Friday, October 28, 2011

RUSSELL KNOX DROPS BACK IN NATIONWIDE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Inverness exile Russell Knox dropped back from joint 20th to 38th with a second-round, one-over-par 73 for a halfway total of level par 144 in the US Nationwide Tour championship at Ralston Creek, Daniel Island, South Carolina today.
England's Greg Owen improved to joint fourth with a 66 for 137 - three shots behind the new joint leader, Sweden's Daniel Chopra who had a 62 for 10-under 134.

Chopra, pictured left, had 10 birdies in his bogey-free round which might well be a course record. We'll hear later about that. Chopra birdied the first six holes, then the eighth to be out in seven-under-par 29.
He cooled off a little with a run of pars before picking up the pace again over the last four holes. Chopra birdied the 15th, 17th and 18th to come home in three-under 33. What a round!
Gary Christian, another Englishman in the field chasing the $180,000 first prize, is in joint 31st position after a 72 for 143.
The top 25 in the Nationwide Tour money table at the conclusion of the championship on Sunday will be promoted to the US PGA Tour next season.
Christian (lying eighth with £247,000 earnings) and Knox (10th with $234,351) have earned enough already to guarantee they will step up to the Big League in 2012 but Owen, who lost his US PGA Tour card a year or two ago, is 53rd in the money list at the moment with $108,219 earnings. He needs a very high finish on Sunday to be promoted.

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ROYAL DORNOCH most popular course for visitors during 2010 season

Royal Dornoch was by far the most popular destination in the North and North-east for visiting golfers during the 2010 season on the figures available from a selection of golf clubs' balance sheets across the area.
The most northerly world-ranked links took in £644,126 in green fees last year - an increase of almost 20 % on its 2009 figure.
Royal Dornoch's figure was more than twice that of the next best - the Walker Cup (1999) and Curtis Cup (2012) venue of The Nairn Golf Club whose 2010 figure was £303,294.
The unofficial league table of income from visitors' green fees for 2010 reads:
1 Royal Dornoch £644,126.
2 Nairn £303,294.
3 Boat of Garten £196,290.
4 Moray (Lossiemouth) £130,492.
5 Brora £103,722
6 Grantown on Spey £91,966.
7 Nairn Dunbar £79,352.
8 Fortrose and Rosemarkie £67,069.
9 Deeside £63,406.
10 Duff House Royal £62,728.
11 Elgin £55,925.
12 Inverness £41,727.
13 McDonald Ellon £35,682.

+The Editor does not claim this is an completely accurate list because the 2010 visitor green fees' figures for several of the leading clubs in the North and North-east, such as Banchory, Cruden Bay, Forres, Fraserburgh, Murcar Links, Peterhead and Royal Aberdeen were not available.
+If the officials of any golf club not listed above wish their club's 2010 visitor green figure to be included in the table, please E-mail the information to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

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RAMSAY HANGS ON IN THERE TO PRESERVE TWO-STROKE LEAD

   Richie Ramsay in action at Valderrama today. Image by courtesy of Getty Images (c).

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Aberdeen's Richie Ramsay dug deep to preserve a two-stroke advantage going into the closing 36 holes of the Andalucía Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama.
But the 28-year old may well have to fight off the challenge of back-to-form Sergio Garcia if he is to land his second European Tour title on Sunday.
Having started with a brilliant 65, Ramsay is now five under par after a two-birdie, three-bogey 72.
Driving into the rough cost him a shot on the 454yd 18th, but France's Grégory Havret - runner-up to Graeme McDowell in last year's US Open Championship - bogeyed the hole too to reach halfway on three under.
Garcia, winner of his home Castelló Masters by a stunning 11-stroke margin last Sunday, is one further back after a second successive 70 on a lay-out where he has been a runner-up three times. No Spaniard has won a European Tour event at Valderrama.
"Going up against one of your idols on a course, this is a dream situation," Ramsay said.
“I look forward to playing with Sergio, his natural ability and the way he plays golf is the way that I like to play golf. He likes to shape it and move it, and use some imagination - he’s probably the best person doing that in the game.
“And also he connects to people, they like to go and watch him and he’s entertaining to watch. The guys out here appreciate how good he is and enjoy the fact that he’s back and playing well. I think we all want him to win a Major, but I hope he gives me a chance here!
“It was a really tough day and I hung in there. It just illustrates how good my six under round was.
"I hit so many fairways and so many greens, but couldn't get the ball to drop. But at the end of the day, my ball-striking was good and I've got to take the positives out of it."
Ramsay bogeyed the third and sixth, the two short holes on the outward half, but birdied the eighth and 11th.
Havret had a 7 on his card for the second day running. After double-bogeying the long fourth in his opening 68, he lost his ball off the tee at the 547yd 11th.
Birdies at the next two repaired the damage and after his 71 he commented: "This course does not accept any errors. Every hole is a real challenge and you have to focus on every shot.
“It’s a good round - we had the full wind today so it’s a test,” said Havret.
“It’s a little bit of a shame that I bogeyed the last but it’s still a good round."
Garcia needs to win again to qualify for next week's World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
"I could have been a little bit more aggressive with a couple of putts coming in, but my short game is pretty good right now," he said.
"It was difficult to hit fairways and to choose the right club. Thank God it’s soft because, if not, this would be Hell. But I’ve always enjoyed hard courses. Back-to-back wins would be a great thing, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
"Valderrama can catch you any time - you can never think that you have this course under control. Even without wind it’s asking you to hit all the shots in the bag.
"That’s the beauty of if. A course doesn’t need to be long to be tough."
Playing with Garcia, England's Justin Rose started each half with two birdies, but a hat-trick of bogeys from the 15th has left him one over.
Compatriot Ross Fisher was second overnight, but after a 67 he dropped to four over with a 79.
Thomas Björn is another on one over, though, and not out of the running for a fourth victory of the season yet.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71)
137 Richie Ramsay (Scotland) 65 72.
139 Gregory Havret (France) 68 71.
140 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70 70.
141 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 71 70.
142 David Lynn (England) 71 71.
143 Shane Lowery (Ireland) 72 71, Justin Rose (England) 72 71, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 73 70, Alejandro Canizares (Spain) 71 72, Romain Wattel (France) 73 70, Petere Hanson (Sweden) 72 71, Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 70 73.

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
144 Stephen Gallacher 68 76 (T13).
146 David Drysdale 70 76 (T21).

MISSED THE CUT (149 or better qualified)
158 Peter Whiteford 78 80.

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TOM LEHMAN TO PLAY IN FINAL EVENT OF EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR





NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
Former Major Champion and past US Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman will join a star-studded cast in Mauritius when he makes a welcome  appearance on the European Senior Tour for the 2011 season-ending event, the MCB Tour Championship, from December 9-11.
Lehman, pictured right by courtesy of Getty Images (c), the leading player on the US Champions Tour, who captained the United States in The 2006 Ryder Cup at The K Club in Ireland, has enjoyed a superb season in America so far.
He holds a huge lead at the top of the US Champions Tour Money List, having won three times in the opening seven events.
The 1996 Open Champion is expected to lift the Charl Schwab Cup next week at the Champions Tour season finale, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, before making the trip to Mauritius for the MCB Tour Championship at Constance Belle Mare Plage in Poste de Flacq.
Lehman said: “I can’t think of a better way to finish the 2011 season than by competing in the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius.
“I have always wanted to go there and getting this opportunity is something that I am looking forward to with much excitement and anticipation.”
David Frost, one of the players Lehman beat in a play-off to claim hiS first Senior Major at the 2010 US Senior PGA Championship, will also return to Mauritius, having won a play-off against Roger Chapman to claim the Mauritius Commercial Bank Open last year.
Meanwhile Peter Fowler and Barry Lane’s battle for the John Jacobs Trophy,  presented to the leading European Senior Tour player at the end of the season, will reach what is sure to be a dramatic conclusion as Australian Fowler  leads the Senior Tour Order of Merit by just €25,570.
With €400,000 on offer at the MCB Tour Championship, it is all to play for going into the Senior Tour season finale.
Carl Mason is also in the field, having claimed a record 25th Senior Tour victory at the Benahavis Senior Masters in Spain recently, while last year’s John Jacobs Trophy winner Boonchu Ruangkit will also play.

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MIDLAND GOLFERS' ALLIANCE - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Fairmont Pro Am
Sponsored by Grants Promotions

TWO-TEE START

8.30 M. Pirie S. Carruthers R. Bell D. Spaven
8.30 H. Wong J. Gilchrist R. McLean T. Jamieson
8.39 R. Walker E. Gourley I. Butchart M. Niven
8.39 G. McLeod D. Wilson A. Saunders N. Mcleod
8.48 B. Smith I. McMurray I. Mitchell A. Farquharson
8.48 K. Nusteling T. McLevy J. Seaton B. McKay
8.57 T. Melville R. Ford D. Peter R. Beatt

9.04 S. Clark H. Hunter A. Didcock W. Cunningham
9.04 N. McGill I. Wilson I. Henderson W. Smeaton
9.15 C. Armstrong D. West A. Douglas D. Adamson
9.15 P. Wytrazek G. Muir G. White D. Black
9.24 A. Duncan D. Hutchieson D. Redford J. Meddicks
9.24 S. Smith (Ldy) J. Gray S. Andrews M. Scobbie

9.33 L. Kinnear L. Brough S. Brough S. Robertson
9.33 C. Nugent B. Black D. Patrick T. McKenna
9.42 S. McLaren S. Miller W. Crosbie R. Baldie
9.42 R. Stewart R. Barton P. Rhind A. Mason
9.51 C. Knowles D. Mitchell G. Paton W. Miller
9.51 P. Brookes C. Westland J. Cree (jnr) K. Thomson

10.00 Ross Bell G. Taylor M. Fabian J. Wilson
10.00 H. Salmond J. Irwin B. Bell G. Wilkie
10.09 A. Webster K. Bruce R. Brownhill A. Smith
10.09 M. MacKenzie J. Watt B. Webster M. Watkin
10.18 A. Martin G. Mitchell B. Bell T. Watson
10.18 A. Lockhart M. Arnold W. Herron J. Breen

10.35 P. Jamieson J. Crawford J. Leddy R. Lamont
10.35 J. Stevenson M. Gilmour J. Stevenson K. Kilgour
10.53 Fairmont N. Ballingall J. Paisley R. Keir
10.53 K. Salmoni H. Cowbrough H. Grant T. McIntyre
11.01 L. Sutherland G. Cant R. McDonald A. Reid
11.01 G. Smith D. Adams A, Herd J. Ward
11.10 K. Bradley R. Mackie R. Francey C. Marr
11.10 D. McKay D. Thomson S. Marshall A. Thomson

Lee Sutherland

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RORY McILROY LEADS BY TWO AT HALFWAY IN SHANGHAI MASTERS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
US Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a three-under par 69 today to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the Shanghai Masters.
After a bogey-free opening round on Thursday, McIlroy struggled on the front nine on the second day, bogeying the fourth hole before conceding a double bogey on the difficult, par-four ninth to drop back into a four-way share of the lead.
The 22 year-old from Northern Ireland recovered with four birdies on the back nine to finish at 11-under 133 - two strokes ahead of Noh Seung-yul of South Korea.
Noh, 20, made the biggest move of the day, sinking nine birdies for a 63 - the lowest round of the tournament so far - and vaulting from joint 18th place to second. He birdied three of his last four holes to finish off the round.
Noh, ranked 95th in the world, got his biggest victory to date at the Malaysian Open last year, where he become the second-youngest winner in European Tour history. He is also a former Asian Tour rookie of the year.
Anthony Kim of the United States (68) and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa (66) were a stroke behind Noh at eight-under, followed by Padraig Harrington of Ireland (70) and Hunter Mahan of the United States (72).
Mahan, who was in second place after the opening round, also had trouble on the front nine on Friday, bogeying twice and holing just one birdie. He was at 1-under for the day until bogeying the 18th hole to finish at even par.
Ian Poulter (71) and Robert Karlsson (69) were six under, and John Daly followed his opening 69 with a 70 to match Lee Westwood (70), Colin Montgomerie (69) and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (69) at five under.
There are 30 players, including 10 major winners, vying for the $2 million first prize, the richest in golf. The International Management Group-run event, being held for the first year, is not sanctioned by a major tour and does not have world-ranking points.
HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
133 Rory McIlroy (N Ireland) 64 69.
135 Noh Seung-Yul (S Korea) 72 63.
136 Anthony Kim (US) 68 68, Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 70 66.
137 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 67 70, Hunter Mahan (US) 65 72.
138 Ian Poulter (England) 67 71, Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 69 69.
139 John Daly (US) 69 70, Lee Westwood (England) 69 70, Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) 70 69, Charl Schwartzel (S Africa) 70 69.

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OVERTON'S RECORD 62 TAKES HIM INTO SHARE OF MALAYSIA LEAD

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ASIAN TOUR
Kuala Lumpur: The last man who got into the US$6.1 million CIMB Asia Pacific Classic, Malaysia found himself tied for the halfway lead on Friday.
American Jeff Overton fired a new course record of nine-under-par 62, also his career low round, to share the second day lead with Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson at the Mines Resort and Golf Club.
Like Jacobson, Bo Van Pelt of the United States also returned a 64 to lie one back going into the weekend rounds of the lucrative event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGA Tour.
Malaysia’s Danny Chia raised local cheers with a solid 65 for tied 13th place, some seven shots back where he is the leading Asian alongside Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadungsil, who carded a 66.
The 28-year-old Overton, who was a member of the US Ryder Cup team last year, arrived for the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic, Malaysia only on Tuesday evening after making a late dash to the Mines Resort following the withdrawal of David Duval.
With new Cleveland irons in his golf bag, which caused him some anxieties as it arrived a day late, the amiable Overton was in imperious form to shoot seven birdies and a glorious eagle on the par four 15th hole to lead on 13-under-par 129 with Jacobson.
“A couple of weeks ago, I changed clubs. My golf has just improved so much. I finished sixth basically the first week I used them, at the McGladrey Classic. I was hitting it really good but kind of struggled with my putter. Today, everything just clicked. I think I made one putt outside eight feet. I was hitting everything stone cold, and it was a lot of fun,” said Overton.
“This golf course is so much fun to play. It’s really challenging. If you’re hitting it great, you can have scoring opportunities. I’m just having a blast.”
Overton started superbly with three straight birdies and turned in 30 with two more birdies on five and eight. The highlight on his back nine was the eagle on 15 when he smashed his driver to six feet of the pin.
“I watched Mark Wilson hit it right at the stick, and I’m like, wow, this is a great little hole. Maybe I can hit my driver, too. I just hit it right at the pin. It came off just perfect, laying there on the front of the green and it rolled up there to six feet for eagle,” said Overton.
Like most first-timers to Malaysia, the American has struggled in the heat and humidity and with jetlag hitting him as well, he was happy to simply complete his round.
“On the first hole, I told my caddie I didn’t think I was going to make it. I’m still a little jet-lagged. I woke up at 3 this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep. So, really, it’s almost like being up forever,” said Overton, who is searching for his first career victory.
After opening with a bogey, Jacobson, a former winner of the Hong Kong Open, was rock solid as he took advantage of his straight-hitting game to pepper the pins at the Mines Resort for eight birdies on the card.
“These last few days, the driving has been setting up a lot of opportunities. I’ve been driving it well and on this course, if you drive it on the fairways, it’s not overly long and it gives you opportunities,” said the 37-year-old Swede, winner of the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour this year.
He made some good par saves, including one on 18 when he splashed out from the greenside trap to a foot. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the rough, in the bunker, in different lies. Like in the backyard, I would try to chip over a stone wall. I played a lot of weird shots through my youth and I think that by challenging myself that way, I have learnt a lot of different shots which come in useful on the golf course,” he said.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71). Yardage 6,917
129 - Jeff OVERTON (USA) 67-62, Fredrik JACOBSON (SWE) 65-64.
130 - Bo VAN PELT (USA) 66-64.
133 - Mark WILSON (USA) 67-66, Stewart CINK (USA) 67-66, Jimmy WALKER (USA) 66-67, Jhonattan VEGAS (VEN) 64-69.
134 - Cameron TRINGALE (USA) 66-68.
135 - Camilo VILLEGAS (COL) 69-66, Jrry KELLY (USA) 69-66, Carl PETTERSSON (SWE) 68-67, Robert ALLENBY (AUS) 63-72.
136 - Vijay SINGH (FIJ) 72-64, Danny CHIA (MAS) 71-65, Chris KIRK (USA) 71-65, Ryan PALMER (USA) 71-65, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 70-66.
137 - Jason DUFNER (USA) 70-67, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 70-67, Spencer LEVIN (USA) 70-67, Jonathan BYRD (USA) 69-68, Ben CRANE (USA) 69-68, Kyle STANLEY (USA) 68-69, John SENDEN (AUS) 67-70.
138 - Jeev SINGH (IND) 69-69, Rory SABBATINI (RSA) 68-70, Tommy GAINEY (USA) 68-70.
139 - Stuart APPLEBY (AUS) 72-67, Brandt SNEDEKER (USA) 71-68, Ryan MOORE (USA) 71-68, D.A. POINTS (USA) 71-68, Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 68-71, Scott STALLINGS (USA) 67-72.
140 - Jbe KRUGER (RSA) 70-70, Chez REAVIE (USA) 69-71, Ricky BARNES (USA) 69-71, Brendon DE JONGE (ZIM) 68-72.
141 - Lucas GLOVER (USA) 71-70, Mohd SIDDIKUR (BAN) 68-73.
142 - CHAN Yih-shin (TPE) 72-70, Brian DAVIS (ENG) 71-71, Tetsuji HIRATSUKA (JPN) 70-72, Charley HOFFMAN (USA) 69-73.
144 - David GLEESON (AUS) 73-71, Shaaban HUSSIN (MAS) 72-72.
146 - S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 75-71, Angel CABRERA (ARG) 73-73.
147 - Brendan STEELE (USA) 74-73.

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LOCAL HERO ANDERSON LEADS US NATIONWIDE TOUR CH/SHIP

FROM THE US NATIONWIDE TOUR WEBSITE
By Joe Chemycz, Nationwide Tour staff
CHARLESTON, South Carolina: Mark Anderson is going to need more guest tickets. The South Carolina native shot a six-under-par 66 Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island, about 60 miles from his home in Beaufort, South Carolina.
"I had about six or seven family and friends following me today but I anticipate it getting bigger throughout the week," he said of his vocal contingent. "I've had a lot of requests for tickets so I'm scrounging around for those."
Anderson holds the lead over Camilo Benedetti of Colombia and a pair of two-time winners this year, Jason Kokrak and Ted Potter junior.
Roger Tambellini, the last man to qualify for the field of 60, heads a group of five players two shots off the pace. Tambellini is joined at 68 by Darron Stiles, Roberto Castro, Steve Wheatcroft and another South Carolina resident, Kyle Thompson of Greenville.
Anderson entered the 2011 Nationwide Tour season finale No. 19 on the money list -- the top-25 will move up to the US PGA Tour in 2012.
"They try to talk about it," he said of the constant calculations. "I don't really talk about it. They ask what I need to finish and I just tell them I'm trying to play as good as I can this week and try to win the thing, just like I do every week. I'm not thinking about the details of who needs to finish where."
Anderson has pocketed $182,017 in his 24 starts this year, or $17 more than first place is worth on Sunday -- and a win would send him to the Big League for the first time.
The former University of South Carolina Gamecock has finished second and T7 the past two weeks, thanks largely to a late-season switch to a belly putter.
"It's been rolling really good and I've made a lot of putts," he said after needing only 21 putts in his round. "I'm making those short ones you need to make, those five-footers."
Anderson got off to a rocky start and managed to save par five times in the first seven holes.
"My short game kept me in it the first six or seven holes," he said. "After that, I got into a good flow."
Anderson rolled in a couple of short birdies, made a 30-footer, a 40-footer and chipped in on successive holes to give him six birdies in a seven-hole stretch.
Benedetti put together a solid, all-around day and moved into contention.
"I played great and I putted very well," said Benedetti, No. 49 on the money list. "To make it to the top-25, I have to win or finish second I guess. This is my first time here and I'm happy where I'm at. I know I'm playing well so I can make it happen."
First-Round Notes:
• This week's purse is $1million with the winner collecting $180,000 at the conclusion of play on Sunday. The last-place finisher (No. 60) will collect $3,000. J.J. Killeen entered the week No. 1 on the money list with $409,473. There are only 10 other players who could mathematically unseat Killeen from the top spot, and two of those would have to win while Killeen would have to finish last for that scenario to come true.
• Killeen three-putted twice in his first five holes and was five-over par through the first 10 holes. He settled down with three birdies, including his final two holes, and shot a two-over 74. He is T51 heading into Friday's second round.
+The three British players in the field - Scotland's Russell Knox and England's Greg Owen and Gary Christian are all on the one-under 71 mark, sharing 20th place. Knox turned in four-under-par 32 after birdie 3s at the second, third, fifth and eighth but ran into a sticky patch after the turn with three bogeys over four consecutive holes - the 10th, 11th and 13th. The Inverness exile, whose position on the money table almost guarantees he will be one of the leading 25 promoted to the US PGA Tour next year, stopped the rot, finishing with five straight pars for 39 home.

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