PAUL O'HARA'S PAR TOTAL EARNS HIM ONLY 300 EUROS IN AUSTRIA

Paul O'Hara would not have cleared his week's expenses with a payslip for only 300 Euros at the end of this week's EPD German PGA Tour event in Austria, the Haugschlag Open over 54 holes.
The Motherwell man tied for 38th place with a par total of 216 (71-73-72) but par golf is not good enough to make a good living on these satellite tours.
O'Hara finised 14 shots behind the two Germans who played off for the 5,000 Euros first prize - Allen John (64-71-67) and Sebastian Buhl (72-61-69).
John scored his first pro win at the second extra hole of a sudden death play-off.
Buhl earned 3,000 Euros and third-placed Lukas Tintera (74-64-65) on 203 earned 2,000 Euros.

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LONGMUIR'S NEW SWING STANDS UP TO SPANISH SENIORS TEST

By MICHAEL GIBBONS
European Seniors Tour Press Officer
The inseparable quartet of Bob Cameron, Bill Longmuir, David Merriman and José Rivero share the lead after round one of the OKI Open de España Senior by Cleveland / Srixon on The European Senior Tour.
The four leaders each carded excellent rounds of five under par 66 at the outstanding El Vale Golf Resort in Southern Spain, with the English duo of John Harrison and three-time Order of Merit winner Carl Mason tied in second place on four under par.
Longmuir’s 66 was, perhaps, the most surprising of the four given the Scot has recently undergone an overhaul of his swing with his great friend and coach, Clive Tucker. Longmuir arrived in Spain at the beginning of the week with very little expectation to do well but after a storming start to the tournament is now eyeing a ninth Senior Tour career victory.
"I played well overall,” said Longmuir. “I let it go a bit after nine holes and I missed a couple of short putts on 12 and 13 for bogey from around five feet which was a bit disappointing, but I bounced back with three birdies to finish.
“I made a few swing changes during the last few weeks with Clive Tucker and they really helped me. I am happy to be in this position, you never know how it is going to work after making swing changes and it is nice to be able to bring the chances onto the course with a scorecard in my hand.”
Cameron, meanwhile, started the week with two drivers in his bag on the practice round and remained indecisive about which one to trust the most until this morning. He clearly made the right choice as he compiled a fine bogey-free first round.
“I obviously picked the right driver,” laughed Cameron. “No bogeys today which is always satisfying and even though I missed a six foot put on the 18th for a 65 I am happy with the score. I putted really well today too and made a great birdie putt on the 17th from about 25 feet.”
Like Cameron, Australia’s Merriman found that the best part of his performance came from the most important club in any golfer’s bag, his putter.
"I played nicely holed a couple of very nice putts that make the difference in your score,” said Merriman. “I putted well all day and was reading the greens here really well – hopefully that can continue over the next two days because it is such a vital part of the game. If you can’t see the putts you are not going to make too many putts.”
Rivero, meanwhile, leads the home challenge after the Spaniard posted his own 66 to make it a four-way tie at the leaderboard’s summit. Rivero looked highly unlikely to be in contention after bogeying the first hole at El Vale Golf Resort but he rallied magnificently to haul himself into contention.
“I played really solid, my only mistake was on hole one where I made bogey because I got confused with the wind,” said Rivero. “The rest of the round I hit good shots and putted well, the longest putt I holed was eight meters on sixth hole for birdie.
“The course was tricky today with the wind but it is such a nice course, you need to put the ball on the right place, hit the right clubs and it is important to control the distances but it is in great condition.”
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 71
66 B Cameron (Eng) , B Longmuir (Sco) , J Rivero (Esp) , D Merriman (Aus) ,
67 C Mason (Eng) , J Harrison (Eng) ,
68 D Smyth (Irl) , D Durnian (Eng) , P Mitchell (Eng) , N Job (Eng) ,
69 J Stuart (USA) , J Rozadilla (Esp) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , A Fernandez (Chi) ,
70 B Smit (RSA) , G Ryall (Eng) , A Franco (Par) , J Quiros (Esp) , J Bruner (USA) , J Heggarty (Nir) ,
71 M Moreno (Esp) , G Banister (Aus) , G Manson (Aut) , P Errity (Irl) , J Cañizares (Esp) , H Carbonetti (Arg) , E Darcy (Irl) , C Williams (RSA) , S Van Vuuren (RSA) , M Belsham (Eng) , C Rocca (Ita) ,

72 G Wolstenholme (Eng) , J Gould (Eng) , F Mann (Sco) , J Chillas (Sco) , A Forsbrand (Swe) , S Cipa (Eng) , B Lincoln (RSA) , G Brand Jnr (Sco) , A Garrido (Esp) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) ,

73 G Brand (Eng) , J Rhodes (Eng) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , M Gray (Sco) ,

74 M Bembridge (Eng) , J Sallat (Fra) , A Sowa (Arg) , M Kierstenson (Eng) , G Ralph (Eng) , K Spurgeon (Eng) , S Bennett (Eng) ,

75 G Cali (Ita) , M Miller (Sco) , J Hall (Eng) , T Charnley (Eng) , A Sherborne (Eng) , E Rodriguez (Esp) , E Polland (Nir) , T Johnstone (Zim) ,

76 J Stansberry (USA) , D Cambridge (Jam) , P Dahlberg (Swe) , B Stevens (Eng) , M Piñero (Esp)

77 M Farry (Fra) , V Garcia (Esp)

78 L Cooper (USA) , M Briggs (Eng)

79 J Davila (Esp)

80 B Hardwick (Can)

88 G Hopkins (USA)

NAIRN DUNBAR'S TWO TEAMS ELIMINATED IN SENIORS CUP

By ROBIN WILSON
Moray Golf Club, holders of the B D Fraser Cup in the tenth Senior Northern Counties Cup competition being played at Elgin Golf Club this week, after receiving a first round bye, sailed into Thursday morning's quarter finals with an emphatic nine hole win over the Duff House Royal second team.
The holders now meet Deeside who won by seven against Nairn Dunbar's second team and there was a further shock for the Dunbar club, winners two years ago at Inverness, when their first team showing just one change from their Inverness win, went out to Strathpeffer Spa by three holes.
Débutants for Strathpeffer, James Garrow and Greenkeeper Michael Wilson beat Hugh Clunas and Willie Barron by one hole and the Strath's second string of Philip Bannerman and Derek Gruber beat David Bunker and Ian Duncan by two.
In another upset in the lower half of the draw Duff House Royal lost their first team who were ousted by seven holes from Fortrose & Rosemarkie. The North lost another fancied club when Inverness who beat Cruden Bay in the 2004 final at Cruden Bay found themselves on the receiving end of a one hole revenge win for Cruden Bay. Cruden Bay progress to meet The Nairn who had a one hole win over previous twice winners, Brora. Ian Cooper and Peter Saggers were Nairn's one hole winners against Brora's Ronnie Sim and Ian Hamilton in the first game.
Royal Dornoch who are record winners of the main Counties Cup competition but never the senior version are showing some form with two wins on the opening day, Murcar by two and Fortrose & Rosemarkie (2) by sixteen holes.
RESULTS
FIRST ROUNDDuff House Royal 2 bt Elgin 2 by five holes.
Deeside bt Tain by six holes.
Nairn Dunbar 2 bt Forres by two holes.
Royal Dornoch beat Murcar by two holes.
SECOND ROUND
Moray bt Duff House Royal 2 by nine holes.
Deeside bt Nairn Dunbar 2 by seven holes.
Royal Dornoch bt Fortrose and Rosemarkie 2 by 16 holes.
Elgin 1 bt Turriff by two holes.
Strathpeffer Spa bt Nairn Dunbar 1 by three holes.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie 1 bt Duff House Royal 1 by seven holes.
Cruden Bay bt Inverness by one hole.
Nairn bt Brora by one hole.

IRELAND'S FIVE-STAR LOUGH ERNE RESORT IN ADMINISTRATION

Administrators have been appointed to the company which owns the Lough Erne five-star Hotel and Golf Resort in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.
The luxury resort, which cost over £20million to build and opened in 2007, is located on a 600 acre peninsula between Castle Hume Lough and Lower Lough Erne and features the first golf course designed by Nick Faldo in Ireland.
John Hansen and Stuart Irwin of Belfast accountancy firm KPMG have been appointed as Joint Administrators of Castle Hume Leisure Limited.
John Hansen of KPMG said: "It is our intention to continue trading and keep this outstanding resort open for "business as usual'' including weddings and all other bookings. The Joint Administrators will seek to find a new owner however, in the meantime it is our intention to keep the business open and indeed drive the business forward at every opportunity."
He said that they hope no jobs will be lost.
"It is early in the Administration process, but our intention at present is to keep the workforce intact. We will keep all matters under review in the coming days and weeks."
An experienced hotel operator has been appointed to assist in the ongoing management of the resort in order to keep trading, meet current bookings and reservations and to secure future bookings for the resort.
The Joint Adminstrators said they hope to sell the resort as a going concern.
Mr Hansen said: "Given the great location and our stated intentions we hope that people will continue to book and our immediate objective is to secure operations, honour bookings and work with the existing staff. We will look at selling the resort in due course."
Jonathan Stapleton, general manager of Lough Erne, joined the hotel three years ago from the Old Course Hotel, Resort and Spa in St Andrews. He said the hotel was very much a going concern and profitable in its own right.

"We are going through a transition period, but we are assuring everyone that it is business as usual," he explained. "We are a world-class resort in the same league as Gleneagles and the Old Course."

"We are currently working towards being the first hotel in Northern Ireland with five AA red stars and three AA rosettes."

STEVEN SMITH, JAMES ROSS QUALIFY FOR BRABAZON TROPHY

Steven Smith (Marriott Dalmahoy) headed the 30 qualifiers at yesterday's Brabazon Trophy Northern Qualifier at Pannal in Yorkshire with a fine round of 66 - seven shots under the CSS for the field of 129.
And a second Lothians man, James Ross (Royal Burgess), just back from Michigan Stage University, also swept through with ease in joint fifth place with a 69.
The Brabazon Trophy - the English men's open amateur stroke-play championship - will be played at Burnham and Berrow from June 23-26.
Smith and Ross were the only Scots to figure among the 30 qualifiers with scores of 71 or better at Pannal
Fraser McKenna (Balmore) failed by just one shot. He had a 72 and finished joint 31st.
James Hendrick (Pollok) tied for 35th place with a 73.
Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) missed out with a 75 for joint 55th place.
Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire) had a 77 and shared 66th place.
LEADING QUALIFIERS
CSS 73
66 Steven Smith (Marriott Dalmahoy).
67 Wayne Crick (Oakdale).
68 Philip Ridden (City of Newcastle)
Selected qualifier:
69 James Ross (Royal Burgess) (T5)
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PAUL O'HARA MAKES THE CUT ON EPD TOUR IN AUSTRIA

Motherwell's Paul O'Hara has survived the 36-hole cut with a shot to spare in this week's EPD German PGA Tour event, the Haugschlag Open in Austria.
Paul has had rounds of 71 and 73 for a level par tally of 144 and is lying joint 33rd.
He was one of those in the field of 122 players with two-round tallies of 145 and better who made the cut.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
133 Sebastian Buhl (Germany) 72 61.
135 Max Glauert (Germany) 67 68, Allen John (Germany) 64 71.
Selected scores:
138 Ben Welch (England) 67 71 (T6).
139 Gareth Davies (England) 68 71 (T9).
140 Thomas Curtis (England) 71 69, Daniel Belch (England) 68 72 (T12).
144 Paul O'Hara (Scotland) 71 73 (T33).

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KAYMER PARTS COMPANY WITH SCOTS CADDIE CONNELLY

FROM THE HERALDSCOTLAND SPORTS WEBSITE

By MARK GARROD IN ESTEPONA, SPAIN
Scottish caddie Craig Connelly has been dropped by Martin Kaymer less than three months after the German became world No.1.
Connelly flew with Kaymer from Florida to Spain on Sunday night, but it will be the golfer’s brother Philip who will be carrying his bag in the Volvo World Matchplay Championship which starts on Thursday.
“For me, it was just time to change and move on,” said the 26-year-old German. “We’ve talked about it a few times already, but on Sunday we had a little chat and just decided to go our separate ways.”
A full-time replacement could be in place for next week’s BMW PGA Championship and, after the year Kaymer has had, there will be no shortage of people willing to step into the Scot’s shoes.
Kaymer lifted the first major title of his career at the US PGA Championship last August, won his next two tournaments as well – three if you include the Ryder Cup – and in November topped the European Tour with nearly £3.9m.
In February he took over from Lee Westwood as world No.1 by reaching the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona, but he then missed the cut in the Masters for the fourth successive year and has since slipped to third in the rankings behind Westwood and Luke Donald.

Kaymer added: “Obviously, Craig and I had a fantastic year together – he’s a very good caddie – but I just felt like I needed a change. It has nothing to do with Craig; he’s a fantastic guy and he’s been a good caddie for me. I haven’t had any calls yet [from other caddies] but obviously now some people will know the changed situation."

ABERDEEN TRADES FOURSOMES QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS

AT HAZLEHEAD NO 1 COURSE

 

Insurance bt Aberdeen Telephones 7 holes

G Walker, A Ross bt B Smith, P Coutts by four holes.

N Henderson, D. Love bt D Smith, A Haining by three holes.

 

Greenkeepers bt Royal Mail by one hole

D Grant, R McRae bt T Robertson, S Spiers by one hole.

G Mitchell, F Downie halved with C Gilbert, R McKen.

 

Surveyors bt Grampian Police by one hole

M Halliday, S Broadley bt H King, C Hay by three holes.

G Hendry, C Kerr lost to D McCormack, E Duthie by two holes.

 

Muirfield Contracts bt Tulloch Recruitment by 12 holes

M Greig, I Flannigan bt T Allan, J Hewitt by three holes.

M Greig, S Robertson bt G Allan, S Allan by nine holes.