British girls championship qualifying to produce 64 players for match-play
Hazel MacGarvie shoots the round of her life -
a nine-under-par 64 to lead at West Kilbride
COLIN FARQUHARSON REPORTS FROM WEST KILBRIDE
Some players are into their 20s or 30s before they produce the golfing round of their lives. Some get there a good deal earlier than that.
Over a longer and more difficult links course than the West Kilbride Golf lady members play - a Ladies Golf Union composite course of 6134yd with a par of 73 (36-37), Hazel claimed the record with the following figures, which included only 27 putts (14-13):
OUT: 4 4 3 3 4 3 6 3 3 -33 (3 under par)
IN: 4 3 2 4 3 3 4 4 4 - 31 (6 under par)
"I've never played as well as that before," said Hazel. "I had five birdies in a row and I did begin to feel a bit nervous. But the birdies kept coming.
"It was just my day. I even holed a bunker shot at the 14th with the ball spinning back a good 6ft and running into the hole.
"It was an eagle 3 that got me going. I hit a five-wood second at the 531yd third hole, hit the green and holed the putt from about six feet. Even a bogey - the only one on my card - at the par-5 seventh did not change my luck. I had a bad lie in the rough there, took four to get on this par-5 hole."
Playing in a British championship in her native Ayrshire gave Hazel an advantage not to be missed.
"I think I've played West Kilbride about 10 times in my life - and not in all kinds of weather. Certainly never played off the back tees that the LGU are using for this championship."
Some 42 representatives from the golf programmes of US colleges watched the first day's play - including Anne Walker originally from Strathaven, the director of women's golf at Stanford University, California, and Hazel MacGarvie's performance was the talk of the group.
"I watched Hazel stringing together five birdies. She was in brilliant form," said Anne. "She won't be 16 until October so it is a bit premature to be talking about a an American golf scholarship but she is definietely a name to note."
Actually, Hazel says she is not sure if she wants to go to a US college.
"I've not really thought it all through but maybe Stirling University would suit me best. They do a lot for their golfing students. But I've got plenty of time to think about it."
On a typical Scottish summer's day of occasional heavy showers, flashes of lighting over on Arran and sunshine, Hazel posted her score early in the afteroon to lead by two strokes from another 15-year-old, Frida Kinhult from Sweden, brother of Marcus Kinhult, winner of the Lytham Trophy who has made a show in one or two European events even though he is still an amateur.
"Marcus helps me a lot," said Frida who had eight birdies, including a strong finish at the 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th, having notched gains earlier at the third, fifth and ninth - definitely another name for the US college talent spotters' note books."
MacGarvie and Kinhult will realise that golf can be a fickle game. Defending champion from Spain, Alejandra Pasarin, is in danger of not qualifying for the match-play stages this year after returning a 10-over-par 83 which included atriple bogey 7 at the last where she took two shots in a bunker.
Odd note from the first day of the championship: a South African player had to improvise on the greens with another straight-faced club after taking her putter - for some unknown reason - to a public toilet out on the course during her round. Shortly afterwards, she realised she had left the putter in the toilet, went back ... but the putter had disappeared!
Perhaps somebody was flushed with success?
Hazel MacGarvie after returning her scorecard at the LGU HQ at West Kilbride. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency
To view all the first-round scores, tee times for Tuesday on the LGU website
CLICK HERE
Labels: Girls
posted by Colin |
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