PSMRLA FEGGANS LEADS SCOTS IN SPAIN

Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire and Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll are leading a strong contingent of Scots in the LETAS event which started at Galicia, Spain today - the Ocho Golf Open. Feggans, pictured, playing for the first time since she broke a toe in a domestic accident, shot a 71 to be lying joint 17th, six shots behind joint leaders Margarita Ramos from Mexico and Austria's Christine Wolf. McNicoll had a 72 for a share of 28th place. Krystle Falkner - Krystle Caithness that was - continued her comeback, which started on the Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour - with a 73, the same score as Alford's Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre).  They are joint 35th. Michele Thomson from Ellon, another who revived their taste for competitive pro golf on the Paul Lawrie SLOT,  had a 74 for joint 59th place. Heather MacRae (Gleneagles) had a disappointing 76 for a shre of 69th place. FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD Par 70  65 Margarita Ramos (Mexico),  Christine Wolf (Austria). 66 Chloe Leurquin (Belgium) 67 Nicole Broch Larsen (Denmark) (amateur) SELECTED SCORES 69 Danielle McVeigh (Northern Ireland) (T9). 71 Pamela Feggans (Ayrshire), Charlotte Wild (England), Tracey Boyes (England), Natalie Lowe (England) (T17). 72 Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie) (T28). 73 Eleanor Givens (England), Krystle Falkner (St Andrews), Charlie Douglass (England), Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), Maria Tulley (England) (T35) 74 Lauren Blease (England), Michele Thomson (Ellon), Rachel Drummond (England), Sian James (England) (T57). 76 Stacy Rodger (England), Heather MacRae (Gleneagles), Eleanor Pilgrim (Wales).(T69). 77 Lucy Williams (England) (T83) 78 Kym Larratt (England), Tara Delaney (Ireland) (T87). 82 Jess Rigby (England) (T101). Field of 104 players.  TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES CLICK HERE  FROM THE LETAS WEBSITE Mexico’s Margarita Ramos and Austrian Christine Wolf both shot 65 to tie for the lead after the opening round of the Ocho Golf Ladies Open – Galicia at the Augas Santas Balneario & Golf Resort in Panton, Spain today. Ramos, pictured, who finished tied 25th at the Lalla Aicha LET Tour School in December last year, birdied the 3rd and 7th holes, then recorded back to back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes and closed with a birdie on the 309 yard par four 18th, for a bogey-free round of 5 under par. Wolf, the 2012 Crete Ladies Open champion, was equally as impressive, covering the front nine in 30 shots, before mixing two birdies with two bogeys on the back nine, to be home in 35. Belgium’s Chloe Leurquin, who is combining her studies in Business and Engineering with competing on the LET Access Series this year, shot 66 (-4) to lie in third place. Young Danish amateur Nicole Broch Larsen did not manage a par on her opening nine holes, scoring six birdies and three bogeys. Broch Larsen combined one birdie with a bogey on her closing nine holes to sit at 3 under par and in fourth position. Peru’s Maria Salinas, Australian Bree Arthur, Mireia Prat From Spain and the Netherlands’ Chrisje de Vries (winner at Dalmahoy of the inaugural Paul Lawrie Ladies Tour event on April 18, all shot 68, 2 under par, to be tied for fifth place.

LINK TO SCORES ON THE DOORS AT LETAS EVENT IN SPAIN

TO VIEW THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES IN THE LETAS EVENT THAT STARTED IN SPAIN TODAY - THE OCHO OPEN AT GALICIA -

CLICK HERE


Pamela Feggans is the leading Scot with a 71, followed by Katy McNicoll on 72

RACHAEL AND DENVER UNIVERSITY TEAM-MATES WIN WEST CONFERENCE TITLE

Rachael Watton from Edinburgh is in that victorious Denver University line-up ... but we cannot identify her! Martin Dempster (The Scotsman and Edinburgh Evening News golf writer) says that Rachael is second from the end right. Thanks, Martin! Mary Richardson, another Lothian golf expert agrees. FROM THE DENVER UNIVERSITY WEBSITE MESA, Arizona  – The University of Denver women’s golf team, which included Scotland international Rachael Watton from Edinburgh,  won its 10th-straight conference title by winning its first Western Athletic Conference Championship by 12 strokes at Longbow Golf Club, Mesa in Arizona.  Now Rachael and her team-mates are bound for California and the Stanford University golf course (which Tiger Woods and Mhairi McKay used to call home) to play in the next stage of the road to the NCAA championships: The West Regionals from May 9 to 11. Junior Tonje Daffinrud (Tonsberg, Norwary) won the individual title at Mesa with a seven-under 209 (68-72-69) over a 6163yd par-72 course, six strokes ahead of San Jose State’s Regan De Guzman (70-74-71), and was named the WAC Player of the Year. “We got off to a slow start today, but Tonje played well for us the entire tournament,” WAC Coach of the Year Lindsay Hulwick said.  “Elyse stepped up for us today too, and shot her second-straight round at one-over. To win the 10th-conference championship is really important to this program and me personally as a first-year head coach.  "This time around we were obviously in a different conference and a very competitive field with four teams in top 50, and I thought all five of our girls stepped up this week. We’ve gotten better and better in each tournament this spring, and that was our goal this winter. We’re looking forward to NCAA postseason play.” Denver combined for an 18-over 882 at the three-day event. The Pioneers saw its nine-stroke lead entering the day cut down to as little as four, but made those strokes up on the back nine to secure the comfortable margin entering the last three holes. In all, three Pioneers finished in the top-10, as senior Kelly Drack (Melbourne, Fla.) and freshman Elyse Smidinger (Crofton, Md.) joined Daffinrud in that group. Drack shot a five-over 77 this afternoon and Smidinger shot a one-over 73 on Wednesday, as the Pioneer duo finished the competition tied for sixth with matching scores of seven-over (223). Redshirt-senior Melissa Martin (Grand Junction, Colo.) carded a five-over 77 to finish the tournament in 15th place at 12-over. Sophomore Rachael Watton (Edinburgh, Scotland) also shot a five-over 77 on Wednesday, and finished the tournament in 18th with a 14-over 230. Rachael's earlier rounds were 78 and 75. The individual victory is Daffinrud’s second tournament win of her career, and her sixth top 10 finish of the season. Daffinrud’s victory is Denver’s eighth individual conference title in its 15-year history, a list that now includes seven different golfers.  The Pioneer junior is now one of six golfers to win multiple tournaments in her career in program history, and her tournament score of seven-under ties for the fourth-best mark in school history.   Daffinrud was named to the All-WAC First Team, while Smidinger and Watton earned second-team honors. +England's Brogan Towend, a student at Texas-San Antionia finished 28th in the field od 35 players at Mesa. She score d79, 80 and 76 for a total of 235.

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IRISH PROSPECT JESSICA CARTY TO JOIN RACHAEL WATTON AT DENVER UNIVERSITY

The Denver University has confused Holywood near Belfast (Rory McIlroy's neck of the woods), with Holyrood, Edinburgh
in announcing the signing of Irish girl international Jessica Carty (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency) to join the squad for the start of the 2013-14 roster in August.

Scotland international Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) will be starting her third year at Denver in August.  


FROM THE DENVER UNIVERSITY WEBSITE
The University of Denver women’s golf program has added Jessica Carty (Holywood, Scotland) to its 2013-14 roster, head coach Lindsay Hulwick announced on Wednesday. 
“I wasn’t involved in her initial recruiting process, but I’ve spoken and emailed with her several times, and I think she’ll represent this program very well,” Hulwick said. “She’s played in some great events, she really cares about golf and she wants to get better. I think she’s had a lot of success as a junior golfer, and has continued to improve throughout her career.” 
Carty is a three-time member of the Irish girls’ team and a member of the Irish ladies team in 2012. The Scotland native holds the course record with a two-under 69 at Holywood Golf Club. Carty was also the Connaught girls champion in 2011 and the Irish girls champion in 2012. 
Most recently, Carty won the Hughes Insurance Women’s Championship at the end of April.

DANIEL THOMPSETT SCORES SECOND WIN ON US COLLEGE CIRCUIT

Coach Andrew Locke with Daniel Thompsett at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre when Daniel was home on holiday over the Festive period.       Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Aboyne's Daniel Thompsett, a second-year student at Rocky Mountain College, Montana, has won the Frontier Conference Championship tournament this week and has qualified for the NAIA national championship later this month.
Thompsett, the 2011 North-east boys' champion and coached by Andrew Locke (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), shot rounds of 74, 70 and 71 for a one-under-par total of 145 at Larchmont Golf Club, Missoula in Montana.
He had a one-stroke winning margin for his first victory of the 2012-2013 college season. He also won during the 2011-2012 campaign.

LOUISE MCGILLIVRAY MAKING HER MARK AT MERRIMACK UNIVERSITY, BOSTON

Louise McGillivray from Banchory, a student at Merrimack University, Boston, finished a close-up joint third in the ECAC women's college conference championship - and helped her college to win the title - by the runaway margin of 30 strokes - for the first time at the Country Club of Ithaca, New York this week.
Louise, end right in above pictures, was also chosen for the "All-Tournament Team."
Louise had two rounds of 80 for a total of 160 over the par-72 Country Club of Ithaca, New York State's course of 5,800yd.
Sharon Li (Ithaca) (79-77) and Jessica Ngui (Merrimack) (77-79) tied on 156. 
Sharon, playing over her home course, won the sudden-death play-off at the second extra hole.
Merrimack (649) won the team title ahead of New York University (679) at the head of a field of eight teams.   

FROM THE MERRYMACK UNIVERSITY WEBSITE
In their first-ever appearance in the ECAC Championships, the Merrimack women's golf team collected their first victory of the spring season. The Warriors shot a two-day team total of 649 at the par 72, 5,800 yard Country Club of Ithaca, 30 shots ahead of second place, New York University.
The 30 stroke victory for the young Warriors was the most decisive win in program history and their first-ever ECAC Conference Championship.
The host Ithaca College, the reigning Division III National Champions, came in third place with a team two-day total of 682 while St. Lawrence and Hamilton wrapped up the top-five.
Jessica Ngui (Richardson, Texas) paced the Warriors once again as she fired a 79 on day two after shooting a field-low 77 in the opening round. Ngui and Sharon Li from Ithaca tied for medalist honours so a playoff was needed to decide the winner. Li edged out Ngui on the second play-off hole to take the medalist honors.
Louise McGillivray (Banchory, Scotland) finished off her impressive weekend with back-to-back 80's on her way to a third place overall finish and finding herself on the All-Tournament team. 
Fellow Warrior, Ali Reed (Westborough, Mass.) also found herself on the All-Tournament team after carding a 83 on Sunday and a two-day total of 161. Reed took home a fifth place individual finish.
Freshman Jaclyn Drew (Lunenburg, Mass.) continued her consistent play as she shot back-to-back rounds of 86 on her way to a 12th place finish while fellow teammate Lloyd Hoehle (Fullerton, Calif.) backed up her opening round 86 with a 92 on Sunday, earning a 17th place finish as a individual.
Coming in at No. 11 in the most recent regional ranking poll, the Warriors will now await their fate of a possible NCAA Division II Tournament at-large bid. It would be the program's first-ever berth in the national tournament in only its second year of competition.

CHARLEY HULL SEEKS THIRD-TIME LUCKY RETURN TO TURKEY'S NATIONAL GC

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Charley Hull will be back at the National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya, next week, for the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open, being played on May 9-12. After finishing fifth as an amateur at the venue last year, this time she will be making her third start as a Ladies European Tour professional.
The 17-year-old from Kettering in Northamptonshire will be hoping to make it third time lucky after recording two second place finishes in her first two professional events on the LET, in Morocco and South Africa.
Charley, pictured, obtained a provisional ranking at the 2013 LET Lalla Aicha Tour School and made her debut on the professional circuit in March this year playing at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco where she made headlines finishing in joint second place with Beth Allen of the USA at 11 under par, with a record breaking 64 in the third round.
She grabbed her second joint runners’-up spot in as many starts in unusual circumstances two weeks ago at the South African Women’s Open. After recovering from food poisoning early in the week, she opened the 54-hole tournament with a first round of two-under par 70 before heavy rain and strong winds wiped out the second and third rounds, reducing the tournament to 18 holes. 
She is now ranked ninth on the LET’s ISPS Handa Order of Merit and 25^th on the European Solheim Cup points’ standings.
Charley, who played magnificently at the National last year as a 16 year old amateur, finished at one under par after four rounds, of 73, 72, 73 and 73, ending six shots behind the winner, Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands and only one shot behind fourth placed Carlota Ciganda of Spain.
In her short career as an amateur Charley amassed many titles including the English Open Stroke Play, Welsh Open Stroke Play and Harder Hall Invitational in 2011. She also represented Great Britain and Ireland in the 2012 Curtis Cup team that defeated the United States of America.
After her great performances in Turkey last year and over the last two months, everyone will be following Charley’s game closely at the 2013 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open.
She will be joined by the two-time defending champion who won in 2011 and 2012, Christel Boeljon from Holland, as part of the 126 player field representing 30 different countries.
Others famous names who will participate include Sweden’s Carin Koch, who tied for third in last year’s tournament, British players Melissa Reid and Laura Davies, Lee-Anne Pace and Spain's world no.28, Carlota Ciganda, the runner-up in Texas last week who is currently ranked second on the European Solheim Cup points’ standings for this year’s team heading to Colorado.
The Turkish Airlines Ladies Open is being held for the fifth time at the National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya, and is organised by Mineks International.