MIDLOTHIAN CHAMPION CLAIRE HARGAN
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IS BEATEN AT 20TH IN FIRST ROUND

Mortonhall's Claire Hargan is enjoying her new job as the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association's tournament director - but perhaps she doesn't have as much time for playing the game as she used to.
Six times Midlothian women's county champion, Claire (pictured) qualified 11th of 16 for the match-play stages at Prestonfield Golf Club and today (Friday), she lost in the first round - but not before a tense struggle against the No 6 qualifier, Kirsten Blackwood (Craigmillar Park).
Hargan, winner of the county title five times in a row, then beaten in the final before she chalked up win No 6 last year, lost at the 20th to Blackwood who lost in the afternoon quarter-finals to No 3 seed Linda Caine (Dunbar) by 3 and 1.
In the round of the last four on Sunday morning, Caine plays Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe who beat Fiona Hunter (Baberton) by 2 and 1 and then won by one hole against Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe).
The other semi-final will feature top seed Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) against No 5 qualifier Karen Marshall (Baberton). Wendy beat Linda Bain (Lochend) by 3 and 2 and then accounted for clubmate Kate McIntosh by 3 and 1.
Karen was a 2 and 1 winner over Hilary Laughland and then won on the 18th green against young Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw).
RESULTS
CHAMPIONSHIP

First round - Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) bt Linda Bain (Lochend) 3 and 2, Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) bt Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield) at 20th, Karen Marshall (Baberton) bt Hilary Laughland (Troon Ladies) 2 and 1, Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) bt Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 2 and 1, Linda Caine (Dunbar) bt Sal Shepherd (Craigmillar Park) at 19th, Kirsten Blackwood (Craigmillar Park) bt Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) at 20th, Louise Fraser (Kingsknowe) bt Fiona Hunter (Baberton) 2 and 1, Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) bt Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 1 hole.
Quarter-finals - Nicholson bt McIntosh 3 and 1, Marshall bt Gabrielle Macdonald 2 and 1, Caine bt Blackwood 3 and 1, Fraser bt Scott 1 hole.
B CHAMPIONSHIP
First round - Denise Mitchell (Murrayfield) bt Yvonne Blyth (Prestonfield) 3 and 2, Suzie Laughland (Royal Dornoch) bt Phyl Early (Glencorse) 6 and 5, Jaci Moriarty (Lochend) w.o. Elsa Todd (Prestonfield) scr, Sandra Ashurst (Murrayfield) w.o. Helen Warnock (Harburn) scr, Ann Brown (Deer Park) bt Helen Martin (Kingsknowe) 2 holes, Lynda Taylor bt Sandra Dickson (Mortonhall) 2 and 1, Isobel Halliday (Merchants) bt Coleen Denghetti (Lochend) 1 hole, Margaret Alexander (Baberton) bt Eileen McLauchlan (Kingsknowe) 4 and 2.
Quarter-finals - Mitchell bt Laughland 3 and 2, Moriarty bt Ashurst 1 hole, Brown bt Taylor 6 and 5, Halliday bt Alexander at 19th.
ends