SCOT LINZI IS PIPPED IN PLAY-OFF FOR HEARTLAND CONF TIITLE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Ayrshire's Linzi Allan, a sophomore (second-year) student at Newman University, Wichita, Kansas, lost a play-off for the individual title at the Heartland Conference Women's Championship at Teravista Golf Club, Round Rock in Texas on Wednesday.
Linzi, pictured, a former pupil of Garnock Academy, had a pair of 74s for a total of 148 overe a par-72 course of 6,250yd. Her score was matched by Melissa Gonzalez (St Edwards University) with rounds of 77 and 71.
Melissa won the sudden-death play-off at the first extra hole.
Linzi's team-mates, Megan Birdsey from Bedfordshire (75-78 for 153) and Alyssa Balding (85-94 for 179) finished sixth and 22nd respectively in a field of 35 players.
Newman (632) finished third of seven behind St Edwards University (613) and Dallas Baptist University (623) in the team event.
This was Newman University's last competition of the 2010-2011 college golf season.

LAURA JONES FAILS IN BID FOR HAT-TRICK OF WINS

Cheshire's Laura Jones, bidding for a hat-trick of individual college titles, slumped to rounds of 77 and 90 to fill joint 10th place on 167 over a par-72 course of 6,082yd in the Sooner Athletic Conference Women's Championship at Heritage Hills Golf Club, Claremore, Oklahoma.
Laura, from Ellesmere Port, is coming up to the end of her four years as a student at Oklahoma City University. She has won seven times on the US women's college circuit including the last two in succession prior to the SAC Championship.
Winner was Rachael Dansby (Lubbock Christian) with high scores of 79 and 82 for 161. She headed a field of 35 players by two shots.
There was not even consolation for Laura Jones in the team event as Oklahoma City (666) finished second to Lubbock Christian (653) in a field of seven years.

TOP SEED TUMBLES AT ENGLISH SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION The sun blazed, the scores were low and the top seed tumbled during an eventful first day of match-play at the English senior women's amateur championship at York Golf Club today. The survivors were Barbara Laird and Sue Dye of Cheshire, Janet Melville of Nottinghamshire and Roz Adams of Surrey who will play in tomorrow’s semi-finals. The upset of the day was provided in the first round by Pat West of Lincolnshire who secured her place in the championship match-play only after taking part in a five-way sudden death play-off.  She promptly toppled the top seed and three-time champion,  Chris Quinn of Hampshire.  Other first-round losers included defending champion Caroline Marron of Cheshire, who went out to British senior champion Bev New in a low scoring match in which both players were below par.  Norfolk’s Jo Ashmore was defeated by fellow senior international Sue Dye in a match in which both players dropped just one shot. Sue Dye went on to play level par golf in the afternoon  quarter-finals to beat another England team member, Felicity Christine of Surrey. “ I haven’t played all winter and had only one-and –a-half rounds before coming here! “ said Sue. “But I have been having lessons on my long game and it is all coming together.”Barbara Laird, who used to play in Durham, defeated her old friend Ruth Lindley in the first round before ending Pat West’s run in the quarter finals. Barbara, who had a host of birdies through the day, said: “I had two good matches.” Janet Melville won her first round match by a comfortable margin before dismissing  the challenge of Beverley New. “That was a big win,” said Janet, who was two-under par, using a new set of graphite-shafted irons and taking advantage of the extra length they give her.  The two players used to be fellow members of the English ladies’ team in earlier amateur careers.  Meanwhile senior strokeplay champion Roz Adams knocked out the only Yorkshire player in the championship matchplay when she defeated Jackie Barraclough in the first round.  Roz went on to beat Elaine Elliott of Northumberland in the quarter-finals. Roz was out of golf for about three months over the winter with a foot problem and remarked at the end of the day’s play: “I am delighted , I’m very pleased to be getting my game back on track.” The winner of the new consolation Stableford for players, who failed to qualify for the match-play stages, was won by Jackie Roper of Portal who went round in gross 74 and amassed 43 points. The semi-finals are:  Barbara Laird (Sandiway) v Janet Melville (Sherwood Forest) Sue Dye (Delamere Forest)  v Roz Adams ( Addington Court Ladies). Two Yorkshire players are in the semi-finals of the second flight match-play: Irene Brien (Wentworth) v Carolyn Kirk (Ganton) Fiona Anderson (Formby Ladies) v Pat Wrightson (Huddersfield). Click here for the EGWA Match-play Scoreboard Lyndsey Hewison EGWA Press and PR Officer

ONLY TWO SCOTTISH WINNERS OF 'HELEN HOLM' SINCE 1992

ByCOLINFARQUHARSON                                                                                                                                      

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Seventeen of the first 20 winners of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship - always held at Troon but when it was started in 1973 it was the "Helen Holm Trophy" tournament, outwith the auspices of the SLGA - were Scottish.

But since Mhairi McKay's victory in 1992, there have been only two Scottish-born winners: Lesley Nicholson in 1999 and Heather Stirling in 2002.

Now, does this suggest that Scottish women's amateur golf is not as good as it once was? Almost certainly not. More likely that the tournament has grown in stature to become one of the leading stroke-play events in Europe, and it is far more difficult for a Scot to win it now than it was in the 1970s and 1980s.

But if the Scots who won the Women's Home Internationals title at Cardiff last September after earning the bronze medals in the European team championships in Spain can summon up that patriotic inspiration as individuals, then there is nothing to stop one of them stepping up to receive the Helen Holm Trophy at the conclusion of the three-day, 54-hole Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Troon on Sunday.It's all about self-confidence.
As a team, the Scots had it in spades last year.                                              
And individually there were great performances from Bothwell Castle's Pamela Pretswell, winner of the British women's stroke-play title, and Nairn Dunbar's Kelsey MacDonald, winner of the Scottish women's amateur championship and beaten finalist in the British match-play championship at Ganton.

Pretswell is ranked No 32 and MacDonald No 43 in the Women's World Amateur Rankings. The next Scot at No 190 in the ratings is Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), joint third at Troon last year when a last-round 80 torpedoed the challenge she had mounted with two good scores over the first two days.

Pamela Pretswell, not being a full-time amateur, has had more than golf on her mind over the past few months.

"I have been busy at Glasgow University completing my Business and Management degree," said 21-year-old from Hamilton, who hopes to graduate with honours this summer.

"But I have also managed to spend some time in Portugal preparing for the season. I have made some slight changes to my swing and my putting over the winter so it will be good to test them out at the Helen Holm."

Kelsey MacDonald, 20, underlined her early-season form by winning the British universities' women's stroke-play title by 17 strokes over four rounds at West Lancashire GC last week.

On paper, Pamela, Kelsey and Louise should be the host country's standard-bearers this weekend in an event which is rarely won by an "outsider."

Two rounds over Troon Portland and Sunday's final 18 holes over Royal Troon, contested by the leading 66 players and ties after two rounds, are guaranteed to sort out the wheat from the chaff although it has to be said there is very little "chaff" in this weekend's quality field of 99 players from a total of 11 countries, including Russia and the Czech Republic.

Four have +4 handicaps - the Maguire twins, Pamela Pretswell and Emma Brown, who won the title as Emma Duggleby in 2004 with a tournament record low total of 211, equalled only by Melissa Reid in 2007 when she won it for the second year in a row.

Unusually, there are no French entries because the French Federation rearranged their Under-21 open championship for this weekend! Which was hardly Entente Cordiale or words to that effect!

Ireland has a strong hand in defending champion Danielle McVeigh (Royal County Down Ladies), although astonishingly she is No 631 in the world rankings, and the 16-year-old Maguire twins from the Slieve Russell club.

There have been only two big events on the European women's amateur golf calendar this year and Leona won the "Portuguese" by the runaway margin of 15 shots over 72 holes while Lisa won the "Spanish," which has a match-play format.

Not surprisingly, Leona is world-ranked No 11 and Lisa No 17.

This is not a Curtis Cup year but the Ladies Golf Union selectors will be out in force over the Troon Links. Next month they will be selecting a GB&I team of nine for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Royal Porthcawl and a team of five for the Astor Trophy (formerly the Commonwealth Tournament) match-play round-robin team evebt against Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa at Fairhaven GC, Lancashire.

These matches are in successive weeks in mid-June. 

===============================================
+Pictured above is Helen Holm who was born in Glasgow on March 14, 1907 as Helen Grey. She married a farmer, Andrew Holm.
Helen, a member of Ladies Golf Club, Troon, was five times Scottish amateur champion between 1930 and 1950.
She won the British championship in 1934 and 1938.
She played in the Curtis Cup matches of 1936-1938-1948 but declined further selection after the birth of her son Michael.
Helen Holm died on December 15, 1971 at the age of 64.
Two years later, the golf club decided to honour her memory by instigating the Helen Holm Trophy tournament.
================================================

ALL THE WINNERS OF THE "HELEN HOLM" WITH THEIR TOTALS

1973 Belle Robertson 238.

1974 Sandra Needham 236.

1975 Muriel Thomson 235.

1976 Muriel Thomson 233.

1977 Beverley Huke (England) 239.

1978 Wilma Aitken 230.

1978 Belle Robertson 234.

1980 Wilma Aitken 225.

1981 Gillian Stewart 231.

1982 Wilma Aitken 231.

1983 Jane Connachan 228.

1984 Gillian Stewart 217.

1985 Pamela Wright 244.

1986 Belle Robertson 227.

1987 Elaine Farquharson 227.

1988 Alison Gemmill 233.

1989 Sara Robinson (England) 225.

1990 Catriona Lambert 225.

1991 Julie Hall (England) 224.

1992 Mhairi McKay 227.

1993 Julie Hall (England) 224.

1994 Katie Tebbett (England) 223.

1995 Maria Hjorth (Sweden) 219.

1996 Joanne Hockley (England) 219.

1997 Kim Rostron (England) 219.

1998 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Denmark) 225.

1999 Lesley Nicholson 222.

2000 Rebecca Hudson (England) 213.

2001 Fiona Brown (England) 215.

2002 Heather Stirling 215.

2003 Nathalie David (France) 227.

2004 Emma Duggleby (England) 211.

2005 Martina Gillen (Ireland) 215.

2006 Melissa Reid (England) 212.

2007 Melissa Reid (England) 211.

2008 Barbara Genuini (France) 214.

2009 Leona Maguire (Ireland) 218.

2010 Danielle McVeigh (Ireland) 215.

DANIELLE BIDS TO MAKE IT 3 "HELEN HOLMS" IN ROW FOR IRISH

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Even the Irish Ladies Golf Union is baffled by the fact that Danielle McVeigh, who defends the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur championship over 54 holes at Troon this weekend, is only 631st in this week's Women's World Amateur Rankings.

The Royal County Down Ladies Golf Club player, pictured, one of the outstanding members of last year's Great Britain and Ireland team in the Curtis Cup defeat by the Americans at Essex County Club, Massachusetts, is bidding to make it three in a row for Ireland in the "Helen Holm" which tees off on Friday with the first of two rounds over Troon Portland following by a final round on Sunday over the testing - especially if the wind blows, which it usually does - Open championship links of the Royal Troon Golf Club for the leading 66 players and ties at the end of the second round.

Leona Maguire was the title winner at Troon in 2009 and Danielle, of course, followed in her footsteps in 2010.

Martina Gillen also won the "Helen Holm" - the late Mrs Holm was a legendary Curtis Cup player from Ayrshire and her son Michael is a member at Royal Troon - in 2005 before turning pro so Ireland have a very good record in the event over the last five or six years.

ILGU secretary Denise McCarthy said:

"I’m not sure why Danielle McVeigh is so far down the ranking. It may be to do with transitioning points from 2010 to 2011?
"She didn’t play in the Portuguese championship (won by Leona Maguire) and was beaten by Lisa Maguire (the tournament winner) at the 21st hole in the second round of the Spanish championship.

"Danielle has spent time this year training in Texas - she was formerly a student at Texas A and M University - so hasn’t been competing like the others. I’m sure she’d like to put that World Ranking straight this weekend!"
R and A staff man David Moir, one of the men who helped to bring in the Women's World Amateur Rankings at the start of this year, says that Danielle's lowly rating is easy to explain.
"If you look at the records of Leona Maguire (ranked No 11), Lisa Maguire (ranked No 17) and Danielle McVeigh (ranked No 631), it can be seen that, over the last 52 week cycle, the Maguires have better records than Danielle who has under- achieved in terms of her high standard.
"Danielle played poorly in the pro and tour qualifying events, missed cuts and suffered the consequences."
Last year, in the final round at Royal Troon, Danielle came from three shots behind to secure a two-stroke victory over England's Nikki Foster, with Leona and Lisa Maguire finishing tied for sixth, a further two strokes back.
All three Irish players will once again be hoping for strong performances in this year's event ahead of selection for the Vagliano Trophy when GB and I take on Europe at Royal Porthcawl in late June.
The week after the "Vagliano," a five-strong GB and I team will compete in the Astor Trophy (formerly the Commonwealth Tournament) in round-robin match-play against Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa at Fairhaven GC, Lancashire.
So there is a big incentive to impress the Ladies Golf Union selectors who will be out in force over the Troon links this weekend.

THIS WEEK'S WOMEN'S WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS
1 Mitsuki Katahire (Japan).
2 Cecilia Cho (New Zealand).
3 Lydia Ko (New Zealand).
4 Erica Popson (US).
5 Emily Tubert (US).
6 Megan McChrystal (US).
7 Marta Silva (Spain).
8 Iliska Verwey (South Africa).
9 Sophia Popov (Germany).
10 Kayla Mortellara (US).
11 Leona Maguire (Ireland).
12 Lisa McCloskey (Colombia).
13 Bertine Strauss (South Africa).
14 Carlota Ciganda (Spain).
16 Kim Williams (South Africa).
17 Lisa Maguire (Ireland).
18 Therese Koelbaek (Denmark)
19 Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand).
20 Manuela Carbajo Re (Argentina).
21 Martina Gavier (Argentina).
22 Danielle Kang (US).
23 Stephanie Meadow (Ireland).
24 Tiffany Lua (US).
SELECTED RANKINGS
31 Charley Hull (England).
32 Pamela Pretswell (Scotland).
43 Kelsey MacDonald (Scotland).
65 Holly Clyburn (England).
91 Hayley Davis (England).
104 Amy Boulden (Wales).
120 Kelly Tidy (England).
190 Louise Kenney (Scotland).
200 Sally Watson (Scotland).
218 Lauren Taylor (England).
239 Tara Watters (England).
250 Jane Turner (Scotland).
268 Bronte Law (England).
358 Sian Evans (England)
430 Rachael Watton (Scotland).
480 Megan Briggs (Scotland).
631 Danielle McVeigh (Ireland).
707 Laura Murray (Scotland).

CARDIFF'S ANNA CARLING WINS SUN BELT CONFERENCE TITLE

                                  Anna Carling receives the Sun Belt Conference Championship individual trophy.

FROM THE ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY WEBSITE
(with additional words by Colin Farquharson)
MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama: Arkansas State sophomore Anna Carling took home medalist honours at the Sun Belt Conference Women's Golf Championships, winning a sudden death play-off Wednesday afternoon on the Trent Jones Golf Trail with Middle Tennessee's Karisa Akin to give the Red Wolves' their second ever individual champion at the league tournament.
Welsh international team player Carling, from Vale of Glamorgan Golf Cub, Cardiff, named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team for the second consecutive year, turned in the second lowest round of her career Wednesday with a final round of two-under-par 70 and finished with a career-best total of one-under  before winning the play-off on the first hole.
Carling joined Rebecca Sarjeant as the only other player in school history to win the women's Sun Belt Conference Championships individual title.
"It was obviously a really exciting position for me to be in going into the last day," said Anna. "I just played two steady rounds, and it was exciting to be in contention with four good players ahead of me and a packed field behind me. I wanted to put in a nice round today and be in the mix at the end, but it was really a great tournament for the whole team. Coach (Desbiens) did a great job preparing us for not only this tournament, but throughout the year."
Prior to her third-round 70, Carling posted a 71 for the opening 18 holes and followed with a 74 for the next 18 over the par-72, 6,127yd course at The Shoals. It was her second US college career tournament title. She also won the EKU Lady Colonel Classic in 2010.

Ellie Givens (Denver University), pictured left from Darlington, English girls' champion in 2007, finished third with scores of 71, 75 and 72 for 218 - three behind Carling and Akin.

Katie Mundy (Florida International) from Hampshire finished joint 13th on 223 with scores of 73, 73 and 77.

Ireland's Sarah Faller (Denver) shared 28th place on 229 with rounds of 73, 78 and 78.

Ellie Givens, coming to the end of her four years at Denver University, spearheaded the squad to victory in the team event with a total of 875 - five ahead of runners-up Middle Tennessee State with Arkansas-Little Rock (887) third. 
Arkansas State (898) finished sixth of 11 teams.



LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72). Yardage 6,127
215 Anna Carling (Arkansas State) 71 74 70, Karisa Akin (Middle Tennessee State) 72 71 71 (Carling won sudden-death play-off at first hole).
218 Ellie Givens (Denver) 71 75 72.
Selected totals
223 Katie Mundy (Florida International) 73 73 77 (T13).
229 Sarah Faller (Denver) 73 78 78 (T28).

LEADING TEAM TOTALS
875 Denver.
880 Middle Tennessee State.
887 Arkansas Little Rock.
Selected total
898 Arkansas State (6th of 11).



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