New Spanish women's amateur champion Camila Hedberg, who is in the field for next week's British women's open amateur championship at Royal Portrush GC, Northern Ireland. Image by courtesy of the Royal Spanish Golf  Federation.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Spain's former British women's amateur champion (2007) and beaten finalist (2009) Carlota Ciganda has turned professional but Spain keeps producing players with star potential.
Winner of the Spanish women's (close) amateur championship last week, over four rounds at Real Golf de Pedrena, was Camila Hedberg from Barcelona. Her father is Norwegian, hence the un-Spanish sounding surname and her blonde hair.
Camila had rounds of 72, 74, 71 and 73 for a total of 290 over the par-71 course, winning by one shot from Ha Rang Lee (74-72-73-72) with Rocio Sanchez (75-75-74-72) third on 292.
Defending champion Marta Silva. a winner on the US college circuit as a student at Georgia University, finished fourth on 294 (72-75-76-71).
Both will be bidding to extend Spanish player's excellent record in the "British" over the last decade.
Marta is ranked No 2 in the European Golf Association ratings, behind No 1 Sophia Popov (Germany) and ahead of No 3 Stephanie Meadow (Ireland).
Camilla Hedberg is No 19 in the EGA list.
In the Women's World Amateur Rankings, it is No 11 Marta Silva, No 53 Camilla Hedberg.

+Incidentally, victory in the Irish women's close amateur championship a week or two ago has done little for the European or world ranking of Danielle McVeigh. The Royal Co Down Ladies player has come down from No 737 to No 690 in the WAGR but does not figure at all on the EGA list because it only goes down as far as No 200 on its website.

I think the introduction of world women's amateur rankings is a very good thing, and not only for golf writers to refer to them constantly - but I cannot believe there are 689 better lady golfers in the world than Danielle McVeigh.

Does her list of victories prior to this season count for nothing? Danielle is pictured after her win in the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon last year. In 2009 she won the British women's open amateur stroke-play title at Royal Aberdeen.