GILLIAN STEWART HIGHLIGHTS

WPGA WIN WITH AN EAGLE

- AND A "CAREER PUTT"

Inverness-based golf coach Gillian Stewart made the long trip down to Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club, Suffolk this week - and it was a worthwhile journey.
Gillian, a former leading light on the Ladies European Tour after a stellar amateur career, won the final Ryder Cup Wales 2010 WPGA One-day Series event with a three-under-par round of 71.
"Not bad for an oldie, eh?" said Gillian who was British girls' champion in 1976 and then Scottish women's amateur champion in 1979, 1983 and 1984 before turning professional.
She has built up a very good reputation as a coach in the North of Scotland since retiring from the Ladies European Tour.
Gillian had an eagle 3 at the par-5 sixth, holing from 8ft after a vintage five-iron second shot to the green. Out in level par 37, she had four consecutive one-putt greens from the 12th - three of them for birdies and one for a par.
"That putt to save par at the 15th was a career putt," said an elated Gillian later. "There must have been a 2ft borrow on a six-foot downhill, left to right putt. I thought I was at Augusta!
"It was really very windy and the greens were exceptionally fast, the course having hosted the European Seniors Tour event won by Carl Mason 10 days ago."
Maria Tulley (Tavistock) was second on 73 and third was Laura Eastwood (West Cornwall) on 76.

Gillian Stewart earned £350 for her win, Maria £275 for being runner-up and Laura £150.

Cathy Panton-Lewis finished out of the money with an 82.

LEADING SCORES

71 Gillian Stewart.

73 Maria Tulley (West Cornwall).

76 Laura Eastwood (Tavistock).]

78 Marie Allen (Brookmans Park), Frances Finney (Great Hadham).