• Hazel Irvine features in an interview ahead of the Women's British Open to be broadcast from 2pm, this Thursday, on BBC2 (scroll down for further details). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/07/31/somysp131.xml

• Four England players qualify for Women’s British Open
  
  England international Melissa Reid (right) led the qualifiers for the Ricoh Women's British Open which starts on the Old Course at St Andrews on Thursday.
  
  Melissa, who has already scored a top ten finish alongside the pros in this season’s Ladies’ English Open, will be joined in the field by three fellow England players.
  
  Rachel Bell (Ganton), Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) and Naomi Edwards (Ganton) were among the 21 qualifiers from the field of 123 players at the New Course, St Andrews.
  
  Melissa, the Scottish strokeplay champion and St Rule Trophy winner, shot a two-under par 70. The 19-year old from Chevin Golf Club in Derbyshire, was four-under on the back nine, with an eagle three on the 10th and birdies on the 15th and 17th.
  
  Rachel Bell and Kerry Smith both returned level par scores and shared third place. Kerry had contrasting nines, with three bogeys on the way out and three birdies on the way home. Rachel’s round included two birdies and an eagle on the 10th.
  
  English champion Naomi Edwards birdied the 18th to avoid going into a play-off. She returned a one-over 73 which included three birdies and an eagle three on the 12th.
  
  European Tour rookie Sophie Walker from Lincolnshire also qualified on one over par. Sophie was one of England’s leading amateurs before she turned pro at the end of last season.
  
  Fourteen golfers who tied on two-over were involved in a play-off for the final eight places in the championship. Among the successful competitors was 16-year-old Sally Watson from Scotland.

• BBC Coverage of the 2007 Women's British Open
  Thu 2 Aug, 1:00 pm - 5:15 pm
  
  Live coverage of the historic opening round of the Ricoh Women's British Open, with female professionals playing for the first time on The Old Course at St Andrews.
  
  Also looking to break new ground will be Mexico's new world number one Lorena Ochoa, who awaits her first major title. Her predecessor at the top of the rankings, Annika Sorenstam, was a winner of this event in 2003 and needs to clinch the title this weekend to maintain her run of at least one major victory every year since 2001.
  
  The last British winner was Karen Stupples, in 2004, who has recently returned to the game following the birth of her son. Rejuvenated former world number one Laura Davies will also hope to have an impact in a tournament she won more than 20 years ago.

Labels: golf