Alexis Thompson (left) and Taylor Collins with their trophies at Coral Ridge Country Club, Florida today.

Alexis Thompson retains

Doherty/Jones Challenge

Cup in Florida

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Rated by many to be a better, more consistent player than Michelle Wie was at her age, 14-year-old Alexis Thompson from Coral Springs, Florida just keeps on winning!
The Junior Orange Bowl girls championship winner last month, Alexis successfully defended the Doherty/Jones Challenge Cup - won by Catriona Matthew in 1992 - on the final day of the third event in the Orange Blossom Tour for female amateurs in Florida.
Alexis repeated last year's victory in the match-play event by beating fellow American and former US college circuit player Taylor Collins by 3 and 1.
In Friday's semi-finals, Collins beat Scotland's Under-21 champion for the past two years, Stirling University student Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar).
Thompson, a certainty to be named shortly in the US Curtis Cup team to play GB&I at Essex County Club, Boston in June, had beaten Martha Leach, the US women's mid-amateur champion who had beaten Pitreavie's Louise Kenney (with a birdie at the 18th hole) in the first round and Craigielaw's Jane Turner (Robert Gordon University) (by 3 and 2) in the second semi-final.
Stirling student Harriet Beasley, a member of the Woburn club, lost out at the 20th in a thrilling First Flight final today against American Jaye Marie Green who beat Louise Kenney by 4 and 3 in the semi-finals (Jaye, left, and Harriet are pictured above, courtesy of Coral Ridge Country Club).
But one of the Stirling students did collect a winner's trophy at this prestigious tournament. Rachel Cassidy from Dublin won the Second Flight title on Friday when she had a resounding 5 and 4 win over Connie Isler in the final.
The Senior Championship Final today was won by Kim Eaton, the No 3 seed, who won by one hole against the No 9 qualifier in the over-50s category, Lisa Schlesinger.
RESULTS OF FINALS
Players from US unless stated
DOHERTY/JONES CHALLENGE CUP
Championship
Alexis Thompson bt Taylor Collins 3 and 1.
First Flight
Jaye Marie Green bt Harriet Beasley (Stirling Univ & Woburn) at 20th.
Second Flight
Rachel Cassidy (Stirling Univ & The Island, Dublin) bt Connie Isler 5 and 4.
Seniors Championship
Kim Eaton bt Lisa Schlesinger 1 hole.

Seniors First Flight

Karen Feree bt Therese Quinn 1 hole.

Seniors Second Flight

Debbie Mooksang bt Laura Carson at 19th

Seniors Third Flight

Leslie Henry bt Clate Aydlett 2 and 1.