DEFENDING CHAMPION HEDWALL LEADS BY TWO SHOTS

           CAROLINE HEDWALL in action today
 
NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER
Caroline Hedwall was on course to retain her Austrian title as she led by two shots going into the final round of the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen.

Playing in her first tournament for two months, the 23-year-old Swede shot rounds of 67 and 66 to end on 11 under par after 36 holes, with Australian rookie Alison Whitaker two strokes behind.

Hedwall won four tournaments on the Ladies European Tour in 2011 before being named rookie and player of the year but has been out with a hip injury for the last eight weeks. 

Her short game practice is paying off at Golfclub Fohrenwaldh in Wiener Neustadt, where she is defending the title she won last year by four strokes.

She reeled off six birdies on a second day of beautiful weather in lower Austria and said: “I’m playing very solidly. I shot better than yesterday and yesterday was good so I’m very happy. I’ve been working hard and I’m having a lot of fun.” 

She played relatively conservatively during her second round, with her mother Yvonne pulling her trolley.

“I haven’t actually gone for the greens today. I’m hitting my wedges so well I’m just looking to hit the fairways, get a good approach shot and I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities today and made a lot of putts so I’m very happy. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing. If I can shoot five or six under tomorrow it will be hard to beat,” she said.

Whitaker managed to stay in touch with the Solheim Cup player with rounds of 67 and 68 and will be trying to improve on her season-best tie for 11^th in Holland as she contends for the first time in an event on the LET.

The 26-year-old Melbournian, ranked 87^th on the order of merit, said: “It’s good to see some balls go in the hole and see some hard work pay off. It’s been a bit of a grind this season so it’s good to get a little momentum going.

“Yesterday I had a good ball striking day and today was a bit scrappier but I just really committed to being comfortable off the tee. If I wasn’t feeling driver then I just committed to three-wood and made some smart decisions out there so I think as long as I can keep committing to my shots then hopefully tomorrow will be a good day.”

England’s Melissa Reid had a tidy 67 to share third with Thailand’s Nontaya Srisawang on six under par. Reid had six birdies in her first 12 holes but dropped shots at 12 and 13 before recovering with a birdie on 17. With ties for third in this event the last two years and having won in Prague earlier this year, she will be one to watch on Sunday.

Srisawang is also a threat as she enjoys playing in the heat which reminds her of her home in Chiang Mai. The 24-year-old second year LET player had five birdies and one dropped shot in a 68 and was sticking to her game plan of hitting fairways and greens.

England’s Laura Davies, a three-time winner of this event in 2007, 2008 and 2010 shot 69 to finish in a group of six players at five under, along with the 2009 event champion Linda Wessberg.

Having played with Hedwall for the first two rounds, Davies felt that she would be tough to catch. “It’s up to Caroline really. She’s six ahead of me. To be behind someone that’s playing that well tomorrow won’t be easy,” she said.

Austrian hopes will rest on Stefanie Michl’s shoulders as nation’s only player to make the cut at level par. Meanwhile, England’s Hannah Burke was disqualified after signing for the wrong score.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

 

133 - Caroline Hedwall (SWE)  67 66

135 - Alison Whitaker (AUS)  67 68

138 - Nontaya Srisawang (THA)  70 68, Melissa Reid (ENG)  71 67

139 - Joanna Klatten (FRA)  71 68, Laura Davies (ENG)  70 69, Mikaela Parmlid (SWE)  68 71, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)  69 70, Linda Wessberg (SWE)  70 69, Stacy Lee Bregman (ZAF)  69 70

140 - Trish Johnson (ENG)  69 71, Anais Maggetti (CHE)  71 69, Laura Cabanillas (ESP)  70 70, Veronica Zorzi (ITA)  74 66, Carly Booth (SCO)  71 69, Julie Greciet (FRA)  72 68, Beth Allen (USA)  70 70

141 - Line Vedel (DNK)  73 68, Jenni Kuosa (FIN)  70 71, Elizabeth Bennett (ENG)  72 69, Lisa Holm Sorensen (DNK)  70 71

142 - Margherita Rigon (ITA)  73 69, Louise Larsson (SWE)  71 71, Rebecca Artis (AUS)  69 73, Rebecca Codd (IRL)  72 70, Jessica Yadloczky (USA)  71 71, Carin Koch (SWE)  72 70, Henrietta Zuel (ENG)  71 71, Sophie Walker (ENG)  74 68

143 - Kym Larratt (ENG)  71 72, Anja Monke (DEU)  73 70, Caroline Afonso (FRA)  73 70, Anna Scott (ENG)  75 68, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (FRA)  71 72, Stefania Croce (ITA)  69 74, Felicity Johnson (ENG)  72 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA)  71 72, Klara Spilkova (CZE)  68 75, Stacey Keating (AUS)  68 75

144 - Alexandra Vilatte (FRA)  70 74, Kyra Van Leeuwen (NLD)  73 71, Jade Schaeffer (FRA)  76 68, Frances Bondad (AUS)  71 73, Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA)  71 73, Chrisje De Vries (NLD)  72 72, Liebelei Lawrence (LUX)  74 70, Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  72 72, Sahra Hassan (WAL)  72 72, Stefanie Michl (AUT)  70 74, Becky Brewerton (WAL)  73 71, Marjet Van Der Graaff (NLD)  74 70, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)  72 72

MISSED THE CUT

 

145 Charlotte Ellis (ENG)  71 74, Rebecca Hudson (ENG)  72 73, Fabienne In-albon (CHE)  77 68, Lucie Andre (FRA)  70 75, Lynnette Brooky (NZL)  72 73

146 Clare Queen (SCO)  73 73, Georgina Simpson (ENG)  74 72, Mireia Prat (ESP)  74 72, Elin Emanuelsson (SWE)  75 71, Sophie Sandolo (ITA)  73 73, Stephanie Na (AUS)  71 75, Connie Chen (ZAF)  75 71, Esther Choe (USA)  73 73, Caroline Masson (DEU)  73 73, Eleanor Givens (ENG)  71 75

147 Barbara Genuini (FRA)  73 74, Caroline Westrup (SWE)  76 71, Cassandra Kirkland (FRA)  75 72, Sharmila Nicollet (IND)  72 75, Valentine Derrey (FRA)  76 71, Ashleigh Simon (ZAF)  74 73, Sarah Schober (AUT)  75 72, Holly Aitchison (ENG)  77 70, Caroline Martens (NOR)  75 72, Julie Maisongrosse (FRA)  74 73, Nikki Garrett (AUS)  75 72, Carlota Ciganda (ESP)  74 73, Malene Jorgensen (DNK)  72 75, Celine Palomar (FRA)  73 74

148 Miriam Nagl (DEU)  75 73, Dawn Shockley (USA)  75 73, Vittoria Valvassori (ITA)  77 71, Tania Elosegui (ESP)  73 75, Lee-Anne Pace (ZAF)  76 72

149 Martina Eberl-Ellis (DEU)  74 75, Anja Purgauer (AUT)  76 73, Carmen Alonso (ESP)  74 75, Lydia Hall (WAL)  76 73

150 - Alessandra Averna (ITA)  74 76

151 - Jacqueline Hedwall (SWE)  74 77, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)  77 74, Marieke Nivard (NLD)  76 75

152 - Marlene Krejcy (AUT)  77 75, Danielle Montgomery (ENG)  73 79

153 - Steffi Kirchmayr (DEU)  79 74, Vikki Laing (SCO)  77 76

154 - Eva Steinberger (AUT)  78 76, Elisabeth Esterl (DEU)  84 70, Nicole Gergely (AUT)  78 76

155 - Laurette Maritz (ZAF)  76 79, Nina Muhl (AUT)  78 77

156 - Rachel Bailey (AUS)  76 80

157 - Caroline Rominger (CHE)  81 76, Maria Beautell (ESP)  79 78

161 - Nicola Wolf (AUT)  79 82

DQ - Hannah Burke (ENG)

SCOTLAND SCHOOLS GOLF TEAMS TO PLAY ENGLAND

The Scottish Schools Golf Association have released the names of the boys and girls teams to play England in the annual schools golf internationals at Hesketh Golf Club, Lancashire tomorrow (Monday, September 10).
Scottish girls champion Lauren Whyte from St Andrews was invited to play but has opted to compete in The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy tournament at Royal Troon from Tuesday to Thursday, September 11 to 13).
The Scots will be bidding to repeat their double whammy win at Kilmarnock Barassie last year when the boys won 8-4 and the girls 5-1 for an overall 13-5 home triumph.
Prior to that the last double win by the Scots was in 1979.
England usually dominate the fixture. Prior to last year, the Scots had not beaten their English counterparts since 2007 and the Scottish girls had not won since 2005.
Scotland teams:
BOYS - Lawrence Allan (Alva Acad), George Burns (MearNs Castle High), Blair Carnegie (Dunblane High), Craig Chalmers (Lenzie Acad), Cameron Farrell (Dumbarton Acad), Ben Kinsley (Madras Coll), Robert MacIntyre (Oban High), Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie High), Connor Syme (Dumfries High), Euan Walker (Marr College), Ryan Walsh (Balwearie High), David Wilson (Marr Coll).
GIRLS - Lesley Atkins (Loretto School), Kim Beveridge (Aboyne Acad), Connie Jaffrey (Kilwinning Acad), Jessica Meek (Carnoustie High), Rachel Walker (Dumfries High), Clara Young (North Berwick High).

Lawrence Allan, Ben Kinsley, Bradley Neil, Euan Walker, Kim Beveridge, Jessica Meek and Clara Young all played last year.
 

IONA STEPHEN WINS RENFREWSHIRE ROSEBOWL

A few weeks ago we told you that Iona Stephen (Ranfurly Castle) was a name to note. Well within two years of taking up golf, she has made it to county team standard and will be playing for Renfrewshire in the upcoming Scottish county finals at Montrose.
This past week, Iona won the RCLGA County Rosebowl Final.
Iona had to give Anne Aitken eight shots in the final but won 4 and 3
Photo and following report by courtesy of Maureen Woodhead:


FROM THE RENFREWSHIRE LGA COUNTY WEBSITE
The Final of the Rosebowl was played over Haggs Castle Golf Club today (Friday 7 September 2012) between Iona Stephen of Ranfurly Castle and Anne Aitken of Eastwood. 
 A grey day with rain always threatening (although never arriving thankfully), the course played every inch of it’s length. Anne was getting 8 strokes from Iona.
Iona won the first with a birdie and the second when Anne decided to spend some time at the ‘beach’ (ie in the bunker).
At the third Anne again encountered some sandy lies and Iona was three up. Anne came back at the fourth with a net par – not put off by Iona’s caddy, Jean Irvine, having a bit of an ‘equipment malfunction’ when somehow, Iona’s clubs fell off the trolley!.
A net four at the next (after Iona reached the burn with her drive) and Anne pulled it back to one hole. Unfortunately Anne found the burn at the next and went back to two down. She got it back again at the next with a par 3. The eighth was halved in par and Iona won the next to be two up at the turn.
The tenth was halved and Iona won the par 3 eleventh to go 3 up. Anne got it back to two down at the 13th with a very solid par but Iona went 3 up again at the 14th with a terrific second shot to the green.
Iona edged out the win at the 15th with a par after Anne’s ball got entangled in the trees off the tee.
Unfortunately there was not a lot of support for the players – probably because most of the members were still drying out their waterproofs from the day before at Paisley!
However, some pretty solid golf was played in a friendly manner. Captain Maureen refereed and took the photographs.
A wedding in the clubhouse meant the ‘mini-prizegiving’ took place in the small bar!! The ladies left the clubhouse to the tunes of the wedding piper. Well done to Iona and Anne on reaching the final and congratulations to Iona on the win.

JIYAI SHIN LEADS LPGA TOUR'S KINGSMILLS CHAMPIONSHIP

CBSSports.com wire reports
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia. Jiyai Shin followed her tournament-record 9-under 62 with a 68 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead in the LPGA Tour's Kingsmill Championship.
The South Korean player had four birdies and a bogey -- her first of the week -- to finish two rounds at 12 under on Kingsmill's River Course. She won the last of her eight LPGA Tour titles in November 2010.
Shin kept a close eye on the scoreboard.
"I have to know my position, and I keep changing my plan each hole after I check the positions," Shin said. "I saw a lot of players play good today, so I think it will make for fun competition the next two days.
"I really like when I'm on the top, but it also can come with a pressure, a little bit of pressure. But it's also other players saying they get the pressure, too, so I just keep focused on my game."
American Danielle Kang was second after a 64, the best score in the second round. The 19-year-old Kang won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2010 and 2011.
Kang, who missed the cut in her last two tournaments, started the round on 10th hole, and had six birdies for a 6-under 29. Her lone bogey came on the par-5 third, but she bounced back with birdies on the fifth and seventh holes.
"I started off the day thinking just take it shot by shot. I've been approaching shots differently this whole week," Kang said. 
"I just am trying to see what works, and my brother taught me how to putt."
She had 26 putts the second round after taking 32 in the first. She says her brother wants 5 percent of what she wins this week. Kang says she'll go to 20 percent "if he can get me to shoot under par and go low."
Paula Creamer and Dewi Claire Schreefel were 10 under.
Schreefel, the first Dutch player to qualify for the LPGA Tour and a former NCAA individual champion at Southern California, shot her second straight 66, and Creamer had a 67.
Schreefel was one of 33 players who returned to the course Friday morning to complete the first round after play was suspended Thursday. She had two holes to play, and her day got off on the wrong foot when she was penalized two strokes for a rules infraction on the green of her first hole -- the par-4 eighth.
Schreefel's ball moved after she marked it, but instead of playing it from the new spot, she incorrectly moved it back to the mark -- which was still in place.
"Things like that just kind of fuel me up," Schreefel said. "You know, it's a little bit upsetting in the moment and you're losing two shots while you're in the hunt to make a really good score. It's unfortunate but we live and learn."
Lexi Thompson (66) and Azahara Munoz (68) were 9 under, and second-ranked Stacy Lewis had a 65 to join Maria Hjorth (69) at 8 under.
Cristie Kerr, the winner in 2009 when the tour last played at Kingsmill, missed the cut with rounds of 72 and 74 -- managing only three birdies in the two days. She also once in 2005 at Kingsmill.
Michelle Wie also dropped out, shooting 75-71. She has missed nine cuts this season and has only one top-10 finish.
Leta Lindley played her final round on the tour Friday. The 40-year-old Lindley, retiring to become a full-time mom, shot 73-71.
"I've had a mix of emotions, obviously very bittersweet, but knowing that it's the right time for me," Lindley said. 
"Obviously, I was very tearful coming up 18. I've been out here for 18 years and I've grown up out here and this has been my family for so long and it's been a big chunk of my life. I know that it's time, but it doesn't make it any less sad." 

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
130 Jiyai Shin (S Korea) 62 68
131 Danielle Kang (US) 67 64
132 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands) 66 66, Paula Creamer US) 65 67
133 Azahara Munoz (Spain) 65 68, Lexi Thompson (US) 67 66

SELECTED SCORES
136 Jodi Ewart (England) 68 67 (T9)
137 Catriona Matthew (Scotland) 67 70 (T24)
140 Becky Morgan (Wales) 69 71 (T51)
141 Karen Stupples (England) 70 71 (T63)

MISSED THE CUT
143 Janice Moodie (Scoland) 71 72  

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MORIYA JUTANUGARN WINS LPGA TOUR Q SCHOOL STAGE 1

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand opened the final round of the first stage of LPGA Qualifying with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes and looked like she would be getting ready to run away with the win on Friday. 
But the 18-year old cooled off after the second as those birdies would be her last and shot even-par the rest of her round. 
And it turned out to be enough. Jutanugarn carded a 2-under 70 on the Champions Course at LPGA International to clinch the first stage of the three-part tournament. 
She finished the week at 15-under 273 to edge Georgia native Garrett Phillips. Phillips, who played in Jutanugarn’s group the final two rounds, matched her 2-under 70 on Friday but finished 14-under 274 for the week and one shot back.
Jutanugarn admitted she felt confident after the opening two birdies but said some mistakes on the greens kept her from any more the rest of the round.
“After the first two holes I felt confident and I felt it was my day,” said Jutanugarn. “But I made some mistakes. I missed a lot of putts again.”
Jutanugarn found herself in some trouble as she tried to finish up her round on the par 5 18^th. She pulled her drive into the water and was faced with a drop but knew she did not end on a bad note.
“I didn’t want to finish bogey,” said Jutanugarn.
She hit her 7-iron to lay up at 95 yards and then hit her wedge to two feet and the win.
“I finished under par, but I know I can do better,” said Jutanugarn.
The Thai teen knows she has work to do before next month’s second stage, but seems fully ready for the challenge that will come her way.
“It’ll get harder and harder,” said Jutanugarn of the following two stages of qualifying. “The second will be harder and the last will be tough.
“Everyone has to work so hard, and I try to really put a lot of work into my game and hopefully it will let me reach my goal,” said Jutaungarn.
The Bangkok native said knowing her dream can become a reality within a few months made her nerves obvious this week. But after a solid showing in the first stage, she’s hoping to get a chance to come back to Daytona Beach in December.
“Each time I played this week I was a little nervous,” said Jutanugarn. “Getting to the LPGA is my goal. It’s so cool. I really want to get to that final stage. I play golf because I want to play on the LPGA.”
Marta Silva (67) of Spain, US Curtis Cup player Brooke Pancake (71) of Chattanooga, Tenn. and Jaye Marie Green (73) of Boca Raton, Fla. finished T3 at 10-under 278.
Twenty-two players finished under par and 29 players finished at even-par 288 or better after four rounds in the LPGA’s first stage of qualifying. A total of 61 players will advance to the second stage in Venice, Fla. next month.
This week’s tournament was the first of the three-part annual qualifying tournament held to determine 2013 membership on both the LPGA and Symetra Tour. This year marks the second time all of the qualifying events will be staged in the state of Florida.
The second stage of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament will be held Oct. 9-12, at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla. The top 70 and ties from Stage II will advance into the final Qualifying Tournament Stage III.
The final Stage III Q-school will be contested over 90 holes Nov. 28 through Dec. 2, on both the Champions and Legends courses at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. Top finishers in the final stage will earn 2013 LPGA membership (total number of cards TBD) and all others who make the cut will receive Symetra Tour status.

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ENGLAND NAME FOUR BOYS FOR CANADIAN JUNIOR CHALLENGE

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF
New English men's champion Harry Ellis (Meon Valley, Hampshire) and Nick Marsh (Huddersfield, Yorkshire), a quarter finalist in the British boys championship, have been selected in a team of four to represent the England Golf in the Canadian International Junior Challenge at Oslerbrook Golf and Country Club in Ontario on 11^th – 13^th September.
They will be joined by Cameron Massey (Chorlton cum Hardy, Cheshire) and Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park, Derbyshire).
English players have enjoyed considerable success in this team event, winning the title in the past four years but only once taking the individual medal.
Ellis, 17, became the youngest ever winner of the English Amateur Championship when he beat Henry Tomlinson (Royal Lytham & St Anne’s, Lancashire) in the 36-hole final at Silloth-on-Solway last month. It earned the former under 16 cap a successful debut in the Home Internationals at Glasgow Gailes.
Marsh, 17, reached the last eight of the British Boys, and was unbeaten in his six games in the Boys Home Internationals, winning five, then helped Yorkshire win the Boys County Championship at Cotswold Hills recently. He also represented England in the European Boys Team Championships in Sweden in July.
Massey, 17,  became an under 16 international last year when he represented England against Scotland and Wales. This year, he has finished fifth in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters and equal 12^th in the Fairhaven Trophy.
Moore, 15, was the English under 14 champion last year when he was also capped by England at under 16 and schools levels. This year, he has finished fourth in the McEvoy Trophy, fifth in the European Young Masters in Hungary and sixth in the Douglas Johns Trophy. Recently, he was in the winning England team against Spain in the annual under 16 international at Pannal.
The Canadian International Junior Challenge, now in its 6th year, is one of the marquee events conducted by the Canadian Junior Golf Association and is the only multi-team international junior golf championship conducted in Canada.
It is a team event played over 54 holes of stroke play with the three best scores each day to count. There is also an individual prize.