Thursday, September 23, 2010

US PGA TOUR PLAY-OFFS

Casey, Donald and

Ogilvy share lead

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE
ATLANTA (AP) — Paul Casey won't be going to the Ryder Cup. He wouldn't mind a $10 million consolation.
Casey, pictured, was the only player among the top five in the FedEx Cup standings to break par Thursday, running off three straight birdies around the turn at East Lake for a 4-under 66 and a share of the lead with Geoff Ogilvy and Luke Donald in the Tour Championship.
It was the seventh time Casey has shot in the 60s in the nine rounds since European captain Colin Montgomerie left him off the Ryder Cup team. Whether that's motivating him to play well, the Englishman isn't saying.

A different kind of cup does have his attention.

At stake in this play-off finale is a $10 million bonus to the FedEx Cup champion. The top five in the standings - Casey got to No. 5 with his runner-up finish two weeks ago at Cog Hill - can claim golf's biggest pay-off by winning, no matter what anyone else does.

"I've got an opportunity to accomplish one of the goals which I set for myself at the beginning of the year," Casey said. "I'm just trying to put myself in that position to win and then tick off that goal, which would be a huge goal.
"I'm not getting wrapped up in any sort of extra motivation. I don't need extra motivation. I'm motivated enough."Breaking par was hard work on a difficult course in steamy conditions. The fairways are fast and more narrow than ever, and only nine players in the 30-man field broke 70.

One of them was defending champion Phil Mickelson, who has an outside chance to win the FedEx Cup and a better chance to replace Tiger Woods at No. 1 in the world. Woods did not qualify for the Tour Championship for the first time in his career.

Mickelson had two eagles in a span of four holes, including a shot he holed from the fairway on No. 12. Not so good was making bogey after both eagles, along with consecutive bogeys after his first birdie of the tournament. He shot 69, not a bad start.

"It's a better position than I started last year," said Mickelson, who opened with a 73 and went on to a three-shot victory. "Could have been better, could have been worse, and it was an interesting day."

Jim Furyk had a 67, while K.J. Choi was at 68. The group at 69 included Hunter Mahan, Jason Day, Kevin Na and Mickelson.

Matt Kuchar, the top seed in the FedEx Cup whose golfing career is rooted in Atlanta, chipped in for eagle on the 15th hole. That wasn't enough to offset four bogeys in his round of 72, including a tee shot into the stands on the par-3 18th.

Dustin Johnson, the No. 2 seed, struggled off the tee on his way to a 73, while Steve Stricker (No. 4) also had a 74. Charley Hoffman, part of the top five from his victory at the TPC Boston, had a 71.

It only helps Casey and his bid to win the FedEx Cup when the four players ahead of him are behind him on the leaderboard, and he took notice of that when he glanced at video screens around East Lake.

"The big screens they have out there never go past the top 20, and I wasn't seeing anybody in the top five (in FedEx Cup standings) in that top 20," Casey said. "There is a very long way to go, though."

And he has enough company under par to remind him of that. Donald, who had a runner-up finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship to get to No. 7 in the standings, had six birdies in his round of 66.

Donald was among the three captain's picks for Europe and is hopeful of building some momentum, along with the winning the tournament, before heading over to Celtic Manor in Wales.

It was awkward for Donald when Casey was left off the Ryder Cup team for the first time since 2002, particularly because Donald's brother in Casey's caddie. Still, he didn't see a correlation in Casey's recent form to any Ryder Cup snub.

Even though Casey hasn't won a tournament this year, he is No. 7 in the world ranking. That wasn't an accident.

"You expect him to play well," Donald said.

The best news for Ogilvy, an Australian, is that he's starting to expect himself to play well. Ogilvy has not won since the season-opening SBS Championship at Kapalua, and he didn't so much as contend until the TPC Boston. That helped him get to the Tour Championship, even entertain thoughts of winning the FedEx Cup as the No. 12 seed.

"You can't come out and say, 'Hey guys, I'm going to play well in the next few weeks,' because it doesn't quite work like that," Ogilvy said. "But I think I get a pretty good feel for when it's coming around. But I don't know why."

So does he feel his game coming around? Ogilvy smiled.

"I think so," he said.
Martin Laird, partnering Mickelson, had an uninspiring day and is joint bottom of the pack on the 75 mark.
Justin Rose, the fourth British player in the select field, had a 74.

SCOREBOARDFIRST ROUND
Par 70
66 Geoff Ogilvy, Luke Donald, Paul Casey.
67 Jim Furyk.
68 K J Choi.
69 Kevin Na, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day.
70 Kevin Streelman, Ryan Moore, Tim Clark.
71 Robert Allenby, Nick Watney, Ben Crane, Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Charley Hoffman.
72 Matt Kuchar.
73 Camilo Villegas, Dustin Johnson.
74 Bo Van Pelt, Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Steve Stricker.
75 Jeff Overton, Bubba Watson, Martin Laird.

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Tiger's first US course design back in full swing

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Construction on Tiger Woods' first American golf course, The Cliffs at High Carolina near Asheville, North Carolina, is back in full swing after developers agreed to reduce the planned impact the lay-out would have on area trout streams by almost half the original design.

Woods said in a statement Thursday that new routing makes the course a tad shorter and some of the walks between greens and tees a little longer, but does not take away from his intent to have a walkable, mountain course with breathtaking views.

"High Carolina remains a truly amazing golf course," Woods said. "I'm looking forward to getting back there to check on construction."

The Southern Environmental Law Center, Western North Carolina Alliance and Trout Unlimited had challenged permits issued by North Carolina's Department of Environment and Natural Resources. They charged that developers planned too much impact to trout streams without sufficient mitigation.

Attorney DJ Gerken with the Southern Environmental Law Center said The Cliffs quickly got in touch with the environmental groups to see how best to settle the dispute. The new design calls for 1,655 linear feet of impacts compared to 3,132 linear feet in the original design

Gerken said mountain construction involves steep slopes that require significant grading and the underground piping of streams in the way.

"There was a lot of back and forth," Gerken said. "Eventually, The Cliffs came up with a creative solution."

Woods' US PGA Tour season ended with the BMW Championships two weeks ago. He is scheduled to play for the U.S. team at the Ryder Cup match in Wales next week.

Jim Anthony, founder and CEO of The Cliffs Communities, said he was initially disappointed in the challenge because of how hard his company worked with North Carolina state and local agencies to limit environmental impacts. Still, Anthony said they slowed down construction to discuss the issues.

The agreement also calls for increase protection of other area streams. The environmental groups agreed to drop their challenge to the Cliffs' permits.

"We are pleased with the outcome and we applaud The Cliffs for their willingness to work hard to address our concerns," said Julie Mayfield, executive director of the Western North Carolina Alliance. "They were committed to reaching an agreement and made significant changes to the golf course to do so."

The Cliffs has resumed major construction on the course, scheduled to open in the fall of 2012. Course builder Medalist Golf, Inc., has begun clearing, grading and shaping.

Anthony said it was the willingness of Woods' and his design team to work with area residents that made the agreement possible. "Their passion for the project and positive attitude helped create a win-win solution," Anthony said.

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VIVENDI CUP

Edfors leads in Paris with an 11-under-par 61

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Padraig Harrington grabbed seven birdies and yet still found himself seven shots off the lead after the opening day of the Vivendi Cup in Paris.
Left as the only member of next week's Ryder Cup side in the field after the withdrawal of Swede Peter Hanson with a chest infection, Harrington signed for a four-under-par 68.
But an hour later Swede Johan Edfors completed a 61 which equalled the low round of the European Tour season and knocked two strokes off his best score on the circuit.
Edfors had five birdies in an outward 31 and then started for home with three more birdies and an eagle.
The Tour's first-ever 59 was a possibility at that stage, but the former Scottish Open and British Masters champion bogeyed the next before finishing with two more birdies.
It gave him a two-shot lead over England's David Dixon, while the scoring was such that Harrington did not even make the top 20.
Originally hoping to be in Atlanta for the Tour Championship and its amazing £7.2million jackpot, controversial wild card pick Harrington fell out of the FedEx Cup play-offs at the halfway stage and decided to add this far smaller event to his schedule.
He was three under after six, but mixed three bogeys with his four other birdies playing alongside his older brother Fergal in the pro-am format

FIRST-ROUND SCORES AT TWO COURSES
Marly Course
Par 72
61 Johan Edfors (Swe)
63 David Dixon
64 John Parry, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra).
65 Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Pelle Edberg (Swe), Todd Hamilton (USA), Kenneth Ferrie
66 Paul Waring, Francois Delamontagne (Fra)
67 Scott Strange (Aus), Raphael Jacquelin (Fra)
68 Martin Wiegele (Aut), Jeppe Huldahl (Den), Martin Erlandsson (Swe), Paul McGinley, Padraig Harrington, Gregory Havret (Fra)
69 Sam Hutsby, Gary Clark, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra), Benn Barham, Phillip Price, Peter Baker, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa)
70 Mikael Lundberg (Swe), Gary Lockerbie, Marco Ruiz (Par), Robert Rock, Steve Webster, Andrew Marshall, Francois Calmels (Fra)
71 Jamie McLeary, Adam Gee, Luis Claverie (Spa), Adrien Bernadet (Fra), Tano Goya (Arg), Mark Brown (Nzl), Carlos Rodiles (Spa)
72 Kenny le Sager (Fra), Steven Jeppesen (Swe), David Vanegas (Col), Christophe Brazillier (Fra)
73 Patrik Sjoland (Swe), Henrik Nystrom (Swe), Andrea Maestroni (Ita), Ake Nilsson (Rsa), Rudy Thuillier (Fra), Carl Suneson (Spa), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa)
74 Chris Wood, Jean-Nicolas Billot (Fra), Charles-Edouard Russo (Fra)
75 Stephan Gross junior (Ger), James Ruth
76 Scott Drummond, Manuel Quiros (Spa)
78 Matthieu Van Hauwe (Fra)


Retz Course

65 Chris Gane, Julien Guerrier (Fra)

66 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned), Mark F Haastrup (Den), Andrew McArthur, James Morrison

67 Michiel Bothma (Rsa), Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra), Peter Whiteford, Fabien Marty (Fra)
68 George Coetzee (Rsa), Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Daniel Vancsik (Arg), Richard Green (Aus), Phillip Archer, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra), Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Thomas Levet (Fra)
69 Gary Murphy, Joost Luiten (Ned), Alastair Forsyth, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg)
70 Christian Cevaer (Fra), Callum Macaulay, Andrew Tampion (Aus), Rick Kulacz (Aus), David Howell, Thomas Bjorn (Den), Steven O'Hara
71 Jamie Elson, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por), Sion E Bebb, Robert Coles, Soren Hansen (Den), Richard McEvoy, Maarten Lafeber (Ned), Anthony Snobeck (Fra)
72 Gary Boyd, Liam Bond, Andrew Coltart, Victor Dubuisson (Fra)
73 Christian Nilsson (Swe), Marc Warren, Rafael Echenique (Arg), Benjamin Hebert (Fra), Julien Quesne (Fra)
74 Damien Perrier (Fra), Sam Little, Miles Tunnicliff, Peter Lawrie
75 Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe), Marco Soffietti (Ita), Nick Dougherty
76 Niclas Fasth (Swe), Benoit Teilleria (Fra), Simon Thornton
77 Ghislain Rosier (Fra), Victor Riu (Fra)
79 Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den)
80 Oliver Fisher
WD: Peter Hanson (Swe)

PETER WHITEFORD WINS 6,000 EUROS PRO-AM PRIZE
Scotland's Peter Whiteford won the team competition at the Vivendi Cup with his amateur partner James Devane on 21 under par, one shot clear of South Africa’s George Coetzee and his amateur Alexander Levy.
Whiteford, pictured, and Devane carded net rounds of 62 and 61 and Golf de Joyenval in Paris to take the first prize of €6,000.
Coetzee and Levy posted two rounds of 62 to finish second with Major Champion Todd Hamilton and his partner Marc Nayfilyan third on 19 under par.

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MIDLAND ALLIANCE

Ladybank Pro-Am
Sponsored by Fraser Bros (Tyres)


Thursday, 30th September


8.30 D. Cameron M. Niven D. Spaven H. Hunter
8.38 I. Butchart A. Mackay E. Gourley
8.46 G. McLeod A. Saunders N. McLeod, J. Roy
8.54 D. Hutchison J. Meddicks D. Redford

9.02 R. Walker M. Fraser K. Fraser G. Hume

9.10 S. Clark R. Redpath J. Black R. Beatt

9.18 C. Mackie J. Rankin N. Henderson

9.26 N. McGill I. Wilson I. Henderson J. Gray

9.34 P. Wytrazek D. West G. Muir H. Haldane

9.42 S. McLaren A. MacDairmid F. Thomson R. Lauchan

9.50 B. Smith I. Mitchell I. McMurray A. Farquharson

9.58 R. Stewart R. Barton J. Edminston

10.06 D. McKay D. Mitchell G. Paton D. Tully

10.14 J. Stevenson M. Gilmour J. Stevenson K. Gilmour

10.22 H. Wong H. Salmond J. Irwin G. Wilkie

10.30 J. McIntyre A. Cameron J. Brown (Pan) S. Herd

10.38 K. Rattary D. Sievwright N. Dalrymple G. Taylor

10.46 A. Mason P. Rhind D. Black C. Wallace

10.56 R. Malcolm J. Barnet J. Rennie J. Wilson

11.02 D. Ritchie B. Beaumont E. Starritt

11.10 S. Smith J. Gray S. Andrews K. MacKenzie

11.18 P. Brookes C. Westland W. Hartley K. Thomson

11.26 J. Leddy R. Lamont A. Aitken R. Nicoll

11.34 F. MacKay J. Milne J. Milne

11.42 J. Craig H. Kennedy M. Watkin W. Farquharson

11.50 J. McCormack G. Jenkins S. Miller W. Crosbie

11.58 G. Tough K. Bruce A. Smith R. Brownhill

12.06 B. Christie L. Terras G. Gillespie R. Baldie

12.14 S. Spence J. Paisley G. Duncan R. Keir

12.22 K. Salmoni H. Grant H. Cowbrough B. Liddle

12.30 J. Mitchell K. Eagan R. Francy C. Marr

12.38 G. Finlay S. Harrod J. Muirden G. White

12.46 C. Nugent B. Black R. De Rose T. McKenna

12.54 D. Adams J. Ward J. Brown (Kirk) J. Cree senior.

1.02 L. Sutherland M. Brown G. Cant R. McDonald

1.10 A. Piatkowski J. Breen W. Herron E. Sherry

1.18 A. Glass` A. Glass L. Kinnear R. Farquhar

1.26 T. Jamieson G. Mathiewson R. McLean M. Philips

Lee Sutherland

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Sam Torrance opens Direct Golf Uk driving range

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF JOHN LETTERS
A week before the Ryder Cup, former European Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance OBE, officially opened the Direct Golf UK driving range at Beckett’s Farm, Solihull.
The John Letters staff player and Ryder Cup legend, hosted clinics with the public and spent time with media to support the UK’s leading multi-channel golf retailer, Direct Golf UK, and their ever-expanding portfolio of golf premises in the UK.
Taking place on Wednesday 22nd September, the day was made possible by John Letters of Scotland, who loaned their support to Direct Golf UK in their bid to make Beckett’s Farm the best driving range in the area since taking over the lease a few months ago.
Golf fans enjoyed getting up-close and personal with the 44-time Tour winner whilst listening to anecdotes from his time in the game, as John Letters’ Managing Director John Andrew (Class AA PGA Professional) and Sam hosted free golf clinics throughout the day.

With free golf balls available, a nearest the pin challenge and free video assessments, hundreds of golfers descended on Beckett’s Farm to make the most of the facilities and expert advice on offer.

Situated in the heart of the Midlands the Driving Range is a PGA Approved Training establishment. It has ease of access from the M42 motorway and boasts: a full custom fitting & work shop facility; 2-tier 32 bay floodlit Driving Range; John Letters Academy, 10 outdoor grass tees; 3 hole junior course; short game specialist chipping green; bunker practice area and a fully stocked 3000 sq ft Direct Golf UK Store.

A delighted Darren Price, Store Manager at the Solihull facility, commented: “The event was a resounding success. Having Sam here the week before the Ryder Cup was just fantastic and the perfect opportunity for us to introduce hundreds of new customers to the facilities at Beckett’s Farm as well as welcome some familiar faces back.”

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A different school of thought pays

off for John Gallacher

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
John Gallacher reckons he made a wise decision choosing Austria over Ayrshire for the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.
The former Scottish amateur champion coughed up the cash to make the journey to Ebreichsdorf to play there instead of Dundonald Links.
But it proved money well spent as he progressed to the second stage and then watched some of his fellow European Tour hopefuls being blown away closer to home.
"It was a bit of a gamble going to Austria but I went there because I hadn't done well at Dundonald a couple of years ago in the same event," said Gallagher.

"I had a good chat with my coach, Ian Rae, and it was a case of looking at courses that would suit my game.

"We came up with Ebreichsdorf as it's tree-lined, which puts the focus on driving, and that part of my game is normally pretty good."

Rounds of 72, 70, 70 and 74 saw the Swanston New star advance to the next stage, which takes place at four venues in Spain at the end of November, with the six-round final phase straight after that, also in Spain.

"My decision to go to Austria was certainly justified when I saw how much of a lottery the event at Dundonald became," added Gallagher, referring to the high winds that saw scoring soar at the Ayrshire course last week.
"When you are paying that amount of money (around £1,300] to enter you want somewhere you either like or don't know anything about and my success in getting past the first stage was certainly well-planned."
The added bonus for the former Lothians champion is that he has kept his season alive, having missed out on a place in next week's EuroPro Tour Championship in Cyprus.
"It has not been easy for me over the last couple of years as I've tried to adjust (to the paid ranks]," he admitted.
"The results have not been what I was looking for but it's just a case of keeping patient and waiting for it to happen.
"The people who support me have been great and I don't feel I'm a million miles away from where I want to be.
"It is really difficult on the EuroPro Tour. It's not about making money there but, at the same time, it is difficult trying to break even.
"You want to get up the ladder and I've got an opportunity now at the second stage, which I've not reached before.
"It is great to have kept my season going and who knows where I could go to if I can make it to the final stage of Q-school."
Gallagher will be joined in Spain by at least two Lothians compatriots, with Marriott Dalmahoy's Mark Kerr and Shaun McAllister of Craigielaw having been among those to progress at Dundonald.





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Jamieson, Finlay tie on 72 at Alyth Alliance

This week the Midland Golfers’ Alliance was held at a blustery Alyth Golf Club in Perthshire. There was a tie for first scratch with Paul Jamieson, the Dunblane New assistant professional, and George Finlay, a +1 amateur at  Ballumbie Castle, both returning 2 over par scores of 72.
Alex Smith (Edzell), playing off seven, led the way in the handicap section with a net score of 69.
LEADING SCRATCH
Par 70
72 P Jamieson (Dunblane New) ap, G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle).
73 D McKay (Wellsgreen) p.

74 M Brown (Monifieth), A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.

75 G McLeod (Monifieth) ap, P Wytrazek (Burntisland) p, I Henderson (Craigie Hill).
76 M. MacKenzie (Forfar) ap, S Harrod (Ballumbie Castle), A Smith (Edzell), P Brookes (Pitreavie) p.
77 M Niven (Alloa), H Wong (AP, Wellsgreen) ap, L. Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle) p.


LEADING HANDICAP
69 A Smith (Edzell) (7)
70 I Henderson (Craigie Hill) (5).

71 M Niven (Alloa) (6), I Mitchell (Downfield) (9), J Miller (Blairgowrie) (8).

72, J McCormack (Kirriemuir) (6), J Cree (Thornton) (11).
73 G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) (+1), D Black (Dunfermline) (11).
74 S Harrod (Ballumbie Castle) (2), H Grant (Muckhart, 6)

75 I Wilson (Craigie Hill) (5), G Mitchell (Blairgowrie) (5), T Watson (Blairgowrie) (11), J Stevenson (Dunfermline) (8).


Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship at Arbroath in April
P. Wytrazek (Burntisland)
I. Henderson (Craigie Hill)
A. Smith (Edzell)


Qualifier for the McQueen Shield
A. Smith (Edzell)

Next week’s meeting
Thursday, 30th September
Ladybank Pro-Am
Sponsored by Fraser Bros (Tyres)
8.30 - 1.30 tee reserved
Lee Sutherland

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Team Success for Loretto in World Hickory Open Championship

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Loretto School Golf Academy emerged singing in the rain as they lifted the Team Trophy at the World Hickory Open Championship played on Gullane No 2 today.
Professional Rick Valentine led the team of Timon Sitte and Andrew Minto to a four-under par aggregate of 67, two shots clear of Gullane PGA professional Alastair Good and his team-mates Colin Sinclair (Gullane) and Frenchman Patrice Raffenbech.
Australian professional Perry Somers leads the individual championship after the opening round, firing an impressive seven-over par 78 in wet and windy conditions to finish one ahead of Good, with the second round played tomorrow over the No 3 course. Loretto’s Valentine is five shots further back in sixth spot.
TEAM SCORES
67 Loretto School Golf Academy (Rick Valentine, Timon Sitte, Andrew Minto).
69 Alastair Good (Gullane), Patrice Raffenbach (France), Colin Sinclair (Gullane).
72 Ewan Glen (St Andrews New), Alasdair McLeish (St Andews New), Hamish Steadman (Royal Burgess).
74 Perry Somers (Australia), Beth Freedman (Musselburgh), Evlyn Raistrick (Kilspindie).
77 Sweden (Klas Ohlson), Anders Wernerman, Matius Tjernstrom).
77 Nigel Clark (Leominster), David Raistick (Craigielaw), Boriw Lietzow (Sweden).
77 Loretto School Golf Academy (Maximillian Waltz, Marvin Avmhammex, Dale Wright).
80 Sweden (Fred Wernerman, Kjell Wiberg, Stefan Mossberg).
81 Nick Henderson (Muirfield), Malcolm Duck (Renaissance), John Frame (Murrayfield).
86 United States (Mike Stevens, Dave Katz, Adam Diasti).

Individual Leaderboard (Round 1):


78 Perry Somers (Australia).
79 Alastair Good (Gullane), Ewan Glen (St Andrews New).
80 Colin Sinclair (Gullane).
82 Timon Sitte (Loretto School Golf Academy).
84 Rick Valentine (Loretto School Golf Academy).
85 Matius Tjernstrom (Sweden).
86 Stefan Mossberg (Sweden).

88 Klas Ohlson (Sweden), Andrew Minto (Loretto School Golf Academy).






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Cowglen chasing record fourth club title


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Glasgow club Cowglen will travel north to the Highlands this weekend (Sunday 26 September) in search of a record fourth Scottish Club Championship title Fortrose and Rosemarkie.
Cowglen has become synonymous with the event having recorded three victories in its 25-year history, collecting the trophy in 1988, 1989 and again in 2006. Having qualified as the leading club in the Glasgow Golf Union, they have the chance to overhaul rivals Cochrane Castle, who have also won the title on three occasions. Cowglen are represented in Sunday’s final by Graham Fleming, Chris Wedgeworth and Neil McBride.
Hoping to join Cowglen on three Championship wins are Tulliallan, the Clackmannanshire champions who have reached the final again, having won the title in both 1999 and as hosts in 2002. Their trio is made up of Gordon Lyons, Steven Horne and Mark Crichton.
St Andrews will be aiming to go one better than their runner-up finish to Prestwick last year, while former Scottish Amateur Champion Glenn Campbell heads a strong Blairgowrie challenge looking for their second win in the event nine years on from their victory in North Berwick.
Lothians’ representatives are Carrickvale and their side features Craig Elliot and Allyn Dick, both former Scottish Mid-Amateur Champions. Dick has enjoyed a superb season, winning the Newlands Trophy and reaching the last 16 of the Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship, before earning his first Scotland cap at last month’s Home Internationals in Wales and he will be hoping to round of the year with a first Scottish Club Championship win for his side.
Other clubs in the line-up are Selkirk (Borders), Gourock (Renfrewshire), Powfoot (South), Windyhill (Dumbartonshire), Murcar Links (North East), Glenbervie (Stirlingshire), Loudon Gowf (Ayrshire), Crow Wood (Lanarkshire), Ballumbie Castle (Angus) and Moray (North).
Sixteen clubs are represented from Areas across Scotland, with the two best scores from each team of three counting, played over 36 holes in one day. The winners of the championship qualify to represent Scotland in the European Club Championship.
This will be host club Fortrose and Rosmarkie’s second national championship of the season, having staged the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association’s Senior Ladies Championship earlier in the summer.


Click here for Sunday’s draw.





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GREIG HUTCHEON WINNER, SCOTT LARKIN LEADING AMATEUR

Scottish PGA chief executive Michael MacDougall, Bookless Cup winner Scott Larkin, Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open champion Greig Hutcheon and Hugh Little of Aberdeen Asset Management. Image by Derek Ironside.

Northern Open final day wash-

out but future's bright

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
The final two rounds may have been washed out, leaving halfway leader Greig Hutcheon as the winner, but the enthusiasm of Brian Hendry, the event's promoter, to build up the Aberdeen Northern Open has certainly not been dampened.
He's made a five-year commitment to the Tartan Tour event, Aberdeen Asset Management are on board as title sponsor for three years with an option beyond that and Meldrum House will be the tournament venue for another two years.
Discussions will be held soon regarding the dates for the 2011 event and a return to its traditional spring slot is a possibility due to the Walker Cup being held at Royal Aberdeen next September.
"Losing the final two rounds is disappointing but we are delighted with the tournament," said Hendry, an Aberdeen-based businessman who has helped breathe new life into an event that has been won by some of the most famous names in Scottish golf over the past 79 years.
"We are looking to build it up, both in terms of prize money and the field, and in Aberdeen Asset Management and Meldrum House we have a great sponsor and home for the event. I want to keep the event in Aberdeenshire but felt it had been round the houses too many times."
While the date of next year's event may be up for debate - Meldrum House bosses believe it is a better late-season venue despite the wash-out on this occasion - one thing for certain is that invites will again be handed out to some of Scotland's leading amateurs.
Of the 11 who joined the cream of the Tartan Tour in this week's field, seven of them made the cut, with Scott Larkin lying as the closest challenger to Hutcheon, a fellow Banchory man, when the tournament drew to a premature end.
"We still want to keep the amateur element. This event should involve the professionals and amateurs playing against each other and, as I think this week has shown, it is definitely a good thing for the amateurs," noted Hendry.

Hugh Little, the managing director of Aberdeen Asset Management, also gave the new-look event the thumbs up. "We are keen to be the pre-eminent sponsors of golf in Scotland and the chance to revive this tournament was too good to miss, especially in this part of the world," he declared.
Separated by just a shot and with Craig Lee, the defending champion, and two-time winner Jason McCreadie breathing down their necks, an exciting finish looked to be on the cards between Hutcheon and Larkin only for a day of heavy rain in the North-East to put paid to that.
Most of the greens and fairways became flooded and play was abandoned at 10.30am, leaving 37-year-old Hutcheon as the first player to claim the title over 36 holes since Jock Brown in 1965 at Royal Aberdeen.

The win earned Hutcheon, who as an amateur himself claimed the Bookless Cup in the same event back in 1991, a cheque for £3,800 and, just as important to him, valuable points in the race to stay at the top of the Tartan Tour Order of Merit.

The rewards for that include spots in the BMW PGA Championship, Barclays Scottish Open and Johnnie Walker Championship, while Hutcheon, a three-time winner on the Challenge Tour, is also hoping to secure berths in the Welsh and Irish Opens next year through the end-of-season PGA Play-Offs.

"This has put me in a great position in the Order of Merit," said the winner. "I still work hard on my game and getting into these big events is huge because you can win a lot of money by finishing in the top 20-30.

"Now I'd love to do the double by also winning the Gleneagles Scottish Championship (on 14-17 October] - hopefully over 72 holes this time. It could be a cold week with woolly hats on the go but it is a great venue. I only played the Kings Course for the first time this year and I didn't realise how good a course it is."
Hendry revealed he is keen to see all 49 players, including those seven amateurs who made the cut, to be exempt for next year's event, giving Larkin, for instance, another chance to see if he can become the first amateur to lift the title since Sandy Pirie in 1970.
He had to settle for the Bookless Cup on this occasion and Hutcheon, for one, believes the 23-year-old could be in with an outside chance of making the Great Britain and Ireland team for the Walker Cup in a year's time.
"It was a great performance from Scott here," he added. "He's a really good player and he could be in with a shout of making the side for Royal Aberdeen, particularly if he did really well in the British Amateur Championship next year."
Leading cash prizes
G Hutcheon £3,800.
J McCreadie and C Lee £2,650 each.
S Gray, P McKechnie, A E Reid £1,366 each.
R Arnott, G Fox, C Doak, F Mann £600 each.
C Gillies £320
C Kelly, D Orr, D Patrick £300 each.

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Mark Chaplin wins first East of Scotland Alliance

By ALAN GREENSHIELDS
I have taken over as Secretary for the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Golfers' Alliance.
The first outing of the 2010/2011 season took place at West Lothian on Wednesday with 68 players challenging for the Ian Ramsay Trophy.
Mark Chaplin, an amateur from Deer Park, was the overall winner, securing the trophy with an excellent net 67 on a better inward half. He held off the 67s from professionals Andy Marshall (Houston Driving Range) and Stevie Lamb (Broomieknowe).
His better inward nine was mainly secured with 2s at the 15th and 18th to bring him home in 32.
Mark also equalled the best scratch score of 67 for the day.

LEADING SCORES AND PRIZEWINNERS
Ian Ramsay Trophy at West Lothian
Overall Winner Mark Chaplin (Deer Park) 67 bih
Scratch Prize Surname Forename Club Score
1st equal £90 Marshall Andrew Houston DR 67
1st equal £90 Lamb Stevie Broomieknowe 67
3rd £60 Robson Mike Kingsknowe 70
4th equal £30 Catlin Scott Greenburn 72
4th equal £30 Buckley Ryan Craigielaw 72


Handicap Prizes
1st £100 Chaplin Mark Deer Park 67
2nd equal £60 Johnston Graham Glenbervie 69
2nd equal £60 Wither George Lothianburn 69
2nd equal £60 Robson Mike Kingsknowe 69
5th equal £10 Young Alan Lochend 70
5th equal £10 Cordery Thomas Musselburgh 70


Senior Prize
£20 Scott Jim Swanston New 72


 E-mail: secretary.eesga@talktalk.net

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Peter Hanson ill, pulls out of Vivendi Cup in Paris

European team member Peter Hanson has pulled out of this week's Vivendi Cup in Paris due to illness with the Ryder Cup just over a week away.
Hanson, who is due to make his Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor, told officials in France he would not be competing after being struck down with a head cold, chest infection and fever.
The decision to withdraw is understood to be just a precautionary move by the 32-year-old with next week's match with America in mind.
He will now return home from France, but is hopeful of being well enough to travel to Celtic Manor with the rest of the European party on Monday.
Hanson's place in the European Tour event at Golf de Joyenval has been taken by Frenchman Damien Perrier.

FOR LIVE SCORING FROM THE VIVENDI CUP

CLICK HERE

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Jock Hutchison to get place in Golf Hall of Fame

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum’s newest inductees—to be enshrined on Monday, May 9, 2011 at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida—include Ernie Els, Doug Ford, the late Jock Hutchison and former President George H.W. Bush. A fifth and final inductee will be announced next month. 
Els was elected with 66% of the vote on the US PGA Tour ballot. Ford and Hutchison were selected in the Veterans Category and President Bush in the Lifetime Achievement Category.
US PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who was on hand for today’s announcement at East Lake Golf Club where THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola begins tomorrow, said: “Each of the inductees richly deserves of this honor and on behalf of the World Golf Foundation Board, I look forward to welcoming them into the Hall of Fame next May.
“Ernie has compiled an extraordinarily successful international career and continues to compete at the highest level. It’s terrific that Doug Ford and Jock Hutchison’s careers will be highlighted in this way as both enjoyed great success in their professional careers. And, President Bush has been and continues to be a great friend to the game of golf; he’s a terrific addition to the Hall.”
Botn in St Andrews in 1884, Jock Hutchison emigrated to the States and became a US citizen in 1920. He won 14 US PGA Tour events including the 1920 US PGA Championship, 1921 Open Championship, back home in St Andrews, and the 1920 and 1923 Western Opens. He won the inaugural Senior PGA Championship in 1937, and again in 1947.
Hutchison was the first honorary starter at The Masters (along with Fred McLeod) from 1963 to 1973.
He died at Evanston, Illinois, aged 93 in 1977.

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Tiger's caddie one of three bumped off

Ryder Cup charter flight to Wales

CBSSports.com wire reports
ATLANTA -- Tiger Woods will be joining the U.S. Ryder Cup team on a charter flight to Wales, but there was no room for his caddie.
Steve Williams and two other caddies -- Frank Williams (Stewart Cink) and Joe Skovron (Rickie Fowler) -- have been bumped off the U.S. team's charter plane to the Ryder Cup because the plane is not big enough for everyone.

Also on the charter, in economy-class seats, will be several fans who bought tickets through a special Ryder Cup package.

U.S. captain Corey Pavin dismissed any notion of the Americans' unity being splintered early with three caddies not on the plane.

"It's funny what people make of it," Pavin said. "When we play in the United States, everyone comes in separately. Just because we're going overseas doesn't mean we all have to go together."

The charter flight is sold out.

"The original plane we had for Team USA was not able to fly," PGA of America spokesman Julius Mason said. "We had to obtain an alternative plane, and the configuration of seats on the new plane did not allow to accommodate everyone in superior class seats."

Instead of the three caddies flying economy, Mason said the US PGA is reimbursing them for business-class seats on flights originating from wherever they live. Steve Williams, who is from New Zealand, has a summer home in Oregon. Frank Williams is in Utah, while Skovron lives in the San Diego area.

The three caddies were chosen because their players did not qualify for the Tour Championship. The charter flight is to leave Sunday night for Atlanta, arriving in Wales on Monday. The Ryder Cup is being played from October 1-3 at Celtic Manor.

"It's actually worked out quite well," Pavin said. "The three caddies are spread throughout the land, and they can come over on a more direct flight and fly business class. It's easier for them to fly straight to Cardiff and get in that way, than fly to Atlanta and hang around. I spoke to all the guys, and they're fine. They understood.

"One of the neat things is that all 12 players are on the charter," he said. "That's the first time that's happened for some time."

Pavin was in Atlanta on Wednesday night for a team meeting before going back home to Dallas. The only player not scheduled to be there was Woods, who is home in Florida. Cink lives in Atlanta, while Fowler has been in Atlanta all week doing Titleist commercials.

"We're going to Skype in Tiger," Pavin said. "He'll be with us electronically."


Amy Mickelson coming over to Ryder Cup
US captain Corey Pavin says the wife of Phil Mickelson is planning to make the trip to the Ryder Cup.
Amy Mickelson has only been to the golf course one time since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2009. She showed up in the final hour at Augusta National to watch her husband win the Masters for the third time.

Mickelson said Wednesday that his family has been through a lot over the last 16 months -- his mother also was diagnosed with breast cancer -- and the Masters victory made his year because his whole family was there.

Amy Mickelson also went to the Presidents Cup in San Francisco last October, though she stayed at the team hotel.

Pavin says she is not going to be on the charter flight from Atlanta, but she plans to arrive in Wales later in the week.

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Martin Laird sets his sights on Fedex fortune

FROM THE SCOTSMAN.COM SPORTS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Martin Laird, who once worked in McDonalds to earn some pocket money, will receive confirmation about how much his life has changed today when he launches his bid to land a £7.3 million jackpot in the company of Phil Mickelson, the world No 2.
The Arizona-based Scot is in the elite 30-man field for the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, where, in addition to a first prize of £875,000, a staggering £6.5m is on offer to the winner of the FedEx Cup series.

Helped by his second-place finish in the opening event, the Barclays Championship at Ridgewood Country Club, New Jersey, last month, Laird is lying ninth in the standings and will have tenth-placed Mickelson, the defending champion this week, as his playing partner in today's first round. It's a far cry from the part-time job Laird had when he was still at school on the outskirts of Glasgow.
"My first job was at McDonalds, which is something a lot of people don't know," he revealed. "It was one that was just down the street from my high school and a bunch of my friends worked there. It was to get some spare change for going out."
Laird's pockets will be bulging with more money than he could ever dare to dream of should he taste victory this week.
"To lift the FedEx Cup I pretty much have to win and the guys ranked 1-3 (Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson and Charley Hoffman] can't finish second," noted the 27-year-old. "They are the only three players that can stop me from winning it all if I win the Tour Championship."
Having climbed to No 62 in the world rankings, Laird is already exempt for three of next year's majors - The Masters, US Open and Open Championship - as well as several of the world golf championships. This week's event, then, is a taste of things to come for the man who decided to stay in America after completing his studies at Colorado State University.
"Any time you get to compete in a field with 30 of the most in-form players on the US PGA Tour you have to be excited," he said. "I feel great about my game right now. I really feel like I have been playing pretty well for the last couple of months, since the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
"I feel like every week I can contend. I obviously can take a lot of confidence out of how I played at The Barclays against one of the strongest fields of the year.
"At the BMW (a fortnight ago] I was just exhausted as it was my seventh week in a row so I'm not looking at how I played there at all as I have had a good week of practice back home and feel ready to go this week.
"I feel recharged and confident that I can be in contention this week. I am in a great position and don't see why I can't have a chance to win come Sunday and, if everything works out, maybe win the FedEx Cup.
"I feel like the pressure is off a little with me making it to the Tour Championship and I'm just going to go out and play as free and aggressive as I can."
Before defending his title in the Justin Timberlake for Shriners Hospital for Children Open in Las Vegas next month, Laird is coming back to Scotland to make a first appearance in the Dunhill Links Championship in a fortnight's time.
He also hinted he may be adding a couple more European events to next season's schedule.
"I am excited about the Dunhill Links. I have only heard good things about the tournament and love having a chance to play in front of a home crowd again," he said.
"As for playing more in Europe next year, that is something that I will look at in the off season and beginning of next year. I would like to maybe add a couple more European events to my schedule."
As an affiliate member of the European Tour, Laird will be cheering on Colin Montgomerie's men in next week's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor from the comfort of his armchair at home in Arizona before heading over to Fife to spend some time with his parents, Charles and Anne, in Upper Largo before the Dunhill Links.
"I am looking forward to the Ryder Cup and picking a winner is tough. I hope the European boys keep up the great play that they have had this year and we can take that Ryder Cup back off the US," said the Scot.
"It won't happen without a fight, though. I have played with a number of the US team over the last month and they are also all playing great golf. It's going to be a close one."



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Panasonic Open cut to three rounds in Japan


Kobe, Japan. September 23: Today's opening round of the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open has been cancelled due to bad weather.
Play lasted for 25 minutes this morning at the Rokko Kokusai Golf Club’s East course before officials blew the siren to suspend proceedings at 7.25am local time. With rain and winds unrelenting, officials subsequently cancelled the round at 10am and said the tournament would be reduced to a 54-hole competition.
The weather is expected to clear up for the rest of the week in Kobe for the ¥150,000,000 (approximately US$1.7 million) co-sanctioned Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour event.
This is the second straight week on the Asian Tour that a tournament has been reduced to three rounds. The inaugural Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Taipei was also cut short due to Typhoon Fanapi last weekend.
Japanese superstar Ryo Ishikawa and Korea ’s Noh Seung-yul, currently leading the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, are headlining the Panasonic O pen .

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