Perth & Kinross county championship thrills

Laura, Emily in last four after
both rally from three down

Top seed Laura Walker (Muckhart) survived only at the 19th against Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) in the first round of the Perth & Kinross women's county championship at Alyth Golf Club today.
Jacqueline had been three up at one point in the tie but Laura had cut her deficit to one, going down the 18th. Laura staged a grandstand finish of birdie-birdie to complete her comeback
Laura went on to beat Shona Leighton (Alyth) 3 and 1 to set up a Sunday morning semi-final with the No 5 seed Gillian Wallace (Glenisla).
The other semi-final will be a replay of last year's final in which Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) beat Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) who was three down at one stage of her quarter-final against past county captain Janet Griffiths before winning on the 17th.
Emily is making a comeback after a severe shoulder injury received on a gymnasium machine during the winter.
Two juniors, Erin Millar (Pitlochry) and Allie Burnett (Dunkeld) are through to the sem-finals of the handicap championship.
Results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
First round
Laura Walker (Muckhart) bt Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) at 19th.
Shona Leighton (Alyth) bt Norma Fleming (Alyth) 1 hole.
Gillian Wallace (Glenisla) bt Jane Taylor (Strathmore) 4 and 2.
Carol Muir (Craigie Hill) bt Gwen Lambie (Dunkled) at 19th.
Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) bt Fiona Ramsay (Crieff) 7 and 5.
Janet Griffiths (Strathmore) bt J Yellowlees (Murrayshall) 5 and 4.
Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) Laura Campbell (Pitlochry) 5 and 4.
Jillian Milne (Craigie Hill) bt Sandy Bushby (Strathmore) 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals
Walker bt Leighton 3 and 1.
Wallace bt Muir 2 and 1.
Ogilvy bt Griffiths 2 and 1.
A Bushby bt Milne 5 and 3.

HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarter-finals
Janette Hamilton (Blairgowrie) bt Jan Kennedy (Blairgowrie) 5 and 4.
Erin Millar (Pitlochry) bt Ann Duncan (Taymouth Castle) 4 and 3.
Angela Crossland (Dunblane) bt Miriam Wilson (Dunblane) at 19th.
Allie Burnett (Dunkeld) bt Carol Lambie (Dunkeld) 3 and 2.

Winning Craigmillar Park team at Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club today (picture by Isobel Halliday).

Craigmillar Park beat Musselburgh
in Edinburgh inter-club final

Beaten finalists last year, Craigmillar Park went one better this time round in the Edinburgh women's inter-club tournament at Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club today.
Play had to be suspended for a short spell due to thunder and lightning in the area but eventually Craigmillar Park - represented by Kirsten Blackwood, Karen Ballantyne, Sal Shepherd and Frances McFadzean beat Musselburgh's Rachael Livingstone, Jane Herd, Ruth Carroll and Linda Grieve by 8 and 6 in the final.

Kirsten Blackwood and Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) were all square with Rachael Livingstone and Jane Herd (Musselburgh) after 15 holes.

In the second-string tie, Sal Shepherd and Frances McFadzean (Craigmillar Park) were eight holes up after 15 against Ruth Carroll and Linda Grieve.
It was the Craigmillar Park club's fifth title win. Their previous successes came in 1963, 1978, 1989 and 1994. They had been runners-up in 1958, 1971, 1977, 1984 and 2007.

Today's results:
SEMI-FINALS
Craigmillar Park bt Lothianburn 12 and 10.
Musselburgh bt Kingsknowe 4 and 3.

FINAL
Craigmillar Park bt Musselburgh 8 and 6.

Fiona Gilbert through to last four
of Angus county championship

Top seed Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies) made progress through to the Angus women's county championship semi-finals at Ballumbie Castle Golf Club, Dundee with wins over Angela Campbell and Aileen Hunter.
In the last four, Fiona plays No 5 qualifier Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) while Mary Summers (Panmure Barry), the No. 11 qualifier, plays No 2 seed Jackie Brown (Monifieth)
Today's results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
First round
Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies) bt Angela Campbell 3 and 2.
Aileen Hunter (Monifieth) bt Heather Anderson (Downfield) 4 and 3.
Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) bt Sue McGregor (Edzell) 2 and 1.
Louise Graham (Carnoustie) bt Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) 5 and 3.
Sonagh Raitt (Forfar) bt Agnes Freeman (Panmure Barry) 4 and 3.
Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) bt Susan Arbuckle (Panmure Barry) 5 and 4.
Fran Millar (Carnoustie Ladies) bt Julie Ganson (Arbroath) at 19th
Jackie Brown (Monifieth) bt Chris Healey (Carnoustie) 3 and 2.
Quarter-finals
Gilbert bt Hunter 3 and 2.
Wilson bt Graham 4 and 3.
Summers bt Raitt 6 and 5.
Brown bt Millar at 21st.
HANDICAP
Quarter-finals
J Cowley bt Heather Munro 1 hole
Susan Sneddon w.o. Margaret Brown scr.
Gail Wilson bt Jemma Chalmers at 19th.
Ailsa Summers bt Ann Rennie 2 and 1.

Sunday's semi-finals tee off from 10am.

Ladies European Tour scoreboard

Lotta hot in Turkey - leads
by eight after Round 3

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 219 (3 x 73)
215 L Wahlin (Swe) 71 71 73.
223 P Martin (Spa) 73 77 73.
225 S L Bregman (SAf) 74 80 71, M Skarpnord (Nor) 79 72 74.
226 A Yang (SKo) 77 77 72, A Rawson (Australia) 78 74 73, J Westerberg Swe) 80 72 74.
227 R Bell (Eng) 76 77 74.
Other scores:
228 Lisa Hall (Eng) 80 74 74 (jt 9th).
229 T Johnson (Eng) 78 77 74 (jt 14th).
230 J Morley (Eng) 80 75 75 (jt 17th).
231 M Reid (Eng) 77 76 78 (jt 23rd).
232 S Head (Eng) 80 79 73, M Gillen (Ire) 77 77 78 (jt 28th).
233 D Masters (Eng) 77 80 76 (jt 33rd).
234 B Brewerton (Wal) 77 80 77, L Kenny (Sco) 77 76 81 (jt 37th).
236 C Queen (Sco) 78 78 80 (jt 47th).
237 H Kavanagh (Ire) 78 79 80 (jt 50th).
238 E Lyons (Eng) 77 80 81 9jt 56th).
240 R Coakley (Ire) 81 77 82, K S Taylor (Eng) 79 76 85 (jt 58th).
241 N C Booth (Eng) 75 82 84 (61st).

CARLOTA CIGANDA UNABLE

TO DEFEND BRITISH TITLE

AT NORTH BERWICK

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Only a day or two after the news came out that Carlota Ciganda, 17-year-old top-ranked European female amateur, had signed a Letter of Intent to enrol at Arizona State University in January 2009, comes the shock revelation that she will not be able to defend the British women's open amateur championship over the North Berwick links from June 11 to 15.

"Carlota would love to defend the title but she has a very important exam to sit in Spain at that time. We call it the 'selectivity' exam and unless she passes it she cannot go on to university," said Miguel Angel Caderot, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation's Press Officer.

The absence from the field of the impressive winner of the title at Alwoodley Golf Club, Leeds last June must be regarded as disappointing news for the Ladies Golf Union, organisers of this the premier women's individual amateur event in the British Isles.

But, at the same time, the non-entry of Carlota Ciganda opens the door to the possibility of a first British or Irish winner since Rebecca Hudson from Doncaster won the title for a second time at Ashburnham Golf Club, South Wales in 2002.

The last Scot to be crowned British amateur champion was Alison (Rose) Davidson from Stirling in 1997 at Cruden Bay where she beat Mhairi McKay (Turnberry) in the final.

Entries for the British women's open amateur championship at North Berwick close this coming Thursday (May 15).

+Copyright of the above image of Carlota Ciganda with the British championship trophy is retained by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

LPGA Tour news

Mhairi nosedives from 63 to 77
and a share of 33rd place

Mhairi McKay slumped from the brilliance of an opening round of 63 to a second-day 77 for a 36-hole tally of two-under-par 142, the same as Paula Creamer (71-69) in the Michelobultra Open at the Kingsmills Resort & Spa, Williamsburg River Course (par-71, 6315yd).
Annika Sorenstam has gone three shots clear on 130 but Lorena Ochoa is lurking there in joint second place.
LEADERBOARD
130 A Sorenstam 64 66.
133 Jeong Jang 67 66, Lorena Ochoa 65 68.
135 Meena Lee 67 68.
136 Jimin Kang 67 69, Kristy McPherson 68 68, Meredith Duncan 68 68, Becky Morgan 67 69, Karen Stupples 67 69.
Other scores:
139 Catriona Matthew 69 70, Janice Moodie 66 73 (jt 20th).
140 Mhairi McKay 63 77, Paula Creamer 71 69 (jt 33rd).
142 Laura Davies 71 71 (jt 54th).

Roseanne improves but

she has a way to go

in Sacramento

Roseanne Niven (University of California-Berkeley) improved by eight shots, despite a double bogey 6 at the sixth, for a second-round 74 and a 36-hole tally of 156 in the NCAA Division 2 women's West Regional championship at Lincoln Hills Golf Club, Sacramento in California.
Roseanne, picture right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), has moved up from a share of 100th place to joint 84th in a field of 108.
Therese Koelbaek, University of Nevada-Las Vegas's freshman from Denmark, leads on seven-under-par 137 by three shots from Spain's Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) with Irish-born US Curtis Cup team selection Alison Walshe (Arizona) dropped down from a 68 to a 73 for 141 and a tie for third place.
Another US Curtis Cup team selection to slip was their No 2 player, Stacy Lewis (Arkansas). After a Day 1 69, she could do no better than a 76 for 145 and 12th place.
English-born Hannah Bews (Portland State) is sharing 54th place on 151 after rounds of 76 and 75.
Only the leading eight teams from a field of 21 will advance to the NCAA season-climaxing championships.
At the moment Roseanne's college, California-Berkeley, is outside the top eight, in joint ninth position to be precise.

Assistant team coach Anne Walker from Strathaven will be calling for a big third-round "push" to lift California into the qualifying zone. "Rosie" has to improve again in the team's cause.

In gaining funds for the golf programmes, team performances are more important for a university than individual victories. That's why California needs to make the end of season national championships. Success breeds success.
LEADERBOARD
Individuals
Par 144 (2 x 72)
137 Therese Koelbaek (UNLV) 69 68.
140 Azahara Munoz (Arizona) 69 71.
142 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Southern California) 71 70, Jaclyn Sweeney (Oklahoma State) 69 72, Alison Walshe (Arizona) 68 73.
Other scores:
145 Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) 69 76 (12th).
147 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona) State) 77 70 (jt 21st).
151 Hannah Bews (Portland State) 76 75 (jt 54th).
156 Roseanne Niven (California) 82 74 (jt 100th).
Teams
571 Southern California. 578 UNLV. 581 Arizona State. 586 Oklahoma State. 588 Arkansas, Arizona. 593 Stanford. 595 Tulsa (21 teams competing; eight to advance to NCAA championships).

KRYSTLE LYING JT FOURTH

IN BUILD-UP TO

CURTIS CUP

Curtis Cup team selection Krystle Caithness is ticking over nicely in the build-up to the match against the United States over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of the month.
But GB&I team-mate Jodi Ewart, also at college in the States, is not doing so well in the NCAA Division 1 women’s East Regional championship over the University of Georgia golf course at Athens, Georgia.
Krystle, 19. from Cellardyke, Fife, picture left by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), a student at the University of Georgia, is lying joint fourth after rounds of 70 and 73 for 143, five shots behind the leader from Belgium, Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina University).
American Curtis Cup ace Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University) is sharing second place on 141.
Krystle started her second round at the 10th, which she bogeyed before parring the next eight holes. Then came another setback – a double bogey 6 at the first but she picked up the tempo again with birdies at the second and fourth, dropped a shot at the sixth and then birdieing the long seventh to cover her second nine (holes 1 to 9) in 35.
The Scot has had seven birdies over the first 36 holes of the championship, over her home university course, which augurs well for the Curtis Cup encounter over what is her home course in St Andrews.
Anna Scott (Georgia State University) from Consett, Co Durham improved from joint 31st to join 18th in a field of 108 with a repeat 75 which could have been so much better. The 6ft 1in English girl, starting at the 10th, had a double bogey 7 at the long 11th and then finished off her round with a double bogey 6 at the ninth. In between she birdied the long 13th and 15th.
Jodi Ewart (New Mexico University) from Middleham, Yorkshire, is sharing 40th place after a 77 for 153. It was the second round in a row in which she did not have a single birdie. So far she has played 36 holes with nine single bogeys but not a double bogey.
Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern University) from the Channel Islands plummeted from a share of 31st place to joint 61st with an 81 for 156. She too had no birdies on Day 2, running up a triple bogey 7 at the ninth and a double bogey 7 at the 12th.
Claire Starkey (Georgia State) from Skipton, Yorkshire had a 77 for 160 and a share of 83rd place. She kept the damaging double bogeys off her card but had only one birdie, at the 13th.
Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State University) from Wiltshire had no birdies and no double bogeys in scoring an 80 for 162. She is tied for 92nd place.
Rebecca Watson (Tennessee University) from Edinburgh, whose younger sister Sally will be playing in the Curtis Cup, is back in a share of 95th place after improving by seven shots to a 78 for 163. She had no double bogeys in her second round and birdied the eighth and 13th.
Laura Cutler (Jacksonville State University) from England had a 79 for 165 and 101st place. Although she birdied the eighth, 15th and long 18th, Laura had double bogeys at two short holes, the third and 16th, and also the par-4 first.
HOW THEY STAND
Individuals
SECOND ROUND
Par 144 (2 x 72) 6335yd
138 Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 68 70.
141 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 68 73, Sara-Maude Juneau (Louisville) 67 74.
143 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 70 73, Carmen Perez (UNC Wilmington) 71 72.
Other scores:
150 Anna Scott (Georgia State) 75 75 (jt 18th).
153 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 76 77 (jt 40th).
156 Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) 75 81 (jt 61st).
160 Claire Starkey (Georgia State) 83 77 (jt 83rd) 83 77.
162 Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State) 82 80 (jt 92nd).
163 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) 85 78 (jt 95th).
165 Laura Cutler (Jacksonville State) 86 79 (101st)
Teams
(leading eight to advance to NCAA championship)
585 Florida. 588 Duke. 594 South Carolina. 598 Auburn. 599 Georgia, Furman. 603 Wake Forest. 605 New Mexico (21 teams competing).

Danielle McVeigh drops to jt 23rd in
Central Regional championship

Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) fell back from a share of 10th place to joint 23rd in the field of 108 with a second-round 78 for 149 in the NCAA Division 1 women's Central Regional championship over the University of Texas course at Austin.
Danielle's hopes of improving on her opening round of 71 over the par-72 course of 6301yd slumped when she double-bogeyed the fourth and later the long 17th. She had only one birdie, at the 12th, in halves of 40 and 38.
Ellie Givens (Denver) slid from tied 30th to tied 56th with an 80 for 154, the same 36-hole total as Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) who improved from joint 80th with a 74.
Like Danielle McVeigh, Ellie had a 6 at the fourth and a 7 at the 14th. She did have two birdies, at the ninth and 10th, in halves of 40.
Lucy birdied the second, seventh and ninth in halves of 36 and 38.
Tara Delaney (Kent State) more or less stayed where she was in a tie for 63rd place with a 77 for 155. She had five bogeys and not a single birdie.
Compatriot Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) had no birdies in the first round but two in the second, at the fifth and 10th, in halves of 41 and 40 for and 81 and 164. She is sharing 97th place. She marred her card with a double bogey 5 at the short eighth.
Valentine Derrey (Texas Christian) from Paris leads on seven-under-par 137 with rounds of 67 and 70.
UCLA (576) lead the team race from Purdue (582) and Texas Christian (585). The top eight teams in the field of 21 will advance to the NCAA Women's Championship.
HOW THEY STAND
Par 144 (2 x 72). 6301yd
137 Valentine Derrey (Texas Christian) 67 70.
138 Maria Jose Uribe (UCLA) 65 73.
139 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 66 73.
Other scores:
143 Caroline Westrup (Florida State)70 73.
149 Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) 71 78 (jt 23rd).
154 Ellie Givens (Denver) 74 80, Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) 80 74 (jt 56th).
155 Tara Delaney (Kent State) 78 77 (jt 63rd).
164 Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) 83 81 (jt 97th).
LEADING TEAMS
576 UCLA. 582 Purdue. 585 Texas Christian. 590 Denver. 596 Texas. 597 Alabama, Texas A&M. 600 Nebraska (21 teams competing)

Mhairi McKay leads with 63

Mhairi McKay equalled her career best round of 63 in the first round of the Michelob Ultra Open at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Still seeking a first win after 10 years on the US-based LPGA Tour, McKay had a faultless round of eight birdies to finish the opening day one ahead of former world number one Annika Sorenstam and South Korea's Sun Young Yoo.
"I feel great," said McKay. "I was just so calm and relaxed on the golf course. It was just perfect."
World number one Lorena Ochoa carded a 65, while Scot Janice Moodie was also well placed after a 66.

Edinburgh women's inter-club tournament results

Saturday morning's semi-finals in the Edinburgh women's inter-club golf tournament at Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club will feature Lothianburn against Craigmillar Park and Musselburgh v Kingsknowe.


Friday evening results:
QUARTER-FINALS
Lothianburn bt Ratho Park 15 and 12.
Craigmillar Park beat Murrayfield 6 and 5.
Musselburgh beat Liberton 3 and 1.
Kingsknowe beat Glencorse 2 and 1.

SEMI-FINALS
Saturday
10 am and 10.10: Lothianburn v Craigmillar Park.
10.20 and 10.30: Musselburgh v Kingsknowe.

SIXTH STIRLING TITLE AFTER
FINAL NUMBER EIGHT FOR
ALISON DAVIDSON

Alison Davidson (Stirling) won the Stirling & Clackmannan women's county golf championship for a sixth time at Grangemouth Golf Club this evening.
Playing in the final for an eighth time in an 18-year span, the former Curtis Cup player and past British and Scottish champion beat Linda Allan (Falkirk Tryst) by 6 and 4 with three-under-par figures.
Alison was the No 1 seed and Linda the No 3 qualifier.
Picture of Mrs Davidson by courtesy of Anna Hunter.
Mrs Davidson's first three wins, from 1990 to 1992, were achieved as Alison Rose. She lost in the 2002 and 2003 finals as Alison Davidson but has resumed her winning ways in 2005, 2007 and now 2008.
Result:
Final - A Davidson (Stirling) bt L Allan (Falkirk Tryst) 6 and 4.

Who's going to be 2nd? Lotta Wahlin
goes seven shots clear in Turkey

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
By BETHAN CUTLER
Sweden’s Lotta Wahlin extended her overnight lead after a second successive round of two-under-par 71 at the Garanti American Express Turkish Ladies Open today.
She fired four birdies and two birdies on the tough course at National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya, to lead by seven shots over her nearest rivals on a total of four-under-par.
Recent LET winners Gwladys Nocera from France and Sweden’s Emma Zackrisson tied for second on three-over-par. Crowned the Spanish Open champion three weeks ago, Zackrisson shot 74, while last week’s Scottish Open winner Nocera was one of five players to score below par of 73 on the second day after a one-under 72.
Wahlin said she had no idea why she was so far ahead of the field at the halfway stage of the tournament: “I don’t have an explanation. I am just playing my game and having fun. The greens were about the same as yesterday. They are not that quick so you can control the distance but they are a bit firm. They were firm yesterday as well.
“The wind was really changing today. On our back nine, the course front nine, it was really changing and very difficult.”
Having returned to the clubhouse by lunchtime as the winds increased, Wahlin saw many of her nearest rivals drop down the leaderboard.
Spaniard Paula Marti, placed two shots behind the leader in second overnight, carded a 77 to slip back into a share of fourth with compatriot Ana Belen Sanchez (76) on four-over-par.
As the only player below par for the tournament, Wahlin, 24, from Linkoping, mastered the hard, bouncy greens and tight, tree-lined fairways that were causing unusually high scoring. In so doing she also placed herself in line for a first official tournament victory in her fourth year as a member of the LET.
Wahlin’s previous best finish on tour was third at the 2007 Finnair Masters in Finland, although she secured the Catalonia Ladies title a month ago, which was a non-official invitational event for the top 20 players on the LET.
“This is a course where anything can happen so if I keep on playing like I do now then I’m going to win,” said Wahlin. “You never know what will happen but I’m just going to do my best and have fun with my caddie.”
Andy Danewid, who is Wahlin’s caddie as well as her manager, is also a young professional golfer from Sweden, which facilitates a strong working relationship. Such is her confidence, not only is Wahlin hoping to earn her maiden victory this week, she is also aiming to win at least three LET titles this year.
Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) and Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) survived the cut which fell at 159 or better.
Lynn has had rounds of 77 and 76 for 153 and, in joint 13th place, a top-10 finish will be her aim for the final day.
Clare Queen totalled 156 with a pair of 78s to be in joint 33rd place.
Rookie Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) cannot get out of the rut. She missed the cut by four shots with scores of 81 and 82 for 163.
The biggest name among those who are now on the sidelines is Rebecca Hudson. The Doncaster player does not miss many cuts but her 36-hole tally of 162 was three shots to many for her to survive this one.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 146 (2 x 73)
142 Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 71 71
149 Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 77 72, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 75 74
150 Paula Marti (Spa) 73 77, Ana B Sanchez (Spa) 74 76
151 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 76 75, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 79 72, Stephanie Arricau (Fra) 78 73
152 Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 79 73, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 74 78, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 80 72, Maria Verchenova (Rus) 81 71
153 Iben Tinning (Den) 77 76, Melissa Reid (Eng) 77 76, Anna Rawson (Aus) 79 74, Rachel Bell (Eng) 76 77, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 75 78, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 77 76, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 75 78
154 Lisa Hall (Eng) 80 74, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 78 76, Amy Yang (Kor) 77 77, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 74 80, Martina Gillen (Irl) 77 77, Stefania Croce (Ita) 76 78, Maria Boden (Swe) 77 77, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 74 80
155 Trish Johnson (Eng) 78 77, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 79 76, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 74 81, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 75 80, Joanne Morley (Eng) 80 75
156 Martina Eberl (Ger) 79 77, Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 80 76, Laura Terebey (USA) 77 79, Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin) 77 79, Caroline Afonso (Fra) 80 76, Clare Queen (Sco) 78 78, Jehanne Jail (Fra) 79 77, Anja Monke (Ger) 74 82
157 Emma Lyons (Eng) 77 80, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 81 76, Becky Brewerton (Wal) 77 80, Zuzana Kamasova (Svk) 75 82, Nuria Clau (Spa) 78 79, Natalie Claire Booth (Eng) 75 82, Danielle Masters (Eng) 77 80, Hazel Kavanagh (Irl) 78 79, Dana Lacey (Aus) 78 79, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 79 78
158 Lara Tadiotto (Bel) 80 78, Yuki Sakurai (Jpn) 80 78, Anna Temple (USA) 80 78, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 80 78, Maria Beautell (Spa) 79 79, Rebecca Coakley (Irl) 81 77
159 Vittoria Valvassori (Ita) 83 76, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 82 77, Samantha Head (Eng) 80 79, Julie Berton (Fra) 79 80, Ana Larraneta (Spa) 76 83, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 81 78, Mianne Bagger (Den) 75 84
MISSED THE CUT
160 Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 80 80, Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe) 80 80.
161 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 81 80, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 84 77, Elcin Ulu (Tur) 81 80, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 82 79, Anne Norman Hansen (Den) 75 86, Natascha Fink (Aut) 78 83, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 80 81, Lora Fairclough (Eng) 79 82.
162 Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 79 83, Lena Tornevall (Swe) 86 76, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 82 80, Julie Tvede (Den) 81 81, Claire Coughlan (Irl) 83 79, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 78 84, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 77 85, Jo Clingan (Eng) 81 81, Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 79 83, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 77 85, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 80 82.
163 Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 84 79, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 82 81, Jenna Wilson (Sco) 81 82, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 79 84, Asa Gottmo (Swe) 82 81.164 Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl) 82 82, Sophie Walker (Eng) 84 80, Henrietta Zuel (Eng) 80 84, Rui Yokomine (Jpn) 83 81, Marjet van der Graaff (Ned) 82 82, Kate Combes (Aus) 81 83, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 80 84, Marina Arruti (Spa) 84 80, Lydia Hall (Wal) 84 80.
165 Frances Bondad (Aus) 82 83, Sofia Renell (Swe) 86 79, Anna Tybring (Swe) 86 79, Ellen Smets (Bel) 80 85, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 85 80, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 80 85, Karen Lunn (Aus) 79 86, Fame More (Eng) 82 83
166 Federica Piovano (Ita) 86 80, Eva Steinberger (Aut) 82 84, Mette Buus (Den) 83 83, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 80 86, Neijla Gercek (Tur) 84 82, Kiran Matharu (Eng) 81 85, Marta Prieto (Spa) 82 84
167 Kirsty J Fisher (Eng) 83 84, Itziar Elguezabal (Spa) 81 86, Florence Luscher (Swi) 85 82
168 Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger) 83 85, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 85 83
169 Julie Greciet (Fra) 86 83
170 Elin Ohlsson (Swe) 83 87
173 Anna Rossi (Ita) 82 91
Retired: Muzeyyen Sasmaz (Tur) 88, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 90, Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 88, Nora Angehrn (Swi) 88.

Busy month of June on cards for Ellon player

MICHELE ENTERS US PUBLIC

LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

AT WISCONSIN

Curtis Cup debutante Michele Thomson from Ellon has entered the United States women's amateur public links championship at Erin Hills, Wisconsin from June 16 to 22.
Michele, 20, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), has also entered the British women's open amateur championship at North Berwick from June 11 to 15.
She reached the quarter-finals of the "British" at Leeds last year.
"Michele entered the American event, taking advantage of her exeption from pre-qualifying as a Curtis Cup player. She is very keen to go across to the States for the championship but we shall have to see how much the 'British' takes out of her. It would be a tough two weeks, plus the travel," said her father, Graham Thomson.
Five members of the US Curtis Cup team for St Andrews plus a reserve have also entered the US women's amateur public links championship, one of the prestigious events under the auspices of the United States Golf Association.

Playing in America would be no new experienced for Michele Thomson. She spent a few months on the American women's college circuit as a student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama. She also played successfully on the Florida women's amateur tour at the start of this year, highlighted by a third place behind Curtis Cup team-mate Liz Bennett in the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur championship.

British champion Ciganda to join

Arizona State in January 2009

British women's open amateur champion Carlota Ciganda has signed a Letter of Intent to enrol at Arizona State University from the spring 2009 semester onwards, i.e. enrolling in January next year.

Ciganda, picture right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), is the No 1 female amateur in Europe, and comes from Pamplona, the bull-run city of northern Spain.

She will be 18 years old on June 1 and should be defending the "British" title at North Berwick from June 11 to 15 although there is no indication on the Ladies Golf Union website of her entry for this year's championship.

The fact that one of her best friends, Azahara Munoz, is already at student at Arizona State almost certainly tipped the scales in favour of the Sun Devils who were one of a long queue of American colleges offering her a full golf scholarship.

It is not all that common for a golf student to start in January - although Roseanne Niven did it at the University of California Berkeley - instead of the autumn. It probably underlines Arizona State University coaching staff's feeling that the arrival of such a talented player could be the final piece in the jigsaw for winning the NCAA women's championship - at the end of May - in 2009.

"On the golf course Carlota has an amazing presence and a maturity well beyond her years," said Arizona State head women's golf coach Melissa Luellen.

"She hits the ball a mile and has a terrific touch around the greens."
Ciganda has been the No. 1 ranked female amateur in Europe for the past two years. At the age of 14, she became the youngest player to win the European women's amateur championship.

"Look for her to vie for Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year and to be a first-team All-American," said Luellen. "Of course, she'll have to battle our current Sun Devils for some of those honors, especially her best friend Azahara Munoz."
Last June, at Alwoodley Golf Club, Leeds, Ciganda defeated Arizona State's own All-American Anna Nordqvist in the final of the 2007 British women's open amateur championship.

"The entire team is excited about Carlota joining the team," said Luellen. "With our returning players and our new freshman [Italy's Giulia Molinaro], the Sun Devils will definitely be turning heads."

SLGA Tournament Assistant

The Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association Limited is the governing body for ladies’ and girls’ amateur golf in Scotland. Applications are invited for the following position which will be based in Perth.

TOURNAMENT ASSISTANT
(Full Time)

Applicants must be familiar with competitive golf. They should be self motivated but able to work as part of a team and have strong communication and organisational skills. Fully conversant with Microsoft Office the person appointed will assist the Tournament Officer in the administration for and delivery of the Association’s Championships and Competitions. Attention to detail and the ability to work to tight deadlines are imperative. A full clean driving licence and willingness to work away from home are essential.

Salary and benefits package will be commensurate with experience.

The Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association is an equal opportunities employer.

Applications, in writing, accompanied by a curriculum vitae should be sent to:
Dr S E Hartley, The Company Secretary, Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association Limited, The Den, 2 Dundee Road, Perth PH2 7DW
marking the envelope Ref:TA Private & Confidential.
Email: sheila@slga.co.uk
Closing date for applications: 26 May 2008

Orkney girls test their clubgolf skills. Image by Janette Mackie.

Orkney junior programme to expand

By ROB EYTON-JONES

Orkney Golf Club’s junior section, which grew impressively as a result of beginning its clubgolf programme in 2007, is set for further expansion this year.
“We recently put through seven new PGA Level 1 coaches and trained four of them on the new Advanced Level 1 CPD Course,” said Janette Mackie, the Club’s Junior Administrator.
“Adding these to our existing coaches we now have ten PGA Level 1 qualified coaches and four PGA Advanced Level 1 qualified coaches. This has given Orkney Golf Club a junior pathway for development from beginner through to the stage where they can gain a handicap.”
The club’s PGA Level 1 coaches will teach Stage 1 of the clubgolf programme. This involves 40 hours of coaching delivered over two years, and covers the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette.
So keen are the coaches to generate interest in the programme, they have visited local primary schools this spring to help introduce clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf, to Primary 5 children. Taught with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets, firstclubgolf gives nine year olds an enjoyable and safe first experience of the game.
These children will now have the opportunity to progress their skills at the Club, which has almost 60 children enrolled on this year’s coaching courses and will include girls-only lessons.
The club is working with sportscotland to provide new practice facilities for its juniors. “We are looking at erecting a three-bay indoor practice area with a video analysis system which will link to a professional PGA Coach on the mainland for remote coaching,” said Mrs Mackie.
“We also have plans for four shortened junior holes, a two-bay galvanised outdoor practice net and to increase our practice putting green from four to nine holes.
“We will be actively working this year to provide these facilities for our juniors so any clever ideas, donations or business sponsorship would be very welcome.”
Said clubgolf’s Highland Regional Manager, Willie MacKay, who along with sportscotland’s Martin Bowie, travelled to Orkney at the end of last season to present prizes to the juniors, “After a very successful junior coaching season for Orkney Golf Club it was a real pleasure to attend their prize giving with so many juniors and parents present.
“Their youngsters are very fortunate in having so many adult members interested in their development. The 2008 junior season looks very promising with Orkney Golf Club now having coaches qualified to deliver the clubgolf Stage 2 coaching programme which should see several gaining their handicap.”

R&A BURSARS BETTY AND FOSTER
THIRD IN PERU TEAM EVENT

Stirling University student Paul Betty and Sam Foster (Exeter University), competing as the R&A Bursars team, finished third in the team event of the Manual Prado International men's amateur golf tournament at Lima Golf Club, Peru.
Betty came seventh and Foster 13th in a field of 64 players for the individual event for the Copa Carlos Raffo.
Leading results:
TEAM EVENT
574 Argentina: Julian Oscar Etulain & Tomas Cocha.
589 Costa Rica: Valentin Quiros & Alvaro Ortiz.
593 R&A Bursars: Paul Betty & Sam Foster.
608 Spain: Sergi Nogue & Ion Garcia Avis.
32 teams took part.
INDIVIDUAL EVENT
Par 288 (4 x 72)
284 Alvaro Ortiz (Costa Rica) 69 75 69 71.
Also:
294 Paul Betty (R&A Bursars) 73 74 74 73 (7th).
299 Sam Foster (R&A Bursars) 75 78 73 73 (13th).
64 players took part.

Danielle's solid start to Central

Regional Championship

Danielle McVeigh from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland and a student at Texas A&M University was joint 10th on one-under-par 71 after the first round of the NCAA Division 1 women's Central Regional college championship at the University of Texas course, Austin (par-72, 6301yd).

Danielle, winner of the women's world students golf title in Thailand last year and a candidate for Curtis Cup selection, had birdies at the fifth, ninth, 15th and 16th but bogeys at the first, 11th and 13th.

She was recently named to the Big-12 Conference women's team - a tribute to her consistent play all season.

England's Ellie Givens (Denver) opened with a double bogey 6 but compensated with an eagle at the 15th and a birdie at the long fifth. She did drop further shots at the seventh, 11th and 18th in returning a 74 for joint 30th position.

Tara Delaney (Kent State) from Carlow, Ireland, who lost her Curtis Cup place this year, had a 78 to be in joint 66th position. Tara had only six pars, birdieing the third, ninth and 14th and bogeying the remainder of the holes.

Twice past Welsh girls champion Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) had double bogeys at the long fifth and the long 11th in halves of 39 and 41 for an 80 and a share of 81st place. Lucy did birdie the ninth and 10th.

Team-mate Sinead O'Sullivan from Galway had an 83 for a share of 97th place in a field of 108.

Sinead had a double bogey 6 at the fourth in halves of 41 and 42. She was nine over par after only 13 holes.

Spain's Maria Hernandez has a hole in one on her inward half, helping her to end the day in second place on 66, one off the pace being set by Maria Jose Uribe (UCLA).

LEADERBOARD

Par 72

65 Maria Jose Uribe (UCLA).

66 Maria Hernandez (Purdue).

67 Valentine Derrey (Texas Christian).

Other scores:

70 Caroline Westrup (Florida State) (jt 4th).

71 Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) (jt 10th).

74 Ellie Givens (Denver) (jt 30th).

80 Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) (jt 81st).

83 Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State (jt 97th).

US college tournament news

Irish-born US Curtis Cup player shares lead in
California but Roseanne
has a quadruple bogey 8

Crieff's Roseanne Niven (University of California-Berkeley) had a disappointing start to the NCAA Division 1 women's West Regional championship over the par-72, 6338yd course at Lincoln Hills Golf Club, Sacramento in California.

The former Scottish girls champion ran up a quadruple bogey 8 at the par-4 13th and also dropped shots at the second, sixth, seventh, 10th, 14th and 17th in halves of 39 and 43 for a 10-over-par 82 and a share of 100th place in a field of 108.

Alison Walshe, pictured right, the Galway-born Irish girl who will be part of the United States team for the Curtis Cup match at the end of the month, is sharing the lead on 68 with Paola Moreno (Southern California).

Alison, a student at Arizona University, emigrated to America with her parents from Ireland before she was 10 years old. She had six birdies in her sparkling round, including four in a row from the eighth to the 11th.

US Curtis Cup team-mate Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) is one of four players in joint second place on 69.

English-born Hannah Bews (Portland State) is in joint 57th position after birdieing the first, eighth and 10th in a 76.

LEADERBOARD

Par 72

68 Alison Walshe (Arizona), Paola Moreno (Southern California).

69 Stacy Lewis (Arkansas), Azahara Munoz (Arizona State), Jaclyn Sweeney (Oklahoma State), Therese Koelbaek (UNLV).

Other score:

82 Roseanne Niven (California).

Fife girl has two-under-par 70 in Georgia

Krystle's good start to East
Regional championship

Curtis Cup-bound Krystle Caithness has made a good start to the NCAA Division 1 women's East Regional championship over her home University of Georgia course at Athens, Georgia.
The Fife girl, picture right from Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), had a round of 70 over the par-72, 6,335yd course with birdies at the short third, short 13th, long 17th and long 18th. Her only bogeys came at the sixth and 11th.
America's No 1 Curtis Cup team player, Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University) was sharing second place with Belgian Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina), one shot behind the leader, Sara-Maude Juneau (Louisville University).
Another player bound for Curtis Cup action, Jodi Ewart (New Mexico University) from Yorkshire is back in a share of 38th place after a 76 which had no birdies, only pars and bogeys at the third, seventh,12th and 18th.
One shot ahead of Jodi was another English player, Anna Scott (Georgia State). Anna from Consett, Co Durham is in joint 31st place with halves of 37 and 38 for her 75. She birdied the foufrth and 13th.
Also on 75 is Channel Islander Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern). She had one birdie, at the 15th.
Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State) from Wiltshire is sharing 87th place with an 82 (40-42) which began brightly enough with a birdie at the first but she double bogeyed the third and bogeyed the fourth.
Team-mate Laura Cutler, also from England, had four double bogeys in halves of 41 and 45 for joint 104th position in a field of 108.
Yet another English-born player, Claire Starkie (Georgia State) from Skipton, Yorkshire, is on 83 and joint 95th place. She had halves of 40 and 43 with a triple bogey at the ninth, and double bogeys at the short eighth and long 18th. Claire did birdie the third.
Edinburgh-born Rebecca Watson (Tennessee), older sister of Curtis Cup selection Sally, had an 85 for joint 100th position. She had halves of 42 and 43, including double bogeys at the fifth, short eighth and long 17th.
LEADERBOARD
Par 72, 6335yd
67 Sara-Maude Juneau (Louisville).
68 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke), Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina).
69 Corrine Carr (Furman).
70 Krystle Caithness (Georgia), Cydney Clanton (Auburn), Kimberley Donovan (Duke).
Other scores:
75 Anna Scott (Georgia State), Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Charleston Southern) (jt 31st).
76 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) (jt 38th).
82 Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State) (jt 87th).
85 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) (jt 100th).
86 Laura Cutler (Jacksonville State) (jt 104th).

Edimburgh inter-club tournament results

The three-day Edinburgh women's inter-club tournament began last night at Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club. Results:

FIRST ROUND
Lothianburn bt Merchants at 19th.
Ratho Park bt Royal Musselburgh 3 and 1.
Craigmillar Park bt Baberton 8 and 6.
Murrayfield bt Turnhouse 5 and 3.
Liberton beat Broomieknowe 2 and 1.
Musselburgh beat Prestonfield 10 and 8.
Kingsknowe beat Newbattle 10 and 8.
Glencorse beat Torphin Hill 11 and 10.

FRIDAY'S QUARTER-FINAL TEE TIMES
4.30 and 4.36: Lothianburn v. Ratho Park.
4.42 and 4.48: Craigmillar Park v. Murrayfield.
4.54 and 5.0: Liberton v. Musselburgh.
5.06 and 5.12: Kingsknowe v. Glencorse.

LGU Medal North Final

DOUBLE WHAMMY BY FORFAR
PLAYERS AT MONIFIETH

Forfar Golf Club players pulled off a double victory in the LGU Medal North Final over the Monifieth links today (Thursday).
Sarah Chapman won the Silver Division with a net 72 off 13 of a handicap.
Joan Spankie led the Bronze Division with a net 74 off 22 and a better inward half than two other players who had the same net total.
The first three players in each division qualified for the LGU Medal Grand Final at Crieff Golf Club on Sunday, June 8.
Prizewinners at Monifieth (CSS 75):
Silver Division - Sarah Chapman (Forfar) (13) 72; Elizabeth Milligan (Dunblane New) (17) (better inward half), Jane Tough (Edzell) (4) 74; Jackie Brown (Whitemoss) (4) 75 (bih).
Bronze Division - Joan Spankie (Forfar) (22) (bih), Lynn Cameron (Muthil) (17) (bih), Kitty Drever (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (33) 74; Angela Dutch (Downfield) (22) 75.

MIDLAND VETS BEAT NORTHERN AT GLENISLA

Midland beat Northern 5-2 in an inter-divisional Scottish Veteran Ladies Golf Association match at Glenisla Golf Club, Alyth today .
Results (Midland players first):
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) bt Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 1 hole.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) bt Heather Andereson (Downfield) 2 and 1.
Katherine Keir (Elie) lost to Sue McGregor (Edzell) 4 and 3.
Emma Wilson (Elie) bt Ann Smart (Banchory) 1 hole.
Sandy Bushby (Strathmore) lost to Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) 2 and 1.
Mary Hope (Blairgowrie) bt Ros Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay) 2 holes.
Margaret Tough (Falkirik) bt Frances Neish (Forres) 6 and 5.

Report from Ladies European Tour

A Lotta good golf for

Wahlin to get some
Turkish delight

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
Sweden’s Lotta Wahlin took a two-shot lead after the first round of the Garanti American Express Turkish Ladies Open with a two-under-par 71 today.
The 24-year-old was the only player to break par on the opening day at National Golf Club with Spain’s Paula Marti in outright second on level par 73.
Of the six players who finished on one over 74, only Jade Schaeffer from France played in the afternoon.
Melodie Bourdy, Anne-Lise Caudal, Stacy Lee Bregman, Ana-Belen Sanchez and Anja Monke all carded 74 in the morning.
On a clear and cool day in the Antalya region, Wahlin, picture above from the LET Tour website, parred each of the first nine holes and then fired off three birdies over the next five. She took just one bogey, at the par-417th, where she hit her drive behind a small pine tree and had to play her second shot out to the fairway.
“It’s a tough course and it wasn’t that easy because the wind was changing. It’s one of the toughest courses we have because it’s so narrow and long,” said Wahlin, who won an invitational event featuring 20 of the Ladies European Tour’s best players in Catalonia, Spain, just a month ago.
“I was playing really well on the front nine. They were quite easy pars actually. I had to make a five metre putt on the first one and then on the back nine I made the birdie putts. I was quite close to the pin.
"On 17 I just had to chip out from a little pine tree so that was a good bogey. I couldn’t have done any better.”
Wahlin said that she took increased confidence from her win so early in 2008, despite the fact that it was not an official event on the LET schedule:
“Now I know I can beat all of them, even if I didn’t get the winning category. I still know that I can win and the others know that I can win so it was very important.
“Actually my goal this year is to win three tournaments so if I win one, I’m not happy, I want to win even more. Catalonia was just a half point,” she added.
Wahlin rounded out last year ranked 21st on the New Star Money List and is aiming for a top ten position this year. She also took inspiration from the recent performances of fellow Swedes such as Emma Zackrisson, who won her maiden LET title at the Spanish Open three weeks ago, and Maria Boden, who was second last week in Scotland.
Marti, the 2002 LET order of merit winner, carded three birdies and three bogeys.
She said: “I didn’t start well and thought it would be a long day, but I looked at the score board and saw that Lotta was leading and plus one was second. I have taught myself not to get too stressed out early on because you can make up for a bad start and make it into a good round.”
COLIN FARQUHARSON WRITES:
Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) was the best of the Scots with a 77 to be in joint 21st place at the end of the first day. Lynn had halves of 41 and 36, birdieing the 11th, 12th and 17th on the inward journey.
Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) was a shot behind on 78 (40-38). She birdied the 14th and 17th.
Rookie Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) had an 81 to be in joint 77th position. Jenna had halves of 43 and 38, running up double boeys at the sixth and eighth.
One unexpectedly high score was the nine-over-par 82 by Rebecca Hudson. The Doncaster player had two halves of 41, which included a pair of double bogeys.
Eleanor Pilgrim from Wales had a sad day, finishing last of 125 on the first-day scores. She had a 90 (45-45) with three triple bogeys and two double bogeys. She did birdie the long fourth.
Eleanor is a far better player than this score would suggest. Let's hope for some Pilgrim's Progress on Day 2.
ALL THE FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 73

71 L Wahlin (Swe).
73 P Marti (Spa).

74 Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Ana B Sanchez (Spa), Anja Monke (Ger), Jade Schaeffer (Fra).
75 Anne Norman Hansen (Den), Zuzana Kamasova (Svk), Natalie Claire Booth (Eng), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Mianne Bagger (Den), Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Emma Zackrisson (Swe).
76 Ana Larraneta (Spa), Stefania Croce (Ita), Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den), Rachel Bell (Eng)
77 Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin), Martina Gillen (Irl), Maria Boden (Swe), Danielle Masters (Eng), Lynn Kenny (Sco), Nicole Gergely (Aut), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Emma Lyons (Eng), Iben Tinning (Den), Melissa Reid (Eng), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Becky Brewerton (Wal), Amy Yang (Kor), Laura Terebey (USA).
78 Nuria Clau (Spa), Natascha Fink (Aut), Clare Queen (Sco), Sophie Sandolo (Ita), Hazel Kavanagh (Irl), Dana Lacey (Aus), Trish Johnson (Eng), Nikki Garrett (Aus), Stephanie Arricau (Fra).
79 Julie Berton (Fra), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Maria Beautell (Spa), Lora Fairclough (Eng), Jehanne Jail (Fra), Karen Lunn (Aus), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha), Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa), Ludivine Kreutz (Fra), Martina Eberl (Ger), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Anna Rawson (Aus), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng).
80 Nathalie David-Mila (Fra), Cherie Byrnes (Aus), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger), Caroline Afonso (Fra), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe), Georgina Simpson (Eng), Joanne Morley (Eng), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Lara Tadiotto (Bel), Lisa Hall (Eng), Yuki Sakurai (Jpn), Henrietta Zuel (Eng), Lill Kristin Saether (Nor), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den), Samantha Head (Eng), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Anna Temple (USA), Ellen Smets (Bel).
81 Kate Combes (Aus), Itziar Elguezabal (Spa), Jo Clingan (Eng), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Anna Knutsson (Swe), Kiran Matharu (Eng), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Elcin Ulu (Tur), Maria Verchenova (Rus), Julie Tvede (Den), Jenna Wilson (Sco).
82 Asa Gottmo (Swe), Fame More (Eng), Marta Prieto (Spa), Frances Bondad (Aus), Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl), Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Beatriz Recari (Spa), Anna Rossi (Ita), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Veronica Zorzi (Ita), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Marjet van der Graaff (Ned).
83 Claire Coughlan (Irl), Mette Buus (Den), Denise-Charlotte Becker (Ger), Vittoria Valvassori (Ita), Elin Ohlsson (Swe), Kirsty J Fisher (Eng), Rui Yokomine (Jpn).
84 Marina Arruti (Spa), Lydia Hall (Wal), Neijla Gercek (Tur), Lynn Brooky (Nzl), Sophie Walker (Eng), Katharina Schallenberg (Ger).
85 Carmen Alonso (Spa), Florence Luscher (Swi), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi).
86 Julie Greciet (Fra), Sofia Renell (Swe), Lena Tornevall (Swe), Anna Tybring (Swe), Federica Piovano (Ita).
88 Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus), Nora Angehrn (Swi), Muzeyyen Sasmaz (Tur)
90 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal).

FOUR GIRLS FOR SCOTTISH FINAL OF
NICK FALDO JUNIOR SERIES

Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Lesley Atkins (Minto), Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) and Jordana Graham (Southerness) have qualified for the Scottish Final of the Nick Faldo Junior Series at The Roxburghe Golf Club, Kelso on Friday, August 22.
All the Scottish qualifiers and their scores - plus the non-qualifiers - can be found by switching over to our other website, www.scottishgolfview.com

LORENA OCHOA HEADS

STAR-STUDDED FIELD

FOR WOMEN'S BRITISH
OPEN AT SUNNINGDALE

Defending champion and World Number 1, Lorena Ochoa will be joined by the world’s other best players when she defends her Ricoh Women’s British Open title at Sunningdale Golf Club from 31 July to 3 August.
Seeped in history and the only Major to take place outside of the USA, the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open is set to be one of the highlights on this year’s golfing calendar, with 144 players from around the world competing for a total prize fund of GBP£1,050,000.
With the race for qualification for the 2008 championship very much underway and entries closing on 1st July 2008, there are number of players who can relax, having already secured their place in a line-up that is starting to resemble a who’s who of women’s golf.
Former champions at Sunningdale, Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak and Karen Stupples qualify as former winners of the event, as does World Number 2, Annika Sorenstam who won the title in 2003.
World No. 4, Paula Creamer, Japan’s Yuri Fudoh - the World No. 18 and Miki Saiki - the World No. 29, have also qualified with a top 15 finish at the 2007 championship.
So too have Scottish stars, Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay while the 2007 Amateur Medal Winner, England’s Melissa Reid, who has built on her magnificent performance since finishing tied 16th at last year’s Championship, looks set to qualify through the LET money list on which she is currently ranked 3rd.
Since winning the Ricoh Women’s British Open last August, the first Major of her career, Lorena (pictured above) has gone from strength to strength, consolidating her place at the top of the Rolex World Rankings by winning eight more tournament titles including a second Major title.
The 2007 Ricoh Women’s British Open was the first professional women’s golf tournament to be played on the Old Course at St Andrews and Ricoh’s first as title sponsor and fittingly the first Major title for the popular World No 1.
“Sometimes I think it could only have been a dream that I won my first Major at the Home of Golf – there couldn’t have been a better setting for me to achieve my goal of winning a Major title and to have my family around me to share in the celebrations at such a historic venue made it all the more perfect. The replica of the Trophy sits proudly on my mantlepiece and the memories of my win at The Home of Golf will live with me for ever,” enthused Lorena.
Lorena has made a dazzling start to 2008, winning three out of her first four events, including a second Major to add to her haul - the Kraft Nabisco Championship – by a five0shot margin last month.
Lorena confirmed; “I was thrilled to win my second Major at the Kraft Nabisco last month – jumping in the lake with my family and friends at the end was a very special moment. I can also say that I am very glad the tradition for winners at St Andrews is to pose with the trophy on the Swilcan Bridge rather than jump in the Swilcan burn as it would have been very cold!
"I was fortunate to win a lot of titles last year but of course the one I am most looking forward to defending is the Ricoh Women’s British Open. I am really excited about playing in Sunningdale again. I finished 4th there in 2004 so I know the course suits my game and I have a great chance.”
The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the Ladies Golf Union in 1976, has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001. The event is managed and implemented in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company.
For more information, including the latest news and advance ticket offers, please visit http://www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com/ or call our ticket line on +448719459421.

Davidson v Allan at Grangemouth on Friday

ALISON THROUGH TO EIGHTH FINAL
AT STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN

Past Curtis Cup player and former British amateur champion Alison Davidson (Stirling) is through to her eighth final of the Stirling & Clackmannan county women's amateur golf championship.
Alison, the No 1 seed, beat the fourth qualifier, Louise McGregor (Falkirk) by 3 and 2 in the first semi-final at Grangemouth Golf Club tonight (Wed) after being one down at the 12th.
She has been county champion five times in all - 2005 and 2007 as Mrs Davidson and 1990-91-92 as Alison Rose. She also lost in the 2002 and 2003 finals.
In Friday's final (5.30pm), Alison will play the 2006 title-winner, Linda Allan who beat Vikki Stevenson (Stevenson) by one hole in a repeat of the final of two years ago. A tight semi-final was all square after 15 holes. The 16th and 17th were halved before Mrs Allan won on the last green.
This evening's results:
Semi-finals - A Davidson (Stirling) bt L McGregor (Falkirk) 3 and 2, L Allan (Falkirk Tryst) bt V Stevenson (Stirling) 1 hole.

DISAPPOINTING FLORIDA FINISH
FOR CARNOUSTIE'S KATY McNICOLL

Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll finished a disappointing joint 23rd in a field of 33 for the NCAA Division 2 Women's South Regional college golf championship at Mission Hills Golf & Tennis Resort, Florida today.
Katy, a student at Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida, had rounds of 80, 79 and 79 for a total of 238 over the par-72, 6165yd course.
In her final round, she had a quadruple bogey 8 at the 13th and double bogeys at the short eighth and long ninth. On the credit side, Katy did have birdies at the first, 10th, 14th and 16th.
She finished 15 shots behind winner Sandra Changkija (Nova Southeastern) with 72, 76 and 75 for seven-over-par 223.
Lynn University (954) finished fifth of sixth in the team event behind Nova Southeastern (902).

ELDERSLIE JUNIOR HEADS WINDYHILL
QUALIFIERS FOR LGU MEDAL FINAL

Alyson McKechin, a 14-year-old Elderslie Golf Club junior member, headed the eight qualifiers for the LGU Medal Final at Crieff on Sunday, June 8 with a net 70 off 11 of a handicap in the West Division qualifier at Windyhill Golf Club today.

The qualifiers were:
Silver Division - Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) (11) 70; Anne Mungall (Airdrie) (12) 72; Carol Whyte (Windyhill) (4) 73; Aileen Anderson (Loudon Gowf) (10) 75; Avril Leitch (Balmore) (11) 76 (better last six). Carol Whyte unavailable for Medal Final.
Bronze Division - Carol Anne Craig (Beith (27) 72; Sheila McLay (Bishopbriggs) (23) 73; Diane Tomlin (Gleddoch) (32) (better inward half), Saorcha Warren (Eastwood) (20) 74; Anne Fisher (Prestwick St Nicholas (23) 76 (better last six). Diane Tomlin unavailable for Medal Final.
The CSS was 74 (reduction only).

ends

Entering the HDA Festival?

Matthew has a villa to rent

Readers who are considering entering the 2009 Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival from February 11 to 17 will be interested in the following E-mail from Matthew Simmons:

"I wondered if any of your golfers would be interested in renting our two-bedroom, two-bathroom villa which sleeps 4. It is situated in prime position near to the Hacienda del Alamo clubhouse, village and driving range.
"You will receive owners' rates when you go to pay at the clubhouse.
"Our rates include air/conditioning, central heating, linen towels and Sky TV.
"We also have a BBQ and communal pool.
"Our rates start at £275 per week. We are able to offer a 10% discount on these prices.
Based on four sharing, this works out at £63 per person in low season.
If you would like to see what the villa has to offer the web address is http://www.haciendagolfrental.com/"

Matthew Simmons

Haciendarental@aol.com

Space for one late entry to Sunday's

Ness Open at Inverness

Ness Open organiser June Nicol, ladies' vice-captain of Inverness Golf Club, says she has room for one late entry to Sunday's SLGA Order of Merit 36-hole women's tournament.
It's a small field but a quality one with several of the competitors going on to the Scottish women's amateur championship at Lossiemouth.
Inverness Golf Club telephone number is: 01463 23988.
Tee times (eight-minute intervals) are:

8.0 & 12.30 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon).
8.08 & 12.38 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), Claire MacDonald (Gullane).
8.16 & 12.46 Laura Murray (Alford), Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch).
8.24 & 12.54 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir).

8.32 & 1.02 Pam Mackay (Royal Dornoch), Lesley Hendry (Routenburn).
8.40 & 1.10 Susan Jackson (Ladybank), Sammy Vass (Tain).
8.48 & 1.18 Anne Ryan (Tain), Eilidh Br8iggs (Kilmacolm).
8.56 & 1.26 Ashleigh Wilton(Ladybank), Mary Smith (Tain).

9.04 & 1.34 Samantha Leslie (Murcar Links), Annabel Niven (Crieff).
9.12 & 1.42 Gillian Dowling (Inverness), Megan Aird (Strathmore).
9.20 & 1.50 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly), Julie Vass (Tain).
9.28 & 1.58 Ashley Alston Royal Montrose), Rachael Bannerman (Strathpeffer).

9.36 & 2.06 Donna Copland (Crieff), Pat Ashe (Brora), Kirsten MacCallum (McDonald Ellon).
9.44 & 2.14 Marian Howieson (Inverness), Christine MacAndrew (Nairn Dunbar), A N Other.

Brucefields’ new programme
for children with disabilities

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ROB EYTON-JONES
clubgolf and Brucefields Family Golf Centre have extended their commitment to local children this spring by launching the first golf coaching programme of its kind in Scotland for children with disablilities.
The Centre has a long association with clubgolf, the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland, developed as a result of the Scottish Government’s commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game.
In 2006 Brucefields was the venue for Forth Valley’s first pilot for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Last autumn it trialled a golf coaching programme for a small group of children. At the same time its professional, Gregor Monks, expanded his remit to coach 50 children from Bannockburn's six primary schools three nights a week for three months.
The most recent development in the Centre’s evolution is an eight week clubgolf Stage 1 programme for children with disablilities, which attracted 27 for its first lesson last week.
“Our trial course last year for children with disabilities was very popular and we are delighted that 27 children have signed up for this year’s course,” said Brucefields’ General Manager, Kirsty Burge. “It’s a fantastic response.”
Brucefields' professional coaching staff are experienced in working with children who have additional support needs. The new Stage 1 programme is being delivered by Brucefields pro Graham Gormley, and covers the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette.
“We have split the children into three groups and we started last week,” he said. “They thoroughly enjoyed the first session last week.”
With clubgolf creating the opportunity for over 30,000 primary school children in Scotland to experience the game this year through the programme’s introductory game, clubgolf, supportive centres like Brucefields are essential to keep children interested and developing in the game.
“We work very closely with clubgolf,” said Kirsty Burge. “In addition to the coaching for children with disabilities we are increasing the number of children that come from local schools and we could potentially have 60 children this year on our clubgolf Stage 1 course.
“We are a family centre and we do a lot of work with children on the weekends. On top of the clubgolf coaching a lot of children come here on the weekend, with over 50 children coming for coaching on a Sunday.”

FIONA GILBERT TOP SEED FOR
ANGUS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie) is the leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the Angus women's county championship at Ballumbie Castle.

QUALIFIERS
76 F Gilbert (Carnoustie).
78 J Brown (Monifieth).
79 S Raitt (Forfar).
80 L Graham (Carnoustie), R Wilson (Monifieth).
81 S Arbuckle (Panmure Barry), F Millar (Carnoustie Ladies).
83 A Hunter (Monifieth), H Anderson (Downfield).
84 J Ganson (Arbroath), M Summers (Panmure Barry), S McGregor (Edzell).
87 D Dewar (Monifieth), A Freeman (Panmure Barry).
88 C Healy (Carnoustie), A Campbell.
SATURDAY'S MATCH-PLAY DRAWS
SCRATCH
10am F Gilbert v A Campbell.
10.08 H Anderson v A Hunter.
10.16 R Wilson v S McGregor.
10.24 D Dewar v L Graham.
10.32 S Raitt v A Freeman.
10.40 M Summers v S Arbuckle.
10.48 F Millar v J Ganson.
10.56 C Healy v J Brown.
HANDICAP QUALIFIERS
1 J Cowley
2 A Rennie (Monifieth).
3 G Wilson (Monifieth).
4 M Brown (Carnoustie).
5 S Snedden (Carnoustie).
6 J Chalmers (Monifieth).
7 A Summers (Panmure Barry).
8 H Munro (Monifieth)
HANDICAP DRAW
11.10 J Cowley v H Munro.
11.18 S Snedden v M Brown.
11.24 G Wilson v J Chalmers
11.32 A Summers v A. Rennie.

Katy McNicoll has much to

do in final Florida round

Katy McNicoll (Lynn University, Florida) from Carnoustie failed to improve her position significantly with a 79 in the second round of the 54-hole NCAA Division 2 Women's South Regional championship at Mission Hill Golf & Tennis Resort, Florida.

Katy, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), had an 80 in the first round and her 36-hole tally of 159 leaves her in joint 19th position ina field of 33 players with one round to go.

Johanna Soderstrom (Barry University) leads by two shots with a pair of 73s for 146.

Nova Southeastern (601) lead the team event from Rollins College (607). Lynn University are fifth of 6 on 633.

Meanwhile, Neil McBride from Glasgow and Kevin Duncan from Ellon, both students at Atlanta State University, Georgia are in joint 18th and joint 30th positions in a field of 45 with one round to go in the NCAA Division 2 Men's Southeast Regional championship at The Point Lake Golf Club (par-72, 7,037yd).

Neil has scored 75 and 74 for 149 while Kevin has had a pair of 77s for 154.

Georgia College (580) lead the team event from South Carolina-Aiken (584) with Clayton State (602) fifth of eight.

Niclas Johansson (Georgia College) leads the team event with a pair of 71s for 146.

Why European Tour caddie Dave

Muscroft cannot carry Carly

Booth's bag in Curtis Cup

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
There is a story in one of the newspapers this morning that Dave Muscroft, who caddied for Sandy Lyle at one time and is a very experienced European Tour bagman , was willing to caddie for Carly Booth, the youngest player in either team – but was knocked back by the Ladies Golf Union.
The article poked fun at the LGU explanation which was that Muscroft caddieing for Carly would have given not only the 15-year-old from Comrie but also the Great Britain & Ireland team an “unfair advantage over the United States team.”

The writer of the article thought there was nothing wrong in that and suggested that the LGU were living in the past.
But as the LGU director of championships Susan Simpson, pictured above by courtesy of Tom Ward, underlined at Monday’s Curtis Cup Media Day at The Duke’s Clubhouse, St Andrews:
“There is a great tradition within the Curtis Cup match that no side has home advantage with caddies,” said Susan.
“All the caddies are nominated by the host. In our case that is St Andrews Links Trust. Their caddie master has a list of 16 of his most experienced men and women caddies and there will be a caddie draw for the Curtis Cup match.
“On a given day, the names of the caddies will be pulled out and paired at random with each of the 16 GB&I and American players who will be taking part in the match.
“That is a huge tradition of the Curtis Cup, one that everyone involved wishes to remain.”
The same applies when the United States Golf Association hosts the biennial match.
That’s why no father/mother has ever been allowed to caddie for their offspring in a Curtis Cup match, even though they might have done so on a regular basis in individual tournaments under the auspices of the Ladies Golf Union or the USGA for that matter.
Perhaps it would be different in the world of professional golf where winning at all costs is the order of the day.
But the Curtis Cup was donated by the American Curtis sisters to foster golfing friendship between the countries and both the LGU and the USGA have followed that principle over the past 56 years.

Breanne Loucks, the Welsh champion and winner of all three of her ties in the Curtis Cup match at Bandon Dunes, Oregon two years ago, commented:

"We had different caddies for the practice rounds over the Old Course this week. They all know their stuff. They all know the best lines from the tee at every hole and that's where their advice is very important."

Alex Peters wins Fairhaven

Trophy with record

last round of 70

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

Nottinghamshire’s Alex Peters staged a record-breaking performance to win the girls’ title at the Fairhaven Trophy tournament at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lancashire.

The 14-year-old scratch golfer shot a five-under par 70 in the final round of the 72-hole event – breaking the record set just 48-hours earlier by Giorgina Brown of Cheshire.

Alex, picture right by Tom Ward (all rights reserved), who is in the English Women’s Golf Association Futures Under-18 squad, had seven birdies and two bogeys in her final round score. She added it to rounds of 79, 78 and 86 for a five-stroke win in the girls’ event.

This is the latest in a string of successes for Alex, who plays at Notts Ladies’ and is the reigning Midland women's champion and a past winner of the English Under-13 title. She’s also the North of England Under-16 and Under-14 champion and last month she paired up with her mum, Ann, to win the Mothers and Daughters scratch foursomes tournament.

Giorgina Brown, who plays at Mere, returned a one-under par 74 on the first day, to knock two shots off the long-standing course record. She parred all the holes except one, the long 15th, which she birdied.

Giorgina, who finished third in the girls’ event, will be 18 this week and has only been playing golf for four years. She is in Cheshire’s county team and is studying for a sport BTEC at South Trafford College.

The weather tested the competitors after the fine, calm conditions of the first day were followed by wind and then rain. Full details: www.fairhavengolfclub.co.uk

'Helen Holm' winner bids for Scottish double

French Female Army returning

to Scotland for St Rule Trophy

over Old Course on May 25

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Sacre bleu! The French are coming back!

Buoyed by their success in the "Helen Holm" - Troon title-winner Barbara Genuini was one of a record number of 22 French entrants, the French Golf Federation are sending 18 players over to St Andrews for the St Rule Trophy tournament over the Old Course, on Sunday, May 25.

They include Mademoiselle Genuini (picture left by courtesy of Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved) who will be bidding to become the first French player to win the St Rule Trophy, reduced to 36 holes on one day this year because of the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course from Friday to Sunday the following week.
Competitors will tee off in threes at 10min intervals and the pairings on May 25 are:

TEE TIMES FOR ST RULE TROPHY

7.0 & 11.50 A Bushby (Strathmore), Rachel McQueen (Troon Ladies), Lisa Barton (Coventry); Charlotte Wild (Mere), Harriet Owers-Bradley (Wollaton Park), Sam Round (Tadmarton Heath); S Jackson (Ladybank), E Fairnie (Dunbar), R Lewis (Newport).

7.30 & 12.20 R Watson (US), C Stockton (US), R Wyn Thomas (Vale of Glamorgan); C-M Carlton (Fereneze), N Podmore (High Legh Park), S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies); C MacDonald (Gullane Ladies), J Nicolson (Wrexham), S Birks (Wolstanton).

8.0 & 12.50 T Davies (Holyhead), A Ramsay Kirriemuir), K Tidy (Royal Birkdale); E Moffat (St Regulus), C Ellis (Minchinhampton), K McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies); H Jenkins (Cradoc), M Gidall (France), Kelly Brotherton (Forrester Park).

8.30 & 1.20 J Carthew (Ladybank), R Vilatte (Fra), A Storey (Ponteland); C Hargan (Mortonhall), J Dreher (France), S James (Bristol & Clifton); J Dotten (Canada), G O'Leary (Cork), L Charpier (France).

9.0 & 1.50 C Boutier (France), B Dowell (Enmore Park), R Livingstone (Musselburgh); L Walker (Muckhart), K Delaney (Carlow), A Decharne (France); S Derrey (France), L Grillot (France), M Pow (Selkirk).

9.30 & 2.20 M Briggs (Kilmacolm), M Ricordeau (France), C Gruber (Royal Dornoch); J Klatten(France), L Murray (Alford), C Abrahamiam (France); A Laing (Vale of Leven), L Sibille (France), N Kitching (Claremorris).

10.0 & 2.50 K Walker (Buchanan Castle), L Ball (Matfen Hall), E Alonso (France); M Morrin (The Curragh), J Turner (Craigielaw), A Goumard (France); R Niven Crieff), V Derrey (France), B Genuini (France).

10.30 & 3.20 D Smith (Co Louth), L Kenney (Pitreavie), I Boineau (France); K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), L Andre (France), A Davidson (Stirling); M Bazin de Jessey (France), S Hassan(Vale of Glamorgan), E Ogilvy (Auchterarder).

Kelsey is backmarker in Scottish

women's championship at

Lossiemouth next week

Nairn Dunbar teenager Kelsey MacDonald, picture right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved, who has a handicap of +2, is the highest-rated player, on paper, in the field of 96 for the Scottish women's amateur golf championship, hosted by Moray Golf Club over its Old Course at Lossiemouth next week from Tuesday to Saturday.
Two qualifying rounds will produce 32 players for the championship match-play stages and the next 18 for the Clark Rosebowl match-play competition. The 18-hole final will be held on Saturday morning, May 17.
Title-holder Jenna Wilson has turned professional since last year at Kilmarnock Barassie where she beat Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) in the final.
Emily, who only this week resumed playing competitive golf since seriously injuring a shoulder in a mid-winter gymnasium mishap, is in the field again.
So too is Curtis Cup player Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) who reached the semi-finals 12 months ago and would love to line up against the Americans at the end of this month as Scottish champion.
Although another Curtis Cup Scot, 15-year-old Carly Booth (Comrie) is home from Arizona for the match against the Americans, she is not in the field for Lossiemouth. Entries closed early in April.
Players will go out in threes at nine-minute intervals in the first qualifying round on Tuesday, May 13 (a fresh draw will be made for the second round on the Wednesday).

NEXT TUESDAY'S TEE TIMES AT LOSSIE

8.0 S Cuthbertson (Peebles), L Terry (Cruden Bay), S Crolla (Duddingston); W Wells (Peebles), G Lockhart (Kilmarnock Barassie), A McGinnigle (Cochrane Castle); H Laughland (Mortonhall), L Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh), C Taylor (KIlmarnock Barassie); A Brownie (Lothianburn), A McDonald (St Regulus), E Wilson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies).

8.36 L Stewart (Greenburn), S Leslie (Murcar Links), K Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park); K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), L Murray (Alford), M Briggs (Kilmacolm); E Ogilvy (Auchterarder), C Hargan (Mortonhall), K Walker (Buchanan Castle).

9.03 A Laing (Vale of Leven), M Pow (Selkirk), M Thomson (McDonald Ellon); C Gruber (Royal Dornoch), L Kenney (Pitreavie), R Livingstone (Musselburgh).

9.30 C MacDonald (Gullane), S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), J Carthew (Ladybank); S Bishop (Cochrane Castle), L McLardy (Murcar Links) B Murphy (Mortonhall); L Hendry (Routenburn), D Jackson (Cochrane Castle), L Bennett (Ladybank); A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir), J Turner (Craigielaw), T Laughland (Mortonhall).

10.06 J Milne (Elgin), K Blackwood (Craigmillar Park), E Moffat (St Regulus); S Raitt (Forfar), C-M Carlton (Fereneze), E Fairnie (Dunbar); D Pocock (Murcar Links), N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), S Jackson (Ladybank); A Bushby (Strathmore), P Williamson (Baberton), C Wilson (Murcar Links); F De Vries (St Rule), W Nicholson (Broomieknowe), A Hunter (Monifieth).

10.33 A Bushby (Strathmore), P Williamson (Baberton), C Wilson (Murcar Links); F De Vries (St Rule), W Nicholson (Broomieknowe), A Hunter (Monifieth).

11.0 K Marshall (Baberton), L Hunter (Dalmahoy), S Vass (Tain); G McGinlay (Cochrane Castle), M Summers (Panmure Barry), M Tough (Falkirk); H Anderson (Downfield), J Jenkins (Ralston), E Briggs (Kilmacolm); J Sneddon (Alyth), J Harrison (Creuden Bay); A Ryan (Tain.

11.36 L Fraser (Kingsknowe), D Dewar (Monifieth), R Brown (Lothianburn); A Wilton (Ladybank), M Smith (Tain), H Faulds (Douglas Park); L Bain (Lochend), E Munn (East Renfrewshire), C Stewart (Lothianburn).

12.03 B Paterson (Eastwood), E Gillespie (Lochend), P Orr (Cochrane Castle); S Ireland (Prestonfield), B Waugh (Moorhall), L Douglas (Hawick); W MacCallum (Falkirk), M McKerrow (Dumfries & Galloway), I Harvey (St Rule).

12.30 R McIntyre (Windyhill), F Fullerton (Huntly), J Vass (Tain); A B Ramsay (Kirriemuir), E Hill (Dumfries & Co), D Moncrieff (Lochend); C King (Windyhill), A A Alston (Royal Montrose), K Burden (Cambuslang); A Summers (Panmure Barry), L Mathie (Cochrane Castle), A Gliksten (Strathaven).

Nairn exile leads way in Alyth qualifier

Debutante Laura is top seed

in P&K championship

Former Scottish girls match-play champion Laura Walker from Nairn, pictured right, making her debut in the Perth & Kinross women's county golf championship after moving south to take up a teaching post, gained the No 1 seed berth in the match-play stages with a score of 75 in the qualifying round at Alyth Golf Club this evening (Monday).
Jillian Milne (Craigie Hill) also had a 75 but lost out on a comparison of the inward halves.
Scotland international Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), making a comeback after being out of action since early in the year with a serious shoulder injury, ran up a 9 at the fifth but did not get rattled and qualified in third place on 77, the same score as Carol Muir (Craigie Hill) and Gillian Wallace (Glenisla).
Last year Emily lost in the final to Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) who qualified in seventh place with a 78.
Perth & Kinross county squad members Annabel Niven (Crieff) and Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry) would have qualified with scores of 76 and 80 respectively but neither is available for the match-play stages which begin on Saturday.

Annabel has examinations while Eve, selected to represent Great Britain at curling in the next Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, has a curling Press Conference to attend in Aberdeen on Saturday.
QUALIFIERS (CSS 73)
75 Laura Walker (Muckhart) better inward half, Jillian Milne (Craigie Hill).
77 Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), Carol Muir (Craigie Hill), Gillian Wallace (Glenisla).
78 Jane Yellowlees (Murrayshall), Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore).
81 Shona Leighton (Alyth).
82 Norma Fleming (Alyth).
83 Laura Campbell (Pitlochry), Janet Griffiths (Strathmore).
84 Jane Taylor (Strathmore), Gwen Lambie (Dunkeld).
85 Fiona Ramsay (Crieff).
87 Sandy Bushby (Strathmore), Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth).
Draw for Saturday (7min intervals):
10.04 Walker v Sneddon, Fleming v Leighton, Wallace v Taylor, Lambie v Muir.
10.32 Ogilvy v Ramsay, Griffiths v Yellowlees, Alexandra Bushby v Campbell, Sandy Bushby v Milne.

BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW

11.0 Janette Hamilton (Blairgowrie) v Jan Kennedy (Blairgowrie).

11.07 Erin Millar (Pitlochry) v Ann Duncan (Taymouth Castle).

11.14 Angela Crossland (Dunblane) v Miriam Wilson (Dunblane).

11:21 Allie Burnett (Dunkeld) v Carol Lambie (Dunkeld).

NCAA Division 2 South Regional championship

Katy disappoints with 80 in Florida

Katy McNicoll from Carnoustie, a student at Lynn University, Florida, was lying in joint 17th position after the first round of the NCAA Division 2 women's South Regional championship at Mission Inn Golf & Tennis Resort, Florida.
Katy had a disappointing eight-over-par round of 80 at the 6,165yd course.
She had double bogeys at the par-4 seventh and par-5 10th in two halves of 40. Her only birdie came at the long 14th.
Sandra Changkija (Nova Southeastern) led with a 72, one shot ahead of four players.

Stirling & Clackmannan country championship

VIKKI STEVENSON BEATS NO 2 SEED
MARGARET TOUGH AT 20th

Vikki Stevenson (Stirling), 10th of the 16 qualifiers, produced an upset victory over the No 2 seed, Margaret Tough (Falkirk) in this evening's (Monday) quarter-finals of the Stirling & Clackmannan women's county golf championship at Grangemouth.
Trailing for most of the way, Margaret, who lost in last year's final, squared the tie by winning the 15th and repeated the process at the 18th after Vikki had gone ahead again at the 16th.
Vikki won through at the 20th to a Wednesday night semi-final against Linda Allan (Falkirk Tryst), 4 and 2 winner over Jill Harrison (Linlithgow).
Vikki was beaten finalist in 2006.
Top seed and title-holder Alison Davidson (Stirling) beat Lesley Gibb (West Lothian) 4 and 3 and plays Louise McGregor (Falkirk), a 4 and 2 winner over clubmate Aileen Jenkins.

Results:
Quarter-finals
A Davidson (Stirling) bt L Gibb (West Lothian) 4 and 3.
L McGregor (Falkirk) bt A Jenkins (Falkirk) 4 and 2.
L Allan (Falkirk Tryst) bt J Harrison (Linlithgow) 4 and 2.
V Stevenson (Stirling) bt M Tough (Falirk) at 20th.

ends

Cara Gruber, Fiona Bell
win Northern Counties
scratch, handicap titles
By ROBIN WILSON
Royal Dornoch's Cara Gruber (27) took no time in capturing her second Northern Counties championship at Brora today when, in a little over two hours' play in the final, she beat former champion Mary Smith (Tain) on the 12th green.
Smith enjoyed the easier of the semi-finals when her experience proved too much for plucky 14-year-old Hannah McCook (Abernethy). The Tain member closed out the junior after thirteen holes.
Gruber, in her "all-Dornoch" semi-final tie Pam Mackay, always held the upper hand but with a stubborn resiliance Mackay held on until the 16th green.
In the final, facing a rising North-east wind on the outward half, it was Gruber's power that was the deciding factor. She won four of the first five holes, cutting two of the par-5 holes down to two shots.
Smith got her first 4 at the short sixth hole but this brought only a half when both players three- putted. She then failed to get over the burn in two hits at the seventh hole to lose another.
Gruber piled on the agony with her third outward half birdie at the eighth to be six up after nine holes.
Downwind on the turn for home and another birdie 4 came from Gruber at the par-5 11th hole (drive and six iron) for a seven-hole lead. The end came at the next where, despite being bunkered from the tee, Gruber got the required half when Smith hit a poor pitch over the green. Denise McBride fought hard to make it a Royal Dornoch double. In the handicap final she was two down with three to play against Inverness's Fiona Bell.
Bell came to the 18th tee a shaken player after losing the 16th and 17th holes but she produced a match-winning shot to the final green, almost holing out in one and was conceded a birdie 2 from 15 inches.
RESULTS
SCRATCH
Semi-finals - M Smith (Tain) bt H McCook (Abernethy) 6 and 5, C Gruber (Royal Dornoch bt P Mackay (Royal Dornoch) 4 and 2.
Final - Gruber bt Smith 8 and 7.
HANDICAP
Semi-finals - D McBride (Royal Dornoch) (13) bt B Little (Brora) (23) 6 and 5, F Bell (Inverness) (11) bt S Mackenzie (Elgin) (13) 5 and 4.
Final - Bell bt McBride 1hole.

Picture (by Robin Wilson, all rights reserved) above shows handicap champion Fiona Bell (left) and scratch champion Cara Gruber.

THE R&A TO HELP BRING GOLF

TO 70,000 CHILDREN IN CHINA

5 May 2008, St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A has announced its full support of China’s only officially sanctioned junior golf development scheme, the HSBC China Junior Golf Programme, bringing £100,000 of funding and its expertise to help extend golf’s reach in China.
The programme was launched last May, attracting over 1,200 junior golfers to attend its seven tournaments and two summer camps. This year the scope of the programme will expand significantly, with the game being brought into 40 schools in the cities of Beijing, Hefei and Yunnan before also entering schools in Shanghai later in the year, resulting in more than 70,000 boys and girls being introduced to golf in 2008.
"Helping develop the game of golf in China is one of our key priorities," said Duncan Weir, Director of Golf Development for The R&A.
“We're delighted to be a partner in a programme such as this. It's something that will help us reach tens of thousands of potential new golfers, many of whom might not otherwise get the chance to try the game."
The programme incorporates a series of tournaments held across China and a national ranking system for junior golfers has been created, with both being run jointly by the CGA and IMG. Also included are a series of summer camps at which players will receive intensive coaching on all aspects of the game.
John Cappo, Managing Director of IMG China Golf, said, “IMG do so much in professional golf it’s great to give something back, and with the blessing and backing of The R&A we can really take the programme to the next level.”
"What we have set out to do is create a structure on which all future development can be based,” said Giles Morgan, HSBC’s Global Head of Sponsorship.
“This structure promotes the growth of the game; it makes it more accessible and helps generate more and more golfers. But it also provides the foundation on which China can grow and develop its champions of the future."
The R&A contributes more than £4 million to golf development each year, with a high percentage channelled in support of junior golf.

8,000 a day capacity - tickets going like hot cakes

Taking steps to beat the Americans. Back row (left to right) - Michele Thomson, Sally Watson, Florentyna Parker. Front - Carly Booth, Breanne Loucks, Liz Bennett (Cal Carson Golf Agency image, all rights reserved).

Curtis Cup is heading for

an Old Course sell-out

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The first Curtis Cup match to be played over three days and the first Curtis Cup match to be played at the Home of Golf is heading for a sell-out attendance.

On the grounds of safety, the Ladies Golf Union made the decision some time ago to make it an all-ticket affair with the capacity crowd for each day limited to 8,000.

The tickets are only available online by logging on to the Ladies Golf Union website, http://www.lgu.org/.

Susan Simpson, the LGU director of championships, reported at today's Curtis Cup Media Day at The Duke's Clubhouse that the tickets are going very well indeed and a sell-out is a distinct possibility.
“The crowds will be able to follow the spectators along the fairways, just like they used to do in the old days. We will have to have some very good marshalling to stop people falling into burns and bunkers, but I am sure we will cope,” said Susan.
“We will have grandstand seating for 350 spectators at the Old Course … 100 at the first hole and 250 out at the 11th, where people will literally have a grandstand view of play round the famous Loop.”

Skipper Mary McKenna, today's picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), who played in a record nine Curtis Cup matches in her day, admits she still gets a buzz whenever the biennial transatlantic contest against the United States comes round, whether or not she is involved.

"Even if a player goes on to become a successful professional, they never forget the golden memories that playing in a Curtis Cup gives them. And they can come back - as so many are doing later this month - to play in the Past Players Match and attend the Past Players' Dinner," said Mary.

"So it's like becoming member of an elite club. Once you have played in it, your membership of that club lasts forever."

This is the youngest ever British & Irish team since the Curtis Cup was first played at Wentworth in 1932 but skipper Mary has no fears of her youngsters being overawed by the occasion and the crowds.
“The young players are far more experienced that I was at their age, and even older. Here we have Carly, Sally and Florentyna Parker having played in Junior Ryder Cup and Junior Solheim Cup matches,” said Mary.
“So internationals against American opponents are nothing new to them. They don’t get nervous in front of crowds like I would have done at their age. They grow up a lot quicker nowadays as golfers.

"And the support they will get from the crowds will inspire them I am sure.
“Somebody said to me that the Americans will be very hard to beat because they are all highly ranked in US college golf. My answer to that is the match is not being held in the States and we are playing match-play and we are playing it over the Old Course.
“They don’t get much match-play experience on the US college circuit and they certainly don’t play over links like the Old Course as our top amateurs do in most of the LGU major events.
“I hope it is windy, but not too windy, for the match. That will make it even more interesting.”
Carly Booth, Michele Thomson and Sally Watson, three of the four Scots in the GB&I Curtis Cup team, have a date with Prince Andrew later this week.
Alongwith skipper Mary McKenna and the five other members of the eight-strong squad who have been practising over the Old Course, venue for the first three-day match against the United States from May 30 to June 1, the Scots lasses are all looking forward excitedly to meeting The Duke of York at a reception for the GB&I team at Buckingham Palace.
“A few months ago, I thought I had no chance of being selected to play in the Curtis Cup, and here I am going off to meet Prince Andrew. I have to pinch myself in case it’s all a dream,” said 20-year-old Michele from Ellon.
““Even though Jodi Ewart and Krystle Caithness (the fourth Scot in the team) are not here because they are needed by their American colleges, the spirit within the team is building up tremendously. We are quite serious about the golf and the need to get our heads down to practise, but we are also having a lot of fun.”
“I will definitely like to turn professional sooner rather than later,” said Michele. "But that's in the future. There's enough to look forward to over the next few weeks."
Carly Booth and Sally Watson, at 15 and 16, the “babes” of the youngest ever GB&I team, have spent most of the past few months at school in America.
Carly has been a pupil at Red Mountain High School, Mesa, Arizona and Sally is a resident student at the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Is Carly nervous about the biggest occasion of her short golfing life coming up? Not a bit of it.
“I’ve played in the Junior Ryder Cup, so I’m use to international matches against Americans and also playing in front of big crowds. I love it. Can’t wait to tee it up in the Curtis Cup,” said the Aberdonian’s daughter from Comrie, Perthshire.
“Yes, I want to play professionally when I’m old enough. But that can wait. I think I’ll probably go to university in America. I like it a lot over there.”
Much the same applies to Sally Watson who played in the winning European team in last year’s Junior Solheim Cup match in Sweden.
Like Carly, Sally is not short on confidence but certainly not big-headed with it.
“I played well over the Old Course in last year’s Women’s British Open and most of us have also played in the St Rule Trophy there as well, so local knowledge is going to be a big thing for us,” said Sally whose parents now live in Elie, having moved from South Queensferry.
“My older sister Rebecca is already at the University of Tennessee on a golf scholarship and I’ve had inquiries from something like 30 US colleges about whether I would like to enrol with them when I am old enough – that’s in 2009.
“At the moment I fancy Stanford University, where Tiger Woods and Mhairi McKay studied, but the facilities at Tennessee are among the best in America.
“Like Carly, the match against the United States can’t come quickly enough.”

LPGA Tour News

Paula Creamer wins play-off
against Juli Inkster

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
BROKEN ARROW, Tex., May 4, 2008 – 21-year-old Paula Creamer said she erased the memory of her first LPGA playoff loss last week before she stepped off the plane in Tulsa on Tuesday afternoon, but a bogey on the 72nd hole of regulation at Cedar Ridge CC brought those memories flooding back in.
It took Creamer two sudden-death play-off holes, but eventually she prevailed over good friend and U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Juli Inkster at the SemGroup Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons.
“I was not going to lose this week,” said Creamer, who fired rounds of 70-71-69-72 on the week. “I was going to win this golf tournament, and I did in the play-off. Unfortunately, it had to go into a play-off, but I can tell you I was 120 percent prepared going into that from last week.”
Last week, Creamer lost in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff to Annika Sorenstam after losing the lead on the 71st hole of regulation at the Stanford International Pro-Am in Aventura, Fla. This week, Creamer had chances to win the tournament on the 72nd hole and the first hole of sudden-death playoff where she missed similar 12-foot putts, but the third time was a charm as she rolled in an eight-footer to defeat Inkster and take home the $270,000 first-place check. It marks Creamer's sixth career LPGA Tour victory and second this season (Fields Open in Hawaii). Creamer is now 1-1 in playoffs in her career and has won four of eight events when she led entering the final round.
Inkster (72-73-67-70=282) walked onto the 18th hole Sunday down by two strokes, but she found herself in familiar position after draining an 18-footer for birdie, her third of the day, and watching Creamer bogey. Last year, Inkster lost in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff to Mi Hyun Kim.
“I'm encouraged by the way I'm playing, but I'm frustrated that I… just didn't seem like me out there today,” said Inkster, who earned $166,426 on Sunday. “I just couldn't get a feel for the putting.”
The SemGroup Championship's format was increased from 54-holes to 72-holes in the 2008.
Ochoa sneaks into top-5.
Rolex Rankings number one Lorena Ochoa fell short in her effort to tie the LPGA record for most consecutive wins in tournaments participated, but she did manage to earn her seventh top-10 finish in seven starts this season at the SemGroup Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons.
In a week where she carded two over-par rounds for the first time since the 2006 Weetabix Women's British Open, Ochoa managed just seven birdies – including a second round with no sub-pars – on her way to 3-over-par (73-74-71-69=287) and $62,719 in prize money.Ochoa still leads the Tour in birdies (131), Rolex Player of the Year points (189), greens in regulation (77.4%), rounds under par (23 of 27) and scoring average (68.44).
Catriona Matthew from North Berwick earned $24,055 for a seven-over-par total of 291, made up of rounds of 73, 75, 71 and 72. She finished joint 14th.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4 x 71)
282 Paula Creamer 70 71 69 72, Juli Inkster 72 73 67 70 (Creamer won at second play-off hole)
286 Angela Stanford 73 71 71 71, Jeong Jang (Kor) 73 72 73 68
287 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 73 74 71 69, Brittany Lang 72 71 71 73, Dorothy Delasin 78 72 69 68
288 Jimin Kang (Kor) 82 70 69 67
289 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 75 69 74 71, Carin Koch (Swe) 72 73 74 70, Leta Lindley 71 72 72 74
290 Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 70 72 76 72, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 74 73 75 68
291 Johanna Head 74 73 73 71, Taylor Leon 73 75 72 71, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 71 73 75 72, Jamie Hullett 74 71 73 73, Catriona Matthew 73 75 71 72, Julieta Granada (Par) 76 74 72 69, Danielle Downey 74 71 75 71
292 Vicky Hurst 71 75 73 73, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 75 73 73 71
293 Jane Park 74 74 72 73, Laura Diaz 76 75 71 71, Meaghan Francella 76 74 72 71, Cristie Kerr 72 78 73 70, Su A Kim 73 72 76 72, In-Bee Park (Kor) 77 73 74 69
294 Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 74 77 72 71, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 75 70 75 74, Diana D'Alessio 74 71 77 72, Pat Hurst 74 72 73 75, Candie Kung (Tai) 77 72 77 68
295 Beth Bader 72 75 77 71
296 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 74 77 71 74, Heather Young 79 70 74 73, Laura Davies 74 77 76 69, Nicole Perrot (Chi) 78 74 73 71, Na On Min (Jpn) 77 68 78 73, Moira Dunn 76 74 74 72, Christina Kim 75 73 72 76, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 73 74 77 72
297 Michelle Ellis 79 73 74 71, Young Kim (Kor) 74 76 75 72, Meena Lee (Kor) 73 71 81 72, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 78 74 70 75
298 Kristy McPherson 76 72 78 72, Hee Young Park (Kor) 69 75 80 74
299 Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor) 70 77 76 76, Teresa Lu (Tai) 73 76 76 74, Seo-Jae Lee 75 74 74 76, Ashli Bunch 74 78 75 72
300 Karen Stupples 78 72 72 78, Irene Cho 77 74 76 73, Emily Bastel 76 74 78 72, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 74 74 79 73
301 Hannah Jun 79 73 74 75, Sophie Giquel (Fra) 76 74 79 72, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 74 76 79 72, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 74 75 76 76, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 78 74 78 71
302 Jill McGill 76 75 78 73, Beth Allen 78 73 77 74, Allison Hanna-Williams 79 72 78 73, Katherine Hull (Aus) 76 75 75 76, Kris Tamulis 75 77 77 73
303 Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 77 73 78 75, Lisa Strom (Gb) 75 77 75 76
308 Cindy Pasechnik 79 73 80 76
312 Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 78 74 82 78

A FEW DOLLARS MORE FOR VIKKI LAING
AFTER GOOD FINISH IN EL PASO CLASSIC

Vikki Laing from Musselburgh finished joint 29th to earn $632 for a level par total of 216 in the US Futures Tour's El Paso Classic at the Underwood Golf Complex, El Paso in Texas (Sunday, USA time).
The 27-year-old former Curtis Cup player, who was a winner on America's No 2 female professional golf tour last year, had ever improving rounds of 74, 72 and 70 over the 6,447yd, par-72 course.
In her final round, which lifted her up the scoreboard from a tie for 29th place, she had birdies at the sixth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 17th but bogeys at the 10th, 12th and 18th.
Kristina Tucker, from Stockholm, won the $11,900 top prize by three shots with an 11-under-par total of 205, made up of scores of 66, 68 and 71.
It was her second win as a professional. The first was on the Swedish Telia Tour. Her husband Paul plays on the Hooters Tour, one of the States' satellite circuits.
Five of the top nine finishers and six of the leading 13 come from South Korea.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
205 Kristina Tucker (Swe) 66 68 71 ($11,900).
208 Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 70 70 68, Stella Lee (SKo) 71 69 68, Lea Wigger (US) 66 69 73 ($6,290 each).
209 Song Yi Choi (SKo) 71 71 67 ($3,466).
210 Yoora Kim (SKo) 74 70 66, Haeji Kang (SKo) 69 70 71 ($2,467 each).
211 Jin Young Park (SKo) 72 70 69, Whitney Wade (US) 73 67 71 ($1,787 each).
Other total:
216 Vikki Laing (Sco) 74 72 70 ($632).

Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play

Rhian Wyn Thomas (right) winner of the Welsh women's open stroke-play title with Hannah Barwood (left), runner-up and winner of the Under-21 prize.

Hacienda del Alamo Festival

trip pays off for Rhian

Wyn Thomas

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Welsh youngster Rhian Wyn Thomas's mid-February trip to play in the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival in Spain might well have been the secret behind her surprise success in the Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club, between Cardiff and Swansea in South Wales.
In a weekend of horrendous weather - the CSS was +3 for the first two rounds and +1 for the final round (against a par of 74 and an SS of 76), Rhian, from the Vale of Glamorgan Golf Club, put together a brilliant final round of 71.
Picture above of Rhian is by courtesy of Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved).
That enabled her to leapfrog over those who had been contesting the lead, including Ireland's Niamh Kitching, who led into the final round but then sagged to an 82 and shared second place with England's Hannah Barwood on 10-over-par 232.
Rhian Wyn Thomas, who failed to survive the 36-hole cut in the "Helen Holm" at Troon last week, totalled six-over-par 228 at Pyle & Kenfig for the biggest win of her career so far. She is the first Welsh winner of this championship since Vicki Thomas in 1989.
And yet it is only by chance that she took up golf a few short years ago. She answered a call by Welsh national coach David Llewellyn at a golf exhibition for anyone who had never played golf in their life to come forward and have a go.
Rhian did - showed a natural aptitude for the game, and encouraged by Llewellyn, she has since made the Welsh international team.
Scotland - represented by Alford's Laura Murray, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) - totalled 475 and finished third behind England (470) and Wales B (472) in the international team event.
Jane Turner was the leading Scot in the individual standings. She finished joint ninth on 241 - 13 shots behind the winner.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 222 (3 x 74). SS 76. CSS - 79, 79, 77.
1 WYN THOMAS, Rhian (Wales) 80 77 71: 228 +6
T2 BARWOOD, Hannah (England) 78 81 73: 232 +10
T2 KITCHING, Niamh (Ireland) 77 73 82: 232 +10
4 LARRATT, Kym (England) 80 74 79: 233 +11
T5 CONNOR, Rachel (England) 85 79 73: 237 +15
T5 EDWARDS, Naomi (England) 82 79 76: 237 +15
T7 DAVIES, Tara (Wales) 79 82 77: 238 +16
T7 RAASTAD, Rachel (Norway) 79 81 78: 238 +16
T9 GUNHILDRUD, Michaela (Norway) 85 78 78 241 +19
T9 TURNER, Jane (Scotland) 79 84 78: 241 +19
T9 JENNINGS, Rachel (England) 79 83 79: 241 +19
T9 HASSAN, Sahra (Wales) 76 84 81: 241 +19
T9 AITCHISON, Holly (England) 77 80 84 241 +19
T14 MURRAY, Laura (Scotland) 86 79 77: 242 +20
T14 PRETSWELL, Pamela (Scotland) 78 84 80: 242 +20
16 WHITTAKER, Leigh (Germany) 81 84 78: 243 +21
17 ATTWOOD, Sarah (England) 79 80 85: 244 +22
18 MACDONALD, Claire (Scotland) 84 82 79: 245 +23
T19 TYSON, Sarah (England) 82 87 77: 246 +24
T19 EVANS, Stephanie (Wales) 77 87 82: 246 +24
T21 WHITMORE, Kate (England) 83 85 80: 248 +26
T21 DAFFINRUD, Tonje (Norway) 80 87 81: 248 +26
23 TIDY, Kelly (England) 85 82 82: 249 +27
T24 HODGE, Joanne (England) 87 84 79: 250 +28
T24 BIRKS, Samantha (Wales) 80 87 83: 250 +28
T26 KEENAN, Ellis (England) 86 86 79: 251 +29
T26 DOUGLASS, Charlie (England) 80 87 84: 251 +29
T26 HOLDER, Tilly (England) 86 78 87: 251 +29
T29 BOULDEN, Amy (Wales) 89 82 81: 252 +30
T29 BRADBURY, Gemma (Wales) 84 85 83: 252 +30
31 HARRIES, Becky (Wales) 85 85 83: 253 +31
32 BOYES, Tracey (England) 89 83 83: 255 +33
33 RANDS, Kirsty (England) 87 86 83: 256 +34
T34 BALL, Lisa (England) 87 90 80: 257 +35
T34 BARTON, Lisa (England) 85 89 83: 257 +35
T34 KING, Laura (Wales) 91 81 85: 257 +35
T34 GOBEY, Natasha (Wales) 84 85 88: 257 +35
38 GOODALL, Rachael (England) 90 88 82: 260 +38
39 O'CONNOR, Katherine (Wales) 87 85 89: 261 +39
40 LAWRENCE, Jerry (England) 85 84 93: 262 +40
41 DAVIES, Beth (Wales) 89 90 85: 264 +42
42 BOULDEN, Hayley (Wales) 96 86 84: 266 +44
43 COLLIN, Laura (England) 93 86 89: 268 +46
44 BLEASE, Lauren (England 91 85 93: 269 +47
45 WATKINS, Laura (England) 91 92 88: 271 +49
46 LEWIS, Rachael (Wales) 99 89 88: 276 +54
47 DAVIES, Emma (Wales) 98 93 87: 278 +56
T48 MARPER, Amy (England) 98 95 89: 282 +60
T48 CARRADICE, Trudy (Wales) 93 97 92: 282 +60
50 HERBERT, Chelsey (England) 101 98 89: 288 +66
51 HUNT, Rachel (Wales) 101 98 96: 295 +73
INTERNATIONAL TEAM EVENT
470 ENGLAND (N Edwards, H Aitchison, R Jennings).
472 WALES B (S Evans, R Wyn Thomas, B Harries).
475 SCOTLAND (L Murray, P Pretswell, J Turner).
479 WALES A (S Hassan, S Birks, T Davies).
485 NORWAY (R Raastad, T Daffinrud, K Hillas).

Shock win by 14-year-old Hannah McCook

Top seed Julie Vass and
holder Jenny Milne go
out in quarter-finals

By ROBIN WILSON
Leading qualifier Sammy Vass (Tain) and title-holder Jenny Milne (Elgin) were both beaten at the quarter-final stage of the Northern Counties women's championship at Brora Golf Club today.
Sammy (16) met an even younger opponent, 14-year-old Hannah McCook (Abernethy) in round two. Although McCook scored 84 to qualify and Vass 11 shots fewer the Abernethy youngster was not overawed by the occasion and won by one hole.
McCook, pictured in action left by Robin Wilson, held her ground against the junior international through the first 10 holes.
Vass went one ahead after 11 but the match was squared with a birdie from McCook at the 14th and it remained level until the Abernethy teenager won a decisive 17th hole with a par 4 after Vass overshot the green.
McCook secured a half on the 18th to book her semi-final place on Monday morning against Vass's aunt and former winner Mary Smith (Tain) who defeated the younger Vass sister, Julie (14), also after seventeen holes.
Royal Dornoch's Cara Gruber took until the 17th green to get the better of the holder, Jenny Milne.
Although never getting into the lead, Jenny kept a slender hold on her title with birdies at the 14th and 16th holes, but a three-putt from the edge of the 15th green allowed Cara, the champion seven years ago, to stay one up with two to play.
When Milne found a bunker behind the 17th green, she was beaten 2 and 1 by Gruber's par figure.
Gruber plays her Royal Dornoch clubmate Pam Mackay for a place in the final. Mackay was handed the decisive final hole in a very tight match when 17-year-old Eliidh Mackay (Nairn Dunbar) overclubbed from the final tee, going 20 yards through the green to lose the hole and the match by one hole.

Results:
FIRST ROUND
(Seeded place in brackets)
Sammy Vass (Tain) (1) bt Dorothy Hulme (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (16) 3 and 2.
Hannah McCook (Abernethy) (8) bt Deirdre MacAngus (Wick) (9) at 19th.
Mary Smith (Tain) (5) bt Maggi Vass (Tain) (12) 2 holes.
Julie Vass (Tain) (4) bt Susan MacVicar (Gairloch) (13) 5 and 3.
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) (3) bt Ann Ryan (Tain) (14) 7 and 6.
Jenny Milne (Elgin) (6) bt Elizabeth Coghill (Royal Dornoch) (11) 7 and 6.
Eliidh MacKay (Nairn Dunbar) (10) bt Eileen Manson (Wick) (7) 1 hole.
Pam Mackay (Royal Dornoch (2) bt Pat Ashe (Brora) (15) 9 and 7.
QUARTER-FINALS
McCook beat S Vass 1 hole.
Smith bt J Vass 2 and 1.
Gruber bt Milne 2 and 1.
P Mackay beat E Mackay 1 hole.

HANDICAP SECTION
First round
B Little (Brora) (23) bt S. MacDonell (Inverness) (16) 5 and 4.
D McBride (Royal Dornoch) bt K Mackay (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (20) 4 and 3.
F Bell (Inverness) (11) beat A MacDonald (Tarbat) (15) 2 and 1.
S MacKenzie (Elgin) bt A MacBeath (Brora) (19) 1 hole.

Midlothian county championship at Murrayfield

RACHAEL LIVINGSTONE

ENDS CLAIRE HARGAN’S

FIVE-YEAR REIGN

Rising star Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) derailed the record title run of Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) in today’s final of the Midlothian women’s county golf championship at Murrayfield Golf Club.
Claire, 31-year-old past Scotland international, had won the title for the past five years but she lost to 19-year-old Rachael by 4 and 3 in a birdie-packed final.
Perhaps the writing was on the wall for Claire when she had to settle for the No 2 seed position behind top qualifier Rachael on Friday.
Miss Livingstone had seven birdies in the 15 holes the final lasted, Miss Hargan had two.
Picture shows new champion Rachael Livingstone, on right, with Claire Hargan.
Summary of match-play results:

FIRST ROUND
R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) bt R Lynch (Murrayfield) 9 and 7.
K Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) bt N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 4 and 3.
W Nicholson (Broomieknowe) bt T Laughland (Mortonhall) 6 and 5.
K Marshall (Baberton) bt S Lyon (Kingsknowe) 7 and 6.
F De Vries (St Rule) bt P Walkingshaw (Ravelston) 4 and 3.
K Rorke (Kingsknowe) bt L Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) at 19th.R Brown (Lothianburn) bt F Hunter (Baberton) at 19th.C Hargan (Mortonhall) bt C Steedman (Baberton) 9 and 7.
QUARTER-FINALS
Livingstone bt Blackwood 2 and 1.
Nicholson bt Marshall 3 and 2.
De Vries bt Rorke 2 and 1.
Hargan bt Brown 6 and 4.
SEMI-FINALS
Livingstone bt Nicholson 2 holes.
Hargan bt De Vries 2 holes.
FINAL
Livingstone bt Hargan 4 and 3.

B CHAMPIONSHIP
[The finalists, Denise Turnbull (left) and Susan Dalrymple, are pictured right]
Semi-finals - S Dalrymple (Craigielaw) bt M Alexander (Baberton) 2 and 1, Denise Turnbull (Uphall) bt Zandra Mathieson (Broomieknowe) 3 and 2.
Final - Dalrymple bt Turnbull 4 and 3.

Stirling & Clackmannan county championship

TOP SEEDS ADVANCE AT GRANGEMOUTH
Top seeds Alison Davidson (Stirling), the defending champion and five times winners of the title, and Margaret Tough (Falkirk) made progress into
Monday night's quarter-finals of the Stirling & Clackmannan women's county golf championship when the match-play stages began at Grangemouth Golf Club today.
Results:
First round - A Davidson (Stirling) bt L Fleming (Glenbervie) 7 and 6, L Gibb (West Lothian) bt H Goodwin (Glenbervie) 4 and 3, A Jenkins (Falkirk) bt K Burns (Bathgate) 1 hole, L McGregor (Falkirk) bt G Haley (Falkirk Tryst) 4 and 3, L Allan (Falkirk Tryst) bt C Capocci (Bridge of Allan) 4 and 2, J Harrison (Linlithgow) bt S Mitchell (Falkirk Tryst) 2 and 1, V Stevenson (Stirling) bt M McFarlane (Bathgate) 2 and 1, M Tough (Falkirk) bt E Allison (Stirling) 3 and 2.

ends

South qualifiers for Crieff LGU Medal Final

Qualifiers from today's South area final at Minto Golf of the LGU Medal competition were:
Silver Division - Lesley Moore (Minto) (17) 73; Sheila Leifer (The Hirsel) (10) 77.
Bronze Division - Joy Little (Moffat) (26) 77 (better inward half), Wendy Lunn (The Hirsel) (24) 77.
They qualify for the Grand Final at Crieff Golf Club on Sunday, June 8.

Aberdeenshire county girls' medal results

Newmachar Swailend course today.
MAY MEDAL (CSS 72)
Scratch - R Polson (Peterculter) 84; S Beattie (Portlethen) 86; L McGillivray (Banchory) 89.
Handicap - K Vannet (Peterculter) (25) 70; R Polson (Peterculter) (12) 72; K MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) (19) 73; S Beattie (Portlethen) (12) 74.

Murcar Links player beats top seed in final

Last four in the Aberdeenshire women's county championship. Left to right: Sara Thomson (Murcar Links), runner-up Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), title-winner Donna Pocock (Murcar Links), Marivi Millership (Deeside). Click on the image to enlarge it. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved).

DONNA POCOCK WINS ABERDEENSHIRE
TITLE FOR FIRST TIME

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Donna Pocock, 27-year-old Murcar Links three-handicapper, won the Aberdeenshire women's county golf championship for the first time at Deeside Golf Club today.
Donna, the No 2 qualifier, beat the top seed and four times champion Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), playing in the final for the ninth time, surprisingly convincingly by a 5 and 4 margin.
Miss Pocock did not lost a hole until the seventh, by which time she had gone into a three-hole lead with successes at the second, fifth and sixth.
Any hopes that Miss Wood had of turning the tie against an opponent who struck the ball with more authority on the day and relished the windy conditions evaporated when Donna won the ninth, 10th and 11 to take a stranglehold, five-hole lead.
Sheena, a former Scotland international, did win back the 12th but Donna clinched her breakthrough win by winning the 14th.
"I think having a lot of experience playing in the wind at Murcar Links, helped me a lot in the final," said Donna.
Weekend results:
First round - S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) bt K Stalker (Fraserburgh) 5 and 3, S Leslie (Westhill) bt R Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay) 6 and 4, S Thomson (Murcar Links) bt L McPherson (Deeside) 5 and 4, L McLardy (Murcar Liks) bt P Wilson (Murcar Links) 3 and 2, M Millership (Deeside) bt L Terry (Cruden Bay) 4 and 2, E Brown (Aboyne) bt G Murray (Cruden Bay) 1 hole, J Harrison (Cruden Bay) bt C Wilson (Murcar Links) 1 hole, D Pocock (Murcar Links) bt L McGillivray (Banchory) 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals - Wood bt Leslie 3 and 2, Thomson bt McLardy 1 hole, Millership bt Brown 2 holes, Pocock bt Harrison 6 and 5.
Semi-finals - Wood bt Thomson 5 and 3, Pocock bt Millership 7 and 6.
Final - Pocock bt Wood 5 and 4.

Northern Counties LGA championship results

Northern Counties LGA championship results at Brora Golf Club this morning:

FIRST ROUND
(Seeded place in brackets)

Sammy Vass (Tain) (1) bt Dorothy Hulme (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (16) 3 and 2.
Hannah McCook (Abernethy) (8) bt Deirdre MacAngus (Wick) (9) at 19th.
Mary Smith (Tain) (5) bt Maggi Vass (Tain) (12) 2 holes.
Julie Vass (Tain) (4) bt Susan MacVicar (Gairloch) (13) 5 and 3.
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) (3) bt Ann Ryan (Tain) (14) 7 and 6.
Jenny Milne (Elgin) (6) bt Elizabeth Coghill (Royal Dornoch) (11) 7 and 6.
Eliidh MacKay (Nairn Dunbar) (10) bt Eileen Manson (Wick) (7) 1 hole.
Pam Mackay (Royal Dornoch (2) bt Pat Ashe (Brora) (15) 9 and 7.

LPGA Tour news

Catriona takes closer order as
Paula Creamer leads

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE:
Five-time LPGA Tour winner Paula Creamer (70-71-69=210) holds a two-stroke lead at 3-under par at the SemGroup Championship.
Creamer started the day at 1-under 141, one shot ahead of Ji Young Oh. She carded four birdies, including birdie putts of 50-feet on hole nine and 40-feet on hole 12, before making two bogeys in her final three holes.
The final-round leader has now made two bogeys in her final three holes in each of the first three rounds. Creamer has held a final-round lead six times in her career, most recently at the 2007 Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions where she led by six strokes after three rounds and won by eight.
Her other victory with a final-round lead came at the 2005 Evian Masters where she led by seven strokes after three rounds and won by eight.
31-time LPGA Tour winner Juli Inkster shot the low round of the week on Saturday to move into solo second place. The 2006 SemGroup Championship runner-up fired a 4-under 67 to move to 1-under-par (72-73-67=212) heading into Sunday's final round at Cedar Ridge.
Catriona Matthew from North Berwick has moved up into joint ninth place on 219 by matching the par of 71 over this testing, 6602yd course.
LEADERBOARD
Par 213 (3 x 71) 6,602yd
210 P Creamer 70 71 69.
212 J Inkster 73 73 67.
214 B Lang 72 71 71.
215 L Lindley 71 72 72, A Stanford 73 71 71.
218 L Ochoa 73 74 71, J Jang 73 72 73, J Hullett 74 71 73, Hi Young Oh 70 72 76.
219 C Matthew 73 75 71, D Delasun 78 72 69, P Hurst 74 72 73, V Hurst 71 75 73, C Koch 72 73 74, A Miyazato 71 73 75.
Other totals:
220 J Head 74 73 73 (jt 17th).
222 K Stupples 78 72 72 (jt 26th).
227 L Davies 74 77 76 (jt 55th).

US Futures Tour news

VIKKI LAING DOWN THE FIELD IN
EL PASO CLASSIC

Musselburgh's Vikki Laing was lying joint 39th among the 74 qualifiers for the final round of the US Future Tour's El Paso Classic at Underwood Golf Complex, El Paso in Texas.
Vikki has scored 74 and 72 for a 36-hole tally of 146 over the par-72, 6,447yd course.
Londoner Polly Willett mised the cut at five-over-par 149 or better with scores of 79 and 76 for 155.
Sweden's Kristina Tucker, a former LPGA Tour player, leads on 10-under-par 134 with scores of 66 and 68. Leah Wigger from Kentucky is her nearest rival on 135 with rounds of 66 and 69.

HOW THEY STAND
Par 144 (2 x 72) 6,446yd
134 Kristina Tucker (Sweden) 66 68.
135 Leah Wigger (Kentucky) 66 69.
139 M J Hur (South Korea) 72 67, Amanda McCurdy (Arkansas) 69 70, Haeji Kang (South Korea) 69 70.
140 Whitney Wade (Kentucky 73 67, Stella Lee (South Korea) 71 69, Sophia Sheridan (Mexico) 70 70.
141 Caroline Larsson (Sweden) 73 69, Cortney Reno (Michigan) 68 73.
Other scores:
146 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 74 73 (jt 39th).
MISSED THE CUT
155 Polly Willett (London) 79 76.