Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County News

COUNTY GOLFERS CRASH AT MONTROSE

In the first match of the Provan Saver for 2010, the County team suffered a heavy defeat by 7 matches to 1 against a strong Angus team over the Montrose Golf links. The only crumb of comfort for Team Captain John Gullen was Scott Borrowman’s win by one hole----- 2 down with three to play, Scott snatched the 16th short hole when his opponent missed the green, then squaring the match at the next followed by a closing winning birdie thanks to a 12 ft putt… good enough to record a one hole win. Many of the other games showed the importance of the opening holes in a match … that is not allowing your opponent to move ahead---fighting back from behind is always difficult..
MATCH RESULTS Clackmannan 1 Angus 7 (Clackmannan names first)
Scott Borrowman (Dollar) beat Ross Coull (Edzell 1 hole; Jamie Aitken (Alloa) lost to Gary Duncan (Carnoustie) 5/4; Scott Moffat (Alloa) lost to William Bremner (Edzell) 2/1; John Maxwell (Tulliallan) lost to Alistair Serrels (Montrose) 2/1;m Darren Hulston (Dollar) lost to Gary Tough (Edzell) 2/1; John Salmond (Alloa) lost to Maurice Lindsay (Broughty) 6/5; Mike Rust (Braehead) lost to Stewart Smith (Downfield) 2/1; Ian Ross lost to Kris Harper (Carnoustie) 5/4

The County team will be hoping for better luck on Sunday when they take on Fife in the second match at Braehead. Selected for the County are
S Horne, J Maxwell (Tulliallan); Darren Hulston (Dollar), Lawrence Allan (Alva) Mike Rust, Ross Benvie (Braehead) Ian Ross, Scott Moffat (Alloa).

BRITISH COLLEGE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

There was success for Alloa Junior John Salmond in the Championships held at the Fairmont golf courses near St Andrews on the 16th and 17th March. With 129 golfers from 23 colleges throughout the country, John took second place in the individual event with rounds of 72 over the Kittocks course and 77 over the Torrance course. His aggregate of 149 was 5 shots behind the winner Connor Wilson from Truro. John helped his team Elmwood B to second equal place in the team even with a team total of 456, just one shot behind the winners Elmwood A team..
John has one more year at junior level and hopes to play in some of the National events including the Scottish Youths Championship and British Boys Championship.

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
The well established opening 72 hole event of the golfing season takes place at Leven Links this weekend when National and Area Champions compete for the 2010 title. Representing Clackmannanshire will be Stroke Play Champion Scott Borrowman and Match Play Champion Jamie Aitken. The event dates back to 1970….. County golfers had early success with Sandy Horne (Tulliallan) winning the 1970 inaugural event followed by Michael Niven who took the title in 1974. The format was different then with 36 hole stroke play with the best four scores playing off in match play. Michael had particularly satisfying wins culminating with a win in the final against Tom Melville a Scottish Internationalist by 2/1.

SOME MONEY FOR MACAULAY
Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay gained a little confidence with a four round 3 over par total of 287 in the Kenya Open last week. Callum started with a four under first round of 67, putting him in second place, fell away in the second round with a 76, finally recovering slightly in the last two rounds. While he really wants to be back in the full European Tour events, the best way is through some good results on the Challenge tour, although the odd invitation to the main tour means a chance to force himself on to the European Tour with an outright win---- extremely difficult. The good news is that Callum is in the field for the Madeira Open to be played at Porto Santo Golf Club from the 8th till 11th April. The Madeira Open as many will remember was Callum’s best result in 2009 where he finished in second place being denied a play off when the eventual winner holed a putt on the last green. His team of loyal supporters will be following his progress with great interest.

MIDLAND ALLIANCE
The recent success of Wee County golfers in Midland alliance events came to a halt last week on the island course of King James VI in Perth. With two events left, senior golfer Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) leads the voucher winners, Michael Niven (Alloa) is in 5th Place, Chris Westland 9th equal; Ray Barton, Hugh Hunter (both Alloa) 30th equal ;Kenny Thomson (Alloa) 46th equal.
There is good news for local Alliance members in the 2010/2011 fixture list with one event scheduled to be played at Schawpark (Alloa Golf Club) in September----- probably the first visit there unless anyone knows differently.

LAWRENCE MOVES UP THE GOLF LADDER
Rising golf star 15year old Lawrence Allan (Alva) took another step up the golfing ladder last weekend when he joined a select invited group of elite Scottish junior golfers. There were 30 invites to the first Junior Tour event of 2010, and they played 36 holes over Monifieth Links. In Round one he went to the turn in one over par 37, but dropped shots on the inward nine to give a 5 over par score of 76, 5 shots behind the leaders. In the second round, a succession of bogeys on the outward nine caused him to slip down the field, and although he recovered slightly on his final nine, the score of 78 gave him an aggregate of 154 and a share of 22nd place. There are more Junior Tour events coming up in the months ahead and last weekend’s result must give him some encouragement for the Scottish Boys Championships next week.

GORDON MACDONALD NEW SKIPPER OF SENIOR SCOTS

Gordon MacDonald (Callander) has accepted the appointment as playing captain of the Scotland senior men's International team.
He succeeds Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) who is stepping down

RUSSELL WEIR NAMED PGA CUP CAPTAIN

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
Russell Weir, the joint record holder for PGA Cup appearances, can look forward to renewing rivalries with the United States after being announced as Great Britain & Ireland’s captain for the 2011 match.
Weir, the PGA professional at Cowal Golf Club in Dunoon, Argyll, will lead GB&I against their US counterparts at the California resort of CordeValle from September 16-18.
He succeeds Gary Alliss and is tasked with attempting to recapture the famous Llandudno Trophy, which the Americans retained at The Carrick on Loch Lomond last September.
The 58-year-old was one of Scotland’s most accomplished players during the 80s & 90s, winning five Scottish Order of Merits, a Northern Open title and back-to-back PGA Professional Championships in 1987 & 88.
It was this consistency that earned Weir eight successive appearances from 1986-2000 to equal David Huish’s record and also made him the second highest points scorer, a tally that includes 15 wins.
PGA chief executive Sandy Jones said: “Russell has been a stalwart of Scottish golf for many years and enjoys a distinguished association with the PGA Cup which I’m delighted will continue with his role as captain for the 2011 match.
“He is a vastly experienced player and has an astute knowledge of the game which I’m sure will serve the Great Britain & Ireland team well.”
Weir, who played his last match in the narrow defeat at Celtic Manor in 2000, admits his appointment is a career high.
“This is the highest point in my career,” he said. “I always felt that when I was not able to play in the PGA Cup team that I would love to be captain and be involved in some way. To get the call is a fantastic honour.
“I was so excited when I got the call that I was not able to sleep just thinking about it.“I have always loved team sports especially in golf and to be part of the PGA Cup again is fantastic.”
He added: “It’s an honour representing your country, when that flag goes up you get a lump in your throat and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
“I’ve got so many great memories of the PGA Cup. My first match was Knollwood Country Club in Illinois and I always remember David Huish being in that team. I really looked up to him and he helped me through and gave me a great insight.”
Weir played under several PGA Cup captains and already has a clear picture of the kind of leadership he intends to bring to the contest.
“I haven’t worked out my battle plan yet but generally I will just be trying to get to know the players and making sure they feel comfortable and enjoy it as well as competing hard,” he said. “The memories from the PGA Cup will live with them for the rest of their lives so I just want to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
Weir, who is married to Carol and has a son, David, and daughter Kim, is in his 30th year as PGA pro at Cowal – the club he joined as a junior and where his father Jim was a talented one handicapper.
The news of Weir’s appointment follows on from the recent announcement that De Vere Slaley Hall has been chosen to host the matches when they return to British shores in 2013.

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