Tegwen Mathews and Alison Nicholas attend the LGU Dinner

Lanarkshire, D&A and Renfrewshire with Alison Nicholas - Click too enlarge

The LGU dinner was held last night Friday 25th February at the Holiday Inn in West Nile Street Glasgow. Aileen Wilson, Beth Paterson, Fiona Roger, Carol Fell and Jennifer Mack were all there.
Guests at the dinner were Tegwen Matthews who has been appointed as the captain of Great Britain and Ireland's 2012 Curtis Cup team and Alison Nicholas who won the 1987 Weetabix Ladies British Open at St Mellion.
The highlight of Alison's career was when she was crowned 1997 US Open Champion when she held off golfing legend Nancy Lopez to win her first major. Following this success Alison was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to women's golf.

Representing Europe in the Solheim Cup six times was memorable for Alison especially being on three victorious teams in 1992, 2000 and as Vice Captain in 2003.

She was the Solheim Cup European Team Captain for 2009 and is the Team Captain for 2011 European Solheim Cup with Ladies European Tour members Annika Sorenstam and Joanne Morley who have been selected as her vice-captains. This years Solheim Cup is to be played in Ireland at Killeen Castle.

To see some photos from the evenings event click on the small photo of Tegwen and Alison below

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS

The Electronic Version of the 2011 LGU Yearbook.

Here is an electronic version of the 2011 LGU Yearbook.

A paper version will be distributed to clubs with the next LGU mailing.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ELECTRONIC 2011 LGU YEARBOOK

R&A TO LAUNCH WOMEN'S WORLD AMATEUR RANKING

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R and A
The Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking will be launched by The R and A following the success of the Men’s Ranking, now in its fifth year. The Women’s Ranking will be published for the first time in February when a new World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) website for both the Men's and Women's rankings is unveiled.
The Men’s Ranking has grown in stature and today encompasses more than 1,800 counting events, ranking over 5,000 players representing 70 countries worldwide.
The launch of the Women’s Ranking follows an extensive period of testing by The R and A and will provide the women’s game with a way to compare amateur player performance in elite competition over a rolling 52-week period. The Women’s Ranking currently has a calendar of 1,350 counting events with over 3,100 ranked players.
“WAGR has been embraced by both amateur associations and Professional Tours alike in men’s golf, and we are delighted to be able to now offer this same service to the women’s game,” explained R and A Director, Mike Tate.

Gillian Kirkwood, Chairman of the Ladies Golf Union, said, “The LGU welcomes the Women’s Ranking as a very useful tool for the comparison of players, and believes it will become increasingly important around the world in informing decisions on team and field selection.”

Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the European Golf Association, said, “The EGA welcomes the Women’s Ranking as a means for providing greater scope to our ladies’ European golf rankings as well as giving an incentive to our members who stage counting events and to the elite players who participate in them."

WAGR has become a weekly point of reference for players, championship organisers and golf fans alike and is supported by governing bodies and tournament administrators worldwide.

LGU Press Release - 2011 Great Britain & Ireland Squad Announced

The Ladies' Golf Union is pleased to announce the 2011 Great Britain & Ireland squad.

The 16 strong squad will form the basis of the 2011 GB & I teams which will compete for the Astor and Vagliano Trophies next summer.

Tegwen Matthews (Wales) who will be captaining the Great Britain & Ireland side for both events said, "I am delighted to be working with such a talented young squad. Announcing the squad now also gives any unnamed girls a chance to work hard over the winter and make their claim for selection early next year. These are exciting times for ladies' golf in Great Britain & Ireland."

The 2011 Astor Trophy will take place at Fairhaven Golf Club from 15^th – 19^th June and the 2011 Vagliano Trophy will be played at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club on the 24^th – 25^th June.

NAMES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1 Hannah Barwood (ENG) (Knowle)
2 Amy Boulden (WAL) (Maesdu)
3 Gemma Bradbury (WAL) (Cottrell Park)
4 Hannah Burke (ENG) (Mid Herts)
5 Holly Clyburn (ENG) (Woodhall Spa)
6 Tara Davies (WAL) (Holyhead)
7 Nikki Foster (ENG) (Pleasington)
8 Louise Kenney (SCO) (Pitreavie)
9 Kelsey MacDonald (SCO) (Nairn Dunbar)
10 Leona Maguire (IRE) (Slieve Russell)
11 Lisa Maguire (IRE) (Slieve Russell)
12 Danielle McVeigh (IRE) (Royal County Down Ladies')
13 Stephanie Meadow (IRE) (Royal Portrush)
14 Pamela Pretswell (SCO) (Bothwell Castle)
15 Kelly Tidy (ENG) (Royal Birkdale)
16 Sally Watson (SCO) (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies')

About the Ladies' Golf Union ("LGU")

Founded in 1893, the LGU is the encompassing body for ladies' amateur golf in Great Britain & Ireland. The LGU Executive Council includes representatives of ladies' golf's national governing bodies in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Operational activities are undertaken by a wholly owned subsidiary, LGU Championships Limited ("LGUCL"), which in particular owns and runs the Ricoh Women's British Open, founded by the LGU in 1976 and one of the four Major Tournaments for Professional Women golfers. LGUCL also has responsibility for running British Amateur Championships and Home International events, and preparing the Great Britain & Ireland teams for representative matches, such as the Curtis Cup and the Vagliano Trophy.

Further information about the LGU is available on http://www.lgu.org/.

West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell is the 2010 British Strokeplay Champion

From the LGU Website (Photo Courtesy of the LGU -- Click to enlarge)
Curtis Cup team player Pamela Pretswell(Bothwell) won the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship in an exciting finish at Tenby Golf Club, South Wales today.

It is her first domestic national title although she won the Switzerland Women’s Open Amateur Championship three years ago.

She is the fourth Scot in the past seven years to win the British stroke play title, following in the footsteps of compatriots Clare Queen (2004), Heather MacRae (2005) and Roseanne Niven (2008).

The tournament was reduced to three rounds after a 2hr 30min suspension of play from 9am to 11.30am while a violent thunder and lightning storm raged over the course.

The joint overnight leaders, Pamela Pretswell and Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands), did not set out for the third round until 12.30 which meant there would not have been enough daylight left for the field to play 36 holes on the final day.

Curtis Cup reserve and the 2008 Welsh girls champion, Amy Boulden (Maesdu), whose 17th birthday was earlier this month, moved up from third place, one off the pace, at the start of the round to take the lead with an outward 37 to Pamela Pretswell’s 39 and 45 by Chrisje De Vries.

Amy Boulden had birdied the first, bogeyed the fourth, birdied the short sixth and dropped another shot at the ninth.

Pamela had bogeyed the first, fourth, seventh and ninth but got two of the strokes back with birdies at the third and fifth.

Amy Boulden was still in the lead with two holes to play after bogeying the 11th, but birdieing the 13th and long 14th before she bogeyed the 16th.

Pamela was hanging on with a birdie at the 10th but bogeys at the 11th, 14th, 15th and 16th.

Then came a two-stroke swing in the Scot’s favour. While leader Boulden bogeyed the short 17th, Pamela was able to get a birdie 2. That put her in front by a shot and she doubled her winning margin to two shots by parring the last after Boulden had bogeyed it.

So Pamela, pipped for the Austrian women’s open amateur title three weeks ago, finished with a two-over-par total of 218, made up of rounds of 72, 74 and 72.

FINAL LEADERBOARD Par 216 (3x72)
218 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 72 74 72.
221 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 68 79 74.
225 Line Vedel Hansen (Den) 76 72 77.
228 Lara Katzy (Ger) 71 81 76, Alexandrea Bonetti (Fra) 74 77 77.
229 Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 78 76 75, Pia Halbig (Ger) 73 78 78, Bronte Law (Bramhall) 76 72 81.
230 Chrisje De Vries (Net) 68 78 84.
231 Ann Lindner (Ger) 75 78 78..
234 Julie Yang (Kings Acre) 75 81 78.
235 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 75 82 78, Lauren Taylor (Woburn) 75 79 81, Heidi Baek (Felixstowe Ferry) 76 77 92.
236 Noemi Jimenez (Spa) 77 80 79, Gillian O’Leary (Cork) 70 86 80, Vicki Troeltsch (Ger) 78 76 82, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 78 75 83.
237 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 81 77 79.
238 Charley Hull (Woburn) 73 85 80, Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield) 78 77 83.
239 Karlijn Zaanen (Netherlands) 76 83 80, Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 82 75 82, Rachel Drummond (Beaconsfield) 80 77 82, Charlotte Wild (Mere) 76 78 85, Hayley Davis (Ferndown) 82 73 84
240 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 77 78 85.
241 Tara Davies (Holyhead) 73 84 84, Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 72 83 86.
243 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 78 81 84, Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 76 83 84.

To read more go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Live Scoring from the British Amateur Strokeplay and the Ladies Scottish Open

West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell and Megan Briggs are both playing in the final day at
BRITISH STROKEPLAY AT TENBY --- click on the link to keep up to date with today's play.

Kylie Walker and Clare Queen are both playing in in the Ladies Scottish Open. Click on the following link
SCOTTISH OPEN AT ARCHERFIELD

Pamela Pretswell is leading on Day 2 of the British Strokeplay

At the end of a day of unrelenting rain it was Curtis Cup Scot Pamela Pretswell and Chrisje De Vries from the Netherlands who led the 42 qualifiers with totals of 15-over-par 159 or better into Friday’s final two rounds.
Pretswell and De Vries are both on two-over-par 146, Pamela after a second-round, two-over-par 74, one of the best scores in the awful weather, and Chrisje after a 78.
Three other Scots survived the cut – Lothians pair Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), improving by seven shots despite the deluge with a splendid 75, and Jane Turner (Craigielaw), with a battling 77, both on 157 and Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) with an 81 for the limit mark of 159.
Bothwell Castle's Pamela Pretswell, pipped for the Austrian women’s open title two or three weeks ago, did well to salvage a 74 in such conditions to share the lead on 146 – but it looked like being an even better score with just a few holes to go to the warmth and comfort of the clubhouse.
Other Scots:
Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) had an 84 for 162.
Majorca-based (Lauren Mackin) had an 87 for 166.
Roseanne Niven (Crieff), winner of the British title only two years ago, had an 82 for 167 and Laura Murray finished 30 over par with a pair of 87s for 174.
Another Scotland international Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), who had a first-round 75, badly twisted an ankle in falling down some steps and was unable to play. With the weather as bad as it was, she was not complaining about having to rest in the clubhouse with her ankle strapped up.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 144 (2x74).
146 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 72 74, Chrisje De Vries (Ned) 68 78.
147 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 68 79.
148 Line Vedel Hansen (Den) 76 72, Bronte Law (Bramhall) 76 72.
151 Pia Halbit (Ger) 73 78, Alexandra Bonetti (Fra) 74 77.
152 Lara Katzy (Ger) 71 81.
153 Ann Lindner (Ger) 75 78, Heidi Baek (Felixstowe Ferry) 76 77, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 78 75.
Other Scots:
156 Julie Yang (Kings Acre) 75 81 (jt 20th).
157 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 82 75, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 80 77 (jt 23rd).
159 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 78 81 (jt 37th).

MISSED THE CUT
161 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 78 83.
162 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 78 84.
166 Lauren Mackin (Majorca) 79 87.
167 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) 85 82.
174 Laura Murray (Alford) 87 87.
Retired (injured): Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 75 -.

To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Pamela Pretswell is the leading Scot after Round 1 of the British Women's Open Strokeplay

Pamela Pretswell (photo courtesy of Colin Farquharson) - click to enlarge

Curtis Cup Scot Pamela Pretswell kept up her recent good form to finish the opening day of the British Women’s Open Amateur Stroke-Play golf Championship at Tenby, South Wales in a share of fifth place.
The Bothwell Castle GC player from Hamilton, pipped for the Austrian women's title a couple of weeks ago, shot a level par of 72 in windy conditions for the early starters and would have been that bit closer to Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands) and Amy Boulden (Maesdu) – joint leaders on 68 – had she not bogeyed the 15th and 18th.
Pamela also ran up a double bogey 6 at the 11th but, on the bright side, she had a bag of five birdies: at the long first, the third, the 10th, the 13th, and the long 14th in halves of 36.
Former Scottish champion Renfrewshire's Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) all hit the 78 mark.
Alyson McKechin’s effort was a good effort indeed, considering she had a triple bogey 7 at the third and a double bogey 6 at the 18th in halves of 41 and 37.
Majorca-based Scot Lauren Mackin (Past Ranfurly Castle Member) had a 79, one shot ahead of recent Riccarton Rosebowl winner Jane Turner (Craigielaw)who had a horrendous outward half of 43, including a triple bogey 7 at the ninth.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
68 Chrisje De Vries (Ned), Amy Boulden (Maesdu).
70 Gillian O’Leary (Cork).
71 Lara Katzy (Ger).
72 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Laura Chemarin (Fra), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park).
73 Marion Ricordeau (Fra), Charley Hull (Kettering), Tara Davies (Holyhead), Pia Halbig (Ger).
74 Camilla Hedberg (Spa), Nina Holleder (Ger), Alexandra Bonetti (Fra).
75 Lauren Taylor (Woburn), Julie Yang (Kings Acre), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Liebelei Lawrence (Gre), Ann Lindner (Ger), Klara Spilkova (Cze), Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
Selected scores:
77 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa).
79 Lauren Mackin (Maj).
80 Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
81 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies).
82 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall).
85 Roseanne Niven (Crieff).
87 Laura Murray (Alford).

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

British Girls Matchplay Results

To read the full report and and all the results from the British Girls Matchplay (1st and 2nd rounds Day 1 ) CLICK HERE

To read more on the British Girls Results (Day 2 etc --- Quarter Finals) CLICK HERE

To read more on the British Girls Results (Day 3 etc --- Semi's and Final) FINAL RESULTS

THREE SCOTS QUALIFY FOR MATCH-PLAY STAGES

British girls open amateur championship at Royal Belfast Golf Club

Three Scots – Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies), Hannah McCook (Abernethy) and Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) – made it through among the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the British girls open amateur golf championship at bright but breezy Royal Belfast Golf Club today (Tuesday).
Eilidh Briggs hit the limit mark of 155 with scores of 77 and 78 and had a long wait until the end play before the LGU organisers and their computer decreed that two Spaniards and a French player who had totals of 155 but the poorest second rounds – 80, 80 and 81 – would be eliminated.
To read the full report and all the results go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

British Girl's Championship-- 1st Round

Scotland’s Tartan Army of nine players in the field for the British girls open amateur golf championship could be reduced to two or three after tomorrow's second qualifying round at Royal Belfast Golf Club.

Only the leading 64 players out of 144 starters will go forward to the match-play stages and the forecast is that two rounds of 78 might just make it. Overnight those on the 78 mark are in joint 68th position.

That leaves only Scottish girls champion Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) and Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) – both with five-over-par 75s – and Renfrewshire women’s champion Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), who scored 77 – within the “safety zone” barring disasters on the second day.

Hannah McCook (Abernethy) is walking the tightrope on 79 while Rachael Taylor (Hartl Golf Resort, Germany) must improve on her 80 while Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw), 83, and Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), both with 84s, have the proverbial mountain to climb.

Gillian Simpson’s opening 99 has killed her hopes.

At the other end of the scoreboard, Alexandra Bonetti from Paris leads with a two-under-par 68 (two birdies and 16 pars) by one shot from Musselburgh-based Julie Yang whose 69 was unchallenged from noon until the French girl finished her round at 6.45pm.

The 15-year-old Maguire Curtis Cup twins had mixed luck. Leona had a 72 but Lisa a 79, which was one better than British women’s open champion Kelly Tidy from Bolton.

LOG ON TO THE LADIES GOLF UNION FOR A REPORT OF THE FIRST DAY'S PLAY

http://www.lgu.org/

MORE ON THE SCOTS

Lesley Atkins played tidly for a 75 (36-39). She bogeyed the third and fourth but came straight back with birdies at the fifth and sixth before she bogeyed the ninth.

She dropped shots at three of the par-3 inward holes, and ran up a double bogey 6 at the 15th. Bt she did birdied the 13th with an 8ft putt.

Rachael Watton took a while to warm up. She bogeyed the first, second and fourth before she got into her stride and birdied the fifth and eighth to be out in a promising 36.

Then she made a mess of the first three holes of the inward half - a bogey at the 10th, a triple bogey 6 at the short 11th and another bogey at the 12th.

But Rachel is not a quitter and, true to form, she hit back with a 2 at the short 14th - then dropped a shot at the 15th - but birdied the 16th - dropped a shot at the 17th - before finished with a birdie 4 at the long last hole.

A roller-coaster ride, indeed over the last five holes.

Eilidh Briggs' 77 was made up of steady halves of 38 and 39. She took started slowly with bogeys at the first, second and fourth, but, like Rachael Watton, Eilidh also settled to birdied the fifth and seventh. Bogeys at the sixth and ninth, owever, put her out in three over the card. She then had a bad run after the turn with bogeys at the 11t, 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th, before finished with a birdie at the last.

Rachael Taylor had halves of 43 and 37 for an 80 which included a quadruple bogey 8 at the third. She birdied the sixth and 18th.

Hannah McCook had a good outward half of 37 but spoiled it with 42 homefor a 79.

Gabrielle MacDonald had halves of 41 and 42 for an 83. She had back to back triple bogeys at the 11th and 12th. Her only birdie came at the 10th.

Alyson McKechin was out in 41 and home in 43 for an 84 while Ailsa Summers hit the 84 mark the other way round, 43 out, 43 back.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND

Par 70. Yardage 5876

68 Alexandra Bonetti (Fra)

69 Julie Yang (SKo)

71 Bronte Law (Eng), Noemi Jimenez (Spa).

72 Camilla Hedberg (Spa), Katharina Sohnlein (Ger), Leona Maguire (Ire), Louise Ridderstrom (Swe).

Other Scots

75 Lesley Atkins (Sco), Rachael Watton (Sco)

77 Eilidh Briggs (Sco),

79 Hannah McCook (Sco),

80 Rachael Taylor (Sco).

83 Gabrielle MacDonald (Sco).

84 Alyson McKechin (Sco), Ailsa Summers (Sco)..

99 Gillian Simpson (Sco),

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

Newsletter from the LGU

Kelly Tidy looks to complete rare double at the 2010 Girls' British Open Amateur Championship

Kelly Tidy from Bolton has the opportunity to become only the third player in history to win both the Ladies' and Girls' British Open Amateur titles in the same year. The only other British player to achieve the feat was Mickey Walker from Leeds in 1972, while Spain's Belen Mozo also achieved the prestigious double in 2006 when both tournaments were played in Northern Ireland.

Kelly Tidy won the Ladies' British Open Amateur title at Ganton in June but is still young enough to compete in the Girls' Championship when it is played at Royal Belfast Golf Club from 9^th – 13^th August. Kelly, a Junior Solheim Cup and Junior Ryder Cup player, has twice lost in the final of the British Girls' Championship, once to Henrietta Brockway (England) at Southerndown in 2007 when she was 15 and also to Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Belgium) in the 2008 final when the Championship was played at Monfieth. She did not play in last year's Championship as it clashed with the Junior Solheim Cup Match which she was competing in.

The Championship has once again attracted a top quality field and has had to be reduced by ballot to 144 players. Two strokeplay qualifying rounds will take place on Monday 9^th and Tuesday 10^th August to decide the top 64 qualifiers for the matchplay stages.

Perrine Delacoure (France) who won the title at West Lancashire Golf Club last year and Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies') last year's runner-up and recent winner of the English Girls' Championship are both in this year's field and will be bidding to reach the final again.

Other notables include Lisa and Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) who at 15 became the youngest ever Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup team players when they competed in the 2010 Curtis Cup and Hayley Davis (Ferndown) the winner of the 2010 English Women's Championship.

Julie Yang, the 15-year-old South Korean girl who has been based in Scotland since last September when she moved from Arizona to Musselburgh to become a pupil at Loretto School is also one to watch. Her titles this year include the Welsh Women's Open Amateur Stroke-Play, the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish schoolgirls and the Danish Amateur Championship. She has since then also came through the qualifying process and played in the 2010 Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale.

The overseas challenge includes entries from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States.

Three of the girls named in the European Junior Ryder Cup team for the match against the United States on September 28-29 at Gleneagles are among the entries – Isabella Dellert (2010 European Girls' Young Masters' Champion), Manon Molle (France) and Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).

The winner receives the Challenge Cup and the beaten finalist is awarded the Leven Trophy. The Lady Heathcoat-Amory Memorial Medal goes to the leading qualifier while vouchers will be awarded for the lowest scores in the qualifying rounds. The Todd Bowl is awarded to the lowest U16 player in the qualifying rounds while the lowest U14 player will receive a voucher. An international team event is also played in conjunction with the two stroke-play qualifying rounds.

About the Ladies' Golf Union ("LGU")

Founded in 1893, the LGU is the encompassing body for ladies' amateur golf in Great Britain & Ireland. The LGU Executive Council includes representatives of ladies' golf's national governing bodies in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Operational activities are undertaken by a wholly owned subsidiary, LGU Championships Limited ("LGUCL"), which in particular owns and runs the Ricoh Women's British Open, founded by the LGU in 1976 and one of the four Major Tournaments for Professional Women golfers. LGUCL also has responsibility for running British Amateur Championships and Home International events, and preparing the Great Britain & Ireland teams for representative matches, such as the Curtis Cup and the Vagliano Trophy.

Further information about the LGU is available on http://www.lgu.org/.

Further information:

Susan Simpson; Head of Golf Operations: Ladies' Golf Union

Tel: +44 (0) 1334 475 811

Fraser Munro, Championship Manager, Ladies' Golf Union
Tel: +44 (0) 1334 475 811

http://www.lgu.org/

Kelsey loses in the Final of the British Amateur

Kelsey MacDonald and Kelly Tidy --- Photo courtesy of Colin Farquharson

Stirling student Kelsey MacDonald just failed to pull off the Scottish-British women;’s amateur golf championships double at Ganton Golf Club, Yorkshire today.
Winner of her national title at Craigielaw five weeks ago, 19-year-old Kelsey lost by 2 and 1 in the 18-hole final to 18-year-old Lancashire lass Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
Kelsey staged a magnificent comeback to beat former US Curtis Cup player Meghan Stasi at the 19th hole in the morning semi-finals after losing the first four holes.
But, after twice taking a two-hole lead in the final, the Nairn Dunbar player – her family home is just across the road from the first tee – seemed to tire in her eighth competitive round in five days over a course with cavernous bunkers, narrow, tree-lined fairways and gorse bushes that could hide an army.
From two up on the 12th tee, MacDonald slid to two down by losing the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th and a half in four at the short 17th gave Tidy victory and a place in the field for the Ricoh Women’s British Open over her home Birkdale course next month.
Tidy, twice beaten in the British girls championship final and a Junior Solheim and Junior Ryder Cup player, was several over par in the final, having been two or three under in winning her semi-fnal by 5 and 3 over Canadian 18-year-old Rebecca Lee-Bentham from Toronto.
“I can’t really make the excuse that I was tired over the last few holes, Kelly just played them better than I did. Of course, I’m disappointed but if you had offered me at the beginning of the week a place in the British final, win or lose, I would have grabbed it. I got a couple of bad bounces in the final but over the week I had some good scores and some good wins,” said Kelsey.

Final – Tidy beat MacDonald 2 and 1.

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

British Amateur Matchplay-- Kelsey MacDonald wins at the 19th to reach the Final

Despite losing the 1st 4 Holes against Meghan Stasi (United States) Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn) fought back to win at the 19th this morning in the Semi Final of the British Amateur Championship at Ganton. She now meets Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) in this afternoons Final.. To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

All the results from the British Amateur

KELSEY MACDONALD IN BRITISH SEMI-FINALS

Scottish champion Kelsey MacDonald is through to Saturday morning’s semi-finals of the British women’s open amateur golf championship at sunny Ganton.
But Curtis Cup player Sally Watson was beaten in the quarter-finals on another very hot day at the Yorkshire venue.
To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Pamela through to the Matchplay Stages of the British Amateur Championships

Caroline Hedwall earns top seed among 64 qualifiers at Ganton
Six Scots make it through to "British" match-play

COLIN FARQUHARSON REPORTS FROM GANTON --- Kirkwoodgolf
Six Scots made it through to the match-play stages of the British women’s open amateur golf championship at Ganton Golf Club, Yorkshire on another warm, sunny day when top seed, Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, declared she would have loved to have played in the Curtis Cup before she winds up her stellar amateur career at the end of the present season.
“This is my last season as an amateur because I have quit Oklahoma State University after two years to go to the Tour Schools on both sides of the Atlantic at the end of the season,” said 21-year-old European women’s champion,
Hedwall was No 1 of the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the “British,” adding a three-under-par 70 for a three-under-par total of 143.
Top Scottish qualifier as 10th seed was Curtis Cup teenager Sally Watson (Elie and Earslferry) with scores of 72 and 76 for 148. Sally had only one birdie to her credit in the second round – a 4 at the long 15th but she did keep her ration of bogeys down to four, at the fifth, seventh, 11th and 18th
That’s no mean feat on a testing course where the trees, gorse bushes and steep-sided bunkers punish heavily any misdirect shots.
Scottish champion Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) qualified with ease in 13th place on 149 with rounds of 76 and 73.
“There was a stronger swirling wind today that made club selection a wee bit more difficult,” said the Stirling student who must have made the right choices when she had four 3s in a row from the second in an outward two-under-par 35.
Auchterarder’s Emily Ogilvy had more eagles than even the leaders over the 36-hole eliminator – two in Tuesday’s 76 and one at the 496yd fifth in a second-round 79 for 155. Emily qualified in 39th place.
Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), the second Curtis Cup Scot in the field, slumped from 75 to 81 yesterday (Wed) for 156 which gave her 45th place in the draw. After six straight pars, the Glasgow University student’s troubles began with a triple bogey 7 at the seventh in an outward 40 and she later had a double bogey 5 at the short 17th in halves of 40 and 41 with birdies at the eighth and 18th not enough to offset the mistakes.
Laura Murray from Alford and Craigielaw’s Jane Turner, a student at Robert Gordon University, were two of 15 players on the limit mark of 12-over-par 158. There was room for only eight of them in the draw of 32 first-round match-play ties.
For the first time in this championship there was no lengthy play-off as a tie-breaker.
Instead a card countback did the elimination work.
Both Murray and Turner survived the countback, thanks to their second rounds. Laura, started badly and finished weakly but played brilliantly in the holes in between to return a 76, six shots better than on Tuesday, while Jane had a grandstand finish of four birdies in a row from the 14th for a 75, having started her round with two double-bogey 6s. Some recovery!
Majorca-based 16-year-old Scot Lauren Mackin had an off day following her sparkling first-round 73. Her score soared to 85 and she was one of those eliminated on 158.
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), last year’s Scottish champion, bowed out with a 76 for 159.
Two members of the recent GB and I Curtis Cup team failed to qualify. Hannah Barwood (Knowle) had an 82 for 159 while Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), the outstanding player in Mary McKenna’s squad in the States, went out with scores of 84 and 77 for 161.

To see all the scores ---- CSS 78 ON BOTH DAYS --- CLICK HERE

Pamela Pretswell does well in the first round of the British Amateur Championship

Sally Watson was the leading Scot in the first round of the British Amateur Championship played Ganton Golf Club in Yorkshire today. Ex member of Ranfurly Castle Lauren Mackin now based in Majorca was only 2 off the pace closely followed by Lanarkshire's Pamela Pretswell from Bothwell Castle.
Leading Scores:
1 70 -3 Giulia Molinaro (ITA) Italy
2= 72 -1 Taylore Karle (USA) United States, Sally Watson (SCO) Scotland, Sue Kim (CAN) Canada
5= 73 Par Daniela Holmqvist (SWE) Sweden, Lauren Mackin (SCO) Son Gual, Holly Clyburn (ENG) Woodhall Spa Caroline Hedwall (SWE) Sweden, Camilla Hedberg (SPA) Spain
Other Notable Scores:
75 Pamela Pretswell (SCO) Bothwell Castle
76 Kelsey MacDonald (SCO) Nairn Dunbar , Emily Ogilvy (SCO) Auchterarder
83 Gillian Monteith (SCO) Portpatrick Dunskey, Jane Turner (SCO) Craigielaw
Megan Briggs (SCO) Kilmacolm
84 Danielle McVeigh (IRE) Royal Co. Down Lds
91 Roseanne Niven (SCO) Crieff

To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Pamela Pretswell is limbering up in preparation for the Curtis Cup

RELAYED BY COLIN FARQUHARSON, CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY

Curtis Cup build-up in America.
Leona Maguire (left), one of the 15-year-old twins from the Slieve Russell Club, Ireland, and Pamela Pretswell (right), Bothwell Castle Golf Club and Glasgow University student.
Pictured by Susan Simpson at Longmeadow Country Club, Massachusetts where the GB&I team of eight are limbering up in preparation for moving to the Curtis Cup match venue, Essex County Club, at the weekend.
The three-day match against the holders, United States, starts next Friday (June 11th).

The GB&I team for next week's three-day match against the United States for the Curtis Cup at Essex County Club, Massachusetts (June 11 to 13) pictured with skipper Mary McKennan and vice-captain Tegwen Matthews at Longmeadow Country Club, a neighbouring course, where they have been limbering up before switching to Essex County Club at the weekend.
Left to right:
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell).
vice-captain Tegwen Matthews (Wales)
Hannah Barwood (Knowle)
Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton).
team captain Mary McKenna (Donabate, Ireland).
Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies).
Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies).
Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle).
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa)
Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell).

Gillian Kirkwood new Chairwoman of the LGU

Gillian Kirkwood at the SLGA County Centenary Lunch in 2009- click to enlarge

In the latest significant move in its modernisation project, the Ladies’ Golf Union (“LGU”) is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Chairman, Mrs. Gillian Kirkwood. Gillian takes up post with immediate effect, and, in a major change from past practice, will serve for a period of three years.

She succeeds Interim Chairman Mrs. Beryl Davies, who steps down after ably guiding the LGU through a transitional period.

Gillian brings a wealth of golf knowledge and business experience to the role of Chairman. A past LGU Councillor and past Chairman of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, she is also a highly experienced Rules Official and, reflecting her keen interest in the history of ladies’ golf, chairs the Board of Trustees of the Women Golfers’ Museum. In her previous term of office with the LGU, Gillian chaired the International Selection Committee and represented the organisation on the R&A Amateur Status Committee.

A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, the new Chairman will be responsible for leading the Executive Council of the LGU and the Board of its newly formed subsidiary, LGU Championships Limited. Her professional experience of business development and change management as a senior manager in the higher education sector leaves her well placed to do this with, in her own words, “diplomacy, determination and patience”.

Gillian is acutely aware of the issues facing ladies golf and says “I am honoured to be appointed chairman of the newly modernised LGU and am committed to working to protect the legacy the LGU has inherited and to meet the expectations of the LGU held by the golfing community. The LGU has a major role to play in encouraging golf at all levels and must remain as the strong voice for Ladies Golf.

The current team in the LGU has gained world-wide respect for its efficiency and competence in running events and managing the business, but cannot rest on its laurels and must maintain the pressure to constantly improve and refine what it does. I look forward to working with the Executive Council and the LGU team to achieve this.”

2010 LGU YEARBOOK

The start of season LGU mailing will be leaving St Andrews next week and will include your club's complimentary copy of the 2010 LGU Yearbook.

The yearbook contains results, future championship information and regulations. New for 2010, the book will contain a list of all clubs, and their names and addresses. Should you require your own personal copy, you may order one using the LGU SHOP.

You may wish to view an electronic preview online using the link below but note the list of golf clubs is not visible online.
2010 LGU ELECTRONIC ONLINE BOOK