New Shire

champion Sara

and pro golfer

Terry to wed

in five weeks

New Aberdeenshire county champion Sara Thomson, who has changed her club from Murcar Links to Royal Musselburgh since she moved to Edinburgh to work as a graduate chartered surveyor with a company called Jones Lang LaSalle, and her fiance, Kings Acre assistant professional Terry Mathieson are getting married in five weeks, writes Colin Farquharson.

They are buying a flat in East Lothian.

Terry has confirmed that he has played a part in Sara's improvement as a golfer. The galleries at last Sunday's Aberdeenshire county final victory over Sammy Leslie (Westhill) with a last-hole birdie were most impressed with her short game.

"Yes, we have being doing some work on Sara's game. She's always been a very good player, but I've just being helping her understand how to get round a golf course better with a bit of work on her technique and short game," says Terry.

"Sara can be a bit off a perfectionist, but I have been trying to get her to relax and accept not every shot will be 100%! Far too many younger players that are coming through can swing a club well but can't play golf.

"I've been showing her how to play knock-down shots and how to control shots into the wind etc, which all came in very handy at a very windy Peterhead! I would love to see how good she could be if she played more because she certainly has alot of natural ability and she has shown she has the nerve and determination to win.

"She was also delighted to get the Thomson name on the trophy as it will be changing to Mathieson in five weeks' time!"

Harrison v Stevenson in Friday's

Stirlingshire final at Linlithgow

Playing over her home course at Linlithgow, Jill Harrison tonight won her way through to the final of the Stirlingshire women’s county golf championship for a sixth time.
In thoroughly unpleasant conditions of wind and rain, No 5 seed Jill, the 1987 and 1988 champion who lost in the finals of 1986, 1989 and 1991, beat last year’s runner-up, Linda Allan (Falkirk Tryst) by one hole.

In the 1987 final, Jill also beat Linda (Robertson, then) by 6 and 5.
In the other semi-final, Vikki Stevenson (Stirling), pictured, 11th of the 16 match-play qualifiers, beat Claire Capocci (Bridge of Allan), the No 7 seed, also by one hole. It will be Vikki’s second final, having lost in the title showdown on 2006.
Tonight's results:
Semi-finals

Jill Harrison (Linlithgow) bt Linda Allan (Falkirk Tryst) 1 hole.

Vikki Stevenson (Stirling) bt Claire Capocci (Bridge of Allan) 1 hole.

Alexandra and Stiggy invited to Wentworth pro-am

Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) and Sunningdale's Stiggy Hodgson have been invited to play in the BMW PGA Championship curtain-raising pro-am at Wentworth.
Read the full story by switching over to www.scottishgolfview.com

Katy McNicoll graduates with BA

honours after four years

at Lynn University, Florida

The 2008-2009 United States college golf season is over for Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll and her team-mates at Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida.
Katy, pictured right, who is completing her fourth and final year in the States, finished joint 29th in the NCAA Division 2 women's South Regional championship at Mission Inn Golf & Tennis Resort, Florida with scores of 82, 85 and 79 for a total of 246 over a 6165yd course with a par of 72.
The four-stroke winner was Sandra Changkija (Nova Southeastern University) who scored 73, 69 and 73 for one-under 215.
Heather Burgner (Florida Southern) finished second on 219 with scores of 70, 72 and 77.
Charlene Reid (Pfeiffer University) from Antrim came third on 224 with rounds of 73, 75 and 76.
Carley Warrington (Belmont Abbey University) from Bradwell, Derbyshire finished in a share of 21st place with scores of 76, 82 and 82 for 240.
Only the top three teams - Nova Southeastern University (912), Florida Southern University (915) and Rollins College (918) - qualified for the NCAA national finals. Lynn University (977) came sixth of nine after Belmont Abbey (955) and Barry University (966). Pfeiffer finished eighth with 990.
Footnote from Carnoustie Sports Shop owner Dave McNicoll (father of Katy and Keir, who also spent four successful years at Lynn University, as did Gavin Dear of Murrayshall):
Katy graduates on Saturday with a BA honours degree. Her mum is flying out tomorrow to represent the family.
The US college golf updates on Kirkwoodgolf over the last four years have been a source of inspiration and a great reminder of home for Katy and many other US-domiciled kids who are thousands of miles away from families and friends. Your columns definitely give them a boost re their golf and the things they miss here in Scotland.
Katy is, for the first time ever, able to play in the Scottish women's championship (May 19-23 at Southerness) and she is looking forward to it.
On behalf of my bairns and the many others who have gone to play collegiate golf, thanks very much. We are all indebted to Kirkwoodgolf's coverage. It's marvellous!

New date for LGU Medal West Final at Ranfurly Castle

Today's Ladies Golf Union Medal West Area Final at Ranfurly Castle was eventually abandoned when steady rain began to flood the greens in the early afternoon.
SLGA Tournament Officer Fiona Farquharson has rearranged the competition to be played at the same venue on Thursday, May 14.

Entries close May 12 for "British" at Harlech

Entries close for the British women's open amateur championship - to be hosted by Royal St David's Golf Club, Harlech in North Wales from June 9 to 13 - on Tuesday, May 12.
Only seven Scots have entered so far:
Carly Booth, Kelsey MacDonald, Laura Murray, Roseanne Niven, Pamela Pretswell, Sally Watson and Kylie Walker.
The entry fee is £35 and the handicap limit 4.4. The maximum field size is 144.
Entries can be made online through the Ladies Golf Union website: www.lgu.org