JUNIOR RYDER CUP MATCH

CARLY (THREE UNDER PAR) AND PARTNER
LOSE BUT EUROPE FIGHT BACK
TO BE LEVEL AT HALFWAY STAGE
Perthshire prodigy Carly Booth is a perfectionist. She does not like playing badly – and she does not like losing … as she did in her Junior Ryder Cup debut at the age of 14 at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport today.
Carly, leading girl in last week’s Duke of York Young Champions Trophy tournament over Dundonald links, was paired with Guilia Molinaro (Italy) by Europe skipper Andy Ingram.
Two holes up after 11 holes in the four-ball play, everything appeared to be heading for a home victory until their American opponents, the top-rated US girl junior Esther Choe and Kristen Schelling fought back to win by one hole.
“I am disappointed, but at least we only lost holes to birdies,” said Scottish Under-16 champion Carly, who would have been three under par for her round on the Roman Road course had she holed out at the 16th. Carly is pictured right.
Isabelle Lendl, 15-year-old daughter of eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion Ivan Lendl and the fifth-ranked girl golfer in the United States, teamed up with Vicky Hurst to inflict a one-hole defeat on the very strong Spanish pairing of Carlota Ciganda, the Spanish international women’s open amateur champion and Marta Silva.
Lendl admitted to a few nerves as she reached the 18th tee with a one-hole lead, but was boosted by the cheers of the American gallery.
She said: “During my practice swing I heard a roar and looked back to see one of my friend’s parents going crazy, so I knew USA had pulled even in that match. That gave me an extra adrenalin rush.”
Suitably charged up, Lendl blasted the ball over the bunker on the left hand side and back into the middle of the fairway. Hurst did likewise and the pair went on to make comfortable pars.
Ciganda almost snatched a birdie with the last putt, but her long effort from the back of the green brushed the outside of the cup.
United States were leading 3-1 after Carly and Giulia’s defeat but the Germany boys, Sean Einhaus and Maximilian Keiffer made it 2-3 by winning the fifth game. Then Laura Gonzales (Belgium) and Saskia Hausladen (Germany) won the last game of the day by 2 and 1 to make it a 3-3 tie at the halfway stage.
The second and final day will be mixed four-balls. There are no singles ties in the Junior Ryder Cup which is contested by Under-16 year olds.
Both teams will be transported to Ireland to watch the Ryder Cup at the end of the week. After that Carly Booth will fly back to Florida where she recently enrolled at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, Bradenton on a full four-year scholarship.

Day 1 details:
JUNIOR RYDER CUP
Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
EUROPE 3, UNITED STATES 3
Four-ball matches
Anders Kristiansen (Nor) & Are Friestad (Now) bt Philip Francis & Drew Kittleson 3 and 1.
Carlota Ciganda (Spa) & Marta Silva (Spa) lost to Vicky Hurst & Isabelle Lendl 1 hole.
Pedro Figueiredo (Por) & Victor Dubuisson (Fra) bt Tony Mapu Finau & Joe Monte 2 and 1.
Carly Booth (Sco) & Giulia Molinaro (Ita) lost to Esther Choe & Kristen Schelling 1 hole.
Sean Einhaus (Ger) & Maxmilian Keiffer (Ger) bt Bud Caley & Andrew Yun 4 and 2.
Laura Gonzalez (Bel) & Saskia Hausladen (Ger) bt Brittany Altomare & Cassandra Blaney 2 and 2.