MICHAEL STEWART BOWS OUT AS NO 13 WORLD RANKED AMATEUR

As expected Daan Huizing's double success in Argentina - a team triumph Robin Kind in the Juan Tailhade Cup followed by victory in the Argentina amateur international championship - has seen him rise from No 11 to No 6 in the RandA World Amateur Golf Rankings this week.
He is the highest ranked European. Troon Welbeck's Michael Stewart is still there at No 13. He will disappear from the rankings next week if, as expected, he announces he has turned professional following his failure to make the halfway cut in the South African Open championship.
The top 20 male amateurs in the world are (first column is this week's ranking; second column is the previous week's ranking):
1 1 Patrick Cantlay USA 1616.03
2 2 Jordan Spieth USA 1502.04
3 3 Patrick Rodgers USA 1425.45
4 4 Hideki Matsuyama JPN 1329.79
5 5 Chris Williams USA 1238.73
6 11 Daan Huizing NED 1229.41
7 7 Kelly Kraft USA 1207.04
8 8 Corbin Mills USA 1204.11
9 6 Peter Uihlein USA 1201.33
10 9 Cheng-tsung Pan TPE 1185.42
11 10 Yoshinori Fujimoto JPN 1175.86
12 12 Derek Ernst USA 1169.70
13 13 Michael Stewart SCO 1169.49
14 14 Sebastian Cappelen DEN 1166.67
15 15 Gary Stal FRA 1156.25
16 19 Luke Guthrie USA 1151.92
17 20 Dylan Frittelli RSA 1143.86
18 16 J J Spaun USA 1128.30
19 28 Daniel Miernicki USA 1119.61
20 17 Jordan Russell USA 1113.41

GLENEAGLES PROMOTION FOR JOWETT AS SMITH HEADS SOUTH

Gleneagles Hotel's top brass have promoted an Englishman, Andrew Jowett, originally from Oldham, from within its golf academy staff to succeed a Scot, Russell Smith, as head PGA professional at the five-star Perthshire resort which will host the next Ryder Cup in this country in 2014.
Andrew Jowett was an assistant professional at Ashton-under-Lyne Golf Club, Lancashire before securing his first head pro post at Dukinfield Golf Club, Cheshire. He then moved to Gleneagles where he has been senior teaching professional.
Russell Smith was in his 10th year on the Gleneagles staff, having joined them in 2002 and worked his way up the ladder to take over from Sandy Smith as head pro.
Russell Smith has been headhunted to become the director of golf at Close Hotel and Golf Club, Northumberland. He will leave his Perthshire post early next month (December) and take up his new duties in January at Close Hotel, which is a 15min drive from Newcastle's airport and also its city centre.
Said Bernard Murphy, General Manager of the Diageo Plc-owned Gleneagles Hotel, which has three golf courses across 850 acres of Perthshire countryside:
“Russell has developed a very strong team within the golf operation at Gleneagles and we are delighted to be able to announce that Andrew Jowett will assume the role of head golf professional upon Russell’s departure.
“Andrew worked for some time at the Gleneagles PGA National Academy with Russell, so we know that the good work done to date will be further developed as we turn our attention toward the Ryder Cup in 2014 and beyond.
“On the one hand, we are sorry to see Russell leave but, on the other, we are delighted that he has such an opportunity ahead of him.”
Close House Hotel, a beautifully restored 18th Century mansion with views across the Tyne Valley, is owned by Graham Wylie, an entrepreneur and well-known racehorse owner, and has world No 3 Lee Westwood, as its tour professional. It has two 18-hole golf courses.
“Gleneagles is a fantastic place and I will be vexed to go, but this move is about developing my career and also challenging myself,” said Smith, a 39-year-old who was runner-up in the 1998 Luxemburg Open.
“I will be reponsible for growing the golf side of things at Close House and am looking forward to getting started there in early January.”
Said Graham Wylie, a Tyneside tycoon who has made a personal fortune by founding a software giant, Sage:
"It’s no secret that I am looking to make further enhancements to what we offer at Close House to ensure we become the number one golf destination in the North of England.
"The appointment of Russell Smith from Gleneagles is a major coup for Close House.. There is no doubt that his experience in running an extremely high profile, large golf club will perfectly complement General Manager John Glendinning’s experience.

"John has worked hard to bring to fruition the completion of the state of the art glass clubhouse (No 19), a championship Colt Course, cutting edge golf academy and driving range, all launched in May this year.

"Their combined skills, enthusiasm and experience will take Close House to the position of top golf venue in the North of England. Our heavyweight team, steeped in golf, combined with the appointment of Lee Westwood as our attached Tour Professional earlier this year, gives Close House a truly unique edge across the UK and beyond.

"I intend to make Close House the best golf club in the North of England and one where everyone will want to be a member. I’m delighted that our membership continues to increase at a fast pace."

+Picture shows Graham Wylie and his wife Andrea

*Sage, founded by Mr Wylie, is a leading supplier of business management software and services to more than 6 million customers worldwide. .

STRATHAVEN PAIR FOUR BEHIND IN TURKEY PRO-CAPTAIN EVENT

Strathaven Golf Club's professional and captain - Stuart Kerr and Jim Preston -are lying joint sixth in a field of 12 pairs at the £25,000 Lombard Challenge PGA pro-captain tournament over the Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club, Turkey. Kerr and Preston shot a better-ball, three-under-par 68, four shots behind joint leaders Barry Austin and Tony Cockayne (Downes Crediton GC, Devon) and David Green and Steven Warburton (Dukinfield GC, Cheshire). TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES CLICK HERE

PAIN IN THE NECK FRASER LEADER IN AUSSIE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
By Steve Orme at Coolum, Sportal
Marcus Fraser Halfway leader Marcus Fraser has revealed he genuinely feared he'd never play golf again after undergoing emergency neck surgery in January.
Fraser continued his strong recent form with a sizzling seven-under 65 to lead a star-studded field at the Australian PGA Championship by two shots after 36 holes.
But it's been anything but smooth sailing for the 33-year-old in 2011, as a debilitating neck injury threatened to cut short his successful career 10 months ago.
The veteran of nine seasons on the European PGA Tour admits he couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel after losing all use in his right arm and struggling to walk due to the excruciating pain.
"It was pretty serious, I had a disc prolapsed in my neck and at one point I'd lost pretty much all the use of my right arm towards the end of last year and it was quite painful," Fraser, who suffered the injury lifting up his son Archie at the 2010 Australian Open, recalled.
"I was on a lot of medication to try and get the pain down but had to go to hospital and I was lucky enough I saw the surgeon at the hospital and he took one look at me and said 'we've got to do this pretty quick or else it's really going to deteriorate'."
"So they got rid of the old disc and put a new synthetic one in, put a carbon fibre cage in around that and a metal plate, so it was pretty full on but the next day I was pain free in hospital and five weeks later I played Doral in America."
"If I hadn't had the operation there's no way I would have played again, so it was a pretty easy decision to make. The old neck's pretty important for golf I'm sure."
"I had a couple of days where I really struggled to walk and I was on a lot of medication for the pain but I just had to get in there (and have surgery) ... and now it feels really good and hopefully it keeps improving."
Meanwhile, the two-time winner on the European Tour admits a victory this week would be 'massive' in the context of his career.
Fraser knows he'll have to be at his best to hold off the chasing pack that is led by American Bubba Watson who carded a second-round 68 to be two shots back.
World No.24 KT Kim is one shot further adrift at eight-under par, while YE Yang, Adam Scott, John Senden and Robert Allenby are all lurking four shots back.
While he's well aware of the calibre of his pursuers, Fraser says his experiences in Europe will help him handle the occasion.
"Hopefully I can control the nerves, I think I do a pretty good job of it most of the time," he said.
"Obviously you want to be there and you are putting yourself under the pump and this is why we play the game for to try and win golf tournaments."
So far I have got myself in a good position, and hopefully I’ve got myself in a good position over the weekend as well to try and do it."
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

UNDER PRESSURE O'HARA CONTINUES TO LEAD S AFRICAN OPEN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Motherwell's  Steven O'Hara, fighting for his European Tour life, leads the SA Open Championship on his own after a second round 68 at Serengeti.
Without a win in 222 events going back a decade and down in 134th place on The Race to Dubai, the 31-year-old Scot kept a bogey off his card to reach 11 under par at halfway.
Twice winner Retief Goosen and his fellow South African Merrick Bremner are right on his heels, however, and five-time champion Ernie Els is far from out of things five behind after a second successive 69.
Unless he finishes in the top five to earn himself a place in next week's UBS Hong Kong Open, this is O'Hara's last opportunity to keep his European Tour card.
To do it in one go he will now need to be in the top three on Sunday as Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin - the player in the vital 118th position - survived the cut with nothing to spare at two under.
O'Hara, joint overnight leader with South African Jbe Kruger, had three birdies in a back nine 33, picked up another shot on the 382 yard second and then closed with seven successive pars.
“I have played really well, my whole game feels in good shape,” said O’Hara. “I need a good finish to keep my card on The European Tour, a top three or four finish so I’ve put myself in a good position to do that.
“This will be my last one unless I get a top-five finish, which may get me into Hong Kong. It’s like I’ve got nothing to lose anyway, so I’ve been a bit more aggressive this week.
“I’m just going to go out and keep doing what I’ve been doing. Keep trusting my swing and if I’ve got a position to win on Sunday, then brilliant.”
Goosen, runner-up to Els last year in Durban, grabbed five birdies, including one on the 485 yard 18th for the second day running, but a bogey at the short fifth meant he matched O'Hara's round.
Bremner also shot 68, coming back with six birdies after he had bogeyed the 225 yard 12th - his third - and double-bogeyed the next.
“Any time I’m one shot off the lead going into the weekend it’s great,” said Goosen.
Last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Garth Mulroy is only two back with little-known South African qualifier Lyle Rowe, whose superb joint best-of-the-day 66 came from 1,388th on the Official World Golf Rankings - effectively joint last.
Rowe had a second round 88 in the event last December, but this time eagled the eighth and had six birdies along with two bogeys.
O'Hara and Maybin are not the only ones involved in the scramble for cards, of course.
Former Lothians amateur star Lloyd Saltman, 136th on The Race to Dubai, moved up to joint eighth in the current tournament on seven under with a 68, while former Ryder Cup player Phillip Price (117th) is alongside Els in 14th place.
Oliver Wilson, a member of Europe's side only three years ago and now 133rd, reached six under as well, but found the hazard on the par three ninth - his last - and ran up a costly double bogey that just piles the pressure on even more.
At least he has Hong Kong to come and so does Price's fellow Welshman Stephen Dodd, who is likely to drop from his current 122nd spot after withdrawing with a hand injury.
SCOTSWATCH:
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), who gained a place in the field through having won the South African amateur championship last season, failed to beat the halfway cut by three shots. He had rounds of 74 and 71 for one-over-par 145. 
Stewart delayed turning professional to play as an amateur in this event.
The Walker Cup player is reported to be joining the Chubby Chandler management stable and to be bound for the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January, having failed to get past Stage 1 of the European Tour School and also the Alps Tour Q School.
Alastair Forsyth, who came through the Monday qualifying to play in the main event, survived the cut with nothing to spare. He has scored 70-72 for the limit mark of two-under-par 142.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
133 Steven O'Hara (Scotland) 65 68.
134 Retief Goosen (S Africa) 66 68, Merrick Bremner (S Africa) 66 68.
135 Garth Mulroy (S Africa) 67 68, Lyle Rowe (S Africa) 68 68.

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
137 Lloyd Saltman 69 68 (T8).
140 David Drysdale 68 72 (T26).
141 George Murray 69  72, Peter Whiteford 70 71, Elliot Saltman 69 72 (T38).
142 Alastair Forsyth 70 72 (T56).

MISSED THE CUT
145 Michael Stewart (am) 74 71 (T95).
147 Alan McLean 71 76 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SCOTLAND A SHOT BEHIND W/CUP EADERS AUSTRLIA AND IRELAND

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Haikou, China: Ireland lived up to their billing as the tournament’s title favourites when they charged back into contention with a four-under-par 68 in the foursomses, alternate-shot format,  to take a share of the second round lead with Australia at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup today.
Australia’s Brendan Jones and Richard Green could not maintain their overnight advantage after they marked their card with three birdies, three bogeys and an eagle to sign for a two-day total of 13-under-par 131 at the Mission Hills Resort in Hainan Island.
Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and Martin Laird are a single shot behind the Australians and Irish after they carded a 69 to take third place on 132.
The Irish partnership of past and present US Open champions, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, dropped two shots on the 11th and 13th holes after they three-putted for bogeys.
However, the Major winners showed their credentials when they responded impressively with six birdies on holes four, six, seven, 12, 14 and 16.
“I think both of us are very pleased about the score that we ended up shooting today. I think anything in the 60s in the foursomes format is a very reasonable score out there,” said McIlroy.
“There’s still a lot of golf to be played this week, so it’ll be nice to get out there tomorrow again and enjoy the fourballs and be aggressive and make a few more birdies,” added McIlroy.
McDowell was full of praises for his playing partner who is the highest ranked player at world number two this week.
“Alternate shot is a very difficult format. We struggled to find our rhythm a little bit on the front nine. Rory really putted well today, which kept things together.
I've struggled a little bit on the greens the last couple of days, but I was happy the way I swung the club in general today again and Rory is playing lovely,” said McDowell.
“Looking forward to getting back out there into better balls tomorrow where we can both play a little bit more aggressively and get in our rhythm better,” added McDowell.
Australia stunned the field with their blistering 61 on the opening day but were made to labour hard for their 70 in the testing foursomes format.
“The important thing for us is that we are still at the top, and everybody is chasing us and we are chasing Ireland now. We can't win the tournament today, but we sure could have fallen back in the field,” said Jones.
The Australians reached the turn in 33 after two birdies, an eagle and a bogey. They continued to birdie the 13th but bogeyed the 15th and 18th holes.
“A little bit of a shame to have finished with a bogey, but it's a very difficult finish to this golf course and a very demanding hole, 18. Hopefully we can work that out for the weekend and not do that on Sunday,” said Green.
Meanwhile Laird was left to rue a costly five-foot par putt miss on the demanding par-four 18th.
That bogey not only resulted in their only blemish of the round but also denied them a share of the lead.
“Foursomes is a hard format and you don’t often see a team go out and shoot a really low score in foursomes so we were just playing good solid golf all day which is what we set out to do,” said Laird.
“When we managed to do that, we knew we weren’t going to be too far back and in a good position for the weekend which is exactly where we are,” added the US-based Scot.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
131 AUSTRALIA (Brendan JONES and Richard GREEN) 61-70; IRELAND (Graeme McDOWELL & Rory McILROY) 63-68
132 SCOTLAND (Stephen GALLACHER and Martin LAIRD) 63-69
134 UNITED STATES(Gary WOODLAND and Matt KUCHAR) 64-70; SPAIN (Alvaro QUIROS and Miguel Angel JIMENEZ) 65- 69; NEW ZEALAND (Gareth PADDISON and Michael HENDRY) 66-68
135 NETHERLANDS (Robert-Jan DERKSEN and Joost LUITEN) 64-71; MEXICO (Jose DE JESUS RODRIGUEZ and Oscar SERNA) 66-69; ENGLAND (Justin ROSE and Ian POULTER) 66-69
136 GERMANY (Alex CEJKA and Martin KAYMER ) 65-71; FRANCE (Gregory BOURDY and Raphael JACQUELIN) 66-70; ZIMBABWE (Brendon DE JONGE and Bruce MCDONALD) 66-70; THAILAND (Kiradech APHIBARNRAT and Thongchai JAIDEE) 66-70; JAPAN (Yuta IKEDA andTetsuji HIRATSUKA) 66-70; ITALY (Edoardo MOLINARI and Francesco MOLINARI) 67-69; WALES (Rhys DAVIES and Jamie DONALDSON) 67-69; SOUTH AFRICA (Charls SCHWARTZEL and Louis OOSTHUIZEN) 68- 68; CHINA (LIANG Wen-chong and ZHANG Xin-jun) 68-68
137 DENMARK (Anders HANSEN and Thorbjorn OLESEN) 65-72; SOUTH KOREA (KIM Hyung-sung and PARK Sung-joon) 66-71
138 PORTUGAL (Hugo SANTOS and Ricardo SANTOS) 70-68
139 BRAZIL (Lucas LEE and Adilson DA SILVA) 68-71
140 SWEDEN (Alexander NOREN and Robert KARLSSON) 66-74
141 COLOMBIA (Manny VILLEGAS and Camilo VILLEGAS) 65-76; AUSTRIA (Florian PRAEGANT and Roland STEINER) 69-72
143 SINGAPORE (LAM Chih Bing and Mardan MAMAT) 68- 75
144 BELGIUM (Jerome THEUNIS and Nicolas COLSAERTS) 67-77
149 GUATEMALA (Pablo ACUNA and Jose TOLEDO) 75-74








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