THIRD TIME LUCKY FOR MICHELE THOMSON
IN ABERDEENSHIRE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

It was third time lucky for 19-year-old Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) in the Aberdeenshire women’s county golf championship over the Hawkshill course at Newmachar Golf Club today.
She beat 18-year-old scratch player Laura Murray (Alford), the leading qualifier, by 4 and 2 in a final played in high winds.
Michele, who quit Jacksonville State University, Alabama at the Christmas break after six months, has already won the North of Scotland women’s championship two years in a row but she had not got past the semi-final stages in her two previous attempts to win the Aberdeenshire title.
Michele, the No 3 seed, birdied the fourth and eighth on her way to a three-hole lead at the turn.
Robert Gordon’s University student Laura, winner of the Scottish schoolgirls title in 2005, won back the 12th but lost the 13th and they also exchanged the 14th and 15th holes before Michele clinched the title with a third birdie at the 16th.
One of the performances of the championship was that of another RGU student, Sara Thomson, Murcar Links. A seven-handicap player, Sara qualified in the No 2 position and reach the semi-finals before losing to the eventual champion.
Sara, better known as a hockey player, opted to play in the county championship instead of turning out in a Scottish District Hockey Cup final. After this showing, Sara will perhaps concentrate more on golf!
Match-play results:
First round – L Murray (Alford) bt C Neish (Kintore) 3 and 2, M Millership (Deeside) bt J Harrison (Cruden Bay) 1 hole, L McLardy (Murcar Links) bt F Hay (Deeside) 3 and 2, S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) bt L Terry (Cruden Bay) 3 and 2, M Thomson (McDonald Ellon) bt D McKinnon (McDonald Ellon) 6 and 5, J Murray (Cruden Bay) bt G Melvin (Hazlehead) 2 and 1, C Wilson (Murcar Links) bt D Pocock (Murcar Links) 2 and 1, S Thomson (Murcar Links) bt S Leslie (Westhill) 2 holes.
Quarter-finals – L Murray bt Millership 4 and 3, Wood bt McLardy at 21st, M Thomson bt J Murray 8 and 6, S Thomson bt Wilson at 19th.
Semi-finals – L Murray bt Wood 6 and 5, M Thomson bt S Thomson 3 and 1.
Final – M Thomson bt L Murray 4 and 2.