MARTINE POW (left) and RACHAEL WATTON (right) in Scotland team for Cardiff (Images by Cal Carson Golf Agency)

FIRST CAP FOR RACHAEL WATTON (18) AND

RECALL FOR MARTINE POW AT 45

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
A first cap for 18-year-old Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) and an international recall at the age of 45 for Selkirk's Martine Pow.
These are the talking points of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association's announcement of the team to take part in the Women's Home Internationals at Whitchurch Golf Club, Cardiff from September 8 to 10.
The Scots should go to Wales on a high, having gained bronze medals behind Sweden and Spain  at the European team championships at La Manga in July (England finished sixth, Wales ninth and Ireland 14th).
Twelve months ago, Scotland snatched defeat from the jaws of victory over the last hour of play in the internationals at Irvine Golf Club. Having beaten Ireland and England, even a draw in their final match against title-holders Wales would have been enough for skipper Lesley Nicholson's team to win the Miller Trophy for the first time since the double-whammy of 1990 (Hunstanton) and 1991 (Aberdovey).
But, frrom a strong position, Scotland contrived to lose more singles than they won and finished up losing 6-3 to Wales who retained the title. Scotland were disappointed and disappointing runners-up.
The inclusion of Watton and Pow in place of Carly Booth and Kylie Walker, both now tour pros, are the only changes in a squad again captained by Lesley Nicholson who has a Lothians colleague as team manager, Hilary Wardell, winner of the title as Hilary Monaghan at Portpatrick in 1995.
Rachael Watton, arguably one of Scotland's most improved young players compared with last season, gave champion-to-be Kelsey MacDonald one of her toughest ties of this year's Scottish women's amateur championship at Craigielaw.
Two up with six to play in their quarter-final encounter, Rachael took two shots in a bunker to lose the 18th and the match by one hole. She played No 1 for Scotland in the singles of the recent girls' home internationals at Bangor GC, Northern Ireland.
Pow, who is a Scotland selector, won the Scottish title at Dunbar in 2006 - the year she was last capped - and later the now defunct British women's mid-amateur championship. Leading qualifier at Craigielaw in May, Martine lost by 3 and 1 in the quarter-finals to Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) who is named as first reserve.
Modest Martine would have been the last to push herself forward for a cap recall but, on Craigielaw form, are there eight better players of any age than Pow in Scotland? Certainly not.
Sally Watson, back at Stanford University, would not have been available for selection. More's the pity.

Team, with ages, is:
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) 21.
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) 27.
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 19.
Laura Murray (Alford) 22.
Martine Pow (Selkirk) 45.
Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) 21.
Jane Turner (Craigielaw) 20.
Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 18.
Reserves:
1 Clare-Marie Carlton (Fereneze) 24.
2 Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey).

Quotes from Scotland captain Lesley Nicholson:

I am delighted with the team that has been picked and am very much looking forward the captaining the team again this year.

In addition to the girls who played in the Europeans we have Rachael Watton who has had a very successful year and produced some great results.

Martine Pow will bring a wealth of experience to the team and has also produced some very fine performances.

Obviously we came very close last year to taking the trophy. We will be looking to build on our performance at the European Championships and hopefully go one step better this year at the Home Internationals.

My team manager Hilary Monaghan does not play a great deal of golf at the moment as she now has two children to keep her busy, although she still manages to keep a handicap of scratch and got cut last time she played with me this year ... so she is still very handy!

Hilary played amateur golf with me for years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to the team.