SCOTLAND WOMEN BEAT NETHERLANDS 4-1

Scotland scored their second win in Flight B of the European women's team championship at Murhof, Austria. They beat Netherlands 4-1 and now play Finland in their last match with ninth place in the final rankings at stake. Finland bt Austria 3-2. Louise Kenney and Rachael Watton won their foursome at the 19th and there were wins in the singles by Pamela Pretswell, Megan Briggs and Jane Turner. Kelsey MacDonald lost on the last green. SCOTLAND 4, NETHERLANDS 1 Louise Kenney and Rachael Watton bt Joan Van de Kraats and Caroline Karstan at 19th. Kelsey MacDonald lost to Varin Schilperoord 1 hole. Pamela Pretswell bt Karlijn Zaanen 3 and 1. Megan Briggs bt Tessa de Bruijn 1 hole. Jane Turner bt Myrte Eikenaar 2 and 1. Scotland lost 3-2 to Austria in a Flight B match in the European girls team championship at Is Molas in Sardinia. The Scots now play Turkey in their final match. Lauren Whyte and Hannah McCook won the foursomes 7 and 5 but only Ailsa Summers was able to win her singles match. Eilidh Briggs, Clara Young and Alyson McKechin were all beaten in the singles. SCOTLAND 2, AUSTRIA 3 Lauren Whyte and Hannah McCook bt Anna Fuld and Nadine Dreher 7 and 5. Eilidh Briggs lost to Marlene Krejcy 2 and 1. Ailsa Summers beat Michaela Gasplmayr 2 holes. Clara Young lost to Nicole Wolf 5 and 3. Alyson McKechin lost to Felicitas Witt-Dorring 4 and 2.

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Teenager Hayley Davis held her nerve to win on the 19th and give England a 3-2 victory over Denmark at the European ladies’ team championship at Murhof, Austria.
Hayley, 18, (Ferndown) was playing in the last match on the course and after 16 holes she was one down. But she calmly halved the 17th before winning both the 18th and 19th to claim the vital point.
Earlier Charley Hull (Woburn) and Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) both won their singles to set up the team’s victory. Charley, 15, withstood a fightback from her opponent, who came back from four down to be all square after 17 holes. However the English player was undeterred and won the last with a par.
Charlotte is enjoying a great run of form and played excellent golf to beat her opponent 3 and 2.
In the day’s other games, Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale) and Lucy Williams (Mid-Herts) lost the foursomes 4 and 3 while Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) was beaten in the singles 3 and 2. 
England are out of the running for a medal in this championship and aiming to finish as high as possible. Tomorrow they play France in a battle for fifth place. Team captain Lynn Booth said: “We played France last year for fifth place and the French won – so that’s a nice little spur for us.”

ENGLAND PLAY FRANCE IN GIRLS' EUROPEAN FINAL

England will bid for gold tomorrow when they play France in the final of the European girls’ team championship at Is Molas, Sardinia.
They beat their semi-final opponents, Germany, 5-2 with a display of excellent golf and a particularly strong performance over the closing holes.
Once again they took an early grip on the match by winning both foursomes, thanks to Bronte Law (Bramhall) and Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham and St Annes) who won 3 and 2, and to Lauren Taylor (Woburn) and Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak) who finished one up.
However, they could take nothing for granted. England’s national junior coach Pat Smillie commented: “The foursomes were pivotal, but the Germans never roll over. We knew they would come out and give it their best shot and they played exceptionally well in the singles.”
English girls’ champion Elizabeth Mallett (Sutton Coldfield Ladies) was an early victim, losing 7 amd 5, but Pat remarked: “It looks like a heavy defeat but Elizabeth played good, steady golf while her opponent was knocking the flag out, she was quite exceptional. That gave the Germans a boost.”
However Georgia Hall and Bronte Law turned the tables with “phenomenal” play. Georgia was four-under par when she closed out her match on the 17th while Bronte won on the 16th, having birdied the 12th 14th and 15th.
Their wins gave England the necessary margin for success and the other games were declared halved. They involved British champion Lauren Taylor (Woburn) and Emily Taylor (Royal Lytham and St Annes).
“The girls have played the back nine really well,” said Pat. “Both foursomes were down after seven holes and both played the last 10 holes really well. They’ve all turned games around on the back nine or won games they were in charge of, which is very pleasing.”
England’s opponents tomorrow are the defending champions and, as Pat said: “They are putting up a great defence. But we are playing some fantastic golf – and we just need one more day of fantastic golf.”

Lyndsey Hewison
EWGA Press  and PR Officer
Email: lyndsey.hewison@ntlworld.com