Gillian Kirkwood Golf News

SHOCKS IN ENGLISH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:49:00 +0000

Title-holder Naomi Edwards and top seed Rachel Jennings tumbled out of the English Women's Close Amateur Championship when they were both beaten in the first round.
But Florentyna Parker � who makes her Curtis Cup debut later this month � produced a magical shot to survive a marathon battle and move into the quarter finals.
The first upset of the day was provided by Lancashire's Sarah Walton (Clitheroe) who claimed the 32nd and final place for the matchplay only after a play-off.
Sarah, who won the British mid-amateur championship in 2003, defeated the top qualifier, Staffordshire's Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) on the final green. She had a simple attitude to the match: "I'm 31-years-old and I'm here for fun. I had nothing to lose and I just played steady golf," she said.
She went on to beat former England international Lisa Hall (Matfen Hall), again on the 18th.
Essex champion Jenny Pease (Braintree) claimed another big scalp when she defeated the defending champion and Ganton player, Naomi Edwards.
Jenny was up throughout the match and said afterwards: "I am chuffed to bits." Naomi commented on the end of her hopes of retaining her title: "It just wasn't meant to be."
However, Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) staged a remarkable comeback against Yorkshire's talented 17-year-old, Ellie Robinson (Middlesborough).
Florentyna was five down after seven and three down with three to play. But experience, coupled with a magical chip, took her through to the quarter finals. She finally won on the 20th, where her approach to the green finished so close to a bunker that she had no stance and was forced to play the shot left-handed with a sand wedge. She managed a miraculous u p and down and revealed afterwards that she practises the technique.
Hampshire's Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), who will also play in the Curtis Cup team, moved into the quarter-finals with a confident performance against Bedfordshire's Holly Aitchison. "I thought I played well," said Holly "but Liz was just awesome, she kept making birdies and it was hard to keep up."
Liz was three-under par when the match finished and notably birdied the very long par fours, 7 and 15.
Now she meets Gloucestershire's Hannah Barwood who needed just 24 holes to dispose of her two opponents. The 17-year-old from Knowle won both her games by the margin of 7/6 and said afterwards: "I played steady golf. I plotted my way round the course and didn't make many mistakes."
Her Gloucestershire colleague, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton), is also safely through � despite suffering from the effects of a torn muscle under her arm. She had comfortable wins against 14-year-old Jamie-Leigh Voss (Kirby Muxloe) and Ganton's Sara Garbutt and said afterwards: "It hurts when I breathe � so I just held my breath!".
Yorkshire's Emma Brown (Malton and Norton), who has twice held this title, won two tight matches on the 18th. She beat another former champion, Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) and then England girls international Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall).
Results
First round
Sarah Walton (Clitheroe) beat Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 1 up. Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall) beat Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 2/1. Sara Garbutt (Ganton) beat Lucinda Mileham (Aldwickbury Park) 1 up. Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) beat Jamie-Leigh Voss (Kirby Muxloe) 4/3. Claire Aitken (Mid-Kent) beat Nikki Dunn (Harrogate) 3/2. Hannah Barwood (Knowle) beat Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park) 7/6. Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire) beat Kym Larratt (Kibworth) 3/2. Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) beat Tilly Hol der (Magnolia Park) 5/4. Rachel Connor (Manchester) beat Sian James (Bristol & Clifton) 3/2. Kate Whitmore (Sandiway) beat Hermione Fitzgerald (Links) 3/1. Emma Brown (Malton & Norton) beat Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 1 up. Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) beat Charlotte Wild (Mere) 2/1. Florentyna Paker (Royal Birkdale) beat Ellis Keenan (Sunningdale) 3/2. Ellie Robinson (Middlesborough) beat Anne Wheble (Dartford) 4/2. Faye Sanderson (Heworth) beat Emilee Taylor (Gainsborough) 1 up. Jenny Pease (Braintree) beat Naomi Edwards (Ganton) 3/2.
Second round:
Walton beat Ball 2 up. Ellis beat Garbutt 5/4. Barwood beat Aitken 7/6. Bennett beat Aitchison 4/3. Connor beat Whitmore 2/1. Brown beat Douglass 1 up. Parker beat Robinson on 20th. Pease beat Sanderson 2/1.

Full scores: www.englishwomensgolf.org

Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Tel. 01603 507 416
Email: lyndsey.hewison@ntlworld.com

Visit our web site at www.englishwomensgolf.org

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Editors Notes

On the 31 December 2007 the English Ladies' Golf Association, an unincorporated body, was dissolved and the property, contracts, assets (including intellectual property rights and goodwill) and liabilities of the Association were transferred to a Company Limited by Guarantee, registration number 6431498, known as the English Women's Golf
Association.

The English Women's Golf Association is the governing body for female amateur golf in England.

EWGA represents over 127,000 members in more than 1780 golf clubs, trains the country's elite golfers, runs a full rota of national championships as well as events for handicap golfers, and actively encourages new golfers.

EWGA has formed the England Golf Partnership with the English Golf Union and the Professionals Golfers' Association. Their Whole Sport Plan, supported by Sport England, aims to make England the world's leading golf nation by 2020.

The association also has a charity, The ELGA Trust, which supports schemes to introduce girls to golf and helps promising players.

KYLIE WALKER WINS AT 22nd HOLE

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:01:00 +0000

LATER NEWS FROM SCOTTISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt Jane Turner (Mortonhall) at 22nd hole.

CLARK ROSEBOWL RESULTS

SEMI-FINALS

H Anderson (Downfield) bt B Murphy (Mortonhall) at 20th.

S Jackson (Ladybank) bt T Laughland (Mortonhall) 2 holes.

Scottish women's amateur championship results

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:31:00 +0000

HOW THEY FARED IN QUARTER-FINALS

Match 1

JOCELYN CARTHEW (Ladybank) bt SAMMY VASS (Tain) 2 and 1.

Vass one up after 11 holes.

Carthew won the second, Vass the fourth. All square at turn. Vass won the 11th.

Carthew won the 12th and 13th with birdies to go one up.

Vass birdied 14tyh to be all square again.

Carthew won short 15th with 3 to go one one up.

Carthew won 17th with par 5 to win match 2 and 1.

March 2

KYLIE WALKER (Buchanan Castle) and JANE TURNER (Craigielaw) all square after 20 holes (playing on).

Kylie Walker and Jane Turner all square after 10 holes.

First six holes halved. Walker conceded seventh but won the eighth to square. Turner won the ninth with birdie to be one up at turn. Walker won 10th with birdie to be all square.

In the tightest of ties, the remaining eight holes on the inward half were halved, including birdies at the 14th and 17th.

Turner, putting for the match, lipped out with a birdie putt from about 8ft beyond the hole on the 18th green.

The first two extra holes were halved.

Match 3

LAURA MURRAY (Alford) bt CLARE-MARIE CARLTON (Fereneze) 3 and 1.

Murray one up at the turn3

Murray won the first and third to go two up. Carlton won back the fourrh but lost the sixth.Carlton won the eighth to be only one down.

Murray went two up with a par at the 10th but Carlton birdied the 11th to cut her deficit to one hole again.

Carlton lost a ball at the 13th to go down down and Murray went three up with a birdie 4 at the 14th.

Carlton fought back with a birdie at the 16th to be two down with two to play.

Murray clinched a 3 and 1 victory by winning the 17th.

Match 4

MICHELE THOMSON (McDonald Ellon) bt LOUISE KENNEY (Pitreavie) 3 and 2.

Thomson one up at the turn.

Thomson won first three holes but lost the fifth and sixth.

Thomson won the eighth to regain two-hole advantage but Kenney won the ninth.

Thomson birdied the 10th to go two up but lost to 11th to a birdie from Kenney.

Kenney conceded the 12th to go two down again.

Thomson birdied the 14th to go three up with four to play.

The 16th hole was halved to leave Thomson winner by 3 and 2.

Scottish women's amateur championship results

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:31:00 +0000

HOW THEY FARED IN QUARTER-FINALS

Match 1

JOCELYN CARTHEW (Ladybank) bt SAMMY VASS (Tain) 2 and 1.

Vass one up after 11 holes.

Carthew won the second, Vass the fourth. All square at turn. Vass won the 11th.

Carthew won the 12th and 13th with birdies to go one up.

Vass birdied 14tyh to be all square again.

Carthew won short 15th with 3 to go one one up.

Carthew won 17th with par 5 to win match 2 and 1.

March 2

KYLIE WALKER (Buchanan Castle) and JANE TURNER (Craigielaw) all square after 20 holes (playing on).

Kylie Walker and Jane Turner all square after 10 holes.

First six holes halved. Walker conceded seventh but won the eighth to square. Turner won the ninth with birdie to be one up at turn. Walker won 10th with birdie to be all square.

In the tightest of ties, the remaining eight holes on the inward half were halved, including birdies at the 14th and 17th.

Turner, putting for the match, lipped out with a birdie putt from about 8ft beyond the hole on the 18th green.

The first two extra holes were halved.

Match 3

LAURA MURRAY (Alford) bt CLARE-MARIE CARLTON (Fereneze) 3 and 1.

Murray one up at the turn3

Murray won the first and third to go two up. Carlton won back the fourrh but lost the sixth.Carlton won the eighth to be only one down.

Murray went two up with a par at the 10th but Carlton birdied the 11th to cut her deficit to one hole again.

Carlton lost a ball at the 13th to go down down and Murray went three up with a birdie 4 at the 14th.

Carlton fought back with a birdie at the 16th to be two down with two to play.

Murray clinched a 3 and 1 victory by winning the 17th.

Match 4

MICHELE THOMSON (McDonald Ellon) bt LOUISE KENNEY (Pitreavie) 3 and 2.

Thomson one up at the turn.

Thomson won first three holes but lost the fifth and sixth.

Thomson won the eighth to regain two-hole advantage but Kenney won the ninth.

Thomson birdied the 10th to go two up but lost to 11th to a birdie from Kenney.

Kenney conceded the 12th to go two down again.

Thomson birdied the 14th to go three up with four to play.

The 16th hole was halved to leave Thomson winner by 3 and 2.

Scottish women's amateur championship

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:37:00 +0000

HOW THEY STAND IN QUARTER-FINALS

Match 1

Sammy Vass one up on Jocelyn Carthew after 11 holes.

Carthew won the second, Vass the fourth. All square at turn. Vass won the 11th.

March 2

Kylie Walker and Jane Turner all square after 10 holes.

First six holes halved. Walker conceded seventh but won the eighth to square. Turner won the ninth with birdie to be one up at turn. Walker won 10th with birdie to be all square.

Match 3

Laura Murray one up on Clare-Marie Carlton at the turn.

Murray won the first and third to go two up. Carlton won back the fourrh but lost the sixth.Carlton won the eight to be only one down.

Match 4

Michele Thomson one up on Louise Kenney at the turn.

Thomson won first three holes but lost the fifth and sixth.

Thomson won the eighth to regain two-hole advantage but Kenney won the ninth.

More results from "Scottish" at Lossiemouth

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:30:00 +0000

CLARK ROSEBOWL

FIRST ROUND

B Murphy (Mortonhall) bt A Ryan (Tain) 3 and 2.

A McGinnigle (Cochrane Castle) bt J Harrison (Cruden Bay) 1 hole.

H Anderson (Downfield) bt S Leslie (Murcar Links) 3 and 2.

L Terry (Cruden Bay) bt H Faulds (Douglas Park) 1 hole.

T Laughland (Mortonhall) bt E Gillespie (Lochend) 5 and 4.

M Smith (Tain) bt L Stewart (Greenburn) 3 and 2.

C Wilson (Murcar Links) bt A Brownie (Lothianburn) 5 and 4.

S Jackson (Ladybank) bt H Laughland (Mortonhall) 5 and 3.

QUARTER-FINALS

Murphy bt McGinnigle 1 hole.

Anderson bt Terry at 20th.

T Laughland bt Smith 1 hole.

Jackson bt Wilson 2 holes.

LORNA LETS CURTIS CUPPER MICHELE OFF HOOKE

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:00:00 +0000

Scottish seniors champion Lorna Bennett from Ladybank almost pulled off the second shock of the day as the 94^th Scottish women's amateur golf championship entered its match-play stages over the Moray club's Old Course links at Lossiemouth today.

In the morning 16-year-old Sammy Vass from Tain, the last of the 32 qualifiers � she had to survive a six-way play-off � toppled one of her best golfing chums, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), the 17-year-old top seed, by two holes.

In the afternoon second round ties, Lorna jumped into a three-hole lead after only four holes on Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), the only one in the Lossie field of the four Scots who will do duty for Great Britain & Ireland in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of the month.

Michele hit back after losing the second, third and fourth to a par-eagle-birdie burst by Lorna to win the seventh, eighth and ninth and be square at the turn with successes at four holes

Bennett was not finished yet. She won the 10^th with a par when her much longer-hitting opponent was bunkered but Michele bounced back with a tie-squaring birdie at the 11^th.

The Fifer, a Scotland player and girls team captain in her day, showed no signs of tiring as the sun came out to raise the temperature. Bennett won the 13^th and 14^th to go two up with five to play � and we know what they all say about that position!

"I never thought about two up with five to play never wins, actually, but I did lose the 15^th to a birdie and then I three-putted to lose the 17^th, which meant we were all square going down the last," said Lorna.

"Sadly, for me, I took three to get down from the edge of the 18^th green for a bogey 5 while Michele holed her second putt from about seven feet for a winning par 4 and that was that.

"But I really enjoyed myself, beating Claire Hargan by 5 and 4 in the morning and then giving Michele a good game. In a way I was glad for Scotland with the Curtis Cup match coming up, that Michele was able to win in the end. Maybe it will do her a lot of good, especially if she went on to become champion."

Two Fifers did reach the last eight � Jocelyn Carthew from Ladybank and Louise Kenney, the No 2 seed from Pitreavie.

Jocelyn beat Margaret Tough (Falkirk) by 4 and 3 and then Karen Marshall (Baberton) by 3 and 1. She now plays the giant-killing Sammhy Vass.

Louise Kenney was a 5 and 4 winner in the first round against Laura McLardy (Murcar Links) and then came through a tough tie against Claire MacDonald (Gullane) by 2 and 1.

"I was three up after five holes with a couple of birdies. Then we halved seven holes in a row before I went four up at the 13^th. Claire came back at me by winning the 14^th with a birdie and then the 15^th to cut my lead to two," said Louise.

"We halved the 16^th in par and the 17^th in birdie 4s to finish the match. I really like the Lossiemouth links. I was about one or two under par in the afternoon and I think I am playing as well if not better than when I reached the semi-finals at Dunbar a couple of years ago. Here's hoping anyway!"

Louise Kenney now plays Curtis Cupper Michele Thomson.

SAMMY (16) FROM TAIN IS LOSSIE GIANT KILLER

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:23:00 +0000

You couldn't make up a better, little girl makes good story! But this one is true and it all enfolded on another day which ended in glorious sunshine at Lossiemouth.

Sixteen-year-old championship debutante Sammy Vass from Tain had the kind of day in the 94^th Scottish women's amateur golf tournament she will remember for the rest of her life..

Having squeezed into the 32 match-play qualifiers on Wednesday night by surviving a six-player play-off for the last two places, she began her day of days by toppling her 17-year-old golfing buddy, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) who just happened to be the No 1 seed!

In an amazing match of quality, played by two youngsters at almost break-neck speed by modern standards � 2hr 40min for 18 holes � Kelsey had seven birdies but lost by two holes to Sammy who had "only" four birdies but more winning par figures.

Then Sammy, whose mother Magi was a Scottish junior international in her day, went out again in the afternoon and played almost just well. She reached the last eight at the first attempt by chalking up a 3 and 2 win over former Scottish universities champion Ann Ramsay from Kirriemuir but now living and working in Paisley. Again the pace of the tie was bordering on sprinting � they completed the 16 holes in well under three hours.

This time Sammy Vass had six birdies against an eagle and three birdies from her opponent.

"This has been the best day of my golfing life. I've never played so well over two rounds. Pity I had to beat Kelsey because we're good pals and she would beat me most days. She's a +2 player and I've got a handicap of three," said Sammy.

And just to round off a eventual day, Sammy, by special arrangement, sat her Higher English examination under strict supervision within the Moray clubhouse just after 5pm.

Kelsey MacDonald and Samantha Leslie (Murcar Links) were two other teenagers in the field who sat Higher English at different days during the day.

Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), the only one in the Lossie field of the four Scots chosen to play in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of month, reached the last eight after being three down after four holes and two down with five to play against Scottish seniors champion Lorna Bennett (Ladybank). Thomson holed an eight-footer on the last green to win by one hole when Bennett took three from the edge.

Michele now plays the No 2 seed Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) for a place in the semi-finals.

Michele's Aberdeenshire rival Laura Murray from Alford had an eagle and six pars in winning by 4 and 3 over Kilmacolm teenager Megan Briggs.

Escape of the day was performed by Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle). In the morning first round, she was four down with five holes to play against Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), last year's beaten finalist. Kylie won all five for a one-hole victory and celebrated her reprieve by firing five-under-par figures at six times Angus champion Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) in recording a 3 and 2 win to enter the quarter-finals

THURSDAY RESULTS

FIRST ROUND MATCH-PLAY

S Vass (Tain) bt K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 2 holes.

A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir) bt S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 2 holes.

K Marshall (Baberton) bt L Hendry (Routenburn) 1 hole.

J Carthew (Ladybank) bt M Tough (Falkirk) 4 and 3.

K Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 1 hole.

M Summers (Panmure Barry) bt R Livingstone ( Musselburgh Old) 2 and 1.

J Turner (Craigielaw) bt C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 2 and 1.

M Pow (Selkirk) bt E Fairnie (Dunbar) 3 and 2.

C-M Carlton (Fereneze) bt D Pocock (Murcar Links) 7 and 5.

D Jackson (Cochrane Castle) bt E Moffat (St Regulus) at 19^th.

M Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 2 and 1.

L Murray (Alford) bt P Williamson (Baberton) 7 and 6.

L Bennett (Ladybank) bt C Hargan (Mortonhall) 5 and 4.

M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) bt K Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) 5 and 3.

C MacDonald (Gullane) bt S Bishop (Cochrane Castle) 1 hole.

L Kenney (Pitreavie) bt L McLardy (Murcar Links) 5 and 4.

SECOND ROUND

Vass bt Ramsay 3 and 2.

Carthew bt Marshall 3 and 1.

Walker bt Summers 3 and 2.

Turner bt Pow 2 and 1.

Carlton bt Jackson 6 and 4.

Murray bt M Briggs 4 and 3.

Thomson b t Bennett 1 hole.

Kenney bt C MacDonald 2 and 1.

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:57:00 +0000

Sammy Vass KOs top seed Kelsey
in 11-birdie first-round upset

Top seed Kelsey MacDonald was sensationally beaten by the last of the 32 qualifiers in the first round of the match-play stages of the 94th Scottish women�s amateur golf championship at Lossiemouth this morning.
Kelsey, only 17, was toppled by 16-year-old Sammy Vass from Tain, by two holes in a tie that went the full distance but took well under three hours.
�We know each other very well,� said Sammy who is making her debut in the national championship. �We won the Scottish schools team title for the Highlands last year but I would have to say that beating Kelsey in this championship is my best ever win. She�s got +2 of a handicap and I play off three but we had a terrific match.�
You can say that again!
There were 11 birdies in all with loser Kelsey providing seven of them as the two golfing buddies played a championship match well away from the public gaze and under no tension at all. Remarkably,
it was quality golf at the gallop as they scampered round 18 holes in well under three hours.
Both Kelsey and Sammy are due to sit Higher English examinations under strict supervision within the Moray clubhouse later in the day.
Sammy, who came through a six-player play-off early on Wednesday evening at the conclusion of the stroke-play qualifying to grab the last of the 32 match-play spots, was never in awe of her opponent who played for Scotland in both the women�s and girls� home internationals last season.
Sammy won the first with a par, was pulled back to square when Kelsey birdied the second and then led again with a par at the third.
And so the ding-dong battle continued with Kelsey getting a birdie 2 at the fourth to be all square again. After a half at the fifth, Kelsey got another 2 at the short sixth to lead for the first time.
The long seventh was halved in birdie 4s before Kelsey went off line with her drive to be pulled back to square again.
But the Nairn Dunbar teenager gained her fifth birdie of the outward half, a 3 at the fourth, to lead by one hole at the turn.
The first three holes of the inward journey were halved in par-birdie-par. Then Sammy birdied the par-4 13th with a 20ft putt only for Kelsey to regain the lead with a birdie at the long 14th.
Kelsey went over the back of the short 15th to be pulled back to all square. A half at the 16th left them on level terms with two holes to play � and Sammy won them both!
She birdied the long 17th and then played the so-difficult 18th perfectly: a good drive down the middle, safely home on the green in two and an approach putt dead beside the cup. Kelsey, having bunkered her second, was never going to match her opponent�s par.
Sammy Vass now plays former Scottish universities champion Ann Ramsay from Kirriemuir but now living and working in Paisley. Ann beat three times Aberdeenshire champion Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) by two holes.
Karen Marshall (Baberton), the 24th qualifier, had a good win over three times Ayrshire champion Lesley Hendry (Routenburn), the No 9 seed, by one hole.
Kylie Walker staged a grandstand finish to snatch a one-hole victory from the jaws of defeat against Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) who reached the final at Barassie 12 months ago.
The Buchanan Castle player was four down with five holes to play - but won them all, with the help of an eagle 3 at the 14th and a birdie 4 at the 17th.
Kylie now plays six times Angus county champion Mary Summers (Carnoustie) who shot a 74 in the second qualifying round to qualify in 21st position and had another �daft day� on the greens to oust the No 12 qualifier, Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) by 2 and 1.
Scottish seniors match-play champion Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) claimed the scalp of No 7 seed Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) with a 5 and 4 win and now plays Curtis Cup player Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon). Michele beat Kirsten Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) by 5 and 3.
Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) won through at the 19th against former Scottish champion Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) after driving out of bounds at the 18th but getting a 3 with her second ball. There have not been many birdie 3s at the infamous 18th hole, with first or second balls!
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), the No 2 qualifier, maintained her position with a 5 and 4 win over Laura McLardy (Murcar Links).
Megan the elder beat Eilidh the younger in the Battle of the Briggs Sisters. Megan edged a 2 and 1 win and now plays Sunday�s Ness Open winner Laura Murray (Alford) who overpowered seniors circuit player, Pamela Williamson (Baberton) by 7 and 6.
RESULTS

FIRST ROUND MATCH-PLAY
Upper half
S Vass (Tain) bt K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 2 holes.
A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir) bt S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 2 holes.
K Marshall (Baberton) bt L Hendry (Routenburn) 1 hole.
J Carthew (Ladybank) bt M Tough (Falkirk) 4 and 3.
K Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 1 hole.
M Summers (Panmure Barry) bt R Livingstone ( Musselburgh Old) 2 and 1.
J Turner (Craigielaw) bt C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 2 and 1.
M Pow (Selkirk) bt E Fairnie (Dunbar) 3 and 2.
Lower half
C-M Carlton (Fereneze) bt D Pocock (Murcar Links) 7 and 5.
D Jackson (Cochrane Castle) bt E Moffat (St Regulus) at 19th.
M Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 2 and 1.
L Murray (Alford) bt P Williamson (Baberton) 7 and 6.
L Bennett (Ladybank) bt C Hargan (Mortonhall) 5 and 4.
M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) bt K Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) 5 and 3.
C MacDonald (Gullane) bt S Bishop (Cochrane Castle) 1 hole.
L Kenney (Pitreavie) bt L McLardy (Murcar Links) 5 and 4.

Scottish Ladies Strokeplay Prizegiving

noreply@blogger.com (Gillian) — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:52:00 +0000

The trophy winners tonight were:-

Beddows Memorial Trophy for the lowest gross score in the first qualifying round: Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle ) 73 bih

St Andrews Quaich for lowest nett score in the first qualifying round: Julie Vass (Tain) 82-10=72

Eglinton Quaich for Lowest Aggregate Gross Score - Team First round: Mortonhall, Claire Hargan 73 Belinda Murphy 86 total 159

Grainger Cup for lowest aggregate nett total - Team First round: Tain, Anne Ryan 78 Julie Vass 72 Total 150

Glover 21st Anniversary Cup for the lowest gross score in the second round: Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 74 bih

Lyon Salver for the best nett in second round: Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) 74-44=70

Margaret Scouler Buchanan Cup for the best aggregate gross: Kelsey Macdonald (Nairn Dunbar) 75+74=149

McInnes Shaw Cup for the best aggregate nett: Julie Vass (Tain) 72+75 =147

St Rule Salver for the best gross aggregate from an under 21: Kelsey Macdonald (Nairn Dunbar) 75+74 =149

NPFA Cup for the lowest nett score in the medal rounds: Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) 74-4=70

McRobert Thistle Cup for the lowest scratch score in the qualifying rounds: Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) 73 bih

Dunlop Hill Trophy for the best second round score by a past champion: Martine Pow Selkirk 76

JENNINGS TOP SEED IN ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:16:00 +0000

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONj
Staffordshire teenager Rachel Jennings leads the 32 qualifiers for the matchplay stages of the English Women's Close Amateur Championship at Ganton, Yorkshire.

She's the reigning French lady junior champion � beating the cream of Europe's U21s � and she's a past winner of the English girls' championship. But this is the first time she has qualified as top seed in a major competition.

"It's lovely, it's a good experience � but you still have to take every match as it comes and keep plugging away," said the 19-year-old from Izaak Walton.

Rachel claimed top spot when she added a two-over par 74 to her opening 75. "I was hitting the ball well and holed a couple of putts � and just got the job done," she said.

"I'm pleased with my score � this is a tough course and if you put the ball in the wrong position you can get penalised very badly."

She's one shot clear of defending champion Naomi Edwards, who is playing on her home course. Her second round 73 was the best of the qualifying scores � but she felt it could have been better.

"I would have taken it at the beginning of the day � but I was two-under through six and dropped a couple on the back 12 holes. My long game is good but I just didn't hole enough putts, so I'm going to work on that and hopefully I will hole a few more tomorrow. "

Naomi is one of five Yorkshire players to make it through to the matchplay. She's joined in the draw by club colleague Sara Garbutt, Middlesborough's Ellie Robinson, Malton & Norton's Emma Brown (nee Duggleby) and Harrogate's Nikki Dunn.

The field includes two of this month's Curtis Cup team and both are through. Hampshire's Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) was satisfied to qualify in third place after a second round 77, in which she complained that the putts refused to drop. "I was putting well but everything stopped short of the hole and just wouldn't drop. I'm saving the birdies for the next day!" she said. "The goal was to make the cut and move into the matchplay."

Meanwhile Lancashire's Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) secured 26th place when she returned 76, knocking 10 shots off her first round score.

Leicestershire 14-year-old Jamie-Leigh Voss achieved her ambition of reaching the matchplay stages. The youngster, from Kirby Muxloe, shared the halfway lead in qualifying but fell back with a second round 87. However, it was enough to see her comfortably through to the knockout in 25th place at only her second attempt.

Gloucestershire's Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) shared the overnight lead with Jamie-Leigh after returning a first round 74. She added an 81 and went through in eighth place. Now the two players face each other in the first round.

Jenny Pease (Braintree) and Sarah Walton (Clitheroe) claimed the final two places in the draw after a sudden death play-off between three players tied in 31st place. Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt) was knocked out on the second extra hole.

First round draw:
Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) v Sarah Walton (Clitheroe)
Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall) v Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog)
Sara Garbutt (Ganton) v Lucinda Mileham (Aldwickbury Park)
Jamie Leigh Voss (Kirby Muxloe) v Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton)
Claire Aitken (Mid-Kent) v Nikki Dunn (Harrogate)
Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park) v Hannah Barwood (Knowle)
Kym Larratt (Kibworth) v Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire)
Tilly Holder (Magnolia Park) v R achel Connor (Manchester)
Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) v Sian James (Bristol & Clifton)
Hermione FitzGerald (Links, Newmarket) v Kate Whitmore (Sandiway)
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) v Emma Brown (Malton & Norton)
Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) v Charlotte Wild (Mere)
Ellis Keenan (Sunningdale) v Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale)
Anne Wheble (Dartford) v Ellie Robinson (Middlesbrough)
Emilee Taylor (Gainsborough) v Faye Sanderson (Heworth,Durham)
Jenny Pease (Braintree Golf Club) v Naomi Edwards (Ganton)

Full scores: www.englishwomensgolf.org

Scottish women's amateur championship

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:56:00 +0000

HARGAN, WALKER COLLAPSE GIFTS TOP

SEED SPOT TO TEENAGER KELSEY

A sudden collapse over the last few holes by the front-running Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) left 17-year-old Kelsey MacDonald from Nairn Dunbar with the honour of being top seed for the match-play stages of the 93^rd Scottish women's amateur golf championship at sun-drenched Lossiemouth today.

And Fife schoolteacher Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), as the unexpected No 2 qualifier, is seeded to meet young Kelsey in Saturday morning's final.

Playing together in the last group to finish, Walker dropped six shots over the last four holes, including a horrendous quadruple bogey 8 at the 18^th which has lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest finishing holes in Scotland.

Hargan bogeyed four holes in a row from the 12^thand dropped another at the infamous 18^th. Both came home in five-over-par 43, Walker for an 80 and a 36-hole total of 153, Hargan an 82 for 155.

Kelsey MacDonald, whose +2 rating makes her, on paper at least, the best player in the field, had equalled the best score of the day � a two-under 74 � for a three-under-par total of 149.

But she had no idea this was going to make her the No 1 qualifier.

"I putted terribly, heaps of three putts," she moaned, unaware that the overnight leaders were toiling up the home straight.

""The best thing I did was to birdie the first three holes. I got two more birdies but I just can't get the three putts out of my mind, probably because I got the last of them on the 18^th green."

Louise Kenney, who lost her place in the Scotland home international team, took a big step towards getting back in the selectors' good books with a 74 to be No 2 seed, two shots behind Kelsey MacDonald on 151.

Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) took third place in the qualifying stakes with a 77 for 152, one ahead of Kylie Walker and former champion Martine Pow (Selkirk).

Curtis Cup selection Michele Thomson hooked her way to three double bogeys in scoring a 78 for 157 and joint 10^th place among the qualifiers.

"I'm glad that's all over. Now I just want to get started in the match-play," said Michele whose Aberdeenshire rival, Laura Murray from Alford, winner of the Ness Open at Inverness on Sunday, qualified safely in sixth place with a 75 for 154.

"I played solidly and had a lot of putts that just lipped out," said 19-year-old Laura.

Mary Summers from Carnoustie, travelled to Lossiemouth, mainly to give her up and coming daughter Ailsa, also a Panmure Barry member, some experience of big tournaments ... but Mary shot a brilliant second-round 74, improving by 15 shots on her first round, to be an unexpected qualifier for the match-play stages.

"I've not played in the 'Scottish' since 1991 when it was played at Carnoustie and I qualified for the match-play there!" said Mrs Summers who has been Angus county champion six times.

"I got off to a flying start with five birdies in seven holes between the second and the eighth. I could hardly mess it up after that."

Another Angus player to progress was Kirriemuir's Ann Ramsay on 161 with an 82 in the second round. Ann now lives and works in Paisley.

Former Scottish champion Elaine Moffat, a member of the St Regulus club in St Andrews, qualified on 160 after a second-round 77. Jocelyn Carthew (Ladybank) made it on 164 with an 80. Also on 164 was senior player Lorna Bennett (Ladybank). She had an 84.

A third Ladybank member, Susan Jackson , was eliminated in a six-way play-off featuring those who tied on 167. Only the 31st and 32nd places in the match-play draw were up for grabs but Susan went out at the third extra hole.

Auchterarder's Emily Ogilvy, who had a great run through to the final at Barassie 12 months ago, made it through with precious little to spare. Emily, still struggling with the after-effects of a serious winter training mishap with a fitness machine. added an 82 to her opening 84 for 166 - only one shot out of being in the play-off.

In the play-off, Elmwood College lecturer Anne Laing, seven times a Scottish finalist and three times the title winner, bowed out at the second extra hole.

There were three members of the extended Vass family from Tain in the play-off - 14 year old Julie Vass, her 16-year-old sister Sammy and their aunt, Anne Ryan.

Only Sammy survived with a par 4 at the first hole third time round in the play-off.

Laura McLardy (Murcar Links), who had holed from off the green for a par at the 18th, birdied the third hole to clinch a place, alongwith Sammy Vass in the match-play.

Sammy Vass, Kelsey MacDonald and Samantha Leslie (Westhill) are due to sit a Higher English exam in the Moray clubhouse today.

Hopefully, Samantha will shake off the disappointment of a second-round 90 (44-46) which shattered her hopes of qualifying for the match-play after an encouraging 78 in the first round.

Samantha does have the consolation of participation in the Clark Rosebowl match-play competition.

MATCH-PLAY DRAW:

8.30 K MacDonald v S Vass, S Wood v A F Ramsay, L Hendry v K Marshall, J Carthew v M Tough.

9.02 K Walker v E Ogilvy, M Summers v R Livingstone, J Turner v C Gruber, E Fairnie v M Pow.

9.34 C-M Carlton v D Pocock, D Jackson v E Moffat, M Briggs v E Briggs, P Williamson v L Murray.

10.0 C Hargan v L Bennett, K Blackwood v M Thomson, S Bishop v C MacDonald, L McLardy v L Kenney.

CLARK ROSEBOWL DRAW

10.48 Anne Ryan v Belinda Murphy.

10.54 Jill Harrison v Alyson McGinnigle.

11.02 Samantha Leslie v Heather Anderson.

11.10 Lynne Terry v Helen Faulds.

11.17 Tracy Laughland v Eileen Gillespie.

11.26 Mary Smith v Liz Stewart.

11.34 Anne Brownie v Carol Wilson.

11.42 Hilary Laughland v Susan Jackson.

QUALIFIERS FOR LOSSIE MATCH-PLAY

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:04:00 +0000

Par 152 (2 x 76). CSS 77 77

149 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 75 74.

151 L Kenney (Pitreavie) 77 74.

152 C-M Carlton (Fereneze) 75 77.

153 M Pow (Selkirk) 77 76, K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 73 80.

154 L Murray (Alford) 79 75.

155 C Hargan (Mortonhall) 73 82.

156 M Tough (Falkirk) 80 76, L Hendry (Routenburn) 78 78.

157 M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 79 78, M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 76 81.

159 R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 85 74, J Turner (Craigielaw) 81 78.

160 E Moffat (St Regulus) 83 77.

161 S Bishop (Cochrane Castle) 84 77, A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 79 82, C MacDonald (Gullane) 77 84, S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 78 83, C MacDonald (Gullane) 77 84.

162 D Jackson (Cochrane Castle) 85 77, C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 80 82.

163 M Summers (Panmure Barry) 89 74, E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 85 78, K Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) 79 84, K Marshall (Baberton) 79 84.

164 J Carthew (Ladybank) 84 80, L Bennett (Ladybank) 80 84.

166 P Williamson (Baberton) 86 80, E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 84 82, E Fairnie (Dunbar) 83 83, D Pocock (Murcar Links) 81 85.

167 (after six-way play-off for last two match-play places) L McLardy (Murcar Links) 84 83, S Vass (Tain) 83 84.

NON-QUALIFIERS

167 (eliminated in play-off) A Laing (Vale of Leven) 83 84, J Vass (Tain) 82 85, A Ryan (Tain) 81 86, S Jackson (Ladybank) 80 87.

168 T Laughland (Mortonhall) 88 80, H Faulds (Douglas Park) 86 82, S Leslie (Murcar Links) 78 90.

169 L Stewart (Greenburn) 88 81, A Brownie (Lothianburn) 86 83, A McGinnigle (Cochrane Castle) 83 86.

170 J Harrison (Cruden Bay) 90 80, C Wilson (Murcar Links) 86 84.

171 S Raitt (Forfar) 89 92, M Smith (Tain) 88 83, H Anderson (Downfield) 84 87.

172 G Lockhart (Kilmarnock Barassie) 89 83, L Terry (Cruden Bay) 88 84.

173 A Bushby (Strathmore) 89 84, H Laughland (Mortonhall) 87 86, B Murphy (Mortonhall) 86 87, E Gillespie (Lochend) 87 86, A Wilton (Ladybank) 85 88.

174 R Brown (Lothianburn) 90 84, J Milne (Elgin) 84 90.

175 N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 88 87, S Cuthbertson (Peebles) 87 88, K Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 84 91.

176 E Munn (East Renfrewshire) 89 87, J Jenkins (Ralston) 87 89, A Hunter (Monifieth) 85 91.

177 S Crolla (Duddingston) 90 87, A Summers (Panmure Barry) 89 88.

178 W Wells (Peebles) 89 89.

179 D Dewar (Monifieth) 89 90, E Wilson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) 84 95.

180 A McDonald (St Regulus) 87 93.

181 W MacCallum (Falkirk) 93 88, J Sneddon (Alyth) 87 94.

182 L Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 96 86, P Orr (Cochrane Castle) 86 96, P Orr (Cochrane Castle) 86 96.

183 B Waugh (Moorhall) 96 87, L Bain (Lochend) 91 92.

187 L Fraser (Kingsknowe) 96 91, F Fullerton (Huntly) 96 91.

188 I Harvey (St Rule) 97 91, L Mathie (Cochrane Castle) 93 95.

189 S Ireland (Prestonfield) 93 96.

190 R McIntyre (Windyhill) 99 91.

193 D Moncrieff (Lochend) 100 93, C Stewart (Lothianburn) 86 107.

195 A Alston (Royal Montrose) 96 99.

196 A B Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 95 101.

202 K Burden (Cambuslang) 102 100.

204 E Hill (Dumfries & Co) 103 101, C King (Windyhill) 95 109.

218 A Gliksten (Strathaven) 108 110.

No Returns: L Douglas (Hawick) 100 NR, M McKerrow (Dumfries & Galloway) 98 NR.

Withdrew: F De Vries(St Rule) 78 84 (unavailable for match-play stages); C Taylor (Kilmarnock Barassie) 92 - (injured).

Scottish women's amateur championship

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 +0000

MARY SUMMERS' 74 LIFTS HER INTO
CONTENTION FOR MATCH-PLAY PLACE

Former Angus county champion Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) gave herself a good chance of squeezing into the 32 players who will advance after today�s second round in the Scottish women�s amateur championship to the match-play stages.
Mary, who reached the final of the British girls championship when it was played at Edzell in the 1980s, improved by 15 shots on an opening 89 with a 74 which would have been only one shot behind the joint leaders had she produced it on Tuesday.
Perhaps this was an indication that the leaders might get cross to breaking 70 when they complete their second rounds in much the same bright and sunny conditions as Tuesday with marginally less of a wind coming in from the North-east.
The predicted cut-off point is 168 or 169 with a play-off on either of these marks almost certain.

LOSSIEMOUTH SCOREBOARD AT 2pm
Par 152 (2 x 76)
163 M Summers (Panmure Barry) 89 74.
170 J Harrison (Cruden Bay) 90 80.
172 G Lockhart (Kilmarnock Barassie) 89 83.
174 R Brown (Lothianburn) 90 84.
177 S Crolla (Duddingston) 90 87.
178 W Wells (Peebles) 89 89.
181 W MacCallum (Falkirk) 93 88.
182 L Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 96 86.
183 B Waugh (Moorhall) 97 87, L Bain (Lochend) 91 92.
187 L Fraser (Kingsknowe) 96 91, F Fullerton (Huntly) 96 91.
188 I Harvey (St Rule) 97 91, L Mathie (Cochrane Castle) 93 95.
189 S Ireland (Prestonfield) 93 96.
190 R McIntyre (Windyhill) 99 91.
193 D Moncrieff (Lochend) 100 93.
195 A Alston (Royal Montrose) 96 99.
196 A B Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 95 101.
202 K Burden (Cambuslang) 102 100.
204 E Hill (Dumfries & Co) 103 101, C King (Windyhill) 95 109.
218 A Gliksten (Strathaven) 108 110.
No Returns: L Douglas (Hawick) 100 NR, M McKerrow (Dumfries & Galloway) 98 NR.

Annika to retire at end of season

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:37:00 +0000

Annika Sorenstam has stunned her LPGA Tour peers by announcing that she intends retiring at the end of the present season.

This comes after she achieved her 90th professional win at the weekend in the Michelob Ultra Open.

The Swedish player is 37 and lost her world No 1 ranking to Lorena Ochoa over the past year or so when she was out for a spell with a back injury.

Annika has made more than $11,000,000 in tournament winnings alone and probably as much again in sponsorship deals.

CSS for first round at Lossiemouth

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:03:00 +0000

The CSS for Tuesday's first qualifying round of the Scottish women's amateur championship was 77 - one more than the Standfard Scratch for the Moray Golf Club Old Course.

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Jamie-Leigh, only 14, shares lead
in English women's championship

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Leicestershire 14-year-old Jamie-Leigh Voss holds a share of the lead after the first day of the English Women�s Close Amateur Championship at Ganton in Yorkshire.
The schoolgirl from Kirby Muxloe Golf Club returned a two-over par 74 and is tied at the top of the table with Gloucestershire�s Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton).
Their steady play defied the cold, windy conditions which tested players � and which contributed to more than one 10 on the scorecards.
Jamie-Leigh, who plays off scratch, made her debut in this tournament last year and is determined to build on the experience.
Her target is to make it through the two rounds of strokeplay qualifying and be among the 32 players who go forward to the match-play stages of the championship.
She�s given herself a good start.
"I played much better than I thought I would,� she said.
Highlights of her day included holing a couple of 30-footers � and playing alongside Yorkshire star Emma Brown (nee Duggleby) of Malton & Norton.
�That was a lovely experience,� said Jamie-Leigh. �I was so excited to be playing with her.�
Charlotte Ellis, who won the 2006 English mid-amateur title, remarked: �This is a tough course and overall I�m pleased with how it went.
�The conditions weren�t easy and the greens are big � so you have to be able to lag well if you don�t hit it close.�
Charlotte, who had four birdies in her round, has been working hard on her game since the winter when, she says, she went �completely backwards.� She went on: �It�s nice to be back to where I want to be.�
One shot behind the leaders are Hampshire�s Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), who makes her Curtis Cup debut later this month; Staffordshire�s Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton), who recently won the French lady junior championship; and Kent�s Claire Aitken (The London) who is the c
English mid-amateur champion.
Claire is just making a golfing comeback after having her appendix removed in March. �I wasn�t allowed to start playing until the beginning of the month and so I�m really pleased with my score,� she said.
She was the model of consistency with 15 pars and three bogeys.
They are followed by a pair of teenagers on 76: England girl international Rachel Connor, 17, (Manchester) and Cheshire�s Charlotte Wild, 18, (Mere).
Charlotte, who trains with the English Women�s Golf Association�s Select North Squad, has already retained the Cheshire girls� championship and won the Northern Foursomes this season. Defending champion Naomi Edwards (Ganton) opened with a 77, which included an eagle three on the long sixth.
She leads the Yorkshire challenge which also includes: 79 Ellie Robinson (Middlesborough); 80 Sara Garbutt (Ganton); 82 Laura Harvey (Richmond); 84 Emma Brown (Malton & Norton), Nikki Dunn (Harrogate); 88 Julie Brown (Ganton).

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:11:00 +0000

Three times Scottish champion Anne Laing puts her fingers in her ears on the fifth green as two Tornadoes hurtle over her head at Lossiemouth today (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved).

Claire and Kylie flying high as Tornadoes

blast over Lossiemouth Links

Playing partners Mortonhall�s Claire Hargan and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) did some high flying of their own as they ignored the Tornadoes taking off from the next door RAF Lossiemouth to share the lead on three-under-par 73s at the end of first qualifying round in the 93rd Scottish women�s amateur championship over the Moray Golf Club Old Course at Lossiemouth today.
On a gloriously sunny day it was a game of two halves for everyone except the pilots in their multi-million pound flying machines who periodically whistled very noisely over the competitors� heads.
A wind-assisted first half followed by most of the inward half into a cool breeze from the east was reflected in most of the returns.
For Hargan and Walker it was a case of �What planes?� as they became engrossed in their ground work.
Hargan, bouncing back from losing her Midlothian county title recently, made her score by covering the first nine holes in four-under-par 34, Kyle being 35 for the same stretch.
Curiously enough, not everyone found the inward half more difficult. Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), the backmarker in the field with a +2 rating, returned a 75, thanks to being two-under-par (36) after the turn. Likewise Claire-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) who came home in 35 for her 75.
Not all the fancied players made hay while the sun shone.
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), the only one of the four Scots named for Curtis Cup duty at the end of the month � the three others are in the United States, lost a ball off her first tee shot and was in two bunkers at the second for a bogey-double bogey start. Out in 42, Michele finished with a three-over 79 but she thought she played well after her bad start.

She actually got a birdie 3 with her second ball in play at the first and will have a go at driving the green again in the second round. Michele was level par for the remaining 16 holes, with one eagle and two bogeys.

"It's all about qualifying for the match-play. Nothing else really matters," said Michele.
Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), beaten in the final by Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), now a professional, at Barassie 12 months ago, marked up an 84. She too lost a ball of her ambitious first drive and started double bogey-bogey.
Young Julie Vass from Tain upstaged her older sister Sammy by returning an 82, despite finishing 7-5-4- against the par of 4-5-4. Sammy finished earlier on 83.

The leading 32 players at the end of Wednesday�s second qualifying round will advance to the match-play stages. At the moment, it looks like being a play-off on 168 of 169.

ALL THE FIRST-DAY SCORES AT LOSSIEMOUTH

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:07:00 +0000

93rd SCOTTISH WOMEN�S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Moray Golf Club Old Course, Lossiemouth. Par 76 (6146yd)
FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Par 76 (38-38). 6146yd
73 C Hargan (Mortonhall) 34-39, K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 35-38.
75 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 39-36, C-M Carlton (Fereneze) 40-35.
76 M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 41-35.
77 M Pow (Selkirk) 37-40, L Kenney (Pitreavie) 35-42, C MacDonald (Gullane) 37-40.
78 S Leslie (Murcar Links) 34-44, S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 35-43, L Hendry (Routenburn) 38-40, F De Vries (St Rule) 36-42.
79 L Murray (Alford) 41-38, M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 42-37, A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 37-42, K Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) 37-42, K Marshall (Baberton) 38-41
80 C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 39-41, L Bennett (Ladybank) 37-43, S Jackson (Ladybank) 41-39, M Tough (Falkirk) 39-41.
81 J Turner (Craigielaw) 41-40, D Pocock (Murcar Links) 40-41, A Ryan (Tain) 40-41.
82 J Vass (Tain) 41-41.
83 A McGinnigle (Cochrane Castle) 40-43, A Laing (Vale of Leven) 41-42, E Moffat (St Regulus) 40-43, E Fairnie (Dunbar) 42-41, S Vass (Tain) 43-40.
84 E Wilson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) 41-43, K Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 41-43, E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 43-41, J Carthew (Ladybank) 40-44, S Bishop (Cochrane Castle) 42-42, L McLardy (Murcar Links) 42-42, J Milne (Elgin) 43-41, H Anderson (Downfield) 40-44.
==PROJECTED CUT-OFF FOR 32 MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS==
85 R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 39-46, D Jackson (Cochrane Castle) 43-42, A Hunter (Monifieth) 44-41, E Briggs (Kilmacolm).40-45, A Wilton (Ladybank) 41-44.86 A Brownie (St Regulus), B Murphy (Mortonhall), P Williamson (Baberton), C Wilson (Murcar Links), H Faulds (Douglas Park), C Stewart (Lothianburn), P Orr (Cochrane Castle).
87 S Cuthbertson (Peebles), H Laughland (Mortonhall), A McDonald (St Regulus), J Jenkins (Ralston), J Sneddon (Alyth). E Gillespie (Lochend).
88 L Terry (Cruden Bay), L Stewart (Greenburn), T Laughland (Mortonhall), N Fenton (Merchants of Edinbugh), M Smith (Tain).
89 W Wells (Peebles), G Lockhart (Kilmarnock Barassie), S Raitt (Forfar), A Bushby (Strathmore), M Summers (Panmure Barry), D Dewar (Monifieth), E Munn (East Renfrewshire), A Summers (Panmure Barry).
90 S Crolla (Duddingston), J Harrison (Cruden Bay), R Brown (Lothianburn).
91 L Bain (Lochend).
92 C Taylor (Kilmarnock Barassie).
93 S Ireland (Prestonfield), W MacCallum (Falkirk), L Mathie (Cochrane Castle).
95 A B Ramsay (Kirriemuir), C King (Windyhill).
96 L Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh), L Fraser (Kingsknowe), B Waugh (Moorhall), F Fullerton (Huntly), A Alston (Royal Montrose).
97 I Harvey (St Rule).
98 M McKerrow (Dumfries & Galloway).
99 R McIntyre (Windyhill).
100 L Douglas (Hawick), D Moncrieff (Lochend).
102 K Burden Birdem (Cambuslang).
103 E Hill (Dumfries & Co).
108 A Gliksten (Strathaven).
+Leading 32 after 36 holes qualify for championship match-play; next 16 for Clark Rosebowl match-play.

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:42:00 +0000

Anthony and Cassidy win LGU Medals

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Jessie Anthony (East Cork) won the GOLD Medal while Pamela Cassidy (Rathfarnham) won the SILVER Medal at the LGU Medal Finals at Rathdowney and Roscrea on Monday.
At Rathdowney, Anthony fired a superb 66 off 12 handicap to win by one stroke from Mary Fox (Powerscourt) while Nicky King (Enniscorthy) bagged the gross with a fine 79. At Roscrea, Cassidy led the field with a fine 68 to win by one stroke from Dorette Loetter (Grange Castle) while Deirdre Foran (Balbriggan), off 19, returned 89 to win the best gross for the higher handicaps.
Silver Medal (Rathdowney, CSS 73) 66 Jessie Anthony (East Cork) 67 Mary Fox (Powercourt) GROSS 79 Nicky King (Enniscorthy) 69 Sheila Furey (Hollystown) Joan Nordlokken (South County) 71 Nicki King (Enniscorthy) 72 Moira O'Connell (Craddockstown) 73 Bebhinne Jennings (Navan) Valerie Redding (Rathdowney) Barbara Murphy (St Anne�s) 74 Rose Merriman (Clane) Mary Rose Kiely (Kileen) Collette Guildea (Balbriggan) Mary Coman (Thurles) Julie Coyne (Youghal) Sarah McGarry (Castletroy)
75 Madeleine Brennan (Carlow) Liz Matthews (Abbeyleix) Margaret O'Connell (Hazel Grove) Siobhan O'Mahony (Mitchelstown) Bernadette Carroll (Cahir Park) Una Kelly (Newbridge) Marie McNamara (Athenry) Carmel Burke Daly (Edmondstown)
76 Geraldine Coughlan (Moate) Paula Carroll (Limerick County) Grace Kelly (Athy) Maureen Hogan (Neneagh) Jenny Cagney (Cagney) Kathleen Phelan (Roscrea) Eileen Brosnan (St. Helens Bay)
77 Carola Paterson (Bandon) Emer Foley (Castlecomer) Caitlin Hegarty (Dunfanaghy) Trish Doyle (Kanturk) Peig Burke (Ballinasloe) Anna May McEvoy (Portlaoise) Anna Maloney (Clonmel) Patricia Murphy (Knockanally) Sally Fields (Old Conna) Maureen McEvoy (Swords)
78 Frances Cullen (Donabate) Bernadette Sullivan (Forrest Little) Kate Overend (Carrickmines) Eithne Knight (The Island) Liz Neville (Bearna) Patricia Flood (Kilkea Castle) Jacqueline Joyce (Galway) Ann Leahy (Newcastlewest) Mary Courtney (Delgany) Mary Wilson (Malahide)
79 Siobhan O'Regan (Dunmore) Thelma Smith (Portstewart) Tara Duggan (Skerries) Nancy McKenna (Rossmore) Lisa Cullen (Bodenstown) Pauline Burke (Elm Park)
80 Lillian McMullen (Killymoon) Ger Geoghegan (Moate) Theresa Brennan (Royal Tara) 81 Jill Cole (Rathfarnham) Mary Sadlier (Woodstock) Sandra McCaffrey (Lucan) 82 Rose Jackson (Turvey) Moira Walsh (Edenderry) Mary Fitzmaurice (Kilcock) Anne Gardner (Clontarf) 83 Josephine Kinahan (Tipperary) Margaret Smith (Laytown&Bettystown)84 Neasa McKiernan (Grange Castle) Liz Mahony (Abbeyleix) Marie Tooher (South Meath) Siobhan O'Donnell Murphy (Mullingar)
85 Elaine Smith (Ballina) Ann Kavanagh (Stackstown) Nicola Brown (Borris) Betty Dunne (Monkstown) Patricia Buckley (Mount Temple)
86 Orla McGuinness (Roganstown) Maire McMahon (Dromoland Castle )87 Mary Fetherston (Ballinascorney) Linda Fitzgerald (Elm Green)
93 Ina O'Shea (Dunmore East) Bronze Medal (Roscrea, CSS 72) 68 Pamela Cassidy (Rathfarnham) 69 Dorette Loetter (Grange Castle) Patricia Nugent (Mount Temple) 70 Leonie Colgan (Dublin City) Deirdre Foran (Balbriggan) Siobhan Cronin (Limerick County) 71 Mary Byrne (Castletroy) 72 Miriam Doyle (Craddockstown) Noreen Fitzgerald (Killeen) Caroline Cunningham (Kilcoole) Terry Mulvihill (East Clare) 73 Kay McGaley (Woodlands) Suzanne Ryan (Bray) Breda Skerritt (Powerscourt) Marion Hanrahan (Clonmel) Deirdre Connolly (Co. Sligo)
74 Joan Doyle (Malahide) Elizabeth McGuinness (Dundalk) Marie Gannon (Castlecomer) 75 Sheila Cantwell (East Cork) Betty Behan (Moate) Gillian Murphy (Edenmore) Anne Stapleton (Naas) Heather Hamilton (Dunfanaghy) Margaret O'Rafferty (South Meath) Judith Byrne Murray (Edmondstown)
76 April Dawson (West Waterford) Anne Connolly (Clane) Mary Pomphrett (Youghal) Phil Brangan Bolger (Donabate) Stella Coughlan (Newbridge)
77 Peggy Costello (Gort) Barbara O'Driscoll (Rafeen Creek) Betty 0'Hanlon (Newlands) Betty O'Hanlon (Newlands) Mary Ryan (Woodbrook) Mary Egan (Tullamore) Sheila Gillick (Stackstown)
78 Mary Winters (Slade Valley) Teresa Sherlock (Woodstock) Elaine Kerrigan (Beaverstown) Eilish Walsh (Nenagh) 79 Marion Wyer (Edenderry) Fidelma Dooley (Galway) Joan McNamara (Ballinascorney) 80 Liz Walsh (Hazel Grove) Teresa Savage (Limerick) Carole O'Leary (Macroom) Kathy Rowan (Kilternan) Mary Liston (Charleville)
81 Mary McGill (Newcastle West) Mary McCann (The Curragh) Betty Kavanagh (Black Bush) Maura O'Callaghan (The Heath) Anne Murphy (Ballinasloe) Vivienne Denton (Castlewarden)
82 Eileen Roddy (Kilmashogue) Elizabeth Meade Flynn (South County) Bridget Gilhawley (Rossmore) 83 Frances Kavanagh (Hollystown) Bernie Grant (Ballykisteen) Carol Andrews (Bangor) Valerie Kiely (Bearna) 84 Doris Keane (Shannon) Marguerite Barry (Hermitage) Pat Dowling (Monkstown) Tomoka Timmons (Delgany) 85 Siobhan Murphy (Arklow) 86 Catherine Berry (Westmanstown) Ger Ahern (Waterford) Michelle Knapp (Greystones) Kay Kelleher (New Ross) Dympna Butterly (Roganstown)
87 Denise Connor (Thurles) Alice Miley (Newbridge) Marie Forde (Ballina) 88 Karen McGlinchey (Letterkenny) Angela Sheehan (St. Helen's Bay) Dolores Towey (Castlebar) 89 Niamh Feely (Abbeyleix) 90 Grainne O'Halloran (Kilkea Castle) Delores Delehanty (Knockanally) 92 Sally Quillinan (Mountrath) 93 Catherine Glynn (Old Conna)
Denise McCarthy Irish Ladies Golf Union 1 Clonskeagh Square Clonskeagh Road Dublin 14 Ireland Tel: +353 1 2696244 E: denise@ilgu.ie W: www.ilgu.ieP please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?
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noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:11:00 +0000

TOP TEE TIMES FOR SECOND

QUALIFYING ROUND AT LOSSIE

10.15 J Sneddon, A McDonald, J Jenkins.

10.24 H Laughland, B Murphy, P Williamson.

10.33 P Orr, C Wilson, A Brownie.

10.42 C Stewart, H Faulds, R Livingstone.

STARTER'S TIME

11.00 E Briggs, A Wilton, D Jackson.

11.09 A Hunter, H Anderson, J Carthew.

11.18 E Wilson, K Ballantyne, L McLardy.

11.27 S Bishop, J Milne, E Ogilvy.

11.36 A McGinn igle, E Moffat, A Laing.

11.48 E Fairnie, S Vass, J Vass.
11.54 A Ryan, D Pocock, J Turner.

12.03 L Bennett, M Tough, C Gruber.

12.12 S Jackson, A F Ramsay,K Blackwood.

12.21 K Marshall, L Murray, M Thomson.

12.30 S Leslie, S Wood, F De Vries.

12.39 L Hendry, L Kenney, C MacDonald.

12.48 M Pow, MBriggs, K MacDonald.

12.57 C-M Carlton, C Hargan, K Walker.

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:51:00 +0000

Ex-champion Elaine thinks her Lossie

record of 65 could be beaten this week

It's 19 years since the Scottish women's amateur golf championship was last played at Lossiemouth.

The Aberdeen solicitor, Elaine Farquharson-Black, who broke the Moray club's Old Course women's record twice in the qualifying rounds in 1989 will be following the five-day tournament with more interest than most.

"I didn't win the title at Lossiemouth � I was beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual champion Shirley Huggan � but it's links course of which I have fond memories," says mother-of-two Elaine, an honorary member of Deeside Golf Club but a social golfer these days.

"I shaved a shot off the course record with a 74 in the first qualifying round and then lowered by another stroke with a 73 to be the leading qualifier for the match-play by something like five shots.

PUTTING ROUND OF MY LIFE

"I went back to Lossiemouth in 1996 to play in a KPMG Business League outing and had the putting round of my life in taking the record down to 10-under-par 65. I holed anything and everything that day.

"That record has stood since then but I would not be surprised to see some of the top players getting pretty close to a 65 if not better than that.

"Over the past 12 years, golf equipment has continued to improve. The golf balls fly better and farther�. The metal woods send the ball vast distances. I notice in the Helen Holm Scottish women's stroke-play at Troon, most of the top players can now hit all the par-5s in two shots. That's why they are now scoring in the 60s over Troon Portland, which was just no possible in my day.

"If there's no wind at Lossiemouth during the qualifying stroke-play rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, the top women players could rip the course apart. There are some short par-5s at which they could well get eagles as well as one or two short par-4s where they could drive the green if the course is drying and running."

So who does Elaine fancy to win the Scottish championship.

LONG AND STRAIGHT IS THE KEY

"I don't follow the ladies' amateur game closely enough to make a prediction but the winner will be someone who hits the ball straight and long off the tee � and holes the putts. When I had my 65, I thought the greens were needing cut so I took the borrows out of it by simply hitting my putts hard and straight at the hole. It worked for me."

Elaine, who played in the 1990 and 1992 Curtis Cup matches, won the Scottish girls' match-play title at West Kilbride in 1985 and the Scottish women's championship in 1990 at Machrihanish. She lost to Janice Moodie in the 1992 Scottish final at Balgownie

+Elaine may consider herself a social golfer but, playing in a charity tournament at the Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort last October, she became the first lady player ever to beat the par of 72 over the Dave Thomas-designed course.. She had a 70 but overseas scores are not recognised by CONGU and so she finished the 2007 season short of a card to retain a scratch handicap. Because she did not have a current handicap she could not even consider playing in the "Scottish" at Lossiemouth this week even if just for sentimental reasons.

Scottish amateur championship at Lossiemouth

noreply@blogger.com (Colin) — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:40:00 +0000

KYLIE'S LINKS FORM

COULD UPSET
FAVOURITE MICHELE

Big-hitter Michele Thomson from Ellon near Aberdeen does not have to drive very far to get to the venue for this week's 93rd staging of the Scottish women's amateur championship over the Moray Golf Club's Old Course at Lossiemouth.

The 20-year-old, selected to play for GB&I in the Curtis Cup match at St Andrews at the end of the month, is the obvious favourite on paper to win. Twelve months ago, Miss Thomson lost in extra holes to Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) at the semi-final stage at Kilmarnock Barassie.

The player with outstanding recent form when it comes to links play is an obvious threat - Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), picture left by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved).
Apart from winning the Dunbartonshire & Argyll county title, Kylie, a 21-year-old full-time amateur golfer, finished an impressive top Scot in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur championship at Troon two or three weeks ago.
Kylie's final round of 69 over a par-75 course made her only the second female player ever to break 70 over the Royal Troon championship links.
That kind of stroke-play form, if repeated over a shorter Lossie course but with a higher par - 76 - over the 36-hole qualifying test on Tuesday and Wednesday would go close to earning her the No 1 seed berth among the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages which begin on Thursday and end with an 18-hole final on Saturday morning.
"My short game was very poor when I failed to beat the cut in the Helen Holm Scottish stroke-play at Troon two or three weeks ago," said Michele who has since had some short-game practice, on the advice of Paul Lawrie with his erstwhile coach, Adam Hunter.
Both Paul and Michele have the same full-time coach, Meldrum House's Neil Marr.

There were signs of a distinct improvement on Sunday when Miss Thomson finished a close-up fifth behind winner Laura Murray (Alford) in the Ness Open over 36 holes at Inverness.
Michele is the only one of the four Scots selected for the GB&I team to play the United States in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of the month who is not in the United States at the moment.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) and her American college, Georgia, have qualified for the NCAA championship finals in New Mexico the week before the Curtis Cup match.
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) is a live-in student at the David Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton Florida.
And 15-year-old Carly Booth has gone back to Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona.
In a perfect world, the "Scottish" would be played at a time of the year when all the talented Scots at US colleges - not just the present generation but future generations to come, as they surely will - would be available to play.