Cristie Kerr completes LPGA Tour win on Monday

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois -- Cristie Kerr won the rain-delayed State Farm LPGA Classic by one shot over Anna Nordqvist and Na Yeon Choi today.
The final round of the event was complted a day late due to weekend rain interrupting play. Kerr fought off flu-like symptoms and late challenges from Nordqvist and Choi, shooting a 3-under 69 in the final round to finish at 22-under 266 at Panther Creek Country Club.
Kerr had a two-shot lead heading to the final hole, so a bogey on the final hole gave her the one-shot victory. It is her second State Farm Classic win, and she becomes the first American to win on the LPGA Tour since Michelle Wie won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational last November.
"That definitely motivates me to be the top American and top player on tour," said Kerr, who won $255,000 to move into the second on the money list, $60,000 behind Ai Miyazato. "I'm just happy not to have to answer, 'Why are there no American winners anymore?' "
Juli Inkster, whose first-round 65 had her tied for second, shot 68-71 on the weekend to end in 35th.
Karrie Webb made her way into a tie for 11th with a final-round 65. Natalie Gulbis went 4 under in her closing round to finish tied for 36th and Wie finished at 6 under, tied for 52nd.
Kerr led after third-round play was completed Sunday morning and would have been the champion if the fourth round had been washed out. But with more than half the round completed when heavy rain and lightning rolled in Sunday, tour officials decided to try to finish the tournament Monday.
Kerr never wavered. After Saturday's delay, she made six more birdies to finish with a 63. Monday, she birdied three holes before an inconsequential bogey on 18.
Kerr said the stormy conditions Sunday helped her.
"It was actually to my advantage that they called play last evening, because I was just exhausted," she said. "I didn't sleep well at all on Saturday night, just up coughing the whole night."
Kerr came down with flulike symptoms early in the week and then weathered two storm postponements that left birdie putts on the course to post rounds of 67-67-63-69. She missed the green and bogeyed 18 on Monday, but with a two-shot lead over Nordqvist and Choi, her two-putt was good for the victory.
"You know, you always want to try and complete the tournament to be able to feel like you earned it," Kerr said. "I would have taken it, don't get me wrong, but this feels better."
Choi birdied three of her last four holes to get to 21 under, but Nordqvist, who birdied four straight before the rain stopped play on Sunday, was up and down after the break. She bogeyed the par-4 12th and before birdies on Nos. 13-14. She had another birdie chance on the par-5 16th, but missed a short put. She had to get up and down from the sand on 18 to save par, but the bad read on 16 is what really cost her.
"I knew I had to make a couple of birdies those last couple of holes to give it a shot, but I gave this my best," she said. "I thought I hit a pretty good putt, it just broke a little too much. I mean, that's life."
First-round leader Shanshan Feng and Hee Young Park, who just missed a birdie putt on 18 that would have given her a final-round 62, ended tied for fourth at 20 under. Feng, the only Chinese golfer on the tour, loves to play Panther Creek.
"I think this course fits me. It's not an easy course, but I feel like it's good for me as a long hitter," she said. "My putting was really good. My putting is not usually that good, but it's good here."
Park's 63 was a personal best and included nine birdies. She was playing on an injured knee and the delay may have helped.
"It's getting worse, so I rested it," she said. "That was a good choice."
A day into the new week on tour, Kerr was already thinking of what lay ahead.
"Winning is a great feeling, but you can't stop there," she said. "You've got to be able to set new goals. I've got another tournament (this) week and then I've got another major."
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288
266 Cristie Kerr 67 67 63 69
267 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 65 69 68 65, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 66 69 65 67
268 Hee Young Park (Kor) 67 69 69 63, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 64 72 65 67
269 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 67 70 65 67, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 67 69 67 66
271 Na On Min (Jpn) 70 69 64 68, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 66 70 66 69, Katie Futcher 72 65 69 65
272 Yani Tseng (Tai) 68 71 66 67, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 68 69 67 68, Karrie Webb (Aus) 69 71 67 65
273 Amy Yang 68 65 72 68, Alena Sharp (Can) 66 68 71 68
274 Morgan Pressel 68 70 65 71, M.J. Hur (Kor) 66 66 71 71, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 67 69 72 66, Moira Dunn 68 71 68 67, Stacy Lewis 70 67 69 68
275 In Kyung Kim (Kor) 69 71 68 67, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 69 67 70 69
276 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 68 70 70 68, Azahara Munoz (Spa) 71 68 68 69, Heather Bowie Young 68 67 70 71, Meena Lee (Kor) 66 71 70 69, Brittany Lincicome 71 68 69 68, Angela Stanford 72 70 70 64, Inbee Park (Kor) 67 67 72 70
277 Mika Miyazato (Jpn) 67 75 65 70, Jimin Kang (Kor) 68 69 70 70, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 73 69 65 70, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 69 69 70 69, Karine Icher (Fra) 70 68 68 71
278 Juli Inkster 65 74 68 71
279 Natalie Gulbis 71 67 73 68, Diana D'Alessio 69 70 70 70, Michele Redman 69 67 72 71, Jeong Jang (Kor) 70 70 71 68
280 Mariajo Uribe (Col) 71 71 68 70, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 71 70 68 71, Brittany Lang 73 68 70 69, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 71 70 68 71, Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 72 70 69 69, Louise Friberg (Swe) 69 71 75 65, Mi-Hyun Kim (Kor) 70 70 68 72, Samantha Richdale 69 72 69 70, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 69 69 70 72
281 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 71 71 68 71, Lorie Kane (Can) 71 68 75 67, Amanda Blumenherst 72 70 70 69
282 Michelle Wie 69 69 73 71, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 70 68 74 70, Paige Mackenzie 74 68 72 68
283 Stephanie Louden 70 72 69 72, Lisa Meldrum 69 71 72 71, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 70 72 72 69, Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 70 71 69 73, Nicole Castrale 72 69 71 71, Mina Harigae 71 69 68 75, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 72 69 70 72
284 Elizabeth Janangelo 71 71 73 69, Wendy Ward 68 71 73 72, Ashli Bunch 71 69 72 72
285 Meaghan Francella 70 72 70 73, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 69 72 76 68
286 Tanya Dergal 68 73 73 72, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 68 74 74 70, Haeji Kang (Kor) 71 70 76 69, Kris Tamulis 71 70 71 74
287 Paola Moreno 70 72 72 73, Allison Hanna-Williams 70 68 72 77
289 Laura Diaz 72 70 75 72
293 Brandie Burton 72 70 76 75
DQ: 213 Lisa Strom 71 68 74

Left to right: Ann Ryan, Mary Smith and Sammy Vass.

Tain make it nine in a row at Ross-Sutherland competition

By ROBIN WILSON
Cara Gruber and clubmate Claire Riddell returned to their childhood course (Strathpeffer) on Saturday with the Royal Dornoch women's team of Alison Bartlet and Liz Coghill in an attempt to prevent a nine-in-a-row scratch win by Tain in the Ross -Sutherland women's inter-club competition.
But despite their “local” knowledge Gruber and Riddell could not halt the Tain domination of this event who with three Northern Counties women's team members in the line up, Mary Smith, Anne Ryan and Sammy Vass, won by eight shots.
In the best of three from four scores format, Smith shot 71, her sister Ryan 70 and their niece Vass 73 for a total of 214. The fourth score discarded was 76 from Claire Ross.
Runners-up Royal Dornoch had scores from Gruber 67, Bartlet 76 and Riddell 79 for 222. Non-counting was Coghill 85.
Celebrating winning the handicap trophy for the first time were Gairloch with a net total of 202 from Margot Barr (11) 69, Susan MacIvor (10) 64, Jo Powell (30) 69 and non-counter Irene Croal (19) 75.
Golspie, the handicap trophy holders, finished runners up with 207 – Anne Macrae (10) 68, Sheila Robertson (11) 71, Judith MacLeod (20) 68 and non-counter Fiona More (20) 87.

Gairloch's trophy-winning team (left to right): Margo Marr, Susan McIver, Irene Croal and Jo Powell.

Macdonald’s Spey Valley resident professional Murray Urquhart coaching 11-year-old Connor Preston from Royal Dornoch GC and a group of juniors from Nairn GC.

Pros make good impression on clubgolf juniors at Aviemore

All who took part in Saturday’s junior coaching clinics at the Scottish Hydro Challenge Tour event at the Macdonald’s Spey Valley Golf Course believe the experience will have a lasting effect.
Forty three children from clubgolf programmes at six Highland clubs spent the day at the event. They had a coaching session with resident pro Murray Urquhart and had what onlookers described as a ‘highly competitive’ putting competition before spending the afternoon watching the competitors on the course.
“It was a great day and I’ve never been to anything like this before,” said chirpy 11 year old Connor Preston who has been on Royal Dornoch’s clubgolf coaching programme with pro Gary Dingwall since he started playing the game just over a year ago.
“The pros were really nice to us when they came off the course. They gave us balls and signed programmes for us.
“We learnt so much and practised a lot of different shots, learnt how to hold the club and how to hit the ball. I’m going to go away and practise, particularly my putting.”
“I want to keep going, get better, try and get to pro standard and travel everywhere playing golf.”
The junior day concluded what has been the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf’s, week long involvement in the event. On Monday 60 clubgolf volunteer coaches enjoyed a pro am. Then on Thursday, almost 140 local school children who have been introduced to the game through clubgolf were invited to coaching clinics and watched the action.
Saturday was the day for juniors who have made progression from introduction at school to clubgolf at local clubs and there was a good representation of clubs involved. Children and volunteer coaches travelled from Invergordon, Nairn, Royal Dornoch and Torvean, as well as local clubs Kingussie and Newtonmore.
Making the journey south with 20 children from Nairn Golf Club’s clubgolf programme was Peter Abbott, Honorary Secretary of the SGU North District Golf Association.
“Today makes a huge difference to the children,” he said.
“The children were amazed to see what Murray Urquhart could do with the ball. They were fascinated to watch professional players on the course. When the players came in they were great with the children, giving them balls, which from a pro to a junior is a prize possession.”
Mr Abbott, in his SGU role, is uniquely placed to comment on how clubgolf is transforming golf in the Highlands.
“clubgolf is making a world of difference to our members and their playing abilities,” he said.
“I’m in touch with 57 clubs in the north of Scotland and before clubgolf started, out of all those clubs, I would be lucky to get half a dozen juniors coming along to our talent ID days where we select the juniors for the training squads.
“Now, because of clubgolf, we had 75 juniors coming along to our last talent ID day. They come to us and we take them with a 28 handicap and nurture them to scratch and we pass them on to the Academy to play for Scotland and hopefully turn pro as they get older.
“At Nairn we have between 70 and 90 juniors on our clubgolf coaching programme and most have come from clubgolf in schools.
Most of their parents aren’t players so they are the keen kids and it can only help the future of golf. It’s fantastic to see the interest clubgolf is generating and it’s definitely working.”
clubgolf thanks the European Challenge Tour, Macdonald’s Spey Valley Golf Course and Murray Urquhart for giving the juniors and volunteer coaches a wonderful week.
Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager

Some of the competitors at the East Lothian girls' summer meeting at Glen Golf Club.

Clara Young tops with a 77 in East Lothian girls' summer meeting

Clara Young (North Berwick) won the East Lothian girls' summer meeting at Glen Golf Club with a scratch round of 77.
In the handicap section, Rosie Everett (Craigielaw), playing off 13, and Nandini Nagra (Kilspindie), playing off 25, both had net 70s. Rosie was awarded first place with the better inward half.
Charlotte Munro (Gullane Ladies) came third with a net 71 off 26.

Left to right: Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association captain Ellie Whyte, Sammy Leslie with the individual J P Kennaway Cup, county president Morag Clapperton and vice-captain Marta Moody.

SAMMY LESLIE LEADS WESTHILL TO FIRST WIN IN

WATT DUFFUS TROPHY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Aberdeenshire champion Sammy Leslie, playing over her home course, led Westhill to a first ever victory in the Watt Duffus Trophy inter-club women's team stroke-play tournament today.

Sammy also won the Mrs J P Kennaway Cup for the best scratch score of one-over-par 74 on a day when the CSS went up to 75.

She had two shots to spare over Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) and young Louise McGillivray (Banchory). Louise won the nameless individual handicap trophy with a net 68 off eight of a handicap.

Westhill won the major trophy with a total of 235, thanks to the efforts of Sammy Leslie, Julie Lees with an 80 and Doreen Gordon an 81. Bunga Gurden had the non-counting Westhill score of 86.

Pictured above with the Watt Duffus Trophy are Sammy Leslie (left) and Doreen Gordon. Julie Lees and Bunga Gurden were unable to stay for the prizegiving.

Banchory were runners-up on 244 with scores from Louise McGillivray 76, Ann Smart 85 and Gail Christie 85.

The Banchory trio also won the team handicap award with a net total of 221 - McGillivray (8) 68, Christie (10) 75, Smart (5) 78. It was the first time the Banchory club had won this category.

SCOREBOARD

Par 73. CSS 75.
SCRATCH TOTALS
235 Westhill (S Leslie 74, J Lees 80, D Gordon 81; non-counting B Gurden 86).
244 Banchory (L McGillivray 76, A Amart 83, G Christie 85; non-counting M Grant 102).
245 Aberdeen Ladies 1 (S Wood 76, F Seedhouse 83, E Whyte 86; non-counting L Hardie 87).
255 Murcar Links 1 (D Pocock 79, C Wilson 88, S Anderson 88; non-counting P Wilson 92).
266 Cruden Bay 1 (L Terry 85, K Stalker 90, E Cruickshank 98; non-counting K Esslemont 91).
267 Peterculter (R Polson 86, K Taylor 89, J Watson 92; non-counting K Vannet 97).

271 Aboyne 1 (Z Brown 93, M Burgess 92, G Hollingsworth 96; non-counting M Wilson 98), Aberdeen Ladies 2 (K Watt 89, C Kyle 90, A Henderson 92; non-counting A Stalker 93).

272 Newmachar (E Mauchline 83, A Hope 93, H Thomson 96; non-counting M Horn 100), Deeside 2 (R Anderson 89, T Beattie 91, K Teow 92; non-counting M Parkinson 100).
273 Deeside 1 (F Hay 86, F Reiss 90, M Millership 97; non-counting S Kidd disq).
274 Hazlehead (C Prouse 89, C Eddie 91, S Queen 94; non-counting F Prouse 100), Inchmarlo, Aboyne 2.

276 McDonald Ellon (A Bowman 90, M Roger 90, J Forbes 96; non-counting S Reid 100).

282 Kemnay (C Whicher 91, F Webster 92, J Whitehead 99; non-counting M Humphrey 100).
286 Murcar Links 2 (M Robinson 91, N Watson 97, M Moody 98; non-counting K Stalker 101).
287 Ballater (H Backhouse 90, F Gibson 94, A Horne 103; non-counting A Howie 112).
296 Cruden Bay 2 (J Robertson 94, M Miller 98, D Keith 104; non-counting R McLean 112)
HANDICAP TOTALS

221 Banchory (L McGillivary (8) 68; G Christie (10) 75; A Smart (5) 78; non-counting M Grant (17) 85).

229 Inchmarlo, Aberdeen Ladies 1.

232 Deeside 2.

234 Aberdeen Ladies 2.

235 McDonald Ellon.

237 Peterculter, Murcar Links 2.

238 Aboyne 2.

240 Murcar Links 1.

241 Newmachar, Cruden bay 1..

242 Aboyne 1.

247 Hazlehead, Kemnay.

248 Cruden Bay 2.

251 Ballater.

252 Deeside 1.

Banchory team members, Melanie Grant, Gail Christie and Louise McGillivray with the handicap winners' award. Ann Smart, the fourth team member, was unable to stay for the prizegiving.

All images by courtesy of Karen Stalker, secretary of the Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association.

West Division women's inter-county team championship
KILMACOLM GOLF CLUB

Day 1 results

RENFREWSHIRE 6 1/2, AYRSHIRE 2 1/2-1/2
Foursomes
M Briggs and E Briggs bt L Allan and M McKay 8 and 6.
D Jckson and L Stewart halved with L Hendry and M McPherson.
C-M Carlton and A McKechin bt C Malcolm and D Watt 5 and 4 (2 1/2-1/2)..
Singles
E Briggs bt Hendry 6 and 5.
Carlton bt L Barker 7 and 5.
M Briggs bt R McQueen 4 and 2.
McKechin bt McPherson 5 and 4.
G Kyle lost to Malcolm 1 hole.
C Whyte lost to Watt 4 and 2 (4-2).

LANARKSHIRE 8 1/2, DUNBARTONSHIRE and ARGYLL 1/2
Foursomes
F Norris and S Wood bt L McGeachy and S Bishop 2 holes.
E Cuthill and A Devin bt L Campbell and N Ferguson 2 holes.
L Lloyd and M Hughes bt H Faulds and S Cadden 3 and 2 (3-0).
Singles
Norris bt Bishop 4 amd 3.
Wood bt Ferguson 5 and 4.
Cuthill bt J Meldrum 2 holes.
F Scott halved with Faulds.
E Caddow bt L McColl 2 holes.
Lloyd bt McGeachy 5 and 4 (5 1/2-1/2).

   Catherine (left) and Alison Goodwin with their trophies at Glenbervie.

Glenbervie sisters win club titles on the same day

The Goodwin girls, Alison and Catherine, daughters of Elizabeth, the junior secretary for Stirling and Clackmannan County Ladies Golf Association, made a little bit of history at Glenbervie Golf Club the other day. They won both club titles on the same day.
Alison, 16, retained the Ladies’club championship by beating Stirling and Clackmannan County Ladies’ captain Linda Allan by one hole in the final. It was a very close game with Linda pulling back from three  down to square the match on the 17th.
Alison then hit a great drive and pitch at the last to a tricky pin position
Alison’s younger sister, 12 year old Catherine, won the Glenbervie club's Ladies’ Handicap Championship final, beating the defending champion, Barbara MacLeod, by one hole too. She won the last hole to win – the only time she had been ahead in the game.

Rain delays finish of LPGA Tour event

The LPGA State Farm Classic tournament at Panther Creek County Club, Springfield in Illinois won't finish until Monday morning (local time).
Bad weather caused an early finish to Sunday's final-round play with Anna Nordqvist and Cristie Kerr disputing the lead out on the course. The Swedish start will resume at the 10th on 20 under par for the tournament, the same mark as the American who has 10 holes still to play.
LEADING COMPLETED TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72). Yardage 6,746.
271 Na On Min 70 69 64 68.
272 Karrie Webb 69 71 67 65, Yani Tseng 68 71 66 67.
274 Moira Dunn 68 71 68 67.
275 In-Kyung Kim 69 71 68 67.
276 Angela Stanford 72 70 70 64.
Selected totals
281 Catriona Matthew 71 71 68 71.
MISSED THE CUT (142 or better)
144 Janice Moodie 72 72.
147 Mhairi McKay 70 77.
Withdrew: Karen Stupples 68 69.