Tom Lewis beats Eddie Pepperell in all-England

final to Boys' amateur championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R&A
Tom Lewis is the Champion Amateur Boy Golfer of the Year, defeating Eddie Pepperell 5 and 4 in the 36-hole final today. The young English internationals competed over the links of Royal St George’s in glorious weather, producing an incredible standard of golf which delighted spectators. It was Lewis, however, who prevailed and became a worthy winner of the 81st Boys Amateur Championship.
The English Amateur Stroke Play champion now adds his name to a list of names which includes two-time Masters winner, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Sergio Garcia; a fact that the 18-year-old England International struggled to take in.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s hard to explain. You don’t expect to be in the same boat as those players, but then you are,” explained the young man from Welwyn Garden City Golf Club, the same club where Sir Nick Faldo began his illustrious career.
“To continue being alongside those names is a tough goal but if I keep doing what I’m doing, which seems to be working, then hopefully I can continue being up there with them.”
Having won the second hole in birdie, Lewis controlled the match as he has done in the majority of his matches this week, maintaining at least a two-hole cushion on all but one hole, which was followed by galleries of over 200 people.
“I was only down once last week. Once I’ve been up, I haven’t lost it so it was good to win the second and be up for the rest of the holes I played.”
“I was just a little bit more solid and probably kept it together a little better. He played better than the score made it look but I made the right decisions, didn’t short-side myself and made some putts when I needed to.”
Pepperell concurred with that assessment. Visibly deflated, the Drayton Park member knew that he had not played to his full potential despite showing his undoubted talent on a number of occasions.
“I didn’t feel nervous out there. I felt really good; the same as I have done all week. But for whatever reason I wasn’t playing well enough today,” the 18-year-old said.
“I scrambled well this morning, hanging on to him, but I felt like I didn’t give him a game. I’m disappointed as it was unlike me.”
“There are lots of positives, though, which I’ll probably be able to reflect on a bit better in a few days time. But, overall, I loved it. It was great to have so much support.”
“I think he gave me a game more than he thought,” interrupted Lewis, a close friend as well as a team-mate of Pepperell’s. “Eddie’s the best grinder I’ve ever come across and he put a lot of pressure on me because he has such a good short game.”
Lewis will soon head to Ganton for the Jacques Leglise Trophy match where he will compete for Great Britain and Ireland against the Continent of Europe on 28 – 29 August.
The 2010 Boys Amateur Championship will be held at Kilmarnock (Barassie) on the west coast of Scotland in August next year.
A full, detailed hole-by-hole report can be found online at RandA.org along will full results from the week.

Woods scrambling to preserve four-stroke

lead in third round of US PGA championship

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Padraig Harrington was leading the charge to catch US PGA Championship leader Tiger Woods as the world number one defended a four-shot overnight lead at Hazeltine National.
Woods got his third round under way at seven under par in Minnesota in the knowledge he had not lost the eight major championships in which he had led at the halfway stage.
The five-man group four shots behind him - containing defending champion Padraig Harrington, US Open champion Glover, England's Ross Fisher, Australian Brendan Jones and two-time winner Vijay Singh - had other ideas, as did Lee Westwood a shot further back at two under par.
Glover birdied the par-four second to close the gap before four-time US PGA champion Woods also birdied the hole to return his lead to four shots.
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It was short-lived, though, as Woods bogeyed the first par-3 at the fourth and Westwood moved within three after birdies at the second and seventh, only to then double bogey the par-3 eighth and fall back to two under.
Korea's Y E Yang also got to four under, having started at one under as he went out in 33 and Harrington was the next to get there, the Irishman sinking a birdie putt from eight feet at the seventh, and then another at the eighth, from 18 feet, to move into outright second place at five under.
With another windy day in progress at the 7,674yd lay-out near Minneapolis, the longest course in major championship history, there was also a threat of thunderstorms disrupting the leaders as they got their rounds going under overcast skies.
There were signs that Woods was not quite on top form following his bogey as he scrambled to save par at both the fifth and the sixth holes.
Glover joined Harrington at five under with a birdie at the seventh and Singh, having bogeyed the sixth, made his first move in the right direction with an eagle three on the seventh as Woods again worked hard to save par.
Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen, meanwhile, moved alongside Harrington and Glover with his third birdie in a row at the 11th, four under for his round.
The European challenge was further boosted by Players champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who all got to three under, as did South African Ernie Els.
SCOREBOARD LATER

Robin Wilson's image of the Carnegie Shield prize-winning line-up. On the left is Denis Bethune, winner of the Silver Medal as leading qualifier in this competition some 50 years ago. Denis made this year's presentation of the Silver Medal to the young man standing next to him, 16-year-old Calum Stewart (Brora), the youngest ever winner of the award. Next to Calum is the Carnegie Shield winner, local Chris Mailly, with another local on the right completing the line-up, Niall Campbell, winner of the Class 1 Davidson Shield.

Chris Mailley wins Royal Dornoch's

Carnegie Shield for first time

By ROBIN WILSON
The golf season is far from over but after capturing the Sutherland Championship in June and the James Braid Open at Brora in July, Royal Dornoch's Chris Mailley put another layer on his cake when he won his home club's premier prize, the Carnegie Shield, for the first time.
Mailley brought his season's form to the Carnegie where in the past he has always surprised his fellow members with early exits in the match-play rounds.
Indeed this was the first time he had made it past the second round , but he then became a firm favourite when he beat two former winners in the latter stages. He had a 6 and 5 win over the holder, Andrew Biggadike (US), in the quarter-final, then in his morning semi-final reached the final by way a victory over the 2007 winner, Fifer Peter Latimer who plays on the American college circuit.
Last year's losing finalist to Biggadike, Basingstoke-based member Ian Rennie began his semi- final against former international Ian Brotherston (Dumfries & County) with a birdie 3 to book his second final appearance with a win on the 17th green. He began the final in the same mode against the local favourite.
But it was the only time he was in front. Mailley won back the second hole and went into the lead with a par at the next. Mailley's only blight on a solid round was a bogey 5 at the fifth hole where his short pitch to the elevated green came up short.
He quickly had the local support back on his side with a birdie 2 at the short sixth and although Rennie was making a fight of it by winning the seventh hole, when they turned back into the wind Mailley's birdie 4 at the ninth set him on the path to the trophy.
Rennie lost a ball from the 10th tee, was bunkered at the 11th and also lost the 12th with a three-putt. Another three-putt from the man from the south on the 13th put Mailley dormie five up and his name on the Carnegie Shield at the conclusion of the 14th hole.
The large gallery following the scratch final joined the Class 1 handicap final on the 17th green where the Royal Dornoch club captain's son, Niall Campbell, age 17 (handicap 7), was up against three-handicapper Simon Harper (Castle Royle) (age 20).
Harper had just missed the scratch qualifying mark but had proved too good for the handicappers in reaching the final and had Campbell staring at a second-year final defeat (last year he lost in the Class 2 final) with the Reading visitor three ahead after six holes.
Campbell somehow regrouped and won the next four holes and as they faced the wind his local experience increased his lead to two holes before losing the 16th to a birdie 3. But as both players played ragged golf over the final two holes, two halves in 6s secured a win on the last green for the local teenager.
The Ellis Fraser Trophy did not remain in the club. It was won by Richard Scott (Aberdour) after beating Robert Sheffield (Royal Mid Surrey) at the 19th where Scott secured a winning 4 from a bunker and Sheffield three-putted for bogey 5.

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT

McArthur goes low in pursuit

of high finish in Switzerland

By SARAH GWYNN, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Glasgow's Andrew McArthur fired seven birdies and an eagle in a stunning third round at the European Challenge Tour's Trophée du Golf de Genève to be back in contention for the title today.
McArthur, pictured right, whose previous two rounds of 69 and 73 had left him a little of the pace, shot an eight under par 64 to go into the final round four shots off the lead held by Edoardo Molinari.
It was the joint lowest round of the day and McArthur attributed it to an improved performance on the greens, although the 30 year old former Scottish amateur champion from the Windyhill club would have been even closer to Coles had he not bogeyed the 18th.
“I played pretty decently,” he said. “I birdied the first three holes, holing putts from six, eight and ten feet so got off to a good start. Then I had another birdie at the seventh and had a putt from one foot for eagle. I had three more birdies on the back nine and it was just very annoying to three-putt the last.
“In the first round I hit 18 greens but had three three-putts and holed absolutely nothing. I was pretty miffed at having 34 putts for the first round. It got to me a bit and yesterday I lost my head a little and was trying to make too many birdies.
“But having the quick start helped today and gave me confidence to just play the way I would normally play.”
McArthur, ranked 28th on the Challenge Tour Rankings, is the best placed of a three-strong Scottish contingent, with Jamie McLeary at four under and Peter Whiteford at one under after third rounds of 73 and 68 respectively.
Challenge Tour Rankings leader Edoardo Molinari snatched the top spot late in the third round as a sparkling eight under par 64 sent him one shot clear.
The race for the title was blown wide open when second round leader Robert Coles was forced to withdraw through injury after three holes, and Molinari took full advantage, reaching 14 under following scores of 70 and 68 in the first two rounds.
Coles had shot rounds of 64 and 65 to be three shots ahead of Julien Quesne at the start of day and although the Frenchman initially seized pole position, back to back bogeys in his last two holes gave him a one under par 71 which left him in a tie for second place with English duo James
Morrison and John Parry and compatriot Julien Clément.
Gary Boyd, who shot a second consecutive 66, and Peter Baker were another shot back at 12 under while three players, including last week’s Challenge Tour champion Nicolas Colsaerts, were on 11 under.
Molinari shot four birdies on each nine and attributed his low score to an improved performance with the putter.
“I played very solid all day,” said the Italian. “I’ve been playing very well for the last three or four weeks and today I finally started to hole some putts.
“Last week I played well and two weeks ago I was second so I’ve been playing well but maybe my putting hasn’t quite been good enough. But on the back nine yesterday and all day today they started to roll in.
“It’s still very close and there are a lot of guys just behind me but I’m feeling confident and it’s nice to be the leader on the last day. I’d always rather be one shot ahead than one shot behind and I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow. If you’re ahead you can maybe afford a couple of mistakes and you’re still in contention. It gives you some breathing space.
“I like the course – I think it suits my game. If I can shoot a low round again I’ve got a very good chance.”
Victory would significantly boost 28 year old Molinari’s remaining top of the Rankings come the end of the season, but he insisted he is not getting carried away.
“The aim for the season was to finish in the top ten and it still is,” he added. “Obviously I’d love to win it but at the moment I’m not thinking about it and just focusing on playing well and putting as much money between me and second place as I can.”
Coles needs one more Challenge Tour victory to gain automatic exemption on The European Tour for the rest of this season and next, having already had two wins this year - at the MOROCCAN CLASSIC by BANQUE POPULAIRE and the Challenge of Ireland presented by Moyvalley – but injury put paid to his chances of completing the hat-trick in Switzerland.
German Florian Fritsch was in contention after rounds of 65 and 68 but plunged down the leaderboard after a damaging seven over 79 which included back to back double bogeys.

THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
202 E Molinari (Ita) 70 68 64
203 J Morrison (Eng) 67 67 69, J Parry (Eng) 68 68 67, J Clément (Fra) 69 68 66, J Quesne (Fra) 63 69 71
204 G Boyd (Eng) 72 66 66, P Baker (Eng) 68 67 69
205 N Colsaerts (Bel) 66 71 68, M Zions (Aus) 66 73 66, J Guerrier (Fra) 71 68 66
206 A McArthur (Sco) 69 73 64,
207 A Wagner (Arg) 71 71 65, R Davies (Wal) 71 68 68, S Walker (Eng) 72 67 68, S Bebb (Wal) 66 71 70
208 A S Hansen (Den) 73 65 70
209 J-F Lima (Por) 71 70 68
210 A Kaleka (Fra) 69 69 72, M Tullo (Chi) 74 68 68, Lee James (Eng) 69 69 72, R McEvoy (Eng) 69 70 71
211 C Günther (Ger) 62 69 70
212 J McLeary (Sco) 70 69 73, L Kennedy (Eng) 70 72 70, F Fritsch (Ger) 65 68 79, L Gagli (Ita) 68 70 74
213 F Calmels (Fra) 71 74 68, A Butterfield (Eng) 70 72 71, R Steiner (Aut) 73 69 71
215 P Whiteford (Sco) 74 73 68
216 J Colomo (Esp) 70 73 73
217 F Praegant (Aut) 71 72 74
219 A Nilsson (Swe) 69 76 74
220 A Tampion (Aus) 73 68 79
225 C Rodiles (Esp) 74 71 80
Retired: R Coles (Eng) 64 65 -.

North-east District Open Scoreboard

PETERHEAD GOLF CLUB'S CRAIGEWAN LINKS
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 140 (2x70) SSS 71.
130 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), pictured, 65 656.
135 Michael Daily (Erskine) 68 67.
137 Aaron Sweeney (Carnoustie) 69 68.
139 Martin Lawrence (Newmachar) 70 69.
140 Philip McLean (Peterhead) 71 69, Bryan Innes (Murcar Links) 71 69, Michael Buchan (Cruden Bay) 69 71.
141 Jmes White (Lundin) 72 69, Gavin Greer (Murcar Links).
142 Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 71 71, Richard Gill (Craigmillar Park) 71 71.
143 Barrie Edmond (Northern) 74 69, James Ross (Royal Burgess) 72 71, Steven Smith (Dalmahoy Hotel) 72 71, Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 71 71.

145 Scott Larkin (Banchory) 76 69, Christopher Forman (Fraserburgh 74 71.

146 Iain Galbraith (Murcar Links) 74 72. Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 73 73.

147 Steven J Buchan (Royal Aberdeen) 78 69, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 75 72, Neale Barnes 73 74, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 74 74, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 72 76, Alex Main (Thornton) 71 77.

149 Euan McIntosh (McDonald Ellon) 76 73, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 74 75.

150 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links) 75 75, John Duff (Newmachar) 73 77, Garry Esson (Portlethen) 73 77.

151 Daniel Sommerville (St Andrews) 80 71, Gordon Munro 75 76, David Corkey (Murcar Links) 73 78, Nick Robson (Meldrum House) 72 79.

152 Graeme Duncan 76 76, Billy Main (Murcar Links) 76 76, Glen Taylor (Meldrum House) 73 79, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 70 82.

153 Clark Brechin 78 75, Andrew Carrell 77 76.

MISSED THE CUT

154 Liam McGowan (St Andrews) 78 76, Callum Traham (Murcar Links) 77 77, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 72 82.

155 Andrew Abercrombie (US) 80 75, Jonathan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 80 75, Stuart Connell (Inverness) 72 83.

158 Colin Brodie (Meldrum House) 78 80.

160 Fraser Milne (Fraserburgh) 81 79, Richard Barr (Newmachar) 80 80, John Williamson 75 85.

164 P Gallacher (Turriff) 79 85.

No returns: Allan Dick (Kingsknowe) 68 NR, Ryan Bain 80 NR, George Cordiner (Peterhead) 85 NR.

Tiger Woods leads by four at halfway

in United States PGA Championship

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Tiger Woods saw off challenges from Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher to take control of the USPGA Championship heading into the weekend at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Woods sank three birdies in a row on the back nine of his second round but closed with a bogey en route to a two-under-par 70.
The world number one now leads the field by four shots, having once again won his duel with defending champion Harrington, who suffered three bogeys in a row on his back nine and also bogeyed the last for a one-over 73.
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England's Fisher had made it a three-way battle in the Minnesota heat but faded with a bogey, bogey finish for a 68 at three under alongside Ireland's Harrington, Fiji's two-time winner Vijay Singh (72), US Open champion Lucas Glover (70) and Australian Brendan Jones (70).
England's Lee Westwood had got to four under after a 12-foot birdie putt at the 15th but a double bogey at the 17th sent him to a 72, two under for the tournament.
Woods has won all eight majors he has led at the halfway stage and with a four-shot lead the odds are shortening on a 15th major victory of his career to move closer to Jack Nicklaus' record of 18.
Asked on Friday evening if he was now in a position to run away from the field over the final two rounds, Woods replied: "I don't know, there's a long way to go, 36 holes. I'll just keep plodding along.
"That's what I did today, I got off to a poor start but I just hung in there and that's what I'll do tomorrow and we'll see what happens.
"It was a tough day out there, the wind was blustery, the greens were bumpy and it was a little bumpy all round."

European senior men's amateur team championship
ASCONA, SWITZERLAND

SEMI-FINALS
Sweden 3, Italy 2
England 3, Ieland 2.

OTHER RESULTS
Scotland 3, Germany 2.
Spain 3 1/2, France 1 1/2

SATURDAY'S MATCHES

Final - Sweden v England.
3rd place play-off - Italy v Ireland.
5th place play-off - Scotland v Spain.
7th place play-off - Germany v France.