Paul Cormack withdraws from Xltec Pro Tour opener

to play as champion in North-east Alliance foursomes

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
New North-east Alliance champion Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo Golf Centre) has had second thoughts about playing in the new Xltec Pro Tour event at Whitekirk, instead of the North-east Alliance pro-am match-play foursomes at Murcar Links on Thursday and Friday this week.
"I had entered the Xltel Pro Tour competition at Whitekirk on the same days but that was before I had won the North-east Alliance championship and before I realised there was a clash of dates between the two events," said Cormack tonight.
"I've had a think about it and, as North-east Alliance champion, I feel that I have to be loyal to it and play in its foursomes.
"I can always play in later events on the Xltel Pro Tour but this is the last North-east Alliance event until next September and I feel my place is at the foursomes."
Cormack, 26, lives in Banchory when he is at home - he is a regular competitor on the EPro Tour in North Carolina and other American satellite events.
Xltec Pro Tour's self-funded prizefund for their first 36-hole event at Whitekirk will amount to at least £5,000 whereas the NE Alliance foursomes' pro prize money will be considerably less.
Cormack partners Duff House Royal senior circuit amateur Mike Jenkins in the first round of the foursomes against Banchory assistant Steven Chalmers and McDonald Ellon amateur Kevin Duncan.
One definite change in the line-up at Murcar Links sees Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) substitute for Martin Forster (Cruden Bay as partner to Nigel Parker (Murcar Links) in the handicap tournament.
Revised draws for Thursday are:
SCRATCH (Evening Express Shield)
professional named first
9.30: J Mooney (Kingscliffe) & K Nelson (Murcar Links) v D Naylor (Banchory) & A Bews (Murcar Links).
9.40 P Lovie (P1 Corporate) & D Clark (Duff House Royal) v R Hyland (Craibstone) & S Larkin (Banchory).
9.50 S Chalmers (Banchory) & K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) v P Cormack (Inchmarlo) & M Jenkins (Duff House Royal.
10.0 I Bratton ( Newburgh ) & F Bisset (Banchory) v R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) & C Carnegie (Kemnay).

HANDICAP (Press and Journal Trophy)
10.10 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) & A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) v D Wilson (Duff House Royal ) & H McNaughton ( Cruden Bay ).
10.20 D Corkey (Royal Aberdeen) & B Lumsden (Northern) v C Cassie (Nigg Bay) & N Parker (Murcar Links).
10.30 B Harper ( Newburgh ) & M Booth (Kemnay) v M Lawrie (Kemnay) & N Stewart (Northern).
10.40 P McIntosh ( Newburgh ) & D Randall (Banchory) v A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) & N Chisholm (Kemnay).
+Second-round ties in both competitions will be played on Thursday afternoon with both finals at Murcar Links on Friday morning.