MIDLAND GOLFERS' ALLIANCE TEE TIMES FOR LUNDIN LINKS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24

09.00 R Walker, I Buchart, D Wilson, A. Lockhart
09.09 M. Niven, A. MacKay, D. Spaven, M Pirie
09.18 D. Mason, S. Andrews, R. McLean, J Gilchrist
09.27 T. Jamieson, S. Hills, W. Miller, G Paton
09.36 D. Mitchell, R. Stewart, R. Barton, G Tough
09.45 Ross Bell, A. Thomson, S. Marshall, H Gray
09.54 N Melville, D Sim, N. McLeod, C Ferguson
10.03 P Jamieson, S Mitchell, I Rankin, J Paisley
10.12 D Peter, R Redpath, N Henderson, R Beatt
10.21 A Mason, G White, R. Lamont, G Crighton
10.30 G Wilkie, H Salmond, B Bell, J Irwin
10.39 M Watkin, A Douglas, J Smith, J Watt
10.48 J Stevenson, M Kilgour, C Westland, P Brookes
10.57 K Bruce, K Nustling, A Cameron, L Irvine
11.06 R Sinclair, K Salmoni, H Grant, H Cowbrough
11.15 J Boyd, G Brown, L Kinnear, D Black
11.24 J Millar, G Jenkins, R Baldie, W Crosbie
11.38 R Kier, A Smith, R Brownhill, T McIntyre
11.42 C Marr, W Hutton, G Milne, A Martin
11.51 L Sutherland, A Reid, B Neil, I Mason
12.00 A Duncan, D Hutchison, D Redford, R Wallace





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Monifieth

Angus

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DARREN CLARKE GIVES UP ALCOHOL TO HELP HIS 2012 SEASON

FROM GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Darren Clarke has never been known to turn down a pint. But now Ryan Ballengee at Golf Talk Central reports that the 2011 British Open champion has given up alcohol in an effort to back up his major title with a strong season in 2012.
“My golf career has been extended somewhat by winning the Open Championship, and I just thought that enough is enough, and it was time to get myself into better shape,” Clarke wrote on his blog this week.
Clarke has hired Belfast-based trainer Jonny Bloomfield to get him back into shape. Bloomfield came at the recommendation of Lee Westwood’s trainer, Steve MacGregor.
The Ulsterman has shelved the Guinness with the hope of a great 2012 season, which begins this week in South Africa at the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancourt.
“Therefore, my alcohol consumption is taking a massive dint...currently down to zero! However, no pain, no gain, and I'm very excited about the route that we're going down - it's a long road, but I will give it my best shot,” he wrote.
Can this New Year's resolution possibly last? Stay tuned.

TIGER CRITICISES FORMER COACH HANEY FOR WRITING BOOK

FROM THE ESPN.COM WEBSITE
By BOB HARIG
While stressing that he remains appreciative for all that Hank Haney did for his career, Tiger Woods today criticised his former coach for writing a book that will be released just prior to the Masters.
"The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods," by Hank Haney, is due from publisher Crown Archetype on March 27.
Woods and Haney parted ways in May 2010 after a six-year period that saw the golfer win 31 times on the US PGA Tour, including six major championships.
"I think it's unprofessional and very disappointing," Woods told ESPN.com in a telephone interview, "especially because it's someone I worked with and trusted as a friend.
"There have been other one-sided books about me, and I think people understand that this book is about money. I'm not going to waste my time reading it."
Haney told The Associated Press in an interview earlier this month about his book called "The Big Miss" that he used to spend about 110 days a year with Woods, and as many as 30 a year at his home.
"You make a lot of observations," said Haney, who was unavailable for comment.
Although Woods became aware that a book was in the works, Haney did not contact him about it.
Woods was at a golf course near his South Florida home today, participating in corporate activities for Nike and preparing for his seasonal debut at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, a European Tour event, later this month.
Woods confirmed today that he will play with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo as his partner two weeks later at the AT and T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where Woods will make his 2012 US PGA Tour debut.
Woods was criticised for leaving instructor Butch Harmon in late 2002 -- with whom he had won eight major championships -- and eventually hiring Haney, especially as he endured a one-win season in 2004.
But starting in 2005, it is difficult to argue against the success of the Woods-Haney partnership. Not only were there those six majors, but a high level of consistency, as well. Starting in 2005, Woods had 57 top-10 finishes in 78 events, with 31 wins. Only 13 others in US PGA Tour history have won more than 31 times in their entire careers.

COLD TURKEY FOR START OF EPD TOUR

A severe frost delayed the start of the EPD Tour's Gloria Classic at Belek on Turkey's Antalya Coast until the afternoon and no first-round scores were completed.
Motherwell's Paul O'Hara had the second-best outward half of two-under-par 34, three shots behind the leader, Germany's Max Glauert.
Ellon's Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) was one over par after nine holes.

NINE-HOLE LEADERBOARD
-5 Max Glauert (Germany).
-2 Paul O'Hara (Scotland)
-1 Daniel Froreich (Germany).
-1 Malte Brennen (Germany).
-1 Ferdinand Osther (Netherlands)
OTHER SCORE
+1 Ross Cameron (Scotland)

GREIG HUTCHEON STARTS 2012 WITH A £4,000 WIN ON MAJORCA

  Optical Express's Davod Mousdale (left) hands over a big cheque to Greig Hutcheon.

Banchory’s Greig Hutcheon has begun 2012 with a three-stroke victory in the Optical Express Pro Golf Tour 36-hole championship over the Son Gual course in Majorca.
Hutcheon led throughout, adding a second-round par-matching 72 to his opening 69 for a three-under total of 141.
That won him the £4,000 first prize from former Walker Cup player Lorne Kelly (Pro Dream USA) who finished with the joint best second round of two-under 70 for a 144 total. He took the runners-up prize of £2,000.
Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) also closed with a 70 for 145, a total matched by Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie Links), like Kelly a past Walker Cup player, who scored 73-72. McKechnie and Mann earned £1,000 each.
The t6tal prize fund was £10,000.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
141 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 69 72 (£4,000).
144 Lorne Kelly (Pro Dream USA) 74 70 (£2,000).
145 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 75 70, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie Links) 73 72 (£1,000 each).
146 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle) 73 73 (£600).
147 Chris Currie (Caldwell) 71 76, James McGhee (Bishopbriggs GR) 73 74 (£450 each).
148 Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 73 75, Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 74 74 (£250 each).
149 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 77 72, John Gallagher (Swanston) 71 78, John Henry (Clydebank and Dist) 74 75, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 75 74.
151 Lauren Mackin (Son Gual) 75 76.
153 David Roger (Windyhill) 75 78.
154 Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) 82 72.
157 Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) 76 81.
NR Scott Herald (Mearns Castle) 80 NR.
Retired: Steven Duncan (Loch Lomond).

SOUTH AFRICA’S VEENSTRA TRIUMPHS AT OPEN IFQ AFRICA

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R AND A
Johannesburg, South Africa: South Africans Grant Veenstra and Andrew Georgiou will join Brazil’s Adilson da Silva at The Open 2012 after heading the field at International Final Qualifying (IFQ) Africa today.
Fifty-one players entered the 36-hole tournament at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club with the hope of emulating previous IFQ Africa qualifiers including 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen - who was an IFQ qualifier in 2004 - and book a spot at Royal Lytham & St Annes this July.
“We all dream about playing in The Open while growing up. Every golfer wants to play amongst the best, to play at the highest level, and I am so excited for this chance to test myself and play with golf’s best,” said Veenstra, who booked his place with a final round 67 for a six-under-par total of 138.
He leapt into contention with a string of birdies from the sixth to the ninth after dropping a shot at the fifth, and having carded an opening birdie at the first, Veenstra reached the turn at four-under for the day.
“This event is very stressful, because you are playing for something very special. I attacked the course today and got off to a good start – you can’t ask for much more than four-under at the turn,” he said.
He continued his charge with birdies at the 13th and 15th, but was stopped short by a double-bogey at the 16th before carding a final birdie at 18.
“On 16 I hit my poorest shot of the day, landed it right in the water and proceeded to make five there. But then the last shot on the 18th was my best shot this year – I hit it from the long grass and landed it 25 foot from the pin. The putt stopped just in the teeth, but that was the best recovery I’ve made from the rough. When I stood over the ball I knew it was then or never,” he said.
Shooting five-under for the second round took Veenstra’s tally to a clubhouse lead of six-under, which held throughout the day and earned the 28-year-old his place at The Open 2012.
Brazilian Adilson da Silva looked to have blown his chances when he double-bogeyed 16, but his score of five-under was enough to earn him a place at his third Open Championship.
“It hasn’t sunk in completely. It’s ridiculous how excited I am to play in The Open. Maybe it will be third-time lucky,” said Da Silva, whose opening 68 anchored his position on the leaderboard.
“After that round I am glad to be able to breathe again. That double-bogey on the 16th really caught my attention. That added a lot of pressure over the last few holes.”
The Brazilian began the second 18 well and birdied one, seven and eight to top the leaderboard ahead of his second nine. A bogey at the par-three 12th was cancelled out by a birdie at the 14th before his double-drop at the 16th, but experience paid off and da Silva saved par over his last two holes.
Andrew Georgiou, at 25 the youngest of the qualifiers, burnt through the back stretch in 32 strokes to shoot four-under for the second round and claim the third and final place at The Open.
An elated Georgiou said: “It’s incredible – I can’t believe it. I gave it my all and to be on top is great. The Open is such an awesome tournament. It has always been my dream to play in an event of this magnitude and to see it coming true is hard to describe. It’s time to head for the UK and play with the best, I can’t ask for more.”
Georgiou birdied the first and looked steady through the front nine, dropping a lone shot at the fourth but recovering with a birdie at eight. He reached the turn at one-under for the day.
He took a more aggressive approach on the back nine, which led to birdies at the 12th, 15th, 16th and 18th, despite a lone dropped shot at the 14th.
“I made a lot of birdies down the stretch. My gameplan was to go for it, to hit driver often and go for the flags. I started and finished well, so I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
It was a different story, however, for overnight leader Tim Sluiter. The Dutchman posted a superb 66 on day one and began brightly with an eagle at the first but an eight-over-par back nine – which included a seven at the par-3 16th – on his way to a 78 ended his chances.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
par 144 (2x72)
138 Grant Veenstra (71 67)
139 Andrew Georgiou (71 68), Adilson Da Silva (68 71)
140 Douglas McGuigan (72 68), J G Claassen (71 69), Darryn Lloyd (70 70), Colin Nel (70 70), Andrew Parr (69 71), Jordi Garcia (67 73)
141 Andrea Pavan (71 70), Jean Hugo (70 71)
142 Alex Haindl (71 71), Jake Roos (71 71)
143 - Wallie Coetsee (76 67), Martin Maritz (73,70); Agustin Domingo (73 70), Justin Walters (72 71)
144 Vaughn Groenewald (77 67); Ryan Tipping (72,72); Oliver Bekker (71 73), Tim Sluiter (66 78)
145 Alvaro Velasco (76 69), Tyrone Mordt (75 70), Warren Abery (73 72), Lyle Rowe (73 72)
146 Divan Van Den Heever (75 71), Allan Versfeld (75 71), Emiliano Grillo (73 73)
147 Johan Du Buisson (79 68), Alan Michell (76 71), Tyrone Ferreira (75 72), David Hewan (75 72), Victor Riu (74 73)
148 Ryan Cairns (77 71)
149 Robert Wiederkehr (75 74), Albert Pistorius (73 76)
150 Josh Cunliffe (77 73), Benjamin Mannix (76 74), J J Senekal (71 79)
152 Merrick Bremner (71 81)
154 Ulrich Van Den Berg (80 74)

JOHN PHILP RETIRING AS CARNOUSTIE LINKS SUPERINTENDENT

NEWS RELEASE
John Philp has announced his decision to retire at the end of June after 26 years of outstanding service working as Links Superintendent at Carnoustie.
64-year old Philp moved from St Andrews to Carnoustie back in 1985 and subsequently has played a pivotal role in transforming the fortunes of the town’s three golf courses.
Carnoustie’s Championship course was in poor shape when Philp arrived in the Angus town back in the mid-1980s but he quickly restored it to its former glory and his expertise was rewarded in 1999 when it was named as the venue for the Open Championship for the first time for 24 years.
During Philp’s tenure the course also staged The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship since 2001, the 1991and 2001 Scottish Ladies’ Close Amateur Championships, the 1992 Amateur Championship, the 1995 and 1996 Scottish Opens, the 1997 and 2008 Scottish Amateur, the 2002 Boys’ Championship, and the 2007 Open Championship.
More recently it staged the Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard in 2010 and the Ricoh Women’s British Open last summer.
Philp’s last week as Links Superintendent coincides with Carnoustie hosting the Ladies’ Open Amateur Championship on June 26-30.
Philp announced his decision to retire in a letter to the Carnoustie Golf Links chairman in which he praised the CGL directors and his staff for their support during his years of service.
He wrote: “I consider it to have been a privilege to have been part of a great team effort whose original target was the resurgence of Carnoustie Links in world golf and for many years now has provided the highest standards possible.
“I must convey my sincere thanks to the present and previous Management Committees for their support and substantial investment in the Links without which the success we have enjoyed would not have been possible.
“Attention to detail has been the by-word and it has been most rewarding for me to have seen so many improvements on the courses achieved by a talented staff of whom I am most proud.”
He added: “I have cherished many moments experienced over the last 26 years and none more so than the return of The Open to Carnoustie.
“That was the major highlight of my greenkeeping career.”
Gordon Murray, immediate past Chairman of Carnoustie Golf Links paid tribute to the massive contribution Philp has made to the restoration of Carnoustie as one of the leading venues in world golf.
“John is without doubt one of the world’s finest greenkeepers and it is impossible to exaggerate the contribution he has made to Carnoustie’s development over the last 26 years.”
“His outstanding work on restoring the Championship course is well documented but what must also be remembered is that he has played a similar role in improving both the Burnside and Buddon courses.”
Murray added: “He will be an exceedingly difficult act to follow which is why we will not be rushing to announce a replacement.”
Further details about the appointment process will be announced in due course.

COLSAERTS' 64 GIVES HIM FOUR-SHOT LEAD IN VOLVO CHAMPIONS

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts leads the Volvo Golf Champions by four strokes after surging clear of the field with a course-record 64 at Fancourt in South Africa today.
Padraig Harrington was three behind until he finished with a double bogey 7 that left England's Tom Lewis and home hopes Thomas Aiken and Branden Grace in joint second.
Open champion Darren Clarke managed only a 74, but that was one better than Masters Tournament champion Charl Schwartzel in the winners-only 35-man event.
Even allowing for the small field, Colsaerts' lead after day one was impressive, and there have only ever been seven events in European Tour history where someone has been further in front after 18 holes.
"Exceptional, but so is he," said Colin Montgomerie of Colsaerts' nine under par round.
"He is fantastic - potentially as good as it gets."
Despite such praise Colsaerts has only ever tasted victory once in nearly 200 European Tour starts and that will encourage the 34 players left trailing in his wake.
However, Open champion Clarke already has ten strokes to make up - he was wearing contact lenses for the first time, but rustiness was his problem.
Until he reached the 549 yard 18th Harrington was the one doing his best at trying to reel Colsaerts in, but a bad drive and three putts led to a double bogey and a 69.
"Such is life," said the Irishman, 89th in the Official World Golf Ranking and trying to get back into the top 64 in time for next month's World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play in Arizona.
"It was a very comfortable six under for 17 holes, but it's a nasty tee shot and that was a mental error."
Instead England's Lewis and South Africans Aiken and Grace, who qualified by winning the Joburg Open on Sunday, share second spot.
Montgomerie played with Lewis and praised his performance.
The 21 year old led The Open Championship last summer - his first-day 65 was the lowest ever round by an amateur in the event - and then won the Portugal Masters on only his third start as a professional.
What particularly impressed Montgomerie was the way Lewis came back from a 7 on the long 16th with back-to-back birdies.
"He has every opportunity to make you-know-what come September," said Montgomerie in reference to The Ryder Cup.
No European has ever gone from Walker Cup to Ryder Cup in a year - Rickie Fowler has done it for the Americans - and Lewis is not dismissing the possibility.
"If I play well there's no reason why not," said the Englishman.
The day belonged to Colsaerts, though, and perhaps it was no surprise given the sponsors. His only victory came in the Volvo China Open last April and a month later he was a semi-finalist in their World Match Play Championship in Spain.
The biggest hitter in Europe two seasons ago, he was looking forward to taking on Sandwich last July after finishing third in the Barclays Scottish Open the week before, but then came his infamous scooter accident.
After deciding a scooter would be the best way to get about for the week in Kent he tried to jump a kerb because of the traffic and came unstuck.
"I tried to hit a few balls, but felt a bit like a clown - I was hitting 160 yard drives," said the man used to blasting it twice as far.
Colsaerts was out for two months and has not had a top-eight finish since, but nine birdies in the last 11 holes reminded everybody what he is capable of.
He made 2s on all four short holes and also birdied four of the five par fives.
A pair of 62s in Indonesia and the Netherlands remain his lowest scores on The European Tour, but he said: "This is probably the best round I've ever had - it's quite a serious test of golf."
Lewis bounced back with two birdies and with a five under 68 was in joint second in the clubhouse with Grace and Aiken, while Harrington was on the same mark with three to play.
Harrington went second on his own when he birdied the 16th, but drove into the bushes on the last and, after taking a penalty drop, three-putted for a double bogey 7 and a round of 69.
It left Colsaerts with a four stroke lead over Lewis, Grace and Aiken.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72
Players from South Africa unless stated

64 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium)
68 Branden Grace, Thomas Aiken, Tom Lewis (England).
69 David Horsey (England), Joost luiten (Netherladns), Louis Oosthuizen, Padraig Harrington (Ireland).
70 Matthew Zions (Australia), Colin Montgomerie (Scotland).

SELECTED OTHER SCORE
72 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) (T19)


TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

CLICK HERE

CAMERON SMITH IS TOP SEED IN AUSSIE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Reigning Australian stroke-play champion Cameron Smith (Queensland) is the leading qualifier for the match-play stages of the Australian men’s amateur championship in Melbourne.
Smith finished with rounds of 73 and 68 to finish for a three-under-par total of 141 to claim the No 1 seed berth. He finished one clear of Woodlands’ member Nathan Holman, Oliver Goss (Western Australia) and Matthew Wittenberg (New South Wales ) at 142.
Tom Bond (South Australia) finished tied fifth with the best of the internationals, New Zealander Vaughan McCall, on 143.
Overnight joint leader Ben Hollis (South Australia) finished in seventh place with Ben Clementson (New South Wales ) and Rory Bourke (Victoria) at even par 144.
A total of 12 players fought out a lengthy play-off for the last seven places in the match-play draw.

TO VIEW THE QUALIFYING SCORES

CLICK HERE

BYRNE IN T0P TEN WITH TWO ROUNDS TO GO AT ASIAN Q SCHOOL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Banchory's James Byrne cleared the first hurdle - the halfway cut - with so much ease he never probably considered failing on the second day of the Asian Tour Final Qualifying School at Cha Am, Thailand.
Byrne was one of 109 players with 36-hole tallies of level par 144 or better to progress into the third and fourth rounds.
But one of his winning Walker Cup team-mates at Royal Aberdeen last September, Wentworth's Steve Brown, missed out on 148 (75-73).
James had another impressive day, following up his first-round 69 with a 69 for seven-under-par 137. He is lying joint ninth and in this form he cannot fail to to be one of the leading 40 and ties who will gain playing rights for the Asian Tour at the end of 72 holes.
Highlight of his second round was an eagle 3 at the fifth where he was so long off the tee at this par-5 hole that he was playing only an eight-iron for his second shot. He left it only four feet from the flagstick.
Bryne, whose mother Sue is Singaporean, said the humidity will play an important factor in the next two days.
“Asia is definitely different for me. I’m not used to playing in heat like this. You drink a lot more water, eat well and make sure your diet is good to cope with the heat because you are sweating so much during your round,” said the 23-year-old former Arizona State University student and British amateur championship beaten finalist in 2010.

 Byrne is four shots behind the joint leaders Guy Woodman (England) (64-69) and Arnond Vongvanij (Thailand) (69-64) on 11-under 133.

Simon Dunn, the only other Scot in the field, beat the cut with a shot to spare after rounds of 71 and 72 for 143.

The last two rounds will be played at Springfield Royal. Imperial Lakeview was used as one of the two courses for the first two rounds.

ASIAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72)

133 Guy Woodman (Eng) 64 69, Arnond Vongvanij (Thai) 69 64.

134 Yosuke Tsukada (Jap) 63 71.

135 Hamza Amin (Aut) 69 66, Sushi Ishgaki (Jap) 66 69, Martin Romginer (Swi) 72 63.

Selected totals

137 James Byrne (Sco) 68 69, Dale Marmion (Eng) 70 67 (T9).

140 Simon Griffiths (Eng) 68 72 (T28).

141 Niall Turner (Ire) 68 73 (T39).

142 Jake Shepherd (Eng) 71 71, Stephen Lewton (Eng) 68 74 (T53).

143 Yasin Ali (Eng) 71 72, Simon Dunn (Sco) 71 72 (T70).

144 Niall Kearney (Ire) 72 72, Chris Rodgers (Eng) 70 74 (T89).

MISSED THE CUT (144 or better qualified for last two rounds)

147 Neil Reilly (Eng) 75 72, Miles Tunnicliff (Eng) 72 75.

148 Steve Brown (Eng) 75 73.

149 Grant Jackson (Eng) 76 73, Chris Gill (Eng) 76 73.

150 Nick Redfern (Eng) 77 73.

154 James Sheffield (Eng) 72 84.

158 Peter Richardson (Eng) 81 77.

159 Ross Canavan (Eng) 79 80.