Scotland's team with skipper Joan Marshall at Royal Tara Golf Club (picture by courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union).

FIGHTING SCOTS ALMOST PEG BACK ENGLAND
IN THE SINGLES AT ROYAL TARA

Scotland lost 4-3 to title-holders England on Day 2 of the senior women’s home golf internationals at Royal Tara Golf Club, Co. Meath in Ireland.
Having lost the foursomes 2-0, the Scots made a brave fight of it by winning three of the five singles.
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) beat Susan Ellis by 3 and 2 after being four up on the 13th tee, having birdied the fifth and ninth. Pamela Williamson (Baberton) came back from two down after 10 holes with the help of a birdie at the 11th to beat former Curtis Cup player Carol Caldwell by 3 and 2.
With Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), four down at the turn, having lost 5 and 3 to Christine Quinn, it was down to Fiona De Vries (St Rule) and Margaret Tough (Falkirk) to peg back England’s 3-2 lead.
They almost did. Tough was always ahead of Susan Dye on the inward half and won by 2 holes, chipping in at the last to double her margin of victory after a good fightback by the English player.
De Vries won the 15th and 16th to square her game against Christine Watson. The 17th was halved in 5s and then the English player won the par-5 18th with a birdie 4 for a one-hole victory to earn England the fourth point they needed to maintain their 100 % record through the first two days.

Day 2 results:
SCOTLAND 3, ENGLAND 4
Foursomes; L Bennett & F Hunter lost to C Quinn & C Watson 2 and 1; K Sutherland & F De Vries lost to S Dye & P Wrightson 4 and 3 (0-2).
Singles: Bennett bt Susan Ellis 3 and 2, P Williamson bt C Caldwell 3 and 2, De Vries lost to Watson 1 hole, M Tough bt Dye 2 holes, Sutherland lost to Quinn 5 and 3 (3-2).
IRELAND 1 1/2, WALES 5 1/2
Foursomes; M Henderson & S O’Brien-Kenney lost to V Thomas & D Richards 4 and 3; M Madden & C Cahill lost to A Lewis & J Doleman 2 and 1 (0-2).
Singles: E MacMullen lost to Thomas 9 and 7, M McKenna halved with Doleman, V Hassett lost to Lewis 2 and 1, O’Brien-Kenney lost to J O’Connor 3 and 2, Madden bt T Carradine 3 and 2 (1 ½-3 ½).
How they stand
England 2pt (10-4), Scotland 1pt (7-7), Wales 1pt (6 ½-7 ½), Ireland 0pt (4 ½-11 ½).
Final matches:
Scotland v Wales, England v Ireland.