WEST OF SCOTLAND STARS MEGAN , EILIDH AND SUSAN REACH THE QUARTER FINALS OF THE SCOTTISH AMATEUR MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS

It's crunch time for Kelsey MacDonald in tomorrow morning's quarter-finals of the 98^th Scottish women's amateur golf championship over the Tain links in Ross-shire.

Twelve months ago, the Nairn Dunbar player was defending champion when she lost to Renfrewshire's Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) in the same round atMachrihanish.

Kelsey's next opponent this week is ... Eilidh Briggs.

It's the pick of the quarter-finals after another cold and wet, sunless day at Tain and both Eilidh and Kelsey played well to win both their opening ties in the match-play stages.

The 19-year-old Briggs girl, whose sister Megan is making headway in the other half of the draw, beat Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie) 6 and 4 and then KOd the 2005 champion, Martine Pow (Selkirk) by 3 and 2.

MacDonald won by 6 and 5 against Royal Dornoch's Scotland senior international Alison Bartlett and then marked up a 4 and 3 win over Samantha Munro (Aberdour) who had earlier beaten Aberdeenshire champion Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) by 6 and 5.

"I'm playing well, quite steady," said Stirling student Eilidh who lost in last year's final to Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) who couldn't get time off from her teaching duties to defend the title.

"It was a different direction of wind today. It made the outward half tougher but I still managed to get to five up on Martine after 10 holes. I'm looking forward to playing Kelsey again. It should be a great match."

In the other match in the lower half of the draw it's local hope Sammy Vass against the No 2 seed Laura Murray from Alford.

Sammy, home for the summer from college in Florida, won through at the 19th at around 6.45pm in her match aLgainst the rising East Lothian star, 16-year-old Clara Young (North Berwick).

Laura Murray was taken to the 18th green in both her ties, holing a 15ft putt to see off the challenge of Dumfries youngster Rachel Walker and reach the last eight.

"Rachel is quite a prospect. It was a really tight match all the way even though I had four birdies along the way. That's how good a player young Rachel is"

In the top half of the draw it will be top seed Jane Turner (Craigielaw) versus Drumpellier's Susan Wood, and 2005 champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) with Muckhart's Eilidh Watson.

Megan had some of the best figures of the day with an eagle (at the 11th) and four birdies as she won by 5 and 4 against new Northern Counties champion Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey). 

Four down after seven, Hannah had a tiger by the tail - "She holed a lot of good putts and there wasn't much I could about that," said McCook ruefully.

Last year Megan Briggs lost to sister Eilidh in the semi-finals.

Jane Turner is getting away with playing poorly - by her standards - in the opening holes before she gets into her stride. The Robert Gordon University student was three down after five holes to Claire Hargan (Cardross), a former international who organised this championship as an SLGA staff member over the last two or three years.

But Turner turns the heat on her opponents after the turn. She won the 10th, 12th, 13th, halved the 14th and 15th in birdies and then birdied the 17th for a 2 and 1 win.

"I think we were both under par at the finish," said Jane.

SCOTTISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
SECOND ROUND
Jane Turner beat Claire Hargan 2 and 1.
Susan Wood beat Linsey Stevenson 1 hole
Eilidh Watson beat Jemma Chalmers 3 and 1.
Megan Briggs beat Hannah McCook 5 and 4.
Eilidh Briggs beat Martine Pow 3 and 2.
Kelsey MacDonald beat Samantha Munro 4 and 3.
Sammy Vass beat Clara Young at 22nd
Laura Murray beat Rachel Walker 1 hole.

FIRST ROUND

Jane Turner (Craigielaw) beat Fiona Liddell (Schloss Vornholz) 6 and 4

Claire Hargan (Cardross) beat Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 3 and 2.

Susan Wood (Drumpellier) beat Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 5 and 4.

Linsey Stevenson (Elie and Earlsferry Ladies) beat Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) 5 and 4.

Jemma Chalmers (Monifieth) beat Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 1 hole.

Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) beat Rachel Polson (Peterculter) 2 and 1.

Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) beat Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) 4 and 3.

Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) beat Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 6 and 4.

Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) beat Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie) 6 and 4.

Martine Pow (Selkirk) beat Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 6 and 5. 

Samantha Munro (Aberdour) beat Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 6 and 4.

Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) beat Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) 6 and 5.

Clara Young (North Berwick) beat Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) 4 and 3.

Sammy Vass (Tain) beat Karen Marshall (Baberton) 6 and 5.

Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Galloway) beat Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe) 6 and 5.

Laura Murray (Alford) beat Claire Ross (Tain) 1 hole.

FRIDAY'S QUARTER-FINALS
8.30 Jane Turner v Susan Wood.
8.40 Eilidh Watson v Megan Briggs
8.50 Eilidh Briggs v Kelsey MacDonald
9.00 Sammy Vass v Laura Murray

SEMI-FINALS AT 1.30 AND 1.50

CLARK ROSEBOWL


FIRST ROUND
Anne Ryan (Tain) beat Susan MacVicar (Gairloch) 5 and 4.
Carol Whyte (Windyhill) beat Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) 2 and 1.
Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) beat Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood) 5 and 4.
Heather Munro (Monifieth) beat Nicola Taylor (Dunnikier Park) 6 and 4.
Jenny Potter (Cathkin Braes) beat Linda Bain (Lochend) 4 and 3.
Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) beat Ashley Ann Alston (Royal Montrose) 4 and 2.
Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) beat Denise Cowan (Ranfurly Castle) 4 and 3.



QUARTER-FINALS
Carol Whyte beat Anne Ryan at 20th
Heather Munro beat Lynne Terry 6 and 5
Hannah Scott beat Jenny Potter 2 and 1
Lauren Whyte beat Mary Smith at 20th