December 3.
The 26-year-old US-based Musselburgh exile finished the season in eighth place on the Futures Tour money table with earnings of $35,891. She also won a $2,000 bonus from the company whose brand of putter she uses.
So it was her best year yet as a professional for the former Scotland amateur international, Curtis Cup player, four times Scottish girls champion and St Rule Trophy winner. And she did score her first win as a pro in the Gettysburg Championship a couple of weeks ago.
The five who gained LPGA Tour players’ cards for next season were:
Emily Bastel (Ohio) $59,779, Allison Fouch (Michigan) $54,476, Millie Fankhauser (Ohio) $50,128, Violeta Retamoza (Mexico) $49,895, Seo-Jae Leo (South Korea) $48,493.
The final Futures Tour event – the $100,000 Iloveny Championship at Capital Hills golf course, Albany in New York State – was won by Onnarin Sattayanabanphot, a 23-year-old from Bangkok, Thailand and a graduate of Purdue University. She answers to the nickname “Moo.”
She shot rounds of 71, 67 and 72 to win the $14,000 first prize with a three-under-par total of 210. Runner-up was Allison Fouch on 211.
Vikki Laing scored 74, 65 and 76 for 215 to earn $1,740.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71)
210 Onnarin Sattayanabanphot (Bangkok) 71 67 72 ($14,000).
211 Allison Fouch (Grand Rapids, Michigan) 69 73 69 ($10,000).
212 Taylor Leon 70 68 74, Kim Welch 70 66 76 ($6,310 each).
213 Mollie Fankhauser 69 75 69, Esther Choe 72 72 69,Emily Bastel 72 72 69 ($3,351 each).
Other total:
215 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 74 65 76 (jt 9th) ($1,740).

ends

TARA FINDS HER FORM IN FINAL ROUND
OVER MICHIGAN STATE UNIV COURSE

Tara Delaney from Ireland found her best form in the third and final round of the Mary Fossum Invitationl over the Michigan State University's Forest Akers West Course (Par 72, 6,316yd).
Tara, struggling a wee bit in her first US college tournament of the season with opening rounds of 80 and 78, settled down nicely in the third round to shoot 16 pars, one birdie (at the 10th) and one bogey (at the 11th).
That gave Miss Delaney a par-matching 72 which was one of the best rounds of the third session.
Tara actually outscored two of the top three finishers in the third round.
And Tara's performance helped her university, Kent State, to finish like a train and cut team winners Michigan State's winning margin - which looked like being huge - to only four shots.
Kent State totalled 290 in the third round, 15 better than Michigan State and seven better than Indiana University who tied for second place.
Laura Kueny (Michigan State), playing over her home course, had rounds of 71, 70 and 73 for two-under-par 214 to win the individual title by eight strokes.
Joint second on 222 were Laura's team-mate Sara Brown with 75, 73 and 74 and one of Tara Delaney's Kent State team-mates, Kira Meixner with 78, 73 and 71.
FINAL TOTALS
214 Laura Kueny (Michigan State) 71 70 73.
222 Sara Brown (Michigan State) 75 73 74, Kira Meixner (Kent State) 78 73 71.
Other score:
230 Tara Delaney (Kent State) 80 78 72 (jt 19th).
TEAMS
896 Michigan State.
900 Kent State & Indiana.
916 Michigan.
10 teams competed.

LISA SCORES SECOND PLAY-OFF WIN OF

SEASON IN DENMARK MASTERS

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

England’s Lisa (Hackney) Hall, pictured right, secured her second play-off victory of the season at the Nykredit Masters in Denmark today. The 39-year-old from Staffordshire held her nerve to par the first play-off hole, the tight, tree-lined par-four 18th at Helsingør Golf Club. She entered a three-way play-off with compatriots Kirsty Taylor and Kiran Matharu having birdied the 72nd hole to move to nine-under-par in regulation.Taylor, 36, who reached the 18th tee at 10-under, bogeyed the hole to force the play-off after her second shot from just off the fairway hit a tree and travelled just ten feet.

It was Hall’s second win of the year – and the third of her LET career. She also triumphed at the Northern Ireland Ladies Open after a marathon eight-hole play-off in June and at the 1996 Women’s Welsh Open.

"I’m jumping out of my skin right now,” said Hall, who called her mother and her husband Martin moments after securing victory.

“I was behind all day, but I knew if I stayed patient and kept giving myself chances then I would have a big chance come the end. The course was set up well for me. Today was what golf’s all about on a day that everybody played well. Everybody could have won it and it made it really exciting.”

Hall added that having her sister Emma and brother-in-law Kevin supporting her from the galleries helped spur her to victory and earn the €30,000 first prize.

A bumper crowd, bolstered by the appearance of (Danish) HRH Crown Princess Mary, split themselves between the leading groups and the final day’s play proved to be one of the finest of the season.

There was drama at the top of the leader board from the outset. Overnight leaders Taylor and Matharu began the day on six-under and managed a series of early birdies.

Hall, who started one-shot back, began with a birdie and a bogey. It was Taylor who made the best start. She shot to the top of the leader board at 10-under for the tournament after a fine run of four birdies in her opening six holes.Matharu managed back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes – the latter being inches short of a hole-in-one - and finished the front nine on eight-under.

Hall made a further three birdies on the fifth, seventh and 12th to move within a shot of Taylor. She kept up with her playing partners and compatriots Taylor and Matharu as she moved to seven-under-par after the front nine.

Taylor’s own superb form was only arrested by a double-bogey on the par-four seventh. But a birdie on the ninth gave her a one-stroke advantage going into the back nine. That slender lead lasted until the 14th hole when Matharu’s birdie sent her level at the top on nine-under.

The all-English three-ball matched each other with birdies on the 16th as the drama intensified going into the final two holes. Matharu dropped to eight-under with Hall going into the final hole after bogeying the 17th. But Taylor scuffed her second shot to ten yards and opened the gap for Hall.

Lisa will be working as a commentator for Sky Television throughout next week’s Solheim Cup in Sweden, before heading to the De Vere Ladies Scottish Open at The Carrick on Loch Lomond for her next competitive appearance in a fortnight.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR SCOREBOARD
NYKREDIT MASTERS
Helsingor Golf Club, Denmark
Par 284 (4 x 71)
275 Lisa Hall (Eng) 68 71 69 67, Kiran Matharu (Eng) 68 66 73 68, Kirsty Taylor (Eng) 69 68 70 68 (Hall won Euros 30,000 first prize at first hole of a sudden-death play-off).
278 Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 67 68 74 69
279 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 69 68 74 68
280 Virginie Lagoutte Clement (Fra) 67 73 71 69, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 67 68 75 70
281 Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 72 66 72 71, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 70 67 72 72
282 Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 72 68 73 69, Ana Larraneta (Spa) 70 70 72 70, Diana Luna (Ita) 74 65 72 71, Sophie Walker (Eng) 70 70 71 71, Paula Marti (Spa) 73 70 68 71
283 Anna Tybring (Swe) 72 69 74 68, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 69 73 72 69, Marta Prieto (Spa) 69 71 73 70, Hanna Leena Salonen (Fin) 72 73 65 73
284 Kris Lindstrom (US) 71 73 71 69, Joanne Mills (Aus) 71 74 70 69, Martina Eberl (Ger) 70 72 71 71, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 69 71 72 72, Anna Temple (USA) 69 71 71 73
286 Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 72 71 75 68, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 67 73 74 72, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 74 70 70 72, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 71 67 74 74, Anja Monke (Ger) 74 69 69 74
287 Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 70 71 76 70, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 74 68 75 70, Marina Arruti (Spa) 74 70 73 70, Samantha Head (Eng) 70 74 72 71, Anna Rossi (Ita) 68 71 75 73, Karen Lunn (Aus) 73 70 71 73, Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl) 72 71 71 73, Jehanne Jail (Fra) 69 68 76 74, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 66 72 74 75, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 69 70 72 76
288 Sara Beautell (Spa) 69 75 74 70, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 72 71 72 73, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 74 71 70 73
289 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 68 70 80 71, Federica Piovano (Ita) 72 72 73 72, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 74 70 71 74, Nathalie David Mila (Fra) 71 70 71 77
290 Suzanne Dickens (Eng) 73 72 73 72, Laura Terebey (US) 70 70 72 78
291 Shani Waugh (Aus) 69 71 78 73, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 69 76 73 73, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 72 71 72 76
292 Isabella Maconi (Ita) 70 75 76 71, Maria Boden (Swe) 70 73 76 73, Jo Clingan (Eng) 71 72 75 74, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 72 72 73 75
293 Nienke Nijenhuis (NIr) 70 72 77 74, Lora Fairclough (Eng) 71 73 75 74, Mette Buus (Den) 73 69 76 75, Claire Coughlan (Irle 71 74 73 75, Bree Turnbull (Aus) 69 74 74 76
294 Mianne Bagger (Den) 70 73 77 74, Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin) 70 74 76 74, Sarah Heath (Eng) 72 68 79 75, Karin Borjeskog (Swe) 72 71 74 77, Louise Friberg (Swe) 69 73 73 79
295 Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 70 72 78 75, Tullia Calzavara (Ita) 72 73 75 75, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 74 69 76 76
296 Libby Smith (US) 74 71 77 74, Monica Christiansen (Am) (Den) 67 78 76 75, Leah Hart (Aus) 75 70 73 78

LORNA BENNETT WINS ENTERTAINING FINAL
TO TAKE SCOTTISH SENIOR WOMEN’S TITLE

Ladybank’s Lorna Bennett, a Scotland women’s international team player from 1987 to 1991, won the Scottish senior women’s amateur match-play golf championship for the first time at Glenbervie Golf Club today.
It is not her first over-50s national title. She won the Scottish veteran women’s match-play championship at Blairgowrie in 2004.
Lorna, the No 3 qualifier, was the highest seeded player left in the championship after the top two seeds, Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) and Fiona Hunter (Baberton), were surprisingly eliminated in Saturday’s first round.
Miss Bennett only had to play the 17th hole once on her way to the title and that was in beating Margaret Tough (Falkirk) by 2 and 1 in an entertaining final.
Two down after six holes, Margaret won the seventh, eighth and ninth to be one up at the turn.
Then Lorna regained the initiative and the lead by winning the 10th and 11th. Then followed five closely-fought halved holes. Miss Bennett clinched victory by winning the 17th.
The second-flight match-play for early-round losers ended in a Sutherland v Hunter final, which ended in a 2 and 1 win for Fiona Hunter.

Weekend results:

First round – A Kennedy (Harburn) bt K Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 1 hole, M Tough (Falkirk) bt P Williamson (Baberton) 3 and 2, R Brown (Lothianburn) bt B Biggart (Kilmacolm) 3 and 2, A Telfer (Milngavie) bt H Faulds (Douglas Park) 2 and 1, L Bennett (Ladybank) bt J Mack (Haggs Castle) 4 and 3, N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) bt E Campbell (Torwoodlee) 4 and 3, M Thomson (North Berwick) bt H Anderson (Downfield) 3 and 2, M Hughes (Lanark) bt F Hunter (Baberton) 4 and 2.
Quarter-finals – Tough bt Kennedy 3 and 2, Brown bt Telfer 5 and 3, Bennett bt Fenton 7 and 6 Hughes bt Thomson 1 hole.
Semi-finals – Tough bt Brown 5 and 4, Bennett bt Hughes 4 and 3.
Final – Bennett bt Tough 2 and 1.

Second Flight
Final – F Hunter (Baberton) bt K Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 2 and 1.

IT'S MARGARET v LORNA FOR TITLE AT GLENBERVIE

This afternoon's 18-hole final of the Scottish senior women's amateur championship is between Margaret Tough (Falkirk), the No 9 qualifier, and Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), the No 3 seed.
In this morning's semi-finals at Glenbervie Golf Club, Margaret beat the No 5 qualifier Ruth Brown (Lothianburn), last year's seniors' stroke-play champion, by 5 and 4.
Lorna beat May Hughes (Lanark), the No 15 qualifier, by 4 and 3.

Later news from the final: Lorna Bennett one up after five holes.

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TARA STRUGGLES IN HER COMEBACK
EVENT ON US COLLEGE CIRCUIT

Ireland's Tara Delaney struggled to find some form in her first event of the 2007-2008 United States women's college golf season on Saturday.
Playing in the Mary Fossum Invitational over the Michigan State University's Forest Akers West Course (6,316yd, par 72), Tara had rounds of 80 and 78 for a 14-over-par tally of 158, which gave her joint 35th place in a field of 63 players with one round to go.
Tara had a rash of bogeys in her first round but there were signs towards the end of her second outing that she was beginning to settle down ... she bogeyed only one of her last 13 holes, at the 15th).
Michigan University players dominate the top of the scoreboard over their home course.
Laura Kuneny leads with 71 and 70 for 141, five shots ahead of team-mate Aimee Neff and who is two ahead of a third Michigan player, Sara Brown.
Michigan University (591) already have a lock on the team title. Indiana (603) are their nearest challengers.
Kent State, at which Tara Delaney is a student, are in third place of the 10 teams on 610.

VIKKI (65) KEEPS HER LPGA TOUR

HOPES ALIVE IN FINAL

EVENT OF FUTURES SEASON

Vikki Laing, pictured right, shot a six-under-par second round of 65 just when she needed it in the $100,000 Iloveny Championship, the last event on this season's US Futures Tour, over the 6,120yd, par-71 Capital Hills course at Albany, New York.

The 26-year-old US-based Musselburgh exile needs to finish among the tour's top five money-winners to gain an automatic place on next year's lucrative LPGA Tour. Following her first victory as a professional at Gettysburg in the penultimate competition, she is lying eighth in the dollars table.
A first-round 74 looked to have put Laing out of contention but she had different thoughts on a day of oppressive humidity with a temperature high of 85 degrees and a suspension of play because a lightning storm was passing close by.
At three-under-par 139, Laing is only three shots behind joint leaders Kim Welch from Sacramento, California and Ji Min Jeong (South Korea).
“I’m just trying to go as low as I can, but the first round didn’t help,” said Laing. “My swing felt a little off in the first round and I know I have to go low again on Sunday if I’m going to have a shot at getting my [2008 LPGA] card.”
She admitted to feeling the mounting pressure in the final week.
“Yeah, I think you feel it,” she said. “Everybody does. But then again, that’s why I play the game – to feel the things you feel when you really want to win.”

LEADING SCORES
Par 142 (2 x 71). 6,120yd.
Players from US unless stated.
136 Kim Welch 70 66, Ji Min Jeong (Sko) 67 79.
138 Onnarin Sattayabanphot 71 67, Taylor Leon 70 68.
139 Vikki Laing (Sco) 74 65, Dannah Ford 66 73.
MISSED CUT
152 Brenda McLarnon (NIr) 72 80.
155 Polly Willett (Eng) 76 79.