SANDY PIRIE WINS BATTLE OF

PAST WALKER CUP PLAYERS

Former Walker Cup player Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) won the trophy named after him at the inaugural Scottish Super Seniors amateur golf tournament at Stirling Golf Club today.
Pirie, the instigator of the tournament for over 65s, tied with another past Walker Cup man, Scott MacDonald (Dunfermline), on the three-over-par 147 mark at the end of 36 holes.
Sandy had to birdie the last hole of his second round for a round of 72 to finish level with first-round leader MacDonald who drifted from an opening 71 to a 76.
Pirie won the play-off with a par at the second extra hole, the 18th, to be the first recipient of the Sandy Pirie Trophy which was donated by the Scottish Senior Golfing Society for annual competition.
The over-70s trophy was won by Duncan MacCallum (Sitrling) with scores of 77 and 78 for 155 – three shots ahead of clubmate Bruce Hunter (81-77).
There were 36 competitors in the 65 to 69 years category and 11 in the 70 years and over.
SCOTTISH SUPER SENIORS TOURNAMENT
Stirling Golf Club.
Leading totals
Par 144 (2x72)
65 to 69 years
147 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) 75 72, Scott MacDonald (Dunfermline) 71 76 (Pirie won sudden-death play-off at second extra hole).
149 David A Millar (St Andrews New) 75 74.
151 Brian Grieve (King James VI 75 76, Billy Wallace (St Cuthbert) 75 76.
154 Tony McIntyre (Lundin) 82 72, David J Smith (Stirling) 80 74.
155 Sandy Quinn (Stirling) 80 75.
156 Trevor Bennet (Great Barr) 79 77.
70 years and over
155 Duncan MacCallum (Stirling) 77 78.
158 Bruce Hunter (Stirling) 81 77.
159 Johnston Mackie (Glenearn) 80 79.

ends

Scroll down to read Ian Bratton's silver lining footnote

Hutcheon, Kelly share Ellon victory after Bratton nightmare finish

Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) and Cawder's Chris Kelly earned £955 a piece in sharing victory with four-under-par 66s in today's Asset Brokers International pro-am at McDonald Ellon Golf Club.
Hutcheon birdied the first, fourth, fifth, ninth and 14th, dropping a costly late shot with a bogey at the 17th.
Kelly birdied the first, second, fourth, 13th and 14th but shed a shot at the seventh.
But the real "loser" was Newburgh on Ythan club pro Ian Bratton who fell foul of the notorious difficult finishing holes at Ellon. Needing two pars to win by a couple of shots, he bogeyed the 17th and ran up a double bogey at the 18th for a 67, which put him a tie for third place with former Northern Open champion Fraser Mann, now unattached. Bratton and Mann both earned £557.45.
Mann led the Surelift trio of amateurs, Brian Emslie (handicap 14), George McIntosh (9) and Gordon Thomson (11), to victory in the team event with a best-ball net score of 20-under-par 120.
LEADING PRO TOTALS
Par 70
66 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Chris Kelly (Cawder) (£955.64 each).
67 Fraser Mann (unatt), Ian Bratton (Newburgh on Ythan) (£557.45 each).
68 Stephen Gray (Hayston), Mark King (Kingsfield), Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) (£325.55 each).
69 Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) (£205.35 each).
70 Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Chris Doak (unatt), Brian Leishman (Gleneagles Hotel) (£137.99 each).
71 Sandy Aird jun (McDonald Ellon), Colin Gillies (Braid Hills), Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) (£84.98 each).
72 Clarke Lutton (Qatar Golf International), Alan E Reid (West Lothian), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) (£48.79 each).

The morning after the day before, Ian Bratton, the Newburgh club pro writes:

Although disappointed with my last two holes at Ellon yesterday, I was quite surprised with my form during the round.
I have only managed three rounds of golf in the last month, once on holiday in Spain with rented clubs , once at Newburgh with friends and once at Royal Aberdeen on Thursday in preparation for the EllonPro Am. That depends if you call shooting 84 round Royal Aberdeen good preparation.
So on the 1st tee at Ellon I decided to hit my three iron as I was not quite sure what planet my driver may finish on. I then quietly stumbled to the seventh tee in two over par. I decided to give my playing partners a wee team talk. I thought we needed to pick up a few birdies if we were to stand a chance of picking up a team prize. Well I thought at least I might earn a hundred quid if the team played well.
Anyway I missed the seventh green to right, happy that it didn't finish in some bodies front garden. I decided to pitch on to the green. The ball came off the club face nicely and popped in for a birdie two. More relief that I hadn't duffed than joy at holing it. It seemed to help a wee bit and I then birdied the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelve and thirteenth. ( 7 birdies in a row).
I then knocked it close on fourteen and three putted for bogey from above a treacherous pin placement. I then decided to birdie the fifteenth and sixteenth as well. ( 9 birdies in 10 holes) . Six under with two holes to play. A couple of bad breaks on the last two holes, probably the toughest closing holes in Scotland and a good day's work was done. I picked up £557 for my score and £125 for second team score. We then won the raffle for £280 and my team who I play with every year called "The three Kings" gave me their prize vouchers to pay into my shop.
A silver lining on the last two holes at Ellon. Not many people can say that.
My score 67 (3 under)
Team score 121 ( 19 under)
Ian Bratton,
PGA Golf Professional,
Newburgh on Ythan Golf Links

FLEETWOOD v HARMSTON FOR ENGLISH TITLE

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Tommy Fleetwood will play Warren Harmston over 36 holes for the English Amateur Championship at Little Aston tomorrow. In the semi-finals, Fleetwood put out his England team-mate Tom Lewis 3 and 1 while Warren Harmston overcame Ross Dee 2 and 1.
In front of a large crowd, Fleetwood and Lewis produced some stunning golf over the front nine befitting their reputations and their status within the amateur game. Play became a bit scrappy after the turn, no doubt reflecting a tough, relenting week.
“I’m relieved,” said Fleetwood. “I know Tom well. We were foursomes partners in the European Championships and I was on my knees going out this afternoon. But I just had to keep my head down and managed to get the job done.
“I knew that if I could shoot under par I would be hard to beat but I got a bit nervous on the back nine. I just hope now that I can win a national final. I’ve been in three and lost them all.”
Lewis rued the fact that his best game deserted him when he needed it most, especially when he got off to a flying start by winning the first two holes, one with a birdie. But Fleetwood got back on track with three successive birdies to go in front and he went 2up at the sixth when Lewis found the bushes then sand.
At the par four eighth, Lewis took three from the back fringe to fall further behind and from then on he was fighting an uphill battle.
He got back to 2down with a birdie-three at the tenth but was unable to make further inroads as both players produced some scrappy holes, including a half in sixes at the long 12th.
Still 2down playing the 17th, Lewis had a 20-footer to stay alive and when he knocked his putt six feet past he shook Fleetwood’s hand.
“Tommy played good golf but I hit a lot of wild shots,” said Lewis. “I hope he goes on and wins and rounds off his amateur career in style.
“I got off to a good start but I gave away some holes and you can’t do that with someone like Tommy. But it just didn’t happen for me.”
In the other semi-final, Harmston lost the first hole but that was the only time he was behind. He won the second with a par which seemed to set the pattern as Dee suffered on the greens and made too many bogeys.
A birdie at three put the Surrey man in front while another Dee bogey at four put him 2up. He also won the short fifth with a 20-foot birdie but he gave that back with a bogey at six after failing to get up-and-down after flying the green.
Harmston was still 2up at the turn but again a faulty approach brought another bogey and trimmed his lead to one. But a Dee fightback was halted with a bogey at the 14th and the Essex man’s hopes ended in a watery grave on the 17th.
Dee’s drive got a bad bounce and he was blocked out by trees. In trying to draw his approach into the pin on the par four, he hit it too well and found water at the back of the green.
After a drop it ended in a double bogey six while a par ensured Harmston his victory and a place in the final.
“I can’t believe I’m in the final,” he said. “It hasn’t sunk in yet but it probably will when I stand on the first tee in the morning.
“It was a scrappy match. I holed a couple of nice putts which probably got me through. It was one of the worst matches I’ve played this week, but typical match play. There were also some tricky pins, the hardest we’ve had so far.”
Dee, who couldn’t get his putts to drop, was nevertheless pleased to have got so far. “It’s been an awesome week,” he said. “I’m happy with the way I played but a bit disappointed as well. I couldn’t get the putts to drop this afternoon but Warren played pretty solid.”

CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S RESULTS

Paul O'Hara four behind with round to go in Germany

Motherwell's Paul O'Hara is four shots off the pace in joint fourth place with one round to to in Germany's EPD Tour event, the Green Eagle Classic near Hamburg.
O'Hara has had rounds of 70 and 72 over a par-73 course for a two-round total of 143.
The Scot, who had a bogey-free opening round, had four bogeys today (Friday) but cancelled them out with an albatross 2 at the par-5 fourth hole and a birdie 2 at the short 14th.
Leading the field is Sweden's Marcus Palm on seven-under 139 with rounds of 68 and 71

EPD TOUR - Green Eagle Class
Hamburg, Germany
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 146 (2x73)
139 Marcus Palm (Sweden) 68 71.
142 Gustav Adell (Sweden) 74 68, Rasmus Hjelm (Denmark) 70 72.
143 Gerant Jackson (England) 71 72, Paul O'Hara (Scotland) 70 72.
Selected scores:
148 Lee Corfield (England) 74 74.
Missed the cut
155 Ben Parker (England) 79 76, Philip Gresswell (England) 75 80.
161 Stephen Murphy (Scotland) 82 79.

Erik Compton up front in Greenbrier Classic

The man with two new hearts, shares led with a seven-under 63

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia: Erik Compton is a walking billboard for organ donation and sheer determination. He's also at the top of the Greenbrier Classic leaderboard.
Playing on a late sponsor exemption, the 30-year-old double heart transplant recipient shot a 7-under 63 on Thursday to share the first-round lead with rookie Matt Every in the inaugural tournament.
Compton spent eight straight days doing yard work at home in Miami before he got the call Saturday to play in the tournament. He's making the most of his late invite, overcoming a slow start with nine birdies on the Old White course.
"You know, some guys miss six, seven cuts in a row and then win," Compton said. "I know I'm a good player, and I have a lot of the adversity in front of me with the game and health. But I always feel like if I stick in there and keep trying, something eventually good is going to happen."
George McNeill, Pat Perez and Jeff Overton opened with 64s.
Nearly all of the field hadn't played the course before this week, but it wasn't a detriment - 24 players were at 4 under or better.
While more than half of the field is in jeopardy of missing the FedEx Cup playoffs and others are trying to secure spots in next month's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Compton is taking it week by week, looking to solidify a future either on the PGA Tour or the Nationwide circuit.
A few years ago, it wasn't looking so bright.
Compton was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy at age 9. The disease inflames the heart and leaves it unable to pump as hard as it needs to. His first transplant came three years later and another occurred in 2008.
He didn't think he'd play golf again and even sold his equipment after the second transplant. But his health improved quickly and he returned to the game within weeks.
This season he's made four cuts in seven starts.
In the past he might have denied that his double transplants would have been a bigger deal than shooting a low score, but not now.
"It affects so many people," Compton said.
Compton's stamina is good, though he admits it may not be up to the level of other players. That's in part due to the hilly terrain and expansive layout of some courses.
Fortunately for him, Old White is relatively flat.
"My health is great. I keep a good eye on it," Compton said. "I'm almost like a doctor now myself because I've been through so much and being able to manage medications and take it on the road."
Good friend Victor Billskoog, who's carrying Compton's bag this week for the first time, is hoping to attend the PGA Tour's qualifying school and uses Compton as an inspiration.
"He has such a great story coming from the depths that he came from," Billskoog said. "When I get down on myself and think about how hard I'm having it, I think about Erik and his remarkable story."
An accurate driver, Compton showed a good all-around game Thursday, reaching 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation. He needed just 26 putts.
Things didn't start out so good.
Compton bogeyed two of the first three holes, then rattled off seven birdies over a nine-hole stretch. He also birdied the par-4 14th and his chip from behind the green to the par-5 17th hit the flag, leaving him with another short birdie.
"I'm just trying to enjoy the opportunity," Compton said. "It's just the first round. I've played this sport long enough to know that (Friday) I tee off at 2 o'clock and might be seven back. So I'm just trying to be patient."
Compton's previous best round this year was 4-under 67 in February at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. His best finish was a tie for 30th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
He qualified for the U.S. Open in June after a 36-hole sectional that included a playoff. He shot 77-81 in the Open and missed the cut.
After missing the cut two weeks ago at the Reno-Tahoe Open, Compton went back to his new home for some serious yard work, planting palm, oak and Italian Cypress trees and redoing the lawn.
"I've done flowers before, but nothing will grow in 150-degree weather in Miami," Compton said.
After more than a week of getting his hands dirty, he got the call to play golf again - and has come to appreciate the beauty of Old White, which has undergone some tweaking and considerable floral touch ups in preparation for the tournament.
"This place is immaculate," Compton said. "That why it's so neat to see the landscaping here. As a golfer, you like to have your yard look nice."
Every, starting on the back nine, eagled the par-5 12th and had three straight birdies to make the turn at 6 under. He added a birdie at the par-4 sixth hole.
The 26-year-old Every's best finish is eighth at the Phoenix Open in late February. He's played in just 11 tournaments in the last five months after breaking his left pinky finger.
"My game's coming around," said Every, recently arrested in Iowa and charged with possession of a controlled substance. He has denied possessing marijuana.
Overton, seeking his fifth top-10 finish this season, had the chance to tie for the lead but made bogey on the par-3 18th after his tee shot flew the green.
Brendon de Jonge, Charles Howell III, Aron Price, Matt Bettencourt and John Rollins shot 65s. Jim Furyk, who's fifth in the FedExCup points standings and can jump past Ernie Els into the top spot with a second place or better finish, had a 68.
Carl Pettersson, winner of the Canadian Open last week, had a 71.
Afternoon play was stopped for 1 hour, 33 minutes due to storms.

Carrell adds Under-18s' match-play title to Under-16s stroke

Andrew Carrell, playing over his home Peterculter course, followed up his capture of the North-east District Under-16s stroke-play championship on Thursday by winning the Under-18s' match-play title today.
He beat Sam McNeill (Aboyne) by 5 and 4 in the semi-finals and then scored a 3 and 2 win over Sean Lawrie (Portlethen) in the final.
Results:
Semi-finals
Andrew Carrell (Peterculter) bt Sam McNeil (Aboyne) 5 and 4.
Sean Lawrie (Portlethen) bt Daniel Thompsett (Aboyne) at 19th.
Final
Carrell bt Lawrie 3 and 2.
Ryan McKinnon won the Under-14s championwith a scratch round of 69.
T M Cameron (Fraserburgh) won the Under-12s title with an 87.
Details:
Under-14s champiionship
Scratch
69 Ryan McKinnon (Inchmarlo).
70 A Fisher (Inchmarlo).
76 L Anderson (Deeside).
Handicap
62 C Coutts (Alford) (13).
67 C Giblin (Torphins) (23).
68 R Powell (Deeside) (15).
Under-12s championship
Scratch
87 T M Cameron (Fraserburgh).

Gullane semi-finals provide one eagle and 25 birdies

Golfing buddies Michael Stewart and

Jordan Findlay meet in 36-hole final

of Scottish amateur championship

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Troon’s Michael Stewart and Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh – foursomes partners for a winning Scotland boys team at Lossiemouth in 2006 and golfing buddies for the past nine years – will cross swords in tomorrow's  36-hole final of the Allied Surveyors Scottish men’s amateur golf championship over the Gullane No 1 course East Lothian.
“We’ll be opponents – but we will never forget we are and will remain good friends – said the 20-year-old Stewart, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency today, the No 3 seed who won the Scottish boys match-play title in 2008. “I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fun – but serious at the same time, if that’s possible.”
Jordan, who went to the same American college – East Tennessee State University – as Stewart, said: “Michael and I have been friends for so long that playing each other in the championship final is not going to change that.”
Findlay beat the No 1 seed and fellow North-east player James Byrne by one hole in the first semi-final.
Stewart beat Stephen Neilson from Dunbar by 4 and 3 in the other.
Both matches were a tremendous credit to Scottish men’s amateur golf.
In perfect, windless scoring conditions, the two ties were from the top drawer of golf – a combined bag of one eagle and 25 birdies being produced between the four players.
Stewart touched the scoring heights with one eagle, six birdies and a bogey, making him seven under par in beating Neilson.
“I reckon I’m 25 under par for my last six ties and my putter got red hot at last this afternoon,” he said.
Stephen Neilson, who had a personal bag of four birdies and three bogeys, was actually two up on Stewart after birdieing the second, third and fifth.
Then Stewart turned the tide and won the next four holes to go two up at the turn, having gone out in four-under-par 31.
Stewart, who was diagnosed with shingles a week ago, says he tires more easily but doesn’t feel any pain from the viral complaint.
Jordan Findlay, who was British boys champion in 2004 and beaten finalist in the same event a year later, had eight birdies and two bogeys to be six under par in beating Byrne – and he had to be!
Byrne himself had seven birdies and two bogeys. Fancy being five under par in a championship semi-final and losing .. earlier in the day, Byrne had a hole in one in his semi-final win over Michael Smith (Royal Troon), his first-round conqueror from last year.
Stewart, in his morning quarter-final, was two under par in beating 19-year-old Jordan McColl (Scotscraig) by 4 and 3.
The Findlay v Byrne match would have made a terrific final. That is not to say that Findlay v Stewart over two rounds will not also be a classic. But I've been reporting on Scottish amateur championships back to the days of the late Ronnie Shade, Charlie Green, Ian Hutcheon, Hugh Stuart and Sandy Pirie - and I cannot recall two semi-finals where the scoring in BOTH matches was so breathtakingly good.
Findlay holed a bunker shot to halve the eighth in birdie 3s – it was that kind of stuff usually reserved for the pages of fictional golf..
And Byrne, two down going into the closing stages, almost clawed it back and probably would have done against a lesser player.
The Banchory man, ranked No 13 in the world, won back the 15th with a birdie 4 to be one down with three to play. But Findlay held him at bay as the last two holes were halved in birdie 3s.
Byrne’s last desperate bid to keep his bid to reach another glory final – he lost in the 36-hole final of the British championship along the road at Muirfield in June – was to hole from 20 ft for a 3 at the par-4 18th.
But Findlay was not going to let his grip slacken now. He followed him in from 7ft to claim a place in what has the makings of a classic final.
"Reaching this final makes all the hard work changing my swing worth while. Bob Torrance warned me it would rough to start with but that the new swing would eventually take me to a higher level. I never lost faith in my own ability although others might have had their doubts," said Jordan, not normally an excitable or emotional man but obviously delighted to be in his first big championship final since he won the British boys championship in 2004 and reached the final of that event the following year.
For Stewart, the coach who has made him a better player than he might otherwise have been is Huntly-born Ian Rae.


Results of semi-finals:
Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) beat *James Byrne (Banchory) 1 hole.
*Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) beat Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) 4 and 3.

Allied Surveyors Scottish Men's Amateur Championship

NEWS FROM GULLANE SEMI-FINALS

Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) two up on *James Byrne (Banchory) after 14 holes.
Findlay was out in three-under-par 32 and two up.
Holes 12, 13 and 14 halved.

*Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) three up on Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) after 13 holes.
Stewart won four holes in a row from the sixth to go from two down to two up at the turn. Out in four-under-par 31.
Stewart also won 11th and 12th.

POWERADE PGA ASSISTANTS CHAMPIONSHIP WON BY

GUY WOODMAN FOR SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS

East Berkshire's Guy Woodman was finally poised to celebrate his 33rd birthday in style after he lifted the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship in association with FootJoy title for the second time in three years.
Woodman, who turned 33 yesterday, had been forced to put any celebrations on ice for 24 hours as he attempted to become only the fifth player in the tournament's 80-year history to win the title twice.
The 2008 champion, who was runner-up last year, kept his rivals at bay with a final round two-under-par 70 to clinch a three-shot victory in the £30,000 tournament at East Sussex National. Woodman collected a cheque for £5,000 plus he secured the chance to take on the cream of the European Tour at next year's flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Sidmouth's Kevin Harper, in his first attempt, finished second after firing a three-under-par 69 to end at five-under. He collected a cheque for £3,000.
East Kilbride's Graham Fox, who began the final round a shot behind the winner, carded a three-over-par 75 to claim third place at two-under and a cheque for £2,200.
Woodman, who paid tribute to his coach Andrew Nicholson, admitted that the final round had been a real pressure situation.
"It's the most nervous I've been on the course for a long time," he said.
"That was down to the weight of expectation not only from myself but from other people, while I knew there were five or six players behind me that if they got out the blocks fast enough could have won it.
"I went out of bounds on the third and after that my emotions and thoughts were upside down and I thought I'd blown it. Graham hit a few loose shots and that gave me a bit of hope because no-one seemed to be going forward.
"I kept grinding and got an unexpected eagle in the 13th and just relaxed after that for the first time. I feel quite emotional because it's a huge weight off my shoulders.
"I'm really chuffed and I have to thank my coach as he's been a real rock for me and gave me the belief to go and win it."
The relief was also poised to spill over with the belated birthday celebrations, which had been put on hold as Woodman focused on claiming the title.
"I went home after the second round and saw my family and my girlfriend and just went out for a quiet meal," he said.
"But tonight we're going to have a double celebration. I'm just pleased it's all done."
"But winning this twice, the Australian equivalent and the English PGA Assistants' - it's been a hell of a ride as an assistant!"
Runner-up Harper, who won the PGA Europro Order of Merit in 2006, was content with his debut but vowed to come back stronger next year as he targets the title.
"It's been a great week and the competition has been really strong," said the 28-year-old.
"You can see from the scores this week it hasn't been easy. But it's a great finish in my first year and I've got two more attempts to win it. It's a case of going on from here and being a bit better next year."
As for Fox, third place was little consolation having set out to win the event at the start of the week.
"I'm just disappointed as I came here to win," he said.
"There's huge benefits to winning like getting into the BMW PGA Championship and that's why it's disappointing.
"But Guy played better on the day. I didn't put my ball in the right position and missed a few greens. They were just mistakes and it was just one of those days."
Woodsome Hall's Chris Hanson took fourth place at one-under-par - the only other player in the field to break par for the tournament.
Woodman's victory sees him join Dai Rees (1935, 1936), Harry Weetman (1949, 1950), Matthew Tottey (2003, 2005) and Jonathan Lupton (2007, 2009) as the only players to win the title on two occasions.

Click here for scores from the final round at East Sussex National

Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), left, and James Byrne (Banchory) on the first tee at Gullane No 1 before their semi-final meeting in the Allied Surveyors Scottish men's amateur championship this afternoon. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Allied Surveyors Scottish men's amateur championship at Gullane

BYRNE AGAINST FINDLAY FOR PLACE IN FINAL

AND STEWART v NEILSON IN OTHER TIE

For the second year in a row, the North-east is guaranteed a player in Saturday’s 36-hole final of the Allied Surveyors Scottish men’s amateur golf championship over the Gullane No 1 course, East Lothian.
Following in the footsteps of Hazlehead’s David Law, who won the title at Royal Troon 12 months ago, will be either the No 1 seed James Byrne (Banchory) or Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh).
They met this afternoon in the semi-finals.
Byrne, reproducing the form that took him to the final of the British amateur championship less than a mile along the road at Muirfield and has earned him a world ranking of No 13, beat Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) by 3 and 2 in this morning’s first quarter-final.
The victory gave Byrne a degree of satisfaction for it was Smyth who knocked him out of this championship in the first round last year.
The 21-year-old Arizona State University student highlighted another polished performance with a hole in one at the 144yd par-3 fourth hole. He also had birdies at the second, fifth and 12th and steadily built up a three-hole lead with wins at the second, fourth and 10th.
He was four under par at the finish.
“I made my score on the way out with that hole in one certainly helping my figures,” said Byrne. “It was my fifth hole in one and I used an eight iron. I was second to play off the tee and Michael had hit a good tee shot to about 12ft so it was nice to see it go in.”
In the all-North-east second quarter-final, Findlay scored a 4 and 3 win over Aberdeen University student John Duff, a member of Newmachar Golf Club.
Findlay had birdies at the first, fourth and 12th and was four up after eight holes.The Fraserburgh was three under par for the holes played.
“I didn’t have a single bogey so I’m up for the semi-final against James Byrne. It should be good fun and the great thing, whether it’s me or James, is that the North-east will have a player in tomorrow’s final.
Former Scottish boys champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), the only other seeded player to reach the quarter-finals apart from Byrne, cruised to a 4 and 3 win over US college circuit player, Jordan McColl (Scotscraig) in the third quarter-final.
Stewart made an poor start with three putts on the firest green to go one down right away but he soon found his game to win the second, fourth and eighth for a two-hole lead at the turn.
The 19-year-old Ayrshire player was two under par when he finished the contest with a birdie 4 at the long 15th.
In the last quarter-final to finish, Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) was one up on 17-year-old Liam Johnston (Dumfries and County) on the 15th tee and won the 16th with a par and the 17th with a birdie 3 for a 3 and 1 victory. Neilson was roughly level par at the finish
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
*James Byrne (Banchory) beat Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) 3 and 2.
Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) bt John Duff (Newmachar) 4 and 3
*Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) bt Jordan McColl (Scotscraig) 4 and 3
Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) bt Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) by 3 and 1.

*denotes seeded player.

United States Senior Open Championship Scoreboard
Sahalee Golf Club, Seattle
FIRST ROUND
Par 70
66 Bruce Vaughan.
68 Tim Jackson (am), Loren Roberts.
69 Joe Ozaki (Japan), Michael Allen, Tom Lehman, Mark Calcavecchia, Bernhard Langer (Germany).
70 Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Scott Simpson, Jay Haas.
Selected scores:
72 Corey Pavin.
75 Mark O'Meara.
81 Glenn Ralph (England).

England send 20 to European championship in Finland

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Five members of England’s winning European Men’s Team Championship squad are among a group of 20 players who will represent the English Golf Union (EGU) in the International European Amateur Championship at Vanajanlinna Golf and Country Club in Finland next week (August 4 to 7).
They are Laurie Canter (Saltford, Somerset), Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall, Lancashire), Billy Hemstock (Teignmouth, Devon), Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire) and Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park).
The full group is:
 Jamie Abbott (Fynn Valley, Suffolk), Todd Adcock (Nevill, Sussex), Jonathan Bell (Royal Blackheath), Laurie Canter, Hugo Dobson (Fynn Valley, Suffolk), Tommy Fleetwood, Billy Hemstock (picture © Tom Ward), Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale, Surrey), Adam Keogh (Boston West), Tom Lewis, Chris Lloyd (The Kendleshire), Ben Loughrey (Wrag Barn, Wiltshire), Matt Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne), Eddie Pepperell, Darren Renwick (Hill Barn, Sussex), James Robinson (Southport and Ainsdale, Lancashire), Jack Senior (Heysham, Lancashire), Tom Shadbolt (Mid Herts, Hertfordshire), Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall, Essex) and Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle, Hampshire).
Canter has already won the South African Amateur, Hampshire Hog and West of England titles this year, Fleetwood the SandA Bowl, Lewis won the Berkhamsted Trophy and Pepperell has two titles to his credit this year, the Welsh Open Stroke Play and the Berkshire Trophy.
Of the other players heading for Finland, Abbott qualified for the Open Championship at St Andrews, Dobson won the South East of England Links Championship, and Lloyd was runner-up in the McEvoy Trophy. Nixon was a semi finalist in the Amateur Championship, Robinson won the Formby Hare, Southgate triumphed in the St Andrews Links Trophy, while Wright triumphed in the Brabazon Trophy supported by SkyCaddie last month.
It is six years since the title was won by an English player, the last being Matthew Richardson in 2004. But since then James Heath, Gary Lockerbie, Matt Cryer and Steven Lewton have finished runner-up while Hemstock was third last year.

Good start by Paul O'Hara to EDP Tour's Hamburg event

Paul O'Hara, a winner already on the EPD Tour in Germany this summer, is well placed after the first round of the Green Eagle Classic at a Hamburg venue.
O'Hara kept a bogey off hisw card and birdied the first, long fourth and long 18th in halves of 33 aned 37 for a three-under-par round of 70. He is lying joint second with three other polayers, two shots behind the pacemaking Swede, Marcup Palm.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 73
68 Marcup Palm (Sweden).
70 Paul O'Hara (Scotland), Rasmus Hjelm (Denmark), Kasper Linnet Jorgensen (Den).
71 Nicola Kokholm (Denmark), Grant Jackson (England), Bjorn Akesson (Sweden).
Selected scores
74 Lee Corfield (England).
75 Philip Gresswell (England).
77 Stephen Grant (Ireland).
79 Ben Park (England).
81 Matthew Brunyard (England).
82 Stephen Murphy (Scotland).
84 Emilio Dellanzo (England).
92 Malcolm Grogan (England)

Powerade PGA Assistants Championship

Graham Fox's 68 puts him in contention at East Sussex National

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA

Scotland’s could be poised for its first Powerade PGA Assistants’ Champion in

eight years after East Kilbride’s Graham Fox thrust himself into contention.

The 33-year-old, pictured, who has just completed his three-year PGA Foundation degree,

fired a best-of-the-day four-under-par 68 to move to five-under for the tournament and within one shot of the leader – East Berkshire’s Guy Woodman. Fox, one of only five players on the opening day at East Sussex National to shoot under par, shot equal halves of 34 – including an eagle at the par 10th - to put himself In the frame to win the championship, which is in association with FootJoy.

Scotland’s last champion was David Orr in 2002 but Fox could be poised to end that lean spell having ensured that Woodman, champon in 2008 and runner-up last year, would not romp to a second title in three years.

“I knew Guy would get to five or six under so I knew I needed to get as many under as I could to have a chance,” said Fox.

“It was no good shooting level par as it would probably be a bit too much to get back in touch with him. I wasn’t any more aggressive, things just went for me. I put the ball in the right place and putted better.

“I had a couple of five foot putts for par and that just helped keep the momentum going.

“Being in the final group is where I wanted be, but maybe a couple of shots better off, but I’m happy to be in the final group.”

Yorkshire’s Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall) and Devon’s Kevin Harper (Sidmouth) share third place at two-under par with Elie’s David Patrick in fifth place at level par. The top 40 and ties made the cut to compete for a share of the £30,000 prize fund on offer. The winner also receives an invite to the 2011 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth – the European Tour’s flagship event.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72)

138 Guy Woodman (East Berkshire) 69 69.

139 Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 71 68.

142 Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall) 71 71, Kevin Harper (Sidmouth) 69 73.

144 David Patrick (Elie) 73 71.

146 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 72 74, Michael Ramsden (Bondhay) 73 73.

Selected scores:

151 Gareth Wright (West Linton) 75 78 (jt 19th).

153 Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch) 79 74.

MISSED THE CUT (154 or better qualified)

155 Fraser Pook (Aberedour) 79 80.

157 Riccardo Rebecchi (Addington Court) 82 75.

158 Scott Herald (Adam Hunter Golf) 77 81, Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 76 82.

159 Calum Lawson (Blaigowrie) 79 80.

164 Alan Martin (The Duke's St Andrews) 85 79.

165 Brian Gibson (The Carrick) 85 80

Grant Browman retains Angus boys' county match-play title

Seventeen-year-old Grant Bowman from Monifieth Golf Club has retained his County Matchplay title.
In the morning semi-final Grant was behind for most of the round mainly due to his opponent
Ian Douglas's remarkable short game skills. Grant turned the match his way with a great 40 foot
birdie putt at the long par 3 14th then a magnificent 3 iron 2nd shot into 15 feet at the par 5 17th
sealed the match.
In the other semi-final, former Scotland under 16 cap Ross Storrier from Downfield prooved to be
too strong for Caird Park's Connar Cook with a masterfull display of iron play and putting to set up a
comfortable winning margin by 6&5
The final was the expected clash of the two top seeds in Bowman and Storrier. With never more than
1 hole in the game it was Bowman who gained the mometum when when he struck a magnificent 3 wood
to the edge of the 17th green to go dormie 1 up. Storrier almost holed a seemingly impossible bunker shot
at the last which would have forced extra holes leaving Bowman to confidently sink his 2 foot par putt
for victory.
RESULTS
SEMI-FINALS
Ross Storrier (Downfield) bt Connar Cook(Caird Park) 6&5
Grant Bowman (Monifieth) bt Ian Douglas(Monifieth) 2&1
FINAL
Bowman bt Storrier 1 hole.