US COLLEGE NEWS

Sammy Vass improves by 10 strokes on

her second competitive round in USA

Well done, Sammy Vass! The Tain teenager slashed 10 shots off her first round score with a round of 79 on the last day - Saturday's second round was washed out - of the Bettie Lou Evans Invite women's college tournament at the University Club of Kentucky, Lexington, today.
Sammy, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, enrolled as the University of Central Florida only a few weeks ago. She will take time to find her feet but it was encouraging that she could make a 10-stroke improvement at the second time of asking.
Sammy was not in the UCF team of five for this event but the head coach took her along to play as an individual and gain some competitive experience of American conditions which must be a wee bit difference from the the North of Scotland.
Her Sunday score of 79 was a better second round by four shots than one of the UCF players who was competing for the team.
Macarena Silva (Florida State) and Paula Hurtado (Florida International) tied for victory - no word of a play-off on "GolfStat" - on level par 143 (two courses were used, one with a par 71, the other a par 72).
They finished two shots ahead of Jessica Alexander (Coastal Carolina) (75-70) and the best of the UCF team, Victoria Tomko, who scored 72-73.
Steph Gough (Middle Tennessee State) from Aylesbury slipped back from a share of fifth place to a final position of joint 24th. She had rounds of 74 and 77 for 151.
Two other English players, both students at Florida International University, finished joint 41st and 51st respectively in the field of 82 players.
Lauren Blease scored 78 and 76 for 154, and Nikki Dunn had rounds of 82 and 76 for 158.
Florida State (587) won the team event from UCF (592) with Chattanooga - whose head coach is Scot Colette Murray - third of 15 teams on 598.

GIBSON CUP 2009

A report of the weekend’s action has been provided below by Anne Brownie, Chair of the Gibson Cup.

2009 Gibson Cup winners Karina Matson (left)  and Gillian Lithgow (on right)

both of Lothianburn with the magnificent 102 year old Cup.

The 2009 Gibson Cup sponsored by The Ladies Golf Centre, www.golfing-lady.com and hosted by Edinburgh Golf over the Braid Hills Golf Course took place over the weekend of 26th/27th September. 

On a breezy but fine day on Saturday 26th September many competitors found the putting on fast, sloping greens very testing –especially downwind, down a slope! The greens were, however, true and some foursomes pairings certainly scored well. Leading qualifiers with a score of 71.5 (.5 under par) were the lowest handicapped pair of Wendy Nicholson and Kate McIntosh, both Broomieknowe followed by a second Broomieknowe pair of Sandra Hennessey and Gillian Carter with 74.5. 78.5 was the cut off for the second flight of match play with all higher scores eligible for the Consolation Salver (played as a foursomes stableford on Sunday) . A rare occurrence at the 4th hole, which was sponsored for nearest the pin in 2 shots, was that two couples Anne Brownie and Mary Stark (Lothianburn) and Sandra Hennessey and Gillian Carter (Broomieknowe) were both in the hole with a two at this par four hole!

Leading qualifying scores

71.5 Wendy Nicholson, Kate McIntosh both Broomieknowe (H’cap 4.5)
74.5 Sandra Hennessey, Gillian Carter both Broomieknowe(11.5)
76.5 Margaret Logan/Mairi Hall both Bathgate (11.5)
77.5 Karina Matson Gillian Lithgow both Lothianburn (14.5) (bih)
77.5 Ray Lynch Norma Richmond both Murrayfield (9.5 )
78 Linda Boyle Dorothy Wilson both Harburn (13)
78 Sandra Ashurst Celia Nixon both Murrayfield (13)
78.5 Susan Randall Mandy McBain Carrickvale /Swanston (17.5)


Sunday started fair and not too breezy and there was some very good golf played including a hole in one by Gillian Lithgow at the 17th hole which saw her and partner Karina Matson close out their semi-final match 3 & 1 against top qualifiers Wendy Nicholson and Kate McIntosh. The other semi-final was won 3 and 2 by Gillian Carter and Sandra Hennessey over Margaret Logan and Mairi Hall of Bathgate.

By the time the Gibson Cup Final went out at 1pm the breeze had strengthened to a near gale making both driving and putting “interesting” (for which read difficult!). Gillian and Karina had a slight edge at the turn and followed up winning the 9th with wins at holes 10, 11 and 12 before Gillian and Sandra fought back and ate into their lead, keeping the match alive with vital wins at both the 15th and 16th. Although Gillian Lithgow did not repeat her feat of an ace, the Final concluded at the 17th with a win for the Lothianburn pair.

The final second flight of matchplay was an all Murrayfield affair between top seeds Norma Richmond and Ray Lynch and Sandra Ashurst with Celia Nixon. The losing semifinalists were Susan Randall (Carrickvale) playing with Mandy McBain (Swanston) and Dorothy Wilson and Linda Boyle (both Harburn); both semifinals finished at the 16th hole. The second flight final proved to be the closest of all the matches with Norma and Ray finishing 1 up, avoiding the need for extra holes.

In the Consolation Trophy a number of foursomes partnerships did better in the Stableford format, despite the increasingly blowy conditions. Two pairs finished with 34 points and three on 33 points meaning that the prizes had to be determined on count back. Louise Wells and Vivien Mitchell of Prestonfield won the Consolation Trophy on the better inward half from Dee Williams and Margaret Anderson of Craigmillar Park. Ellice Cackett playing with her daughter, Sandra, took third prize on the last 6 holes. Narrowly missing out on the prizes were Eileen Stevenson and Rhona Archibald of the Melville and Lorna and Shona Cunningham (Mortonhall and Lundin Links).
The photograph on the right is of Vivien Mitchell, who with Louise Wells (both Prestonfield) won the Consolation Trophy.
Unfortunately no photos are available of the runaway golf trolleys and visors which took off on the wind, causing much hilarity to onlookers!

Next year’s dates are 25th and 26th September 2010.

Fife County Ladies’ Golf Association Centenary Open

 Fife County President, Margaret Steele (left), 

presents the Centenary Trophy to Joan Peden (Dunfermline) (right)

Joan Peden, playing off 7, from the host club Dunfermline, won the Fife County Ladies' Golf Association Centenary Open today.  Her net 71 was two shots better than her nearest challenger, Marion Stewart of Kilmacolm.
Elaine Moffat of St Regulus had the best scratch score of 74.

Leading scores  Dunfermline Golf Club CSS 75
Winner Joan Peden (7) Dunfermline 71
Marion Stewart (11) Kilmacolm 73
Linda Dyball (5) Pitreavie 74
Best Bronze Elspeth Gibb (30) (Ladybank) 78
Best Scratch Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) 74
Karin Sharp (Kirkcaldy) 79
Nearest the pin (9th) Megan Brown (Dunfermline)
(16th) Irene Collins (Elie & Earlsferry)

Felicity Johnson scores first win in

Ladies European Tour with 67-274

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

England’s Felicity Johnson became a first-time winner on the Ladies European Tour when she recorded a two-shot victory at the Tenerife Ladies Open today.
Birdies on the final two holes elevated the Birmingham 22-year-old to the top of the leader board at Costa Adeje.
The third year tour pro fired a stunning final round of five-under 67 to end up with a four round total of 274, 14-under-par.
Becky Brewerton of Wales, who led by three at halfway and with a round to go, shot 72 and took outright second. She was shocked after missing birdie putts on the final two holes.
Johnson started the day at nine-under, three shots behind Brewerton, but birdied the second when she struck a wedge to 12 feet, before Brewerton bogeyed the third, narrowing her lead to a stroke.
Having birdied the long eighth, Johnson was one behind at the turn on 11-under. After she and Brewerton both birdied the par-4 12th, Johnson caught the leader with a two-putt birdie at the long 13th hole.
Johnson dropped a shot at the short 14th when she hit a poor tee shot short of the green, but immediately recovered with a birdie at the 15th after her second shot hit the flag.
Both players bogeyed the 16th but Brewerton missed her chance at the 17th after Johnson holed from 25 feet to go one ahead for the first time.
Then, Johnson struck a magnificent rescue iron to six feet at the long 18th, setting up a tap-in birdie 4 and saving her best for last. A final round of 67 was enough for a four round aggregate of 274, 14-under-par.
“It’s all a bit surreal at the moment really but I’ve worked so hard for this so it’s just fantastic that it’s finally come together for me,” said Johnson, who earned €45,000, moving up from 42nd to 14th on the Henderson Money List.
“I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens and made a couple of good up and downs early on which kept the pars on the card.
“I just hit one bad shot o 14 and made a bogey there but apart from that I played really solid golf again.
“I hit a really good shot into 15 which hit the flag, so that was pleasing. I holed a really good putt on 17 from 25ft or so which gave me the boost I needed at the last.”
Johnson had recorded two top-10s on the LET circuit this year, with her season-best a tie for third at the SAS Ladies Masters in Norway.
“I led after the first round in Gothenburg last year and I’ve finished third four times so it was a matter of putting the icing on the cake really.”
Johnson said she would celebrate with a night out go-carting and would take a day off on Monday in Tenerife.
She thanked her Australian caddie Steve Walsh, but her father Paul Johnson, who is also her coach, will take over caddie duties for next week’s Madrid Ladies Masters, where Brewerton, the 26-year-old Open de Espana Femenino winner, will have another chance to complete a Spanish double.
Germany’s Bettina Hauert finished third and equalled her season-best finish after a final round of 72.
England’s Melissa Reid shot 67 and shared fourth with Spain’s Tania Eloegui (73) at six-under-par.
Germany’s Anja Monke (71), the first round leader, shared sixth with Laura Davies (69) at four-under-par, the Englishwoman having scraped through the cut at halfway.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
274 Felicity Johnson (Eng) 69 72 66 67
276 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 66 69 69 72
281 Bettina Hauert (Ger) 69 73 67 72
282 Tania Elosegui (Spa) 71 70 68 73, Melissa Reid (Eng) 69 75 71 67
284 Anja Monke (Ger) 65 74 74 71, Laura Davies (Eng) 72 77 66 69
285 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 69 74 70 72
286 Joanne Mills (Aus) 72 73 73 68, Emma Cabrera Bello (Spa) 72 71 69 74
287 Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 71 73 70 73
288 Karen Lunn (Aus) 72 74 70 72, Caroline Rominger (Swi) 75 68 75 70, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 68 70 73 77, Veronica Zorzi (Ita) 71 72 74 71
289 Stefania Croce (Ita) 68 76 67 78, Paula Marti (Spa) 72 71 70 76
290 Nina Reis (Swe) 72 69 72 77, Christel Boeljon (Ned) 74 71 71 74
291 Laura Terebey (USA) 71 72 75 73, Morgana Robbertze (Rsa) 75 71 72 73, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 73 74 73 71, Nicole Gergely (Aut) 72 72 73 74
292 Maria Verchenova (Rus) 74 70 75 73, Elizabeth Bennett (Eng) 70 74 68 80, Lee-Anne Pace (Rsa) 72 71 74 75, Jessica Ji (Kor) 74 73 74 71, Trish Johnson (Eng) 72 73 73 74, Laura Cabanillas (Spa) 73 76 73 70
293 Caroline Afonso (Fra) 72 70 79 72, Riikka Hakkarainen (Fin) 70 76 74 73, Rebecca Coakley 72 74 75 72, Julie Greciet (Fra) 70 74 70 79, Pamela Feggans (Sco) 77 69 73 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 74 73 72 74, Lena Tornevall (Swe) 70 74 72 77
294 Malene Jorgensen (Den) 71 75 71 77, Marta Prieto (Spa) 72 76 69 77, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 70 74 73 77
295 Hazel Kavanagh (Irl) 73 75 72 75, Sophie Walker (Eng) 74 73 73 75, Lisa Hall (Eng) 73 76 71 75, Beth Allen (USA) 66 76 77 76, Krystle Caithness (Sco) 71 77 75 72, Sara Beautell (Spa) 74 73 73 75
296 Florentyna Parker (Eng) 75 72 69 80, Emma Zackrisson (Swe) 71 73 73 79, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 72 74 75 75, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 69 75 73 79
297 Mireia Prat (Spa) 73 74 74 76, Jenni Kuosa (Fin) 70 79 76 72, Anna-Lise Caudal (Fra) 74 75 75 73, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 74 69 75 79, Marjet Van Der Graaff (Ned) 74 74 78 71, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 74 71 77 75
298 Smriti Mehra (Ind) 75 74 75 74, Martina Gillen (Irl) 75 74 73 76, Breanne Alicia Loucks (Wal) 74 75 75 74, Ana-Belen Sanchez (Spa) 76 72 73 77, Kyra Van Leeuwen (Ned) 76 71 74 77
299 Christine Hallstrom (Swe) 73 76 77 73, Samantha Head (Eng) 73 74 75 77, Frederique Seeholzer (Swi) 71 74 77 77
300 Lisa Holm Sorensen (Den) 75 72 75 78
301 Zuzana Masinova (Cze) 73 73 77 78, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 78 71 74 78, Ellen Smets (Bel) 76 73 74 78, Holly Aitchison (Eng) 76 70 77 78, Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 80 69 76 76, Clare Queen (Sco) 76 71 77 77
302 Margherita Rigon (Ita) 71 77 76 78
303 Anna Tybring (Swe) 73 76 76 78
304 Tara Delaney (Irl) 72 73 78 81
305 Claire Coughlan-Ryan (Irl) 74 75 82 74
306 Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 75 72 77 82
307 Johanna Lundberg (Swe) 75 74 81 77

LOTHIANS FATHER AND DAUGHTER WIN SLGA ADULT-GIRL FOURS AT ARBROATH The Lothians' father-and-daughter pairing of Michael Connor (Mortonhall) and Louise Connor (Kilspindie), playing off a handicap of 20, had the best overall Stableford points total of 36pt in today's (Sunday) Scottish Ladies Golfing Assocaition adult-girl foursomes golf tournament Arbroath Golf Club. Ian Smith (Grange) and Louise Smith (Monifieth), playing off eight, won Category 1 (handicaps 0 to 12) with 34pt. Category 2 (handicaps 13 to 20) was won by the Kennedys from Paisley, Iain and Emma with 35pt off 17. Margaret Alexander (Baberton) and Jillian Farrell (Cardross), playing off 24, won Category 3 (handicaps 21 to 36) with 31pt. Category 4 for girls with no handicaps was won by the Kilspindie pairing of Phil Notley and Ellis Notley with 23pt with a better inward half. A total of 44 pairs took part. LEADING PRIZEWINNING STABLEFORD POINTS TOTALS Overall winners – Michael Connor (Mortonhall) & Louise Connor (Kilspindie) (29) 36pt. Category 1 (0 to 12 handicaps) – Ian Smith (Grange) & Louise Smith (Monifieth) (8) 34pt; Alistair Serrals & Ashley Ann Alston (Royal Montrose) (4) 33pt. Category 2 (13 to 20 handicaps) – Iain Kennedy & Emma Kennedy (Paisley) (17) 35; Alison Scott & Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (19) 31pt. Category 3 (21 to 36 handicaps) – Margaret Alexander (Baberton) & Jillian Farrell (Cardross) (24) 31pt; Charles McCleary & Jessica McCleary (Monifieth) (24) 30pt. Category 4 (girls with no handicaps) – Phil Notley & Ellis Notley (Kilspindie) 23pt (better inward half).

Matthew and Moodie both return 69s in LPGA Tour event

Ochoa's five late birdies help her share

third-round lead with Gustafson
Both Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie shot third-round 69s on the LPGA Tour in California on Saturday. Catriona is now on six-under-par 210, Janice on 213. Lorena Ochoa (65) and Sophie Gustafson shared the lead on 16-under 200.
FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
DANVILLE, Calif. (AP) -- Lorena Ochoa insists she wasn't bothered when critics questioned her game earlier this year. If anything, the world's top-ranked player agreed with them.
"I respect the opinion of the media and the players, and the results show I wasn't playing my best golf, so it's OK for people to talk," Ochoa said. "I also say that I've been working hard and I feel much better. I feel that I'm getting in a better rhythm and that's why I'm here today."
Ochoa, pictured, birdied five of her last seven holes for a 7-under 65 on Saturday and a share of the third-round lead with Sophie Gustafson in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
Winless in 10 starts since taking the Corona Championship in her native Mexico in late April, Ochoa has only two victories in 16 events this year after winning 21 times in the previous three years.
She was four strokes back after 10 holes, then used the strong finish -- including a 16ft birdie putt on the 18th hole -- to match Gustafson at 16-under 200.
Gustafson, winless since 2003, had a 66. She spent 30min on the practice putting green working on her stroke following Friday's second round.
"My putting was much better," Gustafson said. "My caddie figured out what I was doing wrong and worked on that. My backstroke was too short and I was seriously moving my head."
Angela Stanford and Sun Young Yoo were six strokes back at 10 under after 69s, and Paula Creamer (69), Morgan Pressel (67) Leta Lindley (66) and Maria Hjorth (72) followed at 9 under on the Blackhawk Country Club course.
Ochoa, playing in the same group as Gustafson, couldn't match the Swede's power off the tee, but made up for it around the greens. The Mexican star had a bogey-free round, overcoming swirling winds that seemed to change direction at every tee.
She had only two birdies on the front nine, then warmed up on the back after falling four strokes back when Gustafson birdied No. 10 to reach 15 under.
"I left some birdie opportunities out there on the front nine, definitely," Ochoa said. "I told myself, 'Just keep doing the same thing and be patient.' I dropped a few good putts and that was really the difference today."
Ochoa made consecutive birdies, while Gustafson three-putted the par-3 12th for a bogey. Ochoa birdied No. 15 to move into a tie.
Gustafson then birdied No. 17 to reach 16 under.
Ochoa's approach shot on the 18th rolled 16ft past the hole, but she sank the putt for birdie, raising her first as the crowd cheered. Gustafson made a par.
Unlike the first two days when her putting gave her problems, Gustafson was fairly steady around the greens, holing five putts of 20 feet or longer and she came within one stroke of matching her opening-round 65. She sank a 20-footer for birdie on No. 10, survived her three- putt on the 12th, then made short birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17.
Gustafson has had seven runner-up finishes since winning the 2003 Samsung World Championship. To end that streak of near-misses, she needs to hold off the No. 1-ranked player Sunday.
"I'm not really that worried," Gustafson said. "It's a full-time job taking care of myself so I don't really pay that much attention to what other people are doing."
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Blackhawk Country Club, Danville, California.
Par 216 (3x72)
200 Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 68 67 65, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 65 69 66
206 Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 73 64 69, Angela Stanford 67 70 69
207 Paula Creamer 71 67 69, Morgan Pressel 71 69 67, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 69 66 72, Leta Lindley 70 71 66
208 Vicky Hurst 71 67 70, Amy Yang 72 67 69, Christina Kim 70 73 65, Katherine Hull (Aus) 72 68 68, Amanda Blumenherst 70 71 67
209 Natalie Gulbis 73 66 70, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 68 71 70, Anna Grzebien 69 71 69
210 Yani Tseng (Tai) 69 70 71, Sophia Sheridan (Mex) 67 72 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 71 70 69, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 69 68 73, Brittany Lang 71 70 69, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 68 67 75, Kris Tamulis 70 70 70
211 Alena Sharp (Can) 70 72 69
212 Jimin Jeong 73 73 66, Karrie Webb (Aus) 68 75 69, Reilley Rankin 70 69 73, Haeji Kang (Kor) 72 68 72, Brittany Lincicome 72 70 70, Candie Kung (Tai) 73 70 69
213 Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 69 68 76, Jamie Hullett 70 74 69, Juli Inkster 71 72 70, Na Ri Kim (Kor) 67 76 70, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 71 73 69, Janice Moodie (Sco) 73 71 69, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 68 74 71
214 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 72 68 74, In-Kyung Kim (Kor) 73 72 69, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 75 70 69, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 73 68 73, Sarah Lee 73 70 71, Pat Hurst 73 67 74
215 Stephanie Louden 70 72 73, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 75 70 70, Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 69 75 71, Wendy Ward 70 72 73, Sandra Gal (Ger) 70 72 73
216 Kim Welch 69 75 72, Paige Mackenzie 74 70 72, Meena Lee (Kor) 70 74 72, Beth Bader 69 72 75, Diana D'Alessio 70 73 73, Michele Redman 72 74 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 69 72 75, Marisa Baena 73 73 70, Teresa Lu (Tai) 71 70 75, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 71 72 73
217 Wendy Doolan (Aus) 74 71 72, Mindy Kim 72 70 75, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 72 71 74, Karen Stupples (Eng) 73 70 74, Kim Hall 72 72 73, Allison Fouch 73 71 73
218 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 73 73 72, Stacy Prammanasudh 75 68 75, Jill McGill 74 71 73, Becky Morgan (Wal) 74 72 72, Jin young Pak (Kor) 76 70 72
219 Hee-Won Han (Kor) 72 74 73, Brandi Jackson 75 71 73
220 Chella Choi (Kor) 71 75 74, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 72 74 74, Moira Dunn 72 74 74, Katie Futcher 72 74 74
221 Lisa Strom (Gbr) 70 75 76
222 Kristy McPherson 73 72 77
223 Kris Tschetter 70 74 79
225 Audra Burks 72 74 79.