EILIDH WATSON WINS NORTH OF SCOTLAND GIRLS TITLE

Leading prizewinners in the North of Scotland girls' championship at Deeside GC today. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Dollar-based Eilidh Watson, 17-year-old two-handicapper at Muckart Golf Club, won the North of Scotland Under-18 girls' championship for the first time today in warm but windy conditions at Deeside Golf Club.
She shot a three-over-par 75 to win the title by three shots from Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne), recent winner of the Scottish Under-14 girls championship at Fortrose and Rosemarkie.
Home course player Lauren Watson was third with a 79.

"I knew the course from playing here in the North of Scotland's women's championship earlier in th summer so that was a big help, especially in such windy conditions," said Eilidh who won a St Andrews Under-23s open tournament a couple of weeks ago.
The North of Scotland girls' championship victory, believed to be the first by a Perth and Kinross county player, was Eilidh's best performance since she reached the semi-finals of the Scottish women's amateur championship in 2012 when she was 16.
It must have been written in the wind that Eilidh was going to win this tournament because she had been discussing with Laura Walker, clubmate and recent Scottish girls international team captain, what clubs she used and what would she need for the American college circuit in 2014-2015.
"Laura said that a new wedge was a must because of the type of approach shots needed for American courses. So I come up to the North of Scotland girls championship, and win the first prize which is .... A NEW WEDGE ... just what I wanted!" said a delighted Eilidh
In the swirling winds at Deeside, Eilidh Watson, pictured above with the salver, was able to birdie only the long seventh but she had fewer bogeys than her fellow competitors, dropping shots only at the third, fourth, eighth and 12th in halves of 39 (two over) and 36 (one over).
Parring the last six holes cemented her position in te lead of a field of 21 players
Eildih has yet to sign a Letter of Intent but she will enrol at Stetson University, near Orlando in Florida next August.
Runner-up Shannon McWilliam had halves of 40 and 38  while third-placed Lauren White was out in 38 and back in 41.
Madison Strachan from Cullen won the Jean Law Salver for the best net return -  a 73 off 14.

NORTH OF SCOTLAND GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
Deeside Golf Club
LEADING SCRATCH SCORES
Par 72
75 E WatsonC (Muckhart)
78 S McWilliam (Aboyne)
79 L Watson (Deeside)
80 M Stewart (Murcar Links), K Beveridge (Aboyne)
83 K Pryde (Deeside), C Robertson (Carnoustie Ladies).
85 J Saxton (Kinross).
87 M Strachan (Cullen).
88 K Brodie (Strathmore)107
89 C Taylor (Elgin)
90 S Black (Deeside)
92 R Thom (Alyth)
93 J Mackintosh (Hazlehead), F Sutherland (Deeside).
99 C Griffiths (Aboyne).
100 K Taylor (Crieff)
102 E Booker-Milburn (Nairn)
107 M Thom (Alyth), R Calder (Kinross)
125 L George (Aberdeen Ladies).
LEADING HANDICAP
73 M Strachan (Cullen) (14)
74 K Pryde (Deeside) (9) better inward half, M Stewart (Murcar Links) (6)
Category 0-5 handicaps - K Beveridge (Aboyne) (2) 78.
Category 6-14: S Black (Deeside) (10) 80.
Cagegory 15-32: C Griffiths (Aboyne) (23) 76.

  Third, first and second in the North of Scotland girls championship - (left to right): Lauren Watson, no relation to Eilidh Watson (centre) and Shannon McWilliam. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency