KATHRYN IMRIE, the former Midlothian County coach, says she is playing for fun this season, and she enjoyed an opening 73 that put her in the top 20 after the first round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies' Scottish Open at the Carrick, Loch Lomond.
Gwladys Nocera, the French Solheim Cup player, birdied the last three holes for a two-under par 69, and she shared a one-shot lead with Maria Boden, a 30-year-old Swede seeking her first win on Tour. Clare Queen, who represents the Carrick on Tour, w
as the best of the Scots in joint tenth place on 72, while Imrie was just a shot back in a tie for 15th.
Imrie was the first Scot to win on the LPGA Tour in the United States, her victory coming back in the 1995 Jamie Farr Classic and the 40-year-old is now in the twilight of her playing career. She would love to continue as a TV commentator, having already worked for Sky and the US-based Golf Channel, and she also has a winter coaching job in California. "If I got offered a full-time commentating job, then I'd jump at it," she said. "But it's so hard to get into."
Imrie could have fared even better. Level par with two to play, she ran up a double-bogey at the 17th after going through the back of the green with her second shot.
Queen was two under par after six holes, but dropped four shots before bouncing back with two late birdies.
Turnberry's Mhairi McKay, back from the US to compete this week, birdied her second last hole to stay within sight of the lead on 74.
The full article contains 295 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
