Hooray for Harrington!

Padraig starts Masters

treble bid with a 69

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
A smiling Padraig Harrington, doing a brilliant job of handling all the pressure on him, began his bid for a third successive major title with a three-under-par 69 in The Masters at Augusta National.
It was a better score than he had produced in the opening round either at The Open or the US PGA last year and it left the Irishman only three behind clubhouse leader Jim Furyk.
=========================
The Masters' official website
=========================
But a bogey 6 on the long 15th - a hole which has got the better of him several times in the past - was a blow Harrington could have done without.
And that was made even more the case, given that in the group behind him former US Open champion Furyk had four birdies in a row from the 14th to edge one ahead of Japan's Shingo Katayama and fellow Americans Chad Campbell, Hunter Mahan and 50-year-old Larry Mize.
Good news for Harrington, who matched his best start to the tournament, was that Phil Mickelson managed only a 73 and late starter Tiger Woods was one over par after seven holes.
The Dubliner was leading the European contingent along with England's Ross Fisher, who reached five under before bogeying the last two for a 69 on his debut in the tournament.
Rory McIlroy, in the last group of the day just behind Woods, started with six straight pars, but had had to work hard for the first of them after going from bunker to bunker.
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
66 Jim Furyk.
67 Larry Mize, Shingo Katayama (Jpn)
68 Aaron Baddeley (Aus), John Merrick, Mike Weir (Can), Todd Hamilton, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Tim Clark (Rsa)
69 Graeme McDowell (NIrl), Ross Fisher (Eng), Kevin Sutherland, Padraig Harrington (Irl)
70 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Nick Watney, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha), Greg Norman (Aus), Lee Westwood (Eng)
71 Vijay Singh (Fij), Steve Flesch, Ian Poulter (Eng), Ken Duke, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Henrik Stenson (Swe)
72 Dustin Johnson, Dudley Hart, Soren Hansen (Den), Bubba Watson, Sandy Lyle (Sco), Stuart Appleby (Aus)
73 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Oliver Wilson (Eng), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Ben Curtis, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Phil Mickelson, Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Luke Donald (Eng), Camilo Villegas (Col), Briny Baird, Stephen Ames (Can)
74 Mathew Goggin (Aus), Justin Rose (Eng), Tom Watson, Ian Woosnam (Wal)
75 Justin Leonard, Retief Goosen (Rsa), Ernie Els (Rsa), Reinier Saxton (Ned), Carl Pettersson (Swe), Chez Reavie
77 Craig Stadler, Billy Mayfair
78 Drew Kittleson, Gary Player (Rsa)
79 Ray Floyd, Fuzzy Zoeller, Steve Wilson
80 Michael Campbell (Nzl)

Lockhart wins Midland Alliance title

Ladybank Golf Club tour pro Alan Lockhart is the new Midland Golfers Alliance champion. He won the title with a superb two-under-par total of 136 in the tournament sponsored by JTC Kitchens at Pitlochry Golf Club.
Conditions in the first round were rather driech but improved in the afternoon. Lockhart won by two shots from Carnoustie Links pro Lindsay Mann.
Alistair Mason (Thornton), who plays off seven, won the leading amateur award with a net total of 136.
LEADING SCRATCH TOTALS
Par 138
136 A Lockhart (Ladybank) p.
138 L Mann (Carnoustie Links) p.
139 S O’Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, J Stevenson (Braehead) p.
141 S Mann (Carnoustie).
143 M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, D McKay (Wellsgreen) p.
144 E Walker (Burntisland) ap.
145 L Vannet (Carnoustie Links) p.
146 M Rae (Alyth) ap, C Donnelly (Balbirnie Park) p.
147 T McLevy (Blairgowrie).
148 C Mackie (Ladybank).
149 G Milne (Aberdour).

LEADING HANDICAP TOTALS
136 A Mason (Thornton) (7).
139 G Milne (Aberdour) (5).
141 H Cowborough (Muckhart) (6).
143 C Westland (Alloa) (11)
144 R Taylor (Blairgowrie) (3).
145 S Mann (Carnoustie) (+2).
146 C Mackie (Ladybank) (1).
149 T McLevy (Blairgowrie) (+1).

Next week’s meeting
Wednesday, April 15
Grant’s Promotions Pro Am
Fairmont, St Andrews.

Grand performance by Duncan

Stewart earns him a place on

PGA Europro Tour

Grantown on Spey's Duncan Stewart today came in from the cold in the golfing world by earning himself £1,260 and a professional circuit to play on this year!
Stewart, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, whose pro career has never really got off the ground after four good years on the American college circuit, finished joint second with a one-under-par total of 212 in the PGA Europro Tour Final Qualifying School at Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire today.
Stewart had rounds of 75, 68 and 69, finishing three shots behind the winner of the £2,400 top prize, Sandeep Grewal from Heswall.
The Highlander's high final ranking at the Q School will guarantee him a place in the field for every event on the satellite circuit.
Tartan Tour pro Chris Kelly (Cawder) finished on the same mark and earned the same money as Stewart with scores of 70, 73 and 69.
Other Scots who can look forward to campaigning regularly on the Europro Tour - the higher their ranking, the more events they will get into - are:
Steven Hume who earned £50 for joint 13th place on 214 (70-71-73).
Young Craigielaw amateur Shaun McAllister, joint 19th on 216 (70-75-71).
Christopher Campbell (Grantown on Spey) who finished joint 37th on 218 with scores of 78, 73 and 67.
Former Scottish amateur champion John Gallagher (Swanston Golf), joint 51st on 220 (75-75-70).
Steven Mackie (Dunnikier Park), joint 51st on 220 (73-76-71) and
Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation), joint 81st on 223 with scores of 80, 71 and 72.
Scott Herald (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) finished joint 97th on 224 (68-76-80) so his opportunities will be fewer than those who came much higher in the rankings.
McAllister, a former Scottish boys' stroke-play champion and beaten semi-finalist in the Scottish amateur championship at Prestwick two years ago, is to turn pro immediately and take up his place on the Europro Tour.
Those to failed to make the grade include Glasgow's Scott Jamieson, like Stewart a man who gas been unable to transfer his American college circuit form to the professional ranks, and Ellon tour pro Ross Cameron.
Jamieson had scores of 79 and 76 and Cameron 75 and 80, also for 155 - four shots too many to survive the 36-hole cut.
Zack Saltman too failed to qualify with rounds of 84 and 73 for 157. As far as pro golf is concerned - hopefully for the moment only - the Saltman brothers, Lloyd, Elliot and Zack, are having no luck at all in trying to get their foot on the big-time ladder.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS AT FRILFORD HEATH
Par 213 (3 x 71)
209 Sandeep Grewall (Heswall) 73 69 67 (£2,400).

212 Ismael Castillo (Spain) 70 76 66, Martin Sell (Eng), Steve Surry (Cumberwell Park) 72 72 68, Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 75 68 69, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 70 73 69, Stuart Archibald (Blackpool GC) 68 73 71, Mark Wilkinson (West Mallin) 67 73 72, Paul Dwyer (Clitheroe) 69 71 72 (£1,260 each).

213 Craig Smith (Wales) 69 76 68, Stephen Parry (Bolton) 70 74 69, Peter O'Keffee (Ireland) 70 71 72 (£653.33 each).

214 Peter Appleyard (England) 75 61 68, Ignacio Palencia (Spain) 68 75 71, Steven Hume (Scotland) 70 71 73 (£520 each).

215 James Watts (England (am) 74 74 67, James Shield (The Oxfordshire) 73 71 71, Robert McGuirk (Princes) 72 70 73.

216 Sean Elliott (Frilford Heath) 76 71 69, James Wilkinson (Brampton GC) 74 73 69, Mark Campbell (Team Ireland Golf) 70 77 69, Justin Kehoe (Birr Golf, Ireland) 71 75 70, Ryan Harrison (Bramley GC) 74 72 70, Martyn Hamer (Ellesmere GC) 75 71 70, Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) (am) 70 75 71, Paul Grannell (Vale Royal Abbey) 73 71 72, John Bandurak (Bloxwich) 71 72 73, Tom Maddison (Castle Eden) 71 71 74.

217 James Gill (NZ) 76 72 69, Benjamin Kerr (Newmarket & Saffron Walden) 72 75 70, David James (Bridgnorth GC) 73 75 69, Jason Levermore (Clacton on Sea) 72 75 70, Richard Edginton (Effingham) 73 73 71, Rob Leonard (Mid Herts) 73 73 71, Peter Finch (England) 76 70 71, James Freeman (Worksop) 74 77 66.

218 Jonathan Smart (Hallamshire GC) 73 75 70, Daniel Belch (De Vere Oulton Hall) 77 71 70, James Mason (Rotherham GC) 71 76 71, Adam Constable (Cardiff GC) 73 76 69, Roy Holland (Long Ashton) 72 74 72, James Smith (Sundridge Park) 72 72 74, Christopher Campbell (Grantown Spey) 78 73 67.

219 Ben Montgomery (Frinton GC) 74 74 71, Cian McNamara (LImerick) 75 72 72, Mark Hooper (Rayleigh Golf Range) 74 74 71, Calvin O'Carroll (Wales) 68 79 72, Mark Seatle (High Post) 72 75 72, Edward Morton (JC School of Golf) 72 73 74, Andrew Pestell (Chelmsford GC) 72 73 74.
220 Kieran Staunton (Woodcote Park) 74 74 72, Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall) (am) 73 75 72, Steven Mackie (Dunnikier Park GC), Robert Watkins (Crews Hill GC) 80 69 71, Richard Gurney (England) 73 76 71, Michael Rollins (Mallow Golf Range) 77 72 71, Barrie Trainor (Ireland) 73 73 74, Martin Blake (England) 73 76 71, Phil Worthington (Donnington Grtove) 71 75 74, John Gallagher (Swanston Golf) 75 75 70, Paul O'Hanlon (The Curragh) 70 75 75, Andrew Thorpe (Peterborough Milton) 74 71 75, MNariano Saiz (Spain) 70 75 75, Nick Drane (Whittlebury) 68 76 76.
221 Stewart Mitchell (Brickendon Grange) 76 72 73, Miguel Cantero (Spain) 71 78 72, Jonathan Evans (Weantworth) 73 73 75, Ger Hall (Ireland) 74 75 72, Nick McCarthy (Moortown) 72 73 76, Chris Evans (Stonebridge GC) 79 71 71.
222 Eren Behcet (England) 73 75 74, Jon Wetton (England) 70 78 74, Pablo Ramirez Herreria (Spain) 72 75 75, John Wade (Australia) 75 74 73, Philip Waugh (England) (am) 73 76 73, Michael Skelton (The Wynyard Club) 75 75 72, James Conteh (Moor Park) 72 78 72, Thomas Fleming (Frilford Heath) 72 73 77, Michael Vandenberg (Tandridge GC) 72 78 72.
Selected scores:
223 Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 76 75 72 (jt 81st).
224 Scott Herald (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) 68 76 80 (jt 97th).

SCOTS WHO MISSED THE CUT (151 or better)
152 Kenneth Glen (Royal Musselburgh) 81 71.
154 Eric Walker (Burntisland GC) 75 79.
155 Scott Jamieson (Glasgow) 79 76, Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon GC) 75 80.
157 Zack Saltman (Aegon) 84 73.
163 Graham Turner (West Linton) (am) 83 80.

Action men (left to right): Danny Young (Craigie Hill) on left, Danny Edwards (Elgin) lower centre , with Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) and Daniel Kay (Dunbar) top right. Images by Cal Carson. You can enlarge them by clicking on the image.

Scottish boys' championship scoreboard
ROYAL ABERDEEN GOLF CLUB
Balgownie Links

ROUND FIVE
David Law (Hazlehead) bt Simon Taylor (Germany) at 19th.
Taylor was two up after four holes but Law squared with wins at the fifth and sixth and went one up with a birdie 2 at the eighth. Law could never increase his lead to two holes in a ding-dong struggled and when he bogeyed the 18th, it was all square and into extra holes. Only one was needed, in fact, Law was concerned the 19th by his opponent, the son of the Nuremberg Golf Club professional.

Danny Edwards (Elgin) bt Ian Redford (St Andrews New) 2 and 1.
Edwards surged into a six-hole lead after 10 holes with wins at the first (birdie), second, fifth (birdie), sixth (birdie) and the seventh. But Redford showed his class after the turn with birdies at the 11th and 12th, a par at the 13th and another birdie at the 15th, winning four holes of out five to slash his big deficit to two holes on the 16th tee. But Edwards was able to close the door on his rallying opponent by halving the 16th and 17th.

Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) bt Steven Smith (Deeside) 6 and 5.
Robb had established a five-hole lead after only seven holes, including birdies at the second and sixth. To win a hole Smith had to produce a birdie, which he did at the eighth, but it was his only success.

Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) bt Simon Fairburn (Galashiels) 1 hole.
In a roller-coaster tie, Young was two down after four holes but had squared the contest at the seventh only to go one down again after nine holes. Young then won five holes in a row from the 10th to be four up - but Fairburn wasn't going to throw in the towel just yet. He won 15th, 16th and 17th to be one down on the 18th tee. The last hole was halved in 5s, leaving Young the winner.

Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) bt John Drummond (Strathlene) 3 and 2.
Drummond was two up after six holes but Smith got into his stride to square the game at the ninth. Smith then won the 11th with a par, the 12th with a birdie and the 14th with a par to be three up with four to play. Drummond kept his hopes alive by winning the 15th but Smith finished his opponent off by winning the 16th.

Daniel Kay (Dunbar) bt Gary Meechan (Dullatur) 7 and 5.
Kay never let Meechan get his foot in the door, winning the first, second and fifth for a three-hole lead and then taking the tie by the scruff of the neck to win the eighth, ninth, 10th and 12th.

Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt Philip Gordon (Paisley) 6 and 5.

McDonald won the second, third, seventh, eighth, 10th and 11th holes to be in the driving seat throughout. Gordon did win the fourth and 12th but could not shake his opponent's confidence.

Paul Shields (Kirkhill) bt Chris Low Tantallon) 1 hole.
Last year's beaten finalist Shields knows what it takes to win close ones like this as the championship week progresses. He was one down after two holes but square again through four and five and never trailed again after winning the sixth with an eagle. Just for good measure, Shields followed that up with a winning birdie to be two up after seven. Low countered with a birdie of his own at the nint to be one down at the turn. Shields won the 12th with a par to restore a two-hole lead but lost the the 12th to a bogey to have his lead halved. Shields went two up again with the clubhouse almost in sight, winning the 14th with a par, but that turned out to be vital hole to win in the final analysis. It gave Shields a cushionwhen the dogged Low won the 16th 1ith a par to be only one down on the 17th tee. Shields drew on all his experience to halve the 17th and 18th and book his place in the quarter-finals for the second year in a row.

FRIDAY MORNING QUARTER-FINALS
08.00 David Law v Daniel Edwards.
08.15 Chris Robb v Daniel Young.
08.30 Marc Smith v Daniel Kay.
08.40 Jack McDonald v Paul Shields.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON SEMI-FINALS
12.45 Law or Edwards v Robb or Young.
01.00 Smith or Kay v McDonald or Shields.

Walking down Memory Lane at Balgownie this morning, Murcar Links professional Gary Forbes (left) and club captain Hugh Stuart (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency). You can enlarge the image by clicking on it.

Fifty years since Hugh Stuart beat Bobby Walker

in Scottish boys' final at North Berwick

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Former Walker Cup player, past Scottish amateur champion Hugh Stuart, who is captain of Murcar Links Golf Club in this its Centenary Year, and club professional Gary Forbes took the short walk from the Murcar Links clubhouse to catch up with the action round the turn in this morning's fourth round ties of the Scottish boys' championship at next-door Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie Links.
"I won this Scottish boys' title at North Berwick 50 years ago this week," recalled Hugh Bannerman Stuart who learned his golf at Forres before moving down to Aberdeen.
"All the Scottish boys' championships were played at North Berwick until it was switched to Dunbar in 1976," said Hugh.
"I beat the late, great Bobby (R T) Walker from Downfield, Dundee in the final by 3 and 2, so the memories have been flooding back this week .... where have the last 50 years gone?
"I caddied for Bobby Walker only a couples of year later after he turned pro and beat John Panton and Eric Brown in their prime to win the Scottish professional championship at my home course, Forres, in 1961. Bobby won it again at Machrihanish in 1964."
Walker never fully realised his great potential and he later emigrated to South Africa and died of cancer at a comparatively young age.
"The thing that strikes me watching the top Scottish boy golfers of this era, compared with mine, is how far they hit the ball, much, much longer than I could 50 years ago."
The visit to Balgownie's classic links, which will host the Walker Cup match of 2011, stirred more recent memories for Hugh Stuart. He lost by one hole to Charlie Green in the final of the 1970 Scottish amateur championship at Royal Aberdeen where the final was reduced from its traditional 36 holes to 18.
Hugh did win the title in 1972 at Prestwick where he beat fellow Northerner, Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) by 3 and 1 in the final.
Stuart made a third appearance in the Scottish amateur final over the Old Course, St Andrews in 1976 when he went down by 6 and 5 to the big-hitting Gordon Murray.
Hugh played for Great Britain & Ireland against the United States in the Walker Cup matches of 1971 (St Andrews: GB&II 13, USA 11); 1973 (Brookline, Massachusetts: USA 14, GB&I 10 and 1975 (St Andrews: GB&I 8 1/2, USA 15 1/2).

Today's action images from Scottish boys' championship

Cal Carson Golf Agency images from this morning's ties at Royal Aberdeen.

Below: Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) studying the line of a putt and (right) David Law signals he has hit his drive right from the 12th tee.

Scottish boys' championship scoreboard
ROYAL ABERDEEN GOLF CLUB
Balgownie Links

THIRD ROUND (tie unfinished Wednesday evening)
Chris Low (Tantallon) bt Daniel Flannery (Peebles) at 23rd

FOURTH ROUND
First quarter
David Law (Hazlehead) bt Calum McLean (Cowglen) 1 hole.
Simon Taylor (Germany) bt Neal Beattie (St Andrews) 6 and 4.
Danny Edwards (Elgin) bt Ewen Donaldson (Craigielaw) 1 hole.
Ian Redford (St Andrews New) bt Tom Blennerhassett (Marriott Dalmahoy) 1 hole.
Second quarter
Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) bt Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 4 and 2.
Steven Smith (Deeside) bt Michael Manson (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 2 and 1.
Simon Fairburn (Galashiels) bt Blair Pelling (Prestonfield) 1 hole.
Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) bt Jamie Lynch (Falkirk) 6 and 5.
Third quarter
John Drummond (Strathlene) bt Craig Chalmers (Murcar Links) 4 and 3.
Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) bt Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 3 and 2.
Gary Meechan (Dullatur) bt Craig Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert) 4 and 3.
Daniel Kay (Dunbar) bt Conor O'Neil (Glasgow) at 19th.
Fourth quarter
Philip Gordon (Paisley) bt Lewis Cullen (Eastwood) 2 holes.
Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt Calum Stewart (Brora) 3 and 1.
Chris Low (Tantallon) bt Euan Mackay (Torphin Hill) 5 and 4.
Paul Shields (Kirkhill) bt Alexander Ferguson (Paisley) 2 and 1.

QUARTER-FINALS
Top Half
01.00 Law v Taylor.
01.10 Edwards v Redford
01.20 Robb v Steven Smith.
01.30 Fairburn v Young.
Bottom Half
01.40 Drummond v Marc Smith.
01.50 Meechan v Kay.
02.00 Gordon v McDonald.
02.10 Low v Shields.