Brooks closing in on Bovey Castle victory

Daniel Brooks has opened up a four-shot lead at ten under par ahead of the final round of the PGA EuroPro Tour’s Sureshot GPS International Open at Bovey Castle in Devon.
Brooks (Mill Hill) began his second round at seven under par after an opening round 63 without a dropped shot and the 22 year-old continued that good scoring, moving to nine under par after his front nine.
Two further birdies at the start of the back nine took Brooks to 11 under, before his first bogey of the opening rounds came out the 16th to post 67 and a commanding four shot lead.
Brooks led overnight with Carlos Balmaseda but the Spaniard had an awful start to his second round with a triple-bogey 7 on the first followed by four more bogeys and a double bogey at the ninth to decimate his efforts on Tuesday and move to two over.
Birdies at the 12th and 13th saw the 37 year-old regain parity, but another bogey at the 16th meant he ended eight over for the day and one over for the tournament.
Matthew Evans (Rotherham) and Tom Haylock (Ground Construction Ltd) are the closest challengers to the leader ahead of Thursday’s final round with both men finishing with back to back birdies – Evans ending with a 65 and Haylock with 69 to both end on six under.
Peter Appleyard (Read Group) also bagged a 65 to move to five under for the tournament, where he is joined by Nicky Harris (Whitefield GC) and Jamie Elson (Forum Financial Associates) – Harris shooting a 68 and Elson a 69.
Order of Merit leader Steve Surry (Cumberwell Park) gained a stroke from his overnight position at three under to join Neil Walker (Special Steel Group) at four under. 58 players made the cut at four over and the final round of the Sureshot GPS International Open begins at 8am, with the leading pair of Brooks and Evans teeing off at 12.30pm.
To follow the live scoring, visit http://www.europrotour.com/ and click on the Score Updates link on the homepage.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 140 (2x70)
130 Daniel Brooks 63 67.
134 Matthew Evans 69 65,Tom Haylock 65 69.
135 Peter Appleyard 70 65, Nicky Harris 67 68, Jamie Elson 66 69.
136 Neil Walker 68 68, Steve Surry 67 69.
138 Gary Wolstenholme 68 70, Kevin Harper 67 71, Paul Dwyer 69 69.
Scots' scores:
141 Scott Jamieson 71 70 (jt 24th).
143 Barry Hume 69 74, Lorne Kelly 73 70 (jt 38th).
144 Mark Kerr 68 76 (jt 48th).
DID NOT QUALIFY
145 John Gallagher 70 75.
146 Elliot Saltman 75 71.
147 Graham Brown 71 76.
151 Paul Doherty 74 77.
153 Jack Doherty 71 82.
157 Shaun McAllister 76 81.

Aberdeen Links Championship Scoreboard

ROYAL ABERDEEN MEDAL PLAY-OFF
Lee Morrice (Caledonian) 66 bt Barrie Edmond (Bon Accord) 66.

LINKS HANDICAP FINAL
Willie West (Northern) bt Norman Gray (Bon Accord) 3 and 2.

MURRAY CUP FINAL
Graeme Mackie (Caledonain) bt Richie Davidson (Caledonian) 2 and 1.

Lee Morrice wins Royal Aberdeen Medal play-off

Lee Morrice ended Barrie Edmond's fine run of form at the Links championship with a superb five-under-par round of 66 in the Royal Aberdeen Medal play-off between the joint leading qualifiers for the match-play stage.s
Edmond's 69 would have been good enough to win on many occasions but Morrice put on a fine display in halves of 33.
Edmond got off to a flyer, sinking a 20ft putt at the first for birdie, only for Morrice to reply at the next with an eightfooter for his first birdie. He then went on to birdie four, seven and eight to turn two strokes ahead.
A lost ball at 11 put Edmond further behind but he clawed one back with a birdie at 12. Morrice's par at 14 was good enough to go back to a three-stroke lead. The 15th was halved in birdies before Edmond sank a 30-footer at 16 for a birdie 2 at the short 16th to pull within two shots of his opponent.
Morrice slammed the door shut with a magical 6 iron to within a foot of the flagstick at the 17th for a tap-in birdie 3 and a half in 3s at the 18 gave Morrice the victory.
In the Links Handicap Final, Willie West proved to be too strong for Norman Gray. West posted birdies at the second and fourth to be two up and a par at the fifth was good enough to go three up.
Gray fought back with a par at the sixth and missed good chances at seven and eight before West lost a ball at the ninth and conceded the hole to turn one up.
On the back nine, West parred 11 and birdied 12 to go three up. A par at 13 put him four up before Gray birdied 15 to pull one back.
West closed out the match with a par on 16.
Last year's winner Richie Davidson put up a stout defence of his Murray Cup title but fell at the last hurdle to the " Peter Pan " of the Caley, Graeme Mackie. Pars at the first, third and fifth were good enough to put Mackie three up before Davidson pulled two holes back with a par at 6 and a birdie at 9.
A superb birdie-birdie start back put Mackie back in command and the next five holes were exchanged to leave Mackie dormie two up. A half on 17 sealed the title for the Caley stalwart.

FRIDAY NIGHT'S LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL (teeing off at 5.30pm)

George Paterson (Northern) v Barrie Edmond (BonAccord).

British amateur championship at Formby, Lancashire

Defending champion Saxton loses

five-hole lead to make early exit

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
Having been five up after 10 holes, defending champion Reinier Saxton has been knocked out of the 114th Amateur Championship on the 19th hole by Spain’s Ignacio Elvira.
The Dutchman bogeyed five holes in a row from the 11th to let Elvira back into the match before a wayward drive at the 19th hole, followed by a chip out which caught a branch, caused Saxton to concede.
It was an unlikely victory for the three-time Spanish junior champion who had told his caddy on the 11th tee that there were only a couple of holes left at most. As the weather closed in, however, Elvira picked up his game, coming back in level-par 35.
“I started finding the fairway and hitting really good shots to the pin. If the weather keeps getting worse, I’ve got a good chance!”
Last year’s beaten finalist, Tommy Fleetwood, has secured his passage through to the last 32 with a two-hole win over Italy’s Andrea Pavan. Having gone one up with a birdie at the par-5 third, Fleetwood would retain the lead for the duration of the match.
“It was good enough,” said the 18-year-old. “I’ll have to improve if I want to win (the championship) but I feel like my best golf is still to come.”
Meanwhile, Australia’s Matt Jager continues to impress, winning today’s match against Wales’ Rhys Enoch 2 & 1. Three up-and-downs on the first three holes left the Formby course-record holder two up, a lead which he built upon to reach the turn with a four-hole advantage.
Enoch rallied to reduce the deficit to one down after 15, but a nine-iron to two feet at 16 and another birdie at the par-5 17 from Jager, ensured that it is the Australian who advances into tomorrow’s third round.
“My short game was good early on, I didn’t make a mistake on the front nine,” he explained. “After fourteen I was a bit frustrated, but in that weather you’re bound to make mistakes. I wasn’t too concerned though as I was hitting the ball well.”
Joining Jager is Matteo Manassero, who continues to show the form that left him four shots clear of the field after the stroke play stage. The 16-year-old only required 13 holes to ensure a 6&5 victory and a place in the final 32 where he will face good friend and Italian team-mate, Joon Kim. Though they know each other’s game well, the pair have never before met in a match play situation, making for an enthralling third-round contest.
Also progressing to the next stage are Brabazon Trophy winner Niall Kearney, world No 13 Sam Hutsby, four-time Walker Cup competitor Nigel Edwards and Stiggy Hodgson.
Hodgson, who on Tuesday intended to return home after stating that his two-round total of 147 would not be enough, won a preliminary qualifying round this morning on the 19th hole and, this afternoon, beat fellow Englishman Ben Rickett, by one hole to reach the third-round.

Visit RandA.org for the full list of qualifiers and tomorrow’s draw.

Results from the first day of match play

ROUND OF 64
Matteo Manassero bt Steven Brown 6 and 5
Joon Kim def. Stephan Gross 2 and 1
Simon Ward def. David Markle 2 holes
Peter Baunsoe def. Joe Vickery 7 and 5
Matt Jager def. Rhys Enoch 2 and 1
John Carroll def. Greg Paterson 6 and 5
Jesper Kennegard def. Charlie Cossins 3 and 1
Tommy Fleetwood def. Andrea Pavin 2 holes
Jack Bartlett def. Niclas Johansson at 20th
Jonathan Hurst def. Chris Cannon 8 and 7
Stephan Jaeger def. Jonathan Gidney 3 and 2
Mark Hillson def. Luke Lennox 2 and 1
Steve Ziegler def. Gavin Dear 2 and 1
James White def. Jake Amos 4 and 3
Tommy King def. James Robinson at 19th
Darren Renwick def. Pontius Widegren 2 holes.
Kalle Samooja def. Russell Henley 1 hole.
Stefan Widergruen def. Adam Wainwright 3 and 1
Jurrian Van Der Vaart def. Adam Runcie 2 and 1
Ignacio Elvira def. Reinier Saxton at 19th.
Willem Vork def. Richard Hooper 4 and 2
Maximillian Kieffer def. Henrik Norlander 3 and 2
Niall Kearney def. Daniel Nisbet 1 hole.
Sam Hutsby def. Eugene Wong 6 and 5
James Byrne def. Sam Stuart 3 and 1
Fredrik Qvicker def. Billy Hernstock 3 and 1
Nils Floren def. Bryden Macpherson 2 holes.
Matthew Nixon def. Brendan Smith 4 and 3
Jamie Abbott def. Alexander Knappe 1 hole.
Stiggy Hodgson def. Ben Rickett 1 hole.
Ryan Dreyer def. Daan Huizing 1 hole.
Nigel Edwards def. Pedro Oriol 5 and 4

QUALIFYING ROUND
Richard Hooper def. Nunzio Lombardi at 21st
Henrik Norlander def. William Wilcox 3 and 2
Daniel Nisbet def. Paul Cutler 2 and 1
Eugene Wong def. Gregor Main 5 and 4
Sam Stuart def. Robin Kind at 19th.
Billy Hemstock def. Lincoln Tighe 5 and 4
Nils Floren def. Sam Haywood 4 and 3
Matthew Nixon def. Adrian Ford 6 and 5
Alexander Knappe def. Tim Sluiter at 19th.
Stiggy Hodgson def. Johan Lopez Lazaro at 19th
Ryan Dreyer def. Victor Flatau 3 and 2
Pedro Oriol def. Dale Whitnell 1 hole.

Former Walker Cup man Robinson is

halfway Glenmuir PGA leader

By RON MARSHALL
PGA Press Officer at Dundonald Links
Admitting to playing a lot less these days because of business commitments, Jeremy Robinson nevertheless is in pole position at the halfway stage of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.
The 1987 Walker Cup player, based in Evesham, added a one-under 71 at a windswept and rainy Dundonald Links – at least for the first part of the day.
“We were lucky to be out among the late starters,” confessed Robinson. But no part of the day could be called easy, and he again was grateful for an obedient putter for his score.“My driver’s still a bit 'iffy,' and I’m struggling off the tee, but it all came more or less together.”
The end result was five birdies and four bogeys, and a one-shot lead over Welshman James Lee.
The Caerphilly pro added a level-par 72 to his opening 69, the major boost to the Welshman’s round coming at the 510yd 14th. A drive that went left onto the 16th fairway still gave him a nice line into the flag, and a ripped three-wood covering all of 265yd landed eight feet from the flag, and the eagle putt was despatched.
The 40-year-old, winner of the 1995 Kenya Open, had begun with two bogeys – “but they were good bogeys” – and he now faces 36 holes on Thursday and Friday where he has the chance not only of winning the £10,000 first prize but of being selected for the Britain and Ireland team for the PGA Cup (the club pros’ version of the Ryder Cup) in September at The Carrick on Loch Lomond.
Another Welshman, Andrew Barnett from North Wales Driving Range, was among the early starters who had the worst of wind and rain, and returned a fine 74, leaving him on 145. Kedleston Park’s Paul Wesselingh is on track to make yet another challenge for the title he won in 2006.
After a steady 72 for 143, the 2006 champion admitted “We were lucky with the weather. The early starters had it rough.”
Wesselingh’s putting was the key was his score. “It’s saving me at the moment. I’m starting to play a lot better but don’t get me wrong – I’m delighted with the position I’m in.”The cut came at 153, nine over par.

Leading scores:
Par 144 (2x72)
140 J Robinson (Sports Masters International) 69 71
141 J Lee (Caerphilly) 69 72
143 P Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) 71 72
145 A Barnett (North Wales DR) 71 74, J King (Lindrick) 73 72
146 S McNally (Scottish Inst of Sport) 74 72
147 J Harris (Tonbridge) 75 72, J Bevan (Wessex GC) 74 73, B Taylor (Houghwood) 75 72
Scottish scores:
149 C Ronald (Carluke) 74 75, F Mann (Musselburgh) 75 74
150 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 76
152 F McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle) 72 80, J McKinnon (Irvine) 76 76
153 G Law (Uphall) 75 78
154 M King (Kingsfield) 73 81
155 C Elliott (Haggs Castle) 77 78
157 A MacKenzie (Duddingston) 77 80
158 C Everett (Caldwell) 79 79, K Hutton (Downfield) 77 81
159 S Savage (Dalmuir) 81 78, S O’Donnell (Balbirnie Park) 75 84, C Donnelly (Balbirnie Park) 74 85, A Fullen (Largs) 78 81
162 R Arnott (Bishopbriggs DR) 79 83
163 P Wardell (Whitekirk) 76 87, N Walton (Glasgow) 81 82, A Forrow (Whitecraigs) 77 86, N Huguet (Musselburgh) 84 79
Retired – S Strachan (Deer Park)

David Orr strikes again! Airdrie

victory is third in eight days

East Renfrewshire's David Orr made it three wins in eight days with a four-under-par round of 65 to lift the £804 first prize in today's £5,000 Airdrie Golf Club pro-am.
Orr also won at Ayr Belleisle Tuesday (June 9) last week and on Monday this week at Prestwick St Nicholas.
David, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is 15 under par for the 54-hole purple patch, over which he has become the best part of £2,500 richer!
He had no bogeys on his card as he finished a couple of shots clear of joint runners-up Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) and Stephen Gray (Hayston) at Airdrie.
Orr had birdies at the first, sixth, ninth and 14th in halves of 32 (three under par) and 33 (one under).
McKechnie and Gray earned £563 apiece.
Scott Clelland of the host club pro staff led Airdrie GC trio of amateurs, Graham Dalziel (handicap 3), David Telford (10) and Robert Sneddon (18), to victory in the team event with a net score of 15-under-par 54. They won by three clear strokes.
LEADING PRO SCORES
Par 69
65 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) £804.82.
67 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Stephen Gray (Hayston) £563.18 each.
68 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) £362.10.
69 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) £289.68.
70 Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design), Chris Kelly (Cawder) £225.22 each.
71 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation), Edward Thomson (Senit Associates) £146.89 each.
72 Callum Nicoll (Prestwick), Simon McLean (Airdrie), Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle), Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) £100.54 each.
73 Scott Clelland (Airdrie), Christopher Tierney (Airdrie) £75.61 each.
74 Jonathan Lomas (unatt), Colin Gillies (Perry Golf) £60.35 each.
77 Kenneth Monaghan (Bothwell Castle), David Park (Wishaw) £45.64 each.
86 John Kelly (Kames CC) £43.01.
NRs Jamie Stevenson (Braehead), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) £43.01 each.

Scotland's top hope Gavin Dear beaten in first tie

Tommy Fleetwood through to

last 32 of British Amateur

FROM THE R&A WEBSITE

In dreadful conditions at Formby on the third day of the 2009 Amateur Championship, last year’s beaten finalist, Tommy Fleetwood, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, from Southport, has secured his passage through to the last 32 with a two-hole win over Italy’s Andrea Pavan.

Having gone one-up with a birdie at the par-5 third, Fleetwood (winner of the Scottish open amateur stroke-play championship at Murcar Links a couple of weeks ago) would retain the lead for the duration of the match.
“It was good enough,” said the 18-year-old. “I’ll have to improve if I want to win (the championship) but I feel like my best golf is still to come.”
Meanwhile, Australia’s Matt Jager continues to impress, winning today’s match against Wales’ Rhys Enoch by 2 and 1.

Three up-and-downs on the first three holes left Jager two-up, a lead which he built upon to reach the turn with a four-hole advantage. Enoch rallied to reduce the deficit to one through 15, but a nine-iron to two feet at 16 and another birdie at 17 from Jager, ensured that it is the Australian who advances to tomorrow’s third round.
“My short game was good early on, I didn’t make a mistake on the front nine,” he explained. “After 14 I was a bit frustrated, but in that weather you’re bound to make mistakes. I wasn’t too concerned though as I was hitting the ball well.”
Joining Jager is Matteo Manassero, who continues to show the form that left him four shots clear of the field after the stroke-play stage.

The 16-year-old from Verona, Italy required only 13 holes to ensure a 6 and 5 victory and a place in the final 32 where he will face good friend and Italian team-mate, Joon Kim.

Though they know each other’s game well, the pair have never before met in a match-play situation, making for an enthralling third-round contest.

Canadian golfers first and second in

new R&A World Amateur Rankings

Canadian golfers are first and second in the new R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings issued this week.
Nick Taylor jumps up five places to become the new No 1, ahead of his compatriot Matt Hill who remains in second place.
Third-placed Morgan Hoffman (US) was No 1 last week.
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) remains the top Scot. He drops down one place to No 19.
The next best Scot is Ross Kellett (Colville Park), who goes up one place to No 70. The only other Scottish player in the top 100 is Wallace Booth (Comrie) who rises one spot to No 80.

R&A WAGR TOP 10
1 Nick Taylor (Canada) 1245.59 (+5).
2 Matt Hill (Canada) 1225.45.
3 Morgan Hoggman (US) 1222.06 (-2).
4 Rickie Fowler (US) 1178.87 (-1).
5 Jorge Campillo (Spain) 1174.63.
6 Nicol Van Wyk (Southy Africa) 1168.75 (+1).
7 Stephan Gros (Germany) 1167.65.
8 Kyle Stanley (US) 1165.00 (+4).
9 Mike Van Sickle (US) 1137.70.
10 Cameron Tringale (US) 1126.42.
Selected Scots:
19 Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) 1040.79 (-1).
70 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 888.06 (+1).
80 Wallace Booth (Comrie) 879.49 (+1).
172 Steven McEwan (Caprington) 780.00 (+1).
228 Paul O' Hara (Colville Park) 736.07 (+1).
232 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 734.48 (+2).
245 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 725.93

England lying fourth in world boys'

team championship in Japan

England (420) are lying fourth behind Argentina (416), Chinese Taipei (417) and the United States (418) after two rounds of the Toyota world boys' team championship at Chukyo Golf Club in Japan.
Chris Lloyd, despite a sore shoulder, is the leading English player at joint 11th place in the individual standings with rounds of 73 and 68 for a 36-hole tally of 141 over the par-71 course.
Lloyd's only bogey came at the 18th.
Jonathan Bell has had rounds of 72 and 70 for 142, the same total as team-mate Max Smith who was heading for a score in the 60s until he bogeyed the 17th and triple-bogeyed the 18th for a 71, a repeat of his first round.
Thomas Lewis is on 143 after scores of 68 75.
Santiago Gavino (Mexico) is the individual leader by four strokes on eight-under-par 138 with scores of 66 and 68.
SECOND ROUND SCOREBOARD
Teams

Par 426 (6x71)
416 Argentina. 417 Chinese Taipei, 416 United States. 420 England. 421 Mexico, 422 South Korea. 425 Australia, Japan. 430 Portugal. 432 Sweden. 437 South Africa. 443 Norway. 452 Uruguay. 453 Canada.
Individuals
Par 142 (2x71)
134 Santiago Gavino (Mex) 68 66.
138 Luke Humphries (Aus) 70 68, Evan Beck (US) 68 70.
139 T J Vogel (US) 73 66, Kyoung-Hoon Lee (SKo) 71 68, Cameron Smith (Aus) 71 68, Tomohiro Umeyama (Jap) 71 68, Tomas Cocha (Arg) 71 68, Tao Huyang (Tai) 67 72.
Selected scores:
141 Chris Lloyd (Eng) 73 68.
142 Jonathan Bell (Eng) 72 70, Max Smith (Eng) 71 71.
143 Thomas Lewis (Eng) 68 75.

Seb from Cumbria seeking to retain

McGregor Trophy for under-16s

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Sebastian Crookall-Nixon (Workington) will defend the title when the McGregor Trophy, the English boys' open under-16 stroke-play championship, returns to Radcliffe-on-Trent Golf Club near Nottingham, celebrating its centenary year, from June 30 t0 July 2.
The Cumbrian youngster won the title a year ago at High Post Golf Club in Wiltshire and if successful will be only the second player to retain the championship.
The only player to win the title two years in a row was Jim Payne, now the professional at Southport & Ainsdale, when he was successful at Radcliffe-on-Trent in 1986 and 1987.
Crookall-Nixon is in the second game out at 7.40am on June 30, along with Ewan Scott from St Andrews and Spain’s Javier Sainz in a highly-talented international field.
However, the champion faces strong opposition not least from his England under-16 squad colleagues Harry Casey (Enfield), Liam Harper (Lydd) and Colin Walsh (Hayling). Others likely to be in the shake-up for the title are Woburn’s Harry Whittle, a former under-16 cap, Leon Fricker from Oxley Park, Devon, Staffordshire’s Robert Burlison and Jack Orme, winner of the Staffordshire under-16 winter knock-out competition.
Also competing is Toby Tree, the reigning England under-14 champion, who won the title at Coxmoor last August. There is also a strong overseas contingent seeking to take the title abroad for the first time since 2003 when Dutchman Wouter de Vries was successful.
Players from Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Holland, Switzerland and a 21-strong squad from Spain, are in the field of 132, as well as Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There will also be a Nations Cup competed for over the opening two rounds.
Nine countries will be fielding a total of 14 teams, England’s two squads comprising Crookall-Nixon, Oliver Carr and Toby Tree and Harper, Casey and Walsh.
Apart from Jim Payne, other past winners of the under 16 title include Steve Webster, Graeme Storm and Justin Rose, while more recent champions have been internationals James Heath, Michael Skelton, Paul Waring, Matthew Baldwin and Oliver Fisher.
The title has also been won by non-British players on three occasions, by Eduardo Molinari in 1996, his fellow Italian Roberto Paolillo in 1997 and by de Vries in 2003. Play starts at 7.30am each day and admission is free. For those unable to attend, live scoring and news updates will be available on the Championships Section of the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.

Dear and Booth head Scotland squad

for European team championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Eisenhower Trophy Champions Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth will spearhead Scotland’s campaign when they take on their Continental rivals at the European amateur team championship which gets underway in Wales at the end of this month.
The tournament, which changed from a biennial to an annual fixture last year, will be hosted at Conwy (Caenarvonshire) Golf Club in Wales from June 30 to July 4.
The Perthshire pair will hope to boost Scotland’s chances of dominating at European level after imposing a convincing victory to become current holders of the world amateur team championship. Dear has enjoyed significant success since Scotland’s triumph in Australia last October, winning the Dixie men’s amateur championship just several months later and this year, winning the Craigmillar Park Open, the AIB Irish amateur stroke play championship and more recently finishing runner up in the Bidwells Scottish stroke play championship.
Booth, the 2008 Scottish stroke-play champion, has pulled off a number of strong performances including finishing runner up to Dear in Ireland which has left him in the upper reaches of the current SGU Order of Merit standings.
Like Dear, Booth’s form earned him a place as one of seven Scots selected for this year’s GB&I Walker Cup Squad.
A third player from the Big County, Blairgowrie’s Glenn Campbell, has also received a call up. The former Allied Surveyors Scottish amateur ahampion and winner of this year’s Scottish Champion of Champions will represent his country again, enabling the Scottish international to add another cap to his impressive CV.
New South Wales Amateur runner-up Ross Kellett has also made the team and like Campbell, is just one of two changes to last year’s line up at Torino, Italy.
Concluding the six-man team are two more Walker Cup squad members, Paul O’Hara and Michael Stewart. O’Hara’s title win at the Edward Trophy in addition to a number of high placed finishes sees him as the current leader of the SGU Order of Merit rankings.
Whilst for Michael Stewart, receiving the nod to make his second appearance in Scotland’s European side will be a welcome reminder of his first full cap at men’s level last year. Stewart, the 2008 Scottish boys champion departed from the domestic scene at the end of last season to embark on a golf scholarship at East Tennessee State University and earlier this year recorded his first victory for his college. The Ayrshire player won the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship by one stroke and helped East Tennessee to a fourth place finish in the team event.
Commenting on the team, SGU National Coach Ian Rae said, “The players selected have a proven track record of competing in strong international fields and achieving world class results. The team can build upon their recent success and with Scotland’s history of punching above our weight against other leading golfing nations, I am confident we can again provide a strong challenge for the medal positions in this tournament. ”
In order to contest the medal places, the Scots must progress from the two qualifying stroke play rounds to the upper flight of the match play phases. Ireland have won the title for the last two years.
Scotland Team:
Wallace Booth (Comrie)
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie)
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
Paul O’Hara (Colville Park)
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)

PGA Professional Championship tees off at Dundonald Links

Whatley bursts to the front in

glorious Glenmuir weather

By RON MARSHALL
PGA Press Officer at Dundonald Links
With the only bogey-free round of the day, Derby’s James Whatley came in late to record a brilliant four-under 68 to lead after the opening round of the flagship event for Britain and Ireland’s top club professionals.
Playing in sunny, calm conditions at Dundonald Links, near Troon in the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship, the 26-year-old reaped the reward of hard practice in recent weeks.
“I’ve been getting into the right mindset”, said Whatley. “I’m a lot calmer than I used to be (his wife Rachel is expecting their first child in October), and it makes you realise there’s a lot more to life than golf.”
One of his goals on the tough Ayrshire course was to try and hit the centre of greens, not go for flags.
“Occasionally you get lucky and the ball finishes up beside a pin.”
That certainly happened after a beautifully flighted four-iron at the 470yd 16th, which travelled 204 yards – and nestled two inches from the cup. Whatley is a stroke ahead of Welshman James Lee and Jeremy Robinson from Evesham.
Caerphilly’s Lee was in sparkling form. The 40-year-old Welshman fired a three-under 69 after halves and 35 and 34. Lee, a former Kenyan Open champion, said he was desperate to improve on his previous best performance in the event, tied 27th last year at Moortown.
“The key today was trying to keep out of trouble. Three times I found fairway bunkers, and managed to minimise the damage each time.”
Undoubtedly his shot of the day came at the 175yd fourth, where his six-iron tee shot finished 12 inches behind the hole.
Also on 69 was former Walker Cup player, Jeremy Robinson, from Evesham. He gave all the credit for his score to his putter – “I didn’t drive the greatest, and got away with a couple of poor efforts off the tee” – and but for a double bogey at the par-4 ninth, where his drive was miles offline and then the next found a ditch, he would have been a happier boy.
Andrew Barnett, runner-up in the last two years, again thrust himself into contention with a one-under 71. Based at North Wales Driving Range in the Vale of Clwyd, Barnett fired four birdies and three bogeys.
And defending champion, Paul Simpson, is far from out of things after an opening level-par round. Another Derby player, former champion Paul Wesselingh, is handily placed on 71.The statistically-minded Wesselingh (‘I’m 32 under for my last eight rounds’) is convinced there’s better to come as the week progresses.
“I had five birdies and four bogeys, but I feel I’m just coming onto a game. The worst I can be tonight is maybe a couple off the lead – and there’s a long way to go.”
Leading scores:
68 J Whatley (Morley Hayes)
69 J Lee (Caerphilly), J Robinson (Sports Masters International)
70 T Nash (Porthpean)
71 C Goodfellow (Carlisle DR), P Wesselingh (Kedleston Park), A Barnett (N Wales GR), D Prosser (Halfpenny Green).
72 F McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle), D Greenwood (Forest Pines), P Simpson (West Berkshire) Other Scottish scores:
73 M King (Kingsfield)
74 S McNally (Scottish Inst of Sport), C Ronald (Carluke), C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst)
75 G Law (Uphall), F Mann (Musselburgh)
76 J McKinnon (Irvine)
77 A MacKenzie (Duddingston), K Hutton (Downfield)
79 R Arnott (Bishopbriggs DR), C Everett (Caldwell)
81 S Savage (Dalmuir)
83 S Strachan (Deer Park)
84 N Huguet (Musselburgh)

Mark Hillson keeps cool

to stay in Amateur hunt

FROM THE SCOTSMAN.SPORT.COM WEBSITE
By NICK RODGER
LOTHIANS ace Mark Hillson was rewarded for his calm approach as he sealed a place in the knock-out stages of the Brtitish Amateur Championship at Formby on Merseyside.
The Craigielaw golfer signed off from his qualifying campaign at West Lancs with a one-under 71 for a two-over 146 and grabbed one of the 64+ match-play spots on offer with a shot to spare.
Hillson, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, knew he needed to produce the goods on the final stroke-play day after opening with a 75 but the former Lothians champion held his nerve.
One-over-par after eight holes, Hillson was flirting with an early exit but a wedge to four feet for birdie at 13 boosted his chances and he made sure of a place in the match-play stages for the first time in three attempts with a tap-in birdie at 16.
He beamed: "I'm delighted. It's third-time lucky and I'm going to enjoy the match-play as it's a format I love. I knew it was going to be quite tight but I stayed relaxed as I knew I was playing well."
While Hillson ploughed on, there was disappointment for the rest of the Lothians hopefuls in the field. The Glen's Neil Henderson missed out on a 153 while Baberton's former Scottish boys' champion, Paul Ferrier, exited with a 158.
Dunbar's Alexander Culverwell, the former Lothians title-holder, finished down on the 160 mark.
At the head of affairs, Scone's Gavin Dear led the Scots with a 140, five behind Italian teenager, Matteo Manaserro, who claimed the No.1 qualifying spot with a 135.
Fife duo James White and Greg Paterson and Banchory's former Scottish boys' stroke-play champion James Byrne all eased through on the 143 mark but Nairn's Fraser Fotheringham and Fraserburgh's Kris Nicoll missed out on 148 and 149 respectively. Gordon Yates too totalled 149.
Scotland caps Paul O'Hara (149), Keir McNicoll and Scott Borrowman (both 150), Steven McEwan (151), Wallace Booth (152), Ross Kellett and Michael Stewart (both 153) all crashed out.
So too did Scottish boys champion David Law with 74 and 80 for 154.
Peterhead's Scotland youth cap Philip McLean failed on 157 (74-83), the same mark as the surprise St Andrews Links Trophy winner from Northern Ireland, Alan Dunbar (74-83).

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE TUESDAY EVENING SCOREBOARD

Auchmill Golf Club allowed to run

public course rent-free for a year

A closure-threatened municipal golf course in Aberdeen has been granted a reprieve.
The management committee of Auchmill Golf Club has been told by Aberdeen City Council that it can run the public Auchmill parkland course rent-free for a year.
Auchmill is the only golf club - members built their own clubhouse there soon after the course was opened in 1975 - based at the public course which is adjacent to the Aberdeen council house estate at Heatheryfold in the North suburbs of the Granite City.
The club's future was in doubt when, last December, the course was earmarked for closure by Aberdeen City Council as part of its £60million savings package. The savings would come from the cost of employing greenkeepers to maintain the course and staff to operate the pay-and-play starter's box.
Auchmill members came up with their own business plan and in March councillors agreed to hand the running of the course over to them - giving them a transitional licence to manage the finances for a year.
The scheme has now been approved by the Scottish Governemnt which had to have the final say because the agreed rental - nil - is below current market value.
Work on the terms of a longer-term lease could begin this autumn .
Aberdeen City Council leader Kate Dean said: "We are delighted that the transitional licence has been approved and hope the management committee seize the opportunity and that the coming year is a great success for Auchmill Golf Club."
The other public courses owned and operated by Aberdeen City Council are at Hazlehead, the Kings Links and Nigg Bay.

Aberdeen Pennant League Scoreboard

SPONSORED BY THE CULTS HOTEL

Tuesday evening result at Portlethen Golf Club

PORTLETHEN 5 1/2, AUCHMILL 1/2
Home players first
James Hunter & Keith Horne halve with Alan Swift & Steve Scott.
Ian Craik & Stephen Cook bt Gary Geddes & Justin Barclay 3 and 2.
Clark Brechin & Ryan Penny bt Alex Allan & Les Taylor 4 and 3.
Donald Smith & Ben Murray bt Kevin Sellar & Keith Duncan 4 and 3.
Lewis Shand & Graham Innes bt Phil Benson & Mark Albiston 2 and 1.
Ryan Donaldson & Colin Erskine bt Joe Freel & Graeme Hutcheon 7 and 6.

+Officials of the home club can E-mail their Aberdeen Pennant League results to Colin@scottishgolfview.com for display on this website.