HEATHER STIRLING WINS PAUL LAWRIE TOUR EVENT AT WINDY CRAIGIELAW

         Heather Stirling ... The most consistent player on the Paul Lawrie Ladies' Open Tour
                               Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Former Scottish women's amateur champion and past Curtis Cup player, Heather Stirling scored her second win on the Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour in very windy weather at Craigielaw links, East Lothian today.
Despite gusts of over 30mph, 10 of the field managed to break 80, which represents good scoring and supports the view that the Paul Lawrie Tour, in its augural season, has played its part in raising the standard of the professionals who have supported it.
Heather, based at Dairsie, Fife to be close to St Andrews where she is a professional caddie, won the £725 top prize with a one-over-par round of 72. 
She won the tour event at The Duke's at the end of August and has been the most consistent player on the circuit, which is the reason why she is leading the Order of Merit going into the Tour championship, over 36 holes at Marriott Dalmahoy on Thursday and Friday.
Stirling bogeyed the fourth but birdied three of the first five holes - the first, second and fifth - which was a morale-boosting start in such tough conditions. 
Out in two-under-33, she dropped shots at the 10th, 13th, 15th and 17th into the teeth of the wind but she did add one more birdie, at the 16th, which, in the final analysis, was her tournament-winning hole.
Stirling won by a single stroke from another past Curtis Cup player and record-breaking Scottish girls champion, Vikki Laing from Musselburgh. Vikki earned £400 for a 73 in which she had a dream start of eagle 2 at the first and a birdie 4 at the long second. 
Then the wind blew her to bogeys at the third, sixth, eighth, 12th, 14th and 15th before she birdied the short 17th for halves of 35 and 38.
Kelsey MacDonald finished third on 74 and won £300.

SCOREBOARD
Par 71
72 Heather Stirling (Dairsie) £725.
73 Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) £400
74 Kelsey MacDonald (Robert Rock Academy) £300.
75 Jane Turner (Craigielaw) £200.
77 Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie GC), Heather MacRae (Gleneagles), Michele Thomson (Ellon) £93 each; Charlotte Austwick (Fulford) (am) £93 voucher.
78 Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie)
79 Emma Fairnie (Gullane)
81 Martine Pow (Selkirk), Lisa Shervill (2doSport).
83 Pamela Feggans (Doon Valley), Abbey Gittings (Walmley).
87 Gemma Webster (Elie SC), Daisy Dyer (Chigwell), Eileen Cooper (Newmachar) (am).
89 Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) (am)
94 Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie).

WINNERS ON THE 2013 PAUL LAWRIE
SCOTTISH LADIES OPEN TOUR

1 Marriott Dalmahoy   CHRISJE DE VRIES
2 Ratho Park              LAURA MURRAY

3 Trump International  KATY McNICOLL

4 Deeside                   KATY McNICOLL

5 Downfield                KATY McNICOLL

6 Carnoustie Burnside PAMELA PRETSWELL
  Triple tie for first      PAMELA FEGGANS
                                 HOLLY CLYBURN

7 Blairgowrie Rosemount   PAMELA  PRETSWELL
   Two-way tie for first       VIKKI LAING

8 Alyth                            SALLY WATSON
   Two-way tie for first     DAISY DYER

9 Fairmont St Andrews KIRAN MATHARU
10 The Duke's            HEATHER STIRLING

11 Haggs Castle         CHARLOTTE AUSTWICK
                                 (amateur)

12 Drumpellier           BETH ALLEN
13 Craigielaw             HEATHER STIRLING
14 Marriott Dalmahoy
    Tour Championship