TOM LEWIS TURNS PRO AND SIGNS WITH IMG

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY IMG

Tom Lewis, member of the victorious GB and I Walker Cup team and winner of the 2011 Open Championship Silver Medal, announced today that he has turned professional and signed with IMG, the world’s leading sports, fashion and media company, for worldwide management and marketing representation.

Tom made a huge impact at The Open Championship this year at Royal St George’s. Having qualified via Local Final Qualifying at Rye, he opened with a five under par 65 to share the lead with Thomas Bjorn on the first day at Sandwich.

It was the lowest round by an amateur in Open Championship history and he was the first amateur to lead the Open since Michael Bonallack in 1968. He finished the Open Championship in an impressive 30^th place and the winner of the coveted Silver Medal as the leading amateur.

Part of the victorious GB&I Walker Cup team last weekend, Tom has enjoyed a distinguished amateur career including wins at the 2009 Boys Amateur Championship and, more recently, at the 2011 St Andrews Links Trophy.

The golfing fraternity are eagerly awaiting Tom’s professional debut which will take place at the Austrian Golf Open presented by Lyoness, followed by the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as he attempts to emulate last year’s Silver Medal winner, Matteo Manassero, in securing his European Tour Card in just seven starts.

It is not only Tom’s golf that has attracted attention but also an engaging personality and image that has seen sponsors looking to back the young man from Welwyn Garden City as he heads to the professional ranks. Today, Tom has agreed deals with Ping, Titleist/FootJoy, Tullow Oil and Upper Deck which will help alleviate any financial pressures as he looks to make his mark in the coming months.

Tom explained, “I am very excited to get out there and see how I measure up. The Open Championship was fantastic for me and I learnt a lot from the occasion. All the experiences gleaned from my amateur career, along with the help and support I have received from the R&A, EGU and my family and friends, will hopefully stand me in good stead as I try to earn my European Tour card for next year.  IMG’s management credentials are second to none in the industry and I am very happy to be joining their team of players that includes many of the world’s best.”

He continued, “I am very grateful to the tournament promoters who have generously offered me invitations, particularly the Austrian GolfOpen presented by Lyoness and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. I hope I will perform at my best to thank them for the opportunity. It definitely gives me a real boost to have such an array of top brands partnering me and it means I can focus on my golf for the next few months and attempt to reward their faith in me.”

Adrian Mitchell, whose clients include three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington and former US Open champion Michael Campbell, will manage Tom and he is relishing the task, explaining “Tom’s talent and potential are matched by his professional approach and character as everyone witnessed during the Open Championship.  These ingredients have made him one of the most talked about prospects in golf and, together with his already impressive portfolio of sponsors, we are looking forward to a long and exciting partnership as we work to deliver on his great potential.”

 

CHALLENGE TOUR SCOREBOARD

M2M Russian Challenge Cup
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
136 J Campillo (Esp) 69 67,
139 A Pavan (Ita) 73 66,
140 A Otaegui (Esp) 73 67, T Fleetwood (Eng) 70 70, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 70 70,
141 F Praegant (Aut) 70 71, P Edberg (Swe) 74 67, W Besseling (Ned) 71 70, A Maestroni (Ita) 72 69, D Vancsik (Arg) 65 76, C Ford (Eng) 71 70,
142 M Erlandsson (Swe) 68 74, T Feyrsinger (Aut) 71 71, A Marshall (Eng) 74 68, C Macaulay (Sco) 69 73, S Walker (Eng) 68 74,
143 A Canete (Arg) 73 70, J Robinson (Eng) 75 68, E Dubois (Fra) 68 75, J Moul (Eng) 74 69, A Forsyth (Sco) 73 70, P Oriol (Esp) 73 70, S Little (Eng) 74 69, C Paisley (Eng) 71 72, C Russo (Fra) 73 70,
144 A Johnston (Eng) 72 72, A Levy (Fra) 70 74, C Doak (Sco) 75 69, G Lockerbie (Eng) 74 70, G Houston (Wal) 73 71, M Delpodio (Ita) 71 73, T Whitehouse (Eng) 72 72, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 71 73,
145 L Jensen (Den) 71 74, C Carranza (Arg) 72 73, J Hepworth (Eng) 72 73, A Hansen (Den) 74 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 73 72, M Evans (Eng) 73 72,
146 J Zapata (Arg) 71 75, J Heath (Eng) 76 70, L Kennedy (Eng) 73 73, B Chapellan (Fra) 72 74, M Kieffer (Ger) 72 74, P Del Grosso (Arg) 74 72, A Hartø (Den) 77 69,
147 N Meitinger (Ger) 78 69, A Tadini (Ita) 73 74, C Brazillier (Fra) 75 72, J McLeary (Sco) 75 72, A Ahokas (Fin) 75 72, P Archer (Eng) 73 74, T Ferreira (RSA) 74 73, L Westerberg (Swe) 75 72,
148 R Steiner (Aut) 74 74, C Lee (Sco) 76 72, P Golding (Eng) 76 72, S Bebb (Wal) 75 73, J Doherty (Sco) 75 73, J Clément (Sui) 72 76, J Grillon (Fra) 71 77, J Garcia (Esp) 74 74, B Åkesson (Swe) 75 73,
MISSED THE CUT
149 J Guerrier (Fra) 79 70, B Evans (Eng) 77 72, F Calmels (Fra) 77 72, F Delamontagne (Fra) 74 75, B Ritthammer (Ger) 75 74, J Chevallier (Fra) 72 77, R Santos (Por) 74 75, A Högberg (Swe) 73 76, J Lima (Por) 75 74, C Moriarty (Irl) 78 71, M Ford (Eng) 73 76, A Snobeck (Fra) 73 76, D Brooks (Eng) 74 75, P Gustafsson (Swe) 72 77, S Tiley (Eng) 74 75,
150 P Dwyer (Eng) 74 76, C Gane (Eng) 74 76, R Kind (Ned) 69 81, V Almstrom (Swe) 73 77, A Butterfield (Eng) 76 74, C Monasterio (Arg) 79 71, N Kearney (Irl) 75 75,
151 M Cryer (Eng) 76 75, J Quesne (Fra) 73 78, M Ruiz (Par) 75 76, B Etchart (Esp) 77 74, A McArthur (Sco) 73 78, V Riu (Fra) 71 80, A Perrino (Ita) 79 72, S Pinckney (USA) 74 77,
152 B Barham (Eng) 76 76, F Colombo (Ita) 77 75,
153 A Bernadet (Fra) 81 72, B Grace (RSA) 79 74, A Tampion (Aus) 77 76,
154 A Kaunas (Ltu) 75 79,
155 E Kofstad (Nor) 80 75, C Lloyd (Eng) 74 81, A Domingo (Esp) 76 79,
156 P Baker (Eng) 76 80, F Valera (Esp) 76 80, D Denison (Eng) 77 79,
157 M Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 81 76, S Hutsby (Eng) 77 80, K Eriksson (Swe) 82 75, R Hjelm (Den) 83 74,
158 J Estevez (Arg) 81 77, B Hafthorsson (Isl) 79 79,
159 M Nichols (Eng) 80 79,
160 M Bothma (RSA) 79 81,
161 P Kaensche (Nor) 80 81,
162 G Dear (Sco) 85 77, K Lifanov (Rus) 83 79, N Ponomarev (am) (Rus) 83 79,
164 J Clugnac (Fra) 85 79,
165 Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 86 79,
167 A Pavlov (Rus) 82 85,
170 A Gruzdov (Rus) 85 85,
172 D Zakharov (Rus) 83 89,
174 E Volkov (am) (Rus) 83 91,
175 P Holland (Eng) 91 84,
181 I Burlakov (Rus) 95 86,
183 A Vongay (Kaz) 91 92,
** C Suneson (Esp) 74 RT, J Palmer (Eng) 75 RT, K Lachin (Rus) 106 WD,
195 G Fetisov (am) (Rus) 95 100,
** A Burmakin (Rus) RT 0, G Jackson (Eng) WD 0,

Paul Symes
Press Officer
European Tour

Wentworth Drive | Virginia Water | Surrey | GU25 4LX | UNITED KINGDOM

BILL LONGMUIR NOTCHES 20th HOLE IN ONE OF HIS CAREER

By NEIL AHERN, European Tour staff press officer

Bill Longmuir reached a special career landmark as he shot the 20th hole-in-one of his career on the way to a three under par 68 at the Casa Serena Open on Friday.

The 58 year old Anglo-Scot (pictured by Andy Forman) wasn’t aware that his seven iron tee shot at the 158 yard par three second hole had gone in after it received a relatively restrained applause from the following crowds at Casa Serena Golf in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, and he even walked to the green putter-in-hand.

But as he approached the green he soon realised he had aced it.
“It was just a little seven iron, almost a three quarter swing but the execution was perfect and the people by the green just clapped and didn’t go mad or anything so I walked to the green with my putter but there was only one ball!” said the eight-time Senior Tour winner, who is four shots behind leader Roger Chapman.
“Aside from that my round was a little bit frustrating because I played really well but I just left a lot of putts out there so hopefully they might start to drop for me soon,” he continued.
Chapman fired the best round of his European Senior Tour career as he soared into the first round lead with a red hot seven under par 64.

The Englishman shot six birdies and just one bogey, continuing in the vein that saw him finish tied second at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters two weeks ago, but his pièce de résistance at the sun-drenched Casa Serena Golf came at the 18th as he sank a 30 foot putt for a closing eagle.

The former European Tour winner may have been joined at the top of the leaderboard by Gordon Manson but for an unfortunate incident which saw the English-born Austrian incur a two shot penalty after his caddy raked a bunker before he played out, leaving him with a 66 and two shots off the lead.

Former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance is three shots off the pace in a share of sixth place after opening with a 67 to follow on from a strong performance at Woburn, while John Chillas and Andrew Oldcorn were both tied for 18th after two under par rounds of 69.

CASA SERENA SENIORS OPEN
Casa Serena GC, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
64 R Chapman (Eng) ,
65 M Mouland (Wal) ,

66 D Russell (Eng) , D Hospital (Esp) , G Manson (Aut) ,
67 S Torrance (Sco) , B Lane (Eng) , T Johnstone (Zim) , N Job (Eng) , A Forsbrand (Swe) , M Harwood (Aus) ,
68 P Mitchell (Eng) , T Thelen (USA) , B Lincoln (RSA) , M Farry (Fra) , B Longmuir (Sco) , G Wolstenholme (Eng) ,
69 J Harrison (Eng) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , A Murray (Eng) , A Oldcorn (Sco) , J Chillas (Sco) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , J Gould (Eng) , D Cambridge (Jam) , C Mason (Eng) , B Cameron (Eng) , D Merriman (Aus) , P Fowler (Aus) ,
70 J Rivero (Esp) , E Darcy (Irl) , M Moreno (Esp) , P Dahlberg (Swe) , J Quiros (Esp) , M Belsham (Eng) , R Davis (Aus) , J Bruner (USA) , M Bembridge (Eng) , C Rocca (Ita) , A Sowa (Arg) , G Banister (Aus) ,
71 J Stuart (USA) , K Tomori (Jpn) , M Cunning (USA) , C Williams (RSA) , N Ratcliffe (Aus) , R Drummond (Sco) , G Brand (Eng) , D Durnian (Eng) , G Brand Jnr (Sco) , G Cali (Ita) ,
72 F Mann (Sco) , M Clayton (Aus) , H Carbonetti (Arg) , J Seifert (Cze) , B Smit (RSA) , J Rhodes (Eng) , B Vaughan (USA) , S Van Vuuren (RSA) ,
73 A Franco (Par) , I Woosnam (Wal) ,
74 A Fernandez (Chi) , G Ralph (Eng) , K Spurgeon (Eng) , J Juhaniak (Cze) , A Sherborne (Eng) ,
76 G Ryall (Eng) , A Garrido (Esp) ,
77 H Chang (Tpe) , D Smyth (Irl) , M James (Eng) ,
80 E Polland (Nir) ,
87 P Tsai (Tpe)

GLENEAGLES TEAM HEADS TO MEDINAH, RYDER CUP 2012 VENUE

NEWS RELEASE

As part of the preparation to host the Ryder Cup in 2014, a group of Gleneagles staff and members are heading on a fact-finding mission to Medinah in Illinois, the venue for the 2012 event.
Led by Director of Golf Stuart McEwen and Russell Smith, the Head Professional at the five star resort, the group will spend time learning how the event will be staged and take part in their own Ryder Cup style event playing against their American counterparts.
The idea for the visit was first conceived by Russell Smith last year. He said: ‘Time is moving quickly towards hosting the Ryder Cup here at Gleneagles in 2014 and there is great excitement amongst our own members. Many have played in the States. However, the course at Medinah is quite special and everyone would love to experience the challenges the professionals will face in 2012. The idea has grown from there and we’re delighted that the team at Medinah have welcomed us.
‘The programme has been created to allow us all to experience similar conditions as the teams can expect next year from the course set up and the practice round to the three days competition and prize giving!
‘Medinah was designed in the 1920s by a Scot, Tom Bendelow (pictured), an immigrant from Aberdeen in the 1890s, and I know that everyone there is excited at the prospect of showing off their majestic course to a group of Scottish visitors.
‘We’re particularly looking forward to chatting with colleagues there who are putting the finishing touches to their own preparations and hopefully sharing insights which we can use here at Gleneagles.’
Andy Lothian, one of the Gleneagles members who will travel to Medinah, said: “It is a great honour for us to be representing Gleneagles at Medinah. The history of Medinah is magical – I remember Tiger going head-to-head with a young, leaping Sergio Garcia there in the PGA Championship of 1999!
‘We are all excited to be playing at Medinah next week in a full Ryder Cup format match. We look forward to a convivial and inspiring experience – and on behalf of all of the members at Gleneagles we’ll do all we can to win!”
The team schedule is:
Monday 19th September – depart Glasgow airport
Tuesday 20th September - Practise round
Wednesday-Friday 21st-23rd September – Gleneagles v Medinah
Saturday 24th September – return
During their stay, the Gleneagles team will meet with Medinah Director of Golf, Michael Scully, who will be marking the 12-month countdown to the Ryder Cup on Sunday 25th September, as the Gleneagles team fly home.

CONTINENTAL EUROPE NARROW GAP TO ONE POINT IN SEVE TROPHY

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Continental Europe mounted a storming comeback on day two to reduce Great Britain and Ireland’s lead to one point and set up a thrilling weekend at the Vivendi Seve Trophy.
Captain Jean Van De Velde made changes to two of his pairings, and Swedes Alex Noren and Peter Hanson proved an inspired combination as they romped to a 5 and 3 victory over Ian Poulter and Robert Rock.
The Continental Europeans have lost the last five stagings – their only win coming in the inaugural event in 2000 – but Great Britain and Ireland captain Paul McGinley had warned his troops that their 4-1 first day advantage had far from ended the contest.
And so it proved, as Thomas Björn and Raphaël Jacquelin fought back from three down to snatch a half from Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson in the top game.
Thursday’s biggest winners Ross Fisher and Scott Jamieson were brought back down to earth as rookies Nicolas Colsaerts and Matteo Manassero ran out 2 up winners – the Italian teenager back to his best after a difficult first day.
The bright spot for McGinley came in game four, where World Number Two Lee Westwood produced a masterclass to run out a 5 and 3 winner with Mark Foster over Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari – the English pair gaining revenge for their opening day defeat.
But in the final game Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal and Miguel Angel Jiménez restored Continental Europe’s momentum with a 3 and 2 victory over Open Champion Darren Clarke and David Horsey.
That left the tie finely poised at 5 ½-4 ½ in Great Britain & Ireland’s favour ahead of Saturday’s four morning greensomes matches and four afternoon four-balls.
“It was a good reaction from them,” Van De Velde said of his players. “I'm very happy with what I've seen, and the result did follow, as well.
“The intensity was there, the commitment was there. None of the players were not on their game, and that's what I'm very happy with and very proud of.”
Hanson and Noren, who both lost their four-balls on Thursday with different partners, stormed four up after five holes against Poulter and Rock.
Rock and Hanson both birdied the first, but Noren won the second with a birdie before Hanson took the par three third with a two.
Noren won the next two with pars, although Rock’s birdie at the sixth reduced the deficit to three.
But Noren, twice a winner on The European Tour this year, followed a birdie at the 14th with an eagle at the 15th to seal the match.
“We both played well today,” said Noren. “Peter holed so many putts and he made a lot of birdies and he didn't have to putt sometimes.
“And then I made a couple of birdies and he just kept on going. In the end, I think both of us played well.”
In the top game Dyson and Donaldson looked on course for a second victory together – the Welshman birdieing the fifth and sixth to put them two up on Björn and Jacquelin.
But the Frenchman’s birdie at the 15th squared the contest and with Donaldson and Björn cancelling out each other’s birdies at the next both sides had to settle for a half.
Manassero won two of the first three holes to go one up with Colsaerts against the opening day’s biggest winners Ross Fisher and Scott Jamieson.
Colsaerts won the sixth to go two up and looked like extending that lead further when the big-hitting Belgian birdied the eighth from 30 feet.
But rookie Jamieson chipped in to halve the hole and keep Great Britain & Ireland within touching distance.
Manassero won the ninth with a par, before Fisher closed the gap to one on the back nine with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th.
Fittingly it was the Italian who had the final word with a birdie at the last to confirm victory.
“I felt better today,” said Manassero, who replaced Sergio Garcia as the event’s youngest ever player.
“It was good to have that experience because it helps you when you go one course another time. That's really important and we knew much better what to do today.”
Continental Europe’s only first-day point came from Molinari and Hansen but their fortunes were reversed as Westwood demonstrated the sort of quality that took him to Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking.
He played a remarkable approach on the eighth – having hit his drive under a tree with low hanging branches, he played the sort of shot Ballesteros himself would have been proud of to run the ball up onto the green and within six feet of the flag.
The resulting birdie put him and Foster one up, and Westwood doubled the advantage with a ten foot birdie putt at the next.
Foster won the 13th with a birdie but it was Westwood who secured the win with a birdie at the 14th and eagle at the next.
“It's nice when the more established players play well, it takes the pressure off the rookies,” said Westwood. “That's why you pair them together.”
The bottom game swung Continental Europe’s way when Jiménez won the seventh with a birdie four, and it was the veteran who ended the contest when he birdied the 16th from five feet after a magnificent tee shot.
Dyson and Donaldson retain their place at the top of the order for Great Britain & Ireland in the morning greensomes against Colsaerts and Manassero, with Hanson and Noren out second again against Horsey and Clarke.
McGinley has paired Ryder Cup stars Fisher and Poulter together in game three against Björn and Jacquelin, with Westwood partnering Jamieson as Jiménez and Larrazabal take the anchor role for Continental Europe again.
That means Foster and Rock sit out for Great Britain & Ireland while Van De Velde has decided to rest Hansen and Molinari.
“Today was the result they would have wanted, not the one I would have wanted,” said McGinley.
“But when you play professional golf, I just said to the team in there in our meeting, you have good days and you have bad days. We didn't have as good a day as we did yesterday. It's not the end of the world.
“It's a disappointing day but it's not the end of the world. I tried to put it in context - if we were playing in an individual tournament, we shot 62 yesterday, shot 72 today, but we are still leading the tournament. And we haven't even played for a third of the points yet, so there's a long way to go.”

SCOREBOARD (after 2 days): Continent of Europe 4 1/2, GB and Ireland 5 1/2

Day 1 - Continent of Europe 1, GB and Ireland 4

Day 2 - Continent of Europe 3 1/2, GB and Ireland 1 1/2

Thomas Bjorn and Raphael Jacquelin halved with Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson.
Peter Hanson and Alexander Noren bt Robert Rock and Ian Poulter 5 and 3.
Nicolaus Colsaerts and Matteo Manasseso bt Scott Jamieson and Ross Fisher 2 holes.
Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari lost to Mark Foster and Lee Westwood 5 and 3.
Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal bt Darren Clarke and David Horsey 3 and 2.

PAUL DOHERTY MAKES TOP 20 IN EUROPR0 TOUR EVENT

Dodge Kemmer became the first American to win on the PGA EuroPro Tour after he powered to victory in the Integral Collection Classic today.
California-based Kemmer, 24, won the event, the penultimate one of the season, by five shots from Jon White (Saunton GC) at the Hunley Hotel and Golf Club in North Yorkshire .
“I hit the ball well on the first day and putted well on the second with a little bit of both on the third,” said Kemmer, who was ranked inside the top 20 in the world amateur rankings before turning professional in 2010.
“I came over to play in the KLM Open (on the European Tour) last week and am playing again next week so I wanted something to play in this week.
“It’s definitely helped with my experience and I won’t get to play as well as this at every course. The Tour is great, well run and everyone I spoke to has been really nice so it’s been a great experience.
Kemmer and Steve Uzzell (Hornsea GC) began the last day sharing the lead but Kemmer made four birdies in his front nine to claim an outright lead that he would not lose as he finished on nine-under-par 207.
Uzzell’s hopes of winning the title and claiming the £10,000 top prize ended with a poor run in the back nine that included five bogeys between the 10th and 15th.
Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) was the top Scot in joint 15th place with a final round of 70 - his best of the three - for a total of 217. He earned £467.
Chris Kelly (Cawder) signed off with a 74 for 220 and joint 32nd place. He won £280.
Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) faded with a last-round 77 for 223 and joint 41st position. He finished up with a pay-out of £237 which looked like being more substantial after his second-day 72.
Lee Harper, also playing out of Archerfield, had a poor tournament with declining scores of 72, 76 and 78 for 226 and a share of 55th place. He earned £172.
The top 60 players have now qualified for the last event of the campaign, the 888 poker.com Tour Championship at Mar Menor in Murcia , Spain on October 5-7.
Competition will be fierce as the top five players in the Order of Merit after the Tour Championship will secure their spots on next season’s Challenge Tour.
Only Chris Hanson and Clark have so far won enough money to be guaranteed a spot in the top five in the money list.

PGA EUROPRO TOUR - Integral Collection Classic
Hunley Hotel and Golf Club in North Yorkshire .
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
207 Dodge Kemmer (US) 70 68 69 (£10,000).
212 Jon White (Saunton) 70 72 70 (£5,000).
213 Adam Keogh (Bost West) 73 73 67, Toby Burden (Hayling) 70 71 72, Steve Uzzell (Hornsea) 69 69 75 (£1,866 each).
214 Paul O'Hanlon (Curragh) 73 71 70, Zane Scotland (Princes) 74 67 73 (£1,100 each).
215 Graeme Clark (Doncaster) 79 66 70, Darryn Lloyd (England) 74 71 70 (£875 each).

ORDER OF MERIT AFTER 12 EVENTS
1 Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall) £37,099.50
2 Graeme Clark (Doncaster) £25,375.84
3 Luke Goddard (Hendon) £16,366.67
4 Jamie Lee Abbott (Fynn Valley) £15,423.46
5 James Busby (The Shropshire) £14,191.67
6 Paul Reed (Bristol and Clifton) £13,248.60
7 Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) £11,655.62
8 Stuart Archibald (England) £11,548.75
9 Darryn W. Lloyd (England) £10,660.00
10 Jamie Howarth (De Vere Mottram Hall) £8,199.88

PHILIP McLEAN LEADS EIGHT SCOTS QUALIFIERS AT DUNDONALD

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Eight Scots - five professionals and two amateurs - today cleared the first hurdle in their bid to make it to the European Tour Final Qualifying at the PGA Catalunya Resort, Spain from December 10 to 15.

Top Scot at the Section A 72-hole eliminator at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire was Peterhead amateur Philip McLean on four-under-par 284, only a shot behind the joint leaders, Darren Wright (England) and Johnnie Caldwell (Northern Ireland).

Braid Hills pro Paul McKechnie, one of the leading money-earners on the Tartan Tour this year, quaified in fourth place on 285. Other Scots to make it through to Stage 2 from this venue were Fife amateur James White (Lundin) on 291, Edinburgh pro Mark Kerr and Fraserburgh amateur Kris Nicol are on 294 and a group on 295 - Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) and Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle).

But, for four Scots, the dream of making it to the European Tour is over for another year, at an  entry cost of well over £1,000. Alyth's former double Scottish match-play and stroke-play amateur champion Kevin McAlpine missed out by eight strokes with a 303 total.

Also on that aggregate were Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay and Montrose Links' Graeme Brown. Ross Dixon failed on 305.

JOHN GALLAGHER'S GREAT EFFORT JUST FAILS IN AUSTRIA

Meanwhile, in the Tour School Section A competition at Austria at Golf Schloss Ebreichsdort, former Scottish amateur champion John Gallagher made a terrific bid over the last two rounds - but failed by a couple of shots to make the 30 qualifiers from a big field.
The Swanston man left himself with a lot of ground to make up after opening rounds of 74 and 72 but Gallagher got it all together over the third and fourth rounds with scores of 69 and 66 for a total of seven-under-par 281.
279 or better was the qualifying mark to go on to Stage 2.
Winner of the tournament was American J Halbig with 69, 68, 64 and 67 for 20-under-par 268.

European Tour Qualifying School – First  Stage (Section A)

Dundonald Links, Ayrshire.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72)

Leading 15 qualified for Second Stage.

 QUALIFIERS FOR SECOND STAGE

Par 288 (4x72)

283 D Wright (Eng) 75 71 66 71, J Caldwell  (NIr) 69 73 68 73

284 P McLean (Sco) (am) 69 70 71 74

285 P McKechnie (Sco) 72 77 67 69

289 M Penny (Eng) 71 72 75 71

290 A O'Callaghan (Irl) 74 72 73 71

291 J White (Sco) (am) 69 73 73 76

292 N Fox  (Irl) 76 73 69 74

294 M Kerr  (Sco) 71 78 72 73, K Nicol (Sco) (am) 73 78 74 69

295 N Fenwick (Sco) 74 74 72 75, D Smith (Eng) 77 73 71 74; Shaun McAllister (Sco) 76 73 70 76, G Fox (Sco) 73 77 70 75, M Lowe (Eng) 73 76 66 80

FAILED TO QUALIFY

296 M Collins (Irl) 76 71 72 77

299 L Clarke  (Eng) 74 77 68 80

300 M Hooper  (Eng) 77 72 74 77, S McMonagle (Irl) 71 74 80 75, G Murphy (Irl) 72 75 73 80, T Sherreard  (Eng) 75 75 70 80

302 J Housby (Eng) 80 74 70 78, M Lavelle  (Irl) 76 75 72 79

303 K McAlpine (Sco) 74 76 76 77, G Brown (Sco) 73 76 78 76, J Jeong (Kor) 77 78 72 76; E Ramsay  (Sco) 76 75 76 76, B Struthers (am) (USA) 75 75 76 77

305 R Dixon (Sco) 70 79 77 79, D Clark (Eng) 72 81 74 78

306 M Bush (Eng) 77 77 73 79, D Schultz (USA) 78 75 73 80

307 D Sugrue (Irl) 75 74 74 84

308 M Dowling (Aus) (am) 69 78 76 85;

309 E Gibbs (USA) 78 80 69 82

_ _ _

BAXTER AND McLEAN WIN PGA SCOTTISH SENIORS FOUR-BALL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Following on Kenny Hutton's success on Thursday in the pro-am over his home Downfield course, Keith Baxter also put his local knowledge to good use today in the PGA Scottish seniors four-ball stroke-play competition over 18 holes at Keith's club, Buchanan Castle.
Baxter and Alastair McLean (Duddingston) teamed up well in the rain for a better-ball round of 66, four under par, to win approximately £500 each.
They won by two shots despite a better-ball double bogey 6 at the last where one of the pair lost a ball.
Joint runners-up on 68 were Kenneth Kelly (Baberton) and Steve Kelly (Tulliallan) whose score was matched by Peter Kerr (Hayston) and Garry7 Harvey (Kinross).

PGA SCOTTISH SENIORS FOUR-BALL COMPETITION
Buchanan Castle GC
Par 70
66 Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle) and Alastair McLean (Duddingston).
68 Kenneth Kelly (Baberton) and Steve Kelly (Tulliallan); Peter Kerr (Hayston) and Garry Harvey (Kinross).
69 Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle) and Richard Bowman (Elderslie).
70 Billy Marchbank (Crieff) and Alan White (Lanark); David Murchie (Crieff) and Jim Farmer (R&A GC); David Thomson (Carnegie Club) and Peter Smith (Deeside); Alastair Webster (Edzell) and Martin Gray (Ladybank).
71 Ian Collins (Stirling) and Billy McCondichie (unatt).
72 Tom Eckford (Ranfurly Castle) and Gregor Howie (Kilmarnock Barassie); Cliffe Jones (Glencorse) and Mark Pritchett (Broomieknowe); Tom Melville (Alyth) and Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill).
73 Robbie Stewart (Cruden Bay) and Graeme Lennie (Craigl GS).
75 John McTear (unatt) and Bil Lockie (North Gailes Golf Centre).

ends

325-a-side TOWN GOLF MATCH AT ST ANDREWS

Around 650 golfers will take part in Saturday's annual "Town Match" between the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and other local golf clubs. Held every year on the second Saturday of the R&A Autumn Meeting,competition,  golfers will compete in pairs over St Andrews'  Old, New, Jubilee and Strathtyrum courses. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club is aiming for an unprecedented third win in a row after previously recording just two victories in the fixture's 98 year history.

MIDLAND ALLIANCE SCORES FROM PITLOCHRY

This weeks meeting of The Midland Golfers Alliance was held at Pitlochry Golf Course. The scratch winner was local pro. Mark Pirie with a 4under par 65, the handicap was won by local amateur William Hutton with a 67.


Results
Scratch..... 65 Mark Pirie (P) Pitlochry
67 William Hutton Scr. Pitlochry
70 Kane Nusteling (P) Pitlochry
71 Paul Brookes (P) Pitreavie, Paul Jamieson (P) Dunblane, Alistair Duncan (3) Murrayshall.
72 Jim Watt (2) Edzell, Ian Butchart (5) Strathmore,
73 Craig Donnelly (P) Balbirnie Park, Sandy Smith (P) Ladybank.




Handicap... 67 William Hutton Scr. Pitlochry
68 Ian Buchart (5) Strathmore
69 Ron Bell (6) Pitlochry, Alistair Duncan (3) Murrayshall, Jack Cree Jnr. (11) Scotscraig.
70 John Paisley (5) Lundin, Jim Watt (2) Edzell.
71 Bruce Bell (6) Blairgowrie, Steve McIntosh (3) Brechin, Bill Crosby (6) Blairgowrie, Rab Baldie (7) Crieff, Harry Salmond(5) Tulliallan
Ally Douglas (14) Caird Park.


The next meeting is at Alyth Golf Course on Thusday 22nd. September between 0830 and 1230.

JUSTIN ROSE LEADS BY TWO AT BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE
England's Justin Rose has a two-shot lead at the end of day one at the BMW Championship at Cog Hill.
The world number 40 holed nine birdies and eight pars in an impressive opening round of 63 in Chicago.
Americans Webb Simpson and Mark Wilson are two shots behind Rose, while South Korean K.J. Choi is four shots behind the leader with a round of 67.
Fellow Englishmen Brian Davis and world number one Luke Donald finished with rounds of 74 and 75 respectively.
Starting on the back nine, Rose picked up shots at the 10th, 11th, 15th and 17th, with his solitary blemish coming on the par-four 13th.
"I certainly didn't expect that going out there today," Rose said.
"I looked to the weather, looked at the temperature and I thought today was going to be a day to hang in there. Little did I know I was about to play so well.
"It's certainly my best round of the year by a long, long way, and could have been top five, top 10 rounds I've ever played for sure. That was really, really good out there."
Simpson managed a round of 65 while Wilson's round included an eagle to leave the American duo two shots clear of Choi.
Davis and Donald both struggled to find form while Scotland's Martin Laird finished with a round of 72.
In addition to the $1.44m (£1.03m) top prize, the field of 70 in the third US PGA play-off tournament are aiming for a place in the top 30 play-off point spots to reach next week's Tour Championship.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND SCORECARDS ON THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

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DODGE MOTORS INTO SHARE OF PGA EUROPRO TOUR LEAD

AMERICAN Dodge Kemmer holds a share of the lead going into the final day of the Integral Collection Classic.
The event, held at the Hunley Hotel and Golf Club in North Yorkshire, is the penultimate competition of the 2011 PGA EuroPro Tour season and California-based Kemmer shares the lead with Steve Uzzell on -6 (138).
Kemmer showed his pedigree last week when he played in the KLM Open on the main European Tour, missing the cut by only one shot and finishing higher than top players including Martin Kaymer, Edoardo Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen and Jose Maria Olazabal.
After a round of -2 (70) on Wednesday, Kemmer followed that with a score of -4 (68) in a round that included birdies at the third, seventh, 10th, 12th and 14th and a bogey at the 16th.
The top 60 players in the Order of Merit after this tournament will qualify for the end of season 888poker.com Tour Championship at Mar Menor in Murcia , Spain on October 5-7.
Steve Uzzell (Hornsea GC) was ranked 54th in the money list before this event and is on course for the £10,000 top prize as he begins the last day with a share of the lead.
He shot a round of -3 (69), as he had done on the opening day, although two bogeys in the first five holes denied him an outright advantage.
George Parker (The London Club), Zane Scotland (Princes) and Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall) all performed well on Thursday with rounds of -5 (67).
Parker shot back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth and then again at the 12th and 13th.
Scotland and Hanson both made eagles, at the third and seventh respectively, to comfortably make the cut.
Order of Merit leader Hanson, a three-time winner already this season, had looked in danger of not qualifying for the final day after a score of +2 (74) left him six shots behind day one leader John Spagnuolo.
However, the best score of the day came from Graeme Clark, second in the money list, as his -6 (66) included four birdies in five holes from the fourth to the eighth.
It proved to be a day to forget for Spagnuolo as he failed to make any birdies and his effort of +7 (79) featured double bogeys at the 11th and 18th.
A total of 57 players made the cut to advance to the final day’s play with +4 being the cut-off point.
Play starts at 8am on Friday and hole-by-hole scoring will appear on europrotour.com throughout the day.

Scores after day two of three
Par 144 (2x72)
T1 Dodge Kemmer The California Golf Club -6 70 68 138
T1 Steve Uzzell Hornsea Golf Club -6 69 69 138
3 George Parker The London Club -5 72 67 139
4 Billy Hemstock Teignmouth -4 70 70 140
T5 Toby Burden Hayling Golf Club -3 70 71 141
T5 Zane Scotland Princes -3 74 67 141
T5 Chris Hanson Woodsome Hall Golf Club -3 74 67 141
T8 Adam Stott Reddish Vale -2 73 69 142
T8 James Maw Hallowes Golf Club -2 71 71 142
T8 Jon White Saunton Golf Club -2 70 72 142

SCOTS' SCORES
146 Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) 74 72, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 74 72 (T23).
147 Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 76 71 (T37).
148 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 72 76 (T47).

MISSED THE CUT (148 or better qualified)

149 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 76 73, Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 78 71.
161 Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 82 79.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE