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Report from Colin Farquharson

Sophie T7, Eilidh T21 in Jacksonville Classic

Sophie Madden

Essex girl Sophie Madden, a second-year student at Nova Southeastern University, Florida, finished tied seventh in a field of 75 players at the Jacksonville Classic over a par-72, 6,051yd course at Marsh Landing Country Club, Florida this week.

Sophie, pictured right, had rounds of 73, 72 and 74 for a three-over-par total of 219 - seven shots behind the winner, Jiwon Jeon (Daytona State College) (70-73-69 for four-under 212. Eilidh Watson from Dollar, a third-year student at Stetson University, finished joint 21st on 224 with improving rounds of 77, 74 and 73. Daytona State students came first and second so no surprise that their college won the team title by 16 shots (865 to 881) from runners-up Nova Southeastern with West Florida (887 third in a field of 14 teams. Stetson (905) finished seventh.

India Clyburn's T13 finish in Cougar Classic field of 108 in South Carolina 
 

India Clyburn, a former Scottish Under-21 girls' champion from Cleethorpes and a second-year student at North Carolina State, finished T13 in a big field of 108 players at the Cougar Classic at Yeaman's Hall, Charleston, South Carolina this week.

 India, pictured left, had rounds of 69, 74 and 70 for a total of 213 - eight strokes behind the winner, Kelly Whaley (North Carolina) (71-66-68 for 11-under 205).

Curtis Cup player Alice Hewson (Clemson) finished T34 on 219 with steady scores of 73, 72 and 74 for 219.

North Carolina (838) won the team title ahead of Furman (846), Wake Forest (851) and Florida State (855).

North Carolina State (88) tied for 14th place in a field of 21 teams

Dublin freshman Purcel finishes second in Jerry Pate Intercollegiate

Charlotte University's crop of freshmen recruits from Ireland and the UK did well in the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate tournament at Old Overton Golf Club, Birmingham, Alabama over 36 holes on Monday and Tuesday this week.

At a long par-70 course of 7,204yd, Conor Purcel, pictured, a freshman from Dublin, finished second, beaten by a single shot, with rounds of 65, 71 and 68 for six-under-par 204.

The only man to beat him was UNLV's John Oda who scored 67, 72 and 64 in the vital last round for 203.

Matty Lamb, a freshman from Hexham, finished T28 on 219 with scores of 71, 76 and 72.

John Gough, a freshman from Slough, tied for 41st place with improving rounds of 83, 71 and 68 for 222.

Murray Naysmith, from Edinburgh, also a freshman but recruited by the University of Alabama-Birmingham, finished T43 in a field of 60 players.    He had rounds of 77, 70 and 76 for 223.

Auburn (840) won the team title by one shot from UNLV with Baylor (847) third, Alabama-Birmingham (856) fourth, Alabama (858) fifth, Arkansas (861) sixth and Charlotte (862) seventh in a field of 12 teams. rgh, also a freshman but recruited by the University of Alabama-Birmingham, finished T43 in a field of 60 players.


Handy has T15 finish at Cleveland Invitational

Englishman Chris Handy, a freshman at Oakland University, finished T15 in the Cleveland Invitational at Barrington Golf Club, Aurora, Ohio earlier this week.

Chris, pictured below right, who hails from Tanfield Lea, had scores of 71, 70 and 74 for one-under-par 215 in a low-scoring tournament.



Winner by one stroke in a Kent State University 1-2 finish was Ian Holt who shot 66, 65 and 67 for 18-under-par 198, just ahead of team-mate Chase Johnson (66-63-70)

Not surprisingly, Kent State (818) won the team title by a huge margin. Oakland (862) were runners-up with Cleveland Sytate (863) third in a field of 11 teams.


Callum McGuigan has moved on to Francis Marion University, South Carolina

We have finally tracked down Crieff man Callum McGuigan who was on the roster of the University of the Cumberlands in 2015-2016.

He has been transferred to Francis Marion University in South Carolina. McGuigan had some good form last season but he has not got wound up yet for the new campaign.

In this week's Firestone Invitational, McGuigan shot 76, 71 and 78 for a total of 225 - nine over par for the 7,125yd course at Firestone Country Club, Akron in Ohio.

The Scot, pictured left, was tied for 53rd place in a field of 87 players.

Winner by four was Austin Squires (Cincinnati) with rounds of 69, 68 and 68 for 11-under 205.

George Baylis (Akron), a third-year student from Ascot finished ahead of McGuigan, scoring 74, 67 and 77 for two-over 218 and a T28 finish.