Curtis Cup turnaround of fortunes as home team lead 8 1/2-3 1/2

Sally Watson's body language suggests this putt stayed above ground. Image by Susan Simpson from the Saturday play.

United States hit Great Britain and Ireland for six on Day 2

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Mary McKenna's Great Britain and Ireland squad, winners of Friday's "first round" of the 36th Curtis Cup, have been battered back against the ropes by a 6-0 Saturday whitewash, losing all three morning four-balls and then all three afternoon foursomes at the Essex County Club in Massachusetts.

The United States take an 8 1/2-3 1/2 lead into Sunday's concluding eight singles. They need to gain only two points more to take a lead that Great Britain and Ireland cannot overcome even if they were to win six of the singles.

The long-time trophy holders, undoubtedly stung by their opening day reverses, hit back with a vengeance on the second day of the 36th Curtis Cup match at its ancestral home, Essex County Club in Massachusetts.
Playing some brilliant golf, the United States team took the morning four-balls 3-0. It was not that Mary McKenna’s Great Britain and Ireland team played badly. In fact, they played their part in a morning barrage of birdies that will fill a page of Curtis Cup history on its own.
No shame to be outgunned by an American team playing to its full potential – and some!
Hopes that the afternoon format of foursomes would enable GBandI to stop the tide if not turn it around failed to materialise.
Alexis Thompson and Jessica Korda made it 4-0 overall for the United States with a 3 and 1 win over Danielle McVeigh and Leona Maguire.
The Americans did not have a single bogey and had three birdies, two of them in the last three holes, to clinch victory.
McVeigh and Leona Maguire had two birdies and two bogeys – level par golf that usually wins more matches than it loses.
McVeigh and Maguire won the second with a birdie to take an early lead but Thompson and Korda cancelled that out with a birdie 4 at the long third. The GB and I pairing edged ahead again with another birdie, a 2 at the short seventh … but that was to be their last birdie of the day.
The United States were able to win the eighth with a par to square the match and were one under par at the turn.
Another bogey by McVeigh and Maguire cost them the 12th which saw them fall one down for the first time.
Thompson and Korda stepped up the pace to take control of the outcome over the closing holes. They went two up with a birdie 3 at the 15th and finished the match in the grand manner, with a birdie 3 at the 17th.
Jennifer Song and Stephanie Kono produced a grandstand finish with three birdies in the last five holes of the match to beat Hannah Barwood and Holly Clyburn by 3 and 1.
The American pair were four over par for the first nine holes but still two holes up, winning the fifth and ninth holes with bogeys.
The English pair got their first birdie of the afternoon at the 12th to square the match but that was their last success.
Song and Kono got their first birdie at the 13th to go one up and then clinched victory with birdies at the 16th and 17th.
The American 6-0 joy day was completed by Tiffany Lua and Jennifer Johnson who beat Sally Watson and Rachel Jennings by 3 and 2.
Lua and Johnson won the ninth with a par to be out in one over par and two up.
Watson and Jennings produced their second and last birdie of the afternoon to win the 10th and go back to one down. The visitors’ hopes of taking a crumb of comfort from the afternoon’s landslide rose when they squared the match at the 13th with a par.
But then Watson and Jennings bogeyed the 14th, the 15th and the 16th, losing them all and the match by 3 and 2.
Song and Kono were three over par for the match.
The afternoon play by both sides tended to suffer in comparison with the brilliance of the morning session.
The Americans unleashed a barrage of birdies to win all three four-ball matches, wiping out their one-point overnight deficit to lead 5 1/2-3 1/2 going into the afternoon's three foursomes matches.
Day 2 morning four-ball results
(American names first)
Alexis Thompson and Jessica Korda bt Danielle McVeigh and Pamela Pretswell 2 and 1.
Summary:
The US pair birdied the first, second and third to forge into a three-hole lead.
GB and I won back the fourth with a birdie but Thompson and Korda then birdied the seventh and eighth to be four up.
GB and I birdied the ninth to be three down at the turn and then also birdied the 11th and 14th to be only one down in a terrific match of quality play.
The 15th was halved in birdie 3s.
United States won the 16th with a birdie to go two up with two to play and won the match with a half at 17th.
There were 12 birdies in total in this match. The United States pair were six under par and spare a thought for McVeigh and Pretswell who were four under par at the finish.

Jennifer Song and Cydney Clanton bt Leona and Lisa Maguire 3 and 2.
Summary:
Once again the Americans started brilliantly. Song and Clanton birdied the first and second to be two up immediately.
The fifth and sixth holes were halved in birdies.
The Americans were three up with a birdie at the ninth.
The short 11th was halved in birdie 2s.
The 15-year-old Maguire twins birdied the 12th to get it back to two down but Song and Clanton then went back to a three-hole lead with a birdie at the 13th.
The 15th and 16th holes were halved in birdie 3s in an enthralling match, leaving the Americans winners by 3 and 2.
There were a staggering 15 birdies in total in this match and the Americans were nine under par for the 16 holes played - nine birdies and no bogeys.
And, just like the first match, the GB and I pair had figures that would have won most Curtis Cup ties - the Maguires were six under par.

Stephanie Kono and Kimberley Kim beat Sally Watson and Rachel Jennings by one hole.
Summary:
Once again the Americans made a flying start and were three up after six holes with birdies at the fourth, fifth and sixth.
Watson and Jennings won the seventh with a birdie and the eighth with a par to be one down at the turn.
The GB and I pair levelled the contest with a birdie 3 at the 12th and then went in front for the first time with a birdie 3 at the 13th.
Kono and Kim hit back with a birdie at the 15th to be all square and then birdied the 17th to be one up with one to play. The last hole was halved.
The Americans were four under par and the GBand I pair three under at the finish.
There were nine birdies in another quality four-ball match.

Results of Day 2 afternoon foursomes
(American names first):
Alexis Thompson and Jessica Korda bt Danielle McVeigh and Leona Maguire 3 and 1.

Jennifer Song and Stephanie Kono bt Hannah Barwood and Holly Clyburn 3 and 1.

Tiffany Lua and Jennifer Johnson bt Sally Watson and Rachel Jennings 3 and 2.

State of match:
 UNITED STATES 8 1/2, GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND 3 1/2

Helen Jones wins European seniors' bronze medal after countback

Helen Jones from Strabane Golf Club, Ireland won a bronze medal at the European senior women's amateur championship which ended at Golf Club Achensee-Pertisau, Austria today.
Winner of the gold by the runaway margin of 12 shots was France's Virginie Burrus with rounds of 76, 73 and 72 for eight-over-par 221.
Three players tied for second place on 233 - Guenda Preti Moavero (Italy) (76-84-73), Helen Jones (Ireland) (80-77-76) and Cornelia Schmidt-Stutzle (Germany) (83-73-77).
Under the rules of the competition, a tie for the silver and bronze medals results in a comparison of the final rounds. Moavero thus took the silver with her final round of 73 and Jones got the bronze with her closing round of 76, one shot ahead of Schmidt-Stutzle.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) jumped past Pamela Williamson (Baberton), the long-time leading Scot in the tournament, over the final round. Fiona finished with scores of 80, 83 and 80 for 30 over par 243. That gave her joint 20th place.
Pamela scored 77, 83 and 85 for 245 and a share of 24th place.
EUROPEAN SENIOR WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL TOTALS
221 Burrus, Virginie (Golf de St Cloud) 76 73 72 (gold medal winner)
233 Preti Moavero (Guenda GC, Milano) 76 84 73 (silver medal winner), Jones, Helen (Strabane GC) 80 77 76 (bronze medal winner), Schmidt-Stützle, Dr. Cornelia (Stuttgarter GC)  83 73 77
234 Beer, Uschi (Düsseldorfer GC) 78 74 82, Hoff, Viveca (Rya GK) 79 79 76, Vanderlinden, Laurette (Royal Waterloo GC) 79 75 80
237 Hermanson, Anki (Lunds Akademiska GK) 84 75 78
238 Guglielmone, Mimmi (GC Lugano) 83 78 77, Oldenbourg, Tessa  (GC Wörthsee) 82 81 75, Boeder, Sabine (GR Bad Griesbach) 81 76 81, Utermarck, Chris (GC Berlin-Wannsee) 83 80 75
239 Kalstad, Else (Furesoen GK) 76 85 78, Christillin, Maria Francesca (Circolo Golf Torino) 80 81 78
240 Lehmann, Dagmar (GC Gifhorn) 78 78 84, Werneskog-Ljung, Birgitta (Eksjö GK) 77 82 81, Blecher, Sabine (Stuttgarter GC) 78 84 78
242 Lassl, Magdalena (GC Ingolstad) 84 81 77, Nijhof, Marleen (Royal Antwerp GC) 81 78 83
243 De Vries, Fiona (St. Rule Club) 80 83 80, Birke, Christina (GC Ullna, Sweden) 81 83 79
244 Gumpert, Karin (GC Köln) 86 80 78, Goossens, Neeltje (Prise d´eau) 81 83 80
245 Erdman, Coos (Capelle a/d IJssel) 84 82 79, Williamson, Pamela (Baberton GC) 77 83 85
246 Hassett, Valerie (Ennis GC) 80 83 83, Valli, Silvia (GC Monticello) 87 76 83
247 Strand, Carina (Albatross GK) 83 83 81, Van Dommelen, Liesbeth (GC Houtrak) 80 82 85, Mogensen, Birthe Skou (Storaadalen GC) 80 82 85
248 Jacob, Edeltraud (GC Erftaue) 80 86 82, Colmant, Francoise (San Vigilio) 77 83 88
250 Christoffersen, Iris (Storstrommen GC) 82 79 89
MISSED THE CUT (selected score)
178 McAndrew, Christine (GC Nairn) 91 87.

The European senior men's amateur championship was played in conjunction with the women's event at the same venue.
Two players tied for victory on five-over-par 218, both of them Swedes - Per Hildebrand (72-74-72) and Mats Andersson (68-78-72). Mats Andersson won the play-off.
Sweden filled 1-2-3 (1-2-3-5 for that matter) with Ernie Ahsberg coming third on 219 with scores of 79, 75 and 74.
Ireland's Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock) just missed out on the bronze medal with a fourth place finish on 220. He scored 74, 71 and 75.
The Swede in fifth place on 221 was Tomas Persson with rounds of 75, 72 and 74.
There were no Scottish male competitors in the championship.
The top English finisher was Geoff King from West Essex in joint 14th postion on 228 with scores of 79, 78 and 71.
Next Englishman was Charles Banks (Stanton on the Wolds) in a share of 21st place on 230 with scores of 74, 77 and 79.
Several times Scottish senior open champion, David Lane (Goring and Streatley) finished joint 27th on 232 with compatriot Andrew Stracey (Littlestone). Lane scored 75, 81 and 76; Stracey 78, 78 and 76.

North of Scotland Women's Championship
Hosted by Forfar Golf Club from July 5 to 7
Draw for Qualifying Round on Monday, July 5:

8.30 E. Ogilvy (Auchterarder), A. Ramsay (Kirriemuir), L Walker (Muckhart).
8.37 S. Raitt (Forfar), S. Leslie (Westhill), R Wilson (Grange).
8.45 S Vass (Tain), A Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), H Anderson (Alyth).
8.52 H McCook (Abernethy), J Yellowlees (Murrayshall), J Brown (Monifieth).

9.00 R Polson (Peterculter), A Hay (Edzell), A Bowie (Monifieth).
9.07 A Hunter (Monifieth), Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth), F Millar (Carnoustie Ladies).
9.15 S Arbuckle (Panmure Barry), D Dewar (Monifieth).
9.22 M. Faulkner (Royal Montrose), Jennifer Sneddon (Alyth).
9.30 Free time
9.37 D. Butchart (Strathmore), J Grubb (Montrose Mercantile), J Vass (Tain).
9.45 L McGillivray (Banchory), J Meek (Carnoustie Ladies), A Chree (LP Monifieth).
9.52 K Vannet (Peterculter), E Mauchline (Newmachar), F Sinclair (Carnoustie Caledonia).

10.00 M Clyne (Deeside), E Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies), J Griffiths (Strathmore).
10.07 K. Reid (Monifieth), L Terry (Cruden Bay), S Brunton (Carnoustie Ladies).
10.15 S Bushby (Blairgowrie), J Petrie (Panmure Barry), K Esslemont (Cruden Bay).
10.22 H Munro (Monifieth), H Robb (Strathmore), A Alson (Royal Montrose).
10.30 Free time
10.37 J. Chalmers (Monifieth), S Sneddon (Carnoustie Caledonia), M Duncan (Aboyne).
10.45 S Chapman (Forfar), L Tough (Newmachar), A Freeman (Panmure Barry).
10.52 I Chapman (Forfar), A Hope (Newmachar), G Wilson (Grange).

1.00 K MacCallum (Newburgh on Ythan), R Sinclair (Edzell), M Horn (Newmachar).
11.07 S. Belton (Kirriemuir), H Thomson (Newmachar), M Duthie (Panmure Barry).
11.15 S. Tait (Aberdeen Ladies), M Robinson (Murcar Links), H Kelly (Panmure Barry).
11.22 L Kyle (Milnathort), L Joss (Banchory), S Todd (Panmure Barry).
11.30 Free Time
11.37 F. Watterson (Newburgh on Ythan), L Kelly (Newmachar), C Orr (Carnoustie Caledonia).
11.45 F Martin (Kirriemuir), J Ord (Forfar), D Massie (Newmachar).
11.52 S Bradley (Kirriemuir), R McLean (Cruden Bay), M Moody (Murcar Links).

12.00 R. Keith (Newmachar), J Atherton (Arbroath), J Pritchard (Newmachar).
12.07 Free time.
12.15 Free time.
12.30 Free time

Cheshire’s Caroline Marron aims for an English seniors’ double

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Cheshire’s Caroline Marron will be aiming for a title double when the English senior women’s strokeplay championship takes place next week, June 15-17, at Stockport Golf Club in her home county.
Caroline (Bromborough) won the English senior championship at Littlestone in April and now sets out to emulate Hampshire’s Chris Quinn, who won both titles last year.
Caroline is one of an impressive local entry of 12 Cheshire players. They include senior international Sue Dye (Delamere Forest) who won this strokeplay title in 2007 and went on to win the English senior championship the following year. Also in the field is Sandiway’s Barbara Laird, who has represented England seniors.
Among the other prominent names are former champion Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest), Roz Adams (Addington Court), Felicity Christine (Banstead Downs) and Norfolk’s Jo Ashmore (Barnham Broom) who will be returning to major competition following knee surgery. Debbie Richards (Burhill), who made her first appearance in a senior event at Littlestone and won the Division Two prize, will also contest this event.
They’re among a field of almost 70 competitors, whose handicaps start at one, and who represent 20 English counties. Missing from the field however, is Chris Quinn (Hockley), who has amassed four English and one British senior titles. She is unable to defend this championship because of work commitments.
The championship takes place from Tuesday, 15 June to Thursday, 17 June. The whole field will play 18 holes on each of the first two days. The top half of the field, plus ties, will play the final 18 holes on Thursday.
Stockport has hosted regional Open qualifying events five times and was the venue for the 1988 final of EWGA’s English Counties’ Championship. On this occasion the ladies’ course has been lengthened slightly to 5621 yards. It has a par of 71 and a USGA scratch score rating of 73.
Spectators are welcome.
Full details and on-line scoring: www.englishwomensgolf.org
Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer

US Duramed Futures Tour Scoreboard
$135,000 TEVA CHAMPIONSHIP
The Golf Centre at Kings Island, Mason, Ohio
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 71 (35-36). Yardage 6,203
1 Gerina Mendoza (Roswell, New Mexico) 31-34 - 65
Jane Rah (Torrance, California) 33-32 - 65
3 Cindy LaCrosse (Tampa, Florida) 32-34 - 66
Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 33-33 - 66
Pornanong Phatlum (Chaiyaphum, Thailand) 31-35 - 66
6 Nontaya Srisawang (Chiang Mai, Thailand) 32-35 - 67
Melissa Eaton (Port Shepstone, South Africa) 33-34 - 67
Victoria Elizabeth (Orlando, Fla.) 34-33 - 67
9 Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 32-36 - 68
Susan Nam (Edmonton, Alberta) 34-34 - 68
Carmen Bandea (Atlanta, Ga.) 35-33 - 68
Carolina Llano (Medellin, Colombia) 34-34 - 68
Caroline Westrup (Ahus, Sweden) 33-35 - 68
Eileen Vargas (Ibague, Colombia) 34-34 - 68
Virada Nirapathpongporn (Bangkok, Thailand) 34-34 - 68
16 Laura Bavaird (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 35-34 - 69
Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen, Netherland 35-34 - 69
Selanee Henderson (Apple Valley, Calif.) 33-36 - 69
Kathleen Ekey (Sharon Township, Ohio) 36-33 - 69
Juli Erekson (Chicopee, Mass.) 34-35 - 69
Yoora Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 33-36 - 69
Jenny Gleason (Clearwater, Fla.) 34-35 - 69
Garrett Phillips (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 35-34 - 69
Lauren Doughtie (Suffolk, Va.) 35-34 - 69
Lene Krog (Lier, Norway) 37-32 - 69
Alison Walshe (Westford, Mass.) 34-35 - 69
Julie Wells-Shenfield (Wilsonville, Ore.) 35-34 - 69
Brandi Jackson (Greenville, S.C.) 35-34 - 69
29 Sophie Jang (Seoul, South Korea) 36-34 - 70
Whitney Myers (York, Pa.) 35-35 - 70
Hanna Kang (Seoul, South Korea) 34-36 - 70
Dori Carter (Valdosta, Ga.) 36-34 - 70
Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 36-34 - 70
Isabelle Beisiegel (St. Hilaire, Quebec) 33-37 - 70
Tzu-Chi Lin (Taichung, Taiwan) 34-36 - 70
Marcela Leon (Monterrey, Mexico) 34-36 - 70
Ashley Prange (Noblesville, Ind.) 37-33 - 70
Lauren Hunt (Little River, S.C.) 34-36 - 70
Tiffany Tavee (Tempe, Ariz.) 33-37 - 70
Pamela Ontiveros (Gomez Palacio, Mexico) 37-33 - 70
Libby Smith (Essex Junction, Vt.) 34-36 - 70
Lehua Wise (Kauai, Hawaii) 34-36 - 70
Kendall Dye (Edmond, Okla.) 35-35 - 70
Blair Lamb (Flat Rock, N.C.) 34-36 - 70
Stephanie Connelly (Pasadena, Md.) 34-36 - 70
Lucy Nunn (Lawton, Okla.) 32-38 - 70
Briana Vega (Andover, Mass.) 34-36 - 70
48 Sarah Brown (Lopatcong, N.J.) 34-37 - 71
Nannette Hill (Pelham, N.Y.) 35-36 - 71
Jenny Shin (Torrance, Calif.) 33-38 - 71
Jessica Shepley (Oakville, Ontario) 36-35 - 71
Valentine Derrey (a) (Neuilly Sur Seine, Fran 35-36 - 71
Lisa Ferrero (Lodi, Calif.) 36-35 - 71
Seul Ki Park (Northbrook, Ill.) 35-36 - 71
Leanne Bowditch (Queensland, Australia) 35-36 - 71
Perry Swenson Livonius (Charlotte, N.C.) 34-37 - 71
Nicole Smith (Riverside, Calif.) 35-36 - 71
Seema Sadekar (Toronto, Ontario) 36-35 - 71
59 Emma Calderone (Toronto, Ontario) 34-38 - 72
Jessi Gebhardt (Chandler, Ariz.) 36-36 - 72
Danielle Mills (Pointe-Claire, Quebec) 39-33 - 72
Tracy Stanford (Midland, Texas) 35-37 - 72
Laura Crawford (Lancaster, S.C.) 35-37 - 72
Veronica Felibert (Caracas, Venezuela) 34-38 - 72
Janell Howland (Boise, Idaho) 33-39 - 72
Tara Goedeken (Dodge City, Kan.) 37-35 - 72
Simone DeSouza (Trujillo, Peru) 36-36 - 72
Hannah Jun (San Diego, Calif.) 34-38 - 72
Ryann O'Toole (San Clemente, Calif.) 34-38 - 72
Heather Angell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 33-39 - 72
Esther Choe (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 37-35 - 72
Ayaka Kaneko (Honolulu, Hawaii) 34-38 - 72
Sofie Andersson (Angelholm, Sweden) 35-37 - 72
Jodi Ewart (North Yorkshire, England) 35-37 - 72
Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) 36-36 - 72
Susanna Benavides (a) (Cochabamba, Bolivia) 38-34 - 72
Taryn Durham (Glasgow, Ky.) 36-36 - 72
Miriam Nagl (Berlin, Germany) 37-35 - 72
Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) 35-37 - 72
Danah Ford Bordner (Indianapolis, Ind.) 35-37 - 72
Benedikte Grotvedt (Nesbru, Norway) 36-36 - 72
Dawn Shockley (Estes Park, Colo.) 36-36 - 72
83 Carrie Riordan (Spring Valley, Ill.) 34-39 - 73
Jackie Barenborg (Vero Beach, Fla.) 36-37 - 73
Kirby Dreher (Fort St. John, Canada) 37-36 - 73
Janice Olivencia (Caguas, Puerto Rico) 34-39 - 73
Michaela Cavener (Ponca City, Okla.) 36-37 - 73
Julia Potter (Granger, Ind.) 38-35 - 73
Amanda Costner (Claremore, Okla.) 37-36 - 73
Tiffany Joh (San Diego, Calif.) 36-37 - 73
Jenny Suh (Fairfax, Va.) 37-36 - 73
Shasta Averyhardt (Flint, Mich.) 36-37 - 73
Hwanhee Lee (Las Vegas, Nev.) 34-39 - 73
Jennie Lee (Henderson, Nev.) 34-39 - 73
Angela Oh (Maple Shade, N.J.) 34-39 - 73
Haley Gildea (East Greenwich, R.I.) 34-39 - 73
Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 36-37 - 73
Lili Alvarez (Durango, Mexico) 35-38 - 73
99 Kelly Froelich (Raizeux, France) 37-37 - 74
Y. J. Jin (Seoul, South Korea) 36-38 - 74
Ai-Chen Kuo (Luzhou City, Taiwan) 38-36 - 74
Marina Choi (Los Angeles, Calif.) 37-37 - 74
Sydney Cox (Edmond, Okla.) 40-34 - 74
Jessica Carafiello (Coral Springs, Fla.) 36-38 - 74
Bree Arthur (Brisbane, Australia) 36-38 - 74
Caroline Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) 37-37 - 74
Lindsey Bergeon (Sarasota, Fla.) 37-37 - 74
Sarah Olsen (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 35-39 - 74
Chelsea Schriewer (St. Louis, Mo.) 38-36 - 74
110 Rachel Connor (Manchester, England) 37-38 - 75
Aimee Cho (Orlando, Fla.) 37-38 - 75
Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) 37-38 - 75
Daniela Iacobelli (Viera, Fla.) 39-36 - 75
Rachel Bailey (Faulconbridge, Australia) 34-41 - 75
Maria Laura Elvira (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 37-38 - 75
Jaclyn Burch (St. Louis, Mo.) 39-36 - 75
Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.) 37-38 - 75
Wannasiri Sirisampant (Bangkok, Thailand) 36-39 - 75
Jasi Acharya (Columbus, Mont.) 36-39 - 75
120 Rachel Larson (Longmont, Colo.) 38-38 - 76
Kristen Simpson (Norfolk, Va.) 39-37 - 76
Sara Ovadia (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 38-38 - 76
Natasha Krishna (Auckland, New Zealand) 35-41 - 76
Amanda Mathis (Picayune, Miss.) 39-37 - 76
Sae Hee Son (Seoul, South Korea) 39-37 - 76
Kitty Hwang (Guayaquil, Ecuador) 35-41 - 76
Erica Moston (Belmont, Calif.) 40-36 - 76
Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, South Korea) 37-39 - 76
Sara Hurwitch (Potomac Falls, Va.) 37-39 - 76
Kim Augusta (Rumford, R.I.) 38-38 - 76
131 Christina Jones (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 40-37 - 77
Camila Mori (Santiago, Chile) 38-39 - 77
Katie Miller (Jeannette, Pa.) 38-39 - 77
Hannah Yun (Bradenton, Fla.) 39-38 - 77
Amelia Lewis (Jacksonville, Fla.) 39-38 - 77
Mallory Blackwelder (Versailles, Ky.) 33-44 - 77
Noon Huajai (Bangkok, Thailand) 40-37 - 77
Jennifer Ackerson (Dallas, Texas) 35-42 - 77
Jessy Tang (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 39-38 - 77
140 Rachael Pruett (a) (Linton, Ind.) 38-40 - 78
Sam White (Potomac, Md.) 38-40 - 78
Kylene Pulley (Kokomo, Ind.) 40-38 - 78
Kelly Lagedrost (Brooksville, Fla.) 38-40 - 78
144 Susannah Aboff (Huntington, N.Y.) 38-41 - 79
Jenny Lee (Simi Valley, Calif.) 41-38 - 79
Kristina Langton (Ada, Mich.) 38-41 - 79
Malinda Johnson (Eau Claire, Wis.) 39-40 - 79
148 Mayule Tomimbang (Kissimmee, Fla.) 38-42 - 80
149 Kendra Hanson (Forest City, Iowa) 41-40 - 81
Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) withdrew

Ayrshire give county debuts to Mhairi McKay and Linzi Allan
The Ayrshire Ladies County Golf Association have announced the team of eight players who will represent the county in the West Of Scotland Inter County Matches from Monday 14th to Wednesday 16th June at Kilmacolm Golf Club.
County champion Lesley Hendry (Largs Routenburn) is joined by 2010 beaten finalist Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) and former county and West Of Scotland title holder Catherine Malcolm (Prestwick St. Nicholas).
Debbie Watt (Belleisle Ladies), Lesley Barker (nee Williamson) (Kilmarnock Barassie) and former county champion Morag Macpherson (Troon Ladies) will bring further experience to the side which will include two new faces in Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) and Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie Place), who is back home after a succesful season on the US college circuit.
The team will be playing against Dumbarton & Argyll, Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire over the three days, for a place in the Scottish county finals at Bothwell Castle Golf Club in September.

Laura Davies misses cut after 76 for level par total

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois  -- M J Hur had two chip-in birdies in a second consecutive 6-under 66 that gave her a one-shot lead over Amy Yang after the second round of the State Farm LPGA Classic.
Yang was at 11-under 133 on Friday after a 65 at Panther Creek Country Club. Cristie Kerr shot a 67 and was at 10 under with Inbee Park (67), Alena Sharp (68) and Na Yeon Choi (69).
Michelle Wie shot 69 for the second day in a row and was six shots back.
First-round leader Shanshan Feng shot even par and was in a group of nine at 8 under.
Laura Davies failed to survive the cut with a level par total of 144 after a second-round 76. So too did Janice Moodie (72-72) and Mhairi McKay (70-77) on 147  but Catriona Matthew is still in there pitching on 142 (71-71).
Hur played her round during the morning in a stiff wind. Yang played in the afternoon, when the wind began to gust, making scoring more difficult.
"It was very tough conditions, very windy," Yang said. "But I just enjoyed my game. Everything was working well."
Hur, starting on the back nine, had birdies on five of the first seven holes en route to a 31 at the turn. After a bogey on the par-5 No. 1, Hur made up for the misstep with birdies on Nos. 6 and 7.
Though wayward tee shots had Hur scrambling all day, a superior short game saved her.
"You know, my shot was left-right, left-right," Hur said. "The chip-ins are great ... made me more confident. That's why I'm in better shape now."
In a sign of things to come, Hur missed the green on her first hole but chipped in for birdie. She did it again on the par-3 14th. Thursday, Hur's short game kept her at the top of the leader board.
"It's really exactly same two rounds," Hur said. "Same shots today, same short game today."
Yang blasted a 5-iron to 8 feet on the par-5 sixth hole and then rolled in the putt for an eagle. Her 65 tied for low round with Katie Futcher, who moved into contention after opening with an even-par on Thursday.
Yang has had a good year so far, but said her confidence has really taken off in the last couple of events. She finished fourth at the Sybase Match Play Championship and has shot 68 and 65 so far this weekend.
"I had really good feelings from the match play," she said. "And it's staying that way. I feel really good about my game, really confident."
Kerr said the key to defeating the wind is to not be afraid of it.
"You just kind of have to play what is in front of you and you play to the best of your ability," she said. "There was definitely a little stronger wind and more holes into the wind on the front nine. I tried no to be like 'Oh, my God.' I can hit whatever shot is in front of me."
Natalie Gulbis rolled in a long eagle putt and shot 67 to move into a tie for 23rd with Wie and seven others at 6 under.
Defending champion In-Kyung Kim was 4 under after a 71.
Laura Davies and Christina Kim both missed the cut after shooting 76s. Davies ended at even par and Kim finished at plus 6.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
132 M.J. Hur (Kor) 66 66
133 Amy Yang 68 65
134 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 65 69, Cristie Kerr 67 67, Alena Sharp (Can) 66 68, Inbee Park (Kor) 67 67
135 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 66 69, Heather Bowie Young 68 67
136 Hee-Won Han (Kor) 69 67, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 67 69, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 66 70, Michele Redman 69 67, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 64 72, Hee Young Park (Kor) 67 69, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 67 69
137 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 67 70, Karen Stupples (Eng) 68 69, Jimin Kang (Kor) 68 69, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 68 69, Meena Lee (Kor) 66 71, Stacy Lewis 70 67, Katie Futcher 72 65
138 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 68 70, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 70 68, Morgan Pressel 68 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 70 68, Michelle Wie 69 69, Natalie Gulbis 71 67, Allison Hanna-Williams 70 68, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 69 69, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 69 69
139 Na On Min (Jpn) 70 69, Juli Inkster 65 74, Lorie Kane (Can) 71 68, Brittany Lincicome 71 68, Diana D'Alessio 69 70, Wendy Ward 68 71, Yani Tseng (Tai) 68 71, Azahara Munoz (Spa) 71 68, Lisa Strom 71 68, Moira Dunn 68 71
140 Lisa Meldrum 69 71, In Kyung Kim (Kor) 69 71, Karrie Webb (Aus) 69 71, Ashli Bunch 71 69, Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor) 70 70, Louise Friberg (Swe) 69 71, Mina Harigae 71 69, Jeong Jang (Kor) 70 70
141 Tanya Dergal 68 73, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 71 70, Haeji Kang (Kor) 71 70, Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 70 71, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 71 70, Brittany Lang 73 68, Kris Tamulis 71 70, Samantha Richdale 69 72, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 69 72, Nicole Castrale 72 69, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 72 69
142 Mariajo Uribe (Col) 71 71, Mika Miyazato (Jpn) 67 75, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 71 71, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 73 69, Paige Mackenzie 74 68, Brandie Burton 72 70, Stephanie Louden 70 72, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 72 70, Paola Moreno 70 72, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 70 72, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 68 74, Laura Diaz 72 70, Elizabeth Janangelo 71 71, Meaghan Francella 70 72, Angela Stanford 72 70, Amanda Blumenherst 72 70
MISSED THE CUT
143 Stacy Prammanasudh 70 73, Jill McGill 73 70, Mindy Kim 72 71, Michelle Ellis 71 72, Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 69 74, Katie Kempter 70 73, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 70 73, Giulia Sergas (Ita) 73 70, Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 74 69, Louise Stahle (Swe) 73 70, Leah Wigger 73 70, Candie Kung (Tai) 72 71, Lee Ann Walker-Cooper 70 73, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 72 71, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 70 73, Meg Mallon 69 74, Sherri Steinhauer 69 74
144 Irene Cho 72 72, Chella Choi (Kor) 70 74, Sarah Lee 72 72, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 74 70, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 69 75, Gloria Park (Kor) 71 73, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 72 72, Laura Davies (Eng) 68 76, Allison Fouch 73 71, Mi-sun Cho (Kor) 71 73, Janice Moodie (Sco) 72 72
145 Taylor Leon 73 72, Joo Mi Kim (Kor) 73 72, Young-A Yang (Kor) 74 71, Sandra Gal (Ger) 70 75, Anna Rawson (Aus) 71 74, Iben Tinning (Den) 72 73, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 70 75, Jimin Jeong 72 73, Amy Hung (Tai) 71 74
146 Christi Cano 75 71, Teresa Lu (Tai) 73 73, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 72 74, Beth Bader 69 77, Becky Morgan (Wal) 73 73, Maria Hernandez (Spa) 74 72, Pat Hurst 70 76, Katherine Hull (Aus) 72 74
147 Reilley Rankin 75 72, Anna Grzebien 74 73, Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 76 71, Mhairi McKay (Sco) 70 77, Kristy McPherson 73 74, Julieta Granada (Par) 72 75, Cathryn Bristow (Nzl) 73 74
148 Jackie Gallagher-Smith 77 71, Vicky Hurst 77 71, Candace Schepperle 70 78, Jamie Hullett 74 74, Nicole Jeray 74 74, Leta Lindley 74 74
149 Song yi Choi (Kor) 75 74
150 Jean Reynolds 76 74, Jin young Pak (Kor) 74 76, Christina Kim 74 76, Danielle Downey 72 78, Dina Ammaccapane 74 76
151 Jane Park 73 78, Yoo kyeong Kim (Kor) 77 74, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 75 76, Il-hee Lee (Kor) 78 73, Meredith Duncan 74 77
153 Kris Tschetter 78 75, Dorothy Delasin 77 76
154 Kelli Kuehne 75 79
160 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 81 79
161 Nicole Hage 83 78

CURTIS CUP UNDERDOGS SHOW THEIR TEETH

High fives from Pamela Pretswell and (top picture) Sally Watson holes a crucial birdie putt at the 16th. Images by Susan Simpson of the Ladies Golf Union.

What a start by Great Britain and Ireland! Mary McKenna's

girls take four-balls 2-1 to lead at end of Day 1

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Great Britain and Ireland, given no chance by most neutrals in the 36th Curtis Cup match against an all-star American team, silenced the pundits with a magnificent team performance on the opening day at the Essex County Club, Massachusetts
Mary McKenna’s team took the honours and, lo and behold, go into Day 2 with a 3 ½-2 ½ lead.
All three morning foursomes were halved.
Then Great Britain and Ireland belied their underdog rating by winning two of the three after four-ball matches with some high quality scoring.
Danielle McVeigh and Pamela Pretswell put Great Britain and Ireland ahead at 2 ½ to 1 ½ after they produced some brilliant scoring in achieving a 4 and 3 win over Jennifer Song and Kimberly in the first afternoon four-ball tie.
Danielle and Pamela were a combined six under par for the holes played, having gone through the turn in five-under-par 31 with a four-hole lead.
The Great Britain and Ireland pair birdied the first and second to jump into a two-hole lead. In a quality match, the long fifth was halved in birdie 4s. Then McVeigh and Pretswell birdied the sixth, seventh and ninth to take a four-hole stranglehold on the match.
The Americans scored their only success at the 10th – and they had to produce a birdie to do it.
McVeigh and Pretswell restored their four-hole advantage with their seventh birdie of the afternoon, which won them the 13th. Halves at the next two holes ended the contest.
The United States drew level at 2 ½-2 ½ when Alexis Thompson and Jennifer Johnson beat Rachel Jennings and Leona Maguire by 3 and 2.
It was a great scoring performance by the Americans who were four under par when the match ended.
Jennings and Maguire had been one up after seven holes but Thomson and Johnson’s birdie 3 at the ninth levelled matters. The Americans then won two of the next three holes and it took a birdie for the GB and I pair to get a half in 2s at the short 11th!
Two up with a winning par at the 10th and a winning birdie 3 at the 12th, the Americans held the visitors’ attempts to regain the initiative at bay with halves at the 13th, 14th and 15th before a birdie 3 by Johnson and Thomson, their fifth of the match, at the 16th gave them a 3 and 2 victory.
Sally Watson and Lisa Maguire came through a nail-biting finish to give Great Britain and Ireland a 3 ½-2 ½ lead at the end of the first day. They beat Jessica Korda and Tiffany Lua by one hole in another match full of great scoring.
Watson and Maguire, never behind at any stage, were five under par for their round. The Americans were four under par without ever being in the lead!
Watson and Maguire were two up after eight holes but had their lead halved at the turn which they reached in a better-ball four-under-par 32.
The pressure on the Great Britain and Ireland pair increased when, after a series of halves, they lost the 13th to a birdie to be pulled back to all square. But Watson and Maguire were equal to the task. The teenagers birdied the 16th to edge ahead again and halved the last two holes for a notable win at the end of a notable day for Mary McKenna and her team of underdogs.
All three morning foursomes ties finished all square, a lunchtime scoreline that must have boosted confidence within Great Britain and Ireland.
Sally Watson and Rachel Jennings were two up with two to play in the lead-off match against Jennifer Johnson and Jennifer Song but the Americans finished well with a birdie 3 at the 17th and then a par 4 at the last to win both holes and square the match they looked as though they might lose.
The American pairing of Alexis Thompson and Jessica Korda had the better of the outward half against Hannah Barwood and Holly Clyburn after going two up at the fifth.
But the English girls squared the match by winning the ninth and 10th. The Americans regained a one-hole lead with a birdie 3 at the 13th but back came the GB and I pair to square the contest at the 14th. The last four holes were halved .
In the third morning foursome, Danielle McVeigh and Leona Maguire went two up after seven holes against Cydney Clanton and Stephanie Kono but were pulled back to all square after 11. The GB and I pair went one up again with a birdie 3 at the 12th.
The Americans hit back with a birdie 2 at the 14th to be all square and then edged ahead with a par at the 15th.
McVeigh and Maguire birdied the 16th to be all square again. The Americans went one up again with a par at the 17th. But the GB and I pair staged a grandstand finish to birdie the last - McVeigh holing a long putt -  for a square game.

QUOTES

"Danielle (McVeigh) had a 3ft putt for a birdie on the first hole and we were off and running," said Pamela Pretswell, who admitted being nervous at the start after not playing in the morning matches.
"I think we all played some really great golf," said Jessica Korda. "It came down to who made more putts in the end."
"Halving the morning matches gave us the confidence we could play with them (the U.S.). We knew we were capable of it," said GB and I skipper Mary McKenna who said she was very happy with the way her team had played on the opening day.
"But there's lots of golf left. That's what I'll tell them. I'm happy with the position we're in."
McKenna said her team isn't going to get ahead of itself.
"It's only Day One. We start tomorrow with a clean slate."


DAY 1 MORNING FOURSOMES:
UNITED STATES 1 1/2, GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 1 1/2
American players named first
Jennifer Johnson and Jennifer Song HALVED with Sally Watson and Rachel Jennings.
Alexis Thompson and Jessica Korda HALVED with Hannah Barwood and Holly Clyburn.
Cydney Clanton and Stephanie Kono HALVED with Danielle McVeigh and Leona Maguire.

DAY 1 AFTERNOON FOUR-BALLS
UNITED STATES 1, GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 2
American players named first
Jennifer Song and Kimberly Kim LOST to Danielle McVeigh and Pamela Pretswell
4 and 3.
Alexis Thompson and Jennifer Johnson BEAT Rachel Jennings and Leona Maguire.
3 and 2.
Jessica Korda and Tiffany Lua LOST to Sally Watson and Lisa Maguire.1 hole.

END OF DAY 1 SCORELINE
UNITED STATES 2 1/2, GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND 3 1/2