Louise Kenney gets a congratulatory hug from her coach, SGU staff man Spencer Henderson, after she finished fourth and won the Angela Uzielli Trophy in the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Aberdeen last Friday. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency (click on it to enlarge).

I owe it all to coach Spencer, says Louise Kenney

Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk was on hand at Balgownie last week when Fifer Louise Kenney finished the top Scot in joint fourth place with Europe's top-ranked female amateur, Lucie Andre, at the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship.

The Angela Uzielli Trophy, which was formerly the trophy to be won in the British women's mid-amateur championship (now discontinued), went to Louise for finishing the leading Under-25 player.

Scottish girls champion in 2000 and beaten finalist (by Heather MacRae) in 2001, 2009 has been a season in which Louise reached the final of the Scottish women's amateur championship at Southerness and now her best ever finish in a "British event."

Going into the tournament at Royal Aberdeen, Louise had a clear lead in the SLGA Order ot Merit, so she must have gone further ahead at the top of the table.

We asked her for her own assessment of her 2009 campaign.

Louise Kenney says:

"I feel this season has been my best yet by far. I am very pleased by how well I've played in all the major competitions and consistency has been the key for me. The highlight so far has been my fourthth place finish at the British stroke-play.

"I would never have had the season I've had without my coach, Spencer Henderson. He has done so much work with me over the past couple of years and has transformed my swing and overall golf game.

"I definitely owe all my achievements to him. He is a fantastic coach and gives me so much encouragement and belief in my game."

Gemma Webster wins $630 after last-round 84

Richdale wins Monday play-off on Futures Tour

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY US DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
After a weekend of weather delays and darkness suspensions, the $110,000 Turkey Hill Classic, presented by Felicita Garden Resort and Spa, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania came to an end on a sunny Monday, with Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, British Columbia, claiming her third Duramed Futures Tour victory in a play-off against Amanda Mathis of Opelousas, Louisiana.
Today's final marked the first time a Duramed Futures Tour event finished on a Monday since the 1997 SunTrust FUTURES Classic in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Richdale (68) and Mathis (69) ended regulation tied at 10-under-par (206), forcing the one-hole play-off on No 18. Both players' second shots ended in the rough, just shy of the green. Richdale managed to get it up and down for par and the win, with Mathis having to settle for a bogey.
"I didn't have a very good second shot," said Richdale, who is currently a member of the LPGA Tour. "I usually hit it a little short when I'm nervous, so I was trying to make sure I didn't do that. I'm glad I had to just tap it in for par."
Richdale started the morning's three strokes behind the leaders, after Sunday's final-round play was suspended for darkness.
"I was just hoping to have a good finish," said Richdale, who recorded 10 wins in collegiate competition while at Illinois State University. "I finished a lot better than I thought. I didn't start off too smooth. I had a bogey on the second hole. After that I just started concentrating on making good shots and good putts."
Saturday's second-round play was also suspended for darkness following Friday's first round weather-related suspension, something Richdale is very familiar with, having won the rain-shortened Louisiana Pelican Classic in Lafayette, Louisiana early in the season. Richdale also won the 2008 The Gettysburg Championship in nearby Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
"It's been a long week," said Richdale. "The grounds crew did an amazing job trying to clean up the course. It reminded me of when I won in Louisiana. It was exciting to come back to Pennsylvania. I've got some really great fans here. That helped me a lot."
While Mathis came up short for the victory, her second place finish marks her best finish on the Futures Tour.
"I'm happy," said Mathis, who recorded five top-10 finishes in collegiate competition, including two wins, while at Mississippi State University. "It was my first time in the final group, my first time to be in contention. I think my adrenaline kicked in a little too much. When I saw the leaderboard on No. 18, I knew I had to make a birdie to win and I think I pushed it a little."
Sharing a tie for third are Jean Reynolds (68) of Newnan, Georgia, and Mina Harigae (70) of Monterey, California, at -9 (207).
With her win, Richdale is now ranked fourth on the money list, as the tour nears the end of its season. The top-10 money list leaders will earn their LPGA cards after the ILOVENY Championship in Albany, New York State from September 4-6.
"It takes a little stress out of it," said Richdale, who was previously ranked fifth. "I'm pretty excited to have a bit of a lead going into Albany."
Harigae remains on top of the money list, with Reynolds in second and Misun Cho of Cheongju, South Korea, in third. Whitney Wade of Glasgow, Kentucky, moves from fourth to fifth.
"I wasn't hitting well this week," said Harigae, a rookie who has won three times this season. "I wasn't making any putts. But I'm pretty sure I have secured an LPGA card, so that's a positive. I've had a good season and any top-five finish is good. We'll have to see what happens in Albany."
For scores and more information, visit duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Sunny. High in the low 80s. Winds from the northwest at 5 to 10 mph.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, British Columbia)69-69-68 - 206 $15,400 (after play-off)
Amanda Mathis (Opelousas, La.) 69-68-69 - 206 $11,000 (after play-off)
Jean Reynolds (Newnan, Ga.) 71-68-68 - 207 $6,723
Mina Harigae (Monterey, Calif.) 67-70-70 - 207 $6,723
Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 70-70-68 - 208 $4,508
Jennie Lee (Henderson, Nev.) 68-72-69 - 209 $3,463
Jenny Suh (Fairfax, Va.) 69-73-69 - 211 $2,968
Nicole Jeray (Berwyn, Ill.) 74-70-68 - 212 $1,994
Pornanong Phatlum (Chaiyaphum, Thailand) 72-69-71 - 212 $1,994
Angela Oh (Maple Shade, N.J.) 67-73-72 - 212 $1,994
Maria Hernandez (Pamplona, Spain) 68-71-73 - 212 $1,994
Amanda Blumenherst (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 69-67-76 - 212 $1,994
Gerina Mendoza (Roswell, N.M.) 74-70-71 - 215 $1,231
Libby Smith (Essex Junction, Vt.) 71-72-72 - 215 $1,231
Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) 72-71-72 - 215 $1,231
Yoora Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 72-71-72 - 215 $1,231
Lene Krog (Lier, Norway) 71-71-73 - 215 $1,231
Pernilla Lindberg (Bollnas, Sweden) 74-73-68 - 215 $1,231
Alison Walshe (Westford, Mass.) 69-70-76 - 215 $1,231
Selected score:
Gemma Webster (Glasgow, Scotland) 75-73-84 - 232 $630.

The 'new' Michelle Wie must be allowed

to let her genius run free ...

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By MARK REASON
Finally the parents let Michelle Wie go out of the house alone and she found a fabulous future.
But will she be allowed to keep it? Will Wie be given the freedom to let her prodigious talent run away with her or will she be closed up in that claustrophobic room of childish genius that runs from Capriati to Cipriani?
The women's tour may depend on what happens next. The Solheim Cup was a blast, but who wants to turn up this week for something called the Safeway Classic in North Plains, Oregon? The answer is likely to be a lot of people. Wie will be playing and the world wants to know if her Solheim performance was a one-off.
Of course it was a one-off. No other woman can play golf like that. No other woman could have stuck a long iron to three feet on the second hole – Wie called it "the best shot I've hit ever" – or panned a drive 305 yards on the 15th hole. The 19 year-old is still a prodigy even though she seems to have been around for ever.
"Yes Wie can" say the banners. If only. No woman has ever hit the ball like Wie. But a lot of women have won tournaments. A Swede with not half so much talent as Wie has 72 victories on the LPGA Tour. Wie hasn't won anything since she was 13.
That may be about to change. Juli Inkster, a team-mate and an LPGA Tour veteran with over 30 victories, said after Wie's performance at the Solheim Cup: "I will bet you a large amount of money that Michelle Wie will win before the year is out."
Wie needs to think that she has already won. Wie needs to think of the Solheim Cup as a victory. She was America's most successful player, she was unbeaten and she won a crucial singles against the second-best scoring European on the final day. She also now appears to have a short game after starting work with two-time major winner Dave Stockton and his son Ron.
Wie said: "People have seen a different side of me here. I can't tell you how much fun this has been. This week has given me a great confidence boost."
That confidence may stop her looking into the void.
The void is no place for a teenager to be hanging out as Wie knows only too well. She was disqualified in her first pro tournament; she has been accused of faking injury; she has had bodyguards, and wrist injuries and maybe even death threats. She's not quite sure on that last one and she doesn't want to know.
That's no way for a girl to grow up. The way for a girl to grow up is with kids her own age. Wie was able to do that these past few days.
A Chicago newspaper once called Capriati "The poster child for burned out sports prodigies." Last week, Wie looked like just another mugshot in the file of failed childhood geniuses.
Today, Wie can see her fabulous future

Cults Academy team who won the A T Personnel Handicap Trophy at the Paul Lawrie Schools Team Challenge at Peterculter GC today - left to right: Lewys Anderson, Andrew Carrell and Samuel Duncan. Images by Cal Carson Golf Agency. Click on them to enlarge.

UP TO SCRATCH. The winning Robert Gordon's College team in the scratch section: left to right - Steven Smith, Neale Barnes and Jack Scott.

Robert Gordon's College score first win in Paul Lawrie Schools Team Challenge Robert Gordon's College, represented by Jack Scott, Steven Smith and Neale Barnes, won the Paul Lawrie Schools Team Challenge Scratch Trophy for the first time at Peterculter Golf Club today. Scott had a one-over-par 72, and Smith and Barnes 76 each for a team total of 224. They won by 11 strokes from Peterhead Academy's Ross Gordon (75), Jamie Reid (80) and Charles Cross (80). Grove Academy, Dundee finished third on 238 with Ross Munroe returning a 71, the lowest score of the day. Katie Reid (78) and Iain Douglas (89) were the team's other scorers. Cults Academy repeated last year's win in the handicap section, winning the A T Personnel Trophy with a net total of 220. Their team players and individual scores were: Andrew Carrell (6) 79, Lewys Anderson (10) 71 and Samuel Duncan ((18) 73. Alford Academy were runners-up with a net total of 222 and Torry Academy were third with 223. SCRATCH TOTALS Par 71, CSS 71. 224 ROBERT GORDON'S COLLEGE: Jack Scott 72, Steven Smith 76, Neale Barnes 76. 235 PETERHEAD ACADEMY: Ross Gordon 78, Jamie Reid 80, Charles Cross 80. 238 GROVE ACADEMY: Ross Munroe 71, Katie Reid 78, Iain Douglas 89. 240 ALFORD ACADEMY. 244 ELLON ACADEMY. 246 WESTHILL ACADEMY. 249 BANCHORY ACADEMY. 250 ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 251 HAZLEHEAD ACADEMY, CULTS ACADEMY. 255 ABOYNE ACADEMY, BANFF ACADEMY. 261 TORRY ACADEMY 267 THE GORDON SCHOOLS Huntly, MACKIE ACADEMY. 268 KEMNAY ACADEMY. 268 HUNTLY ACADEMY. 271 MINTLAW ACADEMY. 276 MONIFIETH HIGH. 286 MONTROSE ACADEMY. 289 BRIDGE OF DON ACADEMY. 298 SPEYSIDE HIGH. NR MELDRUM ACADEMY LEADING HANDICAP TOTALS 220 CULTS ACADEMY: Lewys Anderson (10) 71, Samuel Duncan (18) 73, Andrew Carrell (3) 76. 222 ALFORD ACADEMY: Ritchie Manson (3) 72, Matthew Fraser (11) 73, Ryan Gordon (4) 77. 223 TORRY ACADEMY (Aidan Ross (14) 72, Stephen Bennett (15) 75, Zac Wood (9) 76.

'Awesome' Catriona Matthew is praised by

losing captain Alison Nicholas

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By ELSPETH BURNSIDE
Scots Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie both did the business for Europe by adding points to the board in the singles but their heroic efforts couldn't stop the United States from retaining the Solheim Cup in the most dramatic of final days at Rich Harvest Farms near Chicago.
With the sides tied at 8-8 going into the 12 singles, Alison Nicholas's European underdogs had sights on an upset that would have matched the home victory in the second match at Dalmahoy all of 17 years ago. But an historic win failed to materialise as the Americans' greater strength in depth proved to be just good enough for Beth Daniel's side to clinch a 16-12 victory that was much closer than the scoreline suggests.
Half of the singles went to the final hole. It was 21-year-old Morgan Pressel, a Major winner when she was just 18, who had the honour of claiming the winning point in the 11th tie when she beat Anna Nordqvist by 3 and 2.
Paula Creamer, Angela Stanford and teenage superstar Michelle Wie – with a thrilling final green win over Helen Alfredsson – all put red USA points on the board before the ever reliable Matthew struck a blow with a 3 and 2 win over Kristy McPherson.
The North Berwick golfer, who won the Ricoh Women's British Open at the start of the month, was in control all the way against the rookie and finished her fifth Solheim with a win and two half points from her four outings.
"It was a great week and just a pity that we couldn't quite pull it off," she said. "They were the strong favourites, but it was really close all week."
Moodie, in the last match, led all the way against Natalie Gulbis, but lost the 16th and 17th and they called it a half at the 18th.
It was a ding-dong battle throughout a gloriously sunny final afternoon, but the tide started to turn in the home team's favour when Laura Davies, who has played in all 11 Solheims, lost the final two holes to finish with only half a point from the fourth match against rookie Brittany Lang.
Juli Inkster also came from behind to take a half point from Gwladys Nocera and then a 3 and 2 win from Brittany Lincicome over Sophie Gustafson set up Pressel for the glorious finale.
The Florida girl made the score 14-10 in the US favour, and Christina Kim went on to add another full point that was topped up by halves from Gulbis and Cristie Kerr.
The final singles score was 8-4 for the defending champions. The only other European to win a full point was Diana Luna, the first Italian to play in the Solheim, with a 3 and 2 triumph over Nicole Castrale, who was the only player on either side to finish without even half a point.
On Saturday, Luna had joined Matthew in a half point in the four-balls, and she paid tribute to the Scot. "Catriona was just great, I couldn't have asked for a better partner in my first match," she said. "The pressure this week has been unbelievable."
Nicholas admitted: "I was so proud of my team. It was so close all afternoon and it just seemed to turn in their favour during the last half hour. But I thought our team played really well. "Catriona was awesome and our rookies showed how much talent we have on the Ladies' European Tour. My side battled hard but, unfortunately, it just wasn't quite good enough."
As for Matthew, she will celebrate her 40th birthday tomorrow by heading west to Portland in Oregon for the LPGA Tour's Safeway Classic.

SOLHEIM CUP SINGLES RESULTS
(USA names first):
United States 8, Europe 4
Paula Creamer bt Suzann Pettersen 3 & 2.
Angela Stanford bt Becky Brewerton 5 & 4.
Michelle Wie bt Helen Alfredsson 1 hole.
Brittany Lang halved with Laura Davies.
Juli Inkster halved with Gwladys Nocera.
Kristy McPherson lost to Catriona Matthew 3 & 2.
Brittany Lincicome bt Sophie Gustafson 3 & 2.
Nicole Castrale lost to Diana Luna 3 & 2.
Christina Kim bt Tania Elosegui 2 holes.
Cristie Kerr halved with Maria Hjorth.
Morgan Pressel bt Anna Nordqvist 3 & 2.
Natalie Gulbis halved with Janice Moodie

OVERALL RESULT
United States 16, Europe 12

Carol O'Neill continues the trend

as Murcar Links' new secretary

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Murcar Links Golf Club has appointed Carol O'Neill to be its new secretary. Carol, who had been close on 15 years as assistant secretary at Newmachar Golf Club, took up her new duties today.
"Carol is well known in North-east golfing circles and brings a wealth of experience in golf administration to the club," said Murcar Links captain Hugh Stuart.
"Murcar Links is celebrating its Centenary this year and has capacity membership with a waiting list.The club hosted the European girls' team championship in 2008 and the Scottish men's open amateur stroke-plsy championship in May this year. They may be a further announcement soon regarding the hosting of another big event.
"With our excellent clubhouse, course and practice facilities, we can think of no better time for Carol to be joining us - at the start of our next 100 years."
Carol, renowned for her multi-tasking at Newmachar Golf Club, succeeds Joanne Mitchell who is getting married soon.
Ironically, Carol, who lives in Dyce, has just bought a new house in NEWMACHAR ... "but it's not far to Murcar Links across country from Newmachar" she says.
Carol O'Neill's appointment continues if not a ladies-only, certainly a ladies-favoured trend in North-east golfing circles over the past 10 to 15 years - perhaps with the advent of computerised administration and the need for specialised knowledge and training - for clubs to appoint female secretaries/club managers.
Debbie Pern, Deeside Golf Club's secretary-manager for the past five years, has a different explanation, with tongue in cheek: "I don't think members shout so much at lady secretaries as they do at men doing the job!"
Banchory Golf Club recently appointed Ann Smart to succeed the retiring Bill Crighton as its secretary and Stonehaven's Willie Donald, when he came up to retirement age earlier this year, was replaced by Morag Duncan as club manager.
Two of the longest serving permanent club staff officials in the North-east are Sandra Webster who has been secretary at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club for 20 years and Rosemary Pittendrigh who is retiring at the end of the year after 15 years as secretary/manager at Cruden Bay Golf Club. .
Others in the area include Eva Beech-Campbell at Oldmeldrum, Yvonne Forgen at Elgin and Marion Ferries at Aboyne.
Are there as many lady secretaries/club managers of golf clubs in your area?
E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com if you can name names.

Competitors at the North of Scotland girls championship, pictured after the prizegiving at Nairn Golf Club.
Scratch winner Hannah McCook (Abernethy) is left centre.
Handicap winner Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) is right centre
Also in the front row, on the left, Louise McGillivray (Banchory), and on the right, Shannon McWilliam from Aboyne.
Image supplied by Magi Vass (Tain), the North girls' secretary, who organised the championships and was impressed by the girls' scoring.

HANNAH McCOOK WINS NORTH OF SCOTLAND GIRLS' CHAMPIONSHIP Hannah McCook, daughter of North-based Press and Journal photographer Sandy McCook, has won the North of Scotland girls' golf championship. A four-handicap member at Abernethy Golf Club, Nethy Bridge, Hannah, who had her 16th birthday last month, returned a scratch round of 74, which matched the CSS for the day, at Nairn Golf Club to win the title by three strokes from Lauren Duncan (Aboyne). Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) won the leading handicap award with a net 68 off 13. Clubmate Sophie Alexander was runner-up with a net 72 off six. SCORES (CSS 74) SCRATCH 74 Hannah McCook (Abernethy). 77 Lauren Duncan (Aboyne) 78 Sophie Alexander (Deeside). 79 Rachel Polson (Peterculter). 80 Louise McGillivray (Banchory), Julie Vass (Tain). 81 Tegan Seivwright (Deeside). 83 Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne). 89 E Tunn (Reay). 92 Vikki Powell (Deeside). 94 Kirsten MacCallum (Newburgh). 95 Emma Read (Deeside). 96 K Mackay (Durness). 96 Fiona Fullerton (Meldrum House). 101 Olivia Borwick (McDonald Ellon). 123 Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne). LEADING HANDICAP 68 T Seivewright (Deeside) (13). 70 H McCook (Abernethy) (4), L Duncan (Aboyne) (7). 72 S Alexander (Deeside) (6). 73 J Vass (Tain) (7) 74 R Polson (Peterculter) (5), L McGillivray (Banchory) (6), V Powell (Deeside) (18). 76 K Beveridge (Aboyne) (7). 80 E Reid (Deeside) (15). 81 K Mackay (Durness (15). 83 O Borwick (McDonald Ellon) (19). 84 K MacCallum (Newburgh) (10). 86 F Fullerton (Meldrum House) (10). 87 E Tunn (Reay) (13). CAMERON COURSE SCORES 48 K Hardie (Fortrose & Rosemarkie). 57 E Murray (Moray).