Lockhart tames wind at Alloa Alliance

The first of this week's two Midlands Golfers' Alliance meetings was held at a very windy Alloa Golf Club today.
Ladybank assistant pro Alan Lockhart continued his good run of form by winning the scratch prize with a score of level par 71.
The handicap section resulted in a three-way tie between Mike Niven (Alloa), Chris Westland (Alloa) and Jim Stevenson (Dunfermline) with net 73s.
The team prize, sponsored by Ken Thomson, was won by Pitreavie professional Paul Brooks' team of Chris Westland and the sponsor Ken Thomson with a score of 62.
LEADING SCRATCH
71 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.
75 Robert Stewart (Tulliallan).
75 Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) p.
76 Paul Jamieson (Dunblane) p.
76 Paul Brooks (Pitreavie) p.
77 Greg Abel (Alloa)
78 D Herd P. (Alloa) p.
LEADING HANDICAP
73 Mike Niven (Alloa) (6), Jim Stevenson (Dunfermline) (8), Chris Westland (Alloa) (11)
74 B Hartley (Tillicoultry) (6), R Baldie (Crieff) (7), A Glass (Alloa) (13)
75 J Crawford (Dunblane) (6), R. Stewart (Tulliallan) (scr), D Mitchell (Monifieth) (4), R McDonald (Moniifieth) (5)
76 A. McEwan (Carnoustie) (14)


Qualifiers for the JTC Express Kitchens Championship at Arbroath in April
P Brooks, G Abel
Qualiifiers for the McQueen Shield
M Niven, Jim Stevenson




Next meeting is on Thursday at Pitlochry (tee reserved between 08.30 and 12.30)

INTERNATIONALS CHASE ENGLISH

COUNTY CHAMPIONS' TITLE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNIONBilly Hemstock (Teignmouth, Devon), a member of England’s victorious European Men’s Team Championship squad, and Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall, Essex), who helped England to victory in the Home Internationals, are in the field for the English County Champions Tournament at Woodhall Spa this weekend.

They will join 26 other champions on Sunday 19th September, the event being preceded by the Junior County Champions Tournament on Saturday 18th September. Both will be played over 36 holes on the Hotchkin Course.
Southgate, Essex Champion for the past two years, finished runner-up in the English County Champions event last year and must be considered among the favourites this time, as will Hemstock, three times Devon Champion.
Another England Cap, James Crampton, the Lincolnshire Champion, is the only former winner in the field, his victory coming in 2003, while several tournament victors are also competing.

Tyrrell Hatton, winner of the recent Czech Amateur Championship, is the BB and O Champion, while representing Warwickshire will be Andrew Sullivan, third behind Hatton in the Czech, whose victories this year include the Lagonda Trophy, the Midland Closed and the Hampshire Salver.

Fifteen-year-old Nick Ward, a member of the England Under 16 Squad, will carry the hopes of Hertfordshire, Ben Loughrey, winner of the recent Lee Westwood Trophy, will represent Wiltshire, while Sean Towndrow, the Lancashire Champion, will also be representing his county in the English County Championship at the end of the month.

In a new move this year, the field also includes the Artisans National Champion Andrew Inglis and Daniel Wasteney, winner of the National Association of Public Golf Courses Championship.

Some counties are not represented as their champions have either turned professional or have returned to college in the United States.

Besides carrying off the title, the winner will also gain automatic entry into next year’s Brabazon Trophy.

The Junior County Champions Tournament was inaugurated last year and resulted in a three-way tie. One of the trio was James Burnett, an England Boy Cap, who is competing again as Lincolnshire Junior Champion.

Also in the junior field are Sam Young from Yorkshire, fourth last year, Tyler Hogarty, a member of the Gloucestershire team that finished runners-up in last month’s English Boys County Championship, and Jamie McDonald, who was a member of the Cumbria team.

For the latest news updates, live scoring and commentary visit the Championship section of the EGU website www.englishgolfunion.org.

Senior men's home internationals at Crail

SCOTLAND-WALES DRAW, IRELAND'S

WINNING START AGAINST ENGLAND

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Scotland and Wales shared the spoils and Ireland secured an opening victory over England in extremely testing conditions at the Senior Home Internationals at Crail today.
It was the weather that dominated the day as all four teams battled against the elements, with the morning matches under threat of postponement at times. It was the Irish who dealt best with the blustery conditions, scoring a 6-3 win over England while Scotland and Wales shared a 4.5-4.5 draw.
Neither Scotland nor Wales looked like seizing the initiative of their opening match. The afternoon singles were set up nicely following a 1.5-1.5 draw in the morning foursomes, Scotland’s sole victory coming from the partnership of Cowglen’s John McDonald and Edzell’s Jim Watt who defeated Paul Bloomfield and Jeff Thomas.
Nigel Evans and Robert Broad defeated Ian Taylor and Colin Christy while Scotland’s David Gardner and Tony Stafford shared a point with Keith Simpson and Basil Griffiths.
It was Scotland who looked most likely to seal an opening point when they raced to a 3.5-1.5 lead after the two opening singles matches. Scottish Seniors matchplay champion Tony Stafford underlined his credentials with a 3 and 1 victory over Keith Stimpson following his half point gained in the morning foursomes playing alongside Broomieknowe’s David Gardner. Gardner, out in the second match also took his foursomes form into the singles with a 4 and 3 victory which included an eagle at the par 4 10th.
However Phil Jones’ Welsh side then turned the match on its head winning the next three matches. Firstly Basil Griffiths edged out Colin Christy by 1 hole after the Kilmalcom player three putted the last from fifteen feet, before Paul Bloomfield defeated recently crowned Scottish Seniors Open Amateur Champion Scott MacDonald 2&1. John Whitcutt completed the turnaround, seeing off Royal Burgess’ Ian Taylor 3&2.
Jim Watt rescued the Scots with a 4&3 win over Royal Porthcawl’s Jeff Thomas to share the point and leave both teams well placed for success come Thursday’s conclusion at the Fife course.
Scotland Team Captain Gordon MacDonald reflected on today’s opening draw:
“The weather was horrific, it made it really tough for all the players but a draw was the right result, it was a very tight match throughout.”
MacDonald was optimistic ahead of the Scot’s match against double European Team winners England tomorrow:
“They are a strong side, and they obviously showed that by winning the Europeans but we also did well to win the bronze medal. We beat England last year after they had just won the European Team Championship so we know we can do it.”
“The team have done fantastic this season, it’s a new team of guys and you would never know that when you see how quickly they’ve gelled.”
Today’s other match between the two in-form nations, recently crowned European Senior Men’s Team Champions, England and Ireland, chasing a third successive Senior Home Internationals title was equally as tight with Ireland coming out on top.
The Irish took a 2-1 lead into the afternoon singles thanks to wins from the pairings of Garth McGimpsey and Seamus McParland and Tom Cleary and Michael Quirke. However, Richard Palmer’s England side showed the battling qualities that helped them to recent European success to win two of the opening three singles games to tie the match at 3-3.
Crewe’s Roy Smethurst again showed why he is considered the top seniors player in Britain with a 2 and 1 victory over Tom Cleary. Smethurst, who has four English Senior Championships, one British Senior Championship as well as a European Seniors Championship and French Seniors Championship to his name, also won his morning foursomes match alongside Alan Squires.
However, Adrian Morrow, Billy Donlon and Michael Quirke came to the rescue for Barry Doyle’s side to put any possibility of an English comeback to bed, all notching crucial wins over their English counterparts to seal a notable scalp for the Irish.

Team captain Doyle praised his team’s morning performance and its importance in securing the victory:

“The foursomes are always crucial in this format. It gave us a cushion going into the singles and was great for the mentality of the side going into the afternoon in the lead.”

“We were coasting this afternoon in the singles but credit has to be given to the English as they battled back really well, we always knew it was going to be a close match but the team did well to hold on for victory. It was good to get some revenge after they beat us at the Europeans!”

Doyle is hopeful for the next two matches but admits both the Welsh and Scottish sides are very much unknown quantities this year:

“We don’t know anything about either team this year. The Welsh have introduced a few new players and they didn’t play at the Europeans and the Scots have got almost a completely new team from last year which will make it difficult for us.”

Tomorrow’s matches see home side Scotland taking on England and in-form Ireland facing up against Wales.


For full scores from day one of the Seniors Home Internationals.

CLICK HERE

Mathieson, Patrick and Isaacs in the frame at windy West Lothian

THREE SHARE LEAD IN YPS' CHAMPIONSHIP

Terry Mathieson (Dunbar), David Patrick (Elie) and Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) are sharing the lead on par 71 at the end of the first round of the Scottish Young Professionals championship at windsept West Lothian.
Nick Rodger writes: David Patrick got the defence of his title off to a good start. He recovered from an early setback to salvage a par-matching score.
The former European Challenge Tour champion, aiming to become the first back-to-back winner since Chris Kelly in 2002, posted a battling level-par 71 to share the lead with Terry Mathieson and Malcolm Isaacs.
Two-over after a double-bogey 6 on the third, Patrick steadied the ship with a stream of pars before reeling off birdies at 14 and 16 to repair the earlier damage.
Peter Mitchell and Stuart Williamson lead the chasing pack on 72s while Greg McBain, the 2008 Scottish Young Pros' champion, had a 75.
Downfield's Heather MacRae finished in the top-20 after a 78 while Oliver Huish, whose dad David won the title back in 1965, opened with a 79.


FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71
71 Terry Mathieson (Dunbar), David Patrick (Elie), Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar).
72 Peter Mitchell (Hermitage), Stuart Williamson (West Kilbride). 
73 Iain Stoddart (Uphall), Scott Herald (Mearns Castle), Andrew McIntyre (Ranfurly Castle).
74 Mike Mackenzie (Forfar).
75 Alan Gibson (Troon Municipal), Calum Lawson (Blairgowrie), Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch).
76 Matthew Burt (Helensburgh), Christopher Robinson (Dumfries and Galloway), David Knapp (Playsport Golf), Alastair Love (unatt).
77 Alan Martin (Dukes Course), Joseph McBrearty (Haggs Castle), Ross MacLeod (Greaves Sport).
78 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Nathan Keast (Duff House Royal), Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links), Oliver Morton (Callander), Heather MacRae (Downfield), Christopher Currie (Caldwell), David Snodgrass (Hilton Park), Michael Sweenie (Turnberry Hotel), Ross Leeds (Turnberry Hotel).
79 Alan Mackay (Pumpherston), Ian Rowlands (unatt), Oliver Huish (North Berwick), Ryan Buckley (Craigielaw), Scott Spence (Lundin), Andrew Rollo (Moray), Diego Ramos (Port Royal DR), Matthew Laughland (Future Starz in Golf), David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie), Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe), Dean Yeats (Peterculter), Christopher McMaster (Panmure).
80 Sam McLaren (Crieff), Ross Dennison (Inverness), Christopher Boyle (Lanark), Jack Bailey (Balbirnie Park), Andrew Munro (Musselburgh), Paul Wilson (World of Golf), Alan Stuart (Aspire Golf Centre), Gareth Wright (West Linton), James Boyce (Erskine), David Boadfoot (Dumfries and Co), Ian Anderson (Colville Park), Scott McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle), Duncan Anderson (Murrayfield).
81 Ross Neill (Drumpellier), Graham Forbes (Gourock), Ewan Grimes (Cardross), Malcolm Murray (Bearsden), Ewan Hogarth (Peebles), Bobby Wallace (Esporta Dougalston), Chris Brown (Kemnay), Alistair Brown (Whitecraigs).
82 Graham Mackay (Prestonfield), Fraser Pook (Aberdour), Andrew McHardy (Noah's Ark GC).
83 Graeme Nethercott (Deeside), Shaun Clark (Elie), Nicky Sinclair (Prestwick).
84 Matthew Sellors (Kings Acre), Cameron Tortolano (Stirling), Luke Barbour (Cruden Bay), Alastair Thomson (Douglas Park).
85 William Fairfull-Smith (Cowglen), Duncan Bain (Aberdour), Daniel Wood (Eyemouth), Stuart McEwing (Montrose), Stewart Winter (Callander), Jonathan Holmes (Buchanan Castle).
86 Stuart Roberts (Bothwell Castle), Grant Smith (Gleneagles Hotel), David Ross Nicol (Dundonald Links).
DSQ - Peter McLachlan (West Kilbride), Paul Gallacher (Dalmuir), Sean Bissett (Renaissance Club).
+Scores by courtesy of the PGA Scottish Region website.

Weather halts play in Q School

event at Dundonald Links

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
The weather has disrupted the First Qualifying Stage – Section C with delays at both Dundonald and Fleesensee.
The First Qualifying Stage – Section C at Dundonald Golf Links was blown off course with only one group finishing before play was abandoned for the day.
Play was suspended at 12.00 and with no let up in the high winds and driving rain sweeping across this part of Scotland, the decision was taken at 17.30 to abandon play for the day.

Round 1 will re-commence at 0730hrs Wednesday morning. Only one group finished and none of the afternoon games had teed off.

It was a similar story at Fleesensee Golf Club in Germany at the First Qualifying Stage – Section C where heavy rain disrupted proceedings. Play was suspended at 9.50am and resumed at 3.15pm with the afternoon starters not getting underway until 5.15pm.

McDougall Earns Place in Scotland Under-16s Side

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Elderslie’s Alasdair McDougall has been rewarded for his fine form this season with a place in the Scotland Under 16s side to face England at Dinsdale Spa GC in Darlington next month.
The 16-year-old from Renfrewshire reached the fourth round of the Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship at Gullane, taking the notable scalp of SGU Order of Merit runner-up Philip McLean in the process and was a quarter-finalist in the Scottish Boys Championship earlier in the season.
He is joined by another rising star in Scottish Boys U14s champion Bradley Neil from Blairgowrie, who also won the English equivalent this summer as well as finishing runner-up in the national U16s championship. Ewan Scott, a member of the Scotland U18s side who defeated England during last month’s Boys Home Internationals, adds his experience to the team alongside Alva’s Lawrence Allan, another promising youngster who reached the last eight of the Scottish Boys Championship at West Kilbride.
Liberton’s Anthony Blaney, a member of the victorious Lothians Boys Area Team Championship winning side, is included in the team, while Peebles’ Daniel Flannery and Dumfries & Galloway’s Greig Marchbank keep their places from the side which competed in the Boys Quadrangular Series in Holland back in April.
Cawder’s Jamie Savage, joint runner-up in the SGU Junior Tour event at Barassie, earns his first national call-up as does Cameron Farrell who will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary Cardross club-mate Charlie Green with the first of his international caps. Kirkhill’s James Steven completes the ten-strong line up.
The match takes place on Sunday 3 October. Scottish Golf Academy Coach Neil Marr will accompany the team alongside team manager Walter McLean.
Full Team:
Lawrence Allan (Alva)
Anthony Blaney (Liberton)
Cameron Farrell (Cardross)
Daniel Flannery (Peebles)
Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie)
Greig Marchbank (Dumfries & Galloway)
Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie)
Jamie Savage (Cawder)
Ewan Scott (St Andrews)
James Steven (Kirkhill)



ENDS

James Byrne action image by courtesy of the Scottish Golf Union (Kenny Smith).

James Byrne Wins Scottish Amateur

Golfer of the Year Award

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Banchory Golf Club’s James Byrne has been named the 2010 Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year after finishing the season as the leading Scot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Byrne, who reached the final of The Amateur Championship at Muirfield back in June, was ranked at number 15 in the world when the official ranking season concluded, with Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Champion Michael Stewart second having ended the season in 74th place and Colville Park’s Ross Kellett in third, ranked number 87.
The 21-year-old, currently in his final year of a scholarship at Arizona State University, has enjoyed a fine year, playing some superb golf during the summer including a run to the semi-finals of the Scottish Amateur Championship, eleventh place in the European Amateur Championship while just missing out on a place at The Open after finishing tied second in Final Qualifying at Kingsbarns.
“I’m delighted to be named Scottish Golfer of the Year,” said Byrne, who follows in the footsteps of Gavin Dear, Callum Macaulay and Richie Ramsay as winners of the prestigious award. “I have played some of the best golf of my career this year and to collect this honour makes all my hard work very worthwhile.”
“The highlight of my year was the run to the final of The Amateur Championship, but I also feel I performed well at Gullane in the Scottish and over in Finland during the Europeans and probably could have taken more from those weeks. I am playing with a consistency that has allowed me to contend on a more frequent basis.”
Byrne, who won the SGU Boys of Merit three years ago, paid tribute to his coach Andrew Locke from Inchmarlo Golf Club in Aberdeen as well as national coach Ian Rae:
“Andrew has worked with me for many years and has overseen my progression from junior golf to the level I’m playing at today, while I’d also like to thank Ian Rae for his support with the Scotland squad and offering his wealth of knowledge and experience when I’ve asked for it.”
Having returned to the USA last month Byrne will now turn his attentions to representing Scotland at the World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina as well as targeting a place in next year’s GB and I Walker Cup side.
“It would be great to bring the Eisenhower Trophy back to Scotland for another two years. I’d also like to establish myself more on the college golf stage in America and would love to play in next year’s Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen, which is a course I’m very familiar with. I’m also looking forward to having another crack at The Amateur Championship having gone so close at Muirfield.”
“I still have another year of my degree to complete before I graduate so in that period I’ll be striving to make further improvements to my game and take full advantage of the great opportunities I have here in the States. I’m confident that when I graduate in May, I’ll return to Scotland knowing that it has been a worthwhile and very rewarding experience which has contributed greatly to my success.”
Final Scottish Standings (WAGR as at 1 September):
1 James Byrne (Banchory)
2 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)
3 Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
4 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh)
5 Stuart Ballingall Dunston Hall
6 James White Lundin
7  Peter Latimer St Andrews New
8 Scott Crichton Aberdour
9 Steven Rennie Airdrie
10 Scott Larkin Royal Aberdeen

James Byrne targets success on US

college circuit in final

year at Arizona State

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
 By Martin Dempster
JAMES Byrne, the newly-crowned 2010 Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year, is aiming to use his final year at Arizona State University to make his mark on the US college circuit and become a better player ahead of an expected Walker Cup debut next season.
The 21-year-old Banchory player, pictured by Tom Ward Photography, has joined the likes of Gavin Dear, Callum Macaulay and Richie Ramsay in winning the award, thanks to the fact he is the leading Scot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Byrne, a finalist in this year's Amateur Championship at Muirfield - he lost to Jip Jeong, the South Korean who went on to win the Silver Medal as leading amateur in the Open Championship at St Andrews - was ranked at No 15 when the official ranking season concluded, with Scottish champion Michael Stewart (74th) and Ross Kellett (87th) his nearest challengers.
That trio will be joining forces to stage Scotland's defence of the Eisenhower Trophy in Argentina next month and both Stewart and Kellett will be teeing it up alongside the leading home-basded professionals in next week's Northern Open at Meldrum House as part of their preparations.

Byrne, though, is back in Arizona, where he feels he has the best chance of sustaining the level of performance required to make the Great Britain and Ireland team to face the Americans in next year's Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen
"I still have another year of my degree to complete before I graduate so in that period I'll be striving to make further improvements to my game and take full advantage of the great opportunities I have here in the States," he said.
"I'm confident that when I graduate in May, I'll return to Scotland knowing that it has been a worthwhile and very rewarding experience which has contributed greatly to my success."

Pinpointing particular targets, he added: "It would be great to bring the Eisenhower Trophy back to Scotland for another two years. I'd also like to establish myself more on the college golf stage in America and would love to play in next year's Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen, which is a course I'm very familiar with.

"I'm also looking forward to having another crack at The Amateur Championship, having gone so close at Muirfield."

On top of that great effort in East Lothian, Byrne also reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Amateur, finished 11th in the European Amateur and lost out in a play-off at Kingsbarns, where he shot a 64, for a spot in the Open Championship.

"I'm delighted to be named Scottish Golfer of the Year," he said of his award. "I have played some of the best golf of my career this year and to collect this honour makes all my hard work very worthwhile. I am playing with a consistency that has allowed me to contend on a more frequent basis."