Ross Bell wins Glamis Quaich at Letham Grange

Ross Bell (Downfield) won the Glamis Quaich 18-hole competition at Letham Grange on Sunday when there were 22 No Returns out of a field of 43!
Bell won with a round of 75, one ahead of home club player Keith Law and Downfield's S Smith.

Monty confident there will be Scots

in his 2010 Ryder Cup team

Colin Montgomerie says he is confident Scottish golfers can reach the standard to merit inclusion for next year's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.
The European team which lost the trophy in Valhalla last year was the first without a Scot since 1937.
"That was disappointing," the Europe captain told BBC Scotland. "I think there is a lot of Scottish potential.
"Let's hope for the second year running we don't have no Scots in the team and on this occasion I'm sure we will."
Montgomerie has built an excellent playing pedigree having never lost a singles match in a decade of Ryder Cup competition.
But the 45-year-old Scot was omitted from Nick Faldo's team for last year's event after a poor season in which he dropped outside the world's top 100 players.
It also meant he is unlikely to surpass Faldo's record points total of 25.
But Montgomerie, who has since slipped to 187th in the world, believes he has seen shoots of recovery within Scottish golf.
"We go through lulls, if you like, but Gary Orr finished well in second place at the European Open at the weekend, and Marc Warren's doing well again, Stephen Gallacher and a number of younger Scots as well," said Montgomerie.
"Let's hope these guys can carry that tradition of top Scottish golfers forward.
"We've got great potential, it's just a matter of proving it."
Gary Orr is currently Scotland's highest ranked player in the world at 130th, three places ahead of Alastair Forsyth.
In any case, Montgomerie believes he has plenty of players to choose from who are good enough to reclaim the trophy from the United States.
"I know the wealth of talent in Europe is second to none among all six Tours in the world," he said.
"We have some fantastic youngsters coming through, who will add to the nucleus of my team, and we will have a very strong European team.
"And if they play well, they might well win."
The eight-times European Order of Merit winner also reiterated his belief that he can rise again from the slump in his own game.
"My own playing days aren't over. I still want to beat players," he insisted.
"I know I have the ability and the talent, and I've been showing signs of improvement.
"There's been some good scores coming in over the last month, I just haven't put four good rounds together.
"Let's hope I start doing that sooner rather than later."

Brora's Ian Hamilton (70) beats

his age with a level-par 69

By ROBIN WILSON
Brora senior golfer Ian Hamilton, who in February attained the age of 70, took little time to dispel his age when in Sunday's May Medal competition at Brora he returned a level par card of 69 to beat his age by one.
After nine holes he was playing above his three handicap with a four over par count of 39 before turning the clock back with a four-birdie sensational inward half of 30. His nett 66 won the Class 1 Section medal.
Hamilton, picture right by courtesy of Robin Wilson, joined Brora from Royal Troon, where he held a scratch handicap, about twenty years ago and after becoming a senior was a member of the double-winning Brora Senior Northern Counties Cup teams of 2003 and 2006. In 1994 he won the North District Seniors' championship.
From 1994 until 2006 he and his wife Sheila combined running the Brora Golf Shop with the Junior Section. Among their many successes with the juniors were Euan Polson (Scottish boys' championship finalist in 2005) and current Scottish Under-16 boys' team captain, Calum Stewart.

Grant Forrest leads Lothians junior qualifiers

but title-holder Tom Blannerhassett is out

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Craigielaw's Grant Forrest stormed to victory in the Lothians Junior Championship qualifying at the Braids, thanks mainly to an amazing finish to his opening round.
Forrest, who also qualified for the men's equivalent earlier in the year, secured the Lindsay Cup by a resounding six shots with a splendid two-round total of 133 (65, 68).
Out in 34, one-under, in the morning, Forrest started back with a disappointing bogey at the par-5 10th and then parred the 11th, another long hole. But he then went birdie-par-birdie-birdie-eagle-par-birdie, a blistering run that saw him home in 31, five-under-par.
Not surprisingly, his afternoon round was less spectacular, but, helped by birdies at the tenth, 13th and 15th on the back nine, he still finished well clear of the field.
Anthony Blaney secured second spot on 139, the rising Liberton star bagging five birdies – at the fifth, seventh, ninth, 12th and 16th holes – in his opening 69.
Prestonfield's Blair Pelling shot two 70s to secure third spot on 140, three better than West Lothian duo Stuart Boyle (Harburn) and Jordyn Rhind (Uphall).
Tom Blennerhasset, the defending champion, failed to secure one of the 16 spots in this week's match-play phase, as did Chris Low, another member of the Lothians side that defends the Scottish boys' area team title at Ballumbie Castle, Dundee on Sunday.
Blennerhasset paid a costly price for running up a triple-bogey 7 at his final hole of the day, the Marriott Dalmahoy player being one of two players to lose out on a countback among those on 147.
North Berwick's Low missed out by a fair bit on 151, while Euan Paterson from Bruntsfield Links also failed to make the top 16

Carrickvale hat-trick puts them in the

Dispatch Trophy history book

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Having started an amazing run by scraping through a match by the skin of their teeth, Carrickvale are now Dispatch Trophy legends after becoming the first team to win the Evening News-sponsored event three years in a row at the Braids.
Succeeding where both the Royal Bank and Bank of Scotland failed in the last 30 years, Allyn Dick, David Ewen, Darren Coyle and Craig Elliot earned their place in the record books with a convincing 9 and 8 final win over Lothians & Borders Police, having earlier negotiated a potential banana skin by beating Temple Golfing Society.
"I think there were a lot of people who didn't want us to win it again, so it is nice that we've all been able to handle the pressure we were under," said Dick as he basked in the glory of a marvellous golfing feat.
Three years ago, Carrickvale stepped on to the first tee at the Braids with no pedigree of any real note in an event that, despite the fact entries have dropped in recent years, is still a marvellous team tournament and one that, as Lord Provost George Grubb acknowledged at Saturday's prize-giving, the city of Edinburgh is rightly proud to host.
Represented at that point by Ewen, Coyle, Elliot and David Yorkston – Dick replaced him in the later rounds that year – they almost went out in the first round, needing two extra holes to finally get the better of Buckstone Golf Club.
Since then, Carrickvale have grown into a major force in the event and, having now been successful in two defences of the magnificent trophy, they're unbeaten in 19 matches over a course where disasters can strike all over the place, especially when the closing holes are into the wind.
On Saturday, it was blowing from the opposite direction and, while Dick and Ewen reckoned they'd been failing to fire on all cylinders earlier in the week, they certainly found top gear against their opponents, Fraser Jervis and John Hunter, in the top match in the final.
The Carrickvale duo were conceded birdies at both the second and third holes – Hunter blocked his tee shot into the gorse at the latter – before Dick, who had driven through the back of the green, holed from five feet for a birdie at the fourth, where Jervis missed from closer range for a half.
Both couples birdied the long fifth before Ewen produced a majestic blow up the hill at the sixth for another conceded birdie.
Hunter's drive at the next kicked off the steep bank, leaving his partner in a bunker at the side of the 14th green. Jervis was also faced with a horrible lie but he conjured up a brilliant recovery and then holed a good par putt for a half, rightly describing it as "a career 4" as he headed off to the next tee.
From there, Dick, a 30-year-old who plays off plus one and must surely be a strong contender for a place in the Lothians six-man team this year, hit a brilliant drive on to the back edge of the green, setting up another hole-winning birdie for Carrickvale.
Despite missing a good chance for a 2 following a lovely tee shot from Ewen at the short ninth, they were out in 29 to be five up, a lead that quickly became seven holes as they also won the tenth and 11th.
The Police pair found gorse just at the side of the tenth while Dick once again showed his undoubted class with a sweetly-struck second shot at the par-5 11th that led to another hole-winning birdie.
In the match behind, Coyle and Elliot were all square against Malcolm Graham and David Black after seven holes before the Carrickvale duo went in front with a birdie at the eighth, Coyle holing there from five feet.
They also won the ninth against the head – the Police pair three-putted from no more than 15 feet while their opponents made a great up and down – and, when Coyle chipped in from 20 feet for a birdie-3 up the hill at the 12th, Carrickvale were almost over the finishing line.
They lost the 14th in the top match after Dick's drive found the gorse and the 13th in the back match after three-putting that green but a half at the 15th for Dick and Ewen was good enough to secure the first title hat-trick in the event's 119-year history.
"An opportunity like this doesn't come along very often and it's a great feeling," declared Dick, who joined Kingsknowe this year, having previously played most of his golf at Shotts. "I was delighted when I became the first player to win the Scottish Mid-Amateur back-to-back but this tops it, due to the fact it's a team achievement."
Ewen, a 42-year-old who plays off one, added: "To be part of this is phenomenal and I'm so pleased for everyone connected with Carrickvale, especially George Alexander and his wife, Babs"
Coyle, 27, and Elliot, ten years his senior, were also delighted. "No-one can ever take this achievement away from us," declared Coyle, while Elliot, who describes the Dispatch as his 'Major' these days, rightly pointed out that, though the numbers may not be as great as they once were, the quality is still evident in the event.
On one of the hottest days for many a year up at the Braids, Alexander must have been sweltering in his 'lucky' jumper, the Carrickvale stalwart admitting he was almost speechless over what the club had achieved.
"The guys themselves would admit they hadn't been at their best earlier in the week but today, when it mattered most, they were awesome," he declared.
Echoing that view, Jervis, a credit to his club along with the three others, said: "You've got to take your hats off to the Carrickvale lads. They were fantastic and Allyn Dick in particular is a quality player."
Despite their historic achievement, Carrickvale will not be getting to keep the trophy and only time will tell if the same quartet decide to try and go for four in a row.
"It will be their decision," admitted Alexander, "but, in the meantime, we're going to savour this incredible feat."
Results:
Third round
Edinburgh Thistle bt Heriots 4 and 2.
Harrison B bt Braids United 5 and 3.
Lothian & Borders Police bt Scottish Life 4 and 3.
Riccarton bt Silverknowes at 19th.

Carrickvale bt Bank of Scotland 6 and 4.
Crammond bt Royal Bank 3 and 1.
Third bt Observers 6 and 4.
Temple Golfing Society bt Barnton Hotel 5 and 4.
Quarter-finals:
Harrison B bt Edinburgh Thistle 4 and 3.
Lothian & Borders Police bt Riccarton at 20th.
Carricvale bt Creammond 4 and 3.
Temple Golofing Society bt Third 6 and 4.
Semi-finals:
Lothian & Borders Police bt Harrison B 4 and 2.
Harrison B (S More and M Murray 0; G Mckay and P McCafferty 0), Lothian & Borders Police (F Jervis and J Hunter 0; M Graham and D Black 4).
Carrickvale bt Temple Golfing Society 4 and 2.
Carrickvale (D Ewen and A Dick 0; C Elliot and D Coyle 4); Temple Golfing Society (S Smith and D Miller 0; G Santana and J Shepherd 0).
Final:
Carrickvale bt Lothian & Borders Police 9 and 8.
Lothian & Borders Police (F Jervis and J Hunter 0; M Graham and D Black 0); Carrickvale (D Ewen and A Dick 6; C Elliot and D Coyle 2).

Team Ireland Golf Trust is doing great

job of helping rookie professionals

By PAUL SYMES, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
The Challenge Tour’s Irish contingent will hope to ride the crest of the wave created by Shane Lowry’s thrilling victory in The 3 Irish Open when they tee up in the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley from June 11-14.
Lowry dedicated his maiden win to the Golfing Union of Ireland which has, in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council, supported a number of the home-grown players who will tee up at Moyvalley Golf and Country Club in County Kildare, Ireland.
This year Jonathan Caldwell, Richard Kilpatrick, Michael McGeady, Colm Moriarty, Alan Murray, Gareth Shaw and Simon Thornton all received a share of the €231,000 which was awarded by the Team Ireland Golf Trust to 18 aspiring Irish golfers.
Like European Tour champions Michael Hoey and Peter Lawrie and Challenge Tour graduate Gareth Maybin, all seven benefited from the scheme which since 1999 has awarded €2.3million in financial support to ease the transition of young Irish golfers from the amateur game to the professional ranks.
Caldwell, a leading member of the amateur side which successfully retained the 2008 European Team Championship, received €20,000 to assist in his efforts to keep The European Tour card he earned at the Qualifying School – Final Stage last November.
He said: “The support I have received from the Team Ireland Golf Trust has been very important to me, and not just from a monetary point of view. The additional support the Trust provides to those who receive grants for coaching and support services is invaluable. I came through the Golfing Union of Ireland system and turned professional straight after winning my European Tour card at Qualifying School, so to have the Trust supporting me from the start of my professional career has been a great help.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Gareth Shaw, currently the highest-ranked Irish player in the Challenge Tour Rankings, who received €12,000 from the Trust.
Shaw said: “The helping hand I’ve had from the Irish Sports Council and the Team Ireland Golf Trust has been brilliant. Without their funding, and the support of the Golfing Union of Ireland, it’s probably fair to say I wouldn’t be where I am today. The same applies to a lot of other guys. It’s partly thanks to their help that Irish golfers have enjoyed so much success in recent seasons, and Shane’s win gave everyone another massive lift. I played a lot of amateur golf with Shane, so I was absolutely delighted to see him win. It just shows what can be done with hard work and dedication.
“To see him beat a world-class field has inspired us all, and made me more determined than ever to join him on The European Tour. It was an unbelievable achievement, and made all the more special because it was done in Ireland. Winning any event would be fantastic, but it would mean so much to me to win the Challenge of Ireland. It was the first tournament I looked for when the schedule was published. I’ve been fairly happy with my form so far this season, but hopefully if I can play well at Moyvalley, it’ll give me the confidence to kick on for the rest of the season.”
Similarly Michael McGeady, who received €15,000 from the Trust, will hope to add the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley to the SWALEC Wales Challenge title he captured last year, when he finished 42nd in the final Rankings.
He said: “The support I’ve had from the Team Ireland Golf Trust since turning professional has been a real benefit. The financial support is very helpful, because playing on the Challenge Tour can be an expensive business. The coaching and other services are also a real benefit, as golfers in this day and age are seeking specialist science and medical support more and more. Over the years the Trust has supported many of the top Irish players, including Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, so to be selected on the scheme is a big boost.”
John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council, said: “The Irish Sports Council is delighted to be associated with the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley. It’s an important element in the package of support we offer Irish golfers through the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Team Ireland Golf Trust. The event provides an excellent opportunity for our Challenge Tour golfers to compete on home soil. In addition, the Challenge Tour’s presence in Ireland gives home spectators the chance to see the stars of the future, and also gives Ireland the opportunity to showcase some of its outstanding championship courses.”
In addition to the professionals teeing up at Moyvalley Golf and Country Club, four amateurs will also be sent to compete by the Golfing Union of Ireland: Michael Durcan, Paul Reavey, David Reilly and Chris Selfridge.

Aberdeen Links Championship Scoreboard

LEADING FIRST ROUND RETURNS
SENIORS
CSS 78
Scratch
73 J Duff (Northern).
74 R A Cheyne (Bon Accord).
75 R M Grant (Caledonian), G H Paterson (Northern), A Fiddes (Northern).
77 G Forbes (Caledonian).
79 R Campbell (Bon Accord), R Jones (Northern), D Forsyth (Bon Accord).
Handicap
65 J Duff (Northern) (8).
66 R Jones (Northern) (13), R Campbell (BA) (13).
69 G Forbes (Caledonian) (10), S Robertson (Caledonian), J McBeath (Caledonian).
70 R O’Rawe (Caledonian), R A Cheyne (Bon Accord) (4), J Christie (Bon Accord), R M Grant (Caledonian) (5), N Stewart (Northern), A Reid (Bon Accord), B Wiffen (Bon Accord)

Nearest the pin prizes:
3rd hole: R Campbell (Bon Accord).
10th hole: A Fiddes (Northern)

DRAW FOR FRIDAY

LINKS SENIORS
(10min intervals)
8.10 E.Morrison, E.Yeats, J.Hepburn; S.Robertson, J.Murphy; JL Duncan, J.McBeath; S.Kemp, D.Yeats, A.Stephen; E.Leigh, R.Green;
9.0 R.Stuart, C.Carson, G.Adams; RL Watt, R Jones; D Fowler, G Allan; AW Mathieson, R O'Rawe, I Morrice; DJ Hampton, J Gray; W Benzie, AW Brown, S Law;
10.0 D Forsyth, G Forbes, N West; F Watson, AR Mearns, A Henderson; R Campbell, G Mackie, G Webster; B Wiffen, W Sutherland, R Ludlam; CL Forbes, I MCLaughlan, L Begg; AJ Reid, A Low; JA Christie, P Reid, RA Cheyne; L Thom, RM Grant, A Fiddes; J Duff, D Coull, J Forrest; A K Pirie, G H Paterson; J Barclay, I Valentine; GA Ingram, T Brebner; A Howie, J Mitchell, N Stewart.

DRAW FOR SATURDAY

LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP
(10min intervals)

6.20 – D Gallaway, C MCBain, M Ogston
6.30 – K Ross, A Stewart; P MCIntosh, G.Bond; WJ Smith, D Mullen; J Kilman, G Meade, M Burnett; M Dunn, I Watt, R Evett; Matt Greig, G Grimmer;
7.30 – W Guyan, R Stewart, A Sherriffs; B Edmond, A Cruickshank, I Welsh; DSS Smith, A Doig, S Muir; P Coutts, S Forsyth, W Rae; A Haining, B Reid, G Anderson; Mark Greig, S Finnie, A Fiddes;
8.30 – M.Smith, R Rimmer;; R Allerton, J Murphy; K Ironside, J Annand, D Coull; S Murray, E Leslie, GH Paterson; S Smith, S Slessor; J Forrest, K Milne; K Smith, S Stewart;
9.50 – T Still, M Beattie, C Cassie; A Pirie, RA Cheyne, R Morrison; GV Somers, A Shand, P Cheyne; S Garden, A Massie D Leslie;
10.40 – G Forbes, G Massie, J Ritchie
11.00 – D Forbes, J Inglis; L Morrice, S Allan, C Ross; A Divers, GR Brown, J Duff;
11.50 – G Henderson, B MCPherson, R Neilson; SJ Laing, W Ross, R Sinclair; D Gardiner, S Carmichael,T Robertson; N Gray, P Angelo, R Pirie; S Middleton, W West; D Grieve, A Sheldrick, G Geddes; BD Rae, S Manson.

DRAW FOR SUNDAY

MURRAY CUP
(10min intervals)

7.30 – I Stewart, AGA Forbes, G Fiddes; R Campbell, D MCPherson, I Petrie; R Anderson, AG Forbes, J Muir; G Reid, D Stewart, J Skinner; R Dunn, S Moir, A Handsley; M Flanagan, C Taylor; S Beattie, S Kelly R Buchan; D Armour, JL Gall, J Watt; J Craig, KG Robertson, J Clark;
9.00 – FG Kennedy, R Leslie,S Kemp; G Gauld, M Thomson, D Gill; A Urquhart, R Moir, S Kennedy; J Urquhart, J Hosie, G MCDonald; R Urquhart ; D Barclay, G Mackie, A Buchan; K Harper, C Carson, R Jones;
10.40 – M Emslie, R MCCulloch, S Wright; G Martin, J Maybury; C Murphy, G Adams; Cal Murphy, R Davidson, B Lumsden; R Grieve, G Milne, B Lumsden Jnr; M Winton, C Dunn, R Lumsden; GG Whyte, L Robson, S Leslie; G Homer, J Reid.

Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County News

CALLUM MISSES OUT

Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay must have been very disappointed in the last stages of the European Open at the London Club on Sunday. After making the cut with a fine two-round performance, he looked to be in good position at one under par. He then followed with a one under par 71 but came unstuck over the last four holes of his final round when he dropped several shots to par leaving him at seven over par 235 (71, 72, 71, 81), and a much smaller pay-out.
Nevertheless, he is doing well, making cuts and building up experience. He moves to Celtic Manor in South Wales this week for the Welsh Open where he will be hoping for more success.

BOYS' AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Clackmannan county boys selectors have picked the following squad to represent Clackmannanshire in the Scottish area boys team championship on Sunday at Ballumbie Castle just to the north of Dundee:
Gary Chalmers, Steven McPherson (both Dollar) Grant Dowie (Alloa) Daniel Ashe (Alva)

COUNTY BOYS' LEAGUE

The 2009 event teed off last Sunday with only five of the clubs participating - once again Tulliallan are unable to field a team, so there are only two matches on each Sunday. However last Sunday the Dollar v Alva match was postponed, leaving Alloa playing Tillicoultry at Schawpark. The Tillicoultry team scored a solid victory, showing they are in the mood to take the 2009 title from Alva who will be trying for a hat-trick of wins.
MATCH RESULT
Alloa 2 Tillicoultry 4
(Alloa names first)
1. Bruce McAdam lost to Kevin Ross 2 holes
2. John Salmond bt Steven Watson 4 and 3.
3. Ryan Millar lost to Scott Baird 4 and 3.
4. Grant Ross lost to Jonathan Imrie 4 and 3.
5. Grant McIntosh lost to David Johnson 4 and 3.
6. Callum Boyd bt Grant Carmichael 5 and 4.

SCOTTISH STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Local golfer Scott Borrowman (Dollar) finished down the field at Murcar Links in the 72-hole event. Scott just made the cut after two rounds and two rounds later he finished in 23 equal position at 10 over par (75, 72, 76, 71), 26 shots behind the runaway (by eight shots) winner Tommy Fleetwood from Lancashire.
The St Andrews Links Championship takes place this coming weekend, but Scott is 21st on the reserve list----such is the demand and high standard that the 144 competitors all have handicaps of plus 2.4 or better.
Scottish club golfers only take up just over 20 of these spots, just over 15 countries provide the other 120 plus entrants.
In the Ladies equivalent event (St Rule Trophy) Scots took the top three spots so it will be interesting to see if the men can match this.
In last year’s Links Trophy, local Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) as an amateur finished in the runner up position behind Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie).

Kevin Johnson wins play-off in

Nationwide Tour event

Kevin Johnson birdied the first play-off hole to beat Jeff Gallagher and win the Nationwide Tour’s Rex Hospital Open at Raleigh, North Carolina on Sunday. It was Johnson's first win since 2006.
Gallagher had eight birdies and one bogey to finish at 18-under 266. Johnson, the third-round leader, made six birdies and two bogeys for a 67 in the final round at the TPC Wakefield Plantation course.
Johnson took home $94,500 to move up to fourth on the Nationwide Tour money list. It was his fifth career victory on the Nationwide Tour, which he has played on and off since 1990.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71). Yardage: 7,257.
1. Kevin Johnson ($94,500) 65-69-65-67--266 (won play-off).
2. Jeff Gallagher ($56,700) 64-69-69-64--266 (lost play-off)
3. David Mathis ($35,700) 66-69-67-67--269
4. D.J. Brigman ($21,700) 68-67-68-67--270
4. Chad Collins ($21,700) 68-70-64-68--270
4. Chris Baryla ($21,700) 72-67-63-68--270
7. Skip Kendall ($15,816) 65-70-70-66--271
7. Jeff Gove ($15,816) 71-67-65-68--271
7. Cameron Percy ($15,816) 70-66-66-69--271
7. Jim McGovern ($15,816) 70-66-65-70--271
11. Justin Bolli ($12,075) 69-68-67-68--272
11. Justin Hicks ($12,075) 69-65-69-69--272
11. Josh Broadaway ($12,075) 64-70-68-70--272
14. Scott Gardiner ($7,887) 70-63-76-64--273
14. Major Manning ($7,887) 72-63-71-67--273
14. Ian Leggatt ($7,887) 72-66-68-67--273
14. Fabian Gomez ($7,887) 72-66-67-68--273
14. Hunter Haas ($7,887) 67-68-69-69--273
14. Andrew Svoboda ($7,887) 68-71-65-69--273
14. Chad Ginn ($7,887) 66-68-69-70--273
14. Grant Waite ($7,887) 68-67-67-71--273
14. Josh Teater ($7,887) 67-71-64-71--273
Selected scores:
30. Michael Sim (3,150) 66-69-71-70--276
Missed the cut
73. Steve Pate 68-72--140
146. Daniel Summerhays 71-76--147
146. Nick Flanagan 74-73--147

US PGA TOUR REPORT, SCORES

Steve Stricker wins three-man play-off

finish to Crowne Plaza Invitational

Steve Stricker won a three-man play-off for the Crowne Plaza Invitational after a chip-in birdie at the 17th had put him back in the picture with Steve Marino and South African Tim Clark.
At the second extra hole, Stricker put his approach to within 3ft of the flagstick and knocked it in for a roller-coaster victory.
Tim Clark blew this tournament. Trying to shed his title as the man who’d won the most money on the US PGA Tour without ever winning an event, Clark squandered a two-shot lead with five holes left.
“I can’t take anything positive from today,” the 33-year-old South African said. “I have a lot of work to do when it comes to closing out golf tournaments.”
Stricker’s victory was pure relief, as evidenced by his choked-up interviews afterward. It’s not that he questioned his ability to close out tournaments, he was just ready to win after finishing second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh this year.
Now he has five career wins – and the No. 8 spot in the world ranking.
“I feel fortunate,” Stricker said, wearing the plaid jacket given to all winners at the Colonial Country Club. “I’ve been on the other end a couple times this year where you feel you’re going to win and end up losing. This feels very good.”
Stricker, who earned $1,116,000, led after two rounds with a 36-hole tournament record of 126. He moved back ahead with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 on Sunday, then followed with consecutive bogeys. When he missed a 4-footer on No. 16, Stricker seemed out of contention.
His chances looked even worse when he was in fluffy grass behind the 17th green.Then his chip rolled in.
“You need breaks to win, that’s why winning is so special, so hard to do,” he said.
Steve Marino was the third player in the play-off. He narrowly missed a long birdie putt on the first extra hole, then had a wild tee shot on the second extra hole.
Stricker and Marino shot 68s to match Clark (70) at 17-under 263.
Jason Day, a 21-year-old Australian who recently became a Colonial member, shot 69 and finished fourth at 264. He shot 65 in the other three rounds, but started with a bogey and wound up a stroke out of the play-off.
Another stroke back was Paul Casey, coming off a prestigious win in Europe that vaulted him to No. 3 in the world ranking. He opened the final round with three straight birdies but couldn’t build on it much.

HOW THEY FINISHED
Par 280 (4x70). Yardage: 7,054yd.
Prizemoney in brackets in $
1. Steve Stricker ($1,116,000) 63-63-69-68--263 (won play-0ff).
2. Steve Marino ($545,600) 66-67-62-68--263 (lost play-off).
2. Tim Clark ($545,600) 63-64-66-70--263 (lost play-off).
4. Jason Day (297,600) 65-65-65-69--264
5. Paul Casey (248,000) 66-67-66-66--265
6. Woody Austin (215,450) 63-68-67-68--266
6. Vijay Singh (215,450) 64-64-69-69--266
8. Ian Poulter (192,200) 66-69-65-68--268
9. Jim Furyk (161,200) 68-69-67-65--269
9. Kevin Sutherland (161,200) 66-67-68-68--269
9. Kevin Na (161,200) 66-68-66-69--269
9. Zach Johnson (161,200) 69-67-64-69--269
13. Charlie Wi (112,840) 67-70-66-67--270
13. Tom Lehman (112,840) 68-69-66-67--270
13. Jeff Overton (112,840) 69-67-65-69--270
13. Luke Donald (112,840) 68-65-67-70--270
13. Justin Leonard (112,840) 66-68-64-72--270
18. Corey Pavin (83,700) 71-69-66-65--271
18. John Senden (83,700) 68-67-67-69--271
18. Ted Purdy (83,700) 69-65-66-71--271
18. Sean O'Hair (83,700) 65-64-70-72--271
22. J.J. Henry (59,520) 71-68-67-66--272
22. Stewart Cink (59,520) 71-66-68-67--272
22. Nick O'Hern (59,520) 69-69-66-68--272
22. Mark Wilson (59,520) 67-71-66-68--272
22. Jason Bohn (59,520) 69-65-68-70--272
27. Brian Gay (42,160) 68-71-70-64--273
27. Hunter Mahan (42,160) 69-67-68-69--273
27. James Driscoll (42,160) 69-64-70-70--273
27. David Toms (42,160) 67-72-65-69--273
27. Stephen Ames (42,160) 68-68-67-70--273
27. Matt Kuchar (42,160) 70-68-65-70--273
27. Harrison Frazar (42,160) 67-69-66-71--273
34. Rory Sabbatini (30,646) 71-69-69-65--274
34. Justin Rose (30,646) 69-69-70-66--274
34. Brian Davis (30,646) 69-68-70-67--274
34. Scott Verplank (30,646) 70-68-68-68--274
34. Kenny Perry (30,646) 64-72-68-70--274
34. Ryan Palmer (30,646) 69-63-70-72--274
34. Tim Herron (30,646) 71-65-66-72--274
41. George McNeill (22,940) 68-70-68-69--275
41. Brandt Jobe (22,940) 71-69-66-69--275
41. Bob Estes (22,940) 71-66-68-70--275
41. Kevin Streelman (22,940) 68-70-66-71--275
41. Lucas Glover (22,940) 70-65-66-74--275
46. Michael Bradley (16,337) 70-67-73-66--276
46. Ben Crane (16,337) 71-68-70-67--276
46. Danny Lee (16,337) 69-67-71-69--276
46. Chris DiMarco (16,337) 69-71-67-69--276
46. Matt Bettencourt (16,337) 69-70-68-69--276
46. Bart Bryant (16,337) 70-68-67-71--276
46. Charley Hoffman (16,337) 73-67-65-71--276
46. Fredrik Jacobson (16,337) 68-70-66-72--276
54. Heath Slocum (14,136) 69-71-68-69--277
54. Dudley Hart (14,136) 74-66-68-69--277
54. Tom Pernice, Jr. (14,136) 69-67-70-71--277
54. James Nitties (14,136) 67-68-70-72--277
54. Anthony Kim (14,136) 69-68-68-72--277
59. Bo Van Pelt (13,516) 71-69-69-69--278
59. Greg Owen (13,516) 68-69-69-72--278
59. Rocco Mediate (13,516) 67-70-69-72--278
59. Jason Dufner (13,516) 69-71-65-73--278
59. Geoff Ogilvy (13,516) 70-67-67-74--278
64. Mike Weir (12,958) 69-67-72-71--279
64. Adam Scott (12,958) 68-71-69-71--279
64. Carl Pettersson (12,958) 71-68-69-71--279
64. Tommy Armour III (12,958) 67-72-68-72--279
68. Richard S. Johnson (12,524) 71-69-70-70--280
68. Derek Fathauer (12,524) 68-69-70-73--280
68. Rod Pampling (12,524) 73-66-67-74--280
71. Ryuji Imada (12,152) 69-68-73-71--281
71. Chez Reavie (12,152) 72-68-70-71--281
71. John Rollins (12,152) 70-67-71-73--281
74. John Merrick (11,904) 71-68-71-75--285