Krystle still No 17 in US college rankings
even though she came home weeks ago!

Krystle Caithness is still figuring at No 17 in the Golf Week women's college rankings - even though she left Georgia University several weeks ago and returned home to Cupar, Fife.
The only other British or Irish player in the top 50 rankings is Krystle's Curtis Cup team-mate, Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) at No 35.
The figure in brackets is the number of events played in the 2008-2009 college season.

1 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) 68.25 (3).
2 Jane Chin (UC Irvine) 69.26 (4).
3 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) 69.33 (3).
4 Stephanie Sherlock (Denver) 69.42 (3).
5 Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 69.42 (5).
6 Mina Harigae (Duke) 69.47 (3).
7 Lizette Salas (USC) 69.55 (4).
8 Jennifer Song (USC) 69.72 (4).
9 Stephanie Kono (UCLA) 69.78 (4).
10 Caroline Westrup (Florida State) 70.15 (2).
11 Whitney Neuhauser (Virginia) 70.29 (5).
12 Cindy LaCrosse (Louisville) 70.37 (4).
13 Jennie Lee (Duke) 70.53 (3).
14 Dori Carter (Ole Miss) 70.56 (4).
15 Caroline Hedwall (Oklahoma State) 70.72 (4).
16 Tiffany Joh (UCLA) 70.77 (3).
17 Krystle Caithness (Georgia) 70.82 (2).
18 Laura Kueny (Michigan State) 70.83 (4).
19 Belen Mozo (USC) 70.85 (3).
20 Sydnee Michaels (UCLA) 70.97 (4).
21 Kirby Dreher (Kent State) 71.04 (4).
22 Megan McChrystal (LSU) 71.05 (3).
23 Jennie Arseneault (Virginia) 71.10 (5).
24 Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) 71.14 (4).
25 J Gulyamamitta (Purdue) 71.18 (4).
26 Mallory Hetzel (Georgia) 71.21 (4).
27 Camilla Lennarth (Alabama) 71.22 (5).
28 Therese Koelbaek (UNLV) 71.27 (3).
29 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 71.27 (4).
30 Sara Wikstrom (UALR) 71.33 (4).
31 Lisa McCloskey (Pepperdine) 71.37 (3).
32 Glory Yang (UCLA) 71.39 (3).
33 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 71.40 (4).
34 Marta Silva (Georgia) 71.48 (4).
35 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 71.50 (3).
36 Kathleen Ekey (Alabama) 71.58 (5).
37 Jennifer Osborn (Arizona State) 71.59 (3).
38 Carolina Andrade (Georgia) 71.64 (4).
39 Brooke Pancake (Alabama) 71.65 (4).
40 Natalie Sheary (Wake Forest) 71.67 (4).
41 Cydney Clanton (Auburn) 71.69 (5).
42 Stefanie Endstrasser (USC) 71.71 (3).
43 Jean Chua (Wake Forest) 71.82 (4).
44 Anya Alvarez (Washington) 71.89 (3).
45 Pia Halbig (California) 71.89 (3).
46 Erica Moston (San Jose State) 71.94 (4).
47 Kendra Little (Oregon) 71.99 (4).
48 Caroline Masson (Oklahoma State) 72.00 (4).
49 Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) 72.06 (4).
50 Jessica Yadloczky (Florida) 72.07 (4).
Other British & Irish students playing for Division 1 colleges:
66 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 76.24 (5).
144 Ellie Givens (Denver) 74.06 (4).
182 Olivia Higgins (Charleston Southern) 74.50 (5).
206 Anna Scott (Georgia State) 74.76 (3).
218 Natasha Podmore (San Francisco) 74.92 (4).
284 Roseanne Niven (California-Berkeley) 75.85 (2).
297 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 75.98 (3).
319 Sinead O'Sullivan (East Tennessee State) 76.19 (4).]
361 Sarah Faller (Denver) 76.51 (2).
377 Hannah Lovelock (Missouri) 76.64 (5).
484 Rebecca Watson (Tennessee) 77.51 (4)
500 Portia Abbott (Jacksonville State) 77.67 (5).
501 Laura Cutler (Jacksonville State) 77.67 (5).
511 Emma Taylor (Bethune Cookman College) 77.75 (5).
553 Kirsty O'Connor (Ball State) 78.06 (5).
560 Claire Starkey (Georgia State) 78.11 (4).
575 Hannah Coles (Radford) 78.24 (5).
593 Lucy Gould (East Tennessee State) 78.35 (4).
651 Shirley Harvey (South Alabama) 78.79 (4).
698 Fern Grimshaw (Bethune Cookman College) 79.21 (4)
880 Hannah Bews (Bethune Cookman College) 80.66 (4).
921 Ami Storey (Kansas State) 81.00 (4).
977 Clara Leathers (Middle Tennessee) 81.51 (3).
981 Andrea Downer (Murray State) 81.53 (2).
988 Stacey Rodger (Missouri State) 81.60 (3).
1067 Laura Holmes (Old Dominion) 82.41 (4).

+Our apologies if we have missed out any British or Irish girl who is playing for a Division 1 college. Send an E-mail to Colin@scottishgolfview.com if this is the case.

Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association prizewinners

Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association officials and leading prizewinners, pictured at today's annual meeting at the Beach Ballroom's Star Room. County captain Fiona Hay (Deeside) is in the centre of the front row. To her right, in blue, is county champion Donna Pocock (Murcar Links) and to Fiona's left is county president and former Curtis Cup player and past Scottish champion, Joan Rennie (Aberdeen Ladies).
Kristina Vannet, daughter of Peterculter Golf Club professional Dean Vannet, won the Fyfe Cup and Louise McGillivray (Banchory) the Bey Cup for showing the most improvement during the season. The Fyfe Cup is for the older girls' bracket, the Bey Cup for the younger girls. Louise is also the Aberdeenshire girls' champion this year.
Kristina is at the extreme left of the front row with Louise next to her.
County treasurer Laura McLardy (Murcar Links) is on the extreme right of the back row.
Image by courtesy of county secretary Karen Stalker (Fraserburgh). You can enlarge it by clicking on it.

Clare Queen nine off pace but Lynn Kenny
and Jenna Wilson miss the cut in S Korea

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Sun-Ju Ahn added a bogey-free 70 to her opening 65 to lead for the second consecutive day at the Saint Four Ladies Masters in Jeju, South Korea.
Ahn led the field by a stroke on a total of nine-under-par 135 at Saint Four Golf and Resort on Jeju Island.
“I struggled for a game that could be very easy. I recorded 36 putts today, which is quite bad,” said Ahn, through an interpreter.
“Currently, my problem is only one thing: putting. I am extremely good with shots. I scored two birdies in par-5 holes but both of them were made with two putts. The wind was stronger today than yesterday, but I made fantastic shots. I could play the game better.
"I two-putted almost every hole. I will improve my putting. Tomorrow is going to be windy so the game will be in my favour.”
Seo Hee Kyung, also from South Korea, made a leap up into second position on eight-under after a round of 67. In a press conference she said: “I got relaxed in the second round and made some long birdie putts. I carded 27 putts today.”
Kyung was not worried about the stronger winds forecast for the final round. “I played in the windy weather over the last three weeks, so I think I get adjusted to wind. Of course, I am a little bit worried about coping with Ahn, a long hitter.”
The biggest move came from Na Da Ye, who carded 66, her best score in three years as a member of the Korean Professional Golf Association (KLPGA). She shared third with compatriot Moon Soo Young on seven-under-par.
Ye lives in nearby Jeju City, a 40 minute drive from the golf course, but she had never previously played the golf course.
Italy’s Veronica Zorzi was the best of the European Tour players in the co-sanctioned event. She shot 69 for the second successive day and finished tied for fifth with Kim Hei Ji and Choi Hye Yong on six-under-par.
Zorzi made four birdie putts from inside five metres and carded just one three-putt bogey, which was her first in 36 holes. “I am satisfied with today. The putting was good. I hit 17 greens so I was okay with my game and also with the putter,” said the two-time French Open champion.
“If I have the same score tomorrow it will be great.”
Zorzi admitted that her form suffered after having an operation to remove an ovarian cyst in February and then the death of her uncle in August, but she was feeling in brighter spirits after taking a seven-day sight-seeing tour of China.
“Maybe I am just a little relaxed because it is the end of the season. I want to try to get a decent position on the New Star Money List but I will try to enjoy it,” she said. Another Italian, Margherita Rigon, was one of seven players tied for tenth place on four-under-par, with Anna Rawson a stroke back in equal 17th.
Gwladys Nocera of France slipped back into a share of 24th position on one-under-par after adding a 75 to her opening 68.
Clare Queen was the only Scot to beat the cut. She had a 74 for level par 144, carding five birdies but seven bogeys in an up-and-down round.
Lynn Kenny had a pair 0f 78s to bow out on 156. Jenna Wilson scored 78 and 80 to exit with 158.
SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from South Korea unless stated
135 Sun Ju Ahn 65 70
136 Hee Kyung Seo 69 67
137 Da-ye Na 71 66, Soo Young Moon 69 68
138 Hei ji Kim 71 67, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 69 69, Hye-yong Choi 71 67
139 Ae-ree Pyun 71 68, Bo mi Kim 70 69
140 Bo-bea Park 72 68, So yeon Ryu 69 71, Ha Na Jang 72 68, Bo kyung Kim 73 67, Chae a Oh 68 72, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 70 70, Hye Jung Choi 73 67
141 Chae young Yoon 70 71, Soo-Yun Kang 70 71, Ju mi Kim 69 72, Anna Rawson (Aus) 71 70
142 Hyun Hee Moon 74 68, An-na Oh 70 72, Sun Wook Lim 72 70
143 Hye in Lee 70 73, So young ii Kim 71 72, Johanna Head (Eng) 71 72, Hye Jin Jung 74 69, Amy Yang 71 72, Jeong eun v Lee 70 73, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 68 75, Hyun-ji Kim 71 72
144 Bo-me Lee 74 70, Ran Hong 75 69, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 73 71, Hyeon-ju Lee 73 71, Ji-na Lim 73 71, Bomi Suh 72 72, Florence Luscher (Swi) 73 71, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 70 74, Kyeong Eun Bae 74 70, Min sun ii Kim 71 73, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 76 68, Clare Queen (Sco) 70 74
145 Il Mi Chung 77 68, Hye youn Kim 73 72, Young ae Ham 73 72, Eun-bi Jang 75 70, Lara Tadiotto (Bel) 74 71, Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 71 74, Min gee Song 75 70, Ha-neul Kim 72 73, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 72 73, Bit na Kim 72 73
146 Ellen Smets (Bel) 76 70, Um-ji Kang 74 72, Mi-hee Jung 73 73, Bo bae Kim 71 75, Han min Jee 73 73, Hui jeong Kim 71 75, Sang hee Kim 75 71, Hye lee Kim 73 73, Hae Jung Kim 74 72
MISSED THE CUT
147 Min sun Kim 74 73, Jae-eun Chung 75 72, Young-ran Jo 74 73, Mi Hyun Cho 74 73, Chang-hee Lee 72 75, Ye song Lee 76 71, Ji yeon Woo 74 73
148 Anna Rossi (Ita) 72 76, Lydia Hall (Wal) 76 72, Sarah Oh 74 74, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 72 76
149 Ana Larraneta (Spa) 75 74, Bo ri Lee 72 77, Ji Yeon Lee 77 72, Yu-jin Choi 72 77, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 72 77, Yoon jung Won 73 76, Sarah Nicholson (Nzl) 76 73, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 78 71, Aram Cho 74 75
150 Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 76 74, Min ji Nam 74 76, Ji-hye Jang 77 73, Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin) 77 73, Danielle Montgomery (Eng) 77 73, You jin Ji 74 76, Mi ji Park 75 75, Kyu ri Kim 77 73, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 76 74
151 Kate Combes (Aus) 76 75, Eun jung Shin 76 75, Seul a Yoon 76 75
152 Frances Bondad (Aus) 77 75
153 Sophie Walker (Eng) 76 77, Il-hee Lee 79 74, Samantha Head (Eng) 79 74
156 Lynn Kenny (Sco) 78 78
157 Vittoria Valvassori (Ita) 83 74
158 Jenna Wilson (Sco) 78 80

Karen Stupples drops to joint fourth in
Lorena Ochoa Invitational

Karen Stupples has dropped down from an eighth share of the lead to joint fourth on her own after two rounds of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational tournament at Guadalajara, Mexico.
The 2004 British Women's Open champion had a second round of one-under-par 71 for a 36-hole tally of five-under-par 139.
American Angela Stanford has taken over the pole position at 10-under 134 with scores of 68 and 66.
Lorena Ochoa is not doing so well in her own tournament. She is joint 22nd on 144.
SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72) 6644yd
134 A Stanford 68 66.
136 Yani Tseng 68 68.
138 M Lee 69 69.
139 K Stupples 68 71.
149 J Inkster 71 69, Sun Yung Yoo 70 70, Jee Young Lee 69 71, A Sorenstam 68 72, Seon Hwa Lee 68 72, Nicole Castrale 68 72.
Selected scores:
142 K Hull 71 71, B Lang 68 74 (jt 15th).
143 C Kerr 71 72, A Park 73 70, T Lu 72 71, L Diax 70 73 (jt 17th).
144 J Park 74 70, M Hjorth 74 70, L Ochoa 73 71, H Alfredsson 70 74, C Kim 70 74 (jt 22nd).

Fife Ladies County Golf Association held a prizegiving supper at Elmwood College, Cupar. Leading prizewinners are pictured. County champion Fiona Hastie is second from right in front row; beaten finalist Louise Kenney is second from the left in front row (image courtesy of Alma Robertson). Click on the image to enlarge it.

EGWA appoint John Green as finance
director and company secretary

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
The English Women’s Golf Association has appointed a finance director and company secretary. He is John Green, an accountant who has held senior management positions with major companies.
John is a member of the EWGA management board and has taken up his duties with immediate effect. He said: “I am very much looking forward to this new role.”
John has spent most of his career with British Gas and IBM, specialising in finance and Information Technology.
During his time with British Gas, John’s responsibilities included ensuring that all computer systems were protected and ran efficiently. He was closely involved in the centralisation of all IT at the company and his ground-breaking work on investment appraisal of IT was the subject of a paper published by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He carried out board level work on enhancing shareholder value shortly before British Gas was split into Centrica and Transco.
At IBM, John managed projects for organisations including Barclays Bank, Boots, Diageo and Adtranz. He introduced many new and money-saving processes.
Most recently he has developed his own finance and training consultancy. John also lectures in finance and accountancy for the Open University.
In his spare time John enjoys swimming, cycling and entering competitions. He is married with two grown-up children.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Liz Bennett heading for LET Q

School, ready to ring curtain

down on amateur career

Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), winner of the English Women's Golf Association Order of Merit for 2008, is the latest member of this year's GB&I Curtis Cup team to announce that she is heading for the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga in January.

Scottish champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) and Krystle Caithness, who has abandoned her four-year golf scholarship at George University, have also indicated that they see their future in the professional ranks and will be trying to win LET players' cards in January.

Ms Bennett, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency on the first tee at St Andrews in the Curtis Cup match, who is 26, says in the new EGWA Newsletter:

"I feel the time is right to move on. I have done what I wanted to do in amateur golf and I feel I'm ready to compete with the professionals.

"I've really enjoyed my amateur career. I had four fantastic years at univesity in America and it was great to come back and play for England and for Great Britain & Ireland. But now it's time to move on."

The top 10 final placings in the EGWA Order of Merit were:

1 Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor).

2 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton).

3 Naomi Edwards (Ganton).

4 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).

5 Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale).

6 Jodi Ewart (Catterick).

7 Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton).

8 Hannah Barwood (Knowle).

9 Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire).

10 Rachel Connor (Manchester).

Clare Queen (70) but Lynn Kenny and
Jenna Wilson both on 78 mark

Clare Queen had a two-under-par 70 to be lying joint ninth but fellow Scots Lynn Kenny and Jenna Wilson had 78s to be sharing 76th place at the end of the first round of the Saint Four Ladies Masters at Jeju Island, South Korea today.
France's Gwladys Nocera was the only "Westerner" to break up a monopoly of the leading places by South Korean players.
Gwladys shot a 68 to share second place, three behind Sun Ju Ahn, who, like the majority of the South Korean players, speaks no English.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
65 Sun Ju Ahn
68 Chae A Oh, Gwladys Nocera (Fra)
69 Soo Young Moon, Veronica Zorzi (Ita), So Yeon Ryu, Ju Mi Kim, Hee Kyung Seo
70 Jeong Eun V Lee, Bo Mi Kim, Clare Queen (Sco), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Chae Young Yoon, Hye In Lee, An-Na Oh, Soo-Yun Kang
71 Johanna Head (Eng), Da Ye Na, Hei Ji Kim, Hui Jeong Kim, So Young Ii Kim, Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned), Bo Bae Kim, Min Sun Ii Kim, Hyun-Ji Kim, Ae-Ree Pyun, Anna Rawson (Aus), Hye-Yong Choi, Amy Yang
72 Sun Wook Lim, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra), Ha-Na Jang, Bo Mi Suh, Anna Rossi (Ita), Chang-Hee Lee, Bo-Bea Park, Bo Ri Lee Yu-Jin Choi, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Ha-Neul Kim, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi), Bit Na Kim
73 Yoon Jung Won, Hye Jung Choi, Hyeon-Ju Lee, Mi-Hee Jung, Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Bo Kyung Kim, Hye Youn Kim, Florence Luscher (Swi), Ji Na Lim, Young Ae Ham, Hye Lee Kim, Han Min Jee
74 Ji Yeon Woo, Um-Ji Kang, Min Sun Kim, You Jin Ji, Mi-Hyun Cho, Hye Jin Jung, Aram Cho, Young Ran Jo, Lara Tadiotto (Bel), Hyun Hee Moon, Hae Jung Kim, Kyeong Eun Bae, Bo-Me Lee, Min Ji Nam, Sarah Oh (Aus)
75 Jae Eun Chung, Eun-Bi Jang, Min Gee Song, Ana Larraneta (Spa), Mi Ji Park, Sang Hee Kim, Ran Hong
76 Ellen Smets (Bel), Sarah Nicholson (Nzl), Cassandra Kirkland (Fra), Lydia Hall (Wal), Sophie Walker (Eng), Eun Jung Shin, Seul A Yoon, Kate Combes (Aus), Carmen Alonso (Spa), Jenni Kuosa (Fin), Ye Song Lee
77 Frances Bondad (Aus), Ji-Yeon Lee, Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin), Ji-Hye Jang, Kyu Ri Kim, Danielle Montgomery (Eng), Il Mi Chung
78 Lynn Kenny (Sco), Jenna Wilson (Sco), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha)
79 Il-Hee Lee, Samantha Head (Eng)
83 Vittoria Valvassori (Ita)
Retired: Zuzana Kamasova (Svk)

Karen Stupples in eight-way tie

for lead in Ochoa Invitational

England's Karen Stupples, 35, the 2004 Women's British Open champion - and winless since then, maintained her good run of late-season form with a four-under-par 68 to share the lead with SEVEN other players, including Annika Sorenstam, at the end of the first round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational over the par-72, 6,644-yard Guadalajara Country Club, Mexico.
Stupples was fast out of the traps, birdieing the first three holes and holing a 60-degree wedge from 70 yards for an eagle 2 at the 14th (364yd).
She played with a broken middle toe on her right foot.“I had the accident yesterday morning,” Stupples said. “I was in a panic to get to the coffee, so I rushed around the corner and I stubbed my toe against the wall, and I have a fracture, a broken toe. But it’s the middle one, and so it’s supported by the other two toes. It hurts a little bit, but nothing that I can’t play with.”
Scots Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie are not in this restricted field of 36 players.

LEADING SCORES

Par 72. 6644yd
68 Karen Stupples, Nicole Castrale, Hee-Won Han, Brittany Lang, Seon Hwa Lee, Yani Tseng,
Angela Stanford, Annika Sorenstam.
69 Sophie Gustafson, Jee Young Lee, Meena Lee, Na Yeon Choi.
70 Ji Young Oh, Christina Kim, Sun Young Yoo, In-Kyung Kim, Laura Diaz, Helen Alfredsson.
71 Eun-Hee Ji, Katherine Hull, Juli Inkster, Cristie Kerr.
72 Teresa Lu.
73 Angela Park, Song-Hee Kim, Jeon Jang, Lorena Ochoa.
74 Candie Kung, Inbee Park, Marisa Baena, Maria Hjorth, Jane Park.
75 Laura Davies, Suzann Pettersen, Paul Creamer.
76 Sophia Sheridan

What's in a name? Quite a lot, if you are
talking about the United States

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
I have never made any secret of the fact that I think we are too traditional, too conservative when it comes to naming our golf clubs and courses. Almost without exception they are given names that identify their geographical location.
I was once involved in the opening of a brand new course, of which one of the features was a small lake inhabited by swans. I suggested the name should be Swan Lake Golf Club. Never stood a chance of being accepted, of course. The name chosen was, inevitably, the name of the estate on which the course had been built.
All of this comes back to me as two names from the American golf news tickled my fancy this week.
On the college front, the ECCC Fall Invitational has just been played at DANCING RABBIT Golf Club, Choctaw in the state of Mississippi. What a great name! It could only have been chosen in the United States.
Also, the US PGA Tour Qualifying School's Stage 2 events are being played this week. One of them is at Panama City Beach, Florida at Hombre Golf Club. That's quite a distinctive title but wait until you hear the names of its three courses: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
On the tee, Clint Eastwood!
If you have ever come across a golf club or course the name of which appealed to you, E-mail me at Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Search Engine

You might have noticed that the search box in the title bar has not been working for a while... well... I've finally fixed it.... so you should be able to search Kirkwoodgolf for that elusive piece of news in the archives.
Cheers
Gill

Sian James wins universities qualifier

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Gloucestershire student Sian James, pictured right, has made a winning start to her qualifying campaign for the British universities women's stroke-play championship.
Sian, who plays at Bristol & Clifton and is a student at Birmingham University, holed a 12ft putt on the last green at Princes Golf Club in Kent to snatch victory in the South-east regional qualifying tournament.
She pipped English mid-amateur champion Lucy Williams (Mid-Herts), who is also a student at Birmingham.
The two-day event was played in some of the most testing conditions ever experienced at a British universities event, with heavy rain and winds which reached gale-force. However, all 12 women taking part completed the 36-hole competition.
Both Sian and Lucy struck the ball well and, although they struggled on the slow, wet greens where the ball was moving in the wind, they were rewarded with good scores in the conditions. Both players have been members of English Women’s Golf Association squads.
This was the first of four England and Wales qualifying events for the championship, which is run by British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS). The other three will take place in the new year and the top seven players will go through to the final at Notts Golf Club from April 21-25, where they will be joined by competitors from Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Leading scores:

158 Sian James (Birmingham) 77 81.

159 Lucy Williams (Birmingham) 80 79.

162 Christina Peterson (Northumbria) 84 78.

167 Katherine O'Connor (UW Newport) 79 88.

169 Charlotte Hope (Birmingham) 83 86.

170 Jessica Burrows (Exeter) 85 85.

172 Lucy Padley (Exeter) 85 87
Full details: http://www.bucs.org.uk/

Jamie Blake from Arbroath, enjoying life and golf at Post State University, Waterbury, Connecticutt.

Arbroath student appointed captain

of Post University, US golf team

Jamie Blake from Arbroath has been promoted to captain of the Post University men's golf team, New York State after a successful autumn season on the American college golf circuit.
Head coach Pete Stevens said: "Jamie really stepped up and led the team with his performances during the fall season. It was really nice to see him come into his own and play so well."
Blake, a junior (third year) student at the University which is based at Waterbury, Connecticutt, finished the autumn segment of the US college golf season with four top five finishes and five in the top 10.
The Scot is ranked fifth in the US Division 2 colleges golf statistics, nationwide, for par-3 scoring, after being at one point ranked first.
Blake saved his best for last when he spearhead Post University - The Eagles - to victory in the New England championship and came second in the individual standings.
"Jamie is a mature individual and accepts responsibility and will be a good leader of this team. I'm hoping his leadership will help this team reach the next level which would be competing for a national championship next spring," Stevens added.
There are three Scots on the Post University golf roster and they are all six-footers!
Jamie Blake is 6ft 2in, David McGregor from Helensburgh is 6ft 2in also, and Gavin Wilson from Fife is a "mere" 6ft 1in.
McGregor was the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference rookie of the year and also player of the year for the 2007-2008 college golf season.
+Jamie Blake is not the first Scot to be appointed captain of a US college golf team. Gemma Webster is captain of the Ohio State University women's team.

Hacienda del Alamo Free golf

offer to Ladies Eurpean Tour

Q School competitors

Billy Sim, Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort's Scottish-born Director of Golf, has come up with an excellent offer to all players attending the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga in January.

La Manga Golf Resort is not all that far away from Hacienda del Alamo.

Billy says:
"I am prepared to offer a FREE round of golf at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort to any LET Qualifying School player and if they come with parents or partners I will offer them a round for 40 Euros, including buggy, or 20 Euros for golf only per player.
"Also if any player wishes to practise at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, I would give them free range balls on a specially set-up area for them."
It goes without saying that the LET Qualifying School players and their parents, partners, etc would be made very welcome in Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort's splendid clubhouse.

You can E-mail Billy direct at billysim@hdagolf.com or phone him at 0034 6902 95650

Florida-based Irish teenager Kevin
Phelan is a name to remember

FROM THE IRISH TIMES WEBSITE
Kevin Phelan's first golfing memories involved taking the ferry across the Suir estuary to play golf at Waterford Castle, where his playing partners were his father, John - who'd been one of Ireland's top squash players in his day - and younger brother, Brian. The golfing excursions started when the young Kevin was just seven years of age.
These days, Phelan's environs are far removed from those fondly-remembered days of playing in wind and rain on the course built on an island in the estuary.
Nowadays, Phelan - who celebrated his 18th birthday last Saturday - is surrounded by history at the World Golf Village in St Augustine, Florida, where his family live . . . and his golfing future is one of great expectations after a season which saw him claim a number of prestige junior titles in his ever-increasing CV.
Playing off a plus-two handicap, Phelan has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and the highlight of his career (so far) came back in March when he won the prestigious American Junior Golf Association Mizuno tournament at the Innisbrook resort in Palm Harbor. Appropriately, the trophy he received for that terrific win was a piece of Waterford Crystal.
In fact, Phelan has amassed no fewer than 22 junior tournament titles since his family - father John, mother Josephine and younger brother Brian - moved to Florida five years ago and, with a number of colleges offering full scholarships for 2009, the teenager (who has dual Irish and American citizenship) has opted not to venture too far from home, taking up a placement next year at the University of North Florida.
"I was really lucky to be offered scholarships to a lot of really good colleges but I prefer to stay in Florida where I can play all year round. I've found a really good swing coach in Mike Blackburn, who is based in Jacksonville, and I wanted to stay close to him. Also, UNF have really good practice facilities . . . and their home course is TPC Sawgrass," said Phelan.
For the past few years, Kevin and brother Brian have acted as score bearers during the Players Championship at the famed course but his biggest junior win came on another tournament course at Innisbrook.
Back in March, Phelan produced rounds of 71-70-70 to win by five shots on the same course as Sean O'Hair had won the previous week's PODS Championship. Two weeks previously, Phelan had won the Florida Junior Tour's Amelia Island Plantation event.
Originally born in New York, where his father had played professional squash, the Phelan family returned home to Waterford when Kevin was three. He first started to play golf as a seven-year-old and, by 12, had a handicap of 19. On moving to Florida in the summer of 2003, Kevin quickly realised he would have to improve if he was to make any mark in the sport.
"There was just so much strong competition, so I practised practically every day . . . and now I'm a plus-two, although competitions are played off scratch."
Phelan's progress has been impressive, earning him a place on the Cannon Cup this year where the top boys' and girls' from east of the Mississippi play team golf against the top players from west of the river. It was, says Phelan, "a great honour" to play in that event which so often proves to be the forerunner to Walker Cup and Curtis Cup representative honours for many amateurs.
Indeed, Phelan - whom his mother describes as "a typical Irish teenager, very slow to boast about himself" - has proven himself to be a real team player, leading his school to the Florida State High School championships last year with a season's record of 62-0 that led to them being named "best team in state history".
During his high-school career, he made the All County, All Conference, All District, All Region and All State teams and was named MVP (Most Valuable Player) on the team.
"My goal now is to keep improving, and to play (against) the strongest fields I can get into - and to get really fit. I'm actually taking a few months off from playing tournaments (over the winter) to concentrate on my fitness and to work on my game so that I am ready for college golf next year. I suffered some injuries at the end of the summer from playing too many tournaments and from not having the level of fitness I need."
While Kevin has developed into the player he is today since moving Stateside - reaching 18th in the US national junior rankings this year - there is every likelihood he will attempt to return to Ireland to hone his games on links course. At one of the junior tournaments in Sawgrass this season, he got acquainted with Irish boys' international Michael Durcan who encouraged him to take in the West of Ireland at Rosses Point.
"I'd love to play the West next Easter, or if I can get into some of the other great events. It'd be a really good and different experience," he said. For sure, he had better pack the waterproofs.
+This article also appears in the print edition of the Irish Times

Cathy Panton-Lewis captains World

Team including

Alison Nicholas

Cathy Panton-Lewis, pictured, is to captain the World Team in the 2008 Handa Cup match to be held at the World Golf Hall of Fame in St Augustine, Florida from December 4 to 6.

The Handa Cup pits US-born LPGA veteran professionals against a team of "World Legends" professionals in an international match play competition.

Cathy's team will include for the first time England's Alison Nicholas, best known for winning the 1997 US Women's Open.

Teams:

UNITED STATES - Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, JoAnne Carner, Beth Daniel, Cindy Figg-Currier, Sandra Haynie, Christa Johnson, Rosie Jones, Marilyn Lovander, Cindy Rarick, Patty Sheehan, and Sherri Turner. Captain, Kathy Whitworth. Assistant Captain, Lori West.
WORLD TEAM - Dawn Coe-Jones, Alicia Dibos, Nancy Harvey, Mieko Nomura, Michiko Okada, Anne Marie Palli, Barb Scherbak, Jan Stephenson, Masumi Inaba, Jenny Lidback, Alison Nicholas. Captain, Catherine Panton Lewis.
The Handa Cup is sponsored by Haruhisa Handa, a Japanese philanthropist, artist and businessman. For more event information, please visit http://www.thelegendstour.com/.

Midlothan Prizewinners

Midlothian County Prizewinners got together for a group photograph
at Liberton Golf Club tonight.
Sitting in the centre row, third and fourth from the left,
are Claire Hargan and Rachael Livingstone,
who contested the final of the Championship at Murrayfield in April,
when Rachel won.
Click on the image to get a bigger picture in its own window

bunkered magazine

launches petition to

make Sandy Lyle

Ryder Cup captain

Scotland’s best-selling golf magazine, bunkered, has launched a petition to get one of the country’s most successful golfing sons, Sandy Lyle, installed as the next European Ryder Cup captain.

The magazine plans to collect as many signatures as possible through an on-line petition, which it will then present to the European Tour Players’ Committee in December.

A successor to Nick Faldo – European captain for this year’s loss to America in Valhalla – is expected to be announced by the European Tour in January, with the appointed candidate taking over the reins for the team in time for the next match at the Celtic Manor Resort, Wales, in 2010.

Lyle is understood to be among those in consideration for the post, along with Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal and Welsh legend Ian Woosnam.

However, bunkered believes that Lyle – the only one of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ of the 1980s to be so far overlooked for the honour – deserves the chance to lead the side.

“We believe that Sandy Lyle is long overdue the opportunity to captain Europe in the Ryder Cup,” said bunkered editor, Martin Dempster.

“Of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ of the 1980s, Lyle is the only one not to have been given this chance. Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam have all, deservedly, had their shot – now it’s Sandy’s turn, and we intend to do all we can to see that the European Tour give him the opportunity.”

Lyle was the first British golfer to win the Masters and was also the first Brit to win The Open for nearly 20 years when he triumphed in 1985.

It is expected that the 2010 match would be his last realistic opportunity to captain the team.

“I would urge all golfers to get behind our bid to get Sandy appointed by signing our petition,” added Dempster.

“No disrespect to any of the other names in the frame, we have the utmost respect for them all. It’s just that this is probably Sandy’s last chance and it would be a real kick-in-the-teeth to a true ambassador for European golf if he were to be denied this opportunity.

“We intend to gather as many signatures as possible and will deliver our petition backing Sandy in person to the European Tour in December.

“With enough support, we can get Sandy Lyle appointed.”

You can sign the petition up until December 5, 2008, by logging-on to www.bunkered.co.uk/sos

Spain-based Irish senior women's international & husband enter HdA
February Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Spain-based Pamela Morgan, a senior international for Ireland last season, is one of the latest entries for the Hacienda del Alamo February Festival at the five-star Murcia resort from February 12 to 17.

Pamela lives at Estepona on the Costa del Sol with his husband Brian. They both play off 10 and they are both members at La Cala Golf Club.
They have both entered the St Valentine's Day pro-am on Saturday, February 14 and the Costa Calida Pairs competition on the Sunday. Pamela will also play in the 36-hole opening event, the Murcia Ladies Open on Thursday and Friday, February 12 and 13.

Both Pamela and Brian, pictured above, are entitled to a free practice round over the Dave Thomas-designed championship course which delighted the Scottish Senior Golfing Society Spanish Festival competitors last week.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When charity doesn't begin at home ...
When Brian and Pamela went on holiday to Gambia, they got more than a tan. They got a mission - to help the local people. Louise France hears their story.
You can read it by logging on to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/oct/05/ethicalholidays.gambia

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A check on the Festival entries so far for next February (S denotes SENIOR, and G denotes Under-18 GIRL (on January 1).

MURCIA LADIES OPEN

Two rounds stroke-play

Thursday-Friday, February 12-13
Professional entry
Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)
Amateur entries

Mary McKenna (Donabate) S

Patricia Morris (Donabate) S

Fionnuala Forde (Donabate)

Margo Habets (Rinkven, Belgium)

Caroline Harper (Limburg, Belgium)

Natalia Zvezdina (Rinkven, Belgium)

Sandra Hendrickx (Rinkven, Belgium)

Louise Church (Hendon)
Pamela Morgan (La Cala) S

ST VALENTINE'S DAY PRO-AM

One round: Lady pro with three amateurs (male or female)

Saturday, February 14
Professional entries
Lien Willems (Belgium).
Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Amateur teams:

Mary McKenna, Patricia Morris & Fionnuala Forde (all Donabate).

Mary MacLaren, Meghan MacLaren & Rebecca Gee (all Wellingborough).

Margo Habets, Caroline Harper & Natalia Zvezdina or Sandra Henrickx + pro Lien Willems (Belgium).
Natalia Zvezdina or Sandra Henrickx & two other amateurs.
Pamela Morgan & Brian Harrold (both La Cala) + one other amateur
Amateur individuals:
Louise Church

COSTA CALIDA PAIRS

One round: First nine holes greensomes; Second nine holes better-ball.

Any combination of lady pros, female & male amateurs.

Sunday, February 15

Professional entry
Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)
Amateur pairings:

Mary MacLaren & David MacLaren.

Meghan MacLaren & Rebecca Gee.

Holly Clyburn & India Clyburn.
Pamela Morgan & Brian Harrold
Amateur individuals:
Louise Church (Hendon)

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO LADIES OPEN

Two rounds stroke-play

Monday-Tuesday, February 16-17.
Professional entry
Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)
Amateur entries:

Holly Clyburn. G

India Clyburn. G

Mary MacLaren

Meghan MacLaren G

Rebecca Gee G

Louise Church

+Take advantage of the cheaper midweek flights to Spain by booking now. The prices will have risen if you leave it until January (January 15 is the deadline for entries, by the way).

+To find out details of how much it will cost you to rent accommodation at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort (the more who share, the cheaper it gets per head), here are some E-mail and website addresses:

info@stvmanagement.com

info@resortmanagementhda.com

info@homekare.co.uk

http://www.hdagolfproperties.com/

http://www.spaingolfrentals.com/

http://www.clubmurcia.com/

Sunningdale prospect Ellis Keenan accepts offer to join UNLV next autumn

Sunningdale's 18-year-old prosect Ellis Keenan will join UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) next autumn. She paid a visit to the campus this past weekend and coach Missy Ringler offered her a place.

She is also the sister of Farren Keenan who attended the University of Texas and played on the US men's college circuit for four years.

Ellis has had a good year of golf results in 2008. In April she won the Surrey Junior Championship by 16 shots, beating Hannah Lovelock, now a freshman student at the University of Missouri.

Ellis finished seventh in the qualifying for the English Ladies Close Amateur Championship in May 2008.

She has also won two English Ladies Order of Merit counting events while still a Junior golfer.

Miss Keenan, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, won the prestigious Hampshire Rose tournament by five strokes at North Hants in April, when she equalled the course record with a 67 (6 under par and scoring a 30 on the back nine).

In July she gave herself an early 18th birthday present by winning the Bridget Jackson Bowl at Handsworth Golf Club by six shots.

She is also England Ladies South East Champion. The format was 36-hole stroke-play followed by match-play contested by the leading 16 qualifiers. She won the final by 2 and 1.

Carol Semple Thompson (lifetime achievement), Bob Charles, Craig Wood, Pete Dye, Herbert Warren Wind and Denny Shute were being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this evening in the United States.

The legend that is career amateur


Carol Semple Thompson

By BETH ANN BALDRY
Senior Staff Writer, Golfweek (http://www.golfweek.com/)
Carol Semple Thompson likes to get her hands dirty. She pulls weeds, mucks out stalls and tends to the goats on her family’s Pennsylvania farm. In the fall, she can be found on her horse, Country, trotting through the woods with her sisters on a local fox hunt.
It’s a bit of a fake hunt really, because someone drags a scent through the forest for hounds to follow. Yet it’s thrilling all the same.
“I’ve always thought that the definition of being an amateur meant you don’t have to work on your game every minute,” said Thompson, who says she loves golf deeply but never let it define her life.
Perhaps that balance is the secret to Thompson’s longevity. Thompson, 60, picked up the game at age 5 and beat her mother, Phyllis, a talented player in her own right, as a 16-year-old in the final match of the Western Pennsylvania Women’s Golf Championship for her first title.
“That was the end of me,” Phyllis, 87, deadpanned.
Thompson went on to compete in more than 100 U.S. Golf Association events, won seven national championships, played on 12 Curtis Cup teams and captained two more. Her outstanding amateur record, coupled with years of service, puts Thompson in an elite group.
She is the sixth female amateur inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame under the lifetime-achievement category, joining amateurs such as former USGA president Judy Bell and Canada’s Marlene Streit.
“I’m still quite amazed, actually,” Thompson said. “I never thought I was particularly of the same ilk as most of these Hall of Fame (recipients).”
Thompson’s father, Bud Semple, was USGA president in 1974-75, and Phyllis served on USGA committees and competed in several U.S. Women’s Opens.
Thompson served on the Executive Committee from 1994 to 2000. Nowadays, she divides her time in western Pennsylvania between country and club. She goes to Allegheny Country Club daily, often playing nine holes with her mom. Allegheny is where she picked up the game and met her husband, too, as Dick Thompson visited to give a speech for the USGA Green Section. The Thompsons have been married 25 years. The name Semple is legendary in the Keystone State.
“The Pennsylvania State Amateur, I won that in 1964,” (mother) Phyllis said. “I call it BC – before Carol – because she won it 21 times.”
One of Thompson’s fondest memories came at the 1973 U.S. Women’s Amateur. USGA president Lynford Lardner Jr. stepped aside so that Thompson’s father (then vice president) could present his daughter with her first USGA trophy.
Things came full circle 17 years later when the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur was held at Allegheny. Thompson hoisted the trophy on her home course, six months after her father died. “He was in my thoughts that whole week,” she said.
Thompson’s swing emulates her personality – reliable and steady. She’ll never outgrow the game. But as courses stretch farther each year, Thompson finds it increasingly hard to keep up. She says she’ll keep playing as long as she enjoys the competition and remains healthy.
“I always said she was the best long-iron player (among) women I’d ever seen,” said Bell, who will introduce Thompson at the induction ceremony. “I think she’s one of golf’s treasures. She has shown everyone you can play this game the rest of your life and play it very well.”
In 2002, Thompson joined seven college players on the U.S. Curtis Cup team, playing in her backyard at Fox Chapel Golf Club, near Pittsburgh. LPGA players-to-be Meredith Duncan and Mollie Fankhauser were on that team. Thompson sank a 27-foot putt on the 18th Sunday to retain the Cup for the Americans, and Duncan, who was finishing on the 17th, recalls the “Tiger roar.”
Fankhauser was so impressed with her Curtis Cup partner that she strongly considered staying amateur. Thompson invited her team-mates over for dinner at her home early in the week, and they stood speechless in front of her wall of USGA medals and memorabilia.
“She was just like everybody’s really cool mom,” Duncan said. “It’s like sitting in the presence of a legend, and you don’t really realize it until you see what she’s done.”
Fankhauser marvelled at Thompson’s ability to connect with all ages, “regardless of where you come from or what kind of golf you played.” Thompson refers to it as part of golf’s “mystique.”
Streit is one of Thompson’s closest friends and her partner in annual four-ball events. For practice rounds, Streit said Thompson prefers to round out the group with strangers. She considers it a game of relationships.
“She never says anything bad about anybody,” Streit said.
It’s difficult to imagine anyone staying amateur long enough to match Thompson’s resume. After graduating from Hollins University in 1970 with a degree in economics, Thompson considered turning professional. Her father offered to support her financially for a year if she stayed amateur.
“I, of course, took him up on that,” Thompson said, “went to Florida and practised all winter and was awful the next summer.”
It was an easy decision (not to turn pro).
“Obviously for her it’s not about the money,” Duncan said. “There’s too many of us, including me, who want to make millions. “I don’t think that we’ll ever see one like her again.”
• • •
Beth Ann Baldry is a Golfweek senior writer. To reach her, e-mail bbaldry@golfweek.com.

Hacienda del Alamo February Festival News

India Clyburn with the Four Counties Cup (courtesy of Mrs Clyburn). The four counties are Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Girls from these counties competed for the Net Cup which India, at that time playing off 20, won with a net 66.

Clyburns United for Costa

Calida Pairs: India (12)

partners Holly (17)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON (Tournament Controller)
Lincolnshire Under-13 county champion India Clyburn, only just turned 12 years of age, is the youngest player so far to enter the 2009 Hacienda del Alamo February Festival at the five-star golf resort in Murcia, south-east Spain.
India, who had qualified for next year's Wee Wonders World Championships at Pinehurst, has a handicap of 12.
She will partner her 17-year-old sister, England girl international Holly, a +1 player, in the Costa Calida Pairs on Sunday, Feburary 15 - first nine holes greensomes, second nine holes better-ball foursomes - and both Woodhall Spa Golf Club members will play as individuals in the 36-hole Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open on the Monday and Tuesday over the Dave Thomas-designed course.
We've had a lot of inquiries but here are the confirmed entries so far for the four events that make up the Festival:

MURCIA LADIES OPEN
Two rounds stroke-play
Thursday-Friday, February 12-13

Professional entry

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Amateur entries
Mary McKenna (Donabate)
Patricia Morris (Donabate)
Fionnuala Forde (Donabate)
Margo Habets (Rinkven, Belgium)
Caroline Harper (Limburg, Belgium)
Natalia Zvezdina (Rinkven, Belgium)
Sandra Hendrickx (Rinkven, Belgium)

Louise Church (Hendon)

ST VALENTINE'S DAY PRO-AM
One round: Lady pro with three amateurs (male or female)
Saturday, February 14
Professionals
Lien Willems (Belgium).

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina).

Amateur teams:
Mary McKenna, Patricia Morris (11) & Fionnuala Forde (12) (all Donabate).
Mary MacLaren, Meghan MacLaren (4) & Rebecca Gee (4) (all Wellingborough).
Margo Habets, Caroline Harper & Natalia Zvezdina or Sandra Henrickx + pro Lien Willems (Belgium).

Individual amateur entries (to be made up into teams of three nearer the date.
Natalia Zvezdina or Sandra Henrickx
Louise Church (Hendon)

COSTA CALIDA PAIRS
One round: First nine holes greensomes; Second nine holes better-ball.
Any combination of lady pros, female & male amateurs.
Sunday, February 15
Professional

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Amateur pairings
Mary MacLaren (4) & David MacLaren.
Meghan MacLaren (4) & Rebecca Gee (4).
Holly Clyburn (+1) & India Clyburn (13) (both Woodhall Spa).

Individual amateur entries (to be made up inito teams of two nearer the date).
Louise Church

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO LADIES OPEN
Two rounds stroke-play
Monday-Tuesday, February 16-17.

Professional entry

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Amateur entries:
Holly Clyburn
India Clyburn
Mary MacLaren
Meghan MacLaren
Rebecca Gee

Louise Church

+Take advantage of the cheaper midweek flights to Spain by booking now. The prices will have risen if you leave it until January (January 15 is the deadline for entries, by the way).

+To find out details of how much it will cost you to rent accommodation at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort (the more who share, the cheaper it gets per head), here are some E-mail and website addresses:

info@stvmanagement.com
info@resortmanagementhda.com
info@home-kare.co.uk

info@hdagolfproperties.com

http://www.hdagolfproperties.com/
http://www.spaingolfrentals.com/
http://www.clubmurcia.com/

Rachel's birdies help raise £1,500 for

Rainbow Trust Francis House Appeal

Rachel Connor, 18-year-old England international, has been using her golfing skills to raise much needed funds for The Rainbow Trust Francis House Appeal.
Francis House is a respite home for terminally ill children and their families in Didsbury, Manchester.

Francis House held an Open Day last weekend and Rachel is pictured with her brother Nick handing over the funds that she raised to Pam Daley from the Francis House Appeal. Sponsorship was based on the number of birdies that Rachel achieved in four major amateur tournaments in 2008. The tally came to 30 birdies. To date the fund has reached just over £1500.

Congratulations to Rachel and Thank You to everyone that sponsored her this season, says her dad Brian, a Scot who is professional at Manchester Golf Club.

Ladies European Tour event in India
is cancelled next month

The Indian Ladies Masters, scheduled to be held at the Eagleton Golf Resort in Bangalore, India, from December 4-7, has been cancelled due to the current financial climate and economic meltdown which has gripped most world economies, a Press release said.
The tournament, which was the penultimate event of the 2008 Ladies European Tour calendar, will not take place this year, although Alexandra Armas, the Ladies European Tour’s Executive Director, said that every effort is being made to reinstate the tournament in 2009.
“The Ladies European Tour and its members are looking forward to the possibility of returning to India next year. We do appreciate the efforts of ‘golf in Dubai’ ,” Alexandra said.

British Women's Open champion wins
Mizuno Open in Japan by six strokes

South Korea's mastery of the world of the women's professional golf came a step nearer in Shima, Japan today with victory in the LPGA Tour's Mizuno Open by Shin Ji-Yai, the current British Women's Open champion.
The 20-year-old South Korean, leader by two strokes at the start of the day, powered farther away fromt he field with a final round of five-under-par 67 to win by SIX strokes.
It was not an entirely lawless round - she had one bogey - but she more than cancelled that out with a bag of one eagle and four birdies at the Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club clurse to post a final total of 15-under-par 201.
Japan's Mayu Hattori, a winner last week, was a distant runner-up with a 71 for 207.
South Korea coould claim two of the first three with Lim Eun-A firing a closing 70 to be third on 208.
"I was very nervous on the first tee," said Shin. "But I made birdies on the second and third holes and got more comfortable and confident."
Shin, a three-time winner in six Korea LPGA Tour starts this year, earned $210,000 in the event sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the Japan LPGA.
Europeans, nor Americans for that matter, had to play second fiddle to the South Koreans and Japanese players in a tournament of low scoring.
The leading European was Germany's Sandra Gal in a share of 16th place, even though she scored four under par 212 for the 54 holes.
Glasgow exile Janice Moodie finished on 217 (jt 44th) and earned $5,492.
Catriona Matthew from North Berwick came joint 59th on 219 and earned $3,549.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72) 6506yd
201 Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 68 66 67
207 Mayu Hattori 67 69 71
208 Eun-A Lim (Kor) 68 70 70
209 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 69 68 72, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 71 69 69, Yun-Jye Wei 71 68 70
210 Yuri Fudoh 71 70 69, Miki Saiki 67 73 70, Allison Fouch (USA) 73 67 70, Bo-Bae Song (Kor) 70 71 69
211 Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 69 72 70, Erina Hara 71 67 73, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 69 73 69, Yuko Mitsuka 69 71 71, Candie Kung (Tai) 73 70 68
212 Sakura Yokomine 71 71 70, Alena Sharp (Can) 71 69 72, Sandra Gal (Ger) 69 77 66, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 69 71 72
213 Jimin Kang (Kor) 69 70 74, Carin Koch (Swe) 72 71 70, Young Kim (Kor) 71 72 70
214 Heather Young (USA) 72 74 68, Esther Lee (Kor) 72 69 73, Jill McGill (USA) 71 71 72, In Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 72 70, Shinobu Moromizato 73 76 65, Shiho Oyama 69 68 77, Teresa Lu (Tai) 70 74 70, Hiromi Mogi 71 72 71
215 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 69 71 75, Giulia Sergas (Ita) 73 72 70, Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor) 70 71 74, Ji-Hee Lee 74 69 72
216 Meena Lee (Kor) 72 70 74, Wendy Ward (USA) 71 74 71, Saiki Fujita 71 70 75, Christina Kim (USA) 72 71 73, Rui Kitada 75 70 71, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 70 73 73, Akiko Fukushima 74 72 70, Kyeong Eun Bae (Kor) 72 71 73, Momoko Ueda 70 74 72
217 Nikki Campbell (Aus) 72 73 72, Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 73 70 74, Mie Nakata 73 71 73, Midori Yoneyama 73 75 69, Janice Moodie 71 74 72, Ayako Uehara 71 72 74, Karine Icher (Fra) 74 74 69
218 Ai Miyazato 71 73 74, Irene Cho (USA) 71 73 74, Ji woo Lee (Kor) 72 74 72, Kristy McPherson (USA) 72 73 73, Maiko Wakabayashi 71 76 71, Hiroko Yamaguchi 74 71 73, Hee Young Park (Kor) 71 73 74, Miho Koga 73 70 75
219 So Hee Kim (Kor) 72 72 75, Catriona Matthew 72 75 72, Diana D'Alessio (USA) 73 73 73, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 72 74 73
220 Ya-Ni Tseng (Kor) 73 76 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 72 75 73, Louise Friberg (Swe) 71 71 78, In-Bee Park (Kor) 74 76 70, Akane Iijima 73 73 74, Mi-Jeong Jeon 73 71 76
221 Chie Arimura 74 71 76, Namika Omata (Kor) 73 74 74, Becky Morgan 71 75 75, Morgan Pressel (USA) 75 70 76
222 Yasuko Satoh 74 74 74, Yuko Saitoh 70 79 73
223 Yukari Baba 71 74 78, Kim Hall (USA) 75 74 74
225 Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 75 75 75, Kaori Higo (USA) 71 79 75