Gwladys Nocera scores fifth win

of season in Madrid Masters

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Gwladys Nocera today won the Madrid Ladies Masters for her fifth win of the year. The Frenchwoman, pictured right with the trophy by courtesy of the LET website, secured her 10th Ladies European Tour title in three seasons with a closing round of six-under-par 67. She finished on a total of 208, 11-under-par, after 54 holes at Casino Club de Golf Retamares, four strokes ahead of Paula Marti from Spain.
The €100,000 first prize money catapulted her to the top of the New Star Money List, which is the tour’s official ranking. With €382,605 in season’s earnings, Nocera is now €62,505 clear of second ranked Helen Alfredsson, the 2008 Evian Masters champion.
“I knew this week was important for the New Star Money List and it’s big for me because that was the plan at the beginning of the year. It is a big thing for me and I’m just happy I did it,” said Nocera.
“It means a lot this week because I won two weeks ago and then I went to the French Open hoping to win. It was pretty hard there.”
Nocera has seven top ten finishes this season in addition to her five wins, achieved in Scotland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Spain.
“I think it is just a good year for me. Golf is a funny sport. It is up and down. This year is up and you never know what will happen now. I want to enjoy it because you don’t know what will happen tomorrow,” she added.
After opening with rounds of 72 and 69, Nocera had nine birdies, one bogey and one double bogey in the third and final round. She conceded a 6 at the par-4 first hole was not the perfect start. “It was stupid. I started off on the left side on the drive. I had a bad lie and I hit my shot short of the bunker. My feet were in the bunker and my ball was lying on the sandy area. I hit it fat and it hit the bunker on the lip. I couldn’t hit it out normally so I had to chip and made a good putt for a double bogey."
Nocera wanted to thank her coach Olivier Leglise, who despite many appearances on tour has never seen his star pupil win. “He sent me such a nice text message last night and I told him “I just want to prove to myself that I’m the best.” I hope he is happy,” she said.
Marti, the 2002 order of merit winner, had three birdies in her bogey free round of 70. The two-time LET champion posted her eighth top ten finish of the season and moved from 10th to seventh on the ranking. “I’m very, very happy because the season has been really good,” said Marti. “It was nice to finish second. I don’t want to think about winning but if every week I’m up there, the win will come.”
The 2007 Scandinavian TPC winner Catriona Matthew from North Berwick was third on six-under after a final round of 70. “I’m pretty pleased; a little disappointed but I played well,” said Matthew. “There were a lot of putts that didn’t go in but I’m pleased with how I played.”
The English and Tenerife Open champion Rebecca Hudson of England and Spain’s Tania Elosegui both shot a final round of 69 to tie for fourth on five-under.
Swedes Johanna Westerberg (68), Emma Zackrisson (69), Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord (70) and South Korea’s Amy Yang (73) were joint sixth on four under, with Iben Tinning (72) in tenth.
The LET now has a three-week break until the Suzhou Taihou Ladies Open in China, followed by the final three events of the year in Korea, India and Dubai.
Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House) improved on a pair of 80s to sign off with a one-over-par 74. But she finished last, Martina Eberl having retired with a shoulder complaint.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 219 (3 x 73)

208 G Nocera (France) 72 69 67 (100,000 Euros).

212 P Martin (Spain) 68 74 70 (42,400).

213 C Matthew (Scotland) 68 75 70 (28,000).

214 T Elosegui (Spain) 68 77 69, R Hudson (England) 72 73 69 (19,280 each).

215 J Westerberg (Sweden) 70 77 68, E Zackrisson (Sweden) 72 74 69, M Skarpnord (Norway) 73 72 70, A Yang (South Korea) 69 73 73 (11,240 each).

216 I Tinning (Denmark) 70 74 72 (8,000).

Selected scores:

217 K S Taylor (England) 67 78 72, L Davies (England) 70 75 72 (jt 11th) (6,893 each).

218 M Reid (England) 71 78 69 (jt 14th) (6,060).

219 S Head (England) 73 77 71, G Simpson (England) 76 76 78 ((jt 19th) (5,040 each).

225 B Brewerton (Wales) 75 75 75 (jt 28th) (4,080).

226 L Hall (England) 77 74 75 (jt 31st) (3,780).

227 F Johnson (England) 70 82 75 (jt34th) (3,600).

232 T Johnson (England) 80 76 76 (jt 39th) (3,060).

234 C Queen (Scotland) 80 80 74 (41st) (2,880).

Scots Lindsay and Molloy in top 10
of Viking classic at Fort Dodge

Banchory's Adam Lindsay (Iowa Wesleyan College) finished joint third and Glasgow's Graeme Molloy (Grand View College) shared eighth place in a field of 78 players for the GVC Viking Classic at Fort Dodge Country Club, Iowa.
Adam scored 73 and 71 for a two-over-par total of 144 over the par-71, 6213yd course.
He finished two shots behind the winner, Brett Nymeyer (Waldorf) (71-69).
Molloy followed up a 78 with a 69, which equalled the tournament low, to finish on 147.
Grand View (591) won the team event with Iowa Wesleyan (607) fourth of 14 teams.

Gemma improves by three in second

round of Tar Heel Invitational

Gemma Webster (Ohio State), pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had rounds of 80 and 77 for a 36-hole tally of 157 in the Tar Heel Invitational over the University of North Carolina's Finley course (Par 72, 6285yd) at Raleigh.

The new leader at the head of a field of 93 is Natalie Sheary (Wake Forest) with 71 and 70 for 141.

Next comes Cindy LaCrosse (Louisville) with 74 and 68 for 142.

And in third spot is Nannette Hill (Wake Forest) with 71 and 72 for 153.

Former world tennis No 1 Ivan Lendl's oldest golfing daughter, Marika, now a student at the University of Central Florida, jumped up from tied 33rd to joint sixth with a second-round 70, six shots better than her opening effort.

Sweden's Caroline Westrup (Florida State) went in the opposite direction, from joint 10th to joint 26th after slipping from a 73 to a 78 for 151.

Not surprisingly, Wake Forest, with two players in the top three with one round to go, are leading the team event.

One South Korean replaces another as
leader of Samsung Championship

Ricoh Women's British Open champion Ji-Yai Shin (South Korea) dropped out of the lead with a second-round 76, nine shots worse than her first-day effort, in the Samsung World Championship at Half Moon Bay Golf Links, California.
Over a par-72, 6450yd course, another South Korean, Na Yeon Choi took over a two-shot lead with scores of 69 and 71 for four-under-par 140.
She leads from defending champion Lorena Ochoa, yet another South Korean, Song-Hee Kim and Americans Angela Stanford and Paula Creamer.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72) 6450yd
140 Na Yeon Choi (SKo) 69 71.
142 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 69 73, Song-Hee Kim (Sko) 69 73, Angela Stanford (US) 68 73, Paul Creamer (US) 68 74.
Selected scores:
143 Ji-Yai Shin (SKo) 67 76 (jt 6th)
144 Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 74 70 (jt 9th).
146 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 69 77 (jt 12th).
148 Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 75 73 (jt 16th).

Catriona Matthew (75) in fourth
place behind Gwladys Nocera

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
European No 2 Gwladys Nocera carded a four-under-par 69 to give herself a one-shot lead at the Madrid Ladies Masters in Spain today.
The 33-year-old Frenchwoman had seven birdies and three bogeys to move to five-under for the tournament on a windy day at Casino Club de Golf Retamares. She finished ahead of Spain’s Paula Marti and South Korean teenager Amy Yang, who has won twice this year in Germany and Sweden.
“I had to stay patient. My putting was pretty good. The wind was really difficult today and different from yesterday so it was hard to judge the distances sometimes. I worked it out well with my caddie. The wind was about two clubs difference so it was pretty tricky,” Nocera said.
Nocera is bidding for her fifth title this season at the 54-hole event. Only one other player has won more than four in a single year in the 30-year history of the Ladies European Tour: Marie Laure de Lorenzi of France who won seven times in 1988.
There are other goals within reach for Nocera. A top two finish in this event would see her leapfrog Helen Alfredsson into pole position on the New Star Money List, which is the tour’s official ranking.
“I knew coming into this week that doing well here would give me more chances to win the New Star Money List. I know I have to play well here. I have one round left, which is the hardest round, but I’m going to give it everything,” she said.
However the French player is only one ahead of the 2002 order of merit winner Paula Marti, who is currently 10th in Europe, and fourth ranked Yang. Marti returned a 74, which included an eagle at the last hole, to be four-under, while Yang returned a 73.
“It was a horrible day. I was suffering,” said Marti. “We needed to be patient. I didn’t start that great. I started bogey, par, bogey and then I made a birdie on the fifth and then on the 10th again. I was really unlucky on 12. I hit a good shot in but it hit the lip of the bunker and went in. "Hole 14 is playing the hardest. I hit it to the bunker on the right, hit a super bunker shot to a metre and a half but missed it. I three-putted the next. Luckily I finished much better than yesterday.”
Yang, who was the youngest ever winner on the LET when she won the 2006 ANZ Ladies Masters, added: “It was a really different day. It was so windy; yesterday was so calm and warm. It turned into such a different day.”
Six-under-par after 10 holes in the second round, Yang lost her lead after she double bogeyed the par-4 14th hole. She said: “Hole 14 is the highest point and it was so windy there. When I was swinging the wind pushed me suddenly and then I hit it funny. I hit it into the bush and took an unplayable. I saved one putt so it could have been a worse score.”
North Berwick's Catriona Matthew shot 75 and finished the day alone in fourth place.
Denmark’s Iben Tinning was fifth after a round of 74. England’s Laura Davies, who won her 70th title in Austria three weeks ago, carded a 75 and was joint sixth with Spain’s Tania Elosegui, Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord and compatriots Rebecca Hudson and Kirsty S Taylor, the first round leader.
The defending champion Martina Eberl of Germany retired with an injured shoulder.
COLIN FARQUHARSON'S SCOTSWATCH:
Two double bogey 6s in the same round would be disastrous in an LPGA Tour event. So Catriona Matthew will have been mildly surprised she was still occupying as high a position as fourth after 36 holes in Madrid.
The North Berwick player had birdies at the third, 10th, 13th and 18th but 6s at the par-4 sixth and 14th in halves of 38 and 37.
Clare Queen repeated her first-round 80 and is anchored at the bottom of the field.
She had birdies at the third and fifth in halves of 38 and 42. The short 17th must be giving the Scot nightmares. It cost her a double bogey 5 in the first round - and a triple bogey 6 today!

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
MADRID LADIES MASTERS
Casino Club de Golf Retamares
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 146 (2 x 73)
141 Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 72 69
142 Amy Yang (Kor) 69 73, Paula Marti (Spa) 68 74
143 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 68 75
144 Iben Tinning (Den) 70 74
145 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 73 72, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 72 73, Laura Davies (Eng) 70 75, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 68 77, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 67 78
146 Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 73 73, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 72 74, Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 70 76
147 Maria Boden (Swe) 76 71, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 70 77
148 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 73 75, Marina Arruti (Spa) 72 76, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 70 78
149 Anja Monke (Ger) 73 76, Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 73 76, Anna Arrese (Spa) 72 77, Melissa Reid (Eng) 71 78
150 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 75 75, Diana Luna (Ita) 75 75, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 73 77, Samantha Head (Eng) 73 77, Ana B Sanchez (Spa) 72 78
151 Lisa Hall (Eng) 77 74, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 76 75, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 76 75, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 71 80
152 Georgina Simpson (Eng) 76 76, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 70 82
153 Caroline Afonso (Fra) 74 79
155 Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 80 75, Federica Piovano (Ita) 75 80, Marta Prieto (Spa) 71 84
156 Trish Johnson (Eng) 80 76, Itziar Elguezabal (Spa) 77 79
157 Mireya Prats (Spa) 74 83
160 Clare Queen (Sco) 80 80, Martina Eberl (Ger) 78 82

SLIPPING AND SLIDING - BUT

VIKKI MAKES IT THROUGH

TO LPGA FINAL Q SCHOOL

Vikki Laing slumped from joint 12th place overnight to a final position of joint 27th - but that was good enough to include her among the 32 players with four-round totals of 294 or better who qualified for the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School at LPGA International, Daytona Beach, Florida from December 3 to 7.
The 27-year-old US-based player from Musselburgh, thrown a lifeline with a place in the field for the last of the LPGA's regional eliminating competitions - she had already failed to qualify in an earlier regional, had a final round of six-over-par 78 after earlier rounds of 73, 69 and 73, for a total of 293.

She made it through with only one shot to spare after looking comfortably placed at the start of the final day.

Chella Choi was the No 1 qualifier with 71, 67, 72 and 69 for nine-under-par 279.

That was one stroke ahead of Spanish Ladies European Tour player, Beatriz Recari and Nontaya Srizawang.

Another Spanish player was not so fortunate. Elisa Serramia, winner of the British women's open amateur championship at Lindrick a few years back, missed out with a total of 299.

LEADING TOTALS

Par 288 (4 x 72)

279 Chella Choi 71 67 72 69.

280 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 69 71 71, Nontaya Srisawang 72 67 7269.

281 Jaclyn Sweeney (amateur) 71 68 70 72.

Other qualifiers included:

293 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 73 69 73 78 (jt 27th).

+A total of 32 players with totals of 294 or better qualified.

Non-qualifiers included:

299 Elisa Serramia (Spain) 71 77 74 77.

ends

New boys from Glasgow make top 25
in West Viriginia tournament

Two freshmen students from Glasgow, Gavin Stirling (Ohio Valley University) and Alasdair Forsyth (Davis & Elkins College, West Virginia) figure among the top 25 finishers in a field of 74 players for the West Virginia Central Regional college tournament at Canaan Valley Resort.
Gavin had rouns of 73 and 75 for a four-over-par total of 148 which earne dhim joint 17th place.
Forsyth scored 73 and 77 for 150 and a share of 24th place.
The winner was Ryan Terdik (Concord) with 69 and 70 for five-under-par 139.
Concord University (578) also won the team title by one stroke in a tight finish with joint runners-up Ohio Valley and Charleston.
Davis & Elkins came 12th on 620.

Scots Harper and Leeds do well
for Odessa College in New Mexico

Carnoustie's Kris Harper ands Ross Leeds from Glenfarg, Perthshire - both second year students at Odessa College, Texas - finished high up in the individual section of a Odessa CC v New Mexico CC golf match at Ratlif Ranch, Ocotillo in New Mexico.
Harper, winner of the Carnoustie Craw's Nest Tassie last year, had scores of 72 and 71 for a one-under-par total of 143 over the 6,960yd course to finish joint third.
Leeds scored 74 and 71 for a share of fifth place on 145.
Also on 145 was a third Odessa student from the United Kingdom - Mark Penny who hails from Ashington, Northumberland. Mark had the same scores as Leeds: 74-71.
Brandon Dalton (New Mexico), the individual winner, was in a class of his own with scores of 65 and 67 for 12-under-par 132. He won by 11 shots.
In the team event, Odessa pipped New Mexico by a single shot - 572 to 573.

EDITOR'S NOTE
Thanks to the help of Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk reader/viewer Graham Suttie, I have been able to make contact with Kris Harper and clarify whether the venue for the above match was in Arizona, Texas or Mexico.
Our earlier version had Ocotillo as being in Arizona - but Google does not get everything right. Kris, through Graham Suttie, tells us that Ocotillo is in fact in New Mexico!
GolfStat, great US college golf news service that it is, is not 100% reliable either (who is?)
Kris says that Odessa v New Mexico match was held "some time ago," not October 1 and 2, as stated on GolfStat. He is right, of course. If you look up the Odessa College schedule, it was played on September 8 and 9.
Kris Harper also tells us that since then (September 21-22) he has played in the High Country Shooout at Ruidoso, New Mexico. That tournament's results have yet to appear on GolfStat.
But Kris tells us that he finished 12th even though he shot one-under-par 215 with rounds of 74 (three birdies), 67 (one eagle, five birdies and 74 (two birdies).
That suggests he was up against some quality opposition, which playing on the American college circuits is all about.
COLIN FARQUHARSON

Euan Brown's pleasing debut

for St Mary's College at

Pebble Beach, California

Former Scotland boy international Euan Brown from Troon has made a pleasing debut for St Mary's College, California on the American west coast college circuit.

Euan finished third of the 10 St Mary's College players in the St Mary's Invitational tournament over the world-famous Pebble Beach course.

The event was hosted by the nicely-named Poppy Hills Golf Club.

Nineteen-years-old and 6ft tall, Euan (pictured right) finished 42nd overall in a field of 90 players with scores of 74, 75 and 72.

Also in the field was an old Ayrshire and Kilmarnock Barassie buddy, David Addison, who is in his senior (final year) as a student at the University of Akron, Ohio.

David, who had some good scores during his summer holidays back home in Scotland, had rounds of 76, 75 and 75 for 226 and a share of 61st place at Pebble Beach.

The tournament was won by Domingo Jojola (San Francisco University) with scores of 71, 66 and 70 for six-under-par 207 - good shooting over Pebble Beach indeed.

Carley helps Belmont Abbey College

score first win of new season

Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina junior (third year) student Carley Warrington from the Derbyshire village of Bradwell has followed up her fifth place in the Sea Trail Invitational - in which she shot the Myrtle Beach tournament low of 69 in her final round - by finishing 12th with a pair of 80s in the Tusculum Fall Classic over a par-72 course at Links Hill Country Club.

Carley, pictured above, 20 past July, is a member of Sickleholme Golf Club, Bamford, and was her Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007.

Her efforts in the Tusculum Fall Classic helped Belmont Abbey College to win the team event by six shots from Wingate University. It was Belmont Abbey's first win of the season, a big improvement from eighth place in the Sea Trail Invitational.

Ashton Ingram from Fort William is also a student at Belmont Abbey College but is not figuring in the team at the moment.

Kirsty S Taylor sets Madrid pace
with a 67 (only 25 putts)

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England’s Kirsty S Taylor shot six-under-par 67 to lead by a stroke after the first round of the Madrid Ladies Masters today.
The 29-year-old from Overton near Basingstoke in Hampshire carded seven birdies and one bogey in glorious weather at Casino Club de Golf Retamares.
She finished the day one ahead of Catriona Matthew and the Spanish duo of Paula Marti and Tania Elosegui.
The 2002 LET rookie of the year, Taylor hopes to improve on her career-best finishes of third at the 2002 Wales WPGA Championship of Europe and joint third at the 2006 Tenerife Ladies Open.
Along with the other 39 players in the select field, she is gunning for the first prize of €100,000 at the final LET event of the year in Europe.
“I feel like I’m striking the ball really well this year. One day hopefully it will fit into place,” said Taylor, whose best finish this year was a tie for fourth at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in the Netherlands.
“It’s been a bit of an up and down season. I feel like I’ve played really well but not quite finished it off. I’m happy though; it could be a lot worse. I am very pleased because I just played very steady today.
"I didn’t miss many fairways or many greens and tried to keep it going. For the first time, I’ve had 25 putts in a round, which is pretty exciting for me.”
Taylor chipped in from a bunker to save par at the first hole, and then birdied the third, seventh, eighth and ninth going out, with one bogey at the fourth. She came back in three under par after further birdies at the 10th, 15th and 18th.
Paula Marti, the 2002 order of merit winner, was hot on her heels after firing eight birdies and three bogeys. The two-time LET champion from Barcelona is hoping to build on her seven top ten finishes so far this season.
“Today was really solid and I hit it really close, which was the key. My birdie putts were short ones. I’ve been practising those putts a lot and I think I am getting more consistent in making them,” said the 28-year-old.
Fellow Spaniard Tania Elosegui continued her run of recent form after two joint runner-up finishes in her last three events. The 26-year-old from San Sebastian tied for second in France last week as well as in Norway a fortnight earlier.
She was delighted to have birdied four of her opening five holes and after dropping two shots at the sixth and ninth holes, finished strongly with birdies at the 10th, 11th and 18th.
“I liked the course last year and I like it again this year; five-under is quite a good start,” said Elosegui, who is a third year tour player.
“I made some good birdies at the beginning. Towards the end I was not hitting great shots but I hit the green and made two putts for par and got a two-putt birdie on 18 so I am very happy with five-under.”
South Korea’s Amy Yang, 19, who has won twice in 2008, at the HypoVereinsbank Ladies German Open and the Scandinavian TPC, is lying fifth on four-under 69. A group of six players share sixth on 70 - Johanna Westerberg of Sweden, Felicity Johnson and Laura Davies from England, Spain’s Carmen Alonso and the Danish duo of Lisa Holm Sorensen and Iben Tinning.

COLIN FARQUHARSON'S SCOTSWATCH:
Catriona Matthew looked a class act with a bogey-free round of five-under-par 68. She birdied the long third and par-4 fourth on her way to the turn in two-under-par 34. Coming home she birdied another long hole, the 10th, as well as the par-4 11th and 14th for three-under 34 back.
Clare Queen had a disappointing day and is sharing the bottom rung on the scoreboard with an 80.
Clare had four birdies on her card - at the fifth, short ninth, long 10th and 15th - which should have formed the basis of a respectable score.
Instead she dropped shots at regular intervals and had two double bogeys, a 7 at the long seventh and a 5 at the short 16th. A horrendous finish of bogey-double bogey-bogey saw her home in 41.

Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
MADRID LADIES MASTERS
Casino Club de Golf Retamares
FIRST ROUND
Par 73
67 Kirsty S Taylor (Eng)
68 Paula Marti (Spa), Catriona Matthew (Sco), Tania Elosegui (Spa)
69 Amy Yang (Kor)
70 Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Carmen Alonso (Spa), Laura Davies (Eng), Iben Tinning (Den), Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den)
71 Melissa Reid (Eng), Marta Prieto (Spa), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa)
72 Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Marina Arruti (Spa), Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Ana B Sanchez (Spa), Anna Arrese (Spa)
73 Samantha Head (Eng), Veronica Zorzi (Ita), Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Anja Monke (Ger), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor)
74 Caroline Afonso (Fra), Mireya Prats (Spa)
75 Diana Luna (Ita), Becky Brewerton (Wal), Federica Piovano (Ita)
76 Lynn Brooky (Nzl), Maria Boden (Swe), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Georgina
Simpson (Eng)
77 Itziar Elguezabal (Spa), Lisa Hall (Eng)
78 Martina Eberl (Ger)
80 Clare Queen (Sco), Trish Johnson (Eng), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin)

VIKKI (joint 12th) LOOKS SET TO MAKE
IT THROUGH TO LPGA Q SCHOOL

Only a last-round collapse can prevent Vikki Laing winning a place in the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying school at Daytona Beach, Florida in early December.
The 27-year-old US-based former Curtis Cup player from Musselburgh had a 73 in the third round of the last of the LPGA Sectional Qualifiers at Venice, Florida today (Thursday). She had earlie scores of 73 and 69.
With a 54-hole tally of one-under-par 215, the Scot is joint 12th among the 72 players who survived the halfway cut. Only the leading 30 and ties at the end of the fourth round will advance to the LPGA Final Q School.
Spanish Ladies European Tour player Beatriz Recari is sharing the lead at seven-under-par 209 with an American amater, Jaclyn Sweeney.
LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
209 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 69 71, Jaclyn Sweeney (amateur) 71 68 70.
210 Chella Choi 71 67 72.
Selected scores:
215 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 73 69 73 (jt 12th).
222 Elisa Serramia (Spain) 71 77 74 (jt 41st).

The Pride of Wales. Senior women's home internationals champions at Little Aston (image courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union).

WALES SHOCK ENGLAND TO WIN

SENIOR WOMEN'S TITLE

Wales shocked hot favourites England - bidding to win the title for a sixth year in a row - by beating them 5-3 in the title decider on the last day of the senior women's home internationals at Little Aston Golf Club, near Birmingham.
Last month Wales won the women's home internationals at Wrexham. Now their over-50s have followed suit by breaking England's five-year grasp on the trophy. The senior women's home internationals started at Whittington Heath, near Birmingham in 2003 when England started their five-year monopoly of the championship. Wales are the first team other than England to be senior women's champions.
Scotland beat Ireland 5 1/2-2 1/2 to finish third.
Three players tied for the MVP individual title - Fiona De Vries (Scotland), pictured above, Ann Lewis (Wales) and Janet Collingham (England) each won 5pt.
Day 3 results:
WALES 5, ENGLAND 3
Foursomes: V Thomas & J O'Connor bt C Quinn & C Watson 3 and 2; J Rees & J Doleman bt J Collingham & B Laird 3 and 2; A Lewis & D Richards bt C Stirling & C Kirk 3 and 1 (3-0).
Singles: Thomas halved with S Dye, Rees halved with Cuinn, O'Connor lost to Collingham 3 and 2, Lewis bt Laird 4 and 3, Doleman lost to Stirling 2 and 1 (2-3).
SCOTLAND 5 1/2, IRELAND 2 1/2
Foursomes: L Bennett & F De Vries bt H Jones & S O'Brien-Kenney 3 and 2; M Smith & H Anderson halved with V Hassett & V McBride; J Harrison & F Hunter bt M McKenna & M Madden (2 1/2-1/2).
Singles: Bennett lost to O'Brien-Kenney 4 and 3, De Vries bt Jones 3 and 2; Smith bt Madden 5 and 4, Anderson bt Hassett 3 and 1, Harrison lost to McBride 2 and 1 (3-2).
HOW THEY FINISHED
1 Wales 3 wins, 2 England 2 wins, 3 Scotland 1 win, 4 Ireland 0 wins.

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

England’s long reign as Seniors’ Home International champions ended when they were beaten 5-3 by Wales on the last day of the 2008 matches at Little Aston.

Wales took the title, with three wins from three matches, and added this victory to the one they scored last month in the ladies’ Home Internationals at Wrexham.

England have won the (over-50s) competition every year since it started in 2003. Team captain Cathy Bowerbank said: “It’s very sad, but it was Wales’s day. On the day they were better than us on the greens. “Everyone is disappointed. They all played their socks off but it wasn’t meant to be. We have such a good team, but it wasn’t their day.”

The writing was on the wall when England lost all three morning foursomes. They won the singles sessions 3-2 but fell just short of squaring the overall match – which would have given them the title on countback.

In the day’s other match Scotland beat Ireland 5½-2½.

Final results: 1 Wales, 2 England, 3 Scotland, 4 Ireland.

Ellon's Kevin Duncan top Scot

at Crystal Lake in Georgia

Kevin Duncan from Ellon, Aberdeenshire, a second-year student at Clayton State University, Atlanta, finished top of the five Scots competing in this week's State Farm-Laker Collegiate Classic at Crystal Lake Golf & Country Club, Hampton in Georgia.

Kevin, pictured right, had rounds of 66, 74 and 79 for three-over-par 219 and 19th place in a field of 84 players.

Duncan's 66 saw him lead the field at the end of the first round. It was the lowest score by anyone over the 54 holes.

Another Ellon player, Grant Carnie (Brevard College), beaten in a play-off last week, had to settle for a share of 38th place on 223. He started slowly with a 79 and a pair of 72s after that showed what he was capable of producing.

Neil McBride (Clayton State) from Glasgow finished tied 46th on 225 with scores of 75, 72 and 78.

Aberdonian Tom Rennie, a member of the Deeside club and a freshman student at Brevard College, came 77th on 235 with scores of 80, 75 and 80.

Craig Galloway (Brevard College) from West Lothian came 81st equal with 82, 74 and 88 for 244.

Jordan Walor (UNC-Pembroke) was the winner with a five-under-par total of 211 (70-69-72) over a longish course at 7,202yd with a par of 72.

West Florida (864) won the team event ahead of UNC-Pembroke (870) with Clayton State sharing third place on 871 with Georgia College.

Brevard College came 11th of 14 teams with a total of 901.

ARBROATH STUDENT FINISHES JOINT

15th IN NORTH CAROLINA

Jamie Blake from Arbroath and David McGregor from Helensburgh, both students at Post University, New York State, finished joint 15th and 33rd respectively in a field of 62 players for the mailto:Dogfight@Ford Colony, a quaintly-named tournament over 36 holes at Ford's Colony Country Club in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina.

Again a course in excess of 7,000 yd with a par of 72 and the winner, Patrick Barrett (North Carolina) played brilliantly to win by six shots with a 14-under-par total of 130, made up of 66 and 64.

Jamie Blake scored 72 and 70 for 142 and David McGregor 73 and 74 for 147.

WELSH CHAMPION KIRSTY
O'CONNOR FINISHES 20th
IN OHIO INVITATIONAL

Welsh women's amateur champion Kirsty O'Connor from Burnley, a student at Ball State University, Indiana, finished 20th in a field of 72 for the First Annual Zippy Invitational women's college tournament at Rosemont Country Club, Fairlawn, Ohio.
Over a par-72, 6060yd course, Kirsty, pictured right after her Welsh title success, had scores of 78, 80 and 84 for a 26-over-par total of 242, 22 shots behind the winner Darby Peters (Eastern Michigan) who won by 10 shots with 71-73-76 for 220.

CLAIRE STARKIE DOWN THE FIELD
IN CONNECTICUTT INVITATIONAL

Claire Starkie (Georgia State) from Yorkshire had scores of 74, 78 and 72 for an eight-over-par total of 224 in the Heather Farr Memorial Invitational at Omni Interlocken, Broomfield in Connecticutt.
Claire came joint 36th in a field of 106 behind the winner, Kay Hoey (Long Beach), with rounds of 65, 71 and 71 for nine-under-par 207 over a par-72, 6221yd course.

VIKKI LAING BACK ON

TARGET TO MAKE THE

LPGA FINAL Q SCHOOL

Vikki Laing is back on target to qualify for the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Floria from December 1 to 7.
The 27-year-old former star amateur, who has struggled to find a consistency of form as a tour pro, has put together rounds of 73 and 69 for a two-under-par tally of 142 at the halfway stage of the last regional qualifying competition at Plantation Golf & Country Club, Venice in Florida.
Only the leading 30 and ties at the end of the fourth round will complete the field for the Final Q School.
Joint 35th after the first round, Vikki zoomed up to tied 11th in a field of close on 130 which was reduced to leading 70 and ties after 36 holes.

Former British amateur champion at Lindrick, Spaniard Elisa Serramia survived the first qualifying hurdle with 71 and 77 for 148 but she dropped from joint 11th to joint 46th with her five-over-par second round.
Among the failures was former English amateur champion and past Curtis Cup player Kiran Matharu (pictured above). She scored 82 and 78 for 160 for a share of 124th place.

LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)

138 Chella Choi 71 67, Beatriz Recari (Spain) 69 69.

139 Hae-Jung Kim 71 68, Nontaya Srisawang 72 67, Jaclyn Sweeney (amateur) 71 69.

Other selected scores:

142 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 73 69 (jt 11th).

148 Elisa Serramia (Spain) 71 77 (jt 46th).

MISSED THE CUT (leading 70 and ties)

160 Kiran Matharu (England) 82 78 (jt 124th).

Portia Abbott in happy mood on the practise putting green.

Portia Abbott from Wiltshire scores
first win for Jacksonville State

Portia Abbott from Wiltshire has scored her first win on the American women's college circuit.
A final-year student at Jacksonville State University, Portia strung together three steady rounds of 71, 74 and 73 for a two-over-par total of 218 to win the Fred Marx Invitational at Bayou Desiard Country Club, Monroe in Louisiana.
She won by three shots from Sara Larsson (Louisiana-Monroe) (74-72-75) over a par-72, 5895yd course. Portia's previous highest finish in the States was a third place in 2006.
Shirley Harvey from Belfast, a senior student at South Alabama University finished joint 21st with scores of 79, 78 and 79 for a total of 236.
Essex-born Laura Cutler, a junior-year team-mate of Portia Abbott at JSU, tied for 36th place in a field of 56 with scores of 84, 77 and 80 for 241.
With no close back-up for Portia Abbott, Jacksonville State (918) could finish only third in the team title chase behind Samford (896) and Central Arkansas (917). South Alabama (944) came seventh of the 11 competing teams.

Shirley Harvey just outside top 20 in Louisiana

Shirley Harvey from Belfast, a senior year student at South Alabama University, had rounds of 79, 78 and 79 for an aggregate of 236 which earned her a share of 21st place in the Fred Marx Invitational women's college tournament at Bayou Desiard Golf Club, Monroe in Louisiana.

SENIOR SCOTS HAVE THEIR
MOMENTS AGAINST ENGLAND

England march on towards a sixth title in a row but Scotland gave them a tougher match in losing 6-2 on the second day than Ireland had on Tuesday in the senior women's home golf internationals at Little Aston, near Birmingham.
England, for the second day in a row, made a 3-0 clean sweep of the foursomes, but they won only two of the singles.
In the foursomes, Fiona Hunter (Baberton) and Jill Harrison had been one up after nine but Christine Stirling and Carolyn Kirk won the 11th, 12th and 13th on their way to a two-hole victory.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) gained a 3 and 2 victory over Chris Kirk. Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) and Jill Harrison (Cruden Bay) gained half-points from halved games.
England's Susan Dye won the last hole to deny Bennett victory.
Harrison won the 16th and 17th to get back on terms with Chris Watson.
Heather Anderson (Downfield) started brightly enough against Janet Collingham, winning three of the first six holes. But Collingham won six holes without losing one after the seventh.
Stirling won the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and 10th on her way to a 4 and 3 win over Hunter.
Wales thrashed the hapless Ireland 7-1, winning all five singles.
The two 100 per cent teams, England and Wales, play tomorrow (Thursday) in the title decider.
Scotland and Ireland meet in the wooden spoon match.
Day 2 results
ENGLAND 6, SCOTLAND 2
Foursomes: C Quinn & C Watson bt L Bennett & F De Vries 4 and 3; J Collingham & BN Laird bt M Smith & H Anderson 2 and 1; C Stirling & C Kirk bt F Hunter & J Harrison 2 holes (3-0).
Singles: S Dye halved with Bennett, Kirk lost to De Vries 3 and 2, Collingham bt Anderson 4 and 2, Watson halved with Harrison, Stirling bt Hunter 4 and 3 (3-2).
IRELAND 1, WALES 7
Foursomes: H Jones & S O'Brien-Kenney bt J Rees & J Doleman 2 and 1; M McKenna & M Madden lost to V Thomas & J O'Connor 3 and 2; V McBride & M Henderson lost to A Lewis & D Richards 5 and 4 (1-2).
Singles: O'Brien-Kenney lost to Rees 4 and 3, Jones lost to Thomas 2 and 1, V Hassett lost to H Joyce 2 holes, Madden lost to Doleman 3 and 1, McBride lost to Lewis 1 hole (0-5).
How they stand
England and Wales 2 wins, Scotland and Ireland 0 wins.

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

Defending champions England defeated Scotland 6-2 on the second day of the Seniors’ Home Internationals at Little Aston and now meet Wales to decide the title.
England and Wales have both won their first two matches and their head-to-head will provide a great finale to the tournament.
England have won this competition every year since it started and are bidding for their sixth consecutive victory. Team captain Cathy Bowerbank commented; “It will be tough. Wales are playing well and have had two good wins, but we are ready for it and really looking forward to the match.”
Cathy is preparing her players with a ration of extra sweaters to combat the bitterly cold winds and icy showers. “Hopefully we will be warm enough!”
In their match against Scotland, England seized an early initiative by winning all three foursomes
Chris Quinn and Christine Watson were always in charge and conceded only two holes in a match which ended on the 15th. Janet Collingham & Barbara Laird steadily worked their way to a two up advantage after 13 and halved the next four holes to win their point.
Chris Stirling and Carolyn Kirk trailed their opponents on the outward half but won the 11th, 12th and 13th to go two up and they went on to win by that margin.
In the singles, English seniors’ champion Sue Dye again won the last hole to battle her way to a half-point. Janet Collingham was behind over the opening holes of her match but conceded nothing after the sixth and signed off with a birdie, birdie finish for a 4 and 2 win.
Christine Watson was two up with four to play but was pegged back to all square after the 17th. However, she held on to halve both the 18th and her match. Meanwhile, Chris Stirling was in fine form and worked her way to a comfortable victory.
“It was another fantastic result,” said Cathy.

Lewis Kirton fades in final round

of Kentucky Intercollegiate

Newmachar member Lewis Kirton, a second-year student at the University of Louisville-Kentucky, faded to a share of 40th place in a field of 77 with a final round of 80 in the Cardinal Intercollegiate golf tournament at Cardinal Club, Simpsonville, Kentucky this week.
Kirton had earlier had sub-par rounds of 71 and 70 over the 7,001yd course (par 72). He finished on five-over-par 221, 21 shots behind the winner, Trey Bowling (Eastern Kentucky) with rounds of 65, 70 and 65.
Kirton was playing as an individual, not as a member of the Louisville squad who won the team title by 15 shots with a 30-under-par total of 834.

Lewis, who hails from Oldmeldrum, suffered from glandular fever earlier in the year and subsequently felt very tired in the closing stages of a three-round tournament.

Although he played well in the North-east District Open at Newburgh during his summer holidays, it may well be that Kirton is still not 100 per cent.

NEIL HENDERSON FINDS FORM IN
LAST ROUND IN VIRGINIA

Former Scottish schoolboys champion Neil Henderson shot a final round of two-under-par 69 - one of the best in the 54-hole tournament - to climb from 74th to a final placing of joint 51st in the Virginia Commonwealth University Shootout college golf tournament at Hermitage Country Club, Virginia earlier this week.
Henderson, pictured right, from the Glen club, North Berwick and a freshman student at Old Dominion University, had six birdies in his final round, which he started at the fifth hole.
He birdied four of his last six holes - the 17th, 18th, first and third.
Henderson's total of 220 was 19 shots behind the joint winners, Dustin Garza (Wichita State (66-66-69) and Brendan Gielow (Wake Forest) (68-64-69) but the Scot's score was second best of the Old Dominion team of five in the event.

Adult-girl greensomes at Edzell closing date
A reminder from Aileen Hunter that the closing date for entries to the Angus Ladies' adult-girl modified greensomes at Edzell Golf Club on Sunday, October 19 is MONDAY, OCTOBER 6.
Entry fee is £10 per couple.
Aileen reports a good response so far.
Aileen's E-mail address is: aileen@littlevoicecommunications.com
Other contacts:
Tel: 01307 460499
Mobile: 07918 083951

Surrey's Hannah Lovelock, now a first-year student at the University of Missouri, who was lying second after the first and second rounds of the Johnie Imes Invitational before finishing 23rd (image by leaderboardphotography).

Steph Gough from Aylesbury has found

her feet quickly on American scene

Ellesborough Golf Club member Steph Gough from Aylesbury, an 18-year-old freshman student at Middle Tennessee State University, has made a very good start on the American women's college circuit.

She finished seventh on her debut in the Gamecock Classic in early September .... joint sixth in the Cincinnati Fall Classic in mid-September ... and joint 14th in a strong field of 90 players for the Johnie Imes Invitational women's college tournament at The Club at Old Hawthorn, Columbia, Missouri, which finished on Tuesday this week.

Steph scored 76, 77 and 75 for a total of 228 over the par-72, 6204yd course.

The winner by four shots was Julia Potter (Missouri) with 67-70-72 for 209.

Middle Tennessee State came eighth of 18 in the team event won by Mississippi.

The form of Steph Gough and another new recruit, Karisa Akin from Kentucky, has Middle Tennessee State coach Chris Adams feeling very optimistic about the rest of the college season.

"Steph and Karisa are years ahead in regard to their maturity as freshmen. They are playing with loads of confience and they don't look back or think twice about anything. The way they are playing makes our team better as a whole."

Steph Gough won the Buckinghamshire junior championship this year. And Steph is a useful person to have around at party time - she plays the saxophone and the clarinet!
She has another player from Aylesbury, Clara Leathers, a past Bucks county champion, as a team-mate at Middle Tennessee State University.
Clara is in her third year. She didn't play so well in this last tournament, the Johnie Imes Invitational, scoring 78, 79 and 84 for 241 and a share of 51st player. But she has loads of experience on the US college scene and coach Adams is expecting her to come good before not too long.

A third English player in the Johnie Imes Invitational was girl international Hannah Lovelock from the Hindhead club, Surrey. Hannah, an 18-year-old first-year student at the University of Missouri, had a great first round of 68 - a career low - in which she had five birdies in the space of nine holes. That put her in second place behind team-mate Julie Potter.

In the second round, Hannah had four more birdies in recording a par-matching 72. That kept her in second place before it all came apart at the seams for her in a third-round 90 in which she had no birdies but three double bogeys and a 9 at the par-5 15th in halves of 41-49.

Hannah dropped from second to a final placing of 23rd on 230 but she had shown her potential to become one of the leading Missouri team players over the next four years.

Jacqueline Sneddon finishes joint
second in Grand Canyon event

Jacqueline Sneddon from Meigle, Perthshire, a student at Grand Canyon University, Arizona, finished joint second in the Grand Canyon Fall Invitational women's tournament at Coldwater Golf Club, Avondale.
Jacqueline, the first round leader in the 36-hole event over a par-72, 6043yd course, had scores of 73 and 75 for 148.
She was caught over the second round by Chelsa Helget (Sonoma State) who scored 78 and 69 for 147. Chelsa's Tuesday score was the only sub-par round of the tournament.
It was still Jacqueline's best performance since she went to America for the start of the 2007-2008 term.
Kelly Rainbolt (Lubbock Christian) matched Jacqueline's 148 total with scores of 75 and 73.
The first three finished three shots clear of two players in joint fourth place on 151.
Grand Canyon University (619) finished second behind California Baptist (615) with Sonoma State (622) third of 15 teams.

Channel Islander Olivia scores
first win on US women's
circuit -after a play-off

Channel Islander Olivia Jordan-Higgins, a third-year student at Charleston Southern University, South Carolina, has scored her first win on the United States women's college circuit over her adopted home course in her own university's tournament, the CSU Women's Fall Classic.
Olivia, 20, pictured above, won a play-off against Hannah Coles (Radford University) after they had tied with 36-hole scores of 149 over a par-71 course of 5,898yd.
Both players had rounds of 73 and 76 to finish two ahead of Spaniard, Aruka Felgueroso (Coastal Carolina) (74-77).
Bethune Cookman College's three English-born students all finished inside the top 20.
Emma Taylor from Devon scored 73 and 79 for a share of fourth place on 152.
Fern Grimshaw from Dorset scored 78 and 79 for 157 and joint 12th position.
Hannah Bews, also from Dorset and a recent transfer from Portland State University, had rounds of 79 and 83 for 16th place in a field of 54 players.
Bethune Cookman College is at Daytona Beach.
Thanks to Olivia Jordan-Higgins' effort, Charleston Southern won the team event with a total of 610. They finished four shots ahead of Coastal Carolina (614) with Bethune Cookman College (625) third of the 11 competing teams.

Paisley and Renwick down the field

in Ping/Golfweek Preview

Tennessee University students Chris Paisley from Newcastle and freshman Darren Renwick from Worthing, Sussex finished joint 31st and 61st respectively in a field of 75 players for the Ping/Golfweek Preview at Inverness Golf Club, Toledo, Ohio.

Over a 7,255yd course with a testing par of 71, Paisley, pictured above, scored 75, 76 and 70 for an eight-over-par total of 221. Renwick, who won the Scottish Under-16 open stroke-play title at Longniddry in 2005, scored 76, 77 and 78 for 231.

There was a tie at the top of the leaderboard on six-under-par 207 between Morgan Hoffman (Oklahoma State) and Sweden's Robin Wingardh (Tennessee). Hoffman scored 69, 66 and 72, Wingardh 69, 67 and 71.

Generally, there is a play-off in these situations but no indication of it or a result on the otherwise GolfStat college golf scores service.

Trent Leon (Oklahoma State) was third on 209 (70-73-66) with Rickie Fowler (Oklahoma State) fourth on 210 (68-69-73).

Oklahoma State won the team title with a total of 843, compared to runners-up Tennessee's 859.

Georgia (861) were third, Southern California (867) fourth, Alabama (868) fifth and Arizona State (870) 6th in a field of 15 teams.

Vikki Laing walking the LPGA Tour
tightrope ... 35th after first round

Musselburgh exile Vikki Laing is lying joint 35th in a field of 133 after scoring a one-over-par 73 in the first round of the last LPGA Tour Regional qualifying competition at Plantation Golf & Country Club, Venice in Florida today.
The 27-year-old former Scottish girls champion and past Curtis Cup player had already failed to qualify for the LPGA Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach from December 1 to 7.
She was thrown a lifeline with a place in this final eliminator but is under severe pressure right away. Only the top 30 and ties at the end of four rounds will advance to the Final Q School.
Former English amateur champion and another past Curtis Cup player, Kiran Matharu is much worse placed than the Scot. Kiran could do no better than an 82 which made her 131st in the field of 133.
Two South Koreans, Moah Chang and Sunny Oh, lead the field on 68, one shot ahead of Spain's Beatriz Recari and Susan Nam.

ends

Aberdeenshire girls' scratch and
handicap championship finals

Sunday sees the climax of the Aberdeenshire girls' season with the championship meeting at Inchmarlo Golf Resort which recently hosted the Scottish women's county finals won by Fife.
In the Aberdeenshire girls' scratch championship the semi-finals line up on Sunday morning will be:
9.20: Samantha Leslie (Murcar Links) v Nikita Lamond (McDonald Ellon).
9.30: Megan Clyne (Deeside) v Louise McGillivary (Banchory).

Fifteeen-year-old Megan, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, won the Paul Lawrie Junior Foundation girls' match-play final at Banchory on Sunday while Louise won the third place play-off.

The Aberdeenshire girls' handicap championship semi-finals at Inchmarlo on Sunday morning will be:
9.0: Vikki Powell (Deeside) v Rachel Polson (Peterculter).
9.10: Kirsten MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) v Kristina Vannet (Peterculter).

The handicap final will tee off first in the afternoon - at 2pm - followed by the scratch final at 2.10pm.

Scotland squad with captain Joan Marshall and manager Pat Wilson at the senior women's home internationals (image by courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union website).

SENIOR SCOTS LOSE LUNCHTIME
LEAD TO WALES IN SINGLES

Scotland, 2-1 leaders after the foursomes, lost four of the five afternoon singles to go down 5-3 to Wales on the opening day of the senior women's home golf internationals at Little Aston Golf Club, Birmingham today.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) was Scotland's only afternoon winner. She beat Jane Rees 2 and 1.
Scottish seniors match-play champion Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) was narrowly beaten in the top singles by her Welsh counterpart Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) who won by one hole.
England, winners of the title every one of the six years the over-50s championship has been in existence, looked different class as they opened their title defence with a 7 1/2-1/2 drubbing of Ireland.

Day 1 results at Little Aston:
SCOTLAND 3, WALES 5
Foursomes: L Bennett & F De Vries bt V Thomas & J O'Connor 1 hole; M Smith & K Sutherland lost to J Rees & J Doleman 5 and 4; J Harrison & F Hunter btr A Lewis & D Richards 3 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Bennett lost to Thomas 1 hole, De Vries bt Rees 2 and 1, H Anderson lost to H Joyce 3 and 2, Harrison lost to Lewis 4 and 3, Hunter lost to Doleman 2 1nad 1 (1-4).
ENGLAND 7 1/2, IRELAND 1/2
Foursomes: C Quinn & C Watson bt H Jones & S O'Brien-Kenney 3 and 2; J Collingham & B Laird bt V McBride & M Henderson 6 and 5; C Stirling & C Kirk bt M McKenna & M Madden 5 and 4 (3-0).
Singles: S Dye halved with O'Brien-Kenney, Laird bt Jones 1 hole, Collingham bt V Hassett 5 and 4, Watson bt McBride 2 and 1, Quinn bt Madden 3 and 2.

PRESS RELEASE BY ENGLISH LADIES GOLF ASSOCIATION

England made an impressive start to their defence of the Seniors’ Home Internationals, beating Ireland 7½-½ on the first day of the tournament at Little Aston, near Birmingham.
“It was an excellent win in difficult conditions,” said captain Cathy Bowerbank as she described a day of cold winds and rain.
The team laid the foundations of their win in the morning foursomes. Chris Quinn and Christine Watson were two down after seven but came back fighting to win 3 and 2. The twi other pairs both lost an early hole but quickly took command of their matches and scored very comfortable wins.
In the singles, English senior champion Sue Dye demonstrated all her fighting qualities to halve her match. She was three down after 14 but won three of the remaining four holes to square matters.

Barbara Laird was two down at the turn before she moved ahead with three birdies early on the back nine. She held on to her lead to make a winning singles debut.
Senior stroke-play champion Janet Collingham closed out her match on the 14th after a display of very steady play.

Christine Watson won a ding-dong battle by dint of taking the 16th and 17th, while Chris Quinn was in control throughout her match, getting to four up at one point.
“It was a fantastic start and we had a lot of local support, which was very pleasing,” said Cathy.
In the day’s other match Wales beat Scotland 5-3.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), England will play Scotland.

Lyndsey Hewison

EWGA Press Officer

Gale and Sally are Loudoun Ladies'
pairing for Dalmahoy

Loudoun Ladies, who have made it through to the Daily Mail women's foursomes Grand Final at Marriott Dalmahoy Golf & Country Club, will be represented by Gale McPherson (handicap 4) and Sally Hamilton (12).
We know that Sheila Brunton and Ros Fletcher are Carnoustie Caledonia's pair still in the shake-up and also Alex and her mother Sandy Bushby who beat Glen at the 19th.
All we need to know are the names of the Anstruther pairing. Can anyone help?
E-mail the names to Colin@scottishgolfview.com and we'll complete the set of the Scottish standard-bearers at Dalmahoy.

Just champion! That's Alex Bushby (left) receiving the handsome trophy from county captain Dawn Butchart (image by courtesy of Dawn Butchart).

Alex Bushby wins Perth & Kinross

champion of champions' title

Blairgowrie's Alex Bushby has won the Perth & Kinross women's champion of champions golf tournament over the King's Course, Gleneagles.
She and Gwen Lambie (Dunkeld) both finished with 78s and it went to a card countback which Alex won with the better last six holes.

Jackie Brown (Whitemoss) and county champion Laura Walker (Muckhart) both scores 79s. Third place went to Jackie on the better inward half.

Other who took part:

Betty Brannan (Kinross), Dawn Butchart (Strathmore), Ruth Campbell (Taymouth Castle), Caroline Dunbar (Aberfeldy), Kathleen Duncan (Pitlochry), Nicky Harding-McDonald (Craigiehill), Alison Houston (Milnathort), Esther Martin (Glenisla), Lynn Sharp (Dunning), Susan Stewart (Crieff), Claire Thompson (Killin), Julie White (Auchterarder), Hazel Wyllie (Comrie) and Jane Yellowlees (Murrayshall).

Meigle's Jacqueline

Sneddon leads

field in Grand

Canyon Invitational

From the Grand Canyon University website:

http://athletics.gcu.edu/

Jacqueline Sneddon was caught off guard.
"I'm leading?" the Grand Canyon sophomore from Meigle, Scotland responded Monday evening.

"I knew I was leading when I left, but there was half the team scores still to come in."
Sneddon shot a 1-over 73 in the first round of the GCU Fall Invitational at Coldwater Golf Club in Avondale to take a two-stroke lead.

Teammate Jennifer Lutz is lumped into a group of four tied for second at 73 entering today's final round.
Grand Canyon shot 314 as a team, and is in second place, eight strokes behind Cal Baptist. Southern Nazarene is third at 318, Lubbock Christian is fourth at 320 and Sonoma State and Cal State Monterey Bay are tied for fifth at 322.

From the GolfStat Scoreboard:
Grand Canyon Women's Fall Invitational
FIRST ROUND TOP 20 SCORES
Par 72. Yardage:6043
1 Jacqueline Sneddon Grand Canyon 36-37 73 +1
2 Jennifer Lutz Grand Canyon 37- 38 75 +3
2 Kelly Rainbolt Lubbock Ch 35- 40 75 +3
2 Malin Thorberg CBU 37- 38 75 +3
2 Shauna Curtis CBU 37- 38 75 +3
6 Amy Dalzell St Martins 37- 39 76 +4
6 Roxanne Mejia CSU-SnMrcs 38- 38 76 +4
8 Lindsay Aho Cncrdia OR 40- 37 77 +5
8 Andrea Rojas S Nazarene 37- 40 77 +5
8 Adriana Niclotti CBU 36- 41 77 +5
8 Jaymee Braun CBU 36- 41 77 +5
12 Cicilia Chudivan CSUMB 39- 39 78 +6
12 Chelsa Helget Sonoma St. 39- 39 78 +6
14 Amanda Arrington S Nazarene 37- 42 79 +7
14 Kelly Ashton Notre Dame-CA 39- 40 79 +7
14 Taysha Butler Waylnd Bap 40- 39 79 +7
14 Jessica Williams CBU 37- 42 79 +7
18 Brittany Carrera Sonoma St. 38- 42 80 +8
18 Darcy Lake CSUMB 40- 40 80 +8
18 Fiamma Felitch S Nazarene 42- 38 80 +8
18 Macalee Lane Lubbock Ch 38- 42 80 +8
18 Stephanie Cole CSU-SnMrcs 40- 40 80 +8
18 Leah Dansby Lubbock Ch 42- 38 80 +8
18 Tara Mortimeyer Sonoma St. 40- 40 80 +8
18 Caroline Homblad CBU 40- 40 80 +8

Gibson Cup winners Anne Brownie (centre left) and Mary Stark (centre right) flanked by the beaten finalists, Pam Townsend and Rosie Dennis (image by Anne Brownie).

Gibson Cup won by Lothianburn's
Mary Stark and

Anne Brownie
Following on from last year’s Centenary competition, 52 foursomes pairings contested the 2008 Gibson Cup, sponsored by The Ladies Golf Centre (www.golfing-lady.com). After 54 holes of golf (55 including the extra hole in the final!), the magnificent silver cup was presented to the Lothianburn combination of Mary Stark and Anne Brownie at a well attended prizegiving in the Thistle Lounge.Sunday afternoon’s final was closely contested and played in great spirit with Pam Townsend and Rosie Dennis (both Murayfield) staging a fighting comeback from three down with five to play. Pam’s 20ft par putt on the 18th green forced the final into sudden death with Mary and Anne prevailing at the first extra hole with a regulation par.
The beaten semi-finalists from Sunday morning caddied in the Final: Margaret Ritchie and Janet Hardie (both Harburn) and Hazel Carpenter and Elspeth Adair (both Lothianburn).Saturday’s medal round was played in a gusty wind over Braid Hills No 1 golf course which was already playing long after a summer of wet weather.This was reflected in the scoring with no couple breaking or even matching par.
The best net score was 73.5 against par of 72 and this came from Pam Townsend and Rosie Dennis (playing off 15.5). Scoring improved in both the match-play and Consolation Trophy (Stableford foursomes) played in Sunday’s more benign conditions with many excellent putts holed on the greens which were running very true.

A second flight of match-play saw Suzanne Ireland (Prestonfield) and Diane Moncrieff (Lochend) winners over another Lothianburn pairing of Ruth Brown and Christine Clements.

The Consolation Trophy winners, pictured above right, were Linda Wemyss and Sandra Hennessey (both Broomieknowe) who scored 36 points ahead of three pairs tied on 33 points.
GIBSON CUP RESULTS
Qualifying Round
1 R Dennis & P Townsend (15.5) 73.5.
2 A Brownie & M Stark (9) 78.
3 E Adair & H Carpenter (22.5) 78.5
4 J Hardie & M Ritchie (12.5) 79.5
MATCH-PLAY
Semi-finals
R Dennis & P Townsend bt J Hardie & M Ritchie 5 and 3.
A Brownie & M Stark bt E Adair & H Carpenter 2 and 1.
Final
A Brownie & M Stark bt R Dennis & P Townsend at 19th.
Flight 2 Match-play
Semi-finals
S Ireland & D Moncrieff bt G Glen & K Baillie 3 and 2.
R Brown & Clements bt B Biggart & J Heaney 2 and 1.
Final
S Ireland & D Moncrieff bt R Brown & Clements 2 and 1.
Consolation Trophy
1 S Hennessey & L Wemyss 36pts.
2 J Neville & S Simpson 33pts (better inward half).
3 A Leitch & O O’Sullivan 33 pts (best last 6).

Next year’s dates for this fun foursomes event are September 26 and 27.

Harriet makes top 10 of Yale tournament

Harriet Owers-Bradley from Nottingham, a student at Yale University finished joint ninth in a field of 98 for the Yale Women's Fall Intercollegiate tournament at Yale University Golf Club, New Haven in Connecticutt.
Harriet had a 75 over the par-71, 6105yd course - four more than the winner, Allie Jordan (University of Texas-San Antonio).
Runners-up on 72 were Eva Mayr (Fairleigh Dickinson University and Heather Arison (Brown University).
Harvard (301) won the team event from Texas-San Antonio (305)

Latimer helps Guilford College finish second

Peter Latimer (Guilford College, North Carolina) finished joint 23rd with ever-improving scores of 75, 74 and 72 for a total of five-over-par 221 for the par-72, 6,761 course at Sunset Beach, North Carolina) in the Sea Trail Men's Intercollegiate.
Latimer helped Guilford College (878) finished second to Murray State (868) in the team event.

United States College Scoreboard
MASON RUDOLPH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Vanderbilt Legends Club, North Franklin, Tennessee
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72) 6,262yd
Leading individuals
205 Sydnee Michaels (UCLA) 68 70 67.
209 Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 67 70 72.
210 Stefanie Endstrasser (Southern California) 71 70 69, Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) 71 68 71, Jennifer Song 9Southern California) 71 68 71.
Selected scores
213 Megan Grehan (Vanderbilt) 71 65 77, Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) 73 71 69.
214 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 67 72 75 (jt 10th).
217 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 72 73 72 (16th).
220 Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) 73 72 75 (jt 21st).
243 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) 81 78 83 (jt 85th).
Leading teams
850 UCLA. 856 Southern California. 863 Oklahoma State. 868 Vanderbilt. 873 Arizona State. 882 Duke. Selected score: 911 Tennessee (16th of 17 teams).

Stephanie Meadow and her International Junior Golf Academy coach Colby Huffman after her success at Saddlebrook, Tampa at the weekend (picture courtesy of Robert Meadow).

Stephanie Meadow wins by 10 shots on

her return to Junior Tour in Florida

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Former Irish girls' champion Stephanie Meadow from Antrim is now back at the International Junior Golf Academy on Hilton Head Island after a summer "back home," during which she played for Ireland in the girls' home internationals at Panmure Golf Club near Carnoustie.

Thanks to Stephanie's dad Robert for E-mail Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk with news of a terrific 10-stroke win by his daughter in her first International Junior Golf Tour event at Saddlebrook Golf Club, Tampa in Florida.

She shot 70 followed by a 65 (her lowest ever competititve) score) for a 135 aggregate which saw her finish out on her own in the girls section.

Her previous lowest round was 66 in the Doral Publix tournament in Maimi.

If you want to read the full report on the IJGT event, here's the website to log on to:

http://www.ijgt.com/twresults.php
If you want just to read the bit that deals with Stephanie's success, here it is:

Stephanie Meadow from Antrim, Ireland finished atop of the Girls 19 & Under Division by recording the divisional low round of 65. Meadow stated that her favorite club this weekend was her pitching wedge because shots that were hit with that club left her with putts of 8 feet or less.

Meadow shot even par in the first round and her scorching 65 left her with nothing but smiles and the title.

Rachel Carpenter from Suffolk, Virginia took second place with consistent rounds of 73 and 72 for a respective two day total of 145.
Audrey Monssoh from Los Angeles and Alexa Rancourt from Portland, Maine shared third place, both finishing at 147.
Congratulations to Mallory Etcheberry, Stephanie Meadow, Luke Miller, Jordie Torrent and Jason Roets who all fired low rounds on Sunday and received the coveted IJGT Belt Buckle.

Robert Meadow reports that Stephanie will be playing in South and North Carolina during the month of October. In November she will be playing in the Optimest International Tournament of Champions at PGA National Resort & Spa, Palma Beach Gardens in Florida.

The week before Christmas Stephanie will play in the Ginn Open LPGA qualifier at Ginn Reunion Resort, Orlando in Florida.

And the following week, she is down to play in the Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship, Arizona.

Six out of six: That's the target of
England seniors at Little Aston

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
England will launch their bid for a sixth successive Seniors’ Home International crown when the annual round robin matches start tomorrow at Little Aston Golf Club near Birmingham.
England have won this annual event every year since it started in 2003 and is fielding the same team which finished fourth at the recent European seniors’ team championship. The side includes senior champion Sye Dye and senior strokeplay champion Janet Collingham.
The team were playing their second practice round today and captain Cathy Bowerbank commented: “They all like the course and they are raring to go.”
Lining up against them are Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Scotland, runners-up in last year's event, are fielding four of the players from their 2007 line-up. Among them are their seniors’ match-play champion, Lorna Bennett, and newly crowned Scottish veterans’ champion, Fiona de Vries.
Former Curtis Cup player Vicki Thomas, who has won both the Welsh match-play title and the Irish seniors’ open crown this season, will be hoping her individual success can rub off on her Welsh team-mates.
Strokeplay champion, Jane Rees also lines up in a strong side. Ireland’s team includes Mary McKenna, the eight-times Irish champion and the captain of the GB&I team for the 2009 Vagliano Trophy and 2010 Curtis Cup, and Irish seniors’ close champion Sheena O’Brien Kenney.
For the first time this year the teams will play three morning foursomes and five singles. Previously there have been just two foursomes matches.
TEAMS
ENGLAND
Captain - Cathy Bowerbank
Manager - Sue Rawles
Janet Collingham Sherwood Forest
Susan Dye Delamere Forest
Carolyn Kirk Ganton
Barbara Laird Sandiway
Chris Quinn Hockley
Christine Stirling Meon Valley
Christine Watson Beaconsfield
IRELAND
Captain - Rhona Fanagan
Manager - Roma English
Valerie Hassett Ennis
Marilyn Henderson West Rhine
Helen Jones Strabane
Mary Madden Ballinasloe
Violet Mc Bride Belvoir Park
Mary McKenna Donabate
Sheena O'Brien Kenney Grange
SCOTLAND
Captain - Joan Marshall
Manager - Pat Wilson
Heather Anderson Downfield
Lorna Bennett Ladybank
Fiona De Vries St Rule
Jill Harrison Cruden Bay
Fiona Hunter Baberton
Mary Smith Tain
Kathleen Sutherland Royal Montrose
WALES
Captain - Verona Mackenzie
Manager - Audrey Briggs
Janet Doleman Rushcliffe
Helen Joyce Long Ashton
Ann Lewis Royal St David's
Jean O'Connor Newport
Jane Rees Hendon
Denise Richards Bargoed
Vicki Thomas Carmarthen
DRAW
Tuesday
Scotland v Wales
England v Ireland
Wednesday
Ireland v Wales
England v Scotland
Thursday
Wales v England
Scotland v Ireland
Lyndsey Hewison

Jack Hiluta finishes joint fifth in
Mason Rudolph men's event

Jack Hiluta (South Alabama University) from Chelmsford finished joint fifth in the Mason Rudolph men's college championship over 54 holes at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, South Franklin in Tennessee.
Former England boy cap Hiluta scored 69, 70 and 70 for a four-under-par total of 209 over the par-71, 7,100yd course.
Kentucky's Ben Fuqua was the winner at 15-under-par 198 with scores of 68, 65 and 65.
Mark Trow (Memphis) from Oswestry tied for 35th place with rounds of 76, 69 anbd 74 for 219.
South Carolina (839) won the team event by eight shots from Kentucky. South Alabama (863) finished sixth and Memphis (864) seventh.

Ochoa wins play-off to break
losing run on LPGA Tour

World No. 1 Loreno Ochoa ended a losing run when she won a play-off at the second extra hole of the LPGA Tour's Navistar Classic at RTJ Golf Trail, Capitol Hill's The Senator at Prattville, Alabama.
But it was still the Mexican ace's 7th victory of the season and the 24th of her career. It earned her $210,000 (compared with $1,260,000 by Camilo Villegas who won on the US PGA men's Tour on Sunday)).
Janice Moodie earned $18,053 for a share of 15th place.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4 x 70)
273 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 67 67 69 70, Cristie Kerr 66 71 70 66, Candie Kung (Tai) 69 72 65 67 (Ochoa won at second extra hole)
274 Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 68 68 69 69, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 68 70 70 66
275 Louise Friberg (Swe) 67 71 65 72, Wendy Doolan (Aus) 68 73 66 68, Ya-Ni Tseng (Kor) 71 66 68 70, Jill McGill 65 69 72 69, Sarah Jane Kenyon 70 69 67 69
276 Sherri Turner 69 71 67 69, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 67 70 72 67, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 76 68 63 69, Katherine Hull (Aus) 70 70 67 69
277 In Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 67 71 67, Michele Redman 70 65 70 72, Christina Kim 70 66 69 72, Janice Moodie (Sco) 66 67 72 72, Heather Daly-Donofrio 72 70 66 69
278 Jane Park 65 74 69 70, Karrie Webb (Aus) 72 68 69 69
279 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 74 70 69 66, Giulia Sergas (Ita) 72 70 70 67, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 73 70 65 71, Gloria Park (Kor) 70 70 68 71, Na On Min (Jpn) 71 67 70 71, Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor) 69 72 69 69, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 69 69 72 69
280 Stacy Prammanasudh 73 72 69 66, Karen Stupples (Eng) 70 72 68 70, Carri Wood 73 71 66 70, Angela Park (Bra) 71 69 71 69, Hee Young Park (Kor) 72 69 71 68
281 Becky Morgan (Wal) 71 69 70 71, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 71 70 70 70, Jamie Hullett 73 71 70 67, Alena Sharp (Can) 74 70 69 68, Sarah Lee 70 73 70 68
282 Reilley Rankin 72 71 70 69, Charlotte Mayorkas 70 75 70 67, Dorothy Delasin 71 72 69 70, Sandra Gal (Ger) 67 74 72 69, Teresa Lu (Tai) 70 68 75 69, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 70 73 70 69, Hwa seon Lee (Kor) 76 69 72 65, Allison Fouch 73 70 68 71
283 Michelle Ellis 71 67 74 71, Meena Lee (Kor) 73 71 68 71, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 71 74 71 67, Nicole Hage 70 71 75 67, Katie Futcher 67 75 71 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 70 70 70 73
284 Mollie Fankhauser 70 74 68 72
285 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 71 72 74 68, Becky Lucidi 73 71 69 72, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc (Fra) 73 72 71 69, Morgan Pressel 78 67 74 66, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 70 73 70, Anna Grzebien 73 72 72 68, Wendy Ward 75 68 70 72, Kim Hall 69 74 70 72
286 Karin Sjodin (Swe) 71 69 72 74
287 Johanna Head (Eng) 76 68 72 71, Jeong Jang (Kor) 65 76 74 72
288 Taylor Leon 69 70 75 74, Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 75 69 70 74, Beth Allen 72 73 70 73, Amy Hung (Tha) 72 72 75 69
289 Il Mi Chung (Kor) 73 71 75 70
290 Michelle McGann 69 74 71 76, Brittany Lang 76 69 76 69
291 Sung Ah Yim (Kor) 75 70 73 73, Su A Kim 73 72 76 70, Julieta Granada (Par) 73 70 76 72, Meredith Duncan 71 71 76 73
292 Marisa Baena 73 70 76 73, Lisa Strom (Gbr) 70 73 74 75, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 75 69 78 70
293 Jimin Kang (Kor) 74 70 73 76
294 Jackie Gallagher-Smith 70 75 77 72, Irene Cho 71 74 73 76
300 Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 70 75 79 76

Croce slips out of lead and Monke
steps in for first L E T victory

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Germany’s Anja Monke captured her maiden Ladies European Tour title today by winning the Vediorbis Open de France Dames at Le Golf d’Arras.
Monke carded a final round of four-under-par 68 to finish on a four-round total of 10-under 278, two clear of Spain’s Tania Elosegui and Nina Reis of Sweden.
“I can’t believe it!” said Monke. “I’ve worked for this moment for the last five years and so it’s nice to see it happen.”
After opening with rounds of 67, 78 and 65, she came from four shots behind the third round leader Stefania Croce of Italy to secure the €52,500 first prize money.
Croce carded 75 and shared fourth place on seven under par with England’s Lora Fairclough and Paula Marti of Spain.
The 26-year-old Elosegui from San Sebastian took the early initiative in the final round, grabbing a three-way share of the lead on eight-under-par after she holed her second shot for eagle from 100 metres at the par four sixth-hole.
She took the outright lead after a birdie at the seventh hole, but was eventually overtaken by Monke after 16 holes. Monke went to the turn in level par 36 with nine steady pars but picked up the pace with four birdies on the back nine at the 10th, 13th, 16th and 17th holes.
After Elosegui bogeyed the par-4 16th, the 31-year-old Monke from Herford, sank a 10ft birdie putt at the same hole to take a one stroke advantage and then extended it to two strokes by rolling in a birdie putt from ten-feet at the par-four 17th.
“I was in a pretty good mood today because I didn’t have anything to lose,” said Monke. “If I lost it, then I lost it on Friday for sure. The other three days I won it.”
The fifth year tour player had been a runner-up twice before on the Ladies European Tour in 2006, in Holland and in Hungary. She had also posted four top ten finishes on the LET in 2008. Monke turned professional at the end of 2005 after working as a medical technologist in a hospital laboratory for four years. She explained: “I know how real life is and real work so that makes my life even more enjoyable.”
Monke went to qualifying school and won her full card, deciding to give herself two to three years to see how she enjoyed life as a touring professional. She found that she enjoyed the lifestyle so much that she committed to golf full time… and now she is reaping the rewards.

Ladies' European Tour Scoreboard
VEDIORBIS OPEN DE FRANCE
Golf d'Arras, Nord-Pas de Calais
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
278 Anja Monke (Ger) 67 78 65 68
280 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 74 70 67 69, Nina Reis (Swe) 67 69 72 72
281 Lora Fairclough (Eng) 74 72 69 66, Paula Marti (Spa) 69 74 70 68, Stefania Croce (Ita) 67 68 71 75
282 Iben Tinning (Den) 70 69 75 68
283 Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe) 68 73 70 72
284 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 70 75 70 69, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 74 70 68 72
285 Trish Johnson (Eng) 73 71 72 69, Samantha Head (Eng) 76 66 72 71, Karen Lunn (Aus) 75 68 71 71, Laura Davies (Eng) 72 73 65 75
286 Federica Piovano (Ita) 74 72 72 68, Lisa Hall (Eng) 74 69 70 73
287 Dana Lacey (Aus) 73 74 71 69, Amy Yang (Kor) 71 71 73 72, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 67 73 72 75
288 Marta Prieto (Spa) 73 74 72 69
289 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 72 71 74 72, Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 74 74 72 69, Sophie Giquel (Fra) 69 76 71 73, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 70 72 71 76
290 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 72 73 74 71, Maria Boden (Swe) 77 70 72 71, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 73 73 71 73
291 Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 75 74 69 73, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 72 77 69 73, Caroline Afonso (Fra) 70 74 73 74, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 70 75 72 74, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 76 73 72 70, Diana Luna (Ita) 74 74 75 68
292 Carin Koch (Swe) 74 72 73 73, Natalie Claire Booth (Eng) 72 73 74 73, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 72 75 74 71, Martina Eberl (Ger) 74 75 73 70
293 Julie Greciet (Fra) 73 69 76 75, Julie Tvede (Den) 71 73 74 75, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 70 75 73 75, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 76 72 71 74, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 74 75 72 72, Leah Hart (Aus) 71 73 68 81
294 Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 70 73 75 76, Florence Luscher (Swi) 76 72 78 68
295 Kate Combes (Aus) 71 74 74 76, Laura Terebey (USA) 73 70 74 78, Jehanne Jail (Fra) 76 71 75 73, Lydia Hall (Wal) 75 74 73 73, Sarah Nicholson (Nzl) 78 71 75 71
296 Lara Tadiotto (Bel) 73 69 76 78, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 76 70 75 75, Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin) 76 73 76 71
297 Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 73 76 72 76
298 Ana Larraneta (Spa) 72 76 78 72
299 Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 73 73 73 80, Jenna Wilson (Sco) 74 73 74 78, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 72 74 81 72
300 Zuzana Kamasova (Svk) 73 74 76 77
301 Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 73 75 79 74
302 Rachel Bell (Eng) 73 75 76 78
303 Miriam Nagl (Ger) 75 74 77 77
306 Valerie Michaud (Fra) 74 75 79 78
Retired: Marina Arruti (Spa) 73 76 79

AA INSURANCE LADIES CHAMPIONSHIPS
LIMERICK GOLF CLUB

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
AA INSURANCE MINOR CUP FINAL
Malahide 4, Carlow 1
Malahide, with a mother and daughter duo, won three matches in style to secure the AA Insurance Minor Cup title. Ciara Smith got her team off to a great start, beating Carlow’s Phyll Farrell 5 and 4.
Ciara’s mother Maire Falvey followed her daughter in with a fine 3 and 2 result over Mary Farrell and the performance of the day was from Malahide’s Colette Moran who recorded an impressive 6 and 4 win.
AA INSURANCE INTERMEDIATE CUP FINAL
Slade Valley 3 ½, East Cork 1 ½
Slade Valley claimed the AA Insurance Intermediate Championship by beating East Cork in the final. For the experienced East Cork Intermediate side it was a bitter blow, being their second defeat in a row at the All Ireland Final. They lost out to Enniscorthy in 2007. Dympna Wilson put the first point on the board for Slade Valley by beating Marie O’Brien 5 and 3.
Slade Valley’s Margaret Birmingham earned herself a hole in one at the 98 metre 14th hole and earned her team a point with a win on the 16th green. Olive Whelan took her East Cork opponent Theresa Roche to 19th before winning the title for her side.
AA INSURANCE JUNIOR CUP FINAL
Enniscorthy 3½, Mountbellew 1½
Enniscorthy achieved their third AA Insurance All Ireland trophy in two years winning the AA Insurance Junior Cup at Limerick Golf Club following up on their Junior Foursomes and Intermediate cup victories at Athlone in 2007.
Jennifer King, Catriona Hogan and Cora Mernagh recorded wins against Mountbellew’s Catherine Gardiner, Aoife Fallon and Helen Costello respectively. Laura Burke in the top match for Mountbellew had given her team an excellent start with a 3 and 2 win but unfortunately it was not enough for Mountbellew and Enniscorthy take the trophy to the seaside.
AA INSURANCE JUNIOR FOURSOMES FINAL
Rathbane 2½, Mountbellew ½
Local heroes Rathbane achieved a remarked win against a much fancied Mountbellew team. Rathbane a municipal course and close neighbours of Limerick won their first All Ireland trophy and their pennant will decorate their clubhouse wall for evermore. With supporters lining the fairways Rathbane ladies impressed with Marie Bartlett and Margaret O’Sullivan beating Kathleen Bergin and Nora Madden 7 and 6.
This was followed by Anne Marie Kilroy and Anne Byrnes defeating Michelle Burke and Noreen Treacy 3 and 2. The cheers were heard and the champagne flowed.
AA INSURANCE SENIOR FOURSOMES FINAL
Co. Louth 2, Douglas 1
Co. Louth won the battle of the giants in defeating Douglas by 2 matches to 1. Past International Kate MacCann partnered with Deirdre O’Hanlon got Douglas off to a dream start beating Jenny Gannon and Jane McCabe 2 and 1.
However, Susan Mullaney and Karen Yates had a convincing 7 and 6 win against Karen O’Neill and Liz O’Donnell and Deirdre Smith and Susan Kenny ensured the trophy went to the links at Baltray defeating Eavan Higgins and Claire Nash 5 and 3.
AA INSURANCE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL
Athenry 3½, Monkstown 1½
Athenry will be singing in the fields this evening after beating Monkstown in the Challenge Cup final. Leone Levis got Monkstown off to a great start winning 6 and 5 but Athenry’s Sara McDermott and Martha Breen also recorded wins of the same margin . With Athenry needing one more match, the attention focussed on Maria Conlon who was having a mighty battle against Brenda Geary but Maria held her nerve and managed to close out the match on the 17th green to yet more rapturous applause.
Details:
MINOR CUP FINAL
Malahide 4, Carlow 1
Ciara Smith (23) bt Phyll Farrell (23) 5 and 4.
Rosemary Cassin (23) halved with Aine O'Shea (24).
Maire Falvey (24) bt Mary Farrell (26).
Colette Moran (24) beat Pat McArdle (28) 6 and 4.
Yvonne Power (26) halved with Liz Whelan (28).
INTERMEDIATE CUP
Slade Valley 3½, East Cork 1½
Dympna Wilson (17) bt Marie O'Brien (16) 5 and 3.
Libby Delap (19) lost to Deirdre Harte (16) 4 and 2.
Olive Whelan (19) bt Theresa Roche (17) at 19th.
Nuala Fagan (20) halved with Fiona Morrison (19).
Margaret Birmingham (21) bt Breda O'Farrell (20) 3 and 2.
JUNIOR CUP
Enniscorthy 3½, Mountbellew 1½
Margaret Mooney (9) lost to Laura Burke (12) 3 and 2.
Jennifer King (9) bt Catherine Gardiner (13) 4 and 3.
Catriona Hogan (10) bt Aoife Fallon (13) 4 and 3.
Laura Dempsey (11) halved with Margaret Harkin (14).
Cora Mernagh (12) bt Helen Costello (15) 1 hole.
JUNIOR FOURSOMES
Rathbane 2½, Mountbellew 1½
Anne Marie Kilroy (19) & Anne Byrnes (23) bt Michelle Burke (18) & Noreen Treacy (21) 3 and 2.
Jude Byrne (18) & Marie Barker (27) halved with Siobhan Fallon (17) & Caroline Delaney (25).
Marie Bartlett (21) & Margaret O'Sullivan (27) bt Kathleen Bergin (20) & Nora Madden (24) 7 and 6.
SENIOR FOURSOMES
Co. Louth 2, Douglas 1
Jenny Gannon (1) & Jane McCabe (13) lost to Kate MacCann (4) & Deirdre O'Hanlon (10) 2 and 1.
Susan Mullaney (6) & Karen Yates (8) bt Karen O'Neill (3) & Liz O'Donnell (11) 7 and 6.
Deirdre Smith (+1) & Susan Kenny (15) bt Eavan Higgins (2) & Claire Nash (13) 5 and 3.
CHALLENGE CUP
Athenry 3½, Monkstown 1½
Pauline McEvoy (31) lost to Leone Levis (30) 6 and 5.
Sara McDermott (31) bt Ger O'Keefe (30) 6 and 5.
Martha Breen (32) bt Ruth Coulter (33) 6 and 5.
Maria Conlon (33) bt Brenda Geary (33) 2 and 1.
Carmel Burke (35) halved with Barbara Hanan (36)

Midlothian's victorious trio in the team event at the East of Scotland championship today - Jane Turner, Rachael Livingstone and Claire Hargan (image by courtesy of Dorothy Ford).

Louise Kenney wins

East of Scotland

championship

Scotland international Louise Kenney maintained her good form from the women's home internationals to win the East of Scotland women's amateur championship at Elie today.
Pitreavie Golf Club member Louise headed a field of 28 with a one-under-par round of 72. Pictured right with the trophy (image by courtesy of Dorothy Ford, Miss Kenney had two shots to spare from runner-up Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
Three players finished joint third on 76 - Linda Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh), Ashley Wilton (Ladybank) and Claire Hargan (Prestonfield). Linda's better inward half gained her third prize.
The handicap award was won by Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield) with a net 72 off five. Midlothian (Jane Turner, Rachael Livingstone and Claire Hargan) won the team title.

LEADING SCORES
Par 73. CSS 73
72 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
74 Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
76 Linda Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) better inward half, Ashley Wilton (Ladybank), Claire Hargan (Prestonfield).
77 Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old), Gilliam Simpson (Murrayfield), Susan Jackson (Ladybank). 78 Karin Sharp (Kirkcaldy), Dorothy Ford (Scotscraig).
79 Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall).
LEADING HANDICAP
72 Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield) (5).
LEADING TEAM

Midlothian

North Berwick's Diane and Abigail
win SLGA Adult & Girl Foursomes

Diane Huish, wife of the long-serving North Berwick professional David, teamed up with Abigail Twist, a junior member of the same club, to win the top prize at the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association's Adult & Girl foursomes at Kilspindie Golf Club, East Lothian.
Diane, who plays off eight, and Abigail, a 21-handicapper had 38 Stableford points, the same total as the Category 1 winners from West Kilbride, Keith Howie, secretary of the Scottish Senior Golf Society, and his daughter Rachel. The North Berwick pair won the card countback for overall first place.
Category 2 was won by Mike Connor (Mortonhall) and Louise Connor (Kilspindie) with 36pt and a better last six.
Category 3 winners were the Kilspindie pairing of Gurmit Singh and Nandini Nagra with 34pt.
Category 4 was won by Graham Finlayson and Mhairi Finlayson, both of the Glen club, North Berwick, with 25pt.
Not among the prizewinners but worthy of a mention was Kirsty Morrison (Kilspindie) who set a record as the youngest every competitor in the tournament. She had her seventh birthday on September.

PRIZEWINNERS

Overall Stableford points winners
Diane Huish & Abigail Twist (North Berwick) 38pt (better inward half).
Category 1 (handicaps less than 13)
Keith Howie & Rachel Howie (West Kilbride) 38pt, Iain McKay & Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 35pt.
Category 2 (handicaps 13 to 20)
Mike Connor (Mortonhall) & Louise Connor (Kilspindie) 36pt (better last six), Lois Wilson & Samantha Munro (Aberdour) 36pt.
Category 3 (handicaps 21 to 36)
Gurmit Singh & Nandini Nagra (Kilspindie) 34pt, Louise Graham & Claire Robertson (Carnoustie Ladies) 33pt.
Category 4 (no handicaps)
Graham Finlayson & Mhairi Finlayson (Glen) 25pt, Ann Rennie & Lauren Rennie (Monifieth) 21pt.

Boys (left to right): David Millar, Adam Dunton, Ryan Bain, Ryan Gordon. Girls (left to right): Louise McGillivray, Megan Clyne, Sophie Alexander, Mhairi Johnstone (Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency). You can enlarge it by clicking on the image.

Ryan Bain & Megan Clyne are
Paul Lawrie junior champions

Ryan Bain, a 16-year-old member of the Strathlene club, Buckie, and 15-year-old Deeside member Megan Clyne won the individual titles at today's Paul Lawrie Foundation junior match-play semi-finals and finals at Banchory Golf Club.
Bain, an apprentice electrician, set the sparks flying by beating the favourite, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), recent winner of the UBC boys' championship at Inverness, 2 and 1 in the final.
Ryan jumped into an early two-hole lead and was still two up at the turn. Dunton fought back well but couldn't make up the ground he had lost and a good match finished on the 17th green.
In an all-Deeside final, Megan Clyne beat Sophie Alexander by one hole. Sophie had won the first three holes but Megan got back on level terms at the 10th.
Clyne won the 12th and 13th to lead for the first time but Sophie won the 14th and 15th to square the tie. Clyne got her nose in front again by winning the 16th and the last two holes were halved.
Alexander's 20ft putt at the 18th to take final into extra holes lipped out.
Paul Lawrie was unable to make the presentations because he made it through to the last day of the British Masters at The Belfry.
Today's details at Banchory:
BOYS
Semi-finals - Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) bt David Millar (Oldmeldrum) 3 and 2, Ryan Bain (Strathlane) bt Ryan Gordon (Alford) 3 and 2.
Final - Bain bt Dunton 2 and 1.
Third place play-off - Millar bt Gordon 6 and 5.
GIRLS
Semi-finals - Megan Clyne (Deeside) bt Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) 4 and 3, Sophie Alexander (Deeside) bt Louise McGillivray (Banchory) 2 and 1.
Final - Clyne bt Alexander 1 hole.
Third place play-off - McGillivray bt Johnstone 1 hole.

PICTURES OF THE PRIZEWINNERS WILL BE DISPLAYED LATER THIS EVENING.

Jack Hiluta lying joint fifth in Mason
Rudolph men's college championship

Former England boy international Jack Hiluta from Chelmsford, a student at South Alabama University, was lying joint fifth going into the final round of the Mason Rudolph men's college championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club, South Franklin in Tennessee.
Hiluta had rouns of 69 and 70 for a tally of 139 over the par-71 course of some 7,100yd.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL SCORES AFTER 36 HOLES
133 Ben Fuqua (Kentucky) 68 65.
134 Jason Millard (Middle Tennessee State) 69 65.
137 Jon Curran (Vanderbilt) 67 70.
138 Danny Anderson (Belmont University) 69 69.
Other scores:
139 Jack Hiluta (South Alabama) 69 70 (jt 5th).
145 Mark Trow (Memphis) 76 69 (29th)

US Women's College Scoreboard
MASON RUDOLPH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Vanderbilt Legends Club, North Franklin, Tennessee
SECOND ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2 x 72) 6,262yd
136 Megan Grehan (Vanderbilt) 71 65.
137 Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 67 70.
138 Sydnee Michaels (UCLA) 68 70.
139 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 67 72, Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) 71 68, Jennifer Song (Southern California) 71 69.
Selected scores:
144 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) 73 71.
145 Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) 73 72, Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 72 73.
149 Belen Mozo (Southern California) 75 74.
160 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) 81 79.
Leading teams
562 UCLA. 568 Oklahoma State. 572 Vanderbilt. 573 Southern California. 579 Duke. 580 Arizona State.

Par round sees Janice drop to
share of third place

A par round of 72 cost Janice Moodie the lead at the end of the third day in the Navistar LPGA Classic at Prattville, Alabama.
The Glasgow girl has dropped down to a quintuple share of third place on 205, two shots behind the joint leaders at 13-under-par, Lorena Ochoa and Louise Friberg.

Friberg, pictured on right, is a Swedish-born rookie who, earlier in the season, became one of only two players ever to win an LPGA tournament in their rookie year. She played on the US college circuit as a student at the University of Washington.
LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
203 Lorena Ochoa 67 67 69, Louise Friberg 67 71 65.
205 Janice Moodie 66 67 72, Yani Tseng 71 66 68, Christina Kim 70 66 69, Song-Hee Kim 68 68 69, Michele Redman 70 65 70.
Selected scores:
207 Maria Hjorth 76 68 63 (jt 11th).
210 Karen Stupples 70 72 68, Becky Morgan 71 69 70 (jt 24th).
216 Jo Head 76 68 72 (jt 61st).
MISSED THE CUT (at 146)
148 Mhairi McKay 76 72.