Stephanie (70) and Sally (71) in

contention in South Carolina

Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow and Scotland's Sally Watson were bang in the picture after the first round of the Verizon Junior Heritage girls' championship today over the Ocean Course at Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

Stephanie, a resident pupil at the International Junior Golf Academy at Hilton Head, had a round of two-under-par 70 (35-35) to be joint second, one behind pacemaker Doris Chen with a 69 (34-35).

Curtis Cup player Sally Watson, a student at the David Leadbetter Academy at Bradenton, Florida - she enrols at Stanford University, California in the autumn, was joint fourth on 71 with halves of 35 and 36.

Overnight frost delayed the start of play by 45 minutes.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 72

69 Doris Chen (34-35).

70 Emilie Burger 33-37, Stephanie Meadow 35-35.

71 Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai 35-36, Jessica Korda 37-34, Sally Watson 35-36.

72 Laetitia Beck 35-37, Alexis Thompson 36-36, Haley Stephens 38-34.

Selected scores:

73 Daniela Lendl 37-36.

76 Isabelle Lendl 38-38.

Kelly Miller action image, by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography.

Kelly Miller from Wales is living the

American Dream despite dyslexia

FROM THE WALESONLINE.CO.UK WEBSITE
by Anthony Woolford, Western Mail
She's tackled courses others only dream about on their PlayStations, receives personal tuition from Tiger Woods’ coach and has hit shots alongside golfing greats Vijay Singh, KJ Choi and Ernie Els.
Not a bad reward for a teenager happy to travel alone on trains, planes and automobiles to chase her American dream of joining the star-spangled LPGA Tour.
For while Kelly Miller’s school friends back home in Llanrhystud are slaving over text-books in preparations for their GCSEs, the 16-year-old is in a completely different class at the world famous Hank Haney Junior International Academy in the golfing paradise of Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Now in her second year on the International Junior Golf Tour, Kelly has three victories and nine top three finishes to her name. She is leading the girls' Order of Merit.
Everything seems on course for graduation with honours to the next stage of her American schooling.
But perhaps Kelly’s greatest battle is away from the fairways and greens and with the textbooks if she is to make her move to the American college circuit a reality.
Because Kelly like Tom Cruise, Winston Churchill, John F Kennedy, Sir Steve Redgrave, Richard Branson, Steven Spielberg, Muhammad Ali and Walt Disney suffers from dyslexia.
It makes her decision to up golf sticks and move to the southern States, in the process and taking on a completely alien education syllabus, all the more remarkable.
But she admits: “Coming to the academy was the best decision of my life though I do miss my family and friends back home.
“I really thankful to my mum Hazel and dad Ian who sacrificed everything to get me over here.
“Hopefully now when I go to college I can get a scholarship and make them proud.
“I used to doubt myself but my confidence has soared since I first arrived.
“It is hard work because I am dyslexic and find school hard anyway.
“But if I want to go to college and play golf in America I realise I have to work hard at it.
“That’s the great thing about the United States is that if you are good at sport, they also really work you hard at your education, as well and giving you as much encouragement as possible.
“If you don’t pass your exams and get a good education then you can’t play golf – it’s as simple as that.
“I’ve been speaking to a few colleges and really hope I can get into a university somewhere in Florida.”
The IJGA is the only academy in the world which combines training, academics, and competition for serious junior golfers. Haney, coach of Tiger Woods, has a staff of 12 golf professionals and works with each student on a regular basis.
The academy has 150 students from 23 different countries. But how did a girl from Ceredigion end up jetting more than 4,000 miles across the Atlantic to further her education?
“I have a friend Stephanie Meadow, who plays international golf for Ireland and she mentioned it to me,” added Kelly, who became hooked on golf after winning the Wee Wonders competition at St Andrews at the age of 11 – just months after picking up a club for the first time.
“Her family packed up living in Ireland and left for the United States to join her over there.
“I looked at the Academy on the internet and it looked really exciting.
“Because I want to go to college in America on a golfing scholarship, I thought this could be the best way to go about it.
“It was a hard and big decision to make because I had my GCSEs to think about in Wales.
“It was really expensive at first and that was a big consideration.
“Also I need my education and I had to weigh up getting my GSCEs to making the move straight away and try out their education system.
“Even though I am now studying totally different subjects it does give me a better chance of going to college.
“At first it was very scary going to the States because it was a completely different way of life.
“But we play golf every day, get coaching and I get the chance to work on my fitness as well as doing lessons.
“It is definitely much better.
“I go to school from noon to 5.30pm and have three lessons a day while the mornings are totally dedicated to golf.”
Apart from living away from her family, Kelly jets back and for to the States alone and nowadays she’s a seasoned globetrotter having travel arrangements down to a tee.
“At first it was scary travelling alone but now I’m used to it,” added the Welsh girls team member. “It’s a flight from Manchester to Atlanta, a connection to Savannah and then taxi to Hilton Head.”
But what more would you expect from a teenager who, at the age of 12, was hitting tee shots with some of the finest players around at the HSBC World Matchplay Championship, at Wentworth.
“I played in the Wee Wonders and won it twice which got me really interested in the game,” she added.
“They usually take the winners to America to play in a tournament but by the time that came around I was 12 and too old.
“So I went off to the World Matchplay at Wentworth and played a hole with the likes of Vijay Singh, KJ Choi and Ernie Els.
“That was really brilliant and really inspired me as I also met all the other professionals playing there.
“My dad plays off plus one and he’s the one who really encouraged me to play the game early on.”
Though life nowadays in the academy is a completely different ball game to 18 holes around Penrhos Golf Club.
“I have a swing coach, a short game coach and Hank Haney comes around often to check our swings,” added Kelly, set to spend another 15 months at the Academy before hopefully moving onto college.
“Having Tiger Woods’ coach standing over you watching you swing is pretty daunting to say the least and you think ‘oh wow’.
“He is a really nice guy, knows exactly what tournaments you’ve played in and how you’ve done. He is asking you how you are doing all the time and he is always desperate to see you improve your game.
“Having the coach of one of the greatest ever players in the game coming up to you and saying how much your golf has improved means a lot to me.
“My goal is to play on the LPGA so I can stay out in the United States because there’s so many great players out here now.
“Asian players seem to be taking over the LPGA and there’s a lot of Asian students at the Academy, particularly from China.
“There’s a lot of tournament golf for me here in the States particularly around Florida and North Carolina.
“I’ve played TPC Sawgrass and Kiawah Island and some other wonderful courses since I’ve been here.”
Her swing coach, Colby Huffman, who competed against many of America’s finest on the PGA Tour in college golf has given his Welsh student a glowing report card.
“Kelly has a lot of heart and natural ability,” he said. “She is always striving to improve and keeps calm under pressure.”
With that endorsement you get the feeling Kelly won’t let dyslexia be a handicap to her fulfilling the American dream.

James Byrne joint 43rd in

Hawaii as 2009 opener

Scotland international James Byrne from Banchory, a student at Arizona State University, finished joint 43rd on his first appearance of 2009 on the American college circuit.

Byrne, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had rounds of 73, 76 and 76 for a nine-over-par total of 225 in the University of Hawaii at Hilo Intercollegiate over the par-72, 6913yd Mauna Lani North Course on the Kohala Coast.

Washington's Nick Taylor and the University of Southern California claimed the top individual and team spots respectively.

Taylor's six-under-par 210 was made up of rounds of 69, 71 and 70 and he won by one stroke from USC's Jamie Lovemark (69-73-69). Four players were tied in third place at 4-under-par 212.
The University of Southern California continued their torrent team pace in the final day of the tournament for an 11-stroke margin of victory over second place Washington. The Trojans finished the tournament at 13-under-par, 851. Washington came next at 862 followed by Texas Christian (870), Stanford (872), Oregon (873), Colorado (874), Arizona State (875), Texas Tech (876), Georgia (879), Florida State and Oklahoma (890), UC Davis (892), Hawaii Hilo (910), Fresno State (923), Kansas (924), San Francisco (928) and Hawaii Manoa (947).

Katherine Hull leads ANZ

Ladies Masters by three

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
(with some additional words by Colin Farquharson)
Rising Australian star Katherine Hull challenged the field to “bring it on” ahead of this week’s ANZ Ladies Masters at RACV Royal Pines Resort, Queensland in Australia.
The 26-year-old Queenslander, pictured above, backed up that statement by shooting 68 in swirling winds today and taking a three shot lead into the final day.
Hull’s round included six birdies and two bogeys. She birdied the last two holes to reach a three-round total of 12-under-par. Fellow Queenslander Tamie Durdin finished the day in second on nine-under-par after a 66, with American Mollie Fankhauser a shot further back in third after a 68.
“It wasn’t easy out there but I stayed patient and finished with two nice birdies. I am really happy about the way it went,” said Hull, who was the leading Australian player on the US LPGA Tour last year, ranked 13th on the money list with more than US $1 million in earnings.
After battling away for four years in America, Hull secured her maiden LPGA title at the Canadian Women’s Open in Ottawa last year. Now she wants to prove herself on home soil.
“I believe I can win but there are 18 holes out there that are still to be played and some great names on the leader board,” she said. “You can’t take it for granted. You’ve just got to focus on your own game and hopefully it’s enough at the end.”
Hull has been a runner-up at both of the events she has played on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour over the last fortnight, the LG Bing Lee New South Wales Women’s Open and the New Zealand Open.
Now she has the chance to go one better but despite looking relaxed she said: “I won’t be relaxing at all.”
Durdin said she expected to feel nervous on the final day but would learn from her experiences at Royal Pines last year. The 31-year-old, who plays most of her golf in Japan, started the last round tied for the lead but shot a 76 on the final day to end up in joint 23rd place.
“It’s almost déjà vu,” Durdin said. “Last year I felt that I was really ready to go. I felt that it was time to step up and win really. Maybe I put too much emphasis on that.”
Durdin, a renowned under-achiever in Australian women’s golf, has been working with sports psychologist Jonah Oliver, who is based at Queensland University, and now feels better equipped to deal with feeling the butterflies that she says are inevitable.
I’m going to feel nervous tomorrow. I’m going to be anxious tomorrow and yes; I’m probably going to hit some bad shots tomorrow. I’m just going to accept that and go into tomorrow just knowing that and it helps,” she said.
The reigning Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Jiyai Shin from South Korea shares fourth place with compatriot So Yeon Ryu, first round co-leader Becky Brewerton, who shot a third-round 70, and Australians Kristie Smith and Sarah Kemp.
Shin, the world No.5, shot a third round of 72, despite having been hospitalised for two hours on Friday evening. She had complained of feeling numb in her hands and was fed by a drip.
Shin’s caddie Dean Hearden said: “If Jiyai makes more than one three-putt you know there is something wrong and it is not her golf. She battled like a trooper.”
Shin added: “It was a little bit of a tough day but tomorrow I will try my best.”
It was a tough day for the second round leader, Australian Nikki Campbell, who slipped back into a share of 15th position on four-under after a 78.
Australia’s Karrie Webb shot 69 and finished the day tied with Campbell. Sitting eight shots off the lead, for Webb a seventh Masters trophy remains within reach.
SCOTSWATCH: Lynn Kenny slipped back a bit in the standings with a 75 for three-over 219. The Dunblane player had only two birdies, the first and the 14th. Her low point was a double bogey 7 at the long 12th. She had earlier slipped shots at the fourth, sixth and 16th in halves of 38 (one over) and 37 (two over).
THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
204 Katherine Hull (Aus) 69 67 68
207 Tamie Durdin (Aus) 70 71 66
208 Mollie Fankhauser (US) 70 70 68
210 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 73 68 69, Becky Brewerton (Wal) 67 73 70, So Yeon Ryu (Kor) 71 68 71, Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 69 69 72, Kristie Smith (Aus) 73 62 75
211 Linda Wessberg (Swe) 72 72 67, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 69 73 69, Anna Rawson (Aus) 71 70 70, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 71 70 70, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 69 71 71, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 67 72 72
212 Ya-Ni Tseng (Tpe) 71 72 69, Karrie Webb (Aus) 70 73 69, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 74 68 70, Lindsey Wright (Aus) 71 70 71, Alison Walshe (US) 69 70 73, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 68 69 75, Nikki Campbell (Aus) 69 65 78
213 Nikki Garrett (Aus) 72 70 71, Haeji Kang (Kor) 69 72 72, Hee-Kyung Seo (Kor) 72 69 72, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 68 73 72, Beth Allen (US) 69 72 72, Samantha Head (Eng) 70 70 73, Frances Bondad (Aus) 70 70 73, Aram Cho (Kor) 72 68 73, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 73 67 73, Rebecca Flood (Aus) 69 69 75, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 67 70 76
214 Trish Johnson (Eng) 75 70 69, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 72 72 70, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 70 73 71, Bobea Park (Kor) 71 72 71
215 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 73 73 69, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 74 72 69, Diana Dalessio (US) 72 73 70, He Yong Choi (Kor) 70 74 71, Nina Reis (Swe) 75 68 72, Melissa Reid (Eng) 74 69 72, Rachel Bailey (Aus) 70 72 73, II-Hee Lee (Kor) 67 74 74, Stephanie Na (Aus) 72 69 74, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 68 71 76
216 Jin Joo Kim (Kor) 70 74 72, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 74 70 72, Hye Youn Kim (Kor) 68 75 73
217 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 72 74 71, Laura Davies (Eng) 79 67 71, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 71 74 72, Chang-Hee Lee (Kor) 72 72 73, Ji-Na Lim (Kor) 74 69 74, Karen Lunn (Aus) 71 72 74, Smriti Mehra (Ind) 73 69 75, Joanne Mills (Aus) 73 69 75
218 Karen Quinn (Aus) 78 68 72, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 71 74 73, Whitney Hillier (Aus) 72 73 73, Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 73 72 73, Lorie Kane (Can) 71 72 75, Sarah Oh (Aus) 70 72 76, Dana Lacey (Aus) 70 70 78
219 Diana Luna (Ita) 74 72 73, Beth Bader (USA) 73 73 73, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 72 72 75, Ji-Hye Jang (Kor) 70 71 78
220 Bettina Hauert (Ger) 76 70 74, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 72 74 74, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 71 75 74
221 Stefanie Michl (Aut) 75 71 75, Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 71 75 75, Tamara Beckett (Aus) 72 74 75, Susie Mathews (Aus) 72 71 78
224 Wendy Berger (Aus) 71 75 78

Lee Westwood launches

three-day academies

around England for

seven to 16-year-olds

Lee Westwood, pictured right, has launched a series of three-day golf academies around England for boys and girls aged seven to 16 years old.
The Ryder Cup star has helped put together a coaching programme with a competitive element, where winners at each of the nine centres will be able to spend a day with him at Lindrick, close to his Worksop home, on August 31.
In addition to receiving tuition, there will be sessions covering nutrition, fitness, psychology, rules and etiquette.
"The game has given me so much and I want to pass on my passion for the game to as many youngsters as I can," said Westwood.
"The beauty of these academies is they will be able to cope with a full range of abilities to make sure everyone improves their golf."
Participating clubs are:

Addington Court in Surrey (July 21-23), Blue Mountain in Berkshire (July 22-24), Brampton Heath in Northamptonshire (July 20-22), Chesfield Downs in Hertfordshire (July 21-23), Elton Furze in Cambridgeshire (July 20-22), High Legh Park in Cheshire (July 22-24), Morley Hayes in Derbyshire (July 27-29), Rudding Park in Yorkshire (July 20-22) and The Bristol Club (July 27-29).
All the coaches involved will be qualified professionals and will have been on training days to prepare them for the academies.
There will be also be opportunities to gain scholarships to Mill Hill School in north London, which offers structured golf tuition as part of its sports curriculum.

Full details about how to get a place at the Lee Westwood Golf Academies are available on the Lee Westwood Website:

http://www.leewestwoodgolfacademy.co.uk/

Hawaii at Hilton Intercolleagiate leaders

IT'S NOT ON GOLFSTAT YET, BUT HERE'S THE NEWS FROM HAWAII:
The 19th Annual University of Hawaii at Hilo Intercollegiate has a new individual and team leader after the second round as the field prepares for Friday's final round on the Mauna Lani Resort's North Course.
Washington's Richard Lee has the lead with a 6-under-par 138 (68-70). Two strokes back and tied for second are Washington's Nick Taylor (69-71) and Texas Tech's Garrett Merrell (70-70). Washington's Chris Killmer is in fourth place at 3-under-par 141 (71-70) and is followed by a foursome tied in fifth place at 2-under-par 142.
USC leads Washington by four strokes for the team lead. The two PAC 10 teams are the only teams under par at minus-7, 569 and minus-3, 573, respectively.
They are followed by:
Colorado (584), Stanford and Texas Tech (585), Oregon (586), Arizona State (587), TCU (588), UC Davis (593), Georgia Tech (596), Oklahoma (597), Florida State (604), Hawaii Hilo (610), Kansas and Fresno State (623), San Francisco (628) and Hawaii Manoa (642).
Christopher Armanini leads the Vulcans squad with a 151 (70-81) and is tied for 42nd place. He is joined by Logan Goulding (T48, 76-76=152), Jesus Valdivia (T53, 78-75=153), Stephen Zane (T75, 76-82=158) and Zady Ari (T83, 83-8=161).
First round leader Rodolfo Estrada followed an opening round 66 with a 79 and fell into a tie for 13th place. Other Vulcans competing as individuals are Kelii Dias (T69, 76-81=157) and Isaac Jaffurs (T79, 84-76=160).

Seven birdies in a row by rookie Aussie in record 62

Lynn Kenny makes the ANZ cut


but Clare Queen fails by two

Contrasting fortunes for the two Scots in the international field as Australian players occupy the top three places after 36 holes of the ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort, Queensland in Australia.
Lynn Kenny, who missed the cut in last week's NZ Women's Open, sailed over the hurdle this time with two rounds of 72 for level par 144.
But Clare Queen, pictured above, who did not play in New Zealand, missed the cut by two shots with an aggregate of 148, made up of rounds of 75 and 73. The early holes killed Clare's chances of surviving. She bogeyed the first, second, fourth, sixth and ninth - with a birdie at the seventh - to reach the turn in four-over-par 41.
Coming home, the Scot birdied the 13th, 16th and 17th but bogeyed the 14th and 18th for 34 back.
Lynn, in contrast, put herself in the comfort zone with birdies at the first, third and fourth. She bogeyed the sixth, ninth and 13th in halves of 36.
Young Australian rookie Kristie Smith equalled Karrie’s Webb’s course record from 2007 with a ten-under-par 62 to move to nine-under-par 135 and second place behind compatriot Nikki Campbell.
The Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour member birdied her first seven holes, which equalled the Ladies European Tour’s all-time record for consecutive birdies set by three other players.
Marine Monnet from France was the last player to achieve that feat at the 2003 AAMI Women Australian Open at Terrey Hills. Smith led after the second round of the Australian Open at Kingston Heath as an amateur 12 months go and finished fifth in the event. She was also the leading amateur at the 2008 ANZ Ladies Masters, where she finished in equal 44th place. Australian professional Nikki Campbell, who plies her trade on the Japanese tour, has taken the outright lead on ten-under-par 134 with a second-round 65.
LPGA Tour player Katherine Hull completed an Aussie 1-2-3 with a 67 for 136.
Irish-born US Curtis Cup player Alison Walshe, now a rookie pro, is in joint eighth position on 139.
SECOND ROUND
Par 144 (2 x 72)
134 Nikki Campbell (Aus) 69 65
135 Kristie Smith (Aus) 73 62
136 Katherine Hull (Aus) 69 67
137 Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 68 69, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 67 70
138 Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 69 69, Rebecca Flood (Aus) 69 69
139 Alison Walshe (USA) 69 70, So Yeon Ryu (Kor) 71 68, Carmen Alonso (Spa) 68 71, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 67 72
140 Mollie Fankhauser (USA) 70 70, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 73 67, Aram Cho (Kor) 72 68, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 69 71, Frances Bondad (Aus) 70 70, Becky Brewerton (Wal) 67 73, Samantha Head (Eng) 70 70, Dana Lacey (Aus) 70 70
141 Beth Allen (USA) 69 72, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 68 73, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 71 70, Lindsey Wright (Aus) 71 70, Hee-Kyung Seo (Kor) 72 69, Anna Rawson (Aus) 71 70, Ji-Hye Jang (Kor) 70 71, Stephanie Na (Aus) 72 69, II-Hee Lee (Kor) 67 74, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 73 68, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 70 71, Haeji Kang (Kor) 69 72
142 Nikki Garrett (Aus) 72 70, Joanne Mills (Aus) 73 69, Rachel Bailey (Aus) 70 72, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 74 68, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 69 73, Sarah Oh (Aus) 70 72, Smriti Mehra (Ind) 73 69
143 Melissa Reid (Eng) 74 69, Bobea Park (Kor) 71 72, Karen Lunn (Aus) 71 72, Ji-Na Lim (Kor) 74 69, Karrie Webb (Aus) 70 73, Ya-Ni Tseng (Tpe) 71 72, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 70 73, Lorie Kane (Can) 71 72, Nina Reis (Swe) 75 68, Susie Mathews (Aus) 72 71, Hye Youn Kim (Kor) 68 75
144 Lynn Kenny (Sco) 72 72, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 72 72, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 74 70, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 72 72, Chang-Hee Lee (Kor) 72 72, Jin Joo Kim (Kor) 70 74, He Yong Choi (Kor) 70 74
145 Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 73 72, Whitney Hillier (Aus) 72 73, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 71 74, Diana Dalessio (USA) 72 73, Trish Johnson (Eng) 75 70, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 71 74
146 Wendy Berger (Aus) 71 75, Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 71 75, Laura Davies (Eng) 79 67, Beth Bader (USA) 73 73, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 74 72, Tamara Beckett (Aus) 72 74, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 72 74, Wendy Doolan (Aus) 73 73, Diana Luna (Ita) 74 72, Lotta Wahlin (Swe) 71 75, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 72 74, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 76 70, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 75 71, Karen Quinn (Aus) 78 68
MISSED THE CUT

147 Brandie Burton (USA) 78 69, Verity Knight (Aus) 75 72, Yuki Sakurai (Jpn) 73 74, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 71 76, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 73 74, Nancy Harvey (Can) 72 75, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 74 73, Stacey Tate (Nzl) 71 76, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 71 76, Florentyna Parker (Eng) 73 74
148 Michelle Ellis (Aus) 75 73, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 74 74, Sarah Nicholson (Nzl) 75 73, Clare Queen (Sco) 73 75, Julie Tvede (Den) 73 75, Danielle Montgomery (Eng) 74 74, Carlie Bridge (Aus) 71 77, Rebecca Coakley (Irl) 74 74, Martina Eberl (Ger) 74 74, Ashley Ona (Aus) 76 72
149 Da-Na Kang (Kor) 72 77, Julia Boland (Aus) 74 75, Stacey Keating (Aus) 74 75, Chie Arimura (Jpn) 77 72, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 75 74, Kirsty S Taylor (Eng) 76 73
150 Loraine Lambert (Aus) 75 75, Eva Steinberger (Aut) 78 72, Torie O'Connor (Aus) 79 71, Bo Mi Suh (Kor) 75 75, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 78 72, Sunny Park (Aus) 78 72, Bree Turnbull (Aus) 78 72, Lydia Hall (Wal) 76 74, Marousa Polias (Aus) 75 75
151 Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl) 76 75, Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 77 74, Jane Kim (Aus) 77 74, Sophie Walker (Eng) 77 74, Jane Suckling (Aus) 78 73, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 74 77, Lisa Jean (Aus) 72 79
152 Carmen Railton (Aus) 76 76, Maria Verchenova (Rus) 74 78, Nicole Montgomery (Aus) 77 75, Rosemary MacDonald (Aus) 78 74, Ko-Chen Yeh (Tai) 78 74, Riko Higashio (Jpn) 75 77, Marjet van der Graaff (Ned) 77 75, Angela Tatt (Aus) 75 77, Lisa Hall (Eng) 78 74, Sharon O'Neill-Hempstock (Aus) 77 75
153 Matia Maffiuletti (Ita) 75 78
154 Bing Lim (Mal) 77 77, Mianne Bagger (Den) 76 78, Justine Lee (Aus) 81 73, Jenny Sevil (Aus) 76 78
155 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 76 79, Heidi McCulkin (Aus) 75 80, Leah Hart (Aus) 77 78
156 Kate Combes (Aus) 78 78, Angela Harris (Aus) 79 77, Joanna Mantle (Aus) 77 79, Tamara Hyett (Aus) 79 77, Viva Schlasberg (Swe) 79 77
157 Jessica Noh (Aus) 82 75, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 83 74, Vikki Tutt (Aus) 75 82
158 Katy Jarochowicz (Aus) 77 81, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 77 81
159 Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 83 76
161 Polly Travica (Aus) 82 79
162 Angela Tunchon (Aus) 82 80
170 Kirsty J Fisher (Eng) 83 87
134 Nikki Campbell 69 65.
135 Krtistie Smith 73 62.
136 Katherine Hull 69 67.
137 Lee-Anne Pace 67 70, Ursula Wikstrom 68 69.
Selected totals:
140 Becky Brewerton 67 73, Samantha Head 70 70.
142 Gwladys Nocera 69 73.
143 Melissa Reid 74 69, Karrie Webb 70 73.
144 Lynn Kenny 72 72.
145 Felicity Johnson 71 74, Trish Johnson 75 70.
146 Laura Davies 79 67, Rebecca Hudson 72 74.
147 Florentyna Parker 73 74, Georgina Simpson 71 76.
148 Daniele Montgomerie 74 74, Clare Queen 73 75.
149 Kirsty Taylor 76 73.
151 Sophie Walker 77 74.
152 Lisa Hall 78 74.
155 Kiran Matharu 76 79.
170 Kirsty Fisher 83 87.

David and Bobby McGregor - and the trophies are David's!

If you scroll down you will find a story about David McGregor (Helensburgh), son of the former world record-setting Falkirk swimmer Bobby McGregor and currently a second-year golf scholarship student at Post University, Connecticutt. David's mum, Bernadette, has kindly forwarded this picture of David and his dad with trophies that DAVID has won as a golfer. One of them is for the Helensburgh Golf Club championship.

Festival St Valentine's Day event will

now be an "Ambrose Scramble"

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Festival Organiser
Good news for Hacienda del Alamo Festival competitors who are playing in the St Valentine's Day team event on Saturday, February 14. They will have to pay only 15 Euros of an entry fee each.
Because we have not received enough entries from lady professionals, we have had to scap the original concept of a pro-am.
Now we have homed in on the idea of a Scramble with teams of three or four amateurs. On the advice of Ladies Golf Union Head of Golf Operations, Susan Simpson, we will probably use the "Ambrose Scramble" format for producing net scores.
For teams of three players, all their handicaps are added together and divided by six. That gives you a figure which is deducted from the team's gross total.
For teams of four players, the aggregate of their handicaps is divided by eight before being deducted from the gross total.
There will be prizes for scratch and handicap totals.
Don't worry if you have never played in a Scramble before. We will give every player a sheet of the "Rules" but basically, everybody drives off, you select your best tee shot and then everybody plays a shot from within a specified distance of that ball ... and that is repeated until the best ball is holed out.

Billy Sim, the Hacienda del Alamo Director of Golf, says:
"We run a lot of Scrambles out here and, without fail, they are a lot of fun. This one will be no exception."
The really good news is that because we have been unable to put on the pro-am we promised, we are reducing the entry fee for all Festival competitors in the Saturday Scramble to a flat 15 Euros each.

Solid start by Lynn (72) and

Clare (73) to ANZ Ladies

Masters in Queensland

Lisa Hall faces an uphill task if she is to win the ANZ Ladies Masters two years in a row at Royal Pines Resort, Queensland, Australia after starting the tournament with a four-over-par 76 over the 5892 metres course. Generally, the scoring was low with four players setting the pace on five-under-par 67 - Marianne Skarpnood, the former British girls champion from Norway, Welsh Solheim Cup player Becky Brewerton, South Korea Ii-Hee Lee and South African Lee Anne Pace.
Scots Lynn Kenny, pictured above, and Clare Queen made solid starts with rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. Lynn, who plays out of Archerfield Links, missed the cut last week in New Zealand but looked more like the player who breezed through the LET Q School at La Manga last month. She bogeyed the second and fourth but settled to birdie the short fifth and the par-4 sixth. She dropped a shot at the eight to be out in one-over-par 37 but came home in one under with a bogey at the 10th and birdies at the long 12th and par-4 17th

Clare, who did not play in New Zealand, made a fast start with birdies at the long third and fort fifth but she gave her gains back with bogeys at the seventh and ninth to turn in level 37. Again she got ahead of the game early on the inward half with birdies at the 10th and short 11th but she sagged over the final holes with successive bogeys at the 15th, 16th and 17th.

Laura Davies continues to struggle Down Under. She did not play well in the NZ Ladies Open and in Australia she has saddled herself with an opening round of seven-over-par 79.

ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Par 72

67 II-Hee Lee (Kor), Becky Brewerton (Wal), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa).
68 Carmen Alonso (Spa), Hye Youn Kim (Kor), Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin).
69 Gwladys Nocera (Fra), Haeji Kang (Kor), Nikki Campbell (Aus), Rebecca Flood (Aus), Beth Allen (USA), Katherine Hull (Aus), Ji-Yai Shin (Kor), Alison Walshe (USA), Cherie Byrnes (Aus)
70 Jin Joo Kim (Kor), Frances Bondad (Aus), Karrie Webb (Aus), Sarah Oh (Aus), Rachel Hetherington (Aus), Tamie Durdin (Aus), Samantha Head (Eng), Dana Lacey (Aus), He Yong Choi (Kor), Mollie Fankhauser (USA), Rachel Bailey (Aus), Ji-Hye Jang (Kor)
71 So Yeon Ryu (Kor), Carlie Bridge (Aus), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Stacey Tate (Nzl), Lotta Wahlin (Swe), Lorie Kane (Can), Ya-Ni Tseng (Tpe), Felicity Johnson (Eng), Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Wendy Berger (Aus), Ai Miyazato (Jpn), Lindsey Wright (Aus), Bobea Park (Kor), Georgina Simpson (Eng), Karen Lunn (Aus), Anna Rawson (Aus)
72 Tamara Beckett (Aus), Nancy Harvey (Can), Whitney Hillier (Aus), Lisa Jean (Aus), Christel Boeljon (Ned), Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Diana Dalessio (USA), Susie Mathews (Aus), Da-Na Kang (Kor), Lynn Kenny (Sco), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Nikki Garrett (Aus), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Hee-Kyung Seo (Kor), Chang-Hee Lee (Kor), Stephanie Na (Aus), Aram Cho (Kor)
73 Wendy Doolan (Aus), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Smriti Mehra (Ind), Florentyna Parker (Eng), Yuki Sakurai (Jpn), Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus), Kristie Smith (Aus), Beth Bader (USA), Joanne Mills (Aus), Beatriz Recari (Spa), Melodie Bourdy (Fra), Julie Tvede (Den), Clare Queen (Sco)
74 Vicky Thomas (Aus), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Laurette Maritz (Rsa), Rebecca Coakley (Irl), Diana Luna (Ita), Martina Eberl (Ger), Julia Boland (Aus), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Melissa Reid (Eng), Stacey Keating (Aus), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha), Maria Verchenova (Rus), Danielle Montgomery (Eng), Ji-Na Lim (Kor)
75 Marousa Polias (Aus), Heidi McCulkin (Aus), Riko Higashio (Jpn), Angela Tatt (Aus), Trish Johnson (Eng), Nina Reis (Swe), Stefanie Michl (Aut), Loraine Lambert (Aus), Bo Mi Suh (Kor), Verity Knight (Aus), Michelle Ellis (Aus), Sarah Nicholson (Nzl), Anna Knutsson (Swe), Matia Maffiuletti (Ita), Vikki Tutt (Aus)
76 Mianne Bagger (Den), Jenny Sevil (Aus), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Ashley Ona (Aus), Kirsty S Taylor (Eng), Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl), Kiran Matharu (Eng), Carmen Railton (Aus), Lydia Hall (Wal)
77 Sophie Walker (Eng), Katy Jarochowicz (Aus), Leah Hart (Aus), Marjet van der Graaff (Ned), Sharon O'Neill-Hempstock (Aus), Jenni Kuosa (Fin), Chie Arimura (Jpn), Katharina Schallenberg (Ger), Bing Lim (Mal), Nicole Montgomery (Aus), Joanna Mantle (Aus), Jane Kim (Aus)
78 Jane Suckling (Aus), Lisa Hall (Eng), Karen Quinn (Aus), Kate Combes (Aus), Eva Steinberger (Aut), Brandie Burton (USA), Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Sunny Park (Aus), Bree Turnbull (Aus), Rosemary MacDonald (Aus), Ko-Chen Yeh (Tai)
79 Tamara Hyett (Aus), Viva Schlasberg (Swe), Torie O'Connor (Aus), Laura Davies (Eng), Angela Harris (Aus)
81 Justine Lee (Aus)
82 Polly Travica (Aus), Angela Tunchon (Aus), Jessica Noh (Aus)
83 Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus), Kirsty J Fisher (Eng), Elisabeth Esterl (Ger).

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
Welsh golfer Becky Brewerton grabbed a share of the first round lead at the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia today.
She and three others opened with five-under-par 67s, upstaging the likes of world No.2 Yani Tseng, who shot 71, world No.5, Jiyai Shin who had 69 and the six-time event champion Karrie Webb.
The 26-year-old Solheim Cup player shared pole position with Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord, South African Lee-Anne Pace and South Korean Il-Hee Lee, who were all flawless with five birdies apiece.
Starting her round at the 10th hole, Brewerton reeled off five birdies over the back nine and turned in 30. She recovered from a double bogey six at the second hole with back-to-back birdies for an inward total of 37, even par.
The 2007 Ladies English Open champion is making her fourth appearance at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in Queensland, where she shot an opening round of 66 in 2007 before finishing tied for eighth behind Webb.
“This is one of my favourite courses and I’ve done quite well here. I’ve got good memories and it suits my game well. If you can drive it long and straight you’ve got a real advantage,” Brewerton said.
Brewerton recorded eight top ten finishes last season and was 15th on the New Star Money List for the third time running. She has been working hard over the winter in an attempt to bring her game up to the next level and has been put through her paces by her new fitness trainer Steve Bond.
She cited a stronger mental approach as the key to overcoming the double bogey she took after snap hooking her ball into the root of a tree. “I think before if I had made a mistake like that I would have given myself too hard a time and ended up on one or two under when I should have been at least five under. In situations like that the work I have been doing has definitely helped,” she said.
The 22-year-old Skarpnord equalled Brewerton’s 67 with three birdies on the front nine and two on the back. Her best finish was runner up to world No.4 Suzann Pettersen at the AIB Ladies Irish Open in July last year.
Pace, who will turn 28 later this month, was the sole leader to have played in the breezier, but warm, afternoon conditions. Her best finish on tour was a tie for fourth at the SAS Ladies Masters in Norway last year.
Lee, another talented player from the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), was runner-up to Shin in the Woori Ladies Tournament early last year. She started her round at the 10th and turned in 32 before picking up two more birdies coming home.
She is known as one of the dragon ladies, having been born in the year of the dragon. Like many of her generation, her idol is Se Ri Pak.

Berkshire’s Margaret Berriman to chair

EWGA’s operational board

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

Berkshire’s Margaret Berriman is the new chairman of the operational board of the English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA).
Margaret was appointed for 2009 by the EWGA management board. She has been chairman of the association’s South regional committee and a member of the operational board. EWGA is the governing body for women’s amateur golf in England and represents around 120,000 members in 1780 clubs.
Its operational board looks after the association’s golfing activities.
Margaret commented: “I am very much looking forward to taking on this new role and I would really like to see EWGA connect with its members. EWGA needs to show women golfers that it has something to offer them and can play an important part in their golf. It is their organisation.”
Margaret has played golf since she was a teenager and has been Berkshire county captain. She’s a county first team player and remarked: “I came to county golf fairly late in life and got my county colours and my bus pass in the same 12-month period!”
She also represents Berkshire as a senior and has been county seniors’ champion.
She first became involved with national golf administration about three years ago when she represented the south-east division on the executive committee of the English Ladies’ Golf Association, which was replaced by EWGA.
Margaret became a member of EWGA’s first operational board in 2008 when she chaired the South regional committee, which represents Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. She also sits on the management committee of the EWGA Trust, the charity for girls’ golf, and has recently joined EWGA’s championship and venues committee.
Margaret, who plays off five handicap, is a member of Goring and Streatley Golf Club where she was the first woman to be appointed to the management committee. She is currently chairman of the club’s finance committee, is a past ladies’ captain and the reigning ladies’ club champion.
Lyndsey Hewison

Press & PR Officer
English Women's Golf Association

EWGA launches 2009 online entry service

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
The English Women’s Golf Association has started its online entry service for the 2009 tournament schedule, which includes two open championships.
Competitors who visit the EWGA website, www.englishwomensgolf.org, can make online entries to all eight English championships and to another four seniors’ events.
The open championships are the English stroke-play and the English mid-amateur, which take place in consecutive weeks in August. Players can use a secure Paypal account to pay their entry fees online, including the charge for the competitors’ dinner held at seniors’ championships.
Emma Lowe, EWGA’s tournament secretary, said: “Online entry has been a huge success since we launched it four years ago. This year we are hoping to attract an international entry to our two open championships and I am sure overseas competitors will find this a very convenient service.”
On-line entry is available for the following events:
English senior championship, April 21-24, Hunstanton, Norfolk
English amateur championship, May 12-16, Lindrick, Yorkshire4
English senior stroke-play championship, June 16-18, Royal Ashdown Forest
Sussex Seniors’ Midlands regional tournament, July 9-10, Erewash Valley, Derbyshire
English girls' championship, July 28-August 1, North Wilts, Wiltshire
English girls' U15 and U13 championship, July 28 – 30, The Wiltshire
English open stroke-play championship, August 4-6, Enmore Park, Somerset
English open mid-amateur championship, August 11-14, Denham, Buckinghamshire
Seniors’ Southern regional tournament, August 13-14, Canterbury, Kent.
Seniors’ Northern regional tournament, September 3-4, Malton & Norton, Yorkshire.
Seniors’ Brenda King Foursomes, September 29-30, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
English Women's Golf Association
Visit the EWGA web site at www.englishwomensgolf.org

EWGA and EGU are shortlisted for sports award

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
The English Women’s Golf Association and the English Golf Union have reached the official shortlist for the Sport Industry Awards 2009. They are among six contenders in the category of best promotion of a sport by a governing body.
They will be challenged by the British Horseracing Board, cricket’s ECB, basketball’s NBA, the FA and the Football League.
The awards organisers describe reaching the short list as a stellar achievement. The EWGA and EGU won their place for their National Skills Challenge, the popular initiative which challenges youngsters to learn and improve their golfing skills, while having fun.
The awards are Europe’s largest and most prestigious commercial sport awards. They recognise and reward the best the sport business has to offer in marketing, PR, sponsorship, new media, publishing, advertising and design.
The awards ceremony will take place at a gala dinner in London on Thursday, April 30. To find out more about the National Skills Challenge visit www.getintogolf.org/skills/
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
English Women's Golf Association
Visit the EGWA web site at www.englishwomensgolf.org

Chris Paisley wins Arizona

Collegiate as Jordan Findlay

goes into free fall for a 90

Chris Paisley from Newcastle, a student at Tennessee University, will head from Arizona to Georgia for the Jones Cup tournament later this week as the man in outstanding form.

Paisley, 22, pictured above, shot rounds of 68, 66 and 67 over the testing Arizona National course at Tucson to win the Arizona Collegiate tournament - one of the first events of the second half of the 2008-2009 US college golf season.

Paisley's total of 12-under-par 201 saw him win by three shots from Matt Hoffenberg (San Diego State) and by five from third-placed Zack Byrd (Coastal Carolina).
If it was a career highlight for British international Paisley, it was a career low point for former British boys' champion Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh, in his fourth and final year as a student at East Tennessee State University.

After promising rounds of 73 and 71 to be two over par going into the final round, Jordan crashed to an almost unbelievable round of 90 - 19 over par for the 6900yd course.

The Buchan 21-year-old, who reached not one but two British boys' championship finals, had a triple bogey 8, six double bogeys and five single bogeys and just one birdie in his round of 90.

Over the 54 holes, Findlay had one triple bogey and nine double bogeys.

If Findlay got worse as the tournament progressed, team-mate and fellow Scot Michael Stewart, the Scottish boys' match-play champion from Troon, fought back well from a first-round 80 to score 69 in the second and 72 in the third for a total of 221. He climbed up from joint 79th after 18 holes to a final placing of joint 27th - a great recovery in a quality field.

Pepperdine (855) won the team title from San Diego State University (858), for whom Surrey student Andrew Cooley slumped to a final round of 81 after shooting a 69 in the second. Tennessee (862) were third. East Tennessee State Tied with UNLV for fourth place on 866 in a field of 17 teams.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

P 213 (3 x 71) 6900yd

201 Chris Paisley (Tennessee) 68 66 67
204 Matt Hoffenberg (San Diego State) 69 68 67.

206 Zack Byrd (Coastal Carolina) 72 65 69.

Selected totals

211 Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 75 66 70 (jt 6th).

213 Darren Renwick (Tennessee) 70 71 72 (jt 9th).

221 Rhys Enoch (East Tennessee State) 73 75 73, Michael Stewart (East Tennessee State) 80 69 72 (jt 27th).
222 Andrew Cooley (San Diego State) 72 659 81 (jt 31st).

224 Paul O'Kane (East Tennessee State) 79 72 73 (jt 44th).

234 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 73 71 90 (jt 76th).

246 Peter Wilson East Tennessee State) 88 79 79 (jt 92nd).

LEADING TEAM TOTALS

855 Pepperdine. 858 San Diego State. 862 Tennessee. 866 East Tennessee State & UNLV (jt 4th of 17 teams).

Findlay in top 20 and Stewart

bounces back with a 69

Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay, a final year student at East Tennessee State University, was lying in joint 20th place in a quality field with one round to go in the Arizona Collegiate championship, one of the first events of the second half of the 2008-2009 US college golf season, over the Arizona National course at Tucson.

Findlay, 21 in April, pictured right, had rounds of 73 and 71 for a two-over-par tally of 144 over the 6793yd, par-71 course. Over his first 36 holes, the Buchan player had three double bogeys, nullifying an eagle and a clutch of birdies.

Team-mate Scottish boys' match-play champion Michael Stewart from Troon, a first-year student, bounced back from an opening round of 80, nine over par, to improve by 11 shots with a fine round of two-under-par 69.

Stewart, who will be 19 on March 6, had an eagle at the 513yd par-5 18th and three birdies plus three bogeys.

His round enabled him to climb up from joint 79th to joint 53rd with one round to go.Newcastle-born student Chris Paisley (Tennessee University) opened up a two-stroke lead with a 66 for eight-under-par 134.

Tennessee team-mate Darren Renwick from Worthing, winner of the Scottish Under-14 boys' open title in 2004, is in joint sixth place on 141 after a 70 and 71 alongside Irishman Seamus Power, a team-mate of Findlay and Stewart. Power had a second-round 66.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2 x 71) 6793yd
134 Chris Paisley (Tennessee) 68 66.
136 Andrew Putnam (Pepperdine) 67 69.
137 Zach Byrd (Coastal Carolina) 72 65, Matt Hoffenberg (San Diego State) 69 68.
Selected totals:
141 Darren Renwick (Tennessee) 70 71, Seamus Power (Eas Tennesee State) 75 66, Andrew Cooley (San Diego State) 72 69 (jt 6th).
144 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 73 71 (jt 20th).
149 Michael Stewart (East Tennesee State) 80 69 (jt 53rd).
152 Paul O'Kane (East Tennessee Sate) 79 73 (jt 67th).
TEAM LEADERS
565 Pepperdine.
568 San Diego State.
570 Tennessee
Selected team total:
578 East Tennessee State (8th of 17).

LATER NEWS FROM FINAL ROUND

Jordan Findlay is in self-destruct golfing mood in the third and final round of the Arizona Collegiate championship.

Findlay has had one triple bogey, three double bogeys, six single bogeys and just one birdie - and he still has to finish this disastrous round!

Jordan is 14 over par for the third round, having been two over par after opening rounds of 73 and 71 for 144.

Jacqueline Sneddon is third from the left in the back row of the above picture of the Grand Canyon University women's golf team.

Jacqueline finishes third in the Hoof Fest

at Sundance Golf Club in Arizona

Jacqueline Sneddon from Meigle, a sophomore (second year) student at Grand Canyon University, Arizona, finished third in the quaintly-named Hoof Fest, a one-round women's college tournament at Sundance Golf Club - don't they give their clubs and courses great names? - Buckeye, Arizona.

It was one of the first events of the second half of the 2008-2009 American college golf season after the winter closedown. If the truth be known, they could play golf in Arizona 365 days a year but the scores suggest it must have been very windy for the "Hoof Fest," doubtful if it ever rains in the Arizona desert.

Jacqueline shot an 85 over the 5,824yd, par-72 course. Winner was Grand Canyon team-mate Jennifer Lutz with a 79, one shot ahead of Carissa Schwalm (Western New Mexico).

No team scores were recorded.

Jacqueline is a former pupil of Madras College, St Andrews. She will have her 20th birthday on . November 4 (not April as we said earlier). Remember to send her a birthday card!

She is majoring in Marketing at Grand Canyon University and golf is not the only string to her bow. She plays the violin and piano.

**Grand Canyon University is one of Arizona’s leading higher learning institutions. Based in Phoenix, the regionally accredited, private, non-denominational Christian university offers online and campus-based bachelor’s and master’s degree programs through the Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Liberal Arts. The school is ranked as one of the top online education programs by OEDb (Online Education Database)1 and as one of the top five online colleges for entrepreneurs by Fortune2. With a total enrollment of approximately 15,000 students, GCU emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students as well as the working professional.

Jordan Findlay 73 but Michael

Stewart takes 80 in Arizona

Intercollegiate first round

Former British boys' champion Jordan Findlay, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, from Fraserburgh, a final year student at East Tennessee State University, had an opening round of two-over-par 73 in the tee-off event to the second half of the US college golf season - the Arizona Intercollegiate tournament over the Arizona National course at Tucson.
It was a typical Findlay round which touched the heights with an eagle at the fifth and birdies at the first, sixth, ninth, 11th and 15th - but also faltered badly with doubl bogeys at the eighth and 10th and single bogeys at the second, fourth and 16th in halves of 34 (one under par) and 39 (three over).
Best first round score by a British player was a 68 - one behind leader Andrew Putnam (Pepperdine) - by Tennessee's Newcastle-born student Chris Paisley.
Darren Renwick, a freshman from Worthing, had a tidy 70 to help Tennessee lead the team event with a 285 total, one ahead of Pepperdine and three ahead of third-placed San Diego State. There are 17 teams competing.
East Tennessee State, the one where Findlay is a student, are down in joint 17th place with a first-round total of 300. They have not been the same team, not surprisingly, since they lost their star player, Edinburgh-born Welsh and Walker Cup player Rhys Davies, now campaigning in the Far East as a tour pro.
Andrew Cooley from Surrey, a freshman at San Diego State, had a 72.
Scottish boys' champion Michael Stewart from Troon, a freshman at East Tennessee State, did not have a day to remember. He required nine-over-par 80 to get it round. Michael had two double bogeys, seven bogeys and two birdies in an up-and-down sort of round.
LATER NEWS FROM ARIZONA
Bad light prevented any player from completing a second round but Michael Stewart had started a recovering and was one under par for his second circuit with three holes to play when play was suspended.
Michael, in his second round, birdied the fifth and 10th and had an eagle t the 18th. He did drop further shots at the 11th, 16th and 17th.
Jordon Findlay was level par for his second 18 with a few holes to play when he resumes on Tuesday morning - and later goes out again for a third and final round.
The Buchan teenager birdied the fifth, seventh and 16th but had a double bogey 7 at the long 11th and a bogey at the 13th.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71. 6793 yd
67 Andrew Putnam (Pepperdine).
68 Chris Paisley (Tennessee).
69 Nicolas Geyger (Tulsa), Matt Hoffenberg (San Diego State).
70 Steve Gibson (Long Beach State), Ji Moon (UNLV), David Palm (San Diego State), Darren Renwick (Tennessee).
Selected scores:
72 Andrew Cooley (San Diego State).
73 Rhys Enoch (East Tennessee State), Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State).
75 David Holmes (Tennessee), Seamus Power (East Tennessee State).
79 Paul O'Kane (East Tennessee State).
80 Michael Stewart (East Tennessee State).
LEADING ROUND ONE TEAM SCORES
285 Tennessee.
286 Pepperdine.
288 San Diego State.
Selected score
300 East Tennessee State (jt 13th of 17).

Bobby McGregor's son

is US college golfer

- not a swimmer!

His grandfather, David, was a member of the Great Britain water polo team in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin ... his father, Bobby, pictured left, was the "Falkirk Flyer," world record-setting free style swimmer at one time when he was pipped for the gold medal in the 1964 Tokio Olympics but won at the European Games and the Commonwealth Games.
Follow that, the next generation of McGregors - David McGregor, pictured right, from Helensburgh, a freshman student at Post University, Connecticutt where he has a sports scholarship ... not for swimming but GOLF.
David, 6ft 2in tall and a sophomore (second year) student, is one of three Scots in head golf coach Pete Stevens' squad.
The others? Jamie Blake from Arbroath, the playing captain of the team, and Gavin Wilson from Ladybank, Fife.
The Post University golf team - "The Eagles" - open their spring season this coming weekend. They will be competing in the Coker College Invitational at the prestigious Grande Dunes Resort at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The Eagles will be vying for their fourth consecutive CACC Conference Championship and a seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Super Regional post-season tournament.
The Eagles are coming off their second New England DII Championship.
"We have a very competitive spring schedule which will test this team and prepare us for the post season. After the Coker tournament we are headed south again for the Pfeiffer tournament and then we go west to UC San Diego to play at Mission Viejo," said Stevens.
There is one Englishman in the Post University team - Lee Wanklyn from Reading, a South Africa, Marchant de Villers, and only one American, John Lussier from Vermont.
In the second half of the 2008-2009 college golf season, the Post University squad will be visiting Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; New London, North Carolina; San Diego, California; Wilmington, Delaware; Riverhead, New York State; and Beckley, West Virginia.
Plenty there, we're sure, for David McGregor and the other Scots to write home about!

Young McGregor, by the way, has already made his mark on the US college golf scene. Here's an excerpt from last June on the Post University website:

NORMAN, Okla.—Rising sophomore David McGregor was one of 10 golfers who earned Division II All-Northeast Region honors by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
McGregor captured the 2008 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) individual championship, with an even-par score of 142 (75-67).
In very difficult conditions in the second-round, the Helensburgh, Scotland native carded a four-under par 67 to claim CACC Player of the Year and CACC Rookie of the Year honors. He was also named to the All-CACC Team, and earned CACC Player and CACC Rookie of the Week honours, twice, during the spring season.
In addition to his first place finish at the CACC Championships, McGregor finished second at the Goldey-Beacom Invitational with a score of 148 (77-71).

+Bobby McGregor, born 1944, retired from international swimming after the Mexico Olympics in 1968 to concentrate on becoming an architect.

Calling all Hacienda del Alamo Women's

Winter Festival competitors.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CADDIE MASTER OFFICE

Handicap certificates will be required for every player and they must follow the dress code for the golf course and the practice facilities.

Best regards,

Caddie Master Office
Club de Golf Hacienda del Alamo
Phone: 0034 608 771 843
0034 608 353 894
www.hdagolf.com
www.clubdegolfhda.com

FCLGA Centenary Lunch

Fife County Ladies line-up
[Click on the image to see it larger in its own window]

Fife County Ladies Golf Association started its centenary celebrations today (Sun 1st Feb) with a lunch at the Dean Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy. The event was attended by 134 past & present members of FCLGA, the Provost of Fife and representatives from SLGA, Midlothian, East Lothian and Stirling & Clackmannanshire.
The day started with a champagne reception and a chance to reminisce over an extensive display of old photographs. Guests then moved through to the Dining Room where the top tables were introduced by Master of Ceremonies, President Margaret Steele. Prior to lunch the past Champions were introduced by the Captain, Joan Blyth.
Grace was said by Vice-President, Beverley Brown. Following a delicious lunch, guests were upstanding to toast the Queen and Fife County. The loyal toast was proposed by the Provost of Fife, Councillor Frances Melville, a former Fife team member. The Vice-Captain, Christine Steedman, proposed a toast to Fife County and wished the Association continued prosperity in the next 100years.

Fife County Champions

Following a short interval, the guest speakers took to the floor with an array of interesting speeches. Joan Lawrence, Marigold Speir, Lorna Bennett, Elaine Moffat and Dale Reid all entertained with lots of stories and recollections from past county experiences, raising much fun and laughter.
The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Jean Bald. The day was concluded by Mrs Margaret Rodgers, President of Midlothian, who proposed a vote of thanks on behalf of the guests.
For more information and photographs please visit the FCLGA web-site, www.fclga.ik.com.

Gemma joint 7th as Ohio State lose to Michigan State

Gemma Webster, senior co-captain of the Ohio State University women's golf team, finished joint seventh with a round of eight-over-par 80 in the Fort Myers Challenge one-day match against Michigan State at Renaissance Country Club, Fort Myers in Florida.
Michigan State won the aggregate honours 306 to 310 and provided the individual winner - Laura Kueny with a one-under-par 71 over the 6,362yd course.

Clare Queen makes 2009 debut in ANZ Ladies Masters

Clare Queen will make her seasonal debut in this coming week's ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort, Australia from Thursday to Sunday (February 5 to 8).
She joins fellow Scot Lynn Kenny in the big field, Lynn having missed the cut in the weekend New Zealand Women's Open at Christchurch.
Like Scotland, Wales will have two representatives in the field - Becky Brewerton and Lydia Hall.
England has one of the biggest representations - 12 players:
Laura Davies Trish Johnson
Kirsty Fisher Kiran Matharu
Lisa Hall Melissa Reid
Samantha Head Georgina Smpson
Rebecca Hudson Kristy S Taylor
Felicity Johnson Sophie Walker

Jonathan Shelbourne (left) and Andrew Shinie greet LGU Head of Golf Operations Susan Simpson at Inchmarlo Golf Centre, Banchory.

LGU Head of Golf Operations

runs the rule over Inchmarlo

with an eye to the future

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Carnoustie-born Susan Simpson, the Ladies Golf Union's Head of Golf Operations based at its St Andrews headquarters, was a welcome visitor at Inchmarlo Golf Centre near Banchory, Aberdeenshire late in the 2008 season.

Susan is pictured above with former helicopter pilot Jonathan Shelbourne (left), founder and owner of the popular Centre which has a driving range with 30 covered bays, two courses (18 hole & nine-hole), TWO clubhouses, one of which is reserved for members, and an excellent restaurant which caters for non-golfing visitors, and club secretary and events manager Andrew Shinie (right).

Inchmarlo staged a very successful Scottish women's county championship finals in 2008, providing not only a golf course but also onsite villa accommodation for the teams, an extra dimension which few clubs or golf centres can offer. The Paul Lawrie Scottish schools championships were also hosted by Inchmarlo last summer.

So Susan Simpson, who had never been to the Inchmarlo centre before, came to the North-east to see for herself what it had to offer ... and she went away impressed. Don't be surprised if Inchmarlo is invited to stage an event under the auspices of the Ladies Golf Union in the not-too-distant future.

"It's most encouraging when one of the Ladies Golf Union's top officials pays you a visit," said Andrew. "It will also give us the incentive to tighten up one or two holes on The Laird's Course so that it really can be a test for the best off the back tees."

Head greenkeeper at Inchmarlo Golf Centre is Janice Florence (pictured above) who learned her trade at Royal Aberdeen among other places. Is Janice the only female head greenkeeper in Scotland, maybe England as well?

We don't know of another but if you do, be sure to E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com
If you want to read more about what Inchmarlo Golf Centre has to offer, log on to its website

http://www.inchmarlo.com/

Kylie Walker finishes 13th

behind French 1-2 in

Portugal open amateur

Six bogeys in the last round killed Kylie Walker's hopes of at least matching last year's seventh place finish in the Portuguese women's open amateur golf championship. The Buchanan Castle player signed off the rain-abbreviated tournament at Quinta do Peru Golf Club, near Lisbon - the second day's play was washed out - with a 76 after earlier rounds of 76 and 77.
Her 13-over-par total for the 54-hole tournament put her in 13th place behind French winner Rosanna Crepiat who had scores of 74, 72 and 71 for one-over-par 217.
Kylie did birdie the fourth and short 17th on the last day but bogeyed the first, third, sixth, eighth, 13th and 14th.
In a prestigious overseas championship, once won by the late Marjory (Fowler) Ferguson, Walker was the only Scot in the field of 70, a disappointing representation given that the GB&I selectors said that any players making a show in the early-season tournaments would have a chance of breaking into the Vagliano Trophy squad which has been depleted by players such as Scottish champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) and their 2008 Curtis Cup team-mates, Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale), Elizabeth Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) as well as 2006 Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney (Carlow), turning professinal.
Wales and Ireland entered five players apiece and the Welsh did provide the leading non-Continental player, Rhian Wyn Thomas from Vale of Glamorgan, joint 10th overall on 228. Also on the 228 mark was Mandy Goyos, whose mother is Lancashire-born and her father Spanish.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
217 Rosanna Crepiat (Fra) 74 72 71 (35-36).
218 Lucie Andre (Fra) 72 72 74 (38-36).
222 Lara Katzy (Ger) 71 76 75.
224 Ines Diaz-Negrete (Spa) 74 75 75.
225 Marion Duvernay (Fra) 78 71 76, Anna Arrese (Spa) 76 74 75.
226 Adriana Zwanck (Spa) 78 76 72, Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 76 77 73.

227 Laura Stempfl (Ger) 77 77 73.

228 Rocio Sanchez (Spa) 78 74 76, Mandy Goyos (Spa) 77 77 74, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wal) 77 75 76 (jt 10th).
229 Kylie Walker (Sco) 76 77 76 (39-37) (13th).
230 Laura Chemarin (Fra) 79 76 75.

232 Antonia Scherer (Ger) 72 82 73.

233 Jana Niedballa (Ger) 78 76 79.

234 Cristina Turegano Mate (Spa) 76 77 81.

235 Vicki Troeltach (Ger) 82 77 77, Katherine O'Connor (Wal) 80 76 79 (jt 19th).
236 Hannah Jenkins (Wal) 83 76 77 (23rd).

237 Karolin Lampert (Ger) 82 78 77, Sara Vanzonhoven (Bel) 78 82 77, Nina Holleder (Ger) 78 81 78, Nicola Roessler (Ger) 75 84 78.

238 Sophia Popov (Ger) 85 76 77, Natilia Escuriola Martinez (Spa) 80 80 78, Mireia Prat (Spa) 80 78 79, Ariane Provot (Fra) 76 82 80, Ana Santos Melo (Por) 76 80 82, Tara Davies (Wal) 80 80 78 (42-36) (jt 28th).

Selected totals:
247 Niamh Kitching (Ire) 80 80 87 (44-43) (41st).
MISSED THE CUT (162 or better)
163 Amy Boulden (Wal) 87 76.
165 Rachel Drummond (Eng) 82 83.
167 Anna McCormack (Ire) 84 83.
169 Victoria Bradshaw) 85 84.
174 Sarah Crowe (Ire) 90 84.
179 Aoife Lowry (Ire) 97 82.

Lynn Kenny fails to beat 36-hole cut at Christchurch

Nocera wins NZ Women's

Open by six shots as wind

blows her rivals away

FROM THE TOURNAMENT WEBSITE
The strong southerly wind which struck the Clearwater course, Christchurch midway through the final round of the $150,000 New Zealand Women’s Open golf championship caused carnage among the leading players today.
What was shaping as a tight finish with the top seven players separated by no more than four shots suddenly turned into a one-horse race as only Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera withstood the buffeting wind and sharp drop in temperature.
When the wind swept the course, the final threesome was playing the eighth hole and overnight leader, Sarah Oh, from New South Wales, still held a one-shot advantage over Nocera with world No. 26, Katherine Hull, from Queensland, three shots off the lead.
But the dramatic swing in the weather completely changed the complexion of the championship. At the end of the 54 holes, Nocera, after a three-under 69, stood alone at eight-under par 208 and the champion by six shots from a group of four.
Hull was in that quartet at two-under 214 as were fellow Australians, Nikki Garrett and Sarah Kemp, and Korean professional Bobea Park, who spent most of her amateur career in Auckland.
The biggest casualty of the weather was 20-year-old Oh, who had been composed and confident for 45 holes then lost the plot when she lost the lead to Nocera for the first time after the Frenchwoman had her fifth birdie on the 10th.
Oh was par for the day through 11 holes before bogeying the 12th. That preceded three successive double-bogeys and a bogey at 17, which resulted in a back nine of eight-over 44 and a round of eight-over 80, which dropped her back to a share of sixth on 215.
Nocera was perhaps the only player who welcomed the wind. ``I like the wind, I enjoy it blowing because it pushes me to play even better. Sometimes I play too easy and make stupid mistakes and it (wind) makes me concentrate.’’
Nocera said she had played really well, especially on the greens, to be five-under through 11 holes. ``When the wind came I tried hard not to make mistakes. I knew I was going to make bogeys and so was everybody else – it didn’t really matter as long as I didn’t make more than bogeys.’’
Nocera said she was conscious not to ground the club behind the ball on the greens and was forced at times to remove her visor and glasses before putting. For Nocera, winner of last year’s European Tour order of merit, it was her first win Down Under’ after playing the Australian tournaments for the last seven years and she pledged to return next year to defend her crown.
Auckland 14-year-old Cecilia Cho had the honour of not only being the leading amateur but also the leading New Zealander. She was one-under after 10m but despite a faltering finish, which included three double-bogeys, she managed a 79 to be tied for 14th, a shot ahead of Wellington professional Sarah Nicholson and Northland amateur Caroline Bon.
Nearly 5400 paying spectators attended the three-day championship, which pleased promoter Bob Tuohy, who has the rights along with New Zealand Golf to run the tournament for another two years.

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT GWLADYS NOCERA
European Number 1, Gwladys Nocera graduated from New Mexico State University and holds a degree in international business.
As a top-class golfer, Gwladys could be considered a late developer. She did not turn professional until she was 27 - six years ago - and after a modest start to her career, she made a dramatic improvement in 2005 when she finished fourth on the LET OOM, forcing her way into the Solheim Cup where she beat Cristie Kerr in her singles match on debut.
Nocera, 33, has only been a professional for six years but over the last three years she has finished in the top three on the LET’s Star Moneylist.
She enjoyed a stunning 2008 season with five wins and 12 top-10 finishes. Her wins came at the Scottish Open, ABN AMRO Open, SAS Open, Goteberg Masters and Madrid Masters, one of the richest on the LET Tour.This brought her to 10 career wins in six years.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS IN NEW ZEALAND
Par 216 (3 x 72)
Players from Australia unless stated
208 Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 71 68 69.
214 Bobea Park (SKo) 73 67 74, Katherine Hull 65 73 76, Nikki Garrett 72 71 71, Sarah Kemp 73 67 74.
215 Mollie Fankhauser (US) 70 75 70, Sarah Oh 68 67 80.
216 Lee-Anne Pace (SAf) 70 72 74.
217 Martina Eberl (Ger) 71 73 73.
219 Joanne Mills 74 74 71.
220 Sarah-Jane Smith 73 73 74, Vicky Thomas 72 74 74, Wendy Doolan 71 72 77.
Selected scores:
222 Becky Morgan (Wal) 72 78 72, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 71 73 78, Julie Tvede (Den) 73 72 77 (jt 16th).
223 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 73 76 74, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 762 74 77, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 72 78 73 (jt 22nd).
225 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 74 79 72, Lydia Hall (Wal) 73 76 76 (jt 32nd).
226 Trish Johnson (Eng) 71 75 80.
227 Danielle Montgomery (Eng) 75 75 77, Laura Davies (Eng) 77 76 74.
228 Felicity Johnson(Eng) 77 73 76, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 71 73 74.
230 Anna Knutsson (Swe) 76 76 78.

+Only players with 36-hole totals of 156 or better qualified for the final round. Lynn Kenny (83-79=162) was one of those who missed the cut.

Pass marks for first NZ Women's Open - Bob Tuohy

The inaugural New Zealand women's golf tournament has been given a pass mark by tournament director, Bob Tuohy, but there are no guarantees the tournament will be back at Clearwater next year.
Tuohy said he is keen to bring the tournament back to Clearwater because the course has the infrastructure needed to run a major tournament, and the other bonus is that the players have enjoyed it.
The tournament attracted 5370 spectators over the three days.
Unlike the New Zealand PGA men's tournament, to be played next month at the course, which is free to Christchurch City Council ratepayers, spectators had to pay at the women's open.
"For year one that was a great performance," said Tuohy after the tournament ended yesterday.
The tournament was without a naming rights sponsor this year and if the organisers can attract one that could dictate where it is held.
Tuohy said when Clearwater was chosen at the inaugural venue it had very little opposition. "We travelled the country looking at venues and the only other one in the mix was Wairakei. At the end of the day it was the Christchurch City Council who put their hands up to support the tournament."
Tuohy has a contract to run the tournament for three years and said he faces a challenge over the next two to get it on a firm footing.
Prizemoney this year was $150,000 but next year it has to be a minimum of $175,000 and in the third year $200,000.
"The major sponsor this year was New Zealand Golf but its commitment will reduce over each of the next two years. That's where we come in. We have to underwrite the difference. We have to be patient and we hope the tournament has a good future. We would be happy to be back here because it has all we need for a tournament a good practice range, accommodation on site, three phase power which can cost $20,000 to install, broadband, proximity to an international airport and a club that is happy to have the tournament here.
"In Australia it can cost $200,000 to rent a course for a tournament," said Tuohy.