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from Colin Farquharson
Scot Claire's transatlantic flight in vain
 Scot
Claire's transatlantic flight in vain
US-based Aberdonian Claire Hunter's transatlantic flight from Oregon to
compete in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at Grenoble, France
ended in tears on Saturday when she finished joint last of the 59 qualifiers
for the final day's play.
Only the leading 31 players, with totals of two-over-par 294 or better
gained full Category 7 playing rights for next year's tour. The others
gained a ranking from their final position but at joint 59th Miss Hunter's
tournament opportunities on this side of the Atlantic will be limited.
She flies back to America on Monday and will take part in the United States
Futures Tour Qualifying School in Florida.
Her father Gary, who works in the North Sea oil industry, raised pounds
10,000 earlier this year through a golf tournament he organised in Aberdeen
to help finance his daughter's professional golf career.
Claire, joint 45th overnight on the four-over-par mark, needed to improve
some 15 places with her last round. Instead the little 24-year-old Scot
went in the opposite direction on the back of her worst score of the four
days.
A seven-over-par 80, which included double bogeys at the fourth and seventh
holes and did not include a single birdie, saw her finish on 11-over-par
303.
Three leading English amateur players, British amateur champion Rebecca
Hudson (Wheatley), Kirsty Fisher (Royal Lytham) and Sarah Heath (Shifnal)
also finished outside the leading 31.
Miss Hudson, who has been signed up by IMG, played against doctor's order,
having seriously damaged her neck while practising before her final round.
The three-time Curtis Cup player could not swing a club before her tee
time but, thanks to the assistance of the tour osteopath, who massaged
her back and followed her for 18 holes, she managed to post a 78 for a
six-over-par total of 298 and 44th ranking.
Kirsty ended with a 76 for seven-over-par 299.
Young Sarah signed off with a 76 for 300.
Isabella Maconi from Italy rolled in a 30ft eagle putt on the last green
to snatch victory by one shot. The 31-year-old from Milan carded two birdies,
an eagle and a bogey in a three-under-par 70 for a 14-under-par total
of 278.
Runner-up was Spain's Marta Prieto, winner of the British women's open
amateur championship at Ladybank two years ago. She had the best score
of the last day, a five-under-par 68, including an inward half of 31 for
the second day in row.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Grenoble, France
FINAL TOTALS
278 I Maconi (Ita) 72 69 67 70.
279 M Prieto (Spa) 70 72 69 68.
280 V Uwland (Aus) 70 67 70 71.
281 M Eberl (Ger) 72 69 71 69, F Helmersson (Swe) 71 71 69 70, H Svensson
(Swe) 69 72 71 69.
284 T Hyett (Aus) 72 67 72 73.
285 E Pilgrim (Wal) 69 68 74 74, G Nocera (Fra) 67 70 74 74.
287 J Jail (Fra) 73 73 69 72.
288 S Bennett (Eng) 68 75 73 72.
289 B Ormsby (NZ) 77 69 72 71.
290 E Smets (Bel) 73 71 75 71, P Sowden (NZ) 72 72 74 72, S Parry (US)
71 73 75 71.
291 E Zackrisson (Swe) 75 74 69 73, A Tybring (Swe) 73 75 70 73, L C Gomez
(Spa) 70 74 75 72.
292 R Stevenson (Aus) 74 72 73 73, N Spurgeon (Eng) 73 74 69 75, Y Cassidy
(Ire) 71 70 77 74.
293 S Berglund (Swe) 73 72 72 76, C Hanneman (Bra) 71 75 70 77.
294 C Grady (Eng) 73 73 75 73, P Koivuranta (Fin) 73 73 75 73, A Moltke-Leth
(Den) 72 75 71 76, J Krantz (Swe) 72 71 75 76, V Vignali (Spa) 71 75 73
75, T Schneeberger (Aut) 69 76 75 74, S Dickens (Eng) 68 73 76 77, K Mathiot
(Fra) 67 78 73 76.
The following did not win players' cards for the 2003 season:
295 J Westerberg (Swe) 71 72 79 73, M Cosenza (Ita) 75 69 78 73, I Rosberg
(Swe) 74 73 75 73, K Wilson (NZ) 73 73 74 75, C Kuld (Den) 73 74 73 75,
M Blomqvist (Swe) 73 74 71 77.
296 E Poburski (Ger) 74 72 76 74, S Westling (Swe) 73 72 76 75.
297 R Duncan (Aus) 74 71 74 78, M Ducres (Fra) 74 75 73 73, S Renell (Swe)
74 70 76 77.
298 A Cvitan (Swe) 74 78 72 74, L Ericsson (Swe) 71 79874 74, V Smith
(SA) 76 72 74 76, R Hudson (Eng) 75 73 72 78.
299 J Whalley (Aus) 78 75 71 75, K Fisher (Eng) 77 72 74 76.
300 J Lindbergh (Swe) 73 73 78 76, S Heath (Eng) 75 77 72 76, S Hunter
(Eng) 72 77 73 78.
301 S Fischer (Aut) 77 76 71 77, S Johansson (Swe) 75 77 72 77, J Oliver
(Eng) 76 71 76 78. O Rotmistrova (Rus) 71 78 74 78, C Rasmussen (Den)
73 76 74 78.
302 E Bjarvall (Swe) 76 75 73 78.
303 M P de Silans (Fra) 74 75 75 79, C Hunter (Sco) 75 72 76 80.
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