CULVERWELL HALFWAY LEADER IN BATTLE TROPHY AT CRAIL

By  COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Stirling University student Alexander Culverwell, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a member at Dunbar Golf Club, is on the trail of his first win in an SGU 72-hole Order of Merit event.
With rounds of 70 and 74 for a total of level par 144, Culverwell is the halfway leader by one shot in this season's addition to the customary list of 72-hole tournaments - the Battle Trophy over the Crail Golfing Society's Craighead Course in the East Neuk of Fife.
On Culverwell's tail and partnering him in Sunday's final two rounds is Paul Shields (Kirkhill), twice beaten finalist in the Scottish boys' championship and winner of the North of Scotland open amateur championship at Inverness last year.
Shields has had steady rounds of 73 and 72 for 145.
Sharing third place with 36 holes to go on 146 are last year's Scottish amateur champion and Walker Cup team place contender Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and James Hendrick (Pollok).
Stewart has had rounds of 74 and 72, Hendrick 71 and 75.
Southerness youngster Scott Gibson slashed nine shots off his opening round of 78 and his 69 - the lowest score by anyone so far - put him in fifth place overnight on 147.

Given that the weather was not a factor, the overall standard of scoring was unexpectedly high - a fact confirmed by David Roy, the Crail Golfing Society managing secretary.

"We deliberately set the course up to be as easy as possible and we had almost perfect weather, so I am surprised that it is only level par that is leading. We’ll see how they do on Sunday, now they know the course better, and I would like to see the course record of 68 broken," said David.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72). CSS 76 and 75.
144 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 70 74.
145 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 73 72.
146 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 74 72, James Hendrick (Pollok) 71 75.
147 Scott Gibson (Southerness) 78 69.
148 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 77 71.
149 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 80 69, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 77 72, Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 75 74, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 75 74, David Law (Hazlehead) 74 75, Fraser McKenna (Falkirk Tryst) 74 75.
150 John Duff (Newmachar) 76 74, William Brenmner (Edzell) 76 74, Steven Smith (Dalmahoy Hotel) 76 74, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 75 75.
151 Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 80 71, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 78 73, Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 77 74, Paul Betty (Lenzie) 76 75, Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 72 79.
152 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 77 75, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 77 75, Ross Bell (Downfield) 74 78, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 73 79.
153 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 81 72, James White (Lundin) 77 76, Connor O'Neill (Pollok) 77 76, Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) 74 79.
154 Paul Gault (Westerwood Hotel) 81 73, Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 78 76, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 78 76, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 76 78, Alastair Hain (Ladybank) 75 79.
155 Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 81 74, David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 80 75, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 79 76, Stephen Speirs (Portpatrick Dunskey) 77 78.
156 Alastair Thomson (Lundin) 83 73, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 81 75.

MISSED THE CUT
Sean Thompson 81 + 76 157 St Andrews Bay
Jamie Lynch 80 + 77 157 Falkirk Golf Club
Sam Binning 79 + 78 157 Ranfurly Castle Golf
Scott Stewart-Cation 79 + 78 157 Dukes G C St Andrew
Malcolm Pennycott 79 + 78 157 Whiting Bay Golf Clu
Greg Smail 76 + 81 157 Craigielaw G C
Michael Gray 75 + 82 157 Lanark Golf Club
Ben Renfrew 87 + 71 158 The Wynyard Club
Michael Daily 81 + 77 158 Erskine Golf Club
Ian Bell 79 + 79 158 Scotscraig Golf Club
Richard Chalmers 77 + 81 158 Buchanan Castle Golf
Colin Baird 83 + 76 159 Bothwell Castle Golf
Robert Carson 79 + 80 159 Dalmahoy Hotel Golf
Fraser Carr (Crail GS) 86 + 83 159
Richard Barr 76 + 83 159 Newmachar Golf Club
Daniel Sommerville 79 + 81 160 St Andrews Bay
John Wybar 79 + 81 160 Aldeburgh Golf Club
Ronald Clark 83 + 78 161 Erskine Golf Club
Chris Wood 83 + 78 161 Longniddry Golf Club
Keith Hamilton 82 + 79 161 Belleisle Municipal
Garry Duncan 80 + 82 162 Carnoustie Caledonia
Graeme S Mcdougall 75 + 87 162 Bishopbriggs Golf Cl
Philip Dempsey 85 + 78 163 Tulliallan Golf Club
Sean McGarvey 86 + 79 165 Glencorse Golf Club
Colin Martin 83 + 82 165 Balbirnie Park Golf
Alan Welsh 78 + 87 165 Cathkin Braes Golf C
James Barrett 87 + 83 170 Muckhart Golf Club
Jamie Binning 89 + 86 175 Ranfurly Castle Golf
NO RETURNS
Matthew Allen The Kendleshire
Craig Maiden Crail GS


SUNDAY'S THIRD AND FOURTH ROUND TEE-TIMES
7.30am and 12.20pm
Daniel Kay 81 75 156
Alastair Thomson 83 73 156
7.40am and 12.30pm
Alastair Hain 75 80 155
Stephen Speirs 77 78 155
7.50am and 12.40pm
Scott Larkin 79 76 155
David Mitchell 80 75 155
8.00am and 12.50pm
Fraser Moore 81 74 155
Philip McLean 76 78 154
8.10am and 13.00pm
Steven Rennie 78 76 154
Gordon Stevenson 78 76 154
8.20am and 13.10pm
Paul Gault 81 73 154
Stephen Neilson 74 79 153
8.30am and 13.20pm
James White 77 76 153
Connor O'Neil 77 76 153
8.40am and 13.30pm
Kevin Duncan 81 72 153
Glenn Campbell 73 79 152
8.50am and 13.40pm
Ross Bell 74 78 152
Colin Thomson 77 75 152
9.00am and 13.50pm
Chris Lawton 77 75 152
Andrew Wallace 72 79 151
9.10am and 14.00pm
Paul Betty 76 75 151
Mark Bookless 77 74 151
9.20am 14.10pm
Adam Dunton 78 73 151
Kyle McClung 80 71 151
9.30am 14.20pm
Greg Paterson 75 75 150
William Bremner 76 74 150
9.40am 14.30pm
Steven Smith 76 74 150
John Duff 76 74 150
9.50am 14.40pm
Fraser McKenna 74 75 149
David Law 74 75 149
10.00am 14.50pm
Peter Latimer 75 74 149
Matthew Clark 75 74 149
10.10am 15.00pm
Allyn Dick 77 72 149
Scott Crichton 80 69 149
10.20am 15.10pm
Graeme Robertson 77 71 148
Scott Gibson 78 69 147
10.30am 15.20pm
James Hendrick 71 75 146
Michael Stewart 74 72 146
10.40am 15.30pm
Paul Shields 73 72 145
Alexander Culverwell 70 74 144

CULVERWELL SETS PACE IN BATTLE TROPHY AT CRAIL CRAIGHEAD

Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) set the first-round pace in the Battle Trophy - the newest addition to the Scottish Golf Union's Order of Merit 72-hole tournaments - over the Craighead Course, Crail Golfing Society in Fife.
Culverwell returned a two-under-par 70 for a one-shot lead from James Hendrick (Pollok) whose name was not on the original draw.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
70 A Culverwell (Dunbar).
71 J Hendrick (Pollok).
72 A Wallace (Glenbervie).
73 G Campbell (Blairgowrie), P Shields (Kirkhill).
74 R Bell (Downfield), D Law (Hazlehead), F McKenna (Balmore), S Neilson (Dunbar), M Stewart (Troon Welbeck).

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McILROY leads by two as Malaysian Open Round 3 spills over into Sunday

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Rory McIlroy moved two shots clear of the chasing pack at the weather-hit Maybank Malaysian Open today as the Northern Irishman braced ahead for a marathon last day.
McIlroy holed an 8ft birdie putt on the ninth green in near darkness at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club to move to 12-under for the championship before play was suspended at 7.12pm local time following a lengthy suspension earlier in the day due to inclement weather.
Frenchman Gregory Bourdy charged into contention by negotiating 14 holes of his third round in six under to lie in joint second place on 10-under in the US$2.5 million showpiece, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
Italian whiz kid Matteo Manassero was three under through nine holes to stay in the hunt along with joint overnight leader Alexander Noren of Sweden , who endured a topsy turvy day as he played eight holes in one over.
World number one Martin Kaymer of Germany proved that the cream always rises to the top when he toured his 15 holes in six under, moving ominously to nine under for the tournament.
A superb effort by Korean Hwang In-choon also saw him surge as the leading Asian Tour contender in the title frame, shooting seven birdies in 15 holes to lie four shots back.
The third round will resume at 7.40am on Sunday before the commencement of the final round which will see the likes of McIlroy having to play a total of 27 holes. There will be no re-draw for the final round.
McIlroy, chasing his third career victory, parred his opening eight holes before finally rolling in his first birdie on the ninth hole in near darkness. The mop-haired world number nine maintained his firm grip of the Maybank Malaysian Open, a week after agonisingly losing the Masters Tournament which he had led for 63 holes.
“It’s a solid start. I could have been two or three shots better off but it’s obviously nice to hole that putt right at the end on the ninth and finish on a positive note. I’ve still got the lead but it is going to be a long day tomorrow,” said McIlroy, who killed some time at the club’s tenpin bowling alley while waiting for his third round tee time of 4.45pm local time.
Bourdy, whose two top-20s this season did not single him out as an early contender, made his move in brilliant style. He shot seven birdies through 10 holes but dropped a crucial bogey on the 13th hole which saw him slip behind McIlroy.
“Made just one mistake on the tee shot on nine. Everything was good – my putting and driver, which was longer and straighter. I didn’t make many birdies during the first few months but I have some confidence now after winning in a tournament in France last week,” said the 28-year-old Bourdy, who has three wins including the 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open.
It could yet be an 18th birthday to remember for Manassero, who celebrates his birthday next Tuesday. The 2010 European Tour rookie of the year is playing in his first Maybank Malaysian Open and continued to impress with birdies on the first, third and fifth holes.

After knocking tenpins down with the likes of McIlroy and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa during the weather delays, the 26-year-old Kaymer, the reigning PGA Championship winner, was equally accurate with his putting.

The German rolled in six birdies and will go into the last day just three shots behind the leader.
Leading third round scores
-12: Rory McIlroy (NIr) thru 9 holes
-10: Gregory Bourdy (Fra) thru 14 holes, Matteo Manassero (Ita) thru 9 holes, Alexander Noren (Swe) thru 8 holes
-9: Martin Kaymer (Ger) thru 15 holes, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) thru 13
-8: Hwang Inn-choon (Kor) thru 15 holes, Simon Dyson (Eng) thru 9 holes
-7: Michael Cambell (Nzl) thru 12 holes, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Esp) thru 10 holes, Brett Rumford (Aus) thru 9 holes, Stephen Gallacher (Sco) thru 9 holes, Danny Lee (Nzl) thru 10 holes.

Other Scots' positions
Level par Alastair Forsyth thru 14 holes.
+4 David Drysdale thru 15 holes.

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DAVID WILSON COMES BACK FROM SIX DOWN TO WIN AT 38TH

David Wilson receives the Scottish boys' championship trophy from SGU vice-president Maurice Shields. Image by courtesy of SGU photographer Joe Kelly.

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Troon Welbeck’s David Wilson produced an astonishing comeback to beat Dumfries and County’s Liam Johnston at the second extra hole of a pulsating 36-hole final to lift the Scottish boys' championship at Dunbar today.
The 16-year-old from Troon’s championship challenge looked dead and buried as he found himself eight down after the first 15 holes, six down at the end of the first round  and still seven down with 14 holes to play.
But David, a clubmate of Michael Stewart who won the Under-18s national title in 2008 and the Scottish men's amateur championship last year, fought back with a superb display of golf in the afternoon round to become the first play-off winner of the event since Andrew Coltart’s triumph at the same venue back in 1985.
Johnston, runner-up in the SGU Boys’ Order of Merit last season, had a 10ft eagle chance to close out victory at the 37th hole, but his putt failed to drop, allowing Wilson to take the match up the 38th after he calmly rolled in his birdie putt from three feet.
Playing the par five second extra hole, Johnston’s approach shot sailed over the green. He faced a difficult up and down for par which he couldn’t convert, leaving Wilson two putts for a championship-winning par.
An elated Wilson commented: “Once I got a couple of holes back at the end of the morning round I knew I had a chance. My putting finally game good and I managed to get some momentum going after that.”

“It’s fantastic to win such a big tournament and it gives me belief I can on and achieve more. I feel for Liam as he played great this morning but I’m obviously delighted to have fought back so well this afternoon.” added Wilson, who becomes the third winner of the championship from the Troon Welbeck club after Andrew McQueen (1985) and Michael Stewart (2008).

In the morning round, Johnston looked the more assured player and was eight holes in front after pitching in for birdie from 30 yards at the par four 15th. Just as it looked like the Dumfries 18-year-old was running away with the match, Wilson responded to win the 16th and 17th and salvaged an important half at the 18th to be six down at the halfway stage.

Johnston extended his lead to seven after almost holing a bunker shot for eagle at the 22nd and Wilson three-putted for a par, but the Troon youngster bounced back immediately with a fine birdie 2 at the short 23rd and won the next after a Johnston bogey.
The gap was reduced to four after Wilson holed a 20-foot putt at the 26th and he found himself just three down after sinking a 6-foot birdie putt at the 27th.
The fightback continued as he won the 30th and 32nd, but Johnston halted the momentum by winning the 33rd and had a chance to win the match at the 35th, but three-putted from long range after an excellent bunker shot approach.
Wilson’s razor-sharp short game helped him save par at the 36th holes to extend the match as Johnston’s 30-foot par attempt slipped past.
Despite his loss, an upbeat Johnston said afterwards: “I found too many bunkers this afternoon off the tee and that’s when it started to slip. I had my chances to win but all credit to David who played great under pressure and produced some fantastic golf. However, I can take a lot of positives from the week and reaching the final.”

FINAL (36 holes)

David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) bt Liam Johnson (Dumfries and Co) at the 38th.

In the morning round
Johnston won ten holes (2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th).

Wilson won four  holes (3rd, 8th, 16th, 17th).

Four holes were halved (1st, 6th, 14th, 18th).

Johnston six up after 18 holes.

AFTERNOON ROUND:
19th Halved.
20th Halved.
21st Halved.
22nd Johnston won to go seven up.
23rd Wilson won to be six down.
24th Wilson won to be five down.
25th Halved.
26th Wilson won to be four down.
27th Wilson won to be three down.
28th Halved.
29th Halved.
30th Wilson won to be two down.
31st Halved.
32nd Wilson won to be one down.
33rd Johnston won to be two up
34th Halved - Johnston two up with two to play.
35th Wilson won to be one down.
36th Wilson won to square the match.
37th Halved.
38th Wilson won the hole and the match.

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MANASSERO'S SATURDAY MORNING BIRDIES END ROUND TWO

SATURDAY MORNING REPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Italian Matteo Manassero finished with back-to-back birdies to lie four shots behind leaders Rory McIlroy and Alexander Noren at the conclusion of the Maybank Malaysian Open second round this morning.
Manassero, who had posted an opening round six under par 66, had struggled by comparison in his second round, which was delayed by nearly three hours on Friday due to lightning.
And after the 17 year old managed to complete his round, torrential rain came down, which forced the remaining groups off at 9.45am with Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club flooded and led to a delay of almost three and a half hours.
“It was very important to finish with two birdies,” said Manassero.” I didn’t play as well as the first day. It was stop start and not easy to keep your rhythm. It was not an easy day but I was happy to have finished with two birdies to be in fourth position and we’ll see what happens on the weekend.
“You take confidence from a finish like that because I was struggling and to finish under par with two birdies on 17 and 18 gives you confidence and its two less shots meaning I’m coming into the weekend four behind the leaders.
“I’m going to practice a little bit and see if I can fix a few things. I’m quite positive. I like the course. I just need to work on the consistency of the shot – try to strike each one a little better.”
Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel also signed for a 71 after finishing his second round with five straight pars. The South African made it through to the weekend right on the cut mark of level par, along with compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, the Open Champion.
“This morning I actually started playing better than I did the first two days,” said Schwartzel. “I actually started swinging pretty much how it had felt like the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I was a bit conscious about being better but myself and Louis have not made a single putt on these greens. We’re pulling our hair out. We’ve not made any, putting it mildly.
“But my swing felt better. If we can hang in there to make the cut and then have a good weekend and fire a low one. It’s definitely feeling better.
“Coming from Augusta where it is like a snooker table to playing on greens where there is a lot of grains and really slow makes it quite difficult. I’m just not finding the lines. I’m actually hitting good putts but there not going in the hole. That’s a positive. My swing feels better and if I can keep putting and they start dropping I can make some birdies.
Schwartzel paid tribute to the way joint leader Rory McIlroy has so far responded to his Masters disappointment and also the gruelling journey from Augusta National.
“Rory has been impressive,” he said.” He’s playing really well. He’s such a good player. He jumped back on it very quickly. That’s the sign of a true champion. I’m very pleased to see him play well and put it behind him.”

END OF ROUND TWO LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
133 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 69 64, Alexander Noren (Sweden) 64 69.
134 Simon Dyson (England) 70 64.
137 Brett Rumford (Australia) 69 68, Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 67 70, Matteo Manassero (Italy) 66 71.
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
141 David Drysdale 69 72 (T27).
143 Alastair Forsyth 72 71 (T43).
MISSED THE CUT
147 Steven O'Hara 73 74 (T87).
153 Ross Bain 77 76 (T137).

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RUSS COCHRAN LEADS US SENIORS EVENT WITH SEVEN-UNDER 64

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LUTZ, Florida (AP) — Russ Cochran isn't hitting his driver well. You would just never know it by his first-round score at the US Champions (Seniors) Tour's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.
Left-hander Cochran shot a 7-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead over John Cook and Jay Don Blake at the Champions Tour event even though the 52-year-old left-hander hit only 10 of 14 fairways and averaged just 270 yards off the tee.
"I came over here and played in the pro-am (Thursday) and didn't really drive it that well," Cochran said. "Hit it in the water two or three times and just didn't feel as good over (the ball)."
"I was teasing my pro-am partners yesterday. They were going to see a personal record of me hitting it in the hazard, I thought."
Though Cochran wasn't hazard free, he somehow managed a bogey-free round, starting it with birdies on Nos. 10-12.
His drive on No. 12 landed in the rough and his second shot found a greenside bunker. But Cochran hit a wedge to about 18 inches for a tap-in birdie.
Those first three holes gave him confidence and a cushion.
"It let me play a little more comfortable given the fact that I drove it so poorly Thursday," Cochran said. "It helped me erase those memories and get started on track."
Cochran, who is fifth in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, has finished in the top 10 in four of his five Champions Tour events this season and won twice in 2010. His lone US PGA Tour win came at the 1991 Centel Western Open, where he overcame a five-stroke deficit over eight holes to beat Greg Norman.
"You're going to have to step up on these holes and make a quality swing and hit a quality shot," Cochran said. "I think a lot of guys out here are right-handers, obviously, and they're hitting it down the left side and cutting it. There are just some really unbelievably tricky shots out there."
Cook and Blake shot 66s and were a stroke ahead of Kenny Perry, who birdied five holes on his back nine after shooting 1 over on the front, making his Outback Pro-Am debut in his third Champions Tour tournament.
"I knew I needed to make birdies," Perry said. "I always thought people always would tell me, '8 under is going to win the tournament.' Well, Russ is already 7 (under), you know, so I'm thinking that's not going to work here.
"I've got to figure out a way to get close and stay in the mix a little bit," Perry said. "I can't get too far behind here, so (I'm) very excited with the start."

LEADERBOARD
Par 71
Players from US unless stated
64 Russ Cochran.
66 John Cook, Jay Don Blake.
67 Kenny Perry.
Selected score:
72 Roger Chapman (England).

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SCOREBOARD TO COME