CLAIRE TAKES MIDLOTHIAN TITLE FOR FIFTH TIME

Claire Hargan and Tracy Laughland
after the prizegiving at Newbattle

Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) won the Midlothian Championship for the fifth consecutive time at windswept Newbatte this afternoon, when she beat her club-mate Tracy Laughland by 7&6 in the final.
Claire started with a cast-iron par four and was quickly four up after a birdie at the second and pars at the next two. Tracy won the fifth but Claire won the honour back immediately with a birdie at the sixth, and pars at the next three saw the reigning champion out in one-under 35 and six up.
Tracy won the tenth after a rare putting lapse from Claire, but a par 3 at the eleventh and a bogey 5 at twelve were sufficient to give Claire the title once again.
In the morning semifinals, Tracy beat the top qualifier, Belinda Murphy (also Mortonhall) by 3&2 and Claire beat Claire Macdonald (Gullane Ladies) by 2&1.
The B Championship final for handicaps 13 and above was a ding-dong battle between thirteen-year-old Kate Macintosh (Broomieknowe) and Denise Turnbull (Uphall). All square after thirteen, Kate won the next three to take the title. In the morning semifinals, Kate beat another youngster, Gabrielle Macdonald from Prestonfield, on the eighteenth and Denise beat Helen Warnock (Harburn).