Entry deadline extended to January 22 for Hacienda del Alamo Highlight

Cara Gruber putting during last year's Scottish women's amateur championship at Lossiemouth (Cal Carson Golf Agency image).

Royal Dornoch's Cara Gruber becomes

first Scot to enter Spanish Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Festival Organiser

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Royal Dornoch member Cara Gruber has become the first Scot to file an entry for the 2nd Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival.

Cara, a member of the Northern Counties team for a number of years, plays off one of a handicap these days.

She will arrive early to warm up on the excellent practice facilities at the five-star resort, which include a six-hole Academy course.

Fellow Scot Billy Sim has reduced the daily fee for unlimited use of all the practice facilities - hit as many balls as you like - to only 10 Euros, especially for competitors at the Festival.

Buggies, incidentally, can be used in the tournaments by adult drivers and will available at 25 Euros per buggy.

Caddies will be permitted in all the Festival events except those exclusively for Under-16 girls who must walk and carry or pull their own clubs in their two 36-hole competitions. Under-16 girls competing in the pro-am and the Sunday pairs will not have these restrictions although they will still not be able to drive a buggy because of the insurance factor.

Cara Gruber will play in the Murcia Ladies Open over 36 holes on Thursday and Friday, February 12 and 13.

Then she and fellow Northerner, Campbell Thompson (Strathpeffer Spa) will form two-thirds of one of the amateur teams of three in the St Valentine's Day pro-am on the Saturday.

I have extended the deadline for entries by a week to January 22 to give the lady pros who have been competing at La Manga a chance to join the Festival fields. But it is looking more and more as if the Saturday pro-am will have to be converted to an event for teams of three amateurs, male or female. We simply don't have enough lady pro entries to partner 15 or 20 teams. More's the pity!

Cara and Campbell will also team up in the Costa Calida Pairs on the Sunday.

Perhaps their decision to enter the Hacienda del Alamo February Festival will spark off a late rush of other entries from Scotland. There's no harm in hoping!

Another entry today was that of 13-year-old Poppy Finlay, a 16-handicap junior member of the Vicars Cross club near Chester.

Continental or cooked breakfasts will be available in the Hacienda del Alamo clubhouse from 8am every morning. All the usual refreshments + snacks, lunches and dinners will also be available in the five-star clubhouse and its restaurant.

The Festival is sponsored by Glenmuir, Stewart Spence (owner of The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa, Aberdeen), Hacienda Golf Properties, an oil firm who prefer to remain anonymous and, of course, Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.

FESTIVAL ENTRIES SO FAR
MURCIA LADIES OPEN
Two rounds stroke-play
Thursday-Friday, February 12-13

Professional entries

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Lien Willems (Belgium)
Ruth O’Carroll (England)

Amateur entries
Mary McKenna (Donabate) Senior
Patricia Morris (Donabate) Senior

Pamela Morgan (La Cala) Senior
Di Hudson (Royal Guernsey) Senior
Sonia Graham (Royal Guernsey) Senior
Fionnuala Forde (Donabate)
Margo Habets (Rinkven, Belgium)
Caroline Harper (Limburg, Belgium)
Natalia Zvezdina (Rinkven, Belgium)
Sandra Hendrickx (Rinkven, Belgium)
Louise Church (Hendon) (to be confirmed)
Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park)
Shula McCarthy (Clonmel)
Michele McCarthy (Clonmel).
Anna Carling (Vale of Glamorgan).
Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall)

Sharon Hewer (Royal Birkdale)
Kam Cheema (Red Libbets)
Ellis Keenan (Sunningdale)
Dana Greenslade (Wentworth)
Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch)

MURCIA UNDER-16 GIRLS’ OPEN

Two rounds stroke-play

Thursday-Friday, February 12-13.
Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel). Age 11.
Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer). Age 13.
Hayley Davis (Ferndown). Age 14.
Hannah Turland (Tidworth). Age 14.
Eadaoin Cronin (Bantry Bay). Age 14.
Lucie Walker (Ormskirk). Age 15.
Poppy Finlay (Vicars Cross). Age 13.

ST VALENTINE'S DAY PRO-AM
One round: Lady pro with three amateurs (male or female)
Saturday, February 14

Professional entries

Lien Willems (Belgium).

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Amateur teams:
Mary McKenna (4), Patricia Morris (11) & Fionnuala Forde (12) (all Donabate).
Mary MacLaren (4), Meghan MacLaren (4) & Rebecca Gee (4) (all Wellingborough).
Margo Habets (7), Caroline Harper (15) & Natalia Zvezdina (20) or Sandra Henrickx (20) + pro Lien Willems (Belgium).Natalia Zvezdina (20) or Sandra Henrickx (20) + two other amateurs.

Pamela Morgan (10) & Brian Harrold (10) (both La Cala) + one other amateur

Shula McCarthy (19), Gemma McCarthy (20), Michelle McCarthy (8) (all Clonmel).
Charlie Douglass (+0.3), Anthony Hughes (1), Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park) (2).
Lizzie Stephens (6) & Ben Chapman (9) (both Clevedon) + one other amateur
Cara Gruber (1) & Campbell Thompson (Strathpeffer Spa) (16) + one other amateur
Amateur individuals:

Louise Church (Hendon) (9) (to be confirmed)

Charlotte Humphries (Burnham & Berrow) (17)

Amy Boulden (Llandudno Maesdhu) (1.5) (to be confirmed).
Kam Cheema (20).
Amelia Taylor (St Annes Old Links) (13).
Eadaoin Cronin (Bantry Bay) (10).
Ellis Keenan (Sunningdale) (scr)

COSTA CALIDA PAIRS
One round: First nine holes greensomes; Second nine holes better-ball.
Any combination of lady pros, female & male amateurs.
Sunday, February 15
Professional entries

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Lien Willems (Belgium)

Amateur pairings:
Mary MacLaren (4) & David MacLaren (4).
Meghan MacLaren (4) & Rebecca Gee (4).
Holly Clyburn (+1) & India Clyburn (13).

Pamela Morgan (10) & Brian Harrold (10).

Charlotte Humphries (17) & Rob Humphries (6).

Charlotte Dalton (2) & Ellis Keenan (scr).

Jessica Wilcox (Blankney) (2) & Robert Wilcox.
Amber Ratcliffe (7) & Ryan Ratcliffe (5).
Hayley Davis (1) & Hannah Turland (2).
Sharon Hewer (5) & Peter Maw (5).
Amelia Taylor (13) & Trevor Taylor (18).
Colette Walker (Southport & Ainsdale) (18) & Lucie Walker (11).
Sonia Graham (16) & Di Hudson (9) (to be confirmed)
Lizzie Stephens (6) & Ben Chapman (9).
Dana Greenslade (5) & Alan Quarterman (4)
Ella Ofstedahl (15) & Darryl Ofstedahl (8) (both Mill Green).
Viv Ofstedahl (21) and Sam Ofstedahl (16) (both Mill Green)
Cara Gruber (1) and Campbell Thompson (16).
Amateur individuals (need partner)

Louise Church (Hendon) (9) (to be confirmed)
Amy Boulden (1.5) (to be confirmed)

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO LADIES OPEN
Two rounds stroke-play
Monday-Tuesday, February 16-17.

Professional entries

Jacqueline Pecoitz (Argentina)

Lien Willems (Belgium).
Ruth O’Carroll (England) (to be confirmed)

Amateur entries:
Sonia Graham (Royal Guernsey) Senior
Di Hudson (Royal Guernsey) Senior
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa).
Mary MacLaren (Wellingborough)
Rebecca Gee (Wellingborough)
Louise Church (Hendon) (to be confirmed)
Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park)
Jessica Wilcox (Blankney)
Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall)
Sharon Hewer (Royal Birkdale).
Kam Cheema (Red Libbets)
Ellis Keenan (Sunningdale)
Lizzie Stephens (Clevedon)
Laura Harvey (Richmond)
Dana Greenslade (Wentworth)

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO UNDER-16 GIRLS’ OPEN

Two rounds stroke play

Monday-Tuesday, February 16-17

Charlotte Humphries Age 14.

India Clyburn Age 12.

Meghan MacLaren. Age 14.

Amy Boulden (Llandudno Maesdu). Age 15
Alice Hewison (Berkhamsted & Moor Park). Age 11
Amber Ratcliffe. Age 13.
Hayley Davis. Age 14.
Hannah Turland. Age 14.
Ella Ofstedahl (Mill Green). Age 11.
Amelia Taylor. Age 13.
Lucie Walker (Ormskirk). Age 15.

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO GOLF RESORT
VILLA RENTAL ACCOMMODATION

John Green of Hacienda Golf Properties is the Festival's "preferred partner" for the rental of villas/accommodation at the five-star resort.
That means if you are going to the Hacienda del Alamo February Festival, you should do one of two things, or maybe both.
1 E-mail John Green at mailto:info@hdagolfproperaties.com to find out what he can offer you and at what price.
2 Log on to John Green's website - http://www.hdagolfproperties.com/ - and see for yourself what he has to offer.

Michele misses top 30 by one

shot but good news for Lynn,

Krystle, Pamela and Vikki

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Curtis Cup player and Scottish women's amateur champion Michele Thomson from Ellon bogeyed the very last hole for a 78 and missed out by one shot from finishing among the top 30 who earned full playing rights on the 2009 Ladies European Tour at the Final Qualifying School at La Manga Golf Resort, Murcia in south-east Spain.
The long-hitting Aberdeenshire player could manufacture only one birdie, at the 11th, but had six bogeys (1-5-8-12-14-18).
Michele, 20, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, finished on seven-over-par 299 over the par-73 South Course, her closing round being her worst of the tournament in which she had played the first three days very steadily.
She will get to play in some LET events on the 2009 schedule but not as many as the top 30 finishers but her joint 31st ranking from the Tour School will stand her in good stead.
There is an encouraging pointer for the Scot from the experience of Australian Bronwyn Mullins who gained full category membership this week but last season was the leading Category 10b player - and was able to play in 21 of the LET schedule of 29 events.
The other four Scots who survived the 54-hole cut will all be celebrating tonight that they can play on every event on the LET if they wish.
Of the four, only former Scottish women's amateur title-holder Lynn Kenny has been there before. She lost her card at the end of the 2008 season after several years on the circuit. She finished third behind Sweden's Anna Nordqvist (279) and Australian Frances Bondad (282), the Dunblane player signing off with a 73 for seven-under-par 285.
Kenny had birdies at the second, seventh and 14th today and bogeys at the first, 11th and 15th. Afterwards she paid tribute to SLGA national coach Kevin Craggs for getting her back to "the way I used to play."
Fifer Krystle Caithness quit her golf scholarship at the University of Georgia to play at the Qualifying School and her bold move has paid off big-time. The Curtis Cup player finished joint seventh on 289 with a 73 for three-under-par 289. She played as an amateur through both weeks of the LET Q School but will now obviously turn pro.
Krystle had birdies at the fifth and 13th today and bogeys at the sixth and 15th.
Vikki Laing from Musselburgh, who has been based in the United States since her four years on the US college circuit as a University of California-Berkeley student, now qualfies to play regularly in Europe as a tour pro for the first time.
A winner on the US Futures Tour last year, Vikki has not had the best of luck since her excellent amateur career during which she gained Curtis Cup honours and won the Scottish girls title several times.
She was disqualified at the LPGA Tour School in early December after signing for a wrong figure on her scorecard. At La Manga, Vikki signed off with a 71, which included five birdies and was the best score by a Scot on the last day when nerves were jangling, for one-over-par 293.
Laing had birdies at the fourth, fifth, sixth, ninth and 15th. Her bogeys came at the first, 11th and 17th.
Pamela Feggans, like Vikki, has been a resident of the United States since her days at the University of Florida. She did have outings on the Futures Tour but the chance to play the European Tour on a regular basis could transform her golf career.
Pamela from Patna, Ayrshire had a final round of 76 for three-over 295. Pamela birdied the 12th and 16th but had five bogeys (3-5-9-10-17).
FINAL TOTALS
Par 219 (3 x 73 over South Course, La Manga)
279 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 75 69 67 68.
282 Frances Bondad (Australia) 75 69 71 67.
285 Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links/Orion Group) 75 (38-37), 69 (37-32), 68 (35-33) 73 (36-37.
286 Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) (amateur) 72 75 69 70.
287 Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 72 70 72 73.
288 Beth Allen (Unitged States) 70 71 72 75.
289 Margherita Rigon (Italy) 72 75 71 71, Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) (amateur) 73 (39-34), 74 (36-38), 69 (35-34), 73 (37-36), Elisa Serramia (Spain) 73 69 73 74.
290 Julieta Granada (Paraguay) 72 72 72 74.
291 Isabella Maconi (Italy) 709 78 69 74.
292 Breanne Loucks (Wales) (amateur) 75 74 73 70, Claire Coughlan-Ryan (Ireland) 74 72 73 73.
293 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 76 (37-39), 75 (37-38), 71 (36-35), 71 (34-37), Lara Tadiotto (Belgium) 70 74 75 74.
294 Morgana Robbertze (Soth Africa) 74 74 76 70, Barbara Genuini (France) (amateur) 77 71 72 74, Jo Pritchard (Wales) 77 70 72 75, Smriti Mehra (India) 74 70 73 77.
295 Tara Delaney (Ireland) (amateur) 72 75 74 74, Holly Aitchison (England) (amateur) 76 75 70 74, Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 73 77 71 74, Pamela Feggans (Patna, Ayrshire) 72 (37-35), 72 (36-36), 75 (36-39), 76 (40-36), Jessica Ji (South Korea) 69 78 72 76, Florentyna Parker (England) (amateur) 76 71 71 77.
296 Claire Aitken (England) (amateur) 74 73 75 74.
297 Camille Fallay (France) 75 72 76 74, Anna-Karin Salmen (Finland) 75 73 75 74.
298 Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Australia) 80 72 74 72, Malene Jorgensen (Denmark) (amateur) 74 76 73 75.

FOLLOWING WILL HAVE CATEGORY 10b MEMBERSHIP OF L E T

299 Eleanor Pilgrim (Wales) 73 73 79 74, Lena Tornevall (Sweden) 76 75 74 74, Emma Weeks (England) 77 72 75 75, Elizabeth Bennett (England) (amateur) 75 73 75 76, Marousa Polias (Australia) 74 74 75 76, Elena Giraud (France) 77 73 73 76, Michele Thomson (McDonald,Ellon) (amateur) 75 (36-39), 74 (38-36), 72 (37-35), 78 (40-38).
300 Sarah Heath (England) 76 73 77 74, Stephanie Na (Australia) (amateur) 75 78 72 75, Melanie Holmes-Smith (Australia) 76 72 75 77, Ana Larraneta (Spain) 75 75 73 77, Caroline Rominger (Switzerland) (amateur) 75 70 76 79.
301 Frederique Seeholzer (Switzerland) 79 75 72 75, Kyra Van Leeuwen (Netherlands) (amateur) 77 74 73 77, Viva Schlasberg (Sweden) 75 79 68 79.
302 Bing Lim (Malaysia) 76 78 72 76, Natascha Fink (Austria) 76 77 72 77, Rachel Bell (England) 71 74 79 78, Anne Norman Hanbsen (Denmark) 78 74 72 78.
303 Anna Highgate (Wales) 70 77 77 79.
304 Maria Ringdahl (Sweden) 80 75 71 78, Tandi Cuningham (South Africa) 74 75 77 78, Marian Riordan (Ireland) 77 75 73 79, Laure Sibille (France) (amateur) 74 76 75 79.
305 Eva Bjarvall (Sweden) 78 74 73 79.

Rookie Anna Nordqvist sets sights on place

in Solheim Cup team in August

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Exactly 30 players qualified for category 8a membership of the Ladies European Tour at La Manga Club today. They have all earned the right to play on the LET in 2009.
Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, the 2008 British Amateur Champion, won the event with a four-round total of 279, 13-under-par after rounds of 75, 69, 67 and 68.
Norqvist said that she would now join the Tour. “I’m very happy as this was my goal and it proves that I can play good golf and hit good shots,” she said.
On December 7 in America, Nordqvist turned professional after tying for 25th at LPGA Q-School, a shot away from earning her card. She earned priority in Category 13, which means Nordqvist would likely get into just a handful of LPGA events. Now, success at the LET School has made her change her mind about staying on in the States where she had a successful two and a half seasons with Arizona State University.
Nordqvist, who turned professional at the beginning of the year, added that she was hoping to make Alison Nicholas’ 2009 European Solheim Cup team that will travel to the United States in August. “I’m just going to play as well as I can and that might be good enough to get into the team. That would be great but if not I will work hard to get into the next one.”
Australia’s Frances Bondad finished three shots back in second place after a final round of six-under 67, which was the lowest score of the day. She was thrilled to have rediscovered her confidence after a frustrating rookie season in 2008, when she finished in 88th position on the New Star Money List. She now feels ready to take on Europe.
“I think I wasn’t confident last year because of all the travelling and everything involved with it being my first year. I didn’t know anyone; I was away from home and didn’t have a coach so was fixing it all myself, said Bondad.
"I had problems with caddies as well. I think I’m wiser now, happier, more confident and more mature. I’ve grown up a lot since last year when I was a little fish in a big pond and I know what to do now."
The Australian highlighted her new putting routine as the key to success as well as the work she has done with her new coach Bruce Burrows and sports psychologist John Novak.
Dunblane's Lynn Kenny, who finished third on seven-under-par, also credited her new coach, Kevin Craggs, who she previously worked with four years ago.
She said: “Everything seems to be clicking into place. Kevin is doing a great job. I feel like I am back to my old self and I really want to thank him.”
Kenny also had the benefit of Rafael Armand on the bag for the tournament. Armand is normally European No 1 Gwladys Nocera’s caddie, but is also Kenny’s boyfriend.
Christel Boeljon from the Netherlands finished a shot back in fourth place and was one of nine amateurs to earn their full cards. New members also look set to include three members of last year's GB&I Curtis Cup team - Scotland’s Krystle Caithness, who was joint seventh, Breanne Loucks from Wales, and Germany-based Florentyna Parker - French player Barbara Genuini (who won the "Helen Holm" last year), Ireland’s former Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney, England’s Holly Aitchison and Denmark’s Malene Jorgensen.

Lorena Ochoa (27) gets engaged


to sponsor Andres Conesa (39)


Top-ranked LPGA player Lorena Ochoa is engaged. The 27-year-old from Mexico will marry 39-year-old Andres Conesa, the director general of Aeromexico airline, one of her sponsors.
Local media reported Conesa popped the question late last month as the couple vacationed in Europe. Hola magazine’s Mexico edition said the pair were planning a wedding at the end of this year.
Ochoa spokeswoman Monica Marron wouldn’t give any details, but said a date for the wedding had been set.
It will be the first marriage for Ochoa. Conesa has three children from a previous marriage.
Ochoa, from Guadalajara, has said she wants to eventually leave golf, settle down and have children. But the two-time major champion hasn’t yet mentioned plans to retire.
Her friend Annika Sorenstam married Mike McGee last Saturday, four weeks after the Swedish golf star ended her Hall of Fame career so that she could start a family before it was too late.

Second event on the Orange Blossom women's amateur tour

Laura Murray joint sixth with




a 74 in first round of




"The Sally" in Florida



Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen student Laura Murray from Alford was the best placed British or Irish player at the end of the first round of this week's event on the Orange Blossom women's amateur golf tour in Florida, "The Sally" or South Atlantic Ladies Amateur championship at Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach.
Laura, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had a two-over-par 74 with birdies at the first, second and 15th. A double bogey 7 at the long sixth and bogeys at the fifth, long 12th and 18th left her in joint sixth position, six shots behind the joint leaders, home-state Americans Rachel Carpenter and youngster Alexis Thompson who opened up a five-shot lead with matching 68s.
Rachel Connor, son of the Scots-born Manchester club professional, had a 75 which included an eagle 2 at the third and birdies at the fourth and fifth but she double-bogeyed the eighth and dropped other shots at the first, second, 10th, 14th and 16th.
Scottish Under-21 champion Kelsey MacDonald, a student at Stirling University and Nairn Dunbar GC member, had a 77 with only one birdie, at the short ninth. She had a double bogey 6 at the 11th and bogeys at the fifth, seventh, 14th and 16th.
Jane Turner from Penicuik, a student at Robert Gordon University, had double bogey 5s at two short holes, the foufrth and 14th in her round of six-over 78. She birdied the long sixth and 13th and also bogeyed the fifth, seventh, 12th and 18th.
Stirling students Rachel Cassidy from Dublin and Harriet Beasley from Woburn both scored 81.
A third Stirling student, Rebecca Wilson from Monifieth, had a 90.
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
68 Rachel Carpenter (Howey in the Hills, Florida), Alexis Thompson (Coral Springs, Florida).
73 Wendi Golden (Lakewood Ranch, Florida), Kira Meixner (British Columbia, Canada), Mandi Morrow (Kent, Ohio).
74 Carol Semple Thompson (Sewickley, Pennsylvania), Megan Chapman (Palm Court, Florida), Maggie Weder (Greenville, North Carolina), Laura Murray (Alford, Scotland).
75 Rachel Connor (Manchester, England).
76 Meghan Bolger (Oakland Park, Florida), Sarah Zwartynwki (Allen, Texas), Tovie St Louis (Royal Palm Beach, Florida), Jessica Yadloczky (Casselberry, Florida).
77 Martha Leach (Hebron, Kentucky), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar, Scotland), Meghan Hughes, New Smyrna Beach, Florida).
78 Reggie Parker (Hobe Sound Florida), Jane Turner (Craigielaw, Scotland), Maddi Swaney (Marietta, Florida).
79 Morgan Bell (Montevallo, Alabama), Ashley Medders (Alma, Georgia).
80 Deb Mielke (McKinney, Texas).
81 Rachel Cassidy (Dublin, Ireland), Harriet Beasley (Woburn, England), Angela Drane (Vernon River, Canada), Sara Young (Jacksonville, Florida).
Other score:
90 Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth, Scotland).