ORANGE BLOSSOM TOUR FINALE

INTERNATIONAL FOUR-BALL WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

Hosted by The Wanderers Club, Wellington, Florida

The historical Women's International Four-Ball Championship is being held this week at the premiere golf and polo club in Wellington, Florida. The Wanderers Club is hosting 48 pairs from around the world. Some of the top women amateurs will compete for the coveted Women's International Four-Ball Championship title.
The format of the championship is 36 holes of four-ball stroke play, commonly known as a two-person, best-ball.  
Defending champions, Tara Connelly of Palm Beach Gardens, and Meghan Stasi of Oakland Park, have once again teamed up for the Championship.
And they have started where they left off this year by posting the first day's best score of 67.
Stasi is a four-time US Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and a member of the victorious 2008 US Curtis Cup team at St Andrews.

Meghan, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, also has had great success at the International Four-Ball, winning three times, first in 2009 with Dawn Woodard, then in 2010 with Donna Mummert, and last year with current partner Tara Connelly. 
Stasi's 2014 season is off to a great start, winning the 58th Harder Hall Invitational in January and placing in the top 10 at the Dixie Women's Amateur.
Another extremely notable player to watch is Ellen Port of St. Louis, Missouri. Port’s resume is quite extensive, including four US Women’s Mid-Amateur titles and two US Women’s Senior Amateur titles. 
Also, Port is the captain of the 2014 USA Curtis Cup team. The 38th match against Great Britain and Ireland - the holders - will be conducted in Port's hometown at St. Louis Country Club, June 6-8.
Port herself was a member of the 1994 and 1996 USA Curtis Cup teams. She won the 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2011 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateurs along with the 2012 and 2013 USGA Senior Women's Amateur.  
In addition to her USGA titles, Port holds the record for most Missouri Women's Amateur champion titles, winning the championship eight times, and she is also a 12-time St. Louis Metropolitan champion. Port was also recently named Global Golf Post's Women's Amateur Player of the Year.

2014 FIRST-DAY RESULTS

Championship Division

Tara Connelly / Meghan Stasi - 67

Mary Jane Hiestand / Diane Lang - 69

Gale Brudner / Ellen Oswald - 70

Sherry Herman / Debbie Adams - 70

Marie Arnoux / Ellen Port - 71

Laura Carson / Maureen Sheehan - 73

Charlotte Daughan / Sarah Matin - 74

Elizabeth Breza / Teri deLuis - 74

Gigi Higgins / Lin McMillan - 74

Ivy Steinberg / Janice Wilson - 74

Jewell Malick / Anna Schultz - 74

Lisa Cook / Helene Thoman - 74

Mary Janiga / Alexa Pano - 75

Therese Quinn / Alison Reifers - 75

Linda Dillon / Susan Keane - 76

 Patsy Ehret / Terri Wirth - 76

Taffy Brower / Kathleen Colliflower - 76

Diane Carter / Jenny Ceppi - 77

Evelyn Blackmon / Angie Coleman - 78

Tama Caldabaugh / Susan West - 78

Lauren Collins / Maria Marino - 81

Nancy Beck / Leslie Henry - 84

Natalie McNicholas / Kathy West - 85

Middle Division

Christine Martin / Beth Sholar - 72

Laura Monea / Jennifer Polich - 72

Patty Lang / Sue McMurdy - 73

Debbie Dove / Kathryn Maloney - 76

Karen Hale / Karen Varner - 76

Kathy Baker / Rebecca Montgelas - 76

Leann Cesario / Debra Wangrud - 77

Elizabeth Brumback / Lynn Fullmer - 78

Nicola de Stwolinska / Mary Kozak - 78

Patricia Hughes-Gelardi / Kibbe Reilly - 78

Joyce Martin / Meredith Wolf - 82

Danielle Doane / Marianne Doane - 83

Diane Armet / Barbara Magie - 83

Jan DeMarco / Sonja Stutchfield - 86

Forward Division

Ann Candido / Marsha Funk - 73

Eileen Burke / Lanette Gustafson - 77

Victoria Goitz / Gilda Perez - 78

Donna Carruth / JoEllen Youngblud - 79

Pamela Cooling / Carolyn Hudson - 79

Kay Howard / Martha Richards - 81

Dannae Karins / Lois Wilhelm - 84

Carole Browne / Jeri Ewing - 85

Lori Cameron / Patricia Fox - 86
Kimberly Byle / Chris Daywalt - 87

Karen Long / Sheila Nuccilli - 88

HOME or AWAY FOR STUDENT GOLFERS - Excellent opportunities in Scotland and America

VISITS TO SEE FACILITIES AND MEET 

COACHES ESSENTIAL BEFORE SIGNING 

FROM WALTER BURNS

Scottish Junior Golf Touor

My son George, pictured below, has just been offered a place at St Andrews, starting this September. Like many of the boys, he was initially keen to go to the United States with St Andrews being his home target. 

The major difficulties with the States option was to get into a good academic university which also had a good golf programme and coaches whom he would like to work with. 

I think some of these uncertainties can only be resolved by visiting some of them before signing up.  

George had a meeting with David Watt, Director of Golf at St Andrews University, last August and decided there and then he wanted to sign up. 

David Watt has brought the golf programme up to the standard expected of the university situated in the home of golf.

The golf squad members at St Andrews have a great programme with all the Links Trust facilities available to them and every specialist support they need. 

George gets on well with David Watt and has also worked with Kevin Hale, the girls' coach. The match and tournament programme is extremely good with numerous opportunities to play in international events if you make the team. 

And with the Old Course just four minutes' walk from the Maths Building it is, as Kevin Bacon says, a “no brainer” decision.

George got the experience of playing in two university competitions last year in a Scotland Select team - the St Andrews 600 year anniversary quadrangular played over Crail, the Eden and both Fairmont courses. A great experience.  

He also played in the Stirling Invitational at Dundonald, where the “tees of the day” were laid out by Mr Robertson and they certainly were not for the faint hearted. 

There are people now working within the British university system who have improved dramatically what is available.

The important thing is that young Scottish golfers now have excellent opportunities at home and in America. We might not have many options in Scotland but they are very good ones. 

George has friends already at Stirling and in America and they all seem to be really enjoying the experience.

Walter Burns

Scottish Junior Golf Tour

CONTINUING THE GREAT DEBATE: UK OR USA UNIVERSITY

EDUCATION/GOLF:  REMEMBER TO ASK 

THE SON OR  DAUGHTER WHAT THEY 

WANT TO DO ...

FROM DOMINIC HEWSON

I don’t feel I can read all the comments about university without adding comment from a family mapping out a 16-year-old's future, balancing education and competitive golf. 

Our daughter, Alice, pictured last June in her Junior Vagliano Trophy GB and I team blazer, has had a good junior career, progressing through club and county golf before establishing herself in the England Golf squads.  Throughout, Alice, and ourselves as parents have always prioritised her education as she enjoys school.  Putting school first  is often difficult when key order of merit competitions sit within school time, but it is a choice. 

For some, Higher Education is not the right route, but when a golfer prioritises education, progression to university is a great option. 

 The ability to combine education and great facilities/coaching for four years is fantastic ... to walk away with a degree and to test yourself under the umbrella of university support is invaluable.

So to the question of whether you look at local universities or abroad.

First and foremost, ask the child what he or she wants.  There is no right or wrong answer.  If the player is a home bird or may struggle being 4000+ miles away from home, then there are many great UK universities with golf programmes and maybe the US is not an option.  

However, if the player is looking to play in great weather and to experience different cultures, then a placement abroad offers many pluses.

We looked at three key factors:

1 Level of Competition

2 Weather / Facilities

3 Cost

Firstly, US college golf is seen as a mini-tour for both the men and the women.  Aside from those pursuing a pro career, the majority of the best amateur golfers play college golf.  

Each university will play eight to 12 events in their season, culminating in regional and national finals.  

In short, if you can win and regularly place well in college golf, then you have the potential to do well on tour.  If you can’t compete at this level its very unlikely you will succeed on tour.  

So college golf gives your four years to improve your game and take a realistic view on your potential without the financial burden of turning pro too early. Obviously, the added benefit is a great degree too

Secondly, and perhaps the reason many golfers look to the US over the UK is the weather.  The pull of practising and playing in warm weather for 12 months a year cannot be underestimated.  

We’ve all experienced the rain of the last few months, but we also remember brushing snow off the range, shots pinging off the green because they are frozen.  

It’s my view that weather is as important as facilities, with the southern US being very appealing.  

One more comment on facilities, many of the university facilities have limitless funding, so access to the SAM lab (putting) and Trackman are unlimited, plus it’s the norm for the universities to have several putting greens built from different grasses to replicate the different surfaces a player will experience

Finally, cost. Whilst I accept many of the UK universities have great golf programmes, how many of them are offering four male and six female scholarships to share across their roster.  

US golf scholarships vary enormously, but when you consider a scholarship might include: tuition, books, accommodation, meal plans and medical insurance, I’d say the opportunities for young golfers in the States are amazing.  

Whilst finances shouldn’t be the main consideration for attending a US university, the opportunity to complete a degree with zero debt is something that sets you up for life.

 

My advice as a parent: If you have a young golfer who enjoys school and wants to move into higher education, you have a wealth of opportunities.  Before rushing into any decision, figure out what is the best fit for your child (remember to ask their opinion too) and do some research.  

There are many great options. If you are seriously considering US university, research the university, the coach, the golf programme and quality of the education.  

Once you have a shortlist, I would fully recommend you try and plan a road trip to visit as many locations as you can.  Each is unique and has their own pros and cons which you will only understand by meeting the coach and visiting the facilities.  

A player relocating to the US for four years needs to be happy and settled, so invest some time up-front if you can.

 

Dominic Hewson

 

DUNNE AND ELLIS TIE FOR THIRTIETH PLACE

                        Greg Eason from Leicester
GREG EASON FINISHES 3rd IN GATOR 

INVITATIONAL AT GAINESVILLE

Greg Eason from Leicester, a final-year student at the University of Central Florida, finished third in a field of 75 at the Sun Trust Gator Invitational college tournament at Mark Bostic Golf Club, Gainesville, Florida.
Eason shot rounds of 72, 69 and 68 for one-under-par 209 over the 6,701 (par 70) course.
He finished three shots behind the joint winners, Trey Rule (Mercer University) (70-67-69) and Hank Lebioda (Florida State) 69-70-67.
Irishman Paul Dunne (Alabama-Birmingham) Englishman Harry Ellis (Florida State) finished T30 on 220.
Senior-year man Dunne from Greystones had scores of 75, 76 and 69.
Freshman Ellis had rounds of 74, 73 and 73.
Arkansas (459) won the team title ahead of Florida State (855), Vanderbilt (856), Central Florida (863). 14 Teams took part

BRITISH PLAYERS OUTSIDE TOP 30 AT END OF FIRST ROUND

MEADOW, MEEK AND TAYLOR NOT IN 

CONTENTION AT LADY PUERTO RICO 

CLASSIC

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
World top-10 ranked Stephanie Meadow from Northern Ireland and Scots Jess Meek and Rachael Taylor were outside the top 30 in a field of 81 players at the end of the first day of the Lady Puerto Rico Classic at Rio Mar Country Club, San Juan.
Alabama student Stephanie shot a three-over par 75 at the River Course (6,191yd) to bt T31 after having a double bogey at the first hole and a double bogey 5 at the short third.
Her only birdies came at the par-4 fifth and par-5 15th  in halves of 39-36. She also bogeyed the 17th.

Jess Meek (pictured) from Carnoustie, a freshman at Missouri University, returned a 79 for a share of 59th place. She had double bogey 6s at the second and sixth and had another 6 on her card at the long 15th.
She had an error-strewen outward half of 43 but played more like the girl who outplayed the pros in some of the opening events of the Paul Lawrie Ladies Tour last year.
Meek's only birdie was a 2 at the short 10th. She started her round at the 16th.
Germany-based Rachael Taylor, a student now at North Carolina State had an 81 for joint 69th place.
She had an even worse outward half than Meek - 44 to the turn but, like Jessi, did a whole lot better on the second nine, which she covered in 37 shots.
~Rachael had no birdies on her card but a double bogey 7  at the long fourth.
Leading the field is Arkansas's Emily Tubert by three strokes with a four-under-par 68.
Sharing second place are Alex Harrell (Auburn), Aurora Kan (Purdue), Brittany Marchand (NC State) and Prima Thammarks (Iowa State).
Arkansas (288) lead the team event from Alabama (295). 

RACHAEL WATTON DROPS OUT OF TOP 

20 AT STANFORD, CALIFORNIA

Edinburgh's Scotland cap Rachael Watton, a student at Denver University, finished joint 55th in a field of 75 at the Peg Barnard Invitational college tournament over Stanford University's golf course, California.
Mortonhall member Rachael, pictured above, had rounds of 74 and 82 for a 14-over-par total of 156 over the 6,084yd lay-out. She was joint 17th at the start of her second round which saw her drop 38 places in the final standings.
In halves of 42 and 40, Watton had double bogey 6s at the second and sixth, which was her starting hole.
Her only birdie came at the 15th.
Dana Finklestein (UNLV) won by two strokes with scores of 68-68 for five-under 137.
Joint runners-up were two Stanford players, Casey Donaldson (70-69) and Lauren Kim (71-68).
Stanford also had Mariah Stackhouse (70-71) in joint fourth place on 141.
Not surprising, then, that Stanford won the team title by the runaway margin of 16 strokes over their home course. UC Davis (586) were placed second with UNLV (592) third and California (594) fourth in a field of 14 teams.