DANIELLE PIPS FALTERING HANNAH FOR TITLE

DANIELLE PIPS HANNAH FOR BRITISH STROKE TITLE AT ROYAL ABERDEEN By COLIN FARQUHARSON In what must rank as one of the greatest turn-arounds in Ladies Golf Union tournament history, Northern Ireland's Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down) came from six shots in arrears to catch long-time leader, 15-year-old Hannah Turland (Tidworth), down the home stretch of Royal Aberdeen's classic links to win the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship. Hannah, overnight leader by three shots, extended her advantage to four with a third-round 73 on a day when the weather improved dramatically – and so did the scoring. Hannah went even further ahead of Danielle by reaching the turn in the final round in 37 to her playing partner's 38 and starting for home with a par 4 to McVeigh's bogey 5. But suddenly what looked like a procession was transformed into a nightmare for the youngster from Wiltshire. It simply all went pear-shaped for the publican's daughter over two holes. A lost ball at the short 11th cost her a triple bogey 6 and Hannah ran up another triple bogey, this time an 8, at the par-5 next hole where she lost a ball in a gorse bush and then she lost her second ball in a lateral water hazard. Not surprisingly, Hannah, with her concentration shattered, also bogeyed the 13th and 14th That meant the four holes from the 11th to the 14th cost Turland 24 shots in all. In contrast, 21-year-old University of Ireland Maynooth student McVeigh, winner of the Welsh open amateur stroke play title earlier in the season, took only 16 strokes for the same four holes – an eight-shot swing which turned everything on it's head. Danielle finished with a 76 for a 16-over-par total of 304, one shot ahead of Hannah, who bravely birdied the last for an 81 and 305. "I didn't really think I had a chance of catching Hannah at the turn, with eight holes to go, because she was so far in front of me - although at the back of my mind, I knew that I had played Royal Aberdeen's back nine into the wind well every day," said McVeigh, a six-footer who gained her first GB&I cap in the recent Vagliano Trophy match in Hamburg. "There wasn't much wind today but it's still a very difficult inward half but Balgownie is so much like my home course, Royal County Down, and I know how to play it, so I hadn't given up hope entirely. Then Hannah had these triple bogeys at the 11th and 12th and suddenly it's me whose leading. "Hannah has great potential. She will go on to win a lot of things. I felt I was rewarded for playing steadily all week. Nothing spectacular, just steady links golf, the same golf I play over my home links." One had to feel sorry for Hannah who was hitting the ball well and far until she had that double misfortune after the turn. "I felt I played really well over the three days. These two holes just ruined everything. But I'll get over it," said the Wiltshire women's champion who helped England win the girls' home internationals title a week or two ago. Apart from the runner-up award, Hannah also won the Dinwiddy Trophy which goes to the leading Under-18 years player. Rachel Connor, daughter of the Manchester club's Scots-born professional, Brian, had earlier set the clubhouse target at 306 after a 75. She finished third on 18 over par. Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) and France's Lucie Andre tied on 307, Louise after a closing 73 and Lucie with a 76. Louise's better inward half officially placed her fourth. She won the Angela Uzielli Trophy for the best performance by a player over 23 years of age. "I just tried to stay out of the worst trouble over the three days and it seemed to work," said Louise after her best display in a tournament of British status. Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), determined to break 80 at the fourth and last attempt, went further than that - she broke 70! Pamela returned the lowest round by anyone over the three days in the fourth round – a three-under-par 69, which earned her the Taunton Trophy. Netherlands (Chrisje De Vries, Myrte Eikenaar and Maaike Naafs) won the international team event with a total of 315, ahead of England (317), Scotland (321) and Ireland (323). It was a good tournament for the Scots in the field of 99. Apart from Louise Kenney, Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) finished sixth on 308, highlighting her final day with a third-round 71. Pamela Pretswell, Carly Booth (Comrie), who closed with her best round of 74, Alford's Laura Murray finished joint seventh on 310. Jane Turner (Craigielaw), chasing a first cap for Scotland in the home internationals, just made the top 20 with a total of 315. FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x72) CSS 79 79 76 76 304 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down) 75 79 74 76. 305 Hannah Turland (Tidworth) 79 72 73 81. 306 Rachel Connor (Manchester) 80 79 72 75. 307 Lucie Andre (France) 73 81 77 76, Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 79 80 75 73. 308 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) 83 79 71 75. 310 Charlotte Ellis (Minbchinhampton) 79 83 73 75, Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 81 80 80 69, Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands) 84 76 78 72, Carly Booth (Comrie) 82 76 78 74, Laura Murray (Alford) 79 76 79 76. 311 Sian James (Bristol & Clifton) 80 78 74 79. 312 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) 76 90 73 73, Hannah Barwood (Knowle) 85 77 72 78. 313 Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) 78 77 79 79, Lucy Williams (Mid Herts) 81 76 79 77. 314 Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 79 85 74 76, Charlotte Wild (Mere) 79 77 81 77. 315 Hannah Ralph (Cowdreay Park) 79 86 76 74, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 85 77 75 78. 316 Amy Boulden (Maedsu) 79 87 73 77. 317 Isabelle Boineau (France) 79 86 78 74. 318 Myrte Eikenaar (Netherlands) 82 79 84 73. 319 Margarita Ramos (Mexico) 87 78 77 77, Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) 85 79 74 81. 320 Nikki Foster (Pleasington) 77 88 80 75, Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 81 84 77 78, Marion Ricordeau (Franced) 85 77 81 77. 321 Nicola Rawlinson (Leylands) 76 89 75 81, Caroline Karsten (Netherelands) 76 87 78 80. 322 Marion Duverney (France) 86 80 71 85, Laura Collin (John O’Gaunt) 84 81 79 78, Rachel Drummond (Beaconsfield) 87 77 76 82.. 324 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 81 85 79 79, Ciara Butler (Newlands, Ireland) 78 80 78 88.. 327 Natalie Lowe (Macclesfield) 82 83 82 80. 328 Katherine O’Connor (Tadmarton) 81 84 78 85, Louise Mernagh (Woodenbridge, Ireland) 79 81 87 81, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Vale of Glamorgan) 80 80 78 90.. 329 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) 81 82 80 76. 332 Maaika Naafs (Netherlands) 78 87 76 74. 333 Eleana Collins (US) 80 84 82 87. 335 Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) 80 86 83 86. Retired: Tara Davies (Holyhead) 85 81 ret. INTERNATIONAL TEAM EVENT 315 Netherlands 160 155 (C De Vries, M Eikenaar, M Naafs) 317 England 161 156 (C Douglass, H Barwood, R Jennings) 321 Scotland 162 159 (R Niven, P Pretswell, K Walker). 323 Ireland (A Murphy, D McVeigh, S Cunningham(