Tara Davies (lying second) is GB&I's

only title hope left in Portugal

Germany's Lara Katzy, winner of the Swiss open amateur title, is hot on the trail of another - the 80th Portuguese women's open amateur championship at the Amendoeira Golf Resort on the Algarve.
Lara is two shots clear at the head of the 41 qualifiers on 229 or better for Sunday's final round in the championship over the Oceanico Christy O'Connor junior course.
The Berlin-Wannsee member has shot rounds of 71, 70 and 71 (35-36) for a four-under-par tally of 212.
Her nearest challenger is Welsh champion, Tara Davies from Holyhead, who is not in the GB&I Curtis Cup short leet for the June match in America. But the selectors did not rule out anyone not on the preliminary list forcing their way into contention with an outstanding performance - and that's what stocky Tara seems to be doing.
Tara, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency in last year's women's home internationals at Irvine GC, is only two shots off the lead with scores of 71, 73 and 70. Her two-under-par round today started with a bogey at the long first and finished with a bogey at the 18th. But in between Tara had four birdies - at the short third, the 10th, the long 11th and the long 16th, in halves of 36-34.
Glasgow University student Pamela Pretswell - winner of the Swiss open amateur title in 2007 - lost ground on Katzy and Davies with a 77 respectively and is in joint 10th place on 222 - 10 shots behind the leader.
Pretswell made too many mistakes in halves of 38 and 39. Her only birdie came at the long fifth after bogeys at the long first and short third had set the tone for her round.
British open stroke-play champion Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down) - another Curtis Cup "named" player - also went backwards with a 77 for 223 and a share of 15th place. The Maynooth student had a disastrous outward half of 41 with a double bogey 6 at the eighth and single shots dropped at the short third, the short sixth and the ninth.
Coming home, Danielle got her solitary birdie of the day at the 12th but she dropped a shot at a short hole for the third time on the day, at the par-3 13th, in coming home in 36.
Compatriot Gillian O'Leary, a former winner of the Portuguese title, is in joint 22nd place after a 75 for 224. She had two double-bogey 7s - at the long fifth and the long 17th. She did birdie two of the other long holes, the first and the 11th, and also the par-4 10th but Gillian also shed further shots at the short sixth and 14th in halgves od 38 and 37.
Welsh international Amy Boulden - on the GB&I Curtis Cup list - matched the par of 72 to rise to joint 26th place on 225 - a good performance, considering she was three over par at the turn after a double bogey at the short third and a bogey at the ninth. Amy birdied the long 11th, the 12th and the 15th for a splendid inward half of three-under-par 33.
England teenager Jess Wilcox (Blankney) had a 73 for 226, which leaveds her in joint 28th place. She birdie the short third, seventh and 10th but bogeyed the fourth, eighth, ninth and short 17th.
Laura Murray (Alford), who completes Scotland's representation of two in a championship once won by a Scot, the late Marjory (Fowler) Ferguson, is alongside Wilcox on 226 after double bogeys at the second and sixth in an outward six-over-par 42. Laura played a lot better on the inward half - seven pars and birdies at the long 11th and long 16th for 34 home.

Third-round totals
Oceanico O'Connor jun Course
Par 216 (3x72)
212 Lara Katzy (Germany) 71 70 71 (35-36).
214 Tara Davies (Wales) 71 73 70 (36-34).
215 Noemi Jimenez Martin (Spain) 73 70 72.
216 Caroline Karsten (Netherlands) 74 71 71, Anna Arrese (Spain) 72 72 72.
219 Klara Spilkova (Czech Republic) 76 74 69, Mireia Prat (Spain) 72 76 71.
220 Manon Gidali (France) 74 73 73.
221 Laure Castelain (France) 79 72 70.
222 Adriana Zwanck (Spain) 74 77 71, Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) 75 72 75, Pamela Pretswell (Scotland) 71 74 77 (38-39), Ainhoa Olarra Mujika (Spain) 75 75 72, Holly Clyburn (England) 70 78 74.
223 Ha Rang Lee (Spain) 75 75 73, Margot Ivanoff (France) 72 78 73, Teresa Hermani (Spain) 73 78 72, Marion Ricordeau (France) 782 78 73, Stephanie Kirchmayr (Germany) 75 75 73, Ines Lescudier (France) 75 75 73, Danielle McVeigh (Ireland) 75 71 77 (41-36).
224 Perrine Petit (France) 74 76 74, Nina Holleder (Germany) 73 74 77, Gillian O'Leary (Ireland) 76 73 75 (38-37), Jana Niedballa (Germany) 75 79 70.
225 Amy Boulden (Wales) 75 78 72 (39-33), Manon Molle (France) 76 74 75.
226 Karolin Lampert (Germany) 73 77 76, Jess Wilcox (England) (37-36) 75 78 73, Laura Murray (Scotland) 74 76 76 (42-34), Camilla Hedberg (Spain) 76 77 73.
227 Luna Sobron Galmes (Spain) 78 71 78, Merle Kasperek (Germany) 76 73 78.
228 Samantha Birks (Wales) 78 75 75 (37-38), Maria Parron Alferez (Spain) 81 73 74, Linda Henriksson (Finland) 77 78 73, Julie Yang (South Korea) 71 78 79, Audrey Riguelle (France) 75 77 76.
229 Laura-Alexandra Stempfle (Germany) 76 75 78, Anna-Lena Kramer (Germany) 76 80 73, Mathilde Cassaignau (France) 76 75 78.
MISSED THE CUT
230 Chloe Leurquim (Belgium) 78 74 78, Ariane Provot (France) 72 79 79.
231 Marrion Duvernay (France) 77 80 74, Ines Diaz-Negrete (Spain) 77 77 77.
232 Rocio Sanchez (Spain) 79 77 76, Quirine Louise Eijkenboom (Germany) 72 80 80.
233 Clemence Abrahamian (Francer) 78 77 78.
234 Ann-Kathrin Lindner (Germany) 78 78 78, Natalia Escuriola Martinez (Spain) 76 76 82, Lourdes Lopez Caballa (Spain) 73 81 80, Maria Dunne (Ireland) 76 81 77.
235 Katherine O'Connor (Wales) 75 82 78, Lea Charpier (France) 77 78 80.
236 Marion Kaddouche (France) 77 81 78, Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands) 76 77 83, Lena Schaffner (Germany) 79 81 76.
237 Emilie Piquot (France) 79 77 81, Elizabeth Haycock (England) 74 77 86, Justine Dreher (France) 76 80 81, Rachel Drummond (England) 82 81 74.
238 Victoria Scherer (Germany) 81 78 79, Sanna Nuutiern (Finland) 84 75 79, Joana Silva Pinto (Portugal) 84 78 76, Joana Yanez (Spain) 81 80 77.
239 Larissa Skodda (Germany) 78 80 81, Isabel Gabsa (Germany) 83 77 79.
240 Antonia Scherer (Germany) 81 80 79, Vicki Troeltsch (Germany) 81 80 79, Gemma Bradbury (Wales) 81 81 78.
241 Jenny Haggblom (Finland) 81 81 79. Aedin Murphy (Ireland) 79 82 80.
242 Victoria Bradshaw (Ireland) 74 82 86, Justine Sicot (France) 82 78 82.
243 Sarah Cunningham (Ireland) 87 81 75, Joelle Van Baarle (Belgium) 79 90 74.
245 Rebecca Cunha Ferreira (Portugal) 84 80 81, Maria Elena Rodrigues (Spain) 79 85 81, Irene Calva Sanz (Spain) 86 81 78.
246 Laura Lorenzen (Germany) 80 85 81, Susan Ribeira (Portugal) 79 87 80, Andrea Vilarasau Amoros (Spain) 82 85 79.
247 Magda Carrilho (Portugal) 81 80 86, Caroline Larsson (Sweden) 83 85 79, Ciara Butler (Ireland) 85 77 85.
249 Louise Mernagh (Ireland) 84 83 82.
251 Mariana Martins (Portugal) 85 78 88.
252 Sofia Camara (Portugal) 80 87 85.
No show: Laura Chemarin (France) 76 86 -.
No return: Marta Lampreta (Portugal) 89 NR.

Scotland's Lesley Atkins finishes third in Spain

Leon Fricker, Bronte Law win Andalucian

Junior European Open titles


FROM TODAY'S "DAILY EXPRESS"
Bronte Law, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, retained her Andalucia Junior European Open girls' title by 10 shots on a warm but windy final day at Finca Cortesin.
And pre-tournament favourite Leon Fricker (Yelverton, Devon) won the boys' event by two shots from Yorkshire's Jonathan Fisher, whose brave bid was hit by a three-putt on the penultimate hole.
With Britain shivering under a new cold snap, the country's top juniors went into action at the event, held in association with the Daily Express, on the fifth and final day in Spain. But the winds were so strong that three and four putts were seen on some greens.
Law took a three-shot lead over Scotland's Lesley Atkins into the final round but saw that wiped out after just four holes after struggling on the greens.
A birdie on the long, par-5 eighth saw her regain the lead and Law never looked back as East Brighton's Tiffany Hewetson shot the best round of the day - 85 - to pip Atkins for second place.
Fricker, on five under par, led by four from Fisher and East Devon's David Black, who refused a practice round.
But Fisher had drawn level by the par-3 17th, where he had a putt for the outright lead only to end up with a bogey, and Fricker birdied the last to make sure.
FINAL PLACINGS
Played over Alcadaisa Links and Finca Cortesin
Boys
218 Leon Fricker.
220 Jonathan Fisher.
223 Craig Cameron.
225 David Blick.
228 Julian Taylor.
229 Joshua Johnson.
231 Paul Kinnear.
235 Adam Woodhead.
Girls
227 Bronte Law.
238 Tiffany Hewetson.
239 Lesley Atkins.
252 Alison Knowles.

Welsh champion Tara Davies (Holyhead) is three shots off the pace in Portugal (image by Cal Carson Agency, click on to enlarge).

Tara Davies leads British & Irish challenge in Portugal

Welsh champion Tara Davies (Holyhead) leads the British & Irish challenge into the weekend's final 36 holes of the 80th Portuguese women's open amateur championship at Amendoeira Golf Resort on the Algarve.
Tara has shot 71 and 73 for level par 144 and is joint third, three shots behind the leader, Germany's Lara Katzy (71-70), who had an eagle 3 at the par-5 11th, and one behind second-placed Spaniard, Noemi Jimenez Martin (no relation to European Tour player Miguel Angel Jimenez) (73-70).
Sharing third place with the Welsh player is another Spanish competitor, Anna Arrese (72-72).
Davies was drifting out of the picture after an outward half of 40, which included a double bogey 7 at the long fifth, but she came storming back into the fray with an inward half of 33, studded with birdies at the long 11th, the 15th, the short 17th and the 18th. Only one shot dropped on that inward charge, a bogey at the 12th.
Curtis Cup team contender Pamela Pretswell from Scotland is sharing fifth place on 145 after rounds of 71 and 74.
The Bothwell Castle player and Glasgow University student has something in common with Katzy who is a member of the Berlin-Wannsee club. They have both won the Swiss women's open amateur title, Pretswell in 2008 and Katzy last year.
The German has been very steady with rounds of 71 and 70 over the par-72 Oceanico O'Connor jun course for a three-under-par tally of 141.
But for a potentially depressing start today of a bogey at the second and double bogey 5 at the short third, Pretswell could have been breathing down Katzy's neck.
She covered her last 15 holes in two-under-par figures, with birdies at the long fifth and long 11th and just one more bogey, at the ninth, in halves of 39 and 35.
Danielle McVeigh, the tall Royal Co Down player who won the British stroke-play at Royal Aberdeen last summer, is in seventh place with scores of 75 and 73. She reeled off 10 straight pars before moving two under on the day with birdies at the long 11th and short 13th. A shot dropped at the short 17th saw her home in 35th for a one-under-par 71.
Gillian O'Leary, the winner of the Portuguese title in 2004, is tied for 13th place on 149 with a 76 and a 73. She did well to recover from bogeys at the first, second, third and fifth, birdieing the short sixth, ninth and long 16th. Gillian had a double boghey 7 at the 16th in her first-round 76.
Laura Murray (Alford), the only other Scot in the field, had her double bogey at the opposite end of her round.
Needing to par the last two holes for a repeat of her opening 74, which would have put her in joint 11th place, Murray squandered five shots at the short 17th and probably did well to par the last for 39 home and a share of 17th position with 11 other players.
The leading 40 players and ties after Saturday's third round will qualify for Sunday's final round. After 36 holes, the leading 43 players are on 153 or better.
Leading second-round totals
Par 144 (2x72)
Figures in brackets are nine-hole tallies (par 36-36) for selected players
141 Lara Katzy (Ger) 71 70 (34-36).
143 Noemi Jimenez Martin (Spa) 73 70.
144 Tara Davies (Wal) 71 73 (40-33), Anna Arrese (Spa) 72 72
145 Pamela Pretswell (Sco) 71 74 (39-35), Caroline Karsten (Net) 74 71.
146 Danielle McVeigh (Ire) 75 71 (36-35).
147 Manon Gidali (Fra) 74 73, Marieke Nivard (Net) 75 72, Nina Holleder (Ger) 73 74.
148 Mireia Prat (Spa) 72 76, Holly Clyburn (Eng) 70 78.
149 Julie Yang (SKo) 71 78, Luna Sobron Gaimes (Spa) 78 71, Gillian O'Leary (Ire) 76 73 (38-35), Merie Kasperek (Ger) 76 73.
150 Laura Murray (Sco) 74 76 (37-39), Manon Molle (Fra) 76 74, Ha Rang Lee (Spa) 75 75, Karolin Lampert (Ger) 73 77, Margot Ivanoff (Fra) 72 78, Ainhoa Olarra Mujika (Spa) 75 75, Ines Lescudier (Fra) 75 75, Perrine Petit (Fra) 74 76, Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 72 78, Kiara Spilkova (Cze) 76 74, Stephanie Kirchmayr (Ger) 75 75.
151 Elizabeth Haycock (Eng) 74 77 (38-39), Laura-Alexandra Stempfle (Ger) 76 75, Laure Castelain (Fra) 79 72, Adriana Zwanck (Spa) 74 77, Ariane Provot (Fra) 72 79, Teresa Hermani (Spa) 73 78, Mathile Cassaignau (Fra) 76 75.
152 Natalia Escurioia Martinez (Spa) 76 76, Audrey Riquelle (Fra) 75 77, Chloe Leurquim (Bel) 78 74, Quirine Louise Eijkenboom (Ger) 72 80.
153 Samantha Birks (Wal) 78 75 (37-38), Amy Boulden (Wal) 75 78 (38-40), Jess Wilcox (Eng) 75 78 (38-40), Camilla Hedberg (Spa) 76 77, Chrisje De Vries (Net) 76 77 (jt 39th).
Selected scores:
156 Victoria Bradshaw (Ire) 74 82 (40-42) (jt 51st).
157 Maria Dunne (Ire) 76 81 (40-41), Katherine O'Connor (Wal) 75 82 (38-44) (jt 57th).
161 Aedin Murphy (Ire) 79 82 (42-40) (jt 67th)
162 Gemma Bradbury (Wal) 81 81 (42-39), Ciara Butler (Ire) 85 77 (39-38) (jt 72nd).
167 Louise Mernagh (Ire) 84 83 (41-42) (jt 83rd)
168 Sarah Cunningham (Ire) 87 81 (40-41) (jt 87th).

SLGA Championships:

Changes in 2010


FROM THE SLGA WEBSITE
The SLGA has announced the following changes to its 2010 Championships:

Girls’ (Close) Championship
The 36-hole qualifying stroke play for the Scottish Girls’ (Close) Championship at Eyemouth Golf Club will now be held over two days (July 13 & 14) with the final of the match play stages on the morning of Saturday, July 17.

Junior Open Stroke Play Championship
This 54-hole championship at Dunfermline Golf Club will now be played over three days from July 21-23.

Scottish Match Play Foursomes
The conditions for this competition have been revised with the handicap limit for the team dropped. Each club may enter a team of 2 or 3 players with individual handicaps of 35 or less.

SLGA Medal Regional Finals
The winners of the SLGA Silver and Bronze Medals at each club will be eligible to play in a Regional Final of their choice. Entries will be limited to 60 silver and 60 bronze players at each venue and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Entry forms will be sent to clubs with the annual mailing and the closing date for all the Regional Finals is Monday, April 26. In the event of a venue being oversubscribed players will be allocated their second choice.
Two silver and two bronze players from each of the six venues will qualify for the Grand Final at Crieff on Sunday, September 5.

'Changes will enhance quality of our events'
- Fiona Cowan (championship director)
Commenting on these changes, Fiona Cowan, Championship Director of the SLGA, said:
“These changes have been made in response to feedback from players. We believe that they will enhance the quality of our events and result in increased participation”

Full conditions for all SLGA Championships and other competitions are contained in the SLGA handbook. Entry forms will be available on the SLGA website from the beginning of February.

Enterprising Dollar Golf Club converting holiday flat at clubhouse

Dollar Golf Club are converting the upper floor of their clubhouse into a holiday flat to boost their income. Switch over to www.scottishgolfview.com to read all about it.

Five-star Spanish resort ... sunshine and golf .. what more could you ask?

Still time to enter the

Hacienda del Alamo

Festival (Feb 13-20)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
If you want to escape the bad weather in Britain and Ireland, there is still time for you to enter the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls' Festival, sponsored by Glenmuir, at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, near Fuente Alamo in the Spanish south-east region of Murcia.
The Festival, from February 13 to 20, has prize categories for Under-16 girls, Under-18 girls, Ladies and Senior Ladies ... and we are accepting entries from professionals.
Just this week Sean Stiff, professional at the El Soto Golf Club down Malaga way, asked if he could partner his 12-year-old stepdaughter Sophie Phillips, handicap 28, in the curtain-raising better-ball pairs on Saturday, February 13.
The answer: Of course. The more the merrier. Tournament director Lee Harrington and Director of Golf Billy Sim will work out what kind of handicap to give Sean, probably +2.
Sophie, who goes to school, obviously, in Spain, can play in only one of the Under-16 girls' events, the two-rounder on the Monday & Tuesday.
To download an entry form, which gives you all the competition details, go to the top of the left-hand column on the Home Page of this website. Click on the relevant words, and up it will come.
Murcia is the preferred airport for Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort (about 25min away). John Green is handling villa rentals for competitors.

ENTRIES SO FAR
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.
Dominic Hewson: Pairs with Alice Hewson.
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.
Simon Brierley: Pairs with Daisy Dyer.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
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.
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: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & 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).
Paul Coopey: Pairs with Kam Cheema.
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.
Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.
Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Charlotte Ellis: HDA Ladies Open.
Jess Wilcox: Pairs with Robert Wilcox & Murcia Ladies Open.
Robert Wilcox: Pairs with Jess Wilcox.
Holly Robinson: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Sheila Brunton: Pairs with Claire Penman & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Claire Penman: Pairs with Sheila Brunton & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls' Open.
Dawn Hincks: Murcia Ladies Open.
Penny Burrows: Pairs with Ian Burrows & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Rebecca MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Sophie Phillips: Pairs with Sean Stiff & Murcia U-16 Girls' Open.
Shula McCarthy: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gemma McCarthy: Murcia U-16 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Eaodin Cronin: Murcia U-16 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

Meghan Stasi (left) and Donna Mummert after their victory at Orangebrook.

Stasi and Mummert win Orange Blossom Tour

International better-ball at the 24th in final

There was a disappointingly small field for the last event on the Orange Blossom Tour for lady amateurs in Florida - the 64th International better-ball tournament at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club, Hollywood (Floriday's Hollywood, not Hollywood, Los Angeles!).
But if it was short on quantity, it was certainly not low on quality and the final, which went to the 24th, will be the talk of Florida women's amateur golf for a long time.
In it the No 2 seeds, Curtis Cup player Meghan Stasi and Donna Mummert beat the last of the six match-play qualifiers, Alli Jarrett and Laura Coble at the 24th. What a marathon! What a match!
Jarrett and Coble had beaten the top seeds, Diane Lang and Maggie Wedeer 3 and 2 in the semi-finals.
Meghan, who played in the winning US Curtis Cup team at the Old Course, St Andrews a couple of years ago, won this better-ball pairs tournament with a different partner last year. Her partner this week, Donna Mummert, was the manager of the 2008 US Curtis Cup team.
The first play-off hole proved to be a reflection of the first 18 holes with Meghan sticking her second shot to 7 feet from the hole, leaving a short birdie putt. In turn, Alli drained a 25 foot putt for birdie to put the pressure back Meghan. Meghan held off the pressure of the situation and made the putt.
The fierce battle continued until the 24th hole, where once again Meghan shoed her merit as the defending champion and sank a 5ft putt for victory.
Results:
SEMI-FINALS
Alli Jarrett & Laura Coble (No 6 seeds) bt Diane Lang & Maggie Weder (No 1 seeds) 3 and 2.
Meghan Stasi & Donna Mummert (No 2 seeds) bt Mary Hanyak & Marianne Springer (No 5 seeds) 6 and 5.
FINAL
Stasi & Mummert bt Jarrett & Coble at the 24th.

Primary schoolchildren plant marram grass at Trump International

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY TRUMP INTERNATIONAL
Local youngsters from Balmedie Primary School will take part in planting marram grass, as part of the first phase of construction of Trump International’s championship course, at Menie Estate tomorrow (Thursday).
Working in partnership with Trump International’s project team, a number of site visits and workshops focused on the environment and north-east coastline will be developed with Balmedie School.
In support of Aberdeenshire Council’s new curriculum framework for young people aged 3 to 18, the activities will provide local pupils with environmental experiences that encourage learning about their natural surroundings.
Following the tradition of hand-sprigging marram grass - a process that has been used by local people for generations - Balmedie school children will gain practical experience of this time-proven technique as they learn about their environment and local heritage.
Allison Conner, deputy head teacher, Balmedie Primary School said: “The children are being taught to hand sprig the grass which is an age old tradition that crofters used to employ in days gone by.
"Pupils are being given the opportunity to better understand their heritage and at the same time engage in outdoor learning. We have a rich learning environment on our doorstep, and we will continue to use our local outdoor environment to develop and enhance the learning opportunities we provide our pupils."
Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International commented: “Given that this development will one day provide employment and recreational opportunities for the next generation, this type of activity will help create a greater sense of ownership and interest amongst the young. We look forward to working with Balmedie School on a range of activities throughout the development of the project.”
Local resident and former chairman of Keep Grampian Beautiful, Paul Miller, who has a life-time of experience of caring for Aberdeenshire’s coastline and marram grass planting, will also share his knowledge and experience with the school children.
In response to the partnership with Balmedie School and Trump International, Mr Miller said “The preservation of the region’s sand dunes has been my passion for over 40 years and I’m delighted to see the younger generation gaining hands-on experience and learning about the natural environment.”

New match-play tournament


on LPGA Tour in May

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE LPGA
Together with Octagon and Sybase, Inc., the LPGA today announces the debut of the Sybase Match Play Championship, a unique match-play tournament to be held at the prestigious Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey, from May 20-23 this year.
An official LPGA event, the Sybase Match-Play Championship will invite 64 of the top LPGA Tour professionals to compete for a $1.5-million purse. Matches will be held in a bracket-style format (Editor's note: Sudden-death match-play rather than a league table format?).
The match-play format creates the excitement of head-to-head golf that is not found in traditional tournament stroke play.
The champion of this inaugural event will take home $375,000, which is currently tied for the third largest pay-out on the LPGA Tour in 2010. Golf Channel will broadcast round two through the finish, worldwide Friday through Sunday.
“We're pleased that Sybase has enabled the LPGA to bring a prestigious women's golf event back to the Greater New York area,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “It is especially gratifying to continue the momentum that the LPGA has been enjoying since the end of last season, thanks to great partners like Sybase and Octagon.”
Sybase has had a long-standing partnership with the LPGA Tour. It previously was the title sponsor of the Sybase Classic from 2001 through 2009.
“Sybase is excited to extend our partnership with the LPGA by sponsoring the Sybase Match Play Championship,” said John Chen, chairman, CEO and president, Sybase. “We are committed to providing outstanding opportunities for world-class golf as well as valuable charity endeavors.”
Hamilton Farm Golf Club, host club for the event, was the site of the 2005 and 2006 HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship. Located less than an hour from New York City, it is renowned for its historic setting and admired as one of the nation's elite clubs.
More information on the Sybase Match Play Championship will be available at www.sybasematchplaychampionship.com.

R&A Junior Open runner-up Jordan Spieth

(16) to make debut on US PGA Tour

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Two years ago this summer, in the R&A Junior Open for Under-16 year olds, I was at Hesketh, Lancashire to report on America's Jordan Spieth from Texas finishing as the leading boy, beaten by one shot by the first girl ever to take the overall championship: Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand), playing for the first time in a tournament over a links course.

Moriya underlined that performance by returning to Britain last September to win The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy over the Dundonald Links, Ayrshire.

And what of Jordan Spieth? It was obvious as a 14 going on 15-year-old that he was an exceptional talent. He has gone from strength to strength, winning last year's US boys' amateur championship.

Now Jordan, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, has accepted an exemption to play in the US PGA Tour's HP Byron Nelson Championship.
Spieth, a 16-year-old junior at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, is the event's first amateur exemption since 1995. He also finished second in the US Junior PGA Championship last year and was named the Rolex Junior Player of the Year by the American Junior Golf Association.
He currently is ranked No. 1 in the Polo Golf Junior Rankings in the States.
"We are delighted that Jordan will make his first US PGA Tour start at our championship here in his hometown," event chairman George Conant said. "We try to provide opportunities to young players that we believe will be future stars, and there's no doubt that Jordan Spieth fits that mold."
The only previous amateur exemptions granted by the tournament were to Trip Kuehne (1995), Justin Leonard (1993) and Tiger Woods (1993).
The HP Byron Nelson Championship will be held at the TPC Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas in Irving, Texas from May 19-23.

Jordan Spieth: Remember the name. You're going to hear it a lot more often over the next decade.

LGU presentations to retiring Gillian Kirkwood and Brigid McCaw

Gillian Kirkwood and Brigid McCaw with their presentation sketches at the Ladies Golf Union annual general meeting in Cardiff, given in recognition of their hard work over the past four years. Gillian was retiring as LGU vice-chairman, chairman of the international selection committee, etc while Brigid was standing down as LGU chairman.
Gillian will continue to act as a referee at the majority of LGU and SLGA championships in 2010 and beyond.

SLGA and SGU aim to amalgamate by end of 2011

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Following Sunday’s (January 24) Scottish Golf Union annual general meeting, the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association and the Scottish Golf Union confirmed that they were formally considering an amalgamation, having been working increasingly closely together over recent years.
The men’s and ladies’ amateur golf governing bodies in Scotland already have a shared strategy, joint committees and shared staff in the form of Performance and Development Managers, as well as being partners on the national junior programme, clubgolf.
There is also a reciprocal arrangement whereby the respective Chairmen of the SLGA and SGU attend the Board meetings of each organisation. Given the increased level of co-operation, both Boards have agreed that amalgamation is the next logical step and jointly they have appointed Donald Turner as independent chair to lead a new working group.
Turner will oversee the consideration of all measures necessary to achieve amalgamation and will make recommendations to the respective organisations.Turner has a strong business and golf background, having been on the UK National Executive with accountants Ernst & Young and is the current captain of Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club on the Isle of Arran.
SGU Chairman, Douglas Connon, speaking at the AGM, said:“We are delighted that someone of Donald Turner’s skills and experience will assist us in this important process and are committed to ensuring we manage what is a significant proposed change as smoothly as possible.”
Connon’s counterpart at the SLGA, Shona Malcolm added:
“There has been invaluable progress in Scottish golf as a result of the two governing bodies working more closely together and it is now sensible to formalise this by amalgamating. This will undoubtedly bring even more benefits to Scottish golf and our member clubs.”
The new working group will be established over the next few weeks and consultation meetings will take place throughout the year with the aim of agreeing the necessary changes to achieve amalgamation by the end of 2011.

Ohio State University's 13th hole on its Scarlet Course.

E-mail from Alan Webster
The following article may help our aspiring college golfers to choose the right one for them.

Ohio State University courses top US coaches' poll

COLUMBUS, Ohio - In a poll of more than 160 American college golf coaches by GolfChannel.com, the Ohio State University Golf Club was voted the top US college golf course.

The poll listed the top 10 college courses and, along with Ohio State, included fellow Big Ten institutions Purdue (No. 4) and Wisconsin (No. 9).
Located two miles northwest of the main campus, the Ohio State University Golf Club first opened in 1938 and was designed by famed architect Dr. Alister McKenzie. Under the direction of Buckeye legend and golf great Jack Nicklaus it underwent a major renovation in 2005 and reopened in the spring of 2006.
The club features two courses - Scarlet and Gray. The Scarlet Course has played host to numerous tournaments on the amateur and professional levels, including US Open Qualifying, the Nationwide Tour's Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational, AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, several men's and women's Big Ten championships and NCAA regionals.
Scarlet also has hosted a record 14 women's national and NCAA championships (most recently in 2006) and a record 10 men's NCAA championships (most recently in 2002). It also is the site of Ohio State's annual Robert Kepler Intercollegiate for the men's team and Lady Buckeye Spring Invitational for the women's team.
Off their respective championship tees, Scarlet Course plays par 71, 7,455yd for the men and par 72, 6,228yd for the women. Gray is a par 70 course that plays 5,800yd.
The course also serves as the home course for the men's and women's cross country teams.
Top 10 College Golf Courses by GolfChannel.com
1. Ohio State University Golf Club

2. Oklahoma State (Karsten Creek)

3. Stanford Golf Course

4. Purdue (Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex)

5. Duke University Golf Club

6. The Course at Yale

7. North Carolina (Finley)

8. University of Texas Golf Club

9. Wisconsin (University Ridge)

10. University of Georgia Golf Course

Kindest regards
Alan Webster
Managing Director
Campbell Dallas Financial Services Limited

Pamela Pretswell (left) and Laura Murray, a foursomes pairing for Scotland in the Women's Home Internationals at Wrexham (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

Pamela Pretswell, Laura Murray off to Portugal championship

International team-mates Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and Laura Murray (Alford) are the only Scottish entrants for the Portuguese Ladies Amateur Championship which tees off over the Oceanico O'Connor junior course at Amendoeira Golf Resort on the Algarve on Thursday.
Of the maximum field of 90, here is the breakdown for the combined total of 19 Scotland-England-Ireland-Wales entries:
SCOTLAND
Laura Murray, Pamela Pretswell.
ENGLAND
Holly Clyburn, Jess Wilcox, Elizabeth Haycock, Rachel Drummond.
IRELAND
Danielle McVeigh, Aedin Murphy, Gillian O'Learly, Sarah Cunningham, Louise Memagh, Victoria Bradshaw, Maria Dunne, Ciara Butler.
WALES
Katherine O'Connor, Tara Davies, Amy Boulden, Gemma Bradbury, Samantha Birks.
ON WAITING LIST
11 Lucy Simpson (Ireland).
14 Caroline Murphy Ireland).
15 Dana Greenslade (England).

Student Pretswell's first tournament since Home Internationals

last September at Irvine Golf Club

It will Glasgow University student Pamela Pretswell's first tournament since the Women's Home Internationals at Irvine Golf Club in September.
"It's been a long wait over the winter to get back to playing again so I am really looking forward to playing in the 'Portuguese,' especially since I have been extremely busy at university so far this year, now that I am in my Junior Honours year at Glasgow," said Pamela who flies out to the Algarve tomorrow (Tuesday).
"I have had a lot of university work lately and have been very fortunate that this event fits in well with my hectic timetable! It is only Laura Murray and myself from Scotland who are playing in Portugal and I think it's fair to say we are both looking forward to playing some golf in some warm weather again - it's been tough preparing for the 2010 season with the weather we have had!
"I was unable to take part in the SLGA Winter Training Camps (the squad travels out to Spain in November and Febuary) because of university commitments, so I spent a week in Portugal the first week in January when I was able to practise and prepare well for the season ahead - I was lucky enough to get some pretty good weather when I was over - it was a little better than playing in the snow in Scotland."

Orange Blossom Tour of Florida for Lady Amateurs

64th INTERNATIONAL BETTER-BALL FOURSOMES
Orangebrook Country Club, Hollywood, Florida

QUALIFYING ROUND
Par 72
71 Diane Lang (Westin Hills) & Maggie Weder (Ironwood).
72 Meghan Stasi (Coral Ridge) & Donna Mummert (Copper Hill).
76 Tony Cisle (Hidden Hills) & Debra McNichols (Riviera).
76 Kristin Milligan-Zullo (Shadow Wood) & Jan Phillips (Calusa Pines).
76 Mary Hanyak (PGA Golf Club) & Marianne Springer (Mayacoo).
76 Alli Jarrett (Shadowhawk) & Laura Coble (Augusta Country Club)

MATCH-PLAY FIRST ROUND
Top seeds: Diane Lang & Maggie Weder - BYE

Alli Jarrett & Laura Coble bt Tonya Cisle & Debra McNichols 5 and 4.
Mary Hanyak & Marianne Springer bt Kristin Milligan-Zullo & Jan Phillips 1 hole.

No 2 seeds: Meghan Stasi & Donna Mummert - BYE

SEMI-FINALS (on Tuesday)
Lang & Weder v Jarrett & Coble.
Hanyak & Springer v Stasi & Mummert

Scot has no ambition to turn pro before college days in California are over

Sally Watson to stay at university for four years

FROM THE NEW ISSUE OF THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA MAGAZINE

Scotland's Sally Watson, 18, freshman golfer. From that simple, roster-like listing flows quite a tale. To start with, Watson's presence at Stanford University is a coup, given that many consider her talented enough to consider turning professional now.

Watson, who made an international impression playing for the Great Britain and Ireland team in the 2008 Curtis Cup over the Old Course, St Andrews, says she wants the full experience of being a student-athlete at Stanford. "It's definitely my plan to stay for the four years."
Moreover, she's being billed a team leader. Stanford gets a fair share of competitively advanced frosh, but leadership is typically reserved to upperclassmen. "She's going to lead by example," says Caroline O'Connor, women's head coach. "She's going to speak her mind and push others to work harder." Not to mention whatever spark she provides just by playing.
Then there's a quality that doesn't always go hand in hand with natural ability at Watson's age: maturity. She talks with notable poise, for instance, about how formidable it would have been to turn pro—about how self-reliant and career-intense she would have needed to be, perhaps even to the point of an oppressive maturity.

"It's just a huge step," she says. "College is the last stage in your life where you don't necessarily have any worries. You still want to get A's, but you also have some freedom to be a little kid."
Watson's talent is a more complex topic. There's an obvious here-and-now to some of her skills, perhaps best demonstrated when she won three of five matches at the Curtis Cup, which pits the United States against Great Britain and Ireland in a competition for amateur girls and women. But her potential generates even more excitement.
That kind of rapid progression is special, says O'Connor. "She's a true student of the game, and she works at it like the best players in the country do."
Watson, a native of Edinburgh, lived in Scotland until she was nine then spent a few years in Orinda, when her father's work took the family to the Bay Area (San Francisc). She returned to Scotland for a while and then attended high school in Florida, where she got golf instruction at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

She had grown devoted to basketball until suffering a knee injury at 12; it was only then that she turned to golf in a serious way. Within just a few years she was showing off a swing that suggested a big future. In 2007, at 16, she made the cut at the Women's British Open and tied for 50th.
In Golfweek's preseason analysis of college teams, Watson was named to the third of three top-10 lists for women players, making her the only Stanford representative and just one of four freshmen rated among the top 30 selections in the country.
In her debut with the Stanford University Cardinals, Watson finished a little below the middle of the pack at the end of a rain-shortened, two-round event. But in the second of three fall tourneys, she was in contention to win, ultimately finishing fifth. At the Stanford Intercollegiate in mid-October, she tied for 51st in a field of 81.
As the year concluded, she was focused on her putting. "I think I can hole putts when I need to," she says. "It's the putting I'm doing in between that needs improvement, if that makes sense. I need to hole them more frequently."
Maybe Watson will be a golfer who's at her best when she's most in need of a clutch shot. "She manages stress on the golf course very well," says O'Connor. "When her back is against the wall, she's the one who wants to step up and perform."