NORTH ALLIANCE SCORES FROM SPEY BAY

+Winter tees were in use, shortening some of the holes so it is impossible to give a par for the round.

Leading Scratch Scores:
69 B Fotheringham (Inverness)
70 G Hay (Grantown), S Chisholm (Nairn)
71 J Simpson (Forres)
73 J S D Campbell (Grantown), K Thomson (Moray);
74 R Harrower (Boat of Garten) p, R McKerron (Forres);
75 C Campbell (Grantown) p, S Wilson (Inverness), N McWilliam (Elgin), L Macbean (Boat of Garten)
76 D Chisholm (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), J Wright (Forres), A England (Moray), D F Sharp (Boat of Garten)
77 J R Souter (Moray), J A G Innes (Elgin)
78 P Masson (Rothes), A A Lees (Moray)
79 G Mackenzie (Hopeman), C Small (Nairn), D Macleod (Grantown), L Stewart (Grantown), S Johnston (Elgin), W F Thomson (Moray)

HANDICAP
Class 1 (seven and under)
67 S Chisholm (Nairn) (3)
69 D K Chisholm (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (7)
70 D F Sharp (Boat of Garten) (6)
71 J R Souter (Moray) (6), A England (Moray) (5)
Class 2 (eight to 14)
66 L Macbean (Boat of Garten) (9)
67 C Small (Nairn) (12)
70 D Macleod (Grantown) (9), A A Lees (Moray) (8), W F Thomson (Moray) (9)

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE TEE TIMES FOR INVERALLOCHY JANUARY 26

08.15 S Scott, G Geddes, S Ord.
08.22 C Cassie, B Harper, C Carnegie.
08.29 P Morrison, C Buchanan, P Farnan.
08.36 C Nelson, J Dalgarno, P Anderson.
08.43 J Duff, R Lamb, M Merchant.
08.50 I Prouse, free, free.
08.57 J Thmas, free, free.
09.04 G Munro, M Rendall, J Hamilton.
09.11 A Graham, free, free.
09.18 G Paterson, S Kennedy, J Borthwick.
09.25 R Brown, M Brown, S Davidson.
09.32 J Mackintosh, T Slater, J McPherson.
09.39 I Bratton, H Love, P Pugh.
09.46 J Roberts, K Duncan, J Reid.
09.53 M Forster, D Wood, M Rogers.
10.00 J Forrest, N Stewart, D Leslie.
10.07 G Homer, B Lumsden, B Lumsden junior.
10.14 S Elrick, C Farquhar, J Lumsden.
10.21 S Leslie, M Smith, I Grant.
10.28 D Philip, J Duncan, P McIntosh.
10.35 N Chisholm, C Law, W Shaw.
10.42 D Fleming, A K Pirie, L Fowler.
10.49 J Hopwood, I Strachan, D Lawrie.
10.56 H McNaughton, M Ord, free.
11.03 J Murray, D Bisset, D Randall.
11.10 F Bisset, S Larkin, M Booth.
11.17 T Collie, M Lawrie, D Brown.
11.24 J Jessiman, A Petrie, free.
11.31 D McKay, J Gall, S Finnie
11.38 C Brindley, C Stewart, free.
11.45 N Parker, G Steveley, free.
11.52 W Skene, A Clark, free.
11.59 S Lawrie, S Lawrie, free.
12.06 P Cornfield, J Nicholson, B Nicholson.
12.13 D Wilson, M Jenkins, free.

SCOTS IN TOP 750 OF R AND A WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS

This week's revised R and A World Amateur Rankings

17 James Byrne no change.
55 Michael Stewart +3 compared with last week.
125 Ross Kellett +3
159 Stuart Ballingall +1
160 Kris Nicol +1.
302 Scott Crichton +1
316 James White +1
334 Scott Larkin no change.
361 Peter Latimer no change.
375 Brian Soutar +1.
460 Paul Shields +1.
491 Allyn Dick +1.
505 Steven Rennie +2.
513 Greg Paterson +4.
531 Philip McLean +3.
654 James Ross +4.
697 Gordon Yates +4.
700 Scott Gibson +4.
739 Grant Forrest +2.
742 Gordon Stevenson +2.
748 David Law +3.
749 Graeme Robertson +3.

MARSHALL AND MASON WIN EAST ALLIANCE GREENSOMES

By ALAN GREENSHIELDS
Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance secretary
The East Alliance took a break from normal stroke-play today when members invited guests to play in a greensomes competition for the Richardson and Brownlee Salver.
Ninety-two players enjoyed some kinder weather which felt tropical compared to that of recent weeks.
The trophy winners were East Alliance vice-president Andy Marshall (pro at Houston Driving Range) along with guest Stuart Mason (Cawder) who carded an excellent net 64.4 (66 less 1.6).
Second place went to Roy Murray (West Lothian) and pro Graham Fox (East Kilbride).
The top scratch prizes went to members of local club Harrison located at The Braids. Winner with a 66 were Mike Robson and his guest Dougie Waugh (Baberton).
Runners-up were Justin White and his guest Brian Soutar (Leven) with a 67.
Stroke play resumes next week when the East Alliance heads down the coast to The Glen at North Berwick.

"GOLF IN DUBAI" TO SPONSOR EAST OF SCOTLAND OPEN AMATEUR

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED LUNDIN GOLF CLUB
"Golf in Dubai," the promoters and organisers of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, will be the new title sponsor of the East of Scotland Open Amateur Championship to be held at Lundin Golf Club on June 25 and 26.
The three-year agreement will provide a major boost to the championship which has a global look to it with leading amateurs from Australia, Canada, France, Ivory Coast, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, UAE and USA signing up for the event over the last few years.
David Moir, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a former president of the Scottish Golf Union and convener of the Championship Committee since its inception in 1973, said: “Securing a sponsor of the calibre of "Golf in Dubai‟ is massive.
“It is vital that we continue to grow our revenues to keep 'The East' at the level which the players have grown accustomed to over the last 38 years. In 'Golf in Dubai,‟ we have found a strong international partner,” he added.
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice-chairman and CEO of "Golf in Dubai," was equally upbeat about the new partnership.
“We are delighted to be working with Lundin and are proud to present an event as prestigious as the East of Scotland Amateur Stroke Play Championship. 'The East' is a thoroughly professionally run championship for top amateur golfers and we look forward to working in a mutually advantageous partnership.

“We, at Golf in Dubai, are focused on building mutually beneficial partnerships with our valued sponsors, patrons and industry stakeholders in Dubai, the region and internationally," he said
"Dubai's continued passion for golf is unquestioned, and we welcome the backing of the golfing community for what has already been established and for what we aim to achieve in the future. In essence, we are building golf exchanges with new markets, with Dubai continuing to be the hub for all things golf," he added.
The three-year deal cements the organisers‟ pledge to try and attract the cream of amateur players worldwide to maintain the championship‟s position on the List of Counting Events of the R and A World Amateur Golf Ranking.
In keeping pace with the dramatic growth of the game, "Golf in Dubai‟ was created in 2005 to promote Dubai as one of the world's leading golfing destinations and to underline Dubai's other international attractions to a worldwide audience.
Like Lundin, the name of Dubai is synonymous with golfing facilities par excellence – and a great deal of the city's popularity as a golf destination is down to the success of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.
"Golf in Dubai" is backed by Omega as the title sponsor and Dubal (Dubai Aluminium) as the sponsor. The co-sponsors are: CNN, Emirates Airline, Emirates NBD, Gulf News, Jumeirah, Mercedes-Benz and wasl while Dubai Duty Free, Carpetland and Motivate are the Patrons in golf in DUBAi‟s drive to showcase the emirate's vibrant golfing scene to a worldwide

WALTERS AND DE VRIES FIVE CLEAR OF FIELD IN IFQ AFRICA

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R and A
Johannesburg, South Africa: South Africa’s Justin Walters made light work of the back nine on a soft and receptive East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington to share the lead after round one of Open Championship International Final Qualifying Africa.
After making eight pars and a solitary eagle on the front nine, Walters dropped back to one under par with a bogey on the par-three 12th hole. From there he rallied, however, coming home with four straight birdies from the 13th, before a six-iron to 15-feet on the par-five last provided him with his second eagle of the day and a seven-under-par total of 64.
Walters shares the lead with the Netherlands’ Floris de Vries. Five shots ahead of the rest of the field, the pair look favourites to claim two of the three available places at Royal St George’s.
It was a welcome turn-around for Walters, who failed to make the cut at last week’s Joburg Open held on both the East and West courses at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington.
“It was playing long today. If you keep it in the fairway then it’s not too bad but otherwise it’s very long, but I guess that’s its only defence today,” he explained. “Last week, I kept playing conservatively and taking three-wood off the tee short of the bunker on 18, but today I was feeling it and I hit a great drive which allowed me to hit a six-iron in to 15 feet. I had a good read from my caddie and it went in, so it was a great way to finish.”
De Vries started quickly en route his round of 64, with five birdies over the first nine holes. Three more birdies and a lone bogey saw him consolidate his position on the inward half, on a course where he flourished last week, finishing tied-13th at the Joburg Open.
Martin Maritz of South Africa and England’s Andrew Marshall were tied for third on two-under par, with five more players completing their rounds on one under par.
The leaders will play together in the second round, with Walters and De Vries teeing-off at 8.59am, local time.
A field of 36 players is contesting 36 holes of International Final Qualifying at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. The top three, after tomorrow’s second round, will earn a place at the 140th Open Championship, to be held at Royal St George’s in Kent, England, on 13 – 17 July.
Full, first-round, hole-by-hole scores, along with tomorrow’s draw, can be found on Opengolf.com.
Scores (RSA unless specified):
64 - Justin Walters; Floris de Vries (NED);
69 - Andrew Marshall (ENG); Martin Maritz;
70 - Neil Schietekat; Louis de Jager; Jacques Blaauw; Tyrone van Aswegen; Oliver Bekker;
71 - Brandon Pieters; Bradford Vaughan; TC Charamba (ZIM);
72 - Douglas McGuigan; Darren Fichardt; Andre Bossert (SUI);
73 - Bennie van der Merwe; Alex Haindl; Colin Nel; James Kamte; Neil Cheetham;
74 - Tyrone Ferreira; Anton Haig; David Hewan; Tyrone Mordt; Jean Hugo; Willie van der Merwe;
75 - Josh Cunliffe; Jbe Kruger; Alan Michell;
76 - Garth Mulroy; Louis Moolman; Branden Grace; Anthony Michael;
77 - Jakobus Roos;
79 - Theunis Spangenberg; Divan van den Heever

LEE WESTWOOD SAYS GOLF IS GENERALLY A GENTLEMAN'S GAME

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By KEVIN GARSIDE in Abu Dhabi
Lee Westwood, that robust son of Worksop, dipped into the reassuring lexicon of Nottinghamshire to put into perspective the delicate issue of cheating in golf.
The case of Elliot Saltman, handed an immediate three-month ban after a golfing court convened in Abu Dhabi found him guilty of replacing his ball incorrectly at a tournament in Moscow last September, has had golf’s hierarchy staring at the ground shaking heads.
Saltman, who denies wrongdoing, has 28 days to lodge his anticipated appeal.
The verdict leaked out in the hours after the tournament committee passed judgment, shredding the European Tour’s attempts at a measured response.
A proposed briefing by European Tour chief executive George O’Grady became a brief statement from the tournament committee.
Once the legalese was stripped out of that we were left with a ruling body hiding behind the subjudice sofa. The game shivers when humanity’s baser instincts intrude.
Cheating is anathema to golf, a sport predicated on fair play and civility. Fair enough but it should not have been beyond golf’s elders to speak for it after justice had been dispensed.
Thankfully it wasn’t above Westwood, a beacon for golf in more ways than one, though footballers might not appreciate his commentary.
“I don’t sit on the committee and don’t know too many of the facts. Cheating in general, I don’t think there is any place for it in sport.
"It occurs quite frequently in other sports. Golf is quite different from those and can separate itself by doing something about it when it happens, which it looks like it is doing. It is what sets golf apart.
“We have our rules but we also have a little book on etiquette, which other sports don’t have.
"You don’t see us jumping in the referee’s face when something goes wrong and waving our fingers at him trying to get a player on the other side of the fairway carded.
"You don’t see us missing a putt and diving. We are our own rules officials really.
"Someone can be over in the trees and the ball moves and they call a penalty on themselves.
"It’s generally regarded as a game for gentlemen.”
That golf recoils at the first hint of malpractice is a measure of its strength and its ethical well-being.
Saltman’s censure was the first meted out by the European Tour for nine years; a matter for celebration, not shame.
Westwood’s season starts here contesting an Abu Dhabi tournament stacked with four of the world’s top five players and the full complement of major champions.
He is, he claims, free of impediment in his right calf if not fully healed, and his game is in shape. He is grouped on Thursday with Ian Poulter and Francesco Molinari, one of many Hollywood three-balls.
The winners of the Open and the US PGA, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer, go out with three-time major champion Padraig Harrington.
Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey and Miguel Angel Jimenez form a Ryder Cup three-ball. Ryder Cup captain Jose-Maria Olazabal is joined by his predecessor, Colin Montgomerie, in a group completed by Ross Fisher.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson is accompanied by US Open winner Graeme McDowell and two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen.
Mickelson turned his attentions to the Ryder Cup on Wednesday when he followed his soaring endorsement of Europe’s new captain Jose Maria Olazabal, by placing a halo over the head of Davis Love III, who is announced as America’s captain in Chicago on Thursday.
“In Jose-Maria and Davis Love you have two of the nicest guys that both sides could offer. I think it’s going to be a very friendly and fun match,” Mickelson said.
“I don’t think you’ll find a nicer person on tour,” Mickelson said of Olazabal.
“I’ve been fortunate to spend some time with him throughout the years.
"Obviously he is a wonderful player but in addition to that you won’t find a higher-quality individual.
"I know his players are excited to see him as captain but the US players are too because he’s such a class act and a credit to the game.”
McDowell is up to No 4 in the world rankings with a chance to claim third with victory on Sunday.
How long can the desert hold him in check?
McDowell has never done well in the Gulf but after shooting the lowest round of his career, an 11-under-par 62 in the final round in Hawaii a fortnight ago, he must be a threat this week.
“One of the goals for 2011 is to keep working hard, keep the work ethic up, working on the things that I did to get me where I am now.
"And of course not take the game for granted or get sucked in by other people’s expectations of me,” said McDowell, MBE.
“I’m trying to use the confidence and the belief that I gained from last year. But it’s not a free pass to low numbers every day.
"I certainly don’t feel that because of what happened in 2010, the fact that I’m a major champion now, it makes hard golf courses easy.”
Tiger Woods will begin his 2011 season at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, San Diego next week, a course where he enjoyed three straight wins prior to missing the event in each of the last two years.

SGU ELITE TRIO FINISH 1-2-3 IN NE ALLIANCE AT BUCKPOOL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Scotland Elite squad members Kris Nicol and Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh and Hazlehead’s David Law showed their international class by finishing 1-2-3 in today’s North-east Alliance competition in springlike conditions at Buckpool Golf Club.
By common consent, Buckpool, year in, year out, offers the best winter playing conditions of any venue visited by the NE Alliance.
The trio – who all have +4 ratings - fly out to South Africa on Tuesday for an eight-week warm-up for the new season, courtesy of the Scottish Golf Union.
Nicol, pictured, headed a field of 87 at Buckpool with a brilliant round of five-under-par 65, covering the last 11 holes in seven under par, including an inward half of 29 (six under par).
He had made a slow start with bogeys at the first, fourth and sixth and turned in one-over 36 but he finished with one eagle (at the 11th), and six birdies (at the third, eighth, 11th, 16th, 17th and 18th. What a finish!
Scottish Alliance champion Findlay also birdied the last three holes in halves of 35 and 32. His other birdie came at the eighth and he had one bogey, at the fifth
Former Scottish boys’ and men’s match-play champion David Law finished third with a 69 with only three deviations from par – birdies at the third and 17th and a bogey at the 14th in halves of 34 and 35.
David Law's older brother Chris, by the way, who also plays in NE Alliance competitions has turned professional and joined the King's Links Golf Centre staff for PGA training.
Carnegie Club staff pro Joel Hopwood came all the way down from Skibo Castle, as he does on a regular basis, to have a "game of two halves" - 43 (eight over par) and 33 (two under).
"I had never seen the course before but that's no excuse for a terrible start. I lost two balls as I bogeyed the first and second, triple-bogeyed the third, double-bogeyed the sixth and bogeyed the fifth and sixth to be nine over par after six holes," said Joel.
"But I did cover my last 12 holes in two under par with birdies at the ninth, 12th and 16th, with only one other bogey, at the 11th."
Portlethen five-handicapper David Fleming had the day's best net score - a 66 - to win Class 1 by a shot.
David finished joint sixth in the list of scratch scores, alongside young Portlethen clubmate, one-handicapper Sean Lawrie, who is related to Paul.

LEADING SCRATCH
Par 70
65 K Nicol (Fraserburgh).
67 J Findlay (Fraserburgh).
69 D Law (Hazlehead).
70 J Duff (Newmachar), I Bratton (Newburgh) p.
71 D A Fleming (Portlethen), Sean Lawrie (Portlethen).
72 D Brown (Kemnay) p
73 M Forster (Cruden Bay), R Lamb (Newmachar).
74 G Paterson (Northern)
75 C Nelson (Mackenzie Club) p, P Morrison (Oldmeldrum), S Finnie (Caledonian), C Stewart (Kippie Lodge) p.
76 J Duncan, S Scott (Auchmill), C Cassie (Nigg Bay), G Geddes (Auchmill), Hopwood (Skibo Castle) p, J Reid (Cruden Bay).
77 C Law (Kings Links Golf Centre) ap, F Bisset (Banchory), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum).
78 L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), B Harper (Newburgh), S Elrick (Kemnay), D Wilson (Duff House Royal).
79 P W McIntosh (Newburgh), M Lawrie (Kemnay), J Roberts (Cruden Bay), S Chalmers (Banchory) p.
80 C Buchanan (Newmachar), D Philip (Newburgh), P Farnan (Royal Aberdeen), N Parker (Murcar Links).
81 A K Pirie (Hazlehead), J Forrest (Northern), L Prouse (Hazlehead), J M Hamilton (Murcar Links), J Murray (Banchory), R O’Donnell (Oldmeldrum), Steve Lawrie (Portlethen).
82 D Nelson (Aboyne), D Leslie (Westhill), G Homer (Northern), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen), W Shaw (Banchory), J Borthwick (Craibstone), T Collie (Kemnay).
83 A Graham (Aboyne), S Davidson (Northern), W Skene (Deeside).
84 P Anderson (Deeside), D Randall (Banchory).
85 D Lawrie (Inchmarlo), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum).
86 G Allan (Newmachar), G Steveley.
87 D Bisset (Banchory), S Kennedy (Craibstone).
88 B Lumsden (Northern), C Brindley (Banchory), M Booth (Kemnay).
89 R Brown (Inverurie), D Wood (Newburgh), M Rogers (Kemnay).
90 N Chisholm (Kemnay), C Duffus (Kemnay)
91 H McNaughton (Cruden Bay), N Stewart (Northern), M Ord (Royal Aberdeen), J Lumsden (Auchmill), J Mackintosh (Auchmill), P Cornfield (Auchmill)
94 B Lumsden, senior (Northern)
97 J Gall (Caledonian).
100 C Farquhar (Northern), M Brown (Inverurie)
101 J McPherson (Auchmill), T Slater.

+Players without home clubs after their names are asked to E-mail the "missing" information to Colin@scottishgolfview.com. Similarly, if some clubs are wrongly given, the appropriate members should send correcting E-mails.

 HANDICAP
Class 1 – D Fleming (Portlethen) (5) 66; M Forster (Cruden Bay) (6); R Lamb (Newmachar) (4), P Morrison (Oldmeldrum) (6) 69; Sean Lawrie (Portlethen) (1), G Geddes (Auchmill) (6), C Cassie (Nigg Bay) (6) 70.
Class 2 – A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10) 67; N K Parker (Murcar Links) (10), I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (12), S Davidson (Northern) (13) 70; J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14), D Lawrie (Inchmarlo) (14), G Homer (Northern) (11) 71.


BUCKPOOL PAR:
OUT: 4-4-5-4-4-3--4-3-4--35. IN: 4-4-4-3-4-3-5-4-4--35. Total par 70.

KRIS NICOL 65
OUT: 5-4-4-5-4-4-4-2-4--36. IN: 4-3-2-3-4-3-4-3-3--29.
JORDAN FINDLAY 67
OUT: 4-4-5-4-5-3-3-3-4--35. IN: 4-4-4-3-4-3-4-3-3--32.
DAVID LAW 69
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-3-4--34. IN: 4-4-4-3-5-3-5-3-4--35.
IAN BRATTON 70
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-3-4-4-4--36. IN: 3-4-5-3-3-3-5-5-3--34
JOHN DUFF 70
OUT: 4-4-5-4-5-4-3-3-4--36. IN: 4-4-3-3-4-4-6-3-3--34
DAVID FLEMING 71
OUT: 4-4-4-5-4-3-4-3-4--35. IN: 5-4-5-2-5-3-5-3-4--36
Interesting card:
JOEL HOPWOOD 76
OUT: 5-5-8-6-5-4-4-3-3--43. IN: 4-5-3-3-4-3-4-3-4--33.

BRAZILIAN LEADS ASIAN TOUR Q SCHOOL FINAL STAGE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Hua Hin, Thailand: Brazilian Lucas Lee shot a sparkling 10-under-par 62 for his career’s best score to take the opening round lead at the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage today.
Lee, who lost his Asian Tour card last season after finishing in 97th place on the Order of Merit, opened up a three-stroke lead over Thai prospect Panuphol Pittayarat and Hirohito Koizumi of Japan at the Springfield Royal Country Club.
American Jonathan Moore posted a solid 66 to lie in fourth position while Korean Song Tae-hoon, Peter Gustafsson of Sweden , Englishman Simon Griffiths, Berry Henson of the United States , Australian Adam Groom and Japanese Hirotaro Naito were bunched in tied fifth place on matching 67s.
The Final Stage, presented by Sports Authority of Thailand, will be played over two courses at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Springfield Royal Country Club and Imperial Lakeview Golf Club. Players will play on alternate courses for the first two rounds while the final two rounds will be played at Springfield Royal.
A total of 175 players from more than 30 countries are vying to finish among the top-40 and ties where they will earn playing rights on the 2011 Asian Tour season.
Lee, 24, who played college golf at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), shot identical 31s on each nine with eight birdies and an eagle-three on hole 12 after his six-iron approach shot landed 10 feet from the pin.
“Playing in Qualifying School is more grinding and it feels a little bit more tensed compared to regular tournaments. But I was hitting a lot of fairways and greens and the putts were dropping and that was the key for me,” said Lee, who is the cousin to LPGA player Angela Park.
He enjoyed a strong start to his rookie season last year, finishing in tied ninth place at the Asian Tour International in Thailand but his form took a dip due to fatigue as he juggled playing in Asia and Canada .
“I played 10 weeks in a row last year, rotating between Asia and Canada and it was really tiring. If I earn my Asian Tour card this season, I’m going to concentrate playing more in Asia . With all the good stuff that’s happening on the Asian Tour, I wanted to come out here and play again,” he added.
Panuphol, nicknamed “Coconut” by his family, was delighted with his spirited start in his third attempt at Asian Tour Qualifying School . He shot a bogey free 65 highlighted by three straight birdies from the sixth hole.
“Everything was perfect from my driver to my putting. This is actually my lowest score ever since I turned professional! I could have made it eight-under but wasn’t confident with the line on the last hole. It was left to right but I hit it straight and it didn’t reach near the hole at all,” said Panuphol.
Japanese Koizumi, 35, welcomed a return to form after narrowly qualifying for the Final Stage on the cutline in tied 26th place in the First Stage last week.
“I barely made it to the Final Stage so I’m happy just to be here. I was struggling with my putting last week but after practising yesterday (Tuesday) it started to work wonders for me,” said Koizumi, who has won once on the Japan Challenge Tour.
Moore, who earned the winning point in the 2007 US Walker Cup team, bogeyed the first hole but bounced back with a hat-trick of birdies on the second hole before adding further birdies on holes seven, eight, 16 and 18.
This is his second attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School after missing out on the Final Stage last year by one stroke.
“I started with a bogey and three straight birdies. That was kind of nice because it put me at ease. I’m trying to get a status somewhere and the Asian Tour is a wonderful Tour. I’m hoping to get over here and get playing experience. Hopefully I can use it to progress my game,” said the 25-year-old, who played at Springfield Royal.
Leading first round scores
Par 72.
62 Lucas LEE (BRA)
65 Hirohito KOIZUMI (JPN), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA)
66 Jonathan MOORE (USA)
67 SONG Tae-hoon (KOR), Peter GUSTAFSSON (SWE), Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG), Berry HENSON (USA), Adam GROOM (AUS), Hirotaro NAITO (JPN)
68 Daisuke KATAOKA (JPN), Masaki SAKATA (JPN), Thitiphan CHUAYPRAKONG (THA), Chris GILL (ENG), Pierre-Henri SOERO (FRA), Corey HARRIS (USA), Ryoma YAMAGATA (JPN), Ross BAIN (SCO), Masanori KOBAYASHI (JPN), Kieran PRATT (AUS), Akinori TANI (JPN).
Selected score:
71 Simon DUNN (Sco).

RETIEF GOOSEN MAKES WINNING START WITH A 64 IN ABU DHABI

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Retief Goosen got his week off to the perfect start by winning the Pros' event at the Emirates Airline Invitational Hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah at Yas Links Golf Club, Abu Dhabi. England cricket legend Michael Vaughan and playing partner Ross McGowan scooped the Pro-Am two-man Team prize.
The Goose warmed up for this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in stunning style, shooting an eight under par 64 that included seven birdies and a scintillating eagle at the at the 11th with just one bogey at the 17th.
The South African was playing the Kyle Phillips’ delightful Yas Links course for the first time and after experiencing at first hand the unique and much-lauded atmosphere generated by the region’s prestigious Pro-Am he was delighted.
“It was my first round here so maybe that was a good thing – I didn’t know where all the trouble was,” said the two-time US Open champion. “I just tried to hit good shots, played solid golf, putted well and hit a lot of shots close to the pin. The course obviously suited my game quite nicely.
“Yas Links is a beautiful lay-out. It hasn’t been open very long but it’s in really great shape. It can get tough - when the wind blows hard round here it can get really difficult. The greens are also obviously very sloping so they can be very tricky.
“I think Abdullah has done a really good job with The Invitational. For a Pro-Am event it’s great prize money and it’s great for the charities to benefit from this, too.
“I hope I can keep going like this for the rest of the week. It’s great to be going into this event with the confidence this win has brought me.”
The charity auction held at the star-studded Gala Dinner following the event raised $220,000 as key figures from the world of sport, commerce and entertainment showed the Future Centre for Special Needs, Make A Wish Foundation UAE and Brest Friends UAE, while $150,000 of the Invitational’s $500,000 prize fund will go to the preferred charities of the leading three players.
One of the most hotly contested auction items was a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to play golf anywhere in the world with Ryder Cup star Ross Fisher and US Open champion Graeme McDowell, with all flights and accommodation included. Tournament Host Abdullah Al Naboodah won with a bid of $45,000 before donating the prize to good friend and Al Ahli FC manager David O’Leary. However, there was to be a further twist as O’Leary, in an act of overwhelming generosity, ‘re-donated’ it to 12-year-old Dhruv Nair. The talented youngster, who secured a spot in the field via the Worldwide Golf Golden Ticket Qualifying Series, had put in a hugely impressive performance in the Pro-Am section of the event to finish just one stroke back from the winners alongside playing partner Pablo Larrazabal on 11-under-par.
“This is amazing, the best day of my life,” said Nair. “I really enjoyed playing with the pros at Yas Links and I played really well, my best round ever.”
Ex-England cricket captain Vaughan and European Tour partner McGowan dovetailed wonderfully to shoot 12-under in the hotly contested Pro-Am.
“It was a fantastic day,” said Vaughan. “Abdullah has done an amazing job with the event and on behalf of all of the amateurs, the teams and the sponsors, I’d like thank him for inviting us. We’re all very privileged to play here on a terrific golf course like Yas Links.”
Abdullah was delighted with the fifth running of what has become one of the most eagerly anticipated Pro-Ams in the world, which featured a field that included the likes of defending champion and World Number One Lee Westwood and as well as Invitational Ambassador McDowell and a host of European Tour stars.
“The event just keeps on getting better. Having Emirates Airline as Title Partner and the support of our other Partners has helped make this the best Invitational to date. Yas Links Golf Club not only provided the perfect setting and relaxed atmosphere we set out to achieve but the course presented a true test of golf. The Abu Dhabi location was perfect.
“But what makes this event truly great are the players themselves. I’m honoured by the exceptional standard of professionals in the field and to have the defending champion and World Number One, Lee Westwood, pass on the title to two-time Major winner Retief Goosen speaks volumes on how the event has grown in such a short time. “

SENIOR WORLD PROS CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE HELD IN CHINA

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
By STEVE TODD
The ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills was announced today as an exciting new feature on the 2011 European Senior Tour schedule.
The new event, co-sanctioned by the European Senior Tour and Chinese Golf Association, will be played on the World Cup Course, Mission Hills, Shenzhen, from March 11-13 and represents the Senior Tour’s first visit to China.
With a prize fund of US$350,000, the event is likely to attract some of the biggest names from the ranks of pro golf's over-50s and further strengthens the importance of China as a major golfing destination.
The new tournament is title sponsored by ISPS (International Sports Promotion Society), which is chaired by Japanese businessman and philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa. ISPS is committed to developing the sport at every level, and will be using the tournament to help promote blind and disabled golf, in its bid to bring the sport to a wider audience.
Making the announcement Dr Handa, who is also an International Ambassador of the European Senior Tour said: “ISPS is thrilled to announce this fantastic new event on the senior golf calendar. I would like to thank Mission Hills for their support in helping make this happen. I am also delighted to continue our collaboration with the European Senior Tour and welcome the Chinese Golf Association to this exciting new partnership.
During 2011 ISPS will continue to help develop the sport and seek ways of fostering more opportunities for blind and disabled golfers to enjoy the game. We have Paralympic ambitions for the sport which we hope will soon become a reality.”

ELLIOT SALTMAN: Statement from the European Tour Tournament Committee

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
At a Disciplinary Hearing of The European Tour Tournament Committee in Abu Dhabi on January 18, 2011, the Committee unanimously found that Elliot Saltman had committed a serious breach of the 2010 Challenge Tour Members Regulation F 1 (b) 6 (Rules of Golf) during the first round of the M2M Russian Challenge Cup on September 16 2010 at Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club, Moscow, Russia.
It was the finding of the Tournament Committee that Elliot Saltman, who was disqualified from the M2M Russian Challenge Cup, be suspended from participating in all European Tour and Challenge Tour sanctioned tournaments for a period of three months, starting on January 19, 2011.
Under Challenge Tour regulations Elliot Saltman, who attended the Disciplinary Hearing in Abu Dhabi, has the right to lodge an appeal before the Board of The European Tour. This appeal must be lodged within 28 days.


COMMENT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM THE GUARDIAN.CO.UK WEBSITE
By LAWRENCE DONEGAN
Elliot Saltman has been given 28 days to appeal against the decision. His representatives are believed to have spent most of today meeting with lawyers and further meetings are planned with a view to challenging the decision.
The worst-case scenario for the European Tour, which it will do everything it can to avoid, would be a prolonged court battle focusing on the issue of cheating in golf and on other cases in which rules were allegedly broken.
One such case was the infamous "Jakartagate" affair, in which Colin Montgomerie was accused of incorrectly replacing his ball after a rain delay at the 2005 Indonesian Open.
The former Ryder Cup captain was censured by the same tournament players' committee that delivered today's verdict.

ELLIOT SALTMAN FACING 3-MONTH BAN FROM EUROPEAN TOUR

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Elliot Saltman is today facing a three-month playing ban over his disqualification for alleged cheating in the Russian Challenge Cup in Moscow last year.
The European Tour was last night preparing a statement to be released today on the 28-year-old's hearing held in Abu Dhabi yesterday and it is understood a short suspension is the punishment set to be handed out.
Saltman himself has already been made aware of the decision after the long-awaited investigation into his disqualification from the second-tier event last September.
Flown to the Middle East at the expense of the Tour along with his two accusers, Englishmen Stuart Davis and Marcus Higley, the Scot appeared before an eight-strong committee in the United Arab Emirates capital yesterday.
It included Thomas Bjorn, the chairman of the tournament players' committee, as well as Challenge Tour director of operations David Garland, chief referee Andy McFee and Challenge Tour director Alain de Soultrait.
After hearing from all the players involved, they drafted a recommendation that was put to the 15-man tournament players' committee and it is believed its members have decided on a three-month ban.
If so, Saltman, who won his card for the main circuit just over a month ago, will be the first player to be prevented from playing on the European Tour since Johan Tumba, a Swede, who was banned for 10 years in 1992 after altering his scorecard at the Tour's Qualifying School.
Further back, Dunbar's David Robertson, a former Scottish boys' champion, was hit with a bigger punishment after he was disqualified during final qualifying for the 1985 Open Championship at Deal in Kent, where his playing partners summoned an official in the middle of a round.
He was fined £20,000, though that was never called in, and banned for 20 years from playing as a professional by the European Tour. He was later reinstated as an amateur.
Elliot Saltman has had the dark cloud hanging over his head since Davis and Higley, his playing partners in the opening round of the Russian event, accused him of marking his ball incorrectly, leading to the player's disqualification.
"They said I had marked the ball at the eight o'clock position and replaced it at six o'clock. I have always marked the ball at six o'clock and replaced it correctly," said Saltman after winning his card at the Qualifying School in Spain in early December.
"I accepted what was said at the time because I was in shock at the time and I didn't want to be labelled a cheat. I am sorry now that I didn't stand up for myself."
Since the disqualification, a frenzy of activity on the internet has kept the controversy bubbling, much to Saltman's disgust as he launched a bid to clear his name.
"I've seen the stuff on the internet and I'm disgusted to be honest," admitted the Archerfield Links player.
"It affects not only me but my family. I don't want to be labelled as a cheat. Nobody wants that reputation."

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