Gwladys Nocera, 12 under par after
two rounds, leads by four shots

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
By BETHAN CUTLER
Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera fired a seven-under-par 65 at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in Holland today to take a four-stroke lead heading into the final round.
Nocera, who won the tournament by seven shots last year, began the day tied for the lead on five-under-par with compatriot Jade Schaeffer, but finished the day with the outright lead on a 12-under-par two-round total. Schaeffer slipped down the leader board into a share of 15th on three-under-par after a 74.
Defending champion Nocera, 33, pulled ahead with seven birdies and no bogeys on an overcast day at Eindhovensche Golf just outside Eindhoven.
“Regarding the way I am playing I think I can win this tournament. Now I have to play tomorrow and see what happens,” said Nocera, who is aiming for her seventh LET victory after securing the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open five weeks ago.
Nocera said she had been thinking about breaking her own course record, an eight-under 64, set on the same golf course last year. “Last year I shot eight-under on the first round and I just thought, “Maybe I could shoot nine; that would be nice,” the two-time Solheim Cup player said. English rookie Melissa Reid is Nocera’s closest challenger on eight-under-par 136 after two rounds of 68. Reid finished third in February’s MFS Women’s Australian Open and believes she can win the tournament.
“It's four shots which is nothing,” said the Derbyshire rookie 20-year-old pro. “I know Gwladys and I have great respect for the girl. She knows how to win and it’s just going to be a really good experience for me tomorrow. I would love to get one on her but if she shoots low I’ve got to shoot four lower so it’s me to catch her.”
Reid is currently ranked 14th in Europe, whereas Nocera is second, but she is the LET’s leading first-year player and is highly motivated. “Basically I wake up every morning and train because I want to be the best that I can be,” said Reid. “I do want to win majors and I do want to be the best player in the world. That’s really what motivates me: being the best player that I can be.
“I played pretty well today. I hit the ball good but no putts dropped for me on the back nine which was a bit disappointing. Hopefully they will drop tomorrow.”
Denmark’s Lisa Holm Sorensen was alone in third position on seven-under-par after a 65, five shots behind the leader. Sorensen, the 2005 Finnish Masters champion, now in her fourth year on the LET, attributed her eight birdies to a hot putter.
“I had 23 putts and I kind of trusted it. I started to knock them to the back of the hole and that worked for me,” she said. Three years on from her sole LET title, Sorensen said of her title chances:
“I think Gwladys is playing well. Of course I’m going to go for it but I’m just focusing on keeping myself in this position right now. I think she will have to make mistakes not me having to make five birdies against five pars. I will go for it but that’s not what I’m thinking about really. She’s too good.”
England’s Kirsty S Taylor (67) and France’s Anne-Lise Caudal (70) shared fourth on six-under-par. Taylor is playing with a painful and strapped up left leg as she has a suspected hole in her knee cap after falling over on concrete four weeks ago. “I’ve got to get a scan at some point. There’s a bit of a hole in my knee cap and the plates might be splitting but we’re not too sure at the moment so I’m just trying to get through the next three weeks,” said Taylor.
England’s Sophie Walker, Spain’s Paula Marti and Italy’s Veronica Zorzi were one shot back in a share of sixth place. Meanwhile, England’s Henrietta Zuel retired after 27 holes with a bad back.

SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
132 G Nocera (Fra) 67 65.
136 M Reid (Eng) 68 68.
137 L Holm Sorensen (Den) 72 65, A-L Caudal (Fra) 68 69.
138 K S Taylor (Eng) 71 67.
139 P Marti (Spa) 69 70, S Walker (Eng) 70 69, V Zorzi (Ita) 70 69.
Other scores:
140 F Johnson (Eng) 69 71 (jt 9th).
141 Lisa Hall (Eng) 71 70, N C Booth (Eng) 73 68, R Coakley (Ire)v 68 73 (jt 16th).
142 C Coughlan-Ryan (Ire) 73 69, C Queen (Sco) 70 72.
143 B Brewerton (Wal) 72 71 (jt 30th).
144 J Morley (Eng) 71 73, L Shervill (Eng) 71 73, E McKinnon (NZ) 70 74 (jt 39th).
146 D Masters (Eng) 73 73 (jt 54th).
MISSED THE CUT
147 E Lyons (Eng) 75 72.
148 S Dickens (Eng) 77 71.
149 H Kavanagh (Ire) 73 76, J Clingan (Eng) 76 73, J Pritchard (Wal) 74 75.
150 K Imrie (Sco) 78 72, K Matharu (Eng) 74 76.
151 C Grady (Eng) 73 78, L Kenny (Sco) 74 77.
152 G Simpson (Eng) 75 77.
154 J Wilson (Sco) 77 77.
155 C Hall (Eng) 77 78.
160 S Morgan (Eng) 80 80.
165 K J Fisher (Eng) 85 80.
Retired: H Zuel (Eng) 78 -

FRENCH CONNECTION LEADS
WAY IN NETHERLANDS

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Defending champion Gwladys Nocera and Jade Schaeffer, both from France, tied for the first round lead on five-under-par 67 at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in the Netherlands.
Both 33-year-old Nocera, seeking her seventh Ladies European Tour title, and second year Tour player Schaeffer, 21, piled up three birdies and an eagle at Eindhovensche Golf to lead by one over a group of six players.
Nocera, who now lives in Lausanne, Switzerland, said she felt comfortable at the venue after winning by seven shots there in 2007. She is hoping to continue the French success story, as the event has been won by a French player on seven of the 12 occasions that it has been staged since 1986.
Stephanie Arricau was the 2006 champion on the same golf course, while other previous French winners were Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (2005), Karine Icher (2001), Marie Laure de Lorenzi (1995 and 1988) and Valerie Michaud (1992).
“Of course I would like to win but in order to win I have to stay with what I’m doing and hit shot after shot,” said Nocera, who won the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open five weeks ago.
“There are some pretty long holes so you have to hit the ball far, which is good for me. You have some nice irons shots to hit into the green. I like this type of course. We have quite a few like this at home so I just feel comfortable here.”
A victory in this event would see Nocera, currently ranked second in Europe, leapfrog Amy Yang in the rankings to lead the LET’s New Star Money List. However Schaeffer, who like Nocera is a protégé of swing coach Olivier Leglise, is aiming for a maiden victory this week.
The Strasbourg-based player recorded her season best finish of tied 25th at last week’s HypoVereinsbank Ladies German Open in Munich, having shot a 66 in the first round. She said she played defensively en route to a 73 in the second round, which was not something she would plan on doing again.
“I’m very happy because it is similar to last week on the first day. Now I want another second day,” said the spirited Schaeffer, whose career best finish was third at last year’s Open de Portugal.
“I told you I wanted to play easy on the second day last week and tomorrow I will attack more. I don’t want to play defensively like last week. Last week I played very well the first day. I think it’s so bad because I played plus one last week when I hit 16 greens in regulation. I missed all of the putts: two putts on every hole.”
One shot back in a share of third on four-under-par 68 was England’s Melissa Reid, Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley, Italy’s Margherita Rigon, Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom and two further French players: Cassandra Kirkland and Anne-Lise Caudal.
Reid, playing in her first year on the Ladies European Tour, fired six birdies and two bogeys on a course she had played before the tournament week. The Derbyshire golfer was third at the MFS Women’s Australian Open at tied for tenth in Scotland but came into the week after two missed cuts.
“I think the last couple of weeks my mind hasn’t been totally focused on my golf. Now that’s been sorted and today I was just concentrating on one shot at a time,” said the 20-year-old. “There are two more rounds to go and there are plenty of birdies out there. I’ve just got to focus on one shot at a time and do the best I can.”
Reid, who has been working with rugby’s Sir Clive Woodward on bringing a more scientific approach to her golf, added that improvements to her putting had helped her scoring.
“I hit a couple close but took my birdie chances when I got them,” she said. “You can’t win it on the first day but putting myself up there gives me a good chance for the next couple of days. Hopefully I can improve on my score each day.”
Coakley, a fourth year LET player aiming for a maiden tour victory, posted a season best tie for 11th, with a career-low 63 in the first round, at the Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open a fortnight ago. She was pleased to be coming into form ahead of the main leg of the summer season.
“It’s starting to come together,” said Coakley, Ireland’s leading player on the LET. “In Germany, I hit the ball alright but just didn’t score. Today I hit the ball good for the first nine and then a little average on the back nine but held it together and made a few birdies.”
Four players shared ninth place on three-under-par: four-time LET champion Lynn Brooky from New Zealand, Italy’s Sophie Sandolo, England’s Felicity Johnson and Paula Marti from Spain, who had two eagles in her opening round.
SCOREBOARD
Par 72
67 G Nocera (Fra), J Schaeffer (Fra).

68 M Rigon (Ita), U Wikstrom (Fin), R Coakley (Ire), M Reid (Eng), A-L Caudal (Fra).
69 C Kirkland (Fra), L Brooky (NZ), S Croce (Ita), P Marti (Spa), S Sandolo (Ita).
70 J Westerberg (Swe), L Wahlin (Swe), F Johnson (Eng), C Boeljon (Net) (am), S Walker (Eng), I Maconi (Ita), C Queen (Sco), V Zorzi (Ita), E McKinnon (NZ).
Other scores:
71 J Morley (Eng), K S Taylor (Eng).
72 Lisa Hall (Eng).
73 H Kavanagh (Ire), C Grady (Eng), N C Booth (Eng), D Masters (Eng).
74 C Coughlan-Ryan (Ire), K Matharu (Eng), K Pritchard (Wal), L Kenny (Sco).

75 G Simpson (Eng), M Gillen (Ire).

76 E Lyons (Eng), J Clingan (Eng).

77 J Wilson (Sco), S Dickens (Eng).

78 C Hall (Eng), H Zuel (Eng).

79 K Imrie (Sco).

80 S Morgan (Eng).

England name girls' team
for Euro championship

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
English women's champion Hannah Barwood is among the four players selected to represent England in the European girls’ team championship at Murcar Links from July 8-12.
Hannah from Knowle, is joined by Rachel Connor (Manchester), Alex Peters (Notts’ Ladies) and Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
The non-travelling reserves are Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) and Katie Mundy (Dunwood Manor). The team will be captained by Julie Brown (Brocton Hall). All the players are members of the English Women’s Golf Association Futures U18 Squad.Hannah Barwood, 17, became one of the youngest-ever English champions when she won the title last month at Ganton. Earlier in May she won the U21 trophy at the Welsh strokeplay championship. Hannah is also the reigning English schools champion – a title she has won three times in the past four years. Rachel Connor, 17, was a quarter-finalist at Ganton. She’s already made her mark in top ladies’ scratch events, winning the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy last year and the Leveret this season.
Alex Peters, 14, won the girls’ title at this season’s Fairhaven Trophy. She also became the youngest-ever Nottinghamshire champion and partnered her mum, Ann, to a win in the Mothers and Daughters scratch foursomes. She’s a past English U13 champion and the current Midland ladies’ titleholder. Kelly Tidy, 16, twice won the English U13 championship and followed up by claiming the U15 title in 2006. Last year she was U15 runner-up after losing a play-off. She won the U21 trophy at the 2007 Welsh open strokeplay and this season was one of the leading Engli sh players in the St Rule Trophy.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Room (but not much time) for more entries
to North of Scotland championship

June 7 is the official closing date for entries to this year's North of Scotland women's championship, hosted by Perth & Kinross Ladies Golf Association at Strathmore Golf Club, Alyth.
P&K county captain Dawn Butchart writes:
"Strathmore held a ladies open on Wednesday and over 100 ladies can testify that the course is in fantastic condition. Emily Ogilvy said that the greens were the best she had played all year.
"To date I only have 80 entries and would love to boost this to 120. Would really appreciate all the help I can get to promote this event. I have a link on the P&K Website to download entries or anyone can contact me for info or forms to be sent or E-mailed.
"The closing date is June 7 but will keep this open for another 10 days."
Laura Walker, now a P&K player, won the title at Lossiemouth last year.

Youngest Hazlehead Academy team member Grant Joss is pictured holding the trophy. Back row (left to right): Fraser McDonald, Michael Angus, Calum Stirton, Douglas Elrick, Ryan Dick (capt.), Gary Giles (teacher).

HAZLEHEAD ACADEMY ARE TOP OF THE

ABERDEEN SCHOOLS GOLF CLASS AGAIN

For the third occasion in six years, it was Hazlehead Academy who lifted the Aberdeen Schools’ Golf League sponsored by Paul Lawrie Junior Golf. At a mist shrouded Kings’ Links they beat Robert Gordon’s College 2-1.

The first two matches were halved but Hazlehead's third pairing of Fraser McDonald and Grant Joss won by 3 and 2, ensuring victory and regaining the trophy they last won in 2006.
There was high quality golf in abundance and none more so than in the first match. With nothing between the pairings, it burst into life at the 16th when Ali MacDonald holed his 3 foot birdie for the Robert Gordon’s pairing to go one up.

At the next hole, Douglas Elrick must have thought his 30 foot birdie putt would be good enough to win the hole but Ali MacDonald followed him from 16 feet for a half.

In an exciting finale Ryan Dick knocked his tee shot to 4 feet, which he duly holed for birdie and a square match.

There was also an exciting finish to the second match where the Robert Gordon’s pairing of Steven Smith and Neil Barnes found themselves two down with four to play against Michael Angus and Calum Stirton but birdies at 15 and 16 also gained them a share of the points.
Result (Hazlehead first):
Ryan Dick and Douglas Elrick halved with Ali MacDonald and Zac Clark.
Michael Angus and Calum Stirton halved with Steven Smith and Neil Barnes.
Fraser McDonald and Grant Joss beat Scott Simpson and Blair Hawthorne 3 and 2.

Report and picture supplied by Derek Johnstone.

KRYSTLE GETS HONOURABLE MENTION

GB&I Curtis Cup players Krystle Caithness and Jodi Ewart have been given an "honourable mention" in the Golfweek end of college season awards.
Curtis Cup reserve Danielle McVeigh is also included.

GOLFWEEK’S ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
Amanda Blumenherst, Jr., Duke
Stacy Lewis, Sr., Arkansas
Tiffany Joh, Jr., UCLA
Azahara Munoz, Jr., Arizona St
Maria Hernandez, Jr., Purdue
Anna Nordqvist, Soph., Arizona St.
Belen Mozo, Soph., USC
Alison Walshe, Sr., Arizona
Maria Jose Uribe, Fr., UCLA
Jaclyn Sweeney, Fr., Oklahoma St.

SECOND TEAM
Dewi Claire Schreefel, Sr., USC
Caroline Westrup, Jr., Florida State
Cydney Clanton, Fr, Auburn
Christina Boeljon, Jr., Purdue
Pernilla Lindberg, Jr., Oklahoma St
Stefanie Endstrasser, Soph., USC
Taylore Karle, Fr., Pepperdine
Jessica Yadloczky, Fr., Florida
Lizette Salas, Fr., USC
Glory Yang, Fr., UCLA

THIRD TEAM
Sydnee Michaels, Soph., UCLA
Kathleen Ekey, Jr., Alabama
Paola Moreno, Sr., USC
Sara Brown, Sr., Michigan State
Jennie Lee, Jr., Duke
Benedicte Toumpsin, Soph., S. Carolina
Valentine Derrey, Soph., TCU
Maude Aimee Leblanc, Fr., Purdue
Hannah Yun, Fr., Florida
Whitney Myers, Sr., Florida

HONORABLE MENTION
Dori Carter, Jr., Mississippi
Natalie Sheary, Fr., Wake Forest
Garrett Phillips, Sr., Georgia
Stephanie Sherlock, Soph., Denver
Ashley Rollins, Sr., Texas
Tiffany Chudy, Sr., Florida
Mari Chun, Jr., Stanford
Jodi Ewart, Soph., New Mexico
Krystle Caithness, Fr., Georgia
Danielle McVeigh, Soph., Texas A&M
So-Hyun Park, Fr., Notre Dame
Alison Whitaker, Soph., Duke
Sarah Zwartynski, Fr., Texas A&M
Therese Kolbaeck, Fr., UNLV
Marci Turner, Sr., Tennessee
Katie Kempter, Jr., Denver
Steffi Kirchmayr, Jr., Coll. of Charleston
Laura Kueny, Soph., Michigan State
Jennifer Pandolfi, Sr., Duke
Kirby Dreher, Jr., Kent State

SUSAN SHINES AGAIN IN

LGU CHALLENGE
BOWLS AT HILTON PARK

Fife golfer Susan Jackson followed up her Clark Rosebowl success in the recent Scottish women's amateur championship at Lossiemouth by winning one of the major trophies in the Ladies Golf Union Challenge Bowls competition at Hilton Park Golf Club, Glasgow today.
The Ladybank player, picture right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), had a par and CSS-matching round of 73 to win the Wallace Williamson Bowl for the leading Silver Division scratch score.
The best net round in this division was a 66 off 14 by Merle Oxton (St Boswells). Runner-up was Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) with a net 72 off four.
In the Bronze Division the winner of the scratch trophy was Isobel Millar (Vale of Leven) with a score of 107. The best net score in this section was an 81 off 33 by home-course player Rhonda Morris (Hilton Park).

ends

American college honour

for Jodi Ewart

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

England's Jodi Ewart (picture right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved) has earned a top honour for her performance in US women’s college golf over the 2007-2008 season.

The Curtis Cup player from Yorkshire has been named an honourable mention All-American by

Golfweek. It means she’s included in an elite list of America’s top college golfers.

This is the second year in a row that Jodi has been honoured in this way and she’s only the fifth student from her college, New Mexico University, to be a two-time All-American.

Before returning to Britiain to play in the Curtis Cup, Jodi successfully defended the Mountain West Conference championship. She was also named Conference co-player of the year. Jodi, who plays at Catterick Golf Club, is the reigning English stroke-play champion.

European Golf Association in
favour of Europe v USA
men's & women's matches

The General Secretary of the European Golf Association has responded as follows to Colin Farquharson's suggestion on Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk that there should be a United States v Europe or Continent of Europe women's amateur golf match every alternate year from the Curtis Cup.

Dear Colin,
Thank you for taking position for the Continent of Europe with reference to a United States v. Europe Match.
This is a very touchy matter and as General Secretary of the European Golf Association I can only say that of course this matter has been discussed many times within the EGA Championship Committee where the majority is in favour of an International Match between the United States and Europe.
Actually it has also been discussed with reference to the Walker Cup matches.
On the other hand, we are aware of the tradition these two matches, particularly the Walker Cup, represent both for the United States and Great Britain & Ireland.
I can also let you know that the European Golf Association has approached the USGA several times with regard to the staging of International Matches, juniors included, between Europe and the United States. So far, we have not succeeded.
With kind regards,
John C. Storjohann
General Secretary
European Golf Association
Place de la Croix-Blanche 19
CH-1066 Epalinges

US Curtis Cup winner Alison could

have played for Ireland ...

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Alison Walshe, the 23-year-old Galway, Ireland-born winner of four games out of four for the United States in last weekend's Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, has confirmed that she will be turning professional this summer.

She has completed her education at the University of Arizona.

I put it to Alison - who emigrated to Boston, America with her family when she was five (round about 1990) - that there were stories going the rounds that in her teens, before she went to university, she had approached the Irish Ladies Golf Union and asked them: "Can I play for Ireland?" ... to be told: "You will have to come over to Ireland and play in the Scratch Cup, the Limerick Cup and other 36-hole events before you can be considered."

Alison told me that she personally had not made such an approach but she believed that a member of her extended family in Ireland, possibly, an uncle had contacted the Irish Ladies Golf Union on the subject.

She is the daughter of Mary and John and has a brother, Dave, and a sister, Jan.

"All of my family is from Ireland but I've basically grown up just outside Boston, Massachusetts for the last 17 years. Boston is very Irish, as you know," said Alison whose father worked for the Digital company when the family moved from Ireland to America. He is now an operations manager for Sun Microsytems.

"I haven't been to Ireland in four years but I did go quite often when I was younger. Yes, I do feel Irish. Definitely. My whole background and my family, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, everyone is very Irish.

"I'm proud of my Irish heritage but obviously I felt strongly about playing for the United States in the Curtis Cup.

"I had about 10 of 12 of my relations come over from Dublin, Galway and Mayo to see me play at St Andrews. It was really special for me because I have a lot of family who live in Ireland. I haven't seen some of them in years and they all came over on the ferry to see me and support me.

"They had kind of mixed feelings because they're on the Irish side as well as the US side. But it means something to have your own folk there to see you play for America.

"It was definitely a goal of of mine to play in the Curtis Cup. The reason why I stayed amateur was to play in this tournament and over the Old Course, St Andrews. I'm a rarity that I stayed on at college for five years."

"To play in the Curtis Cup and win four games out of four was such a great ending to my amateur golf career."

Alison finished eighth in the 2007-2008 United States women's college golf rankings.

What clinched her place in the 2008 US Curtis Cup team was probably winning the Harder Hall Invitational in early January on the Orange Blossom Women's Amateur Tour in Florida.

Among her collegiate victories in America were the 2007 North and South Women's Amateur Championship, the BYU Dixie Classic, the 200 Stanford Invitational and Mason Rudolph Championship, the 2004 Hartford Women's Invitational and 2003 Rutgers Invitational.

She shot a career-low round of 66 at the 2007 Harder Hall Invitational on the Orange Blossom Tour and has had two holes in one.

Curtis Cup Rules Note:

Any player is qualified to represent the United States who is born a citizen or becomes a citizen of that country, provided she is an amateur golfer in accordance with the amateur regulations in force in that country.

Should any player be invited to compete on both teams, the choice shall be left to the player who, having made her choice, shall not be eligible to play for the other team in the future.

Emma (Duggleby) Brown wins

Astor Salver for second time.

Former British champion and past Curtis Cup player Emma (Duggleby) Brown (Malton & Norton) made the trip down from Yorkshire worthwhile when she won the prestigious The Berkshire Golf Club's annual 36-hole women's open tournament, the Astor Salver, by one shot.

Emma, pictured right by courtesy of leaderboardphotography.co (all rights reserved), held the trophy two years ago in her maiden name of Duggleby. She will be back at The Berkshire in July for the English stroke-play championship.

“It was a good practice round,” she laughed. The Malton & Norton player started on the Blue course with a three-under 69 and followed up with a level par 73 on the Red to win by a shot from Sahra Hassan of Wales. “I started a bit scrappy in the morning but then I had a few birdies. I got off to an iffy start in the afternoon as well and was three-over after six but then I didn’t drop any more shots and came back in three-under,” she said.

Emma’s plans for this season include defending the British mid-amateur championship as well as playing in the English stroke-play, which she won 10 years ago. She is also considering trying to qualify for the Women’s British Open. She recently reached the semi-finals of the English championship at Ganton – an event which she has won twice.

FINAL TOTALS
Red Course first (SS 74, CSS 73)
Blue Course second (SS 74, CSS 73)

1 EMMA BROWN (Malton & Norton) 73 69: 142
2 SAHRA HASSAN (Vale of Glamorgan) 69 74: 143
3 SARAH ATTWOOD (Gog Magog) 72 72: 144
4 KYM LARRATT (Kibworth 68 77: 145
5 HOLLY CLYBURN (Woodhall Spa) 76 70: 146
6 SIAN JAMES (Bristol & Clifton) 75 72: 147
6 Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) 74 73: 147
6 HANNAH JENKINS (Cradoc) 71 76: 147
9 TARA WATTERS (Muswell Hill) 76 72: 148
9 LISA BARTON (Coventry) 75 73: 148
11 LUCY GOULD (Bargoed) 75 74: 149


Best Score RED - Claire Starkie (Silsden) .
Runner Up RED - Fiona Thompson (Ellesborough).
Best Score BLUE - Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen).
Runner Up BLUE - Nicola Whitmore (Woburn).
+Detailed scores not available for this section.

Lisa Hall only GB&I player in

Ladies European Tour top 10

England's Lisa (Hackney) Hall, pictured right, is the only British or Irish player in the current top 10 of the Ladies European Tour money list. She is in third place with 82,847 Euros from seven events.

LEADING TOTALS (in Euros)

+Number of events in brackets.

1 Amy Yang (South Korea) (7) 136,064.

2 Gwladys Nocera (France) (7) 102,288.

3 Lisa Hall (England) (7) 82,847.

4 Suzann Pettersen (Norway) (1) 78,750.

5 Lotta Wahlin (Sweden) (6) 77,029.

6 Louise Stahle (Sweden)( (6) 77,02.

7 Emma Zackrisson (Sweden) (5) 44,975.

8 Paula Marti (Spain) (6) 44,625.

9 Joanne Mills (Australia) (6) 42,829.

10 Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) (7) 37,578.

11 Felicity Johnson (England) (7) 35,491.

12 Laura Davies (England) (3) 33,353.
13 Nikki Garrett (Australia) (7) 33,395.

14 Melissa Reid (England) (7) 30,630.

15 S-L Bregman (South Africa) (7), 29,666.

16 Rebecca Hudson (England) (5) 29,270.
Others:

24 Samantha Head (England) (7) 22,539.

25 Becky Brewerton (Wales) (5) 20,686.

32 Trish Johnson (England) (5) 15,130.

33 Clare Queen (Scotland) (7) 14,617,

41 Kristy S Taylor (England) (7) 11,553.

44 Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) (7) 11,245.

47 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) (7) 11,072.

51 Martina Gillen (Ireland) (5) 9,978.

52 Kiran Matharu (England) (6) 9,688.

56 Gillian Simpson (England) (7) 9,110.

63 Rachel Bell (England) (5) 8,140.

65 Natalie Clare Booth (England) (5) 7,645.

66 Kathryn Imrie (Scotland) (3) 7,607.

69 Lora Fairclough (England) (5) 7,527.

71 Danielle Masters (England) (7) 7,514.

73 Joanna Head (England) (1) 7,094.

79 Lydia Hall (Wales) (7) 6,142.

87 Joanne Morley (England) (5) 4,750.

100 Sophie Walker (England) (7) 3,427.

108 Mhairi McKay (Scotland) (1) 2,720.

110 Jenna Wilson (Scotland) (5) 2,470.

KATHLEEN SUTHERLAND WINS VETS'
TITLE AT INCHMARLO

Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) beat Ann Smart (Banchory) by 6 and 4 in the final of the Northern Division championship of the Scottish Veteran Ladies Golf Association in very wet conditions at Inchmarlo Golf Centre today.
Kathleen, the current holder of the Scottish senior women's stroke-play championship, was the 2006 Northern Division vets' champion. The winner receives the Lady McInnes Shaw Trophy.
Ann had beaten the defending champion, Heather Anderson (Downfield) by one hole after producing a string of birdies to cancel out an outward half deficit.
In the other semi-final Kathleen was a 7 and 6 winner over Ann Bowman (McDonald Ellon), one of Muriel Thomson's triplet sisters.
Sandra Russell (Banchory) won the Bronze championship for the MacDonald Trophy by beating Valerie Kelly (Deeside) 4 and 3 in the final.
Results:
SCRATCH - Semi-finals
Ann Smart (Banchory) bt Heather Anderson (Downfield) 1 hole.
Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) bt Ann Bowman (McDonald Ellon) 7 and 6.
Final
Sutherland bt Smart 6 and 4.
BRONZE - Semi-finals
Valerie Kelly (Deeside) bt Fiona Brynes (Banchory) 2 and 1.
Sandra Russell (Banchory) bt Wendy Davidson (Deeside) 2 and 1.
Final
Russell bt Kelly 4 and 3.

Sorry we could not bring you this Ladies European Tour report earlier than today.

Amy Yang wins German Ladies
Open by four, Michelle Wie 6th

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
By BETHAN CUTLER
South Korea’s Amy Yang claimed the HypoVereinsbank Ladies German Open, presented by Audi, by four shots at Golfpark Gut Häusern on Sunday and announced that she would donate the €37,500 first prize money to the victims of the Chinese earthquake.
Yang, 18, began the final round with a five-shot lead and shot a five-under 67 for a 21-under-par total. Sweden’s Louise Stahle, the 2007 Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year, finished in second on 17-under with Gwladys Nocera in third one stroke back. Spain’s Marta Prieto and France’s Anne-Lise Caudal shared fourth on 15-under-par.
The richly deserved victory was the first in Yang’s professional career, but her second on the Ladies European Tour.
The 18-year-old made worldwide news two years ago when she won the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia as a 16-year-old amateur. At that time she was the youngest ever winner on the LET. She turned professional in October 2006 and was granted a three-year exemption to play on the tour but was unable to commit to full-time golf until she finished her school exams in Australia at the end of 2007.
“I’m so happy now,” said Yang, who shot rounds of 71, 66, 63 and 67. “I practised really hard to get this but I need to work harder. I just found last week after playing with Suzann (Pettersen) that I needed to practise more to be like her.”
The teenaged Yang was paired with Pettersen, ranked third in the world, in every round of last week’s Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open, where Yang finished second behind the Norwegian. Victory was the Korean’s sixth top-ten finish in seven starts on the LET this year and increased her lead of the New Star Money List. It also cemented her place in the high prize money Evian Masters in France and the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
Yang said she couldn’t even compare her first pro victory with her win in Australia, because she couldn’t recall the feeling.
“I don’t remember! It was a long time ago, like two years,” she said. Yang, who used experienced caddie Steve Walsh en route to victory in Munich, now lives in Orlando, Florida, as she holds a conditional card on the LPGA Tour in the United States, but she lived in Australia for three years in order to develop her game.
Another teenager, American Michelle Wie, 18, came sixth on 14-under-par, which marked her first sub-par tournament total in 14 appearances since she tied for second at the 2006 Evian Masters in France.
Wie chipped in for eagle at the first and then birdied the third to be three-under-par after her first three holes but couldn’t keep the momentum going. Her final round of 67 was her best score in three tournaments this year.
“I’m glad that I shot under par; it feels good,” said Wie, whose presence helped to attract almost 17,000 spectators to the remote course over the tournament week.
“I feel that I left a lot of shots out there; a lot of putts; on the par-5s a couple. It feels like it’s coming along. It feels like I’m recovering, getting back on track and getting back to where I used to be.
“I feel a lot more confident about my game. I think a person’s greed means that you always want something more. If you look at my score, 14-under-par, I’m very happy with it but at the same time I could have done better.
“I definitely won’t go back to the States frustrated. I feel like I wish I made a putt here or there. That’s golf. I’ll go back with a lot of confidence. I know what I need to work on. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the summer.”
Like Yang, Wie will now head to America to compete in US Women’s Open Qualifying.

++Melissa Reid and Rachel Bell who would almost certainly have been playing for Great Britain & Ireland in the Curtis Cup match at St Andrews had they not turned professional after the Vagliano Trophy match last year did not cover themselves in glory in the German Ladies Open. Melissa failed to beat the halfway cut while Rachel finished joint 51st.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
267 A Yang (SKo) 71 66 63 67 (37,500 Euros).
271 L Stahle (Swe) 68 69 698 65 (25,375 Euros).
272 G Nocera (Fra) 68 70 69 65 (17,500 Euros).
273 M Prieto (Spa) 67 69 72 65, A-L Caudal (Fra) 69 69 67 68.
274 M Wie (US) 68 69 70 67 (8,750 Euros).
275 L Brooky (NZ) 68 71 68 68, B Brewerton (Wal) 69 68 68 70 (6,875 Euros).
276 T Pluckstaaporn (Thai) 69 67 73 67, I Tinning (Den) 72 67 68 69 (5,300 Euros each).
277 L Holm Sorensent 9Den) 71 68 71 67, A Rawson (Aus) 71 70 68 68, P Marti (Spa) 68 68 72 69, L Kreutz (Fra) 71 659 68 69, L Fairclough (Eng) 66 68 72 71 (4,100 Euros each).
278 S Head (England) 71 70 70 67, V Zorzi (Ita) 67 68 75 68, C Hallstrom (Swe) 68 71 70 69, J Mills (Aus) 69 71 66 67 (3,450 Euros each).
279 S L Bregman (SAf) 71 67 75 66, N Reis (Swe) 64 73 70 72 (3,187 Euros each).
280 B Recari (Spa) 69 68 73 70, M Eberl (Ger) 71 67 72 70, R Hudson (Eng) 70 69 70 71 (3,000 Euros each).
Other totals:
281 N C Booth (Eng) 67 71 73 70, M Gillen (Ire) 68 71 70 72 (jt 25th) (2,700 Euros).
282 H Zuel (Eng) 69 73 71 69 (jt 30th) (2,326 Euros).
284 K Imrie (Sco) 71 66 74 73 (jt 36th) (1,988 Euros each).
285 F Johnson (Eng) 69 72 73 71 (jt 40th) (1,675 Euros).
287 J Morley (Eng) 70 71 73 73 (jt 48th) (1,300 Euros).
288 R Bell (Eng) 69 71 75 73, L Hall (Eng) 70 72 71 75 (jt 51st) (1,050 Euros each).
295 F More (Eng) 70 73 77 76 (63rd) (725 Euros).

Aberdeen Schools League Final on Thursday

Hazlehead Academy will play Robert Gordon's College in Thursday's final of the Aberdeen Schools Golf League at Kings Links.
The three tee-off times (all foursomes) are: 4.12pm, 4.19 and 4.26.
In the semi-finals, Hazlehead and Cults Academy drew 1 1/2-1 1/2. Hazlehead went forward to the final on a holes up countback.
Robert Gordon's College beat Aberdeen Grammar School 2 1/2-1/2.

Details:
HAZLEHEAD ACADEMY 1 1/2, CULTS ACADEMY 1 1/2
R Dick, D Elrick lost to R Polson, J Pryde 1 hole; M Angus, C Stirton halved with C Sutherland, S Anderson; G Joss, F McDonald bt V Powell, P McNicholas 5 and 3.
Hazlehead won on holes up countback.
ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL 1/2, ROBERT GORDON'S COLLEGE 2 1/2
D Law, N MacAndrew halved with A MacDonald, Z Clark; W Rennie, M Johnstone lost to S Smith, N B arnes 4 and 3; C Johnstone, A Anderson lost to S Simpson, B Hawthorne 2 and 1.

US Kids Golf European Championship

EUROPEANS BLOW AWAY THE COMPETITION
AT VAN HORN CUP IN GULLANE

PRESS RELEASE
If the Van Horn Cup is any indication of how the Europeans will do at the Ryder Cup, it’s game over.
The Van Horn Cup, a tournament modeled after the fabled Ryder Cup, matches European teams against teams comprised of players from outside of Europe, instead of just Americans.
It was the final event of the U.S. Kids Golf European Championship at Gullane, where more than 450 of the best junior golfers, aged 7 to 14, competed from May 27-30.
The European team trounced the “International” team, winning eight of the ten matches which comprised the competition. Only the Boys 10- year old and Girls 11- year-old escaped European domination.
The blustery winds at the U.S. Kids Golf European Championship didn’t stop the kids from playing well in the birthplace of golf. Hailing from 34 countries, the young golfers traveled from around the world to Scotland for the first U.S. Kids Golf competition outside the U.S.
Highlights included:

Harvey Byers of the United Kingdom, playing in the Boys eight-year-old age group, hit a hole-in-one, the first for the U.S. Kids Golf European Championship. Young Harvey drove his first shot of the day 73 yards from the first tee at Kilspindie Golf Club into the cup, an amazing feat for an eight-year-old.

Brothers Matthias and Johannes Schwab of Austria finished first and second respectively in their age groups. Ironically, both recorded identical 71’s in the first round. Johannes dominated the competition in his age group, Boys 13, firing rounds of 71-71-69=211 to win by 12 shots.

Spread over five courses in East Lothian, tournament play was divided by age, with boys competing in brackets by ages seven through 14, and girls divided into brackets by ages 8 through 14. With a specific age group playing the same course throughout the event, the U.S. Kids Golf European Championship was also played on nearby courses including Craigielaw, Kilspindie, and Luffness New.
The U.S. Kids Golf European Championship is the first of many planned regional championships around the world. U.S. Kids Golf is committed to growing the game and eventually hopes to reach one million youngsters across the globe.
After the company was launched, it expanded from its product line into instruction and tournament sponsorship. Holding its first tournament in 2000 with 250 players, U.S. Kids Golf has grown to more than 400 events each year, with the 2007 World Championship bringing more than 1,100 players from 34 countries.

For updated scores and tournament results, please visit the U.S. Kids Golf Web site at www.uskidsgolf.com.

Elizabeth Mallett (13) wins Midland
schoolgirls' championship

Warwickshire teenager Elizabeth Mallett has won her third schools golf title – with the help of a course record.
The 13-year-old from Sutton Coldfield Ladies scored a three-under par 68 in her second round at Bloxwich Golf Club. She added it to her morning 75 to win the Midland schools girls’ championship by three shots from Megan McLaren of Northamptonshire.
Elizabeth, who is a member of the English Women’s Golf Association’s regional Select Midlands Squad, already holds the English U16 and the Warwickshire schools’ titles.
She was four shots off the pace at the halfway stage of the Midlands competition but played immaculate golf to shoot her first sub-70 round. Elizabeth parred every hole except the 11th, where she had a tap-in birdie, and the 18th where she chipped in for an eagle 3.
Elizabeth also helped county colleagues Hannah McLoughlin and Alice Young to win the team shield for Warwickshire for the first time.
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire’s Holly Clyburn won the girls’ title at the North of England schools championship at Prenton, Cheshire, with a level par total for the 36-hole event, helped by a three-under par 70 in the afternoon.
The Woodhall Spa player is an England girl international and the Lincolnshire county champion. She is a member of the English Women’s Golf Association Futures U18 Squad.
Holly, 17, and Elizabeth have both qualified for the national schools championship at The Kendleshire, near Bristol, later this month.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
Visit our web site at www.englishwomensgolf.org

A FEW DOLLARS MORE FOR VIKKI

Former Curtis Cup player Vikki Laing from Musselburgh earned $855 for a joint 19th place finish in the weekend US Futures Tour event, the Aurora Health Care championship at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Vikki scored 74, 74 and 73 for a five-over-par total of 221 over the 6,351yd, par-72 course. .
She finished eight shots behind the winner of the $14,000 first prize, 18-year-old Californian Mindy Kim, who scored 68, 72 and 73 for three-under-par 213 to win by three shots from four players.
It was Kim's second win on the No 2 American women's pro circuit within the past two or three weeks. In both victories, she has led from start to finish.
Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayrshire did not survive the second-round cut.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
213 Mindy Kim (US) 68 72 73 ($14,00o)
216 Kristen Samp (US) 76 71 69, Leah Wigger (US) 72 75 69, Sarah-Jane Kenyon (Australia) 69 73 74, Brian Vega (US) 71 71 74 ($6,580 each).
217 Jenny Gleason (US) 73 78 66, Onnarin Sattayabanphot (Thai) 72 74 71 ($2,923 each).
Other totals:
222 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 74 74 73 (jt 19th) ($855).
228 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) 73 78 77 ($603).

SAME SHIRE TEAM FOR DUNDEE

Aberdeenshire officials have named an unchanged team to defend the North Division women's inter-county team championship at Downfield, Dundee from June 28 to 30. It is:

Jill Harrison (Cruden Bay), Laura McLardy (Murcar Links), Laura Murray (Alford), Donna Pocock (Murcar Links), Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), Sara Thomson (Murcar Links), Carol Wilson (Murcar Links), Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies).

Reserves: Sammy Leslie (Murcar Links), Gill Murray (Cruden Bay), Marivi Millership (Deeside).

Angus team is:

Heather Anderson (Downfield), Jackie Brown (Monifieth), Aileen Hunter (Monifieth), Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie), Shonagh Raitt (Forfar), Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir), Mary Summers (Panmure Barry), Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth).

Reserves: Fran Millar (Carnoustie Ladies), Dawn Dewar (Monifieth).

+Kirkwoodgolf will publish every county team that is e-mailed to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

MUNROSS TROPHY TEE TIMES
FOR MONTROSE ON SUNDAY

Curtis Cup player and Scottish champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) and St Rule Trophy winner Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) head a small but quality field for the Munross Trophy 36-hole women's golf tournament, organised by the Montrose Links Trust, at the Montrose Links on Sunday.
Players will leave the tee mainly in threes at 8min intervals.
9.08 and 1.38 - K McCallum (McD), A Alston (RML); J Linklater (L), F Sinclair (CC); J Grubb (MML), F Blair (CL), A Niven (C); S Leslie (ML), R Rankin (Lan), D Dewar (M).
9.32 and 2.02 - J Meldrum (Dul), J Sizemoir (WR), J Brown (M): J Wycherley (Monk), A Hunter (M), J Jenkins (Ral); J Sneddon (Al), A Wilson (Lb), M MacPherson (TL); N Fenton (MoE), E Briggs (Kil), A Bushby (S).
10.04 and 2.35: L Hendry (R), S Vass (T), S Jackson (Lb); E Fairnie (Dun), R Niven (C), C M Carlton (F); J Carthew (Lb), A Ramsay (K), C MacDonald (GL); K McNicoll (CL), M Briggs (Kil), C Hargan (Mort).
10.36 and 3.06: L Kenney (P), M Mangone (WCC), L Murray (A); P Pretswell (BC), K Walker (Buch), M

HEATHER BLOOMS AT INCHMARLO

IN VETS CHAMPIONSHIP

Downfield's Heather Anderson was the leading qualifier for the match-play stages when the Northern Division championship of the Scottish Veteran Ladies Golf Association began at Inchmarlo Golf Centre, Banchory today

Heather had a score of 78, four shots better than the No 2 seed, Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose).

Details:

CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

78 Heather Anderson (Downfield).

82 Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose).

83 Ann Bowman (McDonald Ellon).

84 Ann Smart (Banchory).

BRONZE SCRATCH QUALIFIERS

100 Fiona Brynes (Banchory).

102 Wendy Davidson (Deeside).

105 Sandra Russell (Banchory).

107 Valerie Kelly (Deeside).

Best net round - Wendy Jones (Peterculter) (14) 72.

Michele Thomson says

Thanks for the

memories to the Curtis

Cup spectators

Scottish champion Michele Thomson has asked if Kirkwoodgolf could pass on her personal thanks to the Curtis Cup galleries.

Michele's message:

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who was at St Andrews, all of those who braved the cold wind and rain on Sunday to cheer me and the rest of the team on.

Walking up that 18th fairway to the roar and cheers of the home support was something I will never ever forget. It was simply an amazing experience.

There was so many faces in the crowd I wanted to go round and thank them all personally as it meant so much. If I start writing thank you letters now I will still be at it at the end of the season.
Of my own match I was really caught up in the heat of the moment. I wanted so much to hole that putt on 18 to win but after I missed, I was thinking of my opponent, Jennie Lee, and how much courage it took to hole the 4ft putt she had for a half.

On reflection, and since the match was over (overall), I am glad she holed out as she did not deserve to lose either as she played great and was a real sport all the way round..
It was a deserved victory for the USA team. They played great all week and we always seemed to be playing catch up but credit to all my team mates, Mary, Lawrence and all the management team as we never gave up and we all gave it our best.

If the last three days have encouraged even a small percentage of girls to take up golf, and I hope it has, then we will have an even greater chance in the future of regaining the Curtis Cup.

I can recommend a good coach if anyone is interested!!
Thanks once again to everyone.

Michele Thomson

Sally Watson knee op will rule her out until autumn

Note from Colin Farquharson: In the following excerpt from the last Curtis Cup interviews in the Media Centre at the Old Course on Sunday, Sally Watson revealed that she is to have a knee operation this week, which will rule out her out of golf until the autumn.
Sally has already been named in the Scotland squad for the European girls' team championship at Murcar Links from July 8 to 12.
Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) is the first reserve.

Turning pro not on the immediate
horizon for Sally and Krystle

Q: And the girls, do you see yourselves being on the team in two years?
SALLY WATSON: Well, I'm still going to be amateur, so hopefully my game will continue to improve over the next two years. I think now that I have been on a Curtis Cup team and I have lost, it's just going to be wanting revenge even more, wanting to win even more.
Hopefully having that little bit more experience in the Curtis Cup and knowing a little bit more about what to expect, and hopefully we can all play well next time and come out on top.
But I think having this experience has really helped my game and has helped just develop me as a golfer, and I think everyone would just kind of thank the LGU for giving us this opportunity, because it is really a once in a lifetime opportunity.
KRYSTLE CAITHNESS: Yeah, I'm going to stay amateur, also, and I hope to make the team in two years' time. Curtis Cup is the biggest team match you'll play. It's such an honour to represent Great Britain and Ireland, and I hope I'm in contention for that selection.
Q. Mary, are you staying on as captain?
MARY McKENNA: I have to wait until I'm asked. My contract or whatever you want to call it was for Vagliano Trophyand for Curtis Cup, so I obviously don't know.
Q. If you are asked, would you stay on?
MARY McKENNA: I don't know.
Q. Can Sal;ly tell us about your knee problem and what happens next with that? Was there any point where you were a doubt fitness?wise to play this week?
SALLY WATSON: About two months ago now, I had a slight hiccup, and I actually had to go in for an arthroscopy because I couldn't straighten my knee, and if I would have had the surgery I wouldn't have been able to play (in the Curtis Cup).
But with the help of the Scottish Institute of Sport, I was able to come home from America straight away, and I got that dealt with.
I worked really hard over the next two months, really, six weeks, to get myself prepared because I knew that if I didn't work hard then I wasn't going to be able to go and play.
I'm actually going to have knee surgery this month, just because I feel like it's just getting to the point where my knee, it's a bit of unreliability, and I don't want to get into a situation later in life where I'm playing in a big tournament and my knee just kind of gives way and then I have to pull out.
As I get older and every year that passes, the tournaments do get bigger and bigger and more important for me, so I'm going to get the knee surgery done now rather than later, and then I have one more year in Florida (student at David Leadbetter Golf Academy) and hopefully I can just make the most of that year.
I'll be able to work even harder than I have in the past two years and hopefully come out next summer and just play the best I can.
This experience, though, it's just ?? it's the pinnacle of amateur golf. I was going to try and do everything I could to play, and I'm just glad that I did play and I had that experience. It is a week and it is a tournament which I will remember forever.
Q. Which knee is it?
SALLY WATSON: It's my right knee, my cruciate ligament. I used to play basketball. I played for under?16 Scotland basketball when I was 12. I came back ?? I lived in California for three years, and basketball was what I wanted to do with my life. Unfortunately God had other plans for me. I injured my knee and I couldn't get to the same level.
But if it hadn't have been for that injury, I probably wouldn't be in this Curtis Cup and in this position right now, so I'm kind of glad it did happen.
Q. When are you actually going to get the surgery?
SALLY WATSON: On Wednesday.
Press Officer STEWART McDOUGALL: Mary, Sally and Krystle, thank you very much.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

Pictured are GB&I's top two points-earners, Krystle Caithness and Sally Watson (image by
Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved).

35th CURTIS CUP
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND

(Code: P=number of ties played; W=ties won; L=ties lost; H=ties halved; P+points gained).

KRYSTLE CAITHNESS:
P3-W3-L0-H0-Pts 3.

SALLY WATSON:
P5-W3-L2-H0-Pts 3.

MICHELE THOMSON:
P4-W1-L2-H1-Pts 1.5.

BREANNE LOUCKS: P4-W1-L3-H0-Pts 1.

CARLY BOOTH: P4-W1-L3-H0-Pts 1.

FLORENTYNA PARKER: P4-W1-L3-H0-Pts 1.

JODI EWART: P3-W0-L2-H1-Pts 0.5.

LIZ BENNETT: P5-W0-L4-H1-Pts 0.5.

UNITED STATES

STACY LEWIS: P5-W5-L0-H0-Pts 5.

ALISON WALSHE: P4-W4-L0-H0-Pts 4.

AMANDA BLUMENHERST: P5-W3-L1-H1-Pts 3.5.

KIMBERLY KIM: P4-W3-L1-H0-Pts 3.

TIFFANY JOH: P4-W2-L1-H1-Pts 2.5.

MINA HARIGAE: P4-W2-L1-H0-Pts 2.

JENNIE LEE: P3-W0-L2-H1p-Pts 0.5.

MEGHAN BOLGER: P3-W0-L3-H0-Pts 0.

CAPTAINS DON’T WANT UNITED
STATES v EUROPE CURTIS CUP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
United States won the biennial Curtis Cup women’s amateur international contest for the sixth time in a row over the Old Course, St Andrews on Sunday.
But neither of the team captains, Mary McKenna abd Carol Semple Thompson, wants a Ryder Cup-style change to make it a USA v Europe contest.
It is acknowledged by most students of the game that the majority of the leading female amateur golfers in Europe at the moment are from Continent.

In last year’s Vagliano Trophy match at St Andrews Bay, the Continentals beat GB&I by a record margin. In the recent NCAA Division 1 women's college championship in America, something like six of the top 10 finishers were Continental Europeans.

Some pundits see the Curtis Cup at the same one-sided stage as the Ryder Cup was a decade or two before it became a Europe, not a GB&I team that took on the States.

I have to admit that I am on the side of those who would like to see Continentals of the world-class quality of Carlota Ciganda (Spain), pictured above, and Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) - who contested last year's BRITISH women's open amateur championship at Leeds - playing in the Curtis Cup and making a 13-7 margin of victory for the United States less likely in future.

But the team captains of this past week's Curtis Cup contest would certainly not like to see its format follow the Ryder Cup line.
“I don’t think a Europe v United States Curtis Cup match would have the same impact. It’s very important that we keep it the way it is, especially for GB&I because it gives the girls something to focus on, something to strive for selection to,” said Mary McKenna.
“The Curtis Cup is a stepping stone for the future. It is difficult to be selected for the GB&I team. So personally I would hope it would never change.”
Carol Semple Thompson, who has played or been team captain in more Curtis Cup matches than any other player on both sides of the Atlantic, said:
“I like the tradition of playing against Great Britain & Ireland. I can understand they might be a little frustrated at this point since the States have now won six matches in a row but even though I think our level of play was fantastic, all the games over the last three days have been well-fought.
“There’s plenty of talent on both sides to make it a good match. So I would definitely cast my vote on the status quo.”

Perhaps the European Golf Association should take the lead and make a direct approach to the United States Golf Association to introduce a United States v Europe or Continental Europe match in alternate years to the Curtis Cup.

OK, so that would mean a rival for the Vagliano Trophy in the same year. But that would be a minor problem, surely.

United States team captain Carol Semple Thompson and her team with the Curtis Cup after their 13-7 victory over the Old Course, St Andrews on Sunday.

Mary McKenna with her GB&I team after the end of the Curtis Cup match on Sunday.

CURTIS CUP CAPTAINS' QUOTES

MARY McKENNA

Our girls gave it everything. It just didn't go their way today but,
you know, their futures are great.

As Carol (Semple Thompson) has said, this is one of the strongest teams
United States have ever had.

But, you know, I have too and I am sure that they will all bounce back
from this defeat because they're smashing players.

It's been good and I've enjoyed it all immensely.

CAROL SEMPLE THOMPSON

I thought we would win, but I didn't expect we would win 13-7 in the
end.

I have a very strong team but I didn't think they would play as well as
they did today in the worst weather of the three days.

All credit to my players. They did a great job. They just stayed in
there and finished strongly.

My abiding memory from this week? The St Andrews setting and having
such a great team to captain.

They were so much fun to be with. Everything just went right.

The new three-day format? It's OK. I don't dislike it.

Maybe we should play the Curtis Cup here at St Andrews every four years.

________________________________________________________________________
AOL's new homepage has launched. Take a tour at

http://info.aol.co.uk/homepage/ now.

United States Curtis Cup captain Carol Semple Thompson (left) with her most successful players Alison Walshe (centre) and Stacy Lewis in the Media Centre at the post-match interviews (Cal Carson Golf Agency images, all rights reserved).

GB&I skipper Mary McKenna with her two most successful players, Sally Watson (left) and Krystle Caithness at the post-Curtis Cup interviews in the Media Centre (Cal Carson Golf Agency image, all rights reserved).

UNITED STATES CLINCH 26th
CURTIS CUP TRIUMPH

United States won the 35th Curtis Cup competition for the 26th time in
the history of the biennial transatlantic women's amateur golf
international contest.
In a historic match – the first to be staged over the Old Course, St
Andrews and the first to be played over three days – the Americans
triumphed easily in the end by a 13 points to seven margin.
Skipper Carol Semple Thompson's team started the final day with a
three-point lead (7 ½-4 1/2) with the home captain Mary McKenna still
cherishing hopes that the Great Britain & Ireland team, which had been
hanging on to the Americans' coat-tails over the first two days, would
come good in the eight singles climax to the match.
After two warm almost summer-like days, the Sunday weather certainly
turned in favour of the home team … much colder, windier and
occasionally wet.
But the writing was soon on the scoreboard, if not on the wall, for
hopes of a seven Great Britain & Ireland victory in the series which
began at Wentworth in 1932.
The Brits were soon trailing in the top four singles and things did not
get much better although, to be fair, the home tail did wag with wins
by Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) by 6 and 4 over Meghan Bolger and
by home-course girl Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) by 2 and 1 over Mina
Harigae.
And Scottish champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) gained a
creditable half with Jennie Lee.
Another Scot, Sally Watson (Elie & Earslferry), came back from two down
against Irish-born Alison Walshe in the final singles to be all square
with five holes to play. But she lost the 16th and went down by one
hole.
Watson, only 16, and 19-year-old Caithness were the top points
producers for Great Britain with three points each. Watson played in
every session of play while Caithness, home for the summer from Georgia
University, and playing over her home course, won all three ties in
which she was played.
For the Americans, Stacy Lewis was the MVP with five wins out of five.
Galway-born Alison Walshe, whose family emigrated to Boston when she
was a youngster, was the second most successful player in the American
squad she won all four of her ties.
Carly Booth (Comrie), at 15 the youngest GB&I player ever to be chosen
for a Curtis Cup match – this was the youngest-ever GB&I team, had a
nightmare last day. She went down by 6 and 5 to Tiffany Joh despite
winning the first two holes.
"I just couldn't buy a putt of any length today," said Carly. "But I
have great memories from my first Curtis Cup and I'm sure there will be
more."
Breanne Loucks (Wrexham), winner of all three of her Curtis Cup ties at
Bandon Dunes two years ago, could win only one of four outings over the
Old Course. Given the honour of playing in the lead-off singles tie,
the Welsh girl lost by 3 and 1 to former US amateur champion, and still
only 16, Kimberly Kim from Hawaii.
Jodi Ewart (Catterick), who plays on the US college circuit as a
student at Texas A&M University, was drawn to play the top-ranked
American player, Amanda Blumenherst and did well to take her to the
17th green before going down 2 and 1.
Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), at 25 the oldest player in the home
team, went down by 3 and 2 to Stacy Lewis, the No 2 ranked US college
player, by 3 and 2.
The Sunday attendance was 4,800, not a bad figure considering the
inclement weather, which gave a three-day total of 13,600.

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SUNDAY'S CURTIS CUP

RESULTS

GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND 7, UNITED STATES 13

Day 1: GB&I 2, USA 4.
Day 2: GB&I 2 ½, USA 3 ½
Day 3:
GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND 2 1/2, UNITED STATES 5 1/2
Singles
GB&I players first
Breanne Loucks lost to Kimberly Kim 3 and 1.
Jodi Ewart lost to Amanda Blumenherst 2 and 1.
Liz Bennett lost to Stacy Lewis 3 and 2.
Carly Booth lost to Tiffany Joh 6 and 5.
Michele Thomson halved with Jennie Lee.
Florentyna Parker bt Meghan Bolger 6 and 4.
Krystle Caithness bt Mina Harigae 2 and 1
Sally Watson lost to Alison Walshe 1 hole.

Recap on Saturday results

FOURSOMES (1 ½-1 ½)
GB&I players first
C Booth & B Loucks bt K Kim & J Lee 3 and 2.
S Watson & M Thomson lost to A Walshe & S Lewis 5 and 4.
L Bennett & J Ewart halved with A Blumenherst & T Joh.
FOUR-BALLS (1-2)
Booth & Loucks lost to Kim & Harigae 2 and 1.
Watson & K Caithness bt Blumenherst & M Bolger 3 and 2..
Bennett & F Parker lost to Walshe & Lewis.1 hole.

ends

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CURTIS CUP SUNDAY UPDATE

UNITED STATES HEADING FOR CURTIS CUP
VICTORY AS GB&I RESISTANCE CRUMBLES

The United States were heading for their 26th Curtis Cup victory in
cold, damp and windy conditions for the third and final day of the
women's biennial amateur international golf contest over the Old
Course, St Andrews.
GB&I have not won a Curtis Cup match since Killarney in 1996.
The United States started the final day in this the first-ever
three-day programme with a 3pt lead (7 1/2-4 1/2).
They soon took command of most of the eight closing singles ties.
Carly Booth, the 15 year old from Comrie, Perthshire was the first home
player to be counted out. She crashed by 6 and 5 to Tiffany Joh.
Then former Welsh champion Breanne Loucks from Wrexham, winner of her
three Curtis Cup ties two years ago at Bandon Dunes, was beaten 3 and 1
in the lead-off singles by Kimberley Kim, only 16 years old but a
former US women's amateur champion.

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Michele Wie bidding to make forward
move in final round at Munich


Michele Wie is poised to make a last-round charge up the leaderboard in the Ladies German Open near Munich today.
Amy Yang from South Korea looks to have a lock on the No 1 position with a 16-under-par 54-hole total of 200 and a five-shot lead from Becky Brewerton and Wales' Anne-Lise Caudal.

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
200 A Yang (SKor) 71 66 63.)
205 A-L Caudal (Fra) 69 69 67, B Brewerton (Wal) 69 68 68.
206 J Mills (Aus) 69 71 66, L Stahle (Swe) 68 69 69, L Fairclough (Eng) 66 68 72.
207 L Brooky (NZ) 68 71 68, I Tinning (Den) 72 67 68, G Nocera (Fra) 68 70 69, M Wie (US) 68 69 70, N Reis (Swe) 64 73 70.
Other scores:
209 M Gillen (Ire) 68 71 70, R Hudson (Eng) 70 69 70 (jt 15th).
211 S Head (Eng) 71 70 70, K Imrie (Sco) 71 66 74 (jt 26th).
213 L Hall (Eng) 70 72 71, H Zuel (Eng0 69 73 71 (jt 35th).
214 F Johnson (Eng) 69 72 73, J Morley (Eng) 70 71 73 (jt 43rd).
215 R Bell (Eng) 69 71 75 (jt 51st).
219 F More (Eng) 70 73 76 (61st)

Pamela Feggans crashes out of Futures
Tour event with second-round 86

Vikki Laing from Musselburgh started the final round of the Futures Tour event, the Aurora Health Care Championship at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in joint 20th place.
She has had a pair of 74s over the 6351yd, par-72 course and her tally of 148 leaves her seven shots off the pace being set by Mindy Kim from California.
Mindy, who scored her first pro win a couple of weeks ago, has shot 68 and 72 for three-under-par 141.
Brenda McLarnon from Belfast made the cut with 73 and 78 for 151, two shots inside the cut mark.
But, amazingly, Pamela Feggans from Patna Ayrshire, did not figure among those with 36-hole tallies of 153 or better.
She slumped from a promising opening round of 71 to a nightmare 86 on the second circuit and a 157 total was four shots too many to retain an active interest in the tournament.
Londoner Polly Willett is also on the sidelines after rounds of 80 and 83 for 163.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
141 M Kim (US) 68 72.
142 B Vega (US) 71 71, S-J Kenyon (Aus) 69 73.
143 W Wade (US) 70 73, M Cho (SKor) 69 74.
Other scores:
148 V Laing (Sco) 74 74 (jt 20th).
151 B McLarnon (NIr) 73 78 (jt 48th).
MISSED THE CUT
157 P Feggans (Sco) 71 86.
163 P Willett (Eng) 80 83.