US Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 eliminators

Kirkpatrick, Knox slip out of reckoning but Michael Sim

lying joint 10th in Texas

Edinburgh-born David Kirkpatrick has all but written off his chances of making it to the United States PGA Tour Final Qualifying School after a disastrous second-round 76 in the Stage 2 eliminator at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Kirkpatrick, based at Lakeland, Florida for several years, had a double bogey 5 at the short 11th and then a triple bogey 7 at the 18th.
With a halfway total of five-over-par 147, Kirkpatrick is in joint 63rd position in a field of 77. Only the leading 20 players at the end of four rounds will earn a place at the Final Q School.
The standard is so high at these qualifying eliminators - American Geoffrey Sisk leads at 11-under-par 131 with scores of 69 and 62, that there would seem to be no way back for Kirkpatrick or, for that matter, Inverness-born Russell Knox who had a 75 for 151.

Knox, so successful on the Hooters Tour all year, had a triple bogey 7 - at a different hole - for the second day in a row.

David Skinns from Lincoln is on 142 at Hombnre Golf Club with a apir of 71s and is lying joint 33rd. He needs to improve 13 places over the last 36 holes at this venue.
Aberdeen-born Michael Sim, however, is sitting pretty in the Stage 2 event at Deerwood Golf Club, Kingswood in Texas. Brought up in Australia, Sim shot a second-round 68 with five birdies for a halfway total of 139 and he is lying joint 10th at a venue where there will be 21 qualifiers.

Sim, pictured above, whose career on the US Tour was halted by a lower back stress fracture, had birdies at four long holes - the first, seventh , 14th and 16th - and a birdie 2 at the short eighth. He had one bogey, at the 12th.

Leading the field at Deerwood Golf Club is Richard Johnson with 65 and 69 for 10 under par 134.

Now whether this is Richard Johnson the Welshman or Richard Johnson the Swede - both of whom played on the US Tour in the season just ending - remains to be clarified.

R&A AND ESPN REACH WIDE-RANGING EIGHT-YEAR
AGREEMENT FOR THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
The R&A, the organiser of The Open Championship, and ESPN have reached an eight-year agreement that will place all four rounds of The Open Championship live on ESPN beginning in 2010, it was announced by George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN, Inc., and ABC Sports and Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.
The new pact will also provide broad and comprehensive rights for digital platforms; expanded television and digital media rights for ESPN International; and extensive same-day weekend highlights coverage on ABC.
ESPN will televise 34 live hours of Championship play over the four days and produce six hours of encore highlights coverage over the weekend, to be broadcast on ABC. The coverage on ABC will extend The R&A’s relationship with ABC beyond half a century.
Bodenheimer said: “One of the most venerable of all sporting events has embraced the 21st century worldwide media landscape, and we’re thrilled to showcase The Open Championship like never before. The scope of this deal and the enhancements we obtained offer us tremendous opportunities to serve The R&A and golf fans around the world through any device.”
Dawson said: "It is all important to The R&A that we preserve the traditions of The Open Championship while at the same time ensuring that golf fans are able to enjoy modern state-of-the-art coverage of the event. We know just how much ESPN respects The Open's heritage and we are very excited by their many innovative plans to cover the Championship across the whole media spectrum, both in the United States and internationally. We look forward to a long and productive relationship."
Alastair Johnston, IMG Vice Chairman, who led the negotiating team representing The R&A said, "We had to consider not only the financial terms but The R&A's overall mission to promote and develop the game of golf to an evolving global audience. Envisaging the platforms where a younger generation could be positively influenced to experience The Open Championship over the next decade was a significant factor in assembling this arrangement with ESPN."
The deal also includes exclusive US coverage of all rounds of The Senior Open Championship, which is governed jointly by The R&A and the PGA European Tour, and coverage of the next two Walker Cup matches when contested in the United Kingdom (2011 and 2015). In all, there will be 90-plus television hours and 40-plus hours of live coverage on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV.
ESPN will provide unprecedented live coverage of the Championships, including the first and second rounds of The Open Championship, which will begin at 5 a.m. ET.
The wide-ranging agreement will cover multiple businesses around the world through ESPN’s various platforms – ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN International, ESPN.com, ESPN360.com, ESPNDeportes.com and ESPN Mobile Properties, interactive television, ESPN in Latin America/Caribbean, TSN and RDS in Canada, ESPN Star Sports in Asia, and ESPN360 services in Mexico, Chile and Brazil.
ESPN extended and broadened its rights in Canada (TSN and RDS), Asia, Israel and Latin America territories as well as English language rights in China (ESPN Sports Star Sports). The deal also includes digital rights in all territories (excluding China) including live streaming of all events, expansive multiplatform highlight rights (e.g. online, broadband, and wireless); television and digital VOD; interactive television and mobile TV.

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Webster, Martin under pressure at Seniors

Tour Q School Stage 1

Edzell Golf Club professional Alastair Webster and Downfield's Steve Martin have some leeway to make up on Friday if they are to survive Stage 1 of the European Seniors Tour Qualifying School on the Algarve.
Webster, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who will be 50 on March 19, had a disappointing round of seven-over-par 79 to be lying joint 40th in a field of 72 over the Pinheiros Altos course.
Martin, trying to get back on the over-50s circuit, is lightly better placed after a four-over 76 to be joint 29th at the halfway stage at the Quinta de Cima course.
Of the combined starting field of 141 at both venues, only the leading 55 will go forward at the end of 36 holes to the Final Q School, also on the Algarve, at Pestana, from November 17 to 20.
John Grant, playing out of the Ystad club, Sweden, was the best placed Scot with a 72 to be in joint fifth position, three shots off the pace, at Pinheiros Altos.
Also at this venue, Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill) had a 73 to be joint 10th, Blairgowrie amateur Eric Lindsay a creditable 74 to be tied 17th and Graeme Millar, a Swanston New amateur, had an 80.
The only other Scot in action apart from Martin at Quinta de Cima was Bill McColl (The London Club) who was in joint 13th place with a 73 as he tries to regan European Senior Tour status.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL - Stage 1 (36 holes)
PINHEIROS ALTOS (Par 72, 6743yd)
Leading first round scores
69 Stephen East (Eng) (am).
70 Greg Towne (US).
71 Peter Dahlberg (Swe), Harry Ferguson (Can).
72 Richard Fish (Eng), Jose Luis Gallardo (Spa), John Grant (Sco), Graham Gunn (Can), John Mills (Eng) (am).
Other scores:
73 Duncan Williamson (Sco) (jt 10th).
74 Eric J Lindsay (Sco) (am) (jt 17th).
79 Alastair Webster (Sco) (jt 40th).
80 Graeme Millar (Sco) (am) (jt 44th).

QUINTA DE CIMA (Par 72, 6729yd)
69 Per-Arne Brostedt (Swe), Nigel Willett (Eng).
70 Glyn Krause (Eng), George Ryall (Eng), Mike Williams (Zim).
71 Jose Dias (Por), T R Jones (US), Brad Rollinson (US).
Other scores:
73 Bill McColl (Sco) (jt 13th).
76 Steve Martin (Sco) (jt 29th).

An ace performance by David
Drysdale leads the Scots at
start of Euro Tour Q School

There's never a bad time to have a hole in one but the European Tour Final Qualifying School is a very good occasion in which to pull an ace out of the hat.
That's what Scot David Drysdale did today to help him chalk up a 68 in the first round of the six-day marathon test of nerve, golf and stamina over the red and green courses at PGA Catalunya, Gerona in north-east Spain.
Drysdale's ninth career hole in one with a five-iron came at the 185yd par-3 eighth hole and helped him reach the turn in five-under-par 31. Earlier he had birdied the third, the fourth and the seventh. His first of three bogeys arrived at the 10th but before he added to them with putting slips at the 16th and 18th, he had birdied the 12th and 15th.
The courses have different pars, one 71 and the other 72, which makes it difficult to compare one player's round with another.
As far as having the lowest score of the Scots, that honour goes to Fifer Peter Whiteford who posted a 67 (which is actually four under par for the course he was played) early in the day and could relax thereafter while most of the rest of the field of 156 players were locked into the struggle for the top 30 places available on the European Tour at the end of six rounds or 108 holes.
Former amateur star Lloyd Saltman only got into the Final Q School field by winning a seven-man play-off last Sunday morning. But he is off and running at PGA Catalunya with a 69, one ahead of Andrew McArthur.
Scottish amateur champion Callum Macaulay from Tulliallan, still playing as an amateur, dug in with a 71. He will officially turn pro after this tournament.

FIRST-ROUND SCORES
GREEN COURSE (Par 72, 7134yd)
66 Oskar Henningsson (Swe)
68 Federico Colombo (Ita), David Drysdale (Sco), Henrik Nystrom (Swe)
69 Dominique Nouailhac (Fra), Simon Thornton (Irl), Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor), Dennis Kupper (Ger), Johan Wahlqvist (Swe)
70 Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Iain Pyman (Eng), Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa), Danny Willett (Eng), Jochen Lupprian (Ger), Garry Houston (Wal), Gary Clark (Eng), Julio Zapata (Arg)
71 Rory Hie (Ina), Richard Mcevoy (Eng), Andrew Coltart (Sco), Nathan Smith (USA)
John Parry (Eng), Callum Macaulay (Sco) (am), Matthew Mills (Eng), Francois Calmels (Fra), James Morrison (Eng), Sam Walker (Eng), Ake Nilsson (Swe), Greig Hutcheon (Sco), Anthony Summers (Aus), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut), Fabrizio Zanotti (Par)
72 Lee S James (Eng), Anders Kristiansen (Nor), Peter Richardson (Eng), Chris Wood (Eng), Julien Guerrier (Fra), Peter Baker (Eng), Gary Boyd (Eng), Adilson Da Silva (Bra)
73 Anthony Grenier (Fra), Lorenzo Gagli (Ita), Jan-Are Larsen (Nor), Gary Emerson (Eng), Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Leif Westerberg (Swe), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Benjamin Miarka (Ger)
74 Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Cesar Monasterio (Arg), Andreas Hogberg (Swe), Ally Mellor (Eng), Jamie Little (Eng), Matthew Millar (Aus), Florian Fritsch (Ger)
75 Matthew Cryer (Eng), Stuart Davis (Eng), Scott Henry (Sco) (am), Tobias Dier (Ger), Mark F Haastrup (Den), Liam Bond (Wal), Jamie Moul (Eng)
76 Malcolm Mackenzie (Eng), Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut), Robin Swane (Ned), Andrew Crux (Eng), Craig Lee (Sco)
77 Marcel Haremza (Ger), Graham Gordon (Sco), Andrew Oldcorn (Sco), James Ruth (Eng), Guy Woodman (Eng), Sven Struver (Ger), Matthew Morris (Eng)
78 Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha), Andrew Tampion (Aus)
79 Philip Golding (Eng), Darren Fichardt (Rsa)
RED COURSE (Par 71, 6612yd)
66 Wade Ormsby (Aus), Inder Van Weerelt (Ned), Branden Grace (Rsa), Marco Ruiz (Par)
67 Peter Whiteford (Sco), Julien Quesne (Fra), Simon Griffiths (Eng), Jonathan Caldwell (NIrl), Carlos Aguilar (Spa), Stuart Manley (Wal), James Kamte (Rsa), Clodomiro Carranza (Arg), Tony Carolan (Aus), Michael Curtain (Aus)
68 Marc Cayeux (Zim), Roland Steiner (Aut), Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra), Gerald Gresse (Bel), Michael Hoey (NIrl), Roope Kakko (Fin), Nicola Maestroni (Ita), John Mellor (Eng), Manuel Quiros (Spa)
69 Rolf Muntz (Ned), Julien Grillon (Fra), Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa), Jens Dantorp (Swe), Brett A Taylor (Eng), Alex Haindl (Rsa), Chris Gane (Eng), Adrien Bernadet (Fra), Juan Abbate (Arg), Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Michael Mcgeady (Irl), Robert Coles (Eng), Michele Reale (Ita), Antti Ahokas (Fin), Lloyd Saltman (Sco), Nicolas Meitinger (Ger), Joakim Backstrom (Swe)
70 Ben Evans (Eng), Santiago Luna (Spa), Andrew McArthur (Sco), Ben Mason (Eng), Sion E Bebb (Wal), Gareth Paddison (Nzl), Mikko Korhonen (Fin), David Carter (Eng), Carl Suneson (Spa)
71 Scott Hend (Aus), Ian Garbutt (Eng), Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Dale Whitnell (Eng), Warren Bennett (Eng), Petter Bocian (Swe), Sebastian L Saavedra (Arg), Gary Marks (Eng), Anthony Snobeck (Fra)
72 Van Phillips (Eng), Steven Jeffress (Aus), Martin Wiegele (Aut), Gareth Davies (Eng), Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Carlos Del Moral (Spa)
73 Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Oscar Floren (Swe), Steven Jeppesen (Swe), Andrew Butterfield (Eng), Benjamin Alvarado Chi
75 Pedro Linhart (Spa), Jarrod Moseley (Aus), Javier Colomo (Spa), Christopher Hanell (Swe), Jordi Garcia Pinto (Spa), Chris Doak (Sco)
76 Raphael De Sousa (Swi), Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra), Jaakko Makitalo (Fin)

Golf Monthly's list of top 100 courses

Where does your course figure in the Golf Monthly magazine's list of 100 top courses in Britain & Ireland?
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http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/courses/tophundred/279009/golf-monthly-top-100-course-rankings-1-100.html

Alan Reid wins East Alliance at
The Roxburghe with a 70

By KEITH LIDDLE
Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance secretary
Ninety-five members were rewarded with a great day's golf over a great golf course at The Roxburghe.
Overall winner of the Professional's Trophy was Alan Reid (West Lothian) with a fine two-under-par score of 70.
After making a bogey 5 at the first, Alan had three birdies (sixth, 14th and 17th) and 14 pars, great golf over such a long and demanding course.
Ryan Buckley (Craigielaw) was second with a 71. Ryan also had three birdies (fourth, eighth and 12th), his only dropped shots coming at the par-5 14th, where he took 7. He recovered well, gettting par figures at the final four holes in near darkness.
Neil Fenwick, out early, was round in a level par 72 for third place.
Stevie Lamb (Broomieknowe) and David Patrick (Elie) shared fourth spot with one over par 73s.
In the handicap section George Wither (Lothianburn) had a fine round of two over par 74, less one, for a net 73. George had birdies at the fourth, sixth and 14th.
Equal second were Michael Louden (Glencorse), Scott Watson (Leven) and Alan Young (Liberton) with net 74s. Fifth equal spot was shared between Peter Henderson (Longniddry) and John Masterton (Mortonhall) with net 75s.
Due to the large turn-out, the last four groups had to complete their rounds in darkness. I appreciate that the toughness and length of the course may have contributed to rounds taking 4hr 40min. However, members should note that the locals take around four hours for a four-ball match.
Members going out later would appreciate it if the early starters would play at a fair pace and have due consideration for those playing behind.
I have been asked by the council to ensure that the Alliance outings are started on a 'first come, first served' basis. This is to encourage members to mix more and play with people they don't usually get the chance to play with. I know that many of the amateurs would welcome the opportunity to play in the company of some of the fine professional members we have. I would appreciate all the help you can give me on this matter at future outings.
Without wishing to end on a sour note, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Craig Montgomerie the PGA professional at The Roxburghe for his help and support. Also, a big thank you to Christian and his catering partner for looking after us so well form 7.30am to 5.20pm.
I look forward to seeing you all at Dalmahoy (West) course on November 26 when we will be playing for the Pitreavie Trophy.
LEADING SCRATCH SCORES
Par 72
70 Alan Reid (West Lothian) p.
71 Ryan Buckley (Craigielaw) t.
72 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) t.
73 Stevie Lamb (Broomieknowe) p, David Patrick (Elie) t.
74 Ewan Hogarth (Peebles) t, George Wither (Lothianburn).
75 Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) t, Michael McAllan (Murrayfield) p.
76 Zack Saltman (Craigielaw), Adam Strang (Rothco Mortgages) p.
77 Peter Henderson (Longniddry), Andrew Marshall (Houston GR) p, Andrew Rothney (Deer Park), Elliot Saltman (Craigielaw) p, Mike Thomson (Torwoodlee) p.
78 Derek Fish (Glenbervie), Colin Fraser (Peebles), Kenneth Glen (Royal Musselburgh) t, Michael Louden (Glencorse).
79 Thomas Wilson (Glenbervie).
80 Ian A Fraser (Duddingston) senior, Ronal Grant (Baberton) senior, Scott Watson (Leven), Andrew Wight (Glencorse) senior, Stuart Callan (Bathgate) p.
81 James Dick (Duddingston) p, Steven Doyle (Gifford), Norman Forsyth (Peebles), Hugh Fraser (Niddry Castle), David M Graham (Lochend), John Kerr (Deer Park), Chris Morris (Kingsknowe) p, George Rodaks (Dunfermline).

What's in a name? Quite a lot, if you are

talking about the United States

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

I have never made any secret of the fact that I think we are too traditional, too conservative when it comes to naming our golf clubs and courses.

Almost without exception they are given names that identify their geographical location.
I was once involved in the opening of a brand new course, of which one of the features was a small lake inhabited by swans. I suggested the name should be Swan Lake Golf Club. Never stood a chance of being accepted, of course. The name chosen was, inevitably, the name of the estate on which the course had been built.
All of this comes back to me as two names from the American golf news tickled my fancy this week.
On the college front, the ECCC Fall Invitational has just been played at DANCING RABBIT Golf Club, Choctaw in the state of Mississippi. What a great name! It could only have been chosen in the United States.
Also, the US PGA Tour Qualifying School's Stage 2 events are being played this week. One of them is at Panama City Beach, Florida at Hombre Golf Club. That's quite a distinctive title but wait until you hear the names of its three courses: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
On the tee, Clint Eastwood!
If you have ever come across a golf club or course the name of which appealed to you, E-mail me at Colin@scottishgolfview.com

European Senior Tour heads to Majorca

Golf Son Gual, the most prestigious golf address on the sunshine island of Majorca, will host the Son Gual Mallorca Senior Open from May 8-10, 2009, underlining the club’s growing reputation as one of Europe’s finest golfing venues.
The course, designed by three-time German amateur champion Thomas Himmel, opened in October last year and will host some of the leading players on the European Senior Tour.
Andreas Pamer, of Son Gual, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to host this prestigious event and look forward to providing some of the leading names in European golf with the perfect canvass on which to compete.
“It is rare that a golf course succeeds in attracting an event of this stature at such an early stage in its life so it is testament to the efforts of all our team in providing such wonderful and consistent conditions to play golf.”
Susanna Sciacovelli, Managing Director of IBATUR, Majorca’s Tourism authority, said: “The Son Gual Majorca Senior Open is the perfect way to launch Majorca as an outstanding golfing destination and we look forward to welcoming the leading Senior players to the golf island of the Mediterranean."
Andy Stubbs, European Senior Tour Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to be able to visit this exciting new venue on the beautiful island of Majorca thanks to the vision and commitment of the Pamer family and the support of the Consejeria de Tourismo of the Balearic Islands”.
“It promises to be a fantastic addition to the European SeniorTour’s 2009 Schedule.”
Javier Roura, of the PGAE, said: “The PGA of Spain is delighted that such a prestigious event will be held in Spain and will give its full support. We hope that this is just the first of many Senior Tour events in Majorca and hope that the tournament is a big success.”
Erwin Langer, CEO of the Official Promoter, Langer Sport Marketing GmbH, added: “It is a great honour to be appointed by the Pamer family to organise this promising new event in one of Europe’s prime sun and golf destinations, the very attractive island of Majorca.
“I’m very impressed with the progress of Son Gual since opening in autumn 2007 and the course and facilities are already extraordinary. We look forward to presenting the players and spectators with an excellent event.”
Son Gual has already been inundated with membership enquiries even though details will not be announced until early next year and only a limited number are likely to be available. In the meantime, visitors can book two hours playing time allocated per day with a green fee of €150.
For more information, email info@son-gual.com or visit http://www.son-gual.com/

Celtic Pro Tour cuts membership price
and entry fees
The fourth season of the Celtic Pro Tour will see membership prices reduced from £175 to £99, as the tour management seek to support young professional golfers during this financially pressured time.
Tour director, Rhydian Thomas said: "Everyone is finding that the current financial crisis in the global economy is affecting them, and professional golfers are exactly the same.
“By reducing membership costs we are showing them our support, and hopefully the guys will be able to afford to enter and win money on their own locally-based professional tour."
The special £99 membership fee is being held until 31st December 2008.
“We have also decided to reduce entry fees to our 36-hole events, from £149 to £100 for the same reason, and hope this helps to increase the size of the fields,” said Thomas.
Golfers wanting to join the tour, are urged to send cheques, made payable to Celtic Golf Tours Ltd to the following address: Ein Cartref, Adare Terrace, Treorchy, RCT, South Wales, CF42 6EN.
The Celtic Pro Tour has proven to be an excellent testing ground for aspiring tour professionals.
Indeed, eight players recently made it through to stage two of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain, having successfully negotiated stage one (or having been exempt from that stage).
Kyron Sullivan and Ryan Thomas of Wales; Chris Kelly, Paul Doherty and Duncan Stewart of Scotland; Mark Staunton and Alan Murray of Ireland and England's Lee Corfield have all competed on the Celtic Pro Tour in its first three years. Stuart Manley was exempt until this week’s final stage.
“The very nature of our Tour is that is developmental, and we sincerely hope that more golfers make it through to Final Qualifying again next year”, added Thomas.

Local hero Lam steals a march

on Singapore Open big names

Open champion Padraig Harrington and world No 3 Phil Mickelson failed to steal the limelight from local hero Lam Chi Bing in the weather-hit first round of the Barclays Singapore Open at the Sentosa Golf Club.

Harrington, No 5 in the world rankings, was level par on the 18th tee but bogeyed the last hole for a one-over-par 72.

Mickelson, who had a dreadful start, could do no better than a 73.

Lam coped best with the wet conditions, overhead and underfoot, returning a four-under-par 67 to steal a march on the big games.

Play was suspended for 2hr 10min because of a lightning storm at mid-day.

With some of the later starters still to finish their rounds on Friday morning (including Paul Lawrie, whose clubs did not arrive until 24 hours after he did in Singapore), Australia's Marcus Both was in second place after firing a three-under 68 that featured four birdies and a lone bogey, with Austria's Markus Brier, Korea's Charlie Wi and China's Zhang Lian-wei a further shot back on two under.
Darren Clarke was tied with Mickelson on 73 while two-time Singapore Open winner Adam Scott had seven bogeys in a disappointing round of 76.
Harrington, a notoriously slow starter, was let down by a bogey at the last but felt encouraged by his opening effort.
"It certainly had the potential to be better but it is a 72 and I am encouraged by the way I hit it," said the Irishman who had three birdies and four bogeys.
"I feel good. I am enthusiastic about playing and keen to get out there. I played nicely out there today and that is encouraging for the next couple of days.
"I do need to score a little better but I need to be a little patient when it comes to that."
Lam, who secured a place at this year's Open Championship with a top-four finish in the qualifier at the same course, tried to keep his feet firmly on the ground after his fine opening round.
"It's just another tournament for me," said the Singaporean. "Even though it's our national open and the biggest tournament on the Asian Tour, I still have to go out there and do my job no matter what. So it's just going to be another day at the office for me tomorrow.
"Being familiar with a golf course is a little bit over-rated because at the end of the day, you still have to go out and produce the shots."
Mickelson, meanwhile, was encouraged with his score after bogeying three of his first four holes.
"I know two-over-par does not sound good but I will actually take it. I got off to a terrible start and I was three over early," said the American. "This is the worst chipping round I have had in years that I can remember. I hit five or six of the worst chips I have hit for a long time."

FIRST ROUND NOT COMPLETED

+Players will go out at 7.30am Friday to complete their first rounds after a second play suspension on Thursday.

Par 71

67 Lam Chih Bing (Sin)
68 Marcus Both (Aus)
70 Markus Brier (Aut), Charlie Wi (Kor), Zhang Lian-Wei (Chn)
71 Ben Leong (Mal), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha), Park Jun-Won (Kor), Jason King (Aus), Somkiat Srisanga (Tha)
72 Padraig Harrington (Irl), Gonzalo Fernandz-Castano (Spa), Simon Dunn, Adam Blyth (Aus), Mars Pucay (Phi), Scott Barr (Aus)
73 Steven Tiley (Eng), Darren Clarke (Nirl), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha), Phil Mickelson (USA), Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind), Arjun Singh (Ind), Young Nam (Kor), Darren Beck (Aus), Kodai Ichihara (Jpn)
74 Chan Yih-Shin (Tai), Gaurav Ghei (Ind), Danny Lee (Nzl), Liang Wen-Chong (Chn), Jason Knutzon (USA), Muhammad Munir (Pak), Neven Basic (Aus), Guido Van Der Valk (Ned), Rhys Davies (Wal), Thammanoon Srirot (Tha), Dinesh Chand (Fij)
75 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha), Han Lee (Kor), Wang Ter-Chang (Tai), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Richard Sterne (Rsa), Kwanchai Tannin (Tha), Shaaban Hussin (Mal), M Murugiah (Sin), Anthony Kang (USA),S Siva Chandhran (Mal), Kim Nam-Kang (Kor)
76 Pornsakon Tipsanit (Tha), Mo Joong-Kyung (Kor), Unho Park (Aus), Takuya Taniguchi (Jpn), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Arjun Atwal (Ind), Adam Scott (Aus), Udorn Duangdecha (Tha), Wisut Artjanawat (Tha), Ted Oh (Kor), Kao Bo-Song (Tai)
77 Rashid Ismail (Mal), Ekalak Waisayakul (Tha), Hsu Mong-Nan (Tai), Will Yanagisawa (USA), Yasin Ali (Eng)
78 Ferdinand Aunzo (Phi), Angelo Que (Phi), Gary Simpson (Aus), Lien Lu-Sen (Tai)
79 Mahal Pearce (Nzl), Frankie Minoza (Phi), Ross Bain (Sco), Danny Chia (Mal), Ashley Hall (Aus)
80 Anirban Lahiri (Ind), Stephen Scahill (Nzl)
83 Gary Kwek, Iain Steel (Mal)
84 Patrick Tang (Sin)
Retired: Bryan Saltus (USA)