Golfweek

By ALISTAIR TAIT
Senior Writer

Scotland will spearhead Great Britain & Ireland’s attempt to win back the Curtis Cup from the United States when the two teams meet on the Old Course at St. Andrews May 30-June 1.

Fifteen-year-old Carly Booth (pictured) will make history by becoming the youngest GB&I player ever. The precocious teenager is one of four Scots named to the eight-woman team.

Krystle Caithness (19), Michele Thomson (20) and Sally Watson (16) are the other Scottish golfers on the team.

Welsh player Breanne Loucks (20) is the only member of the 2006 team named to the GB&I side. Loucks went undefeated as a Curtis Cup rookie.

Rounding out the team are English players Elizabeth Bennett (25), Jodi Ewart (20) and Florentyna Parker (18).

Booth, who attends Red Mountain High School outside Phoenix, won a number of titles last year to earn her place on the team. She won the European Young Masters, the Scottish Under-18 Championship and Scottish Under-21 Junior Open Stroke Play Championship.

Her brother, Wallace, played for Augusta State before turning pro.

Watson attends the IMG/David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Fla. She impressed last year when she qualified for the Ricoh Women’s British Open at St. Andrews and finished T-50. Watson is No. 20 in the Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings.

Parker has been a member of the last two European Junior Solheim Cup teams, and was a reserve for the 2006 Curtis Cup. Last year, she won the French Under-21 title.

Ewart is the reigning 2007 English Stroke Play champion. She plays for the University of New Mexico and last year won the Mountain West Conference Championship. Ewart is No. 18 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.

Caithness was also a reserve for the 2006 match. The University of Georgia player’s resume includes wins in the 2006 St. Rule Trophy and the 2006 Scottish Under-21 Girls Championship. Caithness is No. 72 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.

Thomson sealed her place with solid finishes at the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur (third) and Jones/Doherty Championship (quarterfinals), which are part of the Orange Blossom Circuit in Florida. Thomson added a top-three finish at the Portuguese Women’s Amateur. She is No. 27 in the Golfweek/Titleist Amateur Rankings.

Bennett helped sway the selectors by winning the South Atlantic Ladies Amateur, and reaching the semifinals of the Jones/Doherty Championship. Bennett is No. 15 in the Golfweek/Titleist Amateur Rankings.

“I am delighted with the team that has been selected,” GB&I captain Mary McKenna said. “It was no easy task with the quality of the squad being so high. I feel very confident that we can win the Curtis Cup on this historic occasion.”

The Curtis Cup will be played over three days for the first time, featuring three foursomes and three four-ball matches on the first two days. All eight players will play singles matches on Sunday.

The United States has won the last five Curtis Cup Matches, and leads the series 25-6-3.

• • •

Alistair Tait is a Golfweek senior writer. To reach him e-mail atait@golfweek.com.


Posted: 3/6/2008

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