RORY McILROY MISSES QUAIL HOLLOW CUT BY THREE STROKES

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (AP) — Rory McIlroy's return to the US PGA Tour after his final-round Masters meltdown didn't last long, guaranteeing the Wells Fargo Championship will have a new winner.
The defending champion shot an even-par 72 on Friday at Quail Hollow and missed the even-par cut by three strokes.
"Disappointed that after all that happened last year, not to be here for the weekend. But that's golf," said McIlroy, pictured, who shot a course-record 62 in the final round a year ago to win by four shots. "I'll go home and do some hard practice over the next few days and try to get ready for the next event."
McIlroy, who turned 22 Wednesday, shot an 80 on the last day at Augusta to lose a four-shot lead. He struggled with his ball striking on Thursday, and a day later his putter let him down.
"I gave myself a lot of opportunities," McIlroy said, "I just wasn't able to take them."
There were moments late in the round when it appeared McIlroy might pull off a similar feat as a year ago, when he was two shots over the cut line with three holes to go. An eagle on No. 7 allowed him to make the cut on the number. Then came weekend rounds of 66 and 62. But that was then and this is now.
"I know better than most people that you just have to be around on the weekend and be able to make something happen," he said. "I was just trying to get in there, trying to get to the weekend."
McIlroy got within one of the cut line with a birdie on 15 and then lipped out a 40-foot birdie putt on 16. After three-putting the 17th for bogey, he knew he had to make eagle on the final hole.
"I basically needed to hole my second shot on the last to have any chance," McIlroy said. "I went for the pin and just came up a bit short and in the creek. Obviously, not what I wanted."
Leading money-winner Martin Laird from Glasgow all but made the cut after a fine second round of 68 - 10 shots better than his nightmare opening round. But a two-round total of 146 was just one stroke too many to get him through to the weekend action. Paul Casey failed on the same mark with the same 78-68 scoresline.
MICKELSON'S PRAISE: While Phil Mickelson created a stir a year ago when he criticised the greens at Quail Hollow, he's a big fan of the course layout.
He's also in his familiar spot near the top of the leaderboard.
Mickelson shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to move within three shots of leader Pat Perez.
"I love the way the course is set up," Mickelson said. "I love the way there's a first cut. There's a lot of opportunity for recovery. When you do miss the fairway, even though you're in trees and you have a tough shot, you still have an opportunity with a decent lie."
In seven previous appearances, Mickelson has five top-10 finishes. He finished second behind Rory McIlroy last year and is again in contention for his first win in Charlotte.
"It's going to be a fun weekend," Mickelson said.

HAAS AT HOME: Bill Haas knows he's biased about the Wells Fargo Championship, but it hasn't stopped him from repeating the line all week.
"It's just probably our best event outside the majors," Haas said.
Growing up two hours away in Greenville, South Carolina, Haas played Quail Hollow multiple times with his father, Champions Tour star and club member Jay Haas.
Haas continued to make trips to Charlotte while a student at nearby Wake Forest University.
The institutional knowledge seems to be paying off after rounds of 64 and 70 left him two shots off the lead.
"I've got a lot of good friends here, a lot of Deacon (Wake Forest team nickname) fans here," Haas said. "I'm hearing 'Go Deacs' out there a lot, which is nice."
The only thing to make it better for Haas would be to get his third career win Sunday.
"Outside of the majors, this would be my No. 1 tournament to win," he said. "Just because of the people involved with the tournament. When I walk in the clubhouse, everybody I see I know."

DIVOTS: Vijay Singh, the 2005 winner, fired a 68 Friday to move within four shots of the lead. "It's been a while since I struck the ball this good," said Singh, winless since 2008. "I'm really excited." ... Davis Love III's 69 left him seven shots back and ended a streak of three straight missed cuts on the tour. "I'm just happy being on the other side of it, looking at the leaderboard rather than driving home," he said. ... Bryan Bigley, a groundskeeper at a nearby club who qualified for the event Monday, shot 78-76 to miss the cut in his PGA Tour debut. ... Storms moved through the area late in the morning, causing a delay of nearly 90 minutes, but Bigley and his last group still completed the round before darkness set in shortly before 8:30 p.m.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
(before end of play)
Par 144 (2x72)
Players from US unless stated
132 Pat Perez 67 65.
134 Bill Haas 64 70, Jonathan Byrd 66 68.
135 Phil Mickelson 69 66, Lucas Glover 67 68.
136 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 68 68, Stewart Cink 71 65, Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 68 68.
137 Brian Davis (England) 70 67, Webb Simpson 70 67, Steve Marino 70 67.
SELECTED SCORES
138 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 69 69 (T12).
141 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69 72 (T33).
143 Edoardo Molinari (Italy) 72 71 (T54).
144 Justin Rose (England) 71 73 (T67)


MISSED THE CUT (144 or better qualified)

146 Paul Casey (England) 78 68, Martin Laird (Scotland) 78 68.
147 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 75 72.
148 David Duval 75 73.

151 Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 75 76.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

MORAY AND NAIRN GOLF LEAGUE at FORRES GOLF CLUB

TONIGHT'S RESULT:

FORRES 6, NAIRN DUNBAR 2


1 B Fotheringham lost to W Barron 2 and 1. 
2 G Stuart bt N Pears 3 and 2.
3 R McKerron bt G Burnett 2 holes
4 J Simpson bt L Miller 6 and 5.
5 M Jones bt K Donnelly 7 and 5. 
6 M Murdoch lost to B A Watson 1 hole
7 A Robertson bt C Oram 2 and 1.
8 C MacKay bt F Brown 3 and 2.

THURSDAY NIGHT'S RESULT:

NAIRN 4, ELGIN 4

Saturday's matches
9.30am Moray v Elgin.
10.30 Forres v Nairn.
2pm Nairn Dunbar v Moray.
3pm - Elgin v Forres.

JAMIE McLEARY GETS STAR BILLING IN DISNEYLAND WITH A 63

By PAUL SYMES

European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Scotland’s Jamie McLeary shot the lowest round of his professional career to open up a two-stroke lead at the midway stage of the Allianz Challenge de France.

McLeary, who won the 2009 Scottish Hydro Challenge, missed the cut in both of his previous two Challenge Tour appearances this season, but bounced back to form in spectacular fashion with a stunning round of 63 to set a new course record at Golf Disneyland, near the French capital Paris.
That earned McLeary a bottle of vintage champagne courtesy of tournament sponsors Cattier and moved him to 11 under par, two shots clear of England’s Andrew Marshall, who signed for a round of 65.
McLeary, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency,  attributed his dazzling display to a renewed appetite for practice, and the 30 year old from Edinburgh has vowed to keep attacking as he goes in search of his second Challenge Tour title.
He said: “The eight birdies were very welcome but I was almost as pleased with no bogeys, because there are some very tricky holes out there. I only made one bogey on the first day, and I actually played that quite well, just had a dodgy lie in the semi-rough. So I’m playing very well, and now I want to try to capitalise on it and push on over the weekend.
"I had a few chances to win last year but got a bit too defensive and cautious, so I’m going to try to go for the jugular and be a bit more attacking at the weekend. I had a bit of a talk with myself and worked really hard on my game over the winter – my fiancée’s been a bit of a golf widow! But hopefully the hard work will pay off.
“I had a slow start to the season, which was strange because I did some winter work in America before Colombia, which went really well. I played a few practice rounds and was shooting three, four or five under par most days. But then I got to Colombia and the course just didn’t suit my game, after coming from wide fairways and big greens in America to tight fairways and tiny greens there.
"So I felt a bit lost, but then I actually played quite well in Kenya, only to throw in a few doubles, which you can’t afford to do on the Challenge Tour. But I’ve been much better here – hopefully I can keep it going over the weekend and see it through.”
Marshall moved into contention after his putter caught fire after the turn, and he came home with just ten putts.
The Englishman, who is a model of consistency, is yet to win on the Challenge Tour, with a runner-up finish at the 2001 Challenge Total Fina Elf his best effort; but remains hopeful of breaking the drought over the next two days.
He said: “I actually got off to a slow start with a bogey on my second hole, and I struggled to get the pace of the greens to start with because they were a bit slower than yesterday morning, so I was leaving everything short. But I got it going with a birdie on the 16th and another on the 18th, then after the turn all of a sudden I couldn’t miss.

“As the putts started dropping I saw my name creeping up the leaderboard, then the 30 foot birdie putt on the ninth was the icing on the cake. It was just one of those days when it felt quite easy, especially towards the end because I wasn’t really under any pressure. I’m just going to try to keep that

same mindset over the weekend, try to break 70 both days and see where it takes me.”
Following respective rounds of 67 and 64, Marshall’s compatriots Charlie Ford and Sam Little are in a share of third place on eight under par alongside Nicholas Meitinger, who matched McLeary’s round of 63 late in the day.

SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)

131 J McLeary (Sco) 68 63
133 A Marshall (Eng) 68 65
134 S Little (Eng) 70 64, N Meitinger (Ger) 71 63, C Ford (Eng) 67 67
135 B Hebert (Fra) 69 66, B Akesson (Swe) 69 66
136 A Domingo (Esp) 70 66, G Houston (Wal) 67 69, J Quesne (Fra) 69 67, F Colombo (Ita) 69 67, A Ahokas (Fin) 67 69, J Palmer (Eng) 70 66, G Molteni (Ita) 67 69, S Thornton (Irl) 68 68, M Kieffer (Ger) 69 67
137 A Bernadet (Fra) 68 69, A McArthur (Sco) 69 68, R Santos (Por) 71 66, G Cambis (Fra) 72 65, F Calmels (Fra) 71 66, A Forsyth (Sco) 71 66, A Pavan (Ita) 69 68, D Vancsik (Arg) 70 67, D Brooks (Eng) 67 70, J Lagergren (Swe) 64 73
138 B Chapellan (Fra) 67 71, P Archer (Eng) 69 69, X Poncelet (Fra) 69 69, C Gane (Eng) 69 69, C Lee (Sco) 70 68, T Fleetwood (Eng) 69 69, R Bechu (Fra) 66 72, S Robinson (Eng) 70 68, P Gustafsson (Swe) 68 70, M Glauert (Ger) 70 68, A Snobeck (Fra) 73 65
139 M Cryer (Eng) 67 72, M Evans (Eng) 67 72, E Dubois (Fra) 71 68, M Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 67 72, P Edberg (Swe) 70 69, J Heath (Eng) 69 70, M Warren (Sco) 73 66, A Bossert (Sui) 69 70, E Kofstad (Nor) 67 72, C Lloyd (Eng) 73 66
140 K Eriksson (Swe) 71 69, J Lopez Lazaro (Fra) 68 72, M Lundberg (Swe) 72 68, B Ritthammer (Ger) 72 68, S Bebb (Wal) 71 69, J Billot (Fra) 70 70, C Russo (Fra) 71 69, J Lima (Por) 71 69, D Perrier (Fra) 72 68, G Lockerbie (Eng) 71 69, N Kearney (Irl) 68 72, L Jensen (Den) 71 69, R De Sousa (Sui) 72 68
MISSED THE CUT
141 W Schauman (Swe) 70 71, P Relecom (Bel) 72 69, N McCarthy (Eng) 74 67, J Grillon (Fra) 72 69, J Lucquin (Fra) 71 70, J Hepworth (Eng) 69 72, T Feyrsinger (Aut) 75 66, J Larsen (Nor) 69 72, M Palm (Swe) 72 69, A Bihan (Fra) 69 72, G Rosier (Fra) 72 69, C Paisley (Eng) 71 70, V Riu (Fra) 74 67, C Monasterio (Arg) 74 67
142 T Whitehouse (Eng) 73 69, B Evans (Eng) 72 70, M Southgate (Eng) 70 72, S Walker (Eng) 74 68, T Linard (Fra) 72 70, C Moriarty (Irl) 71 71, A Perrino (Ita) 68 74, R Blaum (USA) 70 72, J Guerrier (Fra) 70 72
143 M Ford (Eng) 74 69, T Raillard (Fra) 72 71, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 71 72, B Barham (Eng) 72 71, B Miarka (Ger) 73 70, G Adell (Swe) 72 71, T Ferreira (RSA) 77 66, N Lemke (Swe) 74 69, A Bruschi (Ita) 73 70, C Brazillier (Fra) 71 72, I Giner (Esp) 73 70, P Dwyer (Eng) 71 72, W Besseling (Ned) 72 71, P Del Grosso (Arg) 73 70, D Denison (Eng) 73 70, O David (Fra) 75 68
144 T Leon (USA) 72 72, F Praegant (Aut) 75 69, J Doherty (Sco) 72 72, A Hansen (Den) 75 69, J Estevez (Arg) 71 73, T Fournier (Fra) 67 77, K Le Sager (Fra) 69 75, D Nouailhac (Fra) 74 70, A Canete (Arg) 71 73, O Maire (Fra) 72 72
145 B Teilleria (Fra) 71 74, N Mourlon (Fra) 74 71, R Kind (Ned) 68 77, B Grace (RSA) 75 70, I Keenan (Eng) 69 76, A Grenier (Fra) 77 68
146 M Bey (Fra) 74 72, M Kramer (Ger) 77 69, A Butterfield (Eng) 78 68, G Dear (Sco) 72 74, M Baldwin (Eng) 73 73, S Matus (Cze) 71 75, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 74 72
147 M Thorp (Nor) 74 73, P Baker (Eng) 74 73, J Robinson (Eng) 70 77, C Macaulay (Sco) 75 72, J Clément (Sui) 79 68
148 M Erlandsson (Swe) 73 75, J Little (Eng) 78 70, Å Nilsson (Swe) 75 73, J Guillet (Fra) 75 73
149 C Doak (Sco) 76 73, R Dupuis (Fra) 74 75, P Golding (Eng) 75 74, G Watremez (Bel) 72 77, A Willey (Eng) 76 73, R Marguery (Fra) 73 76, S Davis (Eng) 76 73
150 L Westerberg (Swe) 77 73, L Kennedy (Eng) 73 77, N Joakimides (Fra) 72 78, J Legarrea (Esp) 75 75, J Gressier (Fra) 76 74, M Delpodio (Ita) 73 77, C Judlin (Fra) 78 72
151 N Lombardi (Ita) 77 74, J Foret (Fra) 77 74, G Jackson (Eng) 77 74, D Wuensche (Ger) 77 74
152 M Bothma (RSA) 76 76, R Schneider (Fra) 76 76, R Hjelm (Den) 80 72, O Serres (Fra) 76 76
154 F Abadie (Fra) 80 74
155 S Fernoux (Fra) 77 78
162 M Van Hauwe (Fra) 82 80

STEVENSON (74) IS LEADING SCOT ON A WINDY DAY IN IRELAND

Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs), pictured, is the leading Scot after the first round of the Irish men's open amateur stroke-play championship at a windy Royal Dublin Golf Club links today.

He shot a two-over-par 74 to be lying joint eighth in the field field.

Walker Cup team place contender Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) had a 75 to be joint 12th.

Clubmate Jordan Findlay, the Scottish Alliance champion and beaten Scottish amateur championship finalist at Gullane last summer, is on 76.

Peterhead's Philip McLean has a fight on his hands to survive the halfway cut after an 82 while Royal Aberdeen's Scott Larkin had a disastrous round of 91

FROM THE IRISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Robin Kind of the Netherlands was the only man to break par on day 1 of the Irish Amateur Open Championship at The Royal Dublin.
Kind owed his success to his performance on the back nine – by far the harder in a testing easterly wind – as he covered the second half of his round in two-under 35, highlighted by an eagle two at the short par-four 16th.
Ian Brennan (Greenore) and Welshman Rhys Pugh share second place on level-par 72, with Greystones teenager Paul Dunne, the defending champion Alan Dunbar (Rathmore) and Carlow’s John Greene all on one over after 73s.
Galway’s Eddie McCormack, Banbridge’s Rory Leonard and Scot Gordon Stevenson are a further shot back after two-over 74s.

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD 
Par 72
71 R Kind (Netherlands)
72 I Brennan (Greenore), R Pugh (Wales)
73 P Dunne (Greystones), C Fairweather (Knock), A Dunbar (Rathmore), J Greene (Carlow)
74 E McCormack (Galway), G Stevenson (Scotland), R Leonard (Banbridge), J Carlota (Portugal)
75 K Nicol (Scotland), J Brittain (England), T Silva (Portugal), D Downie (Sutton), M Gaspar (Portugal), D Murray (Skerries), P Cutler (Portstewart), J Evans (England), T Lewis (England)
76 E Arthurs (Forrest Little), G McDermott (Co. Sligo), M Shanahan (West Waterford), S Bolton (England), J Findlay (Scotland), F Schulte (Germany), N Hellberg (Finland), R Whitson (Mourne), R O'Donovan (Lucan), M Veijalainen (Finland), R Van West (Netherlands)
77 N Grant (Knock), B Casey (Headfort), C O'Malley (Westport), F McKenna (Scotland), B Walton (The Island), D Huizing (Netherlands), J Fox (Portmarnock), F Osther (Netherlands), S Borrowman (Scotland)
78 K Crowley (Lee Valley), S Carter (Stackstown), D Murphy (Portarlington), C Selfridge (Moyola Park), W Hanna (Kilkeel), P Murray (Limerick), J Hume (Rathsallagh), T Salminen (Finland), D Loftus (Swinford), S Barry (Laytown and Bettystown), T Gurek (Germany), G Moynihan (The Island), M Kippen (England), S McCarthy (Black Bush)
79 C Molloy (Ardee), C Doran (Banbridge), P Shields (Scotland), J Dillon (Headfort), T Rodrigues (Portugal), S Bryan (Delgany), E Smith (Ardee), M Durcan (Co. Sligo), W Harmston (England), D McElroy (Ballymena), C Boggan (Co. Meath), S Grehan (Tullamore), A Eckhardt (Finland), J Monaghan (The Royal Dublin)
80 G Bohill (Co. Louth), S Moloney (Castletroy), T Ibbertson (England), S Brady (Co. Sligo), M Buggy (Castlecomer), Q Carew (Edenderry), G Lawlor (Newbridge), G McGrane (The Royal Dublin), R Bridges (Stackstown), D Coyle (Co. Louth), R McNamara (Headfort), J Lyons (Birr)
81 L Bjerregaard (Denmark), G Dunne (Seapoint), A Kearney (Castlerock), S Quy (Belgium), K Murray (Charlesland), H Beins (Germany), P Latimer (Scotland), R Dhondt (Belgium)
82 S O'Connor (Skerries), P McLean (Scotland), A Hogan (Newlands), A Kiernan (Forrest Little), S Ryan (The Royal Dublin), S Crenan (England), K McCarthy (Kinsale), C Martin (Kilkenny), S Crichton (Scotland)
83 M O'Connor (England), K Phelan (Waterford Castle), M Downes (England), P Croonquist (USA), O Farr (Wales), L Lennox (Moyola Park), B Anderson (Co. Sligo), S McGlynn (South County)
84 J Hord (USA), R Fieldhouse (Wales), C Daly (Castletroy), J Hopkins (Skerries)
85 J Richardson (Royal Portrush), A Kelly (Charleville)
86 R Megens (Belgium)

88 C Glynn (Carton House), L Nemecz (Austria)

89 T Collins (South Africa)

90 C Korbler (Austria)

91 S Larkin (Scotland)

92 D Callister (England)

Retired: D O'Neill (Carton House)

ALVA'S ALLAN LEADS BY TWO IN SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE SGU WEBSITE

Alva’s Lawrence Allan, pictured, today maintained the form that saw him finish as the leading Scot in the Fairhaven Trophies event at the weekend to lead the international field at the Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths Championship after the first day’s play at Paisley Golf Club.

Allan’s excellent 67 was enough to open up a two-shot lead on the rest of the field of Under-21s in today’s testing conditions.
The Clackmannanshire youngster was in top form from the outset and moved to two-under to the turn with birdies at the third and sixth. Three further birdies followed in the back-nine with a bogey at the par three 15th the only blemish in an outstanding opening round. Allan commented after his fine round:
“I drove the ball really well today and that was the key to getting it round so well, I didn’t hole too many putts so to score so well despite that is really pleasing”.
Coming into the event on the back of a tied 12th finish at last week’s Fairhaven Trophy, Allan, a member of the Scottish Golf Academy is looking forward to more of the same tomorrow,
“I’ve just got to go out tomorrow and keep doing what I’m doing, if I do that I will hopefully go into Sunday with a really good chance.”
Simon Fairburn, Belgium's Gary Daoust and Liam Johnston (Dumfries and County) are hot on Allan's heels at two under-par after day one.
Looking to go one better than last year's runners-up finish, Torwoodlee’s Fairburn overcame wet weather conditions to return a two under-par 69 for his morning round. Despite the skies clearing in the afternoon, Belgian Daoust's 69, to join the Scot in a tie for second place was equally as impressive with gusty winds replacing the morning rainfall.
Liam Johnston, runner-up in last month’s Scottish Boys joined Daoust and Fairburn on two-under par, firing five birdies en-route.
Former Scottish boys' stroke-play champion Jack McDonald is one of five players a further shot back at one under-par after he birdied two of his final three holes to finish three shots back.
Dumfries and County's Greig Marchbank was in very steady form, carding fifteen pars, two birdies and just a solitary bogey to join McDonald in fifth-place alongside Milnathort's Thomas White, Ranfurly Castle's Sam Binning and McDonald's Adam Dunton.
Finland's Linus Vaisanen enjoyed a solid start to the championship with a one-over par 72, the 2010 Scottish boys' stroke-play champion once again looking like he could be challenging at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.
One group behind the Finn was the man he pipped to the Under-18s' stroke-play title last year, Pollok's Conor O'Neil. The 2010 SGU Junior Order of Merit champion, playing his first event on home soil since returning from Michigan State University for the summer, had to settle for a five over-par 76 but will remain one to watch tomorrow.
Scotland Men's Elite Squad member Scott Gibson (Southerness) is well placed after carding a level-par 71. But it was a disappointing start for recently crowned Scottish boys' champion, David Wilson. The Troon Wellbeck youngster suffered a frustrating day, carding a nine over-par 80. Another past Scottish boys' champion Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) overcame a double-bogey and a triple-bogey to recover for a 74, seven shots off the pace.
The leading forty players after Saturday's second round will progress to Sunday's 36-hole finale amidst the spectacular setting high in the Gleniffer Braes, overlooking Glasgow International Airport, but it's Lawrence Allan flying highest after day one.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 71
67 Lawrence Allan (Alva).
69 Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co), Simon Fairburn (Torwoodlee), Gary Daoust (Belgium).
70 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Thomas White (Milnathort), Jack McDonald (Kilmarncok Barassie), Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Co), Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE SGU WEBSITE

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SCOTT JAMIESON DROPS DOWN TO JOINT THIRD PLACE IN SPAIN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
A seven-week break appears to have done South African Thomas Aiken no harm at all and he takes a one-shot lead into the third round of the Open de España in Barcelona.
The 27-year-old, who did not even touch a club during a month in the Bahamas, had his second successive 68 at El Prat to take over at the top from Glasgow's Scott Jamieson whose par 72 dropped him into a share of third place with three others.
"When I started (practising) again I thought 'what the hell have you done?' because everything felt so strange," said Aiken.
"I wasn't expecting much this week. I was using it to prepare for the rest of the season."
As in the first round Aiken - six times a winner in his home country, but yet to lift a European Tour title - made up for two bogeys with six birdies to stand eight under par.
Tour rookie Jamieson dropped to joint third by following his opening 66 with a 72, a much better score than looked likely when he bogeyed three of the first six holes.
In between them is Pablo Larrazábal, playing on his home course and seeking a victory that he will surely dedicate to Seve Ballesteros, given the latest fears for the life of Spain's greatest-ever golfer.
Jose Maria Olazábal and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who know the five-time Major champion much better of course, were reportedly in tears when they hear the news and unable to speak after reaching halfway on level par and one under respectively.
Alongside 27-year-old Challenge Tour graduate Jamieson are England's Anthony Wall, Frenchman Romain Wattel and another of the home contingent, last season's Challenge Tour No 1 Alvaro Velasco. His 66 was the low round of the day.
Colin Montgomerie, without a top 10 finish for almost three years, had real hopes of climbing into contention at three under early in his round, but then came three bogeys and 11 pars in a row for a 74 that dropped him alongside Olazábal just outside the top 40.
Compatriot Jamieson commented: "I was happy to claw it back. More wind made it a bit tricky, but if you hit it well there are plenty of opportunities for birdies.
"I struggled with my pace on the greens all day."
England's Steve Webster, joint second overnight, crashed out of the event with a 79 that contained two triple bogey 6s, while defending champion Alvaro Quiros missed out by one as well on two over when he three-putted the last from ten feet.
SCOTSWATCH. Paul Lawrie took over as second to Scott Jamieson in the Scots' hit parade with a 71 for 143 to be lying joint 27th going into the final two rounds. But he looked to be drifting near the danger zone when he had slipped to two over par with about six holes to play.
Lawrie, a winner in Spain just a few weeks ago, then showed his class with birdies at the 15th, 16th and 18th.
The Saltman brothers could have done with Paul Lawrie's round - both of them astonishingly missed the cut from positions of comparative "safety" overnight. Lloyd crashed from 70 to 79 for 149, while Elliot, making his comeback after a three-month disciplinary ban, sagged from 72 to 80 for 152.


SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
136 Thomas Aiken (S Africa) 68 68.
137 Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 67 70.
138 Scott Jamieson (Scotland) 66 72, Romain Wattel (France) 67 71, Alvaro Velasco (Spain) 72 66, Anthony Wall (England) 68 70.
139 Gregory Bourdy (France) 68 71, Alex Noren (Sweden) 72 67.
140 Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 68 72.
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
143 Paul Lawrie 72 71 (T27).
144 Colin Montgomerie 70 74, Richie Ramsay 72 72 (T44).
145 Peter Whiteford 73 72, George Murray 72 73 (T56).
MISSED THE CUT (145 or better qualified)
149 Stephen Gallacher 74 75, Lloyd Saltman 70 79.
152 Elliot Saltman 72 80.
153 Steven O'Hara 75 78.


TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

PORTUGUESE TITLE WINNER EDDIE PEPPERELL TURNS PRO

English golfer Eddie Pepperell has announced that he has signed a long term, exclusive representation contract with 4SPORTS and ENTERTAINMENT, the leading Swiss sports management agency.
Pepperell, pictured by Tom Ward Photography, from Abingdon in Oxfordshire, has today turned to the professional ranks of the game and looks set to have an exciting future ahead of him following an excellent career as an amateur. The 20-year-old has already represented his country on numerous occasions and also has a number of amateur titles to his name.
At just 12 years old Eddie showed his promise as a golfer by winning the English U12 Championships (Wee Wonders). Two years later he won the U15 Faldo Series – a title he would successfully defend the following year in 2006. In that same year, Eddie became an England Team squad member for the Boys Home Internationals and made his full England debut in the 2008 Home Internationals at Muirfield. He has represented England Boys a number of times including three successive selections for the European Boys team from 2007-2009. In 2009 Eddie finished runner-up in the British Boys Championship at Royal St. Georges and gained another England cap in the international match versus Spain at La Reserva. Eddie had previously come to national prominence when he won the Reid Trophy in 2005 and also had runner-up finishes in the McGregor and McEvoy Trophies (U16 and U18 National Championships respectively).
In May 2010 he enjoyed his biggest victory to date in winning the Welsh Open Amateur Championship and capped a superb year with his selection for the Eisenhower Trophy. He has since started 2011 in superb style, winning the Portuguese Amateur Championship by one shot.
Pepperell will play his first events as a pro on the Challenge Tour, starting at the Mugello Tuscany Open next week. He will then head to the city of Klagenfurt in Austria to play the Karnten Golf Open presented by the Markus Brier Foundation.
On signing with 4SPORTS, Eddie commented “I’m really pleased to be signing with 4sports. Turning pro is a big step for me and whilst I feel 100% ready, it is great to know that I will have the experience of the team at 4sports supporting and advising me as my career develops.”

O'HARA WINS £1,500 PRIZE IN INAUGURAL OPTICAL EXPRESS TOUR

Winner of the inaugural event on the Optical Express Pro Golf Tour was 24 year old Paul O'Hara from Colville Park, Motherwell with a four-under-par total of 136 at Stranraer. 

O'Hara, pictured, a former Walker Cup reserve and twice beaten finalist in the Scottish amateur championship, has been campaigning on the German PGA's EPD Tour in places as far away as Morocco. His older brother Steven, of course, plays on the European Tour.

Following his opening 69 with a three-under 67 which included five birdies, a bogey 4 at the par 3 sixth, Paul O'Hara could even afford the luxury of dropping a shot at the par 4 18th and still pick up the £1,500 first prize with two strokes to spare.
This was only O'Hara's second victory as a professional - and he is already looking forward to the second Optical Express tournament at Hilton Park on May 25th - 26th.
Northern Open champion Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) finished second and earned the £900 second prize with a total of 138 (68-70).
Third place went to Carnoustie's former Walker Cup player Lindsay Mann who was the only player to match the winner's second-round 67 for a total of 139 - only the top three players finished under par for the 36 holes. Mann earned £700.
East Kilbride's Graeme Fox, who had set the first day pace with a great round of four-under 66 in unpleasant wet conditions, took 11 more shots for the second circuit. His total of 143 saw him drop to joint ninth position with a payslip for £240.
The "leading lady" was Katy McNicoll from Carnoustie. She earned £107.50 for rounds of 73 and 75 for a creditable total of 148.
Paul O'Hara commented: “This has been a fantastic two days over a really good golf course, and I am absolutely delighted and honoured to win the first event on the Optical Express Pro Golf Tour. I am already looking forward to the next event and will be supporting the tour throughout the season."
“This is great for Scottish golf and a wonderful addition to the tournament calendar. Professionally run tournament by Alan Tait and Nigel Scott-Smith and the Stranraer Club were excellent hosts,” said Scott Henderson, former European Tour Player and European Tour Rookie of the Year

David J. Russell, a veteran European Tour player and who is now a very successful player on the European Seniors Tour, sees the Optical Express Pro Golf Tour as a perfect way to prepare for life on the Seniors Tour.
Russell will tee up at the US PGA Seniors championship at Valhalla in Kentucky in three weeks  where he will be competing in the $25 million Seniors Major.
“This tour is a great way to keep competitive and keeps me focused on my game and help keep me sharp”, said the popular Russell.

Tournament Directors Alan Tait and Nigel Scott-Smith are delighted with how the first event went.
“Despite some challenges with the weather in round one, the tournament went without a hitch and we are delighted to have attracted such a strong field, made up pros from Scotland, and as far afield as Spain,” Tait and Smith commented.
“It’s great to have an opportunity to host this professional golf event at Stranraer. The members have been enjoying watching and supporting the event and it's great Stranraer Golf Club are back on the professional rota. We hope this shall be an annual event and the pros shall be welcome back in the future”, said Jim Burns, the host club secretary.

FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY
Par 140 (2x70)
136 Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) 69 67 (£1,500).
138 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 68 70 (£900).
139 Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) 72 67 (£700).
141 Chris Kelly (Cawder) 70 71, David Roger 71 70 (£525 each). 
142 Graeme Brown (Montrose) 74 68, Neil Fenwick 71 71, Colin Gillies (Braid Hills) 73 69 (£340 each).
143 Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 66 77, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 71 72,

Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 73 70, Andrew Oldcorn (Kingsacre) 73 70 (£240 each).
144 Chris Currie 72 72 (£200).
145 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 72 73, Andrew Fullen (Largs) 76 69, Ben Irving 74 71, Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie) 70 75 (£175 each).

146 Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park) 76 70, Lorne Kelly 73 73, Craig Ronald (Carluke) 75 71, Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy) 74 72 (£135 each).
147 David J. Russell (Archerfield Links) 74 73 (£115).
148 Jim McKinnon (Irvine) 73 75, Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie) 73 75 (£107.50 each).
149 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 79 70 (£100).
OUT OF THE MONEY 
150 John Henry 77 73.
151 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 80 71.
152 Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 80 72.
153 Heather MacRae (Downfield) 77 76, Jonathan Malin 80 73.
154 Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 78 76, Lewis Burnett 78 76, Craig Gordon (Edinburgh Golf Centre) 81 73. 
155 James Erskine (Portpatrick Dunskey) 81 74. 
158 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 84 74 158
159 Lauren Mackin (Majorca) 82 77. 
162 Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 80 82, Francisco Pintor Smith 81 81.
Withdrew:
Henry Barton 85 W/D

Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) 82 W/D

Ted Innes Kerr 83 W/D

James Smallwood (Fereneze) 84 W/D

No Return

Mark King (Kingsfield)  72 N/R

EUROPEAN TOUR - SPANISH OPEN AT EL PRAT, BARCELONA

SCOTS' SECOND-ROUND SCORES
at 2.45pm
Par 144
138 Scott Jamieson 66 72 (leads)
143 Paul Lawrie 72 71, David Drysdale 72 71.
144 Colin Montgomerie 70 74.
145 Peter Whiteford 73 72.

PROJECTED CUT 145 OR BETTER TO QUALIFY
149 Stephen Gallacher 74 75, Lloyd Saltman 70 79.
153 Steven O'Hara 75 78.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

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FULL REPORT AT END OF SECOND ROUND

SEVE FAMILY STATEMENT: Severe deterioration in neurological condition

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By KEVIN GARSIDE
The world of golf holds its breath for Seve Ballesteros. A brief statement on his website published by his family this morning sent a shudder through the sport. It told of a “severe deterioration” in his neurological condition.
Ballesteros, 54, has been battling brain cancer since October 2008 when he was admitted to hospital in Madrid after collapsing at the airport. He was diagnosed with a tumour and underwent immediate, 12-hour surgery to remove part of the tissue. He returned to theatre later that month, submitting to a total of four operations to clear the remainder of the tumour.
Ballesteros spent two months in hospital before being discharged to begin chemotherapy treatment at his home in northern Spain. Though Ballesteros's health improved it was accepted that the treatment was not a cure, only a means to prolong life.
It became clear towards the end of last year when he was unable to attend a charity dinner in London in honour of his own Seve Ballesteros Foundation, that concern over his well-being was growing. Today's announcement confirms the gravity of his condition.
Though the comment was brief the inference was that the five time major-champion, one of the greatest players of all time, is battling through the final days of his life.
“The family will provide information on his state of health when more news becomes available,” the statement read.
The development will cast a shadow over the Spanish Open being played in Barcelona this weekend. The emergence of Ballesteros in the 1970s lifted the sport to a new level in his own country and across Europe, sewing the seeds for an expansion of the European Tour unimaginable before his arrival.
Ballesteros won an incredible 50 times on the European Tour, and claimed a total of 87 titles worldwide, including three Open Championships and two Masters crowns.

NORTH-EAST BID TO RETAIN MONEYGATE SCOTTISH AREA TITLE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION

After an 18-year gap between title wins, the North-east will be aiming for back-to-back victories in the Moneygate Scottish Area Team Championship taking place in the historic golfing arena of Prestwick next weekend (14 – 15 May).

The defending champions retain four of the squad who catapulted them to success at Kinross last year, with Scottish Amateur Championship runner-up Jordan Findlay and McDonald’s Adam Dunton bolstering the Scotland international trio of David Law, Philip McLean and Kris Nicol in addition to last year’s Leven Gold Medal winner Scott Larkin.
North-east overcame Renfrewshire in the final twelve months ago to record their first win in the event since 1992 and Law goes into the event full of confidence having captured the Northern Open Amateur title in South Africa earlier this season.
“It was great to be part of a winning North-east team last year and with the nucleus of the side still the same along with Jordan and Adam, we’ll have a great chance again. We’re a close knit group of players with a good team spirit and looking forward to the event,” said Law.
“My own game is in great shape having enjoyed the fantastic warm weather training in Dubai and South Africa and the win over there has really boosted my confidence. It’s a big year for North East golf with the Walker Cup in Royal Aberdeen and that will spur us on further.”
A strong Fife side, aiming to etch their name on the trophy for the first time, also start among the favourites with four current Scotland internationalists in their line-up. The team boasts two of the country’s form men in the shape of Brian Soutar, winner of the season-opening Champion of Champions and Greg Paterson, who recorded the lowest ever winning total in last month’s Craigmillar Park Open, as well as James White and Peter Latimer, both winners on the SGU Order of Merit circuit last year.
Lothians, bronze medallists in 2010, have dominated the championship with 13 wins to date and their side features last season’s Scottish Boys Champion Grant Forrest and Allyn Dick, who partnered Scotland No 1 James Byrne to three foursomes victories in his Scotland Home Internationals debit last year.
Renfrewshire make just one change to their silver-medal winning side from last year, with the youthful Sam Binning joining veteran team-mates Craig Watson, Andrew Farmer and Ronnie Clark.

Paul Shields, runner up in the South African Amateur Championship, is included in Lanarkshire’s line-up alongside Scotland team-mate Ross Kellett. However 2008 champions and this year’s host Area Ayrshire have been dealt a blow with the late withdrawal of Scottish Amateur Champion Michael Stewart as a result of a wrist injury.

The SGU’s 16 Area Associations take part in the championship, with two rounds of stroke play qualifying on the first day, played over both Prestwick and Prestwick St Nicholas, with the leading four teams battling it out in the match play stages on the Sunday at Prestwick.

Moneygate, a multi-award winning financial services company who provide expert advice to golfers on mortgages, insurance, protection, savings, investments and pensions, sponsor the event for the second year.

Click here to view the team line-ups.

BIG YEAR IN STORE FOR ABERDOUR GOLF CLUB

Aberdour Golf Club's first hole with its panoramic view of the Firth of Forth and the Lothians coastline on the other wise of the water.

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF ABERDOUR GOLF CLUB
An exciting season lies ahead for Aberdour Golf Club and its picturesque course on the Fife coast, close to the Forth bridges and across the river from Edinburgh.
June, July and August will all see the club host big events - a ground-breaking charity tournament, a Tartan Tour pro-am and, last but not least, a national junior championship.
"It really is an exciting year for Aberdour and we are looking forward to staging what all promise to be fantastic events," says club captain Eric Dey.
First up, on Thursday, June 16, is the event being staged by Barnardo's Scotland - the first of its kind to be hosted by the charity in the 'Home of Golf'.
It will be a shotgun start and is being organised by Roselle Events' chief executive Joanna Daley, an Aberdour member and a supporter of Barnardo's Scotland.
"I am delighted to bring these two organisations together for this great event," she says. "Hopefully we will get a beautiful day, raise crucial funds and have a lot of fun.
"Nearly five years ago I joined the sub-committee for Barnardo's Scotlands 'Showtime' event, the first event of it's kind which raised in excess of £150,000 in its first year.
"This event still continues today and is the largest income raising event in Scotland. Having supported this event on the committee and as a sponsor, I was invited to join the Barnardo's Scotland Development Board last year with a view to support and continue to raise the profile of this incredible charity.
"As a keen and enthusiastic golfer, I pitched an idea to the Board to hold a Charity Golf Day aimed at the corporate contacts myself and fellow board members have. I proposed three courses and, to my delight, Aberdour was chosen."
Just over a fortnight after the Barnardo's event - on Friday July 1 - the Tartan Tour will then roll into Aberdour for the the biggest pro-am in Fife on the 2011 Scottish PGA schedule.
Roselle Events, an Edinburgh-based events company, is sponsoring that tournament, which will see teams of three amateurs join forces with some of Scotland's leading-home based professionals.
They are likely to include Team Scottish Hydro members Chris Doak and Craig Lee, former European Tour rookie of the year Scott Henderson and two-time Northern Open champion Jason McCreadie.
"It is great for the area that we staging this event and we are hoping it will involve up to 50 teams," says David Gemmell, the club's long-serving professional.
"I personally have been trying to get an event like this up and running for a number of years now and, thanks to the efforts of a hard-working sponsorship committee, I am delighted it is now happening.
"To have been able to secure a main sponsor in Roselle is terrific, especially in the current economic climate."
As well as offering a tidy sum for the winning professional, the event will also raise money for charity, with 'Help for Heroes' having been identified by the organising committee as one of the worthy causes.
The Fife club will be buzzing with activity again on Thursday August 11 and Friday August 12 when it stages the Loretto School Scottish Under-14s Championships, an event involving the rising stars of boys' and girls' golf in the country.
Indeed, the boys' title was claimed by English youngsters five years in a row until Blairgowrie's Bradley Neil recorded back-to-back wins in 2009 and 2010.
West Kilbride's Connie Jaffrey made it a Scottish double by landing the girls' title at Auchterarder last summer and now it's the turn of Aberdour members to get the chance to see some potential stars of the future in action.
"We have seen Scott Crichton, Jamie Stephen and Samantha Munro all emerge as promising players at the club in recent," notes club captain Dey.
"It is an honour for Aberdour to be staging an event like the Scottish Under-14s Championships and I am sure there will be at least one player in the field who will go on to big things in years to come."
The players competing in all three of the events on Aberdour's tasty 2011 menu certainly shouldn't be fooled into thinking they are in for an easy test on a course which has a par of 67 and measures 5447 yards off the whites.
That may be short by today's standards but there are plenty of holes where players can come a cropper, straight from the outset, in fact, with two par-3s that may well be picturesque but are also troublesome.
The green at the par-4 fourth is Augusta-like, especially in the height of the summer, while the eighth, a 457-yard par-4 that has the River Forth running all the way up its left-hand side, is certainly up there among the strongest holes in Fife.
"We have been carrying out a lot of work on the course in preparation for what is undoubtedly a big year for Aberdour," adds Dey. "We are confident that all three of these events will prove enjoyable for those involved.
"The club is doing well with a waiting list, a good Junior programme and the committee is working pro-actively to develop the club to its full potential."

SANDY LYLE TRAILS LEADER LEHMAN BY EIGHT IN SENIOR MAJOR

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AP) — Tom Lehman enjoyed a rather ho-hum day on the course.

He finished the first round of the US Champions (Seniors) Tour's Regions Tradition tournament at Shoal Creek on Thursday with a bogey-free, five-under-par 67 and a one-stroke lead over Nick Price, Mark Calcavecchia, Wayne Levi and Chien-Soon Lu and.
"I made a couple of nice saves," Lehman said. "Otherwise, it was a pretty low-stress round."
With two wins, a second and a third already in six events, Lehman can say that even though his lead was precarious long after his day's work was over.
The Champions Tour's first major of the year - and first professional event at Shoal Creek since the 1990 PGA Championship - started in sunny, mild weather and with fairly low scores.
Lehman tapped-in for birdie on No. 17 to take the lead into the clubhouse. It's the first time Lehman has had sole possession of the lead after the first round of a Champions Tour event.
Price had a birdie on No. 16 to move into a tie for first, but followed that with a bogey. Levi and Calcavecchia both closed with two straight birdies for 68s.
Jay Haas was two shots off the lead on 69 while seven players were three back on 70.
"I was surprised that the scoring was as low as it is," Price said. "But I think playing the pro-ams, the wind was gusting a little bit. They had some tough pins out there (Thursday), but I think the saving grace was the greens were pretty soft. The ball wasn't releasing on the greens. It's allowing us when you get good yardage, to pretty much take dead aim here."
And Lehman hit few errant shots.
The 1996 British Open and Tour Championship winner played the 7,058-yard course trying to keep risk-reward in mind throughout.
"For the most part I drove the ball onto the fairway all day long," he said. "I hit a few shots that weren't all that great. But most of my tee shots were in the fairway. I do think it's the kind of course where when you get the right club and the right pin, you can attack it. If you get a shot you don't feel good about it, you just don't mess with it."
Case in point: Lehman said the key shot of his day wasn't the 200-yarder to 4 feet for birdie on No. 4. It was the 15-footer to save par on No. 13 after a bunker shot.
"Typically those are the big putts, the ones that keep the momentum going and keep your round going," he said. "That was the putt for me."
The key for Calcavecchia might have been not getting rattled by a horrendous start. He had a double bogey on the opening hole after his ball landed in a divot a foot into the right rough.
"I hit this thing and it took off like a shot out of a cannon, airmailed the green," said Calcavecchia, a 13-time PGA Tour winner seeking his first victory on the Champions Tour. "I chipped it across the green to the bunker, missed a 5-footer and made 6.
"After that, I pretty much told myself, 'There's 71 holes left. Every player in this tournament's going to make a double at some point.' So I forgot about it, moved on."
He worked his way back to par after the first nine holes and added a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 10.
Calcavecchia finished much better than he started, with what he deemed his best drive of the round to within 147 yards on No. 18. He sent his approach to within about 10 inches of the hole. He birdied the last three holes.
Calcavecchia celebrated his sixth wedding anniversary with six birdies - and maybe a romantic dinner afterward.
Price nearly regained a share of the lead he lost after bogeying No. 17. His 25-footer for birdie fell a few inches short of the final hole.
The former British Open and PGA Championship winner had switched back to the putter he used in winning the Toshiba Classic in March.
"I just seem to have a better feel with it and I seem to be able to aim better with it," Price said.
It couldn't save him on the penultimate hole, which he said "was a bit of a nightmare for me."
"I did hit a pretty good tee shot and laid up with a 7-iron and had not a very good line on the ball," Price said. "The ball was sitting on a downslope in kind of a skinny part of the fairway. The ball kind of squirreled out on me with a sand wedge. I went into the right hand bunker, then I hit a poor bunker shot out and two-putted."
Lu, from Taiwan, tied for second at last year's Tradition, played in Oregon.
Levi, who has finished better than 45th only once in six Champions Tour events, had an adventurous finish with two bogeys and three birdies in his final five holes.
He is seeking his first Champions Tour win since the 2004 Constellation Energy Classic, his second victory.
Defending champion Fred Funk, who won the Tradition in Sunriver, Ore., two of the previous three years, shot a 75 and is tied for 42nd.
Russ Cochran withdrew because of an injured hand and was replaced by Bobby Clampett.

Sandy Lyle is tied for 42nd place with a 75 (40-35) which included a double bogey 7 at the long sixth and bogeys at the fourth, seventh, eighth and 16th.

He birdied the ninth, 11th and 15th in what was one of his worst rounds of a year that has seen him re-emerge as a contender for senior titles worldwide.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 72

Players from US unless stated

67 Tom Lehman
68 Mark Calcavecchia, Wayne Levi, Nick Price (Zimbabwe), Chie Soon Lu (Taiwan).
69 Jay Haas.
Selected scores
70 Peter Senior (Australia).
73 Tom Watson.
75 Sandy Lyle (Scotland) (T42).

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