DISAPPOINTING LAST DAY FOR SCOTS GEMMA AND RACHAEL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Scots Gemma Dryburgh from Aberdeen and Edinburgh's Rachael Watton both had disappointing last rounds in the Battle at Rancho Bernardo women's college tournament at the San Diego golf resort, California.
Tulane University freshman Gemma, pictured left, lying second in the field of 90, with one round to go in the rain-hit tournament, scored 70-77 for a total of three-over-par 147 which saw her slip to a final placing of joint ninth.
Scotland international Rachael had rounds of 81-91 for 172 and finished joint 88th.
Dryburgh, who had no bogeys in her opening round, had seven of them in Round 2 and only two birdies, at the first and short 13th, in halves of 38-39 over the 6312yd par-72 course.
Watton had two triple bogeys and two double bogeys in her 91, her worst single round for many a long day.
World ranked No 14 Sophia Popov, from Germany and a Southern California University student, won the individual honours with a pair of 71s for two-under 142.
She won by two shots from Patricia Garcia (Texas A and M) (72-72) with Jennifer Hirano (Miami) third on 145 (74-71).
There was consolation for Gemma Dryburgh in that she finished well ahead of US Curtis Cup selection Lisa McCloskey (Southern California) who was placed T45 with scores of 79-76.
The Aberdonian teenager, beaten finalist in last year's Scottish girls championship, also had World No 13 Bertine Strauss (Texas) and No 22 Manon Gidali (Arizona) behind her in the final standings. Strauss finished T35 with scores of 76-78 for 154, the same aggregate as Ireland's Sarah Faller (Denver) (76-78), while French Vagliano Trophy team player Gidali had a pair of 75s for 150 and a joint 19th final position.
England international Ellis Keenan (UNLV) from Sunningdale scored 81-84 for 165 and T80.
Southern California (590) won the team title ahead of Arizona State (592) with Texas A and M (596) third in a field of 16 teams. Tulane, leaders overnight in a tournament reduced from 54 to 36 holes due to rain, finished joint fifth on 602. Denver (623) came 12th.
So, a disappointing outcome for Gemma Dryburgh but if you had offered her BEFORE the tournament started a top-10 finish and Tulane to finish in the top six, I am sure she would have taken it.
Just that flying start raised the expectations for the improving young Scot, ranked No 347 in the World but on her way up, and her college, ranked 37th of all the NCAA Division 1 US universities.
Team-mate Maribel Lopez Porras, a junior student, the first-round leader with a 69, finished joint fourth on 146 (four shots behind the winner). She too had a second-round 77.
Said Tulane head coach Andrew Pratt:
"We actually played 32 of the 36 holes really well, but we played the 18th hole 6-over as a group today and that really hurt us.
"We just need to learn from our mistakes that we made under pressure so that the next time we put ourselves on contention we will handle it much better than we did today. But overall, I am very proud of the way we competed this week."

TOP TEN FINISH BY CHAPMAN AT PINEHURST

Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate in Tennessee students Jamie Chapman from Sussex and Luke Butler from Worcester finished T8 and T45 respectively in a field of 66 players at the Wingate Pinehurst Challenge at National Golf club, Pinehurst in North Carolina.
Over a par-72 course of 7122yd, Jamie (pictured left) scored 74-76 for 150 while Luke had rounds of 79-82 for 161.
Host university Wingate provided the individual winner in Clifford Blanquicet with 72-76 for four-over-par 148. He just made it over the winning line ahead of six players on the 149 mark.
Lenoir Rhyne University (599) pippled Lincoln Memorial (600) for the team title with Wingate (603) third of 11 teams.