LUKE DONALD NAMED 2011 PGA of AMERICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

(Reuters) - Luke Donald added further accolades today to his stellar 2011 campaign when he was named winner of the 2011 PGA of America player of the year award and the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average.
World No 1 Donald becomes only the second Englishman, after Nick Faldo in 1990, to clinch the points-based PGA of America honours which were first awarded in 1948.
Though Donald has yet to win one of golf's four major titles, his two US Tour victories in 2011 and remarkable consistency were enough to edge out American Webb Simpson.
Donald, who triumphed at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February before coming from five shots behind to win the season-ending Disney Classic on Sunday, totalled 60 points.
Simpson, also a double winner on the 2011 US  Tour, earned 56 points while fellow American Nick Watney was third with 48 points.
Donald, who recorded an eye-catching 14 top-10 finishes in 19 US Tour starts this year, also won the coveted Vardon Trophy for the season's lowest adjusted scoring average.
The 33-year-old Englishman ran away with the award, his average score of 68.86 relegating Simpson (69.25) to second place with American world number four Steve Stricker (69.36) third.
Donald is widely regarded as the front-runner to scoop US PGA Tour player of the year honours, which will be announced in early December.
Based on balloting of tour members, this award is perhaps the most cherished by the players as it reflects their standing among their peers.
Vying with Donald for this award are Americans Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Stricker and Nick Watney -- all of them double champions on the 2011 US PGA Tour.
While US PGA Championship winner Bradley is the only one among them to have landed one of the four majors this season, Donald has been the game's leading player and triumphed four times worldwide during 2011.

NINE SCOTS SIGN UP FOR ALPS TOUR SCHOOL NEXT MONTH

A total of nine Scots have entered next month's Alps Tour Qualifying School in Italy. They are Philip McLean (Peterhead), John Henry (Clydebank), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), Zack Saltman (Archerfield), Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Ross Kellett (Colville Park), David Law (Hazlehead), Michael Stewart (Troon) and Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh).
McLean, Kellett and Stewart have entered as amateurs.
There will be a 36-hole pre-qualifier at two venues in the Tuscany region on November 10 and 11 before the Alps Tour Final Q School competition over 54 holes from November 14 to 16.
The top 35 will gain playing rights on the 2012 Alps Tour.
Kellett, Law, Stewart and Nicol are exempt from the pre-qualifier.

ends

RENFREWSHIRE BEAT DUNBARTONSHIRE 8-2

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION
Turnberry.db@gmail.com
After a faltering start to the West League campaign, captain Ronnie Clark made a number of changes for the key match against Dunbartonshire at Dumbarton Golf Club.
Renfrewshire won 8-2.
The situation was that Renfrewshire had to win, Glasgow Golf Union had to lose its match against Stirlingshire and Renfrewshire still have to beat Glasgow in the one remaining league match to win the League title for the tenth year in a row.
Among the notable absentees was number one player, Matt Clark, who had lost in all three previous outings. His place was taken by Michael Campbell (Renfrew) who looked comfortable against Andy Campbell (Dumbarton) until Andy staged a late comeback but Michael held on to win by one hole. Dunbartonshire then showed their strength with two good wins by Windyhill’s Kevin Smyth and Eric Gall (Dullatur).
As heavy rain added to the surface water on the course, the match then swung in Renfrewshire’s favour as Willie McMillan (Eastwood) beat home player Eamon McElroy 5 and 4 and Ranfurly Castle’s Gregor Munro saw off David Curtis (Dullatur) 5 and 3.
These wins, and the news that Glasgow was struggling, inspired the rest of the team and all the remaining games resulted in Renfrewshire wins. Having learned that Glasgow had lost, Ronnie Clark said that he was delighted with the team performance and positive attitude in very difficult playing conditions and that he was looking forward to the title decider against Glasgow next weekend.

Full results
Michael Campbell (Renfrew) bt Andy Campbell (Dumbarton) 1 hole
Gary Price (Paisley) lost to Kevin Smyth (Windyhill) 5 and 4
Willie McMillan (Eastwood) bt Eamon McElroy (Dumbarton) 5 and 4
Chris Guthrie (Paisley) lost to Eric Gall (Dullatur) 4 and 3
Kenny Fairbrother (Cochrane Castle) bt Peter Haggerty (Helensburgh) 1 hole
Gregor Munro (Ranfurly Castle) bt David Curtis (Dullatur) 5 and 3
Ross Campbell (Gourock) bt Graeme Stewart (Lenzie) 1 hole
David Ferguson (Paisley) bt Grant Minnes (Hayston) 5 and 3
Murray Stewart (Ranfurly Castle) bt Craig Checkley (Vale of Leven) 2 holes
Alan Kelly (Cochrane Castle) bt David Wylie (Lenzie) 2 holes

ONE OF THE MOST SATISFYING WINS OF MY CAREER - Luke Donald

FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE
Luke Donald feels he has answered his critics after winning the US PGA Tour money list title for the 2011 season with victory at the Disney Classic in Florida.
Donald, 33, is on course to finish the season as world number one despite his ongoing failure to win a major title.
"This was a tremendous year for me. I answered a lot of critics' questions," Donald told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"This is one of the most satisfying wins of my career. Everything was on the line. I'm thrilled, over the moon."
Donald started the final day's play in 14th place and dramatically overturned a five-shot deficit to claim the £531,000 cheque. He finished the year with US winnings totalling £4.19m ($6.68m).
Runner-up Webb Simpson finished on £3.98m ($6.34m).
Donald now has an opportunity to make history as the first player to top the money lists in both the United States and Europe in the same season.
He currently leads the European Tour money list with £3.34m in earnings, £1.14m clear of Rory McIlroy, with eight tournaments remaining.
The challenge has been made harder by the fact the Hemel Hempstead native is set to miss several events as his wife Diane is expecting their second child in the next fortnight.

BALLOCHMYLE FINISH DOWN THE FIELD IN TURKEY

Scottish champions Ballochmyle Golf Club, Ayrshire finished 23rd in a field of 29 teams at the European club championship, played at the National Golf Club, Antalya, Turkey at the weekend.
William Fleming, Craig Hamilton and Graeme Rowan had a 49-over-par total of 481 for the three rounds in which their two best scores counted daily.
Their daily totals were 160, 161 and 160.
A French team won the title for the fourth time in the past five years.
Lyon's trio finished 12-under-par 420 with daily totals of 138, 147 and 135 over the par-72 course.
A French team also finished second. Last year's winners Ormesson had a team total of 425.
Third-placed Kymen (Finland) were the only other team to finish under par with a total of one-under 431.
Ireland's Portmarnock, represented by James Fox, Geoff Lenehan and Michael Brett, finished 10th with 450.
England's Formby - Mark Duncalf, James Bolton and Jack Shelley - came 14th with 460 and Neath from Wales - Craig Melding, Richard Hooper and Daniel Davies - finished 16th with 461.

Leading final totals
Par 432 (72x6)
420 Lyon (France) 138 147 135.
425 Ormesson (France) 144 142 139.
431 Kymen (Finland) 145 143 143.
440 Klassis (Turkey) 147 145 148.
441 Toya (Poland) 144 149 148.
444 Real Basozabal (Spain) 152 149 143.
445 Houtrack (Netherlands) 145 148 152.
447 La Margherita (Italy) 148 151 148.
449 Lausanne (Switzerland) 153 147 149.
450 Portmarnock (Ireland) 152 147 159.
Selected totals:
460 Formby (England) 154 158 148 (14th).
461 Neath (Wales) 152 154 155 (16th).
481 Ballochmyle (Scotland) 160 161 160 (23rd).
29 teams took part.



ends

NEW RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR AMATEUR STATUS FROM 2012

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R AND A

Amateur golfers will be allowed to play for unlimited hole-in-one prizes under revisions to the Rules of Amateur Status announced today by The R&A.

Until now, prizes for holing a tee shot in amateur golf have been subject to the same restrictions as other competitions, including longest drive and nearest the hole. However, a Rule change which acknowledges the special nature of a hole-in-one during a round of golf means that restrictions on the prizes offered have been lifted.

The new Rules of Amateur Status, supported by Rolex, also include changes for elite amateur golfers aimed at easing the difficult transition from amateur to professional golfer. It follows a far-reaching four-year review of amateurism in golf, which even questioned the need for a set of rules, and has resulted in the first-ever uniform, worldwide code for Amateur Status.

Announcing the changes effective from January 1, 2012, The R&A's Director of Rules and Equipment Standards, David Rickman said: “We felt the time was right to carry out a fundamental review of the Rules of Amateur Status. We were conscious that many sports had done away with amateur status rules and we felt that was an appropriate question for us to ask.

“We concluded that it is very important that golf retains its amateur regulations, mainly because of the self-regulating nature of the game, both in terms of the playing rules and handicapping. We felt that uncontrolled financial incentives could place too much pressure on these important features.”

A new ruling (Rule 3-2b) excludes hole-in-one prizes from the general prize limit and allows high value prizes, including cash, to be awarded. This exception, which brings The R A into line with the United States Golf Association (USGA) Rules of Amateur Status, is specific to prizes for holes-in-one achieved while playing a round of golf and neither separate events nor multiple-entry events qualify.

Suzann Pettersen, Major winner and R and A-Working for Golf Ambassador, said: “I think this is a really good change.  Anyone who makes a hole-in-one knows there is a degree of luck.

“Most professional tournaments offer hole-in-one prizes and it adds some real interest for players and fans. It is great to think that club golfers can now experience that same excitement.”

Those who will notice the biggest changes to the rules are elite amateurs preparing to make the difficult transition to the professional game.

Players will now be able to enter into an agreement with an agent or sponsor as long as they do not receive any financial gain while still an amateur. Rules have also been relaxed on subsistence payments paid through national golf unions.

Rickman explained: “The rules on contracts now reflect the modern game and adopt a much more realistic and common sense approach.

“Similarly, the rules on subsistence expenses should help the support of deserving talent wherever it may emerge across the golfing world.”

Tom Lewis, who recently turned professional after an amateur career that included winning the Silver Medal at this year’s Open Championship as well as being part of the victorious 2011 Walker Cup team, welcomed the changes.

He said: “It is an important change because some players are forced into turning pro early just because of financial difficulties.

“It will make a real difference as they will now be able to turn professional for all the right reasons and also at the right time for them.  It is probably the most important decision they will make in their career.

“All the experience I gained as amateur has helped prepare me for life as a professional and I am pleased that I made the decision to play in the Walker Cup before joining the professional ranks.”

The R and A and USGA have historically had different Rules of Amateur Status and while the differences have reduced over the years, until now there had been two separate codes. As part of the fundamental review, the two governing bodies have developed a modern flexible code that meets the differing demands of golfers across the globe, thereby enabling a single joint code to be established.

================================================
THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO CHANGE FROM 2012

+Players will no longer be penalised if their golf ball is moved by a sudden gust of wind after it has been addressed.

This rule has long been regarded as among the most unfair in golf, with Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and American Webb Simpson notable victims during tournaments this year.

Triple major champion Padraig Harrington, who is an R&A ambassador, was delighted with the rule change.

"Every time the wind blows, I am worried that my ball is going to move and I am worried about grounding my putter, distracting me from trying to hole my putt," he said.

"This change will speed up play, there won't be as many suspensions and players won't be getting penalised or disqualified unfairly. It is definitely giving us players a little bit of a break."

+In other changes, players will be permitted to "smooth sand or soil in a hazard at any time, including before playing from that hazard, provided it is for the sole purpose of caring for the course and Rule 13-2 (improving lie, area of intended stance or swing or line of play) is not breached".

+Players will no longer be disqualified from a tournament if they start late but within five minutes of their assigned tee time.

The penalty is reduced from disqualification to loss of the first hole in match play or two strokes at the first hole in stroke play.

WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER-COUNTY YOUTHS LEAGUE

RESULTS

AYRSHIRE 8 ½ RENFREWSHIRE 1 ½ at Brunston Castle

LANARKSHIRE 3 GLASGOW 7 at Bothwell Castle

STIRLINGSHIRE 4 ½ DUMBARTONSHIRE 5 ½ at Callander

STIRLINGSHIRE 10 AYRSHIRE 0 at Dunblane New

DUMBARTONSHIRE 7 GLASGOW 3 at Vale Of Leven

LANARKSHIRE 4 ½ RENFREWSHIRE 5 ½ at Airdrie

AYRSHIRE 7 LANARKSHIRE 3 at Ballochmyle

GLASGOW 4 ½ STIRLINGSHIRE 5 ½ at Cowglen

RENFREWSHIRE 4 ½ DUMBARTONSHIRE 5 ½ at Paisley

DUMBARTONSHIRE 2 AYRSHIRE 8 at Balmore

GLASGOW 4 ½ RENFREWSHIRE 5 ½ at Cathkin Braes

STIRLINGSHIRE 8 ½ LANARKSHIRE 1 ½ at Stirling

AYRSHIRE 6 GLASGOW 4 at Ayr Seafield

DUMBARTONSHIRE 6 ½ LANARKSHIRE 3 ½ at Clydebank and District

RENFREWSHIRE 3 ½ STIRLINGSHIRE 6 ½ at Kilmacolm


FINAL PLACINGS

                            P W D L F A Pts

STIRLINGSHIRE      5 4 0 1 36 15 8

AYRSHIRE             5 4 0 1 29 ½ 20 ½ 8

DUMBARTONSHIRE 5 4 0 1 26 ½ 23 ½ 8

RENFREWSHIRE     5 2 0 3 20 ½ 29 ½ 4

GLASGOW            5 1 0 4 23 27 2

LANARKSHIRE       5 0 0 5 15 ½ 34 ½ 0

TOM LEHMAN LEADS CHARGE FOR US SENIORS' SCHWAB CUP

FROM THE US CHAMPIONS TOUR WEBSITE
By Vartan Kupelian, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
There will be a first-time winner of the Charles Schwab Cup, and the man driving the bus toward the Champions Tour's finish line is Tom Lehman.
The Charles Schwab Cup Championship -- Nov. 3-6 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco -- will bring the curtain down on the 2011 season (on the American over-50s pro tour) and determine the winner of the bonus $1 million annuity in the season-long competition.
Double points are at stake at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, just as they are in each of the major championships. That means first place at Harding Park is worth 880 points.
Lehman, with three victories this year, leads the race with 2,338 points. He has a 382-point lead over Mark Calcavecchia (1,956 points). Peter Senior is third, and he has resided near the lead most of the season without winning a tournament.
Senior has 1,782 points, followed by John Cook with 1,726 points. Russ Cochran is a distant fifth with 1,508 points, and while the left-hander has a mathematical chance, it's remote. To win the Charles Schwab Cup, Cochran must win the title at Harding Park while Lehman must finish in the bottom two in the elite 30-man field.
If Cochran wins and adds 880 points -- for a 2,388 total -- and Lehman finishes 28th (50 points), they would be tied, based on what the other leaders do.
Here's a look at the five golfers still in with a chance to win the Charles Schwab Cup:
Tom Lehman: His major victory came at the Regions Tradition and was worth double points.
Lehman's other titles came at the Allianz Championship and the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, with all three coming in the first seven events of the Champions Tour season.
His 12 top-10 finishes included a fourth-place at the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, which provided a big boost to his point total in the final major of the season at a time when he appeared to be stalled.
Lehman's five top-5 finishes in the final seven events solidified his big lead.
Mark Calcavecchia: He didn't win until the Boeing Classic, in the last week of August, but kept grinding out top 10s to stay among the points leaders.
Calcavecchia added huge points to his total in back-to-back weeks in double-point events with a runner-up finish at the Senior British and a third-place at the U.S. Senior Open. If Calcavecchia wins at TPC Harding Park, he'll have 2,836 points but would still fall 10 points short if Lehman is runner-up.
Peter Senior: Senior is the only non-winner to appear in the top five of the Charles Schwab Cup points standings each of the last six weeks.
An additional 880 points would put his total at 2,662 -- or 324 more points than Lehman currently has. To make up the difference, Lehman would have to finish fourth (352 points).
John Cook: He's trying to become the first players since Hale Irwin to win the same event three straight times. There are positive vibes for Cook at TPC Harding Park, the home course of his mentor, Ken Venturi.
While Cook has matched Lehman's three victories this year, he has come up short on the points list because he's on had eight top-10 finishes compared to 14 by Calcavecchia, 12 by Lehman and Senior and 10 by Cochran, who is slotted below Cook on the points total.
A play-off loss to Fred Couples at the Constellation Energy Players Championship was a big boost to Cook's chances.
A victory at TPC Harding Park would put Cook's points total at 2,606.
Russ Cochran: A two-month layoff hurt his chances but his comeback featured a victory at the Senior British and put him right back into the race until Lehman's big finish in the final seven events again opened the spread, making Cochran a long shot to win it all.

AUSSIE COLES WINS FOR FIFTH TIME ON US NATIONWIDE TOUR

FROM THE US NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE
By Michael Curet, Special to PGATOUR.COM
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida -- It's been more than three years since Gavin Coles has won on the Nationwide Tour, but Sunday's victory at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open at TPC Sawgrass might be the most memorable.
Playing in the last group with 27-year-old Swede Jonas Blixt, Coles started the day at 7-under but carded a 1-over 71 to get the one-shot victory over his playing partner, who also shot a 71.
Afterwards, a smiling Coles fielded multiple calls from Australia and breathed a well-deserved sigh of relief as he heads to the Tour Championship at Daniel Island this week.
"The golf course played hard," said Coles. "The greens were fast and you had to hit the right spots to make birdies."
His fifth career Nationwide Tour victory solidified his position in next week's Tour Championship at Daniel Island and, more importantly, moved him to No. 15 on the money list and into the race for The 25 US PGA Tour cards at stake.
Should he make The 25, it will be the fourth tour of duty on the US PGA Tour for the 43-year-old Australian.
"I said to my coach you want to get as far up the list as you can," said Coles. "The job's not done. I want to try to finish inside the top 10. Being a Ryder Cup year coming up, you might want to play a bit more. Numbers are crucial."
Blixt, a local resident looking for his first Nationwide Tour win before he graduates to the US PGA Tour in 2012, watched Coles have the first hiccup on the day when the Aussie dropped a stroke on No. 4 to remain tied with the Swede.
"I hit my drive down the right side on No. 4 and it fell in the rough," Coles said. "I was 165 yards to the front and hit my rescue club as hard as I could and it still didn't get to the green."
Coles made par on the next 10 holes, including a 10-foot save on No. 11 after Blixt had just made back-to-back bogeys. "I said at that point if I could just keep hitting the ball on the green, I'd make a putt here or there. That's basically what I tried to do all day."
Coles' patience paid off as he birdied 16 and 17 to give him a two-shot lead. But it was the way that he played 17 that proved to be the game-changer and sealed the deal for Coles. Obviously pumped up, Coles pushed his approach shot over the 18th green and settled for a three-putt bogey, which didn't make a difference as Blixt made par.
"I hit a seven iron that stopped on top of hill," said Coles. "I was quite surprised it stopped so quickly. Yesterday, when the pin was in front, the ball was rolling where the pin was today. I had been leaving the putts about a foot short all day long. So I just picked my line and it went in."
Coles had also birdied 17 on Saturday, but said he learned a lot from that round after getting a little excited when he got it to -10 under and faltered late.
"Saturday, I made a couple of bad shots because I was a little excited and so far in front," said Coles. "That's what we play golf for -- to be in that situation and test yourself to see what you're going to do and then learn from it."
Obviously, the savvy veteran has learned a lot.
+Inverness exile Russell Knox is setting pretty on the US Nationwide Tour moneylist - currently 10th with earnings of $234,341 from 19 events.

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE MONEY LIST

CLICK HERE

Knox finished T21 in the weekend US Nationwide Tour event with scores of 76, 67, 72 and 68 for a total of 283 which earned him $6,240.

TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY

CLICK HERE

CAMPBELL AND FOTHERINGHAM SHARE HONOURS AT GRANTOWN

John Campbell (Grantown on Spey), playing over his home course, and Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) shared the scratch honours in the North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Grantown on Spey) with three-under-par 67s.
Campbell birdied the first, sixth and ninth but bogeyed the third to be out in two-under 34. On the inward journey he birdies at the 13th, 15th and 18th with bogeys at the 10th and 12th.
Fotheringham had birdies at the second, third and ninth in an outward 35 which included bogeys at the fifth and seventh. He came home in 32 with birdies at the 15th and 16th.
Graham Macdonald (Torvean) won the Handicap Class 1 with a net 65 off five while Archie Jackson (Rothes) won Class 2 with a net 65 off 11.

LEADING SCRATCH
67 J S D Campbell (Grantown), B R Fotheringham (Inverness).
69 R Harrower (Boat of Garten) pro.
70 A Cameron ( Inverness ), G S Macdonald (Torvean), R. Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie).
71 G H Hay (Grantown), N McWilliam (Elgin), D Stewart (Grantown) pro.
72 J C Milne (Moray, J A Grant (Grantown).
73 W Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie).
74 K Thomson (Moray), M L Macleman (Moray), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), R McKerron (Forres), R H Stewart (Torvean), K Barnett (Torvean).
75 A Hutchison (Torvean), J Simpson (Forres), J A G Innes (Elgin).
76 S G Milne (Elgin), A Jackson (Rothes).
77 V Tilman (Muir of Ord), R. Younie (Rothes), B. Cruickshank (Garmouth and Kingston), W Hutchison (Inverness), L Duncan (Elgin).
78 I Findlay (Grantown), M Macdonald (Grantown), G Donaldson (Elgin), M Mitchell (Rothes).
79 M McArthur (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), Brian Mellis (Rothes), P. Masson (Rothes), G J Abel (Elgin), D R Mackellar (Grantown), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten), W B Johnston (Moray), D Johnston (Moray), S Johnston (Elgin), J R Souter (Moray).

HANDICAP
Class 1 (seven and under)
65 G S Macdonald (Torvean) (5).
67 W Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (6), R Mackay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (3).
68 A Hutchison (Torvean) (7).
69 K Barnett (Torvean) (5), J C Milne (Moray) (3).
Class 2 (nine to 14)
65 A Jackson (Rothes) (11).
69 M Mitchell (Rothes) (9), L Duncan (Elgin) (8).
70 W B Johnston (Moray) (9), A Grigor (Boat of Garten) (14).