Gillian Kirkwood Golf News - News of ladies, womens, student and junior golf

2010-03-15T21:08:00.004Z

Anna Carling battles through

wind and rain to be jt fifth

Welsh international Anna Carling came up through the field on a final day of atrocious weather to finish joint fifth in a field of 90 players at the Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate 54-hole women's tournament at Victoria Country Club in the city of Victoria, Texas.

Anna, pictured right, from Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan club, is a freshman student at Arkansas State University. A past Glamorgan ladies county champion, Anna had rounds of 76, 78 and 75 for a total of 229 over the par-72 course of 6,028yd - and it was playing very long on that final day of wind and rain.

Grimsby's Jessica Schiele (Redlands Community College) had looked like she would certainly finish in the top 10 after scoring 76 in both her first two rounds. But she did not cope with the deterioration in the weather as well as Anna Carling did.

A final round of 81 for a total of 233 dropped Jessica down to joint 11th in the final standings - but still a very good effort from the Grimsby girl who has done well in her freshman season on the US women's college circuit.

Royal Liverpool GC member Laura Jones, a student at Oklahoma City University, had scores of 76, 84 and 80 for a share of 28th place on 240.

Kelly MacPhail (Redlands) from Manchester finished joint 53rd on 246 with scores of 81, 81 and 84.

Winner by three shots was Kristen Hill (Akron University) with a great final round of 72 to propel her up through the field to victory with a seven over par total of 223. Her earlier rounds were 74 and 77.

Texas State (913) won the team event ahead of Oklahoma (916) and Sam Houston State (938).

Arkansas State (951) came fifth.

2010-03-15T20:39:00.003Z

Dalry's Linzi opens her spring season in States
-

with jt 35th in St Edwards Invitational.

Linzi Allan from Dalry, Ayrshire, a freshman student at Newman University, Wichita in Kansas finished joint 35th in a field of 88 players at the St Edwards Invitational played over the par 71 (6,018yd) course at Grey Rock Golf Club, Austin in Texas.
Linzi, pictured right, rebounded from an opening round of 89 to post a second round of 78 to settle for a 167 (+25).
Team-mate Alyssa Balding (Northumberland) posted back-to-back rounds of 82 to lead the Jets with a 36-hole total of 164 and was placed 21st.
First and third in the individual standings were Western Texas College's pair of English students, Katie Mundy (78-80 for 148) and Hollie Weatherburn (73-80 for 153).
Newman finished eighth of 17 behind team champions Tarleton State.

US COLLEGE NEWS

2010-03-15T14:07:00.015Z

Northumberland student Darren

Smith pipped in play-off

Darren Smith, a member at Arcot Hall Golf Club, Northumberland and a student at Barton College, Wilson in North Carolina, was beaten at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off climax to the Holiday Inn Express Barton College Invitational at Wilson Country Club.
Smith, pictured right, had tied with Patrick Lamb (Flagler College) on four-under-par 140, Smith scoring 69 and 71, Lamb a pair of 70s. At the second play-off hole, Smith just missed with a 20ft birdie putt but Lamb holed his from 12ft.
Barton College (583) finished second to Flagler College (580) in the team event contested by 13 squads. Colin
Thanks to Darren's dad, Alan, Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk can tell you a bit more about Darren who has never figured in our US College golf reports - for the simple reason we did not know he is English, until Alan Smith E-mailed us with the tip-off.
When at home Darren lives in Cramlington Northumberland
Darren is now 25, he went out to Barton College in August 2007, aged then 22. He is studying accountancy.
He was, as they say, "red shirted" his first year so he could not compete until September 2008.
His best achievement in the UK would have been to be runner-up in the 2009 Northumberland County Championship to Walker Cup player Chris Paisley.
Darren holds the course record at Arcot Hall with a gross 60 achieved in May 2006.

Neil Henderson joint sixth at Pinehurst No 8

Neil Henderson (Old Dominion University) from North Berwick finished joint sixth in a field of 83 players at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate over the No 8 course at Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Neil, a former Scottish schoolboys champion and past winner of the Junior Champion of Champions title, had scores of 76, 69 and 74 for a total of three-over-par 219 and a share of sixth place with team-mate Sam Wall from Essex. Sam had rounds of 71, 70 and 78. They finished six shots behind the winner, Robert Hoadley (UNC Greensboro) who had scores of 70, 72 and 71, one ahead of Mike Moyers (Virginia Tech) with scores of 69, 72 and 72.
Old Dominion had to settle for second place in the team event, four shots behind the winners, Virginia Tech in a field of 15 teams.

James Byrne joint 35th at Southern Highlands

Banchory's James Byrne (Arizona State University) shared 35th place in a field of 79 for the SH Collegiate Masters at Southern Highlands Golf Club, Las Vegas. James had rounds of 81, 75 and 77 for 233.
Garrick Porteous (Tennesse) from Bamburgh Castle shared 37th place on 234 with scores of 77, 79 and 78.
Tennessee team-mate Darren Renwick, from Woking, had rounds of 76, 84 and 80 for a share of 61st place on 240.
Individual winner was Byrne's Arizona State team-mate Jesper Kennegard with 71, 72 and 76 for 219.
UCLA and UNLV, both 899, tied for the team title in a field of 15 teams. Arizona State came sixth with a total of 913.

Matthew Tweddell makes top 10 at Hawaii

Matthew Tweddell, a freshman student from Birmingham and a student at Hawaii Pacific University, finished joint seventh in a field of 22 players at the Kaua Collegiate Cup over the Wailua Golf Club course at Kauai, Hawaii.
Grandson of a former British amateur champion, Tweddell had scores of 76, 75 and 76 for a share of seventh place on 227.
Team-mate Matthew de Moraes from Woodford Green, came joint 10th on 231 with scores of 82, 77 and 72.
Individual winner was Neil Horsley (Western Kentucky with scores of 75, 75 and 71 for 221.

Sammy Vass joint 113th in South Carolina

Sammy Vass from Tain in the North of Scotland, a freshman student at the University of Central Florida, had rounds of 84, 87 and 79 for a total of 250 and a share of 113th place in a field of 123 players at the Tiger Wave Classic women's college tournament at English Turn, New Orleans.
Winner with a total of three-under-par 213 over the 6,132yd course was Megan McChrystal (Louisiana State) with scores of 72, 72 and 69. She won by one stroke from Calle Nielson (Virginia) who shot 73, 72 and 69.
Auburn (889) won the team title ahead of Texas Christian (896). Central Florida (961) finished 22nd of the 23 competing squads.

Hannah joint 63rd in South Carolina

Hannah Coles (Radford University, Virginia) finished joint 63rd in a field of 74 players at the Low Country Intercollegiate women's tournament at Moss Creek Plantation, Hilton Island in South Carolina.
Hannah, who hails from Birmingham and is a member at Maxstoke Park GC, had rounds of 88 and 86 for 174.
Joint winners with identical scores of 74 and 75 for 149 were Jillian Fraccola (Richmond) and Natalie Wille (Augusta State).

Tom Sherreard joint 11th at Tallahassee

Tom Sherreard (Georgia State), a senior year student from Maidstone, tied for 11th place in a field of 75 players at the Seminole Intercollegiate tournament at Golden Eagle Country Club, Tallahassee in Florida.
Over a par-71 course of 7,143yd, Tom had rounds of 70, 74 and 72 for 216 - only four shots behind the joint winners Paul Woodbury (South Carolina) 70, 73 and 69, and Seath Lauer (fForida State) (69-73-70), both on 212.
Florida State (865) won the team title ahead of South Carolina (866) with georgia State (899) 10th of 14 teams.

Adam Galbraith finishes just outside top 10 at Daytona Beach

Adam Galbraith (Webber International), from Haywards Heath, England, shot scores of 75, 81 and 72 for a total of 228 and joint 21st place in the Eagle Invitational college tournament at Pelican Bay Country Club, Daytona Beach in Florida.
Team-mate Connor O'Dell scored 76, 73 and 80 for a share of 26th place on 230. Scott Carmichael (Johnson & Wales-Florida University) from Baberton GC, Edinburgh tied for 40th place with scores of 83, 77 and 74 for 234.
Tom Gamble (Webber International) from Walton on Thams, finished joint 56th on 238 with scores of 83, 83 and 72.
Individual winner by three shots was Drew Matthews (Southeastern University) with scores of 73, 74 and 70 for 217.

2010-03-15T12:02:00.005Z

Grange Primary School pupils with Grange Golf Club volunteer coaches and Active Schools co-ordinator Stephen Gammack (blue shirt). Image by Rob Eyton-Jones.

New junior golf association to benefit Monifieth children

A new initiative aimed at combining and coordinating the junior coaching resources of three Monifieth golf clubs will have a major impact on the number of local children being introduced to the game.
This month Broughty, Grange and Monifieth - all clubs which share the Monifieth Links - joined forces under the banner of the Monifieth Junior Golf Association to improve opportunities for children to play the game.
�In previous years each club has run its own junior programme with all running at different times which has made it difficult to get on the course,� said Grange Captain and Junior Convenor, Ron MacDonald. �We felt we weren�t doing justice to all the juniors involved.�
Through the association a new junior coaching course will take place on Friday nights. Around 10 experienced golfers, including a number of Level 1 coaches, from across the three clubs have already committed to giving coaching, starting on April 2, to children aged between nine and 14 years old (the coaching costs just �2 per child each Friday).
The club�s pro, Gordon McLeod, will support the programme by offering group coaching to all juniors on Saturday mornings from April 17.
�Through the new association we will be able to pool our resources and teach more children,� said Ron.
�We have put together a coaching rota which will take the strain out of coaching every week. We will separate the juniors into two age groups; eight to 10 year olds and 11 to 13 year olds and teach them basic skills on the practice ground and putting greens. We will take them on the course for a mini Texas Scramble. The coaching will follow the clubgolf Junior Passport initiative.
�We are hoping initially for 40 to sign up then we will build from there. We have had a good response from the schools and 15 children have already said they want to pursue golf and will come to the coaching.�
Since September, five Grange Golf Club members have been generating interest amongst the Primary 5 age group in six local schools, through the national junior programme, clubgolf.
It was Angus Active Schools co-ordinator, Stephen Gammack, who initially contacted Grange Golf Club to see if a link could be created between the club and local schools. Stephen, who taught the volunteers how to use the clubgolf introductory equipment, which every school has purchased, is delighted with the new junior association.
�Through their fantastic commitment the volunteers are coaching around 200 children in schools which is a substantial number of potential new golfers,� he said
�The formation of the Monifieth Junior Golf Association marks a huge step forwards and will benefit children right across the area. A complete pathway from schools to club, involving and supported by the pro, is now in place.�

2010-03-14T23:47:00.002Z

Coming soon ... Details of the inaugural Morocco Golf Festival

Watch this space later this week for details of the inaugural Morocco Golf Festival.
Based at Marrakech, it will offer the chance to play five top courses in the area and see the local sights.
It's an amateur golf week with competitions for senior men, senior women, men, women, Under-16 boys and girls & Under-18 boys and girls.
It will be held from October 9 to 16 and the Tournament Director will be the man who started the successful Hacienda del Alamo Women's/Girls' Festival in Spain - yes, Colin Farquharson.

2010-03-14T23:21:00.005Z

Renfrewshire LCGA Centenary Book - a tour de force by Carol Fell!

The Renfrewshire Ladies County Golf Association Centenary Book - edited by Carol Fell -
is an absorbing read at 200 pages - the first 100 are historical and the second 100 relate the County Centenary Year events, both in Renfrewshire and around Scotland.
There are over 400 coloured pictures in the book which was designed by Carol and published by her, using an online program --- click on this link to see more ---- http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1227990
Well done, Carol, indeed. A tour de force!
She writes: "It has taken me over 15 months to put together and the launch was at Haggs Castle Golf Club last week which went well. The book comes in softback, hardback (dustwrap), and hardback (image wrap).
"It is expensive but has the advantage of only printing one book if you want, or in my case I have had over 130 books ordered so far."
It is also available to buy online if you click on that above link. However, orders can be made if emailed to Carol at webmaster@rlcga.com

2010-03-14T16:40:00.004Z

Carly Booth makes pro debut in Morocco:
-
Sponsorship deal with Nike on the cards

FROM THE SUNDAY HERALD WEBSITE
By Elspeth Burnside
Another chapter?in Carly Booth�s pioneering rise to the top level of world golf will unfold this ?coming week when she lines up in her first tournament as a professional at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco.
At just 17, she is the youngest?Scot to tee it up for cash and is also the baby of the Ladies� European Tour. But Booth is accustomed to breaking ?barriers. Aged eight, she became the youngest girl to attain an adult handicap and three years later was the world�s youngest club champion at Dunblane.
Two years ago, she made history again by becoming ?the youngest player to line up for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at St Andrews. By then, she was a mature, talented and ?photogenic 15-year-old.
Now the blonde, bubbly teenager is ready to play alongside the big girls on the professional circuit. She passed through the LET qualifying school with flying colours at La Manga in Spain in December, but already has her sights on America and the more lucrative LPGA Tour, the home to the world�s greatest female players.
�I�ve already decided to enter the LPGA qualifying [school] towards the end of this year,� she said on the eve of flying out to Morocco for her first rookie test. �But I�m really looking forward to a season in Europe. My goal is just to do my best.�
Booth has already been recognised not only as a potentially world-class player, but as a sportswoman whose looks make her extremely marketable. Hence her appeal to sponsors � she is ready to sign a deal with Nike.
Naturally, this has contributed to comparisons with American teen sensation Michelle Wie, who turned professional at 15 and, after a bumpy ride, came good as a 19-year-old last year with a first LPGA victory and a Solheim Cup debut.
Booth�s parents have kept a keen eye on Wie�s various?peaks and troughs, and are aware that the pressure on a young talent can be enormous.
While they have done their utmost to protect her, their daughter has still encountered difficulty in preparing for her professional debut. Scotland�s foul winter and the necessary ?inconvenience of having to attend school forced her to squeeze in a quick trip to Spain to limber up.
�I had played very little since the Tour school in December?so it was great to get out to Marbella,� said Booth, who returned on Friday from a week spent in the Costa Del Sol resort with European Tour player Eric Ramsay and her boyfriend and caddie, Steven Thomson.
In her final year of a golf scholarship at Glenalmond College, Booth will leave school when she is 18 in June. Before then, there are A level exams in art, English and physical education standing in her way.
She added: �It is difficult fitting in study when I am away so much. I expect to pass, but I�m not expecting As. [But] I�ve no intention of using them.�

2010-03-14T12:29:00.010Z

Lynn Kenny and Heather MacRae

backing new pro tour lady events

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Lynn Kenny has E-mailed Kirkwoodgolf from Melbourne Airport - she is on her way to London from the Australian Women's Open and is en route to an LET event in Morocco next week - to say that she is interested in supporting the lady professionals' section of the new Xltec Pro Tour, being started by Alan Tait, the director of golf at Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel, with the help of fellow PGA professional Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg) and Chris Turner of 110sports Management Ltd.

Heather MacRae, being PGA-trained at Gullane, has also sent a message that she will play on the six-event schedule of 36-hole competitions when she can.

Earlier Kylie Walker and Clare Queen had said they would play, although Clare has a prior engagement which would rule her out of the first tournament, at Whitekirk Golf Club on March 25-26.

For the lady pros, the one-off fee to join the mini-tour is �40. The entry fee per event is �50 and there is also a �10 administration fee per competition.

A minimum of five entries from lady professionals is required for each event to take place and it would be nice if each winner could be guaranteed at least �350. If the number of entries goes well into double figures, then the prize fund and with it the first prize at each event will increase substantially.

Six sponsors at �200 or one sponsor at �1,200, which would cover all six competitions, would be welcomed. From an entry of only 10 lady pros playing �50 each, that would give a prize fund of �700 per meeting with a possible prize list of 1 - �350, 2 - �150, 3 - �80, 4 - �60, 5 - �60.

It's not much, but it would be a start. It has long been my view that there should be a second tier framework of competitions, i.e. one down from the Ladies European Tour, for female professionals, to keep them active and for rookies to take the first step up from playing as amateurs.

If you can help or you know someone who might be able to help in the one or all six competitions' sponsorship detailed above, please E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com and this is also the E-mail address for any lady professionals who want to register their interest in the new tour.

THE XLETC PRO TOUR SCHEDULE

Each event over 36 holes.

March 25-26: Whitekirk.

April 28-29: Hilton Park.

May 25-26: Marriott Dalmahoy.

July 28-29: Westerwood.

September 28-29: Spey Valley, Aviemore.

October 6-7: Dundonald Links.

Handa Australian Women's Open last-round turnaround

2010-03-14T12:18:00.006Z

Laura Davies runner-up to Taiwan's Yani Tseng

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Taiwan player Yani Tseng has blasted the opposition away to claim her first Handa Australian Open by three shots at Melbourne�s Commonwealth Course today.
The world No 6 played a flawless, bogey-free round of seven-under-par 66 to end her tournament at nine-under-par 283, three shots ahead of England�s defending champion Laura Davies, who finished on 6 under 286.
�I haven�t had this feeling for a while so I am very happy,� she said.
Overnight leader Australian Karrie Webb was bitterly disappointed with her final round. She went into the day with a one shot lead over Italy�s Giulia Sergas and two ahead of Laura Davies, but staggered to a one over 74 to finish on 5 under 287.
Earlier in the final day, Webb threatened to run away with her fifth Australian Open, breaking out to a three shot lead after just five holes. When Tseng checked the leader board she thought as much.
�I told my caddy �let�s try to get second place�,� she said.
�We just played our game and tried to be second and after 12 holes I thought: �Oh I am only two shots behind,� maybe I need to play a little bit aggressive and smart.�
And that is exactly what the 21-year-old did, taking on the tight and demanding Commonwealth course with a vengeance. She holed putts from everywhere and in her last six holes, wrested the Patricia Bridges Bowl from all comers with four birdies.
It was a new putting grip that gave Tseng the confidence to use the flat stick without fear.
�I changed my grip on Friday and now I really feel the speed on these greens because this is a tough course and you just need to be patient and if you just lose a little focus it is going to be really bad.�
Since the putting grip change Tseng has mastered the Commonwealth course; in two rounds she shot eight under par.
The Handa Australian Open defending champion, Laura Davies, was keeping pace with her playing partners, Webb and Italian Giulia Sergas, but then an incident with a spectator unsettled the veteran.
On the par 5 sixth, her second shot sprayed right into the crowd. When she walked up to find her ball, the spectator advised Davies that her ball had ricocheted off his ankle.
�If it had missed him it would have gone right through the scrub and I think I would have had a clear shot onto the green but I had to get on my knees and tap it with a driver and came up short,� she said.
�If he hadn�t have said anything it would have been okay but I was so worked up. I mean it wasn�t his fault in a way, but he should have been watching, you know.
�I just wish he hadn�t have told me. I was pretty rocked.�
Not that Davies was using the mid-round drama as an excuse.
�I missed too many putts in the middle of the round and fell away a bit and by the time I had recovered, Yani had 3 or 4 birdies in six holes and I was gone really,� she said.
�Yani just had one of those rounds. On this course to shoot 7 under on the final day she is the worthy champion. You can�t really say much more about it to be honest.�
While Webb eventually finished in outright third, Australian Katherine Hull and Giulia Sergas were next best on 4 under 288, a shot ahead of Australian Lindsey Wright.
England�s Melissa Reid who yesterday said she was still in with a chance, couldn�t get anything going today. Despite being 2 under the card early in her round, she faded to end her third Australian Open Campaign on 3 over 295 and in a tie for 16th.

2010-03-14T08:34:00.005Z

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S OPEN SCOREBOARD
Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne

FINAL TOTALS
Par 292 (4x73)
prize money in Euros
283 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 74 71 72 66 (63,333.33)
286 Laura Davies (England) 68 76 71 71 (42,222.22)
287 Karrie Webb (Australia) 73 70 70 74 (29,555.56)
288 Katherine Hull (Australia) 72 72 72 72, Giulia Sergas (Italy) 70 69 75 74 (19,211.11 each).
289 Lindsey Wright (Australia) 71 74 74 70 (14,144.44)
290 Stacy Lewis (United States) 75 71 72 72 (12,033.33)
291 Hyun-Soo Kim (South Korea) (amateur) 78 69 72 72.
292 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 75 70 73 74 (9,922.22)
293 Hee-Kyung Seo (South Korea) 72 78 70 73, Azahara Munoz Guijarro (Spain) 76 72 70 75 (8,866.66 each).
294 Felicity Johnson (ENG) Harborne GC 70 75 78 71, Karine Icher (France) 72 75 76 71, Shin-Ae Ahn (South Korea) 78 70 75 71, Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 72 75 75 72 (6,333.33 each).
295 Louise Stahle (Sweden) 75 74 75 71, Bo-Mi Lee (South Korea) 77 73 74 71,
Elizabeth Bennett (England) 73 75 73 74, Melissa Reid (England) 72 76 70 77 (5.140.55 Euros each), Alexis Thompson (United States (amateur) 71 75 75 74.

296 Kristie Smith (Australia) 72 78 75 71, Iben Tinning (Denmark) 77 74 74 71, Mina Harigae (United States) 74 74 76 72, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 72 77 76 (4,623.33 each), Alison Whitaker (Australia) (amateur) 70 74 78 74.
297 Tamie Durdin (Australia) 76 74 76 71, Lorie Kane (Canada) 73 75 75 74, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 76 73 72 76, He-Yong Choi (South Korea) 73 69 78 77 (4,116.66 each).
298 Rebecca Hudson (England) 74 77 76 71, Tania Elosegui (Spain) 77 75 73 73, Rachel Bailey (Australia) 73 77 72 76, Anna Oh (South Korea) 78 72 72 76 , Rebecca Flood (Australia) 70 73 78 77, Stephanie Na (Australia) 76 73 72 77 ,Soo-Jin Yang (South Korea) 70 72 75 81 (3,407.93 each).

299 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 77 70 78 74, Diana D'Alessio (United States) 77 74 74 74, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand) 78 73 73 75, Vicky Hurst (United States) 72 76 74 77 (2,723.33 each), Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur) 76 72 78 73.
300 Tamara Beckett (Australia) 74 76 78 72, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 76 75 74 75, Bree Turnbull (Australia) 74 78 73 75, Sarah-Jane Smith (Australia) 77 71 75 77 (2,227.22 each).
301 Sophie Walker (England) 76 75 77 73, Bree Arthur (Australia) 76 76 75 74, Christina Kim (United States) 78 74 75 74, Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 70 76 80 75, You-Na Park (South Korea) 75 74 77 75 (1,815.55 each).
302 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 74 77 79 72, Bettina Hauert (GER) Germany 77 72 79 74,
Sophie Gustafson (SWE) Sweden 75 73 79 75, Riikka Hakkarainen (Finland) 72 78 76 76 (1,435.55 each), Su Hyun Oh (South Korea) (amateur) 79 72 73 78.
303 Leanne Bowditch (Australia) 78 73 78 74, Sarah Oh (Australia) 72 77 79 75, Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) 75 72 80 76, Marjet van der Graaff (Netherlands) 73 75 79 76, Caroline Afonso (France) 78 73 75 77 (1,131.55 each).
304 Nina Reis (Sweden) 74 76 79 75, Ran Hong (South Korea) 77 74 76 77, Frances Bondad (Australia) 74 73 79 78, Kym Larratt (England) 73 76 76 79 802.22 each).

305 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 79 73 78 75, Sandra Gal (Germany) 77 74 75 79, Michelle Ellis (Australia) 75 73 76 81 (591.11 each).
306 Cathryn Bristow (New Zealand) 75 77 80 74, Wendy Doolan (Australia) 79 72 79 76, Emma Bennett (Australia) 78 72 77 79 (464.44 each).
308 Sarah Nicholson (New Zealand) 76 76 75 81 (422.23).
309 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 74 78 79 78 (422.23).
Ha-Neul Kim (KOR) Korea 73 75 76 85 ��
+Scores and prize money by courtesy of the Ladies European Tour website.

2010-03-13T21:05:00.005Z

Kylie Walker, has the length off the tee required to make an impact as a tour professional (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency; click on it to enlarge).

Be patient, Catriona tells rookie pro Kylie Walker

FROM THE SCOTTISH HERALD WEBSITE

By Richard Wilson
Kylie Walker will not feel out ?of place. Since turning professional last December, she has already been invited to Catriona Matthew�s home in North Berwick, where they shared a conversation about life on the Ladies European Tour. By the time she tees off in her first tournament, in Morocco on Thursday, Walker will have caught up with other fellow Scots competing at the forefront of the women�s game.
Matthew�s advice was that only patience would be rewarded. Walker�s career has been compressed, having only taken up the sport seriously at 14 and now having qualified for the Tour at 23.

There was an accumulation of distinction. Last year, she won the St Rule Trophy for the second consecutive year, repeating the achievements of Matthew in 1993 and 1994.
Walker also won the 2008 Scottish Ladies� Golfing Association Order of Merit title, and she was the highest-placed British golfer at the Ladies European Tour's Qualifying School at La Manga, Spain in December.

There might have been a failed attempt at the January 2009 qualifying school, but even that is considered beneficial, as Walker believes she is now better equipped.
There is a bullishness to her, so when she considers what might be attainable in this first year, there is little reticence.
�I would love to do well right from the start and be contending,� she says. �I�m going into every tournament to win, but that might be unrealistic. But I played some Ladies Tour events before, as an amateur.�
With Carly Booth joining the Tour, and Krystle Caithness, another Scot, having enjoyed a successful rookie year in 2009, Walker is not short of support. Her older brother, Kris, will also caddie for her.
�Everybody in my family played,� Walker says. �My two sisters and brother are all older than me, so when my dad was making up the four-ball, I was always left behind. I guess that�s why it took until I was 14 before I started. Then I won the Scottish schoolgirls' title, which made me realise that I could still have moments of brilliance even with my handicap being high.�
Sponsorship and finance are pressures, so the first months of this year have been spent sorting out a website and seeking backers. Mostly, though, her time is spent looking forward. At the very least, Walker will play in the final qualifiers for the British Ladies Open in July. Having won the event last year, Matthew is an inspiration.
Walker spent last week in Dubai, where her brother and one of her sisters live. She worked on her short game and began focusing on what the coming months will bring. There are also long-term ambitions.

�If you�re going to be at the top, America�s the place to be, the best [golfers] in the world are there,� she says. �In the future, I�ll look to get out there to compete.�

+Kylie Walker was the first Scottish lady pro to say she would play on the new Xltec Pro Tour which tees off - with a Ladies section if enough enter - at Whitekirk Golf Club on March 25.

2010-03-13T12:03:00.003Z

Jacqueline Sneddon third at Arizona Spring Invite

Jacqueline Sneddon from Meigle, a student at Grand Canyon University, Arizona, finished third in the Southwestern Arizona Spring Invite women's college tournament at Moon Valley Country Club near Phoeniz. Over a par-72 course of over 6,000yd, the Perthshire player had a round of 78, finishing four shots behind the joint winners, both also from Grand Canyon University, Alexandra Malmsjo and Georgina Dunn.

Australian Women's Open at Melbourne

2010-03-13T09:23:00.003Z

Karrie Webb leads by one with a round to go

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Karrie Webb is poised to capture her fifth Australian Open title after a business like 3 under 70 at Melbourne�s Commonwealth Course today.
Last week�s ANZ Ladies Masters winner will go into tomorrow�s final round on 6 under 213, one shot ahead of overnight leader Italian Giulia Sergas, while defending champion Laura Davies, looms at two shots back on 4 under.
The 35-year-old Webb rarely missed a green in regulation today and has recorded just one bogey in her last 36 holes. This week is her fourth tournament in a row and the LPGA Hall of Famer was in a state of disbelief at how well she is still swinging it.
�I am surprised because this is the first time in many years that I have played four tournaments in a row,� she said.
�I have a bit left in me and let�s see if it is good enough for tomorrow.�
If Webb does win tomorrow it will be third time she has captured the Ladies Masters/Open double but that will not be uppermost in her mind tomorrow.
�I have to actually win tomorrow before I do that,� she said. �I still have a good 18 holes left.�
Italian Giulia Sergas
Playing in the final group on a Sunday is a new experience for 30-year-old Sergas. After eight years on tour she remains winless. Yesterday she revealed how she talks to the course throughout her round. While it worked yesterday in her round of four under 69, today there were a few crossed wires out there.
�I tried but I wasn�t hitting it where it was pointing at,� she laughed.
�It was like �I told you here, what are you doing?� so I had to kind of take different ways today.�
There were only five back stretching handstands for her bad back on the course today, but Sergas has promised the crowd a victory handstand on 18 should she win her first professional tournament tomorrow.
A Laura Davies handstand would also be fun to watch but the Brit will probably celebrate in a different manner tomorrow should she go back to back.
In order to win her second tournament from four starts Down Under, Davies said she would have to be a lot straighter than she was today.
Still, there is nothing better than a Davies miracle shot, and she thrilled the crowd today with her stunning 221m two iron on the par 5 13th from behind the trees.
�That was a ten, definitely,� she said.
�We were trying to get in the front bunker, we didn�t think it would get on the green, then I almost got my eagle putt.�
Davies said Webb was definitely the threat tomorrow.
�Nothing against Giulia but Webby has won what, five (sic) Opens already and seven Masters, she likes this little time of the year in March doesn�t she?�
Also not out of the race tomorrow is Katherine Hull who is on 3 under 216, one shot ahead of World No 6 Yani Tseng and 17-year-old South Korean, Soo-Jin Yang on 2 under 217.
England�s Melissa Reid said even though she is five shots back on 1 under 218, she could still claim the Patricia Bridges Bowl.
�I still fancy my chances of winning,� she said.
�I just said to Mardy my caddy, if we get a few going on the front nine there is no reason we can�t shoot a low one tomorrow.�
THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 219 (3x73)
213 Karrie Webb (Australia) 73 70 70.
214 Giulia Sergas (Italy) 70 69 75.
215 Laura Davies (England) 68 76 71.
216 Katherine Hull (Australia) 72 72 72.
217 Yani Tseng (Taiwan 74 71 72, Soo-Jin Yang (South Korea) 70 72 75
218 Melissa Reid (ENG) England 72 76 70, Azahara Munoz (Spain) 76 72 70, Stacy Lewis (US) 75 71 72, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 75 70 73.
219 Par Hyun-Soo Kim (South Korea) (amateur) 78 69 72, Lindsey Wright (Australia) 71 74 74.
220 Hee-Kyung Seo (South Korea) 72 78 70, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 72 77, He-Yong Choi (South Korea) 73 69 78.
221 Jeong Jang (South Korea) 76 73 72, Stephanie Na (Australia) 76 73 72, Elizabeth Bennett (England) 73 75 73, Alexis Thompson (US) (amateur) 71 75 75, Rebecca Flood (Australia) 70 73 78.
222 Anna Oh (South Korea) 78 72 72, Rachel Bailey (Australia) 73 77 72,Vicky Hurst (US) 72 76 74, Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 72 75 75, Alison Whitaker (Australia) (amateur) 70 74 78.
223 Sarah-Jane Smith (Australia) 77 71 75, Shin-Ae Ahn (South Korea) 78 70 75, Lorie Kane (Canada) 73 75 75, Karine Icher (France) 72 75 76, Felicity Johnson (England) 70 75 78.
224 Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand) 78 73 73, Su Hyun Oh (South Korea) (amateur) 79 72 73, Bo-Mee Lee (South Korea) 77 73 74, Louise Stahle (Sweden) 75 74 75, Michelle Ellis (Australia) 75 73 76, Ha-Neul Kim (South Korea) 73 75 76, Mina Harigae (US) 74 74 76.
225 Tania Elosegui (Spain) 77 75 73, Bree Turnbull (Australia)74 78 73,Iben Tinning (Denmark) 77 74 74, Diana D'Alessio (US) 77 74 74, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 76 75 74, Kristie Smith (Australia) 72 78 75, Kym Larratt (England) 73 76 76, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 77 70 78.
226 Caroline Afonso (France) 78 73 75, Sandra Gal (Germany) 77 74 75, Riikka Hakkarainen (Finland) 72 78 76, Tamie Durdin (Australia) 76 74 76, You-Na Park (South Korea) 75 74 77, Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur) 76 72 78, Frances Bondad (Australia) 74 73 79, Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 70 76 80.
227 Christina Kim (US) 78 74 75, Sarah Nicholson (New Zealand) 76 76 75, Bree Arthur (Australia) 76 76 75, Ran Hong (South Korea) 77 74 76, Rebecca Hudson (England) 74 77 76,
Emma Bennett (Australia) 78 72 77, Marjet van der Graaff (Netherlands) 73 75 79, Sophie Gustafson (Sweden) 75 73 79, Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) 75 72 80.
228 Sophie Walker (England) 76 75 77, Tamara Beckett (Australia) 74 76 78, Bettina Hauert (Germany) 77 72 79, Sarah Oh (Australia) 72 77 79.
229 Leanne Bowditch (Australia) 78 73 78, Nina Reis (Sweden) 74 76 79.
230 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 79 73 78, Wendy Doolan (Australia) 79 72 79, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 74 77 79.
231 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 74 78 79.
232 Cathryn Bristow (New Zealand) 75 77 80.
+Official scores from the Ladies European Tour website.

2010-03-13T08:15:00.005Z

Kylie Walker says she'll play on Tait's Tour - if others do

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Rookie tour pro Kylie Walker has welcomed the news that Alan Tait's new Xltic Pro Tour will have a ladies' section at each of the six scheduled venues for the 36-hole events.
"I would be interested in playing if they get the numbers," Kylie has E-mailed Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
Now we need the same positive response from others.
A minimum of five female players is required for each event but, of course, Alan Tait is hoping for at least double figures in each ladies' field, building up as the season advances.
Watch this space.
E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com if you are eligible to play in the ladies' events on the Xltic Pro Tour and want to enter.

LATER NEWS:
E-mail from CLARE QUEEN
Hi Colin, I am interested in playing in the Xltic events. Unfortunately I won't be able to make the first event at Whitekirk though.

2010-03-12T21:53:00.003Z

English trio in top 13 at Red River

Intercollegiate in Oklahoma

Three English students - Jessica Schiele (Redlands CC) from Grimsby, team-mate Kelly MacPhail from Manchester, and Lizi Sweetnam (Seminole State CC) from Leighton Buzzard - finished sixth, ninth and joint 13th respectively in a field of 64 players for the Red River Intercollegiate 18-hole competition at Oak Hills Country Club, Ada in Oklahoma.
Over a par-72 course of 5,858yd, freshman Jessica had an 81, Kelly, also a freshman, an 83, and Lizi, a sophomore student, had an 86. Lizi is pictured right.
Kaitlin Higginbotham, a team-mate of Jessica and Kelly at Redlands, won the individual title by two strokes with a 74, but, despite that, Redlands did not win the team award. That went to Northeastern State University (320) who finished six shots ahead of Redlands in a field of 12 teams.

2010-03-12T21:27:00.004Z

Henderson's top 20 finish

in Puerto Rico

Former Scottish schoolboy and Junior Champion of Champions title-winner, Neil Henderson from North Berwick, a sophomore student at Old Dominion University, Norfolk in Virginia, achieved a creditable top 20 finish on trip to Puerto Rico for the Palmas del Mar Country Club Intercollegiate.

Over "The Flamboyan" course, which has a par of 72 and measures 6,850yd, Neil had rounds of 72, 76 and 75 for a total of 223, which earned him a share of 16th place in a field of 82 players.

Neil, pictured right with his university team bag over this shoulder, finished 12 shots behind the two University of South Carolina Upstate students who tied for first place - Brian Horton (71-73-67) and Josh Gallman (68-74-69) - two shots clear of the player in third place.

Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh member Scott Carmichael, a student at Johnson & Wales University, Florida, shared 49th place on 233 with scores of 82, 76 and 75.

USC Upstate (861) won the team title ahead of Old Dominion (868) in a field of 14 teams.

Wealthy Massachusetts sisters helped the poor and needy

2010-03-12T18:26:00.003Z

There was much, much more

to Harriot and Margaret, than

just the Curtis Cup ....

FROM THE UNITED STATES GOLF
ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
By David Shefter
If Harriot and Margaret Curtis were alive today, the sisters likely would have been among the first responders in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, or quickly jumped on a plane to aid victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti.
While the two Massachusetts natives (pictured) were best known for their exploits on the golf course, combining to win four US Women�s Amateur titles and donating the trophy for the biennial Curtis Cup Match, they were most proud of their charitable efforts within New England and abroad.
Born into a wealthy New England family, Harriot and Margaret developed a sense of helping the less fortunate from an early age. They continued the effort much of the rest of their lives; Margaret died in 1965 at the age of 82, and Harriot died nine years later at 93.
In 1909, the pair co-founded the Maverick Dispensary, an East Boston health clinic for Italian Americans. The organisation served 2,000 patients in its first year and by the 1930s, that figure had grown to 40,000 patient visits annually. The staff included dentists, an eye specialist, internists and other medical personnel. Fees were covered through private donations spearheaded by the Curtis sisters.
Upon the outbreak of World War I, Harriot was appointed director of the Associated Charities in Boston, and she worked at the Center for French Wounded and the Home Service Division of Civilian Relief.
Following the war, she became the dean of women at Hampton Institute, a college for African-American students in Richmond, Virginia, from 1927-31. Margaret was among the first graduates of the Simmons College School of Social Work in 1904.
By 1916, she was headed to Paris to assist with World War I relief in France, where she would receive the Medaille de Guerre from the French Red Cross (1919) and the Medaille de la Reconnaissance Francaise from the French government (1920) for her benevolence.
The charitable exploits of the sisters can be charted through material at the USGA Museum (at Far Hills, New Jersey) and the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History. Margaret wrote many letters back to the U.S. about her experiences in Europe during World War I.
All of this came after she won three US Women�s Amateur titles, in 1907 (when she defeated Harriot in the final), 1911 and 1912. The two honed their golf skills at Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, where this year�s Curtis Cup Match will be played June 11-13. At first, French agencies were sceptical of American volunteers such as Margaret Curtis, mainly because of the language barrier. Margaret was acutely aware of this gap and took French lessons twice a week.
While the United States would not fully enter the conflict until 1917, a full year after Margaret�s arrival in Paris, the younger Curtis sister helped build goodwill in France ahead of the arrival of the American Red Cross.
That first year in Paris, Margaret worked hard to learn the practices of her boss, Mrs. Shurtleff, the head of the Student Atelier Association, an affiliate of the Red Cross. One of her initial tasks was to create a format for information cards that would serve as case records for an individual client or family.
�I took my face card up to Mrs. Shurtleff this morning,� wrote Margaret. �She rather laughed at its elaborateness, but said if I wanted it, and as I had agreed to stand all expenses and leave it so that anyone else could use the system, I was welcome to go ahead� I am trying hard to go slowly and keep from forming opinions too soon. I like Mrs. Shurtleff very much and I think her judgment seems very good� naturally, I don�t even know that much��
As the workload increased, Margaret found less time to write home with news, despite the urging of family members to continue the correspondence. �Most of our time is spent investigating and visiting the new families which come in at the rate of about three a day,� Margaret wrote. �We try to draw the line at �Paris poor� but where there�s a problem of sickness or acute misery due to war, we do plunge a bit. Alice (Sturgis) has taken over the ouvrier, which means quite a lot of work. One morning a week she gives out work and pays for what they bring; but besides that she has to see to having things cut out and decide what�s best to be made out of the quaint things that are sent, such as little boys� pants out of a lady�s riding habit skirt.� Margaret took a two-month summer respite at home in Massachusetts before returning to Paris after Mrs. Shurtleff pleaded for her to return. France suffered under typical war-time conditions. Stores were ordered closed by 6 p.m., and half the lights were extinguished in the subway stations, coal being a precious commodity. Female street-car conductors and subway ticket takers were noticeably tense.
Many hotels served as hospitals, and young French girls were forbidden to leave their homes without an older companion. Once the U.S. declared war on Germany in the spring of 1917, the emotional climate changed, and Margaret expressed those feelings in a letter.
�I feel sort of blown up with news and excitement,� she wrote, �but I suppose once I try to put it on paper it�ll evaporate. It really is a wonderful sensation to be here these days�The next day all the French people were in a state of exaltation, but the second day there seemed to be more sadness at the idea of another big country being plunged in, than unmixed joy.�
Once the American Red Cross arrived in France in June 1917, the plan was to absorb the various relief organisations that were already in operation in Paris. Many of these agencies had been in place since the outbreak of war in 1914, while the Red Cross didn�t have much experience in the work going on in Paris.
Compromises were eventually made and departments were created within the Red Cross. Margaret�s concerns for better co-ordination were recognized, and the Red Cross gave her vast responsibilities for the merging of these relief agencies. She was appointed assistant to the chief of refugee affairs in Paris, and soon became the chef du bureau.
While the Battle of the Marne raged in 1918 just 30 miles from Paris, Margaret directed operations to handle the huge influx of refugees into the city. Her sister Elinor wrote, �We are all puffed up over your importance and competence.�
Harriot�s correspondence wasn�t so flattering. �Goodness, Petty (nickname), are you that fat? All your friends on first sight of you are overcome. I�d hate to tell you what they say and write. For pity�s sake, do you never take a step of exercise? ... Ma gives out that you are the most important person in Paris�says �She is a very intelligent girl.� Ho Ho Ho.�
A year later, Margaret wrote to her family updating the situation in Paris. The agency had turned 24 houses into �logements� for about 750 families. When she had returned home that summer, a Red Cross captain wrote to Margaret about her successes. �The housing scheme of yours has proved a splendid success,� he wrote. �All the houses are still packed full. The rents have been paid very regularly and I have already collected over 100,000 francs from the various French organizations.�
After the war ended, Margaret remained active in relief efforts throughout Europe. While refugees were no longer streaming into Paris, uprooted villagers returned home to find their dwellings turned to rubble, with nothing to eat because gardens had turned to wasteland.
In the spring of 1919, she travelled through the countryside setting up small warehouses that served as distribution centers. Two years later, Margaret joined the active service of the Society of Friends in establishing health clinics in Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia.
�Warsaw is quite a big showy city,� Margaret wrote of the Polish capital. �The streets are crowded with people � most of them extraordinarily well shod, but there are slews of beggars, particularly around church doors.
�We visited the Headquarters of the Russian Red Cross, and it was a nightmare. Horribly jammed in an ouvrier, a squalid restaurant for �Intelligentsia� and an awful canteen for kids � eight women were squashed into a coal hole, paring potatoes; three were teachers, and awful looking wrecks�blue hands everywhere, and to cap the climax, an old lady had gone crazy and was clutching our arms, begging rags.
"The Poles hate �em � and they can�t go back to Russia, even if they could live there, once they crossed the border.�
War still raged in the Balkans and Asia Minor. In 1920, tensions flared between Greece and Turkey, the latter battling to regain territory lost through postwar treaties. In Athens, relief agencies were created and Margaret helped the Disaster Relief Commission try to meet the needs of thousands in exodus from Asia Minor.
Margaret stayed in Greece until 1923 when, told of her mother�s death, she returned home. Margaret continued her charitable duties during the years of World War II. She was a member of the War Production Board from 1942-45 and was also in charge of placing European children into Massachusetts homes.
Many of these were English children, sent to the United States by parents who feared for their safety in the continuous bombing of London. Margaret took an interest in a mother and her four children, settling them on the Curtis� Manchester estate. Margaret�s kindness was remembered by Elaine Campbell-Jones, who continued to send Christmas cards from Bath, England, long after the war concluded.
Margaret and Harriot Curtis will be remembered for their collection of hard-won national golf titles and their founding of the Curtis Cup, but their service to the poor, the wounded and the oppressed prove that they were champions off the course as well.
*David Shefter is a USGA communications staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.

.

-->

2010-03-12T17:31:00.007Z

Tait's Tour ready to welcome lady

professionals with open arms!

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Alan Tait, founder of the new Xltec Pro Tour in Scotland, has agreed to my suggestion that he makes room for female professionals in his six 36-hole event schedule which tees off at Whitekirk Golf Club, near North Berwick on March 25 and 26.
" We thought that as there is very little opportunity for our few lady professional golfers to play competitively in Scotland, why not get them involved as well. The more the merrier!" said Alan, director of golf at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Golf Resort.
"At the end of the day, the Xltec Tour is all about giving pros more opportunity to compete and this should include everyone. As long as we get a minimum of five girls entering each event, they can play for a separate, smaller prize-fund and I am sure they will be a breath of fresh air to the tour".
Tait and his organising colleagues are hoping that star amateurs-turned-rookie-pros Carly Booth (pictured above, left) and Kylie Walker (pictured above, right) will cut their teeth on the homespun tour before they have a go at the Ladies European Tour.
Others who might play are LET regulars Vikki Laing, Lynn Kenny and Krystle Caithness, WPGA assistant professional Heather MacRae as well as Clare Queen, Pamela Feggans, Jenna Wilson, Katy McNicoll, Gemma Webster, Kathryn Imrie, Karyn Burns, Lesley Mackay, Karyn Dallas, Katie Thomson, Nicola Meldrum, Michele Thomson, Cathy Panton-Lewis and Gillian Stewart.

There is always the chance that British Women's Open champion Catriona Matthew and fellow LPGA Tour members Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay would put in an appearance when they are back in Scotland, if only for a short break.

Then there are established lady professionals, who have long since retired from the competitive side of the game, such as Muriel Thomson (Portlethen GC head professional) and Jane Connachan, who might welcome the chance to mix it with the younger brigade.

The possibilities are endless and it will be shame if the idea never gets off the ground because of apathy and lack of numbers.
It is hoped to interest WPGA female professionals based in the North and North-east of England for whom the journey north would not be as much a deterrent as it would be for those based in the south of England.
The female pros will have to pay a one-off joining fee of �40 plus a �50 entry fee for each 36-hole event plus a �10 administration fee per competition.
They will play off the LGU red tees at every venue and will be competiing against themselves, NOT the men.
Although the girls will be competing, in a sense, for their own money, it is hoped that as the tour gains publicity and becomes better known, companies or individuals may be persuaded to sponsor individual events.

While male pros have no inhibitions about playing for their own money, hence the success of satellite circuits such as the EuroPro Tour, where the entry fees are big to create worthwhile prize funds, female professionals are much harder to please ... and I talk from the experience of being Tournament Controller at the first two Hacienda del Alamo Women's February Festivals.

It remains to be seen if the female pros will be lukewarm about a lack of prizemoney up front for them at "Tait's Tour." I hope they take the longer-term view that the circuit, which will certainly need the players' support through its first season, could grow into a ladies' version of the Tartan Tour.
The schedule of events is:
March 25-26: Whitekirk, near North Berwick.
April 28-29: Hilton Park, near Glasgow.
May 25-26: Marriott Dalmahoy, near Edinburgh.
July 28-29: Westerwood, near Glasgow.
September 28-29: Spey Valley, Aviemore.
October 6-7 Dundonald Links, near Troon, Ayrshire.

+Entry forms and more information available by E-mailing Colin@scottishgolfview.com

2010-03-12T17:04:00.007Z

Tain to host 2012 Scottish

women's championship

Tain Golf Club is to host the Scottish women's amateur golf championship in 2012.
This will not be the first SLGA tournament to be played at the Ross-shire venue which is 35 miles north of Inverness and eight miles south of Dornoch.
In 2005, the Scottish Under-18 girls championship was held at Tain with Sally Watson beating Carly Booth by 2 and 1 in the final.
Tain, originally designed by Old Tom Morris, is a links course (image from the Tain Golf Club website).
Magi Vass, of the Tain Golf Club secretariat and herself a former Scottish junior international, is hoping that the news will boost entries for the club's women's four-day open tournament (August 2 to 5) this year and next.
"Not all that many people in the south will have played Tain and our annual tournament provides a great chance for them to get to know it under competitive conditions."
+More details about the Tain women's four-day open tournament are available on the club's website: www.info@tain-golfclub.co.uk

2010-03-12T16:52:00.002Z

Holly Clyburn runner-up in China

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
England�s Holly Clyburn shot the low score of the final round to share second place in the girls� Under-21 event at the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills in China.

Holly, the English girls� champion from Woodhall Spa, had a one-over 73 in rain and dull conditions. It also moved her up the leaderboard in the overall girls� competition, in which she finished third.

Afterwards she said: �I am very happy with my finish in this tournament. It was a tough few days and it was a tough field as well. I have really enjoyed this week, it�s been a good experience playing in Asia - and it is a lot different from Europe and England!�

Holly, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is a long hitter, but even she found the Faldo course demanding at 6,577 yards � and in the wind.

�There were some par-4s I couldn�t reach in two shots into the wind � but being a long hitter did help with making pars.�

She began the event with a 78,when her driving was not at its best, but she soon found form and improved throughout the tournament, adding a second round 75 and signing off with 73. She gave herself plenty of chances in the final round but some putts refused to drop � although she did manage two birdies in the last three holes.

Holly, an England international, claimed her place in this event when she won the girls� title at the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil last autumn. Brogan Townend (Pleasington) won the Under-16 title and also took part in the China tournament, finishing 12th in her age group.
Lyndsey Hewison

Press & PR Officer

2010-03-12T08:43:00.009Z

Leader Sergas is on same wave-length as the course

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Giulia Sergas leads the Handa Women�s Australian Open at Melbourne�s Commonwealth course by three shots - all thanks to an unusual approach to the game.
The 30-year-old, who today shot a bogey-free, four-under 69, revealed she talks to the course to get her through each tournament.
�I try to establish a relationship with the golf course,� she said.
�We talk to each other and if you listen well and you don�t get caught up in your emotion, then the golf course really talks to you.
�When it is a difficult course like this, you really have to pay attention what it is saying at the moment.�
Sergas, on seven-under-par 136, leads South Korean teenagers, He-Yong Choi and Soo-Jin Yang who are both on 4 under. A shot further back is Karrie Webb, Rebecca Flood and Austrian Stefanie Michl.
While talking to the course is one thing, Sergas also does handstands mid-round to help an ailing back.
�It helps my back and pops. When I really concentrate and do it properly, it helps my back tremendously,� she said.
Sergas said her back is so bad that she does the handstand to put it in a type of traction. She does the handstand and her understanding caddy, Lee Griffith, then holds her feet. She does a type of push up to relieve the pressure on her vertebrae.
�I really was embarrassed at the beginning but then people just laughed so I am okay with it,� she said.
Last week�s ANZ Ladies Masters winner, Karrie Webb, who is more accustomed to jumping into creeks after a victory, bounced back today with a 70. It was an improvement on Thursday�s roller coaster even par round but still it could have been better. She three-putted the 13th for her only bogey of the day.
�I threw one away on 13 which was very disappointing, but you know it is Friday, if that happens on a Sunday you are kicking yourself,� she said.
�The first one was a bad putt and the second one was just lazy, there was a pitch mark in front of me and I didn�t take the time to fix it.�
Just four shots back at the halfway mark does not phase the 35-year-old.
�The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend and four shots is not much to make up,� she said.
Overnight leader Laura Davies, who followed an opening 68 with a 76, is in a tie for seventh with Katherine Hull and amateur Alison Whittaker, after a 3 over 76 today.
World No 7 Yani Tseng, Kent-born Australian Lindsey Wright, Sweden�s Anna Nordqvist and England's Felicity Johnson rounded out the top ten at one under for the tournament.
SCOTSWATCH: Three of the four Scots in the field survived the halfway cut at 152 or better.
The odd one out was Vikki Laing who followed an opening 77 with an 83 for 160. LPGA Tour player Janice Moodie and Krystle Caithness both made it through on 151, Janice with rounds of 76 and 75, Krystle with a 74 plus a 77. Lynn Kenny had nothing to spare with 74 and 78 for 152.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 146 (2x73)
1 Giulia Sergas 70 69 -- -- 139
T2 He-Yong Choi 73 69-- -- 142
T2 Soo-Jin Yang 70 72 -- -- 142
T4 Rebecca Flood 70 73 -- -- 143
T4 Stefanie Michl 71 72 -- -- 143
T4 Karrie Webb 73 70 -- -- 143
T7 Laura Davies 68 76 -- -- 144
T7 Katherine Hull 72 72 -- -- 144
T7 Alison Whitaker (amateur) 70 74 -- -- 144
T10 Felicity Johnson 70 75 -- -- 145
T10 Anna Nordqvist 75 70 -- -- 145
T10 Yani Tseng 74 71 -- -- 145
T10 Lindsey Wright 71 74 -- -- 145
T14 Jenni Kuosa E 70 76 -- -- 146
T14 Stacy Lewis 75 71 -- -- 146
T14 Alexis Thompson (amateur) 71 75 -- -- 146
T17 Christel Boeljon 72 75 -- -- 147
T17 Frances Bondad 74 73 -- -- 147
T17 Rebecca Brewerton 77 70 -- -- 147
T17 Karine Icher 72 75 -- -- 147
T17 Hyun-Soo Kim (amateur) 78 69 -- -- 147
T17 Marianne Skarpnord 75 72 -- -- 147
T23 Shin-Ae Ahn 78 70 -- -- 148
T23 Elizabeth Bennett 73 75 -- -- 148
T23 Michelle Ellis 75 73 -- -- 148
T23 Sophie Gustafson 75 73 -- -- 148
T23 Mina Harigae 74 74 -- -- 148
T23 Vicky Hurst 72 76 -- -- 148
T23 Lorie Kane 73 75 -- -- 148
T23 Stacey Keating (amateur) 76 72 -- -- 148
T23 Ha-Neul Kim 73 75-- -- 148
T23 Azahara Munoz 76 72 -- -- 148
T23 Melissa Reid 72 76 -- -- 148
T23 Sarah-Jane Smith 77 71 -- -- 148
T23 Marjet van der Graaff 73 75 -- -- 148
T36 Bettina Hauert 77 72 -- -- 149
T36 Jeong Jang 76 73 -- -- 149
T36 Kym Larratt 73 76 -- -- 149
T36 Stephanie Na 76 73 -- -- 149
T36 Sarah Oh 72 77 -- -- 149
T36 You-Na Park 75 74 -- -- 149
T36 Louise Stahle 75 74 -- -- 149
T43 Rachel Bailey 73 77 -- -- 150
T43 Tamara Beckett 74 76 -- -- 150
T43 Emma Bennett 78 72 -- -- 150
T43 Tamie Durdin 76 74 -- -- 150
T43 Riikka Hakkarainen 72 78 -- -- 150
T43 Bo-Mee Lee 77 73 -- -- 150
T43 Anna Oh 78 72 -- -- 150
T43 Nina Reis 74 76 -- -- 150
T43 Hee-Kyung Seo 72 78 -- -- 150
T43 Kristie Smith 72 78 -- -- 150
T53 Caroline Afonso 78 73 -- -- 151
T53 Leanne Bowditch 78 73 -- -- 151
T53 Krystle Caithness 74 77 -- -- 151
T53 Diana D'Alessio 7774 -- -- 151
T53 Wendy Doolan 79 72 -- -- 151
T53 Sandra Gal 77 74 -- -- 151
T53 Ran Hong 77 74 -- -- 151
T53 Rebecca Hudson 74 77 -- -- 151
T53 Janice Moodie 76 75 -- -- 151
T53 Su Hyun Oh (amateur) 79 72 -- -- 151
T53 Titiya Plucksataporn 78 73 -- -- 151
T53 Iben Tinning 77 74 -- -- 151
T53 Sophie Walker 76 75 -- -- 151
T66 Bree Arthur 76 76 -- -- 152
T66 Cathryn Bristow 75 77 -- -- 152
T66 Tania Elosegui 77 75 -- -- 152
T66 Lynn Kenny 74 78 -- -- 152
T66 Christina Kim 78 74 -- -- 152
T66 Sarah Nicholson 76 76 -- -- 152
T66 Bree Turnbull 74 78 -- -- 152
T66 Veronica Zorzi 79 73 -- -- 152
MISSED THE CUT
Jeong Eun Lee 77 76 - 153
Becky Morgan 77 76 - 153
Ursula Wikstrom 77 76 - 153
Georgina Simpson 77 76 - 153
Hanna-Leena Salonen 76 77 -153
Amanda Blumenherst 77 76 - 153
Ashleigh Simon 77 76 - 153
Pernilla Lindberg 77 76 - 153
Vicky Thomas 76 77 - 153
Hazel Kavanagh 76 77 - 153
Jessica Ji 76 77 - 153
Dana Lacey 76 77 - 153
Emma Cabrera-Bello 79 75 -- 154
Anne-Lise Caudal 78 76 -- 154
Rebecca Coakley 77 77 -- 154
Nikki Garrett 76 78 -- 154
Lydia Hall 76 78 -- 154
Leah Hart 75 79 -- 154
Sarah Kemp 75 79 -- 154
Virginie Lagoutte-Clement 77 77 -- 154
Lee-Anne Pace 79 75 -- 154
Florentyna Parker 76 78 -- 154
Hannah Ralph 75 79 -- 154
Melanie Bryden 78 77 -- 155
Mi-Sun Cho 77 78 -- 155
Kate Combes 78 77 -- 155
Sophie Giquel 77 78 -- 155
Justine Lee (amateur) 75 80 -- 155
Bronwyn Mullins 78 77 --- 155
Jessica Noh 78 77 -- 155
Zoe Brake (amateur) 80 76 -- 156
Meaghan Francella 78 78 -- 156
Julie Greciet 78 78 -- 156
Caroline Rominger 74 82 -- 156
Linda Wessberg 78 78 -- 156
Danielle Bowers 76 81 -- 157
Hye Youn Kim 79 78 -- 157
Ji-Na Lim 79 78 -- 157
Alison Walshe 80 77 -- 157
Carmen Alonso 83 75 -- 158
Jane Kim 75 83 -- 158
Taylor Leon 77 81 -- 158
Karen Lunn 79 79 -- 158
Bo Mi Suh 79 79 -- 158
Chae Young Yoon 79 79 -- 158
Beth Allen 80 79 -- 159
Carlie Butler 82 77 -- 159
Breanne Loucks 77 82 -- 159
Joanne Mills 74 85 -- 159
Ashley Ona (amateur) 77 82 -- 159
Vikki Tutt 80 79-- 159
Mianne Bagger 80 80 -- 160
Bo-Kyung Kim 81 79 -- 160
Vikki Laing 77 83 -- 160
Julia Boland (amateur) 80 81 -- 161
Stacy Lee Bregman 82 79 --- 161
Lisa Jean 85 76 -- 161
Elissa Orr (amateur) 78 83 -- 161
Karen Pearce 81 80 -- 161
Verity Knight 82 80 -- 162
Gwladys Nocera 84 78 -- 162
Ellen Davies-Graham (amateur) 81 82 -- 163
Jessica Speechley (amateur) 8083 -- 163
Katy Jarochowicz 83 81 -- 164
Jayde Panos (amateur) 82 82 -- 164
Sunny Park 79 85-- 164
Wendy Berger 84 81 -- 165
Jody Fleming 86 79 -- 165
Stacy Tate 81 84 -- 165
Angela Tatt 86 79 -- 165
Tamara Hyett 84 83 -- 167
Helen Oh 84 84 -- 168
Cherie Byrnes 84 87 -- 171
Nicole Montgomery 89 83 -- 172
Martina Eberl -- -- -- 81
Whitney Hillier (amateur)-- 85
Jan Stephenson -- -- -- 82

2010-03-11T22:48:00.003Z

Peter Tarver Jones joint eighth at Wilson, North Carolina

Peter Tarver Jones (Belmont Abbey College) from Working finished joint eighth in a field of 89 players at the Holiday Inn Express Barton Invitational college tournament at Wilson Country Club, Wilson in North Carolina.
Peter had rounds of 72 and 73 for 145 - five shots behind the joint winners, Darren Smith (Barton) (69-71) and Patrick Lamb (Flagler (70-70).
There were umpteen British students in this field.
Belmont Abbey's Joe Campbell from Cheltenham scored 73 and 75 for 148 and a share of 14th place.
David McGregor (Post University) from Helensburgh finished joint 43rd on 153 (73-80). Team-maes Thomas Rees from Wales and Lee Wanklyn from Berskhire finished joint 48th and joint 56th respectively. Rees had a pair of 77s for 154 while Wanklyn score 77 and 79 for 156.
Adam Hedges, a Belmont Abbey student, had scores of 82 and 75 for a share of 62nd place on 157.
Post University Scot Gavin Wilson from Ladybank came joint 71st on 162 (83-79).
Tom Stephenson (Belmont Abbey) finished 82nd on 168 with scores of 83 and 85.
Flagler (580) won the team honours ahead of Barton College (583). Belmont Abbey (598) came sixth and Post University (625) 11th of 13 teams.

Craig Isabel joint second at Sebring, Florida

Craig Isabel (Webster International) from Stanford-Le-Hope finished joint second with a 74 in the Davis & Elkins Dual college tournament with Webber International at Sun N' Lake Golf Club, Sebring, Florida.
Winner was Tom Gamble (Webber International) with a round of 71 over the paqr-72 course of 7,027yd.
Adam Galbraith (Webber International) from Haywards Heath, Sussex, finished joint fourth with a 77.
Alasdair Forsythe (Davis & Elkins) from Glasgow shared 10th place on 80.
Connor O'Dell (Webber International) from Taunton shared 12th place with an 81.
Robert McCleneghan (Davis & Elkins) from Glasgow came 14th with an 85.
Three more Davis & Elkins students, Colin Sutherland from Crail, David Shields from Glasgow and Craig Marshall from Fife finished had rounds of 88, 89 and 104 respectively for joint 15th, 17th and 20th positions in a field of 20 players.
Webber International (299) beat Davis & Elkins College (327) in the two-team event.

2010-03-11T22:09:00.007Z

Emma Tayler fifth at Don Benbow Invitational

Emma Tayler, a senior year student at Bethune-Cookman University, Florida, finished fifth in a field of 62 players at the Don Benbow Invitational women's college tournament at Jacksonville Beach Golf Club, Florida this week.
Emma, pictured, from Saunton, Devon, had rounds of 77 and 78 for a total of 155 - only two shots behind the winner, Paige Gibson (Houston Baptist University) who scored 76 and 77 for 153.
It really was the tightest of finishes with three players sharing second place on 154.
Bethune-Cookman team-mate Hannah Bews, also a senior student from Dorset, finished joint 21st with scores of 85 and 81 for 166.
Bethune-Cookman (647) finished third in the team event behind Houston Baptist (619) and Florida Atlatnic (640). Eleven teams took part.
In the male students' version of the Don Benbow Invitational, over a 6,504yd, par-71 course at the same venue, Gavin St John Frost (Jacksonville), a junior-year student from Berkshire, finished joint 18th in a field of 80 with a pair of 74s.
David Patterson (Armstrong Atlantic) from Liverpool came joint 48th on 157 (76-81).
Individual winner by three strokes with a four-under-par total of 138 (68-70) was one of Patterson's team-mates Matt Motes.
Armstrong Atlantic won the team title from Florida Atlantic and Jacksonville in a field of 13 teams.

Natasha Podmore just outside top 10 at San Jose

Natasha Podmore, in her fourth and final year at San Francisco University, came joint 11th in a field of 84 players at the Juli Inkster Spartan Invite women's college tournament at Almaden Country Club, San Jose.
Natasha, a member of Delamere Forest Golf Club, Cheshire, had rounds of 76, 72 and 78 for a total of 226 over the par-72, 6223yd course in southern California.
Former British stroke-play champion Roseanne Niven from Crieff, a student at the University of California-Berkeley, finished tied 38th on 234 with scores of 78, 79 and 77.
Former British women's amateur stroke-play champion Roseanne Niven from Crieff, a student at the University of California-Berkeley.
Cristina Corpus (San Jose State) was the winner with 217 (72-71-74), two shots ahead of Demi Runas (UC Davis) (74-73-72) with Sweden's Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) (69-75-76) third.
California-Berkeley (899) pipped UC Davis (901) - whose head coach, Scot Ann Walker, transferred from the California-Berkeley staff a year or two ago - for the team title with San Jose State (903) third. San Francisco (920) came seventh.

Kirsty O'Connor best of Brits down Spring Rebel field

The four British students in the field for the Spring Rebel Invitational college tournament at Boulder Creek Country Club, Boulder City, Nevada failed to shine behind the three-shot winner, Therese Koelbaek (UNLV) who posted a six-under-par total of 210 with rounds of 68, 71 and 71. Former Welsh champion Kirsty O'Connor (Ball State University) from Burnley finished joint 25th on 225 with scores of 75, 77 and 73.
Hannah Burke (Baylor) from Hertfordshire started well enough with a par 72 but faded to subsequent rounds of 77 and 78 for a total of 227 and a share of 34th place in a field of 95 players.
Hannah Lovelock (Missouri), from Surrey, also failed to build on a very good start. Hannah had a first-round 70 but followed that sub-par effort with escalating scores of 77 and 81 for a share of 42nd place on 228.
Missouri team-mate Nicola Race from Essex scored 75, 80 and 76 for a total of 231 and a share of 58th place.
UNLV (866) won the team event ahead of Texas (878), Texas Tech (886), Baylor (888), Missouri (895) and Ball State (896) who tied for sixth place in a field of 18 teams.

2010-03-11T21:56:00.000Z

CARNIE FINISHES 12TH IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Grant Carnie from Ellon, a student at the University of South Carolina-Aiken, finished a creditable 12th in a field of 90 players at the Palmetto Invitational college golf tournament at Palmetto Golf club, South Carolina.
Newburgh Golf Club member Grant, a quarter-finalist in last year's Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon, had steady rounds of 71, 72 and 72 for a total of 215 over a par-70 course of 6,565yd. He finished 10 shots behind the winner, Ben Kohles (Virginia) (70-63-62).

Warwickshire champion seventh in Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational

2010-03-11T21:13:00.004Z

Abbey Gittings, Nicole Whitmore

help Nova SE win five out of six

Warwickshire county champion Abbey Gittings from Tamworth, a freshman student at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, finished seventh in a good class college field of 77 players at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational tournament at Alaqua Country Club, Longwood, Winter Springs in Florida.

Abbey, pictured above, had rounds of 76, 77 and 73 for a total of 226 over the par-72, 5934yd course.

Team-mate Nicole Whitmore, a junior year student from Milton Keynes, came 11th on 230 with scores of 75, 77 and 78.

Farther down the field came Melissa Siviter (Belmont Abbey College), a freshman student from the West Midlands, with scores of 79, 82 and 83 for 244, which earned her a share of 41st place.

The very good efforts of Abbey and Nicole enabled Nova Southeastern to win the team title by 12 shots from Daytona State College with Belmont Abbey fifth of 13 teams.

Nova Southeastern, the NCAA Division 2 champions last year, are certainly on a roll. They have won five of their last six tournaments.

The Nova performance was spearheaded by Sandra Changkija who won the individual honours by the impressive margin of eight strokes with a total of seven-under-par 209 (70-69-70).