Jodi Ewart finishes third on Futures Tour

LONDON, Kentucky - Ever since her weather-shortened first tournament win as a pro back in May, Ryann O'Toole has kept her giant winner's cardboard check in the back seat of her car. That particular payday rendered a reduced purse because the washed-out Kansas tournament was shortened to only 18 holes.
But every day since the cheque took the back seat, the second-year pro has looked at it and made it her goal to win a full 54-hole tournament, hands-down, with no asterisks. And that goal became a reality today when O'Toole not only played three rounds, but also added an extra play-off hole to walk away as the winner of the $115,000 Falls Auto Group Classic.
"This feels like a real win," said O'Toole of San Clemente California, who carded rounds of 68-69-65 for a 14-under score of 202, with a birdie in the playoff on the second trip to the 18th hole. "And I had to grind it out against a veteran player."
O'Toole's birdie on the extra hole edged out Tour veteran Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ontario, who posted rounds of 66-71-65 to draw even with O'Toole in regulation at 202 (-14) at the Crooked Creek Golf Community course. O'Toole's $16,100 payday boosted her from 18th to the No. 6 spot on the Tour's 2010 season money list.
Rookie Jodi Ewart of North Yorkshire, England carded a final-round 70 to finish 3rd at 12-under 204, while two-time 2010 tournament winner Christine Song of Fullerton, Calif., posted a 4-under 68 to finish fourth at 10-under 206.
"Ryann hits it a long way, and on courses like this, it's a big plus," said Buzminski, a five-time Tour winner and a current LPGA Tour member. "She's got game."
It was somehow fitting that the final round of this week's Duramed FUTURES Tour tournament in Kentucky turned into a real horse race with a downright sprint to the finish.
Playing in her fifth tournament as a pro, Ewart entered today's round with a one-shot lead and moved ahead by as many as three strokes. The recent University of New Mexico grad held the lead until her 11th hole, when O'Toole, playing two groups ahead, birdied the 12th hole to draw even when Ewart bogeyed.
But Ewart countered with a birdie on the 12th hole from 10 feet, and then added another birdie on the 14th from 12 feet.
And like any good race with a lot of track still ahead, both O'Toole and Buzminski answered. The Canadian slammed in four consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 15 to ratchet up the pressure. O'Toole answered with four more birdies on her last seven holes, including three on the last four. The three players deadlocked at 12 under, and again at 13 under.
Playing in the same group in what felt like match play, Buzminski and O'Toole both had eagle chances on the par-5 18th hole in regulation. A bomber off the tee, O'Toole used a 4-iron from 195 yards to reach the 514-yard final green in two shots. She missed the 30-foot eagle chance to birdie from three feet. Buzminski chipped from the back fringe and made her tap-in for birdie on the 18th, drawing even again with O'Toole at 14 under.
Meanwhile behind them on the course, Ewart flew the green on the par-4 17th hole and didn't get up and down for par to drop back to 12 under. That meant she would have to eagle the last hole to join Buzminski and O'Toole in the play-off.
"I knew I had to hole it," said Ewart, a 2008 member of the Curtis Cup team for Great Britain and Ireland (and who would have been selected for the 2010 match had she not decided to turn pro as soon as shehad graduated from the University of New Mexico).  "And I gave it my best."
Ewart's second shot into the 18th landed in the right greenside bunker. She blasted out to about 10 feet and two-putted for par. That sent Buzminski and O'Toole back to the 18th tee without her for the play-off.
"I knew Ryann would at least birdie that hole because she hits it so long, so I knew I also had to make at least a birdie," said Buzminski, who hit 16 greens in regulation and needed only 27 putts prior to the playoff.
Buzminski gripped down on a 3-wood on her second shot in the play-off, but hung it out to the left in the rough of the 18th hole. With a "fluffy lie" from the left rough, the left-hander hit a wedge to 15 feet. Her birdie attempt rolled over the top of the cup and Buzminski putted out for par.
With fellow professional Blair Lamb on her bag for today's final round, O'Toole battled nerves and marveled at how calm Buzminski was throughout the afternoon.
"She was so calm, so mellow, and she was on fire with her putter," admitted O'Toole. "I told Blair to tell me a story or something because I couldn't let it get in my head that this veteran was that calm when I was that nervous. I had to just stick to my game."
O'Toole did, in fact, stick to her game and struck her sticks like a player much older than her 23 years. Once again, the former UCLA collegian laced her second shot into the 18th green in two, landing 30 feet below the hole. Her eagle chance rolled a foot short of the cup. With a win right at her fingertips, the Californian stroked in the birdie for the victory.
It was something she had thought about since early May when she earned her first pro victory in the abbreviated event. And now as a cast member in the Golf Channel's "Big Break Sandals Resort" show with young autograph seekers waiting for her at Tour stops, O'Toole wanted a little validation. Playing head to head against a veteran winner today, she finally got it.
"She just wanted to win a tournament in three rounds to prove that she can hold her own against anyone," said fellow Californian and Tour member Nicole Smith.
And to add another giant cardboard winner's cheque for the full amount to the back seat of her car as a reminder that the rose is in the payday for a race well run.
Weather: Sunny and humid with temperatures in the low 90s, with a slight breeze.

"Race For the Card" Continues At Falls Auto Group Classic
The Duramed FUTURES Tour's annual "Race For the Card" entered its 11th week at the conclusion of the Falls Auto Group Classi. The "Race For the Card" spotlights movement on the Tour's 2010 season money list as players compete for positions among the top-10 money winners. Players finishing in the top 10 at the conclusion of the tournament season will earn membership on the 2011 LPGA Tour.
At the conclusion of the Kentucky event, players occupying the top 10 spots on the money list are as follows: 1. Christine Song of Fullerton, Calif., $58,000
2. Cindy LaCrosse of Tampa, Fla., $53,677
3. Angela Oh of Maple Shade, N.J., $40,279
4. Gerina Mendoza of Roswell, N.M., $39,742
5. Pornanong Phatlum of Chaiyaphum, Thailand, $35,301
6. Ryann O'Toole of San Clemente, Calif., $32,963
7. Esther Choe of Scottsdale, Ariz., $30,924
8. Mo Martin of Altadena, Calif., $27,505
9. Jane Rah of Torrance, Calif., $26,093
10. Hannah Jun of San Diego, $23,471.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
1 Ryann O'Toole (San Clemente, Calif.) 68-69-65 - 202 $16,100 (play-off)
2 Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 66-71-65 - 202 $11,500
3 Jodi Ewart (North Yorkshire, England) 68-66-70 - 204 $8,194
4 Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 71-67-68 - 206 $5,873
T5 Erica Moston (Belmont, Calif.) 71-68-68 - 207 $4,176
Marcela Leon (Monterrey, Mexico) 70-67-70 - 207 $4,176
T7 Jenny Gleason (Clearwater, Fla.) 71-72-65 - 208 $2,377
Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 69-69-70 - 208 $2,377
Ashley Prange (Noblesville, Ind.) 69-69-70 - 208 $2,377
Hanna Kang (Seoul, South Korea) 71-67-70 - 208 $2,377
Kristie Smith (Perth, Australia) 72-65-71 - 208 $2,377
T12 Leanne Bowditch (Queensland, Australia) 69-74-66 - 209 $1,532
Dori Carter (Valdosta, Ga.) 71-71-67 - 209 $1,532
Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) 69-69-71 - 209 $1,532
Virada Nirapathpongporn (Bangkok, Thailand) 70-67-72 - 209 $1,532
T16 Kelly Lagedrost (Brooksville, Fla.) 71-72-67 - 210 $1,165
Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) 75-67-68 - 210 $1,165
Brandi Jackson (Greenville, S.C.) 71-70-69 - 210 $1,165
Inhong Lim (a) (Seoul, South Korea) 73-67-70 - 210
Jennie Lee (Henderson, Nev.) 67-69-74 - 210 $1,165
T21 Carolina Llano (Medellin, Colombia) 73-71-67 - 211 $982
Sarah Brown (Lopatcong, N.J.) 69-73-69 - 211 $982
Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 71-71-69 - 211 $982
Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, South Korea) 72-68-71 - 211 $982
Amelia Lewis (Jacksonville, Fla.) 70-70-71 - 211 $982
Angela Oh (Maple Shade, N.J.) 67-72-72 - 211 $982
Jenny Suh (Fairfax, Va.) 65-70-76 - 211 $982
T28 Kitty Hwang (Guayaquil, Ecuador) 71-71-70 - 212 $896
Hannah Jun (San Diego, Calif.) 74-68-70 - 212 $896
Tzu-Chi Lin (Taichung, Taiwan) 72-69-71 - 212 $896
Eileen Vargas (Ibague, Colombia) 70-71-71 - 212 $896
Ayaka Kaneko (Honolulu, Hawaii) 70-70-72 - 212 $896
Victoria Elizabeth (Dayton, Ohio) 71-69-72 - 212 $896
Dolores White (Lakeland, Fla.) 70-69-73 - 212 $896
T35 Kirby Dreher (Fort St. John, Canada) 76-70-67 - 213 $847
Jessica Carafiello (Coral Springs, Fla.) 73-72-68 - 213 $847
Miriam Nagl (Berlin, Germany) 69-73-71 - 213 $847
Jane Rah (Torrance, Calif.) 72-69-72 - 213 $847
T39 Gerina Mendoza (Roswell, N.M.) 73-72-69 - 214 $811
Marlowe Boukis (Lutherville, Md.) 71-73-70 - 214 $811
Kelly Nakashima (Maui, Hawaii) 70-73-71 - 214 $811
Yoora Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 70-73-71 - 214 $811
Laura Bavaird (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 73-70-71 - 214 $811
Hannah Yun (Bradenton, Fla.) 72-67-75 - 214 $811
T45 Christina Jones (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 73-69-73 - 215 $785
Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) 75-67-73 - 215 $785
Chelsea Curtis (New Seabury, Mass.) 69-70-76 - 215 $785
T48 Veronica Felibert (Caracas, Venezuela) 70-74-72 - 216 $768
Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen, Netherland71-73-72 - 216 $768
Susan Nam (Edmonton, Alberta) 69-73-74 - 216 $768
T51 Tiffany Joh (San Diego, Calif.) 70-75-72 - 217 $750
Danah Ford Bordner (Indianapolis, Ind.) 72-72-73 - 217 $750
Wannasiri Sirisampant (Bangkok, Thailand) 73-70-74 - 217 $750
T54 Carmen Bandea (Atlanta, Ga.) 73-73-72 - 218 $735
Rachel Bailey (Faulconbridge, Australia) 73-71-74 - 218 $735
Jennifer Ackerson (Dallas, Texas) 71-73-74 - 218 $735
T57 Kristina Langton (Ada, Mich.) 71-75-73 - 219 $721
Maggie Simons (Raleigh, N.C.) 73-72-74 - 219 $721
Jackie Barenborg (Vero Beach, Fla.) 67-73-79 - 219 $721
T60 Nannette Hill (Pelham, N.Y.) 74-72-74 - 220 $706
Briana Vega (Andover, Mass.) 72-73-75 - 220 $706
Kylene Pulley (Kokomo, Ind.) 71-73-76 - 220 $706
Jenny Lee (Simi Valley, Calif.) 72-71-77 - 220 $706
T64 Nicole Smith (Riverside, Calif.) 69-77-75 - 221 $686
Katie Brenny (Apex, N.C.) 75-71-75 - 221 $686
Courtney Mahon (Lee's Summit, Mo.) 72-73-76 - 221 $686
Kim Augusta (Rumford, R.I.) 76-69-76 - 221 $686
Lehua Wise (Kauai, Hawaii) 67-77-77 - 221 $686
Juli Erekson (Chicopee, Mass.) 73-70-78 - 221 $686
T70 Jennifer Hong (Granger, Ind.) 74-72-76 - 222 $673
Benedikte Grotvedt (Nesbru, Norway) 72-71-79 - 222 $673
72 Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) 70-74-79 - 223 $671
73 Kathleen Ekey (Sharon Township, Ohio) 72-74-79 - 225 $670

Ladies European Tour report, scores

'Lucky' Trish Johnson wins Tenerife Ladies Open

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
England’s Trish Johnson captured her 19th career victory as she edged Frenchwoman Virginie Lagoutte-Clement by a shot at the Tenerife Ladies Open.
The 44-year-old started the final round with a three-shot lead and fired a final round of 70 to complete 72 holes on the Buenavista Golf course in 14 under 274.
It was Johnson’s first win since the 2007 BMW Ladies Italian Open and followed a tie for second at the previous week’s Portugal Ladies Open. It was her 16th title on the Ladies European Tour, as she also has three victories on the LPGA.
“It’s fantastic. I’d like to say I thoroughly enjoyed the day but I’ve got to be honest: I didn’t really,” said Johnson, who went out in level par 36 after two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine.
“The first five or six holes I played great tee to green but my putting was very suspect and I was just trying to trust it. Really I was pretty lucky, because the back nine: ten I played so badly, knocking it out of bounds. I holed a fantastic bunker shot; (then) holed a putt from off the green on 11 for a par. I was hanging in a little bit.”
Tied for the lead with Lagoutte-Clement at the turn, Johnson slipped a stroke behind Anne-Lise Caudal after 13 holes, but regained her advantage with back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes.
At the par-4 16th, she hit her tee shot over a low wall, out of bounds, but the ball pitched on a footpath, bounced twice and returned over the wall.
Making the most of her good fortune, Johnson took two pars on the 16th and 17th holes and had a two stroke lead with a hole to play.
Lagoutte-Clement had a chance to tie for the lead with an eagle putt at the par-five last, but her ball slipped past the hole.
Despite hitting her tee shot into a fairway bunker, Johnson holed a six-footer for par and took the €41,250 first prize.
“They say it’s the luckiest one that wins and that was me today,” said Johnson, who earned a place at this month’s Evian Masters.
It was only her sixth start on the Tour this year, after she took the first four months of 2010 off, with tendonitis in both elbows.
“When something like that happens you always think on the bad side but in all honesty in 23 or 24 years I don’t think I’ve ever had four months off, certainly not out of choice, and perhaps it’s not a bad thing at this stage of my career to have a bit of rest,” she said.
“The arms felt pretty good today, very good, obviously, and I just keep my fingers crossed that they stay that way.”
Lagoutte-Clement shot 68 and took second place at 11 under par, with her compatriot Anne-Lise Caudal (67) a stroke back in third.
Italian Veronica Zorzi, who shared fourth place with Germany’s Anja Monke, was one of the three players to qualify for the Ricoh Women’s British Open as the leading three players not otherwise exempt for the Major Championship.
Sweden’s Nina Reis, who tied for seventh with the halfway leader Melissa Reid, also earned a place at Royal Birkdale, as did Frenchwoman Caroline Afonso, who tied for ninth with Australian Karen Lunn and Scotland’s Vikki Laing.
FINAL RESULTS
Par 288 (4x72). Yardage: 5833
Prize money in Euros
274 Trish Johnson 67 71 66 70 (41,250).
275 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement  67 70 70 68 (27,912).
276 Anne-Lise Caudal  68 71 70 67 (19,250).
279 Veronica Zorzi  69 68 68 69, Anja Monke 70 69 71 69, Lee-Anne Pace 72 72 69 66 (12,645 each).
281 Melissa Reid 66 70 72 73, Nina Reis 72 71 71 67 (7,562 each).
282 Caroline Afonso 72 74 71 65, Karen Lunn 69 74 69 70, Vikky Laing 69 68 73 72 (5,830 each).
283 Linda Wessberg 73 69 72 69, Jade Schaeffer 73 68 70 72 (4,739 each)
284 Florentyna Parker 71 74 69 70, Jenni Kuosa 74 69 74 67, Lynette Brooky 75 70 68 71.
285 Kiran Matharu  73 71 66 75, Laurette Maritx 68 74 72 71.
286 Stephanie Na 77 67 73 69, Sophie Giquel 72 71 74 69, Julie Tvede 71 75 69 71, Stefania Croce 74 74 66 72, Tandi Cunningham 72 73 69 72, Christel Boeljon 67 72 71 76.
287 Federica Piovano 69 77 72 69, Holly Aitchison 74 69 71 73.
288 Jeehae Lee 69 73 76 70.
289 Ursula Wikstrom 66 80 71 72, Maria Boden 74 72 73 70, Nikki Garrett 73 74 71 71, Sophie Sandolo 73 74 71 81, Rebecca Flood 72 72 76 69, Caroline Rominger 71 73 73 72, Cassandra Kirkland 70 71 74 74, Laura Cabanillas 75 70 70 74.
290 Karen-Margrethe Juul 75 70 72 73, Bettina Hauert 73 72 72 73.
291 Julie Maisongrosse 72 74 73 72, Rebecca Hudson 72 72 72 75, Henrietta Zuel 78 70 75 68, Lynn Kenny 77 68 68 77 (1,931 each).
292 Kim Welch 72 76 69 75, Smriti Mehra 71 72 77 72, Danielle Masters 73 74 73 72, Kate Combes 69 77 74 72, Felicity Johnson 73 71 72 76, Carmen Alonso 73 75 72 72, Maria Verchenova 73 72 76 71, Lydia Hall 71 72 78 71, Malene Jorgensen 70 71 73 78.
293 Frances Bondad 71 72 74 76, Mianne Bagger 77 70 73 73, Margherita Rigon 74 73 73 73.
294 Mariana Macias 74 71 76 73, Maria Beautell 74 73 74 73.
295 Corisande Lee 71 74 76 74, Cecilie Lundgreen 70 76 75 74.
296 Jo Pritchard 73 71 78 74.
298 Josefin Leijon 68 74 79 77, Titya Plucksataporn 71 74 80 73.
302 Stacy Lee Bregman 71 75 78 78.
305 Emelie Lind 70 76 82 77.
306 Kirsty J Fisher 75 73 81 77.



c4

Sian wins English mid-am title

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Gloucestershire’s Sian James, pictured with the trophy by courtesy of the EWGA, won the English open mid-amateur championship at her home club, Bristol and Clifton, when she defeated Germany’s Michele Holzwarth 2 and 1 in the final.
“I am over the moon,” said the 21-year-old, who won her first national title watched by a crowd of home club spectators and all her family: father Ian was her caddy, while mother Margaret, and brothers Steven and Mark were in the gallery.
“It was tough,” said Sian. “When Michele holed a long putt to halve the third I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and she fought really hard. But it was a very good match and the support was brilliant. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
The match was excellent, with plenty of top quality golf and a great deal of determination from both players. Sian, in particular, showed great powers of recovery and twice halved holes despite having to take penalty drops from unplayable lies beside trees.
The second occasion was on the short 17th and her cool-headed 4 clinched the title for her. Sian was two up when she slightly pulled her tee shot and her ball finished under a fir tree to the left of the green. She took a drop and played a superb pitch to within feet of the hole, which she sank.
Michele, meanwhile, found an awkward lie in a greenside bunker and although she played out well the ball ran past the hole and she two-putted for a half.
The first nine holes of the match were textbook stuff, with the exception of the fourth, where Sian had to concede after tangling with trees and knee deep rough. Otherwise the players matched each other par for par, birdie for birdie over the first eight holes. Sian also birdied the ninth to reach the turn all square.
She had a great escape on the 10th, where she also took a drop from beside a tree before pitching her next shot stone dead for a par and a half.
Both players peppered the flag on the 11th but it was Sian who sank the birdie putt and moved into the lead for the first time. She also won the 12th after Michele, in her turn, encountered trees and deep rough.
Sian made a very good recovery from a plugged lie in a bunker to halve the short 13th and keep her two-hole lead. She also won the 15th where local knowledge proved invaluable for tackling a scary downhill putt on a difficult green.Michele fought back with a classy birdie on the uphill 16th but her challenge ended when the 17th was halved.
“I am not disappointed,” said the 22-year-old from Berlin, who won much admiration among the spectators. She has promised to return and to bring more German players with her.
Both players are students. Michele, 22, will soon start her final year at Fearleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, USA, while Sian has completed two years of a degree course in applied golf management at Birmingham University. She will be spending much of the next few weeks working alongside a PGA pro as part of her course, but with time out for pre-qualifying for the Ricoh Women’s British Open and to play in the English and British strokeplay championships.

Final:
Sian James (Bristol and Clifton) bt Michele Holzwarth (Germany) 2 and 1.

Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer
EWGA

SLGA regional medal final washed out at Thornhill

Today's SLGA Southwest regional medal final at Thornhill Golf Club has been washed out. The course is unplayable because of excess water. A new date will have to be found.

LPGA Tour Scoreboard
JAMIE FARR OWENS CORNING CLASSIC
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
199 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 64 67 68
200 Christina Kim 66 67 67
203 Inbee Park (Kor) 67 66 70, Kristy McPherson 68 68 67, Katherine Hull (Aus) 67 71 65
204 Azahara Munoz (Spa) 70 68 66, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 70 66 68
205 Stacy Prammanasudh 69 67 69, Meena Lee (Kor) 71 67 67
206 In Kyung Kim (Kor) 70 66 70, Alena Sharp (Can) 65 68 73, Angela Stanford 69 69 68, Amy Yang 68 70 68, Kris Tamulis 68 70 68
207 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 67 70 70, Na On Min (Jpn) 68 71 68, Natalie Gulbis 68 71 68, Hee-Won Han (Kor) 71 66 70, Meaghan Francella 69 68 70, M.J. Hur (Kor) 68 69 70, Stacy Lewis 67 69 71, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 74 65 68
208 Marisa Baena 66 72 70, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 69 67 72, Eunjung Yi (Kor) 71 68 69, Momoko Ueda (Jpn) 67 72 69, Morgan Pressel 74 68 66, Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 69 68 71
209 Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 69 71 69, Brittany Lincicome 68 74 67, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 69 69 71, Jean Reynolds 69 68 72, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 71 66 72, Alison Walshe 70 72 67, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 72 70 67, Sherri Steinhauer 69 69 71, Mi-sun Cho (Kor) 69 70 70, Hee Young Park (Kor) 70 68 71
210 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 69 71 70, Lisa Meldrum 70 68 72, Paige Mackenzie 72 70 68, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 68 70 72, Diana D'Alessio 72 68 70, Karine Icher (Fra) 66 72 72, Jeong Jang (Kor) 70 71 69
211 Chella Choi (Kor) 71 66 74, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 69 71 71, Karen Stupples (Eng) 70 71 70, Lorie Kane (Can) 72 70 69, Candie Kung (Tai) 70 70 71, Russy Gulyanamitta (Tha) 68 72 71, Katie Futcher 73 69 69, Jimin Kang (Kor) 72 68 71, Stephanie Louden 68 72 71, Libby Smith 72 67 72, Allison Hanna-Williams 70 69 72, Allison Fouch 71 70 70, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 74 67 70, Janice Moodie (Sco) 72 70 69, Amanda Blumenherst 71 70 70
212 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 69 71 72, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 72 67 73, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 70 71 71, Heather Bowie Young 69 72 71, Ashli Bunch 71 70 71, Mindy Kim 70 69 73, Maria Hernandez (Spa) 70 70 72, Amy Hung (Tai) 68 71 73
213 Jackie Gallagher-Smith 67 73 73, Jill McGill 76 66 71, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 77 65 71
214 Tanya Dergal 71 70 73, Taylor Leon 75 67 72, Cindy Lacrosse 70 72 72
215 Louise Friberg (Swe) 73 69 73, Haeji Kang (Kor) 72 69 74, Reilley Rankin 71 71 73, Mina Harigae 70 70 75, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 70 72 73
216 Adrienne White (Can) 70 70 76, Lisa Strom 70 72 74
217 Iben Tinning (Den) 74 68 75
219 Vicky Hurst 71 69 79

A picture of Linzi Morton by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography from the archives.

Welcome back, Linzi Morton! Where have you been?

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Linzi Morton, winner of the 2001 Scottish women's amateur championship at Carnoustie, has "resurfaced" after years out of the golfing picture.
The former Tulliallan Golf Club member, who had also won the Scottish Under-21 girls' title in 2000, is among the entries for the Ricoh Women's British open pre-qualifying round at The Berkshire Golf Club on Monday, July 12.
Linzi, who had been a student at Midland College, Texas, returned to the States when she decided to turn professional and play on the Futures Tour.
I did hear that she injured a wrist, which hampered her efforts to make the grade as a pro.
If you put a Google search on "Linzi Morton" the most recent item you will come up with is that she tried to qualify for the 2005 US Women's Open.
She has entered the Ricoh Women's British Open from a Florida address.
If you know what Linzi's been doing for the past five years, E-mail the information to Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Better still, if Linzi reads this - and Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk has a worldwife following - she can update us herself on the past 10 years of her life.
LPGA Tour player Mhairi McKay has to go right back to Square 1 if she wants to play in the Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale from July 29 to August 1. She too is in the pre-qualifying field from which the leading 25 and ties will go forward to the Final Qualifying at Hillside GC, Lancashire on Monday, July 26.
Other Scots in the pre-qualifying field at The Berkshire are (listed in no particular order):
Pamela Feggans, Carly Booth, Heather MacRae, Clare Queen, Katy McNicoll, Kylie Walker and amateurs Laura Murray (Alford), Jane Turner (Craigielaw) and Lauren Mackin (Majorca).
Sally Watson (Elie and Earlsferry) and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and all the other members of the 2010 Curtis Cup teams, unless they have turned professional, are exempt from the pre-qualifying but would have to play in the Final Qualifying. Sally has entered but Pamela has not.
Defending champion Catriona Matthew is, of course, one of the 130 exemptions from qualifying.
+Linzi Morton's opponents in the 2001 Scottish women's amateur championship were: Donna Jackson (at 22nd), Elaine Clark (4 and 3), Katrina Milne (5 and 4), Alison Davidson (1 hole) and, in the final, Lesley Mackay (5 and 4).
Footnote from Colin Farquharson: It was at the Carnoustie championship nine years ago that I first heard the name of Carly Booth. Susan Simpson, then secretary of the SLGA, tipped me off that week that she had heard there was a little girl of seven or eight years, living in the Perthshire hills near Comrie, who had a private golf course built for her and her brother Wallace by her father, and she had an amazingly low handicap for someone of her tender years. Within a few days I had visited the Booths' house/farm in the hills, interviewed and photographed Carly. The Aberdeen Press and Journal story I wrote from that in May 2001 first put the name of Carly Booth on the golfing map. The Scottish national papers picked up the story ... and the rest is history.

posted by Colin | See story on its own page | Sunday, July 04, 2010

US FUTURES TOUR REPORT, SCORES

Jodi takes lead with red-hot 66

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE US DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
LONDON, Kentucky:  Jodi Ewart didn't look like a rookie playing in only her fifth tournament as a pro. Instead, Ewart looked like a woman on a mission as she carded a red-hot 6-under 66 to grab a one-shot lead in the second round of the $115,000 Falls Auto Group Classic on the US Duramed Futures Tour.
The player from North Yorkshire started the day three shots off the lead, but made up ground in a bogey-free round that included four birdies, an eagle and a shot of confidence for the new pro on the rolling hills of Crooked Creek Golf Community's course.
Ewart leads Jenny Suh (70) of Fairfax, Virgina, who is in second place after two rounds at 9-under 135, and Jennie Lee (69) of Henderson, Nev., in third at 8-under 136.
A group of five players are three shots off the lead at 7-under 137. They are Marcela Leon (67) of Monterrey, Mexico, Virada Nirapathpongporn (67) of Bangkok, Thailand, Kristie Smith (65) of Perth Australia, Ryann O'Toole (69) of San Clemente, Calif., and Angela Buzminski (71) of Oshawa, Ontario.
"I just feel comfortable with my game this week," said Ewart, who recently completed her college career at the University of New Mexico, where she won five tournaments. "I stayed steady today and took the birdie chances when they came. Fortunately, my putter was working."
Ewart wasted no time trimming Suh's first-round lead, rolling in a 10 footer for birdie on the first hole. She went to three under for the day when she hit a 4-wood to just short of the par-5 sixth green, and then rolled in an eagle-3 from 20 feet.
"I'd missed a few chances early on, so that eagle put me where I should be," said Ewart, a member of the 2008 Curtis Cup team for Great Britain and Ireland and who opted out of this year's match against the United States because she wanted to turn pro a couple of weeks before the match at Essex County Club.
While others fought for birdies down the stretch, Ewart's iron play allowed her to hit 16 greens in regulation. She also capitalized on the par-5 holes, playing them at four under today, including a two-putt birdie on the 18th hole.
Suh's shot making was solid in today's second round, but she struggled with the flat-stick, needing 32 putts on a day in which she hit 16 greens.
"It was frustrating because I was just slightly off all day, enough that the putts wouldn't fall and my only birdies were tap-ins," said Suh, a 2009 Duramed FUTURES Tour tournament winner.
Like Suh, former Duke University All-American Lee also hit 16 greens in regulation. But just as Suh had wrestled with her putter, Lee also struggled on the greens with an identical 32 putts. Lee actually led or shared the lead with Ewart, and later Suh, for much of the round. She had three birdie opportunities in a span of eight holes, but nothing dropped.
An exasperated Lee walked away from the scoring tent after a two-shot swing gave Ewart the outright lead. Ewart birdied the 18th while Lee bogeyed the final hole to drop two strokes behind the leader. The worst of it came when Lee's final 1½-foot putt blew two feet past the hole for bogey.
"I rammed it by the hole," said Lee, who recorded two birdies and two bogeys on her last four holes. "I haven't done that since junior golf. It's just inexcusable. Not here. Not now. Wrong place. Every stroke counts out here."
Australian Kristie Smith, who won the Tour's tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla., back in April, came charging up the leaderboard from a tie for 47th into a tie for fourth with today's performance of 7-under 65.
En route to London, Kentucky this week, Smith flew back to the States from London, England on Monday through New York's JFK Airport, where her golf clubs took a detour. Smith went on to Atlanta, was reunited with her golf clubs on Wednesday, and then drove from Atlanta to Kentucky on Wednesday.
"My preparation for this week wasn't great," said Smith. "But this course suits me because I can reach all of the par-5s in two [shots]."
Smith won a tournament early this year in Australia, won on the Duramed FUTURES Tour in the spring, and finished second in Slovakia a few weeks ago on the Ladies European Tour. Still riding her 2010 season of confidence, the Aussie carded seven birdies in her bogey-free round and saved par twice today. She had multiple birdie opportunities that did not fall, but Smith reminded herself to stay patient.
"I staked it all day," said Smith. "The confidence with my irons has been great for the last few weeks."
A total of 49 players are under par, with 59 players carding rounds of even-par 144 or better on the 6,360-yard course.
Seventy-five players made the 36-hole cut at 146 (+2).
Weather: Mostly sunny with temperatures in the high 80s, with winds from 10-12 mph.
SCOREBOARD
1 Jodi Ewart (North Yorkshire, England) 68-66 - 134
2 Jenny Suh (Fairfax, Va.) 65-70 - 135
3 Jennie Lee (Henderson, Nev.) 67-69 - 136
4 Marcela Leon (Monterrey, Mexico) 70-67 - 137
Virada Nirapathpongporn (Bangkok, Thailand) 70-67 - 137
Kristie Smith (Perth, Australia) 72-65 - 137
Ryann O'Toole (San Clemente, Calif.) 68-69 - 137
Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 66-71 - 137
9 Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 71-67 - 138
Hanna Kang (Seoul, South Korea) 71-67 - 138
Ashley Prange (Noblesville, Ind.) 69-69 - 138
Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 69-69 - 138
Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) 69-69 - 138
14 Erica Moston (Belmont, Calif.) 71-68 - 139
Dolores White (Lakeland, Fla.) 70-69 - 139
Hannah Yun (Bradenton, Fla.) 72-67 - 139
Chelsea Curtis (New Seabury, Mass.) 69-70 - 139
Angela Oh (Maple Shade, N.J.) 67-72 - 139
19 Victoria Elizabeth (Dayton, Ohio) 71-69 - 140
Amelia Lewis (Jacksonville, Fla.) 70-70 - 140
Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, South Korea) 72-68 - 140
Ayaka Kaneko (Honolulu, Hawaii) 70-70 - 140
Inhong Lim (a) (Seoul, South Korea) 73-67 - 140
Jackie Barenborg (Vero Beach, Fla.) 67-73 - 140
25 Brandi Jackson (Greenville, S.C.) 71-70 - 141
Jane Rah (Torrance, Calif.) 72-69 - 141
Eileen Vargas (Ibague, Colombia) 70-71 - 141
Tzu-Chi Lin (Taichung, Taiwan) 72-69 - 141
29 Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) 75-67 - 142
Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) 75-67 - 142
Hannah Jun (San Diego, Calif.) 74-68 - 142
Christina Jones (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 73-69 - 142
Kitty Hwang (Guayaquil, Ecuador) 71-71 - 142
Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 71-71 - 142
Dori Carter (Valdosta, Ga.) 71-71 - 142
Sarah Brown (Lopatcong, N.J.) 69-73 - 142
Susan Nam (Edmonton, Alberta) 69-73 - 142
Miriam Nagl (Berlin, Germany) 69-73 - 142
39 Laura Bavaird (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 73-70 - 143
Selanee Henderson (Apple Valley, Calif.) 73-70 - 143
Juli Erekson (Chicopee, Mass.) 73-70 - 143
Wannasiri Sirisampant (Bangkok, Thailand) 73-70 - 143
Jenny Gleason (Clearwater, Fla.) 71-72 - 143
Kelly Lagedrost (Brooksville, Fla.) 71-72 - 143
Benedikte Grotvedt (Nesbru, Norway) 72-71 - 143
Yoora Kim (Seoul, South Korea) 70-73 - 143
Kelly Nakashima (Maui, Hawaii) 70-73 - 143
Leanne Bowditch (Queensland, Australia) 69-74 - 143
Jenny Lee (Simi Valley, Calif.) 72-71 - 143
50 Marlowe Boukis (Lutherville, Md.) 71-73 - 144
Jennifer Ackerson (Dallas, Texas) 71-73 - 144
Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen, Netherland 71-73 - 144
Kylene Pulley (Kokomo, Ind.) 71-73 - 144
Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) 70-74 - 144
Danah Ford Bordner (Indianapolis, Ind.) 72-72 - 144
Veronica Felibert (Caracas, Venezuela) 70-74 - 144
Carolina Llano (Medellin, Colombia) 73-71 - 144
Rachel Bailey (Faulconbridge, Australia) 73-71 - 144
Lehua Wise (Kauai, Hawaii) 67-77 - 144
60 Kim Augusta (Rumford, R.I.) 76-69 - 145
Gerina Mendoza (Roswell, N.M.) 73-72 - 145
Jessica Carafiello (Coral Springs, Fla.) 73-72 - 145
Courtney Mahon (Lee's Summit, Mo.) 72-73 - 145
Tiffany Joh (San Diego, Calif.) 70-75 - 145
Briana Vega (Andover, Mass.) 72-73 - 145
Michaela Cavener (Ponca City, Okla.) 72-73 - 145
Maggie Simons (Raleigh, N.C.) 73-72 - 145
68 Katie Brenny (Apex, N.C.) 75-71 - 146
Kirby Dreher (Fort St. John, Canada) 76-70 - 146
Nannette Hill (Pelham, N.Y.) 74-72 - 146
Jennifer Hong (Granger, Ind.) 74-72 - 146
Carmen Bandea (Atlanta, Ga.) 73-73 - 146
Kristina Langton (Ada, Mich.) 71-75 - 146
Kathleen Ekey (Sharon Township, Ohio) 72-74 - 146
Nicole Smith (Riverside, Calif.) 69-77 - 146
MISSED THE CUT
Stephanie Connelly (Pasadena, Md.) 76-71 - 147
Tiffany Tavee (Tempe, Ariz.) 74-73 - 147
Y. J. Jin (Seoul, South Korea) 73-74 - 147
Nontaya Srisawang (Chiang Mai, Thailand) 71-76 - 147
Sara Hurwitch (Potomac Falls, Va.) 72-75 - 147
Renee Skidmore (Everett, Wash.) 72-75 - 147
Pornanong Phatlum (Chaiyaphum, Thailand) 72-75 - 147
Christine Cho (Kent, Wash.) 70-77 - 147
Lauren Hunt (Little River, S.C.) 72-75 - 147
Laura Crawford (Lancaster, S.C.) 72-75 - 147
Taryn Durham (Glasgow, Ky.) 73-74 - 147
Anna Scott (Consett, England) 73-74 - 147
Kristen Simpson (Norfolk, Va.) 75-73 - 148
Sara Ovadia (Santa Barbara, Calif.) 76-72 - 148
Lucy Nunn (Lawton, Okla.) 74-74 - 148
Sarah Lynn Sargent (Greer, S.C.) 74-74 - 148
Ai-Chen Kuo (Luzhou City, Taiwan) 75-74 - 149
Lene Krog (Lier, Norway) 75-74 - 149
Lili Alvarez (Durango, Mexico) 75-74 - 149
Maria Laura Elvira (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 74-75 - 149
Sae Hee Son (Seoul, South Korea) 77-72 - 149
Nikki Hadd (Crestview, Fla.) 77-72 - 149
Natasha Krishna (Auckland, New Zealand) 73-76 - 149
Carrie Riordan (Spring Valley, Ill.) 73-76 - 149
Blair Lamb (Flat Rock, N.C.) 81-68 - 149
Emma Jandel (Dayton, Ohio) 71-78 - 149
Rachel Ingram (Benton, Tenn.) 72-77 - 149
Perry Swenson Livonius (Charlotte, N.C.) 73-76 - 149
Garrett Phillips (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 75-75 - 150
Sam White (Potomac, Md.) 75-75 - 150
Sarah Olsen (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 76-74 - 150
Sophie Jang (Seoul, South Korea) 76-74 - 150
Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.) 74-76 - 150
Sydney Cox (Edmond, Okla.) 73-77 - 150
Brittany Johnston (Akron, Ohio) 78-72 - 150
Kendall Dye (Edmond, Okla.) 72-78 - 150
Rebecca Samuelsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) 73-77 - 150
Danielle Jackson (Seminole, Fla.) 75-76 - 151
Jasi Acharya (Columbus, Mont.) 75-76 - 151
Lauren Doughtie (Suffolk, Va.) 75-76 - 151
Gemma Webster (Glasgow, Scotland) 77-74 - 151
Janell Howland (Boise, Idaho) 77-74 - 151
Victoria Alimonda (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 74-77 - 151
Seema Sadekar (Toronto, Ontario) 73-78 - 151
Nikki Koller (a) (Lewisburg, Ky.) 76-76 - 152
Shelley Anderson (Clarksville, Tenn.) 77-75 - 152
Jordan Craig (a) (Connellsville, Pa.) 75-78 - 153
Kristin Ingram (Pasadena, Calif.) 75-78 - 153
Malinda Johnson (Eau Claire, Wis.) 74-79 - 153
Amanda Costner (Claremore, Okla.) 78-75 - 153
Emma Calderone (Toronto, Ontario) 73-80 - 153
Jessy Tang (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 77-77 - 154
Sophia Choi (Jeju, South Korea) 78-76 - 154
Tracy Stanford (Midland, Texas) 74-80 - 154
Rachel Larson (Longmont, Colo.) 72-82 - 154
Alison Meyer (Duluth, Minn.) 77-78 - 155
Amanda Mathis (Picayune, Miss.) 78-78 - 156
Katie Miller (Jeannette, Pa.) 78-78 - 156
Jutta Degerman (Kaunianinen, Finland) 80-76 - 156
Pamela Ontiveros (Gomez Palacio, Mexico) 78-79 - 157
Alex Andersen (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) 79-79 - 158
Simone DeSouza (Trujillo, Peru) 81-77 - 158
Whitney Myers (York, Pa.) 81-77 - 158
Jessica Schneider (Elgin, Ill.) 82-76 - 158
Meghan Little (Sturgis, S.D.) 78-81 - 159
Sofia Gorelik (Tandil, Argentina) 76-84 - 160
Rebecca Kim (Tigard, Ore.) 77-85 - 162
Angel Sze (San Marino, Calif.) 82-80 - 162
Susannah Aboff (Huntington, N.Y.) 82-82 - 164
Tatiana Gammicchia (a) (Khabarovsk, Russia) 80-94 - 174