Sunday 6 May 2012

Eilidh Briggs retains the West of Scotland Championship

Eilidh Briggs - The 2012 West of Scotland Champion


Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) retained the West of Scotland Championship played over Renfrew Golf Club today. Her morning round of 75 1 over the SSS 74 was followed by an excellent 2 under par 72 to take the title again.
She won the title from Carol Whyte by 8 shots. Carol was the winner of the best net score of the day on 145.
The Senior team award was won by: Renfrewshire - 3 scores to count -- Eilidh Briggs, Donna Jackson and Gillian Kyle.
May Hughes (Lanark) had an eagle 2 at the 1st hole of the afternoon round when she slotted her ball into the hole with a 7 wood

Renfrewshire : 475
Lanarkshire : 501
D&A : 506
Ayrshire only 2 nomininated players - one withdrawn

The Junior team award (Net Score) was won by : Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire : 319 Alexandra Qayum and Linsey Stevenson
Lanarkshire : 321 Ellie Bryce and Eva O'Conner

Leading Scores
SSS 74, Par 74, CSS 75 (Round 1) CSS 74 (Round 2)

147 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 75, 72 --- (Renfrewshire)
155 Carol Whyte (Windyhill) 78, 77 --- (Renfrewshire)
157 Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) 78,79 -- (Lanarkshire)
158 Donna Jackson (Cochrane Castle) 79, 79 ---( Renfrewshire)
161 Jenny Linklater (Largs) 82,79 -- (Ayrshire )
161 Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood) 78, 83 (Renfrewshire)
162 Susan McGrenaghan (Mount Ellen) 82, 80 (Lanarkshire)
163 Nichola Ferguson ( Milngavie) 90, 73 (D&A)
167 Emma Hale (Troon Ladies) 83, 84 (Ayrshire)
169 Laura McGeachy (Windyhill) 82, 87 (D&A )
170 Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) 92 , 78 (Renfrewshire)
170 Linsey Stevenson (Elie and Earlsferry ) 83, 87 (Renfrewshire )

To see the Gross Aggregate Scores -- CLICK HERE
To see all the Net Aggregate Scores -- CLICK HERE
To get your Handicap Exchange Letter -- CLICK HERE

(If I have your CDH number there will not be a Handicap Exchange Letter) TO SEE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE DAY -- CLICK HERE

MEGAN AND ALYSON SHARE 18th SPOT IN WALES

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com


Welsh champion and Curtis Cup reserve Becky Harries produced arguably the best round of her life just when she needed it most to win the prestigious Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play championship over the Ashburnham links on the South Wales coast today.
Starting the final day four shots behind overnight leader Chloe Williams (Wrexham) and in joint fifth place, the 23-year-old from the Haverfordwest club stormed round in five-under-par 69 for a final total of two-under-par 220.

Top Scot for the second weekend in a row was Laura Murray (Alford). Joint third last week at Troon, Laura finished ninth at Ashburnham with scores of 79-77-74.
The big hitting winner of the St Rule Trophy two years ago (when she beat Amy Boulden in a play-off), Laura had an eagle at the fifth and birdies at the third and 17th.
Four late bogeys - at the 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th - cost Murray a top five or six placing.
Second best Scot was Carnoustie teenager Jessica Meek in 11th place on 233 with scores of 78-75-80.
Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and former Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) also failed to break 80 in the final round but made the final top 2-20.
Alyson scored 77-81-80 for 238, the same aggregate as Megan with scores of 77-78-83. They were joint 18th.
Curtis Cup team selection Charley Hull (Woburn) did not defend the title.

THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 222 (3x74)
220 Becky Harries (Haverford West) 76 75 69.
222 Chloe Williams (Wrexham) 74 73 75
224 Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) 80 70 74.
225 Amy Boulden (Conwy) 78 75 72.
226 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 76 74 76, Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham) 73 75 78.
227 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 75 78 75.
229 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 77 74 78.
230 Laura Murray (Alford) 79 77 74
231 Katherine O'Connor (Tadmnarton Heath) 74 78 69.
233 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie) 78 75 80.
234 Rachel Drummond (Beaconsfield) 77 81 76, Lauren Hillier (Newport) 79 75 80, Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 75 77 82
235 Helen Searle (Huddersfield) 83 76 76, Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) 78 76 81
237 Katerina Slukova (Czech Rep) 80 81 76.
238 Stacey Rodger (West Hove) 79 83 74, Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) 81 79 78, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 77 81 80, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 77 78 83.
239 Lucy Gould (Bargoed) 85 79 75, Rachel Goodall (Heswall) 82 78 79.
240 Sophie Madden (West Essex) 80 78 82.
Other Scot
244 Clara Young (North Berwick) 77 84 83.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAMELA

All in the West of Scotland wish Pamela Pretswell a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY today and every success in the 2012 Curtis Cup in Nairn next month. This is a short video with SLGA'S Isabel Crawford at the County Jamboree at Kilmacolm in 2010


 

Strictly Come Dancing

Scottish golfers Carly Booth (Winner of the Scottish Open at Archerfield) and Lynn Kenny swap their golf clubs for dancing shoes at they are taught some moves by Strictly Come Dancing's Brendan Cole, ahead of all three playing in the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.

Perhaps Dancing is good for your golf !!

Saturday 5 May 2012

Welsh Open - West of Scotland's Megan Briggs and Alyson McKechin are both playing

Carnoustie teenager Jessica Meek is the leading Scot after two rounds of the Welsh women's open amateur championship at Ashburnham GC on the South Wales coast.
Jessica shot rounds of 78 and 75 for a tally of five-over-par 153 over the par-74 course to be sharing ninth place with Amy Boulden (Conwy), the Welsh Curtis Cup player who won last weekend's Helen Holm Scottish stroke-play title at Troon.
Former Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) will start Sunday's final round in 14th place after scores of 77 and 78 for 155 - one shot ahead of Alford's Laura Murray (79-77).
Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) scored 77-81 for a share of 19th place on 158.
Bringing up the rear for the Scots were Rachel Walker (Dumfries&County) (79-82) and Clara Young (North Berwick) (77-84) on 161.
Leading the field is Welsh Junior Vagliano Trophy player Chloe Williams (Wrexham) with scores of 74 and 73 for 147.

SECOND-ROUND LEADING TOTALS
Par 148 (2x74)
147 Chloe Williams (Wrexham) 74 73
148 Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham) 73 75.
150 Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) 80 70, Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 76 74.
151 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 77 74, Becky Harries (Haverfordwest) 76 75.
152 Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 75 77, Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton Heath) 74 78.
153 Amy Boulden (Conwy) 78 75, Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 75 78, Jessica Meek (Carnoustie) 78 75.
154 Lauren Hillier (Newport) 79 75, Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) 78 76.
OTHER SCOTS SCORES
155 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 77 78 (14th)
156 Laura Murray (Alford) 79 77 (T15)
158 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 77 81 (T19)
161 Rachel Walker (Dumfries&Co) 79 82, Clara Young (North Berwick) 77 84

CARLY BOOTH WINS THE LADIES SCOTTISH OPEN

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager
Perthshire teenager Carly Booth pulled away from a jammed leader board to win the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open presented by EventScotland on a glorious final day at Archerfield Links in East Lothian.
The 19-year-old from Comrie fired rounds of 70, 71 and 71 to end on a total of four under par 212, having played through near-freezing conditions earlier in the week. She ended a stroke clear of England’s Florentyna Parker and Australian Frances Bondad.
Parker had a chance to force a play-off with a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole but missed it. Booth secured her par and with it, her maiden Ladies European Tour victory.
“I’m still 19 and I’ve just won my first Ladies European Tour event so I’m just happy,” said Booth. “It would especially make my day if Liverpool win!”
Booth came into the round tied for the lead with Parker and Stacy Lee Bregman and played the front nine in level par with two birdies against two bogeys.
She took the outright lead with a birdie at the 11th but Parker birdied the 12th to catch her, before an unexpected swing at the par-four 16th.
Booth rescued a fantastic par after driving the ball into the rough right of the fairway but followed with a skilful 30 yard pitch-and-run shot to within five feet of the flag and holed it.
Parker, meanwhile, who had split the fairway with her drive and played her second to the green, rushed her first putt past the hole and missed the return resulting in a dropped shot.
It was then Booth’s to lose and she made another great save at the 17th before making par from out of a bunker short of the green at the last.
“It was only about two feet and I only just got it in the hole. I must have just felt the nerves there. I was fine all the way up until that putt, put it that way. I just didn’t feel anything until I holed that putt because I realised, ‘This is it!’
“It stopped at least for a second and I thought it was going to come up short. It was like the longest two foot putt I’ve ever had to hole,” Booth said.
Barry Hume, who effectively retired from playing on the men’s European Tour recently, was on caddie duties for the second successive year at the event and predicted that the 19-year-old would be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
“She’s barely scratched the surface of her potential. I think this will be the first of many wins,” Hume said.
After narrowly missing out on finishing in the top 30 places at Ladies European Tour Qualifying School for the 2012 season, Booth had received an invitation to play in the tournament from her sponsor, Aberdeen Asset Management.
She will now receive a full winner’s exemption to play on the Ladies European Tour until the end of 2014 and has also stamped her place at the lucrative Evian Masters tournament in July, the Ricoh Women’s British Open taking place at Royal Liverpool in September and the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open next year.
Destined for stardom from a young age (she had a handicap of 20 when she was only seven years old), the precocious teen was the youngest ever club champion in Britain at the age of 11 at Dunblane New and number one junior in Europe in 2007, the same year she lifted the Scottish Under-18 and Under-21 titles.
In 2008, she was the youngest ever player to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at St Andrews.
After one of her early defeats, her father, Wally, built a huge practice bunker on the 15-hole golf course in their Perthshire garden and she said that it had proved useful, as she had faced four of the most difficult bunker shots of her career during the week at Archerfield Links.
As a professional, she was one of the youngest players ever to join the Ladies European Tour when she joined aged 17 in January 2010 and having struggled in her early career, a breakout moment came a fortnight ago with her maiden professional win at the Dinard Ladies Open on the LET Access Series in France, which gave her the belief needed to push through her first win on the top-flight tour.
While Booth was all smiles, England’s Trish Johnson, who ended in three-way share of fourth place on two under with Australian Stacey Keating and Melissa Reid, was still smarting from what could have been her 22nd career victory.
Johnson had a chance to steal the limelight as she was seven under par for the day after 11 holes, but came unstuck on the back nine.
At the 14th, she hit a flyer into a gorse bush over the back of the green and had to take a penalty drop. Despite escaping with a bogey, she then dropped shots at the 16th and 18th holes, ending her chances.
She was playing with the 2011 event champion Catriona Matthew, who ended in a share of 20th position and felt that she played well, but had too many loose shots over the first two days to launch a fight back.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
212 Carly Booth (SCO) 70 71 71
213 Florentyna Parker (ENG) 72 69 72, Frances Bondad (AUS) 71 75 67
214 Trish Johnson (ENG) 71 75 68, Stacey Keating (AUS) 73 72 69, Melissa Reid (ENG) 70 74 70
215 Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA) 73 72 70
216 Becky Morgan (WAL) 74 70 72, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 72 75 69
217 Diana Luna (ITA) 70 73 74, Kylie Walker (SCO) 74 74 69, Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) 71 76 70, Virginie Lagoutte-clement (FRA) 74 74 69, Lee-Anne Pace (SAF) 70 74 73
218 Caroline Masson (GER) 74 73 71, Kiran Matharu (ENG) 73 75 70, Sarah Kemp (AUS) 69 76 73, Karen Lunn (AUS) 74 71 73, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 67 76 75
219 Margherita Rigon (ITA) 75 71 73, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 74 74 71, Catriona Matthew (SCO) 74 72 73, Stacy Lee Bregman (ZAF) 71 70 78
220 Carin Koch (SWE) 77 72 71, Tania Elosegui (ESP) 76 72 72, Georgina Simpson (ENG) 73 76 71, Giulia Sergas (ITA) 75 73 72, Felicity Johnson (ENG) 74 71 75, Tara Davies (WAL) 70 72 78, Vikki Laing (SCO) 76 72 72, Elizabeth Bennett (ENG) 73 71 76
221 Louise Larsson (SWE) 76 72 73, Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 71 75 75, Bree Arthur (AUS) 73 75 73, Sophie Walker (ENG) 76 72 73, Louise Stahle (SWE) 76 73 72, Nikki Garrett (AUS) 74 73 74
222 Hannah Jun (USA) 69 79 74
223 Lynn Kenny (SCO) 70 77 76, Lucie Andre (FRA) 75 75 73, Caroline Afonso (FRA) 72 76 75, Danielle Montgomery (ENG) 74 74 75, Helen Alfredsson (SWE) 70 75 78
224 Laura Davies (ENG) 74 70 80, Rebecca Codd (IRL) 70 75 79, Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 73 72 79, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 72 76 76, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 74 74 76
225 Rachel Jennings (ENG) 73 75 77
226 Heather MacRae (SCO) 72 75 79
228 Lindsey Wright (AUS) 75 75 78

Friday 4 May 2012

WEST OF SCOTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP - STARTING TIMES


The West of Scotland Championships are being held at Renfrew Golf Club on Sunday 6th May . Here is a list of the all the starting times
TIME
NAME
CLUB 
8.37/1.37
Eilidh Briggs
Kilmacolm
Patricia Davidson 
  n   Erskine
8.45/1.45
Liz Stewart
          Greenburn
Nichola Fergusson
           Clober
8.52/1.52
Linsey Stevenson                                                     
           Elie & Earlsferry
Ruth Rankin
          Lanark
Jenny Linklater
           Largs
9.00/2.00
Donna Jackson
         Cochrane Castle
Gillian Kyle 
          East Renfrewshire
Emma Hale
          Troon Ladies
9.07/2.07
Carol Whyte
             Windyhill
Mhairi McKay
             West Kilbride
Lesley Lloyd
              Hayston
9.15/2.15
Laura McGeachy
                Windyhill
Denise Cowan
               Ranfurly Castle
Lorraine Campbell
               Cardross
9.22/2.22
Angela Devine
               Hamilton
Susan McGrenaghan
                Mount Ellen
Gillian Arnott
                 Largs
9.30/2.30
Lorraine Morrow
            Eastwood
Hazel McGarvie
            Troon Ladies
May Hughes
             Lanark
9.37/2.37
Eva O’Connor
             Bothwell Castle
Iona Stephen
             Ranfurly Castle
Lindsey Mathie
             Windyhill
9.45/2.45
Alexandra Qayum
              Ranfurly Castle
Ellie Bryce
              Strathaven
Paula McArthur
              Cathkin Braes
CLICK HERE TO GET THE STARTING SHEET

LIVE SCORING FROM ARCHERFIELD




Live scoring from Archerfield -


The 2012 Scottish Open - CLICK HERE

Gillian Hendry has a Hole in one at Douglas Park

At the Coronation Foursomes at Douglas Park Golf Club this morning Past Captain Gillian Hendry had a hole in one at the 17th Hole.

She hit an excellent 8 iron into the green and as you see was delighted to retrieve her ball out of the hole.

This is Gillian's 2nd Hole in One.

 Thanks go to Maggie Rutherford for the photo.



Thursday 3 May 2012

CURTIS CUP CENTENARIAN PHYL WYLIE HAS HAD A FALL


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Hopes that Troon-based centenarian Phyllis Wylie, the oldest surviving Curtis Cup player on either side of the Atlantic, would be well enough to be taken on even a day trip to Nairn during the week of the June 8-10 match against the United States have receded.
Essex-born Phyl (Wade) Wylie, whose husband, a Scot, Surgeon-Capt J L Wylie, died many years ago, lives in a big house opposite the 17th hole at Royal Troon Golf Club. She had a fall recently and is now in hospital.
Ladies Golf Union chief executive and herself a Troon resident, Shona Malcolm said:
"While we would love to have Phyl with us in Nairn, it seems unlikely that she'll be able to make the trip. She is currently in the Biggart Hospital in Prestwick, convalescing after a recent fall in her home.
"She is, however, extremely interested in what's going on and I know some of the ladies from her golf club in Troon were taking her Curtis Cup badges and golf results from last weekend's Helen Holm tournament. Everyone involved in the Curtis Cup wishes Phyl a speedy recovery."
As Phyl Wade she was English champion in 1934 and played in the six-a-side Curtis Cup match of 1938 at Essex County Club, near Boston, Massachusetts - the home club of the Curtis sisters who donated the trophy.
Phyl's GB&I team-mates were Jessie Anderson (Valentine), Helen Holm, Nan Baird, Elsie Corlett and Claire Tiernan.
GB&I led 2 1/2-1/2 at the end of the first day but lost five of the six singles on the secodn day and the Americans, whose team included names such as Patty Berg and Glenna Collett Vare, won 5 1/2-3 1/2.
Phyl was married in 1939 and she and her husband set up home at Stewarton, Ayrshire.
Phyl became a member of Troon Ladies and the Ayrshire women's county team for many post-war years. She won the county title in 1954, beating Helen Holm in the final. Mrs Wylie  has been captain and present of the country over the years and is an honorary member of Troon Ladies and her original club, Parkstone, near Bournemouth.
Phyl was a guest of honour at St Andrews during the 2008 match played over the Old Course and met up with other past Curtis Cup players - of a different vintage - to have lunch in the R&A clubhouse. Her biggest thrill was holding the Curtis Cup trophy after all these years (that's the picture above).
She will celebrate her 101st birthday in August. Last year the Troon Ladies club put on a special 100th birthday party for her in the clubhouse.
+Make it your good deed for the day: Why not sent Phyl a "Get Well" card at Biggart Hospital? I'm sure she would be pleased that people still remember her.
The postal address is: Biggart Hospital, 1 Biggart Road, Prestwick, Ayrshire KA9 2HQ

Wednesday 2 May 2012

RENFREWSHIRE COUNTY FOURSOMES OVER ELDERSLIE

Fiona Roger and Carol Fell - Best Net Score of the day
The Inter County Foursomes qualifier was played today over Elderslie Golf Course. The day started very cold day but as the day progressed turned out to be a beautiful day

Liz Stewart and Donna Jackson - Best Scratch Score

County Team players Liz Stewart and Donna Jackson had the best score of the day with a 76 (4 over the par 72 ).


Anne Judge and Sally Smyth - Runners Up 

Fiona Roger and Carol Fell (Ranfurly Castle) -- were the next best with an 82 by virtue of the better inward half from Anne Judge and Sally Smyth (Ranfurly Castle) -- both pictured above courtesy of Freda Tuck


Fiona and Carol had the overall best net score of the day -- 70.5 to be the winners of today's event -- Unfortunately they are both disappointed that they are unavailable to progress to either the Inter County Finals at Hamilton due to Curtis Cup Commitments or the Commonwealth Spoon finals due to another engagement in September.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE GROSS SCORES
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE NET SCORES


RENFREWSHIRE LADIES COUNTY GOLF ASSOCIATION - COUNTY FOURSOMES PLAYED OVER ELDERSLIE 2nd May 2012 -- ENTRANTS: 41 couples 

Scratch:
1st: Liz Stewart (2) and Donna Jackson (3) Greenburn/Cochrane Castle 76
2nd: Carol Fell (10) and Fiona Roger (13) Ranfurly Castle 82 acb
3rd: Anne Judge (8) and Sally Smyth (13) Ranfurly Castle 82

Handicap :
1st: Carol Fell (10) and Fiona Roger (13) Ranfurly Castle 82 11.5 70.5
2nd: Anne Judge (8) and Sally Smyth (13) Ranfurly Castle 82 10.5 71.5
3rd: Morag Key (10) and Anita McMillan (16) Ralston / Erskine 86 13 73 acb

 The following qualify to play (that are available) in the Inter County Foursomes Finals on 11th June 2012 at Hamilton.

Scratch Finalists :
1. L Stewart (2) and D Jackson (3) Greenburn/Cochrane Castle 76
2. A Judge (8) and S Smyth (13) Ranfurly Castle 82
3. N Henderson (5) and J Mack (6) Haggs Castle 83

Handicap Finalists:
1. M Key (10) and A McMillan (16) Ralston / Erskine 86 – 13 – 73 acb
2. L Snodgrass (19) and J Irvine (20) Ranfurly Castle 93 – 20 - 73
3. L Wilson (13) and M Robin (21) Elderslie 92 – 17 – 75 acb

 The following qualify to play (that are available) in the Commonwealth Spoons on 13th September 2012 at Powfoot .

1. A Judge (8) and S Smyth (13) Ranfurly Castle 82 – 10.5 – 71.5
2. M Key (10) and A McMillan (16) Ralston / Erskine 86 – 13 – 73 acb
3. L Snodgrass (19) and J Irvine (20) Ranfurly Castle 93 – 20 - 73 
4. L Stewart (2) and D Jackson (3) Greenburn/Cochrane Castle 76 – 2.5 – 73.5

Sunday 29 April 2012

Renfrewshire County Medal over Ranfurly Castle

Carol Whyte (Windyhill)
Carol Whyte (Windyhill ) was the over all winner of the Renfrewshire April County Medal played over Ranfurly Castle today
In exceedingly testing conditions with a strong cold east wind, difficult pin positions and fast greens all the field found it to be a bit of a struggle !

Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood)

Carol, was the only player to break 80 and her score of 79 was the best gross score and her 74 playing off a handicap of 5 was the best net score of the day. She had the best gross score by 4 shots from Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood Golf Club) who had an 83.


Iona Stephen (Ranfurly Castle) and Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood) had the next best net scores with 76's


Agnes Williamson (Ranfurly Castle)

Agnes Williamson was the winner of the handicap 13 and upwards group with a net 77 playing off a handicap of 19

Scratch : Carol Whyte (Windyhill) 79

Scratch - 12 handicap
Carol Whyte (Windyhill ) 79 (5) 74
Iona Stephen (Ranfurly Castle ) 86 (10) 76 bih
Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood) 86 (7) 76
13 - 24 handicap 
Agnes Williamson (Ranfurly Castle) 96 (19) 77
Elaine Robb (Windyhill ) 91 (13) 78
Brenda Conway (Renfrew) 101(21) 80

SSS 73, PAR 74,CSS 76 Reduction Only



AMY BOULDEN STAGES SMASH AND GRAB VICTORY TO WIN HELEN HOLM TITLE AT TROON

Report from Colin Farquharson
 Welsh teenager Amy Boulden gave herself a huge boost in the build-up to her debut Curtis Cup appearance by staging a smash and grab run over the last few holes to score the biggest win yet of her golfing career - the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon.
At seven under par with only four holes to play into a blustery and very chilly North-east wind over the Royal Troon championship links, 18-year-old Amy from Llandudo was trailing French teenager Perrine Delacour (nine under par) and toppled leader Pamela Pretswell (eight under par).
The club pro's daughter Amy birdied the long 15th, the long 16th and the short 17th to leapfrog into the lead at 10 under par. Even then the drama was not over. Boulden was on the green in two shots at the par-4 last but left her approach shot five feet short. So too did Delacour but the Parisienne holed her six-footer for a closing par 4 and a round of one-under-par 74. Final total 216 (nine under par). That put the pressure back on to Boulden. She needed to hole her five-footer for a 73 and a total fo 215 to win by a shot - and avoid a play-off. Up stepped Amy, who has the looks and the dress sense of a fashion model, to show that she has golfing guts as well. She rammed the putt in confidently. "The funny thing is that I didn't hit the ball all that well with the wind at my back on the outward nine and I missed a few short putts. But suddenly it call came together over the last four holes ... three birdies and a pressure putt holed for a par and victory," said Amy. "All that Curtis Cup practice up at the Nairn links paid off in the end."
Pamela Pretswell, leader by one shot overnight, shot four shots clear of the field with a brilliant birdie-eagle start but the Postage Stamp short eighth hole, only 118 yards long, added up to a lot of grief for Boulden's Curtis Cup team-mate from Hamilton. "I was in the worst possible place to be at this hole ... bunkered on the left on the green. I had nowhere to go. And it cost me a double bogey 5 in the end," said Pamela. By the 13th hole, Pretswell, bidding to become the first Scot to win the prestigious title since Heather Stirling in 2002, had lost her lead to Perrine Delacour, the French teenager who won the British girls open amateur title two years ago. Delacour birdied the 11th and eagled the 12th to surge first level then past Pretswell. But she could not shake off Boulden who came with that strong run on the rails down the home straight to beat the French favourite. France won the team title and runner-up Delacour won the Under-18s trophy. Alford's Laura Murray actually outscored winner Boulden over the last round but she had too much ground to make up and her three-under-par closing effort of 72 for 218 left her tied for third place with Pretswell. Laura never missed a fairway all day - some going into such a cold and blustery wind - and this was her best performance since she won the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews two years ago ... beating a certain Amy Boulden in a play-off.

  FINAL TOTALS First two rounds Troon Portland, Third round Royal Troon Par 225 (3x75) CSS 77 77 78
215 Amy Boulden (Conwy) 70 72 73
216 Perrine Delacour (France) 70 72 74
218 Laura Murray (Alford) 74 72 72, Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 71 70 77
220 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 68 75 77, Celine Boutier (France) 71 72 77, Rachael Goodall (Heswall) 68 74 78
222 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 73 73 76 224 Emelie Lundstrom (Sweden) 72 75 77, Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest) 73 73 78, Becky Harries (Haverfordwest) 73 71 80
225 Natalie Lowe (Styal) 81 72 72, Charlotte Thompson (Channels) 71 81 73, Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham) 76 75 74, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) 73 76 76, Chloe Ryan (Castleroy) 76 73 76 226 Bronte Law (Bramhall) 72 77 77, Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 73 76 77, Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 72 76 78
227 Jessica Carty (Holywood) 72 78 77 228 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 77 74 77
229 Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 74 79 76, Olivia Winning (Rotherham) 75 78 76, Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 77 75 77, Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 80 72 77, Daisy Dyer (Chigwell) 76 73 80 230 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 72 79 79, Johanna Bjork (Sweden) 75 71 84
232 Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 76 76 80, Sara Garbutt (Ganton) 78 74 80, Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 78 74 80, Rachael Taylor (Germany) 72 76 84
233 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) 71 85 77, Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 77 78 78
234 Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) 78 79 77, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 78 78 78, Brogan Townend (Pleasington) 76 79 79, Rachael Drummond (Beaconsfield) 76 79 79
235 Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) 73 81 81, Leslie Cloots (Belgium) 75 75 85
236 Clara Young (North Berwick) 81 78 77, Emma Broze (France) 74 79 83.
237 Sarah-Jane Boyd (Truro) 81 77 79, Ariane Provot (France) 80 77 80, Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 78 78 81, Louise Mernagh (Woodbridge) 79 77 81, Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) 79 75 83, Sophie Powell (Manchester) 78 74 80
238 Gill Nutter (Formby Ladies) 79 80 79, Anna Appert Lund (Sweden) 78 80 80, Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 79 78 81, Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 80 76 82, Shelby Smart (Knowle) 77 78 83
239 Charlotte Wild (Mere) 78 76 85, Elodie Bridenne (France) 80 73 86, Marthe Wold (Norway) 73 79 87
240 Katerina Slukova (Czech Rep) 75 84 81, Bronwyn Davies (Trentham) 78 81 81, Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 73 83 84, Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton Heath) 79 75 86
241 Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) 79 80 82, Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 75 83 83, Nicole Whitmore (Woburn) 77 79 85, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 76 76 89
242 Ellie Robinson (Wilton) 79 80 83, Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) 83 75 84, Nastja Banovec (Slovenia) 72 77 93.
243 Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) 77 82 84, Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) 76 80 87.
246 Alexandra Moisand (France) 74 82 90.

INTERNATIONAL TEAM EVENT

 436 FRANCE (Perrine Delacour 216, Celine Boutier 220).
439 WALES (Amy Boulden 215, Becky Harries 224)
440 SCOTLAND (Pamela Pretswell 218, Kelsey MacDonald 222).
449 IRELAND (Leona Maguire 220, Gillian O'Leary 229)
452 ENGLAND (Holly Clyburn 226, Bronte Law 226).

UNDER-18 TROPHY - Perrine Delacour (France)