UNITED STATES LEAD BY THREE POINTS WITH
FINAL EIGHT SUNDAY SINGLES TO COME

United States lead by three points going into the historic third-day
eight singles finale to the 35th Curtis Cup match over the Old Course,
St Andrews.
In glorious sunshine and in front of a shirt-sleeved crowd of 5,800,
Mary McKenna's Great Britain & Ireland squad shared the morning
foursomes 1 ½-1 ½ but lost the afternoon four-ball ties 2-1.
So the United States increased their 4-2 first-day lead by a 3 ½-2 ½
margin for a Saturday night scoreline of United States 7 ½-4 ½.
There is not much between the two teams. United States have won three
of the four sessions by a 2-1 margin but skipper Carol Semple
Thompson's talented squad seem to win the points that matter.
Once again there was a lot of good golf played in perfect conditions.
The six Saturday ties produced a combined total of 33 birdies,compared
with Friday's all-in count of one eagle and 40 birdies.
It's golf of the highest standard and GB&I are hanging on in there. But
they face a mammoth task to make up a 3pt margin over only eight
closing ties.
Scots Sally Watson and Krystle Caithness kept Great Britain & Ireland's
flickering hopes alive with a great win in the afternoon four-ball ties.
Sixteen-year-old Sally from Edinburgh and 19-year-old American college
student Krystle, for whom the Old Course is her home course, shot six
birdies and were six under par in notching up a terrific 3 and 2 win
over America's No 1 ranked college golfer, Amanda Blumenherst and
Meghan Bolger.
Both Scots are making their debut in the Curtis Cup. Watson has won
three out of her four games over the first two days. Caithness has been
fielded twice by GB&I skipper Mary McKenna – and won them both.
"Krystle's putter was red hot. She holed from 20ft to birdie the sixth,
from 40ft for a half in birdies at the ninth and from 15ft for a
winning birdie at the 10th." said Sally.
"Sally hit some great irons, starting at the first where, after the
American had hit a great approach, Sally hit hers to within 3inches of
the hole," said Krystle.
"I was surprised to hear that the Americans never won a hole. I know we
had six birdies and finished six under par.
It's great to have played two Curtis Cup ties and have won them both."
So what's the secret of their success – they won their four-ball tie by
3 and 2 on Friday.
"We just love playing together, we had a lot of fun out there – and we
love winning. It's a great feeling and we work so well together. When I
needed her, Krystle would be there for me .. and vice versa," said
Sally who is a resident student at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in
Bradenton, Florida.
The two other Scots in action in the afternoon four-balls, 15-year-old
Carly Booth from Comrie and former Welsh champion Breanne Loucks from
Wrexham went down by 2 and 1 to Kimberley Kim and Mina Harigae in a tie
featuring some brilliant scoring.
Carly and Breanne reached the turn in this better-ball format in
four-under-par 32 … but were one down to the American's terrific 31
shots for the first nine holes.
Booth and Loucks did square the contest with a par at the 11th but they
bogeyed the 14th and the 17th, losing both holes and the match.
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