LESLEY'S 4-UNDER-PAR 71 MAKES HER EAST LOTHIAN TOP SEED

Haddington's Lesley Nicholson, who led Scotland to a first triumph the women's home internationals in 19 years at Cardiff last season, is on the glory trail again - as an individual!

The former tour professional, pictured at Whitchurch Golf Club, Cardiff last September, led the 16 match-play qualifiers by five shots with an excellent, four-under-par round of 71 when the East Lothian women's county golf championship got underway today at Musselburgh. 

The No 2 seed is Liz Dunn Butler (Gullane) with a 76, two ahead of senior international Moira Thomson (Gullane). Teenager Clara Young (North Berwick) earned the No 4 seed status by virtue of having the best inward half of the three players who finished on the 80 mark. 

The match-play stages will be played on Monday and Tuesday next week.

QUALIFIERS 
Par 75. SS 73. CSS 74. 
71 Lesley Nicholson (Haddington).
76 Liz Dunn Butler (Gullane). 
78 Moira Thomson (Gullane). 
80 Clara Young (North Berwick), Jane Herd (Musselburgh), Susan Penman (Gullane). 
81 Morag MacPherson (Dunbar). 
82 Viv Cupples (Dunbar).
85 Barbara MacIntosh (Gullane). 
86 Keren Ward (The Glen), Mary Lou Renton (Gifford), Fiona Larnach (Castle Park). 
87 Ros Thorenson (North Berwick), Elinor Blair (North Berwick). 
89 Barbara Biggart (Gullane), Jill Rankin (North Berwick). 

MATCH-PLAY DRAW
Nicholson v Rankin, McIntosh v Cupples, Herd v Larnach, Thorenson v Young.
Thomson v Blair, Renton v Penman, MacPherson v Ward, Biggart v Butler.