Rose blooms again for second US win in four weeks

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By Mark Reason
Justin Rose parred the final seven holes to win the US PGA Tour's AT and T National by a stroke from Ryan Moore at Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It was the 29-year-old Englishman’s second victory in America in the space of four weeks and he is playing the best golf in the world right now.
Rose’s ball striking in his closing par round of 70 was good enough to close out a major as he hit 16 greens in regulation on a brutal golf course. Back in 2007 Rose finished in the top 12 in all four majors as he ascended to the number six spot in the world. Rose has a new coach in Sean Foley this year and is looking even more impressive.
The four-wood he hit to four feet on the ninth hole to set up an eagle on Sunday was the shot of the tournament, but Rose was also soothingly accurate off the tee.
It is just a shame he didn’t make last month’s US Open due to the outmoded qualifying rules because he would have had a genuine chance of victory. Rose said afterwards: “This was my US Open.”
Last week Rose blew a four-shot final round lead at the Travelers and blamed his putting after missing a tiny one early on. For most of the ATandT he was brilliant on the greens, but the comfort of a five-shot lead with nine to play was removed by three-putts on both the 10th and 11th holes.
Until then Rose had gone 274 holes without a three-putt, the longest streak on the US PGA Tour.
It made Rose slightly vulnerable to a charge and the move came from Moore. The American’s 65 was an outrageous mix of brilliant shots, hairy up-and-downs and a fair bit of luck. It meant that Rose had a precarious one-shot lead when he came to the 18th tee.
Despite having to back off his tee shot when a daft marshal called for quiet at the worst moment, Rose hammered his drive down the middle. It showed remarkable strength of mind after last week’s meltdown. The win guaranteed Rose’s place in the St Andrews Open where he failed to qualify in 2000 and 2005.
Rose won the St Andrews Links Trophy on the course as an amateur and he finished second at the 2007 Dunhill Links, so he knows his game is suited to the course. As always, the biggest variable with Rose’s game is his putting, a key to success round the Old Course.
Tiger Woods is in far more uncertain form as he joins Rose in Ireland on Monday for the J P McManus Invitational. Woods shot a final round 71 at the ATandT, failing to break par in any of his four rounds. It is the first non-major tournament since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 1999 that Woods has played all four rounds without breaking par.
He was still remarkably optimistic about his chances at St Andrews, which he described as his favourite golf course “by far.” Woods said yesterday: “I’m excited. I was hitting driver as many times as I could because it felt so good. I just wanted to keep hitting it. That hasn’t been the case lately. Now I need to get my putter working a little bit better and get it rolling.”
Woods’ short game was the biggest factor in his two previous Open victories at St Andrews but it is uncertain how much preparation he will get in the coming week.
Woods may stay in Ireland to go fishing and play links golf, but there is a concern that he may have to fly back to the States in order to take advantage of one of the limited access periods he has to spend time with his children.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70)
270 Justin Rose 69 64 67 70 ($1,116,000 winner's prizemoney).
271 Ryan Moore 67 70 69 65 
272 Jeff Overton 68 68 69 67 
273 Charlie Wi 69 65 70 69 
274 J.B. Holmes 70 67 71 66 
275 Carl Pettersson  67 72 65 71 
276  Marc Leishman 71 70 67 68 
276 Nick Watney 66 71 70 69 
277 Vijay Singh  71 70 67 69 
277 Jason Day  66 68 72 71 
278 Daniel Chopra  69 70 72 67 
278 Vaughn Taylor 70 71 70 67
278 Sean O'Hair  71 68 70 69
278 Stuart Appleby 71 69 69 69 
278 Bo Van Pelt 69 68 70 71 
279 Garrett Willis  71 69 73 66
279 Joe Ogilvie 66 72 73 68
279 Ricky Barnes 70 72 69 68 
279 Aaron Baddeley  69 70 71 69 
279 Brandt Snedeker  71 70 69 69 
279 John Mallinger 67 70 72 70 
279 Brian Gay  67 70 71 71 
279 Jonathan Byrd  70 70 68 71 
279 John Merrick 72 70 66 71 
280 George McNeill  71 69 71 69 
280 Steve Elkington  73 70 68 69
280 Lucas Glover  71 68 71 70 
280 Ted Purdy 69 70 71 70 
280 Chris DiMarco  72 70 68 70 
280 Bryce Molder  69 70 69 72 
280 Steve Marino 68 71 69 72 
281 Bob Estes  68 73 71 69 
282 Brett Quigley  67 73 73 69 
Selected totals:
282 Jim Furyk 69 70 69 74 (jt 33rd0
284 Tiger Woods 73 70 70 71 (jt 46th).

US CHAMPIONS TOUR
MONTREAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Club de Golf Fontainebleau, Montreal
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)]
199 Larry Mize 67 68 69.
200 John Cook 66 66 68.
202 Dan Forsman 71 66 65, Corey Pavin 68 67 67.
203 Bob Gilder 68 69 66, Jay Haas 66 70 67, Loren Roberts 70 66 67, Fred Couples 69 66 68, D A Weibring 72 63 68.
Selected total:
210 Mark James (England) 70 71 69 (jt 38th).

Taxi driver Danny wins English

mid-am for over-35s

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Things like this don’t happen to people like me,” was the reaction of Danny Holmes after he proved a surprise yet deserved winner of the English Mid Amateur Championship for the Logan Trophy at a blustery Sherwood Forest.
Holmes, pictured by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography, a 45 year old London taxi driver from Kent, fired a closing 73 for 219, nine over par, for a one shot winning margin over Mark Wharton and two clear of Brazilian-born Frenchman Rodrigo Lacerda Soares.
On a brutal day with a tough wind and bouncy fairways, Holmes kept a cool head when many others were losing theirs in the conditions to join an illustrious list of the over-35 champions.
“I just can’t believe this,” said Holmes. “It’s unbelievable for this to happen to me at 45. It’s my first time in the Logan Trophy and this is probably the best course I’ve ever played because you have to play every shot round here. But it was so tough today. It’s probably the worst windy conditions I’ve experienced but I drove the ball well and I never missed a putt inside five feet all week.”
What made Holmes’ success all the more remarkable is that he arrived with a new set of clubs and he was playing with them for the first time in competition.
Starting the day three shots off the lead, Holmes began with a bogey and was two over after four holes. But a run of four successive birdies from the fifth saw him out in 34 and he only dropped five shots over the demanding back nine to post nine under which no one managed to match.
A reinstated amateur after two years as a professional, Holmes recently lost in the semi-finals of the Kent Championship and was a county player for a number of years after only taking up golf aged 21.
“I didn’t play any sport because I didn’t have the time,” he added. “But now I play golf five days a week because I get the time off after working nights driving in London. I don’t practise because we don’t have a practice ground at Langley Park but I spend about two hours working on my putting which paid off this week.”
Wharton, who lost a play-off for the European Mid Amateur title a couple of weeks ago in France, was second again but one blemish put paid to his chances. “I has a triple at the 12th which cost me,” he said after signing for 74.
Lacerda Soares, the French Mid Amateur champion, had the chance to overtake Holmes but he bogeyed the last two holes for 77 to take third spot on 221.
The rest of the field suffered in the wind which made it a pleasant day for spectators but an endurance test for the players. Sherwood Forest was at its brutal best and spared no one especially over the back nine, which is a challenge in calmer times.
Defending champion John Longcake from Cumbria came within a whisker of a fourth title when he got to six over with five to play. But he bogeyed every hole from the 14th and finished with a double in a 75 for 222. “I just don’t do that sort of thing,” he lamented.
Overnight leaders Andrew Wiltshire and Jamie Miller in the last game out, also found it tough, signing for 81 and 82 respectively.
But at the end of the day there were just two winners, the unyielding wind and Danny Holmes, who will regale his fellow London cab drivers for weeks at being crowned national champion.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
1st Danny Holmes Langley Park 72 74 73 219
2nd Mark Wharton John O'Gaunt 71 75 74 220 
3rd Rodrigo Lacerda Soares (France) 71 73 77 221
4th Martin Young Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club 75 74 73 222 
4th John Longcake Silloth on Solway 77 70 75 222 
6th Stephen East Moortown  70 74 80 224
6th Andrew Wiltshire Pontefract 71 72 81 224 
8th Paul Telfer Stoneham  72 75 78 225
8th Richard Sadler Moseley 73 73 79 225
8th Roger Roper Leeds 71 73 81 225
8th Jamie Miller Fulford  72 71 82 225 
12th Danny Curtis Knole Park  76 77 73 226 
12th C Gray Pannal  75 76 75 226
12th Nigel L Chesters Hawkstone Park 74 73 79 226
15th James Crampton Spalding 76 73 78 227
15th Stephen Brennan Wheatley  74 74 79 227
17th Bruce Hilsdon Littlestone 72 79 77 228
17th Anthony Wain Sherwood Forest 76 75 77 228
17th Christopher Aukett Crondon Park  76 74 78 228
17th Jonathan Hems Kings Norton 76 73 79 228 
17th Scott Ritchie New Zealand 74 75 79 228
22nd Steve Sansome Birstall 80 73 76 229 
22nd R A Latham Woodhall Spa 78 73 78 229 
22nd C A Banks Stanton-on-the-Wolds74 74 81 229 
22nd Robert Bardsley Denton  73 74 82 229
22nd David Morris Collingtree Park 68 79 82 229 
27th Graham Forrest Northumberland  74 77 79 230
27th Ewen Wilson Porters Park 76 73 81 230 
29th S Needham Sickleholme  79 74 78 231
29th Simon Stephens Moortown 73 79 79 231
29th Andrew Inglis Sunningdale Artisans  71 77 83 231 
32nd Phil Sewell Castle Royle 75 77 80 232
32nd Nicky Bell Carlisle 73 79 80 232
32nd S M Santon Moortown  74 76 82 232
32nd Mark Nolan Hallowes 74 75 83 232 +22
32nd Christopher Audin Tiverton 75 74 83 232
32nd Paul Dolton Frilford Heath  75 72 85 232 
38th Ben Bainbridge Sherwood Forest  76 76 81 233
39th Ian Clarke Sickleholme  76 77 81 234 
39th Kevin Reilly Southport and Ainsdale 73 79 82 234 
41st S Hallam Tadmarton Heath  77 76 82 235 
42nd Mark Sheridan Greystones, Ireland 78 73 85 236 
43rd Gareth Bradley Bramhall 75 78 84 237
43rd Christopher Lowe Tadmarton Heath  78 75 84 237 
43rd David Brown Sherwood Forest  76 75 86 237 
46th Mark Bentley Ganton  77 75 86 238 
47th Robert Treweek Moortown 76 76 87 239
48th Nicholas Jelley Cosby 76 76 91 243

SANDY SQUIRES WINS FIFE STROKE PLAY


 TITLE AT WINDY DRUMOIG

Sandy Squires (Scotscraig) won the Fife men's stroke-play golf championship at windswept Drumoig today with rounds of 78 and 76 for a 10-over-par total of 154.
Runner-up on 156 were Neil Beattie (St Andrews) with 80 and 76, and Alan Berrington (Durmoig) with a pair of 78s.
Underlining how tough the conditions were, there were 10 No Returns out of a total field of 38.
The top 16 qualify for the Fife men's match-play championship over the same course, starting on Saturday (July 10). Ties are:
9.30 S Squires (Scotscraig) v A Moir (Thornton).
9.40 J McColl (Scotscraig) v I Bell (Scotscraig).
9.50 C Martin Balbirnie) v K Blyth (Lundin).
10.0 M Beveridge (Dunnikier) v G Sharp (St Andrews).
10.10 a Berrrington (Drumoig) v R Collie (Drumoig).
10.20 S Stewart-Cation (Balbirnie) v G Wishart (Charleton).
10.30 B Hynd (Pitreavie) v S Scott (Drumoig).
10.40 N Beattie (St Andrews) v M Buchan (Balbornie).

FIFE YOUTHS MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
At Elmwood Golf Club.
Wednesday, July 7
17.05 M Buchan (Balbirnie) v L Bain (Leven GS).
17.15 E Crawford (Kirkcaldy) v A Collier (Balbirnie).

FIFE MEN'S STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Drumoig Golf Club.
TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
154 Sandy Squires (Scotscraig) 78 76.
156 Neil Beattie (St Andrews) 80 76, Alan Berrington (Drumoig) 78 78.
157 Mark Beveridge (Dunnikier Park) 78 79, Jamie Farmer (St Andrews) 77 80.
158 S Stewart-Cation (Balbirnie Park) 80 78.
159 Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park) 83 76, Barry Hynd (Pitreavie) 77 82, J McColl (Scotscraig) 76 83, Brian Young (St Andrews) 74 85.
160 Ian Bell (Scotscraig) 79 81.
161 Steven Scott (Drumoig) 83 78, Kevin Blyth (Lundin) 80 81, Greg Wishart (Charleton) 80 81.
162 Brian Erskine (Ladybank) 86 76.
163 Gary Sharp (St Andrews) 80 83.
165 Ron Collie (Drumoig) 85 80, Martin Buchan (Balbirnie Park) 80 85, Alex Moir (Thornton) 79 86, Euan Crawford (Kirkcaldy) 76 89.
168 Andrew Collier (Balbirnie Park) 89 79.
170 Colin Loveday (Scotscraig) 86 84, David Mitchell (Leven Th) 88 82, Lewis Bain (Leven GS) 84 86.
171 Ross McDonald (Dunnikier Park) 79 92.
173 Shaun Singer (St Andrews) 86 87, David Paterson (Leven GS) 84 89.
180 Greg Forrester (Balbirnie Park) 93 87.
No Returns
G McNab (Lundin), Colin Steffen (Dunnikier Park), Lewis Ford (Balbirnie Park), B McKenna (Scotscraig), David Gorman (Drumoig), Alister Hain (Ladybank), Keith Anderson (Charleton), Sean Anderson (Scotscraig), Cameron Mitchell (Lundin), Martin Ritchie (Scotscraig), Fraser Ogston (St Andrews).

McAlpine beats Wright for North boys' title on tie-breaker

Invergordon's Lyle McAlpine pipped Dale Wright (Alness), playing over his home course, for the R P Bain Trophy in the North District boys' championship over 36 holes at Alness Golf Club today.
Both boys finished with 36-hole aggregates of 134, against a CSS of 65 for both rounds.
McAlpine shot 68 and 66 to Wright's pair of 67s and Lyle's better second round was the tie-breaker. He won the Bain Trophy, the silver medal and a voucher for £65.
Wright's consolation was the bronze medal and a voucher for £50.
McAlpine is certainly in good form. He won the Royal Dornoch men's club championship two weeks ago and is also the Ross-shire county champion. Wright was the youngest ever Alness club champion whene he was 17.
Third on 138 at Alness was Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar) with rounds of 71 and 67.
Craig Oram (Nairn Dunbar) won the Under-16 scratch award by five shots with rounds of 74 and 68 for 142.
Sandy Scott (Nairn), playing off 17, won the leading handicap award (nine golf balls) with a net total of 125.
SCOREBOARD
Par 134 (2x67). SSS 64 CSS 65 65
LEADING SCRATCH TOTALS
134 Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) 68 66, Dale Wright (Alness) 67 67 (McAlpine won with better second round).
138 Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar) 71 67.
142 Cfaig Oram (Nairn Dunbar) 74 68.
145 Jeff Wright (Forres) 71 74.
146 Scott Forbes (Muir of Ord) 76 70.
147 Jordan Milne (Elgin) 69 78, Jordan Shaw (Kingussie) 70 77.
149 Scott Murray (Inverness) 76 73.
150 Ian MacCallum (Fort William) 74 76.
151 Andrew Burgess (Nairn) 79 72, Ian Stewart (Brora) 77 74.
155 Ross Black ((Alness) 80 75, Craig Brown (Fort William) 79 76, Andrew Kenyon (Inverness) 72 83.
156 Calum Graham (Nairn) 80 76, Sean Burgess (Nairn 73 83.

UNDER-16 SCRATCH
142 Craig Oram (Nairn Dunbar) 74 68.
147 Jordan Shaw (Kingussie) 70 77.
149 Scott Murray (Inverness) 76 73.

HANDICAP
125 Sandy Scott (Nairn) (17).
131 Cameron Grant (Nairn Dunbar) (4).
135 Ian Stewart (Brora) (8).

EMSLIE SHIELD TEAM EVENT
Winners: 606 Alness (Dal Wright, Ross Black, Connor Hall, Shaun Hogg).

ends

European Tour report and scores

Jimenez rallies to win three-way play-off for French Open

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Miguel Angel Jimenez became the oldest-ever winner of continental Europe's oldest golf title in Paris today - but he did it the hard way after making a real mess of the final hole.
The 46-year-old Spaniard captured the Alstom French Open at Le Golf National by beating compatriot Alejandro Canizares and Italian Francesco Molinari in sudden death after he had gone in the water when two strokes clear.
Jimenez had his second chance when Canizares went twice into the same lake at the first extra hole and Molinari, bunkered off the tee, was forced to lay up on the par 4. Five months after beating Lee Westwood in a play-off in Dubai, Jimenez still had work to do when he missed the green, but a 15-footer gave him the crown after Molinari had holed from 18 feet for bogey.
The first prize of just under £409,000 lifts the pony-tailed Malaga golfer all the way from 17th to fifth in the Ryder Cup race - the same position Molinari would have taken if he had won. Amazingly, 10 of Jimenez's 17th European Tour victories have come since he turned 40 - that is a record for the circuit - and he now becomes the eighth oldest champion in Tour history.
The compensation for Canizares, meanwhile, was that he qualifies for The Open at St Andrews as the leading non-exempt player in the event.
Earlier Jimenez came bursting out of the pack with five successive birdies in six holes from the 11th to be two clear.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy would have been in the play-off as well if he had converted a 12-foot chance at the 18th, but it stayed above the hole and he had to be content with fourth.
Inevitably on a course which would provide spectacular action if it stages the 2018 Ryder Cup - that decision is made next April - there were calamities everywhere you looked.
Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen was tied for the lead when he put three balls in the water on the 399yd 15th and ran up a sextuple bogey 10. England's Kenneth Ferrie, also trying for The Open spot as well as this treasured trophy, was one behind when he bogeyed the 17th and then had a quintuple bogey 9 on the last.
As for defending champion Martin Kaymer, he finished four back in joint sixth after double bogeys at the 15th and 18th. Meanwhile, Indian Jyoti Randhawa, two off the lead at the start of the round, crashed to an 83 - even though there was nothing worse than a 6 on his card.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
Prize money in Euros for leaders and Scots.
273 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 69 69 68 67, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 71 69 66 67, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 66 66 73 68 (Jimenez won play-off at first extra hole: Jimenez 500,000; Canizares, Molinari 260,565 each.
274 Rory McIlroy 68 71 69 66 (150,000).
276 Danny Willett 72 67 69 68 (127,200).
277 Peter Hanson (Swe) 68 69 70 70, Oliver Wilson 68 71 71 67, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 66 67 71 73, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 68 69 70 70, Mark Foster 76 63 70 68 (79,440 each)/.
278 Steve Webster 69 66 70 73, Damien McGrane 68 71 67 72, Luke Donald 70 69 67 72, Graeme Storm 70 67 71 70, Michael Hoey 69 74 69 66 (49,020 each).
279 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 63 71 72 73, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 70 73 68 68
280 Richard Bland 73 68 67 72, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 72 70 70 68, Ian Poulter 72 67 71 70, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 75 70 68, Andrew Dodt (Aus) 68 75 68 69, Kenneth Ferrie 73 70 65 72, Lee Westwood 70 69 71 70, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 73 67 72 68
281 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 71 71 70 69, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 69 73 72 67, Anders Hansen (Den) 71 68 72 70, Richard Finch 71 72 67 71, Matteo Manassero (Ita) 71 69 76 65, Rhys Davies 71 71 67 72
282 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 72 70 70 70, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 68 70 71 73, Gareth Maybin 74 69 70 69, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 72 69 72 69, David Lynn 73 68 70 71, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 70 69 74 69, Romain Wattel (Fra) 74 67 70 71, Paul Lawrie 72 71 73 66, Richard Green (Aus) 73 70 70 69 (22,312 each).
283 Richie Ramsay 71 71 69 72 (19,500).
284 Joost Luiten (Ned) 73 68 73 70, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 73 70 69 72, Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 72 66 72 74, Peter Lawrie 71 67 75 71, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 70 69 75 70, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 72 75 68
285 Adam Scott (Aus) 69 69 71 76, James Kingston (Rsa) 71 72 71 71, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 71 72 71 71
286 Alastair Forsyth 71 68 72 75, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 74 68 73 71, Mark Brown (Nzl) 70 73 69 74, Bradley Dredge 74 69 69 74 (12,600 each).
287 Anthony Wall 74 68 72 73
288 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 69 71 78 70, Robert Rock 67 71 79 71, Stephen Gallacher 73 70 75 70, Victor Dubuisson (Fra) 75 66 71 76 (9,900 each).
289 Peter Whiteford 69 73 71 76, Mark Tullo (Chi) 76 67 72 74, Paul Waring 71 71 73 74, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 69 68 78, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 67 69 70 83 (8,400 each).
290 Chris Wood 70 71 71 78, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 68 73 73 76, Phillip Price 72 71 73 74, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 75 68 75 72
291 Danny Lee (Nzl) 67 75 74 75, Stephen Dodd 72 70 74 75, Scott Strange (Aus) 67 74 71 79, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 66 76 74 75, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 74 69 73 75
292 Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 72 74 75, Seung-yul Noh (Kor) 72 71 75 74, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 73 70 78 71, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 69 73 78 72
293 Alexander Noren (Swe) 70 71 81 71
295 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 75 68 75 77
296 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 70 73 75 78
301 Peter Hedblom (Swe) 70 72 78 81

Haggs Castle Golf Club captain Graeme Shaw with tournament winner Hao Sheng Hsu from Taiwan and Haddington.

Hao Sheng Hsu shock winner of Cameron Corbett Vase play-off

Hao Sheng Hsu from Taiwan, a Haddington Golf Club member, was the shock winner today of a Cameron Corbett Vase tournament reduced from four to three rounds following a lengthy suspension of play during the morning because of flooded greens.
Hao Sheng Hsu, 19, tied on one-under-par 215 at the head of the field after 54 holes with Royal Aberdeen's Scott Larkin, a member of the Scottish title-winning North-east District team a few weeks back. Larkin has made an impact on the North-east golf scene since he returned to his native Banchory after four years at the University of Charleston.
Hao Sheng Hs's rounds were 71, 72 and 72; Larkin's 71, 73 and 71.
The sudden-death play-off ended at the second extra hole with a birdie by Hao Sheng Hsu.
So who is Hao Sheng Hsu? Thanks to one of Scottishgolfview.com's readers, D Neal Stewart, we can tell you something about him.
"I am a member at Haggs Castle GC and I was at the club today and had a quick word with the winner and his caddie who is Mark Lamb, a Haddington member and I believe formerly a Lothians county player, which explains the Haddington connection.
"Mark went over to (Arizona) university in the States and subsequently also completed a Masters degree over there. He now coaches at "school" and one of his students is Hao Sheng Hsu (known as Eric, according to Mark). Hao, with Mark as his caddie, finished joint sixth in last weekend's East of Scotland Open  - his first time on a links course - and stayed on for the Cameron Corbett Vase. They are flying back on Friday to America where "Eric" will take part in the North Carolina Public Links championship."
Editor: Thanks D Neal Stewart and just to add to that: Mark Lamb won the Scottish boys' stroke-play championship at Peterhead in 2002.
The play-off pair finished two shots clear of four players on 217 - Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall), Scott Crichton (Aberdour), another player who has spent the past two or three years on the US college circuit, Stirling University student James White (Lundin), winner of the Scottish boys' match-play title in 2006, and Jamie MacKay (Kilmarnock Barassie).
Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle), halfway leader on 141 after good rounds of 72 and 69, collapsed with a third-round 80 to finished joint 12th on 221.
First-round leader Paul Ferrier (Baberton), Scottish boys' champion in 2007, faded even further down the list with ever-worsening rounds of 68, 75 and 79 for 222.
But at least Harkins and Ferrier survived the halfway cut.
Craig Hamilton and Craig Watson, finalists in the recent Scottish mid-amateur championship, and Peter Latimer, winner of the East of Scotland Open the previous weekend, were among those eliminated.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72) CSS 73 73 (not known for third round).
215 Hao Sheng Hsu (Haddington) 71 72 72, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 71 73 71 (Hao Sheng Hsu won play-off at second extra hole).
217 Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 72 73 72, Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 70 72 75, James White (Lundin) 69 73 75, James MacKay (Kilmarnock Barassie) 69 73 75.
218 Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 69 77 72, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 76 67 75.
220 Ross Bell (Downfield) 75 71 74, John Mathers (Haggs Castle) 74 71 75, Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 73 69 78.
221 Paul Gault (Westerwood) 75 73 73, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 76 71 74, Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 72 69 80.
222 Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) 75 71 76, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 76 69 77, Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 74 69 79, Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 68 75 79.
223 Sean McGarvey (Glencorse) 73 74 76, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 72 73 78, Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 72 72 79.
224 Connor O'Neil (Pollok) 71 75 78, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 75 69 80.
225 James Ross (Royal Burgess) 77 73 75, Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) 74 76 75, Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 72 77 76, Steven Maxwell (Windyhills) 76 72 77, Malcolm Campbell (Swanston New) 75 72 78 Allyn Dick (Kingsknow) 73 71 81, Michael Daily (Erskine) 72 71 82.
226 Michael Main (Thornton) 72 75 79.
227 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 78 70 79, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 74 74 79, Thomas Sharkey (Helensburgh) 77 68 81.
228 Chris Kneen (Rowany) 74 76 78.
229 Paul Alexander (Caldwell) 77 73 79, Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 74 75 80.
232 Michael Campbell (Renfrew) 75 74 83.
233 Kristofer Harper (Carnoustie) 77 73 83, Alexandrer Culverwell (Dunbar) 69 80 84.
234 Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 76 74 84.
No Return: Steven McEwan (Caprington) 75 75 NR.

Doug Cameron is first North-east handicap champion

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Inverurie's Doug Cameron is the first North-east District handicap champion. Playing over his home course in the inaugural event - in which there were no scratch prizes - Doug headed a field of 70 players with a net 62 off 10. The par of the course is 69 and the CSS was 68.
Runners-up in Division 1 (handicaps 0 to 11) were North-east District past president Mike Pocock (Oldmeldrum) (4) and Paul Gallacher (Meldrum House) (6) with net 66s.
"This is a great new competition run by the North-east District for the first time, and I sincerely hope it continues for many years. I chose today to have the best round of my life today on my home course.,” said winner Cameron.
Division 2 (handicaps of 12 and over) was won by Bob Marshall (Hazlehead) with a net 63 off 20. He had four shots to spare from runner-up Richard Denning (Newmachar) (16).
"I really like the format the North-east District has set up for this tournament. It’s the best round I’ve had for four to five years in some horrendous weather conditions,” said Marshall.
North-east District secretary George Young said he and his fellow officials were a little bit worried at the lack of entries until the last week or so.
"In the end, we had a decent sized field and our handicap championship is here to say," he said.
The championship for handicappers instead of top-notchers was introduced by the North-east District in response to criticism in some clubhouse quarters that the district ran tournaments only for the elite golfers.
LEADING NET RETURNS
Par 69. CSS 68
Division 1 - D Cameron (Inverurie) (10) 62; M Pocock (Oldmeldrum) (4), P Gallacher (Meldrum House) (6) 66; S Grieve (Ballater) (9) 67; M Smith (Nigg Bay) (5), John Ramage (Inverurie) (5) 69; T Reid (Nigg Bay) (8), J Wiseman (Inverallochy) (6), D Donaldson (Oldmeldrum) (10) 71.
Division 2 - R Marshall (Hazlehead) (20) 63; R Denning (Newmachar) (16) 67; A Rose (Craibstone) (24) 69; N Stewart (Inverurie) (13) 70; J Nelson (Nigg Bay) (16), K McGuire (Oldmedlrum) (15), T Rigby (Insch) (21) 71.
OTHER PRIZES
Nearest the pin: 3rd hole: A McGuire (Oldmeldrum). 7th: P Walker (McDonald Ellon), 10th: A McGilvie (Nigg Bay). 15th:::G Kemp (Nigg Bay).
Longest straight drive: M Pocock

Raymond Russell makes top 20, Elliot Saltmn joint 41st

Great Dane Olesen scores first Challenge

Tour win by two strokes in Sweden  

FROM SARAH GWYNN
European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen captured his maiden European Challenge Tour title and the first prize of 24,000 Euros after a one under par 70 in the final round of The Princess tournament in Sweden left him two shots clear of Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and Swede Peter Gustafsson.
Olesen, 20, playing his first full season on the Challenge Tour, took a three-shot lead into the final day and held off the challenge of his rivals with three birdies and two bogeys to add to rounds of 69, 66 and 65 at Båstad Golf Club in southern Sweden.
Wiesberger and Gustafsson closed with 67 and 68 respectively but it was not enough to overhaul Olesen, while Oscar Floren, in second place going into the final round, slipped to a three over par 74 which left him joint ninth.
At one stage Gustafsson moved to within a shot of Olesen, but the Dane gave himself some breathing space with birdies at the eighth and 11th. A bogey at the par five 14th cut his lead to two shots, but none of his challengers could capitalise over the final few holes.
“It’s amazing,” said Olesen. “There was a bit of pressure on the last couple of holes so I’m glad to have done it. I had a good lead but it’s easy to lose a couple of shots on this course so you have to make sure you hit good shots and keep your concentration.
“I felt a bit nervous this morning but it was not too bad. I feel very comfortable out here.”
Floren chipped in for birdie on the first hole, and when Olesen was asked whether he thought he was in for a battle, he replied: “Yeah, I thought maybe he was going to have a round like Meitinger (Nicolas, who shot an 11 under par 60 in the second round). But you just have to stick to your own game and keep trying to make putts.
“I had a stupid bogey on the 14th when I hit a bad drive and a stupid third shot, and I couldn’t get it up and down. It did make things a little tighter for the last few holes but in the end it was okay.”
After coming so close in the Mugello Tuscany Open in May, when he lost to Floris De Vries in a play-off, Olesen was delighted to have got over the line this time.
“It feels great,” he said. “Last time (in Tuscany) was such a narrow defeat losing in a play-off at the third extra hole so it was nice this time to have a comfortable win here.
“I’m only 20 so there’s plenty of time and hopefully there will be many more wins to come.”
Gustafsson said: “I couldn’t really get it going on the back nine and had a lot of luck to make par on some of the holes. But I’m pleased to have finished tied second.”
Two more Swedes, Klas Eriksson and Joel Sjoholm, shared fourth place on nine under.
Only two Scots survived the halfway cut. Raymond Russell went on to squeeze into the top 20 with scores of 71, 66, 72 and 70 for five-under-par 279 giving him a share of 17th place and 1,965 Euros.
Elliot Saltman came joint 41st with 71, 70,70 and 72 for one-under-par 283 and a cheque for 825 Euros
A total of €3,800 was raised during the tournament for the anti-bullying charity ‘Friends’ through players landing their ball on the tenth green. Each time a player hit the green, the sponsor of the tournament, Swedbank, donated €10.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
leading prize money in Euros
270 T Olesen (Denmark) 69 66 65 70 (24,000)
272 B Wiesberger (Austria) 72 68 65 67, P Gustafsson (Sweden) 67 67 70 68 (13,500 each).
275 K Eriksson (Sweden) 69 65 72 69, J Sjöholm (Sweden) 68 71 69 67 (8,250 each).
276 A Kaleka (France) 68 71 69 68, J Dantorp (Swe) 69 67 70 70 (5,400 each), J Karlsson (Sweden) (amateur)  69 67 72 68,
277 T Stewart (Australia) 69 67 73 68, O Floren (Sweden) 65 67 71 74, A Bjork (Sweden) 67 62 74 74, J Legarrea (Spain) 73 68 66 70,
278 Å Nilsson (Swe) 69 72 69 68, J Grillon (Fra) 69 72 70 67, P Dwyer (England) 70 71 70 67, P Purhonen (Fin) 69 70 72 67,
279 J Hedin (Swe) 70 69 69 71, N Meitinger (Ger) 73 60 76 70, R Russell (Sco) 71 66 72 70, R Karlberg (Swe) 68 72 70 69, T Whitehouse (Eng) 72 68 67 72,
280 E Dubois (Fra) 74 67 68 71, S Walker (Eng) 70 68 76 66, F Hammarberg (Swe) 72 68 73 67, C Russo (Fra) 71 70 72 67, C Brazillier (Fra) 70 66 73 71, A Hansen (Den) 69 69 69 73,
281 W Besseling (Ned) 70 69 72 70, Z Scotland (Eng) 69 70 72 70, R Eriksson (Swe) 68 71 73 69, C Del Moral (Esp) 67 71 70 73, J Axgren (Swe) 69 67 75 70, G Houston (Wal) 71 66 76 68, G Shaw (Nir) 66 73 75 67,
282 D Nouailhac (Fra) 71 70 70 71, D Denison (Eng) 69 69 73 71, A Wagner (Arg) 68 73 70 71, K Sullivan (Wal) 70 72 72 68, G Molteni (Ita) 69 70 72 71, M Korhonen (Fin) 68 72 72 70,
283 M Mills (Eng) 68 72 71 72, J Larsen (Nor) 71 71 70 71, M Carlsson (Swe) 70 69 72 72, A Bruschi (Ita) 73 68 73 69, R Kind (Ned) 70 72 69 72, A Perrino (Ita) 68 69 75 71, N Bruzelius (Swe) 68 72 73 70, E Saltman (Sco) 71 70 70 72, T Rosendahl (am) (Swe) 69 71 71 72,
284 R Steiner (Aut) 71 68 75 70, F Widmark (Swe) 68 70 73 73, T Edlund (Swe) 69 71 76 68, P Bocian (Swe) 70 72 71 71,
285 M Milling (Swe) 70 72 74 69, M McGeady (Irl) 72 69 71 73,
286 R Kakko (Fin) 68 70 72 76, B Barham (Eng) 70 71 71 74, C Baker (USA) 67 73 71 75,
287 K Jorgensen (Den) 73 69 76 69, A Signor (Ita) 72 67 75 73, T Feyrsinger (Aut) 69 73 73 72, P Kaensche (Nor) 70 72 71 74, J Caldwell (Nir) 64 75 72 76, L Jensen (Den) 69 73 74 71, N Lemke (Swe) 69 71 72 75, A Bossert (Sui) 71 71 72 73,
289 M Pilo (Swe) 70 72 75 72,
290 L Johansson (Swe) 74 68 77 71,
291 S Jeppesen (Swe) 73 69 76 73, P Gad (am) (Swe) 68 74 77 72,
292 M Larsson (Swe) 72 70 77 73,
293 F Fihn (Swe) 67 70 76 80, O Whiteley (Eng) 67 75 75 76,

European Seniors Tour record number of victories equalled

Ace performance by Carl Mason in Switzerland

By RODDY WILLIAMS
of the European Tour media staff
England’s Carl Mason holed-in-one on his way to his 23rd Senior Tour victory, equalling the record set by Tommy Horton with a stunning victory in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open today.
Mason’s spectacular start matched the surroundings at Bad Ragaz Golf Club as he followed a triple bogey seven on the second with an ace on the very next hole, holing out with a nine iron to get his title hopes back on track.
Spurred on by his good fortune he made five birdies on the back nine for a closing 68 and 11 under par total of 199 and a two-stroke victory.
It was his third success in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open having previously won the title in 2007 and 2008 and puts him level with compatriot Horton with 23 titles.

“Unbelievable,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever win 23 titles. I would have been happy to just compete well but then I started to get close to the record. Now I have equalled it, at long last. It’s incredible, I can’t quite believe it.”
Mason’s title bid seemed to be unravelling when he hooked a 3 iron into the trees on the second and got into more trouble trying to escape through a gap. He eventually found the green in four after chipping out but compounded the error with three putts.
His mood would not have been great walking to the next tee but, “the next minute the shot dropped in the hole.”
His birdie on the 16th was almost as impressive as a pushed tee shot crashed into the trees and dropped down just 100 yards from the tee. A wedge to the corner of the dogleg was followed by a long four iron to 80 feet. Then his enormous putt somehow found the bottom of the hole.
“You kind of know it is your day when these things happen,” he admitted.
It was the eighth successive year going back to 2003 that Mason, pictured, has won on the Seniors Tour as he became the first player to win the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open three times.
American Jerry Bruner birdied the last to claim second place, with Order of Merit leader Boonchu Runagkit of Thailand dropping a shot on the 18th to drop back to a share of third with South African Bertus Smit.

SCOREBOARD
FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
199 C Mason (Eng) 64 67 68,
201 J Bruner (USA) 67 66 68,
202 B Ruangkit (Tha) 65 68 69, B Smit (RSA) 68 67 67,
203 B Longmuir (Sco) 72 65 66, G Ryall (Eng) 69 63 71, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 67 66 70, C Williams (RSA) 74 64 65,
204 B Boyd (USA) 66 69 69, C Rocca (Ita) 68 66 70, J Heggarty (Nir) 71 65 68, J Rhodes (Eng) 67 66 71, A Sowa (Arg) 66 70 68, E Rodriguez (Esp) 69 66 69,
205 A Franco (Par) 67 67 71, J Quiros (Esp) 67 67 71, D Johnson (USA) 72 66 67, M Cunning (USA) 68 68 69, D Merriman (Aus) 66 68 71, J Chillas (Sco) 70 68 67, J Gould (Eng) 69 68 68,
206 L Carbonetti (Arg) 70 69 67, K Tomori (Jpn) 68 71 67, G Ralph (Eng) 68 71 67, C Grenier (Aut) 68 69 69,
207 J Harrison (Eng) 66 67 74, M Miller (Sco) 69 71 67, M Bembridge (Eng) 71 69 67, M Belsham (Eng) 66 71 70, P Fowler (Aus) 67 72 68, A Fernandez (Chi) 70 69 68,
208 G Banister (Aus) 67 73 68, J Bland (RSA) 69 70 69, M Farry (Fra) 68 72 68, K Spurgeon (Eng) 68 71 69, T Giedeon (Ger) 68 71 69, S Cipa (Eng) 70 70 68, M Williams (Zim) 71 68 69, D Russell (Eng) 65 70 73, T Burgoyne (Sco) 69 68 71,
209 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 67 68 74, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 66 71 72, N Job (Eng) 70 67 72,
210 M Clayton (Aus) 69 70 71, B Cameron (Eng) 71 70 69, S Bennett (Eng) 72 69 69, M Harwood (Aus) 69 66 75,
211 F Mann (Sco) 74 69 68, S Owen (Nzl) 66 72 73, G Cali (Ita) 69 72 70, D Cambridge (Jam) 71 68 72, B Charles (Nzl) 70 73 68, R Chapman (Eng) 69 69 73,
212 I Mosey (Eng) 69 69 74, P Oakley (USA) 70 71 71, B Lincoln (RSA) 68 77 67, G Brand (Eng) 73 69 70,
213 A Johnsson (Swe) 72 70 71, G Towne (USA) 73 70 70, M Piñero (Esp) 71 70 72, M Gray (Sco) 72 74 67, H Carbonetti (Arg) 68 70 75,
214 D Hospital (Esp) 73 72 69, T Charnley (Eng) 71 71 72, J Hawkes (RSA) 75 69 70,
215 J Hall (Eng) 72 72 71, M Poxon (Eng) 71 72 72,
216 V Garcia (Esp) 73 71 72, D Durnian (Eng) 76 68 72,
218 D Creamer (Eng) 74 69 75, L Higgins (Irl) 72 74 72,
219 A Garrido (Esp) 71 72 76, T Allen (Eng) 74 70 75,
223 H Schumacher (Sui) 73 72 78,
225 E Polland (Nir) 74 75 76,
229 V Krajewski (Sui) 81 76 72,
230 A Croce (Ita) 74 78 78,
231 T Gale (Aus) 78 73 80,

Bryan Fotheringham wins Brodie Cup at Forres

Bryan Fotheringham, a former Scotland international and Forres Golf Club member who now plays out of Inverness, returned to his old clut to win its Brodie Cup open tournament on Saturday.
In very windy conditions, Brian had rounds of 68 and 71 for a total of 139. He won by three shots from
Forres player J Wright (68-74) with another home-club representative, M Jones, coming third on 144 (75-69).
Forres players also dominated the handicap returns with the top prize going to K Main, playing off 12, with net rounds of 68 and 70 for 138.

Brodie Cup – Scratch
 139 B Fotheringham (Inverness) 68 71.
142 J Wright (Forres) 68 74.
144 M Jones (Forres) 75 69.
Handicap
 138 K Main (Forres) (12) 68 70.
140 R Macleod (Forres) (5) 68 72.
144 J Milne (Elgin) (2) 70 74.

Cameron Corbett Vase cut to three rounds due to rain

They are playing at Haggs Castle in between the showers but the Cameron Corbett Vase tournament has been reduced to 54 holes. A suspension of play when the greens were beginning to flood in the morning meant that the organisers might be pushed to fit in a fourth round and perhaps a play-off in the late evening so that's why the decision was made to go for three instead of four rounds.

CADZOW CUP AT HAMILTON ABANDONED DUE TO FLOODING

The Cadzow Cup men's open tournament was abandoned today at Hamilton Golf Club after a few hours' play, due to flooding of the greens and large areas of water on the fairways.
The Hamilton committee have agreed to reschedule it for Sunday, September 5.
Entries can be sent to the secretary at Hamilton Golf Club

What's Cooking in Montreal? John with a 66

BLAINVILLE, Quebec – John Cook shot his second straight 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Russ Cochran in the inaugural Montreal Championship.
The 52-year-old Cook, a four-time winner on the US Champions (Seniors) Tour after winning 11 times on the US PGA Tour, eagled the par-5 seventh hole and had four birdies in his bogey-free round at Fontainebleu Golf Club. Cochran followed his opening 65 with a 68.
“If we get wind, it’ll be a tough test, if we don’t, it will be a shootout,” Cook said. “’I might be leading, but Sunday is the telling day. I won’t worry about anything until the back nine. I only missed two greens this week. I’m hitting really quality shots and if I keep doing that, I’ll give myself a chance.”
Fred Couples (66) was three strokes back at 9 under along with Corey Pavin (67), Craig Stadler (65), D.A. Weibring (63), David Frost (68), Larry Mize (68), Peter Senior (68) and James Mason (69). Weibring broke the course record.
“Whoever has the hottest rounds usually wins, but in this case there will be a few hot rounds,” Couples said. “I may have to shoot 6 under or 7 under again, maybe more.”
Tom Wargo, the 67-year-old player who shot a 65 on Friday to match Cochran atop the leaderboard, was 8 under after a 71. Mark Calcavecchia (66), Loren Roberts (66), Tom Lehman (68), Jay Haas (70) David Peoples (68) and Jay Don Blake (70) also were 8 under.
An estimated 20,000 fans turned out Saturday, with the biggest gallery following Couples, a three-time winner this year in his first season on the over-50s tour.
“This is a phenomenal event, as good or better than any of our big tournaments,” said Couples, who eagled the 515-yard, par-5 seventh for the second straight day. “It’s fun to play in front of a lot of people.”