HEATHER'S TURKISH DELIGHT - TWO-SHOT LEAD IN FINAL MERIT EVENT

      Heather MacRae in action in Turkey today.

Dunblane's Heather MacRae took a step closer to the

Ladies European Tour today by taking the lead with a

four-under-par round of 69 in the first round of the

Mineks Ladies Classic at National Golf Club, Antalya

in southern Turkey 

The Gleneagles staff professional is currently in 

fifth place in the Order of Merit of the Ladies 

European Tour's developmental tour (LETAS).

The top five in the Order of Merit points table at 

the conclusion of this week's event will be able to

leapfrog the Qualifying School and go straight on to

the Ladies European Tour's 2014 season.

If Heather achieves what she admits has been the

dream that has kept her going over the past few 

years she will be following in the footsteps of 

Pamela Pretswell who was promoted to the LET from 

the LETAS Order of Merit. 

MacRae took advantage of the calm, sunny and warm 

conditions at the course on Turkey's Mediterranean

coastline.

Heather, with boyfriend and Tartan Tour pro Chris

Kelly as her caddie, was cruising, bogey-free, at

six under par until a bad drive at the 17th saw

her run up a double bogey 7 at this long hole.

A par at the last gave her a 69 which will see her 

start the second round with a two-shot lead over 

fellow Scot Katy McNicoll from Carnoustie and 

Denmark's Julie Tvede. 

McNicoll, one of the star performers on the Paul

Lawrie Ladies Tour's opening month or two, has not

been at her best for several months. She and Tvede

are looking for strong finishes to avoid having to 

play in the first stage of the LET Q School in 

Morocco.

Only the top 25 and ties at the end of the second 

round of the current event in Turkey will qualify

for the final 18 holes. 

Former Curtis Cup player Sally Watson from Edinburgh

looks safe enough after a 75 for a share of 15th

place but Pamela Feggans from Ayrshire and Nairn's 

Kelsey MacDonald are under pressure to beat the cut. 

Feggans had two double bogeys in returning a 78 for

a share of 29th place while MacDonald dropped six

shots over the last six holes in scoring a 79 for 

joint 32nd place in a field of 50.

MINEKS LADIES CLASSIC
National Golf Club, Antalya, Turkey
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 73
69 Heather MacRae (Sco).
71 Katy McNicoll (Sco), Julie Tvede (Den)
72 Elisabetha Bertini (Ita), Louise Larsson (Swe), Caroline Martens (Ned)
73 Lauren Taylor (Eng), Jacqueline Hedwall (Swe).

SELECTED OTHER  SCORES
74 Gabriella Cowley (Eng) (am), Kym Larratt (Eng), Mireia Prat (Spa) (T9).
75 Sally Watson (Sco), Amy Boulden (Wal) (T15)
76 Lucy Williams (Eng) (T20)
78 Pamela Feggans (Sco), Charlotte Wild (Eng) (T29)
79 Kelsey MacDonald (Sco), Suzanne Dickens (Eng) (T32).

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