AUSSIE 1-2 AFTER GALE CUTS ST RULE TROPHY TO ONE ROUND

St Andrews Links Trust chief executive Euan Loudon presents the St Rule Trophy to Ashley Ona from Brisbane (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).  By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com  Southerly winds gusting up to 50mph on the Old Course, St Andrews made a little bit of golfing history in the prestigious St Rule Trophy women's international amateur tournament this weekend. Only 11 players in the quality field of 59 were able to complete their second rounds before play was suspended at 11.45am as golf balls were not remaining stationary on some of the more exposed greens. At that point the tournament was reduced from its tradtional three rounds to two because there would not have been enough time to get the field round another circuit, bearing in mind the majority still had to finish their second rounds. Eventually, just before 3pm with the gale showing no sign of decreasing, it was decided to abandon Sunday's play and declare the prizewinners on the basis of the first-round scores returned over the New Course on Saturday when it was also windy but not on the same scale as 24hr later. And so the 28th staging of the St Rule Trophy became the first to be decided over 18 holes. Since the 54-hole format was introduced in 1989, the year before Annika Sorenstam won it before turning professional, bad weather on the Sunday has cut the competition to two rounds on four occasions - 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2008. Now 2011 goes into the St Rule Trophy record books as the first one-rounder. Is there a St Andrews weather pattern there? Four players had shared first place  on two-under-par 73 at the end of the first round. A card play-off decreed that Australia's Ashley Ona, seventh last year, only two shots behind the play-off participants, was the 2011 St Rule Trophy winner by virtue of having the best inward half of the quartet - 34 strokes. The three others all came home in 35 over the New Course on Saturday with another Australian, Breanna Elliott, placed second with the best last six holes, Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom third and Ireland's Leona Maguire fourth. Leona, only 16 years of age, won the Lawson Trophy for the best performance by a competitor under 18 years. Leona is pictured above with her latest trophy (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency). Australia's Ashley Ona, Breanna Elliott and Whitney Hillier won the international team event with a best two from three total of 146. Which augurs well for the Aussie's prospects in next month's Astor Trophy team match-play championship against GB and Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lytham St Annes in Lancashire. Ona from Brisbane and Elliott from Yarrawong, Victoria are in the Australian team of five for that event.    THE WIZARDS OF OZ ON THE SWILKEN BRIDGE. Alma Robertson's picture of (left to right) St Rule Trophy winner Ashley Ona, runner-up Breanna Elliott and Whitney Hillier, who complete the Australian trio who won the international team event. SATURDAY'S ALL-IMPORTANT  SCORES New Course (par 75) +First nine players are listed in order of prizelist. 73 Ashley Ona (Australia), Breanna Elliott (Australia), Madelene Sagstrom (Sweden), Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell, Ireland) (1-2-3-4 decided on card play-off). 75 Whitney Hillier (Australia), Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park) (5-6 decided on card play-off). 76 Bronte Law (Bramhall) (7th) 77 Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Emilee Taylor (Holme Hall) (8-9 decided on card play-off).  78 Emma Goodard (Vale Royal), Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Johanna Tillstrom (Sweden), Martine Pow (Selkirk), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Meghan Stasi (US). 79 Nathalie Mansson (Sweden), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Nikki Foster (Pleasington), Charlotte Wild (Mere). 80 Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), Megan Garland (The Oaks), Samantha Birks (Wolstanton), Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick Dunskey), Brogan Townend (Pleasington), Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie), Catherine Herrera (US). 81 Elaine Moffat (St Regulus), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Jane Turner (Craigielaw), Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch). 82 Susan Wood (Drumpellier), Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies), Susan Jackson (Ladybank), Sally Shayler (The Bedfordshire), Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale), Laura Watkins (Bicester), Natalie Lowe (Prestbury). 83 Jess Wilcox (Blankney), Daisy Dyer (Chigwell), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir). 84 Ami Storey (Ponteland), Rachael Hanlon (St Regulus), Rachael Taylor (Reichswald), Linn Gustafsson (Sweden), lelsey Atkins (Gullane). 85 Lisa Ball (Matfen Hall). 86 Malin Jansson (Sweden). 87 Lianna Bailey (Notts), Claire Hargan (Strathmore), Claire Penman (Carnoustie). 88 Laura Jones (Royal Liverpool Ladies). 90 Shonagh Raitt (Forfar), Claire Smith (Silsden). 92 Olivia Winning (Rotherham).