PAUL LAWRIE INVESTS IN DUNCAN STEWART'S 2012 SEASON

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Paul Lawrie's good deed for this week is to invest a four-figure sum in the future of Grantown-on-Spey's EuroPro Tour player Duncan Stewart.

Through the Paul Lawrie Foundation, which has already got rookie pros David Law, Kris Nicol and Philip McLean under its wing, the 1999 Open champion, pictured left by Andy Forman, is supporting a personal shares scheme set up by 27-year-old Inverness-born Stewart, a Scotland boys cap in 2002, who turned pro in the autumn of 2007 and was a winner on the EuroPro Tour last year.

Duncan told me today::

"Paul texted me within an hour of me releasing the news of my shares scheme on www.scottishgolfview.com. He said he thought it was a good idea and that he wanted to buy ten shares at £100 each for his Foundation and to have its logo on the chest of my golf shirts.

"Paul also asked if I got any free clothing and as I don't he has very kindly said he will send me Glenmuir shirts and sweaters with his logo on them.

"I really can't thank Paul Lawrie enough. The work and support he does for Scottish golf is outstanding. Having someone of Paul's stature texting me and saying he would like to support me gives me a huge confidence boost for the new season."

Stewart just missed out a Challenge Tour card for 2012 and he will be campaigning mainly on the EuroPro Tour but he says he will be trying his hardes to get invites to the Challenge Tour and he will also try to qualify for the Open at Royal Lytham.

"I am going to sell shares in myself to try and raise funds to pay for my season. I am trying to sell 150 shares at £100 per share," said Stewart.

"Depending on how many shares I sell will determine the percentage of my winnings that go back to the shareholders. If I only sell 1-50 shares I will take 70% and 30% of my winnings will be divided out between those who have bought shares.

"If I manage to sell between 101 and 150 shares, then my winnings will be split 50-50 between myself and the shareholders."

If a company or an individual were to buy 10 or more shares they would be entitled to have their or their company name somewhere on my clothing or equipment."

Stewart is also in the process of setting up his own website. There will be a link on it with the names of everyone who purchases one share or 50 shares. The website should be up and running within the next week. It will have all the details of how the shares work with a copy of the contract for anyone interested to download.

If anyone is interested in following Paul Lawrie's lead by investing in Stewart, pictured right, for the 2012 season, they can contact E-mail him at duncanstewartgolf@hotmail.co.uk or call him at 07890881042, or write to him at his home address: 2 Vulcan Cottages, Market Road, Grantown on Spey PH26 3HP

+Last week the Scottish Golf Union announced that the Paul Lawrie Foundation were sponsoring this year's Scottish boys' championship at Murcar Links from April 9 to 14.

FLEMING AND REDFORD WIN TARTAN TOUR OPENER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Prestwick's David Fleming and Guy Redford (Dundonald Links) won the first competition of the new Tartan Tour season - the Glenmuir Winter Series better-ball over Turnberry Hotel's Kintyre course today - after a card play-off against two other pairs who also returned four-under-par 68s. Fleming and Redford won the top prize of £700 by having the best inward half. The course was frost free but the conditions were bitterly cold. Joint runners up , each pair winning £425, were the Dundonald Links partnership of Iain Colquhoun and David Ross Nicol, and Tom Eckford (Ranfurly Castle) and Stuart Kerr (Strathaven). Heather MacRae (Gleneagles), the only girl in the field of 20 pairs, partnered Chris Kelly (Cawder) to  a share of fourth place on three-under 69. Also on that mark were Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) and Peter Kerr (Hayston) as well as David Patrick (Elie Sports Club) and Gareth Wright (West Linton). Each pair earned £150. GLENMUIR BETTER-BALL WINTER SERIES Kintyre course, Turnberry Hotel LEADING SCORES Par 72 68 David Fleming (Prestwick) and Guy Redford (Dundonald Links) (£700), Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links) and David Ross Nicol (Dundonald Links) (£425), Tom Eckford (Ranfurly Castle) and Stuart Kerr (Strathaven) (£425). 69 Chris Kelly (Cawder) and Heather MacRae (Gleneagles), Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) and Peter Kerr (Hayston), David Patrick (Elie SC) and Gareth Wright (West Linton) (£150 each pair). 70 Stephen Gray (Hayston) and Anbdrew Marshall (Houston GR), Ronan Rafferty (Roxburghe) and Stephen McAllister (Renaissance), Anthony Mackrell (Playsport Golf) and Scott Catlin (Greenburn). 71 Christopher Russell (Dunbar) and James Erskine (Portpatrick Dunskey), Stuart Syme (Dumfries & Co) and David Broadfoot (Dumfries & Co). 72 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs DR) and Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle), Iain McNab (unatt) and David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie), Daniel Wood (Hirsel) and Stuart Pardoe (Stuart Pardoe Golf). 73 Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle) and Alastair McLean (Duddingston), Ricky Hall (Turnberry) and Michael Sweenie (Turnberry). 74 Ken Campbell (Machrihanish) and Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh). 78 Brian Gibson (Carrick on Loch Lomond) and Graeme Matthews (Carrick on Loch Lomond), Christopher Drabbie (Archerfield Links) and Andrew Meikle (Archerfield Links). 81 David Snodgrass (Hilton Park) and Andrew McIntyre (Ranfurly Caslte).