IRELAND BOYS HOLD SCOTS TO TAKE U16s TITLE

Scotland and Ireland drew 6-6 (2-2 in the foursomes, 4-4 in the singles) on the last-day title-decider match at the boys' Under-16 developmental quadrangular internationals at Royal Musselburgh Golf Club today.
Ireland retained the title on a countback of games won.
The other day's match - Wales v Netherlands - also finished in a 6-6 draw. Wales took a 3-1 lead in the foursomes but the Netherlands fought back well to level matters by winning the singles 5-3.

RENFREWSHIRE NAME SIDE FOR AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY

 RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION

Don Bremner: e-mail- donbremner@ranfurly9.freeserve.co.uk

Renfrewshire Golf Union’s “A” team captain, Ronnie Clark, has announced the team which has been entrusted to maintain the high standards achieved by previous teams in the Scottish Area Team Championship. The event will be held at Old Prestwick and Prestwick St Nicholas courses on the weekend of May 14.
Over the past three years, the Renfrewshire team has reached the final at each of the championships and became Scottish champions in 2009 at Crail Golf Club.
The chosen players are:

Sam Binning – Ranfurly Castle
Matt Clark – Kilmacolm
Ronnie Clark - Erskine
Andy Farmer - Kilmacolm
Gordon Stevenson - Whitecraigs
Craig Watson - East Renfrewshire

Youth player Sam Binning, pictured above, will be making his first appearance in the Area Team Championship and Ronnie Clark said that his selection was based on a combination of a sound season in 2010 and a start to the 2011 season which includes an opening round of 67 at the Champion of Champions at Leven and the equalling of the Ranfurly Castle Golf Club course record of 64. 

"The team selection is a gradual inclusion of youth to compliment the obvious experience," said Ronnie Clark.
This year it is likely that North-east, last year’s champions, and Ayrshire with 2011 Scottish boy' match-play championship winner David Wilson on its team will be the teams to beat.

Editor's Note: Area officials are invited to send their team selections to Colin@scottishgolfview.com for publication on the website.

WATSONIANS WIN HALFORD HEWITT FOR SIXTH TIME

Watsonian Golf Club, Edinburgh have won the Halford Hewitt "old boys" foursomes tournament for private schools' former pupils at Royal St George's and Royal Cinquet Ports golf clubs, Kent for a sixth time.
They beat Malvern 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 in the final.
Andrew Weir (Craigielaw) was the Scots' non-playing captain and the team members were:
Jamie Kennedy (Mortonhall), David Crummey (Gullane), Brian Tait (Royal Burgess), Brian Bingham (Royal Troon), Andrew Helm (Merchants), Andrew Hogg (Mortonhall), Martin Hopley (Gullane), Scott James (Mortonhall), Richard Johnston (Glenbervie), Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall).
This year's results:
FIRST ROUND
Upper half
Eton 4, Clifton 1; Wellingborough 3, Trent 2; Sherborne 5, Cheltenham 0; Malvern 4 1/2, Highgate 1/2; King's Canterbury 4 1/2, Taunton 1/2; Charterhouse 4, Wrekin 1; Marlborough 3, Blundell's 2; Loretto 5, Chigwell 0. Harrow 3 1/2, Liverpool 1 1/2; Lancing 3 1/2, Bedford 1 1/2; Haileybury 3, Winchester 2; Downside 3 1/2, Hurstpierpoint 1 1/2; Westminster 3, Brighton 2; Tonbridge 4 1/2, Whitgift 1/2; Rugby 3, Merchant Taylors 2; Gresham's 5, Berkhamsted 0.
Lower Half
Cranleigh 4 1/2, Canford 1/2; Bradfield 4, Felsted 1; Uppingham 3, Ampleforth 2; Oundle 5, City of London 0; Radley 4 1/2, Eastbourne 1/2; Forest 3, Bishop's Stortford 2; Rempton 4, St Bees 1; Merchiston 3 1/2, Framingham 1 1/2.
Watson's 5, King Edward's Birmingham 0; St Paul's 3 1/2, Mill Hill 1 1/2; Fettes 3 1/2, Shrewsburgy 1 1/2; Glenalmond 3 1/2, Aldenham 1 1/2; Edinburgh Acad 3, Stonyhurst 2; Rossall 3, Dulwich 2; Stowe 3, Wellington 2; Epsomn 3, The Leys 2.

SECOND ROUND
Eton 5, Wellingborough 0.
Malvern 3 1/2, Sherborne 1 1/2.
Charterhouse 3 1/2, King's Canterbury 1 1/2.
Loretto 4, Marlborough 1.
Harrow 4, Lancing 4.
Downside 3 1/2, Haileybury 1 1/2.
Tonbridge 3 1/2, Westminster 1 1/2.
Rugby 3, Gresham's 2.

Bradfield 3, Cranleigh 2.
Uppingham 3, Oundle 2.
Radley 3 1/2. Forest 1 1/2
Merchiston 3 1/2. Repton 1  1/2.
Watson's 5, St Paul's 0.
Glenalmond 3 1/2, Fettes 1 1/2.
Rossall 4, Edinburgh Acad 1.
Epsom 3, Stowe 2.

THIRD ROUND
Malvern 3 1/2. Eton 1 1/2.
Charterhouse 3, Loretto 2.
Harrow 4 1/2, Downside 1/2.
Tonbridge 4 1/2, Rugby 1/2.
Bradfield 3, Uppingham 2.
Merchiston 5, Radley 0.
Watson's 5, Glenalmond 0.
Epsom 4, Rossall 1.

QUARTER-FINALS
Malvern 3 1/2, Charterhouse 1 1/2.
Tonbridge 3 1/2, Harrow 1 1/2.
Bradfield 3, Merchiston 2
Watson's 3, Epsom 2.

SEMI-FINALS
Malvern 3 1/2, Tonbridge 1 1/2.
Watson's 4, Bradfield 1.

FINAL
Watson's 3 1/2, Malvern 1 1/2.

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PAUL O'HARA MISSES THE CUT IN MOROCCO BY ONE SHOT

After a long, anxious wait in the clubhouse, Paul O'Hara missed the cut after 36 holes of the EPD (German PGA) Tour event, the Open Mogador, at Golf de Mogador, Essaouria in Morocco.

The Colville Park man, pictured, posted a 36-hole total of two over par 146 fairly early on the day. In the end, that proved to be one shot too many to figure among the qualifiers for the third and final round.

Paul started the day with a 69 tucked away for the first round but it all went wrong in the second.

He did have birdies at the second and seventh but he also had a double bogey 5 at the short 11th and bogeyed the first, fourth, eighth, 14th and 17th for a 77.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
134 Max Tschinkel (Germany) 65 69.
137 Jean Francois Lucquin (France) 72 65, Allen John (Germany) 70 67, Filipe Lima (Portugal) 69 68.
Selected scores:
140 Ben Parker (England) 69 71 (T9).
141 Daniel Belch (England) 72 69 (T14).

142 Thomas Curtis (England) 70 72 (T21).

144 Lee Corfield (England) 71 73 (T33).

145 Gareth Davies (England) 73 72 (T40).

MISSED THE CUT (145 and better qualified).
146 Paul O'Hara (Scotland) 69 77.

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SCHWARTZEL, GOOSEN SIGN UP FOR VOLVO WORLD MATCH-PLAY

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IMG
Charl Schwartzel and Retief Goosen are the latest stars to confirm their participation in the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesín from May 19-22.
Schwartzel, who won his first Major title at the 2011 Masters and two-time Major winner, Retief Goosen, are both well known for their calm demeanour under pressure and will be fearsome opposition for the 14 players already confirmed:
Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Paul Lawrie, Johan Edfors, Robert Karlsson, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell,Y E Yang, Ross Fisher, Søren Kjeldsen, Francesco Molinari and Alvaro Quirós.

RICHIE RAMSAY SHOOTS A SIX-UNDER 66 IN CHINA OPEN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Han Chang-won enjoyed the best day of his fledgling professional career to lead the Volvo China Open after the opening round in Chengdu today.

An eight under par 64 put the 19 year old South Korean a shot clear of Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin, Welshman Bradley Dredge, England's James Morrison and Dane Søren Kjeldsen.

Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay, pictured, had an encouraging 66 and Stephen Gallacher a 70.
Han, a former Asian amateur champion - who confirmed his potential by winning the OneAsia Tour's Qualifying School - started at the tenth and had two birdies on the way out, before adding further gains on the first and fourth.

But it was a run of four straight birdies over the closing stretch that brought him home in 30 and propelled him to the top of the leaderboard.

"It's very good weather and I got a bit lucky today," said Han, for whom this is a first campaign in the professional ranks. "I missed a few easy shots but most to the time I was perfect and hit the fairways and got cloe to the pins.

"I felt comfortable going into those last four holes which I birdied. I didn't really feel any pressure and it was a good finish.

"Luxehills is a good course and I really like it. The greens and fairways are in good condition and we have good weather. When I played in Masters in America the conditions were like this.

"I've been playing golf for nine years. I've only been professional from this year. I play for the national team. I've not made much money yet as a professional so it would be nice to get some this week!

"I look up to both K J Choi and Y E Yang. I always think about them and would like to win like them."

Maybin has been a runner-up on The European Tour three times but is still seeking a first victory.

Like Han he was bogey free at Luxehills International Country Club, mixing five birdies with an eagle at the par five first.

"I putted really nicely today but didn't actually play that great," he said. "You can get away with quite a bit out here. I was a little fortunate to say the least.

"I drove it poorly but luckily my wedges and putting were very good so I got away with it a little bit. The short game saved me a bit today - I putted great.

"Anytime you shoot 65 you've got to be happy. I'll take a lot from that. I need to knuckle down and play well again tomorrow. I've been playing pretty poorly so to shoot 65 is pretty good. I'm not thinking about winning, or top ten or making the cut."

New Zealander Michael Campbell also continued his recent improvement with a five under par 67.

The former US Open Champion made only four cuts in two years after a string of injury woes.

But he reached the weekend for the first time in 2011 at the Sicilian Open a month ago and has since finished 19th in Morocco and 35th in Malaysia.

And Campbell revealed his renaissance has been in no small part down to an Olympic rowing legend.

"Every week seems to be getting better for me," said Campbell. "I didn't finish it off last week in Malaysia but today I played great from tee to green and putted better.

"I missed a few short ones coming in but beside that it was a real solid first round. It's a snowball effect. I'm growing in confidence with each shot, each putt, each chip. You ask any athlete - confidence is not something you can buy from the corner store. You have to earn it.

"Definitely over the last three or four weeks it's been that way. I've turned the corner now. I'm over that hump. It was a huge hump but I knew that if I worked hard and preserved I'd get there.

"It's just getting advice from people who have been there. Sir Steve Redgrave and I had a chat about six months ago sharing a car together at the Dunhill Links last year.

"We went from Carnoustie to St Andrews which is about 45minutes so it was very inspiring 45minutes talking to Steve. He's great and very supportive.

"I've known Steve for a long time, maybe six years. I always wanted to talk to Steve about it. He had to wait every four years to win his golds so patience was his biggest issue.

"The thing I took from his conversation was once you've tasted, once you've been there you can do it again. There's no reason why you can't.

"He said ‘Michael you've just got to work harder'. For me winning the US Open was like climbing Everest. His response was next time you try to do it do it with no oxygen. I thought about it and thought that's probably a good response. So I'm working hard on my fitness and mental game. There's a huge shift for me right now towards playing better golf."

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 72

64 Han Chang-Won (S Korea).

65 Gareth Maybin (N Ireland), James Morrison (England), Bradley Dredge (Wales), Seren Kjeldsen (Denmark).

SCOTS' SCORES

66 Richie Ramsay.

70 Stephen Gallacher.

71 Simon Yates.

To finish

-3 after 15 holes Peter Whiteford

-3 after 16 holes David Drysdale.

TO CHECK ALL THE SCORES ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

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LEE WESTWOOD TWO OFF THE PACE AT INDONESIAN MASTERS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR

Jakarta. Siddikur shot an opening six-under-par 66 to lead the Indonesian Masters today and has world number two Lee Westwood trailing by two.

The man from Bangladesh - who doesn't have a first name - fired two superb chip-ins in ideal scoring conditions to hold a one stroke lead from the chasing pack at Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Thailand ’s Thongchai Jaidee with compatriot Prayad Marksaeng posted solid 67s to share second place with Singaporean Lam Chih Bing, Filipino Antonio Lascuna and Koreans Park Hyun-bin and Hwang Inn-choon in the US$750,000 showpiece. 

Englishman Westwood, pictured, the hot favourite to win this week, was among seven players tied in eighth place on identical 68s. If he wins this week and Luke Donald does not in the United States , Westwood will regain his world number one spot from Martin Kaymer.

The Bangladeshi, who started from the 10^th tee, said he was lucky to take the lead after holing out from 15 and 30 feet on holes 10 and two respectively.   

“I was hitting and putting very well and it has been like this for a few weeks now. I’m getting more confidence every week and that’s why I’ve been playing so well,” said the 2010 Brunei Open winner.

Siddikur has come a long way since his days as a caddy at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Bangladesh where his first club was a broken seven iron head stuck on a metal rod. 

He is the first Bangladeshi to play and win on the Asian Tour and has continued to shine with commendable performances. He finished in eighth place at the Maybank Malaysian Open last week and was placed second at the SAIL Open in India last month, losing only by one stroke to Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand .

Despite his success in Asia , Siddikur admitted he was feeling nervous playing with world number two Westwood.  

 “I saw the draw yesterday and was feeling a bit excited playing with one of the best players in the world. I have to admit I felt a bit shaky this morning playing with him,” he said.

Thongchai, a three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, who played with Siddikur and Westwood turned in 30 highlighted by an eagle 3 on the 12^th hole.

He was firmly in the lead before dropping a costly double bogey on the first hole. 

“I was distracted by a camera and lost concentration from there on. I missed a lot of good putts on the back nine but made birdie on the last to put myself near the leader,” said the decorated Thai, who found 15 greens today.

Lam was six-under through 12 holes but wobbled in his closing holes with one birdie against two bogeys. 

“I haven’t been playing that great this year but got off to a good start by hitting my shots close to the hole. That got me going and I started making a few putts. It seems like things aren’t clicking in my game but I feel that I’m pretty close to returning to my best,” said Lam, who has won once on the Asian Tour.

Westwood is determined to focus on the Indonesian Masters and is unperturbed by the fact that he has a chance of regaining the world number one spot this week.

“I’ll let things take its course and see what happens at the end of the week. Like I said before, I’m here to win a golf tournament,” said Westwood, Europe's number one in 2000 and 2009.

He struggled to get his putter on fire early in the round but birdied his closing two holes to put himself two strokes from the lead.

 “I played solidly but I was a bit frustrated out there. It has been the story for me so far, hitting it great from tee to green and giving myself a lot of chances but not taking it,” added the Englishman.

All the latest news from the Indonesian Masters is also available on www.indonesianmasters.com.

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Par 72

66 SIDDIKUR (BAN).

67 PARK Hyun-bin (KOR), LAM Chih Bing (SIN), Antonio LASCUNA (PHI), Prayad MARKSAENG (THA), HWANG Inn-choon (KOR), Thongchai JAIDEE (THA).

68 Rory HIE (INA), Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA), Ben LEONG (MAS), Lee WESTWOOD (ENG), Darren BECK (AUS), MO Joong-kyung (KOR), Shaaban HUSSIN (MAS).

69 Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG), Iain STEEL (MAS), Peter GUSTAFSSON (SWE), Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA).

70 Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA), LEE Sung (KOR), Boonchu RUANGKIT (THA), Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA), HSU Mong-nan (TPE), Varut CHOMCHALAM (THA), Tim STEWART (AUS), Marcus BOTH (AUS), Prom MEESAWAT (THA), Jason KNUTZON (USA), Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA).

THE TOM MORRIS GOLF SHOP REPOPENS IN ST ANDREWS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST

The oldest golf shop in the world reopens tomorrow at the birthplace of the game in St Andrews , Scotland and features a display of some original pieces of furniture which belonged to Tom Morris.
The Tom Morris Golf Shop was opened in St Andrews in 1866 by the four-time Open champion who is widely regarded as the father of the modern game. His ball and clubmaking business was originally founded in 1848.
Tom Morris Ltd was acquired last year by St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the seven public courses at the Home of Golf. The shop was closed over the winter for renovation and reopened yesterday with a completely new look and feel. It will stock apparel and merchandise bearing an updated Tom Morris crest from the 1880s and the sign on the front of the building will once again be styled with the name ‘T. Morris’ as it was in his time.
Several artefacts belonging to Morris himself were discovered during the renovation including his original workbench in the shop window where he made golf clubs and balls, the fireplace where he heated and shaped gutta percha balls and what is believed to be his locker where he stored his clubs.
These items form part of a display area in the shop celebrating the achievements of Morris as a golf champion, a pioneering greenkeeper and course architect, a club and ball maker, a family man and a businessman.
Morris was a hugely influential figure in the development of golf, The Open Championship and the Old Course and St Andrews Links in particular. Morris’ high profile series of money matches against Willie Park in the 1860s to 1880s brought the game, through national newspaper coverage, to a wider audience and helped to establish golf as a popular sport. He was employed by The Royal and Ancient as Keeper of the Green in St Andrews for nearly forty years and made many improvements to the Old Course.
These included building the first and 18th greens, enlarging many to the famed double greens and clearing gorse which made the current anti-clockwise routing used today possible. He also laid out the New Course which opened in 1895. He was the first to begin applying sand to the Old Course which is now a technique accepted as commonplace among greenkeepers around the world. Morris was also involved in creating the original lay-outs of some of Britain ’s most famous courses including Carnoustie, Prestwick , Muirfield and Royal North Devon (Westward Ho!).
His son Tommy became the youngest Open champion in 1868 at the age of 17, beating his father into second place, the only time this has happened in the 150-year history of the championship and a feat unlikely to be repeated. Tommy won The Open three consecutive times and then again in 1872. He died tragically at the age of 24.
Euan Loudon , chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said, “This is another chapter in the long and proud history of the Tom Morris name in St Andrews and his close association with the Old Course and St Andrews Links. When the previous owners approached us regarding the business we felt it was very important that Tom’s rich heritage was preserved and that ownership remained in St Andrews. That has been achieved and I think the new shop will be a fitting celebration of his remarkable career and achievements.”
Peter Crabtree, the co-author with David Malcolm of ‘Tom Morris of St Andrews, The Colossus of Golf, 1821-1908’, published in 2008, said, “There is no doubt that Tom Morris was the central figure in the greatest period of the development of golf in the mid to late 19th Century. His achievements as a golfer and as the man who shaped and transformed the Links of St Andrews were extraordinary.
"He was a skilled ball and clubmaker and developed a thriving business in his workshop overlooking the 18th green that he created. It is a testimony to the man that his business has survived to this day and will continue to prosper in years to come.”
Sheila Walker, a direct descendant of Tom Morris who still lives above the shop, added, “Our family has always been tremendously proud of Tom’s life and work. He dedicated himself to his family and to golf and his legacy is all around us here in St Andrews and, indeed, wherever golf is played.
"His workshop and business were extremely important to him and it is exciting to see some of his furniture being preserved and put on display in the shop. This will help to ensure that future generations continue to revere Tom Morris and his contribution to golf.”
A new website has been created about the Tom Morris Golf Shop at www.tommorris.com.

FINCH, ALKER, WIEGELE EARLY LEADERS IN CHINA OPEN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE New Zealand's Steve Alker, England's Richard Finch and Austrian Martin Wiegele are the early leaders at the Volvo China Open in Chengdu today.
The 39-year-old Alker reached the turn in a four under par 32 after a hattrick of gains from the fifth, and he was joined on the mark by former Irish Open winner Finch and Saint Omer Open champion Wiegele, who were both through eight holes.
Wiegele, 32, eagled the first before adding back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh, while Finch mixed five birdies with a bogey at the second.
England's John Bickerton was one behind after eight holes at Luxehills International Country Club, while Michael Campbell was amongst those on two under as his revival continued.
The former US Open champion from New Zealand had made only four cuts in two years a month ago as he battled a string of injuries.
But he has made three of the last four on The European Tour and two birdies on his outward nine set him on the right track again.