STAR-STUDDED FIELD BIDDING FOR LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR PLAYING STATUS

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

Curtis Cup stars Charley Hull (pictured), Kelly Tidy, Amy Boulden and Holly Clyburn along with Cheyenne Woods, Ariya Jutanugarn and Jacqueline Hedwall are among a field of 141 players hoping to earn a spot on the 2013 Ladies European Tour at the final stage of Lalla Aicha Tour School, beginning tomorrow (Thursday).

Two courses, Al Maaden and Amelkis Golf Resorts in Marrakech, Morocco, play host to the five-round tournament, which ends Monday.

After the first four rounds there will be a cut to the leading 60 players and ties.

The final round to determine exemption categories will then be played at the Al Maaden Golf Resort only.

The top 30 qualifiers and ties on Monday evening will earn membership of the LET in category 8a, while players finishing down to equal 60^th position will be eligible for category 9b.

This year's field is comprised of players from 30 different countries. Sweden is the best represented country with 21 players, followed by England with 15, the United States with 13, Australia with 11 and Spain and South Africa, both with nine players each.

CHEYENNE WOODS (pictured left)

There are 21 amateurs in the field, including eight in the top 25 of the World Amateur Ranking.

Ariya Jutanugarn from Thailand is the highest ranked amateur on that list at second, followed by England’s Charley Hull (No.7), Australian Breanna Elliott (No.9), Bonita Brenenhann from Namibia (No.15), Nicole Broch Larsen from Denmark (No.16), Perrine Delacour of France (No.20), South African Kim Williams (No.22) and Maria Salinas from Peru (No.25).

Among the countries also represented are Latvia, Mexico, Colombia and China.

Meanwhile, medallists of the first qualifying stage, Maha Haddioui from Morocco and England's Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham), will hope to continue their success at the final stage this week. 

SLGA-SGU AMALGAMATION TALKS CAN NOW RESUME IN POSTIVE ATMOSPHERE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SLGA AND SGU

The process for exploring the possible amalgamation of the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association (SLGA) has moved forward with the re-establishment of a Joint Group tasked with developing an amalgamation proposal.

Substantive discussions on the formation of a single governing body for amateur golf in Scotland can now resume in a positive atmosphere.

Alastair Thornton, a Sheriff (Kirkcaldy) and former solicitor, has been appointed as Independent Chairman of the Joint Group. Thornton, a keen golfer, was for many years a partner in the Edinburgh solicitor practice, A abd W M Urquhart, where he specialised in litigation and mediation. He is also Past President of the Law Society of Scotland.

The SGU chairman, Tom Craig, said: “The SGU, in partnership with the SLGA, is committed to working towards a unified body in the Home of Golf.

“There is a great deal of common ground, and both bodies are ready to re-commence detailed consideration by means of a Joint Group. Alastair Thornton’s credentials are impressive and we look forward to working with him.”

Shona Malcolm, SLGA Chairman, added: “Alastair expressed an enthusiasm for being involved in the process. He is an excellent choice for this role and we are confident that our discussions, as a Joint Group, will enable us to progress this already lengthy amalgamation process to a conclusion which is in the best interests of Scottish amateur golf.”

 

UNDER STARTER'S ORDERS IN THE RED CITY FOR A CAREER-SHAPING 90-hole TOURNAMENT

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The Ladies European Tour School Final stage tees off at the Al Maaden and Amelkis courses in Morocco's Red City - Marrakech - tomorrow.
It gets the "Red City" tag because of the predominant colour of the building material used in its construction.
Around about 30 lady golfers will be ready to paint the town red again come Monday night when the 90-hole tournament that will decide who earns the right to play on next year's Ladies European Tour comes to a conclusion.
Curtis Cup heroines Holly Clyburn, Kelly Tidy, Amy Boulden and Charley Hull will be all out to take the next step up the golfing ladder. Boulden and Hull are still amateurs but will obviously turn pro if they win their LET players' cards.
Scots in the melting pot are former national champion Kelsey MacDonald, Pamela Feggans, Katy McNicoll and Vicki Laing.
Scottish Curtis Cup star Pamela Pretswell has leapfrogged over the Q School straight on to the LET by topping the LETAS Order of Merit on which McNicoll finished fourth.
Kelsey, who is still an amateur, sent the following message to Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk today:
"I was very happy with my golf last week and know I will  have to produce the same performance again this week.
"I have been working hard with my golf and studies and with the help and support  from Stirling University I was able to head out to Abu Dhabi/Dubai for some very productive practice with great weather and super facilities."

DEATH OF COLLEEN WALKER, WINNER OF NINE LPGA TOURNAMENTS

FROM THE GOLF CHANNEL WEBSITE

By RANDALL MELL

Colleen Walker, a nine-time LPGA winner, died Tuesday night at 56 at her home in Valrico, Florida
Walker lost her battle with cancer.
Walker won the Vare Trophy for low scoring average in 1988, broke through to win a major (du Maurier Classic) in ’97 and was presented the LPGA’s Heather Farr Award in ’04 in recognition of her hard work, dedication and persevering spirit. 
Walker was first diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2003. Though her cancer would go into remission, it returned late last year, resurfacing in her hip and pelvis.
Walker is survived by her husband, Ron Bakich, and their 16-year-old son, Tyler Walker Bakich.

---

“Colleen was not only a great ambassador for the LPGA and the game of golf, but more importantly was a true and faithful friend,” five-time LPGA winner Barb Mucha said in an LPGA release. 

“From her caring smile, unselfish ways and deep devotion to her family, her life touched all those she knew. She will be dearly missed, but her love will live on forever in our hearts.  I am blessed to have called her friend.” Raised in Jacksonville and Palm Beach County, Walker played at Florida State University, where she was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.
“I will always remember Colleen for her fight and determination on the golf course,” three-time LPGA winner Dawn Coe-Jones said in the LPGA release. “Off the golf course, I loved her sense of humor.  I will miss walking the fairways with her as we watched our sons compete. 
"Rest in peace, Colleen.”

KINGSBARNS HOSTS RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN FINAL QUALIFYING

  

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IMG

Kingsbarns Golf Links has been selected to host the Final Qualifying for the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open on Monday, July 29, ahead of the Championship proper which will be played for the second time over the Old Course, St Andrews  from August 1 to 4.

Kingsbarns Golf Links is ranked amongst the top 100 courses in the world and, located just seven miles from the Old Course, provides the perfect stage for the curtain raiser to the 2013 Championship where the world’s best women will seek to show their links skills in the most famous corner of the golfing world.

Alan Hogg, Chief Executive of Kingsbarns Golf Links explained, “We are delighted that the LGU and IMG have selected us to host Final Qualifying for one of the world’s leading professional tournaments. Not only are we excited to play such an important part in the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open we are delighted to be supporting the Ladies Golf Union and women’s golf.

"We hope this will showcase the magnificent facilities we have here at Kingsbarns and very much hope it is an association that we can develop in the coming years as we look to build our Championship portfolio.”

 Shona Malcolm, Ladies’ Golf Union’s CEO, added, “The Championship Committee is very happy to be adding Kingsbarns Golf Links to the rotation of prestigious clubs who host Final Qualifying for the Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship. We know Kingsbarns will be a popular choice among the players and spectators and we very much look forward to seeing which players will conquer the challenges offered by this magnificent links course and claim the qualifying places available.” 

 

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

 

For further information please visit www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com or contact:

 

Michele Mair, PR Manager, IMG                                     

Email: michele.mair@imgworld.com 

 

 

 

DEATH OF LIZ POOK, TWICE BRITISH CHAMPION

Liz and Tony Pook with their twin grandchildren

Liz Pook who, as Elizabeth Chadwick, won the British women's open amateur championship in 1966 and 1967, has died at her home in the south of England.

She was born in Inverness in 1943 when her father was training with Sunderland Flying Boats at Invergordon.

After World War II, the family settled in Cheshire and her golfing career blossomed in the 1960s.
She first came to the fore on the national front when she reached the final of the English women's amateur championship at Liphook in 1963. She was beaten in the final by Angela Bonallack.
Liz played for GB and I in the 1966 Curtis Cup match at Hot Springs, West Virginia, as well as the Vagliano Trophy matches against the Continent of Europe in 1963 and 1967.

She was also a member of the GB and I team in the 1967 Commonwealth Tournament.

Liz, who had earlier beaten the legendary French player Catherine Lacoste, beat Vivien Saunders in the 1966 British women's open amateur championship final at Ganton and became one of the few players to win the British title two years in a row when she beat Mary Everard in the 1967 final at Harlech.
Liz retired from the big-time amateur golf scene after that to have a family - a son and a daughter - and was on the verge of making a comeback as a golf coach, perhaps as a professional, when her life changed forever in the mid-1980s.

She was left paralysed from the waist down after a back operation for a slipped disc, an injury received playing tennis, went badly wrong in 1986. 
From a wheelchair, Liz led as active a life as possible and had been planning to attend the Curtis Cup match at Nairn last June when she was also going to visit her birthplace in Inverness - but, unfortunately, the plans did not come off. 

Here is the death notice, her husband Tony inserted in the Daily Telegraph

POOK - Elizabeth Mary – nee Chadwick

After fighting paraplegia in an inspirational way for 25 years and recently feeling unwell, died suddenly at home.

Our beloved Liz leaves an enormous gap in the lives of her family and many friends.

No flowers, donations please to the Spinal Injuries Association, 2 Trueman Place, Oldbrook, Milton Keynes, MK6 2HH

There will be a private family cremation, followed by a service of Thanksgiving ( Liz’s last round ) 20^th December at 1.30pm All Saints’ Church, Church Lane, Scholar Green, Cheshire ST7 3SX www.oddrodeparish.org