MacDonald set for rematch at Tain

It’s crunch time for Kelsey MacDonald in this morning’s quarter-finals of the 98th Scottish Women’s Championship over the Tain links in Ross-shire.

Twelve months ago, the Nairn Dunbar player was defending champion when she lost to Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) in the same round at Machrihanish. Today the pair meet again in the pick of the quarter-finals after another cold and wet, sunless day at Tain.

The 19-year-old Briggs girl, whose sister Megan is making headway in the other half of the draw, beat Nichola Ferguson (Milngavie) 6 and 4 and then overcame 2005 champion Martine Pow (Selkirk) by 3 and 2.

MacDonald won by 6 and 5 against Royal Dornoch’s Scotland senior international Alison Bartlett and then marked up a 4 and 3 win over Samantha Munro (Aberdour), who had earlier beaten Aberdeenshire champion Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) by 6 and 5.

“I’m playing well, quite steady,” said Stirling student Eilidh, who lost in last year’s final to Louise Kenney (Pitreavie)

In the other match in the lower half of the draw, it’s local hope Sammy Vass against the No 2 seed Laura Murray from Alford. Vass, home for the summer from college in Florida, won through at the 19th against 16-year-old Clara Young (North Berwick).

In the top half of the draw it will be top seed Jane Turner (Craigielaw) versus Drumpellier’s Susan Wood, and 2005 champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm) against Muckhart’s Eilidh Watson.