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Scottish
Ladies' (Close) Amateur Championship
May 19-23, 2003, Old Course, St Andrews Links
For the
first time in living memory, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing
Association received more than the maximum total of 132 entries
they can deal with in a daily qualifying round.
A combination
of this being the Centenary Championship and the tournament
returning to the Old
Course, where it all began in 1903, resulted in
a total entry of 200. The 132 players with the lowest handicaps
were admitted to the championship with the remaining 68 players
being balloted out.
The handicap
cut was made at 8.1, which is a lot lower than in previous
years when the championship was as much a social gathering
as it was a golf tournament. Players with handicaps well into
double figures normally find a place in the draw which usually
caters for fewer than 100 players.
Past champions
in the field who will play qualifying stroke-play rounds on
both the Monday and Tuesday (May 19 and 20) include;
- Dr
Aileen Wilson (Haggs Castle): 1974 at Nairn.
- Anne
Laing (Vale of Leven): 1996 at Royal Dornoch.
- Alison
Davidson (Stirling): 1997 at West Kilbride.
- Elaine
Moffat (St Regulus), 1998 at North Berwick.
- Jayne
Smith (Gullane): 1999 at Nairn Dunbar.
- Lynn
Kenny (Stirling University & Dunblane): 2000 at Machrihanish.
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The
winner of last year's event at Stranraer, Heather Stirling
(Bridge of Allan) was not in St Andrews to defend her
title in 2003. She turned professional at the end of
the 2002 season and is now part of the Futures Tour
in the USA.
For
a full list of winners from 1903 until 2002 click
here. For information on the history of the
event click
here.
To
view the opening draw for the 2003 event click
here.
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Heather
Stirling
(Photo courtesy of Cal
Carson Golf Agency)
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