Monday, August 01, 2011

CLARK BRECHIN WINS PORTLETHEN OPEN ONCE AGAIN

Clark Brechin is making a habit of collecting the main prizes at Portlethen’s 36-hole Open, retaining the title.
Clark produced almost flawless golf with scores of 68 and 69 to produce the lowest score in each round with the only two rounds under 70 and finished on 7 under par. Four shots back were Ian Craik and Murcar Links’ Andrew Campbell, both of whom shot morning 70s and afternoon 71s to finish on 3 under par.
Home players filled eight of the top twelve places.
The handicap prizes in the up to 5 category went to Portlethen’s Ian Craik (2 handicap, net 137), Graham Innes (1 h’cap, 141) and R. Black of Banchory (4 handicap, 142) and in the 6 and overs winners were Cameron Zenalov (6 handicap, net 136), C. Garden (11 h’cap, net 138) and Duncan Bonner (9 h’cap, net 140).

1st Clark Brechin (Portlethen) 68+69 = 137 1st scratch
2nd Ian Craik (Portlethen) 70+71 = 141 countback 1st division 1 (net 137)
3rd Andrew Campbell (Murcar Links) 70+71 = 141 2nd scratch
4th Graham Innes (Portlethen) 71+72 = 143 2nd division 1 (net 141)
5th D. McAndrew (Royal Aberdeen) 74+70 = 144 3rd scratch
6th Anthony Bews (Murcar Links) 73+71 = 144
7th Gary Esson (Portlethen) 70+75 = 145
8th N. McKinnon (Murcar Links) 74+72 = 146
9th Sean Lawrie (Portlethen) 73+74 = 147
10th Ryan Donaldson (Portlethen) 71+76 = 147
11th Cameron Zenalov (Portlethen) 78+70 = 148 1st division 2
12th Ben Murray (Portlethen) 77+71 = 148

3rd division 1 R. Black (Banchory, 4) 73+77 = 150, net 142

2nd division 2 C. Garden (11) 82+78 = 160, net 138
3rd division 2 Duncan Bonner (Portlethen, 9) 79+79 = 168, net 140

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HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

JUST A LITTLE JOY AT THE SCOTTISH AMATEUR

For the four Wee County golfers who played in the Scottish Amateur Golf Championship, there was a little joy, more disappointment and a number of golf lessons to be learned. With two golfers from the six Clubs in the last 32….. no mean achievement really…. County golfers can be proud of their representatives.
Top performance came from Dollar’s Scott Borrowman who reached the last 16 in Round 5. Starting with a 19th hole win against Leonard Grindrod (Crow Wood) where he came from 3 down to take the match at the first extra hole with a fine approach shot followed by a 5 ft putt. In the next two rounds he had good wins—6/5 against George Robertson (Irvine Ravenspark) and then 8/7 against Ewan Mackinnon. In round four he won narrowly by one hole against Brian Soutar (Leven GS) before losing to the 7th seed James White by 3/2.

Alva’s Lawrence Allan won his first three rounds before losing to Neil Henderson (Glen) by one hole. Braehead’s Scott Moffat beat Michael Main in the first round but was unlucky to meet Michael Stewart in round two, where he couldn’t match the number one seed’s outward figures. Alloa’s Jamie Aitken--- three down with three to play produced some class golf to win the last three holes and take the match to the 19th hole, but the County Team Captain lost when his opponent holed from 15ft.

All in all, a good learning experience for the four golfers—hopefully inspiring them to move on in their golf development.

LOCAL DERBY GOLF MATCH

The annual golf match against Stirlingshire… it’s been going for about 80 years now…. takes place this weekend at Dollar when the Clackmannan team will be in action.

Selected for the Clackmannan team are Scott Moffat, Alan Watson (Braehead), Steve McIvor, Michael Robertson (Alva), John Maxwell (Tulliallan), John Gullen, Kevin Ross, Scott Hunter (Tillicoultry).

SCOTTISH UNDER-14s CHAMPIONSHIPS

The only Clackmannan County representative is in the girls section where Beth Donoghue (Alloa) will be competing with just over 40 girls for the 2011 title.

TWO WEEK BREAK FOR CALLUM

At present, there is a two week break in the Challenge Tour schedule and Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay will be using it to prepare for the final ten tournaments of 2011---- all the events are outwith the UK; the next one is the Norwegian Challenge and there is even one in Kazakhstan (it’s a £650 + return air fare and between a 13 and 45 hour trip from Scotland unless someone has organised a charter flight for the golfers)

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IAN BROTHERSTON WINS DANISH SENIOR TITLE BY NINE SHOTS

Recent winner of the Scottish Seniors' Golfing Society match-play championship, Dumfries and County's +2 handicap senior Ian Brotherston has won the Danish senior men's amateur international championship by NINE strokes.
Fellow Scot, Keith Bruce from Edzell, finished a creditable fifth a field of more than 50 male competitors.
See below:

TOP TEN FINAL TOTALS
1 Brotherston, Ian (Dumfries & County) 77 73 74 224
2 Stenderup, Hans (Rungsted)  77 77 79 233
3 Woodford, Clive (Geneva) 75 80 80 235
4 Lund, Robert (Simons) 78 73 85 236
5 Bruce, Keith (Edzell)  79 77 82 238
6 Dolk, Jan (Västerviks) 85 76 79 240
7 Madsen. Ole Astrup (Simons) 78 82 81 241
8 Engström, Lasse (Karlstad) 78 82 82 242
9 Fea, Alex (Girasol) 80 83 80 243
T10 Larsen H (Rungsted) 85 79 81 245
T10 Mathiasen, Svend (Odsherred) 84 80 81 245

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BRYAN FOTHERINGHAM WINS GRANT CUP OPEN AT FORRES

Former Scotland international Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) continued his good season by winning Forres Golf Club's premier competition, the Grant Cup. He beat Marc Dingwall by one hole in the final.
Scott McKenzie (Chelsfield Lakes) won the Fraser Cup for Low handicap qualifiers, beating Forres golfer Ewan Mackenzie 4 and 3 in the final.
Rob McIntyre won the Capri Tray for high handicap qualifiers. He beat Laurence Groves 2 and 1 in the final

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ROYAL PORTRUSH HOSTS BRITISH SENIOR OPEN AMATEURS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R AND A
Royal Portrush Golf Club will host the 43rd Seniors Open Amateur Championship this week where defending champion Paul Simson goes in search of a remarkable fourth title.
The 60-year-old American arrives on the Antrim coast having won by five strokes from compatriot Chip Lutz at Walton Heath last year. Simson recorded his third win in five years with rounds of 70, 69, 69, for an eight-under-par 208 winning aggregate.
Simson, Seniors Open Amateur winner in 2006 and 2008, enjoyed a remarkable 2010 season when the North Carolina resident also secured the USGA Senior Amateur Championship and Canadian Senior title – the first time a player has held all three titles at once.  
As in previous years there is a strong international field for the 54-hole Championship with Simson and Lutz among the 39 American competitors at Portrush. Six travel from Canada, four from South Africa, a further 14 from across Europe while 18 Irish competitors will look to win the prestigious title on home soil. 
“The golf course is in great shape. I think it’s a fantastic time to showcase Royal Portrush with The R&A here this week,” said Gary McNeill, Royal Portrush head professional.
“The timing couldn’t be better for us. We’re very much looking forward to the week; some very strong players in the field especially from the States. Guys like Danny Yates, George ‘Buddy’ Marucci and Vinny (Marvin) Giles, all hardened Walker Cup players and captains. Obviously Garth McGimpsey spearheads the home challenge.”
McGimspey, the 2003 and 2005 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup captain, will set off in the second group in Wednesday’s opening round at 7.11am alongside American Robert Morris and Jose Luis Sueiras Rodriguez of Spain.  Simson has a 9.01am tee time and is in the same group as Neil Hughes (Gog Magog) and Chris Reynolds (Littlestone).
Competitors over the age of 55 are eligible for the Seniors Open with 144 players in the field. After two rounds on the Dunluce Links the top 60 players and ties advance to the final day (Friday 5th) before battling it out for honours. 
The Seniors Open Amateur winner also secures places at the 2012 Senior Open Championship at Turnberry in Scotland and the 2012 US Seniors Amateur.
Royal Portrush is no stranger to hosting major championships with the Senior Open held there from 1995 to 1999 before returning again in 2004. Royal Portrush is the perennial home to the Golfing Union of Ireland’s North of Ireland Championship played over both the Dunluce and Valley courses every July.
Please visit http://www.randa.org/ to view the draw and daily updates throughout the three days of competition.
+Royal Portrush hosted the British women's open amateur championship in June.

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DRUMPELLIER BOYS' OPEN ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 4

Competitors must report to the Recorder 15 mins prior to their starting time.

Competitors are reminded that jeans, denim trousers, trainers, collarless or sleeveless shirts, shell suits are not permitted in the clubhouse or on the course. Caddies are not permitted.


1. 9.00 F.STOBIE    G.ANDERSON    C.GILLESPIE
           Drumpellier Sandyhills       Easter Moffat
2. 9.07 K.STARK R LAMBIE J.HOUSTON
Crow Wood Sandyhills Easter Moffat
3. 9.15 N.GARDINER C.ANDERSON S.KANE
Crow Wood Sandyhills Cambuslang
4. 9.22 S.ALLARDICE D.DEVOY P.HEFFERLAND
Easter Moffat Drumpellier Cambuslang
5. 9.30 M.KERR R.SMITH Z.GEDDES
Easter Moffat Drumpellier Cambuslang
6. 9.37 D.McGUIGAN M.CURLEY R.WOODS
Easter Moffat Drumpellier Cambuslang
7. 9.45 J.WALKINSHAW A.MORLEY S.CAMPBELL
Wishaw Shotts Cambuslang
8. 9.52 J.RUSSELL A.FIELDING L.BRODIE
Wishaw Shotts Cambuslang
9. 10.00 J.DOLAN K.MITCHELL I.REILLY
Mount Ellen Shotts Easter Moffat
10. 10.07 B.MUSLEK D.MURRAY R.McGREGOR
Easter Moffat Shotts Cambuslang
11. 10.15 R.McMILLAN R.HIGGINS D.CLELAND
Easter Moffat Shotts Hamilton
12. 10.22 D.WILSON C.REILLY D.FAIR
Mount Ellen Easter Moffat Hamilton
13. 10.30 P.REILLY P.McALLISTER R.CORCORAN
Mount Ellen Easter Moffat Hamilton
14. 10.37 C.BANNAN K.REA S.AGGAR
Mount Ellen Easter Moffat Hamilton
15. 10.45
16. 10.52 C.HARRISON J.HAINIE B.POLLOCK
Carluke Bothwell Castle Colville Park
17. 11.00 J.MORAN K.McALLISTER S.BARNES
Drumpellier Easter Moffat Crow Wood
18. 11.07 C.McCABE K.McCONNELL R.CUNNINGHAM
Drumpellier Easter Moffat Crow Wood
19. 11.15 A.SIMPSON L.ROBERTSON M.DOYLE
Drumpelleir Mount Ellen Easter Moffat
20. 11.22 F.MARTIN K.KIRKCALDY S.BRADLEY
Mount Ellen Drumpellier Easter Moffat
21. 11.30 S.THOMSON L.DICK
Mount Ellen Drumpellier
22. 11.37 M.ROBERTSON J.MOIR
Mount Ellen Drumpellier
23. 11.45 G.COLETTA P.FRIEL S.PERMAN
Mount Ellen Sandyhills Drumpellier
24. 11.52 C.GALLOWAY A.CARRUTHERS A.SINCLAIR
Mount Ellen Sandyhills Bearsden
25. 12.00 S.MAXWELL M.FRIEL B.FORSYTH
Mount Ellen Sandyhills Drumpellier
26. 12.07 F.KINSMAN R.FINLAY M.WATT
Hamilton Sandyhills Drumpellier
27. 12.15 S.MURRAY J.STEVEN S.FULTON
Drumpellier Bothwell Castle Lanark
28. 12.22 C.GRAHAM C.HUGHES
Hamilton Drumpellier
29. 12.30 Free tee times
30. 12.37 Free tee times
31. 12.45 Free tee times
32. 12.52 Free tee times
33. 1.00  Free tee times

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WOOSNAM RETURNS TO FAIRMONT FOR SCOTTISH SENIOR OPEN

NEWS RELEASE
Former Ryder cup captain Ian Woosnam will be looking to cement his position in the European Senior Tour order of merit when he returns to Fairmont St Andrews for the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open from August 19-21.
The Welshman, pictured, finished tied-19th last year at the five-star Fife resort, 11 shots behind the winner, but will be confident as he heads back out on The Torrance course after finishing two-under-par in last month’s Senior Open at Walton Heath for a share of 16th place.
The Torrance course has hosted the Scottish tournament for the last two years and is a lay-out which has proven popular with competitors, none more so than the man who designed it, Sam Torrance, who will be looking to give fans something to celebrate by securing a home victory.
A plethora of Ryder Cup stars will also be in attendance, including Costantino Rocca, Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Antonio Garrido, along with defending champion Barry Lane , 2009 winner Glenn Ralph, BBC analyst and former Ryder Cup captain Mark James and Britain ’s most successful amateur golfer Gary Wolstenholme.
Fairmont St Andrews boasts two first-class 18-hole layouts in The Torrance and The Kittocks courses. Both have benefited as part of a £17m redevelopment the luxury resort has recently undergone, which also saw improvements to the lavish spa complex and five-star hotel.

For more information on Fairmont St Andrews or to book a stay call 01334 837000 alternatively email standrews.scotland@fairmont.com or visit www.fairmont.com/standrews.

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INTERNATIONALS COULD BE LAW'S LAST WALKER CUP CHANCE


Scotland's amateur stars of tomorrow - the Under-18s team at Royal St David's, Harlech, on the eve of the boys' home internationals at the North Wales venue. Coach Neil Marr is on the left and team captain Stuart Wilson (Forfar) is in the middle of the back row. Picture by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography.
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By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The Great Britain and Ireland team to play the United States in the Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen on September 10-11 is due to be announced on August 15.
If David Law’s recapture of the Scottish men’s amateur title at Western Gailes last week has not clinched a place in skipper Nigel Edwards’ team of 10, then the Aberdonian has one last chance to convince the selectors – in next week’s home internationals at County Sligo, Ireland (August 10 to 12).
Walker Cup places can and have been won or lost by performances in the home internationals where the selectors have a close look at the GB and I team candidates in match-play conditions. 
For instance, Steven Young (Inverallochy) won all six matches for Scotland in the 1996 Home Internationals at Lossiemouth and was rewarded with a Walker Cup team place.
Hazlehead’s 20-year-old Law, pictured by Andy Forman, arguably Scotland’s best match-player since the days of Ronnie Shade, was today named in a Scotland team that shows three changes from the line-up that lost to Wales (8-7) and England (8-7) but beat Ireland (10-5) at Ashburnham, South Wales last year.
Law, still recovering from a broken knuckle during the winter months, did not play in last year’s internationals.
He comes back in alongwith Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), who has had an impressive series of high finishes in this season’s 72-hole SGU Order of Merit tournaments, and Paul Shields (Kirkhill). Neither Robertson nor Shields, twice a beaten Scottish boys’ finalist, has played in the men’s home internationals previously.
Dropped from last year’s Scotland team are Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe), despite winning the Newlands Trophy 72-hole tournament at Lanark a couple of weeks ago, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) and Peter Latimer (St Andrews New).
Despite Findlay’s demotion, there are four North-east players in the line-up: Law, James Byrne (Banchory), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) and Philip McLean (Peterhead).
The inclusion of Lundin's James White’s is reward for an excellent season by the Stirling student and 2006 Scottish boys' match-play champion. This summer White's CV includes a win at the Tennant Cup as well as three runner-up finishes, as he continues to lead the SGU Order of Merit from Graeme Robertson.
Brian Soutar (Leven GS), this year’s Champion of Champions winner and a another member of the successful Fife side who won the Moneygate Scottish Area Team Championship in May, earns his second international cap, while fellow Fifer Greg Paterson, currently fourth in the SGU Order of Merit standings and winner of the Craigmillar Park Open, is also included.
Team captain Scott Knowles, believes the Scots are capable of their first title win since 2006.
“It was tough to pick the team this year as we’ve had alot of guys playing well recently but that shows we have good strength in depth coming through,” said Knowles, who played for Scotland in the 1991 Home Internationals at County Sligo against a victorious host side which included Padraig Harrington.
“The team has a great blend of experience and fresh blood, with players the calibre of James Byrne, Michael Stewart and David Law, who played superbly last week, coupled with young emerging talent such as Graeme Robertson and Paul Shields and I believe we’ve got the mix right.”
The full Scotland team, sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management and TaylorMade-adidas Golf, is:

James Byrne (Banchory)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
David Law (Hazlehead)
Philip McLean (Peterhead)
Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh)
Greg Paterson (St Andrews New)
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie)
Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
Brian Soutar (Leven GS)
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)
James White (Lundin)
Team Captain: Scott Knowles

+Michael Stewart, James Byrne, Greg Paterson, David Law, Paul Shields, Ross Kellett, Jordan Findlay, Kris Nicol and James White are now in Sweden for this week's European men's individual amateur championship - four rounds of stroke-play at Halmstaad Golf Club, teeing off on Wednesday.

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J J KILLEEN SCORES FIRST WIN ON U S NATIONWIDE TOUR

By Laury Livsey, Nationwide Tour staff
SANDY, Utah -- J.J. Killeen opened the Utah Championship with a 9-under 62 to tie the Willow Creek Country Club record, and he never let up. He followed up his sterling first round with a 67-68-65 finish -- sharing at least a tie for the lead after every round -- to win the tournament, his first on the Nationwide Tour. His 22-under 262 tied the tournament 72-hole record first set by Brendon Todd in 2008.
With his dad, Joe, working this week as his caddie, and his mom, Suze, wife, Tasha, and daughter, Olivia, in the gallery, Killeen turned in a six-birdie, no-bogey performance Sunday to break free from a tie with Jeff Gove at the start of the round to win going away. His routine par on No. 18 gave Killeen a four-stroke victory.
"It was really special having my mom and dad here, especially my dad on my bag," Killeen said of the win worth $99,000 that vaulted him from 25th on the money list to fourth. "I got a little emotional when I saw my wife and daughter. It just feels great. I've never felt this good before. I hadn't won out here and hadn't won since some amateur tournaments."
When asked about the traditional player-caddie payment system and how he would handle things with his father, Killeen didn't take long to mention how things would go with his dad, a Lubbock, Texas, obstetrician and gynecologist.
"He wouldn't accept a cent from me in a million years," Killeen said of the man who got him started in golf. "I could offer it, and he would tell me to take a hike, for sure."
Maybe Dad and son can go out for dinner, J.J.'s treat.
Despite coming up short in his bid for a fourth career Nationwide Tour title, Gove was happy with his week outside Salt Lake City at a tournament that saw him match his 18-hole course record with another 9-under 62.
"I could play this course every week for the rest of the year," he joked. "Are you kidding me? "I'm really pleased, though. It was fun to get back in contention. My putting was the best it's felt in years, and I'm really happy with that.
"I was 18-under for the week, and I haven't done that in a while," Gove added.
For his efforts, Gove earned $59,400 and slid into the 20th position on the money list.
But it wasn't so much Gove losing the tournament than Killeen winning it. After Killeen opened with a birdie on the first hole, Gove countered and took the lead when he eagled the par-5 third hole for the second consecutive day by draining a 25-foot putt. Although he was bogey-free for the third round of his week, Gove made nothing but pars the remainder of the day. Killeen made just enough birdies along the way to keep things comfortable -- especially on the back nine.
Casey Wittenberg shot a final-round 65 to jump into third place by himself, while James Hahn and Bud Cauley tied for fourth.
Killeen, although safely inside the top 25 on the money list and likely headed to the US PGA Tour for the first time in 2012, is not taking anything for granted and will be playing next week in Omaha, Neb., at the Cox Classic.
"Nothing is guaranteed out here, so I'm just going to keep grinding," he said.
• Bud Cauley, playing in Utah this week on a sponsor's exemption, recovered nicely from a double-bogey seven on his opening hole. He made six birdies the rest of the way to tie for fourth and earn a spot in the Cox Classic.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE

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STALLINGS BIRDIES LAST AND THEN WINS THREE-WAY PLAY-OFF

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia (AP) — Scott Stallings made a birdie on the final hole to qualify for a three-way play-off, then sprinted in excitement toward the 18th tee and showed he could repeat the feat on the first extra hole.
The US PGA Tour rookie sank a 7-footer for birdie on the 168-yard hole to win the Greenbrier Classic on Sunday, beating Bob Estes and Bill Haas.
After watching Estes and Haas miss longer birdie attempts on the first extra hole, Stallings curled in his putt for his first tour victory. He flipped his putter, then hugged and high-fived his caddie.
"To be a champion in such a great event is a huge blessing," Stallings said.
The 26-year-old Stallings is the 10th first-time winner on the US Tour this year and the sixth rookie to do it.
"I've wanted to do this since I was a little kid," Stallings said. "I was that little boy running around chasing autographs and yelling at guys because they wouldn't stop and sign my golf balls."
Stallings overcame a tough start and made six birdies on the back nine to gain the playoff, where he earned a winner's check worth $1.08 million and a spot in the Bridgestone Invitational.
Stallings said he was more excited about moving from 88th to 26th on the FedEx Cup points list.
A native of Worchester, Mass., and die-hard Red Sox fan, he'll likely realise one of his biggest goals to play in the Deutsch Bank Championship, the second stop in the FedEx Cup play-offs outside of Boston. The top 100 in the points standings after the Barclays, the first play-off stop, will qualify.
It marked the second straight week that a tournament was won in sudden death. Sean O'Hair beat Kris Blanks on the first play-off hole a week ago at the Canadian Open.
In just its second year, the Greenbrier Classic produced another dramatic finish. Stuart Appleby shot 59 in last year's final round, including a birdie on the last hole to beat Jeff Overton by a stroke.
Estes and Haas each earned $528,000. Haas earned his fourth top-10 finish of the season and improved to 12th in the FedEx standings.
The 45-year-old Estes missed out on his first tour win since 2002 and fifth overall. Estes sat out the first three months of the year with a wrist injury and was playing in just his seventh tournament.
Estes, playing with a respiratory illness, shot 6-under 64 and was the clubhouse leader at 10 under, then found out Haas birdied the par-5 17th six groups later to join him after a 67.
Stallings, who shot 69, waited a half-hour on the 17th tee and bogeyed the par-5 after his drive went out of bounds. He needed a birdie at No. 18 to make the play-off. He sank a 5-footer to do it.
After signing his scorecard, Stallings made his impromptu sprint and said later he wasn't too winded for the play-off.
"Running from the back of the green to the tee to go to the play-off is something I'll never forget," he said. "I've been working with a trainer for about a month, so he should be proud."
Estes waited more than an hour between the final round and the play-off. He went to eat, then warmed up on the practice range, hitting his 8 iron and putter to prepare for No. 18, and driver, 5 wood and sand wedges for No. 17 if it went that far.
"I felt like I did everything exactly right," Estes said. "I just didn't make the birdie putt on 18."
Jimmy Walker (68), Andres Romero (65), Brendon de Jonge (66), Cameron Tringale (67) and Gary Woodland (69) finished at 9 under.
After last year's tournament, the course was lengthened more than 200 yards and the reseeded greens were less receptive to approach shots this time around. Appleby and Phil Mickelson were among those missing the cut, and the low rounds of the tournament were 62s shot by Anthony Kim and Walker on Saturday.
There were birdies to be made Sunday, just not the boatload that Appleby enjoyed last year.
Kim, the third-round leader, missed four birdie tries under 14 feet on the first six holes. He three-putted the par-3 8th, then hooked his tee shot into trees on the next hole and made bogey. He shot 74 to finish at 6 under, tied with four others.
Webb Simpson overcame a double bogey on the first hole, made five birdies on the front nine and took the lead briefly after a 3-footer for birdie at No. 9. It would be his last. He bogeyed the next hole and never recovered. He shot even par and finished tied with Kyle Stanley at 8 under.
Simpson relinquished the lead to Haas, who had at Nos. 8-9. Haas made bogey at No. 15 to give Estes the lead, then tied him two holes later.
Stallings started the day a shot out of the lead and seemed to take himself out of contention with three bogeys on the front nine.
He responded with four birdies on the first five holes on the back, then hit a 103-yard wedge within a foot of the hole on the par-4 16th to move to 10 under before getting into trouble on No. 17.

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND SCORECARDS ON THE US TOUR WEBSITE


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OLIN BROWNE CAPTURES US SENIOR OPEN - BIGGEST WIN OF LIFE

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Back when he was just another kid with big dreams and not so much game, Olin Browne and his then-girlfriend used to go to a hardscrabble par-3 course nearby and imagine what it would be like to win a national championship.
Now Browne and his wife, Pam, know.
The 52-year-old journeyman captured the biggest victory of his life Sunday, holding off Mark O'Meara down the stretch to win the U.S. Senior Open by three strokes.
"This goes back a long way for us," Browne said of the aspirations he and Pam had first considered some 30 years ago.
Avoiding major mistakes, Browne had pars on the first seven holes. After a bogey dropped him into a tie with O'Meara, he played the last 10 holes in 1 under, while O'Meara made two costly bogeys.
"I guess from the middle of the back nine on it became a match-play situation, and I've got zero experience in match play," Browne said, chuckling about his 0-1 record in head-to-head competition. "But it's about putting your ball in play, keeping it out of the junk. The bottom line is minimise your mistakes, maximise your effort, and that's all you can do."
After Browne rolled in an anticlimactic 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to touch off a loud roar from the large gallery ringing the green, the usually stoic Browne raised his arms in triumph. He had gone 141 consecutive tournaments since his last victory at the 2005 Deutsche Bank.
His even-par 71 followed rounds of 64, 69 and 65 and left him at 15-under 269.
Browne said he struggled with nerves on the front side, but still was able to sidestep any gaffes. He had made 15 birdies and two eagles to blitz the field and take a two-stroke lead into the final round. But in the last 18 holes, he played within himself and was content to craft pars while everyone else tried to catch him.
O'Meara, winner of the 1998 Masters and British Open, caught up but couldn't hang on.
"This is a huge victory for him," O'Meara said. "I know it's his first win out here on the Champions Tour. It's a major championship. You look at the leaderboard, there's a lot of quality players up there at the top of the leaderboard. I think Olin should be very proud of himself."
Mark Calcavecchia shot a 69 and was alone in third at 273. Ageless Hale Irwin had a 68 was another shot back along with Joey Sindelar (70). Peter Senior (71) was at 275, with Corey Pavin (69) and Michael Allen (70) another stroke off the pace. The group at 277 included Steve Pate (68), John Huston (69), Nick Price (70) and defending champion Bernhard Langer (70).
It was O'Meara who blinked in the final-round, winner-take-all match-up in the last pairing.
With the two sharing the lead, O'Meara dropped back for good when his drive on the par-4, 461-yard 13th ended up behind a tree left of the fairway. He was forced to hit a low draw around the tree that hit another tree and ended up in the deep rough right of the green. O'Meara muscled the chip out of the high grass, but it rolled 45 feet past the pin, leading to a two-putt bogey
Browne, only the fifth player to win on the Nationwide, PGA and Champions tours, said when O'Meara's drive found trouble he tried to not get ahead of himself.
"No, because there are still six holes to play," he said. "It could have just as easily gone the other way. And I just knew if I stayed patient and hit the best shot that I could that when it came down to the last couple holes, I'd have a chance. That's all I was asking for."
Browne maintained his one-stroke lead until Inverness' most difficult hole, the long, uphill par-4, 488-yard 16th. While Browne was splitting the fairway and hitting a hybrid-3 pin high, O'Meara's long-iron approach came up 30 yards short of the green. He chipped to 20 feet below the hole and failed to make the par putt as the advantage doubled.
Playing keep-away with the lead, Browne made a 12-foot par putt on the 17th green. At the 18th hole made famous by Bob Tway's sand shot that broke Greg Norman's heart to win the 1986 PGA Championship, Browne drove into the first cut of rough and calmly put a wedge on the green. Safely below the hole, he stroked the putt into the middle of the cup.
"I don't think it matters how you win," he said. "I don't think it matters whether you shoot 63 coming from the pack. I don't think it matters if you shoot 75 after having a six-shot lead. This will be a confidence boost for me to know that I can hang in there when I don't have my game, and I sure as heck didn't have my game today."
Browne, who did not begin playing golf until he was 19, became just the second player in tournament history to go wire-to-wire by matching the accomplishment of Dale Douglass (1986).
O'Meara was thwarted in his bid for a second senior major to go with his Senior Players Championship he won last year in Maryland. Instead, he finished second for the 10th time in his five seasons since joining the over-50 circuit.
"I'm disappointed. I certainly had a chance to win, and I didn't get it done," he said. "But I'm happy for Olin."

FINAL TOTALS

Par 284 (4x71)

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NO SPLIT BUT HARRINGTON TAKES A BREAK FROM COACH BOB

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Padraig Harrington is taking a break from long-time coach Bob Torrance in a bid to rediscover his form ahead of the USPGA Championship.
The three-time major winner has not won a title in Europe or the United States since his USPGA triumph in 2008.

The 39-year-old said: "I've got to change something in myself, attitude or something like that.

"We haven't split. Until I am ready to listen to what he has to say we are having a break."

Torrance, 79, is one of the most respected coaches in world golf, and the father of former European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance.

The Scot has worked with Harrington for the last 15 years, and said: "He's like a son to me and I hope we can get back together. I wasn't really expecting this, but I know he's been unhappy.

"His game is in a bad shape because of his mind - I've said that to him - but he's determined to make changes.

"You always strive for perfection but Padraig had won two Opens and a PGA with the old swing and we disagreed about the changes.

"He has his own ideas though, and once he makes his mind up that's it. I hope we'll meet again - some sunny day."

Harrington, who has described Torrance as "a genius", missed the cut at the Irish Open on Friday, posting rounds of 73 and 72 to finish on three over par.

He has slipped down the world rankings from a peak of third in 2009 to his current position of 64th, and said after failing to make the final two rounds at the Killarney Club: "I'm not thinking of changing personnel. We are having a break because I am getting very frustrated."

Harrington has won 16 titles in Europe and the United States since joining the European Tour in 1996.

His golden spell of form came between July 2007 and August 2008 when he won back-to-back Open championships at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale, and the USPGA at Oakland Hills.

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