Valerie Hassett KOs leading qualifier

at Irish senior close championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Valerie Hassett (Ennis) played "out of her boots" to oust leading qualifier Pat Doran (Donabate) from the quarter finals of the 2010 Irish Senior Women’s Close Championship at Tullamore Golf Club today.
Hassett, who already dispatched Catherine Bird (Nenagh) in the previous round, raced to four up at the turn and although Doran pegged back 2 holes, Hassett holed from twenty five feet across the slope on sixteen to close out the match.
In an afternoon of shock results, Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) defeated current Seniors International Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) on the home green while Sheena McElroy (Grange) dispatched third qualifier Helen Jones (Strabane). In the final match of the afternoon, Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) survived a late comeback by Pauline Walsh (Headfort) before edging home on the final green.
Hassett now meets Giblin in the first semi-final match in the morning while 2008 Champion McElroy takes on 2009 Champion Henderson for a place in tomorrow afternoon’s final.
Results:
SECOND ROUND
Pat Doran (Donabate) bt Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle) 5 and 4.
Valerie Hassett (Ennis) bt Catherine Bird (Nenagh) 3 and 2.
Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) bt Catherine Carty (Tullamore) 4 and 3.
Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) bt Rhona Brennan (Bandon) 2 and 1.
Helen Jones (Strabane) bt Jane Gardner (Malone) 7 and 6.
Sheena McElroy (Grange) bt Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) 3 and 2.
Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) bt Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry) 1 hole.
Pauline Walsh (Headfort) bt Mary Madden (Ballinasloe) 1 hole.

QUARTER-FINALS
Valerie Hassett (Ennis) bt Pat Doran (Donabate) 3 and 2.
Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire) bt Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) 1 hole.
Sheena McElroy (Grange) bt Helen Jones (Strabane) 3 and 2.
Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) bt Pauline Walsh (Headfort) 1 hole.

Yorkshire march on with 8-1 win over Northumberland

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire continued their winning run at North region County Match Week at Carlisle Golf Club when they beat Northumberland 8-1.
The match week is being contested by six counties and the winner will go forward to the finals of the English Counties Champion at Kedleston Park, Derbyshire, in September. The series is supported by Virgin Atlantic.
Yorkshire didn’t lose a game all day, notching up seven wins and two halves to collect their third point from three matches. Yorkshire are multiple past winners of the national title and last held it in 2008.
Cheshire were also on top form, conceding just one game to Cumbria and winning their match by the same margin of 8-1.
In the day’s other match, Lancashire, the defending champions, beat Durham 6-3.
Lancashire and Cheshire currently share second place in the table with two points each, although Cheshire has the advantage, having won four more games than their rivals. Northumberland has 1½ points, Cumbria ½pt and Durham 0.
This is the last of six County Match Weeks. Five have already been completed and the winners are: Dorset (South West region), Sussex (South), Lincolnshire (Midlands North), Northamptonshire (Midlands South) and Hertfordshire (East).

 The winning Midlothian team and officials with the East Division championship trophy.

IMPRESSIVE MIDLOTHIAN WIN TICKET TO FINALS 
Midlothian made an impressive defence of the East Division women's inter-county team golf championship, winning all three matches at Royal Musselburgh GC to ensure a return to the Scottish county finals, to be held at Bothwell Castle from September 17 to 19.
Midlothian completed their 100 % record with an 8-1 hammering of old rivals while Fife finished runners-up with two wins by beating Stirling and Clackmannan 6 1/2-2 1/2
Teenager Rachael Watton went into her final singles match with an outstanding record of five wins out of five but she had to settle for a halved match against East Lothian county champion Emma Fairnie.
So Rachael finished with 5 1/2pt, the same total as Karen Marshall - underlning the Midlothian happy blend of youth and experience in their line-up. Louise Fraser was a close third in the points-gathering stakes with five to her credit with Wendy Nicholson (3 1/2) and Gabrielle MacDonald (3) coming next.
Fife's top performers were former Scottish champions Fiona (Lockhart) Hastie, Elaine Moffat and Linda Dyball, each with four wins. Karin Sharp had 3 1/2pt and Lorna Fury 3.
Stirling and Clackmannan were best served by Karen Burns, who amassed 4 1/2pt while East Lothian's most successful playeres were Emma Fairnie (3 1/2) and Clara Young (3).
Final day's results:
STIRLING and CLACKMANNAN 2 1/2, FIFE 6 1/2
Foursomes (0-3)
Karen Burns and Jennifer Bryans lost to Fiona Hastie and Elaine Moffat 3 and 2.
Vicki Stevenson and Linda Allan lost to Susan Jackson and Karin Sharp 5 and 4.
Louise MacGregor and Alison Goodwin lost to Lorna Fury and Linda Dyball 4 and 2.
Singles (2 1/2-3 1/2)
Goodwin lost to Jackson 3 and 1.
MacGregor bt Hastie 2 and 1.
Stevenson lost to Rachael Hanlon 3 and 2.
Burns bt Dorothy Ford 2 holes.
Lesley Gibb lost to Moffat 4 and 2.
Allan halved with Sharp.

EAST LOTHIAN 1, MIDLOTHIAN 8
Foursomes (0-3)
Emma Fairnie and Fiona Prior lost to Louise Fraser and rachael Watton 2 and 1.
Clara Young and Keren Ward lost to Kirsten Blackwood and Gabrielle MacDonald 3 and 2.
Jill McNicoll and Linda Grieve lost to Karen Marshall and Wendy Nicholson 4 and 2.
Singles (1-5)
Fairnie halved with Watton.
Ruth carroll lost to G MacDonald 2 and 1.
Ward lost to Blackwood 5 and 4.
McNicoll lost to Kate McIntosh 6 and 5.
Grieve lost to fraser 5 and 4.
Young halved with Marshall.

FINAL PLACINGS
1 Midlothian 3 wins.
2 Fife 2 wins.
3 Stirling and Clackmannan 1 win.
4 East Lothian 0 wins.

+Midlothian complete the four-team line-up for the Scottish county finals.
Angus, Dumfries-shire and Renfrewshire had already secured their places at Bothwell Castle Golf Club from September 17 to 19.

Late drama in Scottish senior stroke-play championship at Fortrose and Rosemarkie

Heather Anderson wins after

nightmare inward half by 

leader Anne Ryan

Alyth’s Heather Anderson, winner of last year’s match-play title decided over the last two days of the Scottish senior women’s amateur golf championship programme, this year claimed the stroke-play award at stake over the first two days at Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club on the Black Isle, 12 miles north of Inverness.
With only a few holes of the 36-hole event to play, it was odds on a North victory with Tain’s Anne Ryan, the first round leader with a 74, still heading the field.
Then she spilled eight shots to par over six successive holes, culminating with a triple bogey 7 at the 17th. Ryan came home in 43 (eight over par) for an 81 and a total of 155.
Anderson, pictured with the trophy by courtest of the SLGA, who had been six shots off the pace at the start of the day with an 80, improved by seven shots, despite the windy conditions, with a splendid round of 73 for 153 and, following Ryan’s late slump she was left as the winner by two shots.
Ryan did not even finish second on her own. Fiona De Vries (St Rule) also totalled 155 with scores of 75 and 80.
The players with the leading 16 aggregates (166 and better) qualified to contest the match-play championship Thursday and Friday.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
153 Heather Anderson (Alyth) 80 73.
155 Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 75 80, Anne Ryan (Tain) 74 81.
157 May Hughes (Lanark) 76 81.
159 Margaret Tough (Falkirk) 79 80.
161 Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) 76 85.
162 Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 81 81.
163 Fiona Hunter (Baberton) 81 82.
164 Mary Smith (Tain) 84 80, Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 83 81, Jane Herd (Musselburgh) 81 83.
165 Janice Cumming (Inverness) 84 81, Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 82 83, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 80 85.
166 Jill Harrison (Cruden Bay) 84 82, Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) 83 83.
MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW
FIRST ROUND: Thursday morning
9am Heather Anderson v Alex Glennie.
9.10 Fiona Hunter v Noreen Fenton.
9.20 Margaret Tough v Pamela Williamson.
9.30 Lorna Bennett v May Hughes.
9.40 Anne Ryan v Jill Harrison.
9.50 Jane Herd v Moria Thomson.
10.0 Lynne Terry v Mary Smith
10.10 Alison Bartlett v Fiona de Vries.
QUARTER-FINALS: Thursday afternoon
2pm Anderson or Glennie v Hunter of Fenton.
2.10 Tough or Williamson v Bennett or Hughes.
2.20 Ryan or Harrison v Herd or Thmson.
2.30 Terry or Smith v Bartlett or De Vries.

DID NOT QUALIFY FOR MATCH-PLAY:
167 Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) 86 81.
168 Helen Faulds (Douoglas Park) 85 83.
169 Maureen Woodhead (Gourock) 89 80, Agnes Freeman (Ladies Panmure Barry) 84 85.
170 Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) 86 84.
171 Sue Penman (Gullane Ladies) 84 87, Marion Stewart (Kilmacolm) 83 88.
172 Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle) 88 84, Anna Telfer (Milngavie) 86 86, Margot Barr (Gairloch) 83 89.
173 Isobel McIntosh (Inverness) 87 86, Winifred MacCallum (Falkirk) 82 91.
174 Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) 92 82.
173 Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 88 86.,
174 Pat Wilson (Murcar Links) 83 95.
175 Isobel Harvey (St Rule) 88 87, Susan MacVicar (Gairloch) 84 91, Annabel Kane (Kilmacolm) 82 92.
176 Patricia Hutton (Lanark) 87 89.
178 Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) 89 89, Jen Petrie (Panmure Barry) 87 91, Sheila Travers (Alloa) 89 89.
179 Elizabeth Coghill (Royal Dornoch) 88 91, Fiona Farquharson (King James VI) 86 93.
180 Jenny Thornton (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 91 89, Rita Dee (Kingsknowe) 91 89, Janice Lang (Alyth) 89 91, Karen Maxwell (Milngavie) 88 92.
181 Mairi Pollock (Craigmillar Park) 96 85, Linda McDougall (Greenock) 92 89.
182 Isabel Chapman (Forfar) 91 91, Carol Fell (Ranfurly Castle) 89 93.
183 Elizabeth Cruickshank (West Surrey) 93 90, Dorothy Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 92 91, Maureen Neilson (Greenock) 90 93, Pat Morrison (Muir of Ord) 88 95
184 Joanne Watt (Gullane Ladies) 96 88, Susy Cooper (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 95 89, Frances McFadzean (Craigmillar Park) 92 92.
185 Sheena McDonald (Buchanan Castle) 96 89, Esme Hill (Dumfries and Co) 91 94, Alicia Wilson (Clober) 90 95.
186 Sheilah Ramsay (Inverness) 95 91, Hazel Kelly (Ladies Panmure Barry) 91 95, Norma Smith (Downfield) 91 95.
187 Liz Fertacz (Blairgowrie) 92 95, Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) 91 96.
188 Elda Morrison (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 98 90, Catherine Bryce (Ballater)92 96.
189 Maureen Ritchie (Muir of Ord) 88 101.
190 Sandy Bushby (Blairgowrie), 94 96, Fiona Roger (Ranfurly Castle) 91 99.
192 Ann Moffat (St Regulus) 92 100.
193 Maureen McRobb (Kingsknowe) 91 102.
194 Kay Jarvie (Auchterarder) 94 100.
196 Elinor Wallace (Muir of Ord) 93 103.
199 Pamela Moscati (Royal Dornoch) 105 94.
203 Clare Bowe (Gullane Ladies) 106 97.
208 Shona Low (Gullane Ladies) 106 102.
NR Maureen Ross (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 88 NR
NR Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies) 83 NR.
NR Anne Brownie (Lothianburn) 90 NR.
NR Anne Terrey (Greenock) 102 NR.
NR Morag Wardrop (Niddry Castle) 95 NR

Kelsey new leader of SLGA

Order of Merit table

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH LADIES GOLFING ASSOCIATION
Kelsey MacDonald, who followed her victory in the Scottish championship by reaching the final of the British championship, is the new leader the top of the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association’s Order of Merit.
The Nairn Dunbar 19-year-old, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency just before Saturday's British final at Ganton, has overtaken the defending champion, Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), to head the table on 2,595 points.
The other major mover is 18-year-old Sally Watson (Elie and Earlsferry). The two-time Curtis Cup player, who has just completed her first year at Stanford University in California, reached the third round of the British championship at Ganton and has moved up into fifth place with 1,407 points.
Kenney, who was unable to play in the British championship, is in second place with 2,280 points, with Alford’s Laura Murray (1955) and Craigielaw’s Jane Turner (1655) in third and fourth spots.

Amy Boulden wins Bridget Jackson

Bowl by three strokes at Handsworth

Welsh international Amy Boulden (Maesdu), 16-year-old Curtis Cup team reserve, won the prestigious Bridget Jackson Bowl 36-hole women's open tournament at Handsworth Golf Club yesterday.
It's been a good and busy month for Amy. She was beaten by Scot Laura Murray in a play-off for the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews and then had the lowest score (69) at Ganton in the qualifying rounds for the British women's open amateur championship last week before losing to former US Curtis Cup player Meghan Stasi who went on to reach the semi-finals.
At Handsworth, Amy, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, shot a pair of one-under-par 71s for a total of 142, four shots under the combined CSS of 73-73.
She won by three shots from Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton), who played for GBandI in the recent Curtis Cup match at Essex County Club, Massachusetts, and Yorkshire youngster Jade Downes (Boothferry). Rachel had scores of 73 and 72, Jade 72 and 73.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72). SS 73 CSS 73 73
142 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 71 71.
145 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 73 72, Jade Downes (Boothferry) 72 73.
147 Harriet Key (South Herts) 75 72, Melissa Siviter (Enville) 73 74, Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton Heath) 72 75.
148 Elizabeth Haycock (Mo9seley) 76 72, Becky Harries (Haverfordwest) 76 72, Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield) 75 73, Melissas McMahon (Yeovil) 75 73.
149 Rachel Lewis (Llanishen) 74 75.
150 Katie Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 79 71, Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 77 73, Lauren Mackin (Majorca) 75 75, Dulcie Sverdloff (Thorpe Hall) 756 75, Hannah Turland (Tidworth Garrison) 73 77.
151 Anna Carling (Vale of Glamorgan) 76 75, Samantha Birks (Wlstanton) 74 77.
152 Dana Greenslade (Wentworth) 78 74, Jessica Evans (Newport) 75 77.
153 Raffi Dyer (Hayling) 72 81.
154 Meghan Maclaren (Wellingborough) 77 77.
156 Natash Gobey (Rhondda) 78 78.
157 Emma Newlove (Notts Ladies) 80 77, Debbie Warren (Kings Norton) 76 81.
158 Susan Dye (Delamere Forest) 83 75.
159 Sue Spencer (Whittington Heath) 81 78.
160 Samantha Meese (Enville) 83 77, Myriam Hassan (Southerndown) 82 78, Nicole Shaw (West Essex) 80 80.
161 Lucy Evans (Wrekin) 81 80.
162 Emma Cutmore (Colne Valley) 81 81.
163 Emily Coleman (Trentham) 78 85.
164 Bronwyn Davies (Trentham) 83 81, Sophie Hillier (John O'Gaunt) 81 83.
164 Claire Howells (Moor Hall) 85 80.
166 Hannah McLaughlin (Sutton Coldfield) 87 79, Harriet Beasley (Woburn) 81 85.
1678 Mary Maclaren (Wellingborough) 85 83.
169 Jules Heath (Stafford Castgle) 90 79.
170 Katie Warren (Wrag Barn) 89 81, Emily Mumford (Oxley Park) 83 87.
175 fiona Cooper (Bedford and Co) 86 89.
180 Leanne Ball (Aston Wood) 91 89.
Disqualified: Carley Warrington (Sickleholme) 77 disq.
No return: Nicole Whitmore (Woburn) 77 NR

Cristie Kerr, now ranked No 1 in world of women's professional golf following runaway win in LPGA Championship. Image by courtesy of IMG Golf.

Cristie Kerr and Kelly Tidy look

forward to Ricoh Women's British

 Open at Royal Birkdale


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY I M G
Newly crowned World Number One, Cristie Kerr won her second Major title in record-breaking style finishing 12 shots clear of the field at the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans.
Having already confirmed her entry in the 35th Ricoh Women’s British Open at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, 29th July to 1st August, Cristie is now a firm favourite having finished in the top ten four times including a tied fifth in 2005 when the Championship was last played at Birkdale.
Cristie is the first American to top the Rolex Rankings and thoroughly deserving of the top spot having spent amazing 323 weeks ranked within the World’s top 10 and showing her remarkable consistency with 74 consecutive cuts since May 2007. There is no doubt Cristie has her eyes firmly on adding the coveted Ricoh Women’s British Open title to her haul.
Following her final round 66 she explained, “I am delighted to have made it to No.1 but now I want to stay there. It's something that I've wanted and worked for my whole life. It's great but I just got there and I feel you really have to keep proving it so I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. I always wanted to be the No. 1 player in the world and I take great pride in being the top American but you have to perform every week to do that. I'm there now, but I have to prove that I deserve to be there so there is still a lot of work ahead but it feels awfully good right now.”
While Cristie was breaking records across the Atlantic, The Royal Birkdale Golf Club’s own Kelly Tidy (pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency), aged 18, triumphed at the 2010 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at Ganton Golf Club, beating Scottish Champion Kelsey MacDonald 2 and 1 in the 18-hole final. Kelly, who was a beaten finalist in the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championships of 2007 and 2008 and played for Europe in both the Junior Solheim Cup and the Junior Ryder Cup, was delighted to discover her victory qualified her for direct entry into the Ricoh Women’s British Open, joining fellow Birkdale member, Florentyna Parker, who qualified following her recent win at the AMRO Ladies Open in Holland
Kelly, who has been a member at Royal Birkdale Golf Club since 2008, explained, “I am so looking forward to playing my first Major at my home club in front of my friends and family. I would have tried to come though qualifying of course but this is much better. I hope I will be able to take the confidence I have gained from winning the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship into the Championship and make everyone at Birkdale proud of me.”
Shona Malcolm, the LGU’s CEO, commented, “Cristie’s performance at the weekend was remarkable and we look forward to seeing how she fares at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club this summer. Kelly’s win illustrated the increasingly healthy state of the women’s amateur game in the UK, as she won the first all-British final since Rebecca Hudson beat Emma Duggleby to win the title at Walton Heath in 2000. It will be a fantastic experience for her playing in the Ricoh Women’s British Open and I look forward to watching her make the most of her local Birkdale knowledge as she takes advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”
For the first time this year fans will be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.
Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.

Dylan Smith wins Paul Lawrie Foundation event at Newburgh
By IAIN POWELL
Paul Lawrie Foundation manager
This week's tour headed to sunny Newburgh. all the players happy to be playing in good weather. The course was in great shape and a good strong breeze made for a tough challenge.
Dylan Smith mastered the bouncy links conditions and managed a fantastic 43 points. Kieran Spence was not far behind with 42 points and Ross Powell was again in the top three with 40 points.
POINTS TOTALS
Dylan Smith 43pt
Kieran Spence 42
Ross Powell 40
Michael Lawrie 39
Craig Lawrie 39
Paul Morgan 39
Liam Allan 37
Scott Watson 37
Craig Watson 37

Boys' CSS - 69
Girls' CSS - 73

Yorkshire take lead at North County Match Week

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire have moved into an early lead in the North region County Match Week with their second successive win at Carlisle Golf Club.
The overall winners of the week, which is contested by six counties, will go forward to the finals of the English Counties’ Championship at Kedleston Park, Derbyshire, in September. The competition series is supported by Virgin Atlantic.
Yorkshire – who last won the national title in 2008 – claimed their second point when they defeated the hosts, Cumbria 7-2.
Northumberland currently hold second place with 1½ points after they beat Durham 5½-2½. In the day’s other match, defending champions Lancashire beat Cheshire 5-4.
This is the last of six County Match Weeks. Five have already been completed and the winners are: Dorset (South West region), Sussex (South), Lincolnshire (Midlands North), Northamptonshire (Midlands South) and Hertfordshire (East).

Katie Mundy defends English mid-amateur title

Hampshire’s Katie Mundy will defend her title when the English women’s open mid-amateur championship takes place at Bristol and Clifton Golf Club from Thursday to Sunday (July 1 to 4).

Katie, pictured right by courtesy of Leaderboardphotography.com, is one of a large contingent of players in the tournament who are at university in America and play on the US women’s college circuit.

They include Laura Jones (Royal Liverpool), Olivia Jordan-Higgins (Royal Jersey) and Carley Warrington (Sickleholme) who, like Katie, are all winners in the USA.

The local challenge is led by Bristol & Clifton member Sian James, who will be first to tee off when the championship gets underway.
Sian is studying for a degree in applied golf management at Birmingham University and is one of England’s top student golfers. She reached the final 16 in last week’s British amateur championship and last year she helped an all-woman team from her university become the world student match-play champions.

She’s one of five Gloucestershire players in the field, including England international Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton), who was a semi-finalist in the English championship and reached the second matchplay round at the "British."

The other local players are Lizzie Stephens (The Kendleshire) and Suzette Worthington (Bristol and Clifton).

Meanwhile, from further afield are senior international Felicity Christine (Banstead Downs, Surrey), Critchley Salver winner Raffi Dyer (Hayling, Hampshire), English championship runner-up Tara Watters (Muswell Hill) and Michele Holzwarth of Germany.

The championship, which is open to players aged 18 and over, attracted a full field and all competitors will play 36 holes of strokeplay qualifying on Thursday. The top 32 will go forward to the matchplay stages and the final will be played on the morning of Sunday, 4 July.
Spectators are welcome
Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer
EGWA