LOUISE KENNEY, PAMELA PRETSWELL MISS SCOTTISH CH/PIONSHIP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Two of the biggest names in Scottish women's amateur golf will be missing from a field of 67 for the 98th Scottish (closed) championship at Tain Golf Club from May 15 to 19.
Last year's champion Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) cannot get a week off her work as a relief teacher while Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) is playing on the Ladies European Tour's developmental circuit that week.
Louise this morning confirmed her absence at Tain, saying:
"Unfortunately I am not playing (in the "Scottish") this year due to work but will be playing in everything else. Last year was a dream come true to finally win our national championship and I wish everyone the best of luck this year."
Kenney had played in the last three Scottish women's championship finals. She lost to Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) in the 2009 final at Southerness and then lost to Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) in the 2010 final at Craigielaw.
She made it third time lucky at Machrihanish last year when she beat Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) in the final.
Last year Louise played for Great Britain and Ireland for the first time, being capped in the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Royal Porthcawl in June.
She was Scottish girls match-play champion in 2000, beating Carnoustie's Fiona Gilbert in the final, and then lost in the following year's final to Heather MacRae at Glenbervie. After that Louise went off to America and played very successfully for Iowa State University for four years.

Pamela Pretswell, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, told Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk:
"I have not entered the Scottish at Tain because I will be in Sweden from the  May 7 to 18, before heading straight to the Ukraine on May 19 to play in more Ladies European Tour Access events.
"Unfortunately these events clash and I will not be able to play in the Scottish this year."
Pretswell will, of course, be at Nairn Golf Club for her second Curtis Cup appearance for GB and I against the Americans from June 8 to 10.
The Hamilton-based Glasgow University graduate wants to gain as much experience as possible playing with and against female tour professionals before she goes back to the LET Q School next January. She failed to gain pass marks at the 2012 Q School but is determined that her futures lies in the pro ranks.
Tegwen Matthews, captain of the GB and I team of eight for the Curtis Cup match, stressed that all of them are free to play in their national championships during the month of May. None of them has been advised that they should conserve their energies for the June 8-10 match.
+Kelsey MacDonald (+2.8) will have the lowest handicap in the Scottish women's amateur championship field at Tain which is the second most northerly venue for the event. Royal Dornoch is the farthest north to have stage the championship. Tain has hosted the Scottish girls match-play championship and, more recently, the Scottish senior women's championships.

SEVEN GB AND I CURTIS CUP PLAYERS ENTER

"HELEN HOLM"

 NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH LADIES GOLFING ASSOCIATION

Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and six of her Curtis Cup team-mates are included in a strong international line-up for the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship over 54 holes at Troon on April 27-29.

England’s Charley Hull, the exciting 16-year-old who finished in the top 40 at this month’s women’s major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, Amy Boulden, Holly Clyburn, Bronte Law, Kelly Tidy and Leona Maguire are also using the trip to Ayrshire as a warm-up before they line up for Great Britain and Ireland and take on the USA at Nairn in June (8-10).

Maguire became the youngest Helen Holm winner as a 14-year-old in 2009 and she was runner-up last year. This time the Irish youngster is the back marker, boasting a plus five handicap.

Pretswell heads a strong home challenge. Scottish champion Louise Kenney (Pitreavie) was the leading Scot in fourth place last year and Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) and the Kilmacolm Briggs sisters, Megan and Eilidh, will also have an eye on the coveted title.

Eilidh, in her first year of a physical education degree at Stirling University, was fifth last season and it sparked a great run for the teenager. She went on to reach the final of the Scottish women's championship at Machrihanish, won the Scottish girls’ championship at Glenisla and retained the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association’s Girls’ Order of Merit.

In addition to the home countries, the "Helen Holm" has attracted players from Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Belgium. There is also a strong French contingent, including plus four handicappers, Celine Boutier and Perrine Delacour.

Boutier recently beat Bronte Law in the final of the French Under-21 girls open amateur stroke-play and was runner-up in the British girls' championship at Gullane last August. Delacour is a past winner of the British girls' title.

The 54-hole "Helen Holm" event is made up of two rounds (27^th and 28^th April) over Troon Portland. The top 66 and ties then qualify for the final over Royal Troon on April 29.

A team event is played in conjunction with the Championship and Pamela Pretswell and Kelsey MacDonald will be representing Scotland.

 The last Scot to win the individual title was Heather Stirling in 2002.