Curtis Cup Team is announced - Pamela and Kelsey are selected for the squad.

Pamela Pretwell (Click to enlarge)

PRESS RELEASE: 26th January 2012 @ 12 noon
For immediate publication
The Ladies’ Golf Union International Selection Panel has today named a Great Britain & Ireland preliminary squad of 12 players for the 37th Curtis Cup match against the United States at The Nairn Golf Club, Scotland from June 8 to 10, 2012.
They are:
AMY BOULDEN (Maesdu GC). Age 18.
HOLLY CLYBURN (Woodhall Spa GC). Age 20. CHARLEY HULL (Woburn GC). Age 15.
BRONTE LAW (Bramhall GC). Age 16.
LEONA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell GC). Age 17. LISA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell GC). Age 17. BECKY HARRIES (Haverfordwest GC). Age 23. KELSEY MacDONALD (Nairn Dunbar GC). Age 21. PAMELA PRETSWELL (Bothwell Castle). Age 22. KELLY TIDY (Royal Birkdale GC). Age 19. STEPHANIE MEADOW (Royal Portrush GC). Age 20. LAUREN TAYLOR (Woburn GC). Age 17.
First Reserve
GEORGIA HALL (Remedy Oak GC). Age 15.
The players, watched by team captain Tegwen Matthews and the LGU International Selection Panel, will take part in a three-day team trial over The Nairn Golf Club’s championship links from Friday to Sunday, March 23 to 25.
The names of the players and reserves chosen for the team will be released for publication on Tuesday, March 27.
NOTES ON PLAYERS SELECTED
Amy Boulden, Holly Clyburn, Kelsey MacDonald, Pamela Pretswell and Kelly Tidy were the Great Britain & Ireland team of five, captained by Tegwen Matthews, who beat Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa to win the Astor Trophy (an international team match-play tournament played every four years) at Fairhaven GC, Lancashire in June 2011.
Amy Boulden, Holly Clyburn, Kelsey MacDonald, Pamela Pretswell, Stephanie Meadow, Leona Maguire and Kelly Tidy played for GB&I in the 2010 Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Royal Porthcawl last June.
Holly Clyburn, Leona and Lisa Maguire, Pamela Pretswell played in the 2010 Curtis Cup match at Essex County Club, Massachusetts. Kelsey MacDonald was first reserve, Stephanie Meadow second reserve and Amy Boulden fourth reserve for that match.
Becky Harries is the 2011 Welsh Ladies’ (Close) Amateur Champion, beating Amy Boulden in the final. Becky won all six matches (three foursomes, three singles) for Wales in the 2011 Women’s Home Internationals at Hillside GC, Lancashire last September. Becky finished in a very creditable sixth place in the recent Spanish

Curtis Cup Poster Arrives in Golf Clubs

The countdown has started with a vengeance towards the June 8-10 staging of the 37th Curtis Cup encounter at The Nairn Golf Club, – a biennial, eight-a-side three-day match between the best female amateur golfers in Great Britain & Ireland and their counterparts from the United States. GB & I  last won the trophy at Killarney, Ireland in 1996 but last summer’s Astor Trophy success at Fairhaven GC, Lancashire, where skipper Tegwen Matthews’ team of five beat New Zealand, Canada, Australia and South Africa to win the once-every-four-years tournament, has raised hopes that the tide may turn in this year’s Curtis Cup match at Nairn


To read more go to the LGU Website

FINAL RESULT OF THE JONES DOHERTY MATCH PLAY IN FLORIDA

Go to the Gillian Kirkwood website to read about the final of the Jones Doherty Matchplay in the Orange Blossom Trail CLICK HERE

ELIE SPORTS CLUB'S 60TH OPEN TOURNAMENT for BOYS and GIRLS

VENUE: Elie Links: April 4 to 6, 2012. 

For Boys and Girls under 18 years on January 1, 2012. 
Practice Day: April 3. 
Entrance forms available from:
Ian Muir, 01333 330955 Golf Shop, Golf Lane Elie KY9 1AS
Email: eliesportsclub@btconnect.com 

Or log on to http://www.eliesportsclub.co.uk/ 

Hot food and snacks available all day in the Pavilion entrance £10-­‐£14, according to age 
Entries close 5pm, Friday, March 23

CLARE QUEEN MAKES IT BACK ON TO THE EUROPEAN TOUR

Clare Queen

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Clare Queen gained pass marks at the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School but Carly Booth was beaten in a six-player play-off for the last of 30 places at La Manga Golf Resort, Spain today.
Queen (The Carrick at Loch Lomond),- pictured above, made it in joint 22nd place on five-over-par 366, her form tapering off with a final round of four-over-par 77 over the South Course but she had done enough earlier in the week to earn playing rights for 2012. 
Comrie's Booth, 19, deserved better after starting the day in joint 43rd position and battling her way 14 places up the standings to return a one-under-par 72 for seven-over 368. 
Starting at the 10th, nothing much happened for her except seven pars and bogeys at the long 13th and 14th.
But a first birdie at the short 2nd lit the fuse. She shrugged off a bogey at the fourth and put in a grandstand finish by birdieing three of her last four holes, the long sixth, seventh and ninth to finish joint 29th and get into the play-off. But it was just a bridge too far for the young Curtis Cup player of 2008.

The play-off started at the par-4 seventh where Booth, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, drove into a bunker. She took three shots to reach the putting surface and a bogey 5 eliminated her. But Carly will be entitled to some starts on the 2012 Ladies European Tour. 
Florida-based Yorkshire-born Jodi Ewart, who came through the LPGA Tour School in early December, held on to her overnight lead with a level par 73 and a final total of 11-under-par 350. 
Leading final totals
South Course. Par 361 (3X73, 2X71) Yardage 6,267 
350 Jodi Ewart (England) 70 67 67 73 73. 
352 Anais Maggetti (Denmark) (am) 73 72 69 67 71
357 Carlota Ciganda (Spain) 72 67 76 69 73. 
358 Marjet Van der Graaff (Netherlands) 71 658 72 74 73, Stephanie Kirchmayr (Germany) 70 73 72 69 74. 
Selected scores
363 Sahra Hassan (Wales) 76 71 74 69 73, Charlotte Ellis (England) (am) 73 72 71 72 75 (T9).
365 Sophie Walker (England) 75 70 77 69 74 (T19).
366 Clare Queen (Scotland) 70 70 74 75 77 (T22).

MISSED QUALIFYING 
368 Carly Booth (Scotland) 76 72 74 74 72, Hannah Burke (England) 70 73 79 73 73  (T29) (both beaten in six-player play-off for last two places).
370 Charlie Douglass (England) 72 74 80 70 74 (T38)
371 Eleanor Givens (England) (am) 71 71 79 74 76 (T41)
372 Anna Scott (England) 72 72 78 71 79 (T43)

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

CLICK HERE

EILIDH KNOCKED OUT OF THE JONES DOHERTY CHALLANGE CUP

The second round of the Jones-Doherty Challenge Cup was a bad one for GB and I Curtis Cup team contenders in this week's Orange Blossom Tour compeition at Coral Ridge Country Club, Lauderdale in Florida.
Woodhall Spa's Holly Clyburn, who played in the 2010 match against the Americans, lost at the 20th to Meghan Stasi, twice winner of the US women's mid-amateur title and beaten at the 19th by Kelsey MacDonald in the semi-finals of the 2010 British women's amateur championship at Ganton.
And Kelsey, desperate to make her Curtis Cup debut in her home town of Nairn in the June 8-10 match, lost heavily by 6 and 4 to Annie Dulman, an 18-year-old American whose name means nothing on this side of the Atlantic but who turned in a brilliant display against MacDonald.
Kelsey had a match-play tiger by the tail because her opponent was approximately six under par for the holes played!
In the quarter-finals Stasi will play the defending champion, 15-year-old Charley Hull (Woburn) from Kettering. Hull had a 3 and 2 win over E Gimpel in the second round. Hull, like Kelsey's conqueror, was six under par, this time for 16 holes.
The only other British player in the last eight is European women's universities champion and Stirling student Harriet Beasley (Woburn). She beat Daniela Lendl, one of Ivan Lendl's golfing daughters, by 2 and 1 and now plays American M Lui, surprise conqueror of Scottish girls champion Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm and Stirling Univerity).
Briggs lost by 4 and 3.
In the first flight competition for first-round losers, Jordana Graham (Southerness and Stirling University) beat M West by 2 and 1 to enter the quarter-finals but team-mate Rebecca Wilson (Grange, Monifieth) lost by one hole to J Carmichael.
Another Stirling student, Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride), who did not qualify for the championship match-play flight, is through to the semi-finals of the Second Flight. She had a one-hole win over D Proctor.
Results:
JONES-DOHERTY CHALLENGE CUP
Second round
Players from US unless stated
C Hull (Woburn) bt E Gimpel 3 and 2.
M Stasi bt H Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) at 20th
M Liu bt E Briggs (Stirling Univ and Kilmacolm) 4 and 3.
H Beasley (Stirling Univ and Woburn) bt D Lendl 2 and 1.
K Walsh bt P Nunez 4 and 3.
A Stewart bt L DeAntonio 4 and 3.
A Dulman bt K MacDonald (Stirling Univ and Nairn Dunbar) 6 and 4.
J M Green bt L Kanouse 3 and 2.

FIRST FLIGHT
First round
J Carmichael bt R Wilson (Stirling Univ and Grange, Monifieth) 1 hole.
J Graham (Stirling Univ and Southerness) bt M West 2 and 1.

SECOND FLIGHT
Second round
M McKay (Stirling Univ and West Kilbride) bt D Proctor 1 hole.

CHARLEY HULL BEGINS FLORIDA TITLE DEFENCE WITH 6 and 5 WIN

CHARLEY HULL BEGINS FLORIDA TITLE DEFENCE WITH 6 and 5 WIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Top seed Charley Hull (Woburn), 15, pictured by courtesy of Steve Jackson, began her defence of the Jones-Doherty Challenge Cup with a smooth 6 and 5 win over American Sami Stewart in this week's Orange Blossom Tour event at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Kelsey MacDonald, the No 3 seed from Stirling University and Nairn Dunbar GC, also won with something to spare. She beat the No 30 qualifier, N McNicholas, by 4 and 3.
Scottish girls champion Eilidh Briggs (Stirling University and Kilmacolm) survived the longest tie of the first round. Eilidh, the No 4 seed, beat T Caldabaugh, the No 29 qualifier, at the 21st.
Rebecca Wilson (Stirling University and Grange, Monifieth) gave Curtis Cup player Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), the No 9 seed, a run for her money before the English player won by 2 and 1.
Clyburn now plays American Meghan Stasi, twice a winner of the US women's mid-amateur title, Curtis Cup player at St Andrews in 2008 and beaten semi-finalist in the British women's open amateur championship at Ganton in 2010.

FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Players from US unless stated

Upper Half
Charley Hull (Woburn) bt S Stewart 6 and 5.
E Gimpel bt M Hardy 6 and 5.
M Stasi bt J Carmichael 3 and 2.
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) bt Rebecca Wilson (Grange, Monifieth) 2 and 1.
Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt T Caldabaugh at 21st.
M Liu bt T St Louis 2 holes.
D Lendl bt Jordana Graham (Southerness) 2 and 1.
H Beasley (Woburn)) bt M West 2 and 1.

Lower Half
K Walsh bt L Weichselgartner 1 hole.
P Nunez bt M Leach 4 and 3.
S Stewart bt H Beat 3 and 2.
C DeAntonio bt C R Goldstein at 19th.
K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) bt N McNicholas 4 and 3.
A Dulman bt A Hammer at 19th
J M Green bt S West 5 and 4.
L Kanouse bt C Garrett 3 and 1

CLARE QUEEN AND CARLY BOOTH ARE THE ONLY SCOTS IN THE THE HUNT IN LA MANGA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Only Clare Queen and young Carly Booth of the five Scots in the field beat the fourth-round cut in the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School at La Manga, Spain today. 
Lynn Kenny lost her card and the other Scots failures to get through to the crucial fifth round on Thursday were Glasgow's Gemma Webster and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) who fortunately retained her amateur status and is a near certainty to be named in the GB and I team for the Curtis Cup match at Nairn June 8-10. 
Yorkshire's US-based Jodi Ewart leads the field by four shots with an 11-under-par tally of 277.
The top 30 at the end of 90 holes will gain playing rights on the 2012 LET circuit and Queen looks as if she can start planning her playing schedule now. With the final round to come, The Carrick at Loch Lomond player is lying joint 10th after rounds of 70, 70, 74 and 75 for one-over-par 289 over the North and South courses. 
Comrie's Booth has hung on in there but now needs to find an extra gear for a last-day push to move up from joint 43rd into the top 30. Carly is joint 43rd meantime on 296 after rounds of 76, 72, 74 and 74. 
Kenny, playing out of Archerfield Links, dropped over the limit mark with a final round of 78 for a total of 303 to be placed joint 76th in the four-round totals. It is the first time she has lost her player's card since she gained LET membership some years ago. Her earlier rounds were 77, 72 and 76. 
Webster (78-72-79-73) and Pretswell (767-76-77-73) finished the 72 holes in joint 70th place on 302. 
Another top amateur to miss the cut was Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) with 74-79-75-78 for 306. Like Pretswell, Tidy is almost certain to be named shortly by the LGU selectors in a preliminary Curtis Cup squad. 

FOURTH-ROUND TOTALS
La Manga North and South Courses, Spain 
Leading qualifiers for fifth round
Par 288 (2x71, 2x73) 
277 Jodi Ewart (Eng) 70 67 67 73 281 Anais Maggetti (Den) (am) 73 72 69 67. 284 Stephanie Kirchmayr (Ger) 70 73 72 69, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 72 67 76 69. 
Selected qualifiers 
289 Clare Queen (Sco) 70 70 74 75 (T10). 
296 Carly Booth (Sco) 76 72 74 74 (T43) 
Selected non-qualifiers
302 Gemma Webster (Sco) 78 72 79 73, Pamela Pretswell (Sco) (am) 76 76 77 73 (T70). 
303 Lynn Kenny (Sco) 77 72 76 78 (T76) 
306 Kelly Tidy (Eng) 74 79 75 78 (T88).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES OF THE QUALIFIERS FOR THE FINAL ROUND

CLICK HERE

CLARE QUEEN AND PAMELA PRETSWELL ARE ON THE FINAL Q SCHOOL AT LA MANGA

CLARE QUEEN COPES WITH Q SCHOOL PRESSURE TO LIE JOINT 7th

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com 
Playing in the Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School is rated by many of the competitors the toughest, nerve-jangling test of all of because their livelihood over the next 12 months depends on whether they gain one of the 30 players' card awarded after a 90-hole marathon at La Manga, Spain.
Clare Queen, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, it would seem, is in "the zone" at the moment after two rounds of 70 for four-under-par 140 have her sharing seventh place in the field of 101. US-based former Curtis Cup player Jodi Ewart from Yorkshire is setting the pace on 137 with rounds of 70 and 67.
Queen, attached to The Carrick at Loch Lomond, shot three-under par at the more difficult South Course today, boosting her bag of birdies over the first 36 holes to nine with sub-par figures at the first, 10th, 14th and 16th. Her one bogey, at the 15th, came too late to knock her off course for the day.
The first target for all the players is to survive the cut after four rounds to the leading 50 and ties. Apart from Queen, none of the other four Scots is within that mark going into the third day although Carly Booth (Comrie), Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) and Glasgow's Gemma Webster all raised their game from disappointing first rounds to return 72s.
Booth is sharing 52nd place after a three-birdie, two-bogey one-under par 72 at the South course for 148. 
Dunblane's Kenny is in joint 56th position on 149.
Webster had three birdies and four bogeys over the North Course to be joint 65th on 150.
GB and I amateur international Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) is a certainty for selection for the Curtis Cup match at Nairn should she fail to gain pass marks at the Q School.
That might well be affecting her psychologically because two rounds of 76 for eight-over-par 152 and joint 79th place does not represent her normal form. It's too much of a coincidence that Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale), who is in the same amateur-waiting-to-turn pro position as Pretswell, is also having a dire tournament so far at La Manga. The 2010 British women's open amateur champion is lying 91st equal on 153 after scores of 74 and 79.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
 Par 144 (1x71, 1x73)
137 Jodi Ewart (Eng) 70 67
138 Alexandra Vilatte (Fra) (am) 69 69, Sharmilla Nicollet (India) 68 70, Heather Bowie Young (US) 70 68.
139 Marjet Van der Graaff (Net) 71 68, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 72 67.
140 Clare Queen (Sco) 70 70, Piyaphida Ployumsri (Thai) 70 70

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
148 Carly Booth 76 72 (T52).
149 Lynn Kenny 77 72 (T56).
150 Gemma Webster 78 72 (T65)
152 Pamela Pretswell (am) 76 76 (T79).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE

SLGA Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association will take place on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 11.00 am in the Gannochy Suite, Dewars Centre, Glover Street, Perth. Papers for the meeting were posted to members on 4 January. These include the AGENDA & reports, MINUTES and 2011 ACCOUNTS which may be downloaded by clicking the appropriate link.

EILIDH BRIGGS FINISHES IN 7TH PLACE ON THE SOUTH ATLANTIC WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) has finished in 7th Place in the South Atlantic Women's Amateur Championship at the Oceanside Country Club Ormond Beach, Florida today " The Sally" --- 2 Strokes ahead of Curtis Cup hopeful Holly Clyburn

Considering this is Eilidh's first visit to the Orange Blossom Tour and her first experience of the Oceanside CC course, it was an encouraging performance for the 18-year-old who birdied the second and short fourth on Saturday but dropped shots at the first, short ninth, short 14th and 16th in halves of 36-36.

To check out the scores on the final rounds of the SALLY on the Orange Blossom trail then CLICK HERE

To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

LEADING SCORES:

1 MORIYA JUTANUGARN 75 66 65 70 (276)
2 ARIYA JUTANUGARN 67 71 69 72 (279)
3 CHARLEY HULL 72 68 70 70 (280)
4 ALEX STEWART 74 68 77 71 (290)
5 JAYE MARIE GREEN 82 70 70 (292)
6 HARIN LEE 75 74 72 73 (294)
7 EILDIH BRIGGS 75 75 72 74 (296)
8 EMILY COLLINS 79 72 71 75 (297)
9 HOLLY CLYBURN 75 68 77 78 (298)
T10 MARINA ALEX 79 77 71 75 (302)

Looking for an After Dinner Speaker -- Alan Tait may be your man

To read more go to the Scottish GolfView Website

NEW INDOOR GOLF ACADEMY COMING TO GLASGOW

To help Karyn Burns with what your requirements are PLEASE FILL OUT THE FOLLOWING SURVEY ----- CLICK HERE TO FILL OUR SURVEY
To read more go to  www.indoorgolfacademies.co.uk

Thanks and Kind Regards

Karyn Burns
PGA (AA) Professional
Certified Personal Trainer
Sports Massage Therapist

Email: karynburns@yahoo.com

Mobile: 07720442492

GEMMA WEBSTER JOINS CLARE AND PAMELA AS QUALIFIERS

There will be five Scots in the field for the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School's five-round Final stage, starting at La Manga on Sunday. Lynn Kenny and Carly Booth, exempt from the pre-qualifier which ended today will be joined by Clare Queen (The Carrick at Loch Lomond), GB and I international amateur Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and, thanks to a sparkling sub-par fourth and final round, Glasgow's former US college circuit player, Gemma Webster.
With the field of over 200 split into two groups, Queen finished joint 10th on five-over 293 in Group A while Pretswell came joint 18th on 296 in Group B. Webster surged from joint 44th overnight to joint 28th with a one-under-par 70 at La Manga North for a total of 299, making it through with a shot to spare.
Heather MacRae missed out by a single stroke after she too finished with a good score, a 71 at La Manga North. But for a disastrous opening round of 81, MacRae would have made it with ease.
Same goes for Majorca-based youngster Lauren Mackin. She had three respectable scores but was dragged down by a second-round 84.
Other Scots who failed to gain pass marks were former Scottish women's champion and now St Andrews Links Trust caddie Linzi Morton, Nicola Melville, Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll and Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayrshire.


LEADING PRE-Q COMP FINAL TOTALS

GROUP A Par 288 (2x71, 2x73)
280 Esther Choe (US) 71 76 66 67.
284 Jodi Ewart (Eng) 68 74 70 72.
287 Valentine Derrey (Fra) 67 74 71 75.

Other Group A qualifiers included:
293 Clare Queen (Sco) 74 71 73 75 (T10).
Leading 35 and ties qualfied for Final Stage

DID NOT QUALIFY
302 Lauren Mackin (Sco) 72 84 72 74.
304 Katy McNicoll (Sco) 75 79 74 76.
305 Pamela Feggans (Sco) 75 79 74 77.

GROUP B Par 288 (2x71. 2x73)
277 Hannah Burke (Eng) 74 69 67 67.
283 Karin Sjodin (Swe) 73 71 68 71.
287 Chrisje De Vries (Net) 69 71 75 72.

Other Group B qualifiers included:
296 Pamela Pretswell (Sco) 76 71 75 74 (T18)
299 Gemma Webster (Sco) 79 72 78 70 (T28)
Leading 35 and ties qualified for Final Stage.

DID NOT QUALIFY
301 Heather MacRae (Sco) 81 74 74 71.
312 Linzi Morton (Sco) 73 78 84 77.
325 Nicola Melville (Sco) 85 79 85 76.

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

ALYSON MCKECHIN FINISHES IN WELL IN SPANISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

West of Scotland's Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) finished a creditable joint 15th and 22nd respectively in the inaugural Spanish women's amateur international stroke-play championship over three rounds at Alicante Golf Club today.
Alyson had rounds of 73, 77 and 75 for a total of nine-over-par 225. Jessica scored 73, 77 and 78 for 228.
Winner was South Korean-born, Spanish domiciled Ha Rang Lee with scores of 67, 71 and 74 for four-under-par 212.
Leading British finishers were the Welsh pair Becky Harris (joint sixth on 219) and Amy Boulden (joint 10th on 224.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
212 Ha Rang Lee (Spa) 67 71 74.
214 Andrea Jonama Rovira (Spa) 69 69 71
215 Clara Baena Sanchez (Spa) 74 70 71. S
Selected totals
219 Becky Harries (Wal) 70 74 75 (T6).
224 Amy Boulden (Wal) 76 69 79 (T10).
225 Alyson McKechin (Sco) 73 77 75 (T15).
228 Jessica Meek (Sco) 73 77 78 (T22).
Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

Go-ahead for DMDs in all English women’s competitions

Distance measuring devices (DMDS) are to be allowed in all English national women’s championships and competitions, with immediate effect.

Until now, competitors have been allowed to use DMDs in English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) events at club level. However, they were not permitted in national championships, nor in the regional and national finals of handicap competitions.

Many players found the situation confusing and EWGA received many questions asking why DMDs were not allowed in all its competitions and, specifically, why men could use them when women could not.

After giving full consideration to the matter, the EWGA Operational Board decided that DMDs could be used in all its events. The decision was made at the board’s final meeting before the association merged with the English Golf Union (EGU) to form England Golf. The EGU already allows the use of DMDs in all its events.

Individual county women’s associations will continue to make their own decision about whether or not to allow the use of DMDs in their events.

WEST OF SCOTLAND'S CLARE QUEEN AND PAMELA PRETSWELL STILL DOING WELL AFTER 3 ROUNDS AT LA MANGA

Seven Scots look doomed to be eliminated after Wednesday's fourth round, leaving only Clare Queen and Pamela Pretswell from north of the Border to advance to join compatriots Lynn Kenny and Carly Booth in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage at La Manga, beginning on Sunday.

Only Clare Queen and Pamela Pretswell, of the nine Scots are in the qualifying zone with one round to play.
The field of 204 players is split into two groups from which the top 35 and ties in each will advance to the 90-hole Final Stage which starts at the same venue on Sunday. Clare Queen (The Carrick at Loch Lomond) is lying joint 10th in Group A after a two-over-par 71 in the third round at La Manga North. She is on three-over-par 218 - five shots off the pace.
Bothwell Castle GC member Pamela Pretswell, still an amateur, is joint 17th in Group B after a two-over-par 75 at the more difficult La Manga South course.
The situation is not so rosy for the other Scots in Group B. Glasgow's Gemma Webster (78 for 229) is currently joint 44th; Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) (75 for 230) is joint 51st, Linzi Morton (84 for 235) from Tulliallan is joint 81st and Nicola Melville (unatt) (85 for 249) is 99th.
MacRae had an 8 at the long fourth, an eagle at the 18th and five birdies.
Morton had a triple bogey, a double bogey and no birdies in halves of 44-40.
Similarly, in Group A, Pamela Feggans (74) from Patna, Ayrshire, Katy McNicoll (74) from Carnoustie and Majorca-based Lauren Mackin (72) after all on the 228 mark and sharing 54th place.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pre-qualifying competition over four rounds
LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Group A (Par 215: 2x71, 1x73)
212 Jodi Ewart (Eng) 68 74 70, Amelia Lewis (US) 70 70 72, Valentine Derrey (Fra) 67 74 71.
213 Esther Choe (US) 71 76 66.
214 Jennie Lee (U) 71 72 71.
Scottish scores:
218 Clare Queen 74 71 73 (T10)
227 Pamela Feggans 75 79 74, Katy McNicoll 75 79 74, Lauren Mackin 72 84 72 (T54).

Group A (Par 217: 1x71, 2x73)
210 Hannah Burke (Eng) 74 69 67.
212 Karin Sjodin (Swe) 73 71 68.
213 Chrisje De Vries (Net) 69 71 75, Anna Scott (Eng) 69 72 74.
216 Tinna Johannsdottir (Ice) 74 71 71.
Scottish scores:
222 Pamela Pretswell 76 71 75 (T17)
229 Gemma Webster 79 72 78 (T44).
230 Heather MacRae 81 74 75 (T51).
235 Linzi Morton 73 78 84 (T81).
249 Nicola Melville 85 79 85 (99th).
Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

ALYSON MCKECHIN MAKES THE CUT IN SPAIN

Carnoustie's Jessica Meek and West of Scotland's  Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), have made it through to Wednesday's final 36 holes in the Spanish women's amateur international stroke-play championship over four rounds at Alicante Golf Club.

Both Scots had matching opening rounds of 73 and 77 for 150 to be sharing 20th place, 12 shots behind the leader, Ha Rang Lee, the South Korean-born Spaniard who has shot 67 and 71 for six-under 138 anda three-shot lead. 

To qualify for Wednesday's final 36 holes, a player to had to have an aggregate of 157 or better for the first two rounds. 
Lauren Whyte (St Regulus (84-77) and Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie) (84-77) both failed by four on 161. 
Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) (87-79) and Connie Jaffrey (Troon Portland) (81-85) both missed out on 166. 
East Lothian women's champion Clara Young (North Berwick) had disappointing rounds of 97 and 90 for 187. 

SPANISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP 
Alicante Golf Club 
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
138 Ha Rang Lee (Spa) 67 71.
141 Andrea Jonama Rovira (Spa) 69 72. 
144 Becky Harries (Wal) 70 74, Clara Baena Sanchez (Spa) 74 70. 
Selected scores:
145 Amy Boulden (Wal) 76 69 (T5). 
150 Jessica Meek (Sco) 73 77, Alyson McKechin (Sco) 73 77 (T20). 
155 Chloe Williams (Wal) 79 76 (T42). 

MISSED THE CUT (157 or better qualified) 
158 Katherine O'Connor (Wal) 79 79. 
161 Lauren Whyte (Sco) 84 77, Ailsa Summers (Sco) 84 77. 
166 Rachel Walker (Sco) 87 79, Connie Jaffrey (Sco) 81 85. 
187 Clara Young (Sco) 97 90.

CLARE QUEEN AND PAMELA PRETSWELL DO WELL ON DAY 2 OF THE EUROPEAN TOUR SCHOOL

The 200 competitors have been split into two groups of 100. The top 35 and ties in each group at the end of 72 holes will go forward to the Final Q School over five rounds, beginning on Sunday.

Queen shot a two-under-par 71 over the more difficult La Manga South course to be lying joint seventh in Group A on 145 at the halfway point of the pre-qualifier. She had four birdies between the sixth and 13th holes.
Pretswell, still an amateur with selection for the Curtis Cup match in June a possible nice "consolation" if she delays turning pro, surged up from 30th to joint 17th in Group B on 147 after a par-matching 71 at La Manga North.
It was the proverbial game of two halves for Pamela - four birdies in reaching the turn in 31 but no birdies in an inward half of 40- which included a double bogey 6 at the 11th.
Former Scottish amateur champion Linzi Morton from Tulliallan - a professional caddie on the St Andrews Links Trust's "books," slumped in Group B to a share of 35th place with a 78. She struggled with 43 blows over the inward half.

Glasgow's Gemma Webster is alongside Morton on 151 with a 72 which was a mixture of six birdies and seven bogeys.

Former British women's amateur stroke-play champion Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) is well out of it - at the moment - in joint 64th place on 155 although she did improve to a 74 while Nicola Melville had a 79, also over La Manga North to be joint 96th on 164.

Back in Group A, Katy McNicoll from Carnoustie and Majorca-based Lauren Mackin have it all to do to reach the top 35 qualifiers over the next 36 holes. Katy is joint 56th on 154 after a second-round 79 while Mackin nosedived from a 72 to an 85 and a share of 69th place on 156.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL

Pre-qualifying competition over 72 holes

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Group A - La Manga South (par 73)

Par 144 (71-73)

140 Amelia Lewis (US) 70 70.

141 Valentine Derrey (France) 67 74.

142 Jodi Ewart (England) 68 74.

143 Charlie Douglass (England) 69 74, Jennie Lee (US) 71 72.

Scottish scores:

145 Clare Queen 74 71 (T7).

154 Katy McNicoll 75 79 (T56).

156 Lauren Mackin 72 84 (T69).

Group B - La Manga North (Par 71)

Par 144 (73-71)

140 Martina Gillen (Ireland) 73 67, Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands) 69 71.

141 Anne Scott (England) 69 72.

143 Hannah Burke (England) 74 69, Sara Wikstrom (Sweden) 73 70.

Scottish scores:

147 Pamela Pretswell (am) 76 71 (T17).

151 Linzi Morton 73 78, Gemma Webster 79 72 (jt 35th).

155 Heather MacRae 81 74 (T64).

164 Nicola Melville 85 79 (T96).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

Elderslie's Alyson McKechin starts well in Spain

West of Scotland's Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) ended the opening day of the Spanish women's amateur international stroke-play championship in a creditable joint ninth position at Alicante Golf Club. 

She shot a one-over-par 73 to be six shots behind leader Ha Rang Lee, of South Korean extraction but now a domaciled Spaniard.

Alyson birdied the first, sixth, ninth, 11th and 14th but marred her card with double bogeys at the second and 12th. Jessica Meek (Carnoustie) also shot a 73.

Connie Jaffrey (Troon Porland) is tied for 60th place with an 81. Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie) had a disappointing 84 to be sharing 73rd place with Lauren Whyte (St Regulus).

Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) had an 87 to be in joint 80th place. Junior Vagliano Trophy player and East Lothian's youngest ever women's champion, Clara Young (North Berwick) had an off day and returned a 97. She is in 88th place in the field of 90.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72 

67 Ha Rang Lee (Spa) 

69 Andrea Jonama Rovira (Spa). 

70 Becky Harries (Wal) 

Selected scores: 

73 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (jt 9th). 

76 Amy Boulden (Wales) (T32). 

79 Chloe Williams (Wales), Katherine O'Connor (Wal) (jt 66th). 

81 Connie Jaffrey (Troon Portland) (T60). 

84 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) (T73). 

87 Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) (T80). 

97 Clara Young (North Berwick) (88th).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

SIX SCOTS IN FIELD FOR SPANISH INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

British entries in a field of 90 for the Spanish international women's amateur stroke-play championship, starting at Alicante Golf Club, on Monday and ending after 72 holes on Wednesday are:

SCOTLAND
Ailsa Summers
Alyson McKechin
Connie Jaffrey
Jessica Meek
Lauren Whyte
Rachel Walker

LINZI AND LAUREN LEADING SCOTS AT LA MANGA Q SCHOOL OPENER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Pamela Pretswell

Top Scots at the end of the first day of the Ladies European Tour School pre-qualifying competition at La Manga, Spain today (Sunday) were Linzi Morton, the 2001 Scottish women's amateur champion from Tulliallan, and Majorca-based youngster Lauren Mackin.
Morton's pro career has never got off the ground over the past decade due to a wrist injury in the first instance. But she has earned enough money as a professional caddie at the Old Course and other St Andrews Links Trust courses to have another go at making it through to the Ladies European Tour.
There are just over 200 competitors in the first pre-qualifier, being contested by two groups from which the leading 35 and ties in both at the end of 72 holes will go on to next week's four-round Final Stage, also at La Manga.
Morton is lying ninth in Group B after a par-matching 73 at the tougher La Manga South Course.
She had a roller-coaster round with five birdies, one double bogey and three bogeys.
Mackin is joint 14th in Group A after a one-over-par 72 at the "easier" La Manga North Course. Originally from Renfrewshire, Lauren had three birdies and four bogeys, a dropped shot at her last hole, the ninth, costing her the satisfaction of a par round.
At this venue, Clare Queen had a 74 which put her in joint 29th position but Pamela Feggans is well outside the qualifying zone already with a 75 for a share of 43rd place.
At La Manga South, Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), retaining her amateur status until she sees how she fares at Q School, had a 76 to be joint 30th.
Gemma Webster from Glasgow is joint 60th after a 79 which included two double bogeys.
Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) looked only a shadow of the player who won the British women's amateur stroke play title at Nairn in 2005 as she returned an eight-over 81 which also included two double bogeys.
Nicola Melville required 46 blows for the inward half in compiling an 85 which leaves her an uphill struggle from joint 96th position.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES

LA MANGA NORTH
Par 71
68 Lucy Williams (Eng), Jodi Ewart (Eng).
69 Charlie Douglass (Eng)
70 Ashley Knoll (US), Amelia Lewis (US).
71 Alessandra Averna (Ita) (am), Maria Verchenova (Rus), Celtine Palomar (Fra), Esther Choe (US), Jennie Lee (US), Kim Ulander (Swe).
Scottish scores
72 Lauren Mackin.
74 Clare Queen.
75 Pamela Feggans

+Top 35 and ties after four rounds to qualify for Final Stage.

LA MANGA SOUTH
Par 73
69 Chrisje de Vries (Net), Anne Scott (Eng).
72 Elin Emanuelsson (Swe), Antonella Vitan (Swe), Sarah Jones (Wal), Mirfeia Prat (Spa) (am), Caroline Bon (NZ), Mary Mattson (US).
Scottish scores
73 Linzi Morton (T9).
76 Pamela Pretswell (T30).
79 Gemma Webster (T60).
81 Heather MacRae (TT74)

85 Nicola Melville (T96).

West of Scotland's Eilidh Briggs playing in the Orange Blossom Trail

West of Scoltland's Eilidh Briggs is representing Stirling University on the Orange Blossom Trail in Florida this month.
She has completed the first competition at the Harder Hall Invitational.
Kettering-based Charley Hull, No 10 in the Women's World Amateur Rankings, is off and running for what promises to be another wonderful season for the 15-year-old Woburn GC member.
Starting the final round of the Harder Hall Women's Invitational two shots behind 16-year-old, World No 8 Ariya Jutanugarn from Bangkok), Charley, as we have come to expect, rose to the occasion with a closing round of three-under-par 69 which took her past Ariya down the home straight and on to a two-shot victory with a six-under-par total of 282 - and that over a Sebring, Florida course which had been toughened up since last year with the addition of quite a few bunkers.
The "Harder Hall" was started in 1956 and the winners' roll is studded with names of girls who have gone on to win fame and fortune - but it is believed that Charley Hull is the youngest ever winner. She will have her 16th birthday on March 20. She is certainly the first winner to hail from Europe.

Hull, winner of the last match-play event on the 2011 Orange Blossom Tour before she went on to win the Welsh and English women's amateur stroke-play titles and be beaten in the English women's match-play final, can be considered a certainty to be chosen for the GB and I team of eight for the Curtis Cup match against the Americans at Nairn GC from June 8-10.
She played for GB and I in the Junior Vagliano Trophy match at Royal Porthcawl last June but this will be her first full GB and I cap.

Scotland's Kelsey MacDonald fared worst of the three GB and I Curtis Cup team contenders in the Harder Hall Invitational.
The 21-year-old Stirling student and Nairn Dunbar GC member finished a disappointing 31st on 23-over-par 311 - 29 shots behind Charley Hull and 16 behind Holly Clyburn.
Kelsey had started brightly enough to be in joint seventh place with a first-round 75 but she gradually slipped down the field with subsequent rounds of 81, 75 and 80.
The tournament probably came just a bit early for MacDonald. Hull had been warming up in Majorca while Clyburn finished fourth in last week's Dixie Women's Amateur elsewhere in Florida.
Kelsey usually steps up the pace in the second event of the Florida circuit, the South Atlantic Ladies championship (known as the "Sally") over four rounds, starting at Oceanside Country Club on Tuesday (January 10).
MacDonald still outshone the rest of her Stirling team-mates at Harder Hall.
Rebecca Wilson (Grange, Monfieith) finished on 327 (84-81-79-83), Scottish girls' match-play champion Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 328 (82-82-83-81), Harriet Beasley (Woburn) 335 (81-86-83-85), Jordana Graham (Southerness) 335 (89-80-83-83) and Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 371 (97-89-92-83).


HARDER HALL COUNTRY CLUB, SEBRING, FLORIDA
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72). Yardage 6151

1 Hull, Charley ENGLAND 70 74 69 69 282
2 Jutanugarn, Ariya THAILAND 72 72 67 73 284
3 Jutanugarn, Moriya THAILAND 75 71 68 71 285
4 Delacour, Perrine FRANCE 76 74 70 69 289
T5 Clyburn, Holly ENGLAND 73 76 74 72 295
T5 Roig, Kyle PEMBROKE PINES, FL 72 72 75 76 295

SELECTED TOTALS
31 Macdonald, Kelsey SCOTLAND 75 81 75 80 311
Hally Leadbetter ENGLAND 76 86 74 85 321
India Clyburn ENGLAND 78 82 81 81 322
Rebecca Wilson SCOTLAND 84 81 79 83 327
Eilidh Briggs SCOTLAND 82 82 83 81 328
Jordana Graham SCOTLAND 89 80 83 83 335
Harriet Beasley ENGLAND 81 86 83 85 335
Carol Semple Thompson US 83 84 88 83 338
Mhairi McKay SCOTLAND 97 89 92 93 371

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

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Douglas Park Ladies Wish Everyone a Merry Christmas

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