SEVENTH TIME LUCKY FOR BRONTE LAW IN SCOTTISH U16s' OPEN

Play-off participants Chloe Williams (left) and the winner, Bronte Law (Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).  By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com It was seventh time lucky for Manchester's Bronte Law in the SLGA Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Strathmore Golf Centre near Alyth, Perthshire today. The 16-year-old England girl international and +1 handicapper from Bramhall Golf Club, Cheshire (pictured on the second green of the play-off, who was playing in the event for the seventh year in a row, finally made it past the winning post - but only after a finish of high drama. Luck did not really come into the equation. Bronte won on merit. Law, who had finished third or tied third in this championship last year and the year before, birdied the 36th hole of the two-round tournament for a two-under-par 70 (34-36 against the par of 35-37) to force a play-off with the clubhouse leader, Welsh international Chloe Williams, a two-handicap member at Wrexham Golf Club, who shot 70 and 72 (37-35) for her two-under-par total of 142. The first hole of the sudden death play-off (the 16th) was halved in par 4s ... followed by a half in bogey 4s at the short 17th where Chloe had a very awkward stance in a greenside bunker and Bronte three-putted from the back edge of the green. Both girls almost reached the green with two wood shots at the par-5 18th. And it was Bronte who won the title for the first time with a pitch and putt birdie 4, holing a tricky, uphill four-footer for victory. Chloe, who had started the day with a two-stroke lead, was left empty-handed and in tears after taking three shots to get down for a par 5. "It's been seven years of hard graft for me to win this title. I've come close to winning it since I made my debut as a nine-year-old. Now I'm 16 and I've managed to do it in the last year I can play in the championship, " said a delighted Bronte. "I've won a fair number of competitions but I would place this as one of my best wins. I'm coming back to Scotland to play in the Helen Holm Scottish strokeplay at Troon later this month and later for the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews so I hope this is a good omen for me." That would be some hat-trick. Amber Ratcliffe, a scratch player at Norfolk's Royal Cromer Golf Club (pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency setting up a birdie at the par-5 18th) finished a close-up third, only one shot behind the play-off participants after rounds of 74 and 69 (34-35) for 143. A bogey at the 17th in her second round was a costly one although she did birdie the 18th. Fourth place went to Yorkshire's Ellie Goodall (Selby) thanks to a second-round, four-under-par 68 (33-35), an improvement of nine shots on her first score and the lowest round by anyone over the two days, which was quite a performance by a three-handicapper. She finished on 145. LAW, WILLIAMS, RATCLIFFE LIKELY TO HAVE IMPRESSED SELECTORS The Ladies Golf Union Selection Committee were out in force over the two days in Perthshire, casting their eye over the possible candidates for places in the Great Britain and Ireland team of six for the "Junior Vagliano Trophy" contest against the Continent of Europe at Royal Porthcawl in June. Put a tick against the names of Bronte Law, Chloe Williams and Amber Ratcliffe, the three players who finished under par for the 36 holes ... now the selectors need only three others! GREAT FINISH MAKES CLARA YOUNG TOP SCOT IN FIFTH PLACE Top Scot was North Berwick's Clara Young in fifth place on 148 with rounds of 75 and 73. A double bogey 6 at the ninth in an outward four-over-par 39 was the low point in her fortunes before she birdied the 11th, 12th and 14th in a great inward half of three under par 34. Clara plays off three. Kimberley Beveridge from Aboyne and Germany-based Rebecca McGeehan shared the honour of being the No 2 Scot in a quality field of close on 100. They finished joint sixth - three Scots in the top seven was not bad going! - on 149, both with rounds of 75 and 74. Kimberley plays off four of a handicap and Rebecca off two. ENGLAND'S AMBER RATCLIFFE, GEORGIA HALL, BRONTE LAW WIN INTERNATIONAL TEAM EVENT AT STRATHMORE GOLF CENTRE. England 1 - left to right: Amber Ratcliffe, Georgia Hall with trophy, and Amber Ratcliffe - won the international team trophy with a total of 285 - nine strokes ahead of runners-up Wales (Chloe Williams, Megan Lockett and Lottie Turner). Scotland 1 (Lesley Atkins, Rebecca McGeehan and Clara Young) finished third on 297 with Scotland 2 (Kimberley Beveridge, Tara MacTaggart and Lauren Whyte) fourth. Ellie Bryce (Strathaven), playing off 27, had the lowest net total of 128 (64-64) for the 36 holes. It was announced at the prizegiving that the SLGA Under-16 girls championship will be played again at Strathmore Golf Centre next year . Most of the leading prizewinners in the SLGA Under-16 girls' open amateur stroke-play championship. Ellie Bryce (Strathaven) who won the net aggregate championship was unable to stay on for the prizegiving. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

INDIVIDUAL ROUND PRIZES

Under-12 years
Round 1 - net 71 off 15: Hazel Macgarvie (Troon Ladies).
Round 2 - net 61 off 19: Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne).

Under-14 years
Round 1 - scratch 76 by Emma Hale (Troon Ladies).
Round 1 - net 64 off 27: Ellie Bryce (Strathaven).
Round 2 - scratch 75 by Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) (better last six holes).
Round 2 - net 64 off 27: Ellie Bryce (Strathaven).

Under-16 years
Round 1 - scratch 70 by Chloe Williams (Wrexham).
Round 1 - net 68 off 10: Jade Tomlinson (Normanton) (better inward half).
Round 2 - scratch 68 by Ellie Goodall (Selby).
Round 2 - net 67 off 9: Kelly McNulty (Whitley Bay) (better last six holes).

STRATHMORE PAR SCORECARD (Yardage: 5,656)
OUT: 5-4-4-3-4-3-4-4-4--35. IN: 4-4-5-3-5-4-4-3-5--37

LEADERS' SECOND-ROUND FIGURES
BRONTE LAW 70 (two under par)
OUT: 5-3-3-3-4-3-4-4-5--34. IN: 4-3-5-3-5-4-4-4-4--36

CHLOE WILLIAMS 72 (level par)
OUT: 4-5-4-3-5-3-5-4-4--37. IN: 4-4-4-3-5-4-4-3-4--35.

AMBER RATCLIFFE 69 (three under par)
OUT: 4-4-4-3-3-3-4-5-4--34. IN: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4--35.

ELLIE GOODALL 68 (four under par)
OUT: 5-4-3-3-4-2-4-4-4--33. IN: 3-4-3-3-4-5-5-3-5--35

CLARA YOUNG 73 (one over par)
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-4-4-4-6--39. IN: 4-3-4-3-4-4-4-3-5--34