US PGA Tour Scoreboard
DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP
TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts
FIRST ROUND
Par 71
63 Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
65 Justin Leonard, Retief Goosen (Rsa), Matt Kuchar, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Scott Verplank
66 Jerry Kelly, Jason Dufner, Sean O'Hair, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Troy Matteson
67 Brian Davis (Eng), Woody Austin, David Toms, Greg Chalmers (Aus), Scott Piercy, Daniel Chopra (Swe), Vijay Singh (Fij), Bryce Molder, Jonathan Byrd, Stephen Ames (Can), Padraig Harrington (Irl)
68 Michael Letzig, Zach Johnson, Bubba Watson, Kevin Sutherland, Charles Howell III, Jason Day (Aus), Dustin Johnson, Richard S Johnson (Swe), Nathan Green (Aus), Mike Weir (Can), Boo Weekley
69 Charley Hoffman, Jeff Overton, Davis Love III, Lucas Glover, John Senden (Aus), Greg Owen (Eng), Heath Slocum, Kenny Perry, Kevin Na, D.A. Points, Justin Rose (Eng), Bill Haas, Luke Donald (Eng)
70 Tiger Woods, Brian Gay, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Bob Estes, Steve Marino, Brett Quigley, Marc Leishman (Aus), Pat Perez, Scott McCarron, John Merrick, Mark Wilson, Kevin Streelman, John Rollins, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), Camilo Villegas (Col), Tim Clark (Rsa), Brandt Snedeker
71 Nick Watney, Lee Janzen, Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson, Charlie Wi (Kor), Phil Mickelson, Anthony Kim, Paul Goydos, Mathew Goggin (Aus), D.J. Trahan, Y.E. Yang (Kor)
72 J.B. Holmes, Chad Campbell, J J Henry, Rodney Pampling (Aus), Cameron Beckman, Ian Poulter (Eng), Ryan Moore
73 Hunter Mahan, Kevin Stadler, Ben Crane, Nick O'Hern (Aus), Briny Baird, Jason Bohn
74 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Bo Van Pelt, Ryuji Imada (Jpn), John Mallinger, Fred Couples
75 Jeff Klauk, Tim Petrovic, Ernie Els (Rsa), Ted Purdy, James Nitties (Aus)
76 Robert Allenby (Aus)

There's no doubting Thomas .. Aiken leads

Omega European Masters at 10 under

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE

South African Thomas Aiken leads the first qualifying event for the 2010 Ryder Cup with two men aiming for a place on the team at Celtic Manor hot on his heels.
Aiken, joint eighth in The Open in July and six times a winner in his home country, fired a 64 with an eagle and six birdies to take him to 10 under at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
But Welshmen Bradley Dredge and Ryder Cup veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez were just a shot behind after firing rounds of 65 and 68 respectively.
With first-round leader Brett Rumford following up his dazzling, opening 62 with only a 73 and Simon Dyson's 71 eight shots worse than the previous day, it was all change at the top.
Dyson, KLM Open champion in Holland two weeks ago, dropped to fourth alongside fellow Englishman Ross McGowan, Ireland's Paul McGinley and Filipino Angelo Que, part of the 35-strong Asian Tour contingent in this first co-sanctioned event in Europe.
Jimenez is one four members of last year's cup side in the tournament, and the other three - Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Oliver Wilson - all stand four under.
So do Rory McIlroy, chasing a win that would take him top of the money list for the first time, and Chris Wood - third in The Open in July.
Also on the same mark are 16-year-old Italian amateur Matteo Manassero, youngest-ever winner of the British amateur title in June and then a spectacular 13th at Turnberry, and 19-year-old New Zealander Danny Lee - who in February became the Tour's youngest-ever winner.
Dredge was paired with Manassero and Lee and realised that their combined age was less than his own.
It might have made him feel old, but he should remember that Tom Watson was 60 on Friday - and look what he did in The Open.

Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay missed the cut by one shot, even with scores of 70 and 71, and Marc Warren, Steven O'Hara and Andrew Coltart were also eliminated but Scott Drummond, Callum Macaulay, David Drysdale and Gary Orr will be involved in the weekend action.

Jeppesen leads as Lloyd Saltman misses another

cut on the European Challenge Tour

FROM SCOTT CROCKETT, European Tour Press Officer
Super Swede Steven Jeppesen gave himself the ideal opportunity to shed his bridesmaid’s tag on the European Challenge Tour when he stormed into a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Fred Olsen Challenge de España.
The 25 year old has finished runner-up in Challenge Tour events on four occasions in the past but proved he possesses the tools to complete the job with a stunning eight under par second round 63 for a 14 under par total of 128 at Tecina Golf in the Canary Islands.
The score matched the 63 of Sion Bebb’s earlier in the day, the Welshman finishing the day in third place on 11 under par 131, one behind Spain’s Jesus Maria Arruti who, late in the afternoon, posted his second consecutive 65 to take second place going into the weekend’s action on 12 under par 130.
Highlight of the round for Jeppesen came at the par five third hole where a fine drive and five wood approach helped him find the centre of the putting surface from where he rolled in a 15 foot putt for an eagle three. He was not too shabby elsewhere either with six birdies in total and not a single shot dropped to par all day.
“All parts of my game were good today, I couldn’t really find a fault,” said Jeppesen who currently lies 79th on the Challenge Tour Rankings. “I hit more fairways which made the second shots either and I putted well too – I gave myself lots of chances and thankfully I took a few of them.
“I am a bit far down the Rankings but I have been working hard with my coach on a few aspects of my swing recently and hopefully they are beginning to pay off. I am enjoying this course a lot and we will see what happens over the weekend.”
Second placed Arruti continued to put his local knowledge of the Gomera Island course to good use with another solid round. The 40 year old finished in the top ten of a Spanish National Tour event at the course last year and showed he had forgetten none of the venue’s nuances.
Indeed Arruti, a two time Challenge Tour winner, looked like he was going to threaten the lead when he reached 12 under par for the tournament through 12 holes of his second round. However a bogey four at the short 14th halted his progress before a birdie four at the 17th erased the error.
“I was trying hard to post a bogey free round so the lip-out for par on 14th hurt, but it was a good round apart from that,” he said. “My long game from tee to green was good and I’ll try and keep going the same way tomorrow and Sunday.”
Third placed Bebb, who like Jeppesen had an eagle and six birdies in his round, held the clubhouse lead for a long spell before being overtaken late in the day and continued his fine form of late, finishing in the top 15 in five of his last six events – three of which were top tens – to break into the top 20 on the Challenge Tour Rankings.
“I had no dropped shots today which was nice. It’s always good to have a bogey-free round,” he said. “The eagle at the seventh was the highlight today. I hit a driver and then a four iron to about 30 feet and holed the putt. I was just trying to get it close but it was nice to see it drop in. I putted well overall, and another highlight was my tee shot on the 11th when I hit a seven iron to within about a foot.”
Another Welshman, Stuart Manley, will go into the weekend in fourth place on nine under par 133 after his second round 65 while Spain’s Javier Colomo and Charles-Edouard Russo of France share fifth place on eight under par 134.
But Lloyd Saltman - and Peter Whiteford - missed another cut. Whiteford was only one shot over the limit but Saltman missed it by six.

European Challenge Tour Scoreboard
FRED OLSEN CHALLENGE DE ESPANA
Tecina Golf, Canary Islands
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
128 S Jeppesen (Swe) 65 63
130 J Arruti (Esp) 65 65
131 S Bebb (Wal) 68 63
133 S Manley (Wal) 68 65
134 J Colomo (Esp) 66 68, C Russo (Fra) 67 67
135 P Del Grosso (Arg) 66 69, L De Jager (RSA) 69 66, R Davies (Wal) 65 70, M Haastrup (Den) 68 67
136 B Miarka (Ger) 66 70, L Claverie (Esp) 69 67, C Gane (Eng) 66 70, R McEvoy (Eng) 70 66, I Giner (Esp) 67 69, J Morrison (Eng) 67 69
137 A Wagner (Arg) 68 69, A Tampion (Aus) 69 68, P Oriol (Esp) 69 68, M Quiros (Esp) 70 67, M Wiegele (Aut) 67 70, S Davis (Eng) 67 70, C Smith (Wal) 69 68, C Carranza (Arg) 66 71, D Wardrop (Eng) 67 70
138 D Griffiths (Eng) 69 69, K Sullivan (Wal) 70 68, C Günther (Ger) 69 69, M Higley (Eng) 70 68, S Tiley (Eng) 69 69, L Bond (Wal) 69 69, C Brazillier (Fra) 67 71, J Grillon (Fra) 68 70, Z Scotland (Eng) 67 71, A Salto (Esp) 71 67, J Campillo (Esp) 68 70
139 P Linhart (Esp) 68 71, R De Sousa (Sui) 66 73, M Tullo (Chi) 68 71, G Davies (Eng) 65 74, N Meitinger (Ger) 67 72, L Westerberg (Swe) 71 68, J Zapata (Arg) 68 71, R Santos (Por) 68 71, J Parry (Eng) 69 70, A Hansen (Den) 67 72, J Sköld (Swe) 67 72, B Pettersson (Swe) 70 69, C Suneson (Esp) 71 68
140 F Cea (Esp) 66 74, S Jamieson (Sco) 71 69, M Mills (Eng) 71 69, A Marshall (Eng) 69 71, G Murray (Sco) 70 70, S Walker (Eng) 70 70, M Zions (Aus) 71 69,
141 B La Roche (Esp) 71 70, P Gustafsson (Swe) 71 70, G Houston (Wal) 73 68, J Ruth (Eng) 69 72, R Harris (Eng) 73 68, J Hepworth (Eng) 67 74, M Reale (Ita) 73 68, D Ulrich (Sui) 69 72, O Floren (Swe) 70 71, J Larsen (Nor) 69 72, P Richardson (Eng) 70 71, L Moolman (RSA) 71 70, T Weiss (Sui) 71 70, P Golding (Eng) 70 71,
MISSED THE CUT
142 A Bernadet (Fra) 68 74, B Evans (Eng) 75 67, P Whiteford (Sco) 72 70, M Delpodio (Ita) 72 70, A Gee (Eng) 69 73, R Muntz (Ned) 70 72, J Ocejo (Esp) 67 75, M Bothma (RSA) 70 72, M Kramer (Ger) 71 71, I Sanchez-Palencia (Esp) 69 73, J Wahlqvist (Swe) 73 69
143 D Quiros (Esp) 66 77, B Taylor (Eng) 73 70, J Moul (Eng) 70 73, R Saxton (Ned) 77 66, R Steele (Eng) 72 71, C Aguilar (Esp) 74 69, V Riu (Fra) 73 70
144 A Willey (Eng) 71 73, H Bacher (Aut) 74 70, B Parker (Eng) 70 74, S Surry (Eng) 70 74, L James (Eng) 72 72, M McGeady (Irl) 74 70
145 J Sjöholm (Swe) 72 73, T Whitehouse (Eng) 70 75, J Rosillo (Esp) 69 76, R Treis (Ger) 71 74
146 D Marmion (Eng) 73 73, J Billot (Fra) 72 74, B Etchart (Esp) 75 71, J Guerrier (Fra) 72 74, D Froreich (Ger) 71 75
147 L Saltman (Sco) 74 73, P O'Keeffe (Irl) 78 69
148 C Quevedo (Esp) 76 72, A Bruschi (Ita) 74 74, P Bocian (Swe) 75 73
149 J Heath (Eng) 71 78
150 J Relecom (Bel) 78 72, J Altonen (Fin) 74 76, I Garcia Avis (Esp) 75 75, J Olmedo (Esp) 75 75
155 M Fajardo (Esp) 77 78, P Avilés (Esp) 78 77
157 D Küpper (Ger) 79 78
160 J Molina (Esp) 81 79

Old Tom Watson, 60

today and looking for

another Senior Special

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By IAN CHADBAND, Chief Sports Correspondent
Tom Watson turned 60 today, the opening day of the Walmart First Tee Open seniors' event in California, and was offered this brainwave about how best to celebrate the landmark.
"Somebody said 'Tom, now why don't you go out and shoot 60?' " he smiles. "And I thought, yeah, that sounds reasonable " Then he came up with a more workable idea.
"It'll be fun to go into these restaurants like Denny's and just be able to look 'em in the eye and say 'You know, I need the Senior Special menu today'.
"The thing is you don't get as much food – but you get it quite a bit cheaper. And of course I don't need as much food these days anyway!"
The mischief in dear old Tom's rich baritone tells of a man who evidently can't take the landmark too seriously. And why would he? Just seven weeks ago when he was a stripling 59 year-old, he felt like the youngest freckled swinger in town, 29 going on 30, as he wrote all but the perfect pay-off line to one of sport's most enchanting stories at the Turnberry Open.
Some of us still haven't quite got over our misery at seeing Tom miss that eight-footer on the last which would have made him the most venerable winner – and certainly the only one with an artificial hip – of any major sporting event in modern professional sport. The good news is that he has.
"I made a terrible stroke on the last putt and if you want to call that choking, go right ahead. But, nope, it doesn't haunt me and it hasn't changed me in the least," he says.
Except in one way. "I think it's made me more humble. The messages and warmth from people humbled me more than anything I've ever felt in my life.
"Like today; this photographer told me he sat watching it all in a bar in Austria and said, 'Honestly, I couldn't leave my seat for five hours'. In Austria!"
In defeat, a golfing legend was astounded to find himself repackaged as the ultimate winner. "One of the most extraordinary sports stories of our generation? Honestly, I could only see it as a missed opportunity," he says, wondering why anyone would still want to talk to "an old fart" like him.
"But I've been so taken aback by the response. People have told me, 'I'll always remember where I was when you had that putt' and I say, 'Err, but I didn't win it.'"
But he was a winner, nonetheless. A gentleman to be hailed for age-defying skill and nerve, and ageless dignity and good humour. What did it feel like to be a new hero for the sexagenarian set? "Oh yes, all power to us. Power to the old geezers," he laughs.
"You can't imagine how many people of my age or older have come up to me and said 'You've lifted my spirits. I wanted to go right out there and start playing golf with a passion again. If you can do it Watson, I can do it!'
"Maybe that's the loveliest reflection on what I did."
The kids know him now, too. The First Tee Open pairs Champions Tour greybeards such as Watson with talented teenage juniors – he celebrated his birthday partnering a 17-year-old lass, Gianna Misenhelter, from his home town of Kansas City – and they all think he's pretty cool.
"There used to be these blank stares and 'who is that old guy?' but now it's big smiles, saying 'Yeah, saw you in the British Open'."
What moved Watson most, though, was the reception he received when driving back home to his beloved 400-acre farm, 25 miles south of Kansas City. On the gates, his neighbours had hung up a salute to their huntin', fishin', hay-baling and tractor-driving pal. It read simply: "We're proud of you, Tom."
It wasn't the only celebration at the homestead. Last Saturday, Watson was settling in for a quiet weekend in when wife Hilary sprang a surprise 60th birthday party for him, with friends having flown in from around the States to toast him. Including a certain Jack Nicklaus.
"All my loved ones in one place. Jack's like family; he watched Turnberry and was a big help in my commiserations. When I'd played my approach at the last, I hit it just exactly the way I meant to. In the air, it was one of the most glorious feelings in the world when the ball was in the air and then, as golf is, it turned out to be the cruellest feeling too as it went through the green. All in one shot.
"But Jack put it in perspective. He told me 'Tom, you hit a perfect drive, you hit a perfect second shot and putting the ball from the fringe was the right play too'. You know, that soothed me."
The rest, of course, was agonising history. Watson bogeyed then imploded in the play-off with Stewart Cink, who instantly became enshrined as the man who shot Bambi. Not to Watson, though, who recalls seeing his conqueror later that night at the Turnberry Hotel.
"He had a grip so tight on that Jug like an American footballer and when I looked at that smile on his face, I had a wonderful amount of pleasure because it reminded me of my own when I once held it." That's the gent for you.
The reason Watson is so adored by his sport, the reason why on Friday they were cutting a birthday cake for him before he teed off at Del Monte, the Californian course which is sharing the tournament with priceless Pebble Beach.
Playing at 60? "When I was 40, I said, 'I'll never play after 50'. Well, here I am," he smiles. "It's hard not to go out there and get the excitement of teeing it up in competition. That's what keeps me going – it's the thrill of competition, of still putting it all on the line."
It sounds as if Turnberry has re-energised him into the live wire who was once told by the then USGA President, Sandy Tatum: "Damn it, Watson, you're practically radioactive. They ought to use you as a cure for cancer."
Today, he plays Pebble Beach again, the glorious course where he'd persuade the starter to let him play for free when he was a Stanford student, the dream parlour where he'd imagine beating Nicklaus in the US Open and then actually went out and did it with his heavenly chip at the 17th in 1982.
"Just perfect to be back here," he smiles. "I am lucky playing this game at 60. Not a question. Out there working in the greatest office in the world; the golf course." No time for regrets then. The Turnberry disappointment?
"You know, one of the things it seems I've always been able to do is come back from a disappointment with something special. Maybe it's just the response of a cornered man."
Remember this is a bloke who this time last year couldn't sleep properly because of the pain and could not be sure he would ever play again as he awaited hip replacement surgery.
What, so can Tom Watson come out and shake up the world again at 60? "Who knows?" he laughs. After he's tucked into his Senior Special at Denny's, anything's possible.
Big treat for St Andrews
Tom Watson will mark what could be his last Open Championship at St Andrews next year by making it a family celebration, with his 26-year-old son Michael caddying for him.
The R&A’s age limit of 60 for former winners means that St Andrews will be the five-times champion’s swan song unless he can manage a top-10 finish, which guarantees a place the following year, or a victory, which brings a 10-year exemption.
“It could be my last Open and would be fitting for my son to be there with me,” Watson said. “It would be a big treat for me and him.
“And you never know. Maybe we could do something special.”
Like ensuring that it turns out not to be his last Open Championship? “Took the words right out of my mouth,” Watson said.

Alexander Neilson wins North seniors title over

his home course at Newtonmore

Newtonmore's Alexander Neilson is the new North District senior men's champion. The one-handicapper won the Macallan Trophy and the silver medal with a scratch round of 70 - which matched the CSS - over his home course.
In a tight finish Neilson won by one stroke from David Bunker (Nairn Dunbar) with Norman McWilliam (Kingussie) being the second local in the top three with a 73 to take third place.
Other leading scratch scores were:
74 Glen Ferrier (Newtonmore).
75 Ronnie Spence (Newtonmore).
76 Douglas Johnson (Newtonmore), James Ingram (Boat of Garten).
77 David Sharp (Boat of Garten).
78 Patrick Tomisson (Nairn), Alexander Findlay (Torvean), Denis Albutt (Royal Dornoch), James Taylor (Alness).
Leading prizewinners (CSS 70)
Scratch
Alexander Neilson (Newtonmore) 70; David Bunker (Nairn Dunbar) 71; Norman McWilliam (73).
Category A (55 to 59)
Scratch - Rennie Spence (Newtonmore) 75. Handicap - Douglas Johnson (Newtonmore) (4) 72; James MacDuff (Newtonmore) (10) 77; Albert Duffus (Fortrose) (9) 82.
Category B (60 to 64)
Scratch - Glen Ferrier (Newtonmore) 74. Handicap - John Whyte (Newtonmore) (15) 70; James Ingram (Boat of Garten) (5), Fenton Ogley (Invergordon) (16) 71.
Category C (65 to 69)
Scratch - James Taylor (Alness) 78. Handicap - Denis Albutt (Royal Dornoch) (8) 70; Roy Alexander (Newtonmore) (15) 71; Ian Milliken (Invergordon) (15) 72.
Category D (70+)
Scratch - Roly Black (Royal Dornoch) 80. Handicap - Ally Innes (Kingussie) (16) 70; Robin Cattanach (Newtonmore ) (12) 72; Colin Munro (Newtonmore (11) 73.

European Tour Scoreboard
OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS
Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
HALFWAY TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
132 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 64.
133 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 65 68, Bradley Dredge 68 65
134 Angelo Que (Phi) 69 65, Paul McGinley 66 68, Simon Dyson 63 71, Ross McGowan 67 67
135 Brett Rumford (Aus) 62 73, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 68, Alexander Noren (Swe) 65 70, Andres Romero (Arg) 65 70, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 68 67, Johan Edfors (Swe) 66 69, Graeme Storm 69 66, Christian I Nilsson (Swe) 65 70.
136 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 70 66, Benn Barham 70 66, Julien Clement (Swi) 69 67, Danny Willett 65 71, Pablo Martin (Spa) 70 66, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 65 71
137 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 68 69, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 68, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 69, David Howell 68 69, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 70, Darren Clarke 69 68, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 69 68, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 67
138 Chris Wood 66 72, Graeme McDowell 68 70, Oliver Wilson 70 68, Gareth Maybin 70 68, Metteo Manassero (Ita) (am) 68 70, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 69 69, David Lynn 68 70, Danny Lee (Nzl) 71 67, Rory McIlroy 67 71, David Dixon 69 69, Tano Goya (Arg) 70 68, Lee Westwood 71 67, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 70 68
139 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 72, Richard Bland 71 68, Maarten Lafeber (NIrl) 71 68, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 71 68, Scott Drummond 72 67, Paul Broadhurst 72 67, Peter Hanson (Swe) 74 65, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 72, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 68 71, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 68 71, Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 71, Luke List (US) 70 69.
140 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 68 72, Gary Orr 69 71, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 69 71, Robert Dinwiddie 74 66, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 69 71, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 71 69, Seve Benson 71 69, Gary Lockerbie 73 67, Anthony Wall 69 71, Anthony Kang (USA) 71 69, David Drysdale 70 70, Callum Macaulay 68 72, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 68 72, Mark Foster 70 70, David Horsey 70 70, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 70.

MISSED THE CUT
141 Bryan Saltus (USA) 72 69, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 70 71, Richie Ramsay 70 71, David Gleeson (Aus) 71 70, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 70 71, Anders Hansen (Den) 69 72, Scott Strange (Aus) 70 71, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 72 69, Lee Slattery 69 72, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 74 67, Shane Lowry 72 69, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 72 69, Sam Little 72 69, Miles Tunnicliff 68 73
142 Joost Luiten (NIrl) 74 68, Branden Grace (Rsa) 72 70, Phillip Price 70 72, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 69 73, Mark Brown (Nzl) 72 70, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 71, Gary Murphy 70 72, Scott Hend (Aus) 70 72, Marc Warren 71 71, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 72 70, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 69 73
143 Gaurav Ghei (Ind) 75 68, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 72, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 73 70, Chih-bing Lam (Sin) 68 75, Simon Khan 74 69, Kane Webber (Aus) 73 70
144 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 71 73, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 72 72, Phillip Archer 74 70, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 68 76, Steven O'Hara 72 72, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 72 72, Barry Lane 70 74
145 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 72 73, Darren Beck (Aus) 74 71, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 71 74, Lian-Wei Zhang (Chn) 74 71, John Bickerton 71 74, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 75 70, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 71 74, Michael Hoey 71 74
146 Andre Bossert (Swi) 72 74, Mitchell Brown (Aus) 76 70, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 74 72, Sung Lee (Kor) 76 70, Jason Knutzon (USA) 73 73, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 72 74, Oliver Fisher 77 69
147 Iain Steel (Mal) 74 73, Andrew Coltart 77 70, James Kamte (Rsa) 72 75, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 73 74
148 Robert Rock 73 75, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 73 75, Taco Remkes (NIrl) 74 74, Martin Rominger (Swi) 72 76, Simon Wakefield 73 75
149 Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 73 76, Sven Struver (Ger) 79 70, Francisco Valera (Spa) 70 79, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 75 74.
150 Kenneth Ferrie 72 78, Alexander Chopard (Swi) 75 75.
151 Seung-yul Noh (Kor) 73 78, Rick Kulacz (Aus) 70 81, Benjamin Rusch (Swi) (am) 74 77
152 Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 78 74, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 73 79, Simon Griffiths 73 79.
154 Artemio Murakami (Phi) 80 74, Scott Arnold (Aus) 76 78.
159 Andrea Chiapuzzo (Ita) (am) 73 86.
160 Marc Dobias (Swi) (am) 78 82.
Retired - Ben Leong (Mas) 79 -.

Sam Torrance is in there

pitching at Woburn

By RODDY WILLIAMS

European Tour's website editor and senior Press Officer
Sam Torrance is well placed to mount an assault on the summit of the European Senior Tour Order of Merit after an opening one under par 71 in the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters at Woburn Golf Club today.

Torrance, pictured, who needs a top four finish to overtake both Ian Woosnam and Mark McNulty in the race to finish Number One, lies just two shots behind leaders Zimbabwe’s Tony Johnstone, Italian Costantino Rocca and Australian Peter Senior.
Another Scot, Bill Longmuir, is also right up there among the leaders at two under par having held the outright lead after 16 holes before bogeying the last two.
Torrance made three birdies against two bogeys, and it was the shot to the 14th green, a 50yd hook from behind trees to eight feet to set up a birdie 4 which proved the highlight of the round.
“It was a bit scrappy but I putted well so when I missed a green I got it up and down for par,” said the former Ryder Cup captain. “The game is not quite right there but I am in good shape.”
As for his prospects of overtaking Woosnam, who opened with a 75, and regaining the Order of Merit title he won in 2005 and 2006, Torrance said: “It is obviously my aim but not something you think about while you are playing at all. But the first thing I look at when I come in is Woosie and Carl Mason’s scores so it is obviously in the back of my mind.”
Australian Senior is playing only his second event since turning 50 in July and, with a top five finish already under his belt, as well as a number of high finishes early in the year on the regular Tour, Peter has been widely tipped to win this week.
For 11 holes he was on fire, rolling in five birdies to pull clear of the field. But a bogey at the 12th and double bogey at the 14th saw him drop back before drawing level with the leaders with as birdie on the 17th.
Johnstone felt his 69 could not have been any worse, and but for two severe putting horseshoes he could have held the outright lead as he looks to win at Woburn for the first time after a number of near-misses over the years, notably when he lost out on the British Masters title in 1992 to Ireland’s Christy O’Connor Jnr.
Johnstone and Rocca are both working with new caddies, Johnstone reverting back to the experienced bagman he worked with for many years on the European Tour, while Rocca went to the other extreme in offering a job to a complete novice over a beer.
Both, however, were quick to praise the new men at their sides, Johnstone complimenting Neil Smithers on his skills of reading the greens, while Rocca pointed out that, at 6ft 3in, his caddie, Matt Collings, is much better at knowing what the wind is doing than himself at a lowly 5 ft 9 in.

European Seniors Tour Scoreboard
TRAVIS PERKINS SENIOR MASTERS
Woburn Golf Club.
FIRST ROUND
Par 72
69 P Senior (Aus), T Johnstone (Zim) , C Rocca (Ita)
70 B Longmuir (Sco), G Encina (Chi) , M Harwood (Aus), D Hospital (Esp)
71 A Murray (Eng), S Torrance (Sco) , A Franco (Par)
72 G Brand (Eng) , M Miller (Sco), D Good (Aus), J Heggarty (Nir), J Rivero (Esp) , A Fernandez (Chi), A Garrido (Esp), M Clayton (Aus), D Merriman (Aus)
73 B Smit (RSA) , M Piñero (Esp), S Ginn (Aus), J Quiros (Esp) , E Rodriguez (Esp)
74 E Darcy (Irl) , M Farry (Fra) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , R Drummond (Sco) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , J Bruner (USA), D Russell (Eng)
75 B Cameron (Eng) , C Mason (Eng) , I Woosnam (Wal) , C Williams (RSA) , G Brand Jnr (Sco), J Hoskison (Eng) , J Rhodes (Eng) , S Bennett (Eng) , H Carbonetti (Arg)
76 B Lincoln (RSA) , M Cunning (USA) , G Ralph (Eng) , D Smyth (Irl) , D Johnson (USA) , M Williams (Zim) , P Mitchell (Eng) , G Towne (USA) , P Barber (Eng)
77 S Owen (Nzl) , T Gale (Aus) , D Durnian (Eng) , P Oakley (USA), P Allan (Eng) , R Chapman (Eng)
78 N Job (Eng) , J Chillas (Sco) , B Boyd (USA) , T Charnley (Eng) , D Cambridge (Jam)
79 A Barrera (Arg), M Poxon (Eng)
80 T Allen (Eng), J Hall (Eng) , J Hawkes (RSA)
81 I Mosey (Eng)
82 N Ratcliffe (Aus) , K Spurgeon (Eng), J Bland (RSA) , M Bembridge (Eng) , V Garcia (Esp) ,
83 E Polland (Nir), T Giedeon (Ger)

SOUTH AFRICAN AIKEN LEADS

Richie Ramsay misses cut by one

stroke in European Masters

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Thomas Aiken fired a brilliant 64 to take the early clubhouse lead during the second round of the Omega European Masters. At the end of the day, Aiken was still in the pole position.
But the South African faces a tough weekend trying to hang on to top spot, with former winner Bradley Dredge only one behind.
Back on the Crans-sur-Sierre course in Switzerland where he had his last win three years ago, the 36 year old Welshman had a second round 65 to move one behind Aiken.
Wales will be staging The Ryder Cup for the first time next year at The Celtic Manor Resort and Dredge, a former World Cup winner, said: "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"The Ryder Cup is my goal - that's it - and while I've had a disappointing year so far the season starts here."
This is the first qualifying event for the European side - Captain Colin Montgomerie has already said he would love a Welshman to make it - and Dredge is nine under par at halfway.
Aiken's 64 took him to ten under, but overnight leaders Brett Rumford and Simon Dyson both failed to make further progress.
Rumford, who played the last 13 holes in 11 under in the first round for a 62, dropped four strokes in his first five holes but recovered to seven under.
Dyson, one behind when he teed off again, had two bogeys in the first four, came back with four birdies, but then finished bogey-bogey.
That added up to a level par 71 for the winner of the KLM Open in The Netherlands two weeks ago and he was in third place on eight under.
Alongside Dyson on 134 are Dubliner Paul McGinley and Angelo Que of The Philippines while Thai star Chapchai Nirat – a member of both the Asian Tour and The European Tour who are co-sanctioning an event in Europe for the first time here – Sweden’s Alexander Noren and Dyson’s compatriot Graeme Storm are a shot further back.
McGinley, a member of three winning Ryder Cup sides and hoping to be back playing next year, had a 68 for 134.
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, for whom victory on Sunday would mean going to the top of The Race to Dubai, had to be content with a 71 like Dyson.
Last year's runner-up - he missed an 18 inch putt in the play-off - was into the top ten at six under with four to play, but bogeyed the sixth after driving into the trees, then drove out of bounds on the next and ran up a double bogey six on a hole that had already seen more eagles twos.
A closing birdie, however, lifted McIlroy back to four under, the same mark as playing partner Lee Westwood, who improved four shots on his opening 71.
The cut fell at two-under-par 140, which left Richie Ramsay, who had a one-under tally of 140, one shot outside being involved in the weekend action. How galling for the Aberdonian.
Marc Warren had a pair of 71s for 142.
Andrew Coltart was on 147 with a 77 and 70.
But Scott Drummond (139), and three Scots on 140 - Callum Macaulay, Gary Orr and David Drysdale - made it with nothing to spare.

CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT, SCORES

Bebb goes clear with a 63 Canary Islands

FROM SARAH GWYNN, Challenge Tour Press Officer
Welshman Sion Bebb stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the Fred Olsen Challenge de España with a stunning eight-under-par 63 in today's second round.
An eagle and six birdies on Day 2 gave him the clubhouse lead at 11 under 131 at Tecina Golf in the Canary Islands, with Englishman Richard McEvoy five shots behind at six under after a five under par 66 in the second round.
Bebb has been in fine form of late, finishing in the top 15 in five of his last six events – three of which were top tens – to break into the top 20 on the Challenge Tour Rankings. His only other Challenge Tour victory was more than three years ago, at the Ryder Cup Wales Challenge.
“I had no dropped shots today which was nice. It’s always good to have a bogey-free round,” said Bebb. “I played nicely, as I did yesterday too, although it was disappointing to drop a couple of shots on the back nine yesterday.
“The eagle at the seventh was the highlight today. I hit a driver and then a four iron to about 30 feet and holed the putt. I was just trying to get it close but it was nice to see it drop in. I putted well overall, and another highlight was my tee shot on the 11th when I hit a seven iron to within about a foot.
“I’m looking forward to the weekend but I’m sure by the time we tee off tomorrow my lead will have been cut. But I can’t worry about that and I’m looking forward to a nice afternoon relaxing beside the pool. It’s lovely here and the place has a real holiday feel to it and I think I’ve taken that onto the golf course – just being relaxed and enjoying it.”
McEvoy, in the first group of the day, had earlier stormed into contention and is delighted with the way he is playing.
“It was good today,” he said. “I’ve been playing really solid since Saint Omer (the SAINT-OMER Open presented by Neuflize OBC) and my game’s in really good shape. I’m feeling very confident about my game and it’s nice to shoot a good score and get myself in contention for the weekend.
“My confidence is sky high and that gives you a bit extra. I’m going into every tournament thinking I can win it which is a great feeling to have. The round today was just very steady. I didn’t do anything special, just hit it close and holed the putts.
“We were the first group out which worked in our favour because we had the best of the greens. They are very soft and yesterday they were getting a bit bumpy but today they were a lot better so it helped.”
McEvoy’s compatriot Chris Gane was also at six under after scores of 66 and 70.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
131 S Bebb (Wal).
136 R McEvoy (Eng), D Gane (Eng).
137 C Smith (Wal).
138 J Campillo (Spa), K Sullivan (Wal), S Tiley (Eng).
139 L Westerberg (Swe), J Zapata (Arg), J Parry (Eng).

Great Britain & Ireland's Walker Cup team pose for a picture at Sunningdale today before they flew off to the United States for the match against the Americans (image by courtesy of Tom Ward). Click on it to enlarge.

R0bert Karlsson not defending Mercedes

Benz title in Cologne next week

Last season's European No 1, Robert Karlsson, will not be defending his Mercedes-Benz title in Germany next week.
Karlsson, who has been out of action since May because of an eye problem, has been suffering from a blister behind his retina – thought to be related to stress – and has been advised to take at least another two weeks off.
His manager, Lillian Jansson, said: "Robert's sight is not perfectly clear and he still has some problems with the in-depth sight, therefore he has chosen not to play next week in Cologne.
"It is essential that he is recovered 100% before he starts competing again since this type of injury very often comes back if you start putting pressure on the eye too early.
"He will see the doctor on Monday again and start practising full-time from Tuesday next week. He is aiming for a comeback at the Vivendi [Seve] Trophy in three weeks."
Karlsson was 12th in the world when he last played, at the European Open in May, but has dropped outside the top 20 during his absence. Apart from missing out on the last three majors of the season, the 40-year-old is also now missing at least the first month of the Ryder Cup points race.
He was one of the most impressive members of Nick Faldo's side in Kentucky last September and then won the World Cup for Sweden with Henrik Stenson.

Forty-three Scots have paid £1,350 to

enter European Tour Qualifying School

According to Jock MacVicar in today's Scottish Daily Express, Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth, the two Scots in the GB&I team for the Walker Cup match against the United States at Merion GC, Pennsylvania, will turn pro after next week's match.
From America they will head to the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 venue at The Oxfordshire Golf Club, a 72-hole eliminator from September 22 to 25 when there will be 120 competitors here.
They will not be home in time to play at Dundonald Links which houses the Stage 1 test for 90 competitors from September 15 to 18.
Most of the 43 Scots who have paid £1,350 each to enter the European Tour Qualifying School - this has to be the biggest money-earner of the year for the European Tour - are playing at Dundonald Links.
A player does not have to turn pro, of course, to compete at the Tour School although Dear has said that if he fails to get a European Tour card he will cross the Atlantic to gain tour pro experience on one or more of the satellite circuits over there.
Dear - as did Wallace Booth - spent four years at college in America and they have lots of contacts over there.
Some other interesting names among the Tour School entries listed on the European Tour website:
+Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), who also spent four years at East Tennessee State University after twice reaching the final of the British boys championship - and winning the first time.
+Philip McLean (Peterhead), just a little bit disappointed that he did not make reserve status in the Scotland team for the recent men's home internationals. Philip says he has entered the Qualifying School process this year, as much to gain experience as anything else.
+Kric Nicol (Fraserburgh), winner of last year's North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play and this year's North-east District Open title after a play-off at Peterhead against Philip McLean.
Here's where they are due to play:

DUNDONALD LINKS
September 15 to 18
Ross Cameron
Paul Cormack
Colin Early
Jordan Findlay
Stephen Gray
Chris Harkins (am)
Lee Harper
Scott Henderson
Scott Hendry
Mark Hillson (am)
Barry Hume
Steven Hume (am)
Chris Kelly
Mark Kerr
Craig Lee
Euan Little
Alan Lockhart
Steven G Mackie
Shaun McAllister
Kevin McAlpine (am)
Chris McCalman
Jason McCreadie
Steven McEwan (am)
Philip McLean (am)
Kris Nicol (am)
Paul O'Hara (am)
Gordon Yates (am).

CHART HILLS
September 15 to 18.
John Gallagher
Joel Hendry

LUBKER (Denmark)
September 15 to 18
C J Campbell.

FLEESENSEE (Germany)
September 22 to 25
Bill Guiney.

THE OXFORDSHIRE
September 22 to 25
Wallace Booth (am)
Gavin Dear (am)
Paul Doherty
Graham Fox
Aaron Howard (am)
Graeme Lornie
Craig Matheson
Keir McNicoll (am)
Lloyd Saltman
Zack Saltman
Edward Thomson

GOLF DE MOLIETS
September 22 to 25
Callum Trahan (am)

+Stage 2 will be played at four Spanish venues, including Hacienda del Alamo, Murcia, from November 20 to 23.
+The Final stage is over six rounds at PGA Catalunya, Gerona near Barcelona from November 28 to December 3.

Kirkpatrick waiting for visa to return to Florida base

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Lothians golfer David Kirkpatrick is finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel in his bid to return to his adopted home in Florida.
Kirkpatrick, who lost to Stephen Gallacher in the final of the Scottish Amateur in 1992, has been back staying in North Berwick with his wife and children awaiting an interview for his visa.
He's had to put his pro career on hold and has been working at Archerfield Links to try and earn some money.
"It finally seems that a visa is available for us and things are moving forward, though we've not got a definite date about when we'll be able to return to the States yet," said Kirkpatrick.
"Unfortunately, it looks as though it won't be until after the Tour School for the PGA Tour, which is a pity as my home club, Grasslands in Florida, is staging one of the first stage events this year."
Kirkpatrick got a rare competitive round in the D J Russell invitational pro-am at Archerfield this week and gave himself a timely boost by finishing second.
+David Kirkpatrick played for Scotland in some of the amateur internationals of 1992 and 1993.

KNOX LYING NINTH BUT GUNN

MISSES CUT IN FLORIDA

Inverness exile Russell Knox was lying joint ninth in a field of 165 after the first round of the Hooters Tour's Dothan Classic at Highland Oaks Golf Club, Dothan, Alabama.
Knox, who birdied the fourth, fifth, seventh,13th and 18th and had bogeys at the first and 12th in compiling a three-under-par 69, is three shots behind the leader Jim Renner.
Jimmy Gunn, the Dornoch man who campaigns on the Gateway Tour, failed to make the cut in the latest very low-scoring event at Southern Dunes Golf Club in Central Florida.
Gunn had rounds of 73 and 71 for level par 144 but players had to score seven-under-par 137 or better to figure among the 20 qualifiers for the third round.
The leader, Chris Kamin, had rounds of 62 and 63 for 19-under-par 125 to lead by six strokes. Kamin had two eagles in his first round and two more in his second.

ends

NATIONWIDE TOUR REPORT

South African Garth Mulroy shot a four-under-par 68 and grabbed the clubhouse lead in the weather-delayed opening round of the 51stMexico Open.
Mulroy birdied the final two holes at the El Bosque Golf Club, Leon for the lead, which stood up for much of the windswept afternoon.
Threatening conditions moved into the high plains during the mid-afternoon and forced a 2hr suspension of play. No rains came but thunder was heard and lightning visible while the players waited it out. As a result of the stoppage, 63 players in the field of 144 will not complete round one until Friday morning local time.
D J Brigman and Adam Bland share the lead at four under with Mulroy, who is No. 10 on the Nationwide Tour and the highest ranked player in this week's field. Brigman birdied four of his first five holes after making the turn and was able to complete 16 holes before play was halted for good because of darkness.
Bland made it through 14 holes when he was forced to stop.
Wil Collins, playing in the same group with Brigman, is 3 under and tied for fourth place with Matthew Richardson, who is through 13.
Australia's Alistair Presnell was in the first group off the tee in the morning and finished up with a 2-under 70. He is tied with veteran Bob May, who was one of nine players to complete play in the afternoon.
"I hit it nicely," said Mulroy, who is working on a swing change that will change his ball flight from a draw to a fade. "Obviously, when you make a change it won't click right away. The past three weeks I felt it's coming back."
Mulroy probably has a spot locked up for the US PGA Tour next year, thanks to a win earlier this year at the South Georgia Classic but decided that he needed to cut down on some mistakes that were beginning to plague his game.
He is currently ranked No. 4 in driving distance (307.3 yard) but is a distant 124th in driving accuracy (63.11%).
"I don't really need too much more yardage," he said. "I'm just working on driving it straighter. It doesn't sound tough but it's been tough to do."
Brigman's slow climb up the leaderboard was the result of better putting.
"I finally made some putts," he said. "I've been burning the edges the last few weeks and we've been playing some courses where it's easy to get frustrated putting because 20 under is winning. When I started today I was happy to see that only a 4 under was on the board, knowing it wasn't going to be super easy."
The hardest thing this week might be club selection. The El Bosque Golf Club boasts an altitude of 6,800 feet -- higher than U.S. cities such as Denver, Colorado and Lake Tahoe, Nevada - in which the golf ball falls further than at sea level
"You have to be good at mathematics this week," said Brigman of the altitude calculations and adjustments. "It depends on the weather out here. It fluctuates. You can go with the standard 10% (extra distance), but I think it's only about 8% in the morning and then it might be 12% in the afternoon."
The course has also changed dramatically since some early week rains soaked the 7,808yd lay-out, the longest on the Nationwide Tour.
"It's still a very long golf course even with the altitude," said Presnell, one of the Tour's bigger hitters.
Kevin Chappell, the 2008 NCAA Champion from UCLA, is one of 10 players to post a 1-under 71 and is tied for 12th place.
"It's firming up," he said. "We've got used to hitting balls and having them stop or come back to you. The adjustment period takes a little bit. I either judged it well or I judged it really, really poorly."
Chappell had six birdies and five bogeys to highlight his point.
"It's a big golf course, that's for sure," he said. "The back nine feels like you play 14 holes!"
SCOREBOARD TO COME