ABERDEEN LADIES SCOTTISH OPEN

South Korean Lee leads by one at Archerfield

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Jeehae Lee takes a one-stroke lead into the final day of the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open, having carded a two-under par 70 in Thursday’s second round.
The South Korean 27-year-old, who is based in Orlando, Florida, finished the day on a two-under par total of 142 with a round to play at Archerfield Links, near North Berwick.
Lee carded three birdies and two bogeys going out for one-under outward total of 35. She equalled that score with three birdies and two bogeys coming home.

The Ladies European Tour rookie explained how she had an eye for the pine tree-lined golf course, but also for numbers, having graduated from Yale University with a degree in economics.
During her time at Yale, Lee stopped playing golf for three years as she ‘lacked passion’ for the game. However she re-joined the golf team in her senior year.
“I found that my golf game was still intact and I could still compete and thought I could actually be kind of good at this,” Lee said. “It was more I thought I could excel at it than the passion. But then as I started playing, I really started loving it.”
After discovering the passion, she turned down a lucrative job at investment banking firm Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong to pursue her dream of being a professional golfer.
After playing on the Duramed Futures Tour and the LPGA Tour in America, Lee, pictured by Andy Forman, qualified for the Ladies European Tour in December.
Now she has a chance to claim her first career title on a course a stone’s throw from Muirfield, where her countryman Jin Jeong became the first Asian player to win the British men's amateur championship in June.
“I’m finally learning how to play a links-style golf course,” said Lee, who first experienced links golf when trying to qualify at Hillside for the recent Ricoh Women’s British Open.
“I kept it pretty steady on the front nine. There were a couple of the par-fives that I could reach. On the back nine I started hitting it a little bit off line off the tee but managed my way around.”
At the other end of the experience spectrum, England’s Trish Johnson managed to finish the second round in second, despite being frustrated with her second round of 74.
The 19-time tournament champion, who opened with a 69, said: “I played pretty rubbish yesterday and got away with it and today I just played rubbish. I hit the ball shockingly. I didn’t hole anything. I think that was probably the difference. I holed quite a few putts yesterday and today I hit a lot of good putts that lipped out or slid by.
“I was one under with four to play. I hit a dreadful tee shot off six, an awful second shot into seven and an even worse shot into eight. I’ll go to the range and hope that I can start finding the middle of the clubface, because it’s becoming quite frustrating.”
There are five players in a group two shots back on one-over par: Rebecca Coakley (70), Sophie Walker (70), Stefania Croce (74), Nikki Garrett (74) and Christel Boeljon (75).
Virginie Lagoutte-Clement and Stacy Lee Bregman are at two-over, while Cassandra Kirkland from France fired a hole in one at the eighth and finished the first 36 holes in a five-way share of 10th place.
Vikki Laing from Musselburgh is the leading home player and will start the final round six shots off the pace after a second round of 74.
In the pro-am format, Italy’s Anna Rossi and Archerfield member Mark Finnie combined for a total of 18-under par and lead by one stroke.
The leading 15 amateurs who made the cut will play alongside their professional partners in Friday’s final round, which starts at 8.30am and will be played in three-balls.
Lee will tee off in the last match at 10.30am alongside Johnson, partnering Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen. Play is scheduled to conclude at approximately 3.30pm.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
142 Jeehae Lee (South Korea) 72 70. 
143 Trish Johnson (England) 69 74. 
145 Nikki Garrett (Australia) 71 74, Rebecca Coakley (Team Ireland) 75 70, Sophie Walker (England) 75 70, Stefania Croce (Italy) 71 74, Christel Boeljon (Golf Team Holland) 70 75.
146 Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (France) 72 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 70 76.
147 Georgina Simpson (England) 75 72, Cassandra Kirkland (France) 77 70, Caroline Masson (Germany) 74 73, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 74 73, Hannah Jun (US) 76 71. 
148 Lisa Hall (England) 74 74 ,Vikki Laing (Kings Acre Academy) 74 74, Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa) 76 72. 
149 Mhairi McKay (Aberdeen Asset Management) 73 76, Maria Boden (Sweden) 74 75, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 73 76, Caroline Afonso (France) 73 76, Felicity Johnson (Harborne GC) 75 74. 
150 Carly Booth (Nike) 77 73, Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 76 74, Hanna-Leena Salonen (Finland) 76 74 »»
Anna Rossi (Italy) 71 79, Anne-Lise Caudal (France) 75 75, Kylie Walker (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) 73 77.
151 Rebecca Hudson (England) 75 76, Lydia Hall (Wales) 76 75, Jessica Ji (South Korea) 76 75,
Elizabeth Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor GC) 75 76, Ana Larraneta (Spain) 76 75.
152 Frances Bondad (Australia) 75 77, Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) 73 79, Ashleigh Simon (South Africa) 77 75.
153 Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 79 74, Josefin Leijon (Sweden) 78 75. 
154 Bettina Hauert (Germany) 78 76, Martina Gillen (Team Ireland) 77 77, Pamela Feggans (Scotland) 74 80, Morgana Robbertze (South Africa) 82 72, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 74 80. 
155 Margherita Rigon (Italy) 82 73, Dana Lacey-Johnson (Australia) 75 80, Laurette Maritz (South Africa) 78 77, Kate Combes (Australia) 76 79.
156 Karen Lunn (Australia) 74 82, Kathryn Imrie (Scotland) 75 81, Heather MacRae (Downfield) 77 79, Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) 81 75. 
157 Beth Allen (US) 76 81. 
158 Claire Aitken (Mid Kent GC) 77 81, Tandi Cuningham (South Africa) 80 78. 
159 Hannah Ralph (Cowdray Park GC) 85 74.
160 Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand) 82 78. »
162 Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 83 79, Camille Fallay (France)  87 75. 
163 Ludivine Kreutz (France) 80 83.
166 Breanne Loucks (Wales) 78 88.
+Official scoring from the Ladies European Tour website

British women's open amateur stroke-play championship in South Wales

PRETSWELL IS SWINGING IN THE RAIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

You expect at least one day of bad weather when you go to the links on the coast of South Wales. It arrived today on schedule at Tenby Golf Club for the second round of the 72-hole British women's open amateur stroke-play championship.
At the end of a day of unrelenting rain it was Curtis Cup Scot Pamela Pretswell and Chrisje De Vries from the Netherlands who led the 42 qualifiers with totals of 15-over-par 159 or better into Friday’s final two rounds.
Pretswell, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, and De Vries are both on two-over-par 146, Pamela after a second-round, two-over-par 74, one of the best scores in the awful weather, and Chrisje after a 78.
Three other Scots survived the cut  – Lothians pair Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), improving by seven shots despite the deluge with a splendid 75, and Jane Turner (Craigielaw), with a battling 77, both on 157 and Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) with an 81 for the limit mark of 159.
South Korean 15-year-old Julie Yang (Kings Acre Golf Centre), winner of the Welsh women’s open stroke-play title the last time she was down in these parts, had an 81 for 156 but is still joint 20th.
For a long time it seemed as if two of the star names in the field, British women's open amateur champion Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) and defending champion Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies), the winner at Royal Aberdeen last year, would miss the cut by several strokes.
But the bad weather took its toll with the average score steadily rising up into the 80s and eventually Kelly, who started her second round with a double bogey 7 and reached the turn in seven-over-par 44, qualified on 157 after an 82 while Danielle was one below the limit mark with a 77 for 158.
Glasgow University student Pamela Pretswell, pipped for the Austrian women’s open title two or three weeks ago, did well to salvage a 74 in such conditions to share the lead on 146 – but it looked like being an even better score with just a few holes to go to the warmth and comfort of the clubhouse.
Having recovered from bogeys at the third and fourth with birdies at the seventh and long eighth to turn in 37, the Bothwell Castle player moved under par with a birdie at the long 14th but she dropped a shot at the 16th and then had a double bogey 5 at the short 17th for 37 home.
Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) missed the cut by two shots with an 83 for 161.
Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) had an 84 for 162.
Majorca-based Lauren Mackin) had an 87 for 166.
Roseanne Niven (Crieff), winner of the British title only two years ago, had an 82 for 167 and Laura Murray finished 30 over par with a pair of 87s for 174.
Another Scotland international Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), who had a first-round 75, badly twisted an ankle in falling down some steps and was unable to play. With the weather as bad as it was, she was not complaining about having to rest in the clubhouse with her ankle strapped up.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 144 (2x74).
146 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 72 74, Chrisje De Vries (Ned) 68 78.
147 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 68 79.
148 Line Vedel Hansen (Den) 76 72, Bronte Law (Bramhall) 76 72.
151 Pia Halbit (Ger) 73 78, Alexandra Bonetti (Fra) 74 77.
152 Lara Katzy (Ger) 71 81.
153 Ann Lindner (Ger) 75 78, Heidi Baek (Felixstowe Ferry) 76 77, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 78 75.
154 Charlotte Wild (Mere) 76 78, Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 78 76, Vicki Troeltsch (Germany) 78 76, Lauren Taylor (Woburn) 75 79.
155 Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield) 78 77, Nikkii Foster (Pleasington) 77 78, Hayley Davis (Ferndown) 82 73, Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 72 83.
156 Julie Yang (Kings Acre) 75 81, Nina Holleder (Germany) 74 82, Gillian O'Leary (Cork) 70 86.
157 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 82 75, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 80 77, Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 75 82, Jerry Lawrence (Rochester and Cobham 77 80, Katie Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 79 78, Rachel Drummond (Beaconsfield) 80 77, Noemi Jimenez (Spain), Alexandra Peters (Notts), Camilla Hedberg (Spain) 74 83, Tara Davies (Holyhead) 73 84.
158 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 81 77, Lucy Gould (Bargoed) 78 80, Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) 77 81, Charley Hull (Kettiering) 73 85.
159 Fanny Vuigner (Switzerland) 76 83, Stephanie Kirchmayr (Germany) 76 83, Lucy Williams (Mid Herts) 82 77, Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 76 83, Karlijn Zaanen (Netherlands) 76 83, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 78 81.
MISSED THE CUT
160 Katherine O'Connor (Tadmarton) 80 80, Klara Spilkova (Czech Repu) 75 85, Marion Ricordeau (France) 73 87.
161 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 78 83, Denise Kalek (Geremany) 77 84, Rebecca Hareries (Haverfordwest) 76 85, Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 81 80.
162 Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 78 84, Tilly Magill (Woburn) 79 83, Mayte Vizcarrondo (Spain) 84 78, Raphaela Dyer (Hayling Island) 79 83, Anais Maggetti (Switzerland) 79 83, Rocio Sanchez Lobato (Spain) 76 86.
163 Varin Schilperoord (Netherlands) 82 81, Laura Jansone (Latvia) 81 82, Mireia Prat (Spain) 76 87, Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 80 83, Liebelei Lawrence (Greece) 75 88.
164 Emma Goddard (Vale Royal) 80 84, Adriana Zwanck (Spain) 83 81, Charlotte Puts (Netherlands) 78 86, Natalie Lowe (Prestbury) 77 87, Myrte Eikenaar (Netherlands) 81 83.
165 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) 84 81, Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 84 81.
166 Olivia Jordan-Higgins (royal Jersey) 90 76, Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) 77 89, Maura Diamond (Portstewart) 79 87, Georgia Hall (Ferndown) 78 88, Lauren Mackin (Majorca) 79 87, Krista Bakker (Netherlands) 81 85, Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham) 79 87, Valerie Sternebeck (Germany) 81 85, Laura Jones (Royal Liverpool) 77 89
167 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) 85 82, Nicola Rawlinson (Leyland) 84 83, Sian James (Bristol and clifton) 89 78.
168 Harriet |Owers-Bradley (Wollaton Park) 82 86, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) 85 83.
169 Silvia Lucchetta (Italy) 86 83, Helen Searle (West End) 82 87, Laure Castelain (France) 83 86.
170 Clemence Abrahamian (France) 84 86, Sinead O'Sullivan (Galway) 82 88.
171 Lauren Blease (Coombe Hill) 86 85, Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 88 83, Lucy Simpson Massaereene) 83 88.
173 Daisy Dywer (Chigwell) 90 83.
174 Spray Lauren (Stanton on the Wolds) 88 86, Laura Murray (Alford) 87 87, Verity Scott (Moor Park) 83 91, Charlotte Austwick (Pike Hills) 82 82.
175 Joanna Stocks (Worplesdon) 84 91.
176 Laura Stempfle (Geremany) 89 87.
177 Ines Tusquets (Spain) 84 93.
178 Sophie Powell (Manchester) 80 98.
179 Margot Ivanoff (France) 8495.
182 Georgia Thomas (Tenby) 92 90.
186 Katie Rule (Merlin) 85 101
199 Olwen Simpson (unatt) 97 102.
No Return: Ciara Butler (Ireland) NR -.
Retired: Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) 87 -, Laura Chemarin (France) 72 -, Hannah Turland (Tidworth) 76 Retired (injured): Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 75 -.

Sussex pair win through to Australian Spoons final


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Sussex golfers Bev Currier and Lynne MacDonald have played their way into the national final of EWGA’s Australian Spoons competition.

The pair, from Copthorne, scored 35 points at Hendon to win the South regional final of the stableford foursomes competition for golfers with handicap 21-36.

They will compete against five other pairs of regional winners at the national final at Kedleston Park, Derbyshire, on September 17. Club winners from five counties were eligible for the regional final: Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex.

The competition has its roots in 1966 when they Australian Ladies' Golf Union presented a pair of spoons to each of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They were awarded as trophies to the winners of annual competitions organised to raise money for the International Match Fund.

In England, the competition fell into abeyance in 1971 after the method of raising funds was reorganised. However it was revived in 1981 for Bronze Division players and the current format has been used since 1986. Players first take part in club qualifying rounds with the top scorers going forward to regional and national finals.

South regional results
35 pts Bev Currier and Lynne MacDonald (Copthorne, Sussex)
33 pts Sue Katz and Ann Gossington (Haste Hill, Middlesex)
32 pts Linda Dawson and Susan Major (Roehampton, Surrey) on countback from Marcia Walker and  Jennifer Lavers (Wildernesse, Kent), and Jill Barraclough and Barbara Booth (Reigate Heath, Surrey)

Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer
EWGA

Irish girls inter-provincial matches at Roscommon

ULSTER WIN SIXTH TITLE IN A ROW

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
Megan Thompson led her Ulster team in style to a sixth title in a row in the Irish girls' inter-provincial matches at Roscommon Golf Club.
Megan won the top match against Leinster girls champion Anna Courtney by two holes. With excellent golf played by both girls, Megan just had the edge. Her round included five birdies with the 12th hole being halved in birdies.
The Grant sisters, Paula and Laura (Irish girls champion) continue to impress, both winning all three matches. Ulster's younger players were equally as impressive with Olivia Mehaffey, Hannah Henderson and Victoria Craig all remained unbeaten throughout the series.
The future looks good for Ulster but Leinster, very shortly, will look to emulate their glory years (97 - 03) when they won seven in a row.
Munster won the battle for third place against Connacht.
Sinead Sexton is certainly a name for the future. Playing top of the order for Munster, she was unbeaten at Roscommon. While Roscommon GC themselves have plenty of young talent and these girls will no doubt impress again for Connacht.


TODAY'S RESULTS
ROUND 3
Leinster 1½ - 6½ Ulster
Anna Courtney lost to Megan Thompson 2 holes.
Patrice Delaney lost to Paula Grant 5 and 4.
Amy Farrell bt Jessica Carty 1 hole.
Emily McGuinness lost to Kelsey Coey 5 and 3.
Roisin Brady lost to Laura Grant 3 and 2.
Amber Gleeson lost to Olivia Mehaffey 2 and 1.
Shannon Heerey lost to Hannah Henderson 2 and 1
Laura Doherty halved with Victoria Craig

Connacht 2½-v-5½ Munster
Aislling Hill lost to Sinead Sexton 7 and 5
Blaithin O'Brien lost to Chloe Ryan 1 hole.
Megan O'Hara lost to Eadaoin Cronin 4 and 3
Michelle Burke lost to Jean O'Driscoll 6 and 5
April Timothy lost to Jenny Hennessy 4 and 3
Emily Ribbins beat Tara Whelan 2 and 1
Emma Prenty halved with Gemma McCarthy
Orla Quinn beat Lisa O'Shea 3 and 2

Sandra Barnett
ILGU Tournament Director

McVeigh, Tidy might miss the cut in British stroke-play

Joint leader Amy Boulden has tumbled down the leaderboard .... defending champion Danielle McVeigh and British womne's open amateur champion Kelly Tidy could both miss the halfway cut but at least they are in out of the rain which is teeming down in South Wales. Do they ever get any fine days along that coastline?

All the latest second-round news and scores from the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Tenby, South Wales, can be found on the LGU website.

CLICK HERE

Brother and sister Wallace and Carly Booth in action today at Archerfield Links. Image by Andy Forman

Carly Booth signs up with IMG

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IMG
Teenage protégée Carly Booth has signed up with leading global sports management company, IMG.
Also announced today are three new corporate partners for Carly who, along with IMG, are backing Carly to make a big impact on the women’s Tour - Gleneagles, home of the 2014 Ryder Cup, Lomond Audi and Aberdeen Asset Management.
The new partnerships will give Carly the vital support needed for a player to launch their professional career. She will sport Aberdeen Asset Management branding on her golf bag while Gleneagles will provide world-class facilities for Carly to practise on when she is not on Tour.
Lomond Audi have supplied 18 year old Carly, who recently passed her driving test, with an Audi A3. Carly is also sponsored by Nike.
Carly, who recently secured her full LET Tour card at Qualifying School, enjoyed an amateur career richly laced with records and accolades and golf’s aficionados are eagerly anticipating similar success for Carly on the professional tour.
She was the youngest ladies' club champion in Britain at the age of 11 at Dunblane New and at 14 she finished 13th in her first professional event, the Ladies Scottish Open. She topped the European Junior rankings in 2007 after winning the European Junior Masters and the Scottish Under-18 and Under-21 titles.
In 2008, she became the youngest player to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the 76-year history of the Curtis Cup and won the Daily Telegraph Finals in both 2007 and 2008. She is also the youngest Scot to qualify for the Ladies European Tour (LET).
There are many on-course parallels to the most famous of teenage golf stars, Michelle Wie, also an IMG client, and Carly is following in her example on the academic front too. Carly sat her A levels in June at Glenalmond School, where she was on a golf scholarship. Until then she played a limited pro schedule, before heading out on the Tour full-time.
Carly commented, “I am very excited to be joining IMG. They are the best in the business and manage so many of the world’s best players that I admire.
"I am delighted to have four such prestigious corporate partners back me even before I have proved myself out on the professional tour and it gives me a real confidence boost to be managed by a Company with such a strong track record.
"Their support gives me the freedom to concentrate entirely on playing good golf and I hope I can justify their faith in me with a win soon.”
Guy Kinnings, IMG’s Director of Golf, EAME, said, “Carly has had a phenomenal amateur career and with her ability and personality she really stands out as one of the most exciting rookies on the LET Tour this year.
"IMG represent a exciting group of talented teenagers who have already proven themselves on the course and we believe Carly will fit in well.”
Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, said “We are very proud to align our brand with this ambitious young golfer. At Aberdeen we are firm believers in supporting golf at all levels of the game, from amateur and grassroots levels, all the way through to the professional players.”
Carly will be managed by Vicky Cuming, who also looks after fellow Scots Sam Torrance and Catriona Matthew. She added, “Carly has outstanding potential which has been evident since a very young age. I am excited to be working with Carly and her family as I believe she’s one of the most talented young Scottish golfers to turn professional in recent years.
"In my opinion she is uniquely positioned to develop into one of the leading forces in women’s golf in coming years, both on and off the course. The fact that Aberdeen Asset Management, Lomond Audi, The Gleneagles Hotel and Nike have already partnered with her bears testament to this.“


Carly Booth’s Amateur Highlights
Junior Ryder Cup 2006 and 2008
Curtis Cup 2008
Ladies Home International 2007 and 2009
Scottish Girls U 18 Champion 2007 and 2008
Scottish U21 winner 2007
Daily Telegraph Finals Winner 2007 and 2008
European Young Masters (Winner) 2007
Scottish Ladies Open (Professional) The Carrick, 13th place, best amateur
Ladies English Open (Professional) 28th Best Amateur

About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging:
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Norfolk’s Amber Ratcliffe wins East region girls’ title

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONNorfolk’s Amber Ratcliffe shot a course record and left the field trailing as she scored a four-stroke victory in the East Region girls’ championship at Braintree.
Amber, from Royal Cromer, returned scores of 76 and two-under par 71 to beat players from six counties. Her afternoon score knocked four shots off the previous course record, which was set three years ago.

“I’m very pleased,” said the 14-year-old, who is a member of the English Women’s Golf Association Select Midlands squad. The one-handicapper is clearly on form this season, having already retained the English Under-16 schools title and reached the match-play stages of the British girls’ championship.

Next week, she’s off to play for England schools in the annual international against Wales at St Pierre. Then she moves on to Pannal, in Yorkshire, to play in the EWGA squad at the North of England Under-16 championship.

Amber, pictured above receiving a prize from Steve Haskins at the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Ladies/Girls Festival in Spain, led from start to finish in the East region championship. She shared top spot with Paige Kemp (Boyce Hill) after the morning round before powering away from the field. Her afternoon round included an eagle 3 on the par-5 fifth and two birdies.

Results

Par 73 CSS 73 72

East region girls’ champion:
147 Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer, Norfolk), 76 71
Runner-up:
153 Charlotte Thompson (Channels, Essex) 79 74
Under-15 scratch winner:
151 Ashleigh Greenham (West Essex) 77 74
Morning gross:
76 Paige Kemp (Boyce Hill, Essex)
Afternoon gross:
77 Charlotte Double (Seckford, Suffolk)
First handicap:
141 Katie Nicoll (Menzies, Cambs and Hunts) 71 70
Second handicap:
144 Chelsea Mae Laundon (Chelmsford, Essex) 76 68
Team prize:
430 Essex – Ashleigh Greenham, Chelsea Mae Laundon and Faye Trigg (Braintree)


Lyndsey Hewison
Press and PR Officer

Kathryn Imrie delighted at new Stanford

University post but still smarting over 'rejection'

in Scotland

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Kathryn Imrie, who has just landed a new job as the assistant women's head coach at Stanford University, the alma mater of Tiger Woods in California, has revealed she headed to America to pursue her new career after being rejected in Scotland.
Speaking after signing for a respectable 75 in her first competitive outing for more than a year in the opening round of the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield Links, the 43-year-old former Curtis Cup player from Broughty Ferry said she had come up with a proposal within the last few years to try and help Scottish players make the transition from amateur to professional golf.
An outstanding amateur before going on to taste success on the LPGA Tour and also represent Europe in the Solheim Cup, Imrie wanted to use her experience to try and improve the fortunes of players trying to follow in her footsteps and approached golf officials in Scotland about her proposal.
Kathryn, pictured above by Andy Forman, was given little or no encouragement, though, so decided to take up a post as an instructor at a golf school in Palm Springs and, two years on, has just moved to San Francisco, where she starts as the assistant coach to Caroline O'Connor at Stanford University in less than a month's time.
"It's a great opportunity as Stanford is as good a place as any (to be coaching]. The facilities are amazing, there are eight girls on the team, including (Scottish Curtis Cup player] Sally Watson and I can't wait," said Imrie, who won the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic on the LPGA Tour in 1995.
"This offers more stability and no-one wants me in Scotland. I made a proposition three or four years ago about the transition problem.
"I pointed out there were these wonderful amateurs but they're like deer in headlights when they turn pro. We need to get someone on Tour with them, nurturing them, showing them the ropes and being there, not as an individual coach but to see that they practice after their rounds.
"When you go out there it's hard to be disciplined.
"I was a little disheartened, to be honest, because nothing was ever taken further. I was proposing to be that person that would oversee it. I talked to Judy Murray about it as well. She was helpful in putting ideas together because it worked so well for her in tennis.
Unfortunately, there seem to be lots of organisations but no-one is really doing anything."
Imrie, whose comments will surely be of interest to Graeme Simmers and his fellow board members of the newly-formed company set up to hand out £1 million over the next five years to Scots players making the move into the paid ranks, was understandably pleased with her day's work on the Fidra course at the splendid East Lothian venue.
But for two bogeys in the last three holes, she would have been even closer to leader Trish Johnson, who shot a three-under-par 69 and, with a 61, is also sitting at the top of the team standings in the pro-am event along with Alan Hansen, the former Liverpool and Scotland defender.
Hansen, a low-handicapper, was round in about level-par himself, according to his playing partner, who admitted the event's format had helped her get off to such a good start.
Johnson, who played in a winning European Solheim Cup team at Dalmahoy 18 years ago, leads by a shot from Christel Boeljon from the Netherlands and South African Stacy Lee Bregman, with six of the ten Scots in the field sitting inside the top 20.
Lynn Kenny, who is attached to Archerfield Links, bagged four birdies in a two-under-par back nine of 34 as she carded a 73, the same as Kylie Walker, Mhairi McKay and Krystle Caithness, with Vikki Laing and Pamela Feggans in a group just a shot behind.