ANGUS ARE FIRST TIME SCOTTISH CHAMPIONS

Angus county captain Mary Summers, centre of back row, with her victorious team in the twilight at Montrose Links. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency Click on it to enlarge. Angus women's golf team are the new champions of Scotland for the first time. The team of eight, captained by Mary Summers, county champion many times, won the Scottish women's county championship finals at Montrose Links today. The Angus golfing history-makers were: Jackie Brown (Monifieth) Gemma Chalmers (Monifieth) Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) Heather Munro (Monifieth) Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) Ashley Smith (Monifieth) Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth)     They beat defending champions Midlothian 6 1/2-2 1/2 in the title-deciding encounter between the only two 100 per cent teams after two days' play. After the morning foursome were shared, it was the young Angus team who rose to the challenge in the singles and surprisingly outfought their older and more experienced opponents to the tune of 5-1. Jessica Meek set the ball rolling Angus's way when she beat Gabrielle MacDonald 6 and 4. Then Angus county champion Ailsa Summers won the top singles match against international player Jane Turner by 2 and 1. Ailsa, daughter of the team captain, finished the match in the grand manner - with an eagle 3 at the 17th. Heather Munro chalked up another point for Angus with a 3 and 2 win over former international Claire Hargan. Ann Ramsay was the "MVP" of the tournament, winning all six ties in which she played. She scored her sixth win at the expense of Louise Fraser, beating her by 2 and 1. Then Gemma Chalmers beat Wendy Nicholson by one hole. Midlothian's crumb of comfort came in a one hole win by Karen Marshall over Monifieth's Rebecca Wilson. WONDERFUL DISPLAY   "It was a wonderful display by a wonderful team," said skipper Mary Summers. "They were a wee bit nervous on the opening morning but gained in confidence with every session of play until they finished the tournament like the champions they are." The Scottish county finals are contested by the divisional champions of the North, South, East and West. Earlier this summer, Angus, fielding a team with an average age of 21, beat Perth and Kinross, Aberdeenshire and Northern Counties to win the Northern Division title. One member of that Angus team was not able to play in the finals - Claire Penman who is still ill after being badly bitten by insects while on holiday in America. Her place in the team was filled by Jackie Brown (Monfieth). Renfrewshire beat Dumfries-shire 6-3 in the other match on the final day to finish third behind champions Angus and runners-up Midlothian. Renfrewshire were unfortunate in that they lacked the service of Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Scotland international player, who is in Turkey for the world women's amateur team championship at Antalya this coming week.