A picture of Linzi Morton by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography from the archives.

Welcome back, Linzi Morton! Where have you been?

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Linzi Morton, winner of the 2001 Scottish women's amateur championship at Carnoustie, has "resurfaced" after years out of the golfing picture.
The former Tulliallan Golf Club member, who had also won the Scottish Under-21 girls' title in 2000, is among the entries for the Ricoh Women's British open pre-qualifying round at The Berkshire Golf Club on Monday, July 12.
Linzi, who had been a student at Midland College, Texas, returned to the States when she decided to turn professional and play on the Futures Tour.
I did hear that she injured a wrist, which hampered her efforts to make the grade as a pro.
If you put a Google search on "Linzi Morton" the most recent item you will come up with is that she tried to qualify for the 2005 US Women's Open.
She has entered the Ricoh Women's British Open from a Florida address.
If you know what Linzi's been doing for the past five years, E-mail the information to Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Better still, if Linzi reads this - and Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk has a worldwife following - she can update us herself on the past 10 years of her life.
LPGA Tour player Mhairi McKay has to go right back to Square 1 if she wants to play in the Ricoh Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale from July 29 to August 1. She too is in the pre-qualifying field from which the leading 25 and ties will go forward to the Final Qualifying at Hillside GC, Lancashire on Monday, July 26.
Other Scots in the pre-qualifying field at The Berkshire are (listed in no particular order):
Pamela Feggans, Carly Booth, Heather MacRae, Clare Queen, Katy McNicoll, Kylie Walker and amateurs Laura Murray (Alford), Jane Turner (Craigielaw) and Lauren Mackin (Majorca).
Sally Watson (Elie and Earlsferry) and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and all the other members of the 2010 Curtis Cup teams, unless they have turned professional, are exempt from the pre-qualifying but would have to play in the Final Qualifying. Sally has entered but Pamela has not.
Defending champion Catriona Matthew is, of course, one of the 130 exemptions from qualifying.
+Linzi Morton's opponents in the 2001 Scottish women's amateur championship were: Donna Jackson (at 22nd), Elaine Clark (4 and 3), Katrina Milne (5 and 4), Alison Davidson (1 hole) and, in the final, Lesley Mackay (5 and 4).
Footnote from Colin Farquharson: It was at the Carnoustie championship nine years ago that I first heard the name of Carly Booth. Susan Simpson, then secretary of the SLGA, tipped me off that week that she had heard there was a little girl of seven or eight years, living in the Perthshire hills near Comrie, who had a private golf course built for her and her brother Wallace by her father, and she had an amazingly low handicap for someone of her tender years. Within a few days I had visited the Booths' house/farm in the hills, interviewed and photographed Carly. The Aberdeen Press and Journal story I wrote from that in May 2001 first put the name of Carly Booth on the golfing map. The Scottish national papers picked up the story ... and the rest is history.

posted by Colin | See story on its own page | Sunday, July 04, 2010