LORETTO BOOST FOR DEFENDING
CHAMPION KELLY BROTHERTON

SCOTTISH Under-18 girls' champion Kelly Brotherton from Tulliallan has received a big boost on the eve of her defence of the BP Scottish Under-21 girls' open stroke-play golf title at Kilmacolm over the next two days.
"We were driving up to the clubhouse, when I got the call that Loretto School are giving me a two-year golf scholarship," said 17-year-old Kelly who spent most of the past year at David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida.
"Dad thought that my education would suffer if I went back for a second year to Florida because golf comes first there so it is really great news that Loretto want me go there and I can sit my A levels eventually.
Her father, Peter Brotherton said: "Kelly can always go back to the United States at a later date. At this stage of her life, her education cannot be neglected and that is why I am so glad that she is going to go to Loretto."
Loretto School at Musselburgh has invested a lot of money in setting up golf facilities and has succeeded in attracting pupils of the calibre of Roseanne Niven (Crieff), winner of the SLGA St Leonards Scottish Under-16 girls stroke-play title in April and a member of the Scotland team for next month's girls home internationals, and Emma Fairnie, another up and coming prospect from Minto.
Kelly has brought her handicap down to scratch since her sweeping Under-18 girls' match-play success at Newmachar a week or two ago.
Twelve months ago, at the age of 16, Miss Brotherton was a surprise winner of the Under-21 title at Baberton where bad weather washed out the last of the three scheduled rounds.
It would not be such a shock if Kelly retained the title this week but she is not the only improving young player on the Scottish scene and at Kilmacolm will have to beat three members of the full Scotland team for September's women's home internationals - Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Pamela Feggans (Doon Valley) and Heather MacRae (Dunblane) - as well as first reserve Laura Wells (Dumfries & Co).