Lauren Taylor leads English girls’ championship with six-under 67

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Woburn’s Lauren Taylor (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency) shot a superb six-under par 67 to lead after the first round of the English girls’ championship at Seacroft, Lincolnshire today.
She’s two shots ahead of her playing partner and fellow girl international, Heidi Baek of Suffolk, who scored four-under par 69. “We were just bouncing off each other all day,” said Lauren.
Meanwhile Hampshire’s Georgina Mundy added to an impressive day’s scoring with a one-under round of 72.
Lauren, a past winner of the English U15 title, said: “I started bogey, birdie, bogey and I was a bit nervous really. I certainly didn’t expect this!”
However, she got her momentum going with an eagle on the long fifth, where she reached the green with a drive and a four-iron. Lauren birdied the ninth to be two-under at the turn and then had her second eagle of the day on the 12th, a short par four: “I was at the back of the green with my drive, miles away, and I just drained it!” she said.
“I was kind of trying to protecting my score at the end but the putts kept going in and I finished birdie, birdie, par.”
Heidi, meanwhile, arrived at the course today following a four-hour journey from Lancashire after playing in yesterday’s final qualifying event for the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
She quickly set aside her disappointment at failing to make it into the major championship and set about producing an immaculate round of golf, composed of four birdies and 14 pars. “It was a very enjoyable round, but I had a lot of other chances and didn’t sink the putts,” said Heidi (Felixstowe Ferry).
Georgina Mundy (Dunwood Manor) started in a torrential downpour but ignored the elements to reach the turn at level par. She twice got to two-under par on the back nine, but had to settle for a one-under score when her putt lipped out on the last.
Georgina, who is playing in the event for the first time, is the younger sister of Katie Mundy, who was an England girl international and the 2009 English mid-amateur champion. “I don’t try to beat Katie – but I do try to keep up with her,” said Georgina.
Northamptonshire’s Meghan MacLaren (Wellingborough) kept her run of impressive form going with a level par 73. She has recently won the English schools and the Midlands South ladies’ championship.
She’s one shot ahead of last year’s English U15 champion, Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies). Three girls share sixth place on two-over 75: Lucy Evans (Wrekin), Charlotte Thompson (Channels) and Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham and St Annes).

Click here for full scores

Scroll down for news of the English U15 and U13 girls championships

Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer

LA MANGA BIDS TO HOST 2015 SOLHEIM CUP

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE AZALEA GROUP
The prestigious La Manga Club resort in the Murcia region of south-east Spain has announced its intention to take  the 2015 Solheim Cup match to Spain for the first time.
The renowned five-star resort has until October 29 to submit its full bid but is hopeful it will be viewed as the ideal venue to welcome the cream of Europe and America ’s lady professional golfers.
The move reinforces La Manga Club’s commitment to ladies’ golf following its recent hosting of the European women's team championship, its partnership with the English Women’s Golf Association and its three-year agreement to host the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School from 2009 to 2011.
The Solheim Cup was launched in 1990 as a female equivalent to the Ryder Cup and has grown considerably since, with the biennial event now bringing 130,000 people together to watch the game’s leading female golfers battle it out, as well as attracting a global television audience.
Julio Delgado, CEO of La Manga Club, said: “La Manga Club is one of the most famous golf destinations in Europe and offers the calibre of facilities necessary to host as prestigious an event as the Solheim Cup.
“We are passionate about golf and have a strong pedigree in hosting ladies’ events and the Solheim Cup seems the logical next progression of this.
“It would be an honour for La Manga Club to host the Solheim Cup. It truly is one of the biggest golf events on the world stage."
The bid is fully supported by the region of Murcia and Pedro Alberto Cruz, Murcia ’s Minister of Culture, said: “The region aims to provide the best international portfolio for women’s golf. We already have some of the best courses in the country and would devote the necessary resources required to make the 2015 Solheim Cup a memorable event.”
For more information on La Manga Club visit www.lamangaclub.com.

+The Solheim Cup is held in Europe every four years. Next year's venue is in Ireland.

English girls championships

Georgia Hall shoots five-under par in English U15 championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Dorset’s Georgia Hall  set a sizzling pace in the first round of the English girls’ Under-15 championship at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, with a five-under par 68.
Georgia – who won last year’s English U13 title – had seven birdies and one double bogey in her round and said: “I am very chuffed with that.”
The 14-year-old from Ferndown leads the field by four shots. Her closest challenger is Cheshire’s Bronte Law (Bramhall), who scored one-under par 72 despite feeling unwell.
Both girls have just returned from the European Young Masters in Hungary where they finished joint seventh in the individual table. “Playing in Hungary gave me a big boost for this, I learned gallons there,” said Georgia. “It gave me a lot of confidence to come seventh in Europe.”
She scorched her way to the turn with five birdies and four pars on the outward half. After two more birdies, on the 10th and 13th, she reached seven-under par, when she dropped her only shots of the round, with a double bogey on the short 14th.
“We had to wait about 20 minutes there, but it just wasn’t a very good hole,” said Georgia, who missed the green and then three-putted. But on the next she got a very good par, after her tee shot finished in trees, and she played steadily in.
“I didn’t hit a driver all day, I decided after my practice round to use my three-wood or hybrid because the most important thing on this course is to keep it straight. My putting was very good as well.”
Bronte Law was unwell last week during the European Young Masters and still feels off colour - but still managed to beat par.
The 15-year-old was three-under after a run of birdies in the early part of the back nine, but she double bogeyed the 17th after tangling first with a bunker and then three-putting. “I only had the one bad hole,” said Bronte. “But I’ll take that, I thought it was tough out there.”
Emma Harris, from Peel Ladies’ on the Isle of Man, currently holds third place with a solid one-over par score of 74. The 14-year-old, who is playing in this event for the first time, started with an eagle 3 on the first.
She’s one ahead of Aimee Ponte (Royal Guernsey) 75, while a group of four players share fifth place on three-over 76: Nicola Callander (Mill Green), Holly Morgan (Lees Hall), Amy Taylor (Hinckley) and Kyra Horlock (Broadstone).
Meanwhile, Two youngsters, from Surrey and Essex, shared the first-round lead in the English girls’ U13 championship with scores of four-over par 77.
Samantha Fuller (Roehampton) was first out in the championship and set an unbeatable target when she birdied the short 18th. “I’m pleased,” said the 11-year-old (pictured) who holds a seven handicap and is playing in this event for the first time.
Her score was matched by 13-year-old Sophie Madden (West Essex), who was level par to the turn but dropped shots on both the 17th and 18th.
“I was a bit disappointed with the end, but I was really pleased with the front nine. I played all right on the back nine, it was just a few putts,” said Sophie, who plays off four and is the lowest handicapper in the field. Earlier this season she set a seven-under par course record at Five Lakes in the Essex ladies’ championship.
A third girl also broke 80: Amelia Daniel (Royal North Devon) started with a birdie and came in with 79.
Fay Carpenter (Knighton Heath) and Emma Higgins (Highcliffe Castle) is two shots behind her. Four players share sixth place on 83: Alice Hewson (Berkhamsted), who has been third in both the English schools' and U16 schools' championships; Victoria Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies’) whose sister, Elizabeth, won last year’s English U15 title; Ella Ofstedahl (Mill Green) and Annabel Bailey (Notts Ladies).
The U13 championship is being contested by 40 girls, of whom the youngest is nine-year-old Georgia Oboh (Pinner Hill), who holds a 16 handicap. She played her first competition when she was six.

Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer

Click here to read all the scores

West Highland Way Walk to raise fund for Paul Lawrie Foundation

FROM PAUL LAWRIE

Six of us are walking the West Highland Way next Tuesday to raise funds for my foundation.

The walkers are:. Myself, Marian (wife), Alan and Val Reid (foundation sponsors) and Murray and Linda Carnie.

The walk is 96 miles. We're all really looking forward to it.

The target is to raise £25,000. So far, we have £5,635 in donations.

For more details and how to make a donation, click here

OCTOBER 9 to 16: A week's package golf trip you'll remember a lifetimel

       The Royal Golf Club, Marrakech - one of the venues for the Morocco Festival

Come fly with us to the first Morocco Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The inaugural MOROCCO GOLF FESTIVAL - October 9 to 16 - is open to all members of a family of amateur golfers, i.e. Senior men, Senior women, men, women, boys and girls) with the handicap limits for Men: 28 and Ladies/girls 36.
After an ice-breaker (not really needed in Morocco) of a better-ball pairs tournament on the Sunday, we get down to "business" - an aggregate Stableford tournament over four rounds at different course.
You can discard your worst day's points total.
In addition to competitive golf, there is an exciting programme full of various activities: Cocktails party - sightseeing tour of Marrakech- Gala Dinners- Accompanying person programme.
This tournament week in the warmth of the North African sun in October is certain to be great fun and an enjoyable way of making new friends, enjoying friendly competition and playing a variety of outstanding golf courses in Morocco.
Detailed Itinerary.
Saturday 9th October 2010:

Flight from London Gatwick to Marrakech (operated by ROYAL AIR MAROC - Flight AT673, depart from London Gatwick North Terminal at 20:30 and arrive Marrakech at 23:05).

Assistance in Marrakech airport and transfer to the five-star PALM PLAZA HOTEL and SPA.
Check-in and overnight at the hotel
* Please note that flights can be arranged from other airport direct to Marrakech (From Edinburgh, Manchester, East Midlands, London Luton, Bristol) at a supplement.
Sunday 10th October 2010:

Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the ROYAL Golf Club

Better-ball pairs competition, with a partner of your choice or with a partner allocated by the Tournament Director.
Transfer back to the hotel
Cocktail party at 19:00 in the hotel
Dinner and Overnight in the hotel

Monday 11th October

Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to PALMERAIE Golf Club
Individual Stableford Tournament Round 1
Transfer back to the hotel
Dinner and Overnight in the hotel
Tuesday 12th October
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the AMELKIS Golf Club
Individual Stableford Tournament Round 2
Transfer back to the hotel in the hotel, Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Wednesday 13th October
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, Guided city tour of Marrakech
Transfer back to the hotel - Afternoon at leisure
+If anybody is really keen to play golf on the Wednesday, this can be arranged.
Dinner and Overnight in the hotel
Thursday 14th October
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to AL MAADEN Golf Club
Individual Stableford Tournament Round 3
Transfer back to the hotel in the hotel
Dinner and Overnight
Friday 15th October
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, transfer to AMELKIS Golf Club
Individual Stableford Tournament Round 4 (Final Round)
Transfer back to the hotel in the hotel
Gala Dinner with entertainment - Prizes presentations ceremony
Overnights at the hotel.
Saturday 16th October
Buffet Breakfast at the hotel - Morning at leisure
Transfer to Marrakech airport for the return flight to UK - assistance with the check-in formalities
(Flight AT672, Depart from Marrakech at 15:05 and arrive at 19:40)
Package Prices:
- Golfer: £789 per person sharing (Twin or Double room)
- Non-Golfer: £630 per person sharing (Twin or Double room)
- Single supplement: £80 (total for the 7 nights)
The above package prices include:
*Return schedule flight with Royal Air Maroc from London Gatwick to Marrakech (Flights from other UK airports at a supplement)
*Seven (07) Nights accommodation in the five-star PALM PLAZA HOTEL and SPA in Marrakech
*Daily buffet breakfast
*Five rounds of competitive golf and playing on the Royal, Amelkis, Palmeraie and Al Maaden Golf Courses
*Cocktail Party
*Gala Dinner with Prizes Presentation
*Five (05) Dinners at the hotel as per the programme
*Half Day guided tour of Marrakech
*Ground transfers and Transportation
*Our Permanent assistance in Marrakech
Competition Prizes
1st, 2nd and 3rd of each category: senior men, senior women, men, women, boys (under-18 and under-16), girls (under-18 and under-16).

If you have any queries, contact Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com or the man who really knows all the answers, Morocco Travel Agent Mohamed Fakir - info@morocco4golf.com
Mohamed can tell you what it will cost from the airport of your choice and make the booking for you.
The Menara Travel Agency's London telephone number is 020 7371 2030 but Mohamed is in Morocco quite a lot so best to start with an E-mail to him with your query.

ENTRY FORM===============================

MOROCCO GOLF FESTIVAL AT MARRAKECH
October 9 to 16, 2010
Competing as (Please tick the appropriate line)

Senior Man (over 55 yrs on Jan 1)
Senior Lady (over 55 yrs on Jan 1)
Man
Lady
Boy (under 16)
Girl (Under 16)
Boy (Under 18)
Girl (Under 18)

Title:

First Name:

Surname

Handicap
(Competitors should take up an up to date handicap from their home club) Golf Club:

Full Postal
Address

Post Code

Tel (Home)

Tel (Mobile)

Email Address

Name of partner for Better-Ball Pairs
If you wish the Tournament Director to allocate you with a partner at random (Please indicate (Yes / No)

Accompanying Person / Non Golfer

Preferred Airport to fly from and to

Comments / Remarks


I confirm that I agree to abide by all the tournament rules and regulations and I enclose a deposit of £100 (please make cheques payable to MENARA TRAVEL LTD)

Signature:


Please print off and post your completed Entry Form to:
 Mohamed Fakir, Menara Travel Ltd, 200c Blythe Road, London W14 0HH
=======================================================================

Europe team for Junior Ryder Cup match at Gleneagles

There are two English players - British women's champion Kelly Tidy and Chris Lloyd - and one Irish - Curtis Cup player Leona Maguire - but no Scots in the European team of six boys and six girls for the Junior Ryder Cup match against the United States at Gleneagles on September 27 and 28.
It is:
Boys
Thomas Detry (Belgium).
Albert Eckhardt (Finland).
Johana Kukkonen (Finland).
Moritz Lampert (Germany).
Chris Lloyd (England).
Kristoffer Ventura (Norway).
Girls
Isabella Deliert (Sweden).
Manon Giladi (France).
Leona Maguire (Ireland)
Manon Mole (France)
Sophia Popov (Germany)
Kelly Tidy (England)

Captain - Gerald Stangl (Austria)

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
The European Team for the Junior Ryder Cup in September was announced after an exciting conclusion to the European Young Masters at Royal Balaton Golf and Yacht Club in Hungary.
The winner and runner-up from the girls’ and the boys’ competition earned their places in the team, and two more were wild card selections by captain Gary Stangl. The six under-18 players – three girls and three boys – were also announced, having been chosen on the basis of their results in amateur events throughout the year.
Sweden’s Isabella Deilert booked her place in the Junior Ryder Cup, which takes place at The Gleneagles Hotel from September 27 – 28, after holding off Manon Mollé of France for the European Young Masters title. Mollé also made the team, along with Leona Maguire, the 15 year old who played in the International European Ladies Amateur Championship in the Czech Republic over the weekend and was Stangl’s wild card pick.
In the boys’ competition at Royal Balaton Golf and Yacht Club, Finland’s Albert Eckhardt and Kristoffer Ventura of Norway finished first and second respectively, while the wild card pick went to another Finn, Juhana Kukkonen, who was third.
In the under -18 category, England’s Kelly Tidy, Manon Gidali of France and Klara Spilkova of the Czech Republic were the girls selected, and for the boys, Belgian Thomas Detry, Germany’s Moritz Lampert and England’s Chris Lloyd were chosen.
Adrian Otaegui is a non-travelling reserve.
Stangl said: “This year our team should be quite well balanced. Having the British Ladies Amateur Champion, Kelly Tidy, in the team gives us a lot of power on the ladies’ side.
“The under 18 boys did well in the championships this year and Moritz Lampert and Chris Lloyd both have the experience of playing in the 2008 Junior Ryder Cup. Our under 16s have also shown a great skill playing in hard conditions on the final day at the European Young Masters.
“The result in 2008 (the USA won 22-2) was very hard to take with and we will try everything to recover this year and use the home advantage at Gleneagles.”
The Junior Ryder Cup celebrates the progress and hard work taking place at the grass roots level of golf, which helps talented young players develop into national team amateurs and some even to The Ryder Cup itself. The collaboration between PGA professionals and junior organisers at club level and PGAs and governing bodies at a national level help these youngsters develop into Junior Ryder Cup players.
It has been the platform from which successful professional careers have been launched for several players. Spaniard Sergio Garcia played in the 1995 exhibition match and four years later was part of the full European Team at The Country Club in Brookline, while Suzann Pettersen played in the Junior Ryder Cup in 1997 and 1999 before becoming Norway’s top female golfer and taking part in five Solheim Cups.
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy was in the victorious 2004 team and has become one of the most exciting young golfers of recent times, while for the Americans Hunter Mahan, having been in the 1999 junior team, has progressed to become a US PGA Tour winner and was one of Captain Paul Azinger’s picks for the 2008 contest at Valhalla Golf Club.
Other notable past Junior Ryder Cup players are Matteo Manassero, who played in 2008 and has since become one of golf’s hottest properties, and Alexis Thompson, who finished tied second in the Evian Masters on the Ladies European Tour last weekend.
The United States will announce their team on August 6.

Futures Tour pro Sarah Brown wrongly disqualified - in mid-round 

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By Sean Martin
 Sarah Brown’s chance for her first professional victory ended in an apparent case of mistaken identity - of her golf clubs!
Brown, 18, who was three shots off the lead entering the final round of the Duramed Futures Tour’s The International at Concord on Sunday, was disqualified after a rules official determined her wedges to have non-conforming grooves.
In a statement to Golfweek, Ping said Brown’s 54-degree Tour-W wedge conforms to the U.S. Golf Association’s 2010 “conditions of competition.”
“Unfortunately, Sarah Brown was the victim of an inaccurate ruling regarding the conformity of her Ping Tour-W wedge,” Ping chairman and CEO John Solheim said. “The wedge is properly identified as conforming to the 2010 “New Groove Rule.” This has been confirmed by the USGA.
“We’re disappointed that the rules officials at the Futures Tour event took the action they did without properly investigating the situation. We’ve received an apology from the Futures Tour and more importantly, they’ll be apologising to Sarah for the mistake."
David Higdon, the LPGA's chief communications officer said, “We ultimately made a mistake in the disqualification. (Duramed Futures Tour CEO) Zayra Calderon has called Sarah and apologized. We will work over the next couple days to determine where the miscommunication happened, and make sure it never happens again.”
An anonymous person informed a rules official earlier in the round that Brown may be using wedges with non-conforming grooves. The official, whose identity could not be obtained by Golfweek, consulted the U.S. Golf Association’s website before determining the wedges were non-conforming.
Instead of allowing Brown to complete her round as the matter was further investigated, the official removed her from the golf course.
Brown was using a Ping Tour-W wedge with 54 degrees of loft. Some models of the wedge do not conform with the new grooves rules, but Brown’s wedge conforms because the letters ‘XG’ were stamped on the hosel (‘X’ is the Roman numeral for 10, i.e. 2010, while ‘G’ stands for ‘grooves’).
“There’s nothing that can be done to rectify the situation,” said Sarah Brown’s father, Keith. “It’s not that (the rules official) made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. It was the arrogance to say, ‘I’m pulling her off the course.’ I said, ‘Let her finish the round and check with the USGA.’ ”
Brown was 2 over par for the final round when she was disqualified, and 3 under par for the tournament. Former U.S. Girls’ Junior champ Jenny Shin won the tournament with an 11-under 205. With a solid back nine – the easier side at Beaver Meadow Golf Course, according to Keith Brown – Sarah Brown could have collected the best finish of her professional career.
Brown, 18, a rookie on the Futures Tour, was an AJGA first-team All-American in 2009. She’d made four of seven cuts before The International, with a best finish of T-21. Brown has earned $2,921 and ranks 106th in earnings.
The new grooves are smaller and have rounded edges; the old grooves are larger, with sharper edges. The new groove specifications were adopted to prevent players from obtaining optimal spin from the rough. According to the USGA, the new grooves do not affect spin from the fairway.
Players in professional events have been mandated to use clubs with the new grooves since Jan. 1, 2010.
This isn’t the first incident surrounding Ping wedges and the new grooves. Erynne Lee, a 17-year-old amateur from Silverdale, Wash., was disqualified from U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifying because two of her wedges did not conform.
Lee was allowed to complete her round, eventually winning a playoff over Christine Wong, but was disqualified after the round. Wong took Lee’s place at Oakmont. Lee’s non-conforming wedges were Ping Tour-W wedges of 56 and 60 degrees.
Then there was the flap over the Ping Eye 2 wedge earlier this year on the PGA Tour. Ping wedges made before April 1, 1990, are approved for competition because of a 1990 settlement from a Ping lawsuit against the USGA. Phil Mickelson was among the players to use the wedges in competition earlier this year. At the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, fellow Tour player Scott McCarron said Mickelson was cheating for using the club.
Ping eventually waived its rights that prevented the Tour from prohibiting the use of Ping Eye 2 irons and wedges that do not meet the 2010 condition of competition from being used at PGA Tour events.

Editor's Note: I wonder how the "anonymous person" turned whistleblower and the rules official concerned are feeling now?