PAUL LAWRIE TOUR'S STRONGEST FIELD YET FOR THE MARCLIFFE AT PITFODEL'S DOWNFIELD CHALLENGE TOMORROW

                The Marcliffe at Pitfodels Hotel, near Aberdeen - sponsors of the event at Downfield.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

The Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Tour 18-hole event at Downfield Golf Club, Dundee tomorrow - The Marcliffe at Pitodels Hotel's Ladies Challenge - is the fifth on the fledgling circuit and the field of 34 players is the strongest gathering yet of female professionals and single-figure girl amateurs.

Holly Clyburn, one of the GB and I stars of the Curtis Cup win at The Nairn GC last year and a winner on the Ladies European Tour this season, makes her debut on the tour as do Kelsey MacDonald, Pamela Pretswell, Clare Queen, Kiran Matharu, Jane Turner and Kylie Walker.

Turner, pictured right, a Scotland amateur international, has decided to turn professional and this is her first appearance since making the decision.

Matharu is a former English women's amateur champion and past Curtis Cup player from Leeds.

The amateur entry is strong as well with Scottish champion Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) keen to gain experience of playing alongside professionals with a few to joining them next year.

St Rule Trophy winner Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), on the other hand, is a St Andrews University student who is adamant that she will be a career amateur but she is attracted to test her skills against pro opposition.

The next four events on the Paul Lawrie Tour - Downfield, Carnoustie Burnside (on Wednesday), Blairgowrie Rosemount (July 11) and Alyth (July 12) - will all have £3,000 prize funds.

The winner at Downfield will earned £800 unless she is an amateur, in which case the Rules of Amateur Status will restrict her reward to a prize voucher of maximum value £500.

Stewart Spence,  pictured left, the owner of The Marcliffe at Pitfodels Hotel, has made allowances for the amateurs not to go away empty-handed, should they be squeezed out by the professionals from the main prize list which will go down to about a 12th place finish.

There is no admission fee nor car parking charge and spectators would be made very welcome.

The action starts at 1.30pm and copies of the tee times will be available to the public.

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