JULIE McCARTHY WINS IRISH UNDER-18 GIRLS' FINAL

Julie McCarthy receives the championship trophy from Mary McKenna, the Irish Ladies Golf  Union President. Picture from the ILGU website

NEWS RELEASE FROM IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION 
Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) defeated Olivia Mehaffey (Royal County Down Ladies) by 3 and 2 in the final of the Irish Under-18 girls' close championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club today.
Julie showed no signs of nerves as she got off to a perfect start against “favourite on paper” Olivia, a GB and I Junior Vagliano Trophy team player last month, and was three up after only four  holes which included an eagle at the third.  
Olivia won the seventh to reduce the deficit to 2 holes and then drove the 288yd par 4 eighth hole for a second success in a row.
Julie, not to be outdone, hit a rescue club off the ninth tee and again off the fairway to 10ft and duly sank the putt for a birdie. She went on to win the 10th with yet another birdie. 

The 11th was halved with great recovery work from Julie. She was in the rough with her drive, then in the greenside bunker but managed a brilliant up and down to save par.  

The par 3 12th was again halved in pars.  Olivia then sank a 25ft birdie putt on the 13th to get it back to a two-hole deficit and she played the 14th well to force Julie to concede the hole.

However, the tide turned again and Julie won the 15th with par to go two up once more.  The par 4 16th saw both players on the green with two shots.  Olivia was  first to putt and left it about 3 ft short, Julie putted just past the pin, Olivia missed her par putt and conceded Julie’s short putt and consequently the match and the Blake Cup by 3 and 2.
Caitriona Griffin beat her Killarney clubmate, 12 year old Valerie Clancy by 3 and 2 in the final of the Pat Fletcher (Plate) trophy. Today's results

CHAMPIONSHIP - Blake Cup

Semi-finals - Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) bt Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) 2 and 1, Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) bt Mary Doyle (The Heath) 2 and 1.

Final - McCarthy bt Mehaffey 3 and 2.

PAT FLETCHER TROPHY (Plate)

Semi-finals - Blaithin O'Brien (Roscommon) lost to Caitriona Griffin (Killarney) bt Blaithin O'Brien (Roscommon) 2 and 1,

Valerie Clancy (Killarney) bt Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) 2 holes.

Final - Griffin bt Clancy 3 and 2.

 

 

Sandra Barnett

Irish Ladies Golf Union

103-105 Q House, 76 Furze Road

Sandyford Industrial Estate

Dublin 18

Tel: 01 2934833 Fax: 01 2934832 W: www.ilgu.ie, E sandra@ilgu.ie

 

KYLIE AND VIKKI BEAT THE HEAT AND THE CUT IN SPANISH WOMEN'S OPeN

                Kylie Walker in action. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Kylie Walker and Vikki Laing coped with searing heat in the high 30s to beat the cut with ease in the Spanish Women's Open in Madrid but Pamela Pretswell, Katy McNicoll and Carly Booth bowed out before the weekend action.
Walker is joint 11th on 141 - five shots behind joint leaders Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa) and France's Celene Herbin - after rounds of 70 and 71 for three-under-par 141. Kylie had an eagle 3 at the fifth and birdies at the 12th and 14th.
Laing shot 69-73 for 142 and a share of 20th place.
Pretswell missed the cut by one shot with a total of 149 (76-73).
McNicoll shot 78-72 for 150 while Booth had rounds of 78-77 for 155.



NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager
 
South African Lee-Anne Pace and Celine Herbin of France are tied for the halfway lead in the Open de España after two rounds at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
After a scorching day with temperatures of 38C, the duo sits at eight-under-par, with rookie professionals Jia Yun Li of China and Isabella Ramsay of Sweden two shots behind.
Cheyenne Woods of the United States started the day as the outright leader on eight-under but dropped six shots back from the lead at two-under after a second-round of 78.
The 2010 LET money list winner Pace powered into the lead with a 69, containing four birdies and a solitary bogey.
 “I played pretty solid: 15 greens today. I didn’t think I struck the ball as well as yesterday but still 15 greens, 15 birdie chances. When I missed it I only just missed the green. I’m just going through a really good time with my golf,” said the current European number two.
She took the heat in her stride and added: “There are some really hot spots you walk through. When the breeze is there it’s fine but sometimes, like on the ninth tee, that’s hot!”
Herbin fired three birdies on the front nine and two on the back, with a bogey on the 15^th in a second-round 68.
“I’m happy with my game: pretty steady, only one bogey: 32 holes without a bogey, which is my record. I didn’t miss too many shots. I hit 17 greens, yesterday 16 greens, so I’m very happy with my game and enjoying it,” she said.
The 30-year-old second season LET player feels at home in Spain as she lives in Santander and is coached by Vicente Ballesteros, who is also her caddie.
“My coach knows the course very well, so he’s helping me a lot. He’s Seve’s brother, Vicente,” said Herbin, adding: “Spain is my second home. I’m French but I’ve been living in Spain for the last seven years.”
For 24-year-old LET rookie Li, from Guangzhou, the hot conditions were normal: “Last week I was in Shanghai and it was even hotter so here is fine for me.”
She shot a 66 in a co-sanctioned China/Korean LPGA event a fortnight ago and added: “I’ve been having some good rounds I just need to be a bit more consistent.”
The 2011 Spanish Open winner Melissa Reid and Frenchwoman Valentine Derrey share fifth on five-under-par, with a further four players a stroke further behind: Klara Spilkova, Tania Elosegui, Joanna Klatten and Mikaela Parmlid.
Woods was still smiling and posing for photographs with local children after her round, despite having taken 14 shots more than the previous day.
Speaking after her round, she said: “I survived! The course kicked my butt but I’m alive. I get to play tomorrow so that’s good and I definitely learned a lot.
“After yesterday it’s hard to shoot eight under and come back and not have the expectations to play that well again so it’s my first year and that was my first time being in the lead and it was definitely exciting.
“I didn’t make many putts today and then again I didn’t give myself that many chances. I wasn’t as sharp as yesterday.
“This is golf and it’s the reason why I love the game. You never know what to expect, every day is different and I’m just going to go back out tomorrow and grind it out.”
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
PAR 144 (2x72)
136 - Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)  67 69, Celine Herbin (FRA)  68 68
138 - Isabella Ramsay (SWE)  69 69, Jia Yun Li (CHN)  72 66
139 - Melissa Reid (ENG)  70 69, Valentine Derrey (FRA)  70 69
140 - Tania Elosegui (ESP)  66 74, Klara Spilkova (CZE)  71 69, Joanna Klatten (FRA)  69 71, Mikaela Parmlid (SWE)  69 71
141 - Beth Allen (USA)  69 72, Margherita Rigon (ITA)  74 67, Kylie Walker (SCO)  70 71, Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  69 72, Caroline Afonso (FRA)  72 69, Linda Wessberg (SWE)  74 67, Malene Jorgensen (DEN)  71 70, Viva Schlasberg (SWE)  73 68, Ashleigh Simon (RSA)  70 71
142 - Louise Larsson (SWE)  72 70, Vikki Laing (SCO)  69 73, Eleanor Givens (ENG)  72 70, Tandi Cuningham (RSA)  73 69, Mireia Prat (ESP)  73 69, Diana Luna (ITA)  73 69, Cheyenne Woods (USA)  64 78, Nontaya Srisawang (THA)  73 69
143 - Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER)  73 70, Veronica Zorzi (ITA)  73 70, Stefania Croce (ITA)  73 70, Laura Cabanillas (ESP)  71 72
144 - Rebecca Artis (AUS)  72 72, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)  74 70, Marta Silva Zamora (ESP)  70 74, Miriam Nagl (GER)  73 71, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)  73 71
145 - Nikki Campbell (AUS)  73 72, Trish Johnson (ENG)  71 74, Hannah Burke (ENG)  71 74, Raquel Carriedo (ESP)  72 73, Carlota Ciganda (ESP)  74 71, Megan Grehan (USA)  72 73, Stacey Keating (AUS)  74 71, Alison Whitaker (AUS)  71 74, Margarita Ramos (MEX)  73 72, Sahra Hassan (WAL)  72 73, Carmen Alonso (ESP)  70 75
146 - Emily Kristine Pedersen (DNK)  70 76, Holly Clyburn (ENG)  75 71, Camilla Lennarth (SWE)  71 75, Bree Arthur (AUS)  75 71, Virginia Espejo (ESP)  73 73, Maria Hernandez (ESP)  74 72, Minea Blomqvist (FIN)  74 72, Virginie Lagoutte (FRA)  74 72, Yu Yang Zhang (CHN)  71 75
147 - Emily Taylor (ENG)  77 70, Charley Hull (ENG)  72 75, Ana Larraneta (ESP)  71 76, Marjet Van Der Graaff (NED)  75 72, Bonita Bredenhann (NAM)  72 75, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA)  72 75, Melanie Maetzler (SUI)  73 74, Marta Sanz (ESP)  74 73, Emma Cabrera-Bello (ESP)  77 70, Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA)  75 72, Sophie Walker (ENG)  73 74, Rebecca Sorensen (SWE)  74 73, Eva Bjarvall (SWE)  71 76, Daniela Holmqvist (SWE)  73 74
148 - Jade Schaeffer (FRA)  76 72, Cathryn Bristow (NZL)  78 70, Sophie Sandolo (ITA)  70 78, Lydia Hall (WAL)  71 77, Cassandra Kirkland (FRA)  75 73, Whitney Hillier (AUS)  76 72
MISSED THE CUT
149 - Patricia Sanz (ESP)  75 74, Henni Zuel (ENG)  76 73, Holly Aitchison (ENG)  74 75, Danielle Montgomery (ENG)  75 74, Julie Maisongrosse (FRA)  73 76, Lucie Andre (FRA)  77 72, Pamela Pretswell (SCO)  76 73, Kristie Smith (AUS)  78 71, Rebecca Hudson (ENG)  77 72, Mallory Fraiche (USA)  74 75, Karen Lunn (AUS)  71 78, Zuzana Kamasova (SVK)  76 73, Xi Yu Lin (CHN)  73 76
150 - Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)  77 73, Nikki Garrett (AUS)  76 74, Steffi Kirchmayr (GER)  78 72, Morgana Robbertze (RSA)  77 73, Florentyna Parker (ENG)  75 75, Elina Nummenpaa (FIN)  78 72, Katy McNicoll (SCO)  78 72
151 - Anais Maggetti (SUI)  74 77, Maria Beautell (ESP)  76 75, Connie Chen (RSA)  74 77
152 - Benedikte Grotvedt (NOR)  74 78, Leigh Whittaker (GER)  76 76, Noora Tamminen (FIN)  76 76, Marion Ricordeau (FRA)  76 76, Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA)  75 77, Georgina Simpson (ENG)  75 77, Julie Greciet (FRA)  74 78
153 - Adriana Zwanck (ESP)  78 75, Stephanie Na (AUS)  81 72, Sarah King (AUS)  74 79, Louise Kristersson (SWE)  75 78, Galina Rotmistrova (RUS)  73 80, Paula Hurtado (COL)  75 78, Alexandra Vilatte (FRA)  79 74, Becky Brewerton (WAL)  77 76
155 - Tara Davies (WAL)  81 74, Carin Koch (SWE)  78 77, Carly Booth (SCO)  78 77, Maha Haddioui (MAR)  77 78
156 - Ana B Sanchez (ESP)  78 78, Charlotte Ellis (ENG)  75 81
157 - Isabell Gabsa (GER)  75 82
159 - Stefanie Michl (AUT)  80 79
162 - Laura Jansone (LVA)  79 83
RTD - Christine Wolf (AUT), Liz Young (ENG), Lauren Mielbrecht (USA)

CONNIE JAFFREY v TARA MACTAGGART IN SCOTTISH U18 GIRLS FINAL

                Connie Jaffrey (left) and Nicola Robertson. Picture by courtesy of the SLGA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Scottish schoolgirls champion Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies), 16, also winner of the Ayrshire women's county title this season, will play South of Scotland girls champion Tara Mactaggart (Minto), 17, in the 18-hole final of the Scottish Under-18 girls' championship at Ranfurly Castle Golf Club on Saturday morning. 
In this morning's quarter-finals, Jaffrey ended the bid of St Andrews' Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) to become the first player since Carly Booth in 2007-2008 to win the national girls' title two years in a row. Connie, the fifth seed, beat Whyte by 4 and 2 and followed that up with a 5 and 4 win in the semi-finals against Nicola Robertson (Dunblane New) who had earlier KO'd  the highly rated Carla Young (North Berwick) and then, in the quarter-finals, the 2010 champion Lesley Atkins (Gullane) by 5 and 4.
Jaffrey was level par in her victory over Robertson after being two up at the turn.
Mactaggart, 17, who reached the last 16 of the Scottish women's championship at Longniddry in May, was one under par in winning the all-Borders semi-final against Danielle Ker (Roxburghe).
Tara was one down after six holes but never looked back after birdieing the short seventh and long eighth to be one up at the turn.
Ker won the 13th and 16th on the inward half but Mactaggart won the 11th, 12th, 15th and 17th for victory.
Emma Greenlees (Dumfries and Co) beat Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) by 4 and 3 in the final of the Ansley Reid Salver subsidiary competition.  
 RESULTS
CHAMPIONSHIP
QUARTER-FINALS
Nicola Robertson (Dunblane New) bt Lesley Atkins (Gullane) 5 and 4.
Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) bt Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) 4 and 2.
Danielle Ker (Roxburghe) bt Heather Munro (Monifieth) 3 and 2.
Tara Mactaggart (Minto) bt Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) 5 and 4. 
SEMI-FINALS
Jaffrey bt Robertson 5 and 4.
Mactaggart bt Ker 3 and 1. 

                         Danielle Ker (left) and Tara Mactaggart. Picture by courtesy of the SLGA.

               Kimberley Beveridge (left) and Emma Greenlees. Picture by courtesy of the SLGA

ANSLEY REID SALVER scoreboard

QUARTER-FINALS
Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) bt Heather McKimmie (Balmore) at 19th.
Emma Greenlees (Dumfries and Co) bt Katie Scott (Strathaven) 6 and 4.
Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) bt Jillian Farrell (Cardross) 2 and 1.
Katie Wright (Stranraer) bt Olivia Borwick (McDonald Ellon) 4 and 3.
SEMI-FINALS
Greenlees bt Seivwright 6 and 4.
Beveridge bt Wright 1 hole. 
FINAL
Greenlees bt Beveridge 4 and 3.

RICK VALENTINE BEATS CATRIONA MATTHEW IN THREE-HOLE HICKORY CHALLENGE

 The way they were ... Rick Valentine and Catriona Matthew ready for their three-hole hickory challenge match at Montrose Links today.

Credit: Photo courtesy of www.carnoustiecountry.com

NEWS RELEASE FROM CARNOUSTIE COUNTRY

The Open is grabbing the headlines – but it’s not the only international golf tournament making the news. To launch the World Hickory Open 2013,  two top golfers from the worlds of women’s golf and hickory golf battled it out today across three holes on Montrose Golf Links, where golf has been played for over 450 years.

The World Hickory Open 2013, which takes place in Montrose on October 1 and 2, is one of the main events in the inaugural Carnoustie Country Golf Festival, which is being held this autumn. To launch this high profile, international event, Carnoustie Country Ambassador Catriona Matthew, one of the main contenders at the Ricoh Women’s British Open next month, competed in a mini-hickory golf tournament against the current World Hickory Open champion, Rick Valentine. 

Catriona swapped her state-of-the-art golf clubs for hickory-shafted golf clubs which are exact replicas of those used 100 years ago and, in keeping with the spirit of the World Hickory Open, wore a golfing outfit similar to those worn by lady golfers in the early 20^th century. 

“Until today, I had no experience whatsoever of hickory golf but it was great fun,” said Catriona.

“I was intrigued to discover just how different the whole experience is from the golf that we play today and how much golf equipment – and golfing attire - has advanced over the last century.” 

After three hotly-contested holes across Montrose Medal, the Carnoustie Country course which will host the World Hickory Open 2013, Rick Valentine narrowly beat Catriona. 

“Right up until the end, it was very close,” said Rick, who is Director of Golf at Loretto School in Musselburgh. 

“Catriona played fantastically well and I only just sneaked in as a result of the penalty Catriona incurred at the last hole.”

As the winner of last year’s World Hickory Open, which was held on Monifieth Medal and Carnoustie Burnside, Rick is returning to Montrose in October to defend his title. 

“I hope today’s result bodes well for the 2013 championship,” said Rick, whose grandmother, Jessie Valentine, was one of Britain’s top lady golfers from the 1930s right through to the 1950s. 

“Playing hickory golf anywhere is special but it will be fantastic to once again compete in Carnoustie Country, home to so many of Scotland’s greatest and oldest golf courses.” 

The World Hickory Open 2013 is a two-day event played across 36 holes of Montrose Medal. This is the tournament’s ninth year and organiser Lionel Freedman, co-founder and Director of the World Hickory Open, explained that, as a result of the success of the World Hickory Open’s move to Carnoustie Country in 2012, a couple of additional events have been added to the programme.

“We’re definitely making the most of being located in the cradle of golf, where there are an almost unbelievable 30 golf courses within a forty minute drive of Carnoustie Championship,” said Lionel.

The World Hickory Open 2013 is for amateur and professional golfers, with categories for individuals and teams. 

“Well over 100 competitors and 40 teams are expected to attend this year’s tournament,” said Lionel. “We’ve already had entries from as far afield as America, Australia and South Africa, with many entrants joining us for the first time.” 

Entry to the 2013 World Hickory Open costs £250 per golfer. This includes an optional warm-up round on Monifieth Medal, two rounds on Montrose Medal during the tournament, the possibility of a place in the Ryder Cup style competition that will be played at Arbroath on Thursday, October 3, hire of hickory-shafted clubs and the gala prizegiving dinner.

“Places are still available in this year’s World Hickory Open,” added Lionel. “Experience of hickory golf is not necessary and neither is wearing period golfing gear, although most of our competitors agree that this is the perfect finishing touch.”

To find out more about the World Hickory Open 2013, or to download an entry form, visit www.worldhickoryopen.com

LAUREN WHYTE LOSES GRIP ON SCOTTISH U18 GIRLS' TITLE

Lauren Whyte's bid to become the first player since Carly Booth (Comrie) in 2007-2008 to win the Scottish U18 girls' championship two years in a row came to an end at Ranfurly Castle Golf club this morning.
The St Regulus player was beaten 4 and 2 by Scotland girls international team-mate Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies).
Lauren was the No 4 seed and Connie No 5.
Nicola Robertson (Dunblane New) followed up her 5 and 4 win over Scottish women's championship finalist Clara Young (North Berwick) by scoring her third 5 and 4 win in a row - this time to knock out the 2010 Scottish girls champion, Lesley Atkins (Gullane).
Nicola is the No 8 seed. Lesley qualified in 16th place.
Robertson, who only turned 18 years in March, recently had a great run through to the final of the North of Scotland women's championship at Deeside before losing to Claire Prouse.
So it will be Robertson versus Jaffrey this afternoon for a place in the Saturday morning final over 18 holes.
The other semi-final will be an all-Borders affair between Danielle Ker (Roxburghe) and Tara Mactaggart (Minto).
This morning Danielle, the No 6 qualifier,  beat Scotland girls cap Heather Munro (Monifieth), the third seed, by 3 and 2 while Tara, the No 2 seed, beaten the seventh qualifier, Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) by 5 and 4. 
RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS
Nicola Robertson (Dunblane New) bt Lesley Atkins (Gullane) 5 and 4.
Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) bt Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) 4 and 2.
Danielle Ker (Roxburghe) bt Heather Munro (Monifieth) 3 and 2.
Tara Mactaggart (Minto) bt Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) 5 and 4. 

ANSLEY REID SALVER
QUARTER-FINALS
Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) bt Heather McKimmie (Balmore) at 19th.
Emma Greenlees (Dumfries and Co) bt Katie Scott (Strathaven) 6 and 4.
Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) bt Jillian Farrell (Cardross) 2 and 1.
Katie Wright (Stranraer) bt Olivia Borwick (McDonald Ellon) 4 and 3.
SEMI-FINALS
Greenlees bt Seivwright 6 and 4.
Beveridge bt Wright 1 hole.

ALISON WALSHE LEADS ON LPGA TOUR

Galway-born Alison Walshe leads this week's LPGA Tour event, the Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows GC with a six-under-par 65.
LEADERBOARD
Par 71 Yardage 6428
65 Alison Walshe
66 Jessica Shipley, Lexi Thompson, Paula Creamer

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
67 Inbee Park (T5)
69 Lydia Ko (NZ) (am), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) (T19)
72 Laura Davies (England) (T65)
74 Michelle Wie (T105)
75 Janice Moodie (Scotland) (T123)
76 Felicity Johnson (England) (T133)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE