Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Aberdeen City Foursomes for Maitland Shield
Kings Links, Aberdeen

TUESDAY EVENING RESULTS

Craibstone w.o. Westhill scr.

Caledonian bt Auchmill by 11 holes.
A Doig & S Finnie 3, L Taylor & G Geddes 0.
A Cruickshank & D Gardiner 8, B Nicholson & P Benson 0.

Newmachar bt Portlethen by two holes
K Riley & C Simpson 2, L Shand & D Smith 0.
M Lawerence & M McKechnie 0, C Brechin & K Horne 0.

Deeside - Bye.

WEDNESDAY EVENING MATCHES
QUARTER-FINALS (starting 5pm)

Nigg Bay v Hazlehead.
Murcar Links v Peterculter.
Craibstone v Caledonian.
Newmachar v Deeside.

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Scott Arnold, World No 1 amateur, turns

pro and will debut in European Open

Scott Arnold, the 23-year-old Australian who has been the top-ranked player in the R&A World Amateur Rankings since New Zealander Danny Lee joined the paid ranks last month, has turned professional.
He will make his debut as a tour pro at the European Open, starting on Thursday at the London Club.
Morgan Hoffmann, the American who is the top-ranked player in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings and second-ranked player in the R&A list, will most likely take Arnold’s No. 1 spot now when the updated rankings are issued on Wednesday.
Arnold will base himself in Europe after signing with the International Sports Group, whose stable includes Ernie Els, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westward and Darren Clarke.
“It’s always been my aim to play golf professionally in Europe,” said this year’s Australian amateur champion. “There are so many challenges for rookie pros there and plenty of Aussies have done well. It’s definitely where I think my game will improve the most.”
Arnold won the 2006 Hong Kong Amateur, 2008 Riversdale Cup, 2009 Lake Macquarie Amateur Championship, and, most recently, the 2009 Australian Amateur Championship which made him No. 2 in the R&A rankings.

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NORTHERN OPEN AT AVIEMORE

First-class score by ex-postman

Eddie as Spey Valley is

too tough for most of field

By NICK RODGER
(with additional words by Colin Farquharson)
Eddie Thomson, the postman-turned-pro golfer who is coached by the redoubtable Bob Torrance, harnessed the testing conditions at Spey Valley in Aviemore today to grab a share of the first-round lead in the Tartan Tour's Northern Open.
While former European No1 Ronan Rafferty and the 1995 British Amateur champion Gordon Sherry were among those who suffered in the menacing gusts, 38-year-old Thomson carved out a battling two-under-par 70 to finish alongside Edinburgh's Mark Kerr and Sean Doherty of Bury at the head of the standings.
Only five players in the huge field scored under the par of 72 over the 7,117yd, heather-lined course designed by Dave Thomas on the banks of the River Spey and in the foothills of the majestic Cairngorms. A picture postcard setting for many a golfing slaughter. There were many halves, mostly the inward nine, in the 40s - some in the high 40s, even 50s - and the average score must have been high 70s or even into the 80s.
A handful of players were able to match the inward half's par of 36, but not one bettered it.
Largs-based Thomson, who gave up his post office job almost two years ago to focus on full-time golf, made a late surge and rolled in 12ft birdie putts at both the 16th and 17th to hoist himself to the front.
"We probably got the course when it was at its toughest and I knew from seeing the scores that it would be a battle," said Thomson, whose career has been boosted by sponsorship from Greenock recruitment firm, Senit Associates.
"I didn't panic and trusted my swing and I came through. The financial support I've gained has allowed me to try full-time golf. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for that."
David Orr, who had the joint best outward half of three-under-par 33, and Craig Matheson carded tidy 71s to lurk just a shot off the pace while Stirling's Craig Lee, who played on the European Tour last year but is back to square-one on the domestic circuit again, opened with a 72.
"I've basically dropped down from the top level to the third division in one swoop and there are not many sports where that would happen," said Lee.
With the swirling wind sending scores soaring, Sherry (37-41) had to settle for a 78 while Irishman Rafferty, Europe's order of merit winner 20 years ago, failed to return his card after sending two balls out of bounds on the 18th in a turbulent round.
For David Gemmell of Aberdour it was the classic "game of two halves." He went out in 33 (a figure matched only by David Orr) but came home in 44 (eight over) for a five-over 77.
Former Scottish boys match-play champion Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) will find it impossible to equal his performance of 12 months ago when he was runner-up with a total of 277 (70-69-69-69) to Chris Doak (274). Lee required 49 blows for the inward half today and finished on 90 - which was not the worst score.
But it was not a day to criticise anyone's efforts. All the competitors deserved a medal. Those who don't survive today's halfway cut might count themselves the lucky ones! Twice round the Spey Valley "monster" in one day, as the qualifiers will have to achieve on Thursday as part of an economy move on behalf of the players (save another overnight stay) by the Scottish PGA will sort out the men from the boys.
Last year a total of 54 players with 36-hole tallies of 149 or better made the cut.
Dave Thomas designed the Spey Valley course with a view to it one day becoming an European Tour event venue. Few would doubt that it is even now a far more difficult, punishing course than the "big boys" will be playing this week in the European Open over The London Club's 7,257yd course in Kent.

SPEY VALLEY GOLF COURSE, AVIEMORE
FIRST ROUND
Par 72 (36-36). 7,118 yards.
70 Mark Kerr (unatt) 34-36, Sean Doherty (Bury) 34-36, Edward Thomson (Senit Associates) 34-36.
71 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) 33-38, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 35-36.
72 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 35-37, Craig Lee (unatt) 36-36, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 35-37. 73 James McGhee (Turnhouse) 34-39, Mark Barnard (Inchmarlo) 36-37, Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) 35-38, Stuart Pardoe (Scottish Golf Centre) 37-37, James McKinnon (Irvine) 35-38, Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) 35-38.
74 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR) 36-38, Richard Pace (Hornsea) 34-40, Martyn Hamer (Ellesmere) 35-39, Steven Brown (Carnoustie Golf Links) 36-38, Craig Ronald (Carluke) 37-37.
75 Ken Campbell (Machrihanish) 37-38, Ian Graham (Crow Wood) 36-39, Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 35-30, Gordon Law (Uphall) 38-37, Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 36-39, Steven Parry (unatt) 39-36, Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) 35-40, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 39-36.
76 Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) 36-40, David Patrick (Elie) 37-39, Jonas Hedberg (Royal Aberdeen) 38-38, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 37-39, Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) 37-39, Kenneth Hutton (Downfield) 37-39, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 39-37, Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy) 39-37.
77 Stuart Morrison (Tain) 38-39, Andrew Fullen (Largs) 38-39, David Gemmell (Aberdour) 33-44, David Green (Dukinfield) 36-41, Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 37-40, Henry Wong (Wellsgreen) 38-40, Iain Hannah 38-39, Colin Gillies (Perry Golf) 37-40, Stuart McKendrick (Dunkeld & Birnam) 37-40, Mark King (Kingsfield GR) 37-40, Andrew Cooper (Newmachar).
78 Stephen McNally (Scottish Inst of Sport) 39-39, Callum Nicol (Prestwick) 39-39, Craig Donnelly (Balbirnie Park) 36-42, Gordon Sherry (Kilmarnock Barassie) 37-41, Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park) 39-39, Paul Malone (Braid Hills) 37-41, Jonathan Lomas (unatt) 37-41, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 38-40, Christopher Hanson (unatt) 39-39, Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 38-40.
79 Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) 38-41, Alex Belt (unatt) 37-42, Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) 37-42, Kris Andrews (Ashton on Mersey) 39-40, Neil Howitt (Nairn) (am) 37-42, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) 39-40, Don Garrett (Turriff) (am) 39-40, Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 39-40, Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 37-42, Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) 38-41, Aran Wainwright (Oulton Hall) 40-39.
80 George Boswell (Mearns Castle) 40-40, Michael Sweenie (Westin Turnberry), Alan Purdie (Kingsbarns) 38-42, Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle) 40-40, Gary McFarlane (Clober) 38-42, Chris Campbell (Grantown on Spey) 39-41, Murray Urquhart (Spey Valley) 38-42, Gavin Cook (Prestonfield) 40-40, Stewart McCulloch (McDonald Ellon) (am) 40-40, Ian Donaldson (Meldrum House) 40-40, Chris McCalman (unatt) 38-42, Alan E Reid (West Lothian) 39-41, Greig McSporran (Kinross) 38-42, Michael Rae (Alyth) 37-43, Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 38-42, Anthony Mackrell (East Kilbride) 38-42, Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 38-42.
81 Stewart Pert (Huntly) (am) 37-44. James Erksine (Portpatrick Dunskey) 39-42. David Smith (Swinton Park) 37-44, Christopher Russell (RAW golf course design) 41-40, Ewan Hogarth (Peebles) 39-42, Stuart Reekie (Blairgowrie) 40-41, Greg Paxton (Ralston) 41-40, Joe Senior (Heysham) 41-40.
82 Kevin Phillips (Winterfield) 38-44, Craig Everett (Caldwell) 38-44, Mark Loftus (Cowglen) 40-42, Ross MacDonald (Jura) 4--41, Peter Mitchell (Hermitage) 39-43, Garry Dingwall (Royal Dornoch) 44-38, Mark Hancock (Stand) 40-42, Graham Murray (Cullen) (am) 38-44, Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg) 39-43.
83 Graeme McInnes (Murcar Links) 40-43, Stuart Wilson (Eastwood) 43-40, Alastair Mackenzie (Duddingston) 44-141, Andrew Campbell (Deeside) (am) 41-42, Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Golf Links) 40-43, Alan Reid (unatt) 41-42, Robbie Stewart (Cruden Bay) 40-43, Calum Smith (Royal Musselburgh) 39-44.
84 Richard Hyland (Craibstone) 42-42, David Fleming (Prestwick) 40-44, Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) 41-43.
85 James Smallwood (Fereneze) 42-43, Alan Gowran (East Renfrewshire) 43-42, Ewan Davie (Dunblane New) 42-43, Craig MacDonald (Peterculter) 45-40.
85 Nick Robson (Meldrum House) (am) 40-45, Fraser McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle) 39-46, Jonny Sharp (The Carrick at Cameron House) 39-46.
86 Graham Mackay (Prestonfield) 43-43.
87 Gary Cooke (Liberton) 41-46, Lee McDonald (Nairn Dunbar) (am) 43-44, Grant Robertson (Lanark) 42-45, Ian Rowlands (West Linton) 45-42, Hamish Kemp (Bishopbriggs GR).
88 James Mooney (unatt) 43-45.
89 Peter McLachlan (West Kilbride) 49-40
90 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 41-49, Nicholas Reid (unatt) 41-49, David MacMullen (Aberdour) 44-46.
96 Paul Wilson (World of Golf) 46-50.
No returns - Graeme Stewart (Gleddoch), Ronan Rafferty (unatt).

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England name top prospects for

European Young Masters

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
English Under-16 champion Sebastian Crookall-Nixon (Workington-Cumbria) and Under-14 champion Toby Tree (Worthing-Sussex) will represent the English Golf Union (EGU) in the annual European Young Masters Championship for Under-16s over the Albatross Course at Golf National near Paris from July 23 to 25.
Crookall-Nixon won the Under-16 crown at the McGregor Trophy tournament, when still aged 14, at High Post Golf Club in Wiltshire last June, which prompted his debut as an Under-16 international in the match against Spain.
Now 15, the Cumbrian youngster was later capped against Scotland and Ireland at that level and is a member of the England Under-16 Squad for 2009. He will defend his title when the McGregor Trophy returns to its traditional home at Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottingham, on from June 30 to July 2.
Tree, who will celebrate his 15th birthday on June 3, was crowned English Under-14 champion when he won the Reid Trophy at Coxmoor last August. The Sussex lad triumphed by two strokes over an international field and earlier this year was a member of the squad that competed in the Triangular Match in South Africa.
The European Young Masters includes a girls' competition with a Nations Cup covering both, three of the four cards each day to count.

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Martin Laird wins Turnberry


Open place at Texas qualifier

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R&A
26 May 2009, West Plano, Texas, USA: The USA’s Matt Kuchar has earned a fifth visit to the Open Championship after posting a 13 under-par total of 129 to finish at the head of the field after 36 holes of the Queens Course at Gleneagles Country Club, West Plano, Texas.
Seven other players have also secured their places at the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry this July.
“I practised here on Tuesday and my caddie is from here,” said Kuchar, the 1997 US Amateur champion. “Course knowledge only takes you so far. It really helps if you hit it where you’re aiming. Fortunately, I’ve been hitting it really well.”
Turnberry was one of many courses Kuchar played in 1999 when he was part of the United States Walker Cup team that visited Great Britain that year.
“I’m excited to go back,” said the 30-year-old. “It’s a spectacular venue. I’ve never made a cut there (in four starts) but I sure do enjoy going and giving it the good old American try.”
Fellow American, Jeff Overton, finished one stroke behind Kuchar at 11-under-par. The 25-year-old, who will celebrate his birthday this week, played the eight par-5 holes in a combined 10 under-par with three eagles, four birdies and one par.
“I missed two five-footers and had three balls in the water but I was able to recover really well,” said Overton, who played at the 2008 Open championship after winning the qualifier last year in Michigan.
“I really don’t think I could play any better. Everything else was going my way. I made a couple of 15-footers from nowhere.”
Finishing in a group of six at 10 under-par, Davis Love III has secured a 23rd consecutive start at the Open championship after finishing in the first group of the day and waiting for two hours to see if he would earn one of the eight Turnberry places on offer.
“I’m a little disappointed not to get it in lower the way I drove it,” said Love. “It’s my favourite major – the way they set up the course and the tradition. It’s certainly the one where I feel like I have a real good chance to be competitive.”
Joining Love at 10 under was Scotland’s Martin Laird (pictured above) who will play in his first Open championship just 45 minutes away from where he grew up in Glasgow.
“I’ve never even played a professional event in Scotland,” said Laird. “I’ve only played the Nationwide and PGA Tour. This is going to be great.”
Completing the list of successful players were Swedes, Fredrik Jacobson and Richard S Johnson, New Zealand’s Tim Wilkinson and the USA’s James Driscoll.
FINAL RESULTS
Par 142 (2x71)
1 KUCHAR, Matt (US) 63 66 129 Qualified
2 OVERTON, Jeff (US) 64 67 131 Qualified
T3 LOVE, Davis (US) 67 65 132 Qualified
T3 JOHNSON, Richard S (Sweden) 65 67 132 Qualified.
T3 DRISCOLL, James (US) 67 65 132 Qualified.
T3 WILKINSON, Tim (New Zealand) 65 67 132 Qualfied.
T3 JACOBSON, Fredrik (Sweden) 68 64 132 Qualified.
T3 LAIRD, Martin (Scotland) 67 65 132 Qualified.
T9 MOORE, Ryan (US) 69 64 133.
T9 CHOPRA, Daniel (Sweden) 67 66 133
T9 CRANE, Ben (US) 68 65 133.
T9 SLOCUM, Heath (US) 66 67 133.
T9 DAY, Glen (US) 69 64 133.
T9 STADLER, Kevin (US) 66 67 133.
T9 MATHIS, David (US) 67 66 133.
T16 MOLDER, Bryce (US) 67 67 134.
T16 PAMPLING, Rod (Australia) 68 66 134.
T16 CEJKA, Alex (Germany) 63 71 134.
T16 PARNEVIK, Jesper (Sweden) 64 70 134.
T16 JONES, Matthew (US) 67 67 134.
T21 SENDEN, John (Australia) 65 70 135.
T21 LEE, Danny (New Zealand) 66 69 135.
T21 STERLING, Scott (US) 69 66 135.
T21 CHALMERS, Greg (Australia) 68 67 135
T25 DELAET, Graham (Canada) 68 68 136
T25 MARINO, Steve (US) 68 68 136.
T25 KAMTE, James (South Africa) 69 67 136.
T25 GARRIGUS, Robert (US) 65 71 136.
T29 GOYDOS, Paul (US) 68 69 137.
T29 PALMER, Ryan (US) 66 71 137
T29 MCCARRON, Scott (US) 65 72 137.
T29 HAAS, Hunter (US) 70 67 137.
T29 WI, Charlie (Korea) 67 70 137.
T34 GREEN, Nathan (Australia) 71 67 138.
T34 KNOST, Colt (US) 72 66 138.
T34 GOGGIN, Mathew (Australia) 66 72 138.
T34 POINTS, D A (US) 64 74 138
T34 SURBER, Russell (US) 71 67 138.
T34 JONES, Kent (US) 67 71 138.
T34 McNEILL, George (US) 68 70 138.
T41 BARLOW, Craig (US) 73 69.
T41 THOMPSON, Nicholas (US) 69 70 139.
T41 MERRICK, John (US) 69 70 139.
T41 PURDY, Ted (US) 67 72 139.
T41 LEON, Tyler (US) 70 69 139.
T41 WEBBER, Kane (Australia) 67 72 139.
T41 BECKMAN, Cameron (US) 71 68 139
T41 STREELMAN, Kevin (US) 68 71 139.
T41 DE JONGE, Brendon (Zimbabwe) 67 72 139
T50 ROLLINS, John (US) 70 70 140.
T50 AUSTIN, Woody (US) 66 74.
T50 BRADFORD, George (US) 66 74.
T50 EVERY, Matt (US) 70 70 140.
T50 PETROVIC, Tim (US) 70 70 140.
T55 ADAMONIS, Brad (US) 72 69 141.
T55 PARR, Andrew (Canada) 71 70 141.
T55 PERNICE JR, Tom (US) 72 69 141.
T55 YANAGISAWA, Will (US) 71 70 141.
T59 HENSBY, Mark (Australia) 71 71 142.
T59 JOHNSON, Tom (US) 70 72 142.
T59 LEANEY, Stephen (Australia) 72 70 142.
62 KIM, Daniel (US) 74 69 143.
T63 KRESGE, Cliff (US) 68 76 144.
T63 ALLAN, Steve (Australia) 72 72 144.
65 RODRIGUEZ, Anthony (US) 72 74 146.
66 ALKER, Steven (New Zealand) 74 74 148.
67 O'HERN, Nick (Australia) 74 75 149.
68 KILLEEN, J J (US) 70 80 150.

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