SALLY WATSON IMPROVES SCORE IN
ARIZONA BUT DROPS A PLACE

South Queensferry exile Sally Watson improved her first-round score by two shots with a 73 for 148 but actually dropped down one place to joint 13th in the 36-hole standings.
That gives an indication of how high the standard of play is in the Thunderbird Junior International golf tournament over the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sally, a student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, deviated from par only three times in her second round – bogeys at the first and fourth and a birdie at the the 11th.
Leading the field is the Hawaiian wondergirl golfer – no, not Michelle Wie – Kimberly Kim who, at the age of 14, beat Katharina Schallengberg (Germany) in the 36-hole final of the US women’s amateur championship last summer.
In this event Kimberly, pictured above, has cruised four shots clear with rounds of 67 and 72 for five-under-par 139. Her nearest challenger is Joanne Lee from San Carlos, California.
Former tennis ace Ivan Lendl has two golfing daughters in the field.
Marika Lendl is lying 10th equal on 147 (72-75) and Isabelle Lendl has shot 78 and 75 for 153 and a share of 28th place. Both are based at Bradenton, Florida as is Sally Watson.
In the Thunderbird Junior International boys’ event, also over 54 holes, Arnond Vonvanij, another competitor from Bradenton, Florida, has gone seven shots clear of the field with an 11-under-par tally of 133, made up of rounds of 66 and 67.
His closest rivals are Bud Vauley from Jacksonville, Florida (69-71) and Scott Langley (St Louis, Missouri) (67-71.
Professional’s son Kevin Tway, the 2005 US junior champion, is on 142 with scores of 72 and 69.
There are four English boys in the field. Best placed is Jack Hiluta from Chelmsford in joint 14th place on 144.
Matthew Haines (Rochester & Cobham) is 20th equal on 146 with scores of 75 and 71 while Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne), winner of the British boys’ championship at Royal Aberdeen last summer, is joint 24th on 147 with scores of 75 and 72.
Darren Wright from Rowlands Castle is joint 41st on 161 with scores of 80 and 81.

SCOREBOARD
Boys. Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from US unless stated.
133 Arnond Vongvanij 66 67.
140 Bud Cauley 69 71, Scott Langley 69 71.]
141 Kevin Tway 72 69, Wesley Graham 70 71, Peter Uihlein 71 70.
Other scores:
144 Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford) 72 72 (jt 14th).
146 Matthew Haines (Rochester & Cobham) 75 71 (jt 20th).
147 Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne) 75 72 (jt 24th).
161 Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle) 80 80 (jt 41st).
Girls. Par 144 (2 x 72)
139 Kimberly Kim 67 72.
143 Joanne Lee 72 71.
144 Vicky Hurst 70 74.
Other scores:
147 Marika Lendl 72 75 (jt 10th).
148 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 75 73 (jt 13t5h).
153 Isabelle Lendl 78 75 (jt 28th).