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Saturday, October 03, 2009

Gwladys Nocera 'I have to get it done this

year' qualifies for LPGA Final Q School

... but Kylie Walker's second attempt fails to get her through

Kylie Walker has failed in her second attempt in a matter of weeks to qualify for the LPGA Tour Final Qualifying School at Daytona Beach, Florida from December 2 to 6. In her first attempt at a California venue, Kylie was well in the running to figure among the qualifiers but had a disappointing last round. This time, in this week's second and final Sectional Qualifier at Venice, Florida, Kylie was never in the hunt with scores of 75, 75 , 77 and 77 for 16-over-par 304- eight shots over the dividing line between qualifiers and non-qualifiers.


FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
Rookie professional Stephanie Connelly from Maryland, US entered this week's LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament in Florida seeking redemption from her poor showing in California last month. By the conclusion of today's second sectional tournament, she had earned medalist honors.
Connelly carded rounds of 76-68-70-71 to finish at 3-under-par 285, one stoke better than runner-up Gwladys Nocera from France, (72-70-68-76) at 2-under-par 286. Today's final round was played on the Bobcat Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club, Venice in Florida.
“I'm going to Daytona!” said the happy medalist, who graduated from the University of Central Florida in May and played nine tournaments as a professional this summer on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. “I played really consistently once I got through the first day. It was a matter of time for me to make the transition and step up and shoot good numbers.”
Connelly got off to a rocky start when the tournament began on Tuesday. She played her front nine holes of the first round at 5-over-par, but fought back on the back nine, and then played three more rounds for a total of 8-under-par since those nervous opening swings. Connelly made up her mind that her first nine holes would not dictate the outcome of her week. And with professional caddie Philip Crowl on her bag this week, he gave her the yardages and she executed the shots.
Connelly still hit only 13 greens in regulation during Friday's final round, but she scrambled with three birdies and two bogeys to come in at 1-under-par.
“This was a learning experience and a lot of us who just graduated are still learning,” said Connelly, 22, of her first attempt in the LPGA's sectional qualifiers.
Nocera, a more experienced pro with wins in Europe and a leadership role in points for this year's European Solheim Cup team, was not pleased with her final round today. It was a day in which she recorded two bogeys on the front nine, then a double-bogey, one birdie and three-putt bogey on her final hole on the back.
“I have to get it done this year and I'm going to do everything I can to make it happen,” said Nocera, 34, who also advanced into the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament in 2006, but failed to get her card. “Today was not my best golf, but at least it was good enough for access into the final [Q-School].”
Nocera's patience was nearly shaken when she got an unlucky bounce on the par-5 13th hole. Her ball struck a cart path, bounced three times and careened into a water hazard. On a day when little was going right, the unlucky 13th hole added insult to injury.
“I've got about two months to play better and to get ready,” said Nocera, who will return to the Ladies European Tour, where she will play the Italian Open in two weeks, then travel to Asia for tournaments in Korea, China and Bali prior to the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament in Florida.
Briana Vega, of Massachusetts, finished third at 1-under-par 287 (73-71-72-71), while fellow Duramed FUTURES Tour players Lauren Doughtie, of Virginia, (73-71-73-71) and Tiffany Joh, of California, (69-71-75-73) tied for fourth at even-par 288.
A total of 34 players advanced into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at 8-over-par 296. The 72-hole sectional follows the LPGA's first sectional tournament held earlier in September in Palm Springs, Calif., at Mission Hills Country Club. The top-30 players and ties from each of the sectionals will advance into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, set for Dec. 2-6, 2009, at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Coming into this week, 112 players hoped to be among the top 30 and ties to advance into the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament. The tournament was staged on both the Bobcat and Panther courses at Plantation Golf & Country Club, with the final two rounds played only on the Bobcat Course.
Making up the rest of the field in Daytona Beach will be current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their priority standing and eligible Duramed FUTURES Tour players, who automatically advanced based on their position on the 2009 season-ending money list.
LEADING QUALIFIERS

Par 288 (4x72)

285 Stephanie Connelly 76 68 70 71.

286 Gwladys Nocera (France) 72 70 68 76.
287 Brian Vega 73 71 72 71.
288 Lauren Doughtie 73 71 73 71, Tiffany Joh 69 71 75 73.

Selected qualifiers:
291
Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) 73 72 73 73 (jt 11th).
295 Miriam Nagl (Germany) 74 73 73 75, Sara Wikstrom (Sweden) 76 70 73 76 (jt 23rd).
+Only players with totals of 296 or better qualified for the LPGA Tour Final Q School.
Non-qualifiers included:
304
Kylie Walker (Scotland) 75 75 77 77 (jt 56th).


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US COLLEGE NEWS


David McGregor (son of Bobby)


is Post University golf captain

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
David McGregor from Helensburgh, son of former Olympic swimmer Bobby McGregor, has been appointed captain of the Post University golf team at Waterbury, Connecticut.
A sophomore (second year) student, David, pictured right, who is 6ft 4in tall, succeeds another Scot in the post, Jamie Blake from Arbroath. Blake, having graduated after four years, has stayed on to become the golf team's assistant coach under Pete Stevens.
Post University, competing at Division 2 NCAA level, have been one of the most successful golf teams in their conference (league).
In their latest tournament, Post University finished second to Wilmington in a field of 15 teams at the Dowling Shoot-out at Long Island National golf course, Riverhead, New York State.
A third Scot at Post University, Gavin Wilson, a sophomore student from Ladybank, finished third in a field of 91 with a pair of 74s for a total of 148 over the 6,945yd course with a par of 71.
He finished nine shots behind the winner, Daniel Ott (Wilmington) with 71 and 68 for 139.
David McGregor shared eighth place on 152 with scores of 78 and 74.
Another Post University player, Lee Wanklyn, a senior student from Berkshire finished joint 50th with scores of 83 and 79 for 162.

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US COLLEGE NEWS


Peter Latimer from Markinch outside
top 25 with only one over par US total

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Peter Latimer from Markinch, a quarter-finalist at this year's Allied Surveyors Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon, is back at Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina where he is senior (fourth year) student.
In his latest US college golf circuit competition, Peter, pictured right at Royal Troon by Cal Carson Golf Agency, finished joint 26th in a field of 87 for the Sea Trail men's intercollegiate with scores of 74, 71 and 72 for a total of 217 over the par-72, 6,761yd course at Meadowlands Country Club, Wallburg, North Carolina. The fact that Latimer finished out of the top 25 with an aggregate of only one over par for 54 holes underlines the quality of the leading players.
In all there were six British students in the field.
Joe Campbell from Cheltenham, a senior student at Belmont Abbey Gollege, North Carolina, finished joint 16th with scores of 74, 71 and 70 for 215.
Stephen Keane from Glasgow, also a senior student at Belmont Abbey College, had rounds of 74, 70 and 72 for a share of 20th place on 216.
Alongside Latimer on the 217 mark was Peter Tarver Jones (Belmont Abbey College) with scores of 74, 72 and 71.
Gavin St John Frost from Berkshire, a junior student at Jacksonville University, Florida, had rounds of 71, 79 and 75 for 225 and a share of 64th place.
Scot Kyle McClung from Glenluce, Wigtownshire did not have a good competition. A sophomore student at Belmont Abbey College, Kyle had rounds of 77, 82 and 81 for 24-over-par 225 and was last of the 87 finishers.
The tournament was won by Mark Joye (Wofford) with an eight-under-par total of 208, made up of scores of 70, 66 and 72. He won by a shot from two Stetson University players - I suppose we have to take our hats off to them? - Sam Ryder (66-71-71) and Micah Jacobsen (69-72-68).
Stetson (841) won the team title ahead of Wofford (847) with Guilford (870) sixth of 16 teams.

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British women's open amateur

champion Azahara Munoz wins

Madrid Masters on pro debut

This year's Ladies British open amateur champion at Harlech, Spain's Azahara Munoz, beat last year's Ladies British open amateur champion at North Berwick, Sweden's Anna Nordqvist in a play-off for the Ladies European Tour's Madrid Ladies Masters today.

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Azahara Muñoz won the Madrid Ladies Masters on her professional debut today, beating LPGA Major Champion Anna Nordqvist at the first play-off hole.
The 21-year-old from Malaga, Spain tied with the Swede on 16 under par when she shot a final round of nine under 64 in perfect scoring conditions at Club de Golf Retamares.
Nordqvist, playing a group ahead, had shot a flawless career low round of ten-under 63, featuring 10 birdies.
The pair re-played the 470yd par-5 18th and Muñoz defeated Nordqvist with an eagle 3 when she hit a six-iron to 20ft from 158yd and rolled in the putt for eagle.
Nordqvist, 22, who is still only a rookie, played her second shot over the green and missed the returning chip.
Muñoz, the 2004 British girls open champion at Lanark, won the 2009 Ladies British Amateur Championship at Royal St David’s in Wales in June, defeating fellow Spaniard Carlota Ciganda in the final (She is pictured above after winning that trophy, by Cal Carson Golf Agency).
She turned professional just two weeks ago prior to finishing second at the first stage of LPGA Qualifying School.
The Malaga player received an invitation to play in the limited field event in Madrid and was planning to attend Ladies European Tour Q-school in December but she can now skip it, since with her winner’s cheque for 50,000 Euros, she has earned the right to a three-year exemption on the tour.
“I can’t believe I won. It’s like a dream come true,” said Muñoz, who turns 22 next month. “This is just the beginning. I’m going to keep on practising and trying to get better.”
She and Nordqvist were team-mates at Arizona State University in the United States for two years and Muñoz felt that she had improved tremendously since going to America.
Starting the day in a share of fifth at seven-under, Muñoz bogeyed the first hole but birdied the fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth.
She eagled the par-five 10th when she hit driver, three-wood and putted from just off the edge of the green. Her birdie putts at the 11th, 15th, 16th and 18th were all from inside six feet and at both the 15th and 18th holes she hit the ball stone dead.
“I’ve been putting well all week but I’ve been hitting the ball pretty bad. Today I hit the ball much better and I hit it much closer and I kept on making putts. That was the key,” said Muñoz, who became the 13th first time winner this season on the Ladies European Tour.
Her win – the third by a Spaniard this year – confirmed her status as a rising golf star.
Nordqvist said: “Congratulations to Azahara. She played great. I shot 10-under and gave myself a good chance. I’m happy with my game. I thought I hit a lot of good shots the first couple of days and hit good putts but they wouldn’t drop and today I hit them closer. I got the putter going and that’s always going to help.”
Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Caudal, the 2008 Portugal Ladies Open champion, tied for third with Spain’s Emma Cabrera-Bello at 14 under, two strokes away from the leaders. Cabrera-Bello reached 15 under after 13 holes, but bogeyed the 14th and 16th.
First round co-leader Lee-Anne Pace from South Africa, England’s Rebecca Hudson and Germany’s Bettina Hauert shared fifth on 13-under-par.
Italian Veronica Zorzi had led into the final day at 13 under, two shots ahead of Cabrera-Bello, but the double French Open champion carded a final round of 74 for outright eighth place.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 A Munoz (Spain) 71 68 64, A Nordqvist (Sweden) 71 69 63 (Munoz, 50,000 Euros, bt Nordqvist, 21,220 Euros, at first hole of sudden death play-off).
205 A-L Caudal (France) 71 68 66, E Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 68 67 70 (12,400 Euros each).
206 B Hauert (Germany) 70 68 67, L-A Pace (South Africa) 67 71 68, R Hudson (England) 678 70 68 (7,160 Euros each).
207 V Zorzi (Italy) 68 65 74 (5,000 Euros).
208 T Johnson (England) 68 72 68 (4,480 Euros).
209 M Prieto (Spain) 67 74 68 (4,000 Euros).
210 N Gergely (Austria) 70 76 67 (3,680 Euros).
211 D Luna (Italy) 70 72 69, C Boeljon (Netherlands) 68 73 70 (3,330 Euros).
212 K Caithness (Scotland) 71 72 69, S Walker (England) 71 71 70, T Elosegui (Spain) 71 70 71 (2,980 Euros each).
213 F Parker (England) 70 72 71, L Wessberg (Sweden) 72 74 67, M Reid (England) 71 70 72 (2,720 Euros each).
214 L Cabanillas (Spain) 75 69 70, B Loucks (Wales) 70 75 69, S Head (England) 73 74 67 (2,520 Euros).
Selected scores:
216 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 75 67 74 (jt 23rd) (2,280 Euros).
217 Felicity Johnson (England) 72 75 70 (jt 28th) (1,920 Euros).
220 Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 75 70 75 (37th) (1,560 Euros).
219 Lydia Hall (Wales) 70 76 73, Lisa Hall (England) 71 77 71 (jt 35th) (1,650 Euros eacdh)

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LPGA Tour will aim for 25 events on 2010 schedule

The LPGA Tour aims to have 25 events on its 2010 schedule.
This follows news this week that Samsung, after 29 years of sponsoring one of the tour's elite events, has drawn a line under its continued support.
Michelob has also said that its sponsorship of what was loosely considered one of the LPGA's major tournaments has ceased.

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Greg Norman and Chris Evert separate

after 0nly 15 months of marriage

Greg Norman and Chris Evert have announced they have separated 15 months after getting married. The pair, greats in their respective fields of golf and tennis, did not indicate whether they plan to divorce.
The couple said in a statement: "We will remain friends and supportive of one another's family." Neither Norman nor Evert has made any comment beyond that statement.
The announcement comes three days before Norman is to captain the International team, featuring players from every continent apart from Europe, against the United States for the Presidents Cup in San Francisco, where wives of the captains take on a visible role. Its timing was in part to prevent speculation on Evert's absence during the tournament.
"I don't think it will be a distraction," said Robert Allenby of Australia, part of the International team. "That's just not the way Norman is. He's normally very private with his life. I know Norman. Next week his whole focus will be purely on what we have to do as a team and how we have to come together. He'll be right behind us 110 percent."
Norman and Evert married in the Bahamas last June, and a month later, Norman was nine holes away from becoming golf's oldest major champion at 53 when he led the British Open, before eventually finishing third at Royal Birkdale, Evert following him every step of the way.
At the time the golfer was emerging from a divorce from Laura Andrassy, with whom he had two children. That ended in a settlement which saw her receive just over $100m. Evert was married twice previously, most recently to the Olympic downhill skier Andy Mill, with whom she had three children. They divorced in December 2006.
The pair became the most high-profile couple in sport, give or take Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, when they started dating, got engaged and married. Evert, with 18 grand slam titles, attended her first PGA Tour event last year at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, in which Norman played with his son Gregory.
Norman had spoken previously of how his relationship with Evert had energised him. "It just revitalised my life," he said. "When you're more relaxed and you're happier, then everything else kind of comes a little bit easier. I would say it's a rub-off effect on the golf, no question, but my life in general is much more in balance than it has ever been."

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FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Ninth-grader Alexis Thompson is trying to avoid getting too far ahead of herself in the Navistar LPGA Classic at Prattville, Alabama.
``I'm an amateur, and I'm just going to look at it and just be like, 'Whatever,''' said Thompson, tied for the second-round lead. ``Because I just try to come into these and just play well. It's just good competition for me. Best in the world.''
Attempting to become the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history, the 14-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida shot a 3-under 69 on Friday for a share of the lead with top-ranked Lorena Ochoa and three others, including Laura Davies.
``I mean, I can say I'm really mature for 14,'' said Thompson, the sister of PGA Tour player Nicholas Thompson. ``I would definitely say that. But, I mean, I don't know. I just play golf every day. I mean, I'm young. That's the only difference. I don't know, I'm pretty good for a young player. ... I'm 14 and I just love to play golf.''
Marlene Hagge won the 1952 Sarasota Open 14 days after her 18th birthday and took the Bakersfield Open two months later, but both were 18-hole events. Paula Creamer won the 2005 Sybase Classic at 18 years, 9 months to become the youngest winner of a full tournament.
Thompson won the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior and tied for 34th in July in the U.S. Women's Open. She shot a 65 on Thursday.
``I was a little nervous in the beginning,'' Thompson said. ``I don't know why, but I was just playing it as a normal tournament. I mean, maybe just because I was at the top. I don't know. But I'm just going to go out there on the weekend and just be relaxed and just play my game.''
Ochoa (68), Laura Davies (65), Yani Tseng (63) and Giulia Sergas (65) matched Thompson at 10-under 134 on The Senator course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex.
``It's lovely to see a young girl like that playing so well,'' said Davies, a 20-time LPGA Tour winner. ``It's good for all of us if she keeps that up.''
Ochoa, the defending champion who finished second last week behind Sophie Gustafson, is winless in 11 starts since the Corona Championship in April. She has two victories in 17 events this season after winning 21 times in the previous three years.
``I'm really happy with my round today,'' Ochoa said. ``It was a little bit of roller coaster. You know, few birdies and also a few bogeys. But I think what's important at the end of the day is I'm in a good position for the weekend. I'm excited to be up there. ... I'm going be ready to play good on the weekend.''
Tseng matched the tournament record with her 63. She birdied her final three holes and six of her final eight.
``I really didn't think of the record,'' Tseng said. ``I just play one shot at a time. ... I just played really good today and made a lot of putts.''
Gustafson was 9 under after a 65, and Michelle Wie (70) and first-round leader Janice Moodie (72) topped a group at 8 under.
``I hit solid shots out there, but I just didn't get them as close to the holes as I wanted them to,'' Wie said. ``I left a lot of putts out. I felt like I should have made a lot more putts today. But, you know, putting in the afternoon is always more difficult than putting in the mornings because you have a lot more bumps in the way and stuff.
``But, you know, I'm pretty happy with the way I played. But like I said, there's a lot more work to be done in the next couple days.''
Thompson bogeyed the 369-yard fourth hole, hitting a lob wedge from 36 yards to 15 feet and two-putting, but rebounded with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 fifth.
``That fourth hole, that was a pretty stupid mistake,'' Thompson said. ``But I bounced back and I made birdie next hole. So that was good. That definitely turned it around.''
She also birdied the par-5 eighth - two-putting after hitting a hybrid from 202 yards to 8 feet - and added birdies on the par-4 ninth and par-5 17th.
``I just want to shoot under par the next two days,'' Thompson said. ``Maybe in the 60s would be nice, both days. I think I would be up there.''
Overnight leader Janice Moodie, after a flawless opening round of 64, matched the par of 72 but so high is the standard of play in these events that the Scot dropped down to joint seventh on 136 alongside Michelle Wie and three others.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
134 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 69 65, Yani Tseng (Tai) 71 63, Alexis Thompson 65 69, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 66 68, Laura Davies (Eng) 69 65
135 Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 70 65
136 Michelle Wie 66 70, In-Bee Park (Kor) 67 69, Brittany Lang 68 68, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 68 68, Janice Moodie (Sco) 64 72
137 Eunjung Yi (Kor) 67 70, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 69 68, Pat Hurst 67 70, Sandra Gal (Ger) 68 69
138 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 71 67, Sung Ah Yim (Kor) 67 71, Amy Yang 69 69, Alena Sharp (Can) 67 71, Allison Fouch 68 70
139 Stacy Prammanasudh 70 69, Beth Bader 70 69, Heather Bowie young 71 68, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 69 70, Brandi Jackson 70 69, Julieta Granada (Par) 69 70, Anna Rawson (Aus) 70 69, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 67 72, Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 69 70, Lisa Strom (Gb) 67 72, Nicole Castrale 68 71, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 68 71
140 Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 71 69, Chella Choi (Kor) 69 71, Paige Mackenzie 69 71, Haeji Kang (Kor) 70 70, Eva Dahllof (Swe) 73 67, Candie Kung (Tai) 70 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 66 74
141 Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 69 72, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 71 70, Morgan Pressel 69 72, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 69 72, Meena Lee (Kor) 70 71, Jamie Hullett 69 72, Reilley Rankin 73 68, Na Ri Kim (Kor) 72 69, Christina Kim 68 73, Vicky Hurst 72 69, Meaghan Francella 67 74, Allison Hanna-Williams 68 73, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 69 72
142 Taylor Leon 71 71, Charlotte Mayorkas 73 69, Diana D'Alessio 71 71, Pornanong Phatlum (Tha) 67 75, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 72 70, Natalie Gulbis 71 71, Jimin Jeong 74 68, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 73 69, Stacy Lewis 73 69, Katherine Hull (Aus) 67 75
143 Mindy Kim 75 68, Jill McGill 71 72, Anna Grzebien 71 72, Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 72 71, Kris Tamulis 71 72
144 Irene Cho 71 73, Young Kim (Kor) 74 70, Cristie Kerr 71 73, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 69 75, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 70, Nicole Jeray 72 72, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 73 71, Moira Dunn 72 72, Hwa seon Lee (Kor) 72 72, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 72 72, Sarah Lee 71 73, Kim Hall 71 73, Meredith Duncan 73 71, Teresa Lu (Tai) 71 73, Laura Diaz 70 74, Danielle Downey 76 68
MISSED THE CUT
145 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 71 74, Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 71 74, Christi Cano 70 75, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 71 74, Russamee Gulyanamitta (Tha) 73 72, Katie Futcher 73 72, Leta Lindley 72 73, Jeehae Lee (Kor) 72 73, Stephanie Louden 75 70, Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 70 75, Samantha Richdale 73 72, Amy Hung (Tai) 73 72, Meg Mallon 74 71
146 Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 74 72, Karen Stupples (Eng) 73 73, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 74 72, Erica Blasberg 70 76, M.J. Hur (Kor) 68 78, Wendy Ward 76 70, Louise Stahle (Swe) 75 71, Hee Young Park (Kor) 73 73
147 Jeanne Cho-Hunicke 77 70, In Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 75, Lorie Kane (Can) 73 74, Ashli Bunch 74 73, Jackie Gallagher-Smith 73 74, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman 76 71, Jimin Kang (Kor) 75 72, Angela Jerman 76 71
148 Mollie Fankhauser 74 74, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 75 73, Sophie Giquel (Fra) 72 76, Jessica Shepley (Can) 73 75, Kris Tschetter 73 75
149 Louise Friberg (Swe) 73 76, Song yi Choi (Kor) 74 75, Angela Buzminski 75 74
150 Kim Welch 72 78, Nontaya Srisawang (Tha) 77 73, Carolina Llano 76 74, Kim Williams 77 73, Jin young Pak (Kor) 75 75, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 73 77, Jennifer Johnson 73 77
151 Michelle Ellis 75 76, Marisa Baena 75 76, Johanna Mundy (Eng) 76 75, Leah Wigger 74 77
152 Laurie Brower 74 78, Nicole Hage 81 71
153 Jordan Hardy 72 81, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 77 76
154 Jean Bartholomew 79 75
155 Audra Burks 77 78, Dorothy Delasin 83 72
160 A J Eathorne (Can) 85 75
Withdrew: Angela Park 69, Jee Young Lee 75, Marcy Hart 77
Disqualified: Becky Iverson 74

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Friday, October 02, 2009

Ladies' European Tour Scoreboard
MADRID LADIES MASTERS
Casino Club de Golf Retamares, Madrid, Spain
SECOND ROUND
Par 146 (2x73)
133 Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 68 65
135 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 68 67
138 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 68 70, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 67 71
139 Azahara Munoz (Spa) 71 68, Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra) 71 68, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 70 69
140 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 71 69, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 68 72, Trish Johnson (Eng) 68 72
141 Melissa Reid (Eng) 71 70, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 71 70, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 71 70, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 68 73, Marta Prieto (Spa) 67 74
142 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 75 67, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 71 71, Sophie Walker (Eng) 71 71, Diana Luna (Ita) 70 72, Florentyna Parker (Eng) 70 72
143 Paula Marti (Spa) 71 72, Krystle Caithness (Sco) 71 72, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 70 73
144 Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 75 69, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 73 71, Frances Bondad (Aus) 72 72
145 Beatriz Recari (Spa) 69 75 70, Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wal) 70 75, Iben Tinning (Den) 70 75
146 Karen Lunn (Aus) 73 73, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 72 74, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 72 74, Lydia Hall (Wal) 70 76
147 Amanda Goyos (Spa) 76 71, Samantha Head (Eng) 73 74, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 72 75
148 Lisa Hall (Eng) 71 77
149 Itziar Elguezabal (Spa) 76 73
150 Ana B Sanchez (Spa) 73 77
151 Anna Arrese (Spa) 77 74
161 Xonia Wunsch (Spa) 81 80

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English Ladies' Senior International (ELSIE)

Date for your diary.... 

English Ladies' Senior International (ELSIE) - Holder: Chris Langford. Amateur holder: Jane Rees

Date Tuesday 24th August to Thursday 26th August 2010
Tournament: English Ladies' Senior International Open - 54 hole medal - no cut
Age limit: Over 50, Pros and amateurs (h'cap limit 14)
Open to all nationalities!!
Venue: Cambridge Meridian GC, Toft, Cambridge CB23 2RY
Contact: Vivien Saunders - viv@viv.co.uk, 07956 628338 or www.englishgolf.co.uk

Please note there is also an additional Over 60's championship for amateurs

Entry forms will be emailed out and on the website within the next few weeks

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Mark Thomson makes good start

for Ohio Valley University

Dundee scratch golfer Mark Thomson, a member of the Grange club at Monifieth, has finished third in a field of 63 players and helped Ohio Valley University to register a team victory in one of his first competitions on the United States college golf circuit.
The event, played earlier this week, was the West Virginia IAC Central Regional tournament over the Canaan Valley course at Davis, West Virginia.
Thomson, a freshman student, had rounds of 73 and 74 over the par-72, 6984yd lay-out for a total of 147 - five shots behind the winner, Alex Carrigan (Charleston University) with a pair of 71s. The Scot was one shot behind the runner-up, Mike Gervais (West Viriginia Wesleyan), who shot two 73s.
Another Scot, Alasdair Forsythe, a student at Davis & Elkins College, West Virginia and a member of Caldwell Golf Club, tied for 16th place with rounds of 77 and 76 for 153.
Ohio Valley won the team event with a total of 600 from Charleston (606) and Concord (613) in a field of 13 teams.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE NEWS OF SCOTTISH, ENGLISH AND IRISH GOLF STUDENTS ON THE AMERICAN COLLEGE CIRCUITS.

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Graeme Molloy third at St Louis, Missouri

Glasgow's Graeme Molloy, a senior (fourth year) student at Grand View University, Des Moines in Iowa, finished third in a field of 119 players for the Lindenwood Fall Invitational at Crescent Farms Golf Club, St Louis, Missouri.
Graeme had rounds of 77, 73 and 74 for a total of 224, two shots behind team-mate Josh Manske who won the event with rounds of 71, 74 and 77 for 222. The course was 7,078yd long with a par of 72.
Grand View University won the team event by 15 shots to maintain their 100 per cent win record since the start of the 2009-2010 US college golf season.

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Ladies European Tour Scoreboard
MADRID LADIES MASTERS
Casino Club de Golf Retamares, Madrid, Spain
FIRST ROUND
Par 73
67 Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa), Marta Prieto (Spa)
68 Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Christel Boeljon (Ned), Veronica Zorzi (Ita), Trish Johnson (Eng), Jade Schaeffer (Fra), Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa)
69 Beatriz Recari (Spa)
70 Florentyna Parker (Eng), Lydia Hall (Wal), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Iben Tinning (Den), Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wal), Nicole Gergely (Aut), Diana Luna (Ita)
71 Emma Zackrisson (Swe), Krystle Caithness (Sco), Sophie Walker (Eng), Lisa Hall (Eng), Anne-Lise Caudal (Fra), Johanna Westerberg (Swe), Azahara Munoz (Spa), Paula Marti (Spa), Anna Nordqvist (Swe), Tania Elosegui (Spa), Melissa Reid (Eng)
72 Frances Bondad (Aus), Ursula Wikstrom (Fin), Linda Wessberg (Swe), Felicity Johnson (Eng)
73 Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa), Samantha Head (Eng), Karen Lunn (Aus), Ana B Sanchez (Spa)
75 Hazel Kavanagh (Irl), Laura Cabanillas (Spa), Becky Brewerton (Wal)
76 Amanda Goyos (Spa), Itziar Elguezabal (Spa)
77 Anna Arrese (Spa)
81 Xonia Wunsch (Spa)

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LPGA TOUR REPORT

Janice Moodie hits the heights

to lead with a flawless 64

Glasgow's Janice Moodie played some of her best golf ever - anywhere - as she shot a flawless eight-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead over 14-year-old Alexis Thompson at the end of the first day of the Navistar LPGA Classic, with Michelle Wie and top-ranked Lorena Ochoa two strokes back at Prattville, Alabama.
Former Curtis Cup player and past Scottish amateur champion Moodie, pictured right, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour and a Solheim Cup player, played her final nine holes -- the front nine on the Senator Course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill complex, in six-under 30. She birdied her final four holes and six of her last seven.
"All of a sudden I'm hitting driver, wedge, wedge, wedge," Moodie said. "I thought, you know, I better capitalize on this one, and I did. think I was more thinking about how the golf course has dried out compared to making the birdies."
Thompson had eight birdies and a bogey.
"Everything was working for me," said Thompson, a ninth-grader from Coral Springs, Florida. "My ball striking was good. My driver was a little off, but I'm not going to complain. I rolled my putter really good."
The sister of US PGA Tour player Nicholas Thompson, Alexis won the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior and tied for 34th in July in the U.S. Women's Open.
The 36-year-old Moodie noted that Thompson was "almost a third of my age."
"The thing is, I think she wants to beat me more than I want to beat her," Moodie said. "I used to be that age. I know what it's like."
Thompson made a late decision to travel to Alabama to attempt to qualify. Event officials canceled a Tuesday qualifier when enough spots opened up to add all qualifier participants. "My dad was like, 'You want to go and try to qualify for this event?"' Thompson said. "I was like, 'Yeah, sure, why not?"'
Wie eagled the par-5 fifth -- hitting a 3-wood to 6 feet -- and had five birdies and a bogey on the links-style course.
"It's a fun golf course. It's interesting," Wie said. "It's really nothing like we played all year. You know, it's is fun golf course. You have to put it in the fairway and get on the greens and make the putt."
Ochoa, the defending champion who finished second last week behind Sophie Gustafson in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge in Danville, Calif., had a bogey-free round. She's winless in 11 starts since the Corona Championship in April and has two victories in 17 events this season after winning 21 times in the previous three years.
"I'm feeling good," Ochoa said. "I'm for sure really happy with my round. It was a good day, an easy day, because I didn't make any bogeys. It was just a lot of birdie chances, and we love to have those days."
Karine Icher also opened with a 66, and Alena Sharp, Lisa Strom, Katherine Hull, Na Yeon Choi, Meaghan Francella, Inbee Park, Eunjung Yi, Pat Hurst, Sung Ah Yim and Pornanong Phatlum shot 67s.
Thompson, who had a morning tee time, was the talk of the tournament, even after Moodie took the lead in the afternoon.
"It's amazing," Ochoa said. "I was warming up on the range when I heard that a 14-year-old was winning the tournament. It's very impressive. I wish her the best for the rest of the week."
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
64 Janice Moodie (Sco)
65 Alexis Thompson
66 Michelle Wie, Lorena Ochoa (Mex), Karine Icher (Fra)
67 In-Bee Park (Kor), Pat Hurst, Sung Ah Yim (Kor), Pornanong Phatlum (Tha), Na Yeon Choi (Kor), Eunjung Yi (Kor), Meaghan Francella, Lisa Strom (Gbr), Alena Sharp (Can), Katherine Hull (Aus)
68 Sandra Gal (Ger), Brittany Lang, Christina Kim, M.J. Hur (Kor), Allison Hanna-Williams, Allison Fouch, Nicole Castrale, Hye Jung Choi (Kor), Shanshan Feng (Chn)
69 Chella Choi (Kor), Jamie Hullett, Amy Yang, Angela Park (Bra), Julieta Granada (Par), Ashleigh Simon (Rsa), Paige Mackenzie, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe), Giulia Sergas (Ita), Jennifer Rosales (Phi), Morgan Pressel, Jin Joo Hong (Kor), Hee-Won Han (Kor), Maria Hjorth (Swe), Karin Sjodin (Swe), Laura Davies (Eng)
70 Christi Cano, Stacy Prammanasudh, Meena Lee (Kor), Beth Bader, Brandi Jackson, Haeji Kang (Kor), Anna Rawson (Aus), Candie Kung (Tai), Sophia Sheridan (Mex), Laura Diaz, Erica Blasberg, Sophie Gustafson (Swe)
71 Taylor Leon, Joo Mi Kim (Kor), Minea Blomqvist (Fin), Irene Cho, Jill McGill, Heather Bowie young, Cristie Kerr, Anna Grzebien, Diana D'Alessio, Yani Tseng (Tai), Wendy Doolan (Aus), Sun Young Yoo (Kor), Kim Hall, Song-Hee Kim (Kor), Sarah Lee, Kris Tamulis, Ji-Young Oh (Kor), Teresa Lu (Tai), Natalie Gulbis
72 Kim Welch, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor), Jordan Hardy, In Kyung Kim (Kor), Na Ri Kim (Kor), Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus), Jeehae Lee (Kor), Leta Lindley, Vicky Hurst, Rachel Hetherington (Aus), Sophie Giquel (Fra), Nicole Jeray, Moira Dunn, Hwa seon Lee (Kor)
73 Reilley Rankin, Russamee Gulyanamitta (Tha), Katie Futcher, Jackie Gallagher-Smith, Louise Friberg (Swe), Jessica Shepley (Can), Mhairi McKay (Sco), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Jennifer Johnson, Kris Tschetter, Hee Young Park (Kor), Karen Stupples (Eng), Lorie Kane (Can), Charlotte Mayorkas, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper, Meredith Duncan, Samantha Richdale, Eva Dahllof (Swe), Amy Hung (Tai), Stacy Lewis
74 Young Kim (Kor), Leah Wigger, Becky Iverson, Ashli Bunch, Laurie Brower, Silvia Cavalleri (Ita), Mollie Fankhauser, Jimin Jeong, Se Ri Pak (Kor), Becky Morgan (Wal), Meg Mallon, Song yi Choi (Kor)
75 Il Mi Chung (Kor), Louise Stahle (Swe), Michelle Ellis, Jee Young Lee (Kor), Mindy Kim, Marisa Baena, Stephanie Louden, Jimin Kang (Kor), Jin young Pak (Kor), Angela Buzminski
76 Carolina Llano, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Johanna Mundy (Eng), Angela Jerman, Wendy Ward, Danielle Downey
77 Nontaya Srisawang (Tha), Jeanne Cho-Hunicke, Kim Williams, Audra Burks, Marcy Hart, Kyeong Bae (Kor)
79 Jean Bartholomew
81 Nicole Hage
83 Dorothy Delasin
85 A J Eathorne (Can)
SCOREBOARD TO COME

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Thursday, October 01, 2009

US COLLEGE NEWS

Carley Warrington sixth in

Tusculum Fall Classic

Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina senior student Carley Warrington from Bradwell, England finished a creditable sixth in a field of 62 players for the Tusculum Fall Classic at Links Hill Country Club, Greenville in Tennessee.
She had scores of 75 and 79 for a total of 154 over a par-72 course of 5,805yd.
Carley, pictured above, finished eight shots behind her Malaysian-born team-mate, Michele Low who shot 76 and 70 for a five-stroke victory with a total of two-over-par 146.
Scot Lucy McNulty from Oban, a sophomore student at Brevard College, also in North Carolina, had rounds of 88 and 85 to finish joint 45th on 173.
The efforts of Michele Low and Carley Warrington helped Belmont Abbey College win the team event by 13 shots from North Carolina Pembroke with Wingate Universtiy another five shots back in third place in a field of 12 teams.
Meanwhile Andrea Downer (Murray State) shared 38th place in a field of 80 for the Cincinnati Fall Classic at Elks Run Golf Club, Batavia in Ohio.
Over a par-72 course of 6,186 yd, Andrea had rounds of 83, 84 and 78 for 245 - 22 shots behind winner Marisa Kamelgarn (Morehead State, Kentucky) with scores of 75, 78 and 70.
Murray State (949) finished fifth behind Cincinnati and Morehead State, both totalling 937.
Welsh international Anna Carling (Arkansas State) tied for 12th place in a field of 80 for the MSU Payne Stewart Memorial tournament at Rivercut golf course, Springfield.
Anna had rounds of 77, 78 and 75 for 230 - 11 shots behind the two players who tied for victory. A Carling team-mate, Jennifer Welch (72-71-76 for 219) beat Breanne Neufeld (Bradley University) (75-72-72 for 219) at the second extra hole of a sudden-death play-off for individual honours.
There were several other British students in the big field.
Stacey Rodger from West Hove, Sussex played her part in Missouri State winning the team title. Senior-year student Stacey had ever-improving rounds of 83, 79 and 73 for 235 and a share of 29th place individually as Missouri State (901) won the team title ahead of Arkansas State (912).
Also a student at Missouri State University but playing as an individual in this competition was Emma Clegg, a freshman from Blackburn. Emma scored 80, 79 and 79 for 238.
Third placed Central Arkansas (916) had Gemma Hardie, a sophomore student from Scunthorpe, in their line-up. Gemma scored 79, 82 and 76 for 237 and joint 36th place.
Oklahoma City University tied for eighth place with 941. In their team was Laura Jones, a member of the Royal Liverpool club. Laura scored 83, 71 and 78 for joint 17th position with a total of 232.
Hannah Coles from Birmingham, a junior student at Radford University, Virgina, came 49th with rounds of 84, 81 and 82 for a total of 247 in the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic at Starmount Forest Golf Cub, Greensboro, North Carolina.

Scott Crighton from Fife comes 13th at San Antonio

On the US men's college circuit, Scott Crighton (Western New Mexico) came 13th in a field of close on 90 for the Bruce Williams Memorial Invitational at Dominion Country Club, San Antonio in Texas.
Crighton, from Delgaty Bay, Fife, had tidy rounds of 72, 75 and 72 for a three-over-par total of 219.
Western New Mexico team-mates Steven Maxwell from Glasgow, and Chris Davis from London finished joint 49th and joint 81st respectively. Maxwell scored 76, 79 and 77 for 232, while Davis had rounds of 84, 78 and 83 for 245.
The winner with a seven-under-par total of 209 was Donald Constable (Texas University) with scores of 68, 73 and 68.
Western New Mexico finished 10th of 17 behind team winners St Mary's University, Texas.

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Alexis (14) early leader in LPGA Classic with a 65

FROM THE GOLFWEEK.COM WEBSITE
Fourteen-year-old Alexis Thompson, playing her fifth LPGA event, shot a seven-under 65 in the first round of the Navistar LPGA Classic to take the early clubhouse lead Thursday afternoon (local time).
Michelle Wie, after making five birdies and an eagle over her first 17 holes, made bogey on her final hole to shoot 66.
Starting on the back nine, Thompson opened her round with birdies on her first two holes but made the turn only in 2 under, making bogey on the par-4 18th hole.
Thompson, who got into the event after the Tuesday qualifier was cancelled, turned it on her final nine, making five birdies and no bogeys.
“I mean, everything was working for me,” Thompson said. “My ball striking was good. My driver was a little off, but, I mean, I’m not gonna complain.
“I rolled my putter really good,” she said.
It helped that her longest birdie putt of the day was a 15-footer on the par-5 fifth hole. Five of her birdie putts were from within 6 feet.
“I mean, the greens are really fast,” she said. “I got some really fast putts out there that I had to barely tap, but the golf course is great. I’m just honoured to be here.”
Alexis Thompson won her second consecutive American Junior PGA Championship this summer.
Thompson’s appearance at the top of the leaderboard is hardly a surprise, considering her outstanding record in junior and amateur events, not to mention the handful of professional events she has already played.
She tied for low amateur honours at the Kraft Nabisco Championship earlier this year, and finished 34th in the U.S. Women’s Open. In 2007, she becaome the youngest player to ever qualify for the US Women’s Open at 12 years, 4 months and one day.

SCOREBOARD TO COME

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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! Scotland's title-winning seniors team. Back row (left to right): Noreen Fenton (Dunbar), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Fiona Hunter (Baberton), Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies), Fiona de Vries (St Rule), team manager Janet Wake.
Front row: Mary Smith (Tain), team captain Pamela Williamson (Baberton) with the Sue Johnson Trophy, and Heather Anderson (Alyth).
Image by courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union who retain the copyright to the image which can be enlarged by clicking on it.

SCOTLAND CLINCH FIRST SENIORS


TITLE BY BEATING WALES


There may be many a slip twixt cup and lip - but Scotland made none on the final day of the Senior Women's Home International Matches at Newport Golf Club, Wales today.

Having beaten first Ireland and then England, the Scots won the title and the Sue Johnson Trophy for the first time, completing a 100 per cent winning record through the three days by beating last year's winners, Wales, 5 ½-2 ½ today.

England, trailing 2-1 after the foursomes, rallied to draw 4-4 with Ireland and finished with 1 1/2pt, to be runners-up ahead of Wales (1pt) and Ireland (1/2pt).

Skipper Pamela Williamson's Scotland team – unlike their younger "sisters" in the Women's Home Internationals at Irvine three weeks ago - showed no sign of last-day nerves as they captured the morning foursomes by 2 ½ to ½ against Wales to make their task in the five afternoon singles that much easier.

They began the afternoon play needing only 1 ½ pt for a draw which would have been enough to clinch the over-50s team championship but the rampant Scots had their sights set higher than that and had three singles winners.

Heather Anderson (Alyth) beat the Senior British champion Vicki Thomas by one hole.

Fiona De Vries (St Rule), who beat Pamela Valentine by 5 and 3, ending the series with a perfect 6pt from six matches was the MVP of the tournament.

Tain's Mary Smith, who helped Northern Counties win the Scottish women's county championship last week at Baberton, beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3 for her fifth point in six outings. What an end of season it's been for Mary!

Mention should be made of Dunbar's Noreen Fenton who played only in the foursomes each day – and won each time in partnership with Fiona de Vries.

And also that Scotland went to Wales without their potential star player – Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) who withdrew last week due to domestic reasons. But Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), who took Lorna's place, played, as they say "a blinder." Skipper Williamson used Kathleen only in the singles and she won two out of three ties.

DETAILS OF THE SCOTLAND v WALES SINGLES

Heather Anderson v Vicki Thomas was a game of two halves – the Scot had the better of the first nine, the Welsh player not losing a hole after the turn. Anderson birdied the second and the fifth on her way to a three-hole lead after eight holes.

That was as good as it got for the Scot. Thomas won the 11th and 15th to be only one down on the 16th tee. But Smith managed to halve the last three holes for a win she will remember while Vicki will want to forget the three days! As the new Senior British champion, she was expected to lead by example for Wales but she won only one game out of six.

Kathleen Sutherland, who came into the Scotland team only last week when star player Lorna Bennett had to withdraw for domestic reasons, lost her 100 per cent winning record when she lost by 4 and 2 to Ann Lewis.

Lewis birdied the seventh to go one up and also won the eighth before Sutherland birdied the ninth to get back to one down. The Welsh player promptly birdied the 10th to regain a two-hole lead which Sutherland cut back to one hole by winning the 11th. The exchange of holes continued at the 12th which Lewis won to regain a two-hole lead. Lewis wrapped up a 4 and 2 victory by winning the 15th and 16th.

De Vries won the second, third and fourth against Valentine and stretched her lead to six holes after 11, having birdied the 10th. Valentine did birdie the 14th but that only cut her deficit to four holes and De Vries clinched her sixth victory in three days by winning the 15th for a 5 and 3 success.

That raised Scotland's points on the day to 4 ½, which meant they had won the match, whatever the outcome of the ties still to finish.

Smith made it 5 1/2pt in the bag when she beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3. After the third and fourth holes were exchanged, Smith won the sixth to take a lead she did not relinquish.

The Scot won the eighth to go two up, lost the ninth but then won the 11th, 13th and 14th to surge four holes to the good. A half at the next ended the contest.

Wales got their second singles win, thanks to Jean O'Connor, who beat Moira Thomson by 5 and 4. O'Connor took a stranglehold on the outcome by winning the first, third, seventh, eighth and 10th for a five-hole lead. She even birdied the 12th to regain that advantage after the Scot had scored her only success at the 11th. Halves at the 13th and 14th ended the match.

INDIVIDUAL SCOTS' RECORDS AT NEWPORT

Fiona De Vries (St Rule) 6pt out of 6 (six wins).

Mary Smith (Tain) 5pt out of 6 (five wins).

Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 3pt out of 3 (three foursomes wins).

Heather Anderson (Alyth) 2pt out of 6 (one win, two halves).

Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 2pt out of 3 (played singles only: two wins).

Fiona Hunter (Baberton) 1/2pt out of 3 (one halved match).

WHO DID BEST FOR THE OTHER COUNTRIES?

ENGLAND

Christine Quinn 5pt out of 5 (five wins).

Lucy Newton 4pt out of 5 (four wins).

Sue Dye 4pt out of 5 (four wins).

Janet Melville 3pt out of 6 (three wins).

WALES

Ann Lewis 3 1/2 pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Jean O'Connor 3 1/2 pt out of 5 (three wins and a halved match).

Denise Richards 2pt out of 4 (two wins).

Vicki Thomas 2pt out of 6 (two wins).

IRELAND

Sheena McElroy 4 1/2pt out of 6 (four wins and a halved match).

Helen Jones 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Phil O'Gorman 2pt out of 5 (two wins).

Pat Doran 2pt out of 5 (two wins).


+Scotland will defend the Senior Women's Home Internationals title at Sheringham Golf Club, Norfolk in 2010. Book your accommodation now!




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SENIOR WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS

Newport Golf Club, Wales.

Final day


SCOTLAND 5 1/2, WALES 2 1/2

Foursomes: H Anderson & F Hunter halved with V Thomas & J O'Connor; M Smith & M Thomson bt J Doleman & J Rees 3 and 2; F De Vries & N Fenton bt A Lewis & D Richards 4 and 2 (2 ½- ½).

Singles: Anderson bt Thomas 1 hole, K Sutherland lost to Lewis 4 and 2, De Vries bt P Valentine 4 and 3, Smith bt Rees 4 and 3, Thomson lost to O'Connor 5 and 4 (3-2)


IRELAND 4, ENGLAND 4

Foursomes; R Brennan & V McBride lost to C Quinn & S Dye 2 and 1; H Jones & P Doran bt J Ashmore & J Melville 3 and 1; S McElroy & P O'Gorman bt R Adams & P Parker 1 hole (2-1).

Singles: M Henderson lost to Melville 5 and 4, Doran lost to Dye 3 and 1, McElroy bt Ashmore 5 and 4, Jones bt Parker 6 and 5, McBride lost to Newton 5 and 4 (2-3).


HOW THEY FINISHED

Scotland 3 wins (3pt).

England 1 win, 1 draw (1 1/2pt).

Wales 1 win (1pt).

Ireland 1 draw (1/2pt).



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Senior Scots move closer to title at

Newport after good final morning

Scotland moved closer to winning the Senior Women's Home Internationals title for the first time at Newport Golf Club, Wales this morning by winning two foursomes and halving the other against defending champions Wales.
That meant the Scots, captained by Pamela Williamson, needed only 1 1/2pt for a draw or 2pt from the final set of five singles to land the Sue Johnson Trophy.
Ireland led England 2-1 after their foursomes.
Heather Anderson (Alyth) and Fiona Hunter (Baberton) halved the top foursome with Vicki Thomas and Jean O'Connor. Fiona holed a bunker shot at the 16th to square the match and the last two holes were halved.
Mary Smith (Tain) and Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) won by 3 and 2 against Janet Doleman and Jane Tees. The Scots were never behind after winning the first, second and fourth.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) maintained her 100 per cent winning record when, in partnership with Dunbar's Noreen Fenton, she won the last foursome by 4 and 2 against Ann Lewis and Denise Richards.
Here again the Scots were in the driving seat after going three up after four holes.

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Gemma Dryburgh from Aberdeen

10th in steamy heat of Tampa Bay

Aberdeen girl Gemma Dryburgh, a student at the IMG David Leadbetter Academy, Bradenton, Florida, finished joint 10th in the FCWT Junior Tour event, the Tampa Bay Challenge.
Playing in steamy hot conditions, with the rounds taking 6hr and 5hr respectively, Gemma, pictured right, had a pair of 77s for 12-over-par 154.
She finished 11 shots behind the winner from Bangkok, Thailand - Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai who has now won five events in a row.

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Linzi Allan ties for first place on debut

for Newman University, Kansas

Linzi Allan, pictured, from West Kilbride, Ayrshire has made a winning debut for the Newman University, Wichita, Kansas women's golf team.
She tied for first place in the Lady Buff Stampede tournament at La Paloma Golf Club, Amarillo in Texas with scores of 72 and 84 for 156 over a par-71 course of 5,947yd.
Jacqueline Lau (Tarleton State) had the same 14-over-par total with rounds of 76 and 80.
The tie-breaking procedure was to compare the players' score at the Stroke 1 index hole on the scorecard. Jacqueline had a birdie at that hole, Linzi a bogey so Jacqueline was officially placed first.
But very well done to Linzi for having the tournament's best score in the first round and to have a 36-hole total that nobody in a field of 85 players could beat. It augurs well for her future on US college circuit tournaments.
Linzi is a freshman at Newman University alongwith Alyssa Balding from Northumberland and Megan Birdsey from Bedfordshire.

Alyssa had rounds of 83 and 81 for 164 and a share of 17th place. Megan scored 84 and 90 for 174 and joint 43rd place.

Newman University (654) finished fourth of 16 in the team event won by Tarleton State (635) from Cental Oklahoma (640) and Angelo State (649).

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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Copt Heath pair win Brenda King Foursomes

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Warwickshire county president Angela Dawson celebrated her birthday in style today when she paired up with Jane Jones to win the Brenda King Foursomes at Minchinhampton.
“It was a wonderful present!” said Angela, after she and Jane scored their narrow victory. The partners, who are both members at Copt Heath, won the end-of-season seniors’ competition on countback.
They beat the 2007 winners, Carolyn Kirk and Ruth Lindley, thanks to their better second round.
“We were delighted to win, thoroughly chuffed,” said Angela, who plays off six. Jane, who is the sister of the renowned amateur golfer Peter McEvoy, is a five-handicapper.
The first round of the competition was played on the Avening course and the Warwickshire pair finished the day in a share of third place, three shots off the lead. Their second round score, of five-over 76 on the Cherington course, equalled the best of the day and moved them to the top of the leaderboard.
“We just went out to try and improve on our first round score and to have a steady round,” said Angela. “Then, with a of luck, everything else falls into place.”
The competition remembers the late Brenda King, who was a prominent senior and past Lancashire county captain. Last year’s winners, Marie Miller and Jeanette Williams are members of Pleasington, where Mrs King played, and they returned to make a good defence, finishing in sixth place.
Minchinhampton’s Sue Heathcote and Caroline Shepherd won the handicap prize.
Leading final scores
Par 72, 71
161 Angela Dawson and Jane Jones (Copt Heath) 85 76; Carolyn Kirk and Ruth Lindley (Ganton/Hartlepool) 84 77.
162 Jennifer Adams and Jane Rogers (Pleasington/Formby Ladies) 85 77.
164 Annie Gowing and Angela Tyreman (Frilford Heath) 88 76; Caroline Shepherd and Sue Heathcote (Minchinhampton).
165 Marie Miller and Jeanette Williams (Pleasington) 86 79; Jeannie O'Keeffe and Hilary Smyth (Hankley Common/Pannal) 82 83.
167 Pat Bennett and Lynn Griffiths (Reading) 88 79
Full details: www.englishwomensgolf.org
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

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Laura Murray (Alford) pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency in her only game at the recent Women's Home Internationals at Irvine GC. In her first competitive outing since then, Laura returned a creditable 72 off the men's tees in today's North-east Alliance competition at McDonald Ellon. Read the full story by switching over to www.scottishgolfview.com Click on the image to enlarge it.

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Elie and Earlsferry v Panmure Barry

 Elie and Earlsferry win at Barry


Elie and Earlsferry v Panmure Barry
L to R: Shona McMurray, Hazel Kelly, Agnes Freeman, Jen Petrie,
Liz Cunningham,  Katharine Keir, Sheena Hay, Emma Wilson

The Ladies from Elie and Earlsferry have been playing a biannual match against Panmure Barry for the last 20 years. The four-ball better-ball matches go all the way to the 18th.  
In this recent encounter, Elie and Earlsferry won by two holes at Barry, and retained the trophy.

Results (Panmure Barry names first)
Jen Petrie  and Hazel Kelly halved with Shona McMurray and Katharine Keir
Agnes Freeman and Sheena Hay lost to Liz Cunningham and Emma Wilson  2 holes

[Thanks to Emma Wilson for the report, and Katherine Keir for the photograph]

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Ayrshire Girls’ Centenary Trophy

Emma Wins Ayrshire Girls’ Centenary Trophy


 Emma Hale with the Ayrshire Girls' Centenary Trophy

Emma Hale (Bentinck Ladies) is the first winner of the Centenary Trophy which was presented by North and South Ayrshire Councils to Ayrshire Ladies County Golf Association to commemorate 100 years of the Association.

We are delighted that the local authorities recognised the importance of the younger members of the County when they presented the trophy specifically for junior competition.

This inaugural event was played over the Kintyre Course at Turnberry, a venue which we were privileged to be invited to and which the girls enjoyed enormously. 15 girls with Congu handicaps played a Stableford competition while 20 pre-handicap girls played the delightful 9 hole Arran Course. Results are as follows:-


Girls with CONGU handicaps

Silver
1st Emma Hale (Bentinck Ladies) 36 points
2nd Katie McGarva (Troon Ladies) 34 points
3rd Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 29 points (bih)
4th Connie Jaffrey (West Kilbride) 29 points

Bronze
1st Alexandra Brown (Turnberry) 34 points (better last 3 holes)
2nd Sophie Love (Skelmorlie) 34 points (better last 6 holes)
3rd Gillian Love (Skelmorlie) 34 points
4th Lindsay Montgomery (West Kilbride) 31 points

Nearest the Pin at the 2nd: Emily McGarva (Troon Ladies)
Putting: Connie Jaffrey
Longest Drive: Connie Jaffrey


Pre-handicap Girls


Pre-handicaps 9-11 year olds
1st Olivia Hill (Bentinck Ladies) 52
2nd Harley Murray (Bentinck Ladies) 54
3rd Lindsay Scott (Bentinck Ladies) 58
4th Yvonne Anderson (Maybole) 61
Putting: Lauren White (Loudoun)
Target chipping: Lindsay Scott

Pre-handicaps 12-13 year olds
1st Emma Paterson (Loudoun) 48
2nd Jemma Wylie (Barassie) 50
3rd Rachel Evans (Kilbirnie) 51
4th Megan McCaig (Barassie) 53
Putting: Marian Boyd (Brunston Castle)
Target: Emma Paterson

[Thanks to June Kerr, Ayrshire Junior Girls convenor, for the report and photographs]

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Senior Scots women beat England for


first time - now for title ... but let's


not forget what happened at Irvine!


Scotland must be favourites to win the Senior Women's Home Internationals for the first time at Newport Golf Club, Wales tomorrow after achieving a first win over England since the over-50s series began six years ago.

The Scots, skippered by Pamela Williamson, took the morning foursomes 2-1 and, in a nerve-tingling finish to the second day, shared the singles 2 ½-2 ½ to win 4 ½-3 ½.

They are the only country with two wins out of two going into the third and final day when they complete their programme by playing defending champions Wales.

A word of warning … three weeks ago a younger Scotland team went into the final day of the Women's Home Internationals at Irvine, also needing only a draw for the title … and were beaten by Wales!

At Newport, Wales have found their form in time to test the Scots' championship aspirations. After losing 6-2 to England on the opening day, the Welsh dragon slew the Irish 4-1 in the singles for a 5-3 win after losing the foursomes 2-1.

Scotland's heroine so far as been St Andrews hotelier Fiona de Vries (St Rule) with four wins out of four. She's closely followed by Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), called into the team only last week when star player Lorna Bennett dropped out for domestic reasons.

Kathleen has not been used in the foursomes but she has won both her singles ties.

It was former Scottish girls champion Moira Thomson, pictured above,(Gullane Ladies) who pulled the Scots through to a notable win over the English.

She was trailing Jo Ashmore by two holes with four to play in the final singles with the Scots still needing half a point to clinch victory.

Moira responded to the pressure b y winning the 15th and 16th to square the match and then hung on through nail-biting halves at the 17th and 18th to deliver what was needed.

AND HERE'S A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SINGLES:

On a day of ideal scoring conditions – more than 30 birdies were scored during the day and there was also one eagle - England began the singles well enough with a 4 and 3 win by Christine Quinn – her fourth win in four sessions of play – over Heather Anderson in the top singles tie.
Quinn took control of the outcome with birdies at the fifth and 10th on her way to a four-hole lead after 11 holes. Anderson won back the 12th but Quinn quickly re-established a four-up advantage by winning the 14th and a half at the next was sufficient.

Scotland moved ahead 3-2 overall with a fine 3 and 2 win by Fiona de Vries over Janet Melville. It was Fiona's fourth win of the tournament and she laid the foundations by winning the second, fifth and the seventh with a birdie.
The middle part of the match was rich in sub-par figures with the 10th halved in birdies and Melville winning the 12th with a birdie to get back to one down only for De Vries to birdie the 13th and restore a two-hold lead. The Scot clinched victory by winning the 16th.

Kathleen Sutherland, who came into the Scotland team late last week on the withdrawal of Lorna Bennett, maintained her 100 per cent record in the singles – she has not been used in the foursomes - by beating Susan Dye on the 18th green.

This was another quality match, full of birdies – and that eagle. Dye got the first birdie at the short second and won the fourth to go two up. Sutherland came storming into the picture by winning six of the next seven holes, including birdies at the fifth and seventh, an eagle at the 10th and a birdie at the 11th.

That put the Scot three up but Dye wasn't finished yet. She birdied the 12th and also won the 14th to be only one down. Sutherland dug deep for yet another birdie to go two up again at the 15th. Dye kept her hopes alive by winning the 17th to be one down on the 18th tee but Sutherland got the half she needed at the last for a one-hole victory at the end of a great match.

That meant Scotland, with 4pt in the bag, could not lose the match but there was a lot of golf still to be played.

England put a third point on the board when Lucy Newton beat Mary Smith by 3 and 1. Smith got off to a flying start by winning the first with a par and the second with a birdie.

Newton got into her stride to win the sixth, ninth, 10th and 11th to be two up before Smith won back the 12th. After three tight halves, Newton got the decisive wins at the 16th and 17th.

Scotland led 4-3 but England, when Jo Ashmore was three up after six holes, having birdied the first and fifth against Moira Thomson, had high hopes of salvaging a draw.

But Thomson hung on in there and squared an exciting match at the 12th. Ashmore broke clear again with wins at the 14th and 15th but her Scottish opponent rose to the occasion and the pressure. She squared the match by winning the 15th and 16th . The 17th and 18th were halved - and then the Scots celebrations began!


Day 2 details:


SCOTLAND 4 1/2, ENGLAND 3 1/2
Foursomes: Heather Anderson and Fiona Hunter lost to Christine Quinn and Lucy Newton 1 hole; Mary Smith and Moira Thomson bt Janet Melville and Jo Ashmore 1 hole; Fiona De Vries and Noreen Fenton bt Paula Parker and Rozalyn Adams 3 and 2 (2-1).
Singles: Anderson lost to Quinn 4 and 3, Kathleen Sutherland bt Susan Dye 1 hole, De Vries bt Melville 3 and 2, Smith lost to Newton 3 and 1, Thomson halved with Ashmore (2 ½-2 ½).

WALES 5, IRELAND 3
Foursomes: Vicki Thomas and Jean O’Connor bt Sheena McElroy and Phil O’Gorman 2 holes; Janet Doleman and Jane Rees lost to Helen Jones and Pat Doran 5 and 4; Ann Lewis and Denise Richards lost to Rhona Brennan and Violet McBride 3 and 1 (1-2).
Singles: Thomas halved with Violet McBride, Lewis halved with McElroy, Pamela Valentine bt Jones 2 and 1, O'Connor bt O’Gorman 6 and 5, Richards bt Brennan 7 and 6 (4-1).


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

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
England’s hopes of winning the Senior Home Internationals at Newport suffered a setback today when they were beaten by Scotland 4½-3½. “It’s disappointing,” said England captain Sue Westall. “But good on Scotland, they played brilliantly. We shall be upbeat tomorrow and come out aiming for a win – and see what happens.”

This was the Scots’ second win of the series and puts them at the top of the table going into the third and final day, when they will play defending champions Wales. England and Wales both have one win apiece, while Ireland have lost both their matches. England play Ireland tomorrow.

Today’s match, played in ideal conditions, produced superb scoring. In the singles, England and Scotland scored 16 birdies and one eagle between them. Wales and Ireland produced another 11 birdies and two eagles.

England trailed Scotland after the morning foursomes when they won only one of the three games – and that was to prove crucial when the singles points were shared. The afternoon session was an intensely close battle.

England’s double senior champion, Chris Quinn, maintained her 100 per cent winning record with a 4 and 3 success to level the overall score. Scotland moved ahead again with wins over Janet Melville and Sue Dye – and with four points in the bag, could not be beaten. However, England battled on and, after Lucy Newton won her match, the team had hopes of a draw.

It all depended on the match of Jo Ashmore who was two up after 14 holes. But her opponent fought back and squared the match by winning the 15th and 16th – and the remaining two holes were halved.


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Well done, Lucy! Oban girl's
first win in America

Scot Lucy McNulty, in her second year as a student at Brevard College, North Carolina, has scored her first golf win in the United States.
In her first tournament of the 2009-2010 American college golf season, Lucy, a former pupil at Oban High School, had rounds of 85 and 79 for a two-round total of 164.
She won the Montreat College Fall Invitational at Glen Cannon Country Club, Brevard over a 6,000yd par-72 course by one shot from Ashley Buxton (Union College). Ashley had rounds of 83 and 82.
They finished well clear of the two girls who shared third place, Morgan Morrow (Montreat College) (88-87) and Tiffany Willis (Union College) (88-87), on 175. A total of 17 players took part.
Lucy's second round is the lowest ever returned by a Brevard College female student.
Lucy inspired the Brevard College team to score their lowest ever 36-hole team aggregate of 365 of 744 but they still finished last of three behind Union College (715) and Montreat College (739).
+Picture of Lucy above by courtesy of the "Oban Times" newspaper.

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Senior Women's Home Internationals at Newport

Scots lead England 2-1 after foursomes

Scotland took a 2-1 foursomes lead over England on Day 2 of the Senior Women's Home International Matches at balmy Newport Golf Club, Wales.
This clash of the two Day 1 winning countries is likely to decide who is going to go on and win the trophy. Scotland have never won the title in this over-50s series which began six years ago. In fact, the Scots have never beaten the English at this level.
But for England's Christine Quinn holing a 10ft putt at the last for a one-hole victory in the lead-off foursomes, Scotland would have had an even bigger lead to carry forward to the five afternoon singles.
England won the first four championships until Wales broke their strangehold by claiming the Johnson Trophy last year.
Wales lost their Day 1 match 6-2 to England and are trailing Ireland 2-1 after their foursomes.
Details:
Scotland lead England 2-1
Heather Anderson and Fiona Hunter lost to Christine Quinn and Lucy Newton 1 hole.
Mary Smith and Moira Thomson bt Janet Melville and Jo Ashmore 1 hole.
Fiona De Vries and Noreen Fenton bt Paula Parker and Rozalyn Adams 3 and 2.
Ireland lead Wales 2-1
Sheena McElroy and Phil O'Gorman lost to Vicki Thomas and Jean O'Connor 2 holes.
Helen Jones and Pat Dorna bt Janet Doleman and Jane Rees 5 and 4.
Rhona Brennan and Violet McBride bt Ann Lewis and Denise Richards 3 and 1.

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US COLLEGE NEWS

Paul Ferrier not up to US

college speed yet


Former Scottish boys match-play champion Paul Ferrier from Baberton, a sophomore (second year) student at Charlotte University, North Carolina, has not yet got up to speed in the new US college golf season
Paul, who finished joint 37th in his first event on his return to the States, tied for 47th place in a field of 84 players at the VCU Shootout at Hermitage Country Club, Virginia this week.
Over a longish course of 7,170yd (par 72), Ferrier shot made a good start with a one-under 71 but faded to two subsequent scores of 78 for a total of 11-over-par 227 - 17 shots behind team-mate Corey Nagy who won by two shots with rounds of 69, 71 and 70 for 210.
Charlotte (890) finished ninth of 14 behind team title winners North Carolina Wilmington (872).


AMI SLIPS BACK IN FINAL ROUND IN KANSAS

Ami Storey from the North-east of England, a student at Kansas State University, slumped from 12th overnight to a final placing of joint 24th in a field of 71 players for the Marilynn Smith Sunflower women's college invitational tournament at Colbert Hills, Manhattan in Kansas.
Over a par-72 course of 6287 yards, Ami scored 80, 77 and 81 for a total of 238 (22 over par). She finished 29 shots behind the five-shot winner Kelli Shean from Arkansas with 74, 68 and 67 for seven-under 209.
Tulsa (901) won the team title by three shots from Arkansas with Kansas State a distant third of 13 on 947.


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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

US COLLEGE NEWS

Laura and Emma down the field

in the Sea Trail inter-collegiate

Laura Holmes, pictured right, and Emma Gilmore, two Irish students at Old Dominion University, Virginia, finished joint 27th and 31st respectively in the Sea Trail women's inter-collegiate tournament at Willard Byrd course, Sunset Beach in North Carolina.
Over a 5947yd course with a par of 72, Laura, a senior year student from Co Mayo, scored 78, 77 and 80 for 235.
Emma, a junior student from Ballinaside, Ireland, had rounds of 81, 77 and 78 for 236.
The winner by four shots was Josefine Sundh from Western Carolina University with scores of 71, 72 and 73 for 216.
Western Carolina (897) won the team title by a single shot from Longwood. Old Dominion (919) finished fifth of nine.

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Mary Smith (Tain), left, and Fiona de Vries (St Rule), double winners for Scotland on first day of Senior Women's Home Internationals.
Scotland seniors start off with a win
- now they must

beat England to have title chance at Newport

Scotland teed off their bid to win the Senior Women's Home Amateur Golf Internationals for the first time by beating Ireland 5 ½-2 ½ in heatwave conditions at Newport Golf Club, Wales today.
Wales crashed 6-2 to England, the only other country to have won the title since the over-50s tournament started six years ago.
Tomorrow, Scotland face England – whom they have never beaten at this level. Scotland beat Ireland 5 ½-2 ½ - exactly the same scoreline as 12 months ago – after taking the foursomes 2-1 and the singles 3 ½-1 ½. Top Scots on the opening day were Tain's Mary Smith and St Andrews hotelier Fiona De Vries who won twice.
Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) did not play in the singles after partnering De Vries to victory in the morning foursomes while Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), who was not used in the foursomes, had a big win when introduced to the singles line-up.
The top singles between Scotland's Heather Anderson (Alyth) and Ireland's Helen Jones ended all square after the Irish player, two down with four to play, won both the 15th and 18th to salvage half a point.

Anderson had lost the first but won three holes in a row from the third, to take a lead she did not relinquish until the last green. The Scot had been two up after five, two up after 10 and two up after 14 – but could never shake off her dogged opponent.
Kathleen Sutherland, called into the Scotland team last week as a replacement for Lorna Bennett, celebrated with a 7 and 5 win over Marilyn Henderson. Neither player had been used in the morning foursomes.
Sutherland lost only one hole, the eighth, and was four up after seven holes, having won the third, the fourth, the sixth and the seventh with a birdie. She continued to dominate the proceedings by winning the ninth, 10th, 12th and 13.
Fiona De Vries was a 3 and 2 winner for Scotland over Phil O'Gorman after winning the first three holes. After O'Gorman had stopped the slide by winning the fourth, De Vries went four up by winning the sixth and eighth
.

O'Gorman got a winning run going by taking the ninth, 12th and 13th to be only one down on the 14th tee. But De Vries won the 14th with a birdie and then the 15th with a par to regain a three-hole lead.
Highlander Mary Smith clinched victory for Scotland with a 2 and 1 win over Pat Doran. Smith, who had birdied the first hole and halved the fifth in birdies, was four up after nine holes.
In a quality match, the 10th hole was halved in birdies. Doran won the 11th and 12th to clash her deficit to two holes and then won the 15th to be one down with three to play.
Smith won the 16th to go back to two up and a half at the 17th ended the match in her favour.
Ireland's only victory in the singles came from Sheena McElroy who finished one up on Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies).
Thomson won the second but McElroy had the better of the remainder of the outward half. The Irish player won the fourth, the fifth with a birdie, the seventh and the ninth to be three up at the turn. Thomson won back the 14th and the 17th to be one down on the 18th tee but a half at the last was good enough for McElroy to win by one hole.


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SENIOR WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS

Newport Golf Club, Wales

Day 1


IRELAND 2 ½, SCOTLAND 5 ½

Foursomes: S McElroy & P O'Gorman bt H Anderson & F Hunter 8 and 6; H Jones & P Doran lost to M Smith & M Thomson 1 hole; R Brennan & V McBride lost to F De Vries & N Fenton 3 and 2 (1-2).

Singles: Jones halved with Anderson, M Henderson lost to K Sutherland 7 and 5, O'Gorman lost to De Vries 3 and 2, Doran lost to Smith 2 and 1, McElroy bt Thomson 1 hole (1 ½-3 ½)


WALES 2, ENGLAND 6

Foursomes; V Thomas & J O'Connor lost to C Quinn & S Dye 1 hole; J Doleman & J Rees lost to J Melville & J Ashmore 2 and 1; A Lewis & D Richards bt R Adams & L Newton 6 and 4 (1-2)

Singles: Thomas lost to Quinn 7 and 6, Rees lost to Melville 5 and 3, Lewis bt Adams 2 and 1, P Valentine lost to Newton 1 hole, Doleman lost to Dye 6 and 4 (1-4).




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Gwen Lambie wins P&K champion of champions' title

Gwen Lambie (Dunkeld and Birnham) won the Perth & Kinross women's county champion of champions' tournament over the Centenary Course at Gleneagles Hotel.
Details:

CSS 75. Reduction only.
82 Gwen Lambie (Dunkeld and Birnam).
83 Caroline Dunbar (Aberfeldy).
84 Julie White (Auchterarder).
85 Carol Muir (Craigie Hill) (better inward half), Hazel Wylie (Comrie).

+Pictured, by courtesy of county captain Dawn Butchart, are P&K president Liz Miskimmin, tournament winner Gwen Lambie, and Dawn Butchart.

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SENIOR WOMEN HOME INTERNATIONALS

Scots seniors rally to lead Ireland

2-1 after first-day morning fours

Scotland rallied to take a 2-1 lead over Ireland at the end of the morning foursomes in the Senior Women's Home Internationals at Newport Golf Club, Wales.
In the other match defending champions and hosts Wales went into the afternoon five singles, trailing 2-1 to England, the only other country to have won the title since it was instituted six years ago.
Things looked good for Ireland against Scotland when they scored a big win in the first foursomes tie and were ahead in the other two matches. But things eventually swung the way of the Scots to give them a lunchtime lead.
Sheena McElroy and Phil O’Gorman won by 8 and 6 over Heather Anderson and Fiona Hunter who never won a hole. The Irish pair won the second, fourth and sixth to be three up on the eighth tee. Then McElroy and O’Gorman killed off any prospect of a Scottish rally by winning five holes in a row from the eighth, including a birdie at the 10th.
Fiona de Vries and Noreen Fenton made it 1-1 overall by beating Rhona Brennan and Violet McBride 3 and 2.
All square after six holes, the Scots won the eighth and 10th for a two-hole lead which was halved by Brennan and McBride at the 11th. De Vries and Fenton regain a two-hole lead at the 12th and went three up at the 15th before a half at the next ended the contest.
Mary Smith and Moira Thomson got the point that put the Scots ahead 2-1 by beating Helen Jones and Pat Doran by one hole.
The Irish pair lost the first two holes but hit back with a purple patch of golf. They birdied the third, fourth and fifth and also won the sixth to be two up on the seventh tee.
Smith and Thomson kept calm, they won back the eighth, squared the match at the 10th with a birdie and went ahead with another success at the 11th.
In a ding-dong march, Jones and Doran squared matters by winning the 15th but Smith and Thomson won the 17th and preserved that one-hole lead for victory by halving the last.

SCOTLAND lead IRELAND 2-1
Heather Anderson & Fioan Hunter lost to Sheena McElroy & Phil O'Gorman 8 and 6.
Mary Smith & Moira Thomson bt Helen Jones & Pat Doran one hole.
Fiona de Vries & Noreen Fention bt Rhona Brennan & Violet McBride 3 and 2.
ENGLAND lead WALES 2-1
Christine Quinn and Susan Dye bt Vicki Thomas & Jean O'Connor 1 hole.
Janet Melville & Jo Ashmore bt Janet Doleman & Jane Rees 2 and 1
Rozalyn Adams & Lucy Newton lost to Ann Lewis & Denis Richards 6 and 4.
Heather Anderson & Fiona Hu

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Monday, September 28, 2009

US COLLEGE NEWS

Sally Watson jt 49th on debut for Stanford

- but she was only two over par!

Curtis Cup Scot Sally Watson did OK on her competitive debut for California's Stanford University in the Mason Rudolph women's collegiate championship.
It was just that 48 players in the field of 90 did better!
The scoring was amazingly low over the par-72, 6271 course at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, Tennessee.
Sally, 18, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had rounds of 74 and 72 and was only two over par with a total of 146. Starting at the 10th in her second round, she birdied the 10th, 12th, 13th and fifth. She had bogeys at the 17th, fourth and sixth.
The tournament should have been over three rounds but the scheduled second 18 holes were washed out by very bad weather.
Normally, a two-over-par total in a 36-hole event on the US women's college circuit would gain a player somewhere in the top 20. But Sally finished joint 49th!
The tone for the low scoring was set by Southern California's Jennifer Song who returned a pair of 66s for a 12-under-par tally of 132. Unbelievable!
She won by three shots from the three who tied for second place - home course player Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) with 68 and 67, Cydney Clanton (Auburn) (67-68) and Sydness Michaels (UCLA) (70-65).
Even Spanish ace Carlota Ciganda (Arizona State), beaten at Harlech in the final of this summer's British women's open amateur championship (by compatriot Azahara Munoz, now a professional), a title Carlota won in 2007 but did not defend in 2008, could finish no higher than joint 40th with a total of one-over-par 145 (71-74).
Southern California (560) won the team title by two shots from UCLA with Auburn (563) third and Arizona State (565) fourth. Stanford (580) came 13th of 17.

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Scots win Special Olympics' Topaz

Triple Crown Golf Trophy

Scotland won the third Special Olympics' Topaz Triple Crown Golf Trophy at Hollystown Golf Club, Ireland.
Ireland, winners of the past two events, played this year as five individual teams from each of the Special Olympics Regions. The event was played over 9 holes on two consecutive days.
Scotland’s match winner was a fine level par round of 35 by Graeme Andrews on the first day, ten shots better than his nearest rival, which put Scotland into an unassailable lead going into the second day.
Best of the Irish were Munster’s Alan Punch and Trudy Hyland while Connacht’s Barbara Callagy, Connacht and Leinster’s Kevin Codd punched well above their weight.
Competitors hailed from Scotland, England and each of the five Special Olympics Regions of Ireland.
Further details available from:
Ruth O’Mahony, PRO Special Olympics Golf
ruthomahony@eircom.net

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Tara Mactaggart with the two trophies she won over the Kelso course at the weekend.

Tara Mactaggart (13) wins Borders' Silver Jubilee


Quaich - and the Borders' girls championship

Thirteen-year-old Tara Mactaggart (Minto) scored a great double at the weekend. She not only took the Silver Jubilee Quaich in the Border Ladies County Golf Association competition at Kelso, but also won the scratch in the Border girls' championship over the same course.
Leading scores

Silver Jubilee Quaich
1 Tara Mactaggart (Minto) 34pts better last 6 holes.
2 Isobel Massie (Innerleithen) 34pts
3 Danielle Ker (Kelso) 32pts better inward half.

Borders girls' championship
1st Scratch: Tara Mactaggart 82 (Minto)
1st Handicap: Laura Mathewson (Kelso) (28) 71.
2nd Handicap: Vicky Shirra-Gibb (St Boswells) (32) 74.

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Lancashire’s Ann Irvin to be


next EWGA President

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Lancashire’s Ann Irvin is to be the next President of the English Women's Golf Association. She will take up office at the AGM next January.“This is the most amazing honour. It is the greatest honour that England can give me and I am just so proud,” said Ann, who enjoyed a stellar career as one of the country’s foremost amateurs.
Most recently Ann, pictured, has been a selector for both England and Great Britain & Ireland. She has also been president and captain of Lancashire and is an honorary member of her county; of her home club, Royal Lytham & St Annes; and also of Lytham Green Drive Golf Club.
During her term in office Ann will actively support EWGA’s efforts to connect with its members and highlight the work the association does on behalf of England’s women club golfers.
“I feel very strongly that our members in clubs, counties and regions are most important and much valued by the association. Our elite players are also a very important part of what we do, they are our showcase, but they tend to come and go very quickly. Our grass roots members are with us for a lifetime.”
Ann took up golf in her teens and went on to become English and British champion and to be a key member of national and international teams over a 15-year period. She was in four Curtis Cup teams between 1962 and 1976 and was selected for a fifth, but injury prevented her from taking up her place. She played for GB&I in eight Vagliano Trophy matches against the Continent of Europe, and on five occasions was in the winning team. She twice helped Great Britain to win the Commonwealth Tournament.
Ann played for England in 11 Home Internationals – the team won 10 times - and six European team championships, winning a gold medal on three occasions.
Looking back, she says: “My proudest moment was the 1968 Curtis Cup in Ireland, when I was playing top in all the matches and halved one and won the rest. My best moment was winning my British championship at Carnoustie in 1973. That was the pinnacle for me.”
Ann’s playing career came to an end in 1977 because of back problems. She remained involved with golf for some years, as Lancashire county captain in 1979 and as GB&I captain in the World Amateur Team Championship of 1982.
After a break from the game she returned as Lancashire president from 2002-04 and then accepted a role as a national and international selector.
She will succeed Elizabeth Earnshaw OBE as EWGA President at the association’s AGM on January 13, 2010.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
Tel. 01603 507 416

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Texas Scramble prize winners, the middle three in the back row, l-r, Matthew Pippard (Hollandbush GC), Ross McLeod (Hollandbush GC), Jack McMorris (Torrance House GC), with other competitors at Brancumhall Golf Development Centre. Image by Rob Eyton-Jones. Click on it to enlarge.

New event marks start of new South

Lanarkshire junior golf strategy

By ROB EYTON-JONES, clubgolf Media Manager
Twenty-seven budding young golfers from three South Lanarkshire golf clubs enjoyed a new junior golf event at East Kilbride’s Brancumhall Golf Development Centre this month aimed at bringing together players and coaches from local clubs as the finale to a busy clubgolf coaching season.
clubgolf is the national junior golf programme formed by the partnership of the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland as a result of Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cu
The Brancumhall event was a Texas Scramble for children from three local golf clubs, Hollandbush GC, Torrance House GC and Broadlees Junior Golf Academy.
Each Club entered nine players, boys and girls, from their coaching programmes. To encourage the children to work together as a team and achieve the best score, each team comprised players from different clubs.
clubgolf volunteer Level 1 coaches, and a multitude of parents and supporters, were on hand to assist with each group’s scoring and encourage the players around the course.
The competition, a huge success, marks the start of a new five year junior golf strategy in South Lanarkshire Leisure which will lead up to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014.
During South Lanarkshire’s first four-year strategy, completed in 2008, over 10,000 South Lanarkshire Primary 5 children were introduced to golf in schools through the firstclubgolf programme. The new strategy will maintain these impressive schools participation figures whilst increasing opportunities for children to progress their skills at local clubs and facilities.
Colin Girvan, Golf Development Officer for South Lanarkshire said: “We achieved some very impressive statistics during the first strategy. However, we are keen to keep improving our programmes and are focusing on supporting schools in staff training via the Active Schools Team whilst maintaining the resources required to deliver the firstclubgolf programme.
“With 100% roll-out of firstclubgolf across South Lanarkshire, exit routes to local clubs and facilities will be the main focus of the new strategy. The demand for junior coaching is greater than ever and there are opportunities for clubs and PGA Professionals to play a part in the South Lanarkshire Golf Strategy and fill their own coaching programmes whether it be clubgolf, Young Masters Golf or a Professionals own programme.”
Other significant areas of development in the new strategy include creating an elite performance pathway to identify and develop young talented players who could represent Lanarkshire in the International Children’s Games in 2011.
Secondary Schools in South Lanarkshire now have Active Schools Coordinators in position and the Golf Foundation programme Golf Extreme is currently being delivered in many of the schools.

Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager
t: 07775 746981
e: rob@eyton-jones.co.uk
Official clubgolf website: http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/

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Anglo-Scot Edwina in winning Daytona

State College team at "Lady Falcon"

Anglo-Scot Edwina Gold - she played in the 2006 Scottish Under-18 girls' championship at Peebles with the surname Lowery-Gold and beat Krystle Caithness in the Scottish women's amateur championship at Barassie in 2007 - is now a freshman student at Daytona State College, Florida.
Edwina, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, whose family home is in Norwich, finished joint 28th in a field of 70 players at the Lady Falcon Invitational women's college tournament over the LPGA International course at Daytona Beach.

She scored 81 and 80 over the 6118yd par 72 course for a total of 161.

Hannah Bews from Dorset, a senior year student at Bethune Cookman College, also at Daytona Beach, finished joint 35th with scores of 80 ajd 83 for 163.

One of Edwina Gold's team-mates at Dayton State College, Mitsuki Katahira won individual honours with a pair of 74s for 148.

The efforts of Mitsuki - and Edwina - helped Daytona State College win the team title with a total of 604, nine ahead of Florida Southern with Barry (619) third of the 12 competing teams.

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Sophie Gustafson ends six years without a win

Catriona Matthew earns $21,642 for

share of ninth place in California

FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
After six long years of wondering when a win would come, Sweden's Sophie Gustafson put together four solid rounds of golf in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge at Blackhawk Country Club, Danville in California to win for the fifth time in her career, and first since 2003.
Gustafson finished with a tournament-record 20-under-par 268 score, and beat out the runner-up and World's top-ranked player, Lorena Ochoa, by four strokes.
Gustafson collected a cash prize of $165,000 while Ochoa received $100,391.
Women's British Open winner Catriona Matthew from North Berwick improved with every round (71-70-69-67) for an 11-under-par total of 277 over the 6,185yd par-72 course. Catriona won $21,642.
Janice Moodie from Glasgow earned $6,100 for finishing joint 36th with scores of 73, 71, 69 and 72 for three-under-285.
Gustafson (65-69-66-68) started strongly and never looked back, as she had control of the leaderboard all four days, just sharing it once after Saturday's third round with Ochoa. Starting the final round all tied up with Ochoa, Gustafson birdied the first hole of the day.
Her front nine holes saw an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys, while the back nine earned just a single birdie. The 4-under-par 68 turned out to be just what was needed to pick up her fifth career victory and first title since the Samsung World Championship in 2003. This was one of her best efforts.
"This is my first victory on the LPGA Tour," she said. "I won a couple of times in Europe, but it feels fantastic to win. It's one of my best. I have been struggling with my putting, but my long game has been really good."
Though Ochoa kept it close for much of the day, Gustafson wasn't at all fazed by the fact that she was playing with the No 1 female golfer in the world.
"It's not easy," she said of playing with Ochoa. "It's a full-time job taking care of myself, so I didn't really pay much attention to what she was doing."
Gustafson, a 12-year LPGA Tour member, now has five career victories, after putting a close to a six-year drought. In 2003, she won the Samsung World Championship. Her first three wins came in 2000 (Chick-Fil-A Charity Championship, Weetabix Women's British Open) and 2001 (Subaru Memorial of Naples).
Coming into this week's event, her best finish was the runner-up at the Evian Masters. Earlier this year, Gustafson qualified for her seventh European Solheim Cup team, based on her top-5 ranking on the Ladies European Tour (LET) points list, and recorded a 1-3-0 record for the team.
She also crossed the $5 million mark in career earnings this year at the CN Canadian Women's Open, where she tied for 10th. Coming in solo-second this week is Ochoa, as she finished four strokes behind Gustafson at 16-under-par 272. This is third-straight time that she has finished in the top-5 at this event in Danville, Calif., but has yet to wind up in the winner's circle on the 18th-green.
The Mexican player was even-par on Sunday, recording three birdies and three bogeys. Taking home the $100,391 runner-up check, Ochoa has crossed the $1 million mark in season earnings. She now has earned more than $14 million in career dollars.
"Well, for sure I didn't play my best today," she said. "I think, you know, just for different reasons. I didn't get off to the best start, and I think Sophie was 4-under after five holes. But, you know, today was just her day. She won the tournament, and she deserved it. She played a really good round today. So, I guess I'm just going to try to be happy with second place."
A member of the US Curtis Cup team at St Andrews in 2008, rookie pro Amanda Blumenherst finished a very creditable fifth. She is not a member of the LPGA Tour yet. This was her fourth appearance on a sponsor's exemption and her highest finish yet.
Amanda from Scottsdale, Arizona recorded a 13-under-par 275 (70-71-67-67). Her back-to-back 67s in the third and final rounds of this week's event at Blackhawk Country Club propelled her up the leaderboard.
Recently the Duke University graduate earned medalist honors at the Palm Springs LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament. She now will compete in the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament the first week of December at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Floruda.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) 6185yd
268 Sophie Gustafson 65 69 66 68 ($165,000).
272 Lorena Ochoa 68 67 65 72 (£100,391).
274 Amy Yang 72 67 69 66, Sun Young Yoo 73 64 69 68 ($64,582 each).
275 Maria Hjorth 69 66 72 69, Amanda Blumenherst 76 71 67 67, Angela Stanford 67 70 69 69 ($37,833 each).
276 Katherine Hull 72 69 68 68 ($27,206).
277 Reilly Rankin 70 69 73 65, Catriona Matthew 71 70 69 67, Morgan Pressel 71 69 67 70, Christina Kim 70 73 65 69 (jt 9th) ($21,642 each).
Selected other scores:
285 Janice Moodie 73 71 69 72 (jt 36th) ($6,100).
291 Becky Morgan 74 72 72 73 (jt 64th) ($2,472).
292 Karen Stupples 73 70 74 75 (jt 67th) ($2,308).

+Editor's note: Equality for women pros in prizemoney? Not even close. Phil Mickelson received $1,350,000 for winning on the US PGA Tour on Sunday. As you will have read above, Sophie Gustafson's take home pay for her LPGA Tour win was $165,000.

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Sunday, September 27, 2009

US COLLEGE NEWS

Sammy Vass improves by 10 strokes on


her second competitive round in USA

Well done, Sammy Vass! The Tain teenager slashed 10 shots off her first round score with a round of 79 on the last day - Saturday's second round was washed out - of the Bettie Lou Evans Invite women's college tournament at the University Club of Kentucky, Lexington, today.
Sammy, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, enrolled as the University of Central Florida only a few weeks ago. She will take time to find her feet but it was encouraging that she could make a 10-stroke improvement at the second time of asking.
Sammy was not in the UCF team of five for this event but the head coach took her along to play as an individual and gain some competitive experience of American conditions which must be a wee bit difference from the the North of Scotland.
Her Sunday score of 79 was a better second round by four shots than one of the UCF players who was competing for the team.
Macarena Silva (Florida State) and Paula Hurtado (Florida International) tied for victory - no word of a play-off on "GolfStat" - on level par 143 (two courses were used, one with a par 71, the other a par 72).
They finished two shots ahead of Jessica Alexander (Coastal Carolina) (75-70) and the best of the UCF team, Victoria Tomko, who scored 72-73.
Steph Gough (Middle Tennessee State) from Aylesbury slipped back from a share of fifth place to a final position of joint 24th. She had rounds of 74 and 77 for 151.
Two other English players, both students at Florida International University, finished joint 41st and 51st respectively in the field of 82 players.
Lauren Blease scored 78 and 76 for 154, and Nikki Dunn had rounds of 82 and 76 for 158.
Florida State (587) won the team event from UCF (592) with Chattanooga - whose head coach is Scot Colette Murray - third of 15 teams on 598.

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GIBSON CUP 2009

A report of the weekend’s action has been provided below by Anne Brownie, Chair of the Gibson Cup.


2009 Gibson Cup winners Karina Matson (left)  and Gillian Lithgow (on right)
both of Lothianburn with the magnificent 102 year old Cup.

The 2009 Gibson Cup sponsored by The Ladies Golf Centre, www.golfing-lady.com and hosted by Edinburgh Golf over the Braid Hills Golf Course took place over the weekend of 26th/27th September. 

On a breezy but fine day on Saturday 26th September many competitors found the putting on fast, sloping greens very testing –especially downwind, down a slope! The greens were, however, true and some foursomes pairings certainly scored well. Leading qualifiers with a score of 71.5 (.5 under par) were the lowest handicapped pair of Wendy Nicholson and Kate McIntosh, both Broomieknowe followed by a second Broomieknowe pair of Sandra Hennessey and Gillian Carter with 74.5. 78.5 was the cut off for the second flight of match play with all higher scores eligible for the Consolation Salver (played as a foursomes stableford on Sunday) . A rare occurrence at the 4th hole, which was sponsored for nearest the pin in 2 shots, was that two couples Anne Brownie and Mary Stark (Lothianburn) and Sandra Hennessey and Gillian Carter (Broomieknowe) were both in the hole with a two at this par four hole!

Leading qualifying scores

71.5 Wendy Nicholson, Kate McIntosh both Broomieknowe (H’cap 4.5)
74.5 Sandra Hennessey, Gillian Carter both Broomieknowe(11.5)
76.5 Margaret Logan/Mairi Hall both Bathgate (11.5)
77.5 Karina Matson Gillian Lithgow both Lothianburn (14.5) (bih)
77.5 Ray Lynch Norma Richmond both Murrayfield (9.5 )
78 Linda Boyle Dorothy Wilson both Harburn (13)
78 Sandra Ashurst Celia Nixon both Murrayfield (13)
78.5 Susan Randall Mandy McBain Carrickvale /Swanston (17.5)


Sunday started fair and not too breezy and there was some very good golf played including a hole in one by Gillian Lithgow at the 17th hole which saw her and partner Karina Matson close out their semi-final match 3 & 1 against top qualifiers Wendy Nicholson and Kate McIntosh. The other semi-final was won 3 and 2 by Gillian Carter and Sandra Hennessey over Margaret Logan and Mairi Hall of Bathgate.

By the time the Gibson Cup Final went out at 1pm the breeze had strengthened to a near gale making both driving and putting “interesting” (for which read difficult!). Gillian and Karina had a slight edge at the turn and followed up winning the 9th with wins at holes 10, 11 and 12 before Gillian and Sandra fought back and ate into their lead, keeping the match alive with vital wins at both the 15th and 16th. Although Gillian Lithgow did not repeat her feat of an ace, the Final concluded at the 17th with a win for the Lothianburn pair.

The final second flight of matchplay was an all Murrayfield affair between top seeds Norma Richmond and Ray Lynch and Sandra Ashurst with Celia Nixon. The losing semifinalists were Susan Randall (Carrickvale) playing with Mandy McBain (Swanston) and Dorothy Wilson and Linda Boyle (both Harburn); both semifinals finished at the 16th hole. The second flight final proved to be the closest of all the matches with Norma and Ray finishing 1 up, avoiding the need for extra holes.


In the Consolation Trophy a number of foursomes partnerships did better in the Stableford format, despite the increasingly blowy conditions. Two pairs finished with 34 points and three on 33 points meaning that the prizes had to be determined on count back. Louise Wells and Vivien Mitchell of Prestonfield won the Consolation Trophy on the better inward half from Dee Williams and Margaret Anderson of Craigmillar Park. Ellice Cackett playing with her daughter, Sandra, took third prize on the last 6 holes. Narrowly missing out on the prizes were Eileen Stevenson and Rhona Archibald of the Melville and Lorna and Shona Cunningham (Mortonhall and Lundin Links).
The photograph on the right is of Vivien Mitchell, who with Louise Wells (both Prestonfield) won the Consolation Trophy.
Unfortunately no photos are available of the runaway golf trolleys and visors which took off on the wind, causing much hilarity to onlookers!

Next year’s dates are 25th and 26th September 2010.

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Fife County Ladies’ Golf Association Centenary Open




 Fife County President, Margaret Steele (left), 
presents the Centenary Trophy to Joan Peden (Dunfermline) (right)

Joan Peden, playing off 7, from the host club Dunfermline, won the Fife County Ladies' Golf Association Centenary Open today.  Her net 71 was two shots better than her nearest challenger, Marion Stewart of Kilmacolm.
Elaine Moffat of St Regulus had the best scratch score of 74.

Leading scores  Dunfermline Golf Club CSS 75
Winner Joan Peden (7) Dunfermline 71
Marion Stewart (11) Kilmacolm 73
Linda Dyball (5) Pitreavie 74
Best Bronze Elspeth Gibb (30) (Ladybank) 78
Best Scratch Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) 74
Karin Sharp (Kirkcaldy) 79
Nearest the pin (9th) Megan Brown (Dunfermline)
(16th) Irene Collins (Elie & Earlsferry)


Felicity Johnson scores first win in


Ladies European Tour with 67-274

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England’s Felicity Johnson became a first-time winner on the Ladies European Tour when she recorded a two-shot victory at the Tenerife Ladies Open today.
Birdies on the final two holes elevated the Birmingham 22-year-old to the top of the leader board at Costa Adeje.
The third year tour pro fired a stunning final round of five-under 67 to end up with a four round total of 274, 14-under-par.
Becky Brewerton of Wales, who led by three at halfway and with a round to go, shot 72 and took outright second. She was shocked after missing birdie putts on the final two holes.
Johnson started the day at nine-under, three shots behind Brewerton, but birdied the second when she struck a wedge to 12 feet, before Brewerton bogeyed the third, narrowing her lead to a stroke.
Having birdied the long eighth, Johnson was one behind at the turn on 11-under. After she and Brewerton both birdied the par-4 12th, Johnson caught the leader with a two-putt birdie at the long 13th hole.
Johnson dropped a shot at the short 14th when she hit a poor tee shot short of the green, but immediately recovered with a birdie at the 15th after her second shot hit the flag.
Both players bogeyed the 16th but Brewerton missed her chance at the 17th after Johnson holed from 25 feet to go one ahead for the first time.
Then, Johnson struck a magnificent rescue iron to six feet at the long 18th, setting up a tap-in birdie 4 and saving her best for last. A final round of 67 was enough for a four round aggregate of 274, 14-under-par.
“It’s all a bit surreal at the moment really but I’ve worked so hard for this so it’s just fantastic that it’s finally come together for me,” said Johnson, who earned €45,000, moving up from 42nd to 14th on the Henderson Money List.
“I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens and made a couple of good up and downs early on which kept the pars on the card.
“I just hit one bad shot o 14 and made a bogey there but apart from that I played really solid golf again.
“I hit a really good shot into 15 which hit the flag, so that was pleasing. I holed a really good putt on 17 from 25ft or so which gave me the boost I needed at the last.”
Johnson had recorded two top-10s on the LET circuit this year, with her season-best a tie for third at the SAS Ladies Masters in Norway.
“I led after the first round in Gothenburg last year and I’ve finished third four times so it was a matter of putting the icing on the cake really.”
Johnson said she would celebrate with a night out go-carting and would take a day off on Monday in Tenerife.
She thanked her Australian caddie Steve Walsh, but her father Paul Johnson, who is also her coach, will take over caddie duties for next week’s Madrid Ladies Masters, where Brewerton, the 26-year-old Open de Espana Femenino winner, will have another chance to complete a Spanish double.
Germany’s Bettina Hauert finished third and equalled her season-best finish after a final round of 72.
England’s Melissa Reid shot 67 and shared fourth with Spain’s Tania Eloegui (73) at six-under-par.
Germany’s Anja Monke (71), the first round leader, shared sixth with Laura Davies (69) at four-under-par, the Englishwoman having scraped through the cut at halfway.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
274 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 72 66 67
276 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 66 69 69 72
281 Bettina Hauert (Ger) 69 73 67 72
282 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 71 70 68 73, Melissa Reid (Eng) 69 75 71 67
284 Anja Monke (Ger) 65 74 74 71, Laura Davies (Eng) 72 77 66 69
285 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 69 74 70 72
286 Joanne Mills (Aus) 72 73 73 68, Emma Cabrera Bello (Spa) 72 71 69 74
287 Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 71 73 70 73
288 Karen Lunn (Aus) 72 74 70 72, Caroline Rominger (Swi) 75 68 75 70, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 68 70 73 77, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 71 72 74 71
289 Stefania Croce (Ita) 68 76 67 78, Paula Marti (Spa) 72 71 70 76
290 Nina Reis (Swe) 72 69 72 77, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 74 71 71 74
291 Laura Terebey (USA) 71 72 75 73, Morgana Robbertze (Rsa) 75 71 72 73, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 73 74 73 71, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 72 72 73 74
292 Maria Verchenova (Rus) 74 70 75 73, Elizabeth Bennett (Eng) 70 74 68 80, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 72 71 74 75, Jessica Ji (Kor) 74 73 74 71, Trish Johnson (Eng) 72 73 73 74, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 73 76 73 70
293 Caroline Afonso (Fra) 72 70 79 72, Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 70 76 74 73, Rebecca Coakley 72 74 75 72, Julie Greciet (Fra) 70 74 70 79, Pamela Feggans (Sco) 77 69 73 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 74 73 72 74, Lena Tornevall (Swe) 70 74 72 77
294 Malene Jorgensen (Den) 71 75 71 77, Marta Prieto (Spa) 72 76 69 77, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 70 74 73 77
295 Hazel Kavanagh (Irl) 73 75 72 75, Sophie Walker (Eng) 74 73 73 75, Lisa Hall (Eng) 73 76 71 75, Beth Allen (USA) 66 76 77 76, Krystle Caithness (Sco) 71 77 75 72, Sara Beautell (Spa) 74 73 73 75
296 Florentyna Parker (Eng) 75 72 69 80, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 71 73 73 79, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 72 74 75 75, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 69 75 73 79
297 Mireia Prat (Spa) 73 74 74 76, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 70 79 76 72, Anna-Lise Caudal (Fra) 74 75 75 73, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 74 69 75 79, Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 74 74 78 71, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 74 71 77 75
298 Smriti Mehra (Ind) 75 74 75 74, Martina Gillen (Irl) 75 74 73 76, Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wal) 74 75 75 74, Ana-Belen Sanchez (Spa) 76 72 73 77, Kyra Van Leeuwen (Ned) 76 71 74 77
299 Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 73 76 77 73, Samantha Head (Eng) 73 74 75 77, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 71 74 77 77
300 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 75 72 75 78
301 Zuzana Masinova (Cze) 73 73 77 78, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 78 71 74 78, Ellen Smets (Bel) 76 73 74 78, Holly Aitchison (Eng) 76 70 77 78, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 80 69 76 76, Clare Queen (Sco) 76 71 77 77
302 Margherita Rigon (Ita) 71 77 76 78
303 Anna Tybring (Swe) 73 76 76 78
304 Tara Delaney (Irl) 72 73 78 81
305 Claire Coughlan-Ryan (Irl) 74 75 82 74
306 Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 75 72 77 82
307 Johanna Lundberg (Swe) 75 74 81 77

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LOTHIANS FATHER AND DAUGHTER WIN


SLGA ADULT-GIRL FOURS AT ARBROATH


The Lothians' father-and-daughter pairing of Michael Connor (Mortonhall) and Louise Connor (Kilspindie), playing off a handicap of 20, had the best overall Stableford points total of 36pt in today's (Sunday) Scottish Ladies Golfing Assocaition adult-girl foursomes golf tournament Arbroath Golf Club.

Ian Smith (Grange) and Louise Smith (Monifieth), playing off eight, won Category 1 (handicaps 0 to 12) with 34pt.

Category 2 (handicaps 13 to 20) was won by the Kennedys from Paisley, Iain and Emma with 35pt off 17.

Margaret Alexander (Baberton) and Jillian Farrell (Cardross), playing off 24, won Category 3 (handicaps 21 to 36) with 31pt.

Category 4 for girls with no handicaps was won by the Kilspindie pairing of Phil Notley and Ellis Notley with 23pt with a better inward half.

A total of 44 pairs took part.


LEADING PRIZEWINNING STABLEFORD POINTS TOTALS


Overall winners – Michael Connor (Mortonhall) & Louise Connor (Kilspindie) (29) 36pt.

Category 1 (0 to 12 handicaps) – Ian Smith (Grange) & Louise Smith (Monifieth) (8) 34pt;

Alistair Serrals & Ashley Ann Alston (Royal Montrose) (4) 33pt.

Category 2 (13 to 20 handicaps) – Iain Kennedy & Emma Kennedy (Paisley) (17) 35; Alison Scott & Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (19) 31pt.

Category 3 (21 to 36 handicaps) – Margaret Alexander (Baberton) & Jillian Farrell (Cardross) (24) 31pt; Charles McCleary & Jessica McCleary (Monifieth) (24) 30pt.

Category 4 (girls with no handicaps) – Phil Notley & Ellis Notley (Kilspindie) 23pt (better inward half).

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Matthew and Moodie both return 69s in LPGA Tour event

Ochoa's five late birdies help her share

third-round lead with Gustafson
Both Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie shot third-round 69s on the LPGA Tour in California on Saturday. Catriona is now on six-under-par 210, Janice on 213. Lorena Ochoa (65) and Sophie Gustafson shared the lead on 16-under 200.
FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
DANVILLE, Calif. (AP) -- Lorena Ochoa insists she wasn't bothered when critics questioned her game earlier this year. If anything, the world's top-ranked player agreed with them.
"I respect the opinion of the media and the players, and the results show I wasn't playing my best golf, so it's OK for people to talk," Ochoa said. "I also say that I've been working hard and I feel much better. I feel that I'm getting in a better rhythm and that's why I'm here today."
Ochoa, pictured, birdied five of her last seven holes for a 7-under 65 on Saturday and a share of the third-round lead with Sophie Gustafson in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
Winless in 10 starts since taking the Corona Championship in her native Mexico in late April, Ochoa has only two victories in 16 events this year after winning 21 times in the previous three years.
She was four strokes back after 10 holes, then used the strong finish -- including a 16ft birdie putt on the 18th hole -- to match Gustafson at 16-under 200.
Gustafson, winless since 2003, had a 66. She spent 30min on the practice putting green working on her stroke following Friday's second round.
"My putting was much better," Gustafson said. "My caddie figured out what I was doing wrong and worked on that. My backstroke was too short and I was seriously moving my head."
Angela Stanford and Sun Young Yoo were six strokes back at 10 under after 69s, and Paula Creamer (69), Morgan Pressel (67) Leta Lindley (66) and Maria Hjorth (72) followed at 9 under on the Blackhawk Country Club course.
Ochoa, playing in the same group as Gustafson, couldn't match the Swede's power off the tee, but made up for it around the greens. The Mexican star had a bogey-free round, overcoming swirling winds that seemed to change direction at every tee.
She had only two birdies on the front nine, then warmed up on the back after falling four strokes back when Gustafson birdied No. 10 to reach 15 under.
"I left some birdie opportunities out there on the front nine, definitely," Ochoa said. "I told myself, 'Just keep doing the same thing and be patient.' I dropped a few good putts and that was really the difference today."
Ochoa made consecutive birdies, while Gustafson three-putted the par-3 12th for a bogey. Ochoa birdied No. 15 to move into a tie.
Gustafson then birdied No. 17 to reach 16 under.
Ochoa's approach shot on the 18th rolled 16ft past the hole, but she sank the putt for birdie, raising her first as the crowd cheered. Gustafson made a par.
Unlike the first two days when her putting gave her problems, Gustafson was fairly steady around the greens, holing five putts of 20 feet or longer and she came within one stroke of matching her opening-round 65. She sank a 20-footer for birdie on No. 10, survived her three- putt on the 12th, then made short birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17.
Gustafson has had seven runner-up finishes since winning the 2003 Samsung World Championship. To end that streak of near-misses, she needs to hold off the No. 1-ranked player Sunday.
"I'm not really that worried," Gustafson said. "It's a full-time job taking care of myself so I don't really pay that much attention to what other people are doing."
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Blackhawk Country Club, Danville, California.
Par 216 (3x72)
200 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 68 67 65, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 65 69 66
206 Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 73 64 69, Angela Stanford 67 70 69
207 Paula Creamer 71 67 69, Morgan Pressel 71 69 67, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 69 66 72, Leta Lindley 70 71 66
208 Vicky Hurst 71 67 70, Amy Yang 72 67 69, Christina Kim 70 73 65, Katherine Hull (Aus) 72 68 68, Amanda Blumenherst 70 71 67
209 Natalie Gulbis 73 66 70, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 68 71 70, Anna Grzebien 69 71 69
210 Yani Tseng (Tai) 69 70 71, Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 67 72 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 71 70 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 69 68 73, Brittany Lang 71 70 69, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 68 67 75, Kris Tamulis 70 70 70
211 Alena Sharp (Can) 70 72 69
212 Jimin Jeong 73 73 66, Karrie Webb (Aus) 68 75 69, Reilley Rankin 70 69 73, Haeji Kang (Kor) 72 68 72, Brittany Lincicome 72 70 70, Candie Kung (Tai) 73 70 69
213 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 69 68 76, Jamie Hullett 70 74 69, Juli Inkster 71 72 70, Na Ri Kim (Kor) 67 76 70, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 71 73 69, Janice Moodie (Sco) 73 71 69, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 68 74 71
214 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 72 68 74, In-Kyung Kim (Kor) 73 72 69, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 75 70 69, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 73 68 73, Sarah Lee 73 70 71, Pat Hurst 73 67 74
215 Stephanie Louden 70 72 73, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 75 70 70, Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 69 75 71, Wendy Ward 70 72 73, Sandra Gal (Ger) 70 72 73
216 Kim Welch 69 75 72, Paige Mackenzie 74 70 72, Meena Lee (Kor) 70 74 72, Beth Bader 69 72 75, Diana D'Alessio 70 73 73, Michele Redman 72 74 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 69 72 75, Marisa Baena 73 73 70, Teresa Lu (Tai) 71 70 75, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 71 72 73
217 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 74 71 72, Mindy Kim 72 70 75, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 72 71 74, Karen Stupples (Eng) 73 70 74, Kim Hall 72 72 73, Allison Fouch 73 71 73
218 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 73 73 72, Stacy Prammanasudh 75 68 75, Jill McGill 74 71 73, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 72 72, Jin young Pak (Kor) 76 70 72
219 Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 74 73, Brandi Jackson 75 71 73
220 Chella Choi (Kor) 71 75 74, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 72 74 74, Moira Dunn 72 74 74, Katie Futcher 72 74 74
221 Lisa Strom (Gbr) 70 75 76
222 Kristy McPherson 73 72 77
223 Kris Tschetter 70 74 79
225 Audra Burks 72 74 79.

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