Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County New

NO JOY FOR LOCAL GOLFERS IN SCOTTISH AMATEUR.

Three local golfers featured in the field of 256 in the Scottish Amateur Golf Championship held over Royal Troon last week, but the best performance came from Dollar’s Scott Borrowman when he reached the third round. For the last two years, Scott has reached the quarter final stage of the event, but this year he crashed out to Stephen Machin in Round 2.
Currently Scott is placed 42nd in the Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit, and he has a world ranking of 334, having moved up considerably this season.
Also playing in the event were two Alloa golfers, Jamie Aitken who lost in the first round and Scott Moffat who lost in the second round. Scott sealed his first round win with a fairway splitting drive of around 390yards at Troon’s last hole--- a bit shorter than a recent awesome drive at the fifth at Alloa which finished some 100yards short of the green, making it just over 400 yards.

COUNTY TEAM ON TOP FORM
In the second match of the 2009 Scottish Golf Union Area Team Championship, Clackmannan recorded an impressive away win against Argyll and Bute over Millport golf course by 6 matches to 2 with one half. The team beat Fife earlier in the year and the deciding match will be away against Renfrewshire where the County only need to draw to qualify. This match will be played over Erskine Golf course on the 20th September. The winning team will go forward to the Team Championship finals at Crail in October.
MATCH RESULTS (Clackmannan names first)
FOURSOMES (2-1)
Scott Borrowman &Ian Ross bt G Lundie & A McKie 2 and 1.
Jamie Aitken & Ross Benvie lost to G McMillan & G Watson 3 and 1.
John Maxwell & Steven Horne bt L Pirie & B Willan 2 and 1.
SINGLES
Borrowman lost to Pirie 3 and 2, Ross bt McMillan 5 and 4, Benvie bt McKie 1 hole, Aitken beat Willan 4 and 3, Maxwell bt Lundie 1 hole, Horne halved with Watson.

MORE GOOD GOLFING FORM FROM CALLUM
Tulliallan’s Calum Macaulay continues to make progress on the European Tour---he has made the cut in the last two events including a fine 6 under par total and 11th position (over 32,000 euros) last weekend in the Czech Republic. His Race to Dubai ranking has improved to 116 from 131 and he is getting close to his target of retaining his European Tour card for 2010….he needs to be in the top 115 golfers.
With several events left, he must be feeling quite confident, although he must also be reflecting on the par 5 where he dropped 5 shots to par over the first two rounds last week His current World ranking is 390 and he has reached this in 10 months as a professional golfer…. an outstanding achievement.

BOY GOLFERS ALSO MAKING PROGRESS
After their fine showing in the Under 16 Golf Championships at Largs at the beginning of the month, Alva’s Lawrence Allan and Dollar’s Gary Chalmers took on the Under 18’s at Ladybank recently. Gary just missed the cut, but Lawrence started with two fine rounds of 73 and 72 putting him in the top ten.
Although he was very disappointed to slump to an 84 in the third round, he recovered to a 77 in the final round and a 36th position in the event. He must have been encouraged by his 6th position in the Under 16 category of the same event…..and of course he is building up considerable experience at elite boys level, which must give him much confidence.

EUROPEAN TOUR REPORT

Oskar Czech-mates the field to become

second rookie winner this season

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Oskar Henningsson was left feeling “overwhelmed” after capturing his first European Tour title with a two-shot victory at the Moravia Silesia Open presented by ALO Diamonds
The Swede, who is enjoying his debut season on The European Tour after victory at Qualifying School last November, shot a brilliant final round 67 for a 13 under total at Prosper Golf Resort in the Czech Republic to beat England’s Sam Little and Steve Webster, who finished tied for second.
The 23 year old started the day three shots behind Webster but after birdies at the first and fourth he moved into a share of the lead when his approach to four feet at the eighth saw him pick up another shot.
After an outward 32 Henningsson picked up two more shots on the way in and despite a bogey at the last he became the second rookie to win in 2009 after Tano Goya’s success in Madeira.
“It feels great. I'm overwhelmed by it,” he said. “I had no expectations that I would win this week, it feels strange but good.
“I'm very happy but I'm tired at the moment - I've not realised what I have done yet. I've a ten hour trip home by car so I will have a lot of time to think about it and what I have done.”
Henningsson recorded the best finish of his career with a tie for fourth at last week’s SAS Masters but quadrupled his career earnings on The European Tour with the €333,330 winner’s cheque here.
Henningsson’s victory was made all the more remarkable as he started the week with a double bogey seven and he becomes only the third player after José Maria Olazábal and Gordon Brand Junior to win Qualifying School and then land a title in their maiden European Tour season.
“Of course it would be fantastic if I could have a career like theirs. Hopefully this is the starting point for me to achieve similar things to what they have done,” he added.
“I felt the game was really good last week and I was trying to keep the same game as in Sweden. It's been really good the last few weeks. I know I can contend as I've been there before. I was hoping to win this year but I didn't expect to this soon.”
Zimbabwe’s Marc Cayeux, England’s Graeme Storm and Spain’s Ignacio Garrido - who led for much of the day before four bogeys in a row from the tenth - were tied fourth on ten under.
Callum Macaulay and David Drysdale were joint top Scots, sharing 11th place on six-under-par 282 (only seven shots behind the winner). Each earned 32,680 Euros.
Richie Ramsay fell away badly with a last round of 78 to tie for 32nd place on 287. His pay check for 15,750 Euros looked like being a lot more going into the final round.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
275 Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 70 71 67 67 (333,330 Euros).
277 Steve Webster 66 70 69 72, Sam Little 70 67 70 70 (173,710 Euros each).
278 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 67 70 69 72, Graeme Storm 68 68 70 72, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 71 71 70 66
279 Gareth Maybin 73 66 68 72, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 68 70 73 68
280 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 67 70 71 72, Tano Goya (Arg) 65 75 70 70
282 David Drysdale 72 72 67 71, Callum Macaulay 68 72 71 71, Lee Slattery 71 72 70 69, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 69 71 73 69, John Bickerton 66 71 72 73 (32,680 Euros each).
283 Santiago Luna (Spa) 70 69 72 72
284 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 71 69 73, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 68 71 71 74, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 73 68 73, Simon Dyson 76 66 69 73, Mark Foster 72 71 71 70
285 Chris Wood 71 70 71 73, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 71 74 66 74, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 72 71 70 72, Robert Dinwiddie 71 70 70 74, Stuart Manley 73 69 71 72, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 69 68 76 72, Danny Willett 70 70 75 70
286 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 71 70 73, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 68 75 71 72, Matthew Millar (Aus) 70 70 73 73
287 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 74 69 71 73, Richie Ramsay 71 68 70 78, Damien McGrane 73 71 70 73, David Frost (Rsa) 72 70 74 71 (15,750 Euros each).
288 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 75 71 74, Marc Warren 71 74 69 74, Michael Hoey 71 71 68 78 (14,200 Euros each).
289 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 73 71 71 74, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 67 72 71 79, Jamie Donaldson 71 71 72 75, David Lynn 76 69 69 75, Steven O'Hara 71 73 72 73, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 72 73 68 76, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 73 69 76, Thomas Levet (Fra) 69 74 70 76 (12,000 Euros each.
290 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 70 74 73 73, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 75 67 73 75, Alan McLean 74 71 69 76, David Horsey 74 71 71 74, Bradley Dredge 70 71 73 76, Simon Khan 73 71 71 75 (9,200 Euros each).
291 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 72 73 70 76, Benn Barham 72 73 71 75, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 70 74 72 75
292 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 72 73 73 74
293 Robert Rock 71 74 71 77, John Mellor 73 72 73 75, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 75 69 75 74, Miles Tunnicliff 72 73 73 75, Simon Wakefield 73 70 71 79, Kane Webber (Aus) 71 74 75 73
294 Brett Rumford (Aus) 74 71 75 74, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 75 70 71 78
295 Nathan T Smith (USA) 71 72 77 75, Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 72 71 75 77, Jonathan Lomas 72 72 76 75, Barry Lane 71 74 71 79
296 Roope Kakko (Fin) 72 71 75 78, Scott Drummond 73 70 78 75
301 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 71 72 80 78

North-east thrash title-holders

Ayrshire on their home patch

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
North-east took a big step towards a place in the Scottish men’s area amateur team golf championship semi-finals by travelling down to Largs today and thrashing title-holders Ayrshire 8 ½- ½.
It was a tremendous follow-up to their 6-3 home win over Borders in their opening Group A match and means North-east are odds-on favourites to top the section and go through to the last four who will play off at Crail, Fife on Saturday, October 3 for a place in the final at the same venue on the following day.
North-east took a firm grip on the outcome at Largs by winning the foursomes 3-0 and James Byrne (Banchory) and Philip McLean (Peterhead) stretched that lead to 5-0 with wins in the top two singles.
Byrne, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, was in excellent form as he won by 7 and 6 over George Robertson in the No 1 tie.
Anthony Bews (Murcar Links was held to a square match by Scott Brown before wins by Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Laurie Phillips (Cruden Bay) and Mark Halliday (Royal Aberdeen) completed a lopsided scoreline that not even North-east could have anticipated.
North-east have a team problem of a kind for their final Group A match against Stirlingshire at Murcar Links on September 20. New Scottish men's champion David Law (Hazlehead) and Bryan Innes (Murcar Links), whom David beat in the semi-final at Troon, were not available for today's trip to Ayrshire - but they will be for the next match.
On the debit side, James Byrne will be back at Arizona State University by then.
"It's been a great weekend to cap a great week for North-east golf," said secretary George Young, father of the former British and Scottish boys champion Steven Young, who now lives and works as a club professional in Midland, Texas.
Grant Carnie (Newburgh) toppled No 1 seed Gavin Dear in the "Scottish" and David Law went to win the title at Royal Troon after being given a tough match by Bryan Innes in the semi-final.
In the other Group A tie today, Stirlingshire beat Borders 5-4 at Peebles.
Lothians' players' poor week of results in the Scottish amateur championship spilled over into their Group B home match against Lanarkshire who beat them 6 1/2- 2 1/2 at Mortonhall. In American sporting parlance, once mighty Lothians are 0 and 2 this season and have been eliminated from the sectional qualifying race.
In Group D, North suffered their second defeat. They were beaten 6 ½-2 ½ by Glasgow at Sandyhills and have no chance of topping the section.
Details:
GROUP A
AYRSHIRE ½, NORTH-EAST 8 ½
At Largs
Foursomes: Scott Brown & George Robertson lost to Anthony Bews & James Byrne 4 and 3; Tommy McInally & Jamie McKay lost to Mark Halliday & Adam Dunton 3 and 2; John Shanks & Steven Murray lost to Philip McLean & Laurie Phillips 3 and 2 (0-3).
Singles: Robertson lost to Byrne 7 and 6, McInally lost to McLean 3 and 2, Brown halved with Bews, McKay lost to Dunton 3 and 2, Murray lost to Phillips 5 and 4, Shanks lost to Halliday 4 and 3 (1/2-5 ½).
BORDERS 4, STIRLINGSHIRE 5
At Peebles.
HOW THEY STAND
North-east 6pt. Games won-lost difference: 11.
Stirlingshire 3pt. Games won-lost difference: 0.
Ayrshire 3pt. Games won-lost difference: -7.
Borders 0pt. Games won-lost difference: -4.
TO PLAY
September 20: Borders v Ayrshire (at Hawick), North-east v Stirlingshire (at Murcar Links)

GROUP B

LOTHIANS 2 1/2, LANARKSHIRE 6 1/2

At Mortonhall.

PERTH & KINROSS 7, ANGUS 2

At Blairgowrie.

HOW THEY STAND

Lanarkshire 6pt. Difference: 9.

Perth & Kinross 3pt. Difference: 0.

Angus 3pt. Difference -1.

Lothians 0pt. Difference: -8

TO PLAY

September 20: Lanarkshire v Angus (tbc), Perth & Kinross v Lothians (at Crieff).

GROUP C

ARGYLL & BUTE 2 1/2, CLACKMANNASHIRE 6 1/2
At Millport.
FIFE 4 1/2, RENFREWSHIRE 4 1/2
At Thornton.

HOW THEY STAND
Clackmannanshire 6pt. Difference: 6.
Renfrewshire 4pt. Difference: 4.
Fife 1pt. Difference: -2.
Argyll & Bute 0pt. Difference: -8.

TO PLAY
September 20: Argyll & Bute v Fife (tbc), Renfrewshire v Clackmannanshire (at Erksine).

GROUP D
DUNBARTONSHIRE 6 ½, SOUTH 2 ½
At Lenzie.
GLASGOW 6 ½, NORTH 2 ½
At Sandyhills.

HOW THEY STAND

Dunbartonshire 6pt. Difference: 6.

South 3pt. Difference 2.

Glasgow 3pt. Difference: -2.

North 0pt. Difference: -6.

TO PLAY

September 20: Dunbartonshire v Glasgow (at Cardross), North v South (at Nairn).

++ This will be the last Scottish area team championship played under a season-long sectional tables format. Look out for news on this website on Tuesday morning about the revamped format for 2010 which will be short and sharp and add a significant weekend of action to the Scottish Golf Union calendar.

Jamie McLeary notches first pro win

in Scottish Challenge at Aviemore

From Michael Gibbons, Challenge Tour Press Officer
Jamie McLeary finished off a superb weekend for the Challenge Tour’s Scottish contingent by becoming the first home winner of the event since its inception in 2006.
The 28 year old (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency)stormed to a two stroke victory - his first as a professional - from Italy’s Edoardo Molinari at the Macdonald Spey Valley course, Aviemore to pick up the £27,500 first prize and set up a golden opportunity to win a place on The European Tour next season via the top 20 on the Challenge Tour Rankings.
McLeary’s victory moved him from 57th to 11th on the Rankings with 10 events of the season remaining. The top 20 players at the end of the Challenge Tour season gain promotion to The European Tour.
With an eight under par total of 276, the record books will show that McLeary recorded an easy victory but he was under pressure throughout the day until his nearest challenger, overnight leader Molinari, came unstuck with a double bogey 6 at the 15th hole.
“I didn’t really know the situation until the 15th. I had birdied 13 and 14 and then I asked my dad (James) where I was because that was going to determine what I did off the 17th. Someone from Scottish Hydro actually told me that Edoardo had double-bogeyed 15 so I decided to play 17 very conservatively and it all worked out alright in the end.
“I would have been happy with second or first this week and I had checked with my dad what third place was and he said that I was three ahead of that. It is a great feeling to win my first event as a pro. I am delighted to finally get over the line. I was second in this event two years ago and it is very satisfying for me.
“Since this event started in 2006 everyone who has won this event has gone onto get their Tour card and that is what we all want to do. The challenge Tour is a great place to learn your trade but we all want to playing on The European Tour and seeing how we do against the best players in the world. I am in the top 20 on the Rankings now and have to try and stay there.”
Joining McLeary in that all-important top 20 is Fifer Peter Whiteford, who took third place at the Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club to claim £12,000 and move to 13th on the Rankings.
Former Open Champion Paul Lawrie finished the week in 50th spot after a disappointing weekend performance, but the exposure he brought to the event certainly made his appearance worthwhile.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 284 (4x71)
276 Jamie McLeary (Sco) 69 67 72 68 (32,000 Euros).
278 Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 69 71 67 71 (22,000 Euros).
279 Peter Whiteford (Sco) 70 70 70 69 (14,000 Euros).
281 Peter Baker (Eng)( 68 72 72 69, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 70 74 71 66.
282 Sion E Bebb (Wal) 68 74 69 71, Gary Boyd (Eng) 75 71 68 68, Scott Jamieson (Sco) 70 68 73 71, James Ruebotham (Eng) 71 69 68 74, Steve Surry (Eng) 76 69 73 64, Mark Tullo (Eng) 72 689 73 69 (5,533 Euros each).
Selected scores:
288 Scott Henderson (Sco) 72 73 74 69, Andrew McArthur (Sco) 67 73 72 76, Andrew Oldcorn (Sco) 72 69 77 70 (jt 27th, 1,600 Euros each).
289 Greig Hutcheon (Sco) 70 76 71 72, Duncan Stewart (Sco) 71 72 75 71 (jt 36th, 1,280 Euros each).
290 Ross Cameron (Sco) 70 71 78 71 (jt 43rd, 1040 Euros)
292 Paul Lawrie (Sco) 71 71 75 75, Eric Ramsay (Sco) 71 75 74 72 (jt 50th, 795 Euros each).
298 Raymond Russell (Sco) 74 70 71 83 (64th, 540 Euros).

Luke Goddard beats Farren Keenan in

36-hole English amateur final

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Luke Goddard is the new English men's amateur champion. He beat Farren Keenan 3 and 2 in the 36 hole final as the sunshine turned to rain at Rye.
In effect, Goddard had to win the title twice. He had been four up after seven holes in the morning round only for Keenan to bravely battle back to go into lunch all square. There was little to separate them for eight holes of the afternoon round. But a run of three birdies in four holes from the ninth, plus a Keenan lost ball, tilted the balance Goddard’s way.
“I’m thrilled to be champion,” said Goddard. “This was a tough match. I played solid and Farren was holing putts from everywhere. The holes around the turn won it for me. Three birdies in four holes was the key and when the rain came it was a bit of a struggle.
“Hopefully this will put me in the Walker Cup team. It would mean everything to me. It is the highest accolade in amateur golf and it is great to have that on your CV when you turn professional. I’ve had a win every year but not one this year until now but this is the big one.” Keenan played his part in a fine final but was naturally disappointed. “I’m gutted really but Luke played nicely all day,” he said. “He got hot around the turn and I couldn’t really put any pressure on him. I was pleased with my comeback this morning but I lost a few shots this afternoon when I couldn’t quite hold the ball up into the wind.
“You want to be in the final, and this will probably be my last one, but I came up against a tough guy who has probably cemented his place in the Walker Cup team.”
Goddard had played solid golf all week but it was somewhat out of character when he saw a four hole lead taken away over the final 11 holes of the morning round. Keenan was back in the match and when he birdied the first hole of the afternoon a turnaround seemed on the cards. Goddard soon got back on terms and while Goddard got back in front with a birdie 2 at the fifth, Keenan squared matters again with a birdie of his own at the par four eighth. Then came the decisive run.
Both missed the green at the ninth but Goddard got up-and-down for birdie to lead again and when Keenan lost a ball off the 10th tee to run up a double bogey, Goddard was two ahead. Further birdies at the 11th and 12th meant Goddard could see the winning post at 4up with six to play. But Keenan stuck to his guns and he won the 15th with a par to stay alive. But the end came with a half in bogey 5s at the 16th as the rain grew in intensity.
Scores for all matches, championship commentary and news updates are available on the Championships Section of the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.

Alan Lockhart (69) wins top prize of

£1,045 at McDonald-Ellon pro-am

Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) won the first prize of £1,054 in the McDonald Ellon pro-am with a one-under-par round of 69.
He had a shot to spare from the host club professional, Sandy Aird junior, Newmachar's Andrew Cooper, Stephen Gray (Hayston) and Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch), who played out of Newmachar as an amateur.
Stephen Gray led the winning pro-am team to a 14 under par net score of 126 - one shot ahead of the teams led by Andrew Cooper (Newmachar) and Paul Wardell (Whitekirk).
FINAL PRO TOTALS
Par 70
69 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) £1,054.13.
70 Sandy Aird jun (McDonald Ellon), Andrew Cooper (Newmachar), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch) £582.24 each.
71 Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park), Fraser Mann (Musselbrugh) £294.99 each.
72 Colin Gillies (Perry Golf), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) £216.26.
73 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Callum Nicoll (Prestwick), Robbie Stewart (Cruden Bay) £161.46 each.
74 Neil Murray (Cruden Bay), Gary Forbes (Murcar Links), Alan Fleming (North Highland College), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range), Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) £115.97.
75 Kenneth Hutton (Downfield), Euan Cameron (Hamilton), Mark King (Kingsfield), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), James Mooney (Kingscliff) £63.62 each.
76 Jonas Hedberg (Royal Aberdeen), Cjhris Campbell (Grantown on Spey), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Iain Buchan (Craibstone), Graeme Stewart (Gleddoch) £48.39 each.
77 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) £48.39.
78 Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) £48.39.
79 Colin Nelson (Mackenzies), Lee Vannett (Carnoustie GL) £48.39 each.
81 Nicholas Reid (unatt) £48.39.
34 Iain Donaldson (Meldrum House) £48.39

Teams for Boys' Home Internationals

Listed below are the teams for the Boys' Home Internationals which start at Hankley Common Golf Club, Surrey on Tuesday.
The event is contested by the best players aged 18 or under from Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland.
Defending champions, Ireland, hope to hold on to The R&A Trophy, which they narrowly won
8–7 in an enthralling final match against England at Royal County Down in 2008.
TEAMS
IRELAND
Ciaran Boggan (Co Meath); Brian Casey (Headfort); Paul Dunne (Greystones); Michael Durcan (Co Sligo); Colin Fairweather (Knock); Dermot McElroy (Ballymena); Garth McGee (Malone); Daniel Murphy (Portarlington); Ian O’Rourke (Cork); Chris Selfridge (Moyola Park); Reeve Whitson (Mourne)
ENGLAND
Jonathan Bell (Royal Blackheath); Tom Berry (Wentworth); Scott Campbell (Hallowes); Adam Carson (Long Ashton); Sebastian Crookall-Nixon (Workington); Hugo Dobson (Fynn Valley); Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City); Chris Lloyd (The Kendleshire); Max Smith (Newbury Racecourse); James Webber (Three Rivers); Joshua White (Chipstead)
WALES
Jack Bush (Morlais Castle); Michael Evans (Clays); Rhodri Fieldhouse (Wrexham); Rhodri Harston (Felixstowe Ferry); Luke Jackson (Mold); Ross McLister (Cardiff); Matthew Moseley (Carmarthen); Patrick Mullins (Whitchurch); Christopher Nugent (Fulford Heath); Mark Parry (Holyhead); Rhys Pugh (Vale of Glamorgan)
SCOTLAND
Sandy Bolton (Goring & Streatley); Grant Forrest (Craigielaw); Scott Gibson (Southerness); David Law (Hazlehead); Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie); Ian Redford (New Club St Andrews); Chris Robb (Inchmarlo); Jack Scott (Deeside); Paul Shields (Kirkhill); Calum Stewart (Brora); Daniel Young (Craigie Hill)

Ireland will get the three-day round-robin event underway on Tuesday morning with their opening tie against Scotland. England will then play Wales in the day’s second match.
Matches will consist of five foursomes matches, followed by ten singles matches, each played over 18 holes of Hankley Common.
Officially opened in 1897, the Surrey heathland course was extended to 18 holes by five-time Open champion, James Braid. The Boys Home Internationals is not the first R&A championship that the venue has hosted. The Seniors Open Amateur was held at Hankley Common in August of 1995 and the club has hosted Regional Qualifying for The Open Championship on a number of occasions.
The 2009 contest will continue the most exciting and evenly contested period in the history of the event, which has existed in its present format since 1996. Three different nations have prevailed in the last three years with Scotland winning in 2006 at Lossiemouth, England lifting The R&A Trophy in 2007, and Ireland emerging victorious in 2008.
Full half-day and full-day reports and scores will appear on www.RandA.org throughout the three days of competition.

Aussie Beck wins Brunei Open play-off

for first victory on Asian Tour

Australia’s Darren Beck completed a remarkable comeback by winning at the third play-off hole over India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar at the Brunei Open 2009 today.
Beck, who had started his final round tied-15th, six shots off the lead, fired a sparkling six-under-par 65 to force a three-way play-off with Bhullar and Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit after the pair returned with 13-under-par 271 total in regulation play.
When Boonchu bogeyed his shot at the second play-off hole and Beck and Bhullar making pars each, it was down to the par-4 ninth hole to decide the winner at the US$300,000 full field Asian Tour event.
The 32-year-old Australian sealed his career breakthrough on the Asian Tour when birdied from 10 feet as Bhullar could only par his shot.
“I was sitting in the locker room and cooling off as I thought that there’ll be no way I could put myself in a play-off. It was very nerve-wreaking but it’s definitely great to make it to six-under and to win in the play-off!” said Beck.
Bhullar was on the verge of becoming the first player to win back-to-back victories on the Asian Tour this season.
The 21-year-old who won his maiden title in Jakarta last year could have added another victory at the Empire Hotel and Country Club had he birdied his closing shot on the 18th from eight feet.
“I had a very good second shot on my 72nd hole but I clearly misread the line,” said Bhullar.
“I would like to congratulate Darren for his overdue victory and he really deserves his victory,” added the Indian.
At 53 years and 82 days, Boonchu could have written his way into the record books as the oldest winner to win an Asian Tour title.
However, the Thai closed with a costly bogey on the 18th to make it into a three-way play-off, which he made his exit at the second play-off hole.
“It was good to be competing for the title against these younger players again. It has been a long week but I really enjoyed myself this week,” said Boonchu who had mixed three birdies with three bogeys to close in 71.
Beck opened his final round with two birdies. He parred the rest of his front-nine to reach the turn in 33.
The Australian’s game came back to life with four birdies on the 10th, 14th, 15th and 16th before storming home in 65.
“I knew I was a few shots back and I had to go out there to get birdies. Starting with two opening birdies, I knew I could go on and make a few more birdies. I missed a couple of easy ones but in the same way, I made a lot of good par putts as well,” said Beck.
“Starting in seven-under, I really didn’t think I could go up the leaderboard. But to finish the way I did, I’m really happy,” said the 31-year-old Australian of his round before he won in the play-off.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
271 Darren Beck (AUS) 71-67-68-65, Boonchu Ruangkit (THA) 65-71-64-71, Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 67-71-64-69 (Beck won play-off at third extra hole).
272 David Gleeson (AUS) 66-69-69-68
273 Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 68-68-68-69, Lu Chien-soon (TPE) 65-71-67-70, Mardan Mamat (SIN) 65-71-67-70, Scott Barr (AUS) 66-67-69-71
274 Shaaban Hussin (MAS) 67-68-69-70, Thammanoon Srirot (THA) 74-65-67-68, Kodai Ichihara (JPN) 71-64-68-71, Jay Bayron (PHI) 69-65-67-73
275 Ted Oh (KOR) 64-70-68-73, C Muniyappa (IND) 69-72-62-72
276 Jbe Kruger (RSA) 69-71-70-66, Piya Swangarunporn (THA) 68-71-68-69, Gavin Flint (AUS) 64-68-74-70
277 Wu Ashun (CHN) 69-69-72-67, Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 69-72-69-67, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 67-73-70-67, Siddikur (BAN) 68-69-70-70, Zhang Lian-Wei (CHN) 69-71-68-69, Mars Pucay (PHI) 69-68-71-69

2011 Walker Cup at Balgownie

is the target that will keep

David Law an amateur for now

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

New Scottish men's amateur champion David Law is bucking the recent trend of the title winners turning pro within a year or so.

Mind you, at 18 years of age, the Aberdonian has more time on his side than Callum Macaulay, John Gallagher, George Murray and Graham Gordon had at the end of their week of national amateur glory.

The GB&I selectors meet today to finalise their line-up for the Walker Cup match at Merion, United States in September. It's a 1000-1 against them naming Law, who was No 598 in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings at the start of the Allied Surveyors Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon.

Although one pundit did make the point that if an English teenager had just followed up victory in the English boys' title by winning the English men's amateur championship, he would go straight into the Walker Cup team.

Hazlehead Golf Club member Law, after his thrilling 38th hole win in the final over Colville Park's Paul O'Hara, 22, beaten at the Saturday showdown stage for a third time since 2004, can afford to be patient.

The 2011 Walker Cup match will be held over the Royal Aberdeen club's Balgownie links with which the Boy David has a certain affinity after winning the Scottish boys' match-play title there in April.

That is the biggest reason why Law is not talking about joining compatriots O'Hara, Gavin Dear and Keir McNicoll on the European Tour Qualifying School campaign later this season.

David felt he was a better player at the end of the week at Royal Troon than he was at the beginning - how's that for rapid improvement? - and, by the same token, a better player at Royal Troon than he was by the end of his Scottish boys' championship week at Royal Aberdeen.

The fact of the matter is that Law is at just the age when maturity starts to kick in and constant practice and exposure to better players in higher-level tournaments all go into the melting pot in the development of David who has the potential to become the best golfer ever to come out of Aberdeen and the North-east.

And that's not meant to downgrade in any way the standing of Richie Ramsay, who won the Irish and Scottish stroke-play titles before capturing the US amateur championship, nor 1999 Open champion and European Tour winner Paul Lawrie who never played in the Scottish boys' championship because his handicap wasn't low enough to get in and who never played in the Scottish amateur championship because he started his PGA training under Douglas Smart at Banchory in his teens.

Law has shown a great aptitude for match-play golf in winning the Scottish boys and Scottish men's championships. At the moment, David does not have quality performances in 72-hole men's stroke-play events on his CV. But that will surely come.

A full-time amateur since he left Aberdeen Grammar School last year, David Law says he will not accept any of the lucrative golf scholarship offers that are bound to come his way over the next few weeks from top American colleges.

"I've got a lot to learn yet but not by going back to get further education. I just don't fancy going to the United States," says David.

"I've got to keep working on my golf, particularly my short game which is not usually as good as it was in the final against Paul O'Hara.

"I'm going to remain a full-time amateur for at least the next two years ... and I need to get a winter job to get some money in to help pay my golf expenses."

Oh, and by the way, when Law defends the Allied Surveyors Scottish amateur championship at Gullane next July, he won't mind a bit if the tournament is under the suggested new format - which England, Ireland and Wales have adopted - of two stroke-play qualifying rounds opening the week to produce 64 match-play qualifiers and, with it, a seeding process that reflects current form.

"I think it it's a good idea. The current all match-play format is obviously fun but I don't see why they should it to stroke-play with the top 64 going on to match-play," said David before setting off south for another big week of golf, although he will be back with his teenage peers in the boys home internationals at Hankley Common, Surrey.

STATS CHECK

*Three Aberdonians have won the Scottish men's amateur championship in the past 30 years ... Nigg Bay's Donald Jamieson (who beat Charlie Green in the 1980 final at Balgownie), Newmachar's Graham Gordon (beat Stewart Wilson in the 2003 final at The Duke's) and now David Law.

*David Law, at 18, is not the youngest ever winner of the Scottish men's amateur championship. Stephen Gallacher was only 17 when he beat David Kirkpatrick in the 1992 final and Sandy Stephen is believed to have been 17 when he beat Charlie Green in the men's amateur championship final of 1971.

Sandy Stephen had won the Scottish boys championship the previous year.

++The picture at the top of the article was provided by courtesy of Rob Eyton-Jones.

Funk leads US Senior Open by one from

Greg Norman and Joey Sindelar

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Fred Funk will take a one-shot lead over Greg Norman and Joey Sindelar into the final round of the US Senior Open at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Indiana on Sunday.
American Funk and Norman of Australia both shot four-under-par 68s to overtake halfway leader Tim Jackson, the amateur and former US Walker Cup player, who shot a 73 on a day when the lead often changed hands.
Jackson had started the day at 11 under par, one stroke clear of second-placed Sindelar, two ahead of Funk and three shots in front of Norman, yet despite carding birdies at the fifth and seventh, the amateur's round came undone with bogeys at the eighth, 10th and 12th holes.
Funk had five birdies and one bogey to his name before he managed to break free of Norman at the par-four 16th, the American rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt while Norman registered his only bogey of the day to fall to 12 under.
Both men parred the final two holes to leave Funk at 13 under, with Norman, whose 68 also included an eagle at the par-five 15th and three birdies, will start with the leader in the final group at 12 under.
SCOREBOARD TO COME

Tiger Woods leads Buick Open after

last hole double bogey by Letzig

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
A last-hole double bogey from Michael Letzig handed control of the Buick Open to Tiger Woods in Michigan.
World number one and two-time Buick Open winner Woods began Saturday's third round in a tie for fifth place, four shots behind Australia's John Senden, whose second-round 66 had left him topping the halfway leaderboard at 14 under par, two shots clear of American Letzig at the 7,127-yard par-72 Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc.
A 71 from Senden allowed Letzig to take charge before a poor greenside bunker shot at 18 led to a 6 on the par-four closing hole for a third-round 68, leaving Woods, who had earlier completed a seven-under 65, with a one-shot lead heading into the final round.
Woods, who rebounded from an opening 71 with a 63 on Friday, will start the fourth round at 17 under par, one clear of Letzig, with Senden at 15 under.
Americans Matt Bettencourt and Vaughn Taylor were tied for fourth at 14 under while compatriots Charles Warren and Jimmy Walker held a share of sixth place with Australian Greg Chalmers at 13 under.
SCOREBOARD TO COME

Garrido's last hole blunder hands lead

to Steve Webster in Czech Republic

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
England's Steve Webster was handed a one-shot lead going into the last day of the European Tour's Moravia Silesia Open in the Czech Republic, after Spaniard Ignacio Garrido double-bogeyed the final hole of his third round.
Garrido, a member of the 1997 Ryder Cup side who has not won a Tour title since the PGA Championship at Wentworth in 2003, had gone out in front by following a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th with an eagle on the 553-yard 16th.

--OTHER GOLF NEWS LINKS
Matthew in driving seat
Woods in control
Funk has the edge
Woods to contest WGC
=======================

But his finish dropped him back to 10 under par along with 2007 French Open champion Graeme Storm - and Webster, looking to add to his victories in Italy and Portugal, regained top spot with a 69.
Webster birdied the first, second and eighth in turning in 33 but then suffered the setback of a bogey six on the 10th.
Storm, who shared the halfway lead with Webster, shot 70 - while fellow Englishman Sam Little (70) and Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin (68) are fourth on nine under.
Course designer Miguel Angel Jimenez has six strokes to make up following his 69 - while the 71 of 21-year-old Chris Wood, third in The Open two weeks ago, left him one further back.
Swede Martin Erlandsson had 10 birdies after making the cut with nothing to spare, but a double bogey and two bogeys limited him to a 66 and a five-under aggregate.
There are three Scots in the top 20 with 18 holes to go, led by Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay on 209, four shots off the pace after a third-round 70.
Callum Macaulay from Tulliallan and Dunbar's David Drysdale are bracketed together on 211.
Macaulay had a 71 on Saturday but Drysdale's 67 was the joint best of the third round.
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
205 Steve Webster 66 70 69
206 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 67 70 69, Graeme Storm 68 68 70
207 Gareth Maybin 73 66 68, Sam Little 70 67 70
208 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 67 70 71, Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 70 71 67
209 Richie Ramsay 71 68 70, John Bickerton 66 71 72
210 Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 67 72 71, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 68 71 71, Tano Goya (Arg) 65 75 70, Michael Hoey 71 71 68
211 Callum Macaulay 68 72 71, David Drysdale 72 72 67, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 71 74 66, Robert Dinwiddie 71 70 70, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 71 69, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 73 68, Santiago Luna (Spa) 70 69 72, Simon Dyson 76 66 69, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 68 70 73
212 Chris Wood 71 70 71, Marc Cayeux (Zim) 71 71 70
213 Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 69 71 73, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 72 71 70, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 69 68 76, Stuart Manley 73 69 71, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 73 69, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 71 70, Lee Slattery 71 72 70, Matthew Millar (Aus) 70 70 73, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 72 73 68, Thomas Levet (Fra) 69 74 70
214 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 74 69 71, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 68 75 71, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 75 71, Damien McGrane 73 71 70, Alan McLean 74 71 69, David Lynn 76 69 69, Simon Wakefield 73 70 71, Marc Warren 71 74 69, Jamie Donaldson 71 71 72, Mark Foster 72 71 71, Bradley Dredge 70 71 73
215 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 73 71 71, Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 72 73 70, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 75 67 73, Danny Willett 70 70 75, Simon Khan 73 71 71
216 Benn Barham 72 73 71, David Horsey 74 71 71, David Frost (Rsa) 72 70 74, Steven O'Hara 71 73 72, Robert Rock 71 74 71, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 70 74 72, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 75 70 71, Barry Lane 71 74 71
217 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 70 74 73
218 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 72 73 73, Roope Kakko (Fij) 72 71 75, John Mellor 73 72 73, Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 72 71 75, Miles Tunnicliff 72 73 73
219 Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 75 69 75
220 Brett Rumford (Aus) 74 71 75, Nathan T Smith (USA) 71 72 77, Jonathan Lomas 72 72 76, Kane Webber (Aus) 71 74 75
221 Scott Drummond 73 70 78
223 Felipe Aguilar (Swi) 71 72 80