US COLLEGE NEWS

Carley Warrington sixth in

Tusculum Fall Classic

Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina senior student Carley Warrington from Bradwell, England finished a creditable sixth in a field of 62 players for the Tusculum Fall Classic at Links Hill Country Club, Greenville in Tennessee.
She had scores of 75 and 79 for a total of 154 over a par-72 course of 5,805yd.
Carley, pictured above, finished eight shots behind her Malaysian-born team-mate, Michele Low who shot 76 and 70 for a five-stroke victory with a total of two-over-par 146.
Scot Lucy McNulty from Oban, a sophomore student at Brevard College, also in North Carolina, had rounds of 88 and 85 to finish joint 45th on 173.
The efforts of Michele Low and Carley Warrington helped Belmont Abbey College win the team event by 13 shots from North Carolina Pembroke with Wingate Universtiy another five shots back in third place in a field of 12 teams.
Meanwhile Andrea Downer (Murray State) shared 38th place in a field of 80 for the Cincinnati Fall Classic at Elks Run Golf Club, Batavia in Ohio.
Over a par-72 course of 6,186 yd, Andrea had rounds of 83, 84 and 78 for 245 - 22 shots behind winner Marisa Kamelgarn (Morehead State, Kentucky) with scores of 75, 78 and 70.
Murray State (949) finished fifth behind Cincinnati and Morehead State, both totalling 937.
Welsh international Anna Carling (Arkansas State) tied for 12th place in a field of 80 for the MSU Payne Stewart Memorial tournament at Rivercut golf course, Springfield.
Anna had rounds of 77, 78 and 75 for 230 - 11 shots behind the two players who tied for victory. A Carling team-mate, Jennifer Welch (72-71-76 for 219) beat Breanne Neufeld (Bradley University) (75-72-72 for 219) at the second extra hole of a sudden-death play-off for individual honours.
There were several other British students in the big field.
Stacey Rodger from West Hove, Sussex played her part in Missouri State winning the team title. Senior-year student Stacey had ever-improving rounds of 83, 79 and 73 for 235 and a share of 29th place individually as Missouri State (901) won the team title ahead of Arkansas State (912).
Also a student at Missouri State University but playing as an individual in this competition was Emma Clegg, a freshman from Blackburn. Emma scored 80, 79 and 79 for 238.
Third placed Central Arkansas (916) had Gemma Hardie, a sophomore student from Scunthorpe, in their line-up. Gemma scored 79, 82 and 76 for 237 and joint 36th place.
Oklahoma City University tied for eighth place with 941. In their team was Laura Jones, a member of the Royal Liverpool club. Laura scored 83, 71 and 78 for joint 17th position with a total of 232.
Hannah Coles from Birmingham, a junior student at Radford University, Virgina, came 49th with rounds of 84, 81 and 82 for a total of 247 in the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic at Starmount Forest Golf Cub, Greensboro, North Carolina.

Scott Crighton from Fife comes 13th at San Antonio

On the US men's college circuit, Scott Crighton (Western New Mexico) came 13th in a field of close on 90 for the Bruce Williams Memorial Invitational at Dominion Country Club, San Antonio in Texas.
Crighton, from Delgaty Bay, Fife, had tidy rounds of 72, 75 and 72 for a three-over-par total of 219.
Western New Mexico team-mates Steven Maxwell from Glasgow, and Chris Davis from London finished joint 49th and joint 81st respectively. Maxwell scored 76, 79 and 77 for 232, while Davis had rounds of 84, 78 and 83 for 245.
The winner with a seven-under-par total of 209 was Donald Constable (Texas University) with scores of 68, 73 and 68.
Western New Mexico finished 10th of 17 behind team winners St Mary's University, Texas.

Alexis (14) early leader in LPGA Classic with a 65

FROM THE GOLFWEEK.COM WEBSITE
Fourteen-year-old Alexis Thompson, playing her fifth LPGA event, shot a seven-under 65 in the first round of the Navistar LPGA Classic to take the early clubhouse lead Thursday afternoon (local time).
Michelle Wie, after making five birdies and an eagle over her first 17 holes, made bogey on her final hole to shoot 66.
Starting on the back nine, Thompson opened her round with birdies on her first two holes but made the turn only in 2 under, making bogey on the par-4 18th hole.
Thompson, who got into the event after the Tuesday qualifier was cancelled, turned it on her final nine, making five birdies and no bogeys.
“I mean, everything was working for me,” Thompson said. “My ball striking was good. My driver was a little off, but, I mean, I’m not gonna complain.
“I rolled my putter really good,” she said.
It helped that her longest birdie putt of the day was a 15-footer on the par-5 fifth hole. Five of her birdie putts were from within 6 feet.
“I mean, the greens are really fast,” she said. “I got some really fast putts out there that I had to barely tap, but the golf course is great. I’m just honoured to be here.”
Alexis Thompson won her second consecutive American Junior PGA Championship this summer.
Thompson’s appearance at the top of the leaderboard is hardly a surprise, considering her outstanding record in junior and amateur events, not to mention the handful of professional events she has already played.
She tied for low amateur honours at the Kraft Nabisco Championship earlier this year, and finished 34th in the U.S. Women’s Open. In 2007, she becaome the youngest player to ever qualify for the US Women’s Open at 12 years, 4 months and one day.

SCOREBOARD TO COME

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! Scotland's title-winning seniors team. Back row (left to right): Noreen Fenton (Dunbar), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Fiona Hunter (Baberton), Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies), Fiona de Vries (St Rule), team manager Janet Wake.
Front row: Mary Smith (Tain), team captain Pamela Williamson (Baberton) with the Sue Johnson Trophy, and Heather Anderson (Alyth).
Image by courtesy of the Ladies Golf Union who retain the copyright to the image which can be enlarged by clicking on it.

SCOTLAND CLINCH FIRST SENIORS

TITLE BY BEATING WALES

There may be many a slip twixt cup and lip - but Scotland made none on the final day of the Senior Women's Home International Matches at Newport Golf Club, Wales today.

Having beaten first Ireland and then England, the Scots won the title and the Sue Johnson Trophy for the first time, completing a 100 per cent winning record through the three days by beating last year's winners, Wales, 5 ½-2 ½ today.

England, trailing 2-1 after the foursomes, rallied to draw 4-4 with Ireland and finished with 1 1/2pt, to be runners-up ahead of Wales (1pt) and Ireland (1/2pt).

Skipper Pamela Williamson's Scotland team – unlike their younger "sisters" in the Women's Home Internationals at Irvine three weeks ago - showed no sign of last-day nerves as they captured the morning foursomes by 2 ½ to ½ against Wales to make their task in the five afternoon singles that much easier.

They began the afternoon play needing only 1 ½ pt for a draw which would have been enough to clinch the over-50s team championship but the rampant Scots had their sights set higher than that and had three singles winners.

Heather Anderson (Alyth) beat the Senior British champion Vicki Thomas by one hole.

Fiona De Vries (St Rule), who beat Pamela Valentine by 5 and 3, ending the series with a perfect 6pt from six matches was the MVP of the tournament.

Tain's Mary Smith, who helped Northern Counties win the Scottish women's county championship last week at Baberton, beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3 for her fifth point in six outings. What an end of season it's been for Mary!

Mention should be made of Dunbar's Noreen Fenton who played only in the foursomes each day – and won each time in partnership with Fiona de Vries.

And also that Scotland went to Wales without their potential star player – Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) who withdrew last week due to domestic reasons. But Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), who took Lorna's place, played, as they say "a blinder." Skipper Williamson used Kathleen only in the singles and she won two out of three ties.

DETAILS OF THE SCOTLAND v WALES SINGLES

Heather Anderson v Vicki Thomas was a game of two halves – the Scot had the better of the first nine, the Welsh player not losing a hole after the turn. Anderson birdied the second and the fifth on her way to a three-hole lead after eight holes.

That was as good as it got for the Scot. Thomas won the 11^th and 15^th to be only one down on the 16^th tee. But Smith managed to halve the last three holes for a win she will remember while Vicki will want to forget the three days! As the new Senior British champion, she was expected to lead by example for Wales but she won only one game out of six.

Kathleen Sutherland, who came into the Scotland team only last week when star player Lorna Bennett had to withdraw for domestic reasons, lost her 100 per cent winning record when she lost by 4 and 2 to Ann Lewis.

Lewis birdied the seventh to go one up and also won the eighth before Sutherland birdied the ninth to get back to one down. The Welsh player promptly birdied the 10^th to regain a two-hole lead which Sutherland cut back to one hole by winning the 11^th. The exchange of holes continued at the 12^th which Lewis won to regain a two-hole lead. Lewis wrapped up a 4 and 2 victory by winning the 15^th and 16^th.

De Vries won the second, third and fourth against Valentine and stretched her lead to six holes after 11, having birdied the 10^th. Valentine did birdie the 14^th but that only cut her deficit to four holes and De Vries clinched her sixth victory in three days by winning the 15^th for a 5 and 3 success.

That raised Scotland's points on the day to 4 ½, which meant they had won the match, whatever the outcome of the ties still to finish.

Smith made it 5 1/2pt in the bag when she beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3. After the third and fourth holes were exchanged, Smith won the sixth to take a lead she did not relinquish.

The Scot won the eighth to go two up, lost the ninth but then won the 11^th, 13^th and 14^th to surge four holes to the good. A half at the next ended the contest.

Wales got their second singles win, thanks to Jean O'Connor, who beat Moira Thomson by 5 and 4. O'Connor took a stranglehold on the outcome by winning the first, third, seventh, eighth and 10^th for a five-hole lead. She even birdied the 12^th to regain that advantage after the Scot had scored her only success at the 11^th. Halves at the 13^th and 14^th ended the match.

INDIVIDUAL SCOTS' RECORDS AT NEWPORT

Fiona De Vries (St Rule) 6pt out of 6 (six wins).

Mary Smith (Tain) 5pt out of 6 (five wins).

Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 3pt out of 3 (three foursomes wins).

Heather Anderson (Alyth) 2pt out of 6 (one win, two halves).

Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 2pt out of 3 (played singles only: two wins).

Fiona Hunter (Baberton) 1/2pt out of 3 (one halved match).

WHO DID BEST FOR THE OTHER COUNTRIES?

ENGLAND

Christine Quinn 5pt out of 5 (five wins).

Lucy Newton 4pt out of 5 (four wins).

Sue Dye 4pt out of 5 (four wins).

Janet Melville 3pt out of 6 (three wins).

WALES

Ann Lewis 3 1/2 pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Jean O'Connor 3 1/2 pt out of 5 (three wins and a halved match).

Denise Richards 2pt out of 4 (two wins).

Vicki Thomas 2pt out of 6 (two wins).

IRELAND

Sheena McElroy 4 1/2pt out of 6 (four wins and a halved match).

Helen Jones 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).

Phil O'Gorman 2pt out of 5 (two wins).

Pat Doran 2pt out of 5 (two wins).

+Scotland will defend the Senior Women's Home Internationals title at Sheringham Golf Club, Norfolk in 2010. Book your accommodation now!

SENIOR WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS Newport Golf Club, Wales. Final day SCOTLAND 5 1/2, WALES 2 1/2 Foursomes: H Anderson & F Hunter halved with V Thomas & J O'Connor; M Smith & M Thomson bt J Doleman & J Rees 3 and 2; F De Vries & N Fenton bt A Lewis & D Richards 4 and 2 (2 ½- ½). Singles: Anderson bt Thomas 1 hole, K Sutherland lost to Lewis 4 and 2, De Vries bt P Valentine 4 and 3, Smith bt Rees 4 and 3, Thomson lost to O'Connor 5 and 4 (3-2) IRELAND 4, ENGLAND 4 Foursomes; R Brennan & V McBride lost to C Quinn & S Dye 2 and 1; H Jones & P Doran bt J Ashmore & J Melville 3 and 1; S McElroy & P O'Gorman bt R Adams & P Parker 1 hole (2-1). Singles: M Henderson lost to Melville 5 and 4, Doran lost to Dye 3 and 1, McElroy bt Ashmore 5 and 4, Jones bt Parker 6 and 5, McBride lost to Newton 5 and 4 (2-3). HOW THEY FINISHED Scotland 3 wins (3pt). England 1 win, 1 draw (1 1/2pt). Wales 1 win (1pt). Ireland 1 draw (1/2pt).

Senior Scots move closer to title at

Newport after good final morning

Scotland moved closer to winning the Senior Women's Home Internationals title for the first time at Newport Golf Club, Wales this morning by winning two foursomes and halving the other against defending champions Wales.
That meant the Scots, captained by Pamela Williamson, needed only 1 1/2pt for a draw or 2pt from the final set of five singles to land the Sue Johnson Trophy.
Ireland led England 2-1 after their foursomes.
Heather Anderson (Alyth) and Fiona Hunter (Baberton) halved the top foursome with Vicki Thomas and Jean O'Connor. Fiona holed a bunker shot at the 16th to square the match and the last two holes were halved.
Mary Smith (Tain) and Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) won by 3 and 2 against Janet Doleman and Jane Tees. The Scots were never behind after winning the first, second and fourth.
Fiona De Vries (St Rule) maintained her 100 per cent winning record when, in partnership with Dunbar's Noreen Fenton, she won the last foursome by 4 and 2 against Ann Lewis and Denise Richards.
Here again the Scots were in the driving seat after going three up after four holes.

Gemma Dryburgh from Aberdeen

10th in steamy heat of Tampa Bay

Aberdeen girl Gemma Dryburgh, a student at the IMG David Leadbetter Academy, Bradenton, Florida, finished joint 10th in the FCWT Junior Tour event, the Tampa Bay Challenge.

Playing in steamy hot conditions, with the rounds taking 6hr and 5hr respectively, Gemma, pictured right, had a pair of 77s for 12-over-par 154.

She finished 11 shots behind the winner from Bangkok, Thailand - Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai who has now won five events in a row.

Linzi Allan ties for first place on debut

for Newman University, Kansas

Linzi Allan, pictured, from West Kilbride, Ayrshire has made a winning debut for the Newman University, Wichita, Kansas women's golf team.

She tied for first place in the Lady Buff Stampede tournament at La Paloma Golf Club, Amarillo in Texas with scores of 72 and 84 for 156 over a par-71 course of 5,947yd.

Jacqueline Lau (Tarleton State) had the same 14-over-par total with rounds of 76 and 80.

The tie-breaking procedure was to compare the players' score at the Stroke 1 index hole on the scorecard. Jacqueline had a birdie at that hole, Linzi a bogey so Jacqueline was officially placed first.

But very well done to Linzi for having the tournament's best score in the first round and to have a 36-hole total that nobody in a field of 85 players could beat. It augurs well for her future on US college circuit tournaments.

Linzi is a freshman at Newman University alongwith Alyssa Balding from Northumberland and Megan Birdsey from Bedfordshire.

Alyssa had rounds of 83 and 81 for 164 and a share of 17th place. Megan scored 84 and 90 for 174 and joint 43rd place.

Newman University (654) finished fourth of 16 in the team event won by Tarleton State (635) from Cental Oklahoma (640) and Angelo State (649).