RUSSELL WEIR IS CALIFORNIA DREAMING .... OF PGA CUP MATCH

FROM THE PGA E-BULLETIN
Russell Weir admits he’s already dreaming of California after a flying visit to CordeValle – host venue of the 25th PGA Cup.
The Scot, head PGA professional at Cowal Golf Club, grabbed his first glimpse of the Robert Trent Jones junior-designed course during a whistle-stop visit and immediately hailed it as a classic risk and reward challenge.
Weir, the joint record appearance holder in the biennial contest against the PGA of America, is attempting to become the first GB and I captain to win on United States soil since the inception of the competition back in 1973.
During the trip he played the course, to get a feel for the test facing his GB and I team when they lock horns in the Ryder Cup-style contest from September 16-18.
“I thought the course was magnificent and it’s going to be a great venue for the PGA Cup,” said Weir.
“It’s very playable, everything is there in front of you. The greens have gentle slopes, not particularly quick but that might change by September.
“Every shot is demanding, and with the approach shots you have to get the right side of the pin.”
He added: “All in all, it’s a tremendous match play challenge and I don’t think the players will be disappointed, I think they will really enjoy it.
“The 18th has water guarding the front of the green and if you get far enough down, it’s one which will tempt a few.
“It’s a classic risk and reward hole, and that’s a good way to describe the course.”
The CordeValle resort is to host the Frys.Com Open, which will take place two weeks after the conclusion of the PGA Cup.
The 10-man GB and I team will be finalised at the conclusion of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship supported by Peugeot which is being staged at The Belfry’s PGA National Course from June 14-17.

LINCOLNSHIRE LAD BURNETT WINS IN PERU, RUSHFORD TIED 15th

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
James Burnett (Sleaford, Lincolnshire) carded a closing level-par 72 to win the Lima International Championship in Peru.
The 19 year old former England boy international finished on six-under-par 282, four strokes ahead of Spain’s Antonio Hortal and Uruguay’s Juan Alvarez.
After an opening 71, which left him three strokes off the lead, Burnett posted a faultless second round 66 to top the leaderboard by a shot at halfway on seven under.
A third round 73, his only over par return on a difficult third day, saw Burnett go into the closing circuit tied on 210, six under, with Aldo Jordan from Peru. But his level par final score proved enough to give Burnett a comfortable victory as Jordan could do no better than 77 for 287.
England’s other entrant, Hugo Dobson (Fynn Valley, Suffolk) finished tied 23rd on 299, but with Burnett finished joint winners of the team event with a host club pair on 581, five over par.
Scotland's Bobby Rushford (Stirling University) from Grangemouth finished joint 15th in the international field of 72 players with rounds of 73, 76, 74 and 72 for a seven-over-par total of 295.
England's Nicky Maddison was another British player in the field. He finished joint 46th on 308 with scores of 75, 79, 78 and 76.
Leading final scores:
282 J Burnett (Eng) 71 66 73 72
286 A Hortal (Spa) 74 70 73 69
286 J Alvarez (Uru) 68 71 74 73
287 A Jordan (Peru) 72 66 72 77
287 A Ortiz (Costa Rica) 72 72 72 71
Selected scores:
285 B Rushford (Sco) 73 76 74 72 (T15).
299 H Dobson (Eng) 73 75 78 73 (T23).
308 N Maddison (Eng) 75 79 78 76 (T46).Team event
581 England, Lima GC
583 Spain
585 Peru

SCRATCH AND HANDICAP WINNERS AT BLACK ISLE FOURSOMES

Picture from the Black Isle Foursomes. Left to right – Handicap winners Robert Mackay and Dods Kryzanowski alongside Chris Gaittens and Michael MacDonald.

By ROBIN WILSON
A new partnership of club secretary Michael MacDonald and club member Chris Gaittens have become first time winners of the Black Isle Foursomes at Fortrose and Rosemarkie, ending a domination of visiting couples stretching back to 1984.
In the scratch final the local duo came back from losing the first three holes to the powerful North-east pairing of Michael Buchan (+1) and Mark Christie (1) from Cruden Bay to win on the final green. The local heroes became the first club members to follow in the footsteps of Alister Tait and Tom Fraser who in 1984 prevented a hat-trick of winning years by Brora's Jim Miller and Inverness's Jocky Thomson.
Over the next 27 years Miller and Thomson, along with Morayshire's Bryce Milne and Norman Grant, Muir of Ord's Steve McIntosh and partners, Inverness's Alan Cameron and Ewan Forbes and Nairn's Neil Hampton with Colin Taylor (Forres), brushed the locals aside to dominate the winners platform.
Hampton and Taylor were again in Saturday's stroke-play rounds, hoping to qualify as holders for Sunday's match-play and add to their previous five wins, but after shooting an opening 71 slumped to a second round 77 which gave Gaittens and MacDonald the fourth qualifying place with cards of 73 and 72. Leading scratch qualifiers were Inverness pair Bruce Thomson and Bryan Fotheringham (71-71) followed by Cruden Bay's Buchan and Christie (71-73) and in third place, on count back, another first time partnership of Munro Ferries (Tain) and Thurso's Dougie Thorburn (71-73).
The handicap section qualifiers were the local club captain Arthur MacArthur and Jody Schiller (13) 141, Robert Mackay and Strathpeffer's Dods Kryzanowski (5) 144, Ken Gaittens and Strathpeffer's Kevin Bannerman (4.5) 144, Alister Tait and Philip Taylor (9) 145.
On Sunday three of the four morning semi-finals went beyond 18 holes. Buchan and Christie beat Ferries and Thorburn with a conceded birdie at the 19th, and Gaittens and MacDonald went a hole further to reach the final via Thomson and Fotheringham.
In the handicap semis Tait and Taylor beat MacArthur and Schiller 4 and 2 while Mackay and Kryzanowski, from being dormie two down, won the next three holes to beat Ken Gaittens and Bannerman at the 19th.
The Cruden Bay pair began the final against the local couple in the same way they won their semi final tie, a birdie at the first hole, and went three ahead by winning the next two holes before Gaittens and MacDonald halted the rot with a winning par at the fourth hole.
They remained two behind after nine holes but over the next nine holes were the dominant couple. They won the 11th hole with par and from a mistake from the tee at the 13th hole by the Cruden Bay pair the game was levelled.
The near drivable 14th green was won back by Buchan and Christie when they holed first for the birdie 3 and Gaittens missed from closer but the former North District boys champion redeemed himself at the next hole when he putted his approach shot to twelve feet and MacDonald holed the birdie putt to level once more.
The next two holes were halved and they went to the 18th hole all square. In all previous three rounds it was Gaitten's responsibility to find the green and at his fourth attempt he was just a few feet short of the putting surface. MacDonald putted up for a conceded par three while Christie was wide of the green from the tee. Buchan pitched pin high but several feet wide of the pin and Ritchie's putt to extend the tie missed on the low side of the hole.
The 18th hole also provided the handicap winners Mackay and Kryzanowski with their success at the expense of Tait and Taylor. From the 17th tee Mackay hit a wild drive to lose the ball and hole when one ahead.
Level playing 18, the two left-handers, Taylor and Kryzanowski, had the drives with Taylor the honour but attempting to fade the ball onto the green, as he had done in all previous rounds, caught the bushes on the left.
Kryzanowski has been around too long to make the same mistake and with an iron played safely short of the green. The penalty drop meant a certain double bogey and with no pressure local member Robert Mackay made an easy chip to win the game by one hole.
DETAILS

Scratch Qualifiers
142 B Thomson and B. Fotheringham (Inverness) 71 71.
144 M Buchan and M Christie (Cruden Bay) 71 73, M Ferries (Tain) and D Thorburn (Thurso) 71 73).
145 M MacDonald and C Gaittens (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 73 72.
Semi -finals – MacDonald and Gaittens bt Thomson and Fotheringham at 20^th, Buchan and Christie bt Ferries and Thorburn at 19th.
Final – MacDonald and Gaittens bt Buchan and Christie (Cruden Bay) 1 hole.
Handicap Qualifiers
141 A MacArthur and J Schiller (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (13) 69 72.
144 K Gaittens (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) and K Bannerman (Strathpeffer) (4 1/2) 72 1/2 71 1/2); R MacKay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) and D Krzyzanowski (Strathpeffer) (5) 72 72.
145 P L Taylor and A Tait (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (9) 75 70.
Semi-Finals – Taylor and Tait bt MacArthur and  Schiller 3 and 2, MacKay and  Krzyzanowski bt Gaittens and Bannerman at 19^th.
Final – MacKay and Krzyzanowski bt Taylor and Tait 1 hole.
ends

GEORGE MacMILLAN WINS ARGYLL AND BUTE MATCH-PLAY TITLE

George MacMillan of the host club Machrihanish emerged as winner of the 2011 Argyll and Bute area match-play championship after a titantic battle with Rothesay's Graham Bolton in Sunday afternoon's final.
Two down with two to go, George turned it round to beat Bolton at the 22nd hole in dazzling sunshine at the world famous links.
The beaten semi finalists were Rothesay's George Reynolds and Millport's Les Pirie.
Results

First round
G Bolton bt K Mapes 8 and 6.
A R Thomson bt G Lundie 3 and 2.
K McCallum bt A O'Neill 1 hole.
L Pirie bt S Ellis 8 and 7.
CMcKirdy bt J Jack 3 and 2.
G Reynolds bt C Pirie 1 hole.
G MacMillan bt G Tyre 5 and 4.
A McKie bt A Finlayson 3 and 2.
Quarter-finals
Bolton bt Thomson at 21st.
Pirie bt McCallum 2 and 1
Reynolds bt McKirdy 3 and 2.
MacMillan bt McKie 1 hole
Semi-finals
Bolton bt Pirie 4 and 3.
MacMillan bt Reynolds 1 hole
Final
MacMillan bt Bolton at 22nd

FIFE NAME TEAM FOR PROVAN SALVER TIE v CLACKMANNAN

The Provan Salver inter-district men's team competition ends on Sunday with Angus at home to Perth and Kinross at Monifieth while Fife host title-holders Clackmannan at Thornton.
Earlier results:
March 27
Angus 5, Fife 3.
Perth and Kinross 4, Clackmannan 4.
April 2
Clackmannan 4, Angus 4.
Perth and Kinross 4 1/2, Fife 4 1/2

HOW THEY STAND
Angus 3pt, Perth and Kinross 3pt, Clackmannan 2pt, Fife 0pt.

FIFE (v Clackmannan)
Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park), James White (Lundin), Greg Paterson (St Andrews New), Peter Latimer (St Andrews New), Scott Crichton (Aberdour), Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's), Ally Hain (Ladybank), Kevin Blyth (Lundin).

CLACKMANNAN
James Aitken (Alloa)
Ross Benvie (Braehead)
Scott Borrowman (Dollar)
Darren Hulston (Dollar)
John Maxwell (Tulliallan)
Steven Mcivor (Alva)
Scott Moffat (Braehead)
Ian Ross (Alloa)

For immediate release
Monday April 18, 2011
Senior Tour to return to Portugal
The European Senior Tour will return to Portugal after a three year absence in 2011 when Belas Golf Club in Lisbon hosts the Senior Open de Portugal from September 29 – October 1.
With a prize fund of €300,000, the inaugural event takes the number of tournaments currently counting towards the 2011 Senior Tour Order of Merit to 22.
It will be the first time the Senior Tour has returned to Portugal since the Azores Senior Open in 2008, which was won by Australian Stewart Ginn, and will be the eighth Senior Tour event overall to be staged in the country.
Previously Portugal, which is one of the five countries bidding for The 2018 Ryder Cup, hosted the Daily Telegraph European Seniors Match Play Championship in 2001 and 2002, the Senior Tour Championship from 2002-2004 and the Senior Open of Portugal in 2005 and 2006. In addition, the Algarve has hosted the Senior Tour Qualifying School for the past ten years.
Belas Golf Club is owned by the Andre Jordan Group and previously hosted the European Challenge Tour Grand Final in 1998.
Promoter André Jordan said: “We are delighted to host another European Senior Tour event, this time on our Lisbon course. After several Portuguese Opens we organised in Quinta do Lago, the World Cup in 2004 in Vilamoura, and having brought the Portuguese Masters to Victoria Golf Club in 2006, we are looking forward to hosting this great tournament at our course at Belas Golf Club.”
Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Portugal and to the wonderful capital city of Lisbon, which I’m sure all of our Senior Tour professionals will enjoy.
“Our thanks must go to the Andre Jordan Group for their on-going commitment to tournament golf, to the Portuguese Golf Federation for their support and to the members of Belas Golf Club for making their course available.”

RUSSELL KNOX JOINT RUNNER-UP ON NATIONWIDE TOUR

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) — Daniel Chopra won the Nationwide Tour's Fresh Express Classic on Sunday when fog forced officials to cancel the final round at TPC Stonebrae.
The 37-year-old Swede, a two-time winner on the US PGA Tour, shot a career-best 9-under 61 on Saturday to reach 12 under and take a one-stroke lead over Luke List and Scotland's Florida-based Russell Knox (pictured).
"A win is a win and I feel just as happy as if we would have finished today," Chopra said. "I'm kind of in shock, really. All of a sudden the buzzer sounds and I have this (trophy)."
The start of play was delayed four hours Sunday until 1:30 p.m. The fog returned four hours later - the first groups were through 16 holes and the final groups played seven - and the round was canceled because of insufficient time to complete the round Sunday. The tour said it didn't have the option to resume play Monday.
"We're all disappointed that we didn't have the opportunity to complete things today," tour tournament director Orlando Pope said. "It was shaping up to be quite a finish. Unfortunately, our tour has a very limited provision for pushing play into Monday, but that option wasn't available to us."
Chopra stumbled with a bogey at No. 2 and eventually relinquished the lead to Inverness-born Knox, a Monday qualifier making only his fourth career start on the tour.
Knox, who stayed on at Jacksonville Beach, Florida  after four successful years on the US college circuit as a Jacksonville University student, took the lead with as birdie at the par-3 sixth hole.
Playing with Knox and List, Chopra birdied No. 7 to regain a share of the lead before play was stopped.
"I'm not going to sit on the plane tomorrow and feel any less happy or any less satisfied because I played well," Chopra said. "It wasn't handed back to me. I was still in it and tied for the lead at the buzzer."
Knox had a chance to tie for the lead Saturday, but missed a 4-foot birdie putt on his final hole. That turned out to be the difference between a chance at a playoff and a share of second place.
"I'm not sure how things would have turned out today," Knox said. "I really have no idea. I just tried to play to see how well I could do. I was playing well and thinking that maybe I had a chance to win."
The Scot, one of the leading money-winners on the NGA Hooters Tour over the past two or three seasons, collected $52,800 for his efforts in this event.
Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton, Mathew Goggin, Doug LaBelle and Marco Dawson tied for fourth at 8 under.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY
Par 210 (3x70)
1 Daniel Chopra 68 69 61 198 $ 108,000.
T2 Russell Knox 65 68 66 199 $ 52,800.
T2 Luke List 67 68 64 199 $ 52,800.
T4 Erik Compton 67 71 64 202 $ 23,625.
T4 Marco Dawson 65 70 67 202 $ 23,625.
T4 Mathew Goggin T4 67 66 69 202 $ 23,625.
T4 Doug LaBelle II T4 66 69 67 202 $ 23,625.
8 Jason Enloe 8 70 69 64 203 $ 18,600.
T9 Matt Davidson 68 68 68 204 $ 15,000.
T9 Jeff Gove 70 68 66 204 $ 15,000.
T9 Cliff Kresge 69 68 67 204 $ 15,000.
T9 Garrett Sapp 67 66 71 204 $ 15,000.
T9 Brian Smock 69 67 68 204 $ 15,000.

JOHN COOK WINS PLAY-OFF ON US SENIORS TOUR

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LUTZ, Florida (AP) — John Cook won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am on Sunday for his second US Champions (Seniors) Tour victory of the year, rebounding from a double bogey on the final hole of regulation with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff against Jay Don Blake.
Cook, also the winner of the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric in Hawaii, closed with a 2-over 73 to match Blake at 9-under 204. Blake birdied the final hole for a 70.
Cook hit his 175-yard approach shot into the water on the par-4 18th en route to the double bogey.
"We're not supposed to hit shots like that," Cook said. "It happens to the best of us. It's happened to everyone on the regular tour, on the Champions tour and it happened to me today."
He credited caddie Tommy Anderson for helping him regroup for the playoff on the same hole.
"Tommy has us stop when driving us down the fairway to the 18th tee so we could walk the rest of the way," Cook said. "Tommy said, 'OK, J.C., it's hole No. 1. Just refocus. Get back at it.'
"He really settled me down, and I give him a lot of credit for that. He stepped in when he needed to and that's why we've been together four years. ... I was still hot, and didn't know what to expect in the playoff, but luckily I got the chance to redeem myself."
In the play-off, Cook hit a 6-iron from 168 yards to about 6 feet to set up his winning birdie.
Blake's second shot out of a fairway bunker landed in the grenade rough.
Blake is winless since the PGA Tour's Sheraton Lehman Brothers Open.
"All this builds confidence and builds positive results," Blake said. "Keep knocking at the door and some time that door is going to open pretty wide. So, that's what we keep practicing for, to try to make it happen."
The 53-year-old Cook earned $255,000 for his seventh career Champions Tour victory. He opened with rounds of 66 and 65 at TPC Tampa Bay to take a one-stroke lead into the final round.
Joe Ozaki (68) and Russ Cochran (74) tied for third at 7 under.
England's Roger Chapman had a nightmare last round of 80 after earlier efforts of 72 and 74. He finished joint 69th on 226.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

MARTIN LAIRD NOW 23rd IN WORLD RANKINGS

Martin Laird, joint ninth in the Texas Open at the weekend and now fourth in the US PGA Tour money table after five top 10 finishes this season, is still trying to break into the top-20 of place of the World Rankings.
His win last month in the Arnold Palmer Invitational got him to his highest ranking yet of 21 but he is now in 23rd place.
LATEST WORLD RANKINGS
1 Martin Kaymer, Ger 7.68.
2 Lee Westwood, Eng 7.38.
3 Luke Donald, Eng 7.02.
4 Phil Mickelson, USA 6.63.
5 Graeme McDowell, N Ire 5.93.
6 Tiger Woods, USA 5.89.
7 Paul Casey, Eng 5.68.
8 Rory McIlroy, N Ire 5.53.
9 Steve Stricker, USA 5.47.
10 Matt Kuchar, USA 5.24.
11 Charl Schwartzel, S Afr 5.11.
12 Dustin Johnson, USA 5.06.
13 Jim Furyk, USA 4.94.
14 Nick Watney, USA 4.56.
15 Ernie Els, S Afr 4.52.
16 Adam Scott, Aus 4.29.
17 Ian Poulter, Eng 4.28.
18 Bubba Watson, USA 4.27.
19 Francesco Molinari, Ita 4.20.
20 Hunter Mahan, USA 4.11.
21 Robert Karlsson, Swe 4.01.
22 Retief Goosen, S Afr 3.95.
23 Martin Laird, Sco 3.92. 
24 Jason Day, Aus 3.81.
25 Justin Rose, Eng 3.73.
26 Alvaro Quiros, Spain 3.65.
27 Miguel A Jimenez, Spain 3.58 .
28 Louis Oosthuizen, S Afr 3.55.
29 Tim Clark, S Afr 3.54.
30 Geoff Ogilvy, Aus 3.54.
31 Edoardo Molinari, Ita 3.52.
32 Robert Allenby, Aus 3.37.
33 Rickie Fowler, USA 3.06.
34 Y E Yang, S Kor 3.06.
35 Zach Johnson, USA 2.94.
36 K J Choi, S Kor 2.92.
37 Kim Kyung-Tae, S Kor 2.89.
38 Padraig Harrington, Ire 2.89.
39 Ryan Moore, USA 2.85.
40 Ben Crane, USA 2.85.
41 Peter Hanson, Swe 2.75.
42 Anthony Kim, USA 2.75.
43 Ross Fisher, Eng 2.68.
44 Anders Hansen, Den 2.63.
45 Bo Van Pelt, USA 2.62.
46 Gary Woodland, USA 2.56.
47 Bill Haas, USA 2.54.
48 Ryo Ishikawa, Jpn 2.53.
49 Mark Wilson, USA 2.45.
50 Camilo Villegas, Col 2.40.






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HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

BUSY WEEKEND FOR CLACKMANNAN GOLFERS

The first main Clackmannan county golf competition takes place on Saturday when the Spring Meeting is contested at Alloa (Division 1) and Braehead (Division2).

Although the entry sheets are pretty full in the morning, there is still a chance of a late entry on the day at the Golf Clubs.
In the Division 1 event, the first group of eight qualifiers for the County Match Play Championship will be obtained--- the remaining eight will qualify from the Summer Meeting.
These events are good opportunities for new Golf Club members to meet up with other local golfers and maybe even win a prize.


CLACKMANNAN COUNTY BOYS' CHAMPIONSHIP


The Clackmannan County Boys' Championship is being held this Sunday at Alloa Golf Club in the morning. Again, County Junior Convenor Sam Kinnaird would welcome late entries and said “ It’s a good chance for County Juniors to test their skills on a good golf course, with the best scores qualifying for the Match Play events as well as winning prizes.”
Using the results, Sam will pick a team to represent Clackmannanshire in the Scottish Area Boys Team championship to be held at the beginning of June at Hayston Golf Club.


LAST PROVAN SALVER MATCH


Also on Sunday is the last match for the Provan Salver. So far Clackmannanshire have recorded two draws and will be hoping for a good win when they take on Fife over Thornton golf course.
Selectors will be picking the county team to represent Clackmannanshire in the Area Team Championship which is being played over the Prestwick courses on the 14th and 15th May. Teams of six players will be competing and representing the 16 golfing Areas in Scotland.


SCOTTISH BOYS' CHAMPIONSHIP

In last week's Scottish boys' championship at Dunbar, Alva’s Lawrence Allan was unable to match his fine performance of 2010. Lawrence started well with two comfortable wins. In Round 1 he defeated Ross Anderson (Stonehaven) by 4 and 3 and followed that with a 5 and 4 win over Andrew Kerr (Greenmount). However in the third round he could not come back from a two-hole deficit after 14 holes and lost to Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellon) by 4 and 2.

Braehead’s Rikki Alexander put up a brave fight in his first appearance in the event but lost in the first round to Conor Marsland (Lincoln).

SOUTH OF SCOTLAND SENIORS

In the first main event of the Seniors' calendar at Powfoot, Clackmannan has two representatives, Bob Stewart and Phil Dempsey, both Tulliallan.