Friday, September 18, 2009

Northern Counties are too strong for Renfrewshire

Megan Briggs and Kelsey MacDonald - Click to enlarge Megan Briggs and Kelsey MacDonald - Click to enlarge

Northern Counties and Midlothian look to be on course with the title at stake after the opening day of the Scottish women's county golf championship finals at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh.
Midlothian, East Division champions and the favourites with "home field advantage," whipped South title-holders Galloway 8 ½-½ while Northern Counties, the North Division champions, beat Renfrewshire, the West title-holders, by the surprisingly convincing margin of 7 ½-1 1/2 .
Northern Counties took the foursomes 2-1 against Renfrewshire before a cracking top singles tie between international team-mates, Scottish Champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), and national under-21 Champion for the past two years, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) ended in a square match.
Between them they had five birdies over the last six holes. Megan was one up one the 18th tee before Kelsey won the last hole to share the honours.
Northern Counties then won the remaining five singles with wins by Cara Gruber, senior cap Mary Smith, Jenny Milne, and Northern Counties girls champion Hannah McCook, who birdied the 15th and 16th , and another youngster, Julie Vass.

Unfortunately Renfrewshire were without Clare- Marie Carlton today as she was unable to get time off work from her new job at Playsport Development in East Kilbride.
However, to be fair Northern Counties played well and were deserving winners on the day.

Day 1 results at Baberton:
GALLOWAY ½, MIDLOTHIAN 8 ½
Foursomes: Gillian Monteith & Tracy Milligan lost to Jane Turner & Rachael Watton 4 and 3; Christina Meldrum & Sheila McMurtrie halved with Louise Fraser & Karen Marshall; Addi Shamash & Gwen Robson lost to Claire MacDonald & Kirsten Blackwood 7 and 5 (1/2-2 ½).
Singles: Monteith lost to Turner 4 and 3, Milligan lost to Claire Hargan 4 and 3, Meldrum lost to Wendy Nicholson 6 and 4, McMurtrie lost to Fraser 1 hole, Shamash lost to Kirsten Blackwood 3 and 2, Robson lost to Watton 3 and 2 (0-6).

RENFREWSHIRE 1 ½, NORTHERN COUNTIES 7 ½
Foursomes: Eilidh Briggs & Megan Briggs bt Kelsey MacDonald & Hannah McCook 2 and 1; Liz Stewart & Donna Jackson lost to Cara Gruber & Pam Mackay 4 and 2; Alyson McKechin & Gillian Kyle lost to Mary Smith & Alison Bartlett 4 and 2 (1-2).
Singles: Megan Briggs halved with MacDonald, Eilidh Briggs lost to Gruber 2 and 1, Jackson lost to Smith 2 and 1, McKechin lost to Jenny Milne 3 and 2, Kyle lost to McCook 3 and 2, Carol Whyte lost to Julie Vass 3 and 2 (1/2-5 1/2).

TO PLAY:
Saturday - Galloway v Northern Counties, Midlothian v Renfrewshire.
Sunday - Midlothian v Northern Counties, Galloway v Renfrewshire

To print out all the results -- Click on he following Link
County Final Results Day 1

Click on the small picture of the 2 County Captains below to see some photos from today's match between Renfrewshire and Northern Counties


County Finals Day 1 - RLCGA v Northern Counties