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Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Disappointing day for home hopes at Murcar Links

Scots girls drop out of the title
hunt on the first day

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
High hopes of a Scotland victory at the end of the week were shattered in the first qualifying round of the European girls' team golf championship at Murcar Links today.
The Scots underachieved in a big way, finishing the day in 17th position with only Norway and Latvia behind them.
Comrie's Curtis Cup history-maker Carly Booth (78), Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) (79), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) (80) and Sammy Vass (87) were a collective 36 over par for the 18 holes.
Between the four of them, they could come up with only one birdie - a 3 at the 18th by Rebecca Wilson.
With three from four scores to count daily in the 36-hole qualifying test, Scotland's 21-over-par 237 leaves them so far out of the running for one of the top eight match-play places, it is not even worth speculating about.
Switzerland, Sweden and Germany are disputing the No 1 spot on four-over-par 220, one ahead of Czech Republic, a country one does not associate with good golfers of any age, links or otherwise.
France, England and Ireland are locked together on 227, one shot ahead of eighth-placed Spain.
The identical 13-year-old Maguire twins did well for Ireland with Leona recording a 73 and Lisa a 75.
Even with a cool wind off the sea on a bright, sunlight day, the Murcar Links' composite ladies' course of under 6,000yd was not as difficult a test as the Scots' scores would suggest. Eight players matched or bettered the par of 72. There were another seven players on the 73 mark.
Austria's Anja Purgouer was able to get it round in a best-of-the-day, three under-par 69, playing in the threesome behind Carly Booth who required 42 shots for the outward half.
Not one of the Scots was able to break 40 (four over par for the first nine). Kelsey MacDonald was out in 41, Rebecca Wilson in 43 and Sammy Vass in 47.
How ironic that England's top scorer was Rachel Connor with a 73. Her father, professional at the Manchester club, is a Scot. Through her dad, Rachel had a qualification to play for Scotland but that was nullified when she played in the English girls' championship two or three years ago.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Par 216(3 x 72)
220 Switzerland, Sweden, Germany.
221 Czech Republic.
222 France, England (R Connor 73, A Peters 74, H Barwood 75. Non-counting: K Tidy 77), Ireland (Leona Maguire 73, V Bradshaw 74, Lisa Maguire 75. Non-counting: S Cunningham 76).
223 Spain.
224 Austria, Denmark.
225 Italy.
226 Belgium, Netherlands.
228 Finland.
235 Wales (A Boulden 75, K O'Connor 78, K Miller 82. Non-counting: N Gobey 87).
237 Scotland (C Booth 78, R Wilson 79, K MacDonald 80. Non-counting: S Vass 87).
239 Norway.
253 Latvia.

LEADING INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Par 72
69 Anja Porgouer (Austria).
71 Katerina Ruzickova (Czech Republic), Anna Arrese (Spain).
72 Rebecca Huber (Switzerland), Alessia Knight (Italy), Joelle Van Baarle (Belgium), Daisy Nielsen (Denmark), Nicola Rossler (Germany).
73 Maaike Naafs (Netherlands), Rachel Connor (England), Sherlyn Popelka (Switzerland), Josephine Janson (Sweden), Leona Maguire (Ireland), Johanna Tillstrom (Sweden), Rosanna Crepiat (France).
74 Victoria Sherer (Germany), Emily Curry-Bartonova (Czech Republic), Manna Stutz (Austria), Giulia Molinaro (Italy), Alexandra Peters (England), Alexandria Bonetti (France), Sophia Popov (Germany), Victoria Bradshaw (Ireland), Louise Larsson (Sweden).

Rachel Connor leads the way for England with a 73

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
England are just two shots behind the leaders after the first day of qualifying in the European girls’ team championship at Murcar Links near Aberdeen in Scotland.
Lancashire’s Rachel Connor led the way with a one-over par 73 which included an eagle 3. She put on a super-accurate display by hitting 16 greens in regulation and is 10th in the individual table.
Nottinghamshire’s Alex Peters – who is making her debut at this level – had four birdies in her 74.
English women's champion Hannah Barwood from Gloucestershire provided the third counting score with 75.
England captain Julie Brown was delighted with her four players. “They are an absolutely brilliant team. They have really connected very well as a team.”
To challenge for the championship medals England must finish among the top eight teams after tomorrow’s second qualifying round. At the moment they are lying seventh on a very tightly contested leaderboard.
Two shots cover the top seven teams and four shots cover the top 10.

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