Monday, September 19, 2011

HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

SLOW START .. THEN BOB HITS FORM

It was not the best opening day for Tulliallan’s Bob Stewart in the Senior Home Internationals at the Woodhall Spa golf course in Lincolnshire last week when he lost both his opening foursomes and singles matches to experienced Irish golfers.
However, on the second day, playing with former Tulliallan member Fraser McCluskey, he bounced back with a foursomes win against England, beating Charles Banks and Alan Squires by 3 and 2.
Bob lost his afternoon singles in a close match with Andrew Stacey, going down 2 and 1.
The Scotland team were now in a precarious position, and with the wooden spoon staring them in the face they produced a resounding victory against Wales on the last day to leave them in third place.
Bob made a good contribution to the last day's play with wins in both foursomes (3 and 2) and singles (5 and 3), to leave him with a fairly satisfactory performance over the three days.

GOOD TRY FROM CLACKMANNAN UNDER-14 GOLFERS.

In the Frank Thomson Under-14s triangular match involving Clackmannan, Fife and Perth and Kinross, the young Clackmanan team can be fairly proud of their efforts.
Against much more experienced golfers from the two other Counties, and over the PGA course at Gleneagles, they amassed a respectable number of Stableford points.
Clackmannan boys' convener Sam Kinnaird was reasonably pleased.
“Even from the front tees, the PGA course is actually longer than the Kings course at Gleneagles, and the boys have to be congratulated on a fine showing,” he said.
Alloa was well represented in the team with four members: Angus Boyd, Brian McAdam, Gregor McEwan and Jamie McEwan - at eleven, the youngest golfer in the event).
The two others were Tillicoultry’s Jonathan Clark and Braehead’s Ryan Blyth. Best scores came form Clackmannan boys' champion Brian McAdam with 24pts, closely followed by Gregor McEwan on 22 and Jonathan Clark on 21.
Perth and Kinross won the 2011 event with Fife and Clackmannan some distance back.

MOSCOW JOY FOR CALLUM

Tulliallan’s Callum Macaulay improved on the previous week’s performance with a top ten finish in the Challenge Tour event held at Moscow, no doubt causing him considerable happiness in returning to a standard of golf game of his early professional days.
Callum easily made the cut with rounds of 69 and 73, and there was more sub-par golf in his third round of 71. In his last round a 3-3 (two birdies) start put him among the leaders. His finishing birdie was worth a few thousand Euros, a 5 under par total of 283 and a share of sixth place.
It must have given some confidence for the remaining five Challenge Tour events. A top finish in the rankings would avoid a return to the Tour School. It's still possible, so best of luck, Callum.

MORE ACTION FOR CLACKMANN GOLFERS

It’s a big weekend for the Alva Golf Club team at Falkirk Tryst where their three-man team competes in the Scottish club championship. If all three hit a golf game then Alva is in with a good chance. Both Tulliallan and Alloa have achieved success in the event and the winning team from Scotland competes in the European event.
Just before that, the County Senior team will be competing for the Scottish Senior Team Championship at Musselburgh.

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New date for Paul Lawrie Foundation Junior Open and Flag Final

The Paul Lawrie Foundation Junior Open and Flag Final, postponed at the weekend because of flooding on the Deeside GC course, has been rearranged for Sunday, October 2 at the same venue with the same tee times.

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Two holes in one in same competition at Murcar Links Golf Club

From: Murcar Links Golf Club

Two holes in one in the same competition: the Roseburn Trophy Third Round on Saturday (September 17).
Grant Aitchison aced his tee shot at the 160 yard 16th hole using a 5 iron. His playing partners were club captain Colin Wilson and Rob Merson.
Bill Urquhart aced his tee shot on his 61st birthday at the 155 yard 12th hole using a 6 iron. His playing partners were Kenny Lumsden and Mike Lornie.

Carol O'Neill
Secretary
Murcar Links Golf Club

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OGILVY, TOMS CLINCH PLACES IN PRESIDENTS CUP LINE-UPS

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Geoff Ogilvy has won the last automatic spot in the International team for the Presidents Cup by finishing third at the BMW Championship.
The 34-year-old Australian pipped compatriot John Senden after the latter needed victory to secure his place.
David Toms finished 10th to take the final spot in the United States team.
The ninth Presidents Cup - where the USA meet a non-European International side in a Ryder Cup-style format - takes place in Melbourne in November.
Unless Vijay Singh of Fiji gets one of Greg Norman's captain's picks, Phil Mickelson will be the only player to have played in every Presidents Cup
Australians Jason Day and Adam Scott will join Ogilvy in the International team, captained by Greg Norman.
South Africans Charl Schwartzel, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els, South Koreans KJ Choi, Kim Kyung-tae and Yang Yong-Eun plus Japan's Ryo Ishikawa complete Norman's squad.
Senden could still get a spot if he is named as one of Norman's two captain's picks on September 27.
The automatic qualifiers for the American line-up are Matt Kuchar, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan and Toms.
US captain Fred Couples named Tiger Woods, who has not won a tournament since November 2009, as the first of two captain's picks last month, and though the 51-year-old has come in for criticism for the choice, Couples has stood by his decision.
"The majority of the people I talk to liked the pick and a handful don't," said Couples ahead of the four-day event at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, which runs from 17-20 November.
"Tiger was in the heat of battle in Augusta [and] almost won there.
"He has done everything I asked him to do and so I told him the reason I picked him early was there was some things I needed him to do.
"I talk to Tiger a lot and I know he is working hard I am counting on him to play well in Australia.
"We win by several guys playing well. We don't need everyone playing incredible golf."

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PAUL JAMIESON LEADS FIRST SET OF GLENEAGLES QUALIFIERS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
 Paul Jamieson (Dunblane New) returned a three-under-par 68 to head the 14 qualifiers by three shots from Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Golf Links), the 1984 British boys' champion, in the first 18-hole qualifying competition at Crieff Golf Club for the Scottish PGA championship over the King’s Course, Gleneagles from October 10 to 13.MISSED THE CUT 
Jamieson birdied the sixth, seventh, ninth, 17th and 18th, dropping shots to par only at the 10th and 16th.
There was a play-off between the seven players who returned 74s to reduce the number of qualifiers to the precise figure of 14.
Those who came through the play-off were Jonathan Lomas (unatt), Scott Grieve (Turnhouse), Michael Rae (Alyth) and Nigel Scott-Smith (Turnhouse).
Eliminated in the play-off were: Paul Wilson (Cawder), Jamie Carver (unatt) and Jamie Wales (Kings Acre).
Three girls were among the non-qualifiers.
Emma Fairnie (Dunbar), the 2010 East Lothian women’s county champion, had a 75 which included two birdies.
Clare-Marie Macaulay, wife of Callum, the Challenge Tour player and former Scottish amateur champion, had a 76. She dropped six shots to par over the last eight holes.
Michele Thomson, the 2008 Curtis Cup player and Scottish women's amateur champion who has been doing well in Tartan Tour events, suffered a loss of form in this eliminator. She went round in 78 with a double bogey 6 at the 12th and a further three shots dropped at the 13th, 15th and 17th.
Biggest name among the non-qualifiers in a field of 67 was Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy) with a 77.
+Apologies to Emma Fairnie for an earlier report which said she had qualified for the Scottish PGA championship - EDITOR

SCOTTISH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP - First qualifying competition
Crieff Golf Club
QUALIFIERS
(Par 71)
68 Paul Jamieson (Dunblane New).
71 Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Golf Links).
72 John Ruth (Clydeway Golf), Scott Herald (Adam Hunter Golf).
73 Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm), Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle), Joseph McBrearty (Haggs Castle), Stuart Morrison (Tain), Anthony Mackrell (Playsport Golf), Scott Catlin (Greenburn).
74  Scott Grieve (Turnhouse), Nigel Scott-Smith (Turnhouse), Michael Rae (Alyth), Jonathan Lomas (unatt).
MISSED THE CUT 
74 (beaten in play-off) Paul Wilson (Cawder), Jamie Carver (unatt), Jamie Wales (Kings Acre).
75 Duncan Anderson (Murrayfield), Mark Berrie (Braid Hills), Stewart Savage (Dalmuir), Adam McCabe (Gordon Sherry Golf), Ken Campbell (Machrihanish), Emma Fairnie (Gullane), Ross Neill (Drumpellier), Garry Forrester (St Andrews Golf School), Scott Gillespie (Burntisland), Kevin Phillips (Winterfield), Ewan MacPherson (Auchterarder).
76 Clare-Marie Macaulay (Playsport Golf), Steven Moir (Aboyne), Sam McLaren (Crieff), Chrfistopher Boyle (Lanark), Greig McSporran (Kinross), Craig Knowles (Panmure), Fraser Clarke (Newmachar), Graham Mackay (Prestonfield).
77 Craig Armstrong (Burntisland), Alasdair Macdonald (Dunnikier Park), Cameron Tortolano (Stirling), Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy), David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie), Nicky Sinclair (Prestwick), Shaun Clark (Elie SC), Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill), Rob Satterley (Swanston), Brian Mason (Callaway Golf), David-Ross Nicol (Dunblane).
78 Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar), Stephen Forbes (Deaconsbank), Matthew Sellors (Scottish Golf Centre) Michael McAllan (Glenbervie), Luke Barbour (Cruden Bay), Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), Gareth Hardy (Belleisle), Stuart Williamson (West Kilbride).
Selected other score:
79 James Boyce (Erskine).


TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE PGA SCOTLAND WEBSITE

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R AND A LOSE TOWN GOLF MATCH


The annual golf "Town Match" between the Royal and Ancient Golf Club  and the local St Andrews  golf clubs, saw a comfortable victory for the Town.
Held every year on the second Saturday of the R and ;A's Autumn Meeting, around 650 golfers took part in blustery conditions over several of the town's courses.
Following wins in 2009 and 2010, the R and A had hoped for an unprecedented hat-trick of victories after previously only winning twice since the inaugural contest in 1913.
However, they were defeated by 92.5 points to 68.5 in the pairs matches played over St Andrews' Old, New, Jubilee and Strathtyrum courses.





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JAMES BYRNE TURNS PRO AS MEMBER OF IMG "STABLE"

         JAMES BYRNE, MAKES PRO DEBUT ON EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR THIS WEEK


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY I M G Banchory's James Byrne announced today that he has turned professional and signed with the world’s leading sports, fashion and media company, IMG, for worldwide management and marketing representation.
The announcement comes a week after Byrne played a key role in Great Britain and Ireland’s Walker Cup victory over the United States.
Byrne, born in England but brought up in Banchory, picked up two points from his three matches against the Americans and described the Walker Cup win as being part of the best week of his life. Good times certainly lie ahead for the 22 year-old with a recent top-30 (T26) finish in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles underlying the youngster’s golfing pedigree.
A graduate from Arizona State University, James enjoyed a very successful amateur career including wins at the 2007 Scottish Boys’ Strokeplay Championship and four wins on the Scottish Order of Merit circuit. In 2010 Byrne finished runner-up in the Amateur Championship and in recognition of a fruitful season, James was awarded Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year 2010.
James will make his professional debut at the ALLIANZ Golf Open du Grand Toulouse on the European Challenge Tour this week, with hopes of featuring in a full European Tour event before launching his bid to secure a Tour card at the first stage of the Q-School in Portugal next month.
With a lively and confident personality, Byrne will no doubt be a popular addition to the higher ranks of world golf and it’s not only the fans that will be watching his foray into the professional circuit. Deals have already been agreed with the Craig Group and Titleist which will allow James to focus on making the perfect start to his pro career.
An excited Byrne is ready to be tested at the highest level on a regular basis, "The Walker Cup was the perfect stepping stone into the professional ranks and it seems to be the perfect time to make the move. With my recent performances, including the Johnnie Walker Championship, I feel like I’m ready to compete against the guys on Tour and for me, IMG is the perfect fit. I’m delighted to be joining their team and look forward to working with them as I continue my journey,” said Byrne.
He continued, “I’m really grateful to have been invited to play in Toulouse this week, it’s a nice opportunity to get my pro career up and running and hopefully with a good performance I will secure an invite onto the main tour before Q-School.
"It would be great to play at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship next week so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an invite. Thanks also to my new sponsors, Titleist and the Craig Group. They will be a huge asset in my progression within the game, without them it would be difficult so I am really thankful for their support.”
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the Scottish Golf Union for the tremendous support they have given to me since I was selected to join their national boys’ squad six years ago. The R and A also deserve huge credit for the work they do for amateur golf.”
James will be co-managed by Duncan Reid in London and John Murray in Edinburgh. They will be assisted by Marie Claire-Prust.
“Successful times certainly lie ahead for James and we are very pleased to be working with such a professional, appealing and determined young man. His golfing ability speaks for itself and hopefully we can help James reach his potential sooner rather than later,” said Duncan Reid.

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JAMIE RUTHERFORD (19) WINS ENGLISH COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Jamie Rutherford made it a Hertfordshire win double when he shot a closing 66 to complete a sensational victory in the English County Champions Tournament and collect the Presidents Bowl at Woodhall Spa.
Following county colleague Doug Cameron’s victory in the Seniors event, a 36-hole total of 136, ten under par, over the testing Hotchkin course left the 19 year old from the Knebworth club three strokes ahead of England international Ben Stow from Wiltshire with Cumbria’s William Bowe third on 143.
Although Rutherford has enjoyed a superb season at home, he has not hit the headlines nationally. But this success could provide the big breakthrough.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be my big breakthrough. I’ve had a really good season and now I’ve got a national title under my belt which is what I’ve been waiting for.
"When I came here this week I felt confident but it’s the first time I’d played the course so you don’t know what might happen.”
It’s been a remarkable year for Rutherford. He wasn’t thought good enough to be included in the Hertfordshire team that won the Boys County Championship last summer but his improvement has been dramatic. He ended the year well, qualifying for the British Boys during which he gained a victory over boy international Nathan Kimsey.
This year most things have gone right. He has played for the Hertfordshire colts and first team and has enjoyed a string of top finishes. All that was needed was a big win and now he has it.
After shooting 70 in the morning, Rutherford began the afternoon round one shot off the lead held by Cumbria’s William Bowe, fourth in last year’s event.
But the Hertfordshire teenager was soon hitting the front after reaching the turn in 35.
Yet it was his homeward tally of 31 that caught the eye as he signed for an eagle and five birdies. He birdied the tenth, 12th and 13th before chipping-in for eagle at the long 14th. He also birdied the 15th and 17th but dropped at shot at 16.
“I shot a course record seven under 64 at Knebworth but this is my lowest on such a course,” he added. “I was bogey-free this morning and I just kept it going.
“This afternoon I felt comfortable. I was solid on the front nine without anything happening but I went crazy over the back nine, being six under for six holes. Everything started going my way.”
In most years, Stow’s aggregate of 139 would have been good enough to win, but not this time. The Wiltshire 19 year old followed a 71 with a 68 including five birdies and a chip-in eagle at the last.
Bowe, who led after an opening 69, slipped back with 74, while John White from Surrey and Staffordshire’s David Walley were joint fourth on 145, the only other players under par.
Results and more information about the Mens County Champions Tournament can be found on the Championship section of the EGU website.

CLICK HERE

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TIGER WOODS, NOW No 49 IN WORLD, SQUEEZES INTO 'CHEVRON'

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LEMONT, Illinois (AP) — Tiger Woods was among the winners after the BMW Championship on Sunday, even though he didn't play.
Woods slipped to No. 49 in the world rankings yesterday, meaning he will be eligible for the Chevron World Challenge, the tournament he hosts in Southern California in December.
The Chevron World Challenge organisers were allowed two years ago to offer ranking points, provided the tournament had only two sponsor exemptions and both were among the top 50 in the world. Woods was at No. 46 going into the week, and was passed by Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia and Bill Haas.
The tournament organisers could have asked the US PGA Tour for a change in criteria to allow Woods to play, although it might not have been able to award ranking points.
The tournament will be played from December 1 to 4 at Sherwood Country Club, California.



Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2093721,00.html#ixzz1YOq3uAMd

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US BEAT G B AND I BY NINE POINTS TO KEEP PGA CUP

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
By NATHANIEL SYLVESTER
Great Britain and Ireland team-mates failed in their trans-Atlantic bid to recapture the PGA Cup against a strong American team at CordeValle, California on Sunday.
Needing victory in eight of the 10 singles matches to overhaul the 10 ½ - 5 ½ deficit at the start of the final day’s play, it proved a trans-Atlantic mission impossible for Russell’s Weir’s team of PGA professionals as the USA won     17 ½ - 8 ½, a repeat of the scoreline from two years ago at The Carrick.
The US, requiring just three points to win outright for a 17th time in the history of the matches, swept the singles by 7-3 in another impressive display over the Robert Trent Jones Jnr course.
Marty Jertson, a senior design engineer for PING, posted the first red on the leaderboard with an emphatic 5 and 4 victory against Goodfellow including eagles on the par-5 sixth and par-4 10th holes where he holed from 140 yards.
Danny Balin in the second match birdied the last to pip Chris Gill (Exeter) with Sonny Skinner clinching the decisive half against Stuart Little(Minchinhampton) to ensure the trophy was retained.
Gill was one up on 16 but Balin holed a 35ft putt to square the match and found the par-5 18th in two to set up a winning birdie.
GB and I registered only two wins but both were impressive with Shacklady inflicting a 3 and 2 defeat on David Hutsell, the reigning US PGA Professional champion, and Rob Giles overturning a three hole deficit with four birdies on the spin from the turn to win one up against four time PGA Cup player Mike Small.
Simon Edwards (Windermere) scored GB and I’s other half point against Rob McClellan.
Mossock Hall’s David Shacklady again performed strongly becoming the leading GB and I points scorer with two wins and a half from his five outings.
“Three and two flatters him (David Hutsell), I hit it inside him eight times in the first 10 holes,” said Shacklady.
“I missed a tiddler on 12 which I was annoyed about because it was the first time it was his honour and I’d set myself the target of him never getting hitting first.
“I have a lot of respect for the Americans, great players and nice guys, but when I have a club in my hand I want to destroy them.
“The lads feel we have not got the best out of it but the only time the Americans missed putts was when we put them under pressure and we didn’t do that enough.
“I’ve played in two Opens and thought it would never get better than that but this is up there and I will take a lot more memories from this week without a shadow of a doubt.”
An emotional GB and I captain Russell Weir said: “This has been the most exciting week I have experienced in golf. It is the pinnacle of my career and I will never forget it.
“It was nerve-racking as a captain, feeling for every player, but the American team were awesome today.
“They came out firing with so many birdies and our players tried their best and unfortunately there were too many birdies flying about out there on the wrong side.
“But the players gave their all this week and have got to be very proud of themselves, and are very special people.”
The US built the platform for victory with six-and-a-half points from the two foursome sessions on Friday and Saturday afternoon – 3 ½ - ½ and 3-1 respectively.
They also won the opening day fourballs 2 ½ - 1 1/2. GB and I rallied to take the Saturday fourballs by 2 ½ - 1 ½ with a half earned at the last from Sonny Skinner and Brad Lardon against Craig Goodfellow and David Mortimer halting the momentum of Weir’s side.
After the victory, US captain Jim Remy said: “We had three veterans and seven first timers but it didn't seem to matter. Everybody worked together. It was a clear situation where the team worked together and they just shone.
“I asked them on Monday night to really focus on foursomes, they did that. They got a lot of points in foursomes. And these guys in singles are tenacious and I knew would be a pretty hard team to beat.”
The US now has 17 wins in the Ryder Cup style contest, compared to GB and I’s five with a victory on US soil still proving elusive.
Results:
SUNDAY SINGLES

UNITED STATES 7, GB AND IRELAND 3

US names first
Marty Jertson bt Craig Goodfellow (Carlisle Driving Range) 5 and 4.
Danny Balin bt Chris Gill (Exeter Golf and Country Club) 1 hole.
Sonny Skinner halved with Stuart Little (Minchinhampton New)
Mike Small lost to Rob Giles (Greenore) 1 hole.
David Hutsell lost to David Shacklady (Mossock Hall) 3 and 2.
Mark Sheftic bt John Wells (Cherry Burton) 1 hole
Rob McClellan halved with Simon Edwards (Windermere)
Faber Jamerson bt Gary Brown (Ganton) 3 and 2.
Brad Lardon bt David Mortimer (Galway) 6 and 4.
Scott Erdmann bt John Kennedy (Wexham Park) 3 and 2.

Final result

USA 17 ½, GB and 1reland 8 1/2

Visit www.PGACup.com and www.PGA.info for more information on the PGA Cup and all PGA tournaments

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JASON KOKRAK MAKES MOST OF LATE CALL TO NATIONWIDE TOUR

FROM THE US NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE
BOISE, Idaho -- And the last shall be first. Big-hitting rookie Jason Kokrak, the last player to get into thE US Nationwide Tour's Albertsons Boise Open, backed off the throttle at the Hillcrest Country Club and earned his first career win on Sunday.
Kokrak, who got the call last Tuesday morning that he was in the field, was nearly flawless en route to a two-stroke win over John Mallinger. The 26-year old from Charlotte started the final round at the Hillcrest Country Club tied for the lead and went on to post a bogey-free, 4-under 67 to become the Nationwide Tour's 10th first-time winner and fourth rookie winner in 2011.
"It hasn't really set in yet, maybe it will on the plane tomorrow," he said after picking up a check for $130,500 and moving from No. 70 to No. 13 on the money list. "I have no words to explain it. I honestly have no idea what was going through my mind out there. I just tried to stay calm and keep my heart from racing."
The 2007 Xavier University grad was one of only two alternates to make the field of 156.
"I was in Denver and on my way from North Carolina when I got the call," he said. "I was going to come out here either way. If I didn't get in I probably would have just gone to San Diego to visit a friend and get ready for next week."
His victory gets him close enough to start thinking about next year because the 25 leading money winners will earn US PGA Tour cards for the 2012 season. There are only five full-field events left before the season-ending Tour Championship.
"My goal at the beginning of the year was just to make the Tour Championship," he said. "It's always been my dream to play on Tour since I was a kid."
Kokrak, No. 2 on the Tour in average driving distance (317.4 yard), played the final 59 holes with only one bogey thanks to a more conservative approach.
"I tried to pick and choose where my length was most advantageous," he said. "The key was picking the right time to be aggressive and the right time to play away from the pins. It was important to leave yourself a lot of uphill putts and also yourself plenty of opportunities."
Kokrak two-putted the trio of par-5s and added another birdie at the 199-yard, 8th hole where he hit "a buttery 9-iron to six feet." He admitted that he and his caddie had discussed hitting wedge there.
Kokrak and playing partner Rahil Gangjee (73/T12) started the day at 14-under par but were staring at a logjam behind them -- 19 players were within three shots of the lead.
"The greens are so firm and quick that if you're not careful you can suddenly have a lot of 10-20 footers," said Kokrak. "I hit a lot of quality golf shots even though I didn't hit it too close. I kept it in front of me, kept it in the fairways and got a couple of breaks."
Kokrak, who grew up in Ohio, hit 15 greens during Sunday's finale and gave himself plenty of chances for birdies.
"I gave myself a couple of good looks on the back side," he said. "I scared the hole a couple of times from 20-25 feet."
His biggest putts were those to save par. The first came at No. 14 where his 40-footer for birdie came up about 10 feet short.
Rather than attack the 293-yard, par-4, 15th hole, Kokrak went conservative off the tee and hit an 8-iron.
"At sea level, I play my 8-iron to about 180 yards," he said. "I don't know how far it went but we only had about 75 yards to the hole."
He didn't make birdie there but a two-putt birdie at the par-5, 16th (he hit 9-iron for his second shot) all but wrapped things up for him, though he did need a six-footer to save par at No. 17.
At the end, all of the challengers fell short. Mallinger, who was T3 here a year ago, rolled in a 40-foot eagle putt at the par-5, 16th to reach 16 under and get close to Kokrak, who showed no signs of succumbing to the pressures.
Several players made late birdies to climb up the leaderboard but Kokrak was never challenged for the lead.
Camilo Benedetti (66), first- and second-round leader Jonas Blixt (67) and veteran Ken Duke (67) tied for third at 15 under, three shots back.
Paul Claxton (68), Brian Smock (68), John Riegger (69), Billy Horschel (70) and David Hearn (70) shared sixth place at 14 under.
• Winner Jason Kokrak played the final 59 holes without a bogey. Runner-up John Mallinger was bogey-free on the weekend.
• Jonas Blixt led the tournament in putting with 102 total for 72 holes.
• Jason Kokrak finished second in Average Driving Distance (343.6 yards). National Long-Driving Champion Jamie Sadlowski was first this week (349.8 yards). Sadlowski, making his first professional start, made the cut but his 287 total (+3) was 21 shots back of Kokrak.
• The Nationwide Tour heads to California this week for the Soboba Golf Classic in San Jacinto.
SCOTSWATCH: Inverness exile Russell Knox finished joint 51st on Sunday with scores o f70, 68, 72 and 68 for a total of six-under-par 278. He earned $2,410.

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND PRIZEMONEY ON THE US NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE

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WINNER ROSE BOOSTS FEDEX CUP HOPES BUT LAIRD GOES HOME

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
LEMONT, Illinois -- Justin Rose came to the BMW Championship hoping to extend his stay in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.
The Englishman definitely had a sense of urgency, too, coming in ranked 34th in the FedExCup standings after dropping seven spots with that tie for 68th at the Deutsche Bank Championship. More than half the field would leave Cog Hill disappointed as only the top 30 among the 70 who teed it up would be eliminated.
Rose, pictured right with trophy by courtesy of Getty Images (c), didn't want to be one of them.
The near-flawless 63 he shot in the first round was a big confidence boost, and Rose went on to build a four-shot lead entering the final round. When he gutted out a 71 on this raw, rainy Sunday, Rose not only won the BMW Championship and punched his ticket to Atlanta, he became one of the men to beat.
With his victory, Rose moved 31 spots to No. 3 in the FedExCup. The points are reset going into the Playoffs finale at East Lake and only the top five are assured of winning the $10 million bonus -- provided they win the TOUR Championship as well.
Everyone else has a chance -- after all, Jim Furyk won the FedExCup after starting the TOUR Championship ranked 11th -- but they'd need the perfect storm to develop at the end of 72 holes. So Rose was feeling pretty good after he hugged his wife and low-fived his 2-year-old Leo on the 72nd green.
"To win my third tournament feels like I'm sort of moving in the right direction, and to move to three on the FedExCup list and give myself control of my own destiny next week in Atlanta is something I didn't foresee at the beginning part of the week, so just an amazing outcome this week," Rose said.
Four of the players who started the BMW Championship ranked in the top five managed to remain there. Webb Simpson, who finished fifth Sunday after winning twice in his last three starts, remained at No. 1 while Dustin Johnson stayed second, despite tying for 65th. Luke Donald held onto the No. 4 spot when he finished solo fourth on Sunday while Matt Kuchar dropped from third to fifth and Brandt Snedeker was the odd man out at No. 6.
Rose wasn't the only player who prospered in the Playoffs on Sunday at Cog Hill, though. John Senden finished two strokes behind Rose in second and climbed 46 spots to No. 9 in the FedExCup. Geoff Ogilvy had the most ground to gain, starting the week ranked No. 69, and the Aussie got the job done with a third-place finish that lifted him to No. 24.
Of course, with those three busting the Playoffs bubble, three more were headed home.
Masters champion Charl Schwartzel was one of them after bogeying three of his last four holes to tie for 42nd and drop five spots to No. 32 in the FedExCup. Ditto for Rory Sabbatini, whose tie for 59th sent him tumbling nine spots to 35th. And Kyle Stanley came in at No. 30 but was projected outside the magic number after each of the first three rounds before ending up 34th.
One by one players came off the final green on Sunday and walked briskly over to a computer shielded from the rain by a cardboard box and soggy towel to check their projected FedExCup standing. Some went away happy. Others headed to the locker room to wait and see whether they needed to change their plane reservations.
At least one pounded his fist in frustration on the table when he realized how far he dropped after missing a short putt for par on the 72nd hole. Camilo Villegas didn't know it at the time, but even if he'd been successful on that 4-footer the numbers would not have been in his favour.
Villegas actually had crept inside the top 30 when he made his fifth birdie on the back nine on Sunday on the way to tying the day's low round of 66. But the young Colombian, who started the final event of the regular season on the Playoffs bubble at No. 125, ranked 37th when he finished and ended up four spots higher and 87 points shy.
"You know what? It was a fun day," Villegas said. "it's a challenge out there. ... It's been a pretty crappy year and the last couple weeks we've turned it around a little bit to the positive side. Looking forward to finishing strong and keep it going."
Jim Furyk was another one of the casualties. The man who won the FedExCup and TOUR Championship last year started the final round projected 27th in the FedExCup. But he made four straight bogeys on the front nine and two more on the back before finally making his only birdie at the 17th hole -- falling to 36th in the process.
"I'm disappointed," Furyk said. "It's a disappointing year to start so far back, 60th coming into the Playoffs, I felt like I caught some momentum at the end of the year, but playing the last round and playing poorly leaves a sour taste. I got off to a bad start today. ... By the time I got things calmed down, it was a little late."
Martin Laird knows how he feels. Even the bomb of a 43-footer that sneaked in for birdie at the 18th hole wasn't enough. He still fell 30 points short of making the field for the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.
The Scotsman, who now makes his home in Scottsdale, Arizona, came into the BMW Championship ranked 31st in the FedExCup and ended in the same spot. As much as he wanted a chance to play for the $10 million bonus at East Lake, though, Laird embraced the excitement on this dreary Sunday at Cog Hill.
"There's stories everywhere," Laird said. "It just makes for a great week, and that's what the Playoffs are all about."
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
271 Justin Rose (England) 63 68 69 71.
273 John Senden (Australia) 68 66 70 69.
274 Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 6968 68 69
276 Luke Donald (England) 75 66 67 68.
277 Webb Simpson (US) 65 68 73 71.
SELECTED SCORES
282 Martin Laird (Scotland) 72 69 68 73, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 69 72 67 74 (T12).
285 Brian Davis (England) 74 70 72 69 (T31).

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