LINDA CAINE BEATS JANE TURNER AT 21st IN MIDLOTHIAN FINAL THRILLER AT BROOMIEKNOWE

Jane Turner (left) and Linda Caine, before today's Midlothian county championship final at Broomieknowe.

Dunbar's Linda Caine, a Scotland girl international in the 1980s, won the Midlothian women's county title for the second time in three years at Broomieknowe Golf Club today.

She beat Jane Turner (Craigielaw), a current Scotland women's cap, at the 21st hole of a gripping final.

Linda got off to a great start, winning the first, third and fourth to go three up. Jane chipped away at her opponent's lead and eventually squared the match with a birdie at the 12th.

The next five holes were halved and Caine looked favourite to win at the 18th where Turner hit her drive slightly left and looked to be blocked out of playing directly for the green. But she played a great shot on to the green. Caine missed the green with her second and chipped and putted for a 5.

That left Turner requiring only to get down in two putts for a 4 to win the title, but she three-putted to let Caine off the hook.

The 19^th was halved in 4.  On the 20^th Linda hit her drive up the middle and Jane’s ball landed at the root of a tree.  She played a miraculous left handed shot just short of the green, chipped on and then sank a long putt to match Linda’s regulation par.

At the 21^st hole both were on the green in regulation but once again, Jane’s putter let her down to hand the title to Linda – her second in three yearsThey both played pretty much par golf. Jane struck the ball well, but her putter wasn’t quite working for her today.

Linda, despite being 30-40 yards shorter off the tee,  played really steady golf, and chipped and putted well.  
Today's results:

SCRATCH CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMI-FINALS
Jane Turner (Craigielaw) bt Karen Marshall (Baberton) 1 hole.
Linda Caine (Dunbar) bt Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 3 and 2

FINAL
Caine bt Turner at 21st.

B CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL
Pam Stephenson (Glencorse) bt Carole Mason (Dalmahoy) at 19th

+Thanks to Mary Richardson for the service of scores and match-play results and the run-of-play information about the scratch final, as well as the pictures.