QUALIFYING NOW THAT BIT TOUGHER FOR SOME OF THE BIG NAMES

RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN TALKING POINTS
The chances of Catriona Matthew, Carly Booth and Laura Davies - to name but three of the big guns who are outwith the leading 70 players after the first round, surviving the reduced  cut figure must be slim.
The cut mark has been reduced from the leading 65 players and ties to the leading 50 and ties after Saturday's second round. 
This is to help the organisers get a smaller field round twice in one day, i.e. Sunday.
At the moment, before the start of the second round, there are 54 players with scores of 74 or better.
In days of yore, the simplest guide to the cut mark would be to multiple 74 by 2 and add one, giving you a projected cut figure of 149. If you know a better way of predicting the cut, let me know on Colin@scottishgolfview.com

STARS IN DANGER 

+Catriona Matthew 76 .... tied 74th.
+Carly Booth 77 .... tied 95th.
+Jodi Ewart 79 ....... tied 119th
+Gwladys Nocera 79 tied 119th
+Laura Davies 80 ......tied 125th 
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WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN? 

BY COLIN FARQUHARSON
 In 1976 at Turnberry, the Press Centre was blown down and wrecked by gale-force winds at an event that has long since disappeared from the European Tour Calendar. 
It was called the John Player Classic. 
It was so windy that week that Brian Barnes asked the Tour officials if he could use a piece of chewing gun to make sure his golf ball was not blown off the tee peg before he hit it. He was only half joking.
The Scotsman newspaper's legendary Norman Mair wrote that prayers were being said in the local Ayrshire churches "for those in peril on the tee" ... a clever play on a hymn and a painting, both entitled "For those in peril on the sea."
Why am I recalling all this? Well, as one Welsh comedian used to say, I know because I was there ... and it was during the Autumn Equinox which always brings potentially destructive winds across the British Isles. 
I would take a small bet that the John Player Classic was played during this same week 36 years ago. 
The longer one lives, the more life repeats itself.