ENGLAND CHAMPIONS, SCOTLAND LAST IN 2011 W H I AT HILLSIDE

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! The victorious team with captain Chris Pascall from Hartlepool (Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).  By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com What a difference a year makes! Twelve months ago at Whitchurch (Cardiff), Scotland won the Women's Home Internationals for the first time in 19 years by beating England, Wales and Ireland. Fast forward to this week - and England have taken over from Scotland as all-conquering champions with 6-3 wins over Wales and Scotland and then a crushing 8-1 last-day win over Ireland. Scotland, in the space of 12 months, have gone from a team that won three out of three to a side that lost all three matches. They peaked in the morning foursomes on the first day when they led 2 1/2-1/2 against Ireland at lunchtime. It was all downhill after that. They lost 5-4 to Ireland, then 6-3 to Wales and finally, today, they lost 5-4 to Wales (1-2 in the foursomes, 3-3 in the singles). Why the drastic slump! I have no idea. I think this was the best possible Scotland team that could be selected, given that Rachael Watton, who played in last year's team, was unavailable, having left for the University of Denver. Laura Murray did play at Whitchurch and she was available but disappointing form in the big tournaments cost her another cap. And so England, with a very talented and very young team are champions for the first time since Dunbar was the venue in 2007. They are liable to be champions for the next few years before most of them turn professional. Don't be surprised if young teenagers such as Lauren Taylor, Bronte Law and Charley Hull appear in the GB and I team for next year's Curtis Cup match at Nairn. They are terrific prospects. Georgia Hall, too, could develop quickly next year as could Meghan MacLaren who has not made the full England team yet. Wales finished runners-up at Hillside with two wins to their credit.   Scots skipper Fiona Norris reinstated the Briggs sisters, Megan and Eilidh, to the line-up for the final set of singles after leaving them out of the preceding two sessions of play. To their credit, the Briggs girls responded with two good wins. Megan beat Lucy Gould 4 and 2 while Eilidh was a 5 and 4 winner over Katherine O'Connor. Wales' Amy Boulden beat international team-mate Pamela Pretswell by 5 and 4 in the lead-off singles. The Welsh player was two up on the Scot after five holes and increased her lead to three after eight and four with a birdie at the 10th A half in birdie 3s ended the match at the 14th. Kelsey MacDonald came back from two down after 12 to salvage a square match with Katie Bradbury. Kelsey birdied the 13th, 15th and 17th in her storming finish. In a match between two teenagers, Scotland's Alyson McKechin halved with Wales' Chloe Williams who was two holes up after five. McKechin birdied the sixth and seventh to square the match. Williams had regained a two-hole lead by winning three in a row from the 12th but the Scot won the 15th and 17th to gain half a point/ Welsh champion Becky Harries was the tournament's MVP - she notched up her sixth win in six appearances by beating Scottish champion Louise Kenney 3 and 1 in the final tie to finish. Harries was three up after five but Kenney got her back to one by winning the sixth with a birdie and the ninth. Harries pulled away again by winning the 10th and 11th with a birdie. The 12th was halved in birdies and Kenney won the 13th  to be two down with five to play. After three halves in a row from the 14th, Harries clinched a 3 and 1 victory by winning the 17th.      Day 3  ENGLAND 8, IRELAND 1 FOURSOMES (2 ½- ½) Charlotte Ellis and Charlotte Wild halved with Gillian O'Leary and Charlene Reid. Bronte Law and Georgia Hall bt Lisa Maguire and Paula Grant 2 holes. Lauren Taylor and Kelly Tidy bt Louise Coffey and Karen Delaney  1 hole. SINGLES (5 ½- ½) Taylor bt Coffey 2 and 1. Tidy bt O'Leary 2 and 1. Charley Hull halved with Delaney. Hall bt Reid 3 and 2. Holly Clyburn bt Grant 2 and 1. Law bt  Maguire 2 holes WALES  5, SCOTLAND 4 FOURSOMES (2-1) Amy Boulden and Becky Harries bt Pamela Pretswell and Alyson McKechin 3 and 2. Chloe Williams and Katie Bradbury bt Jane Turner and Rebecca Wilson 6 and 4. Katherine O'Connor and Lucy Gould lost to Louise Kenney and Kelsey MacDonald 1 hole. SINGLES (3-3) Boulden bt Pretswell 5 and 4. Katie Bradbury halved with MacDonald Williams halved with McKechin Gould lost to Megan Briggs 4 and 2. O'Connor lost to Eilidh Briggs 5 and 4. Harries bt Kenney 3 and 1. HOW THEY FINISHED England 3 wins, Wales 2 wins, Ireland 1 win, Scotland 0 wins.

SCOTLAND'S INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

Louise Kenney ........ 3 pt out of six
Pamela Pretswell .... 3 pt out of six.
Kelsey MacDonald ... 2 1/2 pt out of six.
Alyson McKechin ..... 2 1/2 pt out of six.
Eilidh Briggs ........... 1 1/2 pt out of three.
Megan Briggs .......... 1 1/2 pt out of four.
Rebecca Wilson ....... 1/2 pt out of three.
Jane Turner ............. 0 pt out of three.

ENGLAND'S INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

Lauren Taylor ........ 4pt out of four.
Kelly Tidy ............... 4pt out of five.
Bronte Law ............ 4pt out of five.
Charlotte Ellis ......... 3 1/2 pt out of five.
Holly Clyburn........... 3pt out of four.
Georgia Hall ........... 3pt out of five
Charley Hull ........... 2 1/2 pt out of three.
Charlotte Wild ........ 2 1/2 out of five.

WALES' INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

Becky Harries ........ 6pt out of six .... (the MVP of the tournament)
Amy Boulden .......... 4pt out of six
Chloe Williams ....... 3 1/2 pt out of six.
Katie Bradbury ....... 3 1/2 pt out of six
Katherine O'Connor . 2 pt out of four.
Lucy Gould ............. 1pt out of three
Samantha Birks ......  0pt out of two.
Gemma Bradbury ....  0pt out of two.

IRELAND'S INDIVIDUAL RECORDS

Gillian O'Leary .......  3 1/2 pt out of six
Charlene Reid ........  2 1/2 pt out of six
Paula Grant ...........  1 pt out of five.
Emma O'Driscoll .....  1 pt out of two.
Louise Coffey ........   1 pt out of six.
Lisa Maguire .........   1 pt out of six.
Karen Delaney .......   1/2 pt out of four.
Chloe Ryan ...........    0 pt out of one.

NEXT YEAR'S HOME INTERNATIONALS WILL BE PLAYED AT CORK GOLF CLUB IN SOUTHERN IRELAND