Ladies Golf News in Scotland, the West of Scotland and Renfrewshire
Scotland’s Hannah Darling holds a slender one shot lead over compatriot Chloe Goadby heading into the final round of the 2021 Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open at Royal Troon Portland Course.
17-year-old Darling carded a second successive five under par 67 to finish the day on ten under par 134 but a couple of hours later was nearly caught by new Scottish Women’s Amateur champion Goadby who birdied the last for the second day in a row to post her own 67 and go into the final round on 135.
Darling started the day with a dropped shot at the 458-yard par four first hole but then birdied the second, sixth and ninth to go out in 33 before carding four birdies and a bogey coming home to give herself a great chance of becoming the first Scot to lift the trophy since Heather Stirling all the way back in 2002.
“It was good out there,” said the in-form Darling, a two-time Scottish Girls’ champion who won the Recent St Rule Trophy at St Andrews and then reached the semi-finals at both the Scottish Women’s Amateur and the Women’s Amateur Championship.
Goadby will also be confident she can end Scotland’s long winless drought after beating Darling on the way to claiming her first Scottish Women’s title at the start of this month at Gullane.
The former Stirling University student stormed home with five birdies in her last seven holes to add a 67 to her opening 68 and believes she is in great shape to claim a rare Scottish double.
MacGarvie will not be short of local support after carding a 68 while Duncan eagled the last on her way to posting a two under par 70.
The cut fell at eleven over par 155 with 60 players progressing to the final round tomorrow.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SCOTTISH GOLF WEBSITE FOR THE FULL REPORT
 |
| Sandra Macdougall, Morag Little and Pat Pennel Winners |
Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) -- semi finalist last week at Aberdour in the Scottish Women's Seniors Championship continued her good form by having the best scratch score of the day with a one over par 73.
Congratulations go to the following winners with their excellent scores;
Scratch
Winner: Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) 73
Division 1 (0 to 15.9)
1st Fiona Cameron (Cowglen) 79 (10) 69
2nd Morag Little (Whitecraigs) 86 (15) 71
3rd Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) 73 (1) 72 bih
Division 2 (16 +)
1st Sandra Macdougall (Kilmacolm) 90 (21) 69
2nd Patricia Pennel (Ranfurly Castle) 96 (27) 69
3rd Anita McMillan (Erskine) 94 (21) 73
(Number in brackets is the members Playing Handicap)
Click here for the full results, which you can also view in the June Medal competition on the SG App.
or if not a member of the County go to the VMS SCOREBOARD
Thanks go to the ballot officials Marianne McKelvie and Fiona Armour and to Sandra Macdougall and Jan and Alison Macnab, who assisted members with inputting their scores into the App.
Also to Captain Sandra Littlejohn for the above photo in the shade of some of the placed winners. Whilst Fiona Armour captured Anita McMillan after her round;
 |
| Six pints should do it !! |
The final thanks goes to Kilmacolm GC for hosting the event and to the bar and catering staff for keeping us fed and watered.
Fiona Armour
RLCGA Results Secretary
The GB & I Curtis Cup squad member from Broomieknowe carded a five under par 67 to overhaul new British champion, Louise Duncan, Scottish Women’s Amateur Champion Chloe Goadby and Jasmine MacKintosh from Murcar Links at the top of the leaderboard near the end of an opening day during which the sun shone throughout and no less than 25 players beat or matched par.
It was also a good day for local Royal Troon member Hazel MacGarvie who carded a three under par 69 to share fifth place with Northern Ireland’s Jessica Ross and England’s Rosie Belsham.
On a fine day for the Scots Clara Young, Tara Mactaggart and Shannon McWilliam all go into the second round in a share of eleventh place on 71
Louise Duncan has had little time to relax since winning the Women’s Amateur title at Kilmarnock (Barassie) and admitted to being a bit anxious about teeing up for the first time as the British champion.
She was two -over par after four holes but soon got into her stride and birdies at the eighth, 10th, 11th 12th, 16th and 18th saw her clinch the early clubhouse lead.
To read the full report go to Scottish Golf Website or check out the story on the Scottish Golf News section on your SG App.
🏌🏼♀️WEST KILBRIDE GIRLS’ OPEN 🏌🏼♀️
 |
| Jenny with the Trophy Photo courtesy of Largs Golf Club |
 |
| Jennifer Lynagh |
The 2021 Douglas Park Ladies’ Open Day was held on Friday 25th June in sunshine and mostly dry conditions.
Douglas Park was host to a total of 141 ladies in 47 teams of 3. The overall winners were a team from Milngavie with a great score of 81 points.
Well done to all the ladies who won prizes.
This day does not happen by itself and we would like to thank:
Anne Fergusson for her support on the day and keeping us right with the scorecards.
Our very smart and sociable gentlemen starters: Ian Macdougall, Iain Fergusson, George Roberts, George Simmons and Stephen Murray, who kept the tee going extremely smoothly!
Thanks also to the greenkeeping staff for presenting our course in great condition, especially ensuring the works at the front of the clubhouse were neat and tidy.
Lisa Cuthbert and her team had a very early start to be ready to offer the first competitors a bacon roll and a cup of tea, as well as catering during a full day for our many guests.
 |
| Water to go from Tesco |
 |
| Laura Macdougall Barbara Aitchison (Event Organisers) |
Team winners: - 2 scores from 3 to count
1st: Mandy Allan/Laura Robinson/Susan O’Neill 81
(all from Milngavie)
2nd: Marion Mason/Karen Maxwell/Lynn McColl 79
(Milngavie/Milngavie/The Carrick)
3rd: Sheila Steele/Pat Syme/Viv Mansouri 78
(all from Hilton Park)
4th: Hilary MacNaughton/Denise MacNaughton/Sheila McDougall 77
(Douglas Park/Douglas Park/Prestwick St Nicholas)
5th: Ann Fisher/Carol Sim/Susan Mcgrenaghan 75 (acb)
(Douglas Park/Balmore/Hayston)
6th: Carol Fell/Anne Judge/Nancy MacGadie 75
(Douglas Park/Ranfurly Castle /Ranfurly Castle)
Par 3 totals Team Competition (All 3 scores to Count)
Winners: Helen Divers/Pauline Vannet/Janet Dalglish 26 (acb) (all from Douglas Park)
Par 5 totals Team Competition (All 3 Scores to Count)
Winners: Tracey Macpherson/Madeleine MacGregor/Valerie MacGregor 35 (Langlands/Hamilton/Hamilton)
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
Thanks go to Barbara Aitchison for the report and photographs
 |
| Alison Davidson, back left, with fellow Scots Mhairi McKay, back right, and Janice Moodie, front, after helping Great Britain & Ireland win the 1996 Curtis Cup at Killarney. |
Her team included Janet Buchanan (Crieff) and Roxy Brown (Dullater) ended up winning 5th prize.
The Balfron team of Eda Davey, Joan Walker, and Betty Wilder were the winners
 |
| Scores --Click To enlarge Apologies for poor quality |
 |
| Karen Ferguson- Snedden Photo Courtesy of Scottish Golf |
Karen Ferguson-Snedden won the Scottish Senior Women’s Match Play Championship for the first time when she beat Iona McKean 2 & 1 in a tense final at a windswept Aberdour.
The Mortonhall player needed to go all the way to the 20th hole before beating East Renfrewshire’s Gillian Kyle in the semi-final and in the final she had to work almost as hard against an opponent who was frequently outgunned off the tee but never more than a hole behind before losing the 17th green.
McKean won the opening hole but lost the fourth to go back to all square. The Ladybank player regained the initiative with a win on the fifth and still held that slender advantage before Ferguson-Snedden won both the 12th and 13th. She went further ahead with another win on the 16th before closing out the match with a halve on the 17th.
“It was tough but I’m delighted,” admitted the new champion who had started the Match Play Championship as second seed after finishing runner-up to Elaine Moffat in the 36-hole Senior Women’s Stroke Play Championship.
“I’m also a bit surprised about how well I’ve done. “I was hoping to get into the match play and have a run but I didn’t really think I’d be able to get to the final and win.
“Iona is pretty incredible,” she added. “I had a big length advantage off the tee but she doesn’t do a lot wrong, chips it close and sinks putts. Great credit to her. She was very tough to beat.”
Earlier in the day, McKean showed just how doughty a competitor she is by ending Moffat’s lengthy three-year reign as Senior Women’s Match Play champion when she came from two down after 11 holes to claim a 2 & 1 win. That reign had begun when Moffat took the title at Prestwick St Nicholas in 2018 and was extended the following year with a successful defence at Edzell. The 2020 championship was cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.
Photograph courtesy of Scottish Golf
The concurrent net competition was won by Gullane’s Sarah Ledingham who beat Elaine MacGregor 4 & 2 in the final.
Earlier in the day, Ledingham reached the final with a two-hole victory over Comiston’s Jaci Moriarty while MacGregor beat Turnhouse’s Morag Wardrop on the 18th hole.
“I was very surprised to get to the final,” Ledingham admitted after her victory over MacGregor. “I’ve had a fantastic week here at Aberdour. It’s my first time playing in the Scottish Seniors so I’m delighted to come here and become the net winner.
“I’ve met a lot of new people, I’ve met people I’ve known a long, long time, it’s been super and Aberdour’s been great.
Today was tough, it was very windy, very blustery. When we teed off at eight this morning it was very calm. It was like that for the first four or five holes but then the wind picked up and it became very tricky. The tees are all off the whites this week, and I’m not a particularly long hitter, so coming back into the wind from the 12th was quite hard work for me.
“I just kept my head down and got on with it.”
 |
| Strathaven Golf Club |
Thursday 10 June 2021 Texas Scramble Team £30 per team
Sunday 22 August 2021 Tri-am £30 per Team
Carmen Griffiths and Daniel Bullen
Daniel Bullen from AuchterarderGC won the Pollok Junior Masters in association with ProDreamUSA
He fired a final round 69 to finish on 7-under and one shot clear of Carmen Griffiths (Aboyne) in a thrilling finish. - - CLICK HERE FOR FINAL RESULT
West of Scotland Girls featured well with Jennifer Lynagh (Caldwell) and Leah Bryce (Sandyhills) being 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Under 18's net scores after today's final round -- UNDER 18'S NET LEADERBOARD -- CLICK HERE
In the Girls section Carmen Griffiths (Aboyne) had the best scratch with Freya Russell (Royal Troon) being 4th and Megan Docherty (Bishopbriggs) 5th-- LEADERBOARD UNDER 18'S -- CLICK HERE .
Jennifer Lynagh said on twitter -- Day 2 of the Pollok Junior Masters. Left a few out there but still really pleased with my performance for the tournament 
Really enjoyed the experience and learned a lot about my game. Round 3 - 81 (+8) T7 girls gross & just missed out on best overall net by 1
From the Scottish Golf Website
RLCGA'S Gillian Kyle - East Renfrewshire
Photo Courtesy of Scottish Golf
Elaine Moffat remains on course to claim the Scottish Senior Women’s Match Play title for a third time in a row but only after surviving two tough matches on the opening day of this year’s Championship at Aberdour.
The senior international from the St Regulus club in St Andrews beat Lochend’s Mandy McBain 3&2 in the first round and then in the afternoon defeated fellow Fife senior county player Lorna McKinlay 2 & 1 although on both occasions she had to come from behind to make it into the next round.
The afternoon round against McKinlay proved particularly challenging. The two players were all square at the turn before Moffat won both 10th and the 13th. With the rain starting to fall McKinlay got one back at the 16th before the defending champion sealed victory on the 17th hole.
I found it difficult and I don’t mind admitting that,” said Moffat. “Both Mandy and Lorna played good, solid golf and made me work really hard. I was a wee bit erratic first thing this morning but managed to get it together and stick in after that.
“This afternoon I played my friend Lorna which is always really difficult. She’s my foursomes buddy from Fife. We know each other’s games so well and it was an absolutely cracking match. I’m just happy to get through.”
Moffat’s next opponent in her bid to regain the title she won at Prestwick St Nicholas in 2018 and again at Edzell in 2019 is another Fifer in the shape of Iona McKean from Ladybank. McKean had to go to the 18th hole to beat Anne Hanson from Turnhouse by one hole in the opening round before reaching the last four with a more comfortable 4 & 3 victory over Dunblane New’s Claire Capocci.
In the other half of the draw, Mortonhall’s Karen Ferguson-Snedden showed just why she finished second behind Moffat in the Stroke Play Championship earlier in the week by beating Liz Keohone from Loudoun Gowf by 6&5 but then needed all her resolve to beat Barberton’s Karen Marshall in a tight quarter-final match in which only three holes changed hands before the number two seed won the 17th hole to seal a 2 & 1 victory.
Arguably the most impressive performance of the day came from East Renfrewshire’s Gillian Kyle who needed just 26 holes to beat Harburn’s Jennifer Bryans 5 & 4 and Baberton’s Wendy Nicholson 8 & 6 to move on to a semi-final clash against Ferguson-Snedden. That means the number two and three seeds will face each other for a place in the final.
“I’m sharing a house with Elaine so we’re hoping to face each other in the final. That’s the dream anyway but there’s a lot to do to get there,” said Kyle.
“I live in Glasgow so we’ve had restrictions. I’ve had to self-isolate because a friend had tested positive for Covid. I missed all my County matches and was feeling a bit sorry for myself so I’m very pleased to get this far.
“It’s great to get back to competing after such a long break,” she added. “You just feel so grateful to be able to get back playing at your club but this is another level and you really have to concentrate.”
 |
| Scottish Seniors Matchplay Results Click to enlarge |
The semi-finals of the concurrent net competition will also be played at Aberdour in the morning. Jaci Moriarty from Comiston Ladies will face Gullane’s Sarah Ledingham in the first match on the course with the winner of that contest playing either Wakefield’s Elaine MacGregor or Turnhouse’s Morag Wardrop in the final.
 |
| Net Competition Matchplay Results Click to enlarge |
Moffat, from the St Regulus club in St Andrews, won the stroke play event the last time the championship was staged, at Edzell in 2019, and now she has repeated that success with a battling three-shot victory over Mortonhall’s Karen Ferguson-Snedden in challenging conditions at Aberdour.
The Fife player carded a 75 for the second successive day and goes forward as the top seed for the match play stage of the championship, having also won that title at both Prestwick St Nicholas in 2018 and Edzell the following year
A total of 16 women qualified for the match play championship with Moffat and Ferguson-Snedden being joined by Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) who finished third with a 77 and Anne Hanson (Turnhouse) and Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) who were tied fourth one shot further behind.
The other qualifiers (in order) were: Elizabeth Stewart (Greenburn), Karen Marshall (Baberton), Aileen Baker (Crail), Lorna McKinlay (Dunnikier Park), Linda Allan (Glenbervie), Wendy Nicholson (Baberton), Claire Capocci (Dunblane New), Iona McKean (Ladybank) Jennifer Bryans (Harburn), Liz Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) and Mandy McBain (Lochend).
Jackie Brown (Monifieth) lost out for 16th place in a card countback but will go forward as the top seed for the net competition contested by the next 16 players with the best net scores.
The draw for the main match play competition saw Moffat paired against McBain and Ferguson-Snedden being pitted against Keohone. The other first round matches are Kyle v Bryans, Hanson v McKean, Wood v Capocci, Stewart v Nicholson, Marshall v Allan and Baker v McKinlay.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE RESULTS
Susan Ramsay
Many congratulations go to Susan Ramsay had a hole in one at the 7th at Haggs Castle GC in the Ladies Medal on 19th June 2021: 6 iron to the front pin, landed on green and ran into hole.
Susan’s first hole in one at Haggs although she has had 3 at Williamwood GC while she was a member of that Club.
Moffat, from the St Regulus Ladies club in St Andrews, carded a six over par 75 to go into the second round of stroke play tied with Crail’s Aileen Baker and Ruth Hunter from Lanark and her performance was all-the-more impressive because just two weeks ago she was injured by two dogs on the beach and struggled to walk for a while.
“I’m a bit surprised to have a share of the lead because I didn’t get the prep I wanted,” admitted Moffat, who won both the stroke play and match play titles the last time this championship was played, at Edzell back in 2019.
“Just over two weeks ago, I got hit by two dogs on the beach and injured my leg quite badly. I couldn’t walk for a good week or so. I went to the chiro and got realigned but that was my practice out the window. I had to adapt and re-think everything.
“It hasn’t been ideal for any of us,” she added. “It has been a long time since we’ve competed at this sort of level so hasn’t been easy.
I felt a mixture of elation and absolutely nerves and I think a few of us felt a bit like that. We’re so excited but not used to being in this position after being out for so long.”
Moffat, Baker and Hunter topped a congested leaderboard with Karen Ferguson-Sneddon (Mortonhall) and Karen Marshall (Baberton) tied fourth on 76 and 2016 champion Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) and Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) in a share of sixth place on 77.
A total of 13 players go into the final round of stroke play within four shots of the lead. Iona McKean (Ladybank), Lorna McKinlay (Dunnikier Park), Linda Allan (Glenbervie) and Susie Macleod all share eighth place 78 while Anne Hanson (Turnhouse) and Wendy Nicholson (Baberton) are on 79.
The second round of stroke play is staged tomorrow with the top 16 qualifiers progressing to the match play stage of the competition. There is also a separate match play competition for the next 16 net qualifiers
LEADERBOARD
AYRSHIRE WOMEN
1 LUISA GIBSON (IRVINE) 1099 points
2 Ann May (Brodick) 1068
3 Kath MacKellar (West Kilbride) 1043
4 Alice Anderson (Shiskine) 993
5 Marie Clare (Largs) 990
6 Jennifer Linklater (Largs) 961
7 Fran Hadden (Kilmarnock(Barassie)) 959
8 Anne Burns (Loudoun Gowf) 954
9 Sheena Murchie (Lamlash) 941
10 Catherine McAdam (Lamlash) 924
11 Elizabeth McNee (Loudoun Gowf) 904
12 Eileen Munro (Loudoun Gowf) 880
13 Linda McDonald (Kilmarnock(Barassie)) 877
14 Rona Walker (Kilmarnock(Barassie)) 876
15 Denise Harker (Turnberry) 862
AYRSHIRE CLUBS - WOMEN
1 KILMARNOCK (BARASSIE) 7602 points
2 Loudoun Gowf 7563
3 Largs 7206
4 West Kilbride 7136
5 Irvine 6880
6 Prestwick St Cuthbert 6592
7 Prestwick St Nicholas 6473
8 Lamlash 6215
She then enjoyed a successful collegiate career during a ground-breaking scholarship stint at Stanford University at the same time Tiger Woods was there before enjoying the highlight of her professional career when winning the Australian Open in 2003.
McKay, who now lives in Los Alamos in New Mexico, also played in two Solheim Cups, including a success in Sweden in 2003 alongside her long-time friend Janice Moodie and Catriona Matthew.
Clear this one up: did you start to play at Bothwell Castle or Turnberry?
MM: I played a bit at Bothwell Castle, but my parents, Peter and Mary, had a little holiday place in Girvan and I would play the first eight holes at Girvan as a little thing before becoming a member at Bothwell Castle. The first eight holes at Girvan are brilliant and, when I get back home, it’s nice for my two kids to learn on the same track I did and it’s funny the memories you have as a youngster there and how big and intimidating it seemed then but, to then go back and play it again as a bit more experienced player, it seems a bit more manageable (laughing).
You clearly had some great family memories from those early days playing the game?
MM: Yeah, my sister Fiona also played and also my brother Kenny, who is a year older than my sister. We’d go out and I’d have my little hickory-shaft golf club and they’d let me have a hit out on the fairway and not try and hold the game up behind. It was great the five of us being out on the golf course and those are special golf memories that help plant the seed.
So, it was through having that home in Girvan that you became a Turnberry member?
MM: My mum was the first member of the family to become a member at Turnberry in 1977, I think. Then my sister and brother joined the junior section, as I eventually did as well, and my dad was the last one to join as he was so busy working. I have some very happy memories from playing at Turnberry, too.
How important was playing there in your development as a golfer?
MM: Gregor and Bob Jamieson were so important to my career and also my sister’s career. Before Gregor moved over to Lake Nona, he was great, giving my brother and sister lessons and was patient enough to let me tag along and give me some instruction, too. When he moved over to the States, we had lessons from Bob and it was that traditional coaching and playing by feel. Turnberry and the Jamiesons definitely played an instrumental part in our development.
You won the Girls’ Amateur Championship back-to-back in 1992 and 1993. You must have realised then that you were pretty decent at the game?
MM: Those were good, fun victories down at Northamptonshire and Helensburgh. There was always another goal to play for. I just loved trying to get into the Scottish Girls’ team and then the Scottish Under-21s team and then a senior internationalist then playing in the European Team Championship and then the Curtis Cup. There were always these little stepping stones and I was really lucky to have an older sister who led the way for me and was always happy for me to hang on to her coat-tails and have the patience to take care of her little sister. Her friends also didn’t mind having this wee girl four years younger than them tagging along. I was always trying to keep up with Fiona by making teams, starting at county level and then Scottish Schools’ teams and so on.
It must have been a special occasion when you and Fiona played on the same Scotland team in the 1992 Women’s Home Internationals at Hamilton?
MM: Yes, definitely. I have a picture up on the wall in my home, I can see it up in the other room right now, of Fiona and I together. I was just so lucky to have my sister be so successful in the game and go ahead and do things before me. Seeing what she was achieving made me want to follow in her footsteps and keep up with her. It was great to be able to play in the Home Internationals together, though I honestly can’t remember if we played together that week (laughing).
You played in two Curtis Cups, joining Catriona Matthew, Janice Moodie and Myra McKinlay in flying the Saltire in a draw in 1994 then being part of a win two years later with Janice Moodie and Alison Rose?
MM: The draw was at the Honours Course in Chattanooga and that was a big deal to take the trophy on American soil. To then go to Killarney two years later and win outright, I’ve got brilliant memories of both occasions but particularly Killarney as we had amazing support there from the Irish golf fans and the other people who’d made the trip over. It was one of those amazing, brilliant weeks.
How did your move to Stanford University come about as you were the first international female player to be offered a golf scholarship there?
MM: I think there was a Swedish girl there several years before me, but she became really homesick and I’m not sure she stayed more than a year. The coach was concerned about taking a risk with another international player, but my mum’s really good friend from Bothwell Castle, Joyce Scott, it was all due to her, really, that I ended up at Stanford. She and her husband, Charlie, are very keen golfers and their daughter was a nurse at Stanford University Hospital and they’d go out and visit Val. She arranged for them to go and play at Stanford golf course and they bumped into the women’s golf coach at the time, Tim Baldwin, and struck up a conversation, saying ‘we know a girl who would love to come here’ and told him about a few of my achievements. I don’t know why they had it, but I was on the cover of the Golf Foundation’s Tee to Green magazine, having won the Daily Telegraph Junior Championship, with a nice article inside on that and they gave it to Tim, which started my whole connection. I’m not sure how else Tim would have found out about me if it hadn’t been for that. Through Bob Jamieson, there had been contact with Duke University, so I went on a recruitment trip to both places and ended up going to Stanford, where I enjoyed an opportunity of a lifetime.
They’ve been improved since, but I take it the facilities back then were still pretty special?
MM: You virtually rolled out of your bed in the dorm and found yourself on this amazing driving range, where you hit ball after ball, or an amazing short-game area, as well as having the chance to play an amazing golf course. At the time I was there, there were so many great players, including Notah Begay, Casey Martin, who had the Supreme Court case a few years ago over using a golf buggy, and the year after I started Tiger Woods came along. It was a really fun time to be there and the men’s and women’s teams were really close. We were always encouraging one another.
You won the Australian Women’s Open in 2003. What do you remember about that?
MM: It was at Terry Hills Golf in Sydney. I love Australia and I love Sydney. I remember my caddie saying on the back nine in the last round, ‘don’t look at the leaderboard’ and also holing a huge putt - it must have been 70 feet - from the side of the green at the 15th. I played really well on the back nine and made lots of birdies. I think Laura Davies had been leading going into the final round, but I just kept plugging away and making birdies. I didn’t look at the leaderboard until holing my final putt and it was great seeing my name at the top of it. That was really special and the Australian fans were great that week.
You played in two Solheim Cups, beating Beth Daniel in the second one in Sweden in 2003 to help secure a big win for Europe. How special was that?
MM: Yeah, the Solheims were great. In the first one at Interlachen, I lost to Pat Hurst in the singles. I actually played really well that day. She chipped in twice and we were both under par. There might have been one other girl on the European team who had better figures that day, but I just came up against a strong opponent in Pat. It was disappointing that the team didn’t get it over the line that day after being in a good position heading into the singles, so it was nice to get another chance in Sweden, where I managed to get a singles victory over Beth.
Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie were also part of that 2003 team. Have they both been a big part of your life in golf over the years?
MM: Absolutely, particularly Janice. Catriona is that little bit older and I think my first Home Internationals in Wales, I think she was in the team and then she turned pro. Janice and I came up through the West of Scotland Girls together since I was 10 or she was around 12. It’s funny that we ended up going to college at the same time and she was at San Jose and I was at Stanford. We grew up together in Scotland and continued to see each other a lot when we were halfway around the world. To have somebody like Janice, who was so competitive and driven, a bit like my sister, you want to keep up with them and match or better them. Janice is still a great, dear friend and we keep in touch.
Tell us about some of your scoring feats at St Andrews?
MM: I was the first woman to break 70 on the Old Course in the St Rule Trophy with a 69 then, two years later, I shot 67. I was proud to then go back there and play as a pro and shot 67 again to tie the course record, though I think that has subsequently been broken. But it’s definitely nice to be able to say that I was a course record at St Andrews as it is a special place.