USA college girls meet in final of Scottish


championship at Monifieth Links

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Two United States college students, Rachel Walker (Dumfries and County), pictured right, and Clara Young (North Berwick) will meet in Saturday's 18-hole final of the 101st Scottish women's amateur golf championship at Monifieth Links. Tee off time: 8.30am.
Rachel, a second-year student at Old Dominion University, Virginia knocked out top seed Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose) by 3 and 2 in the morning quarter-finals, following that up with a 6 and 4 win against the 1998 champion, 47-year-old Elaine Moffat (St Regulus).
Walker, who celebrated her 21st birthday earlier this month, will start favourite to win the title for the first time - she was a quarter-finalist last year -  on the strength of a brilliant performance in the semi final after anther good set of favourites in claiming the scalp of the No 1 qualifier.
Rachel hit Elaine Moffat with six birdies in the first 10 holes, despite the windy conditions, and was five up at the turn.
Walker, the No 8 qualifier for the match-play stages and winner of the Dumfriesshire county title last Sunday, went on to win by 6 and 4 and was five under par at the finish against the hapless Moffat, the fourth seed, who looked as though she was enjoying herself despite the birdie blitz from her opponent.
Rachel is not convinced that two years playing on the US women's college circuit has made her a better player.
"I do struggle to score in some of the competitions over there," she said.
So, the jury's still out on that.
"What I do know is that I hit the ball a lot further than I did before I went to America but that could be because I am older and stronger," said Walker.

Clara Young, pictured, who has just completed her freshman year at the University of Missouri, thinks being away from home has given her a sense of independence and self-reliance she would not have had if she had stayed in Scotland. And self-confidence can be an extra club in the bag.
Young, who is still only 18 despite all she has achieved already in golf on this side of the Atlantic - youngest ever East Lothian women's county champion at 15, Junior Vagliano Trophy player at 16, etc, , ended the run of No 2 seed Jacqueline Sneddon (Alyth) by 4 and 3 in the morning and then beat 19 year Aboyne player, Kimberley Beveridge by 2 and 1 in the semi finals.
There were no regrets or excuses from Jacqueline. 
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my week and I was beaten by an in-form player in the quarter-finals," said Sneddon.
Clara Young, who believes she is a better player than when she lost at Longniddry in the 2013 final, looked to have taken a stranglehold on the outcome by turning with a three-hole lead but Kimberley, with clubmate Shannon McWilliam on her bag, started to play well over the final holes, boosted by winning a hole for the first time at the 12th.
Beveridge won another, thanks to a birdie, at the 12th to be one down with three to play. But after a half at the 16th, Kimberley three-putted the 17th to bow out of the championship, beaten 2 and 1.

 
The Clark Rosebowl match-play event, the No 2 competition this week, was won by Carol Wilson (Murcar Links) who came back from one down with four to play to beat US college student and former Scottish U18 girls champion Lesley Atkins (Gullane) by one hole.
Wilson, who lost a play-off on Wednesday evening for the last place in the scratch championship, won the 16th and 17th to turn the tables on Atkins, a student at the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Lesley is on left with ~Carol on right in above picture before the Clark Rosebowl final.
+All pictures by Cal Carson Golf Agency. If players, friends and relations wish any pictures taken by CCAA during the championship, they should Email Colin@scottishgolfview.com