MORAY AND NAIRN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Played this evening at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth

NAIRN 6, FORRES 2
(Nairn players named first)
F Fotheringham halved with B Fotheringham
R Smith bt R Proctor 4 and 2.
R Forgan lost to J G Stuart 2 and 1.
G Burnett bt R McKerron 3 and 2.
S Macdonald bt A Robertson 1 hole
G Asher bt M Murdoch 2 and 1
S Burgess bt C MacKay 7 and 6.
P Saggers halved with S Maclennan

FROM THE LEAGUE WEBSITE:
Nairn and Forres opened this year's league on a cold windy night at Lossiemouth. Despite the weather there were some impressive performances especially from a junior making his League debut.
Sean Burgess of Nairn was three under par after four holes en route to a 7 and 6 win.
Moray, having broken Nairn's three-year grip on the title last year at Elgin, will be hoping to start a similar run themselves when they open their defence of the Shield on home soil against Elgin on Friday night

Zack leading Scot in Alps Tour's Lyoness Open

FROM THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE
Swiss player, Fredrik Svanberg shot a perfect 64 today to take one-stroke advantage over Spanish Pol Bech in this week's tournament, the Lyoness Open.
Svanberg, 28 years old, is playing his fourth season on Alps Tour and this winter he has made big changes for his game.The player from Davos have lost 20kg and come back on course with a strong body and the results are there. The mind seemed to be even stronger too.
For memories, Golf Club of Freiberg is a kind of good luck charm for Svanberg as he had holed in one at the 10th last year.
Spanish Pol Bech is second after scoring 65 and a group of four players are three strokes behind the leader - Italian Andrea Zanini, Englishman Jason Palmer and Frenchmen Alan Bihan and David Antonelli.
Projected cut is level par.
Agathe Séron
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
64 Fredrik SVANBERG (GC Davos Swiss Golf Foundation).
65 Pol BECH (Ping, Lacoste).
67 David ANTONELLI (Mionnay- 2 GOLF AND MORE), Alan Bihan (Las brisas de Chicureo Titleist), Jason PALMER (England), Andrea ZANINI (GC Garlenda).
68 Matthieu BEY (France), Nilson CABRERA (Parco di Roma GC), Xavier GUZMAN SADABA (Spain), Iñigo URQUIZU (Titleist, Footjoy, Lacoste).
69 Uli WEINHANDL (GC Bad Waltersdorf ), Matthew CRYER (Silestone, matthewcryergolf.com, Shane McHENRY (Australia), Jason KELLY (Wentworth GC), Marco GUERISOLI (Reply, Peak Performance).
70 Luca BENEDUCE (Italy), Zack SALTMAN (Aegon), Jann SCHMID (Srixon, stellar fund, la serlas), Leo ASTL (GC Walchsee), Vincent CACHERA (GC de Lyon), Lawrence DODD (G Signs & Design Hayden Enviro), Richard KILPATRICK (Northern Ireland), Jason Barnes (JSM Construction), Jurgen Maurer (GC Gut Freiberg), Peer Leipitschnik (Telekom, Austria, KGC Dellach).
Selected scores:
71 Benjamin MANNIX (GC Lana, Chervo), Adam Hodkinson (GRI Group, Ping, Titleist, Footjoy).
72 Eliott SALTMAN (Aegon).
73 Gavin DEAR (Murrayshall House Hotel and GC).
75 Kevin McALPINE (unattached).
76 Steven HUME (Murrayshall House Hotel and GC).
*Official tour scoring and statistics provided by the ALPS TOUR

Craig Lee wins top prize at Kilmarnock Barassie

Tartan Tour Scoreboard
SCOTTISH WATER-AID PRO-AM

Kilmarnock Barassie GC

INDIVIDUAL FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Craig Lee (Aspire Golf Centre) 69 67 (£2,554.79).

140 Gareth Adrian Wright (West Linton) 71 69, Ross Dixon (SCO) Renaissance 71 69, Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 71 69, Chris Doak (unattached) 69 71 (£1,411.10 each).
141 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 71 70, Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre 71 70, Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation 71 70, Stephen Gray (Hayston 70 71, Fraser Mann (Musselburgh 70 71, Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 69 72 (£547.10 each).
142 Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 71 71 (£357.67).
144 Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) 74 70, James McGhee (Turnhouse) 74 70, James McKinnon (Irvine) 73 71, Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 72 72, David Patrick (Elie) 72 72, Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) 71 73, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 70 74 (£255,96 each).
145 Colin Gillies (Braid Hills) 72 73, Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 71 74, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 70 75 (£149.50 each).
146 Mark King (Kingsfield) 73 73, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range 72 74, Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 71 75, Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design 71 75, Lee Harper(Archerfield Links) 70 76, Euan Cameron (Hamilton 70 76 (£110.70 each).
147 Andrew Cooper (Newmachar) 73 74, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst 72 75 (£88 each).
148 Alan E Reid (West Lothian 75 73, Gordon Sherry (Gordon Sherry Golf) 74 74.
149 Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar 76 73, Stuart Pardoe (unattached) 70 79, Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm 69 80.
150 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle 80 70.
151 Chris Conroy (unattached 77 74, Scott Herald (Adam Hunter Golf 74 77, Ross Leeds (Turnberry) 72 79.
152 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank 83 69, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie 76 76,
David Broadfoot (Dumfries & Co) 74 78.
153 Ian Robertson (Dalmilling 77 76.
156 Ewan Davie (Dunblane New 80 76, David Knapp (Playsport Golf 77 79, Edward Thomson (Senit Associates 75 81.
157 Ian Graham (Crow Wood 76 81.
158 Andrew McMahon (Grove Golf 82 76, Andrew Fullen (Largs 79 79.
160 Peter Kerr (Hayston) 77 83.
DSQ Ross Murdoch (Dumfries & Galloway 77.

PRO-AM 2
58 Stephen Gray (Hayston) £100.
62 Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) £100.
62 Chris Doak (unattached) £100.
62 Craig Lee (Aspire Golf Centre) £100.
63 Chris Kelly (Cawder) £100.

Euan Brown wins Ayrshire match-play

FROM THE AYRSHIRE GOLF WEBSITE

Euan Brown (Kilmarnock (Barassie) is the new Ayrshire match-play champion following a fine 6&5 victory over 2008 Champion Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle) at Western Gailes today.

Brown, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, started the match strongly and built an early two hole lead after Hamilton had driven into a fairway bunker at the 2nd and three putted the 3rd. A 20 foot putt for a half at the fourth closed the door on an early Hamilton fight back and a fine up and down from off the front of the green at the 5th saw Brown extend his lead to three.Hamilton’s putting woes continued and the match was virtually sealed when he missed short putts at the 7th, 8th and 9th to give Brown a comfortable six hole lead at the turn.

Halves in par figures at the next four holes were enough to give Brown the title on the 13th green.

It was a night that Hamilton will want to forget as he paid a heavy price for missing a number of short putts.That, however, takes nothing away from an excellent performance by Brown whose consistency both on the night and throughout the week made him a worthy champion.

PLAYERS' CHAMPIONSHIP

Luke Donald in the picture at Sawgrass

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Luke Donald was all smiles and Greg Owen all seething fury on the opening day of golf's richest event, the £6.2million Players Championship, in Florida today.
Donald, runner-up five years ago, tucked in just behind early pacesetter JB Holmes with a five-under-par 67 on a Sawgrass course which Nick Faldo said was set up perfectly for him.
Before attention turned to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, however, Owen became yet another victim of one of the most famous holes in the sport. A quadruple-bogey 7 on the tiny, 137yd 17th left the Mansfield player ready to explode after he handed in a one-over 73.
"I'm not saying a word about the 17th - I'm fuming at the moment," said Owen when asked by a US Tour official to speak to reporters. "Forget the 17th please. This is The Players Championship. I've not had a great year. I was playing nicely and I go and do that."
Owen's nine-iron tee shot to the near-island green failed to carry the water and then from the drop zone his next attempt was nowhere near making it over.
Owen has still to win in America and it was a par-e 17th that did for him when a golden opportunity presented itself at the Bay Hill Invitational four years ago. On that occasion a double-bogey 5 resulted in him losing the title to Australian Rod Pampling.
Donald, meanwhile, had four birdies in five holes around the turn and after bogeying the 15th hit a superb approach to six feet on the dangerous last and made the birdie putt.
As a result he was leading the early European challenge for a title won by Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia the last two years.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson three-putted it for bogey in a two under 70. The left-hander, who has a chance to go to world number one for the first time in his life on Sunday.
For that to happen he has to win and Woods has to be outside the top five, which after a 79 and missed cut by a shocking eight shots last Friday made for fascinating viewing as he set off in the afternoon.
A three-wood off the first tee flew left into the trees, but Woods managed to find the green from there and parred the next four holes as well.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

BMW ITALIAN OPEN IN TURIN

Lawrie, Storm, Rock, Fraser share lead on 67

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England's Graeme Storm will seek forgiveness for missing his daughter's second birthday after claiming a share of the clubhouse lead in the rain-delayed BMW Italian Open today.
Storm carded an opening round of 67, five under par, to join compatriot Robert Rock, Australian Marcus Fraser and former Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie from Aberdeen at the top of the leaderboard in Turin, with 18 players unable to complete their rounds due to a two-hour delay this morning.
Storm, the 32-year-old former British amateur champion from Hartlepool, had not planned on playing this week, but a shoulder injury which contributed to his worst start to a season since 2005 forced his hand.
"I thought if I played well in Seville last week I would not play as it was my daughter Grace's second birthday yesterday, but I missed the cut and here I am," explained Storm, winner of the Open de France in 2007. "I shot 67 so hopefully she'll forgive me in time."
That missed cut in Seville was his fifth in eight events in 2010, although the former Walker Cup winner admits he should never have played three of those tournaments due to the injury, which was suffered playing water polo.
Storm added: "This is the worst start to a season since I came back on tour. I was effectively out for four months with a rotator cuff injury in my left shoulder and I'm just trying to get some form ahead of the big tournaments this summer.
"I injured myself in December but it was not diagnosed until I went to Abu Dhabi in January. I played three weeks in the Middle East and should never have played."
Storm almost did not play in Turin either after feeling "horrendous" when walking the Royal Park I Roveri course on Wednesday when rain washed out the pre-tournament pro-am.
"I just sat down for an hour afterwards and then went to see the doctor and he told me I had a viral infection, some fluid in the inner ear," he added. "To shoot five under was a great score, I didn't expect it so maybe that's why, maybe I was relaxed."
Fraser is seeking back-to-back wins after victory in the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea a fortnight ago, while Rock is still looking for his maiden European Tour victory after finishing runner-up three times last season.
Home attention was focused on the professional debut of Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who joined the paid ranks this week following a superb amateur career which saw him win the British Amateur Championship in 2009, finish 13th in The Open Championship at Turnberry a month later and then 36th in the Masters Tournament at Augusta last month.
And the 17 year old did not disappoint with a typically composed round of 70, two under par, outscoring playing partner and European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie by six shots.
"He was very impressive, to do that as a 17 year old today," Montgomerie said of a playing partner almost 30 years his junior. "He has a good future ahead of him and I wish him all the best."
Manassero added: "It was a good round, I played steady for 18 holes. I really liked how I played today. I was a little nervous, like always in big tournaments, but fortunately I'm getting used to it.
"I don't want to rewind any part of my game. I didn't putt that well but I didn't have many chances so I like the way I played and hopefully it will stay like this."
Meanwhile Paul Lawrie, who needed to birdie the 18th to make a play-off for the Open de España last Sunday but bogeyed it instead, carded six birdies and one bogey in his 67.
The 41 year old from Aberdeen said: "I struggled a bit from tee to green but putted magnificently, holing three times from off the green from around 30 feet.
"I missed a couple of makeable ones on 14 and 18 but five under was a really good score as the conditions were a bit tougher than they had been in the morning.
"I had a lesson from my coach Adam Hunter the Monday before last and he noticed I was aiming left when putting. I've always done that but it was further left than usual so he bought a Dave Pelz putting trainer online and sent it to me and I've started rolling it nicely."
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FIRST ROUND SCORES SO FAR

Walker Cup player Haines turning pro

FROM THE GOLFWEEKWEBSITE
By Alistair Tait
English Walker Cup player Matt Haines is turning professional.
The 20-year-old will join the Hambric Sports stable, following in the footsteps of Scottish Walker Cup player Wallace Booth, who signed with Hambric following last year’s Walker Cup.
Haines, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, won the Spanish amateur championship earlier this year, defeating countryman Tommy Fleetwood at the 37th hole. That victory gained Haines an invite to the European Tour’s Spanish Open. Unfortunately, he did not make the most of his first European Tour start. Haines only played one round before being disqualified for signing for a wrong score.
The English player from Rochester & Cobham Golf Club in Kent, England, is one of the best young British prospects. In 2007, he won two of Britain’s under-18 tournaments, the McEvoy Trophy and Carris Trophy (the England Under-18 Stroke Play Championship). In 2008, he won the Lytham Trophy, one of the biggest amateur events in the British Isles.
Last season, Haines won the Berkhamsted Trophy, the Hampshire Hog, the Selborne Salver and finished runner-up in the Welsh Open Stroke Play Championship and the St. Andrews Links Trophy.
Haines made the Great Britain & Ireland Walker side that played at Merion last year. However, he did not live up to expectations. Haines did not win a match, losing three and halving another as GB&I crashed to defeat.
Haines was expected to play for England against France in Chantilly May 16-17, but made himself unavailable to EGU selectors after deciding to turn pro.
Robert Duck of Hambric Sports confirmed that Haines has eight starts on this year’s European Challenge Tour. Haines will make his professional debut in the Mugello Tuscany Open at UNA Poggio dei Medici Golf Club in Florence, Italy.

United States PGA Tour Scoreboard
THE PLAYERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Total prizefund: $9,500,000. First prize: $1,071,000.
COMPLETED FIRST ROUND SCORES (before end of play)
Par 72. 7,215yd.
J B Holmes 66
Jason Bohn 67
Ben Crane 67
Heath Slocum 67
Luke Donald 67
Ryuji Imada 676
Charley Hoffman 68
Tim Clark 68
Troy Matteson 68
Matt Kuchar 68
J J Henry 68
Alex Prugh 69
Woody Austin 69
Vijay Singh 69
Jim Furyk 69
Henrik Stenson 69
Andres Romero 69
Paul Goydos 69
Ross Fisher 69
Martin Kaymer 70
Adam Scott 70
Stephen Ames 70
Camilo Villegas 70
Phil Mickelson 70
Brian Gay 70
Zach Johnson 70
Chris Stroud 70
Charlie Wi 70
John Merrick 70
Bob Estes 70
Lee Janzen 70
Oliver Wilson 70
Nick O'Hern 71
Cameron Beckman 71
Trevor Immelman 71
David Toms 71
Dustin Johnson 71
Mark Wilson 71
Ben Curtis 71
Pat Perez 71
Troy Merritt 71
Charl Schwartzel 71
Bryce Molder 71
Robert Karlsson 71
Brian Davis 72
Alvaro Quiros 72
Justin Rose 72
Greg Owen 73
Paul Casey 73
Ricky Barnes 73
Ernie Els 74
Martin Laird 74

European Tour Scoreboard
ITALIAN OPEN
Royal Park I Roveri, Turin, Italy

FIRST ROUND (still to be completed)
Six groups of three players each had still to finish when play was called off for the day. They will complete their rounds at 8am local time Friday.
Par 72
67 Robert Rock, Paul Lawrie, Marcus Fraser (Aus), Graeme Storm
68 David Drysdale, Hennie Otto (Rsa), Stephen Dodd, David
Horsey
69 Thomas Aiken (Rsa), Marco Soffietti (Ita), Peter Whiteford, Ake Nilsson (Rsa), Gareth Maybin, Pelle Edberg (Swe), Oliver Fisher, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Martin Ureta (USA)
70 Peter Baker, Nick Dougherty, Matteo Manassero (Ita), Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel), Andrew Coltart, Carlos Rodiles (Spa), Steven O'Hara, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa), Robert Coles, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg), Lee Slattery, Thomas Bjorn (Den), Ignacio Garrido (Spa)
71 Mikael Lundberg (Swe), Carlos Del Morral (Spa), Anthony Wall, Alejandro Canizares (Spa), Alastair Forsyth, Benjamin Hebert (Fra), Christian Cevaer (Fra), Chris Wood, Francois Delamontagne (Fra), Marcel Siem (Ger), Peter Gustafsson (Swe), Sam Hutsby, Carl Suneson (Spa), Mark F Haastrup (Den), David Dixon, Phillip Archer, Thomas Levet (Fra), Barry Lane
72 Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Steve Webster, Christian Nilsson (Swe), Richard McEvoy, Phillip Price, Andrew Dodt (Aus), Mark Brown (Nzl), Stefano Reale (Ita), Jamie Elson, Julien Clement (Swi), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Miles Tunnicliff, Lorenzo Gagli (Ita), Edoardo Molinari (Ita)
73 Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Sion E Bebb, Robert Dinwiddie, Joost Luiten (Ned), Andrew McArthur, Oskar Henningsson (Swe), Michele Reale (Ita), Bradley Dredge, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Andrea Maestroni (Ita), Richie Ramsay, Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Rhys Davies, Darren Clarke, Paul Broadhurst, Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Stephen Gallacher, James Ruth, Ross McGowan
74 Andrew Tampion (Aus), Shiv Kapur (Ind), David Howell, Rafael Echenique (Arg), Scott Drummond, Julien Quesne (Fra), Simon Khan, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor), Stephan Gross junior (Ger), Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Nino Bertasio (Ita)
75 Gary Clark, Gary Boyd, John Parry, James Kingston (Rsa), Benn Barham, Julien Guerrier (Fra), James Morrison, Andrea Perrino (Ita), Gregory Havret (Fra)
76 Chris Gane, Simon Dyson, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Gregory Molteni (Ita), Costantino Rocca (Ita), Sam Little, Anton Haig (Rsa), Andrea Bolognesi (Ita), Colin Montgomerie, David Lynn, Rick Kulacz (Aus), Andrea Pavan (Ita), Tano Goya (Arg), Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Emanuele Canonica (Ita), Peter O'Malley (Aus)
77 Gary Murphy, Paolo Terreni (Ita), Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Markus Brier (Aut)
78 Marco Ruiz (Par), Roope Kakko (Fin), Steven Jeppesen (Swe)
79 Andrew Butterfield, Niccolo Quintarelli (Ita), Marc Warren, Paul Waring
80 Gary Lockerbie, Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe), Christoph Gunther (Ger)
81 Brett Rumford (Aus), Mark Foster

McIlroy named Golfer of the Month for April

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy was given a belated birthday present today with the news he has been voted The Race to Dubai Golfer of the Month for April.
McIlroy turned 21 on Tuesday May 4, two days after his stunning first triumph on the US PGA Tour in the Quail Hollow Championship, a victory which sealed his winning of the award in the eyes of the judging panel, which consisted of members of the Association of Golf Writers as well as radio and television commentators.
McIlroy, who will receive a jeroboam of Moët & Chandon champagne as well as an engraved alms dish in recognition of his achievement, produced a performance of truly breathtaking ability at the Quail Hollow Club. Having made the weekend action right on the cut line, he stormed through the field with a best of day 66 on Saturday before a course record 62 on Sunday – a round which finished with six consecutive threes – saw him win by four strokes from Masters Champion Phil Mickelson.
“I am thrilled to be recognised by The European Tour with this award, it really means a lot,” he said. “I'm really looking forward to getting back to Europe and playing in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and I suppose I will play there as the reigning Golfer of the Month which will be really nice.
“Even now I am still thinking back to the victory at Quail Hollow. The final round was one of those rounds you are never going to forget, to be honest. I was in such a good frame of mind going out that I knew I had a chance and there is no better feeling in the world than to go out and beat such a high quality field over such a good golf course.”

Aberdeen & District Junior Pennant League
SPONSORED BY KINGS LINKS GOLF CENTRE

RESULTS FROM SUNDAY, MAY 2

ABOYNE 3, McDONALD ELLON 3
AUCHMILL 1/2, DEESIDE 5 1/2
CALEDONIAN 3, INCHMARLO 3
MURCAR LINKS 1, BANCHORY 5
OLDMELDRUM 4, ALFORD 2
PETERCULTER 2, NEWMACHAR 4.
PETERHEAD 6, ROYAL ABERDEEN 0.
PORTLETHEN 4, INVERURIE 2.
STONEHAVEN 3 1/2, INVERALLOCHY 2 1/2

Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25-26

Entries now being accepted
-
for Xltec Pro Tour event
-
at Marriott Dalmahoy

FROM CHRIS TURNER, 110sport Group Ltd
We are now accepting entries for the 3rd Xltec Pro Golf Tour event at The Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club, nr Edinburgh on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25-26.
Entries close for this event at mid-day on Thursday, May 20. The draw and tournament conditions will also be sent out by the close of play on the same day. Please note that the first round will be played on the West Course with play commencing at 8 am and the second round will be over the Championship East Course with play commencing at 10am. As usual, the second day draw will be done in score order.
Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel can offer us accommodation on the Tuesday night (May 25) only as they have high volumes of residential business in that week.
Rooms are limited for the Tuesday night but are offered to Xltec Tour competitors at a room rate of £80 B&B, based on two sharing (£40 per person).
To book any rooms or a practice round, please contact Director of Golf (and our own Xltec Tournament Director) Alan Tait, on either alan.tait@marriotthotels.com or golfprotait@btinternet.com
The leading lady professional at this event will receive a £400 bonus by means of sponsorship to Ladies Professional Golf.
I look forward to seeing you all at the fantastic Dalmahoy venue. Please contact me to enter.
Chris Turner
Golf Projects Manager
110sport Group Ltd
mobile +44 (0) 7889 355856
email c.turner@110sport.com
web http://www.110sport.tv/

Anthony Kim out for about three months following thumb op

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY I M G
Anthony Kim has undergone successful surgery on his left thumb after being forced to withdraw from the Players' Championship on Tuesday. Kim is expected to be out 10-12 weeks as he works through the necessary rehabilitation and training schedule.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Thomas Graham, Chief of the National Hand Center in Baltimore.
“Anthony sustained a high grade partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament of his left thumb several months ago, and over the course of the last several months of tournament play, the status of the ligament proved insufficient for Anthony to compete on Tour,” said Dr. Graham. “I was extremely pleased with how the repair of the ligament went and would anticipate that Anthony will be able to return to play in 10-12 weeks.”
“While I had hoped to be able to continue to play through the injury, compensating for it was starting to cause other issues, including a sore shoulder that I was experiencing at the Quail Hollow Championship, and we had to get it fixed,” said Kim. “I appreciate Dr. Graham’s guidance and care through this and look forward to working through the rehab so I can get back out on Tour and pick up where I left off.”
Kim has been off to a stellar start in 2010 with four top 10 finishes in eight starts, including a win at last month’s Shell Houston Open and a 3rd place finish at the Masters, while leading the US PGA Tour in scoring average.

Royal Lytham toughened up and lengthened for 2012 Open

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By Alistair Tait
Competitors in last weekend's Lytham Trophy served as guinea pigs for the Open Championship due to take place at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in 2012.
Royal Lytham has always posed a serious challenge to Europe’s elite amateurs ever since the inaugural Lytham Trophy in 1965. This year it was even more challenging. Those who had the fortune to compete in the tournament got a sneak preview of what the world’s top golfers will face two years from now.
A number of significant changes have been made to the golf course to make it an even sterner test than it was when David Duval won the Open Championship in 2001. Nine years ago, the course measured 6,905 yards and played to a par of 71.
The exact measurement of the 2012 course has not been settled yet, but it will measure about 7,150 yards with a par of 70.
Key changes come at the second, third, sixth, seventh, 10th and 11th holes.
No architectural changes were made to the sixth, but it now plays as a 490yd par-4 instead of a par-5 like it played nine years ago.
New tees at the second, third, 10th and 11th holes make up for most of the extra yardage. For example, the new second tee is 50yd behind the old championship tee, and this par-4 now measures 486yd.
The challenge at number two lies in the tee shot. Players will need to fly 275 yd from the tee to carry the bunkers that protect the right centre of the fairway. No problem downwind but tricky if the breeze is into the players’ faces.
The third hole has been extended, too, and new bunkers right and left along with mounding on the left-hand side of the fairway tightens up a hole that was already challenging enough.
One of the biggest alterations is seen at the par-5 seventh hole. Previously, the green was set in a little punch bowl behind a large mound. The new green is some 70yd farther on and to the left, making the hole less of a blind shot.
The 10th hole was extended right to the edge of the property. Forty yards were added to the hole, meaning players now need to hit a longer iron into a smallish green.
The 11th hole has a new tee about 45yd behind the old championship tee. It is perched on a high dune behind and to the left of the 10th green. The fairway bunkers on the left-hand side of the fairway have been reduced, too. Whereas previously players were blindly hitting over the fairway bunker, now they get a good look at the entire hole from the tee.
A par-70 course measuring 7,150yd doesn’t sound foreboding in today’s game, but competitors in this year’s Lytham Trophy would disagree. Average scores varied between 76-77.
The pros have been warned. Royal Lytham will be tough in 2012

LOTHIANS CHAMPIONSHIP

Allyn Dick survives calling a penalty on himself

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Kingsknowe's Allyn Dick took a leaf out of Englishman Brian Davis' book as he survived a scare to set up a third-round clash tonight in the Lothians Championship at Royal Burgess.
Just as Davis did on the US PGA Tour a few weeks ago, Dick called a penalty on himself. After leaving his ball in a greenside bunker at the 16th, the former Scottish Mid-Amateur champion kicked the sand and knew the consequences straight away. He said:
"You are only cheating yourself if you do something like that and don't admit it."
Dick had to dig deep to beat the host club's John Yuille at the 22nd. Three down at the turn, Yuille clawed his way back into the game and, after coming to the last, looked to be the favourite after the tee shots.
But, after charging his first putt past the hole, he had to settle for a half there and eventually succumbed to a birdie from his opponent at the fourth extra hole.
Next up for Dick is a clash with Pumpherston's Paul Drake, who drove the ball much better on Monday in beating Alan Hogg of Dundas Parks by 5 and 4.
"I've played Paul before for Shotts, so it should be a tasty game," noted Dick, while Drake admitted he was more concerned about Dick's presence in his half of the draw than defending champion Keith Nicholson.
Bidding to lift the title for a record fifth time, Nicholson took full advantage of his opponent, Craigielaw's Martin Stein, having an off-night to make comfortable progress into the last eight with a 5 and 4 win.
By contrast, Nicholson's next opponent, Olly McCrone of Turnhouse, needed extra time to beat Swanston New's Malcolm Campbell, who was left kicking himself after three-putting the 16th when he had a golden chance to get his nose in front.
All-square playing the last, Campbell almost holed his pitch from short of the green for an eagle-2 but McCrone, who had found the putting surface with his drive, also got a birdie there before being conceded the 19th after his opponent failed to get up and down for a par.
Unfazed by seeing the big-hitting Campbell thump the ball 40 yards past him most of the night, McCrone declared: "I'd love to hit the ball that far but I just go out and play my own game."
Despite the fact he had another early rise for his work, Royal Musselburgh's Craig Johnstone chalked up what was probably the shock of the night as he beat Robert Carson of Marriott Dalmahoy by 2 and 1.
Two up after three – he birdied the second and third – Johnstone then lost the next three but, at the business end of the match, won the 14th with a birdie and was conceded an eagle-3 at the 16th.
He now faces Duddingston's David Miller, who was unable to reproduce his fireworks from the previous evening but, crucially, won three holes in a row from the eighth to lay the foundations to a 3 and 2 win over Deer Park's Alan Crawford.
For the second night in a row, Silverknowes's Paul Heggie found himself behind early on but the 24-year-old was conceded an eagle at the 16th and then birdied the 17th from six feet to beat Linlithgow's Calum Grant by 2 and 1.
Heggie's quarter-final opponent is Carrickvale's Craig Elliot, who wasn't happy with his ball striking but still managed to sweep aside Scott Johnston of Prestonfield.
+The above article appears in the Edinburgh Evening News today.

Rain delays start of BMW Italian Open

The start of the first round of the BMW Italian Open has been delayed as course workers try to repair damage caused by five days of unseasonal heavy rain.
Many of the fairways at The Royal Park Roveri course on the northern outskirts of Turin were left covered by pools of standing water.
The rain stopped before dawn (local time) Thursday but European Tour spokesman said there would be a delay of at least two hours while the course was made fit for play.

Aberdeen Trades Foursomes
Being played over Hazlehead No 1 Course

FIRST ROUND RESULTS
ELMAR v BAKERS (playing on Friday).

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS bt ABERDEEN TELEPHONES at 19th
John Godward, Ian Castles 2, Andrew Hepburn, Julie Henderson 0.
Donald Smith, Alan Joss 0, Willie Smith, Peter Coutts 2.

INSURANCE bt SURVEYORS by 2 holes
Alan Joss, Gary Walker 3, Nick Henderson, John Moore 0.
Paul Young, Mark Halliday 0, Graeme Nisbet, John Broadley 1.

BANCON CONSTRUCTION walk-over AGRICOLA scratched.

ROYAL MAIL 2 bt TULLOCH RECRUITMENT BY 3 HOLES.
Albert Craig, Tommy Still 0, John Lind, Raymond Cheyne 4.
Scott Allan John Hewitt 1 Mike Taylor, George Allan 0.

BAKER HUGHES walk-over LAWYERS scratched.

+Results supplied by organiser Tony Robertson.

New Tartan Tour event will include leading amateurs

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
A new series of events on the Tartan Tour will see Scotland's top amateurs test themselves against the country's leading home-based professionals.
The 'Sprint to St Andrews' will involve five 18-hole qualifiers, each carrying a minimum prize fund of £5,000, culminating in a 36-hole final at The Duke's Course at St Andrews, where a pot of £10,000 will be up for grabs.
It is intended that up to ten places in each field will be made available to accommodate leading amateurs chosen by the Scottish Golf Union. "This is an exciting addition to our schedule, which I'm sure will be well supported by our members," said Michael MacDougall, secretary of the PGA's Scottish Region.
The first qualifying event will be held at Dundonald Links on May 20, with Dunbar on June 23 and Cawder on July 22 having also been confirmed. The two other venues have yet to be finalised.
Points will be awarded to leading finishers to form a mini-order of merit, from which the final field of 30 will be formed.
While the amateurs will, of course, be ineligible for any prize money, the chance to test themselves against pros is seen by the SGU as a positive step in the development of players.
+The above article appears in The Scotsman newspaper today.