Thursday, November 24, 2011

ANDREW OLDCORN LOOKING AHEAD AFTER EYE OPERATION


FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
It is one thing to play a course ‘blind’ in a metaphorical sense, but another altogether when the physical reality of an eye problem can threaten your entire career.
Andrew Oldcorn understands the difficulties better than most, having been afflicted with a serious eye condition for the second half of the European Senior Tour season which scuppered his hopes of ending the 2011 campaign as Number One.
Now, however, following successful surgery in October to remove a cataract in his right eye, the 52 year old Edinburgh-based Scot has a clear vision of the future, starting with the season-ending MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius.
 Just being able to compete again on an equal footing with his peers on the Senior Tour is a huge relief to Oldcorn, whose inability to see properly caused him to lose ground at the top of the Order of Merit.
After beginning the season with seven top ten finishes in his opening nine events, including a maiden Senior Tour title by nine strokes in The De Vere Club PGA Seniors Championship, Oldcorn was poised to contend for the John Jacobs Trophy until the onset of the cataract at The Senior Open Championship in July.
As the condition worsened over the next three months, Oldcorn finished outside the top 20 in each of the next seven events, a run which coincided with his nearest Order of Merit rivals, Peter Fowler and Barry Lane, recording nine top ten finishes between them and Lane winning twice.
While the top two will battle it out for the John Jacobs Trophy in Mauritius next month, Oldcorn is simply hoping his recovery is at a stage where he can compete again, as he looks to consolidate third place on the Order of Merit and salvage what had been a hugely promising season.
“It’s been a frustrating time because I was barely out of the top ten at the start of the season then we had the break before The Senior Open Championship and I was putting on the greens at Walton Heath and I realised I had a problem,” said Oldcorn.
“I’d had a cataract removed from my left eye in 2008 and was warned it could happen in the other eye. I thought I might be able to get through the season as I had a good chance in the Order of Merit – I was second at the time - but the deterioration became rapid.
“My swing still felt good but my vision was just not good enough. It got to the point where I could barely see in the bushes when it was dark at Woburn (at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters).
“By the last event I played, the Benahavis Senior Masters, it was a joke. The guys on the Senior Tour are just too good to be playing against with a handicap like that. It was unbelievably dispiriting as I felt I had a genuinely good chance of topping the Order of Merit but if you look at the results Peter and Barry had when my problem happened it was obvious my chance had gone.”
Surgery on the cataract was a success and Oldcorn has been back on the fairways preparing to conclude his season in the MCB Tour Championship at Constance Belle Mare Plage from December 9-11, although he admits his vision is not yet back to normal.
“With any surgery there is an element of risk and the surgeon had my career in his hands but it has been a success,” said the three-time European Tour winner. “I’m having to adjust my lies when practising as I’m struggling a little with depth perception still but I’m going to give it a go in Mauritius.
“I’ve not been at the sharp end of the tournament for a while now because of the problem but I’m just looking forward to going there and get back playing again. I won’t be 100 per cent until February or March, and I’m looking forward to next season and having another crack at the Order of Merit.
“Up to that point where it became a problem, I was having a fantastic season so there is no reason to think I wouldn’t have been contending for the Order of Merit in Mauritius and hopefully I will be next year.”
Oldcorn will be hoping for a change in fortune not only on the course but also getting there, after weather problems prevented him from travelling to Mauritius last December.
“I had to withdraw last year because of the snow at Glasgow airport which meant we couldn’t fly,” he said. “Luckily I managed to get the last train home, otherwise I could have been stuck at the airport for four days.
“I’m looking forward, therefore, to making my debut in Mauritius and I just want to finish as high up the Order of Merit as possible. After the last few months I’ll be glad just to be there.”

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JOHN DALY DID NOT SNUB US, SAYS S AFRICAN OPEN PROMOTER

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
JOHANNESBURG — Organisers of the South African Open say controversial golfer John Daly did not "snub" their tournament and that he was simply unable to travel to Johannesburg in time.
Promoter Mbali Ngqula dismissed reports that Daly had refused to play the European Tour event after his fiery exit from the recent Australian Open, where he hit a string of shots into a lake and then quit saying he had run out of balls.
Ngqula said today: "it is wrong to suggest that John snubbed our invitation, he did no such thing." Ngqula said Daly was "very willing" to play the South African Open but had been unable to make it in time.
The promoter added the two-time major winner, known as "The Wild Thing," had indicated he wanted to play in the Africa Open in South Africa early next year

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STEVEN O'HARA RESPONDS TO PRESSURE TO SHARE LEAD

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Motherwell's Steven O'Hara handled the pressure of trying to save his European Tour card to take a share of the first-round lead in the South African Open Championship alongside home favourite Jbe Kruger.
O'Hara, who began the year with a fourth place finish at the Africa Open, needs at least another at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Serengeti course and began with a seven under par 65.
A team-mate of Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell in the 2001 Walker Cup, the 31-year-old O'Hara (pictured in his younger days) shares top spot with Kruger, while twice winner Retief Goosen is among those only one behind.
Five-time champion Ernie Els began his title defence with a 69 and England's Simon Dyson - at 32nd in the Official World Golf Ranking the highest-ranked player in the field - with a 70.O'Hara eagled the 576 yard eighth and had six birdies.
"I hit a lot of great shots," he said. "I had it inside ten feet pretty much every hole and felt I could have made more birdies."
He is 134th on The Race to Dubai and has to climb to 118th to be exempt for next season.
As things stand this is his last opportunity, but a top five finish would give him a place in next week's UBS Hong Kong Open.
O'Hara had a golden chance at the Czech Open in August to make his immediate future secure, leading with a round to go before dropping to fifth with three closing bogeys.
Kruger led by four halfway through last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship, but finished joint ninth after two closing rounds of 73.
"This is the SA Open - it’s the biggest event when you grow up," he said. "Just to take it one shot at a time is the most important thing."
Goosen, beaten by a shot in Durban last December after a tremendous final round duel with Els, reached seven under as well and then had back-to-back bogeys, but finished in style by almost holing his tee shot to the 230 yard ninth.
Like Els, he has just fallen out of the game's top 50 and has been battling injury.
"The whole year's been a struggle, but my back's been better the last month and the exercise I'm doing is helping," he said.
Els won only one of his five games in last week's Presidents Cup defeat and, given his problems on the greens, a three-putt bogey was not the start he was looking for.
The 42 year old fought his way back into things, but closed with a bogey after driving into sand.
"Three under is not bad, but there were a couple of silly bogeys," he said.
"I grew up in this area, so it's nice to be back - and it's a great course."
Goosen shares third spot with fellow South Africans Merrick Bremner, David Hewan and Tyrone Mordt.

LEADERBOARD
Par 72. Players from South Africa unless stated
65 S O'Hara (Scotland), Jbe Kruger.
66 Tyrone Mordt, Retief Goosen, David Hewan, Merrick Bremner.
67 Felipe Aguilar (Chile), Shaun Norris, Jean Hugo, Garth Mulroy.
OTHER SCORES' SCORES
68 David Drysdale (T11).
69 Elliot Saltman, Lloyd Saltman, George Murray (T24).
70 Alastair Forsyth, Peter Whiteford (T43).
71 Alan McLean (T64).
72 Scott Jamieson (T81).
74 Michael Stewart (am) (T117)

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McARTHUR'S SMASH-AND-GRAB FIRST WIN ON Hi5 SPANISH TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
It must have been written in the stars that Andrew McArthur was going to score his first win for some time. How else can one explain the fates conspiring for the Scot to pull off a smash-and-grab victory for his first success on the Spanish Hi5 Pro Tour today.
McArthur, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, played well over the three days but he had all the breaks that were a-going.
The Windyhill man, winner of the 2002 Scottish amateur championship - he beat Scott Jamieson in the final - was three shots behind the leader, Walker Cup hero Andy Sullivan (Nuneaton), winner of the Scottish open amateur stroke-play championship at Blairgowrie in May, with three holes to play in the Hacienda del Alamo Futures Open at the Murcia golf resort..
Rookie pro Sullivan left the door wide open for the Scot by bogeying the 16th, but McArthur was still two shots behind on the 18th tee.
McArthur, however, birdied the long 18th and Sullivan had a three-putt bogey - a two-shot swing in favour of the Scot which saw him finish the regulation play with a 68 for 13-under-par 203, the same total as Sullivan achieved with a closing 69.
Then McArthur completed his come-from-behind "steal" by winning the sudden death play-off with a par at the first extra hole where Sullivan again had three putts for a bogey.
Victory was worth 5,200 Euros to McArthur who also overtook Anglo-Scot Scott Drummond over the closing holes. Drummond finished third with a five-under-par 67 for 204, one stroke away from making it a three-way play-off.
The hole that removed Drummond from the equation was the 17th which cost him his only bogey of the tournament. Drummond's financial reward was 1,800 Euros.
McArthur and Drummond later received a 500 Euros bonus each for finishing third in the Hi5 Pro Tour Order of Merit for the year.
Chris Kelly (Cawder) finished with a 71 for one-under 215 and joint 29th place.
Murrayfield's Mark Kerr had a 74 for level par 216 and a share of 31st place. Kelly and Kerr both earned 143 Euros.
Dutchman Reinier Saxton, leader with one round to go, dropped like a stone out of the lead, eventually signing for a 74 which earned him only a joint seventh place finish.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 Andrew McArthur (Sco) 68 67 68, Andy Sullivan (Eng) 66 68 69 (McArthur won sudden-death play-off at first extra hole).
204 Scott Drummond (Sco) 69 68 67.
205 Espen Kofstad (Nor) 68 69 68.
206 Morten Madsen (Den) 68 69 69, Jens Dantorp (Swe) 68 68 70.
207 James Ruth (Eng) 69 69 69, Matthew Webb (Eng) (am) 67 70 70, Reinier Saxton (Net) 68 65 74.
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
215 Chris Kelly 72 72 71 (T29).
216 Mark Kerr 71 71 74 (T31).

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NEW MEN'S MID-AM TOUR ENTRY FEES CAN BE BY INSTALMENTS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY WYNCANTON MARKETING SERVICES LTD
Wyncanton Marketing Services Ltd (Whitstable, Kent) are pleased to announce that they have launched a ground-breaking initiative to help UK golfers enter their 2012 schedule of mid-amateur (age over 35) male events in these trying times.
“Now that we have announced a full schedule of events for 2012, we have had many enquiries from players who want to enter but are finding funding these events challenging” commented Jason Morris, Golf Director at Mid-Amateur Golf.
“We are trying to attract as many players from as far afield as possible so we have decided to give people the option of paying their tournament entry fees over a longer period by way of standing order so that they do not have to come up with a lump sum in one hit.
"The initiative is being offered solely for events run my Mid Amateur Golf and Wyncanton Marketing Services Limited and is the first scheme of its kind in the UK. The service is FREE to use with no additional premium for paying over a longer period of time.
(Other conditions do apply – see www.midamgolf.co.uk for more details)
“We hope that many people will use the service so that they can guarantee their place in an event whilst not having to worry about finding the money in one lump sum when the closing date approaches” added Jason.
“These are exciting time for us and the new web site www.midamgolf.co.uk is attracting visitors from all over the world and we have events scheduled now at Dundonald Links, Royal St David’s, Chart Hills and The Players Club with additional Order of Merit events played at Sunningdale, Hankley Common, Berkhamsted and many more.”
Anyone who would like to register their interest to play in these events is asked to visit www.midamgolf.co.uk and email their details to the Tournament Secretary.
For more information please visit www.wyncantonmarketing.co.uk or contact Jason Morris on 07891 766102 or email midamateurgolf@gmail.com.

+Wyncanton Marketing Services Limited - registered in England. No. 7493492

PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE OF MEN'S MID-AMATEUR (over 35 years) EVENTS
+Most of the competitions are 36 holes on one day and there are varying handicap limits and entry fees.

March 29 - Chart Hills, Kent (entry fee £85).
April 20 - Dundonald Links, Ayrshire (entry fee £95)
May 4 - The Players' Club (entry fee £60).
June 1 - Old Fold Manor, Hertfordshire.
June 7-8 - Royal St David's Harlech, Wales (54 holes, entry fee £85).
July 8 - Notts GC, Hollinwell.
August 2 - Tiverton, Devon.
August 10 - Hankley Common, Surrey.
tba - Royal Cinque Ports, Kent.
August 31 - Sunningdale, Berkshire.
September 5 - Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.
September 17 - Porters Park, Hertfordshire
September 22 - Liphook, Hampshire
September 26 - Hindhead, Surrey

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BUSY TOWNSEND IN THE PICTURE AT AUSTRALIAN PGA CH/SHIP

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALASIA WEBSITE
By Steve Orme at Coolum, Sportal
Aaron Townsend has confidently declared he's ready to mix it with the big guns this week after firing an impressive 67 on day one of the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum.
The New South Welshman, who finished in sixth place last year, took advantage of the morning conditions to finish at five under the card, one shot back from clubhouse leader Joon-woo Choi.
"I feel like I have been playing good enough the last couple of years definitely and I feel like it (a victory) is very close," Townsend said of his chances of lifting the Kirkwood Cup.
"I really just hope that I can just keep the same mind-frame and keep hitting the ball the way I am at the moment."
"I am playing with a lot of confidence so if I can continue to do that and I can come across some good putting form I think there is no reason that I couldn't get there at the end.
After starting his round at the 10th hole, Townsend made the turn in one under before catching fire with four birdies on the way home to post the only bogey-free round of the morning wave.
"I hit the ball really well again, unfortunately I could have had two shots less easily," he said.
"I didn't take opportunities when I hit a great shot I left a couple out there but I can't complain with a 67 for first round."
"I am starting to have a really good relationship with this place, it started a little slow but I feel pretty comfortable out there now."
"It is good when you play a golf course like this every year. You sort of do get a knowledge of where you have to hit it and how the course plays."
While the 30-year-old is focused on victory this week, he already has one eye on the next fortnight as he looks to secure his immediate playing future.
"I have a couple of big weeks and obviously this is still an important week, but next week I have the final stage of (qualifying school) in Japan and then straight to final stage in Europe," said Townsend, who plied his trade on the One Asia Tour this season.
"Ideally I would like to get somewhere to play a full-time tour somewhere in the northern hemisphere in the middle of the year."
"That is why you still play these events, it is trying to get confidence and put money in my pocket to go to these things to get to that next step and take advantage - to get on a tour that is 30 events or so."
Asked if he will still head to European Q-School if he secures his Japanese Tour card next week, Townsend replied: "Yes I will, just for the sake of having options to see what happens."
"I really can't see that I am going to lose anything by going and having a go. That will be fantastic to obviously get two cards and then evaluate which one is going to suit me better."

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WORLD CUP A REDUNDANT AFTERTHOUGHT IN 21st Century GOLF

By OLIVER BROWN, in Haikou, China
For at this week’s World Cup in a resort destination dubbed the ‘Chinese Hawaii,’ every effort is taken to cosset Rory McIlroy and company from the mayhem that marks the real China.
Take the roads, for instance. I have been cut up by maniacal moped riders in Athens and taken Istanbul taxis whose drivers barely blink at reversing into four lanes of onrushing cars, but I have seen nothing quite like the traffic purgatory that pertains in downtown Haikou.
My minibus driver’s notion of navigation on Wednesday was to scythe in front of assorted cement mixers while sounding his horn with an almost deranged monotony. And yet the second he turned his vehicle through the gates here at Mission Hills’ vast golf complex, there was a soldier in a tin helmet to salute him.
Top golfers assume that their endless travelling renders them consummate citizens of the world, when in truth they occupy tiny enclaves of six-star privilege in which none of the local rules apply.
Among the painful aspects of reporting in this country is the ‘Great Firewall of China’, the blanket of internet censorship that blocks access to Twitter, YouTube and most other social media. Step inside the clubhouse, though, and such restrictions are miraculously lifted.
“Great place,” Ian Poulter tweeted on Wednesday on a first exploration of this Hainan haven, and no wonder. It is as if some giant version of Woburn has just been dropped in the South China Sea.
In terms of cultural immersion, Poulter and his colleagues enjoy not the authentic experience but an ersatz equivalent. The same, alas, is true of the tournament they have travelled so far to contest. The World Cup ought to mean everything that its name implies: a league of nations with the kudos to rank it, just like in football and rugby, at the summit of the sport.  
The irony is that the World Cup format should be growing, not dwindling in significance as golf prepares to join the Olympics in 2016. Although a £1.1 million cheque is on offer to the winning team, players can derive a foretaste of the Rio Games from the mingling of personal achievement with national pride.
Patriotism is a prime motivation for Poulter, not a man afraid to emblazon the St George cross on his slacks. “Let’s bring it home for England” is his mantra for the week.
In the words of McDowell: “There’s nothing quite like that team atmosphere in golf. It’s a very individual sport and we have very few opportunities to play like this.”
A certain hypocrisy is at work in that statement, in light of how he and McIlroy chose to swerve September’s Seve Trophy – when they could both have turned out for Great Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe – because it did not dovetail with their diaries.
At least, through their patronage in China, they are doing their best to rehabilitate an event in intensive care. They recognise, even in their lavishly appointed Mission Hills sanctuary, that it is time for a reality check.
A World Cup is healthy for golf, if only to dilute the game’s essentially egocentric nature. This is a showpiece that should start resembling its great sporting namesakes, rather than being reduced to a redundant afterthought.

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MICHAEL STEWART IS SCOTTISH MEN'S AMATEUR GOLFER OF YEAR


MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED BY THE
SCOTTIH GOLF UNION
Michael Stewart has capped his magnificent season by being crowned the 2011 Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year - and will bring the curtain down on his stellar amateur career in the company of three-time Major winner Ernie Els in the South African Open later today.
The 21-year-old from Troon Welbeck built on his outstanding achievements in 2010 to further highlight his amateur CV with a host of successes in 2011, meaning the Golfer of the Year award is a fitting honour to bookend his performances within the Scottish Golf Union’s ranks.
Stewart, who will turn professional immediately after striking his last putt in his maiden European Tour event, follows in the spike marks of previous recipients of the Amateur Golfer of the Year accolade, including Dean Robertson, Steven O’Hara, Richie Ramsay and Callum Macaulay.
Having won the Scottish Amateur title at Gullane, represented Scotland in the Eisenhower Trophy and claimed the SGU Order of Merit all in 2010, the Ayrshireman faced a tough task to match such feats during the last year.
But Stewart’s season took off in some style when he triumphed in the South African Amateur in March, beating international team-mate Paul Shields in the all-Scottish final when the SGU squad were involved in warm weather winter training, thereby earning his place alongside defending champion Els at Serengeti Golf Club in Gauteng this week.
That achievement was almost topped at The Amateur Championship at Hillside in the summer, only to be edged out by Australian Bryden Macpherson in the 36-hole final. After reaching a career high seventh place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking during 2011, Stewart earned his place in the Great Britain and Ireland team for the Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen in September and played a pivotal role as the home side upset the odds to defeat the USA for the first time in eight years.
Stewart is now thrilled to have added another notable title to his growing collection.
The young Scot, who will be presented with his prize at the annual Scottish Golf Awards in March 2012, said: “I’m delighted to win the Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year Award and it shows the progress I’ve made as a golfer over the last 18 months.
“Reaching the final of The Amateur Championship and winning in South Africa were both brilliant, but playing in a winning Walker Cup side in front of a Scottish crowd surpassed everything.
“There are some great names on the Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year trophy and hopefully I can follow in the footsteps of the likes of Richie Ramsay and make the transition into successful professional Tour player.”
Despite falling short at the recent European Tour and Alps Tour Qualifying Schools, Stewart – also the 2008 Scottish Boys Champion - refuses to be derailed from his professional aspirations.
Soon to officially sign with the ISM management group, Stewart will make his debut in the paid ranks at next month’s Thailand Open before heading to the Far East in January to contest the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School.
He also hopes to gain a number of invites for next season’s European Challenge Tour.
Stewart, who is to join up with the SGU squad in Abu Dhabi next week to work on all aspects of his game, added: “It’s my last event as an amateur this week. I’m turning professional after it. So hopefully my last putt as an amateur comes on Sunday night.
“There is not much else I can achieve in the amateur game. Being a professional golfer is what I want to do.
“My South African Amateur victory was important to me showing I could perform on the international stage and I’m really looking forward to playing this week in the South African Open.
“It’s going to be amazing to play with a former Open champion in Ernie Els for the first two rounds, a player I can learn so much from.”
Stewart’s award was derived through his performances at home and abroad in 2011, using the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

 

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MICHAEL STEWART PARTNERS ERNIE ELS IN AMATEUR SWANSONG

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Ernie Els starts his bid for a sixth South African Open Championship title later today - and Scottish amateur Michael Stewart will be teeing off with him at Serengeti.
The pairing is the 21 year old Troon golfer's reward for winning the South African amateur title back in March.
"I just heard I might tee it up with Ernie Els," Stewart said at the time.
"That would be just stupendous - I'll have to hit the gym and start beefing up straight away."
In June the Ayrshire man lost the final of the British Amateur Championship to Australian Bryden Macpherson and so just missed out on a place in The Open Championship and Masters Tournament.
Two months ago the former Scottish men's and boys' amateur match-play champion, was part of Great Britain and Ireland's winning Walker Cup side against the Americans, but then his attempt to earn a European Tour card for next season ended at the first stage of Qualifying School.
(EDITOR: Stewart will turn professional immediately after the South African Open and sign a management contract with Chubby Chandler of ISM. Stewart has failed to gain pass marks at first the European Tour School and then the Alps Tour Q School. He will be hoping it is third time lucky at the Asian Tour Q School in January).
Els, pictured, the European Tour’s all-time leading money winner, is back from the Presidents Cup in Melbourne, where he won only one of his five games in the 19-15 defeat.
The 42 year old first won his national title in 1992 and got his hands on the trophy once more four years later, then in 1998 after it became part of The European Tour International Schedule and then again in 2007 and last December.
"Winning last year at Durban in the tournament's centenary year was one of the highlights of my career," Els said.
"The final round battle with my old friend Retief (Goosen) was one of the most incredible days I've had in 20-plus years as a professional."
They finished 25 and 24 under par.
"That win really meant a lot to me. I came into the week needing a spark to bring my game to life and it happened pretty much from the get-go.
"I could really use some of that magic again. I know I've said it before, but my game is in a pretty healthy state.
"I'm just not making the putts that you need to make in order to lift yourself out of the pack and into contention."
He still has a long way to go to equal the tournament record number of wins, though. Gary Player was champion 13 times.
Goosen is back from Australia for the event as well, having just fallen out of the Official World Golf Ranking's top 50 like Els, while another in the field is England's Simon Dyson, ninth on this season's Race to Dubai and tenth in The Ryder Cup points race.

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GALLACHER AND LAIRD MAKE GOOD START IN WORLD CUP

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Haikou, China: The Australian pair of Brendan Jones and Richard Green showed their mettle when they combined clinically to sign for an opening 11-under-par 61 to take the first round lead at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China today.
Title favourites, Ireland represented by Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell posted a 63 to stay two back of the Australians in second place alongside Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and Martin Laird.
Americans Matt Kucher and Gary Woodland returned with a 64 to share fourth place with the Netherlands pair of Robert-Jan Derksen and Joost Luiten at the biennial event held at the magnificent Mission Hills Resort in Hainan Island.
Thailand, together with Japan and South Korea, emerged as the leading Asian countries by taking a share of 10th place with six other countries on 66.
The Australians made a strong start when they birdied two of their opening three holes before adding another two on the seventh and eighth holes to turn in 32.
The duo then eagled the par-five 12th before storming ahead with a flurry of birdies on the 14, 15 and 17 holes and posting another eagle-two on the par-four 16th to set themselves up well for the second round.
“We just combined perfectly. We never doubled up on birdies, and that's the key in this game. You want to make a lot of birdies, but you don't want to make them on the same hole, and that's what we managed to do today,” said Jones.
With the foursomes format providing a real test for their partnership tomorrow, Green is hoping that they will continue to work well again and guide Australia to their fifth World Cup title.
“Tomorrow’s a bit more difficult. So it's all about being smart, being sensible with your game and then getting ourselves back into a position to play like we did today in the fourball on Saturday and then obviously protect and play smart again on Sunday and hopefully compete and win,” said Green, who eagled the par-four 16th.
Ireland could have narrowed the Australia’s advantage to one had both McIlroy and McDowell not missed their putts from inside six feet at the 16th hole.
World number two McIlroy was, however, pleased with their performance as he believes that the stiff challenge will come in the foursomes format tomorrow.
“We set a target around eight to ten under par that we thought was going to be a good score out there, and we managed to shoot something around that,” said McIlroy.
“The four-balls this week are where you're going to make most of your birdies, and the foursomes is a more demanding format. Both players need to be on their games to shoot a low score,” added McIlroy.
McDowell echoed his partner’s sentiments and is relishing the challenges ahead.
“Tomorrow will separate the men from the boys a little bit and we are very happy the way we are playing, so excited about tomorrow's foursomes,” said McDowell.
Having reached the turn in 32, Scotland made their charge home with three birdies and an eagle to keep pace with Australia.
Stephen Gallacher said:
“It was a great way to finish. I was saying coming down the 14th and 15th, we had done well and nothing had really gone for us and that we should try and have a strong finish. With Martin's chip in at the 16th and the bunker shot on the last, we have certainly done that.”
Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren won the World Cup for Scotland four years ago.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Four-ball, better-ball format
61 AUSTRALIA (Brendan JONES and Richard GREEN)
63 IRELAND (Graeme McDOWELL and Rory McILROY)
63 SCOTLAND (Stephen GALLACHER and Martin LAIRD)
64 UNITED STATES (Gary WOODLAND and Matt KUCHAR); NETHERLANDS (Robert-Jan DERKSEN and Joost LUITEN)
65 COLOMBIA (Manny VILLEGAS and Camilo VILLEGAS); SPAIN (Alvaro QUIROS and Miguel Angel JIMENEZ); GERMANY (Alex CEJKA and Martin KAYMER); DENMARK (Anders HANSEN and Thorbjorn OLESEN)
66 MEXICO (Jose DE JESUS RODRIGUEZ and Oscar SERNA); FRANCE (Gregory BOURDY and Raphael JACQUELIN); SOUTH KOREA (KIM Hyung-sung and PARK Sung-joon); NEW ZEALAND (Gareth PADDISON and Michael HENDRY); ZIMBABWE (Brendon DE JONGE and Bruce MCDONALD); SWEDEN (Alexander NOREN and Robert KARLSSON); ENGLAND (Justin ROSE and Ian POULTER);THAILAND (Kiradech APHIBARNRAT and Thongchai JAIDEE); JAPAN (Yuta IKEDA and Tetsuji HIRATSUKA)
67 ITALY (Edoardo MOLINARI and Francesco MOLINARI); WALES (Rhys DAVIES and Jamie DONALDSON); BELGIUM (Jerome THEUNIS and Nicolas COLSAERTS)
68 SOUTH AFRICA (Charls SCHWARTZEL and  Louis OOSTHUIZEN); BRAZIL (Lucas LEE and Adilson DA SILVA); CHINA (LIANG Wen-chong and ZHANG Xin-jun); SINGAPORE (LAM Chih Bing and Mardan MAMAT)
69 AUSTRIA (Florian PRAEGANT and Roland STEINER)
70 PORTUGAL (Hugo SANTOS and Ricardo SANTOS)
75 GUATEMALA (Pablo ACUNA and Jose TOLEDO)

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TOP SCOTS PLAY UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ON DECEMBER 3


Ian Rae, Scotland National Coach, centre left,  Chris Vallender, UAE National Coach, centre right, and the Scotland National Squad at Yas Links Golf Club. Images ©WSM/Paul McLeod

MEDIA RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Scotland’s leading male amateurs, currently in Abu Dhabi for a warm weather winter training camp, are to face the UAE national team early next month.
The eagerly-anticipated International Test Match, organised by the Emirates Golf Federation, is part of the four-week intensive training programme 10 members of the National Men’s and Boys’ Squad are presently undertaking in the Middle East. The contest has been scheduled for Saturday 3 December at Yas Links Golf Club.
The SGU squad and coaching team are based at the stunning Yas Links complex in Abu Dhabi and the Centro Yas Island Hotel, who together with long-standing supporter of the SGU, Aberdeen Asset Management, are sponsoring the winter camp.
The Test Match, announced shortly after 2011 Scottish Boys Order of Merit winner Greig Marchbank finished third in the Sheikh Rashid Trophy at the weekend, will provide the chance for the SGU players to compete against the UAE’s top talents and again illustrates the growing golfing bond between the Scottish Golf Union and the Emirates Golf Federation.
The Test Match will feature the top six amateur players from each country in a one day 36-hole competition, played at the most Scottish of all golf courses in the region, Yas Links Golf Club.
This is the second year the Scottish national team have used the UAE as a winter training base, with the support of the Emirates Golf Federation. The Scottish national squad are training at Yas Links Golf Club, the Host Venue for ‘The Home of Golf in the UAE’, from 19 November - 15 December.
Steve Paulding, Performance Manager of the Scottish Golf Union, said: “We are thrilled that the Emirates Golf Federation continue to welcome us to the UAE and to some of the best facilities in the world.
“The Test Match gives the Scottish team a real incentive to train hard over the coming weeks and I know the squad are looking forward to the challenge, especially on the fantastic course at Yas Links.”
Adel Zarouni, Secretary General of Emirates Golf Federation, added: “We may not have the history of Scottish golf, but we are delighted to celebrate the progress we’ve made in a short period.
“I’m delighted about the partnership we are building with the Scottish Golf Union and their commitment to support golf in this country.”
“The Test Match is a fantastic opportunity for the national team to compete against some of the best amateurs in the world,” said Chris Vallender, UAE National Team Coach.
“It will be a great challenge and I’m sure it’s one they will relish.”
Yas Links is the first links course in the Middle East region, designed by Kyle Phillips, one of the world’s leading golf course designers. The championship course – opened in March 2010 - includes world-class, floodlit practice ranges and an academy of golf.

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