Leveret

CORISANDE LEE WINS THE LEVERET

On the last Saturday in March, once again the weather stayed fair for the Leveret 36 hole scratch trophy at Formby Ladies Golf Club. An icy wind blew quite menacingly from the Northwest all day and with temperatures failing to make double figures the course proved too stern a test for the majority of the field.
Cori Lee (pictured right, image courtesy and copyright Tom Ward) from the West Lancashire Golf Club scored an extremely impressive 71 +70 = 141 and was a very worthy winner in the highest quality field the Leveret has seen.
Of the 54 competitors, 20 were off scratch or better and the highest handicap was 3. This confirms how highly the players rate the opening event of the season and how determined they are to master the challenging course that tests so many of their golfing skills.
In the morning the CSS rose from 72 to 74 then to 73 in the afternoon as the sun tried hard to shine & the wind dropped slightly. Cori Lee was chased all day by her playing partner, Holly Clyburn, Woodhall Spa who will rue the 3 times she hit the flagstick in the afternoon round without the ball ever disappearing. Holly was only 2 shots adrift after 14 holes in the afternoon but Cori then showed her class by covering the last 4 holes in par to steady the ship and regain the trophy she won in 2006.
The experienced Emma Brown, Malton & Norton had a consistent 74 + 74 = 148 for third place. In fourth place young Emily Taylor, Royal Lytham did much to impress the Lancashire & England selectors with rounds of 75 + 76 = 151 proving how well she copes with difficult conditions.
The Leveret is well supported by many teenagers and 13 year old Charley Hull from Kettering showed how talented a player she already is. Playing off 3 handicap her 76 + 77 = 153 placed her 6th equal in the scratch event and winner outwith the main prize winners of the aggregate handicap prize. Formby Ladies hopes Charley and all this year’s field will return next year.

FULL RESULTS
141 CORI LEE (71,70)
145 HOLLY CLYBURN (73,72)
148 EMMA BROWN (74,74)
151 EMILY TAYLOR (75,76)
152 CHARLOTTE WILD (76,76)
153 LAURA COLLIN (80,73), NAOMI EDWARDS (78,75), CHARLEY HULL (76,77), NIKKI DUNN (74,79), KATE WHITMORE (74,79)
154 RACHEL CONNOR (81,73), NATASHA GOBEY (79,75), EMMA CLEGG (77,77), TARA DAVIES (77,77), CHARLOTTE ELLIS (76,78)
155 AMY BOULDEN (80,75), CAROLINE MARRON (78,77), ELIZABETH MALLETT (76,79), ELLIE ROBINSON (75,80)
156 TILLY HOLDER (81,75), ALEXANDRA PETERS (80,76), SARA GARBUTT (79,77)
157 KIM CROOKS (81,76), NATALIE LOWE (80,77), ABBEY GITTENS (79,78), NIKKI FOSTER (78,79), Sarah Attwood (77,80)
158 KATIE BEST (83,75), CHARLOTTE DALTON (82,76), EMMA GODDARD (81,77)
159 JANE BINNING (85,74), KYM LARRATT (82,77)
160 RACHEL GOODALL (84,76), SAMANTHA BIRKS (83,77), SARAH WALTON (81,79)
161 JENNA BIRCH (84,77), CHARLIE DOUGLASS (84,77), HELEN SEARLE (82,79), MARIE ALLEN (82,79), Kelly Tidy (80,81), BRONTE LAW (79,82)
162 Laura Harvey (80,82)
163 JESSICA RIGBY (84,79)
164 AMY SKOULDING (85,79), RACHEL DRUMMOND (81,83)
165 LISA BARTON (85,80)
166 BRONWYN DAVIES (81,85), BROGAN TOWNEND (81,85)
167 ANNA CARLING (83,84), CLAIRE MACDONALD (83,84), KAREN HEYWOOD (79,88)
170 REBECCA MCGINLEY (84,86)
184 CHARLOTTE AUSTWIC (95,89)

Tom Ward's photographs can be found on his Flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/twardpress/sets/72157616034619188

All images Courtesy and Copyright Tom Ward
Thanks to Fiona Anderson for the report

Scottish Golf Dinner

Press release
DOUBLE FOR MACAULAY AS SCOTTISH MALE GOLFER OF THE YEAR

Kylie Walker (pictured right, courtesy idealimages.co.uk) takes the Ladies Order of Merit trophy

Tulliallan star Callum Macaulay was awarded his second successive Scottish Golfer of the Year award tonight in front of a packed house at the Scottish Golf Dinner in Glasgow (Friday 27 March).

The 25-year-old’s achievements in his final season as an amateur were celebrated at the glittering event hosted by television personality Dougie Donnelly at Glasgow's Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Living up to his status as the country’s leading player he won the Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship at Carnoustie and also enjoyed individual success at the Tennant Cup.

However Macaulay also excelled as a team player with his form of the previous year earning him selection for the GB & Ireland squad that contested the St Andrews Trophy with a powerful Continent of Europe side.

Asked to lead the team out in both days’ singles by team captain Colin Dalgleish, he finished the two-day match unbeaten in four rounds of singles and foursomes, as did fellow Scot Wallace Booth of Comrie.

The pair teamed up again later in the season, along with Murrayshall’s Gavin Dear to produce the performance that turned 2008 into one of the most special years in the history of Scottish amateur golf.

Just six years after it was decided that the four Home Unions would compete separately in the World Championships rather than as Great Britain & Ireland, the Scots became the first of them to lift the famous Eisenhower Trophy in the contest that marked the 50th anniversary of the event.

Buoyed by that success in Australia, Macaulay then moved on to the European Tour Qualifying School where, among 900 competitors, he was the lone amateur to win his full tour card.

Evidence that he is at home among the elite was provided just last weekend when his spectacular back nine in the final round at the Madeira Islands Open, including eight birdies as he roared home in 28 strokes, earned him a runners-up finish and a cheque for £73,000 that will greatly ease the pressure of his first year on tour.

With Macaulay competing on the European Tour again this week the award was picked up on his behalf by Ian Rae, the Scottish Golf Union’s national coach who is still working closely with him.

Macaulay did not repeat last year’s achievement of winning both the Scottish Golfer of the Year title and the SGU Order of Merit however because of the remarkable consistency of Caprington’s Steven McEwan, who claimed seven top 10 finishes to take that title.

Booth, who won the Bidwells Scottish Strokeplay Championship as well as the Newlands Trophy in the course of the season, and Dear meanwhile picked up special awards for their contributions to the World Championship win.

Another who shone on the international stage was Boys Order of Merit Trophy winner Michael Stewart, the Scottish Boys champion, who captained the GB&I Boys team to victory in the Jacques Leglise Trophy, while at senior level he put in a fine performance to finish runner-up at the St Andrews Links Trophy.

At the other end of the experience scale was Gordon MacDonald who won the Scottish Seniors Order of Merit after achieving four top five finishes in their counting events, forcing Macaulay’s clubmate Bob Stewart, winner of the Scottish Seniors Strokeplay title, into second place.

Scottish Ladies amateur golf was also celebrated in a season that saw Booth’s sister Carly become the youngest ever player to represent GB&I in the Curtis Cup. That team contained a record equalling four Scots with Krystle Caithness, Michelle Thomson and Sally Watson accompanying the teenager in the match played at the Old Course.

In the domestic season Kylie Walker and Kelsey MacDonald (pictured left, courtesy idealimages.co.uk), won the ladies and girls Order of Merit titles respectively by impressive margins.

Guest speaker Professor David Purdie rounded off a memorable evening which saw former European Tour star Stephen McAllister and Ladies European Tour player Lynn Kenny among those presenting awards.

Oxford v Cambridge

The Ladies’ Golf Varsity Match

The ladies’ golf teams at Oxford and Cambridge enjoy a fantastic fixture list, playing against many prestigious clubs between the start of term in October and the annual varsity match in March, when they finally face each other. This year the 12th match was hosted by Rye Golf Club on Tuesday 24th March. The first match was held in 1998 and, although Oxford dominated the first seven matches, winning six of them, Cambridge are catching up and the tally now stands at 8 matches to 4.

Photo back left :Etta Martin Smith, Kate O’Donnell, Katie Taylor, Louisa Tarn, Leanne Mullen (Cambridge Captain), Amy Bilderbeck (Oxford Captain), Jennifer Hauschild, Gillian Kinnear, Alex Walvis, Front left Alexia Sohet, Angharad Porteous , Jennifer Mc Sloy, Jane Han, Lucy Webb-Wilson.

On paper, Cambridge were the stronger side, having lower handicaps and more experience than the Oxford team, whose 2008 players had all graduated at the end of that year (with the exception of Amy Bilderbeck, who had been the reserve at Royal Liverpool and was promoted straight to the captaincy). With all the matches played off scratch, Oxford knew they had to come out fighting. Amy and her partner, Jennifer Mc Sloy took an early lead with an excellent 3 at the short 2nd in tricky blustery conditions. However, the opposing captain, Leanne Mullen, and her partner, 2-handicapper Louisa Tarn, showed their class as the match progressed and they emerged convincing winners at the 14th. The last match proved to be similarly one-sided, despite tremendously long hitting from the Oxford pair, tidier play around Rye’s immaculate and difficult greens proved the decisive factor. By contrast, the second match was fought to a nail-biting finish, with the Cambridge pair making a good par on the 18th to narrowly take the third point of the morning for the light blues.

Cambridge only needed to win two points from the six afternoon singles but Oxford went out determined to make them fight for every one. The top match was a high quality game between the lowest handicapped players on the two teams, with Louisa eventually getting the upper hand over Oxford’s Gillian Kinnear and closing out the match on the 15th. The match-winning point was secured a short time later on the same green when Kate O’Donnell prevailed over Jennifer Mc Sloy. The remaining matches were played to a conclusion with each player keen to prove their skill and resolve. Jennifer Hauschild put in a gutsy performance against the significantly more experienced Cambridge captain, but hopes of a win against the odds were dismissed at the 17th. When Katie Taylor secured another hard-fought point against the Oxford captain, it was in danger of looking like a white-wash, but the remaining Oxford players had other ideas. In the fifth match, Alex Walvis had struggled to adapt to the links conditions but battled with herself, as well as her opponent, to stay in the match. She managed to get to 1 up going down the 18th but Cambridge’s Etta Martin Smith was not to be denied some reward for her consistent good play and won the hole to secure a half. Her team mate, Alexia Sohet, was not so lucky in the exciting final match; although she fought back from 2 down to square the match after 17, Oxford’s Lucy Webb-Wilson holed a great putt for a birdie to win her game and salvage some honour for the dark blues.

Despite the historic rivalry between the universities and a strong desire to win on both sides, all the matches were played in fantastic spirit. The many spectators who turned out to watch were treated both to fine golf and sincere sportsmanship. Friendships were formed which will last beyond university. Both past and present golfers are invited to become members of the Oxford and Cambridge Ladies’ Golfing Society, which was founded in 1991 to provide competitive golf for alumnae and to promote women’s golf at the two universities. Members of the O&CLGS meet each year at their Spring and Autumn Meetings, a number of matches and the Ladies’ Niblick, a knock-out tournament held just down the road from Rye at Littlestone Golf Club. More information about ladies’ Oxbridge golf can be found at www.oclgs.org.uk.

Results (Cambridge names first)
Foursomes
Leanne Mullen & Louisa Tarn beat Amy Bilderbeck & Jennifer Mc Sloy 5&4
Kate O’Donnell & Katie Taylor beat Gillian Kinnear & Jennifer Hauschild 1 up
Etta Martin Smith & Alexia Sohet beat Alex Walvis and Lucy Webb-Wilson 3&2
Singles
Tarn beat Kinnear 4&3
Mullen beat Hauschild 2&1
O’Donnell beat Mc Sloy 4&3
Taylor beat Bilderbeck 2&1
Martin Smith halved with Walvis
Sohet lost to Webb-Wilson 1 down
Final score: Cambridge 7 ½ Oxford 1 ½
In the match between the reserves, Cambridge’s Angharad Porteous beat Jane Han 5&4.

Thanks to the Cambridge Captain, Leanne Mullen, for the report and photo.

D&A Centenary Dinner

Kay McColl (D&A Captain) Belle Robertson and Ethel Jack (SLGA President) - Click to enlarge

Dunbartonshire and Argyll Ladies County Golf Association held their Centenary Dinner on Monday 23rd March 2009 in the Milngavie Town Hall. Captain Kay McColl welcomed the 170 ladies to the evening with a champagne reception. Hon President Lesley Mackiggan gave the toast to the County. After an excellent meal the guest speaker John Beattie gave the audience some wonderful rugby coaching which included Belle Robertson, Kay McColl and President of the SLGA Ethel Jack involved in scrum practice !!
To see some photos from the event go to the
D&A Website or the West of Scotland Website

Thanks to Carol Fell, our intrepid "Woman in the West" for supplying the info and photographs.

New Junior Girls website

I'm delighted to announce a new website for Junior Girls in Stirlingshire and Clackmannan.
The address is scclgagirls.blogspot.com but if you can't remember it, you'll always find it down the Girls Links on the left hand menu of this website.

Ladies' London Foursomes results

Results in the Ladies' London Foursomes at The Berkshire Golf Club:

THIRD ROUND
(winning margins not available)
Chelmsford bt Ashridge.
The Berkshire bt Hampton Court Palace.
Worplesdon bt Rochford Hundred.
Bishops Stortford bt Pyecombe.
Walton Heath bt Royal Ashdown Forest.
West Sussex v East Berkshire.
Beaconsfield bt Lamberhurst.
Guildford bt East Herts.

QUARTER-FINALS
Chelmsford bt The Berkshire 3 and 2.
Worplesdon bt Bishops Stortford 4 and 2.
West Sussex bt Walton Heath 8 and 6.
Beaconsfield bt Guildford 2 and 1.

Wales still at bottom of Nations Cup table

Wales are still at the bottom of an 11-team table in the women's European Nations Cup tournament at Real Sotogrande on Spain's Costa del Sol.
It did not help their cause that one of their counting scores in today's third round was an 82 by left-hander Stephanie Evans, which was 12 shots more than Rhian Wyn Thomas's 70.
Katherine O'Connor's non-counting score - two from three count daily per team - was not revealed on the Spanish Federation website but obviously it was higher than 82.
France entered the tournament as favourite on the strength of good displays by their individual team members in the Portuguese and then the Spanish women's open amateur championship.
But they will start Saturday's last round in four place on 442, eight shots behind leaders Spain (434) who lead by two from Italy (436) with the Netherlands (441) in third place.
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
434 SPAIN (A Zwanck 73 74 71, M Prat 73 71 -, I Diaz-Negrete - - 72).
436 ITALY (C Patussi 71 73 -, A De Luigi 72 - 77, A Knight - 70 73).
441 NETHERLANDS (M Eikenaar 74 - -, M Nivard 75 72 69, K Zaanen - 75 76).
442 FRANCE (R Crepiat 72 - 75, M Ricordeau 72 72 -, L Andre - 78 73).
444 BELGIUM.
446 GERMANY.
449 SWEDEN.
450 CZECH REPUBLIC, DENMARK.
452 FINLAND.
458 WALES (R Wyn Thomas 75 76 70, K O'Connor 79 - -, S Evans - 76 82).

Wales at bottom of Nations Cup scoreboard

Wales, the only one of the four home countries to enter a team, are lying last of 11 after two rounds of the women's European Nations Cup stroke-play tournament at Real Sotogrande on Spain's Costa del Sol.
HOW THEY STAND
286 ITALY.
291 SPAIN.
294 FRANCE.
295 BELGIUM.
296 GERMANY, NETHERLANDS.
297 CZECH REPUBLIC
298 DENMARK.
302 FINLAND.
303 SWEDEN.
306 WALES (Rhian Wyn Thomas 75 76, Katherine O'Connor 79 -, Stephanie Evans - 76).
(-) indicates non-counting score.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
143 Klara Spilkova (Czech Republic) 73 70.
144 Mireia Prat (Spain) 73 71, Marion Ricordeau (France) 72 72, Lara Katzy (Geremany) 71 73, Camilla Patussi (Italy) 71 73.

Ochoa and Wie struggle in wind in

Phoenix LPGA International

Defending champion and title favourite Lorena Ochoa and Michelle Wie struggled to tame a wild west wind as South Korea's In-Kyung Kim returned a four-under-par 68 to lead at the end of the first round in the Phoenix LPGA International.
Kim led by one from compatriots Women's British Open champion Jiyai Shin, Inbee Park and Eun-Hee Ji and American Cristie Kerr who eagled the final hole, and Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who finished with a birdie.
The wind gusts were measured as high as 40 mph at Papago, a recently refurbished municpal course being used for the first time for this tournament which has been played at Superstition Mountain for the past five years.
Some players thought that the wind was strong enough for play to be suspended.
Ochoa had a par-matching 72, the same score as Laura Davies, and 19-year-old Weir a 73.
Pat Hurst, the Mastercard Classic winner last week in Mexico, had a 76.
Becky Morgan and Karen Stupples struggled to break 80. Becky had a 78 for a share of 107th place while Karen returned a 79 for joint 124th place.
Shin had a spectacular finish, with birdies at 16 and 17, and a 12-foot eagle putt at the last. Shin, the HSBC Women's Champions winner in Singapore this month, is a 20-year-old rookie on the LPGA Tour.
She won three tournaments last year, the Ricoh Women's British Open, the Mizuno Classic and the season-ending ADT Championship, for which she earne $1 million.
Kris Tamulis aced the 158yd second hole with an 8-iron.
Darkness prevented nine players, including Janice Moodie and Johanna (Head) Mundy, from finishing their rounds. Moodie completed a 79 on Friday morning while Mundy had a 78.
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72, 6711yd
68 In-Kyung Kim.
69 Jiyai Shin, Eun-Hee Ji, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park, Suzann Pettersen.
70 Karine Icher, Wendy Doolan, Ire Cho, Angela Park, Song-Hee Kim, Karrie Webb, Ji Young Oh, Silvia Cavalleri, Giulia Sergas, Reilley Rankin.
Selected scores:
72 Laura Davies, Lorena Ochoa (jt 21st).
73 Michelle Wie (jt 37th).
78 Becky Morgan, Johanna Mundy.
79 Karen Stupples, Janice Moodie.

Heather and Cathy fly flag for

Scots in Roehampton Gold Cup

Former British women's open amateur stroke-play champion Heather MacRae, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, now an assistant professional at Gullane, and Cathy Panton Lewis (The Berkshire), still a professional golfer but also secretary of Sunningdale Ladies Golf Club, are the only two Scots in the field of 60 for the Roehampton Gold Cup over 36 holes at the London venue on Saturday, April 18.
The Roehampton Gold Cup is one of the few women's golf tournaments that is open to professionals and amateurs.
A two-tee start will be in operation as follows:

FIRST TEE in morning; TENTH TEE in afternoon.
8.0 & 1.0 Kelly Hutcherson (Porters Park) p, Esther Strous (Brocket Hall) p, Vanessa Bell (Clevedon) p.
8.09 & 1.09 Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire) p, Claire Aitken (Mid Kent) p, Sian James (Bristol & Clifton ) (+1).
8.18 & 1.18 Tracy Loveys (Bigbury) p, Emma Weeks (Bramshaw) p, Joanne Oliver (Knebworth) p.
8.27 & 1.27 Clare Brown (Morecombe) p, Heather Macrae (Gullane) p, Corisande Lee (West Lancashire) (+3).
8.36 & 1.36 Sarah Heath (Bearwood Lakes) p, Alex Keighley (Huddersfield) p, Kerry Knowles (Wentworth) p.
8.45 & 1.45 Marie Allen (Brookmans Park) p, Kirsty S Taylor (Weybrook Park) p, Joanne Morley (Sale) p.
8.54 & 1.54 Kirsty Taylor (Minchinhampton) p, Caroline Grady (Dunston Hall) p, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) (+2).
9.03 & 2.03 Felicity Johnson (unatt) p, Sophie Walker (Forest Pines) p, Frances Finney (Great Hadham (pro).
9.12 & 2.12 Kelly Allen (Brokenhurst Manor) (2), Rachel Drummond (Beconsfield) (2), Daisy Dywer (Chigwell) (3).
9.21 & 2.21 Kim Morris (Sundridge Park) (3), Samantha Lovell (Stock Brook Manor) (3), Charley Hull (Kettering) (3).
9.30 & 2.30 Katherine Russell (Royal Ashdown Forest) (2), Fiona Howard (Muswell Hill) (4), Jemma Aldridge (Sundridge Park) (4).
TENTH TEE in the morning; FIRST TEE in the afternoon
8.0 & 1.0 Susan Moon (Ladies European Tour) p, Catherine Panton-Lewis (The Berkshire) p, Roz Adams (Addington Court Ladies) (2).
8.09 & 1.09 Hannah Ralph (Cowdray Park) (+2) Chloe Court (Bognor Regis) (3), Emilee Taylor (Gainsborough) (+1).
8.18 & 1.18 Aileen Greenfield (Pyecombe) (+1), Joanna Galway (Pyecombe (2), Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt) (+1).
8.27 & 1.27 Tara Watters (Muswell Hill) (scr), Tilly Holder (Woburn) (scr), Trace Boyes (Meon Valley) (scr).
8.36 & 1.36 Ellis Keenan (Sunningdale) (scr), Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park) (2), Hermione Fitzgerald (Newmarket) (1).
8.45 & 1.45 Lauren Taylor (Woburn) (1), Sally Shayler (Bedfordshire) (1), Sian Evans (Faversham) (1).
8.54 & 1.54 Hayley Davis (Ferndown) (1), Katie Thompson (Meon Valley) (2), Danielle Gibb (Rochester & Cobham) (2).
9.03 & 2.03 Ellie Brede (Porters Park) (2), Sarah Saggers (East Herts (4), Abbey Gittings (Walmley) (2).
9.12 & 2.12 Amy Skoulding (Kings Lynn) (3), Tana Churchill (Surrey Downs) (3), Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) (4).
9.21 & 2.21 Georgia Hall (Ferndown) (4), Lucinda Mileham (Aldwickbury Park) (4), Mary MacLaren (Wellingborough) (4).
9.30 & 2.30 Victoria Harris (Beaconsfield) (4), Siobhan Pamenter (Upminster) (4), Mel Buxton (Broadstone) (5).

Niamh Kitching defends Cork Scratch Cup

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) defends the Ford Women’s Cork Scratch Cup when Ireland’s finest tee off at Little Island on Saturday, April 4.
Kitching will be looking for a repeat performance that saw her capture the title by one stroke from Co. Louth’s Deirdre Smith last April. She faces stiff competition from a host of Ireland’s elite including local favourites Gillian O’Leary and Emma O’Driscoll while Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), who finished second at Woodenbridge last weekend, is sure to feature.
Other leading amateurs in the field include Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) and Carlow’s Karen Delaney and Aedin Murphy who will also use the run out in preparation for the Munster Women’s Championship at Shannon the following week.
Past winners of this prestigious event include Mary McKenna, Claire Coughlan, Eileen Rose Power, Bridget Gleeson and Ann Heskin, to name but a few.
Play commences with an 18 hole shot-gun start at 9.00am followed by the final round that afternoon at 2.15pm.
Website: www.ilgu.ie

Michele and Fergus reach NE Alliance foursomes semi-final

Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), last year's Scottish women's amateur champion and now a rookie pro waiting to make her debut on the Ladies European Tour, teamed up with golf magazine writer Fergus Bisset (Banchory) to reach the semi-finals of the North-east Alliance foursomes at windy Murcar Links this morning.
Switch over to www.scottishgolfview.com for news of that tie and the other results.

Wales trail leaders Italy in

women's Nations Cup

Italy (143) are setting the pace ahead of France (144) and Denmark (145) in the women's European Nations Cup tournament at Real Sotogrande on Spain's Costa del Sol.
Wales are the only one of the four home unions to enter a team and Rhian Wyn Thomas (75) and Katherine O'Connor (79) are lying last of 11 after the first day. Stephanie Evans had Wales' discarded score.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
143 ITALY (Camilla Patussi 71, Alessandra de Luigi 72).
144 FRANCE (Rosanna Crepiat 72, Marion Ricordeau 72).
145 DENMARK.
146 SPAIN.
148 BELGIUM.
149 GERMANY, NETHERLANDS, SWEDEN.
150 CZECH REPUBLIC.
151 FINLAND.
154 WALES (Rhian Wyn Thomas 75, Katherine O'Connor 79).

LEADING INDIVIDUALS
71 Lara Katzy (Germany), Daisy Nielsen (Denmark), Camilla Patussi (Italy).
72 Rosanna Crepiat (France), Sara Vanzonhoven (Belgium), Alessandra de Luigi (Italy), Marion Ricordeau (France).

+To find out the scores in the men's European Nations Cup, also being played at Real Sotogrande, switch over to www.scottishgolfview.com

Rachel Jennings defends

French Under-21

title at Paris St Cloud

England international Rachel Jennings, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, will defend the title in the French lady junior championship at St Cloud Golf Club, Paris from April 9-13.
She is a member of a talented squad of six players selected to represent the English Women’s Golf Association in the event. The championship is contested by the cream of Europe’s Under-21 golfers.
The squad is:
Hannah Barwood (Knowle), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Rachel Connor (Manchester), Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walon), Alex Peters (Notts’ Ladies) and Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
The teams for the Vilmorin Cup, which is played for over the qualifying rounds, are:
Team 1 – Hannah Barwood, Rachel Connor, Rachel Jennings.
Team 2 - Holly Clyburn, Alex Peters, Kelly Tidy.
The players:
Hannah Barwood, 18, is the English women’s champion and an England international, the Welsh Under-21 stroke-play champion and the Faldo Series girls’ champion.
Holly Clyburn, 18, is an England girl international, and the British Colleges open golf champion. She is the Lincolnshire ladies champion and the North of England schools' champion.
Rachel Connor, 18, is another successful England girl international and made her debut in the ladies’ Home Internationals in 2008. She won the Formby Leveret last year and the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy the previous season.
Rachel Jennings, 20, won the 2008 French lady junior championship and is a past holder of the English girls’ title. She was a Curtis Cup reserve and represented England in the world amateur team championship.
Alex Peters, 15, is an England girl international, the Nottinghamshire ladies' and girls’ champion, the winner of the Fairhaven Trophy and the North of England Under-16 girls’ champion.
Kelly Tidy, 17, is an England girl international and represented Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup. She’s twice been runner-up in the British girls’ championship and won the 2008 Lancashire ladies’ championship.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Ellie Givens finishes second


and Denver win team title


in BYU Dixie Classic



Former English girls champion Ellie Givens (Denver University) from Darlington finished second after the disqualification of the leader, team-mate Stephanie Sherlock, at the BYU Dixie Classic, played at the Entrada at Snow Canyon Golf Club, St George's in Utah.
German-born Canadian Sherlock appeared to have won the individual title with rounds of 72, 70 and 72 for a two-under-par total of 214 over the 5981yd, par-72 course. But it transpired she had taken an illegal drop during her second round and was, therefore, disqualified from the three-round final totals.
Instead of providing a notable 1-2-3, Denver had to settle for a still praiseworthy 1-2 with Dawn Shockley scoring 74, 72 and 70 for a level par aggregate of 216 and a five-shot victory over team-mate Ellie Givens (pictured above) who had rounds of 74, 74 and 73 for 221.
Ellie had eight birdies over the three rounds.
Another Denver team player, Ireland's Sarah Faller, who had started the tournament so well with a 69, fell away with later rounds of 77 and 80, dropping from joint second to joint eighth in a field of 83 in the final standings with a total of 226.
Despite the trauma of having the leading player disqualified, Denver University were able to score their first team victory of the 2008-2009 season. Sherlock's third-round score could be counted and Denver totalled 877, 22 shots ahead of runners-up Colorado State with Florida (915) third in a field of 15 teams.

Ladies' London Foursomes results

Ladies' London Foursomes results from The Berkshire Golf Club.

FIRST ROUND
The Berkshire bt Ellesborough 2 holes.
Banstead Downs bt Hartley Wintney 4 and 3.
Worplesdon bt Maidenhead 3 and 1.
Burhill bt Canons Brook 2 and 1.
Rochford Hundred bt Potters Park 6 and 4.
West Byfleeet bt Sand Martins 1 hole.
Pyecombe bt Denham 8 and 6.
Sundridge Park bt Entworth 2 holes.
Bearwood Lakes bt Royal Wimbledon 5 and 4.
Bishops Stortford bt Reading 4 and 3.
Knole Park bt Royal Mid-Surrey 6 and 5.
Royal Ashdown bt Calcot Park 2 and 1.
Healty bt Effingham 3 and 2.
Walton Heath bt Roehampton 4 and 3.
North Hants bt Camberley Heath 5 and 3.
Wext Sussex bt Croham Hurst 2 and 1.
East Berks bt Cowdray Park 1 hole.
The Army w.o. Rochester & Cobham Park scr.
Lamberhurst bt Whipsnade Park 1 hole.
Letchworth bt Mid-Herts 3 and 2.
Maiden bt Basingstoke 2 and 1.
Beaconsfield bt West Hill 1 hole.

SECOND ROUND
Chelmsford bt Moor Park 4 and 3.
Ashridge bt Chigwell, conceded at 17th.
Hampton Court Palace bt Hadley Wood 2 and 1.
The Berkshire bt Banstead Downs at 19th.
Worplesdon bt Burhill 7 and 6.
Rochford Hundred bt West Byfleet 4 and 3.
Pyecombe bt Sundridge Park at 19th.
Bishops Stortford bt Bearwood Lakes 5 and 4.

Royal Ashdown Forest bt Knole Park 3 and 1.
Walton Heath bt Henley 3 and 2.
West Sussex bt North Hants 5 and 4.
East Berks bt The Army 5 and 4.
Lambershurst bt Letchworth 3 and 2.
Beaconsfield bt Maiden 3 and 2.
East Herts bt St George's Hill 1 hole.
Guildford bt Blackmoore 6 and 5.

LIZI SWEETNAM JT SEVENTH IN KANSAS

Lizi Sweetnam from Leighton Buzzard, a freshman student at Seminole State College, Oklahoma, achieved another top-10 placing in a high scoring competition at the South Central Kansas Spring Invite at Winfield Country Club, Winfield in Kansas.
Lizi, who did not enrol at the American college until January this year, had scores of 91 and 86 for a total of 177, which earned her joint seventh place in a field of 44 players.
Winner by five strokes was Andrea Rojas (Southern Nazarene) with rounds of 84 and 77 for a 17-over-par total of 161 over the 5950yd, par-72 course.
Seminole State (728) finished third of nine teams behind Southern Nazarene (687) and Arkansas-Fort Smith (722).

JACQUELINE TIES FOR 22nd PLACE IN CALIFORNIA

Jacqueline Sneddon from Meigle, Perthshire, continues to tour United States as a member of Grand Canyon University women's golf team.
Their latest tournament took them from Arizona to Butte Creek Country Club in Chico, California for the Inter-West Chico State Invite.
Jacqueline had rounds of 82 and 87 for 169 and tied for 22nd place in a field of 46 behind the three-shot winner Emily Kvinta (St Edwards University) who scored 79 and 74 for 153 over a 5,931yd course with a par of 72.
Grand Canyon (681) finished seventh of eight teams behind winners Western Washington (646).

Cheshire's Natasha Podmore

scores first USA victory

Natasha Podmore, 21-year-old junior (third year) student at San Francisco University, has chalked up her first victory on the United States women's college golf circuit.

Six-footer (6ft 1in, actually) Natasha, pictured left, three times Cheshire women's county champion, had rounds of 71, 72 and 75 for a two-over-par total of 218 to win the Oregon Duck Invitational by two shots at Shadow Hills County Club, Junction City, Oregon.

She had finished seventh in the Kent Youel Invitational earlier this 2008-2009 college season but this was the first time she had produced a sustained performance of quality to beat a field of 69 players.

It was the first win by a San Francisco female student since Canadian-born Jessica Potter won the same event three years ago.

Hannah Lovelock (Missouri University), a freshman student from Surrey, tied for 15th place on 229 with ever improving scores of 81, 76 and 72 for 229.
With San Francisco filling the first two places in the individual field - Danielle Cvitann was second - not surprising that San Francisco won the team event with a total of 887, 15 shots ahead of runners-up Oregon with Oregon State and Missouri tied for third place on 910 in a field of 12 teams.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72) 5954yd

Individuals

218 Natasha Podmore (San Francisco) 71 72 75.

220 Danielle Cvitann (San Francisco) 72 75 73.

Selected scores:

229 Hannah Lovelock (Missouri) 81 76 72.

Field of 69 players.

Teams

887 San Francisco.

902 Oregon.

910 Oregon State, Missouri.

Field of 12 teams.

Busy Carnie and Rennie both in

top 20 at Georgia event

Only a couple of days after they tied for victory in a one-round event in North Carolina, Ellon's Grant Carnie and Tom Rennie from Aberdeen - both students at Brevard College, North Carolina - were back in action at the UWG Invitational men's college tournament over 36 holes at Sunset Hills Country Club, Carrollton, Georgia on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
Grant, a member at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club, finished eighth in a field of 24 with scores of 71 and 73 for a total of 144 over a par-71, 6,345yd course. He finished nine shots behind the winner, Nelson Alvarez (West Georgia) with very good rounds of 69 and 66 for seven-under-par 135.
Deeside Golf Club member Rennie came 19th with scores of 77 and 73 for 150.
West Georgia (557) won the team title ahead of Flagler College (565), Brevard College (582) and Georgia Southwestern (586).

Fraser McKenna just outside top

20 at Springfield, Louisiana

Balmore Golf Club member Fraser McKenna, 18, a freshman student at Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond in Louisiana, finished joint 21st in a field of 63 players at this week's Carter Plantation Intercollegiate tournament at Springfield, Louisiana.
McKenna, beaten at the 39th hole in the final of last year's British boys' championship, had rounds of 77, 73 and 79 for a total of 229 over a long course (7104yd) with a tough par of 72.
McKenna, pictured above, finished 21 shots behind the winner, Jeff Gerlich (Texas State) whose brilliant scores of 69, 67 and 72 for eight-under-par 208 saw him win by 10 shots, so the Scot was only 11 shots behind the runner-up, South African team-mate Matthew Carvill with 72, 76 and 70 for 218.
Other Southeastern Louisiana University players, Graham Benson from Leighton Buzzard and Aaron O'Callaghan from Cork finished 10th and joint 26th respectively.

Benson scored 75, 80 and 70 for 225; O'Callaghan 73, 83 and 74 for 230.

Southeastern Louisiana (892) finished third of 12 in the team event won by Texas State (881) ahead of Louisana-Lafayette (885).
LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Individual

Par 216 (3 x 72) 7,104yd

208 Jeff Gerlich (Texas State) 69 67 72.

218 Matthew Carvill (SE Louisiana) 72 76 70.

Selected scores:

225 Graham Benson (SE Louisiana) 75 80 70 (10th).

229 Fraser McKenna (SE Louisiana) 77 73 79 (jt 21st).

230 Aaron O'Callaghan (SE Louisiana) 73 83 74 (jt 26th).

Field of 63 players.

Teams

881 Texas State.

885 Louisiana-Lafayette.

892 Southeastern Louisiana.

Field of 12 teams.

Sarah and Ellie help Denver

to dominate Dixie Classic

Sarah Faller from Galway and Darlington's Ellie Givens shared in a Denver University domination of the first two rounds of the Brigham Young University Dixie Classic at Entrada at Snow Canyon Golf Club, St George's in Utah.

Sarah, pictured right, a freshman student, scored 69 and 77 for a two-round total of 146 over the par-72, 5981yd course. She is tied for second place, four shots behind Canadian-born leader and team-mate Stephanie Sherlock with scores of 72 and 70 for 142.

Former English girls champion Ellie Givens is a close up joint fourth in a field of 83 on 148 with a pair of 74s.

Denver (579) have a lead of 28 shots from their nearest rivals, Colorado State, in the team event with one round to go. There is a field of 15 teams.

Harriet Owers-Bradley

the key to Yale success

in dramatic finish

Harriet Owers-Bradley from Nottingham, a sophomore (second year) student at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut - the third oldest university in America and an Ivy League institution, put aside her studying at the weekend to achieve her best individual and team golf performance in the States.

Harriet, pictured right with the English Midlands championship trophy she won last summer, shot the best round (a one-over-par 73 over a 6,000yd course) by anyone in the Winthrop University Intercollegiate tournament at Rock Hill Country Club, South Carolina.

That earned her a share of third place, only four shots behind the winner.

But the excitement did not end there for Harriet, a member at Wollaton Park Golf Club, a former club champion and a past beaten finalist in the English girls' championship.

There was a tie for the team event, a rarity on the US college golf circuit, between Yale Universty and the hosts, Winthrop University.

That called for a sudden-death play-off featuring the five members of each team. It was decided on a stroke aggregate basis and it started and finished at the difficult par-4 18th, uphill and with the three-tiered green, in front of a huge crowd of fellow-players and other students.

Harriet, with the help of a pitch and a putt, was one of the four Yale players to get a par 4 and Yale won the play-off on aggregate at that first extra hole.

The Yale website reads:

"A large part of the Bulldogs' (the Yale team) success was due to Harriet Owers-Bradley's stellar third round. After rounds of 81 (+9) and 78 (+5), Harriet came storming back to shoot a 73 (+1), the lowest round of the tournament."

It was Yale's second team win of the season, proving that they have golf skills to match their high IQs.

LEADING TOTALS

Individual

Par 216 (3 x 72)

228 Brittany Dabule (Winthrop) 77 73 78.

229 Kylie Bollenbach (Oral Roberts) 77 75 77.

232 Harriet Owers-Bradley (Yale) 81 78 73, Teresa Puga (Minnesota) 76 77 79.

72 players took part.

Teams

939 Yale University, Winthrop University (Yale won sudden-death play-off at first extra hole).

941 Oral Roberts University.

12 Teams took part.

Lucy and Sinead help East Tennessee

State win Lady Seahawk team title

Former Welsh girls' champion Lucy Gould and Ireland's Sinead O'Sullivan helped East Tennessee State win the team title in the Lady Seahawk Classic women's college tournament at the River Landing Country Club course at Wallace, North Carolina today.

Lucy, pictured right, from Bargoed, had rounds of 75, 74 and 76 for a total of 225 over the par-72, 6165yd course, finishing fifth in a field of 72 behind the French Canadian winner from Quebec, Danielle Mills (Elon University, North Carolina) who had scores of 72, 687 and 76 for level par 216.

Danielle won by six shots from the leading East Tennessee State player, Latvian Laura Jansone who scored 73, 77 and 72 for 222.

Sinead O'Sullivan from Galway had rounds of 75, 79 and 76 for a total of 230 which earned her joint ninth position.

East Tennessee State (903) won the team event from Elon University (909) and East Carolina State (916) in a field of 12 teams.

New websites

Two Counties Announce New Websites

Stirling and Clackmannan announce a new website http://www.scclga.co.uk/
and Hooray!!! Dumfriesshire are up and running with their new website http://www.dfslcga.btik.com/

Congratulations to both these Counties.

Find all the Counties by clicking on the "County Golf Links" link in the menu list on the left.

Gill

Shirley Harvey slips back to

jt 20th in Lady Eagle event

South Alabama University student Shirley Harvey from Belfast, pictured right, slipped down the field of 56 players from joint 12th after the first round to a final position of tied 20th at the end of the second and final round of the Southern Mississippi Lady Eagle Invitational women's college tournament at Canebrake Country Club, Hattiesburg in Mississippi.
Shirley, a senior (fourth and final year) student, had scores of 76 and 82 for a total of 158 over the par-71 course of 6,031yd. She finished 15 shots behind the winner, Lorie Warren (Belmont University) who had rounds of 71 and 72 for 143.

She won by one shot from Samantha Holt (Southern Mississippi) who had a pair of 72s for 144.

Shirley Harvey will be 23 on June 4. She lists Manchester United as her favourite football team.

Southern Mississippi, the hosts of the "Lady Eagle" tournament, not surprisingly won the team title over one of their home courses with a total of 597. That was 15 shots ahead of runners-up South Alabama with Belmond University third of 10 teams.

Bravo for Brevard Scots! Grant Carnie (left) and Tom Rennie (right).

Grant Carnie, Tom Rennie tie for N Carolina victory

Two North-east golf scholarship students at a North Carolina college tied for victory in an 18-hole event at the weekend.
Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club member Grant Carnie from Ellon, a sophomore (second-year) student at Brevard College, North Carolina and Deeside Golf Club member Tom Rennie from Aberdeen, a freshman (first-year) student, also at Brevard College, both returned one-over-par 73s in the Blue Ridge Mountain Challenge college tournament at Etowah Valley Golf Club, Etowah in North Carolina.
John O'Planick (Catawba University) also had a 73 to make it a triple tie at the head of a field of 29 players.
Three other Scots are students at Brevard College - Myles Johnston from Bo'ness, Craig Galloway from East Calder and Lucy McNulty from Dalmally, who only enrolled in January.
Myles tied for fourth place with a 75 in Blue Ridge Mountain Challenge while Galloway shared 24th place with an 82.
Lucy, 18, came eighth in her recent debut for the Brevard College women's golf team.

PAUL FERRIER 68th IN CALIFORNIA

Former Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Ferrier (Charlotte Univeristy) finished joint 68th in a field of 80 players at the Callaway Match-play Qualifier at The Farms Golf Club, Rancho Santa Fe in California.

Over a 6,911yd, par-72 course Paul, a Baberton Golf Club member, had rounds of 81 and 78 for 159.

David Eroy (Indiana) won with a total of 137, made up of rounds of 72 and 65. He won by three shots from Bronson Burgoon (Texas A&M) (71-69) and Erik Flores (UCLA) (72-68).

England's Andrew Cooley, a freshman student at San Diego State), shared fourth place with scores of 70 and 74 for 144.

Indiana (585) won the team event ahead of Florida State and San Diego State (both 588) in a field of 16 teams.

PAISLEY AND RENWICK TIED 14th IN GEORGIA

Walker Cup team place contender Chris Paisley (Tennessee) from Newcastle finished joint 14th in a field of 96 for the Schenkel Invitational at Forest Heights Golf Club, Statesboro in the state of Georgia.

Over a 6,947yd course with a par of 72, Chris had steady rounds of 71, 73 and 73 for 217, the same total as fellow English player and University of Tennessee team-mate Darren Renwick who scored 74, 70 and 73.

A third English player in the field, Tom Sherreard (Georgia State) had scores of 70, 77 and 79 for 226, which earned him a share of 62nd place behind the three-shot winner, Matt Hill (North Carolina State) with scores of 71, 69 and 69.

South Carolina (865) won the team event ahead of Tennessee and North Carolina State (both 867) with Florida (870) third of 18 teams.

Jean Reynolds wins Futures Tour play-off

for first win as a professional

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
By LISA D MICKEY
WINTER HAVEN, Florida – It took three extra holes before Jean Reynolds captured the Duramed Futures Tour’s season opener. The 5ft 2in Georgia Peach outlasted Song Yi Choi to win the inaugural $100,000 Florida’s Natural Growers Charity Classic and earn her first professional title.
Reynolds carded rounds of 69-73-70 to win at 212 (-4), edging Choi after three return visits to the 18th tee for a play-off at Lake Region Yacht and Country Club. Choi carded rounds of 64-73-75 to finish second.
“I knew this day was coming, but it feels so awesome,” said Reynolds, 24, of Newnan, Georgia. “It’s been a really bizarre week because I stayed so calm.”
But calm is what wins golf tournaments. And calm is what Reynolds remained even when Choi, last year’s sixth-ranked player -- also intent on earning her first professional title – pushed hard to wrestle the orange-filled crystal trophy out of Reynolds’ hands.
Choi held a one-shot lead going into the final hole. She had bogeyed the 16th, but bounced back with a birdie on No. 17, so the South Korean was ready to close the deal. But throughout the day, stiff winds had kicked up the whitecaps on the surrounding Lake Hamilton and rain clouds had rolled in and out in the late afternoon. Choi held an 8-iron in her hands on a 110-yard approach shot on the par-5 18th hole with wind directly in her face. Seconds later, she watched as that shot fell short and found the water hazard bordering the green.
“It was not a good shot,” said Choi of Seoul, South Korea, who admittedly struggled in the wind and hit only 13 greens and nine fairways in regulation. “I was so sad.”
Meanwhile, Reynolds was not watching the drama unfold, although she knew there could be more golf to play.
“I was just chilling by the practice green and I was fixing to put on my tennis shoes, but then the rules official came and got me and I knew there was more golf to play,” said Reynolds, who played college golf at the University of Georgia.
Nicole Hage of Coral Springs, Florida, also was making a run for her first professional win and like Choi, had birdied the par-3 17th hole to tie Reynolds at four under with one hole to play. But on the 18th, Hage was forced to take an unplayable lie from the bushes for a one-shot penalty, and then she requested a free drop from a dangerous situation (fire ants) on her second shot. When she hit the final green, the second-year pro faced a 10ft birdie putt from above the hole. She left it short to bogey the last.
“Am I ever going to win?” shouted an exasperated Hage as she left the scoring tent in a huff and made a beeline to her car.
Perhaps that was the same question in the minds of both Choi and Reynolds, as they replayed the 18th hole three times to determine the victor.
The two matched pars on the first play-off hole. Choi two-putted for par from 36 feet behind the cup, while Reynolds got up and down for par from a back bunker to 3½ feet. On the second trip, Choi’s approach landed within 10 feet, but she missed making birdie on the high side. Reynolds’ 90-yard approach landed 25 feet from the hole and she two-putted for par.
Finally, on the third extra hole, down the 447yd 18th, Choi again landed on the back fringe, 35 feet from the hole. She burned the right edge and rolled three feet past for her tap-in par. Reynolds stroked a threequarter-swing pitching wedge 88 yards from the right rough to three feet, and then tapped in for the win.
“I’m upset, but it’s OK,” said Choi, a 2009 LPGA Tour member who is flying to Phoenix for Tuesday’s LPGA qualifying round. “I had a chance.”
And so did Reynolds, the pint-sized, sweet-talking Southern woman who made fellow competitor Samantha Richdale’s caddie, Paulie Maggiore, tell her he was going to take her in for "testing" when she pounded 260yd drives all day. When Reynolds got in the playoff, Maggiore volunteered to carry her bag.
“The girl has a ton of heart and she was very focused,” said Maggiore. “She showed a lot of poise.”
Reynolds earned $14,000 for her win and a Bulova watch, but more importantly, she shot to the top of the Tour’s season money list in that infamous 17-tournament race for the 10 LPGA cards offered for 2010. It was a formidable showing for the player who quit the University of Georgia team to “enjoy college and study abroad.”
But as much fun as she had in college, she always knew she had it in her to compete. And when she turned pro and qualified for the 2008 Duramed Futures Tour, she believed she would be successful.
“My coach [Charlie King] calls what I’m doing now the ‘college experience’ I never really got,” said Reynolds. “Maybe so, but I came out here with the intention to win.”
Ashley Prange of Noblesville, Indiana, and former NCAA champion Dewi Claire Schreefel from the Netherlands matched final-round scores of three-under-par 69 to rocket up the leaderboard in today’s final round.
Prange moved from a tie for eighth into a tie for third at 213 (-3) with Hage (75), while Schreefel jumped from a tie for 21st into a tie for fifth with Christine Song (70) of Fullerton, Calif., and Lisa Meldrum (73) of Montreal, Quebec at 215 (-1).
Weather: Partly cloudy with a few afternoon showers and temperatures in the low 70s with wind between 15-20 mph.
SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

Last-hole birdie earns Pat Hurst

victory in Mexico Classic

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
American Pat Hurst birdied the final hole to card a four-under-par 68 and secure a one-stroke victory at the MasterCard Classic in Mexico.
Having started the day a shot off the top of the leaderboard, the 39-year-old made a solid start to the final round by carding three birdies without dropping a shot to reach the turn in 33.
A double bogey on the par-four 10th saw her momentarily drop down the leaderboard before she recovered with two successive birdies from the 11th.
A bogey on the short 14th again threatened to deny Hurst the victory but she birdied the 17th before picking up another shot on the last to snatch the win and the US dollars 195, 000 prize money.
World number one Lorena Ochoa, who had seen her strong start to the tournament undone by a 73 in Saturday's third round, carded six birdies but dropped three shots to finished tied second alongside Chinese Taipei's Yani Tseng (70).
Kim Song-hee of South Korea finished fourth after carding a three under 69 while American Cristie Kerr produced her best round of the tournament with a 67 to claim fifth.
Janice Moodie and Johanna (Head) Mundy each won $5,499 for a 42nd place tie on 221 while Laura Davies earned $3,541 for a share of 57th place on 223.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
206 Pat Hurst 68 70 68
207 Ya-Ni Tseng (Kor) 68 69 70, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 65 73 69
208 Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 70 69 69
211 Cristie Kerr 72 72 67
213 Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 69 74 70, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 67 70 76, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 74 68 71
214 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 73 70 71, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 69 71 74, Katie Futcher 74 72 68
215 Grace Park (Kor) 69 71 75, Heather Young 74 70 71, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 69 74 72, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 70 70 75
216 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 70 73 73, Teresa Lu (Tai) 72 72 72, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 74 72 70, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 70 69 77, Meena Lee (Kor) 73 72 71, Kristy McPherson 70 73 73
217 Vicky Hurst 72 73 72, Jane Park 71 71 75, Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 73 73 71, Giulia Sergas (Ita) 75 72 70, Louise Stahle (Swe) 72 72 73, Brittany Lang 68 74 75
218 Mika Miyazato (Jpn) 70 78 70, Carolina Llano 73 74 71, Sandra Gal (Ger) 75 74 69, Kris Tamulis 74 73 71
219 Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 74 74 71, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 71 74 74, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 78 69, Anna Grzebien 76 71 72
220 Paula Creamer 73 74 73, Stacy Prammanasudh 74 75 71, Anja Monke (Ger) 74 74 72, Natalie Gulbis 70 78 72, Meaghan Francella 74 73 73, Erica Blasberg 72 72 76
221 Young Kim (Kor) 74 73 74, Haeji Kang (Kor) 70 76 75, Kim Hall 72 71 78, Johanna Mundy (Eng) 70 76 75, Shiho Oyama (Jpn) 69 78 74, Birdie Kim (Kor) 72 72 77, Janice Moodie (Sco) 70 75 76, Marcy Hart 74 75 72
222 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 74 76 72, Na On Min (Jpn) 75 75 72, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 71 75 76, Alena Sharp (Can) 72 76 74, Sarah-jane Smith (Aus) 73 76 73, Maria Jose Uribe (Col) 73 72 77, Leah Wigger 72 74 76
223 Laura Davies (Eng) 75 74 74, Beth Bader 75 73 75, Lisa Strom 76 74 73, Amy Yang 75 72 76, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 75 74 74
224 Mollie Fankhauser 74 74 76, Becky Morgan (Wal) 75 74 75, Allison Fouch 74 76 74
225 Brittany Lincicome 81 68 76, Candie Kung (Tai) 75 75 75, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 74 76 75
226 Marisa Baena 73 76 77, Jin young Pak (Kor) 73 76 77
227 Jimin Jeong 75 75 77, Charlotte Mayorkas 77 72 78, Russy Gulyanamitta (Tha) 75 73 79
229 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 74 76 79, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 77 72 80
231 Moira Dunn 76 73 82

Ireland's 14-year-old champion Leona Maguire

wins Woodenbridge Scratch Cup by six strokes

PRESS RELEASE ISSUE BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Fourteen-year-old Irish champion Leona Maguire led the field of internationals to win the opening Women’s Scratch Cup of the 2009 Irish season at Woodenbridge Golf Club by six strokes on Sunday.
Having trailed halfway leaders Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co. Down Ladies) and Anne McCormack (Roscommon) by one stroke at lunchtime, Maguire fired a bevy of birdies in the afternoon on her way to a course record-equalling, five-under-par 67 and a two-under-par total of 142.
McVeigh had to settle for second place after a second successive 74 while local favourite Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) beat Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) to third place on countback.
Daryl Conroy (Castlebar) fired an impressive 66 net in the afternoon to win the best net over 36 holes while Anne McCormack (Roscommon) and Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) won the individual 18s.
Woodenbridge was once again in impeccable condition as it prepares to host numerous events in 2009 in celebration of its 125th anniversary. Next up is the ILGU’s Under-18 girls' inter-provincials at Easter.
Sunday's scoreboard
WOODENBRIDGE SCRATCH CUP
Par 144 (2 x 72) CSS 74 73
142 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 75 67.
148 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 74 74.
149 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) 77 72, Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 74 75.
157 Daryl Conroy (Castlebar) 83 74, Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 78 79, Anne McCormack (Roscommon) 74 83.
158 Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 78 80.
159 Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) 86 73.
160 Sarah Crowe (Tipperary) 83 77, Patrice Delaney (Birr) 79 81.
161 Orla Barry (Galway) 82 79, Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) 77 84.
162 Sarah Murray (Co Louth) 84 78.
163 Nicky King (Enniscorthy) 79 84.
164 Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 84 80.
167 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 84 83.
169 Madeleine Brennan (Carlow) 85 84, Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) 84 85.
170 Jennifer King (Enniscorthy) 83 87.
171 Anna Courtney (St. Anne's) 84 87.
172 Julie O'Gara (Roscommon) 91 81.
173 Julie Coyne (Youghal) 92 81, Emma Murphy (Wexford) 86 87, Lauren Murray (Delgany) 86 87.
174 Emily McGuinness (Greenore) 89 85, Laura Dempsey (Enniscorthy) 86 88, Chloe Fitzpatrick (The Heath) 85 89.
176 Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy) 87 89, Aisling Hill (Roscomon) 86 90.
177 Jessica Carty (Holywood) 89 88, Michelle McCarthy (Clonmel) 84 93.
178 Vonny Kelly (Powerscourt) 88 90.
180 Edel Coyne (Youghal) 92 88.
181 Eadaoin Cronin (Bantry Bay) 94 87, Terri Byrne (Coollattin) 94 87.
183 Margaret Mooney (Enniscorthy) 90 93.
185 Cora Mernagh (Enniscorthy) 94 91.
189 Sinead Sexton (Spanish Point) 92 97.
195 Bernie Swords-Cox (Carlow) 97 98.
Disqualified: Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion) DSQ 75.

Hannah makes top 20, Olivia 21st

in big field at Williamsburg

Birmingham's Hannah Coles (Radford University, Virginia) achieved a top-20 finish and Channel Islander Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern University) was joint 21st in the First Market Bank Intercollegiate women's tournament at Ford's Colony Country Club, Williamsburg in Virginia.
Considering there was a big field of some 124 players competing over the par-72, 6174yd course, that was quite a good performance by the two girls.
Hannah had a pair of 79s for 158 and a share of 17th place behind the winner Rhea Nair (Alabama) who scored 75 and 74 for 149.
Olivia improved by five shots second time round with scores of 82 and 77 for 159.
Old Dominion University's two Irish players were both in the field. Emma Gilmore finished joint 47th on 164 with scores of 83 and 81 but Laura Holmes, after a first-round 80, did not finish her second round.
One of Olivia Jordan-Higgins' team-mates, Madison Jeter tied with Brianna Malcolmson (Penn State) (75-75) for second place on 150.
That helped Charleston Southern (630) finish third behind Alabama (609) and Richmond (627) in the team event in which Radford (642) came seventh of 22 teams.

U S Duramed Futures Tour Scoreboard
FLORIDA'S NATURAL GROWERS' CHARITY CLASSIC
Lake Region Yacht & Country Club, Winter Haven, Florida
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72). 6166yd
1 Jean Reynolds (Newnan, Ga.) 69-73-70 - 212 $14,000(play-off)
2 Song Yi Choi (Seoul, South Korea) 64-73-75 - 212 $10,000
3 Ashley Prange (Noblesville, Ind.) 73-71-69 - 213 $6,134
3 Nicole Hage (Coral Springs, Fla.) 70-68-75 - 213 $6,134
5 Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen, Netherland) 72-74-69 - 215 $3,359
5 Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 69-76-70 - 215 $3,359
5 Lisa Meldrum (Montreal, Quebec) 72-70-73 - 215 $3,359
8 Seo-Jae Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 70-74-72 - 216 $1,943
8 Lisa Ferrero (Lodi, Calif.) 71-73-72 - 216 $1,943
8 Alison Walshe (Westford, Mass.) 72-72-72 - 216 $1,943
8 Stephanie George (Myerstown, Pa.) 68-72-76 - 216 $1,943
12 Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 73-74-70 - 217 $1,322
12 Angela Oh (Maple Shade, N.J.) 71-75-71 - 217 $1,322
12 Janell Howland (Boise, Idaho) 69-75-73 - 217 $1,322
12 Tzu-Chi Lin (Beaumont, Calif.) 70-74-73 - 217 $1,322
12 Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, British Columbia) 70-71-76 - 217 $1,322
17 Sarah Olsen (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 73-75-70 - 218 $1,018
17 Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) 73-72-73 - 218 $1,018
17 Dana Je (Orlando, Fla.) 72-73-73 - 218 $1,018
20 Esther Choe (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 75-74-70 - 219 $902
20 Whitney Myers (York. Pa.) 76-73-70 - 219 $902
20 Yeon Joo Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 72-76-71 - 219 $902
20 Onnarin Sattayabanphot (Bangkok, Thailand) 74-74-71 - 219 $902
20 Hannah Yun (a) (Bradenton, Fla.) 69-78-72 - 219
20 Stella Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 75-72-72 - 219 $902
26 Kristie Smith (Perth, Australia) 69-77-74 - 220 $853
26 Violeta Retamoza (Aguascalientes, Mexico) 72-74-74 - 220 $853
26 Maru Martinez (Maracaibo, Venezuela) 73-72-75 - 220 $853
29 Aimee Cho (Orlando, Fla.) 75-73-73 - 221 $818
29 Liz Janangelo (West Hartford, Conn.) 73-73-75 - 221 $818
29 Mary J. Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 73-73-75 - 221 $818
29 Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.) 72-72-77 - 221 $818
33 Jennifer Ackerson (Dallas, Texas) 77-72-73 - 222 $775
33 Misun Cho (Cheongju, South Korea) 73-74-75 - 222 $775
33 Caroline Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) 72-75-75 - 222 $775
33 Charlotte Campbell (Heathrow, Fla.) 72-75-75 - 222 $775
33 Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) 75-72-75 - 222 $775
33 Victoria Kiser (amateur) (Orlando, Fla.) 76-71-75 - 222
33 Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 73-73-76 - 222 $775
33 Danah Ford (Indianapolis, Ind.) 73-71-78 - 222 $775
41 Sae Hee Son (Seoul, South Korea) 73-75-75 - 223 $742
41 Sofie Andersson (Angelholm, Sweden) 73-75-75 - 223 $742
41 Christi Cano (San Antonio, Texas) 72-76-75 - 223 $742
41 Mina Harigae (Monterey, Calif.) 72-72-79 - 223 $742
45 Lorraine Ballerano (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) 74-75-75 - 224 $716
45 Ashley Grier (Hagerstown, Md.) 75-74-75 - 224 $716
45 Andrea VanderLende (Longwood, Fla.) 71-76-77 - 224 $716
45 Marcela Leon (Monterrey, Mexico) 73-73-78 - 224 $716
45 Sin Ah Ham (Seoul, South Korea) 75-71-78 - 224 $716
45 Hwanhee Lee (Las Vegas, Nev.) 71-72-81 - 224 $716
51 Jenny Gleason (Clearwater, Fla.) 72-77-76 - 225 $687
51 Yoora Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 72-77-76 - 225 $687
51 Whitney Wade (Glasgow, Ky.) 74-74-77 - 225 $687
51 Stephanie Kim (amateur) (Orlando, Fla.) 75-73-77 - 225
51 Jessica Shepley (Oakville, Ontario) 72-75-78 - 225 $687
51 Benedikte Grotvedt (Nesbru, Norway) 72-75-78 - 225 $687
51 Libby Smith (Essex Junction, Vt.) 74-73-78 - 225 $687
58 Cindy Lee-Pridgen (Sabah, Malaysia) 75-74-77 - 226 $664
58 Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 70-78-78 - 226 $664
58 Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) 75-73-78 - 226 $664
58 Hannah Jun (San Diego, Calif.) 73-74-79 - 226 $664
58 Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) 74-72-80 - 226 $664
63 Jasi Acharya (Columbus, Mont.) 75-74-78 - 227 $650
63 Susan Nam (Edmonton, Alberta) 77-72-78 - 227 $650
65 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast, N Ireland) 75-73-81 - 229 $640
65 Devan Andersen (Guadalajara, Mexico) 76-72-81 - 229 $640
65 Katie Allison (Little River, S.C.) 73-73-83 - 229 $640
68 Rebecka Heinmert (Hassleholm, Sweden) 75-74-81 - 230 $631
68 Tiffany Prats (Williston, Fla.) 72-76-82 - 230 $631
68 Y. J. Jin (Seoul, South Korea) 74-74-82 - 230 $631
71 Juli Erekson (Mapleton, Utah) 75-74-82 - 231 $625

Lucy McNulty, now a golfing student in the United States (image by courtesy of the Oban Times).

Lucy McNulty from Dalmally eighth on

debut for Brevard College in N Carolina

There's another Scots girl playing on the United States college golf circuit!
Many thanks to Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk viewer Allan Ingram for telling us that Lucy McNulty from Dalmally Golf Club - a former pupil of Oban High School - has joined the "Tartan Army" at Brevard College, North Carolina.
Lucy enrolled at Brevard in January. Scottish lads already there are Grant Carnie from Ellon, Myles Johnston from Bo'ness, Craig Galloway from Calder and Tom Rennie from Aberdeen. We hope they laid on a good old Scottish welcome for Lucy!
Lucy made her debut for the Brevard College women's golf team in the Montreat College Spring Invitational at Glen Cannon Country Club, North Carolina earlier this month. She finished a creditable eighth in a field of 33, with scores of 88 and 89 for 177 over a par-72 course of 6,000yd.
Megan Cox (Tennessee Wesleyan) was the winner by 12 shots with scores of 76 and 75 for 151.
Lucy McNulty will be back in action at Charlotte, North Carolina in a two-day event starting on March 30.

FROM THE OBAN TIMES WEBSITE
Lucy McNulty’s golf skills have won her a place at Brevard College, North Carolina, and she will fly out on January 13, four days after her 18th birthday, to study Exercise Science for four years.
The Dalmally Golf Club member received offers of a scholarship from four colleges after posting her details on an online database.
And like all top sportswomen, Lucy decided early on that she wanted to challenge the best in her sport.
‘When I started playing golf at the age of 12 it was always the plan to take my golf as far as I could but the chance of getting a scholarship to a US college was just a dream; I didn’t think it would actually happen.
‘I was so happy when Brevard College contacted me. They were the most helpful so I chose to go there. I have never been to the US before but I like to challenge myself.’
Lucy’s father, Des, who plays off a handicap of six at Dalmally, taught the former Oban High School pupil to play the game.
A natural athlete, Lucy, who worked at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum, also excelled at athletics and shinty before focusing on golf in the last year.
She joked: ‘If I can play well on the narrow course at Dalmally, then the big fairways in America will be easy.’
Lucy has played with the West of Scotland girls’ team since the age of 14 and was county handicap champion.
She has won competitions in Glasgow, Dunbartonshire and Argyll.
At Dalmally she has been helping to coach the junior members.
Dalmally Golf Club secretary Bobby Johnston said: "She is a lovely girl and deserves every success. For a small club this is a great achievement and everyone at Dalmally is very proud of Lucy’s achievement. Lucy is a great wee player – I wish I could hit the ball as far as she can. She has worked really hard and her whole mannerism on the golf course is excellent."
Lucy’s scholarship will cover $8,000 of the total cost of $28,000 per annum at the college. She is looking for sponsorship to help with costs and can be contacted at mcnultylc@aol.com
Lucy thanked Highland Heritage Coach Tours for its donation towards her studies, the Dunbartonshire and Argyll Ladies county team for paying for her flight to the United States and the ladies at Dalmally for their assistance.

New Website

Welcome to a new website http://www.eastvets.blogspot.com/

You can either bookmark the site, or, if you forget, you'll always find it down the links on the left hand side of this website under Veterans/Seniors.

It's the brain-child of Noreen Fenton, vice-captain of the the East of Scotland Veteran Ladies Golf Association.. or "East Vets" for short.
She hopes that East Vets will use it to find out about all matters to do with their Association. The draw for the Spring meeting over Gullane No 3 is currently posted.
Well done, Noreen!

Gillian
PS New grandson is called Alexander David James McDowell. Photo soon.

Jodi Ewart finishes third in

Betsy Rawls Longhorn

Invitational in Texas

Yorkshire's Curtis Cup player Jodi Ewart, a student at New Mexico University, finished third in a field of 93 players at the main US women's college event of the weekend, the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational over the University of Texas Golf Club course (6324yd, par-72) at Austin.
Jodi shared the lead after 18 holes, dropped only two shots over the first 36 holes but slipped down third place and that was where she finished with rounds of 70, 72 and 73 for one-under-par 215.
In her final round, Ewart birdied the long fifth and then doubled her tournament tally of bogeys by dropping shots at the 14th and 15th. Had she parred these two holes, Jodi would have tied for second place with Oklahoma-born Lucy Nunn (Arkansas) who had scores of 70 and 73.
Winner of the prestigious tournament was Spain's Pamplona-born Maria Hernandez (Purdue University, Indiana), pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, with very good rounds of 70, 698 and 71 for six-under-par 210.
Interesting to observe that Ewart had more par figures over the 54 holes than either Hernandez or Nunn. Jodi had 45 pars, Maria 40 pars and Lucy only 33 pars. The other side of that coin is that Hernandez had 10 birdies over the three rounds and only four bogeys, three of them in her last round.
Nunn had the most birdies, 12, but had nine bogeys.
Purdue's French-Canadian student Maude-Aimee LeBlanc finished third with a 75 for 216 so, with two players in the first four, not surprising that Purdue University won the team title with a total of 872, six ahead of Arizona State with Arkansas (880) third and Jodi Ewart's New Mexico (891) fourth of 17.
Duke, the top-ranked women's college team, are slipping. They finished fifth, mainly because star player Amanda Blumenherst, the US Curtis Cup player, had another disappointing tournament by her own lofty standards - "only" joint 14th on 222 - seven behind Jodi Ewart.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Individuals
Par 216 (3 x 72)
210 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 70 69 71.
213 Lucy Nunn (Arkansas) 70 70 73.
215 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 70 72 73.
216 Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (Purdue) 70 71 75.
218 Carlota Ciganda (Arizona State) 73 72 73, Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 72 70 76, Blair Lamb (Furman) 73 74 71, Ashley Freeman (Texas A&M) 78 70 70.
Selected totals:
222 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 76 73 73 (jt 14th).
225 Giulia Molinaro (Arizona State) 71 76 78 (jt 23rd).
226 Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 77 72 77(jt 36th).
Teams
872 Purdue
878 Arizona State
880 Arkansas
891 New Mexico.
897 Duke.
918 Furman, Texas A&M
919 Texas
17 Teams took part.

The Scot that fame forgot, Catriona

Matthew looks back on career

in interview with John Huggan

FROM TODAY'S SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
By JOHN HUGGAN
Given the level of inattention women's golf typically receives from an apparently uninterested public and media, it is worth pointing out that Catriona Matthew has had a more than impressive career.
Indeed, had she been born a man, the soon-to-be 40-year-old from North Berwick would today surely be lauded, Monty-style, as one of our nation's most recognisable sporting figures.
She isn't, though, despite numbers that put our generally and perennially under-achieving European Tour players to shame. In 14 years as a professional, Matthew has won tournaments on four continents (including South America earlier this year), totting up approximately $6.5m in prize money in the process.
She has won at the very highest level, on America's LPGA Tour. She has played for Europe in four Solheim Cups (it would have been five but for an inexplicably bone-headed decision by a captain who should remain nameless – ach, let's call her Dale Reid – to leave her out in 2000). And she belatedly proved what everyone not named Dale Reid knew was her irrefutable point by recording the winning Solheim point against the Americans at Barsebäck in 2003.
Now, almost seven months pregnant with what will soon be her second daughter (Katie is two), Scotland's highest-ranked golfer, male or female, is taking a wee break. Not long back from Singapore, where she finished tied for 45th in the HSBC Women's Champions event, Matthew won't be hitting another shot in anger until the Evian Masters and the Women's British Open come along in late July.
It's a competitive lull that affords the University of Stirling graduate a rare opportunity to take a deep and relaxing breath while her tummy continues its inexorable expansion."I'm happy with my career," she says in her characteristically understated way.
"In some ways I've done better than I thought; in others, I haven't done as well as I was hoping for. When I first turned professional I was quite naive and didn't know what to expect. All in all, I'm happy, though. I've won a few events, which always makes you think you should win more of course. But it is a legitimate criticism that I could and should have won more often.
"I've had a lot of good finishes, but not many wins, so that is a regret. If I have a weakness it is that I haven't holed as many putts as you need to hole if you are to win. I'm a decent putter, but I've never holed a lot in the 15-20 foot range. And that's what you need to do over the closing holes in most events."
Still, now isn't the worst time to be indulging in a few months away from an LPGA circuit that is currently, like the rest of the world, suffering its share of economic knocks.
"The tour has already lost a few events," acknowledges Matthew. "It's a tough situation for everyone these days. Companies are cutting back and sport sponsorship is always going to be vulnerable when that happens. It's a shame at a time when the ladies game has so many good young players coming through.
"That's especially important this year after the retirement of Annika Sorenstam. Like every other sport, we need an instantly recognisable star name, ideally one that transcends the sport and is known to even non-golfers.
"Lorena Ochoa is the No.1 player at the moment and Paula Creamer is good for the tour, being young, good-looking and American."
Matthew is right, of course, and the re-emergence of an in-form Michelle Wie is something she hopes will see a rise in profile for the women's game in general.
"Michelle has the potential to be very important for our sport," she says. "She is such a good player and her name is known outside the game. She crosses the divide, if you like. She has had her problems over the past couple of years, but I can definitely see her winning at least once this season. And if she did, it would do nothing but good for the profile of the tour as a whole.
"I've always been very impressed with her game. I played a fair bit with her a couple of years ago when she was still an amateur. She hit shots that most women simply can't hit. She had great control in the wind. And she was very long, although I suspect not quite as long as she was hyped up to be."
As for her own on-course ambitions, Matthew suffered a set-back recently when the apparently myopic United States Golf Association turned down her request to extend by 12 months her exemption into this year's US Women's Open. Coming as it does only five weeks after she is due to give birth, Matthew won't be able to play.
"They turned me down, saying it would set a precedent they don't want to set," she shrugs. "Their thinking was that, if they gave it to me, they would have to give the same thing to men whose wives were having babies. I tried to explain that my situation was a little different, but the USGA was having none of it."
Still, despite America's oh-so stuffy (and male-dominated) ruling body being unable to tell the difference between men and women, Matthew is still hopeful of making a fifth Solheim Cup side come September. It's unlikely she will qualify as of right, but European skipper Alison Nicholas will surely recognise her need for Matthew's undoubted experience.
Not that even the Scot's presence is likely to make much difference; the American side will start the biennial contest as the overwhelming favourites to retain the trophy.
"I don't fear for the future of the Solheim Cup, but this year is going to be tough," concedes Matthew. "The Americans will have a very strong team and Europe is in a bit of a transition period. We have some good players coming up, but it isn't clear if they are ready for a Solheim yet. We'll certainly be the underdogs, but underdogs win sometimes."

Callum Macaulay finishes second in European Tour event

Callum Macaulay from Kincardine birdied eight of the last nine holes to finish second - only one shot behind the winner - in this weekend's European Tour event, the Madeira Islands Open.
Read the report, see the scores by switching over to www.scottishgolfview.com

Hannah Coles lying 26th

in big Virginia field


Hannah Coles (Radford University, Virginia) from Birmingham was tied for 26th place in a huge field of 124 players at the halfway stage of the 36-hole First Market Bank Intercollegiate women's tournament over the Ford's Colony Country Club course of 6174yd (par 72) at Williamsburg, Virginia.
Hannah, pictured right, had halves of 39 and 40 for a first-round 79 - five shots behind the joint leaders, Sweden's Camilla Lennarth (Alabama) 38-36 and Madison Jeter (Charleston Southern) 36-38.
Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) from Jersey is tied for 51st place with halves of 40 and 42 for 82.

Janice Moodie makes Mexico cut

but Karen Stupples on sidelines

Glasgow's Janice Moodie beat the 36-hole cut with ease in the MasterCard Classic over the quirky Bosque Real Country Club course at Huixquilucan, Mexico.
Janice had rounds of 70 and 75 for a share of 25th place on 145 - eight shots behind the joint South Korean leaders, Na Yeon Choi and Yani Tseng.
Hot favourite Lorena Ochoa dropped down to joint third place on 138 with socres of 65 and 73.
Laura Davies also made the cut on 149 with scores of 75 and 74 but fellow English player Karen Stupples (pictured above) missed out by six with a pair of 78s for 156.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)

Players from US unless stated
137 Ya-Ni Tseng (Kor) 68 69, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 67 70
138 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 65 73, Pat Hurst 68 70
139 Se Ri Pak (Kor) 70 69, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 70 69
140 Grace Park (Kor) 69 71, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 70 70, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 69 71
142 Jane Park 71 71, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 74 68, Brittany Lang 68 74
143 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 70 73, Jee Young Lee (Kor) 73 70, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 69 74, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 69 74, Kristy McPherson 70 73, Kim Hall 72 71
144 Heather Young 74 70, Teresa Lu (Tai) 72 72, Cristie Kerr 72 72, Erica Blasberg 72 72, Louise Stahle (Swe) 72 72, Birdie Kim (Kor) 72 72
145 Vicky Hurst 72 73, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 71 74, Meena Lee (Kor) 73 72, Maria Jose Uribe (Col) 73 72, Janice Moodie (Sco) 70 75
146 Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 73 73, Johanna Mundy (Eng) 70 76, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 74 72, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 71 75, Haeji Kang (Kor) 70 76, Leah Wigger 72 74, Katie Futcher 74 72
147 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 75 72, Young Kim (Kor) 74 73, Amy Yang 75 72, Anna Grzebien 76 71, Kris Tamulis 74 73, Paula Creamer 73 74, Carolina Llano 73 74, Shiho Oyama (Jpn) 69 78, Meaghan Francella 74 73
148 Anja Monke (Ger) 74 74, Mika Miyazato (Jpn) 70 78, Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 74 74, Natalie Gulbis 70 78, Mollie Fankhauser 74 74, Beth Bader 75 73, Alena Sharp (Can) 72 76, Russy Gulyanamitta (Tha) 75 73
149 Laura Davies (Eng) 75 74, Stacy Prammanasudh 74 75, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 77 72, Brittany Lincicome 81 68, Charlotte Mayorkas 77 72, Sarah-jane Smith (Aus) 73 76, Sandra Gal (Ger) 75 74, Marisa Baena 73 76, Jin young Pak (Kor) 73 76, Becky Morgan (Wal) 75 74, Moira Dunn 76 73, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 75 74, Marcy Hart 74 75
150 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 74 76, Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 74 76, Na On Min (Jpn) 75 75, Jimin Jeong 75 75, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 78, Lisa Strom (Gb) 76 74, Candie Kung (Tai) 75 75, Allison Fouch 74 76, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 74 76
MISSED THE CUT

151 Eva Dahloff (Swe) 77 74, Jeanne Cho-Hunicke 76 75, Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 73 78, Jill McGill 75 76, Brandi Burton 77 74, Sarah Lee 73 78, Liselotte Neumann (Swe) 70 81, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 74 77, Michele Redman 74 77, Karine Icher (Fra) 72 79
152 Taylor Leon 76 76, Wendy Doolan (Aus) 73 79, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 74 78, Carri Wood 75 77, Kris Tschetter 74 78, Anna Rawson (Aus) 78 74
153 Sung Ah Yim (Kor) 77 76, Chella Choi (Kor) 75 78, Lorie Kane (Can) 78 75, Reilley Rankin 79 74, Christina Kim 75 78, Stacy Lewis 74 79, Katherine Hull (Aus) 77 76
154 Alejandra Martin del Campo (Mex) 73 81, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 76 78, Michelle McGann 80 74, Jamie Hullett 76 78
155 Stephanie Louden 74 81, Michelle Ellis 81 74, Paige Mackenzie 78 77, Margarita Ramos (Mex) 76 79, Alejandra Llaneza (Mex) 77 78, In-Bee Park (Kor) 78 77, Danielle Downey 76 79
156 Karen Stupples (Eng) 78 78, Mi Jung Hur (Kor) 78 78, Hee Young Park (Kor) 69 87
157 Becky Lucidi 79 78, Louise Friberg (Swe) 81 76, Irene Cho 77 80, Young Jo (Kor) 81 76, Jeehae Lee (Kor) 77 80
159 Aree Song (Kor) 78 81, Sophie Giquel (Fra) 80 79, Amy Hung (Tha) 80 79, Meredith Duncan 81 78
160 Diana D'Alessio 80 80, Julieta Granada (Par) 78 82, Regina Plasencia (Mex) 84 76, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 79 81
161 Audra Burks 79 82
162 Giovana Maymon (Mex) 84 78
164 Maria Maymon 84 80
165 Cindy Rarick 78 87
168 Gabriela Lopez Butron (Mex) 84 84
172 Dorothy Delasin 92 80

Duramed Futures Tour report from Florida

Choi Clings To Tournament Lead

After Windy Second Round

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
By LISA D MICKEY
WINTER HAVEN, Florida – The second round of the $100,000 Florida’s Natural Growers Charity Classic was an endurance test in the spring winds of Florida. And perhaps Song Yi Choi felt the stress of the day more than anyone, clinging to her tournament lead by a single stroke at day’s end.
Choi’s sparkling first-round score of 64 blew back down to earth today with a hard-fought 73, giving her a narrow lead at 137 (-7) over Nicole Hage of Coral Springs, Florida, who carded the only second-round score in the 60s. Hage posted a four-under-par score of 68 to move from a tie for eighth into second place at 138 (-6).
For most of the day, Choi’s hope of winning her first tournament on the Duramed Futures Tour seemed to be blowing in the wind.
“It was a lot of wind and my golf shots went left, right, and all over,” said Choi, a native of Seoul, South Korea who lives in Orlando, Florida.
The normally steady third-year pro hit only six fairways and nine greens, and through seven holes at Lake Region Yacht and Country Club, she was four over par, giving shots back to the field with an uneasy regularity.
But a tap-in birdie on the eighth hole ended the giveaway. Choi added two more birdies on holes 12 and 13, slipped briefly with a bogey on the 16th, but then countered on the 17th with a birdie from 30 feet.
“My back nine was better and I [told myself] to just focus, aim and think [about my] target,” said Choi.
Admittedly, Hage was probably as prepared as anyone for the Florida wind. And while she also had to adjust clubs and yardages throughout the round, the Florida native drew on the weeks of practice she had logged at her home course this winter at TPC Eagle Trace, located on the Florida Everglades. According to Hage, the regular presence of wind there makes its members masters of the half-shot wind swing.
“This is what I practise in every day,” said Hage, a second-year pro who was an All-American at Auburn University. “The half shot is pretty much what I hit all day today.”
And it was what enabled her to climb the leaderboard and move into position to challenge Choi for her first professional title. The Floridian hit 16 greens in regulation and recorded five birdies and one bogey, capitalizing on her length to play the five par-5s at four under.
“I didn’t look at leaderboards and I didn’t know where I stood all day, but I thought if I could shoot under par, I could make up a lot of ground today,” said Hage.
Ditto for Tour veteran Stephanie George of Myerstown, Pennsylvania, who watched her scorecard soar to three over for the round through 11 holes. But instead of packing it in or simply trying to minimize the damage, George showed her mettle and the reason why she has won twice on the Duramed Futures Tour.
“A lot of younger players might have just tried to hold on and finish out the round, but I flipped a switch and told myself to make some birdies, and I made three coming in,” said George (72), who is in third place at 140 (-4).
Even though the wind forced her to play three clubs more than she would normally use on the 14th hole that borders Lake Hamilton, George said it was the 5-iron that she striped 150 yards into the wind to five feet for birdie that she will remember about today.
“That’s the shot I’ll go to sleep thinking about tonight,” she said with a satisfied smile.
Samantha Richdale (71) of Kelowna, British Columbia moved into fourth place at three-under 141, followed by Lisa Meldrum (70) of Montreal, Quebec and Jean Reynolds (73) of Newnan, Georgia, who are tied for fifth at 142 (-2).
Hwanhee Lee (72) of Las Vegas also moved into seventh place at 143 (-1), while nine players are tied at even-par 144.
Seventy-one players made the 36-hole cut at 149 (+5).
Weather: Mostly sunny with temperatures in the high 70s with wind between 16-25 mph.
Wade Scores An Ace In Second Round
Second-year professional Whitney Wade of Glasgow, Kentucky, scored a hole-in-one during the second round of the Florida’s Natural Growers Charity Classic. Wade’s ace came on the 138-yard yard 17th hole. She used a 7-iron for her fourth hole-in-one and first ace in competition.
“I was three over going into 17 and I needed something good to happen,” said Wade, who played collegiately at the University of Georgia. “I hit my shot and it was looking good, looking good, and then it hopped in. My ball mark was about five feet in front of the hole.”
After 36 holes, Wade is four-over-par 148. She is currently tied for 45th.
College Connections Rekindled On Tour
Sarah Jacobs was 13 when she met Chris Brady at the Optimist Junior National Championship at PGA National in West Palm Beach, Florida. Years later, she helped recruit her pal to Vanderbilt University, where she was a team member. Jacobs, 26, graduated from Vanderbilt in 2004, and Brady, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, graduated in 2007. Now, the two are traveling together and sharing private housing on the Duramed FuturesTour.
“I think out here, the biggest thing that most people are nostalgic about when it comes to college, is the camaraderie because you kind of get lost in a sea of players,” said Jacobs of Nashville, Tennessee. “It gets lonely, but with Brady, it’s like having a sister out here.”
On the road again, the former team-mates eat breakfast together, do yoga, play practice rounds and, in general, have spent about half of their lives in each other’s company – something that is not uncommon among numerous members of the Duramed Futures Tour.
Lili Alvarez of Durango, Mexico and Alison Walshe of Westford, Massachusetts literally weathered a storm together while they were college roommates at Tulane University.
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, students at the Louisiana school ran for high ground. Walshe flew home to Massachusetts until it was safe to come back and Alvarez flew to Chicago. When they returned to the house they shared, it was flooded with eight feet of water and mould growing on the walls.
Because the university and city was heavily damaged, members of the athletic teams were sent to other universities in the region. Alvarez and Walshe were sent to Southern Methodist University in Texas, where they were enrolled in classes and attempted to finish out the golf tournament season.
“We were both struggling with whether we wanted to stay or leave Tulane and we were fighting our own battles, but we were smart and we gave each other space,” said Alvarez, who battled for the team’s No. 1 position with her best pal.
Eventually, the university canceled the women’s golf program. Alvarez transferred to Northwestern and Walshe transferred to Arizona. Now, the two friends are rejoined on the Duramed Futures Tour. Walshe is a rookie and Alvarez is a second-year player.
“We have a special bond because of our experiences at school,” said Alvarez. “I told her to call me if she has any questions this year and to not feel lost. We might be competitors, but we’re also friends.”
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72) 6166yd
Lake Region Yacht and Country Club, Winter Haven, Florida
1 Song Yi Choi (Seoul, South Korea) 64-73 - 137
2 Nicole Hage (Coral Springs, Fla.) 70-68 - 138
3 Stephanie George (Myerstown, Pa.) 68-72 - 140
4 Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, British Columbia) 70-71 - 141
5 Lisa Meldrum (Montreal, Quebec) 72-70 - 142
5 Jean Reynolds (Newnan, Ga.) 69-73 - 142
7 Hwanhee Lee (Las Vegas, Nev.) 71-72 - 143
8 Mina Harigae (Monterey, Calif.) 72-72 - 144
8 Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.) 72-72 - 144
8 Alison Walshe (Westford, Mass.) 72-72 - 144
8 Lisa Ferrero (Lodi, Calif.) 71-73 - 144
8 Ashley Prange (Noblesville, Ind.) 73-71 - 144
8 Seo-Jae Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 70-74 - 144
8 Danah Ford (Indianapolis, Ind.) 73-71 - 144
8 Tzu-Chi Lin (Beaumont, Calif.) 70-74 - 144
8 Janell Howland (Boise, Idaho) 69-75 - 144
17 Dana Je (Orlando, Fla.) 72-73 - 145
17 Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) 73-72 - 145
17 Maru Martinez (Maracaibo, Venezuela) 73-72 - 145
17 Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 69-76 - 145
21 Sin Ah Ham (Seoul, South Korea) 75-71 - 146
21 Violeta Retamoza (Aguascalientes, Mexico) 72-74 - 146
21 Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen, Netherland 72-74 - 146
21 Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 73-73 - 146
21 Katie Allison (Little River, S.C.) 73-73 - 146
21 Mary J. Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 73-73 - 146
21 Liz Janangelo (West Hartford, Conn.) 73-73 - 146
21 Angela Oh (Maple Shade, N.J.) 71-75 - 146
21 Marcela Leon (Monterrey, Mexico) 73-73 - 146
21 Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) 74-72 - 146
21 Kristie Smith (Perth, Australia) 69-77 - 146
32 Victoria Kiser (a) (Orlando, Fla.) 76-71 - 147
32 Stella Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 75-72 - 147
32 Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) 75-72 - 147
32 Libby Smith (Essex Junction, Vt.) 74-73 - 147
32 Charlotte Campbell (Heathrow, Fla.) 72-75 - 147
32 Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 73-74 - 147
32 Caroline Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) 72-75 - 147
32 Hannah Jun (San Diego, Calif.) 73-74 - 147
32 Benedikte Grotvedt (Nesbru, Norway) 72-75 - 147
32 Jessica Shepley (Oakville, Ontario) 72-75 - 147
32 Andrea VanderLende (Longwood, Fla.) 71-76 - 147
32 Misun Cho (Cheongju, South Korea) 73-74 - 147
32 Hannah Yun (a) (Bradenton, Fla.) 69-78 - 147
45 Devan Andersen (Guadalajara, Mexico) 76-72 - 148
45 Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) 75-73 - 148
45 Stephanie Kim (a) (Orlando, Fla.) 75-73 - 148
45 Aimee Cho (Orlando, Fla.) 75-73 - 148
45 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast, N Ireland) 75-73 - 148
45 Y. J. Jin (Seoul, South Korea) 74-74 - 148
45 Whitney Wade (Glasgow, Ky.) 74-74 - 148
45 Onnarin Sattayabanphot (Bangkok, Thailand) 74-74 - 148
45 Sarah Olsen (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 73-75 - 148
45 Christi Cano (San Antonio, Texas) 72-76 - 148
45 Yeon Joo Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 72-76 - 148
45 Tiffany Prats (Williston, Fla.) 72-76 - 148
45 Sofie Andersson (Angelholm, Sweden) 73-75 - 148
45 Sae Hee Son (Seoul, South Korea) 73-75 - 148
45 Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 70-78 - 148
60 Whitney Myers (York. Pa.) 76-73 - 149
60 Jennifer Ackerson (Dallas, Texas) 77-72 - 149
60 Cindy Lee-Pridgen (Sabah, Malaysia) 75-74 - 149
60 Juli Erekson (Mapleton, Utah) 75-74 - 149
60 Susan Nam (Edmonton, Alberta) 77-72 - 149
60 Ashley Grier (Hagerstown, Md.) 75-74 - 149
60 Rebecka Heinmert (Hassleholm, Sweden) 75-74 - 149
60 Jasi Acharya (Columbus, Mont.) 75-74 - 149
60 Esther Choe (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 75-74 - 149
60 Lorraine Ballerano (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) 74-75 - 149
60 Yoora Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 72-77 - 149
60 Jenny Gleason (Clearwater, Fla.) 72-77 - 149
MISSED THE CUT
Nicole Jeray (Berwyn, Ill.) ; 76-74 - 150
Sue Ginter (Appleton, Wis.) 75-75 - 150
Ashley Knoll (The Woodlands, Texas) 78-72 - 150
Carol Robertson (Virginia Beach, Va.) 74-76 - 150
Kelly Lagedrost (Brooksville, Fla.) 73-77 - 150
Janice Olivencia (Caguas, Puerto Rico) 73-77 - 150
Lili Alvarez (Durango, Mexico) 73-77 - 150
Selanee Henderson (Apple Valley, Calif.) 71-79 - 150
Rachel Bailey (Faulconbridge, Australia) 73-77 - 150
Melissa Eaton (Port Shepstone, South Africa) 71-79 - 150
Christina Jones (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 74-76 - 150
Kimberly Goedecke (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) 74-76 - 150
Vicki Goetze-Ackerman (Cartersville, Ga.) 74-76 - 150
Ashli Bunch (Morristown, Tenn.) 74-76 - 150
Perry Swenson (Charlotte, N.C.) 76-75 - 151
Jenny Suh (Fairfax, Va.) 75-76 - 151
Lehua Wise (Kauai, Hawaii) 74-77 - 151
Michaela Cavener (Ponca City, Okla.) 74-77 - 151
Kim Welch (Sacramento, Calif.) 74-77 - 151
Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, South Korea) 76-76 - 152
Noon Huachai (Bangkok, Thailand) 78-74 - 152
Gerina Mendoza (Roswell, N.M.) 79-73 - 152
Tiffany Tavee (Tempe, Ariz.) 73-79 - 152
Sohi Moon (Seoul, South Korea) 73-79 - 152
Kylene Pulley (Kokomo, Ind.) 72-80 - 152
Sookhee Baek (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) 73-79 - 152
Alejandra Shaw (Vina Del Mar, Chile) 71-81 - 152
Rak Kyung Oh (Seoul, South Korea) 74-78 - 152
Angela Jerman (Columbus, Ga.) 74-78 - 152
Garrett Phillips (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 76-77 - 153
Laura Crawford (Lancaster, S.C.) 76-77 - 153
Kira Meixner (a) (Richmond, British Columbia) 77-76 - 153
Jill Frantz (Iowa City, Iowa) 77-76 - 153
Jenna Pearson (Wheaton, Ill.) 75-78 - 153
Amanda Mathis (Opelousas, La.) 75-78 - 153
Nicola Eaton (Port Shepstone, South Africa) 79-74 - 153
Chris Brady (Charlotte, N.C.) 74-79 - 153
Lindsey Bergeon (Sarasota, Fla.) 73-80 - 153
Su A Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 74-79 - 153
Wendi Patterson-Golden (a) (Bradenton, Fla.) 76-78 - 154
Sam White (Potomac, Md.) 76-78 - 154
Sarah Beth Jacobs (Nashville, Tenn.) 76-78 - 154
Moah Chang (Los Angeles, Calif.) 79-75 - 154
Yoo Kyeong Kim (Incheon, South Korea) 80-74 - 154
Taya Battistella (Bend, Ore.) 81-73 - 154
Bing Lim (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 72-82 - 154
Meghan Little (Sturgis, S.D.) 76-79 - 155
Stephanie Oukeo (Paris, France) 77-78 - 155
Christine Cho (Kent, Wash.) 78-77 - 155
Emily Bastel (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 73-82 - 155
Briana Vega (Andover, Mass.) 74-81 - 155
Kelly Schaub (Greeley, Colo.) 76-80 - 156
Kelly Froelich (Raizeux, France) 76-80 - 156
Madeleine Holmblad (Stockholm, Sweden) 77-79 - 156
Stacey Tate (Auckland, New Zealand) 77-79 - 156
Renee Skidmore (Everett, Wash.) 79-77 - 156
Jessica Carafiello (Coral Springs, Fla.) 80-76 - 156
Tracy Hanson (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho) 77-80 - 157
Maggie Simons (Raleigh, N.C.) 77-80 - 157
Stephanie Otteson (Wilson, N.C.) 77-80 - 157
Kim Augusta (Rumford, R.I.) 78-79 - 157
Lee Ann Walker-Cooper (Southport, N.C.) 75-82 - 157
Marci Turner (Tompkinsville, Ky.) 75-82 - 157
Carmen Bandea (Atlanta, Ga.) 79-78 - 157
Malinda Johnson (Eau Claire, Wis.) 79-78 - 157
Tanya Dergal (Durango, Mexico) 77-81 - 158
Eom Ji Park (Vancouver, BC) 78-82 - 160
Anastasia Kostina (Nakhabino, Russia) 79-81 - 160
Jieun Oh (Je Ju, South Korea) 79-82 - 161
Mary Moan (New Haven, Conn.) 83-82 - 165
Lilly Kobayashi (Santa Monica, Calif.) 84-81 - 165
Cassandra Blaney (Champions Gate, Fla.) 82-86 - 168
Kristina Tucker (Stockholm, Sweden) withdrew