NEWCASTLE'S ANNA SCOTT IN THE MOROCCO MIX AFTER TWO ROUNDS

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

By BETHAN CUTLER, LET Media Manager

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO: Norwegian Caroline Martens and Tessa Teachman of the United States fired matching rounds of 71 on the Samanah and Al Maaden golf courses in Marrakech respectively to share the lead at six-under-par after the second round at the Ladies European Tour’s Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Qualifying

The pair ended the second round a stroke ahead of Newcastle’s Anna Scott (pictured above) and Italian Sophie Sandolo in the five-round examination, with first round leader Rebecca Sorensen of Sweden and Austrian amateur Nina Muehl a stroke behind on four-under-par.

After four rounds, there will be a cut to the leading 60 players and those tied. After 90 holes, the top 30 and those tied will earn a full card in category 8a.

Playing in warm and sunny conditions with a slight breeze, Martens was the outright leader on eight-under-par after 33 holes, but bogeyed holes 16 and 17.

The 26-year-old from Oslo said: “I’ve been playing well so I’m very happy with where I’m standing at the moment. I played very steady, hitting it close to the pin, making good putts and then I was three-under for a while but had two bogeys coming in: one three-putt which was just a very difficult putt and I didn’t make the second one and then on 17, just hit it a little left of the pin and didn’t get up and down; then a par on 18.”

Martens has played in 13 tournaments on the LET Access Series in 2013, with a career best tie for second at the Kristianstad Ahus Ladies Open, but she dislocated both shoulders which set her back through the latter part of the season, meaning she finished eighth on the LETAS order of merit, just outside the top five that earn a full card for the LET.

“I worked really hard on getting back with the people at the Olympic Centre in Norway and I finished off the season well,” she continued.

Scott, a two-year member of the LET, has also overcome injury and said: “I only played two events in 2012 because of my back and this is the first time I’ve really been able to play. When I hurt my back I didn’t know if I would be able to play again.”

Scott played in two LETAS events late this season and led after round one of the Pre-Qualifier A in Rabat. “I was so nervous because I didn’t know how I would react to this but I’m playing better than I did before I had my back problems,” said the 27-year-old from Newcastle who played for four years on the American women's college circuit.

“I’ve got a new coach and he’s helped with my back so it’s nice to see that the stuff I’m doing is working because I haven’t played for so long.”

Sorensen followed up her opening 66 on the Al Maaden course with a 74 at Samanah Golf Club and said: “The main difference is the greens. They are way tougher here, lots of undulations and little humps that you can’t see, so I had three three-putts today and shot two-over, so other than that, my game is still good. I hit it straight and well but my putting was a little short today.”

Another player who found Samanah’s greens trickier was 26-year-old Muehl, who has recently completed an MBA at East Tennessee University.

She said: “Yesterday I was hitting it really close so it was short birdie putts and no mistakes putting wise. Today I had longer irons into the greens and longer putts too, but it was okay.”

KELSEY MacDONALD, HEATHER STIRLINGSHOOT 68s TO BOOST CARD PROSPECTS 

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Kelsey MacDonald, pictured below, and Heather Stirling both shot four-under-par 68 - two of the best scores of Day 2 of the five-round Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School at Marrakech, Morocco today (Sunday).

The field will be cut to the leading 60 and ties after 72 holes and MacDonald (joint seventh), Stirling and Heather MacRae (sharing 15th place), Sally Watson (tied 20th) and Pamela Feggans (joint 44th) are well within the qualifying zone.
But Gemma Webster (tied for 67th) and Michele Thomson (joint 78th) need good scores over the third and fourth rounds to keep alive their hopes of playing on the Ladies European Tour next year.
MacDonald had five birdies over the Al Maaden course in her 68 which included only one bogey, at the long 13th. The Nairn player, on three-under-141, is only three shots behind joint leaders Caroline Martens (Norway) and Tessa Teachman (United States).
Professional caddie Heather Stirling, who won the Paul Lawrie Ladies Tour Order of Merit prize of free flights and accommodation in Morocco, improved by seven shots from her Saturday 75 with birdies at the second, seventh, eighth, 15th and 17th. Her only bogey
came at the very last hole on the Al Maaden course and she is on 143
MacRae slipped back from a six-birdie 69 on Saturday to a one-birdie 74 at the Samanah course, also for 143.
The Gleneagles staff pro from Dunblane said:
"I didn’t have a great start on the back nine which is the toughest nine I think of the two courses. The back nine was better, a bit more solid and I came back in one under. It was a bit windier today, but I wasn’t feeling great at the start of the day.
"I’m just trying to play each day like a new day. I’ve put myself in some good positions the last few weeks and managed to make a mess so I’m starting each new day afresh and seeing where that leaves me at the end of it."
Elie-based, Edinburgh-born Watson had a very steady 71 for levbel par 144. She had two birdies (15-16), one bogey (ninth) and the rest were pars.
Ayrshire's Feggans had a 75, with five bogeys in an outward half of 40 at Samanah, but on 147, the Doone Valley player is optimistic. She said:
"I struggled a bit off the tee but managed to keep it together. It’s a marathon so I’m taking it one day at a time. I was four over for the front nine and one under for the back nine. I love the Samanah Course, it’s tricky and a lot longer than Al Maaden.
Webster improved from 77 to 73 at Samanah but needs to keep it up over the next two rounds. She had four birdies but more than cancelled them out with five bogeys.
A pair of 76s have left Thomson with a mountain to climb but she hit her best form at the Q School Stage 1 at Rabat over the third and fourth rounds so she knows she can do it. She had no birdies at Al Maaden today (Sunday) and has had only one over the 36 holes.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Marrakech, Morocco.
Al Maaden and Samanan Courses
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
138 Caroline Martens (Nor) 67 71, Tessa Teachman (US) 67 71
139 Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 68 71, Anna Scott (Eng) 69 70
140 Rebecca Sorensen (Swe) 66 74, Nina Muehl (Aut) (am) 67 73

SCOTS' SCORES
141 Kelsey MacDonald 73 68 (T7)
143 Heather Stirling 75 68, Heather MacRae 69 74 (T15)
144 Sally Watson 73 71 (T20)
147 Pamela Feggans 72 75 (T44)
150 Gemma Webster 77 73 (T67)
152 Michele Thomson 76 76 (T78)

 COMPLETE ROUND TWO SCOREBOARD
 Par 144 (2x72)
T1 Tessa Teachman (USA) 67 71 138
Caroline Martens (NOR)  67 71 138
 
T3 Anna Scott (ENG)  69 70 139
Sophie Sandolo  (ITA)  68 71 139
 
T5 Nina Muehl (Am) (AUT)  67 73 140
Rebecca Sorensen (SWE)  66 74 140
 
T7 Karolin Lampert (Am) (GER)  73 68 141
Kelsey Macdonald (SCO)  73 68 141
Jessica Ji (SKOR)  72 69 141
Elina Nummenpaa (FIN)  71 70 141
Anjelika Hammar (SWE) 71 70 141
Julie Tvede (DEN)  68 73 141
 
T13 Isabell Gabsa (GER) 74 68 142
Lucy Williams  (ENG)  71 71 142
 
T15 Heather Stirling (SCO)  75 68 143
Christine Wolf  (AUSTRIA)  74 69 143
Virginia Espejo (SPAIN)  70 73 143
Isabella Ramsay (SWE) 70 73 143
Heather MacRae (SCO) 69 74 143
 
T20 Maria Salinas (PERU)  77 67 144
Charlotte Thompson (ENG) 74 70 144
Krista Bakker (Am) (FINLAND) 74 70 144
Sally Watson (SCO) 73 71 144
Henni Zuel (ENG) 73 71 144
Anais Maggetti (SWITZERLAND) 73 71 144
Ariane Provot (FRA) 72 72 144
Stefania Avanzo (Am) (ITA) 71 73 144
Cathryn Bristow  (NEW ZEALAND) 70 74 144
 
29 Carmen Alonso +A (ESP) 1 74 71 145
Nobuhle Dlamini +A (SWZ) 1 73 72 145
Steffi Kirchmayr +B (GER) 1 72 73 145
Julia Davidsson +B (SWE) 1 72 73 145
Josephine Janson +A (SWE) 1 70 75 145
Hannah Ralph +B (ENG) 1 69 76 145
 
35 Maggie Yuan +A (AUS) 2 77 69 146
Lucie Hinnerova +A (CZE) 2 77 69 146
Melanie Maetzler +A (SUI) 2 76 70 146
Mia Piccio +A (PHL) 2 75 71 146
Bonita Bredenhann +A (NAM) 2 74 72 146
Ana Larraneta +B (ESP) 2 72 74 146
Fiona Puyo +A (FRA) 2 71 75 146
Maria Beautell +A (ESP) 2 71 75 146
Kim Williams +B (RSA) 2 70 76 146
 
44 Jacqueline Hedwall +B (SWE) 3 77 70 147
Viva Schlasberg +A (SWE) 3 76 71 147
Lucie Andre +A (FRA) 3 74 73 147
Pamela Feggans +B (SCO) 3 72 75 147
Smriti Mehra +B (IND) 3 72 75 147
Lauren Taylor +B (ENG) 3 72 75 147
Anaelle Carnet (Am) +A (FRA) 3 72 75 147
Laura Jansone +B (LVA) 3 71 76 147
Amy Boulden +B (WAL) 3 71 76 147
Nicole Garcia (Am) +B (RSA) 3 71 76 147
Maha Haddioui +B (MAR) 3 68 79 147
 
55 Linda Henriksson +A (FIN) 4 77 71 148
Ainil Bakar +A (MYS) 4 77 71 148
Phillis Meti +A (NZL) 4 77 71 148
Melodie Bourdy +A (FRA) 4 75 73 148
Isabelle Boineau +A (FRA) 4 74 74 148
Laurence Herman +B (BEL) 4 73 75 148
Leigh Whittaker +B (GER) 4 72 76 148
Galina Rotmistrova +B (RUS) 4 71 77 148
Victoria Lovelady +B (BRA) 4 71 77 148
Nina Holleder +B (GER) 4 70 78 148
 
65 Emma Tayler +A (ENG) 5 78 71 149
Adriana Brent +B (AUS) 5 72 77 149
 
67 Emma Westin +A (SWE) 6 80 70 150
Gemma Webster +B (SCO) 6 77 73 150
Anna Kindgren (Am) +A (COL) 6 77 73 150
Lina Boqvist +B (SWE) 6 75 75 150
Elisabetta Bertini +B (ITA) 6 75 75 150
Ashley Ona +B (AUS) 6 72 78 150
Emily Perry +B (NZL) 6 72 78 150
 
74 Therese Larsson +A (SWE) 7 79 72 151
Lisa Shervill +A (ENG) 7 78 73 151
Matia Maffiuletti +B (ITA) 7 76 75 151
Benedikte Grotvedt +A (NOR) 7 76 75 151
 
78 Anna Svenstrup +A (SWE) 8 81 71 152
Josefine Sundh +B (SWE) 8 80 72 152
Nina Pegova (Am) +A (RUS) 8 78 74 152
Michelle Thomson +A (SCO) 8 76 76 152
 
82 Amber Ratcliffe (Am) +B (ENG) 9 72 81 153
 
83 Kiran Matharu +A (ENG) 10 76 78 154
Charlotte Ellis +B (ENG) 10 74 80 154
Rebecca Green +B (AUS) 10 73 81 154
 
86 Chrisje De Vries +A (NED) 11 81 74 155
Julie Maisongrosse +A (FRA) 11 78 77 155
 
88 Marion Duvernay (Am) +B (FRA) 12 79 77 156
Rachel Goodall +A (ENG) 12 78 78 156
Valdis Jonsdottir +B (ISL) 12 74 82 156
 
91 Caroline Rominger +A (SUI) 13 81 76 157
 
92 Charlotte Wild +A (ENG) 14 80 78 158
Antonella Cvitan +A (SWE) 14 78 80 158
Astrid Vayson De Pradenne +A (FRA) 14 77 81 158
 
95 Tara Delaney +B (IRL) 20 78 86 164