SALLY WATSON CARRIES TORCH FOR SCOTS AT CARNOUSTIE

                      SALLY WATSON DRIVING AT THE SECOND TODAY

With the notable exception of Sally Watson, who returned a par-matching 72, Scottish players were not prominently placed at the end of the first qualifying round of the British women's open amateur championship at a relatively calm Carnoustie links. Sally, 21 on July 10, by her own admission, scrambled well, particularly on the outward half rather than played well. "I hit only one green in regulation in the first seven holes and I hit only two or three fairways but I didn't miss the target by a large margin which you can get away with at Carnoustie," said Stanford University student Sally who says that this will be her last year of amateur golf before she has a go at the LPGA Tour School later in the year. "What you cannot afford at Carnoustie are the 'big misses,' because then you can really be in trouble. The rough is so thick and the bunkers so deep." She birdied the third, the short eighth and the 12th and had a nine-foot birdie chance at the 18th which would have got her back in the clubhouse under par but the ball stayed above ground. Sally, who played in the 2008 and 2010 Curtis Cup matches but was apparently not considered for the recent fixture at The Nairn, will start the second qualifying round in joint third place, a couple of shots behind French 18 year old Celine Boutier, beaten at Gullane last August in the British girls final, and Giulia Molinaro, who has just completed four years at Arizona State University. She is Italian but her family home is in Kenya. Boutier's 70 gave her a two-shot lead until around 4pm when Molinaro, who confessed she was strangely nervous in a bogey-strewn start, came storming home in the best inward half of the day - a four-birdie 32. Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), a student at Denver University, was the second best Scot on the day with a 77 which looked like being so much better until Carnoustie's feared finish saw her bogey the short 16th and double bogey the 17th for 39 home. Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) had a 79 which put her alongside Scottish champion Laura Murray (Alford) and the player she beat in the recent Tain final, Jane Turner (Craigielaw). Murray had a double bogey 7 at the sixth and bogeyed the 13th, 15th, 16th, 16th and 18th on her way to a 79. Former Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm)  had an 81 which matched the scores of defending champion Lauren Taylor (Woburn) and Curtis Cup heroine Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush). Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), beaten in the final at Ganton a coupld of years ago by Kelly Tidy, has an 82, the same score as Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) and Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) Aberdonian Gemma Dryburgh, a student at Tulane University, New Orleans, had a disappointing 85. Carnoustie is no respector of reputations. Alexandra Bonetti (France), beaten in last years final, had an 84 (44-40), the same score as Susan Jackson (Ladybank). Bonetti had an 8 at the second and a 7 at the sixth. The leading 64 will go forward after Wednesday's second qualifying round.  First qualifying round Par 72 70 Celine Boutier (Fra), Giulia Molinaro (Ita). 72 Daniela Holmqvist (Swe), Sally Watson (Sco), Alexandra Peters (Eng), Perrine Delacour (Fra) 73 Leona Maguire (Ire), Amy Boulden (Wal), Patricia Sanz Barrios (Spa), Bronte Law (Eng) 74 Sophia Popov (Ger), Kerry Smith (Eng), Meghan Stasi (US). 75 Christine Wong (Can), Marta Sanz Barrios (Spa), Holly Clyburn (Eng), Isabelle Boineau (Fra), Marina Stuetz (Aut), Hayley Davis (Eng), Laure Castelain (Fra), Ariane Provot (Fra). SELECTED SCORES 76 Charley Hull (Eng) 77 Kelly Tidy (Eng), Rachael Watton (Sco) 78 Georgia Hall (Eng) 79 Jacqueline Sneddon (Sco), Laura Murray (Sco), Jane Turner (Sco) 81 Megan Briggs (Sco), Lauren Taylor (Eng), Stephanie Meadow (NIr) 82 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco), Ann Ramsay (Sco), Alyson McKechin (Sco), Jessica Meek (Sco) 84 Alexandra Bonetti (Fra), Susan Jackson (Sco). Ailsa Summers (Sco). 85 Gemma Dryburgh (Sco).   FOR ALL THE END OF PLAY SCORES LOG ON TO THE LADIES GOLF UNION WEBSITE www.lgu.org