Jane Turner tames La Manga wind in solid start to LET Q-School final

Jane Turner took up where she’d left off in the pre-qualifier in making a solid start in the LET Q-School final but some of her fellow Scottish card hopefuls were quickly blown off course at windy La Manga.

Jane Turner was pleased with her start in the LET Q-School final at La Manga in Spain. Picture: Tristan Jones

On a day when French player Yvie Chaucheprat set the pace in the five-round battle with a bogey-free four-under 67, Turner was also pleased with her opening day’s work on the North Course at the Murcia venue.

The Scot, who had finished strongly to make the top 10 in last week’s pre-qualifier at the same place, opened with six pars before picking up shots at seventh and ninth, with her only blemish being a 5 at the 14th.

The effort left her in a tie for sixth after the opening circuit in the race to secure a category 11 card for next season’s LET through finishing in the top 20 and ties.

“It was pretty windy out there today,” said Turner, a two-time British Universities’ champion. “We got quite lucky because it was forecast to rain and we got that one heavy shower which only lasted a couple of minutes.

“It was really just the wind and I felt like I handled that pretty well. It was a little bit like my closing round last week, I didn’t miss that many fairways and that many greens. There were a couple of putts that lipped out but, apart from that, it was just standard.”

Having been hampered by a shoulder injury that led her to take a medical exemption in June, Turner is delighted how she is holding up physically in the middle of a marathon test.

“The shoulder is good,” she said. “Everything is feeling fairly comfortable at the moment.

Tara Mactaggart anxiously watches her drive during the opening round at La Manga in Murcia. Picture: Tristan Jones

“It has all settled down really well, so I have to thank my physio and my coach and everyone for getting it into shape to be able to come out here.”

Hazel MacGarvie was next best among the Scots with a two-over 73, followed by Clara Young, Rahael Taylor and Hannah McCook as they all signed for 74s.

Heather MacRae had to settle for a 77, leaving her with work to do along with Tara Mactaggart (80) and Laura Murray (82).

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