California Scots Anne Walker, left, and Roseanne Niven take a break during practice.

Roseanne a great representative for

Scotland in California - Anne Walker

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Two Scots - Vikki Laing from Musselburgh and Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayshire - and two English players, Samantha Head from Bedford and Londoner Polly Willett are among the entries for the first of the 18 events that will make up the 2008 Duramed Futures Tour in the United States.
It's the Bright House Networks Open over 54 holes from March 14 to 16 with a prize money of $85,000.
Vikki scored her first Futures Tour victory last year and will be hoping to establish a higher degree of consistency in the new season.
Anne Walker from Strathaven, who stayed on at the end of her four years at the University of California-Berkeley and has recently been promoted to Associate Head Coach (which is quite an honour and a post of responsibility) reports that Vikki - a contemporary of Anne's in Scottish girls golf and also at California-Berkeley, has been back at her old stamping ground for several weeks, sharpening up for the new campaign.

"It's been nice having Vikki around. Our friendship remains one of the best."
It's been something of a Tartan Tie-up indeed with former Scottish girls champion Roseanne Niven from Crieff, a member of the current California squad, joining Vikki for some practice rounds.
Although Roseanne did not have the best of starts to the second half of the US college golf season, Anne Walker is convinced that she will maintain the improvement she showed before the mid-winter break once she gets back again to regular tournament play.
"I think Roseanne Niven could be the next Vikki Laing in terms of our university squad," said Anne.
"She is ranked in the top 50 in the country, is averaging 74 per round and is well on her way to being named not only an All Pac-10 Conference player but also an All-American Player.
"She was recently named one of the top 10 players in California collegiate golf by California Golf Magazine, alongside other European notables such as Belen Mozo and Dewi-Claire Schreefel, as well as US Curtis Cup selection Tiffany Joh.

"That's quite an honour for Rosie and nice exposure for her. She certainly doesn't go looking for it. She is the most down to earth, humble person I have ever come across."
So Anne thinks that Roseanne Niven is destined to make as big an impact for California-Berkeley as Vikki Laing did in her day when she was at one time just outside the college nationwide top 10 rankings.

"Considering the quality of the opposition she is playing with and against on the US college circuit, I expect Rosie will be in good standing for any Scottish teams when she is home for the summer.

"Check out the www.calbears.com website and the women's golf page.

"We are flying the team over in June for the British women's open amateur championship at North Berwick and then onwards for a week of fun golf, etc.

"We are trying to get tee times at St Andrews but no luck so far. I think Rosie is setting up a match between the Scottish girls team and our current California team at Crieff. That should be good!

"Rosie is an absolute delight and a great representative for Scotland out here in California.

"The international environment at Berkeley, both on the team and on the campus, has proved to be a great one for Vikki and now Roseanne."