NAIRN-BOUND US CURTIS CUP PLAYER LINDY WINS IN CALIFORNIA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Denver University freshman Rachael Watton had a final round of nine-over-par 80 for a final total of 18-over 231 and a share of 46th place in the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge women's tournament at Palos Verdes Golf Club, California.
Scotland international Rachael had led the star-studded field with a four-under 67 in the first round but she slumped to an 84 in the second.
The Scot's halves make interesting reading: Round 1: 35-32. Round 2: 44-40. Round 3: 37-43.
Today, Rachael started at the 11th hole with a double bogey 6 and she finished at the 10th hole with a double bogey 6. She also had seven bogeys and birdies at the ninth and 13th.
Denver team-mate Sarah Faller from Ireland overtook Rachael in the final standings with scores of 76-78-75 for 230.
Raffi Dywer from Hayling Island, a student at Oregon University, tied for 65th place in the field of 81 players. She had scores of 78, 79 and 82 for 239.
Two players chosen already by the United States for the Curtis Cup match at The Nairn in June - Lindy Duncan (Duke), pictured above, and Tiffany Lua (UCLA) - finished first and fourth.
Lindy, the top-ranked US women's college player, started at the short fourth hole with a double bogey 5 and then birdied the next five holes in a row on her way to a closing one-under 70 and a three-under total of 210 over the 5,912yd, par-71 course.
Germany's Sophia Popov (Southern California) filled second place, four shots behind Duncan, with scores of 74-73-67 for 214.
Erynne Lee (UCLA) was third on 216 (72-69-75) and then came Tiffany Lua, also of UCLA, fourth with scores of 71-71-75 for 217.
Interesting point about Lindy Duncan's victory is that her college team, Duke, so long the top-rated US women's college squad, finished fifth. That's because Lindy finished so far ahead of her Duke team-mates ... no back-up from them.
The next best Duke player after Duncan finished T26, then T39, T49, T62 and T69. A classic case of one player, even one very good player, not adding up to a team. Something seems to have gone wrong with the Duke University recruitment last year!
UCLA, on the back of having two players in the top four, won the team event.
Leading totals:
UCLA 870; Southern Cal 882; Pepperdine 887; Arizona State 891; Duke 897. Also: Denver eighth with 908 and Oregon  11th with 918. Fifteen teams took part.

PERTH PAIR 14th and 23rd AT LAKELAND, FLORIDA

Perth pair Paul McPhee and Daniel Young, both students at Lynn University, Boca Raton in Florida, finished T14 and T23 in a field of 75 players at the Matlock Collegiate Classic over a longish par-72 course of 7,065yd at Lone Palm Golf Club, Lakeland, Florida.
Paul, pictured right, scored 74-71-74 for 219 while Daniel had rounds of 75-73-74 for 222.
Matthew Killen from Yorkshire, a student at Newberry College, made the top 10 in T16 place with 74-76-70 for 220.
Winner was Case Gard (Florida Southern College) with scores of 67, 70 and 72 for 209. He won by one shot from Scott Sayers (Barry University) (70-71-69).
Florida Tech (871) won the team honours, only one stroke ahead of joint second Barry, Florida Southern and Lynn in the tightest of finishes.

Newberry (883) were seventh of 15 teams.