Aberdeenshire girl finds going tough in Augusta

MICHELE THOMSON JUST
MAKES TOP 20 IN LADY
JAGUAR INVITATIONAL

North of Scotland women’s champion Michele Thomson from Ellon, a first-year student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama repeated her opening round of eight-over-par 80 for a disappointing final total of 160 in the Lady Jaguar Invitational women’s college golf tournament at Forest Hills Golf Club, Augusta in Georgia today.
Michelle, 18, who also holds the Scottish schoolgirls title, ran up double-bogey 6s at the first and third in her second round. Although she sandwiched a birdie 2 between them, she was out in five-over-par 41, an improvement of only one shot on her first-round score.
Over the 36 holes, Miss Thomson had only three birdies – which is not her game at all.
Apparently, Michele took a lot of putts on some of the hardest greens she had ever played on. A week's hard practice on the soft greens of Alabama were hardly the best preparation for the conditions they encountered - and that was reflected in the scoring of the Jacksonville State University team.
It was Michele's last tournament of the Fall season. She won't be in competitive action again until next year.
The best thing about the Augusta tournament for the Scot was a final placing of joint 20th despite a 16-over-par total, which underlined just how tough the par of 72 for the 6,094yd course was for everyone.
Amanda Smith (Augusta State), who had more local knowledge of it than most of her rivals, was able to win the title with a two-over-par total of 146 (74-72).
Dublin girl Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis), pictured above right, had one of her best finishes on the American circuit with scores of 76 and 76 for third place on 150. She had birdies at the fourth and ninth – boosting her tally to five over the two rounds.
Claire Starkie from Skipton, Yorkshire tied for sixth place on 152 with scores of 77 and 75, despite starting with a triple bogey 7 and dropping another shot at the ninth in her second round. She helped Georgia State University (606) win the team event by nine shots from the local favourites, Augusta State.
Portia Abbott from Wiltshire, one of Michele Thomson’s team-mates, was the leading Jacksonville State player with 76 and 80 for joint ninth place on 156. She had a triple bogey 7 at the 12th.
LEADING INDIVIDUALS
146 Amanda Smith (Augusta State) 74 72.
147 Joanna Klatten (Georgia State) 73 74.
150 Dawn-Marie Conaty (Memphis) 74 76.
Other totals:
152 Claire Starkie (Georgia State) 77 75 (jt 6th).
156 Portia Abbot (Jacksonville State) 76 80 (jt 9th).
160 Michele Thomson (Jacksonville State) 80 80 (jt 20th).
LEADING TEAMS
606 Georgia State. 615 Augusta State. 619 East Carolina. 627 Memphis. 637 Florida International. 644 Arkansas State. 647 Jacksonville State.