Claire Starkey goes from 85 to 68 in
three easy stages at Cincinnati

English students Claire Starkie (Georgia State University) from Skipton, Yorkshire and Clara Leathers (Middle Tennessee University from Aylesbury finished joint 15th and joint 49th respectively in a field of 57 players for the Cincinnati Fall Classic over the Elks Run golf course (par 72, 6207yd) at Batavia, Ohio.
Iliksa Verwey (George State) won the individual honours with scores of 64, 76 and 70 for six-under-par 210.
She won by five shots from Mary Betancourt (Augusta State) 71-67-77.
Claire had three contrasting rounds of 85, 77 and 68 for a total of 230.
Clara scored 75, 87 and 87 for 249.
Georgia State (880) won the team event from Augusta State (896) with Cincinnati (906) third and Middle Tennessee (908) fourth of 10.

Adam Lindsay finishes third at Oskaloosa

Banchory's Adam Lindsay (Iowa Wesleyan Collge) finished third behind team-mate Emery McGrath and Mike Hewsselman (Viterbo University) who tied for first place on 143 in the Statemen Fall Classic at Edmundson Golf Club, Oskaloosa in Iowa.
Lindsay had rounds of 72 and 73 for 145 in a field of 56 players.
With three players in the first four place, Iowa Wesleyan (590) won the team event by six shots from Viterbo University in field of eight teams.
LEADING TOTALS
Individual
143 Emery McGraw (Iowa Wesleyan) 73 70, Mike Hesselman (Viterbo) 73 70.
145 Adam Lindsay (Iowa Wesleyan) 72 73.

Jodi Ewart tees off US college

season with win at Dick

McGuire Invitational

Curtis Cup player and English stroke-play champion Jodi Ewart (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved)won her first tournament of the 2008-2009 United States College season today.
It was the Dick McGuire Invitational over her home course at New Mexico University, Albuquerque.
Jodi, 20 years old from Middleham, Yorkshire and a member at Catterick Golf Club, headed a field of 90 players with rounds of 72, 69 and 72 for a six-under-par total of 213 over the par-73, 6,167yd course.

In a nerve-tingling finish, she won by one shot from Natasha Krishna (University of Nevada Las Vegas) who scored 74, 70 and 70.

Third was Jayvie Agojo (Pepperdine) with 71, 74 and 74 for 216.

Junior (third year) student Jodi was trailing Natasha Krishna by one stroke with only three holes to play. She then birdied the 16th while Natasha bogeyed the 17th.

Earlier in the 54-hole tournament, Miss Ewart did well to not let a double-bogey 6 at the 14th upset her rhythm. She finished with a total bag of 14 birdies - four in the first round, six in the second and four again in the last round. She had six single bogeys.

New Mexico scored a double whammy by winning the team event by four shots from Pepperdine with UNLV third in a field of 16 college teams.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Individual

213 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 72 69 72.

214 Natasha Krishna (UNLV) 74 70 70.

216 Jayvie Agojo (Pepperdine) 71 71 74.

Teams

872 New Mexico. 876 Pepperdine. 889 UNVL. 894 UC Davis. 898 Colorado State. 899 Colorado (16 teams took part).

Gwladys Nocera goes eight clear as
she sets LET 54-hole record

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Gwladys Nocera of France broke the Ladies European Tour's record for the lowest 54-hole total in a 72-hole event in the Göteborg Masters at Lycke Golf Club at Gothenburg, Sweden today.
After opening with a 66 and shooting a ten-under 62 on Friday, the 33-year-old from Moulins added a 65 in fine weather today to move eight shots clear on 23-under-par 193 of her closest challenger, Spaniard Paula Marti.
The previous record of 198, 19-under-par, was set by Australia’s Karrie Webb at the 1997 Weetabix Women’s British Open at Sunningdale but Norway’s Suzann Pettersen played the first three rounds of the Deutsche Bank Ladies' Swiss Open in 22-under-par in May, before the final round was cancelled due to flooding.
Nocera is now targeting Laura Davies’ 72-hole winning total of 267, 25-under-par. The European No 2 said: “I think I kind of hit the ball better than yesterday but I dropped two shots on one and 12 and I wasn’t too happy about it. That was pretty ugly. I guess I need to be careful tomorrow to stay very offensive and keep going for the best score.”
Nocera, aiming for her ninth LET title in three seasons and her fourth of the season after wins in Scotland, the Netherlands and Norway, added: “It’s not really about the score. If you shoot 20-under and you are 10th then it’s not good enough. I am 23-under and that is good but it’s not really about the score it is about the way I play and I am happy with my game.”
In her third round Nocera had seven birdies, two bogeys and an eagle at the 465yd par-5 third hole, where she hit a rescue club to 15 feet from the flag. She played the front nine in five-under 30 and came back in two-under 34.
“I’m playing well and that’s not because the course is playing easy. I am playing well and today was less windy than yesterday. Once again it’s the same for everybody. I like the greens, I like the speed and I can see the slopes pretty well,” she said.
The 2002 LET Order of Merit winner Marti, a two-time winner on the LET, shot 71 to lie eight shots back in outright second on 15-under-par. She said: “I couldn’t make anything. I’m going straight to the putting green now.”
Spain’s Marta Prieto lies in third on 13-under with England’s Felicity Johnson, who shot 10-under on the first day. Sophie Gustafson rocketed up the leader board with a superb 64 and shared fifth with fellow Swede Lena Tornevall and Denmark’s Julie Tvede on 12-under-par. Sweden’s Johanna Westerberg was a shot further back, with England’s Georgina Simpson and France’s Jade Schaeffer rounding out the top ten.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72) 5,573 metres (with five par-5 holes)
193 G Nocera 66 62 65.
201 P Marti 64 66 71.
203 M Prieto 66 69 68, F Johnson 67 70 71.
204 S Gustafson 69 71 64, L Tornevall 65 72 67, J Tvede 70 66 68.
205 J Westerberg 68 70 67.
206 G Simpson 70 65 71, J Schaeffer 68 66 72.
Other selected scores:
207 Lisa Hall 69 72 66, L Fairclought 67 68 72 (jt 11th).
210 S Head 71 69 70 (jt 18th).
211 L Davies 70 71 71 (jt 23rd).
212 S Walker 71 71 70 (jt 28th).
213 R Coakley 67 72 74 (jt 37th)
214 L Kenny 68 72 74 (jt 46th).

Scottish women's county finals Scoreboard

DAY 2 AT INCHMARLO GOLF RESORT, BANCHORY

PERTH & KINROSS beat BORDERS 8-1

Foursomes (3-0)

Laura Walker & Eve Muirhead bt Judith Anderson & Kirsty Inkpen 2 and 1.

Emily Ogilvy & Fiona Ramsay bt Liz Campbell & Isla Craigie 2 holes.

Alex Bushby & Annabel Niven bt Anne Dods & Sharon Lees 3 and 2.

Singles (5-1)
Ogilvy bt Anderson 3 and 2.
Bushby bt Alison Melvin 4 and 3.
Niven bt Inkpen 3 and 1.
Carol Muir bt Gillian Oliver 2 holes.
Jillian Milne bt Dods 3 and 2.
Walker lost to Craigie 2 holes.

FIFE beat RENFREWSHIRE 6-3

Foursomes (2-1)

Jocelyn Carthew & Louise Kenney lost to Eilidh & Megan Briggs 2 and 1.

Fiona Hastie & Elaine Moffat bt Donna Jackson & Liz Stewart 3 and 1.

Susan Jackson & Karin Sharp bt Gillian McGinlay & Gillian Kyle 3 and 2.

Singles (4-2)
Kenney halved with Megan Briggs.
Hastie bt Jackson 3 and 2.
Carthew bt Sara McCorkell 2 and 1.
Lorna Bennett bt Eilidh Briggs 3 and 2.
Jackson lost to Kyle 1 hole.
Karin Sharp halved with McGinlay

HOW THEY STAND
1 Fife 2 wins.
2 Perth & Kinross 1 win 1 loss; Renfrewshire 1 win, 1 loss.
4 Borders 2 losses.

SUNDAY'S FINAL MATCHES
9.30 & 1.30: Renfrewshire v Borders.
9.52 & 2.15: Perth & Kinross v Fife.

Vikki Laing still has chance to make Final Q School

Vikki Laing, despite failing so narrowly to make the top 30 and ties on Friday at Rancho Mirage, still has a lifeline to the LPGA Final Qualifying School.
She is in the field for the "consolation qualifier," to be held at Venice, Florida from September 30 to October 3.
The top 30 and ties at that venue will also advance to Daytona Beach in December.

Yorkshire make it five out of five at County Finals

Triumphant Yorkshire completed a clean sweep in the English counties championship when they defeated Dorset 7˝ -1˝ on the last day of the finals at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire.
It was their fifth win from five matches and it confirmed their victory in the championship. They couldn’t be caught after winning their first four matches but they were determined to complete the week with a full set.
The battle for second place ended in success for Hertfordshire who beat Sussex 6-3 and scored 3˝ points from the week.
Warwickshire moved up into third place when they beat Leicestershire and Rutland 5-4 and overtook them in the table.
Yorkshire’s victory was their fifth consecutive win in the championship and they are the first team to achieve that feat.
Yorkshire training officer Joy Hunter commented: “It’s a fabulous result and especially because we have now won the championship five times in a row. I am just so thrilled for the girls who have all worked so hard all week.”
The match was probably the last appearance for Yorkshire by former English champion Naomi Edwards. She’s going to Tour School in the New Year and she said: “I hope this is my last time – in the nicest possible way!”
She signed off in style, teaming up with Sara Garbutt for a 9 and 7 victory in the foursomes, which they completed with a winning birdie.
Meanwhile, the fight for second place was fiercely contested. Hertfordshire and Leicestershire & Rutland started the day on level terms, half a point ahead of Warwickshire.The honours eventually went to Hertfordshire while Leicestershire were overtaken by a battling Warwickshire side.
Hertfordshire captain Jaki White said afterwards: “I am so pleased and so proud of my team. They knew what they had to do and they went out and did it. It was fabulous.”
Warwickshire’s Bev Belcher was jubilant after her side bounced back from losing the foursomes 2˝- ˝. They responded with 4˝ points from the six singles and she said: “It was just absolutely awesome.”
Final placings
1 Yorkshire 5pts
2 Hertfordshire 3˝
3 Warwickshire 3
4 Leicestershire & Rutland 2˝
5 Sussex 1
6 Dorset 0
FIFTH DAY RESULTS
Hertfordshire 6 Sussex 3
(Hertfordshire names first)
Foursomes
Lucy Williams & Charlie Field bt Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court 6 and 5.
Jackie Foster & Tina Jeary bt Emma Fields & Katherine Russell 1 hole.
Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy lost to Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes 2 holes.
Singles
Alison Franklin bt Jo Galway 7 and 5.
Harriet Key bt Chloe Court 5 and 4.
Williams bt Clarissa Bushell 5 and 4.
Field lost to Russell 2 and 1.
Douglass bt Fields 2 and 1.
Jeary lost to Ralph 2 and 1.
Warwickshire 5 Leicestershire & Rutland 4
(Warwickshire names first)
Foursomes
Claire Howells & Charlotte Dalton halved with Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss
Lauren Taylor & Ashley Cramond lost to Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris 4 and 3.
Lisa Barton & Abby Gittings lost to Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe 3 and 2.
Singles
Barton beat Voss 3 and 2.
Tracy Atkin lost to Larratt 3 and 2.
Gittings halved with Morris
Dalton bt Dexter 3 and 2.
Howells bt Bourne 2 and 1.
Hannah McLoughlin bt Lowe 3 and 2.
Dorset 1˝ Yorkshire 7˝
(Dorset names first)
Foursomes
Hayley Davis & Marketa Mann lost to Nikki Dunn & Ellie Robinson 2 and 1.
Melanie Buxton & Harriet Legg lost to Naomi Edwards & Sara Garbutt 9 and 7.
Georgia Hall & Melissa McMahon halved with Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey
Singles
McMahon lost to Emma Brown 4 and 3.
Davis bt Helen Searle 1 hole.
Hall lost to Robinson 1 hole.
Legg lost to Harvey 2 holes.
Mann lost to Crooks 1 hole.
Ilona Davidson lost to Dunn 1 hole.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

VIKKI LAING MISSES OUT BY ONE
SHOT AT LPGA TOUR ELIMINATOR

Vikki Laing failed by one shot to make the leading 30 and ties who advanced to the LPGA Final Qualifying School from the regional eliminator at Rancho Mirage, California today.
The Musselburgh exile, based in the United States since she spent four years at the University of California-Berkeley, had rounds of 72, 73, 71 and 78 for a total of 294.
The cut-off score for the qualifiers was 293.
Welsh player Becky Brewerton from the Ladies European Tour also failed on 297 with scores of 73, 72, 74 and 78. She finished joint 53rd.
But Melissa Reid from Derby made it in joint 10th place on 286 with scores of 74, 72, 69 and 71.
Michelle Weir cruised through on 280 with 70, 65, 74 and 71, finishing joint fourth behind all the way leader Sun-Ju Ahn from South Korea whose 16-under-par 272 was made up of 66, 66, 72 and 68.
LATER NEWS: Vikki Laing still has a chance to make it to the LPGA Final Q School via a "consolation qualifier" at Venice Florida, from September 30 to October 3.

LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
272 Sun-Ju Ahn 66 66 72 69.
274 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) (am) 70 67 67 70.
276 Miki Saki 69 68 70 69.
280 Michelle Wie 70 65 74 71, Shiho Oyama 69 71 70 70, Stacy Lewis 70 71 70 69.
Other qualifiers included:
283 Martina Eberl (Ger) 70 70 72 72 (8th).
286 Melissa Reid (Eng) 74 72 69 71 (jt 10th).
288 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 73 72 70 73, Alison Walshe (am) 71 74 74 69 (jt 12th).
292 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Net) 77 73 71 71 (29th).
+Players with totals of 293 or better qualified for LPGA Tour Final Q School.
MISSED THE CUT
Selected scores
294 Vikki Laing (Sco) 72 73 71 78 (jt 33rd).
297 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 73 72 74 78 (jt 53rd).

Nightmare 85 puts Clare Queen

on sidelines alongwith Jenna

Wilson ... Lynn Kenny survives

LET SCOTSWATCH: Clare Queen (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency) shot a second-round 85 for a halfway total of 159 and missed the cut by some 16 shots in the Gothenburg Masters in Sweden. After a first-round 74, the Scot had a nightmare inward half of 47 in which she ran up a NINE at the 15th and an EIGHT at the 17th.

Jenna Wilson was a lot closer to the cut-off point of 143 but rounds of 71 and 74 put her two shots on the wrong side of it in a share of 69th place.

Lynn Kenny is carrying the Scottish standard with rounds of 68 and 72 for a share of 19th place on 140.

GWLADYS NOCERA LEADS AFTER 62 FOR 128

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR SCOREBOARD
European No 2 Gwladys Nocera of France equalled the Felicity Johnson's day-old course record with a ten-under 62 at Lycke Golf Club, Sweden today and moved two strokes ahead halfway through the Göteborg Masters.
Nocera, who has won eight tournaments on the Ladies European Tour since 2006, with three so far this year (pictured right from the LET website with one of her trophies), matched her career low round of 62, set in the third round of the Deustche Bank Ladies Swiss Open in May.
She also set a new record for the lowest 36-hole total in a 72-hole Ladies European Tour event on 128, 16-under-par.

Nocera carded eight birdies and one eagle on a cold and windy day in the Gothenburg area. She played the back nine first in 33 but came home with a six-under 29 back nine, which included an eagle at the seventh and birdies on her last two holes.

“It was more windy and cold today so it was kind of hard at the beginning to get fit,” said the 33-year-old two-time Solheim Cup player. “I putted really well. I wasn’t too far from the pin but I pretty much made everything.”

Paula Marti, a two-time winner, was alone in second place on 14-under after a six-under 66. The 2002 Order of Merit winner fired seven birdies and one bogey. She has slowly been regaining her form since having a son, Izan, in July 2006.

“I have been playing really well this year and last year and I mean as long as you keep practising and believing in yourself, one day it is going to come,” she said. “I just needed to put everything together. It is working very well so far so hopefully I will keep doing the same thing for the weekend.”

Marti hopes to reclaim the European No 1 spot. She currently lies in 14th place on the New Star Money List, but earning the €37,500 first prize money this week would lift her into the top ten. “I just want to stay close to home, close to my family, and hopefully become a better player in Europe as I was at one stage and hopefully to reach that number one again,” she added. England’s Felicity Johnson, who set the course record of 62 on Thursday, was third on 12-under-par, with Jade Schaeffer of France two strokes back in fourth.

Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, the LET New Star Money List leader who finished runner-up in the U.S. Open and won the Evian Masters in July, missed the cut after shooting 73 and 77 on a course she co-designed. She finished with a triple bogey on the par-4 18th hole.

“I’m very disappointed to come home and play this bad,” said Alfredsson, “But it is nice to see that some of the top players are playing well and there are some great scores so it is great for people to be able to see a lot of birdies.”

Alfredsson will remain in Sweden until Thursday, when she flies back to the United States. She may play in the Dubai Ladies Masters on the LET in December if she still has a chance to win the New Star Money List.
SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 144 (2 x 72)

128 G Nocera 66 62.

130 P Marti 64 66.

132 F Johnson 62 70.

134 J Schaeffer 68 66.

135 G Simpson 70 65, L Fairclough 67 68, M Prieto 66 69.

136 J Tvede 70 66, N Reis 69 67.

Other qualifiers:

139 R Coakley 67 72 (jt 16th).

140 S Head 71 69, L Kenny 68 72 (jt 19th).

141 Lisa Hall 69 72 (jt 31st).

142 S Walker 71 71 (jt 41st).

+Totals of 143 and better qualified.

MISSED THE CUT

Selected scores:

144 M Gillen 75 69.

145 J Wilson 71 74.

146 N C Booth 73 72, K S Taylor 73 73.

148 L Eastwood 74 74.

149 E Weeks 73 76.

151 R Bell 74 77, J Clingan 74 77.

152 S Heath 75 77.

154 Lydia Hall 77 77.

159 C Queen 74 85.

163 E McKinnon 81 82.

Suffolk pair win Australian Spoons
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Suffolk golfers Theresa Haslam-Wise and Jane Watson won the national finals of the Australian Spoons, the Stableford foursomes competition for England’s bronze division golfers. The pair, from Bury St Edmunds Golf Club, scored 28 points in the final at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire, contested by partnerships from four regions.
“We are over the moon to win this, absolutely delighted ” said Jane, who plays off 26.
Theresa, a 23-handicapper, added: “We loved the course and thought it was so beautiful. We really, really enjoyed playing on it – but we found it very challenging!”
They won their club qualifying event with 39pt and then went on to score a clear win in the Midland regional final, which was held in pouring rain at Bury St Edmunds.
Results:
28pt Theresa Haslam-Wise and Jane Watson (Bury St Edmunds) from the Midlands.
24pt Ann Hazelwood and Michelle Underwood (Fingle Glen) from the Southwest.
23pt Julie Merrick and Debbie Mason (Purley Downs) from the Southeast.
21pt Judith Saynor and Dianne Beeston (Pannal) from the North
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Scottish women's county finals start at Inchmarlo

You can come in, but your golf shoes can't! The scene outside the Inchmarlo clubhouse room at lunchtime on Day 1 of the county finals (Cal Carson Golf Agency image).

Renfrewshire v Fife looks

like being title decider

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Tomorrow's Day 2 Renfrewshire v Fife match will go a long way towards deciding which team will be awarded the Scottish women's county team championship trophy at the end of the tournament at Inchmarlo Golf Resort, Banchory on Sunday.
Renfrewshire beat Perth & Kinross 7-2 and Fife overcame Borders by the same score in the opening matches today.
Renfrewshire took a grip on the outcome of their match against P&K by making a 3-0 clean sweep of the foursomes. In the top singles match between two current Scotland internationals, Renfrewshire's Megan Briggs, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), beat Emily Ogilvy by 3 and 2.
Megan's younger sister Eilidh, Donna Jackson and Gillian McGinlay also won to give Renfrewshire 4pt from the singles.
Alex Bushby and Annabel Niven were P&K's only singles winners.
Borders did very well to take the lead-off foursomes from Fife, Judith Anderson and Kirsty Inkpen beating Jocelyn Carthew and Scotland cap Louise Kenney 3 and 2.
But Fife's strength in depth enabled them to recover to establish a 2-1 lead from the foursomes to which they added five wins in the singles through Fiona Hastie, Kenney, Carthew, Susan Jackson and Elaine Moffat.
Liz Campbell got Borders' only singles point.

Results

PERTH & KINROSS 2, RENFREWSHIRE 7
Foursomes:

L Walker & E Muirhead lost to E Briggs & M Briggs 1 hole.

J Milne & F Ramsay lost to D Jackson & L Stewart 2 and 1.

E Ogilvy & A Busbhy lost to G McGinlay & G Kyle 7 and 6 (0-3).

Singles:

Ogilvy lost to M Briggs 3 and 2.

Bushby bt Kyle 2 and 1.

Walker lost to Jackson 3 and 2.

Ramsay lost to E Briggs 2 holes.

A Niven bt S McCorkell 1 hole.

Muirhead lost to McGinlay 1 hole (2-4).

FIFE 7, BORDERS 2

Foursomes:

J Carthew & L Kenney lost to J Anderson & K Inkpen 3 and 2.

F Hastie & E Moffat bt A Dods & S Lees 2 and 1.

S Jackson & K Sharp bt L Campbell & I Craigie 2 holes (2-1).
Singles

Hastie bt A Melvin 1 hole.

Kenney bt Inkpen 6 and 4.

Carthew bt G Oliver 3 and 2.

Jackson bt Dods 7 and 5.

L Fury lost to Campell 1 hole.

Moffat bt Craigie 2 and 1 (5-1).

Weekend fixtures:
Saturday

9.30 & 1.30: Borders v Perth & Kinross.

9.52 & 2.15: Renfrewshire v Fife.
Sunday

9.30 & 1.30 Renfrewshire v Borders.

9.52 & 2.15 Perth & Kinross v Fife.

Lynn Kenny leads Scots with a 68 in Sweden

Felicity Johnson masters Gothenburg
with a 10-under-par 62 opener

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England’s Felicity Johnson shot a course record ten-under-par 62 to lead by two strokes after the first round of the Göteborg Masters at Lycke Golf Club, Gothenburg.
The 21-year-old second year tour player from Harborne near Birmingham had the best round of her life, firing eight birdies and an eagle on a chilly day on Sweden’s west coast. Her closest challenger was Spaniard Paula Marti on eight-under 64, with Swedish rookie Lena Tornevall on 65.
Johnson, who has twice tied for third on the Ladies European Tour, at the 2007 Northern Ireland Ladies Open and at the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia in February, went out in four-under 34 and came home in six-under 31.
After knocking in birdie putts from 25 feet and two feet at the second and third holes respectively, she chipped in from 15 yards right of the green for eagle at the 290-yard par-four fourth hole.
She fired four straight birdies from the 12th before signing off with two more at the 17th and 18th.
“Ten shots under par, no dropped shots: you can’t ask for too much more than that really,” said Johnson. “It is my best ever score and 65 was my lowest before that. I didn’t put myself in any trouble and made life easy, which was good. I still left a couple out there but I’m not going to be too greedy on the first day.”
Marti, the 2002 order of merit winner and a two-time winner on the LET, fired nine birdies and just one bogey at the 16th. She was pleased to have continued the strong vein of form that has seen her post five top-ten finishes in 2008.
“The key today was that I made birdie on every single par-5,” said Marti. “I only made one mistake when I had a sand wedge in my hand but made bogey on that hole. Other than that I played great. I was very consistent, down the fairway, down the green.
"On two par-3s, one was a gimme and one was a metre and a half on the ninth to finish off with. I am feeling good. I have playing well the whole year. I put everything together and shot a good round so I’m very confident now.”
Tornevall’s 65 was her career-low round. The 27-year-old carded eight birdies, one eagle, one bogey and one double bogey. She is trying to avoid a return to qualifying school, having made just two cuts from 12 starts so far in 2008.
“There are only two events left and I feel I better take my chance now,” Tornevall said. “I don’t think I will get into Dubai and I haven’t decided if I will go to Asia. It depends on what happens over the next two weeks. There is nothing to lose. If I shot 80 today it couldn’t get any worse so I better take the chances I get over the next two weeks.”
Gwladys Nocera of France, who has won three events this year, was joined on 66 by Spain’s Marta Prieto, Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom and Germany’s Anja Monke.
A group of five players finished the day a shot further back on 67: England’s Lora Fairclough, Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley, Spain’s Laura Cabanillas, French rookie Caroline Afonso and Swedish SAS Masters Tour player Sanna Johansson.
Meanwhile Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson did not manage to master her own course on day one. The Evian Masters champion opened with a 73 to sit 11 shots off the pace.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
62 Felicity Johnson (Eng)
64 Paula Marti (Spa)
65 Lena Tornevall (Swe)
66 Marta Prieto (Spa), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Anja Monke (Ger)
67 Sanna Johansson (Swe), Lora Fairclough (Eng), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Caroline Afonso (Fra)
68 Jill Magnusson (Swe), Sarah Nicholson (Nzl), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Lynn Kenny (Sco), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Anna Rossi (Ita), Nikki Garrett (Aus), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Diana Luna (Ita)
69 Frances Bondad (Aus), Stefania Croce (Ita), Sophie Gustafson (Swe), Amy Yang (Kor), Anna Tybring (Swe), Leah Hart (Aus), Karen Lunn (Aus), Nicole Gergely (Aut), Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin), Nina Reis (Swe), Lisa Hall (Eng), Carin Koch (Swe), Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Sofia Johansson (Swe)
70 Julie Tvede (Den), Sandra Carlborg (Swe), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa), Dana Lacey (Aus), Laura Davies (Eng), Zuzana Kamasova (Svk), Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe), Elin Ohlsson (Swe), Cissi Wahlberg (Swe), Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin), Eva Bjarvall (Swe), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Georgina Simpson (Eng)
71 Marina Arruti (Spa), Jennifer Karr (USA), Jenna Wilson (Sco), Morgana Robbertze (Rsa), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Zuzana Masinova (Cze), Mette Buus (Den), Samantha Head (Eng), Lynn Brooky (Nzl), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Sophie Walker (Eng), Jenni Kuosa (Fin)
72 Sofia Renell (Swe), Anna Knutsson (Swe), Camille Fallay (Fra), Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Joanne Mills (Aus), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den), Lotta Loven (Swe), Anne Norman Hansen (Den), Cherie Byrnes (Aus), Mianne Bagger (Den), Asa Gottmo (Swe)
73 Helena Alterby (Swe), Julie Greciet (Fra), Karin Borjeskog (Swe), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), Jehanne Jail (Fra), Helen Alfredsson (Swe), Josefine Jansson (Swe), Nathalie David-Mila (Fra), Antonella Cvitan (Swe), Anna-Karin Salmen (Fin), Lara Tadiotto (Bel), Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger), Natalie Claire Booth (Eng), Emma Weeks (Eng), Johanna Tillstrom (Swe)
74 Rachel Bell (Eng), Amanda Strang (Swe), Jo Clingan (Eng), Clare Queen (Sco), Kate Combes (Aus), Katharina Schallenberg (Ger), Vicky Thomas (Aus), Bree Turnbull (Aus), Laura Eastwood (Eng), Eva Steinberger (Aut)
75 Louise Larsson (Swe), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Sarah Heath (Eng), Martina Gillen (Irl), Madeleine Holmblad (Swe)
76 Viva Schlasberg (Swe), Johanna Lundberg (Swe), Laura Terebey (USA), KM Juul (Den), Vittoria Valvassori (Ita)
77 Natascha Fink (Aut), Ellen Smets (Bel), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Ana Larraneta (Spa), Florence Luscher (Swi), Lydia Hall (Wal), Elin Modie (Swe)
78 Ana B Sanchez (Spa), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha)
79 Josefin Leijon (Swe), Elena Perrone (Swe)
81 Frederique Seeholzer (Swi), Sohvi Harkonen (Fin), Elizabeth Mckinnon (Nzl)
83 Patricia Beliard (Fra

German pips Susan Dye at first extra hole

Lorna Bennett just misses out on

place in play-off for Senior

British open amateur title

Germany's Chris Utermarck is the new Senior British women's open amateur golf champion. Chris, a member of the Berlin-Wannsee club and fourth in this year's European senior women's individual championship at Vilamoura, beat English senior title-holder Susan Dye from Delamere Forest at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off after they had tied on 231 at the end of three rounds over a very wet Hilton Templepatrick course near Belfast.
The fact that both play-off participants were 18 over par at the finish underlines how muddy and how difficult the conditions were.
Dye ran up a triple bogey 8 at the third and a double bogey 6 in her last round of 80 which was not good enough to protect her overnight lead.
Utermarck had only one birdie over the three rounds and none at all in her final round.
Scottish seniors match-play champion Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), finished with a 76 for 232 - one shot away from getting into the play-off.
Lorna had a double bogey 7 at the long third but came back into contention with birdies at the fifth and 14th. But for late bogeys, at the 16th and 18th, she could have been champion. As it was she finished on the same total as Janet Collingham (Sherwood) who was officially placed third and Bennett fourth after a comparison of their third rounds. Janet finished with a 75.
First-round leader Fiona De Vries finished sixth on 235 after closing with an 83 which included double bogeys at the fifth, eighth and 12th and late bogeys at the 15th, 16th and 17th in halves of 43 and 40.
Diane Williams (Canada), winner of the British seniors title in 1994 and 20th overall on 245 this year, was the winner of the 60 to 64 years age group.
Viveca Hoff (Sweden), joint seventh on 237. was the winner of the 55 to 59 years age group.
Jane Rees (Hendon), who finished fifth with 232, won the 50 to 54 years age group.
Holly Horwood from Canada won the prize for the lowest score of the championship - a three-over-par 74 in the final round.

VIKKI DIGS IN WITH A 71 IN CALIFORNIA

Vikki Laing consolidated her position within the top 20 with a third-round 71 - her best score so far - to be lying joint 17th on level par 216 in the LPGA Tour School Sectional Qualifier at Rancho Mirage, California.
The top 30 and ties after one more round will advance to the Final Q School at Daytona Beach, Florida from December 3 to 7.
South Korean Sun-Ju Ahn has been joined in the lead at 12-under-par 204 by Swedish amateur Anna Nordqvist, winner of the British women's open amateur title at North Berwick in June.
Nordqvist had a third-round 67 while Ahn had a 72.
Michelle Weir scored a 74 to drop to fourth position on 209.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
204 Sun-Ju Ahn (SKor) 66 66 72, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) (am) 70 67 67.
207 Miki Saiki 69 68 70.
209 Michelle Wie 70 65 74.
210 Shiho Oyama 69 71 70.
211 Stacy Lewis 70 71 70.
212 Martina Eberl (Ger) 70 70 72, Stacy Bregman 72 69 71.
Other scores:
215 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 73 72 70, Melissa Reid (Eng) 74 72 69 (jt 13th).
216 Vikki Laing (Sco) 72 73 71 (jt 17th).
219 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 73 72 74, Alison Walshe (US) (am) 71 74 74 (jt 28th).
221 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Net) (am) 77 73 71 (jt 41st).
223 Henrietta Zuel (Eng) 75 72 76, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 74 74 75 (jt 52nd).

Stiggy Hodgson with The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy after his runaway win at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire today (Image by Paul Severin).

STIGGY OUTCLASSES DUKE OF YORK
YOUNG CHAMPIONS' FIELD

BY LUKE NORMAN, Tournament Press Officer
No one could live with wire-to-wire champion Stiggy Hodgson as he proved a class apart at the final round of the 2008 Duke of York Young Champions Trophy at Dundonald Links. The 18-year-old Englishman from Sunningdale ended this most prestigious international tournament a staggering 11 shots clear of his nearest challenger, Arnaud Abbas of France.
Nairn Dunbar's Kelsey MacDonald continued to find the going tough after shooting the second lowest score of the tournament on the opening day.
The reigning Scottish Under-21 girls' champion struggled as the wind got up and the rain increased and she closed with an 82 to tie for 13th place overall at 16-over-par for 54 holes.
“It’s been a great week and such fun but I am really disappointed,” said MacDonald. “I got a little tense and a little nervous but I’ll bounce back!”
Aberdeen's David Law kept battling after a disappointing opening round of 84, as he finished in a creditable 20th position.
Fellow Scot Mark Bookless, who won the Scottish boys' open stroke-play at Blairgowrie a few weeks ago, never quite got going and ended up tied 27th.
However, it was Hodgson who was undoubtedly the star of the tournament as he finished with a 54-hole total of 212, four-under par. The reigning Carris Trophy and McEvoy Trophy winner took the tournament by the scruff of its neck in the opening round with a three-under-par 69 and despite the increasingly difficult conditions, he rarely looked in any difficulty. A measure of the hampion’s quality was that he was the only person to keep a double-bogey off his card.over the three rounds.
“I’m absolutely delighted to win a tournament as big as this, this is incredibly special, it’s one of the four biggest junior tournaments in the world” smiled Hodgson.

“It may not have looked like it but there was lots of nerves and tension about today but I knew if I didn’t loose concentration I would win.”
With 51 competitors from 28 countries it was stories like that of Vasin Sripattranusorn that captured the essence of junior golf’s biggest international tournament. The Thailand’s Boys Champion battled the utterly foreign conditions, climate and language to finish in a tie for fourth. “It was so cool, I met the Duke of York and learnt to play in the wind and rain!” Exactly Vasin.

DAVID LAW GIVES UP SCOTS

SCHOOLBOYS CAP TO PLAY

IN PAUL LAWRIE JUNIOR OPEN

Aberdeen Grammar School pupil David Law has turned down the chance to play for Scotland against England in Monday's schools golf international match at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club.
Dorothy Scott of the Scottish Schools Golf Association explained: "Angus Cappi (Loretto School) and David Law (Aberdeen Grammar School) were both selected but declined the invitation. Angus is to be in Spain at the time of the international while David, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved, preferred to play in the Paul Lawrie Junior Open (at Deeside Golf Club on Sunday), the reason being that Paul Lawrie sponsors him."
Monifieth's Scottish girl international Rebecca Wilson also had to turn down the invitation to play for the schools team as she is starting at Stirling University.
The confirmed Scotland schools teams are:
BOYS

Chris Bremner (Mearns Academy, Laurencekirk).

Chris Corbett (St Joseph's College, Dumfries).

Adam Dunton (Ellon Academy).

Oliver Huish (North Berwick High).

Mark Kelly (Trinity High, Rutherglen).

Ian Redford (St Leonard's School, St Andrews).

Matthew Reid (St John's High, Dundee).

Chris Robb (Banchory Academy).

Thomas Sharkey (Our Lady & St Patrick's High, Dumbarton).

Paul Shields (Trinity High, Rutherglen).

Sam Strachan (Fraserburgh Academy).

Angus Tester (Dollar Academy).
GIRLS

Lesley Atkin (Hawick High).

Eilidh Briggs (Gryffe High, Johnstone).

Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Academy).

Rachael McQueen (Marr College, Troon).

Jill Meldrum (Lenzie Academy).

Sammy Vass (Tain Royal Academy).

The English schools teams are:

BOYS - Matt Kippen, Jamie Brittain, Luke Bramhall, Luke Johnson, Josh Evans, Tommy King, Ben Stow, Tom Brown, Spencer Wells, Gianluca Romano, Robert Sutton, Jermome Titlow.

GIRLS - Jamie Leigh-Voss, Holly Clyburn, Heidi Baek, Emilee Taylor, Katherine O'Connor, Sophie Godley.

Cruden Bay win Robertson Cup

Cruden Bay Ladies have continued their successful season by winning another trophy, the Robertson Cup, to add to their earlier spoils.
The final was played at Duff House Royal, Banff where Cruden Bay won 5-3 in a closely-contested match with the holders, Inverurie.
Cruden Bay's winning team members were:
Norma Bowman, Ros Dunsmuir, Kathleen Herbenton, Jill Harrison, Ros Metcalfe, Christine Middleton, Jill Murray and Karen Stalker.

Yorkshire win County Finals with a day to spare

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire won the English counties championship with a day to spare when they defeated Leicestershire & Rutland 6-3 at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire today.
It was their fourth victory from four matches played so far this week and they can’t be caught by any of the other five competing teams.
Their success also sets a new record because Yorkshire are the only team to win this title five years in a row. But records and the overall victory were far from the mind of Yorkshire training officer Joy Hunter as she watched the team play.
“We have never looked ahead at any stage of the week. Each day we have tried to get three wins in the foursomes and then tried to win the singles. We take it one step at a time.
“I am thrilled with the way the girls have played – but we want to win tomorrow as well. We will be going all out for our fifth win of the week.”
The Yorkshire players edged ahead of Leicestershire & Rutland with two wins from the tight foursomes matches. In the afternoon Nikki Dunn quickly scored the first singles point when she won her match on the 13th. Emma Brown soon secured another point and Ellie Robinson made certain of the win when she closed out her match 4 and 3.
Helen Searle boosted the scoreline further when she won on the 18th.
Leicestershire & Rutland were cheered by the performance of their 15-year-old champion, Jamie-Leigh Voss, who beat England international Naomi Edwards, and by Kym Larratt who defeated Sara Garbutt.
Tracy Bourne, the Leicestershire & Rutland captain, paid tribute to all her players. “They are absolutely fantastic. I don’t think anyone will ever beat us for team spirit. Now we’re going all out for second place.”
Her team are currently sharing second place with Hertfordshire, who defeated Dorset 6 ˝- 2˝ . Both counties have 2˝ points from four matches.
Hertfordshire captain Jaki White is looking forward to the tussle for second place. “We’ve had a good week and all the girls have worked very hard. We will be going all out for a win tomorrow. We know we can do it and we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Meanwhile Warwickshire scored their second win of the week when they defeated Sussex 6˝-2˝ and are also in the hunt for runners-up honours.
County captain Bev Belcher , who has four 14-year-olds in her team, commented; “We began the week with matches against Hertfordshire and Yorkshire which was a difficult start for a young and inexperienced side. But we have now had two good days and got two points which we really deserve.”
Dorset have yet to score but captain Pip Duncan was delighted with the efforts of her young side which produced 2˝ singles points in their match against Sussex.
Friday’s order of play:
Hertfordshire v Sussex
Warwickshire v Leicestershire & Rutland
Dorset v Yorkshire
THURSDAY'S RESULTS:
Yorkshire 6 Leicestershire 3
(Yorkshire names first)
Foursomes
Naomi Edwards & Emma Brown bt Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe 2 and 1.
Sara Garbutt & Helen Searle lost to Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss 1 hole.
Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey bt Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris 2 and 1.
Singles
Edwards lost to Voss 2 holes.
Brown bt Morris 4 and 2.
Garbutt lost to Larratt 2 and 1.
Searle bt Bourne 2 holes.
Ellie Robinson bt Dexter 4 and 3.
Nikki Dunn bt Lowe 6 and 5.
Sussex 2 ˝ Warwickshire 6˝
(Sussex names first)
Foursomes
Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes bt Elizabeth Haycock & Rachel Rusted 7 and 6.
Jo Galway & Emma Fields lost to Lauren Taylor & Ashley Crammond 3 and 2.
Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court lost to Lisa Barton & Abbey Gittings 7 and 6.
Singles
Ralph lost to Tracy Atkin 2 hole.
Clarissa Bushell lost to Abbey Gittings 1 hole.
Sykes lost to Taylor 7 and 6.
Katherine Russell bt Rusted 4 and 3.
Greenfield halved with McLoughlin.
Galway lost to Barton 2 and 1.
Hertfordshire 6˝ Dorset 2
(Hertfordshire names first)
Foursomes
Alison Franklin & Harriet Key bt Hayley Davis & Marketa Mann 3 and 2.
Lucy Williams & Charlie Field bt Chantal Scott & Harriet Legg 4 and 3.
Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy bt Ilona Davidson & Melanie Buxton 5 and 4.
Singles
Williams lost to Davis 4 and 3.
Franklin lost to Melissa McMahon 2 and 1.
Key beat Mann 3 and 2.
Field beat Buxton 1 hole.
Lucy Glyn halved with Georgia Hall
Douglass beat Legg 3 and 2.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

The Duke of York Young Champions'
Trophy Scoreboard
Dundonald Links.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
212 Stiggy Hodgson (Eng) 69 71 72.
223 Arnaud Abbas (Fra) 77 70 76.
226 Carlos Pigem (Spa) 71 75 80.
227 Elias Bertheussen (Nor) 80 72 75, Marieke Nivard (Net) 78 72 77, Vasin Sripattranusorn (Thai) 73 72 82.
228 Gary King (Eng) 80 76 72, Hannah Barwood (Eng) 74 79 75, Paul Dunne (Ire) 73 70 85.
229 Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Bel) 76 76 77, Laetitia Beck (Israel) 76 73 80.
230 Giulia Molinaro (Ita) 78 72 80.
232 Eric Biorn (Swe) 80 77 75, Miki Sakai (Jap) 80 73 79, Kelsey MacDonald (Sco) 70 80 82.
233 Signy Arnorsdottir (Ice) 80 72 81.
236 Victor Honauer (Swi) 79 76 81, Mitch Sutton (Can) 77 77 82.
237 Tonje Daffinrud (Nor) 81 76 80.
238 Max Kraemer (Ger) 82 79 77, David Law (Sco) 84 76 78, Teemu Bakker (Net) 80 78 80, David Prochazka (Cze) 80 74 84.
239 Caroline Karsten (Net) 82 78 79, Krista Puisite (Latvia) 84 73 82, Tapio Pulkannen (Fin) 80 76 83.
240 Sebastian Schwind (Ger) 83 81 76, Mark Bookless (Sco) 83 76 81, Conway Kunneke (SAfr) 83 75 82, Christoph Weninger (Aut) 81 74 85.
241 Haraldur Magnus (Ice) 79 81 81, Sco Bin Kim (Can) 86 73 82.
242 Carlis Broders (Latvia) 77 83 82.
244 Moriva Jutanugarn (Thi) 84 77 83, Emelie Lundstrom (Swe) 80 80 84.
245 Anais Maggetti (Swi) 84 82 79, Amy Boulden (Wal) 82 80 83.
246 Ross McLister (Wal) 79 80 87.
248 Julia Finne-Ipsen (Den) 86 81 81, Shingo Ito (Jap) 80 78 90.
249 Noora Tamminen (Fin) 80 85 84.
251 Robin Kokocinski (Swe) 92 79 80.
253 Guray Yazici (Tur) 86 82 85, Clemence Abrahamian (Fra) 85 81 87.
255 Daniel Kovari (Hun) 87 83 85, Max Melby (Den) 87 79 89.
256 Violetta Siozou (Gre) 86 85 85.
259 Cedric Van Wassenhove (Bel) 86 86 87.
262 Michelle Leigh (SAf) 92 83 87.
284 Anna Verchenova (Rus) 110 90 84.

Senior British Women's Open Amateur
Championship Scoreboard
HILTON TEMPLEPATRICK GOLF CLUB, NEAR BELFAST
FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71). CSS 76 75 75
231 Chris Utermarck (Ger) 79 76 76, Susan Dye (Delamere Forest) 76 75 80 (Utermarck won sudden death play-off at first hole).
232 Janet Collingham (Sherwood Forest) 80 77 75, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 79 77 76, Jane Rees (Hendon) 78 75 79.
235 Fiona De Vries (St Rule) 75 77 83.
236 Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) 76 83 77, Viveca Hoff (Swe) 80 76 80.
237 Sheena O'Brien-Kenney (Grange) 79 81 77.
238 Christine Watson (Beaconsfield) 80 79 79.
239 Christina Birke (Swe) 81 80 78.
240 Karen Pultz (Can) 80 79 81.
241 Holly Horwood (Can) 81 86 74, Edeltraud Jacob (Ger) 82 80 79, Alison Murdoch (Can) 82 79 80.
242 Karen Lobb (Northants Co) 82 82 78, Helen Jones (Strabane) 81 81 80, Phyllis Laschuk (Can) 84 76 82.
244 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 80 79 85.
245 Diane Williams (Can) 81 82 82, Gill Snelson (Branston) 81 81 83.
246 Elisabeth Wilander (Swe) 84 81 81, Karin Gumpert (Ger) 82 82 82, Mia Stohl Samuelsson (Swe) 81 83 82, Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) 81 82 83.
247 Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough) 83 83 81, Violet McBride (Ire) 83 79 85.
248 Pat Bennett (Reading) 81 84 83.
249 Pat West (Spalding) 84 83 82, Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 85 81 83, Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court) 86 80 83.
250 Jeannie O'Keeffe (Hankley Common) 83 85 82, Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) 84 84 82.
251 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 86 82 83, Elspeth Cooper (Calcot Park) 83 84 84.
252 Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 84 79 89.
253 Olivia Conroy (Ire) 83 85 85, Mary McKenna (Donabate) 83 84 86.
254 Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) 84 83 87.
256 Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) 84 84 88.

The competitors in the Fife County Patrick Trophy (Junior Championship)
played over the Strathtyrum course, St Andrews
on Sunday 14th September, 2008.

Shannen McGuire (Canmore) was the winner of the Patrick Trophy with a gross 75 (CSS 66). Runner up was Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) with a 76 and a better last 6 from Rachel Hanlon (St Regulus).

The handicap trophy was won by Alexandra Tait (St Regulus) with a net 64.

[Thanks to Alma Robertson for the news and picture]

Gibson Cup Draw

GIBSON CHALLENGE CUP QUALIFYING ROUND DRAW
SATURDAY 27th SEPTEMBER 2008

GibsonCupDraw2008.pdf

All set for the Scottish County
Finals at Inchmarlo

The Scottish women's county finals are being played at the Inchmarlo Golf Resort, on the west side of Banchory, from Friday to Sunday.
Order of play:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
9.30 & 1.30: Perth & Kinross v Renfrewshire.
9.52 & 2.15: Fife v Borders.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
9.30 & 1.30: Borders v Perth & Kinross.
9.52 & 2.15: Renfrewshire v Fife.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
9.30 & 1.30: Renfrewshire v Borders.
9.52 & 2.15: Perth & Kinross v Fife.

TEAMS & OFFICIALS

BORDERS
Colours: Red, White & Navy.
Captain: Sarah Bolton

Judith ANDERSON (Hawick)
Elizabeth CAMPBELL (Torwoodlee)
Isla CRAIGIE (Torwoodlee)
Anne DODS (Torwoodlee)
Kirsty INKPEN (Duns)
Sharon LEES (Kelso)
Alison MELVIN (Hirsel)
Gillian OLIVER (St Boswells).

FIFE
Colours: Helio, White & Navy.
Captain: Joan Blyth.

Lorna BENNETT (Ladybank).
Jocelyn CARTHEW (Ladybank).
Lorna FURY (Thornton).
Fiona HASTIE (St Regulus)
Susan JACKSON (Ladybank).
Louise KENNEY (Pitreavie).
Elaine MOFFAT (St Regulus)
Karin SHARP (Kirkcaldy)

Other accompanying officials:
President: Margaret Steele.
Vice-president: Beverly Brown.
Vice-captain: Christine Steedman.

PERTH & KINROSS
Colours: Green, Mint & Fawn
Captain: Dawn Butchart.

Alexandra BUSHBY (Strathmore)
Jillian MILNE (Craigiehill).
Carol MUIR (Craigiehill).
Eve MUIRHEAD (Pitlochry).
Annabel NIVEN (Crieff).
Emily OGILVY (Auchterarder).
Fiona RAMSAY (Crieff).
Laura WALKER (Muckhart)

Other accompanying officials:
President: Elizabeth Miskimmin.
Match Secretary: Shona Leighton.
Vice-captain: Lenore Kyle.

RENFREWSHIRE
Colours: Navy, Pink & White
Captain: Christeen Finlayson.

Eilidh BRIGGS (Kilmacolm).
Megan BRIGGS (Kilmacolm).
Clare-Marie CARLTON (Fereneze).
Donna JACKSON (Cochrane Castle).
Gillian KYLE (East Renfrewshire).
Sara McCORKELL (Williamwood).
Gillian McGINLAY (Cochrane Castle).
Liz STEWART (Greenburn).

Other accompanying officials:
President: Wendy Cameron.
Vice-captain: Trish Brown

RECENT SCOTTISH COUNTY CHAMPIONS
2007 Midlothian.
2006 Fife.
2005 Midlothian.
2004 Northern Counties.
2003 Northern Counties.
2002 Stirlingshire & Clackmannan.
2001 Stirlingshire & Clackmannan.
2000 Northern Counties.
1999 East Lothian.
1998 East Lothian.
1997 Dunbartonshire & Argyll.
1996 East Lothian.
1995 Fife.
1994 East Lothian.
1993 East Lothian.
1992 Dunbartonshire & Argyll.

NORTH BERWICK YOUNGSTER

NEIL HENDERSON FINDING HIS

FEET IN US COLLEGE LIFE

North Berwick teenager Neil Henderson has not taken long to settle down to college life in America.
Last year's Scottish schools champion and Scottish junior champion of champions enrolled at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia last month and his parents, Ian and Linda say he is "really enjoying it" as his golfing schedule has already taken him to two other American states - Maryland and South Carolina.
He made his debut on the American college golf circuit in the Maryland Intercollegiate last week and had rounds of 73 and 75 to finish 42nd out of a field of 95 at the River Marsh Golf Club in Chesapeake Bay.
Rain washed out one of the rounds.
Earlier this week, Neil was back in action at the Raines Development Intercollegiate at the Country Club of South Carolina. He was shaping up well enough with rounds of 75 and 73 in this 54-hole tournament but struggled to an 80 in the last round on greens much faster than he has been used to. That last round dropped him from 40th to a final placing of 68th out of 94 players.
But it's all part of a big learning curve for Neil.
Picture of Neil in action by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved).

+If you have a son or a daughter at college in America and we don't mention him or her in our regular updates, please bring this to our attention by E-mailing Colin@Scottishgolfview.com

MICHELLE WIE AND VIKKI LAING
IMPROVE POSITIONS IN QUALIFIER

Michelle Wie moved up to second place with a 65 and Vikki Laing also improved her position with a 73 in the second round of the LPGA Qualifying School regional eliminating competition at Rancho Mirage, California today.
Only the leading 30 and ties from a field of 130 after four rounds go on to the Final Q School at Daytona Beach from December 3.
Wie's score, the lowest of the tournament, for a 36-hole tally of 135 pushed her up to second place, three shots behind South Korean Sun-Ju Ahn who retained the lead with a repeat 66.
Musselburgh exile Vikki is sharing 22nd place on 145 with Becky Brewerton from Wales and Alison Walshe, the Irish-born US Curtis Cup player.
The field was cut to the top 70 and ties at the halfway point of the tournament.
That was a first hurdle cleared for Vikki.
HOW THEY STAND
132 Sun-Ju Ahn 66 66.
135 Michelle Wie 70 65.
137 Miki Saiki 69 68, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) (am) 70 67.
Other scores:
140 Martina Eberl (Ger) 70 70 (jt 6th).
141 Stacy Lewis 70 71 (jt 9th).
145 Vikki Laing (Sco) 72 73, Becky Brewerton (Wal) 73 72, Alison Walshe (am) 71 74.

ends

Yorkshire and Leicestershire head
for showdown at County Finals
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Title-holders Yorkshire scored their third win of the week in the finals of the English counties championship at Long Ashton and now face a showdown against Leicestershire & Rutland.
The defending champions are top of the table – but just half a point ahead of their next opponents, who have established a reputation as gutsy players after twice staging comebacks to win matches.
“Tomorrow will be absolutely crucial,” said Leicestershire & Rutland captain Tracy Bourne. “Yorkshire are favourites – but we have nothing to lose.”
In today’s matches Yorkshire beat Hertfordshire 5˝-3˝ while Leicestershire & Rutland defeated Sussex by the same margin. Once again, Leicestershire & Rutland came from behind to take their point.
They trailed 2-1 after the foursomes but again showed their strength in the singles.
“It was very, very exciting and the team were just fantastic,” said Tracy. “I couldn’t ask for more.”
The Yorkshire-Hertfordshire match was evenly balanced in the morning after the teams shared the foursomes points. But in the afternoon, Yorkshire proved the stronger team, taking four of the six singles points.
Teenager Ellie Robinson wrapped up their score with a winning birdie on the 17th.
Yorkshire captain Winifred Varley remarked: “We have had an excellent day and the performance from all the players has been 100 per cent. All the matches were very good and the standard of golf was very high.”
However, the shot of the day belonged to Hertfordshire’s Alison Franklin who scored her first hole in one on the 146-yard 13th hole. “I jumped up and down and screamed!” said the former England international, who is returning to serious competitive golf after a break to have her two children.
Her ace took her to three up in her match against Nikki Dunn and she went on to win 4 and 3. Meanwhile Warwickshire defeated Dorset 5-4 to score their first win of the week.
After three days the team positions are:
Yorkshire 3 pts, Leicestershire & Rutland 2˝, Hertfordshire 1˝, Sussex 1, Warwickshire 1, Dorset 0.
MATCH DETAILS
Dorset 4 Warwickshire 5
(Dorset names first)
Foursomes
Marketa Mann & Ilona Davidson lost to Lauren Taylor & Ashley Cramond 2 holes.
Georgia Hall & Melissa McMahon bt Rachel Rusted & Elizabeth Haycock 1 hole.
Harriet Legg & Chantal Scott lost to Charlotte Dalton & Claire Howells 4 and 3.
Singles
Hayley Davis bt Abbey Gittings 2 and 1.
Mann lost to Dalton 2 holes.
Davidson lost to Cramond 3 and 2.
Scott lost to Hannah Mcloughlin 2 holes.
Hall bt Haycock 5 and 4.
McMahon bt Howells 5 and 3.
Yorkshire 5˝, Hertfordshire 3˝
(Yorkshire names first)
Foursomes
Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey lost to Lucy Williams & Charlie Douglass 4 and 3.
Sara Garbutt & Helen Searle halved with Alison Franklin & Harriet Key.
Naomi Edwards & Emma Brown bt Jackie Foster & Tina Jeary 3 and 2.
Singles
Edwards bt Williams 2 and 1.
Brown bt Douglass 2 and 1.
Searle lost to Key 2 and 1.
Garbutt bt Jeary 2 and 1.
Ellie Robinson bt Foster 3 and 1.
Nikki Dunn lost to Franklin 4 and 3.
Leicestershire & Rutland 5˝, Sussex 3˝
(Leicestershire & Rutland names first)
Foursomes
Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe lost to Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes 1 hole.
Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss bt Jo Galway & Emma Field 4 and 3.
Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris lost to Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court 3 and 1.
Voss bt Ralph 3 and 1.
Larratt bt Katherine Russell 3 and 2.
Morris bt Emma Field 3 and 1.
Dexter halved with Clarissa Bushell.
Bourne lost to Aileen Greenfield 4 and 3.
Lowe bt Court 1 hole.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy Round 2

TOO CALM, JOKES KELSEY'
AS SHE SLIPS FROM 70 to 80
AT DUNDONALD LINKS

By LUKE NORMAN, Tournament Press Officer
Scottish Under-21 girls title-holder Kelsey MacDonald from the Nairn Dunbar club endured a difficult day at The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament as she slipped from second to seventh with second-round 80 at the Dundonald Links.
The benign conditions were in stark contrast to Tuesday's relentless rain and current English boys champion Stiggy Hodgson from Sunningdale took full advantage to move 10 shots clear of Kelsey, his playing partner.
MacDonald, pictured above in action today, was at a slight loss to explain her sudden dip in form, which saw her add 10 shots to her first round score. “Perhaps the conditions were just too perfect and it was too calm for me!” laughed Kelsey, now a Stirling University student.
“I had a terrible start with a double-bogey at the first and my putting was horrendous as I reached the turn in seven-over-par.”
Hodgson was once again a class apart with three birdies in his one-under-par 71. He sits three shots clear of Ireland’s Paul Dunne, who at 15-years-old is one of the youngest competitors in the field. A shot further back and one of the stories of the tournament, is Thailand’s Vasin Sripattranusorn who had never seen a links course or been to Europe before this event.
“I find the greens very difficult for my putting especially as they get drier but I am hitting it a long way,” laughed Vasin, who has shot 73-72 for current third place on 145.
The attending Duke of York was delighted by the quality of golf on display and in particular by the progress the tournament has made in the last eight years. “A lot of these young people are going to become something big in the game, they are heading for the pinnacle,” confirmed Prince Andrew.
“I am so impressed with what we have achieved in the last eight years and it’s difficult to improve on it right now. One thing is for sure; this is a not a week I would miss!”

However, once again it was Sunningdale-based Hodgson who stole the show with his immaculate ball-striking and unflappable self-belief. “I got to the turn at two-under today and for some reason all I was thinking was course record – I am just feeling so confident right now,” said Hodgson. “My rhythm is good and to be honest I can’t wait for the final day."

THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS' TROPHY
Dundonald Links.
SECOND ROUND
Par 144 (2 x 72)
140 Stiggy Hodgson (Eng) 69 71.
143 Paul Dunne (Ire) 73 70.
145 Vasin Sripattranusorn (Thai) 73 72.
146 Carlos Pigem (Spa) 71 75.
147 Arnaud Abbas (Fra) 77 70.
149 Laetitia Beck (Israel) 76 73.
150 Giulia Molinaro (Ita) 78 72, Marieke Nivard (net) 78 72, Kelsey MacDonald (Sco) 70 80.
152 Signy Arnorsdottir (Ice) 80 72, Elias Bertheussen (Nor) 80 72, Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Bel) 76 76.
153 Miki Sakai (Jap) 80 73, Hannah Barwood (Eng) 74 79.
154 David Prochazka (Cze) 80 74, Mitch Sutton (Can) 77 77.
155Christoph Weninger (Aut) 81 74, Victor Honauer (Swi) 79 76.
156 Tapio Pulkannen (Fin) 80 76, Gary King (Eng) 80 76.
157 Krista Puisite (Latvia) 84 73, Tonje Daffinrud (Nor) 81 76, Eric Blom (Swe) 80 77.
158 Conway Kunneke (SAf) 83 75, Teemu Bakker (Net) 80 78, Shingo Ito (Jap) 80 78.
159 Soo Bin Kim (Can) 86 73, Mark Bookless (Sco) 83 76, Ross McLister (Wales) 79 80.
160 David Law (Sco) 84 76, Caroline Karsten (Net) 82 78, Emelie Lundstrom (Swe) 80 80, Emelie Lundstrom (Swe) 80 80, Haraldur Magnus (Ice) 79 81, Karlis Broders (Latvia) 77 83.
161 Moriya Jutanugarn (Thai) 84 77, Max Kraemer (Ger) 82 69.
162 Amy Boulden (Wal) 82 80.
164 Sebastian Schwind (Ger) 83 81.
165 Noora Tamminen (Fin) 80 85.
166 Max Melby (Den) 87 79, Clemence Abrahamian (Fra) 85 81, Anais Maggetti (Swi) 84 82
167 Julia Finne-Ipsen (Den) 86 81.
168 Guray Yazici (Tur) 86 82.
170 Daniel Kovari (Hun) 87 83.
171 Robin Kokocinski (Swe) 92 79, Violetta Siozou (Gre) 86 85.
172 Cedric van Wassenhove (Bel) 86 86.
175 Michelle Leigh (SAf) 92 83.
200 Anna Verchenova (Rus) 110 90.

SENIOR BRITISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club, nr Belfast.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
151 Susan Dye (Delamere Forest) 76 75.
152 Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 75 77.
153 Jane Rees (Hendon) 78 75.
155 Chris Utermarck (Ger) 79 76.
156 Viveca Hoff (Swe) 80 76, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 79 77.
157 Janet Collingham (Sherwood Forest0 80 77.
159 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 80 79, Karen Pultz (Can) 80 79, Christine Watson (Beaconsfield) 80 79, Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) 76 83.
160 Phyllis Laschuk (Can) 84 76, Sheena O'Brien-Kenney (Grange) 79 81.
161 Alison Murdoch (Can) 82 79, Christina Birke (Swe) 81 80.
162 Violet McBride (Ire) 83 79, Edeltraud Jacob (Ger) 82 80, Gill Snelson (Branston) 81 81, Helen Jones (Strabane) 81 81.
163 Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 84 79, Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) 81 82, Diane Williams (Can) 81 82.
164 Karen Lobb (Northants Co) 82 82, Karin Gumpert (Ger) 82 82, Mia Stohl Samuelsson (Swe) 81 83.
165 Elisabeth Wilander (Swe) 84 85, Pat Bennett (Reading) 81 84.
166 Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court) 86 80, Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 85 81, Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough) 83 83.
167 Pat West (Spalding) 84 83, Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) 84 83, Elspeth Coooper (Calcot Park) 83 84, Mary McKenna (Donabate) 83 84, Holly Horwood (Can) 81 86.
168 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 86 82, Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) 84 84, Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) 84 84, Olivia Conroy (Ire) 83 85, Jeannie O'Keeffe (Hankley Common) 83 85.
MISSED THE CUT
189 Janet Doleman (Rushcliffe) 85 84, Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 82 87, Pamela Morgan (Ire) 81 88.
170 Anne Koychev (Ealing) 87 83, Jean O'Connor (Newport Gwent) 84 86.
172 Marianne Copp (Rye) 89 93, Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 86 86, Sue Westall (Copt Heath) 83 89, Angela Colm (Can) 80 92.
173 Gillian Curley (Northants Co) 90 83, Laraine Hague (Rotherham) 86 87.
174 Sue Pidgeon (Wrekin) 88 86, Ann-Kristin Hermanson (Swe) 86 88, Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 86 88.
175 Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 90 85, Rosemary Watters (Porters Park) 86 89, Luci Foster (Bramhall) 86 89, Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 86 89.
176 Ann-Catrin Sveningson (Swe) 92 84, Andrea Stockdale (Mapperley) 89 87, Mireille Van Wettere (Bel) 84 92.
177 Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) 90 87.
178 Karin Forssblad Mansson (Swe) 92 86.
180 Linda Bedry (Can) 94 86, Marion Quigley (Craigmllar Park) 93 87, Mary McGoey (Ire) 85 95.
184 Roma English (Larne) 91 93, Noreen Granard (Ire) 90 94.
188 Linda Ward (Can) 97 91.
189 Dianne Platt (Spalding) 92 97.
193 Keren Howard (Can) 96 97.
Retired: Catharina Thott (Swse) 89 - .
No Return: Deborah Jamgochian (US) 80 -.

FIONA DE VRIES IS STILL IN THERE
PITCHING FOR SENIOR BRITISH TITLE

Fiona de Vries lost her overnight lead but she is still in there pitching for the title with one round to go in the Senior British women's open amateur golf championship over a very wet course at Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club near Belfast.
The St Andrews hotelier followed up an opening five-over-par 75, which had been good enough to give her a one shot lead, with a 77 for 10-over-par 152 at the 36-hole mark.
Susan Dye (Delamere Forest), thje English seniors champion, slipped past the Scot into the pole position with a 75 to take a one-shot lead on 152.
Another English player, Jane Rees from Hendon, also had a 75, the joint lowest score of the day, to be lying third on 153.
Scottish senior match-play champion Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) is not out of contention by any means on 156. She had a 77 to be joint fifth at the end of the second day.
Defending champion Alison Murdoch from Vancouver is 10 shots off the pace after rounds of 82 and 79 for 161 and a share of 14th place.
Only those with two-round totals of 168 or better will contest the final round.
Scots who did not survive the cut included Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) on 169 and Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) on 175.

SCOREBOARD TO COME

AA INSURANCE LADIES CHAMPIONSHIPS
ARDEE GOLF CLUB
MIDLAND DISTRICT –V- NORTHERN DISTRICT (PLAY OFF)

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
The AA Insurance Junior Cup team from Enniscorthy secured their place at the National semi finals and finals in Limerick Golf Club, 26th – 28th September, beating Dunmurry by 4 matches to 1.
Courtown were next to progress to the National finals, beating Shandon Park 3 and 2 in the AA Insurance Intermediate Cup.
In an exciting, closely contested match, two matches went down the 19th, one in favour of each team.
With the contest level and one match remaining, Siobhan Freeney secured the vital point for Courtown, beating Shandon Park’s Cindy Loughins by 1 hole.
Carlow were the third Midland team through to the finals at Limerick, beating City of Derry in the AA Insurance Minor Cup.
Carlow had convincing wins in the top two matches but City of Derry won the third match on the 19th to remain in the contest. However, Carlow proved a strong team by winning their remaining 2 matches and progress to the finals.
Tara Glen was victorious the AA Insurance Challenge Cup match against Donaghadee. Donaghadee started the day well, with Loraine Ward in devastating form, winning her match 9 and 8 but Tara Glen had the edge on the day to win the contest 3˝ to 1˝.
Shandon Park ensured a Northern presence at the finals winning the Senior Foursomes impressively against a much fancied Carlow side with two current Internationals in their team. Shandon Park secured victory by winning the second and third matches by 4&2 and 6&4 respectively.
Moate secured a place at the finals, defeating Ardglass in the Junior Foursomes. In another closely fought contest Moate just had the edge and won by 2 matches to 1.

JUNIOR CUP
Enniscorthy 4 Dunmurry 1
Margaret Mooney (9) beat Donna Gillespie (10) on 19th
Jennifer King (9) beat Claire Cathcart (11) 5 and 4
Catriona Hogan (10) beat Barbara Black (13) 2up
Laura Dempsey (12) lost to Fionnuala McGrady (13) 4 and 2
Cora Mernagh (12) beat Lesley Allen (15) 3 and 2
INTERMEDIATE CUP
Courtown 3 Shandon Park 2
Pat Kinsella (16) lost to Gillian Carson (16) on 19th
Anne Targett (17) beat Ann Quigley (16) 2 and 1
Irene Poole (19) beat Jacqui Young (17) 19th
Kate Sheehan (20) lost to Lorna McNamara (20) 3 and 2
Siobhan Freeney (20) beat Cindy Loughins (21) 1up
MINOR CUP
Carlow 4 City of Derry 1
Bridget Callinan (24) beat Frances McLaughlin (24) 7 and 5
Aine O'Shea (24) beat Kathy Jackson (25) 6 and 5
Mary Farrell (26) lost to Marie Clifford (26) 19th
Pat McArdle (28) beat Kathleen McGuire (26) 2 and 1
Elizabeth Whelan(28) beat Rita O'Kane (28) 2up
CHALLENGE CUP
Tara Glen 3˝ Donaghadee 1˝
Aileen O'Hanrahan (30) beat Nessa Morton (31) 4 and 3
Margaret Mooney (30) beat Angeline Gordon (32) w/o
Eilish McCarthy (32) beat Marion Thompson (33) 2up
Triona MacDonald (32) lost to Loraine Ward (36) 9 and 8
Deirdre Turley (35) halved with June Simpson (36).
SENIOR FOURSOMES
Carlow ˝ Shandon Park 2˝
Aedin Murphy & Leigh Bolger halved with Julie Hall & Diane Nickels
Karen Delaney & Angela O'Shea lost to Jenny Young & Karen Simpson 4 and 2.
Catherine Delaney & Bernie Cox lost to Diane Conway & Vikki Simpson 6 and 4.
JUNIOR FOURSOMES
Moate 2 Ardglass 1
Pearse Corbett (17) & Mary Egan (21) beat Angela Casey (18) & Kathleen King (20) 1up
Ann Whelan (18) & Mags Galvin (21) lost to Maura Fitzpatrick (19) & Roisin Byrne (20) 1up
Beth Dunne (18) & Breda Kelly (23) beat Dorothy McMullan (20) & Pat Murphy (23) 3 and 1

2008 PEUGEOT CORONATION FOURSOMES
GRAND FINAL
Monday, September 22
The Eden Course, St. Andrews

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE LADIES GOLF UNION
The Peugeot Coronation Foursomes has once again underlined its position as the UK’s most popular competition for lady club golfers, with more than 34,000 competitors from more than 1,300 clubs taking part in this year’s event.
This year’s Grand Final will take place over the testing Eden Course, St Andrews on Monday, September 22 when 12 pairs from as far a field as Kinghorn and Southampton will compete for the coveted national title. The winning pairs also enjoy two nights' accommodation in the luxurious Old Course Hotel as part of their prize.
Early in this national championship, pairs from throughout the country competed in club qualifying rounds, with the winners progressing through to one of 12 area finals.
Up to 100 winning club pairs competed at each Area Final, all aiming for a place in the Grand Final at St Andrews.
Winning the Grand Final is not the end for the successful pair, as a place in the pro-am of the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open, and chance to play with one of the world’s leading women professionals at Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s, awaits the eventual winners.
Last year’s winners, the Lothianburn mother and daughter pairing of Karina Matson and Elspeth Adair, had the excitement of playing in this year’s pro-am over the Old Course, Sunningdale with leading professional and Solheim Cup player Laura Davies.
When asked about the experience, Karina said: ‘We hoped we would get to play with Laura but never in our wildest dreams thought we would get the chance. It was fantastic playing with her and we didn’t want the experience to end.
"She was very patient and spent lots of time giving us hints and tips and asking how we were getting on. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience’.
This was sentiment was echoed by Shona Malcolm, Chief Executive of the Ladies' Golf Union who said: “The pro-am really is the icing on the cake after three nerve-wracking rounds of competition. This is the seventh year that Peugeot has sponsored the Coronation Foursomes and we are indebted to them for their continued support which enables the LGU to enhance the tournament year on year for each of the 34,000 competitors.”
Further details and information on how to enter the 2009 Peugeot Coronation Foursomes will be available online at http://www.lgu.org/ in due course.

The format of the Championship is foursome’s stableford and is open to all members of affiliated clubs who hold a current CONGU Handicap.

Competitors at the Grand Final:
Handicaps listed after home club

Fiona Rollo Kinghorn 28
Lynn Petrie Kinghorn 12

Cela Selley Bush Hill Park 16
Valerie Weaver Bush Hill Park 13

Ann Burbridge Bourne 20
Kim Morley Bourne 26

Jayne Coles Burhill 21
Claire Pettitt Burhill 23

Gillian Murphy Southampton 19
Colleen White Southampton 28

Janet Scholey Dewstow 24
Rosemary Anstey Dewstow 22

Jennifer Graham Williamwood 10
Ruth Henderson Williamwood 10

Jean Brown Richmond 26
Annie Sutherland Richmond 34

Katie Massie Duns 12
Eileen Preston Duns 13

Julia Brewin Hallamshire 36
Margaret Riley Hallamshire 34

Elizabeth Madine Baron Hill 21
Deborah Roberts Baron Hill 17

Lesley Turner Trent Lock 16
Jo White Trent Lock 24

Scots Student Watch: Compiled by Colin Farquharson

Michael Stewart jt 33rd on

debut on US college circuit

Scottish boys’ match-play golf champion Michael Stewart from Ayrshire, now a student at East Tennessee State University, finished joint 33rd in a field of 90 on his debut in American college golf.
Irvine-born Stewart, 18, pictured right, had scores of 74, 70 and 77 for a five-over-par total of 221 over the 7,012yd, par-72 course at The Farm, Rock Face, Georgia in the Carpet Capital Collegiate.
Former British boys champion Jordan Findlay, 20, from Fraserburgh, now in his fourth and final year at East Tennessee State, finished joint 78th on 231 with scores of 70, 84 and 77.
Kyle Stanley (Clemson) won the individual title by five strokes with an eight-under-par total of 208, made up of scores of 73, 66 and 69.
East Tennessee State, who have lost star players Rhys Davies and Gareth Shaw over the past year, could finish only 12th of 18 with a total of 883 in the team event behind winners Chattanooga (864) and runners-up Tennessee (869)

LEWIS KIRTON JOINT 37th IN INDIANA
University of Louisville-Kentucky student Lewis Kirton (Newmachar) finished joint 37th in a field of 75 players for the Wolf Run Inter-Collegiate tournament at Wolf Run Golf Club, Zionsville, Indiana.
Kirton had scores of 81, 72 and 77 for 230 – 18 shots behind the winner, Spaniard Jorge Campillo (Indiana) with 70, 70 and 72 for a one-under-par total fo 212 over the 7,195yd, par-71 course.
Louisville (891) finished third of 14 teams behind Michigan (880) and Illinois (890).

ADAM LINDSAY 50th IN IOWA

Banchory’s Adam Lindsay (Iowa Wesleyan College) came joint 50th in a big field of 155 players for the Mount Mercy Classic college tournament at Hunters Ridge Golf Club, Marion, Iowa.
Lindsay scored 78 and 77 for 155 – 11 over par for the 6,527yd, par-72 course.
Individual winner was Kyle Gray (Lindenwood) with 67 and 72 for five-under-par 139.
Iowa Wesleyan (614) finished eighth of 20 behind St Ambrose (580) and Lindenwood (583) in the team event.

BREVARD'S WINNING TARTAN ARMY
Four Scots in the Brevard College, North Carolina squad helped to win the team event in the Glen Cannon Fall Invite college tournament at Glen Cannon Country Club, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina.
Myles Johnston from Bo’ness finished joint ninth in a field of 67 with two rounds of 75 for 150. Grant Carnie from Ellon had scores of 73 and 78 for 11th place on 151 (73-78).
Craig Galloway from West Lothian and Aberdeen’s Tom Rennie, making his debut in American golf, shared 38th place on 161. Galloway scored 78 and 83, Rennie 80 and 81.
Another Brevard College player, Joshua Davis from American, tied for victory with Landon Pearson (Cape Fear) on 146 with scores of 72 and 74.
Brevard College’s total of 597 won them the team event by three shots from Cape Fear in a field of 11 squads.

GOOD START BY ALASDAIR FORSYTHE
Alasdair Forsythe from Glasgow, making his debut in US college golf as a student at Davis & Elkins College, West Virginia, finished highest of his squad in joint 22nd place in the Hal Hansen Invitational college tournament at Clarion Oaks Golf Club, Clarion in Pennsylvania.
Alasdair score 74 and 79 for 153 over the 7,056yd course with a par of 72 .
The Scot finished 12 shots behind joint winners J C Beecroft (Ohio Valley) (70-71) and Jared Schmader (Clarion) (74-67).
Davis & Elkins (645) finished 13th of the 14 teams behind winners Ohio Valley (594)

Carly holes last-green putt to
avert a Junior Ryder Cup
12-0 singles blow-out

If coming events cast long shadows, then watch out Nick Faldo!
United States blew away Europe 22-2 at The Club at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, Kentucky - the most lop-sided result yet in the Junior Ryder Cup.
The Americans - with an age limit of 17, one year higher than their opponents - lost only one match and halved two others over the two days of competition.
Had Comrie's Carly Booth, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), not holed a downhill 10ft par-saving putt on the 18th green to halve her singles match with Jennifer Johnson, who had won four of the previous six holes, Tuesday’s singles matches would have been a perfect 12-0 for the home team, most of whom celebrated their victory by jumping into the lake on Olde Stone’s 18th hole.
“The Americans just overshined us this week,” said 16-year-old Carly.
The landslide result called into question the selection process used to make up this year’s European side, which is based on the results of just one tournament – the European Young Masters – an event for players 16 and under.
According to European captain Gary Stangl, the European Golf Association altered its selection process before the 2006 matches in response to Europe’s dominance in the event over the last decade.
Europe had won by scores of 9 1/2-2 1/2, 8 1/2-3 1/2 and 10 1/2-1 1/2. The 2006 match at Celtic Manor ended in a 6-6 draw. Singles matches were only added this year.
“When they started, the Europeans were older than the Americans, and then the Europeans always won by far, and then they changed it,” said Stangl.
Things have gone full circle. The Americans' age limit of 17 for their players and a new-found desire to field their strongest possible junior team nationwide contrasts sharply with the European authorities' approach.
The Americans' new system, which places more emphasis on the country’s strongest junior golf events, produced a team this year that included the top three boys in the the Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings and four of the top 10 on the girls’ side.
Stangl added:
“Maybe in two years, hopefully we have a stronger team, maybe we have a different qualification system. Then, finally, I hope this can be a real competition between the two continents, good boys, good girls on both sides, and maybe we’ll have a close result.”

Junior Ryder Cup Scoreboard

The Club at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, Kentucky.

FINAL RESULT:

UNITED STATES 22, EUROPE 2
Day 1: US 10 1/2, Europe 1 1/2
Day 2: US 11 1/2, Europe 1/2

SINGLES
(US names first)
Tiffany Lua bt Kelly Tidy (Eng) 1 hole.
Cory Whitsett bt Matteo Manassero (Ita) 6 and 5.
Jennifer Johnson halved with Carly Booth (Sco).
Jeffrey Kang bt Moritz Lampert (Ger) 4 and 3.
Erynne Lee bt Daisy Nielsen (Den) 3 and 1.
Jordan Spieth bt Chris Lloyd (Eng) 5 and 4.
Sarah Brown bt Leona Maguire (Ire) 4 and 3.
Anthony Paolucci bt Adrian Otaegui (Spa) 5 and 4.
Alexis Thompson bt Lisa Maguire (Ire) 1 hole.
Cameron Peck bt Stanislas Gautier (Fra) 5 and 4.
Danielle Frasier bt Anna Arrese (Spa) 5 and 3.
Andrew Yun bt Julien Brun (Fra) 3 and 2.

LPGA Tour Qualifying School
Stage 1 Scoreboard

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA
FIRST ROUND SCORES INCLUDE
(leading 30 & ties after 72 holes will
advance to Final Q School at Daytona
Beach, Florida .
Par 72
66 Sun-Ju Ahn.
69 Leanne Bowditch (am), Miki Saki, Garrett Philllips (am), Shiho Oytama, Jennifer Ackerson, Kristie Smith.
Other scores:
70 Michelle Wie, Stacy Lewis, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) (am) (jt 8th).
71 Alison Walshe (am) (jt 12th).
72 Vikki Laing (Sco) (jt 26th).
73 Becky Brewerton (Wal) (jt 35th).
74 Melissa Reid (Eng) (jt 49th).
77 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Net) (am), Kiran Matharu (Eng) (jt 98th).

PARTING SHOTS

No Wie word from Michelle ...

Michelle Wie declined to talk to reporters about the round of 70 that put her in solid position in the 164-player field at Rancho Mirage, California.
The 18-year-old Wie made her debut in the qualifying process with five birdies and three bogeys on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club, where she has finished in the top 10 in three of her four starts in the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Despite the strong start in the 72-hole qualifying event, Wie emerged from the scoring room and informed her agent that she wouldn't do any interviews until Friday's final round. She later refused to talk to reporters as she went to the putting green for practice.

Solid start by Vikki Laing

Musselburgh exile Vikki Laing, setting out on yet another big to regain playing rights on the LPGA Tour, made a satisfactory start.
Vikki, one of a field of 130 chasing approximately 30 places (and ties) in the Final Q School at Dayton Beach, Florida from December 3 to 7, matched the par of 72 to be in joint 26th place behind leader Sun-Ju Ahn (South Korea) who shot a 66 to lead by three.
In joint eighth place on 70, alongside Michelle Wie, are US Curtis Cup team player Stacy Lewis, now a professional, and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, winner of the British women's open amateur championship at North Berwick in June.
Becky Brewerton from Wales is sharing 35th place with a 73.
Other Ladies European Tour players, England's Melissa Reid and Kira Matharu, scored 74 and 77 respectively.

TEAM TITLE CONSOLATION FOR
KRYSTLE CAITHNESS

Curtis Cup Scot Krystle Caithness finished 21st equal in quality field for the Cougar Classic women's college golf tournament which ended today at Yeamans Hall Club, Charleston, South Carolina.
The 19-year-old Fifer, a student at Georgia University, had raised hopes of achieving a top-10 finish when she had a five-under-par 67, the best score of the second round. But a third round of 75, in which she dropped four shots to par over the last 10 holes after birdies at the third and seventh had cancelled out a bogey at the first, pushed her down to just outside the top 20.
Caithness, who had begun with a 77, finished on three-over-par 219 - 13 shots behind the Swedish winner, Caroline Westrup (Florida) State who scored 69, 71 and 66 for 10-under 206.
Channel Islander Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) finished in joint 12th place on level par 216 with scores of 74, 70 and 72.
Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) from South Queensferry finished in joint 104th position with a total of 246, made up of rounds of 82, 79 and 85.
Big consolation for Krystle Caithness was the fact that Georgia University won the team event which is prized more highly by university coaches than individual performances.
Georgia (858) won the team title from Alabama (863) and North Caroline (872).
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Individual
Par 216 (3 x 72)
206 Caroline Westrup (Florida State) 69 71 66.
208 Whitney Neuhauser (Virginia) 68 72 69.
210 Marta Silva (Georgria) 70 70 70.
211 Sydney Crane (North Carolina) 71 71 69, Mallory Hetzel (Georgia) 68 69 74, Allie White (North Carolina) 72 70 69.
212 Camilla Lennarth (Alabamda) 73 69 70.
Other scores:
215 Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 70 72 73.
216 Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) 74 70 72 (jt 12th).
217 Jacqueline Hedwall (Louisiana State) 71 71 75.
219 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 77 67 75 (jt 21st).
236 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) 82 69 85 (jt 104th).
Leading teams
858 Georgia. 863 Alabama. 872 North Carolina. 874 Virginia. 875 Florida State. 878 Louisiana State.

.... elsewhere on the US women's college circuit

AMI STOREY JT 46TH IN CHIP-N CLUB INVITATIONAL

Kansas State University freshman Ami Storey from Ponteland, Northumberland finished joint 46th with a total of 235 in the Chip-N Club Invitational at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club.
Ami scored 79, 77 and 79 to finish 21 shots behind the winner, Sara Wikstrom (Arkansas-Little Rock) with 69, 74 and 71.
Mary Kate Bird (Nebraska) was runner-up with 70, 72 and 73 for 215.
There were 72 players in the field.
Nebraska (884) won the team event from Arkansas-Little Rock (888) with East Aro9lina (897) third. Kansas State (918) finished eighth.

Yorkshire take lead at English
county finals by beating Warwicks

Title-holders Yorkshire beat Warwickshire 8˝-˝ to move into the lead in the finals of the English counties championship at Long Ashton in Gloucestershire.
The defending champions are the only team to have scored two wins from two matches.
In the day’s other games, Leicestershire staged a remarkable fightback to halve with Hertfordshire while Sussex beat Dorset 7-2.
It means that after two days Yorkshire have two points, Leicestershire and Hertfordshire each have 1˝, and Sussex have one. Dorset and Warwickshire have yet to win a match.
The third day matches are likely to be crucial to the outcome of the week. Yorkshire will play Hertfordshire, Leicestershire take on Sussex and Dorset meet Warwickshire.
Yorkshire’s second day scoreline reads like a command performance. But, county training officer Joy Hunter pointed out that the morning foursomes were extremely tight.
All three matches finished on the 18th and, as yesterday, Yorkshire proved to be strong finishers, taking 2˝ points.
In the afternoon they swept the board, winning all six singles and Kim Crooks wrapped up the action with a birdie two on the 17th.
“Tomorrow will be a big day,” said Joy. “We will just have to get out there, do our best and try and win.”
Meanwhile, Sussex were also on top form. They also held a 2˝-˝ advantage at lunchtime and they took another 4˝ points from the singles.
“I’m over the moon,” said captain Sheila Williams. “The girls had a really good afternoon and I am delighted with them.”
The third match of the day turned into a battle royal between Leicestershire and Hertfordshire. The foursomes went heavily in Hertfordshire’s favour, with the score again 2˝-˝. But Leicestershire weren’t finished. They won four of the afternoon singles to square the match.
“It was absolutely brilliant,” said team captain Tracy Bourne. “I never think it’s over and I have every confidence in the girls, but it did look as if we were in trouble. However, they came out fighting and they were superb.
“That half point in the morning gave us just a sniff, it was something on the board. We managed to get the half and we’re still in the tournament.”
Results:
LEICESTERSHIRE 4 1/2, HERTFORDSHIRE 4˝
(Leicestershire names first)
Foursomes
Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe lost to Alison Franklin & Harriet Key 1 hole.
Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss lost to Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy 3 and 1.
Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris halved with Lucy Williams & Charlotte Field.
Singles
Voss lost to Douglass 2 holes.
Larratt bt Key 4 and 3.
Morris bt Field 7 and 5.
Dexter bt Jackie Foster 2 and 1.
Lowe bt Lucinda Mileham 3 and 2.
Bourne lost to Franklin 6 and 4.
SUSSEX 7, DORSET 2
(Sussex names first)
Foursomes
Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes bt Harriet Legg & Chantal Scott 6 and 5.
Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court bt Melanie Buxton & Ilona Davidson 4 and 3.
Jo Galway & Clarissa Bushell halved with Hayley Davis & Melissa McMahon.
Singles
Ralph bt Scott 2 holes.
Emma Field bt Legg 1 hole.
Sykes bt Davidson 5 and 4.
Katherine Russell bt Georgia Hall 4 and 3.
Galway lost to McMahon 2 and 1.
Court halved with Davis.
WARWICKSHIRE 1/2, YORKSHIRE 8 1/2
(Warwickshire names first)
Foursomes
Abbey Gittings & Lauren Taylor lost to Naomi Edwards & Emma Brown 1 hole.
Lisa Barton & Elizabeth Mallett lost to Nikki Dunn & Ellie Robinson 2 holes.
Claire Howells & Charlotte Dalton halved with Sara Garbutt & Helen Searle.
Singles
Howells lost to Edwards 3 and 1.
Gittings lost to Brown 4 and 3.
Taylor lost to Searle 2 and 1.
Mallett lost to Garbutt 1 hole.
Dalton lost to Laura Harvey 1 hole.
Barton lost to Kim Crooks 2 and 1.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Gillian Simpson wins Midlothian Junior Championship

Gillian Simpson with the Midlothian Girls Championship Trophy

The Midlothian Girls' Championship was played at Ratho Park Golf Club on Sunday 14th September. The weather was dry and sunny and the course was playing long after all the rain.

Champion Gillian Simpson ( Murrayfield) 78
Handicap winner Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) 82(13) net 69

All the competitors and Emma ( winner from Princes course competition)

Ayrshire Adult & Girl Foursomes

Group of girls at the Ayrshire County Adult and Girl Foursomes

Ayrshire County held an Adult and Girl Foursomes over Ravenspark Golf Course on Sunday. Extremely wet underfoot and not that great overhead, but from the smiles in the photograph.... a good time was had by all. Thanks to organiser June Kerr for the photograph.

The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy Tournament

Kelsey is Northern Star in

Dundonald Links gloom

By LUKE NORMAN, Tournament Press Officer
Northern star Kelsey MacDonald lit up the first day’s play at The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy with a dazzling two-under-par round of 70 which put her just one off the lead at Dundonald Links.
The reigning Scottish Under-21 stroke-play champion fired an impressive five birdies in a day of incessant rain, as the Home Nation players dominated proceedings
“I play at Nairn Dunbar so I’m not too bothered by the rain to be honest and I have got a great pair of waterproofs!” said Kelsey MacDonald, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), who will be 18 in early October and has just started as a student at Stirling University.
“I putted really well and drained some long ones.”
Kelsey's birdies demonstrated her length off the tee, coming at the 540yd par-5 third, the 550yd par-5 fifth, the 465yd par 4 10th, the 410yd par-4 13th and the 420ydd par-4 17th.
Fellow Scots David Law (Aberdeen Hazlehead) and Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) had more of a struggle on a desperately difficult day at Dundonald.
Law, the Scottish boys' Junior Tour champion, got to the turn in a highly respectable two over par but a triple bogey 7 at the 10th set the tone for a nightmare back 9. A double bogey at 12 was followed by a triple at 16 for a final score of 84.
Bookless, the Scottish boys' open stroke play champion, also found the going difficult with two lost balls scuppering his challenge en route to an 83
It is the 2008 Carris and McEvoy Trophy winner Stiggy Hodgson who is leading the way. The 18-year-old Englishman, who plays out of Sunningdale, continued his remarkable summer with a stunning three-under-par 69, which would have been a great score in good conditions so to achieve it in non-stop rain represented a something special effort.
Ireland’s Paul Dunne lurks a further three shots back with playing partner and English women's champion Hannah Barwood lying sixth.
However, there was no doubt that the first day’s honours went to 18-year-old Stiggy Hodgson. “I feel very confident at the moment, I am playing so steadily and having had a lot of links golf this summer I know what to expect,” said Hodgson. “It was such a good test in this weather but I hit so many fairways and then rolled a fair few putts in to be in good shape.”
Hodgson also had five birdies in his 18 holes, including two glorious 2s at Dundonald’s notoriously tricky par-3s. One came at the 120-yard par-3 11th, which was witness to another moment of genius earlier in the day, when Switzerland’s Anais Maggetti recorded a hole-in-one. It was the second ace in as many years at the 11th by a female competitor.

The Duke of York Young Champions
Trophy Scoreboard
DUNDONALD LINKS, AYRSHIRE
FIRST ROUND
Par 72
69 Stiggy Hodgson (Eng).
70 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco).
71 Carlos Pigem (Spa).
73 Vasin Sripattranusorn (Thai), Paul Dunne (Ire).
74 Hannah Barwood (Eng).
76 Laetitia Beck (Isr), Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Bel).
77 Mitch Sutton (Can), Arnaud Abbas (Fra), Karlis Broders (Lat).
78 Marieke Nivard (Net), Giulia Molinaro (Ita).
79 Victor Honauer (Swi), Ross McLister (Wal), Haraldur Magnus (Ice).
80 Shingo Ito (Jap), Emelie Lundstrom (Swe), Teemu Bakker (Net), Noora Tamminen (Fin), Elias Bertheussen (Nor), David Prochazka (Cze), Miki Sakai (Jap), Eric Blom (Swe), Gary King (Eng), Signy Arnorsdottir (Ice), Tapia Pulkannen (Fin).
81 Tonje Daffinrud (Nor).
82 Amy Boulden (Wal), Caroline Karsten (Net), Max Kraemer (Ger).
83 Mark Bookless (Sco), Conway Kunneke (SFr), Sebastian Schwind (Ger).
84 Krista Puisite (Lat), Moriya Jutanugarn (Thai), Anais Maggetti (Swi), David Law (Sco).
85 Clemence Abrahamian (Fra).
86 Guray Yazici (Tur), Julia Finne-Ipsen (Den), Cedric Van Wassenhove (Bel), Violetta Siozou (Gre), Soo Bin Kim (Can).
87 Max Melby (Den), Daniel Kovari (Hun).
92 Michelle Leigh (SAf), Robin Kokocinski (Swe).
110 Anna Verchenova (Rus).
Withdrawn: Sarah Tyson (Eng).

Fiona de Vries leads field

at soggy Templepatrick

St Andrews hotelier Fiona de Vries leads the field with a four-over-par 75 at the end of the first round of the Senior British women's open amateur championship over a soggy Hilton Templepatrick course near Belfast today.
Only a week ago the neighbouring river burst its banks and some of the greens were completely underwater. The greenkeeping staff have done a great job in making the course playable but more torrential rain on Sunday evening has resulted in preferred lies being in operation.
The end result is a course playing very very long for the competitors, all of whom are over 50 and quite a few another decade older.
Fiona, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), looked like getting the closest to the par of 71 when she turned in one-under-par 35 with birdies at the short fourth and ninth, either side of a bogey at the eighth. She improved to two under par with a 2 at the short 11th - but that was as good as it got for the Scot.
She ran up a double bogey 6 at the 12th and then dropped single shots at the 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th for an inward 40.
Eight times Welsh champion and past Curtis Cup player Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen), winner of the Irish senior women's open amateur stroke-play championship in similar conditions at Lisburn last week, was one of the few who did not have a double bogey on her scorecard of 76.
But she had only one birdie, at the sixth, in halves of 38.
Sharing second place with Vicki on 76 is England's Susan Dye (Delamere Forest).
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), winner of the Scottish seniors' match-play championship at Deeside three or four weeks ago, is lying joint fifth on 79 (40-39) after opening her round with a double bogey 6. She did have two birdies, at the second and 16th, to offset the steady leaking of shots over par.
Title-holder Alison Murdoch from Vancouver lost her Irish seniors title last week and faces an uphill task to retain the British title. She had an 82 (43-39), halves which included a triple bogey 7 at the fifth and double bogey 6s at the sixth and 14th.
It was tough going for everyone, even legends like Ireland's Mary McKenna, recently reappointed skipper of the GB&I teams for the Vagliano Trophy (2009) and the Curtis Cup (2010). The Donabate player had an 83 in which she had only five par figures. High points were birdie 2s at the fourth and seventh in halves of 40 and 43. Low point was a triple bogey 7 at the 12th.

Senior British Women's Open Amateur
Championship Scoreboard
Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club, nr Belfast
FIRST ROUND
Par 71
75 Fiona de Vries (St Rule.
76 Susan Dye (Delamere Forest), Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen).
78 Jane Rees (Hendon).
79 Chris Utermarck (Ger), Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Sheena O'Brien-Kenney (Grange).
80 Christine Watson (Beaconsfield), Janet Collingham (Sherwood Forest), Viveca Hoff (Swe), Karen Putlz (Can), Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock), Deborah Jamgochian (US), Angela Colm (Can).
81 Diane Williams (Can), Christina Birke (Swe), Helen Jones (Strabane), Pamela Morgan (Ire), Holly Horwood (Can), Pat Bennett (Reading), Mia Stohl Samuelsson (Swe), Gill Snelson (Branston), Janice Paterson (Drumpellier).
82 Karin Gumpert (Ger), Edeltgraud Jacob (Ger), Alison Murdoch (Can), Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), Karen Lobb (Northamptonshire Co).
83 Mary McKenna (Donabate), Jeannie O'Keeffe (Hankley Common), Elspeth Cooper (Calcot Park), Violet McBride (Ire), Sue Westall (Copt Heath), Olivia Conroy (Ire), Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough).
84 Elisabeth Wilander (Swe), Mireille Van Wettere (Bel), Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool), Barbara Biggart (North Berwick), Pat West (Spalding), Phyllis Laschuk (Can), Ruth Brown (Lothianburn), Jean O'Connor (Newport, Gwent), Helen Faulds (Douglas Park).
85 Janet Doleman (Rushcliffe), Pamela Williamson (Baberton), Mary McGoey (Ire).
85 Pauline Walsh (Headfort), Laraine Hague (Rotherham), Ann-Kristin Hermanson (Swe), Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court), Eileen MacMullen (Donegal), Valerie Hassett (Ennis), Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), Luci Foster (Bramhall), Rosemary Watters (Porters Park).
87 Anne Koychev (Ealing).
88 Sue Pidgeon (Wrekin).
89 Marianne Copp (Rye), Catharina Thott (Swe), Andrea Stockdale (Mapperley).
90 Noreen Granard (Ire), Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park), Gillian Curley (Northamptonshire Co), Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle).
91 Roma English (Larne).
92 Ann-Catrin Sveningson (Swe), Karin Forssblad Mansson (Swe), Dianne Platt (Spalding).
93 Marion Quigley (Craigmillar Park).
94 Linda Bedry (Can).
96 Keren Howard (Can).
97 Linda Ward (Can).

Strathmore mother & daughter come back from six down to
reach last 16 of
Daily Mail foursomes

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The Strathmore Golf Centre mother and daughter partnership of Sandy and Alexandra Bushby (picture right by courtesy of Dawn Butchart) staged an amazing fightback to reach the last 16 of the Daily Mail women's foursomes tournament.
They beat their opponents from the Glen club, North Berwick at the 19th - despite being six down after only seven holes.
Alex holed a 15ft putt on the last to take the match up the 19th where the Strathmore pair triumphed.
The 16 winning pairs in the seventh round of this the 48th staging of the Daily Mail's British-Irish women's foursomes tournament all go forward to the Grand Final at the Marriott Dalmahoy from October 19 to 21.
Other Scots through to the last 16 are a pair from Anstruther in Fife and Loudoun, Ayrshire.
There will be a fourth Scottish couple through because one tie has still to be played to complete the seventh round and it features McDonald Ellon from Aberdeenshire against Carnoustie Caledonia.
Alex Bushby is a member of the Perth & Kinross team who will bidding to win the Scottish county team championship at Inchmarlo Golf Centre, Banchory from Friday to Sunday at the end of this week.
++Would be delighted to give the names of the Anstruther and Loudoun (as well as the winners of the McDonald Ellon v Carnoustie Caledonia) players on this website, if they could E-mail the information to Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Results:
ROUND SIX
Anstruther bt Vale of Leven 2 and 1.
Beacon Park bt Saddleworth 3 and 1.
Beau Desert bt Peterborough Milton 4 and 3.
Camberley Heath bt Reigate Hill 5 and 3.
Carnoustie Caledonia bt St Michaels 4 and 3.
Cooden Beach bt Tyrrells Wood 2 holes.
Donnington Grove bt Silvermere 3 and 1.
Dunfermline (Pitfirrane) bt Old Ranfurly 4 and 2.
Fingle Glen bt Saunton 2 and 1.
Glen bt Dunstanburgh Castle 3 and 2.
Loudoun bt Thornhill 7 and 5.
Manchester bt Kendal 5 and 4.
McDonald Ellon bt Royal Dornoch 2 and 1.
Mill Brook bt Ipswich 3 and 2.
Mitchelstown bt Luttrellstown Castle 3 and 2.
Morriston bt Glamorganshire 1 hole.
Normanby Hall bt Carholme 5 and 4.
Northamptonshire County bt Overstone Park 1 hole.
Oakdale bt Whitby 2 and 1.
Ogbourne Downs bt Marriott Meon Valley 5 and 4.
Penmaenmawr bt Worsley 4 and 3.
Princes bt Westerham 5 and 4.
Saltford bt Vale of Glamorgan 5 and 4.
Shandon Park bt Portadown 9 and 7.
Stocksbridge & Dist bt Hallamshire 5 and 4.
Stoke by Nayland bt Royal Epping Forest at 19th.
Stranraer bt Workington 3 and 2.
Strathmore bt Royal Musselburgh 2 holes.
Whickham bt De Vere Slaley Hall at 19th.
Whiteleaf bt Oxford Ladies at 19th.
Willesley Park bt Hawkstone Park 3 and 1.
Worcestershire bt Oakridge 3 and 2.

ROUND SEVEN
Anstruther bt Dunfermline (Pitfirrane) 3 and 2.
Camberley Heath bt Donnington Grove 4 and 2.
Fingle Glen bt Saltford 2 holes.
Loudoun bt Stranraer 3 and 1.
Manchester bt Stocksbridge & Dist at 21st.
Mill Brook bt Ogbourne Downs 4 and 3.
Morriston bt Worcestershire at 19th
Northamptonshire County bt Beau Desert 4 and 2.
Oakdale bt Whickham 1 hole.
Penmaenmawr bt Beacon Park 2 holes.
Prince’s bt Cooden Beach 4 and 2.
Shandon Park bt Mitchelstown 5 and 3.
Stoke by Nayland bt Whiteleaf 3 and 1.
Strathmore bt Glen at 19th.
Willesley Park bt Normanby Hall 6 and 4.
McDonald Ellon v Carnoustie Caledonia – still to be played.

Another title for Jill Meldrum

Jill Meldrum continued her good form this year by returned a net 72 off three of a handicap at Hayston Golf Club in extremely difficult weather conditions to win the Dunbartonshire & Argyll junior championship.
She is now looking forward to representing Scotland against England in the annual schools international at Royal Lytham St Annes, Lancashire next Monday.

Americans outclass Europe

on first day of Junior

Ryder Cup Match

Europe were outclassed by the Americans on the first day of the Junior Ryder Cup match at The Club at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The United States lead 10 1/2-1 1/2 at the halfway stage of the transatlantic contest between the Europeans who were all under 16 years on January 1 and the Americans for whom 17 years is the age limit.

Why the European authorities agreed to such a mismatch in years - the difference in strength, ability and maturity between 16 and 17 years can be signficiant - is a mystery. Perhaps such a lopside scoreline, if it is maintained through the second-day singles, will force them to think again, just as the American powers-that-be have done to improve their record.

In previous Junior Ryder Cup matches, the Europeans had more than held their own.
It was a long, hard and disappointing day for Great Britain & Ireland's representatives - Carly Booth from Comrie, England's Kelly Tidy and Chris Lloyd and the Irish 13-year-old idential twins, Lisa and Leona Maguire. All of them were on the losing side morning and afternoon.

The US team got into the driving seat in the Monday morning foursomes, winning five of the six matches and halving the other.
The pattern continued in the after mixed four-ball session.
The Junior Ryder Cup match concludes with 12 singles matches.

"They brushed us away but we tried really hard," said Gary Stangl, captain of the European team. "We will continue to try hard to make some points on Tuesday and see what happens."
The United States team was led in the morning foursomes by Alexis Thompson and Sarah Brown who won their opening match 7 and 6, and Jeffrey Kang and Andrew Yun of Chandler, who won their match 7 and 5.

Thompson and Brown, who fell behind early in the match, birdied six of their last eight holes to defeat Daisy Nielsen of Denmark and Lisa Maguire of Ireland.
"This course is hard and to birdie that many holes, it's really good," said Thompson, winner of the 2007 Junior PGA Championship. "It sure was a fun round."

The strong play of the United States Team continued in the afternoon mixed four-ball matches, as the United States won five of the six matches.

The lone European victory came from Matteo Manassero of Italy and Daisy Nielsen. The Danish girl chipped in at the last to defeat Andrew Yun and Erynne Lee on the final hole.

US captain Ken Lindsay was overwhelmed by the play of his team.

"No one could have expected what happened today to happen. I am blown away by how well my team played," he said. "We can't let up though. There is a lot of golf to be played."

The two teams will play a nine-hole "friendship" match on Wednesday at Valhalla Golf Club, the venue for the adult Ryder Cup contest, which begins on Friday.

The US Junior Ryder Cup team has not won since 1997, mainly due to a selection process that failed to include the country’s top junior golfers. The PGA of America altered that selection process a couple years ago, and this year produced a 10-player team that includes the top three boys in the the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings, not to mention four of the top 10 on the girls’ side.

The European side selects its team based on the results of one tournament – the European Young Masters – which is for players aged 16 and under.

This year’s US roster features five 17-year-olds, though it was American’s youngest who gave Europe the most trouble. Thirteen-year-old Alexis Thompson, the reigning US girls' champion, did not have to go past the 13th hole morning or afternoon.

She teamed with Sarah Brown in morning foursomes for a 7-and-6 victory over Nielsen and Lisa Maguire. Thompson then paired with Jordan Spieth, who at 15 joins Anthony Paolucci as the youngest on the American boys’ side, to dispose of Stanislas Gautier and Lisa Maguire in the afternoon four-ball session.

Thompson and Brown were two down through three holes but ended up winning nine consecutive holes, making birdies between on six of their last eight.

Thompson will also play Lisa Maguire in Tuesday's singles matches.

Cory Whitsett, Golfweek’s top-ranked junior, and Cameron Peck, ranked No. 2, approached the par-5 18th tee one down in their morning foursomes match against Julien Brun and Adrian Otaegui.

Whitsett responded with a booming 320yd drive down the middle, and Peck followed with a 3-iron that hit the front of the green but rolled off. Whitsett chipped up to 4 feet and Peck tapped in for birdie to halve the match.

“No one could have expected to come away with this many points today,” said U.S. captain Ken Lindsay, a past PGA president. “But we know we still have to play hard tomorrow.”

Day 1 results:

UNITED STATES 10 1/2, EUROPE 1 1/2
The Club at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, Kentucky

FOURSOMES (5 1/2-1/2)
US names first

Cameron Peck & Cory Whitsett halved with Julien Brun (Fra) & Adrian Otaegui (Spa).
Danielle Frasier & Jennifer Johnson bt Kelly Tidy (Eng) & Leona Maguire (Ire) 3 and 2.
Jeffrey Kang & Andrew Yun bt Chris Lloyd (Eng) & Moritz Lampert (Ger) 7 and 5.
Alexis Thompson & Sarah Brown bt Daisy Nielsen (Den) & Lisa Maguire (Ire) 7 and 6.
Anthony Paolucci & Jordan Spieth bt Stanislas Gautier (Fra) & Matteo Manassero (Ita) 2 holes.
Erynne Lee & Tiffany Lua bt Carly Booth (Sco) & Anna Arrese (Spa) 5 and 3.

MIXED FOUR-BALLS (5-1)
Whitsett & Johnson bt Lampert & Tidy 2 and 1.
Peck & Brown bt Lloyd & Leona Maguire 3 and 1.
Yun & Lee lost to Manassero & Nielsen 1 hole.
Spieth & Thompson bt Gautier & Lisa Maguire 6 and 5.
Paolucci & Frasier bt Otaegui & Arrese 5 and 3.
Kang & Lua bt Brun & Booth 5 and 4.

KRYSTLE SPARKLES IN

COUGAR CLASSIC

Curtis Cup Scot Krystle Caithness shot the lowest round of the tournament so far - a five-under-par 67 - to improve on her opening score by 10 shots and her place in the field of 120 from joint 67th overnight to a share of 13th place on level par 144 with one round to go in the Cougar Classic women's college golf tournament at Yeamans Hall, Hannahan, South Carolina today.
The 19-year-old Fifer, pictured above, a student at Georgia University, had birdies at the fifth, seventh, 10th, 13th 14th and 15th and she finished in grand style with an eagle 3 at the last for an inward 32. She had bogeys at the 11th and 12th.
Georgia team-mate Mallory Hetzel leads with 68 and 69 for 137 and Georgia lead the team event by 14 shots.
Rebecca Watson (Tennessee), a second Scot in the tournament, is in joint 102nd place after rounds of 82 and 79 for 161. She had double bogey 6s at the first and 14th which cancelled out birdies at the fourth and 13th.
Channel Islander Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) joined Krystle Caithness on the 140 mark late in the day - she was in the last group to finish - with rounds of 74 and 70. Olivia had birdies at the first, third, fourth, 15th and 18th.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 144 (2 x 72). 6159yd

137 Mallory Hetzel (Georgia) 68 69.

140 Katie Burnett (South Carolina) 70 70, Whitney Neuhauser (Virginia) 68 72, Marta Silva (Georgia) 70 70, Caroline Westrup (Florida State) 69 71.

Other scores:

142 Jacqueline Hedwall (Louisiana State) 71 71, Camilla Lennarth (Alabama) 73 69, Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 70 72.

144 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 77 67, Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) 74 70.

LEADING TEAMS

567 Georgia.

580 Virginia.

581 Alabama.

586 South Carolina.

587 Louisiana State.

588 North Carolina.

ENGLISH COUNTY FINALS AT LONG ASHTON

Yorkshire make winning start

by beating Sussex 6-3

Yorkshire began their defence of the English counties’ championship with a 6-3 win over Sussex at Long Ashton Golf Club in Gloucestershire.

In the day’s other matches, Leicestershire beat Dorset 6-3 while Hertfordshire beat Warwickshire, also by the margin of 6-3.

Yorkshire’s match was tighter than the result suggests, with seven games going to the 18th. Of those, the defending champions won four while Sussex claimed one - in spectacular fashion. Their county champion, Hannah Ralph, eagled the last to beat the birdie of Naomi Edwards (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved) and win the point. The other two games were halved.

Yorkshire training officer Joy Hunter commented: “The scoreline makes it look comfortable, but it was tough. Overall, though, it was a good result and a good start to the week. Everyone did well and they all kept their heads up.”

Sussex captain Sheila Williams was delighted with her team’s efforts. “Seven of the matches went to the I8th and hopefully we gave Yorkshire a bit of a fright. I am thrilled to bits with my team, I’m really, really proud of them.”

Hertfordshire also fought hard to win their match against Warwickshire. They held a 2-1 advantage after the morning foursomes but they were trailing at the halfway stage of the singles. Team captain Jaki White said: “I was really pleased with they way they all rallied round. They dug deep and played really well, especially on the back nine.”

Leicestershire got off to a quick start. They won all three of their morning foursomes and in the singles their top two players had comfortable wins to secure the point. Team captain Tracy Bourn remarked: “It was brilliant. It’s just really good to get off to a winning start. You can’t win it on the first day – but you can lose it. Now it’s all still in our hands.”

Her team is in birthday mood: county champion Jamie Leigh-Voss celebrated her 15th birthday on practice day while Helen Lowe enjoyed her 45th birthday today.

Results:

YORKSHIRE 6, SUSSEX 3

(Yorkshire names first)

Foursomes:

Naomi Edwards & Emma Brown bt Hannah Ralph & Karen Sykes 3 and 2.

Sara Garbutt & Helen Searle bt Aileen Greenfield & Chloe Court 1 hole.

Kim Crooks & Laura Harvey bt Clarissa Bushell & Jo Galway 1 hole.

Singles:

Edwards lost to Ralph 1 hole.

Brown bt Emma Field 1 hole.

Garbutt halved with Sykes.

Searle halved with Court.

Ellie Robinson lost to Greenfield 3 and 1.

Nikki Dunn bt Katherine Russell 1 hole.

LEICESTERSHIRE 6, DORSET 3

(Leicestershire names first)

Foursomes:

Kym Larratt & Helen Lowe bt Hayley Davis & Georgia Hall 5 and 3.

Chloe Dexter & Jamie-Leigh Voss bt Marketa Mann & Chantal Scott 3 and 1.

Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris bt Carly Cummins & Harriet Legg 6 and 4.

Singles:

Voss bt Melissa McMahon 4 and 2.

Dexter bt Hall 5 and 3.

Larratt lost to Davis 2 and 1.

Morris bt Mann 5 and 4.

Bourne lost to Legg 2 and 1.

Lowe lost to Cummins 5 and 4.

HERTFORDSHIRE 6, WARWICKSHIRE 3

(Hertfordshire names first)

Foursomes:

Lucy Williams & Charlotte Field lost to Abbey Gittings & Lauren Taylor 5 and 4.

Tina Jeary & Jackie Foster bt Claire Howells & Charlotte Dalton 5 and 3.

Alison Franklin & Harriet Key bt Lisa Barton & Elizabeth Mallett 4 and 3.

Singles:

Williams lost to Gittings 5 and 3.

Franklin lost to Taylor 1 hole.

Key bt Elizabeth Haycock 1 hole.

Jeary bt Elizabeth Mallett 3 and 2.

Foster bt Dalton 1 hole.

Charlie Douglass bt Barton 4 and 2.

Tuesday’s order of play:

Leicestershire v Hertfordshire

Sussex v Dorset

Warwickshire v Yorkshire

Lyndsey Hewison

Press & PR Officer

Kellee Booth, the star that never was
as a pro, decides it's time to step away

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
(based on an article in this week's US Duramed Futures Tour Newsletter)
It's the time of year when top-flight and even not-so-top-flight female amateurs the world over are turning their thoughts to taking the first steps towards - they hope - fame and fortune as tour professionals.
Unfortunately for them, headline success as an amateur does not guarantee they will make the grade as pros.
There are a few lines in "Do you know the way to San Jose?" that are just as applicable to pro golf as they are to would-be movie stars:
"In a week, maybe two, they'll make you a star
"Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass
"And all the stars that never were
"Are parking cars and pumping gas."
The latest example of pride before a fall, or more a steady decline, is Kellee Booth, who won five of her seven ties for the United States in the 1996-1998 Curtis Cup matches. She was one of the most decorated amateurs and collegians in US women’s golf. Daughter of a Curtis Cup player, she had the bloodline to become an LPGA Legend. It never happened.
When she made the transfer to the pro ranks nine years ago, Kellee's golfing talent was left behind like a suitcase at an airport, but one that never turned up.
She was the last amateur to beat a field of professionals and win a Futures Tour event. That was the 1999 Pacific Bell Classic in her native California.
Booth, now 32 and a resident of McKinney, Texas, has decided that the time has come to accept that she is never going to be as good a tour pro as she was an amateur.
In her rookie season (1999), she finished 46th on the LPGA’s money list and posted three top-10 finishes, including a tie for 10th at the Women’s British Open and a tie for seventh at the Safeway LPGA Golf Championship.
The next season, Booth began to experience nagging injuries and she was eventually diagnosed with tendonitis in her left shoulder.
With her self-confidence level on the golf course, ebbing away, Booth eventually lost her LPGA status.
“I was devastated, but I was more worried about what they would find when I had surgery,” said Booth.
Booth underwent surgery in November 2003. Doctors found scar tissue on the bicep tendon. The scar tissue would inflame and the tissue would hit the nerve, causing discomfort. That was the physical part of the problem. The residual effect was the mental effect the injury had on her – a fear that she had never known as an amateur.
She did not advance past the sectional stage of later LPGA Q Schools and turned to the Futures Tour in 2006 with little or no success.
Booth began working in the off-season, selling houses in Dallas. Even entering the 2008 season, she didn’t feel fully prepared for competition. Making only one cut in 14 events this year, Booth walked away from the scoring tent at the last regular-season event earlier this month with a heavy heart.
She had finished the year ranked 113th on the money list. Her scoring average hovered around 76.6 strokes per round. Deep in her champion’s heart, she knew what she needed to do.
“Now it’s time for me to step away,” she said, her dark eyes full of tears.
“It’s been a big struggle. I found that this year even my good shots weren’t working anymore.”
Booth doesn’t know what happened to the game that once seemed destined for professional greatness. She admits the injury “put a lot of doubt” into her mind. Suddenly, she was seeing places on the golf course that she’d never seen. Suddenly, she was shooting scores she had not shot since the early days of junior golf.
“It’s not that I stopped believing – I just lost my desire to compete,” she added. “The fun was taken out of the game.”
And while Booth was never able to match her professional career against her amateur years, she has no regrets.
“I’d still do it the same way,” she said. “I’d tell young people to go to college. I’d tell them professional golf is not for everybody. Right now, I need to step away. I feel too fizzled out.”
Booth says she is now in the “exploring” stage of her career. She is interested in staying in the golf industry, perhaps as a sales rep, or working in junior or amateur golf.
She might even seek reinstatement as an amateur.
While it’s hard for Booth to hide her disappointment, there is no shame. And even through tears, she admits having a sense of “excitement to do something new.”

SCOTLAND NAME TEAM FOR SENIOR
WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS

The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association has named the Scotland team for the senior home international matches at Little Aston Golf Club, Birmingham from September 30 to October 2. It is:
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Fiona de Vries (St Rule), Jill Harrison (Cruden Bay), Fiona Hunter (Baberton), Mary Smith (Tain), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Margaret Tough (Falkirk).
Reserves - Heather Anderson (Downfield), Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie), Suzanne Cadden (Cardross).
Non-playing captain - Joan Marshall (Baberton).

SCOTTISH VETERANS' CHAMPIONSHIP
QUARTER-FINALS LINE-UP

Blairgowrie Lansdowne course, Sunday, September 21

1.33 Vivien Welsh (Highland) v Anne Brownie (East).
1.40 Kathleen Sutherland (Northern) v Pearl Beattie (Dumfries-shire).
1.48 Sheila Cuthbertson (Borders) v Jean Brydson (Galloway).
1.55 Fiona de Vries (Midlands) v May Hughes (West).

SEMI-FINALS on MONDAY, September 22 at 9am & 9.10
FINAL at 1.30pm.

Faithlegg win All-Ireland Ladies'
Four-ball Championship

PRESS RELEASE ISSUE BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Faithlegg were crowned All-Ireland Ladies Four-ball Champions following victory over Galway at the final of the 2008 Miele All-Ireland Inter-club Four-ball Championships at Mount Juliet Golf Club on Sunday.
Gerardine Neville and Olive Breen drew first blood for the Galway side when they closed out Aisling O’Shea and Siobhan Furlong on the 15th green.
Faithlegg’s Valerie Power and Gillian Hogan then levelled the tie with an impressive 8 and 6 win over Jane Whiriskey and Raymonde Standun.
Jenny Gleeson and Eilis Strappe halved with Deirdre Costello and Mairead O’Shaughnessy in the final match while the pairing of Lucy Fowler and Katherine Grant Faithlegg brought the title across the Shannon with a 5 and 3 victory over Sheelagh Kearney and Kathleen Ivers.
In Saturday’s semi-finals, Galway defeated a luckless Cushendall side by 3˝ -˝. Although Donabate battled bravely in their encounter, Faithlegg proved too strong with a 3˝ -˝ victory.
Details:
FINAL
FAITHLEGG 2˝, GALWAY 1˝
Aisling O’Shea and Siobhan Furlong lost to Gerardine Neville and Olive Breen 4 and 3.
Valerie Power and Gillian Hogan bt Jane Whiriskey and Raymonde Standun 8 and 6.
Lucy Fowler and Katherine Grant bt Sheelagh Kearney, Kathleen Ivers 5 and 3.
Jenny Gleeson and Eilis Strappe halved with Deirdre Costello and Mairead O’Shaughnessy.

SEMI-FINALS
GALWAY 3˝, CUSHENDALL ˝
Gerardine Neville and Olive Breen bt Amelia McKillop and Patricia O’Brien 1 hole.
Jane Whiriskey and Raymonde Standun bt Paddy Rea and Sara McKeegan 3 and 1.
Sheelagh Kearney and Kathleen Ivers halved with Anne Higgins and Christine McSparran.
Deirdre Costelloe and Mairead O’Shaughnessy bt Roisin Darragh and Dolores McDonnell 8 and 6.
FAITHLEGG 3˝ DONABATE ˝
Aishling O’Shea and Siobhan Furlong halved with Aileen Hanratty, Patricia Morris.
Valarie Power and Gillian Hogan bt Pat Doran, Helen Ryan 2 and 1.
Lucy Fowler and Katherine Grant bt Mary McKenna and Mary Whyte 3 and 2.
Jenny Gleeson and Eilish Strappe bt Deirdre Bradshaw and Carol McIlhagga 3 and 2.

English County Finals tee off at Long Ashton
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
The English counties’ championship will be decided this week at Long Ashton Golf Club in Gloucestershire.
This year, for the first time, the County Finals are being contested by six teams, each representing one of EWGA’s regions. They are: Dorset, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Sussex, Warwickshire and Yorkshire.
Play begins today and continues until Friday. Keep up with the action on the English Women’s Golf Association website: www.englishwomensgolf.org
The order of play is:
MONDAY
Yorkshire v Sussex
Leicestershire v Dorset
Hertfordshire v Warwickshire
TUESDAY
Leicestershire v Hertfordshire
Sussex v Dorset
Warwickshire v Yorkshire
WEDNESDAY
Dorset v Warwickshire
Yorkshire v Hertfordshire
Leicestershire v Sussex
THURSDAY
Yorkshire v Leicestershire
Sussex v Warwickshire
Hertfordshire v Dorset
FRIDAY
Hertfordshire v Sussex
Warwickshire v Leicestershire
Dorset v Yorkshire
The teams are:
Dorset – South-West Region
Captain: Pip Duncan
Team:
Melanie Buxton
Carly Cummins
Ilona Davidson
Hayley Davis
Georgia Hall
Kerry Anne Haskell
Harriet Legg
Marketa Mann
Melissa McMahon
Chantal Scott
Hertfordshire – East Region
Captain: Jaki White
Team:
Charlie Douglass
Charlotte Field
Jackie Foster
Alison Franklin
Lucy Glyn
Tina Jeary
Harriet Key
Steph McEvoy
Lucinda Mileham
Lucy Williams
Leicestershire – Midlands North Region
Captain: Tracy Bourne
Team:
Tracy Bourne
Chloe Dexter
Kym Larratt
Helen Lowe
Jo Morris
Helen Summ
Jamie-Leigh Voss
Sussex – South Region
Captain: Sheila Williams
Team:
Clarissa Bushell
Chloe Court
Alice Gimson
Aileen Greenfield
Hannah Ralph
Katherine Russell
Karen Sykes
Reserve: Jo Galway
Warwickshire – Midlands South
Captain: Bev Belcher
Team:
Tracy Atkin
Lisa Barton
Claire Howells
Charlotte Dalton
Abbey Gittings
Rachel Rusted
Elizabeth Hancock
Lauren Taylor
Hannah McLoughlin
Elizabeth Mallett
Ashley Crammond
Yorkshire – North Region
Captain: Winifred Varley
Team:
Naomi Edwards
Emma Brown
Sara Garbutt
Kim Crooks
Nikki Dunn
Laura Harvey
Ellie Robinson
Helen Searle

Junior Ryder Cup match starts
in Kentucky today

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
The seventh Junior Ryder Cup gets underway in America today with the European boys and girls benefitting from the expertise and inspiration of Tommy Horton MBE, the first Honorary Captain of the European Team.
The Junior Ryder Cup takes place at The Club at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, Kentucky, on Monday and Tuesday before the two teams play a Friendship exhibition match at Valhalla on Wednesday, where two days later Nick Faldo’s European Team will launch their bid to win The Ryder Cup for a fourth successive time against Paul Azinger’s US Team.
Since the inaugural Junior Ryder Cup in 1995, Europe have won four matches, the United States one with the last match, in 2006 at The Celtic Manor Resort in South Wales, dramatically halved six points apiece. Sergio Garcia, who this week will compete in his fifth Ryder Cup, played in that first Junior Ryder Cup contest.
This year, European Captain Gary Stangl’s 12-strong Team includes the Irish golfing sensations, 13-year-old identical twins Lisa and Leona Maguire, Spain’s Anna Arrese, Scotland’s Carly Booth, Kelly Tidy of England and Denmark’s Daisy Nielsen.
The boys' half of the team comprises the French duo of Stanislas Gautier and Julien Brun, Germany’s Moritz Lampert, Spain’s Adrian Otaegui, Englishman Chris Lloyd and Italy’s Matteo Manassero.
Horton has made a massive contribution to the game throughout his career as a Ryder Cup player, tournament winner, skilled administrator as a member of the PGA European Tour Board of Directors and Chairman of the Seniors Tour Committee, course designer and renowned coach, and this week his support of the team is proving invaluable in helping the six boys and girls to prepare for the match against the United States.
His contribution was recognised prior to the team’s departure when George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, presented Horton with a Rolex watch, courtesy of the Official Partners to The Ryder Cup, to mark his appointment as Honorary Captain of the European Junior Ryder Cup Team.
Widely recognised as one of the finest short game exponents in golf, Horton’s expertise is sure to help the European Team deal with the challenge of The Club at Olde Stone, a course with challenging greens and run-offs where chipping and putting will be of a premium.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for all these young players, something they have never experienced.
“Gary (Stangl), Fredrik (Lindgren) and I have been helping them prepare as I don’t think they have played a golf course like this before. It is a marvellous opportunity and hopefully we can use our collective knowledge to help them out a little.
“Since the team arrived in Kentucky on Friday, they have bonded and are now communicating as a team and that is the whole objective of this. The European Ryder Cup Team has shown us that the way to win is as a team and that is what we are working towards.”
European Junior Ryder Cup Captain Gary Stangl is excited to showcase his European players. "They do not have to prove anything, they have played well and are very motivated,” said Stangl, who was a member of the Austrian National Junior Team from 1993-'95, and was a member of the Austrian National Team from 1995-'99. "I want to make sure they feel comfortable with each other and have a lot of fun."
The Junior Ryder Cup features six foursomes matches followed by mixed four-ball on the first day and 12 singles matches on day two. This is a change of format from previous years and will generate twice as many points to play for and makes the format a mini version of The Ryder Cup.
The Friendship Match is a new addition which will see the juniors playing a nine hole exhibition at Valhalla on Wednesday which will be a phenomenal experience for the juniors competing on The Ryder Cup Course just two days before The 2008 Ryder Cup between the United States and Europe gets underway

LPGA Tour Scoreboard
BELL MICRO LPGA CLASSIC
RTJ Golf Trail, Mobile, Alabama.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
277 Angela Stanford 70 67 67 73
278 Shanshan Feng (Chn) 67 73 70 68
280 Kim Hall 70 74 67 69
281 Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 69 68 73, Danielle Downey 69 78 64 70, Hee Young Park (Kor) 71 70 70 70
282 Mollie Fankhauser 71 69 72 70, In Kyung Kim (Kor) 74 70 68 70, Kristy McPherson 70 74 67 71
284 Reilley Rankin 70 69 72 73, Cristie Kerr 69 66 76 73, Anna Rawson (Aus) 67 73 75 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 73 71 72 68, Nicole Castrale 68 76 72 68, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 71 73 67 73
285 Paula Creamer 78 69 67 71, Irene Cho 68 72 74 71, Sarah Jane Kenyon 73 69 71 72, Angela Park (Bra) 68 73 69 75, Brittany Lang 72 73 67 73
286 Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 73 71 68 74, Na On Min (Jpn) 73 74 70 69, Heather Daly-Donofrio 72 69 71 74, Jeong Jang (Kor) 69 72 72 73
287 Michelle Ellis 68 70 75 74, Jamie Hullett 73 70 73 71, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 69 73 76 69
288 Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 70 75 73 70, Brandie Burton 75 71 68 74, Louise Friberg (Swe) 74 73 70 71, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 70 75 72 71, Stacy Lewis 70 76 67 75
289 Laura Diaz 72 68 76 73
291 Michele Redman 73 73 72 73
292 Ya-Ni Tseng (Kor) 69 76 81 66, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 72 75 74 71, Karen Stupples (Eng) 72 75 75 70, Birdie Kim (Kor) 76 71 71 74, Charlotte Mayorkas 73 74 74 71
293 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 73 73 74 73, Wendy Doolan (Aus) 71 73 76 73, Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha) 70 75 74 74
294 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 73 75 74 72, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 75 69 74 76, Allison Hanna-Williams 73 69 74 78, Christina Kim 71 75 74 74
295 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 73 71 73 78, Jane Park 70 78 76 71, Becky Morgan (Wal) 76 71 74 74, Kris Tamulis 73 74 74 74, Ashli Bunch 74 73 75 73, Lorie Kane (Kor) 71 75 76 73
296 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 73 75 71 77, Pat Hurst 75 71 72 78
297 Marisa Baena 71 77 75 74, Kelli Kuehne 71 74 76 76, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 74 74 71 78, Diana D'Alessio 75 73 70 79, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 72 75 77 73, Sarah Lee 74 71 80 72, Katie Futcher 69 74 77 77
298 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 75 73 77 73, Lisa Strom 75 72 74 77, Nancy Scranton 76 72 74 76, Wendy Ward 71 73 78 76, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 73 74 77 74
299 Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 74 70 79 76
300 Johanna Head (Eng) 74 74 83 69
301 Jackie Gallagher-Smith 72 75 75 79
302 Paige Mackenzie 71 77 80 74
303 Jill McGill 70 76 80 77, Elizabeth Janangelo 73 72 80 78
305 Sophie Giquel (Fra) 71 75 80 79
306 Michelle McGann 70 77 79 80
307 Janice Moodie (Sco) 71 76 81 79

Krystle 77, Rebecca 82 in first

round of Cougar Classic

Krystle Caithness did not have such a good round - five-over-par 77 for a share of 67th place in a field of 112 - but her University of Georgia team-mates picked up their game with a result that Georgia was sharing the lead with Virginia University in the team event at the end of the first day of the Cougar Classic, hosted by the College of Charleston a Yeamans Hall Club, South Carolina.

The Curtis Cup player had only one birdie, at the long seventh, in halves of 38 and 39. She double bogeyed the short 13th and dropped single shots at the second, fifth, ninth and 17th.

Georgia team-mate Mallory Hetzel and Whitney Neuhauser (Virginia) led the field with matching four-under-par 68s.
Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) from the Channel Islands was lying in joint 27th place with a 74. Olivia had birdies at the third, seventh and 18th in halves of 36 and 38.
Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) from South Queensferry had an 82 (41-41). Rebecca had no birdies. She had a triple bogey 8 at the long ninth.
+Krystle Caithness's family home is now Cupar, not Cellardyke, as reported recently on Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 72, 6157yd
68 Mallory Hetzel (Georgia), Whitney Neuhauser (Virginia).
69 Julie Seleeby (North Carolina State), Caroline Westrup (Florida State).
70 Katie Burnett (South Carolina), Marta Silva (Georgia), Benedicte Toumpsin (Soouth Carolina).
Other scores:
74 Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) (jt 27th).
77 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) (jt 67th).
82 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) (jt 99th).
LEADING TEAMS
288 Virginia, Georgia.
290 South Carolina.
292 North Carolina, Florida State.
293 Alabama.
Also:
308 Tennessee (18th of 20 teams).

Marshall siblings win Scottish
mixed title at Duddingston

Stephen and Karen Marshall, a brother and sister partnership from Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh won the Scottish mixed foursomes championship by two shots from a field of more than 40 couples at Duddingston Golf Club, Edinburgh today.
Host club member Iain Stavert and Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe) were runners-up with
a 75.
Three pairs finished on 77 - former Scotland international Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) and new Scottish policewoman's title-winner Donna MacLeod (Inverness), Ian and Lorraine Campbell (Cardross), and Graham Allan (Cardross) and former Scotland cap Claire Hargan (Mortonhall).
Fotheringham and MacLeod were placed third with the best inward half and the Campells shaded Allan and Hargan for fourth place, again with a better inward half.
Robert Denholm (Duddingston) and Davina Gillies (Musselburgh), playing off a handicap of 16, won the leading handicap prize with a net score of 70 - 3 1/2 strokes ahead of runners-up Peter Braid (Duddingston) and Heather Braid (Musselburgh), playing off 11 1/2.
LEADING SCRATCH SCORES
73 S & KMarshall (Baberton).
75 I Stavert (Duddingston) & L Fraser (Kingsknowe).
77 B Fotheringham (Forres) & D MacLeod (Inverness) bih, I & L Campbell (Cardross) bih, G Allan (Cardross) & C Hargan (Mortonhall).
LEADING HANDICAP SCORES
70 R Denholm (Duddingston) & D Gillies (Musselburgh) (16).
73 1/2 P Braid (Duddingston) & H Braid (Musselburgh) (11 1/2).

Laura Davies wins Austrian
title for second year in row

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Wiener Neustadt, Austria. England’s Laura Davies successfully defended her Austrian title at Golf Club Fohrenwald in Wiener Neustadt today.
Davies, who began the final round tied for the lead with Swede Emma Zackrisson, shot a four-under-par 68 in cold conditions to finish on 15-under-par 273, three strokes ahead of compatriot Lisa Hall.
“Four times I’ve been here and four times I’ve been in the presentation. Twice a winner now; it’s good,” said an elated Davies. “The first year I came here I knew I liked the course and I knew I could win and sure enough the last two years I have.”
Davies posted rounds of 71, 67, 67 and 68 to notch her first win since the New South Wales Open in Sydney, Australia, in January. “I love winning and that is what I do this for. It is just fantastic to have won,” she added.
The four-time major champion held the momentum from the start with birdies on the seventh and eighth holes. Back-to-back bogeys on the 10th and 11th stalled her momentum, but she then hit a superb drive to four feet short of the flag at the 291yd par-4 12th and rolled in the eagle putt to extend her lead.
“The bogeys on 10 and 11 were not unlucky, but silly chips, and I didn’t even birdie nine so I was starting to panic a little bit,” explained the 44-year-old Davies.
“We hadn’t seen a score board all day and sure enough I was only one ahead at that point. I hit that driver and it was probably one of the best shots I’ve ever hit. I said to (her caddie) Johnnie: For me, that’s as good as I can do.
"That was pretty much the time when I really felt comfortable to win.”
In a dramatic finish, Luna aced the par-three 16th hole to pull within one of Davies, who then birdied the same hole, sinking a crucial 12 footer.
“That was huge because, you know, a hole with water on, you can always make a mess of it. I came off with a birdie and had the two-shot lead and that gives you a cushion,” said Davies, who finished with a birdie at the par-5 last hole.
“I know on 18 I’m hitting a seven-iron in there for my second shot so that is a pretty easy hole for me,” she explained.
Davies now hopes to build on her success with further victories and Solheim Cup points. “I want to get my confidence back; I want to be ready to go again next year and be in The Solheim Cup. That is a big thing for me next year,” she said.
Luna was forced to settle for third place on 11-under-par after she bogeyed 18, but it was her third top-five finish in a row after a tie for fourth in Norway and fifth in Finland. “I am happy because I had a good round but it hurts a little bit, especially because of the finish. It has been three times now that I have been up there. I will recover soon,” Luna said.
She was able to take some comfort from her third career hole-in-one as she hit a brilliant nine-iron almost straight into the hole on 16 giving herself the choice of a BMWR 1200 motorbike or a Mini One LP as a prize.
Luna said that she would consider the choice, although she doesn’t drive a motorbike.
German rookie Denise-Charlotte Becker secured fourth place on ten-under-par, which was her best finish of 16 events this year. Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson, Spain’s Carmen Alonso and third round co-leader Zackrisson shared fifth on nine-under-par.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
273 Laura Davies (Eng) 71 67 67 68
276 Lisa Hall (Eng) 69 69 70 68
277 Diana Luna (Ita) 68 70 70 69
278 Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger) 67 71 69 71
279 Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 69 70 71 69, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 73 69 68 69, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 67 67 71 74
280 Caroline Afonso (Fra) 68 71 71 70, Anja Monke (Ger) 67 70 72 71, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 70 69 69 72
281 Iben Tinning (Den) 74 67 71 69, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 71 69 71 70, Martina Gillen (Irl) 71 71 68 71
282 Anna Rossi (Ita) 69 75 72 66, Karen Lunn (Aus) 66 70 76 70, Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 69 69 74 70, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 72 68 72 70, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 70 68 71 73
283 Georgina Simpson (Eng) 69 70 73 71
284 Clare Queen (Sco) 68 74 72 70
285 Stefania Croce (Ita) 71 73 74 67, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 69 71 73 72, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 72 71 69 73
286 Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 73 69 74 70, Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin) 70 68 75 73, Vittoria Valvassori (Ita) 69 70 74 73, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 73 71 69 73, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 71 68 72 75, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 71 71 69 75
287 Julie Greciet (Fra) 73 72 71 71, Nina Reis (Swe) 72 70 72 73, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 71 71 71 74, Lydia Hall (Wal) 68 75 70 74, Claire Coughlan-Ryan (Irl) 71 68 73 75, Ellen Smets (Bel) 72 72 68 75, Beth Allen (USA) 68 71 72 76
288 Elena Giraud (Fra) 70 70 74 74, Olof Maria Jonsdottir (Ice) 71 72 71 74, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 73 68 72 75
289 Federica Piovano (Ita) 71 73 76 69, Frances Bondad (Aus) 72 72 74 71, Paula Marti (Spa) 76 69 73 71, Natalie Claire Booth (Eng) 72 69 75 73, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 74 68 73 74
290 Marjet Van Der Graaff (Nzl) 72 72 73 73
291 Joanne Mills (Aus) 69 75 74 73, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 71 71 74 75, Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 77 68 70 76
292 Lora Fairclough (Eng) 72 73 74 73, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 67 74 76 75
293 Camille Fallay (Fra) 72 71 76 74, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 71 70 77 75
294 Hazel Kavanagh (Irl) 72 72 81 69, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 70 73 77 74, Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 71 72 76 75, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 70 70 76 78
297 Maria Boden (Swe) 72 73 76 76
298 Anne Norman Hansen (Den) 73 72 74 79
302 Margherita Rigon (Ita) 72 73 81 76, Joanne Oliver (Eng) 73 72 77 80

Hannah McCook (Abernethy) receives the UBC girls' scratch medal from area director Iain Sutherland at Loch Ness golf course today. You can enlarge the image by clicking on it (Cal Carson Golf Agency image, all rights reserved).

Hannah McCook wins first

UBC girls' title in Inverness

Fifteen-year-old Hannah McCook (Abernethy) won the inaugural scratch medal in the UBC girls’ championship, played over a testing Loch Ness course at Castle Heather, Inverness today.
The CSS was three shots more than the SSS of 70 (par of 71) for the 5,387yd course.
Hannah, who has a handicap of five, returned a gross 81 with halves of 42 (five over par) and 39 (also five over par).
She had a gross birdie at the fourth and par figures at nine holes to set against double bogeys at the third, eighth and 13th.
Hannah, daughter of Press and Journal staff photographer Sandy McCook, won the scratch section by two shots from Ailsa Summers (Panmure Barry), whose mother Mary was a Scottish girl international and reached the final of the British girls championship at Edzell in her day.
The Aird sisters from the Strathmore club had exactly the same score – 85 – and exactly the same halves of 45 out and 40 in.
Emily had the better last six holes in the tie-breaker for third scratch prize.
Megan’s net 75 off 10 won her the handicap medal by one shot from Vicki Powell (Deeside) who played off 19. Megan is pictured on right above with Hannah McCook and Iain Sutherland (Cal Carson Golf Agency image, all rights reserved).

GIRLS' SCOREBOARD
Par 71. SSS 70. CSS 73. 5,387yd.
LEADING SCRATCH
81 Hannah McCook (Abernethy) 42-39.
83 Ailsa Summers (Panmure Barry) 42-41.
85 Emily Aird (Strathmore) 45-40 better last 6, Megan Aird (Strathmore) 45-40.
86 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly) 48-38, Sophie Alexander (Deeside) 47-39, Samantha Leslie (Murcar Links) 46-40.
91 Louise McGillivray (Banchory).
92 Rachel Polson (Peterculter).
93 Nikita Lamond (McDonald Ellon), Kirsten MacCallum (McDonald Ellon), Tegan Seivwright (Peterculter), Heather Munro (Monifieth), Kitrina Vannet (Peterculter).
95 Vicki Powell (Deeside).
97 Erin Millar (Pitlochry).
106 Annabelle Brown (Nairn Dunbar).
122 Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne).
NRs Jordyn Booth (Kemnay), Lauren Duncan (Aboyne), Louise Smith (Monifieth).

LEADING HANDICAP
75 Megan Aird (Strathmore) (10).
76 Vicki Powell (Deeside) (19).
77 Fiona Fullerton (9) 77 (bih), Tegan Seivwright (Peterculter) (16).

PRIZEWINNERS
Scratch – 81 H McCook. 83 A Summers. 85 E Aird.
Handicap – 75 M Aird (10). 76 V Powell (19). 77 F Fullerton (9).

ADDITIONAL PRIZEWINNERS
Handicaps 1-10 – Sophie Alexander (7) 79.
Handicaps 11-16 – Tegan Seivwright (16) 77.