MIDLOTHIAN AND FIFE FIRST-DAY WINNERS AT DUNFERMLINE

Title-holders Midlothian made a flying start to the defence of their East Division women's inter-county golf team championship at Dunfermline Golf Club. They beat Stirling and Clackmannan 3 and 2, but East Lothian were beaten 6-3 by Fife in the other first-day match. Midlothian rested their top two players, internationals Rachael Watton and Jane Turner from the morning foursomes, the pair having just travelled back from Dublin, having played in the Irish women's open amateur stroke-play championship. Midlothian still won the foursomes 2-1 and with Watton and Turner in the line-up they took the singles 5-1. Watton beat Louise MacGregor 6 and 5 while Watton ad a 5 and 3 win over Mhairi Hall. Former Scottish champion Fiona Hastie inspired Fife's defeat of East Lothian with a 100 per cent performance. Fiona teamed up with Susan Jackson to beat Lesley Nicholson and former Scottish girls champion Lesley Atkins by two holes. Then Mrs Hastie won the top singles tie by 3 and 2 against last year's successful Scotland team captain, Lesley Nicholson. Fife took the foursomes 2-1 and the singles 4-2 and their match against Midlothian will hold the key as to who goes forward as East champions to the Scottish county finals. DAY 1 RESULTS MIDLOTHIAN 7, STIRLING & CLACKMANNAN 2 Foursomes (2-1) K Marshall and W Nicolson beat L MacGregor and L Bissett 7 and 5. K McIntosh and G McDonald lost to M Hall and K Burns 4 and 3. C Hargan and L Fraser bt L Allan and C Capucci 3 and 2. Singles (5-1) R Watton bt MacGregor 6 and 5. J Turner bt Hall 5 and 3. Hargan bt Burns 1 hole. Fraser lost to E Allison 2 and 1. Nicholson bt Bissett 3 and 2. Marshall bt Allan 1 hole. EAST LOTHIAN 3, FIFE 6 Foursomes (1-2) L Nicholson and L Atkins lost to F Hastie and S Jackson 2 holes. F Prior and M L Renton bt E Moffat and K Sharp 5 and 4. M MacPherson and K Ward lost to L Fury and L Dyball 3 and 1. Singles (2-4) Nicholson lost to Hastie 3 and 2. Atkins bt Moffat 3 and 2. MacPherson lost to D Ford 3 and 2. S Penman lost to R Hanlon 3 and 1. Ward bt Sarp 6 and 4. Prior lost to Jackson 7 and 6. ends Fife beat East Lothian 6 & 3. Fiona Hastie having a good win over Lesley Nicholson 3 & 2 and Susan Jackson with an excellent 7 & 5 win over Fiona Prior Christine