Aberdeen Pennant League Scoreboard
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MURCAR LINKS 4, NEWMACHAR 2

Bryan Innes & Ronnie Brechin bt Kevin Riley & Chris Simpson 4 and 3.
Anthony Bews & Neil McKinnon lost to Mark McKechnie & Martin Lawrence 1 hole.
Iain Galbraith & Billy Main lost to Chris Flint & Bryan Robson 1 hole.
Adrian Styles & Stephen Burt bt Mike Dickie & Neil Melvin 2 and 1.
Duncan Raitt & Iain Powell bt Richard Barr & Iain Wallace 3 and 2.
Gregor Stewart & Derek Allan bt Mike Barclay & Robert Lamb 6 and 5.

Earlier result:

MURCAR LINKS 6, CRAIBSTONE 0

Challenge Tour event

Saint-Omer Scoreboard
FIRST ROUND
Par 71
65 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe)
66 Tony Carolan (Aus), Michael Curtain (Aus)
67 Carlos Del Moral (Spa), James Morrison
68 Ben Evans, Christian Nilsson (Swe)
69 Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Andreas Hogberg (Swe), Andrew Tampion (Aus), Peter Whiteford, Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut), Mikko Korhonen (Fin), Kasper Jorgensen (Den)
70 Martin Wiegele (Aut), Adam Gee, Sion Bebb, Kalle Brink (Swe), Klas Eriksson (Swe), Lars Brovold (Nor), Kane Webber (USA), Gareth Paddison (Nzl), Andrew McArthur, Alessandro Tadini (Ita), Wade Ormsby (Aus)
71 Andrew Butterfield, Ake Nilsson (Rsa), Liam Bond, Branden Grace (Rsa), Anthony Snobeck (Fra), Iain Pyman, Gary Boyd, Matthew Millar (Aus), Francois Calmels (Fra), George Murray, Stuart Manley, Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Raphael De Sousa (Swi), Dennis Kupper (Ger), Ricardo Santos (Por), Lorenzo Gagli (Ita)
72 Chris Gane, Jamie Moul, Richard McEvoy, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa), Chih-bing Lam (Sin), Steven O'Hara, Gary Lockerbie, Andre Bossert (Swi), Daniel Denison, Gregory Molteni (Ita), Mark f Haastrup (Den), Federico Colombo (Ita), Raphael Pellicioli (Fra), Christopher Doak
73 Simon Robinson, Jonathan Caldwell, John Parry, Jean Van de Velde (Fra), Clodomiro Carranza (Arg), Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha), Joel Sjoholm (Swe), Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor), Roland Steiner (Aut), Victor Riu (Fra), Simon Thornton, Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Zane Scotland, Jan Are Larsen (Nor), Peter Baker, Matthew Cort, Matthew Zions (Aus), Javier Colomo (Spa), Julien Guerrier (Fra), Julien Quesne (Fra), Alexandre Rocha (Bra), Marcus Higley, Adrien Bernadet (Fra), Inder Van Weerelt (Ned)
74 Joakim Haeggman (Swe), Adilson Da Silva (Bra), Robert Coles, Ben Mason, Jun Zhou (Chn), Simon Wakefield, Peter Kaensche (Nor), Julien Clement (Swi), Santiago Luna (Spa), Raphael Eyraud (Fra), Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa), Roope Kakko (Fin), Garry Houston, Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa), Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel), Benjamin Miarka (Ger), Dominique Nouailhac (Fra), Sam Walker, Rolf Muntz (Ned), Lee S James, Benoit Teilleria (Fra), Rory Hie (Ina), Cedric Menut (Fra)
75 John Mellor, Michael Mcgeady, Unho Park (Aus), Julien Grillon (Fra), Richard Treis (Ger), Eric Ramsay, Antti Ahokas (Fin), Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra), Michele Reale (Ita), Joakim Backstrom (Swe), Anthony Grenier (Fra), Greig Hutcheon, Kyron Sullivan, Marc Cayeux (Zim), Carl Suneson (Spa), Jamie McLeary, Andrew Marshall, Cesar Monasterio (Arg)
76 Colm Moriarty, Anders Schmidt Hansen (Den), Peter Gustafsson (Swe), Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice), Andrew Coltart, Christophe Brazillier (Fra), Jerome Theunis (Bel), Johan Wahlqvist (Swe), Lloyd Kennedy, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger), Wil Besseling (Ned), Marco Ruiz (Par), Sebastien Delagrange (Fra), Alan Wagner (USA), Phillip Archer
77 Miguel Rodriguez (Arg), Nathan T Smith (USA), Mark Tullo (Chi), Phillip Price, Nicolas Vanhootegem (Bel), Christoph Gunther (Ger), Ivo Giner (Spa), Scott Barr (Aus), Matthew Morris, Andrew Willey, Benjamin Hebert (Fra)
78 A-Shun Wu (Chn), Mathieu Decottignies Lafon (Fra), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut), Philip Golding
79 John E Morgan, Andrew Oldcorn, Bjorn Pettersson (Swe), Steven Jeppesen (Swe)
80 Simon Griffiths
83 Mark Pilkington

Rain reduces first day's play to only 3hr 15min

US Open may not finish until

Tuesday, says USGA official

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE

Paul Casey urged patience at a rain-drenched Bethpage Black as US Open play was abandoned for the day just 3hr 15min into the first round.
Tournament officials from the United States Golf Association had hoped to eventually resume play at the Long Island, New York, course when play was initially suspended at 10.15am (3.15pm BST). As the rain that swamped the greens and caused the opening round to be halted continued to pour into the afternoon, however, they decided no further play was possible and at 1.55pm local time declared play would resume at 7.30am (local time) on Friday.
"It's only going to get worse but we will see what happens," Casey said of the weather forecast.
With rain expected to continue into Friday - and Saturday promising a deluge equal to Thursday's - Mike Davis, the USGA senior director of rules and competitions, said a Monday finish was looking a distinct possibility as the body would not contemplate deciding the champion in fewer than 72 holes.
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Click on the line below:

Official site of the US Open

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With the USGA also resisting calls to introduce a 'lift, clean and place' policy for muddied golf balls on fairways, world No 3 Casey, who will hope to restart on Friday two shots off the four-way lead at one over par, said the eventual champion would need to be have plenty of patience.
"You are certainly going to have to strike the ball very well but it's going to be the guy who keeps his head this week," he said.

"Patience is paramount and you are going to have to deal with not only a very tough golf course but also some of the decisions that are being made like not being able to lift, clean and place. That's going to be very difficult and you are going to have be patient and expect some difficult lies and some mud-balls. That's the way it is."
Asked if that reduced the tournament to a lottery, the Englishman replied: "It does but hey, it all adds to the fun."
Davis insisted the US Open would be allowed to run its natural course.
"The USGA is firm on this, that we will not determine a national champion until we play 72 holes," he said. "So if that takes us in Monday or Tuesday, whatever."
Of the golf that did get played before the suspension, defending champion Tiger Woods needed to be at his combative best to stay on track for back-to-back wins. World No 1 Woods was one over par after six holes alongside Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera when play was supended with Americans Jeff Brehaut and Ryan Spears, Sweden's Johan Edfors and Canada's Andrew Parr sharing the lead at one under.

Douglas Park pro-am 'dead-heat' with Jonathan Lomas

McCreadie finding form in time for

Gleneagles title defence next week

Jason McCreadie has run into form at just the right time to defend the Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship next week.
On a day of wind and rain, the Buchanan Castle pro came storming home late in the day in four-under-par 31 to share victory with former European Tour pro Jonathan Lomas in the £7,000 Douglas Park Golf Club pro-am today (Thu).
Coincidentally, McCreadie, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, and Lomas had both won once earlier this season, within three days of each other in mid-May, McCreadier at Cardross and Lomas at Buchanan Castle.
McCreadie did very well indeed to return a two-under-par 67 and starting his round with a bogey at the first and a double bogey at the second. Even after cancelling out these slips with birdies at the third, fourth and sixth, Jason lurched off track again with another double bogey, at the eighth, and turned in two-over-par 36.
But coming home was more like the form McCreadie will be wanting to reproduce at Gleneagles next week ... not a bogey and four birdies, at the 10th, 13th, 17th and 18th.
Ayrshire-based Lomas, a later finisher than McCreadie, matched the par of 34 to the turn with birdies at the sixth and seventh wiping out bogeys at the fourth and eighth. Jonathan looked set to claim first prize all to himself after birdies at the 11th, 13th and 16th but after parring the 17th and needing "only" to par the 18th to finish one ahead of clubhhouse leader McCreadie, Lomas bogeyed the last for 33 home and a dead-heat on 67.
The joint winners each received £904.
Mark King (Kingsfield) was third on 68 and earned £6703.
David Orr, the in-form East Renfrewshire man gunning for a fourth win in a nine-day span, had to settle for a share of sixth place on 70 and a £261 pay-out.
Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design) led the BDO Stow Standard trio of amateurs, Andrew McNamara (handicap 7), Adam Urquhart (14) and Tom Monteith (16), to victory in the team event with a net total of 14-under-par 124.
They won by one shot from the team piloted by Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) with Jonathan Lomas's team finishing third on 126.
Leading pro totals
Par 69
67 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Jonathan Lomas (unatt) (£904.84 each).
68 Mark King (Kingsfield) (£603.22).
69 Craig Lee (unatt), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) (£407.17 each).
70 Jonny Sharp (Carrick at Cameron House), David Orr (East Renfrewshire), Kenny Walker (Castle Park) (£261.39 each).
71 Alan E Reid (West Lothian), David Blackadder (Kingsbarns), Jamie Stevenson (Braehead), Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design) (£163.32 each).
72 Chris Kelly (Cawder) (£130.90).
73 Mark Loftus (Cowglen), Andrew Marshall (Houston GR), Derek Watters (Gourock), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR), Colin Gillies (Perry Golf), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Edward Thomson (Senit Associates) (£90.48 each).
74 Euan Cameron (Hamilton), Gary Collinson (Esporta Dougalston), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill), Scott Henderson (Kings Links) (£48.39 each).
75 Samuel Cairns (Colveill Park), Karyn Burns (Mearns Castle), David B Scott (Beijing), Ian Graham (Crow Wood) (£48.39 each).
76 James Erskine (Portpatrick Dunskey), Brian Dunbar (Glencorse), Gary McFarlane (Clober), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) (£48.39 each).
78 Gordon Sherry (Kilmarnock Barassie) (£48.39).
79 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) (£48.39).
83 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh), Robert Irvine (Douglas Park) (£48.39 each).
84 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) (£48.39)
NR Kevin Campbell (Balmore) (£48.39).

Fleetwood v Manassero in battle of the

young men in form at Formby

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
The two players who have been attracting most attention at the 2009 Amateur Championship will go head-to-head tomorrow. Matteo Manassero and Tommy Fleetwood will get the quarter finals underway when they tee-off at 8.15am.
It will not be the first time that the pair has met; they faced each other at Kingsbarns during the 2008 Jacques Leglise Trophy boys' amateur international team event when the young Italian overcame a two hole deficit with five to play to emerge victorious.
Against Denmark’s Peter Baunsoe this afternoon, the 16-year-old took an early two-hole lead through three to gain an advantage that he would retain for the rest of the match; a birdie at the par-5 17th enough to halve the hole and seal a 2&1 victory.
Fleetwood, meanwhile, had already completed a 5&4 victory over Lancashire team-mate John Carroll. In front of the largest crowd of the championship so far, Fleetwood produced an exceptional display of golf in front of the 200-strong gallery to reach the last eight.
“That’s close to as good as I can play,” said the 18-year-old. “I’m hardly giving my opponents any chances. I feel like someone will have to play really well to beat me, but in match play you never know what’s around the corner. I think playing in the final last year does give me a bit of an edge over the others. I’ve been there and done it.”
Manassero who topped the stroke play qualifying, having set a course record 65 at West Lancs on Monday, is relishing the match.
“Tommy is a good friend, I am looking forward to the match. It’s true I won last time but this makes no difference for tomorrow.”
Walker Cup squad member, Sam Hutsby, registered a 2&1 victory over Maximilian Kieffer of Germany. Kieffer led for much of the contest, leading by two after 11, but Hutsby came back, winning 12 with a 40-foot putt, 13 with a good up-and-down and 14 with a birdie to take the initiative.
“The (40-foot) putt was crucial, it changed the momentum,” said Hutsby, 18. “It was absolutely the toughest match I’ve had. I played really solid, but he made it so hard.”
Joining the young trio in the fifth round are England’s Darren Renwick and Stiggy Hodgson, and Mark Hillson of Scotland, all of whom won their matches at the final hole. The Netherlands’ Jurrian Van Der Vaart, who won 2&1 this afternoon, and Sweden’s Nils Floren, who won by the same margin, also progress.

Lorne Kelly top Scot with last round of 66

Daniel Brooks scoops £10,000 first prize

in PGA EuroPro tour at Bovey Castle

By ANTHONY LEAVER
Daniel Brooks cruised to a two stroke victory in the Sureshot GPS International Open at Bovey Castle to claim his first win on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
The 22 year-old held a four shot lead overnight at ten under par and remained ten under through 15 holes, before consecutive bogeys at 16 and 17 meant he finished on eight under (202) for the tournament. None of the chasing pack was able to put him under any real pressure on the final day, with Nicky Harris (Whitefield GC) sneaking second spot by one stroke at six under (204).
“I’m over the moon with the win,” said Brooks, who is in second place on the Order of Merit after four events. “I know it is early in the summer but it’s always important to be in that top five so hopefully I can kick on from here.”
Brooks was joint leader at seven under after the opening round of 63 and pulled away from the field with a second round 67 – eleven birdies in the first two rounds the key to his triumph.
“I played very well in those two rounds,” said Brooks, whose first bogey of the tournament didn’t come until the 16th hole of his second round. “I hit lots of fairways and holed plenty of putts; I didn’t really hit a bad shot in three days to be honest.”
We’ve already seen on the Tour this year that a four shot lead going into the final round is no guarantee of victory, but Brooks maintained a level head and had no special plans to stay on course for the win. “I just told myself to have a steady day with no mishaps and keep the ball in play,” he said of his final round preparations. “When you have that buffer you just need to keep some of it for the latter stages of the round and I had just that.”
Runner-up Harris began the day on five under and remained there until the last where he picked up his third birdie of the day to move to six under.
Four under was the round of the day, and it was good enough to earn Llewellyn Matthews (Southerndown GC) a share of third place with Jamie Elson (Forum Financial Associates) with both players picking up crucial birdies on the last to finish at five under (205).
The final holes were key in sorting the standings, with Paul Dwyer’s birdie-birdie finish giving him a share of fifth place at four under (206) with Neil Walker (Special Steel Group) and Matthew Evans (Rotherham) – the latter carding a two-over 72 after teeing off in second spot.
Steve Surry (Cumberwell Park) remains top of the Order of Merit after a 71 saw him finish with three other players at three under (207). For the full results from Bovey Castle, visit http://www.europrotour.com/ and click on the Score Updates link on the homepage.
The fifth event on the PGA EuroPro Tour takes place at Stoke by Nayland from June 30.

FINAL RESULTS
Par 210 (3x70)
202 Daniel Brooks 63 67 72 (£10,000).
204 Nicky Harris 67 68 69 (£5,000)
205 Llewellyn Matthews 65 74 66, Jamie Elson 66, 69, 70 (£2,100 each).
206 Paul Dwyer 69 69 68, Neil Walker 68, 68, 70, Matthew Evans 69 65 72 (£1,207 each).
207 Graeme Clark 69 72 66, Martin Sell 68 71 68, Chris Hanson 68 71 68, Steve Surry 67, 69, 71 (£825 each).
SCOTS' SCORES
209 Lorne Kelly 73 70 66 (jt 16th) (£429).
212 Scott Jamieson 71 70 71 (jt 29th) (£296).
214 Barry Hume 69 74 71 (jt 38th) (£250).
221 Zack Saltman 71 73 77 (jt 56th) (£165).

British amateur championship scoreboard

FORMBY GOLF CLUB

FOURTH ROUND
Matteo Manassero bt Joon Kim 2 and 1.
Peter Baunsoe bt Simon Ward 1 hole.
John Carroll bt Matt Jager at 20th.
TommyFleetwood bt Jesper Kennegard 2 holes.
Mark Hillson bt Stephan Jaeger 1 hole.
Jack Bartlett bt Jonathan Hurst 4 and 3.
Steve Ziegler bt James White 3 and 2.
Darren Renwick bt Tommy King 7 and 5.
Jurrian Van der Vaart bt Ignacio Elvira 2 holes.
Stefan Wiedergruen bt Kalle Samooja 3 and 1.
Sam Hutsby bt Niall Kearney 5 and 4.
Max Kieffer bt Willem Vork 4 and 2.
Nils Floren bt Matthew Nixon at 23rd.
James Byrne bt Vredrik Qvicker 2 and 1.
Stiggy Hodgson bt Ben Rickett 5 and 4.
Ryan Dreyer bt Nigel Edwards at 20th
FIFTH ROUND
Manassero bt Baunsoe 2 and 1.
Fleetwood bt Carroll 5 and 4.
Hillson bt Bartlett 1 hole.
Renwick bt Ziegler 1 hole.
Van der Vaart bt Wiedergruen 2 and 1.
Hutsby bt Kieffer 2 and 1.
Floren bt Byrne 2 and 1.
Hodgson bt Dreyer 1 hole.

Fraser Mann chasing PGA Cup team place after a 74

James Lee leaps five ahead in

Glenmuir PGA Championship

By RON MARSHALL

PGA Press Officer at Dundonald Links

James Lee is trying not to think too far ahead after a supreme round of golf in the flagship event for Britain and Ireland’s top club professionals. Playing in a 25mph gale and frequent downpours, the 40-year-old Caerphilly pro took the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship by the scruff of the neck as he returned an unbelievable one-under-par 71 over the fearsome Dundonald Links course near Troon.

That score – three better than any of the 52 other players – gives him a five-stroke cushion going into today’s (Friday) final round, worth £10,000 to the winner and a guaranteed place in the GB & I team to contest the PGA Cup (the club pros’ version of the Ryder Cup) back in Scotland at The Carrick at Loch Lomond, in September.

“I can’t deny I’ve been thinking about it all, but I’ve lost more than I’ve won by not having the right thoughts,” said Lee.

He certainly plotted his way round the windswept links with panache.

“I hesitate to say it, but I played some faultless golf out there. I chipped in twice – once for a saving bogey, the other for birdie – and the only little niggle is leaving a 4ft putt inches short on the last for another birdie.”

He was also at pains to give huge credit to his coach, Terry Hanson from Cardiff, whom he’s known for 20 years.

“It’s my first lesson from him since last year – we’re both so busy at our respective clubs – but he gave my a swing thought which has helped enormously.”

Chasing him today will be the 2006 winner, Paul Wesselingh, whose 74 came despite a bad fall as he crossed a greasy bridge at the 11th hole.

Mention should be made of a stunning inward half by Musselburgh’s Fraser Mann (pictured above), which, in the conditions, had the touch of magic about it. A 33 – which equals the best of the championship done in much less stormy weather – was tacked onto an outward 41, and that 74 hoisted the Scot from 16th to a share of fourth.

Mann could be bidding for his third selection for the PGA Cup team.

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72)

212 J Lee (Caerphilly) 69 72 71.

217 P Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) 71 72 74.

221 J Robinson (Sports Masters International) 69 71 81.

223 F Mann (Musselburgh) 75 74 74, J Rodwell (Southport & Ainsdale) 75 73 75, B Taylor (Houghwood) 75 72 76.

225 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 76 75, C Sands (Skycaddie) 76 73 76, J Whatley (Morley Hayes) 68 80 77, J Bevan (Wessex GC) 74 73 78

Other Scottish scores:

226 C Ronald (Carluke) 74 75 77.

230 J McKinnon (Irvine) 76 76 78.

232 F McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle) 72 80 80.

234 G Law (Uphall ) 75 78 81.

Rain suspension in US Open first day

Play has been suspended on the opening day of the United States Open at Bethpage Black because of heavy rain.
Forecast is for the rain to clear during the afternoon (local time).
The hope is that the morning wave of 78 competitors can complete round one today, with the afternoon wave, which includes Phil Mickelson, completing the first round on Friday.
Once the rain does stop, Jim Hyler, the chairman of the Championship Committee, said it would take 30 minutes or so to get the course back into playing condition.

Japan, US locked in lead at world

boys' team championship

The world boys' team championship at Chukyo Golf Club in Japan looks being a straight shoot-out over the final round between the United States and Argentina. They are locked together on 14-under-par 625 at the head of the 14 teams.

England might still force their way into the argument over the final 18 holes. They are in third place on 10-under 629.

South Korean Kyoung-Hoon Leeds the individual standings with an eight-under-par total of 205.
Max Smith is England's best in joint eighth place on 210 with Jonathan Bell tied for 16th place on 212, and Thomas Lewis and Cjhristopher Lloyd sharing 22ndf place on 214.

TOYOTA WORLD BOYS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Chukyo GC, Japan
Third round team totals
Par 639 (9x71)
625 ARGENTINA, UNITED STATES.
629 ENGLAND.
631 SOUTH KOREA, CHINESE TAIPEI.
632 JAPAN.
634 PORTUGAL.
636 AUSTRALIA.
637 MEXICO.
641 SOUTH AFRICA, SWEDEN.
655 CANADA.
659 NORWAY.
668 URUGUAY.
Leading individual totals
Par 213 (3x71)
205 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (SKo) 71 68 66.
206 Tomohiro Umeyama(Jap) 71 68 67, Santiago Gavino (Mex) 66 68 72.
England scores:
210 Max Smith 71 71 68 (jt 8th).
212 Jonathan Bell 72 70 70 (jt 16th).
214 Thomas Lewis 68 75 71, Christopher Lloyd 73 68 73 (jt 22nd).

Tommy Fleetwood called in by England

for European team championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall, Lancashire) Mas been added to last week’s victorious Ashes squad as England seek to regain the European men’s team championship at Conwy Golf Club, Wales from June 30 to July 4.
The young Lancastrian will link up with the quintet that beat Australia 11-3 at Royal Birkdale - Charlie Ford (Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire), Luke Goddard (Hendon, Middlesex), Matt Haines (Rochester & Cobham, Kent), Sam Hutsby (Liphook, Hampshire) and Dale Whitnell (Five Lakes, Essex) - to form a formidable team to take on the other European nations over the North Wales links.
The reserve is Chris Paisley (Stocksfield, Northumberland) and all are members of the Walker Cup squad.
Fleetwood, 18,made his full England debut in last year’s home internationals at Muirfield and also played against Spain in March. The former England boy captain from Formby Hall illuminated a superb 2008 by finishing runner-up in the British amateur championship at Turnberry and winning the English county champions title as well as being crowned Lancashire champion.
This year, Tommy has won the Scottish open stroke-play at Murcar Links, the Southport & Ainsdale Bowl and tied for the Henriquez Salver in the Brabazon Trophy, as well as several other top three finishes.
Ford, 24, an England cap since the 2007 home internationals, made an impressive visit to Australia last winter during which he lost a play-off for the Avondale Medal, tied third in the Lake Macquarie International and was a quarter-finalist in the New South Wales amateur championship.
Like Fleetwood, Goddard, 21, earned his first full England cap in last year’s home internationals. That followed victories in the South of England stroke-play championship and joint third place in the European individual amateur championship. Last December, the Middlesex man won the Argentine amateur championship.
After being capped for the first time against France at Frilford Heath last year, Haines, 19, has played in every England team since. Winner of the McEvoy and Carris Trophies in 2007, the Kent man enjoyed a successful 2008 with victory in the Lytham Trophy.
So far in 2009, Haines has four victories: the Berkhamsted Trophy, the Hampshire Hog, Hampshire Salver and joint winner of the Duncan Putter. He was also runner-up in the Welsh open stroke-play and a quarter-finalist in the Spanish amateur championship.
Hutsby, 20, also became a full England cap in the 2007 home internationals and is another ever-present. Last year, the Hampshire man won the Bernard Darwin Salver and was second in the Welsh open stroke-play. He won the individual title in the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande and has an impressive record in the Spanish amateur. He was champion in 2006 and runner-up this year.
Whitnell, 20, the current leader of the Titleist/Footjoy EGU Order of Merit, was another 2007 home internationals debutant. Last year, the Essex man reached the semi-finals of the Australian amateur and was runner-up to Haines in the Lytham Trophy. However, he won the Lagonda Trophy, Tillman Trophy and the North of England youths championship.
So far this year Whitnell's record includes victory in the Portuguese amateur, third place in the Lytham Trophy and Scottish open stroke-play and fourth in the Brabazon Trophy.
In last week’s Ashes contest, Haines and Whitnell won all four of their matches while Hutsby won three of four and Goddard two of three.
So far this year England teams have beaten Spain and Australia and won the European Nations Cup in Spain with Ford, Goddard, Hutsby and Whitnell.
This will be the 26th playing of the European Men’s Team Championships and England has lifted the title on nine occasions, the last in 2005 at Hillside.

Cream of Under-21 talent on show at Renfrew Golf Club

Strong field for Golf Data Lab

Scottish youths championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION

As former Scottish youths champion Martin Laird from Glasgow graces the greens at Bethpage Park, New York at the US Open, current national Under-21 title-holder David Booth, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, embarks on his defence at the Golf Data Lab Scottish youths open amateur stroke-play championship at Renfrew Golf Club from Friday to Sunday.
Booth’s victory marked the biggest title win of Rotherham-born Stirling University student's career and during the course of the 72 hole tournament he set a new amateur course record along with his compatriot Matt Evans during the opening round at The Roxburghe last year.
In a tightly run race, the Yorkshire man pipped England cap James Robinson from Southport & Ainsdale into second place. Robinson, earlier this season won the prestigious Lytham Trophy. With England claiming a 1-2-3 finish last year, the Scots will have to pull out all the stops to make their mark in yet another strong international line up.
Among the overseas contingent is Spain’s Francisco Pintor Smith who claimed the silverware once before, having won the title back in 2006 at Mortonhall.

Pintor Smith now plays off a handicap of +1.3 and on paper is one of the strongest players in the field, though US-based Scot Keith Shanks claims the lowest handicap on +3.4.

Ross Bell from Downfield is the lowest handicapper flying the flag for Scotland on +1.9 and scratch golfer Kirkhill’s Paul Shields, twice finalist in the Scottish boys championship, is more than ready to step up and make a challenge at youths level.
The starting line-up includes former Scottish boys champion Paul Ferrier along with William Bremner from Edzell, who finished runner up to Ferrier back in 2007.
Former U16 champions Ian Redford and Sam McLaren are also in the draw along with a number of winners from this season’s Junior Tour, comprising Chris Robb, Daniel Young, Tom Blennerhasset and Calum Stewart – as well as the aforementioned Ian Redford plus Stuart Boyle.
Many in the field will look to follow in the footsteps of former Scottish youths champions, who, like US PGA Tour player Martin Laird have gone on to enjoy further successes in the game. The list of past title holders includes Andrew Oldcorn, Stephen Gallacher and former Ryder Cup player Paul McGinley.
Commenting on the event, Sponsor Graeme Leslie, Managing Director of Golf Data Lab said, “The quest for the Scottish Open Youths title looks set to be another closely run affair with some of the former champions of this event demonstrating the calibre of competitor the tournament attracts.
“Golf Data Lab is delighted to be supporting this year’s event at Renfrew and with two former winners in the mix along with many young promising hopefuls from near and far keen to cut their teeth at this level, the tournament looks set to provide an exciting three days.”
The competitors will play 18 holes on Friday and Saturday, with only the top 40 players plus ties making the cut for the 36 hole final on Sunday.

British amateur championship at Formby

Hillson, Byrne, White left to

carry Scottish standard

FROM THE HERALD NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

http://www.theherald.co.uk/national_sport/
DOUGLAS LOWE, Golf Correspondent
Mark Hillson came through a messy day of driving rain on the Lancashire links yesterday to be one of three unlikely Scots to survive into the last 32 of the Amateur Championship, a stage neither he nor James White and James Byrne (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency) have reached before.
Hillson has experience of dirty work. After graduating in maths from St Andrews University, he travelled the world working wherever he could, and that included a fortnight digging latrines in Australia.
"I had a variety of jobs like bar work, but that was the worst," he said with a laugh after dispatching the Northern Irishman, Luke Lennox by 2&1.
Hillson, a former Lothians champion, was three up after five, but then lost three in a row and the match was still level after 13 holes. With gritty determination, the Scot dug himself out of a hole by birdieing the par-4 13th and when his opponent took three putts from the edge of the green at the next, two halves were enough to claim a match today against Germany's Stephan Jaeger.
The 26-year-old plus-2 handicapper from the Craigielaw stable that produced the Saltman brothers is a late developer, and, having settled down after his globetrotting, he is looking for a first Scottish cap at this year's home internationals at Hillside, near to this week's venue, and ultimately to become a European Tour player.
With all six of Scotland's team announced this week for the European Championships no longer involved - Gavin Dear being the last to exit yesterday - this week is an excellent chance to establish his credentials and he showed versatility yesterday.

"After the run and fire of the qualifying rounds, the course was receptive and I was able to attack it," he said.
Another player with a chance to stake his claim is 21-year-old Fifer White, a former Scottish boys champion, who has found himself out of the Scottish Golf Union's squad system for the first time in seven years.
A business student at Stirling University, White, from the Lundin club, is also targeting the home internationals and he progressed with a 4&3 win over Englishman Jake Amos. "I had to change my game- plan and couldn't rely just on my irons like I did yesterday in fast conditions," he said. "Today, I used my driver at just about every par-4."
White will now meet the American Steve Ziegler, of Stanford University, conqueror of Dear, whose opponent twice holed 20-foot putts to stay one down. "If I had gone two up I felt as if I would be away, but each time he holed those putts he followed up with a birdie," said Dear, who lost a ball at the 15th to go one down and was unable to match the American's birdie 4 at the 17th to lose 2&1.
Byrne, from Banchory, a 20-year-old former Scottish boys stroke-play champion and now a second-year economics student at the University of Arizona State, fought back from two down after four, and with a deliberate policy of playing for pars wore down England's Sam Stuart to win 3&1.
It was farewell to holder Reinier Saxton, from Holland, who lost a five-hole lead after 10 holes over Spaniard Ignacio Elvira and, in sudden death, drove into trees at the first to complete the collapse.
+Published by permission of the Scottish Herald Newspaper Sports Editor and Douglas Lowe.