PGA EUROPRO TOUR REPORT AND SCOREBOARD

By MICHAEL EMONS
Graeme Clark is closing in on the top spot in the Order of Merit after a fine opening day in the latest event on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
Clark shot a round of 65 (-5) to lead the way at The Rusty’s Travel Classic at Longhirst Hall in Northumberland, the fourth competition in the EuroPro Tour season.
He is currently fourth in the Order of Merit after finishing second at Burhill in Surrey but will collect another £10,000 if he holds on to his lead for another two rounds.
Clark ( Doncaster ) has enjoyed great success on the Tour as he won more money than anyone else in 2007 and last won an event in August 2009.
He has a one-shot lead over Graham Powell (Banstead Downs, Surrey ), who ended his round well with birdies at his last two holes.
Powell is one shot ahead of three players, Finland’s Max Brackley, James Need and Toby Burden (Hayling, Hampshire) who all shot rounds of 67 (-3).
Need is hoping this will be a breakthrough event as he has only made the cut in one of three events this season and at only two of ten competitions last season.
But two fine rounds on Thursday and Friday will catapult him up the Order of Merit, where a top five finish at the end of the campaign would propel him on to the Challenge Tour.
A host of players are on -2, including Dan Seymour (Newbury Golf Centre, Berkshire), Jamie Howarth (De Vere Mottram Hall, Cheshire ), Tim Rice ( Limerick , Ireland ), Lee Harper (Archerfield Links, East Lothian) and Zane Scotland (Princes, Kent).
Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall, Huddersfield) won last week at Bovey Castle in Devon and had a mixed first day as birdies at the first, third, seventh and 18th were countered by bogeys at the fifth, eighth, 10th and 17th.
“Level par today in the first round,” said Hanson. “I played pretty steady and my focus was very good.”
Local player Karl Hepple, who is aiming to become the second amateur to win on the EuroPro tour after James Robinson did so in 2010, was one of a number of players on -1 after the opening round.
All the action from Longhirst Hall will be filmed and Matchroom sport will produce a two-hour highlights package, which will be broadcast on Sky Sports on Wednesday, July 6.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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WEST OF SCOTLAND BOYS' MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

RESULTS

FIRST ROUND
Jamie Savage bt Craig Chalmers 3 and 2.
Jonny Reid bt Cameron Buist 1 hole.
Charlie Macneal bt Stepen Murray 5 and 3.
George Duncan bt Calum Nairn 5 and 4.
Stuart Cameron bt Darek Kunecki 1 hole.
David Slack bt Fraser Kane 1 hole.
Gavin Roger bt Greig Ramage 9 and 7.
James Steven bt Michael Wilson 7 and 6.

QUARTER-FINALSSavage bt Reid 3 and 2
Duncan bt Macneal 1 hole.
Cameron bt Slack 1 hole.
Roger bt Steven 2 and 1.

DOUGLAS PARK PRO-AM

Scott Henderson (Kings Links) and East Kilbride's Graham Fox earned £925 apiece after sharing the top spoton four-under-par 65 in today's (WED) Douglas Park Golf Club pro-am, Bearsden. Both players were out in 34 (level par) and home in 31 (four under). Henderson had birdies at the sixth, 11th, 14th, 15th and 17th after dropping his only shot at the third. Fox bogeyed the fifth and 15th but birdied the ninth, 10th, 11th, 13th, 16th and 18th. In third place was Craig Gordon (Edinburgh Golf Centre) with a 66 (33-33). Graham Fox led the BDO LLP1 amateur trio of Andrew McNamara (handicap 5), David Turpie (6) and Craig Hislop (18) to victory in the pro-am team event with a net score of 20-under-par 118. Leading pro scores Par 69 65 Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Graham Fox (East Kilbride). 66 Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC). 68 Chris Kelly (Cawder). 69 James McKinnon (Irvine), Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills). 70 Mark King (Kingsfield), James McGhee (Duddingston), Colin Gillies (Kingsfield), Jonathan Lomas (unatt). 71 Donald McKay (Wellsgreen), David Patrick (Elie), Craig Ronald (Carluke), Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm).

NOW TIGER WOODS IS DOUBTFUL FOR OPEN NEXT MONTH

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Tiger Woods will miss another golf tournament as he recovers from injuries to his left leg, saying Wednesday he will not play in the AT and T National next week outside Philadelphia.
"Doctor's orders," Woods posted on Twitter.
He said he would be at Aronomink to support the tournament, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundations. Woods said he is "feeling stronger," but is still not 100 percent.
Woods, who has slipped to No. 17 in the world ranking, has not completed a tournament since he tied for fourth at the Masters. He said he hurt his left knee and Achilles hitting a shot on the 17th hole of the third round from an awkward stance in the pine straw.
He tried to compete in The Players Championship, but withdrew after nine holes.
The next tournament on the list is the British Open, which starts July 14 at Royal St. George's in England. Woods did not mention whether he planned to play the next major. If he did, that would mean two months without any competition before playing the British Open.
Woods is scheduled to be at Aronomink next week, to sign the "We Salute Our Heroes" tribute wall in which fans can write personal messages to the U.S. military. He has a news conference Tuesday afternoon, and is expected to take part in the military opening ceremony on Wednesday.
Woods won the AT and T National in 2009 when it was played at Congressional. It moved to Aronomink for two years because Congressional hosted the U.S. Open last week, won in record fashion by Rory McIlroy.
A year ago at Aronomink, Woods failed to break par in any of the four rounds - the first time he had done that in a regular US PGA Tour event in 11 years - and tied for 46th.

RESULTS OF THREE ABERDEEN LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Sorry, we didn't get the results of the Aberdeen Links championship finals to pass on to you at the end of last week. But, better late than never, here they are:

SCRATCH CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Barry Reid (Caledonian) bt Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) 4 and 3.

HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Davie Grieve (Bon Accord) bt Willie Shand (Bon Accord) at 19th.

MURRAY CUP FINAL
Colin Murphy (Bon Accord) bt Ian Stewart (Bon Accord) 2 and 1.

TENNANT CUP WINNER JAMES WHITE LEADS FIFE ORDER OF MERIT

2011 FIFE ORDER OF MERIT for THE MACKAY BOWL

Positions after 9 events.

	NAME	CLUB		Points
1	James White	Lundin		565
2	Greg Paterson	The New Club		360
3	Scott Crichton	Aberdour		280
4	Ian Bell	Scotscraig		130
5=	Gary Fotheringham	Canmore		125
	A J Sutherland	Ladybank		125
7	Alastair Hain	Ladybank		120
8=	Peter Latimer	The New Club		100
	Colin Martin	Balbirnie Park		100
	Stuart Meiklejohn	Aberdour		100
	Robert Wallace	Canmore		100

The next counting events for THE 2011 FIFE ORDER OF MERIT:

THE EAST OF SCOTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP at LUNDIN (25 & 26 June) and

 ABERDOUR 36 HOLE OPEN (26 June).

£725,905 BOOST FOR SEVE BALLESTEROS FOUNDATION

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR

The Seve Ballesteros Foundation (SBF) will benefit to the tune of £725,905 following a series of fund-raising activities during the week of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club last month.

All proceeds are being donated to the SBF in partnership with Cancer Research UK to help fund research into brain cancer, which ultimately cost the five-time Major Champion his life on May 7 after a two and a half year battle against the disease.

The intensive fund-raising programme at Wentworth Club has doubled the amount raised since Ballesteros launched his partnership with Cancer Research UK last year.

3rd CRAIBSTONE ALLIANCE OPEN TODAY

Live in the North-east of Scotland? Looking for a competitive round of golf today?
Then the 3rd Craibstone Golf Club Alliance Open is for you.
The 18-hole competition is open to male amateurs (maximum handicap 20), female amateurs (maximum handicap 30) and any professionals, male or female
The normal visitors' green fee at Craibstone is £35.
You can play in the Craibstone Alliance Open for £15 - or even £10 if you are already a Craibstone GC member.
Give Craibstibe Golf Operations Director Billy Sim a call and fix up a tee time (between 8am and 2pm). Bring your friends. Call Billy at 07553 347143