SPANISH ACE GOES NINE SHOTS

CLEAR AFTER EIGHT-UNDER 63

IN THIRD ROUND

Spanish teenage ace Carlota Ciganda, who has a handicap of plus five, produced an amazing round, even by her high standards, of eight-under-par 63 - not surprisingly a new course record - to jump nine shots clear of the field after three rounds of the 72-hole Portuguese women's open amateur championship at Benamore Golf Club on the eastern Algarve today.

Pamplona-based Carlota, pictured right, the 17-year-old British women's open amateur champion, had an eagle at the 11th ande birdies at the third, sixth, seventhy, eighth, 15th, 17th and 18th - as well as a solitary bogey at the 14th - in halves of four-under-par 32 on the way out and four-under-par 31 on the way home.

After earlier rounds of 69 and 70 over the par-71 lay-out of 5,242 metres, Carlota is out on her own on 11-under-par 202 with only Sunday's round to come.

Overnight leader Florentyna Parker, based in Germany where her father is a club pro, shot a third-round 73 for 211 and second place. Florentyna, who plays off + 2 and is a member of Royal Birkdale, had a double bogey 6 at the 14th.

Aberdeenshire champion Michele Thomson from Ellon is tied for third place with two Welsh players, 2006 Curtis Cup team member Breanne Loucks and young Sarah Hassan from Vale of Glamorgan. They are all on one-over-par 214.

Michele matched the second-best round of the day with a two-under-par 69. She birdied the fourth, seventh, 10th, 11th, 15th and 18th but had bogeys at the fifth, 12th, 13th and 14th. Perhaps her biggest improvement compared with the first two days was keeping a double or even triple bogey off her card.

Kylie Walker, the only other Scot in the field, repeated her second-day 70 and is in sixth place on 215. Kylie birdied the second, 10th and 12th and had bogeys at the eighth and 18th in halves of 36 and 34.

The field was cut to the leading 40 and ties for the final round - all those players with 54-hole totals of 232 or better.

Irish champion Karen Delaney (Carlow) missed out on 239.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 213 (3 x 71)

202 Carlota Ciganda (Spain) 69 70 63.

211 Florentyna Parker (England) 71 67 71.

214 Michele Thomson (Scotland) 73 72 69, Breanne Loucks (Wales) 72 71 71, Sahra Hassan (Wales) 70 70 74.

215 Kylie Walker (Scotland) 75 70 70.

216 Ane Urchegui (Spain) 74 73 69, Barbara Genui9ni (France) 71 74 71.

217 Holly Aitchison (England) 71 77 69.

Other scores:

225 Tara Davies (Wales) 76 74 75.

226 Charlie Douglass (England) 78 74 74.

227 Gillian O'Leary (Ireland) 79 75 73.

228 Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) 79 75 74.

229 Kirsty Rands (England) 77 76 76.

231 Niamh Kitching (Ireland) 79 75 77.

232 Sian James (England) 76 80 76.

MISSED THE CUT (at 232 for leading 40 and ties).

235 Ami Storey (England) 78 80 77.

236 Nikki Hunter (England) 79 80 77.

239 Victoria Bradshaw (Ireland) 77 81 81, Karen Delaney (Ireland) 82 78 79.

Disqualified Corisande Lee (England) 77 74 -.

.

Australian Women's Open in Melbourne

KENT-BORN LINDSEY LEADS AS

LYNN KENNY (69) TIES FOR

BEST SCORE OF THIRD ROUND

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

By BETHAN CUTLER

Kent-born Lindsey Wright from Australia takes a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round of the MFS Women’s Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.

The 28-year-old from Albury in New South Wales finished on a total of three-under-par 216 after three straight rounds of one-under-par 72.

Wright is the No 2 ranked Australian player at No 61 in the world and is aiming for her fifth career victory, although she has never won on the LPGA Tour where she plies her trade, finishing 38th on the money list last season.

Defending champion Karrie Webb, the World No 3, is still in contention for her fourth national title. She finished the day in a share of second position with Korean Ji-Yai-Shin, the World No 7.

Webb overcame a triple bogey 7 at the fourth hole to salvage a level par 73 and finish the day on two-under-par alongside Shin, who also carded a 73.

The overnight leader, amateur Kristie Smith from Western Australia, began the day at five-under-par and had a four-over 77. She tied for fourth position on one-under-par with England’s Melissa Reid, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour.

Reid, 20, from Chevin, scored a third round of four-under-par 69, which tied for the best score of the day with Japan’s Yuki Sakurai and Scotland’s Lynn Kenny.

Reid received an invitation to play in this week’s event courtesy of Golf Australia, and said she was enjoying every minute of it. “I had never been to Australia. It is my first time here and I’m loving it. It is a lot better than the English weather at present,” said Reid, who was the leading amateur at last year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, where she finished 16th.

“I love this kind of course. I love the heathland style. It is like Sunningdale. I love it. I think it is in stunning condition and great to play.”

Players struggled with the tough course and conditions on Melbourne’s famous sandbelt course, but Wright was surprised that the scoring wasn’t lower. “Towards the end it was windy but I thought yesterday was windier,” said Wright, whose best finish last year was fourth at the McDonalds LPGA Championship. She said that the experience of contending in a major championship, and beating Annika Sorenstam at the World Match-play, had helped her to relax.

“I felt like it was no big deal. I’m just really enjoying it,” she said. “I’m looking forward to playing with either Karrie or Shin in the final round.”

*Lindsey Wright emigrated to Australia with her family from Tunbridge, Kent when she was a child. She came to the fore on the American women's college circuit as a student at Pepperdine University, California. She has a brother who lives in the south of England.

SCOTTISH ANGLE FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON

The way Lynn Kenny is improving her scores every day - 80 followed by a 74 and then a third-round 69 (equalling the best of the day) - suggests she is going to have a phenomenal score on Sunday!

The Archerfield Links player has broken into the top 20, joint 19th to be precise, on four-over-par 223. Remember it is a par-73 lay-out of some 6,650yd in length.

Lynn dropped a shot at the second but did not have another bogey until the 16th in halves of 34 (three under par) and 35 (one under).

She had an eagle 3 at the 525yd third and birdies at the long fifth, nine, long 10th and 12th.

Miss Kenny's round of 69 was 10 shots fewer than pre-tournament favourite Laura Davies took on the day. Laura's earlier rounds were 74 and 75.

Clare Queen has scored 75, 78 and 76 to be joint 60th on 10-over-par 229. Clare never really recovered from bogeys at the third, fifth and sixth. She did birdie the long eighth to be out in two-over 39. But another bogey went on her card at the 12th.

She birdied the 13th but gave the shot back at the 17th in counting 37 home.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 219 (3 x 73)

216 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 72 72 72
217 Karrie Webb (Aus) 72 72 73, Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 72 71 74
218 Melissa Reid (Eng) 73 76 69, Kristie Smith (Aus) 72 69 77
220 Amy Yang (Kor) 75 73 72
221 Rui Yokomine (Jpn) 78 72 71, Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 75 75, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 77 68 76
222 Yuki Sakurai (Jpn) 80 73 69, Rebecca Flood (Aus) 75 77 70, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 78 73 71, Hee-Kyung Seo (Kor) 78 72 72, Frances Bondad (Aus) 72 77 73, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 78 71 73, Birdie Kim (Kor) 75 72 75, Carri Wood (USA) 75 70 77, Hee Young Park (Kor) 71 73 78
223 Lynn Kenny (Sco) 80 74 69, Joanne Mills (Aus) 74 79 70, Stephanie Arricau (Fra) 76 75 72, Mi-Jung Hur (Kor) 75 75 73, Ha-Neul Kim (Kor) 76 74 73, Ayako Uehara (Jpn) 77 73 73, Bobea Park (Kor) 80 69 74, Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 75 73 75, Sarah Nicholson (Nzl) 71 75 77
224 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 74 78 72
225 Samantha Head (Eng) 83 71 71, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 74 79 72, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 78 75 72, Lisa Hall (Eng) 78 74 73, Rebecca Stevenson (Aus) 77 75 73, Martina Eberl (Ger) 79 72 74, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 74 76 75, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 75 74 76, Clare Choi (Aus) 74 75 76, Tiffany Joh (USA) 74 75 76, Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 73 75 77
226 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 75 79 72, Anna Tybring (Swe) 79 75 72, Paula Marti (Spa) 78 75 73, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 70 82 74, Ji-Yae Yeo (Kor) 77 73 76, Sarah Oh (Aus) 73 76 77, Emma Bennett (Aus) 74 74 78
227 Ji-Na Lim (Kor) 79 74 74, Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 74 79 74, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 75 77 75, Sophie Walker (Eng) 77 72 78, Michelle Ellis (Aus) 72 76 79
228 Sakura Yokomine (Jpn) 77 77 74, Rosemary MacDonald (Aus) 77 77 74, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 76 78 74, Helen Oh (Aus) 74 78 76, Danielle Masters (Eng) 75 76 77, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 75 75 78, Laura Davies (Eng) 74 75 79, Jill McGill (USA) 75 73 80
229 Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe) 83 71 75, Anne Norman Hansen (Den) 80 73 76, Clare Queen (Sco) 75 78 76, Tamara Beckett (Aus) 77 75 77, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 77 75 77
230 Cecilia Nha (Aus) 80 72 78, Marta Prieto (Spa) 79 72 79, Alison Whitaker (Aus) 73 74 83
231 Kate Combes (Aus) 77 73 81
232 Karen Lunn (Aus) 80 74 78, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 75 77 80
233 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 80 74 79
237 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 74 78 85

Portuguese women's open amateur championship

KYLIE, MICHELE SHARE FIFTH
PLACE AS FLORENTYNA TAKES
OVER LEAD FROM CARLOTA

Scots Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) and Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) are sharing fifth place at the halfway stage of Portuguese women's open amateur golf championship at Benamor Golf Club on the eastern Algarve.
Kylie, pictured right, improved on her opening-day effort by five shots with a 70 over the par-71 course for a three-over-par tally of 145. She had a roller-coaster round of one eagle, five birdies, two double bogeys and two bogeys.
The last six holes, which she covered in five under par, were Kylie Walker at her best - birdie-par-eagle-birdie-par-birdie.
Earlier in the round, she had a double bogey 5 at the short second, followed by a birdie at the fourth and a bogey at the fifth.
Turning in two-over-par 38, Kylie had another short-hole double bogey 5 at the 10th but bounced back with a birdie at the 11th before shedding one at the 12th. Then came her great finish.
Michele Thomson, for the second day in a row, had a very good score going early on. She birdied the third, fourth and seventh and was still three under par after eight holes. Then the Aberdeenshire champion ran up a triple bogey 7 at the ninth where she went out of bounds through the back of the green.
Coming home, the long-hitting Michele birdied the 11th, 13th and 14th but squandered shots at the 10th, 12th, 16th and 17th for a 72, a one-stroke improvement but another "might-have-been" round.
Hamburg-born Florentyna Parker, daughter of a Germany-based club professional, took over the lead from Spanish teenager Carlota Ciganda, the British open amateur champion and hot favourite for this title.
Florentyna, like Michele Thomson a member of the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad, had a flawless second round of 67 with birdies at the sixth, 11th, 12th and 17th for a four-under-par tally of 138 - one shot ahead of Ciganda who had a 70 for 139.
Carlota, uncharacteristically, had two bogeys on her scorecard but cancelled them out with three birdies.
Welsh pair Sahra Hassan (140) and Breanne Loucks (143) are in third and fourth positions in a field of 55 players. There will be a cut to the leading 40 players and ties after the third round.


LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71)
138 F Parker (Eng) 71 67.
139 C Ciganda (Spa) 69 70.
140 S Hassan (Wal) 70 70.
143 B Loucks (Wal) 72 71.
145 K Walker (Sco) 75 70, M Thomson (Sco) 73 72, B Genuini (Fra) 71 74.
147 E Gassiot (Fra) 74 73, A Urchegui (Spa) 74 73.
Other scores:
148 H Aitchison (Eng) 71 77 (jt 10th).
150 T Davies (Wal) 76 74 (jt 17th).
152 L Whittaker (Ger) 72 80 (jt 24th).
153 K Rands (Eng) 77 76 (jt 29th).
154 N Kitching (Ire) 79 75, G O'Leary (Ire) 79 75, R W Thomas (Wal) 79 75 (jt 33rd).
156 S James (Eng) 76 80 (jt 38th).
158 A Storey (Eng) 78 80, V Bradshaw (Ire) 77 81 (jt 43rd).
159 N Hunter (Eng) 79 80 (jt 47th).
160 K Delaney (Ire) 82 78 (jt 49th).

2008 PEUGEOT CORONATION FOURSOMES:
CLUBS TO ARRANGE QUALIFYING
COMPETITIONS UP TO JUNE 18

The Ladies’ Golf Union and title sponsors Peugeot are delighted to announce the launch of the 2008 Peugeot Coronation Foursomes. Entering its seventh year of partnership with Peugeot, the competition has again underlined its position as the UK’s most popular event for lady club golfers with more than 34,000 competitors from 1,300 clubs competing in last year’s competition.
Clubs are invited to hold Stableford qualifying competitions any time until June 18. The closing date for entries is Friday, June 20, 2008.
Successful club representatives will progress through to one of 12 Area Finals, contested throughout July and August. The ladies will vie for a place in the Grand Final and ultimately a place in the Pro-Am of the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open for the winners.
“The Peugeot Coronation Foursomes is a hugely popular event and with Peugeot’s continued and welcome support we look forward to another successful year of competition.” said Susan Simpson, the LGU’s Director of Championships. “The competition continues to provide ladies with a competitive opportunity, the chance to play other courses, have fun and make new friends and the LGU is indebted to Peugeot.”
“We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Peugeot Coronation Foursomes and hope that we can continue to support and encourage lady golfers through our involvement in this event” said Catherine Bowles, Marketing Events.
In 2007, the Scottish mother and daughter pairing of Karina Matson and Elspeth Adair from Lothianburn held their nerve to win the title with a score of 32 Stableford points. They now look forward to playing with one of the world’s leading professionals in the pro-am of the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Sunningdale on Tuesday, July 29.
The hugely successful online entry system, piloted in 2007, will continue this year and further information on how to enter this year’s competition can be found on the 2008 Peugeot Coronation Foursomes pages of the LGU Website.
The 2008 Grand Final will take place in St Andrews on Monday, September 22.
Further details can be viewed on the LGU Website at www.lgu.org

CLARE QUEEN, LYNN KENNY

MAKE THE CUT IN AUSSIE

OPEN AS AMATEUR LEADS

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

By BETHAN CUTLER

Australian amateur Kristie Smith upstaged the professionals by taking a one stroke lead at the halfway stage of the MFS Women’s Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne today.

A four-under-par 69 in the second round took the 19-year-old Western Australian to five-under-par 141 for the tournament, one ahead of South Korean Ji-Yai Shin.

Defending champion Karrie Webb was well placed to take her fourth national title, just three shots behind the leader on two-under-par 144. The 33-year-old World No. 3 from Queensland carded a 72 to share third position with her Kent-born fellow Australian Lindsey Wright and South Korea’s Hee Young Park, who had a 73.

England’s Kirsty S Taylor fired the low round of the day – a five-under-par 68 – which moved her into a share of sixth position on one-under-par with Carrie Wood of the United States.

Taylor, the 2002 rookie of the year on the Ladies European Tour, fired four birdies in her first five holes, with one more at the par-4 16th. She admitted to having struggled on the opening day, when rain heavy rain fell, but felt much more at home on a day of bright sunshine and strong winds.
“I just went to the range this morning and tried to be really confident,” said Taylor, 28, from Basingstoke in Hampshire. “It was beautiful out there and we were very lucky in the morning because there was no wind.

“Last year wasn’t so great for me so I’d like to come back and be the Kirsty Taylor I know I can be. Hopefully I’ll keep it going over next two days. I’ll give it my best shot.”

Smith, who is a member of the Australian National Squad and who is based at Royal Perth Golf Club, tied for 25th in the MFS Women’s Australian Open last year when it was played at Royal Sydney.

Her father Wayne, a former tour professional, is on caddie duties for the week.

“Dad has been on the bag in the major events for ever now. We have a lot of fun out there. He knows all the Australian courses, especially this one,” said Kristie.

Smith didn’t see her father much as a youngster as he was away on tour for up to 30 weeks a year, but she said: “I used to come to all the Australian Opens and PGAs and I’d be the little baby in the crèche. I started playing around the age of 10 or 11 down in Margaret River, a little town in Western Australia.”

Smith was not pushed into golf, but took it up of her own accord, and her talent was immediately obvious according to her father. This week she is aiming for a top 20 finish, or to be the leading amateur, if she can’t win the tournament.
“Of course, it’s always in the back of your head isn’t it?” she said. “The first amateur to win.“I know I can match it with the pros. I showed today that I can and I am looking forward to the weekend.”

An amateur has never won the MFS Women’s Australian Open, but Korean Amy Yang was the last amateur to win on the Ladies European Tour. She took the 2006 ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort as a 16-year-old. Yang is now a professional who holds a winners’ exemption on the Tour.

A total of 72 players made the cut, which fell at eight-over-par 154.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON

Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) , pictured above, improved by six shots with a one-over-par 74 for 154 and beat the cut with nothing to spare. Lynn had birdies at the eighth, 10th, 112th, 12th and 14th in halves of 41 and 33.

On 153 is Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House). In contrast to her fellow Scot, Clare did not have a single birdie in halves of 41 and 37 for a 78 after a first-day 75. But she has made it through the cash-winning part of the tournament, which is important.

Laura Davies, winner of the New South Wales Open last week, does not have that spark about her game so far this week. She had a 75 for 149 - eight shots behind leader Kristie Smith.

EARLY CLUBHOUSE SCOREBOARD

SECOND ROUND

Par 146 (2 x 73). Players from Australia unless stated.

141 Kristie Smith (amateur) 72 69.

143 Ji-Yai Shin (South Korea) 72 71.

144 Hee Young Park (South Korea) 71 73, Karrie Webb 72 72, Lindsey Wright 72 72.

145 Kristy S Taylor (England) 77 68, Carrie Wood (US) 75 70.

146 Sarah Nicholson (Nzl) 71 75, Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 75.
147 Birdie Kim (SKor) 75 72, Alison Whitaker (Aus) 73 74.
148 Amy Yang (SKor) 75 73, Jill McGill (US) 75 73, Emma Bennett (Aus) 74 74, Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 73 75, Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 75 73, Michelle Ellis (Aus) 72 76
149 Laura Davies (Eng) 74 75, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 78 71, Tiffany Joh (USA) 74 75, Bobea Park (Kor) 80 69, Sarah Oh (Aus) 73 76, Frances Bondad (Aus) 72 77, Clare Choi (Aus) 74 75, Sophie Walker (Eng) 77 72, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 75 74, Melissa Reid (Eng) 73 76
150 Ayako Uehara (Jpn) 77 73, Ha-Neul Kim (SKor) 76 74, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 74 76, Ji-Yae Yeo (Kor) 77 73, Mi-Jung Hur (SKor) 75 75, Rui Yokomine (Jpn) 78 72, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 75 75, Hee-Kyung Seo (Kor) 78 72, Kate Combes (Aus) 77 73
151 Danielle Masters (Eng) 75 76, Martina Eberl (Ger) 79 72, Stephanie Arricau (Fra) 76 75, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 78 73, Marta Prieto (Spa) 79 72
152 Helen Oh (Aus) 74 78, Rebecca Stevenson (Aus) 77 75, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 77 75, Cecilia Nha (Aus) 80 72, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 74 78, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 74 78, Lisa Hall (Eng) 78 74, Tamara Beckett (Aus) 77 75, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 75 77, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 75 77, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 70 82, Rebecca Flood (Aus) 75 77.
153 Joanne Mills (Aus) 74 79, Paula Marti (Spa) 78 75, Clare Queen (Sco) 75 78, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 78 75, Yuki Sakurai (Jpn) 80 73, Anne Norman Hansen (Den) 80 73, Lotta Wahlin (SWE) 74 79, Ji-Na Lim (Kor) 79 74, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 74 79.
154 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 80 74, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 76 78, Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe) 83 71, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 80 74, Samantha Head (Eng) 83 71, Rosemary MacDonald (Aus) 77 77, Anna Tybring (Swe) 79 75, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 75 79, Sakura Yokomine (Jpn) 77 77, Karen Lunn (Aus) 80 74.

MISSED THE CUT
155 Loraine Lambert (Aus) 79 76, Anja Monke (Ger) 74 81, Nina Reis (Swe) 75 80, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 82 73, Diana Luna (Ita) 76 79, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 80 75, Mi Sun Cho (Kor) 75 80, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 76 79, Jenny Lee (Aus) 80 75, Susie Mathews (Aus) 80 75
156 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 79 77, Kristie Newton (Aus) 78 78, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 80 76, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 78 78, Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 78 78, Rebecca Coakley (Irl) 78 78, Ran Hong (Kor) 81 75
157 Eun-Hee Kim (SKor) 78 79, Nikki Campbell (Aus) 80 77, Ellie Na (SKor) 79 78, Karen Quinn (Aus) 78 79, Carlie Butler (Aus) 77 80, Rachel Duncan (Aus) 76 81, Lydia Hall (Wal) 76 81, Sarah-Jane Kenyon (Aus) 76 81, Louise Stahle (Swe) 79 78, Maggie Yuan (Chn) 76 81, Katy Jarochowicz (Aus) 79 78
158 Suzie Fisher (Aus) 79 79, Eva Steinberger (Aut) 80 78, Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus) 79 79, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 81 77, Diana D'Alessio (USA) 76 82, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 80 78, Danielle Montgomery (Eng) 80 78, Hiromi Kamata (Jpn) 78 80, Marousa Polias (Aus) 79 79, Wendy Berger (Aus) 75 83, Rachel Bailey (Aus) 78 80, Geraldine Brown (Aus) 78 80, Breanna Elliott (Aus) 83 75
159 Min-Gee Song (Kor) 78 81, Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl) 79 80, Karen Pearce (Aus) 79 80, Torie O'Connor (Aus) 79 80, Whitney Hillier (Aus) 82 77, Lynne Brown (Aus) 81 78
160 Stephanie Na (Aus) 80 80, Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha) 81 79, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 82 78, Lisa Jean (Aus) 82 78, Heidi McCulkin (Aus) 79 81, Sharon O'Neill (Aus) 77 83, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 82 78, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 82 78, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 79 81
161 Vikki Tutt (Aus) 81 80, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 81 80, Ji Won Yoon (Kor) 80 81, Dana Lacey (Aus) 80 81, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 82 79, Corinne Furnell (Aus) 81 80
162 Bree Turnbull (Aus) 81 81, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 86 76, Tamara Hyett (Aus) 80 82, Bree Arthur (Aus) 78 84, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 81 81, Belinda Kerr (Aus) 81 81, Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 83 79
163 Mianne Bagger (Den) 82 81, Marjet van der Graaff (Nzl) 82 81, Courtney Massey (Aus) 84 79
164 Shani Waugh (Aus) 82 82, Leah Hart (Aus) 84 80, Vittoria Valvassori (Ita) 80 84
165 Jane Suckling (Aus) 84 81
166 Tara Shimmin (Aus) 85 81, Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 85 81
167 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 87 80
168 Anna Rossi (Ita) 80 88, Justine Lee (Aus) 82 86
171 Sunny Park (Aus) 80 91
177 Nicole Picken (Aus) 91 86
Retired: Sophie Giquel (Fra) 76 --

Four under par with five to play then disastrous finish

MICHELE LETS LEAD CHANCE

SLIP AWAY IN PORTUGUESE

CHAMPIONSHIP

Curtis Cup team contender Michele Thomson from Ellon looked on course after 11 holes to take a clear lead in the opening round of the Portuguese women's open amateur golf championship at Benamor Golf Club on the Algarve today.

Then the 19-year-old Aberdeenshire champion, pictured right, and a member of the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad paid a high price for two wayward drives. She drove into a water hazard for a triple bogey at the 14th and then went out of bounds off the tee at the next for a double bogey.
She spilled another shot to par in a bunker at the 16th on her way to finishing with a two-over-par 73 which had looked like being at least a 67 at one stage.
Earlier Michele had birdied the third, fourth, fifth, 10th and 11th with only one three-putt bogey, at the seventh, to be four under par on the 12th tee. She missed a three-foot birdie putt at the 13th - and it was all uphill after that.
Spanish teenage ace Carlota Ciganda, winner of the British women's open amateur championship at Alwoodley last June when she was taken to the 18th green in the quarter-finals by Michele Thomson, set the pace with a two-under-par 69, to lead by one shot from young Welsh girl Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), who is in the LGU Elite Squad.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) had a double bogey at the 14th and dropped another late shot, at the 16th, on her way to a 75.
FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 71
69 C Ciganda (Spa).
70 S Hassan (Wal).
71 F Parker (Eng), B Genuini (Fra), H Aitchison (Eng).
72 F Combarieu (Fra), B Loucks (Wal), L Whittaker (Ger).
73 M Thomson (Sco), L Chamarin (Fra).
74 A Urchequi (Spa), E Gassiot (Fra).
Other scores:
75 K Walker (Sco).
76 S James (Eng), T Davies (Wal).
77 K Rands (Eng), C Lee (Eng), V Bradshaw (Ire).
78 C Douglass (Eng), A Storey (Eng).
79 N Kitching (Ire), G O'Leary (Ire), R W Thomas (Wal), N Hunter (Eng).
81 K Delaney (Ire).

CLARE QUEEN SPLASHES HER WAY

TO A FIRST-ROUND 75 IN

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

By BETHAN CUTLER

Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom, with six birdies and three-bogeys, took a one-stroke lead after the first round of the MFS Women’s Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.

The 27-year-old from Espoo shot an impressive three-under-par 70 in heavy rain on the opening morning.

Australia’s Katherine Hull, South Korea’s Hee Young Park and Kiwi Sarah Nicholson were the next best placed players, all on two-under-par 71, while the defending champion Karrie Webb was one of six players on one-under-par 72.

Weather conditions played a large part to the day’s proceedings, as rain lashed the course on the opening morning, before the sun broke through in the afternoon, accompanied by stronger winds. Temperatures were more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit lower than those of the previous day, but that didn’t bother Wikstrom, who spent most of her winter practising indoors in Finland. The mother of one fired six birdies and three bogeys in total, going out in 33 and back in level par 37. “My putter was working really well and the greens softened up with the rain,” explained Wikstrom, whose previous best finish on the Ladies European Tour was joint-second at the 2005 Finnish Masters.

“My game has been feeling good but after a break you never know what will happen. I didn’t make any big mistakes. On a couple of holes we got pretty hard rain. It’s okay, I come from Scandinavia.”

Wikstrom’s best finish in 13 starts in Europe was a tie for eighth place at the Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open and she finished 80th on the New Star Money List in 2007. However she did give birth on 24th January last year, before coming back on Tour for the Tenerife Ladies Open in May. She is slightly surprised to be leading this week's tournament, but not without expectations.

“I am competitive. You want to keep it going,” she said.

It is pretty usual for temperatures in Finland - a country with 120 golf courses and 100,000 players - to be below freezing in winter so it was not surprising to see the slightly built Wikstrom in short sleeves at a time when the other players were in waterproofs.
Australia’s Karrie Webb, who is aiming to capture her fourth national title, summed it up: “It was not the nice, sunny day you’d like to play for your first round of the year but I’ll take one under. I am pretty happy with the way things turned out today.

“It played much longer today. Obviously it was 10 or 12 degrees cooler and damp so the ball did not go as far.”

Webb wove five birdies with four bogeys for her 72 and tied for fifth place with fellow Australians Michelle Ellis, Lindsey Wright, Frances Bondad and amateur Kristie Smith, as well as South Korean hotshot Ji-Yai Shin.

Finland’s Minea Blomqvist and English rookie Melissa Reid were also in the mix on level par 73 and tied for 11th place with Australian professional Sarah Oh and local amateur Alison Whitaker. Meanwhile England’s Laura Davies was a shot further back in a share of 15th on one-over 74.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON

Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) finished the first day in joint 26th place on two-over-par 75. Clare, pictured above, bogeyed the third, fourth and sixth before giving herself a big boost with an eagle 3 at the 457yd eighth.
Turning in one-over-par 38, the Scot got back to level with a birdie at the 14th but she slipped back with bogeys at the 15th, 16th and 18th, having only a birdie 2 at the short 17th to compensate in an inward half of one-over 37.
Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) had no birdies in a seven-over-par round of 80. She bogeyed the second, fifth, eighth, ninth, 10th, 14th and 17th in halves of 41 and 39.

Inverness-based New Zealander Liz McKinnon had a 79 (40-39).

FIRST-ROUND CLUBHOUSE SCORES

Par 73

70 Ursula Wikstrom (Fin).
71 Katherine Hull (Aus), Sarah Nicholson (Nzl), Hee Young Park (Kor).
72 Karrie Webb (Aus), Michelle Ellis (Aus), Lindsey Wright (Aus), Ji-Yai Shin (Kor), Kristie Smith (Aus), Frances Bondad (Aus)
73 Minea Blomqvist (Fin), Melissa Reid (Eng), Sarah Oh (Aus), Alison Whitaker (Aus)
74 Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Virginie LagoutteClement (Fra), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Joanne Mills (Aus), Anja Monke (Ger), Helen Oh (Aus), Laura Davies (Eng), Tiffany Joh (US), Emma Bennett (Aus), Karin Sjodin (Swe), Clare Choi (Aus)
75 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Nina Reis (Swe), Cherie Byrnes (Aus), Emma CabreraBello (Spa), Ashleigh Simon (Rsa), Amanda MoltkeLeth (Den), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Rebecca Flood (Aus), Mi Sun Cho (Aus), Amy Yang (Kor), Jill McGill (US), Danielle Masters (Eng), Birdie Kim (Kor), Clare Queen (Sco), Carri Wood (US), Wendy Berger (Aus), MiJung Hur (Kor)
76 Rachel Duncan (Aus), Lydia Hall (Wal), Sophie Giquel (Fra), Sarah Jane Kenyon (Aus), Diana Luna (Ita), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha), Maggie Yuan (Chn), HaNeul Kim (Kor), Nikki Garrett (Aus), Diana D'Alessio (USA), Stephanie Arricau (Fra)
77 Sharon O'Neill (Aus), Sophie Walker (Eng), Carlie Butler (Aus), Sakura Yokomine (Jpn), Tamara Beckett (Aus), Kate Combes (Aus), Ayako Uehara (Jpn), Rebecca Stevenson (Aus), Vicky Thomas (Aus), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), JiYae Yeo (Kor), Rosemary MacDonald (Aus)
78 Karen Quinn (Aus), Rui Yokomine (Jpn), Na Yeon Choi (Kor), HeeKyung Seo (Kor), Lisa Hall (Eng), Bree Arthur (Aus), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Min-Gee Song (Kor), Eun-Hee Kim (Kor), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Paula Marti (Spa), Kristie Newton (Aus), Tamie Durdin (Aus), Georgina Simpson (Eng), Hiromi Kamata (Jpn), Rachel Bailey (Aus), Geraldine Brown (Aus).
79 Torie O'Connor (Aus), Ellie Na (Kor), Ji-Na Lim (Kor), Louise Stahle (Swe), Marta Prieto (Spa), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Katy Jarochowicz (Aus), Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus), Loraine Lambert (Aus), Suzie Fisher (Aus), Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Martina Eberl (Ger), Marousa Polias (Aus), Karen Pearce (Aus), Heidi McCulkin (Aus), Anna Tybring (Swe).
80 Sunny Park (Aus), Tamara Hyett (Aus), Dana Lacey (Aus), Karen Lunn (Aus), Anna Rossi (Ita), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Vittoria Valvassori (Ita), Jenny Lee (Aus), Susie Mathews (Aus), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Nikki Campbell (Aus), Stephanie Na (Aus), Kiran Matharu (Eng), Bobea Park (Kor), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Yuki Sakurai (Jpn), Cecilia Nha (Aus), Danielle Montgomery (Eng), Anne Norman Hansen (Den), Lynn Kenny (Sco), Ji Won Yoon (Kor).
81 Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Belinda Kerr (Aus), Lynne Brown (Aus), Corinne Furnell (Aus), Ran Hong (Kor), Bree Turnbull (Aus), Lynn Brooky (Nzl), Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha), Nathalie David Mila (Fra), Vikki Tutt (Aus)
82 Whitney Hillier (Aus), Sophie Sandolo (Ita), Shani Waugh (Aus), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Marjet van der Graaff (Ned), Beatriz Recari (Spa), Justine Lee (Aus), Mianne Bagger (Den), Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Lisa Jean (Aus)
83 Breanna Elliott (Aus), Lill Kristin Saether (Nor), Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe), Samantha Head (Eng)
84 Jane Suckling (Aus), Leah Hart (Aus), Courtney Massey (Aus)
85 Tara Shimmin (Aus), Bronwyn MullinsLane (Aus)
86 Cassandra Kirkland (Fra)
87 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den)
91 Nicole Picken (Aus)

LIZ, MICHELE AND RACHEL FIGURE
IN GOLFWEEK'S LADIES'
WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The good performances of Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad members Liz Bennett, Michele Thomson and Rachel Jennings on the Orange Blossom Tour in Florida earlier this month earned them points and placings in the Golfweek website's Ladies' world amateur rankings.
Liz Bennett, who won the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur (Sally) championship, is in 15th position in the current table with 85pt.
Michele Thomson - some confusion about the spelling of her surname on the table - is 28th with 55pt and Rachel Jennings is 45th with 35pt.
The top placings are dominated by members of the United States Curtis Cup team selected for the match against GB&I over the Old Course at the end of May.
Stacy Lewis is No 1 with 260pt. College ace Amanda Blumenherst is second with 215 and Meghan Bolger third with 190.
However, to call them WORLD women's amateur rankings is stretching it a bit. Golfweek lists all the designated events in 2008 in which players can earn qualifying points. There are only TWO competitions on this side of the Atlantic - the British women's amateur championship at North Berwick in June and the British women's open amateur stroke-play in the autumn.
Points are also being awarded for wins/halved matches in the Curtis Cup.
Sooner or later the R&A backroom team will get a women's world amateur ranking system, comparable with their excellent men's world amateur rankings, up and running.
Last I heard they were trying to draw up a worldwide list of women's amateur tournaments so that everyone - not just Americans - has a fair chance to gain points.
It's not an easy task but when it comes to thoroughness and equity, the R&A are in a class of their own.

Press Release

BONHAMS SELLS SAMUEL RYDER’S
PUTTER FOR £18,000

A putter owned by the legendary Samuel Ryder fetched £18,000 at Bonhams Golfing Memorabilia sale in Chester.
The circa 1910 Robert Forgan mallet-shaped putter was one of only two owned by Ryder, the entrepreneurial golfer who gave his name to one of the sport’s most famous competitions, the Ryder Cup.
Not only is it stamped with the initials “SR”, but it was also sold with a signed letter from the godson of Joan Scarfe Ryder, Samuel Ryder’s daughter, which charts the history of the putter.
Bidders also vied for other golfing treasures, including a winner’s silver medal won by Muriel Dodd at the 1913 British Ladies Open Championship, a competition heralded as the “Coming of Age” Championship for women’s golf. The medal clearly captured bidders' hearts, doubling its estimate to sell for £9,840.

Other highlights from the sale included:

*£4,920 – An original stamped ‘First Class Proof’ engraving entitled “The Golfers” by Charles Lee, dated 20th December 1850.
*£3,600 – “Samuel Ryder with Ryder Cup Trophy” by Craig Campbell, Oil on board, 2007.
*£3,000 – “Samuel Ryder with putter” by Craig Campbell, Oil on board, 2007.
*£2,880 (estimate £200-300)- A 19th Century long nose scared neck grassed driver head.
*£2,880 (estimate £400-600)- A Robert Dow light coloured long nose driver clearly stamped to crown.

ENGLAND SEND YOUNG PROSPECTS
FOR WARM WEATHER
TRAINING IN SPAIN

The English Women’s Golf Association has chosen four players from the regional select squads for warm weather training in Spain. They are Nottinghamshire’s Katie Best, picture right by courtesy of Tom Ward, from Select Midlands, Essex player Daisy Dyer from Select South East, Yorkshire’s Helen Searle from Select North and Devon’s Georgina Snow from Select South West.
The players have been picked for the training in recognition of their commitment and progress. They will spend five days at the La Cala resort, near Marbella, from February 18-22, and will work with EWGA coach Steve Robinson and EWGA physiotherapist Su Barry.
The teenagers will focus on fitness, the short game and course management before taking part in a match against the EWGA Under-18 squad, who will also be training at La Cala.
EWGA’s national training manager Claire Lilley said: “This is an intense week which will be extremely beneficial to the players’ golf development.”
Katie Best, 18, plays at Sherwood Forest Golf Club and was the runner-up in the 2007 English girls’ championship. She is the Nottinghamshire girls’ champion and a past winner of the Midland girls’ U18 championship and the Midland schools’ championship. Katie plays off one handicap. Daisy Dyer, 16, plays at Chigwell Golf Club. She is the Essex girls’ champion and also the winner of the girls’ county match-play title. Daisy took up golf four years ago and is already down to four handicap. Her aim for 2008 is: “To get down to scratch and win a big event.”
Helen Searle, 15, plays at West End Golf Club. Last season she represented England in the European Young Masters, when the mixed team won the silver medal. She also won the Northern girls’ Under-16 title, was runner-up in the Scottish Open Under-16 championship and played for England Schools against Scotland. Helen plays off three.
Georgina Snow, 17, is a member at Royal North Devon Golf Club. Her handicap has tumbled over the past three seasons, from 36 in 2005 to her present level of four. She has twice qualified for the final of the Abraham Trophy for England’s most improved girl golfers, while also making her mark in Devon and the south-west.
Steve Robinson, from Malton & Norton Golf Club in Yorkshire, coaches EWGA’s Performance and Select North squads.
Su Barry, from Kenilworth, is the Select Midlands’ physiotherapist.

NO NANNY IN THE TIGER

WOODS' HOUSEHOLD:

"TEAMWORK BETWEEN

ELIN AND MYSELF"

Do you think Tiger Woods wakes up in the middle of the night to feed his baby a bottle and change her nappies?
Well, he does!
Woods told the golf writers at Torrey Pines Golf Club in California last week that he and his wife, Elin, aren’t using a nanny and he shares in the night-time duties. Elin was at last week's tournament with Sam, their seven-month-old daughter.
“We’re probably going to (get a nanny) shortly, but we didn’t want to do that at the very beginning,” Woods said.
“This is our daughter. We wanted to experience it. We wanted to work through it. We wanted to do it ourselves. More than anything it was teamwork between Elin and myself.
"Some nights I take the all-nighter or she'll take the all-nighter, and that's how we did it. We never had nannies in our families. Elin's mother and dad had three kids within 13 months (Elin’s a twin), and my mom and my dad couldn't afford to have someone take care of me, so they were always there.
"That's how we wanted to raise Sam. Now things are getting a little more difficult. Elin is doing some school stuff now, so that's going to be a little bit more difficult now. But we do it ourselves. Sam cries at night, one of us gets it and gives her the bottle, whatever we need to do, and stay up.
"Sometimes it's two o'clock in the morning and you stay up for 26 hours, 28 hours, whatever it is. But when you love something so much, you do that. It's just normal.”

WIE ACCEPTS SPONSOR'S INVITATION
TO PLAY ON LPGA TOUR EVENT
ON HER NATIVE HAWAII

Fallen star Michelle Wie will begin her competitive golf year in Hawaii for the fifth straight year, this time against the women.
Wie has accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA's The Fields Open at Ko Olina, hoping to get her career back on track after 2007 was marked injuries, missed cuts and withdrawls.
An 18-year-old first-year studged at Stanford University, California, Wie has started her year at the Sony Open on the US PGA Tour the last four years and nearly made the cut as a 14-year-old when she shot a 68.
But she has yet to make a cut in seven tries on the American men's tour, and she did not play the Sony Open this year, a sign that she plans to concentrate on the LPGA Tour while trying to regain her form.
The Fields Open, where Wie tied for third two years ago, is to be played from February 21 to 23 and is the second event on the LPGA schedule.
Wie injured both wrists last year and kept playing, making only three cuts and breaking par twice in 19 rounds against the women

LAURA RUSHBY MOVES FROM
LADIES GOLF UNION TO BE
EAST REGIONAL
MANAGER OF clubgolf

Former Ladies Golf Union (LGU) Championship Manager, Laura Rushby, has been appointed clubgolf Regional Manager for the East of Scotland, bolstering the organisation’s eight-strong regional management team.
Before joining clubgolf, Laura’s multi -task role with the LGU saw her organising British women's mateur tournaments, including the Vagliano Trophy. She was a key member of the team managing last summer’s Ricoh Women’s British Open at St Andrews.
Her LGU post included a logistical role with the Curtis Cup team, where she co-ordinated the planning of winter training programmes, managed the delicate balancing act with coaches and captains, and organised everything in between from team-building to team uniforms.
Whilst there she even found time to learn the game’s rules and pass the R&A Rules Exam.
Switching from the higher stratas of sport to grass roots is not for the faint-hearted but Laura, a Sheffield Hallam University Tourism and Recreation Management graduate, had wanted a key role in golf development ever since she came to Scotland for a work placement at Gleneagles seven years ago.
“When you work with the elite the differences you can make at that level are relatively small,” said Laura, a former Nottinghamshire junior county golfer. “From having once been a junior golfer myself, I know how difficult it can be, particularly as a girl, so I’m passionate and motivated to help children get involved in the game and I really want to make a difference to the younger levels of the sport.
“Through the new approach of clubgolf there’s enormous potential to do this in Scotland, particularly with children from non golfing backgrounds. I’m sure there are plenty of good golfers out there that don’t even know it yet.”
The East already has some great examples of the programme working and there is enormous potential, particularly in club-rich Edinburgh, to attract a new wave of junior players into the game through clubgolf.
Rushby by name, brisk by nature, Laura is making short work of contacting the East’s clubs. Two ‘Club Information Evenings’ have happened already in Midlothian and Borders; a third is scheduled for Edinburgh this week.
“Having already worked at the latter stages of golf development, seeing how golfers can get to county level and beyond, and knowing what kind of competitions their players should be playing in, definitely helps me when I’m speaking to professionals who are involved with clubgolf’s Stage 3.”
She is also helping with the country-wide roll out of the new Girls in Golf programme, a sensible step, given her background at the LGU where she was already working on improving the player pathway for junior girls (she introduced the first GB&I Junior Squad Match at North Berwick Golf Club in October last year).
Her extensive event management experience will be invaluable to clubgolf, which had a presence at every major golf event in Scotland last year.
“The East is one of clubgolf’s larger regions, both in terms of population and number of golf clubs,” said clubgolf Project Manager, Torquil McInroy.
“That means there’s a big challenge ahead but also a fantastic opportunity for clubgolf. Laura hasn’t wasted any time in getting out and about and she’s already making an impact in the clubs she’s dealing with.
“She brings a wealth of experience in golf, which she combines with her naturally engaging personality and a focus on getting the job done. I don’t have any doubt she will make a real difference in the Lothians and Borders, and also to some of clubgolf’s national initiatives. I’m delighted to welcome Laura to the clubgolf team.”
So, having flourished after ‘being thrown in at the deep end’, what is Laura’s initial impression of junior golf in the East?
“East Lothian is going very well, the Edinburgh schools side is good but we need more golf clubs here as there aren’t many exit routes. It’s the same for Midlothian. In the Borders there are pockets where schools and clubs are matched up and pockets where neither are involved," she said.
“With the information evenings you have to do a lot of groundwork to get people along. But once they are there the response is very good and people want to get involved as they can see the benefits it will bring for the children and their golf club.”
“It can be difficult getting within the golf clubs and getting to the people who might be interested in clubgolf. There are some very keen club members out there who want to be involved and help. Getting to them is the challenge.”
If this is YOU, then contact Laura on:
Laura Rushby clubgolf Regional Manager, East of Scotland
E-mail address: lrushby@clubgolfscotland.co.uk
Telephone: 07956 540595

SALLY WATSON WINS GIRLS' EVENT
BY ONE SHOT IN FLORIDA

Junior Solheim Cup team player Sally Watson from South Queensferry is back in the golf news.
This weekend she won "The Leadbetter" girls' tournament at IMG Academy Golf & Country Club in Bradenton, Florida.
Sally, who is 16, had rounds of 69 and 74 for a one-under-par total of 143 over the 5,878yd, par-72 course. In her first round, she birdied the third, 14th, 17th and 18th, dropping only one shot, at the 15th in halves of 35 and 34.
In her second round, Sally birdied the second, third and seventh but had a double bogey at the fifth and bogeys at the first, sixth and 14th in halves of 37.
The Scot finished a shot ahead of Ardina Dottie (Philippines) who scored 70 and 74.
Italy's Giulia Molinaro, a classmate of Sally's at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida and winner of the girls' title at last autumn's Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament at Dundonald, finished in sixth place with scores of 72 and 82 for 154.
Sally finished second with scores of 70 and 73 in her last US junior competition - the Rolling Oaks Open at San Antonio, Texas in October.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72) 5,878yd.
143 Sally Watson (Scotland) 69 74.
144 Ardina Dottie (Philippines) 70 74.
145 Victoria Kiser (US) 72 73, Jessica Korda (US) 72 73.
Other score:
154 Giulia Molinaro (Italy) 72 82.

Lynn Kenny finishes joint 17th in Australia

LAURA DAVIES COMES FROM

BEHIND TO WIN NSW OPEN

- HER 69TH WORLDWIDE.

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LPG WEBSITE:
The cream rose to the top today as Laura Davies fired a final round of five under par 67 to claim the 2008 LG Bing Lee Women's New South Wales Open by two strokes from Sarah Oh.
The 44-year-old from England, a four-time major champion, carded rounds of 70, 70 and 67 in the 54-hole Australian Ladies Professional Golf tournament, which has Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking status.
She finished on a total of nine-under-par 207, two strokes ahead of the 19-year-Oh who impressed in only her third professional tournament with rounds of 70, 68 and 71 for a seven-under-par total.
Sweden’s Lotta Wahlin, 21, finished in third place on five-under-par.
Davies began the day two strokes behind the overnight leader Oh, but after shooting six birdies and one bogey in the final round, she secured the Ken Lee Trophy and a first prize of $18,750.
It was big Laura's 69th worldwide victory in a career spanning 22 years and the perfect warm- up to this coming week’s MFS Women’s Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.
Davies will also compete in the ANZ Ladies Masters the following week at Royal Pines Resort on the Queensland Gold Coast, along with the likes of Australian superstar Karrie Webb, who is defending champion at both events.
“This is a big thing for me,” said Davies, who has won at least once in every year since she turned professional, bar 2005.
“It’s not easy to beat these players. There were some really good players in the field this week. Me and my caddie Johnny, we just had a laugh out there.
“Even if you don’t win you have to enjoy it - and that’s what we did today. The greens were just to my liking and I always look forward to coming to Australia.”
Davies, whose most recent previous win was the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open in Austria in September, began the final round slowly but she picked up momentum from the par-4 fourth hole. She fired birdies at the fourth, sixth and seventh on the front nine before chipping in for birdie at the tough par-4 11th hole to tie for the lead with Oh.
Davies took a one-shot advantage after the par-3 12th hole, where she hit a seven-iron to 15 feet and holed the birdie putt.
She extended her lead to three strokes at the next hole, the par-5 13th, when she knocked her third shot stiff from the front left greenside bunker. After a wayward drive at the 14th, she was forced to chip out onto the fairway, but holed a 7ft bogey putt to remain two ahead of Oh.
There was a nail-biting moment at the par-4 16th hole where, having hit a massive drive to within 20 metres of the green, Davies hit her second shot into the front greenside bunker. However she holed a 10ft par-saving putt to maintain her lead with two holes to play.
Oh set up birdie chances at the last two holes, but could not catch Davies, who recorded a par, par finish.“I was just happy to play with Laura today,” said Oh, adding:
“It was a great experience. I asked her a few things about how to hit it high and how to hit it low and she just said it’s all about timing.”
Elsewhere, Bronwyn Mullins-Lane carded her fifth career hole-in-one at the 124-metre, par 3 ninth hole in the final round. That earned her two bonus prizes of $1,000 prize as the hole was part of the Bing Lee Hole-in-One Hot Spot. She also scooped the $1,000 ALPG Tour Hole-in-one Club pool.

+Many thanks to Bethan Cutler of the Ladies European Tour for supplying the final totals which were not on the Australian LPG website:

FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72)

207 L Davies (England) 70 70 67 ($18,750).

209 S Oh (Australia) 70 68 71 ($12,500).

211 L Wahlin (Sweden) 70 71 70 ($7,500).

212 L Hall (Wales) 71 71 70 ($6,250).

213 M Reid (England) 74 71 68, J Mills (Australia) 69 73 71 ($4,875 each).

214 K S Taylor (England) 70 75 69, G Nocera (France) 73 70 71, K Hull (Australia) 68 71 75 ($3,791 each), K Smith (Australia) (amateur) 71 72 71, J Lee (Australia) (amateur) 70 73 71.

215 G Simpson (England) 74 72 69, F Bondad (Australia) 74 69 72, M Eberl (Germany) 68 73 74, C Ekelundh (Sweden) 70 76 69 ($2,406 each), A Watkinson (Australia) (amateur) 73 69 73.

Other scores:

216 L Kenny (Scotland) 74 69 73 ($1,706) (jt 17th).

217 J Westerberg (Sweden) 72 74 71 ($1,500) (jt 21st).

218 M Bourdy (France) 72 74 72 ($1,335) (jt 23rd).

219 E McKinnon (NZ/Scotland) 76 69 74, A Moltke-Leth (Denmark) 74 72 73 ($1,075 each) (jt 26th).

220 R Coakley (Ireland) 71 70 79, K-M Juul (Denmark) 72 73 75 ($825 each) (jt 35th).

221 D Montgomerie (England) 71 72 78, A Monke (Germany) 72 76 73 ($737 each) (jt 39th).

223 C Queen (Scotland) 79 70 74, J Schaeffer (France) 71 78 75 ($525 each) (jt 51st).

231 B Hauert (Germany) 75 74 82 (65th) ($275).

MISSED THE CUT

150 K Matharu (England) 75 75, S Arricau (France) 75 75, M Prieto (Spain) 71 78.

151 V Valvasorri (Italy) 79 72, M Bagger (Denmark) 72 79, C Kirkland (France) 75 76, E Esterl (Germany) 79 72.

152 F Johnson (England) 75 77, S Walker (England) 74 78, L Kreutz (France) 75 77, A-N Hansen(Denmark) 74 78.

153 N David-Mila (France) 81 72.

156 S Sandolo (Italy) 75 81.

169 A Rossi (Italy) 83 86.