Queen keeps hold of card

CLARE Queen survived a last-round wobble to retain her card but it was a heartbreaking finish for fellow Scot Carly Booth in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga, writes Martin Dempster.

Queen, who finished in a tie for 22nd, has been a perennial participant in the event since she turned professional in 2005.

Feeling the last-day nerves, the 28-year-old Carrick on Loch Lomond player dropped four shots in five holes just before the turn but came home in level-par for a 77 and a total of 366 in the 90-hole event. “I’m relieved as I didn’t make it easy for myself on the front nine,” said the former British Amateur Stroke-play champion. The goal was to get my card back and I’m happy to have done that.”

Booth, the only other Scot to make the cut in Spain, agonisingly missed out after finding herself in a three-way play-off for the final two cards. The Comrie teenager closed with a 72 for 368.

She then made a par at the first extra hole in the play-off but took a bogey at the next as Spain’s Laura Cabanillas and India’s Sharmila Nicollet secured the 29th and 30th full cards respectively.