CALEY DU0 MARCH ON IN ABERDEEN LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

Friday's Links Championship Scratch Final will be contested between Caley's Barry Reid and Stewart Finnie. Reid's fine form continued as he fired 4 birdies and an eagle without reply in dispatching leading qualifier and holder Barrie Edmond 5 and 4. Stewart was never up in his match against Bon-Accord's Ross Young until he fired a superb 4 iron to 2 feet at the last for a winning birdie 2.

The Handicap Final will be an all Bon-Accord affair between Links Secretary Davie Grieve and Willie Shand. Grieve was too strong for Caley's Jake Laing and ran out a 6 and 5 winner. Shand came through 2 and 1 against Northern's Alex Sherriffs. 

Bon-Accord will also provide both players in the Murray Cup as Colin Murphy and Ian Stewart came through against Caley's Keith Robertson and Northern's Gordon Duncan respectively.

Links Scratch

B.Reid (C) bt B.Edmond (BA) 5 and 4

S.Finnie (C) bt R.Young (BA) 1 hole

Handicap Shield

D.Grieve (BA) bt S.J.Laing (C) 6 and 5

W.Shand (BA) bt A.J.Sherriffs (N) 2 and 1

Murray Cup

C.Murphy (BA) bt K.G.Robertson (C) 3 and 1

I.Stewart (BA) bt G.Duncan (N) 4 and 3

FINALS

Friday 17th June

5.00 B.Reid (C) v S.Finnie (C)

5.15 D.Grieve (BA) v W.Shand (BA)

5.30 C.Murphy (BA) v I.Stewart (BA)

Davie Grieve

Links Secretary

ROBIN WILSON'S ROUND-UP OF NORTH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS

After an eight-year gap, Wick's Nicky Klimas regained the Caithness title at Reay with his rounds of 71 and 74 to win by four from local Lee Parnell.
Parnell took the same position as he did when the championship last visited Reay in 2008 after slipping back to second place with second round 77 from being just one off the lead with his first round 72.
Third placed local, Gavin Sutherland also opened with a 72 but took six more in round two. The Caithness entry was similar to the low turn-out at Alness. Handicap winners at Reay were locals Tom Ross (15) 133, and Ross Munro (10) 134.

Inverness at Kingussie.

North District golf champion for the past two years, Brian Fotheringham, a relatively new member of Inverness Golf Club, added the Inverness County Championship cup to his impressive collection of wins for the first time last weekend.

Played over the Kingussie Golf Course, a layout that Fotheringham is no stranger to for he has won the Badenoch Open for the past two years, the Inverness County win was surprisingly his first north County Title. 

Despite his three previous wins in the District championship and the North's flagship David Blair 72 holer,  because of his appearences in Scottish national golf events which brought him a national cap in the middle nineties Fotheringham was always deprived from entering the Moray County championship when a member of Forres Golf Club because of event clashing dates.

Last Saturday he renewed his association with Kingussie  with an opening four over par 71 from halves of 35 and 36, taking a double bogey at the closing hole. But his second round one under par 66 which featured one birdie, the 3^rd, and one bogey the 4^th, in an outward count of 34 was followed by a one under inward card of 32 for 66  to sweep to the top of the leader board on gross 137 and leaving local talented teenager, Jordan Shaw,with the runners up medal.

Shaw (17) who took a fourth place in the North of Scotland's Boys' championship last month was the first round leader with a one under par 66  before slipping back to a second round 72 for 138 but staying ahead of Inverness's Graeme Daun who had cards of 71 and 68.

Local member Rennie Spence finished fourth on 143 (71/72) and his club mate Brian Shaw led the nett returns from a handicap of four with nett 131 ( 69/62). Other nett score winners were Willie Fraser (Kingussie) (3) 135, Cameron Franssen (Inverness) (7) 135 and Carl Justice (Kingussie) (14) 137.  The CSS was 68 for both rounds.

Nairn at Nairn Dunbar.

The Nairn County Championship went to a four hole play-off between , the local defending champion ,William Barron and rising youth star Tom Dingwall with Dingwall emerging with the cup for the first time despite a nervy three putt on the final play off green.

A comeback score in the second round of three under par 69, five better than his first effort, by  the holder brought him level with Dingwall's 70 and 73 on 143. At the first extra hole of the play-off teenager Dingwall (19) who helps out in the local Professionals shop,  holed a forty foot putt for birdie three to go two ahead after Barron missed the green with his approach.

The next two holes were halved in par figures and still two shots ahead on the final par five hole Dingwall's three putt bogey six for 16 left him with the title against Barron's par five.

The host club doubled up when six handicapper Brian Taylor provided Nairn Dunbar with the handicap winner after two nett scores of 71 and 70.

The Moray championship was played the previous weekend at Grantown on Spey where local member John Campbell won at the third extra hole of a play-off against ex District champion Neil MacWilliam (Elgin). They had tied on a score of 135.

Further North, Scottish Youths Champion Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) retained the Ross shire championship for a second year after equalling the Alness course record of 62 in his first round and adding a second round level par 67 for 129 to win  by eight shots from local member Ross Jack (69/68) . Fortrose and Rosmarkie's Andrew Brown was third on 138 (66/72)

There was also a play-off to separate the leading 36 hole scores at Royal Dornoch in the Sutherland championship. After three times a brides-made local Kevin Matheson (73/75) got an easy run in the three hole play-off to beat his club mate Brian Urquhart (75/73) when Urquhart went out of bounds with his first drive then double bogeyed the par three second hole. With Matheson getting a birdie on the first hole and a four on the second the 18^th was just a procession down the fairway to be crowned champion for he first time.

GB and I SQUAD MEMBERS PROGRESS IN BRITISH AMATEUR

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R AND A


15 June 2011, Hillside, Southport: Six members of Great Britain and Ireland’s 2011 Walker Cup squad have reached the second match play round of the Amateur Championship, at Hillside Golf Club.
Paul Cutler, Tom Lewis, Michael Stewart, Andrew Sullivan, Oliver Farr and Alastair Jones are each five matches away from the place at Royal St George’s in The Open and the invitation to the Masters Tournament that await this week’s winnerLeading the way was Ireland’s Paul Cutler, whose outward nine of 32 gave him a five-shot lead over Victor Perez of France, which would not be relinquished. The 2011 West of Ireland Open Champion progressed through stroke play qualifying by just one shot, but appears to be one of the form players after the first day of match play.

“I really found the flow after the birdies on two, three and five,” said the plus-four-handicapper. “I putted so well today; that was the difference. If I keep doing that, and keep swinging well, I should be fine.”

England’s Tom Lewis made a similar number of birdies, including four in a row from the 195-yard, par-three third, but found a tough opponent in compatriot Garrick Porteous, with whom Lewis played foursomes for England at under-18 level.

“He played solid. I knew he would do. He only dropped shots at one hole today,” said Lewis, who receives coaching from Pete Cowen, Lee Westwood’s coach. “I had a spree of holing putts, made a few birdies and eventually came through.”

And Lewis’ fellow squad member Michael Stewart is also through, after defeating Mark Young 5&4. Stewart’s progress this week underlines a return to full fitness for the Scot, who missed the recent Walker Cup training match because of a wrist injury.

GB and I Walker Cup Captain Nigel Edwards said: “It’s great to see six of the squad make it through to the last 32. GB and I players have had a lot of success in big amateur events, this year, and I hope that continues, this week.”

Despite the good progress of players from the home nations, the last 32 has an international flavour, with 17 nations represented.

The USA’s Alex Johnson is safely through, having defeated Hamza Sayin of Turkey 2 and 1, as is Brazil’s Daniel Stapff. With Bolivia’s Sebastian MacLean, who failed to make the match play stage, caddying for him, Stapff ended the hopes of South African Reikus Nortje 4 and 3.

“I’m so proud to be here representing Brazil,” he said. “It is my first Amateur Championship and I travelled because I really wanted to test myself against the world’s best; now that I am in the last 32, I can say that was worth the trip.”

Two New Zealanders have also progressed. Landyn Edwards, whose four-under-par 68 at Hillside was the best of the day in the first 18 holes of qualifying, joins current world number 25 Ben Campbell in the second match play round.

Campbell said: “I missed so many putts today, so I’ll work on that before tomorrow, but I’ve been swinging it well for over a year now. It’ll all come good, though – I’m sure of that.”

Other notables to proceed included former R and A Foundation Scholar Patrick Spraggs, Sebastian Gros of France and Finland’s Toni Hakula. 2010 Boys Amateur Champion Adrian Otaegui and stroke play qualifying medallist Gregory Eason, however, both failed to reach the next round.


CLICK HERETO ACCESS THE RESULTS SCOREBOARD ON THE R AND A WEBSITE

FOUR SHARE LEAD AT BOVEY CASTLE EUROPRO TOUR EVEN

By MICHAEL EMONS
Four players share the lead after a thrilling opening day in the latest event on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
The Motocaddy Masters at Bovey Castle in Devon is the third competition of the season and Alex Belt, James Webber, James Maw and John Spagnuolo are all tied first after shooting rounds of 65 (-5).
Yorkshire-based Belt (The De Vere Club) was the first to secure his score after he bogeyed the second but then made birdies at the fourth, eighth, ninth, 14th, 17th and 18th.
Webber (Regiment Way Golf Centre, Essex) only turned professional last year and is heading for his best ever performance on the EuroPro Tour.
His previous highest finish came at Galgorm Castle , Ballymena last June when he finished tied 12th but six birdies and a bogey left him in contention for the £10,000 top prize in Devon .
Maw (Hallowes, Derbyshire) is the third man to be on -5 after a round that included back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes.
Spagnuolo (The Hertfordshire) enjoyed a flawless round as birdies at the second, fourth, seventh, ninth and last ensured his share of the lead.
Dale Marmion (Eaton, Cheshire ) had never played a tournament at Bovey Castle before but is one of a number of players a further shot behind the leading quartet.
Marmion’s round included four successive birdies but a double bogey seven at the par-five 12th denied him a first day lead.
“I played great and had seven birdies through my first nine holes but threw a double down 12 and then seven straight pars,” said Marmion.
Steve Surry ( Cumberwell Park , Wiltshire) joined Marmion on -4 and was satisfied with his day’s work.
“It was a decent start,” added Surry. “A couple of loose shots and putts but pretty pleased in general.”
Martin LeMesurier (South Winchester, Hampshire) and Ben Jones (Betchwork Park, Surrey) also ended the day on four-under as did Doncaster-based Graeme Clark, a runner-up earlier this month at Burhill, after birdies at his first four holes.
Adam Hodkinson had been an early clubhouse leader, although his day ended badly with a bogey at the last in his round of 67 (-3).
He was soon joined on -3 by Charlie Lidyard (Leatherhead, Surrey ) who shot a mixed bag that included an eagle, seven birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey.
Matchroom Sport produce a two-hour highlights programme from each EuroPro Tour event and the Bovey Castle action will be shown on Sky Sports on Wednesday, June 29.


LEADING SCORES AFTER ROUND ONE OF THREE
Par 70
T1 Alex Belt The De Vere Club 65

T1 James Webber Regiment Way Golf Centre 65

T1 James Maw Hallowes 65
T1 John Spagnuolo The Hertfordshire 65
T5 Steve Surry Cumberwell Park 66
T5 Martin LeMesurier South Winchester 66
T5 Ben Jones Betchworth Park 66

T5 Dale Marmion Eaton GC 66
T5 Graeme Clark Doncaster GC 66

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE PGA EUROPRO TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

FERRIE, MANN AND KERR SET PACE IN PAUL LAWRIE INVITATIONAL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

European Tour player Kenny Ferrie from the North-east of England, Carnoustie’s Lindsay Mann and rookie pro Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) shared the lead on three-ujnder-par 67 on the first day of the inaugural Paul Lawrie Invitational 54-hole tournament at Deeside Golf Club, Aberdeen.

Some 23 players are on 70 or better going into the second round at the end of which there will be a cut to eliminate half the field for Friday’s final 18 holes over the Bieldside parkland course.

Ferrie came storming home in four-under-par 30, birdieing the 10^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th and 17^th with only one shot dropped, at the 11^th.

As a man who has already shot a round of 60 on the European Tour this year – in the Andalucia event won by Paul Lawrie himself, Ferrie will fancy his cance of going a lot lower than 67 over the next two rounds. He dropped three shots over the first seven holes so there is certainly room for improvement.

In contast, former Walker Cup player Lindsay Mann made his score over the first six holes with birdies at the second, fourth, fifth and sixth in three-under 33 to the turn.

Mark Kerr started both halves with a bogey but managed to birdie the third, sixth, eighth, 11^th and 16^th in halves of 34 and 33.

Hazlehead amateur David Law, having failed to make the match-play stages of the British amateur championship at Hillside, Lancashire on Tuesday evening, phoned his mentor, Paul Lawrie, to ask if he could use his influence to get him into the Deeside field.

It was 9.30pm, with Law well on his way motoring back to the North-east, by the time Paul Lawrie had contacted PGA Scotland supreme Michael MacDougall and got his Paul Lawrie Team member into the field.

Law, Scottish boys and men’s amateur champion in 2010, responded to the opportunity with a 68 to be lying joint fourth alongside such worthies as the in-form Greig Hutcheon (Banchory).

Heather MacRae (Downfield) as also done very well to keep up with the lads, not to mention the man himself, Paul Lawrie, on the level par 70 mark..

Former Curtis Cup player and past Scottish amateur champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), who only recently returned to playing golf after falling out of love with the game,  had a creditable 73.

ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Par 70

67 Kenny Ferrie (unatt), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Mark Kerr (Murrayfield).

68 Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon), David Law (Hazlehead) (am), Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar), Stewart Savage (Dalmuir), Kenny Hutton (Downfield), Greig Hutcheon (Banchory).

69 Stephen McAllister (Renaissance Club).

70 Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links), Graeme Brown (Montrose Links), Daniel Wood (Eyemouth), David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie), Heather MacRae (Downfield), Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf), Andrew McArthur (unatt), Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), Paul O’Hara (unatt), Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Paul Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Foundation), David Patrick (Elie), Stephen Gray (Hayston).

71 Sean Lawrie (Portlethen) (am), Scott McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), David Orr (East Renfrewshire), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle).

72 Ian Bratton (Newburgh on Ythan), Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch), Lee Vannett (Carnoustie Links), Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle).

73 Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), Alastair Love (St Andrews), Dean Vannet (Peterculter), Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie), Michael Patterson (unatt).

74 Andrew Rollo (Moray), Christopher Robinson (Dumfries and Galloway), Steven Duncan (unatt), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie).

75 Stuart Wlliamson (West Kilbride), Stephen Lamb (Cardrona), Ross Dixon (Dumfries and Galloway), Mark King (Kingsfield), William Colquoun (Dundonald Links), Peter Smith (Deeside), Craig Ronald (Carluke).

76 Alan Reid (West Lothian), Scott Herald (Adam Hunter Golf).

77 Graeme Nethercott (Deeside), Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Chris Kelly (Cawder).

78 Samuel Cairns (Colville Park), Gareth Hardy (Belleisle).

79 Colin Nelson (MacKenzie Shop), David Thomson (Carnegie).