May 2004 Archive

Monday 31st May 2004

Northern Counties News
AUDREY MAKES HER DEBUT FOR NORTHERN COUNTIES
Former North of Scotland women's golf champion and Scotland junior international Audrey Scott will make her debut for Northern Counties in the Northern Division women's inter-county team championship at Monifieth from June 26 to 28.
Audrey (nee Shannon) played for her native county Perth & Kinross for 20 years, although she moved her base to north of Inverness some time ago. She decided last year that the time had come to switch her county allegiance to Northern Counties.
Northern Counties won the Northern Division title at Murcar last year and went on to land the Scottish counties championship at Scotscraig in September.
The big incentive for Northern Counties to qualify to defend the national title against the winners of the three other divisional championships is the fact the finals are being held on home territory, Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, from September 17 to 19.
Mrs Scott's inclusion will add even more strength in depth to a very capable Northern Counties team which already includes full international Lesley Mackay and her sister Pam, who was the No 5 qualifier in the recent Scottish women's championship at Prestwick, and Inverness-based New Zealander Liz McKinnon who reached the final of the Portuguese women's open amateur championship on the Algarve in March.
Mrs McKinnon, a former Kiwi junior champion who is married to a Scot, won the Northern Counties championship at Nairn recently for the second time in three years.
Northern Counties team for Monifieth is:
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), Kerri Harper (Inverness), Pam Mackay (Royal Dornoch), Lesley Mackay (Royal Dornoch), Liz McKinnon (Nairn), Pat MacLennan (Forres), Jenny Milne (Elgin), Audrey Scott (Tain).
Programme at Monifieth:
Saturday: Aberdeenshire v Perth & Kinross, Northern Counties v Angus.
Sunday: Aberdeenshire v Angus, Northern Counties v Perth & Kinross.
Monday: Angus v Perth & Kinross, Northern Counties v Aberdeenshire.

Midlothian News
May 30th - MCLGA was pleased that the match previously played against The Lothians Golf Association every two years was revived. Four, two-ball foursomes games were played at Turnhouse, under handicap. Claire Hargan and Belinda Murphy played some sparkling sub-par golf to beat Keith Nicholson and Stephen Lamb 3/2; while the tables were turned in the second match where Craig Neilson and Alistair Love were well under par in beating Jane Flucker and Claire MacDonald. Michael Burnett and Stuart George just managed to win against Rachael Livingstone and Jane Turner and David Warner and Allan Shaw proved too strong a combination against Amanda Edwards and Hilary Laughland.(Results)

GULLANE MAN WINS JAPANESE BLIND OPEN
Iain S Prime of Gullane East Lothian, a member of the Scottish Blind Golf Society, has just returned from the Japanese Blind Golf Open as champion.
Iain (40) a B3 category golfer and a 13 handicapper, competed with over 50 other blind and vision-impaired players from 10 countries for the title, at Chaterasie Golf and Country Club, Nobana Pref in Japan.
For Iain it was a bitter sweet journey, as at the last Japanese Open in 2002 his long term sighted guide and friend Howard Leedale tragically died, aged only 48.
This year Howard's brother Mark accompanied Iain on the journey and the Japanese Association took them to visit the memorial to Howard.
The JBGA, through their sponsor Mr Handa, also provided funding toward flowers during Howard's funeral and a tree was planted at the Glen Golf Club, North Berwick, where he was club captain.
Iain not only won the overall net prize, but also laid claim to the gross trophy and the Japanese awarded him a prize for the best dressed golfer after demonstrating the kilt.
So, how's it all done?
Springfield, Cupar-based Jim Gale, MBE, director and company secretary of the Scottish Blind Golf Society, explains: "Blind golf is played strictly to the R & A Rules of Golf, with the one exception being that players are allowed to ground their club in a hazard. Players also use a sighted caddie or guide. Their role is to give the blind golfer verbal information about each hole, discuss club selection and then help align the player.
"From then on, it is down to the blind golfers skill and his/her golf swing. There is no reason why a blind golfer cannot achieve the same accuracy or distance as sighted players."

Ladies' Moroccan Challenge
The sun may be shining outside, but it won't be in November. Consider a holiday in Morocco with some marvellous prizes! Read more here.

Sunday 30th May 2004

I've not been paying much attention to the Bulletin Board recently, but I see that it was used to post news of the Ayrshire County Team. (see below). Please don't be afraid to use it to provide News if you think others would be interested.

Ayrshire News
The Ayrshire team for the forthcoming West Jamboree at Milngavie GC on Monday 28th - Wednesday 30th June is
Pamela Feggans
Alex Glennie
Lesley Hendry
Gillian Lockhart
Catherine Malcolm
Charlie Taylor
Debbie Watt
Lesley Williamson

Saturday 29th May 2004

IT ALL ADDI-S UP FOR MISS SHAMASH OVER HER HOME COURSE
Addi Shamash, playing over her home course at Kirkcudbright, won the South of Scotland women's amateur championship for the second time in three years today (Sat). Addi had rounds of 78 and 77 for a total of 155 for a narrow, one-stroke win from Christine Meldrum (Stranraer) and Sheila McMurtrie (Dalbeattie).
Christine trailed Miss Shamash by five shots after an opening 83 but just failed to make up the leeway with a 73, the best second-round score.
Sheila had rounds of 81 and 75.
LEADING TOTALS (CSS 73 72)
155 Addi Shamash (Kirkcudbright) 78 77.
156 Christine Meldrum (Stranraer) 83 73, Sheila McMurtrie (Dalbeattie) 81 75.
158 Pat McGill (Portpatrick) 79 79.
160 Emma Fairnie (Minto) 80 80.
161 Kirsty Inkpen (Duns) 85 76.
162 Julie Birdsall-White (Roxburghe) 87 75, Martine Pow (Selkirk) 87 75.
163 Kirsty Wells (Dumfries & Co) 81 82.
166 Sheila Martin (Kirkcudbright) 84 82.

Midlothian News
Midlothian Ladies played Mortonhall men in a warm-up match for the East County matches yesterday. They lost 3 matches to 2. Full story on the MCLGA site
They play Lothians men tomorrow.


US College Golf
FOOD POISONING FORCES GREG McBAIN TO QUIT FINAL ROUND
North-east of Scotland youths title-holder Greg McBain failed to complete the final round of the NJCAA Division 2 men's golf championship at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona (Friday, USA time).
McBain, from Newmachar and a sophomore student at Tyler College, Texas, had played three holes when he decided he could not continue because of food poisoning.
Tyler College golf coach Sandy Terry said that McBain and team-mate Trey McNeill had been sick overnight. McNeill also pulled out during his final round.
Tyler College, who had led the team standings by two shots going into the last 18 holes, were unable to return a team total because they needed to have at least four players to finish to be eligble for the team trophy. Tyler College were the defending champions.
There was some good news for the college. Stephen Knight, another member of the team, won the individual title by shooting a final round of 73 for a total of three-under-par 285 after earlier rounds of 74, 72 and 66.
McBain had been one of the favourites for the title following his strong performances in Division 2 tournaments over the 2003-2004 college golf season but had not played as well has expected in the season-ending championship. Greg started the last round in a tie for 33rd place on nine-over-par 225 after scores of 77, 73 and 75 over the 7,015yd par-72 course.
McNeill had been lying joint eighth on one-under 215 after three rounds.

US Student News
PAMELA FEGGANS NAMED TO DIV 2 ALL-AMERICA TEAM AGAIN
Florida Southern University student Pamela Feggans from Doon Valley Golf Club, Ayrshire has been selected for the second year in a row by the National Golf Coaches Association of America as a member of the NCAA Division 2 All-America first team.
This team will never play a match but to be selected as a member is an indication of the top-ranked players on the Division 2 women's college circuit in the States.
Pamela was one of the key players in Florida Southern finished runners-up in the NCAA Division 2 championship.
Pamela was also a first team Junior College All-American as a freshman at Midland College in Texas before she transferred to Florida Southern.
Capped for the first time by Scotland in last September's home internationals at Cruden Bay, Pamela led Florida Southern with a 76.97 stroke average over the 2003-2004 college golf season.
Her 76.88 career average is the best in Florida Southern women's golf team history. Pamela finished third in the NCAA Division 2 championship and had four top-five finishes over 2003-2004.
Among those were tournament victories at the University of Central Florida Invitational and the Lady Moc Classic. Her winning score at UCF set a new tournamen

Friday 28th May 2004

CARLY GETS FIRST COUNTY CAP
Carly Booth has become the youngest player ever to be chosen for the Perth & Kinross women's county golf team.
The 11-year-old from Comrie, a Primary 7 pupil at Morrison's Academy, Crieff, has been named in the squad of eight for the Northern Division inter-county team championship at Monifieth from June 26 to 28.
Title-holders Northern Counties, Angus and Aberdeenshire are the other teams in the three-day, four-cornered match-play contest with the champions qualifying for the Scottish county finals at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club from September 17 to 19.
"We are almost positive that Carly is the youngest-ever team member in Perth & Kinross history but with a handicap of 2.9, she certainly deserves her place," said county secretary Dawn Butchart.
Carly, who brought her handicap down from 4 to 2.9 with her scores earlier this week in the qualifying rounds of the Comrie women's club championship which she is defending, was beaten by 15-year-old Roseanne Niven (Crieff) in the Perth & Kinross women's county championship final at Alyth on May 15.
Roseanne is also in the team for Monifieth, having made her county debut last year. First reserve Sally Kettlewell (Dunblane) is also a junior member of her club so Perth & Kinross are well off for up and coming players.
The P and K team is: Carly Booth (Auchterarder), Dawn Butchart (Strathmore), Avril Ker (Craigiehill), Jillian Milne (Craigiehill), Roseanne Niven (Crieff), Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart), Fiona Ramsay (Crieff), Jane Yellowlees (Murrayshall). Reserves _ 1 Sally Kettlewell (Dunblane), 2 Gillian Wallace (Glenisla).

Texas A&M on Scottish tour
CHALLENGE FROM VISITING AMERICANS
Texas A&M University staff golf coach Jeanne Sutherland is taking her women's team, who qualified for the recent NCAA finals, over to Scotland in August - and she wants to make it a competitive holiday trip for the American girls.
"We will be based in St Andrews from August 18 to 23 and I would like to find some ladies' teams to play us on their home courses," said Jeanne. Any club or area golf official interested in taking up Jeanne's challenge should E-mail her direct at jsutherland@athletics.tamu.edu

Mackie Bowl
Gullane are hosting both the British Ladies' and the Scottish Mens' Championships this year. It's in superb condition already, and will be even better in a few weeks time. Here is another chance to play this first class course..... enter the Mackie Bowl, a 36 hole scratch event which counts in the SLGA Order of Merit. The date is Sunday 1st August and you can download an entry form (Word doc) here.

CARLY BOOTH CUTS HER HANDICAP TO THREE BEFORE WINNING 2ND FALDO QUALIFIER
There is just no keeping 11-year-old Carly Booth from Comrie out of the golfing news. On Tuesday she cut her handicap from 4 to 2.9 with her scores in the Comrie Golf Club women's championship - one of three club titles she won last year. Then the Perthshire farmer's daughter went along to the Nick Faldo Series 2nd Scottish Qualifier over the Blairgowrie Lansdowne course today and had the lowest score in the Girls' section (there are five boys' age categories from 21 down to 15 but there is only one girls' category, presumably up to the age of 21).
Carly Booth, whose home club is Auchterarder, followed up her win in the first qualifier at Loch Lomond with a fine score of 73 which matched the women's par of 73 for Lansdowne but was one over the CSS for the day. Carly, a model of consistency, had only two deviations from par in her 73. She bogeyed the sixth in an outward 38 (one over) and birdied the long 17th) in an inward 35 (one under) to win the girls' category on the day by two shots from Lesley Hendry (Routenburn).
Roseanne Niven, 15, from Crieff, who beat Carly in the final of the Perth & Kinross women's county championship at Alyth a couple of weeks ago, had an 80 at Blairgowrie.
There is one more Faldo Series' Scottish Qualifier to go - over the Eden Course, St Andrews on Friday, July 16.
After that the players with the most Order of Merit points in each category go forward to the Grand Final at Burhill Golf Club, Surrey in October.
Carly qualified last year to make the trip to the south-east of England and, with a 9pt lead, from Lesley Hendry (Routenburn), today's runner-up at Blairgowrie with a 75, and a 10pt advantage over third-placed Roseanne Niven, Carly looks set to be Scotland's representative in the Grand Final girls' competiton. Incidentally,
Carly's father Wally, a former Commonwealth Games silver medal-winning wrestler, revealed at Blairgowrie that Augusta State University - where Carly's older brother Wallace has just ended his first year (2003-2004) - have made a inquiry as to whether Miss Booth would be interested in going there in seven or so years' time!
Kirkintilloch player Paul Betty celebrated the news that he has been awarded a full first-year golf scholarship at the University of Kentucky in Louisville - Cassius Clay's old home town - by returning the lowest score of the day, a three-under-par 69, over Lansdowne.
Hayston Golf Club member Betty birdied the first, fifth, sixth and eighth in a flawless outward half of four-under-par 32 and then reeled off eight pars and a solitary bogey at the 13th in an inward 37 (one over) for a score that was four under the CSS.
Other boys' age-group winners today were Kevin Truscott (Newmachar) with a 72 in the Under-18s, John Gair from Hexham with a 70 in the Under-17s, David Dungen who flew over from the Netherlands to return the lowest score, a 73, in the Under-16s, and Kris Harper (Carnoustie) with a 73 in the Under-15s. Scores

West Vets Results... lifted from the Renfrewshire site (Thanks Carol Fell and Sheila Goudie)
It was a beautiful day and the course was in superb condition, particularly the greens .
West Vets Summer Meeting Cowglen 27th May 2003 SSS 71, CSS 72, 49 Entrants
Scratch - Brenda Livingstone (East Renfrewshire) 78
Silver : 1st Lana MacDonald (Hilton Park) -- (11) 71
2nd Moira Hogg (Old Ranfurly) -- (15) 72 (bih)
3rd Sheilagh Osborne (Fereneze) -- (17) 72
Bronze: 1st Helen Crichton (Ranfurly Castle) -- (21) 69
2nd Margaret McKendrick (Old Ranfurly) -- (21) 72

Inter County Foursomes West Division Finals
The Inter County Foursomes West Division Finals were played yesterday over Mount Ellen
The Goldy Oldies from RLCGA -- County Captain Aileen Wilson and Veteran Heather Anderson won the scratch award.
For the summary of the winners go to : http://www.rlcga.com/clubnews.htm (Thanks Carol)

MORE THAN 30 BALLOTED OUT OF ST RULE TROPHY
The St Rule Trophy tournament - June 19-20 over the New and Old Courses at St Andrews - had to be moved from its usual early June date this year because the British men's open amateur championship is being played over the Old Course. It was also reduced from three rounds to 36 holes in an effort to attract entries from the United States' Curtis Cup team in the belief that the majority of them would be staying on in Britain for the British women's open amateur championship at Gullane from June 22 to 26. As it turns out, only Sarah Huarte (University of California Berkley) and Annie Thurman (Oklahoma State University), are staying on for the "British" and they are the only two members of the Curtis Cup team in the draw for the St Rule Trophy.
Mind you, the American challenge might lack quantity but it certainly does not lack quality. Sarah has just been crowned champion of the NCAA Division 1 women's college circuit. She won the end of the college season championship with a record-low total of 10 under par. Annie Thurman was the 2002 US Public Links title-winner. There will be other big names from the American college circuit competing in the St Rule. Sweden's Karin Sjodin, runner-up to Sarah Huarte in the Division 1 championship, has entered. So too has compatriot Sophie Andersson.
A bit closer to home we have the repeating Scottish champion, Anne Laing, the new Irish champion Deirdre Smith and Gillian O'Leary, the Irish student who beat New Zealander Liz McKinnon, a Nairn Golf Club member, in the final of the Portuguese women's open amateur championship on the Algarve in the spring.
The Canadian women's international squad have entered en bloc and they are coming over with their Fife-born coach, Dean Spriddle.
Tournament organiser Marigold Spiers reports: "We have been slightly overwhelmed by numbers - 111 entries. We've had to do a considerable amount of balloting out to get down to our maximum field of 72. The highest handicap taken was 3.7. The backmarkers are the Swedes, Sjodin and Stahle, and Anne Laing."
One disappointing aspect of the entries is that Anne Laing is the only member of the eight-strong GB&I team for the Curtis Cup match who will be playing in the St Rule Trophy this year. The five England players - Emma Duggleby, Shelley McKevitt, Nikki Timmins, Fame More and Danielle Masters, as well as Anna Highgate from Wales and Claire Coughlan from Ireland have not entered.
The Swedish left-hander, Karin Borjeskog, who won the St Rule Trophy last year is not defending.
The order of play for Saturday's round over the New Course is:
9.30 Maria Dunne (Skerries), Bronwyn Mullins (Australia), Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus).
9.40 Sarah Kemp (Australia), Lesley Mackay (Royal Dornoch), Ashley Bickerton (Canada).
9.50 Deirdre Smith (Co Louth), Stephanie Lam (Canada), Elaine Moffat (St Regulus).
10.0 Louise Fleming (The Roxburghe), Corisande Lee (West Lancs), Henrietta Brockway (Yeovil).
10.20 Christine Boucher (Canada), Karin Sjodin (Sweden), Lynn Kenny (Stirling Univ).
10.30 Claire Dury (New Zealand), Annie Thurman (United States), Jackie Little (Canada).
10.40 Martine Pow (Selkirk), Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Dawn Dewar (Stirling Univ).
10.50 Karen Delaney (Carlow), Jo Nicolson (Wrexham), Addi Shamash (Kirkcudbright).
11.0 Karen Marshall (Baberton), Laura Walker (Nairn Dunbar), Elizabeth King (West Essex).
11.10 Lisa Jean (Australia), Stephanie Doring (Germany), Liz McKinnon (Nairn).
11.20 Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen), Jessien Luciuk (Canada).
11.30 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Eom Ji Park (Canada), Louise Stahle (Sweden).
11.40 Steffi Kirchmayr (Germany), Katrina Leckovic (Canada), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
11.50 Lindsay Knowlton (Canada), Clare Queen (Drumpellier), Sofie Anderson (Sweden).
12.0 Tara Delaney (Carlow), Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan), Felicity Johnson (Harborne).
12.10 Sarah Huarte (United States), Niki Garret (Australia), Tricia Mangan (Ennis).
12.20 Heather MacRae (Dunblane New), Veronique Drovin (Canada), Eva Steinberger (Austria).
12.30 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), Katy Jarochowicz (Australia), Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall).
12.40 Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), Olivia Briggs (Delamere Forest), Kaja Kerger (Germany).
12.50 Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle), Gillian O'Leary (Cork), Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe).
1.0 Elaine Cuthill (Lanark), Rachel Bell (Ganton), Sandra Gal (Germany).
1.10 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus|), Laura Harvey (Richmond), Lisa Barton (Coventry).
1.20 Kate Combes (Australia), Pam Mackay (Royal Dornoch), Sinead Keane (The Curragh).
1.30 Katrina Milne (Dunfermline), Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), Marion Riordan (Tipperary).

US College Golf
McBAIN COULD HELP COLLEGE WIN AMERICAN JUNIOR TITLE
North-east youths title-holder Greg McBain from Newmachar is lying joint 33rd with one round to go in the NJCAA Division 2 national golf championship at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona. Greg, a student at Tyler College, Texas, followed up his opening rounds of 77 and 73 with a 75 which gave him a 54-hole tally of nine-over-par 225 for the 7,015yd, par-73 course. He is 15 shots behind leader Michael Anthony (Darton) who has scored 73, 69 and 68. Tyler team-mate Stephen Knight jumped into a share of second place with a best-of-the-day score of six-under 66 and Tyler College (876) are now leading the race for the team title by two shots from Darton College with South Mountain College (883) in third place.
LEADING SCORES 210 Michael Anthony (Darton) 73 69 68. 212 Donnie Parker (Darton) 70 71 71, Stephen Knight (Tyler) 74 72 66. Other score: 225 Greg McBain (Tyler) 77 73 75.
LEADING TEAMS 876 Tyler. 878 Darton. 883 South Mountain.

Thursday 27th May 2004

Happy Birthday to daughter Claire.. hope you get a tenant for your bird house!

Why did nobody tell me I'd got my dates wrong (again!!!). I suddenly realised that today was Thursday because yesterday was Wednesday!!!

Curtis Cup website
The LGU have set up a special Website for the Curtis Cup. Connect to it here

Anyone recognise these shoes?
Find out the full story about the mysterious shoes here

GREG MOVES UP IN ARIZONA
North-east youths champion Greg McBain (Newmachar), a student at Tyler Junior College, Texas, improved from joint 58th to a tie for 32nd place with a second-round, one-over-par 73 in the NJCAA Division 2 golf championship at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona (Wednesday, USA time). McBain, one of the favourites for the title, improved by four shots on his first-day 77. At the halfway stage he is on six-over-par 150, 11 shots behind the leader, Josh Ollere (Hinds) who has had rounds of 70 and 69 over the 7,015yd course.
LEADING SCORES 139 Josh Oller (Hinds) 70 69. 140 Mike Mieske (Kirtland) 68 72. 141 Donnie Parker (Darton) 70 71, Sean McNemar (John A Logan) 71 70. Other score: 150 Greg McBain (Tyler) 77 73.

MICHELLE WIE ACCEPTS SPECIAL EXEMPTION TO 2004 U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN
Far Hills, N.J. - Reigning U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champion Michelle Wie of Honolulu, Hawaii, has accepted a special exemption from qualifying for the 2004 U.S. Women's Open Championship, which will be played from July 1-4 at the Orchards Golf Club, located on the campus of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass.
The United States Golf Association, which conducts the championship, offered the exemption. The USGA reserves the right to offer additional special exemptions until the beginning of sectional qualifying on June 14.
It will be the second consecutive U.S. Women's Open appearance for the 14-year-old Wie, who finished tied for 39th at the 2003 championship at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.
Her USGA career began when she qualified for the 2000 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship at age 10, making her the youngest to ever qualify for a USGA event. She became the youngest to ever win an "adult" USGA championship when she won the 2003 Women's Amateur Public Links at Ocean Hammock Golf Club in Palm Coast, Fla.
Wie will also represent the USA at the Curtis Cup Match, to be held June 12-13 at Formby Golf Club in Merseyside, England. She will be the youngest to ever play in the Match.
She has twice finished in the top 10 at the LPGA's Kraft Nabisco Championship. In 2003 she finished in a tie for ninth, and in 2004 she earned a fourth-place finish, shooting seven under par for the four days of the championship. She has two other top-20 finishes in LPGA events in 2004 - a 12th-place tie at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill and a tie for 19th at the Safeway International. In January, she missed the cut at the PGA Tour's Sony Open by one stroke.
"We are pleased to extend this exemption to Michelle into the Women's Open," said Jeanne Myers, chairman of the USGA Women's Committee.
"She is an exceptional talent and has proven herself against the best players in the world. The USGA has always been proud of its association with amateur golf, and we are happy to acknowledge the outstanding play of one of our country's best young amateurs."
It is the first time an amateur has been given a special exemption into the Women's Open. Jay Sigel received a special exemption into the 1980 U.S. Open and Aaron Baddeley received one into the 2000 U.S. Open. In 2003, Vinny Giles received a special exemption into the 2003 U.S. Senior Open.

clubgolf seeking Grampian 'Girls in Golf' Regional Manager
Scotland's national junior golf strategy, clubgolf is planning to appoint the sixth and final member of its development team next month.
The Regional Golf Manager will be responsible for promoting "Girls in Golf" and piloting the national programme in Grampian ready for its role out in 2006.
clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association and sportscotland.
The strategy has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child to the game by 2009.
Five regional managers have already been appointed in the other regions of the country to deliver the strategy. In addition, each is responsible for a separate issue in golf - developing the introductory game for schools, club development, developing links between schools and clubs, social inclusion and talent identification.
The development of girls' golf in Scotland is a critical area.
Currently, there are just 2,700 girl golfers in Scotland compared to 25,000 boys.
The "Girls in Golf" role seeks to break down the barriers and the perceptions girls have of the game whilst changing the cultural approach of golf clubs to encourage more girls to take up and stay in the sport. The target is to double the number of girls involved in the sport by 2009.
"This is a very important step forward in the development of the clubgolf programme," said Alan McMillan, clubgolf Junior Golf Manager.
"The appointment of the final regional manager, who we expect to have in place by the end of June, will encourage more girls to get involved and stay within golf.
"A lot of good work has already been done by the SLGA on developing girls in golf within Grampian. We will be building on that work in the Grampian area so that we can roll it out nationally in 2006.
"Whilst this is about participation and giving girls the opportunity to come into a sport which they can play for life, at an elite level we have four top Scottish female players competing in the States on the LPGA Tour with many more in Europe. They are a shining example to anyone who would like to consider the sport as a career."
Meanwhile, at one club in Highland, girls are outnumbering the boys on the Level 1 stage of the clubgolf syllabus. Of the 10 children from Bonar Bridge Primary School who have been through the Introductory Game and have been invited onto the Level 1 programme at nearby Bonar Bridge and Ardgay Golf Club, seven are girls.

Wednesday 26th May 2004

left to right....Isobel Mcintosh, Audrey Leyden (Highland Captain), Jenny Louden.

HIGHLAND TITLE NO 7 FOR ISOBEL
Former Scotland international team captain Isobel McIntosh (Inverness) has won the Highland veteran women's golf championship for a seventh time. She was never behind in beating Jenny Louden (Nairn) 3 and 2 in the final at Elgin. The victory puts Mrs McIntosh through to the quarter-finals of the Scottish veteran women's championship at Blairgowrie from September 26 to 28 when the winners of the seven other areas will complete the field. Two years ago Isobel lost in the Scottish final to Rose Anderson (Huntly). Mrs McIntosh, before she turned 50, was a multi-winner of the Northern Counties women's championship and also the Inverness Golf Club women's title.
HIGHLAND VETERAN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP _ Elgin _ Quarter-finals _ I McIntosh (Inverness) beat E Fisken (Nairn) 1 hole, J Louden (Nairn) beat L Clark (Nairn Dunbar) 4 and 3. Final _ McIntosh beat Louden 3 and 2.

ANGUS TEAM FOR MONIFIETH TOURNAMENT
ANGUS women's golf team for the Northern Division inter-county championship at Monifieth from June 26 to 28 is: Jackie Brown (Monifieth), Alexandra Bushby (Letham Grange), Dawn Dewar (Monifieth), Lynne Fenton (Abertay), Lynne Fotheringham (Abertay), Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies), Shonagh Raitt (Forfar), Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir). Reserves: Susan Arbuckle (Ladies Panmure Barry).
Northern Counties, who went on to win the Scottish title at Scotscraig last autumn, will be defending the Northern title which gains entry to the Scottish finals, to be played at Nairn Dunbar from Friday to Sunday, September 17 to 19. Aberdeenshire and Perth & Kinross, for whom 11-year-old Carly Booth is expected to make her county team debut, are the other participants in the four-cornered competition at the end of June.

McBAIN'S SLOW START IN ARIZONA.
North-east youths title-holder Greg McBain, a student at Tyler Junior College, Texas made a slow start to the NJCAA Division 2 golf championship at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona (on Tuesday, USA time).
McBain, one of the favourites for the title on the strength of his form over the 2003-2004 season, opened with a five-over-par 77 (38-39) to be tied for 58th place behind three players shaing the first-round lead at four-under-par 68 over the 7,015yd course. The tournament is over four rounds.

The Captain Drives in 1894 Style
The magnificent, panoramic painting Medal Day at St Andrews, 1894 is now on display in the British Golf Museum until the end of June. This painting, completed in 1898, depicts the future Prime Minister, Arthur Balfour, driving in as Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1894.
Measuring some 10 feet across and 5½ feet high, it is a group scene of 191 golfers gathered in front of the R&A Clubhouse as Old Tom Morris tees the ball up for Balfour.
The artist, Alexander Wardlow, captures the moment when Balfour is looking down the course in anticipation of hitting his drive. Peter Lewis, Museum Director, said "the painting is a visual who's who of golf in 1894 and captures the essence of late 19th century golf. The painting normally hangs in the Big Room of the R&A Clubhouse and this is a rare opportunity for the public to see this very special painting. We are very pleased that The Royal and Ancient Golf Club has loaned us the painting until the end of June"
The British Golf Museum recently underwent a major refurbishment and the current Royal and Ancient Golf Club Captain, HRH The Duke of York, KCVO, ADC recently opened the new shop and reception area.

North boys' champion John bound for Texas
John Forbes, pictured right, winner of the Inverness Golf Club men's championship as a junior member last year, is off to Texas in August on a golf scholarship. He will be enrolling at the Abilene Christian University whose golf team compete in the NCAA Division 2. Whatever else, John will see a lot of Texas (which is several times larger than the British Isles), not to mention neighbouring states as the college circuit is played from autumn through to the following month of May.
John, who went to Texas last year as a member of the Grampian Houston Junior Trip, won the North of Scotland boys' championship for the H R Spence Trophy at Fortrose & Rosemarkie in May.
John, in very windy conditions, scored 71 and 79 to tie on 150 for the lead with Darren Hexley, also of Inverness. Darren had two rounds of 75. John won the sudden-death play-off at the second extra hole with a par 5 after Darren three-putted for a 6.
Brora's Euan Polson, pictured left, now playing out of Royal Dornoch, finished third on 152 with rounds of 75 and 77. After an eagle 2 at the 16th, he was the clear leader but blew his chances with a triple bogey 7 at the 17th. Malcolm Murray (Brora) was third on 1567 (77, 79) with Chris Gaitens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) fourth on 157 (80, 77).
LEADING TOTALS 150 J Forbes (Inverness) 71 79, D Hexley (Inverness) 75 75 (Forbes won sudden-death play-off at second hole). 152 E Polson (Royal Dornoch) 75 77. 156 M Murray (Brora) 77 79. 157 C Gaitens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 80 77.

US College Golf
FOUR OF FIVE USA CURTIS CUP LINE-UP NAMED IN ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Annie Thurman (Oklahoma State) is the odd one out of the five college players selected for the United States' team for the Curtis Cup match at Formby GC on June 12-13.
The four others - Erica Blasberg (Arizona), Sarah Huarte (California), Liz Janangelo (Duke) and Brittany Lang (Duke) - have been named in the National Golf Coaches Association's All America team for the 2003-2004 season.
The NGCA also named Janangelo - winner of four tournaments and with 19 rounds of par or under - as the NCAA Division 1 women's Player of the Year. Duke team-mate Brittany Lang - winner of three events with 18 rounds of par or under to her credit - was named by the NGCA as the NCAA Division 1 women's Freshman of the Year.
The All-America team, which never plays a match but is an indication of the top-ranked players on the Division 1 women's college circuit, also includes Susie Matthews and Charlotte Mayorkas (both UCLA), Ashley Prange and Meaghan Francella (North Carolina), Allison Hanna (Ohio State), Kim Welsh (Washington State) and May Wood (Vanderbilt).
Annie Thurman did not gain a place in the All-America 2nd Team nor in the "Honourable Mentions."

Midlothian County Ladies Midsummer Foursomes (Liberton)
Janet Hamblin and Gilly Glen of Craigmillar Park set the pace at the Midlothian County Ladies Midsummer Foursomes and Commonwealth Spoons Qualifying Competition at Liberton yesterday. Their 79 less (15), net 64, was the best scratch and best net score. The course was in good condition and 14 players had net scores of 70 or under.
Results; Scratch: Janet Hamblin & Gilly Glen (Craigmillar Park) 79
Best Net: Janet Hamblin &. Gilly Glen (Craigmillar Park) 79 (15) 64 2nd Net: Anthea Mackenzie & Muriel Ritchie (Ratho Park) 85 (19) 66 3rd Net: Ruth Brown & Rhona Collins (Lothianburn) 80 (13.5) 66.5
Qualifiers for the Commonwealth Spoons to be played at Peebles Golf Course on 23 September 2004 Janet Hamblin & Gilly Glen; Anthea Mackenzie & Muriel Ritchie; Ruth Brown & Rhona Collins; Margaret Thompson & Dorothy Silver; Linda Boyle & Dorothy Wilson; May Hardy & Nook Weir; Joan Gilbert & Kathy Gibson
[Reserves: Patricia Stuart & Frances Douglas; Pam Townsend & Jeaneatte Jarvis]

Tuesday 25th May 2004

Scottish Ladies (Close) Amateur Championship
The photos have arrived, courtesy and copyright © Calcarson Golf Agency. Please thank Colin when you see him.

SLGA TEAMS
The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association is to send a squad for the first time to compete in the European girls' team championship at Golf National, Paris from July 6 to 10.
SLGA president Nancy Chisholm said the executive were influenced in their decision by the fact that Scotland has some very good young players who will benefit from the experience of playing in a European event earlier than they would in the normal course of things.
The team of four is: Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze), Gemma Webster (Hilton Park), Roseanne Niven (Crieff), Krystle Caithness (St Regulus). Reserves: 1 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), 2 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
Claire-Marie Carlton, pictured right, spent most of last season on crutches after an ankle complaint required surgery and she missed the girls' home internationals after starting the season in a blaze of glory by becoming, at the age of 16, one of the youngest ever Renfrewshire women's champions. A trip to Paris is a delayed reward for the outstanding early season form of 2003.
Curtis Cup reserve and Scottish championship beaten finalist Clare Queen will spearhead a strong Scotland squad to compete in the European junior women (Under-21) team championship at Royal Cinque Ports, Kent from July 6 to 10.
Team of six is: Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan), Dawn Dewar (Stirling University), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Heather MacRae (Dunblane), Clare Queen (Strathclyde University), Jenna Wilson (Strathaven).
Reserves: 1 Kate O'Sullivan (Cochrane Castle), 2 Kylie Walker ((Buchanan Castle), 3 Gemma Webster (Hilton Park), 4 Sjavon Wilson (Murcar).
Other teams announced by the SLGA
BRITISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP  - Gullane No 1 course. June 22-26: Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Lynn Kenny (Stirling Univ), Clare Queen (Strathclyde Univ). Reserves: 1 Heather MacRae (Dunblane), 2 Martine Pow (Selkirk), 3 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
IRISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP _ Cork GC. July 31-August 1: Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Pamela Feggans (Doon Valley), Jenna Wilson (Strathaven). Travelling reserves: Sara Bishop (Windyhill), Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus). Non-travelling reserve: Alexandra Young (Torrance House).

US College Golf
Paul Cormack loses two-shot lead in Kansas
Inchmarlo Golf Centre member Paul Cormack, a student at McLennan Community College, Waco in Texas, went into the recent NJCAA Division 1 championship over the Maria Hills course in Dodge City, Kansas with high hopes.
Paul, who is coached from long range by one-time Walker Cup player Paul Girvan, the Kings Links guru, over telephone and by E-mailed videos, had every reason to feel confident. After all he had earlier won the Region 5 championship in New Mexico with an 18-under par total (68, 65, 65) of 198, five shots clear of the field.
After three rounds of the NJCAA Division 1 title race, everything was going to plan. Cormack led the field by two shots with 18 holes to play after scores of 70, 68 and 71 over the par-72, 6,868yd course. Then he sagged to a disappointing final round of six-over 78 for a final total of one-under 287.
Paul finished only two shots behind the players who tied for the lowest aggregate of 285 - Jacob Davis (Brevard) and Shawn La Fontaine (Odessa). Davis, who finished with a 69, was seven shots behind Cormack at the beginning of the final day. La Fontaine was five shots off the North-east man's pace.
McLennan College (1195) were down the field behind team winners Odessa (1163) with Paris (1165) second on 1165.
LEADING TOTALS 285 Jacob Davis (Brevard) 73 69 74 69, Shawn La Fontaine (Odessa) 71 69 74 71. 286 Tommy Murray (Faulkner State) 73 66 75 72. 287 Paul Cormack (McLennan) 70 68 71 78. 288 Ryan Zamorano (Paris) 71 73 74 70, Anthony Cantu (UT-Brownsville) 72 74 72 71. 290 Ricki Neil-Jones (Paris) 76 72 72 70.

US College Golf
Sarah Huarte is NCAA Champion
Email from Anne Walker, Assistant Coach at UC, Berkeley, after the Bears finished fourth and Sarah Huarte first in the NCAA Championships. Go Bears!

Monday 24th May 2004

LGU PRESS RELEASE
LADIES' BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Curtis Cup players from both sides of the Atlantic will be competing in the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship that will be played at Gullane Golf Club from 22nd to 26th June 2004.
This year's field of 144 players is one of the strongest for some time and includes six of the GB&I side plus two of the American team who earlier in June will have met in the biennial match at Formby.
Sarah Huarte, 22, and Annie Thurman, 21, both attend college in the U.S. and although making their debuts in the Curtis Cup and in the British Amateur at Gullane, have extensive experience in their college states of California and Oklahoma.
Huarte is a former California Junior Champion and California High School Champion and already this year has won the 2004 South Atlantic Ladies Amateur. Last week Miss Huarte won the NCAA Division 1 women's individual championship.
Thurman won the 2002 Public Links Championship and with that win, became the first Utah born woman to capture a USGA Championship.
Kerry Smith, Dierdre Smith, Anne Laing and Sara Jones, the recently crowned national champions of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will also be at the East Lothian links, hoping to add their names to a long list of distinguished winners of the British title.
In the final of the English Championship, Kerry Smith had a 4&3 win over 24 year-old Curtis Cup player Shelley McKevitt who was hoping to add to the British Stroke play title she won last year.
Sarah Jones also defeated a Curtis Cup player, Anna Highgate, in her national final.
At Prestwick in the Scottish Championship, Anne Laing, a member of the team for the match at Formby, successfully defended her title with a win over Curtis Cup reserve Clare Queen.
The Ladies' British Amateur Championship is being played at Gullane for only the fourth time in the 111 year history of the event but on one of these occasions, spectators witnessed a win by one of the world's best known sporting superstars. The year was 1947 and the winner was Mildred 'Babe' Zaharias. It was her first and only time playing in Britain and as she was later to write;
"I was to find that nothing I'd done in golf in the past was anything like playing in this tournament. I've never had such an experience."
Her name is inscribed on the trophy, many years before that of Elisa Serramia of Spain, the 2003 winner who will be at Gullane seeking a successful defence of her title.
Mrs Judy Cuthbertson, captain of Gullane Ladies' Golf Club said: "We are delighted that the Ladies' British Amateur Championship is coming to Gullane in the centenary year of Gullane Ladies' Golf Club."
"We are looking forward to meeting many of the best known names in ladies amateur golf and I know that Gullane Golf Club will have their No. 1 course in peak condition for an outstanding championship."
Competitors play one round on each of the first two days and the players returning the 64 lowest scores over 36 holes, qualify for the match play stage leading to the 18-hole final on Saturday 26th June.

ENGLISH LADIES GOLF ASSOCATION PRESS RELEASE
England teams for forthcoming tournaments:
EUROPEAN JUNIOR WOMEN'S (Under-21) TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Royal Cinque Ports GC, Deal, Kent (July 6 to 10). Captain: Pat Skelton (Henbury).
Pat previously captained England's European girls' team in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the England girls' international team regaining the Stroyan Cup in 2000, which was retained in 2001 and 2002.
Team: Naomi Edwards Ganton, Laura Eastwood Yelverton, Felicity Johnson Harborne, Alexandra Marshall Toft Hotel, Faye Sanderson Heworth (Durham), Sophie Walker Kenwick Park
1st reserve: Sian Reddick Sene Valley , 2nd reserve: Sarah-Jane Eaves Cosby
EUROPEAN GIRLS (Under-18) TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Golf National GC, Paris (July 6 to 10). Captain: Angela Caton (Pleasington).
Angela has a wealth of experience on and off the course having led the winning England girls' home international team last year and also previously accompanied players to the European Young Masters.
Team: Claire Aitken Mid-Kent, Kiran Matharu Sand Moo,r Florentyna Parker Royal Birkdale, Melissa Reid Chevin
1st reserve: Joanne Hod Knowle, 2nd reserve: Anna Scott Consett & District
R&A JUNIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Kilmarnock Barassie GC, Troon (July 12 to 14). Every golfing nation is invited to send their best boy and girl golfer to compete and then enjoy the experience of attending the 133rd Open Championship at Royal Troon later in the week.
England's Selection: Henrietta Brockway, Yeovil
+There are three categories of competitors, Gold (handicap 3 and under), Silver, Handicap 4 to 9 ) and Bronze (handicap 10 – 21) . All competitors must be under the age of 16 on January 1 and should not be younger than 12 years of age at the time of the championship. All categories will play 18 holes of stroke play on July 12 and 13 with competitors in the Golf category playing a final 18 holes on the morning of July 14.
EUROPEAN YOUNG MASTERS Styrian GC, Murhof, Austria (July 22 to 24). The individual tournament is three rounds of 18-hole stroke play. The Nations Cup, played within the tournament, will be the three best gross scores out of four to count. Last year England's team of Kiran Matharu, Florentyna Parker, Ben Parker and Oliver Fisher won the Silver Medal.
England girls selected: Kiran Matharu Sand Moor Florentyna Parker Royal Birkdale

Children from Pumperston Primary School with Richard Fyvie,
head pro at Pumpherston Golf Club, last week

Pumpherston Golf Club first to pilot national junior strategy clubgolf in the Lothians
A far-sighted golf club, committed to junior development, and its neighbouring primary school, keen to try the sport, has proved the perfect combination to pilot the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf in the Lothians.
Last week Pumpherston Golf Club threw open its doors to welcome in 16 children from Pumpherston Primary for clubgolf - a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association and sportscotland. clubgolf - which aims to give every nine year old child in Scotland the opportunity to try the game by 2009.
"When I heard about clubgolf and how we could be involved in it, I jumped at the chance," said the school's Head Teacher, Hilary Muir.
"Having a golf course right on our doorstep is a tremendous opportunity and I thought the children could see it as a local amenity instead of something that didn't include them.
"This area isn't really golfing territory so it is something I see as including the children in the community more."
Before being let lose on the course, 31 of the school's children signed up for a six week Introductory Game, played with modified clubs and balls at school during the spring.
"Originally I thought clubgolf would be good for some of the quieter children, who might not be interested in a rough and tumble sport like football," said Muir.
"It's a mental game, you've got to plan and think ahead. It's good for their motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It's a game they can play for a very long time and we have a superb golf course here and I wanted the children to be able to access that.
"Most of them have never played golf before. They are really enjoying it. The kids who play football are also showing an interest and there has been a big interest amongst the girls."
Last week marked the second stage in the programme, a progression to Level 1, staged at the club by Pumpherston's Head Pro, Richard Fyvie, together with the club's newly trained volunteer coaches.
Whilst clubgolf's Introductory Game, which seeks to introduce 50,000 nine-year-olds in Scotland to the game annually before 2009, is played with chunky clubs and rubberized balls, Level 1 uses real clubs and balls. The course covers putting and chipping and full swing. This Friday the children will be playing their first holes.
"As soon as we opened the L1 course last week we were oversubscribed within 25 minutes," said Fyvie.
"The kids think it's wonderful and there's a real buzz about the Friday afternoons here. It says a lot for their interest that they are prepared to come here after school. A lot of credit needs to go to the parents who are willing to bring the children here after school.
"It's also good to see such a big group of girls here. We will definitely be getting more schemes up and running after this one."
Last weekend, Fyvie helped train West Lothian's next band of clubgolf volunteer recruits - from Bridgend, Lithlithgow, Pumpherson Golf Clubs and West Lothian Council - through the Level 1 Volunteer Training programme which will enable them to teach the Level 1 game to children in their clubs.
"It's an excellent initiative," said Fyvie. "We heard about clubgolf and its pilot scheme a year ago and immediately saw it as something which we had to get on board. We are delighted to be the first club in the Lothians to have a Level 1 course.
Pumpherston's is an attitude that needs to be adopted by clubs, volunteer coaches and PGA Golf Professionals the length and breadth of Scotland if the national trend of falling junior memberships in clubs is to be reversed.
"Most people involved in the sport are aware that club memberships are in decline and less children, particularly girls, are playing the game," added Fyvie. "clubgolf is something that every club in Scotland must get involved with for the future of the sport."
Said Katie Oman, clubgolf's Central Regional Manager, "Pumpherston is the first club in the area to step forward as a partner club and we are extremely grateful that they are prepared to give the community's children a first experience of golf.
"Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the club's coaches and volunteers, we are proving that the plan works. We hoped that following the six week Introductory Game there would be a strong take up for the Level 1 course. It is extremely encouraging that the course is full and that all the children are getting so much out of it."

Glenbervie Open
There are still places available for the Ladies' Open at Glenbervie on Sunday 13 June 2004. The cost is £8 and the handicap limit is 30 and there are scratch and handicap prizes. Anyone interested in entering should contact the Ladies' Secretary, Lyn Fleming on 01324 715648 or use this entry form (Word Doc).

Sunday 23rd May 2004

ONLY ANNE LAING BEATS THE JINX ON CURTIS CUP PLAYERS IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Anne Laing was the only member of the Curtis Cup team for Formby to win her national championship over the past week or two.
First Claire Coughlan was beaten in the semi-finals of the Irish championship.
Then Anna Highgate lost in the final of the Welsh championship.
And now Shelley McKevitt from Reading has lost in the final of the English women's amateur championship at Northamptonshire County Golf Club.
She went down by 4 and 3 to Kerry Smith (Waterlooville), a former Curtis Cup player but not chosen for next month's match at Formby, in the 18 hole final on Saturday.

What a warm welcome and terrific hospitality we got at the Prestwick Golf Club last week. We watched a top class final. Mr Eugene O'Donaghue, the Captain of the club, made the comment that if Clare Queen was not in the Curtis Cup team, then the other members must be fantastic golfers, and the Americans had better watch out!

US College Golf
AMERICAN CURTIS CUP PLAYER'S SUCCESS BUT THEIR ACE IS TRUMPED
Sarah Huarte (California) was the surprise winner of the NCAA Division 1 women's championship at Grand National Lakes course, Opelika in Alabama.
Although one of the eight-stroke United States team heading for Formby and the Curtis Cup match in little over two weeks, Sarah was not expected to finish in front of the the top-ranked Duke University ace Liz Janangelo nor her team-mate Brittany Lang, both of whom will be playing for the United States against Great Britain & Ireland.
But it was a tournament of shocks for Duke. They were hot favourites to win the team title after dominating the US female college circuit in the 2003-2004 campaign.
Instead UCLA (1148) won the title ahead of Oklahoma State (1151) with Duke third on 1159, ahead of fourth place California (1172).
Sarah Huarte put together rounds of 73, 69 67 and 69 for an impressive total of 10 under par 278 - one shot ahead of Sweden's Karin Sjodin (Oklahoma State) with Susie Matthews (UCLA) in third place on 280.
Brittany Lang came joint 13th on 290 while Liz Janangelo and yet another US Curtis Cup team member, Annie Thurman (Oklahoma State), tied for 16th place on 291.
The fifth US team member in the field, Erica Blasberg (Arizona) did not do well by her own high standards. She came equal 28th on 294.
LEADING FINAL INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
278 Sarah Huarte (California) 73 69 67 69.
279 Karin Sjodin (Oklahoma State) 71 69 68 71.
280 Susie Matthews (UCLA) 71 69 68 72.
Other totals:
290 Brittany Lang (Duke) 72 70 74 74.
291 Liz Janangelo (Duke) 73 70 77 71, Annie Thurman (Oklahoma State) 73 76 72 70.
294 Erica Blasberg (Arizona) 78 73 71 72.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
1148 UCLA.
1151 Oklahoma State.
1159 Duke.
1172 California.
1180 Vanderbilt.

US College Golf
SCOTS FINISH US SEASON ON A DOWNER
The United States 2003-2004 college golf season ended for Scots David Inglis, Martin Laird, Scott Jamieson and Kevin McAlpine at the weekend when their universities failed to qualify for the national championships at Hot Springs, Virigina from June 1 to 4.
Inglis ended his four years as an outstanding golf scholarship student at the University of Tulsa on a low note.
The Walker Cup player from Roslin, Midlothian had a most uncharacteristic tournament to finish tied for lowly 60th place in the NCAA Central Regional qualifier at the Kampen course, West Lafayette in Indiana.
Glencorse Golf Club member David had rounds of 77, 74 and 81 for 16-over-par 232. In his final round he had double bogeys at the sixth and 12th and had four double bogeys in all over the 54 holes.
John Holmes (Kentucky) won the event with two-under-par 214 (73, 70 and 71).
Only the top 10 teams qualified for the national championships and Tulsa (933) were way back in a tie for 18th place behind Kentucky (882).
Martin Laird (Colorado State) was not quite so disappointing as Inglis but he still finished well out of the picture in a tie for 26th place in the NCAA West Regional qualifier at Sunriver Resort, Oregon.
Martin from Hilton Park, the Scottish youths champion, scored 72, 71 and 77 for 220 - nine shots behind individual winners Travis Johnson (UCLA) and Chris Nallen (Arizona).
Laird had double bogeys at the 18th in his second round and the 16th in his first.
Colorado State team-mate Kevin McAlpine from Alyth came 47th equal with 224 (74, 73 and 77).
Colorado State (901) finished tied for 15th - five places away from qualifying for the national championships - behind team winners UCLA (865).
Scott Jamieson (Augusta State) from Cathkin Braes continued in the form slump that has hit him over the past 18 months. He finished 100th in the NCAA East Regional qualifier at New Haven, Connecticutt with scores of 79, 72 and 79 for a 20-over-par total of 230. Winner was US Walker Cup player Bill Haas with 207.
Augusta State (897) finished 19th behind Clemson (856).

Saturday 22nd May 2004

Scottish Ladies Championship
IT'S QUEEN ANNE THE THIRD OF SCOTTISH GOLF
Anne Laing, the only Scot in the Great Britain & Ireland team for next month's Curtis Cup match, will go to Formby as Scottish women's amateur golf champion for the third time since 1996.
In her fifth final over these eight years, the 29-year-old Vale of Leven Golf Club member, who is a sports studies lecturer at Elmwood College, Cupar, beat 21-year-old Strathclyde University student Clare Queen, a Drumpellier G C member, by two holes over the Prestwick Golf Club links.
It was a championship match of rare quality, the players responding to near-calm conditions, brilliant sunshine and a big gallery to play pretty close to their best.
Defending champion Anne had an eagle and four birdies while Clare's contribution to a glorious advertisement for female amateur golf had a bag of four birdies.
"That was the best game of match-play I've ever played, considering that I played well and so did Clare. Sometimes match-play finals are a bit of an anti-climax for everybody but this was quite a match," said Anne, a career-amateur who will never turn professional.
"Of course I'm disappointed at not winning but I was lucky to get as far as the final when you remember that I had to come through a play-off to to get into the match play and then I was two down with four to play against Lynn Kenny - and won that, and also scrambled through at the 19th against Jenna Wilson," said Clare whose figures were good enough to win more championship finals that they would lose.
"Yes, I played well and I'm glad of that. This was the first time I've played in the championship and I'm not turning pro. I'll be back in this championship - and maybe I'll be able to go one better soon."
When Anne Laing jumped into a three-hole lead by winning the fifth with a par, the eighth with an eagle 3, when she pitched in from 30yd, and the long ninth with a two-putt birdie, there was always the danger that she might have broken her younger opponent's resistance.
Not a bit of it! Clare showed she was made of the right stuff by hitting back immediately with winning birdies at the 10th and the 11th.
Miss Queen's rally faltered momentarily when she bunkered her second to lose the 12th to go two down again but she gritted her teeth and promptly birdied the long thiteenth with two big hits on to the green and the 14th after an approach shot to within 7ft of the flag.
That was the high point for Clare. Both players, who had hit just about every fairway until then, suddenly had bad tee shots at the 15th but Anne was able to win the hole with a bogey 5 to get her nose in front again.
Anne, raising her game in the style of a true champion, drove the green at the 245yd 16th and two-putted for yet another birdie to go two up with two to play.
Clare Queen was not finished yet. She hit an excellent approach at the blind 17th to cut the deficit to one but when Anne hit another corker of a drive almost pin high at the last hole (242yd), the writing was on the wall for Clare. She was on the green but still 30yd short of the hole and left her approach putt short before conceding Anne a birdie 3 for the match.
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL (18 HOLES)
Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) beat Clare Queen (Strathclyde University) by 2 holes.

English Ladies Chamionship
Kerry Smith wins English Ladies’ Close Amateur Championship at Northamptonshire County Golf Club. Kerry, 31 years old from Waterlooville, Hampshire has finally made her break through after nine attempts to win this title by beating Shelley McKevitt (Reading) 24.
Kerry had a strong start sinking a 10ft putt on the first hole for a birdie. She led throughout the match, having two birdies and only one bogey. She went 2-up on the third when Shelley put her tee shot into the bunker, but Shelley reduced the deficit on the 7th with a birdie. Kerry went 2-up again on the 13th and carried on to win the 14th to go 3-up. She hit a superb 5 iron on the 15th to within 4ft of the hole and sank the putt for a birdie to win the match 4&3. Kerry said “This was my best shot into the 15th green all week. I am pleased with my game, it’s a great trophy to win, I’m now looking forward to the British”.
Kerry is a chef at her home golf club and fits in her golf and training around work. Lottery funding helps pay for her golf and Kerry said “The Sport England programme has definitely assisted my fitness and game”. Kerry was 3rd at the Sherry Cup and will be playing for her county at Brocket Hall before the British Ladies’ in June at Gullane, Scotland.

Margaret, it is me who can't spell consolation! I must have been tired when I wrote it!

Friday 21st May 2004

Scottish Ladies Championship

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Here are the SLGA Officials (and Jessie) singing their song at the traditional Friday night party.

Scottish Ladies Championship
Clare Queen (University of Strathclyde) will play defending champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) in the Final over Old Prestwick tomorrow (tee off 8:30am).
This afternoon Clare beat Martine Pow (Selkirk) by 2 & 1 and Ann beat Sara Bishop (Windyhill) by a similar margin.
Dawn Dewar (University of Stirling) won the consolation event, the Clark Rosebowl, when she beat Donna Pocock (Old Meldrum) in the final.
There should be more detail on HotNews

Thursday 20th May 2004

TITLE-HOLDER ANNE LAING MAKES LAST EIGHT
Defending champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) is through to tomoorow morning's quarter-finals in which she will play Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus).
That will be a replay of their last-eight meeting over the Old Course, St Andrews 12 months ago. Anne could be spared if she had a "Deja Vu" feeling because her opponent in the first round was Claire Hargan - the good friend and player she beat in last year's final in the Centenary championship over the Old Course, St Andrews.
Also in the bottom half of the draw are Alexandra Young (Torrance House) and No 2 seed Sara Bishop (Windyhill). Sara birdied the 16th and 18th to win by one hole over Scotland international team member Lesley Mackay (Royal Dornoch).
Alexandra won her second-round tie by one hole against Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies).
In the top half of the draw, there will be two Scotland caps in action - Pam Feggans (Doon Valley) and Clare Queen (Strathclyde University).
Miss Feggans, who flew back from Florida Southern University at the weekend, will play Martine Pow who produced the upset result of the day. Miss Pow, 39-year-old many times Borders champion, toppled the No 1 seed Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) by one hole after winning the 15th, 16th and 17th to transform a one-hole deficit into victory.
Martine birdied the 16th and the 17th.
Clare Queen won the morning battle of Curtis Cup reserves, coming back from two down with four to play to beat Lynn Kenny (Stirling University). Then Clare, who had survived a play-off on Wednesday night to get into the match-play stages, had to go down the 19th to get the better of Jenna Wilson (Strathaven).
Clare, one up on the 18th tee, drove out of bounds to be pulled back to square. Then Jenna put her second out of bounds over the wall at the first extra hole to lose the hole and the match.
Miss Queen will now play Fife county champion Katrina Milne (Dunfermline) who won five holes in a row from the sixth to wipe out Pam Mackay's early three-hole lead. Katrina went on to win by 2 and 1.
The quarter-finals line-up on Friday morning is:
8.30 Martine Pow v Pam Feggans.
8.40 Katrina Milne v Clare Queen.
8.50 Fiona Lockhart v Anne Laing.
9.0 Alexandra Young v Sara Bishop.
The semi-finals will tee off at 1.30 and 1.50 pm.
The 18-hole final will start at 8.30am on Saturday morning.
THURSDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH-PLAY RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) beat J Anderson (Hawick) 3 and 1.
M Pow (Selkirk) beat S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 1 hole.
K Brotherton (Tulliallan) beat F De Vries (St Rule) 3 and 2.
P Feggans (Doon Valley) beat L Williamson (Barassie) 4 and 3.
P Mackay (Royal Dornoch) beat L Fraser (Kingsknowe) 3 and 2.
K Milne (Dunfermline) beat T Laughland (Mortonhall) 1 hole.
J Wilson (Strathaven) beat K O'Sullivan (Cochrane Castle) 4 and 2.
C Queen (Strathclyde Univ) beat Lynn Kenny (Stirling Univ) 1 hole.
F Lockhart (St Regulus) beat G Lockhart (Barassie) 8 and 6.
J Carthew (Ladybank) beat C Taylor (Troon Ladies) 3 and 2.
A Laing (Vale of Leven) beat C Hargan (Prestonfield) 5 and 3.
H MacRae (Dunblane) beat C Wilson (Murcar) 6 and 4.
F Gilbert (Carnoustie) beat K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 2 and 1.
A Young (Torrance House) beat C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) at 19th.
L Mackay (Royal Dornoch) beat A Lowe (Royal Birkdale) at 19th.
S Bishop (Windyhill) beat B Murphy (Prestonfield) 7 and 6.
SECOND ROUND
Pow beat Louise Kenney 1 hole.
Feggans beat Brotherton 5 and 4.
Milne beat P Mackay 2 and 1.
Queen beat J Wilson at 19th.
F Lockhart beat Carthew 1 hole.
Laing beat MacRae 1 hole.
Young beat Gilbert 1 hole.
Bishop beat L Mackay 1 hole.
CLARK ROSEBOWL
First round
J Flucker (Craigmillar Park) beat R Kennedy (Troon Ladies) at 19th.
F Finney (Great Hadham) beat J Harrison (Cruden Bay) 2 and 1.
L McLardy (Murcar) beat C Meldrum (Stranraer) 3 and 2.
D Dewar (Stirling Univ) beat C McNeil (Cawder) 2 and 1.
E Ogilvy (Muckhart) beat L Walker (Nairn Dunbar) 2 and 1.
K Mathieson (Glenbervie) K Caithness (St Regulus) 2 holes.
S Adams (Loudoun Gowf) beat S Mitchell (Dunbracken) 2 holes.
D Pocock (Murcar) beat K Blackwood (Glencorse) at 19th.
Quarter-finals
Finney beat Flucker 2 and 1.
Dewar beat McLardy 1 hole.
Mathieson beat Ogilvy 5 and 4.
Pocock beat Adams 4 and 2.
Friday morning semi-finals:
9.20 Frances Finney (Great Hadham) v Dawn Dewar (Stirling Univ).
9.30 Katy Mathieson (Glenbervie) v Donna Pocock (Murcar).
The Clark Rosebowl final will tee off at 2.10pm.

US College Golf
East Lothian girl, Stephanie Crolla, currently probably the only Scots golfer left in the States. is lying 5th equal after three rounds in the NJCAA championship at Prestwick (!) Golf Club, Daytona Beach, Florida today. Her scores of 75, 84 and 83 put her 7 shots being leader Kayla Shaul of Daytona Beach CC.
Individual scores: 1 Kayla Shaul - DBC 81 79 75 0 235
2 Mary Harvey - RCC 79 83 75 0 237
3 Olivia Campos - MCC 81 78 79 0 238
3 Erin Groeneveld - MCC 84 79 75 0 238
5 Jessica Trein - DBC 81 79 80 0 240
6 Stephanie Crolla - MLC 75 84 83 0 242
6 Sharon Lewin - TJC 80 79 83 0 2421
Team scores: Daytona Beach Community College, Fla. 324 326 320 970
2 Tyler Junior College, Texas 329 326 325 980
3 Redlands Community College, Okla. 324 329 331 984
4 Rend Lake College, Ill. 334 327 327 988
5 McLennan Community College, Texas 324 335 335 994
6 Mesa Community College, Ariz. 333 339 328 1000

Wednesday 19th May 2004

Prizewinners after the stroke-play stages of the Scottish Ladies Championship
Back Sara Bishop and Lynn Kenny,
Middle, Kelsey Macdonald and Dawn Dewar,
Front Rosalyn Kennedy, Louise Kenney and Charlotte Taylor
(Don't ask me to name all the trophies!)

LOUISE KENNEY TOP SEED BY FIVE SHOTS
Despite putting "terribly" in a second-round, one-over-par 76, Louise Kenney from Pitreavie, Dunfermline, was the leading qualifier by the wide margin of five shots for the match-play stages of the Scottish women's amateur golf championship over the Prestwick Golf Club links on Wednesday
On a day when the wind had dropped only a notch or two, Louise earned the top seed rating with a one-under-par total of 149 ahead of Nottingham-born Sara Bishop (Windyhill) who hit the 154 mark with a 74.
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), pictured left, only 13 years old, became the youngest qualifier since Jane Connachan in the 1970s. Kelsey repeated her 79, even though she did not birdie the last three holes second time round, for seventh place on 158.
Defending champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) was the 11th qualifier on 161 after an 81.
Louise struggled to cope with greens much slower than she has been used to on the American female college circuit as the star member of the Iowa State University team for the past two years. She three-putted the fourth and the sixth in a stuttering start but settled down with a birdie 4 at the ninth and for the second day in a row mastered the inward half.
In the first round, she reeled off nine straight pars from the turn. Yesterday Louise improved on that with eight pars and a two-putt birdie at the 242yd 18th where she drove the green.
But the experience gained of regular competitive play in an autumn to spring season in the States stood the 21-year-old Fifer in good stead.
"I actually hit the ball better than I did on the first day and I'm delighted to be the leading qualifier. I know it's a completely different game from now on but I actually like match-play better than stroke play," said Louise.
Curtis Cup reserve Claire Queen (Strathclyde University) survived a play-off featuring the eight players who tied on 170. They went out in a sudden-death eliminator to put five of them into the match-play draw.
Clare Queen, Louse Fraser (Kingsknowe), Judith Anderson (Hawick), Belinda Murphy (Prestonfield) and Gillian Lockhart (Barassie) made it through at the first extra hole.
Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse), Jane Flucker (Craigmillar Park) and Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart) all ran up triple bogey 7s to be eliminated.

English Close Championship
Emma Duggleby (Malton & Norton) the current English Champion leads the English Ladies’ Close Amateur Championship qualifying rounds for the first time, 6 under par. Emma said “I am delighted to be leading the field”.
Emma birdied the 2nd, 6th, 9th, 12th and the 16th and the only bogie arrived on the unlucky hole number 13. On the 379-yard 9th she produced what she described as “a career shot”. In her own words: “I was in the jungle on the right and hit it with a 9-iron through a 8-foot gap 140 yards over a bush and under a tree and sunk a uphill 20-foot putt for a birdie”.
Emma went out late and had the worst of the conditions as the sun baked the greens hard. So much so, the club is using sprinklers on the greens overnight.
Considering the conditions, the fact that Emma qualified 6 shots clear of a national standard field is a memorable achievement, even for a former champion of Europe and South Africa.
The brilliance of Emma’s round can be measured by the fact that in a field containing 5 Curtis Cup players only Harborne’s Felicity Johnson was the only other player to reach par for the two rounds. Emma is hoping to be on a winning Curtis Cup team for the first time at Formby next month. Should she keep this English Close title, it will be the first one she has ever successfully defended during her glittering career.
Scores for Emma’s Curtis Cup team mates were: Danielle Masters (Tudor Park Hotel) 70 / 76, Fame More (Chesterfield) 74 / 75, Nicola Timmins (Sene Valley) 79 / 74 and Shelley McKevitt (Reading) 75 /75.
The day reached fever point with 5 playing off for one place after the cut settled on 159. Katie Dobson (The Oaks) finally won the play off on the third extra hole when she sunk a four foot putt.
Position|Name|Club|Round1|Round2|Total|+/-
1|Emma Duggleby|Malton & Norton|70.00|68.00|138.00|-6
2|Felicity Johnson|Harborne|73.00|71.00|144.00|0
3|Kerry Smith|Waterlooville|72.00|73.00|145.00|+1
4|Sara Garbutt|Ganton|74.00|72.00|146.00|+2
5|Danielle Masters|Tudor Park Hotel|70.00|76.00|146.00|+2
6|Naomi Edwards|Ganton|76.00|71.00|147.00|+3
7|Kiran Matharu|Sand Moor|74.00|73.00|147.00|+3
8|Fame More|Chesterfield|74.00|75.00|149.00|+5
9|Melissa Reid|Chevin|73.00|76.00|149.00|+5

HotNews glitch
Sorry about the spam on HotNews today... hopefully I've sorted it. Thanks to those that alerted me.

Tuesday 18th May 2004

LOUISE KENNEY MAKES IT LOOK EASY AS WIND BLOWS AT PRESTWICK
Iowa State University student Louise Kenney, pictured right, today rediscovered the secret of scoring well when she least expected it - under the pressure of the first qualifying round of the Scottish women's amateur championship with a strong westerly wind blowing over the ancient and potentially awesome Prestwick links.
With the clubhouse and car park awash with tales of players' calamities from countless out of bounds excursions, visits to bottomless bunkers shored up with railway sleepers and rough with a capital "R," 21-year-old Louise came sailing in serenely with a two-under-par 73 (35-38).
The Pitreavie player, a former Scottish girls champion, was one of only seven players to break 80 over the club women's course extended for the tournament by more than 400yd to just under 6,000yd by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association.
Louise led at the end of the first day by four shots from Curtis Cup first reserve, 23-year-old Lynn Kenny (Stirling University) from Dunblane.
"I played well all season on the American college circuit but just didn't get the scores I felt I deserved," she said later. "So there was no way I expected to score two under par over a course like this. With the wind, it was tough going at times but, for the first time in many months, everything fell into place for me.
"I birded the second, third, eighth and ninth and was two under par at the turn, having bogeyed the fifth and sixth. Then I got nine straight pars on the inward half. The only time I nearly dropped a shot coming home was at the 17th where I landed in the gorse with my second shot. But I hacked out on to the green and holed an 18ft putt for a par."
Lynn Kenny was also mildly surprised to return a 77, which was a very respectable score at two over par.
"I played sloppy golf out there but I scrambled well. It seemed to be a cross wind at every hole, going out and coming in, and I struggled to judge the strength of shots from about the 50 or 60yd range," said Lynn.
"It's the kind of course that I think you have to play a lot of times before you really know it and begin to play it well consistently. Most of the field, like me, have played one practice round before going straight in at the deep end."
Miss Kenny, with the Scottish veteran women's champion as her caddie - her mother, Cecilia, birdied the 13th and 16th to cancel out two of the bogeys she had at the fifth, ninth, 11th and 18th in halves of 39 and 38.
In third place was Royal Dornoch's Cara Gruber with a 79, despite bogeying four of the first five holes.
Kelsey Macdonald (Nairn Dunbar), pictured left, the youngest and smallest competitor in the field, had a championship debut to remember by birdieng the last three holes for a 79 to share fourth place with the far more experienced Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus), Pam Mackay (Royal Dornoch) and Heather MacRae (Dunblane), just back from California where she plays for the San Diego State University team.
Defending champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) was joint eighth on 80 with Sara Bishop (Windyhill), champion of Dunbartonshire & Argyll for the past two years, and Scottish girls champion Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan).
Title-holder Anne, a lecturer at Elmwood College, Cupar, was seven over par after 11 holes but she birdied the 13th (two putts from 60ft), the 14th (holing a 40ft putt from off the green) and the 16th (driving the green at this 245yd hole with a three-wood) to finish the day at five over par after a three-putt bogey at the 17th.
Arguably the most surprising score of the day - next to Louise Kenney's 73 - was a 14-over-par 89 by Curtis Cup reserve Clare Queen (Strathclyde University).
"I had three 7s on my cards, one triple bogey and three double bogeys in all. I have nightmare halves of 46 and 43. It was just one of those days when everything went wrong. I was out of bounds twice," said the former British girls match-play and stroke-play champion from Drumpellier.
In terms of bullseye accuracy, the shot of the day was achieved by Kim Horne (Dalmahoy) who aced the 175yd 11th hole on her way to a round of 81. Kim achieved her first ever hole in one with a five-wood. What a time and a place to do it!
The 32 players with the lowest 36-hole aggregates at the end of the second qualifying round will go forward to the match-play stages.
END OF PLAY GOLF SCORES
Prestwick Golf Club
First qualifying round
73 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
77 Lynn Kenny (Stirling Univ).
78 C Gruber (Royal Dornoch).
79 F Lockhart (St Regulus), P Mackay (Royal Dornoch), H MacRae (Dunblane New), K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
80 S Bishop (Windyhill), K Brotherton (Tulliallan), A Laing (Vale of Leven).
81 S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), A Lowe (Royal Birkdale), J Carthew (Ladybank), P Feggans (Doon Valley), K Horne (Dalmahoy), L Williamson (Barassie).
82 M Pow (Selkirk), C Taylor (Troon Ladies), K Mathieson (Glenbervie).
83 P Williamson (Baberton), K O'Sullivan (Cochrane Castle), E Ogilvy (Muckhart), F Finney (Great Hadham), C Wilson (Murcar), S Adams (Loudoun Gowf).
84 T Laughland (Mortonhall), L Mackay (Royal Dornoch), N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir), S Mitchell (Dunbracken).
85 K Caithness (St Regulus), K Milne (Dunfermline), A Shamash (Kirkcudbright), J Wilson (Strathaven), G McGinlay (Cochrane Castle), R Kennedy (Troon Ladies), J Gardner (Drumpellier).
86 F Hay (Deeside), D Pocock (Murcar), J Anderson (Hawick), L McLardy (Murcar), E Moffat (St Regulus), C Hargan (Prestonfield).
87 C McNeill (Cawder), K Blackwood (Glencorse), D Dewar (Monifieth), S Raitt (Forfar), L Walker (Nairn Dunbar), F Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies), F McFadzean (Craigmillar Park)..
88 H Anderson (Troon Ladies), F De Vries (St Rule), B Murphy (Prestonfield), J Harrison (Cruden Bay), J Flucker (Craigmillar Park), G Lockhart (Barassie), C MacDonald (Gullane), H Laughland (Prestonfield), M Morrison (Hawick), C Meldrum (Stranraer), B Waugh (Moor Hall).
89 C Queen (Strathclyde Univ), H Faulds (Douglas Park), M Rae (Barassie), N Smith (Downfield), R McIntyre (Windyhill).
90 G Kyle (East Renfrewshire).
91 A Davies (Bothwell Castle), A Thompson (Loudoun Gowf), J Jenkins (Ralston), A Young (Torrance House), C Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert), A Easton (Dalmahoy), T Milligan (Stranraer), P Stephenson (Glencorse).
92 S Wilson (Murcar), C Whyte (Windyhill), F Macgregor (Thornhill), R Brown (Lothianburn), A Moffat (St Regulus), M Wilson (Stranraer), L Casey (Dalmahoy), R Donaldson (Troon Ladies), H Harvey (St Leonards).
93 J Louden (Nairn), K Wells (Dumfries & Co), L Fraser (Kingsknowe), E Koehone (Loudoun Gowf), R Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay), I Harvey (St Rule).
95 K Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park), L Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh), C McLoughlin (Kilspindie), N Melville (Bridge of Allan).
96 L Terry (Cruden Bay), M Skinner (Gourock), G Thomson (Ayr Belleisle), M Briggs (Kilmacolm).
97 S Keddie (Dalmahoy), J Turner (Glencorse), S Ireland (Prestonfield), E Thomson (Portpatrick).
98 L Brabender (Greenock), S Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert).
99 J Mack (Haggs Castle), N McCrossin (Troon Ladies).
100 E Taylor (Troon Ladies), A B Ramsay (Kirriemuir).
101 W Nicholson (Broomieknowe), E Dewar (Troon Ladies).
102 C Kinnaird (Glencorse), M McCallum (West Kilbride).
104 A Hanson (Glencorse), R Dee (Kingsknowe), M Neilson (Greenock).
107 J Wake (Merchants of Edinburgh), K Burden (Cambuslang).
109 H Nesbitt (Stranraer).
No Returns: L McDougall (Greenock), A Terrey (Greenock).
Withdrew: S Lambie (Troon Ladies).

Welsh Close Championship
SARAH JONES BEAT CURTIS CUP CHOICE ANNA HIGHGATE
Former Curtis Cup player Sarah Jones (Pennard) won the Welsh women's amateur championship for the first time at Royal Porthcawl on Tuesday. Not selected for the Great Britain & Ireland team for next month's match against the United States at Formby, Miss Jones won by one hole in the final against Anna Highgate (Southerndown) who will be making her Curtis Cup debut.
Miss Highgate also lost in the 2002 Welsh final.
Results:
Semi-finals _ A Highgate (Southerndown) beat S Evans (Vale of Llangollen) 8 and 7; S Jones (Pennard) beat L Hall (Royal Porthcawl) 4 and 3.
Final _ Jones beat Highgate 1 hole.

English Close Championship
English Ladies’ Close Amateur Championship round 1 scores:
Danielle Masters and Emma Duggleby make the running in the English Ladies’ Close Amateur Championship.
The Curtis Cup team mates share the lead with 70, 2 under par, at the Northamptonshire County Golf Club halfway through the Strokeplay qualifying stages of the tournament.
Emma, 32, the defending champion, is trying for her third title in five years.
Danni was 5 under after eight holes, including a chip-in from 30 yards for an eagle at the fifth. Emma also eagled the fifth.
Both players are looking forward to the Curtis Cup challenge where Michelle Wie, the 14 – year-old super girl from Honululu, is in the US team.
Masters said: “It’s a question of how the captains line up the teams as to who will play her, but I would love to take her on and I would love it even more if I could give her a good game”.
1 Emma Duggleby Malton & Norton 70 70 -2
2 Danielle Masters Tudor Park Hotel 70 70 -2
3 Kerry Smith Waterlooville 72 72 0
4 Natalie Booth Highcliffe Castle 73 73 1
5 Lisa Ball Matfen Hall 73 73 1
6 Shelley McKevitt Reading 73 73 1
7 Melissa Reid Chevin 73 73 1
8 Felicity Johnson Harborne 73 73 1
9 Tiffany Woodyer Saunton 74 74 2
10 Kiran Matharu Sand Moor 74 74