Fraser Fotheringham moves up Down

Under as Scots exile Stephen Speirs

also takes closer order

Nairn youngster Fraser Fotheringham, beaten finalist in the 2007 British boys' golf championship, improved from 49th to a share of 35th place in a field of 157 at the halfway stage of one of Australia's most prestigious amateur stroke-play events, the Riversdale Cup at Riversdale Golf Club, Victoria.
Fotheringham has had rounds of 73 and 71 for a level par tally of 144 - 13 shots behind the five-stroke leader, Australian Jordan Sherrat, who has scored 63 and 68 for 13-under-par 131.
A second Scot in the big field, Australia-based Stephen Spiers (pictured) is sharing 15th place on 141 with scores of 72 and 69.
LEADING SCORES
Par 144 (2 x 72)
Players from Australia unless stated
131 Jordan Sherratt 63 68.
136 Bryden Macpherson 66 70, Ryan Fox (NZ) 70 66, Daniel Nisbet 67 69, Daniel Beckman 74 62.
Selected scores:
138 Scott Arnold (defending champion) 68 70 (jt 7th).
141 Stephen Spiers (Sco) 72 69 (jt 15th).
142 Jason Palmer (Eng) 73 69 (jt 18th).
144 Fraser Fotheringham (Sco) 73 71 (jt 35th).
146 Paul Buckley (Ire) 72 74 (jt 54th).
147 Adam Wainwright (Eng) 71 76 (jt 62nd).

American Friesen leads as Michael Sim

drops back to joint 13th in NZ PGA

American Steve Friesen leads the New Zealand PGA championship with an 11-under-par tally of 205 with one more round to go over the par-72 Clearwater course, Christchurch.
Friesen is a shot ahead of Steve Alker of New Zealand, who shot 67 Saturday, and second-round co-leader Kurt Barnes of Australia (71) in the event jointly sanctioned by the U.S. Nationwide and Australasian PGA tours.
Danny Lee, the New Zealand amateur who won Johnnie Walker Classic last month, shot a 69 to top a group at 9 under. The 18-year-old Lee, also the U.S. Amateur champion, plans to turn pro after the Masters. Born in South Korea, he moved to New Zealand at age 8.
Fellow New Zealander David Smail (68) also was 9 under along with Americans Ryan Hietala (69) and Craig Bowden (70) and Australia's Stephen Dartnall (68).
New Zealand's Gareth Paddison and American Josh Teater, who shared the second-round lead with Barnes, dropped back. Paddison shot 74 and is four shots behind Friesen, while Teater had a 75 and is another stroke behind.
At 31, Friesen has full playing rights on the Nationwide Tour for the first time this year.
"I will be nervous because it is a huge opportunity," Friesen said of the final round Sunday.
"But I am going to have to play well. It is not as if I have a seven-shot lead on the field. There are a lot of good golfers real close."
Alker said that with he, Smail and Lee all in contention, he hopes a local golfer might win it.
"Let's hope we can pull one out," Alker said. "We Kiwis have a few New Zealand Opens under our belts but to get this one has been a while coming."
Alker, a Challenge Tour player in Europe after losing his card on the main circuit there, said the arrival of the wind added another two shots in difficulty to the course Saturday.
"It is a totally different golf course," he said. "The leaders haven't really moved today, which shows it's a different beast."
Aberdeen-born Michael Sim has not got to grips with the term "moving day" for the third round in pro tournaments. In last week's Moonah Classic near Melbourne, he had a third-round 76 which left him needing a 70 in the final round to finish third.
Today, in the NZ PGA Championship, a level-par 72 was a good enough score but not good enough in terms of making a winning challenge. Sim is now lying joint 13th on 209, four shots off the pace.
A great final round could still see him chalk up the victory he needs to boost his self-confidence as he tries to rebuild a golf career torpedoed by a lower back stess fracture before he could make his debut on the US PGA Tour.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Gunn level par but 21 shots behind the

leader in Gateway Tour Winter Series

Dornoch exile Jimmy Gunn goes into the final round of the Gateway Tour's Winter Series championship some 21 shots behind the leader, American Chris Kamin who has opened up a seven-stroke lead with the phenomeal 54-hole total of 21-under-par 195 over a par-72 course at Encanterra Country Club, Queen Creek in Arizona.
Kaim has scored 69, 60 and 66.
Gunn's rounds have been 73, 72 and 71 for level par 216 which, in this highly-competitive circuit, is good enough only to give him 66th place.
Jimmy had a double bogey 6 at the sixth which he did his best to cancel out with birdies at the second, seventh, eighth, 12th and 13th but he did have single bogeys at the ninth and 14th.
Last of 77 is Glasgow's Scott Jamieson, who won the Scottish boys' open amateur stroke-play title at Lanark in 2001 (I know, 'cos I was there, writes the Editor).
Scott has had rounds of 75, 73 and 75 for 223. He had only one birdie in his third round.
HOW THEY STAND
Par 216 (3 x 72)
Players from US unless stated
195 Chris Kamin 69 60 66.
202 Hugo Leon 88 66 68.
Selected scores:
216 Jimmy Gunn (Sco) 73 72 71 (66th).
223 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 75 73 75 (last of 77)

Rhys Davis sharing third-round lead

in Singha Thailand Open

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Indian star Jyoti Randhawa charged into the joint third round lead at the Singha Thailand Open after firing a sizzling eight-under-par 62 today.
The 2002 Asian Tour No 1 was in irrepressible form at Laguna Phuket Golf Club, sinking an eagle, seven birdies and one bogey to tie countryman S S P Chowrasia and Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies at 12-under-par 198 after starting the day eight shots back.
Overnight leader Chowrasia battled to a 70 in the US$500,000 event while 2007 Walker Cup player Davies, chasing a maiden pro victory, missed a five-foot birdie chance for the outright lead at the 18th hole for a 69.
Sweet-swinging Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines and Australian David Bransdon share fourth place on 200 while Thailand’s Prom Meesawat gave himself a chance of emulating his father’s victory in the Singha Thailand Open with a 66 which left him three shots back.
Randhawa, 36, wielded his putter like a magic wand, rolling in 14 one-putts on his card. “It was great putting today. I holed everything,” said Randhawa, who is chasing an eighth Asian Tour title.
His eagle came courtesy of a radar-guided two iron approach from 246 yards which landed four feet of the flag. “That was the only fairway that I hit all day and I made eagle. I need to hit more fairways to hit more eagles but I’m not complaining,” he said.
Randhawa has enjoyed his time on the holiday isle of Phuket and reckons it has paid off. “I’m enjoying the sun, sand and going scuba diving. I’m going to keep this relaxed attitude forever. Every time you get too hyper and try too much, it goes the other way. Maybe I just found something that I need to do week in, week out. Sometimes I get too uptight. Maybe this works,” he said.
The 23-year-old Davies, who posted three top-10s in his rookie Asian Tour season last year, endured a roller-coaster day with four birdies against three dropped shots as the swirling winds knocked him off stride.
“I didn’t quite get a few putts to go in but it wasn’t like I was putting badly. I just didn’t quite get the right lines. Overall, I’m not too displeased at all. I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he said.
“I enjoyed being in the mix today, I felt comfortable. I had some bogeys around the turn but didn’t panic or let it bother me.”
After a 62 on Friday, Chowrasia, who won the Indian Masters last year, failed to find his rhythm and settled for three birdies against as many bogeys. However, the 30-year-old still feels confident ahead of Sunday’s final round shootout.
“I did not hit it nearly as well as on Friday. But I am still joint leader and I am confident I can play well tomorrow and win the tournament. At the start I had a good feeling but things started to go badly in the middle of the front nine. I hit poor tee shots on six and seven and ended up with two bogeys.
“Overall, I am pretty happy. I did not hole many putts but I hit a lot close – maybe tomorrow they will drop,” said Chowrasia.
Pagunsan renewed his love affair with Thailand by moving into fourth place after a bogey-free 65. Despite playing with a wrist injury, the Filipino snared five birdies. “I just play well over here. I like it in Thailand,” said Pagunsan, who has notched three top-threes in the country over the past two years.
“I worked hard during the off season, maybe I’m seeing the results of that. I would wake up at 5.30am every morning, run for 30 minutes, go to the gym and then head to the course to practice. The last three years, I’ve always played badly at the start of the year. So I wanted to change something and it seems to be working so far.”

THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 210 (3x70)
198 Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 68 68 62, S.S.P. Chowrasia (Ind) 66 62 70, Rhys Davies (Wal) 65 64 69
200 Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 70 65 65, David Bransdon (Aus) 66 65 69
201 Prom Meesawat (Tha) 71 64 66, Unho Park (Aus) 64 71 66, Wu Ashun (Chn) 67 67 67, Lu Wei-Chih (Tpe) 65 68 68, Tim Stewart (Aus) 65 67 69, Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 64 66 71
202 Keith Horne (Rsa) 65 69 68, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 64 69 69, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 66 67 69, Udorn Duangdecha (Tha) 66 66 70, Kodai Ichihara (Jpn) 68 66 68
203 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 70 64, Park Jun-Won (Kor) 67 70 66, Siddikur (Ban) 68 68 67, Antonio Lascuna (Phi) 68 68 67, Ben Leong (Mal) 69 66 68, Kim Dae-Hyun (Kor) 70 64 69
204 Yasin Ali (Eng) 70 68 66, Bryan Saltus (US) 68 66 70
205 Anthony Kang (USA) 67 70 68, Himmat Rai (Ind) 65 72 68, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 69 68 68, S. Siva Chandhran (Mal) 69 68 68, Mo Joong-Kyung (Kor) 65 71 69, Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn) 66 70 69, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 67 69 69, Danny Chia (Mal) 69 66 70, Jason Knutzon (US) 72 63 70, Kwanchai Tannin (Tha) 65 70 70, Angelo Que (Phi) 67 67 71
206 Rory Hie (Ina) 69 68 69, Boonchu Ruangkit (Tha) 65 71 70, Varut Chomchalam (Tha) 69 67 70, Gavin Flint (Aus) 70 66 70, Iain Steel (Mal) 69 66 71, Toni Karjalainen (Fin) 70 65 71, Lam Chih Bing (Sin) 68 67 71, Darren Beck (Aus) 67 67 72
207 Adam Le Vesconte (Aus) 69 70 68, Mark Purser (Nzl) 68 69 70, Zhang Lian-Wei (Chn) 70 67 70, Andrew Dodt (Aus) 68 69 70, Anirban Lahiri (Ind) 68 67 72, Jbe Kruger (Rsa) 68 67 72, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 68 66 73, Mitchell Brown (Aus) 63 71 73
208 Young Nam (Kor) 65 74 69, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 70 69 69, Amandeep Johl (Ind) 67 69 72
209 Neven Basic (Aus) 70 69 70, Nakul Vichitryuthasastr (Tha) 69 70 70, Artemio Murakami (Phi) 67 71 71, Chris Campbell (Aus) 70 67 72
210 Frankie Minoza (Phi) 69 69 72
211 Chaipat Darapanich (Tha) 72 67 72, Chang Tse-Peng (Tpe) 67 71 73, Mars Pucay (Phi) 68 70 73
212 Shang Lei (Chn) 67 72 73, Vuttipong Puangkaew (Tha) 66 73 73, Digvijay Singh (Ind) 63 73 76
215 Peter Cooke (Aus) 70 69 76
216 Jean Van De Velde (Fra) 70 69 77
For further information, visit http://www.asiantour.com/

Russell Knox four shots in arrears in Florida

Inverness-born Russell Knox is four shots off the pace in joint eighth place at this week's NGA Hooters Tour event, the Amelia Island Plantation Classic over the Oak Marsh course on Amelia Island, Florida.
Russell has scored rounds of 68 and 71 for 139, compated with the two-stroke leader Nick Rousey's 65 and 70 for 135.
Englishman David Skinns from Lincoln, like Knox a former player on the US college circuit, missed the cut with 72 and 76 for 148.
LEADERBOARD
Players from US unless stated
135 Nick Rousey 65 70.
137 Ryan Carter 68 69, Ted Potter 68 69, B J Pitzen 67 70.
Selected scores
139 Russell Knox (Sco) 68 71 (jt 8th).
MISSED THE CUT
148 David Skinns (Eng) 72 76.

Martin Laird misses another cut on US Tour

Korean Yang surprise halfway leader

in Honda Classic in Florida

Korean Y E Yang, ranked No 460 in the world, is the shock leader of the star-studded field at the halfway stage of the Honda Classic in Florida.
Yang, a five-time tournament winner in Asia, had begun the second day at the par-70 PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens two shots behind the overnight leader, Australia's Robert Allenby.
After one birdie over his opening nine holes from the 10th tee, 37-year-old Yang holed three birdies in succession at the first, second and third before taking the lead with another at the short seventh.
Yang, in the last group of the day, completed his round in regulation to post a second-round 65 to lead by a stroke from Allenby, Will Mackenzie and Jeff Overton.
Four birdies in the first 10 holes of his second round had helped Overton into an early share of the lead. The American, without a US PGA Tour win in 85 events, had started the day a shot behind Allenby and he joined him and Mackenzie on six under with a bogey at the 13th.
Overton is one of 17 golfers among the leading 22 not to have picked up a winner's cheque on the US PGA Tour but the American believes that points to the strength in depth on tour.
"I think if you look at the PGA Tour, it just goes to show how much more competitive it's become over the last few years," Overton said. "Tiger (Woods) has raised the bar. It's unbelievable how good these guys are, it really is. It's unbelievable how many players have not won yet, but only one guy wins each week. You only have 35 to 40 weeks, whatever it is, and you get Tiger winning half of them, there's not a lot of room for other players. There's an unbelievable amount of talent out here, so it's pretty amazing that more guys haven't."
Alex Cejka, of Germany, was the leading European in the clubhouse, in a tie for seventh at three under, as was Australian Greg Chalmers, who shot 64 to equal the course record.
Northern Ireland teeanger Rory McIlroy continued his great start as a professional in the United States by posting a two-under 68 to lie in a large group of players at two under for the week. McIlroy, 19, made his pro debut in America at last week's WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson, Arizona, and reached the quarter-finals.
The world No2 Sergio Garcia and Sweden's Fredrik Jacobsen were in a group tied at one under. Ernie Els, though, had to scramble to make the cut. The South African was four over and in need of a birdie at the long 18th to reach the weekend, which he accomplished with a seven-foot putt. Not so fortunate, though, was the world No 9 Camilo Villegas whose second-round 74 left the Colombian at seven over, four shots adrift of the cut mark, while England's Justin Rose followed his first-round exit in Tucson last week by finishing 12 over for the tournament.
Scotland's Martin Laird also continued his miserable start to the 2009 season, missing the cut yet again. He has made only one this year.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 140 (2 x 70)
Y.E. Yang 68-65--133
Will MacKenzie 67-67--134
Robert Allenby 66-68--134
Jeff Overton 67-67--134
Ben Crane 70-65--135
David Mathis 68-68--136
Alex Cejka (Ger) 71-66--137
Greg Chalmers 73-64--137
John Rollins 69-68--137
Harrison Frazar 72-65--137
James Nitties 70-67--137
Jeff Klauk 69-68--137
Brett Quigley 71-67--138
Rory McIlroy (NIr) 70-68--138
Jason Dufner 72-66--138
Scott Piercy 72-66--138
D.A. Points 69-69--138
Erik Compton 69-69--138
Kevin Streelman 70-68--138
John Merrick 69-69--138
Stewart Cink 67-71--138
Fredrik Jacobson 72-67--139
Sergio Garcia 67-72--139
Steve Marino 69-70--139
Kent Jones 68-71--139
Ryan Palmer 73-66--139
Michael Allen 69-71--140
David Berganio, jun 71-69--140
Nicholas Thompson 69-71--140
Nathan Green 69-71--140
Brandt Jobe 70-70--140
Jeff Maggert 70-70--140
Rocco Mediate 73-67--140
Charlie Wi 67-73--140
Spencer Levin 72-68--140
Tim Herron 72-69--141
Mark Calcavecchia 74-67--141
Chris Stroud 69-72--141
J.J. Henry 71-70--141
Briny Baird 72-69--141
Matt Kuchar 71-70--141
Michael Letzig 70-71--141
Greg Owen (Eng) 72-69--141
Lucas Glover 71-70--141
Brian Gay 72-69--141
Carl Pettersson 72-69--141
Shaun Micheel 70-71--141
Darren Clarke (NIr) 70-71--141
Robert Garrigus 72-70--142
Nick O'Hern 73-69--142
John Senden 69-73--142
Brian Bateman 69-73--142
Johnson Wagner 71-71--142
Tadd Fujikawa 71-71--142
Brendon de Jonge 72-70--142
Tim Wilkinson 71-71--142
Todd Hamilton 72-70--142
Angel Cabrera 67-75--142
Davis Love III 73-69--142
Chris DiMarco 72-70--142
Gary Woodland 72-70--142
Derek Fathauer 73-69--142
Bart Bryant 70-73--143
Miguel A. Jimenez 70-73--143
Scott McCarron 72-71--143
Chris Riley 68-75--143
Boo Weekley 72-71--143
Steve Lowery 72-71--143
Woody Austin 70-73--143
Marc Leishman 73-70--143
Leif Olson 73-70--143
Casey Wittenberg 71-72--143
Brendon Todd 74-69--143
John Mallinger 69-74--143
George McNeill 71-72--143
Justin Leonard 70-73--143
Scott Verplank 73-70--143
Ernie Els 73-70--143
Brad Adamonis 70-73--143
MISSED THE CUT
Jonathan Kaye 74-70--144
Chris Couch 76-68--144
Stuart Appleby 74-70--144
Heath Slocum 69-75--144
Bill Lunde 72-72--144
Jason Caron 69-75--144
Billy Mayfair 69-75--144
Cliff Kresge 72-72--144
J.B. Holmes 72-72--144
Joe Ogilvie 71-73--144
Jerry Kelly 71-74--145
Jay Williamson 75-70--145
Paul Goydos 71-74--145
Andres Romero 73-72--145
Jimmy Walker 74-71--145
Tommy Armour III 73-72--145
John Huston 72-73--145
Olin Browne 73-72--145
Bob Estes 70-75--145
Marc Turnesa 74-71--145
Richard S. Johnson 73-72--145
Jonathan Byrd 71-74--145
James Oh 75-70--145
Brian Davis (Eng) 74-72--146
Brad Faxon 75-71--146
Steve Flesch 75-71--146
Ricky Barnes 76-70--146
Bill Haas 77-70--147
Robert Gamez 76-71--147
Peter Lonard 74-73--147
Chez Reavie 76-71--147
Ken Duke 74-73--147
Jarrod Lyle 75-72--147
Colt Knost 74-73--147
Scott Gutschewski 77-70--147
Eric Axley 73-74--147
Camilo Villegas 73-74--147
Alan Morin 74-73--147
Tom Pernice, jun 77-71--148
Brandt Snedeker 79-69--148
Jason Bohn 77-71--148
Tim Petrovic 77-71--148
Greg Kraft 74-74--148
Ryan Moore 77-71--148
Peter Tomasulo 76-72--148
Matt Bettencourt 74-74--148
Aron Price 73-75--148
Martin Laird 73-76--149
Jose Coceres 75-74--149
Troy Matteson 75-74--149
Shingo Katayama 71-79--150
Brian Vranesh 77-73--150
Ted Purdy 74-76--150
Mark Wilson 75-75--150
Rick Price 74-76--150
Billy Andrade 76-74--150
Vaughn Taylor 79-71--150
Sal Spallone 81-69--150
Webb Simpson 78-73--151
Justin Rose (Eng) 73-79--152
Matt Weibring 78-74--152
David Duval 82-75--157
Glen Day 78-WD
Mathias Gronberg 89-WD

New Zealand PGA Championship Scoreboard
CLEARWATER, CHRISTCHURCH
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3 x 72)
205 Steve Friesen 69 67 69
206 Kurt Barnes 64 71 71
207 Craig Bowden 69 68 70, Stephen Dartnall 72 67 68, Ryan Hietala 71 67 69, Danny Lee (amateur) 71 67 69, David Smail 68 71 68
208 Josh Geary 72 65 71, Scott Hend 68 70 70, David McKenzie 70 71 67, Jason Norris 73 65 70, Brian Stuard 70 68 70
209 Henrik Bjornstad 71 70 68, Gavin Coles 70 68 71, Nick Flanagan 71 67 71, Matthew Griffin 69 68 72, Richard Lee 69 69 71, Peter O'Malley 69 67 73, Gareth Paddison 67 68 74, Michael Sim (Sco) 71 66 72
210 Craig Parry 71 68 71, Geoffrey Sisk 72 67 71, Josh Teater 67 68 75
211 Anthony Brown 72 69 70, Joe Daley 70 70 71, Jeff Gove 70 71 70, Bradley Hughes 73 67 71, Kevin Johnson 70 67 74, Alistair Presnell 67 74 70, Peter Senior 69 71 71
212 Michael Clark II 69 72 71, Justin Hicks 69 69 74, Brad Kennedy 71 67 74, Drew Laning 70 71 71, Paul Sheehan 70 71 71
213 David Branshaw 66 71 76, Ashley Hall 71 70 72, Ryan Haller 73 67 73, Paul Marantz 71 69 73, Len Mattiace 69 72 72, Brenden Pappas 71 70 72, Dustin Risdon 71 69 73, Andre Stolz 67 74 72
214 Chad Ginn 71 69 74, Paul Gow 69 72 73, Hunter Haas 72 69 73, Ryan Hammond 65 73 76, Tripp Isenhour 72 67 75, Garth Mulroy 71 70 73, John Riegger 70 71 73, Andrew Tschudin 69 72 73
215 Gary Christian (Eng) 72 69 74, Brad Shilton 70 69 76
216 Rich Barcelo 70 70 76, Adam Bland 69 70 77, Scott Dunlap 67 71 78, Aaron Townsend 73 67 76, Michael Wright 71 66 79
217 Steve Jones 70 71 76, Alex Prugh 73 67 77
218 Adam Crawford 68 73 77, Roger Tambellini 69 71 78