PAMELA PRETSWELL PLAN TO BYPASS Q SCHOOL IS WORKING WELL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

Pamela Pretswell is well placed to become the first amateur to win a place on the Ladies European Tour by finishing in the first three of the developmental circuit, the LET Access Series.

The 23-year-old Bothwell Castle GC member from Hamilton, who will play for GB and I against the United States in the June 8-10 Curtis Cup match at Nairn, has played in all five LETAS events since April - paying her own way as an amateur to get to tournaments in France, Spain, Sweden (2) and the Ukraine.

And it is looking more and more like a sound financial investment in her future as a tour golf pro because Pamela, a graduate of Glasgow University is lying second in the LETAS Tour Order of Merit with 7,366pt which means that had she been playing as a professional in these events she would have won 7,366 Euros in prizemoney.

Pamela won a LETAS event in Sweden last week and finished second this week at Kiev in the Ukraine.

Having failed narrowly to gain pass marks at the Ladies European Tour Q School at La Manga in January, Pretswell obviously worked out this plan that via the LETAS Tour she could bypass another visit to the Q School.

This will be Pretswell's second Curtis Cup match - she played at Essex County Club two years ago - and almost certainly her last unless things go drastically wrong with her plans to turn pro.

Although a past British women's amateur stroke-play champion, Pretswell has never won the Scottish women's amateur championship.

But she is so single-minded in her quest to make it to the Ladies European Tour (and perhaps the US LPGA Tour after that), that she bypassed last week's native championship at Tain to play in Sweden - and win the LETAS event.

The only Scot in the GB and I squad of eight, she will be entirely focused, however, on the Curtis Cup over the next couple of weeks as the next LETAS event is not until July 4-6 in Norway. After that there will be only four Order of Merit events, one a month, through to early November.

The top six placings are:

1 Marion Ricordeau (France) 13,445pt

2 Pamela Pretswell (Scotland) 7,366

3 Cecile Lundgren (Norway) 6,231
4 Marjet Van Der Graaf (Netherlands) 5,840

5 Carly Booth (Scotland) 5,805.

6 Katy McNicoll (Scotland) 5,540.

"It was a great tournament earlier this week - first big golf event to be held in the Ukraine and great to be apart of it," said Pamela.

"The course was fantastic - very, very tough! Warm conditions first few days, but much cooler and lots of wind for the final day which made the course a real challenge!
"I've been away for three weeks now - two weeks in Sweden and straight to Kiev from there. Playing in five events on the LETAS Tour has been great experience for me. I've learned a lot but glad to get home to Scotland for a few days' rest before heading up to Nairn for the Curtis Cup build-up.
"As an amateur on the LETAS Tour I have been well looked after by the other players, almost all of them professionals. They have been showing me the ropes. Everyone is very friendly and I just l love being a part of this tour.

"It is expensive going from country to country in Europe for the tournaments as an amateur, but so is playing in amateur events."

CARLY CONFIDENT - SHE'S ONLY A SHOT BEHND AT HALFWAY IN GERMAN OPEN

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

Pernilla Lindberg fired a three under par round of 69 today to lead at the halfway stage of the UniCredit Ladies German Open presented by Audi.

The 25-year-old Swede made four birdies against one bogey in beautiful weather conditions at Golfpark Gut Häusern near Munich to end the day at seven under par, a stroke clear of five other players.

They were: Germany’s Sandra Gal, Austrian Stefanie Michl, Scotland’s Carly Booth, Klara Spilkova from the Czech Republic and Joanna Klatten of France. England’s Rebecca Hudson and Australian Karen Lunn were a stroke further behind.

Lindberg played in the windiest of the day’s conditions in the morning and made her score with three birdies on the front nine at holes four, seven and eight, sinking crucial birdie putts from 45 and 70 feet respectively at the seventh and eighth holes. She was level on the back nine after a bogey on the par-five 11^th and a birdie on 16.

“I think it was tougher out there today: a little more wind, but once again I made some really good putts, especially halfway through the round. I made some good putts on seven and eight, some good birdie putts and that kind of got me going and I stayed away from making too many mistakes,” Lindberg said.

Gal posted a four under par 68 after holing a 20-footer for birdie on the ninth, her final hole, in front of a jubilant home gallery.

New insoles in her golf shoes caused blisters which required a visit to the physiotherapist straight after her round, but despite the discomfort she managed five birdies on the front nine, which she played as her back nine.

“I had kind of rough start this morning and then pulled myself together on the back nine. I think I just changed my attitude a little bit. I came out being a little tight and then I just said I’ve got to enjoy it and hit the shots I want to hit,” Gal said.

Regarding her foot injury, she commented:  “I had problems earlier in the week and then I got new insoles. They were really hurting my heels so now I’ve got big blisters on my heels so I can’t wear shoes right now.”

The Solheim Cup star is one of a group of players hoping to take home the €52,000 and Audi A5 cabriolet.

Scottish teen Booth will have her eyes on the prize and is full of confidence after her home win three weeks ago.

Her 71 include five birdies and four dropped shots. “I played pretty solid from tee to green today. I had four three-putts, but other than that, I actually played okay. It’s a pity, but one under is not too bad,” said Booth. “The front nine for us, which was the back nine, was playing pretty tricky. The wind was wild this morning. It was at least a two club wind.”

Spilkova, who at 17 is two years younger than Booth, was bogey-free with two birdies at the 11^th and 13^th and also played in the morning. 

“I’m really happy today. It was a little bit windier than yesterday so it was a bit harder. Minus two, I think it’s good and I had a bogey free round. I’m pretty happy and I think will be better and better,” Spilkova said.

Michl played in the afternoon and fought for her 71. “I had a bit of a struggle today so it’s nice to be in with one under. It could have been a lot more; I had lots of putts that saved me. It was not as solid as yesterday but I think I got it around pretty good,” she said.

Local player Martina Eberl-Ellis was one of five German players who made the cut and finished at two under par alongside compatriot Caroline Masson. Elisabeth Esterl and amateur Karolin Lampert are the other two German players who will compete this weekend.

HALFWAY SCOREBOARD

Par 144 (2x72)
137 Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 68 69

138 Sandra Gal (DEU) 70 68, Stefanie Michl (AUT) 67 71, Joanna Klatten (FRA) 69 69, Carly Booth (SCO) 67 71, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 68 70

139 Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 71 68, Karen Lunn (AUS) 70 69

140 Celine Palomar (FRA) 69 71, Holly Aitchison (ENG) 71 69, Laura Davies (ENG) 69 71, Diana Luna (ITA) 69 71, Trish Johnson (ENG) 71 69, Valentine Derrey (FRA) 71 69

141 Stephanie Na (AUS) 70 71, Dewi Claire Schreefel (NLD) 71 70, Caroline Afonso (FRA) 70 71, Carin Koch (SWE) 67 74, Mikaela Parmlid (SWE) 70 71, Rachel Bailey (AUS) 71 70, Sophie Gustafson (SWE) 69 72, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 74 67, Kylie Walker (SCO) 73 68, Bree Arthur (AUS) 69 72

142 Martina Eberl-ellis (DEU) 72 70, Diana D Alessio (USA) 72 70, Caroline Masson (DEU) 70 72, Karolin Lampert (DEU) 70 72, Ashleigh Simon (SAf) 69 73, Giulia Sergas (ITA) 72 70, Lydia Hall (WAL) 71 71, Charlotte Ellis (ENG) 69 73, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 71 71

143 Chrisje De Vries (NLD) 72 71, Elizabeth Bennett (ENG) 71 72, Anais Maggetti (CHE) 71 72, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 69 74, Georgina Simpson (ENG) 69 74, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 70 73, Rebecca Artis (AUS) 71 72, Felicity Johnson (ENG) 70 73, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 69 74, Hannah Jun (USA) 69 74, Caroline Westrup (SWE) 67 76, Yu Yang Zhang (CHN) 72 71, Hannah Burke (ENG) 69 74

144 Vikki Laing (SCO) 74 70, Nikki Garrett (AUS) 72 72, Minea Blomqvist (FIN) 74 70, Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 70 74, Marieke Nivard (NLD) 75 69, Frances Bondad (AUS) 71 73, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 72 72, Marjet Van Der Graaff (NLD) 73 71, Alison Whitaker (AUS) 74 70

145 Elisabeth Esterl (DEU) 74 71, Elena Giraud (FRA) 75 70, Becky Morgan (WAL) 70 75, Line Vedel (DNK) 70 75, Kym Larratt (ENG) 71 74, Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) 72 73, Stacey Keating (AUS) 72 73

MISSED THE CUT

146 Laurette Maritz (SAf) 73 73, Clare Queen (SCO) 74 72, Lindsey Wright (AUS) 70 76, Lee-Anne Pace (SAf) 73 73, Sophie Walker (ENG) 76 70, Heather Bowie Young (USA) 70 76, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) 72 74

147 Liebelei Lawrence (LUX) 69 78, Tandi Cuningham (ZAF) 75 72, Stefania Croce (ITA) 74 73, Kiran Matharu (ENG) 74 73, Julie Greciet (FRA) 76 71, Lisa Holm Sorensen (DNK) 73 74, Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) 72 75, Louise Stahle (SWE) 70 77, Malene Jorgensen (DNK) 76 71, Stacy Lee Bregman (ZAF) 71 76, Margherita Rigon (ITA) 73 74

148 Esther Choe (USA) 73 75, Laura Cabanillas (ESP) 71 77, Helen Alfredsson (SWE) 76 72, Iben Tinning (DNK) 71 77, Louise Larsson (SWE) 74 74, Elin Emanuelsson (SWE) 75 73, Dawn Shockley (USA) 73 75, Lynnette Brooky (NZL) 73 75, Rebecca Codd (IRL) 74 74, Lotta Wahlin (SWE) 75 73, Virginie Lagoutte-clement (FRA) 76 72

149 Ann-Kathrin Lindner (DEU) 76 73, Emma Cabrera-bello (ESP) 75 74, Tania Elosegui (ESP) 77 72, Henrietta Zuel (ENG) 74 75, Miriam Nagl (DEU) 76 73, Jennie Lee (USA) 72 77, Sahra Hassan (WAL) 75 74, Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 71 78

150 Linda Wessberg (SWE) 73 77, Tara Davies (WAL) 72 78, Maria Beautell (ESP) 73 77, Kendall Dye (USA) 75 75, Danielle Montgomery (ENG) 72 78, Julie Maisongrosse (FRA) 72 78, Zuzana Kamasova (SVK) 74 76

151 Connie Chen (ZAF) 75 76, Fabienne In-Albon (CHE) 73 78, Rachel Jennings (ENG) 78 73, Jessica Yadloczky (USA) 75 76, Smriti Mehra (IND) 77 74

152 Anja Monke (DEU) 75 77, Nina Birken (DEU) 75 77, Caroline Rominger (CHE) 78 74, Beth Allen (USA) 73 79, Lucie Andre (FRA) 72 80

153 Nina Holleder (DEU) 76 77, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 77 76

154 Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) 74 80, Quirine-Louise Eijkenboom (DEU) 79 75, Nina Syvertsen Reis (SWE) 78 76, Carmen Alonso (ESP) 79 75, Steffi Kirchmayr (DEU) 79 75

158 Nicole Gergely (AUT) 80 78, Katharina Bohm (DEU) 78 80

159 Sharmila Nicollet (IND) 79 80

Bethan Cutler

Media Manager

Ladies European Tour

CHARLEY HULL SAYS SHE CAN COPE WITH CURTIS CUP PRESSURE

FROM THE BBCSPORT.COM WEBSITE
Teenage prospect Charley Hull has said she has the experience to manage the expectations of representing Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup match against the United States at The Nairn Golf Club from June 8 to 10.
The 16-year-old Woburn Club member from Kettering, ranked No 6 among the world's female amateur golfers, was initially told she would not be chosen for the GB and I squad of eight after opting  to play in the first LPGA Tour major of the season rather than a team trial at Nairn.
But the Ladies Golf Union selectors decided they could not overlook such a talented layer and Hull was informed of this change of mind during the Kraft Nabisco tournament.

"I feel good because I've played in a major and I've played in front of crowds," she told BBC Look East.

"It's good fun. I enjoy it loads. Playing in front of crowds is part of what you've got to deal with when you keep playing golf."
Hull was one of only five amateurs invited to the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California, where she finished 38th with a score of one over par.
That followed victory in the Harder Hall Invitational on Florida's Orange Blossom Tour.

The England and Wales strokeplay champion, currently sixth in the world, made her Ladies European Tour debut in Turkey earlier this month,  where she finished one under.

The Curtis Cup, which pitches amateurs from the USA against a British and Irish team, is a match-play competition, a style which the Burton Latimer youngster is not fond of.
"I'm alright at matchplay. I'm not a big fan of it," said Hull, who shares membership with Ian Poulter at the Woburn Golf Club.
"Anyone can win match-play. The greatest player doesn't always win match-play.
"It can be unfair. Someone can have an eight on a hole and you can have a birdie and you've only gone one up."
But she says she will be applying her youthful enthusiasm to the tournament, regardless of the format.
"I want to obviously win all my matches," she said.
"I want to have a great time. It's all a learning curve. You can even learn more from the bad games than the good games.
"I don't set myself goals really. I just go out and play. Just have fun, that's what I say."
Hull's father David, who accompanies her during competitions, is keen for her to remain grounded, but admits she has a glittering career ahead of her.
"She can go as far as she wants," he said. "She's good enough to be on tour probably now. But she's still got a lot to learn.
"She learned a lot on her appearance in the Ladies European Tour event and that was good for her against some of the best players in the world."

----------------------------------

Charley Hull achievements

2011

• Played on the Orange Blossom Tour in Florida in 2011, aged 14
• Finished runner-up in the South Atlantic Women's Amateur Championship and won the Jones-Doherty matchplay championship in Florida 
• Won both the Wales and England strokeplay championship and was runner-up in English Ladies Amateur Championship
• Played for Great Britain and Ireland Under-16s v Continent of Europe in inaugural Junior Vagliano Trophy match at Royal Porthcawl.

2012

• Won the Harder Hall Invitational on Florida's amateur Orange Blossom Tour. 
• Played first major and made the cut in Kraft Nabisco Championship and made first Ladies European Tour appearance in Turkey
• Selected for the Curtis Cup

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*Image of Charley Hull by courtesy of the Northamptonshire Golf digital magazine.

PLF ABERDEEN LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS AT NEWBURGH MAY 31

Final placings in the Paul Lawrie Foundation Aberdeen Schools League championship, from which the top two in each section go forward to contest the semi-finals at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club on Thursday, May 31 with the final at Deeside Golf Club on Tuesday, June 19:

LEAGUE A


                   P W D L Pts

St Machar       4 2 2 0 6

Cults*           4 2 1 1 5

Hazlehead     4 1 3 0 5

Harlaw          4 1 1 2 3

St Margaret’s 4 0 1 3 1

*Cults qualified by virtue of better differential.

LEAGUE B

                           P W D L Pts

Aberdeen Grammar  4 3 1 0 7

Oldmachar             4 1 3 0 5

Robert Gordon's     4 1 2 1 4

Torry                    4 1 1 2 3

Albyn                   4 0 1 3 1

The semi-final draw is:

(1) St Machar Academy v Oldmachar Academy
Tee times: 15:48, 15.56 and 16:04
(2) Aberdeen Grammar School v Cults Academy

Tee times: 16:12, 16:20 and 16:28.

Organiser Derek Johnstone says: "Please allow yourself additional journey time because of the road works just before the Newburgh turnoff."

Derek addes: "May I take this opportunity to kindly remind everyone of the dress code for both semi-finals and final:

DRESS CODEPlease note cargo style trousers, jeans, trainers and tee shirts are UNACCEPTABLE on the Course and in the Clubhouse.

Hats should be removed before entering the Clubhouse. Mobile phones are not permitted in the Clubhouse (apart from the phone area), Professional's shop and anywhere on the Club grounds.  In addition, mobile phones will not be permitted to be used as a skycaddie.

Players should make use of the ‘visitors’ changing room.

Finally a reminder, this Wednesday, May 30 is the deadline for entries to the schools stroke=play championships at Murcar Links on Thursday, June 9. 

Schools, who have a strokeplay trophy in their possession, please return as soon as to Torry Academy.

 Derek Johnstone

Aberdeen Schools Golf Organiser

Torry Academy

ALABAMA STILL LEAD AFTER BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR TWO CURTIS CUPPERS

FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA WOMEN'S GOLF WEBSITE
With a few additional words by Colin Farquhason
FRANKLIN, Tennessee - The second-ranked Alabama women's golf team, spearheaded by two of next month's Curtis Cup match players: Brooke Pancake (United States) and Stephanie Meadow (GB and I), struggled on the closing holes of the third round Thursday at the NCAA Women's Championships and finished with an 18-over-par round of 306 on the par-72, 6,264yd North Course at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
The Crimson Tide (+13, 877) still lead with one round to go but the lead is now only two shots ahead of Southern California (879), who shot 6-over 294 on Thursday, with Purdue, Virginia and South Carolina tied for third at 19-over 883. Louisiana State is sixth at 20-over 884 while North Carolina (885), Arizona State (887), UCLA (888) and Oklahoma (888) round out the top 10.
The back nine, particularly the final four holes, proved to be the biggest obstacle for the Crimson Tide in round three.
Alabama's top four players shot 10-over on the final four holes and saw a 15-shot lead, with the Tide's No. 5 player in the fairway on the 17th, dissipate to two shots as the final putt dropped on 18.
Alabama head coach Mic Potter addressed the team following the round and reinforced that a tremendous opportunity remains in front of the Crimson Tide with the lead heading into Friday's final round.
"The thing we need to do is stay positive, work on whatever went wrong, and see if we can get better by tomorrow," Potter said. "Then come out and play a little more loose, a little more confident."
Senior Brooke Pancake, who held the 36-hole individual lead but a three-over 75 for three-under 213 has dropped her to third place, a shot behind joint leaders Chirapat-Jao Javanil (Oklahoma) and and Italy's Giulia Molinaro (Arizona State), was working on a 1-under-par round Thursday through 14 holes before back-to-back double bogeys on the 14th and 15th marred an otherwise solid 16 holes to finish at 3-over 75.
"I made two pretty careless mistakes that definitely killed me," Pancake said. "I can't ponder on those and let it change my mind set for tomorrow. I've had two good rounds that put me in the position I'm in, and hopefully I can get another good one in tomorrow and finish well."
Jennifer Kirby is now ahead of Stephanie Meadow (pictured above) as the second best Alabama team player. She shot 2-over 74 in the third round to move into a tie for 11th at 3-over 219. The junior was level par going into the 16th where she hit it into the water and made double bogey. Kirby then made bogey the 17th, but finished strong with a birdie on the 18th.
Stephanie Meadow was Alabama's third scorer at 6-over 78 and is tied for 17th at 4-over 220 over 54 holes.
Stephanie's rounds have gone 69-73-78 so the Jordanstown, Northern Ireland player, who has lived in the States for several years with her family, needs to reverse the trend and get down at least to the low 70s for Alabama to have a chance.
Meadow bogeyed the first, seventh, ninth, 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th with only one birdie, at the short 12th, in halves of 39.
If the pressure is only Alabama's top three players, it is also on their No 4 and 5 players. One of them needs to dig deep for a good counting score in the final round.
 Courtney McKim was the fourth counting Crimson Tide score on Thursday with a 79. Hannah Collier was the discarded Alabama score at 80.
"I think down the line, 1 through 5, we were holding on a little too tight all day," Potter said. "It is human nature to try to protect a lead. I don't know why it is that way because it almost always jumps up and bites you."
Alabama will play in the lead group in Friday's final round with Southern California and Purdue. The Tide will tee off at 12:56 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Follow breaking news on the Crimson Tide on Facebook at Alabama-womens-golf and on Twitter at @AlabamaWGolf.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE US CURTIS CUP TEAM MEMBERS IN THE FIELD

Lindy Duncan (Duke) is  lying  second best (behind Brooke Pancake) of the seven US Curtis Cup team members in the field of 126.
Lindy is  T17 on 220 with scores of 70-75-75 and Lisa 76-72-74.
Lisa McCloskey (Southern California) comes next on 222 (76-72-74)
Emily Tubert (Arkansas) is T40 on 224 (73-74-77)
Austin Ernst (Louisiana State) is T64 on 227 (78-75-74).
Erica Popson (Tennessee) is T77 on 229 (77-76-76)
Tiffany Lua (UCLA) is T82 on 230 (75-73-82).
Amy Anderson (North Dakota State) is the only member of the US Curtis Cup team who is not competing in the NCAA Women's Championship

HOW THE BRITS (apart from Stephanie Meadow) ARE FARING

Sally Watson (Stanford) from Edinburgh, a Curtis Cup player in 2008 and 2010 but overlooked this time round, is leading England's Hayley Davis (Baylor) and Hally Leadbetter (Arkansas).
Sally is T71 in the field of 126 with ever-improving scores of 78-76-74 for 228.
Sally started the third round at the 10th and was two under par with birdies at the 13th and short 16th and then she tripped up over the closing holes (as many players did!)
The Scot, now a member of Elie and Earlsferry Ladies GC in Fife, had a double bogey 6 at the 17th and a double bogey 7 at the long 18th for a nine-hole score of 83.
Over her inward nine (outward on the card), Wasonbirdied the first, long seventh and long ninth but bogeyed the short third, short fifth and eighth for par 36. In all Sally had five birdies, two double bogeys and three bogeys.
Hayley Davis from Dorset is T92 on 231 with scores of 74-78-79.
She ran up a double bogey 5 at the short 16th and had only one birdie all day, at the long 18th. She had six bogeys in halves of 38-40.
Top coach David Leadbetter's daugher Hally, a student at Arkansas University, is T119 on 238 with scores of 79-80-79.

LEADING TEAM TOTALS WITH ONE ROUND TO GO

877 Alabama. 879 Southern California. 883 Purdue, South Carolina, Virginia. 884 Louisiana State. 885 North Carolina. 887 Arizona State. 888 UCLA, Oklahoma. 892 Duke, Florida. 898 North Carolina State.
Selected other total
903 Baylor (T18 of 34 competing teams).

LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS WITH ONE ROUND TO GO
Par 216 (3x72)
212 Chirapat-Jao Javanil (Oklahoma) 69 73 70, Giulia Molinaro (Arizona State) 69 71 72.
213 Brooke Pancake (Alabama) 68 70 75, Tessa Teachman (Louisiana State) 69 74 70.

SELECTED SCORES
220 Lindy Duncan (Duke) 70 75 75, Stephanie Meadow (Alabama) 69 73 78  (T17)
222 Lisa McCloskey (Southern California) 76 72 74.
224 Emily Tubert (Arkansas) 73 74 77 (T40)
227 Austin Ernst (LSU) 78 75 74 (T64)
228 Sally Watson (Stanford) 78 76 74 (T71)
229 Erica Popson (Tennessee) 77 76 76 (T77)
230 Tiffany Lua (UCLA) 75 73 82 (T82)
231 Hayley Davis (Baylor) 74 78 79 (T92)
238 Hally Leadbetter (Arkansas) 79 80 79 (T119).