LIZ STEWART WINS THE WEST VETS CHAMPIONSHIP AT RENFREW GOLF CLUB

Liz Keohone and Championship winner Liz Stewart

For once we were treated to some wonderful weather, which showed Renfrew Golf Club at its best. The fairways were in very good condition, but all players found the greens very difficult due to dressings which had been sprayed beforehand.

The semi-final  matches were keenly contested with some great golf, and it took a birdie by Liz Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) to see off Nicky Henderson (Haggs Castle) by 2 & 1 and reach the final. In the other semi-final, Liz Stewart (Greenburn) found Anabel Kane (Kilmacolm) a difficult opponent to beat, especially as both played the front 9 in 39. It took 2 long putts by Liz to secure victory on the 16^th green.

In the Championship Final, Liz Stewart got off to a good start and was quickly 2 up. Several holes thereafter were halved until Liz Stewart pulled away to be 4 up. However as expected, Liz Keohone pegged 2 holes back but was unable to force the game down the 18^th, so Liz Stewart became the Champion for the first time.

Carole Hill - Stewart Cup Winner and Morag Key

The Stewart Trophy Final proved another tough effort between new Vet Carole Hill and the ‘evergreen’ Morag Key. Considering that both ladies are not used to playing 2 rounds in a day, especially in those warm conditions, they played consistently good golf. However the ‘youngster’ Carole eventually prevailed on the 16^th green, winning 3 & 2.

Click here for some Photos of the day -- - courtesy of June Lockhart and Carol Fell

Report by June Lockhart (West Vets Captain) 

Championship Semi-Finals

Liz Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) beat Nicky Henderson (Haggs Castle) 2&1
Liz Stewart (Greenburn) beat Anabel Kane (Kilmacolm) 3&a2

Stewart Cup Semi-Finals

Carole Hill (Hilton Park) beat Glynis Rintoul (Old Ranfurly ) 5&4
Morag Key (Erskine) beat Helen Burnet ( (2up)

Final 
Liz Stewart (Greenburn) beat Liz Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) 2&1

Stewart Cup Handicap Final 

Carole Hill (Hilton Park) beat Morag Key (Erskine) 3&2

ANGUS WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM FOR NAIRN JAMBOREE

Angus team for the Northern Division women's inter-county golf championship at Nairn Golf Club from June 17-19 is:

Jackie Brown (Monifieth)

Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies)

Frances Millar (Carnoustie Caledonian)

Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir)

Katie Reid (Monifieth)

Ashley Smith (Monifieth)

Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies)

Mary Summers (Carnoustie Ladies)

Aberdeenshire won last year's Northern Division title.

West Vets Championship Final Result

Liz Stewart (Greenburn) beats Liz Keohone (Loudoun Golf) 2/1

West Vets Championship Semi-Finals

Championship Semi-Finals

Liz Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) beat Nicky Henderson (Haggs Castle) 2&1
Liz Stewart (Greenburn) beat Anabel Kane (Kilmacolm) 3&2

Stewart Cup Semi-Finals

Carole Hill beat Glynis Rintoul (5&4)
Morag Key beat Helen Burnet (2up)

Duke WGOLF: GOLF CHANNEL INTERVIEW WITH LEONA MCGUIRE

The Golf Channel interviewed Leona Maguire after her POY award.  The link is on the GoDuke.com site, check it out:  CLICK HERE

MEDIA RELEASE - Olivia Mehaffey's ASU Claim National Championship

MEDIA RELEASE

Irish Ladies Golf Union

 

Three from three for Mehaffey as ASU claim National Championship

 

25 May 2017

 

Royal County Down native Olivia Mehaffey finished off a successful freshman year at Arizona State University (ASU) with three wins in the NCAA Matchplay Championship to help her Sun Devils team to their first National Team Championship since 2009.

 

The Quarterfinals saw Arizona State defeat Florida 5-0, which included a 5&4 win for Mehaffey over Samantha Wagner. In an event which was disrupted due to weather conditions, the semi-finals were suspended due to darkness after yet another rain delay. As it stood, Arizona were on the brink of bowing out of the NCAA National Finals despite another win for Olivia against world ranked number 8 Andrea Lee. However, when play resumed the next morning at 9am, NCAA Individual Champion Monica Vaughn and Swede Linnea Strom began their comeback. With a birdie on 18, Vaughn forced the match vs. Swiss Olympian Albane Valenzuela and left the match at 2 – 2 when she closed the match on the 19^th. Strom duly followed her teammate and also won on the 19^th when Stanford's Madeline Chou missed the green and failed to get up and down – sending Arizona to the Championship Match.

 

Illinois Northwestern University overcame University of Southern California (USC) to set up an afternoon dual with ASU. Again, Olivia led her team out and after being 5up through 7 holes she defeated Sarah Cho 4&3. Mehaffey, commented after the win, "I don't even know what to say but wow! I feel so lucky to be part of the Sun Devil family and get to compete for my dream school. Today has been one of the best days of my life and I'm so proud to see our dream of winning a National Championship come true, hard work pays off!" She also gave special thanks to the ASU Men's team for their support on the final day, they have also qualified for the Men's NCAA Division 1 Nationals which begins on Friday 26^th at Rich Harvest Farms.

 

Mehaffey will now return home to Co. Down for the summer for a busy schedule which includes a trip to Italy for the Vagliano Trophy and to Portugal to represent Ireland at the European Team Championships in July.

 

For highlights, articles and videos visit the Golf Channel website HERE

Championship Match – Arizona State defeats Northwestern

Olivia Mehaffey def. Sarah Cho 4&3

Monica Vaughn halved with Hannah Kim

Sophia Zebb lost to Kacie Komoto 3&1

Roberta Liti def. Janet Mao 5&4

Linnea Strom def. Stephanie Lau 5&3

Semifinals – Arizona State defeats Stanford
Olivia Mehaffey def. Andrea Lee, 2&1
Monica Vaughn def. Albane Valenzuela 19th
Sophia Zeeb lost to Casey Danielson 3&2
Roberta Liti lost to Shannon Aubert 4&3
Linnea Strom def. Madeline Chou 19th

Quarterfinals – Arizona State defeats Florida, 5-0-0
Olivia Mehaffey def. Samantha Wagner, 5&4
Monica Vaughn def. Karolina Vickova, 2&1
Sophia Zeeb def. Taylor Tomlinson, 1&2
Roberta Liti def. Maria Torres, 5&4
Linnea Strom def. Kelly Grassel, 2&4

LYDIA DOMINATES AT DUNHAM FOREST

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release: 25 May 2017

LYDIA DOMINATES AT DUNHAM FOREST

WPGA ONE DAY SERIES RESULTS RELEASE: Round Two, Dunham Forest Golf Club LYDIA DOMINATES AT DUNHAM FOREST Lydia Hall recorded her second successive One Day Series win despite admitting she had little knowledge of the Dunham Forest course. Ladies European Tour player Hall finished joint top of the leaderboard in the first round of the series at Little Aston Golf Club. But she dominated at the Cheshire venue to record a six under par round of 66 to beat Ali Gray of Ormskirk Golf Club by four shots. Now the Mid-Glamorgan based Hensol Golf Academy professional is challenging again after winning the WPGA Order of Merit title in 2016. Hall, last year's Welsh National PGA Champion, only plans to miss one One Day Series event this year due to Tour commitments. But she admitted her preparations for the Dunham Forest event were out of her hands. "With all that'd happened in Manchester this week, I was caught up in heavy traffic and arrived with about 20 minutes to go before I was due to tee off," explained the Golf Union of Wales Tour Professional of the Year. "I'd never played Dunham Forest before and I can put my two bogeys on the front nine down to the fact that I didn't know the course and there was a lack of knowledge. I didn't play there last year as I was away on Tour. "But I played nicely and made more putts than I did at Little Aston, that was the main difference. I holed three or four 20-footers. "So it was satisfying to win on a course I didn't know." Hall says she wants to play in as many One Day events as her schedule will allow. And she admits this year's dates suit her calendar better. "I only played in four of the seven last year, but I like to support the WPGA as much as possible," added Hall. "I think it's important to keep your hand in like that, we all started to play golf for a reason and we all love the game. I think I'll only miss the sixth round this year, things are a bit easier which is nice. WPGA ONE DAY SERIES (2) at Dunham Forest Golf Club Wednesday 24 May, 2017 Results Pos.    Score            Name                    Represents 1    66 (-6)     L    Lydia Hall        Hensol Golf Academy 2    70 (-2)        Ali Gray        Ormskirk Golf Club 3    71 (-1)        Kym Larrett            Kibworth Golf 4     72 (Level)        Sarah Walton         Kington Golf Club 5    73 (+1)            Katie Rule           Mullion Golf Club 6    75 (+3)            Alison Nicholas   Beau Desert Golf Club                 Sarah Smith       Saffron Walden Golf Club View full results from the Dunham Forest WPGA One Day Series event: CLICK HERE

OLIVIA HELPS ARIZONA STATE WIN NCAA TITLE

Arizona State beats Northwestern to win NCAA title
By
Will Gray

May 24, 2017, 7:20 pm

Arizona State team and coaches

Arizona State defeated Northwestern, 3 1/2 to 1 1/2, to win the team title at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.

After a pair of dramatic semifinal matches, the final was relatively drama-free as the Sun Devils built an early lead and cruised from there at Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club in Sugar Grove, Ill. This is Arizona State's eighth team title and first since 2009.

GB and I Vagliano Trophy team selection Olivia Mehaffey from Northern Ireland notched the first point for Arizona State, winning the opening match, 4 and 3, over Northwestern's Sarah Cho. That result was quickly followed by Roberta Liti's romp over Janet Mao, 5 and 4, to put the Sun Devils on the precipice of a national championship.

Northwestern needed to win each of the remaining three matches to turn the tide, and the Wildcats got their first point when Kacie Komoto beat ASU's Sophia Zeeb, 3 and 1. But with the Sun Devils needing only one more point, Linnea Strom notched the decisive point when she closed out Stephanie Lau, 5 and 3, in the anchor match.

"It's been such a good week. I don't even know how to explain it," Strom said. "We have been working so hard for this, ever since August. Every practice, every workout, all we have been talking about is this moment right here. We wanted to win the national championship, and today we did."

Monica Vaughn, who won the individual title on Monday and helped spark the ASU comeback in their semi-final match against Stanford, was on the 19th hole when Strom recorded the team's third victory. Her match with Northwestern's Hannah Kim was deemed a draw to provide the final scoring margin.

Northwestern had advanced to match play for the first time since the women's format switched in 2015 and was in search of the program's first national title.