SALLY WATSON'S THIRD US GOLF WIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON  Colin@scottishgolfview.com Edinburgh-born Sally Watson has chalked up her third win on the United States women's college golf circuit. The 21-year-old Elie and Earlsferry GC member, now in the last couple of months of her four-year degree course at California's Stanford University - Tiger Woods' alma mater - has won the Sonoma State Spring Invitational by EIGHT strokes from a field of 63 players at Foxtail Golf Club, Rohnert Park in California. In a mixture of good and bad weather, Sally, originally from South Queensferry, carded a four-over-par aggregate of 220 (77-70-73)' Bedfordshire's Megan Birdseye, pictured left, a senior year student at Newman University, Wichita, finished third on 230 (72-78-80) and Newman senior team-mate, Linzi Allan from Ayrshire, a student claimed fourth place on 231 (78-76-77), Watson, a Curtis Cup player in the 2008 match against the United States over the Old Course, St Andrews, scored her previous American college circuit wins in 2010 (Peg Barnard Invitational) and 2011 (WSU Cougar Cup). A former Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play champion, Sally was the leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the British women's open amateur championship at Carnoustie last June. Talking about her Sonoma State tournament victory, Watson, who will be 22 on July 10, said:  "The big difference between the first round compared to the second and third rounds was simply the consistency of my thoughts over the ball. It was also really windy the first round which made life more difficult. "I have been working on improving my mental game under pressure. I have also been trying to play as many competitive rounds of golf as I can to prepare for the summer season." Fellow Scot Anne Walker, Director of Women's Golf at Stanford University, said: "It's always great to log a win. It doesn't matter what you are competing for, the feelings are the same coming down the stretch. Sally and I have been talking a lot about winning at every level, and she showed this week that she can do that." Phoebe Cipa (Grand Canyon University) from Upminster finished 31st with scores of 81, 81 and 88. Thanks to the fine efforts by Megan Birdseye and Linzi Allan, Newman University won the team title by 22 shots from runners-up CSU-San Marcos in a field of 10 teams. TOP INDIVIDUAL PLACINGS Par 216 (3x72) Yardage 5846 220 Sally Watson (Stanford) 77 70 73 228 Marissa Mar (Stanfield) 76 74 78 230 Megan Birdseye (Newman) 72 78 80 231 Linzi Allan (Newman) 78 7677 SELECTED SCORE 250 Phoebe Cipa (Grand Canyon) 81 81 88 Field of 63 players.