Kerr and Mahan win $100,000 better-ball prize 

VERONA, New York – Cristie Kerr and Hunter Mahan rallied with six birdies on the back nine, combining to shoot 10-under 62 and win the NB3 Challenge.
Kerr and Mahan trailed Annika Sorenstam and Rickie Fowler by two shots at the turn before pulling away in the closing holes to win the $100,000 top prize in the better-ball competition at Atunyote Golf Club.
Sorenstam and Fowler were second at 8 under.
The event is the chief fund-raiser for Begay’s Foundation, which is dedicated to helping fight obesity and diabetes in the Native American community.
The field included Lorena Ochoa, as well as current LPGA stars Suzann Pettersen, Morgan Pressel and Anna Rawson. US PGA Tour regulars Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Vijay Singh and Notah Begay III completed the field.

World Hickory Golfer

Some of you will know that I sometimes play (at) hickory golf.  The history of the game continually fascinates me,  and I love to read about golf in "the old days".

I'd like to draw your attention to a new on-line publication which has started this month called World Hickory Golfer.   The address is www.worldhickorygolfer.com.   I've made a permanent link in the index on the left so that you can always find it.   The editor is Lionel Freedman, founder and organiser of the World Hickory Golf Festival which is being played over courses in East Lothian in three weeks time.

I'm sure you'll enjoy his first edition as much as I have... Enjoy!

Best wishes
Gill

Gibson Cup closing date : 8th September

Here is a reminder about the closing date for the Gibson Cup, the annual ladies' foursomes competition over the Braid Hills Golf Course in Edinburgh. 

The competition this year takes place the weekend of 25th and 26th September  - with strokeplay qualifying on the Saturday leading to matchplay knockout or the consolation stableford (all foursomes format) on the Sunday. 

The closing date this year is slightly earlier than in the past so if you wish to enter and haven't yet put in your application to Edinburgh Leisure then post it soon - to arrive by Wednesday 8th September. 

(If you can't lay your hands on a paper application form or want more information on the format apply to apbrownie@blueyonder.co.uk)

STEADY START BY SCOTS

WOMEN IN BERLIN


Scotland made a steady start to the qualifying rounds from which the leading eight teams will make up the championship match-play flight in the European senior women's amateur team championship at Sporting Club Berlin today
On a testing course playing long, England's 23-over-par total of 383 - helped by a hole in one from Rozalyn Adams - was good enough to lead the first qualifying round by eight shots from France with defending champions Germany (394) third, Sweden (396) fourth and Scotland (399) fifth.
Fiona de Vries (St Rule), pictured, top-scored for the Scots with a 78, the joint sixth best overall. She was backed up by Heather Anderson (Alyth) and Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) with 79s, one ahead of Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies). Anne Ryan (Tain) had an 83 but her sister Mary Smith had a non-counting 85.


FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
383 England (Caroline Marron 73, Christine Quinn 74, Rozalyn Adams 78, Susan Dye 78, Felicity Christine 80. Non-counting: Janet Melville 85).
391 France.
394 Germany.
396 Sweden.
399 Scotland (Fiona de Vries 78, Lorna Bennett 79, Heather Anderson 79, Moira Thomson 80, Anne Ryan 83. Non-counting: Mary Smith 85).
404 Switzerland.
411 Spain.
415 Ireland (Pat Doran 79, Violet McBride 82, Helen Jones 82, Sheena McElroy 85, Phil O'Gorman 87. Non-counting: Niamh Giblin 89) 
===================
421 Italy, Austria.
423 Belgium, Netherlands.
441 Denmark.
444 Portugal.
452 Finland.

AN ACE PERFORMANCE BY ENGLAND ...
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
England – helped by a hole-in-one from Roz Adams – are the leaders after the first round of qualifying for the European senior ladies’ team championship at The Sporting Club, Berlin.
The team made a great start to the event: English senior champion Caroline Marron returned the low score of the day with a one-over 73, while Chris Quinn was just one stroke behind her.
Team captain Sue Westall said; “We have had a fantastic day. This is absolutely the start we wanted and the whole team is very buoyant.”
Altogether, with five scores counting from six, England hold an eight-shot lead over France at the halfway stage of qualifying. Defending champions, Germany are a further three shots back. At the end of tomorrow’s second round the top eight will go forward to the championship matchplay flight, while the other seven countries play off for places.
Roz Adams set England on course for a successful day when, playing in the second group out, she aced the seventh hole. The English senior strokeplay champion used a six iron for the 130-metre shot, which was her first hole-in-one in her golfing career. She went on to return a score of six-over 78.
Caroline Marron – who is making her debut as a senior international – reached the turn in one-under par, thanks to eight pars and one birdie, and dropped just two shots on the way home.
Chris Quinn, who has held both English and British senior titles, played a perfect front half of nine straight pars before also dropping two on the way in to return 74.
Sue Dye, another past national champion, was five over on the outward half but played in with a very good one-over 37 to score 78. New cap Felicity Christine provided England’s fifth counting score with a round of 80.
England scores
73 Caroline Marron (Bromborough)
74 Chris Quinn (Hockley)
78 Sue Dye (Delamere Forest), Roz Adams (Addington Court Ladies’)
80 Felicity Christine (Banstead Downs)
83 (discounted) Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest)

The England team is completed by Jo Ashmore (Barnham Broom) who was rested on the first day but who will play tomorrow.





Full details: www.golf.de/esltc

Alison Murdoch

seeking fifth Irish

seniors title

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNIONCanadian International Alison Murdoch defends her Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke-play title when competitors tee up at Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club next week (September 8-10).
Murdoch, pictured with the trophy, will be looking to claim her second consecutive title and fifth in the last 7 years. Strongest challenger for the 2010 crown is likely to be Ireland's Helen Jones who finished third at the European Senior Women's Individual in Austria in June while Wales' Vicki Thomas, who has won the event in 2006 & 2008, is sure to feature on the final day.

Fellow Canadians Diane Williams, Karen Pultz and Lynda Palahniuk lead the sizeable party from North America in a field of 66 which includes competitors from England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
This year’s tournament is as competitive as ever with the majority of the field availing of the additional practice in advance of the following week’s British Seniors Open at West Kilbride on the Ayrshire coast.
With the full Irish squad from the Senior Women’s European Team Championship in action, home favourite Phil O’Gorman looks next best after Jones to secure an Irish victory, the first since Mary McKenna’s successful outing at Baltray in 2001.
The field will play two 18-hole stroke-play rounds next Wednesday and Thursday with the top 40 qualifying for the final 18 holes on Thursday. Following the Championship, the Irish Seniors Team to play at the Seniors Home Internationals at Sheringham in England, starting September 28, will be announced. Positions in the side will be determined by ranking in the Order of Merit and wildcard picks selected by Team Captain Roma English (Larne).


TEE TIMES, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
08:30 Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown) Catherine Carty (Tullamore) Patricia McAllister (Laytown & Bettystown)
08:40 Alice O'Neill (Laytown and Bettystown) Angela Mullins (Mitchelstown) Elizabeth Neville (Athenry)
08:50 Valerie Shannon (Lahinch) Barbara Biggart (SCO) Anna Moloney (Clonmel)
09:00 Marita Leech (Laytown & Bettystown) Elaine Elborn (Bangor) Judy Clarke (Royal Portrush)
09:10 Hilary Smyth (ENG) Carmel Cahill (Hermitage) Mary McGoey (Greenore)
09:20 Mai McCann (Narin & Portnoo) Maida McGowan (Laytown & Bettystown) Dorothy Thomson (SCO)
09:30 Mairead MacNamara (Woodbrook) Judy Collins (CAN) Gill Rouiller (Mannan Castle)
09:40 Trudy Brosnan (Kanturk) Roma English (Larne) Ann McAuley (Laytown and Bettystown)
09:50 Denise Parker (ENG) Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) Ann Monteith (Slieve Russell)
10:00 Heidi Simpson (USA) Patsy McCarthy (Grange) Kath Stewart-Moore (Royal Portrush)
10:10 Linda Ward (CAN) Maj-Britt Laempe (SWE) Fionnuala McGrady (Dunmurry)
10:30 Sheila Bodmer (SWI) Mary Geaney (Killarney) Sonja Gottschalch (DEN)
10:40 Diane Williams (CAN) Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) Jean O'Connor (WAL)
10:50 Alison Murdoch (CAN) Pat Doran (Donabate) Catherine Reilly (The Heath)
11:00 Valerie Hassett (Ennis) Marianne Copp (ENG) Pamela Williamson (SCO)
11:10 Vicki Thomas (WAL) Phil O'Gorman (Laytown and Bettystown) Niamh Giblin (Dun Laoghaire)
11:20 Pauline Walsh (Headfort ) Elisabeth Wendels (SWE) Susan Penman (SCO)
11:30 Karen Pultz (CAN) Helen Jones (Strabane) Mary Madden (Ballinasloe)
11:40 Kate Evans (ENG) Marilyn Henderson (Castlerock) Jane Gardner (Malone)
11:50 Lynda Palahniuk (CAN) Sheena McElroy (Grange) Rhona Brennan (Bandon)
12:00 Cornelia Fischer (GER), Adrienne Crowley (Woodbrook), Mary Kavanagh (New Ross).

NikkI Foster wins Royal Birkdale Scratch

Trophy

Blackburn's Nikki Foster (Pleasington) returned to her early-season form to win the Royal Birkdale Golf Club's Ladies Scratch Trophy tournament over 36 holes.

Against a ladies' par of 75, Nikki, 18, had very good scores of 72 and 70 for 142.

Even so, Nikki, playing in her home county of Lancashire, won only by one shot from Emma Goddard (Vale Royal Millenium). Emma was the first-round leader with a six-under-par 69, the lowest round of the tournament. Her second round was a 74.

British stroke-play champion Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and two English-based players, young Charley Hull (Kettering) and Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) were joint third on 144.

Pretswell played without a practice round but had eight birdies in her first-round, four-under-par 72. The Scot followed that up with four more birdies in a 73 for 144.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 150 (2x75). SSS 75 CSS 75 75
142 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 72 70.
143 Emma Goddard (Vale Royal Millenium) 69 74.
144 Charley Hull (Kettering) 71 73, Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 71 73, Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 71 73.
145 Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield) 71 74.
147 Nicola Rawlinson (Royal Birkdale) 72 75.
148 Amy Boulden (Maesdu) 72 76.
149 Sara Garbutt (Ganton) 71 78.
151 Helen Butterfield (Sleaford) 74 77.
152 Laura Collin (John O'Gaunt) 77 75, Alison Knowles (Hickelton) 76 76, Jessica Bradley (Tiverton) 75 77, Dana Greenslade (Wentworth) 74 78, Samantha Birks (Wolstanton) 74 78
153 Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) 81 72, Hermione Fitzgerald (Newmarket Links) 79 74, Lucinda Milecham 76 77.
154 Charlote Wild (Mere) 78 76, Daisy Dywer (Chigwell) 73 81.
155 Charlotte Field 79 76, Laura Thomas 79 76.
156 Becky Harries 80 76 Jenna Birch 79 77.
157 Danielle Anderson 83 74, Catherine Rawthore 72 85.
158 Bronwyn Davies 80 78, Steph Hall 80 78, Elizabeth Stebbings 79 79, Jo Nicolson 79 79, Stephanie Farrar 77 81.
159 Caroline Marron 81 78, Lucinda Burdett 80 79, Lianna Bailey 78 81.
160 Emma Tipping 77 83, Sara Cousins 76 84.
161 Holly Vizard 82 79, Becky Gee 82 79, Sophie Powell 78 83.
164 Rebecca Rowlands 79 85.
165 Susan Dye 81 84, Charlotte Austwick 79 86, Ann Lowe 77 88.
166 Gillian Kapka 84 82, Fiona Thompson 81 85.
167 Naomi Edwards 82 85.
169 Claire Fry 87 82, Lucie Walker 85 84, Chris Appleby 85 84, Gillan Mellor 83 86.
170 Sharon Hewer 87 83, Helen Barugh 86 84, Pip Settle 84 85, Hanna Davies 84 86, Alison Gee 82 88, Julie Brook 77 93.
Disqualified: Charley Douglass (Brocket Hall) 73 74.

Pamela Pretswell

says No to world

trip to Argentina

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
New British women's open amateur stroke-play champion Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), a student at Glasgow University, has had to turn down the chance to be one of Scotland's team of three for the women's world amateur team championship (Espirito Santo Trophy) at Buenos Aires, Argentina from October 20 to 23.
"My university commitments in the final year of my honours degree meant that I had to declare myself as being unavailable for selection," said Pamela who rings down the curtain on her excellent season by playing for Scotland in the women's home internationals at Whitchurch Golf Club, Cardiff, from September 8 to 10.
The new European Golf Association women's rankings have Pretswell at ninth and Scottish champion Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) at No 10.
Pretswell is 15 under par for her last 14 competitive rounds and her handicap is now +3.

EGA WOMEN'S AMATEUR RANKINGS
1 Caroline Hedwall (Sweden).
2 Leona Maguire (Ireland).
3 Marta Silva (Spain).
4 Laetitia Beck (Israel).
6 Alexandra Bonetti (France).
7 Nathalie Manson (Sweden).
8 Pamela Pretswell (Scotland).
9 Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland).
10 Rachel Jennings (England).

+The only other Scot in the top 50 EGA rankings is Sally Watson at No 24.

Cathy Panton-Lewis wins play-

off for English

Senior Open

Cathy Panton-Lewis has won the English Ladies' Senior Open championship at Cambridge Meridian Golf Club after a marathon play-off with Corinne Reybroeck (Belgium).
At the end of 54 holes in wind and rain Cathy, pictured with organiser Vivien Saunders, and Corinne had tied on 232, Cathy improving from fourth place overnight with a closing round of 76 to Reybroeck's 79.
The pair were still inseparable after the stipulated three-hole aggregate play-off. From there they went nto sudden-death and the Scot won at the second extra hole.
Tied for third just a shot behind Cathy and Corinne were Susan Moon of the USA and Chris Langford, the defending champion.
In 5th place and winner of the amateur championship was England’s Ruth Lindley. Runner-up for the amateur honours were Jane Rees of Wales and Brigitte Kluger of Germany.
The over-60s champion was Liz Moverley of Warwickshire. The Nations Cup went to the team from France and the County Cup was won by a whisker by the team from Berkshire.
Each year the Vivien-Saunders organised tournament also features a 36 hole putting championship over two days on the Cambridge Meridian putting green. Winner this year was Jane Rees of Wales with a score of 63, runner-up Ruth Lindley with 64.
Closing the tournament Cathy thanked everybody at Cambridge Meridian, hosts Vivien Saunders and Jenny Wisson, and all her fellow competitors for an excellent three- day championship. She wished all well and said: “I look forward to coming back next year to see you all again and defend my title”.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 222 (3x74)
232 Cathy Panton-Lewis (Scotland) 79 77 76, Corinne Reybroeck (Belgium) 76 77 79 (Panton-Lewis won play-off at fifth extra hole).
233 Susan Moon (US) 76 78 79, Chris Langford (England) 75 80 78.
237 Ruth Lindley (England) (am) 79 78 80.
242 Nathalie Jeanson (France) 84 76 82, Sandy Lambert (England) 77 83 82.
246 Jane Rees (Wales) (am) 87 82 77, Brigitte Kruger (Germany) (am) 85 77 84.
248 Carol Cass (Scotland) (am) 80 82 86.

EUROPEAN SENIOR WOMEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

The European senior women's amateur team championship started today at Sporting Club, Berlin.

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