Wednesday, February 24, 2010

David Feherty becomes US citizen - and that's no joke!

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
CBS golf analyst and Golf Magazine columnist David Feherty turned briefly serious and emotional this week as he officially became a United States citizen at the new Citizenship and Immigration Building in Irving, Texas.
Feherty, a Northern Ireland native who moved to the Dallas area in the late 1990s, bypassed the wisecracks that have made him famous, saying he was honoured and humbled to finally become an American citizen.
Feherty, who is off this week from his CBS duties, had to pass the citizenship test. Then he was one of two dozen new citizens to take the oath of allegiance to his new country. He was one of the few people selected to talk to his fellow new citizens about what becoming an American meant.
After the official ceremony, Feherty, 51, was surprised by his wife, Anita, with a party. The participants included long-time friend and golf legend Tom Watson and several wounded combat veterans. Feherty has been active in supporting charities that help wounded soldiers, including organising golf tournaments and travelling to Iraq with other golfers.
Watson, Feherty and long-drive champion Art Sellinger have all been to Iraq together to visit the U.S. troops.
"It was a very special and emotional day for David and all of us," said Sellinger. "You know how passionate he is about our military. All of his special friends were there, and it is no secret how close he and Tom are."
A native of Bangor, Northern Ireland, Feherty played on the 1991 European Ryder Cup team and was a regular on the European Tour, where he won several times.
The highlight of the celebration lunch came when some of the wounded soldiers presented their friend with a folded American flag that had flown over a U.S. base that Feherty had visited in Iraq.

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Paul O'Hara lying joint 20th in Morocco

Rookie pro Paul O'Hara from Motherwell is lying joint 20th with one round to go in the Renault EPD Tour's Al Maaden Classic at Al Maaden Golf Club, Marrakesh in Morocco.
The Walker Cup reserve, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, and beaten finalist in last year's Scottish amateur championship has had rounds of 69 and 73 for a two-under-par tally of 142.
O'Hara had five birdies in halves of 34-35 in his first round, but only two birdies in halves of 37-36 in his second.
Ireland's Stephen Grant leads with scores of 64 and 70 for 134.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERS
Par 144 (2x72)
134 Stephen Grant (Ireland) 64 70.
135 Marcel Haremza (Germany) 67 68.
136 Daniel Froreich (Germany) 71 65.
137 Ben Parker (England) 65 72, Dennis Kupper (Germany) 72 65.
Selected scores:
142 Grant Jackson (England) 70 72, Lee Corfield (England) 70 72, Paul O'Hara (Scotland) 69 73 (jt 20th).
143 Bob Harris (England) 72 71 (jt 27th).
145 Brian McElhinney (Ireland) 74 71 (jt 39th).
MISSED THE CUT (scores of 145 or better qualified)
147 Cian McNamara (Ireland) 76 71, Tim Rice (Ireland) 75 72.
160 Jay Taylor (Scotland) 83 77.

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US Student golf coverage on Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

Two young English golfers won on the United States college circuit this week. Find out who they were by logging on to our sister website, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk, for news of student golf on the other side of the Atlantic.

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Top Scot Kellett now No 41 in R&A WAGR

Ross Kellett (Colville Park), pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, the leading Scot on the R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings has gone up five places to No 42 in this week's update.
James Byrne (Banchory & Arizona State) is the No 2 Scot but has gone down five places to No 57.
Edinburgh golfer Mark Hillson has dislodged former Scottish match-play champion Glenn Camp-bell (Murrayshall) from the No 3 Scottish spot in the WAGR. Mark has gone up five places to No 173; Glenn has come down 30 spots to No 181.
US college student Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) is the fifth Scot in the WAGR, having gone down three places to No 195.
Stirling University student James White has gone down seven places to No 248.
LEADING R&A WAGR STANDINGS
1 Matteo Manassero (Italy) (unchanged).
2 Victor Dubuisson (France) (unchanged).
3 Nick Taylor (Canada) (unchanged).
4 Bud Cauley (US) (unchanged).
5 Peter Uihlein (US) (unchanged).
6 Matt Hill (Canada) (+1).
7 Morgan Hoffman (US) (-1).
8 Blayne Barber (US) (unchanged).
9 David Lingmerth (Sweden) (+4).
10 Ryan Dreyer (South Africa) (-1).
Selected rankings:
15 Stiggy Hodgson (England) (+2).
18 Tommy Fleetwood (England) (unchanged).
22 Matt Haines (England) (-2).
34 Darren Renwick (England) (-3).
39 Matthew Nixon (England) (+4).
42 Ross Kellett (Scotland) (+5).
52 Tom Lewis (England) (+21).
54 Chris Paisley (England) (unchanged).
57 James Byrne (Scotland) (-5).
173 Mark Hillson (Scotland) (-5).
181 Glenn Campbell (Scotland) (-30).
195 Michael Stewart (Scotland) (-3).
248 James White (Scotland) (-7).

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Inverness Fairways Target Golf Leagues report, results

By NEIL D HAMPTON
Golf & Marketing Director, Loch Ness Golf Course
Web:
http://www.golflochness.com/

WEEK 5: MONDAY NIGHT LEAGUE
The Monday night teams faced a very tricky surface with the frost deep in the ground so the three nearest targets were in use and most teams managed to find some way of manoeuvring the balls into the targets.
The biggest game of the season so far saw the leagues two unbeaten teams face each other and they provided a great spectacle with the two top scores of the night but it was Orion who took the spoils, beating BM Trucks by 11 shots.
Parahandies once again had Lady Luck on their side as for the second week running their opponents, this time the Happy Gilmour's, couldn’t field a team so Parahandies' score of 24 took the points.
The Royal Swingers got back to winning ways as the Neverwillbees struggled with the conditions and barely made double figures.
The Sainties very nearly got off the mark, just losing out to the Specialists by four shots.
These results put Orion alone at the top with BM Trucks and Parahandies tied for second just two points behind. With just two games to go before the split these three teams are almost guaranteed to be in the top half with the race being for the final spot.
There are three teams tied for fourth with just shots scored separating them so the next to weeks will be very interesting.
MONDAY NIGHT RESULTS:
The Neverwillbees 10 – 23 Royal Swingers
Orion 47 – 36 BM Trucks
Parahandies 24 – 0 Happy Gilmour’s
Sainties 21 – 25 Specialists.

WEEK 5: TUESDAY LEAGUE SUMMARY
There was a big upset in the Tuesday League as the leaders and past champions Luckless Leadbetters fell meekly to the Fairhurst Fore who put in a great performance to score more than twice as many shots as the Leadbetters.
This was not the only important result as King Kenyon’s Klan dispatched the Muirton Marvels and leapfrog them to the top of the table. The Coastguards also got a vital win over fellow basement dwellers, the Mad Drivers.
Senior Moments did likewise with a narrow, five-shot margin over Fairways. The Klan lead the way but there are now four teams tied for second place, two points behind with one shot scored separating them.
TUESDAY NIGHT RESULTS:
King Kenyon’s Klan 53 – 26 Muirton Marvels
Mad Drivers 7 – 26 Coastguards
Fairhurst 44 – 21 Luckless Leadbetters
Fairways 29 – 34 Senior Moments.

HOW THEY STAND
MONDAY LEAGUE
1 Orion 10pt
2 BM Trucks 8pt.
3 Parahandies 8pt.
4 Royal Swingers 4pt.
5 Specialists 4pt.
6 Neverwillbees 4pt.
7 Happy Gilmour's 2pt.
8 The Sainties 0pt.

TUESDAY LEAGUE
1 King Kenyon's Klan 8pt.
2 Muirton Marvels 6pt.
3 Luckless Leadbetters 6pt.
4 Fairhurst Fore 6pt.
5 Coastguards 6pt.
6 Senior Moments 4pt.
7 Fairways 2pt.
8 Mad Drivers 2pt

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Russell, Thomson and Cameron make last day in Spain

Three Scots - former European Tour player Raymond Russell and Tartan Tour men Edward Thomson (Largs) and Ross Cameron (Ellon) - have qualified for the third and final round of this week's event on the Spanish Hi5 Tour.
On a very windy day, Russell has had rounds of 72 and 73 for one-over-par 145 in the Polaris World Requelme Open at the par-72 Hacienda Requelme course near the city of Murcia in south-east Spain.
He is in joint 23rd position behind three players sharing the lead at six-under-par 138 - Denmark's Morten Hedegaard (66-72) and England's Matthew Evans (66-72) and Ben Jones (66-72)
They are a shot ahead of Danish amateur Joachim Hansen (69-70) and England's James Busby (67-72) and Lloyd Campbell (71-68).
Edward Thomson qualified in joint 30th place with two scores of 73.
Ross Cameron, after a first-round 70, required 10 more shots for his second round and his 36-hole tally of 150 got him through to the last day action with not a shot to spare. He is tied 44th.
Scots who did not qualify were former Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Doherty on 154 (77-77) and Ben Irving on 160 (83-77).
You can read all the scores and a full report on the second day's play on the Hi5 Tour's website:
http://www.hi5protour.com/site/

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Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire is England's golf club of the year

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Chapel-en-le-Frith Golf Club in Derbyshire has been awarded the prestigious GolfMark Club of the Year Award, which is supported this year by Cobra Golf.
The club impressed judges with programmes to encourage both juniors and adults into golf, while creating the kind of welcoming environment that serves as an excellent advertisement for the game. Representatives of Chapel-en-le-Frith received their GolfMark Club of the Year accolade during the England Golf Partnership’s County Development Conference this week.

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GOLF TOURNAMENT WITH A DIFFERENCE


£1million jackpot on offer at Archerfield

Links from August 3 to 6

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ED HODGE, CAPITAL CITY PRESS
A unique high-stakes golf event, where the winner will walk off with a mouthwatering £1m jackpot, has been announced.
The eagerly-awaited tournament will be held/hosted at Archerfield Links, the private members' club in East Lothian.
Organisers hope to attract a star-studded worldwide field to the exclusive venue for the lavish 'Cool Million Challenge' which will combine golf and gambling for a prize fund in excess of £2m.
It is hoped former Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam will take part in pursuit of the largest first prize in an unsanctioned event in the world this year.
Big-name US-based seniors have also been earmarked to compete over the Dirleton Links from August 3-6, along with leading ladies such as Laura Davies.
Promoter David Copeland, an entrepreneur in the online gambling industry and a keen golfer, is behind the concept to mix a high-stakes wager with an exciting pro tournament, two weeks after The Open at St Andrews.
Restricted to 60 talented golfers around the world meeting a strict criteria, commercial or individual sponsors - the gamblers - face the ultimate challenge to place their bet on a chosen player to win the £1m.
The professionals will compete over two rounds of stroke play, with the top 16 playing straight match play to establish the champion. The entry fee for the competition - poised to be televised - is set at £50,000 per golfer, representing the sponsor's bet.
Copeland said: "I'm a gambler so I wanted to launch a golf competition with a high level of entry fee for a relatively small field. That gives everyone a chance of a top prize, namely the £1 million figure.
"I had to find a venue that was really exclusive, really private and there are not many clubs like Archerfield. I'm using my contacts globally in the gambling industry and commercial world, in terms of sponsorship, to drive together 60 teams.
"We didn't just want a Tour event. We're not looking for golfers in the top 500 of the world rankings, or those with a current European or US PGA Tour card. We're looking for guys off the Nationwide Tour, the Challenge Tour and the Seniors.
"There are also people around the world gambling extremely high stakes whom you have never even heard of, professionals in Las Vegas who don't need to play on Tour but can win big money in gambling games.
"Over a course that is not overly long, we have also decided to include female golfers of any ranking and standard. We are hoping to have some of the world's top 10 playing in it.
"Could they beat a guy off the Challenge Tour over Archerfield, or a leading Senior? So you start to have a dilemma and peak the interest of the gambler of where they think the value lies."
Archerfield Links, designed by David J Russell, continues to grow in stature, having already hosted Gary Player's European Invitational, as well as Sir Ian Botham and Ronan Keating's Celebrity Challenge.
The Ladies Scottish Open will also make a welcome return to the calendar at Archerfield from August 18 to 20 this year.
For more information, contact David Copeland on 01355 588 970 or go to www.coolmillionchallenge.

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Father and son grand final at Vale do Lobo

NOBODY COULD KEEP UP WITH THE

JONESES IN PORTUGAL

NEWS RELEASE
Peter Jones and his son Mark have won the prestigious national amateur Daily Telegraph Wilson father-and-son match-play championship in Portugal.
The duo, members at Blue Mountain GC at Binfield, ultimately beat off the challenge of more than 1,500 other pairs to lift the trophy at the Vale do Lobo resort, on the Algarve coast.
Four match-play victories and success in a regional final earned them return flights to Portugal, provided by Monarch, five nights’ accommodation at the luxurious Vale do Lobo resort and five rounds of golf – a practice round, followed by four competitive rounds: two each on the Royal Course and the spectacular Ocean Course.
After the first two rounds, the Joneses’ better-ball Stableford total of 83 points (39, 44) placed them third, four points behind leaders Phil Bailey and Matt Oliver, from Branston GC, in Staffordshire.
But, in the third round, father Peter, 61, from Bracknell, playing off 14, and Mark, a 37-year-old, 13-handicapper now living in Stanwell, repeated their excellent second-round score of 44 points back on the Ocean course to give them a three-point advantage going into the final day.
Going out in the final group on the fourth day, the Joneses consolidated their lead with a 20-point front nine and a solid back nine of 18 gave them victory by two points from the Irish pairing of Paul Delargy and Brendan McNaughton, from Cushendall GC.
A delighted Mark, a regional manager for a security company, said: “To be honest the first emotion was relief. We knew we had to score on the final hole and I’ve never been quite as nervous walking down the 18th on any golf course.
“It was a fabulous week and knowing we’d actually won the event just made it even better. If you ask any club match-play golfer which event they prefer to play in it’s this one – everybody would like to win this as it’s the best event of its kind. It’s so professional.
“For the finals week we just turned up and played golf – everything else is laid on for you. Both of us are entering again this year – in both the pairs and the singles.”
A further three points back in third place were Glen McKay and Vince Ley, representing the former Ryder Cup venue of Lindrick GC.
In total, 19 pairs qualified for the grand final in Portugal , having fought their way through four rounds of knock-out matchplay and a regional final to secure a place on the plane.
In the individual event, James Voce, a seven-handicap investment banker from Gorstyhill GC, Cheshire , won with a seven-point advantage over his nearest rival, Barry King ( Wimbledon Park ). More than 450 individuals had started out in the competition before the knock-out matchplay saw the field reduced to the six finalists in Portugal .
Voce said: “The final exceeded my expectations. The resort was fantastic with the golf courses in immaculate condition and the camaraderie between the competitors was excellent. The £26 entry fee was the best investment I made in 2009.”
Entries for the 2010 event close on May 14; regional rounds begin in June, with the grand final once again being held in Portugal in January 2011.
■ To be a part of next year’s event enter online at http://www.volvogolf.co.uk/ or call 0845 466 2222
RESULTS
PAIRS
1 Mark Jones & Peter Jones (Blue Mountain) 165pts
2 Paul Delargy & Brendan McNaughton (Cushendall) 163
3 Glen McKay & Vince Ley (Lindrick) 160
4 Mark Williams & Nick Zacharius (The Warwickshire) 157
5 Phil Bailey & Matt Oliver (Branston) 155
6 (equal) Ben Prior & Lloyd Nutley (North Foreland) and Andrew Holmes & Mark Roberts (Headingley) 151
8 Lewis Scott & Max Budgen (Leighton Buzzard) 149
9 Ian Cooper & Chris Salmon (Beau Desert) 148
10 (equal) Michael Cook & Jason Murdoch (Cams Hall) and Jason Allies & Neil Allies (The Worcestershire) 146
12 Paul Hesp & John Stockdale (Selby) 146
13 Peter Hill & Matt Clarke (Hallamshire) 145
14, Michael Jones & Jon Roberts (Cruden Bay) 138
15 (equal) Phil Young & Paul Ellis (Lymm) and Luke Halsey & Nigel Nash (Thames Ditton) 137
17 Andrew Morris & Matt Ford (Holsworthy) 135
18 Matt Browne & Karl Jones (Kendleshire) 129
19, Paul Lamb & Steve Lewington (Newbury & Crookham) 127.
SINGLES
1 James Voce (Gorstyhill) 137pts; 2 Barry King ( Wimbledon Park ) 130; 3 Mark Higgins (Cottesmore) 127; 4 Dan Jones (Barnham Broom) 117; 5 Kenneth White ( Farleigh Court ) 113; 6 Mark Robertson (Torphin Hill) 101.

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Report and scores from North-east Alliance competition


NO LARKIN ABOUT BY GREAT SCOTT

AS HE WINS AGAIN AT MONTROSE


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory’s Scott Larkin achieved back-to-back wins on the North-east Golfers’ Alliance today with an excellent score of six-under-par 58 for the 16-hole winter course at Montrose Links.
Larkin, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has a +2 handicap, has come home from four years on the competitive American college golf circuit as a better player than when he left. He could make an impact on the domestic amateur scene once the season.
With the par-3 third and 12th not used because winter greens were not available at these holes, Larkin had an eagle 3 (at the 15th) and seven birdies in halves of 31 (one under par) and 27 (five under par). Most very good rounds still can be bettered and Larkin did have bogeys at the seventh, ninth and 16th.
Runner-up, beaten by seven shots, was Deeside’s Andrew Campbell who did very well to salvage a 65 after running up a triple-bogey 7 at the sixth, in the middle of a run of four successive birdies.
There was no snow on the course but the conditions were still very wintry with a bitterly cold wind and sleet showers, all of which reduced a “normal” field of around 80 to only 54 players, the second lowest turn-out of the season. There were more than 20 No Returns, and I don't blame any of them! It was a bad enough day down at Montrose to get a soaking and a chill just walking from the Montrose Mercantile clubhouse to the car park at the early finish.
Leading scores (par 64)
SCRATCH
58 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 Andrew Campbell (Deeside).
66 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead), Steven Chalmers (Banchory).
67 Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
68 Bill Shaw (Banchory), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
69 Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge).
70 John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Stephen Cooper (Banchory), John Nicolson (Auchmill).
72 John Dalgarno (Hazlehead), Keil Beveridge (Aboyne), Fergus Bisset (Banchory).
73 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Manson Merchant (Newmachar), Raymond Brown (Craibstone), Mike Booth (Kemnay).
74 Alistair Fiddes (Deeside), Kenny Minty (Turriff).
75 Craig Graham (Newmachar), David Philip (Newburgh), Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum).
76 Roy Pirie (Caledonian).
77 Mike Brown (Craibstone).
78 Sandy Davidson (Northern).
79 Don Lawrie (Inchmarlo).
80 Jackie Forrest (Northern).
81 Robert Lamb (Newmachar), John Jessiman (Oldmeldrum), Ian Grant (Huntly).
82 Ron Alison (Deeside), Benny Lumsden (Northern).
83 Derek Townsley (Peterculter), Mike Smith (Turriff).

HANDICAP
Class 1
– S Larkin (Banchory) (+2) 60; L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (5) 62; B Shaw (Banchory) (5) 63; J M Hamilton (Murcar Links) (6), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2) 64; A Campbell (Deeside), S Cooper (Banchory) (5) 65; J Dalgarno (Hazlehead) (6), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 66; K Minty (Turriff) (7) 67.
Class 2 – M Brown (Craibstone) (16) 61; R Brown (Craibstone) (11) 62; M Booth (Kemnay) (9) 64; I Grant (Huntly) (16) 65, S Davidson Northern) (12), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (9) 66; D Lawrie (Inchmarlo) (12), M K Smith (Turriff) (16) 67; R Alison (Deeside) (13), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (12) 69; B Lumsden (Northern) (12) 70.

MONTROSE LINKS WINTER SCORECARD 64
(16 HOLES: no Par-3 3rd nor Par-3 12th)
OUT: 4-4-x-4-4-4-4-4-4--32. IN: 4-4-x-4-4-5-3-4-4--32.
SCOTT LARKIN 58
OUT: 4-3-x-3-4-4-5-3-5--31. IN: 3-3-x-3-3-3-4-4-4--27.
ANDREW CAMPBELL 65
OUT: 4-5-x-3-3-7-3-3-4--32. IN: 4-5-x-4-5-5-3-3-4--33.
SANDY PIRIE 66
OUT: 5-4-x-3-4-5-4-3-4--31. IN: 3-4-x-5-5-6-4-4-4--35.
STEVEN CHALMERS 66
OUT: 5-4-x-3-3-4-6-4-4--33. IN: 3-4-x- 5-5-5-4-4-3--33
+Next Wednesday's competition is at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club.

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Aussie 1-2-3 in New Zealand Senior Masters

Australian Mike Harwood won the inaugural Handa New Zealand Senior Masters at Millbrook with a final round of 70 and a ten under par total score of 206.
Harwood really won the event with his second round 66, and when he played through the first nine on the last day in three under par 33 the event was his to lose. He gave the chasers a glimmer of hope when he bogeyed 11 and 12, but a birdie on the par five 15th locked it up.
Another player from Melbourne, Michael Clayton, finished strongly with a 69 for second place on 210. He also made a couple of bogeys coming home but offset these with five birdies.
Queenslander Wayne Grady was third alone, a shot further back after a final round 72, three birdies offset by three bogeys.
Simon Owen was the leading New Zealander, tied fourth with Noel Ratcliffe. Sir Bob Charles finished in 12th equal placing after a final round of 74.

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