Wednesday, June 02, 2010

NORTH-EAST DISTRICT HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP

North-east District Handicap Championship are taking place at Inverurie Golf Club on  July 4.

Entry forms are available on the North-east website at www.sgunortheast.co.uk

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Monty warns Ryder Cup candidates to play at Gleneagles not in US

FROM THE SKYSPORTS.COM WEBSITE
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has warned prospective team members that he expects them to be in Scotland during the last week of qualifying rather than America.

The Scot was an outspoken critic of the decision taken by Ian Poulter two years ago to remain in the United States when he could have made the side on points by playing in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Captain Nick Faldo eventually picked Poulter as a wild card but if Montgomerie's words on Wednesday were anything to go by, contenders who make the same decision this time will be looked upon unfavourably.
"I want to see them showing support for European golf and the European Tour and I will be very, very surprised if they are not there," Montgomerie said on the eve of the Wales Open, over the same Celtic Manor course where October's match takes place.
"That would make a whole lot of sense to a whole lot of people. I am convinced that I will have around eight candidates for three spots.
"You can count on those eight playing at Gleneagles. They will be there."
He added: "Knowing that the two wild card selections last time (Paul Casey was the other, but he could not get in on points by then) were not at Gleneagles you would anticipate that all the so-called possibilities will be playing at Gleneagles, yes."
Pressed on the matter, however, Montgomerie was not prepared to state for certain that any contenders who failed to show were ruling themselves out of a wild card pick.
A sticking point might be the fact that the same week sees the first of the four FedEx Cup play-off series events in the States, with $10million of prize money on offer.
The likes of Poulter, Casey, Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and Brian Davis are all likely to have qualified for the series.
Poulter and McIlroy have already done just about enough to make it into the side on points - and so will avoid Montgomerie's wrath by being there - as has Lee Westwood, although he is not a US Tour member.
However, the others need a strong summer to avoid the cup race going down to the wire.
Garcia, an ever-present in the side since he became the youngest-ever cup player at the age of 19 in 1999, said last week: "The Ryder Cup is important, but you can't change your whole schedule for it."
Donald, meanwhile, said: "That will be a tough call, whether I can afford to miss a play-off event. I'll have to take it as it comes."
At least the latter has gained favour by turning out for this week's event - Donald's last appearance in a three-week visit which has seen him win the Madrid Masters and contend for the PGA championship.
Montgomerie wanted to see as many contenders as possible play in Wales, but only Donald and German Martin Kaymer are present of the top eight Europeans in the current world rankings.
Six of the present top nine in the points standings - Montgomerie has three wild cards this time compared to Faldo's two - are uncapped players.
McIlroy heads the list and is playing at the Memorial tournament instead, but the other five - Ross McGowan, Kaymer, Simon Dyson, Francesco Molinari and Alvaro Quiros - have the chance to impress, as do Welsh hope Rhys Davies and PGA champion Simon Khan.

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Vijay Singh gets US Open place - but he didn't "lobby for it"


DUBLIN, Ohio – His streak of consecutive appearances in the major championships will live on, but Vijay Singh insists the exemption into the upcoming U.S. Open isn’t something he lobbied for.

“I just left it up to them,” Vijay Singh said. “If they said no, then it was no.”
Singh, 47, heard late Tuesday that the answer was yes, that the U.S. Golf Association was granting him a spot into the June 17-20 championship at Pebble Beach.
“I’m very happy,” Singh said, but he reiterated that this was the only way in which he was going to get to Pebble Beach. “I was not going to qualify Monday, not for 36 holes.”
Plagued by injuries, Singh has plummeted to No. 63 in the world rankings and thus was pushed into a scenario by which he might have had to have qualified for the U.S. Open for the first time since 1994.
That is no longer an issue, so Singh’s stretch of major-championship appearances will extend to 64. (He’s already eligible for the Open at St Andrews and the US PGA Championship, so he is poised to play in all four majors for a 16th consecutive year.)
“There were many compelling reasons for us to invite Vijay Singh into the field,” said Thomas O’Toole, chairman of the USGA’s championship committee.
The move didn’t surprise some of Singh’s colleagues.
“It’s a legitimate exemption,” Adam Scott said. “I mean, he’s a guy who could win the thing.”
Singh hasn’t missed a major since the 1994 U.S. Open. Though he’s never won the U.S. Open, he’s been Top 10 seven times, including T-8 in 2000 at Pebble Beach

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Tartan Tour Scoreboard
POLLOCK GOLF CLUB PRO-AM
PRO SCORES
Par 71
66 David Patrick (Elie), Chris Kelly (Cawder).
67 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Samuel Cairns (Colville Park).
68 Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills).
69 Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Colin Gillies (Braid Hills), Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Craig Lee (Aspire Golf Centre).
70 Jonnie Cliff (Murrayfield).
72 Stuart Syme (Dumfries and Co), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Mark King (Kingsfield Golf Centre).
73 Iain Pender (Aberfoyle), James McKinnon (Irvine), Peter Mitchell (Hermitage), Paul Wardell (Whitekirk), Kenny Walker (Castle Park Golf Club).
74 Graeme Sneddon (Greaves Sports), Craig Ronald (Carluke), Chris Doak (unatt), Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links
77 John McTear (McTear Golf), Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf).
TEAM EVENT WINNER
123 (19 under par) Team headed by professional Graham Fox (East Kilbride).
Runners-up:
126 Teams headed by Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) and Kenny Walker (Castle Park Golf Club).

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PGA EUROPRO TOUR REPORT, SCORES

Kevin McAlpine trips up at last when about to share lead

Alyth's Kevin McAlpine was set to share the tournament lead as a professional for the first time ... before he boged the last hole in this week’s PGA EuroPro Tour event at Castle Dargan Golf Club on the Northwest Sligo coast of Ireland today.
The former Scottish amateur match-play and stroke-play champion had wiped out a bogey at the second with a great run of sub-par golf. He birdied the fourth, had an eagle 3 at the sixth and then birdied the long ninth and 10th, the short 13th and the 15th.
LEADING FIRST ROUND TOTALS
Par 71
65 Ian Keenan (Eng).
66 Kevin McAlpine (Sco), James Freeman (Eng).
67 Robert Hearty (Eng), Brendan McCarroll (Ire), Joe Carlisle (Eng), Tim Rice (Ire), Brian McElhinney (Ire),Nicky Harris (Eng), Elliot Saltman (Sco).
68 Steven Dance (Eng) (am), Scott Henry (Sco), Michael Lavelle (Ire), Graeme Clark (Eng).
69 Jason McCreadie (Sco), Dan Thomas (Eng), Jonathan Mallon (Ire), Martin Lawrence (Sco),Kevin Harper (Eng), Jonathan Gidney (Eng), Mark Staunton (Eng), Keir McNicoll (Sco),James Busby (Eng), Justin Evans (Eng), Daniel Belch (Eng), Andrew Thorpe (Eng).
Selected scores;
70 Scott Herald (Sco), Steven Duncan (Sco), Zack Saltman (Sco) (jt 27th).
71 Paul Doherty (Sco) (jt 39th).
72 Ross Cameron (Sco) (jt 52nd).
73 Graham Rankin (Sco) (jt 66th).
74 John Gallagher (Sco) (jt 74th).
77 Graeme Lornie (Sco), Mark Rae (Sco) (jt 96th).
78 Lee Harper (Sco) (jt 100th).
80 John Henry (Sco) (jt 106th).

Needing a par 4 at the last to nestle alongside clubhouse leader Ian Keenan (Royal Liverpool) on six-under-par 65, McAlpine dropped only his second shot of the round to finish on five-under-par 66.
All in all it was a good day for the Scots.
Elliot Saltman (Aegon) is in joint fourth position with a flawless 67, studded with birdies at the long sixth, the long 10th, the short 11th and the short 13th in halves of 35 and 32.
Scott Henry (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) is tied for 11th place with a 68. He came home in 32, highlighting his inward half with an eagle 3 at the 10th.
Tartan Tour pro Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) notched a 69 which included a double bogey 6 at the 18th
Martin Lawrence from Newmachar posted 69 despite running up an 8 at the closing hole after going out in 31 and packing in six birdies between the fourth and the 15th.
Also on 69 is Carnoustie’s Keir McNicoll who started slowly with bogeys at the second and fifth before an eagle 3 at the sixth got him in the mood. That was followed by 2 at the short seventh and birdies at the long 10th and 15th before he dropped a shot at the 17th.
Scott Herald (Mearns Castle Golf), Steven Duncan (Carnoustie) and Zack Saltman (Aegon) are sharing 27th place on 70.
Former Scottish boys’ match-play champion Paul Doherty, based in Wales, had a 71, one ahead of Ellon’s Ross Cameron (Paul Lawrie Foundation).

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Tiger Woods happy to work on game without a coach

FROM THE BBCSPORTS.COM WEBSITE
Tiger Woods has no plans to appoint a new coach for himself as he prepares to defend his title at the Memorial Tournament, which starts tomorrow.

Hank Haney resigned as the world number one's coach of six years earlier this month, citing the scandal in Woods' private life as one of the reasons.
But Woods is happy to rely on his own counsel as he continues his return from injury and five months out of the game.
"I've been using video and working on my game that way," said Woods.
"That's the great thing about technology. I have no plans for a new coach."
And Woods, 34, also conceded that he could see the reasons behind Haney's decision to resign, saying: "I understand it, there's a lot going on. Life is moving forward.
"The last six months have been pretty tough but I'm starting to get into my routine of playing, which is something I haven't done."
Woods has played only three tournaments this year, finishing fourth in the US Masters, missing the cut at Quail Hollow and then quitting during the final round of The Players Championship with a neck injury.
Speaking about the injury which forced him out at Sawgrass last month, Woods added: "The neck feels pretty good.
"It's still not where I want it to be but the inflammation has calmed down. It's a little sore after a good practice but I can recover for the next day which I wasn't able to do prior to this, which is good."
Woods has won four times at Muirfield Village, including three in a row from 1999-2001, and he admits he could not find many better places to warm up ahead of the US Open at Pebble Beach later this month.
"I've always liked this course, I played here in the US Amateur and loved it then and loved it as a pro," he added.
"I have good memories here and it's always nice to come back to a venue where I've played well. Maybe this time I can get four rounds in and get ready for the US Open."

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Young Ballingall now No 3 Scot in world amateur rankings

behind Byrne and Kellett

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Anglo-Scot Stuart Ballingall's good form on the US college golf circuit in his freshman year at the University of Missouri has seen him rise to be the third highest-ranked Scot in this week's updated R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Banchory's James Byrne, meantime representing Arizona State University in the NCAA championships at Chattanooga, maintains the top Scot ranking in 29th place, up one from last week.
Ross Kellett (Colville Park) is still No 2 Scot but has dropped 15 places to No 71.
Then there is a big gap to third-placed Ballingall, pictured, who comes from Norwich, and ended his first US college golf season by finishing tied 11th in the NCAA Southwest Regional Championship at San Diego, in 221st place.
Filling out the top six Scots in the world rankings are Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck & East Tennessee State) in 243rd place (down 53, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) in 250th position (up 34) and James White (Lundin & Stirling University) in 267th place, up 84.
The Scots in the top 500 are:
29 James Byrne (+1).
71 Ross Kellett (-15).
221 Stuart Ballingall (-1).
243 Michael Stewart (-53).
250 Kris Nicol (+34).
267 James White (+84).
316 Mark Hillson (+72).
379 David Law (+50).
401 Glenn Campbell (-98).
402 Philip McLean (-3).
416 Peter Latimer (+127).
472 Greg Paterson (-64).
Also:
530 Gordon Yates (+79).
535 Scott Crichton (+98).

WORLD'S TOP 10 THIS WEEK
1 Peter Uihlein (US) (no change).
2 Nick Taylor (Canada) (no change).
3 Bud Cauley (US) (+3).
4 Tommy Fleetwood (England) (-1).
5 Victor Dubuisson (France) (no change).
6 Russell Henley (Us) (-2).
7 Jonathan Randolph (US) (no change).
8 Andrea Pavan (Italy) (no change).
9 Jin Jeong (South Korea) (+3).
10 David Chung (US) (no change)

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 Gaughan gets through at 19th after losing 17th and 18th at Braids

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Bathgate's  Louis Gaughan, the beaten finalist last year and leading qualifier this time around, survived a scare to win his opening match in the Golf Finance-sponsored Lothians Boys' Championship at the Braids last night.
Up against Euan Bowden of The Glen, he was two up with two holes to play but lost the short 17th to a par and then the 18th to another par after visiting "The Graves" off the tee.
The momentum looked to be with Bowden as they headed back down to the first tee but Gaughan won the 19th with a par to set up a second-round clash tonight with Liberton's Anthony Blaney.
In another close encounter, Blaney went one up when his opponent, Bathgate's Ryan Boyle, discovered he'd played the wrong ball from through the back of the 17th green.
Fuelled by anger no doubt, Boyle then made amends by driving the last to win that with a birdie-3 but, after they'd halved the first extra hole, Blaney hit a majestic approach to four feet at the 20th to win that with a birdie.
Defending champion Simon Fairburn also went through but he certainly didn't get things all his own way against Craigielaw clubmate Euan Mackay, though he entered this event out of Torphin Hill.
Helped by the fact he holed his second shot for an eagle at the sixth, Fairburn was two up early on but Mackay then edged ahead by winning three holes in a row from the eighth.
Fairburn, though, was back in front after the 16th and held on for a one-hole win, earning him a second-round clash with Bathgate's Greg Miller, who beat Liberton's Ross Munro 3 and 2 to reach that stage.
West Linton's Fraser Thain won by the same margin against Blair Todd of Greenburn and now meets Newbattle's Lee Morgan, who accounted for Thain's clubmate, Sean Walter, on the last green.
In tonight's other second-round clash, Longniddry's Michael Bacigalupo, who was always in control as he beat Alexander Wilson of Gullane, takes on Ewen Donaldson of Craigielaw.
Donaldson was one down with two holes to play against Tantallon's Alasdair Simpson but squeezed through at the 19th.

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North-east boys' team named for Peebles on Sunday

After the North-east District men's success in the Scottish area team championship recently, the district's boys team will be attempting to complete a double by winning the Dunfermline Building Society Scottish boys' Area team championship at Peebles on Sunday. North-east boys have never won this event. Team for Peebles is::
Callum Cromer (Aboyne)
John Drummond (Strathlene)
Steven Smith (Deeside)
Alexander Wiseman (Fraserburgh)

FROM THE NORTH-EAST DISTRICT WEBSITE:
The fine form shown by North-east golfers this season continued at the weekend when Mark Halliday won the Moray 36 hole Open competition with fine rounds of 69 and 64 for 133.

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Nicole and Stuart Benson, participants in Royal Montrose Golf Club’s Bicentenary 25-Hole Golf Open and descendants of William Doleman, the winner of the first 25- Hole Open, with Brian Ritchie, Captain of Royal Montrose Golf Club, and Harry Faulkner, Bicentenary Convener.

Bensons are descendants of first Montrose Open 25-hole winner
NEWS RELEASE
Among the 120 golfers who took to the Montrose Links on Sunday to compete in the world’s second 25-Hole Open were Stuart and Nicole Benson from Glasgow, direct descendants of the winner of the first 25-Hole Open, William Doleman.
“My great-great grandfather on my mother’s side was one of the golfing greats of his day,” said Stuart Benson, who has continued the family’s love of golf and plays off a 7-handicap. “William Doleman was born on September 16, 1838 in the club house at Musselburgh, where his father was the caretaker. According to a report in The Glasgow Herald celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth, William ‘began to play as soon as he could swing a club.’”
William’s early golfing practice came in very handy and he became a very successful amateur golfer, with several appearances in the British Open. “I’d heard that my great-great-grandfather had won a major tournament in Montrose so, when I was golfing in Montrose a few years ago, I checked the records and discovered he’d won 1866 25-Hole Open,” explained Stuart, who was accompanied by his 16-year-old daughter, and William’s great-great-great granddaughter, Nicole.
“We come to Montrose to play golf every year as we really enjoy the courses and the atmosphere,” said Nicole, who has inherited the golfing gene and has a handicap of 13. “I’m really looking forward to playing in this competition, especially as it was previously won by one of my ancestors.”
As well as winning the world’s first 25-Hole Open, Stuart revealed that his great-great grandfather has another claim to fame. “William Doleman is on record as the first person to play golf in North America,” said Stuart. “When he was 16, he joined the Merchant Navy and sailed to Quebec, where a newspaper reported on a lad by the name of William Doleman hitting ‘gowff balls’ on a stretch of land which would later become Royal Quebec Golf Course.”
The 25 Hole Open, which was sponsored by Astute, was part of the bicentenary celebrations of Royal Montrose Golf Club, which are being supported by Angus Council through Carnoustie Country. Competitors travelled from all over to take part in the event, including golfers from the USA, Holland and Scandinavia, and, with 25 holes to play – eighteen on Montrose Medal, seven on the Broomfield course – rounds took over five hours.
“That was really good fun,” said Gary Tough, one of the first finishers. “I only had a couple of bad holes and I’m happy with my score of 101.”
After the players had completed their 25-hole rounds, a special prize-giving was held in clubhouse. Winners of the specially-commissioned Royal Montrose Golf Club Bicentenary hickory shaft putters, handcrafted by Royal Montrose Golf Club member Michael Stewart, were George Finlay (scratch), who returned a very impressive score of 96, Tony Johnstone (men handicap up to 10), John Lloyd (men handicap 11 – 18) and Betty Cole (ladies handicap).
Every competitor in the tournament who equalled or beat Willam Doleman’s winning score of 112 was presented with a commemorative scroll, including Nicole, who completed 25 holes of the Montrose Links in two strokes less than her great-great-great grandfather!
More information about Royal Montrose Golf Club’s bicentenary events can be found at www.royalmontrosegolf.com. To find out more about Carnoustie Country and its golf courses, visit www.carnoustiecountry.com.







Pictured left to right on the first tee are Brian Ritchie, Nicole and Stuart Benson, Harry Faulkner.



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Nairn Dunbar president has first hole

in one at age 88!

David Ellen, Nairn Dunbar GC's Club President, had his first ever hole in one on June 1 at the 173 yard third hole at Nairn Dunbar.
What makes the feat even more remarkable is that David is 88 years old. He has been a Nairn Dunbar GC member since 1931.
He used a hybrid club and his playing partners were David Mein and John McInnes.
David Ellen is pictured right, image supplied by Nairn Dunbar Golf Club.

Editor's note:
What a great year for Nairn Dunbar Golf Club! One of their members, Kelsey MacDonald, wins the Scottish women's amateur championship at Craigielaw a week or two back - and now an ace performance by the Club President.
Is there more to come?
Watch this space.

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