Tiger Woods is beaten 4 and 2

by South African Tim Clark

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Five English players and one from Northern Ireland reached the third round of the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play as The European Tour contingent mounted a strong challenge in Arizona with eight members making it through to the last 16.
But Tiger Woods saw his comeback from injury brought to an abrupt halt as he was knocked out by South Africa’s Tim Clark.
The World Number One was beaten 4 and 2 by Clark in the second round of the tournament at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain near Tucson in the Arizona desert that ended his eight month lay-off following reconstructive knee surgery.
Woods’ defeat meant he was the fourth of the top seeds in each quarter of the draw to be knocked out. Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia fell in the first round while Vijay Singh was beaten at the 19th hole by England’s Luke Donald.
Clark now faces Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy who defeated American Hunter Mahan one up, sinking an 18 foot putt at the last to seal victory.
Aside from Clark it was a day of upsets as Oliver Wilson claimed another big name victim when he knocked out World Number 11 Anthony Kim, a day after beating KJ Choi in the first round.
Wilson, who with Henrik Stenson came from four holes down to beat Phil Mickelson and Kim in The Ryder Cup foursomes at Valhalla last September, tasted victory over the young American hotshot again with a 2 and 1 win.
Wilson now meets American Justin Leonard in the last 16 after the former The Open Championship winner defeated compatriot Davis Love III one up.
“Two good wins,” Wilson said. “He's a great player, and obviously The Ryder Cup I think maybe helped me a little bit, knowing that I've already beat him before.
“So I went out there just trying to play well and managed to do that, but it was a very tough match.”
There was further success for England when Paul Casey reached the third round with a 6 and 4 win over Australia’s Mathew Goggin and Ross Fisher ended the run of Pat Perez, the American who knocked out Padraig Harrington in the first round.
Fisher was five up after ten holes, and finished in style, sinking an eagle putt to send Perez to a 6 and 5 defeat.
He said: “Obviously it's great for European golf, and obviously it's great for English golf.
“We've got some really good youngsters coming through, as well, that aren't here this week. They're playing on The European Tour. I think the future is very bright.”
Lee Westwood, though, could not get past American Stewart Cink, last year’s runner-up, in a marathon that went to five extra holes before the Englishman missed an 11 foot putt to send his rival through to meet Phil Mickelson, who beat Zach Johnson one up.
Colombia’s Camilo Villegas was once again in hot form as he took a four up lead over Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez in the first five holes and maintained it for a 5 and 4 victory.
Villegas now meets Geoff Ogilvy, who kept the Australian flag flying with a 19 hole win over Japan’s Shingo Katayama.
Sweden’s Peter Hanson scored a 2 and 1 victory over Stephen Ames of Canada and will face Casey, while Fisher will play Jim Furyk, who beat Martin Kaymer of Germany 4 and 2.
Ernie Els of South Africa overcame American Steve Stricker 3 and 2 and now plays Donald.
In the final matches of the day, Sean O’Hair beat fellow American Boo Weekley 2 and 1 and will play Ian Poulter, who became the fifth Englishman into the last 16 when he defeated Charl Schwartzel one up.
Poulter produced a stunning second shot out of the bunker at the 17th to within a foot of the pin, which put him one up going down the 18th.
“I just had to hit it perfect,” he said. “I just hit it down to a foot. It was a great shot under pressure and obviously I win the hole there.”
Woods had marked his return with a 3 and 2 victory over Australia's Brendan Jones in the first round, and he took an early lead with a birdie at the second before Clark brought the match back to all square with a magnificent 68 foot putt at the fifth.
There was an upset in the making when Woods bogeyed the par five, 659 yard 11th to lose the hole and then saw Clark birdie the 12th and 13th to go three down.
Some Tiger magic came at the 14th when he won the hole by holing out from a bunker but at the 15th he drove out of bounds into the desert and lost the match at the 16th to a player who came into the tournament ranked 32nd in the world.
“Well, I lost,” Woods said. “I played really well but didn’t make enough birdies.
“When you’re playing match play you have to make birdies and I didn’t do that.
“Tim’s a wonderful player, he’s consistent and grinds it out and he made a bunch of birdies.”
Clark revealed he had always been confident.
“I knew if I came out and played well I’d always have a chance,” Clark said. “Once I got through the first hole I felt pretty comfortable until he holed that bunker shot on 14.
“But it was a great match for me.”

ALL THE ROUND TWO RESULTS
BOBBY JONES BRACKET

Tim Clark (SAf) bt T Woods (US) 4 and 2.

R McIlroy (NIr) bt H Mahan (US) 1 hole.

G Ovilvy (Aus) bt S Katayama (Jap) at 19th.

C Villegas (Col) bt M A Jimenez (Spa) 5 and 4.

BEN HOGAN BRACKET

L Donald (Eng) bt V J Singh (Fiji) at 19th.

E Els (SAf) bt S Striker (US) 3 and 2.

P Mickelson (US) bt Z Johnson (US) 1 hole.

S Cink bt L Westwood (Eng) at 23rd.

GARY PLAYER BRACKET

I Poulter (Eng) bt C Schwartzel (SAf) 1 hole.

S O'Hair (US) bt B Weekley (US) 2 and 1.

P Hanson (Swe) bt S Ames (Can) 2 and 1.

P Casey (Eng) bt M Goggin (Aus) 6 and 4.

SAM SNEAD BRACKET

R Fisher (Eng) bt P Perez (US) 6 and 5.

J Furyk (US) bt M Kaymer (Ger) 4 and 2.

J Leonard (US) bt D Love (US) 1 hole.

O Wilson (Eng) bt A Kim (US) 2 and 1.

Doak earns a fistful of dollars in Arizona

Leading Tartan Tour player Chris Doak earned $1,650 for a joint 25th place finish in the Gateway Tour's Desert Winter Series event which finished today at Wigwam Golf Resort, near Phoenix, Arizona.
Doak had rounds of 69,70 and 71 for a six-under-par total of 210.
Only players with 36-hole totals of four under par or better qualified for the final round.
Dornoch exile Jimmy Gunn missed out with scores of 69 and 75 for level par 144. He had a triple bogey 8 at the fourth in his second round and even a hat-trick of birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th could not save the day for him.

Knox finishes with eagle for

joint 2nd and $5,915 cheque

Inverness exile Russell Knox, pictured right, boosted his earnings in the Hooters' Tour's Winter Series to $25,490 from eight events since early December with a joint second place finish today over the Stoneybrook West course at Winter Garden, Florida.
Over a 7,101yd par-72 course, the Florida-based Knox had rounds of 68, 71 and 70 for a seven-under-par total of 209. That tied him with George Bradford from Pikesville, Maryland (68-70-71) as they finished two behind the winner of the $12,904 first prize, Chris Wilson from Dublin, Ohio with scores of 68, 67 and 72 for 207.
Knox finished with an eagle 3 and that was worth an extra couple of thousand dollars to him.


Russell must have thought that third place was the best he could achieve until overnight leader Ted Potter from Silver Springs, Florida blew up with a closing round of 76 after setting the pace with scores of 65 and 69.
The Scot, who stayed on in the States after playing the US college circuit for four four years as a Jacksonville University student, earned $5,915, his highest cheque of the Winter Series.
LEADING TOTALS


Par 216 (3x72)


207 Chris Wilson (Dublin, Ohio) 68 67 72 ($12,904).


209 Russell Knox (Jacksonville Beach) 68 71 70, George Bradford (Pikesville, Maryland) 68 70 71 ($5,915 each).


210 Chris Rodgers (Franklin, Tennessee) 71 70 69, Ted Potter (Silver Springs, Florida) 65 69 76 ($4,033 each).

Dear, McLean, McEwan make

it to Spanish match-play

Only three of the nine Scots in the field figured among the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the Spanish men's open amateur golf championship at Royal Seville Golf Club today.
Dixie Amateur title-winner Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), pictured right, claimed the No 9 seed spot with rounds of 77 and 73 for 150 - five strokes behind the top qualifier, Pontus Widegren (Sweden) with 67 and 78.
Paul Lawrie protege Philip McLean (Peterhead) had the same total as Dear with scores of 76 and 74 but was deemed the No 11 qualifier on a comparison of the second rounds.
Steve McEwan (Caprington) completed the Scots trio who go into the sudden-death match-play stages with rounds of 77 and 75 for 152, which made him No 19 of the 32 qualifiers.
The cut-off point was 154 and the Scots who failed to make it were Paul Betty (Hayston) on 155 with scores of 75 and 80, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) with 76 and 80 for 156, Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) with 78 and 79 for 157, the same total as Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) with rounds of 76 and 81, Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) (80-78) and Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) (75-83), both on 158, and Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) on 161 with scores of 79 and 82.
In the match-play first round ties Dear will play No 24 qualifier Bjorn Akesson (Sweden), McEwan plays England's Eddie Pepperell, the No 14 qualifier, and McLean will also face English opposition, Billy Hemstock, the No 22 qualifier.

MATCH-PLAY QUALIFIERS

Par 144 (2 x 72)

1 WIDEGREN, PONTUS SWE -3,5 -3,9 -2 145 67 78
2 NIXON, MATTHEW ENG -2,8 -3,1 -1 146 69 77
3 SAMOOJA, KALLE FIN -3,5 -3,4 -2 147 73 74
4 ORIOL SANCHEZ-BLANCO, PEDRO ESP -2,1 -2,2 0 147 72 75
5 SAXTON, REINIER NET -3,8 -3,9 -2 147 70 77
6 HORTAL OCHOA, ANTONIO ESP -1,1 -1,5 1 147 70 77
7 KALEKA, ALEXANDRE FRA -2,9 -2,8 -1 148 74 74
8 ROBINSON, JAMES ENG -3,1 -1 149 72 77
9 DEAR, GAVIN SCO -3,6 -3,5 -2 150 77 73
10 HUTSBY, SAM ENG -4,2 -4,1 -3 150 76 74
11 McLEAN, PHILIP SCO -3,1 -3,0 -1 150 76 74
12 SERRES, OLIVIER FRA -3,3 -3,2 -2 150 74 76
13 LEWIS, TOM ENG -2,3 0 150 73 77
14 PEPPERELL, EDDIE ENG -3,1 -1 150 73 77
15 HAINES, MATTHEW ENG -3,4 -2 150 72 78
16 NORDQVIST, MATTIAS SWE -2,5 -1 151 77 74
17 LOWRY, SHANE IRE -4,3 -4,2 -3 151 76 75
18 ADCOCK, TODD ENG -2,6 -2,5 -1 151 75 76
19 MCEWAN, STEVEN SCO -3,6 -3,5 -2 152 77 75
20 FERRER MERCANT, ANTONI ESP 0,1 -0,1 3 152 76 76
21 BACHER, HANSPETER AUT -3,5 -3,4 -2 152 75 77
22 HEMSTOCK, BILLY ENG -2,3 -2,2 0 152 75 77
23 PIGEM XAMMAR, CARLOS ESP -3,0 -2,9 -1 152 74 78
24 AKESSON, BJORN SWE -3,5 -2 152 72 80
25 FORD, CHARLES ENG -3,3 -3,2 -2 153 78 75
26 CAMBIS, GUILLAUME FRA -3,8 -3,7 -2 153 77 76
27 DUBUISSON, VICTOR FRA -4,4 -4,3 -3 153 77 76
28 HOGAN, ANDREW IRE -3,0 -2,9 -1 153 75 78
29 CUTLER, PAUL IRE -2,3 0 153 74 79
30 DUNBAR, ALAN IRE -2,3 0 153 74 79
31 NOGUE LOPEZ, SERGI ESP -0,3 -0,4 2 153 74 79
32 PEYRICHOU, NICOLAS FRA -1,8 -2,0 0 154 82 72
===============DID NOT QUALIFY FOR MATCH-PLAY STAGES =======
CHRISTIE, ALEX ENG -2,0 -1,9 0 154 79 75
TERRAGNI, CRISTIANO ITA -3,1 -3,0 -1 154 78 76
BERTASIO, NINO ITA -4,0 -3,9 -2 154 78 76
JENNEVRET, DANIEL SWE -2,5 -2,4 -1 154 76 78
MARGUERY, RAPHAEL FRA -2,4 0 154 74 80
KRISTIANSEN, ANDERS NOR -5,0 -4,9 -4 154 74 80
SHEPHERD, JAKE ENG -1,8 0 154 74 80
OTAEGUI JAUREGUI, ADRIAN ESP -1,4 -1,3 1 155 77 78
PUIG GINER, XAVI ESP -0,1 2 155 76 79
CUARTERO BLANCO, EMILIO ESP -0,4 2 155 76 79
FIGUEIREDO, PEDRO POR -3,8 -3,7 -2 155 76 79
BETTY, PAUL SCO -1,8 -1,7 0 155 75 80
MENENDEZ MENENDEZ-MORAN, HUGO ESP -0,1 2 155 75 80
ANTONELLI, DAVID FRA -2,7 -2,6 -1 155 75 80
JOIA, JOSE MARIA POR -2,6 -2,5 -1 155 74 81
WHITNELL, DALE ENG -4,5 -4,4 -3 155 74 81
STABEN, BENEDICT GER -2,6 -1 155 73 82
FERNANDEZ SALMON, SCOTT WILLIAM ESP 0,5 3 156 79 77
GIDNEY, JONATHAN ENG -2,8 -2,7 -1 156 78 78
WATTEL, ROMAIN FRA -3,7 -3,6 -2 156 77 79
BONDIA GIL, JOSE ESP -1,8 -1,7 0 156 76 80
BORROWMAN, SCOTT SCO -2,4 -2,3 0 156 76 80
MIVIS, CHRISTOPHER BEL -2,4 -2,3 0 156 76 80
ABBOTT, JAMIE ENG -2,6 -2,5 -1 156 76 80
PINTOR SMITH, FRANCISCO ESP -0,4 2 156 75 81
KIM, JOON ITA -2,6 -2,5 -1 156 75 81
SWAN, MICHAEL ENG -1,3 1 156 74 82
FLEETWOOD, TOMMY ENG -3,1 -1 156 73 83
UZZELL, STEVE ENG -3,7 -3,6 -2 156 73 83
WOLTERS, STEPHAN GER -4,9 -4,8 -3 156 72 84
BERTHEUSSEN, ELIAS NOR -3,4 -2 156 71 85
MENENDEZ GARCIA, SAUL ESP 0,0 -0,2 2 157 82 75
MCNICOLL, KEIR SCO -5,6 -5,5 -4 157 78 79
LENNOX, LUKE IRE -3,0 -2,9 -1 157 78 79
GODDARD, LUKE ENG -4,3 -4,2 -3 157 77 80
COBO ARRAYAS, MOISES ESP -1,9 -1,8 0 157 77 80
HODGSON, STIGGY ENG -3,4 -3,3 -2 157 76 81
LOMBARDI, NUNZIO ITA -2,5 -2,4 -1 157 76 81
O´HARA, PAUL SCO -3,5 -3,4 -2 157 76 81
GLAUERT, MAXIMILIAN GER -3,1 -3,0 -1 157 75 82
GAD, PONTUS SWE -2,5 -2,4 -1 157 75 82
McALLISTER, SHAUN SCO -2,1 -2,0 0 158 80 78
SULLIVAN, ANDREW ENG -2,6 -2,5 -1 158 79 79
QUINTARELLI, NICCOLO ITA -2,5 -2,4 -1 158 79 79
MANASSERO, MATTEO ITA -4,0 -3,9 -2 158 78 80
WHITE, JON ENG -1,4 -1,3 1 158 77 81
LERNIHAN, DARA IRE -2,5 -2,4 -1 158 76 82
CAMPBELL, GLENN SCO -3,2 -3,1 -1 158 75 83
BEST, ADAM ENG -1,1 -1,0 1 159 79 80
SCHNEIDER, ROMAIN FRA -4,3 -4,2 -3 159 77 82
NEWMAN, RYAN ENG -1,1 -1,0 1 160 82 78
SHADBOLT, THOMAS ENG -1,7 -1,6 0 160 81 79
BERTRAN CROUS, VICTOR ESP -0,1 0,0 2 160 79 81
ERREA MAYO, XABIER ESP -0,3 -0,2 2 160 78 82
RODRIGUES, TIAGO POR -1,3 -1,2 1 160 77 83
SIMON DE MIGUEL, JORGE ESP -0,2 2 160 76 84
MENA RUIZ, OLIVER ESP -0,8 -0,7 1 160 76 84
QUIROS DIAZ, JOSE ALEJANDRO ESP 0,4 0,5 3 161 83 78
NEMECZ, LUKAS AUT -2,3 -2,2 0 161 80 81
MACKMAN, MILES ENG -2,5 -2,4 -1 161 80 81
PATERSON, GREG SCO -2,3 -2,2 0 161 79 82
MAYRHAUSER, MORITZ AUT -2,4 -2,3 0 161 77 84
SARASTI BERNARAS, JUAN FRANCISCO ESP -2,9 -2,8 -1 161 76 85
GARCIA RODRIGUEZ, SEBASTIAN ESP -0,8 -0,7 1 162 85 77
BOOTH, DAVID ENG -2,3 -2,2 0 162 83 79
ERICE IBAÑEZ, PEDRO ESP -2,0 -1,9 0 162 77 85
VIRTO ASTUDILLO, BORJA ESP -1,6 -1,5 0 162 77 85
REITER, BERNHARD AUT -1,4 1 162 75 87
JUANEDA GRIMALT, JOSEP ESP 0,2 0,3 3 163 81 82
BARNES, JASON ENG -3,9 -3,8 -2 163 80 83
PIRIS MATEU, GERARD ESP -0,4 2 163 75 88
ROTH, JACOB DEN -1,7 -1,6 0 164 84 80
KING, GARY ENG -1,3 -1,2 1 164 82 82
GARCIA JODAR, MANUEL ESP -0,4 -0,3 2 164 82 82
GIL CASTRO, MANUEL ESP -0,2 -0,1 2 164 81 83
SALMINEN, MIKAEL FIN -2,8 -2,7 -1 165 83 82
BAUNSOE, PETER DEN -2,7 -2,6 -1 165 80 85
LUCENDO DIAZ, CARLOS ESP 0,2 0,3 3 166 84 82
LOUGHREY, BEN ENG -1,8 -1,7 0 167 78 89
WAUGH, PHILIP ENG -1,6 -1,5 0 169 84 85
SEBASTIAN TIRADO, ROBERTO ESP 0,1 0,2 3 169 83 86
GALLEGOS MARSAL, JAVIER ESP 0,8 0,9 3 169 78 91
LOPEZ TORRAS, LUIS ESP 0,8 0,9 3 174 83 91
ZAMORA RODRIGUEZ. JOSE MARIA ESP -0,7 -0,6 2 Retired

FRIESTAD, ARE NOR -3,7 -3,6 -2 Retired

KEENAN, FARREN ENG -2,9 -2,8 -1 Retired

Midlands' Alliance pro-am in Fife

Lockhart leads the way at Scotscraig with a 71

The Midland Golfers' Alliance held the Hi Tech Acoustic Services Ltd pro-am at Scotscraig Golf Club, Fife where the conditions were windy but the course was in wonderful condition.
Leading the way for the professionals was Ladybank assistant Alan Lockhart with a superb level par 71.
Best team of the day was from Edzell, led by professional Alistair Webster who was partnered by Keith Bruce, Duncan McGregor and Ian Milne. They had a score of 133.
LEADING SCRATCH
71 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.
72 A J Webster (Edzell) p.
73 D McKay (Wellsgreen) p.
75 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) ap, P Kinsley (St Andrews New), K Hutton (Downfield) p, W Murray (unatt) p.
76 E Walker (Burntisland) ap.
LEADING TEAM SCORES
133 A J Webster (Edzell) p, K Bruce (Edzell) (2), D McGregor (Edzell) (14), I Milne (Edzell) (14).
134 K Hutton (Downfield) p, D Morrison (Downfield) (11), I McMurray (Downfield) (10), I Mitchell (Downfield) (9).
135 S Rettie (Stirling Golf Studio) p, I Henderson (Craigie Hill) (5), D Vicary (Craigie Hill) (10), A Robertson (Craigie Hill) (10).

Next Week's Meeting (Thursday, March 5)
Kirkcaldy Golf Club
Tee reserved: 8.30-12.30


Lee Sutherland

Deeside Golf Club providing cover for their driving bays

Work is progressing nicely at the Deeside Golf Club driving range where cover is being erected over the bays. The roof is tiled to match the clubhouse, writes Colin Farquharson.
The Bieldside club is also revamping its short-game practice area which is halfway down what used to be the first hole, to the left as you drive down the road to the clubhouse and car park. A practice green, which, according to director of golf Frank Coutts, will be four or five times bigger than the present 18th green, is under construction. There will also be bunker practice facility.

Michael Sim tied for sixth place on 69

in Moonah Classic near Melbourne

Aberdeen-born Michael Sim shot a three-under-par 69 to be tied for sixth place in a log jam at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the first day of the $600,000 Moonah Classic at the challenging Moonah Links course - 7,469yd, par 72 - on the Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne, Australia.
As many as five players share the lead on 68 - Americans Hunter Haas and Daniel Summerhays
Australian veteran Peter O'Malley along with compatriot Andrew Bonhomme and Argentina's Miguel Carballo.
Americans Ben Dickerson, Kyle Reifers and Josh Teater were a stroke back in a tie for sixth along with Michael Sim and South Africa's Garth Mulroy in the 72-hole tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the Nationwide and Australasian PGA tours.
Summerhays, who had seven birdies and three bogeys, and Haas said the lay-out commanded respect in the blustery conditions on Australia's southeast coast.
"The wind changes so much," Summerhays said. "You need to play smart, you need to try and stay away from the trouble."
Added Haas: "It's not an easy golf course - there are some good players shooting some bad scores."
One of those was South Korea-born New Zealand amateur Danny Lee, who won the Johnnie Walker Classic by a stroke last weekend in Perth to become the youngest winner on either the European or Australasian tours.
The 18-year-old Lee, who plans to turn pro after the Masters, had a share of the lead at two under par after 12 holes but dropped four shots, including a double-bogey 6 on the ninth, to drop to a final score of two-over-par 74. He was tied with defending champion Ewan Porter and veteran Peter Fowler.
O'Malley, who first gained international recognition when he won the 1992 Scottish Open but hasn't won a tournament since the 2005 New Zealand PGA, is hoping his experience on the links course will help him end that drought.
"The more I play it I'm finding different ways to get around the golf course," he said. "There's a lot of thinking involved in playing the course.
"There are a few holes I think are a little bit severe in the driving areas. It's certainly a challenge but the way it's set up this week is pretty good."

HSBC Women’s Champions boasts greatest

field ever assembled in Asia

PRESS RELEASE
The HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore next month will attract the strongest field of golfers ever seen at an Asian tournament. The 78 player line-up is missing only three of the active players in the world’s top 40, and will include every available winner from the 2008 LPGA season and every Major winner over the past three years currently playing.
The 2009 LPGA season teed-off last week in Hawaii but already the star players are setting their sights on ‘Asia’s Major’ from 5th – 8th March at Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC).
Tournament organisers today announced that in total 35 of the world’s top 40 players will compete for the US$2million prize purse, much to the delight of the title sponsors.
“Our goal when we created the HSBC Champions “brand” was to bring world-class golf to Asia. No one can doubt that we have achieved that now,” declared HSBC’s Group Head of Sponsorship Giles Morgan.
“Padraig Harrington has described the creation of our Shanghai tournament as the turning point for men’s golf in Asia and I think Sergio Garcia winning the HSBC Champions last year to become world number two proved the world-class pedigree. Now we have virtually every great female player in the world today coming to Singapore for the HSBC Women’s Champions, and of course the world number one is defending her title. It’s a credit to Singapore and to everyone involved that the tournament has been embraced so quickly by the stars.”
This list of entrants includes America's Angela Stanford and Australian Katherine Hull who are among the hottest players on the planet at the moment.
The 31-year-old Stanford won last weekend's LPGA season-opener - the SBS Open - to record her third win in seven LPGA events.. Stanford burst into form last September, winning the Bell Micro LPGA Classic, winning again at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and finishing no worse than sixth in her other four events at the back end of the season.
“I’m coming off a fantastic year and I’m hopeful my momentum continues to place me in contention to win. I look forward to competing in Singapore in early March. The HSBC Women’s Champions attracts the best players in the world and a victory at this prestigious event would be treasured...….it’s on everyone’s priority list!” said Angela Stanford
Hull, who won the CN Canadian Open and had another six top-ten finishes last year, leaped five places up to 21st in the World Rankings after her victory two weekends ago in the European and Australian Tours' co-sanctioned ANZ Masters.
“The HSBC is an awesome tournament, it’s a great golf course and it’s one of the strongest fields in golf. I’m looking forward to contending there. This is a huge confidence booster because in the past I haven’t always started the year so well,” the 26-year-old Hull said.
The Korean stars continue to have a strong presence amongst the golfing elite with Seon Hwa Lee (10th), Eun-Hee Ji (14th), Jee Young Lee (15th) and Hee-Won Han (16th) all joining 2008 Major winners and leaders of the “Dragon Ladies” age group Inbee Park and Jiyai Shin in next month’s battle for the champion’s crown.
Seon Hwa Lee tied with Stanford for 12th position last year and went on to take victories at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA and the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons.
She said, "I always enjoy coming back to Asia to compete and I especially enjoy playing in Singapore. I have fond memories from winning the 2007 HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship and I would dearly love to add the HSBC Women's Champions title to those memories."
Joining the elite field at Asia’s richest female golfing event will be local amateur Joey Poh. Poh came out on top of 13 other hopefuls in a two-day qualifying tournament last week at TMCC and she will now represent Singapore in the main event next month. Joey is also currently a student of the HSBC Youth Golfers Excellence Programme.
“Having the world’s top players showing their support and commitment to the second edition of the HSBC Women’s Champions is testament to its success last year in Singapore. We are delighted to be hosting an array of talent from across the globe in what has quickly established itself as Asia’s most prestigious event for our female golfers,” commented Robbie Henchman, Senior Vice President, IMG.
The qualification criteria mirrors that of the men’s HSBC Champions, with winners from around the world invited to compete for the coveted “Champion of Champions” title. Winners on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, leading money winners from the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA), Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, Ladies European Tour (LET), Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG), Duramed FUTURES Tour, Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT) and the top player from the continent of Africa all qualify, making this the most international and impressive women’s field ever assembled in Asia.
The HSBC Women’s Champions 2009 will boast a prize money of US$2 million (US$300,000 to the winner), the largest purse for a women’s event in Asia. The HSBC Women’s Champions, sanctioned by the LPGA, will be played over 72 holes of individual stroke play with a field of 78 golfers.

GREAT GOLF SHOW TICKET DEALS

Tickets to the London Golf Show 2009 are now on sale and the golfing extravaganza is celebrating the launch of its fifth outing with a great two-for-one ticket deal.
Anyone buying tickets before April can get two tickets for the on-the-door price of £15 simply by quoting the code LAUNCH when purchasing tickets online or over the phone.
The London Golf Show will be back at ExCeL from May 1-3 and the golfing bonanza will offer everything golfers' hearts desire including big brands, custom-fitting, a huge indoor driving range, a massive American Golf Store, celebrity appearances and countless competitions with great prizes to be won.
And if the two-for-one promotion isn’t enough, the London Golf Show has also teamed up with BODY WORLDS and The Mirror of Time to offer a joint ticket to the two events for just £17.50.
BODY WORLDS is the Original Exhibition of real human bodies created by world renowned anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens and features collections of authentic human and animal specimens which explores health, fitness, science, anatomy and physiology.
Those buying a joint ticket can visit any day of the London Golf Show and take in BODY WORLDS at the O2 up until May 3.
For more information or to buy tickets call 0844 837 1650 or go to www.londongolfshow.com.

Club champion 10 years in a row -

Is that a national record?

Do you know of any golf club in Scotland whose men's club champion has won the title for 10 or more years in succession?
If you do, E-mail the details to Colin@scottishgolfview.com and we will pass them on to Stewart Henderson who sent us the following E-mail:
"I have contacted the Scottish Golf Union to see if the following is a national record or not but not had much success. I am a member at Douglas Water Golf Club and also at Hamilton Golf Club, both in Lanarkshire.
"Last year I won the club championship at Douglas Water for the 10th year in succession and wondered if this is a record or how many more victories would be needed to create one. Hope you can help."
Stewart Henderson

Betty and Campbell leading Scots in

Spanish championship in Seville

Paul Betty (Hayston) and Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) were the leading Scots on the three-over-par mark of 75 after the first qualifying round of the Spanish men's open amateur championship at Seville.
FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND SCORES
Par 72
67 Pontus Widegren (Swe).
69 Matthew Nixon (Eng).
70 Antonio Hortal Ochoa (Spa), Reinier Saxton (Net).
71 Elias Bertheussen (Nor).
72 Matthew Haines (Eng), Pedro Oriol Sanchez Blanco (Spa), Stephan Wolters (Ger), James Robinson (Eng), Bjorn Akesson (Swe).
Selected scores:
73 Tom Lewis (Eng), Steve Uzzell (Eng), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Eddie Pepperell (Eng).
74 Michael Swan (Eng), Dale Whitnell (Eng), Jake Shepherd (Eng), Paul Cutler (Ire), Alan Dunbar (Ire).
75 Todd Adcock (Eng), Billy Hemstock (Eng), Andrew Hogan (Ire), Paul Betty (Sco), Glenn Campbell (Sco).
76 Scott Borrowman (Sco), Stiggy Hodgson (Eng), Sam Hutsby (Eng), Paul O'Hara (Sco), Shane Lowry (Ire), Philip McLean (Sco), Jamie Abbott (Eng).
77 Jon White (Eng), Luke Goddard (Eng), Steven McEwan (Sco), Gavin Dear (Sco).
78 Keir McNicoll (Sco), Luke Lennox (Ire), Charles Ford (Eng).
79 Andy Sullivan (Eng), Alex Christie (Eng0, Adam Best (Eng), Greg Paterson (Sco).
80 Shaun McAllister (Sco), Jason Barnes (Eng), Miles Mackman (Eng).
81 Thomas Shadbolt (Eng).
82 Ryan Newman (Eng), Farren Keenan (Eng), Gary King (Eng).
83 David Booth (Eng).
84 Philip Waugh (Eng).
Field of 120 players

Plans for Jack Nicklaus course

at Stonehaven hit by collapse

of F M Developments

The £40million scheme to have a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and a luxury hotel on the 1500 acre Ury Castle Estate near Stonehaven has been struck a hammer blow.
The company behind the ambitious plans - F M Developments - has gone into administration, yet another victim of the Credit Crunch Crisis that is having an increasing effect on the world of golf.
Joint administrator Fraser Gray said: "We're firmly committed to exploring the future options available for the group's developments and, in particular, the ambitious plans for the Ury Estate the its proposed Jack Nickluas signature golf course.
"This development has received strong support from local stakeholders and, with this in mind, we will be assessing the best way forward over the coming weeks.
The directors of FM Developments come from the Forbes and Milne families, two of the wealthiest farming families in Scotland.
The Ury Estate was bought by the FM Group in 2001.
+Jack Nicklaus, pictured above, had made a visit to the Ury site and expressed enthusiasm for the plan.

Short-game improvement helps Aberdonian get in contention

Bali High! Richie Ramsay

shares 2nd with a 68

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Angelo Que of the Philippines wielded a hot putter to take a four-stroke clubhouse lead at the end of a weather-affected first day at the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open.
Que needed just 20 putts to card an eight-under-par 64 at the New Kuta Golf Club, which put him on top in an event co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.
Que’s closest pursuers in the clubhouse were Filipino compatriot Antonio Lascuna, England’s Simon Khan, Jamie Donaldson of Wales, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and Australians Andrew Dodt and Tony Carolan, who all shot 68s in their opening rounds.
Former Indonesia Open winner Simon Dyson was also on four under through 16 holes but will have to return to the course along with 41 other players early tomorrow to complete his opening round after heavy rain and the threat of lightning resulted in a two-hour stoppage this morning.
Rhys Davies of Wales, Alexander Noren of Sweden, India’s Digvijay Singh, Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul and the English trio of Richard Finch, Steve Webster and Miles Tunnicliff were a further shot back after carding three-under 69s.
Que, who had not teed off when play was halted early in the morning, felt the lengthy stoppage worked in his favour.
“It was great! I was able to take my time during the delay, had a cup of coffee and chatted with my friends,” said the 30-year-old from Manila.
“I think it helped me to relax so that delay really helped me a lot.”
When play eventually resumed just after 9am, the Filipino teed off on the back nine and birdied his first hole, the 10th, before parring the next three.
But a 40-footer on the 14th sparked a run of four consecutive birdies which put him on top of the leaderboard on five under at the turn.
Further birdies followed on the first and third and Que enjoyed a lucky break on the fifth, when he pulled his tee shot into long grass to the left of the fairway but discovered his plugged ball with some help from a television crew and made par.
He made another birdie to finish with a 64 although it will not count as a course record due to the use of preferred lies.
“I’m very, very pleased with how I played today. I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” said the two-time winner on the Asian Tour.
“The breaks were on my side today. I almost lost my ball on the fifth hole but the TV camera was on me the whole time and they saw where it was and I found it and I was able to make it up and down for a par.
“I was really lucky, that’s all I can say.”
Khan also began well with birdies on three of his first four holes and reached the turn on three under.
He dropped a shot with a bogey on the 12th but birdies on the 14th and 16th put him in position to challenge for his first Tour win since the 2004 Wales Open.
“I played really nicely, particularly at the start of my round,” said the 36-year-old.
“I could’ve been four under after four holes, if my putt on the third hadn’t lipped out. Then I had a bit of a wobble, but recovered very nicely towards the end. So overall, I’ve got to be pretty pleased.”
After a poor run of results, Aberdonian Richie Ramsay enjoyed a bogey-free outing that he credited to an improvement in his short game.
“The secret of my success is the practice I’ve done with my short game, and that showed with my ability to get up and down today,” said the 25-year-old Challenge Tour graduate and former United States amateur champion.
“I know it’s my weakness, and I also know that when I sort it out, I’ll be up there challenging. Off the tee, I played really well - I think I only missed one or two fairways all day which, when you take into account the breeze out there at times, I’ve got to be pretty pleased with."
Rafael Cabrera Bello had the tournament’s first hole-in-one on the 140-yard par-three 15th as he carded a one-under 71.
Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee also shot 71 while Nick Dougherty recovered from a poor start with three birdies on his back nine for a level-par 72.
Defending champion Felipe Aquilar was three over after 16 holes before play was suspended due to darkness at 6:30pm. A total of 42 players will resume the first round at 6:40am on Friday.

COMPLETED FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
+42 players to finish first round early Friday morning.
64 Angelo Que (Phi).
68 Antonio Lascuna (Phi), Richie Ramsay, Jamie Donaldson, Andrew Dodt (Aus), Simon Khan
69 Seung-yul Noh (Kor), Steve Webster, Alexander Noren (Swe), Rhys Davies, Miles Tunnicliff
70 Bryan Saltus (USA), Danny Willett, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind), Seve Benson, Gary Murphy, Chinarat Phadungsil (Tha), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Klas Eriksson (Swe), Gavin Flint (Aus), Rory Hie (Ina)
71 Gary Lockerbie, Markus Brier (Aut), Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa), Oliver Fisher, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Michael Hoey
72 Kodai Ichihara (Jpn), Phillip Price, Nick Dougherty, Mark Brown (USA), Chris Rodgers
73 Zaw Moe (Kor), Benn Barham, Andrew Coltart, Scott Strange (Aus), Steven O'Hara, Daniel Chopra (Swe), Ted Oh (Kor), Sam Little, Joong Kyung Mo (Kor)
74 Frankie Minoza (Phi), Pelle Edberg (Swe), A Sarmili (Ina), Wen Teh Lu (Tpe), Prom Meesawat (Tha), Sam Walker, Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Sang-moon Bae (Kor), Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind), Wade Ormsby (Aus), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind)
75 Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Phillip Archer, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha), Unho Park (Aus), Graeme Storm
76 Gary Clark, A Ilyassyak (Ina), Marciano Pucay (Phi), Oskar Henningsson (Swe), Guido Van Der Valk (Ned), Pablo Martin (Spa)
77 David Bransdon (Aus), Danny Chia (Mal), Anthony Snobeck (Fra)
80 A Suprapto (Ina), Hari Budianto (Ina)
81 Airil Rizman (Mal)
83 Fahmi Reza (Ina)
86 Ujang Zarem (Ina)

The South East of England Links Championship

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF ROYAL ST GEORGE'S GOLF CLUB AND ROYAL CINQUE PORTS GOLF CLUB.
The Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Deal, and The Royal St. George's Golf Club, Sandwich, have agreed to hold an annual 72-hole scratch event, the South East Of England Links Championship.
The Championship will be decided by strokes over four rounds of 18 holes each, and will be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf, as approved by R&A Rules Limited with Local Rules as approved by the Committee.
Entry will be limited to 144 amateur golfers with a handicap of 2 or better.
The inaugural event will be played on Thursday to Saturday, May 13 to 15 May 2010.
One round will be played at Royal St. George's on the Thursday followed by another round at Royal Cinque Ports on Friday 14 May.
The 40 lowest scores over these 36 holes and any tying for 40th place will qualify for the final 36 holes to be played at Royal St. George's on Saturday 15 May 2010.
In 2011, the first round will be played at Royal Cinque Ports, the second round at Royal St. George's and the final 36 holes at Royal Cinque Ports. Subsequently, the final 36 holes will alternate between Royal St. George's and Royal Cinque Ports, with each club hosting one of the first two rounds.
The 'HRH The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup' and 'The St. George's Champion Grand Challenge Cup' - previously played as individual 36 hole scratch events, the one at Deal, the other at Sandwich - will be awarded annually to the competitor or competitors having the lowest score over the links of Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St. George's respectively on each of the first two rounds of the South East of England Links Championship.
Enquiries:
Royal St George's Golf Club: office@royalstgeorges.com
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club: secretary@royalcinqueports.com

Richie Ramsay tees off with a bogey-free 68

Richie Ramsay has got his good round in early - on the opening day of the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open at New Kuta Golf Club, Bali in Indonesia.
The Aberdonian returned a bogey-free round of four-under-par 68 with birdies at the fourth, short sixth, short eighth and long 16th in halves of 33 and 35.
He is four shots behind the early leader, Angelo Que.
Now if Richie can avoid that one destructive round that has blighted his European Tour career ...

Tiger burning bright (well, almost) but

Harrington, Garcio take early KO count

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Tiger Woods overcame a front nine wobble to win his opening match at the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play at Dove Mountain, Arizona in his much anticipated comeback from an eight month injury lay-off.
Woods, up against Australian Brendan Jones at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, was playing for the first time since last June when he won the US Open Championship before needing reconstructive knee surgery.
“I felt good,” Woods said. “I got off to a quick start and that helps. I got off some good shots early, had some loose irons there in the middle part of the round but got back and thought I had a good day, except for those couple of loose irons.”
Woods, the defending champion, said he had felt no adverse reaction from his rehabilitated left knee.
“It felt good,” he said. “I felt for sure it would be a little bit more stiff than it was.
“I’m sure it will be a little bit stiff later but ice and elevate and I’ll be good to go.”
The World Number One had started in determined fashion and to a huge roar from the packed stands around the first tee, winning the opening hole with a birdie.
He was quickly two up after Jones conceded the second but both players bogeyed the third and fifth and Woods bogeyed the par four seventh as well.
He was quickly back in control though, going two up with a birdie at the eighth and forging further ahead when Jones overshot the green at the par three 12th.
Woods then eagled the par five 13th to put him within sight of victory and eventually closed out a 3 and 2 win on the 16th.
Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy kept his hopes of facing Woods in the third round alive after he defeated South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen 2 and 1.
“Actually I found it quite difficult because he's a good friend of mine and it's always hard to play someone you know quite a lot about,” McIlroy said.
“We both didn't play as well as we could, but I was able to just make my pars when I needed to and got the job done.”
McIlory now faces US Ryder Cup star Hunter Mahan in the second round and said he would resist all thoughts of a potential match with Woods.
“That's a long way off for the minute,” the 19 year old said. “But we'll see what happens.”
The Open Championship and US PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington lost 1 down to American Pat Perez, despite winning the par three 16th with a birdie.
Oliver Wilson set up a second round meeting with Ryder Cup foe Anthony Kim with an upset victory on a good day for the European Tour contingent where 20 Members progressed to the last 32, including ten of the 20 Europeans.
Wilson, one of 20 Europeans and a record 47 European Tour Members in the field, beat Korea’s KJ Choi 3 and 1.
Kim was the first player into the next round with a resounding 7 and 5 victory over Lin Wen-Tang, needing just his second birdie of the round to complete the job as the Taiwanese golfer posted seven bogeys over 13 holes.
Starting the good day for Europe was Lee Westwood, who moved into the second round with a 2 and 1 win over Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng.
Westwood now meets last year’s beaten finalist Stewart Cink, who needed 19 holes to defeat Richard Sterne of South Africa.
Phil Mickelson survived a late rally from Angel Cabrera to win at the 19th and set up a meeting with Zach Johnson, who defeated Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell 3 and 1, while Luke Donald won on the 19th against Ben Curtis.
“Touch wood, everything feels good and it’s great to be out,” admitted Donald - who missed the second half of 2008 with a wrist injury. “I have had a solid start to the season and I expect a lot of good things over the coming weeks hopefully.”
Paul Casey was another Englishman through to the second round after beating Aaron Baddeley by one hole to progress to a match with another Australian, Matt Goggin, who beat Kenny Perry.
The biggest surprise of the day saw The Race to Dubai leader and World Number Two Sergio Garcia go out to South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, The European Tour Member holing from four feet to win 1 up at the 18th.
Sweden’s Peter Hanson was another giant killer as he beat compatriot Robert Karlsson, last year's European Tour Number One, while Justin Rose lost to Ryder Cup rival Boo Weekley on the 18th.
Ian Poulter was able to cruise to a 4 and 3 win against Jeev Milka Singh with compatriot Ross Fisher also winning, 1 up against Robert Allenby. Allenby`s compatriot Stuart Appleby was defeated by another European Tour Member, Germany's Martin Kaymer.
Poulter was delighted to get his campaign off to a good start.
“In match play you have to get off to a decent start and put your opponent under as much pressure as you can and try and finish the game off as soon as you can,” he said. “I got off to a quick start to be three up after four and I kept my foot on the accelerator and hitting good golf shots. If you do that then you should be able to finish your opponent off.”
Camilo Villegas defeated Rod Pampling 7 and 6 and will face Miguel Angel Jiménez, who overcame South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini.
Davis Love III secured victory over Sweden`s Henrik Stenson at the 21st hole, while Ernie Els - seven times a World Match Play Championship winner at Wentworth - defeated Dane Søren Hansen 4 and 2.
“I had a nice start, let him back a bit but then had those birdies on the back nine. My game feels good so glad to get through,” said the South African.
Australian Geoff Ogilvy saw off Kevin Sutherland at the 19th to progress to a second round meeting with Shingo Katayama, who won 3 and 2 against Trevor Immelman.

SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL THE FIRST-ROUND RESULTS