YANKEE DOODLE DANDY LEADS ON EUROPEAN SENIOR DEBUT

By SCOTT CROCKETT

European Tour Senior Press Officer 

American Tim Thelen made a sensational debut on the European Senior Tour when a superb seven under par 65 gave him the first round lead in the Berenberg Bank Masters in Cologne.

The Texan won the Tour’s Qualifying School last November but only became eligible to compete fully when he turned 50 three days ago. However he took full advantage of his first outing at the Cologne Golf und Land Club to open up a one shot lead over Englishman George Ryall with another Englishman, former Ryder Cup captain Mark James, in third a further shot back.

It could have been even better for Thelen had he not seen his three foot putt for birdie spin round the hole on the 18^th green but the former college team-mate of Colin Montgomerie at Houston Baptist University was not complaining.

“I’ve been looking forward to this from last November but really over the past month since I resigned my position as a club pro in Texas,” said the American who had eight birdies in total, his only bogey of the day coming at the short 14^th where he overshot the green from the tee.

“I started working really hard on my golf game them, trying to get it in shape because playing twice a week as a club pro, really didn’t hit the mark. I came here and after a couple of days I was a bit stiff and sore but I felt really good today.

“I didn’t try the Champions Tour as the Tour schools were at the same time last year and where my birthday falls in the middle of June, I wouldn’t have got that many starts over there. But also a good friend of mine, Bob Boyd, who played over here but who sadly passed away last year, told me to come over here and play and I am really glad I did. There are some really good people on this Tour and we play at great courses like this as well.”

The ‘coming home’ feeling was increased for Thelen due to an incredible coincidence in relation to the Cologne course’s greenkeeper, Dirk Thelen.

“It’s amazing really,” said the American. “I met Dirk at the start of the week and because we share the same surname, his father is now looking into the possibility that we might actually be related because my great grandfather came from Germany to America in the last century.  So Dirk’s father is doing some research right now to see where we all fall together in the family tree. It is an incredible coincidence you have to admit.”

Second placed Ryall owed his six under par 66 to a barnstorming finish which featured three birdies in the last four holes, but the 52 year old admitted he was simply delighted to be playing at all after injuring his back and having to withdraw from last week’s De Vere Club PGA Seniors Championship.

“I’ve twisted one of my discs at the bottom of my back,” he said. “My physio at home put it back in which made a massive difference but then I just rested even when I came out here and as a result I came here with no real expectations but played lovely.

“Orla, the Tour physio, really helped me here as well. I was struggling yesterday and this morning but she really got me on my feet so between my physio at home and her, they managed to get me playing okay recently but you can get these niggling little injuries which set you back a bit.”

James started well with three birdies in his first four holes and finished well with a birdie at the last in his 67, admitting a lot of hard work done recently on both his chipping and putting were finally paying dividends.

Luis Carbonetti of Argentina and Gary Wolstenholme of England shared fourth place after matching opening 68s, while tournament host Bernhard Langer completed his first competitive round after three months out with a thumb injury with a steady 69 to lie in a share of sixth place with Chile’s Angel Fernandez and Barry Lane of England.

“My thumb didn’t bother me today and I didn’t think about it before hitting the ball which was good,” said Langer. “I’m quite happy with my first round after being out of action for so long. My game was solid and I hit the ball well. Unfortunately four putts just lipped out, otherwise my score would have been even better.”

Complete First Round Scores (Par 72)

65 T Thelen (USA) ,  

66 G Ryall (Eng) ,

67 M James (Eng) ,

 68 L Carbonetti (Arg) , G Wolstenholme (Eng) ,

69 A Fernandez (Chi) , B Langer (Ger) , B Lane (Eng) ,

 70 P Fowler (Aus) , J Rivero (Esp) , J Chillas (Sco) , J Quiros (Esp)

71 I Woosnam (Wal) , M Mouland (Wal) , B Lincoln (RSA) , M Cunning (USA) , P Dahlberg (Swe) , B Ruangkit (Tha) , M Harwood (Aus) , B Longmuir (Sco) , B Smit (RSA) , P Mitchell (Eng) ,  

72 R Drummond (Sco) , R Davis (Aus) , B Cameron (Eng) , D Cambridge (Jam) , D Frost (RSA) , S Torrance (Sco) , G Brand (Eng) ,

73 N Job (Eng) , S Van Vuuren (RSA) , T Johnstone (Zim) , M Farry (Fra) , K Tomori (Jpn) , H Carbonetti (Arg) , D Durnian (Eng) , G Ralph (Eng) , F Mann (Sco) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , G Manson Aut) ,  

74 N Ratcliffe (Aus) , J Bruner (USA) , D Hospital (Esp) , G Cali (Ita) , A Sowa (Arg) , M Belsham (Eng) , A Franco (Par) , G Banister (Aus) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , J Bland (RSA) , D Russell (Eng) , A Sherborne (Eng) ,

75 M Piñero (Esp) , J Gould (Eng) , J Harrison (Eng) , K Spurgeon (Eng) , D Merriman (Aus) , C O'Connor Jnr (Irl) , M Clayton (Aus) , C Williams (RSA) ,

 76 S Lyle (Sco) , C Rocca (Ita) , T Giedeon (Ger) ,

77 M Bembridge (Eng) , D Smyth (Irl) , J Rhodes (Eng) , M Moreno (Esp) ,  

78 C Mason (Eng) ,

79 J Stuart (USA) , A Garrido (Esp) ,  

83 D Blakeman (Eng) ,

85 A Forsbrand (Swe) ,

US OPEN: RORY McILROY ADDS A 66 TO HIS OPENING 65

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

By OLIVER BROWN

With a consummate exhibition of shot-making that left even Phil Mickelson applauding, Rory McIlroy streaked into a barely believable lead at the US Open today.

Sustaining the inspiration that had propelled him to a first-round 65, the 22 year-old compiled a front nine of peerless brilliance to rewrite the records at this 111-year-old tournament.

Truly, the US Open has not seen this degree of dominance since Tiger Woods bared his teeth with a 15-shot win at Pebble Beach in 2000. But even Woods led by a mere six at the halfway stage in the year of his most emphatic major triumph.

McIlroy led by 11 shots at one stage after his birdie on the 17th hole to become the only player in history to reach -13 at the US Open - traditionally golf's most demanding major.

That he went onto double bogey the 18th meant he eventually signed for a 66, and had to settle for a 36-hole total of 131. Mickelson, a four-time major champion and himself three under for the day, simply stood by and clapped.

So much for worries of a second-round slump: the 80 with which McIlroy had followed an opening 63 at the Open last summer remained vivid in the memory, but the Hollywood ‘phenom’, as the Washington crowd here are fond of calling him, controlled any nerves effortlessly.
McIlroy, who had imploded so spectacularly at the Masters two months ago, consigned such thoughts to the dustbin of history as he completed 35 holes without a single dropped shot. He found the water on 18th to prove he is human, and tossed his ball into the lake in frustration.
At a US Open, which imposes such draining demands on a player with every hole, this defies credulity. But at times, it seemed McIlroy could barely wait to hit the next shot.
His relentless assault on the record books began early, as he drained a 25-foot birdie putt at the 470-yard fourth. The momentum built irresistibly at the par-five sixth, with a glorious arcing approach over the lake to six feet. Naturally, he steered the putt into the dead centre of the cup.
The party trick of the round, though, as McIlroy pitched a lob wedge to the back of the eighth green and watched the ball creep down the slope, the backspin taking it into the hole to cue a beaming high-five with JP Fitzgerald.
We waited for the wobble that never happened. Indeed, the gaping chasm between McIlroy and the rest only grew when he put his second to the 14th four feet from the pin. The ensuing birdie took him to 11 under.
No one had ever gone better than 12 under – and the last man to do so was a certain T Woods.
SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
131 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 65 66.
140 Robert Garrigus (US) 70 70, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 69 71, Zach Johnson (US) 71 69, Brandt Snedeker (US) 70 70.
141 Kyung-tae Kim (Japan) 69 72, Alvaro Quiros (Spain) 70 71, Robert Rock (England) 70 71.
SELECTED SCORES
144 Ed Molinari (Italy) 74 70.
146 Matteo Manassero (Italy) 74 72.


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CRAIG'S A JOLLY GOODFELLOW AT GLENMUIR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
By LEE McLAUGHLIN 

The iconic Belfry witnessed more golfing history as former PGA Assistants’ winner Craig Goodfellow completed a unique double by securing the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship in association with Peugeot.

The 35-year-old Carlisle Driving Range PGA professional is the first player to have won both titles, having lifted the assistants’ crown a decade ago.

Goodfellow added the PGA’s flagship title to his trophy cabinet in some style over the PGA National course with his fourth successive round under par in the £78,000 flagship event.

A steady one-under 71 took him to seven-under-par for the tournament, securing him a bounty of riches including a winner’s cheque for £10,000, his place on the 2011 GB and Ireland PGA Cup team, and a place in the end-of-year PGA Play-Offs in Turkey.

“It feels awesome to have won,” he said.

“It’s a strange day as it didn’t feel like a final round as I was totally relaxed, which is different to how it has been in the past.

“I felt incredibly calm and why I probably managed to get over the line. I was dead solid, didn’t miss many greens and didn’t put myself under pressure apart from a couple of shots.

“On the whole I was just steady, which has been the key to the week really. At 17 I hit it into the fairway trap and I didn’t make par there but I did at the last.

“It’s amazing to be the first player to win this and the Assistants’ championship. This tournament has been my goal all year. It was going to be the only tournament I was going to play in. I don’t know what winning gets me but a nice cheque and into the PGA Cup.

“That was the biggest motivation, getting into the PGA Cup team as missing out on that would have been the worst thing.”

Second place was taken by Greenore’s Rob Giles, who carded a third successive level par 72 for a four-under-par total.

Giles, who ensured he will be making his PGA Cup debut, revealed how his return to form this week has rejuvenated him having withdrawn from all his tournaments last year due to a complete loss of form.
“My game had been pretty poor and I was at stagee where I withdrew from all my events,” said the 40-year-old
“I had some Challenge Tour events via my ranking and I pulled out of them last year as I was so despondent with my game but now it’s a question of looking at my schedule again after making the PGA Cup team.

“I would have liked to have won the championship but outside of that getting on the PGA Cup team was my next priority – and I’ve done that.

“I had chances to challenge. I had a chance on the 10th with a four foot putt for eagle to get to eight-under but I missed it. After that it was a case of getting home. I made a couple of bogeys on easy putts and I was a little bit nervous over the last few holes but I parred the last two to get home safely, so in the end I’m more than happy.

“Making the PGA Cup means everything. I’ve played majors, European Tour events, I’ve played seven times for Ireland in the International Team Championships, winning it twice, and if anything the PGA Cup is the only thing I haven’t played in.”

Also making his debut at the age of 47 will be Ganton’s Gary Brown. He shot a one-over-par 73 to claim third spot at three-under-par.

It was a remarkable week for Brown, who spent one night in a 24-hour supermarket dosed up with painkillers after being unable to sleep due to severe toothache.

But he overcame that, and a dose of nerves, to achieve the unthinkable.

“This means everything,” he said. “I’ve played in the Open before but to make the PGA Cup team is the by far the best.

“I played at Royal Porthcawl four years ago, when the PGA Cup was going to be in America. I was in a similar position then on the back nine and I needed a decent back nine to get in and I ended up missing out on the team by two shots.

“I was devastated for a few months afterwards. I thought I’d blown it because I was 43, so to make it now at 47 is absolutely fantastic.”

Former Glenmuir PGA Professional champion Simon Edwards (Windermere) and Exeter’s Chris Gill completed the top five finishing at two-under-par. They also made the GB & I PGA Cup team.

Completing the 10-man side, which is captained by Russell Weir, are the top three from 2010 – David Mortimer (Galway), David Shacklady (Mossock Hall) and Stuart Little (Minchinhampton). The final two places went to Matt Morris (Walmley) and John Wells (Cherry Burton) following a five-man play-off.

The PGA Cup is a biennial Ryder Cup-style between PGA professionals from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States. It was first competed for in 1973.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
281 Craig Goodfellow Carlisle DR 70 71 69 71
284 Robert Giles Greenore 68 72 72 723
285 Gary Brown Ganton 72 70 70 73
286 Simon Edwards Windermere 72 68 73 73, Christopher Gill Exeter 69 73 69 75
287 John Kennedy Wexham Park 72 71 71 73m Matt Morris Walmley 74 70 70 73, Michael Watson Wessex 73 66 74 74, Steve Carter South Staffs 72 71 69 75.
288 Paul Wesselingh Kedleston Park 72 71 73 72

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HANSON SWOOPS WITH A 63 TO WIN MOTOCADDY MASTERS

By MICHAEL EMONS
Chris Hanson produced a sensational final round of 63 (-7) to win the Motocaddy Masters at Bovey Castle in Devon .
Hanson started the day four shots behind overnight leaders Dale Marmion and Graham Benson but Hanson's 63, the lowest round by any golfer on the PGA EuroPro Tour so far this season, took him to the title.
His flawless round included birdies at the second, third, tenth, 13th, 14th, 15th and 18th and left him as clubhouse leader and sweating on the outcome.
Marmion on -9 was the only man who could catch him but could only manage to shoot par at the last nine holes as Hanson won the competition and the £10,000 prize by one shot.
Hanson (Woodsome Hall, Huddersfield) has had great success at Bovey Castle as he also won there in 2006 and was a day one leader in 2007 before finishing third.
This is his first EuroPro Tour victory in five years, although he came close in 2009 when he had a five-shot lead going into the last day at Collingtree Park, Northamptonshire, but a horror final round of 81 left him in tied eighth.
"I'm a much better golfer now than I was five years ago," said Hanson. "I've matured as a golfer, have a full-time caddy and have got a really good team around me. I've just really matured and focused."
"After those mess ups I've had on final days it's nice to be able to put them all to bed now. Collingtree Park was a massive upset for me and knocked me off balance. I had some time off the EuroPro Tour so to come back and win is absolutely great.
"I think my chances of making the Challenge Tour are really high. I've played well in the first two events. But I want to get on the main tour and will just keep doing what I'm doing.
"I played fantastically today and controlled my golf ball the best I've ever done. I just stuck to my gameplan and it seemed to work.
"It's strange waiting to see if you've won as I was told Dale needed to chip in for a play-off but ten minutes later I still didn't know. I went to hit a few balls and then someone told me, but you don't feel you have won until you have the trophy.
"I knew how tough the course is but I didn't think I would have to shoot seven-under to put the pressure on so hats off to Dale as well."

Marmion, who shot 68 (-2) on Friday, was quick to congratulate Hanson. "I have to give credit where it's due and it was an unbelievable round from Chris, -7 in those conditions," said Marmion.
"I thought me shooting -2 would have been enough but unfortunately it wasn't. But overall I'm happy with how I played and there are plenty of positives to take from it. Second isn't too bad a finish."
Gareth Evans ( Crow Nest Park , Dewsbury) was in third on -6, while James Ruth, Ed Wood (Crow Wood, Glasgow) and Nick James ( Wenvoe Castle , Cardiff ) all finished in tied fourth on -5.
The action from Bovey Castle will be broadcast on June 29 and the next EuroPro Tour event is at Longhirst Hall, Northumberland from June 22 to 24.


LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
199 Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall) 68 69 62 (£10,000)
201 Dale Marmion (Eaton) 66 67  68 201 £5,000.
204 Gareth Evans (Crow Nest Park) 68 67 69 204 £2,500.
205 James Ruth 75 64 66, Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 68 69 68, Nick James (Wenvoe Castle) 67 68 70 (£1,433 each).
206 James Webber (Regiment Way) 65 72 69, Martin LeMesurier (South Winchester) 66 69 71 (£950 each).

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
208 Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 68 67 73 (T14) (£525).
218 Martin Lawrence (Newmachar) 71 69 78 (T46) (£212).


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MICHAEL STEWART v AUSSIE MacPHERSON IN AMATEUR FINAL

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE RandA
Hillside, Southport: Bryden Macpherson of Australia will face Ayrshire’s Michael Stewart in the final of the 2011 Amateur Championship, tomorrow at Hillside Golf Club, Lancashire.
At stake is the Amateur Championship Trophy, a place in The Open Championship at Royal St George’s and an invitation to the 2012 Masters Tournament at Augusta National.
This afternoon, Melbourne’s Macpherson, whose grandfather competed against Doug Bachli, the last Australian to win the Amateur, in 1954, completed a commanding semi-final 4 and 3 victory over Greg Paterson from St Andrews, in which he did not lose a hole. Earlier in the day, Macpherson had defeated Spaniard Antonio Hortal 2 and 1 in the third quarter-final.
“I’m very happy! It was really tough today…but patience has been the key. I’ve stuck to my plan, kept doing what I do and trying not to force it,” he said. “This is my third Amateur Championship, and I would not miss this event for anything in the world. It’s the best amateur event there is. You can’t ignore the history of The R and A.”

And while the 20-year-old is aware of the rewards on offer to tomorrow’s champion, he will not be burdened by any thoughts of Sandwich or Magnolia Lane.

“The Open is my dream tournament. As the title suggests it’s The Open, and if I could choose to win just one event in my life, I’d choose that one. But I won’t be thinking about that tomorrow.”

Defeated Paterson, who is a member of St Andrews’ New Club, said: “I’m disappointed, but it’s been a great week, and a slightly unexpected one, given my recent form.”

After defeating England’s Tom Lewis 4 and 3 in his morning quarter-final, world number 36 Michael Stewart, 21, was never down in his semi-final against Sebastian Gros, building a five-hole lead by the turn, thanks to four consecutive wins from the fifth hole to the eighth, before closing out the match 5 and 4.

“I made three bogeys all day, so when you’re on or around par on this course, in these conditions, you’ll be fine,” explained Stewart, pictured above, a member of the 2011 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad and the Scottish amateur champion from last year at Gullane.

“If I just keep doing what I’m doing, I’m confident that I’ll be fine. People ask me what it is about match play that I like so much, and I can’t answer them. I just seem to play well when it’s one on one. I know Bryden; he’s a very good player, so it should be a great match.

Stewart, who was, until recently, hampered by a wrist injury that caused him to miss May’s Walker Cup trial match, now finds himself 36-holes away from two Major Championship opportunities, which he admitted would be “life-changing”.

“I’ll think about what’s at stake tonight. You’re obviously aware of how close you are, but, on the first tee tomorrow, it’ll be out of my mind. This is the big one, this is the target; it’s been a long time coming.”

Beaten semi-finalist Gros said: “I am disappointed and in a few days I will realise that I have done well here this week. It’s been a great experience for me, to perform to this level at the Amateur Championship, so I am very proud. I would like to congratulate Michael on his performance today. He didn’t make any mistakes.”

Tomorrow’s final will begin at 8.30am, with the second 18 holes due to commence at 1.00pm. Live scores will be available on RandA.org, as will live text coverage, which will be published on Twitter.com/TheAmateurLive.


Free admission, parking and full spectator facilities are available.

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CAPTAIN WEIR EXCITED BY MAKE-UP OF GB and I PGA CUP T

PGA CUP PRESS RELEASE
Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup captain Russell Weir has hailed the mix of youth and experience after discovering the make-up of his 10-man team that will tackle their US counterparts in September.
The conclusion of the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship in association with Peugeot at the PGA National course at The Belfry brought the pursuit to a close, with double qualification points on offer to the top 10 finishers.
This year’s PGA Cup match, where GB and I will be aiming to wrestle back the Llandudno Trophy, is being held at CordeValle Resort, California between September 16-18.
This year’s champion Craig Goodfellow booked his place on the plane, as did all of the top five at this year’s championship. They were joined by the top three from last year’s championship, with a five-man play-off required to decide the final two spaces.
Weir, a veteran of eight PGA Cups, said: “The quality of our players is outstanding. I have seen them first hand at the past two Glenmuir PGA Professional championships and have been more than impressed with their skill and competitiveness.
“It is good to have the experience of players like Simon Edwards and Craig Goodfellow, who have been their before. Their knowledge will prove invaluable, especially for the PGA Cup rookies.
“I am sure the guys will be looking forward to the contest as much as I am as we try to win back the PGA Cup.”
Weir will be aiming to become the first man in history to mastermind a PGA Cup victory on American soil since the club pros’ equivalent of the Ryder Cup was first played in 1973 at Pinehurst.
GB and I came close to ending that run during their last visit to the States in 2007 when they lost 13 ½- 12 ½ at Reynolds Plantation in Georgia.


2011 GB and I PGA Cup team
Name Age Represents Points
Robert Giles 40 Greenore 21

Craig Goodfellow 35 Carlisle Driving Range 20
Gary Brown 47 Ganton 16
Simon Edwards 40 Windermere 15
Christopher Gill 31 Exeter 15
David Mortimer 35 Galway 10
David Shacklady 44 Mossock Hall 9
Stuart Little 43 Minchinhampton 8
Matt Morris 33 Walmley 7*
John Wells 33 Cherry Burton 7*
*Qualified after five-man play-off.

McARTHUR WINS MARATHON PLAY-OFF AT PAUL L INVITATIONAL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfviewcom 

Paul Lawrie couldn’t have written a better script for his inaugural Invitational tournament at Deeside Golf Club.

It produced one of the longest play-offs in Tartan Tour history with former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur beating Kenny Ferrie from the North-east of England at the SIXTH hole of a sudden-death play-off.

They had tied on 11-under-par 199 at the end of the regulation 54 holes over the parkland course in Aberdeen’s leafy western suburbs, about half a mile from Paul Lawrie’s front door.

With a buggy shuttle service working overtime, McArthur and Ferrie halved the 18^th five times.

PGA Scotland supreme Michael McDougall then decided to use the par-3 first hole for the sixth attempt at a tie-breaker – and it worked!

McArthur birdied it to win the £4,000 first prize. Ferrie earned £3,000 for his visit to the North-east.

And Paul Lawrie himself finished third for a £2,200 pay-out – from his own prize fund - on 10-under-par 200, only one shot behind the play-off participants after a final round of five-under-par 65 (33-32), compared to the 67s by both McArthur (32-35) and Ferrie.(34-33).

Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon_) earned £1,800 for finishing fourth on 203 with a final round of 67 (35-32).

Mark Kerr (Murrayfield), who had started the final day on level terms with McArthur and Ferrie, dropped out of contention with a double bogey at te second and bogeys at te first, fourth and fifth, and he finished with a 73 (39-34) for joint fifth place on 205 with Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) who signed off with a 64 (30-34). Kerr and Isaacs each went home with £1,500 for their efforts.

Former Scottish boys and men’s amateur champion David Law, a late entry to the field, finished a creditable joint 10^th on 208 with a final round of 67 (36-31).

In all 13 players had final totals under the 54-hole par of 210.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
199 Andrew McArthur (unatt) 70 62 67, Kenny Ferrie (unatt)  67 65 67 (McArthur, £4,000, bt Ferrie (£3,000) at the sixth hole of a sudden-death play-off).
200 Paul Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 70 65 65 (£2,200).
203 Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) 68 68 67 (£1,800).
205 Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 68 73 64, Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) 67 65 73 (£1,500 each)
206 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 68 68 70, Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 70 65 71.
207 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 70 70 67.
208 David Law (Hazlehead) (am) 68 73 67, David Patrick (Elie) 70 71 67, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) 67 71 70.
209 Paul O’Hara (unatt) 70 68 71.
210 Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 74 67 69, Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 70 69 71.
212 Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch) 72 71 69, Daniel Wood (Eyemouth) 70 72 70, Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 72 69 71, Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 68 72 72, Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 71 69 72, Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 71 70 71, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 71 71 70, Kenneth Hutton (Downfield) 68 69 75.
213 Peter Smith (Deeside) 75 68 70, Alastair Love (St Andrews) 73 69 71, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 72 70 71, Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie) 73 67 73, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 71 68 74.
214 Gareth Wright (West Linton) 72 69 73.
215 Michael Patterson (unatt) 73 69 73.
217 Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC) 72 71 74, Stephen McAllister (Renaissance Club) 69 73 75.
218  Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf) 70 73 75, Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Links) 72 71 75.

Ends final totals

TWO SCOTS IN SEMI-FINALS OF BRITISH AMATEUR

There is a possibility that tomorrow's 36-hole final of the British amateur championship at Hillside GC, could be an all-Scottish affair.
That's because Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) won their quarter-finals this morning.
Stewart beat former British boys champion Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City) by 4 and 3.
Paterson beat Welsman Alastair Jones (Radyr) by one hole.
Stewart now plays Frenchman Sebastian Gros who beat Joakim Mikkelsen (Norway) by one hole.
Paterson plays Australian Bryden Macpherson, a 2 and 1 win over Antonio Hortal.

CULTS HOTEL ABERDEEN MEN'S PENNANT LEAGUE RESULTS

PLAYED THURSDAY EVENING

PORTLETHEN 5, CALEDONIAN 0

At Portlethen

Graham Innes/Ian Craik bt Roy Pirie/Lee Morrice 1 hole.

Clark Brechin/Ryan Penny bt Walter Ross/Scott Allan 6 and 5.

Lewis Shand/Ryan Donaldson bt Roy Rimmer/Dean Gardiner 2 and 1.

Keith Horne/Sean Lawrie bt Alan Doig/Matty Beattie 2 and 1.

Gary Esson/Stephen Cook bt David Mullen/Callum Dundar 2 and 1.

ROYAL ABERDEEN 4, BON ACCORD 1
At Balgownie

D Macandrew junior and S Brechin bt Matt Greig and Graeme Someres 2 holes.
W Barclay and M Wilson bt Matt Smith and Barrie Edmond 1 hole.
E Laird and D Macandrew senior bt Alan Shand and Mark Greig 6 and 4.
I Middleton and M Black bt W Smith and J Annand 3 and 2.
W Park and G Webster lost to J Killman and M Dunn 1 hole.

IS THERE STILL ONE PENNANT MATCH RESULT TO COME FOR THURSDAY EVENING?

IF SO, WOULD OFFICIAL OF HOME CLUB PLEASE E-MAIL DETAILS TO Colin@scottishgolfview.com

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CRAIG GOODFELLOW LEADS GLENMUIR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP BY ONE

Craig Goodfellow leads the Glenmuir PGA championship at The Belfry by one shot with rounds of 70, 71 and 69 for six-under-par 210.
He has a one-shot advantage over Christopher Gill going into today's final round.

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RORY McILROY'S 65 LEADS US OPEN BY THREE SHOTS

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
BETHESDA, Maryland — With Tiger Woods at home in a walking boot and crutches, a revolving door at the top of the world rankings, and a landlocked host venue that doesn't exactly inspire awe, the 111th U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club was in desperate need of a story line as Thursday's first round approached. Mercifully it didn't take long for one to unfold as 22-year-old Rory McIlroy — fresh off a heartbreaking collapse at the 2011 Masters and even fresher off a heartwarming Unicef visit to Haiti— posted a dazzling six-under-par 65 to take the first-round lead by three shots over Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and 2009 PGA champion Y.E. Yang."I've started getting used to these first rounds in the majors," said McIlroy, who held the first-round lead (65) at this year's Masters in April and at last year's British Open at St. Andrews (63). "I just need to keep it going."
McIlroy's last few months have provided enough life lessons to fill an after-school special. With a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the Masters, he imploded at the turn, making a triple-bogey 7 on the 10th hole before stumbling home with an 80. He accepted that bloody Sunday with grace and dignity, then proved his resiliency by finishing third in his next start at the Malaysian Open. Just last week, McIlroy showed another level of his character when he visited impoverished schoolchildren on a humanitarian mission to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
"It just gives you a completely different view on the world and the game that you play," McIlroy said of the trip. "It [gave me] a huge sense of just being so fortunate and being able to do normal things every day."
Or, for that matter, extraordinary things.
McIlroy said he was thinking about possibly shooting a 62, the lowest round ever in a major, as he played the fifth hole (his 14th) on Thursday.
"If I could birdie that and birdie three of the last four coming in, I could have done that," he said.
It didn't happen, but the rest of his round certainly didn't lack for fireworks. His first birdie came on the par-4 12th, where he hit a sand wedge to six feet. He followed that up with a pair of birdies at the difficult 17th and 18th, also par 4s, to make the turn in 32. At the watery par-5 sixth, he barely missed an eagle try from 15 feet.
"I felt like the golf course was going to set up well for me," said McIlroy, who hit all but one green in regulation. "As I said the past couple days, it doesn't feel like a typical U.S. Open where you have to hack it out ... Even when you miss a fairway, you've got a chance to get it up around the green, and you've got a chance to make your par."
McIlroy may have made it look and sound easy, but for most players 7,574-yard Congressional wasn't. Twenty-one players broke par, but many of the biggest names in the field struggled. Phil Mickelson, in search of his first Open title after five runner-up finishes, shot a 74 that included a double-bogey on his first hole of the day, the par-3 10th. After hitting just five fairways, Mickelson summed up his round in three words: "I played horrific."
Equally disappointing was the power grouping of Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, the top three players in the World Ranking, who shot a combined 10 over par.
Donald (74) was particularly sloppy. After a pair of opening birdies, he went on to bogey 13, 14, 16 and 17, and he doubled the 18th. After hitting a 100-yard wedge shot short of the green on the par-4 fifth, the normally unflappable Englishman looked like he'd had enough. He cocked his wedge over his shoulder and took a vicious swipe at his divot.
"Goddammit," he snapped.
Congressional is a demanding test made tougher still by designer Rees Jones, who recently extended the layout by 360 yards. Jones also mowed down the grass around the fairway bunkers to snare stray balls and filled the bunkers with a fluffier sand designed to create more fried-egg lies. Still, after a drizzly morning near the nation's capital, the fairways were soft and the greens were relatively receptive.
"As easy as you're going to get," Padraig Harrington said of the layout after an even-par 71.
"There for the taking," Westwood said.
Yang wasn't shy. The South Korean began his round on the 10th, a scenic but daunting par 3 that requires a long carry over water. After both his playing partners, Ryo Ishikawa and Anthony Kim, rinsed their tee shots, Yang put on his detective cap.
"I sort of cheated and looked at the other guys and saw what they hit," Yang said. "I think they grabbed 5-irons, so I pulled out my 5-iron hybrid, and fortunately for me it was a very good hit."
Yang made birdie there, then went on to achieve a first for him in any professional round, making birdie on every par 3 on the course.
"I'm quite stoked about it," he said.
Another birdie at the par-5 sixth, paired with bogeys at 11 and 18, was good enough for the early lead.
Schwartzel, who revealed earlier in the week that he rarely leaves home without his green jacket, showed much of the form he displayed at Augusta National, where he birdied the final four holes to win. On Thursday at Congressional he made four birdies against a lone bogey, hit 15 greens in regulation, and described his ballstriking as "spectacular."
Defending Open champion Graeme McDowell also showed positive signs, posting a one-under 70. McDowell has been in a funk in 2011, partly he says because he has been overwhelmed by the attention showered on him after his breakthrough year in 2010.
"I was excited to come here," McDowell said, "but I also was excited to maybe close a chapter that was the last 12 months and try and start talking about the future rather than talking about the past."
The key for McDowell's pal McIlroy this week might be to avoid talking and thinking too much about either the past or the future. As McIlroy said after his round: "You can't be thinking about what's happened before. You've got to just be thinking about this week and how best you can prepare and how you can get yourself around the golf course.
"I don't think I should be trying to do anything differently tomorrow than I did today."
Another 65? Yep, that would do nicely.

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PAUL DOHERTY SHARING FIFTH PLACE IN EUROPRO TOUR EVENT

By MICHAEL EMONS
Graham Benson produced the best round of the season to move to a joint lead in the latest PGA EuroPro Tour event.
Benson’s total of 64 (-6) on the second day of the Motocaddy Masters at Bovey Castle, Devon, was the lowest score by any player in the three events of the 2011 Tour so far.
His flawless round included birdies at the second, fourth, sixth, tenth, 12th and 18th and propelled Benson, who plays out of the Leighton Buzzard club in Bedfordshire, to an overall score of -7 with one day remaining.
He is joined on -7 by Dale Marmion (Eaton, Cheshire ), who ended with a strong finish after a wobble earlier in the round.
“I’m tied for the lead and had it at -9 through 12 but then made three consecutive bogeys but finished solid and looking forward to tomorrow,” said Marmion.
Graeme Clark is in contention for his first EuroPro Tour victory in 22 months as he is one shot behind Benson and Marmion on -6.
Doncaster-based Clark finished top of the Tour Order of Merit in 2007 and last won an event on the Tour in August 2009 when he triumphed at Marriott Tudor Park in Kent .
He began the second day in Devon in tied fifth place after an opening round of 66 (-4) and followed that with a score of 68 (-2) on Thursday.
At one stage on the second day he had a three-shot advantage but bogeys at the 13th and 18th saw him lose the lead.
Adam Hodkinson also lies on -6 after he recorded his second successive score of 67 (-3), which included birdies at the first and last holes.
Nick James (Wenvoe Castle, South Glamorgan) enjoyed a fine start to his second round with six birdies in his opening 13 holes, although a double bogey on the par-three 17th could come back to haunt him and he starts the final day on -5.
There were mixed fortunes for the four players who started the day in joint first position. James Maw (Hallowes, Derbyshire) went round in 70 to stay on -5, James Webber (Regiment Way Golf Centre, Essex) was two-over for the day, Alex Belt (The De Vere Club) collected a 71 (+1) despite three bogeys at the end, while John Spagnuolo (The Hertfordshire) ended well with an eagle in his effort of 73 (+3).
The top 50 players plus ties have advanced into Friday’s final round and the champion will collect the £10,000 top prize.
This is the third event of the season and the leading five players at the end of the campaign will advance to next season’s Challenge Tour and be one step away from playing alongside Europe ’s elite.

MOTOCADDY MASTERS
BOVEY CASTLE , DEVON
ROUND TWO OF THREE
Leading scores
Par 140 (2x70)
T1 Graham Benson Leighton Buzzard Golf Club 69 64 133
T1 Dale Marmion Eaton GC 66 67 133

T3 Graeme Clark Doncaster GC 66 68 134
T3 Adam Hodkinson GRI Group 67 67 134
T5 Nick James Wenvoe Castle Golf Club 67 68 135
T5 James Maw Hallowes Golf Club 65 70 135

T5 Gareth Evans Crow Nest Park Golf Club 68 67 135

T5 Martin LeMesurier South Winchester Golf Club 66 69 135
T5 Paul Doherty Vale Hotel 68 67 135

SELECTED SCORES
T12 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 68 69 137
T38 Martin Lawrence (Newmachar) 71 69 140

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