SCOTTISH GOLF UNION SQUAD WIN TRIANGULAR FOURSOMES

FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
The Scottish Golf Union Elite Squad were convincing in their win at Randpark Golf Club, Johannesburg today where they played a Triangular foursomes match against the SAGA Junior team and a SA Golf Development Board team.
The Scots and the South African Juniors both won 5-0 against the SA Development Squad. And the Scottish Golf Union Squad beat the South African Juniors 3-2 in the deciding match.
The top pairing of Scottish champion Michael Stewart and Ross Kellett won the final tie by 3 and 2 for overall victory.
DETAILS

SCOTTISH GOLF UNION SQUAD 5, SA DEVELOPMENT SQUAD 0
Greg Paterson and Kris Nicol bt Lwazi Gqira and Andile Adam 5 and 4.
David Law and James White bt Phiwa Mkhoma and Sphelele Ndlovu 5 and 4.
Scott Gibson and Paul Shields bt Tumo Mdtaung and Motalefa Xaba 7 and 6.
Philip McLean and Jordan Findlay bt Mpho Mafisher and Fezikile Kana 4 and 3.
Ross Kellet and Michael Stewart bt Cedric Rooi and Calvin Coelho 4 and 3.

SCOTTISH GOLF UNION SQUAD 3, SOUTH AFRICAN GA JUNIOR SQUAD 2
Paterson and Nicol bt Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Dylan Raubenheimer 4 and 3.
Law and White bt Martin Rohwer and Combrinck Smit 4 and 2.
Gibson and Shields lost to Shayne Allen and Victor Lange 2 and 1.
McLean and Findlay lost to Conway Kunneke and Zander Lombard 2 and 1.
Kellet and Stewart bt Drikus Bruyns and Armandt Scholtz 3 and 2.

SOUTH AFRICAN DEVELOPMANT SQUAD 0, SAGA JUNIOR SQUAD 5

WEBSTER LEADS EDZELL TEAM TO WIN IN MIDLAND ALLIANCE

Downfield professional Kenny Hutton had the lowest individual score of one-over-par 72 in windy conditions in today's Midland Golfer's Alliance pro-am, sponsored by Hi Tech Accoustic Services Ltd, at Scotscraig in North Fife. Edzell pro Alistair Webster led his club team of Keith Bruce, Ron Brownhill and Alex Smith to victory with a net score of 133.
Leading scratch scores
Par 71
72 K Hutton (Downfield).
73 A Webster (Edzell).
74 A Lockhart (Ladybank), M MacKenzie (Forfar).
75 G Jenkins (Crieff), R Bell (Downfield), C Armstrong (Burntisland), D McKay (Wellsgreen).
76 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst).
77 N McGill (Noah's Ark), J Thorburn (Dunfermline).
78 C Donnelly (Balbirnie Park).
Leading Team Totals
133 A Webster (Edzell), K Bruce (3), R Brownhill (5), A Smith (7).
134 R Bell (Downfield) (+1), S Marshall (4), A Thomson (7), D Thomson (5).
135 P Brookes (Pitreavie), C Westland (Alloa) (9), R Malcolm (Dunfermline) (5), J Rennie (Dunfermline) (12). 

Next meeting: Thursday, March 3

(Sponsored by J B Motor Co)

KIRKCALDY GOLF CLUBTee reserved: 8.30 - 12.30

Lee Sutherland

Ballumbie Castle GC pro.

SAXTON MAKES EVERY POST A WINNING ONE IN MOROCCO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Former British amateur champion (he won the title at Turnberry in 2008),  Reinier Saxton from the Netherlands won the EPD Tour's Al Maaden Classic over the Kyle Phillips-designed course at Marrakesh, Morocco today.
The 23-year-old "flying Dutchman" shot 13 under par for the tournament (65, 67, 71) and led from start to finish, finally winning by two shots from German pro Bernd Ritthammer (66, 72, 67).

Motherwell's Paul O'Hara had his worst round of the three - a three-over-par 75 for 217 which knocked him back into a tie for 26th place. He put in a lot of effort to earn just 437 Euros for the three days.
Paul had a double bogey 7 at the long 16th and also bogeyed the fifth, seventh and 11th. His only two birdies came at the long 13th and the 17th in halves of 38 and 37.

Saxton pocketed 5,000 Euros and runner-up Ritthammer 3,000 Euros.

How hot is it in Morocco this week? Today the temperature touched 27 degrees. Pictured is the 18th green at Al Maaden with the clubhouse and he Atlas Mountains in the background. Kyle Phillips of Kingsbarns fame designed the course.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 Reinier Saxton (Netherlands) 65 67 71 (5,000 Euros).

205 Bernd Ritthammer (Germany) 66 72 67 (3,000 Euros).

208 Matthew Dearden (Wales) 72 68 68, Max Kieffer (Germany) 70 67 71, Richard Kilpatrick (Ireland) 73 68 67 (1,616 Euros each).
Selected totals
209 Ben Parker (England) 70 70 68 (T6) (1,083 Euros).
217 Gareth Davies (England) 70 72 75, Paul O'Hara (Scotland) 73 69 75 (T26) (437 Euros each).

TO CHECK OUT ALL THE FINAL TOTALS ON THE EPD TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE


YOU TOO CAN PLAY THE AL MAADEN COURSE AND FOUR OTHER VENUES IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF MARRAKESH - JUST ENTER THE 2ND MOROCCO GOLF FESTIVAL (October 8 to 15).

IF YOU HAVE A LOW HANDICAP, YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE A GO AT THE INAUGURAL MOROCCO INTERNATIONAL MEN'S, WOMEN'S AND SENIORS' CHAMPIONSHIPS AT AGADIR (October 18-21).

LOG ON TO http://www.morocco4golf.com/ and you can call up the details of all the tournaments. Any queries, E-mail the Tournament Director Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com                                                                                                                

WHY NOT PLAY GOLF IN AFRICA FOR A WEEK OR TWO

- AND BRAG ABOUT IT BACK HOME FOR A YEAR OR TWO!

MOROCCO IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM TUNISIA, LIBYA AND EGYPT.

DONALD, McDOWELL ONLY BRITS LEFT LAST 16 OF MATCH-PLAY

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By KEVIN GARSIDE
Rory McIlroy’s most impressive shot of the day came after the biggest hammering of his professional career. A smile. Let us hope the insouciance was more than skin deep. Pastings of this nature have a way of tormenting the soul.
McIlroy formally conceded to Ben Crane on the 11th green only two hours and 49 minutes into their tie at the Accenture Matchplay Championship at Dove Mountain, Arizona. The handshake may have left him with third-degree burns so hot was the putter in the hands of his opponent.

The efficiency of Crane’s flat stick offers an explanation, but not an excuse The beating, 8 and 7, was off the scale for a golfer blessed with a talent as rich as McIlroy’s. In the evolving mythology that attaches to the 21 year-old prodigy, this was the kind of shellacking he is supposed to dish out, not receive.
In the 12-year history of the event, it ranked second only to Stephen Ames’ 9 and 8 thrashing by Tiger Woods in 2006 on the list of heaviest defeats.
Perhaps that is the problem, ventured Graeme McDowell, who showed the dogged qualities lacking in McIlroy’s game to dispatch Ross Fisher in the second round.

While McDowell observed that a “hot putter can wear you out in this format” he suggested that, just maybe, McIlroy needs to acquire dirty hands to complement the angelic touch.
It is a fair point. McIlroy began the year acknowledging the need to correct a deficiency that in some circumstances can see his head drop too quickly, particularly when he drifts out of contention.
The Open Championship at St Andrews, where he followed his opening 63 with an 80 in the wind, is an obvious example. “To be the best, Rory can be maybe he’s got to develop that doggedness side to him,” McDowell said.
“He’s one of these guys that make the game look so incredibly easy. It’s an easy game to enjoy when things are going well but how do you respond when things aren’t going so well? Maybe he has to learn how to deal with the tough day and just grind it out.”
McIlroy could do worse than watch the reel of McDowell’s victory over Fisher. Graeme will not mind entering the third round of the Accenture for the first time with a round short on aesthetic quality. Neither is McDowell worried by the rankings-hike past Tiger Woods that the win will secure by close of play on Sunday.
McDowell accepted the resignation of his Ryder Cup comrade on the 16th green. For the second day in succession McDowell’s campaign began with the surrender of the initiative with a bogey at the first.
Importantly he responded as he did on day one by countering immediately, in this case to lead by two after four.

This was a day for the shovel, not the scalpel. Over five holes Fisher levelled before McDowell pulled away again to lead by two at the turn. In the seven holes on the back nine that McDowell needed to put Fisher away, four were conceded. “I didn’t play my best, but I scraped through,” McDowell said. “I’m just happy to be in the next round. A lot of big names have gone home already.

“The front nine was reasonable quality. The back nine disintegrated into a comedy of errors. I threw it in at the tenth after an unmentionable from the middle of the fairway.” McDowell’s difficulty is suppressing expectation after his the freakish yield of 2010. “If someone had told me that I would be No 3 in the world that would have made me very proud. I’ve been better than Tiger for the past 12 months maybe, but he is still the best that has ever lived.”

America was introduced to a new face following the early bath of Woods. Lee Westwood, world No 1 extraordinaire. Westwood was posted on the missing persons list on the opening day by his manager Chubby Chandler, who could not locate him on the Golf Channel coverage during his first-round victory over Henrik Stenson. Chandler’s search began with a tweet to presenter Kelly Tilghman: “How’s Lee doing, Kelly? Haven’t seen him yet. Please could you let his followers know. Thanks.”

Behind the humour lay a heap of indignation at the lack of respect for Westwood, who was up against Nick Watney. This is one of four events that has World Golf Championship status and as such carries ranking points on both the PGA Tour in America and the European Tour. One might think the coverage would reflect the global embrace of the major tours.
But Westwood was brought crashing down by Watney on a day when Phil Mickelson suffered a heavy defeat, althought not quite as heavy as Rory McIlroy's ... Paul Casey went down ... so too did Justin Rose at the 20th to Martin Kaymer in the second last match to finish.
The only Brits in the last 16 are Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell.
No wonder, given the choice, tour pros would rather have stroke-play rather than match-play tournaments, Ryder Cup excepted of course (but possibly not by the Americans!).
SECOND-R0UND RESULTS
in draw order

BOBBY JONES BRACKET
N Watney bt L Westwood 1 hole.
R Moore bt K Choi 5 and 4.
M Manassero bt C Schwartzel 1 hole.
L Donald bt E Molinari 2 and 1.
BEN HOGAN BRACKET
R Fowler bt P Mickelson 6 and 5.
M Kuchar bt B Van Pelt 3 and 2.
G McDowell bt R Fisher 4 and 2.
Y Yang bt S Sink 4 and 3.
GARY PLAYER BRACKET
M Kaymer bt J Rose at 20th.
H Mahan bt R Karlsson 2 holes.
B Crane bt R McIlroy 8 and 7.
M Jimenez bt R Palmer 4 and 2.
SAM SNEAD BRACKET
G Ogilvy bt T Bjorn 1 hole.
B Watson bt M Wilson 6 and 5.
J Day bt P Casey 4 and 2.
J Holmes bt E Els 1 hole.

Bradley Neil and Paul Lawrie at the XOS Scottish Golf Awards night in Glasgow.

NEWS RELEASE
Tipped for the top youngster Bradley Neil rubbed shoulders with the golfing elite at the XOS Scottish Golf annual awards ceremony in Glasgow last week.
The Blairgowrie Golf Club teenager, who won the Scottish and English boys U14 titles last season, was presented with the Developing Talent Award by past Open champion Paul Lawrie at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Earlier, he met Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie and Lawrie who were both receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gala Dinner.
Blairgowrie High School pupil Bradley (15) said: “It was great to be invited by the SGU and Aberdeen Asset Management to spend several hours in the company of two icons of the Scottish game. And it was a huge honour to receive my award from Paul Lawrie, who has got a Major to his name.”

Looking ahead to the new season, Blairgowrie Golf Clubs youngest ever senior champion at 14, Bradley has now been selected for the Scottish U18s squad for the quadrangle match against Italy, Sweden and France in Italy.



NE ALLIANCE CLASS 1 WINNER TURNER DISQUALIFIES HIMSELF

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Joss Turner (Kemnay), winner of the Handicap Class 1 section with a net 68 off nine at yesterday's North-east Alliance fixture at Fraserburgh, notified Dave Wilson, Alliance joint secretary,  this morning that he was disqualifying himself because he had played off the wrong handicap, i.e. nine instead of eight, due to a misunderstanding of his handicap position at the Kemnay club.
The revised list of prizewinners is:

Class 1 - F Bisset (Banchory) (2), D McKay (Caledonian) (7), S Mackie (Auchmill) (5) 69; M Forster (Cruden Bay) (6) 70; A Campbell (Deeside) (1), Laura Murray (Alford) (1), M Lawrie (Kemnay) (6), D Wilson (Duff House Royal (5), J Duncan (Newburgh) (5) 71.

HOME COURSE PRO PAUL WARDELL WINS EAST ALLIANCE

By ALAN GREENSHIELDS
Edinburgh and East of Scotland Alliance secretary/treasurer
E-mail: secretary.eesga@talktalk.net
The East Alliance headed to Whitekirk on Wednesday for the second last outing of the season and 95 players fought it out on a course playing its full length due to overnight and early morning rainfall.
Host club professional Paul Wardell was the only player to break par on the day and his solid round of one-under-par 71 won him the Paterson Medal on a better inward half countback.
It was a brave display by Paul who nearly called off playing due to a bug rendering him less than 100% fit. His last minute decision to play paid dividends.
Paul's inward nine held off the net 71 from Glenbervie one-handicpper Richard Johnston.

Whitekirk also secured a share of the second place handicap prize through senior player David Jeffrey with a 79 less seven.
Ian Taylor of Royal Burgess took the other share of second handicap with a net 72 off one.
Scratch prizes were closely fought - Paul Wardell securing the top prize with his 71, Sean McGarvey of Glencorse securing second place with a 72 and six players sharing third with 73s - professionals Stuart Callan (Bathgate), Scott Catlin (Greenburn) and Alan Reid (West Lothian), plus amateurs Derek Fish (Glenbervie), Colin Fraser (Peebles) and Jamie Morris (Peebles).
Trainee Prize was shared by Terry Mathieson (Dunbar) and Daniel Wood (Eyemouth) with 74s.
Senior Prize was shared on net 74 by David McKean (Cardrona), playing off six, and Stuart Wardlaw, playing off 10.
The Scratch Order of Merit now has a new leader. While the top five are made up of the same players, they are now headed by Scott Catlin of Greenburn with 534 points. Previous leader Chris Morris of Kingsknowe drops to 2nd place with 517 points.
3rd Mike Thomson (Torwoodlee) 507.5, 4th Stuart Callan (Bathgate) 491.5, 5th Andy Marshall (Houston DR) 487

The Handicap Order of Merit leader Justin White (Harrison) extended his lead and was the only player in the top 5 to secure points this week. The order is unchanged -
1st Justin White 133.5, 2nd Stuart Brown (Glencourse) 111, 3rd Graeme Johnston (Glenbervie) 103.5, 4th George Wither (Lothianburn) 95, 5th Alan Young (Lochend) 94
In two weeks, the East Alliance head south of the border to Goswick, Northumberland for their final outing of the season when the 60 qualifiers for the East Championships at Gullane on 23rd March will be decided.
PRIZEWINNERS
Paterson Medal at Whitekirk
Overall Winner: Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 71
LEADING SCRATCH
1st £100 Wardell, Paul (Whitekirk) 71
2nd £80 McGarvey, Sean (Glencorse) 72
T3rd £20 Callan, Stuart (Bathgate) 73
T3rd £20 Catlin, Scott (Greenburn) 73
T3rd £20 Fish, Derek (Glenbervie) 73
T3rd £20 Fraser, Colin (Peebles) 73
T3rd £20 Morris, Jamie (Peebles) 73
T3rd £20 Reid, Alan (West Lothian) 73
LEADING HANDICAP
(voucher prizes)
1st £100 Johnston, Richard (Glenbervie) 71
T2nd £80 Jeffrey, David (Whitekirk) 72
T2nd £60 Taylor, Ian (Royal Burgess) 72
T4th £40 Black, George (Torwoodlee) 73
T4th £20 White, Justin (Harrison, Braids) 73
TRAINEE PRIZE
£10 Mathieson, Terry (Dunbar) 74
£10 Wood, Daniel (Eyemouth) 74
SENIOR PRIZE
£10 McKean, David (Cardrona) 74
£10 Wardlaw, Stuart (Harburn) 74

HARROLD, BALLINGALL FIGURE IN MISSOURI UNI 1-2-3 FINISH

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Two students born in England - although one has opted to play golf for Scotland - and members of the University of Missouri men's golf squad provided a 1-2-3 finish to this week's WSU Snowman Getaway 54-hole college tournament at Whirlwind Golf Club, Chandler in Arizona.

Freshman Emilio Cuartero from Spain was the winner by five strokes from Mizzou team-mates William Harrold, from St Albans, and Stuart Ballingall, pictured, a former Scotland boy international although he was born in Norwich.

Ballingall is the third highest ranked Scot behind James Byrne and Michael Stewart in the RandA World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Not surprisingly, Missouri, playing in their first tournament of the second half of the 2010-2011 college golf season, won the team title by 25 shots.

LEADING INDIVIDUAL FINAL TOTALS

Par 216. Yardage 7,163.

206 Emilio Cuartero (Missouri) 71 65 70.

211 William Harrold (Missouri) 65 77 69.

212 Stuart Ballingall (Missouri) 70 71 69.

80 players took part.

LEADING TEAM FINAL TOTALS

841 Missouri.

866 Idaho.

868 UMKC

14 teams took part.

Martin Kaymer joins big names in Maybank Malaysian Open

Kuala Lumpur: Maybank today announced that German's Martin Kaymer will play in the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 alongside South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel and Ireland’s Rory McIlroy at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from April 14 -17.