SUPERMAC SHARES LEAD IN WPGA INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Kelsey MacDonald produced one of her best displays since she turned professional to share the first-round lead on four-under-par 68 in the WPGA International Challenge at Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club, Colchester.
The Nairn-born player, pictured, sparkled with six birdies - at the first, eighth, ninth, 112th, 12th and 14th. Her only bogeys came after the turn, after the 13th and short 18th.
"Supermac" as she was in her amateur days when she won the Scottish title and played for Great Britain in the Astor Trophy-winning team, shares the pole position with England's Hannah Ralph.
Shey are a shot clear of Conwy pro's daughter Amy Boulden, making her first appearance as a professional after a steller amateur career. She played in the Curtis Cup-winning GB and I team at Nairn, which Kelsey was heart-broken to miss out on.
Boulden and Spain's Mireia Prat are sharing second place on 69.
Second best Scots after MacDonald is Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) from Dunblane and Ayrshire's Pamela Feggans (Doon Valley), sharing 21st place on the 74 mark.
A second former Scottish amateur champion in the field, Ellon's Michele Thomson and Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll are joint 33rd on 75 while Alford's Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) is joint 49th on 76.
WPGA INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE
Stoke by Nayland GC, Colchester
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
68 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco), Hannah Ralph (Eng)
69 Amy Boulden (Wal), Mireia Prat (Spa)
70 Galina Rotmistrova (Rus), Monica Christiansen (Den), Raqchael Goodall (Eng) (am), Bethanh Popel (Eng) (am)
71 Amber Ratcliffe (Eng) (am), Chrisje de Vries (Net), Chloe Leurquin (Bel), Charlie Douglass (Eng).
72 Laura Sedda (Ita), Steffi Kirhcmayr (Ger0, Lucy Williams (Eng), Isabella Ramsay ()Swe)
73 CharlotteThompson (Eng), Nicole Broch Larsen (Den), Linda Henriksson (Fin)

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
74 Heather MacRae, Pamela Feggans (T21)
75 Michele Thomson, Katy McNicoll (T33)
76 Laura Murray (T49)