South Korean 1-2 after three rounds of

Samsung World Championship

South Korea first and second, Japan third .... that's the nationalities of the leading three players after three rounds of the Samsung World Championship at Torrey Pines, San Diego in California.
The Western challenge is tied for fourth - seven shots behind Na Yeon Choi - in the shape of American Paula Creamer and Mexico's Lorena Ochoa.
On the back of a career-best nine-under-par 63 for 15-under-par 201, Na Yeon Choi vaulted to the top of the leader board and leads compatriot Jiyai Shin (68 for 203) by two strokes
Choi has eight top 10 finishes, but is still looking for her first 2009 win.
Choi has tied the tournament's three-round record that Annika Sorenstam set when she won in 2002 and 2005. Choi began the day three strokes behind second-round leader Shin.
Choi has never won on the LPGA Tour, but has eight top-10 finishes this year, including a tie for ninth at the U.S. Women's Open.
She made the turn in only 30 strokes after making four birdies in five holes. On the back nine, she added four birdies and a bogey at No. 15, a 419-yard par-4. Her approach was about 45 feet from the hole and she left her first putt 9 feet short then failed to convert the par attempt.
Shin, who has three LPGA Tour wins, kept her lead until she stumbled on the back nine, bogeying two out of the first three holes.
Ai Miyazato of Japan was in third three shots back after a third straight 68.
No. 1-ranked Lorena Ochoa of Mexico shot a 72 and was tied for fourth place with Paula Creamer, seven strokes back.
Women's British Open champion Catriona Matthew had a 73 for 215.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
201 Na Yeon Choi 71 67 63.
203 Jiyai Shin 66 69 68.
204 Ai Miyazato 68 68 68.
208 Paula Creamer 69 69 70, Lorena Ochoa 67 69 72.
211 Yani Tseng 75 66 70, Cristie Kerr 72 66 73.
212 Sophie Gustafson 67 70 75.
213 Suzann Pettersen 71 72 70, Brittany Lincicome 70 70 73.
215 Kristy McPherson 73 72 70, Karrie Webb 73 72 70, Catriona Matthew 74 68 73.
Selected score:
217 Anna Nordqvist 71 74 72 (jt 16th).

SCOTTISH WOMEN'S COUNTY FINALISTS

NORTHERN COUNTIES. Back row (left to right): Pam Mackay, Cara Gruber, May Alexander (Secretary/Treasurer), Jan Corbett (capt), Jenny Milne, Mary Smith, Alison Bartlett. Front: Julie Vass, Kelsey MacDonald, Hannah McCook.

GALLOWAY. Back row (left to right): Helen Nesbitt (president), Sheila McMurtrie, S Huntly (capt), Christina Meldrum, Pat Magill, Caroline Merrick, Addi Shamash. Front row: Gillian Monteith, Gwen Robson, Tracy Milligan.

RENFREWSHIRE. Left to right: Megan Briggs, Clare-Marie Carlton, Donna Jackson, Eilidh Briggs, Gillian Kyle, Liz Stewart, Carol Whyte, Alyson McKechin, Christine Finlayson (capt).

All three team images by courtesy of Fiona Farquharson of the SLGA.
All the Midlothian players were not available at the same time for Fiona to take their team picture but she will do so on Sunday.

GIBSON CUP DRAW FOR SATURDAY

The Gibson Cup draw has been issued by post to all competitors. Times for the medal foursomes round on Saturday 26th September over the Braids in Edinburgh are in the attached schedule (Word doc).
Anne Brownie, Chair of the Gibson Cup Committee, is delighted with the entry of 52 pairs and hopes that all entrants enjoy the weekend’s competition.
Should any entrants need to contact Anne, please do so by texting or phoning her mobile 07762087558.

Lee-Anne sets a hot pace in France with

a seven-under 65 for 11-under 205

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa shot a career low round of seven-under 65 on Saturday to take a two stroke lead into Sunday's final round of the Randstad Open de France Dames.
Pace has a three-round total of 11-under 205 at Le Golf D’Arras, which is hosting the tournament for the tenth successive year.
Trying to win her first Ladies European Tour victory, Pace had eight birdies – four in a row from the par-four second – and two bogeys after opening with rounds of 72 and 68.
Her career best finish in three seasons on tour came at last year’s SAS Ladies Masters in Norway, where she tied for fourth. She said that this latest round was due to two years of hard work.
“It is my best round. That’s totally because of James Petts, my coach. In the last two years he’s just transformed my swing and the way I think about golf, so all credit to him,” said Pace.
She made a great start when she chipped in for birdie at the 285yd par-4 second hole and built the momentum from there.
“I missed the green on two and hit a really good chip and it went in so that’s how it started. I hit some really good shots after that, good putts also. When you’re four under after five, you’re in a good place for the rest of the day,” she added.
“My putting was good today and ball striking also, everything. I hit 16 greens and had 28 putts so I’m pretty happy with everything. We just had a lot of fun out there and I’m going to try to do the same tomorrow.”
Germany’s Anja Monke, aiming for a second successive French Open title, shot 68 and shared second position with Ireland’s Rebecca Coakley, who shot 67. Coakley is aiming to become the first Irish winner on the Ladies European Tour.
First-round leader Ursula Wikstrom posted a 69 to get back in contention just three shots off the pace. She shared fourth place with the halfway leader Becky Brewerton from Wales (71), Austrian Nicole Gergely (70) and Spain’s Ana Larraneta (70), who was aiming for a podium finish after a miserable run on tour.
Round of the day came from Spain’s Tania Elosegui, who shot a career low eight-under 64, to share eighth place with Swede Carin Koch on seven-under-par.
Elosegui carded seven birdies, a bogey and an eagle at the 450-yard par-five 13th when she hit a five-iron to tap-in distance.
“I wish I could shoot eight under every day; I’m very happy,” said Elosegui, 27, who finished second to Anja Monke on the same golf course last year.
“I didn’t really like this golf course at the beginning. I think it’s more difficult than last year because the fairways are very dry. If you miss it a little bit right or left the ball really runs into the trees. It’s also an advantage because it goes farther. I’m not hitting a lot of drivers from the tee.”
With 12 players within five shots of the lead, and 16 within seven, expect a close final round battle on Sunday.
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
205 L-A Pace 72 68 65.
207 R Coakley 72 68 67, A Monke 70 69 68.
208 U Wikstrom 68 71 69, N Gergely 71 67 70, A Larraneta 70 68 70, B Brewerton 70 67 71.
209 T Elosegui 74 71 64, C Koch 71 68 70.
Selected scores
212 F Johnson 70 72 70, M Reid 71 71 70 (jt 13th).
213 S Head 69 74 70, T Johnson 74 68 71, H Kavanagh 70 71 72, T Delaney 70 69 74 (jt 17th).
214 K S Taylor 74 70 70 (jt 22nd).
215 G Simpson 73 73 69, Lisa Hall 74 71 70, L Davies 70 74 71 (jt 29th).
216 V Laing 72 73 71, Lydia Hall 71 73 72 (jt 33rd).
217 B Loucks 73 72 72, E Bennett 74 71 72, K Caithness 73 70 74, G Nocera 72 68 77 (jt 38th).
218 S Walker 74 71 73, L Faircough 72 72 74 (jt 45th).
220 K Taylor 72 75 73, S Heath 73 73 74 (jt 52nd).
223 K Matharu 76 66 81 (63rd).
227 P Feggans 72 75 80 (last of 65).

WOMEN'S COUNTY FINALS

NORTHERN COUNTIES v MIDLOTHIAN TITLE DECIDER ON SUNDAY AT BABERTON Midlothian and Northern Counties, the East and North champions respectively, will meet in the title decider tomorrow on the third and last day of the Scottish women's county golf team championship at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh. Both teams have played twice and won twice. Today Midlothian followed up their 8 ½- ½ win over South title-holders Galloway by beating West champions Renfrewshire 5 ½ -3 ½ while Northern Counties, who had beaten Renfrewshire 7 ½- 1 ½ on Friday whipped Galloway 7-2. After taking a 2-1 lead over Renfrewshire in the morning foursomes, the key singles match featured Scotland team-mates Jane Turner (Midlothian) and Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Renfrewshire). Turner won by 2 and 1 and further Midlothian wins by Claire Hargan and Claire MacDonald gave them a 2pt win overall. Northern Counties made a 3-0 clean sweep of the foursomes against Galloway but it was not quite so easy for them in the singles. Galloway's Gillian Monteith did well to halve the top match against North star Cara Gruber but wins by teenagers Kelsey MacDonald and Hannah McCook as well as senior international Mary Smith consolidated Northern's victory. Saturday results MIDLOTHIAN 5 ½, RENFREWSHIRE 3 ½ Foursomes: Jane Turner, Rachael Watton lost to Megan Briggs, Eilidh Briggs 2 and 1; Claire Hargan, Wendy Nicholson bt Alyson McKechin, Lix Stewart 5 and 4; Kirsten Blackwood, Claire MacDonald bt Claire-Marie Carlton, Donna Jackson 2 and 1 (2-1). Singles: Turner bt Megan Briggs 2 and 1, Nicholson lost to Carlton 3 and 2, Hargan bt McKechin 3 and 2, Louise Fraser halved with Carol Whyte; Karen Marshall lost to Eilidh Briggs 7 and 6, MacDonald bt Jackson 2 holes (3 ½-2 ½). GALLOWAY 2, NORTHERN COUNTIES 7 Foursomes: Gillian Monteith, Tracy Milligan lost to Kelsey MacDonald, Hannah McCook 1 hole; Christina Meldrum, Sheila McMurtrie lost to Cara Gruber, Pam Mackay 4 and 2; Addi Shamash, Gwen Robson lost to Mary Smith, Alison Bartlett 7 and 5 (0-3). Singles: Monteith halved with Gruber, Milligan lost to MacDonald 4 and 2, Shamash bt Julie Vass 2 holes, Robson lost to Smith 4 and 3, Meldrum lost to McCook 4 and 3, McMurtrie halved with Jenny Milne (2-4). HOW THEY STAND Midlothian 2 wins, Northern Counties 2 wins, Renfrewshire 2 losses, Galloway 2 losses. FINAL MATCHES Galloway v Renfrewshire, Northern Counties v Midlothian.

Samsung World Championship at Torrey Pines

Catriona Matthew just outside

top 10 after 68 at Torrey Pines

British Women's Open champion Catriona Matthew moved up to joint 11th position in the restricted field after 36 holes with a four-under-par second round of 68 in the Samsung World Championship over the Torrey Pines course at San Diego, California yesterday. Catriona improved by six shots on her opening effort and is on the two-under-par 142 mark.Jiyai Shin of South Korea shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-shot lead.

Shin, who was tied for the lead after the opening round, has a 36-hole total of 135 atop the elite field of 20. She was 10 under for the tournament after sinking a 20ft birdie putt on the par-5 13th, but followed with a bogey and finished with four straight pars.
She has her Saturday planned out: She'll try to protect her lead at Torrey Pines, then go hang gliding over the nearby shores of the Pacific Ocean.
She admits to being scared of heights, but was intrigued by the hang gliders that float silently over the holes that line the sea cliffs.
"Yes, I want to try," Shin said. "For a couple of holes I saw the hang gliders today and thought this is scary. I told my caddie, 'I want to cancel because it looks so scary.' He says, 'It's fine, try it, try it, try it.' I will try it tomorrow. Maybe it will make a good feeling for me. Fly the sky."
Shin is coming off her U.S. LPGA Tour-leading third victory of the year, at the NW Arkansas Championship.
She was a bit more erratic than during her opening-round 66.
After her bogey on 14, "my shot was up and down," she said. "So it was really tough the last few holes. But I think No. 17, 18, it was a great save, save the par, so I feel good, a little bit tired. Today was a little bit of a long day."
Ochoa, of Mexico, had a seesaw round of 69 that started with a bogey on No. 1 -- her first of four -- and ended with a 20-foot chip for eagle on 18. Her chip was from behind the hole, heading down toward the water.
Ochoa said she joked with her caddie that she was going to eagle 18 "just to make more of an up-and-down round, and we did, so it was kind of a funny way to finish. It really changed my position. I was really happy to make that eagle.
"It's a lot easier being as close to the leader than being a few back," she said. "I like where I am and I can't wait to be here tomorrow."
Her 7-wood approach shot bounced on the green and shot through it, settling on the second cut of rough. At first, she thought it was going to be impossible. "But when I got there, and I saw room, it wasn't in too deep, and the ball was just a couple of feet" from the green, she said. "And I thought, 'OK, we have a good chance,' and I did it."
Miyazato, of Japan, made a late charge and might have tied Shin, but her second shot on the par-5 18th splashed into the big pond that protects the green, leading to her only bogey of the day. As she stood over her third shot, the fountain in the pond -- known as Devlin's Billabong -- suddenly turned on. It was quickly turned off. She finished with a 68.
"I was like kind of laughing," she said. "I was a little bit ashamed. But it's not Sunday," she said. "I still have two days, so I think I will be all right."
Miyazato had birdied 15 and 16 before her misadventure on 18.
Torrey Pines, the site of Tiger Woods' epic win in the 2008 U.S. Open, was shrouded in light fog but the golfers once again benefited from calm conditions.
Sweden's Sophie Gustafson shot a 70 and was fourth at 137.
There was a four-way tie for fifth at 138 among defending champion Paula Creamer (69), Cristie Kerr (66), Song-Hee Kim (72) and Na Yeon Choi (67). Kim had been tied with Shin after the opening round.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72)
135 Jiyai Shin 66 69.
136 Ai Miyazato 68 68, Lorena Ochoa 67 69.
137 Sophie Gustafson 67 70.
138 Cristie Kerr 72 66, Na Yeon Choi 71 67, Paula Creamer 69 69, Song-Hee Kim 66 72.
Selected scores:
142 Catriona Matthew 74 68 (jt 11th).
143 Suzann Pettersen 71 72 (13th).
145 Anna Nordqvist 71 74 (jt 14th).

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
Vediorbis & Randstad Open de France Dames
Golf d'Arras, Nord-Pas de Calais, France
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
137 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 70 67
138 Ana Larraneta (Spa) 70 68, Caroline Afonso (Fra) 71 67, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 71 67
139 Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 68 71, Anja Monke (Ger) 70 69, Carin Koch (Swe) 71 68, Tara Delaney (Irl) 70 69
140 Rebecca Coakley (Irl) 72 68, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 72 68, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 72 68, Karen Lunn (Aus) 71 69
141 Hazel Kavanagh (Irl) 70 71, Stefania Croce (Ita) 70 71
142 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 73 69, Melissa Reid (Eng) 71 71, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 70 72, Jessica Ji (Kor) 70 72, Kiran Matharu (Eng) 76 66, Anna Tybring (Swe) 69 73, Trish Johnson (Eng) 74 68, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 73 69
143 Maria Boden (Swe) 72 71, Julie Greciet (Fra) 75 68, Samantha Head (Eng) 69 74, Krystle Caithness (Sco) 73 70
144 Margherita Rigon (Ita) 72 72, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 74 70, Lydia Hall (Wal) 71 73, Laura Davies (Eng) 70 74, Lynnette Brooky (Nzl) 74 70, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 74 70, Kyra Van Leeuwen (Ned) 75 69, Lora Fairclough (Eng) 72 72, Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 71 73
145 Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 76 69, Elizabeth Bennett (Eng) 74 71, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 71 74, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 74 71, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 71 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 74 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 74 71, Vikki Laing (Sco) 72 73, Nina Reis (Swe) 73 72, Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wal) 73 72, Sophie Walker (Eng) 74 71, Lisa Hall (Eng) 74 71, Joanne Mills (Aus) 77 68, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 75 70, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 75 70
146 Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 71 75, Beth Allen (USA) 77 69, Sarah Heath (Eng) 73 73, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 75 71, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 73 73, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 72 74, Lena Tornevall (Swe) 74 72, Camille Fallay (Fra) 72 74
147 Kirsty Taylor (Eng) 72 75, Frances Bondad (Aus) 71 76, Pamela Feggans (Sco) 72 75, Barbara Genuini (Fra) 76 71, Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 73 74, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 77 70, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 75 72
MISSED THE CUT
148 Smriti Mehra (Ind) 76 72, Lucie Andre (Fra) 74 74, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 75 73, Morgana Robbertze (Rsa) 72 76, Laura Terebey (USA) 77 71, Clare Queen (Sco) 74 74, Diana Luna (Ita) 76 72
149 Jo Pritchard (Wal) 74 75, Anna-Karin Salmen (Fin) 73 76, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 74 75, Km Juul (Den) 75 74, Florentyna Parker (Eng) 75 74, Mianne Bagger (Den) 75 74, Martina Gillen (Irl) 74 75, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 74 75, Johanna Lundberg (Swe) 75 74
150 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 81 69, Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 75 75, Julie Tvede (Den) 77 73, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 79 71, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 73 77
151 Jehanne Jail (Fra) 76 75, Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 76 75, Dana Lacey (Aus) 72 79, Malene Jorgensen (Den) 72 79, Federica Piovano (Ita) 76 75, Audrey Riguelle (Fra) 77 74
152 Stefanie Michl (Aut) 75 77, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 72 80, Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger) 77 75, Joanne Morley (Eng) 77 75, Ellen Smets (Bel) 74 78, Perrine Delacour (Fra) (am) 77 75, Elena Giraud (Fra) 73 79, Rosana Crepiat (Fra) (am) 80 72, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 71 81
153 Bettina Hauert (Ger) 78 75, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 79 74, Caroline Rominger (Swi) 77 76, Holly Aitchison (Eng) 73 80, Marta Prieto (Spa) 77 76
154 Viva Schlasberg (Swe) 79 75, Celine Herbin (Fra) 78 76
155 Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 76 79, Claire Coughlan-Ryan (Irl) 78 77, Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 71 84, Tandi Cuningham (Rsa) 80 75
157 Claire Louise Aitken (Eng) 85 72, Zuzana Masinova (Cze) 80 77, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 81 76
158 Maria Ringdahl (Swe) 77 81, Laura Chemarin (Fra) 80 78
159 Paula Marti (Spa) 79 80, Maria Verchenova (Rus) 82 77
160 Emma Weeks (Eng) 75 85, Marousa Polias (Aus) 79 81
162 Emma Lyons (Eng) 82 80, Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 84 78
164 Julie Berton (Fra) 85 79
RTD: 78 Lisa Jean (Aus), 87 Laure Sibille (Fra)

Surrey golfers win Australian Spoons national final

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Surrey golfers Sally Gallagher and Tessa Mann won the national final of the Australian Spoons Stableford foursomes competition at Pleasington, Lancashire.
They scored 31 points to beat five other pairs who reached the final of the English Women’s Golf Association competition for club golfers with handicaps 21-36.
Each pair came through club and regional qualifying rounds.
“We are just beside ourselves,” said Tessa, who immediately telephoned the ladies’ captain at their club, Betchworth Park.
Sally added: “It was a complete surprise when we won because we thought there were two pairs with 31 points and that we’d lost on countback.”
In fact, they finished one point ahead of Julia Kyte and Pauline Welveart from Droitwich, while Julia Gray and Lindy Clemmow scored 29 points to take third place.
The six pairs were entertained to dinner by EWGA on the evening before the final and Tessa remarked: “We thoroughly enjoyed the competition and meeting all the other players, who were all club golfers just like us. We were all nervous but we all got on really well and that helped.”
Sally has been playing for only two years and this season has reduced her handicap from 21 to 16. Tessa, who has been playing about seven years, is a 25-handicapper. They made a great start to their round, reaching the turn with 19 points – helped by a gross birdie on the par 4 fifth hole.
Sally said: “Then we had a dip in the middle before we started to play well again towards the end.”
The finalists each represented one of EWGA’s six regions:
South: Tessa Mann and Sally Gallagher from Betchworth Park.
Midlands South: Julia Kyte and Pauline Welveart from Droitwich.
East: Julia Gray and Lindy Clemmow from Bourn.
South West: Elizabeth Matthews and Donna Robertson from Burnham and Berrow.
North: Carol Barrow and Jenny Gorst from Windermere.
Midlands North: Gill Hardman and Pat Wilson from Wrekin
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Lancashire are England’s champion county

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Lancashire won a superb title showdown at Pleasington to become the 2009 English Champion County. They beat Gloucestershire 5½-3½ in the deciding match on the last day of the County Finals.
The winning point was scored by Sarah Walton, who will turn professional next week. She signed off from her amateur career with a round of five-under par – and her win on the 18th prompted scenes of jubilation among the Lancashire supporters, who cascaded on to the green to congratulate the player.
The team’s enthusiastic fans had followed them round day after day bearing placards of support and carrying their giant teddy bear mascot, dressed in county colours. Gloucestershire commanded equally passionate support and their players came out meaning business, with warpaint on their faces – streaks of county colours painted across their cheeks.
Lancashire needed a halved match overall to take the title, while Gloucestershire had to win. The players from both teams responded to the challenge with excellent golf and a close-fought match in which six of the day’s games finished on the 18th green.
But it was Lancashire who emerged triumphant and won this championship for the first time since 2002. They were well on the way after the morning foursomes when they won 2½ points, helped by some impressive putting on the 18th green.
In the afternoon, Catherine Roberts quickly provided one of the necessary two singles points and before long Sarah Walton sealed the victory. Later, Nikki Foster added another point.
Lancashire captain Linda Wilson was ecstatic. “This is absolutely wonderful – but it’s been hard because the standard of golf this week has been superb. My team are amazing and they have dug deeper than deep.”
Gloucestershire captain Susan Reeve remarked:“Of course we are disappointed but my girls have been great. They are a terrific team and we have a mix of really solid troupers and young blood which will help us get stronger for the future.”
Meanwhile, Hertfordshire swept to an impressive 8-1 win over Surrey to take second place in the table. They didn’t lose a point all day but won seven matches and halved the other two. In the day’s other match Lincolnshire defeated Warwickshire 5½-3½ and moved into third place on countback over Gloucestershire, who had come so close to winning overall.
Final placings:
1 Lancashire 4½pts
2 Hertfordshire 3½
3 Lincolnshire 3, Gloucestershire 3
5 Surrey 1
6 Warwickshire 0

RESULTS
Hertfordshire 8 Surrey 1
(Hertfordshire names first)
Foursomes
Alison Franklin & Harriet Key halved with Katie Laud and Niamh O’Connor.
Charlotte Field & Lucy Williams bt Julia Brook & Jo Stocks 1 hole.
Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy bt Lisa McGowan & Janine Snodgrass 3 and 1.
Singles
Douglass bt McGowan 1 hole.
Franklin bt Katie Sheppard 3 and 1.
Field bt Nicola Taylor 1 hole.
Lucinda Mileham halved with O’Connor.
Tina Jeary bt Laud 5 and 4.
Key bt Stocks 8 and 7.

Lancashire 5½, Gloucestershire 3½
(Lancashire names first)
Foursomes
Cori Lee & Brogan Townend halved with Hannah Barwood & Charlotte Ellis
Catherine Roberts & Sarah Walton bt Linda Carruthers & Alison Kelly 3 and 2.
Nikki Foster & Nicola Rawlinson bt Jo Hodge & Sian James 1 hole.
Singles
Lee lost to Barwood 1 hole.
Walton bt Hodge 1 hole.
Roberts bt Kelly 5 and 4.
Townend lost to Carruthers 1 hole.
Rawlinson lost to James 3 and 2.
Foster bt Ellis 1 hole.

Warwickshire 3½, Lincolnshire 5½
(Warwickshire names first)
Foursomes
Rachel Rusted & Liz Galland halved with Helen Hewlett & Holly Clyburn.
Hannah McLoughlin & Ashley Cramond lost to Sophie Beardsall & Emilee Taylor 5 and 3.
Claire Howells & Charlotte Dalton lost to Jessica Wilcox & Jessica Schiele 1 hole.
Singles
Dalton bt Clyburn 1 hole.
Lisa Barton halved with Schiele.
McLoughlin halved with Megan Illingworth.
Howells lost to Beardsall 3 and 2.
Cramond halved with Wilcox.
Galland halved with Taylor

Megan Briggs, Kelsey MacDonald halve great match

Northern Counties, Midlothian

big winners on opening day of

County Finals at Baberton

Northern Counties and Midlothian look to be on a collision course with the title at stake after the opening day of the Scottish women's county golf championship finals at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh. Midlothian, East Division champions and the favourites with "home field advantage," whipped South title-holders Galloway 8 ½-½ while Northern Counties, the North Division champions, beat Renfrewshire, the West title-holders, by the surprisingly convincing margin of 7 ½-1 1/2 . Saturday's programme sees Galloway play Northern Counties, while Midlothian take on Renfrewshire. Sunday's final should feature a title-decider between Midlothian and Northern Counties – if both win their Saturday matches. Midlothian's strength in depth permitted them the luxury of not bringing in their county champion and former international Claire Hargan as well as the very experienced Wendy Nicholson until the afternoon singles, which gave all eight players in their squad an outing on the first day. Midlothian won the foursomes 2 ½- ½ and the singles 6-0 against Galloway. Teenagers and foursomes partners Jane Turner and Rachael Watton and Kirsten Blackwood were double winners for Midlothian. Northern Counties took the foursomes 2-1 against Renfrewshire before a cracking top singles tie between international team-mates, Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, and national under-21 champion for the past two years, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) ended in a square match. Between them they had five birdies over the last six holes. Megan was one up one the 18th tee before Kelsey won the last hole to share the honours. Northern Counties then won the remaining five singles with wins by Cara Gruber, senior cap Mary Smith, Jenny Milne, and Northern Counties girls champion Hannah McCook, who birdied the 17th and 18th , and another youngster, Julie Vass. Day 1 results at Baberton: GALLOWAY ½, MIDLOTHIAN 8 ½ Foursomes: Gillian Monteith & Tracy Milligan lost to Jane Turner & Rachael Watton 4 and 3; Christina Meldrum & Sheila McMurtrie halved with Louise Fraser & Karen Marshall; Addi Shamash & Gwen Robson lost to Claire MacDonald & Kirsten Blackwood 7 and 5 (1/2-2 ½). Singles: Monteith lost to Turner 4 and 3, Milligan lost to Claire Hargan 4 and 3, Meldrum lost to Wendy Nicholson 6 and 4, McMurtrie lost to Fraser 1 hole, Shamash lost to Kirsten Blackwood 3 and 2, Robson lost to Watton 3 and 2 (0-6). RENFREWSHIRE 1 ½, NORTHERN COUNTIES 7 ½ Foursomes: Eilidh Briggs & Megan Briggs bt Kelsey MacDonald & Hannah McCook 2 and 1; Liz Stewart & Donna Jackson lost to Cara Gruber & Pam Mackay 4 and 2; Alyson McKechin & Gillian Kyle lost to Mary Smith & Alison Bartlett 4 and 2 (1-2). Singles: Megan Briggs halved with MacDonald, Eilidh Briggs lost to Gruber 2 and 1, Jackson lost to Smith 2 and 1, McKechin lost to Jenny Milne 3 and 2, Kyle lost to McCook 3 and 2, Carol Whyte lost to Julie Vass 3 and 2 (1/2-5 1/2). TO PLAY: Saturday - Galloway v Northern Counties, Midlothian v Renfrewshire. Sunday - Midlothian v Northern Counties, Galloway v Renfrewshire.

JUST CALL ME CLUBFACE!

Colin Farquharson writes: If I had wanted to take a picture of a Welsh player's face being blotted out by the head of her driver on the followthrough, it would have been beyond my skills as a photographer to freeze the split-second. But, just by chance, that's what happened on the third tee of last week's women's home internationals. It's Wales v Scotland ... but who is the Welsh player hidden by her club? It's Kath O'Connor.

SCOTCH CORNER AT HOME INTERNATIONALS

Colin Farquharson writes: I know we're trying to forget what happened on the last day of last week's women's home internationals at Irvine Golf Club but can't resist posting this image which I found while trawling through the hundreds I took. What shall we call it? SCOTCH CORNER? Click on the image if you want to enlarge and identify everyone. That's the Welsh coach in the immaculate white shorts.

,

Jane Turner, won twice for Midlothian on opening day at Baberton (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency; click on it to enlarge).

Midlothian beat Galloway to make

winning start to County Finals

Title favourites Midlothian, champions of the East Division, made a winning start to their bid to regain the Scottish women's county team championship with home-field advantage at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh.

They beat South Division champions Galloway 8 1/2-1/2, making a 6-0 clean sweep of the singles after winning the morning foursomes 2 1/2-1/2

Double winners for Midlothian were Jane Turner, Rachael Watton and Kirsten Blackwood.

So, an impressive start by Midlothian who were able to give all eight players in their squad a game on the opening day. It's a tribute to their strength in depth that they could afford to play former international and county champion Claire Hargan and Wendy Nicholson only in the singles.

Northern Counties led West Division title-holders Renfrewshire 2-1 after their foursomes.
Results:

MIDLOTHIAN 8 1/2, GALLOWAY 1/2

Foursomes (2 1/2-1/2)
Jane Turner & Rachael Watton bt Gillian Monteith & Tracy Milligan 4 and 3.
Louise Fraser & Karen Marshall halved with Christina Meldrum & Sheila McMurtrie.
Claire MacDonald & Kirsten Blackwood bt Addi Shamash & Gwen Robson 7 and 5.
Singles (6-0)

Turner bt Monteith 4 and 3.

Claire Hargan bt Milligan 4 and 3.

Wendy Nicholson bt Meldrum 6 and 4.

Fraser by McMurtrie 1 hole.

Blackwood bt Shamash 3 and 2.

Watton bt Robson 3 and 2.

NORTHERN COUNTIES 2, RENFREWSHIRE 1

Foursomes
Kelsey MacDonald & Hannah McCook lost to Eilidh Briggs & Megan Briggs 2 and 1.
Cara Gruber & Pam Mackay bt Liz Stewart & Donna Jackson 4 and 2.
Mary Smith & Alison Bartlett bt Alyson McKechin & Gillian Kyle 4 and 2.

Do you see what I see? Roseanne Niven and her caddie-brother during the British women's open amateur championship at Harlech in June (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency; click on it to enlarge).

Roseanne joint 46th in her first event of

new US college tournament season

Roseanne Niven, Laura Cutler and Kirsty O'Connor all finished down the field in the Golfweek Conference Challenge which ended on Tuesday at the Primm Valley Resort in Primm, Nevada.
Over a par-72, 6135yd course, Sweden's new European champion Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) was the winner with rounds of 68, 72 and 67 for nine-under-par 207 by five shots fromn Joy Trotter (UC Irvine (73-71-68).
Roseanne, now in her fourth and final year at the University of California-Berkeley, scored 77, 80 and 76 for 233 which gave her a share of 46th place in a field of 90.
Laura Cutler, a junior (third year) student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, from Essex finished joint 53rd on 235 with scores of 79, 75 and 81.
Former Welsh women's amateur champion Kristy O'Connor, a senior year student at Ball State University, Indiana, from Burnley, Lancashire, came joint 66th with scores of 78, 83 and 77 for 238.
Roseanne's university, California-Berkeley, finished only a shot behind team winners Pepperdine (881) with Chattanooga (883) - whose women's golf coach is a Scot, Coleen Murray - only one more shot behind in third place.

Scottish U16 girls at Strathmore Golf Centre, Alyth in 2010

Just in case you missed the note on the SLGA website, next year's Scottish Under-16 girls' open stroke-play championship will be played at Alyth, not Craigielaw as has been the case for the past two or three years.
The venue is the Strathmore Golf Centre, Alyth and the dates of the championship April 8 and 9.
April 7 is the official practice day.
Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus are the nearest better-known towns if finding accommodation in Alyth is a problem.

Catriona lying 18th in Samsung World Championship

British women's open champion Catriona Matthew is lying 18th in the restricted field for the LPGA Tour's Samsung World Championship at La Jolla, California.
The North Berwick player had a two-over-par 72 over the 6,721yd course.
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72
66 Song-Hee Kim, Jiyai Shin.
67 Sophie Gustafson, Lorena Ochoa.
68 Ai Miyazato, Juli Inkster.
69 Paula Creamer.
70 Brittany Lincicome.
Selected scores:
71 Anna Nordqvist, Suzann Pettersen (joint 9th).
74 Catriona Matthew (18th).

LADIES GOLF UNON

News Release

2010 GB & I CURTIS CUP SQUAD

The following players have been named in the GB & I squad as part of the preparation for the 36th Curtis Cup match which will be played at Essex County Club, Massachusetts from June 11 to 13, 2010.

Hannah BARWOOD (Knowle ) ENGLAND Age 19
Carly BOOTH (Comrie ) SCOTLAND Age 17
Amy BOULDEN (Maesdu) WALES Age 16
Gemma BRADBURY (Cottrell Park) WALES Age 18
Holly CLYBURN (Woodhall Spa) ENGLAND Age 18
Charlie DOUGLASS (Brocket Hall) ENGLAND Age 20
Jodi EWART (Catterick) ENGLAND Age 21
Lucy GOULD (Bargoed) WALES Age 22
Rachel JENNINGS (Izaak Walton) ENGLAND Age 21
Louise KENNEY (Pitreavie) SCOTLAND Age 26
Leona MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell) IRELAND Age 14
Lisa MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell) IRELAND Age 14
Danielle McVEIGH (Royal Co Down Ladies’) IRELAND Age 22
Stephanie MEADOW (Royal Portrush ) IRELAND Age 17
Kelsey MacDONALD (Nairn Dunbar) SCOTLAND Age 18
Pamela PRETSWELL (Bothwell Castle) SCOTLAND Age 20
Kelly TIDY (Royal Birkdale) ENGLAND Age 17
Rhian Wyn THOMAS (Vale of Glamorgan) WALES Age 22
Kylie WALKER (Buchanan Castle) SCOTLAND Age 23
Sally WATSON (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies’) SCOTLAND Age 18

Captain: Mary McKENNA (IRELAND). Team manager: Tegwen MATTHEWS (Wales).

ELEVEN TEENAGERS IN ONE OF YOUNGEST GB&I SQUADS

One of the youngest Great Britain & Ireland squads for the biennial Curtis Cup match against the United States has been named by the Ladies’ Golf Union.
Eleven of the 20 players listed are teenagers, the youngest being the Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa, from Ballyconnel in Ireland’s County Cavan. At the age of 14, the two Slieve Russell club members have already set an age record by appearing for GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy match at Hamburg on July 24 and 25 this year.
They will celebrate their 15th birthdays in November which means, if selected for the May 2010 match, they will go into the record books alongside Carly Booth who was 15 when she became the youngest ever GB&I Curtis Cup team player at the 2008 match.
(Michelle Wie, born October 10, 1989, was 14 when she played for the United States in the 2004 match on June 12-13 at Formby).
Lisa Maguire is the 2009 Irish Ladies’ Close Champion and also Irish Ladies’ Open Stroke Play Champion. Both played in the European Junior Solheim Cup team in America and they were members of Ireland’s winning team of four in the European Girls’ Team Championship in Finland in early July.
IRISH YOUNGSTERS

Leona beat Lisa in a memorable final of the 2008 Irish Ladies’ Close Championship. This year Leona has won the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Troon (Lisa finished third) and the French Under-21 Open Championship.
Another Irish youngster, Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) is one of the selected players who are based in the United States for most of the college year.
Stephanie, who will be 18 next January, was the Irish Girls’ Champion in 2006 and was a member of the Irish Girls’ team of four who won the European title earlier this year.
Stephanie, a resident student at the Hank Haney International Golf Academy at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is among the front rank of girls who compete on the American Junior Golf Association circuit.
The other 2010 Curtis Cup squad members with strong USA connections are Jodi Ewart from Catterick, Yorkshire, and Sally Watson, who hails from South Queensferry, Edinburgh but who now plays out of the Fife club, Elie & Earlsferry Ladies’.
Teenager Sally, after several years at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida, enrolled on a golf scholarship in August at Stanford University, California, the alma mater of Tiger Woods and a former Curtis Cup Scot, Mhairi McKay.
Twenty one year-old Jodi Ewart is now in her fourth and final year at the University of New Mexico where she is considered to be the best player ever to grace its female golf roster. A winner more than once on the American golf circuit, she has made an excellent start to the 2009-2010 college season, finishing runner-up in an event with the lowest 54-hole total she has ever had.

THREE 2008 CURTIS CUP SURVIVORS

Jodi Ewart, Sally Watson and 17-year-old Carly Booth all played for GB & I in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews. The five other members of the home team have since turned professional. All nine members of the team who played the Continent of Europe in this summer’s Vagliano Trophy have been named.
The four Welsh players in the squad, Amy Boulden, Gemma Bradbury, Lucy Gould and Rhian Wyn Thomas will still be on a high from helping Wales win the Ladies’ Home International Matches last week for the second year in a row.
Gemma had an outstanding performance, winning five out of six matches in the three day tournament at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire. She was closely followed by Rhian who had four wins and a halved match and Amy with four points from four wins. Lucy Gould, Welsh Girls’ Champion in 2002 and 2003, had three wins to her credit. Lucy has just completed four years playing on the US college circuit as a student at East Tennessee State University.
Ireland’s Danielle McVeigh, winner of the British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Royal Aberdeen GC in August, played in America for two years as a student at Texas A&M University and is familiar with the different playing conditions in the USA. Danielle continues to study at the University of Ireland, Maynooth.

EUROPEAN SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
England’s six selections, with the exception of Kelly Tidy, formed the silver medal winning squad at this year’s European Ladies’ Team Championship at Bled, Slovenia. Kelly reached the final of the British Girls’ Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 but was unable to play in this year’s event as she was selected to play in the European Junior Solheim Cup team in America.
Hannah Barwood was last year’s English Ladies’ Champion. Holly Clyburn is the current English Girls’ and French Under-18 Open Champion. Left-hander Charlie Douglass is the English Ladies’ Champion and has led the EWGA Order of Merit for most of the season. She was England’s most successful player in the Ladies’ Home Internationals with four wins.
Rachel Jennings, who had three wins at the Home Internationals was runner-up to Danielle McVeigh in the Welsh Open Stroke Play Championship.
Scotland’s six includes Louise Kenney, Kylie Walker, Pamela Pretswell and Carly Booth who all finished in the top 10 of this year’s British Open Stroke Play Championship. Kylie, the St Rule Trophy winner in 2008 and 2009, travelled to the European Ladies’ Championship in Sweden with Pamela this summer where Kylie finished runner-up and Pamela joint fourth. Glasgow University student Pamela won the 2008 Swiss Ladies’ Open Amateur Championship.
The sixth Scot is Stirling University student Kelsey MacDonald who successfully defended the Scottish Junior Open Stroke Play title this year.
England and Scotland both have six representatives in the squad while Ireland and Wales each have four players chosen.

MARY McKENNA SKIPPER FOURTH IN A ROW
Ireland’s Mary McKenna will be captaining the GB&I side for the fourth time in a row. She was Captain at the 2007 and 2009 Vagliano Trophy matches and also the 2008 Curtis Cup match. “I am really delighted with this very talented and young squad,” said Mary. “It is a great incentive for the girls to work really hard over the winter to be ready for the early season selection. Playing the Curtis Cup in the US is a wonderful experience but needs extra preparation and commitment to challenge the Americans on their home ground.”
Mary remains the most successful Curtis Cup player for GB&I. She played in 17 biennial matches from 1970 to 1986, winning 10 and halving four of her 30 ties.
Wales’ Tegwen Matthews, who played in the 1974-76-78-80 Curtis Cup matches as Tegwen Perkins Thomas, continues in the important role of team manager.

TEAM SELECTION
The GB&I team of eight for the 2010 Curtis Cup match will be selected on Sunday, April 25 following the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Troon.
A player who have not been named in this preliminary squad, may still be selected for the 2010 team, and opportunities to show early season form are available at the following events;

The Orange Blossom Tour – Florida - January
Portuguese Women’s Open Amateur Championship, 28 -31 January.
Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival, Spain, 15 – 20 February.
Spanish Women’s Open Amateur Championship 3 – 7 March.

THE 2010 VENUE
Essex County Golf Club will be staging the Curtis Cup match for the second time. It hosted the 1938 match in the days when only three foursomes and six singles – all over 36 holes were played. The Essex County Golf Club opened in 1893 but the course was redesigned by Donald Ross who emigrated to the States from Dornoch in 1899 and became one of America’s leading golf course architects, responsible for Pinehurst 2, Seminole, Oak Hill and Oakland Hills. Ross was the Essex County Golf Club professional from 1910 to 1917 and it was during these years that he redesigned the course. The third green is claimed to be the oldest in America.

THE CURTIS SISTERS
The Curtis sisters, Harriot and Margaret, who donated the trophy, were the youngest of a affluent New England family. Their father had fought in the US Civil War and had built a summer house in Manchester, Massachusetts, close to the Essex County Club of which the Curtis family later became charter members. Thus a Curtis Cup match at this venue is of particular significance.

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
Vediorbis & Randstad Open de France Dames
Golf d'Arras, Nord-Pas de Calais, France
FIRST ROUND
Par 72
68 Ursula Wikstrom (Fin)
69 Anna Tybring (Swe), Samantha Head (Eng)
70 Tara Delaney (Irl), Stefania Croce (Ita), Becky Brewerton (Wal), Ana Larraneta (Spa), Hazel Kavanagh (Irl), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Laura Davies (Eng), Anja Monke (Ger), Jessica Ji (Kor)
71 Marion Ricordeau (Fra) (am), Karen Lunn (Aus), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi), Veronica Zorzi (Ita), Lydia Hall (Wal), Caroline Afonso (Fra), Melissa Reid (Eng), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Carin Koch (Swe), Frances Bondad (Aus), Nicole Gergely (Aut)
72 Lora Fairclough (Eng), Vikki Laing (Sco), Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Camille Fallay (Fra), Kirsty Taylor (Eng), Malene Jorgensen (Den), Lynn Kenny (Sco), Dana Lacey (Aus), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Maria Boden (Swe), Pamela Feggans (Sco), Morgana Robbertze (Rsa)
73 Holly Aitchison (Eng), Sarah Heath (Eng), Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin), Elena Giraud (Fra), Nina Reis (Swe), Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wal), Krystle Caithness (Sco), Georgina Simpson (Eng), Christel Boeljon (Ned), Isabella Maconi (Ita), Anna-Karin Salmen (Fin), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den)
74 Ellen Smets (Bel), Clare Queen (Sco), Martina Gillen (Irl), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Sophie Walker (Eng), Trish Johnson (Eng), Lisa Hall (Eng), Lena Tornevall (Swe), Jo Pritchard (Wal), Anna Knutsson (Swe), Jenni Kuosa (Fin), Elizabeth Bennett (Eng), Lucie Andre (Fra), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Lynnette Brooky (Nzl), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng)
75 Kyra van Leeuwen (Ned), Mianne Bagger (Den), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Nathalie David-Mila (Fra), Johanna Lundberg (Swe), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Florentyna Parker (Eng), K M Juul (Den), Marjet van der Graaff (Ned), Julie Greciet (Fra), Emma Weeks (Eng)
76 Federica Piovano (Ita), Diana Luna (Ita), Jehanne Jail (Fra), Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus), Smriti Mehra (Ind), Katharina Schallenberg (Ger), Kiran Matharu (Eng), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Barbara Genuini (Fra)
77 Perrine Delacour (Fra), Marta Prieto (Spa), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Audrey Riguelle (Fra), Joanne Mills (Aus), Beth Allen (USA), Caroline Rominger (Swi), Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger), Julie Tvede (Den), Joanne Morley (Eng), Laura Terebey (USA), Maria Ringdahl (Swe)
78 Claire Coughlan-Ryan (Irl), Celine Herbin (Fra), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Lisa Jean (Aus)
79 Marousa Polias (Aus), Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Paula Marti (Spa), Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Viva Schlasberg (Swe)
80 Laura Chemarin (Fra), Rosana Crepiat (Fra), Zuzana Masinova (Cro), Tandi Cuningham (Rsa)
81 Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra)
82 Emma Lyons (Eng), Maria Verchenova (Rus)
84 Ludivine Kreutz (Fra)
85 Claire Louise Aitken (Eng), Julie Berton (Fra)
87 Laure Sibille (Fra)

US COLLEGE NEWS

Andrea from Surrey ties for 2nd,

leads Murray State to victory


Andrea Downer, now in her fourth and final year at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, produced one of the best performances of her time in the States to help her college win their first event of the 2009-2010 programme.
Andrea, pictured, a member of Bramley Golf Club, Surrey, had rounds of 70, 77 and 78 for a total of 225 over a par-72, 6178 course at Drake Creek Golf Club, Ledbetter in Kentucky.
That placed her joint second in a field of 58 players.with Gabrielle Anderson (Eastern Kentucky) who scored 74, 76 and 75.
They finished three shots behind winner Emily Wolff (Western Kentucky) who scores 76, 72 and 74 for six-over-par 222.
Andrea's prominent showing - she was the first-round leader - helped Murray State to total 907 and win the team event by nine shots from Eastern Kentucky and by 23 shots fromn third placed Western Kentucky.
Later Andrea was named Murray State University's "Athlete of the Week," topping the poll of all the sports played at the college.

Lancashire and Gloucestershire in title

showdown at English County Finals

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
The scene is set for a title showdown between Lancashire and Gloucestershire when they meet tomorrow on the last day of the English County Finals at Pleasington.
They are separated by just half a point at the top of the table, but it is Lancashire, the hosts, who overtook their rvals and moved into the lead after the teams experienced a day of contrasting fortunes.
Lancashire trailed opponents Surrey, 2-1 after the foursomes but staged a superb singles performance to turn their deficit into a 5½-3½ victory.
Cori Lee led the way in considerable style – she was nine under par on the ladies’ card when she closed out her opponent on the 13th green. She was followed by Nikki Foster, Brogan Townend and Nicola Rawlinson – who clinched the win – while Catherine Roberts won the last hole to halve her game.
It means Lancashire are unbeaten so far this week and their captain Linda Wilson said: “I am absolutely thrilled with the team, they are just fantastic. Tomorrow we shall concentrate on doing what we have done all week and that’s to go out and get our five points.”
Meanwhile Lincolnshire provided the upset of the week when they ended Gloucestershire’s winning run, beating them 7-2.
Lincolnshire captain Linda Davey put the success down to a relaxing evening!
“Last night when we went back to the hotel we all chilled out. Some of the girls had a swim or a sauna and we got together for a drink in the bar - and they came out like terriers today.”
Lincolnshire dominated the match, winning all three foursomes and then taking three of the singles and halving two others.
Hannah Barwood was the only Gloucestershire player to win her match, while Sian James and Jo Hodge both managed halves.
In the day’s other match Hertfordshire beat Warwickshire 8-1 to play themselves into the thick of the action for a high place at the end of the tournament. The title will be decided by tomorrow’s match between Gloucestershire and Lancashire but it’s all to play for among the places.
After four days Lancashire have 3½ points, Gloucestershire 3, Hertfordshire 2½, Lincolnshire 2, Surrey 1 and Warwickshire 0.

THURSDAY DETAILS
LINCOLNSHIRE 7, GLOUCESTER 2
(Lincolnshire names first)
Foursomes
Helen Hewlett & Holly Clyburn bt Jo Hodge & Jamie Casling 3 and 1.
Sophie Beardsall & Emilee Taylor bt Hannah Barwood & Bethan Popel 7 and 6.
Jessica Wilcox & Jessica Schiele bt Linda Carruthers & Shelby Smart 6 and 5.
Singles
Clyburn bt Charlotte Ellis 5 and 4.
Schiele halved with Sian James.
Beardsall bt Carruthers 5 and 4.
Wilcox bt Smart 4 and 3.
Megan Illingworth halved with Hodge.
Taylor lost to Barwood 1 hole.

SURREY 3½, LANCASHIRE 5½
(Surrey names first)
Foursomes
Nicola Taylor & Niamh O’Connor lost to Cori Lee & Brogan Townend 3 and 1.
Lisa McGowan & Janine Snodgrass bt Catherine Roberts & Sarah Walton 2 and 1.
Julia Brook & Jo Stocks bt Nikki Foster & Nicola Rawlinson 3 and 2.
Singles
McGowan lost to Lee 6 and 5.
Katie Shepherd lost to Foster 4 and 3.
Taylor bt Walton 1 hole.
Brook lost to Townend 5 and 3.
Snodgrass lost to Rawlinson 2 and 1.
Katie Laud halved with Roberts.

HERTFORDSHIRE 8, WARWICKSHIRE 1
(Hertfordshire names first)
Charlie Douglass & Harriet Key bt Charlotte Dalton & Hannah McLoughlin 2 and 1.
Charlie Field & Lucy Williams bt Claire Howells & Lisa Barton 2 and 1.
Tina Jeary & Steph McEvoy bt Rachel Rusted & Liz Galland 5 and 3.
Singles
Douglass bt Barton 5 and 4.
Alison Franklin bt McLoughlin 3 and 2.
Williams bt Ashley Cramond 3 and 2.
Lucy Glyn bt Howells 1 hole.
McEvoy lost to Dalton 3 and 2.
Key lost to Galland 1 hole.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Lorna gets top 10 Senior British

finish for second year in a row

Ladybank’s Lorna Bennett achieved a top-10 finish in the Senior Women’s British Open golf championship for the second year in a row at Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club, South Wales today.

The Fifer, joint third last year, was only one of five players to break 80 on a windy final day over the par-74 South Wales links which are testing enough for the over-55s in the calmest of conditions.
Lorna’s rounds were 83, 82 and 77 for a total of 20-over-par 242 which gained her a share of eighth place behind the winner, Vicki Thomas, a former Curtis Cup player and many times Welsh women’s amateur champion.
Vicki, playing out of Carmarthen, scored 76, 74 and 82 for 232 to win the British seniors title for the first time by three shots from Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court).
Bennett, pictured above, had halves of 38 and 39 with a couple of birdies at the eighth and 17th.
Fiona de Vries (St Rule) finished joint 15th with 83, 83 and 81 for 245. Her final halves were 42 and 39 with a solitary birdie at the 13th.
Dunbar’s Noreen Fenton, who had been the top Scot overnight, sank to a share of 23rd place with a final round of 86 (42-44) after earlier efforts of 82 and 80. Noreen had a curious round in that she had an eagle 3 at the 17th after a total of five double bogeys between the seventh and the 14th.
Pamela Williamson (Baberton) had rounds of 89, 81 and 85 (38-47) for joint 30th position on 255. Pamela had one triple bogey and two double bogeys between the 12th and the 16th.
Cruden Bay’s Lynne Terry scored 87, 85 and 90 (46-44) for 262 and 38th place. Her scorecard included two triple bogeys and three doubles.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 222 (3x74). CSS 76 76 (reduction only) 76
232 Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) 76 74 82.
235 Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court) 75 78 82.
239 Felicity Coulter (Banstead Downs) 82 79 78.
240 Jean O’Connor (Newport Gwent) 79 81 80, Karen Pultz (Rushcliffe) 81 76 83.
241 Jane Rees (Hendon) 83 75 83.
242 Ann Lewis (Royal St Davids) 81 87 74, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 83 82 77, Caroline Marron (Bromborough) 78 84 80, Denise Richards (Bargoed) 75 86 81, Jo Ashmore (Barnham Broom) 79 81 82, Alison Murdoch (Canada) 78 79 85, Helen Jones (Strabane) 75 80 87.
245 Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough) 88 81 76, Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 81 83 81, Minna Kaarnalhati (Finland) 81 80 84.
246 Vieca Hoff (Sweden) 83 78 85, Christine Watson (Beaconsfield) 81 77 88.
247 Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest) 86 82 79, Christina Birke (Sweden) 81 81 85, Brigitta Ljung (Sweden) 78 81 88.
248 Irene Brien (Wentworth) 81 82 85, Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 82 80 86.
249 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 83 80 86.
251 Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine) 78 89 84.
252 Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) 89 77 86.
253 Diane Williams (Canada) 86 81 86.
254 Gillian Curley (Northants Co) 87 80 87.
255 Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 89 81 85, Kate Evans (Frilford Heath) 83 86 86, Niamnh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 82 86 87.
257 Catalina Castillego (Spain) 86 86 85, Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 85 85 87, Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 86 83 88.
258 Mia Stahl Samuelsson (Sweden) 86 85 87, Barbara Woodham (Cobtree Manor Park) 90 81 87.
262 Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) 87 85 80.
263 Olivia Conroy (Ireland) 89 80 94.
266 Terese Taylor (Mapledurham) 85 8794.
Retired: Cristina Marsans (Spain) 87 81 ret.

Lifeguard Laura is

ready to take the

plunge at Q School

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Lifeguard Laura Murray works at the members’ swimming pool at Kippie Lodge near Aberdeen. But the only saving the 21-year-old Scotland international golfer from Alford has been doing over the past year or so has been setting money aside to fund a crack at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School in December,

“Working 24 to 30 hours a week as a swimming pool lifeguard is just something to get me by at the moment so that I can finance my trip to the La Manga from December 12 to 22,” said Laura who has also been a student at Robert Gordon University (pictured above at Kippie Lodge this week by Cal Carson Golf Agency).
Being given only one game over three days by Scotland skipper Lesley Nicholson in last week's home internationals at Irvine has not dampened Laura’s enthusiasm to make the grade as a tournament professional.
“I definitely think I am ready at the age of 21 to have a go at making it through to the Ladies European Tour,” she said.
“I’ve drawn up a winter programme, preparing for it. The Tour School is only three months away and I’m working closely with my coach Kevin Craggs to be in tip top condition for the biggest golfing test of my life so far.
“Kevin’s steered several lady professionals through the Q School, including Lynn Kenny, so he’s got a fair idea of what to prepare me for, what he can tell me to expect.
Laura is confident enough to be looking beyond La Manga to playing on the Ladies European Tour next season. And she knows that until she finds her feet on a play-for-pay regime, obviously something completely new to her, Laura will need some outside help in meeting the bills.
“I am looking for potential sponsors, because I will need them to help me meet the costs of playing in tournaments. Working here at Kippie Lodge is hopefully going to give me some good connections.
“I’ve got my funds ready for going to Tour School just through saving and, of course, my parents help me an awful lot. So it’s not a question of not being able to go unless I raise X number of £s.
“I have to think positively and believe that next spring I will be preparing to play on the Ladies European Tour. That’s when I will need sponsorship to help with the costs of getting to Continental venues and living at each one for the best part of a week.
“I know it’s not easy to get sponsorship, especially in these hard times for so many businesses. I’m going to have meet most of my own costs for the Tour School but sponsorship would help in my first season on the LET.
Laura, still an amateur until after the Q School, is going out with the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association Elite Squad for their annual winter training trip to the Desert Springs resort in Spain on November 11.
“That will be really good for me to start warming up for the Tour School about a month before it starts. My plan is that instead of coming back to Scotland when that winter training trip is over, I will stay on in Spain, and play and practise at La Manga during the weeks leading up to the Q School.
“I have a friend who has a villa out in the La Manga area so that’s going to be perfect for me. My boy friend, Keil Beveridge, who is an assistant at Aboyne Golf Club, is going to fly out to Spain to caddie for me.”
Laura will not be the only Scot in the field for the Tour School programme of two 72-hole events one after another.
“Kylie Walker and Carly Booth, I believe, are also going to Desert Springs with the SLGA and also to La Manga for the Tour School .”
“It’s a big step but I really feel I am ready to go for it. Coach Kevin has taken my golf to complete new levels and he’s helped me so much this season. It’s been a pretty much up-and-down season. I started off strongly with a 10th place finish in the Helen Holm. I would have finished higher but for a poor last round.
“I won the Scottish universities title, then was a little bit unlucky to meet Megan Briggs in the quarter-finals of the Scottish at Southerness. She was in top form and, of course, went on to win the championship.
“I then went through a bit of a sticky patch, which is almost inevitable. As long as you can come out of it a better player than what you were before it. Then I finished seventh in the British stroke play at Balgownie, which included a couple of triple bogeys in my third round. Barring those holes, I could have won the British title.
“So it’s been good that my golf is coming back to form at just the right time for the Tour School . When I went to the pre-qualifying for the Ricoh Women’s British Open at The Berkshire at the start of August, I didn’t play well but I was surprised that I was hitting the ball farther than any of the LET professionals who had to pre-qualify. So I’ve definitely got the length to compete at professional level. You can never do too much short game practice and that’s what I need to work on, get some creativity into my game.
“I am going to work a lot on that aspect of my game with my coach in the lead-up to the Tour School .
“If I get through Tour School that would be great but it would not be the end of the world if I had to play another year as an amateur. It’s a Curtis Cup year and though I would be very surprised if I was named in the GB&I squad, I could still gain selection by playing well in the tournaments that matter.”

County finals at Baberton give WHI trio

chance to make up for Irvine heartbreak

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Three of the players left heartbroken by Scotland's failure to win the Women's Home Internationals at Irvine last week will be on opposing teams as they all attempt to bounce back at Baberton over the next three days.
The Juniper Green course is staging the Scottish Women's County Finals, with Midlothian, Galloway, Northern Counties and Renfrewshire the four teams set to battle it out for the title.
Jane Turner, who picked up two points from her three matches in Ayrshire, is in the Midlothian line up while her Scottish team-mates, Kelsey MacDonald and Megan Briggs, are representing Northern Counties and Renfrewshire respectively.
Claire Hargan, the Scottish team manager at Irvine, is also playing for Midlothian and she admits the experience suffered by the hosts in the Women's Home Internationals was very painful indeed.
"Lesley Nicholson (the team captain] and I were talking afterwards and, for all that we've both played in Home Internationals and European Championships ourselves, that was definitely one of the most disappointing experiences we've encountered on a golf course," said Hargan.
"We had such a strong team and everything was going according to plan until the singles against Wales. It was such a shame that we were unable to sink the putts we needed to in that session."
Hargan is something of a veteran when it comes to the County Finals, having represented Dunbartonshire & Argyll on a number of occasions before switching her colours to Midlothian after moving through to Edinburgh.
"It is definitely one of my favourite events," said the current Midlothian champion from Mortonhall. "There's great camaraderie yet it's still competitive at the same time. While I don't know a lot about Galloway, both Northern Counties and Renfrewshire will definitely be heading to Baberton with strong sides, so it promises to be very close over the three days.
"However, we've prepared well for the event – we were able to learn the best lines from tees during a recent match against a Baberton men's team – and we have a great mix of youth and experience.
"Rachael Watton, for instance, is one of the exciting youngsters in the side, while Louise Fraser, who is back after focussing on rugby for a couple of years, and Kirsten Blackwood both have bags of experience."
Midlothian face Galloway in the opening match tomorrow, the foursomes teeing off at 9.30am with the afternoon singles beginning at 1.30pm.
THE TEAMS
Galloway: Pat Magill, Sheila McMurtrie, Christina Meldrum, Caroline Merrick, Tracy Milligan, Gillian Monteith, Gwen Robson and Addi Shamash.
Midlothian: Kirsten Blackwood, Louise Fraser, Claire Hargan, Claire MacDonald, Karen Marshall, Wendy Nicholson, Jane Turner and Rachael Watton.
Northern Counties: Alison Bartlett, Cara Gruber, Kelsey MacDonald, Pam Mackay, Hannah McCook, Jenny Milne, Mary Smith and Julie Vass.
Renfrewshire: Eilidh Briggs, Megan Briggs, Clare-Marie Carlton, Donna Jackson, Gillian Kyle, Alyson McKechin, Liz Stewart and Carol Whyte.

Scottish Universities Golf

Calling all Caley Students!!! Your Golf Club Needs You!!!

Are you a student at Glasgow Caledonian University? Do you play Golf?

The Glasgow Caledonian Golf Club is currently recruiting new members in both Mens and Ladies Categories. We cater for all abilities of golfer and organise regular coaching sessions and range trips. We have a fantastic range of courses that we will be playing this year and there are opportunities for bursaries from the sports union for talented golfers too!

The GCU Golf Club also has range of exciting social activities from pub crawls to days away! We have negotiated special student rates at a local course and encourage all out members to play in team events, whether for the first team or in friendlies against other clubs.

If you would be interested in joining the GCU Golf Club drop and email with your contact details to golf@caledonian.ac.uk and we will get in touch with you!

Scottish Universities Golf 2009-10

Ever wondered what's available for students who want to play golf in Scotland?

Suzie McInally, the Scottish development co-ordinator for Scottish Universities Sport Ladies Golf has emailed kirkwoodgolf with information on this season's golf programme.

For scratch players, there are 4 order of merit events this year:

Event 1 Ladybank GC 4-5 October 2009
Event 2 Crail Golfing Society 2-3 November 2009
Event 3 Macdonald Cardrona 14-15 March 2010
Event 4 Moray GC 28-30 March 2010

For the Ladies League (Stableford)

Event 1 Craigielaw Golf Club 25th October 2009
Event 2 Dundonald Links 8th November 2009
Event 3 Scotscraig Golf Club 22nd November 2009
Event 4 TBC 14th February 2010
Event 5 The Dukes Course, St Andrews 28th February 2010
Event 6 TBC 21st March 2010

Ladies Handicap Championships

Windyhill Golf Club 14th-15th April 2010

In addition to this there are 3 tiers of the British Universities League in Scotland and Information on this can be found on the www.bucs.org.uk/golf website. Both men and ladies can play in this scratch league which runs throughout both semesters 1 and 2.

There are representative opportunities for both Scotland and Britain for our Home Internationals Side and the World Student Games.

If you are interested in playing Student Golf, you can contact Suzie McInally at suzie.mcinally@mac.com for more information on the contacts for your relevant University team.

So no excuses that you don't know what is going on... if you are a student and want to play golf get on to Suzie now!

US COLLEGE NEWS

Carnie makes solid start for USC-Aiken:

jt 14th in field of 83 with 2-under 214

Grant Carnie from Ellon finished joint 14th with a two-under-par total over 54 holes in his first tournament appearance for the University of South Carolina-Aiken this week.

Carnie, head-hunted as the star of the Brevard College team to play at a higher level of US college golf, had rounds of 70, 70 and 74 for a total of 214 in the Spring Hill Suites Intercollegiate over the 7,062yd, par-72 course at Country Club of South Carolina, Florence.

In a field of 83, Carnie, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, finished seven shots behind the joint winners, Casey Johnson (Appalachian State) and Jayson Judy (Elon) on the 207 mark.

USC-Aiken (852) finished third behind Georgia Southern (847) and Western Carolina (849) in the team event, contested by 16 squads.

During his summer holidays back in Scotland, Carnie pulled off one of the shock results of the Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon. He beat the top seed and Walker Cup player Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) but lost to Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) in the next round.

US COLLEGE NEWS

Nicola Race helps Missouri start

with a win on debut appearance

Missouri University's women's talent spotters knew what they were doing when they persuaded Essex-born Nicola Race to transfer from Redlands Community College for the new 2009-2010 college golf season.

Missouri had not won a team title since 2007 but, with junior year student Nicola in the team, as well as another English-born player, sophomore Hannah Lovelock from Surrey, they made their seasonal debut a winning one in the Chip-N-Club Invitational at Lincoln, Nebraska this week.

Missouri had no players in the leading five but a good grouping saw them win the team title with a total of 878, 11 shots ahead of hosts Nebraska with Kansas (895) third of 14 teams.

Nicola, pictured above, finished tied 22nd in a field of 83 players with rounds of 79, 73 and 75 for 227 over the 6,214yd, par-72 course at Wilderness Ridge.

Perhaps a little bit nervous in her first round at a higher level than she has previously played in the States, Nicola had no birdies in her opening 79. In the next round, she shot a 73 with three birdies and one double bogey. And in her final round, Race had a 75 which included another double bogey but, underlining her rising confidence, she birdied two of her last four holes, the 15th and 18th.

When she cuts out the double bogeys, Nicola, a prolific individual winner for her last college, will be challenging for the No 1 position on the Missouri women's team.

Lovelock scored 79, 75 and 76 for 230 and a share of 30th place in a field of 83 but her score counted for the Missouri team victory.

The individual honours went to the US girls champion Amy Anderson (North Dakota) with scores of 69, 72 and 69 for six-under-par 210 and a three-stroke winning margin . In US sport terms, Amy is 2 and 0 in the opening weeks of the US women's college golf season.

Gloucestershire and Lancashire tighten

their grip at English County Finals

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Gloucestershire and Lancashire both won again today at the English County Finals at Pleasington and are starting to move away from their rivals.
Gloucestershire have won all three matches so far and hold a half-point lead over the hosts, Lancashire, who have won two and halved one.
Hertfordshire, meanwhile, pulled off an impressive win over Lincolnshire and have now moved into third place on 1½ pts.
The finals are contested by six teams, each representing one of the regions of the English Women’s Golf Association.
The other contenders are Lincolnshire and Surrey, who have won a match apiece, and the young Warwickshire side, who have yet to score.
The third day’s play produced, as usual, superb golf and exciting matches. Gloucestershire were held to a draw in the morning foursomes by Surrey – but they steamrollered their opponents in the afternoon, winning five of the six singles.
Team captain Susan Reeve said: “It was a wonderful afternoon and I am very proud of them all and that includes Jamie Casling who lost only on the 18th. It’s the first time she has played at this level and she showed huge guts.
“This was a great team effort after we halved in the morning. Surrey are no push-over and they played some very good golf, so this was an excellent result for us. It was just a dream.” Lancashire had the advantage of leading Warwickshire 2 ½ -½ after the foursomes and they played well through the singles to secure their win. Cori Lee continued her impressive unbeaten run while Nikki Foster returned to top form to win a match in which the scoring was well below par.
Nicola Rawlinson managed to beat Ashley Cramond, despite the Warwickshire girl’s sublime putting, and Brogan Townend scored a well-earned half against the more experienced Lauren Taylor.
Team captain Linda Wilson said; “I am absolutely delighted. It’s been a great day, really, really good. Warwickshire are a good team and we had to play well to win. But, there’s still a long way to go and a lot to do.”
Hertfordshire also staged a stunning singles performance to beat Lincolnshire. They faced an uphill battle after taking only a half-point from the foursomes, but the team responded to the challenge and won 4½ singles points.
Tomorrow’s matches
Lincolnshire v Gloucestershire
Surrey v Lancashire
Hertfordshire v Warwickshire.

TODAY'S RESULTS

WARWICKSHIRE 3, LANCASHIRE 6
(Warwickshire names first)
Foursomes
Lauren Taylor & Ashley Cramond halved with Cori Lee & Brogan Townend
Lisa Barton & Charlotte Taylor lost to Catherine Roberts & Sarah Walton 5 and 4.
Rachel Rusted & Elizabeth Galland lost to Nikki Foster & Nicola Rawlinson 5 and 3.
Singles
Charlotte Taylor lost to Lee 7 and 6.
Cramond lost to Rawlinson 3 and 2.
Lauren Taylor halved with Townend.
Charlotte Dalton bt Bethany Garton 7 and 5.
Barton bt Jenna Birch 3 and 1.
Hannah McLoughlin lost to Foster 4 and 2.

LINCOLNSHIRE 4, HERTFORDSHIRE 5
(Lincolnshire names first)
Foursomes
Helen Hewlett & Holly Clyburn halved with Charlotte Field & Lucy Williams
Sophie Beardsall & Emilee Taylor bt Alison Franklin & Harriet Key 2 and 1.
Jessica Wilcox & Rachel Woodcock bt Tina Jeary & Lucinda Mileham 3 and 1.
Singles
Clyburn bt Franklin 1 hole.
Taylor lost to Charlie Douglass 2 and 1.
Hewlett lost to Williams 1 hole.
Megan Illingworth halved with Jeary
Wilcox lost to Steph McEvoy 5 and 4.
Beardsall lost to Key 1 hole.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE 6½, SURREY 2½
(Gloucestershire names first)
Foursomes
Sian James & Linda Carruthers bt Lisa McGowan & Nicola Taylor 3 and 1.
Charlotte Ellis & Hannah Barwood halved with Katie Laud & Niamh O'Connor.
Alison Kelly & Shelby Smart lost to Jo Stocks & Julia Brook 2 holes.
Singles
Barwood bt McGowan 2 and 1.
Jo Hodge bt Janine Snodgrass 6 and 4.
Smart bt Laud 4 and 3.
Jamie Casling lost to O'Connor 1 hole.
James bt Brook 5 and 4.
Ellis bt Stocks 6 and 4.

Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

SENIOR WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR

Noreen Fenton leading Scots

qualifier for final day

Dunbar's Noreen Fenton headed the five Scots among the 41 players who survived the 36-hole cut in the Senior Women's British Open amateur golf championship over the testing Pyle & Kenfig links in South Wales today.
Fenton, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, shook off a potentially demoralising triple bogey 7 at the first hole, helped by birdies at the second and third to add an 80 to her opening 82 for a two-round total of 162 and joint 16th place.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) had two double bogeys in an outward 43 and a third double bogey at the 17th in returning an 83 for 164 and 21st position.
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) is lying 22nd on 165 after rounds of 83 and 82. She had double bogeys at the fifth and seventh in an outward 45 but birdies at the 10th and 11th eased the pain.
Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) also made it through to the last day's play. Williamson improved eight shots with an 81 for 170 and a share of 35th place. Terry hit the limit qualifying mark of 172 with an 85 for 172 and joint 39th position.
Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) shaved with shots off her first-day score with an 84 but her two-round tally of 175 was three shots too many to beat the cut.
Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) missed out with an 87 and 91 for 178. So too did Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) on 180 (92-88) and Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) on 181 (93-88).
Former Curtis Cup player and many times Welsh women's amateur champion Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) leads the field by three shots with a 76 and 74 for 150.
England's Roz Adams (Addington Court) is her nearest challenger on 153 (75-78).
SCOREBOARD
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 148 (2x74)
150 Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) 76 74.
153 Roz Adams (Addington Court) 75 78.
155 Helen Jones (Strabane) 75 80.
157 Janet Doleman (Rushcliffe) 81 76, Alison Murdoch (Canada) 78 79.
158 Jane Rees (Hendon) 83 75, Christine Watson (Becconsfield) 81 77.
159 Karen Pultz (Canada) 81 78, Britta Ljung (Sweden) 78 81.
160 Jo Ashmore (Barnham Broom) 79 81, Jean O'Connor (Newport Gwent) 79 81.
161 Viveca Hoff (Sweden) 83 78, Felicity Coulter (Banstead Downs) 82 79, Minna Kaarnalahti (Finland) 81 80, Denise Richards (Bargoed) 75 86.
162 Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 82 80, Christina Birke (Sweden) 81 81, Caroline Marron (Bromborough) 78 84.
163 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 83 80, Irene Brien (Wentworth) 81 82.
164 Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 81 83.
165 Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 83 82.
166 Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool) 89 787.
167 Gillian Curley (Northants Co) 87 80, Diane Williams (Canada) 86 81, Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine) 78 89.
168 Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest) 86 82, Cristina Marsans (Spain) 87 81, Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 82 86, Ann Lewis (Royal St Davids) 81 87.
169 Olivia Conroy (Ireland) 89 80, Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough) 88 81, Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 86 83, Kate Evans (Frilford Heath) 83 86.
170 Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 89 71, Valerie Hasset (Ennis) 85 85.
171 Babara Woodham (Cobtree Manor Park) 90 81, Mia Stahl Samuelsson (Sweden) 86 85.
172 Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) 87 85, Catalina Castillego (Spain) 85 86, Teresa Taylor (Reading) 85 87.
MISSED THE CUT
173 Andrea Stockdale (Mapperley) 90 83, Gill Snelson(Branston) 85 88, Annie Gowing (Frilford Heath) 85 88, Sue Westall (Copt Heath) 84 89.
174 Jeannie O'Keeffe (Hankley Common) 89 85, Karin Gumpert (Germany) 89 85.
175 Rhona Brennan (Bandon) 912 84, Anki Hermanson (Sweden) 89 86, Inger Sund (Sweden) 88 87.
176 Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 92 84, Carol Cass (Braodstone) 91 85, Corinne Burgert (France) 91 84, Neeltje Goosseens (Netherlands) 89 87, Kate Peppier (Switzerland) 88 88.
OTHER SCOTS WHO MISSED THE CUT .
178 Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) 87 91.
180 Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) 92 88.
181 Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 93 88.

Kate Johnston wins East Vets Autumn Meeting

Kate Johnston (Baberton) took the honours at the ESVLGA Autumn meeting over sunny Murrayfield today. Her 83 less 12, net 71, was one shot better than Caroline Johnstone from the home club, but Caroline had the consolation of returning the best scratch score of the day, a four over par 77. Anne Hanna was third. The best bronze score was returned by Anne McIntosh (Gullane Ladies) with a net 75.

Leading net scores
(Murrayfield, Par 73 , SSS 72, CSS 73)
71 Kate Johnston 83-12
72 Caroline Johnstone 77-5
73 Ann Hanna 92-19
74 Sandra Ashurst 87-13, Norma Richmond 82-8
75 Anne McIntosh 96-21, Pam Townsend 87-12

Gloucestershire edge ahead at County Finals

Gloucestershire opened up a narrow lead on the second day of the English County Finals at Pleasington where they kept up their winning form and beat Hertfordshire 5-4.
It means they have two wins from two matches and they are the only team among the six finalists to boast a 100 per cent record.
However, they’re being chased hard by the hosts, Lancashire, who came from behind to beat Lincolnshire and have 1½ points so far.
In the day’s other match, Surrey put their first point on the board when they beat the young Warwickshire side 6-3.
The finalists each represent one of the regions of the English Women’s Golf Association and they’re battling it out for the title of England’s champion county.
The golf is spectacular and, as Lancashire captain Linda Wilson pointed out, it’s all to play for. “Today’s results mean it is wide open and it’s going to be a very exciting event,” she said.
Her team trailed Lincolnshire 1-2 after the foursomes but they produced splendid stuff in the singles, winning four of the six available points.
Cori Lee, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, claimed the scalp of her second England international in two days when she defeated Holly Clyburn. Her captain remarked: “Cori is a very, very special player, she’s really impressive.”
Two of Lancashire’s points were scored by girls who are making their debut for the county team this week: Nicola Rawlinson and Jenna Birch.”I am absolutely thrilled with their wins – and thrilled for the whole team,” said Linda.
Gloucestershire also came through an intensely tight fight with Hertfordshire to claim their point. After sharing the foursomes they had edged narrowly ahead when the last pair came to the 18th tee, all square.
Sian James secured the vital half point which gave Gloucestershire their victory when she holed a nerve-tingling downhill putt of about 4½ft on the home green.
Earlier, in the foursomes, she’d missed almost exactly the same putt - but this time she made no mistakes. Team captain Susan Reeve said: “It was a very missable putt and all credit to Sian for holding her nerve and sinking it. It was a very exciting finish to the day and we have seen some stunning golf.
“It’s a great event, the weather is fantastic, everything is running very smoothly and all the matches have been played in a really good spirit.”
One of the highlights of the day for Gloucestershire was Charlotte Ellis’s win over her fellow international, English champion Charlie Douglass. Both players were under par when the match ended on the 16th.
Surrey, meanwhile, set up their win over Warwickshire when they took two foursomes in the morning.They followed up with an excellent singles performance, winning three matches, halving two and losing only one – and that only on the final hole.
After two days’ play Gloucestershire have two points, Lancashire 1½, Lincolnshire and Surrey both have one; Hertfordshire have a half point and Warwickshire have yet to score.
WEDNESDAY'S MATCHES
Warwickshire v Lancashire
Lincolnshire v Hertfordshire
Gloucestershire v Surrey
TODAY'S RESULTS
GLOUCESTERSHIRE 5, HERTFORDSHIRE 4
(Gloucestershire names first)
Foursomes
Hannah Barwood & Charlotte Ellis bt Alison Franklin & Harriet Key 3/2
Linda Carruthers & Alison Kelly lost to Charlotte Field & Lucy Williams 3/1
Sian James & Jo Hodge halved with Charlie Douglass & Steph McEvoy
Singles
Ellis bt Douglass 3/2
Hodge bt Franklin 1 hole.
Kelly lost to Williams 4/3
Carruthers lost to McEvoy 3 and 1
James halved with Field
Barwood bt Key 6/5.
SURREY 6, WARWICKSHIRE 3

(Surrey names first)
Foursomes

Katie Shepherd & Janine Snodgrass bt Charlotte Dalton & Lauren Taylor 4/3.
Nicola Taylor & Niamh O'Connor bt Rachel Rusted & Elizabeth Haycock 6/4.
Katie Laud & Jo Stocks lost to Lisa Barton & Claire Howells 3/2.
Singles
Shepherd bt Charlotte Taylor 3/1
Lisa McGowan halved with Lauren Taylor
Snodgrass bt Dalton 1 hole.
Julia Brook bt Ashley Cramond 1 hole.
O'Connor lost to Barton 1 hole.
Nicola Taylor halved with Howells
LANCASHIRE 5, LINCOLNSHIRE 4

(Lancashire names first)
Foursomes

Corisande Lee & Brogan Townend bt Helen Hewlett & Holly Clyburn 2/1.
Catherine Roberts & Sarah Walton lost to Sophie Beardsall &Emilee Taylor 3/2.
Nikki Foster & Nicola Rawlinson lost to Jessica Wilcox & Jessica Schiele 2 holes.
Singles

Lee beat Clyburn 3/2
Walton lost to Schiele 5/3
Townend lost to Hewlett 7/6
Rawlinson bt Taylor 3/2
Jenna Birch bt Beardsall 1 hole.
Roberts bt Wilcox 2/1
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

US COLLEGE NEWS

Jodi's barrage of birdies earns her

second place in Ptarmigan Classic

GB&I international Jodi Ewart from Catterick, a 21-year-old student at New Mexico University, started her 2009-2010 US college season in promising style by finishing second in a field of 89 players for the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic at Ptarmigan Country Club, Fort Collins in Colorado.

Over a par-72 course of 6,250yd, Jodi, pictured above, shot 16 birdies over three rounds - 72, 68 and 68 - for a total of seven-under-par 209. It was the lowest 54-hole aggregate of her stellar career. Four-under-par 68 equalled her lowest-ever tournament round.

Jodi is just starting her fourth and final year at the University of New Mexico, where she is described as arguably the best woman golfer in the university’s history. It's a long time since a British player figured so successfully on the US women's college circuit.

Jodi, who had four birdies in her first round and six in both her second and third rounds, finished three shots behind the winner, Laura Anderson (Louisivlle) who scored 67, 71 and 68 for 10-under 206.

Hannah Burke (Baylor University, Texas) from Hertfordshire made a significant surge up the leaderboard with a final-day 69 for a total of level par 216, which gave her a creditable joint 13th place finish. Hannah's earlier rounds were 72 and 75.

A third English player in the field, Natasha Podmore (San Franciso) came joint 69th on 235 with scores of 82, 74 and 79.

Idaho (859) won the team event from Colorado State (863) with Louisville and New Mexico finishing joint third on 867. Baylor came seventh of 16 with a total of 875.

US COLLEGE GOLF NEWS

Darren Renwick joint winner of Carpet

Captial Collegiate tournament

Darren Renwick from Worthing, Sussex - now a student at Tennessee University - has tied with Swedish Texas Tech student Nils Floren for victory in the Carpet Capital Collegiate tournament at The Farm Golf Club, Rocky Face, Georgia.
Both Renwick and Floren finished on six-under-par 216. There was no play-off.
Renwick scored 71, 70 and 69. Floren's rounds were 73, 69 and 68.
Former Scottish boys champion Michael Stewart (East Tennessee State) from Troon shared 24th place on 220 with scores of 78, 70 and 72.
The individual performances of Renwick and Sweden's Robin Wingardh, joint third on 211, helped Tennessee win the team event by 12 strokes from Chattanooga.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
210 Darren Renwick (Tennessee) 71 70 69, Nils Floren (Texas Tech) 73 69 68.
211 Stephan Jaeger (Chattanooga) 74 66 71, Jonathan Randolph (Mississippi) 68 71 72, Robin Wingardh (Tennessee) 72 71 68.
Selected scores:
220 Michael Stewart (East Tennessee State) 78 70 72 (jt 24th).
228 Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 74 75 79 (jt 45th of 60).
LEADING TEAMS
851 Tennessee. 863 Chattanooga. 867 Georgia Tech. Also: 892 East Tennessee State (10th of 12).

FIONA DE VRIES LEADS SCOTTISH CHALLENGE

IN BRITISH SENIOR WOMEN'S OPEN

St Andrews hotelier Fiona de Vries (St Rule) spearheaded the Scottish challenge in the first round of the 54-hole Senior Women's British Open amateur golf championship over the Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club links in South Wales today.
In windy conditions, Fiona shot a seven-over-par 81 to be six shots behind joint pacemakers Roz Adams (Addington Court), Denise Richards (Bargoed) and Ireland's Helen Jones (Strabane).
De Vries goes into the second round sharing 11th place in a field of 75.
Second best Scot is Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) in joint 19th place with an 82.
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), who finished fourth in this championship last year, is sharing 22nd place with an 83.
Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) and Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) both had 87s for joint 38th place while Pamela Williamson (Baberton) was tied for 49th place with an 89.
The leading 40 and ties after Wednesday's second round will qualify for the final 18 holes.

FIRST ROUND
Par 74
75 Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court), Denise Richards (Bargoed), Helen Jones (Strabane).
76 Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen).
78 Brigitta Ljung (Sweden), Caroline Marron (Bromborough), Alison Murdoch (Canada), Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine).
79 Jean O'Connor (Newport Gwent), Jo Ashmore (Barnham Broom).
81 Fiona de Vries (St Rule), Irene Brien (Wentworth), Ann Lewis (Royal St Davids), Minna Kaarnalahti (Finland), Karen Putltz (Canada), Janet Doleman (Rushcliffe), Christina Birke (Sweden), Christine Watson (Beaconsfield).
82 Noreen Fenton (Dunbar), Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire), Felicity Coulter (Banstead Downs).
83 Jane Rees (Hendon), Kate Evans (Frilford Heath), Viveca Hoff (Sweden), Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Sheena McElroy (Grange).
84 Sue Westall (Copt Heath).
85 Annie Gowling (Frilford Heath), Valerie Hassett (Ennis), Gill Snelson (Branston), Teresa Taylor (Reading).
86 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), Catalina Castillego (Spain), Eppie Zandvoort (Easton), Diane Williams (Canada), Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest), Mia Stahl Samuelsson (Sweden).
87 Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay), Cristina Marsans (Spain), Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), Ann Durlow (Sweden), Gillian Curley (Northants Co).
88 Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough), Denise Burchell (Sandiway), Vivien Saunders (Cambridge Meridian), Sara Reston (Sandiway), Inger Sund (Sweden), Kate Peppler (Switzerland).
89 Ruth Lindley (Hartlepool), Pamela Williamson (Baberton), Karin Gumpert (Germany), Olivia Conroy (Ireland), Jeannie O'Keeffe (Hankley Common), Neeltje Goossens (Netherlands), Anki Hermanson (unatt).
90 Barbara Woodham (Cobtree Manor Park), Trudy Carradice (Pyle & Kenfig), Andrea Stockdale (Mapperley).
91 Corinne Burget (France), Carol Cass (Broadstone), Rhona Brennan (Bandon), Cornelia Fischer (Germany).
92 Isabelle Slater (Sandiway), Ruth Brown (Lothianburn), Louise Fleet (Clyne) Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle), Sue Pidgeon (Wrekin), Pat Bennett (Reading).
93 Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park), Ann Koychev (Ealing).
95 Rosemary Watters (Porters Park).
96 Elspeth Cooper (Calcot Park).
98 Dee Wood (Crane Valley), Luci Foster (Bramhall).
99 Caroline Caswell (Stoneham).

US COLLEGE GOLF NEWS

Grant Carnie's great start for

USC-Aiken after transfer

Round Two Team Results
Round Two Individual Results
FLORENCE, South Carolina - The 10th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken golf team concluded the first two rounds of the Springhill Suites Intercollegiate at the par-72, 7,062-yard Country Club of South Carolina in first place with a total team score of 560.
The Pacers led the event as a team after both round's on Monday. The Pacers fired a total team score of 282 to finish the first round tied with Western Carolina.
USC Aiken then fired the low team round of the tournament so far with a 278 in the second round to end its day four strokes ahead of second-place Western Carolina (564). Georgia Southern is just one back of the Catamounts at 565.
Justin Thomson (North Augusta, S.C./North Augusta) led the Pacers in the first two rounds, concluding the first two rounds with a total score of 138 to sit in a tie with four others for fourth place. Thompson finished the first round with a two-under-par 70. He followed that up with an impressive four-under-par 68 in the second round.
Three Pacers are in the top 12 in the event after the first two rounds with newcomer from Brevard College, Grant Carnie from Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and Kevin Grady tied with two others for 12th place with a 140.
In his first career event as a Pacer, Carnie, pictured above, a former All-South Atlantic Conference golfer at Brevard, carded a two-under-par 70 in both rounds to acquire the two-round tally of 140. Grady shot an even 72 in the first round, but fired off a four-under-par 68 in the second round to sit in 12th place with the 140.
Casey Johnson of Appalachian State is in first place at the event with a score of 136 (69-67). Jayson Judy (70-67) of Elon and Presbyterian College's Patrick Coleman (69-68) are both just one stroke behind at 137.
The 54-hole, two-day Springhill Suites Intercollegiate is being hosted by Francis Marion. The Pacers are six-time champions in the event, having last won it in 2006. USC Aiken claimed the crown in the tournament five-straight times from 1992-96.
The third and final round begins on Tuesday morning local time.

US COLLEGE GOLF NEWS

Paul Ferrier finishes jt 35th

in The Gopher Invitational


Charlotte University student Paul Ferrier, the 2007 Scottish boys' match-play champion and Baberton Golf Club member, finished joint 35th in a field of 72 players at The Gopher Invitational over a par-72, 7,020yd course at Spring Hill Golf Club.
Ferrier, pictured right, shot rounds of 78, 72 and 75 for a total of nine-over-par 225.
The winner, Kelly Kraft (Southern Methodist), turned in an astonishing performance to win by eight strokes.
He had rounds of 67, 70 and eight-under-par 64 which blew away his challengers, for a 15-under-par total of 201
Ben Pisani (Minnesota) was runner-up on 209 with scores of 65, 71 and 73.
SMU (855) won the team title from Arkansas (865), Minnesota (870) and Charlotte (875) in a field of 12.

Scotland's schoolboy line-up at Westerwood. BACK: L-R Grant Forrest, Scott Gibson, Stuart Boyle, Tom Blennerhasset, Graeme Duncan, Jamie Arthur, Paul McPhee, Simon Fairburn FRONT L- R Liam Johnston, Calum Stewart, Neil Beattie, Calum McLean (Image by courtesy of Hugh Hunter).

Scotland's golfing schoolgirls (left to right) Gabrielle Macdonald, Lesley Atkins, Alyson McKechin, Eilidh Briggs, Ailsa Summers, Rachael Watton (image by courtesy of Hugh Hunter).

SCOTLAND SCHOOLGIRLS DRAW, SCOTLAND SCHOOLBOYS

LOSE THRILLER TO ENGLAND AT WESTERWOOD

Scotland’s golfing schoolgirls drew 4 ½-4 ½ with their England counterparts but England’s schoolboys beat the Scots boys 10-8 in the annual schools international golf match, hosted this year by the Scots at Westerwood Hotel’s golf course, Cumbernauld today.
Scotland’s schoolgirls trailed 2-1 after the morning foursomes but singles wins by Rachael Watton (Firrhill High, Edinburgh), Lesley Atkins (Loretto School ), and Gabrielle Macdonald (Trinity Academy, Edinburgh ) plus a halved match by Eilidh Briggs (Gryffe High, Johnstone) enabled them to share the honours at the end of the day.
The situation was reversed in the boys’ match with the Scots leading 3 ½-2 ½ after the foursomes.
England made up the one-point deficit and some by taking the singles 7 ½- 4 ½
The contest did go to the last green in the last match. Jamie Arthur (Kinross High) needed to beat Matt Birch from Leicestershire for a 9-9 finish but in a tension-packed finish the English boy won by one hole to produce the 10-8 scoreline in favour of his country.
Collated results:
SCOTLAND SCHOOLBOYS 8, ENGLAND SCHOOLBOYS 10
Foursomes (3 ½-2 ½)
Grant Forrest (Stewart’s Melville Coll) & Calum Stewart (Golspie High) lost to Gavin Samuels (Essex) & Patrick Spraggs ( Suffolk ) 1 hole.
Scott Gibson (Dumfries Acad) & Liam Johnston ( St Joseph ’s Coll, Dumfries ) bt Tom Anderson (Hertfordshire) & Ross Dickson (Middlesex) 1 hole.
Paul McPhee (Perth Acad) & Jamie Arthur (Kinross High) bt James Burnett ( Lincolnshire ) & Patrick Kelly ( Lincolnshire ) 2 and 1.
Tom Blennerhasset (Balerno High) & Stuart Boyle (West Calder High) halved with Paul Howard (Lancashire) & Sean Towndrow ( Lancashire ).
Graeme Duncan (Calderhead High) & Simon Fairburn (Galashiels Acad) bt Levi Desmond ( Lincolnshire ) & Kit Holmes ( Norfolk ) 4 and 3.
Neil Beattie (Madras Coll) & Calum McLean (Hillpark Secondary, Glasgow) lost to Matt Kippen ( Somerset ) & Matthew Birch (Leicestershire) 6 and 5.
Singles (4 ½ - 7 ½)
Gibson halved with Samuels.
McPhee lost to Dickson 1 hole.
Stewart bt Anderson 4 and 2.
Blennerhasset bt Spraggs 4 and 3.
Forrest lost to Burnett 6 and 5.
Johnston lost to Kelly 3 and 2.
Boyle bt Howard 2 and 1.
Fairburn lost to Towndrow 2 and 1.
Beattie lost to Desmond 2 holes.
McLean bt Holmes 1 hole.
Duncan lost to Kippen 4 and 3.
Arthur lost to Birch 1 hole.

SCOTLAND SCHOOLGIRLS 4½, ENGLAND SCHOOLGIRLS 4½
Foursomes (1-2)
Rachael Watton (Firrhill High) & Eilidh Briggs (Gryffe High) lost to Raffi Dyer (Hampshire) & Bethany Garton ( Lancashire ) 5 and 3.
Lesley Atkins (Loretto School ) & Alyson McKechin (Trinity High, Renfrew) lost to Ashley Cramond (Leicestershire) & Kirsty Condon ( Lincolnshire ) 3 and 2.
Ailsa Summers (Dundee High) & Gabrielle Macdonald (Trinity Acad, Edinburgh) bt Katie Thompson (Hampshire) & Melissa McMahon ( Somerset ) 3 and 2.
Singles (3½-2½)
Watton bt Dyer 2 and 1.
McKechin lost to Cramond 3 and 2.
Briggs halved with Garton.
Atkins bt Condon 7 and 5.
Macdonald bt McMahon 2 holes.
Summers lost to Thompson 1 hole.

Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire

score wins at County Finals

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
English women's county finals 2009 began with wins for Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire on the opening day of the tournament at Pleasington.

In the day’s other match there was nothing to separate the hosts, Lancashire, and Hertfordshire, who halved.

Six teams, each representing one of the regions of the English Women’s Golf Association, are battling it out in the round robin competition for the title of England’s champion county.

The first day was marked by excellent golf all round – the players include a number of England internationals – and a notable start for Lincolnshire. It’s 20 years since they last played at County Finals and, after they beat Surrey, team captain Linda Davey remarked:

“This is a new experience for everyone and needless to say we are delighted.”

Her players got off to a good start, winning two of the three morning foursomes, but Surrey came back strongly in the singles. Lincolnshire champion Helen Hewlett confidently secured her point but it was nip and tuck in the other matches.

“It was very, very close and after nine holes it looked as if it could go either way. Then Jessica Schiele and Sophie Beardsall pulled off two great wins and that did it,” said Linda.

Gloucestershire took their point with a 6-3 win over Warwickshire. They won all three foursomes and followed up with convincing singles victories from three of their top players: Charlotte Ellis (pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency), Linda Carruthers and Sian James.

Team captain Susan Reeve remarked: “We had a very strong start in the foursomes and this proved to be the difference. We are thrilled with this result from the first day, which was very much a team effort. Now, we shall just take each day as it comes.”

Lancashire and Hertfordshire were locked in a close battle all day. They shared the foursomes points and went on to also halve the singles. “It was a very fair result,” said Lancashire captain Linda Wilson.

“It was a good day with good matches played in the true spirit of the game.”

The afternoon session was particularly exciting as Lancashire got off to a quick start and were soon up in five of the six singles. But Hertfordshire turned it around and secured three wins, to the delight of their captain Jackie Foster, who said: “I am really proud of my girls.”

Tomorrow’s order of play is:

Gloucestershire v Hertfordshire

Surrey v Warwickshire

Lancashire v Lincolnshire.

DAY ONE RESULTS

LINCOLNSHIRE 5 1/2, SURREY 3½

(Lincolnshire names first)

Foursomes

Helen Hewlett & Holly Clyburn bt Lisa McGowan & Nicola Taylor 6 and 5.

Sophie Beardsall & Emilee Taylor lost to Katie Shepherd & Janine Snodgrass 3 and 1.

Jessica Wilcox & Jessica Schiele bt Katie Laud & Jo Stocks 5 and 3.

Singles

Hewlett bt McGowan 4 and 3.

Clyburn halved with Shepherd.

Taylor lost to Taylor 2 and 1.

Schiele bt Julia Brook 3 and 2.

Beardsall bt Snodgrass 3 and 1.

Wilcox lost to Laud 4 and 2.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE 6, WARWICKSHIRE 3

(Gloucestershire names first)

Foursomes

Hannah Barwood & Charlotte Ellis bt Lisa Barton & Charlotte Taylor 4 and 3.

Linda Carruthers & Alison Kelly bt Claire Howells & Elizabeth Haycock 4 and 2.

Sian James & Jo Hodge bt Charlotte Dalton & Hannah McLoughlin 2 and 1.

Singles

Ellis bt Dalton 5 and 4.

Hodge lost to Barton 3 and 2.

Shelby Smart lost to Howells 2 and 1.

Bethan Popel lost to Haycock 3 and 2.

Carruthers bt Taylor 4 and 3.

James bt McLoughlin 6 and 4.

HERTFORDSHIRE 4 1/2, LANCASHIRE 4 1/2

(Hertfordshire names first)

Foursomes

Charlie Douglass & Lucy Williams halved with Emily Taylor & Corisande Lee

Alison Franklin & Harriet Key lost to Sarah Walton & Catherine Roberts 5 and 4.

Charlotte Field & Tina Jeary bt Nikki Foster & Brogan Townend 2 holes.

Singles

Douglass lost to Lee 5 and 4.

Williams beat Foster 4 and 2.

Key bt Taylor 1 hole.

Field lost to Nicola Rawlinson 5 and 4.

Steph McEvoy bt Walton 3 and 2.

Franklin lost to Roberts 3 and 2.

***Follow the matches via the EWGA Tournament information Centre: www.englishwomensgolf.org
Lyndsey Hewison

Press & PR Officer

US COLLEGE NEWS

Linzi Allan from Ayrshire is one of Newman University's

three newcomers to Wichita from United Kingdom

NEWS RELEASE FROM NEWMAN UNIVERSITY, WICHITA
Newman University in Wichita, Kansas,USA is pleased to announce the arrival of its three newest players. Linzi Allan, Megan Birdsey and Alyssa Balding all arrived on campus last week. All three girls hail from the UK.
Women's Golf Coach Don Farquhar said “All three girls will be able to have an immediate impact on our team. They are all very dedicated to their school work and their golf games. We should be much stronger this season.”
Linzi (a member at West Kilbride, where she has been women's club champion, and Kilbirnie Place) comes from Ayshire Scotland. She is a tall, smooth swinger who drives the ball very well. Her strongest part of the game is her long game. Coach Farquhar says that with a little work on her short game she will be “a force to be reckoned with.”
Megan, from Caddington Golf Club, Luton, is another smooth swinger with a contagious personality. She is also going to be a regular in the line-up. She is the kind of player every coach dreams of having on a team.
Alyssa cojms from Parklands, Northumberland in the North of England. She has a very sound technical swing. There are very few weak spots in her game. A little more seasoning is all she needs. She has a strong work ethic that will bode her well the rest of her life.
Newman University is very lucky to have all three young ladies on the Women’s Golf team. NU competes in the NCAA Division II in the Heartland conference. Their season starts on Sept 14th with their first tournament in Dallas Texas. Keep an eye out for these three ladies as they make their splash into NCAA golf!

BELL’S EFFORTS RING TRUE AT FALDO

SERIES UK CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS RELEASE
Eighteen-year-old Jonathan Bell clinched the Faldo Series UK Championship at Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club after finding some second-round form with the putter to finish on level par.
With a second-round 71, Bell from London won on a count-back, having finished equal on 144 with boys’ under-21 winner James Watts from Hertfordshire.
Watts, 21, and Bell were equally delighted however as both have earned themselves a place at the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil.
Bell commented after his win: “Solid putting made the difference from yesterday; I didn’t really miss any putts at all today. I’m delighted to be in the Grand Final. Playing in Brazil will be a wonderful experience and I’m really excited about meeting Nick.”
Supported by The R&A, the PGA and the European Tour, the 13th Grand Final will include all five age-category winners from Royal Ashdown Forest. The event will be hosted by Nick Faldo at the Itanhanga Golf Club in Rio de Janeiro from October 28 to 30, when more than 80 finalists from around the world will compete for a chance to follow in the footsteps of European Tour winners Nick Dougherty and Rory McIlroy.
Winners from Royal Ashdown Forest (all qualify for the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil):
Boys U21
James Watts 21 East Herts Haultwick +3.5 144 Par
Boys U18
Jonathan Bell 18 Royal Blackheath London +3.0 144 Par
Boys U16
Thomas Clements 16 Royal Norwich Norwich +0.1 149 +5
Girls U21
Chelsea Masters 18 Highwoods St Leonard’s on Sea 4.0 162 +16
Girls U16
Georgina Mundy 15 Dunwood Manor Eastleigh 4.7 153 +7

SCOTLAND v ENGLAND SCHOOLS

Westerwood Hotel & Golf Course, Cumbernauld nr Glasgow SCOTLAND SCHOOLGIRLS v ENGLAND SCHOOLGIRLS Foursomes (1-2) Rachael Watton (Firrhill High) & Eilidh Briggs (Gryffe High) lost to Raffi Dyer (Peter Symonds Coll) & Bettany Garton (Baines Coll) 5 and 3. Lesley Atkins (Loretto School) & Alyson McKechin (Trinity High) lost to Ashley Cramond (Myton Coll) & Kirsty Condon (Sleaford High) 3 and 2. Ailsa Summers (Dundee High) & Gabrielle Macdonald (Trinity Acad) bt Katie Thompson (Peter Symonds College) & Melissa McMahon (Millfield) 3 and 2. Results from singles to come. SCOTLAND SCHOOLBOYS v ENGLAND SCHOOLBOYS Foursomes (3 ½-2 ½) Grant Forrest (Stewart's Melville Coll) & Calum Stewart (Golspie High) lost to Gavin Samuels (Redbridge Coll) & Patrick Spraggs (Framlingham Coll) 1 hole. Scott Gibson (Dumfries Acad) & Liam Johnston (St Joseph's Coll, Dumfries) bt Tom Anderson (John Henry Newman) & Ross Dickson (Enfield) 1 hole. Paul McPhee (Perth Acad) & Jamie Arthur (Kinross High) bt James Burnett (St George's Coll) & Patrick Kelly (Spalding Grammar) 2 and 1. Tom Blennerhasset (Balerno High) & Stuart Boyle (West Calder High) halved with Paul Howard (Rainford Tech) & Sean Towndrow (King George V Coll). Graeme Duncan (Calderhead High) & Simon Fairburn (Galashiels Acad) bt Levi Desmond (St Hugh's) & Kit Holmes (King Edward VII) 4 and 3. Neil Beattie (Madras Coll) & Calum McLean (Hillpark Secondary) lost to Matt Kippen (Bridgwater Coll) & Matthew Birch (Grove Coll) 6 and 5. Results from singles to come.

Jiyai Shin wins LPGA Tour play-off after final 64

Jiyai Shin shot a final round of seven-under-par 64 to post the clubhouse target which no could bet. She then accounted for Angela Stanford and Sun Young Yoo at the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the LPGA Tour's P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship.
Shin trailed by seven shots at the beginning of the day but rallied to win her third LPGA Tour event of the year Sunday. She made a birdie on No. 15, the second play-off hole, after Stanford missed a longer putt for birdie.
The three players finished at 9-under 204 for the 54-hole event at Pinnacle Country Club.
Shin posted her final-round score around 12:30 p.m., then had to wait a few hours for everyone else to finish. Yoo birdied No. 18 to tie for the lead, and Stanford qualified for the play-off with a dramatic 18th-hole eagle

Wessberg beats Davies in play-off but

keep an eye on "new" Hazel Kavanagh


FROM THE IRISHTIMES.COM WEBSITE
A refreshing new mental approach helped Hazel Kavanagh record the best result of her career at the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open in Austria today.
Ireland may still be waiting for a first winner on the Ladies European Tour but Kavanagh’s third place finish hinted at a promising future.
In 53 previous starts on the pro circuit, Kavanagh had failed to break into the top 10. But, having adopted a new more carefree mindset, the 37-year-old came within a whisker of a maiden title.
Ultimately, three dropped shots in the opening three holes would deny the Dubliner her moment in the sun. A double bogey at the second, where her ball lodged in a tree, was particularly damaging.
Yet, while many players would have fallen apart, Kavanagh kept any further bogeys off the card went on to hole three birdies on her way to an eight under total, one shy of figuring in the play-off between Laura Davies and Linda Wessberg.
Standing on the tee of the par-5 18th, a quick glance at the leaderboard left Kavanagh fully aware one more birdie would guarantee a place in the shoot-out. Weighing up her options, she believed the best course of action was to lay up, take the water out of the equation and take her chances with a pitch and a putt.
Unfortunately, her approach spun more than anticipated and the ensuing putt rolled by.
“The third shot, I thought I’d played a perfect shot and it was the first shot all day that just checked too quickly,” she said afterwards. “I was very disappointed because I thought it was perfect. I’m a tiny bit disappointed I didn’t make 4 on 18 but what can you do.”
And the secret of Kavanagh’s new found success? “Not caring where the ball goes,” she explained. “I used to care and try so hard to put it into position but now I just hit it and then find it and hit it.
“I always knew I had it in me but mentally I was very weak and I’m much stronger this year.”
Wessberg claimed the title on the second extra hole, denying Davies a third successive triumph at the Golfclub Föhrenwald.
In the sudden-death play-off, Wessberg and Davies both took 3s at the short 16th before Wessberg triumphed with a bogey 6s on the par-5 18th. Davies' hopes of a fourth title ended in a watery grave as she took a disastrous 7 after she twice found the water.

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
UNIQA LADIES GOLF OPEN
Golfclub Fohrenwald-Wiener Neustadt, Austria
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
279 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 70 68 70 71, Laura Davies 67 69 74 69 (Wessberg won sudden death play-off at second extra hole).
280 Hazel Kavanagh 68 73 67 72, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 68 68 73 71, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 70 70 71 69
281 Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 69 70 71 71
282 Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 69 67 72 74
283 Frances Bondad (Aus) 74 69 69 71, Melissa Reid 67 74 70 72
285 Maria Boden (Swe) 70 71 71 73, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 70 68 73 74
286 Dana Lacey (Aus) 72 73 70 71, Morgana Robbertze (Rsa) 74 70 71 71, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 71 71 76 68
287 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 68 70 71 78, Caroline Afonso (Fra) 72 71 71 73, Felicity Johnson 71 71 73 72, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 71 72 76 68
288 Smriti Mehra (Ind) 70 71 71 76, Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 72 70 77 69, Anja Monke (Ger) 70 74 72 72, Joanne Mills (Aus) 76 67 73 72, Rebecca Coakley 67 72 78 71, Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 74 74 70 70, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 69 77 73 69
289 Tara Delaney 74 73 70 72
290 Lynnette Teresa Brooky (Nzl) 73 75 72 70, Federica Piovano (Ita) 69 72 72 77
291 Lydia Hall 69 72 75 75, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 71 72 77 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 73 70 75 73
292 Malene Jorgensen (Den) 70 76 72 74, Zuzana Masinova (Cze) 73 75 73 71, Ellen Smets (Bel) 74 73 71 74, Lisa Hall 74 72 72 74, Elizabeth Bennett 76 70 75 71, Elena Giraud (Fra) 73 70 74 75
293 Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 74 73 75 71, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 75 72 72 74, Martina Hochwimmer (Aut) 74 71 74 74, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 71 77 71 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 74 74 74 71, Camille Fallay (Fra) 71 76 75 71, Nina Reis (Swe) 71 73 74 75, Becky Brewerton 72 73 73 75, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 71 73 72 77
294 Sophie Walker 74 71 74 75, Johanna Mundy 72 72 76 74, Samantha Head 73 74 71 76
295 Lotta Maria Wahlin (Swe) 74 74 70 77, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 71 73 74 77, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 75 73 75 72
296 Kyra Van leeuwen (Nzl) 73 73 75 75, Marina Stutz (Aut) 76 71 75 74, Clare Queen 72 70 79 75
297 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 75 70 74 78, Lora Fairclough 75 72 74 76
298 Julie Tvede (Den) 74 74 74 76, Ana-Belen Sanchez (Spa) 75 71 74 78, Trish Johnson (Eng) 70 77 77 74, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 74 73 79 72
299 Marina Kotnik (Aut) 74 74 76 75, Marta Prieto (Spa) 67 81 75 76, Lee-Anne Pace (USA) 73 73 76 77, Stefania Croce (Ita) 74 74 70 81, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 74 74 75 76, Rebecca Hudson 71 76 76 76
300 Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 73 73 75 79, Anna Tybring (Swe) 71 77 77 75
301 Kiran Matharu 72 76 78 75, Mianne Bagger (Den) 76 72 79 74, Julie Greciet (Fra) 72 76 76 77, Breanne Alicia Loucks 72 76 77 76
302 Pamela Feggans 73 71 79 79

Leading prizewinners from the UBC girls' tournament at McDonald Ellon GC today. Jessica Meek, who finished third in the scratch section, was unable to stay for the prizegiving. Click on the image by Cal Carson Golf Agency to enlarge it.

Hannah McCook (Abernethy) with the scratch trophy at McDonald Ellon Golf Club today (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency: click on it to enlarge).

Hannah McCook in the golfing picture again as she retains UBC girls' trophy P&J photographer Sandy McCook's daughter Hannah put herself in the golfing picture again by winning the UBC girls' tournament for the second year in a row at McDonald Ellon Golf Club today. Hannah, a 16-year-old three-handicap member of Abernethy Golf Club, Nethy Bridge, won the scratch trophy by one shot from Megan Clyne (Deeside) with a score of 83 in overcast, windy and sometimes wet conditions over a course with little or no run on the ball. Hannah stuggled to the turn in 45 but came home in 38, compared with Megan who had halves of 43-41. They were level on the 18th tee but Hannah finished with a par 5 and Megan a bogey 6. McCook, who won the North of Scotland girls' championship earlier this summer, is a member of the Northern Counties squad who will be bidding to win the Scottish women's county team championship at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh this coming weekend. She will be going farther afield next month as a member of the Grampian Houston Junior Trip squad bound for a 10-day stay at Houston, Texas. Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) would have tied with McCook on 83 but for running up a triple bogey 8 at the par-5 17th. She finished third with an 86. Olivia Borwick, playing over her home course, won the handicap trophy with a net score of 75 off 17. Lauren Watson (Deeside) (27) was second on 76 and another Deeside junior, Vikki Powell (handicap 18) was third with a net 77, having a inward half than Kirsten MacCallum (Newburgh) (10) who also had a net 77. LEADING SCRATCH Par 73. CSS 76 83 Hannah McCook (Abernethy). 84 Megan Clyne (Deeside). 86 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie). 87 Sophie Alexander (Deeside), Rachel Polson (Peterculter), Kirsten MacCallum (Newburgh). 88 Lauren Duncan (Aboyne), Claire Prouse (Hazlehead), Louise McGillivray (Banchory). 90 Kristina Vannet (Peterculter). 92 Olivia Borwick (McDonald Ellon). 93 Emily Aird (Strathmore), Heather Munro (Monifieth). 95 Vicki Powell (Deeside). 97 Kelly Guthrie (Oldmeldrum). 98 Emma Read (Deeside). LEADING HANDICAP 75 Olivia Borwick (McDonald Ellon) (17). 76 Lauren Watson (Deeside) (27). 77 Vicki Powell (Deeside) (18) (better inward half), Kirsten MacCallum (Newburgh). 78 Megan Clyne (Deeside) (6), Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) (26). 79 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (7). 80 Hannah McCook (Abernethy) (3). 81 Sophie Alexander (Deeside) (6), Louise McGillivray (Banchory) (7), Claire Prouse (Hazlehead) (7). 82 Rachel Polson (Peterculter) (5), Lauren Duncan (Aboyne) (6), Kristina Vannet (Peterculter) (8), Heather Munro (Monifieth) (11).

Angela puts anxiety behind her to be

a challenger in Arkansas


FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Angela Stanford needed some time to adjust to her family's new challenge. After her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, anxious Angela struggled on the course in July and early August.
"I really thought I was going to handle it better, but I didn't to start with," Stanford said. "Now, it is a new normal. We know what's going to happen, and we know it's going to be a good end. So that makes it a lot easier."
Stanford shot a two-under-par 69 on Saturday to move to second place at the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship. She trails Song-Hee Kim by two strokes heading into the final round.
Stanford's season began in promising fashion with a victory at the SBS Open and two more top-10 finishes. In late June, however, she announced that her mother, Nan Stanford, would soon begin chemotherapy.
In her next tournament, Stanford finished tied for 49th. She then missed the cut at the U.S. Women's Open and finished tied for 52nd at the Evian Masters.
After tying for 20th in the Women's British Open, Stanford played in the Solheim Cup, and her mother made the trip to Illinois to be with her. Since then, Stanford has finished in the top 10 in two straight tournaments and will try to win this one Sunday on the 6,244-yard course at Pinnacle Country Club.
Her mother is about halfway through chemotherapy, and Stanford says she's doing well.
"I think it's probably going to be tough the next nine weeks, because from what I understand, when the chemo is building in your body, it gets harder," Stanford said. "But I just keep telling her, you know, there's a positive end. There's going to be an end to this, and so she's doing great right now."
Stanford shot a 37 on the front nine, six strokes worse than her first-round performance. She made up for that with birdies on Nos. 11, 14 and 18.
Kim shot a 68 despite hitting only six of 13 fairways. The 21-year-old South Korean is trying for her first win on the LPGA Tour.
"I had to be patient today," she said. "I made a lot of up-and-downs, and I made a lot of good par putts."
Kim has played par 5s in 6 under in the first two rounds of the 54-hole event. She said Friday she'd been feeling tired because this was her fourth tournament in four weekends, but now any fatigue might be wiped out by adrenaline.
"I cannot wait to play tomorrow," she said.
German-born Sandra Gal was the first-round leader at seven under, but she shot a 76 Saturday. That was reminiscent of her struggles at the Women's British Open, when she shot a 69 in the first round and followed it up with an 80.
Na Yeon Choi shot the low round Saturday with a 65 and is in a three-way tie for third, a shot behind Stanford. The wind picked up a bit for the second round, resulting in higher scores.
Jane Park (70) was at 5 under and well within striking distance, especially if she can repeat her final-round 62 from this event last year. She finished one shot behind winner Seon Hwa Lee in 2008.
"It's good to be in the mix," Park said. "The course is definitely playing harder with the wind, as every course does."
Lee (68) is unlikely to repeat at even par, but she did make the cut. So did Cristie Kerr (70) and Michelle Wie (70). They are at 3 under, a stroke ahead of Paula Creamer (70), Natalie Gulbis (69) and Morgan Pressel (69).
Local hope Stacy Lewis, the former University of Arkansas golfer who won the 2007 NCAA championship, bounced back with a 67 in the second round after playing the first in 2 over. Kelli Shean, who currently plays for the Razorbacks, also shot a 67 to qualify for Sunday's final round at one over par.