Thursday 14 June 2012

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM THE CURTIS CUP

Renfrewshire County Ambassador Carol Fell and Curtis Cup Captain Tegwen Mathews
Some Curtis Cup Photographs by Carol Fell (Renfrewshire County Ambassador):--- Click on the Links

Curtis Cup Opening Ceremony Photographs
Day 1 Curtis Cup Photographs
Day 2 Curtis Cup Photographs
Day 3 Curtis Cup Photographs

Videos from the Curtis Cup at Nairn

Wednesday 13 June 2012

GLASGOW GOLF CENTRE -- HAVE A GO ON WEDNESDAY 20th JUNE

The Practice Chipping and putting Area
The new Glasgow Golf Centre is now open.

Definitely worth a visit on Wednesday 20th June to try out the Short Game and Bunker area, putting green, driving range, private studios , GC2 Launch Monitor technology and a cafe for drinks and snacks.

Read more at the Indoor Academies Website

Limited Tickets available so ladies must get in touch to let us know they intend to come along.  The night will consist of: Light nibbles on arrival. 


Range of Ladies Golfwear on sale. Fun competitions including Putting, Chipping and Nearest the Pin, Raffle etc (118yard shot). 
All facilities will be available for use to try out. (Trainers or clean soft spikes for the range please).

Tickets £5, All ladies welcome! 
Any ladies interested, call the reception on 01414298622 or Karyn on 07720442492.

Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart win the Inter County Foursomes at Hamilton

Liz Stewart and Donna Jackson
The West Ladies Inter-County Foursomes Final was held on Monday at Hamilton Golf Club. The rain stopped in time for the start of the competition and the competitors enjoyed the course which was in good condition.
Scratch prizewinners (left to right): Catherine Malcolm, Debbie Watt, Liz Stewart, Donna Jackson, Lesley Lloyd and Fiona Scott

Results:
Scratch
1. Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart (Renfrewshire) 75
2. Lesley LLoyd and Fiona Scott (Lanarkshire) 82 bih
3. Catherine Malcolm and Debbie Watt (Ayrshire) 82

Handicap prizewinners (left to right): Lillias Snodgrass, Jean Irvine, Margaret Miller, Jill West, Margaret McGregor and June Kerr.
Handicap
1. Margaret McGregor and June Kerr (Ayrshire) 93 (15.5) 77.5
2. Margaret Miller and Jill West (Ayrshire) 95 (16.5) 78.5
3. Lilias Snodgrass and Jean Irvine ( Renfrewshire) 101 (20) 81

 Thanks go to Lanarkshire's Jean MacIntyre for the photos and results

Sunday 10 June 2012

GB&I WIN THE CURTIS CUP

GB&I Curtis Cup Winners
Great Britain and Ireland staged a brilliant last-day surge to win back the Curtis Cup at The Nairn Golf Club today. They finished victors by 10 1/2pt to 8 1/2.
Trailing by 1pt going into the final set of eighth singles, captain Tegwen Matthews' team notched individual wins by Kelly Tidy, who was three down after six holes, 
Amy Boulden, Holly Clyburn, Charley Hull and the clincher from Stephanie Meadow.
The last time GB and I beat the Americans was at Killarney in 1996. The US were bidding to win the Curtis Cup for an eighth straight occasion in the biennial fixture.
This is believed to be the first time since 1956 that the United States have lost a Curtis Cup match after leading into the final set of singles.
The Ryder Cup, Walker Cup, Solheim Cup and now the Curtis Cup all now rest on this side of the Atlantic.
English amateur champion Kelly Tidy came back from three down after six to put the first point of final day on the board at around 1pm.
The English champion's 2 and 1 victory over Austin Ernst in the lead-off singles squared the match overall at 6 1/2pt each.
GB and I's overall points total rose to 8 1/2 with wins by Holly Clyburn (3 and 2 over Erica Popson) and Amy Boulden (3 and 1 over Emily Tubert).
The United States advanced their overnight points total of 6 1/2 by one with Lisa McCloskey beat Scotland's Pamela Pretswell 4 and 3.
Charley Hull played sub-par golf to beat Lindy Duncan 5 and 3 - GB and I now on 9 1/2pt to United States' 7 1/2
The Americans' total moved up to 8 1/2 with Brooke Pancake registering a 6 and 5 win over Leona Maguire in the eighth singles.
Stephanie Meadow produced the clinching point by beating Amy Anderson 4 and 2. Stephanie's figures of four under par were the best of the day, surpassing Charley Hull#s earlier three-under-par effort.
The Olympic Torch (unlit) was on the first tee. Perhaps it lit the flame of fighting spirit among Tegwen's Troopers.
It was a dull, overcast morning, no sunshine but no rain and relatively no wind.

Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report
Photos and videos will follow in a few days !!

Cathkin Braes Pauline Warlaw wins the Gourlay Trophy at Carnoustie

LOCAL TEENAGER JESSICA TAMES CARNOUSTIE

Carnoustie teenager Jessica Meek produced an outstanding round of 73 (seven under the CSS) to win the premier scratch award, the Carnoustie Rosebowl, in the Northern Ladies Open over the Carnoustie championship links on Saturday.
Jessica, a Carnoustie Ladies GC member, finished five shots ahead of runner-up Shonagh Raitt (Forfar) with Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) and Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir), the only other players to broke 80, joint third.
Pauline Warlow (Cathkin Braes) won the Gourlay Trophy for the best net round of 74 off nine.

NORTHERN LADIES OPEN
Carnoustie championship course
CSS 80
LEADING SCRATCH
73 J Meek (Carnoustie Ladies)
78 S Raitt (Forfar)
79 J Sneddon (Alyth), A Ramsay (Kirriemuir).
80 L Terry (Cruden Bay).
82 S Arbuckle (Ladies Panmure Barry)
83 K Sutherland (Royal Montrose), I Stephen (Ranfurly Castle), P Warlow (Cathkin Braes).
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 - L Terry (Cruden Bay) (6) 74; I Stephen (Ranfurly Castle) (7) 76; S Arbuckle (Ladies Panmure Barry) (4) 78; K Stalker (Cruden Bay) (7) 79.
Class 2 - S Reid (Renfrew) (12) 75; K Sneddon (Kilmarnock Barassie) (11) 79; A Lloyd (Hayston) (12) 80; L Morris (Nottingham) (14) 81.
Class 3 - A Edgar (Kilmarnock Barassie) (15) 79; G Thomson (Glencose) (16) 80; F McMillan (Stirling) (15), D Lawson (Merchants of Edinburgh) (18) 81.

Thursday 7 June 2012

Pamela Pretswell -- Pre Curtis Cup Interview

Pre Curtis Cup Interview
Some of the Curtis Cup team were interviewed this afternoon and I took the chance of wishing Pamela Pretswell the best of luck over the weekend from all in the West of Scotland

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Scottish Disability Golf ----Three Free Golf Swing Clinics

On Sunday 22 July at the Palacerigg Golf Range Cumbernauld & Sunday 5 & Monday 6 August at Wellsgreen Golf Academy near Kirkcaldy.

Anyone of any age, with a disability or serious health problem, that interferes with playing or
learning about golf, and their coaches/carers, are invited to participate in our FREE First Swing
Clinics.

The First Swing Clinics, where golf lessons, tuition, catering and use of practice facilities are
provided FREE OF CHARGE, for beginners, novices and established golfers,  will run on the above dates and participants can come along for one, two, or all three days.  

Stevie Cunningham, the SDGP Chair said, "We have lots of these Clinics each year and the last one at the beginning of the season had over 100 participants, so they are very popular and beneficial to our youngsters and beginners.  Fingers crossed for good weather?"

Full details and other related information can be found at the SDGP's website at www.sdgp.co.uk

The SDGP is governed and operated by disabled people and is the only group in Scotland which actively encourages and involves anyone of any age, with a disability, serious health problem or mobility issue who wishes to play golf. This includes amputees, the blind, the deaf, those with learning difficulties, downs syndrome, stroke and heart attack victims, wheelchair users and anyone with other similar issues. 

Tuesday 5 June 2012

CURTIS CUP CAKES !!!



The GB and I and team USA have a shot at icing cupcakes for sale at the Jubilee street party at Nairn golf club at the Curtis Cup

Sunday 3 June 2012

The GB&I CURTIS CUP TEAM HAS ARRIVED AT NAIRN

Laura Murray wins the double- The Scottish Championship and the St Rule

Megan Briggs and Laura Murray
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Alford's Laura Murray has become only the fourth player to pull off the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship and St Rule Trophy winning double in the season.
The 23-year-old did it impressive style winning the prestigious 54-hole St Andrews tournament for the second time in three years this evening.
In 2010 she had to go to a play-off which she won against Curtis Cup selection Amy Boulden.
This weekend, Laura won it a bit more easily - by two shots in the end from Emma Goddard (Royal Liverpool) with scores of 73 over the New Course on Saturday and 74-73 over the Old Course today (Sunday) for a seven-under-par total of 220.
Murray shared the lead after Saturday's round but forged two shots clear with her first circuit of the Old Course and when she used her long-hitting powers to birdie the par-5 second, fourth and fifth in her final round the title was hers to lose.
She did bogey the fifth but and eagle 3 at the 13th allowed her to bogey the treacherous 17th, the Road Hole, and still win with something in hand.
The last Scottish champion to win the St Rule Trophy three weeks after her national triumph was Heather Stirling 10 years ago. The only other Scots to pull off the big early-season double have been Catriona Matthew (twice) and Anne Laing.
"For once it wasn't my driving which was the key, as it was when I won the Scottish title at Tain a couple of weeks ago," said Laura.
"My driving has gone off a bit and my coach and boyfriend Keil (Beveridge) and I hav"e been working on that to get back to the straight and narrow. But I only hit six fairways on the New Course on Saturday.
"No, it was my putting that pulled me through. I holed an awful lot of good putts over the three rounds. From round about the 10ft range, I hardly missed anything.
"I'm playing well and that gives me confidence - I just wish I was playing in the Curtis Cup match this week! Seriously, I am really looking forward now to the British women's championship at Carnoustie at the end of this month. "
Emma Goddard posted the clubhouse target of five-under-par 222 with half the field still to finish - rounds were taking 4 1/2 hours - after posting a four-under-par 72. In the end only Laura Murray overhauled the Lancashire player.
Joint third place a shot behind Goddard went to three players, former Scottish champion Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham), whose final round of 70 was the best of the tournament, and Sweden's Jenny Haglund, all on 223.
The Lawson Trophy for the highest finishing Under-18 year old was won by Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham) who won the Welsh women's open amateur stroke play championship last weekend.
Her final round of 71 for 225 for seventh place overall pipped long-time Under-18s leader Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) by two shots,
Laura Murray, Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) and Jane Turner (Craigielaw) won the international team trophy for Scotland with a total of 446 - two ahead of runners-up England.
Ireland international Aedin Murphy (Carlow) won a special prize for a hole in one with a six-iron at the 145yd eighth hole in the second round over the Old Course. It was her third ace. She came into the field late on from the waiting list.

Leadng Scores: 

220 Laura Murray (Alford) 73 74 73
222 Emma Goddard (Royal Liverpool Ladies) 75 72 72
223 Bethany Garton (Royal Lytham) 74 79 70, Jenny Haglund (Sweden) 73 78 72, Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 74 75 74 
224 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 76 77 71
225 Emily M Taylor (Royal Lytham) 76 78 71, Charlotte Wild (Mere) 78 73 74
226 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 76 74 76
227 Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 75 77 75
228 Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 76 76 76, Clara Young (North Berwick) 79 76 73, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 77 78 73
231 Emilie Lundstrom (Sweden) 78 81 72
232 Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies)  74 75 83, Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 80 76 76, Ami Storey (Ponteland) 79 77 76, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) 78 79 75
233 Chloe Williams (Wrexham) 79 79 75, Gabriella Cowley (West Essex) 74 77 82, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 76 85 72
234 Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) 78 80 76, Susan Jackson (Ladybank) 77 78 79
235 Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 80 78 77, Lauren Blease (Burhill) 76 81 78, Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 75 83 77, Joelle Van Baarle (Belgium) 82 78 75, Brogan Townend (Pleasington) 76 81 78
236 Nicola Haynes (Gosforth Park) 76 82 78, Frida Gustafsson-Spang (Sweden) 80 79 77, Emma Henriksson (Sweden) 76 80 80 
237 Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) 80 81 76, Catherine Herrera (Brae Burn, US) 78 82 77, Rachael Taylor (Germany) 79 76 82
238 Aedin Murphy (Carlow, Ireland) 80 80 78, Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 83 77 78
239 Charlotte Thompson (Channels) 88 74 77, Gemma Clews (Delamere Forest) 81 82 76
242 Linnea Johansson (Sweden) 76 82 84, Emilee Taylor (Holme Hall) 80 82 80, Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) 78 82 82
243 Karen Delaney (Carlow, Ireland) 80 80 83, Heather Munro (Monifieth) 80 83 80, Lianna Bailey (Notts Ladies) 82 84 77, Katie Rule (Merlin) 73 85 85, Martine Pow (Selkirk) 81 82 80
244 Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) 80 88 76
245 Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 89 83 73, Stephanie Fransolet (Belgium) 82 82 81, Eva Schoenwald (Germany) 80 83 82
247 Lisa Warrilow (Lilleshall Hall) 81 82 84
248 Claire Hargan (Cardross) 84 81 83, Adriana Brent (Australia) 87 78 83
250 Dulcie Sverdloff (Garon Park) 83 84 83
252 Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) 82 83 87
253 Laura Watkins (Bicester) 86 83 84
Retired Sophie Madden (West Essex) 76 ret.

LEADING UNDER-18s TROPHY
225 Emily M Taylor
227 Jessica Meek.
228 Clara Young.
232 Lesley Atkins, Ailsa Summers.
233 Chloe Williams, Gabriella Cowley

INTERNATIONAL TEAM EVENT
(Two scores to count each round)
446 SCOTLAND (L Murray, E Briggs, J Turner)
448 ENGLAND (E M Taylor, B Townend, C Wild)
462 SWEDEN (E Henrikson, F Gustafsson-Spand, E Lundstrom)
468 WALES (C Williams, S Birks, L Watkins)
480 BELGIUM (J Van Baarle, S Franscolet)
481 IRELAND (K Delaney, A Murphy)

Friday 1 June 2012

New Indoor Academy

Dear Golfer
 
To celebrate our launch we are holding an open day at the Indoor Academy on Tuesday 5th June.
 
The practice areas are available for use and will be free of charge for one day only.
 
Special opening offers will be available and we will be giving away some great freebies throughout the day.
 
We are open from 10am – 9pm and hope you are able to come and join us.
 
The Team at Glasgow Golf Centre
 

Indoor Golf Academies, Glasgow Golf Centre, 134 Portman Street, Glasgow, G41 1EJ, Tel: 0141 429 8622
 

Thursday 31 May 2012

May Hughes is the 2012 West Vets Champion

The West Vets Championship Final was held today at Renfrew Golf Club. May Hughes (Lanark) the 2010 Champion and the 2012 Lanarkshire County Champion beat first time West Vets's finalist Lorraine Campbell (Cardross) by 5 and 3 to win the title.
The Bronze Championship was won by Moira Hogg (Old Ranfurly) who beat Anna MacDougall (Old Ranfurly) by the same margin


Championship Finalists May Hughes and Lorraine Campbell

Wednesday 30 May 2012

May Hughes and Lorraine Campbell are into the final of the West Vets Championship

The Quarter and Semi Finals of the West Vets Championship were played today over Renfrew Golf Club.
May Hughes (Lanark) won 1 up in the afternoon's semi final against Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) and Lorraine Campbell (Cardross) won at the 19th against Janice Paterson (Drumpellier).
To see all the results go to the West Vets Website.

Monday 28 May 2012

Jane Turner of Craigielaw Links wins 2012 Munross Trophy

Scottish Women's Amateur Golf Championship runner-up Jane Turner of Craigielaw Links edged Scottish Ladies Golf Champion Laura Murray of Alford, to win the Montrose Links 36-hole open golf tournament for the Munross Trophy yesterday
Jane carded very steady rounds of 71 and 70 for an aggregate of five-under-par 141 to finish three shots ahead of her nearest rival, Ailsa Summers of Carnoustie Ladies, who posted a pair of 72s.
Murray, finished in third place on 145 with rounds of 74 and 71.
Tegan Seivwright from Deeside won the golf handicap prize with a net total of 140.
Final Golf Scoreboard (par 73):-
141 Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 71 70
144 Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 72 72
145 Laura Murray (Alford) 74 71
147 Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) 77 70
148 Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) 78 70, Claire Penman (Carnoustie Caledonia) 71 77
150 Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) 74 76
151 Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) 75 76
152 Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) 77 75, Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) 75 77, Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) 73 79
153 Clara Young (North Berwick) 79 74, Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 78 75, Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 76 77, Rachel Polson (Peterculter) 76 77, Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) 74 79
155 Heather Munro (Monifieth) 75 80
157 Jennifer Linklater (Largs) 77 80, Nicola Robertson (Dunblane) 76 81
158 Claire Hargan (Cardross) 80 78, Katie Reid (Monifieth) 79 79, Rebecca Wilson (Grange) 77 81
159 Jemma Chalmers (Monifieth) 78 81
160 Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) 82 78
161 Emily Aird (Blairgowrie) 78 83
162 Jackie Brown (Monifieth) 81 81
163 Emma Greenlees (Dumfries and Gallowaty) 83 80, Tara MacTaggart (Minto)  82 81, Iona Stephen (Ranfurly Castle) 81 82
163 Ruth Rankin (Lanark) 76 87
164 Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 80 84
165 Linsey Stevenson (Elie and Earlsferry) 80 85
166 Claire Robertson (Carnoustie Ladies) 84 82
167 Emma Hale (Troon Ladies) 85 82
168 Shonagh Raitt (Forfar) 89 79, Kirsty Burgess (Silvereknowes) 81 87, Frances Millar (Carnoustie Caledonia) 81 87
170 Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) 83 87
171 Linda Bain (Lochend) 85 86
173 Ashley Alston (Royal Montrose) 85 88
176 Eilidh Crawford (Harburn) 89 87
177 Lorraine Morrow (Eastwood) 93 84
178 Kirsty Brodie (Strathmore) 95 83
179 Sharon Young (Royal Montrose) 87 92
180 Eileen Gillespie (Lochend) 90 90
181 Julie McWilliam (Aboyne) 92 89
184 Sarah Chapman (Panmure Barry) 94 90
191 Maria Duncan (Aboyne) 93 98
199 Gail Penman (Royal Montrose) 97 102

Curtis Cup Jubilee Street party in Nairn

The Ladies Golf Union and women members of the host golf club are combining forces to stage a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Street Party next Tuesday (June 5) from 3.30pm in the Curtis Cup tented village at The Nairn Golf Club.
"Tickets are not required and the party is open to all," said Susan Simpson, the LGU Head of Golf Operations.
 "The GB and I Team will joining the celebrations at some stage in proceedings."
The 37th Curtis Cup match will be held from Friday to Sunday, June 8 to 10 at The Nairn Golf Club. The GB and Ireland, and United States teams will be arriving at Nairn at the weekend.
The teams will practise over the course each morning and afternoon  from Monday onwards and members of the public are welcome to watch.
The opening ceremony - which Susan Simpson promises will be "spectacular" - starts at 6pm on the Thursday. 
GB and I have not won the biennial match against the Americans since Killarney in 1996.

THE JANICE MOODIE TROPHY AT WINDYHILL

Places are still available for Janice Moodie Open at Windyhill Golf Club on Friday 6th July.  Prizes are awarded in the following age categories 10 - 14, 15 - 17 and 18 - 21 (age as at 31st December 2011). 
CLICK HERE  TO GET YOUR ENTRY FORM

Sunday 27 May 2012

SCOTLAND'S HANNAH McCOOK IS THE BEST IN IRELAND AS THE WEST OF SCOTLAND PLAYERS STRUGGLE IN THE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.

From the Irish LGU Website:
England's Emily Taylor, won the Irish Women’s Open Amateur Strokeplay by three strokes from Ireland’s Mary Dowling (New Ross) and Gillian O’Leary (Cork) at at The Island Golf Club, Sunday 27 May.
Trailing overnight leader O'Leary by one stroke, Taylor captured her first Irish title in style with birdies on eight, ten, fifteen and held from twelve feet at the last to sign for a closing 76. Dowling matched the Champion’s final round score to edge O’Leary into third place on count back after the Cork international struggled to repeat Saturday’s form on the outward nine.
As the wind abated marginally from Saturday’s 35 mile per hour gusts, competitors once again struggled to match par as the north easterlies presented a stiff challenge to the field. Sarah Cunningham (Ennis), Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare), Katherine O’Connor (WAL) and Gabrielle MacDonald (SCO) all comfortably broke 80 to extract sweet revenge on the previous days’ trials
Ireland B won the Nations Cup from by two strokes from Ireland A, with Scotland third and England fourth.

FINAL TOTALS (PAR 74 74 74 CSS 80 79 77)

233 Emily Taylor (ENG) 85 72 76
236 Mary Dowling (New Ross) 81 79 76 Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 79 77 80
238 Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) 81 79 78
239 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) 83 75 81
240 Maria Dunne (Skerries) 80 82 78
242 Hannah McCook (SCO) 79 84 79
243 Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 84 81 78 Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush) 79 83 81
245 Jessica Carty (Holywood) 88 78 79 Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) 82 83 80
246 Katherine O'Connor (WAL) 86 83 77 Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) 86 80 80 Anna Courtney (St. Anne's) 83 85 78
247 Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 88 83 76 Kristina Rothengatter (GER) 86 80 81 Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) 85 83 79 Joelle van Baarle (BEL) 84 79 84 Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 78 87 82
248 Lucy Simpson (Massereene) 89 80 79 Karen Delaney (Carlow) 87 81 80 Gabrielle MacDonald (SCO) 86 85 77 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 85 82 81
250 Jessica Meek (SCO) 87 84 79 Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) 87 83 80 Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) 83 83 84
251 Laura Grant (Lisburn) 88 82 81
252 Kelsey Coey (Clandeboye) 84 85 83
253 Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) 92 84 77 Alyson McKechin (SCO) 83 86 84
254 Karen O'Neill (Douglas) 90 81 83 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) 90 80 84 Alison Taylor (Malahide) 88 83 83 Eilidh Briggs (SCO) 82 84 88
255 Amy Farrell (Moate) 86 84 85
256 Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) 89 86 81
257 Sammy Vass (SCO) 83 93 81
259 Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) 87 83 89
263 Ashleigh Wilton (The Island) 88 86 89
RTD Megan Briggs (SCO) 87 82 RTD Emma O’Driscoll (Ballybunion) 85 85 RTD

475 IRELAND B Mary Dowling 81 79 76, Paula Grant (89) (89) (), Deirdre Smith 83 75 81
477 IRELAND A Jessica Carty (88) 78 79, Leona Maguire 82 (83) (80), Lisa Maguire 81 79 78
503 SCOTLAND Eilidh Briggs 82 84 88, Megan Briggs (87) 82 RTD, Alyson McKechin 83 (86) 84
...... ENGLAND Lauren Blease 88 96 (), Emily Taylor 85 72 76

Saturday 26 May 2012

PAMELA'S PLAN TO BY PASS Q SCHOOL IS WORKING WELL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Pamela Pretswell is well placed to become the first amateur to win a place on the Ladies European Tour by finishing in the first three of the developmental circuit, the LET Access Series.
The 23-year-old Bothwell Castle GC member from Hamilton, who will play for GB and I against the United States in the June 8-10 Curtis Cup match at Nairn, has played in all five LETAS events since April - paying her own way as an amateur to get to tournaments in France, Spain, Sweden (2) and the Ukraine.
And it is looking more and more like a sound financial investment in her future as a tour golf pro because Pamela, a graduate of Glasgow Universityis lying second in the LETAS Tour Order of Merit with 7,366pt which means that had she been playing as a professional in these events she would have won 7,366 Euros in prizemoney.
Pamela won a LETAS event in Sweden last week and finished second this week at Kiev in the Ukraine.
Having failed narrowly to gain pass marks at the Ladies European Tour Q School at La Manga in January, Pretswell obviously worked out this plan that via the LETAS Tour she could bypass another visit to the Q School.
This will be Pretswell's second Curtis Cup match - she played at Essex County Club two years ago - and almost certainly her last unless things go drastically wrong with her plans to turn pro.
Although a past British women's amateur stroke-play champion, Pretswell has never won the Scottish women's amateur championship.
But she is so single-minded in her quest to make it to the Ladies European Tour (and perhaps the US LPGA Tour after that), that she bypassed last week's native championship at Tain to play in Sweden - and win the LETAS event.
The only Scot in the GB and I squad of eight, she will be entirely focused, however, on the Curtis Cup over the next couple of weeks as the next LETAS event is not until July 4-6 in Norway. After that there will be only four Order of Merit events, one a month, through to early November.
The top six placings are:
1 Marion Ricordeau (France) 13,445pt
Pamela Pretswell (Scotland) 7,366
3 Cecile Lundgren (Norway) 6,231
4 Marjet Van Der Graaf (Netherlands) 5,840
Carly Booth (Scotland) 5,805.
Katy McNicoll (Scotland) 5,540.
"It was a great tournament earlier this week - first big golf event to be held in the Ukraine and great to be apart of it," said Pamela.
"The course was fantastic - very, very tough! Warm conditions first few days, but much cooler and lots of wind for the final day which made the course a real challenge!
"I've been away for three weeks now - two weeks in Sweden and straight to Kiev from there. Playing in five events on the LETAS Tour has been great experience for me. I've learned a lot but glad to get home to Scotland for a few days' rest 
before heading up to Nairn for the Curtis Cup build-up.
"As an amateur on the LETAS Tour I have been well looked after by the other players, almost all of them professionals. They have been showing me the ropes. Everyone is very friendly and I just l love being a part of this tour.
"It is expensive going from country to country in Europe for the tournaments as an amateur, but so is playing in amateur events."