CARLY BEATS SALLY FOR LEADING AMATEUR HONOUR

SOPHIE ONLY PAR-BEATER AS SHE

WINS DE VERE LADIES'

SCOTTISH OPEN BY FIVE SHOTS

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson sealed her 22nd career title with a five-stroke victory at the De Vere Ladies Scottish Open today.
The 33-year-old carded rounds of 71, 68 and 71 for a total of three-under-par 210 at The Carrick at Cameron House, Loch Lomond. Image on right is from the LET website (c).
Over the course of the 54-hole event Sophie played through torrential rain, strong winds and eventually glorious sunshine to become the sole player to score below par.
Four players tied for second on two-over-par. They were England’s Rebecca Hudson, Danielle Masters and Kirsty Taylor, who scored 67, 68 and 71 respectively, as well as Sweden’s Sofia Renell, who had a 75 for her career best finish five years on the Ladies European Tour.
Janice Moodie from the LPGA Tour and Lynn Kenny were the best placed Scots in a tie for fifth place with Jade Schaeffer of France and Denmark’s Karen-Margrethe Juul on four-over-par.
Lynn Kenny's final round of two-under-par 69 was one of the best scores of the championship.
It was Gustafson who made her mark on the newest championship course to have opened in Scotland this year. The six-time Solheim Cup player began her final round with a one stroke lead on three-under-par. Having completed the final six holes of her second round this morning, she began her third round at 1.20pm and posted eight consecutive solid pars to extend her lead to four strokes.
She looked like a dominant force as she holed a three foot birdie putt at the par-four ninth to move to four-under-par with a four stroke lead and then posted another birdie at the par-5 fifth hole.
Despite stumbling with a double bogey 6 at the 13th and a bogey at the 14th, she came home with three straight pars and a birdie at the last, where she holed a 30ft putt.
“It’s always nice to play well and it feels pretty good,” said Gustafson, who earned 30,000 Euros for the victory.“I felt rattled after the double and I immediately made another bogey. But then I got back into my rhythm.
“I blocked my tee shot unto thick rough and chopped it out. I got an extremely difficult lie in a bunker so I couldn’t get my third shot up on the green. A chip and two putts kind of rattled me there.”
She added that winning a tournament individually was completely different to experiencing The Solheim Cup.“It’s two different things. I don’t think anything can fix the disappointment from last week,” she said, adding that she would celebrate her win with a couple of pints.
Gustafson will remain on European soil to defend the Uniqa Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen in Austria next week. Last year, she won the tournament by two strokes over England’s Laura Davies at Golfclub Forenwald in Wiener Neustadt, where the event is taking place for the third consecutive year.
Carly Booth, the 15-year-old from Comrie, overtook 16-year-old Sally Watson from South Queensferry in the race to finish leading amateur. Both girls did splendidly alongside household names from the European world of women's professional golf.

Carly finished with a 72 for 220 and joint 13th place overall. Sally had a closing 76 for 221 and joint 19th place. She finished on the same mark as Catriona Matthew and Becky Brewerton.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR SCOREBOARD
DE VERE LADIES SCOTTISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
The Carrick at Cameron House, Loch Lomond.
FINAL TOTALS
213 (3 x 71)
+Prizemoney in Euros.
210 Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 71 68 71 (30,000).
215 Danielle Masters (Eng) 75 72 68, Kirsty Taylor (Eng) 75 69 71, Sofia Renell (Swe) 72 68 75 (15,033 each).
217 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 72 76 69, Karen-Margrethe Jule (Den) 72 75 70, Janice Moodie (Sco) 76 70 71, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 69 71 77 (6,620 each).
218 Sophie Walker (Eng) 72 74 72 (4,480).
219 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 77 71 71, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 74 73 72, Elisa Serramia (Spa) 71 71 77 (3,706 each).
220 Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 73 75 72, Marina Arruti (Spa) 74 74 72, Carly Booth (Comrie) (am) 74 74 72, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 77 73 70, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 74 72 74, Asa Gottmo (Swe) 74 70 76 (2,992 each, except Carly Booth who is an amateur).
221 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 76 74 71, Catriona Matthew (North Berwick) 73 75 73, Ana Larrateta (Spa) 75 73 73, Johanna Head (Eng) 77 70 74, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 73 74 74, Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) (am) 70 75 76, Anna Tybring (Swe) 78 76 67 (2,553 each, except Sally Watson who is an amateur).
222 Caroline Hall (Eng) 75 74 73, Marta Prieto (Spa) 77 71 74, Helena Alterby (Swe) 72 75 75.
223 Dana Lacey (Aus) 74 73 76, Sara Beautell (Spa) 76 71 76, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 76 76 71, Martina Eberl (Ger) 74 71 78.
224 Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 78 73 73, Karen Lunn (Aus) 78 76 70.
225 Rebecca Coakley (Ire) 77 71 77, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 72 75 78, Karin Borjeskog (Swe) 75 77 73.
226 Martina Gillen (Ire) 76 74 76, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 74 76 76, Sarah Nicholson (NZ) 75 75 76, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 73 79 74, Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) 72 74 80, Laura Terebey (US) 83 71 72. (1227 Maria Verchenova (Rus) 74 77 76, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 78 73 76, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 79 74 74 (1,466 each)
228 Laurette Maritz (SAf) 76 73 79, Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 74 77 77, Natalie Claire Booth (Eng) 74 77 77, Lee-Anne Pace (SAf) 76 76 76, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 77 77 74.
229 Natascha Fink (Aut) 77 74 78, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 76 75 78, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) (am) 78 73 78, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 75 77 77, Elin Ohlsson (Swe) 80 72 77, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 81 71 77, Elizabeth McKinnon (NZ) 78 75 76.
230 Lynn Brooky (NZ) 75 74 81, Mette Buus (Den) 74 73 83, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 75 77 78.
231 Maria Boden (Swe) 81 71 79, Anna Rossi (Ita) 79 75 77, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 76 78 77.
235 Stefania Croce (Ita) 79 75 81.
236 Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus) 74 79 83.

++SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE SECOND-ROUND TOTALS AND THOSE WHO MISSED THE CUT.

SALLY WATSON GOES INTO FINAL ROUND IN
JT SIXTH PLACE WHILE LAURA BOWS OUT

South Queensferry 16-year-old amateur Sally Watson went into the final round of the De Vere Scottish Ladies Open in joint sixth place at The Carrick at Cameron House - which is more than Solheim Cup player Laura Davies did.
Laura failed to qualify for the final 18 holes which are being squeezed in before it gets dark this evening. She had scores of 75 and 82 for 157, three shots too many to survive the cut.
In contrast, Sally scored 70 and 75 for 145, only six shots off the 36-hole leader, Sweden's Sophie Gustafson with 71 and 68 for 139.
Sally Watson was not the only member of the recent Scotland team in the women's home internationals to survive the cut - Carly Booth (Comrie) on 148 and Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) (151) also made it, but Scottish women's amateur champion Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) missedd out with a pair of 79s for 158.
Heather MacRae (Dunblane), on her debut as a professional, failed to qualify on 158, also with two 79s.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
139 S Gustafson (Swe) 71 68.
140 S Renell (Swe) 72 68, J Schaeffer (Fra) 69 71.
142 E Serramia (Spa) 71 71.
144 K Taylor (Eng) 75 69, A Gottmo (Swe) 74 70.
145 S Watson (Sco) (am) 70 75, M Eberl (Ger) 74 71.
146 J Moodie (Sco) 76 70, C Queen (Sco) 72 74, G Nocera (Fra) 74 72, S Walker (Eng) 72 74.
Other qualifiers included:
147 M McKay (Sco) 73 74.
148 C Matthew (Sco) 73 75, L Kenny (Sco) 72 76, C Booth (Sco) (am) 74 74.
150 B Brewerton (Wal) 76 74.
151 K MacDonald (Sco) 78 73.
153 L McKinnon (NZ) 78 75.
*Players with 154 and better qualified for final round.
MISSED THE CUT
155 V Laing (Sco) 81 74.
156 K Imrie (Sco) 78 78.
157 L Davies (Eng) 75 82.
158 J Wilson (Sco) (am) 79 79, H MacRae (Sco) 79 79.

ELGA PRESS RELEASE

YORKSHIRE BEAT HAMPSHIRE TO WIN COUNTY TITLE

Yorkshire won the (ELGA) County Finals for the fourth year in a row when they beat Hampshire 5-4 at Brokenhurst Manor in a match which was decided by the last putt on the last green.
The honour fell to 16-year-old Kim Crooks of Yorkshire, who has made her debut in first-team golf this season. She came back from one down after 16 holes to snatch the crucial half which ensured her team’s victory.
Her opponent, Layla Ahmed, did all she could to win the 18th. She played a superb pitch to within three feet of the pin but her brave birdie putt lipped out and the hole was halved in par.
It was a tense and exciting finale to the three-day competition. The teams had each won two matches when they faced each other in the title showdown – and both sides appeared equally determined to take the honours.
Yorkshire edged 2-1 ahead in the morning foursomes, but Hampshire took a grip on the singles and established a narrow lead in four matches at the halfway stage.
The players continued their close battle over the inward holes with four matches finishing on the 18th and another on the 17th.
The battle between internationals Kerry Smith and Naomi Edwards, was typical of the play. Hampshire’s Kerry was one up at the turn but was quickly pulled back to all square before again establishing a lead on the 16th – only to lose it on the 17th.
The game was decided in extraordinary circumstances on the par-4 18th when Naomi’s drive ran through the hole and up a path between the pro's shop and the ELGA championship office. She chipped back to beside the green and pitched on for three. But Kerry was safely on in two and her par gave her a one-hole win.
Elsewhere the momentum was swinging to and fro between the two teams. Hampshire’s Helen Wheeler again demonstrated her stunning short game as she defeated GB&I international Rachel Bell on the final hole.
However, Yorkshire’s Sara Garbutt, the county champion, and Emma Duggleby, the British mid-amateur champion, both delivered vital points to their team’s scoreline.
Meanwhile, Nikki Dunn, another Yorkshire 16-year-old, scored an impressive half against GB&I international Liz Bennett.
After the deciding game was finished both captains paid tribute to their teams. Yorkshire’s Sue Milner said: “It’s just wonderful, I just can’t believe it.” Hampshire’s Bridget Moore remarked: “The matches were so close all afternoon and the girls did brilliantly.”
The result gives Yorkshire their ninth outright win in the competition. They have also once shared the title.
In the day’s other match Glamorgan and Leicestershire & Rutland halved 4½-4½.

Final placings: 1 Yorkshire, 2 Hampshire, 3, Leicestershire & Rutland, 4 Glamorgan.

Match results.
YORKSHIRE 5, HAMPSHIRE 4
(Yorkshire names first).
Foursomes: Nikki Dunn & Kim Crooks lost to Liz Bennett & Kerry Smith 8 and 7, Emma Duggleby & Naomi Edwards bt Tracey Boyes & Katie Mundy 3 and 1, Sara Garbutt & Rachel Bell bt Helen Wheeler & Layla Ahmed 4 and 3 (2-1).
Singles: Garbutt bt Mundy 4 and 2, Dunn halved with Bennett, Edwards lost to Smith 1 hole, Bell lost to Wheeler 1 hole, Crooks halved with Ahmed, Duggleby bt Katie Thompson 3 and 1 (3-3).
LEICESTERSHIRE & RUTLAND 4½, GLAMORGAN 4 1/2
(Leicestershire names first)
Foursomes: Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris bt Rachel Hunt & Rhian Thomas 5 and 4, Kym Larratt & Jenny Cooper lost to Lydia Hall & Becky Harries 3 and 2, Helen Lowe & Gemma Parkes lost to Gemma Bradbury & Amy Rees 4 and 3 (1-2).
Singles: Larratt bt Hall 4 and 3, Cooper lost to Harries 5 and 4, Morris halved with Rees, Bourne lost to Bradbury 1 hole, Lowe beat Hunt 3 and 2, Parkes beat Thomas 2 holes (3 1/2-2 1/2).
Lyndsey HewisonPress & PR Officer
Visit our web site at http://www.englishladiesgolf.org/

KIRAN MATHARU, SAMANTHA HEAD

IN TOP 30 WITH ONE ROUND TO GO

AT LPGA Q SCHOOL ELIMINATOR

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE

Australian Anna Rawson shot a tournament-low, five-under par 67 to take a one-shot lead after the third round of the LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament at Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage in California.
Rawson holds a one-shot lead over Ashleigh Simon of South Africa and Yani Tseng of Taiwan.Rawson, who has a three-day total of 71-74-67=212 (-4), made birdies on holes 4 and 9 with a bogey on hole 8 to make the turn at even-par for the tournament. On the back nine, she made birdies on holes 12, 14, 15, 17 and 18 with a bogey on hole 13 to finish at 5-under-par 67 for the day and four-under-par 212 entering the final round.
“I felt like the ball was on a leash,” said Rawson following her round. “It was straight down the middle and straight at the pin. I felt really comfortable with my putts and they dropped today.”
This week marks Rawson's fourth attempt at qualifying for the LPGA Tour. The native Australian played 17 events on the Duramed Futures Tour in 2005 before moving to the Ladies European Tour, where she was a fixture in 2006 and 2007.
Her best career professional finish was a second place showing at the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open in May.
At the University of Southern California, Rawson finished 11th individually at the 2003 NCAA Women's Golf championship, the same year the Trojans won the team title. In 2001 and 2002, she was named to the Pac-10 honorable mention team.
“I'm hitting the ball so much further than I ever have,” said Rawson. “These courses used to intimidate me. I'd hit 4-irons and 3-irons, but the longest club I hit today was 5-iron. My game has improved so much and it feels really good.”
Simon, a South African, fired a one-under-par 71 on Friday to move into a tie for second place at three-under-par 213 (73-69-71) with Tseng. Simon used birdies on holes 2 and 4 and a bogey on hole 6 to make the turn at 1-under-par for the day. She shot even-par on the back nine with a birdie on hole 10 and a bogey on hole 13 to finish at 3-under-par heading into the final round.
“I played really solid today and struck it nicely,” said Simon. “I could have sunk a lot more putts though. I'm coming in here to try to get a top-30 spot. I'm not going out tomorrow to try to shoot lights out. I'll just try to play level golf. It doesn't matter where you finish, as long as you get to Daytona.”
Simon, who turned professional in May of 2007, has played in 19 tournaments on the Ladies European Tour since 2006. Her first career victory came in Spain at the Catalonia Ladies Masters this June. Simon also played two events on the LPGA Tour in 2007, including a sponsor exemption at the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship.
Tseng began the day at 4-under-par and made the turn at 5-under-par for the tournament after a birdie on hole 2. She struggled on the back nine with bogies on holes 11, 13 and 15 and a birdie on hole 16 to finish at 3-under-par (72-68-73=213).
“My putting was very good, but I was confused by the wind,” said Tseng. “Tomorrow I will just relax because number one or number thirty, you still make it.”
A native of Taiwan who recently bought a home in Southern California, Tseng made her second appearance on the LPGA Tour at the 2007 CN Canadian Women's Open where she finished tied for sixth.

England's Kiran Matharu (219), pictured above, and Samantha Head (220) are lying joint 22nd and joint 29th with one round to go.
The final round will be played on the Dinah Shore course at Mission Hills Country Club. The top-30 players and ties at the end of 72 holes will advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., Nov. 28-Dec. 2.
The Rancho Mirage qualifier is the first of the LPGA Tour's two sectional qualifying events in 2007. The second LPGA Tour Sectional Qualifying Tournament is Oct. 2-5 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla.
The top-30 finishers and ties from the Florida qualifier will join the California sectional qualifiers, current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status and the players who finished sixth through 15th on the final 2007 Duramed Futures Tour money list at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
1 Anna Rawson 71-74-67 212.
T2 Yani Tseng 72-68-73 213.
T2 Ashleigh Simon 73-69-71 213.
T4 Kelly Lagedrost 68-72-74 214.
T4 Emma Cabrera-Bello 73-70-71 214.
T4 Kristie Smith 73-70-71 214.
T7 Song Yi Choi 69-73-73 215.
T7 Amy Yang 73-72-70 215.
T7 Jin Hyun Kim 75-71-69 215.
T10 Jennifer Ackerson 69-73-74 216.
T10 Hwan Hee Lee 70-73-73 216.
T12 Annie Young 72-70-75 217.
T12 Amie Cochran 67-80-70 217.
T14 Helen Oh 73-73-72 218.
T14 Louise Friberg 74-73-71 218.
T14 Whitney Wade 72-71-75 218.
T14 Nontaya Srisawang 71-74-73 218.
T14 Christina Lecuyer 76-72-70 218.
T14 Meghan Little 77-73-68 218.
T14 Dana Je 75-72-71 218.
T14 Sarah-Jane Kenyon 72-76-70 218.
T22 Shinah Ham 74-72-73 219.
T22 Ashley Knoll 71-74-74 219.
T22 Nikki Garrett 72-72-75 219.
T22 Nicole Hage 69-78-72 219.
T22 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 77-72-70 219.
T22 Danah Ford 73-74-72 219.
T22 May Wood 73-74-72 219.
T29 Samantha Head (Eng) 73-73-74 220.
T29 Hannah Jun 70-76-74 220.
T29 Priscilla Duffield 70-74-76 220.
T29 Eileen Vargas 77-72-71 220.
T29 Catherine Matranga 74-73-73 220.
T29 Amy Schmucker 72-75-73 220.
-----------LEADING 30 AND TIES AFTER FOUR ROUNDS QUALIFY -
T35 Russy Gulyanamitta 76-71-74 221.
T35 Shanshan Feng 73-75-73 221.
T35 Tiffany Tavee 72-75-74 221.
T35 D'Rae Ward 72-73-76 221.
T35 Joanne Mills 71-75-75 221.
T35 Kelly Froelich 73-75-73 221.
T35 Carolina Llano 73-77-71 221.
T35 Hiroko Fujishima 75-75-71 221.
T35 Caryn Wilson 75-74-72 221.
T35 Anja Monke (Ger) 73-75-73 221.
T35 Sarah Kemp 74-75-72 221.
T46 Sukjin Lee Wuesthoff 75-73-74 222.
T46 Katie Allison 68-76-78 222.
T46 Esther Choe 78-71-73 222.
T46 Rachel Bailey 72-77-73 222.
T50 Misun Cho 75-73-75 223.
T50 Nicole Melton 73-75-75 223.
T50 Rachel Newren 71-77-75 223.
T50 Chris Brady 77-73-73 223.
T50 Lauren Espinosa 73-77-73 223.
T50 Yoo Lee Kim 75-74-74 223.
T56 Meghan Bolger 77-73-74 224.
T56 Ashley Gomes 73-75-76 224.
T56 Jenny Suh 71-77-76 224.
T56 Lauren Todd 70-75-79 224.
T56 Marcela Leon 75-75-74 224.

T56 Joanna Whitley 77-71-76 224.

T56 Cortney Reno 74-74-76 224.
T63 Anna Temple 76-73-76 225.

T63 Chris Newton 75-74-76 225.

T63 Jennifer Greggain 73-76-76 225.
T63 Alice Kim 73-77-75 225.

T63 Yoora Kim 73-77-75 225.

T63 Lili Alvarez 77-72-76 225.

T63 Krystal Shearer 74-74-77 225.

T63 Kim Welch 72-75-78 225.

T63 Jenna Pearson 73-74-78 225.

T72 Leah Hart 76-73-77 226.

T72 Jana Peterkova 72-76-78 226.

T72 Porani Chutichai 75-75-76 226.

T72 Bridget Keala Dwyer 73-77-76 226.

T76 Ulrika Ljungman-Smith 74-76-77 227.

T76 Randi Meadows 75-75-77 227.

T76 Taya Battistella 74-75-78 227.

T76 Leah Wigger 75-74-78 227.

T80 Michelle Simpson 74-72-82 228.

T80 Libby Smith 75-74-79 228.

T80 Corina Kelepouris 74-76-78 228.

T83 Benedikte B Grotvedt 72-78-79 229.

JACQUELINE SNEDDON DEBUT ON US COLLEGE CIRCUIT

Perth & Kinross county team player Jacqueline Sneddon from Meigle, a member of Alyth Golf Club, finished 34th on her debut on the American women's college golf circuit in the Lumberjack Invitational at Aspen Valley Country Club, Flagstaff in Arizona.
Jacqueline, a freshman student at Grand Canyon University, Arizona, had rounds of 92 and 79 for a total of 171.
Sophia Choi (Northern Arizona) was the winner by five strokes with scores of 76 and 75 for 151.
Northern Arizona (631) also won the team event by a single shot from New Mexico State. Grand Canyon (703) finished eighth.

RAIN DELAY IN SCOTTISH LADIES OPEN;
SALLY (16) TOP SCOT IN THE CLUBHOUSE

The second day’s play at the De Vere Ladies Scottish Open was halted due to bad light at 7.10pm.
Heavy rainfall on Thursday night meant that tee times were pushed back three hours while officials assessed the course.
Sweden’s Sofia Renell leads the field on two-under-par 140 after shooting a three-under 68.
South Queensferry 16-year-old amateur Sally Watson had another good day with a 75 for 145, a 36-hole total which puts her ahead of professionals of the calibre of Janice moodie (146), Catriona Matthew (148) and Lynn Kenny (148).
Quite a few players have still to complete their second rounds which means that the third and final round will start late on Saturday.

COMPLETED SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
140 Sofia Renell (Swe) 72 68.
144 Kristy Taylor (Eng) 75 69.
145 Sally Watson (Sco) (am) 70 75.
146 Janice Moodie (Sco) 76 70.
148 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 73 75, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 72 76, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 77 71.
150 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 76 74.
156 Kathryn Imrie (Sco) 78 78.
(The projected cut figure is 152 in; 153 out).
156 Lisa Hall (Eng) 81 75.
158 Heather MacRae (Sco) 79 79.
162 Sahra Hassan (Wal) (am) 86 76.

The new British senior women's open amateur champion - Canadian Alison Murdoch, who has Scottish roots in the Dumfries area! (image courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union).

STEADY NOREEN FINISHES FOURTH BEHIND
CANADIAN WINNER OF SENIORS' TITLE

Edinburgh's Noreen Fenton finished a gallant fourth behind runaway winner Alison Murdoch from Canada in the British senior women's open amateur golf championship which ended at Copt Heath Golf Club, Solihull today.
Noreen was consistency personnified with three rounds of 79 for a total of 18-over-par 237 over a punishing ladies' course with a testing par of 73, which no player, not even the new champion, equalled in any of the rounds.
Noreen had no birdies in her final round and did well to hang on in there after a double bogey 6 at the fourth threatened to derail her steady effort. She was out in 40 and home in 39 in comparison with her earlier halves of 40-39 and 39-40.
Pamela Williamson (Baberton), who won the recent Canadian senior women's open amateur championship's "Super-seniors" (over-60) title, finished joint 11th with Fiona de Vries (St Rule) on 241. Pamela signed off with a 78 (37-41) and Fiona with an 80 (42-38).
Pamela's outward half of 37 was her best nine holes of the week before she double bogeyd the 12th and dropped further shots at the 13th. But she steadied up to par the last five holes - which was no mean effort over the Copt Heath finish.
Fiona birdied the 16th - her only sub-par figure of the 54 holes.
Maureen Richmond, the 1974 Curtis Cup player and now a GP in Lancashire, came joint 15th on 244 - which was quite an achievement, considering she started with halves of 49 and 43 for 92. After that she had a 74 and then a 78 (37-41), birdieing the fourth and ninth.

Give Maureen, winner of the Spanish open seniors title earlier in the year, an 82 instead of a 92 in the first round and she would have finished runner-up for the title!
Dundee's Heather Anderson birdied the fourth, 14th and 15th in closing halves of 41 and 40 for an 81 and jt 27th place with Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) on 248. Helen had three double bogeys in a closing 84.
The new champion, Alison Murdoch, is 57 and hails from Victoria in British Columbia in the farthest west point of Canada. With a name like Murdoch, no surprise to learn that she does have Scottish roots - in the Dumfries area a few generations back.

She has won three over-50s title in the space of a matter of weeks. In mid-August she was crowned Canadian senior women's open amateur champion for the fourth time in the past six years.
Last week Alison won the Irish senior women's open amateur title for the third time in the past four years. But this is her first "British" - and she did it in some style, starting the final round with a three-shot advantage and extending her lead to a final margin of seven shots from joint runners-up Christine Quinn (Hockley), the defending champion, and Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court).
Quinn was awarded the runner-up prize with a better inward half (birdies at the 14th and 18th for 37 home) than Adams. They had both finished with 78s.
With the rainfall overnight making the greens more receptive, a delighted Murdoch commented, " I felt more comfortable with the conditions today, I played really solid golf and owe this victory to my putting and short game. I don't know when I have putted this well!"

BRITISH SENIOR WOMEN’S OPEN
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Copt Heath Golf Club, Solihull.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 219 (3 x 73)
229 A Murdoch (Can) 80 74 75.
236 C Quinn (Hockley) 82 76 78, R Adams (Addington Court) 80 78 78.
237 N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 79 79 79 (pictured right).
239 J Doleman (Rushcliffe) 85 76 78, G Bray (Littlestone) 79 78 81, D Williams (Can) 82 78 81, S Dye (Delamere Forest) 76 81 82. 240 V Hoff (Swe) 84 78 78, M McKenna (Donabate) 83 76 81.
241 P Williamson (Baberton) 83 80 78, F De Vries (St Rule) 83 78 80, S O’Brien-Kenney (Grange) 83 78 80, P West (Spalding) 81 78 82.
242 R Lindley (Hartlepool) 83 79 80, B Ljung (Swe) 81 81 80.
244 M Richmond (Royal Liverpool) 82 74 78, C Watson (Beaconsfield) 80 81 83.
246 G Snelson (Branston) 83 82 81, G Ballard (Littlestone) 86 78 82, B Arenas (Gua) 81 80 85, C Kirk (Ganton) 81 79 86. C Kirk (Ganton) 81 79 86.
247 C Birke (Swe) 83 82 82, A Lewis (Royal St Davids) 81 84 82, C Lindberg (US) 80 84 83, B Laird (Sandiway) 83 78 86.
248 H Anderson (Downfield) 80 87 81, E Jacob (Ger) 78 88 82, H Faulds (Douglas Park) 85 79 84, G Ekman (Swe) 83 79 86.
249 S Westall (Copt Heath) 83 79 87, E Cooper (Calcot Park) 82 80 87, M Henderson (West Rhine) 82 80 87, P Wrightson (Huddersfield) 78 83 88.
250 J O’Connor (Newport Gwent) 83 83 84.
252 A Dawson (Copt Heath) 87 80 85.
253 A-C Sveningson (Swe) 79 84 90.
254 B Belcher (Olton) 87 79 88, R Farrow (St Neots) 83 83 88.

SAMANTHA, KIRAN SURVIVE SECOND-ROUND CUT AT LPGA SECTIONAL QUALIFYING

Samantha Head (146), pictured left, and Kiran Matharu (149) survived the second-round cut wich saw 83 players with totals of 150 or better advance to Friday's third round in the LPGA Sectional Qualifying tournament at Mission Hills Country Club, California.

FROM THE LPGA WEBSITE:

Yani Tseng of Taiwan and Kelly Lagedrost of Florida are tied for the lead. Tseng and Lagedrost are each four-under-par 140 entering Friday's third round. Eighty-three players made the cut on Thursday, which was at six-over-par 150.

Eighteen-year-old Tseng fired a four-under-par 68 (72-68=140) on the 6,442yd Dinah Shore Course to move into a tie for first place. Starting on the tenth tee, Tseng birdied her first two holes before four-putting for double bogey on hole 12. She recovered with birdies on holes 14 and 15 to make the turn at two-under-par. Tseng had three more birdies on the back nine – holes 2, 8 and 9 – with one bogey on hole 4.
“I played pretty good and I had confidence today,” said Tseng. “I played too fast yesterday, so for the first couple of holes I remembered that I have to slow down today.”
A native of Taiwan who recently bought a home in Southern California, Tseng made her second appearance on the LPGA Tour at the 2007 CN Canadian Women's Open where she finished tied for sixth.

In Edmonton, Tseng fired four consecutive rounds of even-par or better, including two 67s. She finished the week at eight-under-par 276 in a tie with Kimberly Hall and Seon Hwa Lee. Her first LPGA tournament was the 2004 Asahi Ryokuken International Championship at Mount Vintage where she finished tied for 33rd.
“That tournament (CN Canadian Women's Open) helped me a lot,” said Tseng. “Before that, I felt very nervous to play Q-School, but after the (CN Canadian) Women's Open, I felt more confident and more relaxed. So I said, ‘okay, I can play, I can make it.'”
Lagedrost (28), who played the 6,406yd Arnold Palmer Course, started her day with birdies on holes 4 and 8 to make the turn at 2-under par. She carded bogies on holes 12 and 16 to shoot even-par 72 in the second round (68-72=140).
“I'm very happy with the way I held it together and grinded through it,” said Lagedrost. “It was getting tough out there. The wind was really a factor. It was ballooning and kind of swirling and I didn't really know which way it was going.”
Lagedrost was the 2001 Conference USA Player of the Year at the University of South Florida. She recorded three collegiate wins before joining the Duramed Futures Tour, where she has played every year since 2002. Lagedrost had stints on the LPGA Tour in 2004 and 2006, where she played 27 events, making five cuts.
“The mental part is my big thing, trusting myself,” said Lagedrost, who spent part of 2007 as the interim head coach of women's golf at the University of South Florida. “Everyone deals with it out here. I feel like I have the talent and I can produce the shots obviously, it's just a matter of doing it on a regular basis and believing in myself. I'm working on that.”
Four players are two shots behind the lead in a tie for third place. Ashleigh Simon of South Africa, Annie Young of Utah, Song Yi Choi of South Korea and Jennifer Ackerson of Texas all enter the third round at two-under-par 142.
The final two rounds will be played on the Dinah Shore course at Mission Hills Country Club. The top-30 players and ties at the end of 72 holes will advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., Nov. 28-Dec. 2.
The Rancho Mirage qualifier is the first of the LPGA Tour's two sectional qualifying events in 2007. The second LPGA Tour Sectional Qualifying Tournament is Oct. 2-5 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla. The top-30 finishers and ties from the Florida qualifier will join the California sectional qualifiers, current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status and the players who finished sixth through 15th on the final 2007 Duramed Futures Tour money list at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., Nov. 28 – Dec. 2.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)

140 Kelly Lagedrost 68 72, Yani Tseng 72 68.

142 Song Yi Choi 69 73, Jennifer Ackerson 69 73, Ashleigh Simon (SAf) 73 69, Annie Young 72 70.

143 Whitney Wade 72 71, Hwan Hee Lee 70 73, Kristie Smith 73 70, Emma Cabrera (Spa) 73 70.

144 Katie Allison 68 76, Priscilla Duffield 70 74, Nikki Garrett 72 72.

145 Ashley Knoll 71 74, Anna Rawson 71 74, Lauren Todd 70 75, Amy Yang 73 72, D'Rae Ward 72 73, Nontaya Srisawang 71 74.

146 Samantha Head (Eng) 73 73, Joanne Mills 71 75, Hannah Jun 70 76, Helen Oh 73 73, Jin Hyun Kim 75 71, Michelle Simpson 74 71.

147 Amy Schmucker 72 75, Jenna Pearson 73 74, Amy Cochran 67 80, Nicole Hage 69 78, Tiffany Tavee 72 75, Louise Friberg 74 73, Dana Je 75 72, Russy Gulyanamitta 76 71, May Wood 73 74, Danah Ford 73 74, Catherine Matranga 74 73.

148 Shashan Feng 73 75, Anja Monke (Ger) 73 75, Ashley Gomes 73 75, Jana Peterkova 72 76, Jenny Suh 71 77, Rachel Newren 71 77, Sarah-Jane Kenyon 72 76, Nikcole Melton 73 75, Misun Cho 75 73, Christina Lecuyer 76 72, Joanna Whitley 77 71, Sukjin Lee Wuesthoff 75 73, Kelly Froelich 73 75, Cortney Reno 74 74, Krystal Shearer 74 74.

Other scores:

149 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 77 72, Esther Choe 78 71.

+All the scores are available on the LPGA website: http://www.lpga.com/default_new.aspx

CHARLENE REID JOINT THIRD IN
LADY FALCON INVITATIONAL

Charlene Reid from Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, a third-year student at Pfeiffer University, finished joint third in the Lady Falcon Invitational college tournament at Old North State Club, New London, North Carolina.
Over a par-72, 5,954yd course, Charlene had rounds of 82 and 75 for 157 - five shots behind the winner, Franziska Blum (Newberry) who scored 75 and 77 for 152.
Charlene's 75 was the best second-round in the competition and tied the winner's opening round as the best in the tournament.
Two other Pfeiffer University students from this side of the Atlantic did not do so well. Nikki Taggart, a senior from Belfast, scored 85 and 94 for 179 and a share of 32nd place.
Freshman Kayleigh Giles from an undisclosed area of England was joint 36th on 185 with rounds of 96 and 89.
Pfeiffer (647) won the team event easily from Wingate (669) in a field of 11 teams.

ELGA PRESS RELEASE

YORKSHIRE v HAMPSHIRE FOR COUNTY TITLE

Defending champions Yorkshire will meet Hampshire in a title showdown at the County Finals at Brokenhurst Manor on Friday.
Both teams have two wins apiece in the series so far, but Hampshire, the hosts, have edged into the lead on points.
On the second day’s play Hampshire swept aside Glamorgan 8-1 while Yorkshire beat Leicestershire and Rutland 6-3.
Hampshire captain Bridget Moore said: “My girls have been brilliant, absolutely fantastic. Now they just have to do it one more time – but it will be tough.”
Yorkshire demonstrated their grit in their match, which was a much tougher battle than the scoreline suggests.
The title-holders had edged ahead 2-1 in the foursomes but it was Leicestershire who dominated the singles over the opening holes. At the turn, they were up in four matches and all square in another. Only Yorkshire’s Emma Duggleby was up and she went on to score her county’s first point of the afternoon with a 6 and 4 win – helped by six birdies.
Her colleagues dug deep on the back nine. County champion Sara Garbutt and international Rachel Bell were both one down at the turn but each won their close encounters on the 18th . Meanwhile, 16-year-old Nikki Dunn, who had been all square after nine, took charge on the homeward half and won 3 and 1.
Relieved Yorkshire captain Sue Milner spoke for the army of green-clad spectators when she said afterwards: “They keep doing this to us! We should be used to it by now.”
She, too, is looking forward to a challenging match on Friday. “It will be a hard match, we know that. We all want to win – and to win with a really good finish.”
Leicestershire captain Helen Summ paid tribute to her players. “I am very proud of them. I have seen some excellent golf by both sides but exceptional play by my girls.”
The outcome of the match between Glamorgan and Leicestershire will determine third place.
Match results.

YORKSHIRE 6, LEICESTER 3
(Yorkshire names first)
Foursomes (2-1)
Emma Duggleby & Naomi Edwards bt Jo Morris & Tracy Bourne 1 hole.
Sara Garbutt & Rachel Bell bt Kym Larratt & Jenny Cooper 3 and 2.
Nikki Dunn & Laura Harvey lost to Helen Lowe & Gemma Parkes 4 and 2.
Singles (4-2)
Garbutt bt Larratt 1 hole.
Edwards lost to Cooper 4 and 2.
Duggleby bt Morris 6 and 4.
Kim Crooks lost to Bourne 2 and 1.
Dunn bt Lowe 3 and 1.
Bell bt Parkes 1 hole.

HAMPSHIRE 8, GLAMORGAN 1
(Hampshire names first)
Foursomes
Liz Bennett & Kerry Smith bt Lydia Hall & Becky Harries 3 and 1.
Helen Wheeler & Layla Ahmed bt Rachel Hunt & Vicky Thomas 1 hole.
Tracey Boyes & Katie Mundy bt Amy Rees & Gemma Bradbury 2 and 1.

Singles (5-1)
Katie Thompson bt Hall 5 and 4.
Bennett bt Harries 3 and 1.
Smith bt Rees 3 and 2.
Mundy bt Bradbury 3 and 2.
Ahmed bt Hunt 3 and 1.
Boyes lost to Rhian Thomas 3 and 1.

Online scoring: http://www.englishladiesgolf.org/

Lyndsey HewisonPress & PR Officer

SALLY WATSON (16) LEADS HOME

CHALLENGE IN DE VERE

LADIES' SCOTTISH OPEN

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Jade Schaeffer of France took a one-stroke lead after the first round of the De Vere Ladies Scottish Open at The Carrick on Loch Lomond.
The first year Ladies European Tour (LET) player carded a two-under-par 69 in heavy rain and was one of only two players to finish the day under par.
The second player to do so was the 16-year-old Scottish amateur Sally Watson, pictured left, who finished tied for 50th at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at St Andrews last month. Watson was tied for the lead on two-under after three birdies and a bogey in her first 11 holes.
However, she bogeyed the par-4 17th to eventually finish on 70, one-under-par.
Schaeffer, who has posted three top-tens in her first season on the LET, with her best finish a third place at the Ladies Open of Portugal, was three-under after her first seven holes following birdies on the second, fourth and seventh holes.
She three-putted the par-4 ninth for a double-bogey 6 but picked up a shot on the back nine to take the clubhouse lead on two-under-par 69.
“I’m happy because two-under is very good today,” said Schaeffer, from Strasbourg, who also led after the first round of the Nykredit Masters in Denmark a fortnight ago. “I was one-under for the first nine and one-under on the back.
“Today it was not very good because the conditions were so difficult. It is difficult with the rain stopping and starting.
“I think the best part of my game was the putting; the putting and chipping. Hitting greens in regulation was very hard but I chipped well and I putted well for birdie.”
Watson, who hails from South Queensferry, Edinburgh but is a resident student at the Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton, Florida, helped steer the European PING Junior Solheim Cup Team to victory last week in Sweden.
She began playing the game at three-years old and was just four when England’s Alison Nicholas won the last Scottish Open to take place on the Ladies European Tour in 1996. Now Sally is hoping to become the youngest winner on the LET after Amy Yang won the 2006 ANZ Ladies Masters at the age of 16 years, nine months and 18 days.
Watson said: “I didn’t know what the scores were going to be like because of the weather. I got out here at about mid-day and it was miserable then. I wasn’t sure what to expect at my first LET event (The Women’s British Open), but I made the cut there. I came here confident. It’s all a new experience for me, playing with the professionals. We had a great time out there today, and that was the main thing. It is so easy to get frustrated. I didn’t really get frustrated with the weather.
“I was happy with my game, I got up and down every time and had a great time with my dad (caddie, Graham).”
Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson, a member of last week’s defeated European Solheim Cup team, finished tied for third with Spaniard Elisa Serramia on level par 71 and seven players carded 72, including home hopes Lynn Kenny and Clare Queen.
Catriona Matthew, who was Europe’s leading points scorer last week in The Solheim Cup, posted a 73 and finished tied for 12th position with fellow Scot Mhairi McKay and three other players.
LEADING SCORES
Par 71
69 J Schaeffer (Fra).
70 S Watson (Sco) (am).
71 E Serramia (Spa), S Gustafson (Swe).
72 F Johnson (Eng), C Queen (Sco), S Walker (Eng), H Alterby (Swe), K-M Juul (Den), L Kenny (Sco), S Renell (Swe).
73 M McKay (Sco), A Cvitan (Swe), C Lundgren (Nor), K S Taylor (Eng), C Matthew (Sco).
Other scores:
74 C Booth (Sco) (am) (jt 17th).
76 J Moodie (Sco), B Brewerton (Wal) (jt 43rd).
78 K MacDonald (Sco) (am), K Imrie (Sco) (jt 65th).
79 H MacRae (Sco), J Wilson (Sco) (am) (jt 78th).
81 V Laing (Sco).

NOREEN HANGS ON TO BE JOINT THIRD

WITH ONE ROUND TO GO IN

BRITISH SENIORS AT COPT HEATH

Noreen Fenton and Pat Hutton were sharing fourth place at the beginning of the second day of the British senior women's open amateur golf championship at Copt Heath Golf Club, Solihull.
At the end of it, Noreen, pictured right, from the Merchants of Edinburgh Club had hung on to a share of third place with a repeat 79 for 158.
But Pat went into freefall with 90 for 169 - and missed the cut which reduced the field to the 40 players who will play Friday's third and final round. Mrs Hutton had one triple bogey and three double bogeys and required 47 shots for the inward half.
In contrast, Noreen birdied the long second and returned tidy halves of 39 and 40 for her second 79 to be four shots behind the new leader, Canadian Alison Murdoch who won the Irish senior women's open title last week. Alison shot to the front with a second-round, one-over-par 74 for 154.
St Andrews hotelier Fiona De Vries was another Scot to survive the cut with a 78 (40-38) for a share of 11th place on 161. Fiona has not had a single birdie in 36 holes but her damage limitation has been first class.
Pamela Williamson (Baberton) starts the final day in joint 25th place on 163 after an 80 (39-41) which included a double bogey 7 at the long seventh for the second round in a row.
Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) had halves of 37 and 42 for a 79 and 164.
Maureen Richmond, who, as Maureen Walker was a Curtis Cup player in 1974, made the biggest improvement between rounds .... from a 92 to a 74, which was more like the player who won the Spanish senior women's open title earlier this year. Maureen had an eagle 2 at the sixth and birdies at two par-5s, the seventh and the 16th in halves of 35 and 39, compared with 49-43 on Wednesday.
Downfield's Heather Anderson survived the cut with nothing to spare on 167 after a second-round 87 which included a triple bogey 7 at the sixth and double bogey 6s at the 11th and 17th in halves of 42 and 45.
Former Scottish champion Fiona Anderson (Formby Ladies) missed the cut by one shot after a second-round 87 which included a nightmare run of 8-5-7 for the second, third and fourth holes which have a par of 5-3-4.
QUALFIERS
Par 146 (2 x 73)
154 A Murdoch (Can) 80 74.
157 S Dye (Delamere Forest) 76 81.
158 D Williams (Can) 82 76, C Quinn (Hockley) 82 76, R Adams (Addington Court) 80 78, N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 79 79, G Bray (Littlestone) 79 79.
159 M McKenna (Donabate) 83 76, P West (Spalding) 81 78.
160 C Kirk (Ganton) 81 69.
161 J Doleman (Rushcliffe) 85 76, B Laird (Sandiway) 83 68, S O’Brien-Kenney (Grange) 83 78, F De Vries (St Rule) 83 78, B Arenas (Gua) 81 80, P Wrightson (Huddersfield), C Watson (Beaconsfield) 80 81.
162 V Hoff (Swe) 84 78, S Westall (Copt Heath) 83 79, G Ekman (Swe) 83 79, R Lindley (Hartlepool) 83 69, M Henderson (West Rhine) 82 80, E Cooper (Calcot Park) 82 80, B Ljung (Swe) 81 81.
163 P Williamson (Baberton) 83 80, A-C Sveningson (Swe) 79 84.
164 J Ballard (Littlestone) 86 78, H Faulds (Douglas Park) 85 79, C Lindberg (US) 80 84.
165 G Snelson (Branston) 83 82, C Birke (Swe) 83 82, A Lewis (Royal St David’s) 81 84.
166 M Richmond (Royal Liverpool) 92 74, B Belcher (Olton) 87 79, R Farrow (St Neots) 83 83, J O’Connor (Newport Gwent) 83 83, E Jacob (Ger) 78 88.
167 A Dawson (Copt Heath) 87 80, M-B Heden (Swe) 81 86, H Anderson (Downfield) 80 87.
MISSED THE CUT
168 J O’Keeffe (Guildford Ladies) 86 82, C Utermarck (Ger) 84 84, F Anderson (Formby Ladies) 81 87.
169 K Gumpert (Ger) 87 82, J Mack (Haggs Castle) 85 84, P Thompson (West Lancashire) 83 86, P Hutton (Lanark) 79 90.
170 M Fielding (Ladbrook Park) 87 83, C Liversidge (Sandiway) 87 83, S Ellis (Ferndown) 83 87.
171 M Madden (Ballinasloe) 89 82, H Smyth (Pannal) 87 84.
172 R Watters (Porters Park) 91 81, L Richardson (Ashley Wood) 89 83, A Stockdale (Mapperley) 88 84, I K A Verchou (Swe) 87 85, L Foster (Bramhall) 84 88.
173 D Parker (Woodhall Spa) 88 85.
174 K Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 88 86.
175 E Zandvoort (Eaton) 80 85, L Terry (Cruden Bay) 88 87, J Ugale (US) 85 90.
176 V Hassett (Ennis) 90 86, C Thott (Swe) 90 86, I Brien (Wentworth) 89 87, M Nijhof (Bel) 88 88, B Woodham (Cobtree Manor Park) 87 89.
177 C Cass (Broadstone) 91 86, E Wendels (Swe) 88 89, T Buchanan (US) 88 89, S Pidgeon (Wrekin) 86 91, A MacGregor (Lingdale) 86 91.
178 J Paterson (Drumpellier) 90 88, A Duck (Northants Co) 87 91.
179 E Moverley (Copt Heath) 89 90, P Honka (Fin) 86 93.
181 S Stradling (Worplesdon) 94 87, J Denholm (Moorhall) 93 88, A-K Hermanson (Swe) 91 90, C Atack (Moortown) 90 91, G Curley (Northants Co) 90 91, E Kettunen (Fin) 89 92.
182 K Cox (US) 96 86, D Gritt (Tidworth) 90 92.
183 K F Mansson (Swe) 92 91.
184 C Wild (Notts) 86 98.
190 E Black (Dunbar) 93 97.
191 A Eriksson (Swe3) 97 94.

ABERDEENSHIRE PAIR WIN COMMONWEALTH
SPOONS FOURSOMES

FINAL AT TAIN

As president of Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association, Mary Robinson is more used to handing out the prizes at tournaments.
But at Tain Golf Club today, Mary and her Aberdeenshire partner Sheila McCrae were the recipients of the SLGA's Commonwealth Spoons trophy (picture right by courtesy of Robin Wilson).
They won the national final against qualifiers from all over Scotland with a net 76 - three over par - off 16.
They won by two shots from Lesley Lloyd and Fiona Scott of Lanarkshire and Anne Smith and Rena Canavan (Stirling & Clackmannan) who both had net 78s. Lloyd and Scott were playing off four, Smith and Canavan off 14. Lloyd and Scott were placed second on the better inward half.
Leading net returns
Mary Robinson & Sheila McCrae (Aberdeenshire) (16) 76; Lesley Lloyd & Fiona Scott (Lanarkshire) (4) (better inward half), Anne Smith & Rena Canavan (Stirling & Clackmannan) (14) 78; Maggie Thurston & Thelma McInroy (Angus) (19) 79; Joan Blyth & Diane Watson (Fife) (7 1/2) 79 1/2 (better inward half).

EARLY SCOTS' SCOTS FROM DE VERE
LADIES SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Early first-round completed scores by Scots in the De Vere Ladies Scottish championship at The Carrick at Cameron House today:

Par 71
72 Clare Queen (35-37).
73 Mhairi McKay (39-34).
74 Carly Booth (am) (36-38).
78 Kelsey MacDonald (am) 41-37.
81 Vikki Laing 41-40.
83 Rachel Cassidy (Stirling Univ) 45-38.

SAMANTHA 73 BUT KIRAN STRUGGLES WITH
77 IN LPGA Q SCHOOL ELIMINATOR

Samantha Head had a one-over-par 73 in the first round of the LPGA Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 tournament at Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage in California.
Former Curtis Cup player and last year's English amateur champion Kiran Matharu is back in a share of 106th place with a five-over 77.
Players are competing on both the Arnold Palmer and Dinah Shore courses at Mission Hills Country Club, playing each of the courses once before the 36-hole cut is made following the second round.
The final two rounds, which will feature the low 70 players and ties, will be played on the Dinah Shore course.
The top-30 players and ties at the end of 72 holes will advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., Nov. 28-Dec. 2.
The Rancho Mirage qualifier is the first of the LPGA Tour's two sectional qualifying events in 2007.
The second LPGA Tour Sectional Qualifying Tournament is Oct. 2-5 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla.
The top-30 finishers and ties from the Florida qualifier will join the California sectional qualifiers, current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status and the players who finished sixth through 15th on the final 2006 Futures Tour money list at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
67 Amie Cochran.
68 Katie Allison, Kelly Lagedrost.
69 Nicole Hage, Jennifer Ackerson, Song Yi Choi.
70 Hannah Jun, Priscilla Duffield, Hwan Hee Lee, Lauren Todd.
71 Joanne Mills, Nontaya Srisawang, Jenny Suh, Rachel Newren, Tiranan Yoopan, Jaclyn Sweeney, Anna Rawson, Ashley Knoll.
72 Jana Peterkova, D'Rae Ward, Rachel Bailey, Benedikte B Grotvedt, Nikki Garret, Tiffany Tavee, Sarah-Jane Kenyon, Kim Welch, Amy Schmucker, Yani Tseng, Annie Young, Whitney Wade, Kelly Froelich.
73 Shayne Miyajima, Danah Ford, Bridget Keala Dwyer, Samantha Head (Eng), Amy Yang, Kristie Smith, Ashleigh Simon (SAf), Alice Kim, Lauren Espinosa, Helen Oh, May Wood, Sarah Oh, Yoora Kim, Seema Sadekar, Carolina Llano, Stacey Tate, Jenna Pearson, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Jennifer Greggain, Anja Monke (Ger), Nicole Melton, Ashley Gomes, Shanshan Feng.
74 Heather Angell, Stephanie Dukes, Taya Battistella, Walailak Satarak, Michelle Simpson, Ulrika Ljungman-Smith, Mindy Kim, Corina Kelepouris, Lori Atsedes, Pornanong Phatlum, Sarah Kemp, Louise Friberg, Shinah Ham, Catherine Matranga, Samantha Richdale, Cortney Reno, Krystal Shearer, Mary K Moan.
75 Yoo Lee Kim, Sukjin Lee Wuesthoff, Libby Smith, Erin Kerr, Jean Reynolds, Misun Cho, Jin Hyun Kim, Jeehae Lee, Chris Newton, Leah Wigger, Hanna Kang, Caryn Wilson, Hiroko Fujishima, Randi Meadows, Dana Je, Charlotte Campbell, Gerina Mendoza, Porani Chutichai, Marcela Leon.
Other scores included:
77 Kiran Matharu (Eng) (jt 106th).

ELGA PRESS RELEASE

YORKSHIRE, HAMPSHIRE MAKE WINNING
START TO COUNTY FINALS

Yorkshire launched their defence of ELGA’s county golf championship with a 6-3 win over Glamorgan at Brokenhurst Manor, Hampshire.
Meanwhile, the hosts, Hampshire, also won on the opening day of the County Finals, defeating Leicestershire & Rutland 5½-3½.
On a day of strong, swirling winds, the crowd of spectators were treated to a fine display of golf from the players, who included four Great Britain and Ireland internationals.
Hampshire’s Liz Bennett – one of the GB&I internationals – was five under when she won her singles, but Leicestershire champion Kym Larratt took her to the 17th.
In the top singles match between Yorkshire and Glamorgan three consecutive holes were exchanged with birdies.
Yorkshire captain Sue Milner was happy with the way her team opened their campaign. “I am very pleased, the girls have gone out and done what they had to do against Glamorgan - who are no pushover.”
Yorkshire won the foursomes 2-1 and then took four of the six singles. Among the strong performances was that of 16-year-old Nikki Dunn. She missed county match week because she was taking her O levels but she came straight back into the team with a 5 and 4 singles win.
English champion Naomi Edwards, her fellow GB&I international Rachel Bell and British mid-amateur champion Emma Duggleby delivered Yorkshire’s other singles points.
Hampshire are appreciating their home advantage – and particularly the spectators who are turning out to support. Team captain Bridget Moore said: “After a slightly nervy start the girls did really well.”
They too won two of the foursomes, narrowly losing the third on the 18th green. In the singles, GB&I international Kerry Smith quickly followed Liz Bennett with a point on the board. She won on the 15th, despite trailing by a hole for much of the outward nine.
Katie Thompson scored a good half while Helen Wheeler demonstrated her admirable short game skills in her 5 and 4 win.
In the second day’s play Yorkshire meet Leicestershire & Rutland while Hampshire take on Glamorgan.
Online scoring: www.englishladiesgolf.org

Match results:

HAMPSHIRE 5 1/2, LEICESTERSHIRE & RUTLAND 3 1/2
(Hampshire names first)
Foursomes: Liz Bennett & Kerry Smith bt Tracy Bourne & Jo Morris 2 and 1; Tracey Boyes & Katie Mundy bt Jenny Cooper & Kym Larratt 2 and 1; Helen Wheeler & Layla Ahmed lost to Helen Lowe & Gemma Parkes 1 hole.
Singles: Bennett bt Larratt 3 and 1, Smith bt Cooper 5 and 3, Mundy lost to Morris 3 and 2, Katie Thompson halved with Bourne, Raffi Dyer lost to Lowe 4 and 3, Wheeler bt Parkes 5 and 4.

YORKSHIRE 6, GLAMORGAN 3
(Yorkshire names first)
Foursomes: Emma Duggleby & Naomi Edwards bt Lydia Hall & Becky Harries 5 and 4; Sara Garbutt & Rachel Bell bt Rhian Thomas & Vicky Thomas 5 and 4; Nikki Dunn & Laura Harvey lost to Gemma Bradbury & Amy Rees 2 holes.
Singles: Garbutt lost to Hall 2 holes, Edwards bt Harries 3 and 2, Bell bt Rachel Hunt 6 and 5, Lizzie Brand lost to Rees 5 and 4, Dunn bt Bradbury 5 and 4, Duggleby bt V Thomas 5 and 3.

Lyndsey Hewison, Press & PR Officer
Visit our web site at www.englishladiesgolf.org

PRESS RELEASE

PROQUIP WORN BY WINNING US TEAM AT STORMY SOLHEIM CUP

North Berwick, September 19, 2007

Biting cold, wind and rain may have hampered three dramatic days at The Solheim Cup at Halmstad Golf Club, Sweden, but ProQuip’s ultra-lightweight team rain suits proved to be the ultimate winning weatherwear for Betsy King’s US team.

The American team wore ProQuip’s Ladies Ultralite rain suits and Ladies Silk Touch Half-Sleeve Windshields to beat the cold, blustery conditions and storm to an 8.5 to 3.5 final day singles win over the Europeans, and secure overall victory by 16 points to 12.

Richard Head, chief designer and managing director of ProQuip, said: “Congratulations to Betsy King and her players. The weather was a big factor in Sweden, and the performance of the U.S. Solheim team over three demanding days was incredible and proof that high-performance weatherwear, talent and determination can combine to produce great golf in any conditions.”

As the official weatherwear supplier to the U.S. Team, ProQuip custom-designed Ladies Ultralite suits, made from a specially designed laminated fabric exclusive to ProQuip, which is lightweight and soft, maximising comfort and minimising noise.

“ProQuip was chosen to outfit the U.S team after US Captain Betsy King and her assistant Beth Daniel visited our stand at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, tried samples and agreed the weatherwear surpassed even the high standards expected by their players,” added Head.

ProQuip also supplied weatherwear to LPGA staff members, and VIP’s, including LPGA Founders, board members and former Solheim Cup Captains.

ProQuip has more than 26-years of experience in outfitting international team golf competitions, dating back to the 1981 United States Ryder Cup team.

More recently, the North Berwick based company was the preferred weatherwear supplier to the victorious 2006 European Ryder Cup team.Federation.

For more information about ProQuip, visit: www.proquipgolf.com

ELGA PRESS RELEASE

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE PAIR WIN AUSTRALIAN SPOONS

Northamptonshire golfers win Australian Spoons Northamptonshire golfers Ada Parr and Jo Price have brought the first national success to their club, Whittlebury Park, with victory in the Australian Spoons.
They won the final of English Ladies’ Golf Association’s stableford foursomes competition for bronze division handicap golfers at Brokenhurst Manor, Hampshire.
Ada, the ladies’ captain, and Jo, the wife of the club captain, represented ELGA’s Midland division in the final and took on pairs from the South Western, South Eastern and Northern divisions.
“Jo and I are utterly thrilled,” said Ada. “It’s the first time anyone from our club has got to the final of a national competition – and it goes without saying it’s the first time anyone has won!
“I had a committee meeting the other evening and was told not to come back without the Australian Spoons. I am very pleased to be able to deliver!”
The trophy, of a pair of spoons, was presented in 1966 by the Australian Ladies’ Golf Union.
Ada added: “We enjoyed the format and the company of our fellow competitors and highly recommend the Australian Spoons to all clubs to enter.
“The entire ELGA team did a great job in looking after us and making us feel special and the Brokenhurst ladies were superb, giving us such a warm welcome.”
Ada plays off 28 while Jo, who has been playing golf for only four years, is a 32-handicapper. The pair’s winning score was 24 points. The runners-up were: Wendy Quant and Liz Walker from Bridport and West Dorset in the South-Western division.
They were followed by Linda Paulson and Wendy Thurner from Clandon Regis, Surrey, in the South-Eastern division; and by Mary Gomersall and Margaret King of Cleckheaton and District, Yorkshire, in the Northern division.

PAT AND NOREEN LEAD SCOTTISH CHALLENGE
IN BRITISH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Lanark's Pat Hutton and Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) were the leading Scots at the end of the first round of the British senior women's open amateur golf championship at Copt Heath Golf Club, Solihull today .
They shared fourth place on 79 behind leader Susan Dye's three-over-par 76.
Both Noreen and Patricia had costly double bogey 6s. Noreen's came at the sixth before she birdied the eighth and 15th in halves of 40 and 39.
Mrs Hutton had birdied two par-5s, the second and 14th, before she had a late slip with a 6 at the par-4 18th in halves of 39 and 40.
Heather Anderson from Downfield, Dundee did well to come in 38 for an 80 which sees her start the second round in joint eighth place. Heather birdied the long second, the 10th and 14th.
Lancashire-based former Scottish champion Fiona Anderson from Blairgowrie is sharing 13th place on 81 (39-42). Fiona birdied the second, eighth and 17th but had double bogey 6s at the sixth and 12th.
Former Scottish champion Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Fiona de Vries (St Rule) were both on the 83 mark. Pamela had a double bogey 7 at the long seventh and a 6 at the par-4 17th in halves of 41 and 42. She had a birdie at the 15th.
Fiona went out in 43 and bac in 40, including a triple bogey 7 at the fourth and a double-bogey 5 at the short fifth. She had no birdies on her card.
No Scot has won this title since the British over-50s championship was introduced in 1981.
Only the leading 40 and ties at the end of the second round will go forward to the third and final round on Friday.
ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 73
76 S Dye (Delamere Forest).
78 P Wrightson (Huddersfield), E Jacob (Ger).
79 N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), P Hutton (Lanark), G Bray (Littlestone), A-C Sveningson (Swe).
80 C Lindberg (US), C Watson (Beaconsfield), H Anderson (Downfield), R Adams (Addington Court), A Murdoch (Can).
81 B Ljung (Swe), B Arenas (Gua), M-B Heden (Swe), P West (Spalding), F Anderson (Formby Ladies), C Kirk (Ganton), A Lewis (Royal St David's).
82 C Quinn (Hockley), E Cooper (Calcot Park), M Henderson (West Rhine), D Williams (Can).
83 R Lindley (Hartlepool), C Birkje (Swe), P Williamson (Baberton), M McKenna (Donabate), F de Vries (St Rule), J O'Connor (Newport, Gwent), G Ekman (Swe), S Ellis (Ferndown), S O'Brien-Kenney (Greange), S Westall (Copt Heath), R Farrow (St Neots), G Snelson (Branston), B Laird (Sandiway), P Thompson (West Lancashire).
84 L Foster (Bramhall), V Hogg (Swe), C Utermarck (Ger), S Lines-Poulton (Thorndon Park).
85 J Doleman (Rushcliffre), J Mack (Haggs Castle), J Ugale (US), H Faulds (Douglasd Park).
86 A MacGregor (Lingdale), J O'Keeffe (Guildford Ladies), J Ballard (Littlestone), C Wild (Notts), P Honka (Fin), S Pidgeon (Wrekin).
87 A Dawson (Copt Heath), B Belcher (Olton), H Smyth (Pannal), K Gumpert (Ger), C Liversidge (Sandiway), M Fielding (Ladbrook Park), K I Verchou (Swe), A Duck (Northants Co), B Woodham (Cobtree Manor Park).
88 K Ballantyne (Creaigmillar Park), T Buchanan (US), L Terry (Cruden Bay), E Wendels (Swe), A Stockdale (Mapperley), D Parker (Woodhall Spa), D Backhouse (Aldeburgh), M Nijhof (Bel).
89 E Kettunen (Fin), E Moverley (Copt Heath), L Richardson (Ashley Wood), M Madden (Ballinasloe), I Brien (Wentworth).
90 G Curley (Northamptonshire Co), C Atack (Swe), V Hassett (Ennis), D Gritt (Tidworth), E Zandwoort (Eaton), J Paterson (Drumpellier).
91 R Watters (Ports Park), C Cass (Broadstone), A-K Hermanson (~Swe).
92 K F Mansson (Swe), M Richmond (Royal Liverpool).
93 E Black (Dunbar), J Denholm (Moorhall).
94 S Stradling (Worplesdon).
96 K Cox (US).
97 A Eriksson (Swe).

HANNAH HITS COLORADO

HIGH: RUNNER-UP AT HIGHLANDS RANCH

Hannah Burke, 19-year-old from Hertfordshire, achieved her highest finish on the American women's college circuit when she came second in the Ron Moore Intercollegiate at Highlands Ranch Golf Club, Colorado earlier today (local time).
Hannah, now in her second year at Baylor University, Texas, highlighted her freshman year with a seventh place in the Ptarmigan/Ram Classic. That was her best until she strung together three very good rounds of 72, 71 and 72 for a one-under-par total of 215 at Highlands Ranch.
Miss Burke finished two shots behind the all-the-way winner Stephanie Sherlock (Denver) who scored 69, 72 and 72 for 213.
Hannah might well have been the winner but for an error-strewn outward half of three-over 39 in her final round over the longish course (6,518yd). She bogeyed the second and fourth and birdied the sixth before running up a costly double-bogey 6 at the eighth.
Against that, she had an excellent second nine of three-under-par 33 with a birdie 4 at the long 11th before an eagle at the 391yd par-4 14th hole where she holed her second shot.
Over the three rounds, Hannah had two eagles and eight birdies on the credit side and two double-bogeys and seven bogeys in the debit column.
She finished four shots ahead of two players who shared third place on 219.
Baylor team-mate Sian Reddick from Folkestone, the 2004 English women's amateur stroke-play champion, finished joint 14th on 223 with scores of 72, 78 and 73. The second round, in which she had an inward half of 41, including a double bogey 6 at the 16th, dragged her out of a top-10 finish.
English Under-18 girls champion Ellie Givens, making her debut for Denver University, finished a creditable 30th in conditions which were totally foreign to her with scores of 77, 77 and 74 for 228. Ellie had five double bogeys over the first two rounds. She finished with a bogey 5 when a par would have given her a joint 26th finish.
Ellie's scores did not count for Denver, the host university, who won the team event with a total of 886 - nine shots ahead of Baylor.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Individual
Par 216 (3 x 72). 6,518yd.
213 Stephanie Sherlock (Denver) 69 72 72.
215 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 72 71 72.
219 Erica Moston (St Jose State) 73 70 76, Carmen Perez-Narbon (N.Carolina-Wilmington) 74 73 72.
Other totals:
223 Sian Reddick (Baylor) 72 78 73 (jt 14th).
228 Ellie Givens (Denver) 77 77 74 (30th).
Teams
886 Denver.
895 Baylor
897 Iowa State

ANNA SCOTT JOINT TENTH ON
COMEBACK APPEARANCE
ON US COLLEGE CIRCUIT

Anna Scott improved but Sinead O'Sullivan and Lucy Gould slipped back over the third and final round of the Napa River Cardinal Cup women's college tournament over the Cardinal Club course (6,181yd, par 72) at Simpsonville, Kentucky.
Anna, pictured right, from Consett in County Durham is a student at Georgia State University. She missed almost the whole of the 2006-2007 college golf season with a serious elbow injury.
Now she is back and raring to make up for lost time.
Miss Scott improved from joint 26th after two rounds to tied 10th in the final standings, thanks to a final round of one-under-par 71 which included birdies a tthe second, fifth and 13th and bogeys at the third and 14th.
Over the three rounds, six-footer Anna had eight birdies. Her earlier scores were 79 and 72 and she finished with a six-over-par total of 222 - nine shots behind the South Korean winner, So-Hyun Park, a freshman student at Notre Dame. She scored 70, 71 and 72 for three-under-213 to win by one shot from Taryn Durham (Middle Tennessee State).
Irish international Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) sagged with a final round of 79 after opening with a pair of 74s. She slipped from joint 10th place to a final position of tied 25th on 227. Sinead had a double bogey 7 at the long fourth and no birdies, after shooting six birdies over the first two rounds.
East Tennessee State stablemate Lucy Gould, twice winner of the Welsh girls title, score 76, 73 and 79 for a share of 27th place on 228. She had been joint 14th with one round to go. Lucy had a double bogey 5 at the short eighth and a double bogey 7 at the long ninth in an outward 41 in her final round.
Another Irish player, Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) finished joint 49th on 234 with scores of 78, 76 and 80.
Notre Dame (878) won the team event with Georgia State fourth on 896 and East Tennessee State tied sixth of 17 on 913.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL FINAL TOTALS
213 So-Hyun Park (Notre Dame) 70 71 72.
214 Taryn Durham (Middle Tennessee State) 70 72 72.
Other totals:
222 Anna Scott (Georgia State) 79 72 71.
227 Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) 74 74 79 (jt 25th).
228 Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) 76 73 79 (jt 27th).
234 Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) 78 76 80 (jt 49th).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
878 Notre Dame.
881 Louisville.
890 Augusta State.
896 Georgia State.
Other totals:
913 East Tennessee State (jt 6th).
923 Memphis (11th of 17 teams).
]

GILLIAN STEWART HIGHLIGHTS

WPGA WIN WITH AN EAGLE

- AND A "CAREER PUTT"

Inverness-based golf coach Gillian Stewart made the long trip down to Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club, Suffolk this week - and it was a worthwhile journey.
Gillian, a former leading light on the Ladies European Tour after a stellar amateur career, won the final Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA One-day Series event with a three-under-par round of 71.
"Not bad for an oldie, eh?" said Gillian who was British girls' champion in 1976 and then Scottish women's amateur champion in 1979, 1983 and 1984 before turning professional.
She has built up a very good reputation as a coach in the North of Scotland since retiring from the Ladies European Tour.
Gillian had an eagle 3 at the par-5 sixth, holing from 8ft after a vintage five-iron second shot to the green. Out in level par 37, she had four consecutive one-putt greens from the 12th - three of them for birdies and one for a par.
"That putt to save par at the 15th was a career putt," said an elated Gillian later. "There must have been a 2ft borrow on a six-foot downhill, left to right putt. I thought I was at Augusta!
"It was really very windy and the greens were exceptionally fast, the course having hosted the European Seniors Tour event won by Carl Mason 10 days ago."
Maria Tulley (Tavistock) was second on 73 and third was Laura Eastwood (West Cornwall) on 76.

Gillian Stewart earned £350 for her win, Maria £275 for being runner-up and Laura £150.

Cathy Panton-Lewis finished out of the money with an 82.

LEADING SCORES

71 Gillian Stewart.

73 Maria Tulley (West Cornwall).

76 Laura Eastwood (Tavistock).]

78 Marie Allen (Brookmans Park), Frances Finney (Great Hadham).

HANNAH BURKE JOINT SECOND WITH ONE
ROUND TO GO IN COLORADO

The second round has now been completed in the Ray Moore Invitational women's college tournament at Highlands Ranch Club, Colorado and Baylor's Hannah Burke was joint second on 143 going into the final 18 holes, being played later today.
Hannah had rounds of 72 and 71. Her second round, although one under par for the 6,518yd course, included a double bogey 6 at the sixth.
The Welwyn Garden City student was tied for second place with Erica Moston (San Jose State), two shots behind leader Stephanie Sherlock (Denver), playing over her home university course. Stephanie has score 69 and 72 for three-under-par 141.
Sian Riddick, the 2004 English women's open amateur stroke-play champion from Folkestone, was in joint 13th place on 150 after rounds of 72 and 78. Sian was six overe par for her last 12 holes of the second round. She ran up a double bogey 6 at the 16th.
English Under-18 girls champion Ellie Givens, a freshman student at Denver University, was joint 35th on 154 after a pair 0f 77s.
Once Ellie gets the hang of American conditions and keeps the double bogeys off her card - she has had five of them so far, two in her third round, at the eighth and 15th, then the Darlington teenager is going to be an asset to the Denver roster.
After 36 holes, Denver led the team event with 598, one shot ahead of Tulsa, with San Jose State (600) in third place, Nebraska (601) in fourth and Baylor (604) fifth of 18 teams.

UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING PRESS RELEASE

STUDENT RACHEL TEES IT UP WITH STARS AT
DE VERE LADIES SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

University of Stirling Second Year Sports Studies student, Rachel Cassidy, fulfils a lifetime ambition when she tees it up alongside some of Europe's best female professional golfers at the De Vere Ladies Scottish championship over The Carrick at Cameron House course at Loch Lomond on Thursday-Friday-Saturday this week.
Cassidy, from Ireland, gained her place in the field after coming out on top at the 2007 R&A Bursars’ Tournament, an invitation event for golf scholarship students supported by the R&A. She is keen to test her skills against the leading players, particularly those who played in last weekend’s Solheim Cup.
Cassidy commented:
“It’s a bit daunting, but very exciting as well. To be able to practise and compete alongside Solheim Cup players will be great for my development. The course is fantastic but very challenging. It will be very tough for me, but hopefully I can embrace this opportunity."
The student is a current recipient of a golf scholarship at the University of Stirling. She follows a long list of successful players to be attached to the leading sporting institution, including the 2006 US Amateur Champion, Richie Ramsay.
Cassidy joins Stirling alumni, Catriona Matthew and Lynn Kenny in the De Vere Ladies Scottish Open which is over 54 holes, starting on Thursday, cut after Friday's second round, final 18 holes on Saturday.
For more information on the University of Stirling’s golf scholarship programme, please contact:
Raleigh N. Gowrie
Sports Performance Manager
Department of Sports Studies
University of Stirling
Tel: 07740500140

LADIES GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

LGU TRAINING SQUAD NAMED
FOR 2008 TEAM EVENTS

The nine members of the team that narrowly lost to the Continent of Europe in the match for the Vagliano Trophy, form the nucleus of the 18-strong squad selected by the Ladies’ Golf Union for close season preparation for 2008 team events, notably the Curtis Cup at St Andrews from 30 May to 1 June.
Four of that team, Tara Delaney, Naomi Edwards, Breanne Loucks and Melissa Reid, played in the 2006 Curtis Cup match at Bandon Dunes and are certain to be at the forefront of selection when the team is announced next year.
Gillian Kirkwood, Chairman of the International Selection Committee said: “We have named a bigger squad than usual – 18 players – as five of them are U.S. based and one in Germany and these six might be unable to attend every session.
“It is an exceptionally strong squad and every player will have a realistic chance of being selected, even the younger players who this year have performed really well.
“Two in particular had an outstanding Home International series at Dunbar, Rachel Jennings of England totalling five and a half points out of six and 15-year-old Carly Booth winning 5 points out of six for Scotland. In the same week, Sally Watson, Henrietta Brockway and Florentyna Parker were in the winning European Junior Solheim Cup team in Sweden.
“Curtis Cup Captain, Mary McKenna, and the Training Committee have devised a preparation programme which features a lot of competitive play, and the Selectors will be looking at results over the winter, as well as past performances when we come to select the GB&I Curtis Cup team in early Spring of next year.”
SQUAD
Rachel Bell, Ganton
Liz Bennett, Brokenhurst Manor
Carly Booth, Comrie
Henrietta Brockway, Yeovil
Krystle Caithness, St Regulus
Tara Delaney, Carlow
Naomi Edwards, Ganton
Jodi Ewart, Catterick
Sahra Hassan, Vale of Glamorgan
Rachel Jennings, Izaak Walton
Breanne Loucks, Wrexham
Danielle McVeigh, Royal County Down
Florentyna Parker, Royal Birkdale
Melissa Reid, Chevin
Kerry Smith, Waterlooville
Michele Thomson, McDonald Ellon
Sally Watson, Elie & Earlsferry Ladies
Jenna Wilson, Strathaven

CAPTAIN, CURTIS CUP TEAM

Mary McKenna

SINEAD AND LUCY IN TOP 15 AFTER

TWO ROUNDS IN KENTUCKY

Irish international Sinead O'Sullivan and Welsh cap Lucy Gould - both students at East Tennessee State University - were lying joint 10th and 14th respectively after two rounds of the Napa River Cardinal Cup over the 6,181yd, par-72 Cardinal Club course at Simpsonville, Kentucky.

Sinead, pictured right, from Galway, had a pair of 74s for 148 which so far has included six birdies. On the down side, she had a double bogey 6 at the fifth in the first round.

Twice Welsh girls champion Lucy had scored 76 and 73 for 149. She took had a double bogey 6 in the first round but has had five birdies over the first 36 holes of what is a three-round event. Lucy did have a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh to the ninth in her second round.

Anna Scott from Consett in the North-east of England, back golfing at Georgia State University, has scored 79 and 72 for a share of 26th place in 151. And joint 26th place is not bad at all in a field as big as 94 players!

Anna birdied the fourth, ninth and 18th in match the par of 72 in her second round.

So-Hyun Park (Notre Dame) leads the field with 70 and 71 for 141, one shot ahead of Taryn Durham (Middle Tennessee State).

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

141 So-Hyun Park (Notre Dame) 70 71.

142 Taryn Durham (Middle Tennessee State) 70 72.

Other totals:

148 Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) 74 74 (jt 10th).

149 Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) 76 73 (jt 14th).

151 Anna Scott (Georgia State) 79 72 (jt 26th).

LEADING TEAM TOTALS

582 Notre Dame.

590 Louisville.

592 Augusta State.

594 Georgia State.

602 Middle Tennessee State.

604 East Tennessee State.

Seventeen teams competing

HANNAH BURKE LYING THIRD WHEN

BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY IN RON

MOORE INTERCOLLEGIATE

Darkness halted play with no second rounds completed in the Ron Moore Women's Intercollegiate tournament at Highlands Ranch Golf Club, Colorado.

There are three English students in the field of 96 - Baylor's Hannah Burke (pictured right) and Sian Reddick and Ellie Givens, the new English Under-18 girls' champion from Darlington and a freshman student at the University of Denver.

At the end of the first round, Hannah and Sian were lying joint second on 72, par for the longish, 6,518yd course - three shots behind the leader, Denver's Stephanie Sherlock - with Ellie, making her debut on the US college circuit, back in a share of 35th place on 77 after having three double bogeys on her card.

Hannah and Sian had played a further nine holes when play was halted for the day. Hannah's overall position had moved her to third place. She had two birdies, at the third and the ninth on her second circuit but also a double bogey at the sixth, which left her at level par overall.

Sian, had dropped down to a share of fourth place. She had birdies at the second and sixth but bogeyed the third, fifth and seventh on her second round to drop a shot overall.

Ellie, on the other hand, had improved from sharing 48th place to sharing 35th place. She has only three holes of her second round to play. She has had another double bogey - her fourth of her debut day - at the eighth but birdied the second and 17th. She also shed single shots at the first, fourth and 12th.

It's a big confusing to hark back to their first rounds but worth pointing out that Hannah Burke, who comes from Welwyn Garden City, had an eagle 3 at the 532yd par-5 11th and birdies at the seventh and 18th. She was three under par for the four par-5s in her first round.

Sian, the 2004 English women's amateur stroke-play champion from Folkestone, had bogeys at the first and second in her first round but picked up the pace with birdies at the fourth and seventh and then reeled off 11 straight pars for a 72.

Ellie Givens double bogeyed the second, fourth and 12th and also had a bogey at the eighth in 41 for the outward half. She had a birdie at the 10th.

Baylor University, Texas totalled 300 for the first round and were lying second to Nebraska (298) at that stage. But since then, over the second-r0und holes completed, Baylor have moved up to lead from Tulsa with Nebraska being edged back to third place.

It is a 54-hole tournament so the girls will have to start early today to complete their second rounds and then go out again.

FIRST ROUND LEADERS

Par 72. 6,518yd.

69 Stephanie Sherlock (Denver).

72 Hannah Burke (Baylor), Sian Reddick (Baylor).

Other score:

77 Ellie Givens (Denver) (jt 35th).

FIRST ROUND TEAM LEADERS

298 Nebraska.

300 Baylor.

303 Tulsa.

HEATHER MACRAE MAKES DEBUT

AS A PRO IN DE VERE LADIES

SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Dunblane’s Heather MacRae, one of the most successful Scotland lady amateur golfers of the past few seasons, has turned professional and will make her debut with her new status in the De Vere Ladies Scottish Championship at The Carrick at Cameron House, starting on Thursday.
Heather, who has her 24th birthday on this coming Sunday, made her big title breakthrough in 2001 when she won the Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play title against the favourite, Louise Kenney, at Glenbervie.
Last year, she won the British women’s open amateur stroke-play title and the Welsh women’s open amateur title earlier this season. She finished in the top seven of the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open stroke-play both last year and this year. In 2006, Heather and Jenna won the international team title for Scotland at the Troon event.
Apart from last week’s women’s home internationals at Dunbar, Heather had been a regular member of Scotland teams and girls’ and women’s level for the past decade.
She also played for Great Britain & Ireland against the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match of two years ago. She was considered unlucky only to be named a reserve for last year’s Curtis Cup match.

She also played successfully on the United States women's college circuit for San Diego State University.
“Turning professional is something I have wanted to do for many years and I have worked hard to try to make it happen,” said Heather.
“I have worked extremely hard this year on my golf and fitness and I feel the time is right for me to make the move over to the professional ranks. To be given the opportunity to start my professional career in Scotland is very exciting for me and my family and I am really excited about teeing it up with some of the best players in Europe this week in the De Vere Ladies Scottish championship.
“My amateur career is something that I am very proud of, having played for Scotland for nine years at various levels, played for Great Britain & Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy, won the British stroke-play title and, more recently the Welsh stroke-play.
“I have gained a lot of experience which will hopefully help me to make the transition to the pro ranks. I don’t have any sponsors line up yet but hopefully, after getting through the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School later this year it will be easier for me to find some backing.”
Heather will be one of 13 players from Scotland in the field for the De Vere Ladies Scottish championship which is over 54 holes - Thursday-Friday-Saturday.
The others are: Kathryn Imrie, Lynn Kenny, Vikki Laing, Catriona Matthew, Mhairi McKay, Janice Moodie and Clare Queen.
And from the amateur ranks there will be Carly Booth (Comrie), Stirling University student Rachel Cassidy (who is Irish), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) and Scottish champion Jenna Wilson (Strathaven).

MURCAR LINKS MAKE CLEAN SWEEP OF
ABERDEENSHIRE INTER-CLUB EVENTS

Murcar Links have completed a clean sweep of the Aberdeenshire inter-club women's golf competitions this season.
They beat McDonald Ellon and Deeside in the play-offs for the Aberdeenshire Women's Scratch League, contested initially by 13 club teams, for the Golfview Trophy.
McDonald Ellon, who beat Deeside, were runners-up.
The Murcar Links team over the series included Laura McLardy, Carol Wilson, Donna Pocock and Frances Neish. It is the fourth time in the seven years of the Aberdeenshire Scratch League that Murcar Links had won it.
Murcar Links had earlier won the Lyon Foursomes and the Watt Duffus Trophy inter-club events this season.
Results in the play-offs:
Murcar Links 2 1/2, McDonald Ellon 1 1/2.
McDonald Ellon 3 1/2, Deesdide 1/2.
Deeside 1 1/2, Murcar Links 2 1/2.

Vikki Laing playing in the Scottish Ladies Open at the Carrick

Press release from Bouncesport, Vikki's Management company

We are delighted to announce that Vikki will be returning from the US to accept an invitation to play in the inaugural De Vere Scottish Ladies Open at The Carrick next week. Two weeks ago she won her first professional event at The Gettysburg Championship in Pensylvania on The Duramed Futures Tour (LPGA equivalent of The Challenge Tour.) She has just finished 8th on The Futures Tour Order of Merit with, unfortunately, only the top 5 gaining LPGA full playing rights for 2008. However this fast-tracks her to the final qualifying stage for LPGA Tour School and, given her improvement in performance this year she will go into this with renewed confidence. It is our belief that all the indications are there that she is very much on the verge of realising her undoubted talent and fulfilling her ambition to pursue her career in the States. We are confident her appearance at The Carrick will be warmly welcomed and represents a fantastic addition to an already impressive field.

Angus Champion of Champions

FIONA GILBERT BEATS
WEATHER AND
CARNOUSTIE COURSE
TO WIN TITLE

On a fairly horrible day of non-stop rain, over the Carnoustie Championship course, Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies) produced two excellent rounds to win the Angus Champion of Champions' tournament. With scores of 81 and 79 for a 160 total, Fiona won by four shots from Lynne Fotheringham (Grange) (84, 80). Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) (85 80) was third.
Lynne Fotheringham had beaten Fiona in the final of the Angus county championship earlier in the season.
LEADING TOTALS
CSS 78 77.
160 F Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies) 81 79.
164 L Fotheringham (Grange) 84 80.
165 A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 85 80.
169 J Tough (Edzell) 87 82.
171 J Taylor (Kirriemuir) 84 87, S Raitt (Forfar) 82 89.
176 H Anderson (Downfield) 91 85.
179 A Chree (Ladies Panmure Monifieth) 84 95.
185 J Grubb (Montrose Mercantile) 93 92.
189 J Brown (Whitemoss) 95 94.
NR M Summers (Ladies Panmure Barry) 95 DNP
+Image of Christina Speed, captain of Angus county, presenting Fiona with the trophy, is courtesy of Aileen Hunter who also supplied all the scores and details from the tournament.

St Andrews Town Match

The 83rd TOWN MATCH [The R and A Captain's team v the Town of St Andrews) took place on Saturday, 15th September.

A fiercely contested early morning, with 0640 start on the Old Course, the New Course, and the Jubilee Course, led to the R&A taking a quick lead, which they maintained till lunch time. In the post-prandial session, however, the Town did well,and they pulled ahead to win comfortably in the end. Notable was the putting of Mr Gordon McKie, Head Greenkeeper of the Old Course, and a member of the St Andrews Club. The R&A team had in it Members from eighteen different countries, but nevertheless the home players from the Town clubs carried the day.

MIELE ALL-IRELAND LADIES INTERCLUB FOURBALL

PRESS RELEASE

MOUNT JULIET GOLF CLUB

15-16 SEPTEMBER 2007

MOUNTBELLEW CROWNED ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS

17th September 2007

Mountbellew were crowned All-Ireland Ladies Fourball Champions following a narrowest of margin 1 hole victory over Mallow at the finals of the 2007 Miele All-Ireland Interclub Fourball Championships at Mount Juliet Golf Club, 16th September.

In a nail-biting affair, Carmel Kearney and Angela Goggin drew first blood for the Cork side when they closed out Margaret Harkin and Mary Hyland on the home green. Bernadette Barrett and Laura Farrell then gave Mountbellew the advantage when they registered an impressive 5 and 4 win over Nora O’Connor and Ann O’Sullivan. Mallow then gained a 2-1 advantage with Marie O’Sullivan and Ann Kennelly’s defeat of Aoife Fallon and Mary Farrell on the fourteenth green. With Mallow one match ahead and 1 hole up on aggregate, Mountbellew’s final pairing of Laura Burke and Mary Costello brought the title across the Shannon following a seventeenth hole victory over Susan Curtain and Mary McEvoy to turn the tables and register a 1 hole aggregate victory for Mountbellew.

In Saturday’s semi-finals, Mallow defeated a luckless Co. Armagh side by 3½ -½ while Mountbellew were pushed all the way to the eighteenth in two matches by The K Club, eventually registering a 3-1 victory.

Mountbellew now emerge from 231 clubs as 2007 National Fourball Champions, joining the elite brigade of past winners Castle (2006 and 2005) and Roscommon (2004).


FINALS- Mount Juliet Golf Club, 16 September
MOUNTBELLEW 2 MALLOW 2 (Mountbellew win by 1 hole on countback)
Margaret Harkin, Mary Hyland lost to Carmel Kearney, Angela Goggin 1up
Laura Burke, Mary Costello bt Susan Curtain, Mary McEvoy 2 and 1
Aoife Fallon, Mary Farrell lost to Marie O’Sullivan, Ann Kennelly 5 and 4
Bernadette Barrett, Laura Farrell bt Nora O’Connor, Ann O’Sullivan 5 and 4

SEMI_FINALS - Mount Juliet Golf Club, 15 September
MALLOW 3½ CO. ARMAGH ½
Carmel Kearney, Angela Goggin bt Emma Oliver, Carolyn McCall 3 and 2
Susan Curtain, Mary McEvoy halved with Barbara Gartland, Valerie Gordon
Marie O’Sullivan, Ann Kennelly bt Paula McCrory, Teresa McVeigh 5 and 3
Nora O’Connor, Ann O’Sullivan bt Ellen Brady, Geraldine Rafferty 3and 2

MOUNTBELLEW 3 THE K CLUB 1
Margaret Harkin, Mary Hyland bt Noreen O’Grady, Pat Desmond 3 and 2
Laura Burke, Mary Costello bt Rosaleen Cunningham, Beryl Bowden 2 and 1
Aoife Fallon, Mary Farrell halved with Karena O’Connor, Lou Soden
Bernadette Barrett, Laura Farrell halved with Alice Doyle, Trish Lacey

SENIOR LADIES’ BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

LGU Press Release

Christine Quinn, the holder of the title, will be hoping to make a spirited defence of the Senior Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship, which will be played at Copt Heath Golf Club from 19-21 September.

Last year at Dumfries and County Golf Club, Ms Quinn had a six-shot win over Viveca Hoff, and in addition to a renewed challenge from the two times Swedish runner-up, will have to contend with Mary McKenna, one of the great names in ladies’ amateur golf.

Mary won the Seniors’ title in 2001 to cap a career that encompassed eight Irish titles and representation in nine Curtis Cup matches and nine Vagliano Trophy matches between 1969 and 1987. More recently, she was captain of the team that narrowly lost the Vagliano Trophy to the Continent of Europe at Fairmont, St Andrews and will lead the Curtis Cup team in the match next year at St Andrews from 30 May to 1 June.

There is a strong home challenge for the title, including the three times Scottish Seniors Champion Pamella Williamson, Fiona De Vries, 2006 Scottish Senior Match play Champion and Susan Ellis (Ferndown) the 2007 English Senior’s Champion. In addition, players have entered from nine overseas nations with, as always, a healthy representation from Northern European countries and Baltic States.

Clive Hadley, Secretary of Copt Heath said: “This year Copt Heath is celebrating its Centenary and hosting the Senior Ladies’ British Amateur Open, in late September, puts the finishing touch to what has been a splendid year.

“The Club and its members are delighted to welcome lady golfers from the Home Nations, Europe and further afield, who can be assured of a course in excellent condition, offering a good test of golf and a convivial atmosphere within the clubhouse. We trust that all attending, players, officials and spectators will enjoy their few days with us at Copt Heath.”

It is now 100 years since Copt Heath was founded, on a layout first proposed by three-times Open Champion Harry Vardon.

A subsequent extension was planned by H.S. Colt and after the war, a redesign of seven holes by Hawtree and Sons and more recent minor modifications by Donald Steel have resulted in the fine layout that the course has today.

Competitors play 18 holes on each of the first two days and the lowest 40 and ties play a further 18 holes on Friday 21 September.

The full list of players can be viewed at www.lgu.org – Championships.

Stirling and Clackmannan Junior Championship

Alison Goodwin and Louise Macgregor

The Stirling & Clackmannan County Girls Championship was held yesterday at Glenbervie.
Twelve girls braved the elements, in particular very heavy rain at the start of their rounds. Louise McGregor of Falkirk Golf Club retained her scratch title with a very commendable 81. The handicap championship was won by Alison Goodwin of Glenbervie with a 95 less 18 (nett 77).

American college circuit weekend round-up

WELL DONE, KRYSTLE! BUT GEMMA

EARNS TOP SCOT HONOURS WITH

TOP-10 FINISH IN "Mason Rudolph"

Fifer Krystle Caithness finished a highly creditable joint 22nd on her debut for the University of Georgia on the American college circuit but the stand-out Scottish performance in the Mason Rudolph women's championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Course, Franklin in Tennessee was produced by Glasgow's Gemma Webster.
Just beginning her third year at Ohio State University - the "Buckeyes" - Gemma turned in arguably the best display yet in the States. The 21-year-old Hilton Park Golf Club member had scores of 73, 73 and 70 over the 6,305yd Vanderbilt Legends course (Par 72) for a two-under-par total of 216 over the 54 holes and tied for 10th place in a very strong field.
Gemma highlighted her third-round 70 with a hole in one at the third hole after she had bogeyed the second. She also birdied the ninth, 11th and 17th but had bogey 6s at the 14th and 18th in halves of 34 (two under par) and 36 (level).
Eighteen-year-old Krystle Caithenss had three very steady rounds of 73, 75 and 72 in American conditions very new to her. Her total of four-over-par 220 earne3d her a share of 22nd place. In her final par-matching round, Krystle had birdies at the fifth, 11th, 17th and 18th, a double bogey 6 at the sixth and single shots shed to par at the second and 16th in halves of 38 and 34.
Top ranked American Amanda Blumenherst (Duke), certain to play in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course next May, won the tournament by four shots with socres of 66, 68 and 69 for 13-under-par 203 - a different class performance that left even top Swede Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) four shots adrift in second place on 207.
Krystle helped Georgia (880) to finish ninth of 17 behind winners UCLA (851) in the team event. Despite Gemma Webster's great showing, Ohio University (913) finished last of 17.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 216 (3 x 72). 6,305yd.
203 A Blumenherst (Duke) 66 68 69.
207 A Nordqvist (Arizona State) 68 68 71.
Other scores:
210 P Lindberg (Oklahoma State) 70 70 70 (jt 3rd).
216 G Webster (Ohio State) 73 73 70, B Mozo (Southern California) 74 69 73 (jt 10th).
217 S Gal (Florida) 69 76 72 (jt 14th).
219 D-C Schreefel (Southern California) 71 76 72 (jt 20th).
220 K Caithness (Georgia) 73 75 72 (jt 22nd).
LEADING TEAMS
851 UCLA.
865 Arizona State.
866 Duke.
871 Oklahoma State.
Also:
877 Southern California (jt 6th).
880 Georgia (9th).
913 Ohio State (last of 17).

DUNOON STUDENT HAS DOUBLE BOGEY WOES

Chris Carson from Dunoon, a student at Sam Houston State University, had double bogeys at two short holes in a final round of 84 as he finished joint 80th in a field of 90 for the William H Tucker men's college tournament over the University of New Mexico golf course at Albuquerque.
Carson's earlier rounds were both 75s.
Jesse Barnsley (Pepperdine) won the individual event by eight shots with a 12-under-par total of 204, made up of 66, 67 and 71.
Pepperdine (864) won the team event by four shots from San Diego State. Sam Houston State (882) came 6th of the 17 competing teams.

WELSH TEENAGER'S FIFTH PLACE ON US DEBUT

Welsh teenager Rhys Enoch, recruited by East Tennessee State University to plug the gap left by the graduation of star player Rhys Davies, the Walker Cup player now turned pro, made an outstanding debut on the US college circuit in the Carpet Capital Collegiate at The Farm Golf Club, Rocky Face in Georgia.
Enoch had scores of 71, 75 and 69 for a two-under-par total of 214 over the7,012yd course to finish fifth in a field of 90 behind three-stroke winner Chesson Hadley (Georgia Tech) (65-69-74).
Former British boys champion Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh, beginning his third year at East Tennessee State, finished joint 74th wiht scores of 78, 81 and 74 for 17-over-par 233. Findlay had a double bogey 7 at the 15th in the second round and a triple bogey 7 at the seventh in the first round.
East Tennessee State (888) finished 11th of 18 in the team event won jointly by Alabama and South Carolina on 869.

LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4 x 72). 7,012yd

208 Chesson Hadley (Georgia Tech) 65 69 74.

211 Michael Thompson (Alabama) 72 70 69.

Other scores:

214 Rhys Enoch (East Tennessee State) 71 74 69 (5th).

215 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 70 76 69 (jt 6th).

218 Charles Ford (Tennessee) 73 77 68 (jt 18th).

223 Tom Sherreard (Georgia State) 76 75 72 (jt 40th).

225 Chris Paisley (Tennessee) 77 73 75 (jt 48th).

230 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 72 81 77 (jt 66th).

233 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 78 81 74 (jt 74th).

LEADING TEAM TOTALS

869 Alabama, South Carolina.

870 Georgia Tech.

875 Auburn.

Other totals:]

883 Tennessee (jt 7th).

888 East Tennessee State (11th of 18).

Gibson Cup Centenary Tournament

Anne Brownie, Chairman of the Gibson Cup Committee writes :-

This year’s Centenary Gibson Cup has attracted its largest entry in recent years and, indeed, is oversubscribed.

Competitors will be receiving their individual copies of the draw together with information sheets about all the “extras” associated with this 100th Anniversary of the Cup in the week commencing 17th September. Meanwhile... here is the draw in Word format.

To celebrate this special anniversary all competitors will receive a “goodies bag” and there is an extended prizetable, including sponsorship of all the par 4 holes.

Thanks go to all our Centenary sponsors:
The Ladies Golf Centre/www.golfing-lady.com, Footjoy, Edinburgh Golf, Royal Bank of Scotland, the Sheraton Grand Hotel, Srixon, the Braid Hills Range, Zest Health and Beauty, the SLGA, Clydesdale Bank, Comiston Ladies Golf Club, Highland Spring, Johnston Wick Laboratories, Burton’s Foods, Millar McCowan (Pan Drops), Tescos.

[I think Anne and her committee are to be congratulated for reviving the Gibson Cup, which was sadly suffering from a lack of entries a few years ago. They have certainly breathed new life into a historic tournament. What a fantastic entry... and what a huge list of sponsors.... Well done!]

America's Solheim Cup-winning team (image from the LET website)

UNITED STATES SHOW THEIR MATCH-PLAY MUSCLE

TO OVERPOWER EUROPE IN THE SINGLES

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Europe's hopes of regaining the Solheim Cup ended in disappointment when the United States came from behind to claim the singles 8 1/2-3 1/2 and finish 16-12 ahead overall at Halmstad in Sweden today.

Europe led 8 1/2-7 1/2 going into the 12 singles, and Catriona Matthew provided the perfect lead with a 3 and 2 win over Laura Diaz in the top match. But it still wasn't enough to inspire her team mates.

Around an hour later - with the scoreboard an array of red for the United States – Nicole Castrale made sure that the Americans would get the 14 points needed to retain the Cup, defeating Bettina Hauert 3 and 2.

Paula Creamer of the United States then defeated Maria Hjorth 2 and 1 to reach the 14 1/2 points required to win the trophy outright and extend the overall lead to 7-3.

"This is just awesome," said Castrale, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season with her first LPGA victory at the Ginn Tribute in Florida in June.

"I played really well and this is one of the best years of my life."

The 28-year-old had her husband, Craig, as her caddie, and she added: "This is my first Solheim and it has surpassed all expectations."

It is the only the second time that an away team has come out on top - the first was when the United States won at St Pierre in Wales in 1996. Europe won the top singles, thanks to Matthew, but it was a rare blue point as the United States underlined their traditional superiority in the singles.

Pat Hurst, Juli Inkster, Angela Stanford, Stacy Prammansudh and Morgan Pressel all won full points while Sherri Steinhauer won the final hole to secure a half against Becky Brewerton before Castrale sealed the deal.

Pressel, the youngest Solheim Cup player at 19, claimed one of the biggest scalps of the day, beating former world No 1 Annika Sorenstam, by 2 and 1.

With the match over as a contest, Creamer, who was the top points’ scorer with 3 1/2, went on to defeat the previously unbeaten Maria Hjorth 2 and 1 and fellow-American Natalie Gulbis finally claimed her first point with a 4 and 3 win in the final singles over Gwladys Nocera.

Laura Davies, the only player to have competed in all 10 Solheim Cups, claimed another point for the home side with a 4 and 3 triumph over the young rookie, Brittany Lincicome, while European rookie Linda Wessberg gained a consolation one-hole win over the US Women's' Open champion, Cristie Kerr.

Matthew, Europe's top points’ scorer, with three from four matches, carded three birdies in 16 holes en route to victory over Diaz, giving European captain Helen Alfredsson the start for which she had hoped.

"It was the best I'd played all week," said Matthew, who claimed the winning point for Europe in the win at Barseback in Sweden four years ago. "It's just a pity that the team didn't win."

Afterwards, an emotional Helen Alfredsson, the European captain, said: "I'm just so proud of the effort from my team. They fought hard all the way and it was one of the best weeks of my life.

"The weather made it very tough but it's been amazing week and my players gave their all. They played from the heart."

Annika Sorenstam, beaten by 19-year-old Morgan Pressel in the singles, added: "I don't really feel like we lost. We gave our best, but they just played a little bit better. We turned a lot of matches around this week and I have to congratulate Helen on her attitude and her great captaincy."

Laura Davies and Catriona Matthew, who were both singles winners, agreed that Europe had just been beaten by a slightly better team. "We're obviously disappointed," said Matthew. "But they all played well today."

Davies added: "It's a shame, because we are now 7-3 behind overall and so we need to win the next four to turn it round. But credit to them - we just lost to a great team and they had a good spirit."

The United States captain Betsy King paid tribute to her troop. "The matches were so close all week and it was a great challenge," she said.

"I appreciate all the American fans that came over to support us and I'm so proud of the way all our players gelled together and came together as a team.

"The Europeans played really well, but I'm delighted that we achieved our aim of taking the Cup back to the LPGA headquarters at Daytona Beach (in Florida).

"I also think this will be a one-off as regards my being the captain. There are too many other Americans waiting in line, including my vice-Captain, Beth Daniel."

Daniel confirmed that she would relish the chance to be the United States captain in 2009.

"I would be very honoured to be chosen next time," said the eight-time team player.

Creamer, who was also a star of the 2005 win at Crooked Stick, said: "I've always said that winning the Solheim is better than winning a tournament, and I say it again.

"I was pretty excited at Crooked Stick as a rookie and this was even better because it was a win overseas."

Pressel summed up her debut. "It was a whole lot of fun. The win over Annika was my first full point and it's always exciting and special to play against, and beat, one of the world's best players."

Final day's results from the Solheim Cup match at Halmstad, Sweden:

MORNING FOUR-BALLS: Europe 3, United States
Linda Wessberg and Maria Hjorth halved with Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome.
Trish Johnson and Iben Tinning halved with Juli Inkster and Stacy Prammanasudh.
Becky Brewerton and Laura Davies bt Natalie Gulbis and Nicole Castrale 2 holes.
Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen bt Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel 3 and 2.

AFTERNOON SINGLES: Europe 3 1/2, United States 8 1/2.
Catriona Matthew bt Laura Diaz 3 and 2.
Sophie Gustafson lost to Pat Hurst 2 and 1.
Pettersen lost to Prammanasudh 2 holes.
Tinning lost to Inkster 4 and 3.
Brewerton halved with Sherri Steinhauer.
Johnson lost to Angela Stanford 3 and 2.
Sorenstam lost to Pressel 2 and 1.
Davies bt Lincicome 4 and 3.
Bettina Hauert lost to Castrale 3 and 2.
Hjorth lost to Creamer 2 and 1.
Wessberg bt Kerr 1 hole.
Gwladys Nocera lost to Gulbis 4 and 3.
Final result: Europe 12 USA 16

LAUREN WHYTE WINS SWINGING IN
THE RAIN AT LETHAM GRANGE

Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) won the Platform 2 girls’ tournament over Letham Grange Hotel’s No 2 course, the Glens, in atrocious rainy conditions. It did not stop raining until 4pm by which time almost all of the girls were back in the hotel-cum-clubhouse.
Lauren shot a gross 73, which was eight over the ladies’ par but still a very good score in such unpleasant weather. The Cults Academy pupil, who has a handicap of 10, won by three strokes from Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) on 76 with Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) pipping Ashley Smith (Monifieth) for third prize on a better inward half (39-42) after they both finished on the 79 mark.
Best net score was a 62 off 18 by Hannah Mackay who made the long trip to Angus from Tain. She won by a shot from Eleanor Franks (Ballater), also an 18-handicapper, with Ailsa Summers (Panmure Barry) third with a net 65 off 15.

Letham Grange Glens course.
Par 65. CSS 65
Leading scratch
73 Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies).
76 Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth).
79 Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) better inward half, 39-42, Ashley Smith (Monifieth).
80 Hannah Mackay (Tain).
81 Eleanor Franks (Ballater), Lauren Duncan (Aboyne), Samantha Leslie (Westhill).
82 Lauren MacCallum (McDonald Ellon).
83 Rachel Polson (Peterculter).
84 Louise McGillivray (Banchory), Louise Smith (Monifieth).
87 Sophie Alexander (Deeside).
88 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly).
89 Claire Prouse (Hazlehead).
Leading handicap
Hannah Mackay (Tain) (18) 62; Eleanor Franks (Ballater) (18), Lauren Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) (10) 63; Ailsa Summers (Panmure Barry) (15) 65; Vicki Powell (Deeside) (25) 66; Heather Munro (Monifieth) (23) 69; Louise Smith (Monifieth) (14) 70; Lauren Duncan (Aboyne) (11) 70; Rachel Polson (Peterculter) (11), Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) (4), Ashley Smith (Monifieth) (7) 72; Alison Pryde (Monifieth) (29) 73; Kirsten MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) (21), Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) (5) 74; Lauren MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) (7), Samantha Leslie (Westhill) (6) 75.
Handicap category prizewinners
0 to 10
Ashley Smith (Monifieth) (7) 72.
Lauren MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) (7) 75 (better inward half).
Samantha Leslie (Westhill) (6) 75.
11 to 15
Lauren Duncan (Aboyne) (11) 70 (better inward half)).
Louise Smith (Monifieth) (14) 70.
16 to 36
Vicki Powell (Deeside) (25) 66.
Heather Munro (Monifieth) (23) 69.

+Switch over to our sister website, www.scottishgolfview.com, for news of the Platform 2 boys' event at Letham Grange.

SCOTTISH MIXED CANCELLED

The Scottish mixed foursomes amateur championship was cancelled today because the Deer Park Golf Club course at Livingston was flooded.

Seniors photos

Carol Fell, the Renfrewshire webmaster, has posted photos on her West of Scotland site of the recent Scottish Seniors Match Play Championship won by Lorna Bennett at Glenbervie.
Also here is a video of the Seniors' Supper.

Thanks Carol!