JOCELYN CARTHEW BIDDING TO
COMPLETE LADYBANK DOUBLE
AFTER SUSAN'S VICTORY
IN CLARK ROSEBOWL FINAL

Jocelyn Carthew has put her home club Ladybank in the golfing spotlight by reaching Saturday morning's 18-hole final of the Scottish women's amateur championship over the Moray Golf Club Old Course links at Lossiemouth.
There was a trophy boost for a Ladybank club player when 18-year-old Susan Jackson beat Heather Anderson (Downfield) 4 and 3 in the final of the championship week's No2 competition, the Clark Rosebowl. Susan was three up after eight holes (Picture right of Susan Jackson with the Clark Rosebowl was taken by Gillian Kirkwood who retains the copyright).
Now Jocelyn or "Jo" - she doesn't mind which one you use - a 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.
Walker lost the 11th, 12th and 13th and there was no way back for her after that.
Against Thomson, Robert Gordon University student 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."
Friday results:

CHAMPIONSHIP

QUARTER-FINALS

J Carthew (Ladybank) bt S Vass (Tain) 2 and 1.

K Walker (Buchanan Castle) bt J Turner (Mortonhall) at 22nd.

L Murray (Alford) bt C-M Carlton (Fereneze) 2 and 1.

M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) bt L Kenney (Pitreavie) 3 and 2.

SEMI-FINALS

Carthew bt Walker 3 and 1.

Thomson bt Murray at 20th.

CLARK ROSEBOWL
SEMI-FINALS

H Anderson (Downfield) bt B Murphy (Mortonhall) at 20^th.

S Jackson (Ladybank) bt T Laughland (Mortonhall) 2 holes.

FINAL

Jackson bt Anderson 4 and 3.