CHALLENGE TOUR IN FRANCE

Doak, McArthur, O'Hara in top 14

at halfway stage in St Omer Open

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Australia’s Wade Ormsby fired a sensational round of 65, which included a closing eagle, to take a one shot lead at the halfway stage of the SAINT-OMER Open presented by Neuflize OBC.
The 29 year old from Adelaide started the day on one under par, five strokes behind overnight leader Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden. But he defied windy afternoon conditions at Aa St Omer Golf Club in Lumbres, France, to rocket to the top of the leaderboard.
Ormsby sits on seven under par, one shot clear of England’s James Morrison, who followed his opening round of 67 with a solid 69.
Swede Christian Nilsson also carded a round of 69 to improve to five under par, with his compatriot Andersson Hed a further shot back on four under following a two over 73.
Ormsby chipped in for a three at the par five ninth, his final hole, to crown a superb round.
He said: “I stood on the ninth tee thinking about a birdie, so to chip in for eagle was a big bonus. It was a great finish to a very pleasing round. I haven’t struck the ball that well for a very long time, particularly on the back nine.
“When I stood on the practice ground and started hitting balls on Monday, I knew I was going to be in for a better week,” he added.
“My confidence started coming back, and all of a sudden the putts start dropping too. So instead of just chasing the cut line, you’re starting to chase the leaders instead. Now I am the leader by one, which is obviously a great position to be in.”
When asked how his second round compared to his efforts on the previous day, second placed Morrison said: “It was probably equally as good. The forecast was for wind, which did arrive, making an already tough course even tougher. So again I had to be patient, which I was.
“The only bogey I made was due to a plugged lie in the bunker. But to have only one bogey after 36 holes round here must mean I’m playing pretty well. So I’m very happy.”
Nilsson led for much of the day, before bogeying the 16th and 18th holes to slip back to five under par.
But the Swede was still upbeat, saying: “The most important thing is to stay patient. You’re going to make three puts and bogeys on this course, so you have to take the rough with the smooth.
“So far I’ve been able to stay patient. It’s difficult at times, but you’ve just got to knuckle down, keep working at it and hope for the best. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the way I’m playing.”
Nilsson’s fellow Swede Andersson Hed was less happy with his round, but was pleased still to be in contention.
He said: “I didn’t play particularly well, but it wasn’t a complete disaster. It was just one of those days when it doesn’t quite go your way, so in the end I wasn’t too unhappy with a 73. I got off to a bad start, and had to try to fight my way back.
“I got a shot back on the ninth, but then gave another one away with a really poor shot on the tenth. Then a bad decision on the 13th cost me another shot, but I got it back with two lovely shots on the next hole. So it was that kind of round, a bit up and down.”
England’s Adam Gee and Australians Adam Carolan and Andrew Tampion are tied for fifth on five under par, while Simon Wakefield fired a superb 66 to join José-Filipe Lima and Matthew Millar on two under.
COLIN FARQUHARSON'S SCOTSWATCH. Only two Scots failed to beat the halfway cut at 146 or better. Andrew Coltart missed it by one with scores of 76 and 71 for 147. Andrew Oldcorn missed it by a large margin with a total of 154 (79-75). European Tour player Chris Doak, former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur and Steven O'Hara are sharing the top Scot honour in joint 14th place on 142. Doak scored 72-70, McArthur 70-72 and O'Hara 72-70.
Jamie McLeary shot a second-round 69 to be tied for 32nd place on 144 with George Murray (71-73).
Peter Whiteford did not do so well, slumping from a first-day 69 to a 76 for 145 and a share of 43rd place.
Greig Hutcheon and Eric Ramsay have matched shot for shot so far with rounds of 75 and 71 for 146, which got them through with nothing to spare in joint 60th place.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
135 Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 65
136 James Morrison 67 69
137 Christian Nilsson (Swe) 68 69
138 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 65 73
139 Andrew Tampion (Aus) 69 70, Tony Carolan (Aus) 66 73, Adam Gee 70 69
140 Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 69 71, Matthew Millar (Aus) 71 69, Simon Wakefield 74 66
141 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 67 74, Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut) 69 72, Kane Webber (USA) 70 71
142 Ben Evans 68 74, Martin Wiegele (Aut) 70 72, Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 71 71, Sion Bebb 70 72, Peter Baker 73 69, Stuart Manley 71 71, Steven O'Hara 72 70, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 73 69, Anthony Snobeck (Fra) 71 71, Andrew McArthur 70 72, Lorenzo Gagli (Ita) 71 71, Chris Doak 72 70
143 Gareth Paddison (Nzl) 70 73, Iain Pyman 71 72, John Parry 73 70, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 70 73, Unho Park (Aus) 75 68, Kasper Jorgensen (Den) 69 74
144 George Murray 71 73, Andrew Butterfield 71 73, Jan Are Larsen (Nor) 73 71, Matthew Cort 73 71, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 76 68, Javier Colomo (Spa) 73 71, Andreas Hogberg (Swe) 69 75, Jamie McLeary 75 69, Dennis Kupper (Ger) 71 73, Ricardo Santos (Por) 71 73, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 73 71
145 Chris Gane 72 73, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (Spa) 72 73, Kalle Brink (Swe) 70 75, Daniel Denison 72 73, Andre Bossert (Swi) 72 73, Julien Clement (Swi) 74 71, Michael Curtain (Aus) 66 79, Francois Calmels (Fra) 71 74, Anthony Grenier (Fra) 75 70, Peter Whiteford 69 76, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 76 69, Chih-bing Lam (Sin) 72 73, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 71 74, Rolf Muntz (Ned) 74 71, Mark f Haastrup (Den) 72 73, Cedric Menut (Fra) 74 71, Cesar Monasterio (Arg) 75 70
146 Jonathan Caldwell 73 73, Robert Coles 74 72, Branden Grace (Rsa) 71 75, Mikko Korhonen (Fin) 69 77, Ben Mason 74 72, Julien Grillon (Fra) 75 71, Eric Ramsay 75 71, Peter Kaensche (Nor) 74 72, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 75 71, Santiago Luna (Spa) 74 72, Garry Houston 74 72, Jamie Moul 72 74, Greig Hutcheon 75 71, Richard McEvoy 72 74, Matthew Zions (Aus) 73 73, Christophe Brazillier (Fra) 76 70, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 73 73, Adrien Bernadet (Fra) 73 73, Benoit Teilleria (Fra) 74 72
MISSED THE CUT
147 Joakim Backstrom (Swe) 75 72, Colm Moriarty 76 71, Zane Scotland 73 74, Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa) 74 73, John Mellor 75 72, Mark Tullo (Chi) 77 70, Anders Schmidt Hansen (Den) 76 71, Andrew Coltart 76 71, Benjamin Miarka (Ger) 74 73, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 70 77, Raphael De Sousa (Swi) 71 76, Scott Barr (Aus) 77 70, Marcus Higley 73 74, Lee S James 74 73, Sebastien Delagrange (Fra) 76 71
148 Simon Robinson 73 75, Roope Kakko (Fin) 74 74, Adilson Da Silva (Bra) 74 74, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 73 75, Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 74 74, Julien Guerrier (Fra) 73 75, Julien Quesne (Fra) 73 75, Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 73 75, Gregory Molteni (Ita) 72 76, Carl Suneson (Spa) 75 73, Andrew Marshall 75 73, Raphael Pellicioli (Fra) 72 76
149 Miguel Rodriguez (Arg) 77 72, Liam Bond 71 78, Kyron Sullivan 75 74, Nicolas Vanhootegem (Bel) 77 72, Gary Lockerbie 72 77, Gary Boyd 71 78, Richard Treis (Ger) 75 74, John E Morgan 79 70, A-Shun Wu (Chn) 78 71, Roland Steiner (Aut) 73 76
150 Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa) 74 76, Marco Ruiz (Par) 76 74, Dominique Nouailhac (Fra) 74 76, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 73 77, Phillip Archer 76 74, Victor Riu (Fra) 73 77, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 73 77, Philip Golding 78 72
151 Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 74 77, Wil Besseling (Ned) 76 75, Sam Walker 74 77, Christoph Gunther (Ger) 77 74, Antti Ahokas (Fin) 75 76, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 78 73, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 75 76, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger) 76 75
152 Raphael Eyraud (Fra) 74 78, Michael Mcgeady 75 77, Alan Wagner (USA) 76 76, Johan Wahlqvist (Swe) 76 76, Lloyd Kennedy 76 76
153 Ivo Giner (Spa) 77 76, Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 79 74, Bjorn Pettersson (Swe) 79 74, Jerome Theunis (Bel) 76 77, Rory Hie (Ina) 74 79
154 Nathan T Smith (USA) 77 77, Andrew Oldcorn 79 75, Lars Brovold (Nor) 70 84, Michele Reale (Ita) 75 79
156 Federico Colombo (Ita) 72 84, Mathieu Decottignies Lafon (Fra) 78 78, Simon Thornton 73 83
157 Matthew Morris 77 80, Andrew Willey 77 80
158 Jun Zhou (Chn) 74 84
160 Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 77 83
161 Mark Pilkington 83 78
WD: Simon Griffiths 80
RTD: Joel Sjoholm 73, Phillip Price 77

Golf Data Lab Scottish youths championship

CRICHTON MAKES MOST OF EARLY

START ... REST OF THE FIELD GET

THE WIND UP AT RENFREW

It was a test of who could play best in a half gale for the first round of the Golf Data Lab Scottish youths golf championship at Renfrew Golf Club today..
Some of the bigger names in the field didn't do as well as expected with former champion Fran Pintor Smith from Spain ending the day in a share of 45th place on five-over-par 77, three over the CSS.
Defending champion David Booth, a Stirling University student from Rotherham, did worse than that. He had an 11-over-par 83 and one would think he will struggle to make the top 40 by the end of Saturday's second round. Only the leading 40 and ties after 36 holes will qualify for the Sunday action.
Scott Crichton, pictured above, from Delgaty Bay, Fife and a member at Aberdour Golf Club, coped best of all with the conditions, posting a two-under-par 70 to lead by one shot from Kelan McDonagh (Athlone) and Peter Scanlan (Hamilton).
Crighton was lucky with the draw - first off the tee, he got round before the fierce wind got up and wrecked so many scores.
Scott spends most of the year outside Scotland. Twenty-one years old, he'll be starting his fourth and final senior year at Western New Mexico University when he returns to Silver City, New Mexico in the autumn.
So proud and on the ball are the Western New Mexico University staff that their website had news of Crichton's performance at Refnrew on display within an hour or two of his finish. They have reason to be proud. Scott is an all-star student named RMAC Men's All-Academic Player of the Year in May.
Crichton, a cell and molecular biology student, had a 3.93 grade point average after five semesters of course work. "Not only has Scott excelled in the classroom, this past season he has posted eight scores of five under par of better," says the WNMU website.
Last year he finished third in the Scottish youths championship.
Only two other players in the huge field at Renfrew Golf Club got under the par of 72. They were Kelan McDonagh, who came all the way from Athlone, County Roscommon in Ireland, and Peter Scanlan, who had a much shorter trip to make from Hamilton. Peter's sister Gillian reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play championship at Alyth last year.
Peter is 18 and plays off two of a handicap. He reckons he's a much better player since he started being coached by SLGA national coach Kevin Craggs.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72. CSS 74
70 Scott Crichton (Aberdour).
71 Kelan McDonagh (Athlone), Peter Scanlan (Hamilton).
72 Scott Brace (Stoke by Nayland, Angus Cappi (Carnoustie), Jules Bordonado (France).
73 Ben Sloan (Cathkin Braes), Craig Martin (Kilkenny), Max Walz (Germany), Michael Main (Thornton), Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle).
74 William Bremner (Edzell), Matthew Reid (Downfield), Fraser Campbell (Clober), Darryn Grant (Renfrew), Andrew McLachlan (Bonnyton), Tom Blennerhassett (Marriott Dalmahoy).
75 Mark Collin (Eyemouth), Robert McGrory (Singing Hills), Daniel Young (Craigie Hill), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Matt Killen (Cottingham Parks), Kyle Smith (Troon Welbeck), Jordan McColl (Scotscraig), Grant Forres (Craigielaw), Ross Bell (Downfield), Oliver Huish (North Berwick), Tom Hayes (West Byfleet), Myles Cunningham (Craigielaw), Paul Shields (Kirkhill).
76 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton), Calum Stewart (Brora), Stephen Keane (Cathkin Braes), Michael Downes (Mere), Miles Collins (Stoke by Nayland), Fraser Moore (Glenbervie), John Henry (Clydebank & Dist), Chris Corbett (Dumfries & Galloway), Paul Ferrier (Baberton), Nick Macandrew (Cullen), Michael Daily (Erskine), Chjris Robb (Inchmarlo), Philip Gordon (Paisley), Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co).
77 Shan Deegan (Craigielaw), Daniel Harrison (Crieff), David Giaoui (France), Ben Cotton (Oxfordshire), David Mitchell (Leven Thistle), Fran Pintor Smith (Spain), Luke Jackson (Mold), Frazer Ogston (St Andrews), Steven Maxwell (Windyhill), Tuomas Salminen (Finland), Liam Adamson (Ganton), James Wilson (Formby), James Hamilton (NZ).
78 Roberto Sebastian (Spain), Euan Brown (Kilmarnock Barassie), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Sam McLaren (King James VI), Kyle Godsman (Hopeman), Ian Redford (St Andrews New), Hugo Menendez (Spain), Liam Brace (Stoke by Nayland), Derek Ramsay (Elgin), Andrew Abercrombie (US), Scott Carmichael (Baberton).
79 Sam Lavelle (Lancaster), Jack Bradley (Paisley), Chris Low (Tantallon), Alasdair Forsythe Caldwell), Chris Conroy (Paisley), Max Roehrig (Germany), Andrew Wright (Kilmarnock Barassie), Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan), Ben Irving (Dumfries & Co), Stuart Boyle (Harburn), Sean McGarfvey (Glencorse), Stuart Ballingall (Dunston Hall), Alexander Glover (St Mellion), John Shanks (Ivine).
80 Simon Barras (Helensburgh), Gavin Strling (Caldwell), Mark Dickson (Gullane), Sean Kennedy (Betchworth Park), Sean Thompson (St Andrews) Paul McPhee (King James VI), Alistair Lauder (Paisley), Jordan Grant (Renfrew), Daniel Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle).
81 Mark Thomson (Grange), Rodger Clarke (Moray), Alexander Ferguson (Paisley), Scott Gibson (Southerness), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Craig McLaughlin (Largs), Jack Scott (Deeside), Jack Bado (Shooters Hill).
82 James Hendrick (Pollok), Jack Ferrier (Dumfries & Galloway), Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck), Christopher Jess (East Sussex National), Conor O'Neil (Glasgow), Scott Fitzgerald (Southport & Ainsdale).
83 Euan Mackay (Torphin Hill), John Duff (Newmachar), Alex Moir (Thornton), Jonathan Corke (Rowany), David Booth (Rotherham), Richard Docherty (Windyhill), Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle).
84 Henri Hytonen (Finland).
85 Simon Fairburn (Torwoodlee.
87 Ian Allan (Hopeman).
Disqualified Craig Isabel (Langdon Hills), Alistair Graham (Crow Wood).
Retired Liam Johnston (Dumfries & Co.).

Top young men from England, Italy meet in Formby final

Hutsby v Manassero

for British amateur

championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
Tomorrow’s Amateur Championship final promises to provide a thrilling climax to a fantastic week as Italy’s Matteo Manassero meets England’s Sam Hutsby. 16-year-old Italian, Manassero, is just one victory away from becoming the youngest ever winner of The Amateur Championship. This afternoon, he recorded another convincing 4&3 victory over England’s Darren Renwick to progress into tomorrow’s 36-hole decider.
“I feel great, I can’t believe it. It’s a dream for me,”
The young Italian bears more than a passing resemblance to one of his childhood heroes, Seve Ballesteros, who he met and chipped with at the 1997 Italian Open, when he was just four years old.
“Yes Severiano, he is one of my biggest influences, for sure. He played the game so well, so exciting.
Manassero now has the chance to become the first Italian to win The Amateur, but he also is one win away from a place in this July’s Open Championship at Turnberry, and next April’s Masters Tournament.

“Maybe it’s better if I don’t think about it!” said the +4.2 handicapper from Verona.
Having finished four shots clear at the top of the stroke play leaderboard, Manassero has only been behind in the match play once this week. He was two holes down after six against good friend and compatriot, Joon Kim, before winning five in a row to reach the 12th three up, winning that one 5&3.
Hutsby, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, meanwhile, progressed through an altogether different semi-final, finally defeating fellow Englishman, Stiggy Hodgson, at the third extra hole. In what was arguably the tie of the championship so far, the pair was deadlocked with both Hutsby, 20, and Hodgson, 18, never more than one hole in front.
Both missed makeable putts at 18 to win the match, but on the 21st, however, Hodgson’s drive found trouble and he was forced to chip out sideways. Current world number 13, Hutsby took advantage to win the hole with a birdie 4 and with it a place in the final, which the former Spanish Amateur champion will approach with confidence.
“I feel I might have the edge on him with my experience,” said the Liphook golfer who has a Formby member, Mark Jost, caddying for him this week, “but he’s obviously a talented young player and I’m sure he’ll be up for the challenge.”
Tomorrow’s 36-hole final will commence at 8.30am with the second round due to tee-off at 1.00pm.
Live scoring and written hole-by-hole commentary will appear on the http://www.randa.org/ website throughout the day.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS

Matt Manassero (Italy) bt Darren Renwick (Hill Barn) 4 and 3.
Sam Hutsby (Liphook) bt Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale) at 21st).

Matheson only Scot in home

PGA Cup team v Americans

RON MARSHALL REPORTS
Falkirk’s Craig Matheson will be the only Scot in the Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team (the club professionals’ version of the Ryder Cup) to meet the United States at The Carrick on Loch Lomond in September.
The 26-year-old Falkirk Tryst pro battled his way to a final-round 75 at a gale-swept Dundonald Links today, and finished in a tie for fifth place on 300, from a field of 156 in the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.The 10-man team will take on the cream of American club professionals in a bid to regain the trophy won by Britain and Ireland in 2005 at the K Club but relinquished two years ago by the narrowest of margins in Georgia.
The Britain & Ireland team is:
Will Barnes (England), Andrew Barnett (Wales), Jon Bevan (England), James Harris (England), James Lee (Wales), Craig Matheson (Scotland), Jeremy Robinson (England), Paul Simpson (England), Barry Taylor (England) and Paul Wesselingh(England).
+Picture above of Craig Matheson by courtesy of Getty Images.

Dundonald Links at its toughest for final round

Welshman Lee survives a wobble in

the wind to win Glenmuir title

Welshman James Lee, despite carding a closing 79, came off a gale-swept Dundonald Links as the new Glenmuir PGA Professional champion today (Friday).
The 40-year-old from Caerphilly had begun the day with a five-shot cushion over 2006 winner and playing partner, Paul Wesselingh, and, as he admitted later, his thought processes as he reached the turn still four ahead went along the lines of “barring disqualification I’m guaranteed victory here.”
But as Lee bogeyed 10 and 11, and double-bogeyed 12, he suddenly realised just how difficult the course was.
“Fortunately for me Paul was having as much trouble as I was, and then I played the next three holes really well, and that settled me,” said Lee.
Another calming influence, he claimed, was the presence of his 14-year-old nephew, Alex, who had permission to be off school to caddie.
“I promised him before we came up I’d give him £1,000 if I won the £10,000 first prize. I think he’s got his eye already on a new set of irons and a phone.”
Lee will also lead the 10-man Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team to play the United States in September at The Carrick on Loch Lomond.
Also in the team is fellow Welshman Andrew Barnett, largely based on his second place last year at Moortown. The North Wales Driving Range pro closed with an 82 to tie 23rd.
A superb last-round 67 for a final total of 295 from Tonbridge teaching pro James Harris swept him from tied 20th to second - four shots behind winner Lee - dislodging Wesselingh, and gaining him a PGA Cup place.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
291 J Lee (Caerphilly) 69 72 71 79.
295 J Harris (Tonbridge) 75 72 81 67.
297 P Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) 71 72 74 80.
298 J Robinson (Sports Masters International) 69 71 81 77.
300 P Simpson (West Berkshire) 72 76 79 73, C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 76 75 75, J Bevan (Wessex) 74 73 78 75, B Taylor (Houghwood) 75 72 76 77.
301 P Eales (Garstang) 73 76 77 75, F Mann (Musselburgh) 75 74 74 78.
302 Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall) 73 76 79 74, David Smith (Swinton Park) 74 68 75 75.
303 Sean Whiffin (The Hertfordshire) 74 76 76 77.
304 Daniel Taylor (Swingers) 76 72 80 76, James Whatley (East Midlands GA) 68 80 77 79.
305 Daniel Greenwood (Forest Pines) 72 80 81 72, Graeme Bell (Eaglescliffe) 74 77 76 78.
306 Darren Prosser (Halfpenny green) 71 81 79 75, John Wells (Cherry Burton) 73 78 79 76.
307 Richard Dinsdale (Parc Golf Academy) 74 77 80 76, John King (Lindrick) 73 72 85 77, Ian Campbell (Brighton & Hove) 75 73 81 78.
Other Scottish scores:
308 F McLaughlan (Bothwell Castle) 72 80 80 76 (jt 23rd).
309 C Ronald (Carluke) 74 75 77 83 (jt 29th).
314 J McKinnon (Irvine) 76 76 78 84 (jt 40th).
315 G Law (Uphall) 75 78 81 81(jt 43rd).

Ross Drummond hangs on in there but

Sam Torrance blown away to an 80

By STEVE DODD, Press Officer, European Seniors Tour
England’s Bob Cameron has a two-stroke lead over former Ryder Cup players José Rivero and Costantino Rocca after overcoming tricky conditions at Royal Porthcawl to post an opening round three under par 69 in the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open.
A fine display on the greens took the 56-year-old to the top of the leaderboard, with five birdies on his card alongside an eagle 3 at the par-5 12th hole.
With winds of up to 25mph making playing conditions tough on the links course, Cameron, Rivero and Rocca are the only players under par, with home favourite Ian Woosnam opening with a 75 for a share of 13th place.
Two time Senior Tour winner Cameron, who finished tied third in the season curtain raiser in Brunei, admitted he was pleased with his start, given the difficulty caused by the wind.
“The conditions were extremely difficult – the wind was gusting and that is allied to the naturally tough course anyway,” he said.
“If you are not a natural low ball striker - and I’m not - it’s tough but I chipped and putted my way around.
“My round was based on good putting with the four birdies in a row from the fifth hole. I hit the par-5 eighth in 2 and then holed a bunker shot for eagle on the 12th. I had an unfortunate incident on the 15th when the ball went off the fairway into some thick stuff and we found it 30 seconds after I’d played another so that was tough luck. I hit it once off line and got penalised but my putting was key today. It just goes to show good putting can make a difference.
“The tees have been moved forward which has helped but on some holes the wind is blowing across the course so it is a severe test really.”
Italian Rocca, who recorded his first top ten finish of the season in Jersey last week, matched Spaniard Rivero’s round of 71 as his form continues to improve.
“It’s a very good start,” said Rocca. “I hit some good shots but my driving was bad from the third hole. Hitting the driver on the fairway is the most important thing here but it is difficult out there.
“In these conditions the course is not easy for anyone. There is a lot of cross wind.”
Ryder Cup winning Captain Woosnam, who won the Irish Seniors Open in association with Fáilte Ireland and AIB Bank two weeks ago after starting six shots off the pace in the final round, recovered from a double bogey on the third to finish on three over par – six strokes behind Cameron.
He said: “It was very tough out there. I thought some of these guys shooting three under par must have been playing a different golf course to us. The opening holes were extremely hard and if you hit some bad shots you get some high scores out there.
“There’s two more days to go – you’ve just have to hang in there. This is how I started in Ireland – three over par – so these guys have started well but there are two rounds to go and you have to dig in and be there for the back nine on the last day.”

Ross Drummond did well to stay in contention with a par-matching 72 but he is the only Scot who will look back on the day with any pleasure. John Chillas and Gordon Brand junior had 79s while Sam Torrance and Billy Longmuir returned 80s.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 72, 6796yd
69 B Cameron (Eng)
71 C Rocca (Ita) , J Rivero (Esp),
72 K Spurgeon (Eng) , R Drummond (Sco) , T Johnstone (Zim) , J Bruner (USA)
73 D O'Sullivan (Irl) , D Merriman (Aus)
74 D Smyth (Irl) , G Encina (Chi) , B Smit (RSA)
75 E Darcy (Irl) , J Quiros (Esp) , I Woosnam (Wal) , B Lincoln (RSA), G Brand (Eng) , C Mason (Eng) , D Good (Aus) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , N Ratcliffe (Aus), E Rodriguez (Esp)
76 A Garrido (Esp) , G Watine (Fra) , P Mitchell (Eng) , N Job (Eng) , J Rhodes (Eng) , D Hospital (Esp) , J Hall (Eng) , P Fowler (Aus), S Ebihara (Jpn)
77 P Oakley (USA) , M Harwood (Aus) , B Charles (Nzl) , A Fernandez (Chi) , S Owen (Nzl) , D Johnson (USA) , J Hawkes (RSA) , E Polland (Nir) , B Boyd (USA) , K Tomori (Jpn)
78 G Ralph (Eng) , J Bland (RSA) , P Teravainen (USA) , R Carrasco (USA) , A Barrera (Arg) , D Durnian (Eng)
79 J Chillas (Sco) , G Brand jun (Sco) , M Cunning (USA) , G Cali (Ita) , A Franco (Par) , G Marsh (Aus)
80 S Bennett (Eng) , T Gale (Aus), A Murray (Eng), S Torrance (Sco) , D Cambridge (Jam) , J Heggarty (Nir), D Russell (Eng), B Longmuir (Sco) , S Ginn (Aus) , M Clayton (Aus), S Hopkins (am) (Wal)
81 K Stimpson (am) (Wal)
82 M Piñero (Esp), R Chapman (Eng), G Davies (Wal)
83 G Towne (USA)
84 M Bembridge (Eng)
86 H Carbonetti (Arg)
87 T Giedeon (Ger)
88 M Williams (Zim)
90 J Whitcutt (am) (Wal)
93 G Hopkins (USA)

Aberdonian Michael Sim (71) three ahead of Tiger in US Open

LATEST US OPEN NEWS:

LEFT-HANDER WEIR LEADS WITH A 64

Mike Weir shot a 64 at Bethpage Black to take the clubhouse lead as the rain-delayed first round of the US Open neared completion.
The left-handed 2003 Masters champion from Canada posted eight birdies undone by a double bogey at the par-four sixth hole to sign for a six under par round, two shots clear of Sweden's Peter Hanson with former world number one David Duval three shots behind following a 67.
More News
It could have been much better for Weir as he reached the sixth, his 16th of the round, at six under and on course for a US Open record round of 62. The six at the sixth put paid to that but he rallied with a birdie, birdie finish.
Former world number one Duval, who suffered an alarming dip in form following his victory at the 2001 Open Championship at Lytham, had led a charge among the second wave of starters in the 156-man field as they finally got their first rounds under way in drying conditions on still soft greens.

Graeme McDowell shares lead on one-under-par 69

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Clearing skies and warm temperatures helped the late starters at Bethpage Black steal a march on their earlier rivals as Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell held a precarious share of the clubhouse lead halfway through the rain-delayed first round of the 109th US Open.
McDowell, coming off a final-round 63 at the St Jude Classic in Memphis last Sunday, posted a one-under-par 69 after opening-round play resumed on Friday morning following Thursday's wash-out on Long Island, while defending champion Tiger Woods suffered a nightmare finish to his first round.
Peter Hanson of Sweden and former Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada were taking their turn at the top of a fluid championship leaderboard, having reached four under par after 11 and nine holes respectively. That gave them a one-stroke lead over Colombia's Camilo Villegas, who had played 11, with American duo Sean O'Hair and Kenny Perry both two under after 10.
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McDowell's 69 gave him a share of the early clubhouse lead alongside American amateur Drew Weaver but Thursday's late-starting half of the draw were finding conditions much easier as they finally got their first rounds under way in drying conditions on still soft greens. The Northern Irishman was certainly not getting carried away.
"I've led a few majors after day one," McDowell said. "It's not really what I'm trying to do. I'm just trying to stick around for the weekend. I'm trying to position myself as well as I possibly can and compete in Sunday afternoon."
Joining McDowell and Weaver at one under was an ever-growing group including England's Ross Fisher, after 10, Denmark's Soren Hansen, who had played 11, last year's runner-up Rocco Mediate, who had reached the 11th and world number two Phil Mickelson, having played 10.
Also at one under were Adam Scott of Australia, after 11, and Americans Anthony Kim and David Toms, both of whom were playing the 13th.
Those low scores could spell trouble for world number one Woods, who had been at level par with four holes to play but finished his round with a run of double bogey, bogey, par, bogey to leave him with a four-over 74.
"I was even par with four to go," Woods said. "I was right there where I needed to be, and two bad shots and a mud ball later, here we go and I'm at four over par."
United States Open
championship scoreboard

BETHPAGE STATE PARK
Black Course, Farmingdale, New York
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 70
64 Mike Weir (Can)
66 Peter Hanson (Swe)
67 Ricky Barnes, Todd Hamilton, David Duval
68 Rocco Mediate
69 Phil Mickelson, Sean O'Hair, Adam Scott (Aus), Graeme McDowell (NIrl), Lucas Glover, David Toms, Drew Weaver
70 Ross Fisher (Eng), Kyle Stanley, David Smail (Nzl), Soren Hansen (Den), Oliver Wilson (Eng), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Jeff Brehaut, Fred Funk, Johan Edfors (Swe), Ian Poulter (Eng), Ryan Moore, Cameron Tringale
71 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Michael Sim (Sco) (pictured above), Matt Kuchar, Tom Lehman, Trevor Murphy, Kevin Sutherland, John Mallinger, Andrew McLardy (Rsa), Kenny Perry, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Camilo Villegas (Col), Brandt Snedeker
72 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Ben Curtis, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Ben Martin, Hunter Mahan, Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Azuma Yano (Jpn), Vijay Singh (Fij), Jim Furyk, Ryan Blaum, K J Choi (Kor), Thomas Levet (Fra), Lee Westwood (Eng)
73 Nick Watney, Brian Gay, Billy Mayfair, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Justin Rose (Eng), Bo Van Pelt, Briny Baird, Henrik Stenson (Swe), Steve Stricker, Peter Tomasulo, Shawn Stefani, Tyson Alexander, Michael Welch (Eng), Retief Goosen (Rsa), John Merrick, Casey Wittenberg, Stewart Cink, Nick Taylor, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Ryan Spears, J J Henry, J.B. Holmes, Andres Romero (Arg), Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Tim Clark (Rsa), Steve Allan (Aus)
74 Chris Kirk, Cameron Yancey, Tiger Woods, Gary Woodland, J.P. Hayes, Bronson Burgoon, Martin Laird (Sco), Craig Bowden, Stephen Ames (Can), Rodney Pampling (Aus), Angel Cabrera (Arg), Darren Clarke (NIrl), George McNeill, Sang-moon Bae (Kor), Andrew Parr (Can), Doug Batty (Nzl), Luke Donald (Eng), James Kamte (Rsa)
75 Zach Johnson, Darron Stiles, Matt Bettencourt, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa), Simon Khan (Eng), Charlie Wi (Kor), Robert Allenby (Aus), Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Paul Casey (Eng), Cortland Lowe, Carl Pettersson (Swe)
76 Colby Beckstrom, Chris Stroud, Clark Klaasen, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Heath Slocum, Ben Crane, Vaughn Snyder, Cameron Beckman, Ken Duke, Matt Nagy, Eduardo Romero (Arg), Stuart Appleby (Aus), Padraig Harrington (Irl), D.J. Trahan
77 Kaname Yokoo (Jpn), Richard Bland (Eng), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Michael Campbell (Nzl), Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Nathan Tyler, Scott Gutschewski, Angelo Que (Phi)
78 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Mike Miles, Josh McCumber, David Erdy, James Nitties (Aus), Simon Dyson (Eng), Charlie Beljan, Matthew Jones (Aus), Ernie Els (Rsa), Clinton Jensen, Kevin Silva, Rickie Fowler
79 Eric Axley, Boo Weekley, Greg Kraft, Shintaro Kai (Jpn)
80 Drew Kittleson, Chad Campbell, Andrew Svoboda, Steve Conway, Sean Farren
81 David Horsey (Eng), Kyle Peterman, Scott Lewis
83 Josh Brock

Toyota world boys' team championship scoreboard
CHUKYO GOLF CLUB, JAPAN
FINAL TEAM TOTALS
par 71
830 (-22) ARGENTINA 208 208 209 205
833 USA 211 207 207 208
834 ENGLAND 211 209 209 205
839 SOUTH KOREA 217 205 209 208
840 MEXICO.
942 JAPAN
846 SOUTH AFRICA
847 SWEDEN
847 CHINESE TAIPEI
849 AUSTRALIA
851 PORTUGAL
870 CANADA
874 NORWAY
887 URUGUAY

LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
par 284 (4x71)]
270 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (SKo) 71 68 66 65.
275 Tomas Cocha (Arg) 71 68 69 67, Tomohiro Umeyama (Jap) 71 68 67 69, Santiago Gavino (Mex) 66 68 72 69.
277 Max Smith (Eng) 71 71 68 67 (5th).
Selected scores
282 Thomas Lewis (Eng) 68 75 71 68, Jonathan Bell (Eng) 72 70 70 70 (jt 14th).
284 Christopher Lloyd (Eng) 73 68 73 70 (jt 23rd).

Last Scot standing loses after being three up on 12th tee

Hillson bows out in quarter-finals

of Amateur at windswept Formby

FROM THE R&A WEBSITE

The quarter-final stage of the 2009 Amateur Championship has been completed, with four players securing their place in this afternoon’s semi-finals as high winds swept across the Lancashire links at Formby Golf Club.
Matteo Manassero got the better of 2008 runner-up, Tommy Fleetwood, in the first match of the day. Teeing-off at 8.15am, the sixteen-year-old Italian looked more comfortable in the difficult conditions than local lad Fleetwood, who is two years Manassero’s senior.

The Italian had built up a two-hole lead as the pair rounded the turn and, despite being pulled back to all-square on the 12th, always looked likely to re-establish his advantage, which he duly did to win 2&1.
The most impressive of the morning’s performances, however, came from Walker Cup contender, Sam Hutsby, 18, who defeated the Netherlands’ Jurrian Van Der Vaart 5&4.

The Englishman started smartly with a par and two birdies in the first three holes to take an early three-hole lead. The Dutchman pulled it back to level on the sixth after some excellent play, but Hutsby was to re-assert his dominance, winning the next four holes and eventually completing a 5&3 victory.
Finishing shortly afterwards, Game Two saw two former R&A Scholars, Scotland's Mark Hillson, pictured above, and England’s Darren Renwick, contest a place in the last four. The Scot looked favourite as he reached the 12th tee with a three-hole cushion, but Tennessee University student Renwick, found a terrific vein of form, taking the next three to pull level.

Holes were exchanged over a gripping final stretch, before Renwick took 17 and 18 to seal the match.
Completing the semi-finalists is England’s Stiggy Hodgson, after he ended the challenge of Sweden’s Nils Floren’s on the 18th. It was a closely fought encounter with neither one of the players ever going more than two holes up. But it was Hodgson who was to shine on the back nine, playing consistent golf in the swirling breeze; a birdie at the last after a sublime pitch (main picture), enough to triumph by two-holes.
This morning's results:

QUARTER-FINALS

Matteo Manassero (Italy) bt Tommy Fleetwood (England) 2 and 1.

Darren Renwick (England) bt Mark Hillson (Scotland) 2 holes.

Sam Hutsby (England) bt Jurrian Van der Vaart (Netherlands) 5 and 3.

Stiggy Hodgson (England) bt Nils Floren (Sweden) 2 holes.

+Log on to http://www.randa.org/ for live scoring.

Paul Casey wins Euro Tour Shot

of the Month award

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
Paul Casey’s exquisite bunker shot at the 72nd hole of the BMW PGA Championship has resulted in the World No 3 winning the European Tour Shot of the Month for May.
The 31 year old Englishman needed to get up and down from a greenside trap on Wentworth Club’s West Course to beat local favourite Ross Fisher. Casey proceeded to play a superb bunker shot to five feet and holed the putt to secure his 10th European Tour title.
It is Casey’s second monthly success in 2009, having won the February Shot of the Month award for holing his second shot for an eagle two in the final of the WGC – Accenture Match Play against Geoff Ogilvy in Arizona.
In second place was Fisher’s towering approach shot to the 538yd 18th. Playing just ahead of Casey, the man who started his career at Wentworth Club hit the centre of the green but saw his eagle putt just slip past the hole.
Third place went to Shane Lowry’s second shot to the 18th – the second play-off hole – in The 3 Irish open at County Louth, a sumptuous fairway wood to ten feet. Although he missed the eagle putt, the Irish amateur beat Robert Rock of England next time around and turned professional the following week.
Winners of the Shot of the Month in 2009 are: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (January and March), Casey (February and May) and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera (April).
The European Tour Shot of the Month is awarded to the Tour Member for the shot judged to be the best played each month on The European Tour International Schedule. At the end of the season, the winning shot from each month will be nominated for the Shot of the Year Award.

Church of Scotland minister teams up with

Newmachar pro for Crieff regional final

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
A Church of Scotland minister will go head to head with among others a crane driver, prison officer, teacher, architect and guide dog handler when he attempts to hit the jackpot and win a place in the final of Europe’s biggest pro-am.
Manson Merchant, vice captain of Newmacher Golf Club, teams up with the club's head professional Andrew Cooper to take on an assorted mix of amateur golfers and their club pros in the regional final of the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship at Crieff on Tuesday, June 30.
Up for grabs is a place in the 36-hole grand final on the PGA Sultan Course at Turkey’s Antalya Golf Club in December where the winning pair will also enjoy an all-expenses-paid stay at the five-star Sirene Beach and Hotel Resort on the Mediterranean coastline.
Merchant, aged 50 from Aberdeen, is a Church of Scotland minister but, despite an impressive five handicap, is likely to require a touch of divine intervention as the pair bid to top beat off strong competition from 67 other Scottish clubs, including Downfield professional Kenny Hutton whose pedigree in the event has seen him reach the final for the last two years.
Cooper, who will be in action prior to the tournament at the Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship, is,however,holding an ace up his sleeve – he knows the Crieff course like the back of his hand, having played there hundreds of times as a youngster and won the Perth and Kinross county boys' title there in the early 1990s.
He also believes the key to success will be ensuring his partner enjoys the day.“It’s important to take the pressure off your partner and with his job as a church minister I think Manson generally has to be quite relaxed so I’m sure he will be fine,” said Cooper.
“I also grew up near Crieff and played it a huge amount as a junior so know it better than almost any other course so hopefully some local knowledge will pay off.”
Other clubs taking part include Airdrie, Inverness, Dumfries & County, Royal Montrose, Pumpherston plus Ladybank and The Roxburghe.

KNOX IN PICTURE BUT GUNN

MISSES ARIZONA TARGET

Inverness exile Russell Knox was lying joint seventh after the first round of this week's NGA Hooters Tour event, the Buffalo Run Casino Classic at Peoria Ridge Golf club, Miami in Oklahoma.
Knox, pictured right, had a four-under-par 68 which included seven birdies in halves of 32 (four under par) and 36 (level). He is two shots behind the leader, American Rhein Gibson.
Meanwhile, another North man, Jimmy Gunn from Dornoch, failed to survive the 36-hole cut in the Gateway Tour's latest Desert Summer Series touornament at Anthem Golf & Country Club, Ironwood in Arizona.
Gunn had rounds of 72 and 71 for one-under-par 143. To beat the cut, players had to score four-under 140 or better. Gunn's double bogey 5 at the short 11th in his second round was followed by birdies at the 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th in a vain bid to make up lost ground.
Five players share the lead at 10-under-par 134.