VIVA LAS VEGAS! JHONATTAN ON COURSE FOR FASTEST $2million

FROM THE REUTERS.COM WEBSITE
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas has made one of the most explosive starts ever to a US PGA Tour career. He's on track to eclipse Tiger Woods as the fastest player to earn $2 million in prize money.
The 26-year-old stunned the golfing world by winning last month's Bob Hope Classic in only his fifth appearance on the US circuit and he followed that with an ice-cool display at last week's Farmers Insurance Open, where he tied for third.
Many had expected the long-hitting Venezuelan rookie to fade at Torrey Pines, where he had to contend with big names such as Woods and Phil Mickelson as well as huge crowds, but he rose to the occasion with a mature and exciting display.
Vegas doggedly remained in the title hunt during Sunday's final round before his bold bid for a second consecutive Tour title ended when he dumped his second shot into water at the par-5 last.
He finished with a bogey for a four-under-par 68, his fourth successive sub-70 round in challenging conditions at Torrey Pines.
"This has been so much fun," Vegas told Reuters after ending a memorable week at the spectacular coastal venue where he played with Woods for the first time in the third round.
"I'm really enjoying the moment, and loving everything about the PGA Tour. It's been a little crazy. It's just a dream come true for me. I'm playing pretty good golf right now."
His tie for third place at 13-under 275 earned Vegas a cheque for $336,400, lifting him to the top of the tour's money list with season's earnings of $1,248,280.
Overall, Vegas has accumulated $1,294,591 from just five tour starts, putting him well on course to break the record set by Woods, who raced past the $2 million barrier in 16 events.
For the moment, though, the ever-smiling Vegas is more concerned about becoming a better player.
"I just try to develop my game as good as it can be," said the beefy Venezuelan, who signaled his rich potential when he cruised to a six-shot victory over Andres Romero at last year's Argentine Open.
"Tiger has an incredible short game and he hits the ball great and he putts great. So just by seeing that, I keep telling myself that I have to develop my game completely and I put everything on a high level."
Vegas, who booked his place on the US PGA Tour by finishing seventh in the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list, has already made a significant impact on Woods and Farmers Insurance Open champion Bubba Watson.
"He's a really nice kid," said Woods, who was outscored by Vegas to the tune of five shots in Saturday's third round.

US PGA TOUR MONEY TABLE AT JANUARY 31, 2011

1. Jhonattan Vegas (Venezuela) $1,248,280
2. Jonathan Byrd $1,146,606
3. Bubba Watson $1,106,000
4. Mark Wilson $1,000,700
5. Bill Haas $772,800
6. Robert Garrigus $635,000
7. Phil Mickelson $626,400
8. Tim Clark (S Africa) $571,000
9. Matt Kuchar $561,125
10. Dustin Johnson $498,400
11. Steve Marino $494,350
12. Gary Woodland $452,876
13. Steve Stricker $429,500
14. Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) $412,000
15. Anthony Kim $364,086
16. Ryan Palmer $360,200
17. Matt Bettencourt $301,500
18. Jimmy Walker $297,814
19. Carl Pettersson (Sweden) $297,288
20. Brian Gay $284,286

EUROPEAN TOUR'S LEADING MONEY-WINNERStotals in Euros
1 SCHWARTZEL Charl RSA €419,927
2 KAYMER Martin GER €334,398
3 CASEY Paul ENG  €307,487
4 GOOSEN Retief RSA  €227,960
5 OOSTHUIZEN Louis RSA  €227,700
6 MCILROY Rory NIR  €222,932
7 AIKEN Thomas RSA  €182,467
8 JIMÉNEZ Miguel Angel SPA  €178,918
9 MARTIN Pablo SPA €170,216
10 ELS Ernie RSA €158,500
11 HANSON Peter SWE  €147,590
12 McDOWELL Graeme NIR  €112,960
13 WOOD Chris ENG  €112,064
14 GALLACHER Stephen SCO €100,850
15 KINGSTON James RSA  €98,071
16 OLESEN Thorbjorn DEN  €97,467
17 MAYBIN Gareth NIR  €95,917
18 QUIROS Manuel SPA  €92,100
19 CABRERA-BELLO Rafael SPA  €87,171
20 DINWIDDIE Robert ENG €86,018

I CAN DO IT ON THE RANGE, SAYS FRUSTRATED TIGER WOODS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By Kevin Garside, Golf Correspondent
Tiger Woods was one of seven tied for 44th place at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, California on Sunday.
Also in that group was Y E Yang, the South Korean who beat him to the 2009 US PGA Championship at Hazeltine, the only occasion that Woods has surrendered a lead on the last day of a major.
As far as one can tell Yang is not undergoing swing reconstruction, there is no micro measuring of his shoulder turn and his stance at address; in fact there is very little interest in the health of Yang’s game at all this side of Seoul.
Woods does not have the luxury of anonymity. Every swing of the club is loaded with significance, negative or positive. And everyone has a view. We are all Tiger experts in a way.
And we are no nearer the truth. Only Woods can deliver that, and it will take longer than four days at Torrey Pines to establish where he stands in the scheme of things.
We should, perhaps, be thankful that he is back, that he cares about his game and that he is driven to succeed. That was always good enough in the past, so why not now?
There are endless theories about why Woods might never be the man he was. Just type his name into Google to keep abreast of prevailing opinion.
Alternatively, sit back and enjoy the spectacle. He is out again next week in Dubai, where he comes up against the twin European bulkhead at the top of the world rankings, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer.
Woods started well at Torrey Pines before fading over the weekend as his game frayed under tournament pressure. He tells us he has work to do and is in touch daily with coach Sean Foley.

“I can do it on the range, but it’s a little different when I’ve got to bring it out here and I’ve got to shape shots,” Woods said.

“But how else are you going to get better? It takes reps under competition. You can’t be afraid to try it.”

Woods has been here before. Reconstruction is part of the process. Golf is a game that can slip through your fingers imperceptibly: here today, gone tomorrow.

That is true as much for the pro as the amateur. Padraig Harrington is available morning, noon and night to talk you through the revisions in his game.
World No 1 Westwood returned from his first tournament of the year in Abu Dhabi with a checklist of technical shortcomings to address. They are all at it.
In the mean time there are other players to celebrate. Paul Casey and Bubba Watson claimed thrilling wins in Bahrain and San Diego to demonstrate that golf is a game for January every bit as much as July.
On Thursday we go again with Westwood versus Kaymer in Qatar; cage fighting in slacks.

MICHAEL STEWART FINISHES THIRD AFTER LEADING IN S AFRICA

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Scottish amateur champion Michael Stewart finished third in the Gauteng North Open amateur golf championship after leading at halfway in the 72-hole tournament at Pecanwood Golf and Country Club, north of Johannesburg.

The Troon Welbeck man, pictured, shot rounds of 69, 66, 70 and 72 for an 11-under-par total of 277. He was overtaken over the third and fourth rounds by two South Africans, Jaco Mouton and Danie Van Tonder.
Mouton scored 68, 70, 71 and 65, coming home in 31 in the last round to Stewart's 34), to win with a 14-under-par total of 274, one shot ahead of Van Tonder (70-69-70-66).
A third South African, Armandt Scholtz, took over the third-round lead from Stewart with a 68 to Stewart's 70 to lead the Scot with a 54-hole total of 204 to Stewart's 205 with 18 holes to go.
Scholtz blew up with 43 shots to the turn in his final round, finishing with a 77 for 281 and fifth place but Stewart could not hold the strong-finishing Mouton and Van Tonder at bay over the final round and his closing outward half of 38 to Mouton's 34 and Van Tonder's 33 opened the door for the South African pair to finish first and second.
Final positions apart, Stewart's 11-under-par total over a Jack Nicklaus-designed course which is rated one of the best in South Africa was a credit to the young man from Ayrshire. Same applies to Law and Findlay who were four-under-par for the 72 holes. 
David Law (Hazlehead) and Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) tied for 11th place on four-under 284. Law scored 69, 70, 73 and 72, Findlay 73, 64, 73 and 74. Findlay's second round was the lowest of the tournament.
Other placings by the Scottish Golf Union squad who are in South Africa for an eight-week spell were: Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 291 (T29), Philip McLean (Peterhead) 296 (T44), Paul Shields (Kirkhill) and Scott Gibson (Southerness) 298 (T48) and James White (Lundin) 301 (T55).
Ross Kellett (Colville Park) and Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) missed the halfway cut, Kellett by one shot with rounds of 75 and 76 for 151, Nicol by two with 75 and 77.


LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from S Africa unless stated
274 Jaco Mouton 68 70 71 65.
275 Danie Van Tonder 70 69 70 66.
277 Michael Stewart (Sco) 69 66 70 72.
278 Brandon Stone 69 71 67 71.
281 Armandt Scholtz 69 67 68 77.
Other Scottish totals:
284 David Law 69 70 73 72, Jordan Findlay 73 64 73 74 (T11).
291 Greg Paterson 72 76 70 74 (T29).
296 Philip McLean 75 71 75 75 (T44).
298 Paul Shields 73 74 79 72, Scott Gibson 72 72 78 76 (T48).

301 James White 75 75 74 79 (T55).

MISSED THE CUT (150 or better qualified)

151 Ross Kellett 75 76.

152 Kris Nicol 75 77.

TO ACCESS THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE

AND READ ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND CHECK THE SCORECARDS

CLICK HERE 

CASTLE STUART VENUE WILL HAVE SPIN-OFF FOR HIGHLANDS

FROM THE PGA E-BULLETIN

With Castle Stuart near Inverness confirmed as the new home of the Barclays Scottish Open in a multi-year deal, one of the leading professionals in the Highlands, insists the wider benefits will be felt for a significant period.

Tartan Tour stalwart Murray Urquhart, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, the Inverness pro who competed on the European circuit in 2003, is now the PGA pro at the Macdonald Spey Valley course in Aviemore and is relishing the prospect of a summer festival of golf in the north.

The Scottish Hydro Challenge, one of the leading events on the second-tier Challenge Tour, will take place at Spey Valley for a third year in late June, just a fortnight before some of the world’s top players compete for a chunk of the £3 million

purse in the Castle Stuart showpiece on the Moray Firth.

Urquhart, the winner of the Northern Open in 2007, has already witnessed th benefits a major professional tournament can have on the next generation of golfers, having hosted over 100 local juniors

through the national clubgolf programme  at last year’s Scottish Challenge.

“The Challenge Tour event is massive for us,” said Urquhart, who played in the 2002 Scottish Open at its previous home of Loch Lomond.

“The kids are getting involved and seeing the emerging talent on the Challenge Tour but for them to see household names at the Scottish Open will be huge for junior golf here.

“World-class golf on our doorstep has never happened before. We talk of a

lasting legacy and the Scottish Open can provide that. I can see nothing but

positives.”

LOCH LOMOND GOLF CLUB PURCHASE CONFIRMED BY MEMBERS

NEWS RELEASEThe Members of Loch Lomond Golf Club have announced they have completed the purchase of the world-famous West of Scotland Golf Club.
The transaction secures the future of the Golf Club and protects the jobs of around 100 full-time Club employees and over 200 people from within the local community who are employed on a seasonal basis. The deal is also excellent news for many local companies who supply goods and services to the Club throughout the year.
The management of the Club will be overseen by a Board of Directors chaired by Sir Nigel Rudd, a Member and a leading industry figure.
“I am delighted to announce the transaction has been completed and the future of the Golf Club has been secured,” said Rudd.
“Loch Lomond Golf Club is a very special place and our goal is to re-establish it as one of the foremost Members’ Clubs in the World. We intend to protect everything that is special about the Club and our aim is very much to enhance the levels of service, friendliness and excellence for which the Club is famed.
“We have been encouraged by the tremendous support we have received from existing Members to make this purchase possible.”
Further information about the Club is available at www.lochlomond.com.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 50 WORLD PROFESSIONAL RANKINGS

1 Lee Westwood, Eng 8.75
2 Martin Kaymer, Ger 8.14
3 Tiger Woods, USA 6.97 
4 Phil Mickelson, USA 6.49
5 Graeme McDowell, NIr 6.46
6 Paul Casey, Eng 6.38
7 Steve Stricker, USA 6.03 
8 Rory McIlroy, NIr 5.94 
9 Jim Furyk, USA 5.53
10 Luke Donald, Eng 5.44 
11 Ernie Els, SAf 5.23
12 Ian Poulter, Eng 5.08
13 Matt Kuchar, USA 4.86 
14 Dustin Johnson, USA 4.69
15 Retief Goosen, SAf 4.50 
16 Robert Karlsson, Swe 4.43
17 Francesco Molinari, Ita 4.42 
18 Bubba Watson, USA 4.14 
19 Louis Oosthuizen, SAf 4.00 
20 Edoardo Molinari, Ita 3.86
21 Hunter Mahan, USA 3.82
22 Tim Clark, SAf 3.79
23 Miguel A Jimenez, Spa 3.78
24 Charl Schwartzel, SAf 3.66 
25 Adam Scott, Aus 3.48 
26 Robert Allenby, Aus 3.41 
27 Geoff Ogilvy, Aus 3.40 
28 Zach Johnson, USA 3.36
29 Anthony Kim, USA 3.33 
30 Rickie Fowler, USA 3.31
31 Justin Rose, Eng 3.29
32 Padraig Harrington, Irl 3.26
33 Kim Kyung-Tae, S Kor 3.26
34 Peter Hanson, Swe 3.19 
35 Ross Fisher, Eng 3.12 
36 Nick Watney, USA 3.00 
37 Ryo Ishikawa, Jpn 3.00
38 Ben Crane, USA 2.94 
39 Jason Day, Aus 2.89 
40 Yuta Ikeda, Jpn 2.77 
41 Camilo Villegas, Col 2.76
42 Sean O'Hair, USA 2.65
43 Bo Van Pelt, USA 2.60 
44 Bill Haas, USA 2.58 
45 Y.E. Yang, S Kor 2.57
46 Alvaro Quiros, Spa 2.56
47 Ryan Moore, USA 2.53
48 K.J. Choi, S Kor 2.50
49 Martin Laird, Sco 2.49
50 Hiroyuki Fujita, Jpn 2.47

OTHER SCOTS' RANKINGS
74 Stephen Gallacher 1.83.
98 Michael Sim 1.49.
130 Raymond Russell 1.23.
223 George Murray.
228 David Drysdale.
244 Paul Lawrie.
306 Peter Whiteford.
357 Scott Jamieson.
376 Raymond Russell.
404 Colin Montgomerie
430 Simon Yates.
440 Gary Orr.
474 Marc Warren.
485 Steven O'Hara.
497 Jamie McLeary.
579 Alan McLean.
585 Lloyd Saltman.
605 Alastair Forsyth.
634 Craig Lee.
636 Elliot Saltman.
650 Scott Jamieson.
667 Eric Ramsay.
700 Andrew McArthur.

TOM LEWIS, ANDY SULLIVAN THROUGH TO NSW QUARTER-FINALS

FROM THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
The quarter finals of the NSW Amateur Championship are certain to provide some fantastic shot making as the form players have made their way through following the first two rounds played at NSW Golf Club today.
England's Andy Sullivan, winner of the NSW Medal tournament last week, is up against Toukley's Dimi Papadatos, and two of NSW State Team members meet with Matt Stieger taking on last year's winner Jake Higginbottom. "The bear" Jack Senior takes on fellow countryman Tom Lewis, while Lincoln Tighe (Moore Park) takes on Pymble's Luke Humphries.
Higginbottom today accounted for the only two Queenslansders in the draw, with both Kevin Marques and Tim Hart pushing last year's Champion to the 18th green.
Tom Lewis and Andy Sullivan have both continued their good Australian form.
Matt Stieger (St Michael's) came from behind against local Michael Bell, who many thought could cause an upset.

TO READ ALL MONDAY'S FIRST-ROUND MATCH-PLAY RESULTS

CLICK HERE

FOR THE SECOND-ROUND RESULTS

CLICK HERE

EGU SEND PEPPERELL AND COOLEY TO JONES CUP IN AMERICAZ

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park), a member of England’s victorious European Team Championship and Home Internationals squads in 2010, and Andrew Cooley (Chobham, Surrey) will fly the flag for the EGU in the Jones Invitational Cup in the United States at the start of February.
No English player has managed to win the title and a field of 84 top amateurs from the US and around the world, will compete over 54 holes of stroke play at Ocean Forest Golf Club, Sea Island, Georgia, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday (February 4-6).
Pepperell, 20, made his full international debut in the 2008 Home Internationals and has been an England regular since. A former under 16 and boy cap, he enjoyed a successful season last year, winning the Welsh Open Stroke Play Championship and the Berkshire Trophy, finishing 13th on the Titleist Footjoy EGU Order of Merit.
He also represented GB and I against the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy besides playing a key role in England’s team successes.
Cooley, 21, is a former Italian Amateur Champion and West of England Stroke Play Champion. He helped Surrey to the English Boys County Championship at Royal Cromer in 2007 and finished tied ninth in last year’s Lee Westwood Trophy.
The Jones Cup was inaugurated in 2001 at Sea Island and the most successful English player so far has been Gary Wolstenholme who finished tied fifth in 2001 while Jamie Elson was equal sixth in 2003. Originally a biennial event, it is now played annually.
Lynne Fraser
PR and Marketing Manager
English Golf Union
01526 354500 or lfraser@englishgolfunion.org

EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR EVENTS FOR 2011 ANNOUNCED

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
By PAUL SYMES

European Senior Tour Press Office

The 2011 European Senior Tour schedule, announced today, will comprise a minimum of 19 Order of Merit tournaments in 13 different countries and will end with a new season-ending tournament in Mauritius.

New destinations for the 2011 campaign are Australia, China, Germany and Japan, underlining the Senior Tour’s significant global development as it marks its 20th season.

In a change to the Senior Tour calendar, the season will culminate at Constance Belle Mare Plage, in Mauritius, from December 9-11, meaning the 2011 campaign, which started last November, will span 13 months.
The final event, which will determine who succeeds Boonchu Ruangkit as Number One, will be preceded by the second editions of the Handa Australian Senior Open (November 4-6) and the Handa Cup Senior Masters in Japan (November 10-13), which also launched the 2011 schedule.
With three events having already been played prior to the winter break, the season will resume with the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by the Stapleford Forum from March 4-6 before the inaugural visit to China for the ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills from March 11-13.
Moving to Cologne after the inaugural staging in South Africa in 2010 is the Berenberg Bank Masters, from June 17-19, as the Senior Tour returns to Germany for the first time in ten years. Former Ryder Cup Captain and Masters Champion Bernhard Langer will be the tournament ambassador for the event, which is sponsored by Germany’s oldest private bank.
Langer Sports Marketing, which promotes and stages the Berenberg Bank Masters will fulfil the same role at the Casa Serena Open, in the Czech Republic, which returns as part of the Senior Tour schedule for the fourth year in a row from September 16-18.
Long term fixtures remaining on the Senior Tour schedule include the De Vere Club PGA Seniors Championship, which returns to De Vere Slaley Hall in an earlier slot from June 9-12, and the 19th edition of the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open sees the tournament return to Fairmont St Andrews for the third consecutive year from August 19-21.
Marking its 15th anniversary is the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open Switzerland, from July 1-3, while the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters remains at Woburn Golf Club for the 11th straight year from September 2-4, after Travis Perkins agreed a new three year deal as title sponsor.
Returning after successful inaugural editions in 2010 are the ISPS Handa Senior Masters presented by the Stapleford Forum, at Stapleford Park in England (June 3-5), the Van Lanschot Senior Open in The Netherlands (June 24-26) and the Cannes Mougins Masters (September 22-24).
The Senior Open Championship, which celebrates its 25th edition this year, moves to Walton Heath in Surrey, England, for the first time from July 21-24. Bernhard Langer will defend the title 30 years after he played at the venue in the first Ryder Cup contested by Europe and the United States on European soil.
Langer will also defend the US Senior Open (July 28-31), which is played at the Inverness Club in Ohio for the first time since 2003, with Valhalla Golf Club, in Kentucky, the venue for The 2008 Ryder Cup, hosting the US Senior PGA Championship (from May 26-29).

Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, said: “The 2011 season promises to be a fantastic year for the European Senior Tour and we are extremely grateful to all of our sponsors, promoters and joint sanctioning bodies for helping the Senior Tour to continue its development.

“In our 20th year we are looking at our best season to date, with a number of contractual discussions ongoing that will add new tournaments to what is already an extremely strong schedule.”

ELLIOT SALTMAN FREE TO PLAY IN SPANISH SATELLITE TOUR

SPANISH Hi5 PRO TOUR - FEBRUARY SCHEDULE
120,000 Euros MURCIA SUN SERIES
Entry fee per event 400 Euros.
1-3 HACIENDA DEL ALAMO (Fuente Alamo de Murcia).
8-10 EL VALLE (Murcia).
15-17 LA PERALEJA (Murcia).
22-24 LAS SAURINES (Murcia).

It is understood that Elliot Saltman, banned for three months by the European Tour for alleged cheating in a Challenge Tour event last autumn, has entered this week's event at Hacienda del Alamo, alongwith his younger brothers Lloyd and Zack.
All three have played regularly on this Spanish mini-tour but this will be Elliot's first appearance since his ban by the European Tour, which applies only to events under the jurisdiction of the European Tour.
Editor's note: There are those who feel that a ban on a pro golfer should mean just that - he or she is not allowed to play in a pro event for the period of the ban. But there is a precedent for a player playing "elsewhere" during suspension.

Fifty-odd years ago, before the European Tour was set up, Ryder Cup player Harry Weetman (Selsdon Park), pictured, was suspended by the PGA after comments he had made about Dai Rees' captaincy of the Great Britain team in the 1957 Ryder Cup match at Lindrick (where GB won 7 1/2-4 1/2). Rees held a team meeting after the foursomes to determine who should play on the final day. Harry Weetman and Max Faulkner were "chosen" to stand down. Weetman was later quoted as never wanting to play again for a team captained by Rees. Weetman was later suspended by the PGA of Great Britain for one year.
During his suspension, Weetman came up to play in the Northern Open (I think at Peterhead). The Northern Open was, at that time, run independently by the late Bill Connon and Jack Hall, round a circuit of eight clubs' courses in the North and North-east. Connon and Hall raised the prizemoney every year.

HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

  SUPPORT YOUR GOLF FIXTURES IN 2011!

The Wee County Golf Club members have plenty of competitive opportunities—each of the six Clubs in membership has a substantial golfing calendar of both men’s and ladies events.  As well as catering for their own membership, Clubs run Open events of all descriptions, and these competitions give local golfers the chance to play different courses at reasonable cost---for this staying in Clackmannanshire, the travelling costs are also low---- an important factor in times of escalating fuel costs.

The County Golf Union runs an Order of Merit at both Men’s and junior levels covering the top County and Club events.  County Junior Convenor Sam Kinnaird (Tillicoultry ) is hoping for better participation in the Boys’ events—“ In 2010, the entries for the County Boys’ events was very much on the low side plus some Clubs had to cancel their Boys Opens----the County really hope for better entries in 2011.  We are also hoping for another good performance in the Scottish Boys Team Championship, we were so close to a medal in 2010 with a fourth equal performance from the 16 teams”

Well, that’s a clear message to County Junior golfers---get a handicap if you don’t have one, and join in the County Junior golf scene.

it was the starting point for Callum Macaulay who reached the highest levels in the amateur game before becoming a professional golfer.

CLACKMANNAN COUNTY JUNIOR FIXTURES 2011

Stroke Play Championship: Alloa 24th April

Match Play: May 2^nd (Tulliallan). 5^th (Semi-finals Braehead). 12^th  (Final  Dollar).

Scottish Boys Area Team Championship: Sunday June 5^th Hayston.

COUNTY SUCCESS IN MIDLAND ALLIANCE.

The first two events of 2011 played in the Midland Alliance produced more success for Clackmannan County golfers. 

Star of the Drumoig event (and whisper it: in his seventh decade of competitive golf!) was undoubtedly Alloa’s Michael Niven. He was seventh equal in the scratch scoring, first equal in the handicap prize list with a net 73 and a member of the Pitlochry team that finished runners up in the team event with a net score of 63, one shot behind the winning Scotscraig team.

In the Lundin Links event it was Alloa’s Chris Westland making full use of his handicap to win the top handicap prize with a score of 74-10 =64.

 WORLD AMATEUR RANKINGS

The three local golfers are still in the Amateur World rankings, although a fair way down. Dollar’s Scott Borrowman is at  1505,  a good bit down from his best position a year or two back; Lawrence Allan (Alva) is at 2994 and Jamie Aitken (Alloa) at 3740.

It would be nice to see some new names joining them!!  .

Lawrence is in the top Boys development squad of 15 players, and will be hoping for some good golfing form in  to have a chance of representing Scotland at top boys level in 2011. We will all be wishing him well.

 AMALGAMATION OF THE SGU AND SLGA

Golf Club members should be aware of the amalgamation talks between the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association. Several meetings have been held throughout the country. 

Last month a joint meeting was held at Falkirk Golf Club (Carmuirs) with Stirlingshire Golf Union; there was a good turnout of Area officials, and it was pleasing to see ten  keen delegates from Clackmannanshire out of the seventeen.

The main discussion focussed on governance issues, and the delegates were pretty unanimous that a monitoring/accountability body of Area representatives should be set up to assist communication with any new Board. Further meetings are planned in February.

              

                                               

     

BUBBA WATSON WINS FROM PHIL MICKELSON AT TORREY PINES

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE

SAN DIEGO — Bubba Watson won the 2011 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Sunday because he bludgeoned the course into submission. He led the field in driving distance by five full yards over J.B. Holmes, went 13 under on the par 5s and went three under on the 18th alone on the weekend, including his improbable birdie Sunday.

Wait, check that — Watson, pictured, won the Farmers because of his touch. He salvaged par from nine and a half feet on 17, and his delicate, downhill putt from 12 feet on 18 struck with perfect pace. That birdie meant Phil Mickelson needed to dunk his 72-yard third shot for an eagle and a tie, an unlikely outcome even for one of golf's premier wedge-men.
"Bubba played some terrific golf," said Mickelson, a three-time Farmers winner who was trying to win here for the first time since Rees Jones redesigned the South Course in 2001. "I really felt like, starting out, with the wind and the difficult conditions, if I shot something in the 60s, I thought it would be enough."
It wasn't. After parking his third shot to four feet behind the hole on 18 — with caddie Jim Mackay tending the pin — and rolling in the birdie putt, Mickelson carded a three-under 69, his fourth straight round in the 60s. That was only good enough for 15 under and solo second, a shot behind Watson. He is still stuck at 38 US Tour wins, as he has been since the Masters.
Watson (71-65-69-67) now has two Tour wins, this one and Hartford last year. As he did after his first win, he shed tears and acknowledged thinking about his father, a Vietnam veteran who died of cancer last year.
"It just shows I can do it," said Watson, who led the field in greens in regulation (81.94 percent), followed by Mickelson (76.39 percent). "I've done it twice now. I'm only like 50 [wins] behind Phil and 80 behind Tiger, so they better watch out."
Dustin Johnson fired a 66, the second best score of the day, and tied for third, three back, with the Venezuelan sensation Jhonattan Vegas. A week after winning the Bob Hope, Vegas, needing at least a birdie on the 18th, rinsed his second shot and bogeyed.
D.A. Points fired a 67 to finish fifth.
"I worked this winter to work on my mind, to be more focused," Watson said. "To be worried about what I'm doing and not what everybody else is doing. The guy I was playing with, Vegas, was playing great. Phil was playing great behind us."
Watson makes fun of himself for being a basket case, but he knows his weakness well and has worked at being able to soothe himself when things don't go well. His caddie, Ted Scott, also deserves credit. It was Scott who picked up Watson after the bomber bogeyed the par-3 16th hole Saturday, and his ensuing birdie-eagle finish was huge.
"It's just me and you out here," Scott kept telling Watson on Sunday, a day when Watson later admitted he was as nervous as he was for his first victory, at the Travelers.
"I've got a lot of issues," Watson said. "I'm always talking to myself."
Hunter Mahan, playing with Mickelson in the final threesome, never found a rhythm, shooting 73 to drop into a tie for sixth with Anthony Kim (72) and Nick Watney (63). The 2009 Farmers winner, Watney fired a record 28 on the back, his first nine.
Bill Haas, the leader for much of the week, shot a three-over 75 to drop into a tie for ninth place.
Tiger Woods also shot 75 and tied for 44th.
Sunday proved a game of one-upmanship between the two oldest players in the last two groups, with Watson, 32, making birdies and Mickelson, 40, watching from back in the fairway and gamely trying to keep pace with his Ryder Cup teammate.
On Saturday, Mickelson praised Watson for his creative shot-making, a shared trait almost as much as their left-handed swings and preternatural knack for killing the par 5s.
On Sunday, both players birdied the par-5 18th, 13th and ninth holes, and the par-3 11th, where the back-right pin was particularly lefty friendly. The difference? Phil failed to birdie the par-5 sixth, where he missed a 12-footer and had to settle for par.
Still, he put up a fight that would have been good enough most weeks. His 15-under score would have won or forced extra holes in six of the last 10 Farmers.
Phil fans will not soon forget Mickelson's 20-foot eagle putt on 13, which was barely moving when it peered over the front edge and yet somehow lipped out, his ball taking an unkind, 90-degree right turn around the back of the hole.
"I really thought I made that putt," he said. "It didn't go in on the lip; it looked like it was going in on the center, and it didn't drop. But that stuff happens."
His 162-yard approach on 14 hit the bank in front of the green and bounced back into the front bunker, leading to a bogey that dropped him two behind. After a par on 16, he laced his drive 333 yards down the fairway on the par-4 17th hole before pacing off his 114-yard approach shot, which he smoothed to within 38 inches of the cup. He tapped that in for birdie to get to 14 under, tied with Vegas and just a shot behind Watson.
That set up the theatrics on 18, one of the West Coast's great risk-reward holes. Watson's strange, clutch birdie, when he fanned his second shot way left but made birdie from the lip of the greenside bunker, salted away the victory.
"I'm excited because I can tell that my game's coming around," Mickelson said. "I can tell that I'm starting to hit more shots, that I'm starting to see them a little bit easier. My putting feels great. My short game has been sharp, so I'm excited about the prospects for this year and the rest of the West Coast [stretch of tournaments].
"I think it's important to try to get a W sometime here in the next few weeks," he added, "because I need a little bit of momentum heading into Augusta."
Watson now has that momentum, and Augusta has to be a tantalising target for a player of his ability, a man who at 32 seems to be figuring out how to not beat himself.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from US unless stated otherwise
272 Bubba Watson 71 65 69 67.
273 Phil Mickelson 67 69 68 69.
275 Dustin Johnson 69 69 71 66, Jhonattan Vegas (Venezuela) 69 69 69 68.
276 D A Points 73 68 68 67.
Selected totals
284 Justin Rose (England) 72 70 72 70 (T25.
287 Brian Davis (England) 69 68 75 75, Tiger Woods 69 69 74 75 (T44).

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