Scottish Alliance Championship

Orr-some 60 by David as he sets cracking pace over Gullane 3

DAVID PATRICK LEADS AT GULLANE 2 WITH A 66


Scottish professional champion David Orr (East Renfrewshire) was the talk of Gullane today with an tremendous round of eight-under-par 60 over the No 3 course in the first round of the 54-hole Scottish Golfers' Alliance championship.
On the No 2 course, former Walker Cup player and recent winner of the Scottish young professionals' title, David Patrick (Elie), was the pacemaker with a five-under-par 66.
Orr, pictured right, the leading money-winner on the 2009 Tartan Tour with a haul of £36,694, had a run of four birdies in a row from the third to the sixth and another at the ninth to be out in the "magical" figure of 29.
A dropped shot at 12th and birdies at 10th, 14th, 16th and 18th gave David a homeward nine of 31 for his great score.
But even with a round of 60, Orr still has the opposition snapping at his heels as he switches courses for the second round on Wednesday. In second place at Gullane No 3 with a six under 62 was Alan Reid (West Lothian). Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) and Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo) were third equal on 64.
Defending champion Craig Everett (Caldwell) had a two under par 66, as had Calum Smith (Royal Musselburgh), Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) and Scott Catlin (Greenburn).
In the handicap section David Bisset (Banchory) leads a net 64 off nine. Tied for second are Robert Denholm (Duddingston), Tommy Notini (Glenearn) and Leslie Roger (Royal Aberdeen) on net 65.
David Patrick's 66 at Gullane 2 included an outward half of 31 with birdies at the first , third, sixth, eighth and ninth. On the back nine ,however, he dropped a shot at the 215 yard, Par 3, 11th and another one at the 12th, but a strong finish with birdies at the 14th and 17th saw David back in level par.
Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) was in second place at Gullane 2 on four under par 67 and is followed by amateur John Fowler (Hayston) and Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) on 68. Andrew Marshall (Houston GR) and James Smallwood (Fereneze) share fifth place on level par 71. In the handicap section John Fowler is leading with a net 67, Mike Robson (Harrison) is in second place with net 69 off three.
Four players share the third slot with net 70, Norman Forsyth (Peebles), Michael Fraser (Leven Thistle), John Sullivan (Gleneagles) and John Carrell (Torrance House).

+++Many thanks to Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance secretary Keith Liddle who was on the go from 5.30am to handle the admin of a field of 144 with his usual expertise. North-east Alliance secretary Ron Menzies dropped in past during the afternoon and helped out with checking scorecards. Thanks also to Keith for supplying Scottishgolfview.com with the information for this report.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Gullane No 2 (par 71)
66 D Patrick (Elie).
67 T Buchanan (Duddingston).
68 J Fowler (Hayston), A Lockhart (Ladybank).
71 A Marshall (Houston GR), J Smallwood (Fereneze).
72 R Harrower (Boat of Garten), T Mathieson (Kings Acre), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle), P Mitchell (Hermitage), S Harrod (Ballumbie Castle), S Chalmers (Banchory), M Robson (Harrison), N Forsyth (Peebles).
73 A Mackay (Pumpherston), A McCloskey (Bothwell Castle).
74 M Fraser (Leven Th), G Wither (Lothianburn), S Knowles (Kingsknowe).
75 T Wilson (Glenbervie).
77 C Cassie (Nigg Bay).
78 F Bisset (Banchory), A Smith (Turriff).
79 K Bisset (Prestonfield), K Glen (Royal Musselburgh), W Miller (Falkirk Tryst), J Sullivan (Gleneagles).
80 M Louden (Glencorse), J Ingram (Boat of Garten), J White (Harrison), W Johnston (Moray.
81 A Boxx (Boat of Garten), G Hume (Glenbervie), A Mason (Thornton), I Fraser (Duddingston), B Byrne (Bonnyton), H Bootland (Duddingston), D Mackay (Newmachar).
82 C Rae (Pumpherston), J Carrell (Torrance House), C Brindley (Banchory), G Wilson (Musselburgh), K Fraser (The Duke's), A McLean (Duddingston), N Chisholm (Kemnayh), J Rankeillor (Baberton).
84 R Lamont (Bathgate).
85 W Laing (Prestonfield), J Hamilton (Murcar Links), G Cree (Troon Welbeck), R Farquhar (Carnoustie), J Kinsella (Braemar), M Jenkins (Duff House Royal).
89 H Roulston (Stonehaven), J Shade (Archerfield Links).
90 J Rankin (Scotscraig).
Gullane No 3 (par 68)
60 D Orr (East Renfrewshire).
62 A Reid (Wst lothian).
64 S Lamb (Broomieknowe), P Cormack (Inchmarlo).
66 C Smith (Royal Musselburgh), N Colquhoun (Merchants), S Catlin (Greenburn), C Everett (Caldwell).
67 G Wright (West Linton), S Savage (Dalmuir).
68 R Fyvie (Pumpherston), I Graham (Crow Wod), L Vannet (Carnoustie), A Fullen (Largs).
69 B Mason (Callaway Golf).
70 R Denholm (Duddingston), A Wight (Glencorse), R Johnston (Glenbervie).
71 I Fyfe (Musselburgh), D Ferguson (Paisley), H Fraser (Niddry Castle).
72 N Huguet (Musselburgh), W Morton (Dunbar), D Fish (Glenbervie), D Graham (Lochend), G Milne (Aberdour), J Nicolson (Auchmill).
73 M McEwan (Gifford), J Black (Scotscraig), G Gilhooley (Archerfield Links), T Notini (Glenearn), D Bisset (Banchory).
74 I Rowlands (West Linton), B Redpath (Scotscraig), I Jeavons (Dunbar), L Roger (Royal Aberdeen), P Jamieson (Dunblane New).
75 K Baxter (Buchanan Castle), S Gilhooley (Duddingston), J Mooney (Kingscliff).
76 P Sewell (West Linton), C Nisbet (Bathgate), A Rothney (Deer Park), K Salmoni (Muckhart), J Murray (Banchory).
77 J Crawford (Dunblane New), P Belcher (Lothianburn), H Macartney (Cathkin Braes).
78 J Barnet (Dunfermline), R Marshall (Greenburn), G Johnston (Glenbervie), D Wilson (Duff House Royal).
80 S Wardlaw (Harburn), R Beatt (Scotscraig), R Barton (Alloa).
81 A Robinson (Taymouth Castle), A Sturton (Forrester Park), L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle).
83 S Downing (Craigmillar Park), J Anderson (Kingsknowe).
84 A Douglas (Caird Park).
85 H Smith (Cathkin Braes), K Thomson (Alloa).
86 D Watson (Peebles), G Stevens (Kings Acre).
87 W Smith (Harburn).
89 K Smith (St Andrews New).
90 A Graham (Crow Wood), D McGregor (St Andrews).

St Andrews Links wins award for protecting

the ecology of historic land at Home of Golf

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST
St Andrews Links has received national recognition after winning a prestigious award for protecting the ecology of the historic land at the Home of Golf.
The Golf Course Environment Awards aim to promote and reward the highest standards of environmental management in golf and the Links Trust was the Overall Winner. The awards are run by the Sports Turf Research Institute and are sponsored by Syngenta, Scotts, Ransomes Jacobsen and Golf Monthly.
The award particularly highlighted the creation of a reedbed washdown area by the greenkeeping team on the Jubilee and New courses led by course manager Graeme Taylor . The reedbed on the 17th hole of the Jubilee Course enables water that has been used for washing machinery to be fed through two gravel beds which have been planted with common reed. The reeds filter out the impurities, allowing clean water to be discharged to a soakaway.
A number of other conservation projects carried out by the Links Trust’s greenkeeping teams on all seven courses, including the Old Course and The Castle Course, were also recognised. These included dune reinstatement, grassland management, coastal protection, wildlife habitats and water resource protection.
Alan McGregor, Chief Executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said, “This is a great achievement and is testimony to the hard work of our greenkeeping staff in ensuring that the maintenance of the Links is as environmentally sustainable as possible.
“The innovative conservation projects we carry out on the Links are designed to protect the natural ecology of the land and maintain this wonderful asset for Scottish golf for future generations.”
St Andrews Links has received support from its global partner Allianz in its efforts to maintain the ecology of the Links. Steven Althaus, Senior Vice President Global Brand Management and Strategic Partnerships, Allianz, said, "An important part of Allianz's partnership with St Andrews Links Trust is our shared commitment to sustainability. The Trust has a huge amount of knowledge and experience in minimising the environmental impacts of course management. Everyone at Allianz is delighted their leadership has been recognised by this award."
Examples of the conservation projects include the dune reinstatement work at the Links involved stripping gorse, rosa and bramble from the network of dunes running through the Jubilee Course and allowing dune grasses, such as sea lyme and marram, to regenerate naturally.
The grassland management project sees the cutting and collecting of long grass in the autumn and then the scarification of these areas in spring to allow wispy open rough to grow. These areas form ideal habitats for hares, skylarks and partridges.
Soft engineering work for coastal protection was carried out on the dune system at the outhead of the Jubilee Course last winter and gabion baskets were installed to protect the coastal wall at the Eden Course.

WHAT IS THE ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST?
St Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organisation responsible for the management and maintenance of the Links courses at St Andrews , including the famous Old Course, host of the 2010 Open Championship. The Trust was established in 1974. It employs more than 250 permanent staff and seasonal workers during the high season. It manages a number of additional facilities including three clubhouses, a golf practice centre and four shops.
More than 200,000 rounds are played over six public courses, which feature two additional championship courses (the New and the Jubilee), two 18-hole courses (the Eden and the Strathtyrum) and a nine-hole course (the Balgove).
A seventh course, The Castle Course, opened for play in 2008 on a site to the south-east of St Andrews and has already won several international awards including being named by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine in America as the New Course of the Year and International Development of the Year by Golf Inc magazine in America. The course was also included in the prestigious Golf Digest Top 100 Courses in its first year.
For more information visit www.standrews.org.uk

LANARKSHIRE COUNTY NEWS

Lanarkshire A Team to play Stirling in the West of Scotland League at Bothwell Castle Golf Club on Saturday (11am start):
Grant Beaton: Torrance House
Andy Fairbairn: Kirkhill
Ed Wood: Crow Wood
Alan McDonald: Crow Wood
Steven Rennie: Drumpellier
Stewart Henderson: Hamilton
Scott Douglas: Drumpellier
Keith Turnbull: Hamilton
Michael Moir: Hamilton
Derek Loudon: Hamilton

David Platt organises Archerfield Links two-round

test for young PGA Professionals

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
Former England football star David Platt is helping young PGA professionals cut their teeth in competitive golf by launching a new event in Scotland.
The former Juventus, Aston Villa and Arsenal midfielder, who is part of the Cheviot Asset Management group, has organised the Cheviot Open for young pros aged 25-and-under with a £7,000 prize fund up for grabs.
The 36-hole tournament takes place at Archerfield Links courses and gets underway tomorrow (Wednesday, October 7).
Around 30 young pros will battle it out for the £1,800 first prize, playing alongside amateurs who will the get unique opportunity of competing in a professional environment.
Platt is one of England’s highest scoring midfielders who shot to prominence with Aston Villa before making a dramatic impact at the Italia 90 World Cup with an extra time winner in the quarter finals against Belgium.
His England displays earned him a big money move to Bari, later moving to Sampdoria and Juventus before ending his career at Arsenal.

English Golf Union results round-up

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
England Under 16s share the spoils with Scotland at Arbroath and James Robinson records a top 10 finish in the Turkish Amateur.
To view our Regular Results Round-up on our website please click here
Steve Burnett
Assistant Director of Coaching

Carnoustie, Monifieth host International Pairs World Final

ANGUS FIRMS PREPARE TO WELCOME

WORLD FINAL IN STYLE

NEWS RELEASE
Golfers from across the globe will flock to Carnoustie at the weekend to take part in the 2009 International Pairs World Final and two local businesses have been quick to lend their support to ensure the event is an overwhelming success.
Monifieth taxi firm Fareway Taxis and Broughty Ferry’s West End Garage will be on hand to provide transport for both competitors and staff when the event - the biggest of its kind in the world for club golfers - is held in Angus from October 11-13.
The 36-hole final will be played over two days on Monifieth’s Medal Course, an Open qualifying venue, and the Championship Course at Carnoustie, host of the 2007 Open Championship.
More than £500,000 is expected to be injected into the region’s economy as a result of Angus Council beating off strong competition to host the tournament last year.
And Steve Rennie, boss of Fareway Taxis, and James Ewart, owner of the Honda garage, are keen that everyone involved in the competition leaves Angus with the fondest memories possible after volunteering their services for free.
Two of Rennie’s eight-seater minibuses will transport competitors to the two golf courses and practice ranges from Carnoustie while Ewart has provided two courtesy cars for use by International Pairs’ staff during the event.
Rennie said: “We take pride in being a local business and being able to serve the golfing community within Angus, and in particular, Monifieth and Carnoustie.
“At Fareway Travel, we are proud to be provide transport solutions for a major event, and this opportunity to help out at the International Pairs World Final can only help to benefit local enterprise and promote golfing events.”
Ewart said: “We are always looking to get involved in these type of events.
“ Golf plays a strong part in the local economy, it’s a privilege for our area to stage a tournament like the International Pairs and we are delighted to be able to help out.”
Ross Honey, founder and managing director of International Pairs, added: “Carnoustie is an area that is synonymous with golf for fans of the game across the globe.
“ It’s a pleasure for us to be able to offer people the chance to play one of the great golfing destinations in the world and, with such fantastic support from local businesses, the event is sure to be an experience everyone will remember for the rest of their lives.”
Competitors from 20 countries including South Africa, America, Spain, Canada and Portugal will gather at Carnoustie for the chance to be crowned as the sixth International Pairs world champions and this year will see Romania, Antigua and Barbuda make their debuts in the event.
The world-renowned venue has played an integral role in the success of International Pairs in recent years, hosting the competition’s UK final for three years in a row prior to this month's event.
International Pairs has grown to enjoy a worldwide status since being started by Honey in 1998 and the competition is set to flourish further with global media giants IMG having come on board in 2009 to play an integral role in planning its future.
For more details on International Pairs, visit their website at www.internationalpairs.com or e-mail info@internationalpairs.com

Harrington under fire from Bjorn

FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Thomas Bjorn, chairman of the European Tour players' committee, has strongly criticised Padraig Harrington for his reaction to a possible tightening up of membership rules.
"I don't believe in protectionism — I wonder if there may be a case for the European Union," Harrington had been quoted as saying after hearing players may have to increase their commitment to some European events next season.
The issue will be discussed at committee level again in Portugal next week, but Bjorn chose not to wait until then to air his views.
"I don't know where Padraig is coming from, and he always uses the press. He never comes to people on the committee and never will do. It's his committee — he does not seem to understand that. He seems to think that he is above it.
"We have discussions, he gets word of it and then he uses the press to slam the Tour.
"Pretty much everything we do is to protect our leading players, but as chairman I have to look at every member as an equal.
"I find it disappointing that he does not come to me and talk. Instead he goes to the press and then it becomes a public discussion.
"I don't want to have a war of words with him, but we are a committee of 15 — and that includes people like Monty, Clarky, Stenson, Karlsson, Jimenez and McGinley.
"They have all been out here a long time, so whose opinion are we going to give more weight to?”