LAURA MURRAY WINS PAUL LAWRIE EVENT AT RATHO PARK

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Alford's Laura Murray won the £750 first prize at Ratho Park Golf Club, Edinburgh today in the second event on the new Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour. A two-over-par 72, with halves of three-over 38 and one-under 34 saw last year's Scottish women's amateur champion, who, rather appropriately is attached to the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, head a field of 26 players by a single shot. Laura, who developed her length off the tee by playing alongside men on the North-east Alliance winter circuit, had birdies at the first and 11th on the white tee course (5960yd) normally played by the Ratho Park male members with the exception that tournament director Nicola Melville deemed the 14th a par-5 instead of a par 4 for the men. Laura survived a mid-round wobble - a double bogey 6 at the ninth - but that second birdie two holes later settled her  again.  Laura Murray has been a member of Team Paul Lawrie for several years. She also won the St Rule Trophy for a second time at St Andrews in her last year as an amateur. Following the example of Chrisje De Vries, this is Miss Murray's first win as a professional. She is also sponsored by Saltire Energy. Four players tied for second place, a shot behind on 73,  including amateurs Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), 37-36, and Jess Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 35-38.  Meek, 18, finished joint second in Thursday's opener and is obviously in a rich seam of form. She leaves in August to enrol at the University of Missouri. Also on the 73 mark were professionals Fabienne In-Albon from Switzerland with halves of 37-36, and the opening-day winner from Amsterdam, Chrisje De Vries (37-36). The tour takes a break now untl next month, resuming at Trump International Links (Saltire Energy Classic 1) 12 miles up the coast from Aberdeen on May 6 and Deeside Golf Club (Saltire Energy Classic 2) on May 7. Deeside is on the western suburbs of Aberdeen at the village of Bieldside. The combined scores from these two events will be classed as the Saltire Energy Championship and there will be prizes for the best four of five 36-hole totals.  PAUL LAWRIE SCOTTISH LADIES OPEN TOUR  - Event No 2  Ratho Park GC, Edinburgh  FINAL TOTALS  Par 70 (35-35) 72 Laura Murray (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 38-34. 73 Fabienne In-Albon (Swi) 37-36, Chrisje de Vries (Net) 37-36, Jess Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) (am), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) (am) 37-36. 74 Tatiana Kernen (Swi) 38-36. 76 Julie Otto (Elie Sports Club) 39-37, Heather Stirling (Dairsie) 39-37, Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) 41-35, Jane Turner (Craigielaw) (am) 40-36. 77 Daisy Dyer (Chigwell) 39-38, Krystle Falkner (St Andrews) 40-37, Eleanor Givens (Darlington) 39-38, Vikki Laing (Musselburgh) 39-38.  78 Gemma Webster (Elie Sports Club) 40-38, Martine Pow (Selkirk) 41-37, Jess Wilcox (Blankney) (am) 41-37. 79 Michele Thomson (Ellon) 42-37. 80 Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) (am) 40-40. 81 Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie) 41-40, Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) (am) 40-41, Lisa Shervill (West Kilbride) 42-39. 82 Karyn Burns (Glasgow Golf Centre) 43-39. 87 Tara MacTaggart (Minto) (am) 47-40. 89 Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (am) 47-72, Kimberley Crooks (Middlesbrough) 43-46. \ ORDER OF MERIT  POINTS TOTALS AFTER RATHO PARK 1 C De Vries           1675    2  L Murray             1374    3  J Meek                1350    4  V Laing               1075    5  F In-Albon            980    6  J Wilcox               965    7  A McKechin         955    8  E Givens              925    . 9  T Kernen              924    10 D Dyer                875    11 H Stirling             799    11 J Turner              799    . 13 L Shervill            740    14 H MacRae          729    16 K Falkner           699    17 M Pow              555    18 K McIntosh       545    19 G Webster         540    20 T MacTaggart    515    21 M Thomson      510    22 R Walker           485    23 N Ferguson       465    24 K Crooks          455    25 J Otto                425    26 H Scott              390    27 K Burns             220    28 L Harvey           205    29 A Bain               205