Perth & Kinross leading prizewinners at the recent county championship at Strathmore Golf Centre. Left to right; Jane Yellowlees (beaten finalist), Carol Muir (championship winner), Dawn Butchart (county captain), Sandra Service (handicap championship winner), Barbara Lyburn (beaten handicap championship finalist). Image by courtesy of Dawn Butchart. Click on it to enlarge.

Carol Muir, P&K's

new champion

Carol Muir (Craigie Hill), winner of the Perth & Kinross championship for the first time, receives the trophy from county president Liz Miskimmin.

Image by courtesy of P&K captain Dawn Butchart (who lost to Carol in the semi-finals).

Lisa Maguire v Mary Dowling for

the Lancome Irish women's title

It's the No 1 seed, 14-year-old Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) against the No 3 qualifier, Mary Dowling (New Ross) for the Lancome Irish women's close championship won last year by Lisa's 14-year-old sister Leona.
Incidentally, Leona's second-round conqueror yesterday, Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), suffered a reaction to that high, as is often the case, and she did not do herself justic in a 3 and 2 defeat by Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) in the round of the last eight.
Today's quarter and semi-finals provided a fantastic day of entertainment for the spectators who braved the blustery and showery conditions at Fota Island Golf Resort, Cork.
Lisa need three birdies in the last five holes to see off the quarter-final challenge of Limerick's Catherine Tucker by 3 and 1 and then she tackled Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) to see if she could reach the final two years in a row.
Early birdies were exchanged but Niamh could do little to stop Lisa who birdied three holes in a row around the turn to be four holes up after 13. Halves at the next two holes put Lisa through as a 4 and 3 winner.
In the second semi-final, Mary Dowling played virtually flawless golf in the testing conditions. Mary finished off her talented young opponent, Laura McCarthy (Muskerry), on the 16th for a 4 and 2 victory.
Tomorrow’s final is sure to a tightly fought affair with both players in top form and looking to win the championship for the first time in their careers.
The final of the Ita Wallace (Plate) Championship, was won by Ailish Thompson (Douglas) who fought back from three down after only three holes against Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) to square the match after the 12th and win the day with a par on the 18th.
Tuesday's results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarter-finals
Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Catherine Tucker (Limerick) 3 and 1.
Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) bt Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon) 4 and 3.
Mary Dowling (New Ross) bt Karen O'Neill (Douglas) 3 and 2.
Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) bt Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) 3 and 2.
Semi-finals
Lisa Maguire bt Niamh Kitching 4 and 3.
Mary Dowling bt Laura McCarthy 4 and 2.

ITA WALLACE (Plate) CHAMPIONSHIP
Semi-finals
Ailish Thompson (Douglas) bt Doireann Carney (Galway) 2 and 1.
Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) bt Julie Coyne (Youghal) 5 and 4.
Final
Ailish Thompson bt Violet McBride 1 hole.

Wind produces some extraordinary scoring at Southernes

Out in 45, Home in 31 ... it's a game




of two halves for Pamela Pretswell!


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The southwesterly half-gale - or maybe it was a full-gale - whipping in off the Solway Firth wreaked havoc in the first qualifying round of the Scottish women's amateur championship over the Southerness links this morning.
But where's there a will, there's a way and Pamela Pretswell, prevented until now from making her debut in the championship by first school and then Glasgow University exams, went to the top of the class with a remarkable scorecard which added up to 76, three over but, in the very windy conditions, a brilliant effort.
Pamela, recent winner of the West of Scotland title and, last year, the Swiss women's open amateur championship, took a while to get to terms with the wind. She had a triple bogey 7 at the first and then four bogeys before she had a double bogey at the sixth. Her first par figure amd at the seventh - and then she promptly bogeyed the next.
But, it was at the long ninth that the Pretswell rags-to-riches golfing transformation took pace.
She covered her last 10 holes in one eagle (at the long 16th), six birdies (at the long ninth, short 10th, 12th, long 13th, 14th and long 18th). Only one blemish, a bogey at the 17th.
All that added up to nine over par for the first nine holes and six under par for the second nine.
And that just about summed up a day of tribulations for every single player in the field of 80, whether they finished the day in the pole position or at the other end of the piile.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) used her strength to birdie four of the par-5 holes to salvage a second-placed 77 after being four over par after only five holes. She had double bogeys at the second and the 11th in halves of 39 and 38.
Kelsey ran up a quintuple bogey 9 at the first hole but managed to finish in 78, which represents a great comeback from a start which reminds me of the competitor in one Scottish men's amateur championship a few years back. He played only one hole and had such an astronomical score at it, that he quit and walked back to the clubhouse instead of on to the second tee.
But the Scottish Under-21 champion from Nairn Dunbar is made of sterner stuff than that, even though she dropped more shots at the short fourth and short seventh on her way to six-over-par 42 to the turn. But she came home with a wet sail as they say in nautical terms, birdieing the 13th and 16th and having only one bogey, at the 17th, in one-under-36 for the second half.
But if the strength and direction of the wind is reflected in Pretswell's 45-31 and MacDonald's 42-36 halves, what are we to make of British universities champion Jane Turner (Craigielaw) turned the equation on its head and reducing the more difficult outward half to 37 shots - equalled only by last year's Clark Rosebowl winner Susan Jackson (Ladybank) - but requiring 43 blows to come home. Mind you, nine of those 43 shots were taken at one hole, the 12th!
There are 33 players with scores of 84 or better going into the second round, after which the top 32 will qualify for the match-play stages.
There is always a play-off to determine the precise number of 32 and using the old golfing lore of doubling 84 and adding 1, that suggests that 169 will be the total of those involved in the play-off.
The weather forecast is not much better than it was today, perhaps the wind dropping by several knots but still blowing.


FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 73 (36-37). CSS 78
76 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 45-31.
77 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) 39-38.
78 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 42-36, Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 41-37.
79 Carol Wilson (Murcar Links) 38-41, Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) 41-38, Lorna Bennett (Ladybank) 41-38, Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie Ladies) 40-39, Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 42-37.
80 Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) 42-38, Susan Jackson (Ladybank) 37-43, Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) 41-39, Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 41-39, Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 44-36, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 37-43, Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) 40-40.
81 Diane MacDonald (Dumfries & Co) 40-41, Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 38-43, Jordana Graham (Southerness) 43-38.
82 Lesley Hendry (Routenburn) 42-40, Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) 46-40, Karen Marshall (Baberton) 43-39, Laura Murray (Alford) 39-43, Ann F Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 40-42, Linda Bain (Lochend) 42-40.
83 Claire MacDonald (Gullane Ladies) 41-42.
84 Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) 42-42, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 41-43, Emily Ogilvy (Aucherarder) 41-43, Anne Laing (Vale of Leven) 48-36, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 42-42, Sheila Cuthbertson (Peebles) 42-42, Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies) 44-40.
PROJECTED CUT-OFF POINT FOR MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS AFTER ROUND 2
85 Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 42-43, Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 44-41, Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore) 45-40, Linda Urquhart (Banchory) 42-43, Samantha Leslie (Westhill) 44-41, Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) 40-45, Gail Wilson (Monifieth) 45-40, Gillian Lockhart (Kilmarnock Barassie) 45-40.
86 Lesley Atkins (Minto) 45-41, Margaret Tough (Falkirk) 46-40, Martine Pow (Selkirk) 43-43, Aileen Hunter (Monifieth) 45-41, Jennifer Jenkins (Ralston) 43-43.
87 Mary Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) 41-46, Ashleigh Wilton (Ladybank) 42-45, Linda Caine (Dunbar) 46-41, Carol Whyte (Windyhill) 45-42, Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) 43-44, Heather Anderson (Alyth) 42-45.
88 Gillian McGinlay (Cochrane Castle) 45-43, Susan Ireland (Prestonfield) 45-43.
89 Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 44-45, Sara Bishop (Windyhill) 45-44, Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 46-43, Jill Harrison (Cruden Bay) 44-45, Kirsten MacCallum (Newburgh-on-Ythan) 46-45.
90 Laura McLardy (Murcar Links) 49-41, Kirsten Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) 43-47, Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 45-45, Winifred MacCallum (Falkirk) 47-43.
91 Wendy Wells (Peebles) 47-44.
92 Addi Shamash (Kirkcudbright) 46-46, Sammy Vass (Tain) 49-43, Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe) 48-44, Fiona Blair (Carnoustie Ladies) 48-44, Elaine Whyte (Windyhill) 47-45.
93 Diane Moncrieff (Lochend) 51-42.
94 Fiona Hay (Deeside) 49-45, Fiona Fullerton (Huntly) 48-46.
96 Fiona Macgregor (Thornhill) 44-52.
97 Lynne Terry (Cruden Bay) 46-51, Bobbi Waugh (Moorhall) 50-47.
102 Ruth McIntyre (Windyhill) 50-52, Ann McDonald (Windyhill) 51-51.
108 Lindsay Mathie (Windyhill) 51-57.
119 Tracey Masterton (Windyhill) 60-59.

Irish women's close amateur championship

Apologies from the Editor for being unable to give you this report until I got back to Aberdeen from Southerness where the mobile telephone signal was too weak to get on the Internet.

Victoria Bradshaw topples champion

Leona Maguire in second round

Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), pictured right, the reigning champion and winner in recent weeks of the French Under-21 and Scottish women’s open titles, was sensationally beaten in the second round of the match-play stages of the Lancome Irish close women’s championship at Fota Island Golf Resort near Cork today.
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor), herself only 19, claimed the most notable “scalp”of her golfing career, beating the 14-year-old from Cavan with a birdie at the 20th in a classic match-play tie.
But the other half of the talented twins, leading qualifier Lisa Maguire, is through to the last eight in which she will play Catherine Tucker (Limerick).
Lisa beat past champion Karen Delaney (Carlow) 5 and 4 while Catherine had a tighter affair against Patrict Delaney (Birr) but held her nerve to win by one hole.
Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) was one down after nine holes against youngster Sarah Helly from Enniscrone but capped a very good comeback by birdieing the 15th and won on the next green.
Niamh will now play Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon) who beat local favourite Gillian O'Leary at the 19th. Gillian, one up playing 18, ran into a spot of bother and lost the hole and also the match at the 19th.
Karen O'Neill (Douglas) knocked out 2004 champion Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) with an impressive 4 and 3 win.
No 3 seed Mary Dowling (New Ross) survived a scare after being two up with three to play against Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint), Mary lost the 16th and 17th but got a fine up and down to get a winning par at the 18th.
Long-hitter Laura McCarthy defeated Sue Phillips to earn herself a crack at the giant-killing Victoria Bradshaw.

Monday's Championship results:

FIRST ROUND
Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Mary Crowley (Castletroy) 9 and 7.
Karen Delaney (Carlow) bt Vicki Power (Corrstown) 3 and 1.
Patrice Delaney (Birr) bt Anne McCormack (Roscommon) 4 and 3.
Catherine Tucker(Limerick) bt Catherine Kavanagh (Mitchelstown) 7 and 6.
Niamh Kitching (Claremorris) bt Lynda Maher (Charleville) 4 and 3.
Sarah Helly (Enniscrone) bt Pat Doran (Donabate) 5 and 3.
Caoimhe Quinn (Dungannon) bt Emma O'Driscoll (Ballybunion) 2 holes.
Gillian O'Leary (Cork) btCarla Reynolds (Seapoint) 4 and 3.

Mary Dowling (New Ross) bt Eileen MacMullen (Donegal) 6 and 5.
Tara Gribben (Warrenpoint) bt Orla Barry (Galway) 4 and 2.
Deirdre Smith (Co. Louth) bt Claire Keating (Charleville) 5 and 3.
Karen O'Neill (Douglas) bt Aoife Lowry (Tipperary) 2 and 1.
Laura McCarthy (Muskerry) bt Helen Jones (Strabane) 3 and 2.
Sue Phillips (Woodbrook) bt Maria Dunne (Skerries) 2 holes.
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) bt Linda Toomey (Limerick) 4 and 2.
Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) bt Emma Gilmore (Mountbellew) 8 and 7.
SECOND ROUND
Lisa Maguire bt Karen Delaney 5 and 4.
Tucker bt Patrice Delaney 1 hole.
Kitching bt Helly 3 and 2.
Quinn bt O'Leary at 19th.
Dowling bt Gribben 1 hole.
O'Neill bt Smith 4 and 3.
McCarthy bt Phillips 6 and 4.
Bradshaw bt Leona Maguire at 20th
TUESDAY’S QUARTER-FINALS
09:00 Lisa Maguire v Catherine Tucker.
09:09 Niamh Kitching v Caoimhe Quinn.
09:18 Mary Dowling v Karen O'Neill.
09:27 Laura McCarthy v Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor)
ITA WALLACE TROPHY PLATE
FIRST ROUND
Shauna O'Brien (Clonmel) bt Noreen Granard (Portarlington) 7 and 6.
Ailish Thompson (Douglas) bt Carmel Kearney (Mallow) 1 hole.
Olivia Conroy (Co. Longford) bt Amanda Welch (Cork) at 19th.
Doireann Carney (Galway) bt Mary Geaney (Killarney) 4 and 3.
Mary Kavanagh (New Ross) bt Mary Mackey (Mallow) 3 and 2.
Julie Coyne (Youghal) bt Ruth Maguire (Corrstown) 9 and 8.
Rhona Brennan (Bandon) bt Marian Finn (Thurles) 1 hole.
Violet McBride (Belvoir Park) bt Edel Coyne (Youghal) 6 and 5.
SECOND ROUND
Thompson bt O'Brien 1 hole.
Carney bt Conroy 4 and 3.
Coyne bt Kavanagh 3 and 1.
McBride bt Brennan 7 and 5.