Curtis Cup Day 2 Results

MORNING FOURSOMES

GBI & I 1.5 USA 1.5
Booth and Loucks won against Kim and Lee 3 and 2
Watson and Thompson lost Walshe and Lewis 3 and 2
Bennett and Ewart halved against Blumenhurst and Joh

Result after morning foursomes GB&I 3.5 USA 5.5

AFTERNOON FOURBALL

Carly Booth and Breanne Loucks lost to Kimberly Kim 2 and 1
Sally Watson and Krystle Caithness won against Amanda Blumenherst Meghan Bolger 3 and 2
Liz Bennett and Florentyna lost to Alison Walshe and Stacy Lewis 1 down

Final Total after day 2 GB&I 4.5 USA 7.5

Curtis Cup Day USA take a lead on Day 1

MORNING FOURSOMES
Great Britain & Ireland 1, United States 2

Liz Bennett & Jodi Ewart (GB&I) lost to Stacy Lewis & Alison Walshe (USA) 3 and 1.
Sally Watson & Michele Thomson ((GB&I) beat Mina Harigae & Jennie Lee (USA) 1 hole.
Breanne Loucks & Florentyna Parker l(GB&I) lost to Amanda Blumenherst & Tiffany
Joh (USA) 1 hole.

AFTERNOON FOURBALL
Great Britain & Ireland 1, United States 2
Carly Booth and Michele Thomson lost 3 and 2 to Kim and Harigae 3 and 2
Sally Watson and Krystle Caithness won 3&2 against Joh and Bolger
Parker and Bennett lost 3&1 to Blumenherst and Lewis

Days Result GB&I 2 USA 4

The Curtis Cup Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony took place this evening in glorious sunshine in front of the Old Course Clubhouse at St Andrews. The ceremony started with 4 sky divers landing on the 1st fairway 3 of them each carrying an Irish, UK and USA flag . The teams were introduced by the GB & I captain Mary McKenna and the USA Captain Carol Semple Thompson and the flags were raised.

The 2008 Curtis Cup begins --- Your webmaster is in St Andrews

The Curtis Cup begins tomorrow. Your Webmaster is away through to St Andrews to the Opening ceremony this evening and to watch all the action over the weekend.

D&A --- Colonel Brock Cup Played over Vale of Leven

Played 27th May 2008, 34 Entrants, SSS 67, CSS 70 (Reduction Only)
Silver:
Jean Paton 92 - 19 = 73
Fiona Cowan 91 - 17 = 74
Margaret Gibb 95 - 18 = 77
Bronze:
Eleanor Starling 102 - 22 = 80
Lindsay McCubbin 102 - 22 = 80
Mary Ainslie 105 - 22 = 83
Scratch: Fiona Cowan

Ranfurly Castle Strokeplay

Played 28th May, 8 entries, SSS 73, CSS 72
Silver Winner: Shona Gray 71 (19), R/Up Sheila Gray 74 (18)
Bronze Winner: Mary Hardie 73 (21), Helen Abram 74 (25)
Scratch Winner; Natasha Qayum 90

Ranfurly Castle Medal Finals

8 entries Played 28th May,SSS 73, CSS 72
Silver Winner: Sheila Gray 74 (18), R/Up Natasha Qayum 81 (8)
Bronze Winner: Shona Gray 71 (19), Helen Abram 74 (25)

Douglas Park progress to the 6th round of the Mail on Sunday

Douglas Park won 5 - 0 against Ayr Dalmilling in the the Mail on Sunday today. Despite the torrential rain, the course held up well with the 14 new greens and the match was able to be completed. They now progress to the 6th round

9 Hole Stableford - Whitecraigs Golf Club

Date: 23rd May 2008 SSS: 71 Entries: 39
Silver Win: Nicola Wilson (6) 16 pts
Silver R/Up: Elinor Watson (10) 14 pts
Bronze Win: Fiona Watson (15) 20 pts
Bronze R/Up: Pamela Ferguson (14) 19 pts

Old Ranfurly -- May Results

Played 12th May 2008 – Stableford, Entries 24 SSS 72 CSS 72
Winner: C Sweeney (36) 38 points
Runner-up: V MacKinnon (11) 37 points

Played 17th May 2008 – Spring Meeting (Jean Aitken Trophy), Entries 31 SSS 72 CSS 72
Winner: M Hogg (19) 68
Runner-up: K Thornton (19) 72

Played 19th May 2008 – LGU Medal, Entries 20 SSS 72 CSS 71
Silver: – M Downie (17) 67, S McKnight (12) 68
Bronze: – A Taylor (25) 66, D Garson (23) 73
Scratch: S McKnight 80

National Club Championship Cup 2008 -- Nichola Ferguson from Clober progresses to the 3rd round

17 year old Nichola Ferguson (Clober) had 1 eagle and 4 birdies in her 4 and 3 win against Carol Fell (Your Webmaster) --- representing Douglas Park in the National Club Champions Cup 2nd round played over Clober today. Carol quotes " It's great that the West of Scotland now has some young golfing talent coming through the ranks and it certainly was a delight to watch"
She also says " When I play a 5 wood and the youngsters play an 8 iron --- I think it is perhaps the time to take up tiddly winks or something !!
Anyway -- well done Nichola --- Good luck in your Biology Higher tomorrow and all the best in the future rounds

Traffic Accident causes West Girls v East Girls to be reduced to 6 matches

The annual match for the Mhairi McKay Trophy was being played at Murrayfield Golf Club in Edinburgh today. There was a serious accident on the M8 resulting in the road being closed. This meant that most of the girls from the west had a very long journey spending many hours stuck in traffic. Unfortunately Gillian Scanlon and Alyson McKechin were stuck in the traffic for more than 3 hours and had to return home without even arriving at Murrayfield Golf Club. The East Girls were very understanding and allowed us to play with the six girls who successfully arrived at the course. The result this year was West 4 East 2
RESULTS: East Players 1st
Gillian Simpson lost to Eilidh Briggs 4 and 3.
Rachael Watton bt Jill Meldrum 6 and 5.
Cara Easton v Gillian Scanlan - not played.
Camilla Tait lost to Zoe Differ 2 holes
Gabrielle Macdonald bt Nicola Ferguson 3 and 2.
Stacey Cameron lost to Natasha Qayum one hole.
Rachel Hanlon v Alyson McKechin - not played.
Helen Goodwin lost to Nicky Wilson 6 and 5.

Kylie Walker wins the St Rule Trophy

D&A's Kylie Walker is not one of the four Scots in the GB&I team for the Curtis Cup at the same venue this week but she must have given them a boost and a few pointers as she won the St Rule Trophy in a half-gale over the Old Course, St Andrews today (Sunday).

The 21-year-old Buchanan Castle player, who has a handicap of +2, led by one shot at the end of the first round with a one-under-par 75 in a bitterly cold north-easterly wind gusting up to 25mph. Then Kylie went out and again shot the joint lowest score in the second round – a three-under-par 73, for a four-under total of 148.

"I've scored lower over the Old Course before but that's the best I've ever played it when the wind's been blowing like that," said Kylie who was beaten semi-finalist in the recent Scottish women's championship at Lossiemouth and, last month, was top Scot and joint fourth overall in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon.

Hitting the ball around the 300yd mark off the tee, even when it was a cross-wind, Kylie was able to pick up two-putt birdie 3s by driving the greens at the ninth and 10th, Her strength off the tee also enabled her to birdie the par-5 second and fourth by hitting them with her second shots.

She also birdied the par-5 17th with a pitch-and-putt 4.

Kylie bogeyed only the 13th – "I made a mess of that and finished up three-putting" – and the 18th where she missed the green with her approach. But all in all Miss Walker looked a class player in very difficult conditions, the CSS for the first round was 79 against the par of 76 and 77 in the second round.

"It's all started to come together for me," said Kylie who also won the Dunbartonshire & Argyll county title earlier this season.

Too late to get her into Curtis Cup team contention but the capture of the St Rule Trophy – the biggest win on her golfing CV which includes the Scottish schoolgirls title four years ago - will go into the British women's open amateur championship at North Berwick from June 11 to 15 brimful of confidence.

French players filled second, third, fourth and joint fifth places. Not surprisingly, France (299) won the international team event from Scotland (309) with Ireland (314) third and Wales (318) fourth.

ST RULE TROPHY
Old Course, St Andrews
Final Leader Board
Par 152 (2 x 76)
148 K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 75 73.
149 A Goumard (France) 76 73.
150 I Boineau (France) 76 74.
153 L Andre (France)76 77.

Other Scots:
156 L Kenney (Pitreavie) 81 75.
160 R Niven (Crieff) 80 80,
161 R Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 80 81, K McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) 86 75, K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 76 85.
162 A Bushby (Strathmore) 80 82, E Fairnie (Dunbar) 81 81, Sheena Wood (Hazlehead) 83 79.
163 A Davidson (Stirling) 79 84.
164 T Davies (Holyhead) 82 82, K Brotherton (Tulliallan) 83 81, J Turner (Craigielaw) 86 78.
165 C Hargan (Mortonhall) 85 80, R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) 82 83.
166 S Jackson (Ladybank) 86 80, M Pow (Selkirk) 83 83, K Marshall (Baberton) 80 80.
167 C-M Carlton (Fereneze) 87 80, M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 83 84.
168 A Laing (Vale of Leven) 77 91, E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 83 85.
169 L Murray (Alford) 84 85.
171 C MacDonald (Gullane Ladies) 90 81, A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 81 90, J Carthew (Ladybank) 84 87.
173 E Cuthill (Lanark) 85 88.
174 L Walker (Muckhart) 91 83
177 R McQueen (Troon Ladies) 94 83.
182 Susan Wood (Drumpellier) 96 86, L McLardy (Murcar Links) 92 90, E Moffat (St Regulus) 92 90.
183 J Sneddon (Alyth) 92 91.

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

Ranfurly Castle Extra Stableford

Played 25/5/08 2 entries CSS 73
Winner Helen Craig 35 pts (16)
R/UP Lesley Robertson 31 pts (2)

May Competitions -- Whitecraigs Golf Club

Competition: Wardhaugh Salver
Date: 16th May 2008 , SSS: 72 , CSS: 72 , Entries: 48
Winner: Julie Dickson (19) 66
Runner Up: Dorothy McKnight (22) 69

Competition: Coronation Foursomes
Date: 19th May 2008 , SSS: 72, Entries: 16 couples
Winners: Karen Brodie & Katie Keenan 38 points
Runners-up: Fiona Watson & Elizabeth Hall 34 points (bih)

Dorrie Hunter Strokeplay - Ranfurly Castle

Played 23/5/08 6 entries, SSS 73, CSS 73
One Class
Winner: Shona Gray (19) 74
Runner Up: Mary Craig (10) 75

Stroke Competition - Douglas Park

Played 23rd May 2008. SSS 72, CSS 72, 58 Entrants.
Silver :
Lindsay McLean 84 - 14 = 70
Chris Dingwall 87 - 16 = 71
Helen Robertson 84 - 12 = 72
Bronze:
Janet Dalglish 106 - 36 = 70
Vivien Hamilton 95 - 25 = 70
Ginette Evans 99 - 27 = 72
Scratch: Helen Faulds 78

Renfrewshire are Winners in the Inter County Foursomes Finals at East Kilbride

The Inter County Foursomes Finals took place at East Kilbride Golf Club yesterday. The Renfrewshire partnership of Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart --- pictured above had a terrific round of 74 to win the scratch award

Renfrewshire's Mary Hardie and Sheila Gray (pictured above) from Ranfurly Castle won the Handicap Award with a net 68.5

Results:
1st Scratch: Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart (Cochrane Castle/ Greenburn)- Renfrewshire 74
2nd Scratch: Lesley Lloyd and Fiona Scott (Hayston / Bothwell Castle) - Lanarkshire 79
3rd Scratch: Gillian McGinlay and Maureen Woodhead (Cochrane Castle / Gourock) - Renfrewshire 80 BIH

1st Handicap: Mary Hardie and Sheila Gray ( Ranfurly Castle) - Renfrewshire 88 (19.5) Net 68.5 2nd Handicap: Irene Nisbet and Caroline Smith (Strathaven) - Lanarkshire 92 (19) Net 73
3rd Handicap : Moira Aitken and Rosemary Macnee (Kilmarnock Barassie) - Ayrshire 93 (18) Net 75

Scratch Prizewinners: Lesley Lloyd, Liz Stewart, Gillian McGinlay, Maureen Woodhead and Lanarkshire Captain May Hughes (Fiona Scott missing) - click to enlarge

Handicap Winners: Lanarkshire Captain May Hughes with all the Handicap Prizewinners - click to enlarge

Thanks go to Jean Macintyre (Lanarkshire's Secretary) for all the results and photographs

LGU Press Release - Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship

The Ladies’ Golf Union will crown a new Ladies’ British Open Amateur Champion this year. 144 of the best female amateurs from 24 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, India and Morocco, tee off at the renowned West Links, North Berwick, Scotland from 11-15 June.
Unfortunately, the 2007 champion, Carlota Ciganda (Spain), is unable to defend this prestigious British title, leaving it up for grabs. With a full exemption to the Ricoh Women's British Open on offer, the event has attracted record entries of over 200 competitors. In the strongest ever field, 116 of the entrants have handicaps of + 0.1 or better.
European countries are particularly well represented this year with France entering 15 players, Sweden 6, Germany 9, the Netherlands 10 and Spain 8.
The home nations also have a strong turnout, with all of last year’s quarter finalists hoping to go further. The newly crowned 2008 Scottish Champion, Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), along with Breanne Loucks (Wrexham), Elizabeth Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) and Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) will arrive in North Berwick days after playing for the GB & I side at the Curtis Cup, St Andrews from 30 May – 1 June.
The highly rated Swedish twins, Caroline and Jacqueline Hedwall (Barseback), are among the strong international line up contesting this Championship. Caroline, one of the top players in Europe, comes in as favourite with the lowest handicap on the entry list(+ 5.6), while earlier this year, Jacqueline took the runner up spot in the Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play, scoring a record breaking 67 over Royal Troon. Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, runner up for the last two years, hopes a third attempt will be lucky for her.
Susan Simpson, LGU’s Director of Championships said, “We are delighted to be holding this Championship at such a historic and challenging golf course. With such a strong field in place it looks like this event will provide a spectacular forum for the players to display their talents.”
Alan Phillips, Captain of North Berwick Golf Club said, “It has been 10 years since we hosted the Vagliano Trophy and we are once again very proud to be hosting a prestigious ladies event over the West Links. There is a very high calibre of entry from across the world so we are looking forward to welcoming these top amateurs and are excited by the prospect of seeing how they meet the unique and testing challenge of our golf course. I am sure that, over the week, many of the players will form a life long love of North Berwick and links golf and hope that they take away as many fond memories as they will undoubtedly leave with us."
Competitors in the Ladies’ British Amateur Championship play 18 holes on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 June, and the leading 64 players will qualify for the match play stage, culminating in an 18-hole final on the afternoon of Sunday 15 June.
The west course at North Berwick is a true links with commanding views of the sea and great wide sandy beaches over to the dark rocky islets of the Forth estuary and to the green-hilled Fife coast. The volcanic grey and white streaked hump of the Bass Rock and distant May Island can also be seen on the horizon.
An Open qualifying course, North Berwick's West Links has an antiquated charm of its own with walls, burns, and yawning bunkers, and in the 15th hole, “Redan”, probably the most frequently copied short hole in the world.
The North Berwick Golf Club is the thirteenth oldest golf club, second only to St Andrews for continuous play over the same course.
The full list of entrants for the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship can be viewed at www.lgu.org.
For further information please contact:-
Fraser Munro, Championship Manager, LGU.
Lynn Wallace, Communications, LGU.
01334 475 811

Ranfurly Castle - Vets and Gillies Trophy

36 entries 21/5/08 SSS 73, CSS 72
Vets Winner: Helen Crichton 39 pts (26)
R/Up Gillian Drury 38 pts bih (27)
Gillies Trophy Winner: Helen Crichton 39 pts (26)
R/Up Margaret MacDonald 38 pts (31)

RLCGA Spring Meeting -- Gleddoch Golf Club

Played 20th May 2008, SSS 73, CSS 74, Entrants 47
Handicap Scratch - 12
Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 80 - 9 = 71
Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle) 81 - 9 = 72
Valerie MacKinnon (Old Ranfurly) 84 -10 = 74
Handicap 13 and above
Vivien Young (Cochrane Castle) 90 - 18 = 72
Anita McMillan (Erskine) 92 - 18 = 74
Maureen Herbert (Old Ranfurly) 95 - 18 = 77 (bih)
Scratch: Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 80

TO READ THE FULL DETAILS GO Renfrewshire Ladies County Website

SLGA announce Scottish Teams

Irish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Elm Park Golf Club, Donnybrook, a few miles south of Dublin, on June 28 and 29.
Jocelyn Carthew (Ladybank)-- Captain
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie),
Clare-Marie Calrton (Fereneze)
Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
Reserves:
1 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm)
2 Claire MacDonald (Gullane Ladies)

St Rule Trophy, Old Course, St Andrews, Sunday, May 25.
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
Laura Murray (Alford).
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle).
Reserves:
1 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie).
2 Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
3 Jocelyn Carthew (Ladybank).

British women's open amateur championship, North Berwick, June 11-15.
Carly Booth (Comrie).
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus).
Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) (capt).
Reserves
1 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
2 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle).
3 Roseanne Niven (Crieff).

May Medal - Kilmacolm Golf Club

Played 15th May 2008, SSS72, CSS 71, 39 entries
Silver:
1. Val Lawrence(17) 72
2. Trish Brown (13) 73
Scratch: Marion Stewart 84
Bronze:
1. Marjorie Mann (23) 70
2. Deb MacFarlane (23) 72

Whitecraigs Ladies Section -- Open Day

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Played 14th MAY 2008, GREENSOMES COMPETITION
124 ladies playing in Whitecraigs Open Day last Wednesday 14th May 2008. No call offs - weather great, course superb and flowers round the club were amazing.

1st:Aileen Anderson and Jean Stevenson (Loudoun Gowf) 70
2nd: Valerie MacKinnon and Alison Moss (Old Ranfurly) 71 (b.i.h)
3rd:Anne Mackellar (Whitecraigs) Flora Cameron (Troon) 71 (last 6)
4th:Lorna Howie (Whitecraigs), Joan Drennan (Ralston) 71

Longest Drive Silver: Leeza Lynn (Bothwell Castle)
Longest Drive Bronze: Anne Byiers (Milngavie)
Nearest the Pin Silver: Phyllis Noble (Whitecraigs)
Nearest the Pin Bronze: Margaret Ramsay (Elderslie)

Thanks go to Alison Finlay (Captain of Whitecraigs GC) FOR THE REPORT AND PHOTOGRAPHS

West of Scotland Girls Team Selected

The West of Scotland Girls Team has been selected for the S.L.G.A Inter Division Matches at Ballumbie Castle Golf Club on Sat and Sun the 7th and 8th of June

The event consists of teams of six girls from North, South, East and West Divisions the format for the weekend will be a round robin format each Division will play each other and the matches will consist of 3 foursomes

The girls representing the West Division are :-

Zoe Differ (Dullatur)
Lauren Meldrum (Dullatur)
Nicola Ferguson (Clober)
Hannah Gaunt (Kilmarnock Barassie)
Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place).
Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle)

Michele Thomson wins the 2008 Scottish Championship at Lossiemouth

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Michele Thomson from Ellon, Aberdeenshire endorsed her Curtis Cup team selection by winning the Scottish women's amateur championship for the first time after an 18-hole final with golf that matched the glorious sunshine at Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth today.

In a final, packed with birdies and played at an old-fashioned pace – 17 holes completed in just over three hours, 20-year-old Michele beat another first-time finalist, Jocelyn Carthew, a 30-year-old Ladybank Golf Club, Fife member, by 2 and 1.

Michele, a +1 player at McDonald Ellon Golf Club, a seasoned international and a full-time amateur who has been playing competitively this year since the Orange Blossom Tour in Florida in January, entered the final as hot favourite to beat Jo, an uncapped one-handicapper who had never progressed past the second round of the national championship before and a player who works for a living.

But Carthew let the big gallery – and her more highly-rated opponent - know she wasn't just there to make up the numbers when she won the first two holes with birdies and then halved the third with her third birdie in a row.

Thomson, the longer-hitter, then rolled up her sleeves and won the next four holes with a par-birdie-birdie-birdie burst that saw her jump from two down to two up.

Carthew came back off the ropes to win the eighth with a great putt for a birdie but turned two down again when Thomson holed a 15ft birdie putt at the ninth.

Out in five-under-par 33 to Carthew's two-under 36 and two holes to the good, Thomson had by no means subdued underdog Jo. The pair of them produced nine birdies between them in a high-class outward half.

Carthew won the 10th with a birdie, lost the 11th to a birdie and then got back to one down again when Thomson had her first bogey of the day.

This was the low point, quality-wise in the match, the 13th being halved in bogeys.

Normal service was resumed with a half in birdie 4s at the long 14th before Thomson regained a two-hole lead when Carthew three-putted.

The writing was on the wall for the elegant Ladybank player then. Two down with three to play, she could only halve the 16th and 17th, leaving Thomson a worthy 2 and 1 winner.

Thomson was five under par at the finish and Carthew two under par … proof that it was a quality final with 13 birdies in all.

Click on the link on the RHS on the Gillian Kirkwood "widget" to read the full report and see a photograph --- The link says --- Jo Carthew plays her part in birdie festival

Junior Open - Haggs Castle Golf Club

The Haggs Castle Golf Club Junior Open will take place on Wednesday 23rd July 2008 under strokeplay conditions. The competition is over 18 holes and is open to entry from BOTH boys and girls --- the Handicap Limit is 28.
To read all the details about the event CLICK HERE

If you would like to enter you can get your entry form HERE

Ranfurly Castle -- MacMillan Cancer Strokeplay

Played 16th May 2008, 28 entries, SSS 73 CSS 72
Scratch Winner Natasha Qayum 77
Silver Winner Natasha Qayum (9) 68, R/Up Mary Craig (11) 72
Bronze Winner Agnes Williamson (22) 69, R/Up Sheila Biggart (22) 72

Medal 4 - Douglas Park Golf Club

Played 16th May 2008, SSS 72, CSS 72, Entrants 73
Silver:
Sheila McFarlane 86 - 17 = 69 After Count-Back
Helen Robertson 81 - 12 = 69
Helen Faulds 74 - 4 = 70
Bronze:
Anne Reid 94 - 29 = 65
Norma Gray 94 - 26 = 68
Hazel Hamilton 94 - 24 = 70
Scratch: Helen Faulds 74

SCOTTISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - KYLIE LOSES IN THE SEMI FINALS

QUARTER-FINALS
JOCELYN CARTHEW (Ladybank) beat SAMMY VASS (Tain) 2 and 1.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) beat Jane Turner (Mortonhall) at 22nd hole.
LAURA MURRAY (Alford) beat CLARE-MARIE CARLTON (Fereneze) 3 and 1.
MICHELE THOMSON (McDonald Ellon) beat LOUISE KENNEY (Pitreavie) 3 and 2.

SEMI-FINALS
Carthew beat Walker 3 and 1.
Thomson beat Murray at 20th.

CLARK ROSEBOWL RESULTS
SEMI-FINALS
H Anderson (Downfield) bt B Murphy (Mortonhall) at 20th.
S Jackson (Ladybank) bt T Laughland (Mortonhall) 2 holes.
FINAL
Jackson beat Anderson 4 and 3.

Report from Colin Farquharson

Jocelyn Carthew has put her home club Ladybank in the golfing spotlight by reaching Saturday morning's (9am) 18-hole final of the Scottish women's amateur championship over the Moray Golf Club Old Course links at Lossiemouth.

Now the 30-year-old Glasgwegian, who lives in Kirkcaldy and works in a stable-construction business in Cupar, will be pulling out all the stops to put her own name in the record books alongside legends like Jessie Valentine by beating 20-year-old Michele Thomson, a full-time amateur golfer from Ellon, Aberdeenshire and one of four Scots in the GB&I team to play the United States in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of the month.

"I'm playing well. I just have to do it one more time. I was two or three under par in beating Kylie Walker in the semi-final, so that kind of form must give me a chance," said Jocelyn, who did not take up golf until the age of 16 even though her dad Oliver was professional at Crow Wood Golf Club.

Although Thomson had to claw her way back from four down after eight holes before prevailing over Aberdeenshire rival Laura Murray (Alford) at the 20th hole in the other semi-final, Michele will start the clear favourite for the title.

Thomson, who lost in the semi-finals last year, is the 10th seed and her opponent was 25th of the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages at Lossiemouth

Long-hitting power player Michele has +1 of a handicap; Jocelyn, a more delicate touch player, has one of a handicap and has never got past the second round of the "Scottish" before. She has never won the Fife county championship and never been picked for Scotland. Michele is a seasoned international who has stepped up to Great Britain & Ireland level.

But Carthew is playing well above her expectations this week.

She started the penultimate day of the 94th national championship by winning 2 and 1 against 16-year-old Sammy Vass (Tain), who claimed the scalp of the No 1 seed, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) in the first round.
Then Carthew beat the No 5 seed, Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) by 3 and 1 to reach the final for the first time.
Kylie Walker had to go to the 22nd hole in morning quarter-finals to take the measure of Craigielaw teenager Jane Turner.
Whether that sapped her energy or not, Kylie birdied the 10th to get back to all square with Jocelyn – and then sagged.
Kylie Walker lost the 11th, 12th and 13th and there was no way back for her after that.
Against Thomson, Laura Murray had a fantastic start. She birdied the first five holes and seven of the first eight holes to be four up and firmly in the driving seat.
"Laura was playing brilliantly at that stage. I just had to make sure I kept my head up and play the best I could to turn the match my way," said Michele.

And turn her way it did. She won the ninth with a par, the 11th with a birdie, the 16th with a par and the 17th with a par. Murray's flow of birdies had dried up just when she needed some more.
But Laura did stage wonderful 40yd bunker shot under severe pressure to halve the 18th in bogeys but her luck ran out when she was in another bunker off the tee at the 20th and ran up a bogey 6 which ended her best ever run in the championship.
"Pity my father is in Dubai and can't make it time. He has helped me so much to get me where I am," said Michele.
"But there's still a hard match in the final to come. So I'm not counting my chickens yet."
There was an encouraging omen for Jocelyn Carthew, when Ladybank clubmate, 18-year-old Susan Jackson won the championship's No 2 competition, the Clark Rosebowl. She beat senior player Heather Anderson (Downfield) by 4 and 3 in the final after being three up on the eighth tee.

Thanks go to Gillian Kirkwood and Colin Farquharson for this report