Perth & Kinross county president Liz Miskimmin presents the championship trophy to Laura Walker (image by Dawn Butchart).

Laura Walker in top form to win
Perth & Kinross county title

Top seed Laura Walker (Muckhart) marked her debut in the Perth & Kinross women’s county golf championship by beating the holder, Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) 8 and 6 in the final at Alyth Golf Club today.
It was not all plain sailing for the former Nairn-based Northern Counties star who won the Scottish girls match-play title in 2002 and moved south to take up a teaching post in Perthshire and joined Muckhart Golf Club.
Laura came back from three down to win at the 19th against Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) in the first round of the match-play, birdieing both the 18th and 19th in a grandstand finish.
Defending champion Alexandra Bushby beat Scotland cap Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), her opponent in last year’s final, in the semi-finals but was simply swamped by a barrage of birdies from Laura Walker in the final.
Laura was three under par for the 12 holes play.
Two juniors, Ailie Burnett (Dunkeld) and Erin Millar (Pitlochry) contested the final of the handicap championship. Victory, by 2 and 1, went to 16-year-old Ailie over 14-year-old Erin.
Results:
First round - Laura Walker (Muckhart) bt Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) at 19th, Shona Leighton (Alyth) bt Norma Fleming (Alyth) 1 hole, Gillian Wallace (Glenisla) bt Jane Taylor (Strathmore) 4 and 2; Carol Muir (Craigie Hill) bt Gwen Lambie (Dunkeld) at 19th; Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) bt Fiona Ramsay (Crieff) 7 and 5; Janet Griffiths (Strathmore) bt J Yellowlees (Murrayshall) 5 and 4; Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) Laura Campbell (Pitlochry) 5 and 4; Jillian Milne (Craigie Hill) bt Sandy Bushby (Strathmore) 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals -Walker bt Leighton 3 and 1, Wallace bt Muir 2 and 1, Ogilvy bt Griffiths 2 and 1, A Bushby bt Milne 5 and 3
Semi-finals – Walker bt Wallace 1 hole, A Bushby bt Ogivly 2 and 1.
Final – Walker bt A Bushby 8 and 6.
HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarter-finals - Janette Hamilton (Blairgowrie) bt Jan Kennedy (Blairgowrie) 5 and 4, Erin Millar (Pitlochry) bt Ann Duncan (Taymouth Castle) 4 and 3, Angela Crossland (Dunblane) bt Miriam Wilson (Dunblane) at 19th, Ailie Burnett (Dunkeld) bt Carol Lambie (Dunkeld) 3 and 2.
Semi-finals – Millar bt Hamilton 3 and 2, Burnett bt Crossland 2 and 1.
Final – Burnett bt Millar 2 and 1.