Thursday 26 June 2014

CONNIE AND ALYSON ARE DEFEATED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE BRITISH MATCHPLAY STAGE

Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield), the only one of five Scots to survive the first round of the match-play, went on to beat the top seed, Laetitia Beck from Israel to reach the last 16 of the British women's open amateur championship over the tough links at Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich in Kent.
It has not been a good championship for home players. Only five British players are through to the third round - Dryburgh, Alice Hewson (Berkhamsted), Londoner Rosie Davies (Indiana University), Hayley Davis (Ferndown) and Gabriela Cowley (Hanbury Manor).
Dryburgh and Cowley are the only survivors from the GB and Ireland team who played in the Curtis Cup match at St Louis, Missouri earlier in the month.
Dryburgh had established a two-hole lead over Beck, like herself a student at an American university, by the 14th tee.
In a tense finish Beck got one hole back but the Scot kept her nerve and held her opponent at bay to win on the 18th green.
It doesn't get any easier for Gemma in the round of the last 16. She plays the holder of the European women's amateur title, Emily Pedersen (Denmark), ranked No 26 in the world to the Scot's No 61 rating.
Pedersen, from Copenhagen, qualiied in 17th position to Gemma's 13th but Dryburgh is coming on to her game and it should be a good match for a place in the quarter-finals.
Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) lost by two holes in the first round to Londoner Rosie Davies who has entered from Indiana University. Davies went on to reach the third round.
Last year's Scottish champion Alyson McKechin(Elderslie) lost by 2 and 1 in the first round to US college student Hayley Davis (Ferndown) who also won again to make the last 16.
Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies), beaten finalist in the "Scottish" at Prestwick last month, lost by 3 and 2 to Spain's Luna Sobron who reached the final of this championship 12 months ago.
Sobron was beaten in the next round by Curtis Cupper Gabriella Cowley.
Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) was another Scot to fall at the first hudle. She lost by one hole to Ann Van Dam (Netherlands) who beat Junior Vagliano Trophy player Sophie Lamb (Clitheroie) 4 and 3 in the next round to reach the last 16.
English Curtis Cup player Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) was a surprise first round loser at the hands of Italy's Bianca Maria Fabrizio. The Italian won by one hole.nsula 12 months ago.
Wentworth prospect Inci Mehmet, who qualified in sixth place, lost by 5 and 3 to the No 59 qualifier Marlies Krenn from Austria).

RESULTS
FIRST ROUND SCOTS RESULTS
G Dryburgh (Beaconsfield) bt A Ashok (Ind) 1 hole.
R Davies (Indiana Univ) bt L Whyte (St Regulus) 2 holes.
H Davis (Ferndown) bt A McKechin (Elderslie) 2 and 1.
L Sobron (Spa) bt C Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 3 and 2..
A Van Dam (Ned) bt A Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 1 hole.

1st and 2nd Round Results from the Kirkwood Golf Website

Finally Scot Gemma Dryburgh lost in the next round  and  Emily Perderson from Copenhagen went on the win the British Title by beating Belgium's Leslie Coots by 3 and 1 in the final.