SCOTTISH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

ANNE LAING "HUNGRY" FOR HAT-TRICK AND TITLE NO. 4

Any suggestion that title-holder Anne Laing is going into the Scottish women’s amateur championship, which starts at Cruden Bay on Tuesday, with a "seen it all, done it all" attitude is way off the mark.
Anyone who beats Michelle Wie not once but twice in a Curtis Cup match – as Anne did last June at Formby, where she finished up with more points (three out of four) than the Hawiaiian child superstar - is entitled to consider themselves favourite to win their native title.
But not the 30-year-old Vale of Leven member and Elmwood College, Cupar lecturer.
She is certainly not taking anything for granted as the field of over 100 tees up in the first of two qualifying rounds to decide the 32 players who will contest the match-play stages.
"There are a lot of good players here this week and anything can happen when any two of them meet on a Scottish links course with the wind blowing as it was for the practice," said Anne.
"I’ve won this title three times already but I’m always hungry to win it again. I’m up for it again. I failed to get through the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at the end of last season and I might well try again this year but, for this week, all these kind of thoughts are put to the back of my mind.
"I am focused on playing the very best I can. If my form is good enough to make me still Scottish champion at the end of the week, then I will be delighted."
If Anne does make a successful defence successful defence, she will be only the fourth player in the 102-year history of the tournament to complete a hat-trick of national titles.
Charlotte Watson did it in 1920-21-23; Janette Wright in 1959-60-61 and Joan Lawrence in 1962-63-64.
Not even the legendary Jessie Valentine (six title wins between 1938 and 1956) and Belle Robertson, who holds the record number of seven Scottish title wins between 1965 and 1986, ever managed to string three of them together.
Anne beat Clare Queen (Drumpellier) by two holes in last year’s final at Prestwick and Claire Hargan (Prestonfield) in the 2003 final over the Old Course, St Andrews.
Anne has actually three wins already to her credit because she beat Alison (Rose) Davidson in the 1996 final at Royal Dornoch.
Appropriately, as defending champion once again, the 30-year-old Miss Laing has the lowest handicap (+3) in the Cruden Bay field.
Realistically, is there anyone in the field capable of thwarting her hat-trick bid?
Probably only two or three – if they are on their game.
The most obvious danger is West of Scotland champion Clare Queen, rated a +2 player. She took Anne to the last green in the final 12 months ago and has been chalking up a lot of good performances this year, including getting within a play-off defeat by Ireland’s Martina Gillen of winning the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon last month.
Full-time amateur Clare, just turned 22, feels she is a much improved player since last year’s Scottish championship because, in her own words, she has done nothing but play golf. She sees her future as a tournament professional. A native title on her CV would perhaps help gain sponsorship should she get through the LET Q School at the end of the year.
The American college girls who have flown back in time to play at Cruden Bay were all feeling the cold in the bitter "Buchan breeze" that blew over the links on Monday. But it would be no surprise if at least two of them reached the quarter or semi-finals. They include: Heather MacRae (Dunblane New & San Diego State University), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie & Iowa State), Laura Walker (Nairn Dunbar & Arkansas-Little Rock), Kate O'Sullivan (Cochrane Castle & High Point), Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe & Jacksonville State) and Emily Ogilvy (Muckhart & Arkansas-Little Rock).
Former Scotland cap and past Aberdeenshire champion Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) failed a personal fitness test and was one of three withdrawals from the championship. She broke her left arm five weeks ago while taking her dog a walk. She was able to putt on the practice green but not able to swing a club.
The other call-offs were Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie) and Maureen Skinner (Gourock).
This is the first Scottish women’s championship in which the R&A ban on certain types of driver heads is being enforced.
"We’ve had to disqualify only one such club," said tournament secretary Fiona Farquharson. "The player wasn’t sure if it was legal or illegal but it was there on the banned list. I think quite a few of the competitors are playing with borrowed drivers this week."