The rain (and snow) in Spain stays mainly at La Manga!

Play cancelled at LET Final Qualifying School on Saturday

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
MURCIA, SOUTH-EAST SPAIN – Saturday’s play at Final Qualifying School has been washed out due to heavy rain and snow. The bunkers on La Manga Club's South Course were full of water and fairways were wet, with temperatures extremely low.
Play has been rescheduled to start at 8.30am on Sunday, with the last tee time at 10.40am. After the completion of round two, the third round will begin at 14.00 (2pm) on Sunday and play will continue until darkness falls.
Bethan Cutler
Media Manager
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

Carly (70), Kylie (72) carry on good work at La

Manga as LET Q School gets down to business

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Comrie's Carly Booth (70) and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) (72), both members of the 2010 Curtis Cup match short leet and both competing as amateurs, continued their good form in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School process at La Manga, Spain today.
Having come through the harrowing Stage 1 eliminator with flying colours, the two Scots carried on the good work with sub-par rounds over the South Course (par 73) in the first of four rounds that make up the Stage 2 final qualifying competition.
To make the top 30 at the end of 72 holes is the target because that would guarantee full playing rights on next year's LET schedule.
Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg showed the low-scoring potential on a balmy-type Spanish winter's day with a seven-under-par round of 66. That was two shots better than South Africa's Tandi Cunningham, former Roehampton Gold Cup winner (pictured above) Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent Golf Club), the leading British player, and two Americans, Hannah Jun and Alison Walshe, although there are those of us who would contend that Alison, who played for the United States in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews, is Irish. She was born in Galway but her parents emigrated to the Boston, Massachusetts area before she was 10 years old.
Carly Booth, only 17, which means she would have to get special dispensation from the LET chief executive to play on the LET before her 18th birthday next June - should she earn playing rights, is lying joint ninth. She birdied the first, long fourth, seventh and ninth in two-under-par 35 to the turn, having bogeyed the second and third
The Glenealmond, Perthshire schoolgirl then bogeyed the 10th but got back on track with a 2 at the short 13th and a 4 at the testing long 18th hole in halves of 35 for a 70.
Kylie is lying joint 26th with a 72 made up of birdies at the eighth, 10th and 15th but a disappointing finish with a bogey 4 at the short 17th and a 6 at the long 18th in halves of 36.

The two other Scots in the field of 84, Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) and Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayrshire, also had a solid start, both matching the par of 73 to be joint 34th at the end of the first day.

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg fired a bogey-free seven under par 66 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of Final Stage Qualifying School at La Manga Club in Murcia, south-east Spain today.
The 23-year-old from Bollnas led the field of 84 players targeting a place on the 2010 Ladies European Tour after carding seven birdies in mild conditions on the South Course.
Lindberg was one of a group of 48 players who graduated from the LET’s Pre-Qualifying School, played over three rounds from Tuesday to Thursday.
The Oklahoma State University graduate, who still lives in the United States, birdied the sixth, eighth and ninth holes for an outward total of 34, before returning in 32 after birdies at holes 11, 13, 16 and 18.
“I am very pleased, especially because I came straight out of the pre-qualifier and I had a little bit of a rough day out there yesterday. I felt I lost my focus and had a rough round. It was nice to re-start everything today and start off this well,” said Lindberg, who had already earned her full card for the 2010 season on the US-based LPGA Tour.
“It was nice because there was no wind so one less factor to count in. I think it was good conditions out there for scoring, for sure. There were just a few drops of rain out there at the end but nothing that really affected it.”
Lindberg played in 10 events on the Duramed FUTURES Tour this year, where her best finish was a tie for second at the iMPACT Classic in Richmond, Va. Her best score was eight under par.
“I had some low scores this summer and I got comfortable shooting low scores and I think that was a big thing for me,” she added. “The first time you start getting to five, six under, it’s tough, but if you’ve been there before it’s easier.”
Lindberg finished the day two ahead of South African Tandi Cuningham, England’s Claire Louise Aitken along with the United States pair Hannah Jun and Alison Walshe, all on five under 68.
Sharing sixth place on 69 were Sweden’s Johanna Lundberg, Spain’s Maria Hernandez Munoz and Colombian Maria Jose Uribe, who won the pre-qualifying tournament on Thursday.
This year’s Final Qualifying School will be contested from Friday to Monday, over four rounds, with a cut to the leading 50 players and ties after three rounds.
The top 30 players will receive a full card for the 2010 season in category 8, while those in positions 31-50 may take category 10a, with some playing opportunities on the LET in 2010.
After one round, scores were generally low at La Manga Club, with the leading 30 players all under par.

S C O R E B O A R D

FIRST-ROUND

South Course (Par 73)

66 Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden).

68 Tandi Cunningham (South Africa), Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent GC), Hannah Jun (US), Alison Walshe (US/Ireland) (jt 2nd).

69 Maria Jose Uribe (Columbia), Johanna Lundberg (Sweden), Maria Hernandez (Spain).

70 Caroline Masson (Germany) (amateur), Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur), Camille Fallay (France), Jo Pritchard (Wales), Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) (amateur), Carly Booth (Comrie) (amateur) (jt 9th)

71 Kristie Smith (Australia), Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands), Jeehae Lee (South Korea), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Denmark), Corisande Lee (England) (amateur), Monia Bernardo (Portugal), Kyra Van Leeuwen (Netherlands), Elin Emanuelsson (Sweden), Emelie Lind (Sweden), Melodie Bourdy (France), Antonello Cvitan (Sweden) (jt 15th).

72 Eva Mjarvall (Sweden), Julie Maisongrosse (France) (amateur), Ana Larraneta (Spain), Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) (amateur), Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) (amateur), Josein Leijon (Sweden), Miriam Nagl (Germany), Cassandra Kirkland (France) (jt 26th).

73 Diana D'Alessio (US), Mallory Blackwelder (US), Zuzana Masinova (Czech Republic), Kirsty S Taylor (Weybrook Park GC), Christine Hallstrom (Sweden), Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond), Kim Welch (US), Stephanie Na (Australia), Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire GC), Danielle Masters (England), Tara Ireland (Team Ireland), Lena Tornevall (Sweden), Kate Combes (Australia), Pamela Feggans (Scotland), Kym Larratt (England) (amateur) (jt 34th).

74 Rachel Bell (England), Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur), Lucie Andre (France) (amateur) (jt 49th).

75 Line Hansen (Denmark (amateur), Henrietta Zuel (England), Anna Rossi (Itaqly), Monica Christiansen (Denmark), Elena Giraud (France), Vickly Thomas (Australia), Celine Herbin (France), Barbara Genuini (France) (jt 52nd).

76 Julie Tvede (Denmark), Laure Sibille (France) Mollie Fankhauser (US), Tonya Choate (US), Rachel Drummond (England) (amateur), Frederique Seeholzer (Switzerland), Ana B Sanchez (Spain) (jt 60th).

77 Therese Nilsson (Sweden), Anna Knutssson (Sweden), Sahra Hassan (Wales), Sara Beautell (Spain), Mianne Bagger (Denmark), Mariana Macias (Spain), Rebecca Flood (Australia) (jt 67th).

78 Nathatlie David-Mila (France), Cecilie (Lundgreen (Norway) (jt 74th).

79 Viva Schlasberg (Sweden), Denise-Charlotte Becker (Germany), Franziska Blum (Germany) (amateur), Sarah Abercromby (Denmark (jt 76th).

80 G Young Park (South Korea), Sanna Johansson (Sweden) (jt 80th).

82 Kiran Matharu (England), Emma Lyons (England) (jt 82nd).

83 Eva Steinberger (Austria) (84th).

North Berwick Golf Club presentation to Catriona Matthew

 North Berwick Ladies Captain, Freda Birrell, 

Catriona Matthew with the Ricoh trophy, 

and North Berwick Captain Alan Phillips at tonights presentation.

Catriona Matthew, winner of the Ricoh Womens' British Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Anne's in August was presented with a "modest and unassuming" gift to reflect her "modest and unassuming" nature at a reception held at the North Berwick Clubhouse tonight.
Over 100 members and friends attended the party to congratulate North Berwick's most illustrious member. 
Catriona now has a welcome break from tournaments before her schedule starts again in February.

Graham and Katy Matthew

Kylie Walker and Carly Booth qualify with

ease for L E T Final Qualifying event

Kylie Walker (joint 10th) and Carly Booth (joint 21st) came through the Stage 1 eliminator with plenty in hand and are now set to play for their 2010 golfing futures in the Ladies European Tour's Final qualifying event over four rounds at La Manga, starting tomorrow.
Both Scots, still amateurs, had three steady rounds with Kylie scoring 72, 72 and 73 for two-over-par 217 while Carly had rounds of 74, 73 and 74 for six-over 221.
Columbia's Maria Jose Uribe was the leading qualifier with scores of 76, 67 and 68 for four-under-par 211. She finished a shot ahead of German amateur Caroline Masson whose 67 was the joint best last round.
QUALIFIERS FOR STAGE 2
Par 215 (2x71, 1x73)
211 Maria Jose Uribe (Columbia) 76 67 68.
212 Caroline Masson (Germany) (amateur) 74 71 67.
213 Kim Welch (US) 73 73 67, Diana D'Alessio (US) 73 70 70, Hannah Jun (US) 71 71 71.
214 Sara Beautell (Spain) 75 69 70, Alison Walshe (US/Ireland) 71 70 73, Maria Hernandez (Spain) 71 69 74.
216 Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur) 73 70 73.
217 Kylie Walker (Scotland) (amate7r) 72 72 73, Kristie Smith (Australia) 69 71 77.
218 Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur) 78 63 67, Antonella Cvitan (Sweden) 76 69 73, Laure Sibille (France) 73 72 73, Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands) 71 72 75.
219 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spain)76 74 69, Nathalie David-Mila (France) 74 72 73.
220 Danielle Masters (England) 76 72 72, Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) (amateur) 74 70 76, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 73 71 76.
221 Millie Fankhauser (US) 80 71 70, Carly Booth (Scotland) (amateur) 74 73 74, Kym Larratt (England) (amateur) 71 72 78.
222 Frederique Seeholzer (Switzerland) 76 74 72, Kate Combes (Australia) 78 74 70, Viva Schlasberg (Sweden) 73 76 73, Line Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 80 69 73, Lucie Andre (France) (amateur) 77 77 68.
223 Rebecca Flood (Australia) 77 74 72, Mallory Blackwelder (US) 78 72 73, Tonya Choate (US) 81 71 71, Jeehae Lee (South Korea) 74 72 77.
224 Corisande Lee (England) (amater) 77 74 71, Vicky Thomas (Australia) 77 76 71, Franziska (Germany) (amateur) 78 75 71.
225 Miriam Nagl (Germany) 79 73 73, G Young Park (South Korea) 75 72 78, Julie Maisongrosse (France) (amateur) 78 69 78, Henrietta Zuel (England) 79 75 71.
226 Emelie Lind (Sweden) 78 75 73, Celine Herbin (France) 78 70 78, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) (amateur) 81 72 73, Rachel Druymmong (England) (amateur) 77 76 73, Therese Nilsson (Sweden) 76 71 79, Sanna Johansson (Swseden) 78 76 72, Sarah Abercromby (Denmark) 76 78 72, Monica Christiansen (Denmark) 81 73 72, Monia Bernardo (Portugal) 81 74 71.

MISSED THE CUT FOR STAGE 2
226 Jess Willcox (England) (amateur) 77 73 76.
227 Tara Davies (Wales) (amateur) 77 74 76, Sophie Sandolo (Italy) 77 76 74, Maru Martineze (Venezuela ) 77 76 74, Itziar Elguezabal (Spain) 78 75 74, Caroline Bon (New Zealand) (amateur) 77 77 73.
228 Jill Magnusson (Sweden) 78 76 74, Nicole Forshner (Canada) 78 76 74, Lehua N Wise (US) 80 75 73.
229 Laura Boe-Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 79 74 76, Laura Eastwood (England) 77 77 75, Clare Choi (Australia) 81 73 75.
230 Nicole Smith (US) 77 73 80, Sandra Carlborg (Sweden) 80 75 75, Wedney Hawkes (New Zealand) 78 77 75, Kelly Froelich (France) 80 75 75, Zuzana Kamasova (Slovakia) 80 75 75.
231 Elin Andersson (Sweden) 77 75 79, Jo Clingan (England) 76 76 79, Kaisa Ruuttila (Finland) 78 75 78.
232 Elina Nummenpan (Finalnd) (amateur) 82 70 80, Lien Willems (Belgium) 78 75 79.

ILGU/Lancome Greensomes raised more than

57,000 Euros for charitable organisations

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
The 30th ILGU/Lancôme Greensomes National Final, which took place at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club in early October, raising in excess of €57,000 for various charitable organisations around Ireland.
Over 4,000 female golfers participated in 24 qualifying events at golf clubs nationwide with three National charities; The Irish Cancer Society, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin all receiving cheques for €10,000.
Also benefiting from the proceeds of the Open Days were local charities Enable Ireland (Kilkenny), School of Divine Child, Douglas Meals on Wheels and South Infirmary Hospital Breast Check (Douglas), Breast Cancer Clinic (Limerick), KARE (Naas), Galway Hospice, Aware (The Island), Arc (Cork), Scoil Aodh Rua & Nuala Special Needs Classes (Donegal), World Transplant Games (Nenagh) and Carers Association (Kerry) who each were nominated by Lady Captain’s in the host clubs.
Delighted by the success of this year’s event, Managing Director l’Oreal Luxury Products Trevor Tye commented, ‘I would personally like to thank the host clubs for all their hard work and dedication which is testament to the success of this tournament. These much needed funds will go a long way to help both local and national charities the length and breadth of Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of all our competitors, we have again raised a significant amount for Charity, following the 2009 tournament.’
ILGU Chief Executive Sinead Heraty endorsed his comments and added ‘The stableford events proved very popular and once again I thank our membership and host clubs for making their courses available for the event. The clubs and members make this competition one of the most successful fund raisers for Irish charities and the Irish Ladies Golf Union are delighted to be associated with this every worthy initiative.’
To date over €2 million has been raised for deserving charities around Ireland. Clubs who hosted events in 2009 were Ballinrobe, Bandon, Castletroy, Clontarf, Cork, Co. Cavan, Courtown, Donegal, Douglas, Galway, Hermitage, Kilkenny, Laytown & Bettystown, Limerick, Malahide, Monkstown, Mullingar, Naas, Nenagh, Powerscourt, The Island, Tipperary, Tralee and Waterford.

Ladies European Tour Q School number of qualifiers today

Bethan Cutler, Press Officer of the Ladies European Tour, has clarified the situation with regard to the number of qualifiers from Stage 1 of the current Q School eliminator to Final Stage 2, beginning tomorrow, at La Manga.

Here is the situation:

The top 46 players from Stage 1 today will advance to the final stage, making a field of 84 for the final stage.
After three rounds at Final Qualifying, a cut will be made to the leading 50 players and ties, following which the order of exemption will be finalised on the last day.
Only 30 full cards (category 8) are available, although those players finishing in positions 31-50 can take a lower category of membership which will give them a number of starts, but how many cannot be guaranteed.

Wee Wonders Championships loses sponsor HSBC

Here's a note from Gullane professional Alasdair Good who started the whole idea:

Dear Wee Wonders,
I know many of you will be keen to make plans for next year’s event and I just wish to keep you posted on plans for 2010.
Having enjoyed seven fantastic years of HSBC support for the Wee Wonders Championships, I'm now looking for a new sponsor. Together with Octagon Marketing, we are working very hard and will explore all avenues open to us to ensure the continued future of the event.
When I started the Championships in 1995, there was very little in the way of opportunities for youngsters to meet and play together. In the seven years HSBC have been involved approx 25,000 boys and girls have enjoyed and no doubt learnt greatly from their experiences.
They extended an invitation for Wee Wonders to meet and play alongside the world's best golfers at their World Matchplay event. Tiger did a putting clinic for us, Monty has done several fun clinics and in 2009 Nick Dougherty became our ambassador Tour Pro. All this was made possible with the vision and expertise of HSBC.
The legacy of their sponsorship is that we now see graduates of the HSBC Wee Wonders dominating the highest levels or junior golf throughout Great Britain & Ireland. There are young ladies proving to the golfing world that even in their early teens, they are a competitive force to be reckoned with at any level.
We were also represented in the last Walker Cup and many others have gone all the way and turned professional.
As well as many measurable successes at the top level, I've had the pleasure of observing hundreds of new friendships being forged and old rivalries enjoyed. Through seeing the high standard of play and behaviour our juniors are capable of, many Golf Club's are now embracing the thousands of keen young players and the families this brings to golf.
As sponsors they will be sadly missed but I'm forever grateful for the immense contribution they have made to the Wee Wonders Championships and to the future of golf.
The hard work will continue over the coming weeks and months to secure funding for 2010 and when I've confirmed plans, I shall email you again to let you know.
Shortly there will be changes to the current website, so for any Wee Wonders related questions or enquiries please contact me at weewondersltd@aol.com or at Gullane GC at proshop@gullanegolfclub.com.
The Wee Wonders hotline number that is currently on the website will also soon be decommissioned so if you wish to speak to me directly, please call 07810632766.
I look forward to seeing you next year and wish you all a very Happy Christmas.
Yours sincerely,
Alasdair Good
PGA
Founder, Wee Wonders
Wee Wonders Ltd
Professional's Shop
Gullane Golf Club
West Links Road
Gullane
East Lothian EH31 2BB
weewondersltd@aol.com
Tel: 01620 843111
Fax: 01620 843090
http://www.wee-wonders.co.uk/

Kylie and Carly stay on track at La Manga

but Katy McNicoll fails to beat Round 2 cut

Kylie Walker and Carly Booth qualified with ease for the third and final round of the Ladies European Tour Qualifying Stage 1 tournament at La Manga, south-east Spain today.

But the third Scot in the field, Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll, a professional unless Kylie and Carly who are still amateurs, failed to figure among the leading 70 players after today's second round and has been eliminated.

The leading 46 after the Stage 1 third round, being played on Thursday instead of today after the opening day was abandoned because of bad weather, will go forward to join the exempt players in the four-round Final Qualifying tournament at La Manga from Friday through to Monday.

Kylie, currently joint 10th, repeated her first-day 72 and is on level par 144 - four shots behind the joint leaders, Spain's Maria Hernandez, who followed up a 71 with a 69 for 140, and Australian Kristie Smith, daughter of a professional. Smith shot 69 and 71 to hit the four-under-par mark.

In third place overnight will be Galway-born US Curtis Cup player Alison Walshe whose 141 tally has been made up of a 71 and a 70 for 141.

Leading English players are two amateurs, Hannah Ralph and Kym Larratt on one-under-143. Hannah has scored 73 and 70, Kym 71 and 72.

Carly Booth has had steady rounds of 74 and 73 for 147 and is sharing 20th place. But Katy McNicoll, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, added a 78 to her first-day 83 and, with a two-round total of 161, missed by six shots the cut-off point of 11-over-par 155 or better.

QUALIFIERS FOR THIRD ROUND STAGE 1
Par 144 (South Course par 73, North Course par 71)
140 Maria Hernandez (Spain) 71 69, Alison Smith (Australia) 69 71.
141 Alison Walshe (Ireland/US) 71 70.
142 Hannah Jun (US) 71 71.
143 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands) 71 72, Diana D'Alessio (US) 73 70, Maria Jose Uribe (Columbia) 76 67, Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur) 73 70, Kym Larratt (England) (amateur) 71 72.
144 Kylie Walker (Scotland) (amateur) 72 72, Sara Beautell (Spain) 75 69, Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) (amateur) 74 70, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 73 75.

145 Laure Sibille (France) 73 72, Caroline Masson (Germany) (amater) 74 71, Antonella Cvitan (Sweden) 76 69.

146 Nathalie David-Mila (France) 74 72, Kim Welch (US) 73 73, Jeehae Lee (South Korea) 74 72.

147 Therese Nilsson (Sweden) 76 71, Julie Maisongrosse (France) (amateur) 78 69, Carly Booth (Scotland) (amateur) 74 73, G Young Park (South Korea) 75 72.

148 Danielle Masters (England) 76 72, Celine Herbin (France) 78 70.

149 Line Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 80 69, Viva Schlasberg (Sweden) 73 76.

150 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spain) 76 74, Jess Wilcox (England) (amateur) 77 73, Frederique Szeeholzer (Switzerland) 76 74, Nicole Smith (US) 77 73, Mallory Blackwelder (US) 78 72.

151 Corisan de Lee (England) (amateur) 77 74, Rebecca Flood (Australia) 77 74, Mollie Fanklhauser (US)( 80 71, Tara Davies (Wales) (amateur) 77 74, Stacey Keatring (Australia) (amateur) 78 73.

152 Elin Andersson (Sweden) 77 75, Tonya Choate (US) 81 71, Elma Nimmenpaa (Finland) (amateur) 82 70, Jo Clingan (England) 76 76, Kate Combes (Australia) 78 74.

153 Emelie Lind (Sweden) 78 75, Sophie Sandolo (Italy) 77 76, Lien Willems (Belgium) 78 75, Maru Martinez (Venezuela) 77 76, Vicky Thomas (Australia) 77 76, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) (amateur) 81 72, Franziska Blum (Germany) (amateur) 78 75, Rachel Drummond (England) (amateur) 77 76, Itziar Elguezabal (Spain) 78 75, Laura Boe-Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 79 74, Kaisa Ruuttila (Finland) 78 75.

154 Sanna Johanssson (Sweden) 78 76, Sarah Abercromby (Denmark) 76 78, Jill Magnusson (Sweden) 78 76, Laura Eastwood (England) 77 77, Caroline Bon (New Zealand) (amateur) 77 77, Henr8ietta Zuel (England) 79 75, Lucie Andrew (France) (amateur) 77 77, Clare Choi (Australia) 81 73, Nicole Forshner (Canada) 78 76, Monica V Christiansen (Denmark) 81 73.

MISSED THE CUT

156 Madelene Augustsson (Sweden) 76 80, Marion Ricordeau (France) (amateur) 83 73, Galina Rotmistrova (Russia) 84 72, Mari Suursalu (Estonia) 76 80, Caroline Grady (England) 77 79, Elina Ikavalko (Finland) (amateur) 81 75, Tilly Magill (England) (amateur) 81 75, Woori Shin (South Korea) 82 74.

157 Liebelei Lawrence (Greece) (amateur) 77 80, Michelle Smith (England) 79 78, Jutta Degerman (Finland) 77 80, Hermione Fitzgerald (England) (amateur) 82 75, Maria Martin Lopez (Spain) 79 78, Isabella Ramsay (Sweden) 78 79, Sohvi Harkonen (Finland) 86 71, Frederique Dorbes (France) 76 81.

159 Matia Maffiuletti (Italy) 84 75, Naoko Shiraishi (Japan) 82 77.

160 Vittoria Valvassori (Italy) 86 74, Jessica Carafiello (US) 86 74, Marian Ringdahl (Sweden) 80 80, Kirsty J Fisher (England) 84 76.

161 Tracey Boyes (England) (amateur) 84 77, Katy McNicoll (Scotland) 83 78, Franziska Neef (Germnany) (amateur) 78 83, Sasha Medina (Puerto Rico) 84 77, Charlotte Dalton (England) (amateur) 83 78.

162 Rebecca Green (Australia) 86 76, Patricia Beliard (France) 83 79.

163 Hannah Grant (England) (amateur) 83 80, Marian J De Miguel (Spain) 83 80.

164 Sabina Imboden (Switzerland) 85 79, Kimberley Crooks (England) 88 76.

165 Jane Binning (England) (amateur) 91 74, Caroline Goasguen (France) 85 80.

166 Giusy Paolillo (Italy) 85 81, Rosa Svahn (Finland) 87 79, Angela Hawkes (New Zealand) 88 78, Caroline Martens (Norway) 87 79.

167 Noonnatada Huajai (Thailand) 88 79.

168 Jackie Gonzalez (Venezuela) 86 82.

169 Clare Durbin (England) 82 87, Tara Dwyer-Smith (England) 92 77.

171 Tijana Kraljevic (Serbia) 88 83.

179 Henriette Schilling (Germany) (amateur0 92 87.

182 Audrey Goumard (France) (amateur) 93 98.

Retired: Monica Pineda (US) -, Olivia Le Borgne (France) (amateur) 86 -, Vera Schimanskaya (Rus) -, Cheryl Smith (England) 97 -.

Disqualified: Florence Luscher (Switzerland).

'Maybe life as a tour professional is just not for me'

Disillusioned Michele Thomson

taking complete break from golf

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
It seems like only a month or two since Michele Thomson was at her peak as an amateur golfer ... impressive winner of the Scottish ladies' title at Lossiemouth and then one of four Scots in the Great Britain & Ireland team for the historic Curtis Cup match against the United States over the Old Course, St Andrews.

In fact it was May 2008 and things look so different now ... Michele actually beat Tiger Woods by a few months in deciding to give up golf indefinitely.
She has not played since September, but the 21-year-old from Ellon, daughter of a now US-based oil executive, didn’t display her decision on a personal website or through an agent.
Instead of competing at La Manga, Spain this week at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School after a rookie pro season in which she won 8,772 Euros from seven starts and finished 108th of 163 in the money table - not enough to retain her playing rights for 2010, Michele is quite happy and content, sitting at home in Aberdeenshire.
Happy and content despite no longer playing the game that put her name in the sporting headlines, both locally and nationally, as an amateur.

Michele explains:
“During 2009 I became very disillusioned with golf. After really enjoying the competitive and social side of my amateur golf career it seemed that after the experience of the Curtis Cup joining the pro ranks was the natural way forward.
“Maybe it was a step too soon, but then again maybe life as a golf tour pro is just not for me. I don’t know. I played in just seven Ladies European Tour events this year, did fairly well and at the end of the year I just missed out on securing full playing rights for 2010.
“I never felt out of place on the LET and I believe my game was good enough to make a living playing golf. But I was just not enjoying life on the tour and everyone around me was telling me if you don’t like it, don’t do it.”
Michele then revealed that she has had not a golf club in her hands for the best part of three months – and she does not plan to end her self-imposed break from the game in the near future.
“My situation worsened in September when my grandmother passed away and since then I have not picked up a golf club although I am still interested enough in the news from the golf scene,” continued Michele.
“I regularly check how everyone is doing, both in the pro ranks and on the amateur circuit. But my immediate plans have nothing to do with golf. I am really enjoying the complete break, the first I have had away from golf since I was 13.
“I have told my coach, Neil Marr, that I will reconsider the situation again in May 2010. If I feel like trying again I will get ready for Tour School at the end of next year but for now I plan to sit back and support, from long range, the Scottish girls at Tour School this week and all my former Curtis Cup colleagues in the pro ranks next year.”

Ladies European Tour Qualifying School starts at La Manga

Kylie Walker, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, in action for Scotland at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire in this year's women's home internationals. Click to enlarge.

Good start by Kylie, Carly but Katy faces fight to survive Round 2 cut

Scots Kylie Walker (72) and Carly Booth (74) both made satisfactory starts today to the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School's Stage 1 three-round eliminator at La Manga.
But compatriot Katy McNicoll, also playing the par-73 longer South Course, ran up two late double bogey 6s for an 83 which means she has a fight on her hands to make the leading 70 and ties who will qualify after Wednesday's second round for the third round.
The Carnoustie player, winner of the North of Scotland women's amateur championship at Newmachar this year and now a professional, is currently sharing 83rd place.
Kylie, like Carly Booth still an amateur (both are members of the Curtis Cup preliminary squad for the June match in the States, is a veteran of tour schools around the world.

At the start of the year, she competed in the LET Q School, which was held in January. Later she failed to make it at the qualifying schools held by the LPGA Tour and the Futures Tour, both in America.
The long-hitting Buchanan Castle player, who finished second in this year's European women's individual amateur championship, had five birdies today, at the third, long sixth, eighth, long 13th and 14th on the 6,245yd South Course which has a par of 73. She bogeyed the short second, the short fourth, the 11th and the short 12th in halves of 36 (one under) and and 36 (level).
Carly won't 18 until next June and should she get through both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 elimination contests at La Manga, she will need special dispensation from the LET chief executive to play on the LET, although it is unthinkable that she would be told to wait.
Carly's one-over-par 74 today was made up of birdies at third, 16th and long 18th. She bogeyed the first, long sixth, 10th and 15th in halves of 38 (one over) and 36 (level).
The two late birdies reflected the Comrie teenager's degree of concentration and commitment.

Professional's daughter Kristie Smith from Australia reduced the shorter South Course (5,841yd) to 69 strokes (two under par) and, purely on numerical terms, she has a two-stroke advantage over the big field.

Also at two-under-par, after a 71 over the longer North Course, is Galway-born Alison Walshe who played for the United States in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course. Alison failed to make the grade at the recent LPGA Q School in Florida.

Ladies Scottish Open coming back

in 2010 at Archerfield Links

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Executive Director of the Ladies European Tour (LET), Alexandra Armas, today announced the tournament schedule for the 2010 season.
There are 27 events in 20 different countries, including four new stops in New Zealand, Morocco, Slovakia and China. Two additional events, in Turkey and Scotland, will return to the schedule after a one year absence.
This surpasses the 2009 season when there were 23 tournaments in 18 countries across the world.
The season will start with the inaugural Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch at Pegasus Golf Club from February 25-28.
The next new event is the Princess Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia from March 18-20, which will take place during the same week as the Hassan II Trophy on the men’s European Tour.
From May 27-30, the LET will make an historic first visit to Slovakia with the Ladies Slovak Open at Gray Bear Golf Club. There will also be a second event in China, the week before the popular Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open. The Anji King Valley Ladies Open will be played at Anji King Valley Golf Club from October 21-24.
After a one year hiatus, the LET returns to National Golf Club in Antalya for the Turkish Ladies Open from May 6-9 and to Scotland for the Ladies Scottish Open, at Archerfield Links in East Lothian, from August 18-20.
The Finnair Masters will take place for the sixth straight year at Helsinki Golf Club in Tali, Finland, from August 27-29.
Additionally, there will be several new tournament venues. The Women’s Australian Open moves to Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne, the ABN AMRO Ladies Open moves to Golfclub Broekpolder in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and the Tenerife Ladies Open returns to Buenavista Golf.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open returns to Royal Birkdale in England, with the AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Failte Ireland, taking place at Killeen Castle in County Meath the following week. The tournament will provide the only opportunity for players from both sides of the Atlantic to test their skills on The 2011 Solheim Cup venue in a competitive environment and expects to draw a quality field of international competitors from all over the world.
Armas said: “We are extremely pleased with next year’s schedule following on from a spectacular 2009 season.
“Despite the tough financial climate, there has been massive interest in hosting a Ladies European Tour event. The players’ efforts have helped to make every tournament a great experience and have given value to all stakeholders. The schedule reflects the continued growing interest in women’s golf.
“There are still some details to be confirmed, such as venues and prize money, but these will be announced in the coming months and we will be playing at quality golf courses. We also anticipate that total prize money will be at least equal to, if not greater, than in 2009.
“I would like to thank all of our partners for their continued commitment to the Ladies European Tour and its players. We look forward to working with all involved to ensure the tour’s continued success in 2010 and beyond.”
Event promoters WSM Sponsorship will manage next year’s return of the Ladies Scottish Open championship at the world renowned Archerfield Links in East Lothian from Wednesday 18th – Friday 20th August 2010.
That month will also see the Scottish Seniors take place in St Andrews and the Ryder Cup team announcement take place after the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. With the addition of the Ladies Scottish Open Presented by EventScotland, August in Scotland will see a festival of golf events and activity.
Commenting on the return of this LET event, Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, the national events agency, said:
“The return of the Ladies Scottish Open is fantastic news for Scotland and EventScotland has worked tirelessly with partners to ensure its reinstatement to the Ladies European Tour schedule. The event provides a valuable platform from which to demonstrate Scotland’s ability to host world class golf events as well as support our exceptional home grown talent such as 2009 Women’s British Open winner Catriona Matthew.
"We are delighted to see the return of this key event in Scotland’s golf events calendar and can confirm our long term commitment to its success. We look forward to another exciting year of golf in Scotland and many more to follow.”
Robbie Clyde, Project Director for the 2014 Ryder Cup at EventScotland, continued: “In the years leading up to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles it is imperative that Scotland continues to build upon the success of our unrivalled golf events calendar and for the past year it has been a priority to ensure that the Ladies Scottish Open returned to Scotland’s golf calendar.
"Archerfield Links in East Lothian will provide an exceptional backdrop for play and there will undoubtedly be a great deal of excitement among players and golf fans for the return of this fantastic tournament to an area with such a rich heritage in golf courses.
“The pro-am format for next year is a real innovation for the event and will ensure the focus of play is firmly on the golfers. 2010 will itself be an exciting year for golf in Scotland and the Ladies Scottish Open will take its place in an exceptional calendar.
"August will be especially prominent and a veritable festival of golf in Scotland with the Ladies Scottish Open taking place in the same month as the Scottish Seniors Open and the Johnnie Walker Championship (at Gleneagles) where the European Ryder Cup team announcement will be made.”
Alexandra Armas, Executive Director of the Ladies European Tour, said “The Ladies European Tour is delighted to be making a return to Scotland. It is only right that there is a women’s professional tournament in the country and we hope that this event will build on the raised profile that Catriona Matthew’s major victory has brought to the game.
"Aspiring Scottish female golfers will be able to watch top class golf at home on their own doorstep, which will be a huge inspiration at all levels. We have all worked extremely hard to bring the Ladies Scottish Open back to the LET schedule and encourage every golf fan, young and old, to come out and support this fantastic new event.

2010 LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR SCHEDULE

Feb 25 - 28 New Zealand Women’s Open. Pegasus Golf Club, Christchurch, NZ (€ 200,000)

Mar 4 - 7 ANZ Ladies Masters. Royal Pines Resort, Queensland, Australia (€ 372,500).
Mar 11 - 14 Women’s Australian Open. Metropolitan Golf Club, Melbourne (€ 310,500).
Mar 18 - 20 Princess Lalla Meryem Cup. Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia, Morocco (€ 275,000)

April 22 - 25 Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup. Sella Golf Resort, Alicante, Spain (€ 350,000).

May 7 -9 Turkish Ladies Open. National Golf Club, Belek, Antalya, Turkey (€ 200,000).
May 13-16 Ladies German Open. Golfpark Gut Häusern, Munich (€ 300,000).
May 27 - 30 Ladies Slovak Open. Gray Bear Golf Club,Brezno,Tale ,Slovakia (€ 350,000)

June 4 - 6 ABN AMRO Ladies Open. Golfclub Broekpolder, Rotterdam, Netherlands (€ 250,000).
June 17 - 20 Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open. Golf Gerre Losone, Ticino, Switzerland (€ 525,000).
June 25 - 27 Ladies Open of Portugal. Venue to be confirmed (€ 200,000).

July 1 - 4 Tenerife Ladies Open. Buenavista Golf, Buenavista del Norte- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (prize fund tbc).
Dates to be confirmed: Open de Espana Femenino. Venue & prize fund to be confirmed
July 22 - 25 EVIAN MASTERS. Evian Masters GC, Evian-Les-Bains, France (€ 2,215,850).
July 29 - 1 Aug RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN. Royal Birkdale Golf Club (€ 1,704,500).

Aug 6 - 8 AIB Ladies Irish Open. Killeen Castle, County Meath, Ireland (€ 500,000).
Aug 12 - 15 S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe. Venue & prize fund to be confirmed.
Aug 18 - 20 Ladies Scottish Open. Archerfield Links, East Lothian (€ 200,000).
Aug 27 - 29 Finnair Masters. Helsinki Golf Club, Tali, Finland (€ 200,000).

Sept 9 - 12 Open de France Féminin. Paris International Golf Club, Baillet-en-France. Prize fund tbc.
Dates to be confirmed: UNIQA Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen Golfclub Föhrenwald, Wiener Neustadt, Vienna, Austria (prize fund to be confirmed).
Dates to be confirmed: Madrid Ladies Masters. Venue & prize fund to be confirmed.

Oct 7 - Oct 9 Carti Si Ladies Italian Open. Venue to be confirmed (€ 200,000).
Oct 22 - 24 Anji King Valley Ladies Open. Anji King Valley Country Club,Lingfeng (€ 200,000).
Oct 29 - 31 Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open. Suzhou International Golf Club, Shanghai, China (€ 200,000).

Nov 4 - 7 Korean Ladies Masters. Venue to be confirmed (€ 255,675).

Dec 8 - 11 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. Emirates GC (Majlis Course), Dubai (€ 500,000).

Entries received so far for the 2010

Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival

(February 13 to 20, 2010)

Under-16, Under-18, Ladies & Senior categories

to all the competitions.

We need a minimum of 12 lady professionals to enter before we can add two events for them to the programme

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Sally Watkins: Pairs with Jessica Bradley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.

Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.

Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.

Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Jessica Bradley: Pairs with Sally Watkins, Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open,

Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.

Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.

Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open

Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Elizabeth Earnshaw to chair EGWA

operational board in 2010

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Warwickshire’s Elizabeth Earnshaw is to be the 2010 chairman of the operational board of the English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA). She will take on the role in January, having spent the past two years as the association’s president.
During this time she has also represented EWGA in talks with the English Golf Union about a possible merger of the two organisations. Elizabeth commented on her appointment: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to take on another role with the association. “As president I have been invited to attend operational board meetings and look forward to building on progress already made and to the interesting challenges ahead.”
The operational board looks after the core golfing activities of the association and its members include the chairmen of EWGA’s six regions. Altogether, EWGA represents over 115,000 women and girls in 1780 golf clubs.
Elizabeth is one of the best known figures in women’s golf, having enjoyed a long and varied career in the administration of the game. She is a past chairman of the former English Ladies’ Golf Association and of the Ladies Golf Union (LGU), and helped create today’s unified handicapping system for men and women.
She also chaired the rules and regulations committees of both organisations and was the first LGU representative on the R&A Rules of Golf committee. Elizabeth became one of the first two women to referee at The Open, at St Andrews in 1995.
She was also the first British women to referee at The Masters, in 1997, and has been on duty at two further Open championships, at the Women’s British Open and at all the top women’s amateur tournaments.
In 2001, she was made an OBE for her services to golf and she is an honorary member of both Ladbrook Park Golf Club and the Warwickshire Ladies’ County Golf Association.Elizabeth began her golf as a member at Barrow Golf Club in Cumbria, before moving to London where she joined Royal Mid-Surrey and Hampstead.
She moved to Warwickshire in 1974 and has been a member at Ladbrook Park since then. She is a past captain of the Warwickshire second team and made occasional outings for the first team. Elizabeth has a handicap of 14 and has been as low as four.
Elizabeth will succeed Margaret Berriman of Berkshire, who will complete her one-year term as operational board chairman at the EWGA annual meeting on January 13.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

No play at La Manga because of wind and rain

The first day's play in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga, Spain was called off because of high winds and heavy rain. The first round now will now take place on Tuesday.

The Stage 1 field includes Scots Carly Booth, only 17 and technically too young to play on the LET until her next birthday in June, and Kylie Walker, both amateurs and members of the Curtis Cup short leet for the 2010 match in the United States, and North of Scotland women's amateur champion Katy McNicoll who is now a professional.
Glasgow's Gemma Webster, who turned professional in the States following her graduation from Ohio State University, did enter Stage 1 but withdrew during the past week.
Clare Queen and Pamela Feggans, who also finished outside the top 90 in the LET money table for 2009, will join the qualifiers from Stage 1 in the Final Stage over 72 holes.
A total of 166 players are targeting a place on the 2010 Ladies European Tour.
Only 30 full cards are available at the end of seven rounds, although those players finishing in positions 31-50 can take a lower category of membership.
Qualifying School is known as one of golf’s most nerve-wracking events, as dreams of earning a living on tour can either be made or shattered.
Stage I is being played over La Manga’s North and South courses over the next three days. After 36 holes, a cut will be made to the leading 70 players and ties. The final round of Stage I will be played on Wednesday over the North Course.
The leading 46 players will be progress to Stage 2, Final Qualifying, to be played over the South Course, with a practise round on December 17.
A field of 84 competitors will contest the Final Qualifying stage over four rounds from Friday to next Monday (December 18-21). After three rounds a cut will be made to the leading 50 players and ties, following which the order of exemption will be finalised on the last day.

WANTED: TWELVE LADY PROS TO PLAY IN THE

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO FEBRUARY FESTIVAL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

We have had one or two tentative inquiries about whether or not there will be competitions in which lady professionals can play at the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival (February 13 to 20).

The answer is "Yes" ... with the proviso that at least 12 lady pros enter. They don't need to enter both events - the Murcia Ladies Open (36 holes over Monday-Tuesday) and the Hacienda del Open Ladies Open (54 holes over Thursday-Friday-Saturday). One will do.

The entry fee for lady professionals is 80 Euros for the two-rounder and 100 Euros for the 54-hole competition.

If the mininum field of 12 is achieved in either event, there will be a guaranteed cash prize fund of at least 1000 Euros for each.

Included in the entry fee is free use of the practice facilities which rank with the best in Spain and a free practice round over the Dave Thomas-designed course.

To download an entry form and read the entry details in full, click on the words 2010 HDA FESTIVAL at the top of the left-hand column on the Home Page of this website.

Party time in Dubai at end of Ladies European Tour season

Party time in Dubai at the end of the Ladies European Tour season (images by courtesy of Susan Simpson of the Ladies Golf Union. Above: We Scots must stick together: Krystle Caithness, Lynn Kenny and Vikki Laing in happy mood.

Breanne Loucks, Krystle Caithness, Vikki Laing, Christina Kim and Henrietta Zuel.

Not quite so easy to sort out who's who in this one!