MAIL ON SUNDAY 2012 HAS STARTED

Douglas Park beat Cowglen to-day at Douglas Park. The match was tied two and a half each and was decided by the final game going to extra holes.  The result is as follows:-
Douglas Park players named first:
Carol Fell  (10)  halved with Jane Gravil  (9)
Joan Gemmell   (7)  lost to Irene Hay  (14)  2/1
Hilary MacNaughton  (15)  lost to  Pam Mather   (15) 3/2
Gill Hendry  (13)  beat  Denise Parr  (18) 4/3
Helen Faulds  (5)  beat  Fiona Cameron  (11)  1 up and then won the tie break at the 2nd extra hole

The other match played today was between Kilmarnock Barassie and Loudoun Gowf at Kilmarnock Barassie. The AWAY team from Loudoun Gowf won 3.5 - 1.5.

On Thursday 16th February  Ranfurly Castle beat Old Ranfurly 3 - 2 in the match played over the Old Course Ranfurly

Other Results known:

Kilmacolm Golf Club beat Greenock Golf Club 4.5-0.5

2012 OPEN DAY VENUES

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME LADIES OPEN DAYS --- Plus click on the mixed tab to get some Mixed Open Competitions

KYLIE AND CLARE PLAYING IN THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN BUT MISS THE CUT

ISPS Handa NZ Women’s Open Christchurch
17 - 19 February 2012
Scottish Scores
Vikki Laing 70, 75 - 145
Julie Walker 75, 74 - 149
Clare Queen 80, 71 - 151
Heather Maccrae 80,81 - 161

All the results are available by clicking on the following link
LIVE SCORING AND RESULTS

The two-round cut for the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open hosted by Christchurch of the top 50 and ties fell at three over par 147. Vikki Laing (75-145) was the only Scot to beat the cut.
Kylie Walker (74-149) and Clare Queen (71-151) missed out.

Final Round -=- Vikki Laing the sole Scottish qualifier for the final round finished in 45th place

New date for SLGA Inter Division Girls Competition

Ballumbie Castle inter-division girls competition now June 23-24
The SLGA's inter-division girls team match-play competition at Ballumbie Castle GC has been rearranged for Saturday-Sunday June 23-24.
The original dates were June 2 and 3.

SGU Club e-bulletin

Read the Latest Committee Update The February issue of Committee Update is now available to download and circulate to your committee members. The latest copy features advice on Membership Marketing, details of the SGU’s new ground-breaking new Employment Law and Health & Safety partnership with Xact and information on new Child Protection legislation.  >>Find out more

Important Update on Equality Act - Please Read The SGU and SLGA are encouraging clubs to read the following important update on age provisions within the Equality Act 2010.  The Equality and Human Rights Commission has confirmed that this will now NOT be coming into force in April 2012.  Full details of this update can be found in the Advice Note (6th Edition) linked below.   >>Find out more

SGUpdate – The Magazine for your Members A digital copy of SGUpdate – our A5 mini magazine designed for members of affiliated golf clubs – has now been published on the SGU website and available for you to distribute within your next members e-mailing, with sample text included. Printed copies will also be sent out shortly in quantities based on your club’s requirements.  >>Find out more

Take Part in our Bulk Purchasing for Clubs Survey We have commissioned consultancy firm Grant Thornton to conduct a feasibility study to analyse how the collective power bulk buying power of Scotland’s golf clubs may be able to save clubs money in key purchasing areas, including utilities and other commonly used services. Please take 10 minutes to complete the survey using the link below - the closing date is Friday 24 February and all information provided will be treated anonymously.  >>Find out more

Entries now open for the Belhaven Best Captains & Secretaries Championship Book your club’s place in this hugely popular event now! There are five Regional Finals to choose from, the first of which takes place at Crail GS on Tuesday 3 April. Entries are being accepted on a first come first served basis, with the leading eight Captains and Secretaries pairings in each region winning a place in September’s Final. >>Find out more

First 100 Clubs Uploaded to Live CDH The first 100 clubs in Scotland have been uploaded to the live Centralised Database of Handicaps (CDH) system. Providing major improvements for clubs in the administration of handicaps, we are working to register as many clubs on the CDH for the beginning of the new season. All clubs are reminded to upload handicap data once you receive the 2012 software. >>Click here to logon to CDH

Sign Up for our Management Training Course The SGU and SLGA are staging the second Scottish Golf Club Management Training course (Level One) from 12 to 16 March at the Stirling Management Centre with a limited number of places still available. This popular comprehensive course provides managers with the most up-to-date education in the industry with excellent feedback from those who attended last year.  >>Find out more

Enjoy a Night to Remember at the Scottish Golf Awards One of Scotland’s most celebrated golfers Sam Torrance will be the special guest at this year’s Annodata Scottish Golf Awards, taking place on Friday 23 March at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow. Join host Andrew Cotter for a fantastic evening of entertainment with tables of 10 available for £700 or individual tickets at £75 per person.  >>Find out more

SGU & SLGA National Championship Entry Forms Now Available Entries for Scotland’s male and female national amateur championships in 2012 are now open with entry forms available to download on the SGU and SLGA websites. >>Click here to download SGU entry forms >>Click here to download SLGA entry forms

Encourage your Club’s Talented Youngsters to play the Scottish Hydro Junior Tour A new open entry system is now in place for the Scottish Hydro Junior Tour, with three fantastic events taking place at Gullane, The Roxburghe and Rowallan Castle, changing from the previous invite basis. Encourage your club’s best youngsters to take part with entry forms now available from the SGU website. >>Find out more >>Click here to download Junior Tour entry forms

Keep visiting scottishgolf.org for all the latest news, results, offers and information from the Scottish Golf Union.  THE SGU TEAM

Curtis Cup Team Manager Sue Turner has died.

It is with great sadness to announce the death yesterday of Sue Turner. She was the team manager to International Team Captain Tegwen Matthews for the 37th Curtis Cup Match against the USA which will be held at The Nairn Golf Club, Scotland from June 8 to 10, 2012.
To read more go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

SPANISH SENIORS IN LA MANGA

West of Scotland Seniors Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), and Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) are currently in La Manga Spain playing in the Spanish Seniors.
To read what is going on go to the West Vets Website

GREENOCK GOLF CLUB LADIES OPEN GREENSOMES

GREENOCK GOLF CLUB Ladies’ Open Greensome Sunday 10th June, 2012

Prizes - 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Place, Special Prizes

Handicap Calculated as .4 of highest & .6 of lowest. Certificates must be produced
Please state club, handicaps and preferred starting time

Entry fee £14 and SAE (by 13th May, 2012 - no refund if cancelled after this date)
(Cheques made payable to Greenock Golf Club Ladies’ Section)
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR ENTRY FORM

Send to:

Miss Sandra Macdougall
41 Octavia Terrace
Greenock
PA16 7SR          
Tel. 01475 724118
 

Scottish Ladies Matchplay Foursomes

Please note that entry forms for the Scottish Ladies' Match Play Foursomes were sent out to the clubs on Friday 3 February.

Each SLGA affiliated club or section may enter one team of two or three players to play in this knock out Match Play Foursomes competition. The early rounds will be drawn on a regional basis where possible, with the first named team having home advantage. The semi-finals and finals will then be played at Muckhart Golf Club on 2 September.

Lanarkshire's May Hughes is selected for the Mary McKenna Trophy in Ireland

The Irish Select Team at Hilton Templepatrick GC Belfast, on Sunday 14th and Monday 15th April 2012.

Elaine Allison (Midland)
Heather Anderson (Midland)
Karen Ballantyne (East)
Alison Bartlett (Highland)
Lorna Bennett (East)
May Hughes (West)
Mary Smith (Highland)
Linda Urquhart (Northern)

Reserves
Anne Ryan (Highland)
Jill Harrison (Northern)
Alex Glennie (West)

Captain Helen Faulds
Vice captain Noreen Fenton

Kylie shoots a 69 in Australian Masters Final Round

Kylie Walker finished in 15th place in the Australian Ladies Masters with her second successive sub-70 score and her fourth score in a row under par - a 69 for 11-under-par 277. Clare Queen signed off with a 73 for two-over-par 290.
Check out all the final scores by clicking here
To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Kirkwood Golf Website Problem

Apologies to all those trying to read kirkwoodgolf.co.uk this weekend.  You can get to it via ercn86.gilliankirkwood.co.uk 

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

SLGA Club Mailing

A mailing has been sent out to clubs yesterday (3 February). It includes 2 copies of the 2012-2015 CONGU(R) Manual, the entry form for the Match Play Foursomes (closing date 5 March) and the entry form for the Regional Medal Finals (closing date 30 April).

Kylie shoots a 66 in Australian Masters

Kylie Walker had a terrific 3rd Round in the Australian Ladies Masters. Her 66 (6 under par) has moved her up into 16th place. Clare Queen had a 74 (2 over).
Check out all the scores by clicking here

Kylie and Clare Make the Cut in Australian Ladies Masters

South Korean So Yeon Ryu soared to the top of the leaderboard after firing an incredible 11-under par 61, which included 12 birdies and one lone bogey at the Gold Coast RACV Australian Ladies Masters in the second round today.
West of Scotland's Kylie Walker and Clare Queen both made the cut while the other Scot Vikki Laing just missed out by one shot
To read the Full Report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Pawl Lawrie on Sky Sports

Kylie Walker is the leading Scot after Round 1 in the Australian Masters

South Korea’s Bo-Mee Lee shot a flawless seven-under-par 65 to grab the first-round lead at the Gold Coast RACV Australian Ladies Masters at RACV Royal Pines Resort in Queensland today.

Leading Scores
Par 72
65: Bo-Mee Lee (SKOR).
66: So Yeon Ryu (SKOR), Hee Kyung Seo (SKOR), Christel Boeljon (NED).
67: Nikki Campbell (AUS), Felicity Johnson (ENG), Lexi Thompson (USA), Stephanie Na (AUS). 68: Frances Bondad (AUS), Courtney Massey (AUS), Sarah Kemp (AUS).

Scots:
71:  Kylie Walker (SCO),
72:  Vikki Laing (SCO), Clare Queen (SCO).

THE 2012 ENTRY FORMS FOR SLGA EVENTS

2012 Entry Forms for Championships, other SLGA events and Order of Merit competitions are now available to download from here by clicking on this link -- SLGA Entry Forms menu option on the left hand side of the SLGA WEBSITE.

Tain, Kemnay and Crail's Craighead Links are set to add to their reputations when they stage Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association Championships this season.

Tain will host the Scottish Ladies' Amateur Championship in May, Craighead is the venue for the Scottish Girls' Championship in July and Kemnay will stage its first SLGA tournament with the Senior Ladies' Championship, also in July.

In addition, Strathmore, a very pro-active girls' club, stages the Under-16 Championship for a third year in a row in April, Troon will again welcome a world-class field to the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship in April and Blairgowrie's Lansdowne course, a regular venue for national events, will provide a great test for the Scottish Junior Open Strokeplay Championship in July.

Tain, one of Scotland's oldest courses, has held a Scottish Girls' Championship, but this is the first time that it has been honored with the Scottish Ladies' Championship.

SLGA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

West Division Counties  L to R-- Maureen Woodhead (Captain RLCGA), Sandi Street (ALCGA Captain)
Fiona Scott (Captain LLCGA), Alisoun Fairbairn (D&A Captain), Gillian McGinlay (Vice Captain RLCGA),
Lesley Lloyd (Past Captain LLCGA)

The SLGA AGM took place yesterday Saturday 28th 2012, at the Dewars Centre in Perth.

The meeting started on a sombre note as out-going President, Emma Wilson, asked for a moment's silence to remember three stalwarts of the Scottish women's game who died within the last year. They were past British Champion and Curtis Cup player Moira Milton, past Vet's Captain and President Liz Miskimmin and Scottish Senior Internationalist Moira Thomson.

SLGA's Chairman Shona Malcolm then gave an informative annual report which was followed by the Finance Director Lynne Terry's detailed accounts annual review. The annual report of the Scottish representatives on the Executive Council of the LGU was then given by Lorna Bennett.

Margaret MacNaughton was elected as the new President and Renfrewshire's Wendy Cameron and Rosemary Dykes, Lanarkshire's Jean Cameron, D&A's Belle Robertson  and Ayrshire's Nancy Chisholm were all re elected as one of the 12 Vice Presidents.

Fiona Cowan and Beth Paterson

RLCGA's Past Captain Beth Paterson retired after serving 4 years on the board as Performance Director and is replaced by Isabel Crawford who was elected to the board. D&A's Past Captain Fiona Cowan remains on the board.
Lynne Terry steps down as Finance Director after 10 years service - As will the company Secretary Sheila Hartley who retires in February.
Kevin Craggs was reappointed as the Scottish Representative on the Training Panel of the LGU and Dr Lynne Terry and June McEwan were reappointed as the Scottish Representatives on CONGU.

The new Scottish Selectors were appointed - Noreen Fenton (East) and past Renfrewshire County player Addi Shamash (South).
Anne Laing (West Division) and Cara Gruber (North Division) remain as Selectors for their second year.
Isabel Crawford was reappointed as the Scottish Repesentative on the International Selection Committee of the LGU and her deputy Fiona de Vries who also was appointed onto the International Selection Committee of the LGU.
The Annual Membership Subscription for the SLGA remained at £14.
There was no further discussion on amalgamation with the SGU as further talks are in progress. The only AOCB point was the mention of Distance Measuring Devices  which the SLGA have still followed the R&A advice. However, Shona Malcolm stated that with so many Clubs and Organisations allowing them now then she was sure that perhaps this may change -- So watch this space !!
The meeting finished within an hour with a very able Vote of Thanks from Mary Richardson, Captain of Midlothian County Ladies.
Click on the small thumbnail below to see more photographs and then on slideshow ---

SLGA AGM 2012

CONGU MANUAL 2012 - 2015

To access an online copy of the 2012-2015 CONGU(R) Unified Handicapping System Manual CLICK HERE.

If you require a copy of the CONGU® Unified Handicapping System (effective 1st January 2012) manual, please contact the SLGA : The cost of the manual is £4.00 incl of postage.

Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association
The Den
2 Dundee Road
Perth PH2 7DW
Email: secretary@slga.co.uk
Web: www.slga.co.uk
t/n 01738 442357
fax 01738 442380

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
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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.