March 2007 Archive

Saturday 31st March 2007

Sara Fallar beaten in final of SA Amateur
Irish Girl's International Sara Faller fought bravely but eventually went down to South African star Ashleigh Simon in the final of the Sanlam South African Amateur Matchplay Championship at George Golf Club.
The amazing, record-setting 17-year-old golfing dynamo Simon added the matchplay to her strokeplay victory for the third consecutive year breaking yet another record and making history. South Africa's best prospect since LPGA Hall of Fame star Sally Little who won three Majors in the 1980s, has the swing, the power, the dedication and drive to follow in Little's spikemarks.
17 year old Faller from Galway was equally determined to win her first major championship. Having beaten Henriette Frylink 5&4 in the first round; Iliska Verwey 4&3 and Border champion Lizelle Muller 3&2, she dispatched giant-killer Gina Switala in the semi-final. Faller, a girls International since 2005, has been earmarked as one of Ireland's most promising players and is currently attending college in the USA.
Ashleigh who was seven up on the 25th hole kept doing what she does best, one shot at a time until she overcame Faller on the 32nd hole. Simon, who does not intend taking up a college place in the USA, just wants to play golf and will turn to the Ladies European Tour and LPGA qualifying schools in late 2007. She adds this title to the Espirito Santo World Cup win which she captured with teammates Kelli Shean and Stacy Bergman at Stellenbosch in October 2006.
Full details at http://www.womensgolfsa.co.za/sanlam/2007/homepage_news_matchplaysemi2_thur29.asp2007 Sanlam South African Matchplay Championship - George Golf Club
Final
Ashleigh Simon beat Sara Faller 6&4 (36 holes)
Semi-finals
Ashleigh Simon bt Ashleigh Holmes 5 and 4
Sara Faller bt Gina Switala at 19th

Keir McNicoll doing well in the Azalea Amateur
After two rounds of the Azalea Amateur, a major event on the US Amateur's circuit, Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll lies six shots off the pace and in joint 17th place with scores of 73 and 70.
Arnond Vongvanij leads on 137, one shot better than Luke List, who won the Jones Cup at Kiawah Island last month, and was runner up in the 2004 US Amateur.
Scores with relation to par from the second round of the Azalea Amateur, at the par-71, 6,809-yard Country Club of Charleston (S.C.):
1. Arnond Vongvanij 70-67--137 -5
2. Luke List 72-66--138 -4
3. John Finster 70-69--139 -3
3. Kyle Ellis 72-67--139 -3
3. Webb Simpson 70-69--139 -3
3. Billy Horschel 71-68--139 -3
7. Chris Kirk 73-67--140 -2
7. Pat Tallent 69-71--140 -2
7. Nathan T. Smith 68-72--140 -2
10. Hudson Swafford 72-69--141 -1
10. Brent Wicher 68-73--141 -1
12. Brendon Todd 74-68--142 E
12. Morgan Hoffmann 70-72--142 E
12. Frank Vana 70-72--142 E
12. Ryan Hybl 68-74--142 E
12. Peter Uihlein 68-74--142 E
17. Rickie Fowler 68-75--143 +1
17. Keir McNicoll 73-70--143 +1
19. Tyler Leon 73-71--144 +2
19. William Miller 72-72--144 +2
19. Brian Harman 72-72--144 +2

Friday 30th March 2007

LGU Press Release
LGU SELECT TEAM FOR COMMONWEATH TOURNAMENT
Naomi Edwards, Breanne Loucks and Melissa Reid, three players from the 2006 Curtis Cup, form the nucleus of the Great Britain team to compete in the Commonwealth Tournament from 7-11 May in South Africa. The remaining two places are taken by 2002 Curtis Cup player Kerry Smith and 18-year-old Scot, Krystle Caithness.
Canadian born Loucks, now living in and representing Wales, was the most successful player in the Curtis Cup match against the United States last year at Bandon Dunes, winning all three of her matches. In one of these, the second day foursomes, she partnered Melissa Reid in recording a 7/5 win, the biggest winning margin of the two day contest.
Reid had a highly successful 2006 in which she won the Scottish Stroke Play title, realising the potential she had shown in winning the English Girls’ title in both 2004 and 2005.
Yorkshire’s Naomi Edwards first came to national attention in 2003 with a place in the final of the English Match Play Championship. That was followed, in 2005, with wins in the English Mid-Amateur and the Scottish Stroke Play and last year with a title-winning performance in the Welsh Stroke Play.
At 35 years of age, Kerry Smith is by far the most experienced player in the side and has played international representative golf for England since 1997. A relative latecomer into golf at 15, she played in the 2002 Curtis Cup, was English Champion in 2004 and headed the English Order of Merit that year and also in 2006.
Krystle Caithness, 18, already has an impressive list of golfing achievements with wins in the Scottish Under-16, Under-18 and 21 Championships. Last year, over the Old Course, St Andrews, against a truly international field, Krystle won the St Rule Trophy.
Sue Turner, Captain of the Great Britain side said: “We have selected a relatively young team but one which already has extensive experience of competing at the highest international level.”
“I have no doubt therefore, that with the steadying influence of Kerry Smith, one of the country’s most experienced players, we have a real chance of winning the Commonwealth Tournament.”
TEAM
Krystle Caithness 18 St Regulus
Naomi Edwards 23 Ganton
Breanne Loucks 19 Wrexham
Melissa Reid 19 Chevin
Kerry Smith 35 Waterlooville
RESERVES
1. Sahra Hassan Vale of Glamorgan
2. Florentyna Parker Gut Waldhof
3. Sally Watson Elie & Earlsferry
CAPTAIN
Sue Turner
COACH
Lawrence Farmer

Thursday 29th March 2007

SGU Press Release
SGU CELEBRATES DOUBLE DINNER SPONSOR
The seventh annual Scottish Golf Dinner takes place tomorrow night (Friday 30 March) to celebrate Scottish golf’s amateur success and the event was given a boost with the capture of two new sponsors.
Leading independent financial advisers MDH Hughes and specialist golf surfaces company Golfcrete will sponsor this year’s Dinner, which is a complete sell-out as clubs, golfers and Scottish Golf’s partners gather to toast one of the most successful seasons in the domestic amateur game.
With Richie Ramsay’s victory in the US Amateur Championship, Scottish teams’ quadruple success in the Girls, Boys, Mens and Seniors Home Internationals and numerous other team and individual performances, the Dinner will be glittering with silverware.
Michael Hughes, Managing Director of MDH Hughes, is delighted to be involved in the 2007 Scottish Golf Dinner:
‘Our association with the Scottish Golf Union stretches back many years as the organisation’s employee benefits advisers and we hope that through the sponsorship we can widen our offering throughout the golf industry.’
‘Last season was a fantastic one for amateur golf in Scotland and the Dinner will provide a great showcase to celebrate the achievements of everyone involved,’ he added.
Ian Tittershill, Managing Director of Sportcrete, who provide an environmentally friendly and ecologically sound lining for lakes and bunkers on golf courses, sees sponsorship of the Scottish Golf Dinner as the perfect platform for launching the product in Scotland:
“Golfcrete has already been successful in continental Europe and the States so we hope that our presence at the Scottish Golf Dinner can build our awareness in Scotland.”
“We would like to congratulate the SGU and the SLGA for their efforts on and off the course in 2006 and wish them every success for the year ahead.”
The Scottish Golfer of the Year and SGU Order of Merit winner will be formally announced on the evening, whilst the leading female golfers from 2006 will also receive their awards on the night, as the SGU and SLGA bring both their awards evenings together for the very first time.
Former Scotland rugby star turned BBC radio presenter John Beattie provides the after-dinner entertainment alongside leading guest speaker Brian Voyle-Morgan.

Wednesday 28th March 2007

Attention all Scottish Squad members!
Jayne Smith, 1999 Scottish Champion and recently appointed Captain of the Scotland Home International team, had a scratch 70 round Gullane No2 today in a Gullane Ladies' medal competition. Jayne's score was three under the SSS and CSS of 73, and not only did she have the best scratch score, she also had the best net - a 66 off a handicap of 4. Perhaps she should not be captaining the team but playing in it!
Well done Jayne!

WALLACE BOOTH TAKES HIS FIRST COLLEGIATE TITLE
Career-low, six-under 65 propels Jaguar senior to first collegiate victory
From the website of Augusta State:
AWENDAW, S.C. -- Augusta State’s Wallace Booth fired a final-round, six-under 65 Tuesday to capture The Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate at Bulls Bay Golf Club just outside of Charleston.
The victory is the first collegiate title for Booth, a senior from Perthshire, Scotland. His six-under 65 marks his lowest round as a collegian, besting the five-under 67 he registered in the second round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic at The Farm Golf Club last fall in Rocky Face, Ga. The effort also is the lowest final round by a Jaguar in a victory since former standout Oliver Wilson shot an eight-under 64 in the final round of the 2003 Cleveland Golf/Augusta State Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club.
The win also marked the third consecutive year a Jaguar has claimed medalist honors at The Hootie. Then-sophomore Jamie Miller won the tourney title on the strength of a second-round, seven-under 64 last year and Scott Jamieson had a final-round 68 to win the 2005 tourney.
Booth’s effort sparked ASU to a fifth-place finish -- its best finish of the season -- and matched Baylor for the low round of the day, a seven-under 277. Senior Major Manning carded a four-under 67 and jumped from 15th into a tie for seventh. Miller tallied a one-over 72 and finished 73rd, while sophomore Tarik Can posted a two-over 73 and tied for 58th. Junior Keith Guest had a three-over 74 and didn’t count toward the Jags’ team total, but posted ASU’s third-best finish – a tie for 36th – that included a first round of three-under 68.
“This is great – it’s a pretty awesome feeling,” said Booth, who tallied his second top-20 finish of the year with the win. “I didn’t have any idea about my chances (to win) until Coach Gregory told me what the situation was on the 17th hole. He pretty much let me do my thing out there on the course today and didn’t say a whole lot, which is what he normally does so things seemed pretty normal. I just wanted to finish strong and see where a good round would put me at the end of the day.”
Booth played the front nine in three-under 33 before reaching the 630-yard, par-five 10th hole. After a drive of 410 yards from an elevated tee, Booth hit a 3-iron to 35 feet and drained the putt for eagle. After a birdie at the par-3 12th moved him to five-under on his round, he suffered his lone miscue of the day on the par-4 16th. He bounced back with a birdie at the 17th, rolling in a 15-footer that turned out to be the difference.
Wake Forest’s Webb Simpson and 36-hole leader Greg Forest of Central Florida finished a shot back of Booth at seven-under 206. Jeremy Frye of Baylor and North Carolina’s Martin Ureta were two shots off the pace, tying for fourth at six-under 207.
The Jaguars, who began the final round in seventh place, also posted their lowest round of the season with their team total of 277. ASU fired an eight-under 280 at the General Jim Hackler Invitational two weekends ago in Murrells Inlet, S.C.
Wake Forest edged Baylor in a playoff for the team title, while Florida State was third. First and second-round leader Central Florida was the only team among the top seven to not shoot under par in the final round. The Golden Knights signed for a four-over 288 and took fourth, nine shots clear of ASU.
The Jaguars now turn their attention to hosting the Administaff Augusta State Invitational, slated for Friday-Sunday, March 30-April 1 at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Ga.
For full-field results of the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, log on to www.golfstat.com.
Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate
Bulls Bay Golf Club
Awendaw, S.C.
Par 71 – 7,261 yards
March 25-27, 2007
Leading scores
205 Wallace Booth (Augusta State) 71 69 65
206 Greg Forest (UCF) 66 67 73, Webb Simpson (Wake Forest Univ) 72 68 66
207 Jeremy Frye (Baylor) 68 69 70, Martin Ureta (North Carolina) 72 69 66
208 Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina) 70 70 68
Team Results
1. Wake Forest 283-279-278=840 (-12)
Baylor 283-280-277=840 (-12)
3. Florida State 274-289-282=845 (-7)
4. Central Florida 270-288-288=846 (-6)
5. AUGUSTA STATE 286-292-277=855 (+3)
6. Duke 288-291-281=860 (+8)
7. North Carolina 287-293-282=862 (+10)
Coastal Carolina 285-290-287=862 (+10)
9. South Carolina 289-294-283=-866 (+14)
10. LSU 288-288-294=870 (+18)
11. North Carolina State 297-293-281=871 (+19)
12. College of Charleston 291-295-289=875 (+23)
13. Kentucky 301-285-290=876 (+24)
14. Vanderbilt 292-300-293=885 (+33)
15. Arkansas 307-293-294=894 (+42)

ROSS BAIN (SCOTLAND) QUALIFIES FOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Five Win Open Places in Singapore
The Australian trio of Adam Groom, David Gleeson and Lee Won-Joon, together with Scotsman Ross Bain and Lam Chih-Bing of Singapore, have won their way into The Open Championship through 36 holes of International Final Qualifying-Asia over Sentosa Golf Club's Tanjong course.
Lam emerged as only the second Singaporean to qualify for the Championship, his six-under-par 66 in the second round included two eagles and five birdies and left him one stroke behind top finisher Groom. Lam will follow in the footsteps of compatriot Mardan Mamat who was the first Singaporean to make it to the Open Championship back in 1997.
"This is simply great. I cant wait as it has always been my dream to play in a major. I've never been to Scotland and my last trip to Europe was in 2002 on holiday," said Lam.
"My friends have told me so many things about their first ever experience at The Open and now it's my turn. I heard that the atmosphere there is unbelievable. Danny Chia mentioned that he had goose bumps while walking the course with the crowd all around, it's going to be amazing," added Lam.
After adding a 69 to his opening 66, the 28-year-old Groom was happy with a score that led the qualifying event. "It was going on well until I struck a triple bogey on the ninth hole. But I knuckled down on the back nine and struck four birdies without a single bogey, so that was a good way to end the day. This is fantastic being able to make it for my first ever major," he commented.
Thanks to solid iron play, Lee, who turned pro late last year, ended his day with a 70 and was forced into a play-off when compatriot Park Jun-Won scored 68 for a 137 total in a tie for fifth place. Lee took the final spot at the par-four first play off hole when he holed a three-foot birdie putt as Park parred.
"This is fantastic. I was fully focused on my last shot at the play-off and when it went in I was really happy. That was one of my most crucial shots as I've now sealed my place in Scotland," said Lee. "This is going to be my first major. I've been to Scotland before when I played at the St Andrews Links Trophy. So I can roughly know what to expect as I did get some feedback from the players about Carnoustie. I'm eager to go," he admitted.
Scotland"s Bain returned a second round 64 to seal his place, while Gleeson scored his second straight 68 and made it through after his ninth attempt at qualifying.
Top Scores & Qualifiers
135 GROOM, Adam (Australia) 66 69
136 LAM, Chih-Bing (Singapore) 70 66, BAIN, Ross (Scotland) 72 64 136 , GLEESON, David (Australia) 68 68
137 PARK, Jun Won (Korea) 69 68 LEE, Won Joon (Australia) 67 70 (Lee won playoff)
138 ISHIGAKI, Sushi (Japan) 67 71
139 LASCUNA, Tony (Philippines) 69 70
All scores can be found here

ELGA Press Release
Kerry Smith nominated for top award
England number one Kerry Smith has been nominated for the Nancy Lopez Award which is presented annually to the world’s best female amateur golfer.
Players will be judged on their performance during 2006 when Kerry, 35, won the ELGA order of merit for the second time in three years.
The Hampshire golfer from Waterlooville enjoyed a year of highlights. These included winning the silver medal at the European ladies’ championship in Germany when she shot a career-best 65 in the final round.
She made her 10th consecutive appearance for England in the Home Internationals when she won five of her six matches and helped the team to overall victory. She also represented England in the Espirito Santo Trophy in South Africa.
Kerry was the top qualifier in the English championship, won her county championship and found time to work with Hampshire juniors.
She’s one of an impressive group of golfers who have been nominated for the award. Kerry’s challengers are: Amanda Blumenherst, Esther Choe, Kimberly Kim, Stacy Lewis and Paige MacKenzie, all from the USA; Anna Nordquist and Caroline Westrup of Sweden; and Ashleigh Simon of South Africa.
Last year’s winner was American Morgan Pressel who won the 2005 US women’s amateur championship and was runner-up in the US women’s open.

ELGA Press Release
Christine Watson to defend English seniors’ championship
A top-class field, led by the titleholder Christine Watson (pictured below), will contest the Seniors Ladies’ English Close Championship at Delamere Forest in Cheshire from April 24-27.
Christine, from Beaconsfield, leads a field of 92 players whose handicaps start at one and who include senior internationals and former Curtis Cup players.
“I’ve enjoyed being champion and I’d like to hang on to it – but there are a lot of other people who would like to get hold of this title,” said Christine, who was in England’s winning team at the 2006 senior home internationals
“There are an awful lot of good players out there and there’s a new crop every year. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully my game will be as good as last year,” she added.
A number of other 2006 senior internationals join Christine in the field. They are Geraldine Bray, the English strokeplay champion from Littlestone; Carole Caldwell, a former Curtis Cup player from Sunningdale; Sue Pickles (Lee-on-the-Solent), Sue Westall (Copt Heath) and Pat Wrightson (Huddersfield)
Carole Caldwell and 2005 championship runner-up Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court Ladies’) share the distinction of holding the lowest handicaps in the field. Both play off one.
Meanwhile the “new crop” of players includes four women in their first year of senior golf, having turned 50 in the past 12 months. Among them is Cheshire’s Barbara Laird, a two-handicapper from Sandiway who was a regular county player in the 1990s and is a former Durham champion.
She’s part of a strong Cheshire contingent with nine players representing county clubs. They include Sue Dye, a three handicapper who will be playing on home ground at Delamere Forest and who was runner-up in last year’s English seniors’ strokeplay championship.
Two other local contenders are both Stockport members: Alanna Vine, who is a former Lancashire champion and plays off three; and Elisabeth Wilson who made 176 county team appearances for Cheshire. Mary Weaver from Mere is the reigning Cheshire seniors’ champion while her club colleague Ann Howard is a former Curtis Cup player.
In addition, the chair of the championship committee is Ruth Whitehead, who is the ELGA vice-chairman and a member of Delamere Forest. “I’m delighted by the size and quality of the field,” she said. “All the members at the club are pulling out the stops to make this as successful as possible. The support is tremendous.”
Those supporters include honorary club member Carol Comboy, who is one of ELGA’s vice presidents and who was Cheshire champion at least five times.
The undulating heathland course is a regular venue for Cheshire county events and has hosted the English men’s mid-amateur championship and Open qualifying. The ladies’ layout has been extended to 5721 yards for this event, with a par of 72.
The championship will be played in two divisions depending on handicap.
All competitors will play two rounds of strokeplay qualifying, 18 holes on each of Tuesday and Wednesday. The top 16 players in each division will go forward to the matchplay stages, which will be played on Thursday and Friday. Spectators are welcome.

Scots out of the Australian Amateur Championship.
Scott Henry (Cardross) and Lloyd Saltman (Criagielaw), who came through the strokeplay qualifying rounds in 5th and 3rd place respectively are both out of the Australian Amateur Championship.
Scott was beaten in the first round by Troy Rophia of New Zealand 5 and 4.
Lloyd won his first round against Queensland's Ben Fletcher by 4&2, and then beat the current R&A World No1 ranked amateur, Jamie Moul (England) by 3&2. However he lost in the quarter-finals to Justin Roach (New South Wales).

Tuesday 27th March 2007

ELGA Press Release
Roehampton ladies back the ELGA Trust
Roehampton Club ladies have given the ELGA Trust a record birthday present – their biggest-ever donation to the charity’s funds.
They have just sent £415 to the Trust, which is the charity for girls’ golf and which celebrates its silver jubilee this year.
The Roehampton ladies are consistently generous supporters of the Trust and their gifts since 2001 now total more than £2220.
This year’s donation was raised at the ladies’ first event of the season, their Club Day at which golf is followed by lunch with a speaker. In previous years they have also bought Trust goods and supported the ELGA Trust pro-am.
Over the past 25 years the ELGA Trust has helped countless girls with grants towards equipment, tuition, tournament expenses and county coaching schemes. However income is dwindling and the Trust has recently been forced to cut back on its grants and to appeal to ELGA members to help boost its funds.

Scottish Universities Golf Championships
The SUS Golf Championships are to be held at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth, next week. Here is the draw (rtf file).
Rob Macpherson, the organiser says
"The final 36 holes on Tuesday (Moray Old) will be drawn on Monday night.
"For men: Top 48 scratch scores + ties
"For women: Top 8 scores (scratch) + ties; top 8 scores (handicap) + ties
"Entries have now closed, but a late entry list is now in operation for both the Mens' and Womens'
Championships. Please inform me directly of any omissions, corrections, changes or withdrawals. e: 07866 734012"

Monday 26th March 2007

Saltman just misses playoff- Dodt wins Australian Stroke Play Championship
By Alistair Hogg
Australian Golf Union Website writer
Andrew Dodt has won the 2007 Australian Stroke Play Championship after a thrilling playoff finale at New South Wales Golf Club.
The Queenslander went head to head with Scott Arnold after the pair was deadlocked at four-under par through 72-holes, finally triumphing on the fourth extra hole when his opponent found a bunker off the tee. Dodt made a clutch two-putt to claim the sudden death playoff and the title as 2007 Australian Amateur Stroke Play Champion.
He now goes into tomorrow's match play riding a wave of confidence after today's tense win.
The men will play the first round of their match play on Tuesday from 7:00am. This will be followed by the second round of the women's match play at approximately 9:30am and the men will play their second round later in the afternoon to make up for Sunday's lost time.
Dodt's first assignment is against Victorian Leigh Deagan, who won a four-way playoff to snatch one of the two remaining spots in the 32-man field. The match will begin at 9:00am.
Scots Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) and Scott Henry (Cardross) are third and sixth seeds respectively in the match play.
There is live scoring on the Australian Golf Union website.
Final qualifiers for Australian Amateur Match Play Championship:
276: A Dodt (QLD) S Arnold (NSW)
277: L Saltman (SCO)
279: J Roach (NSW) R Bezuidenhuot (NSW) S Henry (SCO)
280: D Horsey (ENG)
281: D Nisbet (QLD) J Gill (NZL)
283: M Raseta (NSW) J Sheratt (SA) G Boyd (ENG) R Blizard (NSW)
284: J Moul (ENG) B Parker (ENG) J Roxby (SA) M Jager (WA) K Lee (KOR)
285: L Peterson (NSW) J Younger (VIC) J Arnold (NSW)
286: R Beaufils (QLD) B Rankin (QLD) D Kim (NSW)
287: T Rophia (NZL) T H Choo (SIN) B Fletcher (QLD) R Kulacz (WA) D Lee (NZL) S Lewton (ENG)
288: J Bayron (PHI) L Deagan (VIC) - won on playoff

HUGH HUNTER HONOURED BY SCOTTISH SCHOOLS GOLF ASSOCIATION
Former Scottish Golf Union president Hugh Hunter, who lives in Auchterarder, has been honoured by the Scottish Schools Golf Association of which he has been president twice.
“For all Hugh has done for junior golf in general and schools golf in particular over the last 40 years and more, we felt it was only right that he should become the first life member of the Scottish Schools Golf Association,” said secretary Dorothy Scott.
“Since he retired from teaching, he has been able to devote even more of his time to supporting junior golf. Hugh pops up everywhere there’s a tournament on.”
Robin Fyfe, Nairn Golf Club professional for many years, was one of the young lads encouraged to develop his golf when Hugh Hunter was a teacher at Alloa Academy in the late 1960s.
Hugh then moved to Callander and joined the teaching staff at McLaren High School.
The Scottish Schools Golf Association, which stages an annual championship for boys and girls and also organises an annual match against England, was formed in 1972.
Hugh became its president for the first time in 1983-84 and, 10 years later, he served a second term of office.
“He is the only person to have been president of the SSGA twice,” said Mrs Scott.
“I’m thrilled to become the first life member of the Scottish Schools Golf Association,” said Hugh who was president of the Scottish Golf Union in 2006.

MOTHERHOOD DOESN'T PHASE CATRIONA MATTHEW
In her first tournament back since the birth of her daughter Katy in December, Catriona Matthew from North Berwick tied for 5th place in the LPGA Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola played over the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club, Arizona. Her finishing 69, for a nine under par total of 279 earned her $56,522. Lorena Ochoa from Mexico won the tournament with an 18 under par 270.
Final Scores
Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola
Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club
Superstition Mountain, Ariz.
1 Lorena Ochoa -4 F -18 69 64 69 68 270 $225,000
2 Suzann Pettersen -6 F -16 69 68 69 66 272 $137,649
T3 Laura Diaz -5 F -10 70 71 70 67 278 $88,551
T3 Jeong Jang E F -10 68 70 68 72 278 $88,551
T5 Catriona Matthew -3 F -9 68 68 74 69 279 $56,522
T5 Sophie Gustafson -3 F -9 75 66 69 69 279 $56,522
7 Jee Young Lee -5 F -8 73 70 70 67 280 $42,580
T8 Rachel Hetherington -3 F -7 71 71 70 69 281 $33,787
T8 Annika Sorenstam -1 F -7 73 68 69 71 281 $33,787
T8 Shi Hyun Ahn +1 F -7 72 68 68 73 281 $33,787

Sunday 25th March 2007

Colin is on holiday
This is when you realise that he is chief news gatherer for this website!
I'll do my best... but if you think I have missed something... please remind me!
Email me at gill@kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
Colin will be back on Sunday 8th April

Saturday 24th March 2007

Another great win for Belfast youngster at Sotogrande
McILROY FINISHES BIRDIE, BIRDIE TO WIN INDIVIDUAL TITLE AT NATIONS CUP
Denmark won the inaugural European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) men’s team championship by one stroke from Ireland and England in an exciting finish at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club, Spain today.
But there was an individual sucess for Belfast teenager Rory McIlroy. He hit a nine iron to 6ft and holed the birdie putt at the 72nd hole to tie with Norway's Marius Thorp - winner of the Open championship amateur silver medal at Hoylake last summer - for the individual championship.
Then the confident McIlroy won the first hole of a sudden-death play-off by hitting his approach shot to 3ft and holing the putt for another birdie and another title.
Last summer, Rory (pictured right) won the European individual amateur championship. No wonder he is ranked No 2 in the R&A world rankings. He might even be No 1 by this time next week!
In the team event, the Danes totalled 863 to Ireland and England’s 864.
Wales were sixth on 871 and Scotland finished joint ninth of 16 with a final total of 883.
Scotland’s scorers on the final day were Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) with a two-under-par 70, easily his best of the four days, James Byrne (Banchory) and John Gallagher (Swanston), both with 73s.
James Byrne finished the leading Scot in joint 11th place on 291.
Germany, as expected, ran away with the women’s team championship. Their final total of 644 gave them victory by 13 shots from Spain.
Katharina Schallenberg from Germany, winner of the Spanish women’s open amateur championship a few weeks ago, came from behind over the final round to catch her team-mate Caroline Masson and win the individual women’s title.
Katharina finished with a 69 for 284 – three shots ahead of Caroline who signed off with a 75, her worst score of the four days, for 287.
Kerry Smith (England) was fourth on 292 behind Spain’s third-place Marta Silva Zamora.
EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP SCOREBOARD AT SOTOGRANDE
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 288 (4 x 72)
1 - 281 R McIlroy (Ire) 69 70 70 72, M Thorp (Nor) 69 69 70 73 (McIlroy won play-off at first hole with birdie).
3 - 286 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 71 74 72 69.
4 - 287 N Edwards (Wal) 73 71 72 71.
5 - 288 X Feyaerts (Bel) 69 72 72 75.
6 - 289 I Urquizu (Spa) 73 76 70 70, P Waring (Eng) 74 73 71 71, A Knappe (Ger) 73 74 71 71, O Bonning (Swe) 73 72 70 74.
10 - 290 M Veijalainen (Fin) 72 71 74 73.
11 - 291 P Drost (Den) 75 76 73 67, J Byrne (Sco) 75 68 75 73.
13 - 292 J Carlota (Por) 79 66 71 76.
14 - 293 N Rasmussen (Den) 73 77 73 70, S Lowry (Ire) 76 72 75 70, L Matthews (Wal) 71 73 77 72, S Ward (Ire) 71 73 76 73, R Nielsen (Den) 73 71 75 74, M Cryer (Eng) 72 74 72 75, P Baunsoe (Den) 68 80 68 77.
21 - 294 W Rieder (Aut) 75 74 74 71, A Kristiansen (Nor) 72 76 74 72, A Kristiansen (Nor) 72 76 74 72, T Rosendahl (Swe) 72 71 78 73.
24 - 295 G Campbell (Sco) 76 74 75 70, C Evans (Wal) 73 72 77 73.
Other placings and totals:
29 - 297 C Cousins (Wal) 75 76 77 69, J Gallagher (Sco) 76 75 73 73.
33 - 298 E Richardson (Eng) 81 74 71 72.
39 - 300 N Kearney (Ire) 74 77 75 74.
58 - 309 S McEwan (Sco) 79 76 79 75.
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 288 (4 x 72)
1 - 284 K Schallenberg (Ger) 69 71 75 69.
2 - 287 C Masson (Ger) 73 71 68 75.
3 - 291 M Silva Zamora (Spa) 71 74 71 75.
4 - 292 K Smith (Eng) 70 75 73 74.
5 - 295 A Urchegui Garcia (Spa) 77 73 77 68, M Jorgensen (Den) 73 74 71 77.
7 - 296 B Loucks (Wal) 74 75 74 73.
8 - 297 S Hassan (Wal) 74 72 78 73.
Other placings:
13 - 303 N Edwards (Eng) 77 75 73 78.
19 - 307 M Reid (Eng) 76 76 77 78.
25 - 310 T Davies (Wal) 75 82 76 77.

DENMARK AND GERMANY TAKE THE TITLES IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP
Denmark won the inaugural European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) men’s team championship by one stroke from Ireland and England in an exciting finish at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club, Spain today.
The Danes totalled 863 to Ireland and Englan’s 864.
Wales were sixth on 871 and Scotland finished joint ninth of 16 with a final total of 883.
Scotland’s scorers on the final day were Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) with a two-under-par 70, easily his best of the four days, James Byrne (Banchory) and John Gallagher (Swanston), both with 73s.
The fourth member of the Scots squad, Steven McEwan (Barassie) did not have a counting score in any of the four rounds.
Germany, as expected, ran away with the women’s team championship. Their final total of 644 gave them victory by 13 shots from Spain. England (672) finished fourth and Wales (668) fifth of the 10 teams.
FINAL TOTALS
MEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 864 (4 x 216)
1 - 863 DENMARK (P F Drost, P Balinsoe, R H Nielsen, N Rasmussen).
2 - 864 IRELAND (R McIlroy, S Ward, S Lowry, N Kearney), ENGLAND (G Wolstenholme, E Richardson, P Waring, M Cryer).
4 - 870 NORWAY (M Thorp, A Kristiansen, A Friestad, F Kollevold).
5 - 871 PORTUGAL (J M Cudell, J Carlota, P Figueiredo, A Rosado), WALES (C Cousins, N Edwards, C Evans, L Matthews).
7 - 872 SWEDEN ( J Carlsson, N Glans, O Bonning, T Rosendahl).
8 - 876 SPAIN (J Legarrea, I Urquizu, C Perez Barberon, G Vicente).
9 - 883 FINLAND (J Granberg, M Salminen, J-P Savolampi, M Veijalainen), GERMANY (J Kilbing, F Schulte, P Westermann, A Knappe), SCOTLAND (G Campbell, J Gallagher, J Byrne, S McEwan).
12 - 891 AUSTRIA (T Kromer, C Pfau, W Rieder, P Sharma).
13 - 896 NETHERLANDS ( F De Vries, R Kino, W De Vries, R Saxton).
14 - 898 ITALY (M Guerisoli, N Lomgardi, A Romano, J Kim).
15 - 901 BELGIUM (P Relecom, X Feyaerts, D Van Doren, G Watremez).
16 - 910 SLOVENIA (M Studen, T Gornik, J Vidmar, N Pogacar).
WOMEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 648
+Two from three individual scores per team counted in the first, second and third rounds. In the fourth round, all three individual scores counted.
1 - 644 GERMANY (K Schallenberg, C Masson, S Doering).
2 - 657 SPAIN ( M Silva Zamora, S Cologan Ruiz, A Urchegui Garcia).
3 - 668 WALES (B Loucks, S Hassan, T Davies).
4 - 669 DENMARK (M Jorgensen, T Koelbaek, S M Eriksen).
5 - 672 ENGLAND (N Edwards, M Reid, K Smith).
6 - 680 BELGIUM (L Gonzalez, L Herman, V Gevers).
7 - 684 NETHERLANDS (M Van der Graaff, J Kraats, K Van Leeuwen).
8 - 692 FINLAND (S Harju, S Mantyniemi, R Suahn).
9 -698 ITALY ( F Angioletti, A Roscio, V Valgassori).
10 - 701 AUSTRIA ( M Hochwimmer, J Zering, C Wolf).

JODI STILL TOP-RANKED BRITISH PLAYER ON US WOMEN'S COLLEGE CIRCUIT
Eight of the top 20 players on the United States women's college circuit come from Europe.
The top-ranked British player is Jodi Ewart from Middleham, Yorkshire and a freshman student at New Mexico University.
In the Golfweek rankings issued earlier this week, Jodi was No 19 behind the top-ranked US Curtis Cup player, Amanda Blumenherst (Duke).
The highest-rated Scot is Gemma Webster (Ohio State) in 112th place.
The rankings were compiled before the 2005 Irish girls champion Danielle McVeigh from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland - a freshman student at Texas A&M - scored her first win and Hannah Burke (Baylor) from Welwyn Garden City finished runner-up in a different event so they will rise from their current 89th and 151st positions in the next revision by Golfweek.
Here's our list of the top-ranked players, highlighting the Europeans. If you know somebody who has been missed out, please E-mail us.
1 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke).
2 Caroline Westrup (Florida State) - Swedish.
3 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) - Swedish.
4 Sandra Gal (Floida) - German.
5 Ashley Knoll (Texas A&M).
6 Jennifer Osborne (Arizona State).
7 Taylor Leon (Georgia).
8 Alison Walshe (Arizona).
9 Jennie Lee (Duke).
10 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) - Spanish.
Other rankings included:
13 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) - Spanish.
17 Belen Mozo (South Carolina) - Spanish.
18 Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) - Swedish.
19 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) - English.
33 Adriana Zwanck (Arizona) - Spanish.

TARA IN TOP 10 AFTER FIRST ROUND AT ATHENS, GEORGIA
Irish Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney was lying joint eighth after the opening round of the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic tournament at the University of Georgia course at Athens, Georgia.
The Carlow student at Kent State University, Ohio had a two-over-par round of 71 over the 6,260yd course.
Tara had birdies at the foufrth and 14th and bogeys at the second, sixth, 16th and 18th to be three strokes behind the leader, Melissa Eaton (Louisiana State).
Tara's older sister Karen, also a Kent State student, scored an 83 which put her in joint 80th place in a field of 96 players. Karen, a former Irish girls champion, had a triple bogey 8 at the long seventh and a double bogey 7 at the long 18th in halves of 42 and 41.
LEADERBOARD
70 Melissa Eaton (Louisiana State).
71 Sara Brown (Michigan State), Margaret Shipley (Auburn).
72 Maria Hernandez (Purdue), Lucy Nunn (Arkansas), Caroline Westrup (Florida State), Leah Wigger (Virginia).
73 Tara Delaney (Kent State), Nicole Hage (Auburn), Rachel Meikle (Michigan State).
Other score:
83 Karen Delaney (Kent State).
LEADING TEAMS
293 Auburn. 297 Michigan State. 300 Arkansas, Florida. 301 Louisiana State. Other score: 314 Kent State (14th of 18).

Friday 23rd March 2007

IRELAND LEAD BY THREE IN MEN'S EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP; GERMAN WOMEN WELL CLEAR
Ireland lead by three strokes from England, Portugal and Denmark with one round to go in the men's team championship of the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande, Spain.
Scotland dropped to 10th place on 667 - 18 strokes behind Ireland - with third-round counting scores of 73 from John Gallagher (Swanston) and 75s each from James Byrne (Banchory) and Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie).
For the third day in a row Steven McEwan (Barassie) had a non-counting score.
In the women's championship, it is all over bar the shouting - Germany are 16 strokes clear of the field. England are in fourth place on 442 with Wales fifth on 445.
THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
MEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
649 IRELAND (R McIlroy 70, S Lowry 75, N Kearney 75).
652 PORTUGAL, DENMARK, ENGLAND (E Richardson 71, P Waring 71, G Wolstenholme 72).
656 NORWAY.
659 WALES (N Edwards 72, C Evans 77, L Matthews 77).
661 SWEDEN.
662 FINLAND.
664 GERMANY.
667 SCOTLAND (J Gallagher 73, G Campbell 75, J Byrne 75).
668 SPAIN.
673 AUSTRIA, NETHERLANDS.
674 BELGIUM.
681 SLOVENIA.
683 ITALY.
WOMEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
423 GERMANY.
439 SPAIN.
440 DENMARK.
442 ENGLAND (N Edwards 73, K Smith 73).
445 WALES (B Loucks 75, T Davies 76).
449 NETHERLANDS.
456 BELGIUM.
464 AUSTRIA.
465 FINLAND.
466 ITALY.

MUM MATTHEW SHARES LEAD IN SAFEWAY INTERNATIONAL TOURNEY IN ARIZONA
Motherhood obviously brings the best out of Catriona Matthew the golfer.
The North Berwick player, make her comeback on the LPGA Tour after taking a seven-month break to give birth to her first child, shot a four-under-par 68 to share the lead with Young Jo in the Safeway International tournament over the Prospector Course.
"You don't know what to expect coming out here, since I haven't played for a while," said Mrs Matthew, pictured right.
Lorena Ochoa and Mi Hyun Kim were a stroke back and Beth Bader and Gloria Park were two strokes off the lead.
A total of 72 players were still on the course when play was suspended because of darkness at 6:06 p.m. Rain and lightning had delayed play for about two hours.
After giving birth to daughter Katie three months ago, Catriona went back to work on her game at North Berwick. Her off-season training paid off immediately.
"After such a long lay-off, I've been practising well," said Catriona, who has two LPGA Tour wins to her credit, the last in 2004.
She birdied the par-4 first hole, hitting a 7-iron from 164 yards to 10 feet and making the putt.
That was the first of Matthew's six birdies. She also had two bogeys, one with a three-putt on the par-5 13th hole.

IRISH EYES SMILING ON HAWAII AS DANIELLE SCORES FIRST US WIN
Danielle McVeigh, the 2005 Irish girls’ champion from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, has scored her first win on the United States’ women’s college golf circuit.
The occasion was the Donnis Thompson Invitational at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Club, Honolulu on Hawaii.
Danielle, a 6ft freshman (first-year) student at Texas A&M University – the Aggies – birdied two of her last three holes in the 54-hole tournament to tie with Gerina Mendoza (Texas El Paso) at the top of the leaderboard on one-over-par 217 for the 5,829yd, par-72 course.
Then Danielle rammed yet another birdie putt, this one of some 15ft, for a winning birdie at the first sudden-death play-off hole.
Texas A&M women’s golf coach Joanne Sutherland said: “Danielle has been striking the ball well throughout the season. She’s been working hard on her putting and it’s been getting better and better. It’s great for her to see all the hard work pay off.”
The coach really had reasons to be cheerful because Danielle’s individual victory and terrific last round of three-under-par 69, enabled Texas A&M to come from behind to pip Arizona, the favourites, for the team title.
Miss McVeigh’s scores were 74, 74 and 69. Gerina Mendoza, who was five shots ahead of her Irish rival after 36 holes, scored 73, 70 and 74.
Danielle will be 20 on September 14.
Scotland international player Gemma Webster (Ohio State) finished joint 18th in a field of 73 with scores of 79, 75 and 78 for 232.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
217 Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) 74 74 69, Gerina Mendoza (Texas El Paso) 73 70 74. McVeigh won play-off at first extra hole.
221 Laura Fourdraine (Rollins) 75 73 73.
222 Alison Walshe (Arizona) 74 74 74.
223 Amanda Wilson (Arizona) 75 72 76.
Other score:
232 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 79 75 78.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
897 Texas A&M. 899 Arizona. 917 Brigham Youong. 9231 Rollins College. 924 Colorado State. 932 Ohio State. 12 teams took part.

JAMES BYRNE BOOSTS SCOTS WITH A 68 IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP
A fine four-under-par round of 68 - the best of the day - by James Byrne from Banchory lifted Scotland up the standings at the halfway stage of the European Nations Cup, which used to be called the Sherry Cup, at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol.
Coupled with a 74 from Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) and a 75 from John Gallagher (Swanston) that put the Scots in joint eighth place on 444 - 15 shots behind leaders Ireland for whom European individual champion Rory McIlroy from Belfast had a 70.
Byrne is now in joint fourth place in the individual standings on 143 - five behind Norway's Marius Thorp (138).
Germany are dominating the women's section with a seven-stroke lead from Spain in the team event and a four-shot advantage for Katharina Schallenberg in the individual standings.
HALFWAY SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
MEN'S TEAM EVENT
429 IRELAND ( R McIlroy 70, S Lowry 72, S Ward 73).
432 PORTUGAL.
433 WALES (N Edwards 71, C Evans 72, L Matthews 73).
438 ENGLAND (P Waring 73, G Wolstenholme 74, E Richardson 74), DENMARK.
439 NORWAY, SWEDEN.
444 SCOTLAND (J Byrne 68, G Campbell 74, J Gallagher 75), GERMANY, FINLAND.
447 SPAIN.
451 SLOVENIA, AUSTRIA.
452 BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS.
454 ITALY.
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
138 M Thorp (Nor) 69 69.
139 R McIlroy (Ire) 69 70.
141 Xavier Feyaerts 69 72.
143 James Byrne (Sco) 75 68, T Rosendahl 73 71, M Veijalainen 72 71.
144 N Edwards (Wal) 73 71, R Nielsen 73 71, S Ward (Ire) 71 73, L Matthews (Wal) 71 73.
Other scores:
145 C Evans (Wal) 73 71, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 74 74 (jt 11th).
146 M Cryer (Eng) 72 74 (jt 17th).
147 P Waring (Eng) 74 73 (jt 19th).
148 S Lowry (Ire) 76 72 (jt 23rd).
150 G Campbell (Sco) 76 74 (jt 30th).
151 J Gallagher (Sco) 76 75, C Cousins (Wal) 75 76, N Kearney (Ire) 74 77 (jt 35th).
155 E Richardson (Eng) 81 74, S McEwan (Sco) 79 76 (jt 50th).
WOMEN'S TEAM EVENT
284 GERMANY.
291 SPAIN.
295 WALES (S Hassan 72, B Loucks 75), DENMARK.
296 ENGLAND ( N Edwards 75, K Smith 75).
297 NETHERLANDS.
303 BELGIUM.
308 FINLAND.
309 AUSTRIA.
310 ITALY.
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
140 K Schallenberg (Ger) 69 71.
144 C Masson (Ger) 73 71.
145 M Silva Zamora (Spa) 71 74, K Smith (Eng) 70 74.
146 S Hassan (Wal) 74 72.
Other scores:
149 B Loucks (Wal) 74 75 (jt 9th).
152 M Reid (Eng) 76 76, N Edwards (Eng) 77 75 (jt 16th).
157 T Davies (Wal) 75 82 (jt 26th).

Thursday, March 22, 2007

SHAUN McALLISTER RETIRES WITH CHEST PAINS AFTER ONLY NINE HOLES IN AUSTRALIA
Scottish boys’ amateur stroke-play golf champion Shaun McAllister was taken for a medical check-up after suffering chest pains and withdrawing from the Australian open amateur championship after only nine holes at the New South Wales Golf Club.
His father Neil said:
“Shaun was taken to a doctor to check his heart rhythms, etc. He seems to have had a niggling injury as he told me he had noticed it a couple of times in New Zealand (where he has been spending the winter).
“He went for a big shot reach a par-5 hole and after that couldn’t swing a club and ran up a 9 at the next hole before having to retire. It looks like he has torn a muscle or something.
“He has gutted as he has been working hard on his golf and said he was playing well and was one under par before running up the 9. He has to go back to the doctor again tomorrow and then we will see about when he wants to come home to Scotland.”

GOLF DATE/VENUE CHANGE (from Colin Farquharson)
The Aberdeenshire girls' medal at Fraserburgh Golf Club, originally planned for Sunday, June 3, has been rearranged for Sunday, June 17.
Please amend fixture lists, calendars, etc.

HENRY LEADING SCOT IN AUSSIE STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Scott Henry, the Scottish open amateur stroke-play champion from Cardross, was the leading Scot at the end of the first round of the Australian open amateur stroke-play championship at New South Wales Golf Club near Sydney.
Scott, pictured right, had a one-over-par round of 73 on a day when five Australians and England's David Horsey set the pace at four-under-par 68.
Conditions were ideal for the morning starters but those who teed off after lunchtime had to contend with a freshening wind which made sub-par scores very difficult to achieve.
Scottish match-play champion Kevin McAlpine from Alyth had a 74, Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) a 75 and Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) a 76.
Young Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), who flew over from his winter training headquarters in New Zealand to play in the championship, had to withdraw. At this stage, there is no news of the circumstances.
The top 70 and ties will survive the halfway cut. The top 32 at the end of the four rounds will go forward to the Australian amateur match-play championship at the same venue next week.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from Australia unless stated
68 Josh Younger, Brenton Haines, Kevin Lee, Jordan Sherratt, Andrew Dodt, David Horsey (Eng), Matthew Jager.
69 Ben Parker (Eng), Troy Ropiha (NZ), Ray Beaufils, Ratanakul Nakarinta (Thai).
Other scores:
70 Jamie Moul (Eng).
73 Gary Boyd (Eng), Scott Henry (Sco).
74 Kevin McAlpine (Sco).
75 Lloyd Saltman (Sco).
76 Paul O'Hara (Sco), Stephen Lewton (Eng).
77 Seve Benson (Eng).
Withdrew: Shaun McAllister (Sco).

SCOTS MEN TRAIL AFTER FIRST ROUND OF EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP IN SPAIN
Scotland have made a slow start in the men's section of the Grey Goose European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) at Real Golf Club Sotogrande on Spain's Costa del Sol.
James Byrne from Banchory top-scored for the Scots with a three-over-par 75. Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) and John Gallagher (Swanston) both had 76s.
Steven McEwan (Barassie) had a non-counting 79.
Scotland's total of 227 put them in 14th position at the end of the first of four rounds. They are already 13 shots behind the joint leaders, Denmark and Ireland.
FIRST ROUND TEAM TOTALS
214 DENMARK (P Baunsoe 68, R Nielsen 73, N Rasmussen 73), IRELAND (R McIlroy 69, S Ward 71, N Kearney 74).
216 NORWAY (M Thorp 69, A Kristiansen 72, A Friestad 75).
217 WALES (L Matthews 71, N Edwards 73, C Evans 73), ENGLAND (G Wolstenholm 71, M Cyer 72, P Waring 74).
219 SPAIN, PORTUGAL.
220 BELGIUM.
221 SWEDEN.
223 GERMANY.
224 FINLAND, AUSTRIA, SLOVENIA.
227 SCOTLAND (J Byrne 75, G Campbell 76, J Gallagher 76. Non-counter: S McEwan 79).
228 ITALY, NETHERLANDS.

GERMANY LEAD IN WOMEN'S EVENT
In the women's section of the Grey Goose European Nations Cup, the in-form German team lead both the team and individual standings. Scores:
142 GERMANY.
144 SPAIN.
146 ENGLAND (Kerry Smith 70, Melissa Reid 76. Non-counter: Naomi Edwards 77).
148 WALES (Breanne Loucks 74, Sahra Hassan 74. Non-counter; Tara Davies 75), BELGIUM.
150 DENMARK.
151 NETHERLANDS.
155 AUSTRIA.
157 FINLAND, ITALY.
Leading individuals:
69 Katharina Schallenberg (Ger).
70 Kerry Smith (Eng).
71 Marta Silva Zamora (Spa)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

RENTON LAIDLAW RECOVERING FROM PROSTATE OPERATION IN LONDON
Scottish-born golf journalist, author and TV commentator Renton Laidlaw, Editor of the R&A Golfers' Handbook and president of the Association of Golf Writers, is recovering in hospital in London following complications during an operation to remove his prostate on Monday.
For the latest news on Renton's condition, check today's Hot News page.

The grandsons - Robert McDowell (12 months) and Harry Armstrong (15 months)

Tuesday March 20, 2007

EDINBURGH-BORN PLAYER IS RANKED AMERICA’S NO 1 COLLEGE GOLFER
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies, a senior-year golf scholarship student at East Tennessee State University, has been named the No 1 male player on the United States college golf circuit for the first time in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin rankings this week.
Davies, pictured right, who will be 22 on May 28, was born in Edinburgh when his father worked there. He was later brought up in Bridgend, South Wales. Rhys has won his last two American college tournaments and 10 in all in his four years in America.He won the British boys’ championship at Hoylake in 2003 and was a member of the GB&I Walker Cup team in Chicago in 2005.
He is a racing certainty to play in this year's Walker Cup match at Royal County Down, Northern Ireland in September and looks like being the next Luke Donald or Paul Casey who both starred on the American college golf scene before turning professional and rapidly climbing to Ryder Cup status.
DUNCAN STEWART LEADING SCOT
The leading Scots in the updated rankings are Jacksonville University, Florida pair, Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey and Russell Knox from Inverness in 34th and 82nd positions respectively.
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi University) from Tulliallan is ranked No 128 and Wallace Booth (Augusta State) from Comrie is 158th.
The full list - if we have missed out anyone, please contact us - of British and Irish players in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin male US college rankings is coming up, but first, let us have a look at the top 10 from every nation (US unless stated).
1 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) from Wales.
2 Jamie Lovermark (South Carolina).
3 Billy Horschell (Florida).
4 Brian Harman (Georgia).
5 Chris Kirk (Georgia).
6 Niklas Lemke (Arizona State) from Sweden.
7 Charlie Beijan (New Mexico).
8 Daniel Summerhays (Brigham Young).
9 Kyle Stanley (Clemson).
10 Dawie Van DerWalt (Lamar) from South Africa.
Now to pinpoint the GB&I players:
30 Niall Turner (Minnesota) from Cork.
34 Duncan Stewart (East Tennessee State) from Grantown-on-Spey.
46 Peter Richardson (Purdue) from Carlisle.
60 Charles Ford (Tennessee) from Leicester.
61 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) from Lisburn, N Ireland.
79 Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) from Belfast.
82 Russell Knox (Jacksonville) from Inverness.
118 Daniel Willett (Jacksonville State) from Sheffield.
128 Callum Macaulay (Mississippi) from Tulliallan.
142 Chris Paisley (Tennessee) from Newcastle.
158 Wallace Booth (Augusta State) from Comrie.
191 Tom Sherreard (Georgia State) from Maidstone.
199 Farren Keenan (Texas) from Middlesex.
264 Aaron O'Callaghan (SE Louisiana) from Cork.
277 Ben Taylor (Georgia State) from Hexham.
308 James Taverner (SE Louisiana) from London.
344 Lewis Kirton (Louisville) from Oldmeldrum.
400 Alan Glynn (Xavier) from Middlesex.
403 Fergal Rafferty (Sam Houston) from Omagh, N Ireland.
440 Alex Hogben (Missouri-Kansas City) from Manchester.
518 Ciaran McLeavey (Toledo) from Banbridge, Ireland.
555 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) from Fraserburgh).
562 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) from Limerick.
725 Chris Carson (Sam Houston) from Dunoon.
732 Tom Oliver (Purdue) from Nottingham.
1220 Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) from Edinburgh.
1709 Stuart Burns (Evansville) from Auchterarder.
+There are other GB&I players at US colleges but some, like Peter McLachlan and Stephen Clark at Missouri-Kansas City have not played in the minium number of tournaments required. Students at junior (two-year) colleges do not qualify for the rankings.
ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

US College Golf
CALLUM FINISHES JT 38th AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIPLE BOGEYS
Tulliallan's Callum Macaulay (Mississippi University) had two triple bogey 7s over the three rounds of the Pinehurst Intercollegiate tournament at the Pinehurst No 8 course, North Carolina.
The Scot, pictured right, had rounds of 74, 77 and 77 for a 12-over-par total of 228 for the 7,035yd course. Callum had a triple bogey 7 at the 14th hole of his final round which included birdies at the second, 16th and 17th. He had a triple bogey 7 at the second hole in his second round. He finished joint 38th.
Irishman Ciaran McAleavey (Toledo) had scores of 77, 78 and 78 for a total of 233 to fill joint 64th place in a field of 96.
Individual title winner was Spanish student Jorge Campillo (Indiana) with 73, 67 and 73 for three-under-par 213. He won by two shots from Colt Knost (Southern Methodist) and Bill Rankin (Michigan).
Indiana (880) also won the title event by five shots from Michigan (885) with Penn State (889) third, Wisconsin (890) fourth and Mississippi sharing fifth place in a field of 18 teams with Southern Methodist on 895

Angus Ladies raise £350 from Quiz
Angus County Ladies held a quiz yesterday evening at The Grange Golf Club in Monifieth in aid of junior golf which was supported by 125 participants and raised in excess of £350.

l to r Heather Peebles, Dee Watson and Jillian Pryde

At the start of the evening the new Junior Order of Merit Trophy, donated by Nancy Duncan, was presented to the 2005 (Jillian Pryde) and 2006 (Heather Peebles) winners by the Grange Ladies Captain Dee Watson.
Malcom Gordon then posed an eclectic mix of trivia questions. The resultant winners were the Wooden Tops - Isla Gilbert, Ann Hunter, Aileen Hunter and Brigid Galea (see below)

The event was organised by Junior Convenor, Mary Summers with help from her sub committee, Dorothy Gordon and some of the junior girls. See picture of Mary, and quiz Maestro Malcolm Gordon below.

Thanks to the Grange Golf Club for hosting the event and to all who attended on the most wintry night of the year. Hopefully it will now become an annual event.
[Thanks to Aileen Hunter of Little Voice Communications for sending the photos and story]

Elie Boys and Girls Golf Tournament
Entry for the prestigious Elie Boys and Girls Golf Tournament on the 3rd to the 5th of April close this Friday the 23rd of March. Entry forms are still available by emailing Ian Muir on eliesportsclub@btconnect.com .

US College Golf
CALLUM CRIPPLED BY EARLY TRIPLE BOGEY AT PINEHURST
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi University) had a disappointing second round of 77 over the 7,035yd, par-72 Pinehurst No 8 course in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate tournament in North Carolina where, for the second morning in a row, frost delayed the start by a couple of hours.
Macaulay was unable to recover from the body blow of a triple bogey 7 as early as the third hole.
In a birdie-less round, the young man from Tulliallan bogeyed the 11th and 18th in halves of 39 and 38 for a 36-hole tally of 151 and a share of 30th place in a field of 96 players.
With one round to go, Jorge Campillo (Indiana) leads at four-under-par 140 after rounds of 73 and 67.
Indiana and Michigan share the team lead on 590 with Southern Methodist (592) third.
Mississippi (598) are one shot behind fourth-placed Penn State but only one stroke ahead of sixth-placed Wisconsin in a field of 18 teams.

US College Golf
LUCY GOULD JOINT RUNNER-UP IN SHAMROCK INTERCOLLEGIATE
Former Welsh girls champion Lucy Gould recorded her best finish on the US women's college circuit for a long time when she tied for the runner-up spot in the Shamrock Intercollegiate tournament at Tega Cay Golf Club, South Carolina.
Over a 5,906yd, par-72 course, Lucy, a student at East Tennessee State University, had rounds of 74 and 81 for 155 - three behind the winner, Jutta Degerman (Winthrop) who scored 79 and 73.
Irish international Sinead O'Sullivan, also a student at East Tennessee State), finished 12th on 163 with scores of 84 and 79.
Channel Islander Olivia Higgins (Charleston Southern) came joint 13th with 84 and 80 for 164.
High Point University senior Kate O'Sullivan scored 85 and 83 for a share of 20th place on 168.
High Point team-mate AnnMarie Dalton from Carlow tied for 29th place on 170 with scores of 90 and 80.
Ashton Ingram from Fort William, a freshman student at Belmont Abbey College, scored 92 and 95 for 187 and joint 67th place in a field of 91 players.
Winthrop (642) won the team event but East Tennessee State, thanks to the efforts of Lucy Gould and Sinead O'Sullivan, finished second on 644 with Elon University a distant third on 659.
High Point (684) finished seventh of 16.

Introducing Joan Marshall's newest grand-daughter,
Grace Marshall, who was born yesterday at 2:15pm weighing in at 7lbs 11 oz.
Congratulations to parents, Stephen and Elaine, big sister, Ella,
and the proud grandparents and great-grand-parent!

Monday, March 19, 2007

NO SCOTLAND WOMEN'S TEAM IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP (formerly SHERRY CUP)
The Sherry Cup - two separate individual 72-hole open amateur stroke-play tournaments in the past - become the European Nations Cup championships this year.
Both the men's and women's sections will be played at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol.
Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch) and Katharina Schallenberg (Germany), winners of last year's individual titles, are in the field for this week's events, starting on Wednesday and finishing on Saturday.
The only notable country missing from the men's line-up is France but in the women's Sherry Cup, not only is France absent but also Scotland, Ireland, Sweden and Portugal.
In the women's tournament, there is an entry listed from the host club, Sotogrande, which does not quite add up with the new title of European NATIONS Cup. What it does mean is that Spain have, in effect, two teams in the women's category.
The teams notified to the Spanish Federation are:
MEN
AUSTRIA - Tano Kroer, Christoph Pfau, Wolfgang Rieder, Philip Sharma.
BELGIUM - Xavier Feyaerts, Dimitri Van Doren, Pierre Relecom, Guillaume Watremez.
DENMARK - Peter Baunsoe, Phillip Drost, Rasmus Nielsen, Nicklaez Rasmussen.
ENGLAND - Matthew Cryer (Coventry), Ed Richardson (Southern Valley), Paul Waring (Bromborough), Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs).
FINLAND - Joonas Granberg, Mikael Salminen, Jukka-Pekka Savolampi, Miro Veisalainen.
GERMANY - Alexander Knappe, Jonas Kilbing, Frederik Schulte, Philip Westermann.
IRELAND - Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), Rory McIlroy (Holywood), Simon Ward (Co Louth).
ITALY - Marco Guerisoli, Joon Kim, Nunzio Lombardi, Andrea Romano.
NETHERLANDS - Floris De Vries, Wouter De Vries, Richard Kind, Reinier Saxton.
NORWAY - Are Friestad, Frederik Kollevold, Anders Kristiansen, Marius Thorp.
PORTUGAL - Joao Carlota, Jose Maria Cudell, Pedro Figueiredo, Antonio Rosado.
SCOTLAND - James Byrne (Banchory), Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), John Gallagher (Swanston), Steven McEwan (Barassie).
SLOVENIA - Tim Gornik, Nejc Pogacar, Miha Studen, Jaka Vidmar.
SPAIN - Jesus Legarrea, Carlos Perez Barberan, Inigo Urquizu, Gonsalo Vicente.
SWEDEN - Otto Bonning, Johan Carlsson, Nicklas Glans, Tobias Rosendahl.
WALES - Chris Cousins (Aberdare), Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch), Craig Evans (West Monmouthshire), Llewellyn Matthews (Southerndown).
WOMEN
AUSTRIA - Martina Hochwimmer, Julia Zering, Claudia Wolf
BELGIUM - Valentine Gevers, Laura Gonzalez, Laurence Herman.
DENMARK - Sara Eriksen, Malene Jorgensen, Therese Koelbaek.
ENGLAND - Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Melissa Reid (Chevin), Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).
FINLAND - Satu Harju, Suvi Mantyniemi, Rosa Suahn.
GERMANY - Stephanie Doering, Caroline Masson, Katharina Schallenberg.
ITALY - Federica Angioletti, Anna Roscio, Vittoria Valvassori.
NETHERLANDS - Marjet Van der Graaf, Joan Van de Kraats, Kyra Van Leeuwen.
RGC SOTOGRANDE - Catalina Castillejo Oriol, Emy Garzon Lopez, Minna Kaarnalathi, Maria Orueta Pemartin.
SPAIN - Sonji Cologan Ruiz, Marta Silva Zamora, Ane Urchegui Garcia.
WALES - Tara Davies (Holyhead), Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), Breanne Loucks (Wrexham).

TOP AMATEUR DATES, VENUES IN SCOTLAND NEXT YEAR
May 13-17: Scottish women's closed championship (Moray GC, Lossiemouth).
May 30-June 1: Curtis Cup: GB&I v United States (Old Course, St Andrews).
June 11-15: British women's open amateur championship (North Berwick).
July 15-18: Scottish Under-18 girls' championship (Alyth).
July 24-25: Scottish Under-21 girls' open championship (Powfoot).
August 5-7: British girls' home internationals (Panmure Barry, Carnoustie).
August 11-15: British girls' open championship (Monifieth).
September 3-7: Scottish senior women's closed championships (Deeside).

CLARE FINISHED 17th ON SPRINGBOK MONEY LIST - AFTER ONLY 2 EVENTS
Clare Queen finished 17th on the South African Women’s Tour money list.
Now playing out of The Carrick at Loch Lomond, Clare won 15,688 Rand from the two events in which she played.
South African Stacy Bregman, who played in all four competitions on the South African circuit, headed the money table with 84,338 Rand.
LEADING PLACINGS
1 Stacy Bregman (SAf) 84,338 (4).
2 Julie Tvede (Den) 70,688 (4).
3 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 67,444 (4).
4 Lee-Anne Pace (SAf) 60,904 (4).
5 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 60,375 (2).
6 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 46,112 (4).
7 Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin) 43,500 (2).
8 Laurette Maritz (SAF) 37,812 (4).
9 Nora Angelhrn (Swi) 33,244 (4).
10 Sophie Walker (Eng) 31,924 (4).
11 Morgana Robbertze (SAF) 27,492 (4).
12 Hanna-Oeena Salonen (Fin) 246,169 (4).
13 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 22,587 (4).
14 Amanda Moltke-leth (~Den) 22,374 (4).
15 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 20,680 (4).
16 Lisa Jean (Aus) 17,391 (4).
17 Clare Queen (Sco) 15,688 (2).
18 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 15,360 (2).
19 Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 15,234 (4).
20 Martina Gillen (Ire) 14,738 (4).
Other totals included:
23 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 12,375 (1).
25 Sarah Heath (Eng) 11,326 (4).
27 Jo Clingan (Eng) 10,753 (3).
28 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 10,353 (4).
29 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 10,062 (4).

US College Golf
UPHALL STUDENT DOWN THE FLORIDA FIELD
Iain Stoddart (Webber International University) from Uphall finished joint 36th in a field of 66 for the Grenelefe Spring Invitational college tournament at Grenelefe Golf Club's East course, Haines City in Florida.
Stoddard, a sophomore student, had rounds of 82 and 83 for 165 over the 6,802yd, par-72 course.
Webber International team-mate Craig Isabel from Stanford-Le-Hope in England, was joint winner with Ryan Cantrell (Faulkner University) on 149. Isabel shot 74 and 75.
A third Webber International student, Alex Evans from the Wirral, finished joint 27th with a pair of 81s for 162.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

US College Golf
CALLUM JT 17th WITH 74 AT PINEHURST
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi) from Tulliallan was lying joint 17th in a field of 96 at the end of the first round of the Pinehurst Intercollegiate tournament over the Pinehurst No 8 course today.
Callum had a two-over-par round of 74 over the7,035yd lay-out with birdies at the 10th and 17th but bogeys at the fifth, sixth, 13th and 15th.
Trent Schambach (Marshall University) leads with a 69, one shot ahead of Bill Rankin (Michigan).
Southern Methodist (293) lead the team event from Mississippi (294) with Indiana and North Carolina-Greensboro sharing third place on 297 in a field of 18 teams.

US College Golf
WALLACE BOOTH SLIPS OUT OF TOP 20 IN GEORGIA INVITATIONAL
Former Scottish youths champion Wallace Booth from Comrie, a student at Augusta State University, faded with a third-round 77 to finish joint 38th in a field of 89 for the Schenkel Invitational college golf tournament at Forest Heights Country Club, Georgia today.
Booth's earlier rounds of 73 and 74 had put him in joint 19th place with one round to go. Wallace had no birdies in his final round in which he had a double-bogey 78 at the long ninth and dropped single shots at the third, 10th and 18th.
Chris Kirk (Georgia) won by shots from team-mate Brendon Todd with scores of 70, 68 and 72 for a six-under-par total of 210 for the 6,962yd, par-72 course.
Georgia (854) won the team event by six shots from Alabama with Auburn (868) third. Augusta State (888) finished eighth of the 18 competing teams.

US College Golf
US CURTIS CUP ACE MAKES IT THREE WINS IN A ROW AT BATON ROUGE
US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University, North Carolina) made it three wins in a row with another brilliant performance in the Louisiana State University Cleveland Classic at University Club, Baton Rouge today.
Amanda who has now won five times on the US women's college circuit, strung togther another three near-flawless rounds of 68, 69 and 70 over the 6,424yd, par-72 course to win by eight strokes with a nine-under-par total of 207. Nicola Hage (Auburn) was second on 215 with 72, 72 and 71.
Dublin's Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) finished joint 36th in a field of 108 after an excellent final round of one-under-par 71 for a total of 228. Dawn-Marie's earlier rounds were 77 and 80. She birdied the fourth and seventh after bogeying the first in her final round.
Duke won yet another team title with a total of 872. Vanderbilt (878) were runners-up, Auburn (879) third and Tennessee *992) fourth. Memphis (949) were 19th of the 21 competing teams.

US College Golf
VIKKI EARNS $517 IN FLORIDA
Vikki Laing earned $517 for a joint 43rd place finish in the Greater Tampa Futures Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, Florida today.
The 26-year-old former Curtis Cup player from Musselburgh, whose professional career has never got off the ground, had rounds of 77, 75 and 73 for a total of nine-over-par 225 over the 6,377yd, par-72 course.
The tournament was won by Liz Janangelo (Connecticutt) who played for the United States in the Curtis Cup match at Formby three years ago. She scored 71, 72 and 72 for a total of 215 and the first prize of $10,500.
Lisa Hall from Stoke on tied for ninth place on 219 with 74, 75 and 70 to earn $1,294.

LGU MATCH ABANDONED
Today's match between the Cheshire men's county team and the Ladies Golf Union GB&I Training Squad at Royal Liverpool Golf Club was abandoned after only a few holes because of bad weather.

US College Golf
HANNAH’S BEST YET IN STATES – THIRD IN BETSY RAWLS LONGHORN INVITATIONAL
England girl international Hannah Burke – she will be 19 on March 28 – has achieved her highest finish so far in her freshman year at Baylor University, Texas.
Hannah, who comes from Welwyn Garden City and is a member of Mid-Herts Golf Club, had three very steady rounds of 74, 73 and 73 to finish third on four-over-par 220 in the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational women’s college tournament over the University of Texas Golf Club course of 6,290yd, par-72, at Austin.
But for a couple of double bogeys – at the very first hole in the first round and again at the fourth in her final round – Hannah would have gone close to matching the total of the winner, Maria Hernandez, the Spanish Vagliano Trophy player from Pamplona and a student at Purdue University in Indiana.
Maria, 21 on March 24, scored 77, 70 and 70 – firing 10 birdies in all – for a one-over-par total of 217.
Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) was runner-up on 218 with scores of 76, 72 and 70. Stacy had two double bogeys in her first round.
American Kelley Lough (Texas), the overnight leader, slumped after a 69 and a 71 to a final round of 81 for a total of 221. She had no birdies but nine bogeys in her soul-destroying final round.
Sian Reddick from Folkestone, the 2004 English women’s and Under-21 stroke-play champion and a Baylor team-mate of Hannah Burke, continues to struggle. She broke a toe during the first half of the US college golf season and has been nursing a back injury in the second half.
Not surprisingly, Miss Reddick had scores of 84, 80 and 82 to finish 69th on 246.
Hannah Burke’s effort helped Baylor (921) to finish third of 15 in the team title chase behind Purdue (907) and Texas Christian.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
217 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 77 70 70.
218 Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) 76 72 70.
220 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 74 73 73.
221 Kelley Lough (Texas) 69 71 81.
Other score:
246 Sian Reddick (Baylor) 84 80 82.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
907 Purdue. 918 Texas Christian. 921 Baylor. 923 Arkansas. 925 Southern Methodist, Texas (15 teams).

AUSSIES THRASH ENGLAND IN GOLFING ASHES
Australia gave England an 11-4 thrashing in the two-day “Golfing Ashes” contest at Moonah Links, Victoria.
The Aussies led 6 ½-2 ½ at the end of a very wet and windy first day and then confirmed their overall superiority by taking the second-day singles 4 ½-1 ½.
England’s Jamie Moul, the No 1 player in the R&A world amateur golf rankings, gained only half a point from three sessions of play.
“We were taken to the cleaners,” said Seve Benson, England’s only winner in the second-day singles.
“Australia simply outplayed us, particularly around the greens where their scoring skills were far better than ours,” said English Golf Union director of coaching Peter Mattsson with commendable frankness.
The foursomes were played after the singles on the first day.
Results:
AUSTRALIA 11, ENGLAND 4
First day (Australian names first)
SINGLES (Australia 4 ½-1 ½)
Rohan Blizard halved with Jamie Moul.Andrew Dodt bt Gary Boyd.Richie Gallichan bt David Horsey 2 holes.Ray Beaufils bt Ben Parker 4 and 3.Josh Younger bt Seve Benson 2 and 1.Rudi Bezuidenhout lost to Stephen Lewton 2 and 1.
FOURSOMES (Australia 2-1)Bezuidenhout & Blizard bt Moul & Benson 1 hole.Younger & Gallichan halved with Parker & Lewton.Dodt & Beaufils halved with Boyd & Horsey.
Second day
SINGLES (Australia 4 ½-1 ½)
Bezuidenhout halved with Boyd.
Younger bt Horsey 3 and 2.
Beaufils bt Moul 5 and 4.
Gallichan bt Lewton 2 and 1.
Dodt bt Parker 2 and 1.
Blisard lost to Benson 2 and 1.

US College Golf
CALDWELL ONE UNDER PAR BUT ONLY JT 16th IN TEXAS BORDER OLYMPICS
Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama Univesity), a junior year student from Belfast, finished joint 16th in a field of 80 with a one-under-par total of 215 for the three-round Border Olympics college tournament at Laredo Country Club, Laredo in Texas.
Caldwell had rounds of 74, 72 and 69 to finish nine shots behind the winner, Justin Harding (Lamar). Harding had scores of 71, 67 and 68 for a 10-under-par total of 206 over a long course of 7,241yd with a par of 72.
Lamar University (835) won the team event by a big margin from Baylor (854) with Vanderbilt (858) third. South Alabama (869) finished eighth in a field of 15 teams.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
206 Justin Harding (Lamar) 71 67 68.
208 Dawie VanDerWalt (Lamar) 72 67 69, Luke List (Vanderbilt) 68 74 66, Zack Reeves (UT-Arlington) 69 68 71.
Other total:
215 Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) 74 72 69.
LEADING TEAMS
835 Lamar. 854 Baylor. 858 Vanderbilt. Other total: 869 South Alabama (8th of 15).

VIKKI BEATS FLORIDA CUT WITH NOTHING TO SPARE
Musselburgh's Vikki Laing made her first cut of the new United States Futures Tour with rounds of 77 and 75 for 10-over-par 152 on a second day of high winds, without the first-round rain, in the $75,000 Greater Tampa Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, Riverview in Florida.
Vikki, who was 26 last Wednesday, was among the 73 players who made it through to the final round - but with nothing to spare in joint 67th position on the limit mark.
Lisa Hall from Stoke-on-Trent was the only other British qualifier with scores of 74 and 75 for 149. She is in joint 38th position.
The non-qualifiers included Brenda McLarnon from Belfast with 76 and 77 for 153 and Polly Willett from London with 79 and 76 for 155.
Two former US Curtis Cup players lead the field on one-over-par 143 - 26-year-old Emily Bastel (Ohio) and 23-year-old Liz Janangelo from Connecticut.
Both had scores of 71 and 72.
SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 142 (2 x 71)
143 Emily Bastel (Ohio) 71 72, Liz Janangelo (Connecticutt) 71 72.
144 Janell Howland (Idaho) 68 76, Rachel Bailey (Aus) 72 72, Kristen Samp (Missouri) 72 72, Kelly Froelich (France) 72 72, Dana Lacey (Aus) 72 72, Audra Burks (Florida) 73 71.
Other qualifiers included:
149 Lisa Hall (Stoke on Trent) 74 75 (jt 38th).
152 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 77 75 (jt 67th).
Non-qualifiers included:
153 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) 76 77.
155 Polly Willett (London) 79 76.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

US College Golf
WALLACE CANCELS OUT BIRDIES WITH BOGEYS AT FOREST HEIGHTS
Comrie's Wallace Booth (Augusta State University) had rounds of 73 and 74 for a 36-hole tally of 147 in the Schenkel Invitational college tournament at Forest Heights Golf Club, Statesboro in Georgia.
Wallace, pictured right, a former Scottish youths champion. had one birdie and two bogeys in his first round over the par-72, 6,972yd course. He boosted his number of birdies to three but also his tally of bogeys to five on the second circuit of the 54-hole tournament.
At the end of the day, Wallace was a creditable joint 19th in a good-class field.
Chris Kirk (Georgia) leads by three strokes with 70 and 68 for six-under-par 138.
Georgia (564) lead the team event from South Carolina (578) wiuth Alabama (580) third, Auburn (582) fourth and Augusta State (585) fifth of the 18 teams taking part.

DAWN-MARIE 20 STROKES IN ARREARS AT BATON ROUGE
Ireland's Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis University) had two mediocre rounds of 77 and 80 for a tally of 157 over a longish women's course of some 6,404yd (par 72) for the Louisiana State University Cleveland Classic at University Golf Club, Baton Rouge.
Dawn-Marie had a triple-bogey 6 at the short 13th in her first round. She is lying joint 62nd in a field of 108 with one round to go.
US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst is heading for another runaway victory. She has had rounds of 68 and 69 for a seven-under-par total of 137 - three shots ahead of Amanda Mathis (Mississippi State) (71-69).
Duke (586) lead the team event from Auburn (589) and Vanderbilt (592) with Tennessee (597) in fourth place. Memphis (643) are 19th of the 21 competing teams.

HANNAH'S LATE SLIPS COST HER CLEAR SECOND PLACE IN "BETTY RAWLS"
Hannah Burke (Baylor University, Texas) from Hertfordshire bogeyed the seventh and ninth - two of the last three holes she played in the second round - to drop back into a four-way tie for second place in the Betty Rawls Longhorn Invitational women's college tournament at the University of Texas Golf Club near Austin.
Hannah, who had a first-round 74 over the 6,290yd, par-72 course despite a double-bogey 6 at the first hole, started at the 10th in her second circuit. She bogeyed the 15th and 18th but then took off with birdies at the first, third and fifth.
At that point, the English freshman student was in clear second place behind Kelley Louth (Texas University) who posted 69 and 71 for four-under-par 140.
Then came Hannah's bogeys at the seventh and ninth to give her a second-round 73 for a 36-hole tally of three-over-par 147, leaving Kelley Louth seven strokes clear of the field with one round to go.
Baylor team-mate Sian Reddick from Folkestone seems to have no liking for the course. She has had rounds of 84 and 80 for 164. Her first round included a quadruple bogey 8 at the 18th and two double bogeys. Her second round had a pair of double-bogey 6s at the seventh and 15th.
LEADING 36-HOLE TOTALS
140 Kelley Louth (Texas) 69 71.
147 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 74 73, Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 77 70, Lucy Nunn (Arkansas) 70 77, Andrea Sellmeyer (Oklahoma) 78 69.
LEADING TEAMS
607 Texas. 615 Arkansas, Texas Christian, Purdue.
Also:
623 (8th) Baylor.

KRYSTLE SALVAGES HALF A POINT AS LGU GIRLS ARE BEATEN BY LANCASHIRE MEN
Scottish Under-21 girls’ champion Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) did best of the four Scots playing for the Ladies Golf Union GB&I training squad against the Lancashire men’s county team at West Lancashire Golf Club today (SAT).
Krystle, 18, pictured right, bound for the University of Georgia on a four-year golf scholarship in the autumn, halved the No 2 singles game with Michael Hunt (Pleasington).
Youngsters Carly Booth (Comrie) and Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), who both flew back from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida to play in this the first of two training matches over the weekend, both lost.
All the ties were played to the 18th green and Carly lost by four holes to Jonathan Hurst (Shaw Hill) while Sally lost by two holes to Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall).
Kylie Walker (Hilton Park), the fourth Scot in the 13-strong LGU line-up, went down by only one hole to Richard Walker (Frodsham).
The LGU individual winners were Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Rachel Bell (Ganton) and Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale).
The Lancashire men’s county team made the most of their local knowledge to win the match by 8 ½ - 4 ½. In the holes-up count, the men were +15 and the LGU squad +10.
The girls played off the yellow tees (a course of some 6,250yd). The men played off the back white tees.
All things considered it was a close match overall in very windy conditions and over a lay-out which very few of the girls would have played before. Three ties were halved and six other games were either one down/one up or all square playing the 18th.
The LGU GB&I Training Squad play the Cheshire men's county team in four-ball ties at Royal Liverpool Golf Club's Hoylake links on Sunday.
Results:
LGU names first:
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) lost to Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale) 5 holes.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) halved with Michael Hunt (Pleasington).
Mel Reid (Chevin) halved with Sam Stuart (St Annes Old Links).
Carly Booth (Comrie) lost to Jonathan Hurst (Shaw Hill) 4 holes.
Tara Davies (Holyhead) lost to Matthew Cox (Royal Birkdale) 1 hole.
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) lost to Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall) 2 holes.
Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) lost to Jack Senior (Heysham) 1 hole.
Naomi Edwards (Ganton) bt David Corsby (Fleetwood) 4 holes.
Kylie Walker (Hilton Park) lost to Richard Walker (Frodsham) 1 hole.
Rachel Bell (Ganton) bt Garry Boardman (Castle Hawk) 1 hole.
Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) lost to Ken Hudson (Hart Common) 1 hole.
Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) bt Steven McGlynn (Blackburn) 5 holes.
Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) halved with James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale).

TWO SCOTS ENTER LEVERET TROPHY AT FORMBY ON MARCH 31
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) and Claire Macdonald (Gullane Ladies) are the only two Scots who have entered the Leveret Trophy, one of the top 36-hole women's open tournaments in England.
Organised by former Scottish champion Fiona Anderson, the annual event at Formby Golf Club will be played on March 31 this year.
"It's a great field this year with eight players playing off a handicap of scratch or better and 57 with less than five of a handicap so that's going to be the limit," said Fiona.
"I deliberately arrange the Leveret Trophy for an early date on the golfing calendar. It means that those players who cannot nip off abroad and practise can still get a good competition under their bels before the 'Helen Holm' or their county championships or their nationals. Those who have been abroad can test their skills while re-acclimatising."

VIKKI LAING 77 ON WET, WINDY BUT WARM DAY IN FLORIDA
Vikki Laing returned a first-round score of six-over-par 77 in the weather-disrupted opening day of the Greater Tampa Futures Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, Florida.
Vikki had halves of 39 and 38 against the scorecoard par of 36-35 for the 6,377yd course.
The temperature stayed up in the 70s but there was rain and there was wind, gusting up to 25mph, and two suspensions of play because of the weather.
Eventually, the organisers ran out of daylight to finish the first round with 27 players still out on the course. They were due to resume at 6.30am Saturday morning.
LEADERBOARD
68 Janell Howland (Idaho) 36-32.
69 Salimah Mussani (Ontario) 35-34, Yoen Joo Lee (South Korea) 36-33.
Other scores:
74 Lisa Hall (Stoke on Trent) 38-36.
76 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) 40-36.
77 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 39-38.
79 Polly Willett (London) 41-38.

Friday 16th March 2007

US College Golf
HANNAH BURKE LYING JT 5th AT AUSTIN, TEXAS
Hannah Burke from Hertfordshire, a freshman student at Baylor University, Texas, is in joint fifth place at the end of the first round of the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational women's college tournament over the University of Texas golf course (6,290yd, par-72) at Austin.
Hannah returned a score of only two-over-par 74 after starting with a double bogey 6 at the first hole. She went on birdied the second, sixth and 13th. She had bogeys at the eighth, ninth and 11th in halves of 38 and 36.
For Baylor team-mate and compatriot Sian Reddick it was not such a happy day. She finished on 12-over-84, finishing with a quadruple bogey 8 at the 18th in halves of 41 and 43. Earlier she had had double bogeys at the ninth and 10th and only one birdie, at the 4th.
Miss Reddick is lying joint 73rd of 88 players.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
69 Kelley Louth (Texas).
70 Lucy Nunn (Arkansas).
73 Christel Boeljon (Purdue), Lacey Jones (Southern Methodist).
74 Hannah Burke (Baylor), Stefanie Endstrasser (Purdue).

US College Golf
DAWN-MARIE CONATY HAS TRIPLE BOGEY 6
In the Louisiana State University Cleveland Classic at Baton Rouge, US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst continued her excellent form of late to lead with a first round 68, four under par.
Ireland's Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) had a 77 to be in joint 32nd position in a field of 108 players.
Dawn-Marie had a triple bogey 6 at the short 13th but birdies at the fifth, 11th and 16th.

SCOTLAND TEAMS FOR U-16 TOURNAMENT
Scotland junior teams named by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to take part in the international team contest staged in conjunction with the Scottish Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship at Craigelaw Golf Club, East Lothian on April 5-6 are:
TEAM 1
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm).
Jordana Graham (Southerness).
Sammy Vass (Tain).
TEAM 2
Cara Easton (Dalmahoy).
Jill Meldrum (Dullatur).
Annabel Niven (Crieff).
Reserves:
1 Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield).
2 Samantha Leslie (Westhill).

MATHARU FAILS TO SHINE IN INDIA AS TAIPEI PLAYER WINS PLAY-OFF
English amateur champion Kiran Matharu, a tour professional since immediately after last summer's Curtis Cup, had a very disappointing return to the land of her fathers - India - to finish joint 37th of the 51 qualifiers for the final round in the inaugural Women's Indian Open at DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi today.
Kiran, who had her 18th birthday last month, had deteriorating scores of 77, 78 and 80 for a 19-over-par total of 235.
The winner was Taipei's Ya Ni Tseng who beat Thailand's Russamee Gulyanamitta at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off. Russamee sent her third shot into a lake, which virtually finished the contest in favour of Ya Ni Teseng.
They had tied on one-under-par 215 for the regular 54 holes.
Fame More, another former Curtis Cup player, from Chesterfield tied for 11th place on 223 with scores of 75, 75 and 73.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
215 Ya Ni Tesng (Tai) 70 70 75 bt Russamee Gulyanamitta (Thai) 70 71 74 at first hole of sudden-death play-off.
218 Lee Bo-ri (Kor) 71 76 71.
220 Irina Brar (Ind) 70 769 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thai) 75 70 75, Meghna Bal (Ind) (am) 68 74 78.
222 Rie Shiraki (Jap) 72 77 73, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 75 72 75, Lee Eun-Kyoung (Kor) 71 72 79, Yeo Ji-yae (Kor) 75 71 76.
223 Fame Moore (Eng) 75 75 73, Yu Pei Lin (Tpe) 73 77 73 (jt 11th).
Other totals:
226 Libby Smith (US) 76 76 74 (jt 13th).
227 Helena Alterby (Swe) 73 80 75 (jt 15th).
235 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 77 78 80 (jt 37th).

CLARE QUEEN FINISHES JOINT 7th IN SOUTH AFRICAN CLASSIC
Clare Queen continued her good start to her 2007 campaign by finishing joint seventh in the South African Telkom Women's Classic at Benoni Lake Club near Johannesburg.
The Drumpellier player, who will be 24 at the end of next month, had rounds of 71, 67 and 74 for a four-under-par total of 212. She earned 12,000 South African Rand.
A few weeks ago, Clare, pictured right by Tristan Jones, was joint sixth in the ANZ Ladies Masters in Queensland, Australia.
Victory and the 48,000 South African Rand first prize went to the front-running Spaniard Tania Elosegui who went clear of the field with opening rounds of 67 and 65 and then held on down the home straight with a par 72 for a 12-under-par total of 204.
After bogeying the last hole, Tania still had one shot to spare at the finish from England's Rebecca Hudson, who finished with a great score of 65, and 20-year-old South African rookie Stacy Bregman who won the South African Ladies Tour Order of Merit with 84,338 Rand.
Ashleigh Simon, the 17-year-old South African amateur who recently won the South African Women's Open for a second time, finished third on 208.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
Competitors from South Africa unless stated; (am) denotes amateur.
204 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 67 65 72.
205 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 69 71 65, Stacy Bregman 65 68 72.
208 Ashleigh Simon (am) 67 70 71.
209 Nora Angehrn (Swi) 70 66 73.
211 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 72 69 70.
212 Julie Tvede (Den) 71 72 69, Clare Queen (Sco) 71 67 74.
213 Caryn Louw 69 72 72, Martina Gillen (Ire) 74 66 73.
214 Sophie Walker (Eng) 71 69 74, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 74 69 71.
215 Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 70 73 72, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 69 73 73, Karen Margrethe Juul (Den) 75 71 69, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 73 73, Jo Clingan (Eng) 71 72 72.
216 Lee-Anne Pace 73 69 74, Laurette Maritz 68 76 72, Maria Boden (Swe) 74 72 70.
217 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 68 70 79, Kelli Shean (am) 71 71 75, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 72 72 73, Sarah Heath (Eng) 68 74 75.
218 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 72 74 72, Ellen Smets (Bel) 76 71 71, Morgana Robbertze 70 75 73, Jehanne Jail (Fra) 72 74 72, Julie Berton (Fra) 74 70 74.
219 Suzette Venter 74 72 73, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 72 73 74, Ana Larraneta (Spa) 73 68 78, Mandy Adamson 71 74 74.
220 Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin) 72 78 70, Sohvi Harkonen (Fin) 72 71 77.
221 Hanna-Sophia Svenningsson (Swe) 74 77 70, Natou Soro (Cdi) 76 72 73, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 73 75 73.
222 Mette Buus (Den) 72 74 76, Elin Brask (Swe) 71 78 73
223 Lena Tornevall (Swe) 73 76 74, Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 72 77 74
224 Michelle Smith (Eng) 75 75 74, Andrea Hirschhorn 73 75 76, Frederique Dorbes (Fra) 73 77 74, Claire Coughlan (Ire) 78 74 72
225 Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 74 76 75, Leandri Pieterse 72 80 73, Lisa Jean (Aus) 75 71 79, Anna Becker (Swe) 74 73 78.
226 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 73 78.
227 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 74 73 80, Nina Hansson (Swe) 71 77 79, Chloe Garner (am) 75 76 76.
228 Florence Luscher (Swi) 76 74 78, Odette Grotepas (am) 74 77 77.
229 Kim Williams (am) 77 74 78, Anne-Sophie Le Nalio (Fra) 73 77 79.
230 Tandi von Ruben (am) 72 78 80, Vanessa Bell (Eng) 78 71 81.
232 Angie Green (Can) 72 79 81.
233 Josefin Svenningsson (Swe) 77 75 81.

FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL THE FAMILY THIS WEEKEND AT BRITISH GOLF MUSEUM
This weekend there is double free entry for all the family at the British Golf Museum.
Saturday 17th March is St Patrick's Day and we invite you to bring your children down to the museum to follow our Four Leaf Clover trail around the galleries. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the wonderful exhibitions on display, including our showcase on Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the only venue to have held The Open Championship outside mainland Britain. Also on display are items donated by Fred Daly, the only player from Northern Ireland to have won the coveted title - in 1947 at Hoylake.
On Sunday 18th, don't forget it's Mother's Day! If you are looking for a wonderful way to spend time with your Mother or Grandmother, why not come along to the museum? Again, it is free entry for all the family. Why not make this part of a day out in St Andrews, and enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants or hotels close to the museum or take a walk along the beautiful West Sands beach?
On both days, every visitor will receive a free copy of our souvenir guide, a great reminder of your visit.The Musem is open from 10am to 4pm each day.
So come along to the British Golf Museum for free this weekend and take the perfect break from playing golf.

NORTHUMBERLAND STUDENT SHARES VICTORY IN HARBOR LAKES INVITATIONAL
Philip Waugh from Northumberland, a student at Lon Morris Community College, Jacksonville in Texas, tied for victory with Jordan Woolf (Texas Christian University) in the Harbor Lakes Invitational college tournament at Harbor Lakes Golf Club, Granbury, Texas.
Both players totalled one-under-par 143 over the 7,235yd, par-72 course.
Philip's team-mate, Ricky Lee from Duham, came joint 34th with 76 and 80 for 156,
Odessa (590) won the team title by two shots from Paris Community College (592) with McLennan (603) and Lon Morris (605) fourth of the nine colleges participating.

Thursday 15th March 2007

CLARE QUEEN, SIX UNDER PAR, IS SIX SHOTS OFF LEAD IN SOUTH AFRICA
Clare Queen will start the final round of the Telkom Women's Classic in joint sixth place, six shots off the lead, at Benoni Lakes Club, Johannesburg on Friday.
The Scot has had rounds of 71 and 67 for a six-under-par tally of 138.
Leading the field is Spain's Tania Elosequie with 67 and 65 for 12-under-par 132, one shot ahead of Springbok Stacy Bregman (65-68).
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
132 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 67 75.
133 Stacy Bregman (SAf) 65 68.
136 Nora Anghern 70 66.
137 Ashleigh Simon (SAf) (am) 67 70.
138 Clare Queen (Sco) 71 67, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 68 70.
140 Sophie Walker (Eng) 71 69, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 69 71, Martina Gillen (Ire) 74 66.
Other scores:
142 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 73, Sarah Heath (Eng) 68 74 (jt 13th).
143 Jo Clingan (Eng) 71 72 (jt 18th).
144 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 72 72 (jt 23rd).
148 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 73 (jt 39th).
MISSED CUT
153 Shelley McKevitt (Eng) 79 74.
164 Cherly Smith (Eng0 80 84.

Attention all East of Scotland Girls!
The date of the Summer Meeting and Championship has changed to 9th-10th July (a week later). It's still at Mortonhall.
Also... please remember to enter the Spring Meeting at Thornton, Fife on Monday 3rd April.
You can see all the East of Scotland Girls Golfing Association fixtures and enter on line here.

JAMES BYRNE HEADS EIGHT SEEDS FOR SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
James Byrne from Banchory heads the eight seeds listed in the draw for the Scottish boys' match-play championship at Dunbar Golf Club from April 9 to 14.
Byrne, who will enrol at Arizona State University in the autumn, has the lowest handicap of the 354 boys aged 18 and under on January 1 who entered.
James' handicap at the time of entry was +2.3.
The seven other seeds are:
Scott Fraser (Royal Aberdeen) (handicap at time of entry: 0.6).
Kyle Smith (Barassie) (0.2).
Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) (+0.4).
Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo) (0.7).
Sam McLaren (King James VI) (0.4).
Michael Main (Thornton) (+0.8).
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) (+1.3).
There is room only for 256 boys in the match-play format. The cut-off point came at those boys with handicaps (at time of entry) of 5.3, a figure which is coming down every year, reflecting how the standard of of Scottish boy golfers in general is improving steadily.
There were 16 boys with handicaps of 5.3 and only eight could get in. Those who were balloted out were:
Declan Christie (Portlethen).
Scott Barbour (Milnathort).
Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey).
James Hendry (Douglas Park).
Taylor Edwards (Lochmaben).
Rodger Clarke (Moray).
Shaun Clark (St Andrews).
Philip Gordon (Paisley).
The good news for these boys is that they are top of the waiting list to get into the championship should there be any call-offs, which there certainly will be.
There are 23 boys with handicaps of scratch or better in the championship.

VICKI jt 33rd AT GOODYEAR, ARIZONA
Irish junior international Vicki Power (Northern Arizona State) finished joint 33rd in a field of 109 players for the Bobcat Desert Classic women's college tournament at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona.
Over a par-72 course of 6,160yd, Viki had scores of 78, 83 and 75 for a total of 236. There were joint individual winners - Mary Kate Morgan (Gonzaga) and Tara Lambright (North Texas), both on 225. Mary Kate had rounds of 79, 76 and 70; Tara scored 74, 75, 76.
Cal Poly and Sacramento State tied on 915 for the team award. Northern Arizona (934) finished joint fifth in a field of 20 colleges.

JAN RETIRING FROM DUFF HOUSE ROYAL POST
Jan Corbett, who has been administration secretary at Duff House Royal Club, Banff since 1980 is to retire from the post in the autumn.
"When I started 27 years ago, it was a three hours a day job," said Jan who is looking forward to playing a lot more golf than she has been able to because of work ... and perhaps some gardening.

2007 Scottish Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship
Scotland have two teams in the Nations Cup in 2007 Scottish Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship at Craigielaw on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th April.
They are :-
Team 1: Eilidh Briggs, Jordana Graham, Sammy Vass
Team 2: Cara Easton, Jill Meldrum, Annabel Niven
Reserves 1. Gillian Simpson 2. Samantha Leslie
Draw
9.30 Jamie-Leigh Voss (Kirby Muxloe, 2), Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies, 4), Samantha Colecliffe (Rhuddlan, 4)
9.40 Nikki Foster (Accrington & District, 4), Helen Searle (West End, 4), Sian Evans (Faversham, 4)
9.50 Heidi Baek (Felixstowe Ferry, 4), Georgie Kilby (The Warren, 5), Hannah Turland (Tidworth, 5)
10.00 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm, 5), Kelly Tidy (Manchester, 2), Natasha Gobey (Rhondda, 5)
10.10 Sammy Vass (Tain, 5), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa, 3), Kelly Miller (Penrhos, 5)
10.20 Jordana Graham (Southerness, 6), Raffi Dyer (Hayling Island, 5), Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion, 8)
10.30 Annabel Niven (Crieff, 8), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park, 6), Carla Reynolds (Seapoint, 9)
10.40 Cara Easton (Dalmahoy, 8), Amy Boulden (Llandudno (Maesdu), 7), Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint, 10)
10.50 Jill Meldrum (Dullatur, 8), Daisy Dyer (Chigwell, 6), Rebecca Gibbs (Burnham & Berrow, 6)
11.00 Jenna Birch (Fleetwood, 6), Katie Burman (John O'Gaunt, 6), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell, 4)
11.10 Charlotte Austwick (Pike Hills, 6), Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell, 5), Jessica Wilcox (Blankney, 6)
11.20 Hollie Weatherburn (Furness, 6), Lauren Taylor (Woburn, 6), Jessica Schiele (The Manor Laceby, 7)
11.30 Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield, 8), Zoe Fitz-Costa (Beaconsfield, 8), Samantha Leslie (Westhill, 8)
11.40 Lauren Meldrum (Dullatur, 9), Bronte Law (Bramhall, 8),Kirsty Moss (Monifieth, 9)
11.50 Steff Hall (Lindrick, 9), Gillian Scanlan (Hamilton, 9), Meg Illingworth (Stoke Rochford, 9)
12.00 Lesley Atkins (Minto, 9), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall, 9), Emma Davies (Eaton, 9)
12.10 Rebecca McIntyre (Eden, 10), Zoe Differ (Dullatur, 9), Eun Hae Kim (Belton Woods, 9)
12.20 Nicola Rawlinson (Leyland, 11), Bethany Garton (Fleetwood, 11), Heather Peebles (Monifieth, 11)
12.30 Freya Barksby (Gainsborough, 12), Catherine Conejo (Williamwood, 12), Kirsty Condon (Blankney, 12)
12.40 Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie Place, 13), Lianna Bailey (Rushcliffe, 13), Kirstin Scott (Windyhill, 13)
12.50 Camilla Tait (St Regulus, 13), Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place, 13), Rebecca Lynes (Canwick Park, 13)
13.00 Donna Mackinnon (Durness, 14), Nicola Taylor (Thornton, 15), Alyssa Balding (Parklands, 15)
13.10 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly, 16), Louise McGillivray (Oldmeldrum, 16), Helen Goodwin (Glenbervie, 16)
13.20 Julie Vass (Tain, 16), Louise Smith (Monifieth, 16), Gabrielle MacDonald (Prestonfield, 17)
13.30 Florence King (Kirby Muxloe, 18), Hannah-Rachel Edmunds (Woodhall Spa, 18), Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle, 19)
13.40 Rebecca Horner (Woodham Country Club, 20), Jemma Lee Chalmers (Monifieth, 21), Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe, 21)
13.50 Alexandra Tait (St Regulus, 21), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie, 22), Stephanie Peareth (Oakleaf, 22)
14.00 Lauren Whyte (S.A.L.J.G.A., 22) Amanda Pattison (Parklands, 22), Alison Goodwin (Glenbervie, 23)
14.10 Caitlin Geddes (Northern, 23), Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield, 25), Connie Jaffrey (West Kilbride, 27)
14.20 Alexandra Armstrong (Kilspindie, 28), Rachel Bruce (Ponteland, 30), Rachel Howie (West Kilbride, 28)
14.30 Rebecca Cunningham (Ranfurly Castle, 31), Annabel Bailey (Rushcliffe, 32), Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride, 29)
14.40 Hollie Vizard (Lowes Park, 34), Grace Anderson (Arcot Hall, 34), Kirsten MacCallum (McDonald, 36)

KIRAN TRAILS IN WOMEN’S INDIAN OPEN
English amateur champion Kiran Matharu, who turned professional after last summer’s Curtis Cup match in the United States, survived the 36-hole cut in the inaugural Women’s Indian Open but is a distant 15 shots off the pace with one round to go.
Kiran, 18, from Leeds but of Indian extraction has had rounds of 77 and 78 for a share of 31st place on 11-over-par 155 at the DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi.
Another past Curtis Cup player, Fame More from Chesterfield, is in joint 12th place on 150 with a pair of 75s.
Taiwan rookie Ya Ni Tseng, who turned pro only two months ago, leads the field by one shot with two rounds of 70 for 140.
Indian amateur Meghan Bal, the surprise first-round leader with a 68, dropped back to third place with a 74 for 142.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
WOMEN’S INDIAN OPEN – DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi.
Leading 36-hole totals.
Par 144 (2 x 72)
140 Ya Ni Tseng (Tai) 70 70.
141 Russamee Gulyanamitta (Thai) 70 71.
142 Meghna Bal (Ind) (am) 68 74.
Other scores:
147 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 75 72 (jt 7th).
150 Fame Moore (Eng) 75 75 (jt 12th).
153 Helena Alterby (Swe) 73 80 (jt 24th).
154 Fany Schaeffer (Fra) 80 74 (jt 28th).
155 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 77 78 (jt 31st).

SCOTS QUARTET IN ACTION IN LGU TRAINING MATCHES AGAINST COUNTY MEN
Four Scots - Krystle Caithness, Kylie Walker, Sally Watson and Carly Booth - will be in action this weekend in the Ladies Golf Union GB&I Training Squad matches against the men's county teams of West Lancashire and Cheshire.
The West Lancs match features 13 singles ties at West Lancashire Golf Club on Saturday.
The Cheshire match will be seven four-ball ties at Royal Liverpool Golf Club's Hoylake links, venue for last summer's Open championship.
Sally and Carly have flown back to play in these training squad matches from Florida where they are pupils at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. GB&I selectors will be watching.
Great Britain & Ireland play the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match at Fairmont St Andrews (formerly St Andrews Bay) on July 27 and 28.
Before that there is the Commonwealth tournament, featuring teams of five players from Great Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand, in South Africa from May 7 to 11.
GB&I Vagliano Trophy team manager Tegwen Matthews, a Curtis Cup player in the 1970s, will play in the Sunday four-balls to make up an even number of partnerships.
The weekend programme of matches is:
SATURDAY
CHESHIRE MEN v LGU GB&I TRAINING SQUAD
at Royal Liverpool Golf Club
J Howarth & D Marmion v Kerry Smith & Sahra Hassan.
S Capper & C Lewis v Mel Reid & Branne Loucks.
K Kean & A Hardie v Tara Davies & Florentyna Parker.
D Peel & I Davie v Liz Bennett & Kylie Walker.
J Murphy & J Sims v Rachel Bell & Krystle Caithness.