WEST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE UPDATE

By MARGARET CARRELLGreat article covering all the aspects of our disaster at Buchanan Castle. We are just about dried out after the worst weather you can imagine over the last week.
It is no slight on the green staff at Buchanan who tried their best to keep the course open for us over the last couple of days and I would also like to thank the Club Manager for all her help and lastly a mention to the catering staff who kept us fed and watered the days we managed to play.
Now back to the better result - Strathaven on Tuesday, September 27.
This was our first West of Scotland Alliance event due to the cancellation on September 14 when we were due to play Rowallan Castle but again we were rained off. We will try to play this course at a later date.
As always Strathaven was in excellent condition. Our thanks to all the green staff, Manager and catering staff for a wonderful day and after a few showers we actually managed to complete our event.
We had impressive turn-out from our professionals with 16 playing. Thanks to everyone who made the effort. It is much appreciated.
Early leader in the clubhouse was professional James Smallwood from Fereneze with a 73.
This was then beaten into second place when assistant professional from North Gailes, Jamie McKay, returned an impressive 72 to take the lead.
The West have a host of very good amateur golfers and 2009 Scottish Alliance Handicap Champion John Fowler from Hayston blew 72 out of the water by returning a scratch 69, followed by Robert Jenkins of Crow Wood, one of our +2 amateurs, who had a scratch 71.
Therefore the scoreboard on the day ended as follows
Scratch Score Prize (vouchers for amateurs)
1st John Fowler (Hayston) 69 £160
2nd Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood) 71 £110
3rd Jamie McKay (North Gailes) 72 £80
4th James Smallwood (Fereneze) 73 £40

In the West Alliance we try to encourage young golfers (18-25) to join us for the season at a reduced rate and one such golfer, Kieron Stark from Crow Wood was one such success story. Only joining up at the Strathaven event, Kieron won the handicap section with an impressive 71 on his debut with the WSGA. Well done, Kieron!
If anyone would like to join us this year we have an excellent fixture list for the rest of the season which includes Largs, Dundonald Links, Troon Portland and Glasgow Gailes - and that's just the first half of the season.
If you are interested, have a look on our website www.westalliance.co.uk.

Next West of Scotland Alliance competition is at Largs next Tuesday, October 11.

Margaret Carrell

LOOKING GOOD FOR KELLETT BUT TALL ORDER FOR LAW, BYRNE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Ross Kellett, still playing as an amateur, is the only Scot who can look forward to tomorrow's final rounds of the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 Section D at Frilford Heath and Ribagolfe in Portugal with any degree of optimism. At both venues, only the leading 25 and ties after 72 holes will advance to Stage 2 at four venues in Spain in early December. Colville Park's Kellett is meantime joint 19th at Frilford Heath after rounds of 75, 73 and 74 for a six-over-par tally of 222. A total of 75 players made the third-round cut at 14-over-par 230 or better at the Oxfordshire venue. They included Scottish amateur champion David Law (Hazlehead), now a pro, but he starts the final round in joint 57th place after rounds of 77, 72 and 79 for 228. On his third-round form he has no chance of making up 32 places in the standings. Even worse off is St Andrews' Greg Paterson, still an amateur. He is joint 60th on 229 after round s of 74, 74 and 81. Scots who missed the cut at Frilford Heath were Ian Redford from St Andrews on 232 (two shots too many) with rounds of 78, 75 and 79. Also Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll and Mark Hillson (Craigielaw), both on 239. McNicoll had scores of 77, 80 and 82, Hillson 82, 77 and 80. Walker Cup man James Byrne, now a pro, chose to play in the Q School eliminator at Ribagolfe near Lisbon - and eliminator it looks like being for the Banchory man. He beat the third-round cut in Portugal by one shot, and goes into the final round in joint 53rd place on nine-over 225 after scores of 74, 76 and 75. Can Byrne make 28 places in one round? He would have to break 70 to do so - and not too many players have been doing that at either venue.

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS AT BOTH VENUES

FRILFORD HEATH
Par 216 (3x72)
(75 players made the cut on 230 +14)
208 M Lemesurier (Eng) 68 69 71
210 D Whitnell (Eng) 67 69 74
212 R Karlberg (Swe) 68 71 73, T Hatton (Eng) 71 69 72
214 S Hodgson (Eng) 73 69 72, M Staunton (Irl) 72 68 74
215 M Sell (Eng) 70 74 71
216 S Lilly (Eng) 71 71 74, M Jager (Aus) 72 72 72
217 J Watts (Eng) 71 75 71, C Hinton (am) (Eng) 71 75 71
219 S Matton (Eng) 71 75 73, E Pepperell (Eng) 73 69 77, G Woodman (Eng) 74 74 71
220 D Higgins (Irl) 74 69 77, D Seymour (Eng) 76 72 72, T Adcock (am) (Eng) 75 72 73,
221 J Poulton (Eng) 75 72 74
222 L O'Neill (Eng) 72 74 76, J Kavanagh (Eng) 72 74 76, M Allen (Eng) 75 73 74, N Jones (Ber) 73 74 75, T Vickers (Eng) 75 74 73, R Kellett (am) (Sco) 75 73 74,
223 N Cheetham (Eng) 75 74 74, K Crossland (Eng) 76 76 71, T Burden (Eng) 74 73 76, R Harrison (Eng) 76 71 76, N Howell (Eng) 76 74 73, S Mitchell (Eng) 73 81 69, B Stow(am) (Eng) 73 78 72

PROJECTED CUT-OFF POINT FOR TOP 25 AND TIES AFTER ROUND FOUR

224 W Bennett (Eng) 73 75 76, L Burns (Eng) 75 77 72, J Westwood (Eng) 72 78 74, W Roebuck (Eng) 80 74 70, M Smith (Eng) 76 72 76, J Evans (Eng) 76 72 76, T King (am) (Eng) 71 79 74,
225 J Cunliffe (RSA) 70 76 79, J Banbury (Eng) 72 75 78, W Johnson (Eng) 72 77 76, J Webber (Eng) 74 77 74, L Canter (Eng) 78 75 72, K Pratt (Aus) 72 79 74, E Porter (Aus) 74 77 74, M Allen (am) (Eng) 75 72 78,
226 T Denton (USA) 74 74 78, J Feather (Eng) 78 74 74, P Woodbury (USA) 74 77 75,
227 S McDonagh (Eng) 74 76 77, L Robinson (Eng) 70 80 77, B Vongvanij (USA) 78 75 74, S McAnally (Eng) 74 78 75, G Gancedo Onieva (Esp) 80 74 73, S Fallon (Eng) 74 74 79, L Noott (am) (Eng) 71 75 81,
228 R Tipping (RSA) 74 77 77, D Law (Sco) 77 72 79, T Boys (Eng) 76 75 77,
229 D Thomas (Wal) 75 80 74, A Wootton (Eng) 74 76 79, J Horn (Eng) 78 77 74, D Lernihan (Irl) 75 79 75, D Thomas (Eng) 75 77 77, R Laino (Eng) 73 75 81, H Sayin (am) (Tur) 75 80 74, G Paterson (am) (Sco) 74 74 81,
230 D Griffiths (Eng) 70 80 80, M McCormack (Eng) 81 76 73, A Carson (Eng) 76 77 77, A Mawji (Eng) 78 75 77, I Brown (Eng) 73 78 79, F Jewsbury (Eng) 78 77 75, B O'Dell (Eng) 79 75 76, M Mackman (Eng) 76 73 81

MISSED THE CUT

231 L Mason (Eng) 75 78 78, P Cutler (Nir) 77 76 78,
232 M Hodgson (Aus) 81 76 75, I Redford (Sco) 78 75 79, M Kelly (Irl) 75 74 83, S Dhaduk (Pak) 73 82 77,
233 W Harmston (Eng) 75 72 86, J Oliphant (Eng) 72 79 82, C Gill (Eng) 72 78 83, P Newman (Eng) 79 77 77, M Smith (am) (Eng) 79 78 76,
234 B Phillips (Wal) 73 78 83, S Grewal (Eng) 77 78 79, L Bangerter (Eng) 77 74 83, A Butterfield (Eng) 75 76 83,
235 C Von Borsig (USA) 78 75 82, N Brennan (Irl) 78 80 77, M Chamberlain (Eng) 78 80 77, P Bannon (Can) 80 79 76, R Carter (Eng) 83 76 76,
236 M Davenport (Eng) 77 81 78, D Perrett (Eng) 74 79 83,
238 J Ashton (Eng) 79 81 78, J Galante (Esp) 78 79 81, D Rickwood (am) (Eng) 77 85 76,
239 D White (Eng) 77 79 83, M Hillson (Sco) 82 77 80, K McNicoll (Sco) 77 80 82,
241 N Smith (Eng) 83 76 82,
242 B Cummings (Eng) 81 78 83, J Carter (Eng) 80 83 79,
243 R Gurney (Eng) 83 74 86, R Edwards (Aus) 76 84 83,
246 M Floyd (Eng) 82 78 86,
** M Packard (Eng) 95 86 WD, D Gwilliam (Eng) 80 84 WD

RIBAGOLFE, PORTUGAL
(66 players made the cut on 226 +10)
209 B Pettersson (Swe) 72 65 72
211 T Shadbolt (Eng) 70 71 70, M McGeady (Irl) 70 69 72
212 B McDonald (Zim) 70 69 73, R De Sousa (Sui) 68 68 76
213 D McGuigan (RSA) 69 72 72, C Devlin (Nir) 70 72 71, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 75 68 70
214 B Vaughan (RSA) 73 67 74, R Bastard (Eng) 71 72 71, V Blazquez (Esp) 67 74 73
215 N Ledesma (Arg) 73 69 73, R Furrer (Sui) 70 73 72, R Quiros (Esp) 72 72 71
216 A Long (USA) 71 73 72
217 J Billing (Swe) 71 74 72, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 72 73 72, B McCarroll (Irl) 71 71 75, B Detweiler (USA) 72 69 76
218 M Bey (Fra) 72 72 74, J Adarraga Gomez (Esp) 71 69 78, O Bekker (RSA) 70 75 73, D Coughlan (Eng) 72 73 73, H Santos (Por) 78 71 69
219 G Vicente Elena (Esp) 76 68 75, D Noh (Esp) 75 69 75, J Kelly (USA) 72 72 75, S Wolters (Ger) 74 71 74, A Sjöstrand (Swe) 70 74 75

PROJECTED CUT-OFF POINT FOR LEADING 25 + TIES AFTER ROUND 4

220 S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 73 74 73, J Chevallier (Fra) 76 72 72, P Croonquist (am) (USA) 73 72 75, T Rodrigues (am) (Por) 64 78 78
221 X Guzman (Esp) 73 72 76, P Cassagne (Fra) 70 72 79, A Sagar (Eng) 76 73 72, J Mommo (Fin) 75 70 76, J Little (Eng) 75 74 72, J Kennegard (Swe) 72 78 71
222 J Gibb (Eng) 72 72 78
223 J Foret (Fra) 76 74 73, O Fraustro (Mex) 74 74 75, X Poncelet (Fra) 71 74 78, A Hedlund (Swe) 73 77 73, C Balmaseda (Esp) 74 72 77, M Azcue (Mex) 71 72 80
224 T Murphy (USA) 75 74 75, A Wilson (USA) 77 79 68, P Menjibar (Esp) 74 72 78, L Johansen (Den) 74 78 72, G Jackson (Eng) 78 69 77, J Gallegos (am) (Esp) 75 74 75
225 J Byrne (Sco) 74 76 75, F Rafferty (Irl) 73 76 76, B Houle (Can) 76 74 75, N Bermudo (Esp) 76 70 79, J San Felix (Esp) 77 75 73
226 N Floren (Swe) 75 74 77, C Perez Barberan (Esp) 73 73 80, C Orozco (Esp) 74 74 78, Campbell (Eng) 73 77 76, F De Haas (Ned) 73 74 79, F Adarraga (Esp) 76 77 73, J Kelly (Irl) 70 75 81, K Sullivan (Wal) 75 75 76, P Rasmussen (am) (Den) 74 71 81
MISSED THE CUT
227 T Sundström (Fin) 74 72 81, J Fernandez (Esp) 75 73 79, C Cousins (Wal) 78 75 74
228 N Chaudhuri (Eng) 78 73 77, A Castineira Marcos (Esp) 78 72 78, J Fransson (Swe) 78 73 77, H Dobson (Eng) 78 75 75, R Lantsoght (Esp) 76 77 75
229 J Monroy (Arg) 81 75 73, S Boyd (Imn) 78 77 74
230 P Ceron (Mex) 78 77 75, A Rosado (Por) 78 76 76, S Gutierrez (Esp) 79 73 78, N Gillespie (Nzl) 78 78 74
232 S Franky (Col) 75 78 79, T Kogler (Aut) 80 75 77, H Yamac (Tur) 83 75 74, P Ellerstrom (Swe) 79 76 77
233 R Thomas (Wal) 75 78 80, S Abreu (Aus) 72 80 81, D Renfro (USA) 76 78 79, P Simard (Esp) 77 78 78, E Barry-Walsh (Eng) 76 76 81
234 A Cuenca (Esp) 82 75 77, J Asikainen (Fin) 80 77 77, J Martikainen (Fin) 79 81 74, M Lester (Eng) 80 77 77, J Ochoa (Esp) 74 77 83
235 D Borda (Esp) 80 76 79, R Lopez Perales (Esp) 76 80 79
236 A Columbia (USA) 78 79 79, M Antona (Eng) 78 77 81, J Fuentes (Esp) 83 78 75
238 T O'Flynn (Irl) 77 77 84
241 M Bosse (Ger) 80 80 81
247 J James (Esp) 77 86 84,
252 G Seegmuller (Bel) 78 87 87
255 Y Shin (am) (Kor) 88 87 80

CRAIG LEE STOPS EATING ... BUT A 64 IS QUITE TASTY

                  CRAIG LEE IN ACTION ... Image by courtesy of Getty Images (c)

By SARAH GWYNN, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Scotland’s Craig Lee made a flying start to the Allianz Open de Lyon, carding a seven under par 64 in the first round to lead by one shot at Golf du Gouverneur today.
The 33-year-old from Stirling, currently 13th in the Challenge Tour Rankings, posted five birdies and an eagle despite suffering from an upset stomach to set the pace ahead of South African Branden Grace and Englishman Daniel Brooks, who both signed for 65.
“I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday lunchtime so I’m feeling quite weak,” said Lee. “Today was very much a game of two halves. I started to feel better coming down the 18th – my ninth - then I had two good birdies at the first and second – both putts from about 11 feet – and managed to eagle the par five third. I hit a good drive then a six iron to about 20 feet and rolled in the putt.
“That gave me a bit of momentum and I had another birdie at the fifth, then it was nice to finish with two birdies at the eighth and ninth. On the eighth I pulled my drive left but hit a good shot with my rescue club and then chipped on and holed the putt. Then on the ninth I hit a six iron approach to about three feet and rolled it in.”
This is Lee’s 22nd event of the season – more than any other Challenge Tour player – and he admitted the hectic schedule is starting to take its toll.
“My body’s feeling like it has played 22 events,” he said. “My neck is sore and my back is tight. If we still had half a dozen events left I’d pull out of next week, but we only have two after this week so I’ve just got to hope I can limp over the line. I need a good finish to try and make the top ten in the Rankings.
“There is a two-week break after next week’s event (the Roma Golf Open) so I’ll be able to recharge the batteries then.”
Grace also eagled the third and had birdies at the fourth, fifth, 11th and 18th. The 23 year old is currently 17th in the Rankings and needs to finish the season well to cement his place in the top 20 and gain promotion to The European Tour.
“It was nice to be four under through three holes, but I couldn’t get much going after that,” he said. “But any bogey-free round is always welcome.
“I’ve been playing nicely the last couple of weeks but haven’t made the cut, which has been frustrating. This week I’ve adopted a slightly different approach and mind-set and I’ve been working hard on my putting, so I’m pleased it seems to be working.”
Brooks said: “I’ve played well the last few weeks but haven’t holed many putts; today they started to drop so I’m very pleased with a 65. I’m 47th in the Rankings so I need a good week. We are running out of events now so this is a good start.
“I’m pretty disappointed with my season overall, so it would be nice to get something here. I had a second place in Sweden (in the Princess by Schüco) but apart from that not much has happened for me.”
Edberg was another player battling ill health, but he still managed to shoot a five under par 66 to lie alongside Pierre Relecom of Belgium, Florian Praegant of Austria, Finland’s Antti Ahokas, Frenchman Julien Quesne
Edberg said: “I’m coughing, sniffing, shivering one minute and sweating the next, and I feel very weak. But apart from feeling awful I’m very happy. I don’t know how I managed to shoot five under. I played well. It’s a course where there are plenty of opportunities and fortunately I managed to take a few of them.”
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 71
64 C Lee (Sco)
65 B Grace (RSA) , D Brooks (Eng) 
66 P Relecom (Bel) , B Chapellan (Fra) , P Edberg (Swe) , F Praegant (Aut) , A Ahokas (Fin) , J Quesne (Fra)
67 M Southgate (Eng) , T Raillard (Fra) , A Hartø (Den) , G Cambis (Fra) , A Levy (Fra) , M Erlandsson (Swe) , C Macaulay (Sco) , F Colombo (Ita) , J Armstrong (am) (Fra)
68 N Lombardi (Ita) , D Vancsik (Arg) , V Riu (Fra) , R Kind (Ned) , N Joakimides (Fra) , J Guerrier (Fra) , W Besseling (Ned) , A Perrino (Ita) , M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) , J Doherty (Sco) , S Tiley (Eng) , A Tadini (Ita) , F Delamontagne (Fra) , P Archer (Eng) , J Garcia (Esp) , S Thornton (Irl)
69 L Kennedy (Eng) , R Hjelm (Den) , G Lockerbie (Eng) , A Forsyth (Sco) , J Billot (Fra) , S Walker (Eng) , J McLeary (Sco) , S Hutsby (Eng) , M Lundberg (Swe) , K Borsheim (Nor) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , P Dwyer (Eng) , S Bebb (Wal) , K Eriksson (Swe) , G Stal (am) (Fra)
70 D Nouailhac (Fra) , R Eyraud (Fra) , P Del Grosso (Arg) , R Wingardh (Swe) , C Doak (Sco) , A Johnston (Eng) , J Lima (Por) , T Ferreira (RSA) , E Kofstad (Nor) , C Ford (Eng) , M Evans (Eng) , F Calmels (Fra) , R Santos (Por) , J Campillo (Esp) , P Gustafsson (Swe) , M Delpodio (Ita) , A Bernadet (Fra) , M Ford (Eng) , B Evans (Eng) , R Russell (Sco) , G Houston (Wal)
71 E Dubois (Fra) , C Lloyd (Eng) , A Domingo (Esp) , L Westerberg (Swe) , S Garcia (Esp) , S Little (Eng) , C Moriarty (Irl) , J Estevez (Arg) , J Remesy (Fra) , R Dupuis (Fra) , N Kearney (Irl) , C Russo (Fra) , E Espana (am) (Fra)
72 A Hansen (Den) , A Tampion (Aus) , M Bothma (RSA) , E Chamaulte (Fra), J Moul (Eng) , J Palmer (Eng) , M Cryer (Eng) , N Meitinger (Ger) , T Whitehouse (Eng) , J Heath (Eng) , K Le Sager (Fra) , M Baldwin (Eng) , E Chaudouet (Fra) , O Serres (Fra)
73 I Giner (Esp) , A Bossert (Sui) , B Åkesson (Swe) , T Fournier (Fra) , A Snobeck (Fra) , J Clément (Sui) , L Jensen (Den) , F Valera (Esp)
74 G Rosier (Fra) , C Brazillier (Fra) , G Dear (Sco) , S Robinson (Eng) , J Grillon (Fra) , D Perrier (Fra) , D Denison (Eng) , B Barham (Eng)
75 M Kieffer (Ger) , J Lopez Lazaro (Fra) , J Robinson (Eng)
76 A Bihan (Fra)
77 I Sanchez-Palencia (Esp) 
78 P Valmary (Fra)
79 C Gane (Eng)

ROSS McGOWAN REKINDLES THE SPARK TO LEAD MADRID MASTERS

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Ross McGowan returned to form in sensational style to lead the Bankia Madrid Masters after the opening round today.

The 29 year old Englishman won his only European Tour title when this event was staged at Centro Nacional de Golf two years ago, en route to finishing 12th on the 2009 Race to Dubai.

A persistent wrist injury then saw him miss out on Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup side for The Celtic Manor Resort and McGowan’s best finish this year was 18th in the Africa Open at the start of the season.
Down at 161st on The Race to Dubai and in danger of losing his card, McGowan produced his lowest European Tour round for three years with an eight under par 64.
That gave him a one shot lead over Australian Brett Rumford and tournament host Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, who thrilled the home fans until a three-putt bogey at the final hole cost him a share of the overnight lead.
“I think I like Madrid,” he said. “That was a much better round than I’ve been putting together recently.
“I got off to a good start, birdied the first two, and just kept trying to hit good golf shots - that was the key. I kept finding the right spots on the greens and holing the putts.
“It’s been a pretty tough year with a couple of injuries but it’s been improving week to week and this week it really seems to have come together.”
McGowan had three birdies in his first four holes at El Encin Golf Hotel before a bogey at the sixth.
But a sparkling run of five successive birdies from the ninth propelled him into the lead - the highlights coming with a 30 foot putt at the 12th and an approach to seven feet at the next.
The former Challenge Tour graduate failed to get up-and-down from the edge fo the 15th green but responded to that bogey with a birdie at the next and finished with a pitch to two feet at the last for an amazing tenth birdie.

Like McGowan, Rumford and Fernandez-Castaño are outside the all-important top 115 on The Race to Dubai, although the Spaniard has missed most of the season with a back problem.

They were both round in 65 to be one ahead of Italy’s Edoardo Molinari - the Ryder Cup star performing best of the morning starters in the Spanish capital.

Big-hitting home favourite Alvaro Quiros was amongst those on five under, with World Number One and defending champion Luke Donald a shot further back.

“I felt like I left a few out there,” said Donald. “A couple of careless mistakes but a lot of solid golf in there too."

SECOND-ROUND LEADERS

Par 72

64 Ross McGowan (England).
65 Brett Rumford (Australia), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain), Lorenzo (Gagli) (Italy).
66 Edoardo Molinari (Italy).
67 Steve Webster (England), Eduardo De La Riva (Spain), Alvaro Quiros (Spain), Tano Goya (Argentina), Bradley Dredge (Wales), Francesco Moliinari (Italy), Peter Hanson (Sweden),Graeme Storm (England), Lee Slattery (England).
SCOTS' SCORES
68 David Drysdale, Richie Ramsay (T15).

69 George Murray (T23).

71 Peter Whiteford, Steven O'Hara (T49).

72 Paul Lawrie, Marc Warren (T74).

73 Lloyd Saltman (T88).

75 Elliot Saltman (T108).

80 Scott Jamieson (119th).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

ORR AND McKECHNIE CHASING £5,000 PRIZE IN LINCOLNSHIRE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com David Orr (East Renfrewshire) and Braid Hill's Paul McKechnie are in with a shout of winning the £5,000 first prize in the Skins PGA four-ball championship which ends at Forest Pines Golf Club, Brigg in Lincolnshire on Friday. The Scots pair have had best-ball rounds of 69 and 67 over a par-73 course for a10-under-par tally of 136. They are in joint sixth place overnight, four shots behind the joint leaders, Leicestershire's Matthew Cort (Rothley Park) and Craig Shave (Whetstone) (66-66) and Cornwall's Richard Sadler (Killiow) and richard O'Hanlon (Lanhydrock) (64-68). Orr and McKechnie could do no better than a bogey at the second between them but then birdied the third, sixth, ninth, 10th, 14th, 16th and 17th for their six-under-par round. They are the only Scots in contention. Next best are Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) and Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) in joint 28th position on 142 with scores of 70 and 72. Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) and Michael Rae (Alyth) are in joint 42nd place on 145 with scores of 74 and 71. Simon Payne (Cowglen) and Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf) are joint 53rd with 70 and 77 for 147, while the all-Musselburgh pairing of Andrew Munro and Norman Huget are joint 57th on 149 with 74 and 75. SECOND-ROUND LEADERS Par 146 (2x73) 132 Matthew Cort (Rothley Park) and Craig Shave (Whetstone) 66 66; Richard Sadler (Killiow) and Richard O'Hanlon (Lanhydrock) 64 68. 134 Danny Taylor (Swingers) and William Barnes (Garstang) 66 68; Matt McGuire (Stoneleigh Deer Park) and Mark Sparrow (Himley Hall) 66 68. Scots' scores 136 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) and Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 69 67 (T6). 142 Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) and Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) 70 72 (T28). 145 Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) and Michael Rae (Alyth) 74 71 (T42). 147 Simon Payne (Cowglen) and Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf) 70 77 (T53). 149 Andrew Munro and Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) 74 75 (T57).

DUNCAN HITTING HIGH SPORTS IN PGA EUROPRO TOUR CH/SHIP

By COLIN FARQUHARSONColin@scottishgolfview.com
Highlander Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey is hitting the high spots in the PGA EuroPro Tour championship at Mar Menor Golf Resort in the Murcia region of south-east Spain.
The former US college circuit player shot a six-under-par 65 in today's (Thu) second round to move into a share of third place on 10-under-par 132 - only two shots behind the new leader, James Busby (The Shropshire) who has had a pair of 65s for 12-under 132.
Stewart, who has been a winner of a £10,000 first prize on the EuroPro Tour circuit this season, have seven birdies - the first, third, long sixth, long seventh, long 10th, 11th and 12th with only one minus: a bogey at the fifth.
But he could not squeeze a bogey out of the last six holes, having to settle for the status quo with six pars.
Cawder's Chris Kelly gives Scotland two players within the top 10. Kelly is sharing fifth place on 134 after repeating his opening 67. He showed his fighting spirit by bouncing back from a double bogey 5 at the short eighth with birdies at the long 10th, 11th, 12th and 18th. Earlier he had birdied the fifth and long sixth,
Craigielaw's former Scottish boys stroke play champion Shaun McAllister is in joint 12th place on 136 after a second-round 70. He birdied the long seventh but bogeyed the short eighth before repairing some of the damage with birdies at three of the first four holes on the inward half - the long 10th, 12th and 13th.
Then McAllister let it slip again with bogeys at the short 14th and 16th.
Ed Wood (Crow Wood) and former Scottish boys match-play champion Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) are tied for 28th place on 139. Wood has scored 71-68, Harper 69-70.
Another past Scottish boys' champion, Paul Doherty (Vale of Hotel) is lying joint 32nd in the select field of 58. He had a 69 for 140.

PGA EUROPRO TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar Menor Golf Resort, Murcia, SE Spain.
LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
130 James Busby (The Shropshire) 65 65.
131 Darryn Lloyd (SAf) 66 65.
132 Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 67 65, Paul Reed (Bristol and Clifton) 69 63.
134 Chris Kelly (Cawder) 67 67, Jamie Abbot (Fynn Valley) 69 65, George Cowan (Westerhope) 67 67, Steve Uzzell (Hornsea) 63 71.
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
136 Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw 66 70 (T12).
139 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 71 68, Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 69 70 (T28).
140 Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 71 69 (T32).

RORY McILROY A SHOT OFF THE PACE IN KOREA OPEN

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Defending champion Y E Yang shot a four-under 67 today to claim a share of the lead with Rickie Fowler after the first round of the Korea Open.

In front of his local fans, Yang sank a birdie putt on the final hole at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club. Fowler bogeyed the same hole.

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy was a stroke behind in a three-way tie for third with Hong Soon-sang and Lee Soo-min.

McIlroy, who finished third at the 2009 tournament, birdied the opening hole and missed a chance to take a share of the lead with a bogey on No. 18.

TIGER SAYS HE'S READY TO PLAY - AND WIN AGAIN

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM SAN MARTIN, Calif. -- When Tiger Woods sustained an injury to his knee and Achilles during the third round of the Masters earlier this year and subsequently returned at The Players Championship, he admitted at the time that he'd come back too soon.
That decision cost Woods nearly three months as he rehabilitated his battered body. When he was declared physically able to perform, it was his head that needed the rehabilitation.
"I didn't have it," Woods said Wednesday from the Frys.com Open, admitting that his confidence had been shaken by the fact that he wasn't able to hit the shots he knew he was capable of.
That admission was a glimpse into the usually fortified mind of someone who Rocco Mediate calls "the strongest, most brutal mentally (strong) person in the entire history of this game."
"He owns the mental side," Mediate said.
Now Woods hopes to once again own the physical side, because you can't have one without the other.
This time, Woods has had exactly that -- time -- on his side after spending the last two months practising full speed at home in Jupiter, Florida, where, oh by the way, he set the course record at The Medalist with a 62 last weekend.
The last time he did something like that he went on to win the 1997 Masters in record fashion a week after shooting a 59 at Isleworth.
That's not to suggest any such performance is about to happen here. But Woods is in a different place mentally and physically than the last time we saw him.
"He knows where he's at, what he needs to do," Woods' swing coach Sean Foley said. "When you have pain, it takes so much energy and effort to block it out. You'll be more frustrated, whereas when you're pain-free you'll be in better mindset.
"It's going to be a lot easier for him to trust [his swing] and to be committed to something he's done a hell of a lot more."
Which is why Woods is here in the first place.
The last time he played competitively was at the US PGA Championship, where he missed the cut before failing to qualify for the US PGA Tour Play-offs for the FedExCup.
The nearly two months off is the longest non-injury layoff of Woods' career. It also may have been the best thing for him.
When Woods returned from injury too soon earlier this year, his range sessions were limited to 45 minutes and he was on a strict ball count.
The last seven weeks have been a different story, though. He's been able to play as much as he's wanted and, at least in practice, the results have followed.
"Sean kind of alluded to even today, he said, 'You're just kind of stepping up there and just hitting it,'" Woods said. "I've kind of done all that legwork and now it's time to play. And that's where I needed to get to, which I hadn't been able to get to because I wasn't healthy enough to get there.
"That part was frustrating because I know what I can do in the game, and I just needed the time to practice. And that's why I'm so excited about being here and playing."
As for what would mark a successful week for Woods, Foley said it's difficult to quantify.
"If he loses by two or wins by five, we still have a lot of work to do," Foley said. "To me, winning is a function of him being able to play without pain and have good control of his ball. That's what I would like to see this week, is good control tee-to-green."
For Woods, it's much simpler than that.
Asked how he would measure success this week, Woods said the same thing he's always said: "Getting a W."