NO GLOSS FINISH FOR McILROY OR WESTWOOD IN HONDA CLASSIC

Rory McIlroy look far removed from the tag of one of the world's best young tour pros when he doubled bogey three holes in a row to run up a seven-over-par 77 in the third round of the US PGA Tour's Honda Classic over the PGA National's Champions Course at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

The Ulsterman, pictured, has admitted in the past that he finds it hard to motivate himself when he is out of contention in a tournament - and that's how it looked today after his first and second rounds of 73 and 71 had got him through the halfway cut but precious little else.
McIlroy did not have a single birdie on his card. He bogeyed the fourth and sixth on his way to a two-over-par 37 outward half. Then he steadied the ship with a string of pars before playing the last three holes - two of them par-3s - like a 24-handicapper.
He had a double bogey 5 at the short 15th.
Then he had a double bogey 6 at the par-4 16th.
To cap it all Rory had a double bogey 5 at the short 17th.
The inward half cost McIlroy 40 shots and a 77 put him on 11-over-par 221.
Deposed world No 1 Lee Westwood did only marginally better and he is certainly not going to retain the top spot from Martin Kaymer at the end of this tournament.
Counting from the 13th hole in his second round to the sixth hole in his third, Westwood was six over par for these 12 holes.
He bogeyed the long third, the fourth and sixth en route to a three-over 38 today. Birdies at the 12th and 14th were more like to "old" Westwood and then he did a "Rory McIlroy" with a terrible finish over the last four holes - he bogeyed the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th for a 75 and a 54-hole tally of 214 which left him alongside another out-of-touch star Graeme McDowell on 214. They are joint 30th and 13 shots behind the third-round leader, South African Rory Sabbatini who surged five shots clear of the field with a 66 for nine-under-par 201, having set a course-record 64 on Friday.
Overnight leader Kyle Stanley fell away after rounds of 68 and 66 to a 74 for 208.

THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 210 (3x70)
201 Rory Sabbatini (S Africa) 71 64 66.
206 Y E Yang (S Korea) 68 71 67, Jerry Kelly (US) 71 67 68.
207 Gary Woodland (US) 71 68 68.
208 Kyle Stanley (US) 68 66 74.
Selected totals:
213 Luke Donald (England) 73 68 72 (T23).
214 Graeme McDowell (N Ireland) 73 71 70, Lee Westwood (England) 70 69 75 (T30)
218 Ian Poulter (England) 71 72 75 (T53).
221 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 73 71 77 (T65). 

224 Ernie Els (S Africa) 75 71 78.

CHECK OUT THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS ON THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

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AMERICAN SATELLITE TOUR PLAYS TWO EVENTS IN MOROCCO

A view of the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah course at Marrakech, Morocco with the Atlas Mountains as a magnificent backdrop.

FROM THE e-GOLF PRO TOUR, USA WEBSITE
By STEWART MOORE
Over the next two weeks, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based eGolf Professional Tour will make golf history by hosting two tournaments in Morocco, in turn becoming the first United States-based tour to conduct multiple stroke-play events on the continent of Africa.
The tour, which began its 10th season two weeks ago at the Swiftwick Shootout at Palmetto Hall on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, traditionally contests 18-20 tournaments annually in the south-east of America.
Field sizes for the majority of Stateside events average just over 200 players, with purses ranging from $225,000 to $235,000. For the two Morocco events, fields have been limited to 120 players and purses guaranteed at $250,000 each.
The first of the two events, the Samanah Classic, will be contested at Samanah Country Club at Marrakech, from tomorrow (Sunday) to Wednesday (March 6-9).
Samanah is an award-winning Jack Nicklaus signature design golf course and is one of Morocco's top venues. For this event, players will be staying at the five-star Hotel Kenzi Farah Marrakech, located in the historic and vibrant downtown area of Marrakech.
The second event, the El Jadida Classic, will be contested at Pullman Royal Golf Club in El Jadida, Morocco from March 12-15. This seaside resort has long been the host to the Challenge Tour’s Moroccan Golf Classic, and is known worldwide for their three finishing holes that front the Atlantic Ocean.
The host hotel for this event will be the five-star Pullman Royal Golf and Spa El Jadida, located on the same property as the golf course proper.
“We are honoured to be in Morocco for these two events and to have our stamp on a bit of history regarding American professional golf,” said eGolf Tour president David Siegel.
“The game of golf has worldwide appeal and the onset of the international player has certainly heightened the awareness of the game’s global exposure. We feel that these two events will showcase not only the tour, but the fascinating location that is Morocco.”
The winner of each of the two tournaments will be granted a spot in the European Tour’s prestigious King Hassan II Trophy – to be contested at Agadir, Morocco from March 31 – April 3.
Notable players in the fields for the Samanah Classic and the El Jadida Classic will  include:
Nick Taylor – The 2010 Ben Hogan Award Winner while starring at the University of Washington, Taylor will be making his first career start on the eGolf Tour while in Morocco. Canadian-born player was a three-time “All American” at Washington, a runner-up in the 2009 United States Public Links Championship, and spent 21 weeks as the top ranked amateur in the world in 2009. Finished T36 in the 2009 U.S. Open, in turn earning low amateur honours.
Drew Weaver – The 2007 British Amateur champion will be making the first of two visits to Morocco this month, having already earned a spot in the King Hassan II Trophy after winning the e-tour’s “Race to Morocco” last fall. This former United States Walker Cup team member finished fifth on the tour’s 2010 money list with one win and six top-6 finishes.
Brian Harman – Two-time member of the USWalker Cup team, he finished third on the eGolf Tour’s 2010 money list with one win and 11 top-10 finishes in just 14 starts. Finished runner-up in the tour’s season-opening Swiftwick Shootout at Palmetto Hall to weeks ago after losing on the first play-off hole to Corey Nagy. Played college golf at the University of Georgia, where he was a four-time “All America” selection.
Chris Baker – Won the Challenge Tour’s Moroccan Golf Classic in 2010 at Pullman Royal Golf Club, in turn becoming the first American-born player to win on that tour since December 2009. Also became just the 10th player in Challenge Tour history to win his first Challenge Tour start, joining the likes of Darren Clarke, Trevor Immelman, Martin Kaymer and Edoardo Molinari. This former Iowa State University stand-out captured his first eGolf Tour win at the 2010 River Hills Classic.
+The US players flew from JFK International Airport last Wednesday afternoon (US time) and arrived at Casablanca Aiport at 6am (local time) on Thursday. From Casablance, they were transported by bus the short distance to Marrakech, their base until the Samanach Classic concludes next week.
There is a cut to the leading 60 and ties after two rounds.
All four rounds of the Samanah Classic and the El Jadida Classic will be broadcast locally on Moroccan TV. Daily results will be available each day on the tour’s website: http://www.egolfprofessionaltour.com/ and http://www.scottishgolfview.com/ . Live updates from each round can also be found on the eGolf Professional Tour’s Twitter page (@eGolfProTour1).


THE AMERICANS THINK IT'S SAFE TO PLAY GOLF IN MOROCCO,
SO WHY DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT COMPETING IN ONE OR
BOTH OF THE MOROCCO DOUBLE-HEADER EVENTS IN OCTOBER?

1 The 2nd Morocco Golf Festival: Fly to Marrakech Saturday, October 8. Fly home on Saturday, October 15 (unless you are heading for Agadir).
Based at Marrakech and including three competitions over FIVE different courses in six days, including the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah lay-out.

2 The 1st Moroccan international amateur championships at Agadir during the week October 18-19-20-21.
The 72-hole Moroccan international men's amateur championship at the Ocean Course. No cut. Two free practice rounds. Handicap limit 9 on Oct 18.
The 72-hole Moroccan international women's amateur championship at the Ocean Course. No cut.Two free practice rounds. Handicap limit 12 on Oct 18.
The 54-hole Moroccan senior men's amateur championship at the Golf Du Soleil Course. No cut. Two free practice rounds. Handicap limit 12 on Oct 19.
The 54-hole Moroccan senior women's amateur championship at the Golf Du Soleil Course. No cut. Two free practice rounds. Handicap limit 12 on Oct 19.
The 54-hole Agadir international amateur tournament at The Dunes for males and females of all ages and all handicaps up to a maximum of 28 for males and 36 for females. No cut. Two free practice rounds.

+All the details are on the Home Page of Menara Travel's website: http://www.morocco4golf.com/
Mohamed Fakir of Menara Travel will do all the organising of flights, hotel accommodation, transfers from airport-hotel-golf courses and tournament entry fees for no extra charge.
If you have any queries you can E-mail the Tournament Director for both weeks in Morocco - Colin Farquharson - at Colin@scottishgolfview.com

BEATEN SCOTS BOYS FINISH THIRD IN ITALY QUADRANGULAR

Scotland's Under-18 boys lost 6 1/2-2 1/2 to Sweden on the final day of the quadrangular international at Pugilia, Italy today.
With all four countries level with one win and one defeat apiece after two days' play, everything hinged on the last-day results.
Sweden's big win over the Scots gave them the title on a countback against defending champions Italy who beat France 5-4.
Scotland finished third and France 4.
DAY 3
SWEDEN 6 1/2, SCOTLAND 2 1/2
Foursomes: 3-0.
Singles: 3 1/2-2 1/2.

ITALY 5, FRANCE 4
Foursomes: 2-1.
Singles: 3-3.

FINISHING ORDER
1 Sweden 2 wins, 1 defeat (better games-won difference than Italy).
2 Italy 2 wins, 1 defeat
3 Scotland 1 win, 2 defeats.
4 France 1 win, 2 defeats.

By STEVE TODD
European Seniors Tour Press Officer
Englishman Barry Lane is eyeing his second European Senior Tour victory after a four under par 67 left him three strokes behind leader Jamnian Chitprasong going into the final round of the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum.
Former Ryder Cup player Lane, winner of last year’s Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open, fired seven birdies to move into a share of second place with Australian Mike Harwood and Sang-ho Choi of Korea, with Chitprasong moving clear on ten under par after a superb 65.
Lane could have reduced the margin at the top of the leaderboard had he not struggled with the humidity in Brunei, dropping three strokes after the turn at The Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Indeed, for the first two rounds. Lane is eight under par and bogey free for the front nine but one over par for the back nine, suggesting fatigue has been a factor.
Despite that, the five time European Tour winner, who started the 2011 Senior Tour season with consecutive top ten finishes in Japan and Mauritius, is satisfied with his position going into the final round.

“I started off well and birdied the first and second and then six, seven and eight to get to five under for the round but then I three putted the tenth from about 20ft which sort of stopped the flow a little bit,” he said.

“I birdied the 12th, bogeyed the 13th and 14th the birdied the 15th , so I struggled a little bit towards the end with the heat.
“I think I’m getting a bit tired towards the end. The conditions play a part. I’m trying to eat and drink as much as I can on the way round and I still haven’t got over the jet lag –I’ve been up at 4am every morning. When you’re not playing until 11am it’s a long time.

“All in all though, it’s been pretty good. It’s nice to be out again, in the new year, and nice to be in contention and up there.”

Chitprasong is hoping to become the second consecutive Thai winner of the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum following Boonchu Ruangkit’s success 12 months ago.
The 52 year old is not a Senior Tour member, just as Ruangkit was not last year when he triumphed, but he birdied his first four holes and picked up further shots on the 12th and 15th holes to establish a three stroke lead and move into pole position to follow his compatriot’s success.
“I would like to win so I can join the Senior Tour and play the full season,” he said. “It was a bit hot for me today but I played well. My irons were good and I putted well so today everything was really good for me.
I’ve played the course four or five times. The greens are very good and it suits my game.”

Harwood and Choi both shot rounds of 68 to remain in contention alongside Lane on seven under par. Defending champion Ruangkit, the 2010 Order of Merit winner, is seven shots off the pace on three under par after a second round 69, along with Carl Mason and 2002 Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance.

Current Order of Merit leader Sandy Lyle is one under par for the tournament following a 69 while Ian Woosnam carded a 74 to lie in a share of 43rd place on three over par.
Overnight leader Bill Longmuir fell back from an opening 66 to a 72 and is joint eighth on 138 alongside compatriot Fraser Mann (68-70)
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
132 J Chitprasong (Tha) 67 65,
135 M Harwood (Aus) 67 68, S Choi (S Kor) 67 68, B Lane (Eng) 68 67,
136 T Chen (Tpe) 67 69,
137 P Fowler (Aus) 66 71, C Williams (RSA) 68 69, A Franco (Par) 67 70,
138 B Longmuir (Sco) 66 72, D Merriman (Aus) 71 67, F Mann (Sco) 68 70,
139 B Cameron (Eng) 71 68, J Chillas (Sco) 68 71, C Mason (Eng) 69 70, S Torrance (Sco) 69 70, B Ruangkit (Tha) 70 69,
140 M Moreno (Esp) 72 68, G Manson (Aut) 68 72, K Tomori (Jpn) 71 69, B Lincoln (RSA) 70 70, M Kuramoto (Jpn) 71 69, M Clayton (Aus) 72 68,
141 C Chung (Tpe) 68 73, A Sowa (Arg) 72 69, D Russell (Eng) 69 72, S Lyle (Sco) 72 69, J Quiros (Esp) 72 69,
142 D O'Sullivan (Irl) 69 73, G Ryall (Eng) 71 71, H Carbonetti (Arg) 75 67,
143 S Owen (Nzl) 73 70, R Davis (Aus) 70 73, B Hardwick (Can) 74 69, G Banister (Aus) 72 71, D Cambridge (Jam) 71 72, J Rivero (Esp) 72 71,
144 K Spurgeon (Eng) 75 69, S Bennett (Eng) 72 72, T Price (Aus) 72 72, N Job (Eng) 72 72, M Cunning (USA) 74 70, M Belsham (Eng) 80 64,
145 W Grady (Aus) 75 70, I Woosnam (Wal) 71 74,
146 L Carbonetti (Arg) 75 71, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 74 72, G Brand (Eng) 75 71, J Heggarty (Nir) 70 76, G Ralph (Eng) 75 71, M Farry (Fra) 70 76,
147 B Smit (RSA) 71 76, F Illouz (Fra) 75 72,
148 T Gale (Aus) 73 75, M Miller (Sco) 79 69, P Dahlberg (Swe) 75 73, M Piñero (Esp) 75 73,
149 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 72 77, M Ramayah (Mas) 73 76, G Cali (Ita) 76 73, J Bruner (USA) 71 78,
150 D Hospital (Esp) 74 76, L Stephen (Aus) 79 71, T Charnley (Eng) 74 76,
153 J Stuart (USA) 72 81, T Johnstone (Zim) 76 77,
154 A Garrido (Esp) 78 76, D Durnian (Eng) 76 78, S Cipa (Eng) 76 78,
160 T Burgoyne (Sco) 81 79,
164 R Metherell (Aus) 85 79,
Withdrew: G Wolstenholme (Eng) 70 wd.
Retired: J Harrison (Eng).

CANTER v HODGSON ALL-ENGLAND FINAL IN SPANISH AMATEUR

It will be an all-England final over 36 holes tomorrow in the Spanish international men's amateur championship at El Prat Golf Club.
Walker Cup team candidates Laurie Canter (Saltford Golf Club, Somerset), 29th of the 32 qualifiers for the match-play stages, will play Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale Golf Club, Surrey), the 15th qualifier. Hodgson, pictured by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography, played for GB and I in the 2009 Walker Cup match.
Canter, who has a handicap of +5, is 21 years old; Hodgson, who plays off +2.8, is 20.
England's Eddie Pepperell won the first big Continental championship of 2010, the Portuguese international men's amateur championship which is decider over four rounds of stroke-play.
Today's results:
QUARTER-FINALS
Arnaud Abras (France) bt Gary Stal (France) 1 hole.
Laurie Canter (England) bt Adrian Otaegui (Spain) 3 and 2.
Robin Kind (Netherlands) bt Adria Arnaus (Spain) 3 and 1.
Stiggy Hodgson (England) bt Goncalo Pinto (Portugal) 6 and  4.
SEMI-FINALS
Canter (29th qualifier) bt Abras (No 9 qualifier) 6 and 4.
Hodgson (15th qualifier) bt Kind (22nd qualifier) 3 and 2.

TO CHECK OUT THE MATCH-PLAY CHART ON THE SPANISH
 FEDERATION WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

DEATH OF TV PRODUCER WHO MOVED US ON FROM "LEVEL 4s"

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
You need to be of a certain age to remember when players, from five times Open champion Peter Thomson & Co down to club members,  and TV commentators related individual scores to "4s" as in 36 to the turn would be "level 4s."
The man attributed with changing all that so that you talked about scores in relation to par died on Friday at the age of 84.
He was Frank Chirkinian, the long-time TV golf coverage producer for CBS who helped turn the Masters into one of the most watched events in sports television, has died.
Agency report:
Chirkinian died Friday at his home in North Palm Beach, Florida, after a long bout with lung cancer, his son told The Associated Press. He was surrounded by friends and family.
The television pioneer was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame just last month, during an emergency vote after it became widely known he was undergoing treatment for cancer. He will be inducted posthumously on May 9 in St. Augustine, Florida, in the lifetime achievement category.

"He squeezed every drop of life out of his 84 years," his son, Frank Chirkinian Jr., said during a phone interview. "I don't think there was anything left."

Described as street-wise and direct, Chirkinian had said recently that getting into the Hall of Fame was the apex of his career - and what a robust career it was.

He produced the first TV coverage US PGA Championship in 1958, at Llanerch Country Club near his home in Philadelphia, and two years later the first televised Winter Olympics from Squaw Valley. He also dreamed up the idea of putting cameras on blimps to cover college football games.

But it was his work in golf that stood out, and at Augusta National in particular.
He produced 38 editions of the Masters for CBS, bringing the majestic fairways and greens of Augusta to fans who could only dream of seeing them in person.
"Frank Chirkinian was a visionary in every sense of the word," US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "He was an artist. The sport of golf was presented on television to generations of fans in innovative, imaginative and entertaining ways because of Frank."
Chirkinian introduced high-angle cameras and new angles, put roving reporters on the grounds, and made sure to capture the unique blend of sounds - the club hitting the ball, the ball falling into the cup - that came to define modern golf coverage. He even changed the way scores were delivered, according to par rather than by total (in relation to scoring a 4 at every hole).

He could be friendly and agreeable, but also surly and demanding - announcer Pat Summerall gave him the nickname "The Ayatollah" in the late 1970s, when the Shah of Iran was deposed and replaced by Khomeini. It was a name that Chirkinian acknowledged he enjoyed.

"He was a friend, a mentor and a father figure to me," broadcaster Jim Nantz said. "I was blessed to have his guiding hand extended to me at the age of 26. I am comforted knowing, as long as there is golf being televised anywhere in the world, Frank Chirkinian lives."

Chirkinian left his imprint on many of golf's defining moments, from the duels between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus that defined the 1960s and '70s, to the Golden Bear's back-nine charge to win the 1986 Masters. He called Augusta National "the greatest theatre in sport."

He retired from CBS in the late 1990s, but could still be found on the golf course.

"Frank Chirkinian was a true pioneer," said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports. "There certainly would not have been a golf television business without him. And golf may never have developed into such a robust business without the way he connected the game on the course to the viewer at home. He will be sorely missed but the game is better forever because of him."
*Associated Press writer David Fischer in Miami contributed to this story.