Schools golf: Last-minute dash proves no handicap to Kirsten

On the eve of the SLGA Under-16 Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship, Kirsten Brown (St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School) was on the list of reserves and on holiday in Spain.

Two days later and the 12-year-old Lanarkshire Schools’ champion had played two great rounds at Strathmore Golf Club and reduced her handicap.

It was a late withdrawal by one of the competitors that gave Kirsten the chance to take part in Scotland’s premier under-16 tournament.

“We were on holiday in Murcia when my mum got the call on Wednesday morning that I could play,” explained Kirsten. “The tee time was about 9 o’clock on Thursday morning.

“We were flying home that night so I said I could take part. But the plane was delayed and we didn’t get home until about 1am on Thursday morning.

“But we made it to Strathmore and it was great to get the chance to play with some really low handicap players.”

Despite the absence of a practice round, 16 handicap Kirsten – players with handicaps over 14 were originally balloted out – shot rounds of 86 and 88 and had reduced her handicap to 15.

A member of Torrance House and coached by George Boswell at Mearns Castle Driving Range, Kirsten’s goal this season is to get her handicap down into single figures.

England’s Gabriella Cowley, who plays off scratch, won the tournament with two rounds of 73.

Play on the final day did not start until 9.30am after an overnight thunder and lightning storm had left excess water on the course, which had to be cleared before play was allowed to start.

Cowley, from West Essex, carded two birdies at par-5 holes on the inward half of her second round, the 12th and 14th, and could afford to bogey the short 17th and still post a repeat 73 for a two-over-par aggregate of 146.

Her playing partner, Italy’s Camilla Mortiglieno, was the overnight leader but she slumped from a par 72 to a 79 for a 156 total.

The best round of the tournament was a second day 68 from Nicola Callander. Nicola, whose parents are both Scottish, finished third overall – and now faces a dilemma.

She is qualified for both England (she is a former member of the English girls’ development squad) and Scotland. The hope is that she will plump for Scotland and enter the Scottish Girls’ Championship at Crail in July. Recently, she won a golf scholarship at Millfield School in Somerset – and her effort at Strathmore has reduced her handicap to three.