Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Matthias Schwab (69) leads McGregor Trophy at Prince's

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
The McGregor Trophy has gone overseas on three occasions but a fourth could be on the cards after Austria’s Matthias Schwab fired 69 to lead the English Boys under 16 Stroke Play Championship, supported by FootJoy, at Prince’s in Sandwich.
It leaves the 15 year old a stroke ahead of John Hayes from East Sussex National and two clear of David Langley from Castle Royle.
On a tricky day on the Kent coast with a stiff breeze blowing along the Dover Strait, Schwab had six birdies on his card, more than most who found the back nine too hot to handle.
And Schwab, the only Austrian in the field, wasn’t surprised to find himself at the top of the leaderboard. “I know when I play good that I can shoot 69,” he said.
A protégé of Willie Hofmann, coach of Bernhard Langer, Schwab covered the troublesome homeward stretch in 34 then admitted: “I putted good. I holed a lot of long ones and had a bit of luck as well.”
Schwab, who hails from close to Saltzburg, has also honed his game in California and Florida when representing his country.
Hayes, 16, revealed his 70, which set the target for much of the day, was down to good driving. “I haven’t been hitting my driver well but I did today,” he said.
“I felt relaxed, probably because I’ve finished by exams but I had a good start with two birdies in the first five holes.”
Langley, in one of the final games, eagled the long 12th following a double bogey at the short 11th, but finished 3-3-3 in an inward 35.
Matthew Pearson from Somerset might have been sharing the lead but a lost ball off the 18th tee cost him a double bogey which followed three successive birdies as he signed for 72.
But having missed the cut last year and been laid up for several months with back problems, his return was rewarding for his patience.
“I grew so quickly that I snapped some muscles in my back,” said the 16 year old who now stands 6ft 2ins. “I was laid up for four months and didn’t hit a ball for three. I could only putt,” he admitted.
Also on level par are two members of the England under 16 squad, Robert Burlison and Max Orrin.
Burlison, from Staffordshire, was happy with his form and his score. “I had a couple of three putts but I hit 16 greens, didn’t hit many poor tee shots and didn’t find the punishing rough,” he said.
Orrin, who lives just half an hour away at North Foreland, had four birdies and four bogeys and felt: “One or two over today was a good score. The way the course was set up you couldn’t attack the pins. But I’m confident going into tomorrow.”
Isaac Walker from Notts Golf Club also shot 72, which included a triple bogey seven at the tenth. “I got nervous when I saw all the people on that hole and pulled my drive into the rough,” he said.
“But I’m happy with my score after that and after three-putting the first. Hopefully I’ll do better tomorrow.”
FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
69 Matthias Schwab (Austria).
70 Josh Hayes (East Sussex National).
71 David Langley (Castle Royle).
Scots' scores:
72 Greig Marchank (Dumfries and Galloway), Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) (jt 4th)
73 Jamie Savage (Cawder) (jt 14th).
74 James Steven (Kirkhill), Anthony Blaney (Liberton) (jt 24th).
75 Cameron Farrell (Cardross) (jt 36th).
77 Lawrence Allan (Alva)  (jt 65th).
78 Ross Young (jt 81st).
Field of 132 competitors.




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Junior Open report and all the scores on www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

FOR A FULL REPORT ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE JUNIOR OPEN AT LUNDIN LINKS, SWITCH OVER TO OUR SISTER WEBSITE, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

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Harrington, Westwood defend decision to lengthen Road Hole


FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE 
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood, two of the leading lights for this week's 150th Anniversary Open Championship, have strongly defended the controversial decision to build a new tee at the Road Hole at St Andrews.
The move to extend the most famous hole in golf by 40 yards to 495 yards has been met with some criticism, with US Open champion Graeme McDowell predicting "carnage" this week if the par-4 is played into a headwind. He also said he believed the change would lead to a lot of players "laying up" and trying to get down in two putts to save par.
However, two-time winner Harrington and Westwood, the world No 3, both said they supported the change after playing the 'new' 17th for the first time in the build up to the world's oldest major.
Harrington, for all he reveres golf's traditions, believes the sport should never stand still. "You do realise they used to play this course from the greens to the tees, so they've changed that many times," said the Irishman. "Everything was different, the (Old Course] hotel was different. There wasn't a whole wing at that hotel ten years ago. Anybody goes on about they don't want change, it's changing all the time. Everything evolves."
He added: "It's an intimidating tee shot and a tight fairway but the way I look at it you always want to make sure that the guy who wins the Open is tested at some stage coming down the stretch. It's no problem with length and it's the same angle, it's just playing as a big hole - as it should be at the end of championship golf.
"There is no-one going to get through 16 holes without thinking about it for four days. It's what you were used to seeing on the TV years ago and exactly what they need." Westwood believes the change, which was suggested by the R&A and received the support of the St Andrews Links Trust, the body that runs the Old Course, is "an improvement". He said: "Obviously it's longer but the line hasn't changed a great deal, it's still pretty similar. The wall on the right comes into play more and the rough on the left-hand side is very thick so you obviously don't want to be there.
"It's good, though the one thing I will say is that regardless of where the flag is you tend to only play for the front or certain spots anyway. I was about 30 yards behind where I have been on average in recent years and would say it was a difference of two clubs for the second shot. It was a driver and a 5-iron today."
Having heard that fellow Scot Martin Laird had still been hitting a 7-iron for his second shot in a recent practice round, Paul Lawrie said he didn't see what the fuss was about.
"The idea is to try and put the driver back in your hand and if they succeed with that then it's a good change," said the 1999 champion.
On McDowell's comment about laying up, Lawrie added: "It could be bone dry and you have an 8 or 9-iron to hit. I struggle to see anyone laying up if they have a 9-iron in their hand. But then Graeme has his gameplan and he showed at Pebble Beach it was the right one for him. I'll see what I decide to do when I get there."
Tony Jacklin, the man who finished fifth behind Jack Nicklaus on the Old Course 40 years ago, believes the change will create a "70-30 ratio" of balls in the left rough this week. "You have to bite off more of the hotel now and I suspect the rough to the left will still get worn out even though it is thick over there," said the Englishman. "It was a good hole anyway and is a matter of conjecture whether it was necessary - obviously somebody thought it was necessary."
One player who believes the change will lead to less disasters at a hole where Tommy Nakajima and David Duval have been among the biggest casualties in past Opens is Andrew Coltart. "I don't quite understand why the R and A have done it," said the man who joined forces with Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance to win the Dunhill Cup on the Old Course in 1995 and is also in the field this week.
"Because they are concerned about the technology aspect of the game they've brought in the rule about grooves in an effort to shorten the distance the golf ball flies. Then they go and stick a tee 40 yards back at one of the toughest holes in the game.
"I also think the 17th is a tougher second shot when you are going in with a 9-iron or a wedge. You're going at a target with the Road Hole bunker on one side and the road itself on the other and it's so easy to end up on the road or even out of bounds if you are going at the flagstick.
"If you are 30-40 yards further back you are going to be going in with a 4 or 5 iron and that takes the bunker and the flag out of play. You are going to be running it up and that makes it easier. I think you are going to see less 6s, 7s and 8s than you would if you were bringing the bunker and the road into play."

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David Docherty having a great season

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNIONDon Bremner:
 e-mail- donbremner@ranfurly9.freeserve.co.uk
Eighteen year old David Docherty from Bonnyton Golf Club leads the Junior Order of Merit after an amazing run of success which has seen his handicap reduced to one and his first game for the Renfrewshire Golf Union Junior County Team.
His great season started at the Renfrewshire Golf Union Stroke Play Championship – the Caven Trophy – where he took second place to Ranfurly Castle’s Josh Bogle. He then proceeded to win the Junior Open events at Cochrane Castle where he shot 70, Erskine with a fine 71 then Elderslie with an even better round of 69.
Adding these successes to two other top ten places sees David (pictured) well in front of Josh Bogle, the Stroke Play Champion but Josh is confident that he can make up the lost ground in the remaining events.
There is a similar story in the under 14 Order of Merit with Cochrane Castle youngster, Colin Edgar, well ahead of the field with wins at Elderslie, Cochrane Castle and Erskine added to a third place at Caldwell.
Top positions are:
David Docherty Bonnyton 535 points
Josh Bogle Ranfurly Castle 340
Anton O’Donnell Whinhill 255
Under 14
Colin Edgar Cochrane Castle 505 points
Steven Wilson Whinhill 420
Anthony McCauley Whinhill 270


Picture shows David Docherty with the Erskine Junior Open Trophy

Copyright © Colin Farquharson

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