THE WAY THEY WERE: PADRAIG HARRINGTON, NAIRN DUNBAR 1992

Padraig Harrington pictured before he became famous - at Nairn Dunbar in 1992 (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
I don't know what made me drive all the way from Aberdeen to Nairn in the summer of 1992 to take pictures of Padraig Harrington - but I did! Maybe, my subconscious knew that the Dubliner was going to be something special as a golfer.
The tournament was the Scottish youths open amateur stroke-play championship of 1992, played at Nairn and Nairn Dunbar.
Harrington did not win the title and I regret that I cannot even tell you where the young Irishman finished in the final order. Raymond Russell (Longniddry) was the Scottish open youths champion that year. Raymond had been either 19 or 20 (his birthday is July 26) and Russell turned pro the following year. He has won only once on the European Tour since.
As for Harrington, he was already a Walker Cup player by the time he played at Nairn. He was capped for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup matches of 1991, 1993 and 1995, the last occasion providing a splendid 14-10 win at Royal Porthcawl over the Americans whose line-up included Tiger Woods (beaten by Gary Wolstenholme on the first-day singles but, and this is often forgotten, Tiger got his revenge over Wolstenholme in the second-day singles).
I digress. Harrington did not turn pro until after the 1995 Walker Cup win. He completed his accountancy degree before he left the amateur ranks - a qualification that must come in handy as he counts his considerable winnings!
Three times a Major champion, perfectionist Padraig has certainly gone on to better things since 1992.

ZIMBABWE OPEN HIT BY RAIN SUSPENSION

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
There will be no more play for the day at the Africom Zimbabwe Open after play was suspended at 13h19 this afternoon and since then persistent rain has waterlogged the course, deeming it unplayable.
The weather forecast has predicted rain for the rest of the weekend. The entire field needs to complete 36 holes of golf in order for the event to be decided, which means that play will resume at 07h00 tomorrow morning (local time) with some of this morning’s field still to complete their rounds.
Overnight leader Theunis Spangenberg was one of the lucky few to complete his round and did so in fine style, signing off for a five-under par 67 for a two-round total of 13-under par 131.
Darryn Lloyd is alone in second on 11-under par with Deane Pappas a further shot behind.
Defending champion Jbè Kruger has yet to tee off and was in fact standing on the first tee when play was suspended.
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PAUL O'HARA LETS IT SLIP OVER CLOSING HOLES IN TURKEY

Paul O'Hara had a hat-trick of birdies - at six, seen and eight - on his way to an outward half of three-under-par 31 in the first round of the EPD Tour's Sueno Dunes Classic at Belek in Turkey's golf-rich Antalya region today.
Unfortunately, the Motherwell man dropped shots at the 16th and 18th for 37 home and a round of one-under-par 68.
Tied 12th, Paul, the only Scot competing on the EPD Tour, is four shots behind the German leader, Maximilian Glauert's five-under 64.

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JIMENEZ SHARES LEAD DESPITE BREAKING PUTTER IN TWO

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Eight players are separated by a single shot at the halfway stage of the Volvo Golf Champions tournament in Bahrain - and one of them got there with his putter in two pieces.
A moment of frustration after a succession of misses might have cost 47-year- old Miguel Angel Jimenez dear, but in a remarkable closing stretch the Spanish Ryder Cup player, had a hat-trick of birdies using his lob-wedge instead.
Round in a seven under par 65, the Spaniard goes into the weekend on the 11 under mark of 133 and sharing top spot with Ryder Cup team-mates Peter Hanson and Edoardo Molinari and also Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin.
Former Ryder Cup pair Darren Clarke and Paul Casey, South African James Kingston and Scot Stephen Gallacher are right on their heels, Gallacher following a course record-equalling 64.
Clarke took great delight in telling how playing partner Jimenez "just caught the edge of his bag" with the putter, adding that his backswing was "a bit long."
The Malaga golfer was in the mood to laugh about it as well, though, after picking up shots at the 15th, 16th and 17th.
"I think now I putt with my lob-wedge," he joked.
In contrast Molinari's start made his day. He birdied the first six holes and closed with another for a 65 as he looked for a win that could take him back above his brother Francesco on the Official World Golf Ranking.
And that is saying something,m given that Francesco, himself well in the hunt at nine under, is currently ranked 15th.
Jacquelin also shot 65, while Hanson added a 67 to his opening 66 as fellow Swede Johan Edfors, the overnight leader, fell back with a 71.
Sergio Garcia, playing his first event of the year, is in the group just three behind after a roller-coaster 69, but Padraig Harrington still has six shots to make up and Colin Montgomerie made the cut with only a stroke to spare at three under.
Montgomerie is the course designer of this new European Tour venue.
Casey would have been tied at the top but for a bogey on the 17th, yet it was a good bogey. After driving into the water he chipped in.
"I don't have very good control of the ball," he said. "That tee shot was horrific and I'm not sure what direction it's going.
"I gave myself opportunities when I could find it. Luckily the course is generous in places and you can get away with it - I showed that."
Gallacher commented: "I was eating breakfast when I saw Molinari had started with six birdies, so I knew it was on."
He matched the first five of them and after a bogey on the 18th came home in 32.
Garcia dropped from nine under to six under with a double bogey on the 474 yd 15th - he hit his approach into the lake - and bogey on the short next, but finished with two birdies.
The cut survivors on two-under-par 142 or better are joined for the third round by amateurs, for what will be a team event.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

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Par 144 (2x72)
133 Edoardo Molinari (Italy) 68 65, Raphael Jacquelin (France) 68 65, Miguel A Jemenez (Spain) 68 65, Peter Hanson (Sweden) 66 67.
134 James Kingston (S Africa) 67 67, Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 70 64, Darren Clarke (N Ireland, Paul Casey (England) 67 67.

SCOTS' SCORES
140 Richie Ramsay 72 68 (jt 44th).
142 Gary Orr 71 70, Colin Montgomerie 72 69, Paul Lawrie 68 73 (jt 50th).

MISSED THE CUT (142 or better qualified)
147 Marc Warren 74 73 (jt 90th)

ANDY SULLIVAN WINS NEW SOUTH MEDAL BY FOUR SHOTS

FROM THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
All the way from the UK, Andy Sullivan (Nuneaton Golf Club, Warwickshire)) has secured a convincing victory in the 2011 NSW Medal, finishing at 17-under after the four rounds of play, winning the event by four shots at Cumberland Golf Club.
Sullivan, pictured by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography, was 14 under after 36-holes, tied with 17-year-old Jake Higginbottom (The Australian).
However, consistency over the last 36-holes saw the Englishman, who is a live contender for a Walker Cup place for GB and I against the United States at Royal Aberdeen in September, pull away from the field to collect the title.
Higginbottom finished in fifth place on a countback, with 11 under.
Despite being nine shots off the leaders going into the final day’s play, Jack Senior (Heysham, Lancashire) played consistently over the last 36-holes with scores of 68 and 68 to finish with 13-under overall and finish as runner-up on a countback.
Lincoln Tighe (Moore Park) also finished on 13-under, and finished in third place.
The English players really excelled in the event, with four of the top six place getters all from the UK.
Laurie Cantor (Saltford GC, Somerset) and Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale) both finished on the 11-under 277 mark.
Former British boys champion Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City, Herts) finished joint seventh on 278.l
The leading 32 players from the NSW Medal are now eligible to compete in the NSW Amateur Championship Match Play, each match played over 18 holes other than the Final which is played over 36 holes. The match play will be seeded, and will be played at New South Wales Golf Club on 31 January - 2 February 2011.

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COLIN EDWARDS LEADS ENGLAND FOR THIRD YEAR A IN ROW

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Colin Edwards, who led England to victory in the European Championship and the Home Internationals last year, has been re-appointed national captain for 2011.
The 47-year-old from Bath was appointed in December 2008 on a one-year basis which has again been extended and he will now guide England fortunes for a third successive year.
“I am delighted and thrilled to be leading England again, said Edwards. “We’ve enjoyed a great couple of years of success and hopefully that will continue. I’ve really enjoyed it and I also enjoy working with the coaches and the officials."
Edwards has an impeccable record at England’s helm. In 2009, his team beat Spain away, won the Home internationals and finished runners-up to Scotland in the European Men’s Team Championships. Last year he was equally successful despite losing away to France. But his team landed the European title in Sweden and retained the Home Internationals in Wales.
“Winning the European title was the highlight of my career while the Home Internationals was superb,” he added. “I’m excited about the coming season as we have the nucleus of last year’s squad. We have lost a few players who have turned professional but we should have a strong six-man team for the Europeans so I’m very optimistic.”
Edwards’ first task will be to guide England to victory against Spain at The Berkshire in May followed by the European defence in Portugal and the Home Internationals at County Sligo in Ireland.
Edwards played 86 matches for England between 1991 and 2003, winning 47. He also represented Europe in the Bonallack Trophy and was a Walker Cup reserve in 1999. He also won several major titles including the 1995 Brabazon Trophy, the West of England Stroke Play and the Berkshire Trophy. He also reached the Amateur Championship semi-finals in 1997 and the quarter finals two years later.
Bill Bromilow, who has steered Lancashire to two English County Championships in the past three years, has been appointed an England independent selector. He replaces Jonathan Plaxton, who has become Chairman of the R and A’s selection panel.
A member of Chorley Golf Club since a boy, and captain in 1993, Bromilow was a Lancashire county player in the 1980s and 90s, making 15 appearances, and has won the Bolton Championship three times. Still playing off a handicap of one, he is in his fourth year as Lancashire Captain having steered his team to the Northern Counties Championship in 2008, the year of his first English County triumph.
“Being asked to be a selector came as a complete surprise,” he said. “It’s a big honour for me, my club and the county. I just hope I can play a part in continuing England’s run of success and now this has happened I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Lynne Fraser
PR and Marketing Manager
01526 354500
lfraser@englishgolfunion.org

DAVID DOWNIE PLANS COMEBACK ON EUROPRO TOUR

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
David Downie, a former Scottish amater stroke-play champion who has spent the last few seasons coaching David Drysdale among others, is planning a return to professional golf this year on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
The 37-year-old Fifer last played competitively in the paid ranks in 1999 and was subsequently re-instated as an amateur, winning the Ladybank club championship in 2008 - 15 years after he had lifted the same title.
His own golf took a back seat again as he carved out a coaching career but now Downie, who lifted the Scottish Stroke-play title at Letham Grange in 1994, preceding Stephen Gallacher and Alastair Forsyth, is back practising hard again.

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THE WAY THEY WERE: GLASGOW GOLF PROFESSIONALS 1936

E-mail from Duncan Mitchell

My grandfather was George Miller Mitchell (1889-1939), born in Glasgow.

1. He started his career as Apprentice to and later Assistant Professional to John McAndrew at Cruden Bay Golf Club from 1907 to 1913.

2. He then moved to Cliftonville Golf Club in Belfast as Professional until 1920 (he served in WW1 between 1914 and 1919). He married in 1919 and his first son was born at Cliftonville Club House in 1920.

3. With his wife and six-week old son he moved to Stonehaven Golf Club as Professional until 1925. His second son was born at Stonehaven Club House in 1921.

4. In 1925 he moved with his family to Cathcart Castle Golf Club as Professional where his third son, my father, was born at Cathcart Castle Club House in 1929.

5. Whilst still Professional at Cathcart Castle George died of TB in 1939.


I have attached a photograph of the Glasgow and District Golf Professionals Association taken at Bonnyton Moor Golf Club in July 1936. The photograph shows my grandfather with a large group of professionals from the Glasgow area including Tom Haliburton.
Tom is on the second row from the front and is the left one of the three standing in the centre of the photo – my grandfather is the one sitting just to his right, wearing plus 4s and with a white handkerchief in his top pocket. I have a key to the photograph which identifies some of the group but at the moment I am unable to find it but I will send you a copy when I locate it.


Regards
Duncan Mitchell

E-mail from Gordon Adamson
Just read the article on D M Mitchell who was the professional at Stonehaven Golf Club till 1925. Very interesting as I have an old hickory-shafted putter with a stamp on the back ‘G M MITCHELL STONEHAVEN GOLF CLUB.’
I have often wondered the date of the putter and more importantly who D M Mitchell was and his connection with Stonehaven. 
Regards,
Gordon Adamson

Editor: Well, now you know, Gordon, thanks to Scottishgofview.com
If any reader has an old photograph from golfing years gone by,
he or she is invited to E-mail it with the details to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

TIGER WOODS HAPPY WITH AN OPENING 69 AT TORREY PINES

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tiger Woods began his new season with no bogeys, no birdies on the par 5s and no drama.
Looking for a new start after a disastrous year on and off the golf course, Woods felt little stress Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open with a 3-under 69 on the North Course that left him five shots behind South Korean rookie Sunghoon Kang.
If the Torrey Pines setting in California was familiar for Woods, so was his middle-of-the-pack position. In four of his six wins at this tournaments, he has been at least five shots behind after the opening round.
"I'm happy with the way I played, absolutely," Woods said. "I could have been a lot better if I took care of the par 5s a little bit more, but obviously, I didn't do that."
Kang, a 24-year-old rookie, finished with back-to-back birdies on the North Course for an 8-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead over Alex Prugh and Rickie Fowler. Another rookie, Chris Kirk, was another shot back at 66.
Phil Mickelson shot 32 on the back nine for a 5-under 67 to match the best score on the tougher South Course, which hosted the 2008 U.S. Open that Woods won in a play-off.
Also at 67 on the South was John Daly, whose last win came in 2004 at this tournament. He is the last player to win at Torrey Pines when Woods was in the field.
"This place means a lot to me," Daly said. "The top golfers play here every year. That says something."
Woods no longer is No. 1 - he has slipped to No. 3 in the world ranking and can't improve on that this week - but he has not played the public course he has practically owned since that U.S. Open in 2008. He missed the next year because of knee surgery, and last year while in a Mississippi addiction clinic after being caught in extra-marital affairs.
"Welcome back to Torrey," was a popular phrase from the gallery throughout his round, in which Woods played solidly except on the greens. He made only two putts longer than 3 feet - a 10ft par save on No. 8, and a 25ft birdie putt on the par-3 sixth that bounced along until catching the right corner of the cup.
"I didn't leave myself any putts," Woods said. "I kept leaving myself above the hole. And I didn't take advantage of the par 5s."
The North Course is not the pushover it has been in past years because of some new length, and not just in distance. Along with being some 90 yards longer, the rough was allowed to grow and is thicker than the grass found on the South Course.
"I didn't know the North was as long as the South," Ben Curtis said after a 70. He knows better, but it felt that way if tee shots did not stay in the narrow, canted fairways.
Woods was in shorter grass on half of his 14 tee shots, although four of those misses came on the par 5s. He couldn't get to the green in two, and didn't make the birdie putts.
Even so, he looked more like the Woods who ended last year with a play-off loss (to Graeme McDowell) at the Chevron World Challenge, not the guy who played so poorly for so much of the year that he didn't win on the US Tour for the first time in his career.
It felt like a typical season-opener for Woods, including his position on the leaderboard. In his last four trips to this event, he has trailed by seven, six, five and two shots after the opening round and went on to win them
Even so, scoring on the North was lower, and Woods will need to pick up the pace on the South Course. He is playing the first two days with Anthony Kim and Rocco Mediate, whom Woods defeated in that epic U.S. Open playoff at Torrey Pines.
Mediate was chattering away, as usual, but there wasn't much conversation about that 19-hole play-off from 2008.
"We didn't play that golf course," Woods said.
Kim was among those at 68, a tribute to his great scrambling. He chipped in from 40 feet for par, holed a 30ft par putt from the fringe and made two other par saves outside 10ft.
The top of the leaderboard was filled with youth, starting with Kang, who earned his card through Q-school. Fowler was voted the US Tour rookie of the year in 2010 on a ballot that included Prugh. Kirk finished second on the Nationwide Tour last year, when he hurt his wrist and couldn't play the last two events.
On the South Course, rookies Fabian Gomez of Argentina and Keegan Bradley were among those at 67
Kang had the recipe on the North Course that Woods couldn't find.
"This course, all the par 5s are reachable, so I really tried to keep to the fairways and it worked really well," Kang said. "And I really had a good chance on the par 5s. That's why I played very well today."
He played them in 4 under, including an eagle on No. 14 when he chipped in from 25 feet.
Daly has special memories of Torrey from his play-off win in 2004, but he wasn't in such a great mood a year ago. He missed the cut after rounds of 79-71, and told a Golf Channel television crew that was taping a documentary that he was done. Some media outlets construed that to mean he was retiring, although Daly
"You get frustrated," Daly said.
That wasn't the case Thursday, a spectacular day of sunshine along the Pacific

LEADERBOARD
Par 72
Players from US unless stated
64 Sunghoon Kang (South Korea).
65 Alex Prugh, Rickie Fowler.
66 Chris Kirk.
67 John Daly, Brandt Jobe, Bill Haas, Keegan Bradley, Fabian Gomez (Argentina), Ryuji Imada (Japan), Fredrik Jacobsen (Sweden), Y E Yang (South Korea), Phil Mickelson, Marc Leishman (Australia)
Selected scores
69 Brian Davis (England) 34-35, Tiger Woods 34-35 (jt 22nd).
72 Justin Rose (England) 33-39 (jt 77th).
73 Martin Laird (Scotland) 36-37 (jt 97th).
78 Michael Sim (Australia/Scotland) 37-41 (jt 150th).

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