Carly is champs’ champ

Nov 7 2008 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

GOLFING starlet Carly Booth was crowned the queen of Kingsbarns at the weekend as she produced a five-under-par final round to become the Scottish Junior Champion of Champions.

The 16-year-old from Comrie warmed up for the event by beating her Eisenhower Trophy-winning brother Wallace (23) around the Fife links course – despite having to play off the men’s tees!

Carly said: “That round with Wallace gave me a lot of confidence for this event.

“The conditions were really clear and fresh during the competition and I played really well, so I’m delighted with this result.”

Carly – who became the youngest ever member of Great Britain and Ireland’s Curtis Cup team this year – secured five birdies in the first seven holes, and eight in total, during her round of 67.

She finished five shots clear of her nearest rival, Rachel McQueen. The Troon Ladies player was the only other player in the 14-strong field who did not slip over par.

Dawn Butchart, captain of the Perth and Kinross Ladies County Golf Association, said victory against such a strong field would give Carly’s confidence a lift going into the new season.

“Kingsbarns is a very tough course and Carly played very well to get the score that she did.

“She told me she didn’t think she was playing that well beforehand so winning the event will do her the world of good,” she said.

The Big County was well represented in the competition with two more of the region’s top players contesting the end-of-season showpiece for girls on the Scottish Junior Tour

Crieff’s Annabel Niven finished fifth on the leaderboard. The 16 year-old’s round of 84 included an eagle three at the long par five 12th hole.

This year’s Junior County Scratch Champion Ailie Burnett (17), from Dunkeld and Birnam, also competed.