PAMELA PRETSWELL LEADS SCOTS

IN BRITISH STROKE-PLAY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Curtis Cup Scot Pamela Pretswell kept up her recent good form to finish the opening day of the British women’s open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Tenby, South Wales in a share of fifth place.

The Bothwell Castle GC player from Hamilton, pipped for the Austrian women's title a couple of weeks ago, shot a level par of 72 in windy conditions for the early starters and would have been that bit closer to Chrisje De Vries (Netherlands) and Amy Boulden (Maesdu) – joint leaders on 68 – had she not bogeyed the 15th and 18th.

Pretswell, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, also ran up a double bogey 6 at the 11th but, on the bright side, she had a bag of five birdies: at the long first, the third, the 10th, the 13th, and the long 14th in halves of 36.
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) also had a double bogey 6 on her card, at the seventh, and she too had five birdies but shots dropped at regular intervals dragged the Fifer down to a 75. On the same mark is Musselburgh-based Julie Yang, the 15-year-old South Korean who won the Welsh women’s open amateur stroke-play title the last time she was down in these parts.
Former Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) and Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey) all hit the 78 mark.
Teenager McKechin’s effort was a good one indeed, considering she had a triple bogey 7 at the third and a double bogey 6 at the 18th in halves of 41 and 37.
Majorca-based Scot Lauren Mackin had a 79, one shot ahead of recent Riccarton Rosebowl winner Jane Turner (Craigielaw)who had a horrendous outward half of 53, including a triple bogey 7 at the ninth.
Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) had a 82, which was only one more than defending champion and Curtis Cup player Danielle McVeigh.
Roseanne Niven (Crieff), winner of the stroke-play title only a couple of years ago, had an 85, her outward half of 46 including a double bogey 7 at the eighth and a 9 at the par-4 ninth.
St Rule Trophy winner Laura Murray from Alford had an 87 with an outward half of 47. She had a quadruple bogey 8 at the third, and double bogey 6s at the fourth, sixth and 15th.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
68 Chrisje De Vries (Ned), Amy Boulden (Maesdu).
70 Gillian O’Leary (Cork).
71 Lara Katzy (Ger).
72 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Laura Chemarin (Fra), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park).
73 Marion Ricordeau (Fra), Charley Hull (Kettering), Tara Davies (Holyhead), Pia Halbig (Ger).
74 Camilla Hedberg (Spa), Nina Holleder (Ger), Alexandra Bonetti (Fra).
75 Lauren Taylor (Woburn), Julie Yang (Kings Acre), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Liebelei Lawrence (Gre), Ann Lindner (Ger), Klara Spilkova (Cze), Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale).
Selected scores:
77 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa).
79 Lauren Mackin (Maj).
80 Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
81 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies).
82 Rachael Watton (Mortonhall).
85 Roseanne Niven (Crieff).
87 Laura Murray (Alford).

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