Ross Kellett through to last four

of Argentina championship

Motherwell's Ross Kellett, runner-up in the European men's amateur golf championship during the summer, is hot on the trail of another overseas title.
The Colville Park player, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is through to the semi-finals of the 115th Argentina amateur championship at Buenos Aires Golf Club.
He plays Germany's Philipp Westermann for a place in the 36-hole final.
Kellett beat Bryden Macpherson (Australia) by 3 and 1 in today's (Sat) quarter-finals.
Kellett earned the No 4 seed berth at the end of the 36-hole stroke-play qualifying rounds earlier in the week. Westermann qualified in 32nd place.
In the other semi-final, Argentina's Armando Zarlenga plays Romain Wattel (France).
Zarlenga has come on to form after being 58th of the 64 qualifiers. Wattel was the 38th qualifier.
Wattel beat England's Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park) by 6 and 4 in the quarter-finals.
TODAY'S SCOREBOARD
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Philipp Westermann (Germany) bt Guillaume Cambis (France) 3 and 2.
Ross Kellett (Scotland) bt B ryden MacPherson (Australia) 3 and 1.
Armando Zarlenga (Argentina) bt Sebastian Prado (Argentina) 7 and 6.
Romain Wattel (France) bt Eddie Pepperell (England) 6 and 4.
SEMI-FINALS

Westermann v Kellett
Zarlenga v Wattel

European Tour Final Qualifying School at four Spanish venues

McLean and Russell best-placed Scots at halfway stage

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
The Qualifying School Second Stage has reached the halfway point at four venues across Spain as the dream of a European Tour card edges ever closer.
A total of 304 players are competing over four venues in Spain – Hacienda Del Alamo, Costa Bellana Club de Golf, Arcos Gardens and Sherry Golf Jerez – with 74 spots up for grabs to secure a place in next week’s Final Qualifying Stage.
American Ryan Blaum produced the joint lowest score of the day at Hacienda Del Alamo to take the lead at 11 under par 133. His seven under par 65 over the Dave Thomas-designed 7,386yd lay-out (the longest of the four courses in use) was matched only by Dane Thorbjorn Olsen, who moved into a share of second place at seven under alongside overnight leader Stephan Gross from Germany.
Paul O'Hara is the best placed Scot at the Murcia venue on level par 144 with rounds of 74 and 70 but, in joint 34th place, he has to make significant improvement over the last two rounds to progress.
Stephen Gray and Mark Hillson are joint 61st on 148, amateur Hillson improving by 10 shots for a second-round 69 while Gray came down from 75 to 73.
Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) virtually kissed his qualifying hopes goodbye with a second-round 78 for 150 and a share of 67th place.
The leading 19 players after the four rounds of the Second Stage at Hacienda Del Alamo will progress through to the Final Stage, which takes place over six rounds at PGA Golf de Catalunya from November 28 – December 3.
A second successive 68 gave Spain’s Eduardo de la Riva the lead at Sherry Golf Jerez ahead of England’s Phillip Archer, back at the Qualifying School having lost his European Tour card after five years on the European Tour during which time he broke into the top 30.
Glasgow-born Alan McLean and Raymond Russell from Prestonpans, both playing at Sherry Golf, are the best placed Scots at the four venues. They are tied for eighth place on four-under 140. Both have scored 69 and 71.
Scott Jamieson from Glasgow and Elliot Saltman from Edinburgh are joint 19th on 142. Jamieson has had a pair of 71s while Saltman has gone 73-69, hopefully running into form at just the right time.
Mark Kerr is on 145 with rounds of 72 and 73 for a share of 35th place. Kevn McAlpine from Alyth, a former double Scottish amateur champion, is toiling in joint 41st place, having scored 72 and 74 for 146.
In even bigger "trouble" is Walker Cup man Wallace Booth with a second-round 77 that dropped him to a share of 53rd place on 148.
Chris Doak is sharing 66th place with rounds of 72 and 78 for 150.
The top 18 players from the field of 75 at Sherry Golf Jerez will qualify for the Final Stage.
Frenchman Edouard Dubois and England’s James Ruth have matched each other shot for shot over the first two days at Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club, both shooting 66, 67 to share the lead at the halfway stage.
They lead the Spanish pair of José Maria Arruti and Alvaro Velasco by one after 36 holes with the leading 18 players on Monday from the field of 76 progressing to the Final Stage.
Tartan Tour man Chris Kelly (Cawder) is doing well at Costa Ballena with a pair of 69s for 138 to be in joint 10th place.
Not quite so well placed at this venue at Craig Lee with 72 and 72 for 143 (jt 47th place) and Jason McCreadie with 73 and 77 for 150 and 72nd place.
There are 19 spots available at Arcos Gardens from the field of 77. South African Michael Bothma is making the running here with scores of 68 and 65 for 11-under 133, two ahead of Spaniard Santiao Luna (66-69).
Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) and Anstruther's George Murray are joint 12th after 36 holes, Hutcheon with scores of 72-69, Murray with 70-71.
Former European Tour Rookie of the Year Scott Henderson could still make it with a couple of low scores through Sunday-Monday. He is sharing 28th place on 144 with a couple of par 72s. US-based Elgin exile Joel Hendry, twice winner of the Scottish youths championship, is joint 33rd on 145 with scores of 70-75.
The Doherty brothers will need to produce something special over the final 36 holes. Paul, the former Scottish boys' match-play champion, is tied 40th on 146 with scores of 72-74 while one-time Scottish schoolboys title-holder Jack is a shot behind in joint 46th place after rounds of 72 and 75.
Sadly, Keir McNicoll from Carnoustie cannot get the bit between his teeth. He has had a pair of 76s for 152 and is sharing 69th place.

SCOREBOARD AT FOUR SPANISH VENUES

ARCOS GARDENS
Par 144 (2x72) 7,383yd
133 Michael Bothma (SAf) 68 65.
135 Santiago Luna (Spa) 66 69.
137 Graham Povey (Eng) 71 66, Oliver Whiteley (Eng) 65 72.
138 Matthew Bliss (Can) 70 68, Boria Etchart (Spa) 70 68, Jamie Moul (Eng) 67 71.
139 Lloyd Kennedy (Eng) 70 69.
140 Victor Almstrom (Swe) 70 70, Ian Keenan (Eng) 70 70, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger) 69 71.
141 Greig Hutcheon (Sco) 72 69, George Murray (Sco) 70 71.
142 Tony Carolan (Aus) 69 73, Mikko Korhonen (Fin) 70 72, Jason Powell (Eng) 71 71, Kyron Sullivan (Wal) 70 72, Leif Westerberg (Swe) 71 71.
Selected scores:
143 Stuart Davis (Eng) 71 72 (jt 20th).
144 Scott Henderson (Sco) 72 72 (jt 28th).
145 Joel Hendry (Sco) 70 75 (jt 33rd).
146 Paul Doherty (Sco) 72 74 (jt 40th).
147 Jack Doherty (Sco) 72 75 (jt 46th).
152 Keir McNicoll (Sco) 76 76 (jt 69th).

COSTA BALLENA
Par 144 (2x72) 6,893yd
133 Edouard Dubois (Fra) 66 67, James Ruth (Eng) 66 67.
135 Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa) 65 70, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 69 66.
136 Paul Eales (Eng) 67 69, Louis Moolman (SAf) 68 68.
137 Matt Haines (Eng) (am) 69 68, Dennis Kupper (Ger) 65 72, Jack Senior (Eng) (am) 68 69.
138 Jamie Abbot (Eng) (am) 69 69, Nino Bertasio (Ita) (am) 70 68, Mark F Haastrup (Den) 68 70, Gary Houston (Wal) 71 67, Chris Kelly (Sco) 69 69, Jaakko Makitalo (Fin) 72 66, Marius Thorp (Nor) 68 7, Steven Tiley (Eng) 72 66, Oliver Turnill (Eng) 67 71.
139 Andre Bossert (Swi) 71 68, Floris De Vries (Net) 69 70, Sam Hutsby (Eng) 71 68, Ben Mason (Eng) 69 70, Jurgen Maurer (Aut) 67 70, James McLean (Aus) 71 68, Janne Mommo (Fin) 72 67, Marco Soffietti (Ita) 72 67.
Selected scores:
140 Ben Evans (Eng) 65 75, James Ruebotham (Eng) 69 71 (jt 27th).
143 Craig Lee (Sco) 71 72 (jt 47th).
150 Jason McCreadie (Sco) 73 77 (72nd).

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2x72) 7,386yd
133 Ryan Blaum (US) 68 65.
137 Stephan Gross (Ger) 64 73, Thorborn Olesen (Den) 72 65.
138 Chris Paisley (Eng) (am) 69 69.
139 Tim Dykes (Wal) 69 70.
140 Clodomoro Carranza (Arg) 71 69, George Coetzee (SAf) 72 69, Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 71 69, Charlie Ford (Eng) 68 72, Julien Grillon (Fra) 72 69, Paul Nilbrink (Nor) 71 69, Pedro Oriol (Nor) 67 73, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Thai) 70 70, Zane Scotland (Eng) 73 67, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 71 69.
Selected scores:
141 Jonathan Caldwell (NIr) 69 72 (jt 16th).
144 Paul O'Hara (Sco) 74 70 (jt 34th).
148 Stephen Gray (Sco) 75 73, Mark Hillson (Sco) (am) 79 69 (jt 61st).
150 Lee Harper (Sco) 72 78 (jt 67th).

SHERRY GOLF
Par 144 (2x72) 7,186yd
136 Eduardo de la Riva (Spa) 68 68.
137 Philip Archer (Eng) 68 69.
138 Jason Knutzon (US) 67 71, Thomas Norret (Den) 69 69, Paula Pinto (Arg) 64 75, Manuel Quiros (Spa) 69 69.
139 Nicolas Sulzer (Swi) 70 67.
140 Alan McLean (Sco) 69 71, Raymond Russell (Sco) 69 71, Tim Stewart (Australia) 68 72.
Selected scores:
142 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 71 71, Elliot Saltman (Sco) 72 73 (jt 35th).
146 Ken McAlpine (Sco) 72 74 (jt 41st).
148 Wallace Booth 71 77 (jt 53rd).
150 Chris Doak (Sco) 72 78 (jt 66th).

Edoardo Molinari leads Dunlop Phoenix in Japan

FROM THE KHALEEJ TIMES WEBSITE
MIYAZAKI, Japan - Edoardo Molinari of Italy returned a two-under-par 69 to snatch the lead after the third round in the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan today.
Starting the day one stroke off the pace, Molinari sank three birdie putts on the front nine to take the lead before adding one birdie and two bogeys on the back nine for a three-round-total of eight under par 205.
For the 28-year-old Molinari, top earner on the European Challenge Tour this season, it was his first appearance in the 200-million yen (2.2-million-dollar) event which provided David Duval - remember him? - with his last tournament win in the early 2000s.
Robert Karlsson, who became the first Swede to be the top money earner on the European Tour last season, shared second place with overnight leader Kenichi Kuboya of Japan on 206.
Karlsson carded five birdies against two bogeys for a 68, while Kuboya eagled the final hole to add to his two birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey for an even 71.
Shane Lowry of Ireland, winner, as an amateur, of the Irish Open in May, signed for a 69 to be tied at 12th place with Steven Conran of Australia and three other Japanese golfers on 210.
Three-time major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji had three birdies against two bogeys for a 20th-place tie on 212 with 10 other players, including New Zealand’s David Smail and Eddie Lee, American Han Lee and Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa.
THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Phoenix Country Club, Miyazaki, Japan
Par 213 (3x71)
205 Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 66 69
206 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70 68 68, Kenichi Kuboya 65 70 71
208 Katsumasa Miyamoto 70 69 69, Ryuichi Oda 68 68 72, Tadahiro Takayama 69 68 71, Yudai Maeda 70 65 73, Kyung-Tae Kim (Kor) 70 69 69
209 Masaya Tomida 69 70 70, Michio Matsumura 68 73 68, Daisuke Maruyama 71 70 68
210 Hirofumi Miyase 69 72 69, Shane Lowry 73 68 69, Steven Conran (Aus) 69 70 71, Mamo Osanai 70 68 72, Shingo Katayama 68 70 72
211 Tetsuji Hiratsuka 69 66 76, Norio Shinozaki 70 74 67, Shigeki Maruyama 72 70 69
212 Kiyoshi Miyazato 68 71 73, Makoto Inoue 70 74 68, David Smail (Nzl) 71 71 70, Eddie Lee (Nzl) 75 69 68, Ryo Ishikawa 71 70 71, Vijay Singh (Fij) 71 71 70, Han Lee (USA) 70 69 73, Taichi Teshima 72 68 72, Yusaku Miyazato 72 69 71, Shintaro Kai 68 71 73, Katsunori Kuwabara 72 70 70
213 Toshimitsu Izawa 69 73 71, Hiroyuki Fujita 71 72 70, Hiroshi Iwata 70 71 72
214 Koumei Oda 70 70 74, Akio Sadakata 74 72 68, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 72 70 72, Dinesh Chand (Fij) 71 74 69, Shinichi Yokota 70 71 73, Satoshi Tomiyama 73 71 70, Kazuhiro Yamashita 68 72 74, Satoru Hirota 72 69 73
215 Tetsuya Haraguchi 71 73 71, Toru Taniguchi 74 69 72
216 Hidemasa Hoshino 74 72 70, Kaname Yokoo 70 71 75, Frankie Minoza (Phi) 71 74 71, Sang-moon Bae (Kor) 75 70 71
217 Toyokazu Fujishima 72 73 72, Sushi Ishigaki 70 74 73, Kunihiro Kamii 76 67 74, Naoya Takemoto 72 74 71, Nobuhiro Masuda 74 69 74
218 Jason Dufner (USA) 75 70 73, Tatsunori Nukaga 73 72 73, Alex Cejka (Ger) 71 72 75
219 Yuta Ikeda 74 72 73, S K Ho (Kor) 70 76 73
220 Jun Kikuchi 71 73 76, Wayne Perske (Aus) 72 73 75, Paul Sheehan (Aus) 72 74 74
221 Nobuhito Sato 73 73 75, Yuji Igarashi 71 75 75
223 Masao Nakajima 72 73 78

The not-so-big names who have earned their place in the sun

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By Alistair Tait
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Europe’s elite may be teeing it up here this week in a battle that should see the title of European No. 1 come down to a duel between Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy.
Fifty-eight of the 60 players eligible for the Dubai World Championship are in the field – only Paul Casey (injury) and Angel Cabrera (indifference) are missing. Despite the wealth of talent on display, there are a number of players in the field who seem as if they don’t belong.
The guys I am about to list are living proof that all it takes to succeed in the pro game is dedication and hard work. I hail the following players; to me they are Europe’s overachievers. They’ve battled against adversity and earned their place in the sun.
Here are my top 10 over-achievers in Dubai this week, in alphabetical order.
Thomas Aiken, South Africa, 26. Hardly anyone outside South Africa had heard of Aiken before this year. Then he finished seventh at the WGC–CA Championship at Doral and everyone took notice. If that seemed a flash in the pan then consider this: the South African has six other top-10s this year, including eighth in the Open Championship.
Jamie Donaldson, Wales, 34. Donaldson was last man in this week. He made the top 60 on the bubble, finishing €7,381.37 ahead of Darren Clarke. It’s good going for a guy who had to return to European Tour Qualifying School three years ago. Donaldson has four top-10 finishes this season, including a runner-up at the SAS Masters. Moreover, his €542,115 in earnings represents his best season as a pro.
David Drysdale, Scotland, 34. After years as a nearly man, Drysdale is making up for years of sheer hard graft. For two consecutive years (2005-2006) the Scot missed out on keeping his tour card by the narrowest of margins – €586 in ’05 and €1,139 in ’06. He’s never finished better than 114th on the money list since he joined the Tour in 2001. This season he is 48th with over €600,000 thanks to six top-10 finishes, including a second and two third places.
Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark, 34. The slightly-built Dane looks like golf’s version of the 90-pound weakling. He looks like the sort of guy that if he turned up on the first tee you’d want to give him two strokes a side. Yet he’s one of the most successful European players in recent years. He has two European Tour wins, including last year’s Volvo Masters. This year he won the Andalucia Open and notched six other top-10s. He arrived in Dubai with over €1.3 million in earnings and 11th on the money list.
Peter Lawrie, Ireland, 35. The Dubliner looks like he should be playing in the club championship rather than the Tour Championship. Forty-third on the money list with over €650,000, Lawrie couldn’t add to his debut victory this year. However, he had four top-10s, including a runner-up at the KLM Open.
Gareth Maybin, Northern Ireland, 29. US college golf fans will remember Maybin. He spent three years at the University of South Alabama. He’s also paid his dues in the minor leagues, including the Hooters Tour and the European Challenge Tour. Maybin got his European Tour card in 2007 and hasn’t looked back. He started this season with a bang, finishing second in the South African Open. Five other top-10s and €570,000 in earnings earned him a spot in Dubai.
Damien McGrane, Ireland, 38. McGrane looks like he should be giving lesson to 18 handicappers rather than playing alongside Westwood, McIlroy and the like. In fact, six years ago the Irishman was teaching handicap golfers. In 2003, he earned his European Tour card in his fifth attempt and hasn’t looked back. No wins this season, but a victory in the China Open last year is proof that perseverance pays off.
Robert Rock, England, 32. Rock is another who was giving lesson not too long ago. He paid his dues as a club professional at the delightfully-named Swingers Driving Range near his home in Lichfield. After five years of yo-yoing between the Challenge Tour and main tour, Rock got his just rewards this year. No victories, but three runner-ups and a slew of good results adds up to over €860,000 and 27th on the European pecking order.
Graeme Storm, England, 31. I watched Storm win the 1999 British Amateur Championship and thought I’d seen a star in the making. Injuries and troubles with management group ISM derailed his career. However, he’s fought back and is enjoying success. In 2005, he finished 16th in Europe and has played decently ever since. He hasn’t won since the 2007 French Open, but should add another victory in 2010.
Anthony Wall, England, 34. I once played in a pro-am with Anthony Wall and he played so poorly that he suggested I sign the scorecard as the professional and he sign as the amateur. He was dreadful. However, it just shows how fickle this game is. Wall only has one European Tour victory, the 2000 Alfred Dunhill Championship, but he’s a money-earner. He’s never been off the Tour since 1998, and has never finished a season worse than 90th. This year he has seven top-10 finishes and over €670,000 in earnings.
Proof that consistency can make you a lot of money in professional golf.

Dubai World Championship third-round report, scores

It's odds on Westwood after McIlroy's nightmare finish

REPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:
Lee Westwood produced a potentially lucrative third-round six under par 66 to put clear daylight between him and Race to Dubai rival Rory McIlroy on another captivating day at the Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World.
Westwood progressed to 15 under 201 for the tournament to enjoy a five-shot lead over McIlroy after the Northern Irishman ran up three unfortunate late bogeys at the 16th, 17th and 18th.
With a first prize of €830,675 from the tournament and almost €1 million more for topping The Race to Dubai standings, Westwood will also head into tomorrow’s final round with a two-shot advantage over second-placed compatriot Ross McGowan.
McIlroy, who stood on the 16th tee on six under for the round, found the edge of the water with his approach and could only chip out for a 5 before three-putting the 195yd 17th.
A further bogey followed on the 620yd 18th as his approach shot found the water, leading him to sign for a costly 69 and end in a share of third on ten under par 206 alongside Padraig Harrington and Alexander Noren.
Westwood meanwhile delivered a bogey-free round that included, for the second consecutive day, a fine birdie at the tough par five finishing hole.
“This is as good as I feel like I've swung it almost all year and when I was winning a lot - in the last century! - I had this kind of attitude,” he said.
“I would not be outwardly cocky, but I am just being more confident. I've had 30 wins and I think I've finished tournaments off more than anybody else on the leaderboard.
“I don't mind putting myself up there to be shot at. You back your ability.”
Despite the disappointment of suffering the late blemishes McIlroy insists he is still in with a shout heading into the final round.
“I got myself in the position I wanted to be in but after that finish I've left myself an uphill task,” said the Northern Ireland golfer, trying to become the youngest number one since Seve Ballesteros in 1976.
“On 16 I got a flyer (he failed to get up and down from next to the water after taking a shoe and sock off and rolling up a trouser leg), on 17 I left myself a tricky two putt and the last was just a bad third shot.
“But I've still got a shot to win this - I feel a low round is in me and I feel it's necessary. The guys ahead of me are playing well.”
McGowan, who won his first title on the European Tour at the Madrid Masters last month after a third-round 60, was in spectacular form again as he went to the turn in 31 before eventually signing for a six under par 66.
“I'm just out here to win, to play my game, and whatever anybody else does on their own I’m not really worried about,” he said.
“I enjoyed it today. Lee and I got into a good rhythm early on and kept it going all day.
“I have to go out and shoot as low as I can tomorrow. There's only one thing on my mind and we'll see how it goes.”
Further down the leaderboard in a tie for sixth sat Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy on nine under par, while the only other two candidates for The Race to Dubai title, Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher, were all but out of the running down in a tie for 36th on two under par.
THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
201 Lee Westwood 66 69 66
203 Ross McGowan 71 66 66
206 Rory McIlroy 68 69 69, Alexander Noren (Swe) 70 69 67, Padraig Harrington 68 69 69
207 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 67 69, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 69 68
208 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 68 70 70, Adam Scott (Aus) 68 73 67, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 71 66 71
209 Peter Hanson (Swe) 72 71 66, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69 71 69, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 72 68 69, Bradley Dredge 70 71 68
210 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 72 68, Robert Allenby (Aus) 65 72 73, Camilo Villegas (Col) 66 71 73, Johan Edfors (Swe) 69 70 71, Thomas Levet (Fra) 73 69 68
211 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 72 68 71, Wen-chong Liang (Chn) 68 70 73, Graeme Storm 78 66 67
212 Anthony Wall 71 71 70, Chris Wood 66 78 68, Anders Hansen (Den) 73 69 70, Jamie Donaldson 73 70 69, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 71 71 70
213 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 73 69 71, James Kingston (Rsa) 73 73 67, Oliver Wilson 71 72 70, Scott Strange (Aus) 73 67 73, Simon Dyson 70 73 70, Robert Rock 74 70 69, Ian Poulter 71 74 68, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 71 67 75
214 Ross Fisher 73 71 70, Gareth Maybin 71 69 74, Nick Dougherty 69 72 73, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 71 72, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 70 74 70
215 Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 71 71 73, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 70 73 72
216 Luke Donald 73 72 71
217 Graeme McDowell 76 70 71, Peter Lawrie 71 70 76, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 70 73 74, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 71 74, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 69 75 73
218 David Drysdale 72 73 73, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 73 72 73, Ernie Els (Rsa) 74 74 70
219 Soren Hansen (Den) 73 73 73, Danny Willett 76 70 73
220 Damien McGrane 74 70 76, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 74 72 74, Justin Rose 72 75 73, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 75 72 73
221 Steve Webster 75 73 73

Irish ready to take on the world at Mission Hills

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have been identified as the pair most likely to wrest the title from Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson in next week’s World Cup at Mission Hills, China.
McIlroy, the 20-year-old Irish phenomenon, has been looking forward to the week for months. “I so wanted to be playing last year,” said McIlroy, who just missed out on the two-man side for ‘08. “I’ve heard that Mission Hills is going to take my breath away and I can’t wait.”
McIlroy, who is currently battling to win Race to Dubai honours, experiences much the same happy vibes in China as he does in his native Ireland.
“There’s something about China,” he volunteered. “I love the food and I love the spectators. Yes, they can get carried away a bit at times but they’re great as far as I am concerned. They tend to bring out the best in me.”
Earlier this year, McIlroy and McDowell won three times out of four when partnering each other in the GB and Ireland side which defeated the Europeans at the Vivendi Trophy. Yet it was their heroics in the singles which maybe struck the more telling note vis-à-vis their ambitions to unseat Sweden this week.
While McIlroy, playing top, defeated Stenson on the home green, McDowell, out second, had a 16th-hole victory over Karlsson.
“I enjoy playing with G-Mc,” said McIlroy of the pair’s successful partnership. “He’s kept an eye out for me ever since I turned professional. We often go to dinner and we play a lot of practice rounds together. We’re just thoroughly good friends.”
McDowell, for his part, says of Rory, “He’s hugely talented and he’s a pleasure to play with.”
Yet, quietly confident though Ireland might be, it would be impossible for the pair to outdo England’s Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher in this department.
“Ian’s just won and I’ve just won,” said Fisher of that last Sunday in October when the two bagged titles on the same afternoon – Poulter in Singapore and Fisher in the Match-Play championship at Finca Cortesin.
“What so impresses me about Ian is his sheer confidence level,” added Fisher. “He’s massively confident in what he can achieve and I’ve got a touch of that about myself at the moment.”
Where Ireland and England both qualified automatically for this end-of-season spectacular, the Scots (Alistair Forsyth and David Drysdale) and the Welsh (Stephen Dodd and Jamie Donaldson) had to play their way through qualifying. Both countries finished in the top four at the September qualifying event in Estonia.
These two nations will be among the underdogs but, as Dodd has reminded people before, he and Bradley Dredge had not exactly been singled out before they won the coveted World Cup title in 2005.
Three years into its 12-year tenure at China’s Mission Hills, the World Cup of Golf has recovered much of its old stature and romance. Dr David Chu, the Chairman of Mission Hills, has given the event space to rekindle its early ideals along with the impetus to make the most of its unique place in the game’s future.
Dr Chu has a vision for the sport which is entirely in accord with that of the late John Jay Hopkins, the founding father of the World Cup, or Canada Cup as it was known from 1953 to 1966. Hopkins always hoped for rather more than an annual result. He saw golf as “a civilised and civilising” pursuit and one which could help to sire international goodwill.
When the Argentine won in 1953 at the Beaconsfield GC in Canada, they were one among only seven two-man sides. More teams came along but it was not too many years before the rich traditions of the event started to lose out to rising purses elsewhere. Both in 1981 and 1986 there was no World Cup.
Today, thanks to Dr Chu and his safe pair of hands, there are 28 teams eagerly vying with one another to get their names on the original John Hopkins trophy. Eighteen of the sides will have qualified automatically, while the other ten comprise the host nation and the top three pairs from each of a trio of 16-team-strong qualifying events held in Europe, Asia and America. In other words, it is only now, 55 years after it began, that the World Cup is approaching the pinnacle of its potential.
It was in 1957, in the year after America’s legendary winning partnership of Ben Hogan and Sam Snead brought in the crowds at Wentworth, that there was a turn of events to give a sharp taster of that promise. Though Japan, at that stage, was not a golfing nation, Koichi Ono and Pete Nakamuru came out on top.
Hopkins had passed away shortly beforehand but Fred Corcoran, the World Cup’s Tournament Director, knew exactly how the result would have resonated with him.
“If,” said Corcoran, “I had any doubts about Hopkins’ sincerity and the soundness of his doctrine, Tokyo erased them. It was hard to believe, watching the teams chatting easily on the first tee, that many of these nations had been at war only a few years earlier.”
As for the knock-on effect in Japan itself, that was something which would have extended way beyond Hopkins’ wildest dreams. Ono and Nakamuru became national heroes and, overnight, Japan became a nation of golf fanatics. In 1956 alone, no fewer than 20 new courses were rolled out across the country and the first double-decker driving range shot up in Tokyo.
Besides bringing together old friends and foes, along with rich nations and poor, the World Cup has boasted players of all ages. In 1979, to cite just one example, there was a 52-year age difference between the oldest competitor and the youngest, with Flory van Donck of Belgium 67 and Mark Vovk of Yugoslavia 15.
The event is nothing if not a stage for the exchange of golfing tips and techniques and when, in Paris in 1963, it was observed that Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were hitting more balls than the rest of the teams put together, others would have taken note.
Even Tiger Woods, who won with Mark O’Meara in 1998 and with David Duval in 1999, will tell you that he always has half an eye on how others in the game go about their golfing business.
In addition to providing the contest with a spectacular hub at Mission Hills, Dr Chu has made his own particular contribution to the storied lore of the event by taking it under his wing for a 12-year period. Twelve years, as he has explained, is a special number in China, one which signifies the 12 years in the Chinese horoscope and the completion of a cycle.
Meanwhile, his picture of the world swinging in unison is evolving all the time. When YE Yang, who is competing in this year’s championship, became the first Asian player to capture a major as he won the 2009 PGA championship, the celebrations were not confined to Asia.
Over in Montreal, there was a day-long celebration which attracted in excess of 200 golfers from the city’s South Korean community.
Where was it held?
At the Beaconsfield GC, the World Cup’s original home.

SMITH STAYS ON COURSE AT JOHNNIE

WALKER CAMBODIAN OPEN

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Siem Reap , Cambodia: Craig Smith of Wales remained on track for his maiden Asian Tour win after maintaining his lead at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open today.
The towering Welshman fired a third round score of one-under-par 71 for a three-day total of 10-under-par 206 to lead by one-stroke going into the final round at the Phokeethra Country Club.
Thai youngster Annop Tangkamolprasert heads the chasing pack on 207 after a 70 while compatriot Sattaya Supupramai climbed up the leaderboard with a 68 to take third place on 209 at the US$300,000 full field Asian Tour event.
Malaysia ’s Shaaban Hussin and Pariya Junhasavasdikul of Thailand took a share of fourth on 210 while India ’s Shiv Kapur and Jbe Kruger of South Africa are among four golfers tied in sixth position on 211.
“I played very nicely and hit the ball very good on the front nine. I had a lot of chance from inside of six feet but couldn’t get anything going with the putter,” said Smith, who has only one prior top-10 in Asia .
Smith made the turn in 36 and was tied for the lead with Annop before he sank a birdie on the 16th hole which set the two players apart.
“I got a long way to go, I got a fantastic talent behind me but I am looking forward to the challenge. The key is to keep my head straight and not to get ahead of myself. I still have 18 difficult holes to play,” added the Welshman.
Annop, 19, continued his impressive run and was delighted to remain in contention. He started his round with an early blemish but was able to bounce back with birdies on six, nine and 13.
“I was quite nervous in the beginning but when I managed to calm myself down, I started to play superbly. My chipping and putting worked well for me and I am confident going into the final round. It will be a tough final day but I just need to stick to what I have been doing,” said Annop.
Shaaban closed with birdies on the 15th and 17th holes but rued one bogey and a double bogey on the eighth hole where he found water.
“My first nine holes were a problem for me but luckily I was able to recover on my second nine. I am not too far from the leader and I am confident of narrowing the lead,” said the Malaysian.
Kapur, who is fighting to save his Asian Tour card, was disappointed with his putting and will enter the final round five strokes off the pace.
“My putting is the story of the week. I just couldn’t get it going. You are never too far in this game. I am five shots off the lead and it has been done before. I just need to get off to a good start and get a 64 or a 65 to give myself a chance,” said Kapur.
THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
206 Craig Smith (WAL) 69-66-71
207 Annop Tangkamolprasert (THA) 68-69-70
209 Sattaya Supupramai (THA) 71-70-68
210 Shaaban Hussin (MAS) 71-67-72, Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA) 68-70-72
211 Jbe Kruger (RSA) 72-70-69. Udorn Duangdecha (THA) 72-68-71, Varut Chomchalam (THA) 71-68-72, Shiv Kapur ( IND ) 70-67-74
212 Bryan Saltus ( USA ) 73-70-69, Chawalit Plaphol (THA) 71-71-70, Atthaphon Prathummanee (THA) 68-73-71, Marcus Both (AUS) 70-69-73
213 Jeff Burns (USA) 70-74-69, Nakul Vichitryuthasastr (THA) 75-67-71, Somchai Pongpaew (THA) 71-67-75, Artemio Murakami (PHI) 68-69-76, Will Yanagisawa (USA) 71-67-75
214 Kim Young-Jin (KOR) 72-74-68, Siddikur (BAN) 73-73-68
Selected scores:
217 Rhys Davies (Wales) 74 71 72, Ross Bain (Scotland) 72 72 73 (jt 42nd).
218 Chris Roake (England) 69 73 76 (jt 51st).

Ross Kellett and Eddie Pepperell through to

quarter-finals in Argentina

Ross Kellett (Colville Park) and Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park) are through to the quarter-finals of the 115th Argentina men's open amateur championship at Buenoa Aires Golf Club. They are in opposite halves of the draw so a Scotland v England 36-hole final on Sunday is still a possibility.
Kellett, runner-up in the European amateur championship this past summer, and the No 4 seed in this week's tournament, had a commendable one-hole win over Tomas Cocha, the Argentina player who was strongly fancied by the locals to beat the man from Motherwell. Cocha qualified in 13th position.
Ross will now Australian Bryden Macpherson, the No 21 qualifier, for a place in the afternoon (local time) semi-finals. Macpherson won on the 12th green against Italy's Niccolo Quintarelli in the round of the last 16.
Pepperell, the No 19 qualifier, also had a very good victory. He had a runaway win - by 6 and 5 - over the No 3 seed from Spain, Ignacio Elvira.
The quarter-finals and semi-finals are being played over 18 holes today (Saturday) with the final over two rounds on Sunday.
Later results on Friday:
Philipp Westermann (Germany) (No 32 qualifier) bt Sean Einhaus (Germany) (No 16) 1 hole.
Guilliaume Cambis (France) (No 41 qualifier) bt Johann Lopez Lazaro (France) (No 8 qualifier) 6 and 5.
Ross Kellett (Scotland) (No 4 qualifier) bt Tomas Cocha (Argentina) (No 13 qualifier) 1 hole.
Bryden Macpherson (Australia) (No 21 qualifier0 bt Niccolo Quintarelli (Italy) (No 37 qualifier) 7 and 6.
Sebastian Prado (Argentina) (No 34 qualifier) bt Sebastian Garcia (Spain) (No 50 qualifier) at 20th.
Armando Zarlenga (Argentina) (No 58 qualifier) bt Carlos Pigem (Spain) (No 42 qualifier) 2 and 1.
Eddie Pepperell (England) (No 19 qualifier) bt Ignacio Elvira (Spain) (No 3 qualifier) 6 and 5.
Romain Wattel (France) (No 38 qualifier) bt Ryan McCarthy (Australia) (No 22 qualifier) 1 hole.

EARLY NEWS FROM DAY 3 IN DUBAI

Fisher's 'go for everything' approach pays off

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Ross Fisher's promise to "try and go for everything" paid handsome dividends when the Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World resumed today.
Rank outsider of the four players left fighting for the European Tour money list title, Fisher needed to finish first or second just to have a chance and at halfway was down in 39th spot.
But although he bogeyed the short fourth for the second day running there were also five birdies in his opening eight holes as the Volvo World Match Play Championship winner moved up to 15th.
At four under par he had reduced his deficit on leader Lee Westwood - one of his Order of Merit rivals - from nine shots to five, but at least it gave him encouragement not to give up the chase.
Fisher birdied the second and third and then had three more in a row from the short sixth.
Fellow Englishman Danny Willett played the first seven in five under, but then came three successive bogeys and a double bogey at the 476yd 12th to send him tumbling back down to two over.
Alongside Fisher, though, was another of his compatriots Graeme Storm, who hit back from an opening 78 with a 66 yesterday and set off again with three more birdies before picking up another on the long seventh.
Westwood led by two from a group that included Rory McIlroy, the 20 year old Northern Irishman who tops the money list by over €128,000 and is still in the running to become the youngest European Tour number one since Seve Ballesteros won it at 19 in 1976.
He would miss out, however, if Westwood wins the tournament and even if the Worksop golfer slips to second McIlroy still cannot afford to finish below him.
German Martin Kaymer, third in the race, remained only two under after two holes.
Fisher knew he had to keep mistakes to an absolute minimum, but he bogeyed the ninth and tenth and on two under he had a mountain to climb again.
So did Kaymer, whose bogey at the third left him one under, but Chris Wood's rollercoaster ride continued when he turned in 33 and added birdies on the 10th and 14th to climb back to five under.
The 21 year old was joint second after his opening 66, but crashed to a 78 yesterday.
SCOREBOARD AND UPDATED REPORT LATER

Points, Bettencourt defy wind and rain ... in CALIFORNIA!

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
PEBBLE BEACH, California (AP) — D A Points shot a 2-under 70 at Del Monte, and Matt Bettencourt had a 71 in wind and rain at Spyglass Hill to share the second-round lead in the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational.
Points, 66th on the US PGA Tour money list this season, had a scrambling round with two eagles, three birdies, two bogeys and a triple bogey.
"I've had the most fortunate tee time of the tournament at 8:30 and we got through before it got too bad," Points said. "I had some tough shot, but I played well overall. I had a recent top-10 finish and I was in the top 70 on the money list. I'm playing the best golf of my career and I just hope to keep it going."
Bettencourt, who won the 2008 Nationwide Tour Championship and just completed his rookie season on the US Tour, had four birdies and three bogeys to match Points at 6-under 138.
"It was very windy and nasty," Bettencourt said. "It was the toughest I've ever seen Spyglass. It was brutal."
Wind gusted to 40 mph and steady afternoon rain fell at all three tournament courses. Only six players in the field of 75 pros from the four major pro tours broke par. Seventeen pros shot 80 or higher and only eight players improved their scores from the first round.
Champions Tour veteran Jim Thorpe, who had 72 at Spyglass Hill, and US Tour newcomer Craig Bowden, who shot a 68 at Del Monte, were tied for third at 5 under.
Two-time tournament winner Mark Brooks, who had a 70 at Del Monte, and Bryce Molder, who shot a 71 at Spyglass, were 4 under.
Olin Browne, who shared the first-round lead with John Cook, shot a 76 at Spyglass Hill to finish at 2 under. Cook, the winner of the Champions Tour's Charles Schwab Cup Championship this month, carded a 77, also at Spyglass Hill.
Cook was among three players at 1 under.
Two-time defending champion Tommy Armour III shot an 80 at Spyglass Hill to finish at 7 over.
Mina Harigae, who will make her debut on the LPGA Tour next season, shot a 74 at Del Monte and leads the four women pro entrants at even par 144.
The 72-hole event continues today at all three courses. The final round Sunday, which will include the top 40 pros and ties and top 10 teams, will be held at Pebble Beach. The pro winner will earn $60,000 from the $300,000 purse.

Senior wins US Seniors Tour Qualifying School

Australian Peter Senior, winner of 18 tournaments in Australia, three events in Japan and four more titles on the European Tour, shot a closing round of five-under-par 66 to win the US Champions (Seniors) Tour’s National Qualifying Tournament at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona.
Senior shook off a double-bogey 7 at the par-5 hole, making five birdies over his final nine holes to triumph by three strokes over Joe Ozaki (Japan), Steve Haskins (US), the event’s 54-hole leader, and Ronnie Black (US), a fourth-place finisher at last year’s national qualifier in Florida. For Haskins, the son of the legendary Hall of Fame basketball coach Don Haskins, it marked his first successful trip through a national qualifier after missing out 14 times in 17 years at the US PGA Tour’s final stage.
After turning 50 midway through 2009, Senior played three events on the European Senior Tour and finished 14th on its final Order of Merit. He earned $30,000 from the purse of $200,000 for this week's win but more important to him will be gaining playing rights on the most lucrative over-50s pro circuit in the world, bar none.
In addition to Ozaki, Haskins and Black, Jim Roy (Syracuse, NY), a re-instated amateur, secured the final fully-exempt spot on the 2010 Champions Tour, making a 6ft birdie putt on the first play-off hole against Kirk Hanefeld (Acton, MA) and Bruce Vaughan (Hutchinson, KS).
The top-five finishers earned fully-exempt status for the 2010 season, while finishers 6-12 will be conditionally exempt. In addition, the top-30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers at all co-sponsored events on the Champions Tour next year.

SGU defends proposal to

increase club charge


by 40% over three years

FROM THE SCOTSMAN NEWSPAPER WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
The Scottish Golf Union has defended a proposal to increase the per capita levy on clubs by more than 40 per cent over the next three years, insisting the money raised is needed to ensure it supports the development of the game as well as allowing top amateurs to continue competing successfully on the world stage. In a letter sent to golf clubs in Scotland, Douglas Connon (picured), the SGU chairman, has revealed that, following a review of the subscriptions the organisation receives from its affiliated clubs, a three-year plan has been put in place in a bid to counter a reduction in members.
This year has seen a fall of nearly three per cent in the number of male members at Scottish golf clubs and, with a further reduction being forecast in 2010, the SGU believes action needs to be taken.
There have already been redundancies at its St Andrews headquarters and other cost-cutting implemented over the past few months has seen a 12 per cent saving being made on the original budget for this year.
Having studied the situation regarding the per capita levy in other golfing countries in Europe, the SGU has also decided to use its subscription charge to raise the money it needs to keep operating in its present form.
It will rise from £7 to £8 next year, £9 in 2011 and £10 in 2012 – a total rise of 42 per cent.
"Our current per capita charge is used to determine what a club collectively is due to the Scottish Golf Union and is the second lowest in Europe, being well below the average cost of £22," said Connon.
"It is the SGU Board's view that these per capita levels will allow the Union to maintain its operations at a minimum level in supporting the development of golf in Scotland as well as continue to compete successfully on the world stage."
Scotland are the current world champions, having won the Eisenhower Trophy in Australia last year, and Hamish Grey, the SGU chief executive, is keen to see the organisation being able to develop the game in this country as best it possibly can.
"We have cut our cloth and will continue to do so," he said. "However, there is a limit to how much cloth you can cut before you are unable to deliver strategies."
COMPARISON
How Scotland compares (2009 per capita levels) with other countries:

England 719,036 members, £4.50 per capita levy.
France 239,961, £41.50.
Ireland 192,000, £11.70.
Italy 59,107, £54.10.
Portugal 10,373, £43.30.
Scotland 193,035, £7.
Sweden 314,718, £16.30.
Wales 48,653, £9.50
+The full article above appears in The Scotsman newspaper.