Thursday, December 01, 2011

WILL WHO? LEADS US PGA TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL

FROM THE SKY SPORTS.COM WEBSITE 
Little known American Will Claxton has edged into a one-shot lead after the second round of the US PGA Tour's final qualifying school in California.
Claxton added a two-under-par 70 to an opening 64 to hod a narrow advatage over Matt Jones, who shot a second-round 68, and Harris English, who carded a 67.
The event asks players compete on both the Nicklaus Tournament Course and TPC Stadium Course at PGA West over six rounds.
Billy Hurley III stands third on eight-under after a 71, with first-round co-leader Daniel Summerhays dropping off the pace, his one-over 73 taking his score to seven-under.
Twenty-five US PGA Tour cards for next season are available to be won at this event in which several former major champions are hoping will help them keep their Tour careers alive.
Shaun Micheel, the 2003 US PGA champion, started brightly with a five-under 67 in his first round but dropped back into a tie for 47th after a 75.
David Duval, the former Open champion and past world number one, and 2002 US PGA winner Rich Beem, both matched their first-round, level-par 72 scores to be tied in 81st place.
And former two-time US Open winner Lee Janzen began with a 71 but a 75 in his second round dropped him to two over, and down to 108th

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SUNSHINE (South Africa) TOUR Q SCHOOL SCORES

CHECK OUT THE THIRD-ROUND TOTALS IN THE SUNSHINE TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL



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EGU SEND NATHAN KIMSEY TO JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
England boy cap Nathan Kimsey (Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire) will aim to secure a belated Christmas present when he represents the English Golf Union (EGU) in the annual Junior Orange Bowl at Biltmore Golf Club in Florida from December 27 to 30.
The 18-year-old has enjoyed a successful 2011 season, finishing fourth on the Titleist/FootJoy EGU Boys Order of Merit. He won the McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath in April then, after finishing joint fourth in the English Boys Championship for the Carris Trophy, he was presented with the Malcolm Reid Salver for the best aggregate over the two events.  Having become an international last year, he was a member of this year’s England teams for the European Boys Team Championships and the Boys Home Internationals, while he also represented GB and I against the Continent of Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy.
Having come to prominence nationally in 2010 when he won the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters in a three-way playoff, Kimsey was a member of the England under 18 squad last winter but has been promoted to the England ‘A’ squad for this winter and 2012. Kimsey (picture © Tom Ward) has already enjoyed a successful trip to the United States when representing the EGU. Earlier this year he finished tied fifth in the Junior International at Sage Valley in Georgia. 
The prestigious Junior Orange Bowl is an Under-18 years event and has separate boys and girls tournaments over 72 holes of stroke-play. Only one English player, Ben Parker, now a professional, has carried off the title over the same course in 2005. Three years later Stiggy Hodgson, who has also joined the paid ranks, finished runner-up but no other English player has emerged victorious.

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WESTWOOD, SCHWARTZEL SHARE NEDBANK CHALLENGE LEAD

FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE
England's Lee Westwood shares the lead with Masters champion Charl Schwartzel after round one of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.
Westwood and Schwartzel carded four-under-par 68s to finish the day one shot clear of Sweden's Robert Karlsson.
World number one Luke Donald is two under, along with fellow Englishman Simon Dyson, Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell and Germany's Martin Kaymer.
Open champion Darren Clarke is bottom of the 12-man field after a 74.

FROM THE SUNSHIRE TOUR WEBSITE
After he played the ninth as badly as he possibly could have, Charl Schwartzel hit back with five birdies to card a four-under-par 68 to take a share of the first round lead of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Defending champion Lee Westwood made an 18-footer for birdie on the 18th and moved to four-under with the last putt of the day to share the top of the leaderboard with the South African.
“I got angry and then I got fearless,” said Schwartzel of his homeward five-under-par 31, “and I just started firing at the flags.”
His aggression paid off as he and Westwood took a one-stroke lead over Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, with six players in a share of fourth place at two-under-par.
Schwartzel’s tee shot on nine came in the midst of a rain shower, and his attempt to compensate for the change in conditions led to his downfall on that hole.
“I thought I had to hit it a little harder to get a decent second shot into the green,” he said, “and I just pushed it right.
“To be fair, I very nearly got the lay-up out of the rough with my seven-iron spot on, but it just hit a little branch and fell back into the rough,” he added.
He then deposited his third – an attempted five-iron for the middle of the green – into the water. A pitch from the drop zone and two putts saw him card a double-bogey 7 on a hole which conceded four birdies and an eagle to his opponents.
Westwood was the man who made the eagle on nine, as he turned his poor start – a bogey on one – into two-under 34 through the turn.
He then made three birdies on his homeward nine, but the effect of those was somewhat spoiled by a bogey-4 on the short 12th.
Schwartzel, on the other hand, hit back immediately after his poor show on the ninth with a birdie on 10, and that set him back on the right track.
“The way I played on the back nine is more reflective of the way I have been playing lately,” he said. “I’ve been hitting the ball really well, and once I get the putts rolling, I’m getting into good positions in tournaments.”
He made three birdies in a row from 12, and another on 16 – he was the only player to make one on that hole on the day as he sank a 20-footer there.
Karlsson started the day with three consecutive birdies from the second, but a pair of bogeys on the inward nine rather arrested his progress, and world number one Luke Donald was one of the six on two-under as he made a double-bogey six on the 17th after he hit his first tee shot into the water.

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Westwood won the title by eight strokes last year after shooting 68 in the final round. The 38-year-old struggled for form this year though he finished third in the US Open, losing to world number two Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland.
McIlroy preferred the Hong Kong Open rather to playing in South Africa.
The elite 12-man field are competing for $1.25 million, surpassed only recently by the Shanghai Masters' winning prize of $2 million.

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NEW NORTH OF ENGLAND MEN'S MID-AM 36-HOLE OPEN ON JULY 27

NEWS RELEASE
Wyncanton Marketing Services Ltd (Whitstable, Kent. UK) are pleased to announce a new golf championship for male mid-amateur (over 35 years) golfers in the UK.
The North of England Mid Amateur Stroke Play Championship will take place at the impressive De Vere Slaley Hall Golf Club, Northumberland on Friday, July 27, 2012.
The tournament will be held over 36 holes in one day, with the winner being the player who returns the lowest gross score for the 36 holes. Prizes will be given for the first four places in the scratch event and the first three places in the handicap event and there is an expected prize fund to the value of over £1,000. There is also a prize for the leading player over 50 years of age.
The event will be open to all male golfers over the age of 35 and who are in possession of an active CONGU handicap of 12 or less.
“Following on from the success of our first events this year, we decided to add another event for 2012. The feedback was so positive from the players that it cemented our belief that there is a huge gap in the market for new tournaments aimed at golfers aged over 35 years of age.” said Jason Morris, Golf Director of Wyncanton Marketing Services.
“The Slaley Hall event will be part of the new Mid Amateur Golf Order of Merit which will run throughout the season with prizes for the leading players and will add an extra incentive for the players to do well in each event.”
“These are exciting time for us and the new web site www.midamgolf.co.uk is attracting visitors from all over the world. We currently have five events for next year and have resurrected the Welsh Mid Amateur Championship and The Scottish Mid-Amateur.”
Sponsors are also being sought for next year’s events, the Order of Merit and the web site www.midamgolf.co.uk.
Wyncanton Marketing Services are an event management company who specialise in arranging golf events, corporate golf events and society days.

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McILROY, QUIROS AND HORSEY SHARE FIRST-ROUND LEAD ON 64


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Hong Kong: World number two Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland brilliantly launched his quest for a first victory at the UBS Hong Kong Open with a masterful six-under-par 64 for the joint first round lead today.
The reigning U.S. Open champion tamed swirling winds at the Hong Kong Golf Club to sink six birdies and was joined at the top of the leaderboard by big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and England’s David Horsey.
Two-time champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain maintained his love-affair with the UBS Hong Kong Open with a solid 65 to trail by one while Asia’s best finishers were current Asian Tour number one Juvic Pagusan of the Philippines, Korean star Y.E. Yang and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat on 68s.
McIlroy has come agonizingly close to victory in Hong Kong with two runner-up finishes and a sixth place outing in the past three years and issued a warning to his rivals with an outstanding display. Despite his superb effort, the McIlroy termed his day as “routine.”
“It was very good. You know, it was a very solid round of golf. I didn't make a mistake. Six birdies, no bogeys is always a nice way to start the tournament. It was all pretty routine,” said a delighted McIlroy.
“I just gave myself a lot of chances. I think I hit 17 greens. I hit a lot of fairways and just kept giving myself opportunities and I was able to take a few, which was nice. There's a long way to go, over 54 holes. I'll have to play very, very well to pick up this trophy.”
The swashbuckling McIlroy, who won his first Major title in June, was delighted with the way he handled the swirling winds which sent scores soaring. “It swirls in these trees. You can feel it one minute downwind and the next minute it’s right to left and you just really have to trust where the wind is coming from. I was able to do that today. All in all, I was able to handle the wind pretty well,” he said.
Big-hitting Quiros, a five-time winner on the European Tour, chipped in twice, once for eagle at the par five 12th hole and the second at the closing hole from off the green for birdie. “I think you have to be lucky to shoot low under these conditions,” said the 28-year-old.
He conceded he got lucky with his eagle at the 12th hole. “I was trying to hit a three‑quarter eight iron and I blocked it a little bit and I put it pin‑high, and I found the hole. So two chip‑ins,” he said.
“You know, I don't feel nothing comfortable on this golf course. All of the shots are right to left. Most of the time you are hitting from I would say a fade/carry. It's never consistent.”
The 47-year-old Jimenez, victorious here in 2004 and 2007, was another familiar name to rise up the leaderboard. “I always like to play in Hong Kong,” he said. “It’s full of life here in this city. I can meet people from all over the place, there’s good food, and you can play this lovely golf course. I like it. My first time here was in 2004 and I’ve never missed a year since.”
The Ryder Cup star was on fire the front nine, stringing five birdies to make light of the windy conditions. “With this sort of wind it was very difficult. In the afternoon the gusty wind was hard but I am very pleased. Five-under par is good anywhere you play.”
Asia’s first Major champion Yang was disappointed to drop a double bogey on the 14th hole after making four birdies in his opening 12 holes. “I started off with a birdie and the front nine I played quite well. I think the double bogey on the back nine was a little bit of a disappointment. But overall, I'm encouraged. I still have three more rounds, a lot of golf left, and I'm only four strokes behind the leaders now,” said the Asian Tour honorary member.
Pagunsan’s hopes of wrapping up the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit crown was given a significant boost with a solid 68, marred only by a three putt bogey on the 10th hole. “Tough day, it was cold. I didn’t expect this. Hopefully the sun comes out tomorrow. It’s still a good round, two under in these tough conditions. I hit it really good and made only one mistake. I’m very happy,” said Pagunsan, who is hoping to become the first Filipino to become Asia’s number one.
Pagunsan’s closest rival in the merit race, S.S.P. Chowrasia of India, struggled to a 74 to leave himself in danger of missing the halfway cut on Friday.
One match failed to complete the first round due to fading light.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 70. Yardage 6,730
64 Rory MCILROY (NIR), Alvaro QUIROS (ESP), David HORSEY (ENG).
65 Miguel Angel JIMENEZ (ESP).
66 Darren BECK (AUS), Gareth MAYBIN (NIR).
67 Marcus FRASER (AUS).
68 Peter HANSON (SWE), Richie RAMSAY (SCO), Oliver FISHER (ENG), Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA), Y.E. YANG (KOR), Juvic PAGUNSAN (PHI), Kunal BHASIN (AUS).
69 Scott BARR (AUS), HAK Shun Yat Jason (am) (HKG), Paul LAWRIE (SCO), Sujjan SINGH (IND), Rafael CABRERA-BELLO (ESP), Christian CEVAER (FRA), Peter LAWRIE (IRL), Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA), David HOWELL (ENG), Stephen GALLACHER (SCO), Panupol PITTAYARAT (THA), Berry HENSON (USA), Anirban LAHIRI (IND).

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
73 David Drysdale, Colin Montgomerie.

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US PGA TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL


FOR ALL THE NEWS FROM THE FIRST ROUND OF THE US PGA TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL


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McILROY SETS HONG KONG OPEN CLUBHOUSE TARGET WITH A 64

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Rory McIlroy held the clubhouse lead on six under par midway through the first round of the UBS Hong Kong Open after the Northern Irishman returned an opening 64 in windy conditions today.
McIlroy picked up six birdies and did not drop a shot to head Peter Hanson, Richie Ramsay, Oliver Fisher and Kiradech Aphibarnrat by four shots of the early finishers at Hong Kong Golf Club.
"It was very good, a solid round of golf, I didn't make a mistake," McIlroy said.
"Six birdies and no bogeys is always a nice way to start the tournament.
"I played very solid from the first hole, hit two good shots into the tenth and made par there, which was probably the toughest hole we played all day.
"I just gave myself a lot of chances, I think I hit 17 greens and a lot of fairways and I was able to take a few, which was nice."
Starting on the tenth, McIlroy picked up birdies at the 14th and 16th courtesy of holing mid-range putts to reach the turn in 33 before a sand wedge to inside three feet at the first brought another.
The 22 year old moved to four under at the next, and although his drive from the fifth tee found the bunker, a superb recovery allowed him to knock in a short putt for his fifth birdie of the day before adding his sixth at the next.
Lawrie and Fisher led the chasing pack, the Scot's three consecutive birdies from the 11th moving him into contention with three holes of his first round to go. The Aberdonian finished on one-under-par 69.
Fisher sank four birdies to offset a bogey at the first as he also neared the end of his opening 18 holes which he completed in 68.
Defending champion Ian Poulter, playing alongside McIlroy, opened with a one over 71 as the Englishman carded two bogeys and a birdie.

EARLY CLUBHOUSE LEADERS
Par 70
64 Rory McIlroy
68 Peter Hanson, Richie Ramsay, Oliver Fisher, Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
69 Paul Lawrie, Shun Yat Jason Hak (am).
Selected score
73 David Drysdale.


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