Adam Hedges cuts Laurie Canter down to size

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Reputations counted for little when the English Amateur match play stages got underway at a often overcast Little Aston and among the casualties were two of England’s European Team Championship-winning squad.
One of the chief executioners was Adam Hedges who went all the way to beat Laurie Canter having also taken 18 holes to get through his preliminary round tie against his Kent colleague Michael Saunders.
“That is quite a scalp,” said Hedges after his 1 hole victory over Canter. “Laurie is a very good player and I knew it would be tough. But I putted really well and I’m looking to go even further.”
After Canter birdied the first, a Hedges eagle at the third levelled matters but Canter birdied the ninth to edge in front again. He lost the next then, at the long 12th, Hedges escaped from the trees and holed across the width of the green for eagle to lead again then held on with halves to clinch victory.
Having played 36 holes in the day to reach the last 32, Hedges’ victory came in the wake of three missed cuts in previous events. But having consulted his coach, Stuart Dowsett, at Sundridge Park and altered his grip, it all came right.
The other England man to bite the dust was Eddie Pepperell but it was at the hands of his international colleague Chris Paisley. Although the Northumberland man lost the opening hole, a run of four birdies from the third put him 2up. He went further in front at the 11th while further birdies at 12 and 13 saw Paisley five ahead. Pepperell then went birdie-eagle at 14 and 15, but a half at 16 eased Paisley, beaten finalist in 2008, through.
Tommy Fleetwood admitted he struggled early on in his first round match with Cornwall’s Tom Murtagh but managed to be all square through six holes.
“I could have won a few holes in a row but Tom kept getting up-and-down,” said the England man. “But I managed to win the 12th and 13th and although I lost 14, halves at 15 and 16 get me home.”
Darren Wright, looking to add the English Amateur to the Brabazon Trophy he won at Hoylake last month, came out on top in a birdie-laden tussle with Hugo Dobson, winner of the inaugural South East of England Links Championship back in May.
Dobson, from Suffolk, went two up through five holes but back-to-back birdies at six and seven saw Wright square the match by the turn. There was nothing to separate them after 15 holes but a 12-foot birdie at the 16th followed by a Dobson bogey at 17 sent Wright safely through to round two.
“I was very scrappy on the front nine, particularly off the tee, but my short game was very good,” said Wright. “Hugo is a good player and he was very steady. I had seven birdies and I think he had at least five so it was a good match.”
The converse was the case when Nuneaton’s Andy Sullivan cantered to a 5 and 4 win over Alasdair Dalgliesh from Sussex, who needed 20 holes to get through his preliminary round tie with Max Brittan.
“It was pretty boring for the spectators,” said Sullivan. “I just played steadily with a couple of birdies and the rest were pars. I know this course well and enjoy playing here. I’m just happy to get through,” he added.
The all-Lancashire clash between England cap Matthew Nixon and Jack Senior went Senior’s way on the final green by one hole.
“It is always difficult when you play someone you know well,” said the man from Heysham, who also had to battle through a preliminary round tie. “It wasn’t superb golf and it was tight all the way.”
Senior won the first with a birdie, lost the second and Nixon edged ahead at the third. However, Senior built a two-hole lead after seven and had chances to increase his lead. But he was pegged back again when he bogeyed 11 only to win the 12th with a par. Senior then got his nose in front again at 15 and the remaining holes were halved to see him home.
Suffolk’s Jamie Abbott secured a comfortable win over Dominic Barnes from Cheshire. The England man made a fast start by winning the first two holes and also won three holes from the seventh to be 5up. He lost the 11th but stayed in control to run out a 4 and 3 winner.
Also in full control was boy cap Chris Lloyd, the leading qualifier, who accounted for Lancashire’s Ciaran Doherty, one-hole winner over Richard Prophet in his preliminary round by 5 and 3. Another fast start saw Lloyd claim five winning birdies in the first seven holes and he reached the turn 6up. Doherty cut the deficit with a couple of birdies of his own but Lloyd birdied 14 to go dormie four, then he fired his second at the long 15th to eight feet and was conceded the match.

Click here for today's results

Xltec Tour's Third Event = First Round

HENDERSON, McNICOLL SHARE NEW RECORD

OF 67 AT REVAMPED WESTERWOOD

Aberdeen’s Scott Henderson (Kings Links) and Keir McNicoll from Carnoustie) share the lead at the halfway stage of the third event on the Xltec Pro Golf Tour.
Both men carded four-under-par 67s at the recently redesigned Westerwood Hotel course at Cumbernauld.
Scott and Keir will be recognised as joint holders of the new record for the course originally designed by Seve Ballesteros in the mid-1980s.
Henderson had a best of the day inward half of six-under-par 30 which included six consecutive 3s. One of them, at the par-5 14th, was an eagle.
Joint third on 68 are Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Stephen Gray (Hayston) and John Gallagher (Swanston New).
Corisande Lee from West Lancashire is heading the chase for the “leading lady” bonus award at the end of 36 holes. She had a 74, just on ahead of Kyle Walker and Keir McNicoll’s sister Katy.
Tour organisers Alan Tait and Nigel Scott-Smith posted scores of 73 and 77 respectively.
The last three-ball to tee off at 9.57 am Thursday will be Gallagher, Henderson and McNicoll.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 71
67 Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), Scott Henderson (Kings Links).
68 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Stephen Gray (Hayston), John Gallagher (Swanston New).
70 Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre), Steven Hume (Murrayshall).
71 Ewan Cameron (Hamilton), Chris Kelly (Cawder), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy).
72 Graham Rankin (Drumpellier), Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation).
73 Ewan Davie (Dunblane New), Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), James McGee (Turnhouse).
74 Gavin Dear (unatt), Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), David Roger (Windyhill), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Corisande Lee (West Lancs)..
75 Mark King (Kingsfield), Eric Walker (Burntisland), Katy McNicoll (Carnosutie), Kylie Walker (unatt).
76 Heather MacRae (Gullane0, Scott Catlin (Greenburn).
77 Clare Queen (Carrick on Loch Lomond), Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg), Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo), Stu Pardoe (Belmont Vauxhall).
78 Scott Pithie (Carluke), Scott Henry (unatt).
79 Ben Irving (Kirkcudbright), Kevin McAlpine (unatt).
80 Kimberley Crooks (Ladies European Tour), Barry Campbell (Vale of Leven).
83 John Henry (unatt), Tracey Boyes (unatt).

Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship Day 3

Wednesday woe for seeded Kris Nicol and Philip McLean
FROM THE SGU WEBSITE
Fourth and sixth seeds Kris Nicol and Philip McLean made early exits from the Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship with a combination of young and old taking their scalps this afternoon at Gullane.
McLean, the current SGU Order of Merit leader, was ousted as a result of a fantastic performance by Elderslie youngster Alasdair McDougall, with the 15-year-old winning 2 and 1.
McLean paid tribute to his younger opponent, the youngest player in the field, saying:
“All credit to Alasdair who played superbly today. He holed some great putts at crucial times and hit some big shots when it mattered. He’s a talented young player and deserved his win. I’m disappointed not to get a better run in the championship again but it wasn't to be.”
Royal Troon club champion Paul Moultrie knocked out number four seed Nicol with a hard fought one hole win. The 45-year-old Ayrshireman was four up on the Lytham Trophy runner-up but the North East man clawed back three holes on the inward nine. Nicol needed to hole a 20-foot birdie putt on the last to force extra holes after Maultrie’s par, but his putt slid just past to hand Maultrie the victory.
Kingsnowe’s Allyn Dick continued his excellent progress with a 7&6 thumping of Boys Order of Merit leader Simon Fairburn, while number one seed James Byrne – in the same quarter of the draw as Dick – marched on with an impressive 4&3 win over Craigielaw’s Shaun Deegan.
Deegan’s club-mate Myles Cunningham faired better with a 2&1 win over Jamie Arthur to book a spot in the fourth round, but Grant Forrest’s dream of a boys and men's match play double is over after he lost 2 and;1 to Ayr Belleisle’s Keith Hamilton.
Former Scottish Boys Champion Michael Stewart moved up a gear with a 5 and 3 win over Kyle McClung, firing seven birdies in his fifteen holes, to set up a fourth round clash with Kyle Godsman (Hopeman). The 20-year-old from Troon Welbeck was delighted with his performance, admitting:
“That’s the best I’ve played for a while to be seven under for fifteen holes was really pleasing. I hit the ball great and holed some good putts. I’ve got some good momentum going and I’ll get some rest tonight and look forward to tomorrow.”
Stewart’s former East Tennessee University team-mate Jordan Findlay is also through to round four after a comfortable 3 and 2 win over David Millar (Duddingston), while Ed Wood won the battle of Crow Wood after he defeated club-mate Robert Jenkins with by a convincing 5 and 4 margin.
EARLIER IN THE DAY ...
Elderslie’s Alasdair McDougall, a late entry and the youngest player in this week’s field, continued to take full advantage of his opportunity by marching into the third round.
The 15-year-old, who reached the quarter-final of the Scottish boys championship in April, was initially on the reserve list and found out on Friday that he had a place in the event. He won his first round match on Monday – the first time he had played the course – and powered to a 4 and 3 win over Murcar Links’ Callum Trahan this morning.
McDougall birdied the opening hole to ahead and was three up after three following two winning pars. From there, he never looked back and sealed his match on the 15th to set up an intriguing third round tie with Peterhead’s Philip McLean, one of the eight seeds.
“Having played Gullane for the first time on Monday, I’ve taken to the course very quickly and I really like it. I got off to a great start winning the first three holes and played steady golf after that. I’m also a member of West Kilbride which has really helped my game on links and I got good experience of match play having performed well at the Boys in April.” said McDougall, who is coached by both Adam Hunter and Dean Robertson.
Former British boys champion Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) also reached this afternoon’s third round with a 3 and 2 win over fellow North-east golfer Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan), who plays on the American college circuit and reached the quarter-finals of this championship at Royal Troon last year and a shock win over top seed Gavin Dear.
Findlay, coached by Bob Torrance, also got off to a good start and was in confident mood ahead of his match against Duddingston’s David Millar.
“The wind was tricky out there and with the rough being wet, pars were good. Our game was a bit scrappy on the back nine but I focused on getting pars and getting the job done. I spoke to Bob (Torrance) at the start of the week and he gave me some good advice on match play. I’m playing good and feeling confident so hopefully I can keep it going.” said Findlay.
Lundin’s James White became the first seed to tumble in the championship. The Stirling University student bowed out with a one-hole defeat by Milnathort’s Jamie Arthur. White, winner of the recent Sutherland Chalice in Dumfries, found himself four down and despite battling back, Arthur held on to record a notable scalp.
The No 3 seed, former Scottish boys match-play champion Michael Stewart staged a superb comeback to overcome Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire) at the second extra hole.
The 20-year-old from Troon, who has played for two years on the US college circuit as a student at East Tennessee State University but is not returning to the States after the summer holidays, was three down after ten, but birdies on the 12th and 17th, as well as an eagle on the 15th, levelled the match, before a 20-foot putt for par on the 20th salvaged the win.

Click here for latest day three scores from Gullane.

Ron Menzies accepts Morocco

Festival invitation to help

North-east District of the SGU president Ron Menzies has accepted an invitation from Colin Farquharson, Tournament Director of the inaugural Morocco Golf Festival, to help run the October 9 to 16 event, to be played over four different courses in the Marrakech area.
Ron, a qualified Rules of Golf Referee and an IT expert, is also organising secretary of the North-east Golfers Alliance.
"It's too big an event for one man to do everything himself and I'm delighted that Ron has agreed to come to Morocco. We know each other well from the Alliance competitions so I know we will hit if off working in partnership on the Morocco Festival," said Colin.
The Festival tees off with a break-the-ice, better-ball pairs competition on the Sunday (October 9) and then there will be a four-round Stableford competition of which only three of the daily points scores will count for the end-of-the-week prizelists.
It is likely to be quite hot in Morocco in mid-October so a break from the golf has been built into the programme. The Wednesday (October 13) will be made up of an optional tour of Marrakech - "City of Mystery," - and an afternoon of leisure.
There will be prizes for several categories at the end of the week - Senior Men, Senior Women, Men, Women, Boys and Girls.
+There's still time to put your name down for the Morocco Festival. You can fly from Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol or Garwick to Marrakech on October 9. For more details click on the words MOROCCO FESTIVAL at the top of the left hand column of this website's home page.

James Byrne's Muirfield conqueror back to No 1 in WAGR

South Korean Jin Jeong, conqueror of James Byrne in the final of the British amateur championship at Muirfield, has regained the top spot in the revised RandA World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Jin Jeong moves up one to No 1 and last week's No 1, American Peter Uihlen, moved down to No 2.
Six of the WAGR top 10 are Americans.
Banchory's Byrne retains the No 13 place he held last week and before.
The only other Scot in the top 100 is Motherwell's Ross Kellett who has gone up six places to No 57.
The third best Scot is Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) who has come down six places to 124 - 21 places ahead of Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) who has gone down two places.
TOP RANKINGS THIS WEEK
1 Jin Jeong (South Korea) +1
2 Peter Uihlein (US) -1.
3 Bud Cauley (US) +2.
4 Kevin Tway (US) +2
5 Patrick Reed (US) -2.
6 Russell Henley (US) +1
7 Romain Wattel (France) +1.
8 Andrea Pavan (Italy) -4.
9 Harris English (US) +1
10 Paul Cutler (Ireland) +7.
Scots in the top 500 WAGR:
13 James Byrne no change.
57 Ross Kellett +6.
124 Kris Nicol -6.
145 Michael Stewart -2
203 Stuart Ballingall -2.
254 James White -2
321 Peter Latimer no change.
381 Philip McLean -1.
390 David Law (+62).
425 Scott Crichton +1.
491 Greg Paterson -14.

Two weeks of great golf on Sutherland's East Coast

By ROBIN WILSON
The best two weeks of competitive golf over Sutherland's East Coast courses begins on Saturday at Golspie Golf Club with the two-day 36 hole Classic competition combined with the opening of the Brora Week on Sunday. The Brora competitions are all sponsored by the local Clynelish Distillery.
Last year the Classic event at Golspie was won by Inverness's Bruce Thomson after he held off a strong challenge from Brora's “old head” Jim Miller, Miller the first winner of this Golspie event when it was added to the Sutherland calendar in 1988. Thomson is defending the trophy at the weekend but little has been seen of Miller this season so Dougall Chalmers (Panmure) winner of the Sutherland County Championship at the venue last June is a good bet to follow.
The Classic will conclude on Sunday just as the final pairings from an entry of one hundred tee off in the annual mixed foursomes competition to herald the start of the Brora Week where local pairing Marlene Bokas and John Sutherland will again be the two to beat for the scratch trophy, having already come out on top in an earlier July mixed event.
Monday at 6am sees the start of the qualifying process for 180 local and visiting golfers searching for a place in the match-play stages of the Clynelish Salver at Brora. Now Head Greenkeeper on the Brora course James MacBeath's work responsibilities takes precedence this year and prevents the local club champion defending the Clynelish Salver and adding to his already record seven victories since 1997. Last years handicap section winners turning up to defend are Kevin MacLeod (Helmsdale), Scott Fraser (Inchmarlo) and Jamie Malcolm (Edinburgh).
Twenty four hours after the Salver is presented to the winner at Brora the fixtures return to Golspie for their flagship competition, the Sinclair Cup. Twelve months ago the Golspie course had two course record scores set in the space of seven days. Inverness's Bruce Thomson's 68 in the Classic followed up a week later by Brora's Roddy Cameron when making a successful defence of the Sinclair Cup bettering Thomson's 68 by two strokes..
With more alterations to the Golspie design over the winter months, the first hole lengthened to a par 5 and the 15th extended by way of a new tee, the Golspie course record passed to Royal Dornoch's Bryan Urquhart with his 69 in the first round of this year's county championship.
With the influx of low handicap golfers arriving in the coming weeks it was a likelihood that Urquhart's record would fall but the task of the players now lining up to play Golspie over the next two weeks has been made even more difficult when last weekend when playing in the W A Macrae Trophy the golfer who knows the course best, head greenkeeper Alex MacDonald, bettered Urquhart's score by three and MacDonald now has possession of the course record at 66.
Other attractive open competitions before the big one, the Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch from August 15 to 20 include a mixed open at Golspie on Wednesday August 4 and a men's Gala Week Open on Sunday August 8. Royal Dornoch has two warm-ups before the Carnegie, the Lady Captain's Open Mixed Foursomes (yesterday) and next Thursday, August 4, the Ladies Open Tournament, the legendary Joyce Wethered the winner of the Sliver Medal in the 1920's.
The Ladies are also catered for at Tain Golf Club next week and there is still time to enter their own four- day competition played in conjunction with the men's four day tournament and then round off their week on Saturday August 7 playing in the Tain Pottery Women's Open. Still with the Ladies on Saturday August 14 the Brora Ladies Section host their open tournament.
Royal Dornoch's flagship event for the Carnegie Shield commences on Sunday, August 8 with qualifying rounds for the higher handicap groups then two days later home member Chris Mailley launches his defence of the Carnegie Shield in the first of the two qualifying rounds for category 1 and 2 golfers. The priceless Shield was gifted to the Dornoch Golf Club in 1901 by Andrew Carnegie of Skibo and bears many household names from Dornoch and afar. To recall just a few winners names engraved on the trophy from years past and nearer the present here are a few - Tommy Grant, Roger Wethered, Earnest Holderness, Robbie Grant, James (Cairnie) Macrae, Jim “Tite” Mackay, Duncan “Barrel” Murray, K W Walker, Tommy McCulloch, Raymond “RAG” Munro, Willie Skinner, Jim Miller, Stuart Shaw, David James, Stewart Wilson and the youngest ever winner in the Carnegie Centenary year of 2001, David Aitchison. One name still missing from the Shield after near thirty years of trying and to complete his impressive Sutherland CV, Dougall Chalmers?.
Enjoy a fabulous two weeks of competition on four of the North's fabulous links.

Looking out to the North Sea down the first hole at Balgownie (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

US Walker Cup captain Jim Holtgrieve has an

advance look at Balgownie for 2011 match

The Americans have started their preparations for next year's Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen (September 10-11). Already named as captain of the United States team, Jim Holtgrieve, 60, of St Louis, Missouri, is on a scouting visit to the Balgownie links this week.
Holtgrieve, who won the 1981 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, played on three consecutive winning USA Walker Cup teams – 1979, 1981 and 1983.
Here are some notes from Jim's diary:
"Everything went very well the first day (July 23). I got to the St. Louis airport early and it was a good thing as the flight was rescheduled to leave earlier.
"I made it to Edinburgh 20 minutes late at 8:10 a.m (July 24). My luggage arrived (clubs most important and intact), I went through customs, got the rental car and I was off. I am driving so I made a couple of wrong turns (they drive on the wrong side of the road) and finally arrived in Aberdeen.
"I was too tired to play so I took a small nap and then drove out to Royal Aberdeen Golf Club to see the course for the first time. It is simply awesome. Golf in Scotland is magnificent. I met the pro and took some pictures.
"Later, I went into town from the golf course (trying to learn my way around town). I tried to find a place that the team will be able to enjoy a decent burger and wind down.
"I then returned to the hotel, The Marcliffe, an outstanding establishment. This is probably where the team will stay, according to Niall Farquharson, the chairman of the 2011 Walker Cup Match.
"Sunday (July 25), I went back to the golf course and teed it at 10 a.m. It is a wonderful course that will take some time for our team to learn. There are a number of blind tee shots. I lost two balls and fired 78 from the blue (back) tees. Not bad for a first time.
"This will be a great experience for 10 young men from America.
"The second day of our visit entailed some sightseeing outside of Aberdeen. My wife, Kristine, and friends Rich and Cindy Weis went to visit the Crathes Castle. It was a great experience and a terrific education about old Scotland.
"We then went to work and began to mark and measure Royal Aberdeen Golf Club's course.
"Kristine, Cindy, Rich, and I walked the first four holes measuring, driving distances to specific bunkers. Unfortunately, the rain came and halted further examination of the course.
"Rich and I will return today (July 27) and finish this process. We are going to golf at Royal Aberdeen this afternoon at 4. It remains light until 10:30 p.m.
"All the Scottish people have been so kind to us. We are very grateful for their kindness and hospitality.
"I am confident that this will be a tremendous experience for the men who participate in the 2011 Walker Cup Match for the USA at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club."