MIDLOTHIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

NICHOLSON-MURPHY, HARGAN-FENTON SEMI-FINALS

Top seed Claire MacDonald (Gullane) was knocked out by the 16th qualifier, Christine Stewart (Lothianburn), in the first round of the Midlothian women’s county golf championship match-play stages at Duddingston Golf Club today.
Christine won by one hole but was herself beaten 5 and 4 in the quarter-finals by Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) who will play Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall ) in the first semi-final at 9am on Sunday.
The other semi-final will be contested by title-holder and former Scotland international player Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) and Scotland senior cap Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh), the No 2 seed.

SCOREBOARD
MIDLOTHIAN WOMEN’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Duddingston Golf Club

Match-play
First round – Catherine Stewart (Lothianburn) bt Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 1 hole, Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) bt Jane Turner (Mortonhall) 1 hole, Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall) bt Ruth Brown (Lothianburn) 4 and 3, Tracy Laughland (Mortonhall) bt Karen Marshall (Baberton) 3 and 2.
Claire Hargan(Mortonhall) bt Kate Rorke (Kingsknowe) 2 holes, Hilary Laughland (Mortonhall) bt Amanda Edwards (Liberton) 2 and 1, Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) bt Anne Hanson (Glencorse) 6 and 4, Noreen Fenton (Merchants of Edinburgh) bt Linda Caine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 4 and 3.
Quarter-finals – Nicholson bt Stewart 5 and 4, Murphy bt Tracy Laughland 3 and 1, Hargan bt Hilary Laughland 3 and 2, Fenton bt Blackwood 2 and 1.