Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance at Harburn


Octogenarian William Smith wins

Bernard Gallacher Trophy

FROM ALAN GREENSHIELDS
Secretary, Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance.
Today's outing at Harburn was
 re-scheduled following the postponement before play last week due to heavy rain.
Seventy-four players fought the rain showers and windy conditions today to challenge for the Bernard Gallacher Trophy which was won by Harburn member and octogenarian William Smith with a net 68.
He beat the joint second place threesome of Alan Young (Lochend), Thomas Wilson (Glenbervie) and Jim Scott (Swanston New) by three shots.
Willie, who is 80, almost beat his age with a gross 82 which included an inward half of 38 shots.
Congratulations go to Willie who joined the East Alliance in January 1958.
The best scratch score was closely fought with Greenburn professional Scott Catlin scoring a 71 to win by one shot over the duo of professionals from Turnhouse - Scott Grieve and James McGhee.
The trainee professional prize went to Alan Mackay of Pumpherston with a score of 78.

Next outing is at Royal Musselburgh on October 13.
Alan Greenshields
E-mail: secretary.eesga@talktalk.net

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Monty says he wouldn't mind being an

 assistant to next  Ryder Cup captain

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Having dropped from 135th to 425th in the world during his term as Ryder Cup captain, it should come as no surprise that Colin Montgomerie does not want to do the job again.
But Montgomerie, who returns to being a player in the Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns on Thursday, is prepared to help out any of the people who follow him into the position.
Adamant that nothing would make him lead Europe again after the nail-biting one-point win in Wales on Monday, Montgomerie is expected to be succeeded by Jose Maria Olazabal. "I wouldn't hesitate if he asked me to be an assistant, I would be honoured," said the Scot. "As I would for any captain in the future."
As a member of the players' committee Montgomerie, who still clings to the hope that he could play in the match again as a player, will have a say in who takes over.
And he will also be part of the discussions on how to avoid a repeat of the situation where he left out world number nine Paul Casey and double US Tour winner Justin Rose, who was ranked 22nd at the time and two years ago stood sixth.
"I should not have had to leave out top-10 players, they should be on the team," he added. "That was the worst day of my professional career."
Possible changes are likely to come up at the next committee meeting in Portugal next week.

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TEE TIMES FOR FINAL ROUND OF  SCOTTISH ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP AT MURCAR LINKS
 ON THURSDAY

08.30 M Forster, J Forrest.
08.40 J D Murray, P W McIntosh, L Fowler.
08.50 P Brookes, D Philip, K Beveridge.
09.00 D MacKay (Newmachar), C Cassie, M Fraser.
09.10 R Murray, G Cree, C Alexander.
09.20 H Roulston, R Leadley, P Lamb.
09.30 C Stewart, J White, I Esslemont.
09.40 J Thomas, J Duncan, Laura Murray.
09.50 F Clarke, G Finlay, A J Webster.
10.00 A K Pirie, R Stewart, R Harrower.
10.10 A Dunton, S E Harrod, G Murray.
10.20 G G Wither, I Graham, J MacKay.
10.30 Ian Bratton, Joel Hopwood, Iain Buchan.
10.40 Alan Reid, Graeme Lornie, Stephen Lamb.
10.50 Andrew Campbell, Graeme Breown, Alan Lockhart.
11.00 Kevin Duncan, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Craig Matheson.
11.10 Philip McLean, Paul McKechnie, John Fowler.
11.20 Anthony Bews, Terry Mathieson, Jordan Findlay.

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Fraserburgh man leads by two with one round to go at Murcar Links

ONE MORE RIVER TO

CROSS FOR JORDAN
 By COLIN FARQUHARSON
It's five years since an amateur won the Scottish Golfers' Alliance championship but Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay is on course to follow in Bryan Fotheringham's 2005 footsteps when the final round is played at Murcar Links tomorrow.
Victory would not put the £1,000 first pro prize in his pocket because he remains an amateur but it would be a nice pick-me-up after failing to get past Stage 1 of the European Tour Qualifying School at Dundonald Links.
Findlay, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, beaten finalist in the Scottish amateur championship this summer at Gullane and capped in the Home Internationals, followed up a 70 at Newburgh on Tuesday with a two-under-par 69 at Murcar Links today to lead the field with a four-under-par tally of 139.
He had an eagle 3 at the fourth and a birdie 3 at the seventh in an outward 33 (three under par). Coming home, Jordan dropped his first shot of the day at the 10th but birdied the 11th and 12th before dropping two more shots at the 14th and 15th, steadying up to par the last three for 36 (one over) home. 
The Buchan man, a former British boys champion who spent four years at college in America, is two shots clear but by no means home and dry with six strokes covering the leading six.
Dunbar staff pro Terry Mathieson, who had a par-matching, second-round 72 at Newburgh, is his nearest challenger and Terry will fancy his chance of making up the leeway as he returns to the Murcar Links which was his home course as an amateur and over which he led the field with a first-round 69.
"I didn't have the spark I had in the first round. I just had to grind it out," said Terry who like all the Newburgh field had to start at the 10th because of high tides at the Ythan estuary.
Mathieson birdied the 11th, 15th, fourth and sixth, dropping shots at the 17th - where he drove out of bounds but got a birdie with his second ball to reduce the damage to a bogey - first, second and eighth.
There are four amateurs in the leading six,which emphasises the spirit of the Alliance movement. Home course man Anthony Bews, after a 67 at Murcar Links), is in third place, only three shots off the pace. Bews works in Gary Forbes' club shop but is not a pro.
Hayston scratch man John Fowler (71-73) is five behind Findlay and in joint fifth position on 145 are Peterhead's Philip McLean (78-67) and former Scottish Alliance champion Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) (73-72).
McLean had birdies at the first, fourth, seventh, 10th, 11th, and 12th in halves of 34 and 33 at Murcar. He dropped shots at the seventh and 17th.
Those with 36-hole tallies of 169 or better will play the final championship round at Murcar Links on Thursday. Those who missed the cut have the option of playing a one-round competition, with prizes, at Newburgh.
Scotland amateur international Laura Murray (Alford) has won the ladies' prize - her only rival, Sammy Leslie (Westhill) did not qualify for the final round at Murcar Links. Laura had a 77 at Newburgh today for 160 and feels she is already benefitting from some tips from last year's Ricoh Women's British Open champion Catriona Matthew.
"Last week I had a game over Archerfield Links with Catriona and Kylie Walker. I thought I was a long hitter but Catriona was longer than me but it was her short game that impressed me immensely," said Laura.
"She gave me some very good bits of advice during and after the round, which was very kind of her when you think of it. She's an LPGA Tour player and I'm not even a pro."
Laura has decided that she is still not ready to go to the Ladies European Tour School, postponing for a second year a tilt at winning a card to play the LET circuit next year.
"There's a lot to play for as an amateur next year and I think I'll be a better player with one more year on the amateur circuit."
The 16th green at Newburgh, when there are high tides as there are at the moment, can become an island with water from the Ythan estuary spilling over to fill the space between the tee and green.
The last two groups in the Alliance championship had to take off their socks and golf shoes and wade through about a foot of water to get to the green and then to the 17th tee.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 143 (Murcar Links: 71, Newburgh 72).
139 J Findlay (Fraserburgh) 70 69.
141 T Mathieson (Dunbar) 69 72.
142 A Bews (Murcar Links) 75 67.
144 J Fowler (Hayston) 71 73.
145 P McLean (Peterhead) 78 67. P McKechnie (Braid Hills) 73 72.
146 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 75 71.
147 A Lockhart (Ladybank) 74 73, G Brown (Montrose Links) 72 75, R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) 72 75, K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 70 77.
149 S Lamb (Broomieknowe) 75 74, A Campbell (Deeside) 78 71.
150 G Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 77 73.
151 A Reid (West Lothian) 73 78.
152 J Hopwood (Carnegie) 79 73, I Buchan (Craibstone) 75 77.
153 I Bratton (Newburgh) 81 72.
154 I Graham (Crow Wood) 76 78, G G Wither (Lothianburn) 75 79, J MacKay (Kilmarnock Barassie) 79 75.
156 G Murray (Spey Bay) 77 79.
157 R Harrower (Boat of Garten) 80 77, A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 84 73, S E Harrod (Ballumbie Castle) 78 79.
158 A K Pirie (Hazlehead) 80 78, R Stewart (Tulliallan) 87 71.
159 A J Webster (Edzell) 82 77, F Clarke (Newmachar) 81 78, G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) 80 79.
160 Laura Murray (Alford) 83 77.
161 J Duncan (Newburgh) 85 76.
162 J Thomas (Craibstone) 80 82, I Esslemont (Newburgh) 82 80.
163 C Stewart (Kippie Lodge) 82 81, J White (Harrison) 84 79.
164 R Leadley (American Golf) 84 80, H Roulston (Stonehaven) 84 80, P Lamb (Biggar) 79 85.
165 C Cassie (Nigg Bay) 85 80, M Fraser (The Duke's) 85 80, R Murray (West Lothian) 82 83, G Cree (Troon Welbeck) 85 80, C Alexander (Murcar Links) 85 80.
166 K Beveridge (Inchmarlo) 85 81, D MacKay (Newmachar) 83 83.
167 D Philip (Newburgh) 87 80, L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) 86 81, P Brookes (Pitreavie) 86 81.
168 P W McIntosh (Newburgh) 79 89.
169 J Forrest (Northern) 85 84, J D Murray (Banchory) 91 78, M Forster (Cruden Bay) 81 88.
MISSED THE CUT
171 P Morrison ()ldmeldrum) 93 78, P B Kinloch (Cardross) 88 83, D Leslie (Northern) 92 79
172 J Craig (Carnoustie) 84 88, D MacKay (Caledonian) 83 89, K Lumsden (Craibstone) 81 91.
173 N Stewart (Northern) 78 95.
176 A Graham (Aboyne) 85 91.
177 G Hume (The Duke's) 83 94, Samantha Leslie (Westhill) 84 93, D Randall (Banchory) 95 82.
178 R J S Coupar (Boat of Garten) 94 84, H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) 87 91, P Guthrie (Peterculter) 83 95, J Crawford (Dunblane New) 94 84.
179 S Kennedy (Craibstone) 98 81.
181 L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle) 94 87
183 K M Thomson (Alloa) 95 88.
184 D Nelson (Aboyne) 101 83.
185 A Hume (Troon Welbeck) 98 87.
188 J Kinsella (Braemar) 101 87, C Westland (Alloa) 94 94.
189 A Boxx (Boat of Garten) 91 98.
190 R Brown (Inverurie) 96 94, V P Ralph (Moray) 90 100.
191 A Graham (Crow Wood) 102 89.
193 B Lumsden (Northern) 90 103, P Jeffray (Duddingston) 92 101.
194 G Allan (Newmachar) 94 100.
199 G Knapp (Muir of Ord) 100 99, D Bingham (Newburgh) 96 103.
200 J Wilson (Dunfermline) 97 103.
202 M Rogers (Kemnay) 107 95.
204 A L Terras (Elie) 97 107.

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JAMES BYRNE DROPS OUT OF WORLD TOP 20


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory's James Byrne, a student at Arizona State University, has dropped two places to No 21 in this week's revised RandA World Amateur Golf Rankings.
The only British and Irish players ahead of him are England's Matthew Nixon (up four places from last week) and Ireland's Paul Culter (down one).
The only other Scots in the top 100 are Ross Kellett at No 71 (down one) and Scottish champion Michael Stewart at No 72 (up one).
Scots in the top 500 of the RandA WAGR are:
(+ or minus compared with last week)
21 James Byrne -2.
71 Ross Kellett -1
72 Michael Stewart +1
138 Stuart Ballingall +33.
142 Kris Nicol -2.
265 James White -5.
273 Scott Larkin -1.
301 Peter Latimer -3.
320 Scott Crichton +20.
368 Paul Shields -7.
405 Steven Rennie -12.
411 Greg Paterson -13.
427 Philip McLean -9.
472 Brian Soutar -10.
486 James Ross -13.


+Americans Peter Uihlein and David Chung are still Nos 1 and 2 in the World Amateur Rankings. Frenchman Romain Wattel is No 3, South Korea's in Jin Jeong No 4 and Italy's Andrea Pavan No 5.

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