THREE STIRLING STUDENTS SURVIVE
HALFWAY CUT IN FLORIDA

Stirling University students Gavin Dear from Scone, Dubliner Rachael Cassidy and Claire-Marie Carlton from Fereneze survived the halfway cut in the 76th Dixie men’s and women’s amateur golf championships over the Oaks and Cypress courses at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Murrayshall Golf Club member Dear made it with only one shot to spare in perfect scoring conditions – warm and windless.
After an opening round of four-under-par 69 which put him in the top 10 overnight, Gavin slid down the leaderboard to joint 38th position with a 77 for 146.
The leading 60 players (from a starting field of over 200) on 147 or better qualified for the final two rounds of the 72-hole stroke-play championship.
Mu Hu, from the quaintly named Florida town/city of Celebration, leads by one shot with 68 and 66 for eight-under-par 134.
Leading European is England international Edward Richardson from East Sussex Golf Club. He has had rounds of 71 and 70 to be sharing 14th place on one-under-par 141.
Ireland’s Rachael Cassidy, a 19-year-old member of The Island Golf Club, has had scores of 77 and 78 for 155 – one ahead of 20-year-old Claire-Marie Carlton who has shot 77 and 79.
They were among the 43 players with 36-hole totals of 159 or better, who advanced to the last two rounds of the women’s championship.
Stirling students Emma Tipping (85-167) from Cheshire, Dawn Dewar (94-183) from Monifieth and Catherine Baines (95-190) missed out as did Perth & Kinross squad member Jacqueline Sneddon (89-177), a member of Alyth Golf Club.
Florida-born Stirling student Courtnay Montgomery withdrew after a first-round 93.
Mayule Tomimbang from Kissimmee, Florida leads the women’s championship on one-under-par 141 after a second-round 74. She is only a shot ahead of two other home-state players, Michelle Shin and Vicky Hurst.
Vicky, runner-up in last week’s Junior Orange Bowl girls’ championship, had her first ever hole in one with a five-iron at at the 151yd 17th hole on her way to a par-matching 71 for 142
Alexis Thompson, at 11 years of age the youngest ever player to enter the Dixie women’s tournament, slipped down to a share of third place on 143 after a second-round 75.

DIXIE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Palm-Aire CC, Pompano Beach, Florida.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Men (Par 142: 2 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
134 Mu Hu 68 66.
135 Greg Huxman 69 66.
136 Bud Cauley 69 67, Judson Eustaquio 69 67, Gatopr Todd 70 66, Daniel Candon 71 65.
138 Lion Kim 71 67, David Johnson 67 71.
Other qualifiers included:
141 Edward Richardson (Eng) 71 70.
142 Xavier Feyaerts (Belg) 69 73…
144 Patrick Hanauer (Ger) 75 69.
145 Florian Fritsch (Ger) 74 71.
146 Gavin Dear (Sco) 69 77, Stephen Gross (Ger) 73 73.
147 Roger Furrer (Switz) 75 72.
Non-qualifiers included:
149 James Dunkley (Eng) 77 77.
165 Christian Fritsch (Ger) 85 80.

Women (Par 142: 2 x 71)
Players from US unless stated
141 Mayule Tomimbang 67 74.
142 Michelle Shin 74 68, Vicky Hurst 71 71.
143 Alexis Thompson 69 74, Cassandra Blaney 72 71.
144 Alina Lee 72 72.
146 Megan McChrystal 74 72, Andrea Watts 76 70.
149 Laura Gonzalez-Escallon (Belg) 78 71, Leigh Crosby) 72 77.
Other qualifiers included:
155 Rachael Cassidy (Ire) 77 78.
156 Claire-Marie Carlton (Sco) 77 79.
Non-qualifiers included:
167 Emma Tipping (Eng) 82 85.
177 Jacqueline Sneddon (Sco) 88 890.
183 Dawn Dewar (Sco) 89 94.
190 Catherine Baines (Eng) 95 95.
Withdrew: Courtnay Montgomery (US) 93 -.