Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Martin Laird faces another uphill fight

to keep his US PGA Tour card

FROM THE PGATOUR.COM WEBSITE
By STAN AUTREY
They'll start the Fall Series this week (on the US PGA Tour). It's a five-event portion of the schedule that's designed to keep professional golf in the spotlight, continue to grow the game's charitable giving and give the rank-and-file players an opportunity to play.
Of course, those who just completed their season at the US Tour Championship are also welcome to compete, but few of them will take advantage of the opportunity. Other than playing in The Presidents Cup, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are done for the year.
Luke Donald won't return because he's got to play three times on the European Tour in order to retain his membership there. Dustin Johnson will play this week at the Turning Stone Resort Championship and then probably call it quits.
U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover has committed to play the Children's Miracle Network Classic at Disney World (site of his first victory in 2005) but isn't likely to compete elsewhere because of his excessive workload; he's played 25 events, the equivalent of a baseball pitcher throwing 300 innings.
But there will still be plenty of compelling stories for the Fall Series, starting this week at the Turning Stone Resort Championship and finishing in the middle of November, with the winner mugging for the camera alongside Mickey Mouse.
Here are four groups of players to keep an eye out for over the rest of season. All have compelling reasons to play well.
The "I want to keep my card" group. These guys are digging hard to get in the top 125 and avoid a trip to Q-school. They include:
Martin Laird was No. 125 a year ago and is No. 135 this go-round, as those seven consecutive missed cuts have come back to haunt him. He earned more than $100,000 in the Fall Series last year and needs similar results to assure his exempt status.
• Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey needed a second-place finish at Disney to clinch conditional status but is buried near the bottom of the earnings list. He'll need to take gold, not silver, to avoid Q-school.
Harrison Frazar is this year's Bubble Boy. He was medalist at Q-school a year ago and starts the stretch run at No. 125. He needs to hold his position or get ready for that six-round funfest. In his favor: he had a pair of top-20s in the Fall Series last year.
The "I can still win even though my hair (what's left of it) is graying" group.
Davis Love III proved he still had some fire in the furnace last year when he won at Disney. Here are three other veterans who are capable of striking some Fall Series magic:
• J.J. Henry has quietly had a good year (three top-10s) and looked more like the guy who made the 2006 Ryder Cup team. He hasn't won since 2006.
Paul Goydos won't play much, but he's definitely a threat at the Frys.com Open, where he was seventh last year. His last win came in Hawaii in 2007.
Scott McCarron is finally healthy from 2006 elbow surgery and has regained his taste for competition. McCarron, whose last win came at the BellSouth Classic in 2001, has six top-25s in 25 starts.
The "veterans looking to keep their card" group. Unless you finish in the top 125 on the US PGA Tour money list or unless you win a tournament (and earn a two-year exemption), you've got to keep playing. Among them are:
David Duval is No. 116 on the money list and is out of exemption options. He's looked great at times this season (look at the highlights from Bethpage), and he's had times where he's been horrible (11 missed cuts in 18 starts).
Todd Hamilton had two outstanding weeks in the spring, where he played well at the Masters and the Verizon Heritage. He finished 25th or better three times in the 2008 Fall Series. He must defend his standing (No. 121) or slip into that conditional qualifier list.
Stuart Appleby is only No. 129 on the money list and needs to remain exempt. How is this possible? Dude could have won the Masters in 2007 and 2008. Unless he plays well in the Fall Series, Appleby will need to use his special career winnings exemption.

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Rory McIlroy giving 'serious thought' to US Tour

FROM THE RTE SPORT WEBSITE
Rory McIlroy studied the 2010 US Tour schedule today and says he will be giving 'serious thought' in the next two months to whether he should join up.
'I'm in no rush, but the opportunity may not be there forever,' commented the 20-year-old Irishman, who would have to commit himself to 15 events if he did take up membership.
Majors and world championships count towards that, however, and they would also be among the minimum 12 he has to play to retain his European Tour playing rights.
McIlroy, in Scotland this week for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, would have to play only three additional US Tour events to those who competed in this year - and that would make him eligible, of course, for the FedEx Cup play-offs with its $10 million bonus.

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NELSON SEES NO SLIPS UNTIL LAST TWO HOLES


- BUT STILL WINS NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE AT ELLON


By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Bogeys at McDonald Ellon's difficult last two holes did not prevent professional Colin Nelson (MacKenzie Club) from winning today's North-east Golfers' Alliance and a cheque for £100.

He headed the biggest field of the season so far – 109 – with a three-under-par 67 (34-33), in which the highlight was a string of four birdies in a row from the second to the fifth.

Nelson, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, won by a shot from two amateurs, Adam Dunton, playing over his home course, and Anthony Bews (Murcar Links). Dunton's 30, including six 3s in a row, for the inward nine was equalled only by Callum Trahan (Murcar Links), one of four players on the 69 mark.

Bews came home in 31 as did professional Graham Gordon, the former Scottish amateur champion and past Walker Cup player.

Scottish women's amateur international Laura Murray (Alford), who has joined the Alliance so that she can sharpen up for the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School later in the year, had a creditable round of 72 off the men's tees.

With her +1 LGU handicap adjusted to 4 for the extra length of course she was playing, she finished joint third in the Class 1 handicap.
Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links), playing off 3, won the Class 1 handicap with a net 66 while Scott Mackie (Kemnay) was the winner by six shots of Class 2 with a net 65 off 11.
Leading scores (par 70)

SCRATCH
67 C Nelson (MacKenzie Club).
68 A Dunton (McDonald Ellon), A Bews (Murcar Links).

69 G Gordon (unatt), K Duncan (McDonald Ellon), C Trahan (Murcar Links), K Nelson (Murcar Links).

70 S Pert (Huntly), J Findlay (Fraserburgh), C Robb (Inchmarlo).

71 P McLean (Peterhead), G Taylor (Hazlehead), D Law (Hazlehead), F Bisset (Banchory).

72 P Cormack (Inchmarlo), Laura Murray (Alford), P Lovie (P1 Incorporate).

73 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), I Bratton (Newburgh), C Stewart (Kippie Lodge), C Law (Hazlehead), M Barnard (Inchmarlo).

74 A J Smith (Turriff), C Nicoll (Fraserburgh), J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen), I Buchan (Craibstone), K Beveridge (Aboyne), D Clark (Duff House Royal), J Nicolson (Auchmill).

75 A Campbell (Deeside), B Harper (Newburgh), S Sharp (Newburgh), S Chalmers (Banchory), R Pirie (Caledonian).

76 B Brooks (Meldrum House), N Murray (Cruden Bay), R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo), S Mackie (Kemnay).

77 L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), M Lawrie (Kemnay).

78 J Forrest (Northern), C Graham (Newmachar), D McKay (Caledonian), C Duffus (Kemnay), M Merchant (Newmachar).

79 J Dalgarno (Hazlehead), T Collie (Kemnay), J Murray (Banchory), B Shaw (Banchory), F G Gray (Newmachar), M Foster (Cruden Bay).

80 H Roulston (Stonehaven), D Wilson (Duff House Royal), D Leighton (Northern)..

82 J Borthwick (Craibstone), C Buchanan (Hazlehead).

HANDICAP

Class 1

K Nelson (Murcar Links) (3) 66; C Cassie (Nigg Bay) (6) 67; S Pert (Huntly) (2), Laura Murray (Alford) (4) 68; B Harper (Newburgh) (6), F Bisset (Banchory) (2), K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) (scr), A Bews (Murcar Links) (+1) 69; A J Smith (Turriff) (4), J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) (4), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (7), J Forrest (Northern) (8), A Duncan (+2), C Trahan (Murcar Links) +1), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 70.

Class 2

S Mackie (Kemnay) (11) 65; M Brown (Craibstone) (18), D Randall (Banchory) (15) 71; S Davidson (Northern) (14) 72; M Booth (Kemnay) (12), S Kennedy (Craibstone) (13), M Ord (Royal Aberdeen) (12) 73; G Kelly (Peterculter (14), G Allan (Newmachar) (10); N Chisholm (Kemnay) (9), G Mackie (Caledonian) (11), D Townsley (Peterculter) (15) 75.


McDONALD ELLON SCORECARD: Par 70
OUT: 4-4-4-5-4-4-3-4- 5: 37 IN: 4-3-3-4-4-3-4-4-4: 33

COLIN NELSON 67 (-3)
OUT: 5-3-3-4-3-4-3-4-5: 34. IN: 4-3-3-3-4-3-3-5-5: 33.

ADAM DUNTON 68 (-2)
OUT: 4-5-5-5-4-4-3-4-4: 38. IN: 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4: 30.

ANTHONY BEWS 68 (-2)
OUT: 4-4-4-6-4-3-3-5-4: 37. IN: 4-3-4-3-3-3-4-3-4: 31

GRAHAM GORDON 69 (-1)
OUT: 38. IN: 31.

KEVIN DUNCAN 69 (-1)
OUT: 37. IN: 32.

CALLUM TRAHAN 69 (-1)
OUT: 39. IN: 30.

KYLE NELSON 69 (-1)
OUT: 35. IN: 34

+THERE IS NO NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE FIXTURE NEXT WEDNESDAY BECAUSE OF THE SCOTTISH GOLFERS ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP AT GULLANE IN MIDWEEK.
+THE NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE SEASON WILL RESUME AT INSCH GOLF CLUB ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14.


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Amateur age limit reduced to over 40, handicap to 12.4

Hacienda Del Alamo Senior Masters 2009
Practice round. November 1. Tournament from November 2 to 4.
Venue: Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, Fuente Alamo, Murcia, Spain

A 54-hole Tournament (no cut) for Professional Golfers and Category 1 Amateurs over 40 at event date.
Note: Changes to previous tournament rules:
1. Amateur age now reduced to 40 and upwards at time of the tournament.
2. Amateur Handicap limit increased to 12.4
3. Entry can be by E-mail. Just send the information requested on the entry form.
day.
Location map click here
Hacienda Del Alamo is a European Tour Qualifying School Venue 2nd stage.
Airports serving the region of Murcia click here
Airlines serving the region click here
Entry fee: €195 (includes all green fees, one practice round and unlimited range balls for the duration of the tournament.
Entry Form:click
Prize fund: € TBA dependent on numbers
Accommodation: sponsored by Hacienda Golf Properties from €20 pppn in shared luxury villa.
For examples of villa accomodation click here
Entries close: October 26.
Contact John Green for a tailored quotation: johngreen@hdagolfproperties.com
Website links:
Hacienda Golf Properties
http://www.hdagolfproperties.com/

Tel Spain: +34 618 086 285Tel UK: +44 7836 385 310

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England name Under-16 boys team to

face Scotland at Arbroath on Sunday

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
England will go into Sunday's one-day Under 16 international boys match with Scotland at Arbroath Golf Club fielding six players who have not represented their country in an international match before.
The newcomers are
Sam Edwards (Bigbury, Devon)
Curtis Griffiths (Wentworth, Surrey)
Nick Newbold (Kedleston Park, Derbyshire)
Greg Payne (Chobham, Surrey)
Toby Tree (Worthing, Sussex)
Colin Walsh (Hayling, Hampshire, IoW & CI).
The rest of the team is
Oliver Carr (Heswall, Cheshire)
Harry Casey (Enfield, Middlesex)
Seb Crookall-Nixon (Workington, Cumbria)
Liam Harper (Lydd, Kent).
Edwards is the Devon Boys and Under 16 Champion, while Griffiths is a former Surrey Under 14 Champion who finished second in the South East Boys Under 16 Championship and helped Surrey win the English Boys County Finals this year.
Newbold was involved in the five-way tie for the McGregor Trophy this year but lost in the playoff, was runner-up in the Midland Boys Championship and fifth in the recent Dutch Junior Masters, while Payne was also a member of the winning Surrey team in the English Boys County Finals having won the South East Boys Under 16 title and finished runner-up in the equivalent Surrey event.
Tree was the English Under 14 Champion in 2008, winning the Reid Trophy at Coxmoor while he recently won the Douglas Johns Trophy and the Sussex Boys Championship in a playoff, while Walsh won the Hazards Salver for the best performance by an Under 16 golfer in the Carris Trophy.
Carr, last year’s Cheshire Junior Champion, played in the Under 16 international with Spain at Heswall in August while Casey, a former winner of the Douglas Johns Trophy, Crookall-Nixon, the English Under 16 Champion for the past two years, and Harper, third in the recent Dutch Junior Masters, all played against the Scots last year at South Staffs.
England have generally held the upper hand in these matches. Scotland won for the first time in 2006 but England have won for the past two years.

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Mickelson joins Harrington, Els

in Barclays Singapore Open

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
By SARAH GWYNN, European Tour Press Officer

World No 2 Phil Mickelson has become the third major champion to confirm his participation in the US$5 million Barclays Singapore Open, the most lucrative national Open in Asia.
The popular American left-hander returned to second spot in the Official World Golf Ranking after his three-shot victory over Tiger Woods in the end-of-season Tour Championship at the weekend. He joins a star-studded line-up in the Barclays Singapore Open which includes Major winners Padraig Harrington of Ireland and South Africa’s Ernie Els, who finished joint second behind Jeev Milkha Singh in last year’s edition of the tournament.
Mickelson, pictured above, a two-time Masters Tournament winner, will be making his third appearance at Sentosa Golf Club for the event from October 29 to November 1, which for the first time is being co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and The European Tour.
Robert Morrice, Chairman and Chief Executive of Barclays Asia, said: “It is wonderful news that Phil Mickelson will play the tournament again this year as he will bring great value to the event, both on and off the course. As a member of the Barclays team, Phil is a great ambassador and role model for golf.

"Mickelson is a winner who personifies the game’s values of integrity, focus and precision, which are at the core of how we at Barclays are committed to earning success every day for our clients.”
Peter Downie, General Manager of Sentosa Golf Club, added: “It will be great to see Phil Mickelson come to the Barclays Singapore Open and take on the Serapong Course once again. With his current form, he will no doubt start as one of the main favourites, and we look forward to watching a rejuvenated putting form by Phil Mickelson.”
The 39 year old made an impressive start to the 2009 season with wins in the Northern Trust Open and WGC-CA Championship before taking time off from the game to be with his wife and mother, both of whom were diagnosed with breast cancer. He returned to action in early August and the Barclays Singapore Open will be the first leg of a two-event swing in Asia.
Korea’s K.J. Choi and Northern Irishman Darren Clarke will also be playing in the tournament and more marquee names will be announced in the coming weeks with players from all over the world eager to tee it up in the 46th edition of the event.
Singapore’s national Open was not played between 2002 and 2004, but returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2005, thanks to the support of Sentosa and efforts of the event promoter World Sport Group. Australia’s Adam Scott triumphed in 2005 and 2006 before Angel Cabrera of Argentina claimed the spoils in 2007.

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Gordon is Supermac for Scotland senior men

as they beat England at Westport

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By NICK RODGER
Gordon MacDonald was the match-winner as Scotland edged out England on day one of the Senior Men's Home Internationals at Westport in Ireland.
The former Scottish Senior champion beat reigning English Senior champion Chris Reynolds by one hole in the final singles tie to clinch a 5-4 win.
MacDonald, and playing partner Sandy Pirie, had been swept aside 8&7 by Reynolds and Doug Arnold in the morning foursomes, but the Scot had his revenge in the afternoon.
Despite MacDonald and Pirie's heavy defeat, Scotland rallied to claim the foursomes 2-1 and singles wins for Ian Hutcheon and Bob Stewart pushed them nearer the finishing line.
But defeats for George Paterson, John Fraser and Derek Murphy saw England draw level before MacDonald holed a 15ft putt to beat Reynolds at the last.
In the day's other tie, defending champions Ireland beat Wales 7-2.
*The full article above contains 153 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.

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