KIMBERLEY FIRST TO RETAIN SHIRE GIRLS TTLE SINCE MICHELE T

Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association captain Ellie Whyte, girls champion for the second year in a row, Kimberley Beveridge, and beaten finalist and Aboyne clubmate, Shannon McWilliam (images by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

The last time a youngster won the Aberdeenshire Under-18 girls scratch championship two years in a row, she went on to win the Scottish women's championship and play for Great Britain and Ireland in the 2008 Curtis Cup match at the Old Course, St Andrews.

That youngster was Michele Thomson from Ellon who was Shire girls' champion in 2004 and 2005.

Could Kimberley Beveridge from Aboyne, who played for the winning Scotland schools team against England schools at Kilmarnock Barassie earlier in the week, be following in Michele's footsteps? Only time will tell but the 16-year-old made a successful defence of the Aberdeenshire girls' championship at Oldmeldrum Golf Club today.

In an 18-hole final that started off in pleasant warm conditions (14 degrees) but deteriorated quickly into a very wet day with the temperature plunging to nine or 10 degrees, Kimberley beat Aboyne clubmate, 12-year-old Shannon McWilliam by 7 and 6.
After very heavy overnight rain, it was touch and go whether the Oldmeldrum course was open. Preferred lies were in operation and the water-filled bunkers were classified as "Ground Under Repair," i.e. lift and drop without penalty.
Kimberley was level par for the holes played after starting birdie-par-par to be three up after three holes. She added to that with successes at the fifth, ninth, 10th and 11th before a half ended the match on the 12th green.
For Kimberley and Shannon, the soaking came in the long walk back to the clubhouse.
Shannon had her hour or two of glory in the morning semi-finals when she upset the odds to beat Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) by 3 and 2.  Tegan drove out of bounds at the first and was five down after only six holes.
"I took off my jumper then and I immediately felt a lot better and played a lot better but it was too late to make all the holes of Shannon who was playing well," said Tegan.
In the other semi-final, Kimberley Beveridge beat Sophie Alexander (Deeside) by 3 and 1.

In the handicap final, 16-year-old Fiona Sutherland (Deeside) beat 11-year-old Jasmine Mackintosh (Hazlehead) by 2 and 1. Fiona, who plays off 21, received four strokes from Jasmine whose handicap is 17.
Fiona was two up after three holes and was never caught after that although Jasmine reduced her deficit to one hole round about the sixth and seventh.
Fiona cemented her position in the lead by winning the 10th and 11th and her four-stroke allowance stood her in good stead as she won by 2 and 1.

RESULTS
SCRATCH SEMI-FINALS
Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) bt Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) 3 and 2.
Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) bt Sophie Alexander (Deeside) 3 and 1.
FINAL
Beveridge bt McWilliam 7 and 6.

HANDICAP FINAL
Fiona Sutherland (Deeside) (21) bt Jasmine Mackintosh (Hazlehead) (17) 2 and 1.