Munro Ferries' victory at Royal Dornoch

gives him one hand on the scratch quaich

By ROBIN WILSON
Following his three scratch winning cards during the first half of the North Golf Alliance circuit, Tain's Munro Ferries virtually clinched the season-long scratch championship quaich with his fourth first place of the campaign at Royal Dornoch on Sunday.
Despite wintry snow showers welcoming the early starters, play began from the winter tees where, although the par remains at 70, the course length reduces from 6562 to just 5363 yards.
With the first hole reduced to 272 yards, Ferries was at the edge of the green for an opening birdie 3 and with the fifth and eighth holes wind-assisted and within range, the Tain scratch member added two more birdies. One of these shots gained was given back at the par-5 ninth hole with a bogey 6 to complete an almost flawless outward card of one under par 34.
It was a much tougher inward nine holes, the cold wind moving all the scores in an upward direction and Ferries taking 37 for his winning one over par 71, a two-shot cushion from clubmate Mike Sangster.
With Ferries' rival for the quaich and winner of two of the last three fixtures, Ronnie Taylor (Wick), not playing at the Dornoch fixture, Ferries retained his seven-shot lead over Taylor to take to the final fixture at Brora on Sunday, March 22
In the Class 1 Section returns the Tain members enjoyed more success. Clubgolf Scotland local junior coach Sangster double-bogeyed the third hole on his outward half but kept his card at level par 35 with his birdies on the fifth and eighth holes.
The struggle against the strong wind for the next nine holes eventually caught him out on the 16th, where he had a double bogey, and then a bogey on the final hole for his three over par second nine of 38 and a total of 73.
Sangster's net 69 was first in the Class 1 section. Continuing a Tain domination of this section, Bruce Fraser, on his first appearance of the year, shot a gross 77, net 70, for second place. Fraser shared his gross 77 (36-41) with clubmate Steve Holmes (38-39) to complete a Tain 1-2-3.
The race for the MacKintosh Salver handicap prize will go to the wire at Brora on the 22nd. With a 12 on his card at Dornoch's 12th hole, current leader Seann Sutherland (Bonar Bridge-Ardgay) lost all chance of lowering his four-score total of 273 but still leads by three from Thurso's Bryan Ronald and Reay's Grant Maxwell.
Steve MacKay (Durness), from a fifth place at Reay the previous week, jumped to the front of the Class 2 section with a very commendable net 69, off 16, and behind him came the Reay pair of Kenny Farmer (net 70) and Ian Ross (net 73).
Also at stake at Brora in the final fixture is the Team Trophy, held for the past two seasons by Durness members.
Results at Royal Dornoch on Sunday:
SCRATCH
71 M Ferries (Tain) 34-37.
73 M J Sangster (Tain) 35-38.
77 B Ronald (Thurso) 40-37, S Holmes (Tain) 39-38, B Fraser (Tain) 36-41.
78 B Ferries (Tain) 38-40).
79 A Swanson (Thurso) 37-42.
HANDICAP
Class 1 – M J Sangster (Tain) (4) 69; B Fraser (Tain) (7) 70; S Holmes (Tain) (5) , F Groves (Reay) (8) 72.
Class 2 – S Mackay (Durness) (16) 69; K Farmer (Reay) (17) 70; I Ross (Reay) (12) 73.

FOTHERINGHAM FINISHES JOINT
34th IN AUSTRALIAN CUP

Nairn's Fraser Fotheringham, beaten finalist in the British boys championship of 2007, finished joint 34th in the 114th Riversdale Cup, one of Australia's most prestigious amateur stroke-play golf tournaments, at Riversdale Golf Club, Victoria.
Fotheringham had rounds of 73, 71, 73 and 74 for a total of 291.
The leading Scot was Australia-based Stephen Speirs with 72, 69, 74 and 68 for a share of ninth place - 16 shots behind the winner, Australian Jordan Sherratt with scores of 63, 68, 68 and 68 and a 21 under par total of 267.
Defending champion and fellow-Australian Scott Arnold finished runner-up on 272 (68-70-66-68).
Ireland's Paul Buckley and Joe Lyons finished on 292 and 310 respectively.
ends

Romero wins US Seniors' Toshiba Classic

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Argentina's Eduardo Romero edged past joint overnight leader Mark O'Meara to win the Toshiba Classic on the US Champions Tour.
European Senior Tour Member Romero shot a closing three under 68 for an 11 under total of 202 in the 54 hole event at the Newport Beach Country Club in California. He finished a shot clear of O'Meara, who tied for second with Joey Sindelar.
"I was very relaxed all week, especially during the final round," said Romero. "I made a stupid bogey on the last hole, but fortunately it didn't really matter.
"I won the tournament on the back nine. I played OK on the front, but I lost concentration. I got more focused on the back nine and changed things around."
Germany’s Bernhard Langer, who had shared the lead with O'Meara coming into the final round, fell out of the contest with a two over par 73 for a share of ninth place. Scotland’s Sandy Lyle finished with a round of 70 to tie for 12th place.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FINAL TOTALS

Hugh Hunter tees off his 2009 Clackmannan County news

Callum Macaulay and his dad - and the Eisenhower Trophy men's world amateur team championship trophy - at the Clackmannan County Association dinner (image by courtesy of Hugh Hunter).

Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies Golfing Association combine

for club membership promotion week in April

The fixture lists are ready, the golf courses are moving towards the opening events of the new golf season, and the golf clubs, both local and national, are doing their financial sums for 2009. Many golf courses throughout Scotland are finding their membership numbers in decline, and to address this, the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association are both making efforts to attract new golf club members with a golf promotion week in April throughout Scotland.
It is anticipated that the six Clackmannan county golf clubs will participate in the initiative with details to follow.

CLACKMANNAN COUNTY GOLF UNION

The County Golf Union have produced their 2009 fixture list in line with previous years, and the County meetings continue to provide good value for money at £8 per entry. The highly popular Spring Meeting is set for the 25th April at Tulliallan (Div 1) and Dollar (Div 2). Entry forms will be in the Golf Clubs shortly, and 2009 President Sam Kinnaird (Tillicoultry) expects the usual good entry.
The County Golf team are in action early with three Provan Salver matches against Fife (away at Burntisland), Angus (home at Tulliallan) and Perth & Kinross (away at Craigie Hill). There is also the local derby against Stirlingshire at Braehead on the 12th April.
All these matches give valuable preparation for the area team matches later in the season. For 2009, Clackmannan have one home match at Braehead against Fife on the 17th April, with away matches against Argyll & Bute (at Millport) and Renfrew( at Erskine).
County Juniors have an early season start with the County Boys Championship at Dollar on the 26th April followed by the Boys Match play over Tillicoultry, Alloa and Alva). The top boys will go forward to represent Clackmannanshire in the Boys’ Area Team Championship at Ballumbie Castle Golf Club on the outskirts of Dundee on the 7th June.
All these fixtures along with local Club Open events and Invitations are all on the County fixture card, and a stock of these has been placed in each of the six County Clubs.

COUNTY GOLF DINNER

The second County Golf dinner was held recently in Braehead Golf Club where around 70 local golfers gathered to celebrate the achievements of Callum Macaulay who retained his Scottish Golfer of the year title and Bob Stewart who won the 2008 Scottish Seniors Championship. County President Sam Kinnaird spoke highly of the two … “ Callum must be thanked for making a special effort to attend the dinner, and we would all wish him well for his career in professional golf. Bob is also a great credit to County golf with his 2008 achievements, and hopefully he can keep up the good work in 2009.”
A special guest for the evening was the Eisenhower Trophy won by Scotland in the World Amateur Team Championship where Callum produced an outstanding performance.
During the evening, 2008 trophies were presented to Robert Lyons (Tulliallan), the County Match Play Champion, and Steven Horne (Tulliallan), the Order of Merit and Harrower Trophy winner.
County Champion Scott Borrowman (Dollar) was unable to be present because of his attendance at the Spanish Amateur Championship. Scott no doubt will be hoping for a good 2009 season after some good performances over the last two years.
Said Sam Kinnaird: “It was a good evening. 2007 was a good season for Clackmannanshire, little did we believe that 2008 would be even better, so here’s hoping for 2009”

Duncan Stewart wins North

Alliance meeting with a 66

at Moray Old Course

By ALAN COWIE
Professional Duncan Stewart from Grantown-on-Spey won Saturday's penultimate North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Moray on the Old Course with a five-under-par 66. A bogey at the fifth got things going in the wrong direction, but his response was to birdie the sixth, eighth, ninth, 10th, 13th and 17th for a four-stroke victory.
Duncan , pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, played in five Alliance fixtures but despite breaking 70 in two of them, came up short in the race for the aggregate trophy.
The Low Handicap was won by John Milne from Elgin with a 70 off seven, and there was a three- way tie in the High Handicap between John Stephen (Nairn Dunbar), Colin Small (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) and Alan Lees from Moray.
Lees came home in 34 (two under) including a shank at the short 15th. His next shot finished 3ft from the flagstick and he holed for his par.
The Moray fixture was also the last counting event for the Aggregate trophies. Long time leader and current Scottish alliance amateur champion Kevin Thomson from Moray shot a 74 at Moray to seal a five-stroke victory from Mike Macdonald of Fortrose & Rosemarkie.
Willie Hutchison from Inverness won the Low Handicap Section by one stroke from James Ingram from Boat of Garten and John Milne.
Colin Small's final round was only his fifth counting score and vaulted him to the top of the standings.
Saturday's leading scores:
SCRATCH
66 D Stewart (Grantown) p.
70 M Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), N D Hampton (Loch Ness).
71 K Stables (Elgin) p, A Thomson (Moray) p.
72 K Godsman (Moray).
73 J S D Campbell (Grantown).
74 K Thomson (Moray), N McWilliam (Garmouth & Kingston), G Hay (Grantown), R A L Cameron (Inverness).
75 L Reid (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), A.W. Mair (Moray).
76 S Wilson (Inverness).
77 J A Grant (Grantown), J C Milne (Elgin), R McKerron (Forres).
78 G J Abel (Elgin), I Findlay (Grantown), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten), W R Duncan (Moray);
79 S Mitchell (Moray), K Taylor (Elgin), S Chisholm (Torvean), M C Page (Moray), R Proctor (Forres), A A Lees (Moray).
80 J Simpson (Forres), S Johnston (Elgin), M McDonald (Grantown), S Duncan (Moray), S H C Milne (Elgin), R Stewart (Grantown).
HANDICAP
Class 1 (8 and under)
70 J C Milne (Elgin) (7).
71 G J Abel (Elgin) (7).
72 L Reid (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (3), A W Mair (Moray) (3), S Duncan (Moray)(8).
Class 2 (9 to 14)
69 J Stephen (Nairn Dunbar) (13), A A Lees (Moray) (10), C Small (Fortrose & Rosemarkie)(12).
70 L Duncan (Elgin)(11).
71 M McArthur (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (10).

AGGREGATE TROPHIES
(Best five scores over the season):
SCRATCH
356 K Thomson (Moray) 72 69 69 72 74.
361 M Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 73 71 74 73 70.
362 N McWilliam (Garmouth & Kingston) 70 74 74 70 74.
365 B Fotheringham (Forres) 76 73 71 76 69.
366 G H Hay (Grantown) 75 72 72 73 74.
367 R A L Cameron (Inverness) 73 74 74 72 74, D Stewart (Grantown) p 70 82 69 66 80.
HANDICAP
Class 1 (8 and under)
349 W Hutchison (Inverness) 70 69 74 65 71.
350 J C Milne (Elgin) 69 66 71 74 70, J R Ingram (Boat of Garten) 70 69 69 71 71.
359 D F Sharp (Boat of Garten) 73 73 71 70 72.
361 S Wilson (Inverness) 76 75 72 75 73.
Class 2 (9 to 14)
365 C Small (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 70 83 73 70 69.
366 R G Macpherson (Moray) 71 72 79 72 72.
369 K Smith (Elgin) 77 75 76 69 72.
372 L Duncan (Elgin) 79 72 79 72 70.
373 S. Taylor (Boat of Garten) 71,72,79,74,77.
T. Loynes (Boat of Garten) 76,77,72,73,75.
B. Murray (Boat of Garten) 76,74,74,74,75.

Yang wins Honda Classic in Florida

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Korea’s Yang Yong-eun became the second Korean after Asian Tour honorary member K J Choi to lift a trophy on the US PGA Tour when he won The Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on Sunday.
Yang, who made most of the running in the four-round event, mixed five birdies and three bogeys to close with a final two-under-par 68 for a nine-under-par 271 total, finishing one shot ahead of American John Rollins for his breakthrough victory in the States.
With that win, the Korean has now qualified for this week’s World Golf Championship-CA Championship at Doral and also earned an invitation to next month’s Masters.
Fellow compatriot, Charlie Wi, a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour, finished tied for ninth after signing off with a 72 for a 277 total.

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Y E Yang claimed his first win on the US PGA Tour after holding on for victory at the Honda Classic.
The South Korean, who held a one-shot lead going into the final day, hit a 68 to win by one shot from John Rollins.
Rollins' 67 was good enough for second with Ben Crane third and Jeff Klauk fourth.
Yang picked up three shots on the front nine courtesy of three straight birdies from the third before he stretched his advantage with another at the 12th.
But after dropping a shot at the 15th, Rollins grabbed a birdie at the last to move within two of the leader who was in a greenside bunker at the 17th with his four shot lead down to two.
And after a ten foot par putt lipped out, Yang headed up the par five 18th just one clear.
But the 37 year old held his nerve to two putt the final green from 50 feet to seal the win at nine under par.
The win for European Tour Member Yang, who won the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai, earned him a place at this week's World Golf Championships-CA Championship at Doral, an invitation to the Masters Tournament and also a two-year US PGA Tour exemption.
Yang joins KJ Choi as the only South Koreans to win on the US PGA Tour.
"KJ Choi was the one who actually advised me to try and make it on the US PGA Tour," said Yang."Having won, I can't find words to describe it.
"I knew there were risks of bogeys on the last four holes, but I was happy to save par at the last."

SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

US PGA Champions (Seniors) Tour Scoreboard
TOSHIBA CLASSIC
Newport Beach CC, Newport Beach, California
FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71)
202 Eduardo Romero (Arg) 66 68 68
203 Mark O'Meara 67 66 70, Joey Sindelar 68 72 63
205 Denis Watson (Zim) 67 68 70, Tom Jenkins 69 67 69, Fred Funk 69 67 69, David Eger 70 67 68, Tim Simpson 68 70 67
206 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 65 68 73, Jeff Sluman 69 68 69, Bobby Wadkins 69 69 68
207 Jim Thorpe 69 68 70, Bruce Vaughan 69 71 67, Sandy Lyle (Sco) 70 67 70
208 Robert l. Thompson 70 69 69, John Cook 69 67 72, Gene Jones 68 69 71, Dan Forsman 72 71 65, Joe Ozaki (Jpn) 71 74 63, Morris Hatalsky 70 67 71, Bob Gilder 66 73 69
209 Mike McCullough 70 68 71, D A Weibring 71 67 71, Tom Kite 70 70 69, Tom Watson 68 72 69, Keith Fergus 70 69 70, Fuzzy Zoeller 70 70 69, Nick Price (Zim) 72 69 68
210 Andy Bean 68 70 72, Mark Wiebe 74 66 70, Hal Sutton 76 69 65
211 Bruce Fleisher 72 70 69, Mark W Johnson 70 69 72, Scott Hoch 70 71 70, Ben Crenshaw 71 72 68
212 Fulton Allem (Rsa) 70 71 71, Loren Roberts 69 76 67, Jim Colbert 66 75 71, Mike Goodes 74 67 71, Massy Kuramoto (Jpn) 69 73 70, Larry Mize 72 69 71, Lonnie Nielsen 71 72 69
213 Ken Green 77 68 68, Mark McNulty (Irl) 74 74 65, Don Pooley 73 67 73
214 Ron Streck 72 73 69, Brad Bryant 70 73 71, Dana Quigley 73 71 70, Hale Irwin 72 73 69, Larry Nelson 69 73 72
215 James Mason 72 73 70, Graham Marsh (Aus) 72 74 69, John Jacobs 70 73 72, Blaine McCallister 71 72 72, Allen Doyle 69 73 73, Wayne Levi 72 67 76
216 Bruce Lietzke 69 73 74, Jay Sigel 70 74 72, Gary McCord 75 71 70, Vicente Fernandez (Arg) 75 70 71, Wayne Grady (Aus) 72 73 71, Ronnie Black 75 67 74, Steve Thomas 72 74 70
217 Bob Murphy 72 74 71, Lee Trevino 71 74 72, Ian Woosnam (Wal) 72 76 69, Tom McKnight 74 72 71
218 Tom Wargo 71 72 75
219 Gary Player (Rsa) 76 72 71, Craig Stadler 73 73 73, Javier Sanchez 73 72 74, Dave Stockton 74 70 75
221 Bruce Summerhays 77 74 70
222 Hubert Green 75 74 73, Isao Aoki (Jpn) 77 70 75
223 John Harris 74 74 75
231 Greg Hopkins 74 77 80

US PGA Tour Scoreboard
HONDA CLASSIC
PGA National Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4 x 70)
271 Y. E Yang (Kor) 68 65 70 68
272 John Rollins 69 68 68 67
274 Ben Crane 70 65 71 68
275 Jeff Klauk 69 68 67 71
276 Will MacKenzie 67 67 72 70, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 72 67 67 70, Robert Allenby (Aus) 66 68 72 70, Scott Piercy 72 66 73 65
277 Charlie Wi (Kor) 67 73 65 72, D.A. Points 69 69 74 65, Jeff Overton 67 67 70 73, Jason Dufner 72 66 68 71
278 Davis Love III 73 69 69 67, Harrison Frazar 72 65 71 70, Greg Owen (Eng) 72 69 71 66, Alex Cejka (Ger) 71 66 70 71, Kevin Streelman 70 68 70 70, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 70 68 71 69, Brett Quigley 71 67 67 73, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 67 72 71 68, Scott Verplank 73 70 69 66
279 Mark Calcavecchia 74 67 65 73, Ernie Els (Rsa) 73 70 70 66, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 73 64 71 71, Brandt Jobe 70 70 70 69, James Nitties (Aus) 70 67 70 72
280 Spencer Levin 72 68 70 70, Michael Allen 69 71 69 71, John Merrick 69 69 70 72, John Senden (Aus) 69 73 71 67, David Mathis 68 68 73 71
281 Brad Adamonis 70 73 70 68, Steve Marino 69 70 71 71, George McNeill 71 72 70 68, Tim Herron 72 69 74 66, Brendon Todd 74 69 66 72, Casey Wittenberg 71 72 67 71, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 67 75 71 68
282 Kent Jones 68 71 70 73, Lucas Glover 71 70 72 69, Matt Kuchar 71 70 68 73, Todd Hamilton 72 70 71 69, Briny Baird 72 69 71 70, 283 Brendon De Jonge 72 70 72 69, Scott McCarron 72 71 70 70, Erik Compton 69 69 73 72, Chris DiMarco 72 70 73 68, Woody Austin 70 73 67 73, Darren Clarke (NIrl) 70 71 68 74, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 73 69 69 72, Jeff Maggert 70 70 69 74
284 Tadd Fujikawa 71 71 73 69, Justin Leonard 70 73 70 71, Chris Riley 68 75 73 68, Robert Garrigus 72 70 68 74, Brian Gay 72 69 72 71, Ryan Palmer 73 66 74 71, Shaun Micheel 70 71 73 70, Stewart Cink 67 71 72 74, John Mallinger 69 74 69 72, 285 Leif Olson 73 70 69 73, Nicholas Thompson 69 71 74 71
286 David Berganio jun 71 69 70 76
287 Michael Letzig 70 71 75 71, Chris Stroud 69 72 69 77, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 70 73 70 74, Johnson Wagner 71 71 74 71, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 71 71 73 72
288 Boo Weekley 72 71 72 73
289 Marc Leishman (Aus) 73 70 71 75
291 Bart Bryant 70 73 73 75, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 72 69 73 77