March 2007 Archive

Saturday 31st March 2007

Sara Fallar beaten in final of SA Amateur
Irish Girl's International Sara Faller fought bravely but eventually went down to South African star Ashleigh Simon in the final of the Sanlam South African Amateur Matchplay Championship at George Golf Club.
The amazing, record-setting 17-year-old golfing dynamo Simon added the matchplay to her strokeplay victory for the third consecutive year breaking yet another record and making history. South Africa's best prospect since LPGA Hall of Fame star Sally Little who won three Majors in the 1980s, has the swing, the power, the dedication and drive to follow in Little's spikemarks.
17 year old Faller from Galway was equally determined to win her first major championship. Having beaten Henriette Frylink 5&4 in the first round; Iliska Verwey 4&3 and Border champion Lizelle Muller 3&2, she dispatched giant-killer Gina Switala in the semi-final. Faller, a girls International since 2005, has been earmarked as one of Ireland's most promising players and is currently attending college in the USA.
Ashleigh who was seven up on the 25th hole kept doing what she does best, one shot at a time until she overcame Faller on the 32nd hole. Simon, who does not intend taking up a college place in the USA, just wants to play golf and will turn to the Ladies European Tour and LPGA qualifying schools in late 2007. She adds this title to the Espirito Santo World Cup win which she captured with teammates Kelli Shean and Stacy Bergman at Stellenbosch in October 2006.
Full details at http://www.womensgolfsa.co.za/sanlam/2007/homepage_news_matchplaysemi2_thur29.asp2007 Sanlam South African Matchplay Championship - George Golf Club
Final
Ashleigh Simon beat Sara Faller 6&4 (36 holes)
Semi-finals
Ashleigh Simon bt Ashleigh Holmes 5 and 4
Sara Faller bt Gina Switala at 19th

Keir McNicoll doing well in the Azalea Amateur
After two rounds of the Azalea Amateur, a major event on the US Amateur's circuit, Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll lies six shots off the pace and in joint 17th place with scores of 73 and 70.
Arnond Vongvanij leads on 137, one shot better than Luke List, who won the Jones Cup at Kiawah Island last month, and was runner up in the 2004 US Amateur.
Scores with relation to par from the second round of the Azalea Amateur, at the par-71, 6,809-yard Country Club of Charleston (S.C.):
1. Arnond Vongvanij 70-67--137 -5
2. Luke List 72-66--138 -4
3. John Finster 70-69--139 -3
3. Kyle Ellis 72-67--139 -3
3. Webb Simpson 70-69--139 -3
3. Billy Horschel 71-68--139 -3
7. Chris Kirk 73-67--140 -2
7. Pat Tallent 69-71--140 -2
7. Nathan T. Smith 68-72--140 -2
10. Hudson Swafford 72-69--141 -1
10. Brent Wicher 68-73--141 -1
12. Brendon Todd 74-68--142 E
12. Morgan Hoffmann 70-72--142 E
12. Frank Vana 70-72--142 E
12. Ryan Hybl 68-74--142 E
12. Peter Uihlein 68-74--142 E
17. Rickie Fowler 68-75--143 +1
17. Keir McNicoll 73-70--143 +1
19. Tyler Leon 73-71--144 +2
19. William Miller 72-72--144 +2
19. Brian Harman 72-72--144 +2

Friday 30th March 2007

LGU Press Release
LGU SELECT TEAM FOR COMMONWEATH TOURNAMENT
Naomi Edwards, Breanne Loucks and Melissa Reid, three players from the 2006 Curtis Cup, form the nucleus of the Great Britain team to compete in the Commonwealth Tournament from 7-11 May in South Africa. The remaining two places are taken by 2002 Curtis Cup player Kerry Smith and 18-year-old Scot, Krystle Caithness.
Canadian born Loucks, now living in and representing Wales, was the most successful player in the Curtis Cup match against the United States last year at Bandon Dunes, winning all three of her matches. In one of these, the second day foursomes, she partnered Melissa Reid in recording a 7/5 win, the biggest winning margin of the two day contest.
Reid had a highly successful 2006 in which she won the Scottish Stroke Play title, realising the potential she had shown in winning the English Girls’ title in both 2004 and 2005.
Yorkshire’s Naomi Edwards first came to national attention in 2003 with a place in the final of the English Match Play Championship. That was followed, in 2005, with wins in the English Mid-Amateur and the Scottish Stroke Play and last year with a title-winning performance in the Welsh Stroke Play.
At 35 years of age, Kerry Smith is by far the most experienced player in the side and has played international representative golf for England since 1997. A relative latecomer into golf at 15, she played in the 2002 Curtis Cup, was English Champion in 2004 and headed the English Order of Merit that year and also in 2006.
Krystle Caithness, 18, already has an impressive list of golfing achievements with wins in the Scottish Under-16, Under-18 and 21 Championships. Last year, over the Old Course, St Andrews, against a truly international field, Krystle won the St Rule Trophy.
Sue Turner, Captain of the Great Britain side said: “We have selected a relatively young team but one which already has extensive experience of competing at the highest international level.”
“I have no doubt therefore, that with the steadying influence of Kerry Smith, one of the country’s most experienced players, we have a real chance of winning the Commonwealth Tournament.”
TEAM
Krystle Caithness 18 St Regulus
Naomi Edwards 23 Ganton
Breanne Loucks 19 Wrexham
Melissa Reid 19 Chevin
Kerry Smith 35 Waterlooville
RESERVES
1. Sahra Hassan Vale of Glamorgan
2. Florentyna Parker Gut Waldhof
3. Sally Watson Elie & Earlsferry
CAPTAIN
Sue Turner
COACH
Lawrence Farmer

Thursday 29th March 2007

SGU Press Release
SGU CELEBRATES DOUBLE DINNER SPONSOR
The seventh annual Scottish Golf Dinner takes place tomorrow night (Friday 30 March) to celebrate Scottish golf’s amateur success and the event was given a boost with the capture of two new sponsors.
Leading independent financial advisers MDH Hughes and specialist golf surfaces company Golfcrete will sponsor this year’s Dinner, which is a complete sell-out as clubs, golfers and Scottish Golf’s partners gather to toast one of the most successful seasons in the domestic amateur game.
With Richie Ramsay’s victory in the US Amateur Championship, Scottish teams’ quadruple success in the Girls, Boys, Mens and Seniors Home Internationals and numerous other team and individual performances, the Dinner will be glittering with silverware.
Michael Hughes, Managing Director of MDH Hughes, is delighted to be involved in the 2007 Scottish Golf Dinner:
‘Our association with the Scottish Golf Union stretches back many years as the organisation’s employee benefits advisers and we hope that through the sponsorship we can widen our offering throughout the golf industry.’
‘Last season was a fantastic one for amateur golf in Scotland and the Dinner will provide a great showcase to celebrate the achievements of everyone involved,’ he added.
Ian Tittershill, Managing Director of Sportcrete, who provide an environmentally friendly and ecologically sound lining for lakes and bunkers on golf courses, sees sponsorship of the Scottish Golf Dinner as the perfect platform for launching the product in Scotland:
“Golfcrete has already been successful in continental Europe and the States so we hope that our presence at the Scottish Golf Dinner can build our awareness in Scotland.”
“We would like to congratulate the SGU and the SLGA for their efforts on and off the course in 2006 and wish them every success for the year ahead.”
The Scottish Golfer of the Year and SGU Order of Merit winner will be formally announced on the evening, whilst the leading female golfers from 2006 will also receive their awards on the night, as the SGU and SLGA bring both their awards evenings together for the very first time.
Former Scotland rugby star turned BBC radio presenter John Beattie provides the after-dinner entertainment alongside leading guest speaker Brian Voyle-Morgan.

Wednesday 28th March 2007

Attention all Scottish Squad members!
Jayne Smith, 1999 Scottish Champion and recently appointed Captain of the Scotland Home International team, had a scratch 70 round Gullane No2 today in a Gullane Ladies' medal competition. Jayne's score was three under the SSS and CSS of 73, and not only did she have the best scratch score, she also had the best net - a 66 off a handicap of 4. Perhaps she should not be captaining the team but playing in it!
Well done Jayne!

WALLACE BOOTH TAKES HIS FIRST COLLEGIATE TITLE
Career-low, six-under 65 propels Jaguar senior to first collegiate victory
From the website of Augusta State:
AWENDAW, S.C. -- Augusta State’s Wallace Booth fired a final-round, six-under 65 Tuesday to capture The Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate at Bulls Bay Golf Club just outside of Charleston.
The victory is the first collegiate title for Booth, a senior from Perthshire, Scotland. His six-under 65 marks his lowest round as a collegian, besting the five-under 67 he registered in the second round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic at The Farm Golf Club last fall in Rocky Face, Ga. The effort also is the lowest final round by a Jaguar in a victory since former standout Oliver Wilson shot an eight-under 64 in the final round of the 2003 Cleveland Golf/Augusta State Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club.
The win also marked the third consecutive year a Jaguar has claimed medalist honors at The Hootie. Then-sophomore Jamie Miller won the tourney title on the strength of a second-round, seven-under 64 last year and Scott Jamieson had a final-round 68 to win the 2005 tourney.
Booth’s effort sparked ASU to a fifth-place finish -- its best finish of the season -- and matched Baylor for the low round of the day, a seven-under 277. Senior Major Manning carded a four-under 67 and jumped from 15th into a tie for seventh. Miller tallied a one-over 72 and finished 73rd, while sophomore Tarik Can posted a two-over 73 and tied for 58th. Junior Keith Guest had a three-over 74 and didn’t count toward the Jags’ team total, but posted ASU’s third-best finish – a tie for 36th – that included a first round of three-under 68.
“This is great – it’s a pretty awesome feeling,” said Booth, who tallied his second top-20 finish of the year with the win. “I didn’t have any idea about my chances (to win) until Coach Gregory told me what the situation was on the 17th hole. He pretty much let me do my thing out there on the course today and didn’t say a whole lot, which is what he normally does so things seemed pretty normal. I just wanted to finish strong and see where a good round would put me at the end of the day.”
Booth played the front nine in three-under 33 before reaching the 630-yard, par-five 10th hole. After a drive of 410 yards from an elevated tee, Booth hit a 3-iron to 35 feet and drained the putt for eagle. After a birdie at the par-3 12th moved him to five-under on his round, he suffered his lone miscue of the day on the par-4 16th. He bounced back with a birdie at the 17th, rolling in a 15-footer that turned out to be the difference.
Wake Forest’s Webb Simpson and 36-hole leader Greg Forest of Central Florida finished a shot back of Booth at seven-under 206. Jeremy Frye of Baylor and North Carolina’s Martin Ureta were two shots off the pace, tying for fourth at six-under 207.
The Jaguars, who began the final round in seventh place, also posted their lowest round of the season with their team total of 277. ASU fired an eight-under 280 at the General Jim Hackler Invitational two weekends ago in Murrells Inlet, S.C.
Wake Forest edged Baylor in a playoff for the team title, while Florida State was third. First and second-round leader Central Florida was the only team among the top seven to not shoot under par in the final round. The Golden Knights signed for a four-over 288 and took fourth, nine shots clear of ASU.
The Jaguars now turn their attention to hosting the Administaff Augusta State Invitational, slated for Friday-Sunday, March 30-April 1 at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Ga.
For full-field results of the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, log on to www.golfstat.com.
Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate
Bulls Bay Golf Club
Awendaw, S.C.
Par 71 – 7,261 yards
March 25-27, 2007
Leading scores
205 Wallace Booth (Augusta State) 71 69 65
206 Greg Forest (UCF) 66 67 73, Webb Simpson (Wake Forest Univ) 72 68 66
207 Jeremy Frye (Baylor) 68 69 70, Martin Ureta (North Carolina) 72 69 66
208 Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina) 70 70 68
Team Results
1. Wake Forest 283-279-278=840 (-12)
Baylor 283-280-277=840 (-12)
3. Florida State 274-289-282=845 (-7)
4. Central Florida 270-288-288=846 (-6)
5. AUGUSTA STATE 286-292-277=855 (+3)
6. Duke 288-291-281=860 (+8)
7. North Carolina 287-293-282=862 (+10)
Coastal Carolina 285-290-287=862 (+10)
9. South Carolina 289-294-283=-866 (+14)
10. LSU 288-288-294=870 (+18)
11. North Carolina State 297-293-281=871 (+19)
12. College of Charleston 291-295-289=875 (+23)
13. Kentucky 301-285-290=876 (+24)
14. Vanderbilt 292-300-293=885 (+33)
15. Arkansas 307-293-294=894 (+42)

ROSS BAIN (SCOTLAND) QUALIFIES FOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Five Win Open Places in Singapore
The Australian trio of Adam Groom, David Gleeson and Lee Won-Joon, together with Scotsman Ross Bain and Lam Chih-Bing of Singapore, have won their way into The Open Championship through 36 holes of International Final Qualifying-Asia over Sentosa Golf Club's Tanjong course.
Lam emerged as only the second Singaporean to qualify for the Championship, his six-under-par 66 in the second round included two eagles and five birdies and left him one stroke behind top finisher Groom. Lam will follow in the footsteps of compatriot Mardan Mamat who was the first Singaporean to make it to the Open Championship back in 1997.
"This is simply great. I cant wait as it has always been my dream to play in a major. I've never been to Scotland and my last trip to Europe was in 2002 on holiday," said Lam.
"My friends have told me so many things about their first ever experience at The Open and now it's my turn. I heard that the atmosphere there is unbelievable. Danny Chia mentioned that he had goose bumps while walking the course with the crowd all around, it's going to be amazing," added Lam.
After adding a 69 to his opening 66, the 28-year-old Groom was happy with a score that led the qualifying event. "It was going on well until I struck a triple bogey on the ninth hole. But I knuckled down on the back nine and struck four birdies without a single bogey, so that was a good way to end the day. This is fantastic being able to make it for my first ever major," he commented.
Thanks to solid iron play, Lee, who turned pro late last year, ended his day with a 70 and was forced into a play-off when compatriot Park Jun-Won scored 68 for a 137 total in a tie for fifth place. Lee took the final spot at the par-four first play off hole when he holed a three-foot birdie putt as Park parred.
"This is fantastic. I was fully focused on my last shot at the play-off and when it went in I was really happy. That was one of my most crucial shots as I've now sealed my place in Scotland," said Lee. "This is going to be my first major. I've been to Scotland before when I played at the St Andrews Links Trophy. So I can roughly know what to expect as I did get some feedback from the players about Carnoustie. I'm eager to go," he admitted.
Scotland"s Bain returned a second round 64 to seal his place, while Gleeson scored his second straight 68 and made it through after his ninth attempt at qualifying.
Top Scores & Qualifiers
135 GROOM, Adam (Australia) 66 69
136 LAM, Chih-Bing (Singapore) 70 66, BAIN, Ross (Scotland) 72 64 136 , GLEESON, David (Australia) 68 68
137 PARK, Jun Won (Korea) 69 68 LEE, Won Joon (Australia) 67 70 (Lee won playoff)
138 ISHIGAKI, Sushi (Japan) 67 71
139 LASCUNA, Tony (Philippines) 69 70
All scores can be found here

ELGA Press Release
Kerry Smith nominated for top award
England number one Kerry Smith has been nominated for the Nancy Lopez Award which is presented annually to the world’s best female amateur golfer.
Players will be judged on their performance during 2006 when Kerry, 35, won the ELGA order of merit for the second time in three years.
The Hampshire golfer from Waterlooville enjoyed a year of highlights. These included winning the silver medal at the European ladies’ championship in Germany when she shot a career-best 65 in the final round.
She made her 10th consecutive appearance for England in the Home Internationals when she won five of her six matches and helped the team to overall victory. She also represented England in the Espirito Santo Trophy in South Africa.
Kerry was the top qualifier in the English championship, won her county championship and found time to work with Hampshire juniors.
She’s one of an impressive group of golfers who have been nominated for the award. Kerry’s challengers are: Amanda Blumenherst, Esther Choe, Kimberly Kim, Stacy Lewis and Paige MacKenzie, all from the USA; Anna Nordquist and Caroline Westrup of Sweden; and Ashleigh Simon of South Africa.
Last year’s winner was American Morgan Pressel who won the 2005 US women’s amateur championship and was runner-up in the US women’s open.

ELGA Press Release
Christine Watson to defend English seniors’ championship
A top-class field, led by the titleholder Christine Watson (pictured below), will contest the Seniors Ladies’ English Close Championship at Delamere Forest in Cheshire from April 24-27.
Christine, from Beaconsfield, leads a field of 92 players whose handicaps start at one and who include senior internationals and former Curtis Cup players.
“I’ve enjoyed being champion and I’d like to hang on to it – but there are a lot of other people who would like to get hold of this title,” said Christine, who was in England’s winning team at the 2006 senior home internationals
“There are an awful lot of good players out there and there’s a new crop every year. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully my game will be as good as last year,” she added.
A number of other 2006 senior internationals join Christine in the field. They are Geraldine Bray, the English strokeplay champion from Littlestone; Carole Caldwell, a former Curtis Cup player from Sunningdale; Sue Pickles (Lee-on-the-Solent), Sue Westall (Copt Heath) and Pat Wrightson (Huddersfield)
Carole Caldwell and 2005 championship runner-up Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court Ladies’) share the distinction of holding the lowest handicaps in the field. Both play off one.
Meanwhile the “new crop” of players includes four women in their first year of senior golf, having turned 50 in the past 12 months. Among them is Cheshire’s Barbara Laird, a two-handicapper from Sandiway who was a regular county player in the 1990s and is a former Durham champion.
She’s part of a strong Cheshire contingent with nine players representing county clubs. They include Sue Dye, a three handicapper who will be playing on home ground at Delamere Forest and who was runner-up in last year’s English seniors’ strokeplay championship.
Two other local contenders are both Stockport members: Alanna Vine, who is a former Lancashire champion and plays off three; and Elisabeth Wilson who made 176 county team appearances for Cheshire. Mary Weaver from Mere is the reigning Cheshire seniors’ champion while her club colleague Ann Howard is a former Curtis Cup player.
In addition, the chair of the championship committee is Ruth Whitehead, who is the ELGA vice-chairman and a member of Delamere Forest. “I’m delighted by the size and quality of the field,” she said. “All the members at the club are pulling out the stops to make this as successful as possible. The support is tremendous.”
Those supporters include honorary club member Carol Comboy, who is one of ELGA’s vice presidents and who was Cheshire champion at least five times.
The undulating heathland course is a regular venue for Cheshire county events and has hosted the English men’s mid-amateur championship and Open qualifying. The ladies’ layout has been extended to 5721 yards for this event, with a par of 72.
The championship will be played in two divisions depending on handicap.
All competitors will play two rounds of strokeplay qualifying, 18 holes on each of Tuesday and Wednesday. The top 16 players in each division will go forward to the matchplay stages, which will be played on Thursday and Friday. Spectators are welcome.

Scots out of the Australian Amateur Championship.
Scott Henry (Cardross) and Lloyd Saltman (Criagielaw), who came through the strokeplay qualifying rounds in 5th and 3rd place respectively are both out of the Australian Amateur Championship.
Scott was beaten in the first round by Troy Rophia of New Zealand 5 and 4.
Lloyd won his first round against Queensland's Ben Fletcher by 4&2, and then beat the current R&A World No1 ranked amateur, Jamie Moul (England) by 3&2. However he lost in the quarter-finals to Justin Roach (New South Wales).

Tuesday 27th March 2007

ELGA Press Release
Roehampton ladies back the ELGA Trust
Roehampton Club ladies have given the ELGA Trust a record birthday present – their biggest-ever donation to the charity’s funds.
They have just sent £415 to the Trust, which is the charity for girls’ golf and which celebrates its silver jubilee this year.
The Roehampton ladies are consistently generous supporters of the Trust and their gifts since 2001 now total more than £2220.
This year’s donation was raised at the ladies’ first event of the season, their Club Day at which golf is followed by lunch with a speaker. In previous years they have also bought Trust goods and supported the ELGA Trust pro-am.
Over the past 25 years the ELGA Trust has helped countless girls with grants towards equipment, tuition, tournament expenses and county coaching schemes. However income is dwindling and the Trust has recently been forced to cut back on its grants and to appeal to ELGA members to help boost its funds.

Scottish Universities Golf Championships
The SUS Golf Championships are to be held at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth, next week. Here is the draw (rtf file).
Rob Macpherson, the organiser says
"The final 36 holes on Tuesday (Moray Old) will be drawn on Monday night.
"For men: Top 48 scratch scores + ties
"For women: Top 8 scores (scratch) + ties; top 8 scores (handicap) + ties
"Entries have now closed, but a late entry list is now in operation for both the Mens' and Womens'
Championships. Please inform me directly of any omissions, corrections, changes or withdrawals. e: 07866 734012"

Monday 26th March 2007

Saltman just misses playoff- Dodt wins Australian Stroke Play Championship
By Alistair Hogg
Australian Golf Union Website writer
Andrew Dodt has won the 2007 Australian Stroke Play Championship after a thrilling playoff finale at New South Wales Golf Club.
The Queenslander went head to head with Scott Arnold after the pair was deadlocked at four-under par through 72-holes, finally triumphing on the fourth extra hole when his opponent found a bunker off the tee. Dodt made a clutch two-putt to claim the sudden death playoff and the title as 2007 Australian Amateur Stroke Play Champion.
He now goes into tomorrow's match play riding a wave of confidence after today's tense win.
The men will play the first round of their match play on Tuesday from 7:00am. This will be followed by the second round of the women's match play at approximately 9:30am and the men will play their second round later in the afternoon to make up for Sunday's lost time.
Dodt's first assignment is against Victorian Leigh Deagan, who won a four-way playoff to snatch one of the two remaining spots in the 32-man field. The match will begin at 9:00am.
Scots Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) and Scott Henry (Cardross) are third and sixth seeds respectively in the match play.
There is live scoring on the Australian Golf Union website.
Final qualifiers for Australian Amateur Match Play Championship:
276: A Dodt (QLD) S Arnold (NSW)
277: L Saltman (SCO)
279: J Roach (NSW) R Bezuidenhuot (NSW) S Henry (SCO)
280: D Horsey (ENG)
281: D Nisbet (QLD) J Gill (NZL)
283: M Raseta (NSW) J Sheratt (SA) G Boyd (ENG) R Blizard (NSW)
284: J Moul (ENG) B Parker (ENG) J Roxby (SA) M Jager (WA) K Lee (KOR)
285: L Peterson (NSW) J Younger (VIC) J Arnold (NSW)
286: R Beaufils (QLD) B Rankin (QLD) D Kim (NSW)
287: T Rophia (NZL) T H Choo (SIN) B Fletcher (QLD) R Kulacz (WA) D Lee (NZL) S Lewton (ENG)
288: J Bayron (PHI) L Deagan (VIC) - won on playoff

HUGH HUNTER HONOURED BY SCOTTISH SCHOOLS GOLF ASSOCIATION
Former Scottish Golf Union president Hugh Hunter, who lives in Auchterarder, has been honoured by the Scottish Schools Golf Association of which he has been president twice.
“For all Hugh has done for junior golf in general and schools golf in particular over the last 40 years and more, we felt it was only right that he should become the first life member of the Scottish Schools Golf Association,” said secretary Dorothy Scott.
“Since he retired from teaching, he has been able to devote even more of his time to supporting junior golf. Hugh pops up everywhere there’s a tournament on.”
Robin Fyfe, Nairn Golf Club professional for many years, was one of the young lads encouraged to develop his golf when Hugh Hunter was a teacher at Alloa Academy in the late 1960s.
Hugh then moved to Callander and joined the teaching staff at McLaren High School.
The Scottish Schools Golf Association, which stages an annual championship for boys and girls and also organises an annual match against England, was formed in 1972.
Hugh became its president for the first time in 1983-84 and, 10 years later, he served a second term of office.
“He is the only person to have been president of the SSGA twice,” said Mrs Scott.
“I’m thrilled to become the first life member of the Scottish Schools Golf Association,” said Hugh who was president of the Scottish Golf Union in 2006.

MOTHERHOOD DOESN'T PHASE CATRIONA MATTHEW
In her first tournament back since the birth of her daughter Katy in December, Catriona Matthew from North Berwick tied for 5th place in the LPGA Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola played over the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club, Arizona. Her finishing 69, for a nine under par total of 279 earned her $56,522. Lorena Ochoa from Mexico won the tournament with an 18 under par 270.
Final Scores
Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola
Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club
Superstition Mountain, Ariz.
1 Lorena Ochoa -4 F -18 69 64 69 68 270 $225,000
2 Suzann Pettersen -6 F -16 69 68 69 66 272 $137,649
T3 Laura Diaz -5 F -10 70 71 70 67 278 $88,551
T3 Jeong Jang E F -10 68 70 68 72 278 $88,551
T5 Catriona Matthew -3 F -9 68 68 74 69 279 $56,522
T5 Sophie Gustafson -3 F -9 75 66 69 69 279 $56,522
7 Jee Young Lee -5 F -8 73 70 70 67 280 $42,580
T8 Rachel Hetherington -3 F -7 71 71 70 69 281 $33,787
T8 Annika Sorenstam -1 F -7 73 68 69 71 281 $33,787
T8 Shi Hyun Ahn +1 F -7 72 68 68 73 281 $33,787

Sunday 25th March 2007

Colin is on holiday
This is when you realise that he is chief news gatherer for this website!
I'll do my best... but if you think I have missed something... please remind me!
Email me at gill@kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
Colin will be back on Sunday 8th April

Saturday 24th March 2007

Another great win for Belfast youngster at Sotogrande
McILROY FINISHES BIRDIE, BIRDIE TO WIN INDIVIDUAL TITLE AT NATIONS CUP
Denmark won the inaugural European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) men’s team championship by one stroke from Ireland and England in an exciting finish at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club, Spain today.
But there was an individual sucess for Belfast teenager Rory McIlroy. He hit a nine iron to 6ft and holed the birdie putt at the 72nd hole to tie with Norway's Marius Thorp - winner of the Open championship amateur silver medal at Hoylake last summer - for the individual championship.
Then the confident McIlroy won the first hole of a sudden-death play-off by hitting his approach shot to 3ft and holing the putt for another birdie and another title.
Last summer, Rory (pictured right) won the European individual amateur championship. No wonder he is ranked No 2 in the R&A world rankings. He might even be No 1 by this time next week!
In the team event, the Danes totalled 863 to Ireland and England’s 864.
Wales were sixth on 871 and Scotland finished joint ninth of 16 with a final total of 883.
Scotland’s scorers on the final day were Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) with a two-under-par 70, easily his best of the four days, James Byrne (Banchory) and John Gallagher (Swanston), both with 73s.
James Byrne finished the leading Scot in joint 11th place on 291.
Germany, as expected, ran away with the women’s team championship. Their final total of 644 gave them victory by 13 shots from Spain.
Katharina Schallenberg from Germany, winner of the Spanish women’s open amateur championship a few weeks ago, came from behind over the final round to catch her team-mate Caroline Masson and win the individual women’s title.
Katharina finished with a 69 for 284 – three shots ahead of Caroline who signed off with a 75, her worst score of the four days, for 287.
Kerry Smith (England) was fourth on 292 behind Spain’s third-place Marta Silva Zamora.
EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP SCOREBOARD AT SOTOGRANDE
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 288 (4 x 72)
1 - 281 R McIlroy (Ire) 69 70 70 72, M Thorp (Nor) 69 69 70 73 (McIlroy won play-off at first hole with birdie).
3 - 286 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 71 74 72 69.
4 - 287 N Edwards (Wal) 73 71 72 71.
5 - 288 X Feyaerts (Bel) 69 72 72 75.
6 - 289 I Urquizu (Spa) 73 76 70 70, P Waring (Eng) 74 73 71 71, A Knappe (Ger) 73 74 71 71, O Bonning (Swe) 73 72 70 74.
10 - 290 M Veijalainen (Fin) 72 71 74 73.
11 - 291 P Drost (Den) 75 76 73 67, J Byrne (Sco) 75 68 75 73.
13 - 292 J Carlota (Por) 79 66 71 76.
14 - 293 N Rasmussen (Den) 73 77 73 70, S Lowry (Ire) 76 72 75 70, L Matthews (Wal) 71 73 77 72, S Ward (Ire) 71 73 76 73, R Nielsen (Den) 73 71 75 74, M Cryer (Eng) 72 74 72 75, P Baunsoe (Den) 68 80 68 77.
21 - 294 W Rieder (Aut) 75 74 74 71, A Kristiansen (Nor) 72 76 74 72, A Kristiansen (Nor) 72 76 74 72, T Rosendahl (Swe) 72 71 78 73.
24 - 295 G Campbell (Sco) 76 74 75 70, C Evans (Wal) 73 72 77 73.
Other placings and totals:
29 - 297 C Cousins (Wal) 75 76 77 69, J Gallagher (Sco) 76 75 73 73.
33 - 298 E Richardson (Eng) 81 74 71 72.
39 - 300 N Kearney (Ire) 74 77 75 74.
58 - 309 S McEwan (Sco) 79 76 79 75.
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 288 (4 x 72)
1 - 284 K Schallenberg (Ger) 69 71 75 69.
2 - 287 C Masson (Ger) 73 71 68 75.
3 - 291 M Silva Zamora (Spa) 71 74 71 75.
4 - 292 K Smith (Eng) 70 75 73 74.
5 - 295 A Urchegui Garcia (Spa) 77 73 77 68, M Jorgensen (Den) 73 74 71 77.
7 - 296 B Loucks (Wal) 74 75 74 73.
8 - 297 S Hassan (Wal) 74 72 78 73.
Other placings:
13 - 303 N Edwards (Eng) 77 75 73 78.
19 - 307 M Reid (Eng) 76 76 77 78.
25 - 310 T Davies (Wal) 75 82 76 77.

DENMARK AND GERMANY TAKE THE TITLES IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP
Denmark won the inaugural European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) men’s team championship by one stroke from Ireland and England in an exciting finish at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club, Spain today.
The Danes totalled 863 to Ireland and Englan’s 864.
Wales were sixth on 871 and Scotland finished joint ninth of 16 with a final total of 883.
Scotland’s scorers on the final day were Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) with a two-under-par 70, easily his best of the four days, James Byrne (Banchory) and John Gallagher (Swanston), both with 73s.
The fourth member of the Scots squad, Steven McEwan (Barassie) did not have a counting score in any of the four rounds.
Germany, as expected, ran away with the women’s team championship. Their final total of 644 gave them victory by 13 shots from Spain. England (672) finished fourth and Wales (668) fifth of the 10 teams.
FINAL TOTALS
MEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 864 (4 x 216)
1 - 863 DENMARK (P F Drost, P Balinsoe, R H Nielsen, N Rasmussen).
2 - 864 IRELAND (R McIlroy, S Ward, S Lowry, N Kearney), ENGLAND (G Wolstenholme, E Richardson, P Waring, M Cryer).
4 - 870 NORWAY (M Thorp, A Kristiansen, A Friestad, F Kollevold).
5 - 871 PORTUGAL (J M Cudell, J Carlota, P Figueiredo, A Rosado), WALES (C Cousins, N Edwards, C Evans, L Matthews).
7 - 872 SWEDEN ( J Carlsson, N Glans, O Bonning, T Rosendahl).
8 - 876 SPAIN (J Legarrea, I Urquizu, C Perez Barberon, G Vicente).
9 - 883 FINLAND (J Granberg, M Salminen, J-P Savolampi, M Veijalainen), GERMANY (J Kilbing, F Schulte, P Westermann, A Knappe), SCOTLAND (G Campbell, J Gallagher, J Byrne, S McEwan).
12 - 891 AUSTRIA (T Kromer, C Pfau, W Rieder, P Sharma).
13 - 896 NETHERLANDS ( F De Vries, R Kino, W De Vries, R Saxton).
14 - 898 ITALY (M Guerisoli, N Lomgardi, A Romano, J Kim).
15 - 901 BELGIUM (P Relecom, X Feyaerts, D Van Doren, G Watremez).
16 - 910 SLOVENIA (M Studen, T Gornik, J Vidmar, N Pogacar).
WOMEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Par 648
+Two from three individual scores per team counted in the first, second and third rounds. In the fourth round, all three individual scores counted.
1 - 644 GERMANY (K Schallenberg, C Masson, S Doering).
2 - 657 SPAIN ( M Silva Zamora, S Cologan Ruiz, A Urchegui Garcia).
3 - 668 WALES (B Loucks, S Hassan, T Davies).
4 - 669 DENMARK (M Jorgensen, T Koelbaek, S M Eriksen).
5 - 672 ENGLAND (N Edwards, M Reid, K Smith).
6 - 680 BELGIUM (L Gonzalez, L Herman, V Gevers).
7 - 684 NETHERLANDS (M Van der Graaff, J Kraats, K Van Leeuwen).
8 - 692 FINLAND (S Harju, S Mantyniemi, R Suahn).
9 -698 ITALY ( F Angioletti, A Roscio, V Valgassori).
10 - 701 AUSTRIA ( M Hochwimmer, J Zering, C Wolf).

JODI STILL TOP-RANKED BRITISH PLAYER ON US WOMEN'S COLLEGE CIRCUIT
Eight of the top 20 players on the United States women's college circuit come from Europe.
The top-ranked British player is Jodi Ewart from Middleham, Yorkshire and a freshman student at New Mexico University.
In the Golfweek rankings issued earlier this week, Jodi was No 19 behind the top-ranked US Curtis Cup player, Amanda Blumenherst (Duke).
The highest-rated Scot is Gemma Webster (Ohio State) in 112th place.
The rankings were compiled before the 2005 Irish girls champion Danielle McVeigh from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland - a freshman student at Texas A&M - scored her first win and Hannah Burke (Baylor) from Welwyn Garden City finished runner-up in a different event so they will rise from their current 89th and 151st positions in the next revision by Golfweek.
Here's our list of the top-ranked players, highlighting the Europeans. If you know somebody who has been missed out, please E-mail us.
1 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke).
2 Caroline Westrup (Florida State) - Swedish.
3 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) - Swedish.
4 Sandra Gal (Floida) - German.
5 Ashley Knoll (Texas A&M).
6 Jennifer Osborne (Arizona State).
7 Taylor Leon (Georgia).
8 Alison Walshe (Arizona).
9 Jennie Lee (Duke).
10 Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) - Spanish.
Other rankings included:
13 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) - Spanish.
17 Belen Mozo (South Carolina) - Spanish.
18 Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) - Swedish.
19 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) - English.
33 Adriana Zwanck (Arizona) - Spanish.

TARA IN TOP 10 AFTER FIRST ROUND AT ATHENS, GEORGIA
Irish Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney was lying joint eighth after the opening round of the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic tournament at the University of Georgia course at Athens, Georgia.
The Carlow student at Kent State University, Ohio had a two-over-par round of 71 over the 6,260yd course.
Tara had birdies at the foufrth and 14th and bogeys at the second, sixth, 16th and 18th to be three strokes behind the leader, Melissa Eaton (Louisiana State).
Tara's older sister Karen, also a Kent State student, scored an 83 which put her in joint 80th place in a field of 96 players. Karen, a former Irish girls champion, had a triple bogey 8 at the long seventh and a double bogey 7 at the long 18th in halves of 42 and 41.
LEADERBOARD
70 Melissa Eaton (Louisiana State).
71 Sara Brown (Michigan State), Margaret Shipley (Auburn).
72 Maria Hernandez (Purdue), Lucy Nunn (Arkansas), Caroline Westrup (Florida State), Leah Wigger (Virginia).
73 Tara Delaney (Kent State), Nicole Hage (Auburn), Rachel Meikle (Michigan State).
Other score:
83 Karen Delaney (Kent State).
LEADING TEAMS
293 Auburn. 297 Michigan State. 300 Arkansas, Florida. 301 Louisiana State. Other score: 314 Kent State (14th of 18).

Friday 23rd March 2007

IRELAND LEAD BY THREE IN MEN'S EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP; GERMAN WOMEN WELL CLEAR
Ireland lead by three strokes from England, Portugal and Denmark with one round to go in the men's team championship of the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande, Spain.
Scotland dropped to 10th place on 667 - 18 strokes behind Ireland - with third-round counting scores of 73 from John Gallagher (Swanston) and 75s each from James Byrne (Banchory) and Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie).
For the third day in a row Steven McEwan (Barassie) had a non-counting score.
In the women's championship, it is all over bar the shouting - Germany are 16 strokes clear of the field. England are in fourth place on 442 with Wales fifth on 445.
THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
MEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
649 IRELAND (R McIlroy 70, S Lowry 75, N Kearney 75).
652 PORTUGAL, DENMARK, ENGLAND (E Richardson 71, P Waring 71, G Wolstenholme 72).
656 NORWAY.
659 WALES (N Edwards 72, C Evans 77, L Matthews 77).
661 SWEDEN.
662 FINLAND.
664 GERMANY.
667 SCOTLAND (J Gallagher 73, G Campbell 75, J Byrne 75).
668 SPAIN.
673 AUSTRIA, NETHERLANDS.
674 BELGIUM.
681 SLOVENIA.
683 ITALY.
WOMEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
423 GERMANY.
439 SPAIN.
440 DENMARK.
442 ENGLAND (N Edwards 73, K Smith 73).
445 WALES (B Loucks 75, T Davies 76).
449 NETHERLANDS.
456 BELGIUM.
464 AUSTRIA.
465 FINLAND.
466 ITALY.

MUM MATTHEW SHARES LEAD IN SAFEWAY INTERNATIONAL TOURNEY IN ARIZONA
Motherhood obviously brings the best out of Catriona Matthew the golfer.
The North Berwick player, make her comeback on the LPGA Tour after taking a seven-month break to give birth to her first child, shot a four-under-par 68 to share the lead with Young Jo in the Safeway International tournament over the Prospector Course.
"You don't know what to expect coming out here, since I haven't played for a while," said Mrs Matthew, pictured right.
Lorena Ochoa and Mi Hyun Kim were a stroke back and Beth Bader and Gloria Park were two strokes off the lead.
A total of 72 players were still on the course when play was suspended because of darkness at 6:06 p.m. Rain and lightning had delayed play for about two hours.
After giving birth to daughter Katie three months ago, Catriona went back to work on her game at North Berwick. Her off-season training paid off immediately.
"After such a long lay-off, I've been practising well," said Catriona, who has two LPGA Tour wins to her credit, the last in 2004.
She birdied the par-4 first hole, hitting a 7-iron from 164 yards to 10 feet and making the putt.
That was the first of Matthew's six birdies. She also had two bogeys, one with a three-putt on the par-5 13th hole.

IRISH EYES SMILING ON HAWAII AS DANIELLE SCORES FIRST US WIN
Danielle McVeigh, the 2005 Irish girls’ champion from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, has scored her first win on the United States’ women’s college golf circuit.
The occasion was the Donnis Thompson Invitational at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Club, Honolulu on Hawaii.
Danielle, a 6ft freshman (first-year) student at Texas A&M University – the Aggies – birdied two of her last three holes in the 54-hole tournament to tie with Gerina Mendoza (Texas El Paso) at the top of the leaderboard on one-over-par 217 for the 5,829yd, par-72 course.
Then Danielle rammed yet another birdie putt, this one of some 15ft, for a winning birdie at the first sudden-death play-off hole.
Texas A&M women’s golf coach Joanne Sutherland said: “Danielle has been striking the ball well throughout the season. She’s been working hard on her putting and it’s been getting better and better. It’s great for her to see all the hard work pay off.”
The coach really had reasons to be cheerful because Danielle’s individual victory and terrific last round of three-under-par 69, enabled Texas A&M to come from behind to pip Arizona, the favourites, for the team title.
Miss McVeigh’s scores were 74, 74 and 69. Gerina Mendoza, who was five shots ahead of her Irish rival after 36 holes, scored 73, 70 and 74.
Danielle will be 20 on September 14.
Scotland international player Gemma Webster (Ohio State) finished joint 18th in a field of 73 with scores of 79, 75 and 78 for 232.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
217 Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) 74 74 69, Gerina Mendoza (Texas El Paso) 73 70 74. McVeigh won play-off at first extra hole.
221 Laura Fourdraine (Rollins) 75 73 73.
222 Alison Walshe (Arizona) 74 74 74.
223 Amanda Wilson (Arizona) 75 72 76.
Other score:
232 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 79 75 78.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
897 Texas A&M. 899 Arizona. 917 Brigham Youong. 9231 Rollins College. 924 Colorado State. 932 Ohio State. 12 teams took part.

JAMES BYRNE BOOSTS SCOTS WITH A 68 IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP
A fine four-under-par round of 68 - the best of the day - by James Byrne from Banchory lifted Scotland up the standings at the halfway stage of the European Nations Cup, which used to be called the Sherry Cup, at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol.
Coupled with a 74 from Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) and a 75 from John Gallagher (Swanston) that put the Scots in joint eighth place on 444 - 15 shots behind leaders Ireland for whom European individual champion Rory McIlroy from Belfast had a 70.
Byrne is now in joint fourth place in the individual standings on 143 - five behind Norway's Marius Thorp (138).
Germany are dominating the women's section with a seven-stroke lead from Spain in the team event and a four-shot advantage for Katharina Schallenberg in the individual standings.
HALFWAY SCOREBOARD
Par 144 (2 x 72)
MEN'S TEAM EVENT
429 IRELAND ( R McIlroy 70, S Lowry 72, S Ward 73).
432 PORTUGAL.
433 WALES (N Edwards 71, C Evans 72, L Matthews 73).
438 ENGLAND (P Waring 73, G Wolstenholme 74, E Richardson 74), DENMARK.
439 NORWAY, SWEDEN.
444 SCOTLAND (J Byrne 68, G Campbell 74, J Gallagher 75), GERMANY, FINLAND.
447 SPAIN.
451 SLOVENIA, AUSTRIA.
452 BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS.
454 ITALY.
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
138 M Thorp (Nor) 69 69.
139 R McIlroy (Ire) 69 70.
141 Xavier Feyaerts 69 72.
143 James Byrne (Sco) 75 68, T Rosendahl 73 71, M Veijalainen 72 71.
144 N Edwards (Wal) 73 71, R Nielsen 73 71, S Ward (Ire) 71 73, L Matthews (Wal) 71 73.
Other scores:
145 C Evans (Wal) 73 71, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 74 74 (jt 11th).
146 M Cryer (Eng) 72 74 (jt 17th).
147 P Waring (Eng) 74 73 (jt 19th).
148 S Lowry (Ire) 76 72 (jt 23rd).
150 G Campbell (Sco) 76 74 (jt 30th).
151 J Gallagher (Sco) 76 75, C Cousins (Wal) 75 76, N Kearney (Ire) 74 77 (jt 35th).
155 E Richardson (Eng) 81 74, S McEwan (Sco) 79 76 (jt 50th).
WOMEN'S TEAM EVENT
284 GERMANY.
291 SPAIN.
295 WALES (S Hassan 72, B Loucks 75), DENMARK.
296 ENGLAND ( N Edwards 75, K Smith 75).
297 NETHERLANDS.
303 BELGIUM.
308 FINLAND.
309 AUSTRIA.
310 ITALY.
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
140 K Schallenberg (Ger) 69 71.
144 C Masson (Ger) 73 71.
145 M Silva Zamora (Spa) 71 74, K Smith (Eng) 70 74.
146 S Hassan (Wal) 74 72.
Other scores:
149 B Loucks (Wal) 74 75 (jt 9th).
152 M Reid (Eng) 76 76, N Edwards (Eng) 77 75 (jt 16th).
157 T Davies (Wal) 75 82 (jt 26th).

Thursday, March 22, 2007

SHAUN McALLISTER RETIRES WITH CHEST PAINS AFTER ONLY NINE HOLES IN AUSTRALIA
Scottish boys’ amateur stroke-play golf champion Shaun McAllister was taken for a medical check-up after suffering chest pains and withdrawing from the Australian open amateur championship after only nine holes at the New South Wales Golf Club.
His father Neil said:
“Shaun was taken to a doctor to check his heart rhythms, etc. He seems to have had a niggling injury as he told me he had noticed it a couple of times in New Zealand (where he has been spending the winter).
“He went for a big shot reach a par-5 hole and after that couldn’t swing a club and ran up a 9 at the next hole before having to retire. It looks like he has torn a muscle or something.
“He has gutted as he has been working hard on his golf and said he was playing well and was one under par before running up the 9. He has to go back to the doctor again tomorrow and then we will see about when he wants to come home to Scotland.”

GOLF DATE/VENUE CHANGE (from Colin Farquharson)
The Aberdeenshire girls' medal at Fraserburgh Golf Club, originally planned for Sunday, June 3, has been rearranged for Sunday, June 17.
Please amend fixture lists, calendars, etc.

HENRY LEADING SCOT IN AUSSIE STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Scott Henry, the Scottish open amateur stroke-play champion from Cardross, was the leading Scot at the end of the first round of the Australian open amateur stroke-play championship at New South Wales Golf Club near Sydney.
Scott, pictured right, had a one-over-par round of 73 on a day when five Australians and England's David Horsey set the pace at four-under-par 68.
Conditions were ideal for the morning starters but those who teed off after lunchtime had to contend with a freshening wind which made sub-par scores very difficult to achieve.
Scottish match-play champion Kevin McAlpine from Alyth had a 74, Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) a 75 and Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) a 76.
Young Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), who flew over from his winter training headquarters in New Zealand to play in the championship, had to withdraw. At this stage, there is no news of the circumstances.
The top 70 and ties will survive the halfway cut. The top 32 at the end of the four rounds will go forward to the Australian amateur match-play championship at the same venue next week.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from Australia unless stated
68 Josh Younger, Brenton Haines, Kevin Lee, Jordan Sherratt, Andrew Dodt, David Horsey (Eng), Matthew Jager.
69 Ben Parker (Eng), Troy Ropiha (NZ), Ray Beaufils, Ratanakul Nakarinta (Thai).
Other scores:
70 Jamie Moul (Eng).
73 Gary Boyd (Eng), Scott Henry (Sco).
74 Kevin McAlpine (Sco).
75 Lloyd Saltman (Sco).
76 Paul O'Hara (Sco), Stephen Lewton (Eng).
77 Seve Benson (Eng).
Withdrew: Shaun McAllister (Sco).

SCOTS MEN TRAIL AFTER FIRST ROUND OF EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP IN SPAIN
Scotland have made a slow start in the men's section of the Grey Goose European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) at Real Golf Club Sotogrande on Spain's Costa del Sol.
James Byrne from Banchory top-scored for the Scots with a three-over-par 75. Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) and John Gallagher (Swanston) both had 76s.
Steven McEwan (Barassie) had a non-counting 79.
Scotland's total of 227 put them in 14th position at the end of the first of four rounds. They are already 13 shots behind the joint leaders, Denmark and Ireland.
FIRST ROUND TEAM TOTALS
214 DENMARK (P Baunsoe 68, R Nielsen 73, N Rasmussen 73), IRELAND (R McIlroy 69, S Ward 71, N Kearney 74).
216 NORWAY (M Thorp 69, A Kristiansen 72, A Friestad 75).
217 WALES (L Matthews 71, N Edwards 73, C Evans 73), ENGLAND (G Wolstenholm 71, M Cyer 72, P Waring 74).
219 SPAIN, PORTUGAL.
220 BELGIUM.
221 SWEDEN.
223 GERMANY.
224 FINLAND, AUSTRIA, SLOVENIA.
227 SCOTLAND (J Byrne 75, G Campbell 76, J Gallagher 76. Non-counter: S McEwan 79).
228 ITALY, NETHERLANDS.

GERMANY LEAD IN WOMEN'S EVENT
In the women's section of the Grey Goose European Nations Cup, the in-form German team lead both the team and individual standings. Scores:
142 GERMANY.
144 SPAIN.
146 ENGLAND (Kerry Smith 70, Melissa Reid 76. Non-counter: Naomi Edwards 77).
148 WALES (Breanne Loucks 74, Sahra Hassan 74. Non-counter; Tara Davies 75), BELGIUM.
150 DENMARK.
151 NETHERLANDS.
155 AUSTRIA.
157 FINLAND, ITALY.
Leading individuals:
69 Katharina Schallenberg (Ger).
70 Kerry Smith (Eng).
71 Marta Silva Zamora (Spa)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

RENTON LAIDLAW RECOVERING FROM PROSTATE OPERATION IN LONDON
Scottish-born golf journalist, author and TV commentator Renton Laidlaw, Editor of the R&A Golfers' Handbook and president of the Association of Golf Writers, is recovering in hospital in London following complications during an operation to remove his prostate on Monday.
For the latest news on Renton's condition, check today's Hot News page.

The grandsons - Robert McDowell (12 months) and Harry Armstrong (15 months)

Tuesday March 20, 2007

EDINBURGH-BORN PLAYER IS RANKED AMERICA’S NO 1 COLLEGE GOLFER
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies, a senior-year golf scholarship student at East Tennessee State University, has been named the No 1 male player on the United States college golf circuit for the first time in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin rankings this week.
Davies, pictured right, who will be 22 on May 28, was born in Edinburgh when his father worked there. He was later brought up in Bridgend, South Wales. Rhys has won his last two American college tournaments and 10 in all in his four years in America.He won the British boys’ championship at Hoylake in 2003 and was a member of the GB&I Walker Cup team in Chicago in 2005.
He is a racing certainty to play in this year's Walker Cup match at Royal County Down, Northern Ireland in September and looks like being the next Luke Donald or Paul Casey who both starred on the American college golf scene before turning professional and rapidly climbing to Ryder Cup status.
DUNCAN STEWART LEADING SCOT
The leading Scots in the updated rankings are Jacksonville University, Florida pair, Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey and Russell Knox from Inverness in 34th and 82nd positions respectively.
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi University) from Tulliallan is ranked No 128 and Wallace Booth (Augusta State) from Comrie is 158th.
The full list - if we have missed out anyone, please contact us - of British and Irish players in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin male US college rankings is coming up, but first, let us have a look at the top 10 from every nation (US unless stated).
1 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) from Wales.
2 Jamie Lovermark (South Carolina).
3 Billy Horschell (Florida).
4 Brian Harman (Georgia).
5 Chris Kirk (Georgia).
6 Niklas Lemke (Arizona State) from Sweden.
7 Charlie Beijan (New Mexico).
8 Daniel Summerhays (Brigham Young).
9 Kyle Stanley (Clemson).
10 Dawie Van DerWalt (Lamar) from South Africa.
Now to pinpoint the GB&I players:
30 Niall Turner (Minnesota) from Cork.
34 Duncan Stewart (East Tennessee State) from Grantown-on-Spey.
46 Peter Richardson (Purdue) from Carlisle.
60 Charles Ford (Tennessee) from Leicester.
61 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) from Lisburn, N Ireland.
79 Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) from Belfast.
82 Russell Knox (Jacksonville) from Inverness.
118 Daniel Willett (Jacksonville State) from Sheffield.
128 Callum Macaulay (Mississippi) from Tulliallan.
142 Chris Paisley (Tennessee) from Newcastle.
158 Wallace Booth (Augusta State) from Comrie.
191 Tom Sherreard (Georgia State) from Maidstone.
199 Farren Keenan (Texas) from Middlesex.
264 Aaron O'Callaghan (SE Louisiana) from Cork.
277 Ben Taylor (Georgia State) from Hexham.
308 James Taverner (SE Louisiana) from London.
344 Lewis Kirton (Louisville) from Oldmeldrum.
400 Alan Glynn (Xavier) from Middlesex.
403 Fergal Rafferty (Sam Houston) from Omagh, N Ireland.
440 Alex Hogben (Missouri-Kansas City) from Manchester.
518 Ciaran McLeavey (Toledo) from Banbridge, Ireland.
555 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) from Fraserburgh).
562 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) from Limerick.
725 Chris Carson (Sam Houston) from Dunoon.
732 Tom Oliver (Purdue) from Nottingham.
1220 Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) from Edinburgh.
1709 Stuart Burns (Evansville) from Auchterarder.
+There are other GB&I players at US colleges but some, like Peter McLachlan and Stephen Clark at Missouri-Kansas City have not played in the minium number of tournaments required. Students at junior (two-year) colleges do not qualify for the rankings.
ANY COMMENTS? E-mail them to colin@scottishgolfview.com

US College Golf
CALLUM FINISHES JT 38th AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIPLE BOGEYS
Tulliallan's Callum Macaulay (Mississippi University) had two triple bogey 7s over the three rounds of the Pinehurst Intercollegiate tournament at the Pinehurst No 8 course, North Carolina.
The Scot, pictured right, had rounds of 74, 77 and 77 for a 12-over-par total of 228 for the 7,035yd course. Callum had a triple bogey 7 at the 14th hole of his final round which included birdies at the second, 16th and 17th. He had a triple bogey 7 at the second hole in his second round. He finished joint 38th.
Irishman Ciaran McAleavey (Toledo) had scores of 77, 78 and 78 for a total of 233 to fill joint 64th place in a field of 96.
Individual title winner was Spanish student Jorge Campillo (Indiana) with 73, 67 and 73 for three-under-par 213. He won by two shots from Colt Knost (Southern Methodist) and Bill Rankin (Michigan).
Indiana (880) also won the title event by five shots from Michigan (885) with Penn State (889) third, Wisconsin (890) fourth and Mississippi sharing fifth place in a field of 18 teams with Southern Methodist on 895

Angus Ladies raise £350 from Quiz
Angus County Ladies held a quiz yesterday evening at The Grange Golf Club in Monifieth in aid of junior golf which was supported by 125 participants and raised in excess of £350.

l to r Heather Peebles, Dee Watson and Jillian Pryde

At the start of the evening the new Junior Order of Merit Trophy, donated by Nancy Duncan, was presented to the 2005 (Jillian Pryde) and 2006 (Heather Peebles) winners by the Grange Ladies Captain Dee Watson.
Malcom Gordon then posed an eclectic mix of trivia questions. The resultant winners were the Wooden Tops - Isla Gilbert, Ann Hunter, Aileen Hunter and Brigid Galea (see below)

The event was organised by Junior Convenor, Mary Summers with help from her sub committee, Dorothy Gordon and some of the junior girls. See picture of Mary, and quiz Maestro Malcolm Gordon below.

Thanks to the Grange Golf Club for hosting the event and to all who attended on the most wintry night of the year. Hopefully it will now become an annual event.
[Thanks to Aileen Hunter of Little Voice Communications for sending the photos and story]

Elie Boys and Girls Golf Tournament
Entry for the prestigious Elie Boys and Girls Golf Tournament on the 3rd to the 5th of April close this Friday the 23rd of March. Entry forms are still available by emailing Ian Muir on eliesportsclub@btconnect.com .

US College Golf
CALLUM CRIPPLED BY EARLY TRIPLE BOGEY AT PINEHURST
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi University) had a disappointing second round of 77 over the 7,035yd, par-72 Pinehurst No 8 course in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate tournament in North Carolina where, for the second morning in a row, frost delayed the start by a couple of hours.
Macaulay was unable to recover from the body blow of a triple bogey 7 as early as the third hole.
In a birdie-less round, the young man from Tulliallan bogeyed the 11th and 18th in halves of 39 and 38 for a 36-hole tally of 151 and a share of 30th place in a field of 96 players.
With one round to go, Jorge Campillo (Indiana) leads at four-under-par 140 after rounds of 73 and 67.
Indiana and Michigan share the team lead on 590 with Southern Methodist (592) third.
Mississippi (598) are one shot behind fourth-placed Penn State but only one stroke ahead of sixth-placed Wisconsin in a field of 18 teams.

US College Golf
LUCY GOULD JOINT RUNNER-UP IN SHAMROCK INTERCOLLEGIATE
Former Welsh girls champion Lucy Gould recorded her best finish on the US women's college circuit for a long time when she tied for the runner-up spot in the Shamrock Intercollegiate tournament at Tega Cay Golf Club, South Carolina.
Over a 5,906yd, par-72 course, Lucy, a student at East Tennessee State University, had rounds of 74 and 81 for 155 - three behind the winner, Jutta Degerman (Winthrop) who scored 79 and 73.
Irish international Sinead O'Sullivan, also a student at East Tennessee State), finished 12th on 163 with scores of 84 and 79.
Channel Islander Olivia Higgins (Charleston Southern) came joint 13th with 84 and 80 for 164.
High Point University senior Kate O'Sullivan scored 85 and 83 for a share of 20th place on 168.
High Point team-mate AnnMarie Dalton from Carlow tied for 29th place on 170 with scores of 90 and 80.
Ashton Ingram from Fort William, a freshman student at Belmont Abbey College, scored 92 and 95 for 187 and joint 67th place in a field of 91 players.
Winthrop (642) won the team event but East Tennessee State, thanks to the efforts of Lucy Gould and Sinead O'Sullivan, finished second on 644 with Elon University a distant third on 659.
High Point (684) finished seventh of 16.

Introducing Joan Marshall's newest grand-daughter,
Grace Marshall, who was born yesterday at 2:15pm weighing in at 7lbs 11 oz.
Congratulations to parents, Stephen and Elaine, big sister, Ella,
and the proud grandparents and great-grand-parent!

Monday, March 19, 2007

NO SCOTLAND WOMEN'S TEAM IN EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP (formerly SHERRY CUP)
The Sherry Cup - two separate individual 72-hole open amateur stroke-play tournaments in the past - become the European Nations Cup championships this year.
Both the men's and women's sections will be played at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol.
Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch) and Katharina Schallenberg (Germany), winners of last year's individual titles, are in the field for this week's events, starting on Wednesday and finishing on Saturday.
The only notable country missing from the men's line-up is France but in the women's Sherry Cup, not only is France absent but also Scotland, Ireland, Sweden and Portugal.
In the women's tournament, there is an entry listed from the host club, Sotogrande, which does not quite add up with the new title of European NATIONS Cup. What it does mean is that Spain have, in effect, two teams in the women's category.
The teams notified to the Spanish Federation are:
MEN
AUSTRIA - Tano Kroer, Christoph Pfau, Wolfgang Rieder, Philip Sharma.
BELGIUM - Xavier Feyaerts, Dimitri Van Doren, Pierre Relecom, Guillaume Watremez.
DENMARK - Peter Baunsoe, Phillip Drost, Rasmus Nielsen, Nicklaez Rasmussen.
ENGLAND - Matthew Cryer (Coventry), Ed Richardson (Southern Valley), Paul Waring (Bromborough), Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs).
FINLAND - Joonas Granberg, Mikael Salminen, Jukka-Pekka Savolampi, Miro Veisalainen.
GERMANY - Alexander Knappe, Jonas Kilbing, Frederik Schulte, Philip Westermann.
IRELAND - Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), Rory McIlroy (Holywood), Simon Ward (Co Louth).
ITALY - Marco Guerisoli, Joon Kim, Nunzio Lombardi, Andrea Romano.
NETHERLANDS - Floris De Vries, Wouter De Vries, Richard Kind, Reinier Saxton.
NORWAY - Are Friestad, Frederik Kollevold, Anders Kristiansen, Marius Thorp.
PORTUGAL - Joao Carlota, Jose Maria Cudell, Pedro Figueiredo, Antonio Rosado.
SCOTLAND - James Byrne (Banchory), Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), John Gallagher (Swanston), Steven McEwan (Barassie).
SLOVENIA - Tim Gornik, Nejc Pogacar, Miha Studen, Jaka Vidmar.
SPAIN - Jesus Legarrea, Carlos Perez Barberan, Inigo Urquizu, Gonsalo Vicente.
SWEDEN - Otto Bonning, Johan Carlsson, Nicklas Glans, Tobias Rosendahl.
WALES - Chris Cousins (Aberdare), Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch), Craig Evans (West Monmouthshire), Llewellyn Matthews (Southerndown).
WOMEN
AUSTRIA - Martina Hochwimmer, Julia Zering, Claudia Wolf
BELGIUM - Valentine Gevers, Laura Gonzalez, Laurence Herman.
DENMARK - Sara Eriksen, Malene Jorgensen, Therese Koelbaek.
ENGLAND - Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Melissa Reid (Chevin), Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).
FINLAND - Satu Harju, Suvi Mantyniemi, Rosa Suahn.
GERMANY - Stephanie Doering, Caroline Masson, Katharina Schallenberg.
ITALY - Federica Angioletti, Anna Roscio, Vittoria Valvassori.
NETHERLANDS - Marjet Van der Graaf, Joan Van de Kraats, Kyra Van Leeuwen.
RGC SOTOGRANDE - Catalina Castillejo Oriol, Emy Garzon Lopez, Minna Kaarnalathi, Maria Orueta Pemartin.
SPAIN - Sonji Cologan Ruiz, Marta Silva Zamora, Ane Urchegui Garcia.
WALES - Tara Davies (Holyhead), Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan), Breanne Loucks (Wrexham).

TOP AMATEUR DATES, VENUES IN SCOTLAND NEXT YEAR
May 13-17: Scottish women's closed championship (Moray GC, Lossiemouth).
May 30-June 1: Curtis Cup: GB&I v United States (Old Course, St Andrews).
June 11-15: British women's open amateur championship (North Berwick).
July 15-18: Scottish Under-18 girls' championship (Alyth).
July 24-25: Scottish Under-21 girls' open championship (Powfoot).
August 5-7: British girls' home internationals (Panmure Barry, Carnoustie).
August 11-15: British girls' open championship (Monifieth).
September 3-7: Scottish senior women's closed championships (Deeside).

CLARE FINISHED 17th ON SPRINGBOK MONEY LIST - AFTER ONLY 2 EVENTS
Clare Queen finished 17th on the South African Women’s Tour money list.
Now playing out of The Carrick at Loch Lomond, Clare won 15,688 Rand from the two events in which she played.
South African Stacy Bregman, who played in all four competitions on the South African circuit, headed the money table with 84,338 Rand.
LEADING PLACINGS
1 Stacy Bregman (SAf) 84,338 (4).
2 Julie Tvede (Den) 70,688 (4).
3 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 67,444 (4).
4 Lee-Anne Pace (SAf) 60,904 (4).
5 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 60,375 (2).
6 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 46,112 (4).
7 Kaisa Ruuttila (Fin) 43,500 (2).
8 Laurette Maritz (SAF) 37,812 (4).
9 Nora Angelhrn (Swi) 33,244 (4).
10 Sophie Walker (Eng) 31,924 (4).
11 Morgana Robbertze (SAF) 27,492 (4).
12 Hanna-Oeena Salonen (Fin) 246,169 (4).
13 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 22,587 (4).
14 Amanda Moltke-leth (~Den) 22,374 (4).
15 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 20,680 (4).
16 Lisa Jean (Aus) 17,391 (4).
17 Clare Queen (Sco) 15,688 (2).
18 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 15,360 (2).
19 Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 15,234 (4).
20 Martina Gillen (Ire) 14,738 (4).
Other totals included:
23 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 12,375 (1).
25 Sarah Heath (Eng) 11,326 (4).
27 Jo Clingan (Eng) 10,753 (3).
28 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 10,353 (4).
29 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 10,062 (4).

US College Golf
UPHALL STUDENT DOWN THE FLORIDA FIELD
Iain Stoddart (Webber International University) from Uphall finished joint 36th in a field of 66 for the Grenelefe Spring Invitational college tournament at Grenelefe Golf Club's East course, Haines City in Florida.
Stoddard, a sophomore student, had rounds of 82 and 83 for 165 over the 6,802yd, par-72 course.
Webber International team-mate Craig Isabel from Stanford-Le-Hope in England, was joint winner with Ryan Cantrell (Faulkner University) on 149. Isabel shot 74 and 75.
A third Webber International student, Alex Evans from the Wirral, finished joint 27th with a pair of 81s for 162.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

US College Golf
CALLUM JT 17th WITH 74 AT PINEHURST
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi) from Tulliallan was lying joint 17th in a field of 96 at the end of the first round of the Pinehurst Intercollegiate tournament over the Pinehurst No 8 course today.
Callum had a two-over-par round of 74 over the7,035yd lay-out with birdies at the 10th and 17th but bogeys at the fifth, sixth, 13th and 15th.
Trent Schambach (Marshall University) leads with a 69, one shot ahead of Bill Rankin (Michigan).
Southern Methodist (293) lead the team event from Mississippi (294) with Indiana and North Carolina-Greensboro sharing third place on 297 in a field of 18 teams.

US College Golf
WALLACE BOOTH SLIPS OUT OF TOP 20 IN GEORGIA INVITATIONAL
Former Scottish youths champion Wallace Booth from Comrie, a student at Augusta State University, faded with a third-round 77 to finish joint 38th in a field of 89 for the Schenkel Invitational college golf tournament at Forest Heights Country Club, Georgia today.
Booth's earlier rounds of 73 and 74 had put him in joint 19th place with one round to go. Wallace had no birdies in his final round in which he had a double-bogey 78 at the long ninth and dropped single shots at the third, 10th and 18th.
Chris Kirk (Georgia) won by shots from team-mate Brendon Todd with scores of 70, 68 and 72 for a six-under-par total of 210 for the 6,962yd, par-72 course.
Georgia (854) won the team event by six shots from Alabama with Auburn (868) third. Augusta State (888) finished eighth of the 18 competing teams.

US College Golf
US CURTIS CUP ACE MAKES IT THREE WINS IN A ROW AT BATON ROUGE
US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University, North Carolina) made it three wins in a row with another brilliant performance in the Louisiana State University Cleveland Classic at University Club, Baton Rouge today.
Amanda who has now won five times on the US women's college circuit, strung togther another three near-flawless rounds of 68, 69 and 70 over the 6,424yd, par-72 course to win by eight strokes with a nine-under-par total of 207. Nicola Hage (Auburn) was second on 215 with 72, 72 and 71.
Dublin's Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) finished joint 36th in a field of 108 after an excellent final round of one-under-par 71 for a total of 228. Dawn-Marie's earlier rounds were 77 and 80. She birdied the fourth and seventh after bogeying the first in her final round.
Duke won yet another team title with a total of 872. Vanderbilt (878) were runners-up, Auburn (879) third and Tennessee *992) fourth. Memphis (949) were 19th of the 21 competing teams.

US College Golf
VIKKI EARNS $517 IN FLORIDA
Vikki Laing earned $517 for a joint 43rd place finish in the Greater Tampa Futures Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, Florida today.
The 26-year-old former Curtis Cup player from Musselburgh, whose professional career has never got off the ground, had rounds of 77, 75 and 73 for a total of nine-over-par 225 over the 6,377yd, par-72 course.
The tournament was won by Liz Janangelo (Connecticutt) who played for the United States in the Curtis Cup match at Formby three years ago. She scored 71, 72 and 72 for a total of 215 and the first prize of $10,500.
Lisa Hall from Stoke on tied for ninth place on 219 with 74, 75 and 70 to earn $1,294.

LGU MATCH ABANDONED
Today's match between the Cheshire men's county team and the Ladies Golf Union GB&I Training Squad at Royal Liverpool Golf Club was abandoned after only a few holes because of bad weather.

US College Golf
HANNAH’S BEST YET IN STATES – THIRD IN BETSY RAWLS LONGHORN INVITATIONAL
England girl international Hannah Burke – she will be 19 on March 28 – has achieved her highest finish so far in her freshman year at Baylor University, Texas.
Hannah, who comes from Welwyn Garden City and is a member of Mid-Herts Golf Club, had three very steady rounds of 74, 73 and 73 to finish third on four-over-par 220 in the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational women’s college tournament over the University of Texas Golf Club course of 6,290yd, par-72, at Austin.
But for a couple of double bogeys – at the very first hole in the first round and again at the fourth in her final round – Hannah would have gone close to matching the total of the winner, Maria Hernandez, the Spanish Vagliano Trophy player from Pamplona and a student at Purdue University in Indiana.
Maria, 21 on March 24, scored 77, 70 and 70 – firing 10 birdies in all – for a one-over-par total of 217.
Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) was runner-up on 218 with scores of 76, 72 and 70. Stacy had two double bogeys in her first round.
American Kelley Lough (Texas), the overnight leader, slumped after a 69 and a 71 to a final round of 81 for a total of 221. She had no birdies but nine bogeys in her soul-destroying final round.
Sian Reddick from Folkestone, the 2004 English women’s and Under-21 stroke-play champion and a Baylor team-mate of Hannah Burke, continues to struggle. She broke a toe during the first half of the US college golf season and has been nursing a back injury in the second half.
Not surprisingly, Miss Reddick had scores of 84, 80 and 82 to finish 69th on 246.
Hannah Burke’s effort helped Baylor (921) to finish third of 15 in the team title chase behind Purdue (907) and Texas Christian.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
217 Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 77 70 70.
218 Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) 76 72 70.
220 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 74 73 73.
221 Kelley Lough (Texas) 69 71 81.
Other score:
246 Sian Reddick (Baylor) 84 80 82.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
907 Purdue. 918 Texas Christian. 921 Baylor. 923 Arkansas. 925 Southern Methodist, Texas (15 teams).

AUSSIES THRASH ENGLAND IN GOLFING ASHES
Australia gave England an 11-4 thrashing in the two-day “Golfing Ashes” contest at Moonah Links, Victoria.
The Aussies led 6 ½-2 ½ at the end of a very wet and windy first day and then confirmed their overall superiority by taking the second-day singles 4 ½-1 ½.
England’s Jamie Moul, the No 1 player in the R&A world amateur golf rankings, gained only half a point from three sessions of play.
“We were taken to the cleaners,” said Seve Benson, England’s only winner in the second-day singles.
“Australia simply outplayed us, particularly around the greens where their scoring skills were far better than ours,” said English Golf Union director of coaching Peter Mattsson with commendable frankness.
The foursomes were played after the singles on the first day.
Results:
AUSTRALIA 11, ENGLAND 4
First day (Australian names first)
SINGLES (Australia 4 ½-1 ½)
Rohan Blizard halved with Jamie Moul.Andrew Dodt bt Gary Boyd.Richie Gallichan bt David Horsey 2 holes.Ray Beaufils bt Ben Parker 4 and 3.Josh Younger bt Seve Benson 2 and 1.Rudi Bezuidenhout lost to Stephen Lewton 2 and 1.
FOURSOMES (Australia 2-1)Bezuidenhout & Blizard bt Moul & Benson 1 hole.Younger & Gallichan halved with Parker & Lewton.Dodt & Beaufils halved with Boyd & Horsey.
Second day
SINGLES (Australia 4 ½-1 ½)
Bezuidenhout halved with Boyd.
Younger bt Horsey 3 and 2.
Beaufils bt Moul 5 and 4.
Gallichan bt Lewton 2 and 1.
Dodt bt Parker 2 and 1.
Blisard lost to Benson 2 and 1.

US College Golf
CALDWELL ONE UNDER PAR BUT ONLY JT 16th IN TEXAS BORDER OLYMPICS
Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama Univesity), a junior year student from Belfast, finished joint 16th in a field of 80 with a one-under-par total of 215 for the three-round Border Olympics college tournament at Laredo Country Club, Laredo in Texas.
Caldwell had rounds of 74, 72 and 69 to finish nine shots behind the winner, Justin Harding (Lamar). Harding had scores of 71, 67 and 68 for a 10-under-par total of 206 over a long course of 7,241yd with a par of 72.
Lamar University (835) won the team event by a big margin from Baylor (854) with Vanderbilt (858) third. South Alabama (869) finished eighth in a field of 15 teams.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
206 Justin Harding (Lamar) 71 67 68.
208 Dawie VanDerWalt (Lamar) 72 67 69, Luke List (Vanderbilt) 68 74 66, Zack Reeves (UT-Arlington) 69 68 71.
Other total:
215 Johnny Caldwell (South Alabama) 74 72 69.
LEADING TEAMS
835 Lamar. 854 Baylor. 858 Vanderbilt. Other total: 869 South Alabama (8th of 15).

VIKKI BEATS FLORIDA CUT WITH NOTHING TO SPARE
Musselburgh's Vikki Laing made her first cut of the new United States Futures Tour with rounds of 77 and 75 for 10-over-par 152 on a second day of high winds, without the first-round rain, in the $75,000 Greater Tampa Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, Riverview in Florida.
Vikki, who was 26 last Wednesday, was among the 73 players who made it through to the final round - but with nothing to spare in joint 67th position on the limit mark.
Lisa Hall from Stoke-on-Trent was the only other British qualifier with scores of 74 and 75 for 149. She is in joint 38th position.
The non-qualifiers included Brenda McLarnon from Belfast with 76 and 77 for 153 and Polly Willett from London with 79 and 76 for 155.
Two former US Curtis Cup players lead the field on one-over-par 143 - 26-year-old Emily Bastel (Ohio) and 23-year-old Liz Janangelo from Connecticut.
Both had scores of 71 and 72.
SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 142 (2 x 71)
143 Emily Bastel (Ohio) 71 72, Liz Janangelo (Connecticutt) 71 72.
144 Janell Howland (Idaho) 68 76, Rachel Bailey (Aus) 72 72, Kristen Samp (Missouri) 72 72, Kelly Froelich (France) 72 72, Dana Lacey (Aus) 72 72, Audra Burks (Florida) 73 71.
Other qualifiers included:
149 Lisa Hall (Stoke on Trent) 74 75 (jt 38th).
152 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 77 75 (jt 67th).
Non-qualifiers included:
153 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) 76 77.
155 Polly Willett (London) 79 76.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

US College Golf
WALLACE CANCELS OUT BIRDIES WITH BOGEYS AT FOREST HEIGHTS
Comrie's Wallace Booth (Augusta State University) had rounds of 73 and 74 for a 36-hole tally of 147 in the Schenkel Invitational college tournament at Forest Heights Golf Club, Statesboro in Georgia.
Wallace, pictured right, a former Scottish youths champion. had one birdie and two bogeys in his first round over the par-72, 6,972yd course. He boosted his number of birdies to three but also his tally of bogeys to five on the second circuit of the 54-hole tournament.
At the end of the day, Wallace was a creditable joint 19th in a good-class field.
Chris Kirk (Georgia) leads by three strokes with 70 and 68 for six-under-par 138.
Georgia (564) lead the team event from South Carolina (578) wiuth Alabama (580) third, Auburn (582) fourth and Augusta State (585) fifth of the 18 teams taking part.

DAWN-MARIE 20 STROKES IN ARREARS AT BATON ROUGE
Ireland's Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis University) had two mediocre rounds of 77 and 80 for a tally of 157 over a longish women's course of some 6,404yd (par 72) for the Louisiana State University Cleveland Classic at University Golf Club, Baton Rouge.
Dawn-Marie had a triple-bogey 6 at the short 13th in her first round. She is lying joint 62nd in a field of 108 with one round to go.
US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst is heading for another runaway victory. She has had rounds of 68 and 69 for a seven-under-par total of 137 - three shots ahead of Amanda Mathis (Mississippi State) (71-69).
Duke (586) lead the team event from Auburn (589) and Vanderbilt (592) with Tennessee (597) in fourth place. Memphis (643) are 19th of the 21 competing teams.

HANNAH'S LATE SLIPS COST HER CLEAR SECOND PLACE IN "BETTY RAWLS"
Hannah Burke (Baylor University, Texas) from Hertfordshire bogeyed the seventh and ninth - two of the last three holes she played in the second round - to drop back into a four-way tie for second place in the Betty Rawls Longhorn Invitational women's college tournament at the University of Texas Golf Club near Austin.
Hannah, who had a first-round 74 over the 6,290yd, par-72 course despite a double-bogey 6 at the first hole, started at the 10th in her second circuit. She bogeyed the 15th and 18th but then took off with birdies at the first, third and fifth.
At that point, the English freshman student was in clear second place behind Kelley Louth (Texas University) who posted 69 and 71 for four-under-par 140.
Then came Hannah's bogeys at the seventh and ninth to give her a second-round 73 for a 36-hole tally of three-over-par 147, leaving Kelley Louth seven strokes clear of the field with one round to go.
Baylor team-mate Sian Reddick from Folkestone seems to have no liking for the course. She has had rounds of 84 and 80 for 164. Her first round included a quadruple bogey 8 at the 18th and two double bogeys. Her second round had a pair of double-bogey 6s at the seventh and 15th.
LEADING 36-HOLE TOTALS
140 Kelley Louth (Texas) 69 71.
147 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 74 73, Maria Hernandez (Purdue) 77 70, Lucy Nunn (Arkansas) 70 77, Andrea Sellmeyer (Oklahoma) 78 69.
LEADING TEAMS
607 Texas. 615 Arkansas, Texas Christian, Purdue.
Also:
623 (8th) Baylor.

KRYSTLE SALVAGES HALF A POINT AS LGU GIRLS ARE BEATEN BY LANCASHIRE MEN
Scottish Under-21 girls’ champion Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) did best of the four Scots playing for the Ladies Golf Union GB&I training squad against the Lancashire men’s county team at West Lancashire Golf Club today (SAT).
Krystle, 18, pictured right, bound for the University of Georgia on a four-year golf scholarship in the autumn, halved the No 2 singles game with Michael Hunt (Pleasington).
Youngsters Carly Booth (Comrie) and Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry), who both flew back from the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida to play in this the first of two training matches over the weekend, both lost.
All the ties were played to the 18th green and Carly lost by four holes to Jonathan Hurst (Shaw Hill) while Sally lost by two holes to Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall).
Kylie Walker (Hilton Park), the fourth Scot in the 13-strong LGU line-up, went down by only one hole to Richard Walker (Frodsham).
The LGU individual winners were Naomi Edwards (Ganton), Rachel Bell (Ganton) and Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale).
The Lancashire men’s county team made the most of their local knowledge to win the match by 8 ½ - 4 ½. In the holes-up count, the men were +15 and the LGU squad +10.
The girls played off the yellow tees (a course of some 6,250yd). The men played off the back white tees.
All things considered it was a close match overall in very windy conditions and over a lay-out which very few of the girls would have played before. Three ties were halved and six other games were either one down/one up or all square playing the 18th.
The LGU GB&I Training Squad play the Cheshire men's county team in four-ball ties at Royal Liverpool Golf Club's Hoylake links on Sunday.
Results:
LGU names first:
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) lost to Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale) 5 holes.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) halved with Michael Hunt (Pleasington).
Mel Reid (Chevin) halved with Sam Stuart (St Annes Old Links).
Carly Booth (Comrie) lost to Jonathan Hurst (Shaw Hill) 4 holes.
Tara Davies (Holyhead) lost to Matthew Cox (Royal Birkdale) 1 hole.
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) lost to Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall) 2 holes.
Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) lost to Jack Senior (Heysham) 1 hole.
Naomi Edwards (Ganton) bt David Corsby (Fleetwood) 4 holes.
Kylie Walker (Hilton Park) lost to Richard Walker (Frodsham) 1 hole.
Rachel Bell (Ganton) bt Garry Boardman (Castle Hawk) 1 hole.
Sahra Hassan (Vale of Glamorgan) lost to Ken Hudson (Hart Common) 1 hole.
Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) bt Steven McGlynn (Blackburn) 5 holes.
Breanne Loucks (Wrexham) halved with James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale).

TWO SCOTS ENTER LEVERET TROPHY AT FORMBY ON MARCH 31
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) and Claire Macdonald (Gullane Ladies) are the only two Scots who have entered the Leveret Trophy, one of the top 36-hole women's open tournaments in England.
Organised by former Scottish champion Fiona Anderson, the annual event at Formby Golf Club will be played on March 31 this year.
"It's a great field this year with eight players playing off a handicap of scratch or better and 57 with less than five of a handicap so that's going to be the limit," said Fiona.
"I deliberately arrange the Leveret Trophy for an early date on the golfing calendar. It means that those players who cannot nip off abroad and practise can still get a good competition under their bels before the 'Helen Holm' or their county championships or their nationals. Those who have been abroad can test their skills while re-acclimatising."

VIKKI LAING 77 ON WET, WINDY BUT WARM DAY IN FLORIDA
Vikki Laing returned a first-round score of six-over-par 77 in the weather-disrupted opening day of the Greater Tampa Futures Classic at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, Florida.
Vikki had halves of 39 and 38 against the scorecoard par of 36-35 for the 6,377yd course.
The temperature stayed up in the 70s but there was rain and there was wind, gusting up to 25mph, and two suspensions of play because of the weather.
Eventually, the organisers ran out of daylight to finish the first round with 27 players still out on the course. They were due to resume at 6.30am Saturday morning.
LEADERBOARD
68 Janell Howland (Idaho) 36-32.
69 Salimah Mussani (Ontario) 35-34, Yoen Joo Lee (South Korea) 36-33.
Other scores:
74 Lisa Hall (Stoke on Trent) 38-36.
76 Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) 40-36.
77 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 39-38.
79 Polly Willett (London) 41-38.

Friday 16th March 2007

US College Golf
HANNAH BURKE LYING JT 5th AT AUSTIN, TEXAS
Hannah Burke from Hertfordshire, a freshman student at Baylor University, Texas, is in joint fifth place at the end of the first round of the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational women's college tournament over the University of Texas golf course (6,290yd, par-72) at Austin.
Hannah returned a score of only two-over-par 74 after starting with a double bogey 6 at the first hole. She went on birdied the second, sixth and 13th. She had bogeys at the eighth, ninth and 11th in halves of 38 and 36.
For Baylor team-mate and compatriot Sian Reddick it was not such a happy day. She finished on 12-over-84, finishing with a quadruple bogey 8 at the 18th in halves of 41 and 43. Earlier she had had double bogeys at the ninth and 10th and only one birdie, at the 4th.
Miss Reddick is lying joint 73rd of 88 players.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
69 Kelley Louth (Texas).
70 Lucy Nunn (Arkansas).
73 Christel Boeljon (Purdue), Lacey Jones (Southern Methodist).
74 Hannah Burke (Baylor), Stefanie Endstrasser (Purdue).

US College Golf
DAWN-MARIE CONATY HAS TRIPLE BOGEY 6
In the Louisiana State University Cleveland Classic at Baton Rouge, US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst continued her excellent form of late to lead with a first round 68, four under par.
Ireland's Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) had a 77 to be in joint 32nd position in a field of 108 players.
Dawn-Marie had a triple bogey 6 at the short 13th but birdies at the fifth, 11th and 16th.

SCOTLAND TEAMS FOR U-16 TOURNAMENT
Scotland junior teams named by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to take part in the international team contest staged in conjunction with the Scottish Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship at Craigelaw Golf Club, East Lothian on April 5-6 are:
TEAM 1
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm).
Jordana Graham (Southerness).
Sammy Vass (Tain).
TEAM 2
Cara Easton (Dalmahoy).
Jill Meldrum (Dullatur).
Annabel Niven (Crieff).
Reserves:
1 Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield).
2 Samantha Leslie (Westhill).

MATHARU FAILS TO SHINE IN INDIA AS TAIPEI PLAYER WINS PLAY-OFF
English amateur champion Kiran Matharu, a tour professional since immediately after last summer's Curtis Cup, had a very disappointing return to the land of her fathers - India - to finish joint 37th of the 51 qualifiers for the final round in the inaugural Women's Indian Open at DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi today.
Kiran, who had her 18th birthday last month, had deteriorating scores of 77, 78 and 80 for a 19-over-par total of 235.
The winner was Taipei's Ya Ni Tseng who beat Thailand's Russamee Gulyanamitta at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off. Russamee sent her third shot into a lake, which virtually finished the contest in favour of Ya Ni Teseng.
They had tied on one-under-par 215 for the regular 54 holes.
Fame More, another former Curtis Cup player, from Chesterfield tied for 11th place on 223 with scores of 75, 75 and 73.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
215 Ya Ni Tesng (Tai) 70 70 75 bt Russamee Gulyanamitta (Thai) 70 71 74 at first hole of sudden-death play-off.
218 Lee Bo-ri (Kor) 71 76 71.
220 Irina Brar (Ind) 70 769 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thai) 75 70 75, Meghna Bal (Ind) (am) 68 74 78.
222 Rie Shiraki (Jap) 72 77 73, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 75 72 75, Lee Eun-Kyoung (Kor) 71 72 79, Yeo Ji-yae (Kor) 75 71 76.
223 Fame Moore (Eng) 75 75 73, Yu Pei Lin (Tpe) 73 77 73 (jt 11th).
Other totals:
226 Libby Smith (US) 76 76 74 (jt 13th).
227 Helena Alterby (Swe) 73 80 75 (jt 15th).
235 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 77 78 80 (jt 37th).

CLARE QUEEN FINISHES JOINT 7th IN SOUTH AFRICAN CLASSIC
Clare Queen continued her good start to her 2007 campaign by finishing joint seventh in the South African Telkom Women's Classic at Benoni Lake Club near Johannesburg.
The Drumpellier player, who will be 24 at the end of next month, had rounds of 71, 67 and 74 for a four-under-par total of 212. She earned 12,000 South African Rand.
A few weeks ago, Clare, pictured right by Tristan Jones, was joint sixth in the ANZ Ladies Masters in Queensland, Australia.
Victory and the 48,000 South African Rand first prize went to the front-running Spaniard Tania Elosegui who went clear of the field with opening rounds of 67 and 65 and then held on down the home straight with a par 72 for a 12-under-par total of 204.
After bogeying the last hole, Tania still had one shot to spare at the finish from England's Rebecca Hudson, who finished with a great score of 65, and 20-year-old South African rookie Stacy Bregman who won the South African Ladies Tour Order of Merit with 84,338 Rand.
Ashleigh Simon, the 17-year-old South African amateur who recently won the South African Women's Open for a second time, finished third on 208.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
Competitors from South Africa unless stated; (am) denotes amateur.
204 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 67 65 72.
205 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 69 71 65, Stacy Bregman 65 68 72.
208 Ashleigh Simon (am) 67 70 71.
209 Nora Angehrn (Swi) 70 66 73.
211 Carmen Alonso (Spa) 72 69 70.
212 Julie Tvede (Den) 71 72 69, Clare Queen (Sco) 71 67 74.
213 Caryn Louw 69 72 72, Martina Gillen (Ire) 74 66 73.
214 Sophie Walker (Eng) 71 69 74, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 74 69 71.
215 Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 70 73 72, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 69 73 73, Karen Margrethe Juul (Den) 75 71 69, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 73 73, Jo Clingan (Eng) 71 72 72.
216 Lee-Anne Pace 73 69 74, Laurette Maritz 68 76 72, Maria Boden (Swe) 74 72 70.
217 Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 68 70 79, Kelli Shean (am) 71 71 75, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 72 72 73, Sarah Heath (Eng) 68 74 75.
218 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 72 74 72, Ellen Smets (Bel) 76 71 71, Morgana Robbertze 70 75 73, Jehanne Jail (Fra) 72 74 72, Julie Berton (Fra) 74 70 74.
219 Suzette Venter 74 72 73, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 72 73 74, Ana Larraneta (Spa) 73 68 78, Mandy Adamson 71 74 74.
220 Hanna-Leena Salonen (Fin) 72 78 70, Sohvi Harkonen (Fin) 72 71 77.
221 Hanna-Sophia Svenningsson (Swe) 74 77 70, Natou Soro (Cdi) 76 72 73, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 73 75 73.
222 Mette Buus (Den) 72 74 76, Elin Brask (Swe) 71 78 73
223 Lena Tornevall (Swe) 73 76 74, Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 72 77 74
224 Michelle Smith (Eng) 75 75 74, Andrea Hirschhorn 73 75 76, Frederique Dorbes (Fra) 73 77 74, Claire Coughlan (Ire) 78 74 72
225 Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 74 76 75, Leandri Pieterse 72 80 73, Lisa Jean (Aus) 75 71 79, Anna Becker (Swe) 74 73 78.
226 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 73 78.
227 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 74 73 80, Nina Hansson (Swe) 71 77 79, Chloe Garner (am) 75 76 76.
228 Florence Luscher (Swi) 76 74 78, Odette Grotepas (am) 74 77 77.
229 Kim Williams (am) 77 74 78, Anne-Sophie Le Nalio (Fra) 73 77 79.
230 Tandi von Ruben (am) 72 78 80, Vanessa Bell (Eng) 78 71 81.
232 Angie Green (Can) 72 79 81.
233 Josefin Svenningsson (Swe) 77 75 81.

FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL THE FAMILY THIS WEEKEND AT BRITISH GOLF MUSEUM
This weekend there is double free entry for all the family at the British Golf Museum.
Saturday 17th March is St Patrick's Day and we invite you to bring your children down to the museum to follow our Four Leaf Clover trail around the galleries. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the wonderful exhibitions on display, including our showcase on Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the only venue to have held The Open Championship outside mainland Britain. Also on display are items donated by Fred Daly, the only player from Northern Ireland to have won the coveted title - in 1947 at Hoylake.
On Sunday 18th, don't forget it's Mother's Day! If you are looking for a wonderful way to spend time with your Mother or Grandmother, why not come along to the museum? Again, it is free entry for all the family. Why not make this part of a day out in St Andrews, and enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants or hotels close to the museum or take a walk along the beautiful West Sands beach?
On both days, every visitor will receive a free copy of our souvenir guide, a great reminder of your visit.The Musem is open from 10am to 4pm each day.
So come along to the British Golf Museum for free this weekend and take the perfect break from playing golf.

NORTHUMBERLAND STUDENT SHARES VICTORY IN HARBOR LAKES INVITATIONAL
Philip Waugh from Northumberland, a student at Lon Morris Community College, Jacksonville in Texas, tied for victory with Jordan Woolf (Texas Christian University) in the Harbor Lakes Invitational college tournament at Harbor Lakes Golf Club, Granbury, Texas.
Both players totalled one-under-par 143 over the 7,235yd, par-72 course.
Philip's team-mate, Ricky Lee from Duham, came joint 34th with 76 and 80 for 156,
Odessa (590) won the team title by two shots from Paris Community College (592) with McLennan (603) and Lon Morris (605) fourth of the nine colleges participating.

Thursday 15th March 2007

CLARE QUEEN, SIX UNDER PAR, IS SIX SHOTS OFF LEAD IN SOUTH AFRICA
Clare Queen will start the final round of the Telkom Women's Classic in joint sixth place, six shots off the lead, at Benoni Lakes Club, Johannesburg on Friday.
The Scot has had rounds of 71 and 67 for a six-under-par tally of 138.
Leading the field is Spain's Tania Elosequie with 67 and 65 for 12-under-par 132, one shot ahead of Springbok Stacy Bregman (65-68).
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
132 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 67 75.
133 Stacy Bregman (SAf) 65 68.
136 Nora Anghern 70 66.
137 Ashleigh Simon (SAf) (am) 67 70.
138 Clare Queen (Sco) 71 67, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 68 70.
140 Sophie Walker (Eng) 71 69, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 69 71, Martina Gillen (Ire) 74 66.
Other scores:
142 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 73, Sarah Heath (Eng) 68 74 (jt 13th).
143 Jo Clingan (Eng) 71 72 (jt 18th).
144 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 72 72 (jt 23rd).
148 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 73 (jt 39th).
MISSED CUT
153 Shelley McKevitt (Eng) 79 74.
164 Cherly Smith (Eng0 80 84.

Attention all East of Scotland Girls!
The date of the Summer Meeting and Championship has changed to 9th-10th July (a week later). It's still at Mortonhall.
Also... please remember to enter the Spring Meeting at Thornton, Fife on Monday 3rd April.
You can see all the East of Scotland Girls Golfing Association fixtures and enter on line here.

JAMES BYRNE HEADS EIGHT SEEDS FOR SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
James Byrne from Banchory heads the eight seeds listed in the draw for the Scottish boys' match-play championship at Dunbar Golf Club from April 9 to 14.
Byrne, who will enrol at Arizona State University in the autumn, has the lowest handicap of the 354 boys aged 18 and under on January 1 who entered.
James' handicap at the time of entry was +2.3.
The seven other seeds are:
Scott Fraser (Royal Aberdeen) (handicap at time of entry: 0.6).
Kyle Smith (Barassie) (0.2).
Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) (+0.4).
Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo) (0.7).
Sam McLaren (King James VI) (0.4).
Michael Main (Thornton) (+0.8).
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) (+1.3).
There is room only for 256 boys in the match-play format. The cut-off point came at those boys with handicaps (at time of entry) of 5.3, a figure which is coming down every year, reflecting how the standard of of Scottish boy golfers in general is improving steadily.
There were 16 boys with handicaps of 5.3 and only eight could get in. Those who were balloted out were:
Declan Christie (Portlethen).
Scott Barbour (Milnathort).
Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey).
James Hendry (Douglas Park).
Taylor Edwards (Lochmaben).
Rodger Clarke (Moray).
Shaun Clark (St Andrews).
Philip Gordon (Paisley).
The good news for these boys is that they are top of the waiting list to get into the championship should there be any call-offs, which there certainly will be.
There are 23 boys with handicaps of scratch or better in the championship.

VICKI jt 33rd AT GOODYEAR, ARIZONA
Irish junior international Vicki Power (Northern Arizona State) finished joint 33rd in a field of 109 players for the Bobcat Desert Classic women's college tournament at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear in Arizona.
Over a par-72 course of 6,160yd, Viki had scores of 78, 83 and 75 for a total of 236. There were joint individual winners - Mary Kate Morgan (Gonzaga) and Tara Lambright (North Texas), both on 225. Mary Kate had rounds of 79, 76 and 70; Tara scored 74, 75, 76.
Cal Poly and Sacramento State tied on 915 for the team award. Northern Arizona (934) finished joint fifth in a field of 20 colleges.

JAN RETIRING FROM DUFF HOUSE ROYAL POST
Jan Corbett, who has been administration secretary at Duff House Royal Club, Banff since 1980 is to retire from the post in the autumn.
"When I started 27 years ago, it was a three hours a day job," said Jan who is looking forward to playing a lot more golf than she has been able to because of work ... and perhaps some gardening.

2007 Scottish Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship
Scotland have two teams in the Nations Cup in 2007 Scottish Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship at Craigielaw on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th April.
They are :-
Team 1: Eilidh Briggs, Jordana Graham, Sammy Vass
Team 2: Cara Easton, Jill Meldrum, Annabel Niven
Reserves 1. Gillian Simpson 2. Samantha Leslie
Draw
9.30 Jamie-Leigh Voss (Kirby Muxloe, 2), Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies, 4), Samantha Colecliffe (Rhuddlan, 4)
9.40 Nikki Foster (Accrington & District, 4), Helen Searle (West End, 4), Sian Evans (Faversham, 4)
9.50 Heidi Baek (Felixstowe Ferry, 4), Georgie Kilby (The Warren, 5), Hannah Turland (Tidworth, 5)
10.00 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm, 5), Kelly Tidy (Manchester, 2), Natasha Gobey (Rhondda, 5)
10.10 Sammy Vass (Tain, 5), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa, 3), Kelly Miller (Penrhos, 5)
10.20 Jordana Graham (Southerness, 6), Raffi Dyer (Hayling Island, 5), Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion, 8)
10.30 Annabel Niven (Crieff, 8), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park, 6), Carla Reynolds (Seapoint, 9)
10.40 Cara Easton (Dalmahoy, 8), Amy Boulden (Llandudno (Maesdu), 7), Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint, 10)
10.50 Jill Meldrum (Dullatur, 8), Daisy Dyer (Chigwell, 6), Rebecca Gibbs (Burnham & Berrow, 6)
11.00 Jenna Birch (Fleetwood, 6), Katie Burman (John O'Gaunt, 6), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell, 4)
11.10 Charlotte Austwick (Pike Hills, 6), Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell, 5), Jessica Wilcox (Blankney, 6)
11.20 Hollie Weatherburn (Furness, 6), Lauren Taylor (Woburn, 6), Jessica Schiele (The Manor Laceby, 7)
11.30 Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield, 8), Zoe Fitz-Costa (Beaconsfield, 8), Samantha Leslie (Westhill, 8)
11.40 Lauren Meldrum (Dullatur, 9), Bronte Law (Bramhall, 8),Kirsty Moss (Monifieth, 9)
11.50 Steff Hall (Lindrick, 9), Gillian Scanlan (Hamilton, 9), Meg Illingworth (Stoke Rochford, 9)
12.00 Lesley Atkins (Minto, 9), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall, 9), Emma Davies (Eaton, 9)
12.10 Rebecca McIntyre (Eden, 10), Zoe Differ (Dullatur, 9), Eun Hae Kim (Belton Woods, 9)
12.20 Nicola Rawlinson (Leyland, 11), Bethany Garton (Fleetwood, 11), Heather Peebles (Monifieth, 11)
12.30 Freya Barksby (Gainsborough, 12), Catherine Conejo (Williamwood, 12), Kirsty Condon (Blankney, 12)
12.40 Gillian Arnott (Kilbirnie Place, 13), Lianna Bailey (Rushcliffe, 13), Kirstin Scott (Windyhill, 13)
12.50 Camilla Tait (St Regulus, 13), Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place, 13), Rebecca Lynes (Canwick Park, 13)
13.00 Donna Mackinnon (Durness, 14), Nicola Taylor (Thornton, 15), Alyssa Balding (Parklands, 15)
13.10 Fiona Fullerton (Huntly, 16), Louise McGillivray (Oldmeldrum, 16), Helen Goodwin (Glenbervie, 16)
13.20 Julie Vass (Tain, 16), Louise Smith (Monifieth, 16), Gabrielle MacDonald (Prestonfield, 17)
13.30 Florence King (Kirby Muxloe, 18), Hannah-Rachel Edmunds (Woodhall Spa, 18), Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle, 19)
13.40 Rebecca Horner (Woodham Country Club, 20), Jemma Lee Chalmers (Monifieth, 21), Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe, 21)
13.50 Alexandra Tait (St Regulus, 21), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie, 22), Stephanie Peareth (Oakleaf, 22)
14.00 Lauren Whyte (S.A.L.J.G.A., 22) Amanda Pattison (Parklands, 22), Alison Goodwin (Glenbervie, 23)
14.10 Caitlin Geddes (Northern, 23), Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield, 25), Connie Jaffrey (West Kilbride, 27)
14.20 Alexandra Armstrong (Kilspindie, 28), Rachel Bruce (Ponteland, 30), Rachel Howie (West Kilbride, 28)
14.30 Rebecca Cunningham (Ranfurly Castle, 31), Annabel Bailey (Rushcliffe, 32), Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride, 29)
14.40 Hollie Vizard (Lowes Park, 34), Grace Anderson (Arcot Hall, 34), Kirsten MacCallum (McDonald, 36)

KIRAN TRAILS IN WOMEN’S INDIAN OPEN
English amateur champion Kiran Matharu, who turned professional after last summer’s Curtis Cup match in the United States, survived the 36-hole cut in the inaugural Women’s Indian Open but is a distant 15 shots off the pace with one round to go.
Kiran, 18, from Leeds but of Indian extraction has had rounds of 77 and 78 for a share of 31st place on 11-over-par 155 at the DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi.
Another past Curtis Cup player, Fame More from Chesterfield, is in joint 12th place on 150 with a pair of 75s.
Taiwan rookie Ya Ni Tseng, who turned pro only two months ago, leads the field by one shot with two rounds of 70 for 140.
Indian amateur Meghan Bal, the surprise first-round leader with a 68, dropped back to third place with a 74 for 142.
COLLATED SCOREBOARD
WOMEN’S INDIAN OPEN – DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi.
Leading 36-hole totals.
Par 144 (2 x 72)
140 Ya Ni Tseng (Tai) 70 70.
141 Russamee Gulyanamitta (Thai) 70 71.
142 Meghna Bal (Ind) (am) 68 74.
Other scores:
147 Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 75 72 (jt 7th).
150 Fame Moore (Eng) 75 75 (jt 12th).
153 Helena Alterby (Swe) 73 80 (jt 24th).
154 Fany Schaeffer (Fra) 80 74 (jt 28th).
155 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 77 78 (jt 31st).

SCOTS QUARTET IN ACTION IN LGU TRAINING MATCHES AGAINST COUNTY MEN
Four Scots - Krystle Caithness, Kylie Walker, Sally Watson and Carly Booth - will be in action this weekend in the Ladies Golf Union GB&I Training Squad matches against the men's county teams of West Lancashire and Cheshire.
The West Lancs match features 13 singles ties at West Lancashire Golf Club on Saturday.
The Cheshire match will be seven four-ball ties at Royal Liverpool Golf Club's Hoylake links, venue for last summer's Open championship.
Sally and Carly have flown back to play in these training squad matches from Florida where they are pupils at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. GB&I selectors will be watching.
Great Britain & Ireland play the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match at Fairmont St Andrews (formerly St Andrews Bay) on July 27 and 28.
Before that there is the Commonwealth tournament, featuring teams of five players from Great Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand, in South Africa from May 7 to 11.
GB&I Vagliano Trophy team manager Tegwen Matthews, a Curtis Cup player in the 1970s, will play in the Sunday four-balls to make up an even number of partnerships.
The weekend programme of matches is:
SATURDAY
CHESHIRE MEN v LGU GB&I TRAINING SQUAD
at Royal Liverpool Golf Club
J Howarth & D Marmion v Kerry Smith & Sahra Hassan.
S Capper & C Lewis v Mel Reid & Branne Loucks.
K Kean & A Hardie v Tara Davies & Florentyna Parker.
D Peel & I Davie v Liz Bennett & Kylie Walker.
J Murphy & J Sims v Rachel Bell & Krystle Caithness.
E Parker & P Bolton v Naomi Edwards & Tegwen Matthews.
A Wills & R Fitzgerald v Sally Watson & Carly Booth.
SUNDAY
LANCASHIRE MEN v LGU GB&I TRAINING SQUAD
at West Lancashire Golf Club
Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale) v Kerry Smith.
Michael Hunt (Pleasington) v Krystle Caithness.
Sam Stuart (St Anness Old Links) v Mel Reid.
Jonathan Hurst (Shaw Hill) v Carly Booth.
Matthew Cox (Royal Birkdale) v Tara Davies.
Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall) v Sally Watson.
Jack Senior (Heysham) v Liz Bennett.
David Corsby (Fleetwood) v Naomi Edwards.
Richard Walker (Frodsham) v Kylie Walker.
Garry Boardman (Castle Hawk) v Rachel Bell.
Ken Hurdson (Hart Common) v Sahra Hassan.
Steven McGlynn (Blackburn) v Florentyna Parker.
James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale) v Breanne Loucks.

CLARE QUEEN HAS 71 BEFORE LIGHTNING HITS SOUTH AFRICAN TOURNAMENT
South African rookie professional Stacy Bregman fired seven birdies just before a lightning storm forced a suspension of play for the rest of the day in the first round of the Telkom Women's Classic tournament at Benoni Lakes Golf Club, Johannesburg.
Bregman's bogey-free round of seven-under-par 65 gave her a two-stroke lead from compatriot Ashleigh Simon, the amateur who won the South African Women's Open last week, and Spain's Tania Elosegui.
England's Sarah Heath is sharing fourth place on 68 and two other English players, Felicity Johnson and Rebecca Hudson, are on 69.
Clare Queen had a satisfactory one-under-par 71.
FIRST ROUND (still to be completed)
65 S Bregman (SAf).
67 A Simon (SAf) (am), T Elosegui (Spa).
68 M Skarpnord (Nor), S Heath (Eng), L Maritz (SAf).
69 F Johnson (Eng), R Hudson (Eng).
Other scores:
71 C Queen (Sco).

US College Golf
JODI'S FOUR-UNDER-PAR TOTAL EARNS HER ONLY A SHARE OF FIFTH PLACE
Jodi Ewart, from Middleham, Yorkshire, finished with a very good four-under-par aggregate of 212 - but so high was the standard of scoring among the leaders that her total earned her "only" joint fifth place in the UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational college tournament at Boulder Creek Golf Club, Boulder City in Nevada.
Jodi had rounds of 68,70 and 74. In her last round she bogeyed the second and birdied the 11th but ran up a double bogey 6 at the very last hole. It was her only double bogey of the 54 holes over which she had 10 birdies and four single bogeys and that double bogey.
Miss Ewart, a freshman student at New Mexico University and a member at Catterick Golf Club, disputed the lead with Rachel Newren (Brigham Young Univerity) over the first two rounds.
But they were overhauled over the final round by some brilliant scoring in perfectly calm conditions from Jennifer Shipley (Fresno State University, California) and Kelly Nakashima (Idaho University).
Jennifer started the final day in seventh place but shot a career-low, eight-under-par 64 over the 6,199yd, par-72 course after earlier rounds of 71 and 70.
She tied at the top of the leaderboard on 11-under-par 205 with Kelly Nakashima who scored 72, 68 and 65.
Jennifer won the sudden-death play-off at the third extra hole. It was her first ever win on the US college circuit.
Rachel Newren finished third on 209 with scores of 67, 70 and 72.
Jodi Ewart's very good effort did help her college, New Mexico, to finish runners-up behind Brigham Young in the field of 18 teams.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
205 Jennifer Shipley (Fresno State) 71 70 64, Kelly Nakashima (Idaho) 72 68 65 (Shipley won play-off at third extra hole).
209 Rachel Newren (Brigham Young) 67 70 72.
210 Danielle Von Arnim (Brigham Young) 71 68 71.
212 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 68 70 74 (jt 4th with four players).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
847 Brigham Young. 857 New Mexico. 959 Idaho. 864 Indiana. 873 UNLV, San Francisco (18 teams).

US College Golf
BECKY JT 15th IN BIG FIELD FOR "NORTH/SOUTH"
Becky Dowell (Bethune-Cookman College) from Thornecombe finished joint 15th in a field of 100 for the North/South Women's Collegiate tournament at Jacksonville Beach Golf Club, Jacksonville in Florida.
Becky had rounds of 81 and 74 for a total of 155 over the par-72, 5,835yd course.
Shasta Averyhardt (Jackson State) won the individual title by three strokes with scores of 73 and 72 for 145.
Jacksonville (622) won the 18-team event by four strokes from joint runners-up Bethune-Cookman College and Northern Iowa.

US College Golf
NATASHA JOINT 10 IN "PEGGY KIRK BELL"
Natasha Morgan (Lynn University) from South Wales came joint 10th in a field of 75 players at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational college tournament at Tuscawilla Country Club, West Springs in Florida.
Natasha scored 78, 76 and 76 for a total of 230 over the 6,089yd, par-72 course.
Individual winner by six strokes was Maria Garcia Austt (Nova Southeastern) with scores of 68, 74 and 73.
Rollins College (910) won the team event from Methodist University (923) with Lynn University third on 924. Florida Southern University came fourth of 13 on 927.

Wednesday 14th March 2007

MATHARU DISAPPOINTS IN INDIAN OPEN AS UNKNOWN AMATEURS (68) LEADS
Indian amateur Megna Bal at 18 the youngest competitor in the field, was the surprise leader by two shots at the end of the inaugural Women's Indian Open at the DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi.
Megna, who is bound for the St Lawrence University, Kansas on an economics degree course in the autumn, shot a four-under-par 68.
Kiran Matharu, the English amateur champion who turned pro after last summer's Curtis Cup match, had a disappointing 77 to be in 31st place.
The only other English player in the field, Fame More, had a 75.

ROOKIE STACY LEADS AS TELKOM CLASSIC HIT BY LIGHTNING
South African rookie professional Stacy Bregman fired seven birdies just before a lightning storm forced a suspension of play for the rest of the day in the first round of the Telkom Women's Classic tournament at Benoni Lakes Golf Club, Johannesburg.
Bregman's bogey-free round of seven-under-par 65 gave her a two-stroke lead from compatriot Ashleigh Simon, the amateur won won the South African Women's Open last week, and Spain's Tania Elosegui.
England's Sarah Heath is sharing fourth place on 68 and two other English players, Felicity Johnson and Rebecca Hudson are on 69.
Three groups of players have still to complete their first rounds. There was no indication on the tournament website whether Clare Queen was among those who will have to go out early on Thursday morning to finish their rounds.
FIRST ROUND (still to be completed)
65 S Bregman (SAf).
67 A Simon (SAf) (am), T Elosegui (Spa).
68 M Skarpnord (Nor), S Heath (Eng), L Maritz (SAf).
69 F Johnson (Eng), R Hudson (Eng).

ELGA Press Release
ENGLAND SENDING TOP YOUNG GIRLS TO SLGA EVENT AT CRAIGIELAW
England squad named for Scottish U16 championship
English U15 champion Kelly Tidy (below right) and U13 titleholder, Alexandra Peters (below left), are in ELGA’s squad for the Scottish U16 girls' open strokeplay championship at Craigielaw, near Edinburgh.
The event, on April 5-6, gives the players an opportunity to gain championship experience while sharpening their games for the season ahead. They will receive guidance on planning, preparation and course management.
The squad is: Heidi Baek, 13, (Felixstowe Ferry), Holly Clyburn, 16, (Woodhall Spa), Raffi Dyer, 15, (Hayling), Sian Evans, 15, (Faversham), Rebecca Gibbs, 16, (Burnham & Berrow), Alexandra Peters, 13, (Notts Ladies), Helen Searle, 14, (West End), Kelly Tidy, 15, (Manchester).
The team for the Nations Cup is: Kelly Tidy, Holly Clyburn and Raffi Dyer.
Kelly is a member of ELGA’s Futures U18 Squad and the other players are in the regional Select Squads.
The squad will be accompanied by Pat Smillie, ELGA’s national junior coach, and overseer Di Williams.

SALLY FLIES HOME FOR LGU MATCHES AFTER FINISHING 12th IN TEXAS
David Leadbetter Academy student Sally Watson from South Queensferry is flying back to Britain from Florida - via Texas - in time to play for the Ladies Golf Union Elite Squad in selection trial matches against Cheshire and Lancashire men's county teams this weekend.
Sally finished joint 12th in a field of 69, including the very best Under-18 girl golfers in the United States in the Kathy Whitworth Invitational 36-hole tournament at Mira Vista Golf Club, Fort Worth in Texas earlier this week.
Miss Watson, who won't by 16 until July, had rounds of 75 and 73 for a six-over-par tally of 148 over the 6,152yd, par-71 course.
The winner of the prestigious Kathy Whitworth event - one of the top girls' tournaments in the United States - was a 14-year-old from Buena Park, California, Kristen Park. She had rounds of 71 and 70 for one-under-141.
Kristen won by one shot from Kimberly Kim, the 15-year-old holder of the US women's amateur championship from Hawaii, Florida-based Isabelle Lendl, one of the former world tennis champion's daughters, and Kristna Wong (Florida).

LEADING SCORES
Par 142 (2 x 71)
141 Kristen Park (California) 71 70.
142 Isabelle Lendl (Florida) 72 70, Kristina Wong (Florida) 72 70, Kimberly Kim (Hawaii) 70 72.
145 Cheyenne Woods (Arizona) 71 74, Elisa Aoki (Florida) 75 70, Megan Grehan (New York) 73 72, Courtney Ellenbogen (Virginia) 72 73.
146 Jane Rah (California) 74 72, Tiffany Lua (California) 71 75.
147 Angela Villela (California) 73 74.
148 Sally Watson (Scotland) 75 73, Glory Yang (California) 76 72, Andrea Watts (Florida) 75 73, Cydney Clanton (North Carolina) 71 77.

US College Golf
JODI AND RACHEL NECK AND NECK AT BOULDER CREEK, NEVADA
Former Daily Telegraph national girls champion Jodi Ewart from Middletham, Yorkshire is on the six-under-par mark after two rounds of the UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational – only one shot behind the pacemaking Rachel Newren (Brigham Young University).
Jodi, a member of Catterick Golf Club and a freshman (first year) student at New Mexico University, has shot rounds of 68 and 70, compared with Rachel’s 67 and 70 over the par-72, 6,199yd course AT Boulder Creek Golf Club, Boulder City in Nevada.
Rachel had two eagle 2s in her opening round and that has made all the difference so far at the top of the leaderboard.
Miss Ewart has had nine birdies over her two rounds. She birdied the fourth, fifth, 11th and 16th on her second circuit on which her two bogies came at the eighth and 18th.
Brigham Young (563) are leading the team event from Indiana (570) with Idaho (573) third and New Mexico (574) fourth of the 18 competing colleges.
The 54-hole tournament ends on Wednesday.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
137 Rachel Newren (Brigham Young) 67 70.
138 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 68 70.
139 Danielle Von Arnim (Brigham Young) 71 68.
LEADING TEAMS
563 Brigham Young.
570 Indiana.
573 Idaho.
574 New Mexico (4th of 18 teams).

Tuesday 13th March 2007

IRISH NAME TRIO FOR SCOTTISH UNDER-16 GIRLS' STROKE-PLAY AT CRAIGIELAW
Ireland's representatives at the Scottish Under-16 girls' open stroke-play championship at Craigielaw Golf Club on April 5 and 6 will be:
TARA GRIBBEN (Warrenpoint).
EMMA O'DRISCOLL (Ballybunion).
CARLA REYNOLDS (Seapoint).
Since the 36-hole tournament started in 1999, Ireland has failed to provide the winner - but they are getting closer and closer. Last year, at Strathtyrum, St Andrews, Holli Snelling (Killarney) was a creditable fourth behind Carly Booth (Comrie) and Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) was seventh.
The Irish squad for the trip to Scotland will be captained by Nicky Robinson (Dun Laoghaire).

SALLY STARTS WITH A 75 IN KATHY WHITWORTH INVITATIONAL
British girls championship runner-up Sally Watson from South Queensferry had a three-over-par 75 in the first round of the prestigious Kathy Whitworth Invitational girls’ tournament at Mira Vista Golf Club, Fort Worth in Texas.
Scotland women’s international team player Miss Watson, a 15-year-old student at the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Florida, was lying 16th, five shots behind the leader, Hawaiian youngster Kimberly Kim who, at the age of 14, was the youngest ever winner of the United States women’s championship last year.
Sally flies back to Britain immediately the Texas tournament is over so that she can take part in the Ladies Golf Union Elite squad matches against the Cheshire and Lancashire men’s county squads this weekend.
Kathy Whitworth scored 88 career wins, six of them majors, during her years as an LPGA player.

RHYS DAVIES CHALKS UP 10TH WIN ON AMERICAN COLLEGE CIRCUIT
Scots Wallace Booth (Augusta State University) from Comrie and Fraserburgh’s Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State University) finished joint 34th and 64th respectively in a field of 98 as Edinburgh-born Welsh Walker Cup player Rhys Davies chalked up his 10th win on the American college circuit.
The tournament was the General Jim Hackler College Championship over 54 holes from the back tees – a course measuring 6,950yd with a par of 72 – at TPC of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Davies shot 70, 65 and 71 for a 10-under-par total of 70, 65 71. Rather in Nick Faldo style, Rhys shot 17 pars and one birdie in his final round to win by one shot from South African Dawie Van Der Walt (Lamar University).
Another Lamar player from South Africa, Oliver Bekker) was third on 208.
Wallace Booth had rounds of 76, 73 and 71 for a total of 220, improving his position by some 21 places with a sub-par final round that include a double-bogey 7 at the second but eagle 3s at the sixth and 14th as well as birdies at the third and 10th in halves of 37 and 34.
Jordan Findlay also saved his best to last in scores of 78, 75 and 74 for a total of 227. He took climbed the best part of 20 places, with a steadier round of two birdies and four bogeys in halves of 36 and 38.
Ulsterman Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) tied for 13th place on 214 with scores of 75, 69 and 70.
Team-mate Seamus Power, a freshman from Waterford, tied for 51st place with 75, 75 and 74 for 224.
Englishman Peter Richardson (Purdue University) from Carlisle came joint 30th with 76, 68 and 75 for 219.
Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) from Limerick finished 81st wit scores of 76, 77 and 77 for 230.
Another Purdue student from England, Tom Oliver of Nottingham, finished 86th with rounds of 77, 80 and 75 for 232.
Lamar University (838) won the team event from Coastal Carolina (848) with Southern California (851) third, Duke (868) and East Tennessee State (869) fifth in a field of 18 college teams. Augusta State (875) came eighth.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
206 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 0 65 71.
207 Dawie Van Der Walt (Lamar) 66 70 71.
208 Olvier Bekker (Lamar) 69 72 67.
Other totals:
214 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 75 69 70 (jt 13th).
219 Peter Richardson Purdue) 76 68 75 (jt 30th).
220 Wallace Booth (Augusta State) 76 73 71 (jt 34th).
224 Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 75 75 74(jt 51st).
227 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 78 75 74 (jt 64th).
230 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 76 77 77 (81st).
232 Tom Oliver (Purdue) 77 80 75 (86th).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
838 Lamar. 848 Coastal Carolina. 851 Southern California. 868 Duke. 869 East Tennessee State. Also: 875 Augusta State (eighth of 18 teams).

JODI HAS 68 AT BOULDER CREEK
Yorkshire player Jodi Ewart (New Mexico University) from Catterick was lying joint second, only one shot off the lead, with a four-under-par 68 after the first round of the UNLV Spring Rebel Invitational women's college tournament at Boulder Creek Golf Club, Boulder City in Nevada.
Jodi started at the 10th and put herself in the mood for a low score with a birdie at the 11th before a string of pars saw her complete her first nine holes of the 6,199yd par-72 course in one-under 35.
Then she birdied the third, fourth, sixth and ninth with her only shot dropped at the eighth.
Rachel Newren (Brigham Young) leads on 67 and Jodi shares second place with Lehua Wise (New Mexico State) in a field of 98 players.
Brigham Young (280) lead the team event from New Mexico (284) with Indian (285) third and New Mexico State (291) fourth of the 18 colleges competing.

ENGLISH STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA TOURNAMENT
Two English-born students at Campbell University, North Carolina Matt Evans from Conisbrough and Mark Coppell from Surrey, were placed joint 24th and joint 67th in a field of 81 players at the end of the first two rounds of the University of San Francisco Triumph college tournament at Palma Valley Golf Club.
Evans scored 74 and 73 for a 36-hole tally over the 7,077yd par-71 course while Coppell had rouneds of 79 and 76 for 155.
Jason D'Amore (Loyola Marymount) and Pat Duffy (Wisconsin) are joint leaders on six-under 136. Jason scored 66 and 70, Pat 72 and 64.
St Mary's College-California (573) lead the team event by one shot from Wisconsin. Campbell (591) are lying eighth of 16 teams.

Monday 12th March 2007

CARNOUSTIE CALEDONIA CLINCH TITLE IN ANGUS WOMEN’S GOLF WINTER LEAGUE
Carnoustie Caledonia are this year’s winners of a women’s winter league golf competition contested by seven clubs in the Angus area over the past six months.It’s the Carnoustie team’s first success in the tournament since 1999-200.
Brechin, Montrose, Panmure Barry and Monifieth all hosted earlier rounds of the William Low Ladies Coastal Winter League and the competition ended at Carnoustie’s Burnside course on Sunday.
Winners on the day – and thus clinching the overall championship - were Carnoustie Caledonia, whose three representatives took the first three places in the individual competition. Chris Healey was first with 37 Stableford points, Susan Sneddon second with 33, and Ros Fletcher third with 31 points, on the better inward half from Kate Lowden (Monifieth).
With the two best scores out of three counting towards the team competition, the team placings on the day were:
1 Carnoustie Caledonia 70pt, 2 Monifieth 59, 3 (equal) Brechin, Grange, Panmure Barry B 57, 6 Royal Montrose 56, 7 Panmure Barry A 54, 8 Ballumbie Castle 43.
In the overall league championship, the final positions were:
1 Carnoustie Caledonia 325pt, 2 Panmure Barry A 304, 3 Panmure Barry B 303, 4 Grange 296; 5 Monifieth 290; 6 Royal Montrose 284; 7 Brechin 279; 8 Ballumbie Castle 278.
Recent previous winners of the title:
2005-2006 Royal Montrose.
2004-2005 Royal Montrose.
2003-2004 Panmure Barry B.
2002-2003 Royal Montrose.
2001-2002 Letham Grange.
2000-2001 Abertay.
1999-2000 Carnoustie Caledonia.

LEWIS KIRTON HELPS LOUISVILLE TO TEAM TITLE IN MISSION INN COLLEGIATE
Freshman student Lewis Kirton (University of Louisville, Kentucky) from Oldmeldrum helped his college to a 14-stroke team-title win in the Mission Inn Collegiate Invite colleget rouanemnt at El Campeon Golf Club, Howie in the Hills, Florida at the weekend.
Kirton had rounds of 74, 81 and 74 for a 13-over-par total of 229 over the 6,923yd par-72 course. That put him in joint 53rd place in a field of 87 players.
Mike Van Sickle (Marquette University) won the individual honours with scores of 70, 68 and 74 for four-under-par 212.
Louisville had three players in the top 10 at the end of the 54 holes but Kirton's 74 was a counting score for the team in the final round.
Lousville (860) won from UNC Greensboro (874) with Marquette and Wichita State joint third on 882 in a field of 16 colleges.

US College Golf
SCOTS STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP WITH RHYS DAVIES AT MYRTLE BEACH
Scots Wallace Booth (Augusta State University) from Comrie and Fraserburgh’s Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) were lying joint 55th and 80th respectively in a field of 98 for the General Jim Hackler men’s college tournament after 36 holes from the back tees (6,950yd, par-72) at the TPC of Myrtle Beach course in Florida.
Booth scored 76 and 73 for five-over-par 149, Findlay 78 and 75 for 153.
Edinburgh-born Welsh Walker Cup player, Rhys Davies, also a student at East Tennessee State and bidding for his 10th win on the American college circuit, shared the lead on nine-under-par 135 with one round to go with Tom Glissmeyer (Southern California).
Davies had scores of 70 and 65, Glissmeyer 67 and 68.
Lamar University (560) lead the team event from Southern California (560) with Coastal Carolina (572) third and Duke (579) fourth. East Tennessee State and Tulsa shared fifth place on 580 with Augusta State next on 581.

JANICE BEATS THE CUT AND PICKS UP ANOTHER TWO BIRDIES
Janice Moodie crammed five birdies and only one bogey into a second-round, four-under-par 68 to beat the 36-hole cut in the weather-distrupted LPGA Tour MasterCard championship in Mexico.
Janice had rounds of 77 and 68 for one-over-par 145. Those with totals of 147 or better made the final day which has been extended to Monday because of continuing electrical storms in the area.
In her final round, Janice started at the 10th and bogeyed the short 11th but picked up a couple of birdies at the 12th and 13th before play was finally suspended for the day on Sunday.
Among those who did not beat the cut were Paula Creamer on 148 (75-73) and Mhairi McKay 149 (77-72).
Meaghan Francella led the field after two rounds of 68 for six-under-par 136. She had a one-stroke advantage over Stacy Prammanasudh (67-70). Annika Sorenstam is not all that far off the pace.

NORTHERN COUNTIES' 40th BIRTHDAY PARTY AT ELGIN
Northern Counties Ladies Golf Association celebrates its 40th birthday this year and county captain Mairi Orr would like as many members, past team members and past officials to get their entries in for a "day of fun" at Elgin Golf Club on Sunday, April 22.
"The format is teams of four and we are pleased to say that numerous sponsors have donated prizes," says Mairi.
"Entries should be sent to Susan MacKenzie, please. Alongside the competition we are having a Grand County Draw - £5 an entry - for various four-ball tee times throughout the county. We presently have more than 20 courses available. Many thanks."

Australian 72-hole amateur stroke-play
THREE SCOTS FINISH IN TOP 20 IN AUSTRALIA’S RIVERSDALE CUP
The three surviving Scots on the final day – Paul O’Hara (Colville Park), Scott Henry (Cardross) and Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) – all finished in the top 20 of the prestigious Australian 72-hole amateur stroke-play event, the Riversdale Cup at Riversdale Golf Club, near Melbourne.
O’Hara had rounds of 69, 71, 75 and 71 to finish joint 13th on two-under-par 286.
Henry and Saltman shared 17th place on 287. Scott scored 73, 71, 73 and 70, Lloyd 72, 70, 72 and 73.
The fourth Scot in the starting field, Scottish amateur match-play champion Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) did not beat the cut at three-over-par after 54 holes, having scored 78-73-73 for eight-over 224.
Australian amateur champion Tim Stewart, ranked in the top 20 in the R&A world amateur rankings, only just held on to win by one shot after taking a clear lead into the final round.
Stewart, from New South Wales, closed with a three-over-par 75 for nine-under-par 279 after earlier rounds of 70, 66, 68 and 75 had taken him five shots clear of the field.
Runner-up Andrew Dodt from Queensland made up seven strokes with a final-round 68 after earlier scores of 67, 69 and 76 for a total of eight-under 280.
Two other leading Australian players, Matthew Griffin (Victoria) and Rohan Blizard (New South Wales) tied for third place on 282.
Griffin’s rounds were 71, 69, 74 and 68, Blizard had 69, 71, 72 and 70.
England’s Stephen Lewton and Jason Palmer finished on 289 and 293 respectively.
RIVERSDALE CUP – Riversdale GC, Melbourne, Australia.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
279 Tim Stewart (NSW) 70 66 68 75.
280 Andrew Dodt (Queensland) 67 69 76 68.
282 Matthew Griffin (Victoria) 71 69 74 68, Rohan Blizard (NSW) 69 71 72 70.
Other totals:
286 Paul O’Hara (Sco) 69 71 75 71 (jt 13th).
287 Scott Henry (Sco) 73 71 73 70, Lloyd Saltman (Sco) 72 70 72 73 (jt 17th).
289 Stephen Lewton (Eng) 74 74 71 70,
293 Jason Palmer (Eng) 73 76 71 73.

US College Golf
DANIELLE McVEIGH BATTLES ON TO MAKE TOP 20 IN TEXAS
Danielle McVeigh, the Irish girls’ champion of 2005 and now a student at Texas A&M University, battled on through quadruple, triple and double bogeys to make the top 20 in the prestigious Texas A&M Memorial women’s college tournament at Traditions Golf Club, Bryan in Texas.
Danielle finished joint 19th in a field of 81 good players with rounds of 80, 76 and 75. Over the three rounds she had a quadruple bogey 8 at the par first hole on Day 1; a triple bogey 6 at the short 11th and a double bogey 5 at the short 16th in Day 2, and in her final round, that short 16th sank its teeth into her again, costing her a double bogey 5.
But Miss McVeigh did birdie the 12th to help her “escape” with a 75 over the 6,272yd, par-72 course.
Paolo Moreno (Southern California) won the individual title with 74, 70 and 72 for level par 216 – two shots ahead of former British girls champion Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) from Sweden with 73, 73 and 72.
Another past British girls title-winner, Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) from Spain tied for fifth place on 225 with 76, 75 and 74.
Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State) from Sweden was fifth with 72, 77 and 78 for 227.
Belen Mozo (Southern California), the Spanish youngster who won both the British girls and women’s titles in Northern Ireland last year, tied for 12th place on 229 with rounds of 76, 75 and 78.
Arizona State (893) won the team title from Southern California (904) with UCLA and Oklahoma State sharing third place on 917. Texas A&M (926) finished sixth in the field of 16 colleges competing.

US College Golf
KEENAN CAN'T BEAT DOUBLE BOGEY MAN IN LAS VEGAS EVENT
Farren Keenan from Middlesex, pictured right, a senior year student at Texas University, finished 56th in a field of 81 for the Southern Highlands Collegiate championship over the Southern Highlands course (7,510yd, par-72) near Las Vegas, Nevada.
Farren shot rounds of 76, 78 and 78 for a total of 232 and a share of 56th place.
Keenan, pictured above, had a double bogey 5 at the short eighth in the third round, a repeat performance of his score at that hole in the second round.
He had five double bogeys over the 36 holes.
Lucas Lee (UCLA) won the title with 69, 72 and 72 for 213, one shot ahead of Alex Volpenhein (Kentucky) (70-75-69). Three players tied for third place on 215.
Former British boys open champion Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) from Spain had one of his poorer tournaments. He finished in joint 42nd place with 77, 76 and 75 for 228.
UCLA (874) won the team title from Georgia (877) with Arizona (885) third. Texas (904) finished 13th in a field of 15.

US College Golf
ENGLISH PAIR SHARE 13th IN BIG FIELD FOR RIO VERDE INVITATIONAL
Two English-born students shared 13th place in a big field of 107 players for the Rio Verde Invitational women’s college tournament over the 6,277yd, par-72 Quail Run course at Rio Verde Golf Club, Arizona.
Hertfordshire’s Hannah Burke, who helped her college, Baylor University, Texas, to win the team title, had rounds of 76, 76 and 73 for a total of 225.
Starting the last day in joint 22nd place, Hannah was able to lift herself up nine spots on the leaderboard with birdies at the second and 15th to almost cancel out bogeys at the fifth, seventh and 11th in halves of 37 and 37.
On the same mark was Sally Hinton (Missouri State), pictured right, from Bridgnorth, Shropshire with improving scores of 76, 75 and 74. Sally had six birdies over the first 36 holes but she could squeeze out only one more, at the 12th, in her final round. She bogeyed the fifth, 15th and 17th in halves of 37.
Stacey Rodger from Mile Oak, Sussex, a team-mate of Sally Hinton, improved from joint 55th to a final placing of equal 40th on 231 with scores of 79, 77 and 75. She had birdies at the fourth, ninth, 16th and 18th in final halves of 38 and 37.
Sian Reddick (Baylor) from Folkestone, was joint fourth in the early stages of the tournament, subsided to a share of 55th place on 235 with scores of 72, 79 and 84.
Sian’s catastrophic last round had halves of 39 and 45. She had a triple bogey 8 at the 14th in the middle of a desperate run which saw her drop nine shots to par between the 11th and 17th holes.
Allison Martin (Baylor) won the individual honours with 69, 72 and 71 for four-under-par 212. She won by three shots from Sara Wikstrom (Arkansas-Little Rock) (73-70-72).

Baylor (886) won the team event from Arkansas-Little Rock (889) and Toledo (892) with Missouri State (900) a creditable fourth of the 18 colleges competing.

Sunday 11th March 2007

US College Golf
TARA TRAILS IN BEHIND SANDRA FROM GERMANY IN “LADY GATOR”
Irish Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney from Carlow, a student at Kent State University, Ohio, finished joint 24th in a field of 87 for the Lady Gator Invitational college tournament over the University of Florida golf course (par-70, 5,927yd) at Gainesville.
Tara had scores of 76, 76 and 75.
Claire Starkie, a student at Georgia State University, had three rounds she won’t be writing home about to Skipton, West Yorkshire. Claire scored 81, 81 and 85 for a total of 247 and a share of 81st place. Over the three rounds, Claire had three triple bogeys and four double bogeys.
Even less happy with the way she is playing must be Tara Delaney’s older sister Karen. What has happened to the talented young player who won the Irish girls’ title in 2002 and 2003?
At Gainesville Karen had scores of 80, 89 and 83 for a total of 252 – 42 shots over par for 54 holes. She had two quadruple bogeys and 10 double bogeys over the three rounds. Not surprisingly, she finished 86th in a field of 87.
Germany’s Sandra Gal, a student at the host university, Florida, won the individual title by five shots with scores of 69, 70 and 71 for level par 210. Runner-up was Catherine Matranga (Texas Christian) on 215 (71-70-74) with Sweden’s Caroline Westrup (Florida State) third on 216 (72-77-67).
Look for both Sandra and Caroline being in the Continent of Europe team for the Vagliano Trophy match against Great Britain & Ireland at Fairmont St Andrews Bay on July 27 and 28.
Florida (876) won the team event by 14 shots from Texas Christian (890) with Michigan State (892) third and Tennessee (899) fourth. Kent State (909) finished ninth and Georgia State (945) 14th of the 16 competing colleges.

US College Golf
SALLY AND SIAN IN ARIZONA TOP 20
Sally Hinton (Missouri State) from Bridgnorth, Shropshire and Sian Reddick (Baylor) from Folkestone were joint 15th on 151 with one round to go in the Rio Verde Invitational women’s college tournament over the Quail Run course (6,277yd, par 72) at Rio Verde, Arizona.
Sian dropped from joint fourth place overnight with a second-round 79 which included a triple bogey 7 at the 17th in amassing an inward total of 43 strokes. Her solitary birdie came at the sxith.
Sally had four birdies, at the ninth, 10th, 17th and 18th, but also seven bogeys spread out throughout her second-day card of 75 (38-37).
Hannah Burke (Baylor) from Hertfordshire) repeated her opening 76 to be in joint 22nd position on 152 in a field of 107 players. Hannah birdied the sixth, ninth and 13th but had a double bogey 6 a the fifth in halves of 38.]
Stacey Rodger (Missouri State) from Mile Oak, Sussex is back in a share of 55th place on 156 after rounds of 79 and 77. She had only one birdie, at the third, in halves of 38 and 39.
Allison Martin (Baylor) leads the field by two shots with 69 and 72 for 141. She is two ahead of Sara Wikstrom (Arkansas-Little Rock (73-70).
Toledo (587) lead the team event from Baylor (589) with Arkansas-Little Rock (594) in third place. Missouri State (604) are lying joint fifth in a field of 18 teams.

TARA HAS A PAIR OF 76s IN FLORIDA
Germany’s Sandra Gall leads the Lady Gator Invitational by two shots with scores of 69 and 70 for one-under-par 139 over the University of Florida course (5,927yd, par-70) at Gainesville.
Irish international Tara Delaney (Kent State) from Carlow is in joint 32nd place with a pair of 76s for 152. Tara birdied the 12th and 17th but was dragged down by a double-bogey 5 at the short 15th in halves of 38.
Claire Starkie (Georgia State) from Skipton, Yorkshire is sharing 77th place after two 81s for 162. Claire had a triple bogey 7 at the fifth and double bogeys at the second and seventh in 42 to the turn in her second round.
Tara Delaney’s sister Karen, also a student at Ohio State, is having a tournament she will want to forget – quickly. She has scored 80 and 89 for 169 and is lying 86th in the field of 87 players.
Karen had seven double bogeys in her second-round halves of 45 and 44.
In her first round she had two quadruple bogeys and a double bogey.
Florida (585) lead the team event from Texas Christian (588) with Michigan State (589) third. Kent State (611) are lying 10th of 14. Georgia State (624) are in 13th place.

NATASHA MAKES TOP 20 AT SEBRING
Natasha Morgan (Lynn University) from South Wales finished 16th in the Springlake Invitational over the Panther Creek course (6,285yd, par-72) at Sebring, Florida.
Natasha scored 75 and 76 for 151.
Methodist University (596) overtook first-day leaders Lynn University (596) over the second round to win the team title.
Lynn University from Boca Raton, Florida are already missing the services of Katy McNicoll from Carnoustie. Katy had a knee operation recently and won’t play golf again before the summer.

TEXAS SHORT HOLES COSTLY FOR DANIELLE
Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland came unstuck at two short holes on the inward half in the second round of the Texas A&M Memorial tournament at Traditions Golf Club, Bryan in Texas.
Danielle, lying joint 25th in the field of 81 players, has had rounds of 80 and 76 for 156. She birdied the fourth, seventh, 10th and 15th in halves of 36 and 40, running up a triple bogey 6 at the short 11th and a double-bogey 5 at the short 16th.
Paola Moreno (Southern California) leads the quality field on level par 144 for the 6,272yd (par-72) course. She has scored 74 and 70 to have a two-shot advantage over the former British girls open champion Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State) (73-73).
Arizona State (599) lead the 16-team event from Southern California (600).

VIKKI FAILS TO BEAT THE CUT IN US FUTURES TOUR OPENER
Musselburgh's Vikki Laing failed to make the cut in the first event of the United States Futures Tour, the Lakeland Classic over the Cleveland Heights course in Florida.
The Scot had rounds of 75 and 77 for a total of 152 over the 6,258yd, par-72 course, two shots too many to figure among the 77 qualifiers for the final round.
English competitors Lisa Hall from Stoke on Trent and Londoner Polly Willett both survived with not too much to spare.
Lisa has had 75 and 73 for 148, Polly 75 and 74 for 149.
American Meredith Ward from Illinois leads the field by one shot on five-under-par 139 with a 69 and 70.

Saturday 10th March 2007

SCOTS BEAT ITALIANS TO FINISH THIRD IN ROME
Defending champions Scotland finished third in the boys' quadrangular contest by beating Italy 5 1/2-3 1/2 in their final match at Parco di Roma Golf club today.The other match, between the two teams with 100 % records after two days, Sweden and France, ended in a 4 1/2-4 1/2 draw.
Sweden were declared the overall winners on the grounds that they had gained 17 1/2pt from their three matches, compared to France's 14 1/2pt.
The Scots won the foursomes 2-1 and the singles 3 1/2-2 1/2 against Italy.
Final day results:
SCOTLAND 5 1/2, ITALY 3 1/2
Foursomes: J Byrne & C Gray lost to M Manassero & G Heinrich 8 and 7; S McLaren & T Spencer bt C Terragni & A Chiapuzzo 7 and 5; K Smith & M Stewart bt N Quintarelli & V Dall'Arche 3 and 2 (2-1).
Singles: Byrne lost to Chiapuzzo 2 and 1, Gray bt Manassero 4 and 3, McLaren bt Heinrich 2 and 1, Stewart bt Quintarelli 3 and 1, Smith halved with Dall'Arche, Spencer lost to Terragni 1 hole (3 1/2-2 1/2).
SWEDEN 4 1/2, FRANCE 4 1/2.
FINAL POINTS TOTALS
1 Sweden 2 1/2pt, game points won 17 1/2.
2 France 2 1/2pt, game points won 14 1/2.
3 Scotland 1pt.
4 Italy 0 pt.

AUCHTERARDER STUDENT STUART GETS AN OUTING IN TREASURE COAST CLASSIC
Stuart Burns from Auchterarder, a freshman student at Evansville University, Indiana, finished joint 57th in a field of 70 for the Treasure Coast Classic college tournament at Indian Hills Golf Club, Fort Pierce, Florida this week.
Stuart, a former pupil of Dollar Academy and the 2004 Perth & Kinross boys' match-play champion, scored 79, 73 and 71 for 223. Now if it had been a four-round tournament he was on course to break 70!
It's tough for Stuart in his first year at Evansville University because they have a massive golf squad roster of 14 players, four of whom are seniors, i.e. in their fourth and final year. Only five get to play for a team in the university tournaments but the college golf coach can send extra players to events to compete as individuals.
This is what happened to Stuart in the Treasure Classic this week, so obviously the Evansville University coach is nurturing the young Scot for a regular place in the team, perhaps starting in the 2007-2008 college golf season.
Winner of the Treasure Coast Classic, by the way, was Keegan Bradley (St John's University) with some fantastic scoring - 63, 65 and 64 for a 21-under-par total of 192. Not surprisingly, Keegan won by eight shots.
Evansville University (832) finished third of the 11 competing colleges. St John's (812) won the team title from Florida Atlantic (821).

CLARE FADES IN FINAL ROUND AS SPRINGBOK AMATEUR WINS S A OPEN TITLE
Clare Queen’s hopes of following up her joint sixth in the ANZ Ladies Masters with another top-10 finish in the Women’s South African Open disappeared over the third and final round at Durban Country Club today (Saturday).
Starting the day in joint seventh place, the 23-year-old Drumpellier player went down rather than up the leaderboard with a closing round of four-over-par 77 for a final total of two-over-par 221.
That gave her a share of 19th place and earned her 3,687 South African Rand.
Victory by five strokes went to the 17-year-old South African wonder girl amateur, Ashleigh Simon (pictured right). Winner of the title as a 14-year-old, Ashleigh did it again in style, posting a closing round of 72 for a brilliant 14-under-par total of 205.
Runner-up and winner of the first pro prize of 37,500 Rand was compatriot Stacy Bregman with a 69 for 210.
South Africans filled the first four places with another amateur, Kelli Shean in fourth place.
Simon and Bregman (who turned pro later) won the world women’s amateur team championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy in South Africa at the end of last year.
“I am going to turn professional some day but not quite yet,” said Ashleigh Simon.
Defending champion Rebecca Hudson from Wheatley, Doncaster faded from an overnight second place to fifth spot on 215 with a final round of 215.
WOMEN’S SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN – Durban Country Club.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 219 (3 x 73)
Players from South Africa unless stated.
205 Ashleigh Simon (am) 69 64 72.
210 Stacy Bregman 72 69 69.
211 Laurette Maritz 73 60 68.
213 Kelli Shean (am) 72 71 70.
215 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 71 69 75.
216 Sophie Walker (Eng) 74 70 72, Morgana Robbertze 68 75 73, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 69 76 71.
217 Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 70 75 72.
218 Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 74 74 70, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 76 71 71, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 76 68 74, Nora Angehrn (Swi) 75 70 73.
219 Ana Larraneta (Spa) 74 74 71.
220 Lena Tornevall (Swe) 75 70 75, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 73 71 76, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 72 76 72, Lisa Jean (Aus) 73 71 76.
221 Clare Queen (Sco) 73 71 77, Julie Tvede (Den) 74 75 72, Karen Margrethe Juul (Den) 74 72 75, Anna Becker (Swe) 76 71 74.
222 Sarah Heath (Eng) 74 74 74, Mette Buus (Den) 77 71 74.
Other totals:
223 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 72 76.
225 Felicity Johnson) 75 76 74, Jo Clingan (Eng) 75 73 77.
230 Claire Coughlan (Ire) 76 76 78.

VIKKI OPENS FUTURES TOUR WITH A 75
Musselburgh's Vikki Laing, Londoner Polly Willett and Lisa Hall from Stoke were all lying joint 53rd in a field of 144 on the three-over-par 75 mark at the end of the first round in the opening event of the United States Futures Tour in Florida.
Vikki had halves of 39 and 36, Polly 37-38 and Lisa 36-39.
Four players shared the lead on three-under-par 69 over the 6,258yd Cleveland Heights course in Florida - Meredith Ward (Illinois), Noon Huachai (Bangkok), Sarah-Jane Kenyon (Queensland) and Lori Atsedes (New York).

US College Round-up
Danielle McVeigh, from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, a freshman student at the University of Texas A&M, had a first-round score of eight-over-par 80 in the Texas A&M Memorial women's college tournament over the 6,272yd Traditions Golf Club course at Bryan, Texas.
Danielle ran up a quadruple bogey 8 at the first hole in halves of 42 and 38.
Hannah Jun (UCLA) leads the field by two shots with a 70.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
70 Hannah Jun (UCLA).
72 Ashley Knoll (Texas A&M), Pernilla Lindberg (Oklahoma State).
73 Anna Nordqvist (Arizona State).
Other scores:
76 Belen Mozo (Southern Californi), Azahara Munoz (Arizona State) (jt 9th).
80 Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) (jt 34th).
LEADING TEAMS
303 Arizona State. 304 UCLA. 306 Texas A&M. 307 Oklahoma State, Southern California.

BECKY SEVENTH IN TREASURE COAST CLASSIC
Becky Dowell from Thornecombe, a sophomore student at Bethune-Cookman College, Florida, finished joint seventh in the Treasure Coast Women's Classic college tournament at Indian Hills Golf Club, Fort Pierce in Florida.
Becky had rounds of 78, 77 and 72 over the 5,922yd, par-71 course for a total fo 227.
Lauren Darnell (Stetson) won the title with 70, 71 and 71 for one-under-par 212.
Bethune-Cookman College (905) finished third in the team event won by Stetson University) (887) with St John's University (905) third.

KEENAN LYING 53rd AT LAS VEGAS
Farren Keenan from Middlesex, a senior year student at the University of Texas, was sharing 53rd place on four-over-par 76 for the long Southern Highlands course (7,510yd) at the end of the first round of the Southern Highlands College Championship near Las Vegas, Nevada.
Keenan had double bogeys at the ninth and 10th and a single bogey at the first in halves of 38. His only birdie came at the third.
Martin Piller (Texas A&M) leads the field with a 67 - one ahead of Kevin Chappell (UCLA), Chris Kirk (Georgia) and Brendon Todd (Georgia).
UCLA (282) lead the team event from Georgia (285) and Georgia Tech (286). Texas are 13th of 15 on 298.

ENGLISH GIRLS HELP BAYLOR TAKE BIG EARLY LEAD AT RIO VERDE
English girls Sian Reddick from Folkestone and Hannah Burke from Hertfordshire helped Baylor University, Texas to open up a nine-stroke lead after the first round of the Rio Verde Invitational women's college tournament over the 6,277yd, par-72 Quail Run course at Rio Verde, Arizona.
Junior year student Sian was lying fourth in the individual scoreboard after a 72 which had birdies at the third and eighth but bogeys at the 10th and 14th in halves of 34 and 38.
Hannah finished the day in joint 25th place on 76 after being up with the leaders, having reached the turn in two under par 34 with birdies at the third, sixth and seventh and one bogey, at the fourth.
But she lost her way after the turn, double-bogeying the 13th and short 16th, also shedding single shots to par at the 11th, 15th and 17th with only one compensating birdie, at the 12th, in an inward six-over 42.
Also on the 76 mark is Sally Hinton, a senior Missouri State University student from Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Sally had birdies at the sixth and ninth and with only one bogey, at the second, she was going well with 35 to the turn.
Then she bogeyed five holes out of six in a row from the 10th to take 41 shots to come home.
Sharing 60th place on 79 is another Missouri State student, freshman Stacey Rodger from Mile Oak, Sussex.
Stacey reached the turn in 40 with shots dropped at the second, third, fourth and fifth. She dropped further strokes at the 11th, 14th, 17th and 18th and had only one birdie all day, at the short 16th.
Allison Martin (Baylor) and Anita Ojeda (Arkansas-Little Rock) lead the field on 69, two ahead of Kim Kester (Toledo).
Baylor (289) lead the team event from Toledo and Arkansas-Little Rock, both on 298, with Texas Tech next on 300. Missouri State are lying eighth of 18 on 305.

O'HARA IN JT 4TH POSITION IN AUSTRALIA
Paul O'Hara was leading the Scottish challenge in joint fourth place at the halfway stage of the prestigious Riversdale Cup at Riversdale Golf Club, Melbourne in Australia.
The Colville Park Golf Club, Motherwell player has had rounds of 69 and 71 to be four shots behind the leaders, Australians Andrew Dodt (Queensland) and Tim Stewart (New South Wales).
Walker Cup Scot Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) is on 142 with scores of 72 and 70.
Scott Henry (Cardross) has scored 73 and 71 for 144.
Scottish amateur match-play champion Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) is back on 151 after scores of 78 and 73.
LEADING 36-HOLE TOTALS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
136 Andrew Dodt (Queensland) 67 69, Tim Stewart (New South Wales) 70 66.
138 Michael Foster (West Australia) 68 70.
140 Paul O'Hara (Scotland) 69 71, Rohan Blizard (New South Wales) 69 71, Matthew Griffin(Victoria) 71 69, Aaron Pike (Queensland) 70 70, Troy Ropiha (New Zealand) 69 71, Scott Smith (Pacific) 72 68.
Other scores:
142 Lloyd Saltman (Scotland) 72 70.
144 Scott Henry (Scotland) 73 71.
148 Stephen Lewton (England) 74 74.
149 Jason Palmer (England) 73 76.
151 Kevin McAlpine (Scotland) 78 73.

Friday 9th March 2007

Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) is presented with her Honorary membership certificate by Jimmy Johnstone, Chairman of Strathaven Golf Club

Jenna Wilson receives Honorary Membership from Strathaven
Scottish internationalist Jenna Wilson was last night awarded honorary membership of Strathaven Golf Club in Lanarkshire where she has been a member since age 11.
Jenna has represented Scotland many times at junior and adult level and has played in three series of Ladies' home international matches. She has represented Lanarkshire county since age 15 and has been LLCGA champion for the last 2 years currently holding a handicap of +2.
I'm sure we would all like to congratulate Jenna on this fantastic honour and wish her all the best for the forthcoming season. [Thanks to Susan Wood for the photo and story]

CLAIRE PUSHING FOR ANOTHER TOP 10 FINISH IN SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN
Clare Queen is on the trail of another top-10 finish as her professional golf career begins to take off this year.
The Scot, who will be 24 next month, is lying joint seventh after two rounds of the Women's South African Open at Durban Country Club.
Last month, Clare finished sixth in the ANZ Ladies Masters and she has carried on that form in South Africa with rounds of 73 and 71 for an aggregate of two-under-par 144 over a course lengthened to a par 73 just for this championship.
With just one round to go, the Drumpellier player is unlikely to be able to make up an 11-shot leeway on South African amateur Ashleigh Simon, 17, who shot a remarkable second-round 64 to go seven strokes clear on 13-under-par 133. Ashleigh also won this title in 2004.
But Miss Queen will have second-placed Rebecca Hudson from Wheatley, Doncaster - the defending champion - in her sights. Rebecca is on six-under 140 with rounds of 71 and 69, one ahead of South Africa's Stacy Bregman (72-69).
On the 144 mark alongside Clare in seventh place are England's Sophie Walker and Eleanor Pilgrim from Wales.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 146 (2 x 73)
Players from South Africa unless stated.
133 Ashleigh Simon (am) 69 64.
140 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 71 69.
141 Stacy Bregman 72 69.
143 Kelli Shean (am) 72 71, Morgana Robbertze 68 75, Laurette Maritz 73 70.
144 Sophie Walker (Eng) 74 70, Margherita Rigon (Ita) 773 71, Clare Queen (Sco) 73 71, Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal) 76 68, Lisa Jean (Aus) 73 71.
Other qualifiers included:
147 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 72.
148 Sarah Heath (Eng) 74 74, Jo Clingan (Eng) 75 73..
151 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 75 76.
152 Claire Coughlan (Ire) 76 76.
DID NOT QUALIFY
159 Shelley McKevitt (Eng) 77 82, Martina Gillen (Ire) 78 81.
161 Michelle Smth (Eng) 77 84.
163 Cheryl Smith (Eng) 80 83.

SCOTS BOYS LOSE AGAIN IN ROME
Scotland's hopes of repeating last year's success in the boys' quadrangular contest against France, Italy and Sweden were smashed on Day 2 at Parco di Roma Golf Club today.
The Scots, beaten 6-3 by a strong French side on Thursday, were even more comprehensively beaten by Sweden who finished victors by 7-2.
The Scots trailed 2-1 after the foursomes - the morning victory coming from Sam McLaren (King James VI) and Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo) - before they lost five of the six singles.
Scotland's only afternoon winner was Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck).
France beat Italy in the other Day 2 match, which means that their Saturday encounter against Sweden, who also have a 100 per cent record, will be for the title.
Day 2 results:
SWEDEN 7, SCOTLAND 2
Foursomes: D Jennevret, J Nordstrom bt J Byrne, C Gray 2 and 1; F Fihn, R Askstrand lost to S McLaren, T Spencer 1 hole; P Widegren, N Floren bt K Smith, M Stewart 3 and 2 (2-1).
Singles: Jennevret bt Byrne 2 and 1, Nordstrom bt Gray 5 and 3, Fihn bt Smith 1 hole, Askstrand bt Mc|Laren 3 and 2, Widegren bt Spencer 5 and 4, Floren lost to Stewart 2 and 1 (5-1).
FRANCE 5, ITALY 4
Foursomes: E Dubois, J Brun bt G Heinrich, V Dall'Arche 2 holes; R Wattel, J-P Verselin bt M Manassero, C Terragni 3 and 2, F Le Goff, N P Chou bt A Chiappuzzo, N Quintarelli 2 and 1 (3-0).
Singles: Brun halved with Manassero, Dubois lost to Terragni 2 and 1, Chou halved with Quintarelli, Verselin lost to Dall'Arche 3 and 2, Le Goff lost to Heinrich 1 hole, Wattell bt Chiapuzzo 2 holes (2-4).
How they stand
France & Sweden 4pt, Scotland & Italy 0pt.

McINALLY LEAVING ST ANDREWS FOR QUINTA DO LAGO POST
Iain McInally, director of golf at Fairmont St Andrews (formerly St Andrews Bay Hotel & Golf Resort), is leaving the post and his native Fife to become general manager of Quinta do Lago Golf Club, 15 miles west of Faro on Portugal’s Algarve coastline.
“It’s a big new challenge for me and I am very much looking forward to it. I shall be leaving St Andrews as of May 15,” said Iain who originally came back north to be director of golf at the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews five or six years ago from a similar post at Hanbury Manor Golf & Country Club in Hertfordshire.
Quinta do Lago, opened in 1974, has two first-class courses and is one of the quality golf centres on the Algarve.

PLATFORM 2 JUNIOR TOURNAMENT SWITCHED FROM FORFAR TO LETHAM GRANGE
The Platform 2 boys' and girls' stroke-play tournament - formerly the Grampian TV junior tournament - has been switched from Forfar Golf Club to Letham Grange Hotel & Golf Resort. The date, Sunday, September 16, is unchanged.
The first round of the boys' 36-hole event will be played between 8.30 and 10am on the Old Course with the second round over the Glens Course from 2.30 to 3.30pm.
The 18-hole girls' competition will be played over the Glens Course with tee times from 10 to 11.30am.

ELGA Press Release
England players to train in Portugal
Six of England’s finest women golfers will fine-tune their play for the coming season with warm weather training in Portugal.
They are all members of the English Ladies’ Golf Association’s Team England Performance Squad and will spend a week at Quinta de Cima from March 19.
The players are: Rachel Bell (Ganton) (pictured right), English strokeplay champion Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), Jo Hodge (Knowle), English girls’ champion Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton), Danielle Montgomery (Lambourne), and Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale).
They will work with coach Lawrence Farmer, psychologist Brian Hemmings and physiotherapist Lynn Booth.
Linda Bayman, ELGA’s performance director, said: “This week will help the girls to sharpen and polish their golf for the coming season. There will be a lot of emphasis on competition and performing under pressure.”

O'HARA JOINT THIRD AFTER FIRST ROUND IN AUSTRALIA
Paul O'Hara from Colville Park, Motherwell, one of four Scots competing in the tournament, was lying in joint third place at the end of the first round of the presitigous Riversdale Cup at Riversdale Country Club, New South Wales today (Friday).
O'Hara shot a three-under-par 69 to be two shots behind the leader, Andrew Dodt from Queensland.
Walker Cup player Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw) matched the par of 72 while Scott Henry (Cardross) and Scottish match-play champion Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) returned scores of 73 and 78 respectively.
RIVERSDALE CUP - Riversdale Country Club, New South Wales, Australia.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
67 Andrew Dodt (Queensland).
68 Michael Foster (West Australia).
69 Paul O'Hara (Sco), Troy Ropiha (NZ), Do Kim (New South Wales), Rohan Blizard (New South Wales), Leigh Deagan (Victoria), Lachlan Wall (Surfers' Paradise).
Other scores included:
72 Lloyd Saltman (Sco).
73 Scott Henry (Sco), Jason Palmer (Eng).
74 Stephen Lewton (Eng).
78 Kevin McAlpine (Sco).

ELGA Press Release
England trio to take on Euro challenge
Internationals Naomi Edwards, Melissa Reid (pictured right) and Kerry Smith will represent England in the Grey Goose European Nations Challenge at Sotogrande in Spain from March 21-24.
The championship, formerly known as the Sherry Cup, is a 72-hole event contested by teams from across Europe. An individual competition runs simultaneously and a men’s tournament is held alongside the ladies.
The team selected by the English Ladies’ Golf Association is formidable. Kerry Smith, 35, (Waterlooville) is ELGA’s order of merit titleholder while Naomi Edwards, 23, (Ganton), and Melissa Reid ,19, (Chevin), both played in the 2006 Curtis Cup team.

US College Golf
ELLON’S CARNIE GETS TRIP TO CALIFORNIA FOR DEBUT ON US COLLEGE CIRCUIT
Grant Carnie from Ellon finished joint 57th in a field of 90 players in the Point Loma Invitational college golf tournament at Steele Canyon Golf Club, Jamul in California.
Carnie (pictured right), who enrolled at Brevard College, North Carolina earlier this year, had rounds of 80, 84 and 74 for 238.
Team-mate Myles Johnston, a sophomore student from Bo’ness, finished in joint 52nd place with 78, 71 and 86 for 236.
Individual winner was Eric Justesen (CSU Stanislau) with 69 70 and 74 for a level par total of 231.
Brevard College finished 13th of the 17 colleges participating in the team event.

US College Golf
ENGLISH STUDENTS HELP TENNESSEE FINISH THIRD IN QUALITY FIELD
Two students from England helped the University of Tennessee to finish a highly creditable third among 15 highly-ranked college golf teams in the USC Collegiate Invitational at North Ranch Country Club, Westlake in California.
Charles Ford, a junior student from Leicester, shared 28th place on 219 with scores of 73, 71 and 75 while Chris Paisley, a sophomore from Newcastle, had rounds of 74, 77 and 74 to earn a share of 47th place in a field of 84 on 225.
Rory Hie (Southern California) won the individual title with 69, 68 and 71 for five-under-par 208 over the 6,742yd par-71 course.
Stanford (848) won the team title from Southern California (853) with Tennessee third on 868. UCLA (870) and Brigham Young (873) were fourth and fifth.

Thursday 8th March 2007

CLARE LETS IT SLIP A BIT - BUT SHE'S STILL JT 14TH IN S AFRICA
Drumpellier's Clare Queen was only two shots off the lead with nine holes to play in the first round of the Women's South African Open - but the Scot slipped from three under par to a 73 and a share of 14th place at the Drbban Country Club today (Thursday).
At the turn Miss Queen was on the tail of leader Morgana Robbertze from South Africa who had finished with a five-under-par 68 for a course lengthened to a par 73 for this event.
But Clare could not maintain her three-under-par status after the turn and three bogeys brought her back to level par. A disappointing start in one way but, on the other hand, to be in the top 20 after one round is further evidence that the former British girls and women's stroke-play amateur champion is a much improved player this year.
Defending champion Rebecca Hudson from Doncaster is sharing fifth place on 71.
WOMEN'S SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN
Durban Country Club.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 73
Players from South Africa unless stated
68 Morgana Robbertze.
69 Tania Elosegui (Spa), Ashleigh Simon (am).
70 Antonella Cvitan (Swe).
71 Rebecca Hudson (Eng), Hanna-Sophia Svenningson (Swe).
72 Mandy Adamson, Maria Boden (Swe), Stacy Brefman, Michelle De Vries, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Kalii Shean (am) Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den).
73 Lisa Jean (Aus), Laurette Maritz, Clare Queen (Sco), Margherita Rigon (Ita), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi), Bertina Strauss (am), Tandi Von Ruben (am).
Other scores:
74 Sarah Heath (Eng), Sophie Walker (Eng).
75 Jo Clingan (Eng), Kristy Fisher (Eng), Felicity Johnson (Eng).
76 Claire Coughlan (Ire), Eleanor Pilgrim (Wal).
77 Shelley McKevitt (Eng), Michelle Smith (Eng).
78 Vanessa Bell (Eng), Martina Gillen (Ire).
79 Sarah Faller (Ire).

SCOTS BOYS MAKE LOSING START IN ROME
Scotland’s bid to win the boys’ quadrangular boys international match for the second year in a row got off to a shaky start at Parco di Roma Golf Club today (Thursday).
The Scots lost 6-3 to France who came into the tournament on a high, having thrashed Spain another Under-18 boys’ international only a couple of weeks ago.
In the other match, Sweden beat Italy 6-3.
It was the foursomes that proved the young Scots’ undoing – they lost all three morning ties …. and the six afternoon singles were shared 3-3.
James Byrne (Banchory) and Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) lost by 4 and 3 in the top foursomes tie to Edouard Dubois and Julien Brun.
Then Sam McLaren (King James VI) and Inchmarlo’s Tom Spencer went down by 3 and 2 to Francois Le Goff and Nocolas Peyri Chou.
And the final morning tie went the same way, the Ayrshire pairing of Kyle Smith (Barassie) and Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) losing by 4 and 2 to Jean-Pier Verselin.
The Scots clawed back two of the points by winning the first two of the afternoon singles. Byrne beat Dubois by 2 and 1 followed by Stewart scoring a 2 and 1 win over Julien Brun.
France turned the tide with a last-green win by Chou over Gray.
Smith scored Scotland’s third point in the singles with a good 4 and 3 win over Verselin but the French’s tail wagged to maintain their overall supremacy.
McLaren lost by two holes to Le Goff and Spencer was beaten 4 and 2 by Wattel.
Scotland team manager and captain Barrie Douglas has kept faith with his point-less foursomes pairings, making no changes, either in the partnerships of the order of play, for Friday morning’s ties against Sweden.
Day 1 results:
SCOTLAND 3, FRANCE 6
Foursomes: J Byrne & C Gray lost to E Dubois & J Brun 4 and 3; S McLaren & T Spencer lost to F Le Goff & N P Chou 3 and 2; K Smith & M Stewart lost to R Wattel & J-P Verselin 4 and 2 (0-3).
Singles: Byrne bt Dubois 2 and 1, Stewart bt Brun 2 and 1, Gray lost to Chou 12 hole, Smith bt Verselin 4 and 3, McLaren lost to Le Goff 2 holes, Spencer lost to Wattel 4 and 2 (3-3).
ITALY 3, SWEDEN 6
Foursomes: G Heinrich & V Dall’Arche lost to D Jennevret & J Nordstrom 2 holes; M Manassero & C Terragni bt F Fihn & R Askstrand 4 and 3; A Chiappuzzo & N Quaintarelli lost to P Widegren & N Floren 3 and 2 (1-2).
Singles: Manassero bt Jenne vret 1 hole, Heinrich lost to Nordstrom 4 and 3, Terragni lost to Fihn 3 and 2, Quintarelli bt Askstrand 3 and 2, Chiappuzzo lost to Widegren 2 and 1, Dall’Arche lost to Floren 7 and 5 (2-4).

US College Golf
IRISH AND ENGLISH STUDENTS HELP SE LOUISIANA WIN TEAM TITLE
Students from Ireland and England helped their university, Southeast Louisiana, win the team event in the Louisiana Classic at Oakbourne Country Club, Lafayette earlier this week.
Aaron O'Callaghan finished joint fourth and his team-mate Peter O'Keeffe, also from Cork came joint 25th.
O'Callaghan, a sophomore student, had rounds of 70, 67 and 73 for a six-under-par total of 210 over the par-72, 7,141yd course. O'Keeffe, a junior student, scored 68, 75 and 76 for a total of 219.
Two more Southeast Louisiana students, James Taverner from London, and Graham Benson from Leighton Buzzard finished joint 55th and joint 61st respectively on 226 and 228 respectively.
Taverner had rounds of 76, 73 and 77, Benson 76 75 and 77.
Gary Woodland (Kansas) won the individual honours with fine scores of 70, 65 and 70 for 11-under-par 205 - three fewer than Patrick Nagle (Illinois).
In the team event, contested by 15 colleges, Southeast Louisiana totalled 851. Runners-up Lamar University scored 857 and Baylor from Texas 859.

ENTRIES CLOSE TODAY FOR SCOTTISH BOYS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
Entries for the Scottish boys’ championship at Dunbar from April 9 to 14 close today.
The capacity field for the match-play event is 256. According to the list on the Scottish Golf Union website last night, there were 293 entries at that point – which means there will be some 40+ boys with the highest handicaps balloted out.
Banchory’s James Byrne, currently playing for Scotland in the quadrangular contest in Rome, has the lowest handicap (+2.3) of the entries received so far.
James reached the semi-finals at West Kilbride last year before being eliminated by Michael Main (Thornton) who, in turn, lost to fellow Fifer James White in the 36-hole finial.
Michael is still young enough to enter again for this year’s championship.

SGU Press Release
ITALIAN JOB FOR SCOTTISH BOYS AS TEAM EMBARK FOR QUADS
A six strong team booked their berth for Italy ahead of the Boys Quadrangular which gets underway this week at the Golf Club Parco di Roma. With just two members from the successful team who clinched the title at last year’s event hosted at St Cyprien in France, the tartan twosome James Byrne and Cameron Gray will lead four new standard bearers for Scotland at this event.
Inchmarlo’s Tom Spencer, Kyle Smith (Barassie) and U16 Stroke Play Champion Sam McLaren (King James VI) will savour their first taste of international competition, along with Troon Wellbeck’s Michael Stewart who was last year’s non-travelling reserve.
Commenting on the team, SGU National Junior Coach Spencer Henderson said, “Following the very successful season last year, and entering this event as defending champions the boys do have a tough act to follow, however I am confident that the team we have put together will thrive on this challenge.
“This is their first event of the year and it will really help us to gauge how well the winter preparations have gone. They have worked very hard to prepare for the season ahead and the training camp in Portugal provided valuable Match Play experience which gave them a real competitive appetite.”
Throughout the winter months, the Boys squad has benefited from strength & conditioning sessions provided by Area Institutes of Sport at venues across the country and sports psychology sessions delivered by Sports Psychologist Dr. Richard Cox, to optimise their preparations ahead of the competitive cycle.
The Quadrangular, which traditionally marks the kick start to the boys amateur golf season commences this Thursday (8-10 March) against Sweden, France and this year’s hosts Italy, who will be hoping home soil advantage will pay dividends. Scotland has defeated Sweden when they have met in their last three competitive bouts - at the last two Quadrangular’s and at the European Boys.
Commenting on the opposition, Henderson added, “Sweden finished as runners up in 2006 so they will be out this year to make amends for that and France is usually represented by a strong side too, who beat us the last time we competed in Rome in 2005. This will be a learning curve for our young players and it will put them in good stead for the World Boys and European Boys championships, along with other national and international events they will compete in.”
The team travelled to Italy on Monday and during the first practice rounds on Tuesday (6 March) Banchory’s James Byrne sunk his first hole in one at the par 3 second hole with a 7 iron.

Wednesday 7th March 2007

US College Golf
ROSEANNE CHALKS UP FIRST TOP-20 FINISH ON US COLLEGE CIRCUIT
Scottish Under-18 girls golf champion Roseanne Niven from Perth achieved her first top-20 finish on the American women’s college circuit at the Spartan Invitational tournament at Almaden Country Club, San Jose in California this week.
In only her third event since enrolling at the University of California Berkeley earlier this year, 18-year-old Roseanne, a member of Crieff Golf Club, finished joint 19th in a field of 74 players with rounds of 77, 74 and 75 for an aggregate of 226 over the 6,121yd, par-72 course.
Selanee Henderson (UC Irvine) won the individual honours with scores of 69, 71 and 70 for six-under-par 210.
Roseanne’s much improved effort enabled California to share second place with Colorado on 892 behind team title winners San Jose State (877) in a field of 14 colleges.

US College Golf
KNOX AND STEWART PIPPED BY JACKSONVILLE TEAM-MATE
Russell Knox, pictured left, from Inverness and Duncan Stewart. pictured right, of Grantown on Spey, both senior students at Jacksonville University, Florida finished second and third behind junior team-mate Matt Kleinrock in the Braveheart Classic men’s college tournament at Oak Valley Golf Club, Beaumont in California.
Knox shot 77, 75 and 71 for a total of 223 – three behind first-time winner Kleinrock (78-73-69)– with Stewart scoring 77, 72 and 75 for 224.
A third Jacksonville student, Jamie Kennedy from Edinburgh, finished joint 21st on 232 with scores of 81, 75 and 76 in a field of 95 players.
Jacksonville overtook the favourites, UCLA, over the final round to win the team event by nine shots with a total of 896 in a field of 17 colleges.

US College Golf
CHRIS BARON TIES 57th IN PANTHER INVITE
Chris Baron from Oldmeldrum, a freshman student at Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, finished tied for 57th place in a field of 93 with scores of 78, 82 and 80 for an aggregate of 240 in the Panther Invite college tournament at Duran Golf Club, Viera in Florida.
David D’Agostino (Florida Tech) won the event over a tough par-72, 7,127yd course, with scores of 73, 72 and 72 for one-over 217.
Belmont Abbey (924) finished eighth in the team event behind winners Florida Gulf Coast (892).

US College Golf
KATE MAKES TOP 20 AT SPARTANBURG
Paisley’s Kate O’Sullivan (High Point University, North Carolina) finished joint 17th in a field of 37 for the Wofford Intercollegiate women’s tournament at Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Kate had scores of 81 and 83 for a total of 164 over the 5,847yd, par-72 course.
Team-mate AnnMarie Dalton from Belfast finished fourth with 75 and 78 for 153 – eight shots behind the winner, Erin Wells (Wofford) with 74 and 71 for 145.
High Point (640) finished fourth of seven behind team title winners Wofford (616).

US College Golf
SOMMERVILLE JOINT 8TH IN NORTH CAROLINA
Two Clayton State University, Atlanta students, Daniel Sommerville from St Andrews and Glasgow's Neil McBridge finished joint eighth and joint 41st respectively in the Richard Rendelman Invitational at Country Club of Salisbury, North Carolina.
Freshman Sommerville had scores of 75 and 71 for a total of 146 over the par 71 course.
McBride scored 77 and 76 for 153.
USC-Aiken provided both the individual winner, Jeff Goff, and the team winners.
Goff scored 70 and 66 for six-under-par 136. USC-Alken won the team title with a total of 580. Clayton State (598) finished sixth.

US College Golf
DAWN MARIE 41st AT PINEHURST
Dawn Marie Conaty (Memphis) from Dublin finished tied for 41st place in a field of 90 for the Pinehurst Challenge women's college tournament over the Pinehurst No 8 course in North Carolina.
Dawn Marie had scores of 80 and 81 for 161 over a par-72 course measuring 5,978 yards.
Two Scandinavians tied for individual victory - Lene Krog (East Carolina) from Norway and Sweden's Sara Wikstrom (Arkansas-Little Rock), on 149 with scores of 75 and 74 each.
There was also a dead-heat in the team event with East Carolina and North Carolina State both totalling 613 - six shots ahead of the College of Charleston. Memphis (644) finished 12th of 17.

BULLSEYE FOR BYRNE IN ROME PRACTICE
James Byrne from Banchory achieved his first ever hole in one with a seven-iron at the par-3 second hole at Parco di Roma Golf Club today in his first practice round for Scotland's quadrangular boys' international against Italy, Sweden and France, beginning on Thursday.

US College golf
JODI FINISHES 15th BUT GEMMA FADES TO 27th IN FLORIDA
Yorkshire girl Jodi Ewart (New Mexico University) finished joint 15th and Glasgow's Gemma Webster (Ohio State University) came joint 27th in a field of 73 players for the UCF Challenge women's college tournament at Grand Cypress Golf Club, Orlando in Florida.
Jodi scored 76, 75 and 74 for a total of 225. Her final round was made up of 15 pars, a birdie at the second, a double bogey (her third of the tournament) at the third and a single bogey at the sixth.
Gemma scored 76, 74 and 78 for 228. She had three birdies in her final round at the eighth, 14th and 18th but had a double-bogey 6 at the 15th and dropped single shots at seven other holes.
US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) outclassed the field with an 11-under-par 205 performance, made up of three sub-par rounds round the 6,223yd, par 72 course, of 70, 65 and 70. Amanda won by a staggering 12 shots while her university won the team event by a yawning 26 shots from Georgia.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
205 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 70 65 70.
217 Jacqui Concolino (Vanderbilt) 72 75 70.
218 Alina Lee (Georgia) 73 72 73.
Other totals:
225 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 76 75 74 (jt 15th).
228 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 76 74 78 (jt 27th).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
860 Duke. 886 Georgia. 898 Pepperdine, Vanderbilt, 907 Florida. Also: 922 New Mexico (8th). 937 Ohio State (11th).

GERMANY'S NICOLA IS NEW LEADER OF EGA'S WOMEN'S AMATEUR RANKINGS
Nicola Roessler (Germany), beaten in the final of the Spanish women's open amateur championship on Sunday, is the new leader of the European Golf Association's women's amateur rankings for 207.
She has 130pt to her credit and leads by 30pt from the player who beat her in Sunday's final at Sherry Golf, compatriot Katharina Schallenberg.
Portuguese women's open amateur title-winner Holly Aitchison from England drops down from first to a share of seventh place.
The new top 20 placings are:
1 Nicola Roessler (Ger) 130.
2 Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 100.
3 Azahara Munoz (Spa) 91.
4 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 77.
5 Carolina Masson (Ger) 74.39.
6 Nina Holleder (Ger) 62.50.
7 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Net) 60.
7 Holly Aitchison (Eng) 60.
9 Sandra Gal (Ger) 51.
9 Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 51.
11 Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 47.50.
11 Emilie Alonso (Fra) 47.50.
11 Anna Dahlberg (Swe) 47.50.
11 Stephanie Doering (Ger) 47.50.
15 Ines Lescudier (Fra) 42.50.
15 Ana Santos Melo (Por) 42.50
17 Mireia Prat (Spa) 37.38.
17 Ana Urchegui (Spa) 37.38.
19 Adriana Zwanck (Spa) 35.00.
20 Belen Mozo (Spa) 29.83.
+Points totals are based on performances in the Portuguese and Spanish open amateur championships in recent weeks plus a restricted amount of US college tournaments.

US College Golf
NINE US COLLEGE WINS FOR RHYS DAVIES
Edinburgh-born Rhys Davies, the Walker Cup player from Bridgend, Wales, won his ninth tournament on the United States college golf circuit at Tallahassee, Florida today (Tuesday).
Davies, a final-year student at East Tennessee State University, shot rounds of 73, 68 and 69 for a six-under-par total of 210 to win the Seminole Intercollegiate title by two shots at Golden Eagle Country Club.
Rhys, ranked No 7 on the American college circuit before this victory, birdied the third, seventh, eighth, 15th and 17th in his final halves of 33-36 to clinch victory. He had 15 birdies over the three rounds to compensate for two double bogeys at short holes in his first round.
Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) from Lisburn score 77, 75 and 70 to finish joint 23rd on 222 – a shot ahead of young team-mate Seamus Power from Waterford. Freshman Seamus had rounds of 70, 80 and 73 for joint 29th place.
Banchory’s Scott Larkin (College of Charleston) had scores of 73, 75 and 77 to finish joint 41st on 225.
Callum Macaulay (Mississippi) from Tulliallan dropped from 18th to a share of 46th place in the final standings after a disastrous final round of eight-over-par 80 (38-42).
Callum had a triple bogey 6 at the short 12th and a double-bogey 5 at the short 17th in his final round in which he birdied the second, 10th and 15th.
Ciaran McAleavey (Toledo) from Banbridge, Ireland finished on the same mark as Macaulay with rounds of 72, 76 and 78. McAleavey had a 9 at the par-5 15th in his last circuit.
Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) from Limerick finished equal 58th with scores of 82, 69 and 77.
Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh helped East Tennessee State to finish fourth equal in the team event by returning a one-over-par 73 over the 7,041yd course. Findlay, disqualified as an individual for a scorecard error in the first round, was able to continue playing as a team member.
Auburn (865) won the team title by five shots from North Carolina in a field of 15 colleges.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
210 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 73 69 69.
212 Zach Sucher (UAB) 69 74 69.
213 Patton Kizzire (Auburn) 72 70 71, Glenn Northcutt (Auburn) 73 74 66, Chris Rogers (Mississippi) 70 73 70.
Other final totals:
222 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 77 75 70 (jt 23rd).
223 Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 70 80 73 (jt 29th).
225 Scott Larkin (College of Charleston) 73 75 77 (jt 41st).
226 Callum Macaulay (Mississippi) 74 72 80, Ciaran McAleavey (Toledo) 72 76 78 (jt 46th).
228 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 86 69 77.
Team score only: Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) Disq 79 73.
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
865 Auburn. 870 North Carolina. 875 Florida State. 878 East Tennessee State, University of Alabama Birmingham. 880 Virgina. 885 Mississipi (7th). Other total: 896 College of Charleston (13th of 15).

US College Golf
SCOTS IN NORTH CAROLINA TOURNAMENT
Daniel Somerville from St Andrews and Glasgow's Neil McBride, both students at Clayton State University, Atlanta, were lying 21st and 40th at the end of the first round of the Richard Rendelman Invitational college golf tournament at Country Club of Salisbury, North Carolina.
Somerville had a 75 - six shots behind the joint leaders - and McBride a 77.
Clayton State (302) were sharing eighth place behind USC-Aiken (291) in the team event.

Tuesday 6th March 2007

US College Golf
ROSEANNE SETTLES TO PRODUCE HER BEST AMERICAN COLLEGE SCORES
Scottish girls golf champion Roseanne Niven found her feet on the American women's college golf circuit in her third tournament since she enrolled at the University of California Berkeley earlier this year.
The Crieff girl, only just turned 18, produced her two lowest scores so far - a 77 and a 74 - over a 6,121,yd, par-72 course to be in 19th position on 151 with one round to go in the Spartan Invitational tournament at Almaden Country Club, San Jose in California.
Jenelle Gomez (San Jose State University) has a three-shot lead with scores of 70 and 68 for 138.
California (595) are lying third in the team event behind San Jose State (581) and Colorado (592) in a field of 14 teams.

US College Golf
CONSISTENT WILLETT TIES FOR FIFTH PLACE AT LAKE JOVITA
Daniel Willett, pictured right, from Sheffield, a sophomore student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, followed up his third place in the All-American Classic by finishing joint fifth in a field of 90 for the Ron Smith/USF Invitational at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club, Dade City in Florida.
The consistent Willett – it was his fourth top-five finish in six 2006-2007 competitions – had rounds of 74, 73 and 69 for level par 216.
Winner was Mike Van Sickle (Marquette University) with a three-under-par total of 213.
Middle Tennessee State (869) won the team event from Jacksonville State (881) and Columbus State (883) in a field of 17 colleges.

Press Release
£200M OPEN DRIVES HOME OF GOLF PROMOTION
The R&A and three public sector agencies are to continue using The Open Championship to promote Scotland as the worldwide home of golf, Patricia Ferguson announced today.
EventScotland, VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise have agreed to extend the partnership with the R&A till 2010.
The R&A is predicting a £200 million boost for the Scottish economy from The Open Championship, which will be staged in Scotland three times between 2007 and 2010.
The Open Championship will be played at Carnoustie in 2007, Turnberry in 2009 and returns to St Andrews in 2010.
Speaking at the inaugural National Events Conference at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport said:
“In July, The Open will once again return to Scotland, a country where golf tourism is lucrative to our economy.
“I am delighted that Open Championship organiser The R&A, has agreed until 2010 to extend its partnership agreement with EventScotland, Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland.
“It enables The Open to be harnessed as a means to promote Scotland as the home of golf and a world-class tourist destination.”
Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A commented:
“Scotland plays host to The Open three times in the next four years and we know from a detailed economic impact study that the event will bring £100m of new money to the Scottish economy over that period and deliver a promotional legacy benefit to Scotland’s tourism industry of £100m more. The R&A is pleased to support Scotland in building its worldwide reputation as the home of golf.”
David Williams, CEO of EventScotland; “The R&A’s decision to continue its partnership with EventScotland, Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland, is terrific news for golf tourism in this country and an example of how such a high profile event can provide leverage to effectively showcase the best of Scotland to the world.”
Williams added: “The events industry is a major success story in this country. Since 2003, EventScotland has helped stage 162 international events, subsequently generating over £315m for the national economy. The whole of Scotland is now engaged in the events industry with EventScotland directly supporting events in 26 out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
“Today’s announcement by the Minister and our hosting of this conference is further evidence of our commitment to engage a host of partners across the sports and cultural spectrum about the economic and social value of events and realise a vision of establishing Scotland as one of the world’s premier events destinations by 2015.”
[Photo copyright © Steve Lindridge ideal images (Scotland)]

US College Golf
GEMMA AND JODI IN TOP 20 WITH A ROUND TO GO AT GRAND CYPRESS
United States Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University) showed her class with a second-round of 65, seven under par for the 6,223yd Grand Cypress course to forge 10 shots clear of the field on nine-under-par 135 with one round to go in the UCF Challenge women’s college tournament at Orlando, Florida.
Scotland cap Gemma Webster (Ohio State) is joint 15th place with scores of 76 and 74 for 150. Gemma started her second round at the 12th and bogeyed the 13th and 15th before she hit form with birdies at the 16th and 17th, only to fall back again with bogeys at the 18th, third and fourth.
But the Hilton Park Golf Club member finished on a high with a birdie at the 10th.
Jodi Ewart from Catterick, a student at New Mexico University, has scored 76 and 75 for a share of 17th place on 151.
Jodi began at the fifth and she double-bogeyed the long seventh and dropped a third shot at the ninth. Then she had back to back birdies at the 10th and 11th before she dropped another shot at the 12th and then double-bogeyed the 13th.
Miss Ewart’s roller-coaster ride continued with a birdie at the 14th but she parred the remainder of the holes.
With three players in the top six, Duke are galloping away with the team title. They lead by 21 strokes from Pepperdine.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Par 144 (2 x 72)
135 Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 70 65.
145 Misun Cho (Pepperdine) 72 73, Alina Lee (Georgia 73 72, Jennie Lee (Duke) 73 72, Nicole Montgomery (Pepperdine) 74 71, Alison Whitaker (Duke) 71 74.
Other scores:
150 Gemma Webster (Ohio State) 76 74 (jt 15th).
151 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 76 75 (jt 17th).
LEADING TEAM SCORES
573 Duke. 594 Pepperdine. 595 Georgia. 600 Vanderbilt. 612 Louisiana State. 614 Florida. 617 New Mexico, Purdue.
Also:
626 Ohio State (11th of 13).

Monday 5th March 2007

Attention West of Scotland Ladies!
Renfrewshire webmaster Carol Fell has set up a "weblog" better known as a "blog" at www.westscotlandladiesgolf.com for golf news from golf clubs around the West of Scotland.
Carol says "The idea of the site is that any news from golf clubs could go onto this web area. e.g. someone in your club may have had a hole in one or has just become a granny ! etc.
"Also this is an area to advertise your own Golf Club Open Day and have a downloadable entry form placed on it".
You will see that Carol has two Open Days on so far.
If you are sending in your club's Glasgow Herald Golf Club Return by email, cc it to Carol at the same time at webmaster@rlcga.com and she will make sure that your club's results goes up on the weblog.
There is also a direct email link on the site which will enable you to post your news onto it.
If you would like to become a "blogger" then contact Carol and she will help you through the set up so you can add your own news with photographs and the post will be in your name.
There are also links to it from the Renfrewshire site and I've added a link in the left menu (under Greenlees) so No Excuses... Well done Carol!

US College Golf
GEMMA IN TOP 20 AT ORLANDO
Scotland international Gemma Webster from Glasgow, a former Dundee University dentistry student now in her second year at Ohio State University, returned a four-over-par 76 in the first round of the two-day UCF Challenge women’s college golf tournament at Grand Cypress Golf Club, Orlando in Florida today (MONDAY).
Gemma was lying joint 17th in the field of 73 players, led by US Curtis Cup player Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) with a 70.
Miss Webster had birdie 2s at the short fourth and 12 but also double bogeys at the 10th and 15th in halves of 36 and 40.

US College Golf
JORDAN FINDLAY DISQUALIFIED OVER SCORECARD SLIP
Former British boys champion Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh, a second-year student at East Tennessee State University, disqualified himself as an individual from the remaining two rounds of the Seminole Invitational men's college tournament at Golden Eagle Country Club in Tallahassee, Florida.
Findlay signed a scorecard for a first-round score of 83 which was posted on the official scoreboard and appeared on the GolfStat website service.
Jordan realised later that he had signed for a wrong score, obviously a lower one than he actually had, and went back to the officials to bring his mistake to their attention, knowing that it would mean instant disqualification.
He can continue playing in the tournament but his scores, hopefully, will only count for the East Tennessee State University team total (best four from five count daily). His second and third-round scores cannot count for himself as a disqualified individual.

SCOTTISH GOLF SECURES BIG CATCH AS SALMON APPOINTED AS NEW DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
The Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association (SLGA) are pleased to announce today the appointment of Andy Salmon as the new Scottish Golf Development Manager. The post will fulfil a key role in the ongoing drive towards ‘One Plan for Golf’ with partners working more closely together, and Salmon will be responsible for aiding the delivery of the strategy.
The new position was formulated in a joint SGU and SLGA initiative and is part funded by sportscotland. Andy, the former Chief Executive of the Ladies Golf Union (LGU), will be responsible for the strategic development of Scottish Golf, helping to deliver one of its key goals, that of ‘growing the game.’
Salmon’s exciting and diverse developmental remit will encompass the recruitment and retention of membership and volunteers at all levels, golf tourism and club development. He will also lead the strategic direction of the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf, and facilitate its integration with other golf developments.
Andy has a longstanding knowledge of golf, having worked in various roles at the Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Marriott Hotels Golf Management and latterly as Golf and Leisure Manager for De Vere Hotels and Resorts, in addition to his time at the LGU.
Commenting on his appointment, Andy said, “I am absolutely delighted to be taking on this new role and to have this opportunity to be closely involved in a sport which is one of my lifelong passions. My background in the sport has given me a thorough understanding of governance and my experience in golf club management means I have an empathy with golf clubs, which will bode well when engaging with clubs and expanding the involvement and interaction with members and non-members alike across the country.
He added, “Last season produced a stream of notable successes for Scottish amateur golf, raising awareness of the game and reinforcing its importance to Scotland as the home of golf. I am very keen to play a part in building upon that momentum and developing opportunities, which will hopefully lead to more Scots enjoying and participating in the game in the future.”
SGU Chief Executive, Hamish Grey said, “We are delighted to have a person of Andy’s calibre combined with his strong background and knowledge of golf joining the Scottish Golf team.
Grey added, “His experience working for the PGA, LGU and in golf hotel management provides an extremely valuable combination of strong project and people management skills along with a good understanding of golf and golf tourism which augurs well for him expanding and implementing our strategy, and achieving targets we have set through to 2009 and beyond.”
A sport administration and science graduate, Salmon, who hails from Anglesey, North Wales, has experience of competing at national level, representing his country on numerous occasions and was Welsh schoolboys champion in 1987.
Andy currently resides in Kinross and is married with two children.
He will be in post from today (Monday 5 March).

YOUNG SCOTS GOLFERS IN ROME TO DEFEND QUADRANGULAR TITLE
Scotland's squad of six flew to Rome today (Monday) to defend the Under-18 boys' golf international quadrangular title against Italy, France and Sweden. The Scots won the title in France last year for the first time since 1995.
Banchory's James Byrne and Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) are the only two survivors from the winning Scotland line-up. The remainder are now over the age limit.
The rest of the team are: Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), Sam McLaren (King James VI, Perth), Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo) and Kyle Smith (Kilmarnock Barassie).
The three-day match tees off on Thursday at Golf Club Parco di Roma.
Scotland’s foursomes pairings in Rome will be Spencer and McLaren, Smith and Stewart, and Byrne and Gray.
Barrie Douglas is the team captain and manager. Scottish Golf Union junior national coach Spencer Henderson also travelled with the squad.
France will probably be Scotland's toughest opponents. A couple of weeks ago, France beat Spain convincingly in a 12-a-side Under-18 match. All six French boys in Rome played in that match.
In the 2006 quadrangular, Scotland beat Italy 6-3, France 5 1/2-3 1/2 and Sweden 6-3.

US College Golf
VICKI POWER MAKES TOP 20 AT RED ROCKS INVITATIONAL
Ireland's Vicki Power finished joint 18th in the Red Rocks Invitational women's college tournament at Oak Creek Country Club, Sedona in Arizona.
Vicki, a student at Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff, had scores of 78 and 76, her second round including a double-bogey 5 at the short seventh in halves of 39 and 37, for a 36-hole final total of 154.
Liliana Alvarez (Northwestern Universtiy) and Diana Hong (Washington State University) tied at the top of the leaderboard on 147.
Northwestern won the team event by the narrow margin of one stroke from Washington State with Northern Arizona sixth of the 16 competing colleges.
LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
147 Liliana Alvarez (Northwestern) 73 74, Diana Hong (Washington State) 75 72.
148 Justine Hix (Portland State) 75 73, Alice Kim (Northwestern) 72 76, Mary Kate Morgan (Gonzaga) 74 74.
Other total:
154 Vicki Power (Northern Arizona) 78 76 (jt 18th).
LEADING TEAM TOTALS
601 Northwestern.
602 Washington State.
609 Michigan.
Other total:
628 Northern Arizona (6th).

Sunday 4th March 2007

FINDLAY STRUGGLES BUT MACAULAY HAS FIGHTING FINISH AT TALLAHASSEE
Fraserburgh teenager Jordan Findlay is not yet 100 % fit after his bout of pneumonia earlier in the year. It showed again in today’s first round of the Seminole Intercollegiate tournament at Goldean Eagle Country Club, Tallahassee in Florida.
Jordan, a second-year student at East Tennessee State, struggled round in 11-over-par 83 over a longish (7,041yd) course. Starting at the 10th, the former British boys champion had a double bogey 5 at the short 12th, a triple bogey 8 at the long 15th and a double-bogey 6 at the 16th in a total of nine-over-par 45 shots for his first nine.
Jordan still did not get a birdie over holes one to nine but at least he reduced his flow of bogeys to two, at the third and eighth.
Fellow Scot Callum Macaulay, pictured right, from Tulliallan, in his senior year at Mississippi University, from Tulliallan had a 74 with a double bogey at the long fourth but a fighting finish of birdies at the 14th, 15th and 18th for 34 home.
It was a strange tournament for the high-flying East Tennessee State. As well as Jordan Findlay, they had Irishman Cian McNamara from Limerick scoring in the 80s – 82 to be precise with a double bogey at the 13th and a triple bogey at the 15th in halves of 40 and 42.
Team-mate Gareth Shaw did not fare all that much better with a 77, which included a double bogey 7 at the fourth and a triple bogey 8 at the 18th.
But, at the other end of the first-round leaderboard, East Tennessee State freshman student Seamus Power from Cork was right up there with a two-under-par 70. Starting at the 10th, young Power birdied the 15th and 16th and bogeyed the 17th in 35 for his first nine. Then he birdied the third, bogeyed the eighth and birdied the ninth for another half of 35 – so simple, it makes you wonder why his team-mates found it so difficult.
Yet another East Tennessee State player, Walker Cup Welshman Rhys Davies had a 73 with double bogeys at two short holes, the third and the 17th but he also had five birdies – at the first, third, 10th, 12th and 15th in halves of 37 and 36.
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
69 Brad Revell (North Carolina State).
70 Seamus Power (East Tennessee State), Chris Rogers (Mississippi State).
Other scores:
73 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State).
74 Callum Macaulay (Mississippi).
77 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State).
82 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State).
83 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State).

VICKI POWER JUST OUTSIDE TO 20 IN RED ROCKS INVITATIONAL
Irish-born Vicki Power was in joint 22nd place in a field of 92 at the end of the first round of the weather-disrupted Red Rocks Invitational women's college tournament at Oak Creek Country Club in Sedona, Arizona.
Vicki, a student at Northern Arizona University, had a six-over-par socre of 78 over the 6,114yd course.
Alice Kim (Northwestern) set the pace with a 72.
FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
72 Alice Kim (Northwestern).
73 Liliana Alvarez (Northwestern), Ali Stinson (Michigan).
74 Sarah Fogerty (Wyoming), Mary Kate Morgan (Gonzaga).
Other score:
78 Vicki Power (Northern Arizona).
LEADING TEAMS
299 Northwestern.
308 Michigan.
Also:
317 Northern Arizona (jt 6th).

SALTMAN’S CONQUEROR GOES ON TO WIN SPANISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Harrogate teenager John Parry, pictured left, conqueror of Craigielaw’s Elliot Saltman by 2 and 1 in the semi-finals, went on to win the Spanish men’s open amateur golf championship at Desert Springs Golf Resort, Almeria today (Sunday).
Parry, the leading qualifier, gave a brilliant performance to win the 36-hole final by 10 and 9 against Baptiste Chapellan (France), the No 15 qualifier.
John was five up after 18 holes with level-par play but then moved up a gear to win the 19th with a par and then the 20th, 21st, 25th and 26th holes with birdies. He was four under par for the afternoon’s nine holes.
Parry was following in the footsteps of another England youngster, Sam Hutsby, who beat Edoardo Molinari (Italy), at that time the United States amateur champion, by 7 and 6 in the final.
Collated results
SPANISH MEN’S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Desert Springs Golf Resort, Almeria.
Semi-finals – J Parry (Eng) bt E Saltman (Sco) 2 and 1, B Chapellan (Fra) bt P Figueiredo (Por) 2 and 1.
Final (36 holes) – Parry bt Chapellan 10 and 9.

All four semi-finalists were Germany-born in the Spanish women's amateur international championship at Sherry Golf Jerez, ending with Katharina Schallenberg beat Nicola Roessler in the final. Their compatriot semi-finalists were Caroline Masson (who beat the title-holder and favourite Carlota Ciganda, Spain in the quarter-finals) and Nina Holleder.

KATHARINA SCHALLENBERG WINS ALL-GERMAN SPANISH FINAL
The Continent of Europe team of nine to play Great Britain & Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy women’s amateur interntional golf match at Fairmont St Andrews Bay on July 27-28 looks like being dominated by players from Germany.
The top German female amateur, Katharina Schallenberg, 26, beat compatriot Nicola Roessler by 3 and 2 in the 18-hole final of the Spanish women’s open amateur championship for the Queen’s Cup at Sherry Golf, Jerez today (Sunday).
All four semi-finalists were from Germany, having made up five of the eight quarter-finalists.
Caroline Masson, the No 7 seed, beat the title-holder and No 2 seed, Carlota Ciganda (Spain) by 4 and 3 in the quarter-finals before losing by 5 and 3 to Katharina Schallenberg, the No 19 qualifier, in the semi-finals.
Miss Roessler, the No 8 seed, beat Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) by 4 and 3 in the first round of the match-play.
Miss Schallenberg looks set for another great season.
She has won the Germany women’s amateur title in 2005 and 2006. Last year she won the Sherry Cup 72-hole tournament after a play-off against Sophie Walker (England) at Sotogrande. After failing by one shot to catch Krystle Caithness in the 54-hole St Rule Trophy at St Andrews, Miss Schallenberg reached the 36-hole final of the United States women’s amateur championship before losing by one hole.
SPANISH WOMEN’S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Sherry Golf, Jerez
Semi-finals – N Roessler (Ger) bt N Holleder (Ger) 3 and 2, K Schallenberg (Ger) bt C Masson (Ger) 5 and 3.
Final (18 holes) – Schallenberg bt Roessler 3 and 2.

Saturday 3rd March 2007

ROESSLER v SCHALLENBERG IN ALL-GERMAN SPANISH FINAL
An all-German 36-hole final in the Spanish women’s open amateur championship at Sherry Golf, Jerez was assured when the semi-finals were contested by four players from Germany.
The finalists are the No 8 seed, Nicola Roessler who beat Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) by 4 and 3 in the first round of the match-play, and Katharina Schallenberg, pictured right, the No 19 seed who has played for the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match and reached the final of the United States women’s amateur championship last year.
The big shock of Saturday’s play was the defeat of the No 2 seed and winner of the title for the past two years, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda. She chose the wrong moment to have a rare off day and was roughly seven over par in going down by 4 and 3 in the quarter-finals to Caroline Masson.
That victory must have sapped Caroline’s strength because she was quickly overpowered by her compatriot, Katharina Schallenberg, 5 and 3 in the second semi-final.
In the first semi-final, Nicola Roessler won by 3 and 2 over another German, Nina Holleder.
Results:
Quarter-finals – N Rosssler (Ger) bt A Dahlberg – Soderstrom (Swe) 3 and 2, N Holleder (Ger0 bt S Doering (Ger) at 19th, K Schallenberg (Ger) bt E Alonso (Fra) 4 and 3, C Masson (Ger) bt C Ciganda (Spa) 4 and 3.
Semi-finals – Roessler bt Holleder 3 and 2, Schallenberg bt Masson 5 and 3.

SALTMAN BEATEN IN SPANISH SEMIs
Craigielaw's uncapped Elliot Saltman was beaten in the semi-finals of the Spanish men's open amateur golf championship at Desert Springs Golf Resort today (Saturday).
Saltman, the only Scot to figure among the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages in 13th place, lost by 2 and 1 to the leading qualifier, John Parry from Harrogate.
In the morning quarter-finals, Elliot, the oldest of three talented golfing brothers - Walker Cup man Lloyd and world hickory champion Zack - beat the No 5 seed, England's Paul Waring, by 5 and 4 to reach the last four.
Perhaps Elliot, who has a +3 handicap and finished sixth in the Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit last year, has done enough to be considered for a Scotland cap this season. Elliot, who will be 25 on March 24, says his ambition is to be a successful tour pro.
In Sunday's 36-hole final, Parry will play the 15th qyualifier, Baptiste Chapellan from France. He will be bidding to following in the footsteps of another young Englishman, Sam Hutsby, who won the title last year by beating the then US men's amateur champion, Edoardo Molinari (Italy) by a big margin in the final.
Results:
Quarter-finals - J Parry (Eng) v M Veijalainen (Fin) 4 and 3, E Saltman (Sco) bt P Waring (Eng) 5 and 4, P Figueiredo (Por) bt G Boyd (Eng) 4 and 3, B Chapellan (Fra) bt B Evans (Eng) 1 hole.
Semi-fnals - Parry bt Saltman 2 and 1, Chapellan bt Figueiredo 2 and 1.

James Byrne, Bill McAllister and Kelsey Macdonald after the NPFA award ceremony

JAMES AND KELSEY RECEIVE NPFA AWARDS IN EDINBURGH
James Byrne (Banchory) and Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) were both presented with medals at the National Playing Fields Association Awards Night at the City Chambers in Edinburgh.
Lady Provost Lesley Hinds and Bill McAllister from Inverness, vice-chairman of the NPFA Scotland, made the presentations to some 22 Scottish athletes for meritorious performances during 2006.
Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), winner of the United States amateur championship last year, was not able to be present to accept the main NPFA Award, a silver salver.
Stuart Turner of the Scottish Golf Union accepted the award on Richie’s behalf. Previous winners of the salver include former Open and Masters champion Sandy Lyle and racing driver Jackie Stewart.

FINNISH GIRL SCORES FIRST AS PROFESSIONAL IN SOUTH AFRICAN WPGA MASTERS
Finland’s Kaisa Ruuttila claimed a victory in only her second tournament as a professional and while on a short holiday away from her studies when she won the South African WPGA Masters at Waterkloof Golf Club, Pretoria today.
Ruuttila, 23, produced a final round of 69 to win with a seven-under-par total of 209, finishing three strokes clear of runner-up Julie Tvede.
Ruuttila started the final round two behind overnight leader Tvede, but worked her way into a three-stroke lead with four holes to play.
Then a three-putt for bogey by the Finn on the short 15th and Tvede’s birdie there saw Kaisa suddenly fighting to protect a one-stroke lead.
She missed a three-footer for birdie on the 16th, but then finished strongly with back-to-back birdies to take the title.
SPORTS INSTRUCTOR STUDIES
"I am very happy to have won so early in my career,” said Ruuttila, who turned professional only last November. She attended the Ladies European Tour’s Qualifying School and finished 29th, just outside the top 28 who gain full playing privileges on the Tour.
But it will qualify her for a certain number of tournaments.
“I am going back to Finland now to resume my studies as a sports instructor, and then I’m hoping to join the Ladies European Tour in May when I should get quite a few starts,” said Ruuttila who collected 37,500 Rand for her maiden victory as a professional.
Eleanor Pilgrim from Wales earned 15,666 Rand for a share of third place.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
209 Kaisa Ruuttila 71 69 69.
212 Julie Tvede 71 67 74.
215 Ashleigh Simon (am) 71 73 71, Kelli Shean (am) 72 71 72, Hanna-Leena Salonen 72 72 71, Eleanor Pilgrim(Wa) 72 71 72, Lee-Anne Pace 72 70 73.
216 Johanna Westerberg 72 74 70, Marianne Skarpnord 71 75 70, Morgana Robbertze 71 71 74, Amanda Moltke-leth 73 70 73, Lisa Jean 75 72 69.
217 Sophie Walker (Eng) 72 71 74, Rebecca Hudson 71 70 76, Michelle De Vries 74 73 70, Nora Angehrn 72 74 71.
218 Florence Luscher 76 70 72, Stacy Bregman 70 74 74.
219 Laurette Maritz 75 73 71.
220 Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 75 74 71.
221 Emelie Svenningsson 74 76 71, Maria Ohlsson 71 74 76, Elin Ohlsson 75 73 73, Antonella Cvitan 77 75 69.
222 Natou Soro 72 75 75, Jo Clingan 74 74 74, Maria Boden 75 75 72, Anna Becker 73 76 73.
223 Frederique Seeholzer 80 72 71.
224 Lena Tornevall 70 79 75, Mercia Pretorius 75 74 75, Angie Green 76 76 72, Martina Gillen (Ire) 75 70 79.
225 Emma Zackrisson 75 78 72.
226 Suzette Venter 76 73 77, Frederique Dorbes 77 74 75.
227 Leandri Pieterse 75 79 73, Santie Koch 79 75 73, Madeleine Holmblad 75 78 74.
228 Hanna-Sophia Svenningsson 78 76 74, Viva Schlasberg 75 78 75, Monja Richards 78 77 73, Zuzana Kamasova 80 72 76, Sohvi Harkonen 77 75 76, Claire Coughlan (Ire) 77 76 75.
229 Lill-Kristin Saether 78 75 76, Mandy Adamson 76 75 78.
230 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 78 72 79, Sarah Heath (Eng) 79 76 75, Shelley McKevitt (Eng) 74 81 76.
231 Jehanne Jail 78 77 76, Andrea Hirschorn 74 79 78, Elin Brask 78 75 78, Julie Berton 77 76 78.
Other score:
237 Vanessa Bell 77 79 80.
NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED (157 and over)
159 Cheryl Smith (Eng) 78 81, Kelly Hutcherson (Eng) 79 90.
169 Jessica Wycherley (Sco) (am) 86 83.

Friday 2nd March 2007

BRITISH CHALLENGE SNUFFED OUT IN SPANISH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP
The British challenge in the match-play stages of the Spanish women's open amateur golf championship - two Scots, three English players and one Welsh representative - was snuffed out today over the first and second rounds at Sherry Golf, Jerez.
Jenna Wilson (Strathaven), 15th of the 32 qualifiers after two rounds of stroke-play, beat Belen Buendia (Spain) by 5 and 3 but lost to the title-holder and No 2 seed, Carlota Ciganda (Spain) by 3 and 1 in the second round.
Scottish Under-21 champion Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), the No. 25 qualifier, lost by 4 and 3 to the eighth seed Nicola Roessler from Germany.
Rachel Jennings, the 17-year-old English girls champion from Izaak Walton Golf Club, Staffordshire, beat Lucie Andrew (France) by one hole in the first round but then lost by one hole to Katharina Schallenberg (Germany) who had beaten Lydia Hall from Wales by 5 and 3 in the first round.
Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) beat Audrey Decharne (France) by one hole before going out at the 19th to another French girl, Emilie Alonso.
Danielle Montgomery from Lambourne lost by 3 and 2 to Linn Gustafsson (Sweden) in the first round.
Results:
FIRST ROUND
M Silva (Spa) bt J Pajares (Spa) 2 holes, A Dahlberg-Soderstrom (Swe) bt E Cabrera 1 hole, A Urchegui (Spa) bt D Becker (Ger) 3 and 2, N Roessler (Ger) bt K Caithness (Sco) 4 and 3, I Gustafsson (Swe) bt D Montgomery (Eng) 3 and 2, N Holleder (Ger) bt L Matthews (Can) 2 and 1, M Prat (Spa) bt P Queipo (Spa) 4 and 2, S Doering (Ger) bt T Lorenzen (Ger) 1 hole.
R Jennings (Eng) bt L Andre (Fra) 1 hole, K Schallenberg (Ger) bt L Hall (Wal) 5 and 3, K Smith (Eng) bt A Decharne (Fra) 1 hole, E Alonso (Fra) bt J Hedwall (Swe) 2 holes, C Masson (Ger) bt A Vilatte (Fra) 6 and 5, R Svahn (Fin) bt I Tusquets (Spa) at 19thy, J Wilson (Sco) bt B Buendia (Spa) 5 and 3, C Ciganda (Spa) bt M Engzelius (Nor) 3 and 1.
SECOND ROUND
Dahlberg-Soderstrom bt Silva 2 and 1, Roessler bt Urchegui 4 and 3, Holleder bt Gustafsson at 20th, Doering bt Prat 1 hole.
Schallenberg bt Jennings 1 hole, Alonso bt Smith at 19th, Masson bt Svahn 19th, Ciganda bt Wilson 3 and 1.

ELLIOT SALTMAN KEEPS SCOTLAND FLAG FLYING IN SPANISH MEN'S EVENT
Elliot Saltman from Craigielaw kept the Scottish flag flying in the Spanish men's open amateur golf championship when the match-play stages began at Desert Springs Golf Resort.
Uncapped Saltman, a +3 player and the only Scot among the 32 qualifiers for the match-play, reached the last eight with a thumping 7 and 6 win over Englishman Adam Hodkinson followed by a 3 and 1 victory in the second round over a Spaniard by the name of Sebastian Garcia - no relation to Sergio!
Saltman now plays Paul Waring, one of four Englishman through to the quarter-finals.
The others are top seed John Parry who plays Finland's Miro Veijalainen, No 3 seed Gary Boyd who plays Portugal's Pedro Figueiredo and 23rd qualifier Ben Evans to meets France's Baptiste Chapellan.

Mandy Easton, Zandra Mathieson, Rachel Livingston, Sandra Cackett, Tracy Laughland,
Dalmahoy head Pro, Scott Dixon, Eileen Auld of Well Connected Golf and Moyra Statham
enjoyed the MCLGA evening at Dalmahoy

Midlothian Social Evening at Dalmahoy
More than 100 Midlothian County members enjoyed an evening at Dalmahoy lat night with speakers from Well Connected Golf.
County Captain Ellice Cackett said "Scott Dixon and Eileen Auld gave us lots of ideas to work on. These included a quick warm-up routine, how to calm down and how to energise ourselves."
Midlothian, one of the largest County Associations in Scotland, has had the largest proportion of entrants to the Scottish Championship over the last few years. It looks like the girls will be raring to go again this year!

ENGLAND NAME FOUR FOR GREY GOOSE EUROPEAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
Gary Wolstenholme, winner of the New South Wales amateur championship last month, has been named in an experienced England international line-up to contest the Grey Goose, European nations championship at Sotogrande Golf Club on Spain's Costa del Sol from March 21 to 24.
Wolstenholme, pictured right, will be joined by Matthew Cryer, Ed Richardson and Paul Waring for the four-day championship, formerly known as the Sherry Cup.
England’s last win was in 2004 and for the past two years they have finished third behind Spain, but Wolstenholme has an impressive record in the individual contest with four victories. He won the individual title in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005, but finished equal 12th a year ago when his Walker Cup team-mate Nigel Edwards from Wales was champion.
However, Wolstenholme is in good form after winning the New South Wales amateur title in February, having lost at the final hurdle last year. On the way to that triumph, Wolstenholme beat Cryer in the quarter-finals, while Cryer during his trip to Australia finished ninth in the Tasmanian Open.
The Grey Goose Cup is competed for over 72 holes with the best three cards each day counting towards the team event. The individual competition runs simultaneously with the Nations Championship, the champion collecting a trophy and the Amateur Masters Jacket.
If the championship ends in a tie, the teams involved will nominate one player to compete in a sudden death play-off.

Apart from Wolstenholme and Edwards, other notable winners of this prestigious event include Padraig Harrington (1991), and Sergio Garcia (1997 and 1998).

US College Golf
WESTHILL LAD DOWN THE GEORGIA FIELD
Former North-east boys' golf champion Andrew Hay from Westhill, Aberdeen finished joint 27th in a field of 46 for the Thomas University Winter Invitational college tournament at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, Valdosta in Georgia.
Hay, a student at Webber International University, Florida, had rounds of 74 and 80 for a total fo 154 - 22 shots behind the winner, David Venegas (Johnson & Williams University) who had a pair of 66s for a 12-under-par total of 132 and a winning margin of 11 strokes.
Three of Hay's UK-born team-mates were also in the field. Craig Isabel from Stanford-Le-Hope finished jt 20th on 151 (78-73), Matthew Bransby from Aylesbury totalled 153 (77-76) for a share of 24th place and Alex Evans from The Wirral came 36th on 159 (77-82).
Webber International (609) finished fifth of eight in the team event behind Johnson & Wales (583) who won by nine strokes from St Leo University

Thursday 1st March 2007

TWO SCOTS GIRLS QUALIFY IN SPAIN
Strathaven's Jenna Wilson and Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) gave Scotland a 50 per cent success rate in the qualifying stages of the Spanish women's open amateur golf championship at Sherry Golf, Jerez in the Cadiz region.
Jenna was the 15th of the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages with scores of 72 and 76 for 148 while Krystle gained the No 25 spot with 74 and 76 for 150.
But Heather MacRae (Dunblane) and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) both finished on the 161 mark - nine shots more than the 32nd qualifier.
Two Spaniards finished six shots clear of the pack - defending champion Carlota Ciganda with 71 and 68 for 139 and Marta Silva Zamora with 72 and 67 for the same five-under-par mark. Marta gained the top seed berth with the better second round.
England had three qualifiers - Rachel Jennings in third spot with 74 and 71 for 145, Danielle Montgomery, fifth on 146 (70-76) and Kerry Smith, 11th with 77 and 71 for 148.
SPANISH WOMEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Sherry Golf, Jerez
MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
139 Marta Silva Zamora (Spa) 72 67, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 71 68.
145 Rachel Jennings (Eng) 74 71, Stephanie Doering (Ger) 73 72.
146 Danielle Motngomerie (Eng) 70 76, Emilie Alonso (Fra) 67 79.
147 Caroline Masson (Ger) 76 71, Nicola Roessler (Ger) 74 73, Denise Becker (Ger) 73 74, Rosa Svahn (Fin) 73 74.
148 Kerry Smith (Eng) 77 71, Laura Matthews (Can) 74 74, Patricia Queipo de Llano (Spa) 74 74, Lydia Hall (Wal) 73 75, Jenna Wilson (Sco) 72 76, Anna Dahlberg-Soderstrom (Swe) 72 76, Emma Cabrera Bello (Spa) 72 76.
149 Belen Buendia (Spa) 75 74, Katharina Schallenberg (Ger) 74 75.
150 Mireia Prat (Spa) 77 73, Nina Holleder (Ger) 77 73, Audrey Decharne (Fra) 76 74, Ines Tusquets (Spa) 76 74, Ane Urchequi (Spa) 74 76, Krystle Caithness (Sco) 74 76, Alexandrea Vilatte (Fra) 73 77, Jacqueline Hedwall (Swe) 72 78.
151 Linn Gustafsson (Swe) 77 74, Tina Lorenzen (Ger) 77 74, Luce Andre (Fra) 77 74, Marita Engzelius (Nor) 76 75.
152 Irene Pajares (Spa) 79 73.
NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED:
152 Browning Mullins-Lane (Eng) 77 75.
154 Naomi Edwards (Eng) 77 77, Henrietta Brockway (Eng) 75 79, Sahra Hassan (Wal) 73 81.
155 Melissa Reid (Eng) 81 74.
156 Rachel Bell (Eng) 80 76, Rachel Connor (Eng) 74 82, Elizabeth Bennet (Eng) 71 85.
158 Breanne Loucks (Wal) 81 77.
160 Joanne Hodge (Eng) 79 81.
161 Rozalyn Adams (Eng) 83 78, Heather MacRae (Sco) 82 79, Kylie Walker (Sco) 79 82.
163 Hanna Barwood (Eng) 80 83.
MATCH-PLAY
First round:
Top half: Silva v Pajares, Soderstrom v Cabrera, Becker v Urchequi, Rosssler v Caithness, Montgomery v Gustaffson, Matthews v Holleder, Queipo v Prat, Doering v Lorenzen.
Lower half: Jennings v Andre, Hall v Schallenberg, K Smith v Decharne, Alonso v Hedwall, Masson v Vilatte, Svahn v Tusquets, Wilson v Buendia, Ciganda v Engzelius.

SIXTEEN ENGLISHMEN BUT ONLY ONE SCOT IN 32 MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS IN SPAIN
Craigielaw's Elliot Saltman - who paid his own way there - is the only Scot to have figured among the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the Spanish men's open amateur golf championship at Desert Springs.
Saltman, a +3 player, qualified in 13th position with scores of 73 and 72 for 145 - six shots behind the top seed, Englishman John Parry who had a 70 and 69 for 139.
Perhaps Elliot, who has never been capped for Scotland although he finished sixth in the SGU Order of Merit last season, might begin to get some overdue recognition this year.
Of the official Scottish Golf Union squad who made the trip, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) was just one shot outside the qualifying mark of 148 with a 76 and 73 for 149.
John Gallagher (Swanston) and Ross Kellet (Colville Park) both finished on 150. Gallagher scored 78 and 72, Kellet 77 and 73.
Craig Elliot's youngest brother, teenager Zack scored a 79 and 73 for 152.
Robert McKnight (Barassie) had a pair of 76s for 152.
The breakdown of the qualifiers' nationalities was:
England 16, Spain 6, France 3, Germany 2, Wales 2, Finland 1, Portugal 1, Scotland 1.
SPANISH MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Desert Springs Golf Resort
LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 144 (2 x 72)
139 J Parry (Eng) 70 69, J Legarrea (Spa) 68 71, G Boyd (Eng) 67 72.
140 C Wood (Eng) 70 70, P Waring (Eng) 68 72, E Dubois (Fra) 68 72.
141 D Horsey (Eng) 71 70, M Veijalainen (Fin) 69 72.
143 S Capper (Eng) 70 73, G Berlin (Spa) 70 73.
144 P Figueiredo (Por) 71 73.
145 M Haines (Eng) 74 71, E Saltman (Sco) 73 72, I Garcia (Spa) 72 73, B Chapellan (Fra) 73 72.
146 G J Evans (Eng) 76 70, G Cuquejo (Spa) 74 72, M Cryer (Eng) 72 74.
Other qualifiers:
147 A Hodkinson (Eng) 76 71, D Belch (Eng) 75 72, B Evans (Eng) 75 72, T Ryan (Wal) 74 73, J Hiluta (Eng) 73 74, S utsby (Eng) 71 76.
148 D Marmion (Eng) 79 69, R Enoch (Wal) 76 72, J Hurst (Eng) 75 73.
NON-QUALIFIERS INCLUDED:
148 S Ward (Ire) 74 74, L Campbell (Eng) 72 76.
149 L Matthews (Wal) 77 72, G Campbell (Sco) 76 73, M Baldwin (Eng) 74 75.
150 J Freeman (Eng) 80 70, C Rice (Eng) 78 72, J Gallagher (Sco) 78 72, W Bowe (Eng) 77 73, R Kellet (Sco) 77 73.
151 B Parker (Eng) 73 78.
152 Z Saltman (Sco) 79 73, M Mackman (Eng) 78 74, R McKnight (Sco) 76 76, D Brooks (Eng) 76 76.

NORTH OF SCOTLAND GIRLS' EVENT FOR THURSO
The North of Scotland girls’ golf championship will be played at the most northerly venue in its history this summer.
Thurso Golf Club will host the 18-hole event for Under-18 girls on Sunday, August 19.
Last year the title was won at Kirriemuir by Laura Murray (Alford) and in 2005 by Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) over her home course.

The new Indoor Golf Academy at Heriot-Watt

INDOOR GOLF ACADEMY AT HERIOT-WATT
FROM COLIN McLACHLAN
A new indoor Golf Academy, the only such facility in Scotland, has been opened at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh Campus.
The new indoor golf practice facility, an addition to the already extensive portfolio of facilities at the University, incorporates driving, chipping, bunker and putting areas, and provides users with the unique opportunity of practising their golfing skills in an indoor environment away from the vagaries of the weather.
It also complements Heriot-Watt's golf scholarship programme, one of only 11 in Britain to receive R & A Funding to develop their golf programme.
Facilities at the new Golf Academy include:
* Driving range mats: five high quality driving mats situated 14m from a heavy duty restraining net, allowing players to develop a smooth and consistent swing while gauging the accuracy of their shot
* Chipping practice mats: two chipping mats with a synthetic landing area, incorporating target areas, for practising short, green-side shots up to 10m
* Bunker practice area: a self-contained sand-trap with an adjustable height bunker and target mat, allows players to hone their skills at extricating themselves from green-side bunkers
* Putting green: a self-contained area, measuring approximately 9m by 2.5m, encouraging the development of a consistent and successful putting style
The facilities are available to Heriot-Watt students and staff and to local players who have taken membership of the University's Centre for Sport and Exercise.
R & A Funding to develop the Heriot-Watt University golf sports scholarship allows golfers to receive a comprehensive range of support tailored to their needs. Typical support includes:
Equipment and clothing expenses.
Competition entry fees.
Travel and accommodation expenses.
Warm weather training.
Group and individual coaching.
Sports science and sports medicine support.
Academic flexibility.Exclusive access to the indoor Golf Academy.
Free access to the Centre for Sport and Exercise facility.

PORTIA JOINT FOURTH IN ALABAMA SHOOTOUT, ONLY TWO OFF TOP SPOT
Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State University), pictured right, from Wiltshire finished joint fourth in the Birmingham Southern Shootout women's college golf tournament at Bent Brook Golf Club, McCalla in Alabama.
Portia had two rounds of 75 over the 6,212yd, par-72 course for a total of 150 - two shots behind the joint winners, Jill Stupiansky (Birmingham Southern) (73-75) and Sara Marti (South Alabama) (76-72).
Birmingham Southern (600) won the team event by 14 shots from Jacksonville State with Arkansas State (619) third of 21 teams.
This was the Jacksonville State women's team's first competition since Michele Thomson cut short her four-year course to return for good to Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The only Scot still on JSU's roster is former Scottish Under-21 champion Louise Fleming from Kelso. Louise has been ruled out of the 2006-2007 college golf season due to a back injury.