Wednesday 18 January 2012

CHARLEY HULL BEGINS FLORIDA TITLE DEFENCE WITH 6 and 5 WIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Top seed Charley Hull (Woburn), 15, pictured by courtesy of Steve Jackson, began her defence of the Jones-Doherty Challenge Cup with a smooth 6 and 5 win over American Sami Stewart in this week's Orange Blossom Tour event at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Kelsey MacDonald, the No 3 seed from Stirling University and Nairn Dunbar GC, also won with something to spare. She beat the No 30 qualifier, N McNicholas, by 4 and 3.
Scottish girls champion Eilidh Briggs (Stirling University and Kilmacolm) survived the longest tie of the first round. Eilidh, the No 4 seed, beat T Caldabaugh, the No 29 qualifier, at the 21st.
Rebecca Wilson (Stirling University and Grange, Monifieth) gave Curtis Cup player Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), the No 9 seed, a run for her money before the English player won by 2 and 1.
Clyburn now plays American Meghan Stasi, twice a winner of the US women's mid-amateur title, Curtis Cup player at St Andrews in 2008 and beaten semi-finalist in the British women's open amateur championship at Ganton in 2010.

FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Players from US unless stated

Upper Half
Charley Hull (Woburn) bt S Stewart 6 and 5.
E Gimpel bt M Hardy 6 and 5.
M Stasi bt J Carmichael 3 and 2.
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) bt Rebecca Wilson (Grange, Monifieth) 2 and 1.
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt T Caldabaugh at 21st.
M Liu bt T St Louis 2 holes.
D Lendl bt Jordana Graham (Southerness) 2 and 1.
H Beasley (Woburn)) bt M West 2 and 1.

Lower Half
K Walsh bt L Weichselgartner 1 hole.
P Nunez bt M Leach 4 and 3.
S Stewart bt H Beat 3 and 2.
C DeAntonio bt C R Goldstein at 19th.
K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) bt N McNicholas 4 and 3.
A Dulman bt A Hammer at 19th
J M Green bt S West 5 and 4.
L Kanouse bt C Garrett 3 and 1