Teenager Booth makes impressive Irish Open start

TEENAGER Carly Booth produced one of the best rounds of her short professional career to head the Scottish challenge on 69 after the first round of the AIB Ladies' Irish Open yesterday at Killeen Castle.

In a star-studded field, Sweden's Maria Hjorth led on 67, one shot ahead of England's Melissa Reid, with Booth, who turned 18 in June, in a seven-way tie for third on three under par. Scotland's No 1, Catriona Matthew, had a disappointing 75.

Booth started at the tenth and had five birdies in a round highlighted by an eagle at the long 12th. The Comrie youngster joined the Ladies' Europen Tour in March and made her first three cuts, but she has missed the weekend in her last four tournaments and earned around 3,000. Krystle Caithness was the next best of the Scots on 73, with rookie Kylie Walker on and Vikki Laing both on 74.

Meanwhile. England showed no mercy in beating Wales 9-0 to keep the Stroyan Cup with a third successive title win in the Girls Home International Matches at Bangor Golf Club, Northern Ireland. Scotland claimed the Swansea Spoon as runners-up for the second year in a row. They beat Ireland 5-3.