CARLY BOOTH'S FIRST PRO WIN, KATY FINISHES JOINT THIRD

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Comrie's Carly Booth, former Curtis Cup player and past Scottish girls' champion, scored her first victory as a professional in France today (Saturday) in the Dinard Ladies Open at Saint Briac sur Mer, Brittany.

The 19-year-old Perthshire lass, pictured left by Andy Forman, did it the hard way, making up six shots on the overnight leader, Marion Ricordeau with a closing round of two-under-par 67 to tie on 206 - and then beating the French player with a birdie at the first hole of a sudden death play-off.

The event is on the  Ladies European Tour Access Series developmental tour.

To make it a joy day for Scots - Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll achieved her highest finish as a pro. She finished joint third on 208 with a brilliant final round of four-under 65 for 208.

Carly earned 3,430 Euros, Katy 1,565 Euros.

Booth birdied the fourth but bogeyed the short ninth to be out in level par 36. That proved to be her only bogey. She came storming up the leaderboard with an inward half of two-under 31. She had birdies at the 14th, 15th and short 17th and even a bogey at the 18th could not derail Carly's winning effort.  

Ricordeau, who had made all the running with scores of 66 and 67, sagged to a closing 73 for 206. That left the door open and Carly seized the opportunity in what could prove a turning point for her pro golf career.

Carly's earlier rounds were 69 and 70.

Katy McNicoll, pictured below, had earlier scores of 71 and 72 before she caught fire with a 65, the lowest score of the third round - and the lowest the Carnoustie player has ever scored as a professional.

She birdied the long second, third, eighth, 10th and 16th and had one bogey, at the sixth, in halves of 34 (two under par) and 31 (two under par).

Booth and McNicoll were the only Scots to survive the second-round cut.

Curtis Cup amateur Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) missed it by one with scores of 69 and 75 for 144.

Heather MacRae (Gleneagles) shot 146 (72-74) and Glasgow's Gemma Webster totaloled 148 (74-74).

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 207 (3x69)

206 Carly Booth (Sco) 69 70 67, Marion Ricordeau (Fra) 66 67 73 (Fra). Booth won sudden death play-off at first extra hole.

208 Katy McNicoll (Sco) 71 72 65, Elena Giraud (Fra) 72 67 69.

209 Julie Greciet (Fra) 76 65 68, Marieke Nivard (Net) 69 70 70, Julie Tvede (Den) 69 70 70, Jade Schaefer (Fra) 68 67 74.

SCOTS WHO MISSED CUT ON 143

144 Pamela Pretswell 69 75.

146 Heather MacRae 72 74.

148 Gemma Webster 74 74.

ends.