round-up

MUSSELBURGH'S Vikki Laing, winner of the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews last year, scored her first big women's open golf tournament since then when she landed the Welsh open amateur stroke-play championship at windy Royal Porthcawl, Wales, yesterday.

Laing, a golf scholarship student at the University of California Berkeley, moved steadily up the leaderboard after a first-round 77.

She was joint fourth overnight after a second-round 78 and forged to the front with a closing effort of 74 for a four-over-par total of 229. Final totals:

229 V Laing (Musselburgh) 77 78 74.

232 S Coverley (Woodsome Hall) 79 82 71, F More (Chesterfield) 79 78 75, A Highgate (Cottrell Park) 78 78 76, A Waller (Harpenden) 72 81 79.

233 K Dobson (Fulford) 77 82 74, L Moffat (West Kilbride) 76 77 80.

Other Scots: 236 A Laing (Vale of Leven) 75 79 82.

244 L Morton (Tulliallan) 81 85 79.

249 L Kenny (Stirling University) 88 79 84.

277 F Gilbert (Carnoustie) 85 100 92.

l England's Nick Job claimed a new course record when he closed with an eight-under par 63 to win the Lawrence Batley Seniors at Huddersfield GC.

England's Denis Durnian came second with Neil Coles third. Scores (GB&I unless stated):

204 N Job 69 72 63.

209 D Durnian 71 71 67.

210 N Coles 73 67 70.

211 I Stanley (Aus) 70 73 68.

212 B Shearer (Aus) 74 71 67, J McTear 68 75 69, J Van Wagenen (US) 71 72 69.

213 M Bembridge 66 73 74.

214 C Defoy 70 75 69, B Waites 72 71 71.

Selected others: 215 J Rhodes 72 71 72, D O'Sullivan 70 72 73, M Gregson 69 72 74.

218 A Garrido (Spn) 70 76 72.

220 D Huish 80 72 68, A Tapie (US) 78 73 69, B Gallacher 74 75 71.

l The Scottish boys' team, defeated 16-2, including a 12-0 landslide in the singles, in last year's match in England, will be out for vengeance at Crail Craighead today. Scottish teams:

Boys: G Cuthill, W Booth, G Murray, M Thomson, M Gentles, K McNicoll, M Bruce, K McAlpine, C Rossi, S Jamieson, E McIntosh, R Ramsay.

Girls: L Kenney, D Dewar, K Brotherton, F Hindshaw, C Queen, L Walker.