ABERDEEN GIRL GEMMA DRYBURGH FINISHES SECOND IN AMERICA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh today achieved her best finish so far in her freshman season on the US women's college golf circuit.
The 18-year-old student - she won't be 19 until June - pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, at Tulane University, New Orleans finished runner-up in the UCF Challenge at Red Tail Golf Club, Sorrento in Florida.
She shot ever improving rounds of 73, 71 and 70 over the par-72 course for a total of two-under-par 214 - one shot behind the winner, Victoria Trapani (Auburn University) (68-72-73).
Gemma. moved up the leaderboard on the final day with birdies at the second, 13th and 15th with only one bogey. But for a double-bogey 6 at the 18th in her first round, Dryburgh would have pulled off a great victory.
Last summer, Gemma, whose father is an Aberdeen oil executive, lost to Eilidh Briggs in the final of the Scottish Under-18 girls championship at Glenisla GC, Alyth. That performance earned her a first Scotland cap in the girls home internationals at Gullane last August.
Hayley Davis (Baylor), who had been disputing the lead over the first two rounds, fell away on the final day. The 2010 English women's champion from Wimborne, Dorset had scores of 68 71 and 76 for 215 and finished joint third.
She started her round with bogeys at the first, third, fourth, fifth and seventh before birtdieing the eighth and ninth to be out in 39. Another bogey, at the 11th, killed off her lingering hopes although she did settle down to par from the 12th to the 18th inclusive.
Kirsty Rands (Augusta State University) from Surrey shot 72-75-74 for 221 and a share of 20th place. She had been T29 at the start of the final round.
Kirsty had birdies at the fifth, eighth and ninth but a double bogey 5 at the short sixth knocked her back.
Ninety-nine players - quite a few of them ranked in the top 100 of US women's college golf - took part.
Auburn (863) won the team title ahead of Baylor (865) and Tulane (866) with UCF (873) third and August State (889) fifth in a field of 18 teams.


NIGHTMARE ROUND IN CALIFORNIA
 FOR RACHAEL WATTON

Rachael Watton saw her hopes of retaining the lead in the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge nosedive over the first nine holes of her second round at Palos Verdes Golf Club in California.
The Denver University freshman, who had two US Curtis Cup team selections for Nairn behind her after a first-round 67, required 44 shots (nine over par) to complete her outward half.
She had a double bogey 6 at the first, followed by single bogeys at the second, third and fourth.
Rachael birdied the long fifth but then bogeyed the sixth and long seventh, got her first par at the eighth but then ran up a triple bogey 7 at the ninth.
Coming home, she strung together three pars for the first time before going 10 over par for the day with a bogey at the 14th.
A triple bogey 7 at the 18th completed a nightmare round for the Scot who finished with an 84 and will start the final round in T35 position on 151.
Denver head coach Sammie Chergo said:
"Today proved to be a great learning experienced for Rachael, playing with the lead as a freshman."
Denver team-mate Sarah Faller from Ireland is T53 on 155 (76-79).
US Curtis Cup team selections Lindy Duncan (Duke) and Tiffany Lua (UCLA) are now in first and third positions.
Linda is on two-under-par 140 with scores of 69 and 71.
Tiffany has had a pair of 71s for 142.

GRANT FORREST JT 14th FINISH AT SAN DIEGO

Grant Forrest, the 2010 Scottish boys' match-play golf champion, now a student at San Diego University, California, finished joint 14th in a field of 84 at the San Diego Intercollegiate tournament at San Diego Country Club, Chula Vista.

Forrest, pictured by courtesy of Andy Forman, had rounds of 75, 73 and 73 over a 7,033yd course for a five-over-par total of 221.

He finished seven shots behind San Diego team-mate Alex Ching who had scores of 74, 68 and 72 for 214 and a one-shot victory from Garrick Porteous (Tennessee) (73-73-69) of Bamburgh Castle GC, Northumberland.

Tom Berry from Surrey, a student at San Diego State, finished joint 21st with scores of 74, 76 and 74 for 224.

Washington (870) won the team title ahead of Southern California (877) and UCLA (884) with San Diego State and Tennessee joint fourth on 887 and San Diego (893) sixth of the 15 competing teams.