Scots cannot afford any slips in Round 2 at La Manga

Scotland's women's team cannot afford any slips in the second qualifying round of the European team championship if they are to make the championship flight of eight at La Manga, Spain.
After the first qualifying round, the Scots are sharing seventh place on 379 with Norway.
Scottish champion and British championship beaten finalist Kelsey MacDonald had a disappointing round of nine-over-par 82 and her score was discarded. The Nairn Dunbar player and Stirling student, perhaps still tired after her Ganton exertions, had a double bogey 7 at the long ninth and had only one birdie, at the fourth, in halves of 41.
The best Scots score were a pair of 74s from Curtis Cupper Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and British universities stroke-play champion Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
Pamela had halves of 39 and 35 with a couple of birdies, at the 12th and 18th.
Jane, who caddied for Kelsey in the closing rounds of the "British," rallied from a double bogey 7 at the long sixth to record halves of 38 and 37. She birdied the long fourth, the long ninth and the short 12th.
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Laura Murray (Alford) and Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) all had 77s. Kenney dropped three shots to par at the sixth and seventh, having started at the 10th.
Sweden are leading on 361 from England, with Spain third on 368. Ireland (387) and Wales (391) look unlikely to make the championship flight.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND AT LA MANGA
Par 73
Five scores to count for team daily. Top eight teams to qualify for championship flight after second qualifying round.
361 Sweden.
364 England (H Clyburn 71, R Jennings 72, H Davis 73, H Barwood 74, C Douglass 74, H Burke 74).
368 Spain.
369 Denmark.
376 Switzerland.
377 France.
379 Scotland (P Pretswell 74, J Turner 74, M Briggs 77, L Kenney 77, L Murray 77, K MacDonald 82), Norway.
381 Belgium, Netherlands, Germany.
383 Austria.
386 Finland.
387 Ireland (M Dowling 75, S O'Sullivan 75, C Reid 78, D McVeigh 78, G O'Leary 81, V Bradshaw 82), Italy.
391 Wales (A Boulden 77, G Bradbury 78, TDavies 78, K O'Connor 79, S Birks 79, R Harries 79).
402 Iceland.

Scots struggle in European girls' team championship in Denmark

IRELAND START GOLD MEDAL DEFENCE STRONGLY

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH GOLF UNION
Teenage twins Leona and Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), now playing off plus 3, started Ireland’s gold medal defence in convincing fashion to tie second place after the first qualifying round of the 2010 European U18 Team Championships tee off at Aalborg, Denmark.
Leona birdied the ninth hole to turn one under par and a level par back nine saw her sign for a 70, just one shot behind best-of-the-day Celeine Boutier (France). With three scores to count from 4, sister Lisa was one shot further back on level par after blitzing her back nine in one under the card. Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) was three over par for both nines in her round of 77 while Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) struggled on the inward journey to return 81.
Ireland are sharing second place, four shots behind France, after a good day’s work. The qualifying concludes tomorrow with a second 18 holes stroke-play after which the eight teams with the best 36-hole totals contest the medals Thursday through Saturday.
As Ireland lies six shots inside the cut for eight place, Team Captain Sinead Keane (Curragh) is pleased with her team’s start that sees them well positioned to defend their Gold medal won in Finland last year.
END OF NEWS RELEASE BY THE IRISH LGU
Scotland are not nearly so well placed as the Irish girls.
Rachael Watton with a six-over-par 77 (41-36) was the best of the four, following by Germany-based Rachael Taylor 80 (40-40) and Eilidh Briggs 82 (44-38) and Alyson McKechin 82 (39-43).
The Scots are lying in 16th place on 239. The teams currently sharing seventh place - Belgium and England - are on 224, which shows how much the Scottish girls would have to improve to make into the top eight who go forward to the championship match-play flight.
The Scots look destined for one of the lower flights.
GIRLS' FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Par 71
Three from four scores to count for daily team total
214 France
218 Spain, Ireland (Leona Maguire 70 Lisa Maguire 71 Stephanie Meadow 77 Laura McCarthy 81)
222 Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany
224 Belgium, England (Heidi Baek 73, Lauren Taylor 75, Kelly Tidy 76, Alexandra Peters 82), Finland
228 Netherlands
229 Italy
232 Denmark
235 Norway
236 Austria
237 Wales (Katie Bradbury 77, Myriam Hassan 80, Chloe Williams 80, Kelly Miller 81).
239 Scotland (Rachael Watton 77, Rachael Taylor 80, Eilidh Briggs 82, Alyson McKechin 82).
242 Switzerland
244 Estonia
260 Russia

     SAMMY VASS                                     HANNAH McCOOK

IT’S ANGUS v NORTHERN COUNTIES IN SEMI-FINALS

OF NORTH OF SCOTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

Northern Counties teenagers Hannah McCook (Abernethy), who is 16, and 18-year-old Sammy Vass (Tain) stand between the two remaining Angus players and a North of Scotland women’s golf championship triumph at Forfar Golf Club to add to the county’s recent capture of the North Division team championship,
It was a day of shock results, starting with the early exit of top seed, Andrea Bowie, at the hands of Monifieth team-mate, Jemma Chalmers, last of the 16 qualifiers, and continuing with first-round defeats for mother Mary and daughter Ailsa Summers, the Angus champion and No 3 seed, and also past Scotland cap Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder).

In this morning’s (Wed) semi-finals, it will be Hannah McCook, the ninth qualifier, against the No 4 seed, Jackie Brown (Monifieth), and Sammy Vass, the 14th qualifier against No 7 seed Heather Anderson (Alyth), winner of the Scottish senior stroke-play championship at Fortrose and Rosemarkie last week.

Vass, home from the University of Central Florida for the summer holidays, played very well to KO Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) by 2 and 1 and followed that up with a 21st hole victory over Rebecca Wilson (Grange), conqueror of Emily Ogilvy by 4 and 3 in the morning.
Vass ended her marathon match against Wilson with a birdie 3 at the third extra hole.
She now plays Heather Anderson, pictured right, who beat the No 2 seed Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) by 3 and 2 in the quarter-finals.
McCook, recent runner-up in the Paul Lawrie Scottish schoolgirls championship, but the giant-killing Jemma Chalmers down to size with a two-hole victory. She now plays Jackie Brown who chipped in for a birdie 3 at the 17th to win by 2 and 1 in the quarter-finals against Ann Chree (Ladies Panmure Monifieth).
MATCH-PLAY RESULTS
SCRATCH – First round
J Chalmers (Monifieth) bt A Bowie (Monifieth) 2 and 1.
H McCook (Abernethy) bt M Clyne (Deeside) 1 hole.
A Chree (Ladies Panmure Monifieth) bt Mary Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 1 hole.
J Brown (Monifieth) bt C Penman (Carnoustie Ladies) 1 hole.
Sammy Vass (Tain) bt A Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 2 and 1.
R Wilson (Grange) bt E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 4 and 3.
H Anderson (Alyth) bt S Arbuckle (Panmure Barry) 2 and 1.
A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) bt R Polson (Peterculter) 7 and 5.
Quarter-finals
McCook bt Chalmers 2 holes.
Brown bt Chree 2 and 1.
Vass bt Wilson at 21st.
Anderson bt Ramsay 3 and 2.

HANDICAP – First round
L Kelly (Newmachar) (15) bt I Chapman (Forfar) (11) 2 and 1.
K Beveridge (Aboyne) (5) bt H Thomson (Newmachar) (12) 3 and 2.
G Wilson (Grange) (11) bt L Kyle (Milnathort) (14) 2 and 1.]
J Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (5) bt S Bradley (Kirriemuir) (16) 2 and 1.
S Bushby (Blairgowrie) (8) bt K MacCallum (Newburgh) (10) 1 hole.
A Hay (Edzell) (5) bt E Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) (8) 2 holes.
J Grubb (Montrose Mercantile) (7) bt M Moody (Murcar Links) (19) 5 and 4.
K Reid (Monifieth) (6) bt A Hope (Newmachar) (12) 6 and 5.
Quarter-finals
Beveridge bt Kelly at 19th.
Meek bt Wilson 2 and 1.
Hay bt Bushby 3 and 2.
Reid bt Grubb 2 and 1.

CONSOLATION TUESDAY ROUND
Scratch winner: Heather Munro (Monifieth) 79.
Handicap winner: Frances Martin (Kirriemuir) (18) 72.
Handicap runner-up: Ashley Alston (Royal Montrose) (10) 73 (better inward half).

Emma defends Lancome Irish girls' title next week

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Irish girl international Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) will defend her Lancôme Irish Girls' Close title, won at Castletroy last year, when competitors tee off at Grange Golf Club, Dublin, 13-16 July 2010.
O’Driscoll will face stiff opposition from International team mates Patrice Delaney (Birr), Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) and Paula Grant (Lisburn) to name but a few. Grant, last year’s runner-up, may prove her strongest challenge as the 16 year old outshone a class field at Clandeboye to lift the title at the Ulster Women’s Championship last week.
Another name to watch is Jessica Carty (Holywood) who won the Muwick Cup last year as the leading qualifier. Carty has already claimed the “Plate” trophy at the Lancôme Irish Women’s Close at Portstewart earlier this year and has recently been selected once again to represent Ireland at the U16 European Young Masters in Hungary along with fellow competitor Chloe Ryan (Castletroy).
Noticeable absentees from this year’s class field are Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) and Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) who are all unavailable as they defend their Gold medal at the European Girls’ Team Championships in Denmark.
An additional incentive for the field will be the announcement on Friday 16th July of the eight-player Irish team to compete in the Girls Home Internationals on home soil at Bangor, 4-6 August. The team will be captained by Ailish McCartan (Greenore) and managed by Aisling O’Leary (Wexford).
A total of  72 competitors play 18 holes stroke-play on Tuesday and Wednesday next week with the top 32 players qualifying for match-play that afternoon ahead of the crowning of the champion on Friday afternoon.

TEE TIMES FOR TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY, JULY 13-14
08:30 Tues and 10:30 Wed: Julie Coyne (Youghal) Emma Murphy (Wexford) Jessica Boal (Larne)
08:40 10:20 Edel Coyne (Youghal) Siobhan Greene (Holywood) Olivia Mehaffey (Ryl Co Down)
08:50 10:20 Sarah Boden (Kilkeel) Gillian Reilly (Abbeyleix) Darcey Carr (Milltown)
09:00 10:00 Patrice Delaney (Birr) Jenny Hennessy (Ennis) Emily McGuinness (Greenore)
09:10 09:50 Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) Megan Thompson (Ballyclare) Sarah Helly (Enniscrone)
09:20 09:40 Amy Farrell (Moate) Jessica Carty (Holywood) Anna Courtney (St. Anne's)
09:30 09:30 Laura Fekkes (Larne) Sarah Murray (Co. Louth) Eadaoin Cronin (Bantry Bay)
09:40 09:20 Paula Grant (Lisburn) Kelsey Coey (Clandeboye) Chloe Ryan (Castletroy)
09:50 08:00 Jenny Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) Ashley Constantine (Stackstown) Avril Peevers (Tralee)
10:00 08:10 Amy Gillen (Co. Meath) Naomi James (Castlewarden) Rebecca O'Neill (Larne)
10:10 08:20 Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) Emma Dunne (Castlewarden) Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel)
10:20 08:30 Shannen Brown (The Heath) Chloe Weir (Shandon Park) Laura Doherty (Howth)
10:30 08:40 Tyne McGee (Malone) Rebecca O'Regan (Newlands) Michelle Tierney (Waterford Castle)
10:40 08:50 Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) Blaithin O'Brien (Roscommon) Savannah Thompson (Bangor)
10:50 09:00 Amy Chambers (Dunfanaghy) Holly Robinson (Co. Sligo) Sinead Sexton (Lahinch)
11:00 09:10 Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) Laura Grant (Lisburn) Chloe Fitzpatrick (The Heath)
11:10 09:20 Aisling Hill (Roscommon) Shauna Brady (Co. Sligo) Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare)
11:20 09:30 Roisin Brady (Mannan Castle) Rebecca Tully (Holywood) Sarah Fay (Westmanstown)
11:30 09:40 Amber Gleeson (Castle) Rebecca Weir (Larne) Niamh Ward (Lurgan)
11:40 09:50 Aileen Harnett (Milltown) Victoria Craig (Clandeboye) Jill O'Driscoll (Muskerry)
11:50 10:00 Eimear Delaney (Birr) Katie Allen (Lurgan) Mary Doyle (The Heath)
12:00 10:10 April Timothy (Roscommon) Miren Maguire (Foxrock) Rachel Taylor (Laytown & Bettystown)
12:10 10:20 Chloe Burke (Roscommon) Judithe Allen (Greenisland) Chloe Duggan (Lahinch)
12:20 10:30 Nicola Stokes (Laytown & Bettystown) Saoirse O'Donoghue (Tara Glen) Zoe Black (Bangor)
Waitlist
1. Joanna Turley (Tara Glen)
2. Jill Jennings (Carlow)

North of Scotland women's championship match-play

Top seed Andrea goes out in morning of upset results

It was a morning of upset results in the first round of the match-play stages at the North of Scotland women's amateur championship at Forfar Golf Club.
Top seed Andrea Bowie (Monifieth) was toppled by clubmate Jemma Chalmers, the last of the 16 qualifiers.
Jemma won by 2 and 1 and now plays Hannah McCook (Abernethy), recently runner-up in the Paul Lawrie Scottish schoolgirls championship.
Hannah beat Megan Clyne of Deeside by 1 hole.
It was a bad morning for the Summers family. Teenager Ailsa, Angus women's county champion for the past two years and No 3 seed in this championship, lost by 2 and 1 to the 14th qualifier, Sammy Vass (Tain), home on holiday from the University of Central Florida.
And Ailsa's mother, Mary, the county vice-captain and multi-county champion in years gone by, lost by one hole to Anne Chree (Ladies Panmure Barry).
Anne now plays the No 4 seed, Jackie Brown (Monifieth), winner on the last green against Carnoustie's Claire Penman. while Sammy Vass plays a past Scotland girls international team-mate of hers, Rebecca Wilson (Grange).
Rebecca had a particularly good win this morning, beating former Scotland cap Emma Ogilvy (Auchterarder), who reached the final of the North of Scotland women's championship before losing to Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie) at Newmachar 12 months ago. Rebecca won by 4 and 3.
No 2 seed Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) had the biggest win of the first round, beating Peterculter's Rachel Polson by 7 and 5.
Ann now plays the Scottish senior women's stroke-play champion from Fortrose and Rosemarkie last week, Heather Anderson (Alyth). Heather beat Susan Arbuckle (Panmure Barry) by 2 and 1.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
SCRATCH
J Chalmers (Monifieth) bt A Bowie (Monifieth) 2 and 1.
H McCook (Abernethy) bt M Clyne (Deeside) 1 hole.
A Chree (Ladies Panmure Monifieth) bt Mary Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 1 hole.
J Brown (Monifieth) bt C Penman (Carnoustie Ladies) 1 hole.
Sammy Vass (Tain) bt A Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 2 and 1.
R Wilson (Grange) bt E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) 4 and 3.
H Anderson (Alyth) bt S Arbuckle (Panmure Barry) 2 and 1.
A Ramsay (Kirriemuir) bt R Polson (Peterculter) 7 and 5.
HANDICAP
L Kelly (Newmachar) (15) bt I Chapman (Forfar) (11) 2 and 1.
K Beveridge (Aboyne) (5) bt H Thomson (Newmachar) (12) 3 and 2.
G Wilson (Grange) (11) bt L Kyle (Milnathort) (14) 2 and 1.]
J Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (5) bt S Bradley (Kirriemuir) (16) 2 and 1.
S Bushby (Blairgowrie) (8) bt K MacCallum (Newburgh) (10) 1 hole.
A Hay (Edzell) (5) bt E Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies) (8) 2 holes.
J Grubb (Montrose Mercantile) (7) bt M Moody (Murcar Links) (19) 5 and 4.
K Reid (Monifieth) (6) bt A Hope (Newmachar) (12) 6 and 5.

From Clare Queen, Ladies European Tour pro

I still have a few spaces available for teams in my golf day on Monday,  July 19. I have made a couple of changes to fill up the teams.

The format for the day remains as

- Breakfast on arrival
- 18 holes on The Carrick. Stableford competition in teams of four. Tee times from 10am.
- Two-course lunch and prizegiving on conclusion of play.

There will also be a 'Beat the pro' challenge as well as prizes for Longest Drive and Nearest the pin.
The price for a team of four is now £300.

If anyone is interested in playing please contact me at mail@clarequeen.com or for more information go to www.clarequeen.com

Clare Queen

Eyemouth's coming of age stirs the heart

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
WE all have a soft spot for the course where we were introduced to golf. In my case, that was Eyemouth, the picturesque Berwickshire fishing port.
Back then, it only had a nine-hole course that was probably best described as quirky, especially on a Saturday afternoon when the second shot to the first had to be played over a football pitch with a match raging on.
These days, Eyemouth now boasts a splendid 18-hole course that, quite rightly, is the pride and joy of a group of local members who had the vision to use this spectacular stretch of the Scottish coast to great effect without having to splash out fortunes to employ a big-name designer.
Next week, as the golfing spotlight turns on St Andrews for the Open Championship, Eyemouth will be hosting its biggest event to date, the Scottish Girls' Championship, and that is going to be a proud occasion indeed for the club.
So, too, is the fact they've just been shortlisted - along with Gullane, Orkney, McDonald, Palacerigg, Powfoot and Royal Montrose - for the clubgolf Junior Club of the Year Award.
The quirky course where many a summer holiday was spent will always retain a place in the heart, but the dramatic change has undeniably been for the better.