Championships - Girls' British Open Amateur Championship 2008
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11.08.2008
Laetitia Beck from Israel sets the pace at Monifieth
Laetitia Beck from Israel set a cracking pace in the first qualifying round of the British girls’ open amateur championship at Monifieth Links near Dundee this morning.Laetitia, brought over to play in the tournament by a former Angus resident, Barbara Vazana, shot a four-under-par 68, which represented very good scoring in windy conditions.
Israel’s champion lady golfer at the age of 16, Laetitia is No 43 in Golfweek’s world girls rankings. She was recently named one of Israel’s sportswomen of the past decade by the Israeli government.
She is a resident student at the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy at Bradenton, Florida.
With the wind behind her over the opening holes, Laetiti birdied the first, bogeyed the thired and then got an eagle 3 at the par-5 fourth. She also birdied the seventh and reached the turn in three-under-par 34.
The inward half, into the wind, was pushing most player’s scores up but after bogeying the 11th, Laetitia finished strongly with a birdie 2 at the short 14th and a birdie 3 at the 16th.
Sherlyn Popelka, a 16-year-old from Zurich, Switzerland, returned a 69 to mark her debut in the event. She is a student at the Annika Sorenstam Golf Academy in Orlando, Florida. Sherlyn and her family have lived in the United States for the past four years.
Sherlyn came through the first five holes two under par with birdies at the second, fourth and fifth and a bogey at the third where she missed the green.
The long fifth cost her a bogey 6 after she landed in a bush with her second shot.
Turning in one-under-par 36, Sherlyn defied the wind in her face with an inward half of two-under-par 33. She birdied the short 11th with a rescue club to within 2ft feet of the flag and a birdie 3 at the 16th where she holed from 8ft.
No round time exceeded 4hours for a three-ball and the change from previous years was an early sign that the Ladies Golf Union’s “zero tolerance policy” was having the desired effect.
For the first time at an LGU event, there were adio controlled digital clocks on the course – at the fourth, ninth, 14th and 18th holes.
All threesomes were told by which time they had to reach each clock. On the first occasion a time was missed, the threesome would be given a warning. If they missed two times, each member of the three would be penalised one stroke.
If they missed three times, then the penalty would be a further two strokes.
If they missed all four times, automatic disqualification would follow.
“I think we have got the message across to the competitors,” said Director of Championships Susan Simpson who has worked with the LGU Championship Committee to devise a simple system to tackle slow play issues which were marring their Championships.
“The LGU wished to reduce the length of time it was taking for a round of golf in its competions. The time had come to take severe action, and I hope tomorrow's rounds will also reflect this improvement” said Susan.
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