CADDY SHACK MURRAY ANTICS DON'T DISTRACT D A POINTS

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
PEBBLE BEACH, California -- D.A. Points knew it was going to be a great week at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am when he found out Bill Murray was his amateur partner.
It got even better on Thursday.
Points found Murray's antics to be more amusing than annoying, and it showed in his play. With eight birdies on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula, he opened with a 7-under 63 and shared the lead with Steve Marino.
Some might think he shot a 63 despite having Murray in his ear all day. Points says he shot 63 because of him.
"I know people talk about his antics, or he's a showman while he's out there, making lots of comments and talking while people are getting ready to hit shots," Points said. "To be honest, it really loosens me up and makes me between shots not be grinding so hard on what I'm doing. It helps me take a little bit of a breather between shots and joke around with him."
There was plenty to enjoy for most everyone on a glorious day on the peninsula, with only a mild breeze to accompany views that were as spectacular as ever. Beyond the weather, the conditions on three courses were as good as they have ever been. The fairways were particularly firm on the Shore Course, and the greens were fast everywhere.
The rounds took six hours, as usual, but some of that was because of the speed of the greens.
Marino had a most unusual 7-under 65 at Spyglass Hill in that he failed to birdie any of the par 5s. He still managed seven birdies, including a big drive and a wedge to inside a foot on his final hole. The green is elevated, and Marino only knew it was good when a woman began shrieking after it checked up close to the pin.
"I think your mother likes it," Mark Long, the caddie for amateur Dermot Desmond, called back to Marino.
Even more pleasing to Marino was the 9-iron he hit on the previous hole, the par-4 eighth, that took one hop and hit the pin before settling about 8 feet away. A year ago on Spyglass, he holed out with an 8-iron.
The best shot of the day belonged to Alex Cejka, who was one shot behind after a 64 on the Shore Course. He started his day by holing out a 3-wood from the fairway on the par-5 10th. The PGA TOUR checked its records as far back as 1982 and could not find another player who had started a round with an albatross.
"I think it was the best start I've ever had," Cejka said in somewhat of an understatement.
It was a chilly start to the day, and he figured he would need a little extra club from 240 yards away, so he choked down on a 3-wood.
Vijay Singh and FedEx executive Mike Glenn had the shots of the day during Round 1.
"It carried just short of the green and bounced up and took a break toward the hole," Cejka said. "There were like three or four marshals up there and they started screaming, and suddenly it was in the hole. It's the first one for me."
The group at 5 under included Gary Woodland, whose 67 was the best score at Pebble Beach.
Most of the screaming took place on the Shore Course, its second year in the rotation for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and already one of the favorites. That's where the celebrity rotation began the tournament, and the crowd followed.
Phil Mickelson didn't provide too many highlights, opening with a 1-over 71. Dustin Johnson, trying to become the first player since this tournament began in 1937 to win three successive years, made bogeys on two par 5s and had to settle for a 71.
For Points, there were a few trying moments. On the par-3 14th, Murray and former San Francisco 49ers tackle Harris Barton both made long birdie putts. Then it was Points' turn.
"I got up over my putt and he started talking to me about he just made a putt, and how Harris just made a putt, and how easy this should be," Points said.
He three-putted for his only bogey.
"It didn't bother me at all," he said. "I just hit two bad putts."
Nothing could stress him out on his day -- beautiful weather, a partner he always wanted. A year ago, Points was excited to be drawn with Mickelson and Rickie Fowler at Torrey Pines, and with Tiger Woods at Aronomink in the AT&T National.
This topped them all.
He grew up in Illinois, and Murray has long been one of his favorites. He thought about asking tournament officials if he could be paired with the actor, then decided against it. Imagine his surprise when someone sent a text to his wife Tuesday night that Murray would be his partner, and the phone call that followed the next morning.
"I've got this message on my phone," Points said. "He says, 'D.A., this is Bill Murray. ... I got your number from the Police Department.'"
Murray invited him to play that afternoon at Cypress Point, and Points said he played the final four holes -- some of the most beautiful of any golf course around the world -- as the sun was setting over the Pacific.
While telling the story, Points mentioned Thursday was his daughter's first birthday.
"This week so far just seems to keep getting better and better and better," he said. "I'm having a good time."
So is Murray. In the pro-am portion of the tournament, they opened with a 59.

LOWEST FIRST ROUNDS
63 (-7) at Monterey Peninsula
D A Points.
65 (-7) at Spylgass Hill
Steve MarinoFOR THE COMPLETE SCOREBOARD ON THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
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PROMOTION AT ICELAND CLUB FOR ELMWOOD COLLEGE GRADUATE

FROM THE R AND A WEBSITE
Daniel Harley graduated from Scotland’s Elmwood College in 2008 with a HND in Golf Course Management, having taken full advantage of the support of an R and A Greenkeeping Scholarship.
After living in Iceland for six years he has now been appointed Head Greenkeeper at the Keilir Golf Club, near Reykjavik; one of the more naturalised and scenic courses to be found anywhere in the world.
Daniel was appointed to his management position after the previous Head Greenkeeper, Olafur Agustsson, was asked to take over the role of Director of Golf. Agustsson also sits on the Board of the Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA).
The two work as a team, and Daniel is under no illusions as to the expectations of the Club, which match his own.
“Here at Keilir we are trying to provide a standard of golf that will be acceptable to the European Tour, and be recognised as an international destination for both amateur and professional players.
“I understand that minimising inputs into a golf course actually produces better playing surfaces and a truer test of skill, while also enabling the course to cope with our tough climate. Our natural terrain of lava rock and links fairways provide a real test, and I want to ensure that we set an example to others when it comes to the Sustainability Agenda.”
Keilir Golf Club also has a very active junior golf programme which makes full use of it’s driving range, a facility that was part-funded by The R and A.
“We are currently running a winter programme for some 140 dedicated youths,” explained Agustsson. “Before the Club's all-year-round driving range was opened in 2008, we had only some 20 to 30 youths practicing golf full-time during the winter.
“We are very proud of the growth and success of our junior programme over the last few years. We are building golf for the future and that is why we emphasise so much on our junior golf programme. In encouraging the young people in the community to take up golf, we are showing our commitment to the local community.”
Golf in Iceland is healthy. Ten per cent of the population play and demand for the game is high. Courses sit naturally in their surroundings and the game is affordable and accessible for all.

MATHESON WINS MIDLAND ALLIANCE WITHA 62 AT BUDDON

This week's Midland Golfer’s Alliance competition over the Buddon course at Carnoustie was won by Falkirk Tryst assistant professional and PGA Cup player, Craig Matheson, pictured below by Cal Carson Golf Agency.
He had a superb, four-under-par score of 62.
Jim Irwin, who plays off eight at Muckhart, led the handicap with a net score of 62.

The team prize was won by John Black (Scotscraig), John Rankin (Scotscraig) and Sandy Mitchell (The Dukes) with a score of 54.
LEADING SCRATCH
Par 66
62 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.

65 K Harper (Carnoustie).
66 A J Webster (Edzell) p.
67 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, P Brookes (Pitreavie) p, S Cargill (Arbroath), M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, J Black (Scotscraig), J Watt (Edzell).
68 K Knowles (Panmure) ap, L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle) p, D Wilson (Monifieth), L Cargill (Arbroath).
LEADING HANDICAP
62 J Irwin (Muckhart, 8)

63 L Cargill (Arbroath, 5)

64 D Wilson (Monifieth) (4), J Black (Scotscraig) (3), R Redpath (Scotscraig) (5), D Fordyce (Glenochil) (13), A Herd (Scotscraig) (11).
65 R Farquhar (Carnoustie) (10), I Watson (King James VI) (4), J Watt (Edzell) (2).
Team Competition
54 J Black (Scotscraig) (3), J Rankin (Scotscraig) (8), A Mitchell (The Dukes) (12).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Arbroath Links
J Black (Scotscraig)
J Watt (Edzell)
D Wilson (Monifieth)
L Cargill (Arbroath)
Qualifier for the JTC McQueen Shield at Arbroath Links in April
J Irwin (Muckhart)
Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 16 at Aberdour.

Please note No Trolleys
Tee reserved from 9.30am to 1pm.


Lee Sutherland

FRITSCH'S SEVEN BIRDIES IN A ROW AS HE WINS SPANISH EVENT

FROM THE SPANISH Hi5 PRO TOUR WEBSITE
New graduate of the 2011 European Tour, Germany's Florian Fritsch showed today why he belongs to the elite of the game today by winning the El Valle Open in the Murcia province of south-east Spain.
Fritsch fired a course-record 62 on the final round to post a three-round total of 11-under-par 202 and a one shot victory over Spain's Miguel Angel Martin and Jonathan Caldwell from Ireland.
Martin started the day three shots ahead of Caldwell, but it was Fritsch who  came from way back in the field and set a clubhouse target that was not beaten.
His birdie barrage started at the fourth and his seven birdies in a row went all the way through to the 10th.
“It was a remarkable day, I never imagined to be here making the winners speech today with Miguel playing so solidly all week, but I guess it was my day today” commented the young German.
For Martin it was a bit of a disappointment. ” I hit the ball solid all week”, I made a costly bogey on 16 and missing a great opportunity on 18 to force the play-off, but that is golf” explained the Spanish veteran.
Fritsch is on the starting list also next week at Peraleja and will of course a heavy favorite amongst the 122 player field. The Peraleja Open will begin on February 17.
Swanston's John Gallagher finished well with a 68 to share seventh place on 206 with compatriot Jack Doherty who signed off with a 70.
Jack's younger brother Paul Doherty got worse with every round - 72, 73 and 74 for six-over-par 219.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
202 Florian Fritsch (Germany) 69 71 62.
203 Jonathan Caldwell (Ireland) 67 66 70, Miguel Angel Miguel (Spain) 66 64 73.
204 Carlos Garcia (Spain) 68 68 68.
205 James Abbott (England) 69 71 65, James Ruth (England) 71 68 66.
206 John Gallagher (Scotland) 66 72 68, Jack Doherty (Scotland) 67 69 70 (T7).
Selected score:
219 Paul Doherty (Scotland) 72 73 74 (T36).

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DAVID LAW STILL LEADING AFTER 3 ROUNDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

David Law's scores are slipping but he isn't after three rounds of the South African international men's amateur championship over the Mount Edgecombe course.
The 19-year-old Aberdonian has scored 64, 67 and 71 for 202 and has led at the end of each of the first three days.
Law says the only difference between his play over the 54 holes is that his putter has got colder and colder.
He is one shot ahead of South Africa Jared Harvey who had a 69 for 203.
Law's compatriot Paul Shields is the fastest riser up the leaderboard. Covering his first nine holes in only 29 shots, Paul finished with a 65 for the second day in a row and is now joint third on 204. His opening round was a 74
Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol is also taking closer order with 18 holes to go. He has had rounds of 71, 68 and 66 for 205 and is in joint fifth place.

LEADERBOARD
202 David Law 64 67 71.
203 Jared Harvey 69 65 69.
204 Paul Shields 74 65 65, Brandon Stone 69 69 66.
205 Kris Nicol 71 68 66, Ryan Dreyer 69 69 67.

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
207 Scott Gibson 69 68 70 (10th).
210 Greg Paterson 71 70 69 (T16).
211 Ross Kellett 73 68 70, Michael Stewart 71 68 72 (T19).
217 Philip McLean 71 70 76 (T38).
224 Jordan Findlay 75 73 76 (T67).

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FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
Three hours on the putting green paid off for Brandon Stone, who found his groove in the third round at the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Mount Edgecombe today.

The 17-year-old Gardener Ross player holed a 15-footer for birdie at the seventh to launch an impressive bogey-free run that ended with a six-under-par 66. Seven off the pace at the start of the round, Stone finished just two shots shy of tournament leader David Law of Scotland.

The overnight leader dropped a couple of shots on his way to a 71, but a wire-to-wire win is still on the cards for the Scot who leads at 14-under-par 202.

Local favourite Jared Harvey fired in spurts, but a handy 69 lifted him to sole second on 203. And Paul Shields of Scotland punished the front nine with two eagles and three birdies to turn in 29 and parred his way home to a 65 to join Stone on 204.
Yet another Scot, Kris Nicol, fired a 66 to pull up alongside Ryan Dreyer, who carded a 67, on 11-under-par 205.
Stone spent a lot of time at the putting green after round two with his father and caddie, professional Kevin Stone. “We tried a couple of things because I was getting very frustrated on the greens,” said Stone.

“I was giving myself a lot of chances but the putts weren’t dropping, so we worked on finding a putting stroke that would work. You almost have to lift the ball off the face here. It took six holes, but the ball finally dropped.”

Stone, who shots a pair of 69s in the previous rounds, also holed a bunker shot at the eighth that really got his momentum going. A run of three birds from the 12th put him straight into the fight for the title on Friday.

“That’s all I aimed for today, to just get myself in contention,” said Stone, who wrapped up his third amateur title at the Prince’s Grant Invitational in January. “Tomorrow we try again. It will be a tough battle; there are a lot of guys who are hungry chasing the title, but it will be a great fight.”

Untouchable over the first two days, Law called his round “an up-and-down” affair.

He characterised it as such because of three bogeys which crept onto his card after a superlative start with three birdies in his first five holes.

“I was never really in trouble today, so I shouldn’t complain,” he said. “The putter just ran cold on me again and I missed a lot of birdie chances, especially over the first nine.

“I just have to stay patient with the putter. I just need to hole a few and get the job done.”

Harvey birdied the first, fourth and fifth, countered a bogey at the sixth with birdie number four at the seventh, but lost his momentum after the turn.

“I turned in 33, dropped on 10 and birdied 11 and after that it just became a fight to make par,” he said. A birdie on 17 was made redundant by a drop at the 18th, but the 22-year-old was still happy with the outcome of his round.

“After the first round, I wasn’t exactly out of it but I had a lot of work to do to get back in the fight,” said Harvey. “I would have liked another 65, but the wind made it tricky over the last four holes. I think 69 was a great number for me for today, but who knows? Maybe another 65 will roll around tomorrow.”

ABERDONIAN TOM BENDELOW NO NEARER PLACE IN HALL OF FAME

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
So CBS TV golf producer Frank Chirkinian, 84, is to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on May 9. Frank who?
When it became widely known last month that he was undergoing treatment for advanced lung cancer, the World Golf Hall of Fame board, representing different elements of the golf establishment — including the US PGA Tour, the LPGA, the PGA of America and the European Tour — held an emergency vote, and Chirkinian was elected.
He will be inducted, in the category of Lifetime Achievement.
It helps, of course, to be American. I have never heard of Frank Chirkinian and I doubt if many people on this side of the Atlantic have either.
So where does that leave the case for Aberdeen-born Tom Bendelow, pictured above, who emigrated to the United States in 1892, aged 24, and became the most prolific designer of courses in the boom time of golf across North America.
Before he died in 1936, Tom is credited with laying out well over 600 courses across the States and Canada. The true figure may well be nearer 1,000.
It has become fashionable within the ranks of the US media to ridicule the work of Bendelow, pouring scorn on his modus operandi of being able to lay out a course in an afternoon or a day at the most with a supply of posts to mark where the tees, fairways and greens would be.
But that was the way it was done in the early 1900s.
His most famous designs were Medinah, Big Foot, Olympia Fields, East Lake and Allegheny.
Grandson Stuart Bendelow, born and bred in America, has worked tirelessly for years to gain recognition for Tom's part in bringing golf within reach of the masses in the States.
But Stuart seems to be no nearer getting the name of Tom Bendelow into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Now if Tom had been American and perhaps with strong links to the media, it might have been different.
Don't give up, Stuart! You'll wear them down sooner or later.
Maybe we should enlist the aid of the R and A, whose chief executive, Peter Dawson, has something in common with Tom Bendelow - he also is an Aberdonian.

RORY McILROY LEADS BY TWO IN DUBAI WITH A 65

                                                                                     FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Rory McIlroy stormed into a two-shot lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic today before warning the star-studded field - "I’ve improved since winning the title two years ago."
The pre-tournament spotlight may have been focused on the world's top three being present - and paired together - at a regular European Tour event for the first time since 1994, but the Northern Irishman, who could move to World Number 4 on Sunday, outshone them all in round one.
While Tiger Woods rescued a "scratchy" 71 with a brilliant closing eagle and both Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer scored 69s, 21 year old McIlroy (pictured) blasted an eight-birdie 65.
But for a three-putt bogey at the short seventh it would have matched his start on the same Emirates course two years ago - and that led to his first and so far only victory on The European Tour.
This time the young man from Holywood, Belfast went to bed two in front of a back-to-form Sergio Garcia and South African Thomas Aiken, with Westwood and Kaymer joint tenth and Woods in a tie for 27th.The top 65 make the cut after the second round and that was the 2006 and 2008 champion Woods' position when he stood on the last fairway one over.
It had included a trip to the lake on the seventh and a double bogey 6 at the 467 yard 12th, but from 254 yards on the par five 18th he struck a towering shot over the water to within six feet of the flag and holed the putt for an eagle 3.
"It was pretty interesting. As much as I had to shape the tee shot right to left I had to shape that left to right," said Woods.
"I had to take something off it and threw itup in the air - it was perfect."
In his last five events McIlroy has finished fifth, sixth, fifth, fourth and then second - albeit a distant runner-up to Kaymer in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago.
Able to "fly under the radar" because of the attention on the sport's three leading lights, McIlroy took advantage of his early tee-off time with five successive birdies around the turn.
"I got into the round gradually, but once I did I felt there was a good score out there," he commented.
"All I'm trying to do is focus on hitting good shots - not just for the next three days, but for the next 12 months.
"I'd like to think I'm a better player than two years ago. I'm definitely more experienced and a more rounded and complete player.
"Dubai feels like a second home (he made his Tour debut in the event at 16) and when you can draw on good memories it can really help you."
Westwood had not had a bogey until he lost concentration over his pitch to the 18th, only just carried the water and ran up a bogey 6, allowing Woods to make up three shots on him over just one hole.Until that it was a vast improvement on Westwood's first two starts this year - 64th in Abu Dhabi, missed cut in Qatar last week - while Kaymer reckoned he would have had a "fantastic" round but for an unlucky break on the ninth.
His approach hit the hospitality units on the right and rebounded across the green into the lake. The same thing happened to defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez and Alvaro Quiros.
Garcia, though, built on the promise of his ninth place last week, keeping a bogey off his card as he seeks the top two finish he probably needs to qualify for the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play later this month.
A semi-finalist last year, it is restricted to the top 64 in the world and he is currently 79th.
“It was good,” said the 31 year old Spaniard. “I'm not going to say it was great because I did it hit a couple of drives that I didn't enjoy. But overall, I think it was good.”
Aiken, who has finished in the top 14 in six of his seven European Tour events this season, had four birdies on the way in as he signed for a bogey-free effort
“It was really good today,” said Aiken. “I really golfed the ball well - I can't think of any shot that I really put way out of position. I really did hit it well, and no bogeys again, name of the game.”
What Woods and McIlroy would have given for David Howell's shot on the 186 yard seventh.The Englishman, whose 1999 victory in the event came at the Dubai Creek course, holed-in-one to earn himself first-class tickets from Dubai's airline.
Pablo Martin was five under with one to play and, had he matched Woods’ eagle, he would have taken a share of the lead. But he copied Westwood’s bogey to sit four under alongside French pair Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and Victor Dubuisson, South African Richard Sterne, McIlroy’s former Walker Cup teammate Danny Willett and another Englishman, Steve Webster.

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LEADERBOARD
Par 72
65 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 32-33
67 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 33-34, Thomas Aiken (S Africa).
68 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (France), Danny Willett (England), Steve Webster (England), Victor Dubuisson (France), Richard Sterne (S Africa), Pablo Martin (Spain).

Selected scores:

69 Martin Kaymer (Germany), Lee Westwood (England) (T10).

SCOTS' SCORES
70 Stephen Gallacher 34-36 (T19)

71 Richie Ramsay 38-33 (T27)

72 Marc Warren 36-36 (T45).

73 David Drysdale 37-36 (T65).

75 Paul Lawrie 38-37, Ross Bain 36-39, Peter Whiteford 38-37 (T92).
76 Gary Orr 37-39, Steven O'Hara 38-38, Colin Montgomerie 39-37 (T110).

77 Callum Nicoll 41-36 (T123).