SHOCKS FOR SEEDS AT BALGOWNIE ON AN AFTERNOON OF RAIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Hannah McCook beat Aboyne teenager Shannon McWilliam in the battle of the last North survivors to reach Friday morning's quarter-finals (8.30am tee off) of the 103rd Scottish women's amateur championship at Royal Aberdeen where the rain came on as forecast at 2pm and never stopped!

Grantown-on-Spey's McCook, 23,  four up at the turn, held on to win by 2 and 1 against a rallying 17-year-old McWilliam.

"It was a game of two halves. I played well to be four up at the turn and five up on the 11th tee but Shannon played better than me on the inward half," said Hannah.

"I was twice bunkered off the tee, at the 12th and 16th, and the bunkers were so wet that I took two shots to get out of each."

McCook was beaten semi-finalist in this championship at West Kilbride 12 months ago but if she can beat Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) in Friday morning's round of the last eight, then that should open the route to a first time appearance in the final.

Kansas State University student Jaffrey, pictured right, was three up after nine holes in her second-round tie against Angus county champion Gillian Paton (Royal Montrose) but Paton birdied the 10th, 11th and 12th to put the outcome of the match in the balance.

"I kept calm," said Jaffrey later. She steadied the ship by winning the 15th and then had a good up and down to double her lead at the 16th. A half at the next ended Paton's challenge.

Top seeds Chloe Goadby (St Regulus Ladies) and Emma Hale (Troon Ladies) were KO'd in the first round of the match-play, by Molly Richmond (Strathaven) and Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) respectively and a third shock

result looked on the cards when Aberdeen policewoman Rachael Polson (Kemnay), pictured left, was three up at the turn against St Rule Trophy winner Clara Young (North Berwick), who won this title in 2015.

But Young clawed her way back to square the match with a birdie at the 18th and then triumph at the first extra hole in the teeming rain, even with a bogey 6.

Defending champion Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) was four up after seven against Jennifer Saxton (Muckhart), pictured left, but was only two ahead after 10 and then lost the 12th and 13th. Saxton, at No 3 the highest seed left in the championship, led for the first time at the 15th and then halved the remaining holes for an upset victory.

Giant-killer Kimberley Beveridge was cut down to size in the second round. She lost by 5 and 3 to Anna McKay (Crail GS), pictured right, 13-year-old winner of the Fife women's county championship this year.

So young Anna had reached the quarter-finals at the first attempt.

"I quite like playing in the rain!" she said. Not many of her fellow competitors would agree.
Nairn's Carinne Taylor is shaping as a very good prospect. She lost in the second round, but only at the 19th, against Tara Mactaggart (Minto).
Taylor, pictured below, who had been one up after 10 holes, lost the 11th and the 12th to a birdie to go one down.
But she birdied the 14th to square the contest again and after losing the 16th, the Nairn teenager birdied the 18th in the pouring rain to take the match down the 19th.

Mactaggart birdied the first extra hole, hitting a three-wood second to the fringe of the putting surface and getting a 4 with a chip and a 15ft putt.
Hard luck, Carinne! But your time will come.

 CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH-PLAY RESULTS

FIRST ROUND
qualifying number in brackets

M Richmond (Strathaven) (32) bt C Goadby (St Regulus Ladies) (1) 4 and 3.

Susan Wood (Drumpellier) (16) bt K Ferguson-Snedden (Duddingston) (17) 4 and 3.

K Wright (Stranraer) (8) bt K Brodie (Strathmore) (25) 2 holes.

J Farrell (Cardross) (9) bt H Scott (Broomieknowe) (24) 2 and 1.

S McWilliam (Aboyne) (4) bt M Gardner (Linlithgow) (29) 4 and 3.

H McCook (Grantown on Spey) (13) bt G MacDonald (Craigielaw) (20) 1 hole.

G Paton (Royal Montrose) (5) bt M Robb (Peterculter) (28) 2 and 1.

C Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) (21) bt H Munro (Monifieth) (12) 7 and 6.

C Taylor (Nairn) (11) bt M Sievwright (Maverston) (22) 5 and 4.

T Mactaggart (Minto) (6) bt E Moffat (St Regulus Ladies) (27) 5 and 4.

A Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) (19) bt J Cameron (Blairgowrie) (14) 2 and 1.

J Saxton (Muckhart) (3) bt J Mackintosh (Hazlehead) (30) 5 and 4.

C Young (North Berwick) (23) bt E Watson (Muckhart) (10) 5 and 4.

R Polson (Kemnay) (26) bt J Rankine (Haggs Castle) (7) 3 and 1.

A McKay (Crail GS) (18) bt K Marshall (Baberton) (15) 1 hole.

K Beveridge (Aboyne) (31) bt E Hale (Troon Ladies) (2) 2 and 1.

SECOND ROUND

Richmond bt Susan Wood 3 and 2.

Farrell bt Wright 2 and 1.

McCook bt McWilliam 2 and 1.

Jaffrey bt Paton 2 and 1

Mactaggart bt Taylor at 19th

Saxton bt Summers 1 hole.

Young bt Polson at 19th

McKay bt Beveridge 5 and 3.

+Championship quarter-finals at 8.30, 8.40 8.50 and 9am Friday. Semi-finals at 1pm and 1.10.

CLARK ROSEBOWL

FIRST ROUND

C Thompson (Royal Dornoch) (1) bt M McInnes (Bearsden) (16) 9 and 7.

F Seedhouse (Aberdeen Ladies) (9) bt Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) (8) 3 and 2.

K Blackwood (Glencorse) (13) bt P Wilson (Burntisland) (13) at 19th.

C Wilson (Murcar Links) (12) bt S Cameron (Gullane) (5) 3 and 2.

W Nicholson (Baberton) (6) bt S Stitchbury (Gullane) (11) at 19th.

S Leslie (Aberdeen Ladies) (3) bt E Docherty (Moray) (14) 1 hole.

L Wilson (Kelso) (10) bt L Anderson (Duff House Royal) (7) 5 and 4.

L McClymont (Milngavie) (2) bt R Hunter (Lanark) (15) 1 hole.

QUARTER-FINALS

Thompson bt Seedhouse 2 and 1.

C Wilson bt Blackwood 3 and 2

Leslie bt Nicholson 4 and 3, 

McClymont bt L Wilson 1 hole

+Clark Rosebowl semi-finals at 9.20 and 9.30am on Friday. Final at 1.40pm