Vijay to miss five weeks of US Tour

after knee operation next week

Vijay Singh, leading money-winner on the US Tour in 2008, is to have knee surgery AFTER this week's season-opening event. He will be out of action for five weeks.
The 45-year-old Fijian's US earnings amounted to $6.6million last year.
He will play in the $5.6 million Mercedes-Benz Championship, an event for 2008 title winners, before the surgery.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that Singh told US PGA officials after a practice round on Monday at Kapalua that he would withdraw from the Sony Open in Hawaii next week.
Citing several unnamed sources, the newspaper said the reason was for surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Singh, the world No 5, is the top-rated player in the US Tour opener with Tiger Woods still sidelined by a knee injury and Spain's Sergio Garcia, American Phil Mickelson and Ireland's Padraig Harrington all starting the season later.

North-east Alliance statistics for first half
of 2008-2009 season

North-east Golfers' Alliance statistics PRIOR to today's competition at Craibstone:

MONEY LIST (vouchers' value in case of amateurs)
1 Stewart Davidson (Banchory) £295.00.
2 Graeme McInnes (Murcar Links) £250.00.
3 David Law (Hazlehead) £217.00.
4 Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) £190.00.
5 George Paterson (Northern) £182.00.
6 Colin Nelson (Mackenzie Club) £175.00.
7 Philip McLean (Peterhead) £173.00.
8 Craig Stephen (Meldrum House) £170.00.
9 Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) £162.00.
10 Andrew Campbell (Deeside) (£157.00.
11 Brioan Nicolson (Auchmill) £153.00.
12 Robert Lumsden (Northern) £135.00.
13 John Nicolson (Auchmill) £130.00.
14 Brian Ritchie (Inverallochy) £127.00.
15 Jim Scott (Peterculter) (£125.00.
16 Gary Homer (Lumphanan) £115.00.
17 Callum Trahan (Murcar Links) £113.00.
18 Neil Hardie (Kintore) £102.00.
19 John Dalgarno (Hazlehead) £100.00.
20 Fergus Bisset (Banchory) £97.00.
21 Stewart Pert (Huntly) £95.00.
22 John Roberts (Cruden Bay) £90.00.
22 Ian Bratton (Newburgh) £90.00.
22 Donald MacAndrew (Royal Aberdeen) £90.00.
22 Graeme Mitchell (Braemar) £90.00.
22 Michael Rodgers (Kemnay) £90.00
27 Ian Buchan (Craibstone) £87.00.
28 David McKay (Caledonian) £85.00.
28 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) £85.00.
30 Steven Scott (Auchmill) £83.00.
31 Craig Buchhanan (Hazlehead) £81.00.
32 Kenny Mionty (Turriff) £80.00.
32 George Bruce (Westhill) £80.00.
34 Norman Stewart (Northern) £75.00.
34 Mike Ord (Royal Aberdeen) £75.00.
36 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) £72.00.
37 Harry Roulston (Stonehaven) £71.00.
38 William Urquhart (Murcar Links) £70.00.
38 Phil Anderson (Deeside) £70.00.
38 Clark Anderson (Murcar Links) £70.00.
41 Stephen Cooper (Banchory) £60.00.
41 Nigel Parker (Murcar Links) £60.00.

ORDER OF MERIT (Scratch)
Average gross score over par/CSS
1 Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) 1.5.
2 David Law (Haszlehead) 1.8.
3 Craig Stephen (Meldrum House) 2.4.
3 Brian Nicolson (Auchmill) 2.4.
5 Stewart Davidson (Banchory) 2.8.
6 Andrew Campbell (Deeside) 3.1.
6 George Paterson (Northern) 3.1.
8 Ian Bratton (Newburgh) 3.3.
9 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) 3.4.
10 Colin Nelson (Mackenzie Club) 3.5.
11 Wiolliam Urquhart (Murcar Links) 3.9.
12 Fergus Bisset (Banchory) 4.0.
13 Duncan Clark (Duff House Royal) 4.2.
14 Ronnie McDonald (Inchmarlo) 4.8.
14 Robbie Stewart (Cruden Bay) 4.8.
16 George Bruce (Westhill) 5.1.
17 Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal) 5.5.
18 John Nicolson (Auchmill) 5.9.
19 Chris Law (Hazlehead) 6.0.
20 James Mooney (unatt) 6.7.
20 Colin Clark (Mackenzie Club) 6.7.
22 David Corkey (Murcar Links) 7.0.
23 Donald MacAndrew (Royal Aberdeen) 7.3.
24 Les Taylor (Auchmill) 7.8.
25 Graeme Mitchell (Braemar) 8.0.
25 Arthur Graham (Portlethen) 8.0.
ORDER OF MERIT (Handicap)
Average net score in relation to par/CSS
1 Robert Lumsden (Northern) (16) -0.3.
2 Brian Nicolson (Auchmill) (2) 0.4.
3 Neil Hardie (Kintore) (6) 1.6.
4 Graeme Mitchell (Braemar) (5) 1.7.
5 Fergus Bisset (Banchory) (2) 1.9.
6 Arthur Graham (Portlethen) (6) 2.0.
7 David McKay (Caledonian) (7) 2.1.
8 Craig Buchanan (Hazlehead) (8) 2.3.
9 Jim Scott (Peterculter) (12) 2.6.
10 Peter Farnan (Royal Aberdeen) (6) 2.7.
11 William Urquhart (Murcar Links) (1) 2.8.
12 Chris Law (Hazlehead) (3) 3.0.
13 Andrew Campbell (Deeside) (scr) 3.1.
13 George Paterson (Northern) (scr) 3.1.
13 Mike Ord (12) 3.1
16 Duncan Clark (Duff House Royal) (1) 3.2.
17 Philip Morrison (Oldmeldrum) (6) 3.3.
18 Craig Stephen (Meldrum House) (+1) 3.4.
18 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) (scr) 3.4.
20 Hamish McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 3.5.
21 Lawrence Prouse (Hazlehead) (5) 3.,7.
22 David Law (Hazlehead) (+2) 3.8.
22 James Duncan (Newburgh) (5) 3.8.
22 David Leighton (Nrothern) (56) 3.8.
26 Kenny Minty (Turriff) (9) 3.9.
27 Clark Alexander (Murcar Links) (5) 4.0.
27 Paul Cornfield (Auchmill) (12) 4.0.
27 David Corkey (Murcar Links) (3) 4.0.
30 Phil Anderson (Deeside) (9) 4.1.
30 Donald Wood (Newburgh) (12) 4.1.
30 Gerry Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 4.1
30 Steven Scott (Auchmill) (4) 4.1.

Midland Alliance resumes next Tuesday

The Midland Golfers' Alliance resumes after the mid-winter break at Charleton Golf Course, Fife, for the Fraser Bros (Tyres) Team Competition next Tuesday (January 13). Tee is resered from 9am to noon.

Lamb, Slorach, Dixon make two-round

cut in Asian Tour 1st Qualifying Stage

Scots Mark Lamb, pictured right, from Haddington, Michael Slorach and Ross Dixon survived the 36-hole cut in the Asian Tour First Qualifying School Stage, which is being played at three venues in Thailand - St Andrews, Green Valley and Lam Luk Ka.
SCOREBOARD
ST ANDREWS (Thailand)
Par 146 (2 x 73)
140 Matthew Griffin (Aus) 72 68.
141 Mitch Takser (Aus) 71 70, Jake Ellison (US) 71 70, Eddie Barr (Ire) 68 73.
142 Tom Prowse (Ause) 71 71, Graydon Woolridge (Aus) 72 70, Nick Becker (US) 71 71, Lars Johansson (Swe) 70 72.
Selected scores:
143 James Sheffield (Eng) 71 72.
144 Ally Mellor (Eng) 70 74.
147 Andrew Marshall (Eng) 76 71.
Players with totals of 151 or better qualified for final two rounds.

LAM LUK KA

Par 144 (2 x 72)

134 Jason Norris (Aus) 65 69.

135 Kim Do-H (SKo) 71 64, James Hepworth (Eng) 63 72.

136 Peter Martin (Aus) 67 69, Kang MinWang (SKo) 69 67.

Selected scores:

139 Matthew King (Eng) 69 70.

141 Craig Smith (Wal) 71 70, Jonathan Evans (Eng) 70 71.

143 Justin Evans (Eng) 71 72.

145 Michael Slorach (Sco) 73 72 (jt 50th).

149 Ross Dixon (Sco) 78 71 (jt 71st).

Players with totals of 150 or better qualified for final two rounds.

MISSED THE CUT

166 Sandy Mitchell (Sco) 81 85.

GRAND VALLEY

Par 144 (2 x 72)

138 Heath Reed (Aus) 66 72, Scott Arnold (Aus) 68 70.

139 Matthew Seppanen (US) 69 70, Mitsunobo Fukunaga (Jap) 68 71.

140 Hasymasa Suzuki (Jap) 69 71, Chan Song (US) 73 67, Chawinroj Krobteeranon (Thai) 73 67, Hiromichi Kubo (Jap) 70 70.

Selected scores:

141 Phil Workington (Eng) 70 71, John Parry (Eng) 69 72.

145 Grant Jackson (Eng) 70 75.

146 Mark Mouland (Wal) 70 76.

149 Mark Lamb (Sco) 75 74 (jt 69th).

Players with totals of 151 or better qualified for final two rounds.

MISSED THE CUT

155 Clarke Lutton (Sco) 79 76.

I will keep fighting to win my most difficult
match, says Seve in message to Europe team

Seve Ballesteros says he has set his sights on returning next year to captain Europe's Royal Trophy team against an Asian Select.
A statement from the Spaniard was read at a news conference in Bangkok today, two days before this year's competition begins with Jose Maria Olazabal deputising for Seve as the European skipper..
"My heart and thoughts are with you," Ballesteros said in his message. "I will keep fighting to win my most difficult match. I hope to be with all of you next year."
Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumor late last year and required several operations. He was released from a hospital on December 9 and returned home to northern Spain, where he began chemotherapy treatment.
"Special thanks to Oli for taking over the captaincy," Ballesteros said. "He is not only a great champion but is also one of my best friends."
Olazabal said Ballesteros, who led Europe to the Royal Trophy title in 2006 and 2007, was hopeful the team would win the event at Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand's Chonburi province.
"The last instruction that I received from Seve was to win. Period," Olazabal said. "Seve showed how good he was as a player and then as a captain. I will try to follow him. These eight guys are great players and I'm positive that we will win which is our goal."
The European team features Ireland's Paul McGinley, England's Oliver Wilson and Nick Dougherty, Sweden's Niclas Fasth and Johan Edfors, Scotland's Paul Lawrie, Spain's Pablo Larrazabal and Denmark's Soren Hansen.
The Asian is Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng, South Korea's Charlie Wi and S.K. Ho, China's Liang Wenchong and Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, Hideto Tanihara and Toru Taniguchi.

Colin Nelson a winner again

as second half of NE Alliance

season starts at Craibstone

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Mackenzie Club, Hazleheadgolf shop professional Colin Nelson, a winner of the pre-Christmas competition, made it two victories in a row by heading a field of 80 when the North-east Alliance winter circuit resumed at Craibstone Golf Centre today.
Nelson, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, shot a two-under-par 67, adapting better than anyone to the hard fairways and winter greens. He birdied the first, third, fifth, seventh and 15th in halves of 33 (two under par) and 34 (level). His three bogeys came at the second, fourth and 10th.
Former Turriff professional James Mooney had his best round for some time, earning second place with a 69, in which he birdied the fourth, ninth and 15th.
Three amateurs – Philip McLean (Peterhead), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) and John Nicolson (Auchmill) – tied for third place on 70. Finnie was set to fill the second spot until he bogeyed the 17th and 18th , having gained an eagle 3 at fourth.

Leading Scores (Par 69)
SCRATCH
67 C Nelson (Mackenzie Club).
69 J Mooney (unatt).
70 P McLean (Peterhead), S Finnie (Caledonian), J Nicolson (Auchmill).
71 S Davidson (Banchory), C Law (Hazlehead).
72 A Campbell (Deeside), G H Paterson (Northern), B Nicolson (Auchmill)., S Scott (Auchmill).
74 B Harper (Newburgh).
75 J Roberts (Cruden Bay), F Bisset (Banchory), D Clark (Duff House Royal).
76 D Bisset (Banchory), L Prouse (Hazlehead), N Parker (Murcar Links).
77 I Bratton (Newburgh), F G Gray (Newmachar), L Taylor (Auchmill), S Chalmers (Banchory). 78 J Borthwick (Craibstone), P Anderson (Deeside), S Murray (Newburgh), H Roulston (Stonehaven), N Williamson (Banchory).
79 S Pert (Huntly), J Morris (Craibstone), M Jenkins (Duff House Royal), N Stewart (Northern), J Duncan (Newburgh), J M Hamilton (Murcar Links).
80 W Main (Murcar Links), W Forbes (Murcar Links), G Allan (Newmachar).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – B Harper (Newburgh) (6) 66; S Scott (Auchmill) (4), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), C Law (Hazlehead) (3) 68; J Roberts (Cruden Bay) (6), J Forrest (Northern) (8) 69; J Borthwick (Craibstone) (8), S Finnie (Caledonian) (scr), B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2) 70.
Class 2 – D Bisset (Banchory) (9), N Parker (Murcar Links) (9) 67; W Forbes (Murcar Links) (12), J Penny (Huntly) (13) 68; J Jones (Craibstone) (17), R Alison (Deeside) (14), P Anderson (Deeside) (9), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (12), N Williamson (Banchory) (9) 69.

CRAIBSTONE GOLF CENTRE SCORECARD 69

OUT: 4-3-4-5-5-3-3-4-4--35. IN: 3-4-3-4-4-4-4-4-4--34

COLIN NELSON 67

OUT: 3-4-3-6-4-3-2--4-4--33. IN: 4-4-3-4-4-3-4-4-4--34

JAMES MOONEY 69

OUT: 4-4-4-4--5-3-3-4-3--34. IN: 3-4-4-4-4-3-4-5-4--35

STEWART FINNIE 70

OUT: 4-2-4-3-5-4-4-4-4--34. IN: 4-4-3-4-4-3-4-5-5--36

PHILIP McLEAN 70

OUT: 5-3-4-4-5-4-3-4-3--35. IN: 4-4-3-4-4-3-4-5-4--35

JOHN NICOLSON 70

OUT: 3-5-4-4-5-3-3-3-4--34. IN: 4-4-4-5-5-3-3-4-4--36

Next week's competition is at Peterhead.