JACLYN SWEENEY WINS OPENING EVENT ON SYMETRA TOUR

 NEWS RELEASE
MESA, Arizona (AP) - Former Arizona State University student Jaclyn Sweeney won the Symetra Tour's season-opening VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic on Sunday, closing with 5-under 67 in windy conditions for a two-stroke victory.
Sweeney, from Bradenton, Florida, finished at 7-under 209 at Longbow Golf Club. She earned $15,000 and received a spot in the LPGA Founders Cup on March 14-17 at Wildfire in Phoenix.
"It's really exciting, but I didn't allow myself to think about it," Sweeney said about the exemption into the LPGA Tour event.
"I just kept thinking that Longbow is where the Monday qualifier is going to be, so if I can score well on this golf course, I can get into the tournament. Little did I know that I would play well and get in and not have to qualify. It means a lot."
She birdied three of the last four holes, including the par-5 18th.
"It was a great feeling," said Sweeney, also the winner last year in Albany, New York State.
"I wasn't as nervous as I was in Albany because I hit such a good shot in to the 18th hole and I played really smart today. I have played so much golf in the wind in Florida and, it was really windy today, so I think that helped."
Canada's Alena Sharp, a regular on the LPGA Tour, shot a 71 to finish second.
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SEAN LAWRIE JOINT SECOND IN USA ON SATURDAY

Sean Lawrie, nephew of Paul Lawrie and a student at Midland College, Texas, finished joint second in the New Mexico Military Institute Invitational college golf tournament at Roswell on Saturday.Lawrie, a member of Portlethen Golf Club, scored 69 and 68 for a total of seven-under-par 137 over a par-72, 6,765yd course.He tied for second place with Dan Young (Western New Mexico) from Cheshire. Young scored 71-66.
Further down the field, two English freshmen students at Western New Mexico, Ben Skinner and Tom Never finished on 141 and 146 respectively.
Skinner shot 68-73 for a share of nine place while Never had scores of 72-74 for 14th place in a field of 29. Winner by five shots was one of Lawrie's Midland team-mates, Russell Lara, with scores of 67-65 for 12-under 132.Midland won the team title ahead of New Mexico College and New Mexico Military Institute.

HANNAH BURKE CHASES HOME VICTORIAN OPEN WINNER KEATING

       STACEY KEATING with her latest trophy. Image from the Ladies European Tour website


FROM THE AGE.COM.AU WEBSITE
IT COULD not have meant more to Stacey Keating. She has won twice on the European Tour, but never claimed any of the big events in Australia.
Today, she finally gained the victory salute. Fittingly, she did it in the Victorian Open, played at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links at Barwon Heads - about an hour from her home town of Cressy, where she honed her game on the makeshift course constructed on her family's farm.
For Keating, 26, it was worth the wait.
''I just thought I would put too much expectations on myself. And that was something I was trying to keep down,'' she said of winning in front of friends and family.
''But then when you look around and see so many people you know and so many people you want to talk to - I tried my hardest to avoid that. It just means everything this win, it's just the best.''
There could hardly have been a more popular winner.
As she triumphantly raised her arms in the air after rolling in her final putt to finish 18 under 278 and secure a two-shot win from England's Hannah Burke, pictured right (66-280) and Kristie Smith (68-280), she was drenched in champagne and mobbed by well-wishers.
On a day that attracted strong crowds, the biggest gallery was following the leaders of the women's tournament rather than the men, and the Queen of Cressy was the star attraction and sentimental favourite.
Keating estimated ''about 98 per cent'' of Cressy's total population was walking the fairways with her.
''It was awesome. I can't believe how many people were here. I am very lucky,'' she said.
On the par-three 12th hole, Keating's drive hit a female spectator and then bounced within six feet of the hole to set up a birdie.
Keating wondered whether her grandmother had picked up the ball and rolled it back on the green.
''When things like that happen, you just know it's your day,'' she conceded.
While more of the crowd was with the women, there was plenty of excitement and unpredictability following the men's groups.
In a roller-coaster final round, there was never more than one shot between a clutch of players who threatened to take out the title, but it was a five-under-par 67 that clinched it for Matthew Giles.
The NSW professional simply showed more nerve than the rest down the stretch, coming up with two birdies in the final four holes to finish at 13 under - one shot ahead of Ryan Lynch and amateur Nathan Holman.

LEADING WOMEN'S VICTORIAN OPEN 
FINAL TOTALS
Par 296 (4x74)
Players from Australia unless stated
278 Stacey Keating 71 68 68 71
280 Hannah Burke (England) 73 70 71 66, Kristie Smith 66 74 72 68
281 Nikki Campbell 70 72 71 68.

SELECTED TOTALS
283 Laura Davies (England) 67 75 71 70 (T7)
293 Felicity Johnson (England) 76 76 73 68 (T31)
294 Sophie Walker (England) 77 71 77 69 (T33).
300 Holly Aitchison (England) 77 75 73 75 (48th).     

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THAI TEENAGER BLOWS HOME WIN WITH TRIPLE BOGEY AT LAST HOLE

      INBEE PARK, gifted first place by leader's last-hole collapse

CHONBURI, Thailand (AP) -Inbee Park of South Korea took advantage of overnight leader Ariya Jutanugarn's dramatic collapse on the last hole of the final round today to secure a one-stroke victory in the LPGA Thailand at the Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course.
Thai teenager Jutanugarn, 17, blew a two-stroke lead - after achieving a hole in one at the short 12th - over the South Korean on the final hole where she hit a triple bogey 8 before finishing with a 72 for a 277 aggregate, to hand the No. 4-ranked Park, who had finished earlier with a 67 for a 12-under 276 total, a surprise win.
Jutanugarn, who needed a putt from within two feet at the last, to force a play-off  saw her ball lip out and stop a foot away. She was moved to tears by the miss as Park, who was watching from the clubhouse, celebrated with her caddie. 
The Thai teen finished with sole possession of second place with an 11-under 277 but the memory of this last gap snatching of defeat from the jaws of victory will live with her for a long time.
Yani Tseng, winner of this title in 2011 and 2012, shot a brilliant final-round 63 for a 10-under 278 to finish joint third with Beatriz Recari (70) of Spain and So Yeon Ryu (68) of South Korea.
Catriona Matthew finished on five-under-par 283 - the same aggregate as 15-year-old NZ amateur Lydia Ko.
Catriona scored 67-69-76-71 for joint 14th place.
Lydia's rounds were 69-71-74-69.


ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY
Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 6,469

POS	NAME	SCORES	TOTAL	TO PAR	OFFICIAL MONEY
1	Inbee Park	67-71-71-67	276	-12	$225,000
2	Ariya Jutanugarn	69-66-70-72	277	-11	$140,305
T3	Yani Tseng	75-68-72-63	278	-10	$73,935
T3	So Yeon Ryu	68-68-74-68	278	-10	$73,935
T3	Stacy Lewis	63-69-76-70	278	-10	$73,935
T3	Beatriz Recari	68-68-72-70	278	-10	$73,935
7	Na Yeon Choi	73-71-67-68	279	-9	$43,401
T8	Shanshan Feng	71-72-68-69	280	-8	$36,104
T8	Lizette Salas	68-69-73-70	280	-8	$36,104
T10	I.K. Kim	70-72-72-67	281	-7	$29,958
T10	Gerina Piller	67-74-70-70	281	-7	$29,958
T12	Lexi Thompson	71-70-72-69	282	-6	$26,040
T12	Amy Yang	67-75-70-70	282	-6	$26,040
T14	Lydia Ko	69-71-74-69	283	-5	amateur
T14	Jessica Korda	73-67-74-69	283	-5	$21,739
T14	Nicole Castrale	74-68-71-70	283	-5	$21,739
T14	Jiyai Shin	70-73-70-70	283	-5	$21,739
T14	Catriona Matthew	67-69-76-71	283	-5	$21,739
T19	Danielle Kang	76-70-71-67	284	-4	$18,666
T19	Se Ri Pak	69-68-71-76	284	-4	$18,666
T21	Caroline Hedwall	69-75-72-69	285	-3	$16,746
T21	Azahara Munoz	70-73-73-69	285	-3	$16,746
T21	Suzann Pettersen	71-70-74-70	285	-3	$16,746
T21	Ai Miyazato	69-71-74-71	285	-3	$16,746
T25	Katie Futcher	74-72-72-68	286	-2	$14,672
T25	Hee-Won Han	72-72-71-71	286	-2	$14,672
T25	Angela Stanford	69-73-71-73	286	-2	$14,672
T28	Sandra Gal	71-72-76-68	287	-1	$13,059
T28	Karrie Webb	69-71-77-70	287	-1	$13,059
T28	Ayako Uehara	70-71-72-74	287	-1	$13,059
T31	Julieta Granada	72-72-75-69	288	E	$11,830
T31	Pornanong Phatlum	73-72-72-71	288	E	$11,830
T33	Chella Choi	76-72-71-70	289	+1	$10,262
T33	Karine Icher	66-77-76-70	289	+1	$10,262
T33	Mika Miyazato	69-72-76-72	289	+1	$10,262
T33	Paula Creamer	76-71-68-74	289	+1	$10,262
T33	Brittany Lincicome	73-71-71-74	289	+1	$10,262
T38	Sun Young Yoo	74-74-75-67	290	+2	$8,022
T38	Cristie Kerr	71-72-79-68	290	+2	$8,022
T38	Karin Sjodin	73-76-73-68	290	+2	$8,022
T38	Jodi Ewart Shadoff	77-70-74-69	290	+2	$8,022
T38	Hee Kyung Seo	73-76-70-71	290	+2	$8,022
T38	Eun-Hee Ji	70-72-72-76	290	+2	$8,022
T38	Mi Jung Hur	69-73-71-77	290	+2	$8,022
45	Michelle Wie	74-71-71-75	291	+3	$6,760
T46	Mina Harigae	74-76-70-72	292	+4	$6,299
T46	Stacy Prammanasudh	73-72-74-73	292	+4	$6,299
T46	Brittany Lang	70-73-73-76	292	+4	$6,299
T49	Jennifer Johnson	74-73-74-72	293	+5	$5,607
T49	Hee Young Park	75-69-75-74	293	+5	$5,607
T49	Cindy LaCrosse	72-73-71-77	293	+5	$5,607
T52	Katherine Hull-Kirk	78-72-75-70	295	+7	$4,993
T52	Haeji Kang	73-78-73-71	295	+7	$4,993
T52	Meena Lee	73-74-76-72	295	+7	$4,993
T52	Momoko Ueda	75-70-73-77	295	+7	$4,993
T56	Anna Nordqvist	76-74-76-70	296	+8	$4,455
T56	Jenny Shin	76-72-74-74	296	+8	$4,455
T56	Ilhee Lee	69-73-79-75	296	+8	$4,455
T59	Moriya Jutanugarn	71-75-80-71	297	+9	$4,071
T59	Juli Inkster	77-72-75-73	297	+9	$4,071
T61	Shinobu Moromizato	71-74-79-74	298	+10	$3,841
T61	Suppamas Sangchan	73-74-74-77	298	+10	amateur
63	Natalie Gulbis	75-73-79-73	300	+12	$3,765
T64	Vicky Hurst	79-74-75-73	301	+13	$3,649
T64	Giulia Sergas	78-70-80-73	301	+13	$3,649
66	Candie Kung	73-78-78-73	302	+14	$3,534
67	Morgan Pressel	75-75-78-76	304	+16	$3,456
T68	Cheyenne Woods	76-80-76-73	305	+17	$3,342
T68	Numa Gulyanamitta	72-76-81-76	305	+17	$3,342
70	Mamiko Higa	80-75-75-78	308	+20	$3,226

HEATHER SET TO BLOOM AGAIN ON PAUL LAWRIE LADIES PRO TOUR

Heather Stirling helps former US Tour player Brad Faxon with the line of a putt

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Former Curtis Cup Scot Heather Stirling is making a comeback as a player on the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour.
The one-time Bridge of
Allan player earned
Curtis Cup honours for GB and I in 2002, the year she won the Helen Holm Scottish stroke-play at Troon, the Scottish women's amateur championship at Stranraer and the Stirling and Clackmannan county title.
She has done more caddieing at venues such as the Old Course, St Andrews (pictured above with a satisfied customer) and Tampa, Florida than golfing in recent years but that may be about to change.
Now 36, Heather says in an E-mail:
"I think it's a great idea setting up a mini tour in Scotland for lady pros and low-handicap amateurs. Hope it all goes well! 
I am currently in Florida but will be home in April.  I am considering playing in some of the tournaments but would have to get my game in shape first!
"If there is anything I can do to help just let me know."
We have given Heather the same advice we give to everyone else: Enter now - it won't cost you anything until the tournament draws are made - and avoid disappointment if, as we expect to, receive a lot more entries nearer the tournaments.
Since then Heather has entered the first two events on the PLGC SLOT - at Marriott Dalmahoy on Thursday, April 18 and Ratho Park on Friday, April 19.
We are limited to around 30 entries at most of the venues on our inaugural schedule and that will break down to a ratio of 20 amateurs to 10 amateurs.
If the amateurs don't take up their entitlement, then more places will go to the professionals - but don't rely on it happening.
Incidentally, if you are trying to recall who was in the same 2002 GBandI Curtis Cup team as Heather Stirling at Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania, where the United States beat Pam Benka's line-up 11-7, the side was:
 Alison Coffey, Emma Duggleby, Rebecca Hudson, Sarah Jones, Vikki Laing, Fame More, Kerry Smith and  Heather Stirling.

FREE USE OF PAUL LAWRIE GOLF CENTRE FACILITIES FOR 

COMPETITORS AT DEESIDE

  
Other news from the PLGC SLOT is that Robbie Stewart, pictured, the PGA Director of Golf at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, on the south side of the River Dee, across the water from Deeside golf course, says all the competitors in the PLGC SLOT at Deeside Golf Club on Tuesday, May 7 can have free use of all the facilities - except the restaurant! - all morning until their tee times at the Bieldside course in the afternoon.

The facilities at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre include a nine-hole par-3 course, driving range and short-game practice.
There are good putting and short-game practice facilities at Deeside Golf Club but, on its driving range, the balls that are used fly only threequarters the distance of a "normal" ball, because new houses built at the far right of the range would be within range of big drives.
If you have SATNAV, the post code for the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre is: AB12 5YN.
Easiest way to drive there if you are coming up to Aberdeen from the south is to turn sharp left at the roundabout immediately before the Old Bridge of Dee. After that just keep going west and you will come to the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on your right, on the banks of the River Dee, about 2 to 3 miles from the Old Bridge of Dee.
Robbie Stewart and his staff would be delighted to see all the competitors in the North-east double-header on May 6-7 (we hope to be able to tell you the name of the Monday venue before the end of the coming week).

LPGA SYMETRA TOUR SCOREBOARD

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