Golf Digest

THE North Berwick links were littered with big-name casualties yesterday, leaving the Scottish women's amateur championship to enter the quarter-final stage without any of the Curtis Cup training squad players.

Out went defending champion and Curtis Cup player Alison Rose, leading qualifier and former title-winner Hilary Monaghan, and two other members of the Curtis Cup training squad - No.2 qualifier Lesley Nicholson and Anne Laing, the 1996 champion.

Rose was suffering from an upset stomach but refused to use that as an excuse for a second-round 6 and 4 defeat by 17-year-old Vicki Laing. ''I'm disappointed to go out so early but Vicki was a worthy winner,'' said Rose.

It was the second year in a row that the championship's top seed had lost on the opening day of the match-play. ''I was putted off the course,'' said Monaghan.

Jayne Smith, from Gullane, beat Laing at the twentieth and another former champion, Elaine Farquharson-Black (Deeside), beat Nicholson 3 and 2 after birdieing five holes in a row from the second. Results:

First round - C Divers (Douglas Park) beat H Monaghan (Heriot Watt Univ) 1 hole, C Hargan (Dundee Univ) beat S Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 5 and 4, P Mackay (Golspie) beat P Williamson (Burnham Beeches) 3 and 2, D Ferguson (The Glen) beat C Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert) 2 and 1, A Walker (Strathaven) beat J Harrison (Cruden Bay) 5 and 4, E Moffat (St Regulus) beat M L Renton (Gifford) 2 and 1, P Silver (Prestonfield) beat J Anderson (Hawick) 1 hole, K Marshall (Baberton) beat A Finlay (Ratho Park) 4 and 3, A Laing (Heriot Watt Univ) beat T Stoddart (Cawder) 6 and 4, J Smith (Gullane) beat S McMaster (Dunbar) 1 hole, V Laing (Musselburgh) beat L Johnston (Gullane) 3 and 2, A Rose (Stirling) beat L Morton (Tulliallan) 5 and 4, M Thomson (North Berwick) beat L Mackay (Golspie) 2 and 1, C Agnew (Eastwood) beat K Milne (Ladybank) 4 and 3, E Farquharson-Black (Deeside) beat S McEwan (Edinburgh Univ)

6 and 5, L Nicholson (Heriot Watt Univ) beat J Jenkins (Ralston) 5 and 3. Second round - Hargan beat Divers 2 and 1, P Mackay beat Ferguson 4 and 3, Moffat beat Walker 2 and 1, Marshall beat Silver 4 and 3, Smith beat A Laing at twentieth, V Laing beat Rose 6 and 4, Agnew beat Thomson 3 and 2, Farquharson-Black beat Nicholson 3 and 2.

qWindyhill professional Gary Collinson produced a storming finish at Whitecraigs yesterday to take the #1183 first prize in the Eastwood Charity Pro-Am.

The 32-year-old was only three under the card through 15 holes but plundered three successive birdies from the last three holes for a six-under-par 64 to pip Gleddoch's Steven Thompson who had carded a 65 an hour earlier.

Auchterarder professional Billy Marchbank took third with a 66, while former European Tour player Ross Drummond picked up fourth with his 67. Leading professional scores:

64 - G Collinson (Windyhill). 65 - S Thompson (Gleddoch). 66 - B Marchbank (Auchterarder). 67 - R Drummond (unattached). 68 - C Ronald (Torrance House). 69 - J McTear (Cowglen), F Mann (Musselburgh), P Wardell (Braid Hills). 70 - R Farrell (Cardross), R Forrest (Carluke), A McCloskey (Bothwell Castle), R Weir (Cowal), J Greaves (Glasgow Gailes), C Maltman (Eyemouth), G Weir (Braid Hills). Leading amateur team score; 56 - Deloitte & Touche (Fraser Mann (pro), Graham Reid 20, Cammy Kyle 21, Peter Bole 18).

qTommy Horton won his fourth successive Scottish Life/ Ben Sayers Senior Club Professional Championship at Coventry yesterday. Leading final totals:

213 - T Horton (Royal Jersey) 70, 75, 68; (#4750).

214 - M Slater (Portal) 72, 70, 72; (#3500).

216 - C Defoy (Coombe Hill) 70, 75, 71; J Rhodes (South Staffs) 67, 71, 78; (#2350 each).

217 - R Browne (Laytown & Bettystown) 73, 70, 74.

218 - I Clark (Hagley) 73, 72, 73; A O'Connor (Elm Green) 69, 71, 78.

219 - P Ward (Teignmouth) 75, 69, 75; G Burroughs (Boyce Hill) 73, 71, 75; D Snell (retired) 75, 72, 72; M McCrorie (Strathaven) 72, 74, 73.