Scots on Melissa's tail with a round to go

NEWS RELEASE FROM LET

By Bethan Cutler, LET Media Manager   

Melissa Reid kept the lead for a third successive day at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open – despite being caught by Pamela Pretswell after 15 holes.

Reid made a slow start in the scorching conditions at Carya Golf Club in Belek on Tuesday afternoon and played the front nine in level par before making a double bogey on the par-4 12^th hole.

The 2010 tournament winner was caught at 10 under by Pretswell when the 26-year-old Scot birdied the 15^th hole, but after both players birdied the 17^th, Pretswell dropped a shot on the uphill par-4 18^th to give Reid a one stroke advantage at 11 under par.

“It was really tough this afternoon,” said Reid, after a third round of one over par 74. “The greens are borderline unplayable, they are so firm. We were struggling to hold wedges onto it and Gwladys hit a couple of really nice chips and they ran out 15 yards.

" It was tough. I always felt like I was in between clubs. I was needing a nine and a half iron, eight and a half iron. I’m quite happy in a way that I’ve played it in these conditions because hopefully tomorrow I can play a bit better.”

Pretswell had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the 10^th hole in her third round of 72.She said: “It was a wee bit tougher today because the course kind of changed midway with the warm weather. The course started to dry out a bit and the greens got a little bit faster. I played some good stuff but has a couple of bad holes which let me down, but I’m happy with the way I played today.”

Fellow Scot Sally Watson occupies third place after a five under par 68, while there are four Scots in the top 12 places.

Watson said: “It’s nice to have a couple of Scots up there on the leader board. It’s a good thing for Scottish golf and I’m still a couple back, so I’ll keep fighting on every shot and try to claw back shots as quickly as I can.”

Lucie Andre of France and Australian Rebecca Artis are tied for fourth place, with leading LET rookie Nanna Koertz Madsen of Denmark, England’s Dame Laura Davies, Scot Kylie Walker and Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera in a share of sixth on five under par. Scotland’s Carly Booth, Norwegian Tonje Daffinrud and Lynn Carlsson from Sweden are tied for 10^th place.

The Turkish Airlines Ladies Open is the first tournament on any major golf tour to finish on a Wednesday, with the aim to increase live television coverage.  Continued sunshine is expected for Wednesday’s final round.

THIRD ROUND TOTALS

Par 219 (3x73)

208 - Melissa Reid (ENG)  65 69 74

209 - Pamela Pretswell (SCO)  72 65 72

211 - Sally Watson (SCO)  72 71 68

212 - Rebecca Artis (AUS)  69 71 72, Lucie Andre (FRA)  71 70 71

214 - Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DNK)  72 75 67, Laura Davies (ENG)  66 77 71, Gwladys Nocera (FRA)  68 70 76, Kylie Walker (SCO)  72 74 68

215 - Lynn Carlsson (SWE)  72 71 72, Carly Booth (SCO)  70 70 75, Tonje Daffinrud (NOR)  75 68 72

216 - Titiya Plucksataporn (THA)  71 73 72, Lina Boqvist (SWE)  73 73 70, Isabelle Boineau (FRA)  70 73 73, Bree Arthur (AUS)  76 72 68, Chloe Leurquin (BEL)  70 73 73, Beth Allen (USA)  72 71 73

217 - Liz Young (ENG)  71 74 72, Nicole Broch Larsen (DEN)  80 71 66, Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA)  73 70 74

218 - Camilla Lennarth (SWE)  71 71 76, Louise Stahle (SWE)  76 73 69, Emily Kristine Pedersen (DNK)  75 73 70

219 - Lauren Taylor (ENG)  71 76 72

220 - Malene Jorgensen (DEN)  70 75 75, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)  72 76 72, Patricia Sanz Barrio (ESP)  74 74 72, Caroline Afonso (FRA)  76 73 71, Georgia Hall (ENG)  72 71 77, Florentyna Parker (ENG)  73 75 72, Amy Boulden (WAL)  71 70 79, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)  72 74 74

221 - Fabienne In-albon (SWI)  73 74 74, Christine Wolf (AUT)  75 74 72, Daisy Nielsen (DEN)  76 73 72, Klara Spilkova (CZE)  77 69 75, Stefania Croce (ITA)  77 74 70, Marion Ricordeau (FRA)  74 77 70

222 - Caroline Martens (NOR)  69 80 73, Laura Jansone (LVA)  76 71 75, Miriam Nagl (BRA)  74 76 72

223 - Maha Haddioui (MAR)  74 75 74, Stacey Keating (AUS)  77 74 72, Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER)  76 73 74

224 - Holly Clyburn (ENG)  73 74 77, Ssu-Chia Cheng (TPE)  75 73 76, Maria Balikoeva (RUS)  73 76 75, Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP)  78 73 73

225 - Sophie Sandolo (ITA)  74 77 74, Noora Tamminen (FIN)  69 82 74

226 - Monique Smit (RSA)  75 75 76, Lien Willems (BEL)  72 79 75, Melissa Eaton (RSA)  72 74 80, Vikki Laing (SCO)  73 70 83

227 - Nicole Garcia (RSA)  75 75 77, Nina Holleder (GER)  79 72 76, Diana Luna (ITA)  75 76 76, Alex Peters (ENG)  75 76 76, Hannah Ralph (ENG)  74 76 77, Emma Westin (SWE)  78 73 76, Holly Aitchison (ENG)  75 75 77

228 - Emma Goddard (ENG)  78 73 77, Csilla Lajtai-rozsa (HUN)  74 74 80, Linda Henriksson (FIN)  72 79 77

229 - Steffi Kirchmayr (GER)  73 77 79

230 - Martyna Mierzwa (POL)  73 77 80, Virginia Espejo (ESP)  73 74 83

Alison Bartlett scores again!

Alison Bartlett, secretary of the Northern Counties LGA, has followed up her triumph in that organisation's county championship last year by winning the Scottish Veteran Ladies Golf Association (Highland) championship at Inverness at the weekend.

In a field of 77, the Royal Dornoch GC member, pictured with the trophy, was the leading qualifier with a scratch 81 for the match-play stages, who shots ahead of Eileen Manson (83) with June Nicol (Inverness) 84 and Kay Vincent (Moray) 87 the other qualifiers.
Match-play results:

Semi-finals - Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) bt Kay Vincent (Moray) 3 and 2, June Nicol beat Eileen Manson (Thurso) 4 and 2

Final - Bartlett bt Nicol 5 and 4

 Qualifying Round Prizelist

Par:  72. SSS: 72 CSS:75 (reduction only)

Number playing: 77

Scratch Winner – Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch) 81Silver – Handicap

1 June Nicol (Inverness) (9) 75

2   Eileen Manson (Thurso) (7) 76 bih

3 Sally Rowan (Inverness) (20) 76

4   Anne Maciver (Inverness) (17) 77

Bronze – Handicap

1   Jane Robb (Torvean) (21) 81

2 Sheila Duncan (Royal Dornoch) (23) 83

Daisy Barnfather Trophy for best nett score by player over age 65

Joan Cooper (Forres) (16) 78

When to see the leaders tee off at Monifieth

101st SCOTTISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Second Qualifying Round

11.40

MOFFAT, Elaine -78

St Regulus

Handicap:+0.3 

GRAHAM, Jordana 77

Southerness Golf Club

Handicap 1

POLSON, Rachel 77

Peterculter Golf Club

Handicap:1.8

11:50
WATSON, Eilidh 77
Muckhart Golf Club
Handicap:  2.7
SAXTON, Jennifer 77
Muckhart Golf Club
Handicap: 2.3
WOOD, Sheena 76
Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club
Handicap: +0.3

12:00
FRASER, Louise 76
Kingsknowe Golf Club
Handicap: 2.0
YOUNG, Clara 76
North Berwick Golf Club
Handicap: +1.2
FERGUSON, Karen 75
Liberton Golf Club
Handicap: 4.1

12:10
STEPHEN, Iona 75
Wentworth Golf Club
Handicap: +0.5
McINTOSH, Kate 74
Broomieknowe Golf Club
Handicap: 0.2
GOADBY, Chloe 74
St Regulus Ladies Golf Club
Handicap: 0.3
12:20
McCOOK, Hannah 74
Grantown-on-Spey Golf Club
Handicap: +0.4
PATON, Gillian 74
Royal Montrose Golf Club
Handicap: +1.7
MACGREGOR, Louise 73
Falkirk Golf Club
Handicap: 1.4
12:30
WALKER, Rachel 73
Dumfries and County Golf Club
Handicap: 0.5
MACTAGGART, Tara 73
Minto Golf Club
Handicap: 2.5
SNEDDON, Jacqueline 71
Handicap: +1.7
Alyth Golf Club

101st Scottish women's amateur championship

Jacqueline Sneddon sets pace with two-under

71 but 81 for title-holder Gabrielle MacDonald

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT HAT?  Jacqueline Sneddon studies the line of a putt on the 17th green.  Pictures by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth), beaten in the Angus county final on Sunday, bounced back to top form with a two-under-par round of 71 to be leader by two strokes at the end of the first qualifying round of the 101st Scottish women's amateur championship at Monifieth Links, writes Colin Farquharson
The early starters had the best of the day with a strong wind getting up near lunchtime and bringing with it squally showers including hailstones - it was that cold!
Sneddon, who played with distinction of the American women's college tour as a student at Grand Canyon University, Arizona,  varied from par at only four holes - birdies at the seventh, eighth and 17th, and a solitary bogey at the 12th in halves of 36 (two under par) and 35 (level par).
That was what set Jacqueline apart from the rest of the field, She made only one mistake, had only one bogey while even the "big name" players had quite a few between them.
Sneddon said later:
 "I played really well. I went out with a game plan of hitting fairways and then middle of the greens and to get a good pace on my putts. All of it came together and seemed to work.
"Surprisingly I never actually birdied a par 5 hole but managed to birdie two of the harder holes (7 and 17) on the course. I have played Monifieth quite a lot in the past so know the course well and have always enjoyed playing it.
"In previous Scottish championships I have managed to qualify for the match-play stages but have never got very far after that. Today everything just seemed to work.
"I graduated from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix Arizona four years ago now and  I am working full time.
"My mum Jennifer is my caddie.
"I really enjoyed today and am looking forward to tomorrow."
Caddie Jennifer, a very proud mum, said later: "I should have known better than to have side-bets with Jacqueline at some holes. She plays her best shots when I mention a money incentive."
Three players. all county champions - Stirling and Clackmannan's Louise Macgregor (Falkirk), Rachel Walker (Dumfries and County), home from the States where she is a second-year student at Old Dominion University, Virginia, and winner of the Dumfriesshire county title on Sunday for the second year in a row,  and Borders champion Tara Mactaggart (Minto), a Stirling student.
All three completed the front nine under the par of 38, with Louise taking 35 and Rachel and Tara 36.

The best outward half was four-under 34 by the new Midlothian county champion Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe), pictured left at the 17th,  but she lost her flow early on the back nine with a double bogey 6 at the 10th and a bogey 5 at the 11th and struggled home in five-over 40.
Also on the one-over 74 mark are Chloe Goadby (St Regulus), 37-37, Stirling student Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 38-36 and the new Angus champion, Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose), conqueror of Jacqueline Sneddon at Forfar on Sunday. Gillian got her game on the move with an inward half of 35 which matched that of the tournament leader. 
Defending champion Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) had an 81 over the par-73 links. She had three double bogeys in a row from the 12th to the 14th in halves of 40 and 41.

Fifteen-year-old Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne), pictured well wrapped up in what became a chilly wind today,  was down in the dumps after also returning an 81 which leaves her and Gabrielle on the qualifying tightrope over the second round.
"I played terribly," said Shannon who finished third in the recent "Helen Holm" after leading with only six holes to play.
"I just couldn't get the pace of the greens and three-putted five times. There wasn't any wind to speak of for most of the round so I couldn't use that as an excuse. I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon on the practice putting green," added Shannon who pulled her own caddie car even though mum Julie walked round with the threesome.
"That's the way I like it," said the youngster. But one cannot help feeling that at her age she would benefit from a wise old head of a caddie.
There are 28 scores at 80 or better and nine more competitors on 81. With the leading 32 qualifying for the match-play after Wednesday's second round, it looks like the limit mark with a play-off more than likely, will be 160 or 161 - but don't take out word for it.

If the wind drops and the sun shines, the overall standard of scoring could improve.   Pictured above is Rachel Polson on 18th tee (pictures by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

101st SCOTTISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Monifieth Links.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND

Par 73. CSS 74. Yardage 5,972

71 Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth)

73 Louise Macgregor (Falkirk), Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co), Tara Mactaggart (Minto)

74 Chloe Goadby (St Regulus), Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe). Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey), Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose)

75 Iona Stephen (Wentworth), Karen Ferguson (Liberton)

76 Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies), Clara Young (North Berwick), Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe).

77 Jordana Graham (Southerness), Rachel Polson (Peterculter), Jennifer Saxton (Muckhart), Eilidh Watson (Muckhart).

78 Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne), Karen Marshall (Baberton), Elaine Moffat (St Regulus), Alison McBride (Harburn).

79 Margo Gardner (Linlithgow), Sarah Stichbury (Gullane)

80 Cara Thompson (Royal Dornoch), Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie), Hannah Robb (Scotscraig), Kate Reid (Monifieth), Carol Wilson (Murcar Links)

81 Nicola Callander (Mill Green), Susan Wood (Drumpellier), Lesley Atkins (Gullane) , Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw), Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne), Nicola Robertson (Stirling), Mollie Stewart (Murcar Links), Jillian Farrell (Cardross), Fiona Wait (Bathgate).

82 Claire MacDonald (Gullane), Lorraine Morrow (St Regulus), Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe), Ruth Rankin (Lanark).

83 Jennifer Rankine (Haggs Castle), Kirsty Brodie (Strathmore), Jackie Brown (Monifieth), Jemma Chalmers (Monifieth), Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse), Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe).

84 Stacy Cameron (Gullane), Dawn Young (North Berwick), Denise Cowan (Ranfurly Castle)

85 Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) , Gillian McGinlay (Cochrane Castle), Jill Harrison (Cruden Bay), Marie Cowan (St Medan).

86 Ellie Whyte (Aberdeen Ladies)

87 Claire Hargan (St Regulus), Leanne Wilson (Kelso)

89 Fiona Hay (Deeside)

90 Mary Miller (Blairgowrie), Fiona Scott (Bothwell Castle), Angela Devine (Hamilton), Tegan Seivwright (Murcar Links)

91 Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay)

92 Lindsay Mathie (Troon Ladies) 

97 Evanna Hynd (Balbirnie Park) 

 NR Fiona Farquharson (King James VI)

WHERE DID THAT ONE GO?                                       
Karen Marshall on 18th tee .............................................. and Hannah McCook in action today

+Apologies to those competitors whose scores did not appear in the above list until after 8.30pm. We had a "saving" glitch in our laptop at Monifieth which meant that some scores did not appear on the collated list until we discovered the error later in the evening. Sorry!