JENNA SWINGING IN THE RAIN TO BE
TOP QUALIFIER AT BARASSIE

Strathaven’s Jenna Wilson stopped short of singing in the rain but she was certainly swinging very well in the non-stop drizzle that put a damper on the second qualifying round of the Scottish women’s amateur golf championship at Kilmarnock Barassie.
Jenna, a 22-year-old full-time amateur, had, by two strokes, the lowest score of the day – a one-over-par 76 – for a one-over par total of 151 to be the No 1 seed in the draw.
“I don’t mind the actual playing in wet conditions like that but the biggest problem is trying to keep the grips of your clubs dry when it’s non-stop rain like that. If they get too wet you’re in trouble” said Jenna who did not let the depressing conditions get to her.
She finished two shots ahead of a crop of talented teenagers in the top 10.
Michele Thomson, the Ellon 19-year-old who is the Aberdeenshire women’s champion, had a 78 to be the No 2 qualifier – two shots ahead of 17-year-old Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), who recently retained the Renfrewshire women’s county title. Megan had a 79.
Rachael Livingstone (Musselburgh Old), 19, had a 79 for 156 to be alongside the overnight leader Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), who ran up a 10 at a short hole in slipping from a 72 to an 84, and one of the favourites, Heather MacRae (Dunblane New) who had an 80.
Krystle Caithness (St Regulus), 18-year-old British women’s international, did not relish the rain after a week in the dry warmth of South Africa, and she had an 81 for 158.
The 32 players who qualified for the match-play had totals of 167 or better with one exception – home course player Lesley Williamson had that total but as eliminated in a three-way play-off for the last two spots in the draw.
Overnight leader Emily Ogilvy did not win the top qualifying honour but anyone who can run up a 10 at a short hole, as Emily did in her second-round 84 – and finish with a big grin deserves a medal of some description for being the best of sports.
The 23-year-old Auchterarder member qualified with ease in No 6 spot on 156 and to Emily that was far more important at the end of the day than a one-hole disaster at the 155yard third.
“I hit my first tee shot into the burn. Took a drop under penalty and the ball hit a wall and finished back in the turn. Then I hit another ball into the water before I finally made it to the green,” said the former US college circuit player.
“It was more a laugh than a crisis although I obviously wasn’t trying to hit the ball into the water. I never lost my temper, never lost my head and I was quite proud to birdie the next hole!”
In thoroughly unpleasant conditions of non-stop drizzle, it was a good day for Angus, Perth & Kinross and Fife players who are well represented in the match-play stages.
Alongside Emily Ogilvy on the 156 mark – five shots behind leading qualifier Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) – was Heather MacRae from Dunblane New. Heather did not play to her best form in the conditions and settled for an 80.
Rebecca Wilson from Monifieth, only 16 and with her dad as caddie, shot a 78 to be the eighth best qualifier on 157. Only Jenna Wilson, with a 76, had a lower score than Rebecca.
Alexandra Bushby (Strathmore), winner of the Perth & Kinross title at Kinross on Sunday, also had a 78 to qualify on 157, the same mark as Ann Ramsay from Kirriemuir with an 81.
Dawn Dewar (Monifieth) and the Fife trio of Elaine Moffat (St Regulus), Krystle Caithness (St Regulus) and Jo Carthew (Ladybank) all got through with lots to spare on 158.
Krystle is having to adapt from the warmth and dryness of South Africa last week to the cool temperatures and wetness of Ayrshire and too much should not be read into her second-round 81.
Annabel Niven from Crieff is the second youngest of the 32 qualifiers at the age of 15. She had an 83 for 165, the same total as 14-year-old Jill Meldrum (Dullatur).
Fiona Gilbert (Carnoustie) made it through on the same mark.
Murcar Links clubmates Laura McLardy and Carol Wilson survived a three-way play-off to
claim the last two of the 32 places in the match-play stages.
They finished the 36-hole qualifying rest on 167, the same score as home course player Lesley Williamson, who graduated from Aberdeen University a year or two ago.
Carol won the first play-off hole with a birdie 4, leaving the other two to go on to the second where Laura eliminated Lesley with a 5 to a 6.
Miss McLardy has earned herself a crack at the leading qualifier Jenna Wilson. Laura required 86 (10 more than Jenna) for her second circuit but she will give it a go.
Carol’s first-round match is against the new Aberdeenshire champion from McDonald Ellon, Michele Thomson. Carol had an 84 today while Michele had a 78 for the second-best qualifying total of 153.
Michele was five over par after 10 holes in the horrible wet conditions but got a first birdie at the 12th and then finished on a high with a hat-trick of birdies at the last three holes for one-under-par 37 home.
Laura Murray (Alford), with her mum Mary caddieing for the first time, qualified with ease, improving by four shots for a 78 and 160. Laura looked on her way out of the championship when she was four over par after six holes, even though she had birdied the fourth and fifth, but she steadied up after her second double bogey at the sixth and covered the remaining holes in one under par with birdies at the 12th and 17th and only one further bogey, at the 15th.
Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) is no stranger to the match-play stages of a “Scottish” and she qualified quietly again with an 84 for 164.