McSherry and Holpfer share three-stroke lead 

at Dun Laoghaire


NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ILGU

Ireland’s Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) and Austria's Isabella Holpfer jointly lead the Irish women's open amateur stroke-play championship by three strokes from Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) and Sophie Lamb (ENG) going into Sunday's final round at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club, next year's Curtis Cup venue.

Holpfer held the lunchtime lead by one stroke from McSherry but Niamh turned the tables in the afternoon to see the pair tied with just 18 holes to go. 

Sophie Lamb (ENG) fired a best-of-the-tournament 69 to tie third place with Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) who added a two under par 71 in the afternoon.
Ireland are in a strong position to  defend the Nations Cup as they lead England
With complimentary entry for spectators, visitors to Dun Laoghaire are most welcome.

SECOND-ROUND SCORES

Par 146 (2x73) SSS 75. CSS 77 75
143 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) 72 71, Isabella Holpfer (AUT) 71 72
146 Sophie Lamb (ENG) 77 69 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) 75 71
148 Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) 75 73 Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 74 74
149 Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) 75 74 Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) 73 76
150 Elizabeth Prior (ENG) 76 74
151 Inci Mehmet (ENG) 75 76 Louise Coffey (Malone) 74 77
152 Samantha Giles (ENG) 76 76
153 Cloe Frankish (ENG) 80 73 Gemma Clews (ENG) 79 74 Sophie Keech (ENG) 79 74 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) 77 76
154 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) 81 73 Alice Hewson (ENG) 80 74 Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) 79 75 Ellie Goodall (ENG) 77 77 Bethan Popel (ENG) 74 80
156 Samantha Fuller (ENG) 79 77 Mairead Martin (Killarney) 78 78 Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) 78 78 Chloe Weir (Shandon Park) 75 81 Charlotte Austwick (ENG) 74 82
157 Maria Dunne (Skerries) 81 76 Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) 79 78
159 Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 79 80 Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) 79 80
160 Karen Delaney (Carlow) 84 76 Aedin Murphy (Carlow) 82 78 Valerie Clancy (Killarney) 81 79 Fiona McCann (ENG) 80 80
161 Laura Doherty (Howth) 86 75
162 Cliodhna McCarthy (Dun Laoghaire) 82 80 Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) 81 81 Mary Doyle (The Heath) 79 83 Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden) 77 85
164 Sara Byrne (Douglas) 85 79 Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) 82 82 Nicky King (Woodbrook) 81 83 Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) 80 84 Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry) 78 86
Withdrew: Karen O'Neill (Douglas) 80 81

Missed Cut …
165 Mollie Lawrence (ENG) 83 82
166 Elisa Corcoran (Grange) 80 86
167 Roisin Brady (Co. Louth) 84 83 Sophie Harrison (Killeen Castle) 82 85

168 Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) 86 82 Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle) 85 83 Maeve Cummins (Lurgan) 84 84
169 Nicola Coffey (Woodbrook) 82 87
171 Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) 88 83
172 Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew) 89 83 Rachel Thompson (Cork) 86 86 Clodagh Walsh (Castlewarden) 86 86
173 Eleanor Metcalfe (Laytown and Bettystown) 88 85
174 Megan Jenkins (ENG) 87 87
175 Jenny Hennessy (Lahinch) 88 87 Alice Hutchinson (St. Anne's) 86 89
177 Clodagh Jones (Roscrea) 87 90
178 Michelle Tierney (Waterford Castle) 90 88
180 Nicole McGavisk (Donabate) 88 92
199 Emer Foley (Castlecomer) 98 101
Withdrew: Grace McGrath (East Cork) 96 wd, Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 105 wd
Retired: Paula Grant (Lisburn)

NATIONS CUP
295 IRELAND Maria Dunne (81) 76 Olivia Mehaffey 73 (76) Chloe Ryan 75 71
299 ENGLAND Gemma Clews 79 (74) Alice Hewson (80) 74 Sophie Lamb 77 69

TIMESHEET for SUNDAY
08:00 Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) Jean O'Driscoll (Muskerry)
08:10 Sara Byrne (Douglas) Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) Nicky King (Woodbrook)
08:20 Victoria Craig (Royal Belfast) Mary Doyle (The Heath) Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden)
08:30 Fiona McCann (ENG) Laura Doherty (Howth) Cliodhna McCarthy (Dun Laoghaire)
08:40 Karen Delaney (Carlow) Aedin Murphy (Carlow) Valerie Clancy (Killarney)
08:50 Katie Aherne (Waterford Castle) Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint)
09:00 Chloe Weir (Shandon Park) Charlotte Austwick (ENG) Maria Dunne (Skerries)
09:10 Samantha Fuller (ENG) Mairead Martin (Killarney) Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion)
09:30 Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) Ellie Goodall (ENG) Bethan Popel (ENG)
09:40 Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) Danielle McVeigh (RCD Ladies) Alice Hewson (ENG)
09:50 Cloe Frankish (ENG) Gemma Clews (ENG) Sophie Keech (ENG)
10:00 Inci Mehmet (ENG) Louise Coffey (Malone) Samantha Giles (ENG)
10:10 Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) Elizabeth Prior (ENG)
10:20 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) Annabel Wilson (Lurgan) Jessica Ross (Donaghadee)
10:30 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) Isabella Holpfer (AUT) Sophie Lamb (ENG)

Denise McCarthy
Irish Ladies Golf Union
103-105 Q House, 76 Furze Road,
Sandyford Industrial Estate,
Dublin 18, IRELAND

101st Scottish women's amateur championship

                   Rachel Walker (left) and Clara Young Clara Young wins a classic final - better ball 

was an  amazing nine under par

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Clara Young (North Berwick) beat fellow American college student Rachel Walker (Dumfries and County) by one hole in a classic match-play climax to the 101st Scottish women's amateur golf championship at sunny Monifieth Links today (Saturday).
Eighteen-year-old Young, who has just completed her freshman year of a marketing degree course at the University of Missouri, and Walker, 21 earlier this month and halfway through a four-year course at Old Dominion University, Virginia, combined to produce a memorable final - one of the best for  years
The better ball was an incredible nine under par with Young totalling five birdies to an eagle and four birdies by Walker.
Clara is the youngest winner of the title since Jane Connachan was champion at the age of 18 at Royal Troon in 1982 and the first North Berwick national champion since Catriona Matthew won the title in 1991, 1992 and 1994.
Of the two finalists, the winner was, strangely enough, more subued after it was all over, almost as though she had not come out of her cocoon of concentration.
"I won the first three holes which is the kind of start you dream about but after that I just focused on the next shot so I had no real idea the scoring by both of us was so good," said Clara who was East Lothian's youngest ever women's county champion at 15 and a GB and I Junior Vagliano Trophy team player at 16.
In contrast, Rachel Walker, a physical education student, had plenty to say.
"I thought I would be disappointed if I lost the final but in fact I feel rather pleased with the way I was able to fight myself back to all square several times after going three down very quickly," said Rachel, who reached the quarter-finals last year.
"Bunkers eventually cost me my chance of being Scottish champion this year. I had to play out sideways from a bunker in losing the 16th which put me one down. Then, after birdieing the 17th to get back to all square, I ws in two bunkers at the 18th and there was no way I could match Clara's winning, two-putt birdie 4.
"But I enjoyed the whole championship week and nice to play well in a final, even if I lost."
Young finished the 18 holes in an approximate three-under-par 70 shots to Walker's two-under 71.
Young was three up on the fourth tee after starting birdie-birdie-bogey and winning all three holes.
But Walker holed a 25ft putt for a winning eagle 3 at the fourth - and the battle royal was on!
Another birdie from Walker cut her deficit to one at the eight and a par was good enough for the Doonhamer to square the contest at the ninth.
Young edged ahead again at the 10th but back came Walker with the first of two birdie 2s. This one, after a six iron tee shot to with 2ft of the flagstick levelled it again.
The battle of the birdies continued with Young winning the 13th with a three to go one up again ... and Walker getting another birdie 2 at the short 14th to be back on level terms.
Bunker trouble cost Walker the 16th and she slipped one down. But she was not ready to throw in the towel.
Rachel played a magnificent approach shot with a 50 degree wedge and was conceded a birdie 3 at the 17th for this classic encounter to be all square on the 18th tee.
Then, crucially, Walker, trying to fade her drive from left to right on to the fairway instead hit it straight, the ball ending up in a bunker on the left edge of the fairway. Walker put her third shot into a pin-high greenside bunker and came out from there to about 8ft past the pin in four.
Meantime, Young had hit a good drive down the fairway and smacked a long iron on to the green at this par-5 hole. She rolled her approach putt dead from about 25ft for her fifth birdie of the day, winning the hole, the match and the Scottish title.
Great stuff.  And both players will be back again for next year's championship at West Kilbride. I can hardly wait!
I have been watching "Scottish" finals since the late 1960s-early 1970s and I cannot remember one that touched the scoring quality of this one.
Rachel Walker's figures would have won most other finals.
Both girls deserve to take a bow for outstanding performances.
The pity is they will be back at US college when the Women's Home Internationals come around (September 9 to 11 at Royal Wimbledon).
The colleges don't like releasing for players for things like the WHIs because they want them to play in US college tournaments. 
More's the pity, a Scotland team with Clara and Rachel in it would have a much better chance of success than one without them.
 

                                     JUST CHAMPION - Clara Young

Left to right: Kimberley Beveridge, Rachel Walker, Clara Young, Elaine Moffat and Carol Wilson (Clark Rosebowl winner).

Pictures by Cal Carson Golf Agency

NCAA Championship disrupted by lightning suspension

Leona Maguire starts with a one-under 71

DUKE UNIVERSITY NEWS RELEASE
FROM JACK WINTERS
BRADENTON, Florida – Coming off notching its sixth NCAA Championship a year ago in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the fourth-ranked Duke University women’s golf team jumped out to a four-stroke lead in the clubhouse at the 2015 NCAA Championship Friday by carding a five-over-par, 293, at the 6,468-yard, par 72 Concession Golf Club in Bradenton
Play was suspended due to lightning in the afternoon on two different occasions and at 7:15 p.m., it was suspended for the day with some teams having as many as nine holes remaining.
Stanford leads play with a three-over-par ledger on holes 11-14, while Duke (+5, 293), Baylor (+7 on holes 11-14), Southern California (+9, 297), Arizona (+12, 300), Northwestern (+13 on holes 11-14), Washington (+13, 301), Tennessee (+13, 301) and Alabama (+13 on holes 15-18) round out the top nine teams.
“They were really up against it today,” said Duke head coach Dan Brooks.  “I am real proud of my team.  They handled those greens very well.  We are playing a really challenging golf course.  The best players and the best thinkers will be the ones to come out on top.  We were really patient [today].”
Duke freshman Leona Maguire continued her solid play Friday by firing a one-under-par, 71, and is tied sixth overall.  A product of Cavan, Ireland, Maguire is only one shot behind individual leaders in the clubhouse – Gaby Lopez of Arkansas (70), Katelyn Dambaugh of South Carolina (70) and Annie Park of Southern California (70).
Stanford’s Maria Stackhouse is four-under-par through 12 holes to lead the action and Alabama’s Emma Talley is three-under through 15 holes.
“It is tough,” commented Maguire on the course.  “You have to drive the ball well.  I drove the ball well and kept it in play, except for one hole.  My irons were pretty solid today – 15 greens – so it helps.”
Opening with seven pars and five-foot birdies on No. 6 and No. 9, Maguire made the turn at two-under-par, 34, to kick off her morning.  After hitting her ball in the hazard on the 374-yard, par four 10th hole, she made her first bogey to drop back to one-under.  Maguire rolled in an eight-footer for birdie on the 503-yard, par five 13th to get back to two-under.  A bogey on No. 17 led to her finishing with a one-under-par, 71.  She hit a team-best 15 greens, 11 fairways and had 31 putts on the day.
“I didn’t really make a lot of bogeys and didn’t make a lot of birdies,” said Maguire on her round.  
“It was pretty steady, solid all day.  I only missed two greens on the front nine so it was pretty stress-free there.  I didn’t do a lot wrong.  I didn’t give myself a whole lot of chances and didn’t get into a lot of trouble.”
Duke's No2 player, Celine Boutier from France closed the day with a one-over-par, 73, and is tied 13th overall.  She hit all 14 fairways, 13 greens and rolled 33 putts.  She only missed two greens on the back nine (11 and 14) during her strong finish.
The first round for Lisa Maguire was a struggle most of the day as she continues to go through a swing change.  Maguire had two birdies on the day, but carded a round of 89 and is tied 131st overall.  She hit eight fairways, three greens and had a team-best 29 putts.  Maguire dealt with a neck injury for most of the back nine.
“It is a lot easier when you are not trying to play catch up after the first day,” said Leona Maguire about the team start on day one.  “I think it was a very strong start.  We will see what the scores are like in the afternoon, but it is definitely a good start.”