The winning Scotland team and SLGA officials (including Past Captain Beth Paterson) after the presentation in the Whitchurch clubhouse (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency -- click on it to enlarge)FROM THE LGU WEBSITE
Scotland has won the Home International Matches championship for the first time since 1991.
In a nerve-tingling finish to the three days, and on an afternoon on non-stop rain, the Scots beat Ireland 5-4 in the title-decider.
“It’s a great feeling to be taking the title back to Scotland,” said team captain Lesley Nicholson. “It went right down to the wire and my players were great.”
The Scots took a 2-1 lead from the morning foursomes and shared the singles 3-3.
The fifth and winning point for Scotland was delivered by Pamela Pretswell who beat Curtis Cup team-mate Leona Maguire with a birdie at the last hole.
Ireland cancelled out Scotland’s one-point lunchtime lead when Danielle McVeigh beat Jane Turner by 6 and 5. McVeigh was three up after four holes, having birdied the second, third and fourth, and she never relinquished her grip on the outcome. Turner won only one hole, the fifth, against a Curtis Cup player in top form. McVeigh increased her lead with wins at the sixth, 11th, 12th and 13th.
Scotland edged ahead 3-2 with a two-hole win by Kelsey MacDonald over Mary Dowling in a battle of the Scottish and Irish champions.
There was never more than a hole in it until the 18th green with first one player, then the other having a one-hole lead. All square after 15 holes, MacDonald won the 16th with a par 4, halved the 17th and birdied the 18th for a two-hole win.
Dowling had birdies at the fourth, 11th and 13th. MacDonald had an eagle 3 at the fifth and that birdie at the last.
Louise Kenney increased Scotland’s overall advantage to 4-2 when she beat Sinead O’Sullivan by 3 and 2, having been three up at the turn and four ahead after 12
Then Ireland won a third point through Charlene Reid who beat Megan Briggs by 2 and 1. Two down after 11, Charlene turned the match around by winning the 12th, 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th, with a birdie.
But Scotland got the title-winning fifth point when Pamela Pretswell beat Leona Maguire by one hole, thanks to a pitch-and-putt birdie 4 at the long 18th. It had been a classic match-play encounter with Pretswell two up after five but two down after 11 to the resurgted Leona. Pretswell won the 12th and 13th to square the match but slipped one down again when Maguire won the 15th with a birdie 2.
The Scot squared the match with a 4 at the 16th, halved the 17th and then produced that all-important birdie at the 18th.
Lisa Maguire rang the curtain down on a tremendous afternoon’s play by both teams when she won by one hole against Rachael Watton. There was never more than a hole in either way.
IRELAND 4, SCOTLAND 5
Foursomes (1-2)
Danielle McVeigh and Charlene Reid lost to Kelsey MacDonald and Louise Kenney 2 and 1.
Sinead O’Sullivan and Gillian O’Leary lost to Megan Briggs and Martine Pow 3 and 1.
Leona Maguire and Lisa Maguire bt Pamela Pretswell and Jane Turner 1 hole..
Singles (3-3)
Mary Dowling lost to MacDonald 2 holes.
McVeigh beat Turner 6 and 5.
Leona Maguire lost to Pretswell 1 hole..
Lisa Maguire beat Rachael Watton.1 hole.
Reid beat Briggs 2 and 1.
O’Sullivan lost to Kenney 3 and 2.
FINAL PLACINGS
Scotland 3 wins.
Ireland 2 wins.
Wales and England 1 draw each.
MANY CONGRATULATIONS GO TO MEGAN WHO PLAYED 5 MATCHES AND WON 4 OF THEM
