Local knowledge helps Laura lead by three

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Laura Murray is on course to win the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Ladies Open title for the second year in a row at Murcar Links.
The Paul Lawrie GC player from Alford, pictured, playing in the final group of the day, posted a three-over-par 74 to take a three-shot lead into the final round on Friday.
Kelsey MacDonald (Carrick on Loch Lomond), American Beth Allen (Falkirk) and Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) had been the long-time joint leaders on 77 on a day when one player had a 10 at the long fourth and there were triple bogeys galore.
Murray made the most of her local knowledge and the fact that the wind dropped when her group were playing the last few holes.
"I've played this course so many times I could probably get round blindfold. I know the places I should be in from tee and, just as important, I know the places that don't want to end up," said Laura who missed the cut on her LET debut in Morocco last week.
"I holed out well and that helped, nothing very long but the 18th was a good example - I sank a four or five-footer for a 3, my only birdie of the day."
But Murray is certainly not counting her chickens as far as the £2,250 first prize is concerned.
"There are a lot of good players in this field and three strokes is not an unassailable lead over a course like this."
Pre-tournament favourite Trish Johnson, the former Solheim Cup player, and a winner last year at Kingsbarns on her only other appearance on the Ladies' Tartan Tour, had a 78.

"I thought the course was playing very long because the fairways are soft and there is little or no run. That's not a criticism of the course. I think it is a cracking lay-out and I would love to play Murcar Links in the summer when it would play like a links," said Trish (pictured right).
Former Curtis Cup player - one of several in the field - Michele Thomson from Ellon was another who thought the course was "too long" for the lady pros, given the adverse conditions.
But that was another advantage for clear-cut leader Murray. She is arguably the longest hitter in the field and and reduced run on her drives was not a problem for Laura.

SCROLL DOWN PAST THE SCORES FOR
 FRIDAY'S TEE TIMES

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71 (36-35)

74 Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie GC) 39-35
77 Beth Allen (Falkirk) 38-39, Sarah Attwood (Gog Magog) 39-38, Kelsey MacDonald (Carrick on Loch Lomond) 41-36
78 Heather MacRae (Gleneagles) 40-38, Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall) 37-41, Trish Johnson (Wiltshire) 40-38, Michele Thomson (unatt) 42-36, Gabriella Cowley (Hanbury Manor) 44-34, Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) 38-40
79 Maria Tulley (Eastbourne Downs) 42-37, Chloe Rogers (Celtic Manor) 40-39
81 Keely Chiericato (Manston) 39-42, Becky Brewerton (Wiltshire) 46-35, Lucy Goddard (Hanbury Manor) 40-41
83 Lisa Shervill (The Shropshire) 43-40
84 Nicola Ferguson (American Golf) 44-40, Jane Turner (West Linton) 46-38, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 42-42, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) 43-41
85 Tracey Boyes (Corhampton) 44-41, Rachel Drummond (Buckinghamshire) 45-40, Emilee Taylor (Holmhall) 42-43
87 Jorden Ferrie (Hilton Park) 43-44.
88 Kirstin Scott (Gleneagles) 46-42, Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose) (am) 47-41
96 Fiona Wait (Bathgate) (am) 48-48
No return - Gemma Webster (Succession Group)

FINAL ROUND (Friday) tee times
09.00 Wait, Paton, Scott
09.10 Ferrie, Taylor, Drummond.
09.20 Boyes, Wilcox, McKechin
09.30 Turner, Ferguson, Shervill.
09.40 Goddard, Brewerton, Chiericato
09.50 Rogers, Tulley, Dimmock 
10.00 Cowley, Thomson, Johnson
10.10 MacRae, Matharu, MacDonald
10.20 Attwood, Allen, Murray.