Hailstorm at County Finals in Dumfries cuts short the 2nd Day's Play

Thanks go to Jane Turner for the photograph.
From the SLGA Website

Day 2 of the Scottish County Finals at Dumfries & County Golf Club saw Perth & Kinross take on Midlothian and Dumfriesshire cut short due to the weather.

Play got back underway at 3:20pm having been suspended for two hours and 30 minutes following torrential rain and hail showers.  The foursomes games between Perth & Kinross and Midlothian had been completed with Midlothian taking a three nil lead.  All three foursomes games in the second match between Dumfriesshire and Ayrshire were still on the course, although Ayrshire quickly finished the 1st and 3rd matches, winning them 3&2 and 7&5 respectively.  The second match resumed on the 12th green with Diane Macdonald and Lindsay Kirkwood two up for Dumfriesshire, however they were quickly brought back to all square by Gillian Arnott and Debbie Watt.  After a half in birdie 3's at the 17th, Ayrshire looked favourites to win the tie when Debbie Watt found the 18th green in two with her wood approach.  Dumfriesshire had left their second shot 20 yards short of the green, however Lindsay Kirkwood pitched to 8 feet and Diane Macdonald duely holed the testing par putt to half the hole and the match.  Ayrshire will take a 2.5 - 0.5 lead into the singles matches.

The six singles games from the round two matches will now be played tomorrow morning teeing off from 8:30am (Sunday 18 September) while the round three matches between Ayrshire and Perth & Kinross and between Dumfriesshire and Midlothian will be contested over 6 singles games tomorrow afternoon teeing off from 1.45pm.


MIDLOTHIAN lead PERTH and KINROSS 3-0
Karen Marshall and Wendy Nicholson beat Laura Walker and Eilidh Watson 2 and 1.
Kate McIntosh and Linda Bain beat Steph Crolla and Nicola Robertson 2 holes.
Gabrielle Macdonald and Kirsten Blackwood bt Jill Milne and Eve Muirhead 5 and 4.
AYRSHIRE lead DUMFRIES-SHIRE 2 1/2- 1/2
Lesley Hendry and Jenny Linklater beat Jordana Graham and Emma Greenlees 3 and 2.
Gillian Arnott and Debbie Watt halved with Diane Macdonald and Lindsay Kirkwood.
Connie Jaffrey and Audrey Thompson beat Rachel Walker and Katie McCracken 7 and 5.

Scotland's Lynn Kenny and Carly Booth make the cut in Spain

Tania Elósegui opened up a four-stroke lead over Beth Allen and Lee-Anne Pace on day two of the Open de España at La Quinta Golf Resort in Benahavis, Spain
SCOTSWATCH: Lynn Kenny and Carly Booth were the only Scots to survive the cut in
SECOND-ROUND LEADING TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
133 - Tania Elosegui (ESP) 68 65
137 - Lee-Anne Pace (SA) 68 69 , Beth Allen (USA) 69 68
138 - Stacey Keating (AUS) 69 69
139 - Becky Brewerton (WAL) 67 72
Scots who qualified;
144 -  Lynn Kenny (SCO) 71 73 ,
149 - Carly Booth (SCO) 76 73
SCOTS THAT MISSED THE CUT
151 - Vikki Laing (SCO) 82 69, Kylie Walker (SCO) 75 76
152 - Clare Queen (SCO) 78 74
154 - Heather MacRae (SCO) 78 76 ,
Pamela Feggans (SCO) 86 RTD

Ayrshire lose to Midlothians on Day 1 of the County Finals

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Midlothian made light of the absence of international player Rachael Watton, now at Denver University, and the unavailability of another to squad members, to make a flying start to this weekend's Scottish women's county championship finals at Dumfries and County Golf Club.
Winners of the title in 2007 and runners-up in 2009 and 2010, it was felt that Midlothian might struggle to go chalk up a second championship win in five years. How wrong can you be!
Midlothian took the foursomes 2-1 from Ayrshire, the West Division champions, and then the singles 4-2 with wins by Kate McIntosh, Wendy Nicholson, Gabrielle Macdonald and current international Jane Turner.
Nicholson, Turner and Macdonald had also been successful in the foursomes.
Ayrshire last won the county finals in 1970.
South Division champions Dumfries-shire scored a very good opening 6 1/2-2 1/2 win over North Division qualifiers Perth and Kinross in the opening day's other match. The Doonhamers took the foursomes 2-1 which would have been 3-0 but for a last-green win by P and K's third pairing, world-class curler Eve Muirhead and Jill Milne.
If P and K thought they could still turn their fortunes around in the singles, Dumfries-shire had other ideas. The home county's Jordana Graham beat former Scottish girls champion Laura Walker in the top singles and there were other wins for Katie McCracken, Emma Greenlees and Rachel Walker.
Graham, Greenlees and Rachel Walker had also won in the foursomes.
Dumfries-shire have never won the national title. Could this be their year at last? Their clash with Midlothian on Sunday could provide the answer to that question
Saturday's ties are: Midlothian v Perth and Kinross, Dumfries-shire v Ayrshire.


SCOTTISH WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
Dumfries and County Golf Club.

MIDLOTHIAN 6, AYRSHIRE 3
Foursomes (2-1)
Karen Marshall and Wendy Nicholson beat Cathering Malcolm and Debbie Watt 3 and 2.
Sally Shepherd and Linda Bain lost to Lesley Hendery and Jenny Linklater 2 holes.
Jane Turner and Gabrielle Macdonald beat Audrey Thompson and Connie Jaffrey 2 holes.
Singles (4-2)
Marshall lost to Malcolm 2 holes.
Kate McIntosh beat Gillian Arnott 5 and 3.
Nicholson beat Lesley Arnott 3 and 1.
Kirsten Blackwood lost to Linklater 2 and 1
Macdonald beat Thompson 4 and 3.
Turner beat Jaffrey 2 and 1.

PERTH and KINROSS 2 1/2, DUMFRIES-SHIRE 6 1/2
Foursomes (1-2)
Emily Ogilvy and Fiona Ramsay lost to Jordana Graham and Emma Greenlees 1 hole.
Laura Walker and Eilidh Watson lost to Rachel Walker and Kate McCracken 2 holes.
Jill Milne and Eve Muirhead bt Diane Macdonald and Lindsey Kirkwood 1 hole.
Singles (1 1/2-4 1/2)
Laura Walker lost to Graham 1 hole.
Watson beat Macdonald 2 and 1.
Steph Crolla lost to McCracken 1 aand 1.
Nicola Robertson halved with Kirkwood.
Ramsay lost to Greenles 2 and 1.
Milne lost to Rachel Walker 4 and 3.

Scotland's Lynn Kenny has a good start in Spain

Becky Brewerton continued her sparkling run of form in Spain by taking the first round lead at the Open de España Femenino.

The Welsh 28-year-old shot a five under par 67 in warm and calm conditions on the opening morning at La Quinta Golf Resort in Marbella, Benahavis on the Costa del Sol.
Scotland's Lynn Kenny had a very good 71 and West of Scotland's Kyle Walker was the next best placed Scot on 75.
1 67(-5) Becky Brewerton (WAL)
2= 68(-4) Liebelei Elena Lawrence (LU) Lee-Anne Pace (SA) Tania Elosegui (ESP)
5= 69(-3)Stacey Keating (AUS) Beth Allen (USA)
7= 70(-2) Line Vedel (DEN) Frances Bondad (AUS)Carin Koch (SWE)
10= 71(-1) Lynn Kenny (SCO) Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) Caroline Hedwall (SWE) Diana Luna (ITA) Melissa Reid (ENG) Veronica Zorzi (ITA) Kristie Smith (AUS) Trish Johnson (ENG)
Louise Larsson (SWE) Caroline Westrup (SWE)
Other Scots:
59= 75(+3) Kylie Walker (SCO)
73= 76(+4) Carly Booth (SCO)
95= 78(+6) Heather MacRae (SCO) Clare Queen (SCO)
121= 82(+10 ) Vikki Laing (SCO)
126 86 (+14) Pamela Feggans (SCO)

Live Scoring from the British Seniors

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING

TROON'S RACHAEL McQUEEN MAKES WINNING DEBUT IN AMERICA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Rachael McQueen, a member of Troon Ladies Golf Club, has made a winning debut on the United States women's college golf circuit.
A freshman student at McLennan Community College, Waco in Texas, Rachael won the Lady Bulldog Fall Classic at Starke Park Golf Club, Segun in Texas with scores of 76 and 74 for a six-over-par total of 150.
Rachael won by a single shot from Charlotte Gibson (UC Santa Cruz) who had rounds of 77 and 74 for 151.
Rachael's splendid debut help McLennan CC win the team title by 15 shots from Mary Hardin-Baylor College in a field of 12 teams.

Equality Act ---- Please Help with some answers

Carol Whyte from Windyhill would like to ask some questions about  the adoption of the Equality Act and the implications for Lady Members. 

1) What category of membership did Ladies fit into prior to the adoption of the Equality Act? ---- Detail playing rights, voting rights and % gents fees.

2) What options were made available to Ladies upon the adoption of the Equality Act? ----  Detail playing rights, voting rights and fee options

3) If one category of membership was offered eg Full Membership.  What impact has this had on the ladies section

Please return details along with club name to c.ewhyte@btinternet.com

Thanks      Carol Whyte

Four Scots Qualify for the Final Round of the British Seniors in Belfast

Former women’s world amateur champion Maria de Orueta from Madrid , making her debut in the championship, leads the Senior Ladies British open amateur championship with one round to go at Belvoir Park Golf Club, Belfast.
The 50-year-old, who was 26 when she won the individual title at the women’s world championship (Espirito Santo Trophy) in Venezuela, has had rounds of 78 and 74 for a 36-hole tally of eight-over-par 152 on a day when the wind dropped, the rain was not so heavy or frequent – yet there was no significant improvement in the general standard of scoring.
The CSS was 75 (par is 72), the same as for the first round although it was "Reduction Only" on Tuesday but not so today.
A total of 41 players qualified for the final round with aggregates of 168 or better.
Leading Scot to qualify for the last round was Mary Smith from Tain.
Unfortunately West Vet Janice Paterson had 3 disaster holes today (12 shots dropped) to ruin her score and  did not qualify for the last round.

QUALIFIERS FOR FINAL ROUND
Par 144 (2x72) Yardage 5635 CSS 75 75.
152 Maria de Orueta (Spa) 78 74
154 Sue Dye ( Delamere Forest ) 77 77.
155 Felicity Christine ( Woking ) 78 77.
156 Vicki Thomas ( Carmarthen ) 79 77, Pat Doran (Donabate) 77 79
157 Sheena McElroy (Grange) 77 80.
158 Rocio Ruiz de Velasco (Spa) 83 75, Ruth Lindley ( Hartlepool ) 81 77, Caroline Marron (Bromborough) 80 78.
160 Helen Jones (Strabane) 83 77, Marleen Nijhof (Net) 83 77, Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest ) 80 80. Rozalyn Adams ( Addington Court Ladies) 80 80..
161 Mary Smith (Tain) 82 79, Christina Birke (Swe) 81 80, Minna Kaarnalahti (Fin) 80 81, Viveca Hoff (Swe) 80 81, Jane Rees (Hendon) 75 86..
162 Catalina Castillejo (Spa) 89 73, Heather Anderson (Blairgowrie) 81 81, Violet McBride ( Belvoir Park ) 80 82.
163 Gertie McMullen (The Island ) 84 79, Ivy Steinberg (Can) 83 80, Catherine Reilly (The Heath) 81 82.
164 Lena Tornros (Swe) 86 78, Jean O’Connor ( Newport ) 85 79.
165 Maureen Richmond (Royal Liverpool) 86 79, Niamh Giblin ( Dun Laoghaire ) 85 80, Diane Williams (Can) 84 81, Bev New (Lansdown) 82 83.
166 Cristina Marsans (Spa) 84 82, Debbie Richards (Burhill) 82 84.
167 Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 90 77, Marion Kaufmann (Ger) 85 82, Jeannie O’Keeffe (Hankley Common) 85 82, Metie Meyer (Den) 85 82, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 84 83, Mimmi Guglielmone (Swi) 83 84, Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 82 85
168 Birgitta Ljung (Swe) 88 80, Ginny Marshall (Can) 84 84.

SCOTS THAT MISSED THE CUT
170 Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 82 88..
171 Anne Ryan (Tain) 85 86.
172 89 83, Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 89 83,
177 Barbara Biggart ( North Berwick ) 87 90.
184 Janice Paterson (Drumpelleir) 91 93.

Brutal Weather at the British Seniors in Belfast

London-based Welsh international Jane Rees is the first-round leader by two shots with a three-over-par 75 at the end of an opening day of high winds and periodic rain for the Senior Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship at the woodland course of Belvoir Park Golf Club in the southern suburbs of Belfast.

Eighty-eight players endured the day’s weather – described as “brutal” at times by some – and there was not a single No Return.
Best Scot at present is Heather Anderson (Blairgowrie) with an 81 followed closely by Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Mary Smith from Tain on 82.
West of Scotland's Janice Paterson went out much later in the day, and she unfortunately hit the more severe weather and had an 91.

BRITISH SENIOR WOMEN’S OPEN
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Belvoir Park Golf Club, Belfast

FIRST ROUND: Par 72. Yardage: 5,635

75 Jane Rees (Hendon).
77 Sue Dye (Delamere Forest), Sheena McElroy (Grange), Pat Doran (Donabate).
78 Maria De Orueta (Spa), Felicity Christine (Woking).
79 Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen).
80 Caroline Marron (Bromborough), Viveca Hoff (Swe), Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court Ladies), Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest), Minna Kaarnalahti (Fin), Violet McBride (Belvoir Park).
81 Christina Birke (Swe), Catherine Reilly (The Heath), Heather Anderson (Blairgowrie).
82 Alison Grant (Ringway), Bev New (Lansdown), Mary Smith (Tain), Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), Debbie Richards (Burhill), Pamela Williamson (Baberton)
83 Mimmi Guglielmone (Swi), Marleen Nijhof (Net), Ivy Steinberg (Can), Rocio Ruiz de Velasco (Spa), Helen Jones (Strabane).
84 Cristina Marsans (Spa), Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell), Ginny Marshall (Can), Diane Williams (Can), Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Gertie McMullen (The Island)..
85 Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire), Terry Sexton (Dun Laoghaire), Anne Gowing (Frilford Heath), Mette Meyer (Den), Jeannie O’Keeffe (Hankley Common). Cathy Armstrong (Ellesborough), Anne Ryan (Tain), Marion Kaufmann (Ger), Allyson Harrison (Can).
Other Scots:
86 Maureen Richmond (Royal Liverpool)
87 Barbara Biggart (North Berwick),
89 Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch)
91 Janice Paterson (Drumpellier),

AYRSHIRE TEAM FOR COUNTY FINALS AND PROGRAMME

The Ayrshire team for this weekend's Scottish women's county golf championship finals at Dumfries and County Golf Club is:

Gillian Arnott (Largs), Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie), Lesley Hendry (Largs Routenburn), Jenny Linklater (Largs), Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies), Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St Nicholas), Audrey Thomson (Loudoun), Debbie Watt (Belleisle Ladies).

Programme:
Friday - Midlothian v Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross v Dumfries-shire.
Saturday - Midlothian v Perth and Kinross, Dumfries-shire v Ayrshire.
Sunday - Midlothian v Dumfries-shire, Perth and Kinross v Ayrshire.

TROON FERRY CANCELLATION KNOCKS OUT SCOTS GOLFERS GOING TO THE BRITISH SENIORS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The cancellation of the Troon to Belfast ferry today because of the abnormal weather conditions cost three Scots - Noreen Fenton (Dunbar), Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) and Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) - their places in the Senior British women's open amateur golf championship which tees off at Belvoir Park Golf Club, Belfast tomorrow
Most of nine other Scots in the international field for the over-50s' tournament over 54 holes were possibly "saved" from a similar fate because they were competing at Greenore GC, Co Louth in the Irish senior women's open stroke-play championship which finished on Friday and drove up to the Belfast venue over the weekend.
Royal Dornoch's Alison Barlett finished joint second in the Irish event, her best ever performance on the international stage, and her confidence will be sky high.
Other Scots in the field are Pamela Williamson (Baberton), Mary Smith (Tain), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Barbara Biggart (North Berwick), Janice Paterson (Drumpellier), Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Anne Ryan (Tain) and Heather Anderson (Blairgowrie).
Cruden Bay's Lynne Terry had to withdraw after a mishap while engaged in that sometimes dangerous past time - gardening! She fell awkardly in her garden and had to have several stitches inserted in a nasty leg wound.
The tournament is run by the Ladies Golf Union whose Head of Golf Operations Susan Simpson said:
"I sympathise with the Scots who have not made it to Belfast but the people I really feel sorry for are the Belvoir Park Golf Club greenstaff.
"They had this woodland course looking immaculate at the weekend. Then the winds arrived and undid all their good work. Trees have been blown over, branches have blown down, and there are leaves all over the place. The greenkeepers have been hard at it all day repairing the damage."

Skelmorlie Ladies' Open Greensomes.

Due to the atrocious weather on Sunday we had to cancel our Open day but have rescheduled it for Sunday, 2nd October. There are still places available and anyone interested should contact
Kath Mackellar by emailing her at kathmackellar@googlemail.com
or Tel. 01475 521090. The cost is £12 per couple

County September Medals are put off due to bad weather

Both Renfrewshire and D&A Counties have called off their September Medal Competitions due to be played at Eastwood and Helensburgh today, 12th September. Both counties hope hope that their competitions can be re-arranged

Senior Ladies British Seniors Amateur Championship

LADIES GOLF UNION NEWS RELEASE
SENIOR LADIES BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Over 54 holes at Belvoir Park GC, Belfast
September 13 to 15, 2011

All six top finishers in last week’s Irish Senior Ladies’ Open Stroke Play Championship at Greenore Golf Club (September 7 to 9) are in the field for this week’s Senior Ladies’ British Open Amateur Chamionship at Belvoir Park Golf Club, Belfast.
Finland ’s Minna Kaarnalahti will be bidding for back-to-back victories on the Emerald Isle.
She won the Irish title at Greenore by one shot from joint runners-up Pauline Walsh (Headfort), Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) and Helen Jones (Strabane).
Winning the British title would go some way towards compensating Helen Jones for losing the Irish championship as a result of a Rules infringement.
Helen Jones was in the field at wild and windy West Kilbride Golf Club, Ayrshire 12 months ago when England’s Bev New, from the Lansdown Golf Club, Somerset, making her debut in the event, having reached her 50th birthday, came through on the final day from joint fifth place overnight with a three-birdie performance and the low round of the tournament, a 73, to win with a three-round total of 19-over-par 235 – one shot ahead of another debutante, Pat Doran (Donabate), with Vicki Thomas, the 2009 champion, third on 238 and Scotland’s Maureen Richmond (Royal Liverpool), the joint second-round leader, fourth on 239.
Bev New, pictured above with a local piper after her West Kilbride victory, turned pro after a stellar amateur career which saw her win the English title and play for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup. She was reinstated as an amateur after continuing her successful golfing career as a professional on the Ladies European Tour.
Running a busy coffee shop in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset , does not leave Bev much time for golf but she has reached the quarter-finals of the English seniors’ close championship this year and also finished third in the English seniors’ stroke-play championship.
A truly international field will be assembling at Belvoir Park with thirteen countries represented.
The Belvoir Park Golf Club course is sited in 136 acres of mature woodland, but only two miles from Belfast ’s City Centre.
Harry S Colt was the course designer in the 1920s and there are those who rate Belvoir Park as one of the best inland courses, not only in Ireland but further afield.
The 54-hole championship tees off on Tuesday and there will be a cut to the leading 40 and ties after Wednesday’s second round for the final 18 holes on Thursday. In the event of a tie for first place after the third round, there will be a sudden-death play-off.

I believe the only Scots that are there are Janice Paterson (Drumpellier), Pam Williamson, Barbara Biggart and Maureen Richmond, Heather Anderson , Lorna Bennett, Kathleen Sutherland and the sisters from Tain Mary Smith and Anne Ryan

Jen Mack (Haggs Castle), Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) and Noreen Fenton have called off -- (Probably the weather conditions today) - Will confirm
Remember last year at West Kilbride in that awful weather ---- CLICK HERE TO REMIND YOURSELF

West of Scotland's Kylie Walker does well in the Prague Masters

France’s Jade Schaeffer earned her second Ladies European Tour title at the inaugural Raiffeisenbank Prague Golf Masters in the Czech Republic.
The 25-year-old from Paris, who last won two years ago in Germany, shot a final round 70 to win by two shots on a hot and sunny afternoon at Albatross Golf Resort.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 - Jade Schaeffer (FRA) 69 64 70
205 - Julie Greciet (FRA) 69 71 65
206 - Linda Wessberg (SWE) 69 69 68
207 - Kym Larratt (ENG) 70 70 67, Kylie Walker (SCO) 69 71 67, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 69 70 68
208 - Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) 70 71 67, Louise Stahle (SWE) 69 70 69
Other Scots:
213 Carly Booth (SCO) 72 72 69,
215 Lynn Kenny (SCO) 72 71 72,
218 Vikki Laing (SCO) 69 72 77

Scotland lose 5-4 to Wales

CREDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY
FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON
AT HILLSIDE GC, LANCS

England are Women's Home International champions for the first time since Dunbar Golf Club was the venue in 2007. And captain Chris Pascall's squad finished the job in style with an 8-1 victory over Ireland on a sunny last day at Hillside Golf Club, Lancashire.
England did not win a match at Whitchurch, Cardiff 12 months ago. This time round England won three out of three, having already beaten both Wales and Scotland by 6-3.
Wales finished runners-up with two wins to their credit by beating Scotland, the defending champions, 5-4. It was the Scots' third defeat of the week. Twelve months ago they won three out of three. This time round they finished last.
Scots skipper Fiona Norris reinstated the Briggs sisters, Megan and Eilidh, to the line-up for the final set of singles after leaving them out of two sessions of play.
They responded with two good wins. Megan beat Lucy Gould 4 and 2 while Eilidh was a 5 and 4 winner over Katherine O'Connor.
Wales' Amy Boulden beat international team-mate Pamela Pretswell by 5 and 4 in the lead-off singles. The Welsh player was two up on the Scot after five holes and increased her lead to three after eight and four with a birdie at the 10th
A half in birdie 3s ended the match at the 14th.
Kelsey MacDonald came back from two down after 12 to salvage a square match with Katie Bradbury. Kelsey birdied the 13th, 15th and 17th in her storming finish.
In a match between two teenagers, Scotland's Alyson McKechin halved with Wales' Chloe Williams who was two holes up after five. McKechin birdied the sixth and seventh to square the match.
Williams had regained a two-hole lead by winning three in a row from the 12th but the Scot won the 15th and 17th to gain half a point/
Welsh champion Becky Harries notched up her sixth win in six appearances by beating Scottish champion Louise Kenney 3 and 1 in the final tie to finish.
Harries was three up after five but Kenney got her back to one by winning the sixth with a birdie and the ninth.
Harries pulled away again by winning the 10th and 11th with a birdie. The 12th was halved in birdies and Kenney won the 13th to be two down with five to play. After three halves in a row from the 14th, Harries clinched a 3 and 1 victory by winning the 17th.

WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS
Hillside GC, Lancashire
Day 3
ENGLAND 8, IRELAND 1
FOURSOMES (2 ½- ½)
Charlotte Ellis and Charlotte Wild halved with Gillian O'Leary and Charlene Reid.
Bronte Law and Georgia Hall bt Lisa Maguire and Paula Grant 2 holes.
Lauren Taylor and Kelly Tidy bt Louise Coffey and Karen Delaney 1 hole.
SINGLES (5 ½- ½)
Taylor bt Coffey 2 and 1.
Tidy bt O'Leary 2 and 1.
Charley Hull halved with Delaney.
Hall bt Reid 3 and 2.
Holly Clyburn bt Grant 2 and 1.
Law bt Maguire 2 holes

WALES 5, SCOTLAND 4
FOURSOMES (2-1)
Amy Boulden and Becky Harries bt Pamela Pretswell and Alyson McKechin 3 and 2.
Chloe Williams and Katie Bradbury bt Jane Turner and Rebecca Wilson 6 and 4.
Katherine O'Connor and Lucy Gould lost to Louise Kenney and Kelsey MacDonald 1 hole.
SINGLES (3-3)
Boulden bt Pretswell 5 and 4.
Katie Bradbury halved with MacDonald
Williams halved with McKechin
Gould lost to Megan Briggs 4 and 2.
O'Connor lost to Eilidh Briggs 5 and 4.
Harries bt Kenney 3 and 1..

HOW THEY FINISHED
England 3 wins, Wales 2 wins, Ireland 1 win, Scotland 0 wins.

Home internationals - LIVE SCORING

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING

Scotland lose to England on the 2nd day of the Home Internationals

From the LGU Website
England favourites for title after beating Scotland, Wales beat Ireland

England go into the final day of the Ladies’ Home Internationals at Hillside Golf Club, Lancashire as the only team with a 100 per cent record and favourites to win the title for the first time since Dunbar in 2007.

Scotland, the defending champions, suffered their second defeat of the week when they lost 6-3 to England who took a grip on the outcome by making a 3-0 clean sweep of the morning foursomes. England had come from behind to beat Wales 6-3 on the first day.

They carried the momentum they built up in winning five of their singles on Wednesday into the match against the Scots.
Kelly Tidy extended the England lead to 4-0 by beating Jane Turner 5 and 3. Tidy never looked back after winning the first three holes.and had four birdies in all in a quality performance by the 2010 British champion.

Pamela Pretswell put Scotland’s first point of the day on the board by beating Charlotte Wild 3 and 1 in the lead-off singles.
Pretswell was three up after six holes and was four up after 11 holes.
Holly Clyburn made it 5-1 for England with a 5 and 3 win over international debutante Rebecca Wilson. Clyburn won five holes in a row from the 12th
Bronte Law chalked up a sixth point for Scotland by beating Kelsey MacDonald 2 and 1. Youngster Law was two up at the turn and four up after 11. Then MacDonald rallied to win the 12th with a birdie 3, and also the 13th, 14th and 15th to be all square with three to play.

Law conjured up a birdie 2 at the 16th to halt the Scot’s charge and go one up again. She also won the 17th for a 2 and 1 victory.
Alyson McKechin scored a second point for Scotland by beating Charlotte Ellis by one hole. The Scots teenager made a great start by winning the first two holes but she was pulled back to square after four and had to fight her way back into a two-hole lead with a birdie 3 at the 14th. Ellis won the 15th to be one down going into the closing holes.

McKechin held on to her narrow lead by halving the last two holes, pitching dead for a 5 at the last after her first chip went over the green.
Scottish champion Louise Kenney, fielded as the tail-gunner by skipper Fiona Norris, won the last tie, beating young Georgia Hall 2 and 1 after going three up through eight holes.

So the Scots regained some pride by sharing the singles 3-3 after their blank sheet in the foursomes
FOURSOMES
Lauren Taylor and Charley Hull won 6&5 Louise Kenney and Kelsey Macdonald
Charlotte Ellis and Charlotte Wild won 3&2 Pamela Pretswell Alyson Mckechin
Georgia Hall and Bronte Law won 6&5 Megan Briggs and Eilidh Briggs
England 3 Scotland 0
SINGLES
Pamela Pretswell beat Charlotte Wild 3&1
Kelly Tidy beat Jane Turner 5&3
Alyson Mckechin beat Charlotte Ellis 1 UP
Bronte Law beat Kelsey Macdonald 2&1
Holly Clyburn beat Rebecca Wilson 4&3
Louise Kenney beat Georgia Hall 2&1
England 3 Scotland 3

Scotland 3 England 6
Wales 6 Ireland 3

West Vets Autumn Meeting at Cardross

Suzanne and Joanna - Click to enlarge

Suzanne's ball gets stuck up a tree at the 6th -
She has to take a penalty
Click to enlarge

Played 8th September 2011, SSS 74 CSS 77

The prizewinners are as follows:-
Silver
Scratch - Suzanne Cadden (78) BIH
1 Joanna Scott (Cathkin Braes) - 78 (6) 72
2 Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) - 78 (5) 73
3 Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) - 85 (6) 79
Bronze
1 E. Jane Thomson (Troon) - 111 (25) 86
2 Agnes Robertson (Erskine) - 118 (29) 89
Super Vet
Anne McKellar (Whitecraigs) 86
May Craddock trophy for best nett - Joanna Scott -72

IRELAND DENT SCOTLAND'S TITLE

SCOTLAND BLOW 2 POINT LEAD IN SINGLES
GOLF COPY AND RESULTS
CREDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON

The Scottish Team - Courtesy of Colin Farquharson
Click to enlarge

IRELAND DENT SCOTLAND'S TITLE AND ENGLAND PEG BACK WALES
Title-holders Scotland's hopes of retaining the Women's Home Internationals title at Hillside Golf Club took a potentially fatal blow on another very windy and latterly very wet day at the Lancashire links.
The Scots led Ireland by 2 points after the morning foursomes but the Irish took the singles by 3 points to finish as 5-4 winners.
Meanwhile, England, trailing 2-1 to Wales after the morning foursomes, won five of the six singles to win the match 6-3.
Scotland play England and Ireland play Wales on Day 2
Scotland looked set for a comfortable start to the defence of the title they won at Whitchurch (Cardiff) 12 months ago when Pamela Pretswell beat Lisa Maguire 5 and 4 to stretch the Scots' lunchtime lead to 3.5 to 0.5.
But it was a false dawn. Scotland did not win another singles tie.
Louise Coffey started the swing Ireland's way when she beat Louise Kenney 4 and 3,
Gillian O'Leary had a very good 3 and 1 win over Kelsey MacDonald and Charlene Reid chalked up a 5 and 4 win over former Scottish champion Megan Briggs.
That left the overall scoreline level at 3.5pt each with two matches to finish.
Ireland's Paula Grant, two down to Monifieth debutante Rebecca Wilson at the turn, fought back to gain a square match by winning the last hole.
And Ireland got the clinching victory point in the last match to finish with Emma O'Driscoll winning the 16th and 17th and halving the last for a come-from-behind one hole victory over Craigielaw's Jane Turner.
England came storming back in the singles against Wales, quickly making up their one-point deficit from the singles, winning five of the six afternoon ties.
A rampant England is bad news for Scotland's second match particularly after the morale blow they must have suffered with their collapse in the singles.
WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS
Hillside Golf Club, Lancashire
DAY 1
SCOTLAND 4, IRELAND 5
Foursomes (2.5-0.5)
Louise Kenney and Kelsey MacDonald beat Louise Coffey and Karen Delaney 4 and 3.
Pamela Pretswell and Alyson McKechin beat Gillian O'Leary and Charlene Reid 2 holes.
Megan Briggs and Eilidh Briggs halved with Lisa Maguire and Paula Grant
Singles (1.5-4.5)
Kenney lost to Coffey 4 and 3.
MacDonald lost to O'Leary 3 and 1.
Pretswell beat Maguire 5 and 4.
Megan Briggs lost to Reid 5 and 4.
Rebecca Wilson halved with Grant.
Turner lost to Emma O'Driscoll 1 hole

ENGLAND 6, WALES 3
Foursomes (1-2)
Georgia Hall and Bronte Law lost to Becky Harries and Amy Boulden 2 and 1.
Kelly Tidy and Holly Clyburn lost to Katie Bradbury and Chloe Williams 5 and 4.
Charlotte Ellis and Charlotte Wild bt Gemma Bradbury and Sam Birks 4 and 2.
Singles (5-1)
Lauren Taylor bt Williams 5 and 3.
Tidy beat Boulden 5 and 4.
Charley Hull bt Katie Bradbury 4 and 2.
Charlotte Ellis bt Gemma Bradbury 4 and 3
Clyburn beat Birks 6 and 5
Wild lost to Harries 5 and 3.

THURSDAY MATCHES
Wales v Ireland
England v Scotland

SLGA Medal Finals at Crieff Golf Club- Stathaven's Marsha Hall is the Runaway Winner

Marsha Hull (Strathaven) scored a runaway win in the Silver Division handicap section of the SLGA Medal Final at Crieff Golf Club on a gloriously sunny Sunday.
Marsha had a net 69 off nine of a handicap and had six shots to spare from Silver runner-up Lorna Fury (Thornton), who had net 75 off three.
Third was Michelle Molloy (Cathkin Braes) with a net 76 off 14.
In the Bronze Section, Leanne Wilson (Kelso Ladies) led the way with a net 77 off 14.
Runner-up was Kirsty Flockhart (Milnathort) with a net 78 off 20.
Third was Joanna Daley (Aberdour) with a net 80 off 25.
Over 400 players started the season-long competition at club/area level and 25 qualifiers contested the Final at Crieff where the par was 74 and the CSS 76

PRIZEWINNERS
Par 74 CSS 76
Silver Division
Marsha Hull (Strathaven) (9) 69
Lorna Fury (Thornton) (3) 75
Michelle Molloy (Cathkin Braes) (14) 76.

Bronze Division
Leanne Wilson (Kelso Ladies) (14) 77
Kirsty Flockhart (Milnathort) (20) 78
Joanna Daley (Aberdour) (25) 80

West Kilbride Greenlees Team Outing - June scores a hat trick at Shiskine

The West Kilbride Greenlees Team who may win Division 2 of the Greenlees Trophy (Waiting for the Largs v Hilton Park Match) had their end of season outing to Shiskine Golf Club on Thursday 1st September. Results (12 holes)
1st June Kerr 27 points
2nd Eileen Atkinson 25 points bih
3rd Janette Mair 25 points best last 3 holes
June Kerr, current Ladies Captain at West Kilbride Golf Club, not only won the competition, she had a hole in 1 at the 10th hole 'Paradise'! --- And to complete the hat trick she was presented with 'The West Kilbride Greenlees Team Player of the Year' award for her achievment of 8 wins out of 8 this season.

By the end of the day June was still in 'Paradise'!

June Kerr and Aileen Donaldson - Click to enlarge

June with 'The West Kilbride Greenlees Player of the Year' Award -- with Aileen Donaldson who sent in the report and photographs 

Kylie Walker does well in Austria

CAROLINE HEDWALL COMES FROM SEVEN BEHIND FOR AUSTRIA WIN
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Leading Scores:
204 - Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 73 67 64
208 - Caroline Afonso (FRA) 67 67 74
209 - Melissa Reid (ENG) 67 71 71 , Linda Wessberg (SWE) 69 69 71 , Giulia Sergas (ITA) 67 69 73 , Kaisa Ruuttila (FIN) 67 66 76
211 - Karen Lunn (AUS) 69 72 70
212 - Stacey Keating (AUS) 75 70 67 , Nikki Garrett (AUS) 72 70 70 , Caroline Masson (GER) 67 75 70, Kylie Walker (SCO) 71 67 74

Read the latest news in Scottish Club Golfer

Latest Issue Online Now  SCOTLAND'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER FOR AMATEUR GOLF The latest edition of Scottish Club Golfer is now available to read for free online. You can read some of the biggest headlines from issue 53 below. Alternatively, go straight to the homepage        Read More Stinky pond solved! One of Scotland's finest links golf courses has successfully managed to put an end to a rather unsavoury smell emanating from a pond on one of its two golf courses. Read More Machrie Hotel is sold It has been a long wait but the deal for one of Scotland's most popular golfing venues has finally gone through - and the move sees one of the country's most experienced golf directors come on board as a result. Read More Pitlochry to invest £200k on upgrade Officials at Pitlochry Golf Course have unveiled a £200,000 'centre of excellence' blueprint that will give the course the finest facilities in Highland Perthshire. Read More Amateur champ Law targets tour After becoming the first multiple winner of the Scottish Amateur Championship since Charlie Green in 1983, David Law has set his sights squarely upon earning a place on the European Tour next year. Read More 'Plush' clubhouse for East Kilbride The members of East Kilbride Golf Club are now enjoying the benefits of a plush, brand-new clubhouse - 18 months after its predecessor was destroyed by fire. Read More Clubs urged to use turbines Struggling golf courses in Ireland who need to find ways to meet their operating costs are being pushed in the direction of wind turbines. Read More Old Course up to £150 Golf fans keen on finally making that lifelong pilgrimage to the world-famous Old Course at St Andrews next year can breath a sigh of relief - because the St Andrews Links Trust has increased the green fee for the world's most famous golf course by just £10. Read More To register for Scottish Club Golfer Online Edition please go to www.scottishclubgolfer.com

D&A Autumn Meeting and Alexander Trophy

Played at Cardross Golf Club on Wednesday 31st August 2011, SSS 74, CSS 75 , 83 played

Scratch : Nichola Ferguson (Clober) 78
1st Silver : WINNER of the Moira Alexander Trophy: Anna Telfer (Milngavie) 80-6-74
2nd Silver : Kay McColl (Hilton Park) 94-19-75 (BIH)
3rd Silver : Lorraine Campbell (Cardross) 81-6-75
1st Bronze : Anne Cumberland (Hilton Park) 100-25-75
2nd Bronze : Barbara Robertson (Cardross) 99-22-77

SLGA looking for a Golf Administrator

The Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association is the governing body for ladies’ and girls’ amateur golf in Scotland. Applications are invited for the following position which will be based in Perth.

GOLF ADMINISTRATOR

(Full time or part time considered)

Applicants must be familiar with the structures of ladies’ golf and have a working knowledge of the CONGU® Unified Handicapping System and The Rules of Golf. They should be self motivated but able to work as part of a team and have strong IT, communication and organisational skills. Fully conversant with Microsoft Office the successful applicant will provide general administrative support to the SLGA’s operations including the updating of the SLGA website. Attention to detail and the ability to work to tight deadlines are imperative.

Salary, in the range of £18,000 – £20,000 FTE, and benefits package will be commensurate with experience.

The Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association is an equal opportunities employer.

Applications accompanied by a curriculum vitae should be emailed to:
secretary@slga.co.uk for the attention of Dr S E Hartley, Chief Operating Officer.
Closing date for applications: Thursday 29 September 2011.

Labels: SLGA

Home International matches head to Hillside Golf Club next week.

FROM THE LGU WEBSITE

Next week’s Ladies’ Home Internationals, hosted by Hillside Golf Club, near Southport, Lancashire, will see defending champions Scotland, under a new captain, bidding to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1990-91.
Not since Scotland were champions four years in a row from 1949 to 1952, have England had such a spell as fruitless as the present one. They last won the title in 2007 at Dunbar.

These are the 94th set of Ladies’ Home Internationals, involving at least England, Scotland and Ireland (Wales’ entry came later) since the tournament was started in 1902 at Deal for the T H Miller Trophy.

It was Scotland’s 9-0 defeat by England in 1902 that led to the founding of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association in 1904.
The all-time scoreboard reads:
England champions 56 times with one shared.
Scotland champions 27 times with one shared.
Ireland champions 6 times.
Wales champions 3 times (all since 1999)

Until World War II, the Ladies’ Home Internationals were played before or immediately after the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship in the summer. In the years since then, the matches have become a late-season focal point and highlight for officials of the four home unions and, of cours, the players. Being capped for one’s country still means a lot.

Fiona Norris is Scotland’s captain with the task of following in the footsteps of Lesley Nicholson, the successful skipper at Whitchurch, Cardiff last year. It was Scotland’s first title win in 19 years.
Fiona, who played for Scotland three times, has previously worked alongside Ada O’Sullivan as manager of Curtis Cup and Vagliano Trophy teams as well as captainning Scotland in the 2008 world amateur championships in Australia.
Fiona is an older sister of Mhairi McKay-Smith, who plays on the LPGA Tour. Fiona and Mhairi played in the same Scotland team in 1993 and 1994. For the first time since then, there will be two sisters in the Scotland line-up at Hillside – Megan and Eilidh Briggs from Kilmacolm.
Eilidh won the Scottish Under-18 girls match-play title this year and also reached the final of the Scottish Ladies’s Amateur Championship.
Eilidh is one of three new HI caps in the Scotland line-up. Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and Rebecca Wilson (Grange) are the others.

England field a young team, which includes three new teenage caps, British champion Lauren Taylor (Woburn), Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) and Bronte Law (Bramhall). Lauren, at 16, was the youngest-ever winner of the Ladies British open amateur championship at Royal Portrush GC, Northern Ireland in June. Georgia, 15, was a semi-finalist in the British girls championship at Gullane in early August. Bronte won the Scottish Under-16 open title in the spring.
Charley Hull (Woburn), No 20 in the World Rankings, made her debut for the full England team 12 months ago at the age of 14 and keeps her place which means there will be four players aged 16 or under in the team captained by Chris Pascall.
Ireland, runners-up to Scotland last year after beating England 8-1 in their opening match, will lack the services of the new Ladies British open amateur stroke-play champion, 16-year-old Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), ranked No 6 in the world, and a former winner of that title, Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down), who turned professional earlier this month.

Leona will be otherwise engaged in a Ladies European Tour event, but twin Lisa, the European women’s individual champion and World Ranked No 33, will be wearing the green.
There are three new caps in the Ireland team for Hillside – Ulster champion Louise Coffey (Malone), Irish girls champion Paula Grant (Lisburn) and Chloe Ryan (Castleroy) who played well in the Girls’ International matches and is having a good season.

Wales’ line-up includes two survivors – GB and I International Amy Boulden (Maesdu) and Lucy Gould (Bargoed) - from the squad that won the Home Internationals’ title two years in a row – at Wrexham in 2008 and Irvine, Scotland in 2009. Junior Vagliano Trophy player Chloe Wiliams (Wrexham) will be making her debut as a full Welsh cap.

The teams are:
ENGLAND
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton), Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak), Charley Hull (Woburn), Bronte Law (Bramhall), Lauren Taylor (Woburn), Kellly Tidy (Royal Birkdale), Charlotte Wild (Mere).
Team captain: Chris Pascall (Hartlepool)

IRELAND
Louise Coffey (Malone), Karen Delaney (Carlow), Paul Grant (Lisburn), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Gillian O’Leary (Cork), Charlene Reid (Rooyal Portrush), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy).
Team captain: Claire Robinson

SCOTLAND
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Kelsey MacDonald (Nainr Dunbar), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Jane Turner (Craigielaw), Rebecca Wilson (Grange).
Team captain: Fiona Norris (Hamilton).

WALES
Samantha Birks (Wolstanton), Amy Boulden (Maesdu), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Katie Bradbury (Cottrell Park), Lucy Gould (Bargoed), Rebecca Harries (Haverfordwest), Katherine O’Connor (Tadmarton Heath), Chloe Williams (Wrexham).
Team captain: Sue Turner

Programme of events:
Three foursomes (8.30 - 9.20) and six singles (13.10 - 15.00) in each match

Wednesday 7 September
Scotland v Ireland
England v Wales

Thursday 8 September
Wales v Ireland
England v Scotland

Friday 9 September
Ireland v England
Scotland v Wales

SGU and SLGA Golf Survey

The SGU and SLGA are inviting golfers to take part in a comprehensive Scottish Golf Player Survey to help them gain an insight into the playing habits of golfers across Scotland, with everyone who completes the questionnaire being entered into a draw to win a TaylorMade golf bag.

Questions include the frequency of your golf, both playing and practising, your thoughts on your club’s facilities and what you’d like to see improved at your golf club.

To find out more and take part in the Survey go to the Scottish Golf Union Website

ALISON NICHOLAS NAMES EUROPE'S SOLHEIM CUP TEAM

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY EUROPEAN TOUR
By Bethan Culter, Media Manager, Ladies European Tour

Alison Nicholas

Captain Alison Nicholas has named her European Team for The Solheim Cup, taking place at Killeen Castle in Ireland from September 23-25. Nicholas handed her wild cards to Spain’s Azahara Muñoz, Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, England’s Karen Stupples and Sandra Gal of Germany.
The four complete the 12-woman team that will attempt to wrest The Cup back from the United States of America three weeks’ from now.
“I am confident in my team and I believe that we will do very well at Killeen Castle,” said Nicholas, who also captained the European side in 2009 at Rich Harvest Farms in America.
“These players represent the best of European women’s golf and we look forward to putting on a magnificent show for the fans.”
Scotland’s Catriona Matthew along with Sweden’s Maria Hjorth, Anna Nordqvist and Sophie Gustafson qualified from the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
England’s Melissa Reid and Laura Davies, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and Christel Boeljon from the Netherlands had already earned their places on the team from the Ladies European Tour’s Solheim Cup points’ list.
Nicholas has two assistant captains in Joanne Morley and Annika Sorenstam, while the United States Team Captain, Rosie Jones, also has two assistant captains. They are Sherri Steinhauer and Juli Inkster, who will be the first playing captain in Solheim Cup history. Jones named her team on August 21.
The United States has won the last three matches and eight of the 11 editions played against Europe since the inaugural event in 1990 with an overall score line of 8-3. However, Europe will be targeting a fourth home victory after their most recent success at Barsebäck Golf and Country Club in Sweden in 2003.
EUROPE TEAM
Melissa Reid (England)
Laura Davies (England)
Suzann Pettersen (Norway)
Christel Boeljon (Netherlands)
Maria Hjorth (Sweden)
Anna Nordqvist (Sweden)
Catriona Matthew (Scotland)
Sophie Gustafson (Sweden)
Azahara Muñoz (Spain)
Caroline Hedwall (Sweden)
Karen Stupples (England)
Sandra Gal (Germany)

CAPTAIN
Alison Nicholas (England)
ASSISTANT CAPTAINS
Joanne Morley (England)
Annika Sorenstam (Sweden)

PROFILES
Melissa Reid, 23, England.
DOB: 19th September 1987
Interests: Playing football & supporting Derby County, and snowboarding
Reid will make her Solheim Cup debut in Ireland, having led the European points’ list. She also represented Europe on the 2005 PING Junior Solheim Cup Team in the USA. She joined the LET in December 2007 and was Rookie of the Year in 2008. She has amassed two career victories at the 2010 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open and the 2011 Deloitte Ladies Open in Holland.
Laura Davies, 47, England.
DOB: 5th October 1963
Interests: Playing football and supporting Liverpool Football Club, fast cars and gardening.
Davies is the only player from either the US or European teams to have played at every Solheim Cup since 1990 and she will be making her 12th Cup appearance. She secured her place on the team automatically after five wins on the Ladies European Tour in 2010, which took her overall victory total to 79. Included in that total are four major championships, with 20 LPGA Tour titles and 45 on the Ladies European Tour.
Suzann Pettersen, 30, Norway.
DOB: 7th April 1981.
Interests: Skiing, keeping fit and music.
World No.2 Suzann will be a dangerous opponent having earned a six stroke victory at Killeen Castle in the Irish Open as recently as early August. She has 13 career victories, including the Safeway Classic presented by Coca-Cola won on the LPGA less than a fortnight ago and the 2007 LPGA Championship, which is a major. Pettersen is making her sixth Solheim Cup appearance having played in every contest from 2002-2009.
Christel Boeljon, 24, Netherlands.
DOB: 30th July 1987.
Interests: Field hockey, tennis, listening to music and reading.
Boeljon will make history as the first European team member from the Netherlands in the 22-year history of The Solheim Cup. She qualified automatically from the LET points’ standings after a consistent two seasons on Tour. In May of 2011, she earned a long overdue maiden victory at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open and she has since posted five additional top ten finishes, including second places in Slovakia and Finland.
Maria Hjorth, 37, Sweden.
DOB: 5th October 1973.
Interests: Reading, listening to music and aerobics.
Hjorth will participate in her fifth Solheim Cup having previously represented Europe in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2009. She qualified from the Rolex World Rankings after two consistent seasons, the highlights of which were victories at the 2010 LPGA Tour Championship and at the 2011 Avnet LPGA Classic in May. Hjorth has four LPGA victories and two on the LET.
Anna Nordqvist, 24, Sweden.
DOB: 10th June 1987.
Interests: Watching and playing all sports.
Nordqvist turned professional in January 2009 and burst onto the scene by becoming a first time winner at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship, presented by Coca-Cola. Later that year she also won the LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex. She will make her second Solheim Cup appearance having been selected as a pick by Captain Alison Nicholas in 2009 as a rookie. Representing Sweden, she won the European Nations Cup in Spain playing alongside Sophie Gustafson in 2010 and the pair successfully defended their title in April. She has posted three top-10 finishes on the LPGA in 2011 with a season-best tie for 5th at the Shoprite LPGA Classic.
Catriona Matthew, 42, Scotland.
DOB: 25th August 1969
Interests: Fitness, tennis, reading.
Matthew earned the first of her seven career victories at the 1996 Australian Ladies Open and the most recent at the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open presented by EventScotland in August, but the highlight of her career was winning her first Major Championship at the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, just 11 weeks after the birth of her second child. She will make her sixth Solheim Cup appearance in Ireland, having made her event debut in 1998. After earning a captain’s pick in 2003, she also qualified in 2005, 2007 and 2009.
Sophie Gustafson, 37, Sweden.
DOB: 27th December 1973
Interests: Motor cycles, music and photography.
Gustafson earned her first of 26 professional titles in 1995 in the Swiss Open, and won her most recent at the 2011 European Nations Cup representing Sweden alongside Anna Nordqvist. The quality and consistency of Gustafson’s play can be demonstrated by her having topped the LET ranking four times in 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2009. Having played in every Solheim Cup since 1998, she will make her eighth appearance on the European team at Killeen Castle, where she won her fourth Irish Open title in 2010.
Azahara Muñoz, 23, Spain.
DOB: 19th November 1987
Interests: Tennis, shopping and spending time with friends.
Muñoz will make her Solheim Cup debut in Ireland having received a wildcard pick from Captain Alison Nicholas. She turned professional in September 2009 and made an immediate impression, winning the Madrid Ladies Masters on her pro debut in October. In 2010, she was named LPGA Rookie of the Year with a season best tie for fourth at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic. In 2011 her best finish was second at the Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle.
Caroline Hedwall, 22, Sweden.
DOB: 13th May 1989.
Interests: football, sports themed films.
Henderson Rookie Hedwall is in her first season on the Ladies European Tour and will also be a rookie on The European Solheim Cup Team having received a wild card pick from Captain Alison Nicholas. Hedwall won the LET’s Final Qualifying School in December and shortly after won the New South Wales Open on the Australian Tour on her professional debut in January. She has since earned two tournament victories on the LET at the Allianz Ladies Slovak Open and at the Finnair Masters.
Karen Stupples, 38, England.
DOB: 24th June 1973
Interests: Cooking, watching movies, football and shopping.
Stupples will make her second appearance on the European team following a Captain’s selection. She made her event debut at Crooked Stick in the USA in 2005. With three career victories – at the 2004 Welch Fry’s Championship and Women’s British Open as well as the 2009 Wales Ladies Championship – she is a proven winner on both Tours. Her best finish this season has been a tie for ninth at the AVNET LPGA Classic.
Sandra Gal, 26, Germany.
DOB: 9th May 1985.
Interests: painting and design, dancing, wakeboarding, playing the violin and modeling.
Gal will make her Solheim Cup debut in Ireland, having earned a selection from Captain Alison Nicholas after a sterling season on the LPGA Tour. Gal joined the Ladies European Tour this year after her maiden victory at the KIA Classic, where she defeated Rolex Rankings No.2 Jiyai Shin with a 72nd hole birdie. She has amassed two further top ten finishes this season on the LPGA Tour.
CAPTAIN
Alison Nicholas, 49, England.
DOB: 6th March 1962.
Interests: Golf days, clinics, coaching, commentary and charity work.
The winner of the U.S. Open in 1997, Nicholas made six straight Solheim Cup appearances as a player and was on the European team when it triumphed in Scotland in 1992 and 2000. She retired from tournament play in 2004, but was involved in the competition as Catrin Nilsmark’s assistant captain in 2003 and in 2005. She made her debut as Captain at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois in 2009 and was re-appointed by the European Solheim Cup Committee.
ASSISTANT CAPTAINS
Joanne Morley, 44, England.
DOB: 30th December 1966.
Interests: Reading, music, sport.
Morley serves as assistant captain to Alison Nicholas for the second consecutive Solheim Cup and was a playing member of the European team in 1996. The two-time Ladies European Tour event winner captured the Ladies’ German Open in 1996 and 2000. She also spent much of her career on the LPGA.
Annika Sorenstam, 40, Sweden.
DOB: 9th October 1970.
Interests: Cooking, fitness and business projects.
Sorenstam was the most dominant player in women’s golf and stepped away from tournament play at the end of the 2008 season to focus on business projects and start a family. Throughout her career, she re-wrote the record books whilst earning 89 wins worldwide including 10 major championships. Sorenstam represented Europe on eight Solheim Cup teams from 1994 to 2007 and still holds a number of all-time records including most matches won (22) and most points earned (24).

Player comments:
Azahara Muñoz, captain’s pick:
“It’s a huge honour. My goal this year, the only thing I was thinking about, was playing The Solheim Cup. I’m so excited and I don’t even have the words to describe how I feel right now. It’s always been a dream.”
Sandra Gal, captain’s pick:
“It’s a huge honour and I’m so, so excited that I got picked. I really can’t wait for Solheim Cup week to start. I think we have a great team and I’m very confident.”
Caroline Hedwall, captain’s pick:
“Of course, it’s an honour and actually a dream. I couldn’t believe when I started this year that I would actually play The Solheim Cup this year. It’s just amazing and I’m very excited about it. I guess playing in front of the European crowd is going to be a lot of fun. I felt like after the Evian I felt I showed Alison and the assistant captains that I could compete against the European players. I think I had a pretty good week at the British, at the Evian and this week, so I felt like I could have a chance but you never know, so it just feels amazing. I remember when I played the PING Junior Solheim Cup in 2007: that was awesome and I think this is going to be even better.”

ELAINE AND JILL WIN SCOTTISH WOMEN'S FOURSOMES

Jill Meldrum and Elaine Allison Winners of the SLGA Foursomes
Courtesy of Claire Hargan (SLGA) - Click to enlarge

Elaine Moffat and Lauren Whyte - Click to enlarge
Photo courtesy of Claire Hargan (SLGA)

Elaine Allison (Stirling) and Dullatur's Jill Meldrum won the SLGA' Scottish women's foursomes tournament at windswept Glenbervie Golf Club yesterday.
They had a gross round of 79 to win by two shots from the St Regulus, St Andrews partnership of former Scottish champion Elaine Moffat and Lauren Whyte who gained the Club Trophy for the leading pair, entered from the same club.

All the prizewinners -- Click to enlarge
Courtesy of Claire Hargan (SLGA)

Two couples had 84s - Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart (Cochrane Castle) and Jocelyn Mackie (Ladybank) and Royal Dornoch's Cara Gruber. Jackson and Stewart won third prize with the better last six holes.
LEADING RETURNS
79 Elaine Allison (Stirling) and Jill Meldrum (Dullatur).
82 Elaine Moffat and Lauren Whyte (St Regulus).
84 Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart (Cochrane Castle) (better last 6 holes), Jocelyn Mackie (Ladybank) and Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch).
Handicap
Linda Lindsay and Mary Nicol (12) 77; Hannah Scott and Alison Scott (Broomieknowe) (14) 79; Elizabeth Goodwin and Catherine Goodwin (Glenbervie) (10 1/2) 79 1/2