St RULE TROPHY FIRST-ROUND REPORT AND SCORES

Pamela Pretswell, has played little competitive golf since last September (Cal Carson Agency image).

Pamela Pretswell shows Curtis Cup class to lead with a 70

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Glasgow University student Pamela Pretswell from Hamilton, one of only two Scots in the Great Britain and Ireland team for the Curtis Cup match against the United States from June 11 to 13 at Essex County Club, Massachusetts, showed her class by leading the star-studded St Rule Trophy international field over the New Course, St Andrews today.
Pamela, a Bothwell Castle Golf Club member, who has played little competitive golf since last Septemer’s home internationals at Irvine due to university examinations - she missed the Scottish women's championship the week before last - shot a five-under-par 70 to lead by one stroke from repeating Welsh champion Tara Davies (Holyhead) and last year’s Australian champion, Justine Lee.
There is a two-stroke gap between the first three and the three home-grown Scots who are joint fourth on the 73 mark – Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth), home for the summer holidays from Grand Canyon University, Arizona, former Scottish champion and now international team selector Martine Pow (Selkirk) and Alford’s Laura Murray, who reached the semi-finals of the Scottish women’s amateur championship at Craigielaw a week or so ago.
Julie Yang, the South Korean-born 14-year-old pupil at Loretto School, Musselburgh, is one of a group on 74. Julie won the Welsh open amateur stroke-play, finished second in the German women’s equivalent and then gained a top-30 finish in the Ladies European Tour event, the German Ladies Open – all earlier this month.
Curtis Cup first reserve Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), who, eight days ago, added the Scottish women's title to the Scottish Under-21 crown she has held for the past two years, matched the par of 75 to be in joint 13th position overnight. The "Scottish"-St Rule Trophy double has been achieved in the past - but not often. Beaten finalist Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) had a 77.
The leading Irish player is Gillian O'Leary from Cork on 77.
There is no cut in this tournament which ends on Sunday with two rounds over the Old Course, St Andrews.
Previous winners of this prestigious event include Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew.
*Sally Watson, a student at Stanford University, California, is the other Scot in the Curtis Cup squad of eight. She is going straight to Essex County Club from California this coming week.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
St Andrews New Course.
Par 75, CSS 75
70 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle).
71 Tara Davies (Holyhead), Justine Lee (Australia).
73 Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth), Laura Murray (Alford), Martine Pow (Selkirk).
74 Smma Sheffield (Newark), Julie Yang (Loretto School), Sally Shayler (Bedfordshire), Roseanne Niven (Crieff), Stacey Keating (Australia), Charlotte Wild (Mere).
75 Jessica Speechley (Australia), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Amy Boulden (Maesdu).
76 Ami Storey (Ponteland), Hannah Roos (Sweden), Natalie Lowe (Prestbury).
77 Ashley Ona (Australia), Charlotte Dalton (Ladbrook Park), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Jess Wilcox (Blankney), Gillian O'Leary (Cork), Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall).
78 Bronte Law (Bramhall), Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall), Emma Goddard (Vale Royal Millennium), Charley Hull (Woburn), Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton).
79 Susan Jackson (Ladybank), Maria Dunne (Skerries), Claire Hargan (Mortonhall), Elaine Moffat (St Regulus), Karen Delaney (Carlow), Susan Wood (Drumpellier).
80 Samantha Birks (Wolstanton), Emma Fairnie (Dunbar), Olivia Winning (Rotherham), Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir), Claire MacDonald (Gullane Ladies), Rozalyn Adams (Addington Court Ladies), Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Rebecca Wilson (Grange), Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park).
81 Jane Turner (Craigielaw), Nikki Foster (Pleasington), Sara Bishop (Windyhill).
82 Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Joelle Van Baarle (Belgium).
83 Tilly Magill (Woburn).
84 Alyson McvKechin (Elderslie), Megan Garland (The Oaks).
85 Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch).
86 Shonagh Raitt (Forfar).
87 Jocelyn Mackie (Ladybank).
88 Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies).

+If you are within easy reach of St Andrews, the competitors would be delighted if you went over to give them some galleries. There is no charge for admission. Nothing better to make them play better!
The leaders' tee times for the final two rounds over the Old Course on Sunday are:
Pamela Pretswell 10am and 3pm.
Tara Davies 9.10am and 2.10pm.
Justine Lee 10.10am and 3.10pm
Jacqueline Sneddon 9.30am and 2.30pm
Laura Murray 9.20am and 2.20pm
Martine Pow 8.30am and 1.20pm
Kelsey MacDonald 10am and 3pm.
Julie Yang 9.50am and 2.50pm
Louise Kenney 9.40am and 2.40pm