CARNOUSTIE's JESSICA MEEK IS BOUND FOR MISSOURI

JESSICA MEEK .... Carnoustie women's course record-holder                              Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency By COLIN FARQUHARSON  Colin@scottishgolfview.com Carnoustie's Jessica Meek has signed a Letter of Intent to enrol at the University of Missouri next August. Jessica, - she prefers to be called "Jess" -  one of Scotland's best teenage girl prospects, played for Scotland in the girls' home internationals and the European girls team championship this year. Missouri University women's head golf coach Stephanie Priesmeyer said: "I connected with Jess as soon as I saw her compete this summer in Germany. I love her personality and her demeanour on the golf course. She is a tremendous ball striker with great length and she has so much international experience with travelling and playing different styles of golf courses.  "Jess (pictured right) will be a wonderful addition to our team and we are very fortunate she chose Mizzou! Jess holds the women's course record at Carnoustie, and anyone that has ever played Carnoustie can attest that an under par round on that course is some really good golfing!" Bronte Law from Bramhall Golf Club, Stockport in, Cheshire, Scottish Under-16 girls open champion at Strathmore Golf Centre in 2011 and a member of the winning GB and I team in the Curtis Cup match at Nairn last June, has signed to join the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) next August. Rebecca ("Becca") Horner of Woodham Golf Club, Durham has signed to join Troy University, Alabama next August. Rebecca won the Durham County ladies championship in 2011 and was a beaten finalist in the same competition this year.  FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE By JULIE WILLIAMS Barely six months have passed since the Mount St. Mary’s men’s golf team claimed its first Northeast Conference Championship title in program history. Four players finished inside the top 7 on the leaderboard that day, two of whom returned to the roster this fall.  It’s safe to say none of those players could have guessed that two years later, Mount St. Mary’s wouldn’t even field a team in that championship. Members of the men’s and women’s golf teams at the Division I school in Emmitsburg, Maryland, were told this past week that the university would cut their programs, effective next fall, as part of a budget crunch.  Men’s soccer also will be eliminated at Mount St. Mary’s. According to a press release issued by the university, the decision will save The Mount more than $400,000 annually. “This is a decision we didn’t want to make, but the budget realities require it to protect and re-invest in our remaining Division I programs,” University President Thomas H. Powell said in the release.  “In recent years, we have made a concerted effort to enhance our elite academic programs and robust Catholic identity. This decision allows us to enhance the remaining programs for future athletic success.” Mount St. Mary’s will continue to compete in 16 other intercollegiate sports as men’s and women’s golf and men’s soccer are shifted into “club sports” beginning in the fall of 2013.    EDITOR: No British or Irish students are on the Mount St Mary's golf rosters but it is still a great pity that a university should put other sports ahead of the greatest game in the world.