LAURA MURRAY WINS HER FIRST MONEY AS A ROOKIE PRO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Rookie pro Laura Murray has won her first prize money since she quit the amateur ranks a couple of weeks ago.
Last year's Scottish women's amateur champion from Alford,
now playing out of the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, shot an
excellent three-under-par 66 to tie with Royal Aberdeen amateur
Jim Emslie in today's North-east Alliance played in comparatively warm sunshine and under bright blue skies at Craibstone Golf Club, Aberdeen.
"It's a long time since I scored in the 60s so to do it so soon after turning professional, gives my confidence a big boost," said Laura who will play on the Ladies European Tour's developmenatal circuit, LETAS and the new Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour in her rookie season.
"I holed a lot of putts out there - seven birdies, including three in a row from the 15th, but I also had a double bogey 6 after landing in a bush at the 13th. I still could have won outright but for being long with my No 9 iron approach at the last and ending up in a bunker, which cost me a bogey 5."
Murray's other birdies came at the second, fifth, ninth and 10th in halves of 32 (three under) and 34 (level par).
She was four under par when marking up her first bogey at the 12th followed by the double at the next.
Jim Emslie plays off two of a handicap at Royal Aberdeen and he had a much steadier 66 than Laura - birdies at the first, fourth, 11th and 16th with only one bogey, at the fourth, in halves of 34-32.
At the head of a field of 70 players, Laura will receive roughly £90 in cash and Jim the equivalent in a prize voucher.
They finished a shot ahead of Sam Kiloh (Portlethen), just recently turned 18 years of age and winner of the North-east District boys' stroke-play title last year.
Kiloh parred the first nine holes and then birdied the 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th with offsetting bogeys at the 10th and 14th in an inward 32.
Kiloh has the US college golf scouts on his trail - and no wonder. He is a great prospect. 

SWITCH OVER TO www.scottishgolfview.com to read all the scores in the NE Alliance at sunny Craibstone GC today.