Murray, Hutcheon and McLean only three

Scots to progress from Stage 2 to Final Q

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Only three Scots from the 22 who started Stage 2 of the European Tour School qualifying process at four Spanish venues last Friday have earned places in the Final Q School over six rounds at PGA Golf de Catalunya, nr Girona, still in Spain from Saturday to next Thursday (December 3).
Former Scottish amateur champion George Murray, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, from Anstruther and Banchory tour pro Greig Hutcheon made it through at Arcos Gardens - where former European Tour Rookie of the Year Scott Henderson (Kings Links) earned 10th alternate place, i.e. he needs 10 of the qualifiers to withdraw for one reason or another before Saturday, a highly unlikely proposition.
The third Scots qualifier was Glasgow-born Alan McLean who has spent most of his pro golf life in South Africa. Alan qualified at Sherry Golf Sherry.
So disappointment for such high-profile Scottish amateur names as Walker Cup man Wallace Booth from Comrie, Scotland international Keir McNicoll from Carnoustie, former Scottish amateur double champion Kevin McAlpine from Alyth, Walker Cup first reserve Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) who was the SGU Order of Merit this year.
Other leading amateurs, not Scots, who failed include Victor Dubuisson, the Frenchman who is No 1 in the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings, and Walker Cup youngster Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale).
To all of these, it is perhaps worth recalling that future Major winner and Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam succeeded only on his SEVENTH attempt at the European Tour School.

SUMMARY FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Seventy-five happy golfers emerged through the Second Qualifying Stage to take their places at this week’s Final Stage, most notably England’s Philip Archer, American Ryan Blaum, European Tour champion Santiago Luna of Spain and Sweden’s Fredrik Ohlsson.

That quartet all finished top of the pile at their respective courses, all of which are located in southern Spain: Sherry Golf Jerez, Hacienda Del Alamo, Arcos Gardens and Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club.

Archer, who finished in the top 30 of The European Tour Order of Merit two years ago, led the 18 qualifiers from Sherry Golf Jerez, finishing two shots clear of second placed Manuel Quiros of Spain on 15 under par.

Frenchman Anthony Snobeck and Denmark’s Lasse Jensen took the last two available places, having prevailed in a four man play-off. Over at Arcos Gardens veteran Spaniard Luna led the way on 12 under par, two shots clear of Indonesia’s Rory Hie – who shot a stunning round of 64 – with South African Michiel Bothma a further two strokes back in third place.

Scotland’s Greig Hutcheon and Austrian Hans Peter Bacher took the 18th and 19th spots, having seen off all comers in a five man play-off.

There was no need for a play-off at Hacienda Del Alamao, where American Blaum kept up his fine form to prevail by five shots from 2008 European Amateur Champion Stephan Gross junior of Germany.

Brazilian Alexandre Rocha, the joint winner of the Qualifying School in 2006, also made it through to the final showdown in Girona, whilst England’s Michael Lowe took the 17th and final spot.An eight man play-off was needed to determine the final two places at Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club, where Swede Ohlsson came out on top on 14 under par.

British Amateur Championship finalist and Walker Cup player Sam Hutsby of England also came through in tied 11th place, whilst the final two places were taken by Italian Marco Soffietti and Norway’s Marius Thorp, who needed extra holes to see off the other six hopefuls.

All 75 players will now take their places at the six round Final Stage, which starts this Saturday at PGA Golf de Catalunya in Girona, Spain.

QUALIFIERS FROM THE FOUR SPANISH VENUES

ARCOS GARDENS
Par 288 (4x72)
276 Santiago Luna (Spa) 66 69 71 70 (£1,500).
278 Rory Nie (Ina) 69 75 70 64 (£1,000).
280 Michiel Bothma (SAF) 68 65 73 74 (£700).
281 Victor Almstrom (Swe) 70 70 70 71, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger) 69 71 72 69 (£400 each).
282 Matthew Bliss (Can) 70 68 74 70, George Murray (Sco) 70 71 72 69, Tony Carolan (Aus) 69 73 74 78, Wil Besseling (Net) 68 70 71 73.
283 Oliver Whiteley (Eng) 65 72 72 74, Thomas Feyrsinger (Aut) 70 73 72 68, Julio Zapata (Arg) 72 71 71 69.
284 Graham Povey (Eng) 71 66 75 72, Liam Bond (Wal) 72 75 70 67.
285 Jamie Moul (Eng) 67 71 74 73, Lloyd Kennedy (Eng) 70 69 72 74, Joakim Rask (Swe) 73 75 68 69.
286 Greig Hutcheon (Sco) 72 69 71 74, Hans Peter Bacher (Aut) 70 75 73 69.

NON-QUALIFIERS
286 Raimo Sjoberg (Swe) 68 75 72 71 (2nd alternate), Oliver Bekker (SAF) 72 71 71 72 (6th alternate), Scott Henderson (Sco) 72 71 71 71 (10th alternate).
287 Sven Struver (Ger) 74 72 70 71.
288 John Mellor (Eng) 71 73 70 74, Tyrone Ferreira (SAf) 74 71 73 71, Johan Wahlqvist (Swe) 71 77 72 69, Michael Collins (Ire) 75 73 69 73, Mikko Korhonen (Fin) 70 72 71 76.
Selected non-qualifiers:
290 Jack Doherty (Sco) 72 75 72 71 (jt 29th).
292 Keir McNicoll (Sco) 76 76 71 69 (jt 44th).
293 Paul Doherty (Sco) 72 74 75 72 (jt 47th).
294 Joel A Hendry (Sco) 70 75 78 71 (jt 49th).
295 Gareth Shaw (NIr) 70 76 75 74 (jt 54th).

COSTA BALLENA

Par 288 (4x72)

274 Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe) 71 69 65 69 (£1,500).

276 Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 69 66 68 73, Paul Eales (Eng0 67 69 71 69 (£850 each), Niall Kearney (Ire) (am) 70 73 67 68.

277 Steven Tiley (Eng) 72 66 68 71 (£500).

278 James McLean (Aus) 71 68 67 72, Floris De Vries (Net) 69 70 68 70 (£150 each).

279 Luis Claverie (Spa) 71 70 71 67, Mark F Haastrup (Den) 68 70 68 73, Louis Moolman (SAf) 68 68 70 73.

280 Sam Hutsby (Eng) 71 68 71 70, Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa) 65 70 72 73, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 71 70 67 72, Edouard Dubois (Fra) 66 67 72 75, James Ruth (Eng) 66 67 72 75, Guillaume Watremez (Bel) 70 70 67 73, John Kelly (Ire) 72 71 68 6.

281 Marius Thorp (Nor) 68 70 69 74, Marco Soffietti (Ita) 72 67 70 72.

NON-QUALIFIERS

281 Garry Houston (Wal) 71 67 780 73 (4th alternate), Jaakko Makitalo (Fin) 72 66 74 69 (8th alternate), Jurgen Maurer (Aut) 69 70 71 71 (13th alternate), Jamie Abbott (Eng) (am) 69 69 70 73, Johan Skold (Swe) 70 72 73 66, Ben Mason (Eng) 69 70 70 72.

282 Dennis Kupper (Ger) 65 72 74 71, Anders Sjostrand (Swe) 73 69 70 70, Thomas Haylock (Eng) 73 69 70 70, Chris Kelly (Sco) 69 69 70 74.

Selected non-qualifiers:

284 Craig Lee (Sco) 71 72 73 68, Matt Haines (Eng) (am) 69 68 72 75 (jt 33rd).

290 Jason McCreadie (Sco) 73 77 68 72, Stiggy Hodgson (Eng) (am) 73 71 73 73 (jt 55th).

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO

Par 288 (4x72)

268 Ryan Blaum (US) 68 65 67 68 (£1,500).

273 Stephan Gross jun (Ger) 64 73 65 71 (£1,000).

275 Thorbjorn Olesen (Den) 72 65 70 68 (£700).

277 Ghislain Rosier (Fra) 71 70 68 67, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 71 69 68 68 (£400 each).

278 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 70 72 68 68, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 70 70 69 69, Charlie Ford (Eng) 68 72 69 69 Federico Colombo (Ita) 72 69 68 68.

279 Christophe Brazillier (Fra) 72 71 68 67, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 71 69 76 63.

281 Mattias Eliasson (Swe) 71 69 68 72, Jonathan Caldwell (NIr) 69 72 71 69, Benjamim Hebert (Fra) 74 67 70 70, James Kamte (SAf) 72 71 69 69.

282 West Hefferman (Can) 69 72 73 68, Michael Lowe (Eng) 74 71 67 70.

283 Andrea Maestroni (Ita) 9 73 70 71, George Coetzee (SAf) 72 68 71 72.

NON-QUALIFIERS

284 Sandro Piaget (Mo) 74 71 70 69 (7th alternate), Paul Nilbrink (Nor) 71 69 71 73, Graeme A Clark (Eng) 71 73 72 68 (11th alternate), Chris Paisley (Eng) (am) 69 69 74 72 (3rd alternate).

285 Carlos Balmaseda (Spa) 73 71 69 72, Zane Scotland (Eng) 73 67 74 71, Inder Van Weerelt (Net) 74 70 71 70, Juan Abbate (Arg) 76 73 70 66, Marcus Palm (Swe) 75 69 67 74.

Selected non-qualifiers:

286 Lee Corfield (Eng) 75 69 70 72, Luke Goddard (Eng) 70 72 75 69, David Griffiths (Eng) 71 72 71 72, Dale Whitnell (Eng) 70 73 73 70 (jt 29th).

288 Paul O'Hara (Sco) 74 70 74 70, Jonathan Lomas (Eng) 74 71 72 71 (jt 38th).

292 Stephen Gray (Sco) 75 73 73 71 (jt 58th).

294 Mark Hillson (Sco) (am) 79 69 73 73 (jt 62nd).

298 Lee Harper (Sco) 72 78 73 73 (jt 66th).

SHERRY GOLF JEREZ

Par 288 (4x72)

273 Philip Archer (Eng) 68 69 68 68 (£1,500).

275 Manuel Quiros (Spa) 69 69 70 67 (£1,000).

276 Tim Stewart (Aus) 68 72 72 64 (£700).

280 Thomas Norret (Den) 69 69 72 70, Jamie Elson (Eng) 72 73 65 70 (£400 each).

282 Eduardo De La Riva (Spa) 68 68 75 71.

283 Jason Knutzon (US) 67 71 75 70.

284 Iain Pyman (Eng) 69 70 74 71, Simon Thornton (Ire) 658 73 71 72, Paul Dwyer (Eng) 70 71 76 67, Alan McLean (Sco) 69 71 71 73, Paul Pinto (Arg) 64 75 74 71, Ally Mellor (Eng) 68 73 73 70.

285 Marco Ruiza (Par) 70 75 71 69, Julien Clement (Swi) 75 67 69 74, Colm Moriarty (Ire) 69 70 74 72.

286 Anthony Snobeck (Fra) 71 70 71 74, Lasse Jensen (Den) 70 73 71 72.

NON-QUALIFIERS

286 Johan Axgren (Swe) 66 75 72 73 (1st alternate), Martin Rominger (Swi) 67 76 70 73 (5th alternate).

287 Ricardo Santos (Por) 74 71 71 71 (9th alternate), Elliot Saltman (Sco) 73 69 71 74, Max Glauert (Ger) 71 70 71 75, Sebastian Saavedra (Arg) 71 73 73 70, Russell Surber (US) 70 74 71 72, Ricard Santos (Por) 74 71 71 71, Magnus Persson (Swe) 72 75 72 68.

Selected non-qualifiers:

289 Kevin McAlpine (Sco) 72 74 73 70, Victor Dubuisson (Fra) (am) 68 76 74 71 (jt 28th).

292 Mark Kerr (Sco) 72 73 72 75 (jt 38th).

293 Wallace Booth (Sco) 71 77 72 73 (jt 41st).

296 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 71 71 73 81 (jt 53rd).

Withdrew: Chris Doak (Sco) 72 78 76 wd.

Six Europeans in World top 10 for first time

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Six Europeans occupy places in the World’s Top Ten for first time in the history of the Official World Golf Rankings, with Race to Dubai winner Lee Westwood leading the line at a career high of World No 4 and Rory McIlroy becoming only the second 20 year old to make the World’s Top Ten.
Westwood’s victory in the Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World moved the Englishman up a place in the latest World Ranking to fourth, matching his previous highest position achieved the last time he was European Number One in 2000.
His six-stroke victory over fellow Englishman Ross McGowan on the Greg Norman-designed Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates took him past the injured Paul Casey, who drops to World No 5.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Swede Henrik Stenson remain sixth and seventh in the World respectively, while Spain’s Sergio Garcia’s joint seventh place in Dubai took him up to eighth.
Until yesterday, Garcia was the only 20 year old to have ever achieved a place in the World’s Top Ten but there is now another member of that exclusive club as Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, third in the Dubai World Championship and beaten into second in The Race to Dubai, had the consolation of moving from 13th to tenth in the World Ranking. Tiger Woods was 21 when he first entered the World’s Top Ten in 1997.
McGowan, second in Dubai, moved up 46 places to 70th on the World Ranking.
Further European success was achieved in Japan at the Dunlop Phoenix where 2009 Challenge Tour Rankings runaway winner Edoardo Molinari of Italy defeated 2008 European No 1 Robert Karlsson of Sweden in a play-off after the pair tied on 13 under par 271, six shots ahead of their nearest challengers.
Molinari jumped 24 places to World No 63, a remarkable feat for a player who plied his trade on the Challenge Tour throughout 2009, having started the year in 653rd place, while Karlsson moved up three places to World Number 25.
OFFICIAL WORLD PRO RANKINGS TOP 20
1 Tiger Woods (US).
2 Phil Mickelson (US).
3 Steve Stricker (US).
4 Lee Westwood (Eng).
5 Paul Casey (Eng).
6 Padraig Harrington (Ire).
7 Henrik Stenson (Swe).
8 Sergio Garcia (Spa).
9 Kenny Perry (US).
10 Rory McIlroy (NIr)
11 Jim Furyk (US).
12 Martin Kaymer (Ger).
13 Ian Poulter (Eng).
14 Geoff Ogilvy (Aus).
15 Sean O'Hair (US).
16 Stewart Cink (US).
17 Ernie Els (SAf).
18 Lucas Glover (US).
19 Retief Goosen (SAf).
20 Ross Fisher (Eng).

Gregory Havret, 10 years a pro, joins the I M G Stable

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY I M G
Frenchman, Gregory Havret, announced today that he has signed with the global sports management company, IMG.
Gregory, 32 years old, turned professional back in 1999 following an impressive amateur career that saw him win the French amateur championship three years in a row from 1997 to 1999. He finished 60th on the Order of Merit in 2001, with a maiden European Tour victory at the Italian Open at Is Molas in Sardinia.
Havret won the biggest title of his career when he defeated then World No 3 Phil Mickelson in a play-off for the 2007 Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, a victory that helped him break into the top 20 of the Order of Merit for the first time. He became the second Frenchman to win the title after Thomas Levet in 2004.
In August 2008, Havret continued his love affair with Scotland, winning the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, his third victory on the European Tour. This year, Havret has had mixed fortunes but again put in a fine performance at the Johnnie Walker Championship in which he tied for third place.
Guy Kinnings, Managing Director of Golf at IMG, whose team represents the world’s best golfers including Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, and Michelle Wie, said “Gregory is undoubtedly one of the most successful golfers to emerge from France, as well as being a great player he also has a great personality and charisma. We are delighted that he has selected IMG to represent him around the world and look forward to being part of his team.”
Gregory Havret will join a stack of top French golfers currently represented by IMG including Raphaël Jacquelin, Thomas Levet, Jeff Lucquin and François Delamontagne. Gregory will be managed by Michael Jones, vice-president IMG Golf.

GLENMUIR NAMED AS LEAD

VENDOR AT 2010 RYDER CUP

NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR
Glenmuir will extend their association with The Ryder Cup in 2010 following an agreement between the Scottish clothing specialists and Ryder Cup Europe LLP to make Glenmuir the Lead Vendor at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, from October 1-3.
As well as being a Preferred Supplier to The 2010 European Ryder Cup Team, Glenmuir’s Lead Vendor status will make them the dominant presence in The Ryder Cup Merchandising Pavilion at Celtic Manor.
Beginning in 1987, Glenmuir’s partnership with The Ryder Cup is one of the longest-running in the world of high-profile professional sport and is perfect endorsement of Glenmuir’s products and their endurance to perform at the highest levels of the game.
Colin Mee, Managing Director of Glenmuir, said: “Becoming the Lead Vendor at The Ryder Cup positions Glenmuir at the heart of one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions. The Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor next October will be a true spectacle of golf and we are delighted to be continuing and expanding our support of this iconic event.
“We are a very proud supplier to The European Ryder Cup Team and this is a great opportunity for golf fans from around the globe to experience the style and quality for which Glenmuir has become famous.”
Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “We are delighted to further strengthen our partnership with Glenmuir, whose expertise and high levels of excellence are a perfect fit for The European Ryder Cup Team. Spectators at Celtic Manor will now have a great opportunity to sample that excellence for themselves, with Glenmuir having the major presence in the Merchandising Pavilion at Celtic Manor.”

+Glenmuir have helped to sponsor the Hacienda del Alamo Women's February Golf Festival since it started in 2008. The Lanark company are continuing their support of the festival next February. Entry forms for the 2010 Festival are available by clicking on the appropriate wording at the top of the left hand column on the Home Page of http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/
+Although primarily the Festival's events are for girls, ladies and senior ladies, boys/men can play as partners in the curtain-raising pairs event on Saturday, February 13.

English Golf Union release dates, venues for 2010

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
The English men's amateur championship will head to one of its most northerly outposts when it is played at Silloth-on-Solway in London Olympics year, 2012.
Also in the 2012 fixtures just released, Walton Heath will be the venue for the Brabazon Trophy while the Men’s County Finals will be staged at Beau Desert.
Silloth-on-Solway in Cumbria proved a testing venue for the Logan Trophy (Mid-Amateur Championship) in July when the host club’s John Longcake proved a worthy winner. This wasn’t the English Golf Union’s (EGU) first visit to the club. The Men’s County Finals were staged there in 1995 when Lancashire triumphed while in 2002 it hosted the annual England v Scotland Under 16 match.
While Silloth will be the main venue, Seascale, venue for the northern region qualifying this year and of the County Finals in 1971, will be the other course hosting the qualifying rounds.
Walton Heath will host the Brabazon Trophy in June, the only previous occasion the popular Surrey club has staged the English Open Stroke Play Championship was in 1968 when (Sir) Michael Bonallack triumphed in a tournament reduced to 54 holes after the second round was abandoned.
However, the EGU has made regular visits to this superb 36-hole venue, the English Amateur being staged there on four occasions, the most recent in 2002 when Yorkshire’s Richard Finch was champion.
The 2012 domestic season will start with the international against France at Royal Mid Surrey on 12th – 13th May, followed, two days later, by the southern qualifying round for the Brabazon Trophy at the same venue. The northern qualifier will take place a week later at Worksop.
The English Seniors will venture into East Anglia for only the second time in its history when the Championship is played over the Suffolk courses of Aldeburgh and Thorpeness from 6th – 8th June, while the Seniors County Finals, the last event of the season, visit Heworth in Gateshead, Co Durham, in early October. The Mid Amateur Championship for the Logan Trophy visits a regular venue for EGU events when it is played over the West Course at Saunton in Devon in early July.
As far as the 2012 junior championships are concerned, the Under 16s for the McGregor Trophy head west to Saunton on 17th – 19th July, the Under 18s for the Carris Trophy to Royal Cinque Ports on the Kent coast, while the Under 14s for the Reid Trophy visit Blackwell, near Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire on 7th – 9th August.
The one-day English Schools will also be staged in the Midlands, at Kenilworth in Warwickshire, on 11th July, while the Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire will be the scene of the Boys' County Finals on 28th – 30th August. Among other venues, the Champion Club will be played at Stoneham, near Southampton, on 15th and 16th September, while the Junior Champion Club returns to its original venue of Woodhall Spa on 25th and 26th August. The County Finals visit Staffordshire for the sixth time, the five previous occasions having been at Little Aston, the most recent in 2000 when Surrey were winners.
But in 2012 Beau Desert, near Cannock, will play host, having been the venue for the Carris Trophy in 2002. As usual, the Gold Medal and County Champions Tournament will be fought out at Woodhall Spa in August and September respectively.
The 2012 English Golf Union fixture list is:
MAY
12-13: England v France-Royal Mid Surrey.
15: Brabazon Trophy Southern Qualifying-Royal Mid Surrey.
22: Brabazon: Trophy Northern Qualifying-Worksop.
JUNE
6-8: English Seniors Championship-Aldeburgh and Thorpeness.
27-30: Brabazon Trophy-Walton Heath.
JULY
6-8: Logan Trophy (Mid-Amateur Championship)-Saunton West.
11: English Schools Championship-Kenilworth.
17-19: McGregor Trophy (Under 16 Championship)-Trevose.
24-26: Carris Trophy (Under 18 Championship)-Royal Cinque Ports.
30-Aug 4: English Amateur Championship-Silloth-on-Solway and Seascale
AUGUST
7-9: Reid Trophy (Under 14 Championship)-Blackwell.
18-19: EGU Gold Medal-Woodhall Spa.
25-26: Junior Champion Club-Woodhall Spa.
28-30: Boys' County Finals-Cotswold Hills.
SEPTEMBER
15-16: Champion Club-Stoneham.
22-23: County Champions' Tournament-Woodhall Spa.
28-30: County Finals-Beau Desert.
OCTOBER
9-11: Seniors' County Finals-Heworth (Co Durham).

Mental mistake after Dubai's first round hurt McIlroy,

says Westwood - 'but he will learn from that'

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (PA Sports): Lee Westwood believes Rory McIlroy blundered badly in the final week of their European money list battle.
The mistake was not in any of the shots the 20-year-old played, but what he said after they had gone head-to-head in the first round at the deciding Dubai World Championship.
McIlroy stated publicly that he was glad the two of them were not paired in the second round because then he could concentrate on his own game more.
"It was obviously a massive feather in my cap," said Westwood, who had outscored his rival by two on the day and went on to win by six to regain the Order of Merit crown he last held in 2000.
"There's nothing worse to say than that if you're Rory -- and he will learn from that -- and there's nothing better for me than a competitor to say they are glad they are not playing with me.
"I read it in the press. I wouldn't have said it, but I've been on Tour 16 years and he's been on Tour three," he explained. "Sometimes what you say off the golf course and the mind games you play are as important as the pressure you can put on people on the course."
Westwood produced a stunning 23-under-par display, including a final bogey-free, course record round of eight-under-par 64 to take the $1.25 million tournament first prize and $1.5 million money list bonus, a European Tour record $2.7 million for one week's work.
He had promised to reveal some secrets of his performance if he won, but smiled and stated: "The secret was that there was no secret. It was making everybody else think I had a secret when I didn't really.
"The big turnaround in confidence came from Billy (his caddie Billy Foster) at the beach party on Tuesday," explained Westwood. "He'd probably just had enough Heineken to tell me what he really thought. He said I'd been paying too much attention to the other people around me.
"He said 'You've been out here 16 years, that's longer than all three of them put together (McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher were the only players left in the race to be No. 1) and you've won 30 times, which is more than them put together'.
"It's a terrible word to use because I hate it, but he said 'You've got to bully them'. That's why I've been confident all week."

Mark Brooks wins third Pebble Beach Invitational title

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
PEBBLE BEACH, California (AP): Mark Brooks won the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational for a record third time, birdieing three of the last four holes on Sunday for a 5-under 67 and a two-stroke victory from Rickie Fowler and D.A. Points.
The 48-year-old Brooks, the 1996 US PGA Championship winner, had a 12-under 276 total and became the first three-time winner in the tournament's 38-year history. The seven-time winner on the US Tour also won the unofficial money event in 1992 and 2002.
"I believe I had only four bogeys the entire week and two of those were on short putts," said Brooks, who had two bogeys and seven birdies in his last round, including a 16-footer at the 18th.
"I kept the ball on the fairway and that's always been what I do best."
The 20-year-old former Walker Cup player and US college circuit player Fowler closed with a 69, and Points birdied the final two holes en route a 65,the best round of the day at Pebble Beach.
Brooks earned $60,000 from the $300,000 purse.

"I've been coming here for almost 30 years," said Brooks, whose best PGA Tour finish this season was a tie for 10th at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. "I hit a lot of good iron shots and I could have played bogey-free."
Fowler, who had two top-10 finishes in the final month of the PGA Tour season, trailed Brooks by two shots after four holes. The two players exchanged leads until Brooks took the lead for good with a birdie on the 16th.
"He made some putts down the stretch. There wasn't much I could do," Fowler said.
Points made it close at the end.
"I knew I had to be aggressive," said Points. "I was trying for eagle on the final hole. I thought it would get me into a playoff."
Mina Harigae shot a 68 to finish at 6 under. She was the only one of the four women in the field to make the cut.