MIDLOTHIAN COUNTY LADIES' GOLF ASSOCIATION

Midlothian Ladies at the Scottish Ladies Championship May 2005

30 ladies and girls from Midlothian travelled to Cruden Bay to take part in the Scottish Ladies Championship from May 16-21. Practice rounds were available on the Sunday and Monday with the stroke-play qualifying of 2 rounds held on the Tuesday and Wednesday. 32 qualified for the championship match-play and 16 for the consolation Clark Rosebowl match-play.

Sally Watson (aged 13) is to be congratulated for being the second qualifier (behind Clare Queen) with scores of 75 (Par 74 CSS 77) and 73 (Par 74, CSS 75). Pamela Williamson won 4th scratch in the 1st round qualifying and Claire MacDonald won 4th scratch in the 2nd round qualifying. Pamela Williamson and Karen Marshall won the Eglinton Quaich (for the lowest scratch team total in the first qualifying round) for Baberton and Pamela also won the Baby Quaich (for the lowest individual scratch score in Eglinton Quaich - 77) (See photos of Stroke-play prizewinners)

8 Midlothian members qualified for the match-play in the Championship
148 Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) 75,73
155 Claire MacDonald (Gullane) 81, 74
157 Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) 81,77
159 Karen Marshall (Baberton) 82,77
161 Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe) 82,79
163 Rhona MacLennan (Baberton) 83,80; Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) 79, 84; Pamela Williamson (Baberton) 77, 86

5 Midlothian members qualified for the match-play in the Clark Rose Bowl
166 Hilary Laughland (Mortonhall) 88, 78; Louise Fraser (Kingksnowe) 86, 80
167 Fiona de Vries (St Rule) 90, 77
168 Belinda Murphy (Prestonfield) 86, 82 170 Mandy Easton (Dalmahoy) 81, 89

Championship Match-Play
Thursday May 19th
Rhona MacLennan, Kirsten Blackwood and Pamela Williamson all had tough first round ties against Anne Laing, Sally Watson and Clare Queen and lost. Claire MacDonald and Wendy Nicholson played each other, with Claire MacDonald winning through at the last hole. Karen Marshall beat Kelsay MacDonald 4/2 and Claire Hargan, after a very close match, beat Heather Macrae at the 23rd hole.
Karen then caused a great upset by beating the British stroke-play champion Clare Queen by 2/1 in the second round. Claire Hargan beat Elaine Moffat by 1 hole and Sally Watson beat Lesley Hendry by 4/2. Friday May 20th
In the morning quarter-finals Karen lost at the 19th hole to Fiona Lockhart, and Claire lost 4/3 to Kylie Walker. Sally beat Emma Ogilvy 4/3. I
In the afternoon semi-finals Sally lost by 3/2 to Anne Laing (the 2004 Scottish title-holder).
Saturday May 21st
The Final was contested by Fiona Lockhart (St Regulus) and Anne Laing (Vale of Leven). Fiona played some excellent golf to beat Anne by 3/2

Sally Watson is to be congratulated on her excellent golf over the whole week; for being the second qualifier; for reaching the semi-finals in her first Scottish Ladies Championship; for winning a large number of trophies; and all at the age of 13!

Clark Rose Bowl Match-Play
Hilary Laughland was the only Midlothian player to make it through to the quarter finals and went on to lose in the semi-finals to Dawn Pocock (the eventual winner)

After the Prize-giving various Scottish teams were announced.
Midlothian would like to congratulate Sally Watson on her selection to play for Scotland in the European Girls' Team Championship at Lucern from July 5-9 (Team: Carly Booth; Krystle Caithness; Kelsey MacDonald; and Sally Watson) and congratulations go also also to Karen Marshall on her selection for the Scottish Team ( Karen Marshall - team Captain; Emma Ogilvy, Kylie Walker)to play in the Irish ladies' Open Amateur Stroke Play at the Hermitage Golf Club Dublin on July 23-24.