PGA EUROPRO TOUR REPORT

Clark leads by two ahead of Tudor Park finale

By ANTHONY LEAVER

Graeme Clark leads the Virgin Atlantic 25th Anniversary Classic at Marriott Tudor Park in Kent by two shots going into the final round at 13 under par after following Tuesday’s opEning round of 64 with a 63.
Clark (Doncaster GC) quickly moved into gear with a birdie at the third and an eagle at the fifth but it was on the back nine where he did his damage, equalling the four birdies in his opening round, but this time consecutively from the 14th.
“I’ve played very well so far and holed a lot of putts which has been pleasing,” said Clark, who topped the 2007 Order of Merit with three tournament wins. “It’s a pretty short course and there are plenty of chances out there, so tomorrow I’ve just got to stick to my game plan.”
His round of 63 was matched by Ian Keenan (Royal Liverpool) who is his closest challenger ahead of the final round. Keenan moved through two-thirds of his round in an understated fashion, starting on the back nine and gaining just one stroke from his four under starting position after 12 holes.

It was at this point that the 33 year-old shifted into gear and birdied every hole from the fourth to the ninth to join Clark and Paul Dwyer in carding course record equalling rounds of 63, moving to 11 under for the tournament.
Daniel Gaunt (Burhill GC) holds sole possession of third spot at nine under, although the in-form Australian will rue bogeys at 14 and 16 towards the end of his round, with four birdies on the front nine continuing his good work after an opening round 64.

Gaunt cancelled out one dropped shot with a birdie at the 17th, and that puts him one shot clear of Elliot Saltman (Aegon) in fourth spot after the Scotsman finished strongly on the front nine with four birdies to record at three under round of 67 to move to eight under.
Dwyer (Clitheroe) held the lead overnight but endured a frustrating day with a birdie at the ninth – his last – restoring parity and adding his name to a list of five players at seven under par. Martin Sell (Wrag Barn G&CC) climbed the highest to reach that score, kicking off his round on the back nine with three birdies and finishing with a four under 66.

Matthew Evans (Rotherham), Nicky Harris (Whitefield GC) and Simon Lilly (Wellingborough) complete the group at seven under. Order of Merit leader Daniel Brooks (Mill Hill) leads a quartet one stroke behind them at six under.
Fifty-five players made the cut at one under for the final round, with the final pairing of Clark and Keenan teeing off at 12.21pm. Live scoring on the conclusion of the Virgin Atlantic 25th Anniversary Classic is available via the Score Updates link at www.europrotour.com

SCOTS' SCORES

Elliot Saltman 65, 67 -8
Shaun McAllister 65, 68 -7
Scott Herald 66, 69 -5
Lorne Kelly 66, 72 -2
Jack Doherty 67, 71 -2
Barry Hume 71, 67 -2
Steven Hume 67, 72 -1
CUT -1
John Gallagher 67, 76 +3
Duncan Stewart 73 +3
Paul Doherty 69, 75 +4
Zack Saltman 74, 73 +7

Scotland boys beaten by England
Hankley Common GC, Surrey

DAY TWO RESULTS

IRELAND 8, WALES 7

ENGLAND 9, SCOTLAND 6
Foursomes (3-2)
Chris Lloyd & Adam Carson lost to David Law & Paul Shields 1 hole.
Tom Lewis & Seb Crookall-Nixon bt Sandy Bolton & Chris Robb 3 and 2.
Tom Berry & Joshua White bt Ian Redford & Daniel Young 1 hole.
Max Smith & Scott Campbell lost to Jack Scott & Scott Gibson 3 and 2.
Jonathan Bird & James Webber bt Grant Forrest & Calum Stewart 1 hole.
Singles (6-4)
Lloyd lost to Law 1 hole.
Lewis bt Shields 2 and 1.
Berry lost to Robb 5 and 4.
Crookall-Nixon halved with Bolton.
Hugo Dobson bt Redford 5 and 4.
Webber bt Jack McDonald 3 and 2.
White bt Scott 6 and 5.
Jonathan Bell lost to Scott Gibson 3 and 2.
Carson bt Daniel Young 4 and 3.
Smith halved with Stewart

David Patrick among Scots favourites

for Powerade PGA Assistants' title

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY PGA
A decade ago Scotland’s David Patrick was basking in glory as a member of a victorious Walker Cup team that included future Ryder Cup stars Paul Casey and Luke Donald.
Ten years on and Patrick, who spent seven years on the European Challenge Tour chalking up one victory, will attempt to be the first Scot to secure the Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship in association with FootJoy since current Tartan Tour leader David Orr in 2002.
The 34-year-old will be one of a number of Scots making the journey south to compete in the 54-hole tournament at The London Club, Kent, between August 12-14.
And with a track record of success at both amateur and professional level, Patrick, who is an assistant at Elie Golf Club in the golf hotbed of Fife, will be among the favourites for the title.
Patrick shared top spot with Dundonald Links’ Iain Colquhoun in the qualifier for the championship, which saw the leading 16 players book their place, including Inchmarlo duo Craig Marlow and Mark Barnard, Robin Gaden (Gleneagles), Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Peter McLachlan (West Kilbride) and Alan Martin (Dunbar).
In all a field of 120 from across Great Britain and Ireland will travel to the ‘Garden of England’ aiming to win the title, the £5,000 winner’s cheque and a coveted place in the European Tour’s flagship tournament – the BMW PGA Championship.
SCOTTISH REGION QUALIFIERS FOR POWERADE
PGA ASSISTANTS CHAMPIONSHIP
David Patrick Elie
Iain Colquhoun Dundonald Links
Robin Gaden Gleneagles Hotel
Graham Fox East Kilbride
Peter McLachlan West Kilbride
Craig Dempster Inchmarlo
Mark Barnard Inchmarlo
David Blackadder Kingsbarns
Alan Martin Dunbar
Richard Valentine Craigielaw
Graeme Stuart Gleddoch
Alasdair McDonald Elie
Ross Ewen West Lothian
Graham Mackay Prestonfield
Christopher Currie Caldwell
Ryan Buckley Craigielaw

Scottish Golf Union name nine players for

European individual championship in France

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur championship finalist Paul O’Hara is among nine players from the SGU Men’s elite squad to represent Scotland in the International European Amateur Championship at Chantilly, France this month (19-22 August).
Third time finalist O’Hara, who narrowly missed out on the national title at the 38th hole last weekend, is keen to make his mark in the forthcoming international event.
Currently leading the SGU Order of Merit having won two 72 hole counting events this season, the 22 year old has form in the European tournament as the top finishing Scot last year, missing out on a medal place by just one shot.
O’Hara, who sank the winning putt for Scotland at the recent European Team Championship, said, “I have a good record in the tournament so I am really looking forward to it. The last few days I have been practising with my brother Steven and both he and my coach feel my game is stronger than it has ever been. It is useful to gauge yourself against your European counterparts and just missing out on a medal place last year gives me something to aim for.”
His five team mates who claimed European Team honours recently will also test themselves again against the cream of the continent for individual spoils. They are Scotland’s World Champions Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth who were named in the final Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad earlier this week, along with New South Wales Amateur runner up Ross Kellett, Scottish Champion of Champions Glenn Campbell and Michael Stewart, who claimed his first major individual overseas title earlier this year when he won the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.
Joining the six members of the triumphant European side are Scottish internationalists Steven McEwan, last year’s SGU Order of Merit winner, Scottish Amateur semi finalist Keir McNicoll and James Byrne who posted back to back wins at the Tennant Cup and East of Scotland Stroke Play Championship earlier this season.
The nine players are as follows:
Wallace Booth (Comrie)
James Byrne (Banchory)
Glenn Campbell (Murrayshall)
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
Steven McEwan (Caprington)
Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie)
Paul O’Hara (Colville Park)
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)

Arnott leads The Muir Deer Park Masters

Robert Arnott was the halfway leader by one stroke with a five-under-par 67 in The Muir Deer Park Masters at Deer Park Golf Club.
LEADERBOARD
Par 72
67 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs).
68 Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links), Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Craig Lee (unatt).
69 Sam Cairns (Colville Park), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), James McKinnon (Irvine), Gareth Wright (Swanston Golf).
70 Scott Grieve (Turnhouse), Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Lee Harper (Archerfield Links), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Chris Kelly (Cawder).