Championships - Home International Matches 2009
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31.08.2009
Scotland looking for home inspiration when International Matches are played at Irvine.
Scotland will be hoping they can follow the example of last year’s winners, Wales, when the 2009 Women’s Home International Matches are played at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire from 9th – 11th September.Playing at home, on a course they knew better than their opponents, and in front of their own supporters proved to be an inspiration for Wales at Wrexham when they rose to the occasion to win the title and the Miller Trophy for only the second time.
They beat both Scotland and then Ireland by the same 5 ½-3 ½ margin and even though they lost by that scoreline to England on the final day, the Welsh had enough in hand to pip England on the countback.
The Scots have not won the Miller Trophy since their back-to-back triumphs at Hunstanton in 1990 and Aberdovey in 1991.
The only other country, apart from England, who have scored successive trophy triumphs in recent years is Ireland with victories at Cruden Bay in 2003 and Royal Porthcawl in 2004.
Wales have the same captain, Sue Turner, but it is a much-changed team that will defend the title at Irvine. New caps in their line-up are 15-year-old Katie Bradbury, who made her debut as a junior international last year, and Sam Birks who was a member of the Welsh team who won the European Under-21s’ silver medal at Deal.
Katie Bradbury’s sister Gemma, who played in the Wales team at the European Team Championship in Slovenia this summer, is also included.
Recalled to the Welsh team is Katherine O’Connor who last played for the team at Frilford Heath in 2006. Katie, Gemma and Amy Bouden are all juniors.
There are no new caps in the Ireland team which will be captain by Claire Robinson. Sarah Cunningham, Mary Dowling and Charlene Reid make their debut in the event but all were members of the Irish line-up in the European Team Championship in Slovenia in July. They will be joined in the team by Niamh Kitching, Danielle McVeigh and Aedin Murphy and Victoria Bradshaw, 19, who played in the Home Internationals of 2007 and makes a return to the Irish team after an injury that ruled her out of contention for a place in the 2008 team. Gillian O’Leary is the other member of the Ireland team who was not part of the European side but played in the Home Internationals of 2007 and 2008.
The Ireland team will be led by Danielle McVeigh who achieved a career high the last time she played on a Scottish links at Royal Aberdeen last month when she won the British Ladies’ Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. Danielle is a student at NUI Maynooth on a Padraig Harrington Golf Scholarship, as are Sarah Cunningham and Aedin Murphy.
The 14-year-old Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, who helped Ireland win the European Girls’ Team championship in Finland earlier this year and played in the Junior Solheim Cup match in America were not available for this year Home International matches.
England has three new caps in their squad for Irvine. The new English Stroke Play champion Charlotte Wild, Junior Solheim Cup player Kelly Tidy and Nikki Foster will all play.
England will be captained by Julie Otto, who figured in many winning teams in her stellar career as a player. England won the silver medal at the European Team Championship this summer and four of those players are in the team for Irvine – Hannah Barwood, Holly Clyburn, Charlie Douglass, the left-hander who is the English champion, and Vagliano Trophy cap Rachel Jennings.
Kelly Tidy was the European team’s top points scorer at the Ping Junior Solheim Cup match with three wins from three matches.
Scotland’s team includes one new cap – 19-year-old student Jane Turner who just made the top 20 of the recent British women’s open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Aberdeen.
Scotland team captain Lesley Nicholson will be hoping that the good form shown over Scottish links by the five Scots who finished in the top 10 of that championship, Kylie Walker, Louise Kenney, Laura Murray, Pamela Pretswell and Carly Booth will carry over to the Home Internationals.
Kylie and Pamela played for Great Britain & Ireland against the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy match in Hamburg in July. Other team members in action at Irvine will be Danielle McVeigh (Ireland), Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) and Rachel Jennings (England)..
THE VENUE
Irvine Golf Club was established in 1887 and its course is a traditional links which owes much of its character and lay-out to the famous golf course architect James Braid.
The course can best be described as a mixture of links and heathland. The fairways are built on sand and are divided by gorse and heather. Every hole has its own identity and character and the greens are considered to be among the best to be found in Ayrshire where there is no shortage of great courses.
The peaks of Arran provide a natural and scenic backdrop to complement the bird life and the River Irvine and the Bogside Flats where wildlife abounds.
The course is not long by present day standards but demands accurate shot-making.
The Irvine club has a long association with the R&A and the PGA. It is used by the R&A as a qualifying venue when the Open championship is being held at Turnberry or Royal Troon.
Last year it co-hosted with Turnberry the British seniors championship.
Irvine is situated on the Ayrshire Golf Coast and is five miles from Troon, 10 miles from Prestwick and 30 miles from Turnberry.
TEAMS
ENGLAND
Captain: Julie Otto
Hannah Barwood (Knowle)
Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa)
Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall)
Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton)
Nikki Foster (Pleasington)
Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton)
Kelly Tidy (Royal Birkdale)
Charlotte Wild (Mere)
IRELAND
Captain: Claire Robinson.
Manager: Fiona McComb.
Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor)
Sarah Cunningham (Ennis)
Mary Dowling (New Ross)
Niamh Kitching (Claremorris)
Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies)
Aedin Murphy (Carlow)
Gillian O’Leary (Cork)
Charlene Reid (Royal Portrush)
SCOTLAND
Captain: Lesley Nicholson.
Manager: Claire Hargan.
Carly Booth (Comrie)
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm)
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie)
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar)
Laura Murray (Alford)
Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle)
Jane Turner (Craigielaw)
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle).
WALES
Captain: Sue Turner.
Manager: Anna Hubbard.
Samantha Birks (Wolstanton).
Amy Boulden (Maesdu).
Gemma Bradbury (Cottrell Park).
Katie Bradbury (Cottrell Park).
Tara Davies (Holyhead).
Lucy Gould (Bargoed).
Katherine O’Connor (Tadmarton Heath)
Rhian Wyn Thomas (Vale of Glamorgan).
PROGRAMME
Each match consists of three foursomes and six singles played over 18 holes.
Wednesday, September 9
8.30am & 1.10pm: England v Wales.
9.00am & 2.10pm: Scotland v Ireland.
Thursday, September 10
8.30am & 1.10pm: Ireland v Wales
9.00am & 2.10pm: Scotland v England
Friday, September 11
8.30am & 1.10pm: Wales v Scotland
9.00am & 2.10pm: England v Ireland.
Presentation of trophy at 6.45pm approx.
Spectators are welcome and admission and car parking is free.
For further information please contact
Susan Simpson
Head of Golf Operations
Ladies’ Golf Union
championships@lgu.org
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