Knox collects $16,671 for second

place finish on Hooters Tour

Inverness exile Russell Knox earned his biggest pay cheque yet on the Hooters Tour by finishing second on Sunday in the Dothan Classic at Highland Oaks Golf Club, Dothan in Alabama.

Jacksonville Beach-based Knox, who stayed on in Florida after four good years on the US college circuit as a student at Jacksonville University, shot rounds of 69, 71, 65 and 71 for a 12 under par total of 276 over a long course of some 7,591yd.

In a final round played in a rising wind, Knox closed within one shot of all-the-way leader Jim Rennie who scored 66, 70, 66 and 73 for 275 to win the $33,566 top prize.

The Scot started well enough on Sunday with birdies at the first and fifth but faltered with bogeys at the seventh, eighth and 10th before he found his touch again to birdie the 16th and 18th which lifted him back into second place.

Knox received $16,671 which boosted his Hooters Tour earnings for the season to $61,686 from 11 events in which he has missed only one cut

The pay-out topped the £12,455 he earned for finishing joint second in the Savannah Lakes Village Classic in April and the $11,013 he received for a third place finish in the more recent Texas Open.

Knox is now fourth in the Hooters Tour money table. He has been a steady earner since he turned pro on the American satellite tour.

LEADING TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72)

275 Jim Rennie 66 70 66 73 $33,566.

276 Russell Knox 69 71 65 71 $16,671.

277 Grant Leaver 72 71 67 67 $11,077.

Padraig Harrington only a shot off the lead

Even Tiger has tough days

at office: This was one of

them .. one-over-par 72

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE

By Jeff Babineau

It will sound a bit dramatic, seeing the guy came into this weekend’s Deutsche Bank Championship having finished 1-1-2-2 in his last four tournaments, but he has established standards like no other.

So, the burning question among the masses permeating the crisp, autumn-like air at TPC Boston on Sunday was this: What the heck is wrong with Tiger Woods?
Woods needed to scramble for birdie at his finishing hole to post a one-over 72, and at four under for the tournament, even he won’t be able to catch ALL the leaders during the tourney’s Labour Day finish on Monday.
On Sunday, he got off to a rocky start. One swing at the short par-4 first hole resulted in a tee ball that flared right, and his next move of the day was a drop for an unplayable lie. Bogey. No, certainly not the dream start. And that’s kind of how it went.
It was breezy and tough, sure, tougher than the first two days at TPC Boston, but Woods didn’t make his first birdie of the day until the 15th hole, and he ‘captalized’ on that momentum by dumping his tee shot into the pond fronting the par-3 16th. It just wasn’t very Tiger-like stuff. He hit only 10 greens for the day.
By the time NBC came on the air Sunday afternoon, Woods was finishing up on 18. That’s not something you see very often on the weekend. Afterward, he didn’t stop to chat about what had been a pretty tough day at the office.

Some people probably find a little comfort in the fact that yes, even Tiger Woods has them.

LATER NEWS
Steve Stricker, South African Retief Goosen and Sean O'Hair are sharing the lead at 13-under-par 200 going into the final day of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Padraig Harrington is only one behind in a share of fourth place.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS

Par 213 (3x71)
200 Steve Stricker 63 72 65, Sean O'Hair 66 64 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 65 67 68
201 Kevin Na 69 66 66, Scott Verplank 65 68 68, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 67 67 67
202 Jerry Kelly 66 69 67, Kevin Sutherland 68 65 69
203 Dustin Johnson 68 65 70, Jim Furyk 63 67 73, Jason Dufner 66 69 68, John Senden (Aus) 69 64 70
204 Marc Leishman (Aus) 70 62 72, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 66 68 70, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 65 69 70, Matt Kuchar 65 71 68
205 Justin Leonard 65 68 72, Jeff Overton 69 66 70, Mike Weir (Can) 68 65 72, Mark Wilson 70 69 66
206 Zach Johnson 68 71 67, Jason Day (Aus) 68 66 72
207 Charlie Wi (Kor) 71 64 72, Bill Haas 69 66 72
208 Hunter Mahan 73 66 69, Charley Hoffman 69 69 70, Anthony Kim 71 70 67, Bryce Molder 67 69 72, Charles Howell III 68 69 71
209 Michael Letzig 68 68 73, Tiger Woods 70 67 72, Scott McCarron 70 70 69, Lucas Glover 69 68 72, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 71 68, David Toms 67 69 73, Kevin Streelman 70 68 71, Vijay Singh (Fij) 67 72 70, Steve Marino 70 68 71, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 71 69 69, Troy Matteson 66 71 72, Stephen Ames (Can) 67 73 69, Jason Bohn 73 67 69
210 Brian Davis (Eng) 67 70 73, Pat Perez 70 65 75, Brian Gay 70 67 73, Davis Love III 69 70 71, Scott Piercy 67 69 74, Bubba Watson 68 71 71, Kenny Perry 69 72 69, J.B. Holmes 72 67 71, Brett Quigley 70 69 71, Camilo Villegas (Col) 70 69 71, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 71 70 69
211 Nick Watney 71 69 71, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 67 70 74, Woody Austin 67 70 74, Greg Owen (Eng) 69 69 73, Phil Mickelson 71 68 72, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 67 71 73, Boo Weekley 68 69 74, Brandt Snedeker 70 70 71
212 D.A. Points 69 70 73, Bob Estes 70 71 71, Jonathan Byrd 67 74 71
213 Luke Donald (Eng) 69 72 72
214 J J Henry 72 68 74, Briny Baird 73 67 74
215 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 68 72 75, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 70 68 77, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 74 66 75
216 Justin Rose (Eng) 69 70 77
217 D.J. Trahan 71 70 76
219 Ben Crane 73 68 78

MISSED THE CUT

142 Stewart Cink 71 71.

143 Ian Poulter 72 71.

North Alliance reverts to fortnightly

programme of fixtures in 2009-2010

By ROBIN WILSON
The North Golf Alliance club delegates met in the Brora Golf Clubhouse last week to draw up the fixture list for the forthcoming winter season and review the previous season.
Attendances had fallen due, it was thought to several factors: the weather, cancellations and a big fall of on entries in the second half of the season. Playing members also expressed the view that too many fixtures were crammed into the first half of the season and played too many weekends in succession.
The delegates took this on board and for the coming season reverted to a fortnightly programme of fixtures, thus cutting back the overall number to 11, one for each club with the exception of Brora Golf Club who would also host the team event in December but in coming years this fixture would rotate to other venues.
As a result of the reduction and imbalance of North and South venues a change was made to the scores required for the individual scratch and handicap trophies. From the previous compulsory two at North and South courses only one score from each will now be mandatory with any other two scores making up the required four.
To give a better balance to the numbers completing in each handicap section, Class 1 will now be handicaps scratch to 9 and Class 2 include handicaps 10 to 28.
The North Alliance season will commence at Durness on Sunday October 4 and end with the prize-giving at Reay on Sunday March 21, 2010.
Dates and venues for the 2009-2010 season:
October 4 - Durness.
October 18 - Thurso.
November 1 - Invergordon.
November 15 - Royal Dornoch.
November 29 -Tain.
December 13 - Brora (Teams).
January 17 - Golspie.
January 31 - Wick.
February 21 - Brora.
March 7 - Tarbat.
March 21 - Reay.
In the event of any postponement the fixture will be played the following Sunday.
Membership at £3 and Entry Fee £7 remains unchanged.

Victory for Rhys Davies on the Canary Islands

By RODDY WILLIAMS
European Tour website editor and senior press officer
Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies won his second Challenge Tour title of the season after a one stroke victory over Swede Steven Jeppesen in the Fred Olsen Challenge de Espana on the Canary Islands.
A final round of 67, four under par, at Tecina Golf on La Gomera took the 24 year old to 17 under par 267 while Jeppesen, who shared the lead with Davies going into the final round, closed with a 68 to finish runner-up for the fifth time in his career.
Victory moved Davies, who played on the US college circuit as a student at East Tennessee State University, a step closer to joining The European Tour as he advanced to sixth on the Challenge Tour Rankings with €74,024 while one more win will secure immediate promotion to the top flight.
Davies made six birdies in an epic final day battle, notably with Jeppesen, and it was the last of these, on the 17th, which secured the title as he hit a two iron to ten feet on the par five and while the eagle putt refused to drop, the resultant birdie was good enough to keep his nose in front.
“It was a great fight out there,” said Davies, who also won the SWALEC Wales Challenge earlier in the year. “There were a number of boys trying hard, especially Steven. This win is really special because it looks like I've got my card for next year. When I won in Wales, it was a play-off, I lost in Finland in a play-off, and with such a tight finish today I couldn't help to think about it and said, I wish I could do this without a play off! Fortunately I was able to win outright.”
Davies joins England’s Robert Coles as the only multiple winners of the season to date and is only the second Welshman, after Jamie Donaldson in 2001, to record multiple wins on the Challenge Tour.
The leading pair set out tied on 13 under and the tournament swung back and forth as they traded birdies and bogeys. Jeppesen had the edge at the turn after an eagle two on the ninth put him one ahead, but Davies hit back with a birdie on the 13th while Jeppesen bogeyed the 15th after a poor drive to fall behind. From there, Davies refused to let his grip on the trophy slip.
“I played well but hit a bad tee shot on the 15th and made bogey,” said the Swede. “That was a big blow and I think I lost my chances there. He played better. I am very happy with my second position though, it helps a lot towards the ranking, and I'm pleased with my game overall.”
The Spanish pair of Luis Claverie and Pedro Oriol shared third place on 15 under par after rounds of 68 and 66 respectively and while the tournament was denied a home winner, Oriol’s performance in particular was impressive as he only turned professional at the end of August.
He said: "I am very happy, played great and I've used my head as I have never had done before. I was very concentrated on my game.
“Before turning professional I made a resume of my career as an amateur, and I set a goal to play calm and take mistakes as a challenge. I think I have never been so concentrated in my whole life, and made no bogeys in 49 holes in a row for the first time in my life.”
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
267 R Davies (Wal) 65 70 65 67
268 S Jeppesen (Swe) 65 63 72 68
269 P Oriol (Esp) 69 68 66 66, L Claverie (Esp) 69 67 65 68
270 J Arruti (Esp) 65 65 71 69, S Davis (Eng) 67 70 69 64, C Russo (Fra) 67 67 70 66
271 S Tiley (Eng) 69 69 67 66, J Campillo (Esp) 68 70 66 67, M Wiegele (Aut) 67 70 66 68
272 C Gane (Eng) 66 70 67 69, M Haastrup (Den) 68 67 66 71, C Carranza (Arg) 66 71 67 68
273 J Morrison (Eng) 67 69 66 71, Z Scotland (Eng) 67 71 66 69, L De Jager (RSA) 69 66 69 69
274 D Wardrop (Eng) 67 70 68 69, J Colomo (Esp) 66 68 71 69, J Sköld (Swe) 67 72 64 71
275 B Miarka (Ger) 66 70 69 70, S Manley (Wal) 68 65 68 74, R McEvoy (Eng) 70 66 66 73, M Reale (Ita) 73 68 65 69, R De Sousa (Sui) 66 73 66 70
276 S Bebb (Wal) 68 63 73 72, F Cea (Esp) 66 74 67 69, C Smith (Wal) 69 68 71 68, N Meitinger (Ger) 67 72 69 68
277 J Zapata (Arg) 68 71 68 70, C Günther (Ger) 69 69 70 69, J Parry (Eng) 69 70 67 71, R Santos (Por) 68 71 71 67, D Griffiths (Eng) 69 69 69 70, P Linhart (Esp) 68 71 68 70, A Tampion (Aus) 69 68 68 72
278 B Pettersson (Swe) 70 69 70 69, M Zions (Aus) 71 69 68 70, S Walker (Eng) 70 70 72 66, J Hepworth (Eng) 67 74 66 71
279 M Tullo (Chi) 68 71 70 70, M Mills (Eng) 71 69 67 72, K Sullivan (Wal) 70 68 75 66, L Westerberg (Swe) 71 68 67 73
280 J Grillon (Fra) 68 70 72 70, C Brazillier (Fra) 67 71 68 74, P Gustafsson (Swe) 71 70 69 70, L Moolman (RSA) 71 70 70 69, A Wagner (Arg) 68 69 72 71, A Marshall (Eng) 69 71 73 67, M Quiros (Esp) 70 67 68 75, O Floren (Swe) 70 71 70 69, G Houston (Wal) 73 68 69 70
281 A Salto (Esp) 71 67 74 69, P Golding (Eng) 70 71 71 69, L Bond (Wal) 69 69 73 70
282 R Harris (Eng) 73 68 70 71, M Higley (Eng) 70 68 74 70
283 J Larsen (Nor) 69 72 71 71, G Davies (Eng) 65 74 70 74
284 D Ulrich (Sui) 69 72 74 69, S Jamieson (Sco) 71 69 69 75, C Suneson (Esp) 71 68 74 71,
285 T Weiss (Sui) 71 70 75 69, P Richardson (Eng) 70 71 74 70
286 P Del Grosso (Arg) 66 69 78 73, B La Roche (Esp) 71 70 71 74, A Hansen (Den) 67 72 74 73, I Giner (Esp) 67 69 74 76
288 G Murray (Sco) 70 70 74 74, J Ruth (Eng) 69 72 74 73

Fifth place finish puts Sam Torrance in

the hunt for Senior Order of Merit title

BY RODDY WILLIAMS, European Tour senior press officer
Sam Torrance moved within a whisker of the top of the Senior Tour Order of Merit after a fifth place finish behind winner Tony Johnstone of Zimbabwe in the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters at Woburn Golf Club today.
Torrance now trails Order of Merit leader Mark McNulty of Ireland by just €261 (£129) with only three events remaining of the season after overtaking Ian Woosnam in the race to finish No 1.
A final round of 69, where he birdied the last, lifted Torrance 11 places to fifth and while it was not quite enough to claim pole position, he has thrown down the gauntlet to last year’s No 1, Woosnam, as the Scot looks to regain the Order of Merit crown he won in 2005 and 2006.
“He’s got to come and catch me now,” said the former Ryder Cup captain from Ayrshire. “It will be interesting run in to the end of the season. I was just thinking shoot as low as I could. I knew that putt on the last was important. Good job done.
“I just want to put Woosie in his place that’s all,” he joked. “It was great for Woosie to win it in his first year out, I just really want to win it again. I’ll be playing every event now. The next event in the Czech Republic is huge. That’s the one to win. Win that and it could all be over.”
While Torrance was looking ahead to the rest of the season, Johnstone, once told he would never play golf again after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, was savouring the moment.
It was his second win since undergoing a revolutionary new treatment for the condition which affects the central nervous system, following his previous success in Jersey last year and he did it the hard way, overcoming a four stroke deficit to win by one.
A brilliant final round of six under par 66 proved too good for overnight leader Peter Senior of Australia, who closed with a 71.
While putt after putt dropped into the hole for Johnstone, Senior’s broomhandle putter went cold and the gap was gradually closed. A seventh birdie of the day on the 17th finally gave Johnstone the lead and a hole later he tapped in a par putt for a winning ten under par total of 206.
It was a first victory over the magnificent Duke’s Course at Woburn for Johnstone after a number of near-misses over the years, notably in the 1992 British Masters to Christy O’Connor Jnr when he lost a play-off.
“I have always had this feeling inside me that one day I would win a tournament round here,” he said. “I have lost a play-off and had a couple of seconds and thirds. From the first time I ever played this course it has been one of my four favourites anywhere in the world and to win around here is just wonderful.
“Pete played really well, but his putter went cold which is unusual for him as he uses that broomhandle like a wand normally. And unfortunately mine was seriously hot today. I just putted the eyes out of it. It is a lovely feeling to be doing that again. It’s a great feeling.”
It was also the perfect send-off for Johnstone who hosts the MS Society Pro-Am at Sunningdale tomorrow to raise funds for a cause so close to his heart.
“Jersey was ultra-special as it was my first win after having treatment for MS but I am not too disappointed with this one, in fact I am ecstatic. It is ideal timing with the Pro-Am tomorrow. Everything has just come together this week and it is wonderful.
“I have played well all season and particularly putted well all season. I have gone back to using a bullseye putter and that jab of mine. Once the putter starts working you get the belief and once you have the belief, what can hold you back.”
Senior looked odds on to win in only his second start since turning 50 at the end of July but it wasn’t to be his day.
“I played pretty well, hit 18 greens in regulation and you can’t do any better than that but I just putted probably as bad as I have ever putted,” he said. “I had chances coming in but had nothing on the greens at all. But I played well all week and I’ll look forward to the next one. Tony holed the putts and that is what you have to do in this game.”
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
206 T Johnstone (Zim) 69 71 66
207 P Senior (Aus) 69 67 71
211 J Rivero (Esp) 72 70 69
213 C Williams (RSA) 75 67 71
214 S Torrance (Sco) 71 74 69
215 B Longmuir (Sco) 70 76 69, D Merriman (Aus) 72 69 74, M Clayton (Aus) 72 71 72, D Hospital (Esp) 70 73 72
216 M Piñero (Esp) 73 72 71, J Bruner (USA) 74 72 70, N Job (Eng) 78 70 68
217 C Rocca (Ita) 69 75 73
218 G Brand (Eng) 72 71 75, B Cameron (Eng) 75 73 70,
219 L Carbonetti (Arg) 74 71 74, B Smit (RSA) 73 74 72, M Farry (Fra) 74 75 70, G Encina (Chi) 70 73 76, A Franco (Par) 71 71 77
220 B Boyd (USA) 78 70 72, H Carbonetti (Arg) 75 73 72, S Ginn (Aus) 73 74 73, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 74 74 72, J Heggarty (NIr) 72 72 76
221 E Rodriguez (Esp) 73 71 77, S Bennett (Eng) 75 76 70, A Murray (Eng) 71 76 74, M Harwood (Aus) 70 77 74
222 M Cunning (USA) 76 74 72, T Gale (Aus) 77 74 71, G Ralph (Eng) 76 72 74, D Good (Aus) 72 79 71, R Drummond (Sco) 74 74 74
223 A Fernandez (Chi) 72 73 78, P Oakley (USA) 77 72 74, P Mitchell (Eng) 76 73 74, J Quiros (Esp) 73 76 74, J Rhodes (Eng) 75 72 76, I Woosnam (Wal) 75 69 79, D Smyth (Irl) 76 75 72, G Brand Jnr (Sco) 75 69 79
224 S Owen (Nzl) 77 72 75, T Allen (Eng) 80 74 70, M Williams (Zim) 76 76 72, D Durnian (Eng) 77 73 74, E Darcy (Irl) 74 78 72
225 D Russell (Eng) 74 77 74, D Johnson (USA) 76 73 76, J Hoskison (Eng) 75 76 74
226 P Barber (Eng) 76 73 77, B Lincoln (RSA) 76 70 80, A Garrido (Esp) 72 76 78
227 J Chillas (Sco) 78 76 73, A Barrera (Arg) 79 75 73, P Allan (Eng) 77 75 75
228 R Chapman (Eng) 77 76 75, M Miller (Sco) 72 82 74, D Cambridge (Jam) 78 76 74, J Hawkes (RSA) 80 73 75
229 J Bland (RSA) 82 74 73
230 T Giedeon (Ger) 83 78 69, G Towne (USA) 76 76 78, K Spurgeon (Eng) 82 76 72,
231 E Polland (NIr) 83 76 72
233 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 82 72 79,
235 M Bembridge (Eng) 82 78 75,
237 I Mosey (Eng) 81 79 77,
239 T Charnley (Eng) 78 78 83, M Poxon (Eng) 79 82 78,
241 V Garcia (Esp) 82 79 80, J Hall (Eng) 80 83 78,
Disqualified: C Mason (Eng) 75 77 DQ,

Alex Noren holes bunker shot on way to two-shot

European Masters win from Bradley Dredge

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Swede Alex Noren grabbed his maiden European Tour title in Switzerland today - and there is no doubt what shot he will remember most.
In the first qualifying event for next year's Ryder Cup, the 27-year-old holed a difficult bunker shot for an eagle 3 at the long 15th as he took the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in the majestic Swiss Alps.
It helped Noren to a two-stroke victory over Welshman Bradley Dredge, the 2006 winner.
Noren, who played four years on the American college circuit as an Oklahoma State University student, said: "I was so happy when that bunker shot went in. I've never felt this good about my game, and to win was just brilliant."
As for being the first leader in the Ryder Cup race, he added: "Now I will just have to stay there!"
=========================
For more golf news, click on the links:
Official website of the Ryder Cup
European Tour's official website
=========================
A first prize of just over £292,000 - and the same number of cup points - was achieved with a closing round of 66 and 20-under-par total of 264.
Dredge, desperate to make a debut on home soil next year, will have reminded European captain Colin Montgomerie of what he can do - after crashing to 256th in the world from 46th.
"It was a fun battle, and Alex produced a great shot on the 15th - so congratulations to him," said Dredge, after a 65 that included a 63-yard pitch-in for eagle on the long ninth as he drew level from four behind.
England's Ross McGowan, also round in 65, was third - and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez fourth - while the low score of the day was a 64 from 20-year-old Rory McIlroy, last year's play-off loser.
With an eagle and eight birdies, he had climbed from 34th to third standing on the final tee but was put off by a photographer and by bogeying the 18th finished in a tie for seventh.
Lee Westwood, fourth on the table, closed with a 66 for 23rd place - along with 16-year-old Italian amateur Matteo Manassero, youngest-ever British amateur champion and 13th at The Open in July.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
264 Alexander Noren (Swe) 65 70 63 66 (333,330 Euros).
266 Bradley Dredge 68 65 68 65 (222,220 Euros).
267 Ross McGowan 67 67 68 65 (125,200 Euros).
269 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 65 68 69 67
270 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 65 71 67 67
271 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 68 65 71
272 Rory McIlroy 67 71 70 64, David Howell 68 69 68 67, Angelo Que (Phi) 69 65 68 70, Simon Dyson 63 71 73 65
273 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 68 71 67 67, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 71 68 67 67, Paul Broadhurst 72 67 68 66
274 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 70 66 68 70, Julien Clement (Swi) 69 67 71 67, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 67 69 68
275 Tano Goya (Arg) 70 68 72 65, Paul McGinley 66 68 70 71
276 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 68 70 69, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 65 70 74 67, David Dixon 69 69 68 70, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 68 72 68 68
277 Oliver Wilson 70 68 69 70, Metteo Manassero (Ita) (am) 68 70 69 70, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 71 68 66 72, Danny Willett 65 71 72 69, Graeme Storm 69 66 70 72, Mark Foster 70 70 70 67, Pablo Martin (Spa) 70 66 73 68, Lee Westwood 71 67 73 66, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 68 71 70 68
278 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 68 72 70 68, Chris Wood 66 72 65 75, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 64 75 71, Graeme McDowell 68 70 71 69, Robert Dinwiddie 74 66 67 71, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 71 69 66 72, David Lynn 68 70 72 68, Brett Rumford (Aus) 62 73 72 71, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 69 68 69 72, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 70 68 70 70
279 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 72 70 70, Danny Lee (Nzl) 71 67 73 68, Andres Romero (Arg) 65 70 72 72, Benn Barham 70 66 73 70
280 Luke List (USA) 70 69 67 74, Peter Hanson (Swe) 74 65 71 70, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 70 69 74
281 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 68 69 70 74, Anthony Kang (USA) 71 69 71 70, Callum Macaulay 68 72 68 73, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 68 67 74 72, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 70 71 70, Johan Edfors (Swe) 66 69 69 77, Seve Benson 71 69 71 70 (8,600 Euros each).
282 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 72 69 74, Gary Orr 69 71 72 70, David Drysdale 70 70 73 69, Scott Drummond 72 67 72 71 (6,450 Euros each).
283 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 69 73 73, David Horsey 70 70 72 71, Darren Clarke 69 68 74 72
284 Richard Bland 71 68 73 72, Anthony Wall 69 71 77 67, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 69 71 71 73
285 Gareth Maybin 70 68 76 71
288 Gregory Havret (Fra) 68 71 74 75
289 Gary Lockerbie 73 67 78 71
292 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 69 71 76 76, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 69 69 73 81

Mark Bookless wins Newlands

Trophy after third-round 64

Glasgow's 19-year-old Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), winner of the Scottish boys' open stroke-play championship last year, scored his first SGU Order of Merit 72-hole tournament win today in Lanark Golf Club's Newlands Trophy.

Bookless, who had followed up a promising opening round of three-under-par 67 with a six-over 76, shot into contention with a Sunday morning third round of six-under-par 64. Mark then signed off with a 69 for a four-under-par total of 276.

That sub-par total, the only one in the field after 72 holes round the par-70 circuit, gave the teenager, pictured right, a four-stroke victory from Ed Wood (Crow Wood) with Paul O'Hara (Colville Park), winner of two Order of Merit events this season plus an appearance in the Allied Surveyors Scottish amateur championship final at Royal Troon, coming third on 281.

Wood scored 70, 70, 71 and 69; O'Hara 67, 73, 71 and 70.

Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), winner of the recent North-east District Open after a play-off, was a creditable fourth on 282 with scores of 71, 72, 71 and 68. Kris finished four shots clear of the fourth-placed Glasgow youngster James Hendrick (Pollok).

FINAL TOTALS

Par 280 (4x70). CSS 73 73 72 72

276 Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 67 76 64 69.

280 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 70 760 71 69.

281 Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) 67 73 71 70.

282 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 71 72 71 68.

286 James Hendrick (Pollok) 70 71 73 72.

289 Ben Sloan (Cathkin Braes) 72 73 71 73.
290 Stuart Boyle (Harburn) 76 71 69 74, Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 73 69 71 77.

291 Steven McEwan (Caprington) 77 72 74 68, Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 78 69 72 72, Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 69 71 78 73.

292 Stewart Henderson (Hamilton) 76 74 70 72.

294 Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) 74 76 75 69, Robert Carson (Dalmahoy Hotel) 76 75 71 72, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 68 78 73 75.
295 Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) 74 71 72 78.

296 Chris Lawton (Stirling) 72 70 79 75.

297 Chris Orr (Lanark) 75 77 72 73.

298 Scott Adams (Lanark) 74 75 75 74.

299 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 78 76 75 70, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 79 71 76 73.

300 Alistair Lauder (Paisley) 73 81 74 72, Sean McGarvey (Glen Gorse) 72 80 75 72, Fraser Campbell (Clober) 78 69 74 79, Marco Russo (Craigielaw) 72 76 72 80.

301 Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 77 78 77 69, Malcolm Campbell (Swanston) 77 78 73 73, Graeme Duncan (Shotts) 76 75 77 73, Stephen Wills (Lanark) 74 76 74 77, Andrew McLachlan (Glenbervie) 75 73 76 77.

302 Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 76 77 73 76.

303 Tom Blennerhassetrt (Dalmahoy Hotel) 79 75 76 73, Alastair McPhail (Ratho Park) 78 77 74 74, Graeme McDougall (Bishopbriggs) 81 75 72 75, James Johnston (Greenburn) 77 74 75 77.

304 Peter Scanlon (Hamilton) 81 75 75 73, Ben Renfrew (The Wynyard) 77 76 77 74, Ross Bell (Downfield) 82 71 73 78.

306 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 77 78 76, James Aitken (Alloa) 75 76 78 77.

307 Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 73 78 79 77.

308 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 76 75 77 80.

309 Kristofer Harper (Carnoustie) 74 78 79 78.

314 William Steele (Carnwath) 73 82 80 79.

TAYLOR, THOMSON, ORR IN TRIPLE TIE FOR VICTORY AT DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Edward Thomson (Senit Associates) and David Orr (East Renfrewshire) figured in a triple tie for victory on eight-under-par 128 at the end of the Tartan Tour's Kerr Investments Classic 36-hole pro-am at Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club today. They each collected £1,871. Taylor had rounds of 65 and 63, Thomson a pair of 64s and Orr scored 63 and 65 over the short par-68 course. Taylor had an eagle 2 at the 500yd second in his final round. He dropped shots at the seventh and 10th but 2s at the par-3 eighth, ninth and 12th, as well as further birdies at the 13th and 16th gave him halves of 32 and 31 for his 63. Thomson birdied the fifth, sixth, ninth, 16th and 18th in halves of 32. He had one bogey, at the 12th. His birdies at the 16th and 18th got him into the winning frame. Orr will be rueing bogeys at the seventh and eighth which marred his scorecard of 75. He did birdie the first, fourth, fifth, ninth and 14th in halves of 33 and 32. Try as he might he could not get a birdie over the last four holes, which would have given him outright and a bigger take-home pay. Orr, Gareth Wright (West Linton) and Stephen Gray (Hayston) had shared the overnight lead on 63. Former Welsh amateur cap Wright slipped back to fourth palce with a 66 for 129. Gray was three over par for the last 11 holes and finished joint seventh with a 69 for 132. Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) led the CWL amateur trio of Murray Wilson (handicap 15), Ian Turnbull (16) and Nigel McKinnon (6) to victory in the team event with a net two-round total of 234. ALL THE FINAL TOTALS Par 136 (2x68) 128 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 65 63, Edward Thomson (Senit Associatates) 64 64, David Orr (East Renfrewshire). 129 Gareth Wright (West Linton). 131 Craig Lee (unatt) 66 65, Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre) 65 66. 132 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 68 64, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 66 66, Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 64 68, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 64 68, Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) 64 68, James McKinnon (Irvine) 64 68, Stephen Gray (Hayston) 63 69. 133 James Erskine (Portpatrick Dunskey) 68 65, Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 64 69. 134 Craig Ronald (Carluke) 66 68. 135 Scott Herald (Mearns Castle) 70 65, Thomas Buchanan (Duddingston) 69 66, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 69 66, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 68 67, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) 68 67, Gordon Niven (Stirling Univ) 67 68. 136 Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park) 71 65, Mark King (Kingsfield) 70 66, Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 70 66, Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 69 67, Euan Cameron (Hamilton) 69 67, James McGhee (Turnhouse) 69 67, Russell Smith (Gleneagles Hotel) 68 68. 137 Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 71 66, Gordon Law (Uphall) 69 68. 139 Dean Robertson (Mearns Castle) 70 69, Jonathan Lomas (unatt) 68 71, Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 68 71, Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) 67 72, Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 66 73. 140 Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design) 70 70, Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) 68 72. 141 Colin Gillies (Playstport Golf) 73 68, Fraser McLaughlin (Bothwell Castle) 66 75. 142 Mark Loftus (Cowglen) 73 69, Hamish Kemp (Bishopbriggs) 72 70. 143 Richard Smith (Dumfries-shire GA) 72 71, Ian Graham (Crow Wood) 69 75. 145 Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill) 72 73, Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) 69 76. 146 Gareth Hardy (Belleisle) 73 73. 152 Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) 76 76. 154 David Gordon (Paisley) 78 76, David Snodgrass (Hilton Park) 77 77.

US PGA Tour Scoreboard
DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP
TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts
SECOND ROUND LEADERS
Par 142 (2x71)
130 Sean O'Hair 66 64, Jim Furyk 63 67.
132 Marc Leishman 70 62, Retief Goosen 75 67.
133 Dustin Johnston 68 65, Scott Verplank 65 68, John Senden 69 64, Justin Leonard 65 68, Mike Weir 68 65, Kevin Sutherland 68 65.
Selected scores:
134 Padraig Harrington 67 67 (jt 11th).
137 Brian Davis 67 70, Tiger Woods 70 67 (jt 28th).