MICHELLE WIE COMING OVER FOR EVIAN MASTERS
... AND THE WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor's invitation to play in next week's Evian Masters in France and she plans to enter the Ricoh Women's British Open over the Old Course, St Andrews from August 2 to 5.
The 17-year-old Hawiian has not played competitively since she withdrew from the US Women's Open in June with a sore left wrist.
Wie was 17 over par and on her way to another score in the 80s when she quit at Pine Needles. She has withdrawn from two of her last three tournaments, managing to complete only seven rounds this year with an average score of just under 78.
Wie has not broken par in competition since the final round of the Evian Masters last year, a total of 23 rounds.

IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION Press Release

TOP SEED LOUISE MADE TO FIGHT BY FINAL
QUALIFIER HANNAH IN FIRST ROUND

Leading qualifier Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) progressed to the second round of the Lancôme Irish girls close championship with a two-hole victory over Hannah O’Connor (Loughrea) at Ballinasloe Golf Club, Galway today.
In blustery and showery conditions, Mernagh found the in-form final qualifier O’Connor a tougher assignment than expected and was relieved to squeeze through on the home green. Defending champion Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) comfortably defeated Edel Coyne (Youghal) and meets Patrice Delaney (Birr) in the last 16.
On a day of few surprises, seasoned campaigners Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), Holli Snelling (Killarney), Sarah Cunningham (Ennis), Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea) and Aedin Murphy (Carlow) successfully negotiated the first round.
Diandra O’Connell (Ennis) was the only significant casualty of the day when she fell to Zarah O’Reilly (Castle) at the first hurdle . Ciara Pender (Ennis) enjoyed her day to remember as she holed-out at the par-3 eighth on her way to a 20th hole victory over Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint).
Earlier in the day, Mernagh birdied the fourth (her second) hole in her outward level par 37 and gave just two shots to the course in her inward 38 to win the Muwick Cup qualifying round by two strokes from Ciara Walsh (Headfort).
THURSDAY'S TIES
SECOND ROUND
Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) v Ciara Pender (Ennis).
Patrice Delaney (Birr) v Stephaine Meadow (Royal Portrush).
Ciara Butler (Newlands) v Aisling O'Connor (Rosses Point) or Aedin Murphy (Carlow).
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) v Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion).
Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) v Holli Snelling (Killarney).
Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea) v Agnes Doherty (Ballyliffen).
Zarah O'Reilly (Castle) v Kate Gallagher (Claremorris).
Sarah Crowe (Tipperary) v Ciara Walsh (Headfort).

FIRST-ROUND RESULTS

Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) bt Hannah O'Connor (Loughrea) 2 holes.
Ciara Pender (Ennis) bt Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) at 20th.
Patrice Delaney (Birr) bt Caroline Murphy (Grange) 5 and 3.
Stephaine Meadow (Royal Portrush) bt Edel Coyne (Youghal) 7 and 6.
Ciara Butler (Newlands) bt Carmel O'Connor (Westport) 5 and 4.
Aedin Murphy (Carlow) bt Aisling O'Connor (Rosses Point) at 22nd.
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) bt Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy) 2 holes.
Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) bt Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) 5 and 4.
Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) bt Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 6 and 5.
Holli Snelling (Killarney) bt Emily Gavin (Castlewarden) 7 and 5.
Sarah Louise Winter (Carnalea) bt Michelle McCarthy (Clonmel) 5 and 4.
Agnes Doherty (Ballyliffen) bt Nicola Robinson (Malone) 1 hole.
Zarah O'Reilly (Castle) bt Diandra O'Connell (Ennis) 5 and 4.
Kate Gallagher (Claremorris) bt Cathy Kavanagh (Woodenbridge) 1 hole.
Sarah Crowe (Tipperary) bt Niamh O'Connor (Worplesdon) 1 hole.
Ciara Walsh (Headfort) bt Sarah Beck (Knock) 8 and 7.

PLATE PROGRAMME
(First round losers)
Hannah O'Connor (Loughrea) v Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint).
Caroline Murphy (Grange) v Edel Coyne (Youghal).
Carmel O'Connor (Westport) v Aisling O'Connor (Rosses Point).
Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy) v Laura McCarthy (Muskerry).
Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) v Emily Gavin (Castlewarden).
Michelle McCarthy (Clonmel) v Nicola Robinson (Malone).
Diandra O'Connell (Ennis) v Cathy Kavanagh (Woodenbridge).
Niamh O'Connor (Worplesdon) v Sarah Beck (Knock).

CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING
75 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge).
77 Ciara Walsh (Headfort), Sarah Cunningham (Ennis)
78 Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion), Ciara Butler (Newlands)
79 Agnes Doherty (Ballyliffen), Diandra O'Connell (Ennis), Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush)
80 Patrice Delaney (Carlow).
81 Kate Gallagher (Claremorris), Sarah-Louise Winter (Carnalea), Aedin Murphy (Carlow).
82 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor).
84 Emily Gavin (Castlewarden), Niamh O'Connor (Naas).
85 Ciara Pender (Ennis), Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint).
86 Sarah Crowe (Tipperary) Holli Snelling (Killarney).
87 Ciara Sharkey (Enniscorthy), Aishling O'Connor (Co Sligo), Michelle McCarthy (Clonmel), Cathy Kavanagh (Woodenbridge), Caroline Murphy (Grange).
88 Edel Coyne (Youghal), Zarah O'Reilly (Castle), Nicola Robinson (Malone), Laura McCarthy (Muskerry), Carmel O'Connor (Westport).
89 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone), Sarah Beck (Knock), Hannah O'Connor (Loughrea).
NON-QUALIFIERS
91 Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon), Jennifer Russell (Belvoir Park), Erin Connolly (Co. Armagh).
92 Kelsey Coey (Clandeboye), Sarah Murray (Co Louth), Laura Boylan (Skerries).
93 Rebecca Mulholland (Kilkenny), Daryl Conroy (Castlebar).
95 Julie Coyne (Youghal), Emma Murphy (Wexford), Victoria Morris (Ennis), Carla Reynolds (Seapoint).
96 Hannah O'Brien (Lahinch), Eodain Cronin (Bantry Bay), Alice Norwood (Kilkenny).
97 Julie O'Gara (Roscommon).
98 Ruth Lillis (Ennis), Terri Byrne (Coollattin), Aisling Hill (Roscommon)
100 Aileen Fox (Dungannon)
101 Jenny Hennessy (Ennis), Christine Reid (Bangor)
102 Diane Hennessy (Ennis), Jessica Boal (Larne)
104 Hannah Fenlon (Seapoint)
105 Kate McManus (Co Sligo), Rachel Pyne (Ennis), Emily McGuinness (Greenore)
107 Adele Dooley (Ashbourne)
109 Holly Robinson (Co Sligo)

LPGA TAKES OVER FUTURES TOUR

Ladies Professional Golf Association Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens, in conjunction with Zayra Calderon, president and CEO of the Duramed Futures Tour, announced today that the LPGA has acquired the Duramed FuturesTour effective immediately.
The Duramed Futures Tour has been the official developmental tour of the LPGA since 1999.
The Duramed Futures Tour offers rising stars in the women’s game the opportunity to prepare for a career on the LPGA. For the past eight years, the Duramed Futures Tour has operated in a licensee role with the LPGA.
In recent years the organisations have worked closely to align business practices to assist the members of both tours with professional development, and to prepare members of the Duramed Futures Tour for the transition to the LPGA.
One of the biggest examples of the synergy between the two organisations over the years has been the awarding of coveted LPGA Tour cards to the top money leaders on the Duramed Futures Tour. In 2003, the LPGA increased the cards from three to five.

Scottish Under-18 girls' championship

CARLY COMES BACK FROM TWO

DOWN TO REACH LAST EIGHT

AT PETERHEAD

Hot favourite for the title she may be, but Carly Booth is not invincible – that’s the encouraging news for the rest of the quarter-finalists in the Scottish Under-18 girls golf championship at Peterhead Golf Club.
Carly, a +3 player who had a superb round of nine-under-par 64 in heading the qualifiers for the match-play stages by six strokes on Tuesday, found herself two down after only four holes to Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) in the second round of the match-play today.
Miss Booth, 15, from Comrie had to birdie the fifth and ninth to pull the game back to share at the turn.
Two more birdies, at the 10th and 14th put Carly two up and pars at the 15th and 16th gave her a 4 and 2 win. The Junior Ryder Cup player, who won the Scottish Under-21 girls’ stroke-play title at Auchterarder a couple of weeks ago by nine shots, now plays Rebecca Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Thistle), whose younger sister Sally beat Carly in the final of this championship at Tain two years ago.
Sally, who has qualified to play in next week’s United States girls championship, is not in the Peterhead field.

Rebecca had a good win over 14-year-old Jill Meldrum (Dullatur), the youngest-ever Dunbartonshire & Argyll women's county championship winner earlier this season.

Also through to the last eight are:
*Junior international curler Eve Muirhead from Pitlochry.
*The women’s county champions of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire, Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm).
*Two North hopes, 15-year-old Sammy Vass from Tain and 16-year-old Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
*Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) who upset the seedings with a 4 and 2 win over the No 2 qualifier and East of Scotland girls champion, Jane Turner (Mortonhall). Jacqueline qualified in 15th place.
Kelsey MacDonald highlighted her 6 and 4 win over Samantha Leslie (Westhill) with a 280yd drive which was not only long, it was dead straight too – she holed a 7ft putt for an eagle 2 at this par-4 hole.
Miss MacDonald also birdied the fourth and was six up after seven holes before Samantha stemmed the tide by winning the eighth.
Cara Easton, pictured above, 14-year-old Dalmahoy player, had her first ever hole in one – and still lost! She went down by 7 and 6 to Megan Briggs in the first round despite acing the 114yd 10th with a seven-iron.
“I was six down at the time and Megan had put her tee shot about 3ft from the hole so it was a nice moment. I enjoyed it,” said Cara.
*We'll be displaying today's picture of Cara Easton later this evening.

Wednesday's results

First round – C Booth (Comrie) bt A Mitchell (Hawick) 8 and 7, R Wilson (Monifieth) bt I Craigie (Torwoodlee) 4 and 3, J Meldrum (Dullatur) bt G Simpson (Murrayfield) 1 hole, R Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies) bt R McIntyre (Eden) 6 and 5, L Hunter (Dalmahoy) bt L Meldrum (Dullatur) 8 and 7, E Muirhead (Pitlochry) bt R McQueen (Troon Bentinck Ladies) 9 and 7, E Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt J Graham (Southerness) 3 and 1, P Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) bt M Aird (Strathmore) 8 and 7.
M Briggs (Kilmacolm) bt C Easton (Dalmahoy) 7 and 6, E MacKay (Nairn Dunbar) bt G Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 1 hole, S Leslie (Westhill) bt R Watton (Mortonhall) 2 and 1, K MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) bt M Johnstone (Northern) 9 and 7, S Vass (Tain) bt L McGillivray (Oldmeldrum) 7 and 6, L MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) bt G Scanlan (Hamilton) at 20th, J Sneddon (Alyth) bt A Niven (Crieff) 4 and 2, J Turner (Mortonhall) bt N Qayum (Ranfurly Castle) 6 and 5.

Second round – Booth bt Wilson 4 and 2, Watson bt J Meldrum 5 and 3, Muirhead bt Hunter 5 and 3, Pretswell bt E Briggs 6 and 5, M Briggs bt MacKay 4 and 3, MacDonald bt Leslie 6 and 4, S Vass bt L McCallum 4 and 3, Sneddon bt Turner 4 and 2.

ANSLEY REID SALVER – First round – H Peebles (Monifieth) bt N Lamond (McDonald Ellon) 2 holes, G MacDonald (Prestonfield) bt K MacCallum (McDonald Ellon) 8 and 6, F Fullerton (Huntly) bt E Aird (Strathmore) 3 and 2, H Gaunt (Troon Bentinck Ladies) bt O Borwick (McDonald Ellon) 8 and 6, L Duncan (Aboyne) bt C Geddes (Northern) 3 and 2, J Vass (Tain) bt K Moss (Monifieth) 6 and 4.

Quarter-finals – Peebles bt A McKechin (Elderslie) 6 and 5, MacDonald bt Fullerton 3 and 2, Duncan bt Gaunt 7 and 6, A Smith (Monifieth) bt J Vass 2 and 1.

THURSDAY MATCHES:

CHAMPIONSHIP

Quarter-finals
8.45 Carly Booth v Rebecca Watson.
8.55 Eve Muirhead v Pamela Pretswell.
9.05 Megan Briggs v Kelsey MacDonald.
9.15 Sammy Vass v Jacqueline Sneddon.
Semi-finals at 1.30 & 1.40.

ANSLEY REID SALVER

Semi-finals
9.30 Heather Peebles v Gabrielle MacDonald.
9.40 Lauren Duncan v Ashley Smith.

Final at 1.50