November 2005 Archive

Wednesday 30th November 2005

HENDRY STRUGGLES TO 76 IN US TOUR Q SCHOOL
Elgin exile Joel Hendry, pictured right, the only Scot in the field of 165 for the US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School, looked to have scuppered his chances after only one round at Winter Garden, Florida today (WED).
Twice winner of the Scottish youths champion, Joel shot a four-over-par 76 over the Panther Lake course. Out in level par 36 with birdies at the long second and short fourth and bogeys at the third and ninth, Hendry came off the rails after the turn.
He bogeyed the 12th, 13th and 15th and then crashed to a double-bogey 6 at the 16th before birdieing the 17th in an inward 40.
Californian Michael Allen was the early leader with an eight-under-par 64.
Swede’s Per-Ulrik Johansson had a 72.

TWO EXTRA DATES FOR PGA'S NEW GOLF RULES COURSE
The PGA has penciled in two extra dates for its newly launched golf rules course after being inundated with enquiries.
Additional days have been scheduled for Saturday 18 February (Introduction to the Rules of Golf) and Saturday 18 March  (Advanced Rules of Golf and Refereeing).
The PGA's tournament department will run the extra one day courses covering all aspects of the Rules of Golf from its famous Belfry headquarters.
Two of the world's most experienced referees, Steve Cox and Kevin Feeney, who between them have officiated at Ryder Cups and several Majors including the Masters and Open Championships, will be among the tutors.
"We've had a tremendous response since announcing the first two dates and are delighted to add two further dates to cater for the demand," said Cox, who is the PGA's Head of Tournaments.
"As we've said before, whether you're Tiger Woods or a club golfer competing in his monthly medal, every golfer at some stage will require some knowledge of the rules. Throughout the summer the PGA is inundated with queries regarding the rules and the response to these two courses demonstrates the interest.
"Improving your understanding of the rules not only adds to the whole enjoyment of golf but for club secretaries and committee members who are running tournaments at their clubs, it's beneficial to have a sound understanding of the rules.
"But the courses are also open to club golfers who might just want to learn more about what is a fascinating subject."
Emphasis is on increasing knowledge and understanding of the game's rules using actual footage of televised rules incidents, practical sessions and group discussions.
The courses will take place in the PGA Training Academy at the De Vere Belfry. For an application form or further information contact the PGA Tournament Department on 01675 470333 or email barnaby.coleman@pga.org.uk

Tuesday 29th November 2005

Maureen Given awarded Honorary Membership
Maureen Given was tonight presented with Honorary Membership of Milnathort Golf Club in recognition of her services to the club and to ladies golf in Scotland over many years. Well done Maureen!

PABLO AND RHYS NAMED IN US COLLEGE GOLF’S MID-SEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Pablo Martin (Spain), winner of the British boys’ open championship at Ganton in 2001, has been named US college golf’s “Mid-season Player of the Year” by the Golf World magazine in America.
Martin is a golf scholarship student at Oklahoma State University.
Pablo and the player who beat him in the 2003 British boys’ final at Hoylake in 2003, Welshman Rhys Davies, pictured below right, from Bridgend, a student at East Tennessee State, are both named in Golf World’s Mid-season All-America team.
South African Dawie Van Der Walt (Lamar University) is another non-American player in the Golf World line-up.
It is:
Brian Harmon of Georgia.
Daniel Im of UCLA.
Dawie Van Der Walt of Lamar.
Dustin Johnson of Coastal Carolina.
Graham DeLaet of Boise State
Jake Grodzinsky of Duke.
Chris Kirk of Georgia.
Kevin Larsen of Georgia Tech.
Matt Every of Florida.
Oscar Floren of Texas Tech
Pablo Martin of Oklahoma State.
Rhys Davies of East Tennessee State.

GOLFWORLD’S TOP FEMALE COLLEGE GOLFERS FOR FIRST HALF OF SEASON
No Great Britain and Ireland players in the American magazine GolfWorld’s Mid-season All-America women’s team announced this week.
It is:
Mikaela Backstedt of  New Mexico.
Amanda Blumenherst of Duke.
Irene Cho, Southern California, Sr.
Anna Grzebien of Duke.
Ashley Knoll of Texas A&M.
Paige Mackenzie of Washington.
Maria Martinez of Auburn.
Amanda McCurdy of Arkansas.
Onnarin Sattayabanphot of Purdue.
Jenny Suh of Alabama.
Eileen Vargas of Pepperdine.
Whitney Wade of Georgia.

Monday 28th November 2005

FLACKWELL WIN THE BATTLE OF THE HEATHS TO BE R&A GB&I RULES OF GOLF QUIZ CHAMPS
Flackwell Heath Golf Club, Buckinhamshire are the new champions of the R&A Great Britain & Ireland Rules of Golf Quiz, supported by Rolex.
They beat Crosland Heath from West Yorkshire in the tightest of finishes to the final of the quiz tournament, staged in the Royal & Ancient Golf Club clubhouse at St Andrews.
Flackwell Heath and Crosland Heath tied on 32pt at the end of the regulation number of questions. That meant it went to tie-breaking questions … and it was on the third of these that Flackwell Heath won the title.
North Berwick, the Scottish champions, finished second to Crosland Heath in the first semi-final earlier in the evening.
Flackwell Heath team of Morris Davies, Colin Ball, Don Bargent and Horace Hughes earlier had to endure a tense tiebreaker finale in the Semi-Final against former winners Hagley.
Crosland Heath, whose team consisted of father, Andrew, wife, Liz, son, Luke and Sarah Kaye were unlucky to loose on tie-breakers, but the team which have been champions in Yorkshire for the last 6 years must now be split under the rules of the competition.
The Big Room in the R&A’s clubhouse was full for the Finals held on 27 November with a good crowd supporting their teams.  The other participants were: Roe Park, Irish Winners; North Berwick, Scottish Winners; Dartmouth, representing the South West; and Hagley, winners from the Midlands.
RESULTS
Semi-final 1:  Crosland Heath 32pts  North Berwick 26pts   Dartmouth 26pts
Semi-final 2:   Hagley  32pts   Flackwell Heath  38pts   Roe Park 38pts - Flackwell Heath won on the 1st tie-breaker.
Final:    Flackwell Heath 32pts   Crosland Heath  32pts - Flackwell Heath won on 3rd tie-breaker.

Andrew Murray and Robin Wilson accept Brora Golf Club life memberships

Brora Golf Club Life Memberships
Two long serving members and servants of Brora Golf Club, Andrew Murray and Robin Wilson were given Life Membership, “an honour given out sparingly” when President Susan Smith tabled the election to the Club Members attending the Annual General Meeting
In her address to the members Susan Smith recalled the night in 1968 when the Club President Bill Robertson and his Vice President, the late Sonny Miller, knocked on Andrew’s door and asked him if he would like a job working on the golf course.
Andrew was at the time working with Sutherland Estate so it was a change in life style for the next 26 years from cutting trees to cutting grass. In the early years he worked alone with modest equipment and nothing like today’s hi tech cutting and coring machines, only getting summer student and schoolboy help. But over these twenty-six years Andrew grew to become one of the most respected green keepers in the North and his course condition acknowledged by all who played it.
Unfortunately illness by way of a heart attack struck in 1993 and although he returned to his post a year later in 1995 he resigned as a result of the illness and stress but in 2003 he returned to the course in a voluntary position as Course Supervisor.
Miss Smith concluded “It is unusual that we honour a paid employee, but such is the contribution that this individual has made to Brora Golf Club that it is only right and proper that we pay tribute in this way. Brora golf course is a testament to this individual’s labour of love – what we have today is his legacy to the Club and I am delighted to ask him to accept this Life Membership”
Introducing Robin Wilson President Smith told the members that he was appointed Club Secretary when only aged 19 in 1965 and over the next 40 years held all the other offices within Brora Golf Club. Handing over the Secretary’s job to Billy Sutherland in 1971 he went home from the 1971 AGM as Captain and held this office for the next five years.
A move to Vice President was the next step in 1980 but by this time he was deeply involved in the North District Association and by passed the succession to Club  President when appointed North District President in 1982, the first and only Brora member to have filled this office.  
On completion of his term with the North District he rejoined the Brora Committee once more as Captain from 1986 to 1989 and then had the honour of being Captain in the Club’s centenary year of 1991.
Miss Smith also referred to his playing career and although he himself always declared that it was difficult to both administer and play the game he did enjoy numerous successes out on the course. A member of the Club’s two Northern Counties Cup winning teams he has been Club Champion and the four-day Ainslie Salver winner.  His highlight was winning the Carnegie Shield in 1984 and one regret not winning the County Championship, runner up to Jim Miller too many times! He did, however, eventually get a silver medal when he won the North Seniors at Golspie in 2002.
Susan concluded by telling the members that Robin’s wife Elspeth once said to her “ Robin’s mind is so taken up with golf – he know’s the handicap of every player from Wick to Inverness, that it took him twenty years to discover I did not take sugar in my tea” For services to golf within the Club the President was delighted to ask Robin to accept the life membership.
Both Andrew and Robin responded by accepting the honour and thanked the Club members accordingly.
Susan Smith’s four years in charge of Brora Golf Club came to end at the Annual Meeting and Ken Lorimer was elected to succeed her. In her term as President Miss Smith brought a new dimension to the Club. She became only the second female member to hold the highest office and did so with a firm hand on the Club’s finances, and marketing and she leaves the Club on a sound footing. In 2004 income from visitors green fees topped the £100.000 mark for the first time and in the season just finished the figure rose to near £105,000. Membership fees have risen from £67,000 to £88,820 and this year’s bar surplus doubled from 2004.

Carly Cummins and Ray Scott

CARLY AND RAY STRIKE AGAIN IN HACIENDA DEL ALAMO MEDIA INVITATIONAL
Dorset  county team player Carly Cummins, who now plays off a handicap of three, added to her long list of successes in writers' golf tournaments - mainly at sunny venues in foreign lands - by capturing the first lady award in the inaugural Hacienda del Alamo Media Invitational one-round tournament at the Dave Thomas-designed course in Murcia, Spain.
Carly, a member of the "Golf World" staff. scored 32 Stableford points for a resounding eight-point victory from runner-up Linda Jackson, who writes for "Living Spain."
Jean Tomlinson (Golfers Chronicle) was third in the ladies' section with 23pt off 25 of a handicap.
The winner of the men's title at Hacienda del Alamo was another player who is no stranger to success in writers' tournaments.
Irishman Ray Scott, a freelance sports journalist who broadcasts on Waterford local radio and writes for the Waterford Star newspaper, earned 36pt off a handicap of 13.
Runner-up was the Golf Monthly staffer with a great name for a golfer - Neil TAPPIN. Neil collected 33pt - the same total as David Robey (BBC London) - and won the runner-up prize by virtue of gaining more points on the inward half, 17 to David's 16pt.
Husband and wife Mike and Sarah Laney scooped both guest awards, Mike with 36pt off six of a handicap and Sarah with 33pt off seven.
Including guests, a total of five ladies and 22 men took part .
What was the weather like for the event? Clear blue skies, brilliant sunshine ... but a cold wind to keep the sweaters on.
Billy Sim, who hails from the North-east of Scotland, is the Director of Golf at Hacienda del Alamo.Leading Stableford points scores:
MEDIA MEN
1 Ray Scott (Waterford Star) (handicap 13) 36pt
2 Neil Tappin (Golf Monthly) (6)                  33pt (inward half 17pt)
3 David Robey (BBC London) (24)             33pt (inward half  16pt)
MEDIA WOMEN
1 Carly Cummins (Golf World) (3)                32pt
2 Linda Jackson (Living Spain) (12)               24pt
3 Jean Tomlinson (Golfers Chronicle) (25)     23pt
GUEST MEN
1 Mike Laney (6)                                         36pt
GUEST WOMEN
1 Sarah Laney (7)                                        33pt
 

Harry Day 2
Carrie is much better. Thanks for all your good wishes which I am passing on to the proud parents.

Sunday 27th November 2005

Harry David John Armstrong
Born 8:26am on Saturday 26th November 2005. Weight 7lb 12oz
He's doing well but Carrie is not so good. She had Pre-eclampsia, and Harry was induced three weeks early.
She had a 36 hour labour and then an emergency Caesarian. Fingers crossed that she'll be on her feet today.
More baby pictures

Saturday 26th November 2005

We are a Grandmother!
Daughter Carrie had a boy, Harry David John Armstrong, this morning. I hear that baby Harry is doing well, although Carrie and Ally are absolutely shattered. You'll be bored silly with baby pictures from now on!

Stirling Team for the Mail on Sunday Classic
(L to R: Elaine Allison, Aileen Lee, Tricia Chillas, Alison Davidson, Vicki Stevenson, Shelagh Quinn)

Mail On Sunday Golf Classic
Stirling just miss out in Mail on Sunday final. (Thanks to Tricia Chillas for this report)
Stirling Ladies missed out on becoming the first Scottish Ladies team to win the Mail on Sunday Classic by the narrowest of margins.   Played at El Rompido in Spain, they defeated Westhill 4-2 in the semis with convincing wins for Elaine Allison, Tricia Chillas, Alison Davidson and Vicki Stevenson.   Aileen Lee and Shelagh Quinn both lost very tight matches at the last hole.   In the final, Stirling played against English Champions Ellesborough.   The handicap situation was very even, with 10 out of the 12 players 6 handicap or below.   Unfortunately Elaine, Tricia and Aileen lost, which put considerable pressure on the remaining three players.   Shelagh edged out her match at the 16th and the ever reliable Alison won her match at the 18th against American Bound Scholarship student Cara Leathers who plays off three.    The Stirling crowd agonisingly watched Vicki’s birdie attempt at the last lip out which would have forced a play-off, the final result being 3 ½ to 2 ½
It was a tremendous experience for all concerned and Stirling did their Club and Scotland proud.   With Elaine Allison on the team you can all also imagine that they made a significant contribution to the entertainment at the gala dinner!!
The team would like to thank everyone who sent best wishes from many parts of the country, and Guardian Systems who kindly provided uniform for the team and supporters.

Friday 25th November 2005

Free brochures for Golf Clubs from Little Voice Communications
Aileen Hunter has emailed me to tell me about this new venture she has started. She says.....
"We started in June this year producing free brochures for golf clubs,  As you know, competition for new members and visitors is increasing all the time, and marketing clubs, courses and their facilities is now a very necessary but expensive activity.
"We work with golf clubs to produce really high quality colour glossy brochures.  They get 2000 free plus an e-brochure and all they have to do is help us to identify local businesses who would be happy to advertise in the brochures.  This covers the cost of production.
"We've completed a brochure for Killin Golf Club and the e-brochure can be seen by clicking on the e-brochure section on the right hand side of our website www.littlevoicecommunications.com.  We're also just about to go to print with our second brochure for Pitreavie Golf Club in Dunfermline.
"If any of your readers think their club would benefit from a brochure like this they can call me on 01620 829888 or email me at aileen@littlevoicecommunications.com.  We'll happily go anywhere in Scotland (especially if there's a free game of golf involved!!!)"
It sounds a really good idea..... I've added it to my list of links so you can find it again quickly. Good luck Aileen!

Thursday 24th November 2005

JILL PROVES YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A TOUR PRO TO MAKE A LIVING AT GOLF
For every Catriona Matthew, who has made threequarters of a million dollars this year on the LPGA Tour, there are hundreds, even thousands of would-be lady tour pro golfers, some from Scotland, who never make it past the LPGA or  Ladies European Tour Qualifying Schools or, if they do, don’t win enough money to keep the wolf from the door.
But it need not be all tears and heartbreak for those who can’t play golf well enough to make a living at it. As JILL KINLOCH, pictured right, one time Cardross Golf Club member, and now a successful teaching professional in Germany, told COLIN FARQUHARSON. Full story

MARTIN SAVES BEST TO LAST BUT TOO LATE TO GET SENIOR CARD
Dundee’s Steve Martin failed by four shots to gain one of the 11 conditional playing cards on offer at the European Seniors Tour Final Qualifying School which ended at the Pestana Golf Resort on the Algarve today (THURSDAY).
Steve, a former Scotland amateur international player who went on to play on the European Tour and latterly the Tartan Tour, found his best form too late in the week. He had scores of 71, 73, 76 and 70 for a six-over-par total of 290 for the 6,425yd, par-71 Pinta course.
Martin, who won’t be 50 until next month, shared 27th place of those who made it through to the final day. Only the leading six, with totals of five-under 279 or better, gained full playing rights for next year’s over-50s tour.
The next 11, with totals ranging from 280 to 286, will gain entry to a lesser number of events.
The only other Scot to survive the 54-hole cut was Brian Smith who finished joint 34th with scores of 75, 75, 69 and 75 for 10-over 294.
Australian Stewart Ginn showed the class that made him a Senior Major winner by sweeping to a four-stroke victory with rounds of 68, 70, 68 and 68 for 10-under 274.
He had only four bogeys in 72 holes.
“My target this week was to shoot eight under, as I thought that would be enough to finish in the top six, but as it turned out I went a little better. I am delighted because this means I can finish my playing career in Europe, which is something I have always wanted to do,” said the 56 year old, who three years ago won the Ford Seniors Players’ Championship on the US Champions Tour.
England’s Stephen Chadwick and Rigoberto Velasquez of Columbia, who both finished on 279, earned the remaining two full cards, but as Velasquez is not 50 until September, Chile’s Angel Fernandez will take his place on the Seniors’ Tour until then.
The 11 conditional cards were decided by a series of play-offs and went, in ranking order, to: Bob Larratt of England; Northern Ireland’s Jimmy Heggarty; Argentine Adan Sowa; Robin Mann of England; American Doug Johnson; Glenn Ralph of England; John Benda of the United States; Ireland’s John Curtis; Swede Anders Johnsson; Mike Williams of South Africa; and England’s Brian Evans.
EUROPEAN SENIORS’ TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pinta course (par-71), Pestana Golf Resort, Algarve.
LEADING TOTALS
274 S Ginn (Aus) 68 70 68 68.
278 K Cox (US) 71 70 70 67, B Lincoln (SA) 73 70 66 69, B Smit (SA) 68 71 67 72.
279 S Chadwick (Eng) 71 68 69 71, A Fernandez (Chi) 69 68 71 71, R Velasquez (Col) 72 70 69 68.
The next 11 gained conditional cards
280 J Hegarty (NI) 70 69 69 72, B Larratt (Eng) 69 71 71 69, A Sowa (Arg) 69 71 67 73.
283 D Johnson (US) 73 66 71 73, R Mann (Eng) 70 74 67 72.
284 J Benda (US) 75 69 69 71, R Glenn (Eng) 69 76 68 71.
285 J Curtis (Ire) 73 70 70 72.
286 B Evans (Eng) 70 73 70 73, A Johnsson (Swe) 72 76 67 71, M Williams (SA) 71 72 69 74 ( A Saavedra (Arg) scored 68 76 71 71 for 286 but was eliminated after a play-off).
Scottish totals:
290 S Martin 71 73 76 70.
294 B Smith 75 75 69 75.

TWO IRISH LADS BOUND FOR EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY EUROPEAN 2   "COLONY" 
Two young Irish golf prospects – Seamus Power from Waterford and Niall Kearney of Dublin – have signed Letters of Intent to join East Tennessee State University next autumn.
Seven of the current eight-strong East Tennessee State male golf team come from this side of the Atlantic: former British boy champions Rhys Davies (Bridgend, Wales) & Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh, Scotland), Noel Kavanagh (Westport, Ireland), Cian McNamara (Limerick, Ireland), Gareth Shaw (Lisburn, Northern Ireland), Adam Hodkinson (Dore, England) and Stuart McCance (Tonbridge, England).
ESU is based at Johnson City, Tennessee.
Teenage English player Kieren Lovelock from Surrey will enrol at Xavier University, Cincinnati in Ohio after next summer.
The full list is on Golfweek

SHOW SPARKS CHARITY CASH FLOW
SPARKS will be the official benefiting charity of London Golf Show for the second successive year.
The children’s charity - Sport Aiding medical Research for Kids – benefited to the tune of £20,000 by its association with the 2005 event.
And it will once again enjoy a percentage of each ticket sale in the lead up to the 2006 show at ExCeL-London, from April 27-30.
With donations at the show and at sundry associated events, another £20,000 is a feasible target – much to the delight of the new president, England’s rugby world cup-winning captain Martin Johnson.
He said: “We are delighted to be once again joining forces with the London Golf Show. Our link proved very beneficial in 2005, not just financially, but also with the added exposure it gave us in the golf industry.
“Our golf events are a big part of our annual fundraising drive and we’re grateful to the team at the London Golf Show for their support. We wish them well with their 2006 event.”
Since 1991, SPARKS has funded over 150 medical projects in the UK, committing over £11m to tackle conditions as diverse as cerebral palsy, meningitis, the dangers of premature birth, spina bifida, childhood arthritis and cancers.
The London Golf Show’s marketing director, Andy Barwell, said: “Children’s charities are close to the heart of most of us and SPARKS, with its involvement in golf, is an obvious partner for us.
“We enjoy working with them and were delighted to make such a sizeable contribution this year. We hope we can raise even more for them in 2006.”
The London Golf Show, at ExCeL-London will cover an area the size of five football pitches, with a four-day retail exhibition aimed at all standards of golfer.
It showcases the best of around 400 exhibitors, with products ranging from golf tees to golf resorts; from drivers to buggies.
Visitors will be able to try the latest in golf equipment, meet with the pros, get advice, find great deals on clubs and clothes and see a whole world of golfing destinations and holidays – all in the centre of London.
Check out the website at: www.londongolfshow.com.
 

Wednesday 23rd November 2005

MARGARET RODGERS IS NEW SLGA CHAIRMAN
Edinburgh resident Margaret Rodgers, who came to live in Scotland from Northern Ireland over 35 years ago, is the new chairman of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association. She succeeded Kirkcaldy’s Emma Wilson who completed her one-year term of office at Wednesday’s annual meeting in Perth of the body that governs Scottish women’s amateur golf.
Margaret is a past lady captain and lady champion of Turnhouse Golf Club. She has also been a member of Gullane Ladies Golf Club. Mrs Rodgers was Midlothian county captain from 1996 to 1998.
“I was born in Portstewart, Northern Ireland - famous, not only for the fantastic links golf course where the British girls’ open amateur championship and the girls’ home international matches will be held next year but also for Maureen Madill, who was a British amateur champion and still is a well-known personality in golfing circles throughout Great Britain & Ireland,” said Margaret.
“Having come to live in Scotland from Northern Ireland over 35 years ago, I joined Turnhouse Golf Club in the middle 1970s, and Gullane Ladies Golf Club in 1983.
“Golf has given me many lasting friendships and great experiences, and I am only too pleased to be able to give something back to the game I love.
“Having always been very enthusiastic about junior golf, it is very encouraging to have so many girls in Scotland with such tremendous talent.
“It is a privilege and honour to be chairman of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, and I am looking forward to, what I am sure will be, a very exciting year for ladies’ golf in Scotland.”
Aberdeen-based Margaret MacNaughtan, who hails from Bearsden, Glasgow, is the new SLGA vice-chairman. Mrs MacNaughtan  is a former Scotland hockey international team player and selector. She was captain of Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club in its centenary year of 1992 and she was county captain of Aberdeenshire in the late 1990s.
She was chairman of training during her first two years on the SLGA executive and as such was the Scotland team manager at home internationals and European championships.
Sheila Pickles and Janet Wake have come on to the SLGA to replace Emma Wilson and Jennifer Mack.
Sheila is a past Captain of the Ladies Golf Club, Troon, and is a member of Ayrshire Ladies County Golf Association. She is a Rules referee and refereed at the Scottish Championship at Cruden Bay this year.
Janet is a past Captain of Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club and a member of Dunbar Golf Club. She is the immediate past Captain of Midlothian Ladies County Golf Association. Janet runs the Midlothian website.

Margaret McNaughtan

Shiela Pickles

Janet Wake

SCOTTISH VENUES NAMED FOR 2006 FALDO SERIES
Next year’s Scottish qualifying rounds in the FaldoSeries will be played at:
Kilmarnock Barassie – Tuesday, March 28.
Carnoustie – Tuesday, April 25.
Blairgowrie – Tuesday, July 18.
The Grand Final, with qualifiers from all eight regions – six in England, plus Scotland and Ireland - will again be held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales on a late-season date to be confirmed.
With thousands of applications last year, there will be a total field of over 500 participants selected to play three 18-hole stroke-play events in their chosen region.
Entrants must be born in 1985 or later and have a minimum handicap according to their age group:
Boys/Girls Under 21 (handicap limit 4).
Boys U18 (handicap limit 5); Boys U17 (handicap limit 6); Boys U16 (handicap limit 7); Boys U15 (handicap limit 8) and Girls U18 (handicap limit 9).
For further information and access to application forms, visit the website at www.nickfaldo.com (click on ‘Series’)

TWO SCOTS BEAT SENIORS' CUT - BUT NO CHANCE OF EARNING CARDS
Scots Brian Smith and Steve Martin were among the 41 players who survived the third-round cut in the European Seniors Tour Final Qualifying School over the Pinta course at Pestana Golf Resort on the Algarve today (Wed).
Smith shot one of the best rounds of the day - a two-under-par 69 - for a 54-hole tally of 219 but, from his current share of 31st place, he has little or no chance of finishing in the top six who will gain players' cards at the end of the final round. Brian will start the fourth round 11 shots behind the trio who are sharing sixth place.
Brian, having struggled to card two 75s over the first two days, suddenly started playing birdie golf. He birdied the first, sixth, 13th, 14th and 17th but had bogeys at the fourth, 11th and 12th. 
Former European Tour and Tartan Tour player Steve Martin from Dundee had his worst round of the three, following up a 71 and 73 with a 76 to be tied for 33rd place on 220. Steve had only one birdie, at the fourth, and a double bogey at the 13th killed any lingering hopes he might have had after earlier bogeys at the first, sixth, seventh and 11th.
Borders amateur Mike Thomson and Kemnay club pro Ronnie McDonald failed to hit the qualifying mark of 221.
It was not for want of trying in Thomson's case. His third-round 70 was a vast improvement on his opening 76 and 78. Even so - it could have been a lot better for he ran up a double bogey 7 at the long 12th. The former Scottish mid-amateur champion birdied the second, 11th and 18th.
McDonald ended his debut at the over-50s Q School with a 79, after fair-to-middling scores of 74 and 75. Ronnie did not birdie a hole until the 18th. By that time he had bogeyed the first, third, sixth, seventh, 11th, 13th and 16th and double-bogeyed the short 15th.
EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pinta course, Pestana Golf Resort, Algarve.
A total of 41 players with three-round totals of  221 qualified for the final round.
LEADING QUALIFIERS (Par 71)
206 S Ginn (Aus) 68 70 68, B Smit (SA) 68 71 67.
207 A Sowa (Arg) 69 71 67.
208 S Chadwick (Eng) 71 68 69, A Fernandez (Chi) 69 68 71, J Heggarty (NIr) 70 69 69.
209 B Lincoln (SA) 73 70 66.
210 D Johnson (US) 73 66 71.
211 K Cox (US) 71 70 70, B Larratt (Eng) 69 71 71, R Mann (Eng) 70 74 67, R Velasquez (Col) 72 70 69.
Scottish qualifiers: 
219 B Smith 75 75 69.
220 S Martin 71 73 76.
Scottish non-qualifiers:
224 M Thomson (am) 76 78 70.
228 R McDonald 74 75 79.

NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS PAUL LAWRIE BUT WORTH A CIGAR …
Earlier in the year that Paul Lawrie won the Open at Carnoustie he won the North-east Alliance competition at Buckpool despite having a 10 on his scorecard.
Craig Stephen, a plus two-handicap amateur at Meldrum House, took a leaf out of the 1999 Open champion’s book by winning at Buckpool today (Wed) even though he had a quadruple bogey 8 at the fifth.
Stephen compensated for that disaster with seven birdies – at the first, third, eighth, 11th, 12th, 16th and 17th in halves of 37 (two over par) and 32 (three under) for a one-under-par 69. He also had bogeys at the sixth and 14th.
He headed a field of 76 by one shot from  Bill Urquhart (Murcar), the winner at Ballater a fortnight earlier, and completing an amateur 1-2-3 finish, Graham Hogg (Oldmeldrum) was third with a 71.
Urquhart had birdies at the sixth, 10th and 12th but bogeyed the first, fifth and 13th in halves of 36 and 34. The one-handicap Murcar member had to settle for pars at the last five holes.
Two-handicap Graham Hogg birdied the ninth, 11th, 12th and 16th in halves of 36 and 35. He bogeyed the first and sixth but it was his late bogeys at the 15th and 17th that relegate him to third place.
NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE – Buckpool
Leading scratch scores (Par 70)
69 C Stephen (Meldrum House).
70 W S Urquhart (Murcar).
71 G Hogg (Oldmeldrum).
72 C Nelson (Hazlehead), D Garrett (Huntly), P Cormack (Inchmarlo), I Buchan (Craibstone), S Scott (Auchmill).
73 J Smith (Cruden Bay), C Carnegie (Kemnay), R Pirie (Calednian).
74 J Roberts (Cruden Bay), S Finnie (Caledonian), D Corley (East Aberdeenshire).
75 R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo), R Stwewart (Cruden Bay), A Nelson (Banchory), J Morris (Craibstone).
76 S Pert (Huntly), R L Nicoll (Murcar), S Davidson (Banchory), K Minty (Turriff).
77 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), W D Rae (Kemnay), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum), F Bisset (Banchory), N Williamson (Banchory), J Cameron (Royal Aberdeen), P Cornfield (Auchmill).
78 P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen), J M Hamilton (Murcar), K McGilvray (Craibstone), D Leighton (Murcar).
Leading handicap
Class 1 – J Morris (Craibstone) (7), S Scott (Auchmill) (4) 68; G Hogg (Oldmeldrum) (2), A Nelson (Banchory) (6), N Williamson (Banchory) (8), K Minty (Turriff) (7), W S Urquhart (1), K McGilvray (Craibstone) (9) 69.
Class 2 – J Roberts (Cruden Bay) (10) 64;  K Duncan (Cruden Bay) (14) 65; W D Rae (Kemnay) (11), M F R Rogers (Kemnay) (15) 66; A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10), P Cornfield (Auchmill) (10) 67; G Travis (Auchmill) (14) 69.
+Next Wednesday’s meeting at Portlethen will have a two-tee start with the last tee times at approximately 10.30am.

PABLO AND RHYS THIRD AND FOURTH IN ALL-AMERICA COLLEGE CLASSIC
Two former British boys’ open champions, Pablo Martin from Spain and Rhys Davies from Bridgend, South Wales, finished third and fourth in the prestigious All-America Classic college golf tournament over the 6,781yd, par-71 El Paso Country Club in Texas.
Vanderbilt’s Luke List led the select field from start to finish with rounds of 67, 65 and 68 for 13-under-par 200.
He won by one stroke from Chris Kirk (Georgia) who scored 71, 63 and 67 for 201.
Pablo Martin (Oklahoma State) shot 68, 67 and 67 for third place on 202.
Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) came fourth with 67, 69 and 69 for 205.
Former winners of the All-America Classic include Tiger Woods (1995), David Duval (1991 and Davis Love (1984).

JODI AND DANIELLE SIGN UP FOR US COLLEGES
Yorkshire teenager Jodi Ewart (Catterick), winner of the girls’ title in the recent Daily Telegraph junior championships’ grand final at Dubai Creek, has signed a Letter of Intent to enrol at New Mexico University next autumn.
Another promising youngster from Northern Ireland, Danielle McVeigh, has committed herself to join Texas A&M University after the summer of 2006.
The full list – collated by GolfWeek – of young female golfers who have so far signed National Letters of Intent to play US collegiate golf from the 2006-2007 onwards - is:
Sofia Aidemark, Laholm, Sweden (UNC-Greensboro)
Carolina Andrade, Cadiz, Spain (Georgia)
Lauren Archer, Boise, Idaho (Oregon State)
Molly Aronsson, Shelburne, Vt. (Washington)
Jennifer Arseneault, Grinnell, Iowa (Virginia)
Ashley Baker, Dublin, Ohio (Furman)
Ashley Bauer, Grand Blanc, Mich. (Michigan)
Kellye Belcher, Bartlett, Tenn. (Indiana)
Chelsea Betts, Berlin, Md. (High Point)
Kristen Billings, Wilmington, N.C. (East Carolina)
Kayley Bodine, Martinsville, Ind. (Indiana State)
Abby Bools, Hickory, N.C. (East Carolina)
Lalita Boonnoppornkul, No. Hollywood, Calif. (UCLA)
Annie Brophy, Spokane, Wash. (Notre Dame)
Ginny Brown, Austin, Texas (Tennessee)
Corrine Carr, Pinehurst, N.C. (Furman)
Brenda Chhuor - Cerritos, Calif. (Long Beach State)
Misun Cho, Kew, Victoria, Australia (Pepperdine)
Britney Choy, Wahiawa, Hawaii (New Mexico)
Renee Cloutier, Niceville, Fla. (St. John's)
Lindsay Cullen, Allen, Texas (Penn State)
Erin Cylke - El Cajon, Calif. (Long Beach State)
JODI EWART, Middleham, North Yorkshire, England (New Mexico)
Ashley Freeman, Belleville, Ill. (Texas A&M)
Molly Fuhs, Spokane, Wash. (Washington State)
Brooke Goodwin, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. (Vanderbilt)
Leslie Grabeman, Springboro, Ohio (Minnesota)
Sara Grantham, Cleveland, Tenn. (Mississippi)
Kristen Hendrix, Houston, Texas (Baylor)
Christine Herzog, Detroit Lakes, Minn. (Minnesota)
Justine Hix, Grants Pass, Ore. (Portland State)
Amanda Jacobs, Portland Ore. (Idaho)
Emma Jandel, Dayton, Ohio (Ohio State)
Christine Kim, Hilo, Hawaii (Colorado)
Julie Kim, Port Coquitlam, B.C., Canada (Colorado)
Julie Kim, Bayside, N.Y. (Notre Dame)
Lois Kim, Bayside, N.Y. (St. John's)
Rosalyn Kim, Belton, Texas (Texas Tech)
Caroline Kim, Port Coquitlam, B.C., Canada (Southern California)
Angela King, Rancho Sante Fe, Calif. (Stanford)
Natasha Krishna, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand (UNLV)
Laura Kueny, Whitehall, Mich. (Michigan State)
Mackenzie Mack, Las Vegas, Nev. (Indiana State)
Dani Madden, Woodinville, Wash. (Idaho)
Melissa Mabanta, Vancouver, B.C., Canada (UNLV)
Amanda Martinez, San Antonio, Texas (Texas Tech)
Megan McKinney, Fisherville, Ky. (Murray State)
DANIELLE McVEIGH, Northern Ireland (Texas A&M)
Sydnee Michaels, Temecula, Calif. (UCLA)
Allison Micheletti, Chesterfield, Mo. (Furman)
Lauren Milosh, Southboro, Mass. (St. John's)
Brittany Nelson, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Florida)
Whitney Neuhauser, Barboursville, Va. (Virginia)
Laura Nochta, Cortland, Ohio (Indiana)
Brielle Paolini, Virginia Beach, Va. (William and Mary)
Tiffany Phelps, McKinney, Texas (Arkansas)
Julia Potter, Granger, Ind. (Missouri)
Dominique Pytlewski, West Vancouver, B.C., Canada (Colorado)
Andrea Ratigan, Tucson, Ariz. (Michigan)
Corinna Rees, Pebble Beach, Calif. (Arkansas)
Johanna Rodert, Skovde, Sweden (Coastal Carolina)
Brooke Ruble, Battle Creek, Mich. Western Michigan)
Alexandrea Schulte, Broken Arrow, Okla. (Arkansas)
Gina Sharp, Helena, Ark. (Mississippi State)
Stephanie Sherlock, Barrie, Ontario, Canada (Denver)
Erica Still, Waycross, Ga. (Kentucky)
Candace Schepperle, Hoover, Ala. (Auburn)
Suzanne Stanley, Decatur, Ala. (Mississippi State)
Christina Stockton, Auburn, Calif. (San Francisco)
Kathleen Strandberg, Greensboro, N.C. (North Carolina State)
Beth Stonecypher, Yelm Wash. (Idaho)
Emily Street, Forest City, N.C. (North Carolina State)
Abbi Sunner, Ankeny, Iowa (Kansas State)
Ashley Szewczuk, Chalfont, Pa. (St. John's)
Samantha Tejada, Ashland, Mass. (St. John's)
Allison Travis, Eagle, Idaho ( Washington State)
Aubrey Vaughn, Reedsport, Ore. (Portland State)
Kristin Vincent, Burlington, N.C. (North Carolina State)
Catherina Wang, Orlando, Fla. (Stanford)
Aubrey Watt, Yorktown, Ind. (Indiana State)
Annelie Weimenhog, Kattarp, Sweden (UNC-Greensboro)
Kristin Wetzel, Middletown, N.Y. (Notre Dame)
Vicki Yi, Athens, Ga. (Georgia) .
Christina Yoon, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Washington)

Tuesday 22nd November 2005

CLARE FINISHES JOINT EIGHTH AT LET Q SCHOOL – AND SAYS GOODBYE TO AMATEUR RANKS
Drumpellier’s Clare Queen finished joint eighth in the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School at La Cala Resort, Mijas on the Costa del Sol today (TUESDAY) – and immediately relinquished her amateur status.
The 22-year-old Great Britain & Ireland amateur international player – who would have almost certainly gained a Curtis Cup against the United States next summer – will instead be a rookie pro on the European women’s circuit.
Clare, who came through last week’s Stage 1 36-hole preliminary test, finished the final 72-hole eliminator with rounds of 70, 74, 71 and 78 for a one-over-par total of 293.
Top graduates from the school were Ellen Smets (Belgium) and Sarah Kemp (Australia) who both finished on four-under-par 288.
Miss Queen’s final round was her worst of the week but  by then she had virtually clinched an LET player’s card.
Clare had only four bogeys in her first 54 holes of the Final Q School but she had six in eight holes today from the fifth to the 12th! Out in 41, and starting back with bogeys at the 10th and 12th, Clare steadied up to play the last six holes in one under par with her only birdie of the round coming at the 16th.
During her amateur career, Clare won the British Under-18 girls’ open match-play and stroke-play titles and she also won the British women’s open stroke-play title last year.
She was the only Scot to make it through to the last day of the LET Final Q School this week.
The leading 30 and ties, with totals of nine-over-par 301 and better, gained full playing rights for next year. The remainder who made the last day will have rankings which will gain them restricted access to the 2006 circuit.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
La Cala Resort North Course, Mijas, Costa del Sol.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 73
288 Ellen Smets (Bel) 72 72 73 71, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 72 70 73 73.
289 Sofia Renell (Swe) 73 70 73 73, Anna Rawson (Aus) 73 73 69 75.
290 Danielle Masters (Eng) 74 72 70 74.
291 Louise Friberg (Swe) 73 71 74 73, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 74 70 73 74.
293 Nikki Garrett (Aus) 72 73 75 73, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 78 73 69 73, Clare Queen (Sco) (am) 70 74 71 78.
295 Florence Luscher (Swi) 68 80 73 74.
296 Eva Steinberger (Aut) 78 71 71 76.
297 Leah Hart (Aus) 75 79 74 69, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 77 80 68 72, Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus) 77 73 74 73, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 75 77 70 75, Tania Elosegui (Spa) (am) 77 72 72 76, Beatriz Recari (Spa) (am) 71 78 71 77.
298 Titiya Plucksataporn (Thai) 74 74 78 72, Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 75 76 73 74, Sarah Heath (Eng) 77 73 74 74, Libby Smith (US) 74 72 77 75, Fame More (Eng) 74 75 73 76.
299 Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) (am) 75 75 76 73, Janice Olivencia Puerto Rico) 70 76 76 77, Josefine Skold (Swe) 75 68 77 79.
300 Mardi Lunn (Aus) 76 76 75 73, Nora Angehrn (Swi)  78 75 72 75, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 70 77 77 76.
301 Lill Saether (Nor) 76 72 80 73, Anna Temple (US) 76 74 77 74,  Heidi McCulkin (Aus) 74 74 77 76, Katy Jarochowicz (Aus) 77 71 77 76, Helen Beatty (Aus) 74 78 71 78, Nicole Gergely (Aut) (am) 74 75 74 78, Nuria Clau (Spa) 76 74 72 79.
Following gained restricted cards:
302 Emelie Svenningsson (Swe) 76 76 74 76, Sofia Johansson (Swe) 74 77 75 76.
303 Elin Ohlsson (Swe) 80 73 70 80.
304 Uliana Rotmistrova (Rus) 77 75 74 78, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 73 80 72 79.
305 Megan Heckeroth (US) 75 77 76 77, Sandra Carlborg (Swe) 76 79 73 77, Sam White (US) 79 77 72 77, Filippa Hansson (Swe) 75 73 77 80.
306 Caroline Grady (Eng) 78 76 74 78.
307 Mianne Bagger (Den) 77 75 74 81.
308 Hanna-Sofia Svenningsson (Swe) 70 77 78 83.
310 Laura Terebey (US) 77 75 75 83.
Disq – Marie-Josee Rouleau (Can) 75 75 73 disq.

STEVE MARTIN NEEDS BIG EFFORT OVER FINAL 36 HOLES OF SENIORS' SCHOOL 
STEVE Martin has to improve 16 places over the final 36 holes to gain one of only six full players’ cards which are at stake in the European Seniors Tour Final Qualifying School over the 6,425yd, par-71 Pinta course at the Pestana Golf Resort on Portugal’s Algarve.
Martin has had rounds of 71 and 73 for a two-over-par halfway total of 144 – and that puts him in a share of 22nd place going into the third round.
The leading six at the moment have all scored three-under 139 or better, which emphasises just how tough a task it is to break through to the over-50s pro circuit.
Kemnay club pro Ronnie McDonald is sharing 46th place on 149 with scores of 74 and 75. He is two places ahead of compatriot Brian Smith (75-75) while the fourth Scot in the field, amateur Mike Thomson from the Borders, is back in a tie for 64th place with scores of 76 and 78 for 154.
England’s Stephen Chadwick and Jimmy Heggarty of Northern Ireland lead the British hopes after second rounds of 68 and 69 moved them into a tie for third place.
Chilean Angel Fernandez currently leads at five-under-par 137, but he finds some strong competitors breathing down his neck.
A stroke further back on 138 is Australian Stewart Ginn, who won the Ford Seniors Players’ Championship on the US Champions Tour in 2001. Four players are tied at three under par 139 – Chadwick, Heggarty, Doug Johnson of the United States and South African Bertus Smit.
Heggarty was a regular on the European Tour from the late 1970s to the early 1990s and he has made a good start to his first Seniors Tour Qualifying with consecutive under par rounds in tricky conditions.
TUESDAY SCOREBOARD
EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pinta Course, Pestana Golf Resort, Algarve, Portugal.
LEADING SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 71
 137 A Fernandez (Chi) 69 68.
 138 S Ginn (Aus) 68 70.
 139 S Chadwick (Eng) 71 68, J Heggarty (NIr) 70 69, D Johnson (US) 73 66, B Smit (SA) 68 71.
 140 B Larratt (Eng) 69 71, A Sowa (Arg) 69 71.
 141 K Cox (US) 71 70, A Ortiz (Arg) 72, G Stewart (Eng) 70 71.
 142 B Butler (US) 71 71, M Kelly (Ire) (am) 72 70, R Velasquez (Col) 72 70.
 143 J Curtis (Ire) 73 70, J Dolan  (US) 70 73, B Evans (Eng) 70 73, L Gallardo (Spa) 69 74, B Hardwick (Can) 71 72, B Lincoln (SA) 73 70, M Williams (SA) 71 72.
 144 J Benda (US) 75 69, R Mann (Eng) 70 74, S Martin (Sco) 71 73, A Saavedra (Arg) 68 76, D Stirling (Aut) 70 74.
Other Scottish scores:
149 R McDonald 74 75.
150 B Smith 75 75.
154 M Thomson 76 78.

Celebrate St Andrews Week with a visit to the British Golf Museum
As part of the St Andrews Festival Week celebrations, the British Golf Museum is admitting all visitors free of charge between Thursday 24th November and Sunday 4th December. 
Everyone is welcome to take advantage of this opportunity to discover the history of golf, from its origins in the Middle Ages to the celebrations surrounding the 250th Anniversary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and The Open Championship played at St Andrews in 2005.
There is something for anyone interested in local history or the history of golf and its development over the past 500 years.  Visitors will be able to enjoy watching rare black and white footage dating back to 1904 and to go interactive by selecting their favourite Open Championship footage highlights from 1926 until the present day or even to test their knowledge on The Rules of Golf.  Dressing up in period golf costume is all part of the experience as is the chance to practise putting skills with replica clubs and balls from the last 175 years.
The museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm daily and a visit will make the perfect break from playing golf.

The lovely new Spey Valley course

NEW AVIEMORE COURSE TO OPEN ON MAY 26 NEXT YEAR
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The splendid new Spey Valley golf course at Aviemore is to open on May 26 next year, the owners have announced this week.
The standard green fee per round has been fixed at £69 (£29 for juniors), which compares favourably Scotland’s other major courses.
“Work has not yet started on a clubhouse but we do expect construction work to start in the very near future,” said Fraser Cromarty, pictured right, director of golf for Macdonald Hotels.
Macdonald Hotels hired world-class designer Dave Thomas to build a course capable of staging of top-flight professional events while still being playable by golfers across the board, including those with long handicaps.
Off the back tees, Spey Valley measures close on 7,200yd. However, varied teeing grounds putting it at 6,800yd, means it can be set up for golfers of all abilities.
A straight-out, straight back lay-out, the course will have a par of 73 (36-37) with five par-5s including a "monster" 641-yard fifth hole, one of the longest holes in Scotland .
The four par-3s, at their longest, are certainly not in the "flick with a wedge" category either - the 213yd fourth, the 208yd sixth, the 197yd 10th and the 229yd 16th.   
The course, nestling in a Caledonian pine forest with the towering Cairngorms as a backdrop and the River Spey flowing past several heather-lined fairways, has a magnificent, picture postcard setting. Dave Thomas expects it soon to be ranked among Britain’s top five inland golf venues.
“Spey Valley will be a real championship course but, for its survival, it also needs to attract golfers of all abilities. I’m sure the fact that it is so far north will not be a  drawback. Like a good restaurant, people will travel for quality. It’s as simple as that,” said Dave.
Designer of well over 100 courses world wide, Thomas, now 71, added:
"God willing, I would love to see this course in a few years' time when all the signs of construction have gone and all you see is what we have created. I insisted that we worked from inside the tree-line all the time, creating no scars and, hopefully, adding to the vista of this beautiful part of the Scottish Highlands.
"Ultimately, this may prove to be my jewel in the crown." 
The plan is not to stage any tournaments – large or small – in the first year, which is seen as a settling-in process for the lay-out and course manager Bob Mackay’s greenkeepers  - and a learning curve for the administration and clubhouse staff.
Mackay was headhunted from Royal Dornoch, another world-rated course.
“Spey Valley will be essentially a pay-and-play course of the highest quality,” said Fraser. “We will not have a club with members based here but annual green fee cards will be available, allowing you to enjoy unlimited golf over the course.”
“We will have an excellent practice range with balls provided.
A spokeswoman for Macdonald Hotels said that they were still considering the structureas for guest fees and other concessions. An announcement will be made nearer to the time of opening.
Bookings for a round over Spey Valley from May 27 onwards can be made, even now, by phoning 01479 815100 or E-mailing: golf@aviemorehighlandresort.com

MARTIN TOP SCOT AT EURO SENIORS QUALIFYING SCHOOL FIRST DAY
Former European Tour player Steve Martin, who won’t be 50 until next month, is the best placed of the four Scots at the end of the rain-hit first day of the European Seniors Tour Qualifying School on the Algarve.
Rain on already wet Pinta course at the Pestana Resort delayed the start of play by 2 ½ hours and two groups will go out early on Tuesday morning to complete their first rounds.
Only six cards for next season’s European Seniors Tour are up for grabs and the field of 76 is made up of 19 exempt players and 57 qualifiers from last week’s preliminary test.
Martin birdied the ninth and 12th and bogeyed the fourth and 11th in returning a level par 71.
Kemnay club pro Ronnie McDonald had a 74 with birdies at the 11th and 14th but bogeys at the third, fourth, sixth, 16th and 17th.
Brian Smith returned a 75 which included double-bogey 6s at the 10th and 16th. He birdied the eighth and 12th and dropped shots at the fourth and fifth.
Former Scottish mid-amateur champion Mike Thomson from the Borders, playing as an amateur, had a 76 with bogeys at the fourth, ninth, 12th, 14th and 17th.
Four players share the lead on 68 and 15 in all scored under the par of 71. That’s how tough it is going to be for any of the four Scots to win a player’s card at the end of four rounds.
EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pinta course, Pestana Resort, Algarve.
Par 71.
Leading first-round scores
68 T Allen (Eng), S Ginn (Aus, A Saavedra (Arg), B Smit (SA), G Townhill (E).
69 A Fernandez (Chi), L Gallardo (Spa), R Glenn (E), A Sowa (Aus).
70 J Dolan (US), B Evans (E), J Hegarty (NIr), R Mann (E), L Stephen (Aus), D Stirling (Aut).
Scots scores:
71 S Martin.
74 R McDonald.
75 B Smith.
76 M Thomson (am).

NORTH BERWICK SCOTLAND'S REPRESENTATIVES IN RULES OF GOLF QUIZ GRAND FINAL AT R&A
The North Berwick Golf Club team of four head to St Andrews on Sunday (NOV 27) for the Great Britain & Ireland grand final of the R&A Rules of Golf Quiz. They hope to emulate the feat of neighbours, The Glen Golf Club, who captured the prestigious title last year but were KO’d in the first round by North Berwick in this year’s competition.
Competing in the Scottish final for the first time at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh, North Berwick proved to be the lady-killers of the competition! They beat the ladies of St Rule Club by the narrowest of margins – one point – in their semi-final and then went on to eliminate the ladies of Strathaven Golf Club to become Scottish quiz champions and earn a place in the grand final.
The North Berwick team consisted of Paul Hutchinson, Euan Lambert, Torquil McInroy and David Warren.
Euan – brother of LPGA tour player Catriona Matthew, Torquil and David have all been club champions.
“Golfing ability counts for nothing in this quiz and though we’ve all played at a good level of the game, this quiz has made us realise that we don’t really know every rule in the book,” said David.
Alan Chainey, who was captain of the winning North Berwick team in the earlier rounds, missed the Scottish semi-finals and final at Baberton. He returns from a golfing holiday at Pinehurst in the United States this week.
Captain Chainey now faces a dilemma. Which four of the five players used to get to the grand final should be in the line-up at the R&A clubhouse on Sunday?
The other qualifiers for the Grand Final are:
Ireland – Roe Park, Northern Ireland.
England: Midlands - Hagley Golf Club. North – Crosland Heath. South-east – Flackwell Heath. Southwest – Dartmouth.
Details of the Scottish final at Baberton:
Semi-finals: Strathaven bt Torphins 28-26, North Berwick bt St Rule 40-39.
Final: North Berwick bt Strathaven 36-23.

Monday 21st November 2005

CLARE SET TO BOW OUT OF AMATEUR RANKS AFTER ANOTHER GOOD DAY
Only Drumpellier’s Clare Queen, pictured right, of the four Scots in the field survived the third-round cut in the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School over La Cala Resort North Course, Mijas on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
Clare, 22, is set to relinquish her amateur status after shooting a third-round 71 for a 54-hole tally of 215. That put her in joint second place with one round to go behind Los Angeles-based Aussie Anna Rawson.
The top 30 players after 72 holes will gain full playing rights for next season’s LET circuit. The next 20 will gain a ranking which will get them into some events next year.
The 50 who beat the cut on Monday had to score nine-over-par 228 or better.
Royal Dornoch member Cara Gruber will almost certainly remain an amateur after scoring 79, 78 and 75 for 12-over 231.
Bridge of Allan’s former Curtis Cup player Heather Stirling flew all the way from Florida, played very well in last week’s Stage 1 eliminator and then slumped to scores of 68, 80 and 76 for 15-over 234.
Mearns Castle Golf Academy teaching pro Lesley Mackay finished last one one in the field of 95 with scores of 85, 77 and 81 for 24-over-par 243.
Clare Queen birdied the first, ninth, 12th and 17th and had bogeys at the sixth and 10th in halves of 36 and 35 for her one-under-par score after earlier rounds of 70 and 74.
Cara Gruber ran up a triple bogey8 at the 15th but did gain three birdies – at the eighth, 14th and 18th in halves of 38 and 37.
Heather Stirling’s third-round 76 began with a birdie but died away with bogeys at the sixth, ninth, 10th and 11th in halves of 38.
Lesley Mackay had a triple bogey 7 at the seventh in an outward 43.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
La Cala Resort North Course, Mijas, Costa del Sol.
THIRD-ROUND QUALIFIERS
Par 73
214 Anna Rawson (Aus) 73 73 68.
215 Clare Queen (Sco) (am) 70 74 71, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 72 70 73.
216 Danielle Masters (Eng) 74 72 70, Sofia Renell (Swe) 73 70 73.
217 Ellen Smets (Bel) 72 72 73, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 74 70 73.
218 Louise Friberg (Swe) 73 71 74.
220 Eva Steinberger (Aut) 78 71 71, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 71 78 71, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 78 73 69, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 72 73 75, Josefine Skold (Swe) 75 68 77.
221 Tania Elosegui (Spa) (am) 77 72 72, Florence Luscher (Swi) 68 80 73.
222 Fame More (Eng) 74 75 73, Nuria Clau (Spa) 76 74 72, Janice Olivencia (Puerto Rico) 70 76 76, Anna Knutsson (Swe) 75 77 70.
223 Elin Ohlsson (Swe) 80 73 70, Nicole Gergely (Aut) (am) 74 75 74, Marie-Josee Rouleau (Can) 75 75 73, Libby Smith (US) 74 72 77, Helen Beatty (Aus) 74 78 71.
224 Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus) 77 73 74, Sarah Heath (Eng) 77 73 74, Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 70 77 77, Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 75 76 73, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 77 80 68, Nora Angehrn (Swi) 78 75 72, Katy Jarochowicz (Aus) 77 71 77.
225 Heidi mcCulkin (Aus) 74 74 77, Filippa Hansson (Swe) 75 73 77, Hanna-Sofia Svenningsson (Swe) 70 77 78, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 73 80 72.
226 Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) (am) 75 75 76, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thai) 74 74 78, Sofia Johansson (Swe) 74 77 75, Uliana Rotmistrova (Rus) 77 75 74, Mianne Bagger (Den) 77 75 74, Emelie Svenningsson (Swe) 76 76 74.
227 Anna Temple (US) 76 74 77, Mardi Lunn (Aus) 76 76 75, Laura Terebey (US) 77 75 75.
228 Sam White (US) 69 77 72, Sandra Carlborg (Swe) 76 79 73, Caroline Grady (Eng) 78 76 74, Leah Hart (Aus) 75 78 74, Lill Saether (Nor) 76 72 80, Megan Heckeroth (US) 75 77 76.
MISSED CUT
229 Kerry Knowles (Eng) 80 77 72, Anne-Sophie Le Nalio (Fra) (am) 83 76 70, Julie Berton (Fra) (am) 76 74 79.
230 Joanne Oliver (Eng) 82 75 73, Natalie Haywood (Eng) 77 77 76, Anne Lise Caudal (Fra) (am) 77 77 76, Peggy Fraysse (Fra) 74 77 79, Marianne Skarpnord  (Nor) 77 75 78, Jo Clingan (Eng) 77 75 78,
231 Catherine Schmitt (Fra) 78 68 75, Rachel Bell (Eng) (am) 79 77 75, Alex Keighley (Eng) 74 80 77, Valereie Michaud (Fra) 78 81 71, Lisa Jean (Aus) 79 75 77.
232 Cara Gruber (Sco) (am) 79 78 75, Maria Iida (Bra) 79 78 75, Katharina Werdinig (Aut) (am) 85 74 73, Shelley McKevitt (Eng) 78 81 73, Maria Verchenova (Rus) (am) 77 77 78, Hazel Kavanagh (Ire) 75 78 78, Kate Phillips (Wal) 76 77 78.
233 Olof Jonsdottir (Ice) 80 76 77, Morgana Robbertze (SA) 74 79 80.
234 Simone Morgan (Eng) 80 78 76, Polly Willett (Eng) 80 81 73, Laura Eastwood (Eng) (am) 81 82 71.
235 Michelle Smith (Eng) (am) 80 78 77, Heather Stirling (Sco) 79 80 76,
Eva Bjarvall (Swe) 78 82 75, Jill Magnusson (Swe) 83 78 74.
236 Natalie Booth (Eng) 82 76 78, Linda Svensson (Swe) 73 83 80, Lucie Gendronneau (Fra) (am) 78 76 82,
237 Sophie Hunter (Eng) 78 79 80, Kirsty Fisher (Eng) 81 76 80, Joanna Whalley (Aus) 85 78 74, Steph Coverley (Eng) 83 81 73.
238 Frederique Dorbes (Fra) (am) 79 78 81, Emma Weeks (Eng) 82 76 80.
240 Wendy Dicks (Eng) 80 81 78, Clare Lipscombe (Eng) 80 83 77.
241 Santie Koch (SA) 83 76 82, Marieke Zelsmann (Net) 78 81 82.
242 Natalie Margetts (Aus) 86 80 76.
243 Lesley Mackay (Sco) 85 77 81.
Retired: Patricia Sota (Spa) 81 79 ret.

ESPORTA PAIR SIXTH IN BAHRAIN FINAL
Esporta Dougalston Golf Club professional Craig Everett and club captain Andy McDowell, who plays off 23 of a handicap, finished sixth of nine in
the two-day final of the Gulf Air International Pro-Captain Challenge at Riffa Golf Club, Bahrain.
They had rounds of 70 and 71 for an aggregate of 141, 12 strokes behind tournament winners Brian Rimmer and Mke Adamson from Little Aston Golf Club. Rimmer's reward was a cheque for £2,000.
GULF AIR INTERNATIONAL PRO-CAPTAIN CHALLENGE
The Riffa Club, Bahrain
FINAL TOTALS
129 Little Aston: Brian Rimmer  & Mike Adamson (10)  63 66.
133 Studley Wood: Dusan Gavrilovic & Nigel Garrett (6)  67 66.
135 Dubai Creek: Alan MacKenzie & Vikram Judge (scr)  68 67.
136 Riffa: Mike Braidwood  & Z Al Zayani (19)  69 67.
138 Wexford: Liam Bowler  & John Quigley (11)  69 69.
141 Esporta Dougalston Craig Everett & Andy McDowell (23)  70 71.
142 Otley: Steven Tomkinson & Andrew Stewart (5)  70 72; Richmond Park: Alan Hemsley  & Mike Webb (8)  70 72; Cumberwell Park:  John Jacobs & Barry Hales (5)  72 70.

PGAs OF EUROPE SWITCH
The PGAs of Europe international team championship has been switched from the Atalaya Park Old Course to the Dave Thomas-designed Marbella Club course on the Costa del Sol.
Reconstruction work, in particular in the driving range area at Atalaya Park, will not be completed in time for the championship will will be played over four rounds of stroke-play from Wednesday to Saturday, December 7 to 10.
Chris Doak, Chris Kelly and Scott Henderson are Scotland’s three-man team.

Sunday 20th November 2005

CATRIONA FINISHES FIFTH TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL BEST OF $776,925 IN 2005
Catriona Matthew boosted her earnings to personal one-season high of $776,925 by finishing fifth in the LPGA season-ending ADT championship in Floriday today.
Catriona had rounds of 70, 75, 70 and 71 for a two-under-par total of 286.
Annika Sorenstam made a successful defence of the championship to score her 10th win of the season. The Swede had rounds of 69, 70, 74 and 69 for six-under 282, winning  by two shots from three players.
LEADING TOTALS
282 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 69 70 74 69.
284 Michele Redman (US) 69 73 74 69, Soo-Yun Kang (Korea) 69 77 70 68, Lotte Neumann (Swe) 69 74 71 70.
286 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 70 75 70 71.
LEADING MONEYWINNERS FOR 2005
1 Annika Sorenstam $2,588,240.
2 Paula Creamer $1,531,780.
3 Cristie Kerr $1,360,941
Other total:
10 Catriona Matthew $776,925

CLARE QUEEN OF SCOTS IN LET QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Only Clare Queen of the four Scots bidding to win players’ cards for next year’s Ladies European Tour are likely to survive the cut at the end of Monday’s third round over La Cala Resort North Course at Mijas on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
The 22-year-old Drumpellier player, entered as an amateur, is tied for fourth place after scores of 70 and 74 for two-under-par 144. Clare would have been right up there alongside halfway leader Sarah Kemp from Australia but for a double-bogey 6 at the 310yd 17th hole.
The Scot birdied the same hole in Saturday’s opening score of 70.
She had three birdies in Sunday’s so-steady round – at the short eighth and 10th. She bogeyed the second.
Only the top 50 and ties will advance to the fourth and final round.
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch), entered as an amateur, is sharing 68th place on 11-over-157 after scores of 79 and 78. Cara double-bogeyed the short 16th  but got her third birdie of the day at the last hole in halves of 40 and 38.
Florida-based Heather Stirling from Bridge of Allan, who did so well in the Stage 1 36-hole eliminator over the same course at the end of the week, has run into another confidence crisis. She has scored 79 and 80 for 159 and is joint 79th. Heather tan up a triple bogey 8 at the ninth in an outward 41 and then continued to shed shots to par along the inward half. Only a birdie at the 12th brightened her scorecard.
Former Scottish amateur international Lesley Mackay from Golspie, a teaching pro at Mearns Castle Academy, Glasgow, is in joint 91st position in the field of 96. Lesley had a nightmare first round of 85, which include a spate of late double bogeys. She steadied up for a second-round 77 but even that included another double bogey, a 7 at the ninth.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
La Cala Resort North Course, Mijas, Costa del Sol.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 73
142 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 72 70.
143 Josefine Skold Swe) 75 68,, Sofia Renell (Swe) 73 70.
144 Clare Queen (Sco) (am) 70 74, Isabella Maconi (Ita) 74 70, Louise Friberg (Swe) 73 71, Ellen Smets (Bel) 72 72.
145 Nikki Garrett (Aus) 72 73.
146 Anna Rawson (Aus) 73 73, Libby Smith (USA) 74 72.
147 Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor) 70 77, Hanna-Sofia Svenningsson (Swe) 70 77, Danielle Masters (Eng) 74 73, Janice Olivencia (Puerto Rico) 70 77.
148 Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 76 72, Florence Luscher (Swi) 68 80, Filippa Hansson (Swe) 75 73, Heidi McCulkin (Aus) 74 74, Katy Jarochowicz (Aus) 77 71, Eva Steinberger (Aut) 78 70, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tai) 74 74.
149 Fame More (Eng) 74 75, Nicole Gergely (Aut) (am) 74 75, Beatriz Recari (Spa) (am) 71 78, Marie-Josee Rouleau (Can) 75 74, Tania Elosegui (Spa) (am) 77 72.
150 Julie Berton (Fra) (am) 76 74, Frederiqyue Seegholzer (Swi) (am) 75 75, Anna Temple (US) 76 74, Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus) 77 73, Nuria Clau (Spa) 76 74.
151 Sofia Johansson (Swe) 74 77, Peggy Fraysse (Fra) 74 77, Antonella Cvitan (Swe) 7u5 76, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 78 73, Sarah Heath (Eng) 77 74.
152 Anna Knutsson (Swe) 75 77, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 77 75, Uliana Rotmistrova (Rus) 77 75, Megan Heckeroth (US) 75 77, Jo Clingan (Eng) 77 75, Mianne Bagger (Den) 77 75, Marti Lunn (Aus) 76 76, Lisa Jean (Aus) 789 73, Helen Beatty (Aus) 74 78, Emelie Sevenningsson (Swe) 76 76, Laura Terebey (US) 77 75.
153 Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 73 80, Morgana Robbertze (SA) 74 78, NMaria Verchenova (Rus) (am) 77 76, Elin Ohlsson (Swe) 80 743, Kate Phillips (Wal) 76 77, Nora Angehrn (Swi) 78 75.
154 Hazlel Kavanagh (Ire) 75 78, Lea Hart (Aus) 75 78, Lucie Gendronneau (Fra) (am) 78 76, Anne Lise Caudal (Fra) (am) 77 77, Natalie Haywood (Eng) 77 77, Caroline Grady) (Eng) 78 76, Alex Keighley (Eng) 74 80.
155 Sandra Carlbrog (Swe) 76 78.
156 Linda Svensson (Swe) 73 83, Rachel Bell (Eng) (am) 79 77, Catherine Schmitt (Fra) 78 78, Sam White (US) 79 77, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 77 79, Olof Maria Jonsdottir (Ice) 80 76.
157 Joanne Oliver (Eng) 82 75, Frederique Dorbes (Fra) (am) 79 78, Kristy Fisher (Eng) 81 76, Maria Iida (Bra) 79 789, Cara Gruber (Sco) (am) 79 78, Sophie Hunter (Eng) 78 79, Kerry Knowles (Eng) 80 77.
158 Simone Morgan (Eng) 80 78, Emma Weeks (Eng) 82 76, Natalie Booth (Eng) 82 76, Michelle Smith (Eng0 (am) 80 78.
159 Katharina Werdinig (Aut) (am) 85 74, Shelley mcKevitt (Eng) 78 81, Santie Koch (SA) 83 76, Heather Stirling (Sco) 79 80, Anne-Sophie Le Nalio (Fra) (am) 83 76.
160 Valerie Michaud (Fra) 789 81, Patricia Sota (Spa) 81 69, Marieke Zelsmann (Net) 78 82, Eva Bjarvall (Swe) 78 82.
161 Polly Willett (Eng) 80 81, Wendy Dicks (Eng) 80 81, Jill Magnusson (Swe) 83 78.
161 Lesley Mackay (Sco) 85 77.
163 Laura Eastwood (Eng) (am) 81 81, Clare Lipscombe (Eng) 80 83, Joanna Whalley (Aus) 85 78.
164 Steph Coverley (Eng) 83 81.
166 Natalie Margetts (Aus) 86 60.

WALES WINNERS OF ALGARVE WORLD CUP
Torrential rain at Vilamoura washed out the fourth and final round of the World Cup over the Victoria course on Portugal's Algarve today. That left Wales (Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd), the surprise leaders after 54 holes as winners of the trophy by two shots from defending champions England (Luke Donald and David Howell) and Sweden (Henrick Stenson and Niclas Fasth).
The two Welshmen come home with cheques for £400,870, the biggest pay day of their careers. Wales last won the World Cup of Golf in 1987 in Hawaii through the partnership of Ian Woosnam and David Llewellyn, after a play-off against Scotland's Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance.
Scott Drummond and Stephen Gallacher, Scotland's 2005 representatives, had a disappointing tournament and finished well down the field. So too did United States, none of whose star names wanted to play.

Morgan Pressel turns Pro
Morgan Pressel, the 17-year-old US women's open amateur champion  from Boca Raton, Florida, has turned professional.
She has decided to skip going to college - Duke University was her choice if she did not turn pro - and go straight on to the LPGA Tour if she comes successfully through the upcoming Final Qualifying School.
Only trouble is that 18 years is the minimum age for becoming a member of the LPGA Tour and Morgan won't be 18 until May 23.
Her grandfather, who has brought her up, said that they would ask the LPGA to reconsider its policy about players not being able to join the tour unilt they are 18 if she wins playing rights for the 2006 season. 
Morgan, who would have been a certainty for the United States' Curtis Cup team against Great Britain & Ireland in Oregon next summer, has signed with IMG but her announcement was a low-key affair compared with the recent Michelle Wie turning pro Press Conference.
Miss Pressel finished second in the US Women's Open at Cherry Hills this year after Birdie Kim holed a bunker shot at the 18th hole for victory.
She can play up to six LPGA tournaments on sponsors' exemptions until she can join officially on May 23, although whatever money she earns will not count toward the money list.
"My goal is to win Q-school,"  said Morgan. "Then, my goal is to win as many times as I can and finish as high on the money list. I know it's going to be hard."

CATRIONA LYING HANDY
Catriona Matthew got back on track in the LPGA Tour season-ending ADT championship with a third-round 70 at the Trump International Golf Club,West Palm Beach in Florida.
The Scot is on one-under-par 215 and is in joint fourth place, only two shots behind defending champion Annika Sorenstam who could do no better than 74 in her third round.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 72
213 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 69 70 74
214 Marisa Baena 74 74 66, Liselotte Neumann (Swe) 69 74 71
215 Hee-Won Han (Kor) 67 74 74, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 70 75 70
216 Michele Redman 69 73 74, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 69 77 70, Heather Bowie 71 74 71
217 Meena Lee (Kor) 72 71 74, Paula Creamer 68 75 74, Lorie Kane (Can) 72 74 71
218 Wendy Ward 73 72 73, Cristie Kerr 76 66 76
219 Jeong Jang (Kor) 75 70 74, Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 77 71 71, Natalie Gulbis 75 72 72
220 Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 75 72 73
221 Pat Hurst 73 77 71, Gloria Park (Kor) 73 75 73
222 Carin Koch (Swe) 73 73 76, Candie Kung (Tai) 71 73 78, Christina Kim 72 74 76
223 Karrie Webb (Aus) 72 77 74
224 Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor) 75 73 76, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 77 72 75
225 Juli Inkster 80 68 77, Karine Icher (Fra) 74 73 78
226 Young Kim (Kor) 75 74 77, Rosie Jones 74 75 77, Birdie Kim (Kor) 72 77 77

WALES SURPRISE LEADERS IN ALGARVE WORLD CUP
The Wales partnership of Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd are the surprise two-shot leaders from defending champions England (David Howell & Luke Donald) and Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth) with one round to go in the Algarve World Cup tournament over the Victoria course at Vilamoura.
Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and Scott Drummond shot a 64 in the third round but they are still down near the wrong end of the leaderboard.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
189 WALES (Bradley Dredge, Stephen Dodd) 61 67 61
191 ENGLAND (David Howell, Luke Donald) 59 69 63, SWEDEN (Henrik Stenson, Niclas Fasth) 61 67 63
194 FRANCE (Raphael Jacquelin, Thomas Levet) 63 70 61
195 DENMARK (Anders Hansen, Soren Hansen) 64 68 63
196 NETHERLANDS (Robert-Jan Derksen, Maarten Lafeber) 63 67 66, ARGENTINA (Ricardo Gonzalez, Angel Cabrera) 68 61 67
197 GERMANY (Christian Reimbold, Alex Cejka) 65 68 64
198 INDIA (Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa) 60 73 65
199 TAIWAN (Wang Ter-chang, Chang Tse-peng) 62 71 66, SPAIN (Miguel Angel Jimenez, S Gervas) 62 72 65
200 SOUTH (Tim Clark, Trevor Immelman) 68 67 65, IRELAND (Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley) 67 69 64, SOUTH KOREA (KJ Choi, Jang Ik-je) 67 71 62
201 JAPAN (Takuya Taniguchi, Yasuharu Imano) 63 70 68, PARAGUAY (Marco Ruiz, Carlos Franco) 63 73 65
202 AUSTRALIA(Mark Hensby, Peter Lonard) 60 73 69, UNITED STATES (Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink) 65 70 67, MEXICO (Alex Quiros, Pablo del Olmo) 67 71 64
203 SINGAPORE (Mardan Mamat, Lam Chih-bing) 67 70 66, SCOTLAND (Scott Drummond, Stephen Gallacher) 65 74 64, PORTUGAL (Jose-Filipe Lima, Antonio Sobrinho) 68 72 63
209 COLOMBIA (Eduardo Herrera, Diego Vanegas) 66 74 69
210 VENEZUELA (Manuel Bermudez, Carlos Larrain) 66 75 69

CLARE OFF TO A FLYER IN LET FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Drumpellier amateur Clare Queen made a very good start to the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School 72-hole tournament over La Cala Resort North Course (6,017yd) near Mijas on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
The Great Britain & Ireland international player played very consistently for a three-under-par 70 to be joint second, two shots off the pace, with three rounds to go.
Clare birdied three of the five par-5s on the course – the first, the sixth and the 18th. She also had a birdie at the 17th in a strong finish. Her only bogey in halves of 36 and 34 came at the third.
 Another Scottish amateur, Cara Gruber from Royal Dornoch, and former Scottish amateur champion Heather Stirling from Bridge of Allan, who is based in Florida, are well back in joint 64th place on the seven-over 79 mark.
Cara birdied the first but had a bad run either side of the turn. She bogeyed three in a row from the seventh to be out in 39 and then dropped further shots at the 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th for an inward 40. Cara did not have a single birdie.
Heather Stirling had back to back double bogeys at the fifth and sixth after setting off with a bogey. Out in 42, Heather got her only birdie at the short 11th. She bogeyed the 12th and 15th for 37 home.
Lesley Mackay from Golspie, the former Scotland amateur international who is now a teaching pro at Mearns Castle Golf Academy, Glasgow, had a disastrous 85 which leave her with a lot of ground to make up.
Lesley started well enough with a birdie at the first but then she bogeyed eight of the next nine holes. Only at the eighth did she get a par in that nightmare spell.
Out in 43, and starting back with a bogey, Lesley lifted the gloom temporarily with her only birdie at the 12th but then she had a catastrophic finish – double bogeys at the 14th, 15th and 16th for 42 home.
SCOREBOARD
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR – Final Qualifying School
La Cala North course, Costa del Sol, Spain.
FIRST ROUND SCORES (Par 73)
68 Florence Luscher (Swi).
70 Janice Olivienda (Puerto Rico), Clare Queen (Sco), Cecilie Lundgreen (Nor), Hanna-Sofia Svenningsson (Swe).
72 Ellen Smets (Bel), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Nikki Garrett (Aus).
73 Louise Friberg (Swe), Sofia Renell (Swe), Linda Svensson (Swe), Nathalie David-Mila (Fra), Anna Rawson (Aus).
74 Helen Beatty (Aus), Danielle Masters (Eng), Isabella Maconi (Ita), Titiya Plucksataporn (Thai), Alex Keighley (Eng), Sofia Johansson (Swe), Morgana Robbertze (SA), Fame More (Eng), Nicole Gergely (Aut) (am), Peggy Fraysse (Fra).
75 Marie-Josee Rouleau (Can), Anotonella Cvitan (Swe), Anna Knutsson Swe), Hazel Kavanagh (Ire), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) (am), Leah Hart (Aus), Filippa Hanssson (Swe), Megan Heckeroth (US).
76 Mardi Lunn (Aus), Kate Phillips Wal), Emelie Svenningson (Swe), Nuria Clau (Spa), Lill Saether (Nor), Sandra Carlborg (Swe), Julie Berton (Fra) (am), Anna Temple (US).
77 Jo Clingan (Eng), Maria Verchenova (Rus), Katy Jarochowicz (Aus), Mianne Bagger (Den), Natalie Haywood (Eng), Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus), Laura Terebey (US), Jenni Kuosa (Fin), Sarah Heath (Eng), Tania Elosegui (Spa) (am), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Anne Lise Caudal (Fra) (am), Uliana Rotmistrova (Rus).
78 Eva Steinberger (Aut), Nora Angehrn (Swe), Caroline Grady Eng), Sophie Hunter (Eng), Marieke Zelsmann (Net), Eva Bjarvall (Swe), Bettina Hauert (Ger), Shelley McKevitt (Eng), Catherine Schmitt (Fra), Lucie Gendronneau (Fra) (am).
79 Maria Priscila Iida (Bra), Sam White (US), Lisa Jean (Aus), Cara Gruber (Sco) (am), Valerie Michaud (Fra), Rachel Bell (Eng) (am), Heather Stirling (Sco).
80 Elin Ohlsson (Swe), Clare Lipscombe (Eng), Olof Maria Jonsdottir (Ice), Kerry Knowles (Eng), Michelle Smith (Eng) (am), Simone Morgan (Eng), Polly Willett (Eng), Wendy Dicks (Eng).
81 Laura Eastwood (Eng) (am) Patricia Sota (Spa).
82 Natalie Booth (Eng), Joanne Oliver (Eng), Emma Weeks (Eng).
83 Jill Magnusson (Swe), Santie Koch (SA), Stephanie Coverley (Eng).
85 Lesley Mackay (Sco), Joanna Whalley (Aus), Katharina Werdinig (Aut).
85 Natalie Margetts (Aus).

HENDERSON PULLS OUT OF FINAL ROUND
Scott Henderson withdrew from the fourth and final round of the US PGA Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 event at Lake Jovita Country Club, Dade City in Florida on Saturday.
The Aberdonian had no chance of figuring among the 18 qualifiers from the venue for the Final Q School, beginning at the end of the month, after scoring 75, 73 and 75 for seven-over-par 223 for 54 holes.
The leading qualifier from Lake Jovita was American Tommy Tolles with an 18-under-par total of 270 (67-68-64-71).
The 18 qualifiers shot five-under-par 283 or better.
The only Scottish player in the Final Qualifying School field at Winter Garden will be Elgin-born Joel Hendry who finished sixth in his Stage 2 eliminator earlier in the month.
 

Group picture of Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association leading prizewinners during the 2005 season,
pictured after Saturday's annual general meeting at the Star Ballroom, Aberdeen

Saturday 19th November 2005

ANNIKA TAKES LEAD IN ADT CHAMPIONSHIP
Annika Sorenstam put the previous day’s dispute with playing partner Paula Creamer behind her as she shot to the front in the ADT championship with a second-round 70 for a five-under-par tally of 139 at West Palm Beach, Florida on Friday.
Defending champion Annika opened up a two-stroke leader from the first-round pacemaker, Korea’s Hee-Won Han (67-74).
Paula Creamer dropped back to a share of fifth place on 143 after a 75.
Catriona Matthew did not have a good day. She double bogeyed the fourth and dropped two more shots at the fifth and sixth before birdying the eighth and ninth to be out in two-over 38.
The Scot steadied up on the inward half to reel off eight pars and a bogey at the 17th for a round of 75 and a two-round total of 145. She is in joint ninth place at the start of the ninth round over the 6,506yd, par-72 course.

US PGA Tour Qualifying School Stage 2
HENDERSON’S QUALIFYING HOPES KILLED OFF IN FLORIDA
Kings Links tour pro Scott Henderson had a disastrous finish in the third round of the US PGA Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 event at Lake Jovita Country Club, Dade City in Florida today (FRIDAY, USA TIME).
The Aberdonian, needing something special after uninspired rounds of 75 and 73, birdied the second, eighth and ninth to cancel out bogeys at the fifth and sixth. He was still one under par with three to play.
Then Henderson bogeyed the 15th and 16th before finishing with a double-bogey 6 at the 420yd 18th. It was Scott’s third double bogey of the 54 holes he has played.
A round of three-over 75 gave him a tally of seven-over-par 223. He now has no chance of making the top 18 and ties – currently at five under par -  at the end of the fourth round. They will go forward to the Final Q School at Winter Garden, Florida, starting on November 30.

Friday 18th November 2005

ANNIKA, PAULA IN RULES ROW
Annika Sorenstam, mindful of Michelle Wie's recent disqualification, had a heated discussion with playing partner Paula Creamer, the US Solheim Cup player, over where the Swedish defending champion should drop her ball at the par-4 18th in the first round of the LPGA's final event of the 2005 season, the ADT Tour Championship at West Palm Beach, Florida.
It took the best part of 25 minutes for Sorenstam, Creamer and LPGA rules official Janet Lindsay to sort out where Annika should drop her ball after her tee shot finished on the wrong side of a hazard line.
Sorenstam had earlier shot an eagle, seven birdies and a double bogey. The 18th cost the Swede a second double bogey and allow Paul Creamer to slip past her into second place on 68, one shot behind leader Hee-Won Han (Korea).
Annika finished on the 69 mark in a triple tie with Swedish compatriot Liselotte Neumann, American Michele Redman and Soo-Yun Kang (Korea).
Scotland's Catriona Matthew will start the second round in seventh place on 70.

SCOTLAND FAIL TO HIT IT OFF AT FOURSOMES IN WORLD CUP
Scotland's Scott Drummond and Stephen Gallacher have obviously forgotten the secret of playing good foursomes golf from their amateur days - Drummond actually played for England as a boy international!
Drummond and Gallacher could do no better than a two-over-par 74 in the second round of the World Cup over the Arnold Palmer-designed Victoria course at Vilamoura on the Algarve today.
That dropped them down to a 36-hole tally of 139 and only Portugal, Colombia and Venezuela are below them in the standings.
Sweden (Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth) - who combined for a 67 - and Wales (Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd), who had a 67), joined overnight leaders England (David Howell and Luke Donald) in the pole position on 128. Howell and Donald had a 69 - 10 shots worse than their first-day four-ball showing.
SCOREBOARD
128 SWEDEN (Henrik Stenson, Niclas Fasth) 61 67, WALES (Bradley Dredge, Stephen Dodd) 61 67, ENGLAND (David Howell, Luke Donald) 59 69
129 ARGENTINA (Ricardo Gonzalez, Angel Cabrera) 68 61
130 NETHERLANDS (Robert-Jan Derksen, Maarten Lafeber) 63 67
132 DENMARK (Anders Hansen, Soren Hansen) 64 68
133 GERMANY (Christian Reimbold, Alex Cejka) 65 68, JAPAN (Takuya Taniguchi, Yasuharu Imano) 63 70, FRANCE (Raphael Jacquelin) 63 70, TAIWAN (Wang Ter-chang, Chang Tse-peng) 62 71, AUSTRALIA (Mark Hensby, Peter Lonard) 60 73, INDIA (Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa) 60 73
134 SPAIN (Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sergio Garcia) 62 72
135 SOUTH AFRICA (Tim Clark, Trevor Immelman) 68 67, UNITED STATES (Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink) 65 70
136 IRELAND (Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley) 67 69, PARAGUAY (Marco Ruiz, Carlos Franco) 63 73
137 SINGAPORE (Mardan Mamat, Lam Chih-bing) 67 70
138 SOUTH KOREA (KJ Choi, Jang Ik-je) 67 71, MEXICO (Alex Quiros, Pablo del Olmo) 67 71
139 SCOTLAND (Scott Drummond, Stephen Gallacher) 65 74.
140 PORTUGAL (Jose-Filipe Lima, Antonio Sobrinho) 68 72, COLOMBIA (Eduardo Herrera, Diego Vanegas) 66 74
141 VENEZUELA (Manuel Bermudez, Carlos Larrain) 66 75

European Seniors Tour Final Qualifying School
THREE SCOTS SURVIVE EURO SENIORS' STAGE 1 Q SCHOOL TEST
Three Scots – Ronnie McDonald, Brian Smith and Mike Thomson (pictured right) – successfully cleared the Stage 1 36-hole hurdle in Portugal today (FRIDAY) to earn a place in next week’s European Seniors Tour Final Qualifying School over four rounds, also on the Algarve.
Kemnay club pro McDonald did not play nearly so well as he had done for a first-round 73 but a seven-over-par 79 over Pinheiros Altos for an aggregate of 152 was good enough to see him qualify in joint 12th place of the 28 who went forward from this venue.
Smith made it in a share of 20th place with 78 and 76 for 154 – two strokes under the limit at Pinheiros Altos where American Doug Johnson was the No 1 qualifier by 10 shots with a pair of 68s.
At Pestana Gramacho, where Tony Price (Wales) and Sweden’s Anders Johnson shared the top spot on three-under-par 141, Borders amateur Mike Thomson (Cardrona), a former Scotland international and winner of the Scottish mid-amateur championship in 2001, qualified in joint 20th place with a 76 and 72 for 148 – two shots inside the cut-off mark.
The European Seniors Tour Final Q School will be played over four rounds at Pestana Pinta course from Monday to Thursday.
Leading scores:
EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Stage 1 – Leading qualifiers
PINHEIROS ALTOS (Par 72)
136 Doug Johnson (US) 68 68.
146 Bill Malley (US) 73 73.
148 Steve Wild (Eng) 75 73, Angel Fernandez (Chi) 74 74, Neville Clark (SA) 72 76, Stewart Graham (Eng) 78 70.
Other qualifiers:
152 Ronnie McDonald (Sco) 73 79.
154 Brian Smith (Sco) 78 76.
Players with totals of 156 or better qualified.
Non-qualifiers included:
165 Tony Stafford (Sco) 84 81.
PESTANA GRAMACHO (Par 72)
141 Tony Price (Wal) 70 71, Anders Johnson (Swe) 67 74.
142 Bertus Smit (SA) 71 71, Kurt Cox (US) 69 73, Bobby Lincoln (SA) 71 71.
Other qualifier:
148 Mike Thomson (Sco) (am) 76 72.
Players with totals of 150 or better qualified.

Happier days at Health Perception with Rebecca Hudson and
Scots-born former Olympic swimmer David Wilkie, a leading figure in the company.

HEALTH PERCEPTION LGU CHAMPIONSHIP
Regretably, the Ladies’ Golf Union announces that the Health Perception LGU Championship will not take place in 2006.
After 3 highly successful years, due to organisational changes within Health Perception, the company has chosen not to renew their sponsorship of the event. Therefore, at this late stage, the Ladies’ Golf Union has taken the decision not to run the Championship in 2006.
Andy Salmon, CEO of the Ladies’ Golf Union said: "Health Perception was a wonderful sponsor and helped to drive the Championship forward to the success that we achieved this year. This has resulted not only in a higher profile for ladies’ golf at club level but gave 70,000 enthusiastic lady golfers a chance to compete against one another at national level.
"We understand the reasons for Health Perception reluctantly terminating the sponsorship but thank them sincerely for their three years of valued support."
Scottish-born former Olympic gold-medal swimmer David Wilkie and his partner Helen Isacs, committed believers in health benefits of nutrional supplements, co-founded the Health Perception company in 1989.

HIGHLAND FLING FOR CARA AND LESLEY IN LET STAGE 1 QUALIFIER
Highlanders Cara Gruber and Lesley Mackay both squeezed through among the 51 qualifiers from the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School’s Stage 1 eliminator at La Cala Resort, near Malaga on the Costa del Sol.
The scheduled two-rounder over two days spilled over into the third morning when darkness ended play on Thursday with eight groups still to finish their second rounds.
Former Scotland amateur international player Lesley Mackay from Golspie, now a teaching pro at Mearns Castle Golf Academy, Glasgow, was one of those who had to go out again to complete their totals.
Lesley, having birdied the short fourth and bogeyed the second and eighth, knew she was walking a qualifying tightrope when she resumed her round.
With eight-over-par 154 the likely cut-off point for those who would make it through to the Final Q School 72-hole test from Saturday to Tuesday, Miss Mackay had little margin for further error. But she kept her nerve and had eight pars and only one bogey, at the 17th, for a 75- four shots better than her first round.
That gave her a total of 154 – and that was confirmed as the qualifying maximum.
Royal Dornoch Golf Club member Cara Gruber from Strathpeffer, who entered as an amateur,  had hit the 154 mark long before the end of play on Thursday and she agonised overnight about whether or not she would qualify.
The other Scots who had cemented their places in the Final Q School on Thursday were Heather Stirling from Bridge of Allan on 146 (71-75) and Drumpellier’s Clare Queen with 148 (76-72).
So the Stage 1 nail-biter finished in tears for only one Scot – LPGA Tour player Vikki Laing from Musselburgh. She finished at 16-over-par 162 with rounds of 78 and 84.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Stage 1 (36 holes)
LA CALA NORTH COURSE (Par 73)
QUALIFIERS FOR STAGE 2
141 J Berton (Fra) 73 68.
146 H Stirling (Sco) 71 75, M-J Rouleau (Can) 76 70.
147 N Gergely (Aut) (am) 72 75, A L Caudal (Fra) (am) 72 75, A Rawson (Aus) 75 72, L Eastwood (Eng) (am).
148 C Queen (Sco) (am) 76 72, T Elosegui (Spa) (am) 72 76, S Kemp (Aus) 75 73, S Koch (SA) 78 70.
149 L Svensson (Swe) 74 75, F Seeholzer (Swi) (am) 72 77, D Masters Eng) 76 73, M Lunn (Aus) 76 73, J Whalley (Aus) 73 76, R Bell (Eng) (am) 73 76, S Johansson Swe) 75 74, M Robbertze (SA) 73 76, A Knutsson (Swe) 74 75.
150 M Holmes-Smith (Aus) 74 76, L Tereby (US) 74 76, F Luscher (Swi) 78 72, N Garrett (Aus) 73 77.
151 A-S Le Nalio (Fra) (am) 77 74, M P Iida (Bra) 75 76, N Haywood (Eng) 72 79.
152 P Willett (Eng) 75 77, M Verchenova (Rus) (am) 78 74, L Smith (US) 79 73, M Heckeroth (US) 73 79.
153 J Clingan (Eng) 76 77, C Schmitt (Fra 76 77, K Werdinig (Aut) (am) 74 79, H McCulkin (Aus) 77 76, M Smith (Eng) (am) 78 75, A Temple (US) 75 78, F Dorbes (Fra) (am) 81 72, F More (Eng) 74 79 , S White (US) 79 74, J Olivencia (Puerto Rico) 74 79, B Recari (Spa) (am) 78 75, T Plucksataporn (Tha) 75 78.
154 C Gruber (Sco) 76 78, L Gendronneau (Fra) (am) 77 77, K Jarochowicz (Aus) 78 76, L Hart (Aus) 76 78, F Hansson (Swe) 80 74, S Coverley (Eng) 77 77, N Margetts (Aus) 78 76, L Mackay (Sco) 79 75.
FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR STAGE 2
155 J Evans (Aus) 78 77, J Schaeffer (Fra) (am) 82 73, J W Tvede (Den) 77 78, N Hansson (Swe) 79 76, t Battistella (US) 79 76.
156 K Price (Wal) 79 77, J Marchan (Arg) 76 80, K Keogh-Heywood (Eng) (am) 80 76, M Quartana (Ita) 78 78, E Brown (Eng) (am) 77 79, L Ferrero (US) 76 80, M Sapin (Fra) (am) 78 78, N Soro (Ivory Coast) 79 77.
157 S Westerlund (Fin) (am) 82 75, S Walker (Eng) (am) 78 78, C Beltran (Aus) 80 77, C Smith (Eng) (am) 78 78, M Holmblad (Swe) 78 79, S Michl (Aut) (am) 79 78, V Bell (Eng) 78 79, C Hallstrom (Swe) 75 82.
158 C Kelepouris (Can) 79 79, E Nechanicka (Cze) (am) 80 78, L Wright (Eng) 79 79, C Reno (US) 81 77, C Trussoni (Ita) 79 79, J Perri (US) 76 82, L Cummins (Jer) 82 76, M Gillen (Ire) (am) 77 81, T Bohlin (Swe) 80 78.
159 T Hyett (Aus) 78 81, B Minchiotti (Spa) 79 80, L Tornevali (Swe) 80 79,  M Martin (Spa) 80 79.
160 A Fouch (US) 84 76, G Colavito (Ita) (am) 82 78, M Allen (Eng) 78 82, L Sibille (Fra) (am) 82 78, M Buus (Den) 80 80.
161 M Parker (Aus) 81 80, C Wahlberg (Swe) 77 84, A Vloedmans (Aus) 80 81, P Swenson (US) 81 80, L Loven (Swe) 82 79.
162 P  Beliard (Fra) 78 84, V Laing (Sco) 78 84 K Hutcherson (Eng) 80 82, H Chua (Phi) 83 79.
163 A Schleining (Aut) (am) 83 80, R Naliaka (Ken) 85 78.
164 L H Diggle (Wal) 86 78, A Milie (Ita) 83 81, R Sigurdardottir (Ice) 80 84, T S Sjoberg (Swe) 80 84.
165 C P Lala (US) 86 79.
166 J Kulvainen (Fin) (am) 82 84.
167 T Kirby (Aus) 86 81, E Brask (Swe) 86 891.
169 M L Elvira (Arg) (am) 86 83.
174 C Davis (US) 87 87.
175 K Ontronen (Fin) 84 91.
Retired: J D Pecoitz (Arg) 85 -, S Imboden (Swi) 97 -, N Rass (Aut) 80 -.

Thursday 17th November 2005

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
VIKKI SHOCK FAILURE; HEATHER AND CLARE DEFINITELY THROUGH BUT CARA HAS NIGHT ON BORDERLINE
Only two of the five Scots in the field – Heather Stirling, pictured left, from Bridge of Allan and Drumpellier’s Clare Queen, pictured right, – have definitely cleared the Stage 1 hurdle to claim places in the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School eliminator at La Cala Resort near Malaga on the Costa del Sol on Thursday.
Eight groups were unable to complete their second and final round because of darkness and will resume play on Friday morning.
Only the lead 44 players and ties after 36 holes will go forward to the Final 72-hole qualifying tournament over the same venue from Saturday to Tuesday.
Royal Dornoch amateur Cara Gruber is one of those who will have had a sleepless night. She has had rounds of 76 and 78 for eight-over-par 154.
“It’s going to be close,” said Cara from Spain last night. “Eight over par is the projected total that will qualify but, of course, it all depends on what scores are returned by the 20-odd players who have still to complete their rounds.”
Cara, pictured left, birdied the first and sixth but had bogeys at the fifth, eighth, 11th, 12th and 14th and ran up a double bogey at the 17th in halves of 37 and 41. That double bogey could yet prove costly.
Lesley Mackay (Mearns Castle Golf Academy), pictured left, is one of those who has to go back out on the course this morning. She was six over par after a first-round 79 so she does not have much margin for error.
Many players know already that they have failed to make it. The biggest surprise  was LPGA Tour player Vikki Laing from Musselburgh but based in the United States for the past few years.
Vikki Laing looked a shadow of the great prospect she was an amateur three or four years ago. Vikki had a sad, sad second-round 84 for a total of 162 (16 over par for 36 holes).
She opened with a double-bogey 7 and then dropped more shots at the fourth, eighth and ninth to turn in 42. Coming home, she had a solitary birdie at the 13th after a double bogey at the 12th and shed single shots at the 10th, 11th, 14th, 16th and 17 in an inward card of 42.
Florida-based first-round leader Heather Stirling shot a 75 for a level par total of 146. Although that put her five shots behind the likely competition winner, French amateur Julie Berton, the red-haired Scot is actually joint second among the players who have completed second-round totals.
Heather had birdies at the fourth and ninth but a double bogey at the 12th and single shots dropped at the ninth and 16th in halves of 37 and 38.
Clare Queen, who entered as an amateur, had a one-under-par 72 for a total of 148. Clare birdied the second, fourth and 18th and had only two bogeys – at the third and 13th - in halves of 36.
Two leading amateurs who failed to make the grade were England’s Sophie Walker and Ireland’s Martina Gillen. Sophie had rounds of 79 and 78 for 157 (11 over par) while Martina, winner of the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur stroke-play title at Troon at the start of the season, slumped to a second-round 81 for 158.

US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School
HENDERSON MAKES NO HEADWAY
Scott Henderson's bid to join fellow Scot Joel Hendry in the field for the US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School looks doomed to fail after a second-round 73 in the Stage 2 qualifier at Lake Jovita Country Club, Dade City in Florida today (THU, USA TIME).
The Aberdonian, pictured right, is on three-over-par 148 at the halfway stage - there is no cut - and some 17 shots behind leader Bubba Dickerson who has shot 66 and 65 for 131.
Only the leading 18 and ties after four rounds will go forward to the final six-round eliminator at Winter Garden, Florida, beginning on November 30.
Henderson was sharing 68th place with some players still to complete their second rounds. The outward half continued to give Scott more trouble than the inward nine. He birdied the third and ninth but dropped shots at the first, fifth and seventh in reaching the turn in one-over-par 37.
Coming home, Scott varied from par only twice - a bogey at the 11th and a birdie 2 at the short 14th.
Hendry reached the Final Q School for the first time by finishing sixth in his Stage 2 event at Panama City Beach, Florida last week.

World Cup of Golf
SCOTLAND SIX SHOTS BEHIND LEADERS ENGLAND IN WORLD CUP OF GOLF
SCOTLAND'S Stephen Gallacher and Scott Drummond are lying joint 13th after the first-day four-ball round of the World Cup of Golf over the Victoria course at Vilamoura on Portugal's Algarve.
Gallacher and Drummond had a better-ball round of six-under-par 65 - six shots behind defending champions England.
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD Par 72
59 England (David Howell, Luke Donald)
60 India (Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa), Australia (Mark Hensby, Peter Lonard)
61 Wales (Stephen Dodd, Bradley Dredge), Sweden (Henrik Stenson, Niclas Fasth)
62 Spain (Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sergio Garcia), Taiwan (Wang Ter-chang, Chang Tse-peng)
63 Paraguay (Marco Ruiz, Carlos Franco), France (Raphael Jacquelin, Thomas Levet), Japan (Takua Taniguchi, Yasuharu Imano), Netherlands (Robert-Jan Derksen, Maarten Lafeber)
64 Denmark (Anders Hansen, Soren Hansen)
65 Germany (Christian Reimbold, Alex Cejka), SCOTLAND (Scott Drummond, Stephen Gallacher), United States (Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink)
66 Colombia (Eduardo Herrera, Diego Vanegas), Venezuela (Manuel Bermudez, Carlos Larrain)
67 Mexico (Alex Quiroz, Pablo del Olmo), South Korea (KJ Choi, Jang Ik-je), Singapore (Mardan Mamat, Lamb Chih-bing), Ireland (Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley)
68 South Africa (Tim Clark, Trevor Immelman), Argentina (Ricardo Gonzalez, Angel Cabrera), Portugal (Jose-Filipe Lima, Antonio Sobrinho)

European Seniors’ Tour Qualifying School
RONNIE MCDONALD BEST PLACED SCOT IN SENIORS Q TEST ON ALGARVE
Aberdonian Ronnie McDonald, pictured right, competing in the event for the first time, was the best placed Scot at the end of the first round of Stage 1 of the European Seniors’ Tour Qualifying School on the Algarve, Portugal today (THURSDAY).
McDonald, the professional at Kemnay Golf Club, Aberdeenshire, shot a one-over-par 73 at Pinheiros Altos to be joint fifth at this venue.
Fellow Aberdonian David Chillas has a 77 at the same course, one better than another Scot, Brian Smith.
Scottish amateur Mike Thomson, playing out of the Cardona club, Peebles
had a four-over-par 76 at the Pestana Gramacho course.
COLLATED RETURN
EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR – Qualifying School – Algarve, Portugal.
Stage 1
Leading first-round scores:
PINHEIROS ALTOS (Par 72)
68 D Johnson (US).
70 M Williams (SA).
71 J Njunge (Ken).
72 N Clarke (SA).
73 B Malley (US), R McDonald (Sco), A Mori (Ita), A Romanoff (US).
74 M Alvarez (Spa), A Fernandez (Chl), D Jarvis (USA), G Laing (Eng), A Morrow (Ire) (am), B O’Malley (Ire) (am), W Wright (US).
Other scores included:
77 D Chillas (Sco).
78 B Smith (Sco).
84 T Stafford (Sco).
PESTANA GRAMACHO (Par 72)
67 A Johnsson (Swe).
69 K Cox (US).
70 P Hildebrand (Swe) (am), T Price (Wal).
71 S Davidson (Eng), R A Green (Eng), M Kelly (Ire) (am), B Lincoln (SA), G Slabbert (SA), B Smit (SA)
72 T Huyton (Eng), J Rushnell (Can), D Young (Eng).
Other scores included:
76 M Thomson (Sco) (am).

PRESS RELEASE
Lisbon Golf Festival 2006
Great News for Amateur Golfers!!
Lisbon Golf Festival in May 2006 will now include the superb new Ribagolfe I and II and Santo Estevao courses, thanks to new sponsors ESAY Golf Management. This event, now in its fourth year, is open to amateur golfers of all abilities and attracts players from all over Europe as well as Britain and Ireland. The motto “Serious Fun” aptly describes the blend of playing top courses and a splendid social scene.
The new sponsorship deal with ESAY, the premier Portuguese golf management company, will bring in these highly rated courses to enhance a great programme which already includes Quinta da Marinha and Praia d’El Rey, the only Portuguese course in Golf World’s top 100 courses of the world. The benefits of the new sponsorship will be passed on to players with prices in 2006 being the lowest for four years and now includes transport from the tournament hotels to all the courses and social functions!
Other sponsors of the event are Tivoli Hotels, along with award winning wine producers Quinta da Sanguinhal, Crocker, Motorola, Radiotrans and Euro RSCG, who have supported the Lisbon Golf Festival from day one.
The festival starts with four days in the Oeste and Estoril & Sintra region, playing Quinta da Marinha and Praia d’El Rey, before moving to into Lisbon to spend three nights at the Tivoli Tejo. From here ESAY’s courses of Santo Estevao, Ribagolfe I and Ribagolfe II will be played.
The golf competition is sure to be exciting with individual and team competitions taking place during the week. 2006 will see the introduction of the Nations Cup, where the best score from each nation each day will count and the Nations Cup winners will be the nation accumulating the best points tally over 4 rounds.
Away from the courses, players are invited to a numbers of social functions including a welcome party and a splendid prize presentation dinner at Tivoli Hotel’s five star city centre hotel. Non golfers are warmly welcomed.
Whether you come on your own, as part of a group or as a couple, this competition will appeal to men and ladies alike, providing many warm memories of great golf, a lively social scene and a host of good prizes.
Tournament director, Stuart Woodman, said “As with any important date in the calendar, it signifies a get together of friends and a special location. The event is ever-improving and I hope that the slightly changed format will help all players to be in the prizes at some point during the week.’
Packages for 7 days are available from Euro975 / £695 and for 3 days are available from Euro396 / £285. Tournament entry only is also available. For more information call +44 (0) 870 850 3436

ABERDONIAN IN ILLINOIS GOLF HALL OF FAME
The name of Aberdonian Tom Bendelow, who emigrated to the United States in 1892 and became the most prolific designer of golf courses throughout America and Canada, has been inducted to the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame.
Tom was frequently referred to as the “Johnny Appleseed of American Golf.” The most famous of the 800-plus golf courses he designed, many of which were municipal lay-outs at a time when the American public were starting to play the game, are Medinah, Big Foot, Olympia Fields, East Lake and Allegheny.
“It was a great moment for the Bendelow family and one step forward in regaining for Tom the recognition he deserves in American golf history. The induction ceremony represented the culmination of four years of work by many in the Illinois PGA golfing community,” said Stuart Bendelow, pictured right, one of the surviving grandsons, who lives in South Carolina.
Tom Bendelow, born in Aberdeen in 1868, was a printing compositor in the city before he set off with his wife Mary to start a new life in the United States at the age of 24.
To begin with Tom worked in the composing room of the New York Herald newspaper but, an accomplished golfer himself , he soon began teaching the game and opened possibly the first indoor golf instructional school in New York City in 1895.
In 1899 he was hired by the New York City Park Authority to take charge of Van Cortlandt Park golf course, the first municipal golf course in the United States. He redesigned it and supervised its expansion to 18 holes. That was really the beginning of his golf course designing career.
Tom Bendelow died in Chicago in 1936.
 

Wednesday 16th November 2005

Stage 1 qualifier at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School
HEATHER LEADS AT END OF FIRST TEST DAY IN SPAIN
Former Scottish women’s amateur champion Heather Stirling set the early pace in the first round of the 36-hole Stage 1 qualifier at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Cala Resort on Spain’s Costa del Sol today (WED).
Florida-based Heather, a 28-year-old from Bridge of Allan, shrugged off the sad string of results in three years as a tour pro in America, to shoot a two-under-par 71 over the testing North course and be the one-stroke clubhouse leader with half the field of 118 still to complete their first rounds.
They are chasing 44 places in the field of 90 and ties for the LET Final Q School at the same venue from Saturday to Tuesday.
Heather, who won the Scottish women’s amateur match-play and stroke-play crowns in 2002 – which earned her a Curtis Cup team place for Great Britain & Ireland against the United States, put herself in the mood with birdies at the second, fourth and fifth.
Then she had a sticky patch in the middle of the round with bogeys at the sixth, ninth and 12th, before she got back on the birdie trail with a 2 at the short 16th and a 3 at the par-4 17th .
Heather won her first and only event as a pro earlier this year when she picked up the £1,000 winner’s prize in an 18-hole US Futures Tour charity event at New Brunswick.
She works as a caddie for holiday golfers in Florida during the winter months to fund her activities on the Futures Tour in the summer.
Amateurs Clare Queen from Drumpeller and Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) both hit the three-over 76 mark to be sitting in joint 25th place at the halfway mark of this first sprint test.
Clare was heading for a share of the lead with compatriot Heather Stirling when she was two under par after 13 holes, having birdied the first, 11th and 13th with only one shot dropped, at the seventh.
Then Queen lost her regal touch. She dropped five shots over the last five holes. A bogey at the 14th was the prelude to a nightmare triple-bogey 8 at the long 15th and then she dropped another at the last.
Cara Gruber had two 6s on her card in more consistent halves of 37 and 39.
Cara birdied the long ninth and the 14th but shed strokes at the first, 10th, 12th, 15th and 17th.
Vikki Laing is still searching for the form that made the Musselburgh lass an outstanding amateur and earned her Curtis Cup honours and umpteen Scottish girls’ championships. She slumped to a 78 and, sharing 42nd place overnight, she cannot afford many slip-ups in her second round if she is to make it through to the Final Q Test.
Vikki had a horrible start – a triple-bogey 7 at the second followed by shots shed at the third and seventh to be five over par on the eighth tee. She did get a 2 at the short eighth but, out in 41, her prospects became even bleaker when she bogeyed the 11th and 12th. A second birdie 2 of the day, at the short 16th, was a rare moment of pleasure on a long slog of an afternoon.
Lesley Mackay, a former Scotland amateur international from Golspie and now a teaching pro at Mearns Golf Academy, Glasgow, finished on 79 after bogeying five of the first six holes. A birdie at the seventh stopped the rot but she then bogeyed the eighth to be out in 41.
Lesley steadied up after the turn, coming home in eight pars and one bogey, at the 12th.
UPDATED SCORES
END OF PLAY SCOREBOARD FROM:
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL – La Cala Resort, Costa del Sol, Spain.
FIRST ROUND  (Par 73)
71 Heather Stirling (Sco).
72 Natalie Haywood (Eng), Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) (am), Nicole Gergely (Aut) (am).
73 Morgana Robbertze (SA), Megan Heckeroth (US), Nikki Garrett (Aus), Julie Berton (Fra) (am).
74 Laura Eastwood (Eng) (am), Fame Moore (Eng), Janice Olivencia (Puerto Rico), Anna Knutsson (Swe), Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus), Linda Svensson (Swe), Laura Terebey (US), Katharina Werdinig (Aut) (am).
75 Anna Rawson (Aus), Sofia Johansson (Swe), Anna Temple (US), Maria Iida (Bra), Sarah Kemp (Aus), Christine Hallstrom (Swe), Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha), Polly Willett (Eng).
76 Lea Hart (Aus), Lisa Ferrero (US), Jennifer Perri (US), Marie-Josee Rouleau (Can), Cara Gruber (Sco) (am), Jo Clingan (Eng), Danielle Masters (Eng), Jimena Marchan (Arg), Clare Queen (Sco) (am), Mardi Lunn (Aus), Catherine Schmitt (Fra).
77 Emma Brown (Eng) (am), Steph Coverley (Eng), Martina Gillen (Ire) (am), Anne-Sophie Le Nalio (Fra) (am), Cissi Wahlberg (Swe), Lucie Gendronneau (Fra) (am).
78 Michelle Smith (Eng) (am), Marion Spain (Fra) (am), Vanessa Bell (Eng), Santie Koch (SA), Natalie Margetts (Aus), Beatriz Recari (Spa) (am), Jane Evans (Aus), Patricia Beliard (Fra), Vikki Laing (Sco), Monica Quartana (Ita), Florence Luscher (Swi).
79 Stefanie Michl (Aut) (am), Costanza Trussoni (Ita), Libby Smith (US), Natou Soro (Cote D’Ivoire), Sam White (US), Taya Battistella (US), Lesley Mackay (Sco), Corina Kelepouris (Can), Kathryn Price (Wal), Sophie Walker (Eng) (am), Laura Wright (Eng).
80 Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir (Ice), Filippa Hansson (Swe), Therese Sjoberg (Swe), Nadine Rass (Aut), Mette Buus (Den), Lena Tornevall (Swe), Therese Bohlin (Swe), Maria Martin (Spa), Marta Martin del Castillo (Spa) (am), Edita Nechanicka (Cze) (am), Amanda Vloedmans (Aus), Karen Keogh-Heywood (Eng) (am).
81 Cortney Reno (US), Perry Swenson (US), Frederique Dorbes (Fra) (am), Megan Parker (Aus).
82 Laure Sibille (Fra) (am), Lotta Loven (Swe), Lynne Cummings (Jersey), Stenna Westerlund (Fin) (am), Jade Schaeffrer (Fra) (am), Giuliana Colavito (Ita) (am), Jenni Kuivainen (Fin) (am).
83 Heidi Chua (Phi), Alexandra Schleining (Aut) (am), Annamaria Milie (Ita).
84 Elena Perrone (Swe), Krista Ontronen (Fin), Allison Fouch (US).
85 Jacquelite Pecoitz (Arg).
86 Maria Elvira (Arg) (am), Elin Brask (Swe), Cheryl Lala (US), Lauren Hamilton Diggle (Wal) (am), Tanya Kirby (Aus). 
97 Sabina Imboden (Swi).

US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School
HENDERSON SHOOTS 75 IN FIRST ROUND OF Q TEST IN FLORIDA
Aberdeen Kings Links tour pro Scott Henderson faces an uphill struggle to qualify for the US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School after a disappointing opening round of three-over-par 75 in the Stage 2 eliminator at Lake Jovita Country Club, Dade City in Florida today (Wed, USA time).
Henderson had three 6s on his card, two of them double bogeys. He struggled to the turn in 40 with double bogeys at the first and eighth and a third 6 at the par-5 ninth. The only bright spot was a birdie at the second.
The Aberdonian, one of the last men out in the field of 75, steadied up on the inward half with eight pars and a birdie at the 10 for 35 home. That put him in joint 67th place with three rounds to go before the leading 18 and ties go forward to the final Q School overe six rounds at Winter Garden Golf Club, Florida from November 30 to December 5.
 Brad Klapprott from Florida is the first-round leader at Lake Jovita CC with a seven-under-par 65.
Englishman John Morgan from Essex is sharing 19th place with a 69.

Murcar - venue for the 2008 European Girls Team Championship

MURCAR TO STAGE EUROPEAN GIRLS’ TEAM EVENT IN 2008
by Colin Farquharson
Murcar Golf Club, only four miles to the north of Aberdeen’s city centre, is to host the 2008 European girls’ team championship.
The five-day tournament – beginning on a Tuesday and ending on a Saturday – is contested by teams of four girls under the age of 18. It begins with two stroke-play rounds to determine the leading eight teams who will make up the championship match-play flight.
England won this year’s title in Lucerne. Scotland finished eighth. Other countries who took part were:
Sweden, Wales, Denmark, Norway, Spain, France, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands and Latvia.
It will be only the third female event under the auspices of the Swiss-based European Golf Association to be hosted by Scotland. The 1987 European women’s team championship was played at Turnberry and the European Under-21 girls’ team tournament was hosted by Nairn Golf Club in 1996.
Nancy Chisholm, pictured right, President of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, said:
“The Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association is delighted such a prestigious event will be coming to our shores. During the last four or five years we have been making a concerted effort, and been reasonably successful we feel, in encouraging young girls to participate in golf.
“We hope this championship may be seen as a further incentive, especially since we now have a wealth of talent amongst our Under-18 years squad.
“Any European event will be an expensive operation for the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to manage so, in addition to tapping in to some of our reserves, we must look to the task of finding sponsors, large or small, to give us some extra support.
“Golf clubs in the North and North-east of Scotland have always been most supportive to the SLGA in the past and we know Murcar Golf Club will be a superb venue for this prestigious event where we will welcome young players from throughout Europe.”
Derek Mortimer, pictured left, the Murcar Golf Club captain, said:
"Murcar Golf Club is delighted to be chosen as the venue for the 2008 European girls’ team championship. I'm sure that the Murcar links, the City of Aberdeen and its surrounding area, will make it a setting and a tournament to remember.
“Interest in the women’s golf is probably at an all-time high, so it will be good to see possibly the next Annika Sorenstam or Michelle Wie in action."
A complete refurbishment of the Murcar clubhouse began on November 1 and will be completed by next April.
The reconstruction of Murcar’s extensive practice area, situated adjacent to the clubhouse, by Graeme Webster, who has designed some of the best practice ranges in Scotland, including Kingsacre and Meldrum House, has also begun.
“There has been an unbelievable amount of work put in behind the scenes at Murcar over the last two years to get us to this point,” said club captain Mortimer.
“Murcar has been a sleeping giant for too many years now and I’m looking forward to the giant waking up fully in 2006.
“The condition of both our courses this year has been universally acclaimed as being at their best in decades. We had had record visitor numbers in 2005 and with the overall improvement under way as regards the off-course facilities, it’s an exciting time to be a Murcar Golf club member as we approach our Centenary year of 2009.”
The Murcar links – regularly rated among the top 100 courses in the British Isles in magazine polls – adjoins the Balgownie links of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. Some 6,314yd long, it has a men’s par of 71 and an SSS of 72.
It was established in 1909 to the design of Archie Simpson with later refinements by five times Open champion James Braid. There is also a nine-hole course at the venue.
Murcar is set in spectacular terrain, with views of the North Sea from nearly every hole. The fairways and greens are shaped by the sandhills for which Murcar is renowned. The elevated tees open up a panoramic view of the Aberdeen City skyline to the south; the unbroken line of the horizon of the North Sea to the east; and the vast curve of coast stretching as far as the eye can see towards Cruden Bay in the north.
Over the years, Murcar has hosted many professional tournaments and national amateur championships such as the Northern Open and the British senior open amateur championship. This past season Murcar hosted the Scottish boys’ match-play championship, won for the second year in a row by Scott Henry, and also combined with Cruden Bay to stage the Scottish Alliance championship.
Murcar was also a qualifying venue for this year’s Senior British Open, won by Tom Watson at next-door Royal Aberdeen.

R&A Press Release
R&A CHAMPIONSHIP VENUES & DATES FOR 2008
Turnberry, the majestic Ayrshire course which has already hosted three Open Championships and three Amateur Championships has been named as the venue for the Amateur in a schedule of events for 2008 announced today by The R&A.
The development of Turnberry was twice interrupted by war and it was not until 1961 that the Amateur Championship was initially played there, the first of many Championships to grace its fairways. Sir Michael Bonallack was the winner then, preceding two further Amateur Championships and three Open Championships, the most recent of which was won by Nick Price in 1994.
Kingsbarns is an even more recent addition to the expanding list of Championship courses being in only its first decade of existence, although it is believed that golf in some form was played there as early as the late 1700’s. Now, it has been selected to host the St Andrews Trophy and the Jacques Leglise Trophy matches in which Great Britain and Ireland take on the Continent of Europe at senior and boys levels.
The Boys Amateur Championship and Boys Home Internationals go to two venues of quite differing characteristics in Little Aston and Royal County Down. The former is set in the rolling countryside surrounding Little Aston Hall, in the Midlands of England while the latter is situated in Newcastle, Northern Ireland where the "Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea". Little Aston is a fine example of a fair yet testing inland layout, which received the endorsement of Henry Cotton who stated: "This course must have the best fairways in the world. I naturally have not seen them all but I have never seen better and more weed free turf anywhere – all the year round too."
Likewise, Royal County Down is an acclaimed championship layout and over the next few years, in addition to the 2008 Boys Home Internationals, will host the 2006 Women’s British Amateur and the following year will be the venue for the Walker Cup match when the U.S. team will be hoping to defend the trophy they won this year in Chicago.
Royal St David’s, the venue for the British Mid-Amateur Championship, is one of a limited number of championship courses in Wales and is laid out on dune land between Harlech Castle and the sea. Unusually, it has a par of 69 but despite that has hosted many championships since it was founded in 1894. The most recent major tournaments to be played there include The Club Professionals Championship (1998), The British Boys (1999), the Ladies’ Home Internationals (2000) and the Boys Home Internationals (2003).
In 2008 the Seniors Open Amateur Championship will be played in Kent, at Royal Cinque Ports and Princes, two courses that hosted The Open in the earlier part of the 20th Century. The winners at Royal Cinque Ports in 1909 and 1920 were JH Taylor and George Duncan while at Prince’s in 1932, it was 30-year-old Gene Sarazen who led after each round and won by 5 shots with a record score of 283.
Venues & Dates for 2008

GARY LINEKER REPLACES STEVE RIDER AS BBC TV GOLF'S FRONT MAN
Gary Lineker has been announced as the BBC's new face of golf in place of the departed Steve Rider.
Lineker will be the main presenter for BBC Sport's major golfing events starting with the Masters next April.
BBC director of sport Roger Mosey said: "It's exciting for him and, we hope, for the audience.
"Gary loves golf and we want his relaxed, authoritative style to feel as much at home on the 18th fairway as it does in the Match of the Day studio."
Lineker, one of England's most successful international football strikers of recent times, is a keen golfer and has presented golf highlights programmes for a number of years.
He has twice been named RTS Sports Presenter of the Year and he has also won the TRIC Sports Presenter of the Year award.
Rider left the BBC last month to join ITV.

Tuesday 15th November 2005

NO SCOTS AMONG EUROPEAN CARD WINNERS AT FINAL Q SCHOOL
No Scottish players figured among the 32 players with six-round totals of 436 or better who gained playing rights to the European Tour at the Final Qualifying School which ended over the San Roque Old and New Courses on Spain's Costa del Sol today.
It was an England 1-2-3 at the top end with Tom Whitehouse (419) winning with a 13 under par total from Robert Rock (421) and David Griffiths (425).
David Drysdale from Dunbar got the closest of the Scots who made the last two rounds.
David failed by one place to retain his player's card at the cut-off point of the 2005 season and it was a similar story at the Q School. He failed by one shot to make the select 30 and ties despite returning very good final round of three-under-par 69 for a total of 437.
David Patrick was also close with a closing 68 for 438.
Graham Fox (444), Raymond Russell (444) and Andrew McArthur (452) were down the field but, having made the last two rounds, they will be eligible to compete on the Challenge Tour in 2006.
FINAL TOTALS AT SAN ROQUE (Word file)

KRYSTLE CAPS OUTSTANDING SEASON BY BEING NO 1 IN PAULL & WILLIAMSONS’ GIRL RANKINGS
Fife teenager Krystle Caithness set the seal on a brilliant season by ending it as No 1 in the Paull and Williamsons’ girls’ rankings for 2005.
The 16-year-old from Cellardyke, near Anstruther, a member of the St Regulus Club, St Andrews, won the SLGA St Leonards’ Under-16 girls’ open title for the second year in a row and she also won the Scottish Under-18 girls’ open stroke-play title at West Kilbride.
Krystle has been a member of the Scotland women’s home international team for the past two years.
She had an average score of +1.67 in relation to CSS in nine of the girls’ ranking tournaments designated by the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association.
Runner-up was Roseanne Wilson (Crieff), a student at Loretto Golf Academy, with an average score of +2.22, also from nine events.
Elie & Earlsferry junior members Rebecca Watson and her younger sister Sally, the Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play champion, finished joint third with an identical average score of +3.89 from nine events.
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), winner of the North of Scotland women’s championship this year, and Scottish schoolgirls champion Laura Murray (Alford) came fifth and sixth respectively with +4 and +4.22.
Carly Booth, the long-time leader of the inaugural rankings, finished up not getting a ranking at all!
The 13-year-old Comrie girl with a +1 handicap at Auchterarder Golf Club played in only five of the 14 tournaments designated by the SLGA.
The minimum requirement was nine with the option of seven from girls’ events and two from women’s competitions.
That meant, in the final analysis, Carly’s average score of +1.60 in relation to CSS could not be taken into the reckoning.
PAULL AND WILLIAMSONS’ FINAL GIRLS’ RANKINGS FOR 2005
1 Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) +1.67.
2 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) +2.22.
3 Rebecca Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) +3.89
3 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) +3.89
5 Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) +4.
6 Laura Murray (Alford) +4.22.
7 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) +5.22.
8 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) +5.44.
9 Amanda Edwards (Liberton) +6.
10 Richael Livignstone (Musselburgh Old) +6.56.
11 Jane Turner (Mortonhall) +6.67.
12 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) +7.22.
13 Emma Fairnie (Peebles) +7.56.
14 Ashton Ingram (Fort William) +7.67.
15 Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) +8.56.
16 Fiona Blair (Monifieth) +10.89.
17 Hannah Harvey (St Leonards) +11.11.
18 Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) +11.44
+Players who did not play in the mimum of nine events included Carly Booth (Auchterarder), Katy McNicholl (Carnoustie), Ashleigh Wilton (Ladybank), Nadia Green (Nairn).

CLARE AND VIKKI DRAWN TOGETHER IN LET STAGE 1 EVENT IN SPAIN
Clare Queen and Vikki Laing, two of the five Scots in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School field of 118 for the 36-hole Stage 1 elimination competition, have had the good fortune to be drawn together in both rounds on Wednesday and Thursday.
Clare, still an amateur player, and Vikki, who has had limited opportunities as a professional on the LPGA Tour over the past two seasons, know each other well and will no doubt encourage each other to produce their best form at La Cala Resort near Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
Only the leading 44 players and ties at the end of the two rounds will go forward to join 46 exempt players to make a field of 90 plus ties for the Final Qualifying School.
The LET officials will be hoping that the rainstorms which hit Spain’s southern coast on Monday, forcing the abandonment of the men’s European Tour Qualifying School fifth round at San Roque will not return to disrupt their schedule which has a day’s break after Stage 1 before Stage 2 (the final 72-hole tournament) begins at the same venue on Saturday.
Mardi Lunn, an experienced Australian tour pro, completes Clare and Vikki’s threesome. They will tee off at 1pm on Wednesday and 8.40am on Thursday.
Cara Gruber from Royal Dornoch, like Clare Queen still an amateur, has Stenna Westerlund (Finland), also an amateur, and Melanie Holmes-Smith (Australia) as her partners at 12.20 on Wednesday and 8am on Thursday.
Another Highlander, Lesley Mackay from Golspie but attached to Mearns Castle Golf Academy, Glasgow as a teaching pro, tees up with Elena Perrone (Sweden) and Titiya Plucksatapron, an amateur from Thailand, at 9.30am on Wednesday and 1.50pm on Thursday.
And the fifth and final Scot in the field, Heather Stirling from Bridge of Allan – who has competed on the US Futures Tour since turning pro two or three years ago, will partner two amateurs, Stefanie Michl (Austria) and Laura Sibille (France) at 8.10am on Wednesday and 12.30 on Thursday.
Apart from Clare Queen, leading amateurs in the field include Ireland’s Martina Gillen, winner of this year’s Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur championship at Troon, and England’s Sophie Walker and Laura Eastwood.
Fame More and Danielle Masters, two members of the GB&I squad in last year’s Curtis Cup match at Formby, are back for another bid to make it on to the Ladies European Tour.

Monday 14th November 2005

THE RAIN IN SPAIN HITS EUROPEAN QUALIFYING TOUR SCHEDULE
Monday’s play during round five of the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School at San Roque was abandoned after a day of persistent rainfall and intermittent thunder storms over the south coast of Spain.
Most of the 84 players who survived the fourth-round cut had still to play around nine holes of their fifth rounds when play was officially abandoned for the day.
The fifth round will be completed over San Roque’s New Course on Tuesday morning before the players complete the race for the 30 available 2006 European Tour cards with a sixth and final round over the New Course.
In an attempt to ensure The Final Stage finishes on schedule, the players will remain in fifth round draw order for the last 18 holes, which has been scheduled to start at 10:00am local time.
The English trio of David Griffiths, Robert Rock and Tom Whitehouse share the lead on nine under par, with another Englishman, David Dixon in fourth place, six shots behind the leaders.
European Tour Qualifying School director Mike Stewart from Inverness, brother of former LET player Gillian Stewart, said: “Play was abandoned for the fifth round because we have had persistent rain and a lot of storm activity in the area throughout the day. The immediate forecast was for heavy rain to continue to fall until at least five o’clock local time, so there was no chance of any further play today due to the worsening condition of the golf course.
“The aim for tomorrow, at the moment, is to have everyone out on the golf course and in a position to restart at 08:30 in the morning. Rather than having a new draw for the final day which is standard practice, we are going to keep the players in fifth round draw order which, weather permitting, should allow us to finish the Final Stage of the Qualifying School on Wednesday evening. The first match of the sixth round is scheduled to tee off at 10 o’clock on Wednesday morning.
“There is really nothing else that can be done about the situation as it is. We all know that when you are dealing with weather conditions like the ones we have experienced today, you cannot do anything about it. The players fully understand the situation, and we are all now hoping that the poor weather improves and that we can complete what is a vitally important week for everyone involved in the Qualifying School on schedule on Wednesday evening.”

ILGU Press Release
IRELAND'S TERRIFIC TWINS
Ten-year-old twin sisters Leona and Lisa Maguire are the toast of Irish golf after finishing first and second at the Young Masters Golf Grand Masters Final in La Manga, Spain over the weekend.
Lisa’s wonderful performance sees her become the first Irish player to win the Tiger Woods’ endorsed tournament. The Cavan sisters played the 5700m championship South Course at La Manga in a FLAG competition - where you post your flag where your final shot lands. Shots are allocated on handicap.
Lisa used her final shot to hole on the 18th, while Leona’s last shot was on the 18th fairway. Third was Sophie Godley of Wales, who finished on the 17th fairway.
The performance of both girls was made even more impressive by the fact that they were playing against much older golfers. The two eldest players in the field, aged 17 and 18 finished on the 15th fairway.
The sisters were the only Irish girls representatives at the Spanish course. Lisa origianally qualified in Balmoral on August 22nd, with Leona qualifying a day later at Dublin’s Forrest Little. Both qualified for the La Manga tournament after winning the highly competitive Great Britain & Ireland qualifier at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales in early October.

Renfrewshire President Wendy Cameron presents County Champion Donna Jackson
with the Championship Trophy at the Renfrewshire AGM

Renfrewshire AGM
On Wed 9th  November the RLCGA AGM was held at Haggs Castle Golf Club. Beth Paterson became the new Captain and Christeen Finlayson is the new Vice Captain. Donna Jackson was presented with a picture in recognition of her record breaking 10th Championship win and Wendy Cameron presented her with the Championship Cup .
Jennifer Jenkins and Clare Marie Carlton were awarded certificates from Renfrewshire Council for their sporting achievements. The full account of the AGM is in the club news section www.rlcga.com/clubnews.htm and their are photos at http://www.rlcga.com/photoalbums_2005/agm_2005.html

P and K launch new website for Junior Girls
Keep your eye on pandkjuniors.blogspot.com . Perth and Kinross Captain Janet Griffiths has started a new website for the Juniors in the county, which will list details of County fixtures, County coaching, SLGA competitions, Prize winners, photographs etc. Good luck!

SCOTS’ EUROPEAN TOUR Q SCHOOL HOPES FADE IN FOURTH ROUND
The hopes of any Scot figuring among the leading 30 who will gain playing cards for the European Tour at the end of the current Final Qualifying School are receding with every round.
A high wind over the San Roque courses on the southern end of the Costa del Sol made life difficult for most of the players in today’s fourth round at the end of which the field of hopefuls was slashed to the leading 84 who had tallies of nine-over-par 297 or better.
OUT went Paul McKechnie from Glasgow on 301; Murray Urquhart from Inverness on 302; Peter Whiteford from Fife on 308; European Tour regular for several seasons Dean Robertson on 310.
Scots who are still there for the final 36 holes and are thus guaranteed places on the European Challenge Tour are Raymond Russell on 294; Andrew McArthur and David Patrick on 296 and David Drysdale and Graham Fox on 297.
Drysdale had been the leading Scot through the first three rounds but was blown away to a 79 today. Graham Fox had a 69 which was a brilliant round in the conditions.
The top 30 at the moment are on four-over-par 292 or better which means that Russell (+6), McArthur (+8), Patrick (+8), Drysdale (+9) and Fox (+9) have it all to do over the final two rounds.
SCOREBOARD AFTER ROUND FOUR
1 Tom WHITEHOUSE Eng 70 66 72 71 279 -9
2 David GRIFFITHS Eng 71 68 70 72 281 -7
= Robert ROCK Eng 69 69 72 71 281 -7
4 Michele REALE It 75 69 73 68 285 -3
= Johan EDFORS Swe 71 75 68 71 285 -3
6 Oliver WHITELEY Eng 73 72 68 73 286 -2
= Shaun P WEBSTER Eng 72 73 69 72 286 -2
8 Paul NILBRINK Nor 74 67 73 73 287 -1
9 Alexandre ROCHA Bra 72 73 73 70 288 Par
= Iain PYMAN Eng 71 71 73 73 288 Par
11 Louis OOSTHUIZEN SA 71 68 73 77 289 +1
= Francisco VALERA Sp 71 73 71 74 289 +1
= Ivo GINER Sp 69 78 68 74 289 +1
= David DIXON Eng 76 71 69 73 289 +1
= Jarmo SANDELIN Swe 69 72 72 76 289 +1
16 Mattias ELIASSON Swe 72 71 73 74 290 +2
= Alexander NOREN Swe 68 73 75 74 290 +2
= Henrik NYSTROM Swe 74 71 70 75 290 +2
= Tuomas TUOVINEN Fin 77 70 67 76 290 +2
= Benoit TEILLERIA Fr 71 68 74 77 290 +2
= Stephen SCAHILL NZ 74 69 77 70 290 +2
22 Jamie LITTLE Eng 72 73 76 70 291 +3
= Cedric MENUT Fr 69 76 74 72 291 +3
= Santiago LUNA Sp 71 74 71 75 291 +3
= Anders SJÖSTRAND Swe 66 74 76 75 291 +3
= Ariel CANETE Arg 72 72 75 72 291 +3
= Darren FICHARDT SA 73 72 73 73 291 +3
28 Stuart MANLEY Wal 76 71 72 73 292 +4
= David BRANSDON Aus 72 72 69 79 292 +4
= Jarrod LYLE Aus 76 71 73 72 292 +4
= Simon HURD Eng 71 71 73 77 292 +4
= Matthew MILLAR Aus 71 72 74 75 292 +4
= Keith HORNE SA 71 74 72 75 292 +4
= Phil WORTHINGTON Eng 73 76 74 69 292 +4
= Kariem BARAKA Ger 74 76 72 70 292 +4
36 Michael JONZON Swe 71 73 74 75 293 +5
= Warren ABERY SA 76 75 67 75 293 +5
= Brian AKSTRUP Den 78 70 70 75 293 +5
= Gary LOCKERBIE Eng 76 73 72 72 293 +5
= Fredrik ANDERSSON Swe 70 73 75 75 293 +5
= Marcus BOTH Aus 77 78 67 71 293 +5
= Ross FISHER Eng 76 71 75 71 293 +5
= Johan AXGREN Swe 76 73 74 70 293 +5
= Johan SKÖLD Swe 70 70 76 77 293 +5
= Felipe AGUILAR Chl 76 70 70 77 293 +5
46 Raymond RUSSELL Scot 77 71 71 75 294 +6
= Magnus P. ATLEVI Swe 76 70 70 78 294 +6
= Carlos RODILES Sp 78 69 70 77 294 +6
= Kieran STAUNTON Eng 76 69 73 76 294 +6
= Julien QUESNE Fr 77 67 74 76 294 +6
= Christian L NILSSON Swe 73 70 78 73 294 +6
= Inder VAN WEERELT NL 73 72 75 74 294 +6
= Fredrik HENGE Swe 72 76 70 76 294 +6
54 Gareth WRIGHT (West Linton) Wal 78 73 73 71 295 +7
= Anders S HANSEN Den 73 71 74 77 295 +7
= Patrik SJÖLAND Swe 72 71 78 74 295 +7
= Miguel CARBALLO Arg 74 73 75 73 295 +7
= Leif WESTERBERG Swe 79 74 70 72 295 +7
= Rafael CABRERA BELLO(am) Sp 68 74 75 78 295 +7
60 Manuel QUIROS Sp 72 78 70 76 296 +8
= Fredrik OREST Swe 75 71 73 77 296 +8
= Alfredo GARCIA Sp 70 76 76 74 296 +8
= Andrew MCARTHUR Scot 77 73 69 77 296 +8
= Jorge BERENDT Arg 77 71 75 73 296 +8
= André BOSSERT Swi 75 74 70 77 296 +8
= David PATRICK Scot 72 75 72 77 296 +8
= Wilhelm SCHAUMAN Swe 76 72 72 76 296 +8
= Sergio ACEVEDO Arg 77 73 75 71 296 +8
69 Diego BORREGO Sp 71 74 75 77 297 +9
= Massimo SCARPA It 72 70 77 78 297 +9
= Nicolas MEITINGER Ger 74 71 74 78 297 +9
= Pedro LINHART Sp 75 73 69 80 297 +9
= Ben WILLMAN Eng 74 76 70 77 297 +9
= Juan PARRON Sp 74 78 70 75 297 +9
= David DRYSDALE Scot 71 73 74 79 297 +9
= Ralph MILLER NL 76 72 75 74 297 +9
= Marcus HIGLEY Eng 75 73 73 76 297 +9
= Malcolm MACKENZIE Eng 72 76 73 76 297 +9
= Graham FOX Scot 75 76 77 69 297 +9
= Denny LUCAS Eng 75 70 72 80 297 +9
= Jorge BENEDETTI It 72 74 75 76 297 +9
= Erol SIMSEK Ger 79 74 75 69 297 +9
= Jean HUGO SA 77 75 72 73 297 +9
= Gary CLARK Eng 73 71 78 75 297 +9
NON-QUALIFIERS FOR FINAL TWO ROUNDS ----------------------
85 Lee SLATTERY Eng 77 74 78 69 298
= Michael JURGENSEN Den 81 67 73 77 298
= Renaud GUILLARD Fr 72 74 73 79 298
= Sam WALKER Eng 74 75 73 76 298
= Kyron SULLIVAN Wal 74 72 75 77 298
90 Carlos DE CORRAL Sp 78 72 71 78 299
= Bertrand CORNUT Fr 76 76 74 73 299
= Thomas FEYRSINGER Aut 74 73 76 76 299
= Stuart DAVIS Eng 75 73 78 73 299
= Mike MEZEI Can 76 73 74 76 299
= Eamonn BRADY Ire 74 74 78 73 299
= Sven STRÜVER Ger 75 76 74 74 299
= Gustavo ROJAS Arg 71 73 78 77 299
98 Andrea MAESTRONI It 78 74 77 71 300
= Birgir HAFTHORSSON Ice 74 75 78 73 300
= Jimmy KAWALEC Swe 76 74 77 73 300
= Jan-Are LARSEN Nor 73 76 76 75 300
= Claes NILSSON Swe 76 72 75 77 300
= Pelle EDBERG Swe 77 75 73 75 300
= John WADE Aus 77 75 73 75 300
= Thomas NIELSEN Den 75 76 72 77 300
= Marco CRESPI It 73 73 75 79 300
107 Guido VAN DER VALK NL 74 74 76 77 301
= Ilya GORONESKOUL Fr 72 78 75 76 301
= Van PHILLIPS Eng 74 72 77 78 301
= Marco SOFFIETTI It 74 72 76 79 301
= John KELLY Ire 78 71 75 77 301
= Niki ZITNY Aut 75 75 75 76 301
= Paul MCKECHNIE Scot 74 76 74 77 301
114 Graeme A CLARK Eng 72 72 83 75 302
= Roger CHAPMAN Eng 75 76 72 79 302
= James HEATH Eng 79 70 75 78 302
= Brad KENNEDY Aus 77 72 73 80 302
= Murray URQUHART Scot 75 74 77 76 302
= James HEALEY Eng 78 78 78 68 302
= Tobias DIER Ger 76 71 74 81 302
= Scott BARR Aus 79 69 75 79 302
122 Gareth DAVIES Eng 73 76 78 77 304
= Marc FARRY Fr 78 75 75 76 304
= José Manuel CARRILES Sp 78 75 74 77 304
125 Cesar MONASTERIO Arg 82 75 74 74 305
126 James H WILLIAMS Wal 79 74 75 78 306
= Stuart CAGE Eng 79 79 78 70 306
= Gareth PADDISON NZ 80 74 74 78 306
= Sion E BEBB Wal 77 78 72 79 306
130 Clemens PRADER Aut 74 79 75 79 307
= Jarrod MOSELEY Aus 76 76 72 83 307
= Hampus VON POST Swe 76 73 79 79 307
133 Warren BENNETT Eng 77 76 75 80 308
= Peter BAKER Eng 83 74 76 75 308
= David JONSSON Swe 77 74 80 77 308
= Philip WALTON Ire 78 74 79 77 308
= Peter WHITEFORD Scot 77 76 78 77 308
138 Oyvind ROJAHN Nor 76 80 80 73 309
= Björn PETTERSSON Swe 78 75 79 77 309
= Mark SANDERS Eng 78 73 76 82 309
= Jean-Nicolas BILLOT Fr 74 79 80 76 309
142 Dean ROBERTSON Scot 78 76 80 76 310
= Martin KAYMER Ger 76 78 76 80 310
= Julien GRILLON (am) Fr 81 74 81 74 310
145 Warren WOOD Eng 80 77 76 78 311
146 Brad SUTTERFIELD USA 79 75 80 78 312
= Matthew KING Eng 75 80 81 76 312
148 Sam OSBORNE Eng 80 77 80 76 313
149 Lee S JAMES Eng 74 82 81 77 314
150 Markus WESTERBERG Swe 80 77 82 78 317
151 Christophe BRAZILLIER Fr 82 78 80 80 320
152 James HEPWORTH Eng 74 81 74 RETD
= Gregory BOURDY Fr 73 69 72 DISQ
154 Olivier DAVID Fr 79 75 W/D

Sunday 13th November 2005

HENDRY CLICKETY-CLICKS TO ENSURE PLACE IN US TOUR FINAL Q SCHOOL
A brilliant last round of six-under-par 66 swept former Scottish youths champion Joel Hendry from Elgin into the field for the US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School (on Saturday USA time).
Competing in the Stage 2 eliminator at Hombre Golf Club, Panama City Beach in Florida, Hendry finished sixth on six-under-par 282 among the 20 qualifiers with aggregates of one-under 287 or better.
Joel’s earlier rounds were 70, 73 and 73.
In his final round, Hendry birdied the first, fourth, seventh, ninth, 13th, 16th and 17th. He had a solitary bogey at the second.
Hendry is based at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Welshman Philip Price qualified above the Scot in a share of fourth place on 281 with scores of 72, 70, 71 and 68.
Johannesburg-based Scot Andrew McLardy qualified in joint 10th place with scores of 71, 68, 73 and 73 for 285.
But Ulsterman Gareth Maybin and David Skinns from Lincoln, both with lots of experience of American playing conditions from their years on the college circuit, failed by one shot on 288 to make it through to the final showdown.
Maybin scored 69, 76, 73 and 70 while Skinns had rounds of 69, 72, 72 and 75.
Skinns will be kicking himself for getting so close after a double bogey 5 at the third, a triple bogey 7 at the 12th and a bogey at the very last hole in his final round.
Meanwhile, Martin Laird from Glasgow, a Colorado State University graduate and, like Hendry a past Scottish youths title-holder, finished well out of the picture in the Stage 2 event at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club, McKinney in Texas.
Here the top 19 with scores of two-over-par 290 and better went forward to the Final Q School.
Laird, who had rounds of 75, 69, 74 and 78, finished on eight-over 296. He bogeyed the fifth, sixth, eighth, 12th, 13th, 15th and 18th, having only one birdie, at the 10th, in his final round.
It could have been so different had he not had a quadruple bogey 8 and a double bogey 5 in his first round and a double bogey 6 in round three.
One more Scot still has a chance of joining Joel Hendry at Winter Garden on November 30 – Scott Henderson who plays in the last three Stage 2 contests, starting on Wednesday. Henderson tees off at Lake Jovita in Dade City, Florida.
The final US Tour Qualifying School will be played at Winter Garden, Florida from November 30 to December 5. 
SCOREBOARD
US PGA TOUR QUALIFYING _ Stage 2
Hombre GC, Panama City Beach, Florida.
Leading qualifiers
275 Skip Kendall (US) 68 67 71 69.
279 Larry Mize (US) 70 66 71 72, Boo Weekley (US) 69 69 68 73.
281 Philip Price (Wal) 72 70 71 68, Gary Christian (US) 67 70 71 73.
282 Joel Hendry (Sco) 70 73 73 66.
Other qualifier:
285 Andrew McLardy (SAf) 71 68 73 73.
20 players with totals of 287 or better qualified.
Non-qualifiers included:
288 Gareth Maybin (NIre) 69 76 73 70, David Skinns (Eng) 69 72 72 75.
Stonebridge Ranch CC, McKinney, Texas.
Leading qualifiers
279 Brendon de Jonge (US) 68 66 70 75.
280 Steve Collins (Aust) 68 73 72 67.
281 Kevin Durkin (US) 71 69 70 71.
19 players with totals of 290 or better qualified.
Non-qualifiers included:
296 Martin Laird (Sco) 75 69 74 78.

DRYSDALE STILL TOP SCOT IN EURO TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
David Drysdale from Dunbar continues to be the leading Scot after three rounds of the European Tour Qualifying School over San Roque's two courses on the Costa del Sol. Although Drysdale is in no danger of missing the cut after Sunday's fourth round, he does need a good score to lift him back into the top 30 who will gain playing rights for next year's European Tour after the sixth round is completed.
Drysdale was only one spot away from retaining his European Tour card at the cut-off point this year.
THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD (x) denotes amateurs, Scottish names in Capitals, Par 72:
208 Tom Whitehouse
209 David Griffiths
210 Robert Rock
212 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)
213 David Bransdon (Aus), Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Benoit Teilleria (Fra), Oliver Whiteley
214 Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Johan Edfors (Swe), Paul Nilbrink (Nor), Tuomas Tuovinen (Fin), Shaun P Webster
215 Ivo Giner (Spa), Simon Hurd, Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Iain Pyman, Francisco Valera (Spa)
216 Felipe Aguilar (Chi), Magnus P Atlevi (Swe), Daivd Dixon, Mattias Eliasson (Swe), Santiago Luna (Spa), Alexander Noren (Swe), Anders Sjöstrand (Swe), Johan Sköld (Swe)
217 Rafael Cabrera Bello (x) (Spa), Keith Horne (Rsa), Pedro Linhart (Spa), Denny Lucas, Matthew Millar (Aus), Michele Reale (Ita), Carlos Rodiles (Spa)
218 Warren Abery (Rsa), Brian Akstrup (Den), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), DAVID DRYSDALE, Darren Fichardt (Rsa), Anders S Hansen (Den), Fredrik Henge (Swe), Michael Jonzon (Swe), Julien Quesne (Fra), Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Kieran Staunton
219 Andre Bossert (Swi), Ariel Canete (Arg), Renaud Guillard (Fra), Stuart Manley, ANDREW McARTHUR, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger), Cedric Menut (Fra), Fredrik Orest (Swe), DAVID PATRICK, RAYMOND RUSSELL, Massimo Scarpa (Ita)
220 Diego Borrego (Spa), Jarrod Lyle (Aus), Manuel Quiros (Spa), Stephen Scahill (Nzl), Wilhelm Schauman (Swe), Inder Van Weerelt (Ned), Ben Willman
221 Jorge Benedetti (Ita), Marco Crespi (Ita), Carlos De Corral (Spa), Tobias Dier (Ger), Marcus Higley, Michael Jurgensen (Den), Jamie Little, Gary Lockerbie, Malcolm Mackenzie, Christian L Nilsson (Swe), Patrik Sjöland (Swe), Kyron Sullivan
222 Kariem Baraka (Ger), Marcus Both (Aus), Miguel Carballo (Arg), Gary Clark, Ross Fisher, Alfredo Garcia (Spa), Brad Kennedy (Aus), Juan Parron (Spa), Gustavo Rojas (Arg)
222 Marco Soffietti (Ita) 74 72 76, Sam Walker 74 75 73
223 Johan Axgren (Swe) 76 73 74, Scott Barr (Aus) 79 69 75, Jorge Berendt (Arg) 77 71 75, Roger Chapman 75 76 72, Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut) 74 73 76, Mike Mezei (Can) 76 73 74, Ralph Miller (Ned) 76 72 75, Thomas Nielsen (Den) 75 76 72, Claes Nilsson (Swe) 76 72 75, Van Phillips 74 72 77, Leif Westerberg (Swe) 79 74 70, Phil Worthington 73 76 74
224 James Heath 79 70 75, Jean Hugo (Rsa) 77 75 72, John Kelly 78 71 75, PAUL McKECHNIE 74 76 74, Jarrod Moseley (Aus) 76 76 72, Guido van der Valk (Ned), GARETH WRIGHT (Wales-West Linton) 78 73 73
225 Sergio Acevedo (Arg) 77 73 75, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 77 75 73, Ilya Goroneskoul (Fra) 72 78 75, Jan-Are Larsen (Nor) 73 76 76, Sven Strüver (Ger) 75 76 74, John Wade (Aus) 77 75 73, Niki Zitny (Aut) 75 75 75
226 Eamonn Brady (Irl) 74 74 78, Bertrand Cornut (Fra) 76 76 74, Stuart Davis 75 73 78, MURRAY URQUHART 75 74 77
227 Sion Bebb 77 78 72, Jose Manuel Carriles (Spa) 78 75 74, Graeme Clark 72 72 83, Gareth Davies 73 76 78, Birgir Hafthorsson (Isr) 74 75 78, Jimmy Kawalec (Swe) 76 74 77, Mark Sanders 78 73 76
228 Warren Bennett 77 76 75, Marc Farry (Fra) 78 75 75, GRAHAM FOX 75 76 77, Gareth Paddison (Nzl) 80 74 74, Clemens Prader (Aut) 74 79 75, Erol Simsek (Ger) 79 74 75, Hampus Van Post (Swe) 76 73 79, James H Williams 79 74 75
229 James Hepworth 74 81 74, Andrea Maestroni (Ita) 78 74 77, Lee Slattery 77 74 78
230 Martin Kaymer (Ger) 76 78 76
231 David Jonsson (Swe) 77 74 80, Cesar Monasterio (Arg) 82 75 74, Philip Walton 78 74 79, PETER WHITEFORD 77 76 78
232 Bjorn Pettersson (Swe) 78 75 79
233 Peter Baker 83 74 76, Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra) 74 79 80, Warren Wood 80 77 76
234 James Healey 78 78 78, DEAN ROBERTSON 78 76 80, Brad Sutterfield 79 75 80
236 Stuart Cage 79 79 78, Julien Grillon (Fra) 81 74 81, Matthew King 75 80 81, Oyvind Rojahn (Nor) 76 80 80
237 Lee S James 74 82 81, Sam Osborne (Eng) 80 77 80
239 Markus Westerberg (Swe) 80 77 82
240 Christophe Brazillier (Fra) 82 78 80

Saturday 12th November 2005

Sam Torrance

Marc Warren

Colin Montgomerie

TORRANCE COMPLETES TARTAN TREBLE AFTER MONTY AND WARREN SUCCESSES
A birdie-birdie finish gave Ireland's Des Smyth a two-stroke victory in the season-ending Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship at Riffa Golf Club in Bahrain, a tournament which also saw Sam Torrance clinch the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit.
For both men it was a maiden triumph: Smyth's first title on the European Seniors Tour and the first time Torrance had finished No 1 on the over-50s’ rankings.
"It feels awesome to be No. 1.. It is something I have wanted all my life and I am very proud of it," said a delighted Torrance. "It has been a great season and I have had three memorable wins. I gave up playing in America last year to commit to the European Seniors Tour and it has proved fruitful."
In finishing above England's Carl Mason, his only rival for the Order of Merit title, Torrance wrote Scotland's name into the golfing history books as the first nation to provide all the winners of the three European tours in the same season. Up-and-coming East Kilbride golfer Marc Warren won the 2005 Challenge Tour and more recently Colin Montgomerie captured his eighth Order of Merit on The European Tour.
Torrance closed with a six under par 66 for a share of third place on seven under par 209 with England's Gordon J Brand and Italian Giuseppe Cali.
Defending champion John Chillas from Stirling rallied from back-to-back bogeys to birdie the last for a round of 67 that left him leading the tournament at eight under, but the Aberdonian was denied victory by Smyth, who picked up shots at the closing two holes for a round of 70 and a winning total of ten under par 206.
Smyth said: "Everyone was saying beforehand that I would win easily as I had a three shot lead overnight, but it didn't turn out that way. I felt like I was playing with my handbrake on and couldn't release it.
"Funnily, when I went a shot behind at the 11th it seemed to focus my mind more. I knew I had to start going for my shots or I wouldn't win the tournament and it worked out quite well."
"I have had two wins in America this year and this one, my first on the European Seniors Tour, is very important to me. It was important to get off to a win in Europe before too long and I am really happy about that.
"This has been a massive year, what with my successes on the golf course and my recent heart surgery, and next year is going to massive as well as I have been made Vice-Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team at The K Club in Ireland."
For Chillas, his second place finish was enough to move him up five places to seventh on the final European Seniors' Tour Order of Merit standings with earnings of £115,596.40. Torrance topped the list with £187,379.08  from Mason on £173,679.66. Smyth was third with £155,036.67.
SCOREBOARD
Final scores from the Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship, the final event of the European Seniors Tour season, at Riffa Golf Club, Bahrain (par 72)
206 D Smyth (Ire) 68 68 70.
208 J CHILLAS (Sco) 73 68 67.
209 G J Brand (Eng) 70 71 68, G Cali (Ita) 73 70 66, S TORRANCE (Sco) 75 68 66.
212 L Carbonetti (Arg) 72 69 71; H Carbonetti 68 72 72; J Rivero (Spa) 72 74 66
214 D Good (Aus) 73 70 71; B Heuchan (Can) 75 71 68.
215 E Rodriguez (Spa) 71 73 71
216 M GRAY (Sco) 72 73 71; M Piñero (Spa) 76 71 69; K Spurgeon (Eng) 73 73 70
217 B Cameron (Eng) 74 70 73
218 T Allen (Eng) 71 68 79; T Horton (Eng) 73 72 73; G Levenson (RSA) 72 70 76; D O'Sullivan (Ire) 73 72 73; A Tapie (USA) 73 74 71
219 R Caldwell (USA) 69 73 77; M Ferguson (Aus) 73 74 72; I Mosey (Eng) 76 71 72
220 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 76 71 73; D J Russell (Eng) 73 73 74
221 C MALTMAN (Sco) 72 77 72
222 B Boyd (USA) 79 70 73
223 T Gale (Aus) 75 77 71; H Woodrome (USA) 75 73 75
224 J Benda (USA) 72 69 83; J Bruner (USA) 80 75 69; T Charnley (Eng) 79 70 75; M Foster (Eng) 76 70 78; D Oakley (USA) 77 72 75
225 M Gregson (Eng) 78 75 72; Mason (Eng) 79 73 73; M MILLER (Sco) 76 76 73; G Townhill (Eng) 74 75 76
226 B LONGMUIR (Sco) 78 75 73; J Mashego (RSA) 79 73 74; A Sowa (Arg) 79 69 78; G Watine (Fra) 77 75 74
227 J Hawkes (RSA) 74 79 74; M Poxon (Eng) 76 79 72; J Rhodes (Eng) 80 75 72
228 G Encina (Chl) 79 71 78; J-P Sallat (Fra) 81 71 76
231 M Bembridge (Eng) 78 77 76
232 A Sultan (am) (Bhr) 81 79 72
233 V Garcia (Spa) 78 78 77; P Mason (am) (Eng) 80 74 79.
235 E Polland (N Ir) 78 78 79
236 D Saggar (am) (Bhr) 82 77 77; B Shearer (Aus) 82 77 77
240 D Ahmed (am) (Bhr) 82 76 82
241 B Kamps (am) (USA) 82 79 80
253 R Seil (am) (Bhr) 91 81 81

SGU Press Release
PLAYERS chosen by the Scottish Golf Union to be part of its national training squads for 2005-2006 are:
UNDER-16s
John Fair (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), Scott Fraser (Northern), Chris Gaittens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie),  Sam McLaren (King James VI), Frazer Ogston (St Andrews), Kyle Smith (Kilmarnock Barassie), Tom Spencer (Inchmarlo), Craig Wyper (Campsie).
DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle), Sam Binning (Old Ranfurly), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Daniel Harrison (Crieff), Andrew McLachlan (Eastwood), Gordon Nelson (Thornhill), Paul Shields (Kirkhill), Jack Thow (Crieff).
UNDER-18s
James Byrne (Banchory), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Ross Kellett (Colville Park), Lewis Kirton (Newmachar), Ross Leeds (Muckhart), Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), James White (Lundin).
YOUTHS
Scott Henry (Cardross),  Steven McEwan (Kilmarnock Barassie),Robert McKnight (Kilmarnock Barassie), Philip McLean (Peterhead), Paul O’Hara (Colville Park), Euan Polson (Royal Dornoch).
MEN’S SQUAD
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), John Gallagher (Swanston), Scott Jamieson (Cathkin Braes), Jonathan King (Glasgow), George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), Jamie McLeary (Leven GS), Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen), Lloyd Saltman (Craigielaw), Stuart Wilson (Forfar).

US College Golf
WALLACE BOOTH LOSES TWO-HOLE LEAD AS AUGUSTA STATE FALL TO WAKE FOREST
Scottish youths champion Wallace Booth from Comrie, Perthshire had a square match against Chad Wilcox as his university, Augusta State, lost 3-2 to Wake Forest in the first round of the Hooters men’s collegiate team match-play  championship at Mission Inn Golf & Tennis Resort near Orlando, Florida.
Wallace won the 15th and 16th to be two up with two to play but lost the last two holes to 4s.
That relegated Augusta State to the consolation tournament for their next match in which they beat Duke University. Wallace did not get a game in that match.

HENDRY AND LAIRD UNDER PRESSURE GOING INTO FINAL ROUND IN USA
If Scottish youth champions Joel Hendry from Elgin and Glasgow’s Martin Laird are to make it through to the US PGA Tour Final Qualifying School at the end of the month they both have to produce sub-par rounds on the final day of their Stage 2 events today (SATURDAY).
Hendry is level par 216 for three rounds at Hombre Golf Club, Panama City Beach in Florida but that is good enough only to share 24th place after rounds of 70, 73 and 73. A double bogey at the second and further shots dropped at the third and 17th nullified the birdies he got at the first, 13th and 16th
Only the leading 19 and ties will go forward to the Winter Garden, Florida Final Q School from November 30 to December 5. South Carolina-based Joel, son of an Elgin businessman, is not out of the reckoning by any means.
The top 19 going into the final round are at two-under-par 214.
Laird must be rueing a quadruple bogey 8 and a double bogey 5 in his first-round 75 because he is sharing 30th place on two-over 218 at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club in McKinney, Texas.
After a second-round 69 had boosted his prospects, former Colorado State University student Laird had a little bit of everything in a third-round 74. He eagled the 511yd third and birdied the 16th but he had a double-bogey 6 at the 460yd 15th and bogeys at the fifth, ninth and 17th.
The leading 19 at Stonebridge are on one-under-par 215 or better.

LISA HALL’S JOINT 15TH FINISH AT FUTURES TOUR QUALIFYING
One-time LPGA Rookie of the Year Lisa (Hackney) Hall finished joint 15th in the US Futures Tour qualifying tournament at Lakeland, Florida on Friday.
Lisa had scores of 74, 69, 73 and 72 for a total of level par 288.
The only other British players who made it past the third-round cut were two amateurs, Emma Lyons from Surrey and Brenda McLarnon from Belfast. They tied for 76th place on 300. Emma score 77, 73, 72 and 78; Brenda 79, 71, 76 and 74.
Both will obviously be assured of entry to all events next year on the United States’ No 2 women’s professional circuit. The prize money is not nearly so good as the LPGA and there are not so many events but the big incentive is to finish among the Futures’ Tour top money winners for the season. They are automatically promoted to the LPGA Tour the following year.
The remarkable feature of the top seven placings at the end of the four-round qualifying tournament was that five were filled by amateurs.
Song-Hee Kim, a 17-year-old from Seoul, Korea – one of 13 South Koreans  who contested the final round – won the tournament with an 18-under-par total of 270, made up of scores of 71, 66, 63 and 70.
She had five shots to spare from runner-up Brittany Lang, the US Curtis Cup team player from McKinney, Texas.
Brittany collected the top pro reward of $500 with scores of 69, 69, 69 and 68 for 275.
She finished three shots clear of the third-placed Ha-Na Chae, another amateur from Seoul, Korea.
Scotland amateur international Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire, but based in Florida for the past two years and now a professional golfer, failed by three strokes to beat the third-round cut with scores of 79, 77 and 74 for 230.
FINAL SCOREBOARD
Par 72
270 Song-Hee Kim (Seoul, Korea) (am) 71 66 63 70.
275 Brittany Lang (McKinney, Texas) 69 69 69 68 ($500).
278 Ha-Na Chae (Seoul, Korea) (am) 73 70 67 68.
280 Salimah Mussani (Burlington, Ontario) 73 69 68 70 ($450).
282 Angela Park (Torrance, California) (am) 72 65 73 72.
283 In-Bee Park (Las Vegas, Nevada) (am) 72 71 70 70.
284 Amie Cochran (Torrance, California) (am) 69 68 75 72.
286 Nikki Garrett (New South Wales, Aust) 68 70 74 74, Sukjin Lee Wuesthoff (Toma River, New Jersey) 69 72 71 74; Lynn Valentine (East Lyme, Connecticut) 68 71 73 74 ($390) each.
Other totals:
300 Emma Lyons (Surrey) (am) 77 73 72 78; Brenda McLarnon (Belfast) (am) 79 71 76 74 (tied 76th).

DRYSDALE STILL LEADING SCOT IN EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
David Drysdale from Dunbar, who lost his playing rights at the end of the 2005 season, remains the leading Scot after 36 holes of the six-round European Tour Qualifying School over the two courses at the San Roque Club, on the Costa del Sol Spain.
David is in joint 22nd place.
The leading 30 and ties will be able to play on next year's European Tour
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS (Scottish players' names in capital letters) Par 72.
136 Tom Whitehouse 70 66
138 Robert Rock 69 69
139 David Griffiths 71 68, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 71 68, Benoit Teilleria (Fra) 71 68
140 Anders Sjostrand (Swe) 66 74, Johan Skold (Swe) 70 70
141 Paul Nilbrink (Nor) 74 67, Alexander Noren (Swe) 68 73, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 69 72
142 Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 73 69, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) (x) 68 74, Simon Hurd 71 71, Iain Pyman 71 71, Massimo Scarpa (Ita) 72 70
143 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 70 73, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 72 71, Matthew Millar (Aus) 71 72, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 73 70, Stephen Scahill (Nzl) 74 69, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 72 71
144 David Bransdon (Aus) 72 72, Ariel Canete (Arg) 72 72, Gary Clark 73 71, Graeme Clark 72 72, DAVID DRYSDALE 71 73, Anders Hansen (Den) 73 71, Michael Johnzon (Swe) 71 73, Julien Quesne (Fra) 77 67, Michele Reale (Ita) 75 69, Gustavo Rojas (Arg) 71 73, Francisco Valera (Spa)
145 Diego Borrego (Spa) 71 74, Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 73 72, Keith Horne (Rsa) 71 74, Jamie Little 72 73, Denny Lucas 75 70, Santiago Luna (Spa) 71 74, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger) 74 71, Cedric Menut (Fra) 69 76, Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 74 71, Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 72 73, Kieran Staunton 76 69, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 73 72, Shaun Webster 72 73, Oliver Whiteley 73 72
146 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 76 70, Magnus Atlevi (Swe) 76 70, Jorge Benedetti (Ita) 72 74, Marco Crespi (Ita) 73 73, Johan Edfors (Swe) 71 75, Alfredo Garcia (Spa) 70 76, Renaud Guillard (Fra) 72 74, Fredrik Orest (Swe) 75 71, Van Phillips 74 72, Marco Soffietti (Ita) 74 72, Kyron Sullivan 74 72
147 Miguel Carballo (Arg) 74 73, Tobias Dier (Ger) 76 71, David Dixon 76 71, Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut) 74 73, Ross Fischer 76 71, Ivo Giner (Spa) 69 78, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 76 71, Stuart Manley 76 71, DAVID PATRICK 72 75, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 78 69, Tuomas Tuovinen (Fin) 77 70
148 Brian Akstrup (Den) 78 70, Scott Barr (Aus) 79 69, Jorge Berendt (Arg) 77 71, Eamonn Brady 74 74, Stuart Davis 75 73, Fredrik Henge (Swe) 72 76, Marcus Higley 75 73, Michael Jurgensen (Den) 81 67, Pedro Linhart (Spa) 75 73, Malcolm Mackenzie 72 76, Ralph Miller (Ned) 76 72, Claes Nilsson (Swe) 76 72, RAYMOND RUSSELL 77 71, Wilhelm Schauman (Swe) 76 72, Guido Van Der Valk (Ned) 74 74,
149 Johan Axgren (Swe) 76 73, Andre Bossert (Swi) 75 74, Gareth Davies 73 76, Birgir Hafthorsson (Isl) 74 75, James Heath 79 70, John Kelly 78 71, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 77 72, Jan-Are Larsen (Nor) 73 76, Gary Lockerbie 76 73, Mike Mezei (Can) 76 73, MURRAY URQUHART 75 74, Hampus Von Post (Swe) 76 73, Sam Walker 74 75, Phil Worthington 73 76
150 Sergio Acevedo (Arg) 77 73, Karriem Baraka (Ger) 74 76, Carlos Del Corral (Spa) 78 72, Llya Goroneskoul (Fra) 72 78, Jimmy Kawalec (Swe) 76 74, ANDREW McARTHUR 77 73,  PAUL McKECHNIE 74 76, Manuel Quiros (Spa) 72 78, Ben Willman 74 76, Niki Zitny (Aut) 75 75
151 Warren Abery (Rsa) 76 75, Roger Chapman 75 76, GRAHAM FOX 75 76, David Jonsson (Swe) 77 74, Thomas Neilsen (Den) 75 76, Mark Sanders 78 73, Lee Slattery 77 74, Sven Struver (Ger) 75 76, GARETH WRIGHT (West Linton) 78 73
152 Bertrand Cornut (Fra) 76 76, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 77 75, Jean Hugo (Rsa) 77 75, Andrea Maestroni (Ita) 78 74, Jarrod Moseley (Aus) 76 76, Juan Parron (Spa) 74 78, John Wade (Aus) 77 75, Philip Walton 78 74
153 Warren Bennett 77 76, Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra) 74 79, Jose Manuel Carriles (Spa) 78 75, Marc Farry (Fra) 78 75, Bjorn Pettersson (Swe) 78 75, Clemens Prader (Aut) 74 79, Erol Simsek (Ger) 79 74, Leif Westerberg (Swe) 79 74, PETER WHITEFORD 77 76, James Williams 79 74
154 Oliver David (Fra) 79 75, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 76 78, Gareth Paddison (Nzl) 80 74, DEAN ROBERTSON 78 76, Brad Sutterfield (USA) 79 75
155 Sion Bebb 77 78, Marcus Both (Aus) 77 78, Julien Grillon (Fra) (x) 81 74, James Hepworth 74 81, Matthew King 75 80
156 James Healey 78 78, Lee James 74 82, Oyvind Rojahn (Nor) 76 80
157 Peter Baker 83 74, Cesar Monasterio (Arg) 82 75, Sam Osborne 80 77, Markus Westerberg (Swe) 80 77, Warren Wood 80 77
158 Stuart Cage 79 79
160 Christophe Brazillier (Fra) 82 78, Colm Moriarty 80 80

Friday 11th November 2005

PAMELA FEGGANS MISSES FUTURES TOUR CUT BY THREE STROKES
Rookie professional Pamela Feggans failed to survive the third-round cut in the United States Futures Tour Qualifying School at Lakeland, Florida.
Florida-based Pamela from Ayrshire had rounds of 79, 77 and 74 for a 54-hole total of 230.
Players with totals of 227 or better qualified for Friday’s final round.
British players who made it through to the last day are former LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year Lisa (Hackney) Hall with  74, 69 and 73 to be lying joint 14th on level par 216.
English amateur Emma Lyons qualified in joint 52nd place on 222 with scores of 77, 73 and 72.
Belfast amateur Brenda McLarnon made it through in a tie for 83rd place on 226 with scores of 79, 71 and 76.
The failures, apart from Pamela Feggans, included Janet Dwyer from Aberystwyth on 229;  Pollett Willett, an amateur from London on 231 and US-based Lisa Meredith-Seary from Reading on 237.
The clear leader with one round to go is Song-Hee Kim from Seoul, Korea. She had an incredible third-round 63 to follow a 71 and 66. At 16-under-par 220, she is seven shots clear of former Curtis Cup American Brittany Lang who has scored three rounds of 69.
SCOREBOARD
200 Song-Hee Kim (Korea) 71 66 73.
207 Brittany Lang (US) 69 69 69.
210 Angela Park (US) (am) 72 65 73, Salimah Mussani (Can) 73 69 69, Ha-Na Chae (Korea) (am) 73 70 67.
Others who qualified for the fourth round included:
216 Lisa Hall (Eng) 74 69 73 (jt 14th).
222 Emma Lyons (Eng) (am) 77 73 72 (jt 52nd).
226 Brenda McLarnon (NIr) (am) 79 71 76.
Non-qualifiers included:
229 Janet Dyer (Wal) 78 79 72.
230 Pamela Feggans (Sco) 79 77 74.
231 Polly Willett (Eng) (am) 77 76 78.
237 Lisa Meredith-Seary (Eng) 77 81 79.

HENDRY SLIPS BUT LAIRD CLIMBS INTO TOP 19 AT US QUALIFIERS
Two former Scottish youth golf champions had contrasting fortunes on the second day of Stage 2 events in the US PGA Tour Qualifying School process.
Elgin exile Joel Hendry, who lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, dropped out of the top 20 to joint 29th place with a second-round 73 for a 36-hole tally of one-under-par 143 in the four-round eliminator at Hombre Golf Club, Panama City Beach in Florida.
Only the top 19 and ties at each venue will go forward after 72 holes to the Final Qualifying School at Winter Garden, Florida from November 30 to December 5.
Hendry has two rounds to lift himself back into the top 19 who are on the two-under-par 142 mark after two rounds.
Englishman David Skinns is sharing 11th place on 141 with scores of 69 and 72.
Ulsterman Gareth Maybin, well in the picture with an opening 69, dropped back to a share of 44th place on 145 after a 76.
Martin Laird, a Hilton Park Golf Club, Glasgow member – the other past Scottish youth champion in action, hauled himself up into 19th equal place in the Stage 2 competition at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club, McKinney in Texas.
Martin, whose hopes looked bleak with a first-round 75, birdied the third, seventh, 137th and 16th and had only one bogey, at the eighth, in returning a 69 for 144.

DRYSDALE LEADS SCOTS IN EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
David Drysdale is the leading Scot at the end of the first round of the European Tour Final Qualifying School at San Roque on the Costa del Sol today.
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD (Par 72)
66 Anders Sjostrand (Swe)
68 Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) (x), Alexander Noren (Swe)
69 Ivo Giner (Spa), Cedric Menut (Fra), Robert Rock, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe)
70 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Alfredo Garcia (Spa), Johan Skold (Swe), Tom Whitehouse
71 Diego Borrego (Spa), David Drysdale, Johan Edfors (Swe), David Griffiths, Keith Horne (Rsa), Simon Hurd, Michael Jonzon (Swe), Santiago Luna (Spa), Matthew Millar (Aus), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Iain Pyman, Gustavo Rojas (Arg), Benoit Teilleria (Fra), Francisco Valera (Spa)
72 Jorge Benedetti (Ita), David Bransdon (Aus), Ariel Canete (Arg), Graeme A Clark, Mattias Eliasson (Swe), Ilya Goroneskoul (Fra), Renaud Guillard (Fra), Fredrik Henge (Swe), Jamie Little, Malcolm Mackenzie, David Patrick, Manuel Quiros (Spa), Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Massimo Scarpa (Ita), Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Shaun P Webster (Eng)
73 Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Gary Clark, Marco Crespi (Ita), Gareth Davies, Darren Fichardt (Rsa), Anders S Hansen (Den), Jan-Are Larsen (Nor), Christian L Nilsson (Swe), Inder Van Weerelt (Ned), Oliver Whiteley, Phil Worthington
74 Kariem Baraka (Ger), Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra), Eamonn Brady, Miguel Carballo (Arg), Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut), Birgir Hafthorsson (Isl), James Hepworth, Lee S James, Paul McKechnie, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger), Paul Nilbrink (Nor), Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Juan Parron (Spa), Van Phillips, Clemens Prader (Aut), Stephen Scahill (Nzl), Marco Soffietti (Ita), Kyron Sullivan, Guido Van Der Valk (Ned), Sam Walker, Ben Willman.
75 Andre Bossert (Swi), Roger Chapman, Stuart Davis, Graham Fox, Marcus Higley, Matthew King, Pedro Linhart (Spa) Denny Lucas, Thomas Nielsen (Den) Fredrik Orest (Swe), Michele Reale (Ita), Sven Struver (Ger), Murray Urquhart, Niki Zitny (Aut).
76 Warren Abery (Rsa), Felipe Aguilar (Chi), Magnus P Atlevi (Swe), Johan Axgren (Swe), Bertrand Cornut (Fra), Tobias Dier (Ger), David Dixon, Ross Fisher, Jimmy Kawalec (Swe), Martin Kaymer (Ger), Gary Lockerbie, Jarrod Lyle (Aus), Stuart Manley, Mike Mezei (Can), Ralph Miller (Ned), Jarrod Moseley (Aus) Claes Nilsson (Swe), Oyvind Rojahn (Nor), Wilhelm Schauman (Swe), Kieran Staunton, Hampus Von Post (Swe).
77 Sergio Acevedo (Arg), Sion E Bebb, Warren Bennett, Jorge Berendt (Arg), Marcus Both (Aus), Pelle Edberg (Swe), Jean Hugo (Rsa), David Jonsson (Swe), Brad Kennedy (Aus), Andrew McArthur, Julien Quesne (Fra), Raymond Russell, Lee Slattery, Tuomas Tuovinen (Fin), John Wade (Aus), Peter Whiteford
78 Brian Akstrup (Den), Jose Manuel Carriles (Spa), Carlos De Corral (Spa), Marc Farry (Fra), James Healey, John Kelly, Andrea Maestroni (Ita), Bjorn Pettersson (Swe), Dean Robertson, Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Mark Sanders, Philip Walton, Gareth Wright.
79 Scott Barr (Aus), Stuart Cage, Olivier David (Fra), James Heath, Erol Simsek (Ger), Brad Sutterfield (USA), Leif Westerberg (Swe), James H Williams.
80 Colm Moriarty, Sam Osborne, Gareth Paddison (Nzl), Markus Westerberg (Swe), Warren Wood.
81 Julien Grillon (Fra), Michael Jurgensen (Den).
82 Christophe Brazillier (Fra), Cesar Monasterio (Arg).
83 Peter Baker.

Thursday 10th November 2005

ELGA Press Release
England internationals head for Tour school
England internationals Sophie Walker and Laura Eastwood will bid to join the Ladies European Tour when the qualifying school begins at La Cala in Spain on Wednesday.
Sophie, 21, from Kenwick Park in Lincolnshire, is England’s No 1 amateur for 2005, having won the ELGA order of merit. Laura, 21, from Yelverton in Devon, is the English strokeplay champion.
They were both members of England’s winning Home International side. Sophie was also in the victorious teams in the Vagliano Trophy and the Spirit International Amateur Championship in the USA.
T he LET qualifying school for the 2006 season has attracted a record entry of 165. Sophie and Laura are among the 119 players who have to pre-qualify in a 36-hole competition which starts on Wednesday. The successful competitors will join 46 players who are already exempt to make a field of 90 - and ties - at the final stage, which starts on Saturday, November 19.

US College Golf
JACKSONVILLE SCOTS FINISH IN TOP 10 IN FLORIDA
Jacksonville University, Florida’s three Scottish golfers all finished in the top 10 in the Stetson Invitational men’s college golf tournament at Victoria Hills Country Club, Deland in Florida this week.
Russell Knox from Inverness tied for fifth place with scores of 74, 75 and 71 for four-over-par 220.
Duncan Stewart (Grantown-on-Spey) shared seventh place on 221 after opening with a score of 81. He was four under par over the final 36 holes with scores of 71 and 69.
Jamie Kennedy from Edinburgh gained his third top-10 finish of the first half of the 2005-2006 college golf season with scores of 73, 75 and 76 for 224.
Tim Acquaviva (Rollins College) won the individual title with 70, 72 and 75 for one-over 217.
Jacksonville (895) finished runners-up to Rollins (875) in the team event.

PAMELA UNDER PRESSURE GOING INTO THIRD ROUND OF QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pamela Feggans is under pressure to produce her round of the year if she is to survive the cut at the end of the third round of the United States Futures Tour Qualifying School at Lakeland, Florida on Friday.
The Florida-based Scot from Ayrshire was in joint 159th place after rounds of 79 and 77 for a 12-over-par, 36-hole tally of 156.
Only the top 100 and ties after 54 holes will contest the final round.
Former LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year Lisa Hall (Hackney that was) is doing best of the Brits in the final which has come down from 303 to 272 with the elimination of those who could not break 90 in either round and also withdrawals.
Lisa followed up an opening 74 with a sparkling 69 to be tied for 10th place on one-under 143.
Three amateurs, one from Seoul, Korea and, two others, strangely enough from the same city in California, Torrance – Amie Cochran and Angela Park.
SCOREBOARD
137 Song-Hee Kim (Kor) (am) 71 66, Amie Cochran (US) (am) 69 68, Angela Park (US) (am) 72 65.
138 Brittany Lang (US) 69 69, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 68 70.
Other scores:
143 Lisa Hall (Eng) 74 69 (joint 10th).
150 Emma Lyons (Eng) (am) 77 73, Brenda McLarnon (NIre) (am) 79 71 ((joint 75th).
153 Polly Willett (Eng) (am) 77 76 (joint 113rd).
156 Pamela Feggans (Sco) 79 77 (joint 159th).
157 Janet Dwyer (Wal) 78 79 (joint 169th).
158 Lisa Meredith-Seary (Eng) 77 81 (joint 181st).

HENDRY RALLIES BUT LAIRD RUNS INTO NIGHTMARE IN US TOUR  QUALIFYING
Elgin-born Joel Hendry rallied from three over par after only eight holes to return a two-under-par 70 in the first round of US PGA Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 event at Hombre Golf Club, Panama City Beach in Florida yesterday (WED).
Only 19 players go forward to the Final Qualifying School next month from each of six 72-hole Stage 2 events behind held across the United States over the next seven days.
US-based Hendry, twice winner of the Scottish youths championship, bogeyed the fifth, seventh and eighth but covered the last 10 holes in five under par to finish two under the card. Joel birdied the ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th and 16th.
That put the Scot in a tie for 17th place in the field of 78.
Leading at Hombre Golf Club is Australian Paul Gow on 65.
Ulsterman Gareth Maybin, a former US college circuit player, birdied the fourth, sixth, 10th, 17th and 18th for a 69 and a share of 11th place.
In the Stage 2 event at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club, McKinney in Texas, Martin Laird, another former Scottish youths champion, had a distastrous couple of holes in the middle of his first round.
The Colorado State University graduate had birdied the third, seventh and 10th with only a bogey at the fourth to spoil that start when he ran up a quadruple bogey 8 at the 425yd, par-4 11th and then a double-bogey 5 at the short 12th.
Birdies at the 13th and 16th, with one more bogey sneaking in at the 15th, helped the Scot get away with a 75 but he is well outside the top 20 at this venue with three rounds to go.

Wednesday 9th November 2005

R&A RULES OF GOLF QUIZ SCOTTISH FINALISTS
The Scottish Regional Final of the R&A Rules of Golf Quiz will be held at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh on Sunday, November 20, teeing off at 5pm.
The finalists are teams from North Berwick, St Rule, Strathaven and Torphins golf clubs who have come through area rounds to the Scottish Final.

US College Golf
AMERICAN WOMEN’S COLLEGE GOLF SUMMARY
Dubliner Maria Dunne, a senior golf scholarship student at Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach in Florida, shared 11th place in the Hatter Fall Classic women’s college golf tournament at Victoria Hills Golf Club, DeLand in Florida.
Maria had rounds of 79, 78 and 78 for a total of 235 – 14 shots behind winner Maite Ortiz de Pinedo (Campbell University) who scored 74, 73 and 74 to finish four strokes clear of the field.
Bethune-Cookman team-mates Fern Grimshaw and Becky Dowell, both from Dorset, finished joint 25th and joint 29th respectively.
Fern, who won her last event, scored 243 with rounds of 83, 83 and 79. Becky had scores of 85, 80 and 83 for 248.
Yet another Bethune-Cookman player from this side of the Atlantic, Fiona Brunton from Cornwell did not finish the tournament after having scores of 82 and 79 over the first two rounds.
Campbell University (907) won the title title ahead of UCF (927) and Bethune-Cookman (945) were third.
VICKI JUST OUTSIDE TOP 20 IN CALIFORNIA
Vicki Power from Cambridge, a student at Northern Arizona University, tied for 23rd place in the Cal Poly Invitational women’s college tournament at Cypress Ridge Golf Club in Arrote Grande, California.
Vicki, who was out of action with an injury earlier in the season, had rounds of 82 and 77 for 159.
The individual winner was Danielle Cuitanov (UC Davis) with 70 and 73 for three-under-par 143. She won by three strokes.
The first three placings in the team event were:
594 UC Davis, 612 Santa Clark. 618 Northern Arizona.
LOUISE LOOKING FOR TITLE-WINNING FORM
Scottish Under-21 stroke-play champion Louise Fleming (Jacksonville State) is still searching for the form that won her that title at West Kilbride during the summer.
In her latest American college tournament, Louise had rounds of 79 and 82 to finish joint 24th with a total of 161 in the America’s Choice Mortgage women’s college tournament at Forest Hills Golf Club, Augusta in Georgia.
Lauren Smith (Augusta State) won the individual title with scores of 71 and 75 for two-over-par 146.
Augusta State (601) won the team event from Notre Dame (617) with East Tennessee State (626) third. Jacksonville State, for whom Scot Colette Murray is on the women’s team coaching staff, finished seventh of 12 with a total of 645.

US Futures Tour
PAMELA’S DISAPPOINTING START TO US FUTURES TOUR Q SCHOOL
Ayrshire exile Pamela Feggans has left herself with the proverbial mountain to climb if she is to gain playing rights on the United States Futures Tour next season.
Pamela, a Scotland amateur international player, returned a first-round score of seven-over-par 79 with halves of 38 and 41 in the Qualifiying School at Lakeland, Florida.
She is lying joint 179th in the field of 303. After three rounds, only the leading 100 and ties will contest the fourth and final day.
Apart from one-time LPGA Rookie of the Year Lisa (Hackney) Hall, it was not a good opening day for the handful of British players bidding to gain players’ cards for America’s No 2 women’s pro circuit.
Lisa is tied for 52nd after returning a 74.
LEADING SCORES
68 Nikki Garrett (Australia), Lynn Valentine (US).
69 Sukjin Lee Wuesthoff (US), Amie Cochran (am) (US), Kim Augusta (US), Brittany Lang (US).
Other scores included:
74 Lisa Hall (Eng) (joint 52nd).
77 Lisa Meridith-Seary (Eng), Polly Willett (am) (Eng), Emma Lyons (am) (Eng) (joint 125th).
78 Janet Dwyer (Wal) (joint 148th).
79 Pamela Feggans (Sco), Brenda McLarnon (am) (NIre).

Total Golf Programme
Last Saturday The Northern Counties Girls set off on a 300 hundred mile round trip to experience a unique coaching session. Their destination would not be any of Scotland’s famous golf resorts but Kirriemuir, a rural town in Angus. There they would spend the day working with Local Professional, Karyn Dallas, on the Total Golf programme.
Total Golf is a golf research programme, which Karyn began over 10 years ago. From that the Total Golf coaching programme emerged. At Kirriemuir over 200 children benefit from 15 weeks of professional coaching each year and when Montrose were looking to instill a junior programme two years ago it was to Total Golf they turned.
Montrose Professional, Jason Boyd, said, “We looked at many options but Total Golf stood out for many reasons. At first I was skeptical I would ever be coaching as many juniors as Karyn, and, in the first year we only attracted around 40. However, word spread and last year the number rose to over 100. Looking at the interest for next season we are expecting another large increase and would not be surprised if we finish with over 150”.
So what’s the secret? Cara Gruber, who is Northern Counties Junior Secretary says. “It seems that no matter what your, standard, talent or age, Total Golf gives you hope; you learn and have fun at the same time. When you leave these sessions you have a belief that you can improve and more importantly you have the means to achieve this. Judging by the amount of laughter and subsequent reaction the girls had a lot of fun on Saturday. But more important, to me, they learned how to make practice fun”.
For more information check out the Total Golf website www.tgolf.info

Tuesday 8th November 2005

US College Golf
DORSET GIRL SCORES FIRST WIN IN USA
Fern Grimshaw from Dorset, a freshman student at Bethune Cookman College, scored her first win on the American women’s college circuit in the Flagler Fall Slam at the World Golf Village, St Augie in Florida.
Fern had scores of 75 and 76 for a 151 total over the 5,911yd, par-72 course.
Fern won by one shot from Autumn Gee (Embry-Riddle College) and Shasta Averyhardt (Jackson State).
Fern’s Bethune Cookman team-mates Maria Dunne from Dublin and Becky Dowell from Thornecombe, England finished fifth and sixth respectively.
Maria scored 80 and 75 for 155 while Becky had a 76 and an 80 for 156.
Nikki Taggart (Pfeiffer University) from Belfast claimed seventh place on 160 with scores of 82 and 78.
Bethune Cookman College (623) won the team event by 36 strokes from Berry College. Pfeiffer University (660) tied for fourth place.
 
US College Golf
ANNA SCOTT RUNNER-UP IN NORTH CAROLINA
Anna Scott (Georgia State) from Consett, Co Durham finished runner-up in the Ross Resorts at Pine Needles women’s college tournament at Pine Needles Lodge, Southern Pines in North Carolina.
Anna scored 75, 71 and 74 for a total of 220 over the par-71, 6,139yd course.
She was pipped by one shot for victory by Emilie Geury (Augusta State) who scored 75, 70 and 74 for 219.
Augusta State and Georgia State tied for the team title on 905.

WHERE DID YOUR CLUB FINISH IN THE 2005 GREENLEES TROPHY LEAGUES?
The Greenlees Trophy leagues were as keenly contested as ever in 2005.
“As happens most years, the final matches in each division decided the winners and the clubs to be relegated,” said organiser Willeen McCallum.
Cochrane Castle pipped Ranfurly Castle by a single pt (52-51) for the Division 1 title, the pair finishing well clear of third-placed Kilmarnock Barassie (42).
Eastwood and Kilmacolm are relegated to Division 2 in the new season.
Cardross were playing in Division 3 two years ago. Now they will be rubbing shoulders with the elite of Division 1 in 2006. Cardross won the Division 3 title in 2004 and followed that up by taking the Division 2 honours this year. They won this year’s campaign by 2pt from Lanark (45-53), which means that Lanark are also promoted to the top grade.
Erskine and Haggs Castle are demoted to Division 3.
Whitecraigs were the easiest divisional winners of the 2005 season. They totalled
54 ½ pt in Division 3 – six points ahead of runners-up Hilton Park. Both will be playing in Division 2 next season.

Monday 7th November 2005

Trophy winners at the Fife County prizegiving held on 31st October
Fiona Lockhart, Scottish Champion, in the centre.
[photo courtesy of Alma Robertson]

US College Golf
SCOTS DOWN THE FIELD IN GEORGIA TOURNEY
Fraserburgh’s Jordan Findlay finished 53rd in the Carpet Capital Collegiate golf tournament at The Farm Golf Club, Rocky Face in Georgia.
The former British boys’ champion, in his first term as a golf scholarship student at East Tennessee State University, had rounds of 77, 73 and 75 for a total of 225 over a long (7,010yd) par-72 course.
Jordan had eight birdies over the 54 holes but two double bogeys – a 6 at the 14th in his third round and a 6 at the 16th on the first day.
Wallace Booth (Augusta State University) from Comrie finished 69th in a field of 90 with rounds of 78, 75 and 77 for 290. He had a triple bogey 7 at the 10th in his first round and a double bogey 5 at the short eighth in his last round. 
The tournament was won by Danish player Mark Hastrup (Georgia State) with 71, 67 and 67 for an 11-under-par total of 205.
Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State Univ) from Belfast finished 12th on level par 216 with scores of 73, 71 and 72.
Shaw came whistling home in three-under-par 33 for his closing 72. Birdies at the 12th, 14th and 15th.
Ireland’s Cian McNamara (also ETSU) finished joint 22nd on 220 (75, 69 and 76).
McNamara had a double bogey 7 at the ninth and a double bogey 6 at the 10th in his final round (40-36). He finished on a high with birdies at the 12th, 14th and 16th.
Rhys Davis from Bridgend, Wales – the star East Tennessee State player – had an “off ” weekend for once. He finished back in a tie for 40th place on 222 (70, 78 and 74).
Davies had 12 birdies over the 54 holes and amazingly got it round in 74 in the third round, despite triple bogeys at the short eighth and 16th and single bogeys at the seventh and 17th. He birdied the third, sixth, ninth, 10th, 12th and 15th.
Rhys, like Jordan Findlay a past British boys’ champion, also had a double bogey at the 10th in his second round.
Georgia State (856) won the team event. East Tennessee State (881) finished ninth and Augusta State were 17th of the 18-team line-up with 903.

Press Release
Home of Golf Teaching
Work got underway today (Monday) on an extension to the St Andrews Links Golf Practice Centre (GPC) which will incorporate a golf academy equipped with the latest digital analysis and ball-tracking technology.
Muirfield Construction has been appointed by St Andrews Links Trust as the lead contractor to carry out work on the GPC extension.
The new construction will be built on land to the west of the existing GPC building and will incorporate the new golf academy, the R&A’s external ball testing centre and a club-fitting facility. It will also see the creation of an additional 14 indoor bays, taking the total to 51.
Contractors moved on-site yesterday but the centre will remain open throughout the construction period. It is due to be completed next spring.
The redevelopment is designed to make the practice centre one of the foremost golf academies in the UK. Four of the new bays will be equipped with cutting-edge digital and video analysis equipment and specialist ball-tracking technology, and will be staffed by a team of professionals from PGA Golf Management Ltd, who will be based at the centre.
Alan McGregor, general manager of St Andrews Links Trust, said, “When we first opened the practice centre in 1993 it was one of the leading golf teaching facilities in the country. Golf teaching and technology have taken huge strides forward since then. We have embarked upon this extension to ensure that the St Andrews Links practice centre remains at the forefront and provides world class golf tuition.
“The new centre will greatly enhance the existing facilities for local and visiting golfers and will help attract many more people to St Andrews throughout the year including at traditionally quieter times. We have already had positive feedback from local tourist businesses and hoteliers and we look forward to working with them when the new centre opens.”
The new golf academy will be headed up by PGA Golf Management director of coaching Steve North, who previously worked at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Malaysia and is now in post. For information or to book a lesson contact the practice centre on 01334 474489.

Sunday 6th November 2005

US College Golf
HEATHER FINISHES IN TOP 10 AT HONOLULU
British women’s open amateur stroke-play golf champion Heather Macrae from Dunblane finished in joint eighth position in the Kent Youel Invitational women’s tournament over the Kapolei course at Honolulu, Hawaii.
Heather, in her final year as a golf scholarship student at San Diego State University, California, had scores of  70, 79 and 77 for a total of 226 over the par-72, 6,255yd course.
Miss Macrae, a member of the Ladies Golf Union elite squad, has her sights set on being selected to play for Great Britain & Ireland in next summer’s Curtis Cup match against the United States at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Oregon on July 29 and 30.
Kelly Husted from Stanford University – Tiger Woods’ and Mhairi McKay’s alma mater – was a runaway, nine-stroke winner with scores of 69, 72 and 71 for four-under-par 212.
Irene Cho (USC) was a distant runner-up on 221 with 73, 73 and 75.
England’s Sian Reddick, a student at Baylor University, Texas, shared fifth place on 224 with 72, 77 and 75.
Southern California (896) won the team event from Stanford (902) with Long Beach State (907) third, California (913) fourth and Baylor (920) fifth.
San Diego State finished tied 13th on 954.

US College Golf
TOP 15 FINISH BY KEVIN McALPINE AT LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Kevin McAlpine, son of the former Dundee United goalkeeper and an Alyth Golf Club member, tied for 14th place in thd Del Walker Inter-Collegiate golf tournament at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach, California.
McAlpine, in his final year as a golf scholarship student at Colorado State University, had rounds of 72, 70 and 72 for a one-over-par total of 214 over the 6,633yd, par-72 course.
The event was by Dawie Van Der Walt (Lamar University) with 69, 65 and 70 for nine-under 204.
Colorado State (856) finished fourth in the team event behind Lamar (831), Houston (848) and Washington State (853).

US College Golf
SCOTS HELP UNIVERSITY WIN TITLE IN FLORIDA
Two Scottish golf scholarship students helped Lynn University, Florida win the team title in the Rollins College Invitational tournament at Forest Lake Golf Club, Ocoee in Florida.
Gavin Dear from Perth figured in a triple tie for second place with scores of 74, 70 and 71 for a one-under-par total of 215 over the long (7,113yd) par-72 course.
Team-mate Keir McNicoll from Carnoustie finished joint fifth on 217 with scores of 73, 71 and 73.
Another Lynn University student, Hoyt McGarity, won the individual honours by five strokes with scores of 67, 72 and 71 for a total of six-under-210.
Lynn University (861) won the team title – their second of the 2005-2006 college season – by 12 shots with a total of 861. Columbus State (873) were runners-up and Florida Southern (875) third.

US College Golf
BECKY TOP EUROPEAN IN LAS VEGAS COLLEGE TOURNAMENT
England’s Becky Wood tied for seventh place … Ireland’s Tara Delaney was joint 11th  …. Scotland’s Kelly Brotherton was 55th in the Las Vegas Founders’ Women’s Collegiate tournament over the Anthem Country Club course at Henderson, Nevada.
Becky, a student at Kent State University, Ohio, had rounds of 72, 71 and 71 for a two-under-par total of 214 over the 6,207yd, par-72 course.
Becky birdied the first, seventh and 11th in her final round but dropped out of the top five with bogeys at the 13th and 15th. She had eight birdies in all over the 54 holes.
Tara Delaney from Carlow, also a Kent State student, had rounds of 71, 76 and 69 for level par 216. Tara birdied the third, seventh, 12th and 15th in her final round but bogeyed the 17th.
Tara did well to get back to level par after starting the tournament with a double-bogey 6 at her very first hole. She had 10 birdies in all over the three rounds.
Former Scottish girls champion Kelly Brotherton from Dollar, in her first term at Colorado State University, had rounds of 74, 80 and 77. She had three double bogeys over the 54 holes, including two in the second round.
The tournament was won by Hannah Jun (UCLA) with scores of 70, 70 and 66 for 10-under-par 206.
She won by two shots from team-mate Jane Park who shot 68, 71 and 69…
Not surprisingly, UCLA (840) won the team title by 27 shots from Kent State (867) with Pepperdine third on 870.
Colorado State (899) finished joint 11th.

Alford Golf Club’s Gladstone Quaich falls to newcomer Kirsty Robb
Last year Laura Murray won Alford Golf Club’s girl’s Gladstone Quaich. A year on the name carved on the trophy for the girl’s eclectic event is that of 11 year old Kirsty Robb, pictured right, a relative newcomer to the sport.
Kirsty first picked up a club little over a year ago and only set foot on a nine-hole course this season. But for her and the other local girls who have developed an interest in the game the timing could not have been better.
Alford is one of three clubs in Aberdeenshire, which through the national junior golf strategy clubgolf, have this summer piloted Girls Only golf sessions, which aim to tackle a nationwide lack of junior females within club memberships.
At the start of this season, 20 girls signed on to Alford’s weekly girls-only coaching session, hailed as a “tremendous success” by the 11 club members trained as volunteer coaches. Further opportunities for the participating girls included invitations from clubgolf to the Open at St Andrews and the Johnnie Walker Championships in Gleneagles. The girls-only coaching course culminated with a Texas Scramble this autumn, involving all three participating clubs, Alford, Fraserburgh and Oldmeldrum.
“I think the Girls in Golf training has given them all more confidence,” said Alford volunteer coach, Neil Cobban. “It means they can go out and enjoy the game in their own environment, with their own group of friends.
“Kirsty started playing the year before last and when the club began clubgolf last year we decided she was already at the at the stage where we thought she could do Stage 2 of the Level 1 programme.
“She has really improved this year and she when we she played in the Texas Scramble the ladies from the other clubs commented on how good she was.
“The Gladstone Quaich is over four rounds of the nine hole course and to win it is a big achievement. Because Laura Murray, who won the Scottish School Girls title, who won this event last year and has her name on the trophy, Kirsty is in very good company.”
Kirsty, who has a handicap of 22 for the nine hole course and was closely followed on the Gladstone Trophy leader board by her 10 year old sister, Chloe and close friend Claire Harper said: “It’s been really good fun this year and it has helped me being in the girls group. They’re very good coaches and I have learnt a lot this year.”
With the golf season now under wraps, the good news for the Alford girls is that their golf training will continue through the winter. 
“To keep the girls group together, we are taking them to Inchmarlo to work with local professional Andrew Locke, twice a month over the next four months,” added Mr Cobban. “Hopefully next year some of the other girls who are showing the same potential as these girls did last year will come through and want to compete.”

Winning Rest of Europe team at the Cork Kerry Tourism Writers' match

REST OF EUROPE BEAT IRELAND TO WIN CORK KERRY TOURISM WRITERS’ TROPHY
Rest of Europe, captained by Alan Hedley from The Journal, Newcastle, beat Team Ireland 9-5 to become the first winners of the Cork Kerry Tourism Writers’ Trophy golf match at Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club on Friday, November 5, 2005.
The three-day, 14-a-side match, scheduled along the Ryder Cup format of foursomes on the first day, four-ball ties on the second day and a final programme of singles on the third day, was badly disrupted by the weather.
The first-day foursomes had to be switched to Killarney Golf & Fishing Club’s No 3 course, Lackabane when heavy rain waterlogged the Mahony’s Point course.
Play was possible, with difficulty, over only the first 12 holes and the 18th but later the captains, Team Ireland’s Ray Scott (Waterford Star) and Alan Hedley, decided, in view of the adverse conditions and the fact that 18 holes’ play had not been possible, to declare the results null and void.
Gale-force winds and lashing rain at Tralee Golf Club eventually forced the cancellation of the second-day four-ball ties after play had begun, only to be quickly suspended with only a couple of holes completed.
The sun shone for the decisive programme of 14 singles on the third day at Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club whose sales and marketing manager, Sue Ryan, was a prime mover in bringing about the match which brought together golf writers from all over Ireland as well as Scotland, England, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Portugal.
Although, Rest of Europe were clear-cut winners of the trophy in the end, it was only in the closing stages of the singles that Team Ireland were overpowered.
Victories by James O’Dowd, the Ring of Kerry club captain, making a guest appearance, and Sylvester Hennessy (Southern Golf News) kept Team Ireland in the picture after Alan Hedley had beaten Ray Scott in the battle of the team captains and Martin Vousden from Scotland accounted for Ger Walsh (The Kerryman) to give Rest of Europe an early 2-0 lead.
After eight singles ties had been completed, the Rest of Europe had only a narrow lead – 4 ½ -3 ½ but Team Ireland were able to add only 1 ½ pt to their tally from the last six singles games to finish.
**The sponsors of the match were: Cork Kerry Tourism, Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Killarney Valley Hotel, The Brehon Hotel, Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, Tralee Golf Club, Randles Court Hotel, Callaway Golf, Red Bull and Dan Dooley Car Hire.
=======================   SCOREBOARD =========================
CORK KERRY GOLF WRITERS’TROPHY
Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club
Friday, November 5, 2005
TEAM IRELAND 5, REST of EUROPE 9 (Irish names first)
Ray Scott (Waterford Radio) (13) lost to Alan Hedley (England) (9) 4 and 3.
Ger Walsh (The Kerryman) (15) lost to Martin Vousden (Scotland) (11) 3 and 2.
Andre O’Brien (Freelance) (11) halved with Erwin Mulder (Netherlands) (2).
James O’Dowd (Ring of Kerry capt) (2) beat Jo Maes (Belgium) (6) 4 and 2.
Noel Gavin (The Star) (10) lost to David Fey (England) (19) 5 and 3.
Sylvester Hennessy (Southern Golf News) (12) beat Jan Heemskerk (Netherlands) (18) 3 and 2.
Ann Mooney (Irish Mirror) (18) beat Susanne Kemper (Switzerland) (10) 3 and 2.
Karl Doyle (Tee Box Ireland) (19) lost to Steve Jackson (England) (18) 9 and 7.
Ivan Morris (Golf Digest Ireland) (5) lost to Matt Moore (England) (1) 1 hole.
Nicky Barry (The Kingdom) (10) beat Morten Buckhoej (Denmark) (11) 5 and 3.
Emmet Riordan (Irish Independent) (24) halved with Geoffrey Farmer (Portugal) (12).
Michael Shanahan (Limerick Leader) (13) lost to Klaus Braun (Germany) (12) 2 holes.
Matt Browne (Sportsfile) (17) lost to Peter Godsiff (England) (18) 3 and 2.
Geraldine Bradley (Golf Times) (27) lost to Sue Farmer (Portugal) (24) 3 and 2.

Irish team at the Cork Kerry Tourism Writers' match

Rest of Europe team
 

Thursday 3rd November 2005

The new P&K committee
Back row left to right - Mary Hope, Joan Ritchie, Dot Doris, Lenore Kyle, Carol Muir, Junior Conveynor - Carol Lambie and Secretary - Jillian Milne. Front row left to right President - Liz Miskimmin, Captain - Janet Griffiths and Vice Captain - Dawn Butchart. Unable to attend Gillian Wallace and Liz Fertacz.

Perth and Kinross held there AGM on October 27th. Retiring Captain Pam Drysdale was presented with a gift from the new Captain Janet Griffiths.
What are you going to call him Pam?

Tuesday 1st November 2005

ELGA Press Release
Sophie Walker wins ELGA Order of Merit
International Sophie Walker has won ELGA’s Order of Merit to become England’s No 1 amateur woman golfer of 2005.
The 21-year-old from Kenwick Park in Lincolnshire wins vouchers from One-Up-Golf, the UK’s premier ladies mail order golf clothing company, which sponsors the Order of Merit.
Sophie topped the table ahead of English champion Felicity Johnson (Harborne), who has won the girls’ order of merit for the second successive year. English mid-amateur champion Naomi Edwards (Ganton) was third while 2004 winner, Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) finished fourth.
“The Order of Merit is important because it tracks every competition of the year and it says that you’re the most consistent player,” said Sophie.
Her triumph comes at the end of a year in which she played a leading role in England’s successes and also completed her studies, graduating from university with a 2:1 degree. Now, she aims to join the professionals of the Ladies European Tour and will compete for her player’s card at qualifying school in November.
“I figure it makes good sense to go for it now, I’m playing well and I hope I can carry it on,“ said Sophie. She regards 2005 as her best golfing year to date, despite the disappointment of failing to add a major individual title to her previous wins in the 2000 English Girls’ and 2003 English Strokeplay championships.
She came close, losing the English Championship to Felicity Johnson only on the 20th hole of the final. “I personally felt I was good enough to win and I was disappointed not to, but it made me realise I still had a lot of work to do and it spurred me on.”
Sophie set a remarkable standard in 2005 team golf. She was England’s leading scorer in the European ladies’ team championship with five wins out of six, which helped to win the silver medal. She was again top scorer in England’s winning Home International team, with a perfect six out of six. She made her debut for Gt Britain & Ireland in the winning Vagliano Trophy team and was again top scorer with another perfect record of four out of four.
Finally, with the Order of Merit secure, she added another victory to her record, helping to win both the international and women’s team titles in the Spirit International Amateur Championship in the USA.

ELGA Press Release
Felicity Johnson wins ELGA’s girls’ Order of Merit
English champion Felicity Johnson has won ELGA’s girls’ Order of Merit for the second year in succession.
The 18-year-old from Harborne in Warwickshire was also runner up in the ladies’ table. She wins vouchers from One-Up-Golf, the UK’s premier ladies mail order golf clothing company, which sponsors the Orders of Merit.
Felicity leaves junior ranks at the end of this season and she said: “I’m going out of junior ranks with a bang! It’s a good feeling to have won this title last year and then to defend it this season.”
The runner-up, also for the second year in a row, was 16-year-old Kiran Matharu of Cookridge Hall, Yorkshire, who won this title in 2003. Third place was taken by English girls’ champion Melissa Reid, 18, of Chevin, Derbyshire.
The highlight of Felicity’s year was winning the English championship: “It’s the pinnacle of English golf, the main one which everyone aims for - and it all just came right for me at the right time.”
Her victory secured her place at the forefront of many of England’s 2005 successes. She was a member of the winning England teams at the Home Internationals and the girls’ International Matches and she helped win the silver medal at the European Ladies’ Team Championship. She was also a member of the GB&I team which beat Europe in the Vagliano Trophy.
Felicity rounded off her season by helping to win the women’s and international team events for England in the Spirit International Amateur Championship in the USA.
“Winning the English got me into all the teams and then I managed to keep my form going and played well in all the events. It was a big step up, this was my first year of playing in the full England team, but it was a nice challenge and I enjoyed doing it,” she said.
Felicity added: “It’s been an exciting year for England, the biggest since I’ve been involved, and it’s good for ELGA to get results from all the hard work and effort that’s gone into the Sport England training programme. It’s been a rewarding year for everyone.”

ELGA Press Release
Northants ladies’ win award
Northamptonshire ladies’ drive to transform themselves from “golfing minnows” into major players on the national scene has been recognised with an award.
This year, for the first time, the Northamptonshire ladies’ team reached the finals of the English County Championship and their achievement has won the Northamptonshire Sport Team of the Year award.
They beat challengers from the worlds of cricket, rugby and hockey to take the title and will now represent the county in the BBC East Midlands Sports Awards in December.
The recognition is reward for the Northamptonshire ladies’ determination to change their golfing fortunes. The county is one of the smallest in the country with 27 clubs and had suffered from a long tradition of defeat.
“We were minnows in a sharks’ pond…and serial wooden spoon winners!” said Kirstie Jennings, a county player, Northamptonshire ladies’ committee member and ELGA’s national girls’ development officer.
A four-year plan, involving considerable investment and a structured approach to training, was put in place under the guidance of former Curtis Cup golfer, Carol Gibbs, who was then county training officer.
The effort paid off. In 2000 Northamptonshire won their first county week match in 13 years. In 2004 they won county week for the first time in 33 years and went on to the Midlands sub-divisional finals where they narrowly missed going through to County Finals on points. This year they made no mistakes, and joined Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Hampshire in the finals at Brancepeth Castle.
Northamptonshire are now working on a County Golf Partnership between the ladies’ association, the men’s union and the county PGA to use this momentum to go forward together.
The county are piloting this approach and are receiving support from ELGA and the English Golf Union. This assistance is both financial and practical, with input into a development plan from the EGU/ELGA Regional Development Officer.