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Saturday, September 13, 2008

Three players gained 5pt out of six at Wrexham

Edwards, Parker and Evans were joint
MVPs at Home Internationals

The joint MVPs - "most valuable players" (an Americanism for the players that did best) - of the Women's Home Internationals at Wrexham this past week were:

NAOMI EDWARDS of England and Ganton Golf Club.
FLORENTYNA PARKER of England and Royal Birkdale Golf Club
and
STEPHANIE EVANS of Wales and Vale of Llangollen Golf Club.

All three secured five points out of a possible six over the three days' play.

Scotland's joint MVPs were Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) and Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) with 3 1/2pt each.
Ireland too had joint MVPs - Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle), who was drafted into the side late when Maura Morrin decided to turn professional, and Danielle McVeigh (Royal County Down Ladies). Both had 3 1/2pt each.

Here are the Won-Drawn-Lost tables for each of the countries:

SCOTLAND
("--" indicates not played in that session)
Louise Kenney: --W LD WW: 3 1/2pt out of 5.
Kelsey MacDonald: LL WD WW: 3 1/2pt out of 6.
Kylie Walker: LW WL WL: 3pt out of 6.
Pamela Pretswell: L-- LD WW: 2 1/2pt out of 5.
Michele Thomson: LW LW DL: 2 1/2pt out of 6.
Emily Ogilvy: -- -- --D --W: 1 1/2pt out of 2.
Megan Briggs: LL -- -- D--: 1/2pt out of 3.
Laura Murray: LD L-- -- --: 1/2pt out of 3.

ENGLAND
Naomi Edwards: WL WW WW: 5pt out of 6.
Florentyna Parker: WD WD WW: 5pt out of 6.
Elizabeth Bennett: DL WD WW: 4pt out of 6.
Kerry Smith: DW WD WL: 4pt out of 6.
Rachel Connor: -- -- --D D --: 1pt out of 2.
Charlotte Ellis: -- -- -- -- D --: 1/2pt out of 1
Rachel Jennings: DL L-- --L: 1/2pt out of 4.
Hannah Barwood: DL LL --L: 1/2pt out of 5.

IRELAND
Niamh Kitching: DW WW LL: 3 1/2pt out of 6.
Danielle McVeigh: DD WD LW: 3 1/2pt out of 6.
Tara Delaney: DW LL LW: 2 1/2 pt out of 6.
Aedin Murphy: --W DL DL: 2pt out of 5.
Gemma Hegarty: LW DL DL: 1 1/2pt out of 6.
Karen Delaney: DL L-- L--: 1/2pt out of 4.
Gillian O'Learly: L-- --D --L: 1/2pt out of 3.
Dawn-Marie Conaty: -- -- -- -- -- -- : Not used.

WALES
Stephanie Evans: WW WW LW: 5pt out of 6.
Amy Boulden: WW DD LW: 4pt out of 6.
Tara Davies: WD WW LL: 3 1/2pt out of 6.
Sahra Hassan: WL LD DW: 3pt out of 6.
Breanne Loucks: WL DW LL: 2 1/2pt out of 6.
Rhian Wyn Thomas: WL L-- D--: 1/2pt out of 4.
Hannah Jenkins: -- -- --L --L: 0pt out of 2.
Lucy Gould: -- -- -- -- -- --: Not used

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Friday, September 12, 2008

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
UNIQA LADIES OPEN
Fohrenwald Wiener Neustadt
Vienna, Austraia
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
134 E Zackrisson (Swe) 67 67.
136 K Lunn (Aus) 66 70.
137 A Monke (Ger) 67 70.
138 V Zorzi (Ita) 70 68, K Ruuttila (Fin) 70 68, L H Sorensen (Den) 69 69, D Luna (Ita) 68 70, L Hall (Eng) 69 68, D-C Becker (Ger) 67 71, L Davies (Eng) 71 67.
Other scores:
139 F Johnson (Eng) 71 68, G Simpson (Eng) 69 70, C Coughlan-Ryan (Ire) 71 69.
141 N C Booth (Eng) 72 69.
142 C Queen (Sco) 68 74, K S Taylor (Eng) 71 71, M Gillen (Ire) 71 71.
143 L Hall (Wal) 68 75.
144 H Kavanagh (Ire) 72 72.
145 L Fairclough (Eng) 72 73.
MISSED THE CUT (scores of 145 or better)
147 J Wilson (Sco) 71 76, J Pritchard (Wal) 73 74, R Bell Eng) 73 74.
148 K J Fisher (Eng) 71 77, R Hudson (Eng) 75 73.
151 L Kenny (Sco) 77 74, R Coakley (Ire) 71 80.
154 L McKinnon (NZ) 74 80.
155 J Clingan (Eng) 77 78.

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Cruden Bay's winning team with the Golfview Trophy as winners of the Aberdeenshire women's inter-club scratch league. Left to right: Christine Middleton, Gill Murray, team captain Cath Docherty, Ros Dunsmuir and Karen Stalker. You can enlarge the image by clicking on it.

Cruden Bay win Aberdeenshire Scratch League


By FIONA HAY, Aberdeenshire Ladies County Captain

Congratulations to Cruden Bay who have won the Golfview Trophy which goes to the champions of the Aberdeenshire Scratch League.
A total of 15 teams took part in the competition with the play-offs being contested by Cruden Bay, Banchory and Aboyne who had all won their sections.
In close-run play-offs all teams had one victory and one defeat.
However, Cruden Bay ran out winners by virtue of number of games won.
This is Cruden Bay’s first victory in this event, which has been running for eight years.

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Winning Wales team with their captain Sue Turner and coach Jeremy Bennett. You can enlarge the image by clicking on it (Cal Carson Golf Agency image, all rights reserved).
WALES WIN WHI ON A TIE-BREAKER AND
SCOTS FIND WINNING FORMULA AT LAST

Wales won the women's home amateur golf internationals title in a nail-biting finish at Wrexham today.
Although beaten 5 1/2-3 1/2 by England, the defending champions, in their final match, the Welsh won the title 12-10 on an individual games won countback.
Both Wales and England had finished two match wins apiece.
Scotland registered their first win of the tournament when they beat Ireland 6 1/2-2 1/2 and they were able to pip the Irish for third place in the final table. Both teams had finished with one match win each and Scotland had an 11-8 advantage in the individual games-won tie-breaker.
The Scots' morning capture of 2 1/2pt from the foursomes, meant they needed “only”2 1/2pt from the six singles to chalk up their first win.
They got their first one of the afternoon when Emily Ogilvy won the fourth tie by 5 and 4 over Gemma Hegarty.Scotland gained a second singles victory when Kelsey MacDonald beat Niamh Kitching 4 and 2.
MacDonald had been one up at the turn with successes at the first, fifth and ninth but losses at the second and fourth.
The Scot won the 10th to go two up but her opponent took the 13th before MacDonald got a birdie 2 at the 14th to go back to two up and she quickly finished the match by taking the 15th and 16th.
Ireland won the top two singles with Tara Delaney coming back from two down at the turn to beat Scottish champion Michele Thomson by one hole, while Danielle McVeigh beat Kylie Walker by 2 and 1 after being one down at the turn.
McVeigh squared matters against Walker by winning the 11th and she also won the 14th to go one up. A birdie at the 16th put McVeigh two up and a half at the 17th ended the match in her favour.
Scotland clinched their first win when Louise Kenney boosted the day’s points total to 5 ½ with a 3 and 2 win over Gillian O’Leary. Louise pitched in from through the back of the green at the ninth to go two up and she increased the lead to three at the 11th.
Pamela Pretswell completed a 6 ½-2 ½ win for Scotland by beating Aedin Murphy 4 and 2 in the sixth singles. Pretswell was two down until she won the eighth and the ninth, the Irish player running into tree trouble at the ninth.
Pretswell surged into a three-hole lead by winning the 13th, the 14th and the 15th with a birdie.
Ireland conceded the 16th, giving Pretswell a 4 and 2 victory.
Now if only Scotland had found a winning foursomes formula on the first day!

Details:
SCOTLAND 6 1/2, IRELAND 2 1/2
Foursomes: P Pretswell & L Kenney bt N Kitching & D McVeigh 1 hole; M Thomson & M Briggs halved with G Hegarty & A Murphy; K Walker & K MacDonald bt K Delaney & T Delaney 3 and 2 (2 1/2-1/2).
Singles: Thomson lost to T Delaney 1 hole, Walker lost to McVeigh 2 and 1, MacDonald bt Kitching 4 and 2, E Ogilvy bt Hegarty 5 and 4, Kenney bt G O'Leary 3 and 2, Pretswell bt Murphy 4 and 2 (4-2).

WALES 3 1/2, ENGLAND 5 1/2
Foursomes: S Hassan & R Wyn Thomas halved with R Connor & C Ellis; B Loucks & A Boulden lost to K Smith & E Bennett 1 hole; T Davies & S Evans lost to N Edwardsd & F Parker 4 and 3 (1/2-2 1/2).
Singles: Loucks lost to Parker 1 hole, Hassan bt Smith 2 holes, H Jenkins lost to Edwards 2 and 1, Evans bt Barwood 1 hole, Boulden bt R Jennings 3 and 1, Davies lost to Bennett 2 and 1 (3-3).

HOW THEY FINISHED
1 Wales 2 pt (individual games won 12).
2 England 2 pt (individual games won 10).
3 Scotland 1pt (individual games won 11).
4 Ireland 1pt (individual games won 8).
NEXT YEAR'S WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS WILL BE HOSTED BY ROYAL ABERDEEN GOLF CLUB.

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Thrilling finish to Home Internationals at Wrexham

The Wonder of Wales! Beaten
by England but title winners


Here's how the Wales v England title-decing match went at Wrexham:

Florentyna Parker of England won a titantic battle of Curtis Cup team-mates in the lead-off singles. She beat Wales' Breanne Loucks by one hole, thanks to a birdie 3 at the last.
Only two holes were exchanged in a so-tight outward half, Loucks winning the second and Parker the sixth.
The England player went one up at the ninth but Loucks squared it at the 12th. Parker edged ahead again with a birdie at the 14th but Loucks would not lie down. The 15th was halved oin birdies and then Loucks birdied the short 17th to square a top-quality match.
It was going to take a birdie to win it, and it was Parker who produced it on the home green.
England's second success in the singles came from Naomi Edwards who beat Hannah Jenkins by 2 and 1.
Edwards won the fifth, seventh and ninth to be two up at the turn.
The England player increased her advantage to three holes by winning the 12th but Jenkins won the 14th to cut her deficit to two. Halves at the 15th, 16th and 17th ended the match in Edwards' favour.
Wales got their first point of the singles when Sahra Hassan won a very good match against Kerry Smith by two holes. Hassan was quickly three up with wins at the third, foufrth and fifth but Smith won the eighth to be two down at the turn. The England player squared the contest with a par at the 13th and a birdie at the 14th.
But Hassan birdied the 15th to regain a one-hole lead and chalked up a two-hole victory with a par at the last.
Welsh girls champion Amy Boulden scored a second singles win for Wales by beating Rachel Jennings 3 and 1. Jennings squared the match by winning the 12th but Boulden retaliated with wins at the 14th and 15th (a birdie) to two up. After a half at the 16th, Jennings conceded the 17th and the match, making teenager Boulden a 3 and 1 winner.
Welsh left-hander Stephanie Evans beat English champion Hannah Barwood by one hole in another thrilling finish. Stephanie, who was two up after seventh, lost the 11th but won the 14th with a par to regain a two-hole lead. Barwood won the 17th with a par to be one down on the 18th tee. The last hole was halved, leaving Evans the narrow winner.
England's Elizabeth Bennett beat Tara Davies 2 and 1 in the last match to finish, giving England victory by 5 1/2- 3 1/2.
Bennett won the 10th, 11th and 12th to go two up after being two down after four holes and one down at the turn. The England player won the 15th to go three up, lost the 16th but a half at the next was good enough to finish the tie in her favour.

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Scotland score first win by
beating Ireland on last day

Scotland registered their first win of the tournament when they beat Ireland 6 1/2-2 1/2.
The Scots' morning capture of 2 1/2pt from the foursomes, meant they needed “only”
2 1/2pt from the six singles to chalk up their first win of the tournament.
They got their first one of the afternoon when Emily Ogilvy won the fourth tie by 5 and 4 over Gemma Hegarty.
The Scot went five up at the turn when Hegarty three-putted the ninth. Ogilvy had already won the first, fourth, seventh and eighth and she went six up at the 10th. The Irish player won her first hole of the match at the 13th but a half at the 14th ended the match.
Scotland gained a second singles victory when Kelsey MacDonald beat Niamh Kitching 4 and 2. MacDonald had been one up at the turn with successes at the first, fifth and ninth but losses at the second and fourth.
The Scot won the 10th to go two up but her opponent took the 13th before MacDonald got a birdie 2 at the 14th to go back to two up and she quickly finished the match by taking the 15th and 16th.
Ireland won the top two singles with Tara Delaney coming back from two down at the turn to beat Scottish champion Michele Thomson by one hole, while Danielle McVeigh beat Kylie Walker by 2 and 1 after being one down at the turn.
Tara Delaney had won the 11th and 12th to get on terms with Thomson and then went two up by winning the 15th and 16th. The Scot won back the 17th but the 18th was halved.
McVeigh squared matters against Walker by winning the 11th and she also won the 14th to go one up. A birdie at the 16th put McVeigh two up and a half at the 17th ended the match in her favour.
Scotland clinched their first win when Louise Kenney boosted the day’s points total 5o 5 ½ with a 3 and 2 win over Gillian O’Leary. Louise pitched in from through the back of the green at the ninth to go two up and she increased the lead to three at the 11th. O’Leary won her first and only hole of the match at the 13th but Kenney won the 14th to restore a three-hole lead and halves at the 15th and 16th ended the contest.
Pamela Pretswell completed a 6 ½-2 ½ win for Scotland by beating Aedin Murphy X and X in the sixth singles. Pretswell was two down until she won the eighth and the ninth, the Irish player running into tree trouble at the ninth. Murphy bounced back to win the 10th but Pretswell squared the match again at the 11th and then surged into a three-hole lead by winning the 13th, the 14th and the 15th with a birdie.
Ireland conceded the 16th giving Pretswell a 4 and 2 victory.

Details:

SCOTLAND 6 1/2, IRELAND 2 1/2
Foursomes: P Pretswell & L Kenney bt N Kitching & D McVeigh 1 hole; M Thomson & M Briggs halved with G Hegarty & A Murphy; K Walker & K MacDonald bt K Delaney & T Delaney 3 and 2 (2 1/2-1/2).
Singles: Thomson lost to T Delaney 1 hole, Walker lost to McVeigh 2 and 1, MacDonald bt Kitching 4 and 2, E Ogilvy bt Hegarty 5 and 4, Kenney bt G O'Leary 3 and 2, Pretswell bt Murphy 4 and 2 (4-2).

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FOURSOMES SETBACK FOR
TITLE-LEADERS WALES

Title-race leaders Wales suffered a last-day setback in the foursomes at the Women's Home Internationals at Wrexham.
Reigning champions England took a 2 1/2-1/2 lead into the final set of singles which would decide if Wales could win the championship trophy for only the second time (1999 was the first).
An overall draw would be good enough for the Welsh title-bid. That meant they needed to gain four points from the singles.
Wales could still lose and be champions on a countback if they did not lose by too big a margin to England.
Calculators at the ready for the early evening finish!
England put the first point on the board when Naomi Edwards and Florentyna Parker won the third foursome by 4 and 3 against Tara Davies and Stephanie Evans.
Edwards and Parker were three up at the turn, having won the first, fifth, seventh and ninth. Wales won only the sixth on the outward journey.
After a string of halves from the turn, Edwards and Parker birdied the 15th for the match.
The result smashed Stephanie Evans' 100 per cent winning record through the first four sessions of play.
Sahra Hassan and Rhian Wyn Thomas salvaged a square game with England's Rachel Connor and Charlotte Ellis, making her first appearance of the tournament, by winning the 16th with a birdie 3 and the 18th with a par.
Earlier, the Welsh pair had started confidently by winning the second and fourth but Connor and Ellis stepped up a gear to win the sixth, eighth and ninth to be one up at the turn.
After Wales won the 11th with a birdie to square the match, England retaliated with a birdie of their own at the 13th and another birdie at the 15th put Connor and Ellis two up with four to play.
Then came the Hassan and Wyn Thomas's fighting finish to save half-a-point.
In the last Wales-England foursome to finish, Kerry Smith and Elizabeth Bennett increased England's lunchtime lead to two points with a one-hole win over Breanne Loucks and Amy Boulden.
Smith and Bennett were three up after eighth holes, having won the second and third and then the seventh and eighth after Loucks and Boulden had opened their account at the sixth.
The Welsh pair won the ninth to be two down at the turn and kept up their momentum by winning the 10th and 11th also to get back on level terems.
A birdie 2 at the short 14th put Smith and Bennett back into a one-hole lead and they maintained that with halves at the last four holes.

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SCOTS FIND THE FOURSOMES
FORMULA AGAINST IRELAND

Pointless Scotland got their foursomes act together on the third day of the Women's Home Internationals at Wrexham to take a 2 1/2-1/2 lunchtime lead over Ireland.
Earlier in the week, the Scots lost the foursomes 3-0 to Wales and 2-1 to England although, to be fair, they played well in the singles both days without being able to make up the lunchtime leeways.
In the lead-off tie, Pamela Pretswell and Louise Kenney came back from three down after six holes against Niamh Kitching and Danielle McVeigh to win the 18th for a one-hole victory. It was the first time the Scots had led in the match.
Pretswell and Kenney began their revival by winning the seventh. The next seven holes were halved. A par 3 at the 15th enabled the Scots to get it back to only one down and they squared the match at the 16th.
After a half at the 17th, Pretswell and Kenney's par to Kitching and McVeigh's bogey at the last won the match for the Scots.
Kylie Walker and Kelsey MacDonald beat the Delaney sisters 3 and 2 on the back of an outward half that included successes at the second, third, fifth and seventh after they have lost the opening hole.
Tara and Karen Delaney won back the ninth to be two down at the turn but the Scots surged four up by winning the 11th and 12th.
The Irish pair birdied the short 14th to be only three down but they ran out of holes with halves at the 15th and 16th being enough to give Walker and MacDonald a 3 and 2 victory.
In the last Scotland-Ireland tie to finish, Michele Thomson and Megan Briggs halved with Gemma Hegarty and Aedin Murphy after being two down with four to play.
The Scots had gone two up by winning the first and third but the Irish pair won the fifth, sixth, seventh and 12th to turn the ables and go two up.
A birdie at the 13th got Thomson and Briggs back to a one-hole deficit but Hegarty and Murphy went to up again by winning the 14th.
The Scots produced another birdie, at the 15th, to be only one down and they squared the match at the 17th. The last hole was halved.

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Pamela Pretswell and Louise Kenney in good humour on first tee before today's Scotland v Ireland lead-off foursomes tie
at Wrexham.
RIGHT - Megan Briggs drives off in the second foursome



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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Wales beat Ireland and Scots
lose again - to England

Scotland are the only team without a mathematical chance of winning the women's home internationals title at Wrexham on the final day.
Wales and Ireland, the only two teams with 100 per cent records after Day 1, produced a great result for the host country. Wales beat the Irish 5 1/2-3 1/2. A halved match against England on Friday would give the Welsh the title for only the second time in the long history of the tournament - the first was in 1999 at Royal Dornoch.
Scotland lost again, this time by 5-4 to England, but they did play well in the singles after disappointing again in the foursomes.
On Wednesday, the Scots lost the foursomes 3-0 to Wales and couldn't make up the leeway in the singles. Today, skipper Lesley Nicholson's squad trailed 2-1 to England after the morning foursomes and shared the singles 3-3 for a narrow 5-4 defeat.
Scotland, particularly champion Michele Thomson, played well in the singles but it was too little too late and England's one-point lunchtime lead proved decisive.
Thomson beat England's Hannah Barwood in the battle of the national champions with the kind of sub-par golf that earned the Ellon player a Curtis Cup place earlier in the season.
Thomson had four birdies, despite the windy conditions, after opening the tie with a winning 4 at the long first and taking the second with a par. Barwood was not prepared to play second fiddle and she hit back by winning the third and fourth to level the contest.
Thomson birdied the seventh to regain a one-hole lead and doubled her lead at the 10th. She went three up at the 11th and birdied the 15th to finish the match an impressive winner by 5 and 3.
Naomi Edwards restored England's overall lead with a 2 and 1 win over Kylie Walker after winning four of the first five holes. The Scot, who lost a ball off the tee at the second, fought back to be only one down by winning the sixth, seventh and 10th.
Five successive halved holes followed before Edwards went two up again by winning the 16th. A half at the 17th gave her victory.
After a see-saw match, Florentyna Parker and Kelsey MacDonald finished all square.
The Scot fought back from three down after five holes to win the 16th and 17th for a one-hole lead. But Parker was able to win the 18th with a par 4 to level the match.
Emily Ogilvy, drafted into the Scotland line-up for her first appearance, had a square match with England's Rachel Connor who was also called into action for the first time.
Ogilvy started well and a birdie 2 at the fourth put her two up and she won the 10th and 11th to regain a two-hole lead after Connor had squared the match by the turn.
Ogilvy conceded the 14th and lost the 16th to a bogey 5 to be pulled back to level terms again. The last two holes were halved.
Elizabeth Bennett and Louise Kenney also finished all square with the Scot winning the last two holes to share the honours. The England player had been two up at the turn and three up after 12 but Kenney birdied the 14th and won the 17th and 18th to make up the leeway.
Kerry Smith v Pamela Pretswell became the fourth tie in succession to finish all square.There was never more than a hole in it with Scotland one up at the turn after Pretswell birdied the ninth. Smith squared at the 11th and then birdied the 12th to go one up. The Scot birdied the 14th to get back to all square and the last four holes were halved.

Day 2 details:

ENGLAND 5, SCOTLAND 4
Foursomes: Elizabeth Bennett & Kerry Smith bt Michele Thomson & Louise Kenney 3 and 1; Naomi Edwards & Florentyna Parker bt Pamela Pretswell & Laura Murray 3 and 2; Hannah Barwood & Rachel Jennings lost to Kylie Walker & Kelsey MacDonald 3 and 2 (2-1).
Singles: Barwood lost to Thomson 5 and 3, Edwards bt Walker 2 and 1, Parker halved with MacDonald, Rachel Connor halved with Emily Ogilvy, Bennett halved with Kenney, Smith halved with Pretswell (3-3).

IRELAND 3 1/2, WALES 5 1/2
Foursomes: Niamh Kitching & Danielle McVeigh bt Sahra Hassan & Rhian Wyn Thomas 2 holes; Gemma Hegarty & Aedin Murphy halved with Breanne Loucks & Amy Boulden; Karen Delaney & Tara Delaney lost to aTara Davies & Stephanie Evans 3 and 2 (1 1/2-1 1/2).
Singles: Delaney lost to Loucks 2 holes, McVEigh halved with Hassan, Kitching bt Hannah Jenkins 4 and 3, Murphy lost to Evans 2 holes, Gillian O'Leary halved with Boulden, Hegarty lost to Davies 2 and 1 (2-4).


HOW THEY STAND
Wales 2pt, England 1pt, Ireland 1pt, Scotland 0pt.

Final day matches
Wales v England, Scotland v Ireland.

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THOMAS WINS IRISH WOMEN’S SENIORS

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
2006 Champion Vicki Thomas holed from eight feet for birdie on the final green to win her second Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay title in three years at Lisburn Golf Club today.
Paired with leaders Helen Jones and Ivy Steinberg, Thomas a seasoned Welsh International started strongly but lost the lead following an outward sub-par 36 by Jones. Jones faultered at the eleventh with a wretched triple bogey which bridged the three shot deficit that continued to the final tee. Thomas’ birdie sealed victory leaving Jones in second place ahead of Canadians Diane Williams, Phyllis Lashuk and Ivy Steinberg.
Irish Close Champion Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange) took six at the last to finish eight while defending Champion Alison Murdoch despite making amends, lived to rue an opening 87 and finish in eleventh place.
Bandon’s Rhona Brennan had an unfortunate doubly bogey at the last, but had excelled in the outward journey to secure the best nett over 54 holes. Meanwhile, Ireland’s team of Helen Jones, Mary Madden and Sheena O’Brien Kenney held off a late challenge by Canada to win the team event by one stroke with Wales in third place, four shots behind.
FINAL SCORES
CSS 77RO 77
238 Vicki Thomas (WAL) 82 78 78
239 Helen Jones (Strabane) 78 84 77
243 Diane Williams (CAN) 79 85 79
245 Phyllis Laschuk (CAN) 81 82 82
246 Ivy Steinberg (CAN) 83 80 83
248 Deborah Jamgochian (USA) 87 83 78 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 87 82 79 Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange) 87 80 81 Keren Pultz (CAN) 83 82 83
250 Pauline Walsh ( Headfort) 87 81 82 Alison Murdoch (CAN) 87 81 82
251 Julie Morrison (Belvoir Park) 86 80 85 Pamela Williamson (SCO) 85 79 87
254 Holly Horwood (CAN) 84 87 83
256 Rhona Brennan (Bandon) 90 85 81 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 89 85 82 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) 88 86 82 Jane Gardner (Malone) 84 89 83
258 Ruth Lindley (ENG) 89 85 84 Jean O'Connor (WAL) 89 83 86260 Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 89 83 88
261 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 93 85 83 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 90 86 85
262 Cornelia Fischer (GER) 89 86 87 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 88 92 82
263 Nano Brennan (Elm Park) 94 84 85 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 91 85 87 Angela Colm (CAN) 90 85 88 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 89 90 84 Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) 89 86 88
265 Judy Collins (CAN) 91 88 86 Sue Pidgeon (ENG) 87 92 86
267 Pauline Bailie (Belvoir Park) 91 88 88
268 Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) 89 87 92
269 Linda Bedry (CAN) 87 90 92
272 Noreen Granard (Portarlington) 94 89 89
274 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn) 93 88 93
NON-QUALIFIERS
184 Judith Henry (Lisburn) 95 89 Keren Howard (CAN) 95 89 Kay McCartan (Greenore) 94 90 Pat Bennett (ENG) 94 90 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 91 93
185 Doris Brunner (SWI) 98 87 Joan McVeigh (Belvoir Park) 95 90
186 Mary McGoey (Greenore) 96 90
187 Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush) 97 90 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) 95 92
188 Marianne Copp (ENG) 94 94 Maj-Britt Laempe (SWE) 91 97
189 Rosemary McFadden (Whitehead) 93 96
190 Linda Ward (CAN) 94 96
191 Maureen Charleton (Lisburn) 93 98
192 Maureen Bryson (Lisburn) 99 93 Ann Conway (New Ross) 99 93
194 Noreen McCluskey (Lisburn) 96 98
195 Roisin McCann (Downpatrick) 95 100 Mavis Goodhall (ENG) 94 101
196 Angela Treacy (New Ross) 100 96 Anna Somers (Cill Dara) 99 97
198 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) 101 97 Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) 98 100
199 Anne Stewart (Belvoir Park) 102 97 Carol McBratney (Lisburn) 96 103
203 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe (SWI) 102 101
205 Mary Mather (Cill Dara) 109 96
206 Joceline Breccolini (SWI) 105 101
209 Josephine Kilmartin (Tipperary) 103 106
212 Marie McGrattan (Ardminnan) 112 100
RTD Roma English (Larne) 94 RTD
NR Margaret Rosbotham (Lisburn) NR 99
WD Elaine Laing (Royal Belfast) 96 WD Carol Kinsella (Waterford) 99 WD Mary Lalor (Roscommon) 102 WD
DSQ Hilary Bradley (Lisburn) 107 DSQ Maggie Gray (USA) DSQ DSQ

TEAM EVENT (2 scores from 3 to count each day)
327 IRELAND Helen Jones 78 [84] Mary Madden 87 82 Sheena O'Brien Kenney [87] 80
328 CANADA Holly Horwood [84] [87] Phylis Laschuk 81 82 Keren Pultz 83 82
332 WALES Jean O'Connor 89 83 Vicki Thomas 82 78
340 CANADA Linda Bedry 87 [90] Angela Colm [90] 85 Alison Murdoch 87 81
354 IRELAND Valerie Hassett [93] 85 Marilyn Henderson 90 86 Mary McKenna 93 [89]
358 ENGLAND Pat Bennett [94] 90 Marianne Copp 94 [94] Ruth Lindley 89 85
358 USA Maggie Gray 91 97 Deborah Jamgochian 87 83
374 ENGLAND Mavis Goodhall 94 101 Sue Pidgeon 87 92
388 SWITZERLAND Jocelyn Breccolini [105] 101 Doris Brunner 98 87 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe 102 [101]

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ENGLAND TAKE 2-1 FOURSOMES
LEAD OVER SCOTLAND
WHILE
WALES HOLD IRELAND

Title-holders England began their fightback from Wednesday's defeat by Ireland by winning the foursomes 2-1 against Scotland, the other team to make a losing start to the tournament.
Ireland and Wales, both trying to extend their 100 per cent records, shared the foursomes honours 1 1/2-1 1/2 in an exciting finish to the morning play.
England's lead-off pair, Elizabeth Bennett and Kerry Smith, always held the whiphand against Michele Thomson and Louise Kenney and ran out winners by 3 and 1.
Bennett and Smith were two up at the turn, having won the second and fourth. Thomson and Kenney broke the ice by winning the fifth but lost the sixth.
England's lead extended to three holes when they won the 10th. Thomson and Kenney looked to have a bit of a revival going when they won the 14th with a par and the 15th with a birdie to be only one down.
But they had to conced the 16th and Bennett and Smith took the 17th and the match with a par 3.
The overall scorelne became England 2, Scotland 0 when Naomi Edwards and Florentyna Parker beat Pamela Pretswell and Laura Murray by 3 and 2.
England won the first two holes but Scotland squared matters by taking the fourth and fifth. Holes continued to won and lost in two-hole bursts with Edwards and Parker taking the seventh and eighth to be two up and then the 10th and 11th for a four-hole lead.
The Scots came back into the picture with successes at the 12th and 13th to halve their deficit but Parker and Edwards won the 14th with a birdie 2 to regain a three-hole lead and halves at the 15th and 16th ended the match in their favour.
Kylie Walker and Kelsey MacDonald averted a second successive foursomes whitewash defeat for Scotland by winning the last foursome 3 and 2 against Hannah Barwood and Rachel Jennings.
The Scots got their teeth into the game right away by winning the first, second and third and they remained in the driving seat throughout. Barwood and Jennings won the fifth but Walker and MacDonald took the seventh and eighth beforelosing the ninth to be three up at the turn.
Barwood and Jennings won the 10th to be two down but the Scots went three up against the 11th and after the England pair had won back a hole, Walker and MacDonald eventually won the hole and the match with a birdie at the 16th.
Ireland looked set for a 2-1 foursomes lead after wins by Niamh Kitching & Danielle McVeigh for the Irish in the top tie and for Tara Davies & Stephanie Evans of Wales in the third tie.
But the Irish pair of Gemma Hegarty and Aedin Murphy, one up on the 18th tee against Breanne Loucks and Amy Boulden, were denied victory when Curtis Cup player Loucks holed a 24ft birdie putt across the 18th green for a square match.

FOURSOMES RESULTS
England lead Scotland 2-1
Elizabeth Bennett & Kerry Smith bt Michele Thomson & Louise Kenney 3 and 1; Naomi Edwards & Florentyna Parker bt Pamela Pretswell & Laura Murray 3 and 2; Hannah Barwood & Rachel Jennings lost to Kylie Walker & Kelsey MacDonald 3 and 2 (2-1).

Ireland and Wales drawing 1 1/2-1 1/2
Niamh Kitchign & Danielle McVeigh bt Sahra Hassan & Rhian Wyn Thomas 2 holes; Gemma Hegarty & Aedin Murphy halved with Breanne Loucks & Amy Boulden; Karen Delaney & Tara Delaney lost to Tara Davies & Stephanie Evans 3 and 2 (1 1/2-1 1/2).

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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Vicki Thomas leads Irish senior women's
open stroke play by two from Helen Jones

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
2006 Champion Vicki Thomas fired a best of the day 78 to lead the field ahead of the final round of the Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke-play Championship at Lisburn Golf Club today.
Thomas, a seasoned Welsh International, birdied the third hole to turn level par and a steady return journey in bleek wintry conditions saw her secure pole position and on course for her second title in three years.
Overnight leader Helen Jones started nervously and after two double bogeys in the outward stretch, steadied the ship to sign for 84 to finish just two shots off the pace.
Canada’s Ivy Steinberg recorded a solid 80 to lie one shot further back alongside country mate Phyllis Laschuk who returned 82 as conditions deteriorated in the afternoon.
Irish Close Champion Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange) found the going difficult on the outward stretch but pared home from the fourteenth tee to card an impressive 80 in the worst of the conditions.
Defending Champion Alison Murdoch’s 81 sees her eight shots off the pace and will need an exceptional final round to secure back to back victories.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s team of Helen Jones, Mary Madden and Sheena O’Brien Kenney held off a late challenge by Canada to win the team event by one stroke with Wales in third place, four shots behind.
The top 40 players, including ties, play a final 18 holes tomorrow to decide this year’s Champion.

THURSDAY'S FINAL ROUND

TEE TIMES
08:30 Noreen Granard (Portarlington) Margaret Boomer (Lisburn).
08:38 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) Sue Pidgeon (ENG).
08:46 Pauline Bailie (Belvoir Park) Mary Kavanagh (New Ross).
08:54 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) Judy Collins (CAN).
09:02 Linda Bedry (CAN) Nano Brennan (Elm Park).
09:10 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook).
09:18 Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) Carmel Cahill (Hermitage).
09:26 Angela Colm (CAN) Cornelia Fischer (GER).
09:34 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) Rhona Brennan (Bandon).
09:42 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) Ruth Lindley (ENG).
09:50 Jean O'Connor (WAL) Jane Gardner (Malone).
09:58 Holly Horwood (CAN) Eileen MacMullen (Donegal).
10:06 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Deborah Jamgochian (USA).
10:14 Alison Murdoch (CAN) Pauline Walsh ( Headfort).
10:22 Julie Morrison (Belvoir Park) Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange).
10:30 Diane Williams (CAN) Keren Pultz (CAN).
10:38 Phyllis Laschuk (CAN) Pamela Williamson (SCO).
10:46 Vicki Thomas (WAL) Helen Jones (Strabane) Ivy Steinberg (CAN)
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
CSS 77RO 77
160 Vicki Thomas (WAL) 82 78
162 Helen Jones (Strabane) 78 84
163 Ivy Steinberg (CAN) 83 80 Phyllis Laschuk (CAN) 81 82
164 Pamela Williamson (SCO) 85 79 Diane Williams (CAN) 79 85
165 Keren Pultz (CAN) 83 82
166 Julie Morrison (Belvoir Park) 86 80
167 Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange) 87 80
168 Alison Murdoch (CAN) 87 81 Pauline Walsh ( Headfort) 87 81
169 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 87 82
170 Deborah Jamgochian (USA) 87 83
171 Holly Horwood (CAN) 84 87
172 Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 89 83 Jean O'Connor (WAL) 89 83
173 Jane Gardner (Malone) 84 89
174 Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 89 85 Ruth Lindley (ENG) 89 85 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) 88 86
175 Rhona Brennan (Bandon) 90 85 Angela Colm (CAN) 90 85 Cornelia Fischer (GER) 89 86 Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) 89 86
176 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) 91 85 Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) 90 86 Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) 89 87
177 Linda Bedry (CAN) 87 90
178 Nano Brennan (Elm Park) 94 84 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) 93 85
179 Judy Collins (CAN) 91 88 Pauline Bailie (Belvoir Park) 91 88 Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) 89 90 Sue Pidgeon (ENG) 87 92
180 Catherine Carty (Tullamore) 91 89 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) 88 92
181 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn) 93 88
182 Mary McKenna (Donabate) 93 89 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel) 92 90
183 Noreen Granard (Portarlington) 94 89

NON-QUALIFIERS
184 Judith Henry (Lisburn) 95 89 Keren Howard (CAN) 95 89 Kay McCartan (Greenore) 94 90 Pat Bennett (ENG) 94 90 Mary Geaney (Killarney) 91 93
185 Doris Brunner (SWI) 98 87 Joan McVeigh (Belvoir Park) 95 90
186 Mary McGoey (Greenore) 96 90
187 Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush) 97 90 Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) 95 92
188 Marianne Copp (ENG) 94 94 Maj-Britt Laempe (SWE) 91 97 Maggie Gray (USA) 91 97
189 Rosemary McFadden (Whitehead) 93 96
190 Linda Ward (CAN) 94 96
191 Maureen Charleton (Lisburn) 93 98
192 Maureen Bryson (Lisburn) 99 93 Ann Conway (New Ross) 99 93
194 Noreen McCluskey (Lisburn) 96 98
195 Roisin McCann (Downpatrick) 95 100 Mavis Goodhall (ENG) 94 101
196 Angela Treacy (New Ross) 100 96 Anna Somers (Cill Dara) 99 97
198 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) 101 97 Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) 98 100
199 Anne Stewart (Belvoir Park) 102 97 Carol McBratney (Lisburn) 96 103
203 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe (SWI) 102 101
205 Mary Mather (Cill Dara) 109 96
206 Joceline Breccolini (SWI) 105 101
209 Josephine Kilmartin (Tipperary) 103 106
212 Marie McGrattan (Ardminnan) 112 100
RTD Roma English (Larne) 94 RTD
NR Margaret Rosbotham (Lisburn) NR 99
WD Elaine Laing (Royal Belfast) 96 WD Carol Kinsella (Waterford) 99 WD Mary Lalor (Roscommon) 102 WD
DSQ Hilary Bradley (Lisburn) 107 DSQ

TEAM EVENT
(2 scores from 3 to count each day)
327 IRELAND Helen Jones 78 [84] Mary Madden 87 82 Sheena O'Brien Kenney [87] 80
328 CANADA Holly Horwood [84] [87] Phylis Laschuk 81 82 Keren Pultz 83 82
332 WALES Jean O'Connor 89 83 Vicki Thomas 82 78
340 CANADA Linda Bedry 87 [90] Angela Colm [90] 85 Alison Murdoch 87 81
354 IRELAND Valerie Hassett [93] 85 Marilyn Henderson 90 86 Mary McKenna 93 [89]
358 ENGLAND Pat Bennett [94] 90 Marianne Copp 94 [94] Ruth Lindley 89 85
358 USA Maggie Gray 91 97 Deborah Jamgochian 87 83
374 ENGLAND Mavis Goodhall 94 101 Sue Pidgeon 87 92
388 SWITZERLAND Jocelyn Breccolini [105] 101 Doris Brunner 98 87 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe 102 [101]

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Scotland beaten by Wales,
Ireland beat England

Despite very good wins by Michele Thomson and Kylie Walker in the top two singles, Scotland slumped to a 5 1/2-3 1/2 defeat at the hands of Wales on the first day of the women's home internationals at Wrexham.
Wales did not win a match last year but they caught the Scots cold in the morning foursomes, winning all three and leaving Lesley Nicholson's squad with a mountain to climb in the six afternoon singles.
Ireland golfers seem to be conquering the world these days - they dented England's hopes of winning the title four years in a row. Beaten 2-1 in the foursomes, the fighting Irish turned the tables in the singles for a 5 1/2- 3 1/2 victory.
Scotland could still win the title - by beating England and Ireland, starting with the English on Thursday - but the odds are long against that happening.
Scotland's hopes of a great fightback rose when their champion, Michele Thomson, beat Breanne Loucks by 2 and 1 in the battle of Curtis Cup team-mates and Kylie Walker beat Curtis Cup reserve Sahra Hassan 2 and 1.
But Stephanie Evans stopped the slide for Wales by beating youngster Megan Briggs 5 and 3 and Welsh girls champion Amy Boulden, making her debut in the Women's Home Internationals, secured the fifth and clinching overall victory point by beating Kelsey Macdonald by one hole.
Loucks won the first hole from Thomson before the next six holes were halved. Thomson won the eighth to square the match and the 10th and 13th to go two up, a clear lead which he held on to down the home straight.
Walker was two down in the early stages to Hassan but began her fightback by winning the sixth, then the seventh and ninth to be all square at the turn. Walker continued in the driving seat by winning the 12th and 14th to be two up.
Hassan won back the 15th but Walker went two ahead again by taking the 16th and a half at the 17th was enough for the Scot to win.
Boulden burst into her game with MacDonald by winning the 10th, 11th and 12th to leap from one down to two up. The Scot won the 15th and the 16th, with a birdie 3, to be all square but, after a half at the 17th, the Welsh girls title-holder won the 18th for a narrow victory after MacDonald missed from five feet.
Left-hander Evans won the third, seventh, ninth,11th and 12th - losing only the fourth hole - on her way to a four-hole lead over Briggs. The Welsh player won the 15th for a 5 and 3 win.
Louise Kenney, brought into Scotland's singles line-up after sitting out the singles, registered a 5 and 4 win over Rhian Wyn Thomas.
Kenney made the most of a flying start which saw her win the second, third and fifth to go three up. Every other hole was halved before Kenney went four up by taking the 13th.
Tara Davies and Laura Murray had a ding-dong match which the Welsh girl won by one hole. Murray was one up at the turn but lost the 12th and went one down at the 15th. The Scot squared matters again at the 16th but Davies edged again ahead by winning the 17th.
Murray grittily gained a half by coming out of a bunker to win the 18th.
Details:
WALES 5 1/2, SCOTLAND 3 1/2
Foursomes: Sahra Hassan & Rhian Whyn Thomas bt Kylie Walker & Kelsey MacDonald 6 and 5; Breanne Loucks & Amy Boulden bt Michele Thomson & Megan Briggs 2 and 1; Tara Davies & Stephanie Evans bt Pamela Pretswell & Laura Murray 6 and 4 (3-0)
Singles: Loucks lost to Thomson 2 and 1, Hassan lost to Walker 2 and 1, Boulden bt MacDonald 1 hole, Evans bt Briggs 5 and 3, Wyn Thomas lost to Louise Kenney 5 and 4, Davies halved with Murray (2 1/2-3 1/2).

ENGLAND 3 1/2, IRELAND 5 1/2
Foursomes: Elizabeth Bennett & Kerry Smith halved with Niamh Kitching & Danielle McVeigh; Naomi Edwards & Florentyna Park bt Gemma Hegarty & Gillian O'Leary 4 and 3; Hannah Barwood & Rachel Jennings halved with Karen Delaney & Tara Delaney (2-1).
Singles: Barwood lost to Tara Delaney 1 hole, Edwards lost to Kitching 4 and 3, Parker halved with McVeigh, Bennett lost to Aedin Murphy 5 and 3, Smith bt Karen Delaney 4 and 3, Jennings lost to Hegarty 5 and 3 (1 1/2-4 1/2).

Thursday's matches:
England v Scotland, Ireland v Wales.

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Women's Home Internationals under way

LOUISE KENNEY and LAURA MURRAY AT WREXHAM
All images by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved)



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Women's Home Internationals start at Wrexham

KELSEY MACDONALD and MEGAN BRIGGS ON TEE 1


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Women's Home Internationals

MICHELE THOMSON & KYLIE WALKER ACTION AT WREXHAM


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Wales make 3-0 clean sweep of
foursomes against Scotland

Host country Wales made a promising start on home territory by leading Scotland 3-0 after the foursomes at Wrexham.
In the second match, defending champions England had to finish strongly to take a 2-1 lead over Ireland.
Sahra Hassan and Rhian Wyn Thomas gave the Welsh early momentum by beating Scotland's lead-off pairing of Kylie Walker and Kelsey MacDonald by 6 and 5.
The Welsh won four holes in a row from the second before the Scots stopped the rot by winning the sixth. That was to prove their o
nly success of the match. Hassan and Thomas won the eighth to be four uo at the turn and then the 10th and 13th for a 6 and 5 win.
Tara Davies and Stephanie Evans were 6 and 4 winners for Wales over Pamela Pretswell and Lauray Murray in the third foursome. The Welsh pair never lost a hole. They won the third, fifth, eighth and ninth to be four up at the turn. Successes at the 11th and 14th clinched a clear-cut win for Davies and Evans.
In the last Wales v Scotland foursome to finish, Breanne Loucks and Amy Boulden made it a clean sweep for Wales by beating Michele Thomson and Megan Briggs by two holes.
The Welsh pair were two holes up after nine, having won the second, fifth, seventh and eighth and losing only the third and sixth.
Thomson and Briggs won back the 13th to be only one down but Loucks and Boulden won the 14th to regain a two-hole lead and halved their way in to win by 2 and 1.
With a little bit of their traditional luck, Ireland would have won the foursomes 2-1 from England but instead the scoreline was reversed in favour of the defending champions.
After Naomi Edwards and Florentyna Parker had put the first point on the board for England by beating Gemma Hegarty and Gillian O'Leary 4 and 3, it was mighty close in the two other ties.
Elizabeth Bennett and Kerry Smith for England won the last hole to snatch a square game from Niamh Kitching and Danielle McVeigh.
In the last foursome to finish, England's teenager champion Hannah Barwood and Rachel Jennings were two down with three play against the Delaney sisters, Tara and Karen, but won the 16th and the 17th, with a birdie and halved the last for a square match to maintain England's one-point morning lead.

Results
WALES lead SCOTLAND 3-0
Foursomes:
Sahra Hassan & Rhian Whyn Thomas bt Kylie Walker & Kelsey MacDonald 6 and 5.
Breanne Loucks & Amy Bolden bt Michele Thomson & Megan Briggs 2 and 1.
Tara Davies & Stephanie Evans bt Pamela Pretswell & Laura Murray 6 and 4.
ENGLAND lead IRELAND 2-1
Foursomes:
Elizabeth Bennett & Kerry Smith halved with Niamh Kitching & Danielle McVeigh.
Naomi Edwards & Florentyna Park bt Gemma Hegarty & Gillian O'Leary 4 and 3.
Hannah Barwood & Rachel Jennings halved with Karen Delaney & Tara Delaney.

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ROSEANNE NIVEN MAKES TOP 3O
IN SEASONAL DEBUT IN USA


Roseanne Niven finished joint 27th in a field of 95 players on her seasonal debut on the United States women's college circuit.Roseanne, a student at the University of California-Berkeley, had rounds of 72, 76 and 73 for a five-over-par total of 221 in the Ptarmigan Fall Classic at Ptarmigan Country Club, Fort Collins in Colorado.Starting at the third hole, the British stroke play champion from the Crieff club had a double-bogey 6 but her game picked up near the end with birdies a the 12th, 14th and 15th and an eagle 3 at her last hole, the second.English students Hannah Burke (Baylor University) and Natasha Podmore (San Francisco University) finished joint 15th and joint 27th respectively.Hannah had scores of 71, 74 and 71 for 216, her final round including birdies at the first, second, 11th and 13th.Natasha joined Roseanne Niven on 221 with scores of 74, 73 and 74. The Appleton player had a game of two halves for her final 74 - out in 33 and back in 41. She birdied the second, fifth, seventh and ninth with only one bogey, at the eighth, in her outward half. On the way home, she had no birdies but five bogeys.One of Roseanne's team-mates Shannon Yocum won the individual title with 71, 67 and 70 for an eight-under-par total of 208.California-Berkeley won the team title by six shots from Colorado.

LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 216 (3 x 71) 6206yd
208 Shannon Yocum (California) 71 67 70.
209 Emily Childs (Colorado) 71 67 71.
210 Cindy LaCrosse (Louisville) 70 69 71, Lee Lopez (Long Beach State) 68 74 68.
211 Pia Halbig (California) 69 70 72.
Other totals:
216 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 71 74 71 (jt 15th).
221 Natasha Podmore (San Francisco) 74 73 74, Roseanne Niven (California) 72 76 73 (jt 27th).
LEADING TEAMS
846 California. 852 Colorado. 858 Louisville. 872 San Jose State. 876 San Francisco. Other total: 879 Baylor (7th of 19)

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"No other options" - Michelle Wie
is going to LPGA Tour School

Michelle Wie has entered the LPGA Tour Qualifying School. She will play Stage 1 next week in California.
Her father, B.J. Wie, said that his teenage daughter had "no other options" but Q-school if she didn't make enough money to finish the equivalent of 80th of the LPGA Tour money list.
The first stage will be at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, venue of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, where Wie played in the final group of the LPGA's first major when she was in the eighth grade at High School.
Wie turned pro in 2005 and a year later had at least a share of the lead on the back nine of three majors. Her career nosedived shortly after that, when she tried to play through wrist injuries, withdrew from the Ginn Tribute when she was on the verge of shooting 88 and facing suspension, and continued to play the occasional event on men's tours.
She has not won any tournament since the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in 2003 at age 13.
But she showed signs of getting her game back in order this year. Wie was one shot off the lead going into the final round of the State Farm Classic in July when she was disqualified for leaving the recorder's area before signing her card. That might have kept her from earning enough money to get an LPGA card, and she tied for 12th in the CN Canadian Women's Open at her final event.
Her father said Michelle, who turns 19 on Oct. 11, will return to Stanford University after the California qualifier.

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Tuesday, September 09, 2008

JONES LEAD IRISH WOMEN’S SENIORS

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Strabane’s Helen Jones, in arguably the better of the atrocious weather conditions, fired an impressive five over par 78 to lead the field by one shot after day one of the Irish Senior Women’s Open Strokeplay Championship at Lisburn Golf Club today.
Jones started strongly in the blustery conditions to turn three over par after nine and steady pars over the return journey, coupled with a birdie on the final hole, saw her cruise to a 78 and sole ownership of the overnight lead.
Diane Williams, in persistent rainfall, dropped shots over the opening stretch to turn four over par but back to back birdies on eleven and twelve saw her sign for a 79 to lie just one shot behind.
Canadian Phyllis Laschuk was next best on 81 while 2006 Champion Vicki Thomas, who has represented Wales internationally at all levels, opened with four steady pars in the worst of the morning weather and battled bravely to turn just four over par.
As conditions steadily worsened, she dropped five more strokes on the inward nine and signed for a highly creditable 82 to be well in the hunt for her second title in three years.Canada’s Ivy Steinberg birdied the second and dropped just two strokes over the final six holes to sign for an impressive 83, a score matched by country mate Keren Pultz playing later in the day.
Canadian Holly Horwood signed for a fine 84, as did Malone’s Jane Gardner, again in trying circumstances. After a slow start, Gardner recorded pars on the ninth, tenth and a birdie on eleven saw lie just five shots off overnight leader Williams.
Defending Champion Alison Murdoch (Canada) found the Irish wintry conditions truely challenging and following a triple bogey on the fourth and double on five, steadied the ship in deteriorating conditions to return 87 along with Irish Close Champion Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange).
Canada lead the team event by one shot from Ireland with Wales a further six shots back.
The field will play a second 18 hole strokeplay round on Wednesday and the top 40 (plus ties) will qualify for the final 18 holes on Thursday.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 73 CSS 77 reduction only
78 Helen Jones (Strabane)
79 Diane Williams (CAN)
81 Phyllis Laschuk (CAN)
82 Vicki Thomas (WAL)
83 Keren Pultz (CAN) Ivy Steinberg (CAN)
84 Holly Horwood (CAN) Jane Gardner (Malone)
85 Pamela Williamson (SCO)
86 Julie Morrison (Belvoir Park)
87 Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) Pauline Walsh (Headfort) Sue Pidgeon (ENG) Deborah Jamgochian (USA) Alison Murdoch (CAN) Linda Bedry (CAN) Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange)
88 Marleen Nijhof (BEL) Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire)
89 Cornelia Fischer (GER) Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) Jean O'Connor (WAL) Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) Ruth Lindley (ENG) Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) Mary Kavanagh (New Ross)
90 Angela Colm (CAN) Rhona Brennan (Bandon) Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock)
91 Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) Catherine Carty (Tullamore) Maj-Britt Laempe (SWE) Mary Geaney (Killarney) Judy Collins (CAN) Maggie Gray (USA) Pauline Bailie (Belvoir Park)
92 Helen O'Donoghue (Clonmel)
93 Margaret Boomer (Lisburn) Maureen Charleton (Lisburn) Rosemary McFadden (Whitehead) Mary McKenna (Donabate) Valerie Hassett (Ennis)
94 Kay McCartan (Greenore) Nano Brennan (Elm Park) Noreen Granard (Portarlington) Mavis Goodhall (ENG) Linda Ward (CAN) Marianne Copp (ENG) Pat Bennett (ENG) Roma English (Larne)
95 Judith Henry (Lisburn) Joan McVeigh (Belvoir Park) Keren Howard (CAN) Pamela Morgan (Lahinch) Roisin McCann (Downpatrick)
96 Mary McGoey (Greenore) Carol McBratney (Lisburn) Noreen McCluskey (Lisburn) Elaine Laing (Royal Belfast)
97 Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush)
98 Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush) Doris Brunner (SWI)
99 Ann Conway (New Ross) Anna Somers (Cill Dara) Carol Kinsella (Waterford) Maureen Bryson (Lisburn)
100 Angela Treacy (New Ross)
101 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo)
102 Anne Stewart (Belvoir Park) Mary Lalor (Roscommon) Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe (SWI)
103 Josephine Kilmartin (Tipperary)
105 Joceline Breccolini (SWI)
107 Hilary Bradley (Lisburn)
109 Mary Mather (Cill Dara)
112 Marie McGrattan (Ardminnan)
NR Margaret Rosbotham (Lisburn)


TEAM EVENT (2 scores from 3 to count)
164 CANADA-A Holly Horwood [84] Phylis Laschuk 81 Keren Pultz 83
165 IRELAND-A Helen Jones 78 Mary Madden 87 Sheena O'Brien Kenney [87]
171 WALES Jean O'Connor 89 Vicki Thomas 82
174 CANADA-B Linda Bedry 87 Angela Colm [90] Alison Murdock 87
178 USA Maggie Gray 91 Deborah Jamgochian 87
181 ENGLAND-A Mavis Goodhall 94 Sue Pidgeon 87
183 IRELAND-B Valerie Hassett 93 Marilyn Henderson 90 Mary McKenna [93]
183 ENGLAND-B Pat Bennett 94 Marianne Copp [94] Ruth Lindley 89
200 SWITZERLAND Jocelyn Breccolini [105] Doris Brunner 98 Sheila Bodmer O'Keefe 102

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WALES TEAM, WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS 2008

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IRELAND TEAM, WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS 2008

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ENGLAND TEAM, WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS 2008

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SCOTLAND TEAM, WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS 2008

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SCOTLAND ARE HAPPY CAMPERS
AT WREXHAM FOR INTERNATIONALS

Scotland skipper Lesley Nicholson is quietly confident that her team will give a good account of themselves in the women's home internationals which start at Wrexham Golf Club, North Wales tomorrow.
"Everybody's happy and raring to go, so that's a good sign," said Lesley, a resinstated amateur whose career on the Ladies European Tour was hampered and then cut short by a hand injury.
This is the Haddington player's first time as a team captain and she will be under no illusions that England, winners of the Miller Trophy as champions for the past three years, are anything but hot favourites to make it four in a row. The long and the short of it is that for Scotland, Ireland or Wales to win the championship, they have to beat England.
Scotland lack the services of Carly Booth who is bound for the United States and the Junior Ryder Cup match on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Ireland are deprrived of the talented 13-year-old Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, for the same reason.
And it was a blow when Curtis Cup player Sally Watson told the SLGA that she needs more time to recover from the knee ligaments operation she had on the Wednesday after the match against the Americans at St Andrews in early June. Louise Kenney from Pitreavie has stepped up from first reserve to take Sally's place.
Skipper Nicholson has left Kenney and Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) out of the opening foursomes line-up against Wales but they are both likely to see their fair share of the action before the three-day programme is over. Wednesday morning foursomes:
WALES v SCOTLAND
Wales names first
Sahra Hassan & Rhian Wyn Thomas v Kylie Walker & Kelsey MacDonald.
Breanne Loucks & Amy Boulden v Michele Thomson & Megan Briggs.
Tara Davies & Stephanie Evans v Pamela Pretswell & Laura Murray.
IRELAND v ENGLAND
Niamh Kitching & Danielle McVeigh v Elizabeth Bennett & Kerry Smith.
Gemma Hegarty & Gillian O'Leary v Naomi Edwards & Florentyna Parker.
Karen Delaney & Tara Delaney v Hannah Barwood v Rachel Jennings.

ROSEANNE DROPS DOWN TO JT
37th IN PTARMIGAN CLASSIC


Roseanne Niven dropped down from 16th to joint 36th in a field of 95 after a second-round 76 for four-over-par 148 in the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic at Ptarmigan Country Club, Fort Collins, Colorado.
It is the Crieff player's first event of the new 2008-2009 US women's college circuit.
The Scot, a student at the University of California-Berkeley, ran up a double bogey 6 at the 10th in her second round and achieved only one birdie, at the seventh, compared with four in her first circuit.
England's Hannah Burke (Baylor University) and Natasha Podmore (San Francisco University) were in joint 18th and joint 30th positions on 145 and 147 respectively.
Hannah also had a double bogey 6 in a second-round 74 while Natasha birdied the second and fifth on her way to a 73.
One of Niven's team-mates, Shannon Yocum shares the lead on 138 with Emily Childs (Colorado University) and California-Berkeley (557) lead the team event by five shots from Colorado.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND SCORES
Par 144 (2 x 72)
138 Emily Childs (Colorado) 71 67, Shannon Yocum (California) 71 67.
139 Allison Goodman (California) 72 67, Pia Halbig (California) 69 70, Ciindy LaCrosse (Louisville) 70 69, Dominique Pytlewski (Colorado) 69 70.
Other scores:
145 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 71 74 (jt 18th).
147 Natasha Podmore (San Francisco) 74 73 (jt 30th).
148 Roseanne Niven 72 76 (jt 36th).
LEADING TEAMS
557 California. 562 Colorado. 570 Louisville. 579 San Jose State. Also: 589 San Francisco (8th of 19 teams).

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Monday, September 08, 2008


ROSEANNE TEES OFF HER US COLLEGE
SEASON WITH PAR-MATCHING 72


British stroke-play champion Roseanne Niven (University of California-Berkeley) matched the par of 72 in her seasonal debut on the US women's college circuit at the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic at Ptarmigan Country Club, Fort Collins in Colorado today.
Roseanne, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), a member of Crieff Golf Club, had birdies at the sixth, 12th, 14th and 15th but cancelled them out with bogeys at the fourth, seventh, eighth and 17th.
She was in joint 16th place in the field of 95 at the end of the first round.
Lee Lopez (Long Beach State) led with a four-under-par 68, one ahead of Niven's team-mate Pia Halbig.
Hannah Burke (Baylor) from Hertfordshire was in joint eighth place with a 71 which included birdies at the fourth, seventh, 12th and 14th but shots dropped at the 10th, 15th and 18th.
Another English-born competitor, Natasha Podmore from Appleton and a student at San Francisco University, had a 74 to be sharing 34th place.
Colorado (283) led by one shot from California-Berkeley and Louisville in the team event.
HOW THEY STAND
Par 72
68 Lee Lopez (Long Beach State).
69 Pia Halbig (California-Berkeley), Dominique Pytleweski (Colorado).
Other scores:
71 Hannah Burke (Baylor) (jt 8th).
72 Roseanne Niven (California-Berkeley) (jt 16th).
74 Natasha Podmore (San Francisco) (jt 34th).

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Krystle finishes jt fourth in

US college season debut

Krystle Caithness finished a creditable joint fourth in a quality field of 75 players for the Fall Preview, the opening event of the 2008-2009 US women's college golf season at Caves Valley golf course, Maryland.
Curtis Cup player Krystle, 19, from Cellardyke, Fife, had rounds of 70, 72 and 74 for a level par aggregate of 216 over the par-72, 6,216yd course. Krystle is pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved).
She had four birdies in each of her first two rounds but only two in her final round and, in the final analysis, bogeys at the 15th and 16th cost her third place.
Sweden's Caroline Hedwall, who enrolled at Oklahoma State University only a couple of weeks ago, made a great American winning debut. She scored 73, 70 and 69 for four-under-par 212 to win the individual title ahead of another Swede, Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) who beat her in this year's final of the British women's amateur championship at North Berwick.
The Scot finished ahead of American Curtis Cup star Amanda Blumenherst who won the US women's amateur title last month, and Belen Mozo, the Spaniard who won both the British girls and British women's amateur championships in two years ago.
Blumenherst shot a final round of 71, but still had the worst finish of her college career. Her joint 14th finish was the first time the three-time Golfweek College Player of the Year has finished outside the top 10.
Former English girls champion Ellie Givens (Denver) had a nightmare start to the season. She scored 77, 76 and 81 to finish joint 47th on 234.
Krystle Caithness's efforts enabled her university, Georgia, to finished fourth of 15 in the team event, no mean feat considering that top-ranked Duke University came eighth. Had she got more support from her team-mates, Georgia could have finished runners-up to title winners Arizona State who will have an even stronger squad come January when European women's amateur champion Carlota Ciganda from Spain enrols at the university.
Georgia team-mate Marta Silva was only a shot behind Caithness after two rounds of 72-71 but she slumped to a closing effort of 82 which must have been not only disappointing for the Spaniard, it was a body blow to Georgia's top-three team finish hopes.
HOW THEY FINISHED
Individuals

Par 216 (3 x 72)
212 Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) 73 70 69.
214 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) 69 76 69.
215 Lizette Salas (Southern California) 73 74 68.
216 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 70 72 74, Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 75 70 71, Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 73 66 77.
Other scores:
220 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 77 72 71, Belen Mozo (Southern California) 76 74 70. (jt 14th).
234 Ellie Givens (Denver) 77 76 81 (jt 47th).
Leading Teams
872 Arizona State. 880 Southern California. 883 Virginia. 884 Georgia. 886 Alabama. 895 Oklahoma State. 908 Wake Forest. 913 Denver. 15 Teams took part.

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KRYSTLE SPARKLES EARLY ON
AMERICAN COLLEGE CIRCUIT

Curtis Cup Scot Krystle Caithness made a solid start to the new United States women's college circuit with scores of 70 and 72 for a two-under-par aggregate after the first two rounds of the 54-hole Duramed Fall Preview tournament at Caves Valley golf course, Owings Mills in Maryland.
In a top quality field, Krystle, a 19-year-old student at the University of Georgia, was lying third at the end of the day, four shots behind the leader, Jennie Arseneault (Virginia) who had 68 and 70 for 138.
Krystle, from Cellardyke, Fife, was only two off the pace until she double-bogeyed the par-4 ninth. She had started her round at the 12th and had birdies at the 13th and 14th, bogeys at the 17th and 18th followed by birdies at the first and fifth before her 6 at the 346yd ninth hole.
American Curtis Cup star and the new US women's amateur champion, Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) was down the field with 77 and 72 for 149.

LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72). 6269yd.
138 Jennie Arseneault (Virginia) 68 70.
139 Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 73 66.
142 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 70 72.
143 Mina Harigae (Duke) 74 69, Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) 73 70, Marta Silva (Georgia) 72 71.
145 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) 69 76, Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 75 70, Camilla Lennarth (Alabama) 70 75.
Other scores:
149 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 77 72.
]150 Belen Mozo (Southern California) 76 74.

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE NEW SEASON OF WOMEN'S COLLEGE GOLF IN THE UNITED STATES, ONLY ON www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

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Emma Browns wins Royal
Birkdale Scratch Trophy
for first time

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire’s Emma Brown has won the Royal Birkdale Scratch Trophy for the first time with a seven-under par total for 36 holes.
Emma, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency (all rights reserved), from Malton & Norton, pipped the host club’s Kelly Tidy by one shot. She had seven birdies in her morning round of five-under 70 and signed off with a 73.
She emulated Open champion Padraig Harrington with an eagle 3 on the 17th in the final round. Emma’s five-wood shot finished within 3ft of the pin and she went on to birdie the last.
“I was really pleased to win and it’s always great to play Royal Birkdale, especially after the Open championship was held there earlier in the year,” said Emma, who is a former English, British and European champion.
(Brown is Emma's married surname. Her maiden name was Emma Duggleby).
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
143
Emma Brown (Malton & Norton) 70 73.
144 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 72 72.
147 Charlotte Wild (Mere) 74 73, Laura Collin (John O’Gaunt) 72 75.
148 Claire Fry (Royal Liverpool) 72 76.
150 Brogan Townend (Pleasington) 77 73, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 74 76.
152 Helen Butterfield (Sleaford) 76 76, Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) 75, 77.
153 Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 77 76, Stephanie Farrar (Sandiway) 76 77, Fiona Thompson (Ellesborough) 74 79, Giorgina Brown (Mere) 72 81.

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England name squad seeking sixth
straight seniors' team title

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
England will target their sixth straight win in the women's Seniors’ Home Internationals at Little Aston Golf Club, Birmingham, from September 30-Ocober 2.
The team is unchanged from the side which took fourth place in last week’s European seniors’ team championship in the Netherlands. It includes English seniors’ champion Sue Dye of Cheshire and English senior strokeplay champion Janet Collingham of Nottinghamshire.
The team, captained by Cathy Bowerbank (Dinsdale Spa), is:
Janet Collingham (Sherwood Forest)
Sue Dye (Delamere Forest)
Carolyn Kirk (Ganton)
Barbara Laird (Sandiway)
Chris Quinn (Hockley)
Christine Stirling (Meon Valley)
Christine Watson (Beaconsfield
Non- travelling reserves in alphabetical order:
Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court)
Geraldine Bray (Littlestone)
Pat Wrightson (Huddersfield)
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

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Pamela Feggans' strong finish
but no birdies for Vikki Laing

Pamela Feggans and Vikki Laing, the two Scots on the US Futures Tour, finished joint 25th and joint 30th respectively in the second last event of the season, the Iloveny Championship over the Capital Hills at Albany golf course at Albany, New York State (on Sunday).
Pamela, from Patna, Ayrshire, had ever-imprving rounds of 75, 73 and 70 for a five-over-par total of 218 over the par-71 course. Starting at the 10th, she had birdies at the 13th, third, fifth and eighth and bogeys at the 14th, 18th and fourth in her final round which improved her position from joint 48th at the start of the day and earned her $839.
Musselburgh exile Vikki scored 73, 71 and 75 for 219 and earned $796. She had no birdies in her final round in which she bogeyed the eighth, ninth, 15th and 18th.
Australian Sarah-Jane Kenyon from Queensland won the top prize of $14,000 with rounds of 64, 71 and 69 for nine-under-par 204.

TEN WHO HAVE EARNED PROMOTION
TO 2009 LPGA TOUR
Ten Futures Tour players earned 2009 LPGA membership by finishing in the top 10 on the season money list.
This graduates are, in order of finish:
1 Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Florida
2 Mindy Kim of Diamond Bar, California.
3 Sarah-Jane Kenyon of Queensland, Australia.
4 M J Hur of Seoul, South Korea.
5 Jin Young Pak of Kang Leung, South Korea.
6 Song Yi Choi of Seoul, South Korea.
7 Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ontario.
8 Leah Wigger of Louisville, Kentucky.
9 Sophia Sheridan of Guadalajara, Mexico.
10 Kim Welch of Sacramento, California.
The next five players on the Futures Tour’s money list, excluding current LPGA members, earned automatic entry into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida from December 3-7.
Those players, in order of finish, are:
Haeji Kang of Seoul, South Korea;.
Mo Martin of Altadena, California.
Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, California.
Kristina Tucker of Stockholm, Sweden.
Gerina Mendoza of Roswell, New Mexico.
Stephanie Otteson of Wilson, North Carolina.
“It means so much to me to have my LPGA status for next year,” said Vikky Hurst, 18, who finished on top of the Tour’s season money list with record single-season earnings of $93,107, and a rookie year that included four tournament wins.
“Now I have my LPGA card. It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid.”
Kim won three times this season and finished second on the Tour’s money list with earnings of $79,270.
Kenyon started last week ranked eighth on the season money list, but her win at this week’s ILOVENY Championship and her $14,000 winner’s cheque vaulted her up the money list into the No. 3 spot with earnings of $48,637.
Hur, 18, also was a rookie this season. She recorded eight top-10 finishes, including a win in April at the Louisiana Pelican Classic in Lafayette, La., and finished the season ranked fourth in earnings at $45,137.
Rounding out the top five with earnings of $42,368, was 2007 LPGA Tour member Jin Young Pak. Pak lost her LPGA status and was forced to return to the Futures Tour, where she won her first professional title in 2005.

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Sunday, September 07, 2008

Martina Eberl comes from six shots back
to overhaul Melissa Reid for victory

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Helsingør, Denmark.
Germany’s Martina Eberl overcame a six-shot deficit to claim a one-stroke victory at the Nykredit Masters in Denmark today.
The 27-year-old from Munich finished with a final round of seven-under-par 66 with a 54-hole, 14-under-par total, at Simon’s Golf Club.
Second round leader Melissa Reid from Derby was runner up at 13-under-par after closing with a level par 73.
Annika Sorenstam, playing in her last tournament in Europe before stepping away from tournament golf at the end of the year, took third place on nine-under after a closing 71.
Eberl caught Reid after six birdies in her first 15 holes and was two shots ahead of the 20-year-old rookie after further birdies on holes 16 and 17.
After a five minute wait on the last tee, Eberl pulled her tee shot into trees on the left and took a further four shots to hit the green. Reid missed a 5ft birdie chance before Eberl sank her bogey putt from five feet for the win and avoided a play-off.
“On 18, I found my ball in the trees and I’m glad I have a great caddie who tells me that a bogey is enough,” said Eberl, who admitted that she had wanted to go for the green, before her caddie Paul Vincent-Fernie advised her to lay-up. “I am really happy that Paul kept his head cool because mine was a little bit too hot in that moment. It was a great day and I enjoyed playing with Annika for three rounds.”
It was Eberl's third victory on the Ladies European Tour inside 12 months and her second of the 2008 season after winning the BMW Ladies Italian Open in July. “I’ll go to America next week and try to qualify for the LPGA,” said the sixth year LET player.
“It is another confidence boost and what I needed. It’s a good set for the next few weeks with Arras and Madrid coming up.”
Eberl will defend her maiden LET title at the Madrid Ladies Masters in a month’s time.
Reid accepted her third runner-up spot of the season, after second places in the Netherlands and England. “It’s a bit annoying but I played really badly today. I hit two of three really good shots and that’s it. I’m 20 years old and I want to win so badly that I probably need to stay more patient and shoot lower,” Reid said.
Sorenstam carded three birdies and one three-putt bogey in her final round but missed multiple opportunities.
“I played well and hit the ball beautifully but Martina played better today,” said Sorenstam. “You can only do what you can do and it wasn’t enough. The difference was that Martina used her birdie chances. I think it has been a really nice tournament and I’m glad that I came here to play with Iben (Tinning).
“I wasn’t thinking about it being my last tournament in Europe throughout the round as I was focused on my game but at the last hole I was thinking 'Now it comes to an end.' "
Sorenstam now returns home to America and will play in her final event at the Dubai Ladies Masters in December.
Denmark’s Iben Tinning was fourth on eight-under after closing with a 71, while her compatriot Julie Tvede shared sixth with England’s Laura Davies, Beth Allen of the United States and two-time LET winner Lotta Wahlin of Sweden on five-under-par.
Davies will defend at next week’s UNIQA Ladies Golf Open, presented by Raiffeisen, in Austria, from September 11-14.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 219 (3 x 73)
205 M Eberl (Ger) 66 73 66 (30,000 Euros).
206 M Reid (Eng) 67 66 73 (20,300 Euros).
210 A Sorenstam (Swe) 71 68 71 (14,000 Euros).
211 I Tinning (Den) 70 70 71 (10,800).
214 J Tvede (Den) 75 71 69, L Davies (Eng) 73 72 69, L Wahlin (Swe) 70 74 70, B Allen (US) 72 70 72 (6,620 each).
215 A Monke (Ger) 72 74 69, C Alonso (Spa) 73 72 70, D-C Becker (Spa) 68 76 71, B Brewerton (Wal) 72 72 71, N Reid (Swe) 71 712 72, J Westerberg (Swe) 76 68 75 (3,650 each).
Other scores included:
216 L Hall (Eng) 78 69 69 (jt 15th) (2,766).
217 C Queen (Sco) 69 78 70 (jt 21st) (2,430).
218 L Hall (Wal) 75 71 72 (jt 25th) (2,220).
219 J Wilson (Sco) 74 74 71, G Simpson (Eng) 71 71 77, R Hudson (Eng) 72 76 71 (jt 28th) (1,830 each).
221 S Walker (Eng) 73 76 72 (jt 43rd) (1,140).
223 L Kenny (Sco) 73 73 77 (jt 50th) (860).

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Vikki and Pamela make the cut in Futures Tour event

Vikki Laing and Pamela Feggnas both made the cut when the second round of the Futures Tour event, the Iloveny Championship, was completed at Capital Hills at Albany golf course, New York State today.
Flooding forced a suspension of play in mid-afternoon on Saturday before everyone had finished their second rounds.
Vikki had a 71 for a share of 19th place on two-over-par 144 - nine shots behind tournament leader Sarah-Jane Kenyon from Australia (71-135).
Pamela had a 73 for 148 and joint 48th place.Only those with 36-hole aggregates of 149 or better made the cut.
One of the failures was Brenda McLarnon from Belfast. She had scores of 79 and 77 for 156.

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Murcar Links' winning team on Saturday (left to right): Shona Anderson, Donna Pocock, Susan Murray, Carol Wilson, Laura McLardy.
Murcar Links beat Kilmacolm to
reach Mail on Sunday last eight

Murcar Links are through to the last eight of the Mail on Sunday women's inter-club championship.
The North-east club team beat Kilmacolm 3-2 at Murcar Links in very windy conditions on Saturday.
The Briggs sisters, playing at No 1 and No 5 in the "batting order" for Kilmacolm, won their ties but wins by Carol Wilson, Shona Anderson and Susan Murray in the middle-order matches enabled Murcar Links to reach the last eight.
The quarter-finals will be played at Marriott Worsley Park, Manchester on Monday, September 22.
Saturday's details:
MURCAR LINKS 3, KILMACOLM 2
Laura McLardy lost to Eilidh Briggs 1 hole.
Carol Wilson bt Sally Foster 3 and 2.
Shona Anderson bt Marion Stewart 2 and 1.
Susan Murray bt Annabel Kane 7 and 5.
Donna Pocock lost to Megan Briggs 2 and 1.

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Ladies European Tour Qualifying School

at La Manga in January ... not all that

far away from Hacienda del Alamo

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
The Ladies European Tour Qualifying School for the 2009 season will take place at Golf Club La Manga, one of the world’s finest all round sports and leisure resorts, located in Murcia, on south eastern Spain’s Costa Cálida, over a two-week period in January 2009.
Pre-qualifying will take place from Monday to Friday, January 5 to 9th, 2009, while Final Qualifying will take place the following week, from Saturday to Friday, January 10 to 16th.
Entry forms and full information will be available from the LET website at the end of September. In the mean time, for information about the club, please visit the website: http://lamangaclub.com/.

2009 HACIENDA DEL ALAMO WOMEN'S WINTER GOLF FESTIVAL:
The five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort is not all that far away from the La Manga Club.
We are hoping that competitors at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School, both stages, will take the opportunity while they are there to sample the five-star practice facilities at Hacienda del Alamo and also to play a practice round over the Dave Thomas-designed championship course, where the 2nd Women's Winter Golf Festival will be played from February 11 to 17.
Then, of course, we hope that they will submit entries for the professional category of the 2009 Festival.
Billy Sim is the Director of Golf at Hacienda del Alamo. If you wish to contact him to fix up a practice round or to use the practice facilities, his E-mail address is: billysim@hdagolf.com
For enquiries about renting accommodation at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, Sue Gardiner is the person to contact. Her E-mail address is: sue@hmrental.com. Log on to her website for details at: http://www.hmrental.com/
If you wish details about the 2009 Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival E-mailed to you, contact Festival Controller Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort website is available at:
http://www.clubdegolfhda.com/eng/index.html




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