MIDLANDS ALLIANCE REPORT, SCORES

Alan Lockhart has a ball at Kirriemuir

This week's Midlands Alliance, sponsored by A Herd, was held at a very windy Kirriemuir. 
Ladybank assistant pro Alan Lockhart continued his rich vein of form by winning with a four under par 64, five shots clear of the field. 
The handicap prize was won by Scotscraig nine-handicapper John Rankine with a creditable net 63.
The team prize was won by Scotscraig's Ron Beatt (13) and John Rankine (9) plus Ian Skinner (Downfield) (14) with a great score of 55.


LEADING SCRATCH
Par 68
64 Allan Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.
69 Murdy Gilmour (Braehead).
71 Craig Knowles (Panmure) ap, Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) p.
72 Charlie Gowrie (Kirriemuir), John Rankine (Scotscraig), Ross Bell (Downfield, Kevin Egan (Downfield).
73 Bob Stewart (Tulliallan).
73 Keith Salmoni (Muckhart) p.


LEADING HANDICAP
63 John Rankine (Scotscraig) (9).
64 Murdy Gilmour (Braehead) (6).
66 Ken Thomson (Alloa) (14).
67 Charlie Gowrie (Kirriemuir) (5), Ian Skinner (Downfield) (14).
68 D Sievwright (Drumoig) (13), A Black (Dunfermline) (11), J McCormack (Kirriemuir) (6), K R Egan (Downfield) (4).
69 M. Niven (6) Alloa) (6), R Redpath (Scotscraig) (5), I M S Wilson (Craigiehill) (5), C Wallace (Caird Park) (10), G Cant (Monifieth) (11.

TEAM SCORES.
55 Ron Beatt, John Rankine and Ian Skinner
56 I Wilson, I Henderson and J D Gray
58 R Stewart, D Sim and K Thomson
58 K Salmoni, J McCormack and . Cant.


Qualifiers for the Championship at Arbroath:
M Gilmour, C Knowles, C Gowrie, John Rankine.
Qualifier for the McQueen Shield:
M Gilmour.


The next meeting is the Fairmont Pro. Am sponsored by Grant Promotions on Wednesday, November 3 between 0830 and 1200

Apulia San Domenico Grand Final in Italy

Jamieson top

Scot with 69

By PAUL SYMES
European Challenge Tour Press OfficerSweden’s Peter Gustafsson went some way towards erasing some of the heartache he has endured in recent years by moving into a share of the lead on the opening day of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final, which marks the climax of the 2010 Challenge Tour season.
Gustafsson has twice missed out on securing his European Tour card by a single place in the Challenge Tour Rankings, finishing the year in 16th place in 2004 – when only the top 15 earned promotion – and then 21st 12 months ago.
But the Swede’s five-under-par round of 66 in benign conditions at the stunning San Domenico Golf in Puglia, Italy, was good enough to climb to the top of the leaderboard alongside England’s Steven Tiley and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger.
With three rounds of the €300,000 event remaining much can still change, but if Gustafsson continues his fine form he stands every chance of jumping from his current Ranking position of 35th and into the all-important top 20.
Gustafsson, who holed his bunker shot for a birdie on the fourth hole, said: “This week I haven’t really got anything to lose – the guys just inside the top 20, like I was last year, have got everything to lose. That’s the way it is. But we all have to remember that we’re very fortunate to do what we do so it’s important to enjoy this week as much as you can, though obviously that’s not always possible!
"I haven’t always enjoyed it in the past, but I only had myself to blame really. If I’d played a bit better, I would’ve secured my card. But everything happens for a reason. It wasn’t the best two days of my life when I missed out by one, but people have had far worse days than me.”
Like Gustafsson, Tiley has also adopted a relaxed approach as he seeks the top three finish which would in all probability see him climb the necessary six places from his current Ranking position of 26th.
The 28 year old, whose previous claims to fame were his victory in last year’s Egyptian Open and an opening round of 66 at this year’s Open Championship, felt right at home on the 7,031 yards, par 71 links layout, which was designed by European Golf Design, having grown up playing similar courses at home in his native Kent.
Tiley, whose tap-in birdie at the last was one of five gains, said: “When my caddie got here he texted me to say it’s just like Deal, which I play on back home in Kent. I didn’t believe him, but it is very similar in many ways – especially the holes next to the seas.
"So you have to hit similar shots, and play the course in a similar way. The only real difference is that there’s sunshine here in October, which you wouldn’t get back at home!”
Whilst Tiley and Gustafsson strive to climb into the top 20 of the Rankings, Wiesberger can afford to relax, safe in the knowledge that a return to The European Tour has long since been sewn up after two victories in France this season.
The big-hitting Austrian’s win in Toulouse was secured in windy conditions not dissimilar to those found at San Domenico Golf, on the Adriatic Coast, where he has a decent record having finished in the top 15 on his only previous appearance in 2007.
Wiesberger said: “I can relax and enjoy it a little bit more than some of the guys here this week. I also started with a 66 when I was last here two years ago and wasn’t able to see it through, but hopefully I can build on it this year and maybe win the tournament.
"It would be a great finish to the season, and might mean I win the Rankings. But I don’t expect Alvaro [Velasco] to have a bad week so it’s not something I’m really thinking about.”
Rankings leader Velasco endured an indifferent day, with two bogeys and a double at the 16th hole blighting his one over par round of 72. But his compatriot Carlos de Moral endured better fortunes after signing for a flawless round of 67 which saw him take a share of fourth place alongside Australian Daniel Gaunt.
The duo have each won once on the Challenge Tour this season and both are currently inside the top 20, with English Challenge champion Gaunt in 12th, seven places higher than Del Moral.
American Christopher Ryan Baker and Sweden’s Pelle Edberg share sixth place on three under par after both men posted four birdies and a solitary bogey in their respective rounds of 68.
Of the four Scots in the field, Glasgow's Scott Jamieson did best with a 69, to be three shots off the pace.
Jamie McLeary and George Murray had 71s and Raymond Russell a 74.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71
66 B Wiesberger (Austria), S Tiley (England), P Gustafsson (Sweden) 
67 C Del Moral (Spain), D Gaunt (Australia).
68 P Edberg (Sweden), C Baker (United States) 
69 S Davis (England), J Larsen (Norway), A Marshall (England), A Kaleka (France), T Olesen (Denmark), B Evans (England) , C Moriarty (Ireland) , J Arruti (Spain) , S Jamieson (Scotland), M Haines (England)
70 D Denison (England) , M Thorp (Norway), L Slattery (England), D Vanegas (Colombia)
71 J McLeary (Scotland), V Riu (France), L Gagli (Italy), G Murray (Sco), J Zapata (Argentina), J Sjöholm (Sweden) 
72 A Velasco (Spain), E Dubois (France), R Dinwiddie (England) , C Ford (England) , S Manley (Wales), M Carlsson (Sweden), M Zions (Australia) 
73 J Clément (Switzerland), C Russo (France), M Tullo (Chile), O Floren (Sweden)
74 R Russell (Scotland)
75 S Walker (England), A Gee (England), A Tadini (Italy) 
76 F Colombo (Italy), F De Vries (Netherlands) 
77 M Korhonen (Finland)

Kingsknowe player shoots up 167 places in RandA WAGR

Allyn Dick's Euro 6th place


boosts world ranking  

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Twice a winner of the Scottish mid-amateur title (2005-2006), Allyn Dick, who now plays out of Kingsknowe, has shot up 167 places in the R and A World Amateur Golf Rankings to No 669.
His remarkable upsurge follows a sixth place finish in the individual standings of last week's European Club championship at Estela Golf Club in Portugal.
(SCROLL DOWN FOR A REPORT FROM THE CARRICKVALE GOLF CLUB WEBSITE).
Allyn, pictured, winner of the Newlands Trophy SGU Order of Merit 72-hole event at Lanark in July, was a member of the Scottish club championship winners - Carrickvale - who finished a creditable sixth in a field of 23 at the European Final, as Allan says, "much better than the other Scottish qualifiers have done in previous years."
Quite a finish to the competitive season for Allyn who gained his first Scotland cap in the Home Internationals at Ashburnham where he gained 4 1/2pt out of six, including three foursomes victories in partnership with James Byrne. And Allyn is now a member of the SGU's Elite Squad.
Elsewhere in this week's updated WAGR, Banchory’s James Byrne goes up one place to No 22. His team-mates in the defence of the Eisenhower Trophy in Argentina – Scottish champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and Ross Kellett ( Colville Park ) – are ranked No 61 and 73 respectively. Stewart goes up two places, Kellett stays the same compared with last week.
Fraserburgh’s Kris Nicol remains the fourth highest-ranked Scot at No 151, a rise of three places while Anglo-Scot Stuart Ballingall from Norwich, a student at Missouri University, comes next at No 176.
Stirling University student James White (Lundin) (No 275), Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) (285) and Scott Crichton (Aberdour) (294) round off the eight Scots in the top 300 of the RandA WAGR.

SCOTS IN WORLD TOP 1000
22 James Byrne +1
61 Michael Stewart +2
73 Ross Kellett no change.
151 Kris Nicol +3.
176 Stuart Ballingall -1.
275 James White -1
285 Scott Larkin -1
294 Scott Crichton -2.
309 Peter Latimer -6.
374 Paul Shields +1.
413 Steven Rennie +4.
416 Greg Paterson +6.
435 Philip McLean +8.
509 James Ross +10.
539 Gordon Yates -3.
572 Gordon Stevenson +1.
585 Matthew Clark +4.
595 David Law +5.
614 Neil Henderson +2
621 Graeme Robertson +2
622 Scott Gibson +2.
650 Jordan Findlay -1.
657 Sam Binning -3.
669 Allyn Dick +167.
716 Adam Dunton +7
735 Ed Wood +15.
742 Glenn Campbell +13.
 775 Mark Hillson +13.
777 Ross Bell +13.
811 Andrew Gunson -123.
816 Paul Ferrier -3.
832 Jordan McColl -126.
856 Steven McEwan -1.
916 Michael Daily -8.
933 Bobby Rushford -11
949 Fraser Fotheringham -9.
955 Stephen Speirs -8.
973 Alexander Culverwell -8.
975 Mark Bookless -8.

+Americans Peter Uihlein and David Chung remain Nos 1 and 2 in the world amateur rankings. In all, there are seven players from the United States, one from Canada and one Australia-based South Korean in the top 10. The only European is Romain Wattell (France) in third place. The highest ranked English player is Matthew Nixon in 20th place.

Carrickvale sixth in European Men's Club Trophy

FROM THE CARRICKVALE GOLF CLUB WEBSITE
The Carrickvale team represented Scotland in the European Men’s Club Trophy at the Estela Golf Club in northern Portugal, and finished in a very creditable sixth place from the 23 countries which took part. The Ormesson Golf Club from France were very worthy winners by 15 shots, followed by Iceland, Germany, the local Oporto team, and Spain.
Allyn Dick, Craig Elliott and David Ewen had a great experience over one of the hardest courses in Portugal, and were a real credit to their club and country in terms of their golf, their appearance, and especially the manner in which they conducted themselves. They were popular and made a lot of new friends – it was very noticeable how all the other countries’ players and the local Portuguese officials warmed to them.
Our current Scottish Club Champions finished ahead of the other home nations, and although they were disappointed with their first round scores they recovered well and only the French team had a better aggregate score for the second and third days.
The biggest single highlight of the event was a hole-in-one recorded by Craig Elliott at the 176-metre fourth hole in the final round. The green is elevated and it was straight into a 20 mph wind.
Thanks go to the Scottish Golf Union (www.scottishgolf.org) who financed the trip for the team, and particularly to Liz Burns who made their travel and hotel arrangements. Thanks also to Look Good Golfing (www.lookgoodgolfing.com) for providing their polo shirts, etc., and to Age Branding (www.agebranding.co.uk) who did the club cresting on their garments in very quick time.

CLICK HERE FOR A RECAP ON ALL THE SCORES

From: LIAM ONIONS
08004788@qmu.ac.uk


My name is Liam Onions, I am an Events and Marketing student at Queen Margaret University. I am currently running a golf blog - www.scottishprofocus.blogspot.com - in regards to creating a Scottish Golf Tour open to all Scottish Professionals.
I know the welfare of Scottish golf is of great interest to many Scottishgolfview.com readers and I would be very grateful if you could check out my site and offer some feedback and perhaps support.





Kind Regards



Liam Onions

BA (Hons) Events & Marketing (Level 3)

Queen Margaret University

Eisenhower Trophy tournament in Argentina

CAPTAIN KNOWLES CONFIDENT AHEAD

OF SCOTS' DEFENCE OF WORLD TITLE



NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
By ROSS DUNCAN
Scotland team captain Scott Knowles believes his side’s meticulous preparation ahead of this week’s World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina will stand them in good stead to challenge for a second consecutive title.
The Eisenhower Trophy gets underway in Buenos Aires tomorrow (Thursday) with James Byrne (Banchory), Ross Kellett (Colville Park) and Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) raring to go as they bid to emulate Scotland’s success in Adelaide two years ago.
The team enjoyed a week-long training camp with national coach Ian Rae in Brazil last week before arriving in Argentina on Saturday and Knowles believes the preparation has been exemplary:
“Last week was ideal for the boys with fantastic weather and two very testing golf courses. James, Michael and Ross are all playing great golf and will go into Thursday full of confidence. They have all progressed well in recent years, playing top quality golf in big events which has given them the belief that they can challenge this week.” said Knowles, who represented Scotland between 1990 and 1992 alongside the likes of Andrew Coltart and Stephen Gallacher.
“Thanks to Ian Rae’s planning and preparation work over the last two years, they know both courses (Olivos and Buenos Aires) very well and we’ve been working hard on our strategy and how best to tackle the two courses since we arrived here. There is a great atmosphere developing with all the leading amateur players from around the world in one place and lots of anticipation from players and spectators alike.”
“I believe our guys have the talent and self-belief to defend the title and know that they will all be giving 100% and more to achieve this week’s goal. We’ve had great support from the Scottish golfing public and our sponsors, Aberdeen Asset Management and TaylorMade-adidasGolf and we can’t wait to get underway.” he added.
James Byrne, runner-up in the British Amateur Championship earlier this season, gets Scotland’s campaign underway at 16.18 BST tomorrow, with the Scots out alongside players from the host nation and India at Olivos Golf Club. Ross Kellett goes out at 16.29 with Michael Stewart at 16.40, while they have an earlier start on the second day at Buenos Aires GC, teeing off from 11.30 BST.
The United States side, winners of the event no fewer than 13 times, feature the world No 1 and No 2 amateurs in Peter Uihlein and David Chang, while world No 4 Roman Wattel, the reigning Scottish open amateur stroke play champion, lines up in a strong French outfit
The best two scores from the three players each day contribute to the team’s score with the championship played over four days. Two years ago, Scotland’s Wallace Booth, Gavin Dear and Callum Macaulay posted a 20-under par aggregate of 560 to win by nine shots from the USA.


For more information on the Championship, visit http://www.worldamateur2010.org/

EISENHOWER TROPHY TEE TIMES

FROM PETE KOWALSKI, International Golf Federation Media Officer
Groupings and starting times for the first and second rounds of the 2010 men's World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy at Buenos Aires Golf Club and Olivos Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina (28-29 October) can be viewed as follows:


CLICK HERE FOR THURSDAY'S TEE TIMES



CLICK HERE FOR FRIDAY'S TEE TIMES