MEGHAN MACLAREN LEADS BY THREE IN IRISH OPEN STROKE PLAY

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION

England’s Meghan MacLaren fired an afternoon one over par 73 to lead the field going into Sunday's final round of the Irish Women’s Open Amateur Strokeplay at Castle Golf Club in Rathfarnham, Dublin.
MacLaren’s one under par 71 in the morning saw her hold the lunchtime lead by two strokes from Co. Louth’s Roisin Brady and Scotland’s Jessica Meek. 
MacLaren, a member at Wellingborough Golf Club, Northamptonshire and a student at Florida International University, had good reason to be happy, having holed her second shot for albatross at the par 5 ninth hole.
Meghan, who had her 19th birthday on May 15, is just home from completing her first year in the States. She won twice on the US women's college circuit on the August to May season.
In second place after 36 holes is Stirling University student and Scotland international Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm).  She is three shots off the pace after rounds of 76-71 for 147. Eilidh's one-under-par second round matched Meghan MacLaren's opening score as the best of the day. 
Brady slipped to an afternoon 82 to lie joint 12th while Meek added a 78 to lie in sixth place.
Paula Grant (Lisburn) leads the Irish challenge after an impressive 73 to add to her opening 76 while Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) is one shot further back on 150 after rounds of 78 and 72.
Woodenbridge’s Louise Mernagh had also cause for celebration following her hole-in-one with a solid seven-iron at the third hole.
Ireland lies in second place in the Nations Cup, 5 strokes behind England, followed by Scotland and Brazil.
The top 40 competitors will now play the final 18 holes tomorrow Sunday with the leaders teeing off at the end of the field.
With complimentary entry for spectators, visitors to Castle are most welcome.

ROUND 2 SCORES
Par 144 (2x72) SS 74. CSS 76 75
144 Meghan Maclaren (ENG) 71 73
147 Eilidh Briggs (SCO) 76 71
149 Paula Grant (Lisburn) 76 73
150 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) 78 72 Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) 74 76
151 Lesley Atkins (SCO) 74 77 Sarah Jane Boyd (ENG) 74 77 Jessica Meek (SCO) 73 78
153 Amy Boulden (WAL) 77 76
154 Maria Dunne (Skerries) 79 75 Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) 78 76
155 Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge) 81 74 Nathalie Rodrigues da Silva (BRA) 80 75 Samantha Giles (ENG) 79 76 Jessica Wilcox (ENG) 79 76 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) 77 78 Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) 76 79 Róisín Brady (Co. Louth) 73 82 Samantha Fuller (ENG) 73 82
156 Chloe Weir (Shandon Park) 83 73 Jessica Carty (Holywood) 79 77 Mary Doyle (The Heath) 77 79
157 Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 79 78 Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) 76 81 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) 76 81
158 Gillian O'Leary (The Island) 79 79 Amy Farrell (Moate) 78 80
159 Clara Teixeira (BRA) 78 81 Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) 77 82
161 Patrice Delaney (Birr) 81 80
162 Áedín Murphy (Carlow) 80 82 Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) 80 82
163 Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) 85 78 Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) 80 83
166 Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) 82 84
167 Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel) 87 80 Hannah McCook (SCO) 82 85 Rachel Walker (SCO) 82 85
168 Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) 85 83 Daisy-May Kenny (ENG) 83 85Non-Qualifiers
169 Gertie McMullen (The Island) 80 89
170 Karen Delaney (Carlow) 87 83
171 Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) 88 83 Niamh Ward (Lurgan) 84 87
172 Jenny Maguire (Foxrock) 90 82 Holly Robinson (Co Sligo) 88 84 Sarah Boden (Kilkeel) 86 86
172 Victoria Craig (Clandeboye) 83 89
173 Laura Doherty (Howth) 87 86
174 Maria Beaton (Castle) 88 86 Daisy Macve (ENG) 83 91
175 Kirsty Beckwith (ENG) 87 88
176 Louise Hanratty (Mannan Castle) 93 83 Claire Keating (Killarney) 84 92
177 Clíodhna McCarthy (Stackstown) 89 88
177 Sophie Harrison (Sutton) 87 90
181 Rachel Taylor (Laytown and  Bettystown) 92 89
182 Hayley Mackay (ENG) 92 90
190 Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 100 90
WD Louise Coffey (Malone) 86 WD 
SUNDAY DRAW
08:00 Carla Reynolds (Seapoint) Daisy-May Kenny (ENG)
08:10 Hannah McCook (SCO) Rachel Walker (SCO)
08:20 Sarah Cunningham (Ennis) Meadhbh Doyle (Portarlington) Gemma McCarthy (Clonmel)
08:30 Áedín Murphy (Carlow) Jessica Ross (Donaghadee) Aoife Lowry (Tipperary)
08:40 Clara Teixeira (BRA) Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park) Patrice Delaney (Birr)
08:50 Niamh McSherry (Lurgan) Gillian O'Leary (The Island) Amy Farrell (Moate)
09:00 Mary Doyle (The Heath) Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) Sinead Sexton (Lahinch)
09:20 Samantha Fuller (ENG) Chloe Weir (Shandon Park) Jessica Carty (Holywood)
09:30 Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) Lisa O'Shea (Shannon) Róisín Brady (Co. Louth)
09:40 Nathalie Rodrigues da Silva (BRA) Samantha Giles (ENG) Jessica Wilcox (ENG)
09:50 Maria Dunne (Skerries) Olivia Mehaffey (RCD Ladies) Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge)
10:00 Sarah Jane Boyd (ENG) Jessica Meek (SCO) Amy Boulden (WAL)
10:10 Chloe Ryan (Castletroy) Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) Lesley Atkins (SCO)
10:20 Meghan Maclaren (ENG) Eilidh Briggs (SCO) Paula Grant (Lisburn) 
NATIONS CUP
294 ENGLAND: Sarah Jane Boyd [74] 77 Samantha Fuller 73 [82] Meghan Maclaren 71 73
299 IRELAND: Paula Grant 76 73 Olivia Mehaffey 78 [76] Chloe Ryan [78] 72
302 SCOTLAND: Lesley Atkins 74 77 Hannah McCook [82] [85] Jessica Meek 73 78
308 BRAZIL: Nathalie Rodrigues da Silva 80 75 Clara Teixeira 78 75

PRETSWELL AND LAING BEAT AMSTERDAM CUT

Pamela Pretswell (joint seventh) and Vikki Laing (sharing 24th place) beat the 36-hole cut comfortably in the Ladies European Tour's Deloitte Ladies Open at the International Golf Club, Amsterdam today (Saturday).

But Carly Booth and Kylie Walker will miss the final round.

Pretswell matched the par of 73 with only two deviations from par - a bogey at the fourth and a birdie at the 12th) and her tally of 144 leaves her five shots off the pace being set

by Swednesday's Camilla Lennarth (66-73 for 139).

Laing had a second-round 784 for 147.

Booth's paiur of 77s for 154 was two shots over the limit mark for qualifying.

Walker missed it by a considerable margin with rounds of 78 and 81 for 159.

DELOITTE LADIES OPEN

The International Golf Club,

Amsterdam, Netherlands

LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES

Par 146 (2x73)

139 Camilla Lennarth (Swe) 66 73.

140 Holly Clyburn (Eng) 71 69.

142 Melissa Reid (Eng) 70 72, Christel Boeljon (Net) 70 72, Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 71 71.

SCOTS' SCORES

144 Pamela Pretswell 71 73 (T7)

147 Vikki Laing 73 74 (T24)

MISSED THE CUT (152 and better qualified)

154 Carly Booth 77 77

159 Kylie Walker 78 81.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN DIFFERENT CLASS AS THEY WIN NCAA WOMEN'S TITLE

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By JULIE WILLIAMS
ATHENS, Georgia –– Southern California University (USC)’s national championship will go down in the books next to a number of descriptors, blowout and runaway chief among them. 
But a 21-shot victory on Friday at the University of Georgia Golf Course amounted to something else for the Trojans: a final endurance test.
“There is no big lead when you have conditions like this,” USC head coach Andrea Gaston said of a windy final round in the 72-hole national championship. “I saw so much fight from all of these girls.”
The Trojans took a 17-shot lead into the final round, which inspired another adjective: insurmountable.
Such an advantage can evaporate at a surprising rate in team golf, but USC barely gave up a stroke over the opening holes. USC shot even-par 288 in the final round, which was the lowest team score for the fourth consecutive day, to finish at 19-under 1,133.
It’s the first time in championship history that a team has outscored every other opponent in every round since Tulsa accomplished the feat in 1982 at the first NCAA Women’s Golf Championship. USC’s 19-under total blows away the previous championship scoring record of 4 under.
Freshman Annie Park is a big reason for all those marks falling. The 18-year-old finished the final round bogey-double bogey-birdie, but at 10 under, still was six shots ahead of runner-up Lindy Duncan of Duke, last season’s player of the year. Among the lore that will go down with Park’s victory is her ability to hit every par 5 in two on the University of Georgia course. She nearly reached the par-5 12th with a driver and a 7-iron in Round 3, but a tailwind let up as she struck her approach.
Park was a welcome addition to USC's spring roster after she graduated high school early and joined the Trojans at mid-season. Since the junior golf world last saw her, Park has gained noticeable yardage throughout the bag, something she attributes to structured work-outs with the team. 
The whole team Southern California team knows how to bounce back, something that three of the five players learned the hard way when the Trojans lost to Alabama by one shot a year ago at this tournament. That’s old news, but it doesn’t take away the sting. “I think it just gave us a lot of fire,” junior Rachel Morris said of last year's heartbreaking loss.
The NCAA Championship was spring start No. 8 for the Trojans, whose season ended in a vastly different way than it began. The Trojans played their three fall starts with five players, pulling in walk-on Kimberly Santiago to have the option of a dropped score. USC finished third, third and first in the fall, but still was holding out for Park.
“We were so strong for a little team,” said junior Sophia Popov.
Park, a 5ft 9in New Yorker, did more than contribute. Her run-up to the national championship included a Pac-12 title and the NCAA West Regional title.
Popov says the team survived and benefited from playing with a slim roster because they knew what was ahead. For players like Morris, it was the necessary kick to take her game to the next level. 
 Silverstein calls Morris the most improved player on the team. This season’s stroke average was the lowest of her career
The team won five times in the spring, not counting the national championship. The drop score got lower and the Trojans continued to put into practice the every-shot-counts adage learned in the fall. As Morris explained, “That just helps all of us.”
As for Park, even Gaston didn’t expect such strong play right out of the gate. Park may have surprised even herself, but the scouting report on her was big. Teammates knew she would spell relief from Day 1, whether or not that meant winning the national championship.
“This result was very unexpected for myself,” Park said. “I was just trying to play my best each round and each shot. . . . It feels great.”
Georgia head coach Josh Brewer helped recruit many of the players on USC’s roster, Park among them, and stood behind the 18th green like a proud papa as USC won a national championship on the course he now calls home.
The victory wasn’t surprising, but to someone who knows these fairways, the winning margin was.
A 21-shot victory provides just cause to storm a green and dump a cooler on an unsuspecting coach, and USC didn’t waste that opportunity. The Trojans hit the 18th green with fire in their legs, as if they hadn’t just done 72 holes of battle.
But as Brewer will tell you, Gaston’s teams “are always fresh” come postseason. That’s a proven strategy from the veteran coach, who has experienced success with many coaching moves through the years. This national title is the third in her 17 seasons with the Trojans.
Another page from Gaston’s coaching manual says to trust your players in times of pressure.
“You have to let your thoroughbreds run,” Gaston said.
In Athens, they lapped the field.

BRITWATCH: Stephanie Meadow just wasn't Stephanie Meadow in the final round of the NCAA Div 1 Championship. An eight-over-par round of 80 was her worst round for many a long day, certainly since she enrolled at the University of Alabama.
Challenging for the individual title at the start of the day, Curtis Cup heroine Stephanie, from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, finished joint sixth on one-over 289 (69-67-73-80), 11 shots behind the winner, Annie Park (Southern California) (70-67-70-71).
Meadow, who will be defending the British women's title at Machynys Penisula, near Llanelli in South Wales, next month, had only one birdie, at the fifth, in halves of 38 and 42 for the disappointing final round..
 She had a double bogey 6 at the ninth and a double bogey 5 at the short 16th as well as dropping other shots at regular intervals - the first, fourth, 12th, short 13th.
Alabama, the defending champions and ranked No 2 nationwide, finished seventh, an unbelievable 56 shots behind the winners.
Their last round team total of 28-over-par 316 as the winds gusted and swirled over a difficult course was their highest of the college season.
"I wish I knew what when wrong so I could correct it," Alabama head coach Mic Potter said. "I asked myself the question, `what happened to the team that was 4-under par after 36 holes.' "Obviously, the wind was a factor and the greens got firmer and faster. I think we mentally need to get stronger and tougher. "We have to come away from this and say, `what do we need to do to get better.' Clearly was have to practise differently and practise for this occasion and we need to learn to ride that momentum we had coming in all the way through the tournament."
Duke (1154) finished runners-up, 32 shots behind Southern California. Purdie (1173) and UCLA (1174) finished third and fourth. Arizona State (1181) were fifth and Auburn (1183) sixth ... then came Alabama ...
Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh's team, Tulane University from New Orleans, totalled 1191 and finished joint ninth.
Stanford University, California, for whom Edinburgh-born Sally Watson was playing her last college tournament after four years in the States, finished T13 on 1200.
Gemma made the top 20 in joint 17th place on 293 - 15 shots behind winner Annie Park. Dryburgh's putting let her down over the last three rounds of 74 each time. She had begun the tournament with a 71.
Gemma's two birdies in the final round came at the long 12th and short 13th in halves of 36-38. She bogeyed the short third, 11th, long 15th and long 16th.
On the same 293 mark came former Loretto student and past Scottish schoolgirls champion Julie Yang, now a student at Oklahoma State University, with rounds of 74, 72, 73 and 74.
Sally Watson finished joint 73rd on 305. Only in the second round did the former Curtis Cup Scot show anything like her true capabilities. Her four rounds were 76, 73, 77 and 79.
She had a double bogey 7 at the long 12th and a double bogey 5 at the short 15th, also shedding a single shot to par at each of the following: short third, fifth, ninth and long 18th in halves of 37-42.
Sally's lone birdie came at the sixth.

LEADING FINAL INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 6372.
278 Annie Park (Southern California) 70 67 70 71.
284 Lindy Duncan (Duke) 72 71 71 70.
286 Paula Reto (Purdue) 71 73 70 72.
287 Celine Boutier (Duke) 69 73 71 74, Erynne Lee (UCLA) 71 70 73 73.
289 Kyung Kim (Southern California) 74 69 69 77, Stephanie Meadow (Alabama) 69 67 73 80 (T6).

SELECTED TOTALS
293 Gemma Dryburgh (Tulane) 71 74 74 74, Julie Yang (Oklahoma State) 74 72 73 74 (T17).
305 Sally Watson (Stanford) 76 73 77 79 (T73).

JESSICA SCHIELE WINS NAIA TITLE BY FIVE SHOTS AND HER TEAM WIN TITLE BY 12

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
Oklahoma City University won its sixth NAIA Women's National Championship on Friday, winning by 12 shots at the Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln, Nebraska.

It's also the first national title for the "Stars" since 2009. 

Oklahoma City, spearheaded by Jessica Schiele (pictured) from Grimsby England, playing in her last US College tournament after four years as a student at OK City,  shot 72-over 1,224, besting runner-up and defending national champion British Columbia.
Schiele won the individual honours by five shots from a big field after shooting eight-over-par 295 for the 72-hole championship. She becomes the fourth national title winner  in Oklahoma City University golfing history.
Jessica led by eight shots going into the final round and she was able to win despite double bogeys at the short fourth, fifth and 11th. 
The Lincolnshire lass, who has had an outstanding four years on the US women's college golf circuit, did have birdies at the sixth, 14th, 16th and 18th in halves of 40-38.
Her earlier scores were 75, 68 and 74. It was that four-under-par second round that lifted her clear of the field.
Oklahoma City team-mate Elia Folch finished runner-up on 300 with scores of 75, 78, 74 and 73.
Mariah Montoya (Lubbock Christian University) finished another four shots back in third place on 304 with four rounds of 76.
Oklahoma City (1224) won the team title by 12 shots from runners-up British Columbia (1236) with Embry-Riddle (Florida) third on 1244 in a field of 17 teams.

ANNA NORDQVIST IN THE MIX IN 12-HOLE FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

 FROM THE LPGA TOUR WEBSITE
First-round play at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic was suspended due to darkness on Friday at 7:41 p.m. local time.
Heather Bowie Young and Silvia Cavalleri each shot 6-under-par 39 on the 12-hole, par 45 revised lay-out  to take the clubhouse lead at the inaugural event. 
A total of 27 players will return at 8 a.m. local time on Saturday morning to complete first round play, with second-round play beginning simultaneously..

Four players, including major champion Anna Nordqvist (pictured right) from Sweden , are tied for fourth at 5-under-par 40.
Heavy rains on Tuesday forced tournament officials to shorten the 18-hole layout at the Ocean Club Golf Course. Crews will continue to work on clearing water from the course into the night on Friday.
Lightning in the area forced a nearly three hour suspension of play between 10:38 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., further delaying tee times. The final group of the first round teed off at 6:25 p.m.
“It's just Mother Nature, and as a golfer you grow up with this,” said Bowie Young. “You know you just go when you can, and they're making the absolute best of the situation. I'm really glad we're playing golf.”
Tournament officials expect to complete two rounds of play by Saturday evening. To do so, players will remain in the same groups for the second round with no flip-flop of tee times.
Nordqvist Stays Low: Anna Nordqvist is no stranger to going low. In fact, last week at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, she carded a career-low 61 in the third round. Hard to believe she beat that score by 20 shots today on the 12-hole, par-45 layout at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.
“Last week I had a couple easy birdies and made a couple ten footers and golf just seemed very easy that day,” she said, in reference to her third-round 61 at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic.
Nordqvist won twice on the LPGA in 2009 including a major championship victory at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship (now called the Wegmans LPGA Championship). 
The two-time European Solheim Cup Team member enters this week seeking her third-career victory, and finally some putts are starting to fall for her. On Friday, she carded a 5-under-par 40.
“I feel like my game has been improving and improving all year,” she said. “I just haven't got any putts to drop really (until last week).”
Quote of the day – Tiffany Joh, who shot 4-under-par 41: "Before I teed off I was like, should I go to the bathroom? No, I can probably hold it for 12 holes.”

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PAMELA GENERATES HER OWN HEAT IN AMSTERDAM

Pamela Pretswell, in joint 10th place, and Vikki Laing, sharing 23rd spot, head the Scottish challenge in the Ladies European Tour's Deloitte Women's Open at Amsterdam in the Netherlands today (Friday).

In cool conditions - 9 degrees at best - Hamilton's Pretswell, pictured by Andy Forman, playing out of The Nairn Golf Club, probably felt more at home than most competitors and she generated her own heat by a four-under-par outward half of 33. 
A double bogey 6 at the 10th knocked her back a bit as did another 6 at the long 15th but a 2 at the short 17th saw her round in a creditable two-under-par score of 71.

Musselburgh's Laing birdied two par-5s on the way out, the first and the eighth, plus the 10th and 16th in halves of 38-35 for a par-matching 73.

The weekend prospects are not so good for the other two Scots in the strong field.

Comrie's Carly Booth is lying joint 76th on 77 and Kylie Walker is sharing 93rd place on 78. Both will be struggling to beat the second-round cut which is forecast for 150.

Sweden's Camilla Lennarth is the overnight leader by three shots with a seven-under-par 66.

DELOITTE WOMEN'S OPEN

Amsterdam, Netherlands

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 73

66 Camilla Lennarth (Swe)

69 Benedikte Grotvedt (Nor), Gwladys Nocera (Fra).

SELECTED SCORES
70 Melissa Reid (Eng) (T3).
71 Holly Clyburn (Eng), Hannah Burke, Pamela Pretswell (Sco) (T10).

72 Charley Hull (Eng) (T17).
73 Vikki Laing (Sco), Henny Zuel (Eng) (T23).
74 Georgia Hall (Eng) (am), Florentyna Parker (Eng) (T32)
75 Liz Young (Eng) (T49).

77 Carly Booth (T76).

78 Kylie Walker (T93).

REPORT FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

Camilla Lennarth of Sweden fired a career-best round of seven-under-66 to take a three-stroke lead after the opening day of the Deloitte Ladies Open in the Netherlands. 

The Ladies European Tour rookie professional, pictured coming off the final green today, fired five birdies and an eagle around The International, a challenging new course next to Schipol Airport in Amsterdam.

After a bitterly cold start to the day, she took advantage of the warmer afternoon conditions, posting four birdies on the back nine before picking up three further shots on her last two holes.

She chipped in from 30 metres with her third shot on the par-5 eighth hole before adding a final-hole birdie on the ninth.

“Before I teed off I saw the leaders at three-under and I was a little surprised,” said Lennarth. “I just aimed for a par on every hole and things went my way. I made some putts and that gave me some momentum.

The 24-year-old from Stockholm added that the round was the perfect fillip following a lacklustre start to the season, despite the fact she tied for second after shooting an opening-round 70 in the weather-shortened South African Women’s Open, last month.

“I was hoping for a better start this year, I played well at Q-School but I’ve been struggling so it’s nice that even though I didn’t strike the ball as well as I can, I got a great score out there. This is the best score I’ve ever posted in a tournament.”

Second-placed Gwladys Nocera, the LET No.1 player in 2008, was also filled with confidence following her opening round of four-under-69, containing six birdies and two bogeys.

“I hit the ball pretty well. I was most of the time close to the pin, the right side of the green, so lots of birdie opportunities. Everything was good and the course was hard, so nothing to complain about,” said Nocera, who won the Dutch event in 2007 and 2008 in Eindhoven.

“I’ve come from playing badly and losing so much confidence and now being able to play well again feels good so I don’t want to think about it. I just want to play golf, because that’s what I love.”

Of the six players in a group at three-under-par, only Melissa Reid and Line Vedel started early, in temperatures hovering around 7C for most of the morning.

Reid, the 2010 event winner at Broekpolder, said: “It was so cold this morning that you couldn’t warm up and you were shivering putting your ball on the tee so the mental side was to get over that. When you’re freezing you have to keep your body warm and your hands warm and that was the biggest challenge.”

Miriam Nagl, Bree Arthur, Titiya Plucksataporn and home hope Christel Boeljon from the Netherlands all played in the afternoon and ended in a share of third at three-under-par.

The defending champion, Carlota Ciganda, was part of a large group a shot further back at two-under-par and will be five shots off the lead going into the weekend.

  THE COMPLETE FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

66 Camilla Lennarth (SWE)

69 Benedikte Grotvedt (NOR) , Gwladys Nocera (FRA)

70 Christel Boeljon (NED) , Line Vedel (DEN) , Miriam Nagl (GER) , Bree Arthur (AUS) , Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) , Melissa Reid (ENG)

71 Tandi Cuningham (RSA) , Carlota Ciganda (ESP) , Hannah Burke (ENG) , Nikki Campbell (AUS) , Holly Clyburn (ENG) , Emily Taylor (ENG) , Pamela Pretswell (SCO)

72 Nina Holleder (GER) , Stacey Keating (AUS) , Hannah Jun (USA) , Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED) , Nikki Garrett (AUS) , Charley Hull (ENG)

73 Kristie Smith (AUS) , Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) , Vikki Laing (SCO) , Diana Luna (ITA) , Stacy Lee Bregman (RSA) , Carin Koch (SWE) , Henni Zuel (ENG) , Maha Haddioui (MAR) , Veronica Zorzi (ITA)

74 Ashleigh Simon (RSA) , Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) , Louise Larsson (SWE) , Cheyenne Woods (USA) , Georgia Hall (ENG) , Tania Elosegui (ESP) , Stefanie Michl (AUT) , Yu Yang Zhang (CHN) , Florentyna Parker (ENG) , Mallory Fraiche (USA) , Lucie Andre (FRA) , Mette Hageman (NLD) , Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) , Smriti Mehra (IND) , Jacqueline Hedwall (SWE) , Sophie Sandolo (ITA) , Dawn Shockley (USA)

75 Liz Young (ENG) , Karen Lunn (AUS) , Nontaya Srisawang (THA), Anais Maggetti (SUI), Lydia Hall (WAL), Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) , Whitney Hillier (AUS) , Sharmila Nicollet (IND) , Alexandra Vilatte (FRA) , Marta Silva Zamora (ESP) , Laurette Maritz (RSA) , Noora Tamminen (FIN) , Valentine Derrey (FRA) , Sophie Walker (ENG) 

PROJECTED CUT MARK - 150

76 Linda Wessberg (SWE) , Mikaela Parmlid (SWE) , Zuzana Kamasova (SVK) , Beth Allen (USA) , Joanna Klatten (FRA) , Elina Nummenpaa (FIN) , Alison Whitaker (AUS) , Rebecca Artis (AUS) , Celine Herbin (FRA) , Stefania Croce (ITA) , Cathryn Bristow (NZL) , Tara Davies (WAL) , Charlotte Puts (NLD)

77 Elisabeth Esterl (GER) , Jia Yun Li (CHN) , Maria Hernandez (ESP) , Daniela Holmqvist (SWE) , Stephanie Na (AUS) , Lauren Taylor (ENG) , Rebecca Hudson (ENG) , Chrisje De Vries (NED) , Eva Bjarvall (SWE), Sarah King (AUS), Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR) , Anne Van Dam (NLD) , Jade Schaeffer (FRA) , Minea Blomqvist (FIN) , Connie Chen (RSA) , Carly Booth (SCO) , Xi Yu Lin (CHN)

78 Kaisa Ruuttila (FIN) , Rebecca Sorensen (SWE) , Marjet Van Der Graaff (NED) , Marion Ricordeau (FRA) , Ann-Kathrin Lindner (GER) , Kylie Walker (SCO) , Trish Johnson (ENG)

79 Erika Holmen (SWE) , Holly Aitchison (ENG) , Elise Boehmer (NLD) , Sahra Hassan (WAL) , Danielle Montgomery (ENG) , Jessica Yadloczky (USA) , Laura Jansone (LVA) , Margherita Rigon (ITA)

80 Becky Brewerton (WAL) , Margarita Ramos (MEX) , Malene Jorgensen (DEN) , Julie Greciet (FRA) , Charlotte Ellis (ENG) , Caroline Afonso (FRA) , Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) , Virginia Espejo (ESP)

81 Helena Callahan (SWE)

82 Georgina Simpson (ENG) , Leigh Whittaker (GER) , Melanie Maetzler (SUI) , Laura Cabanillas (ESP)

83 Julia Davidsson (SWE)

85 Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) , Maria Salinas (PER)

86 Steffi Kirchmayr (GER)

RTD Virginie Lagoutte (FRA), Dewi Weber (NLD)

HEATHER MACRAE WINS PLAY-OFF FOR VICTORY IN SWEDEN

                 BLOOMING HEATHER ...  Today's picture from Sweden

Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel), sponsored by Aberdeen hotelier Stewart Spence - one of the backers of the Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour, won the Solvesborg Women's Open in Sweden today after a three-way play-off.
It was her first win on the Ladies European Tour's Access Series developmental circuit.
To get into the play-off, Heather covered her last 12 holes in five under par with birdies at the seventh, ninth, 11th, 17th and 18th. She had seven birdies in her last round of four-under-par 68 for two-under-par 214.
She also had a double bogey 6 at the fourth.
MacRae has a good record in play-offs. She won the British women's amateur stroke-play championship at Nairn in 2005 after a play-off.
Also on 214 were England's Kym Larratt from Market Harborough with rounds of 73, 74 and 67. She set the clubhouse target at two-under-par for the 54 holes.
Belgium's Chloe Leurquin was the third play-off participant. She scored 71-72-71.
She had the opportunity to overtake Larratt and MacRae, with a birdie on the final hole, but could only manage a par to make it a three-way sudden-death play-off.
MacRae continued her good form in the play-off, holing a 7ft birdie putt at the first extra hole to claim victory. The win moves the Scottish golfer into 5^th place on the LETAS Order of Merit
MacRae collected the first prize of 5,500 Euros - her biggest payday as a professional.
Kelsey MacDonald from Nairn finished joint ninth on 219 with rounds of 70-75-74. She also made the top 10 in last week's LETAS Tour event in Sweden.
MacDonald  has made the cut in all three of her competitions since turning pro.
At the close of the 2013 LETAS season, the top five players on the 2013 Ranking will earn membership of the Ladies European Tour while players in sixth to 20th positions will have the opportunity to progress to the final stage of Lalla Aicha Tour School in Morocco.

SOLVESBORG WOMEN'S OPEN
Solvesborg GC, Sweden
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
214 Heather MacRae (Sco) 70 76 68, Kym Larratt (Eng) 73 74 67, Chloe Leurquin (Bel) 71 72 71 (MacRae won play-off at first extra hole).
215 Linda Henriksson (Swe) 73 71 71

SELECTED TOTALS
219 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco) 70 75 74 (T9)
220 Eleanor Givens (Eng) 75 70 75 9T12)
223 Danielle McVeigh (NIr) 74 6 9 80 (18th).
224 Natalie Lowe (Eng) 73 78 73 (T19)
225 Charlie Douglass (Eng) 75 73 77 (T26)
228 Pamela Feggans (Sco) 78 72 78 (T33)/.
229 Tracey Boyes (Eng) 74 77 78 (37th).

SCOTTISH SENIOR LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRIES' CLOSING DATE RE,MINDER

REMINDER FROM THE SLGA

The closing date for the Scottish Senior Ladies' (Close) Amateur Championship 2013 at West Linton Golf Club  is 12 noon Monday, June 3. 

For an entry form please go to the slga website www.slga.co.uk

 

Toni Melvin-Ffinch

Championship Manager

Scottish Ladies Golfing Association Limited

01738 442357 

STEPHANIE AND ALABAMA UNDER PRESSURE AFTER THREE ROUNDS

Stephanie Meadow needs an outstanding final round and her university team, defending champions Alabama, need something special on the last day if they are both to be triumphant in the NCAA Women's Division 1 championship at Athens, Georgia.
The British champion from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland slipped out of the lead with her worst round so far, a one-over-par 73 over a par-72, 6303yd course - following scores of 69-67 - for a tally of 209.
That puts the Curtis Cup star in joint second place with Ally McDonald (Mississippi State) (70-69-70), two shots behind the leader, Annie Park (Southern California) who has had scores of 70-67-70 for nine-under 207.
Southern California have gone 17 shots clear in the team championship race with a tally of 845. Duke (862) are lying second with Purdue and Alabama sharing third place on 873.
Stanford are lying seventh on 879 and Tule eighth on 881.
Aberdeen's Gemma Dryburgh marked time on a share of 24th place in the individual statnings with a repeat round of 74 which saw her record four birdies but also six bogets. All her birdies came in the span between the 11th and 18th. The Scot had begun her round at the 10th. 
Gemma's dad, Aberdeen oil executive, John Dryburgh, who is over in Georgia as a spectator at the championships, told Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
"It's amazing what the combination of strong sun and high winds and some major championship pin placements can do for a tournament.
"At one point Tulane Univeresity had moved from eighth to third and by the time the day had finished they were back to seventh.  A real rollercoaster day for all the teams and with high winds and sun all day forecast the leading teams are going to face the same again on Thursday.
"Gemma played great golf for her two-over-par 74. She turned at two under with four birdies and two three-putts on two of the par fives , on the twelfth from 6ft. She hit every green in regulation and was putting for birdie on seven of the nine.
On the second nine she missed only two greens, one a big bounce on the second green with her pitching wedge and the other a poor shot to the fourth. However, she didn't get up and down on either and three-putted another two greens unusually from good positions and didn't make any of her birdie putts.
"Whilst Gemma was disappointed she is just outside the top 20 and a strong finish will see her finish in the top 20 in what is the strongest field of the women's college golf season."
Edinburgh's Sally Watson (Stanford) is in the joint 67th position after rounds of 76, 73 and 77 for 226.

Southern California extends its lead on Day 3; Park and Meadow battling for individual title

FROM THE GOLF DIGEST WEBSITE

By Brendan Mohler
ATHENS, Georiga -- While the third day of a 72-hole tournament is commonly considered "moving day," only the Auburn Tigers -- who drew inspiration from the brief presence of Coach Kim Evans, recovering from recent surgery to treat ovarian cancer -- succeeded in matching USC's third-round three-under 285. 
At 19-under 845, USC turned its 12-shot, 36-hole lead into a 17-shot cushion over Duke -- the only other team under par -- with only 18 holes remaining. Tied for third place are Purdue, UCLA and defending champion Alabama, who shot 13-over 301 Thursday.


High temperatures and low humidity nearly turned the already firm and fast UGA GC greens to hardwood tabletops, and only 15 players managed to break par. 
But the Trojans grinded through the front nine and shot eight under on the back to post respective scores of 69 and 70 from freshmen Kyung Kim and Annie Park, 72 from sophomore Doris Chen and 74 from junior Sophia Popov.
"I'm just honoured to be playing in this championship," said Park, who leads the individual race by two shots over Alabama's Stephanie Meadow (one-over 73 Thursday) and Mississippi State's Ally McDonald after recording four birdies in her last six holes. "It takes the pressure off knowing how good my teammates are."
The lowest round of the day was a four-under 68 from Auburn junior Marta Sanz, who jumped 32 places into a tie for 14th.
 "On the back nine every putt went in. It was one of those days," said Sanz, who, like her teammates, benefited from having Coach Evans on site. "It shows us what life is and that we're just playing a game."
McDonald's seven-under 209 total has her well within reach of Park's lead, but because her team sits in 18th place at +30, she won't play alongside the other leaders. "I think I'm in a good position to make something happen," said McDonald. "[The leaders] have no control over what I do."
USC's big lead should take some excitement out of Friday's final round, but as has happened in the past, large leads can be erased even more quickly then they are built. However, Park and Meadow are among the favorites to win national Player of the Year honors, so there's more riding on the final round than a team and individual title, as if that weren't enough.
***Auburn's Coach Evans arrived on site yesterday and left this morning via a ride to the airport from Beans Kelly, a close friend and former Georgia women's coach. The Tigers are currently T-9 after posting three-under 285 on Thursday. "The first day, [we] seemed a bit rattled," said Auburn student assistant coach Danielle Downey. "Coach Evans flying in and the team seeing her really settled [our players]."

JESSICA SCHIELE LEADS BY EIGHT STROKES IN NAIA CHAMPIONSHIP

Jessica Schiele from Grimsby is set to end her four years as a student at the University of Oklahoma City in a blaze of golfing glory.

She leads the NAIA  Women's Championship by eight strokes with one round to play at Wilderness Ridge, Lincoln in Nebraska.
Over a par-72 course of 5,978yds, Schiele has romped clear of the field of 144 players with rounds of 75, 68 and 74 for a tally of one-over-par 217. 
Her nearest rival is Sofia Molinaro (Savannah College) who has had scores of 79, 74 and 72 for 225. 



FROM THE OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY WEBSITE

 LINCOLN, Nebraska – Oklahoma City University fired 305 for the second straight day and grabbed a 10-stroke lead after three rounds of the NAIA Championships Thursday at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club.
The Stars, ranked No, 2 in NAIA women's golf, moved to 310-305-305–920 after 54 holes on the par-72, 5,978-yard course and stretched their lead to double digits with one round remaining. No. 4 British Colombia finished the third round 10 shots off the lead and one stroke ahead of No. 5 Lubbock Christian (Texas).
Senior Jessica Schiele carded a round-three 74 and improved her individual lead to eight strokes. Sofia Molinaro of SCAD (Ga.) finished the third round in second place and Elia Folch finished 10 shots off the lead in fourth place.
“Today was a grind for us,” OCU coach Marty McCauley said. “We started poorly, but we did a great job of keeping our composure and finished strong.”
Teams saw temperatures from high 50s to low 70s with wind gust as high as 22 mph under mostly overcast skies.
Schiele, of Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, England, holed four birdies and moved her three-day total to 75-68-74–217.
Folch, a junior from Barcelona, Spain, made birdie on the sixth, 14th and 17th holes to move into a tie for fourth place with 75-78-74–227.
Taylor Howard, a senior from Ada, Okla., eagled the 14th hole and finished the third round with 78-80-79–237. Senior Tanya Tibshraeny, of Westhaven, Kirkwood, South Africa, finished round No. 3 with 84-80-78–242 and fellow senior Mary Larsh, of Edmond, Okla., posted 82-79-84–245 after 54 holes.
The forecast for the final round of the NAIA Championships calls for a high of 72 degrees with a southeast wind at 20 mph and a 30 percent chance of rain.
OCU will enter the fourth and final round of the NAIA Championships with the lead for the first time since 2009. The Stars will tee off at 9 a.m. Friday at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club.
Live scoring for the tournament will be available here. Go here for a live video stream of the greens on the ninth and 18 holes as well as the first and 10th tee boxes.

RAINS HIT BAHAMAS: LPGA EVENT WILL BE OVER 12 HOLES IN FIRST ROUND

FROM THE LPGA TOUR.COM WEBSITE
PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS – Making the best out of an extremely challenging situation, tournament officials today shortened Friday’s first round at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic to 12 holes with a new course routing that avoids several currently unplayable holes at the Ocean Club golf course.
Crews continue to work around the clock to remove water that currently covers parts of the ninth, 15th, 16th and 17th and 18th holes. 
Officials plan to complete a minimum of 12 holes on both Saturday and Sunday and will reassess playable holes each day. An LPGA tournament must complete 36 holes to be official. There will be no cut this week, but the top 70 players and ties will earn official money provided 36 holes are completed.
“When you have a situation like this, you bring everyone together that you trust and you make the decision,” said LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan. 
“It’s fair if someone doesn’t like the decision we made, but I think this outcome is a lot better than any other alternative. Everybody who plays the next three days will play the same course.”
Severe thunderstorms dropped more than a foot of rain on the Ocean Club over an eight hour span on Tuesday. Due to the water remaining on the course, all players will tee off on the 10th hole during Friday’s first round and play a redeveloped routing as follows: 10-6-7-4-5-11-12-13-14-2-3-8. 
“I think we need to try to play for Pure Silk and for Bahamas Tourism,” said LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster. “This is something that has never happened before and it probably never will happen again. I think we should play, money should be official and everyone should get on with it.”
Players were informed of the tournament changes earlier today in a meeting at the clubhouse.
“There is good and bad to the situation and you have to decide if your glass is half-full or half-empty,” said Rolex Rankings No. 2 Stacy Lewis. “At the end of the day, we’ll all play the same holes, the same course and be scored the same way. That’s a golf tournament.”
“It’s all about your perspective on it,” Lewis continued. “If you go into it thinking, ‘this is dumb’ or ‘we shouldn’t play’ then you probably won’t play very well. I think, for the sponsors, we need to play. It’s a first-year event and we need to get out there.”
Playing fewer than 18 holes is not unprecedented on the LPGA. At the 1989 Kemper Open, Betsy King and Jody Rosenthal each shot 2-under-par 63 on a 16-hole lay-out in the first round following heavy rains earlier in the week. 
The tournament completed 52 holes with King as the champion.
There have been 15 36-hole events since 1963 on the LPGA Tour. The most recent 36-hole tournament was the 2007 Hana Bank KOLON Championship, which was shortened from 54 holes to 36 following 50-plus mph winds during Sunday’s final round. Suzann Pettersen was declared the 36-hole champion.
According to Rule 3-1 in the Rules of Golf, a stroke-play competition consists of competitors completing each hole of a stipulated round or rounds, and for each round, returning a score card on which there is a gross score for each hole. 
A stipulated round is defined as playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence, unless otherwise authorized by the Committee. The number of holes in a stipulated round is 18 unless a smaller number is authorized by the Committee. 
In the instance of this week’s Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, the Rules Committee has authorized the reduction in the number of holes in a stipulated round.

LATE ENTRIES ACCEPTED FOR SUNDAY'S GLENBERVIE LADIES' OPEN

FROM ELIZABETH GOODWIN

I wonder if you would please give a mention on Kirkwood Golf about the Glenbervie Ladies’ Open which is being held on Sunday, June 2.

We still have some places available for late entrants – the entry fee is £10 and there is a handicap limit of 35. 

This year’s East Division women's inter-county championship is being held at Glenbervie so it would be an ideal opportunity for those hoping to take part to come and play the course. 

Anyone wishing to enter can do so by contacting Lyn Fleming on 01324 715648 or on gordonfleming@btinternet.com .

  \

CARLOTA CHASING REPEAT DELOITTE WIN IN AMSTERDAM

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
By BETHAN CUTLER

AMSTERDAM: Carlota Ciganda will go in pursuit of a repeat victory over the next three days at the Deloitte Ladies Open in the Netherlands.

The 23-year-old from Pamplona, Spain will attempt to defend the title she won last year at Broekpolder at a new venue, The International, in Amsterdam, which poses a stern test of golf.

“It’s hard, one of the most difficult courses on the LET since I’ve been on tour but it’s going to be fun,” said Ciganda, as she concluded the Pro-Am in sunny but windy conditions today.

“It’s not easy. It is a really hard golf course in difficult conditions. It’s long, it’s playing really hard and the greens have lots of breaks. You have to putt well, so it’s important to be really patient out here. "I don’t know how the weather is going to be, but I think it’s going to be windy, raining and cold, so the scores are going to be high. Maybe two or three under will lead on the first day but I think if you have three rounds of level par you are going to be in the top five.”

Ciganda, tied for second at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open a fortnight ago, added: “I’m playing good and I’m confident but I know it’s not going to be easy because Christel is playing well and Lee-Anne Pace won in Turkey, so they are great players. 

"I think the players from the UK are going to do well here because of the weather conditions so I think they will post good scores. I will try my best and we will see.”

Fellow former event champions Melissa Reid (2011), Florentyna Parker (2010), Tania Elosegui (2009), Gwladys Nocera (2008 and 2007), Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (2005) and Elisabeth Esterl (2004) also return to the Netherlands hoping to be inspired by their own fond memories of the area, while Christel Boeljon will be targeting a home victory.

The Deloitte Ladies Open is being played at The International in Amsterdam for the first time from Friday (May 24) to Sunday. Tickets cost 10 euros and can be purchased through this link.

KELSEY, HEATHER IN TOP TEN WITH ROUND TO GO IN SWEDEN

Kelsey MacDonald is chasing back-to-back top-10 finishes on the LETAS Tour, having qualified for the final day of Sweden's  Solvesborg Women's Open in joint sixth place.
Rookie pro Kelsey - this is only her third event as a tour pro and she has made the cut in all three - is on one-over-par 145 after rounds of 70 and 75, two shots behind the three joint leaders, Northern Ireland's Danielle McVeigh, Chloe Leurquin (Belgium) and Sweden's Lisa Boqvist.
Heather MacRae, level with MacDonald at the start of the second day, sagged to a 76 for 146 and a share of 10th place.
The only other Scot to survive the cut at 151 was Pamela Feggans (Doon Valley) with 78-72 for 150.
Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll missed out by two shots on 153 (78-75) and would have made it through but for a double bogey 7 at the long 13th.

LETAS TOUR - Solvesborg Women's Open
Solvesborg GC, Sweden.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2x72_
143 Danielle McVeigh (NIr) 74 69, Chloe Leurquin (Bel) 71 72, Lisa Boqvist (Swe) 69 74.     
144 Sofia Harkonen (Fin) 74 70, Linda Henrikson (Swe) 73 71.
SELECTED SCORES
145 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco) 70 75, Eleanor Givens (Eng) 75 70 (T6).
146 Heather MacRae (Sco) 70 76 (T10).  
147 Kym Larratt (Eng) 73 74 (T12)
148 Charlie Douglass (Eng) 71 75 (T17)
150 Pamela Feggans (Sco) 78 72 (T24)
151 Tracey Boyes ()Eng) 74 774, Natalie Lowe (Eng) 73 78 (T30).
MISSED THE CUT (151 and better qualified)
152 Hayleigh Wigmore (Eng) 76 76
153 Katy McNicoll (Sco) 78 75
154 Michele Thomson (Sco) 77 75, Charlotte Wilde (Eng) 78 76.
155 Laura Murray (Sco) 79 76.
157 Gemma Webster (Sco) 80 77, Tara Delaney (Ire) 78 79.
162 Lauren Blease (Eng) 82 80.
164 Rachel Drummond (Eng) 85 79 
170 Stacey Rodger (Eng) 87 83