A reminder that the United States' Curtis Cup team for St Andrews in late May will contain the best players on the American female college circuit - in particular Amanda Blumenherst, pictured above, and Stacy Lewis, comes in the following article from GolfWeek.com:

UNITED STATES' CURTIS CUP ACES
BLUMENHERST, LEWIS GO HEAD
TO HEAD FOR COLLEGE TITLES

It's rare that women's college golf experiences a good old-fashioned individual player rivalry. It's why the next month could be turn out to be the most exciting period we've seen in the game in a number of years.
With Duke (University) junior Amanda Blumenherst, two-time defending national player of the year, and Arkansas senior Stacy Lewis, defending NCAA champion, having separated themselves from the rest of the college golf world with their performances thus far in the 2007-08 season, we all will be treated to seeing the two talents compete in the same tournaments three times in the next four weeks.
How they do over this stretch will go a long way in determining which golfer earns national player-of-the-year honours.
The Blumenherst v Lewis duel starts in earnest this coming week outside Orlando when the opening round of the UCF Challenge begins at Red Tail GC.
The Blue Devil stand-out (Blumenherst) tees off at 10.06 am while the Lady Razorback All-American (Stacy Lewis) tees off about 40min earlier.
It still amazes me that these two have yet to play in the same pairing during their college careers.
The two schools also are both playing in the Liz Murphey Collegiate March 21-23 and the Bryan National Collegiate March 28-30.
"It will be great for them to be on the same golf course and playing in the same conditions," Arkansas coach Shauna Estes-Taylor told me last week. "To have that sort of competition in our sport shows you how far it’s come and the direction I think it’s heading in the future."
It's no surprise Estes-Taylor would say something like this, but other coaches from around the country are thinking the same thing.
Purdue's Devon Brouse watched Stacy Lewis play at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic two weeks ago and said that he came away extremely impressed with Lewis' course-management skills. "What she and Amanda might do this spring is something I think we're all anxious to see," Brouse said. "It's good for women's college golf."
The interesting thing to me is how differently the two are approaching the pending race. "Winning the award would be great, but ultimately I'm just trying to see how low I can go," says Blumenherst. "I'm out there practising for Duke and not the individual award."
Conversely, Lewis frequently searches the Internet to see what has happening at tournaments where Blumenherst is playing. "She likes to know where she stands," Estes-Taylor says. "She knows we're going to see them in the next couple of tournaments. So she's really excited and motivated."
Indeed, when I asked Lewis if she knew Arkansas and Duke were competing in three tournaments together in the coming weeks she was rather blunt: "Oh yeah I'm aware. Very aware."
Below is a listing of how the two of them have fared so far this season. Call it a primer for the upcoming events. Lewis has a 1-0 lead over Blumenherst in head-to-head match-ups so far, having won the Stanford Invitational in the fall while Blumenherst tied for fifth place.
Says Estes-Taylor: "It will be great when we go to Florida and the next couple of events for them to be on the same golf course and playing in the same conditions. I think you'll see somebody emerge."
I agree, but I honestly can't say who I think it will be. All I know is I can't wait to see it all unfold.
AMANDA BLUMENHERST
(Duke University)
Starts: 5.
Wins: 3.
Stroke average: 69.87.
Rounds/Sub-par: 15/10.
Percentage of rounds counting for team: 100%
Competitions:
Mason Rudolph: 66-68-69 Win.
NCAA Preview: 73-68-67 2nd.
Lady Tar Heel: 71-68-70 Win.
Stanford: 66-73-76 Tied 5th.
Arizona Wildcat: 68-72-73 Win .

STACY LEWIS
(University of Arkansas)
Starts: 5.
Wins: 3.
Stroke average: 70.6.
Rounds/Sub-par: 15/10.
Percentage of rounds counting for team: 100%.
Kentucky Wildcat: 69-76-71 Tied 3rd.
Mercedes-Benz: 69-71-71 3rd.
Stanford: 69-72-70 Win.
UA/Ann Rhodes: 68-76-69 Win.
Puerto Rico: 68-70-70 Win.

SCOTS BOY GOLFERS HAVE TITLE

CHANCE IN FRANCE
Scotland boosted their chances of winning the boys' quadrangular international boys' golf title at Saint Cyprien Golf Club in southern France by beating Italy 5 1/2-3 1/2 today. This followed the Scots' 6 1/2-2 1/2 win over France on Friday.
David Law (Hazlehead) and Paul Shields (Kirkhill) were double winners in the foursomes and singles against the Italians. Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) was the Scots' other winner in the singles.
Scotland took the foursomes 2-1 and the singles 3 1/2-2 1/2.
Sunday's Scotland v. Sweden match will be the title decider.
Saturday's results
SCOTLAND 5 1/2, ITALY 3 1/2
Foursomes: S McLaren (King James VI), M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) halved with L Gobbi, V Dall'arche; M Bookless (Sandyhills), A McLachlan (Bonnyton) halved with C Terragni, C Vigano; D Law (Hazlehead), P Shields (Kirkhill) bt A Bolognesi, F Vianelli 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: McLaren halved with Terragni, Stewart bt Dall'arche 4 and 3, McLachlan lost to Vigano 3 and 2, Bookless lost to Gobbi 2 and 1, Shields bt Vianelli 2 and 1, Law bt Bolognesi 2 and 1 (3 1/2-2 1/2).
Other result:
France 5, Sweden 4.
How they stand: 1 Scotland 2pt, 2 France and Sweden 1pt each, 4 Italy 0pt.

ends

BREGMAN WINS PAM

GOLDING LADIES

INTERNATIONAL BY

FOUR STROKES

South African Stacy Bregman, pictured right, took the title at the Pam Golding Ladies International played at the Nelspruit Golf Club today with a final round of 71 for a seven-under-par total of 209 for the 54-hole tournament.
Bregman led the field from start to finish and showed she was in the mood to stay there when she birdied the first four holes of her final round before dropping shots at the sixth and ninth with drives into the rough.

She got back in the birdie grove at the 10th where she had a big drive and a superb approach shot to "gimme" distance.

She three-putted the tough par-3 13th but birdied the 15th.

The 16th hole was her only real blemish of the day. She pulled her approach shot into a bunker from where she needed to shots to get on to the green ... a missed putt ... and a double bogey went on her card.

Bregman then parred safely home to take the title four shots clear of her nearest rival.
“I’ve had a really great tour, and with today’s win, I’m very excited about next week’s Telkom Women’s Classic at Zwartkop Country Club” said a very pleased Bregman.
Tied for second place were South Africa’s Morgana Robbertze and Danish player Lisa Holm Sorensen. They both signed off with 71s to finish at three-under-par 213.

The best round of the day came from Italian Margherita Rigon with a 70.
Remaining ahead of her fellow amateur players was Gauteng’s Tandi Cuningham who closed on eight-over-par 224 for the tournament to take the leading amateur title.
Starting on Wednesday next week, the Ladies African Tour moves to Centurion’s, Zwartkop Country Club, for the final event of the tour, the Telkom Women’s Classic. Entrance is free.

PAM GOLDING LADIES INTERNATIONAL

FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72)
209 Stacy Bregman 68 70 71 (45,000 Rand).

213 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 71 71 71, Morgana Robbertze 70 72 71 (28,500 Rand each).

217 Johanna Westerberg 71 72 74, Maria Boden 71 70 76 (16,200 Rand each).

219 Julie Tvede (Den) 73 75 71, Anna Temple (US) 71 75 73, Emma Lyons (Eng) 73 73 73, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 74 72 73 (9,750 Rand each).

220 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 73 75 72, Julie Berton 74 73 73 (6,450 Rand).

221 Mandy Adamson 77 71 73 (5,700 Rand).

222 Emma Zackrisson 74 74 72, Lill Kristin Saether 76 72 74, Lee-Anne Pace 74 73 75 (5,170 Rand each).

223 Margherita Rigon 79 74 70, Florence Luscher 76 73 74 (4,725 Rand), Tandi Cunningham (am) 73 74 76.

224 Kaisa Ruutila (Fin) 75 75 74, Jo Clingan (Eng) 73 73 78, Caroline Afonso 77 76 71 (4,350 Rand each), Gina Switala (am) 77 72 75.

225 Anna Becker-Frankel 76 72 77 (4,050 Rand).

226 Anne-Lise Caudal 75 76 75 (3,900 Rand).

227 Cecilie Lundgreen 78 74 75 (3,750 Rand).

228 Hanna-Leena Salonen 75 75 78, Kelly Hutcherson (Eng) 75 78 75, Maria Beautell (Spa) 75 79 74 (3,450 Rand each).

229 Laurette Maritz 79 74 76 (3,150 Rand).

230 Zuzana Kamasova 76 78 76 (3,000 Rand), Sandra Winter (am) 75 77 78.

231 Lise Botha 79 78 74, Karin Borjeskog 79 77 75 (2,775 Rand each), Mercia Pretorius (am) 80 74 77, Ashleigh Holmes (am) 75 81 75.

232 Sandra Carlborg 78 81 73 (2,610 Rand), Kim Williams (am) 79 79 74.

233 Antonella Cvitan 78 75 80 (2,520 Rand).

234 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 81 77 76 (2,430 Rand).

235 Stephanie Ruiz 84 79 72, Monja Richards 82 78 75, Ana Larraneta 79 78 80 (2,280 Rand each).

236 Frederique Seeholzer 80 81 75 Rose Naliaka 76 78 82 (2,055 Rand each).

237 Crizelda van Niekerk 76 81 80, Caryn Louw 80 82 75 (1,875 Rand each).

239 Michelle de Vries 84 75 80, Nora Angehrn 83 79 77 (1,695 Rand each).

240 Stenna Westerlund 83 74 83, Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 82 79 79 (1,515 Rand each).

242 Nora Kagonyera 78 81 83 (1,410 Rand), Bonita Bredenham (am) 76 82 84.

245 Jillian Wyne 81 83 81 (1,350 Rand).

249 Esther Strous 82 86 81 (1,290 Rand).

251 Alana van Greuning (am) 85 84 82.

254 Sune Du Plooy (am) 79 85 90.

BECKY AND FERN JOINT FIFTH IN
TREASURE COAST CLASSIC

English students Becky Dowell and Fern Grimshaw, both attending Bethune-Cookman College at Daytona Beach, Florida, finished joint fifth in a field of 34 players for the Treasure Coast Women's Classic at Indian Hills Golf Club, Fort Pierce in Florida over a 5,800yd, par-71 course.
Becky and Fern had identical rounds of 77 and 71 for 148.
Runaway winner of the individual title was Praewnapa Phol-Uayporn from Bangkok, Thailand. A student at Florida Atlantic University, she won by 11 shots - no mean achievement in a 36-hole tournament - with rounds of 66 and 71.
Florida Atlantic (581) won the team event from Evansville (604) with Bethune-Cookman third of six team on 608.

STACY LEADS BY THREE IN SOUTH
AFRICA'S GOLDING INTERNATIONAL

South African Stacy Bregman, shot an up-and-down 70 in the second round to retain the lead by three shots on six-under-par 138 after the second round of the Pam Golding Ladies International at the Nelspruit Golf Club, South Africa.
She had birdies at the second, fourth, seventh, eighth and 16th but bogeyed the third, fifth and 10th.
“Overall I was comfortable with my round today. My putting was frustrating at times, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” said Bregman.
Her nearest rival is Sweden's Maria Boden who also had a 70 for 141.
Starting at the 10th, Maria birdied the 11th and 14th but bogeyed the 10th, 15th, 16th and 18th.
After a stern talking to herself, the Swede pulled her game together and had a bogey free front nine. She birdied the second, third, fifth and ninth.
Lying two shots behind Boden is South Africa’s Morgana Robbertze, carding 72, and Dane Lisa Holm Sorensen a 71 for their second round today.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
138 Stacy Bregman 68 70.
141 Maria Boden (Swe) 71 70.
142 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Swe) 71 71, Morgana Robbertze 70 72.
143 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 71 72.
146 Anna Temple 71 75, Emma Lyons (Eng) 73 73, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 74 72, Jo Clingan (Eng) 73 73.
147 Lee-Anne Pace 74 73, Tandi Cunningham (am) 73 74, Julie Berton 74 73.
148 Emma Zackrisson 74 74, Julie Tvede (Den) 73 75, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 73 75, Lill Kristin Saether 76 72, Anna Becker-Frankel 76 72, Mandy Adamson 77 71.
149 Gina Switala (am) 77 72, Florence Luscher 76 73.
150 Hanna-Leena Salonen 75 75, Kaisa Ruuttila 75 75.
151 Anne-Lise Caudal 75 76.
152 Sandra Winter (am) 75 77, Cecilie Lundgreen 78 74.
153 Margherita Rigon 79 74, Laurette Maritz 79 74, Kelly Hutcherson 75 78, Antonella Cvitan 78 75, Caroline Afonso 77 76.
154 Mercia Pretorius (am) 80 74, Rose Naliaka 76 78, Zuzana Kamasova 76 78, Maria Beautell 75 79.
155 Ana Larraneta 79 76.
156 Ashleigh Holmes (am) 75 81, Karin Borjeskog 79 77.
157 Stenna Westerlund 83 74. Crizelda Van Niekerk 76 81, Lise Botha 79 78.
158 Kim Williams (am) 79 79, Bonita Bredenhann (am) 76 82, Carmen Alonso 81 77.
159 Nora Kagonyera 78 81, Michelle de Vries 84 75, Sandra Carlborg 78 81.
160 Monja Richards 82 78.
161 Frederique Seeholzer 80 81, Kirsty Fisher 82 79.
162 Caryn Louw 80 82, Nora Angehrn 83 79.
163 Stephanie Ruiz 84 79.
164 Jillian Wyne 81 83, Sune Du Plooy (am) 79 85.
168 Esther Strous 82 86.
169 Alana Van Greuning (am) 85 84.

Ladies European Tour professionals Lien Willems (Belgium) and Maria Martin (Spain) with their Spanish playing partners, Ignacio Sitja Guetas and Sebastian J Fernandez Gonzalez during the St Valentine's Day pro-am at the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival.

Professionals Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) and Natasha Morgan from South Wales with their male playing partners, Simon and Trevor Taylor, in the St Valentine's Day pro-am competition at the recent Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival in Spain. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Galway golfers Jane Whiriskey, left, and Orla Barry with their Spanish playing partners, Ivan Garcia Martinez and Pablo Jose Tarraga Carrasco, at the St Valentine's Day competition during the recent Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival.

Fun at the Festival: Ladies European Tour professionals Claire Coughlan and Martina Gillen with their amateur playing partners, Padraic Cantwell (left) and Gerald Charters (right) at the halfway house during the St Valentine's Day pro-am competition at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.

Breanne Loucks, the only GB&I player with Curtis Cup team experience, in action (picture by Tom Ward).

Spotlight on the "other half"
of GB&I Curtis Cup team

Yesterday, we put the Curtis Cup spotlight on the four Scots in skipper Mary McKenna's team of eight for the match against the Americans at the end of May.
Today, we focus on the three English players - Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) and Jodi Ewart (Catterick) - and one Welsh player, Breanne Loucks from Wrexham who complete the home line-up.
Florentyna Parker, 18, clinched her place when she was the halfway leader and then finished runner-up to the Spanish ace and British open amateur champion Carlota Ciganda in the Portuguese open amateur championship in February. The Royal Birkdale player, who could have had her pick of American university golf scholarships, instead left school last year to concentrate on golf generally and, specifically, a place in the Curtis Cup team for the Old Course, St Andrews.
Miss Parker lives in Germany where her father Tim is a golf club professional at Gut Walhhof Golf Club, near Hamburg.
Like Sally Watson, Florentyna was a member of the winning European Junior Solheim Cup team in Sweden last year - so she knows what it takes to beat a United States team - and she was also in the Junior Solheim Cup team in 2005.
Liz Bennett, 25, did not make her mark as a title-winning teenager but she was highly-rated enough to earn a golf scholarship to a United States college (Iowa University) and played four years on the women's circuit over there, being named as one of the leading players in her university's conference.
After graduating with a degree in economics in the States in May 2005, Liz really arrived "on the stage" when she won the English women's stroke-play title in 2006 and early in 2007 won the Hampshire county title and the ELGA South-east divison championship.
She made her GB&I debut in the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent at St Andrews Bay last year when she reached the quarter-finals of the "British" at Alwoodley, Leeds.
The clincher, if it were needed, was Liz's form in January this year on the Orange Blossom Tour in Florida where she won the "Sally" (South Atlantic Ladies Amateur championship) and reached the semi-fnal of the Jone/Doherty match-play championship the following week.
Jodi Ewart, 20, from Catterick was not selected for the 2007 Vagliano Trophy match - which, with hindsight, was perhaps a blessing in disguise for her. The Continentals won by a record margin of 15-9 and several members of the GB&I team that day have not been selected for the Curtis Cup match.
Normally, a nine-strong Vagliano Trophy team forms the backbone for the following year's Curtis Cup team selection.
Jodi Ewart, 20,won the 2007 English (closed) stroke-play title and had a great freshman year on the American women's college circuit as a student at the University of New Mexico. During the 2006-07 season, she had six top 10 finishes in the States, including a victory in the Mountain West Conference championship. She has continued in fine form in America and, prior to the winter break, was ranked in the top 20 nationwide.
Breanne Loucks, 20, from Wrexham is the only member of the 2008 GB&I Curtis Cup team who knows what it feels like to play in the Curtis Cup. She had a 100 per cent winning record through her three appearances in the Bandon Dunes, Oregon match of 2006.
She did play in the Vagliano Trophy match last year at St Andrews Bay and was Welsh women's (close) champion in 2007.
She finished joint fourth behind Ciganda, Flo Parker and Michele Thomson in this year's Portuguese women's open amateur championship.

Stacy Bregman puts the heat

on rivals in Pam Golding International

South African, Stacy Bregman, pictured right, jumped into a two-shot lead after the first round of the Ladies African Tour's Pam Golding Ladies International at the Nelspruit Golf Club.
“I seemed to sink all the putts on the difficult holes today, and missed the short ones!" said a very happy Bregman.
The heat was unbearable for most players, except for the leader who returned a four-under-par 68.
She birdied the short third and should have birdied the long fifth where she was home in to but three-putted.
Her only bogey of the day came at the par-4 sixth where she drove into the rough and could only chip out on to the fairway.
Bregman reached the green at the par-5 ninth in two and just missed a putt for an eagle 3. The birdie put her out in two under par.
“The course can be quite punishing. The greens are only five months old, so they are not as smooth as you would like them to be”, said Bregman who played a steady back nine. Carding a further two birdies, Bregman finished two shots clear of fellow South African Morgana Robbertze.
Robbertze also felt that the tough course played its part.
“Besides being extremely hot today, you have to play really smartly. This course is tougher than the last two weeks on tour have been,” said a weary Robbertze.
Robbertze started off the 10th tee, and bogeyed her first two holes. She managed to settle a little when she sank a 15ft birdie putt at the 15th hole.
She bogeyed the 16th where she drove into the rough. Despite a good recovery, she could not save par.
But she did hole from 30ft for a birdie 2 at the 17th and turned in one over par.
Still a bit shaky from a stomach bug, Robbertze seems to settle her game after the turn. Taking a seven iron approach shot, she just missed an eagle opportunity on the par-5 first hole. She then had good putts on both the fourth and fifth holes to claim her final birdies of the day for a score of 70.
Leading amateur after the first round is Gauteng’s Tandi von Ruben who carded a 73, one shot clear of defending champion Lee-Anne Pace.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from South Africa unless stated
(am) denotes amateur.
68 Stacy Bregman
70 Morgana Robbertze
71 Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Anna Temple (US), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den).
72 Maria Boden (Swe).
73 Tandi von Ruben (am), Julie Tvede (Den), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Emma Lyons (Eng), Jo Clingan (Eng).
74 Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Lee-Anne Pace, Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Julie Berton (Fra).
75 Sandra Winter (am), Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin), Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin), Kelly Hutcherson (Eng), Ashleigh Holmes (am), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Maria Beautell (Spa).
76 Crizelda van Niekerk; Lill Kristin Saether (Nor), Rose Naliaka (Ken), Florence Luscher (Swi), Zuzana Kamasova (Slo), Bonita Bredenhann (Nam) (am), Anna Becker-Frankel (Swe).
77 Gina Switala (am), Caroline Afonso (Fra), Mandy Adamson.
78 Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Nora Kagonyera (Uga), Antonella Cvitan (Swe), Sandra Carlborg (Swe).
79 Kim Williams (am), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Laurette Maritz, Ana Larraneta (Spa), Sune Du Plooy (am), Lise Botha, Karin Borjeskog (Swe).
80 Frederique Seeholzer (Swi), Mercia Pretorius (am), Caryn Louw.
81 Jillian Wyne (Can), Carmen Alonso (Spa).
82 Esther Strous (Net), Monja Richards; Kirsty Fisher (Eng).
83 Stenna Westerlund (Fin), Nora Angehrn (Swi).
84 Stephanie Ruiz (US), Michelle de Vries.
85 Alana van Greuning (am).
86 Nicole Carlse (am).
88 Mariette Language (am), Monique Kruijer (am).
94 Biance Barnard (am).

Official Tournament website: http://www.ladiesafricantour.com/

Carly Booth in action for Scotland last year (image by Tom Ward).

"Awesome," says Carly when Curtis Cup team news reaches her at Red Mountain High School, Arizona

Today was just another day as a student at Red Mountain High School, Mesa in Arizona for 15-year-old Carly Booth.

Well, not quite. She had just received the news that she had been selected to play for Great Britain & Ireland against the United States in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews on May 30-31 and June 1.

Carly from Comrie is the youngest GB&I player ever to be selected for the match.

She has played for Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup match and is the European Young Masters' girls champion plus a host of other titles.

This quote from Carly has been relayed to Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk by her mother Pauline:

"Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. It's what I have been working towards and I'm really happy and looking forward to the competition."

Mark Pirie teaching children clubgolf at Pitlochry School

PITLOCHRY PRO MARK PIRIE GIVING
PRIMARY LESSONS IN PERTHSHIRE

Two hundred Perthshire primary school children in eight local schools are being introduced to golf on the curriculum this term as part of the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, which seeks to give every Scottish nine year old an experience of the game.
Whilst the programme is rolling out across hundreds of schools in Scotland, the main difference in the Perthshire schools is that it is the local PGA Pro, not the school staff, giving children their first lesson.
Mark Pirie, the pro at Pitlochry Golf Club since 2003, and formerly assistant pro at Craigie Hill and Crieff, has seized the initiative and is teaching the basics in primary schools at Blair Atholl, Breadalbane, Glenlyon, Grantully, Kinloch Rannoch, Logierait, Pitlochry and Struan...and all in his spare time.
“I’ve done a lot of work with juniors at previous golf clubs and here at Pitlochry we see juniors as the lifeblood of the club,” said Mr Pirie.
“Kids are great fun to work with because they’re very keen to learn, they give you lots of feedback, take on board what you are saying and they go away and do it. So on the back of the Government backed clubgolf programme we are keen to outreach the kids in Highland Perthshire.
“Some of them will never have seen a golf club in their life but if we can give them an introduction then hopefully a few will take up the game seriously. If they do then it’s going to benefit everybody.”
Emerging out of Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup, clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The programme has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Government’s commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game.
clubgolf’s introductory game (which in 2007 was experienced by 26,000 children in Scotland) uses modified equipment - colourful clubs with special grips and oversized heads and targets - to give children in primary schools an enjoyable first impression of the game.
“This Tri-Golf gear is very well designed for children that have never held a club and the equipment comes with game cards which have a lot of different games so there is variety and you can adapt them to make the game easier or harder,” said Mr Pirie, who on Monday, together with Karen Todd, Active Schools Co-ordinator for the Breadalbane and Pitlochry schools cluster, completed the first lap of one hour lessons in the seven schools.
“We are looking for them to have fun and enjoyment; the kids have been very keen to be involved and they are picking it up very easily.”
With an overwhelming reception from the children and their schools, a second hour of coaching in each school will begin next week. To ensure the programme will be self sustaining, Mr Pirie will train staff at each school to enable them to teach a further four hours of the programme.
“Karen Todd has been a fantastic help in pushing to get golf onto the curriculum,” said Mr Pirie. “We are traditionally a rugby and netball area so to get golf into schools at this time of the year is remarkable.
“The schools are receptive and the teachers are keen to be involved and teach something new. We now need to enrol the teachers into the programme so they can teach it themselves between now and the summer holidays.”
For the 200 children, the in-school introduction is just the start. Eight Pitlochry Golf Club members have been trained to deliver Stage 1 of the clubgolf development pathway at the club. On the 29th and 30th March, the first weekend of the school holidays, the club has organised a children’s Festival.
“We are targeting junior non-members so they can see what it’s all about at the club and we’ll show them putting, chipping and iron and wood play. Hopefully it will entice them to come along for coaching,” said Mr Pirie.
“It will run both days from 12 noon until 3.00pm and will be free of charge. We’re hoping for 120 children both days and they’ll need to contact us in advance to book. It will be a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and we are hoping parents will stay on site to be involved or watch from the clubhouse.
“Obviously long term we’d all love to find the next Open champion that comes from Perthshire, but what we are really looking for is to give the juniors an enjoyable introduction that will hopefully plant the seed for life.”
To book a place at the golf festival contact Mark Pirie on:
T: 01796 472792 E: pro@pitlochrygolf.co.uk

Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager

FROM A LOW TO A HIGH IN

JUST OVER A YEAR, THAT'S

BEEN THE POST US-RISE OF

MICHELE THOMSON

Michele Thomson, one of the four Scots selected to play for GB&I in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of June, has been talking about she feels about the biggest honour of her golfing career so far:
"I came home to Ellon in late 2007 from and American University (Jacksonville State) because I was pretty low with my golf and convinced it was not where I wanted it to be at that tiime.
"So with the support of my family, Neil Marr my coach, PGA professional Ross Cameron, physio Karen Young and the Sports Institute of Scotland we started to analyse what was going wrong and trying to get back to where I wanted to be.
"This resulted in some good performances and the opportunities to play with Heather McRae and Jenna Wilson on a more regular basis and they were great in helping me move from one level to the next and I really enjoyed last year's success.
"This year, following my inclusion in the LGU Elite Squad I played in two events in the USA and two more in Portugal and Spain, both of which I feel I did well in.
"While getting into the Curtis Cup team at the Home of Golf was only a dream 12 months ago, I now consider it an honour to be selected and I would like to dedicate the selection to all those who have been so supportive over the past 12-14 months.
"I know the team will be giving it 110% to make our clubs, colleagues, friends and families very proud of us.
"While I am extremely happy my thoughts at this time are also for poor Tony Moffat who passed away last week when I was in Spain. We will miss her on the circuit but I know she will be still there watching over us in St Andrews come the end of May. She will be sadly missed by all the Ladies and Girls."

Press Release

Joy and June gain Volunteer
of the Year awards

Two women golfers, Joy Hunter of Yorkshire and June Poffley of Wiltshire, have been recognised in the first England Golf Partnership Volunteer of the Year Awards.
Joy, a member at York Golf Club, received her award for services to golf while June, from North Wilts Golf Club, was a winner in the club development category.
Joy holds key roles in both national and county golf. She was the 2003 chairman of the English Ladies’ (now Women’s) Golf Association and currently chairs the English LGU scratch score committee. She is also Yorkshire’s scratch score assessor. She is responsible for the massive project to review the scratch scores of England’s 2,100 courses, using the USGA course rating system.
Over 200 volunteers are involved in this and 1,240 courses have been re-rated since 2002. Joy is a former Yorkshire champion who has been closely involved in training, both nationally and for her county. She is just starting her 12th and final year as Yorkshire’s county trainer and has developed and encouraged a team which has won the northern and English county championships eight times.
“We have a good structure but the most important aspect in the early stages was encouraging the players to be positive and believe in themselves,” she said.
Joy said of her award: “I was amazed! There are lots and lots and lots of people who do lots of work. I don’t think about what I do – I just get on and do it, but I have loved it. I have been very fortunate.”
June Poffley is dedicated to encouraging youngsters, especially girls, to take up golf and is the junior organiser at North Wilts Golf Club. Her nomination for the award from the Wiltshire County Golf Partnership stated: “June sets the standard for a club junior organiser.”
Her initiatives include visiting local schools to introduce pupils to the game through Tri-Golf and to train school staff. A Tri-Golf course is being built on the club’s practice ground and will host school festivals.
June is the driving force behind the club’s Junior Weeks when local youngsters are offered free coaching and playing opportunities. At the end of the week the family of each youngster will also be invited to come to the club to try golf. Any girls attending will be given a voucher for four coaching sessions as part of a drive to encourage more to take up the sport.
June was instrumental in North Wilts becoming the first club in the county to achieve the Junior GolfMark and in upgrading this to GolfMark, the national award for junior and beginner-friendly clubs.
Now, she’s turning her attention to attracting more women into golf. She remarked: “This is a lovely award but the success of the junior section is down to lots of people doing their bit. It’s made me think about all the volunteers in the golf club and how we value them and how we thank them.”
June and Joy were among five winners at the Volunteer of the Year awards. Full details: www.golfvolunteers.org
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
www.englishwomensgolf.org

Four young Scots named in GB&I line-up

Curtis Cup sell-out assured
for Old Course match

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
I am sure it was not in the selection committee's thoughts but the inclusion of four Scots in the youngest ever Great Britain & Ireland team to play the United States in the Curtis Cup match at the end of May must have guaranteed a sell-out out of tickets (limited to 8,000 daily) at the Old Course, St Andrews.
The team with ages is:
Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) 25, Carly Booth (Comrie) 15, Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) 19, Jodi Ewart (Catterick) 20, Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) 20, Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) 18, Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 19, Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) 16.

Reserves: 1 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 36, 2 Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) 20, 3 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 19, 4 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 20.

Captain: Mary McKenna (Ireland).
Team manager: Tegwen Matthews (Wales).

Skipper Mary McKenna said: “ I am delighted with the team that has been selected. It was no easy task with the quality of the squad being so high. I feel very confident that we can win the Curtis Cup on this historic occasion.”
From not a single Scots two years ago in the line-up for Bandon Dunes, Oregon to four in a team of eight for St Andrews is quite a leap and all credit to the selectors for following the old adage of "if they are good enough, they are old enough."
Only twice in the history of the Curtis Cup, have four Scots been selected. The last was in 1994 at the Honors Course, Chattanooga where Catriona Matthew, Mhairi McKay, Myra McKinlay and Janice Moodie were in the GB&I team.
I was lucky enough to be there in the humid summer heat of Tennessee to see Janice hole a putt across the 18th green to earn GB&I a 9-9 tie.
The only other occasion where four Scots played in a Curtis Cup match was in 1982 when Wilma Aitken, Jane Connachan, Belle Robertson and Gillian Stewart played at Denver where the Americans won 14 1/2-3 1/2.
The last time the Curtis Cup was played in Scotland was at Muirfield in 1984 when NO Scots were selected and the Americans won 9 1/2-8 1/2.
Carly Booth from Comrie, at 15, becomes the youngest ever player to be selected for a GB&I Curtis Cup team. The previous youngest was Jane Connachan from Musselburgh when she made her debut at the age of 16 in 1980.
Michele Wie, only 14 when she played in the match at Formby four years ago, remains the youngest overall.
Sally Watson from South Queensferry is only 16.
Both Carly, in the Junior Ryder Cup, and Sally, in the winning European Ping Junior Solheim Cup match last year, have shown they've got the nerve for the transatlantic international arena. Playing against the United States will not faze them in the slightest. In fact, it will probably inspire them to play above themselves.
The average age of the team is only 19, which makes it the youngest ever selected to do battle for GB&I in the Curtis Cup.
Three of the chosen Scots are meantime living in the United States. Sally Watson is a student at the David Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton, Florida; Krystle Caithness is a first-year golf scholarship student at the University of Georgia while Carly Booth has spent the winter months as a pupil at Red Mountain High School, Mesa in Arizona where her parents have friends. They thought she would be better off in the heat of the Arizona with the opportunity to play golf every day if she wished, rather than stay at home and endure a Scottish winter.
The fourth Scot is Michele Thomson who really broke through as a possible Curtis Cup team selection when she gave the eventual champion, Carlota Ciganda, her toughest match of all in last year's "British" at Alwoodley. Michele took the Spanish ace to the last green before admitting defeat in the quarter-finals.
But it was during the winter that Miss Thomson, the Aberdeenshire and past North of Scotland champion, really clinched her place, first by finishing third in the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur Championship (won by Liz Bennett) in Florida and then by finishing third in the recent Portuguese women's open amateur championship.
This year will be the first time we have had a three-day format for the match. The first two days will feature foursomes and four-ball matches. Sunday's play will be devoted to eight singles ties, which means all the 16 players will be in action.
There is a feeling in some quarters that an extra day simply means the United States, who have won the last five cup matches, will amass more points than usual - United State 25, GB&I 6 with three matches tied is the overall scoreline - but the home players' knowledge of the Old Course (the St Rule Trophy is played there every year) and the fervour of of huge galleries could be a big levelling factor in favour of the home players.
Breanne Loucks from Wales is the only survivor from the GB&I line-up from the 2006 Curtis Cup match at Bandon Dunes, Oregon where she won all three ties in which she played.
Breanne, Krystle Caithness and Liz Bennett are the only players to be selected again from the team of nine who crashed to a record 15-9 victory at the hands of the Continent of Europe at Fairmont St Andrews (St Andrews Bay) at the end of last July.
Of that team of nine, Melissa Reid and Rachel Bell have since turned pro. Melissa, who went on to be the leading amateur in the 2007 Ricoh's British Women's Open over the Old Course, would have been a great asset to the 2008 GB&I Curtis Cup team. But it was not to be.
English champion Naomi Edwards, Kerry Smith, Tara Delaney and Sahra Hassan were also in last year's beaten Vagliano Trophy line-up.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Par and Yardage: The Old Course will be set up at 6,638 yards (6067 metres) with a par of 36-36-72.

Schedule of Play:

Thursday 29 May:
Official Opening Ceremony.

Friday 30 May:
3 Foursomes: 8.00-8.24am.
3 Four-balls: 12:15-12.45.

Saturday 31 May:
3 Foursomes: 8.00-8.24am.
3 Four-balls: 12:15-12.45.

Sunday 1 June:
8 Singles 10.00 -11.10am

Tickets: Available to purchase online or by phoning 01334 475 811, discounted rates until 1 May 2008.

Website: www.curtiscup.co.uk

YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THE TROPHY
The Curtis Cup is currently on display at the British Golf Museum, St Andrews as part of the “Ladies' Golf From 1976” exhibition.

PGA gives women competitors
a 10% better chance to face men

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By NICK RODGER
THE Professional Golfers’ Association has opened the door for women to compete against men in its national championships.
The Belfry-based organisation’s 10 per cent rule, a law created 25 years ago to encourage more women members to play on equal terms in its pro-am events, has now been amended to apply to all members’ tournaments and championships.
As from 1 April, tournament directors will be allowed to shorten a course by up to 10 per cent for female competitors, taking into account the length and severity of the lay-out so that, irrespective of gender, all competitors will have an equal competitive challenge.
“Hopefully the decision will encourage more women members to compete by setting the golf course up in a way that gives them a chance to play on a level playing field,” said Sandy Jones, PGA chief executive.
“The move simply recognises there is inequality in terms of physical strength and this rule allows all members to enjoy playing competitive golf with their fellow PGA professionals.
“We are not suggesting this should be applied to elite tours, it’s just a decision for our members.”
Hugh Malcolm, the Scottish PGA tournament director, added: “If a female member wants to enter our national championship, then she can.
“She would have to qualify for the event, as no woman has played in it before, but this opens the door for the opportunity to do that.”

CHARLENE REID MAKES TOP TEN

AT PINEHURST INVITATIONAL

Charlene Reid from Antrim, Northern Ireland finished joint seventh in a field of 57 for the St Andrews Spring Invitational women's college tournament at Woodlake Resort & Golf Club, Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Charlene, pictured right, a student at Pfeiffer University, had rounds of 83 and 81 for a total of 164 over the par-72, 5943 course.

Team-mate Brittany Beltran won by five shots with scores of 73 and 76 for 149. Pfeiffer also won the team event by the runaway marghin of 33 shots from joint runners-up Newberry and St Leo University. 10 Teams took part.

ROSEANNE NIVEN HELPS CALIFORNIA
TO WIN TEAM TIME AT
SPARTAN INVITATIONAL

Roseanne Niven from Crieff helped the University of California-Berkeley come from behind over the final round to win the team title by five strokes at the Spartan Invitational women's college tournament at Almaden Country Club, San Jose in California.
Roseanne had scores of 78, 79 and 77 for a total of 234 which gave her 36th lace in a quality field of 75 players.
Fellow Scot Anne Walker from Strathaven is the assistant women's head coach at California-Berkeley.
Team-mates Allison Goodman and Pia Halbig finished joint second in the individual event on 220 - two shots behind winner Selanee Henderson (UC Irvine).
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Individuals
Par 216 (3 x 72). 6179yd.
218 Selanee Henderson (UC Irvine) 71 72 75.
220 Allison Goodman (California) 73 75 72, Pia Halbig (California) 73 71 76.
Other total:
234 Roseanne Niven (California) 78 79 77 (36th).
Teams
899 California.
904 San Jose State.
906 UC Irvine.
15 teams took part.

SINEAD O'SULLIVAN FROM

GALWAY SCORES FIRST

WIN IN UNITED STATES

Sophomore student Sinead O’Sullivan from Galway, Ireland became only the second women’s golfer in East Tennessee State University history to win an outright individual collete tournament championship, and her efforts helped power the ETSU women’s golf team to its first team championship of the 2007-08 season.

The Buccaneers dominated the Lady Jaguar Invitational tournament, pulling away to a 17-stroke win over Southern Mississippi at the Azalea City Golf Course (Par 72, 6071yd) at Mobile, Alabama.
O’Sullivan, pictured above, fired a three-under-par 69 in the final round to win the individual title by three strokes with a 36-hole total of one-under-par 143 from Virginia Espejo (Southern Mississippi).

Also in the winning East Tennessee State team was twice former Welsh girls champion Lucy Gould. She scored 79 and 76 for 155 and a share of 19th place.
“It really feels good to win, and I hope our team holds on to that feeling the rest of the year,” said ETSU head coach Stefanie Reynolds, whose team now has a victory as well as a strong fourth place finish in its first two events of the spring season.

“After our practice round here we talked a lot about our goals this year. We want to win every tournament we play, and winning a conference championship is just one step. We want to make nationals and play well there.”
As for O’Sullivan, Reynolds said she could see this type of performance coming from the young sophomore.
“Sinead has always been a quiet competitor that we could count on to post a good score,” Reynolds said. “We talk about how having a player go low is crucial to winning a tournament, and this time Sinead gave us that score. She just started making birdies and feeling good about her game. I was really proud of her.”
O’Sullivan said she was obviously happy with the victory – both individually and as a team.
“It’s great to have my first college win. I’m really happy,” O’Sullivan said. “The hardest thing was playing the wind, but I was able to fight through it. I left a few shots out there yesterday (in the first round), so I was eager to get out there today and learn from those mistakes. I had three birdies and an eagle on the front nine, and I knew the back nine was tougher, but I was able to play well and not make many mistakes”
Portia Abbott from Wiltshire, a student at Jacksonville State Univesity, tied for 24th place on 156 with rounds of 79 and 77.

Clara Leathers from Aylesbury, a student at Middle Tennessee University, came joint 47th with 87 and 75 for 162.

Shirley Harvey from Belfast, a student at Southern Alabama University, scored 89 and 80 for a share of 81st place on 169 in a field of 98.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

(par 72, 6071yd)
143 Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) 74 69.
146 Virgina Espejo (Southern Mississippi) 73 73.
148 Natalia Giraldo (East Tennessee State) 73 75.
Also
155 Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) 79 76 (jt 19th).
156 Portia Abbott (Jacksonville State) 79 77 (jt 24th).

162 Clara Leathers (Middle Tennessee) 87 75 (jt 47th).

169 Shirley Harvey (Southern Alabama) 89 80 (jt 81st)

98 players took part.

LEADING TEAM TOTALS
600 East Tennessee State.
617 Southern Mississippi.
627 McNeese State.
18 teams took part.

ROSEANNE NIVEN 14 SHOTS OFF THE
PACE IN SPARTAN INVITATIONAL

Crieff's Roseanne Niven (University of California-Berkeley), now 19 after her birthday on February 24, has had rounds of 78 and 79 for 157 to be lying in joint 35th place with one round to go in the Spartan Invitational college tournament at Almaden Country Club, San Jose in California.
Nobody is tearing up the 6179yd, par-72 course - Selanee Henderson (UC Irvine) leads after 36 holes with 71 and 72 for 143.
She is one ahead of Roseanne's team-mate Pia Halbig who has scored 73 and 71 for 144.
San Jose State, the hosts, lead the team event with 596 but they are only two strokes ahead of California with UC Irvine a further two shots back in third place on 600 and Washingtona close fourth on 601. So a great finish to the team event on the cards.

DANIELLE GIBB FROM KENT CHALKS UP HER
FIRST WIN ON THE US COLLEGE CIRCUIT

Danielle Gibb, pictured right, from Sittingbourne, Kent and a member at Rochester & Cobham Golf Club has scored her first win on the US women's college circuit.
A first-year student at Jacksonville University, Florida, Danielle led the Wofford Invitational field overnight at Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg, North Carolina with a first-round 73, one over par for the 6017yd course.
Then bad weather intervened to wipe out today's second and last round.
Danielle was declared the winner by two shots from Samantha Widmer (Elon University).
Ireland's Ann Marie Dalton (High Point University) finished joint 15th in a field of 51 players with a 79.
Elon (307) won the team title from Wofford College (316) with Merion (321) third. Jacksonville and James Madison University tied for fourth place on 322. High Point (335) finished last of the nine competing teams.

Junior golf festival for Cumbernauld kids

One hundred primary school children from Cumbernauld and Kilsyth are gearing themselves up for this Friday’s Cumbernauld Schools' Tri-Golf Festival at Tryst Leisure Centre.
The schools involved are Condorrat Primary School, St Michael's Primary School, Woodlands Primary School, Abronhill Primary School and Chapelgreen Primary School. All the children have experienced an introduction to golf at school as part of the clubgolf North Lanarkshire golf initiative.
“For the past two years we have been concentrating on grass root development to ensure that every local primary school in North Lanarkshire will have had an opportunity to experience golf,” said Festival organiser, Jim Moffat from North Lanarkshire Leisure.
“The local schools have received a block of six one hour lessons in school and to ensure there will be an outcome we have given teachers the opportunity to attend a coaching course. The schools were presented with a complete Tri-Golf kit to leave a legacy so they can continue to develop it in school or in afterschool clubs.
“The aim of the Festival is to take the kids out of the school environment and give them the opportunity to have some fun and celebrate their achievement.”
For the children at the Festival this could be just the start of their golf careers. Nearby Palacerigg Golf Club has signed up to the national junior golf development programme, clubgolf, and two of its members have been trained to deliver Stage 1 of the development pathway.
Emerging out of Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup, clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The programme has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Government’s commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to golf.
“Our junior membership has run down to the point where we only have seven, so the Festival is a great opportunity to invite them to our Come and Try day on the 6th April,” said the Club’s Junior Convenor and volunteer coach, Frank Anderson, who will attend the Festival to drum up support.
“I’ve met the local Active Schools Co-ordinators who are promoting the Come and Try day in local schools. I’ve got a two year plan of coaching sessions once a week at the club to encourage the kids.
“Anyone aged between 10 and 17 years old who wants to come and try the game will be more than welcome.”
The Cumbernauld Schools' Tri-Golf Festival will take place at Tryst Leisure Centre from 9.30am-11.40am.

Junior Flag Series aimed at encouraging
Central Scotland children to play golf

A new series of four competitions, designed to encourage the area's children to take part in golf competitions, has been launched to run throughout the golf season at venues across Central Scotland this year.
Starting at Clackmannanshire's Muckhart Golf Club on March 30, the Junior Flag Golf Series is the brainchild of the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf, in partnership with Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling and West Lothian Councils, local golf clubs and Auchterlonies of St Andrews (Stirling branch).
Its aim is to encourage children who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to participate in golf competitions by providing high quality, regular events at their own level.
Although it is targeting pre-handicap juniors who are participating in clubgolf Stage 1 and Stage 2 coaching at the local golf clubs in Stirling, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and West Lothian, there will also be a category for juniors with a recognised golf handicap.
Each event will run in the form of a par-3 flag competition, with three categories based on ability. Local authority staff will organise the events with support from the host golf club and volunteers from other golf clubs.
Auchterlonies of St Andrews Golf Shop (Stirling branch) have kindly agreed to sponsor the 2008 Junior Flag Golf Series and will provide prizes in each category. Every child who takes part will also receive a memento to mark their participation.
Alongside the competitions, it is hoped that a national squad golfer will attend each event to provide coaching clinics throughout the day.
2008 Junior Flag Golf Series dates and venues:
March 30 - Clackmannanshire (Muckhart Golf Club) Contact - Ryan Martin, Sports Development Officer, Clackmannanshire Council on 01259 222355
June 15 - Falkirk (Callendar Park Par 3) Contact - Alistair Mitchell, Sports Development Officer, Falkirk Council on 01324 506938
September 7 - West Lothian (Binny Golf Course) Contact - Matt Costello, Active Schools Co-ordinator, West Lothian Council on 01506 881461
October 5 - Stirling (Airthrey Golf Course, University of Stirling) Contact - Active Stirling Sports Development on 01786 432323

Rob Eyton-Jones
t: 07775 746981
e: rob@eyton-jones.co.uk

BREANNE AND MICHELE THIRD AND FIFTH
IN UPDATED EUROPEAN RANKINGS

Breanne Loucks and Michele Thomson are No 3 and No 5 respectively in the European Golf Association's women's amateur rankings, updated after the Spanish women's open amateur championship which finished on Sunday.
The complete list, which includes Europeans playing on the United States college circuit, is:

1 C Ciganda (Spa) 107.50.
2 C Masson (Ger) 100.
3 B Loucks (Wal) 85.
4 A Zwanck (Spa) 80.
5 M Thomson (Sco) 70.50.
6 C Hedwall (Spa), A Goumard (Fra) 62.50.
8 A Munoz (Spa) 61.
9 V Derrey (Fra) 56.
10 T Nilsson (Swe) 55.
11 F Parker (Eng) 50.
12 B Mozo (Spa) 49.50.
13 K Smith (Eng), L Henriksson (Fra) 47.50.
15 B Toumpsin (Bel), R Sorensen (Swe), E Andersson (Swe) 45.
18 I Boineau (Fra), A Urchegui (Spa) 42.
20 S Hassan (Wal) 37.50.
21 C Westrup (Swe), B Benuini (Fra) 30.
23 K Walker (Sco) 29.63.
24 A Nordwvist (Swe), E Alonso (Fra), R Connor (Eng), S James (Eng), C Boeljon (Net), A Goyos Ball (Spa), O Jouven (Fra), N Jimenez (Spa), L Mar (Spa).
33 H Aitchison (Eng) 20.63.
34 C Gugler (Aut), L Fourdraine (Fra), S Harvey (Ire) 19.50.
37 E Gassiot (Fra) 16.50.
38 S Endstrasser (Aut) 15.
39 P Lindberg (Swe) 14.
40 S Cologan (Spa) 12.13.
41 E Guery (Bel), M Vasconcelos (Por), A Scott (Eng) 10.
44 K Kinnerud (Swe), A Felgueroso (Spa), J Ewart (Eng) 9.
47 T Davies (Wal), L Whittaker (Ger), S Larsson Swe), L Persson (Swe) 5.50.
51 E Lind (Swe), L Krog (Nor) 5.
53 A Vilatte (Fra), C Herbin (Fra), B Buendia (Spa), L Andre (Fra), J Hedwall (Swe), L Stempfle (Ger), A Bonetti (Fra), L Gonzalez-Escallon (Bel), S Popov (Ger0, C Patussi (Ita), J Jansson (Swe), M Ricordeau (Fra), L Larsson (Swe).
66 K Caithness (Sco) 3.50.
67 R Wyn Thomas (Wal), L M Fernandez (Spa), A Fernandez Mesa Siloniz (Spa), K Ulander (Swe) 3.
71 D McVeigh (Ire) 2.
72 L Chemarin (Fra), L Ljungstedt (Swe) 1.
74 P Halbig (Ger) 0.33.

Tribute from SLGA President Ethel Jack

Scottish ladies golf has
lost a great character
with the passing of
Tony Moffat

Ethel Jack, president of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, has paid tribute to the late Mrs Tony Moffat with the following words:

With the passing of Tony Moffat, Scottish ladies' golf has lost a great character. Tony was an avid supporter and spectator of Scottish female golf at all levels. Her contribution to golf was enormous.

She gave her heart and soul to golf, in particular to Aberdeenshire and to the Scottish Veteran Ladies' Golfing Association. But no matter what event she attended, she supported everyone and spoke to everyone.

Tony was a gentle, kind lady - always cheerful, smiling and laughing. I, and many others, will best remember Tony as the lady who drove her motorhome the length and breadth of the country to watch golf and and who always had a bagful of Werthers Originals to hand out to all and sundry.

She was known affectionately as "The Sweetie Lady" by many of us.

Ladies' golf in Scotland has lost a wonderful person and we will miss her very much indeed.

+The death notice in "The Press and Journal" today states that the funeral will be private, at her request.

GERMANY'S CAROLINE MASSON

WINS SPANISH WOMEN'S TITLE

Caroline Masson from Hubbelrath Golf Club, near Dusseldorf, Germany won the Spanish women's open amateur golf championship at La Reserva Golf Club, Sotogrande today.
The No 2 qualifier, she won by 2 and 1 in the 18-hole final against 25th qualifier Adriana Zwanck from Madrid, conqueror of Spanish compatriot and top seed Carlota Ciganda in the quarter-finals.

Caroline, pictured right, was three up after 10 holes but had been pulled back to all square after 14.

A birdie put the German ahead again at the 16th and Zwanck, winner of the title and a former Vaglian Trophy player who was in her junior year at Arizona University, found water with her approach at the 17th to lose the hole and the match.
Masson, a member of the European Junior Solheim Cup team who beat the United States in Sweden last year, beat GB&I Curtis Cup team candidate Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) by 2 and 1 in the round of the last eight. Kerry Smith from Waterlooville, the only other Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad player to reach the quarter-finals, lost by 5 and 4 to Sweden's Caroline Hedwall.
The GB&I Curtis Cup team of eight to play the United States over the Old Course, St Andrews will be named by the Ladies Golf Union at noon on Thursday.

Collated weekend results:

Quarter-finals

A Zwanck (Spa) bt C Ciganda (Spa) 3 and 1.

C Hedwall (Swe) bt K Smith (Eng) 5 and 4.

A Goumard (Fra) bt L Henriksson (Fin) 3 and 1.

C Masson (Ger) bt B Loucks (Wal) 2 and 1.
Semi-finals

Zwanck bt Hedwall 3 and 2.

Masson bt Goumard 6 and 5.
Final (18 holes).

Masson bt Zwanck 2 and 1.

OCHOA WINS BY ELEVEN SHOTS
FROM SORENSTAM IN SINGAPORE

Women's British Open champion Lorena Ochoa from Mexico achieved one of the biggest-margin wins in an LPGA Tour event in recent years when She won the inaugural HSBC Women's Champions Tournament by 11 shots at the HSBC Women's Champions Tournament at Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore.
The course is 6,547yd long with a par of 72.
Ochoa, 26, led from start to finished with rounds of 66, 65, 69 and 68 for a 20-under-par total of 268 to collect the $300,000 first place prize.
Annika Sorenstam, the player she displaced as World No 1, came second with 71, 67, 70 and 71 for 279.
Ochoa gains entrance into the LPGA's season-ending ADT Championship, a tournament she won last season, and for the third straight year the opportunity to win a historic $1 million.
“It's a fantastic week,” said Ochoa, who now has 18 career wins and over $10.7 million in earnings since joining the LPGA Tour in 2003.
“Starting on Thursday, the first two days, pretty low rounds, and on the weekend I wasn't as good with the putter but I managed to shoot under par every day.”
Ochoa started off hot despite a weather delay that halted play at 10:52 a.m. – just 12 minutes after she began. Nearly an hour passed before players returned to the course, where she rolled in birdie putts from 20 and five feet on holes two and three.
Play was delayed twice more throughout the afternoon because of a combination of lightning, rain and unplayable course conditions, but Ochoa managed to escape unscathed. She added a third birdie on the ninth hole and a fourth on hole 16, a driveable par-4 where she got up-and-down from a greenside bunker.
“I was able to keep (my patience) every time they called us off, just not get mad, so I was like okay, try to be positive about it, one more time,” said Ochoa. “I ate a couple times, they had good food, and I was just trying to relax.”
Ochoa, the 2007 Rolex Player of the Year and Vare Trophy recipient, won eight times on the LPGA Tour last season and took over the top spot in the Rolex Rankings from Annika Sorenstam, with whom she played in the final group on Sunday.
While World No 1 Ochoa coasted to a victory, Sorenstam and Paula Creamer, No 2 and No 5 in the Rolex Rankings, respectively, kept things interesting in the battle for second place. Both winners already this season, the pair dueled until the back nine where Sorenstam pulled away with birdies on holes 13 and 16 to finish the day the week at nine-under-par (71-67-70-71) 279. Creamer ended her stay in Singapore at seven-under-par (67-71-70-73 281) to edge Solheim Cup team-mate Laura Diaz (70-71-70-71-283) by one stroke for third place.
Catriona Matthew finished joint 18th on 289 after closing on 284.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
268 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 66 65 69 68
279 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 71 67 70 71
281 Paula Creamer 67 71 70 73
282 Laura Diaz 70 71 70 71
283 Stacy Prammanasudh 70 69 73 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 69 70 70 74
284 Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 73 69 70 72
285 In Kyung Kim (Kor) 68 70 74 73, Morgan Pressel 70 71 73 71, Christina Kim 73 71 73 68
286 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 76 70 74 66
287 Angela Stanford 73 69 72 73, Hwa seon Lee (Kor) 73 75 69 70
288 Natalie Gulbis 72 68 75 73, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 73 72 74 69, Birdie Kim (Kor) 72 71 71 74, Na Zhang (Chn) 70 74 75 69
289 Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 67 74 77 71, Jimin Kang (Kor) 73 69 76 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 74 72 69 74, Diana D'Alessio 72 71 76 70, Pat Hurst 70 71 73 75
290 Katherine Hull (Aus) 73 70 78 69, Jeong Jang (Kor) 73 72 76 69
291 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 68 72 75 76, Juli Inkster 74 74 74 69, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 74 74 73 70, Alena Sharp 75 74 69 73, Sarah Lee 70 71 76 74
292 Meaghan Francella 71 74 75 72, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 73 70 75 74, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 72 71 75 74, Janice Moodie (Sco) 74 76 71 71
293 Meena Lee (Kor) 73 74 72 74, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 72 73 71 77, In-Bee Park (Kor) 75 70 71 77, Miho Koga (Jpn) 73 71 78 71
294 Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 77 68 77 72, Young Kim (Kor) 77 75 71 71, Angela Park 70 74 77 73, Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 70 71 74 79, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 73 72 73 76, Nicole Castrale 75 71 74 74
295 Heather Young 72 77 74 72, Becky Morgan (Wal) 76 73 73 73, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 73 72 73 77, Charlotte Mayorkas 72 75 76 72, Akane Iijima (Jpn) 74 73 75 73
296 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 68 71 81 76, Brittany Lang 74 71 75 76
297 Teresa Lu (Tai) 74 72 76 75, Reilley Rankin 71 74 71 81
298 Gloria Park (Kor) 70 79 75 74, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 72 72 75 79, Brittany Lincicome 74 74 79 71, Amy Hung (Tha) 80 68 77 73
299 Il Mi Chung (Kor) 76 75 72 76, Momoko Ueda (Jpn) 74 73 72 80
300 Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha) 72 76 77 75, Giulia Sergas (Ita) 73 76 72 79
301 Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 69 77 79 76, Sherri Steinhauer 75 72 75 79, Karine Icher (Fr) 72 72 79 78
302 Carri Wood 77 72 76 77, Lisa Hall (Eng) 75 73 78 76
303 Na On Min (Jpn) 70 76 81 76
304 Julieta Granada (Par) 78 75 78 73
305 Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 78 77 70 80
306 Kyeong Eun Bae (Kor) 72 76 81 77, Emily Bastel 80 74 75 77
308 Beth Bader 78 76 80 74
310 Siew-Ai Lim (Mal) 81 76 73 80
317 Da-ye Na (Kor) 85 76 79 77
319 Amelia Yong (Sin) 77 76 80 86