Alex McDonald wins Carnegie Shield for first time

BY ROBIN WILSON
In the all home club final of the Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch Alex MacDonald after defeat in his previous final appearance of 2006 won his first Carnegie with a resounding victory of 6 and 5 in the final over the defending champion Chris Mailley.
MacDonald,  after a semi final battle which lasted over four hours, eventually beat American Andrew Biggadike in the semi final at the 20th then played the much better golf in the final and was five up on Mailley after nine holes. Mailley,three down after nine in his semi final tie against Ian Fraser (Dumfries & County) sprang to life on the inward nine and won his way into his second final by 3 and 2.
But the title-holder was all over the course in the final before conceding to MacDonald's straighter play after just thirteen holes.

Full report to follow.

NORTH-EAST DISTRICT OPEN

Bryan Innes (Murcar Links), leading the home challenge in the North-east District Open at Cruden Bay. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

INNES, STEVENSON SHARE CRUDEN BAY LEAD


Former Scotland cap Bryan Innes (Murcar Links), a semi-finalist in the Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon last year, is sharing the lead with St Andrews University graduate Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) at the halfway stage of the North-east District Open, sponsored by Crimond Estates Ltd, at Cruden Bay Golf Club.
Innes had rounds of 68 and 69, and Stevenson 67 and 70 in ideal links scoring conditions - bright, warm sunshine and little or no wind.
Surprisingly the CSS was 73 both rounds against a par of 70.
A total of 40 players with 36-hole tallies of 154 qualified for Sunday's final 36 holes. Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) would have made it through to Sunday's final two rounds with scores of 77 and 75 for 152 but he notified the NE District organisers that he was withdrawing at the halfway stage.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 140 (2x70) CSS 73 73
137 Bryan Innes (Murcar Links) 68 69, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 67 70.
139 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 69 70.
140 Stephen Neilson (Dunbar)72 69.
142 Michael Buchan (Cruden Bay) 70 72, Chris Gilbert (McDonald Ellon) 69 73,.
143 Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 73 70, David Law (Hazlehead) 74 69, Anthony Bews (Murcar Links) 71 72.
144 James Ross (Royal Burgess) 73 71.
145 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 70 75, Greg Nicolson (Dalmahoy) 72 73., Neil Henderson (Glen) 72 73.
146 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 77 69.
147 Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 72 75, Michael Daily (Erskine) 73 74, Malcolm Campbell (Swanston New) 73 74, Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan) 72 75.
148 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 78 70, Aaron Sweeney (Carnoustie) 74 74, Daniel Thompsett (Aboyne) 74 74.
149 Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) 72 77, Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 76 73, George Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) 73 76, AndrewWallace (Glenbervie) 72 77, Scott Larkin (Royal Abedeen) 76 73, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 74 75
150 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 73 77, Steven Smith (Dalmahoy) 73 77.
151 Stewart McCulloch (McDonald Ellon) 76 75, John Duff (Newmachar) 76 75, Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 75 76, David Morrison (Duff House Royal) 79 72,
152 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 77 75, Jamie Reid (Cruden Bay) 74 78.
153 Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 71 82.
154 Ross McKen (Newquay) 77 77, Robert Carson (Dalmahoy) 84 70, Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links) 75 79, Hamish King (McDonald Ellon) 78 76.
*Mark Hillson (Craigielaw) qualified with 77 75 for 152 but withdrew from the remainder of the tournament.

MISSED THE CUT
155 John Moir (Newburgh on Ythan) 80 75.
156 Ian Galbraith (Murcar Links) 75 81, Andrew Carrell (Peterculter) 80 76, Keith Shanks (US) 80 76, Scott Moffat (Alloa) 83 73.
157 Michael Watson (Elgin) 81 76, Colin Brodie (Meldrum House) 81 76.
160 Richard Barr (Newmachar) 76 84.
161 David Forsyth (Newmachar) 79 82, Steven J Buchan (Royal Aberdeen) 83 78.
162 Donald MacAndrew (Royal Aberdeen) 88 74
163 Gary Esson (Portlethen) 80 83.
164 Douglas Maxwell (Craigielaw) 86 78.
167 Neil McKinnon (Murcar Links) 86 81, Ross Gordon (Peterhead) 86 81.
172 Steven Sharp (Newburgh on Ythan) 91 81, Barry Mitchell (Murcar Links) 84 88.
173 Kenny Gunnyson (Murcar Links) 86 87.

ALPS TOUR

DEAR IN OVER-DRIVE CHASING EURO EXEMPTON 

Gavin Dear,needing to improve by one place in the Alps Tour Order of Merit at the end of this weekend's tournament, produced another great round at the Omnium of Belgium tournament.
The Murrayshall, Perthshire man started the 72-hole event slowly on Thursday with a three-over-74 but he has got up into over-drive with second and third rounds of 65 and 66 for a running total of 205 - only two shots behind le3ader Uli Weinhandl (Austria), who had a 64 in the third round, and one behind second-placed Gerald Gresse (Belgium).
Dear came into this tournament in seventh place in the Order of Merit. The top six at the conclusion of the event in Belgium will gain excemption from the first stage of the European Tour School qualifying process.
Fellow traveller from Perthshire, Steven Hume also had a second sub-par round in a row.
Humne has scorfed 73,67 and 68 for a share of 15th place on 208.

THIRD ROUND LEADERS
Par 213 (3x71)
203 Uli Wwinhandle (Austria) 71 68 64.
204 Gerald Gresse (Belgium) 67 67 70.
205 Gavin Dear (Scotland) 74 65 66, Chrisopher Mivis (Belgium) (amateur) 69 69 67, Romain Schneider (France) 70 68 67, Jason Kelly (England) 68 67 70, Jason Palmer (England) 68 67 70.
Selected score:
208 Steven Hume (Scotland) 73 67 68.

UNITED STATES PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Harrington misses cut after double bogey at last

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
A closing double-bogey six sent Padraig Harrington crashing out of the final major of the year today - and could have a massive impact on Europe's Ryder Cup team.
With Luke Donald and Justin Rose among those who also missed the cut in the United States PGA Championship at a fog-free Whistling Straits, and with Paul Casey well down the field, captain Colin Montgomerie could be faced with a huge dilemma for his three wild cards in two weeks.
Harrington, winner two years ago, had made a brilliant recovery from his opening 75, but all the hard work was undone when, distracted by a photographer, he hit his second shot into the hazard short of the 18th green. From there he took a penalty drop, pitched 10 feet past the flag and missed the bogey putt.
With a 71 for a two-over aggregate he then waited to learn his fate - and an hour later it was confirmed he was out by a shot.
"It's very disappointing, but it would be silly to think that my last shot is going to cost me my place," said Harrington. Even if he gets a pick, though, it could have cost somebody else their spot.
"The Ryder Cup does come first. I made out my schedule to peak for the four majors and the Ryder Cup, and I'm going to stick with it. If I get picked I want to be ready to play."
With half the field continuing their second rounds at 7am (local time)  following two days of fog delays, there was the possibility Tiger Woods could be a casualty of the cut as well when he resumed with a bogey on the seventh.
But the world number one came back with birdies at the 10th, 14th and 17th for a 70 and three-under aggregate that left him joint 22nd - five adrift of Matt Kuchar.

Woods, who pulled off a spectacular shot onto the final green from a fairway bunker, said: "I'm not hitting it well here, but I'm putting well and I'm right in the ball game."

Leading Europeans at halfway were 21-year-old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy and England's Simon Khan in a tie for fifth on five under, while Scot Stephen Gallacher - making a cut in a major for the first time - was one further back after a 69.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Matt Kuchar 67 69
137 Nick Watney 69 68
138 J.B. Holmes 72 66, Jim Furyk 70 68
139 Seung-yul Noh (Kor) 68 71, Zach Johnson 69 70, Jason Dufner 73 66, Bubba Watson 68 71, Simon Khan (Eng) 69 70, Dustin Johnson 71 68, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 71 68, Vijay Singh (Fij) 73 66, Ryan Palmer 71 68, Bryce Molder 72 67
140 Brendon De Jonge 74 66, Chad Campbell 70 70, Stephen Gallacher (Sco) 71 69, Bo Van Pelt 73 67, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 70, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 72 68
141 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 68 73, Ben Crane 73 68, Tiger Woods 71 70, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 70, Steve Elkington (Aus) 71 70, Jason Day (Aus) 69 72
142 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 73 69, Brian Gay 72 70, Rhys Davies (Wal) 71 71, Simon Dyson (Eng) 71 71, Kyung-Tae Kim (Kor) 70 72, D.A. Points 70 72, Peter Hanson (Swe) 71 71, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 71 71, Phil Mickelson 73 69, Justin Leonard 73 69, Shaun Micheel 73 69, Ernie Els (Rsa) 68 74, Camilo Villegas (Col) 71 71
143 Brian Davis (Eng) 71 72, David Horsey (Eng) 72 71, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 70 73, Wen-chong Liang (Chn) 72 71, Charles Howell III 69 74, K J Choi (Kor) 74 69, Paul Casey (Eng) 72 71, Tim Clark (Rsa) 72 71, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 71 72
144 Rob Labritz 73 71, Steve Stricker 72 72, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 76 68, Tom Lehman 74 70, Darren Clarke (NIrl) 74 70, Marc Leishman (Aus) 71 73, Martin Laird (Sco) 70 74, Ian Poulter (Eng) 72 72, Rickie Fowler 73 71, Troy Matteson 72 72
145 Adam Scott (Aus) 72 73, Jeff Overton 74 71, Davis Love III 73 72, David Toms 74 71, Stewart Cink 77 68, Heath Slocum 73 72, Kevin Na 74 71, Hunter Mahan 74 71, Brandt Snedeker 75 70, D.J. Trahan 72 73, Ryan Moore 69 76, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 72 73, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 74 71, Ross McGowan (Eng) 73 72
MISSED THE CUT
146 Jerry Kelly 75 71, Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 73 73, Michael Sim (Aus) 70 76, Chris Wood (Eng) 78 68, John Merrick 70 76, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 71 75, Matt Bettencourt 72 74, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 78 68, Tim Thelen 71 75, Kenny Perry 73 73, Kevin Stadler 74 72, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 76 70, Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) 71 75, Boo Weekley 76 70, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 75 71
147 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 76 71, Vaughn Taylor 73 74, Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 76 71, Anders Hansen (Den) 76 71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 78 69, Lucas Glover 74 73, John Senden (Aus) 77 70, Troy Pare 73 74, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 70 77, Bill Haas 73 74, Scott Verplank 74 73
148 Mitch Lowe 71 77, Daniel Willett (Eng) 74 74, Ben Curtis 73 75, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 74 74, Justin Rose (Eng) 74 74, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 75 73, Mike Weir (Can) 74 74, Jimmy Walker 71 77, Stephen Ames (Can) 71 77, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 72 76
149 Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 74 75, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 72 77, Kevin Sutherland 74 75, Hiroyuki Fujita (Jpn) 74 75, Derek Lamely 77 72, Ricky Barnes 75 74, Charlie Wi (Kor) 74 75, Anthony Kim 74 75, Luke Donald (Eng) 72 77, Jason Bohn 77 72
150 Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) 76 74, George McNeill 75 75, Bill Lunde 76 74, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 74 76, Sean O'Hair 75 75, Shane Lowry (Irl) 71 79, Soren Hansen (Den) 77 73
151 Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn) 74 77, Oliver Wilson (Eng) 76 75, Sonny Skinner 73 78, Matthew Jones (Aus) 74 77, Scott Hebert 75 76
152 Koumei Oda (Jpn) 78 74, Ross Fisher (Eng) 78 74, Danny Balin 75 77, Mike Small 78 74, Stu Ingraham 77 75
153 Ryan Benzel 79 74, Kris Blanks 73 80, Paul Goydos 80 73, Tim Petrovic 75 78
154 Kyle Flinton 76 78, Cameron Beckman 79 75
155 David Hutsell 75 80, Mark Brooks 80 75, Rob Moss 78 77, Rich Steinmetz 75 80, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 80 75
156 Steve Marino 74 82, Bruce Smith 81 75, Jason Schmuhl 82 74, Robert Mcclellan 75 81
158 Chip Sullivan 83 75
159 Corey Pavin 79 80, Keith Ohr 78 81
161 Mark Sheftic 82 79
162 Colin Montgomerie (Sco) 79 83

North-east District Open

STEVENSON SETS PACE AT CRUDEN BAY

Whitecraigs’ Gordon Stevenson led the field with a three-under-par round of 70 in the North-east District Open golf championship at sunny Cruden Bay today .
St Andrews University student Stevenson had three North-east players on his tail going into the second of the four rounds that make this an SGU Order of Merit event.
Former Scotland cap Bryan Innes (Murcar Links), a semi-finalist in last year’s Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon was lying second with a 68, one shot ahead of a pair of McDonald Ellon players, Chris Gilbert and Adam Dunton.
Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen), winner of last weekend's 72-hole event, had his first ever hole in one on Friday in a practice round with his father John at Cruden Bay. Larkin aced the 183yd 16th with a four-iron.
FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 70
67 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs).
68 Bryan Innes (Murcar Links).
69 Chris Gilbert (McDonald Ellon), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
70 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire), Michael Buchan (CrudenBay).
71 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links), Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn).
72 Daniel Kay (Dunbar), Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie), Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan), Stephen Neilson (Dunbar), Neil Henderson (The Glen)/
73 Michael Daily (Erskine), Steven Smith (Dalmahoy), James Ross (Royal Burgess), George Findlay (Ballumbie Castle), Ed Wood (Crow Wood), Malcolm Campbell (Swanston New), Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth).

Carnegie Shield semi-finalists at Royal Dornoch

Local member Chris Mailley is lined up in a semi-final against Ian Fraser (Dumfries and County) in defence of the Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch.
In yesterday's quarter-finals, the holder came through against his today's opponent's club mate Ian Brotherston on the 17th green.
In the other semi final American Andrew Biggadike is challenging for a fourth Carnegie Shield win in eight years and standing in his way is another local member Alex MacDonald, the head green keeper at neighboring Golspie Golf Club.
MacDonald took the scalp of plus four handicapper Scott Saal (Bayville) yesterday at the 20th hole while his semi final opponent Biggadike sailed through by 8 and 7 against local non resident member David Mcintyre (Stirling).
RESULTS
Players from Royal Dornoch GC unless stated
Quarter-finals:
C Mailley bt I M Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 2 and 1.
I Fraser (Dumfies and Co) bt I M Rennie (Hindhead) 1 hole.
A MacDonald bt S Saal (US) at 20th.
A Biggadike (US) bt D McIntyre 8 and 7.

Tommy Fleetwood makes pro debut in Czech Open next week


FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICFE
Nineteen-year-old English amateur champion Tommy Fleetwood is to make his professional debut in the European Tour's Czech Open next week.
The Southport golfer, runner-up in the European Championship last week, made his farewell to the amateur game when the home internationals at Ashburnham end on Friday.
Former world boy champion Fleetwood just missed out on a place in The Open and Masters two years ago when he lost the final of the British Amateur to Dutchman Reinier Saxton. He is the current number three on the world amateur rankings and tops the alternative scratch player rankings.
Fleetwood, winner of the Scottish open amateur stroke-play at Murcar Links last year, is understood to be joining the Wasserman Media Group who represent Europe's top woman player Suzann Pettersen and American Hunter Mahan, winner of last week's world championship in Akron.
It is also thought he could sign a deal with manufacturers Nike, the company which sponsors Tiger Woods, Paul Casey and others.
Fleetwood has already made his mark on Europe's second tier Challenge Tour, finishing second in the English Challenge.
While the main tour is his main aim, of course, he has more Challenge Tour appearances lined up in Kazakhstan and Russia.
"I proved to myself that I can compete with the guys on the Challenge Tour, which has some of the best young players in the world, so the fact that I didn't feel overawed gives me a lot of confidence for the future," he said.
"The more experience I get the more my game will continue to improve."

US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Simon Khan's late bogeys cost him joint leadership

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
England's Simon Khan, winner of one PGA title already this season, was the joint leader in another far, far bigger one in Wisconsin - until he bogeyed the last three holes of his second round at the USPGA Championship.
The 38-year-old had to cram 29 holes - more than any other player in contention - into a Friday that began with another long fog delay, so mental fatigue may well have had something to do with his disappointing finish on the demanding Whistling Straits course.
It handed Matt Kuchar a one-stroke overnight advantage over fellow American Nick Watney - and lifted 21-year-old Ulsterman Rory McIlroy up into a tie for third along with a group including Khan on five under par, three behind.
As for Tiger Woods, he had to wait until nearly 6pm to get back on the course and after three opening pars remained one under. He and 77 others will complete their rounds on Saturday morning local time - fog, of course, permitting.

Khan knew he was playing in the final major of the year only at the start of last week, but such short notice was never going to bother him - he was not in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May until just a few days before.

Victory for Khan would also catapult him into the frame for the unlikeliest of Ryder Cup debuts in October, so it could be a big weekend ahead for a man who feared for his future less than nine months ago.

It could be a great one too for McIlroy. Three over par after four holes of his first round on Thursday, he battled back for an opening 71 and then added a 68.

Compatriot Graeme McDowell, the US Open champion, managed only a three over aggregate - 76 and 71 were his rounds - and his hopes of qualifying for the final two rounds were hanging by a thread.

For Justin Rose it looked even worse. Two 74s meant a four over total and, since he is not going back to Europe the next two weeks, it appears virtually certain he will now need one of Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie's three wild cards.
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