CARLY FROST  Editor  Ladies Golf Today

Carly's blog - news and views on the world of ladies' golf
July 24, 2012

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NEWS SPECIAL

With so many exciting events happening this week and good news stories to talk about, we couldn't resist giving you an in-depth round-up of the ladies world of golf...

Good luck Hayley!

I was fortunate to play a few holes of golf with one of England's top amateur stars Hayley Davis around her home club Ferndown on Saturday. As we're both from Dorset I've played a lot of golf with Hayley and have been beaten by her on many occasions over the years! It was lovely to see what a wonderful player she is maturing into and how naturally she swings the club. Hayley has just finished her first year at Baylor University in the USA but has returned to the UK for the summer. She has been selected to represent England along with Kelly Tidy, from Royal Birkdale in Lancashire, in the International European ladies' amateur championship at the Golf and Country Club Diners Ljubjana, Slovenia this week.

The tournament tees off Wednesday and is played over 72 holes. After three rounds there will be a cut with the top 60 players and ties qualifying for the final round.
Good luck girls!

ALSO HAPPENING THIS WEEK...

ENGLAND DUO HEAD TO EUROPEAN YOUNG MASTERS

Surrey teenagers Inci Mehmet and Sana Tufail will represent England Golf in the European Young Masters at Royal Balaton Golf Club in Hungary this week.

Inci Mehmet, 15 (Wentworth) is the Surrey women's and girls' champion and the first player to hold the titles simultaneously. She was runner-up in the South region women's championship and third in the English schools' championship. She has also helped Surrey reach the finals of the English counties' championship.

Sana Tufail, 15, (Woking Ladies') lives in Abu Dhabi and has won the 2012 United Arab Emirates women's order of merit. Last December she became the youngest player to compete in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, alongside the world's best women professionals, and was subsequently voted Sportsperson of the Year by readers of a daily sports newspaper in Abu Dhabi.

The European Young Masters includes separate boys' and girls' competitions and a mixed Nations Cup, with three of the four cards to count each day. The tournament tees off on Thursday.

ON TOUR...

THE WORLD'S TOP PROFESSIONALS TEE OFF IN FRANCE

Star-studded final field line up for this week's Evian Masters presented by Société Générale

Nine of the world's top ten players, including the world No 1 Yani Tseng, will highlight the list of competitors teeing off in France this week in the Evian Masters presented by Société Générale.

The co-sanctioned event, which has been designated a major championship on the Ladies European Tour since 1998 and will officially become a major on the LPGA from 2013, returns to Evian Masters Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains for the 19th staging of the event this Thursday 26 th - Sunday 29th July.

With a total purse of $3.25 million USD, or 2,496,170 euros, this is by far the biggest prize money event on the Ladies European Tour schedule and ties the US Women's Open as the LPGA's highest purse.

World No 1 Tseng, from Chinese Taipei, will be joined by recent US Women's Open champion Na Yeon Choi of South Korea (No 2), Stacy Lewis of the United States (No 3), defending champion Ai Miyazato of Japan (No 4), LPGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng from China (No 5), Norwegian Suzann Pettersen (No 6), South Korean Amy Yang (No 7), Cristie Kerr of the United States (No 9) and 2010 champion South Korean Jiyai Shin (No 10) in the stellar line-up of competitors.

South Korean Sun Ju Ahn (No 8), who plays primarily on the LPGA Japan Tour, will be the only player from the world's top ten missing from the field.

All 12 of Europe's triumphant Solheim Cup team will be in the 111 of the world's best players starting at the Evian Masters, namely Pettersen (No 6), Azahara Muñoz (No 14), Catriona Matthew (no 27), Sandra Gal (No 28), Anna Nordqvist (No 33), Caroline Hedwall (No 36), Maria Hjorth (No 38), Melissa Reid (No 49), Christel Boeljon (No 51), Sophie Gustafson (No 55), Karen Stupples (No 74) and Laura Davies (No 176).

There are 17 of the world's top 20 present with the addition of In Kyung Kim (No 11), Sun Young Yoo (No 12), Paula Creamer (No 13), Muñoz (No 14), Brittany Lincicome (No 15), Mika Miyazato (No 17), Angela Stanford (No 19) and So Yeon Ryu (No 20).

Other fan favourites will include the 2006 event champion Karrie Webb of Australia and Americans Michelle Wie, Cheyenne Woods and Lexi Thompson, last year's Omega Dubai Ladies Masters champion who finished second at the 2010 event.

GREAT RESULTS...

GIRL POWER AT THE 'JUNIOR OPEN'

I'm sure you felt for Adam Scott on Sunday when his grasp on the Open Championship Claret Jug just fell apart but his performance wasn't the only notable one. While the men were struggling with the Lytham & St. Annes links the junior girls were showed them how to handle tough conditions by putting in some impressive scores in the Junior Open Championship just up the road.

England's Gabriella Cowley finished a fine third in an international field at the weather-hit Junior Open at Fairhaven, in Lancashire.

For the first time the biennial event, which accompanies The Open, was won by a girl, Asuka Kashiwabara from Japan. She set another record with her astonishing scoring of 16-under par which gave her a winning margin of 14 shots.

Italy's Renato Paratore from Rome was third on two-under-par, followed by Gabriella on two-over par. A total of 68 nations contested the event for U16 boys and girls.

Gabriella, an England girl international from West Essex, showed great composure and impressive powers of recovery throughout the 54-hole event.

"I'm disappointed with my last round but overall I enjoyed the tournament very much. It was a great experience."
Gabriella will represent England in the girls' Home Internationals in August.

LAUREN DOES THE DUTCH DOUBLE!

England star Lauren Taylor (Woburn) has won the girls' annual Poncat Dutch Junior Open at Toxandria Golf Club near Breda for the second year running!

Lauren was the defending girls' champion after her victory last year and she again demonstrated her class by finishing on level-par 288, 11 strokes ahead of runner-up Andrea Jonama from Spain.

The BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year for 2011, after she became the youngest-ever British amateur champion, led from start to finish but it was her third round 67 containing seven birdies that stamped her authority on the event.

Even a closing 75 left her streets clear of her rivals and she could also afford to finish with back-to-back bogeys.

As a result of her victories Lauren has earned a place in the Deloitte Ladies Open on the LET in Holland.

CLUB NEWS...

TOP NATIONAL AWARD FOR SURREY GOLF CLUB

A Surrey golf club which has introduced 2000 children to golf over the last three years, has won a top national award for its schools programme.
Addington Court Golf Club, on the outskirts of Croydon, is among the winners of the 2012 Community Sport and Recreation Awards from the Sport and Recreation Alliance. It's the third time in two years that the club has been recognised for its work with schools.

Director of golf Paul Oliver said: "We are thrilled to have won this award. We work hard with local schools and really enjoy seeing the children progress. This national award really is the icing on the cake."

The club was nominated by England Golf, the amateur governing body, and beat off the challenge from a host of other sports to win the School Links award.

Addington Court's PGA professionals take structured coaching sessions with 24 primary schools and 12 secondary schools in Croydon. This has made golf accessible to many youngsters who would not have otherwise been introduced to the sport.

The club has also forged links with pupil referral units, girls' schools and sixth form colleges. It runs after-school sessions for 15 different groups every week and has introduced an innovative coloured wrist band scheme that motivates young people to progress and develop their skills to the best of their ability

Last year, Addington Court won the Golf Foundation's Bonallack Award, given for a great school project, and earlier this year were runners-up in England Golf's GolfMark Club of the Year Award. The GolfMark recognises clubs which are junior and beginner friendly.

England Golf development manager Richard Flint said: "It is a fantastic achievement by Addington Court to have won this School Links award.
"The club has shown a consistently excellent attitude to reaching out to local youngsters. The children have benefitted hugely from the coaching of the Addington Court PGA professionals, who have a high degree of dedication, imagination and skill, and really get the best out of each individual."

Paul Oliver and head professional Simon Shepherd received the £1000 award by the Earl of Wessex at the Alliance's annual meeting on 19 July.
Tim Lamb, chief executive of the Alliance said: "The awards are an annual highlight for grassroots sport and recreation. It's the work of these clubs and organisations that create cohesive communities, more happy and motivated people and a pool of talent for the future."

ENGLAND ANNOUNCES UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

England Golf is pleased to announce that a limited number of university scholarships are available for talented young amateurs attending British universities.

The annual golf scholarship of £3,000 aims to help support English players of national standard at a time when the pressure on personal finances often prevents many players from competing at the highest levels of the amateur game.

Nigel Edwards, England Golf's Director of Coaching, commented, "The recent increase in tuition fees and the financial demands on students are often a deterrent for some of our best amateur golfers, it makes it very difficult for them to commit to a high performance amateur programme. Many of our better players that wish to continue their studies are often successful in attracting scholarships from U.S. colleges and compete successfully in the NCAA divisions. Whilst the option of studying in America will always be the right decision for many, there is no doubt the standard of amateur golf in British universities has improved. The aim of the England Golf University Scholarship is to assist the best amateurs in British universities to continue to improve and to give them every chance of breaking in to the full England team."

Full details of the qualifying criteria and an application form are available from the Coaching section of the England Golf website. www.englandgolf.org

The closing date for prospective applicants for the 2012/13 academic year is Friday 31st August 2012.

CONFUSED ABOUT THE RULES OF GOLF? GET THE NEW DECISIONS APP...

The Rules of Golf can be mind boggling sometimes and with 1,275 of them it's no wonder we can't remember them all! Now there's an easy way to check-up on a ruling in a split second on your iPhone using the new Decisions on the Rules of Golf app.

With just a few taps of your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch you can be 100% sure on the decision or ruling that is in doubt.

The Decisions on the Rules of Golf book has been the essential reference document for referees and club administrators throughout the game for many years. It provides clear answers to practical golfing problems. Decisions follow a simple question-and-answer format, making them easy to understand and act upon.

Now rather than flicking through the pages of the book you need only fire up the app and you'll get the Ruling you need quickly and simply.