GOLFING LEGENDS BACK GLASGOW 2018

Two Scottish golfing legends are looking forward to history being made at the inaugural European Golf Team Championships at Gleneagles in August.

Catriona Matthew and Paul Lawrie, the last two Scottish players to win Major Championships, believe the event – which will see men and women play together in a 50/50 field split for equal prize money for the first time – is a unique opportunity for both male and female players.

Comprising part of the multi-sport Glasgow 2018 European Championships, the European Golf Team Championships is an innovative format which will see a men’s, women’s and mixed event played on the iconic PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles.

Matthew, who will captain the European Solheim Cup team at the venue in September 2019, said it was a great opportunity for women to show their quality alongside their male counterparts and also urged potential Solheim Cup team members to grab the chance of competitive action at Gleneagles ahead of her team selection.

The North Berwick star, who won the Women’s British Open in 2009, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Europe’s leading female players to reinforce how strong the women’s game is by playing alongside men and to continue to raise the profile of women’s golf on an international stage.

“These opportunities don’t come around very often and I’m looking forward to seeing the teams go head-to-head. I’ll also be using it as an opportunity to keep an eye on some of the prospective European Solheim Cup team members to see how they fare over the PGA Centenary Course in competitive action.”

To read more - Go to the European Tour Website

LAURA MURRAY TOP SCOT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Ashleigh Buhai wrote her name in the record books of the Investec South African Women’s Open once again, thanks to a two-stroke victory at Westlake Golf Club in Cape Town.

 The only amateur to win the national championship, twice – and the youngest to boot – fired a flawless final round 67 to win by 2 shots on nine under par (207) to realise a dream she’s had since she joined the pro ranks in 2007.

Scot Laura Murray had a final round in level par to finish tied in 26th place on 4 over par

Scot Scores
220: Laura Murray 77, 71,72
223 Jane Turner 74, 75, 74,  Kylie Henry  74, 72, 77

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE RESULTS

KYLIE, LAURA AND JANE ALL MAKE THE CUT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Germany’s Karolin Lampert consolidated her opening round with a solid 69 to hold the clubhouse lead in the Investec South African Women’s Open in Cape Town.

At five-under-par, she holds a one stroke advantage over the first-round leader Ashleigh Buhai, who shot a 71 in benign and gloriously sunny conditions.

Scot Kylie Henry had a level par 72 today and is tied in 12th place on 2 over par and Laura Murray a 1 under par 71 to be tied in 30th place

Scot Scores:
Par 72
146: Kylie Henry 74,72
148 Laura Murray 77,71
149: Jane Turner 74, 75

Missed Cut
153: Kelsey Macdonald 78, 75
155: Carly Booth 78, 77

  CLICK HERE FOR SCORES

KYLIE AND JANE ARE LEADING SCOTS AFTER ROUND ONE IN SOUTH AFRICA

4 Scots are playing Westlake Golf Club to race into the first round lead of the R2-million Investec South African Women’s Open

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72. Players from S Africa unless stated
69 A Buhai
70 B Bredenham (Namibia), S Banon (Spn), K Lampert (Ger)
71 K Matharu (Eng)
72 L Fuenfstueck (Ger), F Parker (Eng), M Haddioui (Morocco), M Molle (Fra), C Chevalier (Fra), I Samu.
73 C Wolf (Austria), S Resin (Nor), F Cuturi, A Dimmock (Eng), S Bregman, U Wikstrom (Fin), L Altmann (Brazil), A Menendez (Mex),  E-J Ji (Spn), L Hall (Wales)

SCOTS' SCORES
Par 72
74 Kylie Henry, Jane Turner (T24)
77 Laura Murray (T69)
78 Kelsey Macdonald, Carly Booth (T87)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

To read more go the the Scottish Golf View website

MICHELE AND KYLIE TIED 32nd AFTER 3rd ROUND IN NEW SOUTH WALES OPEN

England’s Meghan MacLaren fired her best score on the Ladies European Tour – a six-under-par 65 – to move to 10-under-par (203) and take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the Women’s New South Wales Open in Australia.

Scot Michele Thomson had a 1 under par 70 and Kylie Henry a 3 over par 74 to be tied in 32nd place on 215 

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE SCORES

Kylie sharing 20th place in New South Wales Open

Scots Kylie (Walker) Henry and Michele Thomson are sharing 20th and 48th positions respectively after two rounds of the New South Wales Women's Open at Coffs Harbour.

Kylie has had rounds of 72 and 69 for 141; Michele 71 and 74 for 145, which was the limit mark for beating the cut. Justine Dreher (France) (67-69) and amateur Jihye Park (Australia) (72-64) are sharing a one-stroke lead on six-under-par 136 over the par-71 course.

Two strokes cover the leading five players.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORESCLICK HERE

Kylie Henry finishes in 7th Place in Australia

West of Scotland's Kylie Henry finished T7 on 210 today in the ActewAGL Canberra Classic with scores of 68, 70 and 72

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE KIRKWOODGOLF WEBSITE

Pamela Pretswell Asher would like to see more events on the Ladies European Tour

By Martin Dempster -

West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell Asher believes the Ladies European Tour has hit its lowest ebb at a time when the circuit boasts its strongest pool of talent in the last five years.

The 2017 campaign concludes on a high note this week with the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic involving a star-studded field at the Emirates Golf Club. But the fact it is just the 14th event on the schedule shows what a tough year it has been for players like Pretswell Asher who are trying to make a living on the LET.

Five tournaments went by the wayside this year, leading to the departure of the circuit’s CEO, Ivan Khodabakhsh, in August.

During the Solheim Cup in Des Moines, LPGA commissioner Mike Whan revealed that he had instigated talks with Keith Pelley, chief executive of the men’s European Tour, to see what could be done to help the LET. However, it emerged recently that the LET has declined the offer of assistance for the time being after being encouraged by the potential for a healthier 2018 schedule. “No chance,” replied Pretswell Asher, who was on the LET committee before resigning earlier this year, to being asked if there was a possibility of as many as 24 events being on that list, which is expected to be unveiled at this week’s event in the UAE.
“I think you’d be looking at 18 events next year and, for me, that would probably be a good schedule. “I think there is genuine interest, but whether that can be put in place for 2018, who knows. Even getting a couple back would be a start. But I think it will be 2019 before we really see a difference, so patience is the key.”

Speaking at an Aberdeen Standard Investments golf clinic in Edinburgh, the Scot added: “For me, the sad thing is that talent on the LET at the moment is the strongest it has been in the last five years. That’s the thing that frustrates me the most. “We have so many good players but they don’t have anywhere to play and don’t have to go to America if you don’t want to. But, at the moment, the only option is to go to the States. Georgia Hall, for instance, has to be there to progress her game after doing remarkably well to get into the Solheim Cup team this year from so few starts on the LET.”

Pretswell Asher has been the leading Scot on the circuit for the past two years but heads into this week’s event behind Michele Thomson on this I season’s money-list after the Aberdonian finished second in last month’s Indian Open. Due to bad smog, 
Pretswell Asher withdrew from that event but, after recording a top-15 finish in the following week’s Sanya Ladies Open in China, she is looking to end her season on a high in a field that is headed by Ricoh Women’s British Open champion In-Kyung Kim. “Michele had a great week in India but, if I can have a good week in Dubai, we’ll see where it leaves me at the end of the year,” said the former Curtis Cup player, who also has US Solheim Cup duo Angel Yin and Brittany Lincicome as her rivals this week. “This is a tournament I really enjoy, it’s the best one after the Scottish Open and it is one of the biggest on the schedule.
I’ve been pretty happy with my game. I just haven’t seen the results I would have wanted, though I had a good week in China. In fact, that was the best golf I’ve played for a long time. “My aim this week is to get 
a good finish to what has 
been a frustrating season. I think next year the schedule is looking better, though I don’t think it could be much worse, to be fair. “There were various reasons I came off the committee. It [a threadbare schedule] is not ideal because, at the end of the day, it is everyone’s job. It is the same for everyone, but I’m someone who likes to get a bit of momentum. “I like to get a few tournaments to get into the season and then get a run to get some rhythm going. This year, I had a couple of good results in April yet my next tournament was July – our biggest month – and by that time I’d lost any momentum I had. “It was disappointing not being able to take advantage of having both the Scottish Open and British Open on home soil.”

Fresh from her card success at the LPGA Qualifying School, Gemma Dryburgh also lines up in the Dubai event, as do Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, Kelsey MacDonald, Vikki Laing, Kylie Henry and Carly Booth.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SCOTSMAN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

PAMELA PRETSWELL - LEADING SCOT

CLICK TO ENLARGE TO SEE LEADERBOARD

Many congrats go to West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell and Kylie Hendry in the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open this week.
Pamela finished tied 5th with a last round of 67. Kylie finished well with a 67 also --
Scot Michelle Thomson  did well also with final round of 65 to finish in 15th place.
FOR ALL THE SCORES GO TO --- THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

FOLLOW THE SCOTS

HELEN HOLM AT TROON
Leaderboard

Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open
EUROPEAN TOUR LEADERBOARD 

PAMELA PRETSWELL LEADS THE SCOTS IN THE ESTERELLA DAMM MEDITERANEAN LADIES OPEN

Pamela Pretswell

West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell leads the 8 Scots that have made the cut at Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open on the European Ladies Tour 
Kylie Henry also has a fantastic round of 64 
To read the full report  go to the -- KIRKWOOD GOLF WEBSITE

KYLIE EQUALS COURSE RECORD IN 3RD ROUND OF OATES VIC OPEN

Kylie with Caddie

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE

By Brad Green
At lunchtime on Friday, Kylie Henry thought she'd be on an early flight back to Scotland.
Henry was even par at the half-way mark of the Oates Vic Open and didn't believe that was good enough to make the cut.
Fortunately Henry made it through to the weekend and capitalised on that reprieve in the third round around the Beach course.
The 30-year-old rocketed up the leaderboard after equalling the course record of 65 and begins today's final round tied for 13th.
A late bogey on the par-four eighth – her 17th hole of the day – after she drove into a bush and was forced to chip sideways cost Henry any chance of lowering the mark of eight-under held by Su Oh.
"I played really solid and putted really nice as well and never really looked like making a bogey," Henry said.
"I got to nine-under and then hit a poor tee shot on my second last hole so a little bit disappointed because the best score I've ever shot is eight under.
"So I really had that in mind to beat. I didn't know about the course record but I'm really happy with eight-under and feel like my game is coming together.
"It's nice to be moving up the leader board going into the final round, looking forward to it."
It's her third visit to Barwon Heads and she always enjoys coming to Australia. It's been a productive fortnight for Henry on this trip Down Under, having finished sixth in last week's RACV Gold Coast Challenge.
"I really enjoyed my trip, it's been good fun," Henry said.
"It's great have this event now on our schedule. It's new to the Ladies European Tour and I think it's brilliant that it's now part of it.
"I've loved being out here the past two years so it's nice that it now counts on our schedule."
Henry married fellow professional Scott Henry, who plays on the European Tour, in late December.
But such is the life of a touring pro there's been little time together over the past six weeks because of their schedules.
She's been Down Under on her own for the past fortnight while Scott travels out to Perth next week to play in the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 event.

In the final round which was extremely windy Kylie finished down the field in 18th place. To read the full result and scoreboard totals go to the KIRKWOOD GOLF WEBSITE