Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance competition

Tom Adams wins Thornton Cup at Duddingston

By KEITH LIDDLE
On a fine, breezy, sunny day at Duddingston, the Thornton Cup was won by Tom Adams (Aberdour) who tied with Robert Denholm (Duddingston) with a net 69, but won on the better back nine holes.
The Duddingston golf course received a lot of praise from the Alliance competitors in terms of overall presentation and condition of the course. The greens, having been prepared by a new 'ironing' machine were very slick indeed.
In first place in the scratch section was David Patrick (Elie) with a one under par 71. David had birdies at the 1st, 3rd, 12th and 17th holes and dropped shots at the 2nd, 8th and 11th.
Sharing second place on one over par 73, were Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) and Scott Grieve (Turnhouse).
Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) was fourth with 74 and Andrew Marshall (Houston GR) fifth with 75.
In the handicap section Robert Denholm (Duddingston) shot a fine 74 - 5 = 69. He birdied the 3rd and 4th, eagled the par five, eighth by holing his pitching wedge shot form around 100 yards. He dropped a shot on the 5th and was out in three under par 34. The back nine was more of a struggle, where dropped shots at 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th saw Robert back in 40.
Tom Adams' 79 - 10 = 69, by contrast, started and finished with a bang. The bits in between were steady, if not spectacular. Tom started with a birdie four at the 495 yard first hole, but then dropped ten shots in the fourteen holes from the third to sixteenth.
At the 356 yard eighteenth, Tom holed his second shot with a wedge to finish with an eagle, to pip Robert on the better back nine. A remarkable end to a fine season.
Thanks to Alastair and Tom in the Pro Shop for their tremendous help and support. The caterers, who were up very early to feed and water us and the greens staff who deserve a very big 'thank you' for getting the course in such good condition.
To those of you who have qualified for the team match against the West Alliance, I look forward to seeing you on Thursday 9th April at Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. (Details of the team selection will be emailed out in the next few days, together with the competition format). To those of you just failed to qualify (or even missed it by a mile!) I would just like to say thanks for making it a fine, competitive Alliance season with many a laugh along the way. I look forward to seeing you all at the start of next season.

A piece of cake for Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie

500 UP! Colin Montgomerie celebrates his 500th professional European Tour appearance flanked by his Spanish colleagues (left) Miguel Angel Jiménez, the tournament promoter of this week’s Open de Andalucia de Golf 09 and (right) José Maria Olazábal, the course designer of the Real Club de Golf de Seville. Picture by courtesy of Warren Little of Getty Images. You can enlarge the image by clicking on it.

PHILLIPS TROPHY ENTRY DEADLINE

IS APRIL 13 FOR CRUDEN BAY 36-holer

The North-east District of the Scottish Golf Union has taken over the organisation of the Phillips Trophy 36-hole stroke-play tournament which will be played much earlier in the season than in the past.
Cruden Bay is the venue on Sunday, April 26 and the handicap limit is five.
Entry fee is £25 and Monday, April 13 is the closing date for entries.

You can buy the Murcar Links

Centenary Book for £20

direct from the golf club

Copies of Dr Alastair McLeish's new book - "Murcar Links Golf Club: The First Hundred Years" - are available direct from Murcar Links Golf Club as well as Waterstone's Booksellers in Union Street, Aberdeen.

The price is £20 per hard back copy.

Scroll down a few days to read Colin Farquharson's review of the book.

Paul Casey wins European Tour

Shot of the Month for February

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY EUROPEAN TOUR
Paul Casey’s superb six-iron strike for an eagle 2 during the final of the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play has been awarded The European Tour Shot of the Month for February.
The Englishman knew he had to conjure up something special to get back into the 36 hole showdown against Geoff Ogilvy after the Australian had moved four up after nine and, coming to the 493yd 10th hole at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Arizona, he did just that.
Faced with a second shot of some 197yd, into the wind and downhill, the nine time European Tour champion produced a perfect six-iron, the ball checking beautifully on the putting surface before rolling into the hole.
“It was a really good shot, I knew it as soon as it had left the club,” said 31 year old Casey, who eventually lost the final 4 and 3. “I struck it well, I hit it where I was aiming and it looked good in the wind. I hit three wood off the tee which was always the game plan to get into the correct position and it shows that sometimes that is the best thing to do.
“I am delighted to have won the Shot of the Month Award as it is always nice to have your good play recognised. It made my day when I was told the news.”
Second place in February went to another Englishman, Ross McGowan, for his excellent fairway wood approach to the par-5 ninth hole of The Vines Resort and Country Club during the Johnnie Walker Classic which set up an eagle 3.
A third Englishman, Ian Poulter, took third place for his fine escape from a fairway bunker on the 17th during his match with Charl Schwartzel in the WGC – Accenture Match Play, a shot which not only set up a tap-in-birdie but which also gave him the impetus to go on and win the match.
Casey is the second winner of the 2009 season, the January award having gone to Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy for the bunker shot which helped him win the Dubai Desert Classic.
The European Tour Shot of the Month is presented to the Tour Member for the shot judged to be the most outstanding played during each calendar month on The European Tour International Schedule. The winning shots from each month are entered into The European Tour Shot of the Year.