June 2005 Archive

Thursday 30th June 2005

LOUISE AND CARA PLAY IN LADIES EURO TOUR EVENTS
The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association has nominated two players to play in forthcoming Ladies European Professional Tour events.
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), pictured left, will play in the Ladies' English Open at Chart Hills, Kent from July 8 to 10.
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) pictured right, will play in the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Machnys Peninsula Golf Club, Llanelli from August 11 to 14.
The Ladies European Tour has extended invitations to the Ladies Golf Union for a select number of amateurs to play in these events. The LGU passes the invitations on to the four home unions.

COUNTY FINALS' DATES WILL NOT  BE CHANGED TO AVOID INTERNATIONALS
Scottish Ladies Golfing Association secretary Dr Sheila Hartley confirmed today that the Scottish county finals at Ranfurly Castle Golf Club will be played on the scheduled dates - Friday-Saturday-Sunday, September 16-17-18.
"We had enough of a problem getting these dates so they will not be changed," she said.
The women's home internationals at Dundalk, Ireland are being played on Wednesday-Thursday-Friday, September 14-15-16.
This means that players chosen for the Scotland team who are members of the counties who qualify for the county finals will miss the first and possibly the second day's play at Ranfurly Castle.
Clare Queen and Jenna Wilson, who are in the Scotland squad of six flying out this weekend to the European team championship in Sweden, were members of the Lanarkshire team who won the West Division championship on Wednesday and thus qualified for the Scottish county finals.
Northern Counties and Borders, who qualified earlier in the week, have no current Scotland international team players in their line-ups.
The East Division inter-county team championship, which will decide the fourth and final qualifier for Ranfurly Castle, will be held at Alloa Golf Club from Monday to Wednesday next week. It contested by East Lothian, Midlothian, Fife and Stirling & Clackmannan.

EGA Rankings
CLARE QUEEN, JENNA WILSON IN TOP 10 OF EUROPEAN RANKINGS
Clare Queen is seventh and Jenna Wilson 10th in the latest European Golf Assocation women's amateur rankings.
Clare, who had been as high as fifth, dropped down two places from fifth spot while Jenna went down from seventh to 10th in the updated table.
Top 20 placings:
1 Maria HERNANDEZ (Spain) 125pt
1 Alexandra Vilatte (France) 125pt
3 Katharina SCHALLENBERG (Germany) 107.50
4 Julie Berton (France) 103
5 Carloto CIGANDA (Spain) 100
5 Louise STAHLE (Sweden) 100
7 Clare QUEEN (Scotland) 99
8 Stephanie Doering(Germany) 97.63
9 Stenna WESTERLUND (Finland) 97
10 Jenna WILSON (Scotland) 90
11 Anne-Sophie Le NALIO  (France) 88
12 Claire COUGHLAN (Ireland) 86.75
13 Martina GILLEN (Ireland) 85.50
14 Kiran MATHARU (England) 81.13
15 Azahara MUNOZ (Spain) 80
16 Anne-Lise Caudal (France) 79.13
17 Kerry SMITH (England) 70
18 Nicole GERGELY (Austria) 70
19 Christel BOELJON (Netherlands) 62.50
19 Lucia MAR (Spain) 62.50
19 Melissa REID (England) 62.50

NatWest Island Games XI, Shetland
Best Wishes from kirkwoodgolf to Shetland and Orkney, whose Ladies’ Golf Teams take part in the Island Games in Shetland, from 9th – 15th July.
This is the first time the Island Games have been held in Shetland, and is the biggest sporting event in Scotland in 2005.
24 Islands from around the world are taking part in a great variety of sports.
Ladies’ Golf Teams are coming from Islands such as Bermuda, Cayman and the Falklands, as well as many Islands from various European Countries.
Shetland, the Host Island, whose Team Manager is Fiona Black from Dale Golf Club, Lerwick, will be represented by Irene Tait and Heather Hogg, also from Dale Golf Club, and Angelina Sandison and Loraine Anderson from Whalsay Golf Club.
This is a Scratch Competition, with both Individual, and Team Events (best 3 scores counting daily) taking place over both Dale Golf Course and Whalsay Golf Course.
Fiona is delighted that Liz Munro, pictured right, a SLGA Rules Official, has accepted their invitation to attend this event.
Watch out for TV coverage on Tuesday 12th July!
Good Luck to all participants, and let’s hope the weather will be kind!
For more information look at www.shetland2005.info

Scottish Schools PhotoAlbum
Apologies for taking so long to publish Colin's photos of the Scottish Schools Championship at St Andrews Bay on 13th June. Photoalbum

Wednesday 29th June 2005

Lanarkshire team with West Division women's inter-county team championship trophy after they beat Renfrewshire, title-holders Dunbartonshire & Argyll and Ayrshire over three days at Lanark Golf Club.
Lanarkshire go forward to join Borders and Northern Counties in the Scottish county finals at Ranfurly Castle GC in September.
Back row (left to right): Sheena Boyd, county captain, Susan Woods, Elaine Cuthill, Ruth Rankin, May Hughes, Elizabeth Nelson, county vice-captain.
Front row (l to r): Clare Queen, Alexandra Young, Jenna Wilson, Lesley Lloyd.

West Division Inter-County Championship
LANARKSHIRE WIN WEST TITLE BUT CLASH OF DATES LIES AHEAD
Lanarkshire won the West Division women's inter-county team championship on home turf at Lanark Golf Club yesterday (Wed) completing a clean sweep of victories by beating Ayrshire 6½-2½.
They now go forward to the Scottish county finals at Ranfurly Castle from September 16 to 18 but, unless the dates are changed, Lanarkshire will be without the services of their two international players, Clare Queen and Jenna Wilson, at least for the first day of the county finals.
The women's home internationals are being played at Dundalk from September 14 to 16.
Queen beat Ayrshire's Debbie Watt 5 and 3 while Wilson beat Catherine Malcolm 2 and 1. Jenna was Lanarkshire's top player over the three days with 4 1/2pt out of six while Clare Queen, who missed the opening foursomes because of Vagliano Trophy team practice at Chantilly, France, had 4pt from five games and Alexandra Young 4pt from six.
Renfrewshire beat defending champions Dunbartonshire & Argyll by a 7-2 margin after taking the foursomes 3-0.
Youngsters Megan Briggs and Clare-Marie Carlton were outstanding for Renfrewshire over the three days. Megan took 5 1/2pt out of six while Clare gained 5pt from six.
Lanarkshire joining Northern Counties and Borders in the Scottish county finals. The fourth and final team will be decided at the East Division inter-county championship at Alloa next week.
Wednesday's details:
LANARKSHIRE 6½, AYRSHIRE 2½
Foursomes: C Queen & J Wilson bt L Hendry & L Williamson 7 and 5; L Lloyd & R Rankin lost to C Malcolm & L Keohone 6 and 5; A Young & S Wood bt A Glennie & M McQueen 3 and 2 (2-1).
Singles: Queen bt D Watt 5 and 3, Wilson bt Malcolm 2 and 1, M Hughes lost to Hendry 2 and 1, Young halved with Glennie, E Cuthill bt Keohone 5 and 4, Rankin bt Williamson 2 and 1 (4½-1½).
RENFREWSHIRE 7, DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL 2
Foursomes: C-M Carlton & J Jenkins bt S Bishop & L Ruane 3 and 1; M Beriggs & K O'Sullivan bt K Walker & C McNeil 2 and 1; D Jackson & G McGinlay bt G Webster & J Foggo 1 hole (3-0).
Singles: Carlton bt Bishop 3 and 2, Briggs bt Ruane 8 and 6, O'Sullivan lost to H Faulds 2 and 1, G Kyle bt Walker 1 hole, Jenkins bt Foggo 6 and 5, Jackson lost to Webster 2 and 1 (4-2).

West Division Inter-County Championship (morning results)
LANARKSHIRE TAKE STEP NEARER WEST DIVISION TITLE
Lanarkshire, having won their Monday and Tuesday matches, took a step nearer the West Division inter-county team title at Lanark Golf Club by winning the foursomes 2-1 against Ayrshire.
Clare Queen and Jenna Wilson, a potential foursomes pairing for Scotland in next week's European team championships in Sweden, beat Lesley Hendry and Lesley Williamson by 7 and 5.
Ayrshire levelled the scoreline with a good 6 and 5 win by Catherine Malcolm and Liz Keohone over Lesley Lloyd and Ruth Rankin.
But Lanarkshire made it 2-1 at lunchtime with a 3 and 2 win by Alexandra Young and Susan Wood over Alex Glennie and Morag McQueen.
Title-holders Dunbartonshire & Argyll suffered a surprisingly heavy 3-0 defeat by Renfrewshire in their foursomes.
Clare-Marie Carlton and Jennifer Jenkins set the ball rolling for Renfrewshire by beating Sara Bishop and Louisa Ruane 3 and 1.
Then Megan Briggs and Kate O'Sullivan won by 2 and 1 over Kylie Walker and Claire McNeil.
Donna Jackson and Gillian McGinlay completed the victorious morning for Renfrewshire by beating Gemma Webster and Jill Foggo on the 18th green.

Ladies European Tour
LYNN KENNY ACHIEVES HER BEST FINISH SO FAR IN ROOKIE SEASON
Former Scottish women’s amateur champion Lynn Kenny finished tied 12th at the weekend in the Algarve Women’s Open – her best finish so far in her rookie season as a pro.
The Stirling player, who turned 25 on June 19, had rounds of 70, 72 and 75 for a one-over-par total of 217. She was under par for the tournament when she birdied the second and third holes in her final round but then bogeyed the fifth, seventh, 11th, 12th and 14th in halves of 36 and 39.
Her cash reward was 4,390 Euros.
Aboyne exile Julie Forbes was the next best Scot in the Algarve event. She had rounds of 72, 74 and 72 for joint 21st place on 218. She made 3,555 Euros.
Former Solheim Cup skipper Dale Reid from Ladybank tied for 33rd place on 220 with scores of 73, 73 and 74. She earned 2,336 Euros.
In the money table, Julie Forbes is 42nd with 15,033 Euros from six events.
Lynn Kenny is in 61st place with 9,795 Euros from six events. Lynn has missed the cut three times.
New Zealander Liz McKinnon, who retains a base near Inverness with her Scottish husband Roy, is not doing as well as Lynn in what is also her rookie season.
Liz missed the cut on the Algarve with scores of 78 and 83 for 161. Those with 149 or better contested the final round.
Mrs McKinnon is in 92nd place on the money table with 3,924 Euros from nine outings.
At the top of the table it is:
1 Veronique Zorzi (Italy) 134,898 Euros (8 events).
2 Iben Tinning (Denmark) 112,564 Euros (7 events).
3 Ludivine Kreutz (France) 102,816 Euros (9 events).

Children from Uphall Primary School during lesson one of the clubgolf Stage 1 course at Binny Golf Club

clubgolf Press Release
Binny Golf Club joins clubgolf drive to put kids on the fairways
Binny Golf Club has joined forces with Uphall Primary School and Oatridge Agricultural College to ensure that local children are given the opportunity to play golf via Scotland’s national junior golf strategy, clubgolf.
Before this spring the majority of Uphall Primary’s P5 age group had never played golf. But all changed in February when former Open Champion, Paul Lawrie launched firstclubgolf and the programme was added to Uphall Primary’s curriculum.
The strategy’s introductory game, firstclubgolf is played with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets, and taught as a safe and exciting introduction to the game. The age of nine has been identified as the best stage for children to learn and become involved with the sport.
“The kids have been really positive about firstclubgolf,” said Meike Bateman, Active Schools Sports Co-ordinator for the Broxburn cluster. “The teachers and support staff have been very encouraging and they were all involved in helping me deliver the training.
“Everybody wanted to give it a go and they loved the equipment because it is bright and attractive. Most have never held a club in their lives but some of them had a real natural swing. Others needed more teaching but have really come on.”
This week 24 of Uphall Primary’s P5 class chose to move on to the next stage of the development pathway, Stage 1 played with real equipment and hosted by Binny Golf Club. The club had prepared itself for the course by sending eight of its members onto the PGA clubgolf Level 1 Training for Volunteers Course, staged at Oatridge Agricultural College.
“I was very pleased that from the original 47 that did firstclubgolf, we have filled the Stage 1 course at the club and just as many girls have signed up as boys,” said Bateman. “It was so popular that we have had to put six other children on the waiting list for the next course.”
Whilst lesson one began with putting, the children will soon learn the art of chipping and pitching before progressing to the full swing.
“It is important to encourage juniors to play the game and hopefully some of these will decided to stay with it and become members,” said Binny Golf Club’s Junior Convenor and volunteer coach, David Barrie.
“There are some good golfers here and they are already showing improvement after just one lesson.  The course runs through to the middle of September and if they keep improving the way they have done we expect them to be proficient enough to play the whole nine holes at the end.”
Those children wishing to become golfers will have the perfect opportunity to pursue the game. As a condition of its funding by sportscotland, the club is a pay and play facility. Unlike many exclusive member-only clubs this means that children will have equal opportunities to play the game.
Oatridge Agricultural College is continuing its commitment to the programme. A group of its green-keeping students are planning to make the club that extra bit more child friendly by cutting the club’s first junior holes.

Colin Young (centre) and his team of coaches from Kilwinning Sports Club with children from Springside and Loudon Montgomery Primary Schools during last week’s Kilwinning Open)

clubgolf Press Release
Kilwinning Open attracts 250 local children
The first ball of the Open Championship at St Andrews will not be struck for almost one month but that did not stop Kilwinning Sports Club running its own Open for local children this month.
The Kilwinning Open was staged on the eve of the first anniversary of the opening of Scotland’s first Social Inclusion pilot. A year ago saw the official unveiling of the club’s six-hole par 3 pitch and putt course and US PGA green with 3 bunkers, all funded by Scotland’s national junior golf strategy, clubgolf. Twelve months on and the response from local children has been little short of overwhelming.
Over 250 children from all seven local primary schools descended on the club for the Open, which incorporated the equipment and skills of the firstclubgolf and Stage 1 game and used all of the club’s new golf facilities. Proving the point that golf is very much a game of equal opportunities, a P5-aged girl from Springside Primary achieved the highest score of the week.
“The Open is aimed at the children who have already done firstclubgolf at school so have some experience of the game,” said Kilwinning Sports Club’s manager, Colin Young.
“The aim was to have a fun competition, we are really pleased with the response and we will definitely be doing this again next year and as the word gets around it should keep growing bigger and bigger. The kids this week all seemed to be very interested and it was obvious that they enjoyed themselves so hopefully the experience will encourage them to move on to Stage 1.”
The seven primary schools – Blacklands, Corsehill, Castlepark, John Galt, Loudon Montgomery, Pennyburn, Springside, St Winnings and Towerlands – have already experienced the multi-coloured, modified clubs, Velcro targets and rubberised balls of firstclubgolf during curriculum time. Young is now hoping that many of those children will progress to clubgolf’s Stage 1 course; 23 hours of coaching in the fundamentals of the game, using real equipment and led by fully trained volunteer coaches at Kilwinning Sports Club and nearby Irvine Ravenspark Golf Club.
“We started the Stage 1 coaching course three weeks ago. Last year we had 120 on the course, this year we hope to have around 400 children and the Open will encourage many more to take part,” he said. “We have also started an all-girls group which has 40 girls signed up from Greenwood secondary.
“Three of our coaches have recently been trained to deliver the next level of the development pathway, Stage 2, which will go into more depth, include bunker play and other areas such as club selection. It’s a 20-week course and all of the 40 girls on Stage 1 have already signed up for it. And we have the option of keeping it going through the winter by using the floodlit Astroturf area.”
Kilwinning Sports Club bridges the gap between the schools that deliver clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf and local golf clubs which many children have traditionally perceived as elitist and exclusive.
“The more people who get to play clubgolf the quicker it will build and we are running summer courses outwit the main clubgolf programme, so we are looking forward to attracting lots of local children,” said Young.
“Since our official opening a year ago we have opened a practice green, which is perfect for coaching the kids. We are beginning to get the message across that golf is not an expensive sport, anyone can play and there is no reason why we can’t get a Tiger Woods coming from the Kilwinning area.”

Tuesday 28th June 2005

Bridget Jackson Bowl
ANNA COMES BACK FROM US COLLEGE CIRCUIT TO WIN BRIDGET'S BOWL
Anna Scott, 19, from Consett, Co Durham, showed just how much she has improved with an autumn-to-spring season on the American college circuit in 2004-2005, by winning the storm-threatened Bridget Jackson Bowl 36-hole open women's amateur tournament at Handsworth Golf Club near Birmingham today (TUESDAY).
A golf scholarship student at Georgia State University, the 6ft 1in Durham County junior champion in 2003 and 2004, shot rounds of 71 and 70 -against a par and CSS of 72 both rounds - for a total of 141.
In a field of 48 competitors, Miss Scott won by four strokes from Claire Aitken (Mid Kent), 74 and 71 for 145.
Anna had an impressive trio back in joint third place on 146 - Welsh international left-hander Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen), winner of the Pleasington Putter tournament on Sunday, St Rule Trophy winner Naomi Edwards from Ganton, and teenage English women's champion Felicity Johnson from Harborne. Felicity had been the first-round leader with a 70 but faded to a 76 in the afternoon.
"We had a long hold-up after a storm broke over the course. For a while, I thought we would have to decide things over 27 holes  but fortunately it passed in time for us to play the scheduled two rounds," said organiser Bridget Jackson.
SCOREBOARD
(CSS 72 72)
141 Anna Scott (Consett) 71 70.
145 Claire Aitken (Mid Kent) 74 71.
146 Naomi Edwards (Ganton) 74 72, Stephanie Evans (Vale of Llangollen) 73 71, Felicity Johnson (Harborne) 70 76.
147 Natasha Podmore (Delamere Forest) 76 71.
148 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 78 70, Lucy Gould (Bargoed) 74 74, Emma Sheffield (Newark) 73 75, Becky Dowell (Enmore Park) 71 77.
149 Alex Marshall (Burghley Park) 78 71.
150 Sophie Stubbs (Shifnal) 76 74, Claire Dowling (Copt Heath) 75 75.
151 Rachel Lomas (Hallowes) 77 74, Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) 76 75, Emma Lyons (West Surrey) 75 76, Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt) 73 78, Sally Hinton (Bridgnorth) 72 79.
152 Joanne Hodge (Knowle) 79 73, Susan Dye (Delamere Forest) 79 73, Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 76 76, Ellie Givens (Blackwell Grange) 74 78.
153 Lydia Hall (Royal Porthcawl) 78 75, Melissa Reid (Chevin) 72 81.
154 Claire Howells (Moor Hall) 77 77, Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 76 78, Jodi Ewart (Catterick) 76 78, Tracy Atkin (Leamington & Co) 75 79.
155 Linda Carruthers (Broadway) 81 74, Gemma Hardie (Forest Pines) 78 77.
156 Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) 80 76, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 77 79, Hannah Coles (Maxstoke Park) 76 80.
157 Fiona Smith (Chelmsford) 86 71, Katrina Holford (Ingestre Park) 83 74.
159 Hayley Selman (Wolstanton) 82 77.
160 Sue Spencer (Whittington Heath) 82 78, Janet Phipps (Exeter) 82 78, Sophie Stubbs (Shifnal) 79 81.
161 Gill Snelson (Branston) 84 77, Claire Starkie (Silsden) 81 80.
163 Laura Cutler (Warley Park) 85 78, Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall) 81 82.
164 Samantha Lovell (Stock Brook Manor) 83 81.
166 Emma Stodart (Rugby) 88 78.
169 Sheila McKinnon (Royal Liverpool) 83 86.
173 Victoria Jones (Sandwell Park) 88 85.
183 Corrine Tooth (Ingestre Park) 90 93.

West Division Inter-County Championship
LANARKSHIRE NOW FAVOURITES TO WIN WEST DIVISION TITLE
LANARKSHIRE beat title-holders Dunbartonshire & Argyll 5 ½-3 ½ to be the only team with two wins out of two going into today's final programme of the West Division women's inter-county team championship at Lanark Golf Club.
Lanarkshire, who beat Renfrewshire 5-4 on the opening day, complete the three-day programme by playing Ayrshire who lost 6 ½-2 ½ to Renfrewshire yesterday (Tuesday) after losing 5 ½-3 ½ to Dunbartonshire & Argyll in their first match.
The champions of the division will go forward to join Northern Counties and Borders in the four-cornered contest for the Scottish county championship at Ranfurly Castle from September 16 to 18.
In hot, tiring conditions, Lanarkshire were able to dent the D&A title hopes even though their top player, Clare Queen, lost by 3 and 2 to Sara Bishop, whose short game on the day was superior to her opponent's, and their No. 2, Jenna Wilson, halved her match against Kylie Walker.
It was the experienced May Hughes, Ruth Rankin and Alexandra Young who got the vital singles wins that redressed the balance for Lanarkshire after the foursomes had been shared.
May beat new British universities champion Gemma Webster 4 and 2; Ruth beat Louisa Ruane 5 and 4 while Alexandra was a 6 and 4 winner against Jill Foggo.
Former Scottish schoolgirls title-winner Elaine Cuthhill added half-a-poit to the Lanarkshire total with a square match against Claire McNeil.
Renfrewshire introduced Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) and Julie Wilson (Williamwood) to their line-up in both sessions of play against Ayrshire.
They teamed up to get a square game against Ayrshire's Lesley Hendry and Liz Keohone in the foursomes. Then Julie lost by 3 and 2 to Lesley Williamson but Gillian beat Liz Keohone 3 and 2.
Renfrewshire, who led by 2pt after the foursomes, got other clinching wins in the singles from Donna Jackson, who beat Ayrshire champion Lesley Hendry 2 and 1, young Megan Briggs and Kate O'Sullivan.
Tuesday's details:
DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL 3½, LANARKSHIRE 5½
Foursomes: S Bishop & H Faulds lost to C Queen & J Wilson 6 and 5; K Walker & C McNeil halved with E Cuthill & A Young; G Webster & J Foggo beat R Rankin & S Wood 3 and 2 (1½-1½).
Singles: Bishop bt Queen 3 and 2, Walker halved with Wilson, Webster lost to M Hughes 2 holes, L Ruane lost to Rankin 5 and 4, McNeil halved with Cuthill, Foggo lost to Young 6 and 4 (2-4).
RENFREWSHIRE 6½, AYRSHIRE 2½
Foursomes: C-M Carlton & J Jenkins bt D Watt & C Malcolm 3 and 2; G Kyle & J Wilson halved with L Hendry & L Keohone; M Briggs & K Osullivan bt M McQueen & S Lambie 3 and 2 (2½-½).
Singles: D Jackson bt Hendry 2 and 1, Carlton lost to Glennie 4 and 2, Briggs bt Malcolm 4 and 2, Wilson lost to Williamson 3 and 2, Kyle bt Keohone 3 and 2, O'Sullivan bt S Lambie 3 and 2 (4-2).
HOW THEY STAND
Lanarkshire 2 wins, Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire & Argyll 1 win each, Ayrshire 0 wins.
FINAL MATCHES
Dunbartonshire & Argyll v Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire v Ayrshire.

Borders team with the South Division Inter-County Trophy at the Hirsel yesterday
(Thanks to Jenny Pearson for the photograph)

West Division Inter-county Championship morning report
Title-holders Dunbartonshire & Argyll and host county Lanarkshire shared the morning fouromes on Day 2 of the West Division inter-county team championship at Lanark Golf Club.
Elaine Cuthill and Alexandra Young were three down with four to play but won the next three holes and halved the 18th to finish all square.
Renfrewshire led Ayrshire 2 1/2-1/2 after their foursomes. For Gillian Kyle of East Renfrewshire and Julie Wilson of Williamwood it was their inaugural match in this competition.
They both played very well to halve their match with Lesley Hendry and Liz Keohone.

Northern Counties team with North Division women's inter-county team championship trophy at Elgin Golf Club.
Third year in a row.

clubgolf Press Release
New South Ayrshire Golf Development Co-ordinator helps makes golf a game for all
South Ayrshire is at the forefront of meeting the Scottish Executive's target of introducing every nine year old in Scotland to the game by 2009.
This month South Ayrshire Council joined forces with Scotland's national junior golf strategy, clubgolf to create the West of Scotland’s second ever Golf Development Co-ordinator post, which has been has been awarded to Prestwick’s Catherine Malcolm.
The clubgolf strategy brings together the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The Scottish Executive is providing £500,000 per year, until 2009 through sportscotland, to fund the programme. clubgolf in partnership with South Ayrshire Council are funding the new Golf Development Co-ordinator position.
Catherine Malcolm has a burning passion for the game. A lifetime golfer, she is a member of Prestwick St Cuthbert and Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Clubs, represents Ayrshire Ladies and has a current handicap of three.
“The beauty of golf is that you can play it no matter what your age or ability, either as part of a group or on your own, it is relatively inexpensive and there are many health benefits,” said Catherine, who previous to her appointment had been Sports Development Officer for South Ayrshire Council.
“In South Ayrshire we are very fortunate to have an abundance of golf courses, including many of the world’s most prestigious. When I was a junior it was quite difficult to find a way to get involved in the game, particularly as a girl, unless you had a relative who played and I was lucky that I did.
“So, as a keen golfer who has always lived in South Ayrshire and has come up through the junior system, I am really excited to now be in the position to help give every child in the South Ayrshire the opportunity to sample the game through schools and then afterwards at a local club.”
The clubgolf strategy’s introductory game, firstclubgolf was launched in Edinburgh this year by the former Open winner, Paul Lawrie and Sports Minister, Patricia Ferguson. Using multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets it is taught by teachers as a safe and exciting introduction to the game. Children who enjoy the six-week firstclubgolf course can choose to learn the fundamentals at a nearby golf course on clubgolf’s Stage 1 course.
The South Ayrshire Junior Golf Action Plan, the first regional development strategy in the West of Scotland, is set to be unveiled later this month. Catherine’s remit is to roll firstclubgolf and Stage 1 out across the whole of South Ayrshire, achieving the target of introducing 1250 nine year olds to clubgolf every year by 2009.
“We have identified the first two school clusters (out of a total of nine) which are due to come on board with firstclubgolf next spring,” said Catherine.
“We are also speaking to clubs and golfers to enlist their support for Stage 1 roll out. Our clubgolf road show last week was attended by 40 golfers from 10 clubs, which shows that the golfing community is keen to invest in the future of the sport.
Through its pilot programme in 2004, clubgolf introduced over 2,500 primary school children throughout Scotland to the game. Last summer, over 1000 children in the West of Scotland were amongst the first to experience firstclubgolf on their curriculum.
“Having spoken to the cluster group heads, they are confirming that the key strength of clubgolf is that there is already a pathway in place,” said Catherine. “Once the children have experienced firstclubgolf at school, there is a development pathway established at local clubs where they can progress to the level to which they aspire.
“For the first time ever we will be taking golf to the children.”

clubgolf Press Release
Alford and Oldmeldrum Golf Clubs pilots bring girl power to golf
Two Aberdeenshire golf clubs are working together with Scotland’s national junior golf strategy, clubgolf to tackle the nationwide issue of a lack of junior females within their memberships.
Currently, there are 198,500 registered male club golfers in Scotland, but fewer than 50,000 females. In the under 18 level, there are 25,000 boys but just 2,700 girls. clubgolf’s target is to double the number of girls playing by the year 2009.
This summer Alford and Oldmeldrum Golf Clubs are piloting girls only clubgolf sessions, which they expect will provide the answers to why so few girls in Scotland play the game, as well as important clues to help attract and retain them in future.
“We have around 150 boys at Oldmeldrum but only a few girls and most of those that went along to the mixed session didn’t enjoy being in a big group of boys and they didn’t last,” said Oldmeldrum ladies captain, Brenda Urquhart.
“They said the boys would use all the equipment and wouldn’t give them a chance to play. They felt outnumbered, intimidated and it was obvious to us that the only way to make a breakthrough with girls’ golf was to set up a girls only section.”
This view is echoed at Alford Golf Club. “We decided to listen to what the kids were saying and it became apparent that some of the girls didn’t like being in the same group as boys,” said Neil Cobban, one of Alford’s 12 clubgolf Level 1 coaches.
Although the need for separate girls and boys groups may have long been apparent to junior convenors, it was not until the formation of clubgolf that a training course existed which clubs could use to convert willing volunteers into coaches.
“When I heard about clubgolf last year I saw this as the perfect opportunity to become trained to coach,” said Brenda Urquhart. “I did the Level 1 training with three other lady members in February and began teaching firstclubgolf to the P5 age group of Meldrum and Tarvis Primary Schools.”
Having introduced the children to firstclubgolf, which utilises modified clubs and velcro targets within school time, Brenda and team began a clubgolf Stage 1 course for girls, using real equipment at Oldmeldrum Golf Club.
“We have had 28 complete beginners on the course which was a fantastic response,” said Brenda. “The attendance has been more or less one hundred percent over the 10 weeks and it has been so successful that we will do the same thing next year, hopefully taking these girls on to the next level and possibly starting a new group to teach Stage 1.”
Meanwhile Alford, which has Scottish Schools Champion Laura Murray on its membership but otherwise has few girls’ members, has attracted 20 girls to its girls only session. 
The clubgolf pilots have benefited from existing research generated in Sweden, long seen as one of the best exponents of encouraging girls into the sport. More than 22,000 girls under the age of 18 play golf in Sweden. This volume of girls playing can be partly attributed to balancing play with the social side of the sport. Coaches in Aberdeenshire are finding this tallies with their own experiences.
“clubgolf organised a group discussion for the girls to find out how to make the game more interesting,” said Brenda Urquhart. “They said they wanted an hour lesson instead of a four hour game of golf, wanted to be able to wear fashionable clothes and they hoped to have a chat with friends afterwards.”
Said Alford’s Neil Cobban, “We are still at a very early stage and learning all the time how to make golf attractive and fun to girls as well as boys but so far the girls only sessions have been a roaring success.
“We will do a questionnaire at the end of the course to find out what has worked and how we can improve on it for the next time. We have already mentioned to the girls that we might have pizza nights and a disco and they are very enthusiastic - the girls’ reaction was ‘golf rocks’”.
With clubgolf setting a national target of doubling the number of girls playing golf by the year 2009, initiatives that encourage more females to play the game, such as girls-only sessions, are high on the organisation’s agenda. If it works at the two Aberdeenshire clubs, then it is likely to be a success at other clubs in Scotland.
“These are exactly the types of initiatives clubgolf is working with clubs to encourage,” said Audra Booth, clubgolf’s newly appointed Grampian Regional Manager who has responsibility for attracting and retaining double the current number of female players in Scotland.
“A lot of girls think that golf is a boys-only sport and until now nobody has ever asked girls what they would like from the game. Fortunately the image is changing and the sport is becoming fashionable and more attractive. 
“The feedback we are getting from the clubs so far is that the girls are far more likely to enjoy it more, stay in the game and make more progress if they begin by learning in a girls only group.
“From the few females that play golf, Scotland is producing top class lady golfers but you do wonder who else is out there that is not being given the opportunity. It is clubgolf’s task to make sure that we find them, give them every opportunity to take part and encouragement them to develop to the level they aspire to.”

Angus team at the North Division Inter-County Championship at Elgin yesterday

Monday 27th June 2005

West Division Inter-County Championship
D&A START TITLE DEFENCE WITH WIN OVER AYRSHIRE
Dunbartonshire & Argyll began the defence of the West Division women's inter-county team golf championship at Lanark Golf Club on Monday with a 5½-3½ win over Ayrshire.
Ayrshire county champion Lesley Hendry was three down after four holes against Dunbartonshire & Argyll title-holder Sara Bishop but got it back to all square at the 10th. She then won the 11th, lost the 12th but scored successes at the 14th, 15th and 17th to win the top singles by 3 and 1.
But D&A, who had shared the foursomes 1½-1½, then got the four singles wins they needed for overall victory. Gemma Webster (Hilton Park), the new British universities women's stroke-play champion, eagled the fifth and 11th and birdied the sixth, 10th and 14th in winning by 2 and 1 over Liz Keohone who herself birdied the fourth, fifth and 16th in a great match.
Kylie Walker (Stirling University) won by 3 and 2 over Debbie Watt, Jill Foggo by 3 and 2 over Lesley Williamson, and Claire McNeil got the match-winning point with a two-hole win against Morag McQueen.
Local memberr Ruth Rankin was the outstanding player in Lanark's 5-4 win over Renfrewshire. Ruth hit a driver off the fairway at the 15th to within a foot of the hole in the morning foursomes - which were shared - and then was three under par in beating Gillian McGinlay by 7 and 6.
Lanarkshire's No 1 singles player, British stroke-play champion Clare Queen was not fielded in the morning because she had flown home late the previous night from the GB&I team practice at Chantilly, France.
Clare did lead off the singles for Lanarkshire and beat Jennifer Jenkins by 5 and 4.
Jenna Wilson, first reserve for the Vagliano Trophy team, was two under par for the inward holes in winning by a3 and 2 over US college student Kate O'Sullivan.
Megan Briggs (Renfrewshire) was five up after eight holes against Alexandra Young who then proceeded to win five holes in a row to square the match. Young Megan kept her nerve and won the 14th and 18th to finish two up.
Clare-Marie Carlton won the final singles for Renfrewshire by beating Susan Woods by 6 and 5. Clare-Marie, a Stirling University student, drove the green at the 250yd fifth.
Donna Jackson, 10 times Renfreshire champion, halved her match with Elaine Cuthill after being two down at the 16th.
Details:
LANARKSHIRE 5, RENFREWSHIRE 4
Foursomes: J Wilson & M Hughes lost to C-M Carlton & J Jenkins 3 and 2; E Cuthill & A Young bt DJackson & G McGinlay 2 and 1; L Lloyd & R Rankin halved with M Briggs & K O'Sullivan (1½1 ½)
Singles: C Queen bt Jenkins 5 and 4, Wilson bt O'Sullivan 3 and 2, Rankin bt McGinlay 7 and6, Cuthill halved with Jackson, Young lost to Briggs 2 holes, S Woods lost to Carlton 6 and 5 (3½-2½).
AYRSHIRE 3½, DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL 5½
Foursomes: D Watt & C Malcolm bt G Webster & L Ruane 2 holes; A Glennie & S Lambie lost to S Bishop & H Faulds 7 and 5; L Hendry & L Williamson halved with K Walker & C McNeil (1½-1½).
Singles: Hendry bt Bishop 3 and 1, Watt lost to Walker 3 and 2, L Keohone lost to Webster 2 and 1, Williamson lost to J Foggo 3 and 2, M McQueen lost to McNeil 2 holes, Malcolm bt Ruane 3 and 2 (2-4).

North Divison Inter-county Championship
NORTHERN COUNTIES COMPLETE HAT-TRICK:  NOW FOR SCOTTISH TITLE
Northern Counties made no mistake in their final match of the Northern Division women's inter-county golf team championship on another warm day at Elgin Golf Club.
They beat Perth & Kinross 7-2 to finish the three-day programme with a 100 per cent record, thus retaining the area title and so earning the right to defend the Scottish title - which they have also won for the past two years - at Ranfurly Castle in September.
Having lost their star player, New Zealander Liz McKinnon to the pro ranks and with others of the calibre of Pam Mackay and Pat McLennan unavailable, Northern Counties proved once again they have a strength in depth which is the envy of rivals Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perth & Kinross.
Three players - Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), Laura Walker (Nairn Dunbar) and Morag Sievewright (Keith) - gained 4½pt out of a possible six and 14-year-old county champion Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) was close on their heels with 4pt.
Cara Gruber beat 13-year-old Carly Booth (Auchterarder) yesterday afternoon by 5 and 4 after being three up at the turn and then going four up at the 10th when Carly had the bad luck to trod on her own ball while looking for it in the rough.
Kelsey MacDonald pitched in from 50yd for a birdie 3 at the ninth and holed a long birdie putt at the 16th on her way to a 2-hole win over Avril Ker (Craigie Hill).
Aberdeenshire bounced back from their defeat by Northern Counties on Sunday to finish runners-up with a 6-3 win over Angus. Shire's top performer over the three days was 16-year-old Laura Murray (Alford), the Scottish schoolgirls champion, who gained 5pt out of 6. The fifth point was a 4 and 3 win over Katie McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies), the rising Angus star, by 4 and 3 in the top singles. All square at the turn, Laura won the 11th , 12th (with a birdie) and the 15th.
Aberdeenshire's second-most productive player was 17-year-old Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) who finished with 4½pt by beating Jane Tough (Brechin) by 4 and 3, winning the 12th, 13th and 14th to go four up.
Monday's details:
ABERDEENSHIRE 6, ANGUS 3
Foursomes: S Wood & L Murray bt D Dewar & A Ramsay 3 and 2; L Urquhart & M Thomson halved with S Raitt & K McNicoll; D Pocock & C Wilson bt M Summers & L Fotheringham 2 and 1 (2½-½).
Singles: Murray bt McNicoll 4 and 3, Wood lost to Fotheringham 4 and 3, L McLardy halved with J Brown, Thomson bt J Tough 4 and 3, Wilson bt Ramsay 3 and 2, Urquhart lost to S Raitt 2 holes (3½-2½)
NORTHERN COUNTIES 7, PERTH & KINROSS 2
Foursomes: L Walker & K MacDonald halved with J Milne & C Booth; C Gruber & K Harper bt D Butchart & A Ker 7 and 5; M Sievewright & J Milne bt E Napper & E Ogilvy 1 hole (2½-½).
Singles: Sievewright halved with Napper, Gruber bt Booth 5 and 4, MacDonald bt Ker 2 holes, Walker bt Milne 3 and 2, Harper bt J Yellowlees 5 and 3, Milne lost to Ogilvy 5 and 4 (4½-1½).
How they finished
1 Northern Counties 3 wins (19pt), 2 Aberdeenshire 2 wins (13½pt), 3 Perth & Kinross 1 win (11pt); 4 Angus 0 wins (10½pt).

South Division Inter-County Championship
BORDERS BOOK PLACE IN SCOTTISH FINAL
Borders whitewashed Galloway 9-0 in the final match at The Hirsel Golf Club, Coldstream to retain the South Division women’s inter-county team golf championship. They had beaten Dumfries-shire 8½-½ on the opening day of the three-cornered contest and go forward to the Scottish women’s county championship finals at Ranfurly Castle in September.
Julie Birdsall-White, Louise Fleming and Wendy Wells won all four ties for Borders over the three days.
Monday’s details:
BORDERS 9, GALLOWAY 0
Foursomes: M Pow & J Anderson bt G Monteith & G Robson 4 and 3; L Fleming & J Birdsall-White bt S Martin & S McMurtrie 3 and 1; W Wells & M Morrison bt A Carson & J Campbell 2 holes (3-0).
Singles: Pow bt McMurtrie 4 and 2, Fleming bt Robson 6 and 5, Wells bt Monteith 4 and 2, Karen Hughes bt Campbell 4 and 3, Birdsall-Whit bt Martin 5 and 3, Anderson bt Jean Brydson 6 and 5 (6-0).
How they finished
1 Borders 2 wins, 2 Dumfries-shire 1 win, 3 Galloway 0 wins.

HARRIS ACADEMY PUPIL ROSS WINS DUNHILL LINKS SCHOOLS GOLF CHALLENGE
Ross Bell, pictured right, from Harris Academy, Dundee had the lowest scratch score of one-under-par 71 over the Torrance Course at St Andrews Bay Golf Resort in the new-look Dunhill Links schools golf challenge contested by pupils from 16 schools from Angus, Tayside and Fife (on Sunday).
Ross said: "It was great fun to play the course and I'm delighted to be the overall winner. I am hoping to go to Arizona University on a full golf scholarship."
One-handicapper Ross took the overall individual scratch title on a sunny but blustery day on the exposed links course.
Martyn Scott (Dunfermline High) won the senior boys' net award with a 67.
Krystle Caithness (Waid Academy), pictured left, the Scottish Under-16 girls champion for the past two years, won senior girls' net category with a 73.
Michael Falls (Madras College) came out on top in the junior boy net scores with a 64.
Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) had the best net score of 81 in the junior girls' section.
The competition was held in advance of the dunhill links championship, which will again be staged at the Old Course, St Andrews, the Carnoustie championship course and Kingsbarns Links from September 29 to October 2.
All participants of the school golf competition have been invited together with their families and a school representative to the final day of the 2005 dunhill links championship at St Andrews on Sunday, October 2, where the prize giving will take place.
The five winners have also been invited to an exclusive golf clinic, given by coach Robert Baker, at the championship practice range on the final Sunday.
Photo Copyright © Ian Jacobs

East v West Vets
East of Scotland Vets beat West of Scotland Vets by 6 1/2 matches to 2 1/2 matches in their annual encounter over Gullane No 1 last Tuesday (22nd)
East names first                                      
P.Williamson  beat H.Faulds 2/1
M.Thomson beat S.McDonald 4/3
N.Fenton beat P.Hutton 4/2
E.Simpson beat  J.Mack 3/2
K.Ballantyne lost to E.Hanlon  2/1
S.Lyon  beat  R.Donaldson 4/3
B.Anderson  halved with A.Prentice  
R.Dee lost to M.Neilson  2/1
E.Jack beat A.Smith 7/6

West Division Inter-county Championships
Neck and Neck at lunch-time
Morning foursomes results from Day 1 of the West Division women’s inter-county team championship at Lanark Golf Club.
LANARKSHIRE 1 ½, RENFREWSHIRE 1 ½
Jenna Wilson & May Hughes lost to Clare-Marie Carlton & Jennifer Jenkins 3 and 2; Elaine Cuthill & Alexandra Young bt Donna Jackson & Gillian McGinlay 2 and 1; Lesley Lloyd & Ruth Rankin halved with Megan Briggs & Kate O’Sullivan.
AYRSHIRE 1 ½, DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL 1 ½
Debbie Watt & Catherine Malcolm bt Gemma Webster & Louisa Ruane 2 holes; Alex Glennie & Sharon Lambie lost to Sara Bishop & Helen Faulds 7 and 5; Lesley Hendry & Lesley Williamson halved with Klylie Walker & Claire McNeil.

South Division Inter-County Championship
BORDERS TAKE 3-0 LEAD OVER GALLOWAY
Borders were heading for yet another South Division women's team championship after taking the morning foursomes 3-0 against Galloway on the final day at The Hirsel Golf Club today.
Martine Pow and Judith Anderson won by 4 and 3 against Gillian Monteith and Gwen Robson.
Louise Fleming and Julie Birdsall-White won by 3 and 1 over Susan Martin & Sheila McMurtrie.
Wendy Wells and Mags Morrison won by two holes over Anne Carson and Jill Campbell.
Borders beat Dumfries-shire 8 1/2- 1/2 on Saturday.

Lanarkshire (Red) and Renfrewshire (Navy Blue) get together before their match in the West Division Inter-County Championships at Lanark this morning

Ayrshire (Green/Yellow) and Dunbartonshire and Argyll (Blue) before their match at Lanark this morning

LEFT-HANDER STEPHANIE WINS PLEASINGTON PUTTER
Welsh international left-hander Stephanie Evans from Vale of Llangollden won the Pleasington Putter 36-hole open tournament at Pleasington Golf Club, Lancashire on Sunday.
She had rounds of 77 and 69 for a total of 146 after achieving a hole in one at the 138yd 16th
Three players totalled 148 – Caroline Marron (Bromborough) (77-71), Natalee Evans (76-72) and Rachel Lomas (Hallowes) (73-75). Full scoreboard (rtf file)

A HOME FORE THE FUTURE
 VisitScotland has reached an agreement with the International Pairs which will see the UK final of the competition played north of the border until the end of the decade.
In addition, Philip Riddle, the chief executive of VisitScotland, confirmed the country would play host to the International Pairs world final in 2007, 2010 and 2013.
He made the announcement at a press conference at the five-star St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa, home to this year’s UK final.
He said: “We’re delighted to be again supporting the International Pairs as part of our wider strategy of using golf to promote Scotland as a must-visit, must-return destination at home and abroad.
“In economic terms, golf tourism contributes £300m annually to Scotland’s economy, with the country renowned globally as the Home of Golf - and events such as this help to ensure we maintain this coveted reputation.”
The International Pairs is the largest competition for club golfers in the world. Around 40 countries are expected to contest the world final in 2006.
The 2005 world final victors had travelled all the way from Colombia to wrest the title away from the UK.
The competition is only seven years old, having been designed as an event for Hampshire-based golf clubs to celebrate the Millennium. Yet, the event has expanded exponentially and VisitScotland has reaped the benefit since it first held the UK final in 2003 at, fittingly, St Andrews Bay.
The event’s director of business development, Graeme Dawson, explained: “The relationship between the International Pairs and Scotland has been mutually beneficial – and will continue to be so.
“We are delighted to be able to agree a renewal of the UK contract and to confirm Scotland as the venue for three world finals during the next decade.
“Scotland is recognised as the home of golf and is steeped in the history of the game. “This deal enables us to introduce a host of new players to the game’s roots and develop the profile of the country and the International Pairs across the globe.
“And, as a Scot myself, I’m very proud to have been part of the team which has agreed this unique deal.”

US Womens Open
KOREAN OUTSIDER SCORES FIRST LPGA WIN IN US OPEN AS STARS SLIDE
As Michelle Wie blew up big-time with an 82, Karen Stupples stumbled to a 78 and Morgan Pressel could do no better than 75, it was not Annika Sorenstam who benefited most from the three overnight joint leaders finding the going tough in the final round of the US Women's Open at Cherry Hills, Denver in Colorado.
Annika had problems of her own with a 77 …. No it was a relatively unknown Korean - and there are plenty of them on the LPGA roster - Birdie Kim who shot a one-over-par 72 for a final total of three-over-par 287.
That was good enough for her to win the major title which is her first ever win on the LPGA Tour she joined last year. A graduate of the US Futures Tour, Birdie Kim had achieved one top 10 finish in 13 starts this season. She will be 24 years old on August 26. She is 5ft 9in tall.
Two American amateurs tied for second place - US Curtis Cup player Brittany Lang and young Morgan Pressel, two shots behind Birdie Kim on 289. Brittany finished with a 71.
Catriona Matthew had her worst round of the four - a 77 - to tie for 31st place on 297.
Player Interviews
LEADING TOTALS
287 Birdie Kim (Korea) 74 72 69 72.
289 (a) Brittany Lang (US) 69 77 72 71; (a) Morgan Pressel (US) 71 73 70 75.
Other totals:
292 Karen Stupples (Eng) 75 70 69 78 (tied 10th).
296 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 72 73 74 77;  (a) Michelle Wie (US) 69 73, 72 82 (tied 23rd).
297 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 73 72 75 77 (tied 31st).

Sunday 26th June 2005

Calling all girls.... Gullane Junior Open
The Junior Open at Gullane is on Friday 1st July. It is held on Gullane No 2, which is an excellent Championship course with SS 73. To date there have been no entries from girls.... If you would like to enter, phone Gullane Golf Club on 01620 842215

South Division Inter-County matches
DUMFRIES-SHIRE RALLY TO BEAT GALLOWAY AT HIRSEL
Dumfries-shire came back from losing the morning foursomes 2-1 to beat Galloway 6½-2½ on the second day of the South Division women's inter-county golf championship at Hirsel Golf Club on Sunday.
Dumfries-shire had lost 8 ½- ½ to title-holders Borders on Saturday in the three-cornered contest to decide who goes forward to the Scottish county finals at Ranfurly Castle in September.
In the last match on Monday, Borders play Galloway.
Details on Sunday's match:
DUMFRIES-SHIRE 6 ½, GALLOWAY 2 ½
Foursomes: Diane MacDonald & Kirsty Wells bt Sheila McMurtrie & Jean Brydson 4 and 3; Fiona McGregor & Trish Lilly lost to Gwen Robson & Gillian Monteith 2 and 1; Margaret McGregor & Lindsey Kirkwood lost to Jill Campbell & Anne Carson 4 and 2 (1-2).
Singles: Wells bt McMurtrie 3 and 2, MacDonald bt Brydson 7 and 6, Pam Kirk bt Monteith 3 and 1, Fiona McGregor bt Campbell 8 and 7, Lilly halved with Susan Martin; Margaret McGregor bt Robson 1 hole (5 ½-½)

Perth & Kinross team pictured after their 5-4 win over Angus on Day 2 of Northern Division women's inter-county team championship at sunny Elgin.
They are sponsored by Highland Spring.

Aberdeenshire team and officials at Northern Division women's inter-county team championship at Elgin

North Division Inter-County matches
NORTHERN COUNTIES OVERPOWER ABERDEENSHIRE IN SINGLES
Title-holders Northern Counties rallied from a 2-1 reverse in the morning foursomes to overpower Aberdeenshire in the singles on the second day of the Northern Division women's inter-county team golf championship at Elgin Golf Club today (Sunday).
Northern Counties took the singles 5 1/2- 1/2 for a 6 1/2-2 1/2 overall win over Shire and they go into tomorrow's (Monday's) final matches as the only team with a 100 per cent success record which makes them favourites to go forward to the Scottish county finals at Ranfurly Castle in September.
Counties did not take long to take command of their fortunes in the afternoon. Cara Gruber beat Donna Pocock 7 and 5 in the top singles; 14-year-old county champion Kelsey MacDonald beat 17-year-old Michelle Thomson 3 and 1; Laura Walker beat Aberdeenshire champion Julie Henderson 7 and 6, and the comeback pair, Linda Smith and Meg Sievewright turned back the clock with wins by 2 and 1 and 4 and 3 over 16-year-old Laura Murray and Carol Wilson respectively.
Aberdeenshire's only crumb of comfort from the singles was a square match secured by Sheena Wood from three times Elgin women's champion Jenny Milne.
Northern Counties, who have won the Scottish title for the past two years, complete their Elgin programme by playing Perth & Kinross who scored a notable, come-from-behind 5-4 win over Angus yesterday.
Angus took the foursomes 2 1/2- 1/2 but, a bit like Aberdeenshire, were swamped in the singles 4 1/2-1 1/2.
On Saturday, Northern Counties beat Angus 5 1/2-3 1/2 while Aberdeenshire beat Perth & Kinross 5-4.
Perth & Kinross's 13-year-old champion Carly Booth was held to a square match in the top singles against Angus by Scottish universities champion Ann Ramsay but Emma Napper, Jane Yellowlees, Jillian Milne and Emily Ogilvy chalked up wins for P and K.
Details:
SUNDAY
ANGUS 4, PERTH & KINROSS 5
Foursomes: D Dewar & A Ramsay bt R Niven & J Yellowlees 5 and 3;
M Summers & L Fotheringham bt A Ker & D Butchart 2 and 1;
S Raitt & K McNicoll halved with E Ogilvy & J Milne (2 1/2- 1/2)
Singles: Ramsay halved with Carly Booth, Dewar lost to Emma Napper 2 holes, Jackie Brown lost to Yellowlees 4 and 3, McNicoll beat Butchart 2 holes, Jane Tough lost to Milne 2 and 1, Summers lost to Ogilvy 3 and 2 (1 1/2-4 1/2).
ABERDEENSHIRE 2 1/2, NORTHERN COUNTIES 6 1/2
Foursomes: S Wood & L Murray bt K MacDonald & L Walker 1 hole;
L Urquhart & M Thomson bt C Gruber & K Harper 4 and 2;
L McLardy & C Wilson lost to M Sievewright & J Milne 3 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Donna Pocock lost to Gruber 7 and 5 , Thomson lost to MacDonald 3 and 1, Julie Henderson lost to Walker 7 and 6, Murray lost to Linda Smith 2 and 1, Wilson lost to Sievewright 4 and 3, Wood halved with Milne (1/2- 5 1/2).
HOW THEY STAND
1 Northern Counties 2 wins,
2 (equal) Aberdeenshire, Perth & Kinross 1 win,
4 Angus 0 wins.
FINAL MATCHES
Angus v Aberdeenshire, Northern Counties v Perth & Kinross.

North Division Inter-county Matches (lunch-time news)
Aberdeenshire took a 1pt lead from the foursomes into the afternoon singles against defending champions Northern Counties on a gloriously sunny and very warm second day of the Northern Division women's inter-county championship at Elgin Golf Club today.
The meeting between the teams who won their Saturday matches - Aberdeenshire beat Perth & Kinross 5-4 while Northern Counties beat Angus 5 1/2-3 1/2 - had the potential to be the decisive confrontation of the three-day programme. The team that goes into Monday's closing programme will be favourites to go forward to the Scottish county finals at Ranfurly Castle in September.
Angus lead Perth & Kinross 2 1/2- 1/2 after the foursomes of the other tie at Elgin.
Highlight of the Northern Counties v Aberdeenshire morning play was a tremendous fightback by the champions' top pairing of Kelsey MacDonald and Laura Walker, both members of Nairn Dunbar Golf Club.
They were five down with six holes to play against Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) and Laura Murray (Alford) but took the tie all the way to the last green before going under by one hole. With a little bit of lucky, the Northern Counties pair would have salvaged a square match.
Angus's Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) and Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) had a big win for Angus in the lead-off foursome against Perth & Kinross's Roseanne Niven (Crieff) and Jane Yellowlees.
Dawn and Ann won by 5 and 3.
Perth & Kinross did not field their 13-year-old champion Carly Booth in the heat of the morning foursomes. Carly did tee off in the singles in the No 1 position against Ann Ramsay.
Morning details:
ANGUS lead PERTH & KINROSS 2 1/2-1/2
Foursomes: D Dewar & A Ramsay bt R Niven & J Yellowlees 5 and 3; M Summers & L Fotheringham bt A Ker & D Butchart 2 and 1; S Raitt & K McNicoll halved with E Ogilvy & J Milne (2 1/2- 1/2)
Singles: Ramsay v Carly Booth, Dewar v Emma Napper, Jackie Brown v Yellowlees, McNicoll v Butchart, Jane Tough v Milne, Summers v Ogilvy.
ABERDEENSHIRE lead NORTHERN COUNTIES 2-1
Foursomes: S Wood & L Murray bt K MacDonald & L Walker 1 hole; L Urquhart & M Thomson bt C Gruber & K Harper 4 and 2; L McLardy & C Wilson lost to M Sievewright & J Milne 3 and 1 (2-1).
Singles: Donna Pocock v Gruber, Thomson v MacDonald, Julie Henderson v Walker, Murray v Linda Smith, Wilson v Sievewright, Wood v Milne.

US Womens Open
Karen Stupples from England and two young amateurs, Michelle Wie and Morgan Pressell, share the lead on one over par 214 in the US Womens Open after three rounds at Cherry Hills Country Club, Colorado yesterday.
Catriona Matthew from North Berwick, Scotland, is six shots behind, tied for 26th on 220.
Player Interviews
SCOREBOARD
214 Karen Stupples (Eng) 75 70 69; (a) Morgan Pressell (US) 71 73 70; (a) Michelle Wie (US) 69 73 72.
215 Birdie Kim (Kor) 74 72 69; Young Jo (Kor) 74 71 70; Paula Creamer (US) 74 69 72.
Also:
219 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 71 75 73 (tied 16th).
220 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 73 72 75 (tied 26th).

Saturday 25th June 2005

North Division Inter-county Matches
NORTHERN COUNTIES, ABERDEENSHIRE WIN ON OPENING DAY AT ELGIN
Northern Counties, bidding for a hat-trick of victories in the Northern Division women's inter-county team championship at Elgin Golf Club, started the three-day programme with a 5 ½- 3 ½ win over Angus.
The 2pt victory margin was achieved in the morning foursomes. The afternoon singles were shared 3-3.
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Northern Counties' youngest-ever champion at the age of 14, was played in the No 2 singles berth and beat Lynne Fotheringham (Abertay) 3 and 2.
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) beat Angus county champion Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) 5 and 4 in the top singles.
Aberdeenshire edged a 5-4 win over Perth & Kinross. Again it was the morning foursomes that were the deciding factor. Shire established a 2-1 lead in the alternate-shot play and then shared the afternoon singles 3-3.
Carly Booth (Auchterarder), the 13-year-old P & K champion, beat Julie Henderson (Inverurie), the Aberdeenshire title-holder, by 4 and 3 in the top singles.
Details:
NORTHERN COUNTIES 5 ½, ANGUS 3 ½
Foursomes
Cara Gruber & Kelsey MacDonald halved with Dawn Dewar & Ann Ramsay;
Kerry Harper & Laura Walker bt Mary Summers & Jane Tough 2 holes;
Meg Sievewright & Jenny Milne bt Shona Raitt & Jackie Brown 2 and 1 (2 ½- ½).
Singles
Gruber bt Summers 5 and 4, MacDonald bt Lynne Fotheringham 3 and 2, Harper lost to Katie McNicoll 3 and 1, Walker bt Dewar 1 hole, Linda Smith lost to Shona Raitt 4 and 3, Christine McAndrew lost to Ann Ramsay 9 and 8 (3-3).
ABERDEENSHIRE 5, PERTH & KINROSS 4
Foursomes
Sheena Wood & Laura Murray bt Carly Booth & Dawn Butchart 3 and 2;
Linda Urquhart & Michele Thomson bt Roseanne Niven & Jane Yellowlees 2 holes;
Donna Pocock & Laura McLardy lost to Emma Napper & Avril Ker 2 and 1 (2-1).
Singles
Julie Henderson lost to Booth 4 and 3, Murray bt Napper 4 and 2, Wood lost to Niven 1 hole, Thomson beat Jillian Milne 4 and 3, Carol Wilson bt Avril Ker 6 and 4, Pocock lost to Emily Ogilvy 2 holes (3-3).

South Division Inter-county Matches
BORDERS TOO GOOD FOR DUMFRIES-SHIRE
Borders began the defence of their South Division inter-county team championship with a convincing win over Dumfries-shire at Hirsel Golf Club today (Saturday).
Borders took the foursomes 2 ½- ½  and then made a 6-0 clean sweep of the singles for an overall 8 ½ - ½ win.
On Sunday, Dumfrieshire play Galloway and the three-cornered contest ends on Monday with Borders playing Galloway.
DUMFRIES-SHIRE ½, BORDERS 8 ½
Foursomes: Diane MacDonald & Kristy Wells halved with Martine Pow & Judith Anderson; Fiona McGregor & Rrish Lilly lost to Julie Birdsall-White & Louise Fleming 1 hole; Margaret McGregor & Lindsey Kirkwood lost to Wendy Wells & Mags Morrison 2 holes ( ½ - 2 ½).
Singles: MacDonald lost to Pow 2 and 1, F McGregor lost to Fleming 3 and 2, Pam Kirk lost to Wendy Wells 5 and 3, Lilly lost to Karen Hughes 3 and 2, Kirkwood lost to Birdsall-White 6 and 4, Kirsty Wells lost to Anderson 1 hole (0-6).

Sian Reddick to defend English Strokeplay Championship
Kent’s Sian Reddick, pictured right, will defend her title when the English Ladies’ Strokeplay Championship is played at St Anne’s Old Links from July 12-14.
The 20-year-old from Sene Valley heads a full field of 120 players, which includes three former champions, a host of internationals and a strong contingent of youngsters.
“I’m looking forward to playing St Anne’s, which has a lot of history attached to it,” said Sian. “I’m just going to go up there and try my best. It’s going to be hard, the course is tricky and there are a lot of good people in the field.”
Sian won last year’s championship at Woodhall Spa by five shots, with a seven-under par total for the 72 holes. Shortly afterwards she set off for the USA and her first year at Baylor University, Texas, where she quickly became a key player on the golf team.
“I just love it over there, it’s so much fun and I think it has made me more confident,” she said.
Since she returned for the summer break Sian has reached the last 16 in the British Amateur at Littlestone and will play for England in the European Ladies’ Team Championship in Sweden from July 5-9. Then it’s straight back for the strokeplay championship.
St Anne’s Old Links is hosting this tournament for the first time although the course has previously been the setting for the English Ladies’ Amateur Championship.
The club, which celebrated its centenary in 2001, is a sought-after venue for top tournament golf. It’s an Open qualifying course, a host for the first week of the European Tour qualifying school, it will hold final qualifying for next year’s Women’s British Open and, with Royal Lytham & St Anne’s, will co-host the Amateur Championship in 2007.
Secretary Steve Mainwaring commented: “It’s a testing course, a traditional links course and, like any links, it needs the wind to provide its teeth. We are hoping for blue skies and wind!”
The par 72 layout has been lengthened by 358 yards for the championship, using a mixture of ladies, men’s and seniors’ tees. It will measure 5988 yards.
Its challenge will be met by a strong field. The internationals include Kerry Smith (Waterlooville), Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park) and Faye Sanderson (Heworth, Durham) who will return, alongside Sian, from the European Team Championships.
Sophie won this event in 2004, following Sara Garbutt (Ganton) and Caroline Marron (Bromborough) who are both playing.
Among the competitors who have already tasted success this season are Naomi Edwards (Ganton), who won the St Rule Trophy at St Andrew’s and 15-year-old Henni Brockway (Yeovil), the Welsh open strokeplay champion.
All 120 players will play 18 holes on each of the first two days of the championship. The leading 36 players and ties qualify for the final 36 holes, which are played on the third day. Spectators are welcome.
Full list of players is available on the ELGA website www.englishladiesgolf.org

US Womens' Open
Annika Sorenstam has not yet given up on her Grand Slam dream but bogeys at the last three holes of a second-round 75 saw her fall six strokes off the lead at the halfway stage of the US Women's Open in Denver, Colorado.
Nicole Perrot, 21, from Chile, returned another 70 to lead on two-under-par 140, two ahead of Michelle Wie, the 15-year-old Hawiaan wonder girl amateur, and Mexico's Lorena Ochoa.
Ochoa, who won last week's LPGA tournament in Rochester, had a 68, the best of the second round, while Miss Wie continued her astonishing run of form at the highest level with a 73.
Here is a transcript of Michelle Wie’s post-round interview at the Media Centre.

DALE AND CATHY WIN SOME DOLLARS ON SENIORS TOUR
Dale Reid tied for 15th place while Cathy Panton-Lewis finished joint 39th in a field of 52 for the Hy-Vee Classic, one of the U S Women’s Senior Tour events, at Hyperion Field Club, Johnston in Iowa.
Dale had rounds of 74 and 72 for four-over-par 146 and did not have a 6 on her card which had consistent halves of 37-37-35-37.
The Fifer earned $7,166.
Cathy scored 77 and 76 for 153 with halves of 38-39-39-37. She earned $4,372.
There is good money to be won in these over-50 events.
The winner, Kathryn Young-Robin collected $75,000 for a four-under-par total of 140 (68-72).
She won by one shot from joint runners-up Cindy Miller (71-70) and Laura Shanahan Rowe (75-66). They each won $33,500.

Friday 24th June 2005

US Womens Open
MICHELLE WIE SHARES US WOMEN'S OPEN LEAD
Michelle Wie returned from an overnight delay to birdie the long 17th on her way to a two under par 69 and a share of the first-round lead in the US Women's Open in Colorado.
Catriona Matthew was also caught up in the darkness suspension at Denver's Cherry Hills Country Club, and she dropped a shot at the ninth (her 18th) for a two over par 73 and was the only British player in the top 20. Laura Davies, playing with Wie, had a disastrous 84.
Wie, second behind Annika Sorenstam in the previous major, the LPGA Championship, finished tied with fellow Americans, 19-year-old amateur Brittany Lang and Angela Stanford, and Karine Icher, from France.

WPGA Event
RECORD SCORE BY SOPHIE HUNTER
The threatened thunder and lightning never appeared but fireworks were certainly provided by Sophie Hunter when she won the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA One-Day Series event with a six-under-par 66 at Colchester Golf Club this week.
In all she had seven birdies - with just one blemish, three putts on the par-3 fourth, resulting in a lone bogey.
Second, two shots behind Hunter, was Claire Duffy (Sandford Springs). 
Hunter and Duffy were the two qualifiers for the £350,000 Wales Ladies Championship of Europe which will be held at the Nicklaus-designed Machynys Peninsula Golf & Country Club, Llanelli from August 11-14.
A total of 10 places in the championship are being awarded to the top two finishers in five of the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA One-Day Series events.
Remaining dates for the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA qualifiers are at Forest Pines (July 5) and Dunham Forest (July 18).
COLCHESTER SCOREBOARD
66 (-6)  Sophie Hunter  (Golfers' Paradise).
68  Clare Duffy  (Sandford Springs).
72 Tracy Loveys  (Broadstone), Sara Clinton (Herne Bay), Jodie Dartford (Upminster).
73 Lindsey Elkins (Oake Manor.
The leading four WPGA professionals in each of the six one-day series events receive points towards the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA Order of Merit which has prize money of £1,000. The Order of Merit points after three events is as follows:
1 Sara Clinton 17.33pt
2 Joanne Oliver 13.33pt
3 Sophie Hunter 10pt
4 Claire Duffy 8.33pt
5 Laura Wright 3.33pt
6 Tracy Loveys 2.66pt
7 (equal) Alison Johns, Susan Moon, Jodie Dartford 1.33pt.
+Visit www.PGA.info for up todate reports and scores on the Ryder Cup 2010 WPGA One-Day Series.

LGU Press Release
Ladies British Open Mid-Amateur Championship
Curtis Cup player Alison Coffey, pictured right, is one of a number of top players entered for the Ladies British Open Mid-Amateur Championship to be played at Walton Heath Golf Club from 1-3 July.
Alison represented GB&I in the 2002 match at Fox Chapel, the third year of a spell of outstanding golf in which she twice won the Irish Close Championship. If she is to win a first elusive British title, she will have to overcome the challenge from over 100 players including several from the Continent and further afield.
Ms Coffey, is the backmarker in the field, and one of five players entered off a + handicap.
Others who might be expected to challenge for honours are Rebecca Halpern and Sally Krueger of the U.S. and English players Lisa Ball, Rachael Lomas and Michelle Smith.
An added bonus for the winner is a place directly into Final Qualifying for the Weetabix Women’s British Open. This is played immediately prior to the Championship which is returning to Royal Birkdale for the fourth time.
Walton Heath, set in rural Surrey, is an ideal setting for championship golf and earlier this month hosted International Final Qualifying for the U.S. Open. Over the years it has been the venue for many top tournaments and on three occasions, 1968, 1982 and 2000 was the setting for the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship.
Competitors play 18 holes on each of the first two days and the 40 lowest scores and ties qualify for the final 18 holes on Sunday 3 July.
he full list of competitors can be viewed at www.lgu.org.
NB Scots who have entered are :-
Pat Bennett (Reading). Handicap 9.1.
Sara Bishop (Windyhilll). Handicap 1.2.
Fiona Clark (HankleyCommon. Handicap 10.4.
Frances Finney (Gread Hadham). Handicap 3.9.
Anne Macgregor (Lingdale). Handicap 5.6.
Fiona Sinclair (Carnoustie Caledonia). Handicap 10.6.

North Division Inter-County Matches
Northern Counties have won the Northern Division women’s inter-county golf team title and gone on to take the Scottish championship as well for the past two years.
Can they make it a hat-trick of regional titles at Elgin by beating Angus, Aberdeenshire and Perth & Kinross over the three-day programme starting on Saturday? Perhaps, but it looks the most open divisional championship for years.
Northern Counties have lost their classy No 1 player, New Zealander Liz McKinnon to the pro ranks and with Pat McLennan (Forres), a hard-to-beat middle-order team player, not available for selection, the title-holders have had to turn the clock back to choose Meg Sievewright (Keith) and Linda Smith (Buckpool) whose last county team appearances were not yesterday.
On the plus side, Northern Counties have in 14-year-old Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) one of the best prospects in the country and well used to county-level pressure. She played in the national title-winning team at Nairn Dunbar last year.
Aberdeenshire, the only county apart from Northern Counties, to have won the divisional title in recent years also blood two teenagers who are going places – Laura Murray (Alford), winner of the Scottish schoolgirls title a week or two ago, and long-hitting Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), who won the girls’ section of the latest Nick Faldo Junior Series Qualifier at Blairgowrie on Thursday.
Perth & Kinross have their best chance of making a run at the title for years. Carly Booth (Auchterarder), recently turned 13 years of age, has one of a handicap and is the P&K county champion.
Roseanne Niven (Crieff) is only 16 but she won the Scottish Under-16 girls’ title a year ago and beat Carly Booth to the P&K women’s title by a year.
Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart) has made steady improvement on the American college circuit and finished a creditable fourth in the Munross Trophy at Montrose last Sunday.
Angus too have a teenager who is capable of great things. Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies), only 17, covered the Old Course, St Andrews in a brilliant 70 shots during the St Rule Trophy this year. That is some going.
With experienced players like county champion Mary Summers (Panmure Barry) around to give her support, Katy could be an inspiration to the Angus camp.
PROGRAMME
Saturday
Northern Counties v Angus, Aberdeenshire v Perth & Kinross.
Sunday
Angus v P&K, Northern Counties v Aberdeenshire.
Monday
Angus v Aberdeenshire, P&K v Northern Counties.
TEAMS
ABERDEENSHIRE: Julie Henderson (Invereurie), Laura McLardy (Murcar), Laura Murray (Alford), Donna Pocock (Murcar), Michele Thomson (Ellon), Linda Urquhart (Banchroy), Carol Wilson (Murcar), Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies).
ANGUS: Jackie Brown (Monifieth), Dawn Dewar (Monifieth), Lynne Fotheringham (Abertay), Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie Laties), Shona Raitt (Forfar), Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir), Mary Summers (Panmure Barry), Jane Tough (Brechin).
NORTHERN COUNTIES: Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), Kerri Harper (Inverness), Christine McAndrew (Nairn Dunbar), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Jenny Milne (Elgin), Meg Sievewright (Keith), Linda Smith (Buckpool), Laura Walker (Nairn Dunbar).
PERTH & KINROSS: Carly Booth (Auchterarder), Dawn Butchart (Strathmore), Avril Ker (Craigie Hill), Jillian Milne (Craigie Hill), Emma Napper (Craigie Hill), Roseanne Niven (Crieff), Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart), Jane Yellowlees (Murrayshall).

South Division Inter-County Matches
Borders, the 2004 winners, are hosting the event at the Hirsel this coming weekend.
PROGRAMME
Saturday
Borders V Dumfries 9.30 and 2.30
Sunday
Dumfries V Galloway 9.37 and 2.30
Monday
Borders V Galloway 9.30 and 2.30
TEAMS
BORDERS: Judith Anderson, Julie Birdsall White, Emma Fairnie, Louise Fleming, Karen Hughes, Mags Morrison, Martine Pow, Wendy Wells
DUMFRIESHIRE: Diane Macdonald, Trisy Lilly, Kirsty Wells, Margaret McGregor, Fiona Macgregor, Pam Kirk, Lyndsey Kirkwood,  Eileen Scott.

Thursday 23rd June 2005

Faldo Series
Michele Thomson wins second Faldo Qualifier
Michele Thomson, pictured below, from Ellon, pipped by Carly Booth for the top spot at Carnoustie, gained a measure of revenge by winning the girls' category with a four-over-par 77 in the 2nd Scottish Qualifier of the Nick Faldo Junior Series over Blairgowrie’s testing Lansdowne course, Blairgowrie today.
Michelle began encouragingly with a birdie at the long first but ran up a double-bogey at the short fifth and bogeys at the sixth and ninth to be out in three-over 40.
She had further bogeys at the 11th and 13th but covered the last five holes in one under par with the help of a birdie at the long 17th. She came back in one-over 37 to her 77.
Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), like Michele Thomson a four-handicapper, was runner-up with a 79 (39-40). Pamela had a bogey at the first and a double-bogey 6 at the third but a birdie at the seventh helped her to reach the turn in two-over 39. She dropped shots to par over the early inward holes but steadied up to par in for 40 home.
Carly Booth, now a one-handicapper and past her 13th birthday, usually plays well at Blairgowrie – but not this time! She finished third on 81 after taking 42 blows to the turn. Carly had bogeys at the third, fifth, sixth and ninth and a double bogey-7 at the long eighth.
Coming home, she dropped shots at the 10th, 11th, 15th and 16th but gained her only birdie of the day at the long 17th for 39 home.
The players are given points for where they finish within the category and the girls’ current totals, adding together those gained at Carnoustie and those at Blairgowrie today, see Michelle Thomson in the lead with 27pt – two ahead of Carly Booth with Pamela Pretswell (22) in third place.
The third and final Scottish qualifier will be played at Kilmarnock Barassie on August 30. Only the winner (most points) of each category will go forward to the Nick Faldo Junior Series Grand Final at a venue still to be decided – probably near London – in the autumn.
Scotland junior cap Frazer Bone (Cardross) shot an excellent five-under-par 67 to be have the best overall score at Blairgowrie yesterday. In fact, Frazer's fine effort equalled the lowest score ever achieved in a regional round of the annual series.
In glorious, warm conditions, Bone's bogey-free round had birdies at the seventh, ninth, 14th, 15th and 17th in halves of 34 (two under par) and 33 (three under par) off the white medal tees, a course of 6,834yd.
Frazer won the Under-21 section on the day by seven shots.
Scott Borrowman (Dollar) won the Under-18s category with a par-matching 72, despite a double-bogey 6 at the 11th.
Tom Higson (Eyemouth) and Ross Kellett (Colville Park) shared the top honours in the Under-17s, also with 7s.
There was also a tie in the Under-16s, with James Byrne (Banchory), who was the overall winner at Carnoustie, and Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) having matching 72s.
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) won the Under-15s by 10 shots with a great score of four-under-par 68.
SCOREBOARD
FALDO SERIES
2nd Scottish Qualifier
Lansdowne course, Blairgowrie
BOYS
Under-21
67 F Bone (Cardross). 73 J Donaldson (Brucefields), J Gardiner (Montrose Mercantile). 78 S Larkin (Banchory). 79 J Walkden (Royal Montrose), Evan Bryceland (Craigielaw), A McKie (Glencruitten). 82 F Skene (Tantallon), J Forbes (Inverness). 84 R McKen.
Points totals: 27 F Bone. 20 J Donaldson. 19.5 Fraser Skene. 17.5 J Gardiner. 17 J Walkden. 13 S Larkin. 12.5 J Forbes. 12 Evan Bryceland. 9.5 R McKen. 8.5 A McKie. 3 K Truscott (Newmachar). 1.5 R Lando (Colville Park).
Under-18
72 S Borrowman (Dollar). 73 R King (Dumbarton). 75 M Watson (Elgin). 76 P McLean (Peterhead). 77 E Malcolm (Dunfermline). 81 S Robin (Prestwick St Nicholas). 84 P Latimer (St Andrews New). 85 B Rushford (Grangemouth) 87 J Lockie (Tantallon).
Points totals: 27 R King. 20.5 S Borrowman. 20 P McLean. 19 E Malcolm. 18.5 M Watson. 14 S Robin. 12.5 J Lockie. 9 P Latimer, B Rushford. 5.5 S Neilson.
Under-17
72 T Higson (Eyemouth), R Kellett (Colville Park). 73 G Mitchell (Northern). 74 S McAllister (Craigielaw). 75 T Bassett (Warley Park). 76 R Bell (Downfield). 78 Z Saltman (Craigielaw). 79 J Neilson (Dunbar). 80 G Robertson (Glenbervie). 81 D Torrance (Sunningdale). 82 G Stevenson (Golf House, Elie), S Henderson (Barassie). 83 J Mackay.
Points totals: 22.5 S McAllister (Craigielaw). 18.5 J Neilson. 17.5 T Higson. 17 G Mitchell. 16.5 R Bell. 15 T Bassett. 14 R Kellett. 11 G Stevenson. 8.5 Z Saltman. 7 J Mackay. 5.5 D Torrance. 5 J Findlay (Fraserburgh). 4.5 G Robertson. 1.5 S Henderson.
Under-16
72 J Byrne (Banchory), A Wallace (Glenbervie). 73 C Gray (West Kilbride). 75 K Harper (Carnoustie). 78 M Daily (Erskine), J Caldwell (Greenock). 79 N Kearns (Omagh) 86 S Barras (Helensburgh), D Parlane (Helensburgh).
Points totals: 28.5 J Byrne. 21.5 A Wallace. 21 K Harper. 18 C Gray. 15.5 M Daily. 14.5 S Barras. 13 J Caldwell. 9 N Kearns. 8.5 D Parlane. 5.5 N Henderson (The Glen).
Under-15
68 M Stewart (Troon Welbeck). 78 G Duncan (Craigielaw). 79 T Mitchell (Longside). 80 S Fraser (Northern), J Hendrick (Pollock), K Smith (Troon St Meddans). 82 S Binning (Old Ranfurly), 83 N Avanzo (Milan). 85 A Abercrombie (Largs), F Lawrie (Largs).
Points totals: 30 M Stewart. 20 G Duncan, K Smith. 17.5 S Fraser. 16 T Mitchell. 15.5 S Binning. 11 J Hendrick. 9.5 A Abercrombie, F Lawrie. 9 Navanzo.
GIRLS
77 M Thomson (McDonald Ellon). 79 P Pretswell (Bothwell Castle). 81 C Booth (Auchterarder). 88 G Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), J Turner (Mortonhall), R Wilson (Monifieth). 105 J Sneddon (Scotscraig).
Points totals: 27 M Thomson. 25 C Booth. 22 P Pretswell. 15 G Monteith. 14 J Sneddon. 8 J Turner, R Wilson 8.

P&K Junior Championship
EVE IS P AND K JUNIOR CHAMPION
Eve Muirhead (Pitlochry) won the Perth & Kinross junior championship, played at King James VI Golf Club, Perth. Eve had a round of 82.
Runner-up was Annabel Niven (Crieff) with an 89 (better inward half).
Jillian Sneddon (Alyth), playing off 27, was the handicap champion with a net 72 (better inward half). Runner-up was Julienne Peebles (Craigie Hill) with a 72 off 17.
Ailie Burnett (Dunkeld & Birnam) was third with a net 76 off 36.
CS was 72.
Nine girls played 18 holes and 25 pre-handicap girls played 4, 5, 6,8 and 9 holes.
Winner was Erin Millar (Pitlochry) with 35. Rachel Clark (Strathmore) was runner-up with 37 and Megan Aird (Pitlochry) third with 39.

Aberdeen Schools Golf Team Championship
GRAMMAR SCHOOL SCORE UPSET WIN IN SCHOOLS GOLF FINAL
Aberdeen Grammar School scored a convincing 3-0 win over the favourites, Robert Gordon's College, in the final of the Aberdeen schools golf team championship over the Hazlehead No 1 course last night (THURSDAY).
Grammar's biggest win in the three foursomes ties was achieved by the partnership containing the only girl in the match - Mhairi Johnstone. Mhairi, who won the Aberdeen schoolgirls' title last week, teamed up with Donald McAndrew to beat Ewen Milne and John Geddie by 6 and 4.
Grammar's other winning combinations were Nick McAndrew and David Law, and Kevin Bass and Mark Wareham.
Details (Grammar players first):
Nick McAndrew and David Law beat Tom Rennie and Robert Gallon 2 holes.
Donald McAndrew and Mhairi Johnstone beat Ewen Milne and John Geddie 6 and 4.
Kevin Bass and Mark Wareham beat Andrew Hardie and Tom Agnew 1 hole.

Irish News
TRISH MANGAN WINS IRISH TITLE FOR FIRST TIME
Tricia Mangan, 31-year-old Vagliano Trophy player from Ennis, has won the Irish women’s closed amateur championship for the first time.
Tricia beat another first-time finalist, 19-year-old Catherine Tucker (Limerick) by 3 and 2 in the 18-hole final yesterday at Portsalon Golf Club.
Tucker won the first with a cast iron par 4 and held that lead until her bogey 5 on the 3rd. She nudged ahead again when Mangan found an unplayable lie off the tee at the fourth but was soon pegged back when she bunkered her tee shot at the next.
Mangan then parred the next two to go two up. That lead was cut to one when Tucker holed out with an eight-iron approach for an eagle 2 at the ninth.
Tucker fell two holes behind again when she bogeyed the 11th. Mangan's approach to the 13th and she conceded that hole to be only one up with five to play.
Tucker bunkered her tee shot to the par-3 15th and failed to hole a par-saving 6ft putt across the hill to go two behind.
Mangan's approach to the 16th flew over the flag and when she bottled the return eight-footer for a birdie - it was all over.
A delighted Mangan tearfully rejoiced: "It was absolutely brilliant. I was so thrilled to see the last putt drop. It was worth every minute of all the hours of practice I've spent.
"I've been really close many times but it's fabulous to finally be crowned Irish champion. What a wonderful couple of weeks I’ve had,” she added, referring to her run in the British women’s open amateur championship which clinched a place in the GB&I team to play the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy at Chantilly next month.
Tricia paid tribute to the battling qualities of her opponent and predicted a strong future for the talented 19 year old.
In the morning semi-finals Tucker had scored a stunning 5 and 4 win over Karen Delaney. She birdied the first, the 11th, the 12th (pitching in for a 2), the 13th and 14th to win by 5 and 4.
The Tricia Mangan v Marian Riordan semi-final was a very different game entirely. Both players matched par on the outward nine and Riordan finally broke the deadlock with a birdie 2 at the 10th.
Mangan replied swiftly with a birdie 4 at the 11 and again both continued to match par through to the 16th.
At the 17th, Mangan holed her approach shot for an eagle 3 to take a slender lead to the 18th tee. Mangan's approach to the par-5 hole finished left of the green while O'Riordan's finished 25ft short of the hole.
Mangan pitched to 3 feet while O'Riordan's putt just failed to take the break and squeezed by. Mangan duly holed her 3-footer to clinch victory.
Tricia now leads the Irish squad of six at the European team championships at Karlstad, Sweden from July 5 to 9.
It is:
Claire Coughlan (Cork).
Tara Delaney (Carlow).
Martina Gillen (Beaverstown).
Tricia Mangan (Ennis).
Heather Nolan (Shannon).
Deirdre Smith (Co Louth).
Reserves:
Catherine Tucker (Limerick).
Maria Dunne (Skerries).
Maura Morrin (Curragh).
The Irish squad for the European Under-18 girls’ team championship at Lucerne, Switzerland from July 5 to 9 is:
Fiona Carroll (Athenry), Sarah Faller (Galway), Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies)
Reserves
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Linda Toomey (Limerick)

New Fraserburgh record
Mrs Margaret Attfield set a new women's course record of three-under-par 71 in the Fraserburgh Golf Club women's championship last night (WED).
Her figures were:
OUT: 555 445 334 - 38
    IN: 444 434 334 - 33
Margaret had birdies at the eighth, ninth, 15th, 16th and 18th. She had two early bogeys, at the third and fifth in going out in level par 38 and home in three-under-par 33.
The CSS was 71 and her handicap was cut from eight to six as a result.
The previous record of 72 was set by Audrey Barclay and equalled by Elaine Farquharson, Jill Harrison and Sheena Wood.

Wednesday 22nd June 2005

BRITISH UNIVERSITIES STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Murrayshall GC, Perthshire
Yorkshire county player Will Shucksmith, a 21-year-economics student at Durham University, rallied over the final nine holes to regain the lead and win the British universities' men's stroke-play championship at Murrayshall Golf Club, Perthshire today (WED).
Dundee University dental student Gemma Webster, a 19-year-old member of Hilton Park Golf Club and a Scotland junior international, won the women's title by two shots from halfway leader Samantha Birks (Manchester University), a Welsh junior cap and member at Wolstanton GC.
Shucksmith, who hails from Leeds and plays off +2, led by two shots overnight but was joined on the 210 mark by Danish-born Christian Abrahamsen (Edinburgh) who shot a 71 to Will's 73 in the third round over the Lynedoch course.
Abrahamsen, 25, who reduced his handicap from four to two during the event, took up the running with 37 to Shucksmith's 39 over the first nine of the closing round over Murrayshall.
But Christian bogeyed the 10th and the 11th to lose his advantage and it all finally boiled down to the 199yd par-3 18th. On level pegging on the tee, both men were just off the green with their tee shots. Shucksmith got down in two, holing from 6ft for a par 3, a round of 73 and a total of one-under-par 283.
Abrahamsen chipped to just under 5ft - and missed the putt that would have forced a play-off. A bogey 4 for 74 gave him a total of level par 284.
Blair Paterson (Stirling University) made up a considerable amount of ground with closing rounds of 69 and 68 to finish third on 284.
Conor Doran (Ulster University), who did not survive the halfway cut, won the BUSA Order of Merit for the students' golf season with 1100pt, 50 ahead of runner-up Simon Lee (Northumbria) with Blair Paterson third on 1000.
In the women's event, Gemma Webster started the day four shots behind halfway leader Samantha Birks but cut the leeway to one shot with a third-round 73 to her rival's 76 over the Murrayshall course.
Playing together in the final round over the Lynedoch lay-out, both Gemma and Samantha had inward halves they would rather forget but Miss Webster's closing score of 76 (35-41) for 298 saw her finish clear of Miss Birks who signed off with a 79 (37-42).
The decisive hole in the final round was the par-5 14th which Gemma parred while Samantha ran up a triple-bogey 8 which included three putts.
Scotland women's international Kylie Walker (Stirling Univerity), a member at Buchanan Castle GC, finished third on 302, only four shots behind the winner.
Kylie closed with a 75 over the Lynedoch course - 10 shots better than her first attempt at the No 2 circuit.
English-born Olivia Briggs (Stirling University), pictured right, won the BUSA Women's Order of Merit for the season. By finishing fourth today (Wed), she earned 350pt for a final total of 1350. Monifieth's Dawn Dewar (Stirling University), level with Olivia at the top of the table going into the championships, gained only 175 pt for eighth place and finished runner-up with 1175pt.
Gemma Webster, with 600pt for her victory at Murrayshall, came third on 1125pt.
MEN: FINAL TOTALS
Order of rounds: Lynedoch (Par 69) 1 & 3, Murrayshall (Par 73) 2 & 4.
283 W Shucksmith (Durham) 66 71 73 73.
284 C Abrahamsen (Edinburgh) 68 71 71 74.
285 B Patterson (Stirling) 78 70 69 68.
286 C Colraine (Strathclyde) 74 71 70 71.
287 G Yates (Stirling) 69 74 69 75.
289 M Read (Bournemouth) 75 72 69 73, G Dickson (Ulster) 70 73 70 76, S Lee (Northumbria) 66 77 69 77.
290 N Scholey (Northumbria) 72 72 68 78, P Graham (Northumbria) 74 69 70 77.
291 J McLeary (Stirling) 67 75 72 77.
292 D Taylor (Nottingham0 73 71 74 74, R Raye (Bournemouth) 71 72 77 72.
294 C Wilkinson (Northumbria) 78 71 73 72.
295 D Graham (Edinburgh) 74 72 71 78.
296 I Brown (Heriot Watt) 76 74 69 77.
297 G Finlay (Abertay) 76 76 72 73, E Bryceland (Stirling) 68 78 75 76.
299 N Cameron (Stirling) 79 71 73 76, G Evans (Middlesex) 72 77 74 76, R Laino (Durham) 69 77 79 74, A Nelson (Strathclyde) 73 72 79 75.
300 A Keir (Dundee) 73 79 72 76.
301 C Swann (Bournemouth) 78 73 78 72, M Lindsay (Abertay) 77 74 77 73, J Cheetham (Birmingham) 75 74 75 77, C Kerr (Warwick) 73 76 72 80.
302 S Ruddle (Bournemouth) 75 74 76 77.
304 T Pulling (Bath) 78 73 75 78, F Inglis (Glasgow) 75 77 76 76, S Shepard (Birmingham) 73 75 77 79.
305 B Brooke (Stirling) 77 75 81 72.
307 R Hutton (Glasgow) 75 77 76 79.
308 T Gibbs (Birmingham) 75 74 75 84.
310 R James (Glamorgan) 70 79 78 83.
311 M Harrington (Northampton) 77 75 83 76.
Withdrew: R Ramsay (Stirling) 73 69.
BUSA MEN'S ORDER OF MERIT
Leading final points totals
1100 C Doran (Ulster). 1050 S Lee (Northumbria). 1000 B Paterson (Stirling). 793 N Scholey (Northumbria). 693 M Hilson (St Andrews). 650 G Yates (Stirling). 500 G Cooper (Centrea Lancs). 443 T Spence (Ulster). 400 B Eestgate (Exeter). 360 A McCloy (Ulster)
WOMEN: FINAL TOTALS
Order of rounds: Murrayshall (Par 73) 1 & 3, Lynedoch (Par 69) 2 & 4.
298 G Webster (Dundee) 79 70 73 76.
300 S Birks (Manchester) 75 70 76 79.
302 K Walker (Stirling) 71 85 71 75.
304 O Briggs (Stirling) 76 80 73 75.
309 A Ramsay (Heriot Watt) 77 77 81 74.
311 S Round (Gloucestershire) 79 82 77 73, C-M Carlton (Stirling) 81 82 71 77.
318 D Dewar (Stirling) 75 84 75 84.
322 J Campbell (Warwick) 82 87 76 77.
328 M Temple (Exeter) 86 81 79 82.
333 S Morgan (Glamorgan) 85 85 78 85.
339 N Ford (Stirling) 87 89 84 79.
345 G Davidson (Robert Gordon) 81 92 80 92.
355 F Williamson (Strathclyde) 83 102 83 87.
383 A Creasy (Middlesex) 95 100 90 98.
BUSA WOMEN'S ORDER OF MERIT
Final points totals
1350 O Briggs (Stirling). 1175 D Dewar (Stirling). 1125 G Webster (Dundee). 1000 C-M Carlton (Stirling). 950 A Ramsay (Heriot Watt). 800 A Marshall (Stirling), S Birks (Manchester). 775 K Walker (Stirling). 625 S Morgan (Glamorgan). 600 K Wells (Dundee). 500 E Tipping (Stirling). 400 M Temple (Exeter). 375 S Round (Gloucestershire). 350 M Costello (York). 300 S Birks (Manchester), S Turner (Sheffield Hallam). 200 L Wetherill (York).

ELGA Press Release
Joanne Hodge wins Harper Salver
England teenager Joanne Hodge won the Harper Salver by four shots in the Bristol and District Lady Golfers’ Open Championship at Bath.
The 18-year-old from Knowle, Gloucestershire, carried on the form which took her into the last 16 in the British amateur championship and was four-under par for the day, returning scores of 71 and 73.
Her closest rival was16-year-old Hannah Grant from Enmore Park, near Bridgewater, who was the losing finalist in the Somerset county championship.
England U13 champion Kelly Tidy from Manchester was also in the prizes, returning a two-under par 72 in the morning round.
Joanne and Kelly are both members of ELGA’s Sport England, lottery-funded World Class training programme. Joanne is in the Elite Potential Girls squad, while Kelly is in the Select North squad.
Leading scores:
144 Joanne Hodge (Knowle) 71, 73.
148 Hannah Grant (Enmore) 75, 73.
150 Lauren Diggle (Celtic Manor) 76, 74; Elizabeth Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) 73, 77; Julia Norman (Exeter) 73, 77.
Best am gross: Kelly Tidy (Manchester) 72.
Best pm: Laura Jones (Upton by Chester) 75.
 

The West of Scotland Junior Jamboree was held at sunny Clober Golf Club on Tuesday, June 21st. In the morning rounds, Ayrshire beat Dunbartonshire and Argyll 4 - 1 and Lanarkshire beat Renfrewshire also by 4 - 1.
In the afternoon's play, D & A beat Renfrewshire by 3 - 2 to claim third spot, while in the final, Ayrshire triumphed 3.5 - 1.5 over Lanarkshire to win the Kennedy Salver.
The photo shows the victorious Ayrshire team and the Lady and Gentleman Captains of Clober G.C.

Tuesday 21st June 2005

British Universities Sports Association
RAMSAY, McLEARY POISED FOR LAST-DAY SURGE AT MURRAYSHALL
Durham's Will Shucksmith is the halfway leader on 137 - two shots ahead of Christian Abrahamsen (Edinburgh) - but the expectation is that either or both of the pre-tournament favourites, Scotland caps Richie Ramsay and Jamie McLeary, will come surging through to the front over the last two rounds of the
British universities men's stroke-play championship at the Perthshire venue tomorrow (WED).
The Stirling University team-mates are sharing third place on 142, McLeary coming back to form with a two-under-par 67 at the Lynedoch course while Walker Cup team near-certainty Ramsay had an incredible last four holes over the same No. 2 lay-out where he went from the sublime (out in 32) to the ridiculous (back in 41).
Richie, whose four-under-par 69 led the field over the No 1 Murrayshall course on Monday, had improved to six under for the tournament with birdies at the second and eighth in an outward 32 and a birdie 2 at the 13th which cancelled out a bogey at the 12th.
Then the Aberdonian winner of the Irish open amateur stroke-play title this season played his worst four holes of the season - back to back. He had a double-bogey 6 at the 294yd 15th; dropped shots at the 16th (355yd) and 17th (201yd); and finished off with another how-did-he-manage-that? double-bogey 6
at the 363yd 18th, a pitch-and-putt hole for a man of Ramsay's calibre.
McLeary birdied the fifth, seventh and 10th and bogeyed only the 15th in halves of 32 and 35.
Shucksmith, who has a handicap of +2 (Ramsay is +3.6 and McLeary +3.2), followed up his Monday 71 over the Murrayshall No 1 with a 66 at the shorter Lynedoch. He had no bogeys and three birdies, at the eighth, 10th and 18th in halves of 33.
Abrahamsen is playing way above his four-handicap rating with a 68 over Lynedoch in the first round and a 71 over Murrayshall yesterday.Stirling University won the men's team event, decided over the first two
rounds. They totalled 422 with Northumbria (431) second and Bournemouth (437) third.
In the women's individual championship, Samantha Burkes (Manchester) goes into the final two rounds with a four-shot lead from Gemma Webster (Dundee) with Anne Ramsey (Heriot Watt) third. Samantha shot a two-over-par 75 over the Murrayshall course for a 36-hole tally of 145. She had birdies at the second, third and 15th in halves of 38 and 37.
Gemma, overnight leader on 70, sagged with a 79 for 149 while Anne, the Scottish women's universities champion, duplicated her first-day 74 for 154.Kylie Walker (Stirling) had by far the best women's score of the day - an excellent two-under-par 71 over Murrayshall. She must be rueing her error-strewn 85 over the shorter Lynedoch course on Monday. On 156, Scotland international Kylie has 11 shots to make up on Samantha Burkes over the final two rounds.
Collated scoreboard
BRITISH UNIVERSITIES STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Murrayshall (Par 73) & Lynedoch (Par 69) courses
MEN - QUALIFIERS
Murrayshall scores first
137 W Shucksmith (Durham) 71 66.
139 C Abrahamsen (Edinburgh) 71 68.
142 R Ramsay (Stirling) 69 73, J McLeary (Stirling) 75 67.
143 S Lee (Northumbria) 77 66, R Raye (Bournemouth) 72 71, G Dixon (Ulster) 73 70, G Yates (Stirling) 74 69, P Graham (Northumbria) 69 74.
144 N Scholey (Northumbria) 72 72, D Taylor (Nottingham) 73 71.
145 C Colraine (Strathclyde) 71 74, A Nelson (Strathclyde) 72 73.
146 D Graham (Edinburgh)72 74, S Hanna (Liverpool) 73 73, R Laino (Durham) 77 69, E Bryceland (Stirling) 78 68.
147 M Read (Bournemouth) 72 75.
148 B Patterson (Stirling) 70 78, D McInroy (Strathclyde) 75 73, S Shepard (Birmingham) 75 73.
149 C Wilkinson (Northumbria) 71 78, J Cheetham (Birmingham) 74 75, T Gibbs (Birmingham) 74 75, G Evans (Middlesex) 77 72, S Ruddle (Bournemouth) 74 75, R James (Glamorgan) 79 70, C Kerr (Warwick) 76 73.
150 I Brown (Heriot Watt) 74 76, N Cameron (Stirling) 71 79.
151 G McInroy (Strathclyde) 72 79, M Lindsay (Abertay) 77 74, T Pulling (Bath) 73 78, C Swann (Bournemouth) 73 78.
152 F Inglis (Glasgow) 77 75, G Findlay (Abertay) 76 76, R Hutton (Glasgow) 77 75, M Harrington (Northampton) 77 75, R Hutton (Glasgow) 77 75, A Keir (Dundee) 73 80.
DID NOT QUALIFY
153 A Tonge (Nottingham) 76 77, R Warren (Nottingham) 76 77, B Brooke (Stirling) 75 78.
154 A McCloy (Ulster) 73 81, A Love (Heriot Watt) 80 74, C Hurst (Northumbria) 73 81, M Lee (Sunderland) 76 78.
155 T Light (Nottingham) 72 83, C Rossi (Strathclyde) 78 77, R Duncan (Heriot Watt) 78 77, D Murray (St Andrews) 78 77, B Brown (Ulster) 75 80, M Clinch (Dundee) 74 81, I Leadbetter (Liverpool) 77 78.
156 A Windsor (Birmingham) 78 78, D Evans (Dundee) 75 81, A Higgin (Sunderland) 85 71, A Fearnside (Glasgow) 77 79, A Leggate (Strathclyde) 75 81, C Brown (Birmingham) 77 79.
157 S Horne (Nottingham) 81 76, D Johnstone (Nottingham) 78 79, M Tansley (Durham) 78 79.
158 S Bennette (Sunderland) 73 85, A Price (UW Newport) 74 84, S Presho (Sunderland) 79 79.
159 N Finlay (Glasgow) 80 79, A Thompson (Abertay) 79 80, D Davidson (Glasgow) 78 81, M Adler (St Andrews) 78 81.
160 L Summerill (Glamorgan) 85 75, W Mutch (Durham) 81 79, R Sluming (Liverpool) 73 87.
161 C Mooney (Liverpool) 87 74, E Campbell (Abertay) 81 80.
162 A Aitlafkih (Stirling) 73 89.
163 S Essex (Warwick) 81 82, J Peart (Northumbria) 79 84.
165 J Varkey (Edinburgh) 85 80, A Laino (Durham) 82 83.
167 I Metcalfe (Sunderland) 89 78.
169 W Jones (Warwick) 83 86.
171 J Giblin (Strathclyde) 94 77
173 B Crotty (Nottingham) 85 88.
188 T Ehlers (Warwick) 97 91.
WOMEN
(Lynedoch scores first)
145 S Burkes (Manchester) 70 75.
149 G Webster (Dundee) 70 79.
154 A Ramsay (Heriot Watt) 77 77.
156 K Walker (Stirling) 85 71, O Briggs (Stirling) 80 76
159 D Dewar (Stirling) 84 75.
161 S Round (Gloucestershire) 82 79.
163 C-M Carlton (Stirling) 82 81.
168 L Williamson (Robert Gordon) 90 78
169 M Temple (Exeter) 81 88, J Campbell (Warwick) 87 82.
170 S Morgan (Glamorgan) 85 85.
173 G Davidson (Robert Gordon) 92 81.
176 N Ford (Stirling) 89 87.
185 F Williamson (Strathclyde) 102 83.
195 A Creasy (Middlesex) 100 95.

Irish Close Matchplay Championship
New Irish Champion a certainty
Semi-finals (Wed, 21 June):
09.00 Karen Delaney (Carlow) -v- Catherine Tucker (Limerick)
09.09 Tricia Mangan (Ennis) -v- Marian Riordan (Tipperary)
Quarter final report:
CURTIS Cup star Claire Coughlan from Cork bowed out of this year’s Irish women’s closed amateur championship at Portsalon today. She was beaten 2 and 1 by a back-in-form Karen Delaney (Carlow).
Claire missed a birdie putt which would have wiped our her one-hole defricit at the short 15th and Karen closed the door with birdies at the 16th and 17th.
Sinead Keane (Curragh), having beaten Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) at the 20th in the morning, went out to Catherine Tucker (Limerick) at the 20th in the afternoon.
Keane led from early on but lost the 16th and 17th before winning the 18th to take the tie into extra holes.
Tricia Mangan (Ennis) always had the advantage in the all-Clare duel with fellow-international Heather Nolan (Shannon) and holed from 8 feet at the 16th for victory. Heather had ended the defence of title-holder Deirdre Smith in the morning. Deirdre was four up at one stage.
Tara Delaney (Carlow) came from behind to win 17 and halve 18 in par with Marian Riordan (Tipperary). Both hit solid drives at the 19th and Riordan almost holed for an eagle 2 with her approach. Her tap-in birdie was enough to see her through to a semi-final tie with Tricia Mangan.
Either way, a new Irish champion will lift the title on Wednesdayu as all four semi-finalists have never won the title previously.
1/4 Final results (Tues, 21 June):
Karen Delaney (Carlow) beat Claire Coughlan (Cork) 2&1
Catherine Tucker (Limerick) beat Sinead Keane (Curragh) at 20th
Tricia Mangan (Ennis) beat Heather Nolan (Shannon) 3&2
Marian Riordan (Tipperary) beat Tara Delaney (Carlow) at 19th
Consolation Plate
Pat Doran (Donabate) beat Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry) by 2& 1 to win the Ita Wallace Plate, which she also won at Murvagh in 2003.
Semi finals (Tues, 21 June):
Pat Doran (Donabate) beat Charlene Reid (Gracehill) 1up
Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry) beat Nikki Taggart (Belvoir) on 23rd
Second round report:
Champion Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) bowed out of this year's Lancome Close championship after a mamoth battle with fellow International Heather Nolan (Shannon). After a birdie 2 at the 10th, Smith held a four hole lead only to lose the next. She maintained that lead and was still 3 ahead thru 15. Nolan then found a higher gear and won 16, 17 and birdied 18 to take the match to extra time where a par on 19 put an end to Smiths hopes of back-to-back victories.
Elsewhere, Catherine Tucker (Limerick) beat Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush), conquerer of the leading qualifier on 18. Sinead Keane (Curragh) beat strongly fancied Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) on tie holes while Claire Coughlan saw off fellow International Sinead O'Sullivan on 18. The Delaney sisters continue their return to form while the all-Clare pairing of Tricia Mangan (Ennis) and Heather Nolan (Shannon) ensures a Munster representative in tomorrow's semi finals.
Round 2 (Tues, 21 June):
Catherine Tucker (Limerick) beat Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) 1up
Sinead Keane (Curragh) beat Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) at 20th
Claire Coughlan (Cork) beat Sinead O’Sullivan (Galway) 1up
Karen Delaney (Carlow) beat Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle) 4&2
Tricia Mangan (Ennis) beat Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) 5&4
Heather Nolan (Shannon) beat Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) on 19th
Marian Riordan (Tipperary) beat Mary Dowling (New Ross) 3&2
Tara Delaney (Carlow) beat Helen Jones (Strabane) at 20th

BRITISH UNIVERSITIES SPORTS ASSOCIATION
BRITISH UNIVERSITIES GOLF ANNUAL STROKEPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS
20 – 22 JUNE 2005 MURRAYSHALL GOLF COURSES, PERTH
ROUND 1 – REPORT
Players make reserved start on Day 1 of BUSA
The first day of the British Universities Golf Championships proved to be a frustrating one for the majority of the 122 golfers competing. The field, split evenly, between the Murrayshall Championship course and its sister course, the Lynedoch, failed to take advantage of ideal scoring conditions with the greens receptive and the weather clear and calm.
The women completed their first rounds over the Lynedoch course from the men’s forward tees, allowing the track to measure just over 5,100 yds. Best scores came from the early starters, with Dundee’s Gemma Webster scoring a credible 1-over par 70. Her score was matched by Sam Burks (Manchester). Anne Ramsay, the Scottish Universities’ women’s champion from Heriot-Watt University, ended with a 7-over par 77 to finish ahead of Stirling’s Olivia Briggs and Glamorgan’s Sam Round (80). The women now move on to the Murrayshall course, with the top-16 36-hole totals qualifying for the final day’s play.
In the men’s event, Walker Cup hopeful, Richie Ramsay (Stirling), produced the best round of the day, a 4-under par 69 over the Murrayshall course. He was followed closely by his Stirling counterpart, Blair Paterson, who covered the course in 70 shots.
On the Lynedoch course, BUSA Order of Merit contender, Simon Lee (Northumbria) stole the show with a -3 under par score of 66. Edinburgh’s Christian Abrahamsen was next in line with a 68. The men complete 18-holes over each course, after which the top-40 players qualify for the 36-hole shoot-out on Wednesday.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Men
66 Simon Lee (Northumbria)
68 Christian Abrahamsen (Edinburgh)
69 Richard Ramsay (Stirling)
70 Blair Patterson (Stirling), Rhys James (Glamorgan)
71 Neil Cameron (Stirling) Colin Colraine (Strathclyde) Craig Wilkinson (Northumbria) Will Shucksmith (Durham) Anthony Higgin (Sunderland) Richard Raye (Bournemouth)
72 Adam Nelson (Strathclyde) Tom Light (Nottingham) Graeme McKinroy (Strathclyde) Nick Scholey (Northumbria)
73 Charlie Swann (Bournemouth) Adrian AitLafkih (Stirling) Stuart Hanna (Liverpool) Thomas Pulling (Bath) Andy Keir (Dundee)Graeme Dixon (Ulster) Alex McCloy (Ulster) Daniel Taylor (Nottingham) Philippo Okan (St Andrews)
74 Shane Ruddle (Bournemouth) Adam Price (UW Newport) Mike Clinch (Dundee) Jon Cheetham (Birmingham) Gordon Yates (Stirling) Ian Brown (Heriot Watt) Doug Graham (Edinburgh) Phil Graham (Northumbria) Chris Mooney (Liverpool)
75 Bradley Brooke (Stirling) Alasdair Leggate (Strathclyde) David McKinroy (Strathclyde) Ian Leadbetter (Liverpool) Will Jeffries (St Andrews) Simon Shepard (Birmingham) Conor Doran (Ulster) Jamie McLeary (Stirling) Marcus Read (Bournemouth) Tom Gibbs (Birmingham) Fraser Inglis (Glasgow) Liam Summerill (Glamorgan)
76 George Finlay (Abertay) Martin Lee (Sunderland) Chris Kerr (Warwick) Stuart Horne (Nottingham)
77 Craig Brown (Birmingham) Robert Hutton (Glasgow) Gareth Evans (Middlesex) Roberto Laino (Durham) Barry Hickey (Glasgow) Maurice Lindsay (Abertay) Kev Reid (Edinburgh) Jack Sangster (Northampton) Mark Harrington (Northampton) James Giblin (Warwick) Chris Rossi (Strathclyde) Alex Tonge (Nottingham) Richard Warren (Nottingham)
78 Matt Tansley (Durham) Kevin Wilson (Stirling) Dale Johnstone (Nottingham) Evan Bryceland (Stirling) Andrew Windsor (Birmingham) Ross Duncan (Heriot Watt) David Murray (St Andrews) Ian Metcalfe (Sunderland) Dave Greenshields (Edinburgh)
79 Steve Presho (Sunderland) Alastair Fearnside (Glasgow) Warren Mutch (Durham) Niall Finlay (Glasgow)
80 Stuart Turnball (Stirling) Ally Love (Heriot Watt) Carl Lawrence (Northampton)Ben Brown (Ulster) Euan Campbell (Abertay) Jay Varkey (Edinburgh) Ally Thompson (Abertay) Chris Graham (Northumbria)
81 David Davidson (Glasgow) Dave Evans (Dundee) Max Adler (St Andrews) Craig Hurst (Northumbria)
82 Stephen Essex (Warwick)
83 Ross Macloed (Strathclyde) Antonio Laino (Durham) Ali Woodman (St Andrews)
84 Mark Hillson (St Andrews) Anthony Namjou (Sunderland) Johnny Peart (Northumbria)
85 Stu Bennette (Sunderland)
86 William Jones (Warwick)
87 Robert Sluming (Liverpool)
88 Brian Crotty (Nottingham) Felix Bottomley (Durham)
89 Alex Wilson (Nottingham)
91 Torston Ehlers (Warwick)
DQ Chris Cooper (Liverpool)
N/R Steve Winder (Sunderland) Christopher Boyce (Edinburgh) Barry Dewer (Dundee)
Women
70 Samantha Burkes (Manchester) Gemma Webster (Dundee)
77 Anne Ramsay (Heriot Watt)
80 Olivia Briggs (Stirling)
81 Melanie Temple (Exeter)
82 Samantha Round (Gloucestershire) Clare Marie Carlton (Stirling)
84 Dawn Dewar (Stirling)
85 Sarah Morgan (Glamorgan) Kylie Walker (Stirling)
87 Jodi Campbell (Warwick)
89 Nicola Ford (Stirling)
90 Lesley Williamson (Robert Gordon)
92 Gillian Davidson (Robert Gordon)
100 Anna Creasy (Middlesex)
102 Fiona Williamson (Strathclyde)
N/R Gillian Barraclough (Strathclyde)

Monday 20th June 2005

JENNA BIGGEST CLIMBER IN LATEST P&W RANKINGS
Lanarkshire county champion Jenna Wilson, pictured right, is the biggest climber in the new P&W Rankings for Scottish women's amateur golf.
After her Sunday win in the Munross Trophy 36-hole open tournament over the Montrose Links, Strathaven Golf Club member Jenna has jumped from 11th place to second behind long-time table leader Clare Queen (Drumpellier).
Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart), fourth in the Munross Trophy, has improvged from tied seven to fourth behind Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) who retains third place.
Three times Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) pays the price for a 10-over-par 71 in the first round of the Munross Trophy. She drops from second to sixth.
Latest top 20, based on their scores against CSS in SLGA-designated tournaments:
1 Clare Queen (Drumpellier) -1.89.
2 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) +0.4.
3 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) +0.44.
4 Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart) +0.75.
5 Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) +0.89.
6 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) +0.9
7 Claire Hargan (Moretonhall) +1.
8 Carly Booth (Auchterarder) +1.13.
9 Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan) +1.25.
10 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) +1.43.
11 Sara Bishop (Windyhill) +1.5.
12 Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) +1.6.
13 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) +2.
14 Martine Pow (Selkirk) +2.13.
15 Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) +2.3.
16 Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) +2.4.
17 Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) +2.5.
17 Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling Univ) +2.5.
19 Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) +2.6
20 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) +2.67.
+The next counting tournament is the Mackie Bowl 36-hole tournament at Gullane on Sunday, July 31.

ILGU News
LEADING QUALIFIER MAURA BEATEN IN FIRST ROUND OF IRISH CHAMPIONSHIP
Leading qualifier Maura Morrin (Curragh) was beaten at the 20th by Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) to provide the first upset result in the first round of the match-play stages of the Lancome Irish women's closed amateur championship at Portsalon Golf Club on Monday.
Maura Diamond was two down on the 17th tee but finished birdie- eagle to win the 17th and 18thand go into extra hole.
The 19th was halved in pars and then a par at the 20th was good enough for the last of the 32 qualifiers to advance to a second-round tie against Catherine Tucker (Limerick).
Championship (players 1-32):
Round 2 (Tues, 21 June):
09.00 Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) -v- Catherine Tucker (Limerick)
09.09 Sinead Keane (Curragh) -v- Martina Gillen (Beaverstown)
09.18 Claire Coughlan (Cork) -v- Sinead O’Sullivan (Galway)
09.27 Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle) -v- Karen Delaney (Carlow)
09.36 Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) -v- Tricia Mangan (Ennis)
09.45 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) -v- Heather Nolan (Shannon)
09.54 Marian Riordan (Tipperary) -v- Mary Dowling (New Ross) 
10.03 Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth)/Helen Jones (Strabane) -v- Tara Delaney (Carlow)
Results
Round 1 (Mon, 20 June):
10.30 Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush) beat Maura Morrin (Curragh) at 20
10.39 Catherine Tucker (Limerick) beat Gillian O’Leary (Cork) 2up
10.48 Sinead Keane (Curragh) beat Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne) 3&2
10.57 Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) beat Suzie Hayes (Hermitage) 7&6
11.06 Claire Coughlan (Cork) beat Deirdre Walsh (Milltown) 2&1
11.15 Sinead O’Sullivan (Galway) beat Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) at 20
11.24 Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle) beat Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) 3&2
11.33 Karen Delaney (Carlow) beat Margaret Hayes (Tralee) 4&2
11.42 Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) beat Danielle McVeigh (RCDL) 2&1
11.51 Tricia Mangan (Ennis) beat Maria Dunne (Skerries) 4&3
12.00 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) beat Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) 6&4
12.09 Heather Nolan (Shannon) beat Shauna McVeigh (RCDL) 5&4
12.18 Marian Riordan (Tipperary) beat Ann Geoghegan (Athlone) 2&1
12.27 Mary Dowling (New Ross) beat Michelle Carroll (Grange) 5&4
12.36 Helen Jones (Strabane) beat Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth) at 19
12.45 Tara Delaney (Carlow) beat Joanne Black (Knock) 4&3
Ita Wallace Plate  (players 33-48)
¼ finals (Mon, 20 June):
13:45 Pat Doran (Donabate) beat Fiona Carroll (Athenry) 4&3
13:54 Charlene Reid (Gracehill) beat Jenna Kinnear (Belvoir Park) 4&2
14:03 Nikki Taggart (Belvoir Park) beat Aisling Parker (Greenore)  5&4
14:12 Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry) beat Angela Kilmartin (Warrenpoint) 3&2
Round 1(Mon 20 June):
Pat Doran (Donabate) beat Vivienne Houston (City of Derry) 1up
Fiona Carroll (Athenry) beat Anne Marie Dalton (Coollattin) 2&1
Charlene Reid (Gracehill) beat Joanne Cronin (Killarney) 1up
Jenna Kinnear (Belvoir Park) beat Bernie McQuade (Fintona) 5&4
Nikki Taggart (Belvoir Park) beat Christina Arnmanasco (Enniscrone) 7&5
Aisling Parker (Greenore) beat Oonagh Purfield (Co. Louth) 2up
Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry) beat Brenda McLarnon (Fortwilliam) 6&4
Angela Kilmartin (Warrenpoint) beat Barbara Cooney (Laytown & Bettystown) 6&4

DANISH TRIP FOR FIONA AND SARA
New Scottish women's amateur golf champion Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) and Sara Bishop (Windyhill), winner of the Dunbartonshire & Argyll county title for the past three years, are being sent by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to play in theDanish International women's championship at Silkeborg Golf Club from July 29 to 31.

ILGU News
Championship  – Round 1:
10.30 Maura Morrin (Curragh) -v- Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush)
10.39 Gilian O’Leary (Cork) –v- Catherine Tucker (Limerick)
10.48 Sinead Keane (Curragh) –v- Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne)
10.57 Suzie Hayes (Hermitage) –v- Martina Gillen (Beaverstown)
11.06 Clare Coughlan (Cork) –v- Deirdre Walsh (Milltown)
11.15 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) –v- Sinead O’Sullivan (Galway)
11.24 Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle)–v- Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush)
11.33 Margaret Hayes (Tralee) –v- Karen Delaney (Carlow)
11.42 Danielle McVeigh (RCDL) –v- Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey & Stranorlar)
11.51 Maria Dunne (Skerries) –v- Tricia Mangan (Ennis)
12.00 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) –v- Niamh Kitching (Claremorris)
12.09 Shauna McVeigh (RCDL) –v- Heather Nolan (Shannon)
12.18 Marian Riordan (Tipperary) –v- Ann Geoghegan (Athlone)
12.27 Mary Dowling (New Ross) –v- Michelle Carroll (Grange)
12.36 Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth) –v- Helen Jones (Strabane)
12.45 Joanne Black (Knock) –v- Tara Delaney (Carlow)
Ita Wallace Plate – Round 1
09.00 Pat Doran (Donabate) –v- Vivienne Houston (City of Derry)
09.09 Anne Marie Dalton (Coollattin) –v- Fiona Carroll (Athenry)
09.18 Joanne Cronin (Killarney) –v- Charlebne Reid (Gracehill)
09.27 Bernis McQuade (Fintona) –v- Jenna Kinnear (Belvoir Park)
09.36 Nikki Taggart (Belvoir Park) –v- Christina Arnmanasco (Enniscrone)
09.45 Aisling Parker (Greenore) –v- Oonagh Purfield (Co. Louth)
09.54 Brenda McLarnon (Fortwilliam) –v Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry)
10.03 Barbara Cooney (LAytown & Bettystown) –v- Angela Kilmartin (Warrenpoint)
Qualifying Scores:
1 74 +  73 = 147 Maura Morrin
2 75 +  74 = 149 Tara Delaney
3 75 +  75 = 150 Danielle McVeigh
4 77 +  75 = 152 Karen Delaney
5 77 +  75 = 152 Claire Coughlan
6 76 +  76 = 152 Heather Nolan
7 77 +  76 = 153 Marian Riordan
8 75 +  78 = 153 Martina Gillen
9 81 +  73 = 154 Sinead Keane
10 80 +  75 = 155 Michelle Carroll
11 77 +  79 = 156 Deirdre Smith
12 77 +  79 = 156 Sinead O'Sullivan
13 75 +  81 = 156 Gemma Hegarty
14 75 +  81 = 156 Tricia Mangan
15 79 +  78 = 157 Jennifer Gannon
16 79 +  78 = 157 Catherine Tucker
17 81 +  78 = 159 Gillian O'Leary
18 80 +  79 = 159 Helen Jones
19 83 +  77 = 160 Maria Dunne
20 78 +  82 = 160 Stephanie Meadow
21 84 +  77 = 161 Victoria Bradshaw
22 80 +  81 = 161 Niamh Kitching
23 75 +  86 = 161 Mary Dowling
24 81 +  81 = 162 Dawn Marie Conaty
25 81 +  81 = 162 Suzie Hayes
26 80 +  82 = 162 Ann Geoghegan
27 83 +  80 = 163 Shauna McVeigh
28 82 +  81 = 163 Deirdre Walsh
29 82 +  84 = 166 Margaret Hayes
30 82 +  84 = 166 Darragh McGowan
31 78 +  88 = 166 Joanne Black
32 84 +  83 = 167 Maura Diamond
Qualifiers for Ita Wallace  
33 83 +  85 = 168 Pat Doran
34 85 +  85 = 170 Angela Kilmartin
35 84 +  86 = 170 Nikki Taggart
36 83 +  87 = 170 Jenna Kinnear
37 83 +  87 = 170 Joanne Cronin
38 76 +  94 = 170 Oonagh Purfield
39 79 +  92 = 171 Brenda McLarnon
40 88 +  84 = 172 Fiona Carroll
41 86 +  86 = 172 Ann Marie Dalton
42 83 +  89 = 172 Naoimh Quigg
43 87 +  86 = 173 Aisling Parker
44 89 +  85 = 174 Charlene Reid
45 84 +  90 = 174 Bernie McQuade
46 93 +  82 = 175 Christina Armanasco
47 90 +  85 = 175 Barbara Cooney
48 88 +  88 = 176 Vivienne Houston
Non Qualifiers  
49 90 +  88 = 178 Mary Geaney
50 88 +  91 = 179 Dana Clinton
51 89 +  92 = 181 Jane Gardner
52 95 +  88 = 183 Paula Murray
53 95 +  91 = 186 Deirdre Judge
54 94 +  93 = 187 Lynsey Humphries
55 94 +  93 = 187 Stella Richmond
56 98 +  97 = 195 Ida Johnstone
57 103 +  98 = 201 Marian O'Sullivan
58 103 +  99 = 202 Rose Campbell
Withdrawn
 83 +  84 = 167 Mary Sheehy 
 91 +  84 = 175 Liz Bennett
 99 + NR =  NR Ailish McCartan

Sunday 19th June 2005

JENNA WINS MUNROSS TROPHY AT MONTROSE
Lanarkshire county champion Jenna Wilson, a member of the Scotland squad of six for the European women's amateur team championship in Sweden in early July, won the Munross Trophy women's open over the Montrose Links on Sunday.
Jenna, recently named first reserve for the GB&I team for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent at Chantilly in late July, had rounds of 69 and 72 for a one-under-par total of 141.
She won by three shots from Scottish Under-16 champion Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) and Gemma Webster (Hilton Park), a former beaten finalist in the Scottish girls' match-play championship.
Gemma Webster was awarded 2nd place by virtue of having a better inward half in the second round than Krystle Caithness. They had identical rounds of 73 and 71.
Jenna opened up a clear lead with a first-round, two-under-par 69 (36-33)  - four under the CSS - which included birdies at the third, sixth, 16th and 18th after a bogey-bogey start to the round.
In the afternoon, Miss Wilson increased her lead with birdies at the fourth, seventh, eighth and 10th with only a bogey at the ninth in an outward 34 the only blemish.
Then Jenna wobbled with a triple-bogey 7 at the 14th and she dropped another shot at the 16th but a round of 72 was good enough to win with something to spare.
Emily Ogilvie (Muckhart) did well to finish fourth on 146 (74-72) but three times Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) saddled herself with a first-round 81 and even an excellent 70 in the afternoon could put her no higher than joint 11th in the final placings.
NB Clare Queen won the best first-round prize (72) (players not in main prizelist) and Anne Laing took the best second round prize (70) (also players not in etc) on better in ward half.
Pamela Pretswell had the best handicap aggregate (players not in etc) with 72 and 72 for net 142.
MUNROSS TROPHY WOMEN'S OPEN
Montrose Links
FINAL TOTALS (Par 71, CSS 73 73)
141 J Wilson (Strathaven) 69 72.
144 G Webster (Hilton Park) 73 71, K Caithness (St Regulus) 73 71.
146 E Ogilvy (Muckhart) 74 72.
147 C Booth (Auchterarder) 75 72, L Kenney (Pitreavie) 75 72, C Queen (Drumpellier) 72 75.
148 C Hargan (Mortonhall) 76 72, K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 74 74.
150 P Pretswell(Bothwell Castle) 75 75.
151 A Laing (Vale of Leven) 81 70, C-M Carlton (Stirling Univ) 74 77.
152 J Carthew (Ladybank) 80 72, L Murray (Alford) 75 77.
153 M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 83 70.
154 M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) 76 78, C Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 74 80.
156 L Walker (Nairn Dunbar) 80 76.
157 A Edwards (Liberton) 77 80, N Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) 75 82.
159 E Fairnie (Peebles) 85 74, A Wilton (Ladybank) 82 77.
160 F Gilbert (Carnoustie) 79 81.
161 E Cuthill (Lanark) 83 78.
162 D Dewar (Stirling Univ) 86 76.
165 R Wilson (Monifieth) 81 84.
166 K Harper (Inverness) 82 84.
168 A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 87 81.
169 F Farquharson (King James VI) 83 86.
174 L Rolland (Dunfermline) 87 87.
NRs C Macdonald (Gullane) 84 NR, R Rankin (Lanark) 78 NR.

East of Scotland Girls with South of Scotland Girls after today's match at Elmwood Golf Club, Cupar.
Back row L to R: Alison Tait, Patricia Watt, Cathy Wood, Jordana Graham, Kirsty Macdonald, Isla Craigie, Ailsa Mitchell, Hannah Dalrymple.
Kneeling L to R: Rachel Myles, Rebecca Hyde

South beat East
South of Scotland Girls beat East of Scotland Girls by 4 matches to 1 in a friendly match at Elmwood Golf club today. South were the lower handicaps and gave shots to the East team.
Results (East names first, number of shots received in brackets)
Rachel Myles (St Leonards) (1) beat Alison Tait (Moffat) 1hole
Rebecca Hyde (Kirkcaldy) (2) lost to Isla Craigie (Torwoodlee) 5 and 4
Hannah Dalrymple ( Glenbervie) (5) lost to Jordan Graham (Southerness) 1 hole
Cathy Wood (Linlithgow) (9) lost to Ailsa Mitchell (Hawick) 4 and 3
Patricia Watt ( Lundin Ladies) (4) lost to Kirsty Macdonald (Crichton) 4 and 3

SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP
PETER THE GREAT AT GLENBERVIE
Peter McLachlan, 18-year-old Renfrewshire boys' county stroke-play champion from Eastwood, won the Scottish youths' golf championship yesterday (Sunday) with a shot to spare after leading by six with two rounds to go at Glenbervie Golf Club.
McLachlan, not one of the pre-tournament favourites although he had gone as far as the semi-finals in the BP Scottish boys match-play championship at Murcar in April and lost only to champion-to-be Scott Henry, jumped ahead of the star-studded field with a record round of eight-under-par 63 in Saturday's second round.
Peter, who is bound for Kansas City University in August, "cooled off" with a par 71 in the third round during which he had a quadruple bogey and actually lost the lead temporarily.
But McLachlan, who was Scottish Under-14 champion in 2001, steadied up, took a deep breath and salvaged a par round which, in fact, enabled him to go into the fourth and last round at 12-under-par 201 and three shots clear of Russell Knox (Nairn Dunbar) and four ahead of Robert Taylor (Downfield) and Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie).
In the final round, Peter birdied the 11th, 12th, 13th and 17th for a closing 69 and a 14-under-par total of 270.
His nearest rival was 20-year-old Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), a golf scholarship student at Tyler College, Boca Raton in Florida. McNicoll finished strongly with Sunday rounds of 68 and 66 for 271 - one shot short of catching the new champion.
Downfield's Robert Taylor claimed third place on 274 with Russell Knox, who had been in second place for a long time, dropped back to fifth place with 68 and 71 for 275.
Considering the foreign challenge was numerically the strongest in the tournament's history, Scotland did very well indeed to provide the first five in the prize list. And the standard of play was terrific - 19 players broke par with their final 72-hole totals.
And there were two young men who finished on par 284, one of them being the defending champion Wallace Booth (Comrie) who killed any hopes he had of a top 10 finish with a third-round 75 but he finished in style with a 68.
"This is huge, man," said Peter MacLachlan. "Hopefully, it can get me a cap in the boys' home internationals which has always been my dream. I'm overwhelmed really. I came here just hoping to make the cut but all of a sudden I shoot the best round I've ever had in my life - by four shots - and all of a sudden I had a six-shot lead over some of the best guys around."
Glenbervie Golf Club
FINAL TOTALS (Par 71)
270 P McLachlan (Eastwood) 67 63 71 69.
271 K McNicoll (Carnoustie) 69 68 68 66.
274 R Taylor (Downfield) 71 66 68 69.
275 R Knox (Nairn Dunbar) 68 68 68 71.
276 G Wood (Crow Wood) 71 69 69 67.
277 C Wilkinson (Blyth) 71 67 70 69.
278 A Szappanos (Germany) 68 70 75 65, M Lamb (Haddington) 67 72 71 68.
279 J Byrne (Banchory) 67 73 69 70, S Henry (Cardross) 70 67 70 72.
280 F Bone (Cardross) 72 71 68 69. K Einarsson (Iceland) 71 70 69 70, P O'Hara (Colville Park) 68 74 67 71, S Clark (Haggs Castle) 72 68 70 70.
281 D Hausuer (Germany) 71 71 70 69.
282 D Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 67 73 68 74.
283 G Dear (Murrayshall) 73 70 73 67, A John (Germany) 73 70 69 71, K Glen (Royal Musselburgh) 73 68 69 73.
284 A Kristinsson (Iceland) 68 73 72 71, W Booth (Comrie) 72 69 75 68.
285 S Borrowman (Dollar) 73 70 71 71, J Donaldson (Brucefields) 69 69 73 74.
286 S McEwan (Barassie) 69 71 76 70.
287 T Benatzky (Germany) 73 71 73 70, F Grotz (Germany) 73 69 72 73, P McLean (Peterhead) 71 71 71 74, P Westermann (Germany) 75 66 68 78.
288 S McAllister (Craigielaw) 70 74 71 73, S Stefansson (Iceland) 70 71 77 70.
289 A Rollo (Elgin) 72 72 72 73, S Hume (Murrayshall) 73 69 75 72, Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 70 74 71 73.
290 M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 71 73 73 73, S Ferguson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 69 76 71, B Goforth (US) 68 74 75 73.
291 G Hild (Germany) 73 71 74 73.
292 A Bews (Murcar) 71 73 72 76.
293 B Soutar (Leven GS) 73 71 72 77.
294 R King (Dumbarton) 73 71 72 78, D Torrance (Sunningdale) 72 71 77 74, S Simants (Dunbar) 71 71 77 75.
297 R Noon (Musselburgh) 72 69 77 79.
298 N Cameron (King James VI) 71 72 79 76.
300 R Graham (Hayston) 67 77 77 79.

Saturday 18th June 2005

Scottish Youths
SUPER-MAC SPREADEAGLES SCOTTISH YOUTHS FIELD AT GLENBERVIE
Peter McLachlan from Eastwood left himself and the rest of the field speechless with a brilliant course-record score of eight-under-par 63 in perfect sunny, warm conditions for the second round of the Scottish youths’ golf championship at Glenbervie.
McLachlan’s effort shaved a shot off the previous mark and with a 12-under-par total of 130 he had suddenly forged six shots clear of the field of 144 at the halfway stage.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Peter. “My previous best round was four-under-par so I’ve improved on that by four strokes. I birdied the second, third, fifth, 10th – then I had an eagle 3 at the long 15th – and two more birdies, at the 16th and 17th, to finish with.”
McLachlan’s nearest challenger as 45 qualifiers with scores of two-over par 144 or better contest Sunday’s final two rounds is American college boy Russell Knox (Nairn Dunbar & Jacksonville University, Florida) who repeated his first-day 68 for 136.
Knox tied for 11th place in last weekend’s Scottish men’s open amateur stroke-play championship at Balgownie.
Peter, 17, was seven shots ahead of Scott Henry (Cardross) who beat him in the semi-finals of the BP Scottish boys’ match-play championship at Murcar in April and went on to win the title for the second year in a row.
Young McLachlan has been running into form. He won the Renfrewshire county boys’ stroke-play title and then was runner-up in the county’s boys’ match-play event.
Defending champion Wallace Booth (Comrie) secured his place in the last-day action with a 69 for 141 but last year’s runner-up, Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), son of the former Dundee United goalkeeper, and British boys’ champion Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) failed to make it through. Both finished one shot outside the qualifying mark on 145.
END OF PLAY COLLATED SCOREBOARD
QUALIFIERS (Par 71)
45 players with totals of 144 or better qualified for Sunday’s final two rounds.
130 P McLachlan (Eastwood) 67 63.
136 R Knox (Nairn Dunbar) 68 68.
137 S Henry (Cardross) 70 67, R Taylor (Downfield) 71 66, K McNicoll (Carnoustie) 69 68.
138 A Szappanos (Germany) 68 70, C Wilkinson (Blyth) 71 67, J Donaldson (Brucefields) 69 69.
139 M Lamb (Haddington) 67 72.
140 G Wood (Crow Wood) 71 69, J Byrne (Banchory) 67 73, S Clark (Haggs Castle) 72 68, S McEwan (Barassie) 69 71, D Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 67 73,
141 K Glen (Royal Musselburgh) 73 68, A Kristinsson (Iceland) 68 73, R Noon (Musselburgh) 72 69, S Stefansson (Iceland) 70 71, W Booth (Comrie) 72 69, P Westermann (Germany) 75 66, K Einarsson (Iceland) 71 70.
142 B Goforth (US) 68 74, Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 71 71, S Hume (Murrayshall) 73 69, F Grotz (Germany) 73 69, P O’Hara (Colville Park) 68 74, P McLean (Peterhead) 71 71, D Hausuer (Germany) 71 71, S Simants (Dunbar) 71 71.
143 N Cameron (King James VI) 71 72, A John (Germany) 73 70, F Bone (Cardross) 72 71, G Dear (Murrayshall) 73 70, S Borrowman (Dollar) 73 70, D Torrance (Sunningdale) 72 71, S Ferguson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 69.
144 A Rollo (Elgin) 72 72, R Graham (Hayston) 67 77, G Hild (Germany) 73 71, M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 71 73, B Soutar (Leven GS) 73 71, T Benatzky (Germany) 73 71, R King (Dumbarton) 73 71, A Bews (Murcar) 71 73, S McAllister(Craigielaw) 70 74.
DID NOT QUALIFY
145 M Burnett (Harburn) 72 73, K McAlpine (Alyth) 75 70, R McKnight (Barassie) 70 75, G Olafsson (Iceland) 71 74, O Loftsson (Iceland) 74 71, G Turner (West Linton) 73 72, J White (Lundin) 71 74, B Rushford (Grangemouth) 77 68, J Findlay (Fraserburgh) 71 74, M Smyth (Royal Troon) 71 74.
146 L Vettese (Nigg Bay) 72 74, J Kennedy (Mortonhall) 73 73, A Main (Thornton) 73 73, E Polson (Royal Dornoch) 74 72, A Nelson (Douglas Park) 75 71, G Little (Brampton) 74 72, S Pithie (Carluke) 72 74, C Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 69 77, C Gray (West Kilbride) 75 71, L Kirton (Newmachar) 75 71, D Murray (Newbattle) 69 77..
147 P Okan (Germany) 71 76, S Larkin (Banchory) 74 73, R Kellett (Colville Park) 76 71, R McKen (Newburgh on Ythan) 74 73, F White (Crieff) 73 74, T Schwartzer 75 72, R Hyland (Newmachar) 75 72, K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 72 75.
148 B St John (Hilton Park) 73 75, C Bell (Colville Park) 74 74, N Sinclair (Barassie) 74 74, R Dixon (Barassie) 75 73, K Kjartansson (Iceland) 74 74, G Johnston (Royal Montrose) 76 72,M Bruce (Carnoustie) 75 73.
149 K Truscott (Newmachar) 76 73, P Betty (Hayston) 75 74, E Bryceland (Craigielaw) 76 73.
150 S Pinfold (NZ) 75 75, G Hilmarsson (Iceland) 74 76, S Urquhart (Dundas Parks) 71 79, J Gardiner (Montrose Mercantile) 75 75, A McKie (Glencruitten) 78 73.
151 R Jamieson(US) 72 79, E Shannly (Linlithgow) 75 76, D Yeats (Newmachar) 72 79, S Mann (Moray) 81 70, R Jamieson (US) 72 79, A Hay (Westhill)75 76.
152 C Kelly (Kirkhll) 75 77, D Addison (Barassie) 73 79, S Mann (Carnoustie) 78 74,C Haugh (Cathkin Braes) 72 80, G Duncan (Carnoustie Caledonia) 75 77.
152 C Kelly(Kirkhill) 75 77, D McInroy (Ayr Belleisle) 77 75, D Addison (Barassie) 73 79, S Mann (Moray) 81 70, G Duncan (Carnoustie Caledonia) 75 77, C Haugh (Cathkin Braes) 72 80.
153 A Gordon (Portpatrick) 77 76, B Findlay (Machrihanish) 74 79, M Spence (Newmachar) 78 75, J Walkden (Royal Montrose) 78 75, M Murray (Brora) 75 78, R Reinarsson (Iceland) 76 77, S Heads (Hexham) 74 79, G Paterson (Drumoig) 78 74.
154 A Leggate (Barassie) 76 78, G Davidson (Southerness) 80 84, H Olafsson (Iceland) 78 76, M Breitlopf (Germany) 80 74.
155 J Laing (Longniddry) 78 77, S Bordon (MouseValley) 76 79.
156 P Avent (Broomieknowe) 80 76, S Tully (Duddingston) 77 79, E Malcolm (Dunfermline) 75 81, C Heinrich (Germany) 79 77.
157R Bell (Downfield) 77 80.
158 N Howitt (Nairn Dunbar) 78 80, B Brooke (Redditch) 82 78,
C Aitken (Glencruitten) 77 81, Kwilson (Moffat) 79 79
159 M Wilkie (St Andrews New) 78 81, A Connell (Largs) 79 80.
160 G McInroy (Ayr Belleisle) 80 80.
162 R Buckley (Duddingston) 80 82.
1768 P Wilhelmi (Germany) 84 84.

All set for Sweden
Back L to R: Elaine Farquharson-Black, Fiona Lockhart, Anne Laing, Margaret McNaughton
Front L to R: Jenna Wilson, Claire Queen

FIONA AND ANNE TAME BIG-HITTING DEESIDE YOUNGSTERS
Scottish champion Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) and Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), whom she beat in the final at Cruden Bay in May, beat Deeside teenagers Simon Cruickshank and Thomas Rennie by two holes in a foursomes try-out for Scotland’s European women’s amateur team championship squad at Deeside Golf Club today.
Fiona and Anne dovetailed well to win with approximately par figures. Thomas Rennie is the Deeside course record-holder and both youngsters hit the ball the proverbial mile so it was a good test for the SLGA pairing.
Scotland skipper Elaine Farquharson-Black, who is a Deeside honorary member, arranged a Friday-Saturday get-together on her home course for five of the squad of six for Karlstad , Sweden from July 5 to 9.
The sixth member, Pamela Feggans (DoonValley), is still completing her studies at Florida Southern College, and will fly straight to Sweden from the United States.
Great Britain & Ireland Vagliano Trophy selection Heather MacRae (Dunblane New & San Diego State University) played in the Friday evening stroke-play session but had a previous engagement and could not stay on for the foursomes today.
The other foursomes pairing, Clare Queen (Drumpellier) and Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) lost by 6 and 5 to some good golf from Deeside club professional Frank Coutts and the club’s junior convener, David Rennie (father of Thomas).
Clare, like Anne Laing and Heather MacRae, has been chosen for the Vagliano Trophy match at Chantilly in late July. Jenna is first reserve.
Elaine Farquharson-Black did intend a third session of practice-play for the afternoon but because of the very hot, strength-sapping temperatures in the morning she decided it was not in the players’ best interests to ask them to go out again after lunch for another 18 holes, particularly as they will be playing in the 36-hole Munross Trophy open tournament at Montrose Links on Sunday.
Margaret MacNaughton (Aberdeen Ladies), a member of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association executive, was also present at Deeside. She is manager of the team for Sweden.
Skipper Elaine hoped to make a flying weekend visit from Aberdeen to the Swedish venue just to see for herself the team hotel, the course and the clubhouse, but she has run out of time due to work commitments as a solicitor.
Details:
DEESIDE 1, SLGA 1
F Coutts & D Rennie bt C Queen & J Wilson 6 and 5.
S Cruickshank & T Rennie lost to F Lockhart & A Laing 2 holes.

SVLGA East Division
Pamela Williamson (Baberton) won the scratch prize with a 76 at the SVLGA East Division meeting at the Glen Golf Club, North Berwick yesterday. Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) won first handicap.
Silver:    Scratch        Pam Williamson (Baberton)    76
              H'Cap       1      Ruth Brown (Lothianburn)        (5) 73
                                2    Ethel Jack (Gullane)                  (9) 74
                                3    Carol MacLeod (Gullane)        (12) 75
                                4    Rita Dee (Kingsknowe)             (8)  76
Bronze   H'Cap     1    Anne McIntosh (Gullane)          (23) 79
                                2    Helga Millard (Gullane)             (23) 82
 

Friday 17th June 2005

Student Golf
BRITISH UNIVERSITIES’ SPORTS ASSOCIATION GOLF PROGRAMME
MURRAYSHALL PLAYS HOST TO ELITE STUDENT GOLFERS
The very best student golfers from across Britain will gather at Murrayshall, Perth, between the 20 – 22 June 2005 when they compete for the Annual British Universities’ (BUSA) Strokeplay Championship. The event is commonly regarded as the most prestigious competition within the student golf calendar, with the men’s and women’s individual titles and team prizes up for grabs.
Over 140 young men and women from 28 different institutions across Britain will complete 18 holes each over the Murrayshall and Lynedoch courses during the first two days. The top 60 players then qualify for the final 36 holes played on the last day of the competition. The event has attracted a high quality field, with at least 60 players holding a handicap of 1 or below. Included in the list of players are Stirling students and GB Walker Cup hopefuls, Jamie Mcleary and Richard Ramsay, who finished first and second respectively in the Scottish Order of Merit last year. Both have made impressive starts to this year’s competitive season. Ramsay finished 2nd at the Sherry Cup before winning the Irish Open Strokeplay Championship earlier last month, whilst Mcleary finished a credible 3rd at the St. Andrews Links Trophy in mid-May. Mcleary will be hoping to add the BUSA Individual title to his Scottish Universities’ win, where he finished on –8 under over the Moray Championship Course, Lossiemouth in April. Their inclusion in the field places Stirling as favourites to add the Strokeplay team title to the British Universities’ Matchplay title won earlier in the year. Ulster and Northumbria Universities seem likely to present the greatest challenge to the Scottish front-runners. Rory Doran (Ulster) leads the BUSA Order of Merit presently, whilst Northumbria are in pole position in the Order of Merit team event.
The women’s event looks likely to be a close call, with Heriot-Watt’s Anne Ramsay looking to add The British title to the Scottish Championship victory gained at Lossiemouth. Welsh internationalist Samantha Round (Gloucestershire), English internationalist Alex Marshall (Stirling) and Scottish internationalist Kylie Walker (Stirling) will be pushing her all the way.
The eventual winners will add their names to a long list of talented individuals including Walker Cup players Martin Lewis, Gordon Sherry, Stuart Wilson and Colin Dalgleish, and leading professionals Catriona Matthew, Maria Hjorth and Lynn Kenny.
Raleigh Gowrie, the Chair of BUSA golf, is pleased that the event has come to Central Scotland.
“I’m sure the students will enjoy the occasion. The hotel and the rolling Perthshire hills provide a stunning backdrop to the challenging course layouts. The golf courses are in excellent condition. If the weather is kind, then the players will have every opportunity to shoot some low scores.”

Irish News
PRESS RELEASE
SUZUKI ALL IRELAND SENIOR CUP QUALIFIERS MIDLAND DISTRICT
Kilkenny Golf Club
Friday 1 July & Saturday 2 July, 2005
16 June 2005
Kilkenny begin the defence of their Suzuki All Ireland Senior Cup (Midland District) title with a second round fixture against the winners of The Heath and Courtown on Friday 1st July. In all, ten teams have been drawn to play in the first round, with the five winning sides joining The Curragh (seeded 1), Kilkenny (seeded 2) and Carlow (seeded 3) in the second round that afternoon.
The Curragh will have Internationals Maura Morrin and Sinead Keane in action. Unknown quantity Carlow will present a serious threat in the form of recently crowned Midland Champion Karen Delaney joined by current International sister Tara, both just back from college in the U.S.A.
The winners on Saturday afternoon will join defending champions Royal Portrush (Northern), Ennis (Southern) and Co.Louth (Eastern) in the All-Ireland finals at Woodstock Golf Club, Ennis on 2nd & 3rd September 2005. The Western qualifiers will be played 8th & 9th July 2005.
Friday, 1st July 2005
1st Round:
08.35 Woodenbridge -v- Enniscorthy
09.10 Mullingar -v- Waterford
09.45 Edenderry -v- Tramore
10.55 Birr –v- Baltinglass
11.30 The Heath -v- Courtown
Quarter-finals:
13.15 The Curragh –v- Woodenbridge/Enniscorthy
14.15 Mullingar/Waterford –v- Edenderry/Tramore
15.00 Carlow –v- Birr/Baltinglass
16.00 The Heath/Courtown –v- Kilkenny
Saturday, 2nd July 2005:
09.00 semi-final 1
09.40 semi-final 2
14.00 final

Ann Heskin (ILGU President), Niall O'Gorman (Gen Mgr Suzuki Ireland), Bernadette McTague (Secretary Midland District – Birr Golf Club), Olive Langan (Chairman Midland District – Carlow Golf Club)

Thursday 16th June 2005

NORTHERN LIGHTS SHINE IN ABERDEEN SCHOOLS GOLF
Scott Fraser (Harlaw Academy), pictured right, and Mhairi Johnstone (Aberdeen Grammar School), pictured below right, had one thing in common prior to this year’s Aberdeen schools golf championships at Craibstone Golf Centre – they were both junior members of the same Aberdeen Links golf club, Northern.
Now they are both champions, Scott having won the Aberdeen schoolboys’ title and Mhairi the girls’ title.
Teacher’s daughter Mhairi Johnstone, whose previous biggest success was in the Scottish Under-14 girls’ event last year, ran into some bogey trouble over the closing holes but had enough in hand to win the girls’ championship with a net 68 off 11 of a handicap.
Runner-up, two shots behind, was Gail Stewart (Hazlehead Academy), playing off 17. Natalie Thomson (Bridge of Don Academy), playing off 20, was third with a net 75.
Scott Fraser, a three-handicap member of Northern, birdied the ninth and 16th in matching the par of 69 to win the Aberdeen schoolboys’ title by two shots from Adrian Styles (Harlaw Academy) and Nick McAndrew (Aberdeen Grammar).
Styles’ better inward half gave him the runner-up prize.
Ross Allerton (St Machar Academy) won the boys’ net award with a 64 off 12.
David Law (Aberdeen Grammar School) had a hole in one at the 10th.
Scoreboard:
ABERDEEN SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Craibstone Golf Centre
Leading boys
Scratch
S Fraser (Harlaw Acad) 69; A Styles (Harlaw Acad) (bih), Nick McAndrew (Aberdeen Grammar) 71.
Handicap
R Allerton (St Machar Acad) (12) 64; C Chalmers (Bridge of Don Acad) (9) (bih), C McLean (Oldmachar Acad) (10) 65.
Leading girls
Handicap
M Johnstone (Aberdeen Grammar) (11) 68; G Stewart (Hazlehead) (17) 70; N Thomson (Bridge of Don Acad) (20) 75.

DRAW FOR MUNROSS TROPHY at MONTROSE LINKS
36 HOLES - SUNDAY 19 JUNE 2005
09.00/13.30 A Ingram (FW); F Farquharson (KJ)
09.08/13.38 I Harvey (StR); L Rolland (Dun)
09.16/13.46 E Fairnie (P); R Wilson (Mon)
09.24/13.54 L Murray (Al); P Prestwell (BC)
09.32/14.02 S Wilson (Mur); M Briggs (Kil)
09.40/14.10 A Edwards (L); C MacDonald (G)
09.48/14.18 K Harper (I); E Ogilvy (M)
09.56/14.26 R Rankin (Lan); C Carlton (US)
10.04/14.34 A Wilson (Lb); E Cuthill (Lan)
10.12/14.42 G Webster (HP); N Fenton (ME)
10.20/14.50 C Queen (D); C Booth (A)
10.28/14.58 D Dewar (US); K MacDonald (ND)
10.36/15.06 A Ramsay (K); L Walker (ND)
10.44/15.14 J Carthew (Lb); C Hargan (Mor)
10.52/15.22 K Caithness (StRe); L Kenney (Pit)
11.00/15.30 C Gruber (RD); J Wilson (S); A Laing (VL)
Key: A Auchterarder Lb Ladybank Al Alford M Muckhart BC Bothwell Castle ME Merchants of Edinburgh D Drumpellier Mon Monifieth Dun Dunfermline Mor Mortonhall FW Fort William Mur Murcar G Gullane ND Nairn Dunbar HP Hilton Park P Peebles I Inverness Pit Pitreavie K Kirriemuir RD Royal Dornoch Kil Kilmacolm S Strathaven KJ King James VI StR St Rule L Liberton StRe St Regulus Lan Lanark UofS University of Stirling VL Vale of Leven
LATE ENTRIES ACCEPTED TELEPHONE 01674 672932

NORTH OF SCOTLAND WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP (July 4-5-6, 2005)
BANCHORY
COMPETITORS will leave the tee in threes at 8min intervals in the qualifying round of the North of Scotland women's championship at Banchory Golf Club on Monday, July 4.
Handicaps must be shown when registering. If anyone has to withdraw from the championship, they are requested to phone tournament secretary Karen Stalker (01346 513308) as soon as possible as there is a waiting list in operation.
9.0 - M Burgess (Aboyne), J Knight (Kirriemuir), H Edon (Banchory); B Clough (Blairgowrie), R Roy (Ballater), F Blair (Monifieth); M Johnstone (Northern), L Smith (Inchmarlo), J French (Alyth); Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth), B Duncan (Banchory), S Belton (Kirriemuir).
9.32 - M Clark (Banchory), J Petrie (Panmure Barry), G Pennycook (Alyth); J Henderson (Royal Montrose), K Esslemont (Cruden Bay), L Tough (Kirriemuir); V Harper (Deeside), M Robinson (Murcar), F Johnston (Alyth); A Chree (Panmure Barry), K Stalker (Fraserburgh), E Brown (Aboyne).
10.04 - F Neish (Murcar), M Millership (Deeside), A Ingram (Fort William); C Wilson (Murcar), E Easton (Brechin), E Cruickshank (Creuden Bay); A Smart (Banchory), S Wilson (Murcar), A Hay (Letham Grange); R Anderson (Huntly), S McGregor (Edzell), L Terry (Cruden Bay).
10.36 - A Arbuckle (Panmure Barry) L Murray (Alford), G Chalmers (Banchory); E Ogilvy (Muckhart), K Harper (Inverness), M Thomson (McDonald Ellon); D Pocock (Murcar), K McNicoll (Carnoustie), S Murray (Brechin).
11.0 - A Ramsay (Kirriemuir), D Dewar (Monifieth), L Urquhart (Banchory); A Bowman(McDonald Ellon), G Wallace (Glenisla), P Wilson (Murcar); J Taylor (Kirriemuir), P McGunnigle (Banchory), D Mackinnon (McDonald Ellon); H Backhouse (Ballater), F Reiss (Deeside), G Christie (Banchory).
11.32 - N Chalmers (Banchory), J Slater (Aboyne), L Hardie (Aberdeen Ladies); E Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies), K Caithness (Edzell), S Vass (Tain); A Henry (Blairgowrie), E McMurray (Downfield), Y Richal (Meldrum House); C Brown (Edzell), P Drysdale (Alyth), P Nicoll (Banchory).
12.04 - H Kelly (Panmure Barry), P Fraser (Peterculter), M Bruce (Alyth); W Donnelly (Panmure Barry), A Stalker (Aberdeen Ladies), L McCallum (McDonald Ellon); M Miller (Cruden Bay), S Tait (Newmachar), M Duthie (Panmure Barry); M Orr (Tain), M Faulkner (Royal Montrose), H Hamilton (Banchory).
12.36 - L Webster (Aberdeen Ladies), K Stalker (Murcar), W Jones (Peterculter); E Robertson (Braemar), S Johnston (Alyth), J Macaulay (Banchory); E Barrack (Aberdeen Ladies), E Cook (Banchory), L Joss (Newmachar).
1.0 - L Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies), P Nile (Banchory), L Thoms (Panmure Barry); S Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies), E Herries (Banchory), C Robertson (Dunkeld & Birnam); P Kerr (Deeside)  S Bradley (Kirriemuir), S Service (Alyth); S Adamson (Banchory), C Docherty (Cruden Bay), C Boyd (Forres).
1.32 - Jennifer Sneddon (Alyth), L McWilliam (Banchory), M Mutch (Cruden Bay); E Smith (Moray), D Massie (Newmachar), M Grant (Banchory); F Martin (Kirriemuir), B Lilley (Inchmarlo), D Vaughan (Banchory); A Willox (Murcar), R McLean (Cruden Bay), E Wilson (Banchory).
2.04 - E Anderson (Deeside), H Omand (Banchory), M Walker (Aboyne); P Forrest (Deeside), J Goddard (Banchory), K Agnew (Murcar).

US College Golf (from Lady Mocs website)
FEGGANS, BERGEON EARN ALL-AMERICA HONORS
The Lady Mocs' Pamela Feggans was named co-Division II Player-of-the Year by the National Golf Coaches Association.  She shared the honor with Rollins' Charlotte Campbell.  Feggans also was named to the first-team All-America Team for Division II and teammate Lindsey Bergeon was a second-team All-America selection.  Feggans, a senior, was runner-up at the NCAA Division II Championship and made her third straight finish in the top three.  Bergeon, a freshman, finished in a tie for 11th at the Division II Championship, as the Moccasins placed third

Irish News
SUZUKI ALL IRELAND SENIOR CUP QUALIFIERS WESTERN DISTRICT
Ballinrobe Golf Club - Friday 8 July & Saturday 9 July, 2005
16 June 2005
Roscommon begin the defence of their 2004 Suzuki All Ireland Senior Cup (Western District) title with a second round fixture against Co. Sligo on Friday 8th July. In all, eight teams have been drawn to play in the first round, with the four winning sides joining Roscommon, Sligo, Donegal and Athenry in the second round that afternoon.
The winners on Saturday afternoon will join defending champions Royal Portrush (Northern), Ennis (Southern) and Co.Louth (Eastern) in the All-Ireland finals at Woodstock Golf Club, Ennis on 2nd & 3rd September 2005. The Midland qualifying matches will be played 1st &2nd July 2005.
Schedule of matches:
Friday, 8th July 2005
1st Round:
09.00 Tuam -v- Claremorris
09.40 Enniscrone -v- Ballinasloe
10.20 Castlebar -v- Athlone
11.00 Co. Longford -v- Galway
Quarter-finals:
14.00 Roscommon -v- Co. Sligo
15.20 Tuam/Claremorris -v- Enniscrone/Ballinasloe
16.00 Castlebar/Athlone -v- Co. Longford/Galway
14.40 Donegal -v- Athenry
Saturday, 9th July 2005:
09.00 semi-final 1
09.40 semi-final 2
15.00 final

Ann Heskin (ILGU President), Bridie Hughes (Western District Secretary), Niall O'Gorman (General Manager Suzuki Ireland), Patricia Hunt (Claremorris) and Fiona Moclair (Ballinasloe).

Wednesday 15th June 2005

European Rankings
CLARE QUEEN, JENNA WILSON IN TOP 10 OF EUROPEAN RANKINGS
Clare Queen has improved by one place to fifth in the latest European Golf Association women’s amateur rankings. The Scot has 99pt to her credit.
A second Scot in the top 10 is Jenna Wilson from Strathaven. First reserve for the GB&I Vagliano Trophy team on the strength of her performance in last week’s British women’s open amateur championship, Jenna comes into the rankings atseventh place with 90pt.
Sweden’s Louise Stahle, the first player to win the British women’s open amateur championship two years in a row for 30 years, comes into the rankings in joint third place with 100pt.
Spain’s Maria Hernandez is the new leader with 125pt.
Latest top 20 placings:
1 Maria HERNANDEZ (Spain) 125pt
2 Katharina SCHALLENBERG (Germany) 107.50
3 Carloto CIGANDA (Spain) 100
3 Louise STAHLE (Sweden) 100
5 Clare QUEEN (Scotland) 99
6 Stenna WESTERLUND (Finland) 97
7 Jenna WILSON (Scotland) 90
8 Anne-Sophie Le NALIO (France) 88
9 Claire COUGHLAN (Ireland) 86.75
10 Martina GILLEN (Ireland) 85.50
11 Kiran MATHARU (England) 81.13
12 Azahara MUNOZ (Spain) 80
13 Alexandra VILATTE (France) 77.50
14 Kerry SMITH (England) 70
14 Nicole GERGELY (Austria) 70
16 Julie BERTON (France) 68
17 Christel BOELJON (Netherlands) 62.50
17 Lucia MAR (Spain) 62.50
17 Melissa REID (England) 62.50
20 Tricia MANGAN (Ireland) 60.50
20 Zuzana MASSINOVA (Czech Republic) 60.50

US News
Anne Walker, a Scottish Junior Internaionalist and now assistant coach at the University of California, Berkeley, has emailed to say that she caddied for one of CAL's former players, Sarah Huarte, on Monday at the US Open qualifier.  Sarah shot 76-68 putting her in second and earning her a spot in the tournament. Now Anne will be caddying for Sarah next week in the US Women's Open at Cherry Hills in Colorado. 

Futures Tour
HEATHER 49TH IN OHIO
Former Scottish champion and Curtis Cup player Heather Stirling shot level par 216 in the latest US Futures Tour event – the Lima Memorial Hospitcal Classic at Lost Creek Country Club, Lima in Ohio – but still finished down the field.
Heather tied for 49th place with scores of 72, 74 and 70 and earned $276.
Another past Scottish champion, Linzi Morton from Alloa, missed the cut by five shots with rounds of 78 and 74 for 152.
Jenny Gleason from Florida won the top prize of $9,800 by two shots with 69, 67 and 68 for a 12-under-par total of 204.

Press Release
JUNIOR GOLF CAMPS RETURN TO GLENEAGLES
Summer is here and what better time for those budding young golfers among us to take to the fairways at the Gleneagles Junior Golf Camp.  The AA Five Red Star resort is once again running its famous Junior Camp for enthusiastic golfers at The Golf Academy and hope that this season's events will prove just as popular as previous ones.
The first camp runs from July 12 to 15, with the second taking place from August 9 to 12.  The teaching schedule covers three mornings from 9.30am till noon and one final full day from 9.30am till 4pm. 
The camps are designed to cover all aspects of the game and with the added fun of quizes, treasure hunts and a lunch with the pros on the last day, the Junior Golf Camp is a great way for youngsters to spend the school holidays.
The Easter camp, held earlier this year, received superb feedback from both parents and children as a fun and educational way for kids to really get to grips with golf.  At a cost of £150 per child, the camp offers exceptional value for money. 
Youngsters will be given practical, one-on-one tuition with professional instructors and will spend time learning both in the Golf
Academy and out on the course.
For further information on these packages, please call the Golf Academy on 01764 694343.

West Vets Summer Meeting
Anna Telfer won the new cup presented by Heather Anderson with a score of 78  -5  - 73  (SSS 72, CSS 75)

Tuesday 14th June 2005

Craigmillar Park Ladies Open (from Karen Ballantyne)
Just to let your readers know that there are still places available for our Ladies Open Foursomes on Friday 24 June. The day is sponsored by 'Hydrocarbon Management International' with generous SGU vouchers as prizes. Our new caterers, David and Joanne, look forward to welcoming you in the clubhouse so even if your golf hasn't come up to scratch, we are sure you will be pleased with developments off the course.
I must say Craigmillar Park Golf Course has never looked better, so come along and enjoy a day out with us. To check availability, please contact Barry or Laura on 0131-667-2837 or send an email to secretary@craigmillarpark.co.uk. (Entry fee £8).
Look forward to seeing you on the day.

Three of the Alness winning team at the Ross - Sutherland inter club competition
at Invergordon receive the trophy from the organising secretary, Linda Thomson (Tain)
left to right, Linda Thomson, Lotti O' Hara, Caroline Fraser and Sharon Anderson. Missing was Rhoda Patterson.
Photo courtesy and copyright © Robin Wilson

Members of Tain's first and second teams with the salver from their Invergordon success.
Left to Right; Second team members, Margo Anderson and Jean Russell,
first team members, Fiona Brand, Anne Ryan and Linda Thomson.
Photo courtesy and copyright © Robin Wilson

TAIN 1-2 TRIUMPH AT INVERGORDON
Tain Golf Club's No. 1 team's closest challengers to their fifth successive successful defence of the G. A. Gordon Salver in the Ross- Sutherland women's inter club competition at Invergordon on Saturday were their second team.
With five handicapper sisters, Mary Smith and Anne Ryan, paving the way with respective scores of 76 and 78, plus a 91 from Fiona Brand, the Tain No 1 54-hole aggregate, after discarding the fourth team score from Linda Thomson,was 245.
The Tain No 2 team were runners-up, 21 shots adrift with 266.
The Tain second team consisted of Sammy Vass, a 13-year-old niece of Smith and Ryan, Sammy's grandmother Jean Russell, Margo Anderson and Mairi Orr.
While Tain were continuing their domination of the scratch award Alness Golf Club were recording what is believed to be their first success in the handicap competition that is now in it 53rd year.
The winning Alness line up that lifted the A B Connon Trophy was Sharon Anderson, Caroline Fraser, Lotti O' Hara and Rhoda Patterson with a 54 hole net total of 219.
Results - (Three lowest scores counting).
SCRATCH – G A Connon Salver
245 Tain 1 (Mary Smith 76, Anne Ryan 78, Fiona Brand 91, Linda Thomson 95).
266 Tain 2 (SammyVass 86, Mairi Orr 90, Jean Russell 90, Margo Anderson 103). 271 Muir of Ord (H Stewart 87, E Wallace 91, P Morrison 93, M Ritchie 94).
HANDICAP – A B Connon Trophy
219 Alness 1: L. O'Hara (35) 69, R. Patterson (13) 71, C. Fraser (12) 79, S. Anderson (13) 86.
221 Invergordon 3: D. Semple (18) 72, C. Dick (27) 73, P. Brown (32) 76, I. Hosie (28) 77; Brora 1 A. Metcalfe (19) 72, L. Moore (26) 74, M. Shanks (260 75, A. MacBeath (20) 84.

WATT DUFFUS TROPHY WASHED OUT
Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association's inter-club Watt Duffus Trophy competition,
arranged for Turriff yesterday (Monday), had be cancelled due to flooding on the course.
Karen Stalker, the ALCGA secretary, said: "Unfortunately we are unable to reschedule the competition for later in the year."
Photo of Turiff's 11th fairway

Monday 13th June 2005

Scottish Schools Championship
ROBERT AND LAURA WIN SCHOOLS TITLES IN TIGHT FINISHES
BY COLIN FARQUHARSON
Photos Courtesy and Copyright © Cal Carson Golf Agency
Photo Album
Tight finishes were the order of the day as Robert Carson (West Lothian) and Laura Murray (South Aberdeenshire), pictured right, won the individual titles in The Royal Bank of Scotland schools championships over the Devlin and Torrance courses at St Andrews Bay Resort yesterday (Monday).
Robert, pictured below right, with scores of 74 (Devlin) and 76 (Torrance) for an aggregate of 150 (two under the combined CSS) won the boys' championship by one shot from Ross Kellet (North Lanarkshire), the first-round leader with a 73 over Devlin but pipped for the top spot after drifting to a 73 over Torrance.
It was just as close in the girls' championship with Alford Academy pupil Laura Murray's rounds of 72 (Devlin) and 75 (Torrance) for a three-over-par total of 147, squeezing out Carly Booth (Perth & Kinross) who had a pair of 74s for 148.
Laura is a member of Alford and Aboyne golf clubs and was beaten finalist in the Aberdeenshire women's county championship earlier in the season. She will make her county team debut for Aberdeenshire in the North Division team championship at Elgin at the end of the month.
Laura, who will be 17 in August, cut her handicap to three with scores which almost had a little bit of everything. She had an eagle 3 at the third and birdies at the second, seventh and 10th on the Devlin while her Torrance card contained double bogeys at the sixth and ninth, offset slightly by birdies at the fourth and seventh.
One-handicapper Carly, a member at Auchterarder Golf Club, had a pair of 74s for 148. She had birdies at the fifth and 14th but bogeys at the seventh, eighth, 12th and 16th in her second round over the Torrance.
Krystle Caithness (Fife), the Scottish Under-16 girls' champion for the past two years, finished third on 150 with a 74 on the Devlin and a 76 on the Torrance.
The team events continued the theme of close-run affairs with North Lanarkshire (473) winning the boys' title by one shot from North Aberdeenshire (474) with Aberdeen City (478) third.
In the girls' event, Edinburgh City (303) had more shots to spare from runners-up North Aberdeenshire (320). Fife also totalled 320 but North Aberdeenshire were placed second by having the better Devlin course total.
Aberdeenshire dominated the girls' handicap awards with the top prize going to Lauren MacCallum (North Aberdeenshire), pictured bottom right, with a net total of 138 off 14 of a handicap. Runner-up was Samantha Leslie (South Aberdeenshire) with 140 off 17.
collated
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND SCHOOLGIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
St Andrews Bay Resort. Devlin & Torrance courses.
BOYS' TOTALS (Devlin scores first) (CSS Devlin 77, Torrance 75).
150 R Carson (West Lothian) 74 76.
151 R Kellet (North Lanarkshire) 73 78.
153 C Robinson (Dumfries & Galloway) 77 76, R King (West Dunbartonshire) 79 74.
156 J Findlay (North Aberdeenshire) 81 75, A Styles (Aberdeen City) 79 77, C Bell (North Lanarkshire) 84 72.
157 R Rebecchi (Inverclyde) 78 79, L Kirton (North Aberdeenshire) 80 77.
158 A Murdoch (Dumfries & Galloway) 80 78, R Delaney (South Lanarkshire) 78 80.
159 C Gray (Glasgow City) 78 81, B McKenna (East Renfrewshire) 84 75, L Vettese (Aberdeen City) 79 80.
160 F McKenna (East Dunbartonshire) 82 78, E Malcolm (Fife) 79 81, T Sharkey (West Dunbartonshire) 81 79.
161 S Davie (Angus) 77 84, C Haugh (East Renfrewshire) 80 81, P Cameron (Highland) 80 81, P McLean (North Aberdeenshire) 79 82, J Shanks (North Ayrshire) 81 80.
162 J Clarke (Angus) 82 80, R Watson (Glasgow City) 79 83, R Noon (Edinburgh City) 79 83, S Borrowman (Clackmannanshire) 82 80, T Spencer (South Aberdeenshire) 84 78.
163 S Burns (Clackmannanshire) 84 79, K Shearer (Aberdeen City) 83 80.
164 D Littler (South Aberdeenshire) 86 78.
165 D MacGregor (Argyll & Bute) 83 82, J Houston (East Dunbartonshire) 85 80, C Gaitens (Highland) 84 81.
166 M Shaw (East Renfrewshire) 82 84, R Buckley (Edinburgh City) 84 82, S Pithie (South Lanarkshire) 86 80, G Molloy (North Lanarkshire) 88 78.
167 C Grant (West Lothian) 83 84, G Robinson (Falkirk) 87 80, S McGrenaghan (Renfrewshire) 83 84.
168 B Rushford (Falkirk) 88 80, S Robyn (South Ayrshire) 89 79.
169 J Chillas (Perth & Kinross) 80 89.
170 S Keane (Glasgow City) 87 80, C Storrier (Dundee City) 88 82, J Fair (Highland) 86 84.
171 M Paterson (Argyll & Bute) 89 82, D Fitzpatrick (Inverclyde) 82 89.
172 A Council (North Ayrshire) 83 89.
173 J Gilmour (Renfrewshire) 90 83.
174 G Menzies (East Dunbartonshire) 90 84, C McLaughlin (North Ayrshire) 89 85, D Wood (Borders) 91 83, D Muir (Renfrewshire) 91 83.
175 A Aitken (Dumfries & Galloway) 86 89, E Brown (South Ayrshire) 87 88, A Tester (Clackmannanshire) 90 85, C Ruane (West Dunbartonshire) 87 88.
176 D Brown (South Ayrshire) 89 87.
177 M Thomson (Dundee City) 90 87.
178 R McPhee (Argyll & Bute) 90 88.
180 F Logan (Perth & Kinross) 88 92.
181 G Smith (Stirling) 88 93, A Borek (Stirling) 93 88, P Foley (Falkirk) 97 84.
183 R Mungavin (Stirling) 96 87, K Donaldson (Borders) 91 92.
186 L Carragher (Perth & Kinross) 96 90.
190 N Avanzo (Edinburgh City) 95 95.
198 D Cupples (Inverclyde) 96 102.
BOYS' TEAM EVENT
473 North Lanarkshire.
474 North Aberdeenshire.
478 Aberdeen City.
GIRLS' TOTALS (Devlin scores first) (CSS Devlin 73, Torrance 73).
147 L Murray (South Aberdeenshire) 72 75.
148 C Booth (Perth & Kinross) 74 74.
150 K Caithness (Fife) 74 76.
151 R Niven (Edinburgh City) 74 77.
152 S Watson (Edinburgh City) 79 73, P Pretswell (South Lanarkshire) 74 78.
154 M Thomson (North Aberdeenshire) 75 79, R Watson (Edinburgh City) 79 75.
158 M Briggs (Renfrewshire) 80 78.
159 K MacDonald (Highland) 80 79.
161 A Edwards (Edinburgh City) 81 80, R Livingstone (East Lothian) 79 82.
165 A Ingram (Highland) 80 85.
164 J Turner (Edinburgh City) 85 79.
166 R Wilson (Angus) 83 83, E Fairnie (Edinburgh City) 86 80, L MacCallum (North Aberdeenshire) 78 88, F Blair (Angus) 81 85
170 H Harvey (Fife) 89 81, V Smith (South Ayrshire) 88 82.
174 M Barbour (East Lothian) 89 85, A Niven (Perth & Kinross) 88 86, L McGregor (Falkirk) 87 87, S Leslie (South Aberdeenshire) 86 88.
176 S Jackson (Fife) 87 89.
178 A Smith (Dundee City) 87 91, M Johnstone (Aberdeen City) 88 90, K Differ (North Lanarkshire) 85 93, Z Differ (North Lanarkshire) 89 89
181 S Vass (Highland) 93 88.
182 I Craigie (Borders) 91 91, A Bowie (Angus) 94 88.
183 J Meldrum (East Dunbartonshire) 95 88.
185 E Briggs (Renfrewshire) 90 95.
186 D Neilson (Glasgow City 88 98, A McGarty (West Lothian) 91 95, K McGhee (South Ayrshire) 88 98.
188 G Monteith (Dumfries & Galloway) 91 97.
190 L Whyte (Aberdeen City) 89 101.
191 R McCulloch (Dumfries & Galloway) 99 92.
192 C Easton (Edinburgh City) 97 95.
193 K Brodie (East Dunbartonshire) 90 103.
194 J Pryde (Angus) 94 100, M Hull (South Lanarkshire) 101 93.
196 N McAuley (South Aberdeenshire) 104 92.
195 C Tait (Fife) 96 99.
196 J Jones (North Aberdeenshire) 94 102.
198 L Forgie (Glasgow City) 100 98.
199 L Byrne (Argyll & Bute) 100 99.
200 L Falconer (Angus) 102 98, K Moss (Angus) 101 99, F Stewart (Angus) 100 100.
202 R Cordiner (Glasgow City) 102 100.
204 H Thomson (North Aberdeenshire) 102 102.
222 S Watters (Fife) 113 109
GIRLS' TEAM EVENT
303 Edinburgh City.
320 Aberdeenshire North (better Devlin total).
320 Fife.

Irish News
Irish Pride Curragh Ladies Scratch Cup 2005
Maura Morrin of the host club won the Irish Pride Curragh Ladies Scratch Cup yesterday after tying with club-mate Sinead Keane on 141. Maura won with the better second nine of the second round.
She is pictured right with the Curragh Lady Captain Anne Griffen.
Results
1st Maura Morrin (scr) The Curragh 141
2nd Sinead Keane (1) The Curragh 141
3rd Sinead O'Sullivan (2) Galway 144
36 Nett Ciara Walsh (8) Headford 133
4th Darragh McGowan (3) Bally/Stranriar 146
5th Dawn Maire Conaty (4) Ashbourne 146
6th Michelle Carroll (2) Grange 147
7th Marian Riordan (1) Tipperary 148
1st 18 Gross Anne Maire Dalton (6) Coollatin 73
2nd 18 Gross Anne Geoghegan (2) Athlone 70
1st 18 Nett Greta Foran (12) Edenderry 67
2nd 18 Nett Margaret O'Connell (11) Hazel Grove 69

More Irish News
ILGU PRESS RELEASE
Lancome Irish Ladies’ Close Championship
Portsalon Golf Club, Co. Donegal
Sunday 19 June to Wednesday 22 June, 2005
13 June 2005
Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth), fresh from qualifying for the Women’s British Amateur Championship last week, defends her Lancôme Irish Ladies’ Close Championship at Portsalon Golf Club, 19-22 June 2005. Deirdre, already holder of the 2005 Cork and Royal Co. Down Scratch Cups, hopes to match Miss Mabel Harrison’s fete 1912 when she defended her title on the Donegal links, following her win twelve months previously over the links at The Island Golf Club, home of the 2004 championship.
The Championship begins Sunday June 19 with the Leitrim Cup, a 36-hole qualifying strokeplay event. This year sees the qualifying return to its original format with the 64 strong field qualifying over one day. The leading 32 players will go into the Championship Draw on Monday while the next 16 play for the Ita Wallace Trophy.
The Lancôme Irish Ladies’ Close was first played in 1894, just one year after the foundation of the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union, the oldest national union or association in ladies’ golf. This year’s centenary venue marks Portsalon’s first hosting of the event in 1905, where Miss May Hezlet captured her third of five titles over the challenging links. The championship has been held every year since, excluding the war years.
Claire Coughlan (Cork), runner-up at the British Amateur last week, tees off first on Sunday and arguably poses the most serious threat to Smith’s title aspirations. Along with International team mates Martina Gillen (Beaverstown) and Tricia Mangan (Ennis), Claire has just been selected for the Vagliano Trophy matches to be held in France next month. Monkstown’s Ada O’Sullivan captains the GB&I side that defeated the Continent of Europe at Co. Louth in 2003.
Surprisingly, apart from Coughlan, the only other former champion in the draw, which boasts a significant number of current and past Internationals, is Beaverstown’s Gillen. The entry includes the full International team that captured the Home International Championship for the second successive year in 2004 and all will anxiously await Wednesday evening’s announcement of the six-player team to play in the European Team Championships at Karlstad, Sweden, 5-9 July 2005. For the first time, the I.L.G.U. will also select a team of four to play in the Under-18 European Team Championships at Lucerne, 5-9 July 2005.
Draw:
07.00 (at 10 min intervals, 2nd rnd +5 hours) Claire Coughlan (Cork), Maria Dunne (Skerries), Gemma Hegarty (Greencastle); Karen Delaney (Carlow), Tricia Mangan (Ennis), Sinead O’Sullivan (Galway); Mary Dowling (New Ross), Gillian O’Leary (Cork), Michelle Carroll (Grange); Christina Armanasco (Eniscrone), Mary Sheehy (Tralee), Oonagh Purfield (Co. Louth); Joanne Black (Knock), Ann Marie Dalton (Coollattin), Jenna Kinnear (Belvoir Park); Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Maura Diamond (Royal Portrush), Ailish McCartan (Greenore)
08.00 Margaret Hayes (Tralee), Orla Barry (Galway), Vivienne Houston (City of Derry); Joanne Cronin (Killarney), Angela Kilmartin (Warrenpoint), Sheena O’Brien Kenney (Grange); Deirdre Judge (Roscommon), Catherine Tucker (Limerick), Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne); Sinead Keane (Curragh), Heather Nolan (Shannon), Marian Riordan (Tipperary); Helen Jones (Strabane), Fiona Carroll (Athenry), Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey & Stranorlar)
09.00 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth), Maura Morrin (Curragh), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies); Martina Gillen (Beaverstown), Tara Delaney (Carlow), Niamh Kitching (Claremorris); Deirdre Walsh (Milltown), Charlene Reid (Gracehill), Naoimh Quigg (City of Derry); Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth), Ann Geoghegan (Athlone), Nikki Taggart (BelvoirPark); Shauna McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), Suzie Hayes (Hermitage), Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), Pat Doran (Donabate), Liz Bennett (Nenagh), Brenda McLarnon (Fortwilliam)
10.00 Stella Richmond (Turvey), Bernie McQuade (Fintona), Marian O'Sullivan (Letterkenny); Jane Gardner (Malone), Mary Geaney (Killarney), Ailsling Parker (Greenore); Ida Johnstone (Fortwilliam), Dana Clinton (Portsalon), Lynsey Humphries (Co. Armagh);m Louise Butler (Shannon), Rose Campbell (City of Derry); Barbara Cooney (Laytown/Bettystown), Paula Murray (Naas)

Girls Inter-Division Championship
Photos courtesy and Copyright © Cal Carson Golf Agency

East

West

North

South

Sunday 12th June 2005

East of Scotland Girls - winners of the first Scottish Girls Inter-Division Team Championship
L to R Sally Watson, Rebecca Watson, Amanda Edwards, Rachael Livingstone, Jane Turner and Hannah Harvey
(Thanks to Midlothian County Captain, Maggie Macpherson, for the photo)

Scottish Girls Inter-division Championship
EAST ARE FIRST GIRLS' DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONS
East beat West 3-0 in the final of the inaugural Scottish girls' inter-division team championship, sponsored by BP, at Ballumbie Castle Golf Club near Dundee today (Sunday).
North, who had beeen beaten 2-1 by East in Saturday's semi-finals, won the third-place play-off by 2 1/2- 1/2 against South.
The tournament featured foursomes-only ties with each team consisting of six players.
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), the 13-year-old South Queensferry girl who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish women's championship at Cruden Bay last month, and Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) came back from two down after 11 holes to West's Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) and Debbie Neilson (Hilton Park) to win by one hole.
The decisive hole was the par-5 17th where Rachael got home with a three-wood second shot and Sally holed a 35ft putt for an eagle 3. That put the East pair in the lead for the first time and they halved the last hole.
Sally Watson's older sister, Rebecca and Hannah Harvey (St Leonards) put the first point on the board for East in the final by beating Vicky Smith (Barassie) and Alison Lewis (Airdrie) 6 and 4.
Then Jane Turner (Mortonhall) and Amanda Edwards (Liberton) clinched the trophy for East by winning 3 and 2 over Morag McPherson (Turnberry) and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle).
North, arguably the second-best team in the four-cornered contest, were unlucky to be drawn against East in the semi-finals. Their strong-going foursomes pairing of Michele Thomson (Ellon) and Laura Murray (Alford) played well in winning by 7 and 5 against South's Ailsa Mitchell (Hawick) and Ashley McDonald (Dunskey)
Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) and Sally Kettlewell (Dunblane) made it 2-0 for North over South with a 6 and 5 win against Gilloian Monteith (Dunskey) and Isla Craigie (Torwoodlee).
South were denied a win in the final tie when North's Ashton Ingram (Fort William) and Michelle MacDonald (Buckpool) came back from five down at one stage to square the match on the last green where Michelle holed a 6ft putt.
Details:
SATURDAY
EAST 2, NORTH 1
(East players first)
S Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) & R Livingtone (Musselburgh Old) bt R Wilson
(Monifieth) & S Kettlewell (Dunblane) 3 and 2; J Turner (Motonhall) & A Edwards
(Liberton) lost to M Thomson (Ellon) & L Murray (Alford) 4 and 3; R Watson
(Elie & Earlsferry) & H Harvey (St Leonards) bt A Ingram (Fort William) & M
McDonald (Buckpool) 6 and 5.
WEST 3, SOUTH 0
(West players first)
M Briggs (Kilmacolm) & D Nielson (Hilton Park) bt G Monteith (Dunskey) & A
McDonald (Dunskey) 6 and 4; M McPherson (Turnberry) & P Prestwell (Bothwell
Castle) bt I Craigie (Torwoodlee) & A Mitchell (Hawick) 7 and 5; V Smith
(Barassie) & A Lewis (Airdrie) bt A Ford (Dunskey) & R Harvey (Dunskey) 3 and 2.
SUNDAY
FINAL
EAST 3, WEST 0
S Watson & Livingston bt Briggs & Neilson 1 hole; Turner & Edwards bt McPherson
& Pretswell 3 and 2; R Watson & Harvey bt Smith & Lewis 6 and 4.
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
NORTH 2 1/2, SOUTH 1/2
Thomson & Murray bt Mitchell & A McDonald 7 and 5; Ingram and M MacDonald
halved with Ford & Harvey; Wilson & Kettlewell bt Monteith & Craigie 6 and 5.

Vagliano Cup Team
There are three Scots - Anne Laing, Heather MacRae and Clare Queen - in the Great Britain and Ireland team to play the Continent of Europe in the women's biennial amateur international match for the Vagliano Trophy at Chantilly Golf Club in late July.
A fourth Scot, Jenna Wilson, is first reserve.
Anne Laing and Clare Queen have played for Great Britain & Ireland previously but it will be a first honour for Heather MacRae.
The GB&I team, captain by Ireland's Ada O'Sullivan, is:
Claire Coughlan (Cork)
Martina Gillen (Beaverstown
Felicity Johnson (Harborne)
Anne Laing (Vale of Leven)
Heather MacRae (Dunblane New)
Tricia Mangan (Ennis)
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville)
Clare Queen (Drumpellier)
Sophie Walker (Kenwick Park)
Reserves;
1. Jenna Wilson (Strathaven)
2. Tara Delaney (Carlow)
3. Naomi Edwards (Ganton)
4. Melissa Reid (Chevin)

County Golf
Borders announce their team
The Borders Team for the South Division Jamboree at Hirsel 25th 26th 27th June has now been selected and is as follows:
Judith Anderson, Hawick
Julie Birdsall-White, Roxburghe
Emma Fairnie, Peebles
Louise Fleming, Roxburghe
Karen Hughes, Minto
Mags Morrison, Hawick
Martine Pow, Selkirk
Wendy Wells, Peebles
Borders play Dumfriesshire on Saturday 25th, Dumfriesshire play Galloway on Sunday 26th and Borders play Galloway on Monday 27th.

Saturday 11th June 2005

Scottish Girls Interdivisional
EAST MEETS WEST IN GIRLS' FINAL
East will play West in the final of the inaugural Scottish Ladies Golfing Association girls' inter-divisional team golf championship over the Ballumbie Castle course, near Dundee on Sunday morning (10.30am).
Each semi-final was decided on three foursomes and East beat North 2-1 while West beat South 3-0.
East, whose line-up included Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), the 13-year-old South Queensferry girl who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish women's championship at Cruden Bay last month, and her sister Rebecca were the pre-tournament favourites but North pushed them hard.
Sally Watson and Rachael Livingstone won the decisive tie, beating Rebecca Wilson and Sally Kettlewell by 3 and 2 after being pulled back to all square at the 12th. Rebecca and Sally three-putted the 10th and 11th to let Sally and Rachael off with halves but drew level by winning the 12th.
The East pair then dovetailed well to win the 13th, 15th and 16th.
Michele Thomson and Laura Murray, the strongest of North's three partnerships, played well in winning by 4 and 3 over Jane Turner and Amanda Edwards.
Rebecca Watson and Hannah Harvey established a big lead early on against Ashton Ingram and Michelle McDonald and never looked back, going on to win by 6 and 5. In fairness to Ashton, she had not been feeling well before she set off on the journey to Dundee from Fort William but did not want to let the side down by calling off.
West had two big-margin foursomes winners against - Megan Briggs and Debbie Neilson who won by 6 and 4, and Morag McPherson and Pamela Pretswell who won by 7 and 5.
North and South will play off for third place as East and West contest the first final in this new championship which is sponsored by BP.
Details:
EAST 2, NORTH 1
(East players first)
Sally Watson & Rachael Livingtone bt Rebecca Wilson & Sally Kettlewell 3 and 2.
Jane Turner & Amanda Edwards lost to Michele Thomson & Laura Murray 4 and 3.
Rebecca Watson & Hannah Harvey bt Ashton Ingram & Michelle McDonald 6 and 5.
WEST 3, SOUTH 0
(West players first)
Megan Briggs & Debbie Nielson bt Gillian Monteith & Ashley McDonald 6 and 4.
Morag McPherson & Pamela Prestwell bt Isla Craigie & Ailsa Mitchell 7 and 5.
Vicky Smith & Alison Lewis bt Amy Ford & Rachael Harvey 3 and 2.

British Ladies Amateur Championship
LOUISE STAHLE RETAINS BRITISH CROWN
Sweden's Louise Stahle has retained the British women's open amateur championship she won at Gullane last year.
In today's 18-hole final at Littlestone, Kent, Louise beat Irish Curtis Cup player Claire Coughlan from Cork by 3 and 2.
Miss Stahle announced several weeks ago that she was quitting her Arizona State University golf scholarship after only one year to turn professional in July after representing Sweden in the European women's amateur team championship in her native country at the beginning of the month.
In the morning semifinals, Louise Stahle beat Spaniard Maria Hernandez by 1 hole, and Claire Coughlan from Cork beat Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) by 5&4
 

Friday 10th June 2005

European Seniors
MOIRA THOMSON JOINT 7TH AT CHANTILLY
Roy Smethurst from Crewe, beaten by Stirling’s David Smith in a title-play-off last year, won the European men’s senior amateur championship at Chantilly, France.
Smethurst produced a great last round of one-under-par 70 for a 54-hole final total of five-over 218. He won by a single shot from Germany’s Hans-Gunter Reiter.
David Smith, bidding for a hat-trick of titles, faded with a last-round 82 for 236 and a share of 31st place.
Brian Grieve from the King James VI club, Perth was the top Scot in joint 15th place. He finished with a 76 for 234.
North Berwick’s Moira Thomson, the only Scot in the senior women’s field, signed off with an 80 for joint seventh place on 241.
France’s Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue won the title for a fifth time with a two-under-par final round of 71 for a total of three-over 222. She won by 12 shots from England's Carole Caldwell who had a closing round of 78.
EUROPEAN SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Chantilly, France.
Leading final totals
MEN (Par 71)
218 Roy Smethurst (Eng) 76 72 70.
219 Hans-Gunter Reiter (Ger) 76 72 71.
222 Alexis Godillot (Fra) 75 73 74.
223 Gordon Broster (Eng) 73 80 70.
Scots’ scores:
234 Brian Grieve 76 82 76 (tied 15th).
236 David Smith 78 76 82 (tied 31st).
240 Robert Gill 77 76 87 (45TH).
242 Bob Edgar 79 77 86, William Wallace 80 81 81 (tied 47th).
WOMEN (Par 73)]
222 Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (Fra) 76 75 71.
234 Carole Caldwell (Eng) 81 75 78.
237 Cristina Marsans (Spa) 79 81 77.
238 Maj-Britt Heden (Swe) 77 78 83.
240 Beatriz Ramirez de Haro (Spa) 82 78 80, Christina Birke (Swe) 80 78 82.
241 Moira Thomson (Sco) 82 79 80, Anne Lanrezac (Fra) 78 79 84.

British Ladies Amateur
BAD KICK KOs JENNA AT LITTLESTONE
Lanarkshire county champion Jenna Wilson was "kicked out" of the British women's open amateur golf championship in the quarter-finals after producing brilliant four-under-par figures to beat the only other Scot in the last 16 - Clare Queen (Drumpellier).
Jenna, the 20th qualifier, lost by one hole in the fourth round to Spain's Maria Hernandez, who qualified in 12th place, after a piece of rank bad luck at the 16th hole.
"We were all square playing the hole but my ball took a violent kick off the fairways into the right rough - and we never saw it again. That was a blow. I lost the hole to go one down and the 17th and 18th holes were halved," said Jenna.
"But, on the positive side, I was pleased with the way I hit the ball and beating Clare Queen in the morning has to be my best ever result."
Jenna, who will be 21 on June 22, beat Clare, the No 4 seed and British stroke-play championship by a surprisingly big margin - 5 and 4 with four under par figures.
Jenna was three up at the turn and won the 11th with a par 4 and the 13th with a birdie 3 to go five up and put victory out of Clare's reach.
"I played OK but Jenna was just too good for me on the day, " said Clare.

British Ladies Amateur (lunch-time news)
WILSON TRUMPS QUEEN IN BRITISH
Lanarkshire county champion Jenna Wilson from Strathaven played brilliantly to knock out Clare Queen (Drumpellier), the only other Scot in the third round of the Tropicana Essentials British women's open amateur golf championship at Littlestone, Kent.
Wilson, who will be 21 on June 22, beat the No 4 seed and British stroke-play championship by a surprisingly big margin - 5 and 4 with four under par figures.Jenna was three up at the turn and won the 11th with a par 4 and the 13th with a birdie 3 to go five up and put victory out of Clare's reach.
"That was definitely my best ever performance," said a delighted Jenna.
"I played OK but Jenna was just too good for me on the day, " said Clare.
Jenna, a former Scotland Under-21 girls champion, now plays Maria Hernandez from Spain in the quarter-finals.

Palmer Cup
JAMIESON RUNS INTO BIRDIE BLITZ
Scott Jamieson ran into a birdie blitz in the top singles on the final day as the United States regained the annual American college students match for the Palmer Cup at Whistling Straits Golf Club, Mosel on the shores of Lake Michigan at Wisconsin on Thursday.
Jamieson, who had won his foursomes tie in partnership with David Skinns from Lincoln, was hit by five successive birdies from the first hole by Matt Every. The American went on to win by 2 and 1, which represented a good fightback by the Scot.
The Americans won six of the final programme of eight singles for a 14-10 victory.
The contest had been level at the end of each of the first three sessions of play.
Europe won the last two singles to finish – Sweden’s Kalle Edberg, an Augusta State University team-mate of Scott Jamieson, beating Matthew Rosenfeld by one hole after being two down while Spain’s Alejandro Canizares beat Spencer Levin on the 18th green.
It was the American college boys’ first win in the Palmer Cup series since 2002 but increases their overall lead to 5-3 with one draw.
Result:
UNITED STATES 14, EUROPE 10
Whistling Straits, Mosel, Wisconsin.
Day 2 details (US players first):
Foursomes:
Matt Every & Matthew Rosenfeld bt Kalle Edberg & Alex Noren 3 and 1.
John Holmes & Michael Putnam lost to Scott Jamieson & David Skinns 3 and 1.
Ryan Blaum & Spencer Levin bt Rhys Davies & Steve Tiley 3 and 2.
Roberto Castro & Jeff Overton bt Alejandro Cañizares & Pablo Martin 5 and 4 (2-2).
Singles
Every bt Jamieson 2 and 1.
Putnam bt Skinns 3 and 1.
Holmes bt Noren 3 and 2.
Rosenfeld lost to Edberg 1 hole.
Blaum bt Davies 3 and 2.
Castro bt Tiley 4 and 3.
Overton bt Martin 4 and 3.
Levin lost to Canizares 1 hole (6-2).

Thursday 9th June 2005

European Seniors
MOIRA LYING NINTH AT CHANTILLY
North Berwick's Moira Thomson, the only Scots woman competing, is lying joint ninth with one round to go in the European women's senior amateur championship at Chantilly, France.
Moira has had rounds of 82 and 79 for 161.
Cecilia Mourgue d'Algue (France), a multi-winner of the title, looks liking adding to her tally of wins. She is four clear of the field after good, solid scores of 76 and 75 for five-over-par 151. Her nearest rival is Sweden's Maj-Britt Heden (77-78).
Stirling’s David Smith, bidding for a unique hat-trick of titles in the event, took closer order on the leaders with one round to go in the men's championship at the same venue.
Smith, second in 2002 and then winner after marathon play-offs in both 2003 and 2004, had a 76 for 154 – still six shots behind three joint leaders, including Roy Smethurst from Crewe, the man he beat at the fifth extra hole in a sudden-death play-off last year.
Leading Scot is Robert Gill with 77 and 76 for 153.
Brian Grieve, from the King James VI club, Perth, dropped back with an 82 for 158.
Details:
EUROPEAN SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Chantilly, France
Leading second-round totals
MEN (Par 71)
148 Roy Smethurst (Eng) 76 72, Hans-Gunter Reiter (Ger) 76 72. Alexis Godillot (Fra) 75 73.
149 Colin Moir (Eng) 75 74, Michael Wigley (Eng) 74 75.
150 Hugh MacKeown(Ire) 74 76.
151 Douglas Arnold (Eng) 75 76, Marcel Garin (Fra) 78 73.
153 Robert Gill (Sco) 77 76, Knut Skabo (Nor) 76 77, Federico Lang (Ita) 76 77, Gordon Broster (Eng) 73 80.
154 David Smith (Sco) 78 76, John Storjohann (Swi) 77 77, Maurice Kelly (Ire) 75 79.
Other Scots scores:
156 Bob Edgar 79 77 (tied 27th).
158 Brian Grieve 76 82 (tied 37th).
161 William Wallace 80 81 (tied 48th).
171 James Deas 87 84 (tied 75th).
WOMEN (Par 73)
151 Cecilia Mourgue d’Algue (Fra) 76 75.
155 Maj-Britt Heden (Swe) 77 78.
156 Carole Caldwell (Eng) 81 75.
157 Anne Lanrezac (Fra) 78 79.
158 Christina Birke (Swe) 80 78.
160 Beatriz Ramirez Haro (Spa) 82 78, Laurence Neuhaus (Fra) 79 81, Cristina Marsans (Spa) 79 81.
161 Moira Thomson (Sco) 82 79, Isabel Lorenzana (Spa) 82 79.

British Ladies Amateur
CLARE AND JENNA MEET IN ALL-SCOTS TIE IN LAST 16
Scotland team-mates Clare Queen from Drumpellier will play Lanarkshire county champion Jenna Wilson from Strathaven for a place in the quarter-finals of the Tropicana Essentials British women’s open amateur golf championship at Littlestone, Kent on Friday morning.
They are the only Scots still standing in the last 16 after the five survivors won their first-round ties of the match-play stages.
Then three times Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Stirling University student Kylie Walker and Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) bowed out in the afternoon’s second round programme.
Clare, 22, who already holds one British title – the stroke-play – beat Emma Sheffield (Newark) at the 19th after a stunning fightback.
Miss Queen, the West of Scotland champion, was never ahead at any stage until she holed from 6ft for knock-out birdie 3 at the first extra hole. Her opponent missed from inside that distance for a half that would have prolonged the tie.
Clare was three down after 12 holes but, on a course like Littlestone where to miss the fairway is to drop a shot automatically, she knew she still had a chance if she could just hang on.
Sure enough, Miss Queen won the 13th and 15th to be all square and then slipped one down again at the 17th. Clare’s nerve was put to the test again at the long 18th where she was in a greenside bunker in two. She got up and down from the sand for a birdie 4 to square the contest.
"I was striking the ball pretty well but hitting a few scrappy shots at times. I’ve holed a few good putts over the week and I just hope that continues although it’s a pity I have to play Jenna in the third round."
Miss Queen, a certainty for the Great Britain & Ireland team for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Chantilly in July, does not intend hanging around for next year’s Curtis Cup match in the United States. She will try for a Ladies European Tour card at the end of the year.
Jenna Wilson, who will be 21 on June 22, claimed the notable scalp of Emma Duggleby (Malton & Norton) in the second round after disposing of a German, Thea Hoffmeister, by 3 and 2 in the morning.
Miss Duggleby’s best years may be behind her at the age of 33 but she won the British title in 1994, was beaten finalist in 2000 and 2001 and has played in three Curtis Cup matches, winning three points out of four at Formby last year.
But it was still a very good win for young Jenna who is a former Scottish Under-21 champion and has been selected to play for Scotland in the European team championship in Sweden early next month.
Like Clare Queen, Jenna was two down at the turn but kept battling on to square the game and then win it with a birdie 4 at the 18th.
"This is definitely one of my best results. Although I wasn’t shooting a lot of birdies, I was steady enough to keep Emma within a two-hole lead," said Jenna who spent a successful golfing year at San Diego State University before returning home.
Three times Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) went down by 3 and 1 in the second round to France’s Alexandra Vilatte. Three down after six, Anne got two holes back with birdies at the seventh and 11th but bogeys at the 14th and 17th sealed her fate.
"I’m not too disappointed to lose to a very good player. Alexandra should go far in the game," said a sporting Miss Laing.
Kylie Walker (Stirling University) went down in the second round by 2 and 1 to the experienced Irish player, Tricia Mangan, the No 9 qualifier from Ennis.
Heather MacRae almost made it three Scots in the round of the last 16 but she lost a very tight match on the 18th green to Canadian Veronique Drouin.
Results involving Scots:
FIRST ROUND
A Laing (Vale of Leven) bt S Doering (Ger) at 19th.
K Walker (Stirling Univ) bt N Duvalois (Net) at 20th.
J Wilson (Strathaven bt T Hoffmeister (Ger) 3 and 2.
C Queen (Drumpellier) bt B Mozo (Spa) 2 and 1.
H MacRae (Dunblane New) bt H Nolan (Ireland) 3 and 2.
SECOND ROUND
Laing lost to A Vilatte (Fra) 3 and 1.
Walker lost to T Mangan (Ire) 2 and 1.
Wilson bt E Duggleby (Malton & Norton) 1 hole.
Queen bt E Sheffield (Newark) at 19th.
MacRae lost to V Drouin (Can) 1 hole.

British Ladies Amateur (Lunch-time news)
ALL FIVE SCOTS MAKE IT THROUGH TO LAST 32
All five Scots who qualified for the match-play stages of the Tropicana Essentials British women’s open amateur golf championship won their first round ties to reach the last 32 at Littlestone Golf Club, Kent today.
Three times Scottish champion Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) came back from two down at the turn, to beat Stephanie Doering (Germnay) with a 35ft birdie putt at the 19th hole.
Kylie Walker (Stirling University) also went into extra holes before beating Natascha Duvalois (Netherlands) at the 20th.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) won by 3 and 2 against Thea Hoffmesiter (Germany).
Clare Queen (Drumpellier), the leading Scottish qualifier, had a good 2 and 1 win over the highly-rated Spanish younger Belen Moxo.
Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) won by 3 and 2 over Ireland’s Heather Nolan who finished second after a play-off in the recent St Rule Trophy tournament at St Andrews.
Laing, Wilson, Queen and MacRae are members of the Scotland team of six to compete in the European women’s team championship in Sweden in early July. Walker is one of the reserves.

Scottish Girls Inter-Divisional
EAST FAVOURITES FOR TITLE
East, whose line-up includes Sally Watson, the 13-year-old South Queensferry girl who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish women’s championship at Cruden Bay, will start favourites to win the inaugural BP Scottish girls’ inter-division championship at Ballumbie Castle, Dundee on Saturday and Sunday.
East will play North while West play South on Saturday afternoon (2.30). The winners will meet on Sunday morning (10.30) for the new trophy and the losers will play off for third place.
Each match will be decided by three foursomes ties. Girls who have played for their county at adult level are debarred, which means that North cannot call on Carly Booth, Kelsey MacDonald and Roseanne Niven, three of the best young golfers in the Scotland, while East are deprived of the services of Scottish Under-16 champion Krystle Caithness.
The teams are:
EAST: Amanda Edwards, Hannah Harvey, Rachael Livingstone, Jane Turner, Rebecca Watson, Sally Watson.
NORTH: Ashton Ingram, Sally Kettlewell, Michell Macdonald, Laura Murray, Michele Thomson, Rebecca Wilson.
SOUTH: Isla Craigie, Amy Ford, Rachel Harvey, Ailsa Mitchell, Ashley Macdonald, Gillian Monteith.
WEST: Megan Briggs, Alison Lewis, Morag Macpherson, Pamela Pretswell, Vikki Smith, Debbie Wilson.

Astor Salver
CHLOE COURT WINS AT THE BERKSHIRE
Chloe Court won the Astor Salver at The Berkshire Golf Club on Wednesday with an aggregate of 149. She had a 75 over the Blue Course (CSS 73) and a 74 over the Red (CSS 74).
Miss Court won by three strokes from Miss H Barwood (74-78) with Miss L Clark third on 153.
LEADING TOTALS
(CSS Blue 73, Red 74)
149 Miss C Court 75 74.
152 Miss H Barwood 74 78.
153 Miss L Clark 78 75.
154 Miss F Grimshaw 73 81.
155 Mrs I O'Brien 78 77.

Palmer Cup
US AND EUROPE TIED AT END OF DAY ONE
Europe and the United States were tied 6-6 at the end of the first day in the annual college students’ golf match for the Palmer Cup over the Irish Course at Whistling Straits, Mosel on the shores of Lake Michigan, Wisconsin.
The morning four-ball ties were shared 2-2 and Europe won the last three of the eight singles to split the afternoon honours 4-4.
Scott Jamieson (Augusta State University), the only Scot in the European team of eight, won his four-ball in partnership with David Skinns (Tennessee University) from Lincoln. They beat Matt Every and Matthew Rosenfeld 3 and 2.
But Jamieson was unlucky enough to be matched against the top American player, Michael Putnam, in the singles and lost by 5 and 4.
Europe’s winners in the singles were Sweden’s Alex Noren and Kalle Edberg and Spain’s Alejandro Canizares.
First day details (US names first):
US 6, EUROPE 6
Four-balls: John Holmes & Spencer Levin bt Rhys Davies & Steve Tiley 6 and 4; Matt Every & Matthew Rosenfeld lost to Scott Jamieson & David Skinns 3 and 2; Jeff Overton & Michael Putnam lost to Alexjandro Canizares & Pablo Martin 2 and 1; Ryan Blaum & Roberto Castro bt Kalle Edberg & Alex Noren 1 hole (2-2).
Singles: Levin halved with Davies, Every bt Skinns 4 and 2, Holmes bt Tiley 3 and 2, Overton halved with Martin , Putnam bt Jamieson 5 and 4, Blaum lost to Noren 5 and 4, Rosenfeld lost to Canizares 3 and 1, Castro lost to Edberg 3 and 1 (4-4).

Wednesday 8th June 2005

European Seniors
MOIRA THOMSON TIED 12TH
Moira Thomson from North Berwick, the only Scot in the field, was tied for 12th place at the end of the first round of the European senior women's amateur championship at Chantilly, France on Wednesday.
Moira had a round of nine-over-par 82 but was only six shots off the pace being set by two French players, the redoubtable Cecilia Mourgue d'Algue and M-Christin Ubald Bocquet.
LEADING SCORES
76 Cecilia Mourgue d'Algue (Fra), M-Christin Ubald Cocquet (Fra).
77 Maj-Britt Heden (Swe).
78 Ann Lanrezac (Fra).
79 L:aurence Neuhaus (Fra), Cristina Marsans (Spa).
80 Christina Birke (Swe).
81 Carole Caldwell (Eng), Marleen Nijhof (Net), Ann-Kristin Hermanson (Swe).
Other score:
82 Moira Thomson (Sco).
In the men's championship, at the same venue, the leading first-round scores were:
73 (two over par) Gordon Broster (Eng).
74 Hugh MacKeown (Ire), Michael Wrigley( Eng).
75 Maurice Kelly (Ire), Zdzislaw Markus (Pol), Colin Moir (Eng), Michael Hayes (Eng), Douglas Arnold (Eng), Alexis Godillot (Fra), Piergiorgio Vigliani (Ita).
Scots scores included:
76 Brian Grieve (tied 11th).
78 David Smith, Robert Gill (tied 19th).
79 Bob Edgar (tied 35th).
80 William Wallace.
81 Jim McArthur.
87 James Deas.

British Ladies Amateur
ONLY FIVE SCOTS THROUGH TO MATCH-PLAY STAGES
Only five Scots from the entry of 12 have made it through to the match-play stages of the Tropicana Essentials British women's open amateur championship over a tough par-72 course at Littlestone, Kent.
Clare Queen, with a second-round 72 for 148 gained the fourth seed spot in the draw.
Other Scots to qualify were Jenna Wilson (151), Anne Laing and Kylie Walker, both on 152, and Heather MacRae (155).
LEADING QUALIFIERS (Par 72 72)
145 Louise Stahle (Sweden) 72 73.
146 Lucy Gould (Bargoed) 72 74, Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) 71 75.
148 Clare Queen (Drumpellier) 76 72, Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands ) 73 75.
149 Beatriz Recari (Spain) 75 74, Tricia Mangan (Ennis) 75 74, Deirdre Smith (Co Louth) 77 72, Sandra Gall (Germany) 76 73, Alex Vilatte (France) 76 73.
Other Scots qualifiers:
151 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) 75 76.
152 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) 71 81, Kylie Walker (Stirling Univ) 73 79.
155 Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) 78 77.
Scots’ non-qualifiers:
160 Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 80 80.
162 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus). 79 83, Dawn Dewar (Stirling Univ) 79 83.
163 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 79 84.
166 Gemma Webster (Hilton Park) 86 80, Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling Univ) 87 79.
168 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 91 77.

Tuesday 7th June 2005

Northern Vets
SMART WORK BY ANN
Banchory’s Ann Smart won the North Veteran Ladies Golf Association championship for the first time at Aboyne Golf Club on Tuesday.
She beat Ros Dunsmuir, the Aberdeenshire women’s county vice-captain from Cruden Bay, by 3 and 1 in the final after being all square the turn. A birdie putt at the 15th by Ann to go two up was the decisive point in a closely-contested match.
Ann goes forward to the Scottish Vets’ championship quarter-finals at Blairgowrie at the end of September.
In the morning semi-finals, Ann’s opponent and Banchory clubmate, Morag Clapperton, the Aberdeenshire county champion, had to retire after nine holes with a sore leg. In the other tie Ros beat Frances Neish (Murcar) by 2 and 1.
Wendy Davidson (Deeside) won the Bronze Division championship with a 5 and 4 win over Cathy Kane (Newmachar) in the final.
NORTH VETERAN LGA CHAMPIONSHIP – Aboyne Golf Club
Silver division championship - Semi-finals – R Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay) bt F Neish (Murcar) 2 and 1, A Smart (Banchory) bt M Clapperton (Banchory), retired after nine holes. Final – Smart bt Dunsmuir 3 and 1.
Bronze division championship – Semi-finals – W Davidson (Deeside) bt I Clark (Aberdeen Ladies) 3 and 2, C Kane (Newmachar) bt S Craig (Cruden Bay) 3 and 2. Final – Davidson bt Kane 5 and 4.

LGU Challenge Bowls
TROPHY WINNERS AT FORRESTER PARK.
Scotland senior international player Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), teenager Emma Fairnie (Peebles), winner of the Border women’s county championship for a second year in a row, and Isobel Millar (Vale of Leven) were the trophy winners at the LGU Challenge Bowls’ competition at Forrester Park near Dunfermline today.
In the Silver Division Helen won the Wallace Williamson Bowl with the lowest scratch score of the day – an 80 (which was four over the CSS).
Miss Fairnie, a golf scholarship student at Loretto School, was pipped by one shot for that trophy but her handicap deduction of six enabled her to win the LGU Challenge Bowl in the Silver Division with a net 75 (better inward half).
Isobel Millar scored a double whammy in the Bronze Division, winning both the Bronze Scratch Cup and the LGU Challenge Bowl for the best net return. Isobel had a gross round of 105 and, with a deduction of 23, a net score of 82.
LGU CHALLENGE BOWLS – Forrester Park (CSS 76)
Silver Division
Scratch (Wallace Williamson Bowl) – Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) 80. Handicap (LGU Challenge Bowl) – Emma Fairnie (Peebles) (6) 75 (bih).
Bronze Division
Scratch (Bronze Scratch Cup) – Isobel Millar (Vale of Leven) 105. Handicap (LGU Challenge Bowl) – Isobel Millar (Vale of Leven) (23) 82.

Dunhill Links Schools Golf Championship
CATCHMENT AREA EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ANGUS, DUNDEE, FIFE
The dunhill links schools golf championship is being expanded to include all secondary schools in Angus, Dundee and Fife. In the past entry has been restricted to a limited number of schools in the area of the dunhill links championship which this year will be played from September 29 to October 2 over the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
The new-look dunhill links school challenge will be decided over 18 holes of stroke-play under handicap over the Torrance Course at St Andrews Bay Hotel, on Sunday, June 26.
There will be four individual champions - a junior boy and junior girl (S1-S3) and a senior boys and senior girl (S4-S6).
All participants will be invited with their parents and a school representative to the final day of this year’s dunhill links champions at St Andrews on Sunday, October 2.
The four winners will also be invited to an exclusive golf clinic given by coach Robert Baker at the championship practice range on that final Sunday.

Monday 6th June 2005

Northern Vets
BANCHORY PAIR MEET IN SEMI-FINALS
Two Banchory players, Aberdeenshire county captain Morag Clapperton and Ann Smart are through to Tuesday morning's semi-finals of the North Veteran Ladies Golf Association championship at Aboyne – and one of them is assured of appearing in the afternoon final because they play each other.
In the other tie, Frances Neish (Murcar) plays county vice-captain Ros Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay).
Monday's prizewinners (CSS 75, reductions only):
Silver Division: Scratch (Davidson Trophy) – F Neish (Murcar) 79; M Clapperton (Banchory) 81. Handicap (Lyon Bowl) – M Clapperton (Banchory) (8) 73; S Hay (Panmure Barry) (10), F Neish (Murcar) (5) 74. Senior prize – P Philip (Newmachar) (14) 75.
Bronze Division: Scratch (Edwards Trophy) – W Davidson (Deeside), S Craig (Cruden Bay) 99. Handicap (Lyon Bowl) – S Craig (Cruden Bay) (22), C Kane (Newmachar) (22) 77; W Davidson (Deeside) (21) 78. Senior prize – I Clark (Aberdeen Ladies) (21) 80. Strawberry Bowl – M Clapperton (8) 73.
Championship qualifiers: Silver Division – F Neish (Murcar) v R Dunsmuir (Cruden Bay), A Smart (Banchory) v M Clapperton (Banchory). Bronze Division – W Davidson (Deeside) v I Clark (Aberdeen Ladies), C Kane (Newmachar) v S Craig (Cruden Bay).

British Ladies Amateur
CLARE BIDS FOR BRITISH TITLE DOUBLE
This could be Clare Queen’s last British women’s open amateur golf championship at Littlestone, Kent this week.
The 22-year-old from Drumpellier, a full-time amateur since she graduated from Strathclyde University a year ago, will go for a Ladies European Tour card at the end of this season.
Already holder of the British women’s open amateur stroke-play championship, Clare is playing well enough to brighten up Scots’ dismal record in this major tournament on the Ladies Golf Union card.
Belle Robertson (1981), Catriona Lambert (1993) and Alison Rose (1997) are the only Scots to have won the title in the past 25 years during which time compatriots Wilma Aitken (1981), Gillian Stewart (1982), Elaine Farquharson (1989) and Mhairi McKay (1997) were beaten finalists.
Last year, when the weather-hit championship was played at Gullane, there was not one Scottish player in the last 16.
Twelve Scots will tee up at Littlestone on Tuesday in the first qualifying round. After the second round, the 64 players with the lowest aggregates will go forward to the match-play stages.
Backing up Clare Queen from north of the Border are:
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Gemma Webster (Hilton Park), Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Heather MacRae (Dunblane New), Dawn Dewar (Stirling Univ), Kylie Walker (Stirling Univ), Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) and Clare-Marie Carlton (Stirling Univ).
Gordon Sherry, who has a coaching attachment to Stirling University, is at the Littlestone venue to assist the three Stirling students in the field.
Sweden’s Louise Stahle, who has spent the past 10 months playing for Arizona State University on the American women’s college circuit, will defend the title she won at Gullane. She is turning pro after playing for Sweden in next month’s European team championship in her native land.

Futures Tour
A FEW DOLLARS MORE FOR HEATHER
In contrast to Catriona Matthew's "rich pickings" on the LPGA Tour at the weekend, fellow Scot and former Scottish amateur champion Heather Stirling gained only $396 for a 32nd place tie in the Quality Concepts Kankakee Classic - the latest US Futures Tour event - at Saint Anne, Illinois.
Heather, from Stirling but now based in Florida, had rounds of 75, 75 and 73 for a total of 223.
Nicole Castrale from California won for the second week in a row with rounds of 66, 72 and 71 and a seven-under-par aggregate of 209. That earned her $9,800.
Canadian Alena Sharp was runner-up on 213 (72-69-72).
Linzi Morton from Alloa did not survive the cut after 36 holes.

LPGA Tour
ANOTHER BIG PAY DAY FOR CATRIONA
Catriona Matthew from North Berwick earned $82,057 for a third place tie with Laura Davies in the LPGA Tour’s Shoprite Classic at Seaview Resort, New Jersey.
Catriona produced a great last round of seven under par 64 with eight birdies and one bogey, at the 14th, in halves of 32, after rounds of 71 and 66. She and Laura (71-62-68) finished on seven-under-par 201 – five behind winner Annika Sorenstam (67-64-64) and one behind second-placed Juli Inkster (65-67-68).
Annika’s prize amounted to $210,000.
Catriona had an average driving distance of 245yd during the tournament but it was her putting that put her into contention. She had only 65 putts for the 54 holes, an average between 21 and 22 around.
Mrs Matthew has now earned $371,806 from 11 events this season and had five top-10 finishes.
Janice Moodie tied 13th with 73, 70 and 67 for 210. She earned $20,392.
Kathryn Marshall came 51st equal with 74, 68 and 76 for 218. Her reward was $4,539.
The last of the Scots who qualified for the final round – Mhairi McKay had scores of 79, 67 and 74 for 220 and joint 62nd place. She earned a cheque for $3,247.
LEADING TOTALS
196 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 67 65 64.
200 Juli Inkster (US) 65 67 68.
201 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 71 66 64, Laura Davieds (Eng) 71 62 68.
Other Scots:
210 Janice Moodie 73 70 67 (tied 13th).
218 Kathryn Marshall 74 68 76 (tied 51st).
220 Mhairi McKay 79 67 74 (tied 62nd).

Critchley Salver
KERRY SMITH'S FIRST SUNNINGDALE WIN
England international player Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) won the Critchley Salver by five shots over Sunningdale’s Old and New Courses.
It was her first win in the 36-hole tournament organised by Sunningdale Golf Club since its inception 1982.
Kerry shot a 74 over the Old Course, matching the par and the CSS, and had a 73 over the New Course, which was one under the par and the CSS.
Runner-up on 152 was Sian James with a 77 over the Old and a 75 over the New.
Defending champion Natalia Cruse of the host club – she won with 67 and 72 for 139 last year – finished in a tie for 10th place on 158 with a pair of 79s.
Top 20 scores (Old course first; New course second):
147 Kerry Smith 74 73.
152 Sian James 77 75.
156 Paula Carver 82 74, Cheryl Smith 79 77, Michelle Smith 79 77.
157 Alex Marshall 79 78, Geraldine Bray 80 77, Emma Brown 79 78, E Bennett 73 84.
158 Anne Wheble 77 81, Natalie Cruse 79 79.
159 Jackie Gregg 78 81, Natalie Haywood 81 78, Beverley McCormack 80 79.
160 Stephanie Brodie 82 78, Emma Taylor 82 78, Rachael Lomas 77 83, Claire Starkie 85 75, Lucy Gould 81 79, Hermione Fitzgerald 85 75.
161 Ellie Brede 86 75, Frances Finney 83 78.
162 Rachel Graves 82 80.

Sunday 5th June 2005

Aberdeenshire News
SJAVON BACK FROM TEXAS TO WIN AT ELLON
American college student Sjavon Wilson, home for the summer holidays from Tyler College, Texas had the best scratch score of 83 in Sunday's Aberdeenshire girls' medal competition at McDonald Ellon Golf Club.
The Murcar player, who won the Aberdeenshire women's title last year, finished one shot ahead of Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) and Vikki Riddell (Turriff).
Bryony Buchan (Banchory), playing off 36, had the best net score of 70.
COLLATED RETURN
ABERDEENSHIRE GIRLS - June medal - McDonald Ellon - Scratch - S Wilson (Murcar) 83; M Johnstone (Northern), V Riddell (Turriff) 84. Handicap - Overall winner: B Buchan (Banchory) (36) 70. Section 1 - N McAuley (Stonehaven) (18) 75. Section 2 - J Jones (McDonald Ellon) (19) (better last 6 holes), N Thomson (Murcar) (20) 74. Section 3 - L Duncan (Aboyne) (36) 78.

West v East Girls Match
West of Scotland Girls played East of Scotland Girls for the Mhairi Mackay Trophy today at Old Ranfurly, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire.
West won by five matches to three. The match was played on handicap.
Results (West names first, hcap in brackets)
Megan Briggs (4) beat Amanda Edwards (4) 5/4
Pamela Presswell (5) lost by 1 hole to Rachael Livingstone (4)
Debbie Neilson (8) lost to Ashleigh Wilton (5) 3/2
Morag Macpherson (8) beat Rebecca Watson (6) by 1 hole
Vicki Smith (13) beat Hannah Harvey (7) 5/4
Alison Lewis (13) beat Louise Macgregor (7) by 1 hole
Kerry Differ (13) beat Arlene McGarty (14) 3/2
Jill Meldrum (16) lost to Cara Easton (19) 7/6

LGU Medal Finals
FIONA AND MAUREEN MEDAL WINNERS AT CRIEFF
Biggar's Fiona Wright and Maureen MacKay (Swanston) won the gold and silver medals respectively at the LGU Medal Scottish Final at Crieff Golf Club today (SUNDAY).
Fiona won the Silver Division with a net 75 off 18 while Maurren had the lowest net score of 74 off 22 in the Bronze Division.
Collated return
LGU MEDAL SCOTTISH FINAL - Crieff Golf Club (CSS 74)
Silver Division
Fiona Wright (Bigger) (18) 75
Claire McGonagle (Whitekirk) (14) 76 better inward half
June Lockhart (Gleddoch) (13) 76.
Bronze Division
Maureen MacKay (Swanston) (22) 74.
Catherine Sedstrem (Aberdour) (29) 75 better inward half.
Susan Berry (Craigie Hill) (19) 75 better inward half.

LPGA Tour
VIKKI MISSES CUT IN NEW JERSEY
Vikki Laing missed the cut by nine shots in her third start on the LPGA Tour. She had rounds of 80 and 75 for a total of 13-over-par 155 in the Shoprite LPGA Classic over the 6,071yd, par-71 Seaview Resort course in New Jersey.
Vikki birdied the eighth, 13th and 17th but had a double bogey at the second and dropped more shots at the ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th and 15th in halves of 38 and 37.
So no pay cheque for Miss Laing this week but her earnings in three starts - $5,313 – still add up to more than she made for the complete 2004 season. Vikki needs to get more opportunities on the LPGA Tour to put an edge on her game.
But it’s a Catch 22 situation. Her non-exempt category means she gets into LPGA tournaments on an irregular basis.
Mhairi McKay squeezed in among the 76 players with 36-hole totals of 146 or better in the Shoprite Classic. Mhairi had rounds of 79 and 67 for 146.
Catriona Matthew is well in the picture for a high finish with scores of 71 and 66 for 137 – five shots behind the joint leaders, Juli Inkster and Annika Sorenstam.
Laura Davies had a brilliant second round of 62 to be one off the pace on 133.
Janice Moodie also qualified with 73 and 70 for 143.
LEADING SCORES
132 Juli Inkster 65 67, Annika Sorenstam 67 65.
133 Laura Davies 71 62.
135 Pat Hurst 71 64.
137 Catriona Matthew 71 66.
Other scores:
143 Janice Moodie 73 70.
146 Mhairi McKay 79 67.
NON-QUALIFIER
155 Vikki Laing 80 75.

Futures Tour
HEATHER BEATS FUTURES CUT BUT LINZI ON THE SIDELINES
Former Scottish amateur champion Heather Stirling beat the 36-hole cut with a shot to spare in this weekend’s US Futures Tour tournament, the $70,000 Quality Concepts Kankakee Classic over a par-72, 6,257yd course at Kankakee Elks Country Club at Saint Anne, Illinois.
Heather had a pair of 75s for 150 – 12 shots behind the leader, Nicole Castrale from Palm Desert, California.
Linzi Morton, like Heather a one-time Scottish champion, did not qualify for the final round after rounds of 77 and 79 for 156.
LEADING SCORES
138 Nicole Castrale (Palm Desert, California) 66 72.
141 Alena Sharp (Canada) 72 69, Liza Chang 71 70, Virada Nirapathpongporn 70 71.
Other scores:
150 Heather Stirling 75 75.
MISSED CUT
156 Linzi Morton 77 79.

US College Golf
LATE BOGEYS COST JAMIESON HIGHER FINISH THAN 73RD TIE
Cathkin Braes Golf Club member Scott Jamieson, the only Scot playing in the 108th NCAA Division 1 men’s college golf championship, finished joint 73rd with a 25-over-par total of 305 over the 7,101yd, par-70 Caves Valley course in Maryland.
The Scottish international player had rounds of 78, 71, 83 and 73. He was one under par for the final round until he bogeyed four of the last seven holes.
The title was won at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off by Washington University junior James Lepp who shot a final-round seven-under-par 63 to tie with Michael Putnam (Pepperdine) on four-under-0par 276 for the 72 holes.
Ross McGowan (Tennessee University) from Cheam, Surrey was the highest-placed British student. He tied for seventh place on 283 with a par-matching final round of 70.
Team-mate David Skinns from Lincoln finished joint 51st on 297, also finishing with a 70.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
276 James Lepp (Washington) 70 67 76 63, Michael Putnam (Pepperdine) 67 67 73 69 (Lepp won play-off at third extra hole).
279 Roberto Castro (Georgia Tech) 69 68 71 71.
281 Major Manning (Augusta State) 65 70 73 73.
Other totals:
283 Ross McGowan (Tennessee) 67 71 75 70 (tied 7th).
295 Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) 72 74 74 75 (tied 47th).
297 David Skinns (Tennessee) 71 75 81 70 (tied 51st).
305 Scott Jamieson (Augusta State) 78 71 83 72 (tied 73rd).
LEADING TEAMS
1135 Georgia.
1145 Georgia Tech.
1153 Washington.
1154 Brigham Young.
1158 New Mexico.
1159 Southern California).
1161 Kentucky.
1162 UNLV, Duke.

Saturday 4th June 2005

British Mens Amateur Championship Final
IRISHMAN IS NEW BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPION
Brian McElhinney (North West Golf Club) from County Donegal is the new British men's amateur champion.
He beat John Gallagher, the cack-handed Craigmillar Park Open winner from Swanston Golf Club, by 5 and 4 in today's 36-hole final at Royal Birkdale.
Gallagher was four down after 18 holes, mainly due to three-putting problems.
McElhinney is the current Irish amateur match-play champion and won the European individual amateur title at Nairn two years ago (pictured right). He will have clinched his place in the Great Britain & Ireland team to defend the Walker Cup against the United States at Chicago Golf Club in August.
For Gallagher, the big question is: Will the Scotland selectors give him his first cap in the home internationals in September?

More Irish News
HEATHER NOLAN LEADS IRISH LGU ORDER OF MERIT TABLE
Beaten in a play-off for the St Rule Trophy last weekend, Heather Nolan’s performance has put the Shannon player into the lead in the Irish Ladies Golf Union Order of Merit.
Heather was officially placed second in the “St Rule” behind play-off winner Naomi Edwards (Ganton) because she had a better last round over the Old Course than the English champion, 18-year-old Felicity Johnson (Harborne). That earned Miss Shannon the Everard Trophy.
Maura Morrin (Curragh)'s joint fifth place at St. Andrews enabled her to leapfrog over Tricia Mangan (Ennis) and “Helen Holm” winner Martina Gillen (Beaverstown).
Sinead Keane (Curragh) is in fifth place.
LEADING POINTS TOTALS
425 Heather Nolan (Shannon).
385 Maura Morrin (Curragh).
378 Martina Gillen (Beaverstown).
275 Tricia Mangan (Ennis).
240 Sinead Keane (Curragh).

Even More Irish News
MARIA DUNNE WINS LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP
Maria Dunne (Skerries), the No 2 qualifier for the match-play stages, won the Leinster championship over the O'Meara Course at Carton House. She beat the No 9 qualifier, Gillian O'Leary (Cork) by one hole in the final.
Semi-final results:
Gillian O'Leary beat Sinead Keane (Curragh) 1 hole.
Maria Dunne beat Heather Nolan (Shannon) 1 hole.
Margaret O'Connell (Hazel Grove) won the Leinster junior championship for the Duggan Cup at the same venue. She beat Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) in the final.
Semi-final results:
Ruth Maguire beat Marie Mallin (Forrest Little) 3 and 2.
Margaret O'Connell beat Niamh Henry-Bezy (Ashbourne).

VIKKI STRUGGLES IN FIRST ROUND OF LPGA EVENT
Vikki Laing faced an uphill battle to survive the 36-hole cut after a disastrous opening round of nine-over-par 80 in the Shoprite LPGA Classic at Seaview Resort, New Jersey.
The 24-year-old Edinburgh girl bogeyed six holes in a row from the fifth to the 10th , dropped shots at 11 holes in all. Vikki did birdied the fourth and the 13th in halves of 42 (six over par) and 38 (three over).
She was lying tied 131st at the end of the first round.
Lack of regular competitive golf – Vikki is able to make only spasmodic appearances on the LPGA Tour - must be a big handicap to the Scot who is based in California since her college days.
Juli Inkster (65) led by two shots from Annika Sorenstam.
Laura Davies and Catriona Matthew were the best-placed Brits in a tie for fifth place on 71.
LEADING SCORES
65 Juli Inkster.
67 Annika Sorenstam.
69 Mi Hyun Kim.
70 Jeong Lang.
Other scores:
71 Laura Davies, Catriona Matthew.
72 Becky Morgan.
73 Janice Moodie.
74 Kathryn Marshall.
79 Mhairi McKay.
80 Vikki Laing.

US College Golf
SCOTT JAMIESON'S NIGHTMARE IN THE RAIN FOR US COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP
Scottish amateur international golfer Scott Jamieson, a student at Augusta State University, had a nightmare third round of 13-over-par 83 in the third round of the NCAA Division 1 men's championship at Caves Valley Golf Club, Maryland (ON FRIDAY, USA TIME).
Jamieson, a member of Cathkin Braes Golf Club, capped a day of woe in non-stop rain with a triple bogey at the 18th and a double-bogey at the fifth in halves of 42 and 41 over a long course (7,131yd) with a low par (70).
Scott's earlier rounds were 78 and 71. His 54-hole tally of 22-over-par 232 tied him for 137th place in the field of 156.
Top British player with one round to go was Ross McGowan (Tennessee University) from Cheam, Surrey. Ross was in joint eighth place on 213 after rounds of 67, 71 and 75. Ross had birdie 2s at the fourth and 15th but messed things up with a double-bogey 6 at the 16th.
Tennessee team-mate David Skinns from Lincoln slumped with a third-round 81 in the cold and wet weather after scores of 71 and 75 to be joint 104th on 227. He had a double bogey at the 11th.
Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) played as well as anyone in the miserable conditions, shooting birides at the second, fourth, eighth, ninth and 14th but a double-bogey at the third took the shine off his scorecard. The British boys' champion of 2003 finished with a 71 after rounds of 75 and 74 to be tied for 43rd place on 220.
Farren Keenan (Texas) from Middlesex was on 230 after scores of 81, 76 and 73.
Georgia (855) had a grip on the team title, leading by nine shots from Georgia Tech with third-placed Southern California 20 shots off the pace.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
207 Michael Putnam (Pepperdine) 67 67 73.
208 Roberto Castro (Georgia Tech) 69 68 71, Major Manning (Augusta State) 65 70 73.
211 John Holmes (Kentucky) 70 72 69, Aron Price (Georgia Southern) 66 73 72.
Other scores:
213 Ross McGowan (Tennessee) 67 71 75 (tied 8th).
220 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 75 74 71 (tied 43rd).
227 David Skinns (Tgennessee) 71 75 81 (tied 104th).
230 Farren Keenan (Texas) 81 76 73 (tied 126th).
232 Scott Jamieson (Augusta State) 78 71 83 (tied 137th).
LEADING TEAMS
855 Georgia.
864 Georgia Tech.
875 Southern California.
876 UNLV.
877 Duke, Arizona State, Washington, Kentucky, Augusta State.
879 Georgia State, Brigham Young.

Friday 3rd June 2005

British Mens Amateur Championship Semifinals
CACK-HANDED JOHN REACHES FINAL OF BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
John Gallagher, pictured left, 24-year-old Swanston Golf Club member who plays with an unorthodox left-hand-below right grip, has reached Saturday’s 36-hole final of the British men’s amateur championship at Royal Birkdale.
John, winner of the Craigmillar Park Open in Edinburgh, is now set to achieve his golfing ambition of being selected to play for Scotland. He beat fellow-Scot and Lothians team-mate, Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) by one hole in the second semi-final.
Earlier, Brian McElhinney, pictured right with 2003 European Individual Amateur Trophy, a 22-year-old Irishman from County Donegal, beat Oliver Fisher, the 16-year-old rising star from West Essex, by one hole. McElhinney is the current Irish match-play champion and he won the European individual title at Nairn two years ago.
Results:
SEMI-FINALS
Brian McElhinney (North West) bt Oliver Fisher (West Essex) 1 hole.
John Gallagher (Swanston) bt Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) 1 hole.

News of Vikki Laing and David Inglis
from Iain Stoddart of Bounce Sport
"Dear All
"Vikki, following a long wait all week on the alternate list, has been included in the field for this week's Shoprite Classic at The Seaview Resort & Spa, Galloway Twp, NJ. This is a 54 hole tournament which starts today. I will keep you informed of her progress.
"David, having based himself in Florida over the Winter competing in a number of satellite tour events including a win on The Moonlight Tour, finally kicks off his season proper when he tees it up at The PGA National, Palm Beach FL on The Grey Goose Gateway Tour Beach Series next week. The winter has been spent organising his green card requirements, practising at The TPC Course in Sarasota and competing in the odd satellite event.
"Now living by The PGA National at West Palm Beach he will be playing all the way through the Summer on The Gateway Tour before hopefully being granted an invite at The Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in August. For those of you who don't know The Gateway Tour is ideal for David as he will now play week in week out prior to participating in the Tour Schools on both sides of the Atlantic later in the year. By basing himself in West Palm Beach the events he will play in will all be within two hours travel distance of his house thus eliminating the need for extensive travel. We also envisage that this will prove to be a good developmental breeding ground for him to learn his trade as a Professional Golfer."

British Mens Amateur Championship Quarterfinals
SCOTS SALTMAN AND GALLAGHER MEET IN “BRITISH” SEMI-FINAL
Scotland is assured of a representative in Saturday’s 36-hole British men’s amateur championship final at Royal Birkdale.
Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy and Brabazon Trophy earlier this season, played the cack-handed John Gallagher (Swanston) in the second semi-final this afternoon.
The first semi-final featured 16-year-old Oliver Fisher, pictured below right, from West Essex and Brian McElhinney (North West) from Co Donegal, winner of the European men’s individual amateur title at Nairn a couple of years ago.
In the quarter-finals, Fisher beat Nigel Edwards, veteran Walker Cup player, by 2 and 1 after winning three of the first holes; McElhinney beat Gary Lockerbie (Penrith) 2 and 1; Saltman beat Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) 2 holes, and Gallagher ended the great run of Highlander Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) with a 3 and 2 win.
QUARTER-FINALS
Oliver Fisher (West Essex) bt Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch) 2 and 1.
Brian McElhinney (North West) bt Gary Lockerbie (Penrith) 2 and 1.
Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) bt Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) 2 holes.
John Gallagher (Swanston) bt Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) 3 and 2.

County News
Midlothian team for Inter-County matches at Alloa 4-6 July
Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse)
Amanda Edwards (Liberton)
Claire Hargan (Prestonfield)
Claire MacDonald (Gullane)
Karen Marshall (Baberton)
Belinda Murphy (Prestonfield)
Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe)
Jane Turner (Mortonhall)
Reserves:
Rhona MacLennan (Baberton)
Rebecca Watson (Elie & Earlsferry)
Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall)

US College Golf
JAMIESON DISAPPOINTS IN USA COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP
Scotland international team player Scott Jamieson from Cathkin Braes, in his last term at Augusta State University, is lying a disappointing joint 96th in a field of 156 at the halfway stage of the American college golf season-ending NCAA Division 1 men’s championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland.
Scott has had rounds of 78 and 71 for aggregate of nine-over-par 149 over a long course (7,131yd) with a tough par (only 70).
Tennessee’s Ross McGowan from Cheam, Surrey is the best-placed British student in a tie for sixth place on two-under 138 after rounds of 67 and 71.
Team-mate David Skinns from Lincoln is joint 57th with former British boys champion from Spain, Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) on 146. Skinns has scored 71 and 75, Martin 72 and 74.
Another past British boys champion Rhys Davies, Edinburgh-born Welshman who attends East Tennessee State and is a probable member of the GB&I Walker Cup team for Chicago in August, is out of contention on 149, the same mark as Scott Jamieson.
Davies has been playing very well up to this tournament in which he has posted rounds of 75 and 74.
Georgia (558) lead by nine shots from Tennessee (567) with Georgia Tech (569) in third place. Augusta State are back in joint ninth place on 575.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
134 Michael Putnam (Pepperdine) 67 67.
135 Major Manning (Augusta State) 65 70.
137 James Lepp (Washington) 70 67, Roberto Castro (Georgia Tech) 69 68.
138 Oscar Alvarez (Brigham Young) 67 71, Ross McGowan (Tennessee) 67 71, Brendon Todd (Georgia) 68 70, Shawn Jasper (Missouri) 72 66, Michael Schachner (Duke) 70 68.
Other scores:
146 David Skinns (Tennessee) 71 75, Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) 72 74 (jt 57th).

Thursday 2nd June 2005

CACK-HANDED LOTHIANS PLAYER IN BRITISH AMATEUR LAST EIGHT
Not one “foreigner” has made it through to the last eight of the British men’s amateur championship at Royal Birkdale.
Three Scots will play in Friday morning’s quarter-finals – Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), recent winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy and the Brabazon Trophy, and the uncapped pair, Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) and John Gallagher (Swanston), winner of the Lothians championship several times and who plays cack-handed.
Results:
FOURTH ROUND
Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch) bt Heikki Mantyla (Finland) 7 and 6.
Oliver Fisher (West Essex) bt Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) 1 hole.
Gary Lockerbie (Penrith) by Ryan Thomas (Aberdare) 2 and 1.
Briuan McElhinney (North West) bt Jamie Moul (Stoke by Nayland) at 19th.
Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) bt Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs) 2 and 1.
Darren Crowe (Dunmurry) bt David Horsey (Styal) at 19th.
John Gallagher (Swanston) bt Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 1 hole.
Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) bt Alvaro Velasco (Spain) 3 and 2.
QUARTER-FINALS
Edwards v Fisher
Lockerbie v McElhinney.
Saltman v Crowe.
Gallagher v Fotheringham.

European Womens Rankings
The European Golf Association is operating a women’s ranking system this year, based on performances in designated tournaments.
Clare Queen from Drumpellier is the only Scot in the top 20. She is ranked sixth at the moment with 73.50pt.
England has three players in the top 20 – Kiran Matharu (4th),
Melissa Reid (joint 9th) and Henni Brockway (13th).
Ireland’s Martina Gillen, winner of the Helen Holm Scottish open amateur stroke-play title at the end of April, is tied for 13th place.
The leading 20, with points gained so far, are:
1 Carlota CIGANDA (Spain) 100.
2 Stenna WESTERLUND (Finland) 97.
3 Anne-Sophie Le NALIO (France) 88.
4 Kiran MATHARU(England) 81.3
5 Azahara MUNOZ (Spain) 80.
6 Clare QUEEN (Scotland) 73.50
7 Nicole GERGELY (Austria) 70.
8 Julie BERTON (France) 68.
9 Maria HERNANDEZ (Spain) 62.50
9 Lucia MAR (Spain) 62.50
9 Melissa REID (England) 62.50
12 Zuzana MASSINOVA (Czech Rep) 60.50
13 Henni BROCKWAY (England) 60.
13 Martin GILLEN (Ireland) 60.
13 Katharina SCHALLENBERG (Ger) 60.
16 Elena GIRAUD (France) 54.13.
17 Stephanie DOERING (Germany) 50.13.
18 Carolina CATANHO (Portugal) 50.
18 Stefanie ENDSTRASSER (Austria) 50.
20 Pernilla LINDBERG (Sweden) 47.50.
20 Anna ROSSI (Italy) 47.50.
20 Dina Terol VIDAL (Spain) 47.50.
20 Diana Vazquez PAREDES (Spain) 47.50.

CONTINENTALS ARE DOMINATING PING JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP TABLE
It looks as if the leading British and Irish Under-18 girls will have to rely on the five wild-card selections if they are to make the European team of 12 for the Ping Junior Solheim Cup match against the United States at Bridgewater, Indiana on September 7 and 8.
The venues for the first three qualifying points tournaments – the Spanish international open tournament (Costa Ballena), the French Lady Juniors championship (Paris St Cloud) and the Swedbank Junior Open (Sweden) – have favoured the Continentals.
That’s why the current top 20 in the qualifying points table are mainly from Spain, Sweden, Norway and Germany.
The age qualification is between 13 and 18 years and the players must be European citizens who are not at college of university.
The top seven in the points table at August 15 will gain automatic selection. The team captain and selection committee will choose five more players to make up the team of 12.
Current top 20 positions:
1 Carlota CIGANDA (Spain) 120.
2 Beatriz RECARI (Spain) 117.50
3 Anna NORDQVIST (Sweden) 97.50
4 Benedicte TOUMPSIN (Belgium) 90.
5 Lene KROG (Norway) 87.50
6 Azahara MUNOZ (Spain) 60.
7 Belen MOZO (Spain) 42.14
8 Diana TEROL (Spain) 40.
9 Pia HALBIG (Germany) 37.50
10 Justine BARBIER (Belgium) 32.14.
11 Caroline MASSON (Germany) 30.
11 Melissa REID (England) 30.
13 Araceli FELGUEROSO (Spain) 27.50
13 Marta SILVA (Spain) 27.50
15 Amalia VALLE (Norway) 25.
16 Desiree KARLSSEN (Sweden) 17.50.
15 Williems LIEN (Belgium) 17.50
18 Sonia COLGAN (Spain) 10.89.
18 Kiran MATHARU (England) 10.89
20 Florentyna PARKER (England) 8.75
20 Johanna Rodert (Sweden) 8.75
++The remaining points qualifying tournaments are:
July 5-9: The 36-hole stroke-play section of the European girls’ team championship at Lucerne, Switzerland.
August 8-12: The 36-hole stroke-play section of the British girls’ open championship at Westhill, Surrey.

Irish News
Results from the Leinster Senior Championship played over the O'Meara Course at Carton House, 1-3 June 2005.
Matchplay (Semi finals) 03 June 2005:
Gillian O'Leary (Cork) -v- Sinead Keane (Curragh)
Heather Nolan (Shannon) -v- Maria Dunne (Skerries)
Matchplay (Quarter finals) 02 June 2005:
Gillian O'Leary (Cork) beat Brenda McLarnon (Fortwilliam)  2/1
Sinead Keane (Curragh) beat Maura Morrin (Curragh) 2/1
Heather Nolan (Shannon) beat Michelle Carroll (Grange) 2/1
Maria Dunne (Skerries) beat Tara Delaney (Carlow) 1 up
Matchplay (Round 1) 02 June 2005:
Brenda McLarnon (Fortwilliam) beat Pat Doran (Donabate) 6&4
Gillian O'Leary (Cork) beat Jennifer Gannon (Co. Louth) 1up
Maura Morrin (Curragh) beat Catherine Tucker (Limerick) 2up
Sinead Keane (Curragh) beat Dawn Marie Conaty (Ashbourne) 1up
Heather Nolan (Shannon) beat Karen Delaney (Carlow) 2&1
Michelle Carroll (Grange) beat Marian Riordan (Tipperary) 2up
Tara Delaney (Carlow) beat Deirdre Walsh (Milltown) 2up
Maria Dunne (Skerries) beat Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew) 1up
Qualifying 01 June 2005:
149   76  73   Brenda McLarnon     Fortwilliam
149   73  76   Maria Dunne             Skerries
155   77  78   Heather Nolan           Shannon
155   75  80   Sinead Keane            Curragh
157   78  79   Maura Morrin            Curragh
158   80  78   Marion Riordan          Tipperary
158   77  81   Tara Delaney             Carlow
159   81  78   Jennifer Gannon         Co. Louth
160   83  77   Gillian O'Leary           Cork
160   78  82   Deirdre Walsh            Milltown
161   73  78   Michelle Carroll          Grange
161   79  82   Connie Doyle              Enniscorthy
163   82  81   Catherine Tucker        Limerick
163   81  82   P.K. O'Reilly              Headfort
164   85  79   Dawn Marie Conaty   Ashbourne
165   82  83   Karen Delaney           Carlow
166   88  78   Emma Gilmore            Mountbellew
166   84  82   Pat Doran                   Donabate

More Irish News
Results from the Leinster Junior  Championship (Duggan Cup) played over the O'Meara Course at Carton House, 1-3 June 2005.
Matchplay (Semi Finals) 03 June 2005:
Ruth Maguire (Corrstown)-v- Marie Mallin (Forrest Little)
Niamh Henry-Bezy (Ashbourne) -v- Margaret O'Connell (Hazel Grove)
Matchplay (Quarter Finals) 02 June 2005:
Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) beat Irene Poynton (Island) 3/2
Marie Mallin (Forrest Little) beat Louise Murphy (Mt Wolseley) 3/2
Niamh Henry-Bezy (Ashbourne) beat Julie Doherty (Sutton) 2/1
Margaret O'Connell (Hazel Grove) beat Marion Finn (Thurles) 2up
Matchplay (Round 1) 02 June 2005:
Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) beat Amy Irwin (Malahide) 2up
Irene Poynton (Island) beat Olive McHugh (Co. Meath) 4&3
Marie Mallin (Forrest Little) beat Paula Murray (Naas) 3&2
Louise Murphy (Mt Wolseley) beat Maurethe Jackson (Milltown) 1up
Niamh Henry-Bezy (Ashbourne) beat Emer Digan (Sutton) 6&4
Julie Doherty (Sutton) beat Anne Hayden (Foxrock) 2&1
Marion Finn (Thurles) beat Mary Keane (Dooks) 4&3
Margaret O'Connell (Hazel Grove) beat Sheila Richardson (Kilcoole) 3&1
Qualifying 01 June 2005:
79 Ruth Maguire 
84 Margaret O'Connell
86 Niamh Henry-Bezy
86 Maurethe Jackson
86 Marie Mallin
87 Anne Hayden
87 Kate Holmes
87 Mary Keane
87 Olive McHugh
87 Anne Conway
88 Irene Poynton
88 Marion Finn
88 Julie Doherty
89 Paula Murray
90 Louise Murphy
90 Emer Digan
90 Sheila Richardson
91 Amy Irwin

Press Release
YOUNGSTERS URGED TO ‘GET INTO GOLF’ WITH EXCITING NEW INITIATIVE
Crown Golf has joined forces with Young Masters Golf (YMG) to roll out one of the most ambitious coaching programmes in Europe designed to get the whole family playing golf and encourage at least 1,000 new youngsters to take up the game in the next year alone.
During the coming months, the innovative YMG Junior Golf programme will be incorporated into the teaching activities at 30 Crown Golf clubs in the UK as part of the Crown Group’s determination to ensure that its clubs are recognised as the country’s leading centres of excellence for golf coaching.
Three of the first Young Golfers to sign up for the new scheme: David Mills,13, Ryan Mills,11 and Fraser Robertson,10
“Some of our clubs have already achieved excellent results with YMG,” said Crown Golf’s Executive John Weir announcing the link-up, “so we were already aware of how good the programme was. But it will now form the first stage of our initiative to offer the very best coaching programmes across all of our teaching locations in the UK and get more people leaning and playing golf. We are already working closely with YMG to develop a fully integrated coaching structure that will further strengthen our position as Europe’s leading golf club operator.”
The Junior Golf programme is golf’s first-ever structured syllabus for boys and girls aged 5-16 years old. Designed to not only introduce youngsters to golf, it also helps children develop the skills and knowledge to keep them interested and motivated long enough for the golf bug to bite.  Alongside coaching youngsters in how to play the game, the programme places as much emphasis on the rules and etiquette through a series of exciting activities, fun challenges and mini-competitions that ensure that the whole golfing experience is about enjoyment.
There are currently five levels of the Crown YMG Junior programme (Cadets, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Masters) to work through, each comprising an 8-week course of one-hour group lessons with a qualified Crown PGA professional coach.  On joining, youngsters receive a comprehensive manual to complement their coaching and are rewarded at the end of each successful level with a certificate, allowing them to move on to the next level.  The first Cadets course is set to start in the next few weeks across all 30 clubs.
“The development of generations of new young golfers is absolutely vital to the future prosperity of golf,” insists John Weir.  “This is why we are so keen to work with YMG to bring as many new youngsters to the game as possible and give them the very best start so that they can enjoy playing golf for the rest of their lives.”

Wednesday 1st June 2005

Scotland coach Karyn Dallas is celebrating a special birthday today....
congratulations Karyn and many happy returns!
(for a special fee I'll let you know who sent me these incriminating photos!)

JENNA WILSON IS THE BIGGEST MOVER IN NEW P&W RANKINGS
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Lanarkshire women’s golf champion Jenna Wilson, 21, from Strathaven has made the biggest leap up the P&W Rankings following her tied 18th finish in the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews on Sunday.
Jenna, a member of the Scotland squad of six for the European women’s team championship in Sweden in early July, has climbed up seven places in the table to 11th place with an average score of 2.1 strokes over the CSS in the SLGA-designated tournaments.
Dunbartonshire & Argyll women’s title-holder Sara Bishop from Windyhill was the next highest mover. Joint eighth in the St Rule Trophy, Sara has gone up five places in the P&W Rankings to No 7 behind leader Clare Queen (Drumpellier). Sara is averaging 1.5 strokes over CSS.
Other significant movers up the table included Claire Hargan (Mortonhall), up four places to No 10; Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), up four places to joint No 12, Carly Booth (Auchterarder), up three places to No 6 and Martine Pow (Selkirk) up three places to joint 12th.
Katy McNicoll, the 17-year-old four handicap Carnoustie girl who had an astonishing round of 70 (six under par) over the Old Course in the last round of the St Rule Trophy, Heather MacRae (Dunblane New), named in the Scotland team for Sweden, and Roseanne Niven (Crieff) were not in the top 20 P&W Rankings before the St Rule Trophy. They are now – at 14th, 15th and 18th respectively.
The Munross Trophy 36-hole tournament at Montrose on Sunday, June 19 is the next counting event for the P&W Rankings.
P&W RANKINGS
1 Clare Queen (Drumpllier) –2.57.
2 Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) 0.50.
3 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) 0.86.
4 Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) 0.89.
5 Kelly Brotherton (Tulliallan) 1.25.
6 Carly Booth (Auchterarder) 1.33.
7 Sara Bishop (Windyhill) 1.50.
8 Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart) 1.50.
9 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 1.80
10 Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 2.00.
11 Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) 2.10.
12 (equal) Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) & Martine Pow (Selkirk) 2.13.
14 Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) 2.33.
15 Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) 2.40.
16 Clare-Marie Carlton (StirlingUniv) 2.50.
17 Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) 2.60.
18 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) 2.67.
19 Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 2.75
20 Katrina Milne (Dunfermline) 3.00
+Where two players have the same average score, then the player with the higher number of rounds played is rated higher. If the number of rounds played is the same, then they are “equal” for that position in the table.

British Golf Museum Press Release
GOLFING MASTERPIECE RETURNS HOME
The world famous painting, The Golfers by Charles Lees is on display at the British Golf Museum for the next two months.  The painting is on loan from its permanent home at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Visitors have a rare opportunity to see it in its home setting, St. Andrews until the end of July.
Charles Lees' masterpiece The Golfers: A Grand Match played over the Links of St. Andrews on the day of the Annual Meeting of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, was completed in 1847.  The immense work captures the spirit, vibrant colour and characters of the early game. It shows a match in progress over the Old Course.  There are over 50 figures in the completed work, most of whom are famous in the world of golf and the large crowd wonders whether the ball will go in the hole and whether they will win or lose their bets. 
Charles Lees was born in Cupar and was a leading Scottish artist who regularly showed works at the Royal Scottish Academy annual exhibition.  This rare chance to see the famous work by a local born artist will make your visit to St Andrews complete.
Accompanying the painting is the highly acclaimed book The Golfers- The Story Behind the Painting by Peter N Lewis and Angela D. Howe, published by the National Galleries of Scotland.  It is available in the British Golf Museum Shop as are prints and postcards of The Golfers.