Yorkshire golfers win PING qualifier at Hollins Hall

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire’s Michelle Leatherland and Natalie Ireland led the qualifiers at the first regional final of the PING Women’s Four Ball Better Ball Tournament of England 2008.
The pair, from Shipley Golf Club, scored 37 Stableford points on a wet day at Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club in West Yorkshire.
They led seven pairs who qualified for the grand final of the competition at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel, Golf and Country Club on October 7.
The tournament is run by the English Women’s Golf Association.
The qualifiers, who all scored 31 points or better, all win a pair of ECCO shoes and a PING Collection sweater to wear at the final.
Michelle and Natalie also each won a PING golf bag. This was the third time Michelle and Natalie had paired up together in comeptition – and so far they’ve a 100 per cent winning record. Now, they’re turning their attention to the grand final, in which Natalie has competed before.
“We can’t wait,” said Michelle, who plays off nine. “It’s going to be tremendous. It’s going to make our year, it’s going to be the pinnacle of our year.
Natalie, an 11-handicapper, set the pace on the outward half, scoring on each of the first nine holes. “She was absolutely awesome,” said Michelle, who made her contribution on the back nine. The pair finished strongly, playing the last six holes in level par.
They set off in a drizzle and played their way through several heavy showers but Michelle paid tribute to the organisers. “It was muddy and wet – the worst I have played in for a while – but other courses around here are shut and the organisers did a superb job to keep the course open and playable, a cracking job.”
QUALIFIERS
37pts Michelle Leatherland & Natalie Ireland (Shipley).
34pts Pat Chadwick & Janet Day (New North Manchester).
33pts Barbara Thornton & Tracey Bentley (Clitheroe), Wendy Stott & Carol Crowther (Outlane), Eileen Corn & Angela Chippendale (Pannal).
32pts Megan Sumner & Kate McLaughlin (Allerton Ladies).
31pts Joyce Green & Elsie Thornber (Burnley).
Full details: www.pingchampionship.com

Kilmacolm team that beat Douglas Park in the seventh round of the "Mail on Sunday" competition. Left to right: Rena Simpson, Morag Turner, Annabel Kane, Marion Stewart and Megan Briggs. Eildih Briggs was missing on that occasion.

Briggs sisters an inspiration to Kilmacolm

team in 'Mail on Sunday' competition

Kilmacolm are looking forward to their "Mail on Sunday" match against Murcar Links on Saturday, September 6.

"Although we have reached Round 7 on a number of occasions, the last being against Royal Dornoch at Dornoch, we have never reached Round 8," said team captain Anne Dunn.

"This year we are very fortunate to have Megan and Eilidh Briggs playing for us. Megan, who plays off scratch, is our current club champion as well as being the current Renfrewshire county champion. Eilidh, who plays off three, was runner-up in both the club and county championships. "The girls have been members of the club for about five years and have played in Home Internationals at both girls' and adult level. They are a great inspiration to our lady members - perhaps this is why we have progressed further in this competition than previously.

"With their very busy schedules we have not had the advantage of them playing in all our ties so credit must go to the rest of the pool:

Marion Stewart - handicap 10.

Morag Turner - 11.

Rena Simpson - 11.

Sally Wilbur - 12.

Annabel Kane - 13.

Beatrice Orr - 15.

Annette Baillie - 16.

"Sally was unable to play in out last two ties as she got married in July and was too busy with all preparations for the wedding and then being away on honeymoon.

"This should be a very interesting tie and I hope the weather is clement not only for the teams but particularly for those of us who are travelling up to support them."

United States name Espirito

Santo Trophy trio

The United States Golf Association has named its three players to take part in the 2008 women's world amateur team championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy at the Grange Golf Club's East and West courses in Adelaide, Australia from October 8 to 11.

The new US women's amateur champion and No 1 college player, Amanda Blumenherst, will be joined by Tiffany Joh from San Diego and Irish-born Alison Walshe (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved) from Westford, Massachusetts.

All three were members of the victorious United States team in the Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews at the end of May.

Sydnee Michaels of Temecula, Calif., was named first reserve and Tiffany Lua of Rowland Heights, Calif., was named second alternate.
Marcia Luigs of Carmel, Indiana, USGA Women's Committee chairman in 2005 and 2006, will serve as the American tam captain.
The biennial competition has been played since 1964, with the winner taking home the Espirito Santo Trophy. South Africa is the defending champion, having won the 2006 title in its home country. The United States last won the championship in 1998, and has captured the trophy a record 13 times since 1966.

Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales are now permitted to enter their own teams whereas until fairly recently it was a Great Britain & Ireland trio who took part.
A record 54 teams from around the world have entered the competition which is played in conjunction with the world amateur team championship for men for the Eisenhower Trophy, from October 16-19 at Royal Adelaide Golf Club and the Grange’s West Course.
Both world amateur team titles are determined by four rounds of stroke play. A country may field a team of two or three players. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores by players from each team constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day total is the team's score for the championship.

IT'S ANOTHER AMERICAN TEAM HONOUR

FOR IRISH-BORN ALISON WALSHE

Galway-born Alison Walshe - who began her collegiate career at Boston College before transferring to Tulane University - has earned first-team honours in three different conferences: the Big East in 2003-04, Conference USA in 2004-05 and the Pac-10 in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

She won the 2004 Big East Conference title and was that conference's player of the year for 2003-04. She matched that feat upon transferring to Tulane, winning the 2005 Conference USA Championship and earning the conference's player of the year honour.

Among her victories are the 2006 Stanford Invitational, the 2007 BYU Dixie Classic, the 2007 North and South Women's Amateur Championship, the 2008 Harder Hall Invitational, and the 2008 Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational.

Jodi Ewart made cut in L E T event

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION

English amateur stroke-play champion Jodi Ewart made the cut when she played alongside the professionals of the Ladies European Tour for the first time.

The Curtis Cup player from Catterick, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency leaving the first tee at St Andrews, made it through on the mark after she birdied the 36th hole of the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Machynys Peninsula. It gave the amateur a two-round total of two over par with rounds of 72 and 74.

The third round was cancelled because of unplayable conditions. Jodi signed off with a final round 74 and a share of 54th place on four over par.

The championship was won by Lotta Wahlin of Sweden on seven-under par.

Jodi, 20, is now due to return to the United States where she is a student at the University of New Mexico.
Lyndsey Hewison

Press & PR Officer
Visit the English Women's Golf Association web site at http://www.englishladiesgolf.org/

Hendon’s Jane Rees wins seniors’ event

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Middlesex golfer Jane Rees scored a convincing win in the 36-hole senior English women’s south regional stroke-play tournament at Saltford, Somerset.
Jane, who plays at Hendon, finished four shots clear of the field with rounds of 82 and 80 for a total of 162 on the par-73 course.
Division B was won by Sheila Marshall of Haywards Heath, Sussex, who was also four shots clear in her section after scoring 88 and 87 for 175.
Both players got off to a quick start in the 36-hole event. Jane had a birdie 4 on the 461yd first hole while Sheila went one better with an eagle 3.
Division A leading scores:
162 Jane Rees (Hendon) 82 80.
166 Dee Wood (Crane Valley) 87 79, Suzette Worthington (Bristol & Clifton) 81 85.
168 Val McFarlane (Lansdown) 79 89.
171 Pat Bennett (Reading) 85 86, Elspeth Cooper (Calcot Park) 89 82.
Division B leading scores:
175 Sheila Marshall (Haywards Heath) 88 87.
179 Teresa Taylor (The Club at Mapledurham) 86 93.
180 Elaine James (Aspley Guise & Woburn Sands) 92 88.
181 Christine Walker (Stoneham) 92 89.
182 Jane Sach (Stoneham) 87 95.

Full results and hole-by-hole scoring: www.englishwomensgolf.org
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer
Tel. 01603 507 416

Mary McKenna appointed GB&I captain

for 2009 Vagliano Trophy in Germany

and 2010 Curtis Cup in United States

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY LADIES GOLF UNION

The Executive Council of the Ladies’ Golf Union is pleased to announce that Mary McKenna has accepted an invitation to captain the Great Britain and Ireland teams for the 2009 Vagliano Trophy and the 2010 Curtis Cup.
Mary, who captained the teams in 2007 and 2008, will again be supported by Tegwen Matthews as team manager.
One of Ireland’s leading female amateurs, Mary won eight Irish Championships between 1969 and 1989, and participated in nine successive Curtis Cup matches and ten Vagliano Trophies. Tegwen was the first Welsh player to be picked for a Curtis Cup team, ultimately playing in four Curtis Cup matches and five Vagliano Trophies.
Ladies’ Golf Union Chairman, Trish Wilson, says
“With these golfing pedigrees, the team could not be in better hands than those of Mary and Tegwen. I firmly believe that a number of the members of the current team will form a core part of both the 2009 Vagliano and 2010 Curtis Cup teams, and the rapport already in place between the players, the captain and the manager will be invaluable going into the next series of matches.”
The Vagliano Trophy will be played at Hamburger Golf Club, Falkenstein, Germany on 24 and 25 July 2009, while the 2010 Curtis Cup returns to Essex Country Club in Manchester, Massachusetts from 11 to 13 June 2010.
Captain Mary McKenna (picture above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved) says
“I am very pleased and honoured to accept the role of captain again, and look forward to working with the LGU, the girls and my right hand woman Tegwen for the next two years. Without a doubt, the Curtis Cup at St Andrews will always rank as one of my greatest experiences, and I very much hope that my next great experiences will be to escort both it and the Vagliano Trophy back to Great Britain and Ireland.”

LOCHMABEN EVENT CANCELLED

The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association county open meeting at Lochmaben Golf Club, near Lockerbie today was cancelled because of flooding on the course.