Dorothy Thomson wins East Vets Spring Meeting

From East Vets Captain,   Caroline Kinnaird

The ESVLGA Spring Meeting was held on Tuesday 11th April at Gullane No 3.
Despite very strong winds there were some great scores.
Congratulations to the winner Dorothy Thomson who was 4 under CSS.
The strong winds caused putting to be very difficult with the 4th green proving to be the hardest, with many tales of woe being told in the clubhouse.
Well done to all 66 ladies who braved the elements and congratulations to those who produced great scores.
The CSS was 71 an increase of two on the SSS 69. Par 69.
To the dismay of many this was a counting competition for handicap

The results are as follows: 

Overall Handicap
1. Dorothy Thomson 81-14 net 67
2. Veryan Biggar 85-16 net 69 BIH
3. Jean Bryden 90-21 net 69

Silver Handicap
1. Dorothy Thomson 81-14 net 67
2. Veryan Biggar 85-16 net 69
3. Dawn Young 78-7 net 71 BIH

Silver Gross
1. Dawn Young 78
2. Hazel Saunders 80
3. Dorothy Thomson 81

Bronze Handicap
1. Jean Bryden 90-21 net 69
2. Sheila Hunter 95-23 net 72
3. Elspeth Morrison 100-25 net 75

Bronze Gross
1. Jean Bryden 90
2. Sheila Hunter 95
3. Elspeth Morrison 100

There were four Two's
Dawn Young
Elsa Todd
Irene Gray
Vickie Sandeman

Captain Keohone wins County Championship

From Ayrshire County Secretary, Ann Wallace

Jane Finnie and Ayrshire Champion Liz Keohone

Liz Keohone, (Loudoun Gowf Club) is the new Ayrshire Ladies County Champion, winning the title in her year as Captain.

It was a great final between Liz and Jane Finnie, Troon Ladies, with Liz winning at the 19th hole.

Jane got off to a great start winning the first 2 holes, the next 4 holes were exchanged before Liz won 8 and 9 to square the match. Liz then chipped in at the 10th to go ahead for the first time in the game. Eleven and 12 were halved in pars before Jane took 3 holes in a row to be 2 up with 3 to play. Sixteen was halved, then a par on 17 was enough for Liz to take the match down 18 where a great chip secured a 4 and a win.

Despite good approach shots to the 19th green neither found the putting surface with Jane running into some trouble at the back of the green. A good up and down from Liz was enough for her to win the hole and the title.

The match was watched by a good crowd who were certainly entertained by the quality of the golf from both finalists in tricky conditions. The better ball score for the 18 holes played being 3 over par.

KIRSTY BRODIE AND JILLIAN FARREL IN THE MONTROSE MIX

Kirsty Brodie

KIRSTY BRODIE AND JILLIAN FARRELL TO THE FORE AT MONTROSE LINKS

Strathmore's Kirsty Brodie and Jillian Farrell (Cardross) kept the home fires burning on the opening day of the Scottish Under-18 girls' open stroke play golf championship at Montrose Links today (Wed)

Kristy shares the lead at the head of an international field of 102 with a one-under-par 72 alongside Germany's Hannah Karg while Jillian is one off the pace in a four-way tie for third place on 73.

Brodie bounced back in great style after bogeys at the eighth, ninth and 11th. She staged a grandstand finish to step into the spotlight with birdies at the 12th, 14th, 15th and17th in an inward half of three-under 34.

Co-leader Karg would have been clear of the field but for double bogey 6s at the second and 10th holes. Five birdies in halves of 36 have her sharing the pole position.

Farrell, winner of a recent Scottish Junior Tour girls' competition, stayed in good form with a bag of six birdies in halves of 36 and 37. Six bogeys cancelled out her gains but she is still in good shape.

Aboyne's Shannon McWilliam, one of the favourites for the title, is still seeking to recapture the form that earned her selection for the GB and I Junior Vagliano Trophy team a couple of years ago. She had a lacklustre round of 79 with no birdies and two double bogeys.

The leading North-east player with a 78 is Jasmine Mackintosh (Hazlehead) who had an eagle 3 at the par-5 17th.


SCOTTISH U18 GIRLS OPEN STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Montrose Links.
FIRST ROUND
Par 71. CSS
72 K Brodie (Strathmore) H Karg (Ger).
73 J Farrell (Cardross), A Ruttert (Ger), H Muse (West Lancs), E Brennan (Trentham), H Screen (Berkhamsted).
74 A Williamson (Royal Cromer), J Bailey (Kirby Muxloe).
75 B Bayles (Kirby Muxloe), M Lewis (St George's Hill), C Eisenbeiss (Ger), C Worby (Newport).

SELECTED SCORES
76 A Taylor (Bawburgh).
77 L Green (West Lancs), R Earl (Bishops Stortford), J Guest (Gog Magog), E Rhodes (Burnham and Berrow).
78 J Mackintosh (Hazlehead), M Thomas (Beau Desert), J Hall (Bishop Auckland), M Slater (Woodsome Hall).

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
79 S McWilliam (Aboyne).
80 L Duncan (West Kilbride), A McKay (Crail GS), E Hynd (Balbirnie Park), L McClymont (Milngavie).
81 K K Brown (Strathaven), S Woodhouse (East Kilbride), C Griffiths (Aboyne), C Neilson (Alvaneu Bad),
J Rankine (Haggs Castle).
82 H Darling (Broomieknowe), M Richmond (Strathaven).
83 I Roska (Inverness).
84 P Wilson (Burntisland).
87 M Ashley (Strathmore), E Logie (Buckpool).
89 S Black (Deeside), Z Morton (Auchterarder).
91 E Crawford (Baberton).
95 C Irvine (Craigielaw).
98 R Foster (Turnberry).

EILIDH BRIGGS LEADS THE QUALIFIERS IN THE RENFREWSHIRE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Eilidh Briggs 

75 ladies played today over Pollok Golf Club in the Championship and Irvine Trophy qualifying round.

The course was in superb condition and the greens were fast and immaculate. Conditions were mainly dry although the wind proved very testing.

Qualifying in 1st place for the Championship Knock-out Stages is Eilidh Briggs (Kilmalcolm GC) with a gross 69 - this is the best gross score recorded by a lady at Pollok Golf Club to date. In second place was Liz Stewart (Greenburn) with a gross 78. Four players shared a gross 79 - Julie Wilson (Williamwood), Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire), Denise Cowan (Ranfurly Castle) and Donna Jackson (Troon Ladies).

Lesley Anderson - Winner of the Irvine Trophy

Lesley Anderson (Caldwell) qualified in first place for the Irvine Trophy with a score of 97 - 24 = 73.

Anne Judge - Runner Up for the Peggy Clark Trophy

The Peggy Clark Trophy was won by Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) with a score of 69+3=72 winning with a better inward half over Anne Judge (Ranfurly Castle).

The CSS is 75 (SSS 72).
GROSS SCORES --- CLICK HERE
NETT SCORES --- CLICK HERE

Championship Match Play Qualifiers (Thursday, 13 April):

The qualifying order is as follows:

1.    Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) - 69

2.    Liz Stewart (Greenburn) - 78

3.    Gillian Kyle (East Renfrewshire) - 79

4.    Denise Cowan (Ranfurly Castle) - 79

5.    Julie Wilson (Williamwood) - 79

6.    Donna Jackson (Troon Ladies) - 79

7.    Alyson McGinnigle (Cowglen) - 80

8.    Carol McNally (Williamwood) - 82

9.    Shirley Back (Gleddoch) - 82

10.    Anne Judge (Ranfurly Castle) - 82

11.    Carol Whyte (Milngavie) - 83

12.    Elizabeth Hale (Caldwell) - 84

13.    Fiona Cameron (Cowglen) - 86

14.    Marion Stewart (Kilmacolm) - 86

15.    Sara McCorkell (Williamwood) - 87

16.    Elaine Robb (Milngavie) - 89

First round matches are:

0930    E. Briggs v E. Robb

0938    S. Back v C.McNally

0946    J. Wilson v E. Hale

0954    F. Cameron v D. Cowan

1002    G. Kyle v M. Stewart

1010    C. Whyte v D. Jackson

1018    A. McGinnigle v A. Judge

1026    S. McCorkell v L. Stewart

Irvine Trophy Qualifiers (Thursday, 14 April)

1. Lesley Andeson (Caldwell) - 73 (nett)
2. Linda Anderson (Erskine) - 75 (nett)
3. Sophie Kyle (East Renfrewshire) - 76 (nett)
4. Fiona Armour (Renfrew) - 76 (nett)

Draw

1430 -     Lesley Anderson v Fiona Armour
1438 -     Sophie Kyle v Linda Anderson

Ruth Whitehead receives Micklem Award

Issued 12 April, 2017
Ruth Whitehead receives England Golf's Micklem Award

Ruth Whitehead, who has just received England Golf's Gerald Micklem Award
(Image © Leaderboard Photography).

Cheshire's Ruth Whitehead, who has played a prominent role in unifying men's and women's golf, has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to the amateur game with England Golf's Gerald Micklem Award.

Ruth is the first woman to receive the award which was presented today by England Golf's outgoing President, Marian Rae, at the organisation's annual meeting.

Ruth was a key figure in national women's golf for many years and was closely involved with the merger of the English Golf Union and the English Women's Golf Association (EWGA) which created England Golf.

She has been a member at Delamere Forest Golf Club for almost 40 years, becoming its first woman director and is now is its first female chairman.

Alongside Ruth's club and national roles she has been a staunch supporter of her county, both as a player and an official, most recently as President in 2015/16.

Ruth's motivation has always been her pleasure in the game and she said of her award: "I'm overwhelmed, this is absolutely unbelievable. I have had such fun and enjoyment from golf, I've worked with wonderful people and made lovely friends. You don't think of getting honours, you do it because you love the game."

Ruth started golf as a 14-year-old at Sandbach, Cheshire, and, during a membership which spanned 45 years, she was ladies' captain in the club's golden jubilee celebrations. She was also a member at a third Cheshire club, Sandiway, for more than 35 years and has been ladies' captain at Royal St David's, Harlech.

Ruth's active involvement with county, regional and national golf flourished when she retired as deputy head teacher of a large, successful comprehensive school in Nantwich.

After joining the executive of the former English Ladies' Golf Association she helped to modernise the organisation and transform it into EWGA. Ruth was the first chairman of the new operational board, looking after the association's golfing activities.

She was always hands-on, as busy on the course as in the committee room. Ruth ran many championships – with a particular soft spot for the English U13 and U15 girls – and officiated as an R&A-qualified referee.

As a player, Ruth held a single figure handicap for over 40 years and still plays off 11. She was a Cheshire county player and was county senior champion in 1999. She has been county captain, senior captain and the captain of the Northern vets.

Keohone v Finnie in Ayrshire Final

The two finalists
in the Ayrshire County Championship

From Ayrshire County Secretary, Ann Wallace

County Captain, Liz Keohone, takes on Jane Finnie in 2017 final of Ayrshire Ladies Championship

Tough conditions this morning for the semi finals of the Ayrshire Ladies Championship produced 2 very close matches. In the top match Pauline Patrick, Irvine Golf Club, was facing County Captain Liz Keohone, Loudoun Gowf Club. The match finished on the 17th hole with Liz winning 3&1

The second semi between Jane Finnie, Troon Ladies, and Audrey Thompson, Loudoun Gowf Club also went down to the wire, Jane holed her second shot at 16 to go 2up but Audrey won the 17th  with a nice up and down to take the match to 18. A par down the last was enough to secure the win for Jane who won by one hole.

Both finalists are looking for their second championship title, Jane having won at Darley in 1985 and Liz at St Nicholas in 2001.

Semifinal Results
Liz Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) bt Pauline Patrick (Irvine) 3 and 1
Jane Finnie (Troon Ladies) bt Audrey Thompson (Loudoun Gowf) 1 hole

Link to Scottish U18 girls stroke-play scores

Link to scores at Scottish U18 girls' stroke-play championship at Montrose Links

http://www.golfbox.dk/livescoring/tour/?language=2057#/competition/928394/leaderboard

Duke Women’s Golf Heads to ACC Championship in Pawleys Island, N.C.

From Duke coach, Jack Winters

Live Scoring l Pairings l ACC Championship Site

Duke Women's Golf Heads to ACC Championship in Pawleys Island, S.C.

April 11, 2017

DURHAM, N.C. – The seventh-ranked Duke women's golf team will head to the ACC Championship this week in search of its 20th title in school history. The championship will take place from April 13-15 and will be played at the 6,192-yard, par 72 The Reserve Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C. The Blue Devils move to postseason action winners of two tournaments this season – East Lake Cup and LSU Tiger Golf Classic.

Duke will feature a lineup that includes senior Sandy Choi, junior Leona Maguire, junior Gurbani Singh, sophomore Virginia Elena Carta and freshman Ana Belac. The Blue Devils have traveled this lineup in each of the last two stroke play tournaments and finished no lower than second.

In four tournaments in the spring, Duke has placed no worse than third, including one win and two second-place finishes. The Blue Devils have featured a 285.75 stroke average during that span.

Leona Maguire, the 2015 ACC Champion and 2014-15 National Player of the Year, leads the league with a 69.63 stroke average, while posting two victories and seven top 10 finishes on the season. A product of Cavan, Ireland, Maguire won the LSU Tiger Golf Classic and the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge. In two career appearances in the ACC Championship, Maguire owns a 70.83 stroke average with one victory and a tied 10th finish. Maguire's 69.83 stroke average is on pace to break her own Duke single-season record of 70.78, which took place in 2014-15. In 19 rounds played in 2016-17, Maguire has been under par in 14 of those.