County prizes captured in Crieff

May 20 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TOP seed Fiona Ramsay, playing over her home course, was beaten in the quarter-finals of the Perth and Kinross women’s county championship at Crieff Golf Club.

And the title was captured by Dunblane’s Nicola Robertson, with Craigie Hill’s Jillian Milne losing out 3 and 2 in the final.

Fancied Fiona had cleared her first match-play hurdle, beating the 16th qualifier, Janet Griffiths (Strathmore) 6 and 5 but that brought her up against Steph Crolla (Muckhart), the No 8 qualifier.

Step won what was obviously a tight match by one hole.

In the semi-finals Step Crolla lost out to junior member Nicola, the No 4 seed, who beat Gwen Lambie (Dunkeld) by 5 and 4 in the quarter-finals.

The second semi-final featured Jillian, the No 6 seed, and former international Emily Ogilvy (Auchterarder), the No 2 seed.

Jillian, the 2006 county champion, had already ousted the No 3 seed Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) by one hole in the round of the last eight while Emily beat Laura Walker (Muckhart), champion in 2008 and again last year, by 4 and 3. When they met in last year’s final Laura was the winner by one hole.

In the final, rising star Nicola was round in level par with a fine performance that included three birdies.

Perth and Kinross officials are delighted that they have uncovered another star in the making with the North Division jamboree looming at Inchmarlo Golf Club, Banchory.

Morag Penny (Crieff) won the handicap title by beating Helen Payne (Milnathort) by 3 and 2 in the final.