Scottish women's amateur championship match-play

AUSSIE 'UNKNOWN' TOPPLES NO. 3
SEED MEGAN BRIGGS AT BARASSIE

Megan Briggs, the 17-year-old Renfrewshire women's champion for the past two years, suffered an unexpected early exit from the match-play stages of the Scottish women's amateur championship at Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club today.

As the No 3 qualifier, Megan was expected to get at least as far as the quarter-finals, perhaps the semi-finals, but she was ousted in the first round by a relatively unknown player from south of the Border, Edwina Lowery-Gold who won by 2 and 1.

Although Edwina, 18, is entered from Eaton Golf Club, Norwich, she is actually Australian-born, Brisbane to be precise but her father hailed from Edinburgh originally. The Lowery-Gold family moved from Australia to England three years ago and Edwina, through her father's country of birth, opted to play for Scotland - if she were good enough - and in the Scottish championships.

She made her debut at Peebles in the Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play championship last summer and knocked out the favourite, Krystle Caithness (St Regulus)

And golf being the funny game that is is .... Edwina will cross swords with Krystle again in the second round at Barassie.

In a match that augurs well for the future of Scottish women's golf, 16-year-old Rebecca Wilson from Monifieth edged out 15-year-old Annable Niven (Crieff) at the 20th hole in the first round.
Both youngsters played well and it was a pity that one had to lose. Rebecca was two down after two holes but fought back to level it and it was nip and tuck after that. Miss Wilson, the Angus girls' champion, finally won a place in the second round - a match against defending champion Martine Pow (Selkirk) - with a par at the second extra hole.

Top seed Jenna Wilson from Strathaven advanced to last 32 with a 5 and 4 win over Laura McLardy (Murcar Links) who came through a play-off last night to claim the very last spot in the match-play draw.
Jenna was one under par for the holes played.
"It was most enjoyable but I was outclassed," said Laura.
Another Laura and another Aberdeenshire team player, Laura Murray from Alford, lost by 3 and 2 to Claire MacDonald (Gullane Ladies) who will play Jenna Wilson in this afternoon's second round.
Title-holder Martine Pow (Selkirk) was too strong for Heather Anderson, beating the Downfield player by 4 and 2.
Welsh women's open stroke-play champion Heather MacRae was trailing 14-year-old Jill Meldrum (Dullatur), the youngest of the qualifiers, after 12 holes and then stepped up a gear to win the the 15th, 16th and 17th for the match. Heather birdied the 16th and the 17th and now plays Dawn Dewar, the Monifieth and Stirling University playere who qaualified in 12th position.
Dawn had her best win for some time, beating Scotland cap Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) by 3 and 1.
Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder) birdied the short hole that cost her a 10 in the second qualifying round. She beat Mortonhall teenager Jane Turner by 5 and 4.
No 2 seed Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) had two eagles during her 7 and 6 win over fellow Aberdeenshire team player Carol Wilson (Murcar Links). Now Michele, the Aberdeenshire women's champion, meets Anne Laing (Vale of Leven), who has played in the last six finals of the Scottish championship and eight in all since the 1990s when she beat Alison Davidson in the final at Royal Dornoch.

Results:

FIRST ROUND
J Wilson (Strathaven) bt L McLardy (Murcar Links) 5 and 4.
C MacDonald (Gullane Ladies) bt L Murray (Alford) 3 and 2.
M Pow (Selkirk) bt H Anderson (Downfield) 4 and 2.
R Wilson (Monifieth) bt A Niven (Crieff) at 20th.
H MacRae (Dunblane New) bt J Meldrum (Dullatur) 3 and 1.
D Dewar (Monifieth) bt K Walker (Buchanan Castle) 3 and 1.
E Moffat (St Regulus) bt A Thompson (Loudoun Gowf) 4 and 3.
R Livingstone (Musselburgh Old) bt F Gilbert (Carnoustie Ladies) 4 and 3.

E Lowrey-Gold (Eaton) bt M Briggs (Kilmacolm) 2 and 1.
K Caithness (St Regulus) bt R McQueen (Troon Bentinck Ladies) 2 and 1.
S Wood (Hazlehead) bt A F Ramsay (Kirriemuir) 4 and 3.
E Ogilvy (Auchterarder) bt J Turner (Mortonhall) 5 and 4.
R Purdom (Prestwick St Nicholas) bt A Bushby (Strathmore) 1 hole.
C Hargan (Mortonhall) bt S Bishop (Cochrane Castle) 1 hole.
A Laing (Vale of Leven) bt J Carthew (Ladybank) 2 and 1.
M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) bt C Wilson (Murcar Links) 7 and 6.

CLARK ROSEBOWL
FIRST ROUND
L Williamson (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt M Easton (Dalmahoy) 5 and 4.
J Harrison (Cruden Bay) bt M Rae (Kilmarnock Barassie) 4 and 3.
W Nicholson (Broomieknowe) bt G Scanlan (Hamilton) 7 and 6.

G Kyle (East Renfrewshire) bt G McGinlay (Cochrane Castle) 3 and 2.

S Herd (Dunblane New) bt L Terry (Cruden Bay) 5 and 3.

L Keohone (Loudoun Gowf) bt K Marshall (Baberton) 2 and 1.

C Easton (Dalmahoy) bt L McGeachy (Windyhill) 4 and 2.