World Amateur Team Championship - Day 3

Korea thirteen shots ahead of nearest rival,  Scotland still tied for 28th place

Korea have built up an unassailable lead after the third round of the World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina today. It is unlikely that anyone can catch them ..... They are 13 shots ahead of second place United States. A 66 from Hyun-Soo Kim and a pair of 68s from team-mates Ji-Hee Kim and Jung-Eun Han gave them a 134 total for today, and an overall total of 407 for the first three days. The three USA team-mates, Jessica Korda, Cydney Clanton and Danielle Kang had matching 73s.... one of which was dropped to give them a total of 146 and three round total of 420(-12). Germany are next on 423.

Ireland are the best of the GB&I teams on 434 (+2)  Over the Buenos Aires course Lisa Maguire had a 70 (-2)  and her twin sister Lisa a 77 (+5).  The 79 from Danielle McVeigh was not counted.
Also on the same course, England are four shots back on 438 (+6), with Hannah Burke's even par 72 and Holly Clyburn's 73 the two counting scores.  Kelly Tidy's two over 74 was not needed.
Amy Boulden continues to play well for Wales on the Olivos course.  Today she had a 69 (-3), which along with a 74 from Tara Davies gave them a total of 439 (+7).  An 82 from Gemma Bradbury was not needed.
Scotland, also playing on the Olivos course,  are on 442 (+10).  Sally Watson had a 73 and Louise Kenney a 75.  Kelsey Macdonald had an 80.

Full results can be found on Golfstat

Stephanie Meadow named in First Team All-American Junior line-up

Irish star, Stephanie Meadow from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland,  now a freshman at the Unversity of Alabama, has been awarded first team honours in the 2010 Rolex Junior All-American rankings.

Full details can be found in this article on the AJGA website

SLGA Commonwealth Spoons

Fife pair win Commonwealth Spoons
From the SLGA Website:-

Fife pair Mary Malcolm and Helen Thomson won the 2010 Commonwealth Spoons final over a very windy Cathkin Braes Golf Course today (Thursday 21 October). Mary and Helen shot a nett score of 74 to pip their County colleagues, Lorna Fury and Marie Curran by one shot. Pairs from all fifteen Scottish County Golf Associations were represented in the final.

This two ball Foursomes event was postponed from September 23 when the course was flooded and the SLGA is very grateful to Cathkin Braes for allowing the competition to be rescheduled.

Prize Winners

		County	Gross	HCP	Nett
1st	Mary Malcolm & Helen Thomson	Fife	84	10	74
2nd	Lorna Fury & Marie Curran	Fife	81	6	75
3rd	Catherine Malcolm & Roz Purdom	Ayrshire	79	3	76	BIH
4th	Pauline Warlow & Joanna Scott	Lanarkshire	83	7	76
5th	Venetia Scott & Claire Howden	Borders	87	10.5	76.5

Commonwealth Spoons Prize-winners

LET Access Series - Information

LA MANGA CLUB TO HOST LADIES MURCIA OPEN

La Manga Club has further cemented its position as one of the biggest supporters of women’s golf in Europe, with the announcement it will host the Murcia Ladies Open from November 18-20.

The event is part of the LET Access Series, the official feeder tour to the Ladies European Tour (LET), and will see aspiring Tour stars flock to the five-star Spanish resort.

The 54-hole tournament will be played on the resort’s prestigious South course – a familiar setting for many of the competitors as it has hosted the LET’s Qualifying School for the last two years, a relationship that will continue in December for the 2010 event.

The Murcia Ladies Open is just the latest step the La Manga Club resort has taken to demonstrate its support of women’s golf. The resort recently held the English Women’s Golf Association’s inaugural overseas event as part of its role as the organisation’s official overseas resort partner.

And La Manga Club hopes to add yet another prestigious ladies’ golf event to its portfolio as it is currently bidding to bring the Solheim Cup to Spain for the first time in 2015.

Julio Delgado, CEO of La Manga Club, said: “La Manga Club is passionate about women’s golf and we’re delighted to be holding an event which can help aspiring players achieve their dream of playing on Tour.

“La Manga Club’s pedigree in holding prestigious events is well established, and will hopefully be even stronger with the Solheim Cup. It will be a great experience for the players as the South course is in exceptional condition.”

As well as the main tournament, a post-event pro-am event is taking place on November 21. A package to compete in the event, attend its cocktail and prize-giving ceremony, enjoy two nights’ in the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe and receive VIP passes to the final day of the Ladies Murcia Open costs just €220.

For more information or to book call 00 34 968 17 5577 or email reserve@lamangaclub.com.

P&K News - AGM

Perth and Kinross County Golf Association held their Annual General Meeting last night.

P&K Committee: Back row left to right Carol Muir (Match Secretary) Jillian Milne (Secretary) Fiona Ramsay, Miriam Wilson, Laura Walker. Front row Pat Colquhoun (Vice Captain) Ella Benzies (Pesident) Lenore Kyle (Captain) and Pam Drysdale (Assistant Junior Convenor) Missing from the photo is Gwen Lambie and Junior Convenor Carol Lambie.

P&K Prize winners Back row left to right, Dawn Butchart, Janet Griffiths and Jane Yellowlees. Front row Linda Mailer, Susan MacDougall, Lenore Kyle, Laura Walker and Jillian Milne.

The list of prizewinners were as follows:

Coronation Trophy - Jane Yellowlees
Handicap Quaich - Jillian Milne
Crawford Salver - Jillian Milne
Sports Council Salver - Susan Ogg & Morag Brydson
Brown Memorial Salver - Dawn Butchart & Janet Griffiths
Nell Scott Quaich - Lenore Kyle
Captains Centenary Jug - Jillian Milne
Past Captains Centenary Tray - Dawn Butchart
Centenary Junior Medal - Eilidh Watson
Order of Merit - Jane Yellowlees & Jillian Milne
Champion of Champions -Laura Walker
Gibb Trophy R/U - Linda Mailer
Gibb Trophy - Susan MacDougall
Championship R/U - Emily Ogilvy
County Championship - Laura Walker

Thanks to Dawn Butchart for the photos and report

EGU / EWGA News - Membership Questionnaire

EGU/EWGA Membership Questionnaire shows that creative attitude from clubs will pay dividends

22nd October 2010

Feedback from the 2010 Golf Club Membership Questionnaire indicates that the active promotion of flexible opportunities within golf and golf clubs must remain a key focus area for the English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) development network.

Working in a changing and challenging consumer landscape, the England Golf Partnership recognises that clubs and counties must be creative, flexible and welcoming to succeed in a difficult economic environment.

Following completion of the 2010 Golf Club Membership Questionnaire, responded to by more than 1,000 golf clubs in England, there is positive news about membership packages and opportunities for new golfers of all ages.

The newly published Results Booklet will now be a vital resource for the England Golf Partnership (the EGP is made up of the EGU, EWGA, the Professional Golfers’ Association and supported by the Golf Foundation) in its allocation of funding and support for golf clubs and County Golf Partnerships going forwards.

This is important because the Results Booklet clearly demonstrates that club membership has felt the detrimental effect of the recession. This is evident from falling affiliation figures, increases in vacancies (95% of clubs reported membership vacancies, a 5% increase from two years ago) and the high proportion of facilities that have experienced a decrease in membership (60%).

However, the results also shows that facilities are adapting to the current economic challenges and some of the more traditional aspects of golf club membership are now changing, with high percentages of clubs offering a range of membership categories (eg: 57% of clubs offer 5-day membership, 47% offer ‘senior’, 46% ‘intermediate’ and 46% offer ‘student’ packages).

Becoming a member is now a more simplified process, is more affordable and flexible, with waiting lists and entrance fees on the decline (56% of clubs charge no entrance fee). Subscription fees have also remained steady to the rates of two years ago and golf clubs are using a variety of marketing channels to promote their facilities and membership opportunities to both those from golfing and non golfing backgrounds (eg: 71% use the internet, 53% publications, 41% have links with secondary schools and 37% have links with primary schools).

The Results Booklet shows that golf clubs are looking at ways to run their operations more effectively, with an increased number of facilities employing a Secretary/Manager, while numbers of practice facilities have been maintained thus aiding recruitment and retention rates.

The questionnaire has found that the majority of golf clubs are actively seeking members and through the County Golf Partnership structure, the EGU and EWGA are confident that participation rates will increase. By offering a variety of flexible packages, offers and innovative recruitment, facilities will be able to transform their membership in time.

Richard Flint, EGU/EWGA Golf Development Manager, said: “The 2010 Golf Club Membership Questionnaire has been well received by golf clubs and the results provide a means by which we can focus future resources and support those that require our help through our network of Development Officers.

“Golf in England is changing and it is important that as National Governing Bodies we adapt accordingly to provide the best support possible to our affiliated clubs and members.”

The EGU and EWGA believe that due to the growing success of its GolfMark programme, that is seeing more and more clubs attaining this ‘beginner-friendly’ accreditation (there are currently 378 GolfMark clubs and 589 working towards accreditation), these developments will show greater benefits for beginner golfers of all ages going forwards.

To complement the 2010 Results Booklet, the EGU and EWGA will be producing specific county breakdowns by the end of the year, which will also look at regional trends.

Some 1,037 golf clubs (53%) returned a completed questionnaire, a 9% increase in returns compared with 2008. The EGU and EWGA would like to take the opportunity to thank golf clubs for their continued support of the Golf Club Membership Questionnaire.

The Golf Club Membership Questionnaire 2010 Results Booklet is available to download at www.englishgolfunion.org.  Alternatively copies of the publication can be purchased from the EGU’s online shop at www.englishgolfunionshop.org.

The Golf Club Membership Questionnaire is part of the England Golf Partnership’s research strategy, and part of the England Golf Partnership’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf.

LET News - Sanya Ladies Open

MAGNIFICENT MICHL LEADS SANYA LADIES OPEN IN CHINA

Stephanie Michl in action yesterday (Courtesy of ONEONEGOLF)

SANYA, China, Friday, 22nd October 2010 -- Austrian Stefanie Michl shot a career best round of seven-under-par 65 to lead the inaugural Sanya Ladies Open in China on Friday.

The 24-year-old from Graz leads by three ahead of England’s Florentyna Parker, South African Lee-Anne-Pace and Cecilie Lundgreen of Norway, who are tied for second on 68.

Michl was in scintillating form on a scorching day at the Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya, on Hainan Island, in southern China.

She took advantage of the opening morning’s hot and benign conditions, with temperatures topping 31°C. “It was a calm day: really nice. Luckily I’m staying all winter in Orlando, Florida, which is very similar weather to here, so I like it” she said.

“I stayed out of trouble pretty well. I’ve been hitting my driver alright. My irons have been okay too but the best part of my game today was definitely my putting. I’ve been sinking a lot of short putts and medium-long putts and two or three longer putts I holed out. That helped to get my score low.”

The fourth season Ladies European Tour player, who is yet to win on Tour, attacked the back nine first, with birdies on the 12th, 13th, 15th and 17th holes. She picked up three straight shots coming in for seven birdies in all.

“I was actually surprised that I was playing that well today, because I didn’t expect anything. I was just working on my swing the last few weeks,” she said.

“The pro am was my first 18-hole round in four weeks so it took a while to get into my game and get into the rhythm and then I saw it was going quite well and I started to really go for the flags.”

Parker, Pace and Lundgreen all played in the breezier afternoon conditions and were delighted to be in contention.

Pace, a three-time winner this season who is chasing the Ladies European Tour’s 2010 Henderson Money List title, said: “It was pretty solid. I hit 14 greens and 13 fairways. My play was fantastic and the weather throughout was very nice. Four under is exactly what I expected to do today, so I’m very happy where I am.”

Parker, the ABN AMRO Ladies Open champion ranked 11th in Europe, is looking to finish in the top ten on the Henderson Money List this season and said: “I’m very pleased. I started birdie, birdie, so I can’t do better than that. I played nicely and had a few more chances but I’m happy. I’ve not played tournament golf for a couple of weeks so it was a nice opening round.”

Lundgreen came to Asia as a reserve and only secured her place in the tournament on Monday. A strong result could see her secure her Ladies European Tour card for 2011.

“I’m just thrilled,” said Lundgreen, whose career best finish was a tie for second at the 2011 South African Masters. “I’m normally a little bit ADD but I stayed disciplined for 18 holes.”

Yang Hong Mei from the nearby city of Haikou was the top Chinese player on the leader board at three-under-par. She tied for fifth with big-hitting Marjet van der Graaff from the Netherlands, Spain’s Tania Elosegui and Samantha Richdale of Canada.

Australian Karen Lunn and Finland’s Hanna-Leena Salonen were a shot further back in a share of ninth place with three other players.

The second round of the 54-hole tournament is scheduled to begin at 7.15am on Saturday, following which there will be a cut to the leading 60 professionals and those tied.

Sanya Ladies Open
Yalong Bay Golf Club (par 72), Sanya, Hainan, People’s Republic of China
22-24 October 2010
Scores at the end of round 1:

65 - Stefanie Michl (AUT)
68 - Lee-Anne Pace (SA), Florentyna Parker (ENG), Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR)
69 - Tania Elosegui (ESP), Marjet van der Graaff (NL), Samantha Richdale (CAN), Yang Hong Mei (CHN)
70 - Hanna-Leena Salonen (FIN), Russamee Gulyanamitta (THA), Lin Tzu Chi (TAI), Karen Lunn (AUS), Yan Pan Pan (CHN)
71 - Elizabeth Bennett (ENG), Zhong Liu Mei (CHN), Jessica Ji (KOR)
72 - Tian Hong (CHN), Li Jia Yun (Am) (CHN), Pan Yan Hong (CHN), Vikki Laing (SCO), Nikki Garrett (AUS), Bai Yun Yan (CHN), Dewi-Claire Schreefel (NL), Chen Wan Zhen (CHN), Maria Verchenova (RUS), Elizabeth Smith (USA), Pornanong Phatlum (THA), Rebecca Coakley (IRE), Katherine Kempter (USA)
73 - Morgana Robbertze (SA), Trish Johnson (ENG), Belen Mozo (ESP), Yang Tao Li (CHN), Ashleigh Simon (SA), Praewnappa Phol-Uayporn (THA), Diana D'Alessio (USA), Wu Hong Lian (CHN), Hannah Jun (USA), Beth Allen (USA), Christel Boeljon (NL), Georgina Simpson (ENG), Kylie Walker (SCO)
74 - Huang Ping (CHN), Becky Brewerton (WAL), Zhong Xiao Long (CHN), Becky Morgan (WAL), Felicity Johnson (ENG), Jenni Kuosa (FIN), Shi Xiao Ying (Am) (CHN), Titiya Plucksataporn (THA), Sharmila Nicollet (IN), Zhang Na (CHN), Virada Nirapathpongporn (THA), Li Wei (CHN), Wang Xin (Am) (CHN)
75 - Lin Xi Yu (Am) (CHN), Ursula Wikstrom (FIN), Nontaya Srisawang (THA), Smriti Mehra (IN), Ana Larraneta (ESP), Jeehae Lee (KOR), Ornthana Chuenarrom (THA), Huang Mei Hao (CHN), Lu Yue Xia (CHN), Laurette Maritz (SA), KM Juul (DEN), Carmen Alonso (ESP), Zhang Yu Yu (CHN)
76 - Stacy Lee Bregman (SA), Yoon Jung Hwang (KOR), Claire Aitken (ENG), Kate Combes (AUS), Shen Yan Hua (CHN)
77 - Danielle Bowers (ENG), Lu Mei Ping (CHN), Narisara Kerdrit (THA), Ren Xiao Zheng (CHN), Lidya Ivana Jaya (IDN), Yang Jia Xin (Am) (CHN)
78 - Gao Shuang (CHN), Yan Jing (Am) (CHN), Margherita Rigon (ITA), Shang Lin Yan (CHN), Melissa Reid (ENG), Tiffany Tavee (USA)
79 - Martina Gillen (IRE), Sophie Walker (ENG), Patcharajutar Kongkraphan (THA), Riikka Hakkarainen (FIN), Wang Yan Hua (CHN), Zhang Hai Ying (CHN), Wei Xiao Rong (CHN), Wang Wen Wen (CHN), Nuchada Vitayakonkomol (THA), Caroline Rominger (SWI), Zhou Qin (CHN)
80 - Tara Delaney (IRE), Heidi Chua (PHI)
81 - Guo Cai Zhu (CHN), Carly Booth (SCO)
83 - Feng Si Min (Am) (CHN), Fu Lan Ying (CHN)
84 - Pu Reum Hwang (KOR)
85 - Hu Ying Bo (CHN), Chiu Ling Ti (TAI)
86 - Tan Ling Ling (CHN)