Tiger burning bright again - 65

for starters at Quail Hollow

This was more like the "old" Tiger Woods - only 30 shots to cover the back nine, a razor-sharp short game and eventually a seven-under-par return of 65 to take a two-shot lead at the end of the first round in the Quail Hollow Championship at Charlotte, North Carolina.
Woods, one of the first starters of the day - perhaps he asked for an early time? - started his round at the 10th. He caught the leaders with a birdie at the par-5 fifth and then ended his day with a hat-trick of birdies, the last one the best of the bunch - a six-iron from the rough to 12ft of the stick and down went the putt.
The Quail Hollow rough has been shaved to a uniform two inches, which means the grass is only slightly longer than the fairways and there is virtually no penalty for missing a fairway.
On firm, fast greens, Woods was in his element.
"I hit a couple of loose shots here and there, but I really putted well," Woods said. "I had a couple of key saves - made a nice little up-and-down at the second and just a really good save at the fourth that kept the round going. It's always nice when you birdie the last three."
It was quite a turnaround from his last tournament -- the Masters -- when he bogeyed the last two holes to kill any hopes of a rally.
South African Retief Goosen had a 68 as did Jeff Maggert, Hunter Mahan and Lucas Glover.
Masters champion Angel Cabrera returned a 70.
"It's definitely set up to favour the longer hitters," Goosen said. "I hit only four fairways and shot 68."
Woods missed his drive well to the right on the 18th, hung his head, but found no problem from the rough, what little there was. He hit a medium iron just left of the flag for a routine par.
"Normally, you don't have an opportunity there," Woods said. "Usually, it's 4- or 5-inch rough over there in that little hollow. So it plays differently. You can play different shots. But you're going at some of those flags you probably shouldn't."
Woods closed with four birdies over the final five holes.
"I putted the same as I did at Augusta," he said. "But this time they went in instead of lipping out."
At the end of the day, Woods led by two shots from four men on the 67 mark - arch-rival Phil Mickelson, Steve Marino, Jason Dufner and Australian Robert Allenby.
Glasgow's Martin Laird had a 74, one shot ahead of Padraig Harrington.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
65 Tiger Woods
67 Phil Mickelson, Steve Marino, Jason Dufner, Robert Allenby (Aus)
68 Hunter Mahan, Jeff Maggert, Retief Goosen (Rsa), Lucas Glover
69 Charles Warren, Steve Flesch, Cliff Kresge, Nick O'Hern (Aus), Jeff Klauk, George McNeill, Sean O'Hair, Mark Calcavecchia, Bill Haas, Bo Van Pelt
70 Jonathan Kaye, Jeff Overton, Colt Knost, Gary Woodland, Steve Wheatcroft, Robert Karlsson (Swe), Will MacKenzie, Nathan Green (Aus), Ben Crane, David Mathis, Ken Duke, Rodney Pampling (Aus), Zach Johnson, John Merrick, Davis Love III, Ted Purdy, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Kevin Streelman, Brian Bateman, John Rollins, Michael Allen, Anthony Kim, Brendon Todd
71 Nick Watney, Aron Price (Aus), Sergio Garcia (Spa), David Toms, Woody Austin, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Kevin Sutherland, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Charles Howell III, Danny Lee (Nzl), Brett Quigley, Tim Petrovic, Boo Weekley, Nicholas Thompson, John Senden (Aus), Joe Ogilvie, Eric Axley, Bubba Watson, Peter Lonard (Aus), Mathew Goggin (Aus), Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), Jim Furyk, Ian Poulter, Rich Beem, Camilo Villegas (Col), Johnson Wagner
72 Bill Lunde, David Berganio Jnr., Matt Bettencourt, Chez Reavie, Chad Campbell, Jason Bohn, Y.E. Yang (Kor), Jerry Kelly, Brian Davis, Kent Jones, Brendon De Jonge, Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Tom Pernice Jnr., Jonathan Byrd, Rocco Mediate
73 Ross Fisher, Vaughn Taylor, Jeff Quinney, James Nitties (Aus), Tommy Armour III, Marc Leishman (Aus), Stuart Appleby (Aus), Chris Stroud, Greg Chalmers (Aus), Steve Lowery, Scott Piercy, Parker McLachlin, Steve Elkington (Aus), Jarrod Lyle (Aus), J J Henry, Richard S Johnson (Swe), Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Paul Goydos, Andres Romero (Arg), Cameron Beckman, John Huston, Ryan Moore, Padraig Harrington
74 Michael Letzig, Kirk Triplett, Robert Garrigus, Harrison Frazar, Greg Kraft, Ben Curtis, Webb Simpson, Derek Fathauer, Justin Rose, Shaun Micheel, Martin Laird, Peter Tomasulo, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Pat Perez, Chris DiMarco, D.A. Points, Brad Faxon, J.B. Holmes, K J Choi (Kor), Troy Matteson
75 Stephen Leaney (Aus), Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Aaron Watkins, Notah Begay III, Jay Williamson, Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Carl Pettersson (Swe), Jason Gore, D.J. Trahan
76 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Curt Sanders, Vijay Singh (Fij), Roland Thatcher, Glen Day, David Duval, Greg Owen, Heath Slocum
77 Paul Claxton, Spencer Levin, Adam Scott (Aus), Dean Wilson
78 Casey Wittenberg, Billy Mayfair, Todd Hamilton, Mark Wilson
Withdrew: Kevin Na 78, Turnesa Marc, McCarron Scott, Adamonis Brad

Kenneth Hutton wins £1,288 top

prize in Carnoustie pro-am

Downfield's Kenneth Hutton won the top prize of £1,288.80 in the SSE Charity pro-am at Carnoustie.

From the par-70 tees, Hutton, pictured, had a 68 to finish one shot ahead of Scott Henderson (Kings Links) and Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park). They both earned £901.84.

David Orr (East Renfrewshire) was fourth with a par-matching 70, which earned him £579.84.

Other scores:

72 Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Chris Kelly (Cawder), Euanj Cameron (Hamilton), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) (£342 each).

73 Colin Gillies (Perry Golf), Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) (£206.04 each).

74 Russell Smith (Gleneagles Hotel), Lee Harper (Archerfield Links), Craig Ronald (Carluke) (£167.51 each).

75 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Edward Thomson (Senit Associates), Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design) (£128.85 each).

76 Samuel Cairns (Colville Park), Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) £96.64 each.

77 Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) (£65.53 each).

78 Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre), Mark King (Kingsfield), Gordon Law (Uphall) (£53.76 each).

79 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) (£53.76)

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT

Lloyd Saltman struggles to an

83 in Moroccan Classic

The professional career of one-time ace amateur Lloyd Saltman (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency) continues to stay on the launching pad. In this week's European Challenge Tour event, the Moroccan Classic, the Craigielaw man saddled himself with an opening round of 83 - 11 over par - and has little or no chance of surviving the halfway cut.
He wasn't the only Scot to score up in the 80s. Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie) had an 81 and former Scottish amateur champion Graham Gordon from Aberdeen had an 82.
Another past Scottish amateur kingpin, George Murray from Anstruther led the Scots with a two-under-par 70.
Rookie Scott Henry had a 75.
Steve Todd, European Challenge Tour Press Officer, writes:
Switzerland’s Julien Clément has a one-stroke lead in the Moroccan Classic after an eagle on his first hole helped him to an opening round 68.
Clément, playing in the final group of the day, holed his second shot from the bunker on the 10th hole after finding the fairway trap with his drive.
He followed that with a birdie on the 11th after hitting the pin with his approach and then sinking an eight foot putt.
The 27 year old dropped a shot on the 16th but posted birdies on the 18th and fourth holes to move to four under par, a shot clear of a group of six players at Pullman El Jadida Royal Golf and Spa.
“I was a bit lucky with the eagle but it was a great way to start,” he said. “I pulled my drive into the trap and I had an awful lie so I just took my wedge and closed my eyes. The shot went low and was a metre short of the green but then I saw it go in.
“I played really well on the back nine but only made one birdie on the fourth. I had a few chances. It was pretty tough out there because of the wind but it has been the same all day and I think I worked it out.”
Clément missed the cut in the Tusker Kenya Open but feels his game is in good shape after spending the winter in Mauritius and Florida.
“I had a nice vacation in Mauritius and then spent a month practising in Florida,” he said. “I feel I am swinging pretty well and my short game and putting are strong. You just have to be patient on a course like this. It is tough to shoot low. I think level par every day is good on a course like this.
“I finished last year pretty well and I worked hard in the winter – a lot harder than the previous one – so I’m feeling confident.”
France’s Julien Quesne, who has started the 2009 European Challenge Tour season with a sixth place finish in Colombia and tied 15th in Kenya, is among the group a shot behind Clément.
He is joined by the Swedish pair of Johan Sköld and Joel Sjöholm, Wales’ Kyron Sullivan and the English pair of Robert Coles and Jamie Moul.
Former Scottish amateur champion George Murray, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, from Anstruther is the leading Scot on 70.


Coles sank a sentimental 30ft putt on the 16th – the hole where he was disqualified last year – and picked up another shot on the last to join the group at the top of the leader board on three under par.
He said: “I holed some really good putts today including some important ones to save par on the front nine. I played a lot better on the back nine and the 30ft putt on the 16th was great. I have a bit of history on that hole after being disqualified there last year so it was nice.”
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 72

68 J Clément (Sui).
69 R Coles (Eng), J Quesne (Fra), J Moul (Eng), K Sullivan (Wal), J Sköld (Swe), J Sjöholm(Swe).
70 F Calmels (Fra), P Golding (Eng), T Feyrsinger (Aut), A Hansen (Den), D Hewan (RSA), S Jeppesen (Swe), A Bruschi (Ita), G Murray (Sco), T Cruz (Por), G Davies (Eng), A Willey (Eng), T Whitehouse (Eng).
71 L Bond (Wal), B Miarka (Ger) , J Ruth (Eng) , V Riu (Fra) , M Delpodio (Ita) , J Axgren (Swe) , J Wahlqvist (Swe) , G Boyd (Eng) , M Zions (Aus) , L Richard (Bel) , T Schuster (Ger) , B Evans (Eng) ,
72 E Molinari (Ita), M Korhonen (Fin), N Vanhootegem (Bel), M Reale (Ita), A Haindl (RSA), C Gane (Eng), N Joakimides (Fra), D Nouailhac (Fra), O David (Fra).
73 R Diab (Mar), J Grillon (Fra), P Kaensche (Nor), R Kakko (Fin) , R Santos (Por) , A Högberg (Swe), J McLeary (Sco), A McArthur (Sco), A Zanini (Ita), R Harris (Eng) , L Westerberg (Swe) , B Teilleria (Fra), S Saavedra (Arg), A Butterfield (Eng) , R Kilpatrick (Nir) , B Lecuona (Fra) , J Guerrier (Fra), J Burnier (Sui) , S Robinson (Eng).
74 Y Ali (Eng) , N Fox (Irl) , S Reale (Ita) , J Little (Eng), C Russo (Fra), A Gee (Eng), J Billot (Fra) , A Joudar (Mar) , R Steiner (Aut) , A Marshall (Eng), O Floren (Swe), S Delagrange (Fra) , Y El Hassani (Mar) , R Steele (Eng) , M Mills (Eng) ,
75 S Henry (Sco) , A Grenier (Fra) , D Marmion (Eng) , M Mauret (Fra) , B Pettersson (Swe) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , S Juul (Den) , P Bocian (Swe) , J Morrison (Eng) , K Jorgensen (Den) , R McEvoy (Eng) , P Del Grosso (Arg) , N Meitinger (Ger) , P Gustafsson (Swe) , A Mellor (Eng) , G Shaw (Nir) , M McGeady (Irl) , L Brovold (Nor) , A Wagner (Arg) ,
76 J Forestier (Fra) , N Makroune (Mar) , J Heath (Eng) , F Schoettel (Fra) , R Karlberg (Swe) , Y Benchetrit (Fra) , L Kennedy (Eng) , M Haastrup (Den) , C Monasterio (Arg) , N Maestroni (Ita) ,
77 G Molteni (Ita) , C Menut (Fra) , R De Sousa (Sui) , R Russell (Sco) , R Treis (Ger) , N Smith (USA) , M Kramer (Ger) , D Griffiths (Eng) , A Mörk (Fra) , C Carranza (Arg) ,
78 S Piaget (Mon) , P Terreni (Ita) , C Brazillier (Fra) , D Froreich (Ger) , O Suhr (Den) , I Giner (Esp) , G Gresse (Bel) , C Moriarty (Irl) , B Mason (Eng) , D Küpper (Ger) , J Parry (Eng) ,
79 L James (Eng) , M Rominger (Sui) , B Parker (Eng) , F Praegant (Aut) , A El Hali (Mar) ,
80 M El Kherraz (Mar) , B Taylor (Eng) , D Ulrich (Sui) , N Harris (Eng) , T Ferreira (RSA) , A Bernadet (Fra) , N Colsaerts (Bel) ,
81 R El Kherraz (Mar) , A Amalou (Mar) , A Karroum (Mar) , E Chaudouet (Fra) , A Sabi (Mar) , E Ramsay (Sco).
82 G Gordon (Sco) , A Louhi (Mar).
83 T Benslimane (Mar) , L Saltman (Sco).
84 J Zaroili (am) (Mar) , A Soussi (am) (Mar) , I El Glaoui (am) (Mar) ,
85 F Serghini (Mar) , M Pilkington (Wal).
87 H El Mansouri (am) (Mar) , M Pinta (am) (Mar) ,
88 O Serghini (Mar) ,
DISQ R Bechu (Fra) , S Barhoumi (am) (Tun) ,

Low scoring in Spanish Open's first day

'Callum Macaulay is looking more

and more like the next big thing

in Scottish professional golf '

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
Danish Ryder Cup player Søren Hansen broke the PGA Golf Catalunya course record with a nine under par 63 in the opening round of the Open de España, Girona - despite starting with a double bogey.
An hour after Frenchman Thomas Levet had equalled the old mark set by England's Peter Baker nine years ago, Hansen completed one of the most remarkable rounds of his career.
"It was unbelievable," he said. "I hit an awful opening drive and it looked like a miserable day, but I came back with some great golf."
The 25-year-old from Copenhagen, part of Nick Faldo's side in Louisville last September, came back from his first-hole 6 with birdies on the next two holes, then finished the outward half with three more to turn in 33.
After that came one of only two eagles all day at the 527 yard 12th, another hat-trick of birdies from the 14th and one more on the 449yd last, despite driving into a fairway bunker.
“It’s a great honour to beat the course record in a course like PGA Golf Catalunya. I’m impressed with the course. This is a great test of golf, a course where if you don’t get it right you can do badly,” he added.
Levet is alone in second, one ahead of Spaniard José Manuel Lara and also Callum Macaulay(pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency) who is looking more and more like the next big thing in the Scottish game.
Five years ago Levet played in a winning Ryder Cup side in America, but after that had a nightmare time battling vertigo. He spent months out of the game and feared for his future.
"You always think about not coming back, but what kept me going was that I was always improving," said the 40 year old.
"I never got desperate to the point where I thought I was done. The doctor said it was curable in six months to a year and for me it was seven months."
He won last year's Andalucian Open in Marbella and added: "Now everything is behind me and I don't think about it anymore."
His score was based on his playing of the par-5s. Levet was on the green in two at all four, birdied the third and at the 542yd seventh sank an 8ft eagle putt.
Last season Macaulay won the Scottish amateur championship (match-play) at Carnoustie - as Colin Montgomerie did at Nairn back in 1987 - and then starred for Scotland in their astonishing nine-stroke victory at the Eisenhower Trophy world amateur team championship in Australia.
The 25 year old from Falkirk, whose family home is at Kincardine, was second leading individual in the Eisenhower Trophy behind American Rickie Fowler and then came through a 252-hole marathon to earn his European Tour card.
That finished on the same Spanish course where this week's event is taking place and Macaulay showed his liking for it again with eight birdies.
Not that it was the first time on the circuit he has had such a haul. In Madeira six weeks ago he took second place after eight in the last nine holes - including all the last six.
"I am loving it on the European Tour. There's nowhere else I'd rather be," said Macaulay, whose father Harry is his caddie.
"Madeira gave me a lot of confidence. I'd had a mental block before - I was getting to three under, but couldn't get to four - and I'm delighted with the way everything is going.
"My putter got hot and I suppose it's a minor advantage coming back to a course I already liked."
COLIN FARQUHARSON'S SCOTSWATCH:
Callum Macaulay, who birdied the first, third, fourth, seventh, ninth, 12th, 15th and 16th and had only one bogey, at the fifth, in halves of 32 (four under par) and 33 (three under par) spearheaded a good opening day for the Scots.
Paul Lawrie, David Drysdale and Gary Orr each hit the 68 mark. Lawrie birdied the first, second, fourth, seventh, eighth and 15th with two bogeys, at the fifth and 18th, in halves of 32 and 36.
Drysdale had an eagle 3 at the third and birdies at the fifth, sixth and 15th with one bogey, at the 13th, in halves of 32 and 36.
Orr had had bogey-free 68, studded with birdies at the first, 11th, 12th and 15.
Chris Doak and Richie Ramsay ended the day in joint 25th position on 69.
Doak had birdies at the first, third, 14th, 15th and 16th with two bogeys, at the 13th and 18th, in halves of 35 and 34.
Ramsay had birdies at the seventh, eighth, 10th and 15th and just one bogey, at the 13th, in halves of 34 and 35.
Stephen Gallacher got under par too with a 71 while Colin Montgomerie and Steven O'Hara finished on level par 72.
Alastair Forsyth had a 74 and Andrew Coltart a 75.

Important issues discussed on Day 2 of

R&A's Working for Golf Conference

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY R&A

April 30, 2009, St Andrews: Day two of the R&A’s Working for Golf conference took place today and continued to tackle issues that are high on the agenda of the sport. The international congregation of more than 140 delegates from golf unions and federations from 60 countries, heard presentations from a number of the R&A’s Executive Directors.
Steve Otto, Director of Research and Testing, gave a presentation about technology in golf, including the expected impact of the groove regulations introduced by The R&A last year, which come into effect in January 2010.

R&A Director Michael Tate provided an overview of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, explaining the evolution of the Ranking, which is increasingly being viewed as the standard by which elite amateur players should be assessed, and revealing that the WAGR is now being used by the European, Asian, Australasian and Sunshine Tours to exempt players into the later stages of qualifying for those Tours.
Completing today’s programme were David Rickman, the R&A’s Director of Rules and Equipment Standards, and Grant Moir, Director – Rules of Golf who gave presentations on the Rules of play, with pace of play and the impact of digital measuring devices both major elements of the discussion.
Tomorrow’s schedule includes presentations on golf’s bid to join the Olympics and the World Golf Federation’s anti-doping policy.

Good start by several Scots in Spain

European Tour Scoreboard
OPEN DE ESPANA
PGA Golf de Catalunya, Girona, Spain
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72
63 Soren Hansen (Den)
64 Thomas Levet (Fra)
65 Callum Macaulay, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa)
66 Chris Wood, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe)
67 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Jan Are Larsen (Nor), Luis Claverie (Spa), Marcel Siem (Ger), Alejandro Canizares (Spa)
68 Gary Orr, Peter Lawrie, Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Iain Pyman, David Drysdale, Scott Barr (Aus), Raul Quiros (Spa), Paul Lawrie, Pablo Martin (Spa), Gregory Havret (Fra)
69 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Anders Hansen (Den), Benn Barham, Pelle Edberg (Swe), Anthony Snobeck (Fra), Graeme Storm, Stephen Dodd, Matthew Millar (Aus), Santiago Luna (Spa), Richie Ramsay, David Lynn, Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Sam Walker, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Mark Foster, Chris Doak
70 Jonathan Caldwell, Andrew Tampion (Aus), Damien McGrane, Paul Broadhurst, Kane Webber (USA), Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), John Daly (USA), Gary Murphy, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor), Thomas Bjorn (Den), Michael Curtain (Aus), Oskar Henningsson (Swe), Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa), Paul McGinley
71 Alvaro Velasco (Spa), John Mellor, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe), Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice), Javier Colomo (Spa), Carlos Pigem (Spa), Pablo Larrazabal (Spa), Stephen Gallacher, Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Federico Colombo (Ita), Fabrizio Zanotti (Par), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Reinier Saxton (Ned) (am), Ross McGowan
72 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Stuart Davis, Garry Houston, Christian Nilsson (Swe), Alan McLean, Colin Montgomerie, David Horsey, Steven O'Hara, Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Andrew McLardy (Rsa), Marc Cayeux (Zim), Alvaro Salto (Spa), Taco Remkes (Ned), Michael Jonzon (Swe), Wade Ormsby (Aus), Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa), Bradley Dredge
73 Carlos Del Moral (Spa), Branden Grace (Rsa), Rafael Echenique (Arg), Kenneth Ferrie, Simon Wakefield, Anthony Wall, Wil Besseling (Ned), Lee Slattery, Robert Rock, Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa), Hennie Otto (Rsa), Pol Bech (Spa), Phillip Price, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned), Jamie Donaldson, James Kamte (Rsa), Pedro Oriol (Spa)
74 Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Martin Wiegele (Aut), Steve Webster, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa), Oliver Fisher, Anthony Kang (USA), Antti Ahokas (Fin), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut), Sam Little, Alastair Forsyth.
75 Mikael Lundberg (Swe), Peter Whiteford, Estanislao Goya (Arg), Andrew Coltart, Maarten Lafeber (Ned), Gary Clark, Gary Lockerbie, Jon Garcia (Spa), Marc Warren, Niclas Fasth (Swe)
76 Richard Bland, Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa), John E Morgan, Eduardo De La Riva (Spa), Danny Willett, Simon Khan
77 Peter Baker, Phillip Archer, John Bickerton, Michael Hoey
78 Paul Waring
80 Sergio Gutierrez (Spa)

David Howell pulls out of Spanish

Open with a side strain

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Ryder Cup star David Howell, who was due to partner John Daly on the American's return to golf today, has pulled out of the Spanish Open because of a side strain.
The Swindon golfer had travelled to Girona, but withdrew before teeing off in the eve-of-tournament pro-am.
"I'm terribly fed up," said Howell, whose career has been plagued by injuries. "I did it lifting something awkward at home 10 days ago and this week is just too soon for it. If it was the last round of The Open I would be playing, but it's not the way to start off a tournament."
He added: "I woke up yesterday (Tuesday) and it was the best it's been since I did it, but I played nine holes and it was clearly not 100%, then it got worse.
"Fingers crossed I'll be back for the Italian Open next week, but that's probably 50-50 at best, so I could be looking at the Irish Open instead. Silly boy."
His place in the event - and therefore alongside Daly, whose last event was the Australian Open in December after being given a six-month US Tour ban for misbehaviour - went to Australian Andrew Tampion.
Daly underwent lapband stomach surgery in February and has lost over three stone.

Draw enough to give Provan Salver to Angus

Angus won the inter-district team golf tournament for the Provan Salver by drawing 4-4 at Panmure against Perth & Kinross. Angus had previously beaten Clackmannan and Fife, the other teams in the competition.
Details:
ANGUS 4, PERTH & KINROSS 4
At Panmure Golf Club.
(Angus names first)
R Coull bt S Graham 1 hole.
G Bell halved with M Rose.
S Smith halved with N Barr.
C Donaldson bt E Lindsay 3 and 2.
M Lindsay lost to S McLaren 2 and 1.
J Gardiner lost to S McKendrick 2 holes.
A Grant lost to T McLevy 2 and 1.
R Bell bt P Scott 3 and 2.

Jarmo Sandelin saved life of neighbour (77)

in Stockholm apartment fire this week

European Tour player Jarmo Sandelin from Sweden risked life and limb to save a elderly neighbour when fire swept through his apartment block in Stockholm earlier this week.
Sandelin, who has played Ryder Cup golf, carried a 77-year-old woman to safety after smashing down her door with a fire extinguisher. He was unable to save her husband who perished in the fire.
Earlier, Sandelin, 41, had evacuating his wife Linda and family from their own apartment.
He was visibly still shaken today when he completed a six-under-par 66 to finish one shot behind the early leaders in the Spanish Open championship's opening round at PGA Catalunya..
"My family and I could have lost our lives so I am still in shock," he told reporters.
"I would prefer not to talk about it at the moment. It's hard but I'm trying to block things off so I can play golf."

Gordon Law, winner of Glenmuir title in 2003.

Back to qualifying for Gordon Law and

Glenmuir PGA Pro Championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUE BY THE PGA

Gordon Law will experience an unusual happening in his long and distinguished golf career on Tuesday (May 12). The 44-year-old former Scottish champion and professional at Uphall, near Edinburgh, will have to endure an unfamiliar route into the 72-hole final of the flagship event for Great Britain and Ireland’s top club professionals, the £78,000 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.

“This’ll be the first time since 1998 that I’ll have to take part in the Scottish qualifying round (being held at Dundonald Links as is the final, from June 16-19).

“I’ve always been exempt for various reasons, (finishing in the top 20 in the previous year’s championship; three times being a member of the PGA Cup team, the club pros’ version of the Ryder Cup, and most notably, winning the Glenmuir title in 2003, which brought with it a five-year exemption from qualifying).

The prospect of playing the tough Dundonald Links fills him with some concern.

“If they play it off tees similar to the European Tour qualifying test last year (and that could be up to 7,400 yards), then there’ll be nightmare scores. But I’m sure the PGA officials will bring some commonsense to the event.”

Law, 19 years at Uphall, which was his first head pro’s job, doesn’t subscribe to the idea of wishing his life away, but he’s casting speculative eyes towards the year 2015, when he qualifies for the European Senior Tour.

“Six years and counting”, he muses. “And I want to get fit for that. If I could make another PGA Cup team, that would be great but it’s not something that drives me on now. Maybe, though, I could have a home-country contribution to make from the sidelines when the GB&I team play the Americans at The Carrick on Loch Lomond in September.”

Another former PGA Cup player, Robert Arnott, has had an encouraging start to his season. With one Order of Merit event completed – the Callaway 36 holes at Monifieth – the Bishopbriggs pro scorched the Angus linksland course with a five-under 66 second round, the best of the day, to hoist himself into a share of sixth place.

This championship will be a record 17 years’ sponsorship by the Scottish golfwear manufacturers.

“The start of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship always marks the start of the tournament season for PGA pros, and we’re really looking forward to this year’s qualifying finals,” said the company’s marketing director Andy Bough.

“Now, more than ever, the Glenmuir Championship offers professionals the chance to compete with fellow professionals, but also to meet and share views and ideas on current trading. We hope all of the competitors will enjoy this year’s tournament.”

+Competitor draw and full list of entries for the event at Dundonald Links can be found under ‘Schedule, Scores and Results’ at http://www.pga.info/PGAProfessionalChampionship.aspx

Boys and Campbell picked to play

in 'Thunderbird' in Arizona

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
England boy international Tom Boys (Royal Liverpool) and his Under-18 squad colleague Scott Campbell (Hallowes) will represent the English Golf Union in the Thunderbird International at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, on 22nd - 25th May.
The Thunderbird International is a 54-hole stroke play tournament played over the Raptor Course at Grayhawk. A field of 47 will compete in the boys’ event and 29 in the girls with no cut at any stage.
Boys, 17, made his England debut in the boys' home internationals last year and won four of his six matches. Having led the 2008 Carris Trophy after the first and third rounds before finishing ninth, the former Cheshire Under-15 and Under-16 champion, won the Fairhaven Trophy, then lost a play-off for the Canadian Junior Challenge in Ontario.
After being named in the England Under-18 Squad for 2009, Cheshire-based Boys was in the team that competed in the triangular tournament in South Africa earlier this year.
Campbell helped his club, Hallowes, win last year’s Yorkshire team championship. Also in 2008, he reached the fourth round of the British boys championship, the quarter-finals of the Sunningdale Foursomes with Tommy Fleetwood, and finished seventh in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters. The Sheffield 17-year-old holds the course record at Hallowes with a round of 61.

James White leaps up 53 places

in R&A world amateur rankings

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Edward Trophy winner Paul O'Hara has jumped 17 places in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings this morning to No 172.

But Ross Kellett, long-time leader at Glasgow Gailes over the weather-hit weekend and who eventually finished third behind play-off participants O'Hara and James White, has made an even bigger leap up the rankings.

The Colville Park man is now 122nd, an improvement of 25 places in one week.

But the biggest surge by any Scot in the re-rankings is that of new Scottish universities champion and past Scottish boys' match-play champion White, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has gone up 53 places to No 323.

Well done, James! Some consolation to the Stirling University student after losing to Paul O'Hara at the second extra hole of the Edward Trophy event which was reduced to 54 holes after lightning forced the abandonment of Saturday's second round.

Would the Edward Trophy 1-2-3 have been any different over 72 holes? We'll never know.

LEADING R&A WAGR RANKINGS

(+ or - indicates if the player has gone up or gone down in the re-rankings; there is no + or - if their position shows no change)

1 Scott Arnold (Aus) 1242.50.

2 Morgan Hoffman (US) 1173.21 (+2)

3 Rickie Fowler (US) 1169.23 (-1).

4 Jorge Campillo (Spa) 1161.97 (-1)

5 Stephan Gross (Ger) 1144.62.

6 Nick Taylor (Can) 1125.00.

7 Sam Hutsby (Eng) 1122.22.

8 Mike Van Sickle (US) 1104.85 (+1).

9 Billy Horschell (US) 1094.35 (-1).

10 Reinier Saxton (Net) 1090.00.

Selected other rankings:

15 Shane Lowry (Ire) 1027.12.

22 Chris Paisley (Eng) 979.03.

37 Gavin Dear (Sco) 938.67 (+1).

38 Luke Goddard (Eng) 936.84 (+3).

49 Tom Sherreard (Eng) 911.54 (-3).

50 Tom Adcock (Eng) 907.50 (-3).

55 Niall Kearney (Ire) 897.56.

60 Simon Ward (Ire) 886.36 (+31).

61 Matt Haines (Eng) 886.21 (+3).

69 Wallace Booth (Sco) 875.32 (-7).

85 Seamus Power (Ire) 858.82 (-2).

98 Charles Ford (Eng) 837.25 (-6).

100 Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 836.36 (-6).

111 Dale Whitnell (Eng) 818.18 (+7).

122 Ross Kellett (Sco) 810.45 (+25).

128 Rhys Enoch (Wal) 800.00 (-20).

133 Steven Uzzell (Eng) 787.78 (-1).

138 Steven McEwan (Sco) 793.75 (-31).

148 Paul Cutler (Ire) 790.00 (-3).

165 Matthew Nixon (Eng) 776.74 (+2).

172 Paul O'Hara (Sco) 766.67 (+17).

174 Jamie Abbott (Eng) 766.10 (+1).

175 Jake Amos (Eng) 763.64 (+1).

195 Stiggy Hodgson (Eng) 7747.50 (-2).

208 Michael Stewart (Sco) 738.71 (+1).

210 James Byrne (Sco) 735.59.

222 Keir McNicoll (Sco) 728.57 (+8).

229 Ben Rickett (Eng) 727.50 (-3).

231 Jason Barnes (Eng) 724.44 (+15).

233 Ben Westgate (Wal) 721.67 (-25)

243 Miles Mackman (Eng) 709.09 (+16).

245 Mark Hillson (Sco) 708.33 (+5).

252 Billy Hemstock (Eng) 705.56 (+6).

264 Andrew Cooley (Eng) 698.41 (-17).

283 Eddie Pepperell (Eng) 687.23 (-15).

299 Farren Keenan (Eng) 675.41 (-4).

323 James White (Sco) 659.02 (+53).

333 Glenn Campbell (Sco) 654.72 (-1).

361 Gordon Yates Sco) 638.75 (-28).

364 Craig Watson (Sco) 637.50 (-59).

369 Lewis Kirton (Sco) 635.00 (-51).

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