Shannon loses sparkle to return a 74 for T12 position in Chile

Aboyne Golf Club member Shannon McWilliam from Torphins shot a disappointing two-over-par 74 to be joint 12th in a field of 52 players at the end of the first day of the South American women's amateur golf championship at Los Leones Golf Club, Santiago in Chile.
Disappointing because Curtis Cup international Shannon, playing the second nine holes first, had led the field with 33 shots to the turn. But it was a different story when she tackled the opening half, which cost her 41 shots.
Shannon, sharing 12th place overnight, will start the second round five shots behind the leader, South Amerian Maria Escauriza.
Connie Jaffrey, winner of the Scottish women's amateur championship at Balgownie a couple of years ago, had halves of 35 out and 40 home for a 75 and a share of 21st place.
In the mens championship, Mateo Fernandez shot a seven-under 65 and leads by two from fellow Argentinian Horacio Carbonetti.
England's Tom Plumb, T3 with a 68, heads the British competitors.
Billy McKenzie, also from south of the Border, squeezed into the top 20 with a 71 for a T17 overnight placing.
Scots Kieran Cantley and Euan Walker shot 72 and 74 respectively to be T23 and T40 in a field of 75 players

Shannon leads after nine holes in South America

Curtis Cup player Shannon McWilliam from Aboyne led the field after nine holes of the South American women's amateur championship at Los Leones Golf Club, Chile.
Shannon covered the outward half in three under par 33 to lead by one stroke from Sofia Garcia (Austria).
Former Scottish champion Connie Jaffrey was T37 after an outward nine of four over par 40. She dropped four strokes over the last seven holes of the front nine.
In the men's championship, England's Tom Plumb was the best placed Briton after 18 holes. He shot a four-under par 68 to be one behind the South American pacemaker, Mateo Fernandez de Oliviera, who had a 67.
Scotland's Kieran Cantley was in joint 25th position with a 72 and compatriot Euan Walker had a 74 for a share of 40th position in the field of 75 players.

Charley Hull fires 67 to lead LET opener in Abu Dhabi

By Keith Jackson

Charley Hull has made a superb start in Abu Dhabi

Charley Hull made a bright start to her 2019 campaign as she claimed a two-shot lead after the first round of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi.

Hull coped well with the blustery conditions at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and kept a bogey off her card in an opening five-under 67 which gave her the early advantage in the first event of the new Ladies European Tour season.
The 22-year-old began her round with a 15-foot putt for birdie at the 10th, and she picked up further shots at 11 and 13 before holing from 10 feet for another gain at the 16th to race to four under.

Hull raced to four under but added only one further birdie

The putts dried up for Hull over the front nine, although she did convert an excellent tee shot to four feet at the short sixth and parred safely home to stay two clear of Nicole Broch Larsen and Luna Sobron on a day when only 12 players broke par.
"I played pretty steady and holed a few putts and then, on my back nine, I plodded along," said Hull, who is without a win since the CME Group Tour Championship in November, 2016. "I was hitting good putts which lipped out, so the highlights were on my front nine."
Hull admitted she was still adapting to her new equipment, adding: "The new irons are not quite where I want them to be. They are spinning loads and I don't really like it.
"I've changed my set of irons this week and I'm trying them out, but they are going a club shorter so I'll change back to my old ones when I get home. I'll practise my punch shots and figure out how to keep them low."
Larsen got off to a torrid start as she bogeyed three of the first four holes and turned in 39, but the Dane produced an outstanding fightback on the back nine and stormed home in just 30 blows, with six birdies.

Jodi Ewart Shadoff is three shots off the lead

"I got off to a bad start to say the least," said Larsen. "I hit some bad shots and couldn't find the rhythm. On the back nine, I started to hit some better shots and gained some confidence, so I was good at judging the wind on the back nine."
Hull's Solheim Cup team-mate, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, carded a solid 70 to share fourth with Rebecca Artis and Cajsa Persson, but defending champion Aditi Ashok struggled to a four-over 76 after she followed a double-bogey seven at the 15th with bogeys at each of the last two holes

MARGARET CHALMERS TOASTS 50 YEARS AS PITLOCHRY CLUB

MEMBER

SHE’S been a proud member at Pitlochry Golf Club for 50 years.

And now Margaret Chalmers has gifted a salver to celebrate her half-century with the Highland Perthshire club.

It will be competed for by lady members off scratch in the over 50 age group.

Keen golfer Margaret (85), who has also celebrated 75 years membership at Downfield GC in Dundee, is a past winner of the Atholl Cup for the Ladies Highland Open Scratch Championship, which she captured 12 months before joining Pitlochry.

“When I was younger there were very few ladies scratch competitions.

“I decided to give the trophy to the club for senior scratch golfers to play for,” explained Margaret, whose family is steeped in golf.

“We used to go on family holidays every summer to Pitlochry and I learned to play during the war thanks to lessons on the 18th fairway from the first professional John Murray.

“I was around 10 and my brother also got lessons. Later on I also got lessons from Jimmy Wilson.

“There were tennis courts back then on the land where the six-hole short game course is now.

“That is a fabulous facility, particularly for youngsters earning the game.”

Margaret, who is a seven times Downfield club champion and honorary member and past captain and president of Angus County, played off six in her heyday and won the North of Scotland Veterans championship at Alyth in 1996.

“I joined Pitlochry a year after winning the Highland Open in 1967. The members have always been so kind and friendly. The ladies section is super. It has a very good social side.

“I played for Pitlochry in the Scratch League and was delighted when the current team won it last year for the first time.

“I have had a great time playing golf. I was hooked from the start and have played all my life.

“The family always played the game. My father David won the Calder Cup at Pitlochry in the 1920s. He was still getting round a golf course at 87.”

Pitlochry Ladies captain Louise Kelly welcomed Margaret’s gift.

“Margaret is a lovely lady and it is a real honour to have someone like her as part of the club.

“She has been such a good golfer in her time, and is one of our longest serving and most popular members,” said Louise.

CAPTION to PICTURE

PItlochry ladies captain Louise Kelly receives a silver salver from Margaret Chalmers to celebrate 50 years as a member of the Highland Perthshire club.

End

Appleby and Leonard to captain Junior Presidents Cup teams at Melbourne match-up

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia– The US PGA TOUR and American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) announced today that Australia’s Stuart Appleby and the United States’ Justin Leonard would captain the International and U.S. Teams respectively for the 2019 Junior Presidents Cup.
The event will be contested for the second time from December 8 to 9, 2019 at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club just days before the Presidents Cup tees off at the same venue.