LAURA MURRAY'S REMEDY FOR FORM SLUMP - TAKE A BREAK

KEEPING HER CHIN UP ... Laura Murray is not letting her form slump get her down (Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Alford’s big-hitter Laura Murray’s answer to a disappointing start to the season is to take a break from golf.
Even if it meant not defending the title at the weekend St Rule Trophy. And she has also pulled out of next week’s Ladies Golf Union amateur flagship event, the British women’s open amateur championship at Royal Portrush GC in Northern Ireland.
Laura, 22, lost in the final of the Aberdeenshire county championship to Donna Pocock and then missed the cut in the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur stroke-play. She qualified 20th of 32 for the match-play stages of the Scottish championship at Machrihanish but lost in the first round to former champion Elaime Moffat.
Laura, a member of the Paul Lawrie Foundation elite team, also works part-time as a swimming pool lifeguard at Kippie Lodge Sports Club, Milltimber.
“As everyone knows I’ve not had the greatest of starts to the season, so I just wanted to pull myself away from a couple of competitions to get myself back forcused and playing comfortably for the bigger tournaments later on in the season,” said Laura.
“It’s no big deal. It just feels like the right thing to do. I’ll be on form in no time.”
Her two highlights of the 2010 season were winning the St Rule Trophy and being a member of the Scotland team who won the women’s home internationals title for the first time in 19 years.

NO G B AND I PLACE FOR SALLY - SHE'S 209 IN WORLD RANKINGS

E-mail from Gordon G Simmonds

Reference GB and I team for Vagliano Trophy match (SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW IT)

Where's Sally Watson, two-time Curtis Cup player, Stanford University number one, leading Scot and fourth best British finisher in 2010 Espirito Santo Trophy, 2010 U.S. Women's Open participant (missed cut by a single stroke) etc. etc? Mysterious omission. Perhaps, she wasn't available?

 

Reply from Colin Farquharson

 I cannot speak on behalf of the LGU selection committee but Sally has not had a good 2010-2011 college golf year for Stanford - who are a struggling team round about her.

In the "old days," Sally Watson's CV - two-time Curtis Cup player, etc as you say, would have stood her in good stead when international teams were being selected. But not now. Current form is what counts.

In these days of weekly-updated Women's World Amateur Rankings, I have no doubt that the LGU selectors had studied them closely and seen Stephanie Meadow just outside the top 10, Leona Maguire within a couple of spots of her ... and Sally way down at No 209 (was 182 last week) in the world rankings.
Of the nine players and three reserves named for next month's Vagliano Trophy match, only Danielle McVeigh, is currently below Sally Watson in the WWAR. Danielle won the Irish close championship last week and her ranking does not yet include that.

At the same time, I have no doubt that Sally will rise again. A player of her class doesn't "lose" it completely as quickly as that.

I should think she will be out to prove the selectors wrong by going close to winning the Ladies British open amateur championship at Royal Portrush next week.

I hope so. The championship promises to be one of the best for years - it's Stephanie Meadow's home course, even though her parents took her off to America a few years ago to improve her golf more quickly (and the stratagem worked!).

I'm heading for Royal Portrush next week. I'm really looking forward to the LGU's flagship amateur event. If Sally Watson wins it, only her dad will be more than pleased than me.

Colin Farquharson

WORLD RANKINGS OF THE GB and I VAGLIANO TROPHY SQUAD
No 12 Stephanie Meadow.
No 14 Leona Maguire.
No 26 Pamela Pretswell.
No 38 Holly Clyburn.
No 47 Kelsey MacDonald
No 79 Amy Boulden.
No 135 Louise Kenney
No 160 Kelly Tidy
No 737 Danielle McVeigh
RESERVES
No 17 Charley Hull.
No 31 Lisa Maguire.
No 120 Charlotte Ellis.

GB AND I TEAMS FOR VAGLIANO TROPHY AND GIRLS' MATCH

LADIES GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

Five of the team of nine players selected to represent Great Britain and Ireland against the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, South Wales on Friday and Saturday, June 24-25 have never played in a Curtis Cup match or this biennial fixture against the best amateurs on the mainland of Europe.
The team, to be captained by Tegwen Matthews, is:

AMY BOULDEN (Llandudno Maesdu)
HOLLY CLYBURN (Woodhall Spa)
LOUISE KENNEY (Pitreavie)
KELSEY MacDONALD (Nairn Dunbar)
DANIELLE McVEIGH (Royal Co Down Ladies’)
LEONA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell)
STEPHANIE MEADOW (Royal Portrush)
PAMELA PRETSWELL (Bothwell Castle).
KELLY TIDY (Royal Birkdale)

Reserves:
1 LISA MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell).
2 CHARLEY HULL (Woburn).
3 CHARLOTTE ELLIS (Minchinhampton).

Amy Boulden, Kelsey MacDonald and Kelly Tidy will make their debuts for Great Britain and Ireland in the Astor Trophy matches against Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lytham St Annes from June 15 to 19.
For Louise Kenney and Stephanie Meadow the Vagliano Trophy match will be their first appearance in a Great Britain and Ireland team.
The team of nine chosen to play the Continent of Europe is made up of the five selected some weeks ago for the Astor Trophy – Amy Boulden, Kelsey MacDonald, Kelly Tidy, Holly Clyburn and Pamela Pretswell - with the additon of Louise Kenney, Danielle McVeigh, Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow.
Irish players were not available for selection to the Astor Trophy line-up.

Kenney, a Dunfermline schoolteacher, has recently won the Scottish women’s close amateur championship at Machrihanish for the first time, having been beaten in the two previous years’ finals. She won the Scottish girls’ match-play championship in 2000 and lost in the final a year later. Earlier this season Louise finished third in the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon.
Like Kelsey MacDonald and Pamela Pretswell, she was a member of the Scotland team who won last September’s Ladies’ Home Internationals title at Whitchurch (Cardiff) for the first time in 19 years.
Danielle McVeigh is also a national champion. She won the Irish close championship last week, six years after winning the Irish girls’ title.
Sixteen-year-old twin Leona Maguire won the Portuguese women’s open amateur stroke-play championship by the astonishing margin of 15 strokes over 72 holes earlier in the year. In April, she almost repeated her 2009 victory in the “Helen Holm” but double-bogeyed the last hole at Royal Troon to lose the lead and finish second, a shot behind Charlotte Ellis, who is one of the reserves.

Stephanie Meadow, 19, has had a brilliant freshman season for Alabama University on the US women’s college circuit, winning three tournaments and being named to the All-American Team by the NCAA coaches at the end of their season. Born in Northern Ireland, Stephanie played in three Irish girls championship finals – 2004, 2006 and 2007, winning the Under-18s’ title in 2006. Stephanie has spent the last few years in America. She is currently No 12 in the Women’s World Amateur Rankings, two places ahead of Leona Maguire.

UNDER-16 GIRLS’ MATCH AT ROYAL PORTHCAWL
For the first time, a six-a-side match for Under-16 years girls, representing Great Britain and Ireland on one side, and the Continent of Europe on the other, will be played in conjunction with the Vagliano Trophy fixture at Royal Porthcawl.

The GB and I girls’ team, captained by Sue Turner, is:
GEORGIA HALL (Remedy Oak)
CHARLEY HULL (Woburn)
BRONTE LAW (Bramhall)
AMBER RATCLIFFE (Royal Cromer)
CLARA YOUNG (North Berwick)
CHLOE WILLIAMS (Wrexham)

Reserves
1 OLIVIA WINNING (Rotherham).
2 REBECCA McGEEHAN (Hummerbachaue, Germany)
3 HANNA HENDERSON (Ballyclare).
4 ELLIE GOODALL (Selby).

Charley Hull, 15, has this season won the Welsh women’s open amateur stroke-play title after playing with distinction on the Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs in Florida in January. More recently, she reached the final of the English women’s close amateur championship before losing at the 19th to Lucy Williams.
Bronte Law beat Chloe Williams in a play-off for the SLGA Under-16 girls’ championship at Strathmore in April. Amber Ratcliffe finished third and Georgia Hall eighth in that early-season event.
Clara Young, at 14, is the youngest ever East Lothian women’s county champion.


For further information please contact
Susan Simpson
Head of Golf Operations
Ladies’ Golf Union
susan.simpson@lgu.org
01334 475811

TEE TIMES FOR SCOTTISH SCHOOLS,, MURRAYSHALL, JUNE 6

THE SCOTTISH SCHOOLS GOLF ASSOCIATION

THE PAUL LAWRIE SCOTTISH SCHOOLS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS   2011

         Murrayshall House Hotel Courses,  Monday, June 6  

BOYS' TEE TIMES                                                        

 **Murrayshall Course Times first,  Lynedoch Course Times second.               

07.45 and 12.45 Bradley Neil (Perth and Kinross), Ewan Scott (Fife), David Wilson (South Ayrshire).

07.52 and 12.52 Euan Walker (South Ayrshire), Cameron Mitchell (Fife), Daniel McConnachie (Dumfries and Galloway.

08.00 and 13.00 Ross Proctor (Moray), John Innes (Dumfries and Galloway), Ben Kinsley (Fife).
08.07 and 13.07 Greig Stewart (Perth and Kinross), Callum McKay (Dundee City), Charlie Linton  (Clackmannan).
08.14 and 13.14 Andreas Frey (Perth and Kinross), Blair Carnegie (Stirling),     Connor Syme (Dumfries and Galloway).
08.21 and 13.21 Ben Craggs (Falkirk), Iain Douglas (Dundee City), Marc Dingwall (Moray).
08.28 and 13.28 Scott Grant (Dundee City), Cameron Buist (Stirling), Reyner Kennedy (Clackmannan).
08.35 and 13.35 Lewis Daley (Moray), Andrew Wood (Falkirk), Ross Dallas (Angus).                  
08.42 and 13.42 Callum Rennie (Angus), Robert Watson (Clackmannan), Peter  Maxwell (Falkirk).
08.49 and 13.49 Gavin Petrie (Angus), Stuart Irving (Stirling), Mark Reid (South Ayrshire).
08.56 and 13.56 Jamie Savage (East Dunbartonshire), Daniel Flannery (Scottish Borders), Cameron Farrell (West Dunbartonshire).   

09.03 and 14.03 Craig Howie (Scottish Borders), Chris Lamb (Aberdeen City), Daniel Thompsett (South Aberdeenshire).

09.10 and 14.10 Callum McNeil (Scottish Borders), Sean Walter (Midlothian), Calum Smith (West Dunbartonshire).

 09.17 and 14.17 Craig Lawrie (Aberdeen City), Daniel Eardley (Midlothian),    Craig Chalmers (East Dunbartonshire).    

09.24 and 14.24 Sam MacNeil (South Aberdeenshire), Ross McEwan (West Dunbartonshire), Cameron Johnstone (Aberdeen City). 

09.31 and 14.31 Ross Millar (Midlothian), Neil McArthur (East Dunbartonshire), Lewis McWilliam (South Aberdeenshire).

09.38 and 14.38 A N Other (Highland), A N Other (West Lothian), Gary Foley (Glasgow)                 

 09.45 and 14.45 A N Other (Highland), A N Other (West Lothian), Ali Kyle (Glasgow).                                

09.52 and 14.52 A N Other (Highland), A N Other (West Lothian), Cameron Kirkwood (Glasgow).

10.06 and 15.06 James Steven (South Lanarkshire), Lewis Mutch (North Aberdeenshire), Willem Kerr (City of Edinburgh).
10.13 and 15.13 Connor Milligan (North Lanarkshire), Kerr Baptie (North Aberdeenshire), Murray Lorimer (East Lothian).
10.20 and 15.20 Robbie Gauld (North Aberdeenshire), Cameron Andrew (South Lanarkshire), Innes Ferguson (North Lanarkshire).
10.27 and 15.27 Ross Williamson (South Lanarkshire), A N Other (Inverclyde), Murray Paterson (City of Edinburgh).
10.34 and 15.34 Craig Hughes (North Lanarkshire), A N Other (Inverclyde), Alistair Hastings (East Lothian).
10.41 and 15.41 Guy Dalziel (City of Edinburgh), A N Other (Inverclyde), Murray Whyte (East Lothian).

GIRLS' TEE TIMES             

*Lynedoch Course Times first/Murrayshall Course Times second

08.00 and 13.00 Eilidh Briggs (Renfrewshire), Jessica Meek (Angus), Clara Young (East Lothian).

08.07 and 13.07 Lauren Whyte (Fife), Kate McIntosh (Midlothian), Linsey Stevenson (Glasgow)

08.14 and 13.14 Heather Munro (Dundee City), Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Galloway), Tara Mactaggart (Scottish Borders).

08.21 and 13.21 Megan Clyne (Aberdeen City), Connie Jaffrey (North Ayrshire), Hannah Robb (Dundee City).

08.28 and 13.28 Tegan Seivwright (Aberdeen City), Mhairi McKay (North Ayrshire), Eleanor Tunn (Highland).

08.35 and 13.35 Hannah Scott (City of Edinburgh), Emma Hale (South Ayrshire), Emma Greenlees (Dumfries and Galloway).

08.42 and13.42 Cloe Goadby (Fife), Katie McGarva (South Ayrshire), Nicola Robertson (Forth Valley).

08.49 and 13.49 Claire Gadsby (Perth and Kinross), Alexandra Tait (Fife) Katie Wright (Dumfries and Galloway).

08.56 and 13.56 Kirsten Pryde (Aberdeen City), Sophie Maguire (Fife), Claire Robertson (Angus).

09.03 and 14.03 Rachel Polson (Aberdeen City), Eilidh Watson (Forth Valley), Kimberley Beveridge (South Aberdeenshire).

09.10 and 14.10 Megan Brown (Fife), Emily Dalgetty (Midlothian), Jorden Ferrie (East Dunbartonshire)

09.17 and14.17 Jessica Dalgetty (Midlothian), Rheanna Thom (Perth and Kinross), Shannon McWilliam (South Aberdeenshire).

09.24 and 14.24 Rebecca Todd (Fife), Molly Stewart (Aberdeen City), Alexandra Qayum (Renfrewshire).

09.31 and 14.31 Emma Kennedy (Renfrewshire), Lauren Watson (Aberdeen City), Catherine Goodwin (Forth Valley)

09.38 and 14.38 Heather Neilson (South Lanarkshire), Jennifer Allan (Forth Valley) Aileen Campbell (West Dunbartonshire).

09.45 and14.45 Heather Laing (Midlothian), Becky Flaherty (South Aberdeenshire).

09.52 and 14.52 Beth Donoghue (Forth Valley), Ellie Bryce (South Lanarkshire).

09.59 and 14.59 Starter’s Time

10.06 and 15.06 Nicole Benson (North Lanarkshire), Olivia Borwick (North Aberdeenshire), Lauren D’Ambrosio (S. Lanarkshire).

10.13 and 15.13 Zoe Marr (North Aberdeenshire), Eleanor Jubb (Forth Valley), Julie Glencorse (South Lanarkshire).

Janice Moodie a mother again ... and she's playing in WBO at Carnoustie

FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE

Scotland's Janice Moodie says she has returned to golf with renewed ambition and enthusiasm after giving birth to her second child.

"I think when you take quite a bit of time away from it and then try to build yourself back up again, the juices get flowing again," she told BBC Scotland.

"You start having the dreams about golf. When you're playing it all the time, it gets a little bit monotonous.

"But now that bug is a little bit back, so I am looking forward to it."

The Glasgow-born 37-year-old will play at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, the scene of her maiden tour victory in 2000.

"Matthew John Carneval, that's my married name, was born on the 23rd of March. He is doing really, really well and eating up a storm," she told BBC Radio Scotland's Golf Show.

"I actually went to try to qualify for the US Women's Open after having given birth seven weeks prior, but 36 holes got me and I bogeyed the last and then lost in a play-off.

"You never know, I might get in. But the juices are definitely flowing again.

"I actually leave on Monday. I am going to play in the Shoprite Classic in New Jersey, which will be a lot of fun. And I am going to be taking Craig and Matt down with me.

"And I've got Claire McNeill, who's a very good golfer back home, as well and she is going to be helping me for a little while."

Florida-based Moodie, who won the Scottish women's amateur championship at Royal Aberdeen in 1992, represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup before playing most of her golf in the USA after enrolling at San Jose State University.
She won the Scottish Under-18 girls match-play championship in 1989 and 1991 and the Scottish Under-21 girls' stroke-play in 1990.

She has had four LPGA tournament wins, two in the USA, but the closest she has come to a victory in a major was second place at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2001.

That year, Moodie also finished third at the Women's British Open and will return to her homeland to compete at Carnoustie in July, thanks to an invitation from the Ladies' Golf Union.

"I am thrilled to say I will definitely be there," she added.

"I was always the inland golfer, so coming back and playing links golf is very difficult for me as it was just something that I was never brought up with.

"But I absolutely love coming back home and can't wait to battle it out.

"You do miss hitting balls and playing golf. Hitting balls and playing golf is a bit of a therapy for me. It gives you relief from the kids."