IN-FORM AUSSIE EMMA BENNETT LEADS FIELD
IN AWFUL WEATHER FOR IRISH STROKE-PLAY

Touring Aussie Emma Bennett, winner of the Bridget Jackson Bowl at Handsworth in midweek, made the best of awful weather for the first two rounds of the Irish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Clandeboye Golf Club, Newtonards today.
At first the players had a heavy mist to contend with. Then came heavy rain. No wonder the scoring was high over a testing par-74 track.
Emma had scores of 74 and 75 for a two-round total of 149 with one round still to come on Sunday.
The Australian leads by one shot from three players - Welsh left-hander Stephanie Evans, Germany's Jacqueline Dittrich and home hope Marian Riordan.
Claire Hargan from Mortonhall is the leading Scot on 162.

HALFWAY SCOREBOARD

Par 148 (2 x 74)
149 Emma Bennett (Aus) 74 75.
150 Jacqueline Dittrich (Ger) 77 73, Marian Riordan (Tipperary) 76 74, Stephanie Evans (Wal) 72 78.
151 Bree Arthur (Aus) 74 77.
152 Stacey Keating (NZ) 80 72, Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) 78 74.
153 Rebecca Flood (Aus) 76 77.
154 Anna Scott (Eng) 78 76, Deirdre Smith (Co Louth) 78 76, Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 77 77.
155 Rachel Jennings (Eng) 80 75, Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) 77 78.
156 Clare Choi (Aus) 79 77.
157 Kate Coombes (Aus) 83 74.
159 Nina Geirsdottirf (Ice) 81 78, Sonya Hopley (Clandeboye) 80 79.
161 Alex Howe (Royal Co Down Ladies) 83 78, Karen Delaney (Carlow) 78 83.
162 Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 83 79, Mari Suursalu (Estonia) 81 81, Maura Morrin (The Curragh) 81 81, Sarah Carty (Thie Island) 81 81.
163 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 86 77, Kristina Rothengatter (Ger0 84 79, Helena Arnadottir (Ice) 79 84, Rebecca Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 79 84.
164 Elaine Moffat (St Regulus0 83 81, Jo Nicolson (Wrexham) 81 83, Rachel Cassidy (Stirling University) 80 84, Maria Dunne (Skerries) 78 76.
165 Corisande Lee (Eng) 84 81, Nichola Moore (Cladeboye) 82 83, Tinna Johansdottir (Ice) 81 84, Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway) 80 85.
166 Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew) 87 79, Holli Snelling (Killarney) 86 80, Ann-Marie Dalton (Coollattin) 85 81, Alice Davis (Royal Tara) 82 84.
168 Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 89 79, Shirley Harvey (Ballyclare) 83 85.
MISSED THE CUT
169 Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea) 88 81, Hermione Fitzgerald (Eng) 82 87.
170 Jenna Kinnear (Belvoir Park) 87 83, Karen O'Neill (Douglas) 84 86.
172 Lorraine Boal (Scrabo) 85 87, Elisabet Oddsdottir (Ice) 82 90.
173 Lisa McKeekin (Royal Portrush) 91 82, Sinead Keane (The Curragh) 89 84, Sandra Atkinson (Woodbrook) 88 85.
175 Lauren Mackin (Esp) 95 80.
182 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 92 90.
184 Jane Gardner (Malone) 99 85.
189 Karen Musson (NZ) 88 101.

KATHRYN IMRIE LEADING SCOT WITH ONE ROUND
TO GO IN PORTUGUESE WOMEN'S OPEN

Kathryn Imrie from Monifieth is the leading Scot going into the final round of the Portuguese Women's Open at the Gramacho Pestana Resort course on the Western Algarve.
Kathryn has scored 71 and 73 to be joint 18th on level par 144.
Lynn Kenny slumped from a 69 to a 76 for 145, the same 36-hole tally as Clare Queen who has scored 73 and 72. They are bracketed on the 22nd mark.
Inverness-based Kiwi Liz McKinnon missed the cut by two or three shots with 74 and 78 for 152.
There is a triple tie at the head of the leaderboard with two French ladies, a Swede and an Aussie disputing the pole position.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
137 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 68 69, Sophie Giquel (Fra) 70 67, Louise Stahle (Swe) 70 67, Joanne Mills (Aus) 69 68.
140 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 69 71.
Other scores:
144 Kathryn Imrie (Monifieth) 71 73 (jt 18th).
145 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 69 76, Clare Queen (Carrick at Cameron House) 73 72 (jt 22nd).
MISSED CUT
152 Liz McKinnon (NZ) 74 78.

US WOMEN'S OPEN HIT BY WEATHER SUSPENSIONS:
ONLY HANDFUL HAVE PLAYED TWO ROUNDS


At the rate they are going, the United States Women's Open will finish round about next Wednesday.
The thunder and lightning storms never go far away at this time of the year over Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, Southern Pines in North Carolina and the competitors have been on and off the course like yo-yos since Thursday's start.
There was no play after 3.18 on Friday afternoon because of the threat of severe weather, i.e. lightning, which means only a handful of players have completed their second rounds.
They include Laura Davies who must be wishing she still had to finish because she has had rounds of 72 and 75 and 147 might not make the cut, if they ever have on.

VIKKI JOINT 40th IN ILLINOIS TOURNAMENT

Vikki Laing from Musselburgh was lying joint 40th after the first round of the Team WLF.org Classic, the latest event on the United States Futures Tour, at Kankakee Elks Country Club, Saint Anne in Illinois.
The Scot had halves of 38 and 36 for a two-over-par 74 over the 6,244yd, par 72 (35-37) course to be six shots behind the joint leaders, Brooke Tull (35-33) and Celeste Troche (34-34) from Paraguay.
Troche had only 21 putts, including a chip-in birdie in her round while Tull had 27 putts.
South Wales amateur Natasha Morgan, playing the No 2 American women's professional tour while on summer holidays from Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida, had a 76 (40-36) while Brenda McLarnon from Belfast had a 79 (36-43).
The temperature touched 79 degrees with winds gusting to 18mph.
LEADERBOARD
Par 72 (35-37)
68 Brooke Tull (Texas) 35-33, Celeste Troche (Paraguay) 34-34.
69 Meghan Little (South Dakota) 35-34, Beth Allen (California) 34-35, Rachel Bailey (Australia) 35-34).
Other scores:
74 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 38-36 (jt 40th).
76 Natasha Morgan (South Wales) (am) 40-36 (jt 68th).
79 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) 36-43 (jt 106th).

LYNN KENNY ONE BEHIND LEADERS IN
PORTUGUESE WOMEN'S OPEN

Obviously boosted by her best-ever performance last week - a top-10 finish on the Ladies European Tour, Lynn Kenny has come out of the traps like a greyhound (hopefully she will pardon the comparison), in the Portuguese Women's Open.
Lynn, representing Archerfield Links Golf Club, shot a first-round 69 to be only one shot off the pace.
Kathryn Imrie didn't do too badly either. The Monifieth player had a 71.
Clare Queen (Carrick at Cameron House) had a 73.

SCOREBOARD
Gramacho Pestano Resort on Algarve.

68 Cherie Byrnes (Aus), Lisa Jean (Aus), Jade Schaeffer (Fra)
69 Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Lynn Kenny (Sco), Minea Blomqvist (Fin), Mianne Bagger (Den), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Joanne Mills (Aus)
70 Anja Monke (Ger), RsamanTha Head (Eng), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Titiya PluckRsataporn (Tha), Anna Rossi (Ita), Sophie Giquel (Fra), Louise Stahle (Swe), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi)
71 Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Paula Marti (Spa), Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin), Libby Smith (USA), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Kathryn Imrie (Sco), Kirsty Taylor (Eng), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Lynn Brooky (Nzl)
72 Asa Gottmo (Swe), Martina Gillen (Irl), Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal), Diana Luna (Ita), Laura Terebey (USA)
73 Barbara Paruscio (Ita), Holly Aitchison (Am) (Eng), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Helena Alterby (Swe), LiRsa Hall (Eng), Natalie ClaIrl Booth (Eng), Clare Queen (Sco), Anna Tybring (Swe), Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Rikke Rasmussen (Den), LiRsa Holm Sorensen (Den), Leah Hart (Aus), Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra)
74 Eva Bjarvall (Swe), Patricia Beliard (Fra), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe), Sophie Walker (Eng), Ana B Rsanchez (Spa), Antonella CvItan (Swe), Anna Temple (Rsa), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Karen Lunn (Aus), Marina Arruti (Spa), Danielle Masters (Eng), Jehanne Jail (Fra), Lora Fairclough (Eng), Jenni KuoRsa (Fin), Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl), Tullia Calzavara (Ita), MargherIta Rigon (Ita), Marta Prieto (Spa), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Marta VaSconcelos (Por) (am).
75 Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa), VanesRsa Bell (Eng), Lara Tadiotto (Bel), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Carlie Butler (Aus), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Rsara Beautell (Spa), Anna Rawson (Aus), Stefania Croce (Ita), Shani Waugh (Aus), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den), Sofia Renell (Swe)
76 Elin Ohlsson (Swe), Shelley McKevitt (Eng), Morgana Robbertze (Rsa), Stephanie Arricau (Fra), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Carmen Alonso (Spa), Ellen Smets (Bel), Rsarah Heath (Eng), Nienke Nijenhuis (NIrl), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Suzanne Dickens (Eng), Louise Friberg (Swe), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin), Maria Boden (Swe)
77 Ana Melo (Por) (am), Claire Coughlan (Irl), Isabella Maconi (Ita), Natascha Fink (Aut), Ana Larraneta (Spa), Denise Simon (Ger), Kirsty J Fisher (Eng), Beatriz Recari (Spa), Marianne SkarpNord (Nor), Lill Kristin Rsaether (Nor)
78 Anna Knutsson (Swe), Liza Walters (Eng), Kiran Matharu (Eng), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Fany Schaeffer (Fra)
79 Nina Karlsson (Swe), Maria BeAutell (Spa), Veronica Zorzi (Ita)
80 Nicole Gergely (Aut), Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Julie Tvede (Den)
81 Monia Bernardo (Por), Elisa Serramia (Spa)
82 Sophie Hunter (Eng)
83 Julie Berton (Fra), Carla Cruz (Am) (Por)
84 Nuria Clau (Spa)
85 Fame More (Eng)
87 Nora Angehrn (Swi)

US WOMEN'S OPEN FIRST ROUND COMPLETED

The first round of the US Women's Open was completed early on the morning of the second day of the championship at Pine Needles Lodge & GC in North Carolina.
SCOREBOARD
Par 71. Players from US unless stated.
68 Angela Park
69 Shiho Oyama (Jpn), In-Bee Park (Kor)
70 Joo Mi Kim (Kor), Ji-Yai Shin (Kor), Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor), Amy Hung (Tha), Charlotte Mayorkas, Julieta Granada (Par)
71 Meena Lee (Kor), Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome, Lorena Ochoa (Mex), Cristie Kerr, Karine Icher (Fra), Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor), Jennie Lee (Ae), Janice Moodie (Sco)
72 Kris Tamulis, Leta Lindley, Paula Creamer, Jee Young Lee (Kor), Jennifer Song, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor), Sakura Yokomine (Jpn), Angela Stanford, Laura Davies (Eng), Amanda Blumenherst, Katherine Hull (Aus), Mina Harigae, Jeong Jang (Kor)
73 Jane Park, In Kyung Kim (Kor), Diana D'Alessio, Moo Sattayabanphot (Tha), Katie Futcher, Nicole Melton, Carolina Llano, Jimin Kang (Kor), Moira Dunn, Marcy Hart, Wendy Doolan (Aus), Il Mi Chung (Kor), Esther Choe, Su A Kim, Ai Miyazato (Jpn), Sherri Turner, Birdie Kim (Kor), Sophie Gustafson (Swe)
74 Kelly Cap, Kelli Kuehne, Annika Sorenstam (Swe), Amy Yang, Courtney Ellenbogen, Kelly Cavanaugh, Pat Hurst, Kyeong Eun Bae (Kor), Se Ri Pak (Kor), Jimin Jeong, Giulia Sergas (Ita), Amie Cochran, Dorothy Delasin, Candie Kung (Tai), Ha Na Jang, Natalie Gulbis, Erica Blasberg, Alena Sharp, Laura Diaz, Karin Sjodin (Swe)
75 Stacy Prammanasudh, Young Kim (Kor), Patricia Meunier-Lebouc (Fra), Marci Turner, Joanne Lee, Sung Ah Yim (Kor), Aree Song (Kor), Becky Morgan (Wal), A.J Eathorne (Can), Allison Fouch, Johanna Head (Eng), Catriona Matthew (Sco), Michele Redman, Wendy Ward, Dina Ammaccapane, Ji-Young Oh (Kor), Teresa Lu (Tai), Na Yeon Choi (Kor), Karen-Margreth Juul (Den), Danielle Kang, Sherri Steinhauer, Nicole Castrale
76 Heather Young, Alexis Thompson, Maria Hjorth (Swe), Suzann Pettersen (Nor), Gloria Park (Kor), Katharina Schallenberg, Carin Koch (Swe), Meaghan Francella, Mi-Jeong Jeon (Jpn), Shanshan Feng (Chn)
77 Taylor Leon, Song-Hee Kim (Kor), Kristina Tucker (Swe), Liselotte Neumann (Swe), Grace Park (Kor), Sophia Sheridan (Mex), Audra Burks, Mo Martin, Taryn Durham, Hye Jung Choi (Kor), Nicola Hage
78 Sarah Lynn Sargent, Sydnee Michaels, Juli Inkster, Tiffany Tavee (Af), Vicky Hurst, Rachel Hetherington (Aus), Hee Young Park (Kor), Sun Young Yoo (Kor), Beth Bader, Kimberly Kim, Brandi Jackson, Christina Kim, Jose Maria (Spa), Annie Young, Jana Peterkova, Yoora Kim (Kor), Silvia Cavalleri (Ita), Meg Mallon, Stacy Lewis, Tiffany Lua
79 Jin Joo Hong (Kor), Dana Dormann, Sarah Lee, Brittany Lang, Gwladys Nocera (Fra)
80 Ashley Rollins, Ashley Prange, Irene Cho, Eva Dahllof (Swe)
81 Anna Acker-Macosko, Hilary Lunke, Meghan Bolger, Paola Moreno, Ashley Grier, Tina Barrett
82 Janice Gibson, Michelle null Wie, Young-A Yang (Kor), Salanee Henderson, Leah Marie Wigger
83 Karrie Webb (Aus), Angela Jerman, Erika Wicoff
89 Maria Kostin

Clubgolf at Stirling

30 primary 5 pupils from local schools recently completed their Clubgolf coaching at Stirling Golf Club. Golf Professional Phil Morris said "The youngsters have progressed really well over the 10 week period. Most of them had not played golf before, and now have attained basic skills in putting, chipping and full swing. I would like to thank Clubgolf and the volunteer coaches for their input to the programme".

CARLY BOOTH FINISHES WITH A DOUBLE BOGEY
BUT WINS SCOTTISH U-21 GIRLS' TITLE BY
NINE STROKES FROM LAURA AND KYLIE

Only a few days after her old brother Wallace won the Tennant Cup by five shots, Carly Booth from Comrie spreadeagled the field to win the Scottish Under-21 girls’ open amateur stroke-play championship by nine strokes at Auchterarder Golf Club today.
“Anything he can do, I can do better,” joked Carly, who had her 15th birthday only last week and has a +2 handicap that should soon be +3.
“Seriously, I owe this win to Wallace for sorting out my golf swing after I came home from a few months at the Golf Academy in Florida. My brother took me back to basics, back to the natural swing that I had lost and he has worked hard to put me back on track.”
Carly, a former member of the Auchterarder club, had rounds of 70, 68 and 69 for a three-under-par total of 207 over a course lengthened by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to 5,488yd with a par of 70, but a standard scratch score of 72 specially for this event.
Despite dropping three shots late on in her final round, including a double-bogey at the par-3 last where she was plugged in a bunker, Miss Booth won by the runaway margin of nine strokes from Robert Gordon University student Laura Murray (Alford) and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle).
Carly also won the Menzies Cup for the lowest scored by an Under-18 year old
The record winning margin in this championship was set only 12 months ago by Krystle Caithness who beat the field by 11 shots with a record low total of 202. Krystle was unable to defend the title this week because she was required to practise with the rest of the Great Britain & Ireland squad at Fairmont St Andrews for next month’s Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent.
Carly, who has played for Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup match, has now won two Scottish titles. Last year, she won the Scottish Under-16 girls’ open title.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3 x 70) CSS 73 72 72
207 C Booth (Comrie) 70 68 69.
216 L Murray (Alford) 76 71 69, K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 75 69 72.
218 M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 76 74 68.
221 K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 77 73 71.
222 E Alonso (France) 75 75 72.
224 R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 75 78 71.
226 R Niven (Crieff) 81 75 70, K Brotherton (Tulliallan) 79 76 71, E Fairnie (Dunbar) 77 76 73.
228 H Owers-Bradley (Wollaton Park) 79 73 76.
229 P Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 78 78 73.
230 E Muirhead (Pitlochry) 78 72 80.
231 R Wilson (Monifieth) 76 80 75, G Webster (Hilton Park) 82 72 77, E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 76 77 78.
232 E Lowrey-Gold (Eaton) 78 78 76.
234 M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 87 72 75, C-M Carlton (Fereneze) 76 75 83.
235 L Hendry (Routenburn) 82 77 76.
237 S Vass (Tain) 81 80 76.
238 J Meldrum (Dullatur) 79 82 77, L MacGregor (Falkirk) 79 80 79, G Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 80 80 78.
241 J Sneddon (Alyth) 80 80 81.
243 S Leslie (Westhill) 80 84 79, S Herd (Dunblane New) 79 82 82.
245 R McIntyre (Eden) 84 78 83.
247 R McQueen (Troon Bentinck Ladies) 80 89 78.
248 J Wycherley (Merchants of Edinburgh) 87 83 78, A Niven (Crieff) 85 82 81, L MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) 83 82 83, J Linklater (Largs) 84 81 83.
250 L Whitehead (Droitwich) 86 86 78, I Craigie (Torwoodlee) 81 80 89.
252 L Allan (Kilbirnie Place) 85 82 85.
253 E MacKay (Nairn Dunbar) 83 85 85, L Atkins (Minto) 88 80 85.
255 L McGillivray (Oldmeldrum) 85 87 83.
256 R Watton (Mortonhall) 87 82 87.
258 C Mulholland (Hilton Park) 85 89 84, A Smith (Monifieth) 83 88 87.
259 R Archibald (Merchants of Edinburgh) 83 89 87.
260 A McKechin (Elderslie) 88 85 87, F Blair (Monifieth) 80 92 88, G Arnott (Kilbirnie Place) 85 86 89.
261 K Scott (Windyhill) 86 87 88.
263 A McGarty (Harburn) 88 89 86, L Meldrum (Dullatur) 87 89 87.
265 N Qayum (Ranfurly Castle) 87 93 85.
266 H Gaunt (Troon Bentinck Ladies) 89 90 87.
267 G MacDonald (Prestonfield) 92 90 85.
270 J Vass (Tain) 89 85 96.
280 H Goodwin (Glenbervie) 96 96 88.
282 N Taylor (Thornton) 99 88 95.
285 M Aird (Strathmore) 96 100 89.
290 A A Alston (Royal Montrose) 101 96 93.
297 A Goodwin (Glenbervie) 98 93 106.
313 J Smith (Kinross) 105 106 102.
320 A Burnett (Dunkeld) 116 109 95.
357 E Aird (Strathmore) 134 114 109.
Withdrew: R Howie (West Kilbride) 108 103 - , L Smith (Monifieth) 83 80 -.

WEATHER HITS US WOMEN'S OPEN

Play was suspended during the first round of the 2007 U.S. Women's Open on Thursday at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club due to inclement weather in the area.
Players were unable to finish the second round as play was halted at 8:25 p.m. due to darkness. The original suspension of play was at 2:47 p.m. due to a dangerous weather situation and resumed at 6:23 p.m.
The full afternoon portion of the 156-player field (26 groups, 78 players) was still on the golf course when play was suspended and halted for the day. The first-round will resume on Friday at 7:30 a.m local time. The start of the second round will take place once the first round .

Scroll down for news of the leading scores in the clubhouse before play was halted.

MICHELE WIE HAS 82 IN FIRST ROUND OF
UNITED STATES WOMEN'S OPEN ... BUT
ONE BETTER THAN KARRIE WEBB!

Michele Wie returned a first-round score of 82 in the first round of the US Women's Open today before play was suspended because of bad weather.
It was the 17-year-old Hawaiian's 21st successive round without breaking par.
Before setting out, Michele said her left wrist, injured a few months ago, "felt better," but she hit only four fairways and four greens in regulation at Pine Needs Lodge.
"It's very frustrating because I know I played better than this," she said. "It's a very fine line between shooting 69 and shooting what I shot today."
Apparently, that fine line is marked by out-of-bounds stakes, beyond which she deposited a ball on the fourth hole. She also whacked two tee shots into the paying customers, sending them scattering for cover, and hit an approach shot that ricochetted off a set of grandstands.
As a result, Michele Wie is all but certain to miss the cut for the first time in her 15 women's majors.
Her dramatic downward spiral means that Michele will almost certainly have to survive two week-long stages of the LPGA Qualifying School in the late autumn to be able to play the circuit next year. She becomes eligible for LPGA membership on October 11, her 18th birthday.
Wie can automatically secure exempt status for 2008 by finishing among the top 90 players on this season's money list. But the way she is playing makes that prospect seem remote. She's made $3,273 in two starts this year.
At Q-School, the usually high-profile Wie would be just another hopeful face in the crowd trying to gain a foothold, never mind her reported $15 million in ANNUAL endorsement revenue from Nike.
+Karrie Webb's 83 - no birdies, only seven pars - was the shock first-round score in the US Women's Open, given that we have come to expect bad scores from Michele Wie in recent months.
"I have no excuses. I'm not that kind of player," Webb said. "Do you think I had any idea I'd shoot 83? It was a terrible round, one of the worst days of my career."
Catriona Matthew had a moderate 75 - seven shots behind the early leader, Angela Park.
+Early scores: 68 (-3) Angela Park. 70 Amy Hung, Jiyai Shin, Joo Mi Kim, Shi Hyun Ann, JUlieta Granada, Charlotte Mayorkas. 71 (level par) Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel, Lorena Ochoa, Brittany Lincicome, Jennie Lee (am). Other scores: 75 Catriona Matthew, Becky Morgan. 82 Michele Wie. 83 Karrie Webb.

ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

ANNIKA LOOKING FORWARD TO RETURNING TO ST ANDREWS FOR WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

Here's an interesting extract from Annika Sorenstam's Media Centre interview by Rhonda Glenn prior to the US Women's Open:

Q. Can you just talk about how much you're looking forward to St. Andrews and the British (Women's) Open?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, that's another fantastic golf course. I played St Andrews as an amateur, and I'm trying to remember when it was, it's so long ago. But that is, I think, a big step in women's golf.

If you think of it, for us to play a championship like that at St. Andrews, because I remember when I played as an amateur there was a sign out there that said, "No dogs or women allowed" (laughter). For us to be able to go there now is -- is it still there? Hopefully they'll take it out for the week (laughter). Oh, no women? So, it won't be quite the dog fight then. But anyway, I think it's going to be great for women -- for us to go play there. I'm looking forward to that.

ANY COMMENTS?

Was there every really a sign that said "No dogs or women allowed" at the R&A clubhouse? Does anyone else remember it or was it something that somebody invented as a joke and has become part of the mythology of the R&A clubhouse?

E-mails, please, to colin@scottishgolfview.com

PUTTING ANNIKA SORENSTAM STRAIGHT

By the way, we can put Annika Sorenstam straight about the last time she played the Old Course. It was 1990 when she won the St Rule Trophy after a play-off with Jennifer Allmark.

Christine Middleton, who won the St Rule Trophy in 1988 and 1989, recalled at the weekend during the North Division women's inter-county team championship, that Annika was also among the players she beat to win the tournament in 1989.

And Ms Sorenstam did not even finish second in 1989 which was the first year the tournament was played over 54 holes.... Donna Jackson and Julie Forbes tied for second place on 235, three shots behind Christine, who now lives quite close to Cruden Bay Golf Club.

Scottish Under-21 girls' open amateur stroke-play

CARLY STREAKS SIX CLEAR WITH 70

AND 68 AT AUCHTERARDER

Comrie’s Carly Booth streaked six shots clear of the field after 36 holes of the Scottish Under-21 girls’ open stroke-play championship at Auchterarder Golf Club, Perthshire today.
Carly, who celebrated her 15th birthday last week, had rounds of 70 and 68 for a two-under-par tally of 140 over a course extended by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to make it a tougher test for the girls. The CSS in the first round was 73.
Miss Booth, pictured right, has a bag of 10 birdies over the 36 holes. In the morning she mastered the outward half with a two-under-par score to the turn, birdieing the fourth, fifth and seventh.
In the afternoon, Carly got to grips with the inward half and reduced it to 32 strokes with birdies at the 13th and two par-5 holes, the 15th and 17th.
Leading by five shots from Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), French challenger Emilie Alonso and Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) after the French round, Carly increased her advantage to six shots with one round to go after her superb 68.
Kylie Walker also broke the par of 70 with a second-round 69 to be lying second on 144.
Laura Murray (Alford) continued the form that saw her win six games out of six for East Division champions Aberdeenshire at the weekend. The Robert Gordon University student had rounds of 76 and 71 to be lying third on 147.
Aberdeenshire women’s champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), who gains her first full cap for Scotland in next month’s European women’s team championships, is sharing fourth place on 150 with Emilie Alonso, 16-year-old Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) and surprise challenger Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry).

FIRST-DAY SCOREBOARD

Par 140 (2 x 70). SS 72. First round CSS 73.

138 C Booth (Comrie) 70 68.
144 K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 75 69.
147 L Murray (Alford) 76 71.
150 E Alonso (France) 75 75, M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 76 74, K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 77 73, E Muirhead (Pitlochry)
151 C-M Carlton (Fereneze) 76 75.
152 H Owers-Bradley (Wollaton Park) 79 73.
153 E Fairnie (Dunbar) 77 76, R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 75 78, E Briggs (Kilmacolm) 76 77.
154 G Webster (Hilton Park) 82 72.
155 K Brotherton (Tulliallan) 79 76.
156 R Niven (Crieff) 81 75, P Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 78 68, E Lowrey-Gold (Eaton) 78 78, R Wilson (Monifieth) 76 80.
159 L Hendry (Routenburn) 82 77, M Briggs) 87 72, L MacGregor (Falkirk) 79 80.
160 G Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 80 80, J Sneddon (Alyth) 80 80.
161 I Craigie (Torwoodlee) 81 80, J Meldrum (Dullatur) 79 82, S Vass (Tain) 81 80, S Herd (Dunblane New) 79 82.
162 R McIntyre (Eden) 84 78.
164 S Leslie (Westhill) 80 84.
165 J Linklater (Largs) 84 81, L MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) 83 82.
167 L Allan (Kilbiurnie Place) 85 82, A Niven (Crieff) 85 82.
168 E MacKay (Nairn Dunbar) 83 85, L Atkins (Minto) 88 80.
169 R Watton (Mortonhall) 87 82, R McQueen (Troon Bentinck) 80 89.
170 J Wycherley (Merchants of Edinburgh) 87 83.
171 A Smith (Monifieth) 83 88, G Arnott (Kilbirnie Place) 85 86.
172 L Whitehead (Droitwich) 86 86, R Archibald (Merchants of Edinburgh) 83 89, F Blair (Monifieth) 80 92.
173 K Scott (Windyhill) 86 87.
174 C Mulholland (Hilton Park) 85 89.
176 L Meldrum (Dullatur) 87 89.
177 A McGarty (Harburn) 88 89.
179 H Gaunt (Troon Bentinck) 89 90.
182 G MacDonald (Prestonfield) 92 90.
183 L Smith (Monfieth) 93 90.
192 H Goodwin (Glenbervie) 96 96.

BRIGHT YOUNG SCOTS HEADING SOUTH OF BORDER

The Scottish Golf Union is sending eight bright young prospects to Southport & Ainsdale, Lancashire next week to contest the English Under-16 boys' open stroke-play championship for the McGregor Trophy.Two teams of three will represent Scotland in the Nations Cup, held in conjunction with the main event, while Inchmarlo’s Chris Robb and Aberdonian William Russell, the youngest ever men's champion of The Duke's Golf Club, St Andrews, will compete alongside the six other Scots in a field of 132 for the individual title race for the McGregor Trophy.

The Scotland teams are:
1 Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle), David Law (Hazlehead), Paul McPhee (King James VI).
2 Daniel Young (Craigie Hill), Tom Blennerhassett (Dalmahoy), Andrew McLachlan (Bonnyton).

The 72-hole tournament starts on Wednesday and finishes on Friday.
ends

Vagliano Trophy

LGU Press Release

VAGLIANO TEAM PRACTISE AT ST ANDREWS

The team of nine players who have been selected to defend the Vagliano Trophy against the Continent of Europe at Fairmont, St Andrews in July will assemble there for pre match practice from Thursday 28 June – Sunday 1 July.

The match will be played over the Torrance Course on 27 & 28 July and as Mary McKenna, the team Captain said; “not many of our team know the course so we have a lot of homework to do by the end of this week.”

“We’ll mainly be working on yardages, alternative pin positions and the game plan to be used on each hole so that when we go there for the match at the end of July, the course management strategy will be down on paper.”

“This week we will also have a first look at possible pairings, remembering that in South Africa for the Commonwealth Tournament the pairings we used worked really well.”

For the training session, Mary will be assisted by Tegwen Matthews and LGU coach Lawrence Farmer who will be able to advise on course management.

Mary continued; “First and foremost it is a great chance for the girls to get to know each other and to work out a strategy away from the pressure of the match.”

Midlothian team with the trophy. Back row (left to right): Jane Turner, Wendy Nicholson, Karen Marshall, Claire Hargan. Front row: Fiona de Vries, Belinda murphy, Claire Macdonald, Rachael Livingstone.

MIDLOTHIAN TOPPLE SCOTTISH CHAMPIONS
FIFE AND EARN PLACE IN COUNTY FINALS

Midlothian toppled Scottish champions Fife in the East Division women’s inter-county team championship title decider at Ladybank Golf Club today.
Both team went into the match with two wins out of two and it was Midlothian who triumphed 5 ½-3 ½ to finish with a 100 per cent record and a place in the Scottish county finals at Tulliallan Golf Club at the end of August.
Midlothian took a 2-1 lead in the morning foursomes and shaded the singles 3 ½-2 ½ with wins by Claire Macdonald, teenager Jane Turner and Belinda Murphy. County champion Claire Hargan halved the top singles with Fife’s Jocelyn Carthew.
Claire Macdonald (Midlothian) and former Scottish champion Elaine Moffat (Fife) were the most successful players in the three-day tournament Both finished with five points out of a possible six.
Claire Hargan was second best in the Midlothian points parade with 4 1/2pt, just ahead of Jane Turner with 4pt.
Jocelyn Carthew and Fiona Lockhart, another former Scottish champion in the Fife line-up, each contributed 4pt to the Fife effort.
Stirling & Clackmannan beat East Lothian 5-4 in the other third-day match, which earned them third place in the table.
Midlothian join Aberdeenshire and Dumfries-shire, who won the North and South divisional titles earlier this week in the county finals. The West Division team championship, at Prestwick St Nicholas from July 9 to 11, will decided who completes the four-team line-up at Tulliallan..
Final day details at Ladybank:
EAST LOTHIAN 4, STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN 5
Foursomes: K Brotherton & E Fairnie bt L Allan & S Mitchell 1 hole; L Nicholson & J Smith lost to H MacRae & V Stevenson 2 and 1; F Prior & L Mortensen lost to L Macgregor & M Tough 1 hole (1-2).
Singles – L Nicholson lost to MacRae 3 and 1, Brotherton bt Allan 5 and 4, Mortensen bt E Allison 3 and 2, M Thomson lost to Macgregor 1 hole, S Penman lost to Mitchell 1 hole, Fairnie bt Tough 1 hole (3-3).
FIFE 3 ½, MIDLOTHIAN 5 ½
Foursomes: L Kenney & J Carthew lost to C Hargan & W Nicholson 4 and 2; F Lockhart & E Moffat bt K Marshall & F De Vries 6 and 4; L Bennett & B Copland lost to C MacDdonald & J Turner 4 and 2 (1-2).
Singles – Carthew halved with Hargan, Lockhart lost to Macdonald 3 and 2, Moffat lost to Turner 2 and 1, Kenney bt Marshall 2 holes, Bennett lost to B Murphy 2 holes, L Fury bt W Nicholson 3 and 2 (2 ½-3 ½)
HOW THEY FINISHED
Midlothian 3pt, Fife 2pt, Stirling & Clackmannan 1pt, East Lothian 0pt.

REVENGE FOR SCOTS YOUTHS OVER IRISH


Scotland gained a measure of revenge for last year’s defeat by Ireland at Blairgowrie when they won the annual youths international golf match 6-3 at West Waterford Golf Club.
The Under-21 Scots put themselves in a very strong position when they won two and halved the other in the three morning foursomes.
The Irish came out fighting for the six singles and Seamus Power, playing over his home course, beat Newmachar’s Lewis Kirton 6 and 4 in the top singles. But Scott Borrowman, the new Scottish youths champion from Dollar, steadied the ship by winning the No 2 singles tie by 2 and 1 against Andrew Hogan. Borrowman was one down at the turn but never looked back after birdieing the 12th.
Ireland did gain a second win in the singles when Niall Kearney won a tight one against Philip McLean (Peterhead) on the last green. McLean played well - he had an eagle at the 16th - and was unlucky not to gain a halved match.
But Scotland’s tail wagged with Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), who had been two down with five to play, halving his match against Neil O’Briain before Robert McKnight (Barassie) beat Dara Lernihand 3 and 2 and Ross Kellett was a 2 and 1 winner over Fergal Rafferty. Kellett had a bag of five birdies, including a chip-in at the 15th.
The Scots have stayed on at West Waterford Golf Club for the two-day Irish youths open stroke-play championship at the same venue, starting on Thursday.
Details:
IRELAND 3, SCOTLAND 6
Irish names first
Foursomes – N Kearney & S Power lost to L Kirton & S Borrowman 3 and 1; A Hogan & D Lernihan lost to J Findlay & P McLean 7 and 6; N O’Briain & F Rafferty halved with R McKnight & R Kellett (1/2-2 ½)
Singles – Power bt Kirton 6 and 4, Hogan lost to Borrowman 2 and 1, Kearney bt McLean 1 hole, O’Briain halved with Findlay, Lernihan lost to McKnight 3 and 2, Rafferty lost to Kellett 2 and 1 (2 ½-3 ½).

+The result of last year's match at Blairgowrie was Scotland 3 1/2, Ireland 5 1/2, not 2-7 as was stated earlier in the week.

Northern Counties

Northern Counties team who finished runners-up to Aberdeenshire in the North Division women's inter-county team championship at Cruden Bay.

Back row (left to right)
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Donna Macleod (Inverness), Mary Smith (Tain), LauraWalker (Nairn Dunbar), Eileen Manson (Thurso), Kerri Harper (Inverness).

Front row (left to right)
Mairi Orr (Tain), county captain, Jenny Milne (Elgin), Susan MacKenzie (Elgin), Ashton Ingam (Fort William).

East Division Inter-County Championship photos

Fife

Back Row: L to R: Fiona Lockhart, Louise Kenney, Jocelyn Carthew, Lesley Rolland, Lorna Fury, Elaine Moffat
Front row: L to R: Becky Copland, Joan Blyth (Vice-Captain), Dorothy Ford (Captain), Lorna Bennett

Midlothian
Back row L to R Karen Marshall, Fiona de Vries, , Claire Macdonald, Wendy Nicholson
Front Row L to R Jane Turner, Rachael Livingstone, Belinda Murphy, Claire Hargan

Stirling and Clackmannan
Back Row L to R Stella Mitchell, Linda Allan, Elaine Allison, Margaret Tough
Front Row L to R Heather Macrae, Vicki Stevenson, Louise McGregor, Tricia Chillas

East Lothian
Back Row L to R Fiona Prior, Moira Thomson, Lesley Nicholson, Emma Fairnie
Front Row L to R Susan Penman, Jayne Smith, line Mortensen, Kelly Brotherton

Thanks to Alma Robertson for the photos
[If you click on a photo you will get a much bigger image in a new window]

South Division Champions - Dumfries-shire

Please find attached a picture of the Dumfries-shire women's golf team with the South Division inter-county team championship trophy which they won at Thornhill Golf Club on Monday. They now go forward to the Scottish county finals at Tulliallan at the end of August. Galloway and Borders were the other contestants at Thornhill.

CAPTION:

Back left to right: Lindsey Kirkwood, Diane Macdonald, Fiona MacGregor (county captain), Jordana Graham, Gladys McClymont (vice captain), Margaret McGregor, Eileen Scott.

Front left to right: Trish Lilly, Pearl Beattie

WIZARD FROM OZ WINS BRIDGET

JACKSON BOWL AFTER PLAY-OFF

AGAINST SAHRA HASSAN

Emma Bennett from Kingston Heath Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia scored her second win on the English women's 36-hole open golf circuit when she won a play-off for the Bridget Jackson Bowl at Handsworth Golf Club, Birmingham this eveninG.
"I've been running this tournament for 26 years and this is the first time we've had a play-off," said Bridget Jackson. "We had a couple of ties in the early years and at that time we settled it on a card countback but the players themselves voted to have a play-off in future years. But one has never been necessary until now. It certainly provided a thrilling finish to the day."
Emma, pictured above, the fifth best qualifier for the match-play stages and beaten by Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) in the round of the last 16 at the recent Ladies' British open amateur championship at Alwoodley, Leeds, tied with new GB&I Vagliano Trophy cap Sahra Hassan from Vale of Glamorgan on 141 - five shots clear of the third placed Australian Clare Choi from the Huntingdale club.
It was a good tournament for the band of golfing tourists from Down Under. Susan Keating from Victoria finished tied fourth and Kate Combes from Long Island Country Club finished eighth.
Emma Bennett, whose ambition is to be a teaching professional, and hopefully coach to a national squad or the like, trailed first-round leader Sahra by five shots with a 74 but she made up the difference with a second-round 67 to Miss Hassan's 72. In the play-off, Emma won the title and the trophy with a par 4 after Sahra was in a bunker.
LEADING TOTALS
141 E Bennett (Aus) 74 67, S Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) 69 72 (Bennett won sudden-death play-off at first hole with a par).
146 A Scott (Consett) 76 71, S Keating (Aus) 75 72.
148 J Hodge (Knowle) 73 75.
149 C Aitken (The London) 75 74.
150 K Combes (Aus) 785 75.
151 C Douglass (Brocket Hall) 75 76, S Birks (Wolstanton) 73 78.
152 S J Eaves (Cosby) 78 74, R Jennings (Izaak Walton) 77 75, E Givens (Blackwell Grange) 77 75, E Lyons (West Surrey) 76 76.
153 T Holder (Oxford Ladies) 76 77.
154 R Connor (Manchester) 77 77, N Whitmore (Woburn) 77 77.
155 L Collin (John O'Gaunt) 76 79, G Dunn (Peterborough Milton) 75 80.
156 L Jones (Royal Liveprool) 77 79.
157 C Dalton (Ladbrook Park) 80 77, J Brown (Brocton Hall) 80 77, H Jenkins (Cradoc), T Boyes (Meon Valley) 76 81.
158 S James (Bristol & Clifton) 79 79, C Howells (Moor Hall) 77 81.
159 S Stubbs (Shifnall) 83 76, J Florey (Goring & Streatley) 83 76, G Taylor (Leek) 82 77, H Key (South Herts) 81 78., F Thompson (Ellesborough) 78 81.
161 L Gould (Bargoed) 81 80, S Dye (Delamere Forest) 77 84.
162 J Rhodes (South Staffs) 82 80, K Best (Sherwood Forest) 74 88.
163 L Barton (Coventry) 78 84.
164 G Beasley (Woburn) 85 79, E Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies) 81 83.
168 G Shaw (Aston Wood) 89 79.
170 H White (Worfield) 86 84.
172 H Beasley (Woburn) 87 85.
173 H Coles (Mxstoke Park) 88 85.

FIFE v MIDLOTHIAN EAST DIVISION
TITLE DECIDER AT LADYBANK

Scottish champions Fife took another big step towards a place in the Scottish county finals at Tulliallan Golf Club at the end of August when they beat East Lothian 5 ½-3 ½ on the second day of the East Division women’s inter-county golf championship at Ladybank Golf Club.
Fife won their first-day match 8-1 against Stirling & Clackmannan.
Midlothian, who beat Stirling & Clackmannan 5-4 today, meet Fife on the third and last day’s programme. It will be a meeting between the only two teams with 100 per cent winning records so far.
East Lothian and Fife shared the morning foursomes before Fife’s strength in depth made all the difference in the singles which Fife won 4-2 with wins by Jocelyn Carthew, Lorna Bennett, Lorna Fury and Elaine Moffat.
East Lothian had won the top two singles through Lesley Nicholson, the former tour professional reinstated to the amateur ranks, and Kelly Brotherton. They beat Fiona Lockhart and Louise Kenney respectively.
Midlothian took a stranglehold on the outcome of their match with Stirling & Clackmannan by taking the foursomes 3-0. The latter made a gallant effort to turn the tables in the singles, winning them 4-2 with wins by Heather MacRae, Linda Allan, Vicki Stevenson and Margaret Tough.
Tuesday details:
EAST LOTHIAN 3 ½, FIFE 5 ½
Foursomes: K Brotherton & E Fairnie halved with L Kenney & J Carthew; L Nicholson & J Smith lost to F Lockhart & E Moffat 5 and 3; F Prior & L Mortensen bt L Fury & L Rolland 4 and 3 (1 ½-1 ½).
Singles: Nicholson bt Lockhart 2 holes, Brotherton bt Kenney 4 and 2, Prior lost to Carthew 1 hole, Mortensen lost to L Bennett 3 and 2, M Thomson lost to Fury 3 and 2, Fairie lost to Moffat 3 and 2 (2-4).
STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN 4, MIDLOTHIAN 5
Foursomes: L Allan & S Mitchell lost to J Turner & C Macdeonald 3 and 2; T Chillas & H MacRae lost to C Hargan & B Murphy 1 hole; L Macgregor & M Tough lost to K Marshall & W Nicholson 1 hole (0-3).
Singles – E Allison lost to Hargan 6 and 5, MacRae bt W Nicholson 4 and 2, Allan bt Turner 1 hole, Mitchell lost to F De Vries 6 and 4, V Stevenson bt Murphy 1 hole, Tough bt \Macdonald 3 and 2 (4-2).
HOW THEY STAND
Fife 2 wins, Midlothian 2 wins, East Lothian 0 wins, Stirling & Clackmannan 0 wins.

BORROWMAN, KELLETT SPEARHEAD
SCOTS YOUTHS' BID TO BEAT IRISH

New Scotland youths champion Scott Borrowman from Dollar and Ross Kellett from Motherwell, conqueror of England's big gun, Jamie Moul, last week, spearhead Scotland in Wednesday's youths international golf match against Ireland at West Waterford Golf Club.
Three North-east players- Jordan Findlay, Lewis Kirton and Philip McLean - are also included alongwith Robert McKnight of Kilmarnock Barassie.
McLean played in the Scotland team whipped 7-2 by the Irish at Blairgowrie last year when even the inclusion of Lloyd Saltman could not prevent an Irish landslide victory. All the others are new to youth international level.
Findlay and Kirton have not long returned from America where they are students at East Tennessee State University and the University of Louisville, Kentucky respectively.
Borrowman, a Stirling University student, won the Scottish youths championship at Erskine Golf Club on Sunday when, under pressure, he birdied the last two of 72 holes to win the title by two strokes.
Kellett, pictured above, beat England’s Jamie Moul, No 2 in the R&A world men’s amateur rankings, in the later stages of last week’s British amateur championship at Royal Lytham.
The Scots squad will stay on in Ireland to compete in the Irish youths open amateur championship over the same course on Thursday and Friday.
The team of six is:
Scott Borrowman (Dollar)
Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
Lewis Kirton (Newmachar)
Robert McKnight (Barassie)
Philip McLean (Peterhead).
The Irish team, which includes three American college students (Kearney, Power and Rafferty) is:
Andrew Hogan (Newlands), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Dara Lernihan (Castle/ UCD),
Neil O'Briain (Royal Dublin), Seamus Power (West Waterford), Fergal Rafferty (Dungannon).

++WE'LL HAVE THE RESULTS FROM THE IRELAND v SCOTLAND YOUTHS MATCH ON THIS WEBSITE ON WEDNESDAY EVENING.

The United States Women's Open championship is being played later this week. Michele Wie is in the field. Who would have thought, a year or two ago, that she would be a 1000-1 chance to win the title in 2007.

Here's a very good Associated Press article, reviewing the Michelle Wie situation:

NO-ONE IN THE MICHELLE WIE FAMILY HAS EVER

FELT THE NEED TO APOLOGISE FOR ANYTHING

You want it to end well, but somehow it doesn't seem like it will. Child sports prodigies are a lot like child actors in that everything they do is not so cute anymore once they start growing up.
Michelle Wie is growing up, and fast. Just a few weeks ago she was busily filling out a housing application for Stanford, where she plans to live this fall in a dorm with other kids her age.
Like her, they're smart and gifted. Unlike her, they don't have $10 million in the bank and golf fans scrutinizing their every move.
Lately those moves have been scrutinized more than ever as Wie's game spirals downward on the same path as her confidence level. At the age of 17, she can't find the fairway with her driver, and the idea of competing against the men seems laughable when she can't even beat her own gender.
Wie made matters worse recently by antagonizing the best female in the game. And many think she was playing games when she walked off the course during a horrible round recently with a wrist injury that seemed almost too convenient.
NOVELTY HAS WORN OFF

Wie is still rich, and she's still famous, or as famous as a women's golfer can be. But the novelty of being a long-hitting 13-year-old who could hold her own with the best in the world has worn off, and she has yet to add a trophy of any sort to the family home in Hawaii.
The women's U.S. Open begins Thursday in North Carolina, where Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam and teen Morgan Pressel will be among the favourites for the most coveted prize in women's golf. Wie will be there as well, but as more of an afterthought than anything else.
She's ancient history, or merely ancient in the eyes of one competitor. That would be Alexis Thompson, who automatically assumed the mantle of the next great thing by qualifying for the Open at the age of 12.
Not that Wie won't get attention. Reporters will follow her around Pine Needles, not to see if she can challenge for the lead, but to write about her if she doesn't break 80.
They'll keep a sharp eye out to see if she faints from the heat or re-injures her wrist. They'll want to know if Sorenstam is still unhappy with Wie for pulling out of the Ginn Tribute while struggling to break 90, only to be seen hitting balls two days later.
They'll ask Wie the kind of questions they wouldn't ask a 13-year-old. And they'll expect grown-up answers, not like the one Wie gave when asked if she should say she was sorry to Sorenstam, the tournament host, for pulling out of the Ginn the way she did.
``I don't think I need to apologize for anything,'' she said.
No one in the Wie family has felt the need to apologize for anything ever since she began playing with the pros, which is part of the problem. She was always the chosen one, and anyone who objected to tournament invitations or special privileges simply didn't understand that she was entitled to them.

IT'S NEVER HER FAULT
So when Wie fires her caddie or switches agents like she did last year, it's never her fault. When she walks off the course after holding a conversation with her agent and claims a wrist injury, then the wrist must have suddenly flared up.
When she was playing well and drawing large galleries to tournaments like the John Deere Classic, that was tolerated. But now she hasn't broken par in her last 20 competitive rounds and finished 10 shots behind the next worst player earlier this month in the LPGA Championship, where the check for $3,273 was her first performance payday of the year.
Her confidence is so shaky that she played three rounds at the LPGA Championship without pulling the driver out of the bag. Last week she announced she wouldn't play in the John Deere, where she nearly made the cut against men as a 15-year-old, because she doesn't have the length any longer to play the course.
That just might be the best decision Wie and her parents have made since she celebrated her 16th birthday by signing $10 million in endorsement contracts with Nike and Sony. It's true she got those contracts largely because she created a stir by playing against men, but the idea is not nearly as intriguing now as it was a few years back.
The best thing about being 17 is that Wie has plenty of time to find both herself and her game. She may yet have a long and successful career, and do the kind of things on the golf course that so many predicted for her just a few years ago.

FRESHMAN YEAR AT STANFORD
A good start on the path to recovery might be to leave her golf clubs at home when she heads to Stanford. Her parents could do her a big favour by letting her enjoy her freshman year living among others her age without worrying once about whether she can hit the fairway with her driver.
Tiger Woods looks back fondly on his stay at Stanford as a time he began to start finding his own way. Some day Wie might be doing the same thing.
It doesn't seem like five years has past since Wie first gained notoriety by qualifying for an LPGA event at the age of 12. But she'll be 18 this fall, at which time she legally becomes an adult.
That's one of the problems with child prodigies. They always grow up way too fast.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE

LAURA, RACHAEL BEING SENT TO FINLAND BY

SCOTTISH LADIES

GOLFING ASSOCIATION

Robert Gordon's University student Laura Murray, a member of Alford and Aboyne golf clubs, and Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old), have been selected by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to represent Scotland in the Finnish women's amateur golf championship at Helskini Golf Club from August 9 to 11.
Laura, pictured right, with six wins out of six for champions Aberdeenshire, was the top player in the North Division women's inter-county team championship which ended at Cruden Bay on Monday. She is a former Scottish schoolgirls champion and won the North of Scotland girls' title at Kirriemuir last year.
Rachael, pictured far right, is 19 years old, Laura will be 19 in August.
Miss Livingstone, beaten finalist in last year's Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play championship at Peebles, gains her first full cap for Scotland in the European team championship in Italy next month.
Helskinki Golf Club, founded in 1932, is the oldest and most prestigious golf club in Finland. It is six kilometres from the centre of Helskini. A 19th Century mansion serves as the clubhouse at this beautiful parkland course which has a par of 71 and measures 4,782 metres off the women's tees.

SLGA Press Release

SCOTTISH LADIES' JUNIOR OPEN STROKE PLAY
CHAMPIONSHIP AT AUCHTERARDER GOLF CLUB
ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY THIS WEEK

The absence of the holder, Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) and last year's runner-up Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) opens the door to a host oftalented under-21s, keen to win the Scottish Ladies Junior Open Stroke Play Championship at Auchterarder later this week.
Krystle, who won with record-breaking scores at Stirling last year, has
withdrawn to attend team practice in preparation for the Vagliano Trophy match at the Fairmont St Andrews' Torrance course 27-28 July.
New Scottish cap, 19-year-old Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), named as a reserve for the GB&I Vagliano Trophy team to play the Continent of Europe after achieving a quarter final place in the Ladies' British open amateur championship atAlwoodley, will be one of the favourites, but Scottish girls champion Roseanne Niven (Crieff), along with Junior Ryder Cup star Carly Booth (Comrie) and Scottish schoolgirls champion Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle)will also be in contention.
There will also be a strong challenge from Rachel Livingstone (Musselburgh Old), Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) and Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar). And don't forget East Lothian champion Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan), who won the event at Baberton as a 16 year old, and is now in her last year of eligibility.
The overseas challenge is led by Emilie Alonso (Valescure), one of four competitors to hold a plus handicap
The Championship is over three rounds - two on Thursday and one on Friday.There are trophies and prizes for Under 21, Under 18 and Under 15 age categories.
Recent winners have been:
2006 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) at Stirling GC.
2005 Louise Fleming (The Roxburghe) at West Kilbride GC.
2004 Clare Queen (Drumpellier) at Kirkcaldy GC.
2003 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) at Kilmacolm GC.
2002 Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan) at Baberton GC.
The draw can be found on the SLGA website http://www.slga.co.uk

Woods releases pictures of Sam Alexis

Pictures of Sam Alexis Woods were released on Tiger Woods’ website. Tiger is shown holding Sam, born June 18. He is joined by wife, Elin

“Both Elin and Sam are doing well and resting peacefully,” Woods wrote on his website last Monday night. “We want to thank our doctors and the hospital staff for all their dedicated and hard work. This is truly a special time in our lives and we look forward to introducing Sam to our family and friends over the next few weeks. We thank everyone for their well wishes and continued respect of our privacy.”

2007 Irish Womens Open Strokeplay Championship

Clandeboye Golf Club

Saturday 30 June & Sunday 1 July

Carlow’s Karen Delaney sets out to add the Irish Open Strokeplay Championship to her Irish Close victory in May when play commences on Saturday 30th June at Clandeboye Golf Club, Newtownards.

The 54 hole tournament has attracted an International field with GB&I players joining
competitors from Australia, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand and Spain, some of which participated at the Espirito Santo World Cup in South Africa last November.

With a host of Irish Senior and Junior Internationals on show, Delaney will have to be at her best if she is to complete the double. In addition to a strong field of Irish Internationals finalising preparations for the Ladies European Team Championships in Italy, a handful of Australians will provide a stiff challenge for those hoping to lift the trophy. Karen’s younger sister Tara’s hopes of capturing an unprecedented 3rd title in 4 years will not be realised as she, along with England’s Liz Bennett, has withdrawn from the tournament following her selection on the Vagliano Trophy team who will train that weekend.

Two rounds of 18 holes will commence at 7.30am on Saturday morning with the top 40 plus ties making the final 18 holes on Sunday, culminating in the overight leaders teeing off at 12 noon.


Timesheet - Saturday 30th June:
07:30 12:30 Lisa McMeekin (Royal Portrush) Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth)
07:40 12:40 Stacey Keating (AUS) Sarah Carty (The Island) Helen McCarthy (Dunmurry)
07:50 12:50 Karen Musson (NZL) Jane Gardner (Malone)
08:00 13:00 Nina Geirsdottir (ISL) Sinead Keane (The Curragh) Sarah Faller (Galway)
08:10 13:10 Helena Arnadottir (ISL) Karen Delaney (Carlow) Mari Suursalu (EST)
08:20 13:20 Tinna Johansdottir (ISL) Sonya Hopley (Clandeboye) Jenna Kinnear (Belvoir Park)
08:30 13:30 Stephanie Evans (WAL) Ailish McCartan (Greenore) Hannah O'Connor (Loughrea)
08:40 13:40 Jo Nicolson (WAL) Lorraine Boal (Scrabo) Bernie McQuade (Fintona)
08:50 13:50 Claire Hargan (SCO) Maura Morrin (The Curragh) Niamh Kitching (Claremorris)
09:00 14:00 Elaine Moffat (SCO) Marian Riordan (Tipperary) Lauren Mackin (ESP)
09:10 14:10 Anna Scott (ENG) Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea) Carla Reynolds (Seapoint)
09:20 14:20 Alice Davis (Royal Tara) Karen O'Neill (Douglas)
09:40 14:40 Rachel Jennings (ENG) Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) Sue Phillips (Woodbrook)
09:50 14:50 Emma Bennett (AUS) Gillian O'Leary (Cork) Maria Dunne (Skerries)
10:00 15:00 Kate Combes (AUS) Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway) Elisabet Oddsdottir (ISL)
10:10 15:10 Clare Choi (AUS) Holli Snelling (Killarney) Ann Marie Dalton (Coollattin)
10:20 15:20 Rebecca Flood (AUS) Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew) Shirley Harvey (Ballyclare)
10:30 15:30 Bree Arthur (AUS) Lucy Simpson (Massereene) Niamh McMahon (Shannon)
10:40 15:40 Carisande Lee (ENG) Nichola Moore (Clandeboye) Alex Howe (Royal Co. Down Ladies)
10:50 15:50 Hermione Fitzgerald (ENG) Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) Sandra Atkinson (Woodbrook)
11:00 16:00 Jacqueline Dittrich (GER) Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) Ruth Maguire (Corrstown)
11:10 16:10 Kristina Rothengatter (GER) Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) Rachel Cassidy (University of Stirling)
11:20 16:20 Rebecca Watson (SCO) Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell)
11:30 16:30 Niamh O'Connor (Naas) Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry)

IRISH TEAMS FOR UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL MATCHES

Irish Champion Karen Delaney (Carlow) leads an experienced Irish team in their challenge on the 2007 European Team Championships at Castleconturbia, Italy, which they last won at Royal Waterloo in 1983. Joining her is her younger sister Tara, Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co. Down Ladies), Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Marian Riordan (Tipperary) and recently crowned Leinster Champion Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth). One obvious omission from the line up is 2005 and 2006 Irish Champion Tricia McDonnell (Ennis) who announced her retirement from competitive golf last weekend.

Twelve year old twins Leona and Lisa Maguire continue their record-breaking achievements and will be the youngest players to represent Ireland at the Girls (U18) European Team Championships to be held at Oslo Golf Club in Norway, 10-14 July. Joining the awesome duo are Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) and Holli Snelling (Killarney) who will have greatly benefited from their experience at last year’s Championships in Denmark.

Irish Champion Mary Madden (Ballinsloe) leads an experienced Irish team in their challenge on the 2007 Senior Ladies European Team Championships at Royal Drittningholm, Sweden, 24-27 July. Mary is joined by Mary Gorry (Baltinglass), Valerie Hassett (Ennis), Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine), Eileen MacMullan (Donegal) and Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange).

Additionally, the Union has announced that Karen Delaney, Marian Riordan and Deirdre Smith will form the Irish team to contest the Team Award Trophy at the Irish open Strokeplay Championship at Clandeboye, 30 June - 1 July.

ILGU Irish Team Selections:
Ladies European Team Championships, Castelconturbia, Italy, 10-14 July 2007
Karen Delaney (Carlow), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co. Down Ladies), Maura Morrin (The Curragh), Marian Riordan (Tipperary) Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth)

Reserves: Niamh Kitching (Claremorris), Gillian O’Leary (Cork), Maria Dunne (Skerries)
Captain: Phil O’Gorman (Laytown/Bettystown) Manager: Claire Robinson (Knock)

U-18 European Team Championships, Oslo Golf Club, Norway, 10-14 July 2007
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), Holli Snelling (Killarney)
Reserves: Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) Lucy Simpson (Massereene) Ciara Butler (Newlands)
Captain: Rose Doyle (Shannon) Manager: Anita McCaw (Royal Co. Down Ladies)

Senior Ladies European Team Championships, Royal Drottningholm, Sweden, 24-27 July 2007
Mary Gorry (Baltinglass), Valerie Hassett (Ennis), Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine), Eileen MacMullan (Donegal), Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange)
Captain: Rhona Fanagan (Milltown) Manager: Roma English (Larne)

Irish Open Strokeplay Team Award Team, Clandeboye, 30 June - 1 July
Karen Delaney (Carlow), Marian Riordan (Tipperary), Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth)

LADIES’ BRITISH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Frilford Heath, the Oxfordshire club soon to celebrate its centenary, will be the host for the Ladies’ British Mid-Amateur Championship from 6-8 July and with Martine Pow unable to defend the trophy, a new name is destined to be engraved on the silverware.

Several players with extensive international experience are taking part and Emma Duggleby, still a +2 player at Malton & Norton is the backmarker in the field of 70 players. Duggleby, 35, had a successful amateur career that included winning the Ladies British Amateur Championship in 1994 and the English Amateur in 2000. That same year she played in the Curtis Cup and also represented GB&I in the matches of 2002 and 2004.

Alison Coffey, an Irish International from 1997 to 2001 was also in that 2002 team and she is one of a number of Irish players that includes Valerie Hassett, the 1996 Senior Ladies British Amateur Champion.

Other English players who can reasonably be expected to challenge for the title include Susan Dye, the newly crowned English Senior Champion and Sara Garbutt, the winner of the English Stroke Play in 2002 at Whittington Heath.

Frilford Heath was officially formed in 1908 on land described as ‘One of those odd stretches of land intended by nature for a golf course, hitherto unrecognised.’ The club quickly attracted a substantial membership and by the 1950’s there was the need for a second course. More recently, in 1994 the club became one of the few in the country to boast of 54 holes.

Since its inception, it has been a popular venue for major events, hosting the English Amateur in 1987, the British Seniors in 1999, the English Seniors in 2003 and the 2006 Ladies’ Home Internationals.

Competitors play 18 holes on each of the first two days and the lowest 40 and ties qualify for the final round on Sunday 8 July.

The list of competitors can be viewed at www.lgu.org.

VIKKI HAS WON $10,830 THIS SEASON

Vikki Laing is lying 24th on the US Duramed Futures Tour money list with earnings of $10,830 from 11 events this year.
Those above her are:
1 Emily Bastel $45,915
2 Allison Fouch $38,791
3 Liz Janangelo $32,018
4 Seo-Jae Lee $25,277
5 Caroline Larsson $24,039
6 Mollie Fankhauser $21,516
7 Janell Howland $21,447
8 Violeta Retamoza $20,418
9 Brandi Jackson $20,274
10 Eunjung Yi $20,232
11 Audra Burks $18,628
12 Sofie Andersson $18,474
13 Mo Martin $17,276
14 Lori Atsedes $16,416
15 Ha Na Chae $16,123
16 Rachel Bailey $14,891
17 Onnarin Sattayabanphot $14,817
18 Cortney Reno $13,786
19 Salimah Mussani $13,699
20 Ji Min Jeong $12,265
21 Lisa Ferrero $11,083
22 Sarah Martin $10,971
23 Kelly Cap $10,969
24 Vikki Laing $10,830

DUMFRIES-SHIRE LOSE BUT WIN SOUTH TITLE
ON GAMES-WON COUNTBACK

Borders beat Dumfries-shire 5 ½-3 ½ in the final match at Thornhill Golf Club today – but it will be Dumfries-shire who go forward ast South Division champions to the Scottish women’s county golf finals at Tulliallan at the end of August.
Earlier in the three-day programme, Dumfries-shire beat Galloway 7-2 and Galloway beat Borders 5-4.
Following Borders’ win, that meant all three teams had one win to their credit.
The tie-breaker was individual games won and Dumfries-shire (10 ½) came out on top ahead of Borders (9 ½) and Galloway (7).
Details of today's match:
DUMFRIES-SHIRE 3 1/2, BORDERS 5 1/2
Foursomes (1-2)
Dian Macdonald & Margaret McGregor lost to Judith Anderson & Liz Campbell 2 holes.
Trish Lily & Jordana Graham bt Ann Dods & Sharon Lees 1 hole.
Fiona Macgregor & Eileen Scott lost to Phillipa Costello & Gillian Oliver 7 and 6.
Singles (2 1/2-3 1/2)
McGregor lost Costello 4 and 3.
Macdonald bt Anderson 2 and 1.
Graham halved with Craigie.
Macgregor bt Lees 3 and 2.
Lilly lost to Oliver 3 and 2.
Beattie lost to Campbell 2 and 1.

IMPRESSIVE START BY FIFE AS THEY BEAT
STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN 8-1

Scottish champions Fife made an impressive start to their defence of the East Division women’s inter-county team golf championship at Ladybank Golf Club today.
They whipped Stirling & Clackmannan 8-1 while Midlothian were beating East Lothian 5 ½-3 ½ in the other contest on the opening day.
Fife swept the foursomes 3-0 and then Fiona Lockhart, Louise Kenney, Jocelyn Carthew, Lorna Bennett and Elaine Moffat added singles wins.
Midlothian and East Lothian shared the points from the three morning foursomes. Midlothian took the singles 4-2 with wins by Claire Hargan, Wendyu Nicholson, Belinda Murphy and Claire Macdonald.
Details:
FIFE 8, STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN 1
Foursomes: L Kenney, J Carthew bt L Allan, S Mitchell 1 hole; F Lockhart, E Moffat bt T Chillas, H MacRae 3 abd 2; L Fury, L Rolland bt L McGregor, M Tough 3 and 2 (3-0).
Singles: Lockhart bt MacRae 4 and 2, Kenney bt Allison 4 and 3, Carthew bt McGregor 5 and 4, L Bennett bt V Stevenson 5 and 4, B Copland lost to Allan 45 and 3, Moffat bt Mitchell 2 and 1 (5-1).
EAST LOTHIAN 3 ½, MIDLOTHIAN 5 ½
Foursomes: K Brotherton, E Fairnie bt C Hargan, R Livingstone 3 and 1; L Nicholson, J Smith halved with K Marshall, F de Vries; F Prior, L Mortensen lost to J Turner, C Macdonald 4 and 3 (1 ½-1 ½).
Singles: Brotherton lost to Hargan 3 and 2, L Nicholson bt Livingstone 6 and 5, Prior lost to W Nicholson 6 and 4; Mortensen lost to B Murphy 3 and 2; Smith lost to MacDonbald 4 and 3; Fairnie bt Marshall 2 and 1 (2-4).

YOUNG SHIRE TEAM NOW GO FORWARD TO
SCOTTISH FINALS AS NORTH CHAMPIONS

Aberdeenshire completed a clean sweep of victories in the North Division women’s inter-county team golf championship at Cruden Bay today by beating Angus 6 ½ -2 ½ in cold, windy and sometimes wet weather more akin to a winter’s day than the end of June.
In the other closing match in the three-day schedule, Northern Counties found their form to score their first win by 8-1 over defending champions Perth & Kinross. Northern Counties, who were officially placed second on games-won, were handicapped by the loss of Donna MacLeod with a back injury on Saturday morning.
Having beaten Perth & Kinross 6-3 on Saturday and Northern Counties 7-2 on Sunday, Aberdeenshire, captained by Ros Dunsmuir, go forward with rising confidence to play Scotland’s three other regional title-winners in the county finals at Tulliallan Golf Club at the end of August.
It’s been five years – at Glenisla GC in 2002 – since Shire won the North Division title but they may be in for a more successful period. The winning team at Cruden Bay contained five players who have graduated from the county’s competitive girls’ programme.
Most successful player of the tournament was Aberdeenshire’s Laura Murray (Alford) with six wins out of six. She was closely followed by team-mate Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) with 5 ½ pt. Sara Thomson (Murcar Links) marked her county team debut with gaining 3pt out of three.
Kerri Harper (Inverness) was best for Northern Counties with 4pt out of six. Dawn Dewar top-scored for Angus with 4pt out of six and Emily Ogilvy gained 3pt for Perth & Kinross.

Monday’s details:

PERTH & KINROSS 1, NORTHERN COUNTIES 8
Foursomes: A Bushby, R Niven lost to L Walker, J Milne 2 and 1; J Yellowlees, J Sneddon lost to K Harper, M Smith 3 and 1; E Ogilvy, E Muirhead lost to A Ingram, K MacDonald 5 and 4 (0-3).
Singles: Ogilvy lost to Harper 3 and 1, Niven lost to MacDonald 6 and 4, Bushby lost to Ingram 6 and 4, G Lambie lost to Milne 2 holes, F Ramsay lost to Smith 1 hole, Sneddon bt Walker 2 holes (1-5).

ANGUS 2 ½ , ABERDEENSHIRE 6 ½
Foursomes: D Dewar, A Ramsay bt D Pocock, S Wood 1 hole; H Anderson, M Summers lost to L Murray, M Thomson 2 and 1; S Raitt, F Millar lost to J Harrison, C Wilson 5 and 4 (1-2).
Singles: Dewar lost to Murray 4 and 2, Raitt lost to M Thomson 2 and 1, K Sutherland lost to S Thomson 3 and 2, Summers lost to Wilson 6 and 5, F Gilbert bt L McLardy 2 and 1, Ramsay halved with Wood (1 ½ -4 ½).

HOW THEY FINISHED
P W L F A Pts
Aberdeenshire 3 3 0 19 ½ 7 ½ 3
Northn Counties 3 1 2 13 ½ 13 ½ 1
Angus 3 1 2 11 16 1
Perth & Kinross 3 1 2 10 17 1

VIKKI LAING JOINT 15TH IN CINCINNATI

Musselburgh's Vikki Laing finished joint 15th in the US Futures Tour's Duramed Championship at Stonelick Hills Golf Club near Cincinnati. She had rounds of 77, 63 and 72 for a four-under-par total of 212. Her second round of nine-under-par 63 was a career low.
Vikki earned $1,032 for finishing 11 shots behind South Korean winner Seo-Jae Lee who shot 66, 66 and 69 for 15-under-par 201 to take the $14,000 first prize.
Eunjung Yi from California and Violeta Remoza (Mexico) finished joint runners-up on 204 over the 6,349yd, par-72 course. Yi had rounds of 65, 70 and 679; Remoza 66, 66 and 72. They each won $8,562.
+For final totals from the weekend LPGA event, switch over to www.scottishgolfview.com

BORROWMAN IS NEW SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPION

Scott Borrowman (Dollar) finished birdie-birdie to win the Scottish youths championship by two strokes at Erskine Golf Club today.
Read the full report and all the scores by switching over to www.scottishgolfview.com

COWAL CHARITY MIXED GREENSOMES ON SUNDAY,
JULY 1 DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT

Have you ever played Cowal Golf Club, Dunoon?
No? Well, here's you chance to put matters right.
Cowal Golf Club's charity mixed greensomes will be held on Sunday, July 1.
The charity is "McMillan Nurses in Dunoon."
There are still some spaces left at various times between 12.00 and 3.00 and all entrants would be most welcome, says Steve Ellis who contacted Kirkwoodgolf, asking for our help in a very good cause.
Entry fee is £10 per couple. This event is in its 2nd year and last year raised over £2,000 for the local hospice.
Inquiries to club secretary Margaret Grant on 01369705673 or 01369705137.

ABERDEENSHIRE (two wins out of two)

FAVOURITES TO CLINCH NORTH

DIVISION TITLE ON MONDAY

Aberdeenshire, the only team with a 100 per cent winning record going into the final day’s play at Cruden Bay, are obvious favourites to win the North Division women’s inter-county team golf championship – and with it a place in the Scottish county finals at Tulliallan GC at the end of August.
Shire’s final opponents Angus could yet upset all the calculations by beating them in their final encounter but their form has been patchy. Angus beat Northern Counties 5 ½-3 ½ on Saturday but slumped to a 6-3 defeat by defending champions Perth & Kinross on Sunday.
Aberdeenshire followed up an impressive 6-3 win over Perth & Kinross on Saturday by beating Northern Counties 7-2. In the top singles Laura Murray (Alford), pictured above, beat Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 3 and 2 and there were other wins for Shire from Michele Thomson, Sheena Wood and debutante Sara Thomson.
Details
SATURDAY
ANGUS 5 ½, NORTHERN COUNTIES 3 ½.
Foursomes - S Raitt, F Millar halved with K MacDonald, J Milne; H Anderson, M Summers bt K Harper, L Walker 3 and 2; D Dewar, A Ramsay bt D MacLeod,E Manson 5 & 3 (2 ½-1/2).

Singles - Summers lost to Harper 3 and 2, Dewar bt MacDonald 2 holes, Raitt bt A Ingram 4 and 3, K Sutherland lost to Milne 4 and 2, Ramsay lost to M Smith 1 hole, Fi Gilbert bt Walker 1 hole (3-3)

ABERDEENSHIRE 6, PERTH & KINROSS 3

Foursomes - L Murray, M Thomson bt A Bushby, R Niven 4 and 3; D Pocock, S Wood bt E Ogilvy, E Muirhead 2 and 1; J Harrison, C Wilson halved with J Yellowlees, J Sneddon (2 ½-1/2).Singles - M Thomson halved with Bushby, Murray bt F Ramsay 5 and 4, L McLardy halved with Niven,Wood lost to Ogilvy 5 and 4, S Thomson bt G Lambie 2 holes, Wilson halved with Sneddon (3 ½-2 ½)

SUNDAY
ABERDEENSHIRE 7, NORTHERN COUNTIES 2
Foursomes - Murray, M Thomson bt Harper, Walker 2 holes; Pocock, Wood bt MacDonald, Milne 3 and 2; Harrison, Wilson bt Manson, Ingram 5 and 4 (3-0).
Singles – Murray bt MacDonald 3 and 2, McLardy lost to Walker 1 hole, M Thomson bt Milne 3 and 2, Wood bt Smith 6 and 5, S Thomson bt Manson 5 and 4, Wilson lost to Harper 3 and 2 (4-2).
ANGUS 3, PERTH & KINROSS 6
Foursomes – Raitt, Millar lost to Bushby, Niven 6 and 5; Anderson, Summers bt Sneddon, Lambie 1 hole; Dewar, Gilbert lost to Ogilvy, Muirhead 4 and 2 (1-2).
Singles – Dewar bt Bushby 6 and 5, Ramsay lost to Niven 1 hole, Sutherland bt F Ramsay 1 hole, Millar lost to Muirhead 3 and 2, Anderson lost to Yellowlees 1 hole, Gilbert lost to Ogilvy 4 and 3 (2-4).

HOW THEY STAND
Aberdeenshire 2 wins, Angus and Perth & Kinross 1 win each, Northern Counties 0 wins.

FINAL MATCHES

9.30 (foursomes) and 2.09 (singles) – Perth & Kinross v Northern Counties.
9.54 (foursomes) and 2.48 (singles) – Angus v Aberdeenshire.

BORDERS versus DUMFRIES-SHIRE
TITLE DECIDER AT THORNHILL

The winner of the South Division women’s inter-county team golf championship will be decided by the final match between Borders and Dumfries-shire after Galloway beat Borders 5-4 at Thornhill Golf Club today (Sunday).
In the first match of the tournament, on Saturday, Dumfries-shire beat Galloway 7-2.

On Monday, Dumfries-shire play Borders, and if they win they take the title, but if they lose each County will have had won once and the number of games won will decide who goes through to a place in the Scottish county championship finals at Tulliallan Golf Club at the end of August.

Borders: played 1, won 0, lost 1, games won 4
Galloway: played 2 won 1, lost 1 games won 7
Dumfriesshire: played 1, won 1, lost 0, games won 7

Details:

GALLOWAY 5, BORDERS 4
Foursomes (1 ½-1 ½)
G Montieth & T Milligan bt P Costello & G Oliver 3 and 2.
S McMurtrie & C Meldrum lost o S Lees & S Dods 2 holes.
G Robson & P McGill halved with J Anderson & L Campbell

Singles (3 ½-2 ½)
Monteith bt I Craigie 4 and 3.
Meldrum bt P Costello 1 hole.
McMurtrie bt K Inkpen 3 and 2.
Robson lost to J Anderson 6 and 4.
S Martin lost to S Lees 3 and 2.
T Milligan halved with L Campbell

OOH LA LA! LYNN KENNY'S TOP-10 FINISH
IN FRENCH WOMEN'S OPEN COULD
TURN AROUND HER L E T SEASON

It's been a tough season so far for Lynn Kenny but perhaps it has all started to turn around today.
The Archerfield Links player started and finished the French Women's Open with a 69 and in between she had rounds of 74 and 73. Add them all up and you get a three-under-par total of 285 and that was good enough to give her a top-10 finish , joint ninth in fact.
Lynn's pay cheque amounted to 7,208 Euros.
Lynn birdied the sixth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 16th which outnumbered the bogeys she had at the seventh and 13th.
Kathryn Imrie finished joint 29th on 292 with scores of 73, 71, 76 and 72. She earned 3,060 Euros.
The Monifieth player had birdies at the second, sixth, 10th and 18th but cancelling out bogeys at the eighth, 12th, 14tgh and 17th.

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:

Sweden’s Linda Wessberg posted a final round 65 in torrential rain to claim her second Ladies European Tour title at the Vediorbis Open de France Dames at Le Golf D’Arras today.
The 27-year-old from Gothenburg began the day four shots behind the overnight leader Rebecca Hudson from Doncaster and eventually won by one stroke on eleven-under-par 277. Trish Johnson carded a final round 68 to finish a shot behind in second place.
Wessberg, who won the 2006 Wales Ladies Open, came firing out of the blocks with two birdies in her first two holes. She then picked up another at the par-five fourth to reach seven-under-par, two strokes behind the leader.
Linda then posted three successive birdies from the sixth hole to reach the turn in six-under 30, with a one-stroke lead on ten-under. She dropped a shot at the 11th to move into a three-way tie for the lead with Hudson and Johnson before two further birdies on the inward nine at holes 13 and 18 took her to 11-under.
Wessberg had only 26 putts, with her longest of the day a 39ft bomb at the seventh, which took her into a share of the lead for the first time at nine-under.
“I was hitting the ball really well. It was a little frustrating yesterday because I didn’t feel like I was playing badly but no putts went in. I got off to a good start and then all of a sudden I was six under after nine,” said Wessberg, a fan of all sports and ice hockey in particular.
“I made a stupid mistake on 11 because left of the pin is not where you want to be. I hit a really good nine-iron but it span back in the bunker so a shot and two putts. I came back pretty well though. Eight birdies today and just one bogey.”
At the par-5 18th, Wessberg nailed a 20 footer to emerge one stroke clear. Johnson, playing two matches behind, had a birdie opportunity to catch her but a chip from eight feet stopped two inches short.
“It’s nice to be able to show that winning last year wasn’t a one-off,” said Wessberg, who had her boyfriend Daniel Eriksson on caddy duties. Eriksson plays off approximately a 20 handicap. Prior to her victory, Wessberg had played in just two LET events in Australia this season. She spent the remainder of the season playing on the LPGA Tour in the United States, where she holds a conditional card. Her best finish in America was joint ninth in the Corona Championship, but she missed out on gaining her full card by one spot after the tri-yearly re-ranking.
She returned to Europe in the hope of improving her ranking on the New Star Money List ahead of the Ricoh Women’s British Open, which takes place at St Andrews at the beginning of August. Next week she will play in the Algarve Ladies Open of Portugal at Gramacho Golf Course on the Algarve. She will then head to Chart Hills in Kent for the Ladies English Open in association with Golf Punk, from 5 – 7 July.

LEADING SCORES
Par 288 (4 x 72)
277 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 70 68 74 65 (51,000 Euros).
278 Trish Johnson (Eng) 68 70 72 68 (34,510 Euros).
279 Stefania Croce (Ita) 72 72 67 68, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 70 68 71 70 (21,080 Euros each).
Scots' scores:
285 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 69 74 73 69 (jt 9th) (7,208 Euros).
292 Kathryn Imrie (Monifieth) 73 71 76 72 (jt 29th) (3,060 Euros).

Ayrshire Girls triumph in Kennedy Salver

The West Division Junior Inter-County matches played at Cowglen this week produced exciting golf played in lovely weather. A new format was introduced which incorporated foursomes in the morning and singles in the afternoon, with each county playing against the other three, which proved to be most successful.

Ayrshire were half a point ahead of Renfrewshire after the morning foursomes with D & A and Lanarkshire close behind. This close contest continued into the afternoon with the last two games on the course determining the overall result!

Pictured above is the winning Ayrshire team. From left to right:-
Gillian Arnott, Hannah Gaunt, Alex Sargent, Sarah Hutton, Lynsey Weadon, Mhairi McKay, Linzi Allan

Craigmillar Park Golf Club - Ladies Open Foursomes

Just to let you know that there are still some times available for the Craigmillar Park Ladies Open Foursomes on Friday 29 June. Entry fee is £8 per couple. Times are available from 12.10 to 13.20 and from 16.10 to 16.30. If anyone is interested please contact the Club Manager on 0131 667 0047.

EAST DIVISION INTER-COUNTY MATCHES

The East Division women's inter-county matches will take place at Ladybank Golf Club from Monday to Wednesday.
The divisional champions at the end of will go forward to the Scottish County Finals at Tulliallan Golf Club from August 31 to September 2.

TEAMS

EAST LOTHIAN
Captain - Cynthia Guthrie
Kelly Brotherton, Emma Fairnie, Line Mortensen, Lesley Nicholson, Susan Penman, Fiona Prior, Jayne Smith, Moira Thomson.
FIFE
Captain - Dorothy Ford
Lorna Bennett, Jocelyn Carthew, Becky Copland, Lorna Fury, Louise Kenney, Fiona Lockhart, Elaine Moffat, Lesley Rolland.
MIDLOTHIAN
Captain - Ellice Cackett
Fiona de Vries, Claire Hargan, Rachael Livingstone, Claire MacDonald, Karen Marshall, Belinda Murphy, Wendy Nicholson, Jane Turner.
STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN
Captain - Elaine Allison
Linda Allan, Elaine Allison, Tricia Chillas, Stella Mitchell, Louise McGregor, Heather MacRae, Vicki Stevenson, Margaret Tough.

ORDER OF PLAY
Monday
Fife v Stirling & Clackmannan, East Lothian v Midlothian
Tuesday
East Lothian v Fife, Stirling & Clackmannan v Midlothian
Wednesday
East Lothian v Stirling & Clackmannan, Fife v Midlothian

NON-QUALIFIERS FOR LAST TWO ROUNDS OF
SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP TODAY

Non-qualifiers for Sunday’s final two rounds in the Scottish youths championship at Erskine Golf Club were:

144 A Richardson (East Sussex National) 72 72, B Ducros (Fra) 71 73, R Noon (Longniddry) 70 74, G Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 73 73, A Wallace (Glenbervie) 72 72, D Sommerville (St Andrews)( 72 72, L McGowan ( St Andrews New) 70 74, M Mayer (Ger) 70 74, A Culverwell (Dunbar) 74 70, C Cowie (Strathlene) 73 71, J Findlay (Fraserburgh) 71 73, J Bradley (Paisley) 73 71, M Lawrence (Newmachar) 73 71, J Duff (Newmachar) 70 74, P Shields (Kirkhill) 70 74.
145 B Kerr (Newmarket Links) 73 72, A Gordon (Portpatrick Dunskey) 74 71.
145 N Cameron (King James VI) 76 69, S Herald (Whitecraigs) 70 75, N McBride (Cowglen) 70 75, K Turlan (Fra) 70 75, T Hayes (West Byfleet) 70 75, R Bell (Downfield) 71 74, D Parlane (Helensburgh) 71 74, O Loftsson (Ice) 70 75, C Baron (Oldmeldrum) 76 69, M Smyth (Royal Troon) 71 74, G Villard (Fra) 71 74.
146 K Broders (Latvia) 71 75, R Graham (Hayston) 70 76, C Dougill (Stoneleigh Deer Park) 73 73, J Hamilton (NZ) 75 71, J Shanks (Irvine) 71 75, P McGhee (US) 74 72, F-R Rouilleaux (Fra) 73 73, D Huizing (Ned) 73 73.
147 T Spencer (Inchmarlo) 71 76, K Finaisson (Ice) 74 73, G Mitchell (Braemar) 73 74, M Gavars (Latvia) 75 72, J Lockie (Tantallon) 73 74, C Gray (West Kilbride) 77 70, R Leeds (Muckhart) 74 73, R King (Dumbarton) 75 72, J Dunkley (US) 74 73, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 72 75.
148 K Harper (Cazrnoustie) 76 72, R Crowe (Newcastle United) 75 73, K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 70 78, P Petursson (Ice) 73 75.
149 R McKen (Newburgh on Ythan) 73 76, A Sweeney (Carnoustie) 73 76, R Anderson (Duddingston) 76 73, M Main (Thornton), E Brown (Barassie) 74 75, L Stokinger (Ger) 71 78, F McKenna (Balmore) 76 73, D Addison (Barassie) 7970.
150 K Branum-Burns (Bearwood Lakes) 78 72, D Mitchell (Leven Th) 73 77, A Moir (Thornton) 77 73, B Rushford (Grangemouth) 73 77, S Phillips (Royston) 78 72, E Malcolm (Dunfermline) 75 75.
151 C McLaughlin (Largs) 78 73, C Robb (Inchmarlo) 75 76, S Neilson (Dunbar) 77 74, R Rebecchi (Greenock) 73 78, P Gissurarson (Ice) 76 75, S Barras (Helensburgh) 78 73.
152 W Bremner (Edzell) 80 72, K Smith (Barassie) 75 77, S Bordon (Mouse Valley) 77 75.
153 C McHaugh (Cathkin Braes) 73 80, A Weir (Montrose Mercantile) 78 75, J Neilson (Dunbar) 73 80.
154 D Harrison (Crieff) 81 73, S Maxwell (Windyhill) 76 78.
155 T Dagwell (East Sussex National) 77 78, K Spence (Newmachar) 80 75.
156 M Cunningham (Longniddry) 76 80.
157 S Crichton (Aberdour) 77 80, D Hunter (Cowal) 75 82, O Lavelle (Elderslie) 78 79, F Niven (Crieff) 74 83.
158 S Tully (Duddingston) 81 77.
159 A Shah (East Aberdeenshire) 78 81.
164 J Fleming (Dullatur) 83 81.

FOLLOW THE REMAINDER OF THE SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP ON www.scottishgolfview.com

VIKKI LAING SCORES A 63

(NINE UNDER PAR) IN

FUTURES CHAMPIONSHIP

Vikki Laing from Musselburgh shot a career-low nine-under-par round of 63 to improve from joint 120th to tied 10th with one round to go in the United States Futures Tour’s Duramed Championship at Stonelick Hills Golf Club near Cincinnati, Ohio.
Vikki had opened the 54-hole tournament disappointingly with a 77 over the 6,349yd, par-72 course which left her worrying about making the 36-hole cut. Now, at four-under-par 140, she has given herself the chance of a decent pay check.
The 26-year-old former Curtis Cup player and four times Scottish girls match-play champion (1996-97-98-99) is eight shots behind joint leaders Violet Retamoza (Mexico) and Seo-Jae Lee from Seoul, South Korea but only five behind third-place Eunjung Yi from California.
“I would have been happy with a 68, but I’ll take this,” said Laing, who stayed on in the United States to turn professional after four years at the University of California Berkeley.
“I was just trying to be around here on Sunday to play.”
Vikki’s bogey-free round included eight birdies and an eagle-2 on the par-four eighth hole, where she holed an eight-iron from 148 yards. The blonde Scot hit 17 greens, every fairway and rolled in 28 putts for her career-low round.
“I guess the difference between scoring 73 and 63 is you just hole the putts,” she said. “I felt really good on the greens and today I could see the lines. I haven’t felt that comfortable in a long time.”
This season on the Futures Tour, America’s No 2 women’s circuit, Vikki has been far more consistent than at any time in her pro career which saw her gain LPGA Tour status at one time but not a high enough category to get her regular outings and so build up some kind of momentum.
A total of 71 players made the36-hole cut at two-over-par 146 or better.
They did not include South Wales amateur Natasha Morgan, spending her summer holidays playing the Futures Tour, nor Brenda McLarnon from Belfast. Natasha had a 74 for 150 and Brenda a 75 for 154.
And if you are wondering how warm it is in Ohio compared with Scotland at this time of the year, the official tournament temperature was 78 degrees with a 9mph breeze.

LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
132 Violeta Retamoza (Mex) 66 66, Seo-Jae Lee (Seoul) 66 66.
135 Eunjung Yi (US) 65 70.,
138 Janell Howland (US) 71 67, Cortney Reno (US) 70 68, Emily Bastel (US) 68 70.
Other score:
140 Vikki Laing (Sco) 77 63 (jt 10th).
Non-qualifiers:
150 Natasha Morgan (Wal) (am) 76 74.
154 Brenda McLarnon (NIr) 79 75.

LYNN KENNY EIGHT SHOTS BEHIND LEADER
REBECCA GOING INTO FINAL ROUND
OF FRENCH WOMEN'S OPEN

Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) goes into the final round of the French Women's Open at Le Golf d'Arras on level par 216, eight shots behind leader Rebecca Hudson from Doncaster.
Lynn has had rounds of 69, 74 and 73 to be sharing 15th place. She had birdies at the fourth, 13th and 17th in the third round but bogeys at the first, second, eighth and 12th.
Kathryn Imrie (Monfieth), the only other Scot to survive the cut, has score d73, 71 and 76 for a share of 35th place on four-over-par 220.
Kathryn birdied the second and the 17th but in between she had six bogeys.
Rebecca Hudson, 28, leads by one shot from the French favourite, Gwladys Nocera.
LEADERBOARD
216 (3 X 72)
208 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 67 69 72.
209 Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 70 68 71.
210 Trish Johnson (Eng) 68 70 72.
211 Stefania Croce (Ita) 72 72 67.
Other scores:
216 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 698 74 73 (jt 15th).
220 Kathryn Imrie (Monifieth) 73 71 76 (jt 35th).